House Blessing
There will be a House Blessing of Rev. Marya's home on February 23, from 4-7 pm. Please RSVP by calling the parish office on or before Friday morning (you can leave a message if you get the answering machine) at 978-774-1150.
Clergy Retreat
Next Tuesday, February 26 through Thursday, February 28, Rev. Marya will be attending a clergy retreat at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in New Hampshire. The retreat will include other clergy from both dioceses in Massachusetts, and will focus on the Psalms.
Any clergy needs will be handled by our deacon, Rev. Jim Chapman.
Rev. Peter Panagore
On March 3, 2019, I hope you can join us for a conversation with the Rev. Peter Panagore, following our 10 AM worship service. Peter now lives in the Portland, Maine, area, and has shared his near-death experience in his book, Heaven is Beautiful. Peter was a college student ice climbing on his spring break when mistakes on the mountain caused him to die from hypothermia. His first-person account of his journey to heaven — and back — are offered in this book. He served as the associate pastor at the Orange Congregational Church prior to my service there, and I have invited him to speak at a couple of other congregations over the years. Come, ask him those questions you’ve longed to ask.
Marya+
Ashes To Go
Wednesday, March 6, 12:15-1:15 in front of ASNS.
Ash Wednesday services will be held in the Chapel at 7:00 pm
Daily Lenten Meditations by Email
Click here for the 2019 Lenten email series from Episcopal Relief & Development. Each day during Lent, you can receive a daily reflection co-authored by a group of faith leaders from across the church.
A Eucharistic Minister is a lay person authorized to administer the consecrated elements at a Celebration of Holy Eucharist, and acts under the direction of a clergy leader exercising oversight of a congregation or other community of faith. This lay person is authorized to take the consecrated elements in a timely manner following a Celebration of Holy Eucharist, to members of the congregation who, by reason of illness or infirmity, were unable to be present at the Celebration of the Eucharist. Communion kits are distributed to visitors the third Sunday of each month at the end of our worship. Completion of an online Safe Church Training is also required for this ministry. If you are currently a confirmed communicant in good standing with your parish (contributing time, talent and treasure and attending at least 3 times each year), and would like to bring communion to people in special circumstances, please contact the parish office. (978-774-1150)
Community News
It’s not too late to join our lively book group: Climate Church, Climate World will meet March 6 - April 3, from 11-12:30, in the Chaplain's office at Brooksby Village! Call the office to let us know when you are available on Wednesdays (morning or afternoon).
Here are a few quotes from a section in Chapter One entitled "Are we Choosing Extinction?"
“We find ourselves born into a time when human activity and aspiration—if they simply continue without profound repurposing—will sentence our children to lives of struggle, not promise; skies of extreme weather, not rainbows; and landscapes of deprivation, not abundance.”
“God set before them (not before this individual or that individual but before them together) the choice of life or death, blessing or curse.” (Deuteronomy 29-30)
Collectively, they needed to make a decision. The Paris Climate Accord embraces this same recognition: We’re all in this together! However, for the agreement to take effect, 55 countries that produce at least 55% of the world’s green house gas emissions must ratify, accept, approve or accede to the agreement. Both China and the US (the two biggest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions) signed on in November 2016. The withdrawal by President Trump in June 2017, will not take effect until November 2020.
Diocesan News
From Our Bishops: Beware of Email Gift Card Scams
Email impersonation scams that involve gift card requests were prevalent over the past Christmas holiday season, and some dioceses, churches, clergy and other congregational leaders continue to be targeted.
A common tactic in these scams (also known as "phishing") is to send emails that appear to be from the rector or a bishop. The scam emails say that urgent help is needed and request that the recipient buy and electronically send gift cards from a specific company, commonly Amazon, iTunes or Google Play.
These scam requests appear to come from a legitimate email account of a known person. They usually convey a sense of urgency. They often incorporate a signature line that looks legitimate at quick glance.
Gift cards are favored by the scammers because, once they've got the code from the back of the card, the money is as good as in their hands, and nearly impossible to trace.
What to do:
Be skeptical of unexpected email requests to send or spend money.
Read with caution any email that asks for gift cards. Look for telltale typos and grammatical mistakes, and double-check sender email addresses for authenticity.
If you believe a request may be authentic, phone the requester to confirm.
For more information about phishing scams, including how to report them, click here.
Pastoral Letter
On January 17, 2019, Bishop Alan M. Gates and Bishop Gayle E. Harris issued this pastoral letter to the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts regarding the church's response to sexual misconduct, particularly the General Convention's three-year suspension of the statute of limitations on initiating clergy disciplinary cases involving sexual misconduct against adults. You can download the letter here.
