The Church’s Task
by Bishop Howard D. Higgins
(Reprinted from the “Episcopal Recorder,” June, 1966)
The work of the church is a varied and many-sided enterprise. There is the important matter of worship to be considered, a pure and Scriptural worship which should characterize every department of the life of the church. The teaching ministry of the church – in the Bible school, the prayer meeting, the youth groups, all organizations, and through the ministry of the pulpit – must be strengthened. The consolation of the Gospel must be brought to lives that have been touched by sorrow, adversity, temptation, doubt. The people of God must be trained in the Christian way of life and made to understand the implications of the faith which they profess. The challenge of Christ’s missionary call, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,” must be answered. So we might continue to recount the many responsibilities of the church, for she must speak to the whole of life.
Though there are many activities upon which the church may enter to God’s glory and the blessing of men, the church’s task is one. The Church is a fellowship of believers united to make real in the lives of men the redeeming message of Jesus Christ. To state our task in simple, straightforward, old-fashioned terms, it is to save souls, with all that “salvation” involves. Only those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour can truly worship Him, or study His Word to their profit, or have a true ethic and right relation to their fellowman, or undertake the missionary enterprise, or either give or receive spiritual consolation. Fundamental to all our work is the preaching and testifying to the Gospel of eternal salvation through faith in the Son of God. When we neglect or minimize this task, all our striving in other good and useful fields are but the beating of the wind.
Organization is desirable, programs can be used of God; the world should not have a monopoly on good methods; but we must never place our trust in human skill and effort. As we multiply the wheels of our church activity, we also increase the friction to be overcome and make a demand for greater power. The strength in which we must face our task is the “power of God.” Let us put “first things first,” and with new dedication of life unto Christ who saved us, give our best efforts to the parish in which God has place us.
Missionary of The Month Rev. & Mrs. William Jerdan (Diane). Montpellier, France.
March & April Lenten Soup Suppers & Evening Service
Wednesday, March 4, 6:30 p.m. Evening Service - 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 11, 6:30 p.m. Evening Service - 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March.18, 6:30 p.m. Evening Service - 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 25, 6:30 p.m. Evening Service - 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1, 6:30 p.m. Evening Service – 7:30 p.m.
Ember Days
March 4,6,& 7, 2009. Ember days occur four times throughout the Church Year. They are always on the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of the week. These days, which are of ancient origin, are set aside as special days for prayer and abstinence, or fasting.
Daylight Savings Time
March 8, 2009
Turn your clocks 1 hour forward
Spring
Begins March 20, 2009
Annual Parish Meeting
Sunday, March 29, 3009.
There will be a potluck luncheon preceding the meeting downstairs
in the Parish Hall after morning worship.
Palm Sunday
April 5, 2009
Good Friday
April 10, 2009
Evening service, 7:30 p.m.
Easter
April 12, 2009
Continental Breakfast, 9:30 a.m. Downstairs in the Parish Hall.
Holy Communion, 10:30 a.m.
Mother/Daughter Salad Supper
April 25, 2009, 5:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall.
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Happy Birthday!
Mar. 1 – Dale Muir
Mar. 5 – Ian Christenson
Mar. 5 – Kevin Ebisi
Mar. 9 – Allison Klingen
Mar. 12 – Amy Christenson
Mar. 17 – Rev. Dr. Derrick Hassert
Mar. 26 – Barbara Smith
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Volunteer Prayer
by Kay Hight
If I have made one person smile that
would have been solemn
If I have helped one person walk that
would have sat alone
If I have been a friend to one person
that would have had no one
Then I have given the greatest gift there
is to give, the gift of time and love.
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