Weekly Update from Fr. van Dooren 2.6.26
Very dear members and friends of our parish family,
Once again, we are bracing for a brutally cold Sunday, but thankfully without added snow. For those who are able, we are preparing the masses to celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Epiphany. And again, we are grateful for our live-stream capabilities for those who feel safest staying indoors.
The Gospel passage and sermon text will be a continuation of Matthew’s famous Sermon on the Mount with the familiar phrases; “You are the salt of the earth,” and “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-20). Our experience and thoughts about salt and light are very different than what was considered in the ancient world, but with a bit of context, these old phrases still give us blessing and bold challenge! Come and see.
It is also that time of year when we return our sacred palms from last Palm Sunday to be burned to make the ashes for our Ash Wednesday masses, Wednesday, February 18th at 8:30am, 12:10pm, and 6:30pm. We will have a basket for the palms placed at the entrance of the nave for the next two Sundays.
Please plan on joining me and your parish family at this year’s annual Blessed Absalom Jones Celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Saturday February 14th at 10:30am. Absalom Jones was a freed slave, abolitionist, first African-American priest in the Episcopal Church, and founder of the first black Episcopal congregation in 1794. This meaningful service will honor the legacy of the Reverend Absalom Jones, whose groundbreaking ministry paved the way for a more diverse and inclusive priesthood. If you are unable to join us in person, This Service will be streamed live on the Cathedral Website, and on the Cathedral YouTube Channel beginning at 10:30 am.
Prior to Ash Wednesday, our annual talent show returns this year, on Monday (instead of Tuesday), February 16, with a combination Talent Show and pizza party. The pizza reception will begin at 6:00 pm (new time) with the talent show to follow at 7:15pm. The pizza will represent the possible “fat and excesses” that we will give up for the 40 day season of Lent starting on Ash Wednesday. Parishioners are also invited to bring salads (fruit salads too), desserts, and soft drinks to complement the pizza. Please to contact Lee (leealderson04@gmail.com) to coordinate what you plan to bring. This is always a fun evening for our parish family on the eve of a very serious and somber Lenten season.
Poets, rappers, dancers, singers, actors, readers, comics, artists of all sorts are encouraged to spread the joy at our talent show! Please contact our music director (cdumschat@littlechurch.org) Claudia Dumschat for more information.
This Lent, the Adult Education Committee will lead a discussion of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis on Thursday evenings at 7:00-8:00 PM on Zoom. Please email the parish office (parishoffice@littlechurch.org) to receive the Zoom link. We recommend this modern English translation by Peter Northcutt. Our first meeting will be on Thursday, February 26th.
We will honor the devotions of the Stations of the Cross and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on the Fridays of Lent beginning Friday, February 27th (Note this devotion will not be held on the First Friday of Lent, February 20th).
The Holy Rosary will be prayed in the Family chapel at 9:30am this Sunday. We will pray the Glorious mysteries.
We continue to live-stream each Sunday’s mass at 11:00am, and a link is sent out each Sunday morning at 8:00am. We live-stream on Facebook and YouTube. Please email the parish office (parishoffice@littlechurch.org) if you would like to pray the morning and evening offices with us by Zoom.
Thank you for your continued faith, support, and love for the parish.
Fides Opera
With loving wishes,
Fr. van Dooren