St. Andrew’s Anglican Church

March 1, 2020

Please turn to the inside

Study of Epistles of John begins next SundayThe Adult Forum will be taking a break this Sunday, and will resume next week with a new Bible study of the Epistles of John. Fr. Ron Baird will facilitate study, which will run through Lent.

Thought to have been written between AD 85–100 by the same author, these three letters encourage early believers in their faith; and admonish the faithful to walk in truth, avoid false teachings, resist evil and do good. Second John and Third John are two shortest books in the Bible.

Join us next Sunday as we delve into these three Johannine epistles, and consider who wrote them, what their purpose was, and what they mean for us today.

St. Andrew’s to serve at new Common Ground satellite location Saturday, March 7St. Andrew’s and our “seasoned” team of volunteers will officially open the Common Ground Free Store’s new satellite store on Saturday, March 7. Volunteers will be needed from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. that day. Please sign up at the Information Desk or online at standrewspolaris.org, or contact Marty Scott at 614-284-0182 or mscott@standrewspolaris.org to volunteer.

We’ll start with 15-plus volunteers serving at check-in or check-out, on the main

2020 Lenten Study: Exploring faith together through AlphaOur annual parish-wide Lenten Study Program begins Tuesday, March 3! We meet from 6:15 to 8 p.m. at church for five consecutive Tuesdays in March. This year we will participate in the recently updated Alpha.

Each Tuesday evenings will start with a simple supper of soup, salad, mac and cheese, and cookies. After dinner, we will view an Alpha video segment and then discuss it in small groups. We will close the evening with Compline, an Please turn to the inside

We won’t be hearing this word again until Easter, but a week ago on the last Sunday of Epiphany it was heard loud and clear—and seen all over the Gathering Area—as children decorated their Alleluias, then “buried” them in potting soil, where they’ll await their return on the Feast of the Resurrection on April 12. See more on the back page.

Prayers for the ChurchAnglican Church in North America: Bishop Kenneth Ross, his wife Sallie, and the clergy and people of the Diocese of the Rocky Mountains.

For generations, the United States sent missionaries to the far reaches of the globe. Ironically, the United States is now home to the largest population of un-churched and spiritually disconnected English speaking people in the world (130 million). The American church has seen a steady stream of people leaving, often citing spiritual restlessness, apathy, or a sense that there must be “more.” There is still a deep hunger for meaning, significance and deeper questioning, but the church is no longer the place to which our culture turns to explore those questions.

However, the global Christian story is a very different one. Christianity is experiencing a dynamic renewal and expansion in many other parts of the world, including Africa and Asia. America is now considered by many to be a mission field. In 2000, through the courageous witness and leadership of Archbishops Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda and Moses Tay of Southeast Asia, a church-planting movement was born to reach people in North America.

In the 16 years since, the Gospel was proclaimed, scores of new Anglican churches planted, dozens of distressed churches given a place of effective service, new bishops consecrated to serve the expanding movement, and many new clergy raised up. The Church of Rwanda has been a source of spiritual encouragement, guidance and inspiration for this movement. The Diocese of the Rockie Mountains has been shaped by Rwanda’s holistic missionary heart and through the remarkable work of reconciliation after the 1994 genocide.

Recognizing the work of God in the forming of the Anglican Church in North America, the Church of Rwanda released the American churches into the ACNA in June of 2016. This was a move to strengthen the work of the church in North America, as well as to keep a strong connection with Rwanda. Also in 2016, the churches formerly overseen by the Anglican Church of Rwanda were formed into two dioceses, one of which was the Diocese of the Rocky Mountains. Both dioceses are now integral parts of the Anglican Church in North America.

The Diocese of the Rocky Mountains now has 20 parishes spread over Arizona,California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Colorado has most congregations, with nine. (Source: Diocesan website.)

Please pray especially for the three men ordained to the diaconate and priesthood this year and for ongoing evangelism.

Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes: Fr. John Harris, Deacon Barbara Fischer, and the people of Christ the King Anglican Church, Columbiana, Ohio.

Parish Cycle of Prayer: Jean Duncan; Eric, Benjamin and Christian Emery; the upcoming Lenten Study Program; and our Outreach Ministries.

Encouragement for your prayer time with GodBeing a prayerful person enhances our business, social, and family life. “Let your light so shine before men,that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10)

— From the St. Andrew’s Prayer Ministries Team— • —

Next Sunday’s LectionaryMarch 8; Second Sunday in Lent

First Reading: Genesis 12:1-9 (5 p.m. & 9 a.m.); Romans 4:1-5(6-12)13-17 (11:15 a.m.)Psalm 33:12-21 (5 p.m. & 9 a.m.)Second Reading: Romans 4:1-5(6-12)13-17 (5 p.m. & 9 a.m.)Gospel: John 3:1-16

The Daily LectionaryWeek of the First Sunday

in Lent • March 1-7Sunday, March 1 — A.M.: Psalm 146; Exodus 8; Matthew 13:1-23 P.M.: Psalm 147; Lamentations 5; Romans 13

Monday, March 2 — A.M.: Psalm 148; Exodus 9:1-29,33-34; Matthew 13:24-43 P.M.: Psalm 149, 150; Proverbs 1; Romans 14

Tuesday, March 3 — A.M.: Psalms 1, 2; Exodus 10; Matthew 13:44-58 P.M.: Psalms 3, 4; Proverbs 2; Romans 15

Wednesday, March 4 — A.M.: Psalms 5, 6; Exodus 11; Matthew 14 P.M.: Psalm 7; Proverbs 3:1-27 Romans 16

Thursday, March 5 — A.M.: Psalm 9; Exodus 12:1-20,28-36; Matthew 15:1-28 P.M.: Psalm 10; Proverbs 4; Philippians 1:1-11

Friday, March 6 — A.M.: Psalms 8, 11; Exodus 13; Matthew 15:29—16:12 P.M.: Psalms 15, 16; Proverbs 5; Philippians 1:12-30

Saturday, March 7 — A.M.: Psalms 12, 13, 14; Exodus 14:5-31; Matthew 16:13-28 P.M.: Psalm 17; Proverbs 6:1-11,20-35; Philippians 2:1-11

Next Sunday, March 8 — A.M.: Psalm 18:1-20; Exodus 15; Matthew 17:1-23 P.M.: Psalm 18:21-52; Proverbs 7; Philippians 2:12-30

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Daylight Saving Time resumes at

2 a.m. next Sunday, March 8. Please

remember to set your clocks ahead

one hour before you go to bed

Saturday night. Late-comers who’ve

forgotten can always catch the 11:15

a.m. service!

2020 Lenten StudyContinued from the front

evening prayer service from the Book of Common Prayer.

Alpha is “a tool built for local churches based on hospitality, sharing and open conversation.” The new Alpha videos are amazing and they highlight scriptural truths to encourage and strengthen everyone’s faith. Even if you have done Alpha in the past, you don’t want to miss this newer version! We will introduce Alpha the first week, then present videos on Jesus, the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the Church body the following weeks.

Fr. Ron Baird frequently encourages us to invite friends to church. With Alpha, this is a non-Sunday opportunity to do just this, as it was created specifically to introduce co-workers, friends and neighbors to the Good News of God’s love in Christ.

For the dinner, we ask for volunteers to sign up ahead of time to bring food. You may sign up to attend and/or bring food at the Information Desk and online at standrewspolaris.org. Feel free to come late or leave early, depending on your family or work schedule. Food is never put away early, although we make no promises that the mac and cheese will last very long, as it’s a parish favorite!

We also offer a program for our preschool and elementary aged children, as well. Fr. Shane Tucker is encouraging youth to participate with the adults, or to volunteer to be helpers with the kid’s program.

Please start praying now, asking God to reveal to you who you know who needs to be invited. While this will only be a “Taste of Alpha” over Lent, as a church we hope to invite anyone from our region to experience Alpha, in full, this fall. It is our sincerest hope that we will have the biggest turnout yet, since we started this tradition eight years ago. We know everyone is busy, but we encourage you to try to make some or all of the five Tuesdays in March.

For more information on Alpha, contact Fr. Shane at stucker@standrewspolaris.org or 740-548-5112, ext. 4. All other questions about the Tuesday Lenten Study Program should be directed to Tally Whitehead at twhitehead@standrewspolaris.org or 740-548-5112, ext. 5.

Common GroundContinued from the front

floor, in the hospitality area, or as floor monitors. We’ll also need folks to help with clean-up, which will involve moving clothing back into storage, bringing out folding chairs for the host church’s worship service the next day, and tidying up.

The Common Ground Free Store satellite will be at Press Church Outreach Center, 425 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Press Church has offered CGFS a facility on Saturdays rent-free, and CGFS has offered to pay a small fee to cover utilities and other miscellaneous items. While times may vary regarding set-up and clean-up, the store will be open to shoppers on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Stations of the Cross offered on Fridays in LentFr. Wil Verhoff will be offering the Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent. This traditional Lenten service of prayer will start at 7:15 p.m. in the St. Andrew’s Sanctuary. All are welcome.

The Stations of the Cross—also known as the “Way of the Cross,” the “Way of Sorrows” or the “Via Dolorosa”— is an ancient service commemorating the events of Christ’s Passion. The service, which replicates the walk made by Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land as early as the 4th Century, features 14 meditations—at St. Andrew’s, said before a series of plaques lining the interior walls of the church, each of which bear a visual representation of one of the traditional events surrounding Jesus’ arrest, trial crucifixion and burial.

Sunday, March 16:30-8 p.m.Go Deep, Live Large, Change the World: Come explore truth that doesn’t change, love that doesn’t fail and hope that doesn’t fade while we have a blast makin’ memories along the way. Bring someone with you!

Meet @ St. Andrew’s Church

Friday, March 204-11 p.m.Rend Collective @ Hobart Arena, Troy, Ohio

Due to demand, please pay for your ticket through the church office by Friday, March 6!

Hailing from a small town off the coast of Northern Ireland, Rend Collective wants to be known as a celebration band. The group’s authentic and energetic style of worship has attracted an international audience. Fr. Shane Tucker has had the privilege of working alongside them at youth ministry gatherings in Ireland.

Standard Tickets are $29, including fees. We’ll eat out, so bring money for food

Drop-off and pick-up @ St. Andrew’s Church

Remember to bring the necessary permission forms, which may be downloaded from the Rubicon Youth group on the Member Connection.

Questions? Contact Fr. Shane at stucker@standrewspolaris.org or 615-983-0703, or join the Rubicon Youth GroupMe chat (youth or parents). Ask Fr. Shane to be added.

7521 S. Old State Rd. • Lewis Center, OH 43035 • 740.548.5112 • standrewspolaris.org • mail@standrewspolaris.org

See photos from the rest of this past week’s activities in next Sunday’s edition of “The Net!”