Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. Lev. 19:2
Do you think of yourself as sacred and consecrated to God or dedicated to a divine purpose? That’s what Leviticus is telling us. We are holy people. The passage goes on to talk about how holy people behave. We don’t lie to one another or steal from one another. We don’t unjustly judge one another nor “profit from another’s blood.”
Think of how we treat the holy things in church. The wafers of communion are simple discs of wheat and the wine is from the liquor store; however, in the context of our service, these simple, ordinary things become precious and special to us. These elements are special to us because of their relationship to Christ’s body and blood. We treat them with reverence. We don’t drop them on the floor. We don’t pour the wine down an ordinary drain. That’s what it means when ordinary things are holy.
So you are an ordinary human made holy because you are of God. How are you reverent in your life? How do you treat yourself with respect? How do you dedicate yourself to God? Don’t think this means you must be somber, either. How are you holy and consecrated to God in joy?
Blessings as you finish your week!
Rebecca
Next week, I will be in Corbin on Friday, February 28, and my Sabbath days will be February 25-27. Please feel free to get messages to me any time, however, by calling 859 -429-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.
Today through Saturday is Diocesan Convention. Please pray for the Diocese as it meets in Convention. Our Deputies are Gay Nell Conley, Bruce Cory, John Harris, Billy Hibbitts and The Rev. Myers.
Next Sunday, March 2, we celebrate Women’s History Month. Our hymns will reflect the voices of women.
Lazarus at the Gate, a series on economic discipleship finishes this week. Bret Swinford will lead us in a session on How to give effectively and giving together.
Living Compass Adult Faith and Wellness. Next week, we begin a series on Living Compass Program, designed to help us assess our lives, plan for change, strengthen our faith, and wellness. You can find more information about the program, including the Living Compass Assessment at http://www.livingcompass.org/adult/program.html/
Pot Luck This Sunday! Bring your favorite dish or drink to share! In any case, please join in the fellowship and fun! The men of the parish will meet to discuss the Tuesday, March 4, Shrove Tuesday pancake supper!
Our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper will be held March 4, 6pm in the parish hall. Free will offering. (Suggested donation is $2 per adult and $1 per child).
Ash Wednesday service with Eucharist and imposition of ashes will be at 6pm on Wednesday, March 5.
Serving Our Neighbors – See baskets in the parlor.
- Everlasting Arms, Corbin’s shelter for people who are homeless, is in need of men’s and women’s razors, gloves, deodorant and socks.
- The Food Pantry at Corbin Presbyterian Church is always in need of nonperishable food items. Vegetables are especially appreciated.
Flowers for the altar: Donations for flowers for the altar are accepted for any Sunday of the year. Please place your donation in the envelope, marking whether they are in honor of or in memory of someone.
United Thank Offering (UTO) is a ministry of the Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through United Thank Offering, men, women, and children nurture the habit of giving daily thanks to God. These prayers of thanksgiving start when we recognize and name our many daily blessings. Those who participate in UTO discover that thankfulness leads to generosity. United Thank Offering is entrusted to promote thank offerings, to receive the offerings, and to distribute the UTO monies to support mission and ministry throughout the Episcopal Church and in invited Provinces of the Anglican Communion in the developing world.
Your UTO offerings are collected twice each year. Each time you feel thankful during your day, put some change into your box. We will gather these gifts of gratitude in May and begin again for the November offering.
If you need a UTO box, please see Rebecca.
Reimagine the Episcopal Church: In 2012, the General Convention created a taskforce to reimagine The Episcopal Church for the future. The members of the Taskforce want to hear the memories, hopes and dreams that people have for The Church. We are trying to reach as many people as we can over the next few months. We will use what we hear to help us shape recommendations for The Church’s structure, administration and governance. To add your memories, go online at http://reimaginetec.org/ or see Rev. Rebecca for a paper copy you can submit. Deadline is March 4, 2014.
Hymn Selection Group If you’d like to choose hymns for services, join this group. You will choose hymns for an upcoming service and then meet with the entire group to confirm the final selections. See Billy Hibbitts if you are interested.
Would you like to write Prayers of the People? If you are interested in writing these prayers (there are resources that can help with this task), please let Rebecca know by phone or email priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.
Are you interested in assisting with the Sunday service? Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Crucifers, Altar Guild Members and choir members are all important for each Sunday service. If you’re interested in serving, please let Rebecca know by phone 859-429-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.
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