St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church

Tidings

Infinite Treasures

Can any ingratitude be more damned than that which is fed by benefits? Or folly greater than that which bereaveth us of infinite treasures? They despise them merely because they have them, and invent ways to make themselves miserable in the presence of riches. They study a thousand newfangled treasures, which God never made: and then grieve and repine that they be not happy. They dote on their own works, and neglect God’s, which are full of majesty, riches, and wis-dom. And having fled away from them because they are solid, divine, and true, greedily pursing tinseled vanities, they walk on in darkness, and will not under-stand.

From Centuries of Meditations, by Thomas Traherne (c. 1637-1674)

When the poet, priest, and theologian Thomas Traherne wrote these words, he was urging the reader to recognize how easily we trade our freedom and wealth in the Works of God for enslavement and poverty in materialism and greed. Traherne stood at the beginnings of what would become modern consumerism and saw where it must lead: to a world prizing only what can be measured, and denying the very existence of spiritual reality. The self-inflicted wound that re-sulted from this “bargain” has sickened our collective psyche, our culture, and our planet. Too many times, polluted ecosystems are left to die; popular entertain-ment pollutes minds with images of brutality and carnality, and everything today is being “branded” so that market forces can commodify, package, and sell it.

Living in Western Oregon, we are unbelievably privileged to gaze upon the works of God. The sea, the mountains, the broad Willamette Valley with its meadows, forests, fields, and vineyards… all crowned by a sky yielding sun, rain, wind, and (occasionally) snow in their season: God doted on this land. Yet, it is so tempting to put our head down, focus only on what we don’t have, and become locked in

FEBRUARY 2012

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our own anxiety. No matter how real our troubles, if we cut our ties with the gifts God has given us so freely…nature, community, the inner life of faith…we will be unable to share in communion with God when it really counts, and our growth in the knowledge and love of God will stall.

February is, for many in Oregon, a challenging month. It is often grey, caught be-tween Christmas’ warmth and the first promise of spring. It can be a time to hun-ker down and just get through. But Lent’s arrival late in the month this year is a call to look up from our care-worn paths and open our hearts to God’s embrace. This is the precise opposite to consumerism, with its rush to “consume” events and experiences, leaving their empty husks on the ground like spent wrappers. Lent is, for us, an opportunity to listen, to learn, and to love more deeply than ever before.

So, resolve it to order your schedule, your priorities, and your vision so that we might together look up at the Treasures of God—the holy and mystical gifts of the Liturgy, the creation, the people of God, and all other sacred encounters—wher-ever and whenever they are to be found this Holy Lent and beyond.

In Christ,

Brandon+

Lenten Friday Nights: A Meditative Offering

As a parish with a longstanding commitment to a full observance of the sacra-mental and liturgical life, St. Timothy’s has long offered Stations of the Cross on Fridays in Lent. This service is a quiet, meditative time to focus on Christ’s love for us revealed on the Cross. This year, we will restore a practice once observed at St. Timothy’s as part of the Stations of the Cross: Eucharistic devotions. These devotions come at the end of the Stations service, and consist of two very short

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hymns, two prayers, a time of silence, a brief litany, and Psalm 117. All of this is done before the consecrated elements on the altar, concluding our meditation on the Passion very much in the presence of the Risen Christ. This is a unique of-fering in Salem, and one that underscores the special gift of peace known in and through our catholic inheritance.

Each week in Lent this year, the Stations service will be prefaced by a brief meditation by a fellow-parishioner on one of the individ-ual Stations. This will not be an academic study: it will be a time for personal reflection about how the events of the Cross intersect our own journey as disciples.

This would be a good year to invite someone you know who is looking to expe-rience silence, peace, and a certain spiritual intimacy that is often unavailable elsewhere. May it be the beginning of a long-standing tradition of Lenten renewal in our parish and in our lives.

The Lenten Friday series begins on February 24, at 7 PM. We expect to conclude the evening’s events by 8:15 PM.

Kalendar Notes for February

Feb. 2: Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple (a.k.a. Purification of the Blessed Virgin, Candlemas, 40th Day). This much-loved day brings to an end the Incarnation Cycle of feasts beginning with The Annunciation (March 25), andrecalls Christ’s entry into the Temple. This is a deeply poetic, beautiful liturgy. 7 PM, in the Chapel

Feb. 5-12-19: The Gesima Sundays (a.k.a. Shrovetide). These three Sundays form a period of preparation for Lent. Sermons will emphasize a pre-Lenten mindset of desire for God, forgiveness, and humility. Materials for making and observing a Lenten Rule will be available in the narthex. This is a traditional time for parties and gatherings preparatory to the Lenten fast.

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Feb. 19: The Last Sunday after the Epiphany—Farewell to Alleluia. This Sunday always celebrates Christ’s Transfiguration, the last showing-forth of his divinity before he goes to Jerusalem for his passion, death, and resurrection. It is a day of rejoicing in the trans-figured glory of Christ, replete with familiar hymns of praise, and concluding with the “burial” of Alleluia for the upcoming Lenten fast.

Feb. 21: Shrove Tuesday. The final day of Shrovetide, this day will feature confessions in the afternoon and early evening, then the traditional pancake feast in the evening, to which guests are most welcome. Pancake races (for all ages) are to be offered once again.

Feb. 22: Ash Wednesday. The beginning of Lent, this is a strict fast day (for all except those whose physical condition will not permit fasting). Liturgies will be offered at 12 Noon and 7 PM. Bishop Michael will be with us in the evening as celebrant and preacher. Those preparing for confirmation on Ascension Day will also be officially enrolled at the evening liturgy.

Feb. 24: St. Matthias Day/First Friday of Lent. Lenten Meditation/Stations of the Cross, 7 PM (see elsewhere in this issue for details).

Feb. 26: First Sunday in Lent. This solemn day begins with one of the most char-acteristic of Anglican devotions—the Great Litany, wherein we pray for the world, sharing in Christ’s priestly ministry given us in Holy Baptism. Sundays in Lent, though not reckoned in the 40 days of the season, are nonetheless marked by a certain austerity and penitential character. Eucharistic Prayer D (based on the Prayer of St. Basil from the 4th century Byzantine tradition), with its rich account of our creation, fall, and redemption, will first be used on this day.

Confessions at St. Timothy’s: What they are and how to make one…

The Episcopal Church offers its members the benefit of making a private con-fession of sins in order that they may receive spiritual counsel and absolution in name of Christ and his Church. This service is formally called The Reconciliation

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of a Penitent, and is found on pages 446-452 of the Book of Common Prayer.

There are some people who find themselves called to practice regular confes-sion, whether by their own rule of life or the particular season or set of circum-stances they face.

Others, dealing with significant healing from addiction, for instance, make con-fession a part of their ongoing recovery. Others confess their sins in this context a few times a year as part of their wider prayer life and to deepen their sense of growing in grace. A person coming back to faith after a long period away is very well-advised to “clear the slate” this way, and those adults preparing for baptism are generally expected to confess their sins prior to the date of baptism, with baptism itself being the absolution.

At St. Timothy’s, confessions with either the rector or Fr. Tom or Fr. Don, may be scheduled at any time of the year. Announced times for confessions at St. Timo-thy’s with the rector (usually in the chapel) are publicized prior to important points in the Church Year: Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Easter, Trinity Sunday, St. Mary’s Day (August 15), and All Saints’ Sunday (early November). You may also desire to make your confession to the priest of another nearby parish, if that would be preferable. Call that parish’s telephone number and make arrangements (this is a perfectly normal practice).

If there is something that is truly bothering you, something you know you have done that is wrong and for which you repent but is either too serious a matter for the Sunday General Confession or which you cannot let go of, then a private confession is indicated.

To make a first or “life” confession, it sometimes is helpful to meet with a priest beforehand to go over the nature of the service and to understand what Rec-onciliation is, and what it is not (there is a lot of misinformation out there about this subject). It is also helpful for many people to bring with them a written list of matters they would like to bring up for their first confession (though this is not

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FEBRUARYBrigid of 1Kildare

The 2Presentationof Our Lord

Anskar 3of Scandina-via

Cornelius 4the Centurian

Epiphany V 5 8 am HE 9 am CS 10 am HE

6 7 9 8 10

11 10 am HE

Epi. VI 12 Absalom 13Jones 8 am HE

9 am CS 10 am HE Choir Formation Coffee Hour

Cyril and 14Methodius

Thomas 15Bray

16 17

18

Epi. Last 19 8 am HE 9 am CS 10 am HE Choir

20

10 am HE

21 10 am HE

22 Polycarp 23of Smyrna

Saint 24Matthias

25

Lent I 26

8 am HE 9 am CS 10 am HE Choir

George 27Herbert

28

10 am HE

Ash Wednesday

7:00 pm HE

Prayer Fasting Almsgiving

1 Russ Raney

3 Barbara Watson

4 Larie Nicholas

7 Susan Hawkins Fr. Brandon

9 Howard Klopfenstein Coralie Peterson Amy Divelbiss

10 Virginia Collins Joyah McGee

13 Melinda Padrick

February Birthdays

15 Peggy Weeks

23 Ruth Campbell

24 Pat Klopfenstein

27 Paul Dakopolos

FRIDAYS AND ALL WEEKDAYS In LENT ARE KEPT AS DAYS OF SPECIAL DEVOTION, TO BE OBSERVED BY ACTS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE AND SELF-DENIAL.

Bishop’s Visit

OfficeClosed Confessions

4-7 pmPancakeSupper5:30 - 7:30

Women’s Bible Study 10

Court Child Care 9:30

Court Child Care 9:30

Court Child Care 9:30Crafts 10

Crafts 10

Crafts 10

Crafts 10Choir 6

EndowmentBoard Meeting 7

Missions Comm. 7

-------------------- Salem Interfaith Hospitality Network Host Week ------------------------------------------

Catechu-menate 7

Catechu-menate 7

Catechu-menate 7

Meditation 7StationsDevotions

Family Building Blocks

Women’s Bible Study 10

Women’s Bible Study 10

Women’s Bible Study 10

7 pm HE

Convocation 10

Guild of Sts Anna & Simeon 4:30

Calendar Notes for February

Wednesday, Feb. 1: Court Child Care, 9:30 AM

Thursday, Feb. 2: Feast of the Presentation; 7 PM Holy Eucharist in the Chapel

Tuesday, Feb. 7: Endowment Board Meeting, 7 PM

Wednesday, Feb. 8: Court Child Care, 9:30 AM

Thursday, Feb. 9: Missions Commission Meeting, 7 PM

Saturday, Feb. 11: Convocation, at St. Hilda’s in Monmouth, 10 AM

New Convention Delegates, take note!

Sunday, Feb. 12: • Formation Commission Coffee Hour and classroom tours • Salem Interfaith Hospitality Network Host Week begins • Choir rehearsals begin

Monday, Feb. 13: Family Building Blocks Roadmaps, 9 - 12

Sunday, Feb. 19: Last Sunday after Epiphany

Tuesday, Feb. 21: Confessions, 4-7 PM in the Chapel Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, 5:30 to 7:30 PM

Pancake Races Tickets at the door: $3 Individual, $10 Family

Wednesday, Feb. 22: • Fast Day • Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes, Noon • Choir Rehearsal, 6 PM

• Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes, 7 PM

with Bishop Michael

Friday, Feb. 24: Meditation, Stations of the Cross, and Eucharistic Devotions, 7:00 - 8:15 PM

Coming Up in March: St. Patrick’s Day Party and Auction, 7 PM

required by any means), destroying the list following the confession.

The confession itself need not be a long process. The forms for this service are simple, yet rich in meaning. After making one’s confession of sins, the confessor (the priest hearing the confession, standing in the place of the Church and Christ) will usually have some words of spiritual counsel, and then assign a short prayer to be offered following the confession. Then the absolution is given, and the peni-tent (the person making the confession) is reminded to pray for the confessor, who is also a sinner.

The Reconciliation of a Penitent is both a reaffirmation of our baptismal vows to “repent and return unto to the Lord” when-ever we fall into sin (BCP p. 304), and an extension of the healing ministry of the Church. Whether made only once in life, on occasion, or regularly, it is a sure and certain means of receiving grace and transformation—and is one of the great gifts of our reformed catholic faith.

When a confession is made, we have the rare opportunity to bring up whatever we desire, knowing that it will remain completely discreet. The confessor may not bring up the content of the confession with the penitent again except on the peni-tent’s initiative. This is one of the most solemn obligations a priest undertakes. Rest assured, your rector also regularly makes his own confession and is keenly aware that our God desires mercy, not sacrifice. Confession is not an exercise in legalism or checking off spiritual “boxes.” It is a reconciliation with our God, our neighbor, and on the deepest level, our true selves in Christ.

If you have questions about the Reconciliation of a Penitent or want to schedule a confession, please contact your rector.

Pre-Lenten Confessions this year will be offered on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM in the Chapel. BLF+

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Lent Outreach Project

The Church School invites you to participate in a project with us as we practice our Lenten almsgiving.

Church World Service is an ecumenical relief organization that offers us the op-portunity to “do unto others.” When there is a natural disaster somewhere in the world, or where there is entrenched poverty and lack of development, Church World Service organizes workers and resources to respond to emergencies, nurture development, assist refugees, provide food and water, and speak out on hunger and poverty issues.

We can help by assembling kits of materials they need to keep stockpiled in case of emergency or disaster. This Lent we will collect components of Hygiene Kits. We have put these kits together before and had a great response from parishioners.

CWS has to have kits that are uniform, so it’s important to collect EXACTLY what they ask for. We wil be collecting:

• Money for shipping costs • gallon-size ziplock bags • hand towels measuring approximately 16" x 28" (no fingertip or bath towels) • washcloths • wide-tooth combs • nail clippers • individual bars of soap (bath size in wrapper) • individual toothbrushes (in original packaging) • standard size Band-Aids®

Please note that we are not collecting toothpaste; commercially-available tooth-paste cannot be stored successfully. Special toothpaste with extended expiration dates will be added to our kits by CWS.

You will find collection boxes in the classrooms and in the narthex during Lent. On the Second Sunday of Easter, the Church School kids and teens will assem-ble the kits for shipping.

Confessions; 4 - 7 PM in the ChapelPancake Supper: 5:30 - 7:30 in the parish hallTickets at the door: $3 Individual $10 Family

Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes: 12 noon

Choir rehearsal: 6:00 pm

Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes: 7 pm

with Bishop Michael

St. Patrick’s Day Party & Auction: Fundraiser for J2A Pilgrimage to Ireland

Send your best green outfit to the cleaners, tell all your friends and neighbors, and get ready to have a ton of fun! We’re having a party and silent auction to celebrate the feast of St. Patrick, and to raise money for our young pilgrims and their chaperones as they head to Ireland this summer.

When: Saturday, March 17th, 7:00–9:00 PMWhat: Party with hors d’oeuvres and soft drinks, traditional Irish singing and dancing, and silent auction.Cost: $8 per person/ $20 per family advance purchase; $10 per person/$25 per family at the door; beer and hard cider extra.

Besides coming yourself, you can help make this a success by:• Giving out flyers and selling tickets to your friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.• Donating something to the silent auction. Here are items that have been popular in the past: • Use of a vacation property • Spa/salon treatments, restaurant meals, guided fishing or hiking trips, rounds of golf, etc. • Devotional items: icons, crosses, prayer beads • Gourmet baked items such as “A dessert per month for a year” • Exotic/signature dinners served in your home, or delivered to the home of the buyer • Gourmet food and/or wine baskets

Questions about donation items or other ways you can help with this event? Just ask Pamela Filbert (503-585-2635; filberts@sainttimothys.org). We look forward to seeing you and your friends as we fête the patron saint of Ireland!

—Pamela FilbertJourney to Adulthood Coordinator

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PAIDSALEM, OR

PERMIT NO. 409

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St. Timothy’s Episcopal ChurchPO Box 7416Salem, OR 97303

503-363-0601www.sainttimothys.org