March

2018

A Voice in the Wilderness

St. Andrew’s in the Pines Episcopal Church

PO Box 847

524 W. Pine Street

Pinedale, Wyoming 82941

Phone: (307) 367-2674

Web: www.standrewsinthepines.org

Email: standrewspinedale@gmail.com

PLACE STAMP HERE

A Note from Father Randy

We have not been together on a regular basis on Sunday’s. I do wish that the circumstances were different

to allow us more time together. It is Lent, and I would like to offer a brief version of the Lenten Study Pro-

gram from the Iona Center at the Seminary of the Southwest. Something that if you chose can be done at

home on your own. Lent 2018 is called Graceful Disruptions and will include suggested readings and some

questions for reflection.

Session One: Jesus disrupts the status quo

Readings: Matthew 5:1-2, 7:13-8:1, Mark 6:1-13 Jesus’ teaching stuns people out of their ordinary ways of thinking 1) Have you ever known someone who modeled what it means to love an enemy? What qualities did that person have that

made this kind of loving possible? 2) Think about some of the specific ways you have spiritually matured over the years in loving your neighbor. Identify

ways you have outgrown old patterns of acting or perceiving the world. Do you hear anything in Jesus’ teaching that might move you to a new place in your relationships with others?

Session Two: Following Jesus means diagnosing what is wrong

Readings: Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 7-8 Jesus empowers his followers to be a means of healing

1) Have you ever had an experience of not wanting to teach someone else something that you’ve gotten good at, giving up trade secrets? What qualities does it take to pass on some work that’s important to you?

2) This passage gives us some insight into Jesus’ reliance on God, and his ability to discern where God is present and ac-tive in demanding situations. What spiritual practices lie behind that kind of trust and insight. Do you know anyone that has qualities for that kind of faith? Do you believe you can acquire a similar level of faith?

Session Three: “What do you want me to do for you?”

Reading: Mark 10:46-52 Following Jesus means listening to the people we serve 1) Where do you find yourself in this story? 2) If Jesus healed your sight, what are you afraid you might see all too clearly? What would clear-sightedness require of

you? 3) Do we have any Bartimaeus in our town? Who would want them to be silent? Consider where you would be in this situ-

ation and how Jesus would look at this person. Session Four: Recognizing grace points to mission opportunities Reading: Romans 12:4-18

Discerning when and how we experience God’s grace suggests new mission opportunities for serving our wider community. 1) Identify a time when your life was enriched or made better through an experience of grace. Did someone in your com-

munity act in a way that contributed to this experience. 2) Identify a practice of yours that generally seems uplifting to other people in the church or the community. Do other peo-

ple comment on those positive practices and how are their lives made better by them? Session Five: Paul’s “collection” demonstrates the power of our common life

Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 Cooperation among small, far-flung churches can make a difference

1) Can you recall a time when you were enduring a difficult, challenging period in your life? Were there people who helped you get through it and in what ways did they help you? How did you feel about them after things got better and how did it affect your further relationship with that person?

2) Have you ever known someone regardless of the tricky situation expresses joy? What’s the source and were they able to serve other people despite their own personal challenges?

3) Identify some people in your community who ethnically or religiously different from you? What are their needs and is the community responding to their needs? How? If not, why not?

I’ve condensed The Reverend’s Jane Patterson and John Lewis’ Lent 2018 study a little since we cannot get together weekly to do an appropriate study. This is an optional study and there is not going to be a test. I just put this out to provoke some discerning thought – it is Lent. If you desire, keep some notes and maybe we can get together sometime either personally or as a group and talk about your thoughts.

Lenten Blessings,

Father Randy

SURVIVAL KITS--By Jocelyn Moore

The first advice I received about driving in Wyoming was: “Don’t

leave home without a full tank of gas.”

This guidance came home one wintry night when I hit a patch of

ice just north of Farson and spun off Highway 191. My car re-

volved in perfect circles, snow catapulting through the air like the

arc of a water skier. The rotation killed the engine, leaving me

stranded in snow covered sagebrush thirty yards off the blacktop.

With no cell coverage, I waited for a Good Samaritan to arrive.

Thankfully someone did stop, the engine turned over, I drove up

the steep incline on to the pavement and arrived home safe and

sound. But it illustrated how quickly things can go awry.

In winter, I keep survival items in my car including a plastic retractable shovel, blankets, an orange emergency

sign, battery cable, flashlight, tire repair kit, water and that old standby, T.P.

And I thought; what do I need in my Christian Survival kit? In John 16:33, Jesus warns his disciples and us, that

we will experience trouble. Problems and storms arise unbidden; a job loss, health diagnosis, divorce, addic-

tion, financial disaster, legal troubles, the list goes on and on. There is also an enemy dedicated to running eve-

ry Christian off the road into a permanent ditch. (I Peter 5:8) As I set out on my Christian path, what can help

me endure? Where do I turn when the “Check Engine” light comes on?

Read up: First, I need an Owner’s Manual. God put together a complete set of instructions for motoring through

life. But setting a Bible on my coffee table doesn’t get it. I have to crack it open and read His diagnosis.

Fuel up: Like my car, my Christian walk needs regular maintenance. I fuel up by reading the Word when I’m

having my morning cup of coffee….. except for when I don’t and find that the day doesn’t go as well.

Fill up: I check to see if I’m low on air. John writes in Chapter 14, verse 17, that the Spirit of Truth dwells with

me and in me. Do I welcome the breath of the Holy Spirit, Pneuma (Acts 2:4) to my life?

Clean up: Just as my car windshield collects snow which blots my view, do I have negative or untrue thoughts or

beliefs which cloud my spiritual vision, blur my understanding of Jesus? What about my mud flaps? Do I throw

dirt on others? Am I a hit and run gossip, flinging ill will like pebbles? Are my talk and walk in alignment?

Grease up: Does my speech work like silicone, to lessen friction and conflict? If I see icy words sliding to a

head on collision, do I slam on my verbal brakes? Proverbs 15:1 says a “soft answer turns away wrath, but a

harsh word stirs up anger”.

Wrap up: Do I seek godly advice from mature believers and drape myself in the blanket of Christian fellowship?

GPS Set up: God Promises Survival to those who believe in Jesus. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that

He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Not a hanging-on-by

-our-fingertips survival but a life to enjoy, full of abundance, real and better than can be imagined.

Thank you God for sending your son, Jesus Christ, to take on the sins of the world, so all who believe in Jesus

will be forgiven, receive eternal life that survives death and thrive in your love.

Rite 13/J2A pancake supper was another success!

Thanks to everyone who supported their fundraising effort. They raised nearly $400 toward their next pilgrimage!

Rite 13 will meet on March 14 and March 28.

Dear Members of St. Andrew’s: As you know, Stephanie Lund has retired as Sr. Warden of the Vestry and we are deeply indebted to her for her leadership during a busy time in the life of our church. The Vestry has graciously asked me to step into this role and I have accepted. I bring to you a lifetime of varied job skills and the dedication to serve all of you and give you the best I have. We have a number of exciting and challenging op-portunities before us. The Building expansion project has moved forward from permitting and engineering through the lengthy process of approval from the State Fire Marshall, to a place that requires solid estimates. We eagerly await the contractors’ numbers, and will share them with the con-gregation as soon as they are available. The Capital Campaign committee is also poised to proceed with their work of getting commitments from eve-ryone once we know these numbers. The Search Committee is also moving forward, with a profile for our ideal candidate for Rector and a broader advertising of the position through the end of March. Two potential candidates have been identified and vetted through the diocesan office so far, and the Search Committee will inter-view them through video conferencing. This is all happening soon. St. Andrew’s has an amazing congregation – people who are willing to step up and do the hard work of outreach in the community, teaching the children and youth, leading worship whenever necessary, and a general caring for everyone. A special thanks for everyone, including Kris Holmes and Fr. Randy, for scheduling worship leaders and clergy during this inter-im time. There will be Holy Eucharist each Sunday in March. It is reassur-ing to know that every Sunday, there is a service at 8 am, 10 am, and a contemplative Taize service at 5 pm. We look forward to seeing you at your choice of worship. As always, All are Welcome! We have entered Lent. The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning "Spring," and lenctentid, which literally means not only "Springtide" but also was the word for "March," the month in which the majority of Lent falls. There is a special Lenten home study Fr. Randy is putting together, which will be an insert in the Sunday bulletin starting March 4. Look elsewhere in this issue for more information about the Holy Week schedule and opportunities to serve. Palm Sunday, Maun-dy Thursday, Good Friday will have meaningful services. Don’t forget the Easter egg hunt (we will need donations for candy) and the Easter brunch (bring your best egg-y or spring-y dish.) Thank you, all of St. Andrew’s. Joni Mack, Sr. Warden

Joni Mack Senior Warden joni@ravenscrowne.com 307-690-0669 Cody Saxton Junior Warden codywsaxton@yahoo.com 307-749-4623 Julie Belton therealcenter@centurylink.net 307-231-1856 Jon Boroff jskk@centurytel.net 307-859-8244

Sarah Hixson sarahmi5@wyoming.com 307-231-9666 Sukey Hohl sukeybook@gmail.com 307-231-3030 Kris Holmes fishkristopher@gmail.com 307-421-4959 Trey Wilkinson trey081@gmail.com 307-258-8542 Sam Harnack samharnack@gmail.com 307-231-0302

St. Andrew’s Vestry Vestry News

ECW News

The Watch

The Watch is a traditional event during Holy Week where you can sign up to pray

for an hour (or more) for the night between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

The gospels tell us that after the Last Supper Jesus led his friends to the Garden of

Gethsemane, the place where he was soon to be arrested. Jesus went off by him-

self to struggle in prayer about the coming ordeal telling his closest disciples, “I

am deeply grieved, even unto death, remain here, and stay awake with me.” A lit-

tle later he came back only to find that the disciples had fallen asleep, so he gently

chided them saying, “Could you not stay awake with me one hour? Keep awake

and pray…”

Would you like to "Keep awake and Pray"?

The Watch takes place in the children’s nursery downstairs. Two people can share

a shift in they both agree. There will be a sign up sheet available as we get closer

to Holy Week. If you have never tried this, many people find it a very meaningful

thing to do before Easter.

MIRACLES HAPPEN

Many of you have heard about my granddaughter Mesa’s recent accident. She fell TWENTY-FIVE

FEET from the chairlift at White Pine. Molly got to her right away and the ski patrol and ambulance

responded quickly. She was transported to the Pinedale Clinic and was examined and had x-rays.

Her spine was cleared but the chest x-ray showed a small pneumothorax on both lungs which meant

she needed to go to the Idaho Falls hospital. The ER doctor there said she seemed stable so they

would watch for complications overnight and take another x-ray in the morning.

Molly called the next morning to say that the doctor had been in to check Mesa and told her and

Coke “This is FAIRLY MIRACULOUS…the chest x-ray this morning shows her lungs are completely

healed. There is no sign of trauma.” Molly said there was no sign of bruising anywhere on her body

and she has had no respiratory problems since.

We know that God was watching over our little girl and that His angels carried her safely. We also

know that prayers were going up from all her family and friends (and strangers who saw the accident

happen and called to leave messages that they were praying for her) and that Mesa was healed by

God’s hand in answer to those prayers. She is doing very well and waiting for an appointment to go

over a follow-up MRI of her back.

So thank you to all who prayed for Mesa, called to offer help and brought food. And MOST OF ALL THANK YOU GOD FOR THE MIRACLE THAT KEPT MESA SAFE. --Marilyn Huffman

March 4: The Rev. Canon Joel Dingman

March 11: The Rev. Mary Erickson

March 18: The Rev. Steve Aaron

March 25: Palm Sunday - one service 10 AM Fr. Randy Belton

April 1: Easter Sunday - Holy Eucharist - the Resurrection of our Lord

Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Brunch to follow

Holy Week Schedule

March 25: 10 am Palm Sunday

Liturgy of the Palms

March 29: 7 pm Maundy Thursday

Foot washing

Holy Eucharist

Stripping of the Altar

Prayer vigil - see article in the newsletter for how to sign up to be part of it

March 30: 7 pm Good Friday Prayer Service

April 1: 10 am Easter Sunday

M A R CH

C a l e n d a r

Sunday Service Times St. Andrew’s - 8:00 am & 10:00 am

Taize Service 5:00 pm Retirement Center Chapel Service

Mondays at 10:30 am Sublette Center

We will be posting reminders about upcoming

dates and events on our Facebook page. Make

sure you like and follow us to stay current!

If you have new ideas, photos or material you’d like in the newsletter please email me at jlund1911@gmail.com. I will need submissions for the March newsletter by March 28th

(earlier is always appreciated) so the newsletter can be distributed at the April 1st service. Thanks, John