Monthly Musings...From the Team Ministry.

By The Rev. Johanna Morrigan

As I look out on the gray skies of winter, I muse about the upcoming season of Lent. Although the days are getting longer, the skies always seem to be so gray throughout this season of the church year. It's as though we are in the darkest time of the year...grey, cloudy skies; cold and bitter winds; fog and mist intermingled with snow and ice. Yet, despite all of that, Lent is my favorite season of the church year. There are almost no distractions, as there are during Advent with all the frantic preparations for Christmas celebrations.

It's a quiet time of the year. Oh, retail stores try to brighten it up with St. Patrick's day greenery and candy Easter Eggs - but I don't find myself drawn to those displays with the same childlike eagerness that I look for Christmas decorations in November (I try to ignore the ones that are out before Thanksgiving). There is something about the quiet, dark days of Lent that calls to me. As I've thought about why, the image which consistently comes to mind is a twinkling light, the light of a single star.

The seasons of Christmas and Epiphany are over for another year. They are seasons of light and brightness with celestial choirs of angels singing, and great celebrations proclaiming the birth of the infant Jesus - the Prince of Peace. During all of the festivities of the season, it's so easy to get distracted and lose sight of the star over Bethlehem. In the quieter and darker days of Lent, it seems so much easier to discern the light that is God's plan for salvation. So as we slow down and spend more time in reflection and prayer this Lenten Season, may we recognize that light in the dark and may it lead us to serve God as God has asked: to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with our God.

Thanks be to God!

SUNDAY WORSHIP TIMES

9:00 am St. Stephen's in Paynesville
(320)243-2012
320 Wendell Street, Paynesville, MN 56362

10:00 am Our Saviour's in Little Falls
(320)-632-5731)
113 NE 4th Street (PO Box 344) Little Falls, MN 56345

11:00 am Good Samaritan in Sauk Centre
(320)-352-6882
529 Main Street (PO Box 205) Sauk Centre, MN 56378

WEDNESDAY NOON PRAYER

12:00 pm Our Saviour's in Little Falls

If you're able to get out and about the next couple of months, please join us for the following:

• Good Samaritan Coffee Hour Fellowship: March 2nd and April 6th following 11 a.m. worship
• Our Saviour's Coffee Hour Fellowship: Each Sunday following 10 a.m. worship.
• Thecla's Guild, March 28th 7 p.m. Contact Jan Zeman for more information.

PRAYERS FOR:

Cynthia, Cindy, and Cedar

CELEBRATIONS FOR:

March Birthdays
Marge Campbell, March 3
Gene Huber, March 6
Dick Berguson, March 6
Sandy Coe, March 8
Will Schwaller, March 13
Doris Dodds, March 13
Pete Wilson, March 15
Pat Hassenstein, March 18
John Pelkey, March 19
Robert Schwaller, March 20
Joan McMillian, March 20
Lacy Schwanke, March 21
Jack Lemme, March 21
Cedar Morrigan, March 21
John Carlson, March 22
Sylvia Aleshire, March 24
Joe Tax, March 26
Jean Lemme, March 26
Dick Thomson, March 30

March Anniversaries
Andy and Charlene Starin, March 9
Pat Gillespie & Paul Schlauderaff, March 10

Happy Belated Birthday
to Marissa Parmar!

When I was hungry, you gave me food.... LOCAL FOOD SHELVES NEED YOUR HELP March is Minnesota FoodShare Month. Minnesota FoodShare is an interfaith collaboration formed in 1982 to help restock food shelves across the state. In the face of a struggling economy and widespread layoffs, the specter of hunger looms for increasing numbers of Minnesota families.

Each of our congregations has helped our local food shelves over the years. This year, I am encouraging each congregation to make a special effort during the month of March to collect food and cash for our local food shelves in Paynesville, Sauk Centre, and Little Falls.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW FACTS TO CONSIDER:

• In 2002 1.32 million people visited Minnesota's food shelves. At the end of 2002, food shelves were reporting increases of up to 53 percent in the wake of layoffs and the ever- slowing economy.

• The amount of food distributed was up 3 million pounds, from 26 million to 29 million pounds. Yet, each person needing food received less food because of the increasing numbers of people needing to use food shelves.
• Nearly half of the families who visit food shelves have children
• Approximately 20 percent of food shelf clients are elderly; and seniors are the fastest growing group of food shelf clients.
• Approximately 43 percent of food shelf clients work
• Approximately 35 percent of food shelf clients are retired or have a disability which prevents them from working.
• In the past ten years, the average worker's salary rose 9 percent; rent rose 34 percent.

The Reverend Johanna Morrigan

New Tri-Church Phone Answering System!

Beginning now any call you make to your local church should be forwarded free to Kathy Bies-Jaede for referral. Or if you prefer, the direct number is: 320-259-7153 Or (Toll Free) 1-866-553-4415

Good Samaritan Bible Study This group usually meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays each month at Noon at the church. Join us this month on March 11 and 25.

St. Stephen's Book Study This group usually meets the first Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. They are taking a break for the winter months and will resume again sometime in March. Call Doris Dodds for more information.

Our Saviour's Discussion Group This group had been meeting on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Black and White Hamburger Shop. There is no meeting scheduled however for this month; please call Jan Zeman with any questions.

A Lenten Reflection
By The Rev. Robert C. Cavanna

Lent will soon be upon us. As a child and teenager, I always gave something up for Lent. It was to be a sacrifice. One year it may have been chocolate and another year desserts.

I think Lent goes way beyond giving things up but it should focus on doing things for Christ. We should pare our lives down, get the excess clutter out of them and renew our commitment to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior through our actions and works.

In looking at the Ash Wednesday liturgy, there is a Litany of Penitence. I think we should turn it around and make it a Litany of Renewal. These are some things, I think, we should try to do during Lent and make it our daily prayer.

I WILL:

1. Love God and my neighbors with my whole heart, mind, and soul.
2. Forgive others as I have been forgiven.
3. Be true to the mind of Christ and heed His call to serve as He served us.
4. Be happy for those more fortunate than me.
5. Be honest in my daily life and work.
6. Be faithful in daily prayer and worship.
7. Be repentant for the wrongs that I have done: for my blindness to human need and suffering, and my indifference to cruelty and injustice.
8. Be charitable in my thoughts toward my neighbors.
9. Be less judgmental towards those who are different from me.
10. Be a better steward of the land and sea.

Won't you consider looking at this season of Lent differently and pray the Litany of Renewal each day? It just might do wonders for your spiritual life!

So What are We All Up To?

Team Day
Our February team meeting (including the open portion of each meeting that we invite all people from the Spirit of the Heartland congregations to join us), was our "quiet day". Each year, near Lent, we have spent a day in quiet; praying for all in our congregations, those in our families and daily lives, and for each other. This year, we spent the day at Good Samaritan. It was a spirit filled day of gentle quietness. And as Pat can attest to, it is hard for us to be quiet when we are together.

Liturgy Planning Meeting
Another meeting which occurred recently was a liturgy meeting held at Our Saviour's. All those involved in planning, presiding, preaching, playing music and anyone else interested in liturgy were encouraged to attend. We had a great turnout! I was asked to write a short piece for the newsletter to let you all know that we came to a decision about liturgy: it's FUN. And because we have a number of people traveling from church to church.

Spirit of the Heartland Who's Who

Pat Gillespie, Pastoral Mentor, Priest in Charge, Webminister
Mary Ann Erdmann, Finance Administrator (Staff)
Kathy Bies-Jaede, Communications/Christian Education(Staff)
++++++++++++++++++
Harriette Burkhalter, St. Stephen's, Lay Evangelist and Outreach Minister
Doris Dodds, St.Stephen's, Lay Evangelist and Outreach Minister
Rob Cavanna, St. John's, Priest Sacramentalist and Preacher
Cynthia Evans, Good Samaritan, Intercessor Emerita
Cedar Morrigan, Our Saviour's, Priest Sacramentalist
Johanna Morrigan, Our Saviour's, Deacon Preacher
Roger Phillips, Good Samaritan, Sacramentalist in Formation & Lay Intercessor
Lu Tax, Our Saviour's, Lay Liturgist
Maren Kay Welsand, St. John's, Lay Community Life Minister
Randy Welsand, St. John's, Priest Sacramentalist and Pastoral Care Minister
Jan (Zippy) Zeman, Our Saviour's, Lay Preacher

"Spirit of the Heartland" is a group of Episcopal churches in Central Minnesota where all the baptized members minister together in Total Ministry. Congregation members serve as a team in the ministerial leadership roles traditionally filled by a seminary-trained priest. Ministers from each congregation serve in all Spirit of the Heartland congregations. For more information contact www.motherflash.com/spirit or 1-866-553-4415 or 259-7153

Special Activities for Lent

This Lent why not try making a Lenten Candle Cross for the six Sundays in Lent? You can sometimes find them at religious store pre-made but you could also make one using wood or clay. Children enjoy the ritual of lighting the candles in Lent as much as in Advent.

You could also make a lenten Chart or calendar together using one square for each of the days in Lent (40 ordinary days), plus 6 squares for each Sunday. Then in small letters write in each square something each child (or adult) can do each day that is connected to God. Some examples might include: "read a story from the Bible; eat no sweets; do a secret good deed; don't complain about anything, etc.

2 Worship 9, 10, 11 a.m.,
Coffee Hour, Noon, Good Samaritan
12:30 a.m., Preachers Good Sam.
4 Ministerial, Good Sam., 11:45 a.m.
Shrove Tuesday Dinner, 6 p.m. Good Sam.
5 Ash Wednesday Services(see Cal.)
6 Ministerial, Paynesville, 9 a.m.
EFM, Little Falls, 6:30 p.m.
EFM, St. John's, 7 p.m.
9 Worship 9, 10, 11 a.m.,
11 St. Mike's HE, 11 a.m.
Good Sam Bible Study, Noon
12 Vestry, Our Saviour's, 7 p.m.
13 EFM, St. John's, 7 p.m.
15 Team Retreat, 9 a.m. 16-20
16 Worship 9, 10, 11 a.m.
Good Samaritan Vestry, 12:10 p.m.
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18 Team to Standing Comm.
20 EFM, Our Saviour's, 6:30 p.m.
22 LEV Training, Our Savior's
23 Worship 9, 10, 11 a.m.
25 H.E. Worship, St. Mike's, 11 a.m.
Bible Study, Good Sam., Noon
26 H.E., Univ. MN Morris, 8 p.m.
27 EFM Seekers, St. Stephen's, 9 a.m.
EFM, Our Saviour's, 6:30 p.m.
EFM, St. John's, 7 p.m.
28 St. Thecla's Guild, 7 p.m.
30 Worship 9, 10, 11 a.m.
Evening Prayer, Our Savior's, 7 p.m.

MINISTRY SCHEDULES

Good Samaritan
Our Saviour's
St. Stephen's

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