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The DIALOGUEThe monthly newsletter of St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church in Chelsea, Alabama MARCH 2017

Worship NotesThe season of Lent is fast approaching. See what changes you can expect in worship during the Lenten season.

2 Parish OutreachCheck out what our Outreach Committee is up to, and find out how you can help!

4 March Lay MinistersFind out when you are scheduled to serve in the month of March.

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From the Rector

“I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the

observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” These are the words of invitation that are used just before the imposition of ashes in the liturgy for Ash Wednesday, which we will observe on March 1. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent, a season of the Church year historically used as a time of intense preparation for adult converts, or catechumens (a Greek word meaning, “those being instructed”), who were preparing to receive the sacrament of Holy Baptism at the Great Vigil of Easter. While the season of Lent is still a proper time to prepare for Baptism or Confirmation,

it is also viewed as a time for repentance, a time for introspection and self-examination as we discern how we might redirect our lives back toward God and the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom. Lasting forty days and forty nights (not including Sundays), our observance of Lent will culminate with Holy Week- the pinnacle of the Church year- as we journey with Christ along the Via Dolorosa, the path of sorrows, and as we await his glorious resurrection in our celebration of Easter. Contrary to popular opinion, Lent is not a time for us to dwell on feelings of guilt or shame but to work on building our relationship with God. To this end, many Christians choose to practice various spiritual disciplines throughout Lent, such as fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday; abstaining from things that we might consider indulgent; or taking on additional prayer practices. Whatever you choose to do to mark the season, take time to prayerfully consider why you are choosing to “give up” or “take

The Rev’d Eric N. Mancil

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Lenten Opportunities

Mark your calendars for the following events and services

that are being offered during the season of Lent:

Ash Wednesday Wednesday, March 1

“Ashes to Go” will be offered from 9:00 am - 11:00 am in the Chelsea Winn-Dixie parking lot. Services for Ash Wednesday will be held at 12:00 noon and 7:00 pm. Both services will be Holy Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes. Childcare will be provided at the 7:00 pm service.

The Way of the Cross

Join Father Eric in the Nave at 10:00 am on Friday mornings in Lent for this ancient prayer practice. Each of the fourteen “stations of the cross” will include prayers and readings as participants journey with Christ to the cross.

Lenten Quiet Day Saturday, March 4

Join the Daughters of the King for a Lenten Quiet Day of Prayer at the Chelsea Sports Park on Highway 39 from 7:00 to 12:00 on March 4, 2017. All are welcome to attend. We will have breakfast and readings from the Book of Common Prayer followed by a chance to meditate in your own style. Lunch will be provided at 11:40. For more information, please contact Wanda Wheeler.

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on” new practices. St. Catherine’s will be offering several opportunities to help enrich your journey through Lent, and you are invited to participate in as many as you would like. Remember that the more intentional you are about observing a holy Lent, the greater your experience will be during Easter. At the very least, I encourage you to set aside some time in your daily lives to be with God. Make it a point to work on your relationship with God, and use this season to rediscover the love that God has for you and the love that we are called to share with all people. ✠

Worship Notes

During the season of Lent, you will notice some distinct changes in the liturgy on Sunday mornings.

1. The liturgical color changes to violet, the color used most frequently to signify royalty and penitence. You will also notice that the altar, which is often adorned with flowers throughout the year, will be minimally decorated or bare, marking the solemn tone of the season.

2. We will not sing the Gloria in excelsis (Latin for “Glory to God”) at the beginning of the service. Instead, we will sing the Kyrie eleison (Greek for “Lord, have mercy”). The Gloria will return at our celebration of the Great Vigil of Easter.

3. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, we will no longer use the word, “Alleluia,” during worship. Like the Gloria, it will return at the celebration of the Great Vigil of Easter.

4. We will use Eucharistic Prayer A for Sunday morning services. This is significant for the season of Lent because the prayer places special emphasis on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. In addition, the blessing that is normally given by Father Eric at the end of the service will be replaced with a solemn prayer over the people, as he asks God to strengthen God’s people as they continue to observe a holy Lent.

5. Finally, on the First Sunday in Lent, we will chant the Great Litany at the beginning of the service in place of the usual Hymn in Procession.

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Wednesday Night Lenten Series

Join us each Wednesday night in Lent, beginning March 8, for our Wednesday Night Lenten Series.

We will begin each evening with Evensong at 5:30 pm in the Nave, followed by a simple supper at 6:00. The presentation will begin at 6:30. Father Eric will be presenting a program designed by the brothers at the Society of St. John the Evangelist, entitled 5 Marks of Love, based on the Anglican Five Marks of Mission. Each week, we will discuss a different “mark” and its implications on our journeys with Christ. Nursery care will be provided for parents with young children. If you would like to volunteer to help with meals for the Lenten Series, there is a sign up sheet located in the Annex. ✠

A New Committee for Evangelism

A s part of our ongoing conversation about evangelism at St. Catherine’s, we are forming a new committee whose task it will be to consider new ways that we might invite and welcome guests and newcomers

into our community. Teresa McLarty has graciously offered to serve as the chair of this new Evangelism Committee. Thank you, Teresa! Also serving will be Michelle Caiola, Laura Chambless, Sherrie Andrews, and Carol Hancock. If you have any ideas that you would like to offer to the committee, please contact Teresa McLarty. Thank you to all who have offered to serve! ✠

New Opportunities for WorshipBeginning Sunday, March 19, St. Catherine’s will be offering two services on Sunday mornings. In addition to the regular 10:30 am service, FOLK MASS, a short, informal

service with Eucharist and guitar accompaniment will be offered at 8:00 am.

Beginning on March 8, Evening Prayer will be in the form of EVENSONG (sung Evening Prayer). This service will take place at 5:30 pm during the season of Lent (as

part of the Lenten Series) and will return to its regular 7:00 pm time on April 19.

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Parents’ Night Out

Our next Parents’ Night Out will be Friday, March 10, from 5:30 pm until 10:00 pm at St. Catherine’s.

Drop the kids off and enjoy the night off with your spouse or significant other while your child has fun in a safe, Christian environment. Reservations are needed by 12:00 noon on Friday, March 10. Contact Bill Wheeler: billpalco@hotmail.com. ✠

Parish OutreachThe Outreach Committee would like to say thank you for all the time and effort that you spent in February assisting with the various ministries that we have to share with our community. The music, conversation, and birthday cakes that you shared with the residents at Hidden Acres all brought smiles! The invitations to our neighbors to make use of the Free Health Clinic provided by Cahaba Valley Health Care was a wonderful way to reach out to our neighbors. The gifts of canned food, boxes of food, toothbrushes, and toilet paper that you contributed for our monthly Beans and Rice Pantry brought smiles to our guests. Thank you for sharing your time and resources!

As we look to the season of Lent, we might meditate on the work done for over seventy-five years by Episcopal Relief and Development, which is a compassionate response to the human suffering at home and around the world. Episcopal Relief and Development works closely with the Anglican Communion to help communities create long-term development strategies and to rebuild after disasters. St. Catherine’s has personal knowledge of this type of disaster relief as we helped a family rebuild their home after a tornado several years ago.

On Saturday, March 18, we will again host the Beans and Rice Pantry from 9:00 am until 11:00 am. Volunteers are welcome to help greet our guests as they arrive. Also appreciated are gifts of canned goods, boxes of cereal, mac and cheese, toilet paper, and tooth paste.

The Birthday Celebrations at Hidden Acres will be announced on March 1. It is always enjoyable, and the residents have so many great stories to share. Two residents have visited all fifty states! The residents would enjoy talking with anyone who is able to join us on our visit. Contact Bill Wheeler for more information. ✠

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Save the DatesHoly Week Services

Save the date for Holy Week services at St. Catherine’s in April:

Palm Sunday, April 9

10:30 am- Holy Eucharist: Rite II with the Liturgy of the Palms (No 8:00 am service this day.)

Holy Monday through Holy Wednesday

12:00 noon- Noonday Eucharist

Maundy Thursday, April 13

7:00 pm- The Proper Liturgy of the Day, Holy Eucharist with the Washing of the Feet and Stripping of the Altar (Followed by the All-Night Vigil in the Undercroft.)

Good Friday, April 14

7:00 am- The Proper Liturgy of the Day with Communion from the Reserved Sacrament

10:00 am -The Way of the Cross

12:00 noon- The Proper Liturgy of the Day with Veneration of the Cross

Holy Saturday, April 15

7:00 pm- The Great Vigil of Easter

Easter Day, April 16

10:30 am- Festival Holy Eucharist with the Flowering of the Cross, followed by a Parish Lunch and Easter Egg Hunt (No 8:00 am service this day.)

Please note that childcare will be provided for all evening services during Holy Week.

A Mission and Vision for St. Cat’s

On Saturday, February 25, Father Eric and the members of the Vestry spent time on retreat at the Alabama 4-H

Center in Columbiana. During their retreat, they spent some intentional time in conversation about developing a Mission Statement and Vision Statement for St. Catherine’s, with the understanding that part of the process of developing these statements needs to involve the entire parish. So, we need your help! Below, you will find the two statements that the Vestry drafted during their retreat. If you have any thoughts or suggestions concerning the proposed statements, please contact Father Eric, and he will submit them to the Vestry before they vote to adopt them at the next meeting of the Vestry on March 21. Your input is appreciated! ✠

Proposed Mission Statement:

The mission of St. Catherine’s is to seek, love, and serve God through worship, education, and service and to share the redeeming love of Christ with the world.

Proposed Vision Statement:

St. Catherine’s, the Episcopal Church in Chelsea, is a welcoming and inclusive family called by Christ to receive and share God’s love.

Deacon Clyde, Father Eric, Scott Reimer, and Brent McLarty represented St. Catherine’s as delegates to Diocesaon Convention in downtown Birmingham February 17-18. A good time was had by all!

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SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN

Beginning Sunday, March 26, a new Sunday School class called Feasting on the Word will be gathering for parents and children. The class will begin at 9:30 am each Sunday and will be based on the lessons from Scripture for the day. Children will gather in the Undercroft for their lesson with Mandi Gonzalez while parents will meet with Father Eric in the Annex for a time of conversation. At 10:00, the parents will join their children in the Undercroft for time to share with each other what they have

learned. All are welcome! For more information, please contact Father Eric.

Get your Pecans!

There is a small supply of pecans leftover from our Fall pecan fundrraiser. These pecans taste great and freeze well! Bags are $10.00 each and may be purchased from Pam Kimball.

Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is an international relief and development agency

sponsored by the Episcopal Church that works to provide money and resources, both domestically and abroad. ERD also works to provide relief during natural disasters and other emergencies around the world. During Lent, we will join with other parishes within the Diocese of Alabama and remember the important work of Episcopal Relief and Development on Sunday, March 19, the Third Sunday in Lent. As a part of your Lenten discipline, please consider making a contribution to ERD. Visit episcopalrelief.org for more information. ✠

Pastoral Care at St. Catherine’s

Part of our shared life together means that we are called to lift each other up when there is a need for physical, spiritual, and emotional care. We want to know if you go into the hospital or if you are

experiencing any type of emergency in your life so that we can offer our support. In addition, if you are sick or homebound and would like for Communion to be brought to you, please let Father Eric know.

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March Lay Ministers Wednesday, March 1- 12:00 pm and 7:00 pmAsh Wednesday

Celebrant: The Rev’d Eric MancilVPD: Pam Kimball (12:00); Roy Hancock (7:00)LEM: Michelle Landrum (12:00); Jane Keeton (7:00)Lector: Pam Kimball (12:00); Michelle Nivens (7:00)Greeters: P. Kimball (12:00); C. Rath/Joe Keeton (7:00)Altar Guild: Cathy Cawthon

Sunday, March 5- 10:30 amThe First Sunday in Lent

Celebrant: The Rev’d Eric Mancil VPD: Michelle Landrum Money Counters: M. Landrum/John Andrews LEM: Pat Tate Lector: Laura Chambless POP: Sherrie Andrews Greeters: John & Sherrie Andrews Altar Guild: Susan Malon & Bob Burns

Sunday, March 12- 10:30 amThe Second Sunday in Lent

Celebrant: The Rev’d Eric Mancil VPD: Scott Reimer Money Counters: S. Reimer/Bill Churchwell LEM: Jane Keeton Lector: Phillip Dewitt POP: Tom Chambless Greeters: Bill & Margo Churchwell Altar Guild: Cathy Cawthon

Sunday, March 19- 10:30 amThe Third Sunday in Lent

Celebrant: The Rev’d Eric Mancil VPD: John Andrews Money Counters: J. Andrews/Scott ReimerLEM: Pat Tate Lector: Diane Gray POP: Carol Jerman Greeters: Scott and Jennifer Reimer Altar Guild: Wanda Wheeler

Saturday, March 25- 12:00 NoonThe Feast of the Annunciation

Celebrant: The Rev’d Eric Mancil VPD: Pam Kimball LEM: Jane Keeton Lector: Diane Gray POP: Pam Kimball Greeters: Charlie Rather/Joe Keeton Altar Guild: Jane Keeton

Sunday, March 26- 10:30 amThe Fourth Sunday in Lent

Celebrant: The Rev’d Eric Mancil VPD: Bill Churchwell Money Counters: B. Churchwell/Jane Keeton LEM: Pam Kimball Lector: Brent McLarty POP: OPEN Greeters: Charlie Rath/Joe Keeton Altar Guild: Jane Keeton

DO YOU HAVE A ST. CATHERINE’S NAME TAG?If you do, please wear it on Sunday mornings so that our guests and newcomers will feel welcome as

they get to know us. If you do not yet have a St. Catherine’s name tag, please let Father Eric know!

Acolyte Program for Children and Youth

Do you know a child who would like to serve as an acolyte at St. Catherine’s? We are forming a new group of torch bearers and crucifers to serve on Sunday mornings and for special services throughout

the year. If you are interested, please contact Father Eric or Pat Tate for more information! ✠

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Clergy and StaffThe Rev’d Eric N. Mancil

Rector

The Rev’d Frank YoungPriest Associate

The Rev’d Maggie TaylorPriest Affiliate

The Rev’d Dn. Clyde PierceDeacon

Julie SealParish Administrative Assistant

Debbie GrayDirector of Music

Matthew WestOrganist

Mandi GonzalezDirector of Children’s Ministies

Sylvia RathParish Administrative Supervisor

Amy TateChildren’s Ministries Chair

Brent McLartyAdult Christian Formation

Cathy CawthonAltar Guild Chair

Phillip DeWittTreasurer/Finance Chair

Bill WheelerOutreach Chair

Jay JermanDevelopment Chair

Pam KimballParish Life Chair

4163 County Road 39P.O. Box 577

Chelsea, Alabama 35043

Phone: (205) 618-8367E-mail: rector@stcatherinesal.comWebsite: https://stcatherinesal.com

THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATIONJoin us for a special service of Holy Eucharist at 12:00 noon on Saturday, March 25, as we commemorate The Annunciation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary. The service on this day will be a simple, spoken Eucharist with a short homily. All are welcome!