Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

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The Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 2, 2008


P.O. Box 548, Colorado Springs, CO 80901
www.graceepiscopalcolosprings.org
grace.episcopal.church@gmail.com
719/328-1125

Prayer of the Week

For Joy in God’s Creation

O heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works; that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, we may learn to serve thee with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer page 814

Table of Contents

Click on the title of the article you wish to jump to.
Contents:Links:
Diocesan Cycle of PrayerContact Information
Weekly CalendarWeekly Healing Service
The Priest's PenMusic at Grace
Introducing Leslie BergstromUpcoming FCC Concerts
Summer Camps at Trinity RanchESM Commitment
Memorial Service for Laura Frances AlexanderNovember Vestry Minutes
Grace TransportationFilings with the Court
Invitation to Youth Services 
Lenten Traditions 
Vestry Notes 
Easter Memorials 


Diocesan Cycle of Prayer

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, today we remember Grace Church in Buena Vista, St. Andrew's Church in Ft. Lupton, St. John Chrysostom Church in Golden and St. Luke's Church in Delta.

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Weekly Calendar

Saturday, March 1Youth Group Ski Day to Monarch Mountain6:05 am
Women of Grace9:30 am
Sunday, March 2Adult Education11:30 am
Middle School Youth Group11:30 am
Choral Eucharist at FCC12:45 pm
Children's Sunday School11:30 am
Coffee and Fellowship2:00 pm
Monday, March 3Communications Committee7:00 pm
Tuesday, March 4Holy Communion10:00 am
Father Michael's Bible Study10:40 am
Brown Bag Lunch12:00 pm
Grace Notes Handbell Choir7:15 pm
Senior High Cawfee Tawk Tuesday8:30 pm
Wednesday, March 5Lenten Noontime Reflections12:00 pm
Memorial Service -- Laura Alexander2:00 pm
St. Nicholas Choir Rehearsal4:30 pm
St. Cecilia Choir Rehearsal5:30 pm
Taylor and St. Stephen's Choirs Rehearsal7:00 pm
Thursday, March 6Healing Service12:00 pm
Sunday, March 9Daylight Saving Time begins
Set clocks ahead one hour
1:00 am
Adult Education11:30 am
High School Youth Group11:30 am
Choral Eucharist at FCC12:45 pm
Children's Sunday School11:30 am
Coffee and Fellowship2:00 pm

To see this in a printable calendar layout, click here.

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From the Priest's Pen

Photo of Father Michael I am pleased to announce Grace and St. Stephen's newest ministry for Intercessory Prayer, led by Leslie Bergstrom. Intercessory Prayer is prayer said on behalf of another person. I like how one study Bible puts it, "[Intercessory Prayer] is holy, believing, persevering prayer whereby someone pleads with God on behalf of another or others who desperately need God's intervention." And boy, do we need God's intervention!

Intervention for healing. Intervention for the poor. Intervention for the homeless. Intervention for "traveling mercies"--especially during the summer months. Intervention for pregnant moms and newborn babies. Intervention for those in harm's way in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Intervention for God's Holy Spirit to bring renewal and to empower us as an Episcopal community of Christ to love God and our neighbors as we love ourselves. Of course, the list goes on and on.

You can begin to see why praying for others is such serious business and, therefore, an all-important ministry of our Church! And Leslie certainly can't do it alone. In fact, her prayer is for others to join her in this new ministry, so that our parish is surrounded by God's holy angels and the Kingdom's work--in which He has called us to join Him--is expanding on a daily basis. My prayer is that you'll contact Leslie and join her in interceding on behalf of our parish.

Speaking of Intercessory Prayer, we have another beautiful, candle-lit TAIZE service planned for this upcoming Monday night, March 3rd, in Shove Chapel on the campus of Colorado College, starting at 9:00 pm. This might be a wonderful opportunity for some "intercessors" to kick-off our new prayer ministry and "declare our dependence upon God" for its success with silent meditation, singing and Scripture readings.

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Introducing Leslie Bergstrom

Leslie Bergstrom attended Grace Church when she was a student at Colorado College, and she and her husband, Jim, were married there. After a few years away, the family returned to Colorado Springs in 1959 and joined the Church of the Holy Spirit. Leslie's two children graduated from West Coast universities, and now her daughter lives in Washington and her son in California. Her husband died in 2003, just months after their 50th wedding anniversary.

When Holy Spirit closed last year, Leslie transferred to Grace. She serves as a lector and participates in the Tuesday morning Eucharist, Bible Study, and Brown Bag, and in the Thursday noon Healing Service.

In addition to many and varied church ministries over the years, Leslie also has been active in the community. She belongs to a spiritual repertory company, Women of the Bible, whose members present monologues in costume; she portrays four characters.

Leslie spent decades as a docent at the Fine Arts Center, where she trained this year's class, at the Zoo, and at Bear Creek Nature Center, and was one of the historical interpreters for the Pike Bicentennial last year. She is finishing her 30th year with her own business, Talk of the Town, doing commentary on tour buses, walking tours of historic Colorado Springs neighborhoods, classes, and programs, and has authored three guidebooks.

Having been part of an Intercessors Prayer group for many years and, most recently, of a centering prayer group, Leslie looks forward to God's guidance in coordinating the intercessory prayer ministry at Grace.

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Summer Camps at Trinity Ranch

A week in the mountains sounds good right about now. And summer will be here before we know it. The Diocese of Colorado has announced dates for youth summer camps at Trinity Ranch for elementary, middle and high school campers. You can learn more on the Diocesan website.

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Laura Frances Alexander

A memorial service for Laura Frances Alexander will be held at Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, meeting at First Christian Church, on Wednesday, March 5th at 2:00 pm. There will be a reception following in the Fellowship Hall. Laura died in Durango on February 19, 2008, and is survived by her mother, Laura Frances Macdonald, and her brother, Julian Don Alexander. She was predeceased by her father, John Huiskamp Alexander. Donations may be made to the Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Restoration Fund or to the Colorado Springs Humane Society.

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Transportation Volunteers

Why drive to church with an empty seat? Grace Transportation is seeking more volunteers for our ministry. We have recently added a few more riders to the roster, so we need of more drivers. You can volunteer to drive every week on a rotating schedule, or to be an occasional substitute. Please contact Kathy Coffey or call her at 459-5980 with questions or to volunteer.

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Invitation to Youth Services

First Christian Church invites you to join them in worship this Sunday, March 2nd, at 8:30 or 10:45 am as their youth lead the services and present the musical Celebrate Life. The songs and narration tell the story of Jesus’ life, and the kids have been working very hard to be able to offer their very best to God. The youth of First Christian would love for you to join them as they celebrate all that God has done for all of us in Christ our Lord!

- In His Love, Pastor Shelly Garrison

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Lenten Traditions

This Sunday, March 2nd, marks the middle of the Lenten "fast." If you are a long-time Episcopalian, you may remember this, the Fourth Sunday in Lent, as Refreshment Sunday. Refreshment Sunday was a traditional break in liturgical time—a day to put aside our Lenten disciplines and refresh ourselves with feasting and rest. Refreshment Sunday reminded us that we are saved by grace and not by extremes of self-discipline.

And if you are an Anglophile you may remember the Fourth Sunday in Lent as Mothering Sunday. Mothering Sunday derives from the ancient British custom of giving apprentices and young people working as servants a holiday on Mid-Lent Sunday to go home to visit their mothers. This original "mother's day" later became linked to the parochial life of the Church of England, with people attending the church of their youth, their "Mother Church." Mothering Sunday reminded us of our natural mothers and also of our spiritual mother, the Church.

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Vestry Notes

The February meeting of the Vestry was held on Tuesday, attended by all members and four guests. The vestry approved the budget as it was presented at the Annual Meeting, and resolved that any mid-year budget adjustments must be proposed in writing and include the specific line numbers to be adjusted. Junior Warden David Watts also noted that copies of our tax-exemption paperwork are available for those making purchases for the church, and that all requests for reimbursement should be submitted with the payment request form available in the office. An audit committee was formed to prepare for our first audit in April. Fr. Michael reviewed our proposed committee structure and the progress in planning for small group ministries. Finally, we set the meeting date for next month to March 31st to avoid spring break for several school districts.

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Easter Memorials -- Remember and Give Thanks

You are invited to join in the celebration of this Easter by contributing to the decorations and music of the church. Please indicate if your gift is in loving memory or in honor of someone special in your life.

Donor’s Name: _____________________________________ Amount: ______________

Easter Flowers

In Memory of ___________________________________________

Or

In Thanksgiving for _______________________________

Easter Music

In Memory of ___________________________________________

Or

In Thanksgiving for ________________________________

** Please return the slip with your donation in the offering basket or send it to the office by March 16th. Checks should be made to “Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church”.

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