March 8th

The Good News from St. John’s Kingston

Coming Up at St. John’s

This Sunday: Time Change and Godly Play

This coming Sunday, we take our spring leap forward so remember to set your clocks so you won’t be late for church. And, because it’s the second Sunday of the month, we have Godly Play for our younger members this week. We look forward to seeing you!

Holy Week and Easter Sunday: March 24-31

In just a few weeks, we will participate in Holy Week – the time in our Christian calendar when we tell the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection while we participate in ancient Christian rituals, such as processing with palms on Palm Sunday and foot washing on Maundy Thursday. The story, as we know, can be difficult but it is also deeply meaningful for us, spiritually. We are asked reflect on humanity as a whole, as well as ourselves, as we contemplate how God’s love permeates creation so completely that this Love is always the final word.

	Palm Sunday March 24 at 10:00 am We begin the story of Jesus’ final days by reflecting on his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Young people’s lesson will be offered.
	Maundy Thursday March 28 at 6:00 pm After sharing a simple soup supper, we continue the story through healing, foot-washing, communion, and the stripping of our altar.
	Good Friday March 29 at 1:00 pm We are asked to acknowledge and grieve the difficulties, despair, and sin in our individual and collective lives.
	Holy Saturday Prayers March 30 at 9:00 am We gather for quiet reflection and prayer and then spend time preparing the space for the Easter celebration.
	Great Vigil of Easter March 30 at 8:00 pm Gathering around the new fire, we tell the ancient stories of salvation and celebrate the first witness of the Risen Christ. Bring bells from home!
	Easter Sunday March 31 at 10:00 am A traditional Easter Sunday choral Eucharistic worship. Afterwards, Community Brunch and Egg Hunt for kids.

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A Lenten Space

Each week during Lent, Rev. Michelle will post here about resources for spiritual practice and reflection – books, podcasts, websites, etc. While Lent is a specific time of our liturgical year set aside for reflection, most of these resources are not only meant for Lent. Spiritual reflection and practice are things that we are invited to at any time and any place, as we are always called to deepen our relationship with God.

Ignation Spirituality
St. Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish priest and theologian who co-founded the Society of Jesus in 1541. Today, this group is more commonly known as the Jesuits, an order of the Roman Catholic Church. Jesuit spirituality or, Ignatian spirituality, is known for its focus on day-to-day living. Ignatius developed a series of spiritual exercises designed to help people reflect on their daily actions. He called this The Prayer of Examen.

There is a website devoted to Ignatian Spirituality, called simply ignatianspirituality.com. There you will find an abundance of free resources. Because we are in the season of Lent, you may want to explore the Lenten Resources found there. You will find short videos and other reflections/meditations specifically designed for Lent.

Ongoing List of Lenten Resources

Ignatian Spirituality Lenten Resources: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/lent/
Finding Home in a World of Displacement, an online Lenten course by Dr. Brian Walsh at bibleremixed.ca
Our cathedral (The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC) offers this Meditation Series: Lent & Easter 2024 – Cathedral of Saint John the Divine (stjohndivine.org). You can download a guide and there are daily and weekly mediations.
The preacher for Bp. Matt’s installation this past Saturday, Winnie Varghese, recommends this book: The Amen Effect by Sharon Brous. And here’s a video of the author being interviewed.
Episcopal Relief and Development, the outreach arm of the Episcopal Church, offers a variety of options for meditation and reflection: click here.

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The Long Exhale

Dear Ones,

I’ve been thinking a lot about breath lately – for several reasons. I’m still dealing with the lingering upper respiratory infection I contracted in January. Ana is practicing her breathing with a device called a spirometer, a common post-surgery/injury exercise. Those are a couple of very practical reasons.

But I’m also aware that there is an emotional aspect of this. I’ve noticed that, over this past week, my own breath has become deeper and deeper and, just in the last 2 days, I’ve realized that it’s like I’ve exhaled. Finally.

Every week during Centering Prayer, I invite everyone to gradually take deeper breaths and then invite them to take a longer time on the exhale. The reason for this is simple biology: a longer exhale engages your parasympathetic nervous system, which signals to your entire nervous system that it’s ok to “stand down.” It’s time to relax.

And, as I reflect, it’s as if I have been holding my breath for the entire month of February. And, if I’m honest, I’ve been holding it even longer than that. Of course, this has so much to do with all of the health issues my loved ones are going through.

I wonder if you’ve ever felt like that? A time in your life when there was so much happening that, despite your best efforts, it felt like you could never really get to the the place where you could experience the long exhale. A time when you could never really relax and know, on a cellular level, that all will be well. There are people who live their entire lives and never really feel what it’s like to have this kind of exhale.

For now, I am grateful for the long exhale.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

The Good News of St. John’s