2 Easter: Youth Spaghetti Supper: "The Gift of Years" Starts Tuesday; Camp Washington News

April 27, 2019
 
Dear Hearts,
A blessed Easter Week to you!  And profound thanks to all who made our Holy Week and Easter worship so beautiful and powerful!  The look and sound of the church-assembled mirrored the spiritual and emotional roller coaster ride from Palm Sunday through Holy Week to Easter.  There were some real high points from the anthems, palms and red vesture of Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday.  All that gave way to the bleakness and sorrow of Good Friday -- which was followed by the quiet busyness of Holy Saturday.  Then the joyous "Christ is risen, indeed!" proclamation of Easter left us humming our Alleluias!

Thanks to the Choir, our String ensemble and Mark Sullivan for the music;  thanks to Marsha Brown for creating an Easter garden for our worship; thanks to the Altar Guild for making everything shine; thanks to all whose Easter memorials, thanksgivings and gifts of hospitality underwrote our worship and fellowship; thanks to all the bulletin folders and collators, Easter Egg-fillers and hiders; thanks to all the Acolytes, Chalice Bearers, Intercessors, Lectors, and Ushers who led us through our worship.  Fortunately, Easter is not over!  Although the Choir gets a Sunday off, the Sunday School will resume, the joyous hymns continue, and the flowers are still beautiful! 

Our Youth Spaghetti Supper, with its over-the-top desserts, will be this Sunday, April 28 at 5p.m.  The basil-infused spaghetti sauce and amazing meat balls, make this Spaghetti Supper a revelation for those of us raised on Chef Boi-ar-dee!  The Parmesan cheese grated to order over each serving also makes this spaghetti truly special.  The green salad with its secret dressing, and oh yes, those amazing desserts, also make this a can't miss supper.  The Supper and the accompanying raffle raise additional funds for special youth opportunities at Camp Incarnation, Camp Washington, in the Dominican Republic, NYC Pilgrimages, and in service.

The Gift of Years, is Joan Chittester's reflection on Growing Older Gracefully.   We'll be taking this up with the guidance of the Rev. Lynda Tyson during Tuesday Supper discussions beginning April 30, and during the Rectory Forum beginning in May.  Lynda asks that if we have the book -- available from your favorite local and on-line bookseller and from Libraries -- that we read the Introduction and first 18 pages. We'll put "Fear" and "Regret" behind us, and focus on "Purpose" and "Meaning." This is a four-week series with a helpful gift at its conclusion.  Even if you haven't done the reading, you're welcome to join the conversation!

Speaking of Camp Washington, as I was in a previous paragraph, there are two upcoming events of special interest happening there:

• "A Fantasy-filled Weekend in Narnia" for Middle Schoolers, May 3-5. For more information about this weekend of fun, faith and friendship, please go to www.campwashington.org/programs  
• Camp Washington offers summer camp experiences of various sorts and lengths for youngsters from ages 5 to 16, with opportunities for leadership by older youth.  A Summer Camp Open House will be offered Sunday, May 5 beginning at 3p.m. RSVP by calling 860-567-9623

Another adventure for HIgh School age youth, is SUMMA: Student Theological Debate Society at The University of the South, July 16-24.  A summer offering of Sewanee's School of Theology, this is part camp, part debate/public speaking workshop, and part introduction to the theological method of "speaking the truth in love" on a beautiful university campus.  More information can be found here.

I look forward to continuing with you our Easter proclamations and song -- "death is conquered; we are free; Christ has won the victory!"
 With Easter faith, hope, and love,
Harrison+
YFNR
p.s. In the wake of the horrific bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter morning, the Bishops of the Church of Ceylon responded with this statement.  Our Presiding Bishop issued this brief statement. Ironically however, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's Easter message seems to speak directly to this blasphemous carnage; I really encourage you to read or watch it here.