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The Fledgling--Week of March 10, 2023
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I am, as I have for over a decade now (!), writing for the online Lenten devotional Lent Madness. This year, I again have excellent saints, and again, I am excited for them to see the light of day, and for everyone to "meet" them through reading about them, and incorporating their witness into your journey.
Each year, without fail, I find at least one saint I never knew of before, and learning about them gives me a new companion on my walk of faith. Or, I hear the story of some familiar saint in a new way, and begin to think of my life differently.
Saints, after all, aren't meant to be perfect people leading perfect lives. They are meant to show us a glimpse of the gospel, lived out in different times and places, in this confusing world. So saints themselves are complex, confused, and often difficult characters. One of my personal favorites, Florence Nightingale, was such a pill that her sainthood was delayed for decades. The reason for her irksomeness? She didn't think the conditions for the British military's wounded were sanitary, and so she thought nothing of offending the sensibilities of the entire military establishment to get it fixed. Jerome, also, was notoriously grumpy and difficult to get along with (which either resulted in or was caused by) his choice to live in a church basement in Bethlehem, but he still wrote the Vulgate, and some stunning theology.
From their example then we in turn can learn to forgive our own faults, and persevere more in our own pursuit of faithfulness. To walk in the company of saints is to celebrate our uniqueness and even our faults, while we press on towards the goal of the kingdom.
This Lent, may you too meet one or two new saints on your way.
If you have an announcement for the Fledgling, send it to the office by Thursday morning for inclusion on Friday. Bulletin announcements should be into the office by Wednesday morning.
- If you know of someone who would like to receive the Fledgling, please send their email to the office.
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Prayer for the week
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Readings for this week
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Have you had coffee/tea/hot cider with Mtr Megan? Send me an email and we'll set up Skype/Facetime and chat! It's fun (I promise) and we can still meet while we're staying safe right now.
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Schedule this week:
Daily Morning Prayer: Monday--Thursday 9:30am on FB and YouTube
Adult Education: 9:15am in Parish Hall and on Zoom
Sunday Worship: 8am Rite 1 and 10:30am Rite 2
Episcopal 101: Join us following the 10:30am service. Grab some coffee and snacks, and head to the Chapman room!
Lenten Series: Dinner with Loaves and Fishes at 5pm (Doors open at 5pm, hot food service at 5:30) Class begins at 6:15pm in the Nave.
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Christian Education
Adult Education resumes with a new book. We are now reading Jesus and John Wayne, by Kristin DuMez. Join us in person or via Zoom with Chapter 12 THIS week.
CW: This book discusses difficult topics at times, and includes descriptions of child abuse, and racist and homophobic violence. Please take care of yourselves.
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Historical Moment
In celebration of our 200th year, which began in April, we are perusing the various records of the parish to offer up different tidbits of our past. Going wayyyyyy far back, we discover that prior to the establishment of Central New York as a diocese, Ithaca was considered a missionary district of the Diocese of New York, and our clergy reported back to their convention from a missionary field. In those years, upstate NY was known for successive, enthusiastic religious revivals, but the Episcopalians were not inclined to look upon these favorably. In fact, in 1828, the Rev. Ezekiel Gear reported the following:
"Since my last report, my services have been confined principally to the congregation at Ithaca. Circumstances of a peculiar nature, with regards to religion, have rendered this measure more necessary. The annals of fanaticism would scarcely present a parallel to the scenes which have been acted here during the last year. Every wheel in the mighty engine of a revival of the highest order, was directed against the venerable forms and somber worship of the Church; and every art and trick was practiced by its managers to seduce and alienate the affections and weaken the attachments of her members and friends."
Want to hear more? Come to the Thursday evening Lenten series on parish history at 6:15pm!
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