Tuesday in Easter Week: Let Us Pray

April 14, 2020
O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light:
Grant that we, who have been raised with him,
may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be dominion and praise for ever and ever. Amen.
 
Book of Common Prayer, p.223
 
Dear Hearts,
      Our prayers are asked for --
All who are ill  including Avery M., Sandy G.,
Lois Creighton in hospital;
Brooke & family,
Murray E, -- for strength and comfort
May they know the healing power of
Christ's presence and love.

for the repose of Lisa,
and of  Dick,
and of Mary Pommer,
and for all who have died during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The strife is o'er, the battle done;
the victory of life is won.
 
In thanksgiving for Jack T's birthday!
Happy Birthday, Jack!
Let us thank God for --
Marsha Brown's creativity in decorating the chancel for Easter;
for Rachel Postovoit's beauifully sung aria from Messiah;
for Christ Robinsons's continuing oversight of our audio, and
for Mark Sullivan's terrific musical inspiration for our
Holy Week journey, concluding with his splendid
Easter offering of the Widor Toccata.
We thank you for setting us at tasks that engage our best efforts,
and for guiding us to accomplishments that satisfy and delight us.
 
Please continue to hold in prayer:
Kate S., Tracy M., Carl, Winnie Z., Jim Rae; Jennifer, Robert & James; Carol L-U, Judy & Eddie G. and family, Sandy &  Roy N., 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, ILois, and Jo. 
Please also remember:  St. Luke’s School & Church in Martel (Haiti)
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To add names and concerns for next Sunday's intercessions, and this "Let Us Pray" letter, please send them to YFNR at harrisoncec@snet.net 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. 

Easter Flowers:
If you're in the neighborhood, and would like to bring the joy of Easter to your home or someone else's, please drop by the Rectory garage.  Plants from the altar will be on a table by the garage door during office hours (10a.m. - 3p.m.) Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14 and 15.

Wednesday Evening Prayers
Our livestream evening service of prayer and music will continue into Eastertide on Wednesday, April 15 at 7p.m.,  The service will be a form of the Order for Evening with lots of candlelight.  With the end of Lent, we'll let go of the Great Litany and bring in other prayers. An online bulletin will be available Wednesday morning.

Thursday Morning Bible Study will continue this Thursday, April 9, 9:30-10:30a.m. on Zoom.   We will continue our discussion of chapter 8 of Paul's Letter to the Romans.  We've reached the chapter's soaring affirmation -- "nothing can separate us from the love of God."  A great text for Easter Week and the pandemic.  Here's the link to our online conversation: click here:   Participation by telephone is also possible; I'll send the connection number on request.

Holy Saturday Message from the Green:  In Sunday's sermon, I mentioned the video message that I shared with my colleagues who lead two other congregations around the Green (Fr. Sledesky of St. George Catholic Church and Dr. Brasher-Cunningham of First Congregational Church).  We recorded it on the windswept Green on the morning of Holy Saturday.  You can find it on the Christ Church Facebook page here.
 
One more thing about fear:  
In Sunday's sermon, I didn't develop the "bitter" side of the saying from Fr. Stephen's mentor, "Tough times can make us bitter or better."  The thing is, the bitter response to tough times is toxic:  the fearful responses to our current tough times are toxic.  These bitter responses inspire hoarding and competition for everything from personal protective equipment (a new term in my vocabulary!) to, well, yes, toilet paper.  The toxicity of bitterness and fear also shows up in graffiti on synagogue doors during Passover, boycotts of Asian restaurants, and other slights against our Asian-American neighbors -- as Pastor Ginger mentioned.

FDR's famous line about fear -- "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." -- is an echo of the angel's words to Mary Magdalene and another Mary at the open tomb, "Do not be afraid."  Yes, this horrible virus is a fearful thing, but let's respond with caution, steadfast concern, and hope.  And perhaps you recognize that "steadfast concern" is one translation of the Hebrew term chesed; another translation is "loving kindness."
I began above with the Collect for Tuesday in Easter Week,  I want to conclude with a prayer "For Doctors and Nurses" and all serving on the frontlines of this pandemic.
Sanctify, O Lord, those whom you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing,
and to the prevention of disease and pain.
Strengthen them by your life-giving Spirit
-- keep them safe and inspire us to provide
the equipment they need --
that by their ministries the health of the community
may be promoted and your creation glorified;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BCP, p. 460
Thank you for the kind messages of encouragement and support and gratitude we've received via email, and that have accompanied your offerings and special Easter gifts.  They are all so appreciated and taken to heart!
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In the faith, hope and love of Christ,,
Harrison+
YFNR
p.s. Reminders for Christ Church'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.