Following are brief descriptions about upcoming events at Bruton Parish. More details can be found in The Chronicle under Parish Life.
YOUTH BLACKSTONE 2010: FOLLOWING THE CROWD
Sponsored by the EYC Board of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia, this Palm Sunday Weeke4nd experience of fun, faith, fellowship and formation is open to Episcopal youth (grades 8-12) on March 23 to 28 at UMAC Blackstone ($80/person). The deadline to register is March 10. Please contact our Youth Director, Elizabeth Farr, to sign up or for more details (229-2891 or efarr@brutonparish.org).
LENTEN DEVOTIONALS
The members of the Daughters of the King (DOK) wish to thank all the members and clergy of Bruton Parish who contributed written devotionals for the 2010 edition. Click HERE for an electronic copy. Paper copies will be available at reception in the Parish House, at the Shove Tuesday Pancake Supper, in the Bruton Shop, at the Ash Wednesday services and in the Tower of the Church. Donations to help defray the costs would be most appreciated. Daughters of the King, as a lay order in the Episcopal Church, is open to all Episcopal women. We meet on the first Thursday of each month, and all are cordially invited to attend a meeting to see if this is an avenue for you to extend your spiritual journey with our Lord. DOK members pray daily for members of the congregation and others for whom prayers have been asked. Prayers may also be requested by completing a blue Request for Prayer card found in the Tower of the Church. For additional questions, call Emily Fitzgerald (565-1467).
THURSDAYS @ BRUTON: REFLECTIONS ON THE LORD'S PRAYER
Beginning on Thursday, February 18, and continuing each Thursday during Lent, we will gather for a soup supper at 6:00 p.m. and then enjoy a time of reflective study together at 7:00 p.m. Most of us cannot remember when we first heard the Lord’s Prayer, or even when we memorized it — because our memorizing was not conscious. We simply heard the words until they were part of us. Most of us don’t know much about the prayer, and we often recite it without thinking. It is poetic and we say it so often, we may speak it without investment of either mind or heart. Jesus gives the prayer as a model in The Gospel of Matthew after warning against praying with “empty phrases.” (Matthew 6:7 NRSV). Ironically, the prayer Jesus gave us is probably the most frequent instrument of violation of that warning. Lent is an appropriate time to carefully consider the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. Each session will concentrate on a major theme or phrase of the prayer in the hope that we will be renewed in our reflections during Lent and intentional as we pray this familiar prayer in more than empty phrases. Please call the church office (229-2891) if sign-up if you plan to attend the soup supper.
SUNDAY MORNING FORUMS
Join us during Lent in the Parish Hall from 10:20 – 10:50 a.m. for Sunday Morning Forums. The Old Testament readings during the Lenten Sunday Liturgy present us with a short course in the history of salvation: definitive moments in the past in which God’s intention to save the human race is revealed. The themes are repeated with different stories in each of the three years of our Lectionary, but they all follow this same pattern. We will look at these scriptures each Sunday at the Forum. All you need to do to prepare is to listen carefully as the reading is read in church, and bring your bulletin with you to the session. These passages are our story and our hope. Come join a Lenten journey with the Hebrew Scriptures. The sessions will be led by the clergy of Bruton, covering the following topics: A story of the origin of the human race or the origin of the Hebrew people; A story of Abraham and Sarah; A story of the exodus of Israel; A story of God restoring Israel and reaffirming the covenant; A prophetic vision of the kingdom yet to come.
LUNCH & BOOK STUDY ON WEDNESDAYS
Beginning on Wednesday, February 24, from 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m., we will discuss The Last Week: A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus’ Final Week in Jerusalem by Marcus J. Borg & John Dominic Crossan. Two of today’s top Jesus scholars use the gospel of Mark as a guide to present a day-by-day account of Jesus’ final week of life. The story begins on Palm Sunday with two triumphal entries into Jerusalem – one by the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, and the other by a new kind of moral hero riding on a donkey. In this exciting and fascinating study, Borg and Crossan introduce us to a radical Jesus that informs, inspires, challenges, and calls us to follow him. Copies of the book are available for $13.99 at The Bruton Shop. Read the book and come be a part of this series of discovery. Bring a brown-bag lunch!
ACCEPTING THE LOSS: EMBRACING THE FUTURE
This five-week course on understanding the grief process will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Thursdays (March 4/11/18/25) and will conclude by attending the Maundy Thursday service (April 1). The group will meet in the Coffee, Tea & Thee room upstairs in the Parish House. Anyone who has suffered a loss is encouraged to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Sylvia Saba, Parish Nurse directly (258-4503 or parishnurse@brutonparish.org).
MEN'S MARCH FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST
The March Men's Fellowship Breakfast will meet on Saturday, March 20, at 8:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall. The speaker will be John Millar, presenting Extra-Biblical Accounts of Christ. Spouses and guests are welcome to attend. Please make reservations by calling the Parish House by Thursday, March 18.
PALM CROSSES
This year we will be making palm crosses for Palm Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to noon in the Parish Hall on Wednesday, March 24, and Thursday, March 25. The palm crosses are a special part of our Palm Sunday services, and volunteers are essential to making enough for Bruton’s services. If you already know how to make the crosses, please attend and share your skill with new volunteers. If you are unable to attend but would like to make palm crosses at home, please contact Lisa Lucas directly (palmcrosses@brutonparish.org or 775-3372). We will also need volunteers to distribute the palm crosses at all four services (7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:15 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.) on Palm Sunday. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Lisa Lucas directly.
BRINGING IT HOME: EVERYDAY SPIRITUALITY: A PROGRAM OF PREPARATION FOR HOLY WEEK
We are very excited to welcome back to our community The Reverend Dr. Sam A. Portaro, Jr. for a weekend program (Thursday, March 25 - Saturday, March 27) to draw Lent to a close and to prepare us for Holy Week. Dr. Portaro was Episcopal Chaplain to the College of William & Mary and Associate to the Rector of Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia, from 1976 until 1982. He is a noted author and speaker and we are honored to have him return to Bruton and minister to us. We encourage you to be present for the entire weekend. However, Dr. Portaro has prepared each program so that you will benefit from any portion. Please click HERE to read the article on page four of the special Lent - Holy Week - Easter issue of The Chronicle for more details about this wonderful program. Be sure to call the Parish House to sign up (229-2891).
LILIES FOR THE EASTER ALTAR
Contributions are now being accepted for the lilies which will decorate the Easter altar. The deadline is Friday, March 26, for receiving the names to be included in the bulletin as a memorial, a thank offering, or in honor of someone special. Please make checks payable to Bruton Parish Church Altar Guild and send to Dianne Spence at 102 Walnut Hills Drive, Williamsburg, VA, 23185-3427(Please do not send the checks to the church office). Be sure to include your telephone number on the check or correspondence. Please contact Dianne directly if you have any questions (lilies@brutonparish.org or 229-4915).
AGAPE DINNER PLUS THE PASSION & RESURRECTION IN ART
Join us for the Maundy Thursday (April 1) service at 6:00 p.m. in the church followed by an Agape Dinner and a reflective presentation on the Passion and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Art. The presenter for the evening is parishioner Matthew Farr. A graduate of the University of the South, Matthew majored in History and Art History. He has a passion for art and is excited to share his love of this medium with the parish. Dinner and the presentation will be held in the Parish Hall immediately following the Maundy Thursday service (approximately 7:00 p.m.). Please call the Parish House to sign up!
PALM SUNDAY
The 9:30 a.m. service in Lewis Hall will be held in the churchyard on Palm Sunday, March 31 (weather permitting). The Blessing of the Palms for both the 9:00 a.m. & 9:30 a.m. services will begin on the Palace Green at 9:00 a.m. We will then process into the church or the churchyard (weather permitting). In case of inclement weather, the churchyard service will be held in the Parish House. Everyone is invited to come to the Parish House at 10:15 a.m. that morning to walk the Stations of the Cross and a labyrinth.
HEALING A HURTING WORLD
“Healing a hurting world” is a way we can help children and their families all over the world. Our church has a way we can share what we have with others. Episcopal Relief and Development (ER&D) will take what we give and distribute the money where it is needed, to schools and communities in our country as well as countries far away. Everyone is invited to follow the path of the Giving Calendar (click HERE to go to page 7 of the Lent, Holy Week & Easter issue of The Chronicle). Put your coins and prayers in a box. Then on Sunday February 14, our children will be decorating their boxes in Sunday School, so please bring in a small cardboard jewelry box or any box you can decorate and fill with coins and prayers all through Lent. Then, bring your full box to church on Palm Sunday, March 28. We will bless your gift and send it to ER&D to do good work.
EASTER CARDS-OF-ADMISSION
Cards-of-Admission will be required for only the 10:00 a.m. service of Holy Eucharist in the church on Easter Sunday. They will be available at the Parish House on Monday, March 22, to members on the parish rolls, and must be picked up no later than Friday, March 26. Please do not call to reserve your cards until Monday, March 22 (we cannot mail the cards unless you are physically unable to come pick them up). Cards will be available to the public beginning Monday, March 29, at the Parish House on a first-come, first-served basis (we cannot mail or reserve cards for the public).
EGGS @ EASTER!
We have plastic eggs that need filling, so please pick up a bag of empty eggs and return them by Wednesday, March 31, filled with individually-wrapped candy (please, no chocolate or nuts, the squirrels manage to open the eggs). Hiding the Eggs: Calling all 6th -12th graders to meet at the church at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 3, to hide eggs for the Children’s Egg Hunt. An Egg Hunt and party will be held after the 9:00 a.m. church service in the churchyard on Easter Day. Please bring “celebration food” to share. Pick flowers for the Flower Cross, and remember your basket!
THE FLOWER CROSS ON EASTER SUNDAY
The Flower Cross will be stationed in the churchyard on Easter morning. Everyone is encouraged to bring cut flowers for the cross which will be used as a backdrop for the churchyard service.
REPENTING, REJOICING, RECONCILING: BRUTON PARISH IN HISTORY
The Christian Formation committee invites you to join them on Thursday evenings in April at 7:00 p.m. in Lewis Hall to look back, to hear and learn of Bruton’s role in and reaction to historic issues.
April 8: Slavery and the Established Church with Anne Willis & Linda Rowe
April 15: Disestablishment up to the Second Episcopal Convention with Thad Tate April 22: Desegregation and Integration with Jim Kelly April 29: Women in the Pulpit with Julia Dorsey Loomis+ & Mollie Douglas Turner+
50TH JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR., MEMORIAL CONCERT
Join us in the church on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. for the 50th Anniversary of the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Concerts. Music during the concert will consist of Coronation Mass by W.A. Mozart and Musick’s Jubilee by Andrew Carter sung by the Choirs of Bruton Parish with Orchestra, along with Georgeann Paddock, Soprano; Karen Hollifield-Gonzalez, Soprano; Liza Sanchez, Contralto; Lois Wright, Contralto; Garry Sloan, Tenor; and Barret Armbruster, Bass. Dr. JanEl B. Will & Rebecca E. Davy, Directors. Get your tickets in advance ... $15 adults, $5 students. Call 229-2891 for further information and tickets.
YOUTH YARD SALE
The Pilgrimage Yard Sale will soon be upon us! The sale begins at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 1, and we will start collecting items at the Parish House beginning Sunday, April 25. The proceeds from the yard sale will support our Youth Pilgrimage in 2011.
PEACE IN THE KINGDOM: A MUSICAL PARABLE ABOUT SHALOM
This is a beautiful musical with a message of love and hope inspired by Isaiah 11:6-9 and the famous American painting, “The Peaceable Kingdom” by Edward Hicks. The story is told with four choruses and eight actors. Included are 13 musical numbers in many styles of music. There are eight speaking roles and many solos roles. Those who wish to audition must be prepared to stay for extra rehearsals on Sundays following Sunday School, (approximately 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.). No need to prepare for audition. The roles include: custodian, lion, lamb, wolf, leopard, cow, bear, and child.
Rehearsals for choruses will be held during Sunday School. Members of cast will receive songsheets and CD with songs. The songs are fun with lots of opportunity for choreography. Costumes will be simple and colorful. There will be a dress rehearsal in March that will be longer than regular Sunday School time.
It will help to have extras to provide support for the younger ones. The songs are easy to sing; some filled with humor and others that are beautiful and moving. Contact Ann Porter for further information
(564-7875 or musical@brutonparish.org).
Click HERE for the Information & Permission Form for your child to participate in this wonderful fellowship opportunity. Be sure to complete the form and return it to your child's Sunday School teacher.
WHO: Kindergarten & up!
WHEN: A Springtime Production
WHERE: Bruton Parish House
DIRECTED BY: Christina Westenberger & Ann Porter
* This is a great opportunity for inter-generational participation. Parents and teachers, we welcome you! The choruses are fun to sing in ... a place to make a Joyful Noise!
COFFEE CONNECTIONS SCHEDULE & GUIDELINES
The coffee served at 10:15 a.m. during Coffee Connections in the Parish House is called BRUTON BLEND and is specially roasted and produced for us by Aromas. If you would like to help with Coffee Connections on Sunday, please contact Kathy Harper at 757-784-0853, or send her an email at coffee@brutonparish.org. Follow the Coffee Connection Guidelinesfor providing the coffee and snacks. For coupons to buy coffee at Aromas to benefit Bruton, see the article below!
BRUTON BLEND: COFFEE TO BENEFIT BRUTON
That cup of coffee or tea you drink every morning will now benefit Bruton Parish Church! For every pound of coffee you buy at Aromas with this special coupon below, Bruton will receive $3. For every half-pound of loose leaf tea, the church will receive $1.50, and for every pound of gourmet cocoa, Bruton will receive $1. You may buy any flavor coffee or tea. You may give coupons to your friends and family. The coupons are good at any Aromas in Hampton, Newport News, Richmond and Williamsburg (which is located on Prince George Street. Try Bruton Blend!We hope you are enjoying the coffee being served during our Coffee Hour and at other events at the Parish House ... a specially blended coffee made just for Bruton Parish!Print this page for one coupon, or click HEREfor a sheet of nine coupons!
