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TRANSCRIPT
April 2011
Acts 29 “…proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness…” Acts 28:31 ESV
Volume 4 Issue 4
RECTOR:
THE REV. JOHN H. (JACK)
POTTER
508-346-3423
VICAR:
THE REV. ALAN BOUFFARD
781-769-7940
YOUTH AND FAMILY
MINISTER:
DAN SYLVIA
781-414-0198
~~~~~~~~~~
SUNDAY SERVICES
8:00 A.M. AND 10:30 A.M.
WORSHIP
(FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH)
71 BOND STREET
NORWOOD, MA
10:00 A.M. WORSHIP
31 HAYWARD STREET
FRANKLIN, MA
~~~~~~~~~~
IMPORTANT DATES
OUTREACH MEETING
TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH
VESTRY MEETING
MONDAY, APRIL 25TH
OFFICE HOURS MON., TUES., THURS., FRI.
9:00 A.M. TO 1:45 P.M.
OFFICE CLOSED
WEDNESDAYS
TELEPHONE: 508-346-3423 EMAIL: OFFICE@REDEEMER
“It’s Lent, but Easter is coming…”
Beloved in Christ,
Tony Campolo tells about an African American preacher who described how God’s power and love were revealed on the first Easter. On Friday Jesus died on the cross and was buried in a tomb. The disciples scattered for fear of their lives – their hopes and dreams destroyed. It appeared that every-thing Jesus has done and said had been in vain. BUT the preacher reminded his congregation, “It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming…!” It’s Friday, but
Sunday is coming…!” IT’S FRIDAY, BUT SUNDAY IS COMING…!”
As we move through April it’s helpful to remind ourselves. “Yes, it’s Lent, but Easter is coming” – the Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Easter is late this year so it may feel like we’re waiting even longer. It’s on April 24th – the 25th is the latest day Easter can occur.
It’s Lent… C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity: “From the moment a creature becomes aware of God as God and of itself as self, the terrible alter-native of choosing God or self for the center is open to it. This sin is com-mitted daily by young children and ignorant peasants as well as by sophisti-cated persons, by solitaries no less than by those who live in society; it is the fall in every individual life, the basic sin behind all particular sins; at this very moment you and I are either committing it, about to commit it or re-penting it.” Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
As followers of Jesus we’re called to face the sin and un-forgiveness in our lives. The promise of the Gospel is that Jesus invites us to turn to Him, re-pent of our sins and receive God’s forgiveness through His shed blood on the cross.
“…but Easter is coming…” Paul wrote, “Christ died for our sins in accor-dance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third
day in accordance with the Scriptures…” [1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV] The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of our faith, the reality on which the Christian hope is based. The resurrection began a new creation. God wel-comes all who come to Him in faith and they become children of God, citi-zens of His Kingdom.
I urge you to use the remaining days of Lent to continue to get ready to cele-brate the Day of the Resurrection. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” [Colossians 3:2 ESV] for the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to all who believe in Him.
Father Jack+
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Members of the Vestry
Senior Warden Jeff Newman
Junior Warden James Gaul
Clerk Lee Grant
Wendy DiRico
Darren Grant
Oliver Gruner
Ron McElman
Ed Ronan
Angela Woislaw
~~~~~~~~~~ Parish
Administrator Christine Gruner
Acts 29 Editor & Administrative Assistant
Linda Hardin 508-346-3423 office@redeemer anglicanchurch.org
The Church of the Re-deemer is a commu-nity of Christians who seek to follow Jesus Christ and lead others into a saving relation-ship with Him as it practices the Christian Faith within the Angli-can tradition. The focus of the parish is the reading and studying of the Bible, through which God has declared the Good News of salvation from sin and the hope of eternal life, and the celebration of the sac-rament of Holy Com-munion each Sunday. The Church of the Re-deemer is a parish of The Anglican Diocese in New England, The Anglican Church in North America. It is committed to working with Christians in all traditions and to join with other parishes and our bishops to pre-sent Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit that people eve-rywhere will come to know Him as Lord and serve Him as King in the fellowship of His Church.
2011
Passover Seder at Redeemer in FranklinPassover Seder at Redeemer in FranklinPassover Seder at Redeemer in Franklin
April 16, 2011 at 6 p.m.April 16, 2011 at 6 p.m.April 16, 2011 at 6 p.m.
Let us therefore keep the feast…
“These are the appointed times of the L-rd, Holy convo-
cations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed
for them. In the first month on the fourteenth day of the
month at Twilight is the L-rd’s Passover.
At the spring equinox, March 21st, the sun crosses the plane of the earth’s equator re-sulting in a night and day of equal length. New Englanders get excited that no matter how severe the winter we’ve seen, summer is coming! The longer warmer days attest to this. Some of us may not understand the rotation and axis of the earth and the etiol-
ogy of the seasons, but we can feel the sun on our face and clearly see the signs of a new season emerging. G-d knew this… He is so smart that He wove many things into nature that would remind His people of certain truths He wanted them to understand! For example, on the third day of creation vegetation came up from the ground and on the third day Yeshua rose from the dead. It is no sur-prise that Spring reminds us of new life; it was all part of G-d’s kind intention that we should see resurrection in the spring! It should be clear to us as believers that life is more powerful than death as it swallows it up!
As early as creation G-d designed His Calendar to mark His appointments. In Genesis 1:14: “Let there be
lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day
from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons
and for days and years.” There are two interesting words in this verse that would behoove us to understand. G-d chose signposts that even the simplest person can comprehend. The Hebrew word for sign is Owth. It points both backward and forward. The event is rooted in fact, giving it a physical nature (it actually happened) and in the spiritual giving it a prophetic nature (it will hap-pen). One example of an owth is the rainbow in the sky following the rain that the L-rd wants us to see and be reminded of His promise to never flood the earth again.
(Continued on page 7)
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Norwood meeting at the
First Baptist Church 71 Bond Street
(corner of Bond & Walpole Streets)
Norwood, MA 02062
Dinner and
Talent Show
Redeemer will hold its second annual Talent Show on Saturday, April 30th in Norwood. There will be a dinner at 6:00 pm followed by the talent show. Tickets for dinner will be $3.00 (children under 6 are free) and will go on sale on April 9th. So brush up on your act. We had musicians, singers, dancers, a magician, comedy and a martial arts demonstration at last year’s show. What’s your talent? Prizes (and brag-ging rights) for the winners.
I Saw the Lord -
A Wake up Call For
Your Heart
During Lent, Redeemer in Norwood is doing a program entitled “I Saw the Lord – a Wakeup Call for Your Heart” in its Sunday evening Bible study. The program features video discussions by a group consisting of Anne Graham Lotz, Henry Blackaby and Crawford Loritts. The study meets at in Norwood at 7:00 pm. Every-one is welcome.
Norwood April Outreach
Young Life Summer Camp In April the outreach focus will be on Young Life, the interdenominational Christian ministry to junior and senior high school young people. Funds raised will be used to help send kids to summer camp where they can have an encounter with Jesus and have the opportunity to give their lives to Christ. Last year 40 kids from this area went to the Young Life summer camp in New York State, including seven from Pizza Wednes-day, Redeemer’s outreach to young people in Norwood. If you would like to contribute to this effort, please make your check payable to “Anglican Church of the Redeemer” and write “Young Life” on the memo line.
Good Friday
Service in Norwood
On Good Friday, April 22nd, there will be a ser-vice in Norwood from noon until 3:00 pm. consist-ing of hymns, Scripture reading, prayer and medi-tations on the seven last words of Jesus led by Fa-ther Alan and Pastor Norm Bronson of the First Baptist Church in Norwood. People are welcome to come for all or any part of the service.
HOLY WEEK AT ACR IN NORWOODHOLY WEEK AT ACR IN NORWOODHOLY WEEK AT ACR IN NORWOOD
April 17 - Palm Sunday 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
April 22 - Good Friday Noon - 3:00 p.m. (The Seven Words of Christ)
April 24 - Easter (Resurrection Sunday) 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Friends of Redeemer gather at ACR - Norwood
on March 8th for the 2nd annual Shrove Tuesday
Pancake Supper.
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Lenten Worship, Study Lenten Worship, Study Lenten Worship, Study and Reflection at Redeemer Franklinand Reflection at Redeemer Franklinand Reflection at Redeemer Franklin
Wednesday Evening Prayer and Reflection at the ChurchWednesday Evening Prayer and Reflection at the ChurchWednesday Evening Prayer and Reflection at the Church
During Lent there will be opportunities for prayer, study and fellowship each Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. Each evening will combine the beautiful service of Evening Prayer with a time to study and share with brothers and sisters in Christ. The service will include a brief meditation on the appointed Bible readings followed by an opportunity to discuss and reflect on the readings. All are invited to come and see!
Sunday Morning Lenten Lectionary StudySunday Morning Lenten Lectionary StudySunday Morning Lenten Lectionary Study
An opportunity for Bible study and discussion of the Sunday Lenten Lectionary readings is available before the worship service each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. on April 3 and April 10. The studies are led by Fr. Sam Abbott and Christine Schrade-Keddy. Take a few minutes to review the readings during the week, bring your Bible and join the discussion. The readings are as follows:
April 3 April 3 April 3 - 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:1-14, John 9:1-38, Psalm 23 April 10 April 10 April 10 - Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 6:16-23, John 11:1-44, Psalm 130
HOLY WEEKHOLY WEEKHOLY WEEK
The Anglican Church of the Redeemer in Franklin will observe the events of Holy Week beginning with a Passover Seder on Saturday, April 16th, and concluding with the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday, April 24th. Holy Week is an important period in the church year which commemorates Jesus’ passion (suffering), death and resurrection.
Schedule of Services During Holy Week
Saturday, April 16th at 6:00 p.m. Passover Seder
Sunday, April 17th at 10:00 a.m. The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday, The Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion).
Monday through Wednesday, April 18th - 20th at 7:30 p.m. Evening Prayer
Maundy Thursday, April 21st at 7:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist and the Washing of Feet
Good Friday, April 22nd 12:00 noon: The Way of the Cross 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.: Good Friday Service - Holy Communion from reserved Sacrament
Sunday, Easter Day, April 24th at 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist – a celebration of the Day of Resurrection
Everyone is welcome to participate and the people of the parish are urged to invite others to join us for any or all of the Holy Week services.
CHILDREN’S Outreach Ministry
Update
THE HEIFER PROJECT
March was our Heifer Project month. Thank you Redeemer for filling our arks, knowing that your contributions of animals to poor families all over the world will make a difference!
Thank you, Katie Woislaw on behalf of the Cap-
tain and Crew of His Majesty’s Ship The Re-
deemer!
PENNIES FROM HEAVEN
PROJECT
Pennies from Heaven is a new children’s project. We would like to collect any pennies you can spare. Pennies found in your pockets, pennies that have been lodged deep in the couch, pennies left over after shopping and especially pennies found on the ground. We plan to use these pen-nies to help in small ways at the All Nations Christian Academy, an Anglican Children’s School in New Haven, Connecticut. They have a need for black markers to be used on their white boards in the classroom and we are hoping to help them with this need.
Thank you, Lyndon Gruner
THE MITTEN TREE
The Mitten Project will be an ongoing ministry that will collect mittens knitted with love and prayers by the won-derful knitters in our congregation. These mit-tens will then be sent to the Warm Hands, Warm Heart Foundation in Boston or wherever else we hear that there is a need. If you like to knit or even just have a ball of yarn left over from some project, please consider helping us out.
Many thanks, Katherine McCallister
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Project Change to Indonesia
Our Bibles Unbound target country has been changed to Indonesia – typically the reason we change countries is that the Bibles Unbound organization temporarily runs out of names of those who have requested Bibles in the country the Outreach Committee selected. A nice fea-ture of the program is that Bibles are sent or delivered directly to people who have asked for them so we know that they end up in the hands of someone hungry for the Word
Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world and it is the fourth most populous country. Christians make up 16% of the popu-lation. By law, all may freely choose any of five religions including Christianity. How-ever, in practice, Muslims receive preferential treatment and Christians are increasingly per-secuted by religious radicals.
Christians have experienced attacks by Mus-lims and extremists have forcibly closed churches, sometimes with the approval of local or provincial officials. All religious groups must apply for permits to establish and operate places of worship. Christians in West Java have faced growing opposition from Muslims opposed to “Christianization.” Church ser-vices have been repeatedly interrupted and Christians threatened. An Islamic organization set up a youth army to oppose Christian ef-forts. There is also a push to implement Mus-lim Shariah law in the region.
Please pray for the recipients of our Bibles and the field workers who deliver them.
Source: The Persecuted Church Global Report
2011, the Voice of the Martyrs
Page 6
If we missed your birthday or anniversary this month, please contact Linda Hardin at 508-346-3423 or
[email protected] to update our parish records.
BIRTHDAYS IN APRIL April 1 Marjorie Turner Hollman Cloe McKee April 5 Rick Power April 9 Donna Galipeau April 10 Gail Potter April 11 Rachel Hansen Tony Minnichelli April 14 Sue Ellen Wright April 19 Dorothea Buckley Joan Loud Paul Menyo April 20 Nancy Gerry
ANNIVERSARY IN APRIL
April 27 Walter & Dorothy Whitney
March 15, 2011 Dear Anglican Church of the Redeemer Parishioners,
Thank you very much for your generous dona-tion of $1,150 to The Santa Foundation. It will go a long way towards helping our needy fami-lies with fuel assistance. The donations we re-ceive throughout the year from kind people like you make that possible.
Thanks again,
Robert Sullivan The Santa Foundation, Inc. President
Tips for giving:
⇒ Cut out and post the Acts 29
weekly Food Pantry shopping list as a reminder when filling out the fam-ily shopping list.
⇒ Add the Food Pantry items to the list. Pick up a couple of items to donate each week – it will make a big difference to those in need.
⇒ Arrive at the store and can’t remember the weekly item? A jug of laundry detergent or paper products can be a default items as they are always needed.
⇒ On a tight budget? Buy store brand items and use coupons.
The next meeting of the Outreach Committee will be held at the church on Tuesday, April 12th at 7:00 pm - all are welcome.
Helping
Our neighbors
April
FRANKLIN FOOD PANTRY
April 3 Laundry detergent April 10 Canned meat or seafood April 17 Jello and pudding mixes April 24 Liquid soap and hand sanitizers
Spiritual Direction Training
Course: Would you like to test a call to spiritual direction ministry? Our diocese is offering a two-year course, beginning this August, to
train and equip mature and skilled spiritual direc-tors, grounded in Anglican sacramental theology and the Catholic contemplative tradition. The first year curriculum is presented during three retreats, followed by a second practicum year. The application deadline is May 31st. An information session will be held at All Saints’ Anglican Church in Amesbury, MA on Satur-
day, April 23rd. For more information, go to ADNE’s website, www.anglicandiocesene.org, and click on Ministries, and then Spiritual For-mation. Any further questions, contact Canon Susan Skillen at [email protected].
Medway House
We’re Cooking Dinner!
On Tuesday, April 26th, volunteers from our par-ish will again be cooking dinner for the residents of Medway House, a local shelter for homeless families. If you are interested in helping, look for a sign up sheet with more information. Our January outing was a real blessing. Thank you for your prayers and support.
Nancy Snow
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Women of Faith
Book Club
Beautiful Things Happen
When A Woman Trusts God
Do you ever question God’s ability to catch you when you fall? In her book, Women of Faith conference speaker and author, Sheila Walsh, will share her story and meet 10 Bibli-cal figures whose trusting encounter with Christ set beautiful things in motion.
We will gather to discuss the book at 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening April 29th. Everyone is welcome!
School
Schedule
DATE THEME April 3 Easter in Space Part I April 10 Family Sunday/ No Church School April 17 Easter in Space Part II April 24 Easter/ No Church School
Passover Seder at Redeemer in Franklin (Continued from page 2) G-d tells us in His Word that He will declare the end from the beginning; the beginning will inter-pret the end [Isaiah 46:10]. Keeping the Passover was a sign to remind the Israelites of the miraculous deliverance that G-d performed in the past but it also pointed to a future event when the Son of G-d would become the “Lamb of G-d” and deliver “Whosoever will” from the bondage of sin and death.
The second word is Moed – Hebrew for seasons – an appointment or appointed time. G-d or-ganized appointed times in His calendar when He would meet with His people. The L-rd, as He often does, superimposed one event upon another. He promised in His Word when we kept “The Feast” He would meet us there! Keeping the feast as a traditional Jew with no knowledge of Yeshua can be dry and redundant. G-d, through the Prophet Isaiah said, “I cannot endure iniquity with the Solemn Assembly.
Therefore, wash yourselves make yourselves clean, remove the evil of your deeds from my sight.” He was not saying He hated the Feast, as some have taught, but that He hated their attitudes. “On the other
hand,”(as Teviah from “Fiddler on The Roof” would say), keeping the Passover and understanding of Yeshua is nothing short of amazing and truly the presence of the L-rd is there to continue to heal and de-liver His covenanted people! This idea is consistent with what Rabbi Sha’ul says to the Corinthians: “Clean out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened, for Christ our
Passover also has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast not with old leaven or the leaven
of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth [1 Corinthians 5:7-8].
The night of the Passover when Yeshua said to His disciples, “I have earnestly desired to share
this Passover with you,” they had no idea of what was about to happen – they did not know G-d’s plan. It was a Seder, which goes through the full account of the Exodus. He wanted them to get it, to see what He was going to do! The L-rd’s supper which is celebrated in Christian churches is an abbreviated Pass-over. It is a covenant meal to the Israelites; it is a covenant meal that is incumbent upon every true be-liever to keep. A covenant which G-d has promised He would never break, a covenant that includes our salvation, healing and deliverance.
You are invited to come to this teaching Seder on April 16th and let the L-rd deepen your under-standing of what He actually did for us.
Rabbi Tobi Hawksley
Seating will be limited, so please return RSVP card promptly but no later than April 6th.
A free will offering will be received.
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The Redeemer Vestry as
Servant Leaders
Introduction
As the parish grows and its members become in-volved in a variety of ministries, it is important to establish and maintain clear communication as we seek to be faithful to our Parish Mission State-ment. Members of the vestry are committed to serve as “servant leaders” and to be supportive of all the ministries of the parish. A member of the vestry will serve as a “point person” for each min-istry in order to keep the entire vestry up to date concerning the work and needs of all our minis-tries.
A designated vestry member will touch base on a regular basis with the leaders of his or her as-signed ministry area. Members involved in the various ministries, as well as other members of the parish, are encouraged to talk with vestry members about existing and potential ministries at Re-deemer.
Servant Leadership
The servant leader first serves. In practical terms, the servant leader places a strong emphasis on do-ing. Teaching and leading by principle is never enough. The servant leader is available, willing to minister within a moment’s notice. Servant leader-ship is modeled after the attributes of Jesus Christ and energized to action by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the ultimate example of a leader who took on the form of a servant and humbled himself even to death on the cross in order to fulfill His Father’s redemptive plan for humanity.
Doing the Right Things on Purpose Servant leaders intentionally seek to establish kingdom mission, goals and direction with the church body and its members. This mark of effec-tiveness, or excellence, Paul sought in the service of Christ (2 Tim. 2:15): “Do your best to present
yourself to God as one approved, a worker who
has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the
word of truth.”
The Vestry Following the model of servant leadership, each member of the Vestry is responsible for the effec-
tiveness of our ministries, shaping and guiding them for the growth of the people of the Parish and for our mission to the outside community. Members of the Vestry are also committed to personal growth as leaders and to ministering to one another in Christian community.
Consequently, each member of the Vestry will serve as a “point person” for one or more areas of ministry. The role will vary according to the ministry and the Vestry member. In some cases, that means the Vestry member chairs a commit-tee. In other cases, the Vestry member is a liai-son to an existing group, but not necessarily the chair. In still other cases, there may not be a committee or group, but the Vestry member con-sults with Fr. Jack, the Wardens and others in the area of ministry responsibility.
The following lists the ministry and correspond-ing Vestry liaison:
If you are already involved in one of the listed ministries, thank you for your service. Please make yourself known to your Vestry contact. He or she will also be seeking you out. If you are not a part of a ministry, please take this opportu-nity to contact directly the Vestry liaison, Fr. Jack, the Wardens (or any other Vestry mem-ber). Jesus tells us today that, as disciples, we are all called to be servant leaders seeking to serve God and others with all that we have.
Adopted by the vestry, March 21, 2011
Adult Education & Prayer
Ministries
Fr. Jack
Facility James Gaul
Fellowship Angela Woislaw
Norwood Liaison Ron McElman
Outreach Ed Ronan
Stewardship Jeff Newman &
Worship (Ushers, Music,
Lay Ministers, Altar Guild)
Wendy DiRico
Youth Ministries Oliver Gruner
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
See Sunday Schedule Above
1 2
3
4 5
7:00 p.m. Prayer Group
6
7:30 p.m. Evening Prayer and Reflection at the Church
7 8 9
10
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Family Sunday
11 12
13 7:30 p.m. Evening Prayer and Reflection at the Church
14 15 16 6:00 p.m. Passover Seder - Franklin
17
18
7:30 p.m. Evening Prayer
19 7:00 p.m. Prayer Group 7:30 p.m. Evening Prayer
20
7:30 p.m. Evening Prayer and Reflection at the Church
May Acts 29 DEADLINE
21
22
23
24 EASTER SUNDAY
25 7:30 p.m. Vestry Meeting At church - Franklin
26 5:15 - 6:15 p.m. We’re cooking dinner- Medway House 7:00 p.m. Prayer Group
27 28 29 7:30 p.m. Women of Faith Book Club
30
6:00 p.m. Dinner and Tal-ent Show - ACR Norwood
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Maunday Thursday
Good Friday
HOLY WEEK
2:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist Franklin House 7:00 p.m. Outreach Meeting at church - Franklin 7:00 p.m. Prayer Group
He has risen! Luke 24:6
The Sunday of the Passion:
Palm Sunday
Anglican Church of The Redeemer
April 2011 Norwood - 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship 9:30 a.m. Adult Education, 10:30 a.m. Church School
Franklin - 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study,
9:45 a.m. Church School,
10:00 a.m. Sunday worship
Check the website, weekly bulletin, or call 508-346-3423 for other events
See pages 3 and 4 for service times
P.O. Box 354 Franklin, MA 02038
Parish website www.redeemeranglicanchurch.org
ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA