5th Tuesday in Lent: Let us Pray

March 31, 2020
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father,
you have brought us in safety to this new day: 
Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin,
nor be overcome by adversity;
and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
Book of Common Prayer, p. 137

Dear Hearts,
This is the message that I said I would send yesterday.  Won't bore you with details of my battle with an ill-performing tablet.   Onward:
Thanks to responses I received from the invitation to help shape Sunday's Intercessions:  Our prayers are asked for --
Carl -- who is gravely ill
Winnie Z. -- a newborn in intensive care (and her parents)
Jim Rae -- recovering following hospitalization
Jennifer, Robert & James
May they know the healing power of Christ's love.
 
For those who have died, including Tom Taylor 
May his family know the consolation of Christ's love,
and may light perpetual shine upon him.
 
And for those among the saints in light, including:
Jeanne, Bob, Dolores, & Ed
May they go from strength to strength in the life of perfect service.
 
Please continue to hold in prayer:
Madeline Hubbard, Kelly Gatto, Paul Dostie, Lois Sawtell, Hope Sperry, Bob van Marx, Kelly, Joanne Neel-Richard, Dave Kurcharski, Nancy Cairns, Fred Murphy, Margaret Smith, Philomena, Justin, Bob Augur, Jean, Virginia Maioriano, Florence Clark, Linda, Michael Sandrey  
Also:  Linda Brouard, June Chittick, Charlie Koncz, Anne Christofferson, Mark Scott, Angela Goodfellow, Maria, Bob, Olivia, Lois, and Jo. 
Please also remember:  St. Luke’s School & Church in Martel (Haiti)  Our Sunday School's Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser for St. Luke's, previously scheduled for March 29, has been postponed.
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To add names for next Sunday's intercessions, please send them to YFNR at [email protected] with any details you care to share.  Names will then move to the "continuing" list for 30 days, and the longer term list upon request. 

Spaghetti Sauce with Meat Balls
Chef Antonio worked in the Parish Hall kitchen on Monday, and planned to finish today to prepare his fabulous spaghetti sauce with meat balls.  For those who made reservations, yours will be available in containers for pick-up in the parish hall kitchen refrigerator on Wednesday, April 1 (No Foolin' !) from 10am. to 4p.m.  Remember: No noodles, just the sauce with meatballs.  If you requested delivery, you can expect to receive your delivery on Wednesday.  Many thanks to Chef Antonio, to Senior Warden Susan Leonard for handling reservations and organizing deliveries, and to the drivers!

Wednesday Evening Prayers
Please join our livestream evening service of prayer and music on Wednesday, April 1 at 7p.m.,  The service will begin with the Order for Evening and continue with the Great Litany -- which the Prayer Book recommends as a separate devotion during Lent.  An online bulletin will be available by Wednesday morning.

Thursday Morning Bible Study will resume this Thursday, April 2, 9:30-10:30a.m. on Zoom.   We will resume our study of Paul's Letter to the Romans  There are no prerequisites!  Here's the link to our online conversation: click here:   Participation by telephone is also possible; I'll send the connection number on request. 

Spring Yard Clean-up
Thanks to all of you who have signed up to tidy a portion of the Church Yard.   I think we are all looking for ways to be outside while maintaining that crucial physical distance. Leaf bags will be provided inside the Parish  House center door.  Please remember to bring your own equipment with you.

You can find the Friday letters from our Bishops, +Ian Douglas and +Laura Ahrens, by clicking here, and the Episcopal Church in Connecticut's Covid-19 Resource Page here.    There are all sorts of online services being offered around the diocese, as well as from Washington National Cathedral.  

Speaking of Washington National Cathedral, I hope you saw the news about the cache of those crucial N-95 masks that the Cathedral's longtime stonecarver recovered from the Cathedral's crypt.  The Cathedral had stockpiled them after a previous viral epidemic.  After being cleared for use by the manufacturer and the CDC, the Cathedral donated 5,000 masks to two Washington, DC hospitals.  Read more here.

Here's a prayer that I included in a recent sermon.  It was very important to me when I was critically ill in 2007.  You'll find it in the section of prayers for use by and with people who are ill.  It seems so appropriate for all of us in the days of this crisis.
This is another day, O Lord, I know not what it will bring forth,
but make me ready Lord, for whatever it may be.
If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely.
It I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly.
If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently.
And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly.
Make these words more than words,
and give me the Spirit of Jesus.  Amen.
BCP, p. 461
And again, if you are sheltering-in-place and need assistance with picking up groceries or prescriptions, please be in touch with the Parish Office.  Fellow parishioners would gladly do the go-fer-ing for you.
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Be well, say your prayers, and wash your hands,
Harrison+
YFNR
p.s. Reminders for Wednesday evening's online worship:

• You can access the livestream directly at facebook.com/cecguilford. or the parish website christchurchguilford.org
• You may find that using an external speaker or headphones may improve the quality of audio from your device.
• Please remember to adjust both volume settings on your device: 

1. There is the device's volume control, usually accessed via the speaker icon on the lower right corner of your screen;  Be sure that the volume is turned up here.
2. There is another volume control on the Facebook Live image, as well. It's in the control panel at the bottom of the Live image.  The default setting on that control is often mute, indicated by an "x" over the speaker icon.  Be sure to click on the speaker icon to "unmute" the sound, and to turn up the volume here as well.