This celebration includes: a gumbo cook-off, King Cakes,  ”Bounce Houses” and games for children, pancakes & sausage for “non-gumbo” folks, and best of all an 8-piece Jazz band led by our neighbor David Rosen (of Rosen Music on Main St.)

We will cap off the event with a “burning of the Palms” in preparation for Ash Wednesday the following morning.

All are welcome and encouraged to bring friends!

Dear People of God:

The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. It was also a time when those who, because of 
notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful 
were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to 
the fellowship of the Church.

Thereby, the whole congregation 
was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all 
Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith. I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.

– Invitation to Lent (BCP Pg. 264)

Our gatherings on “Ash Wednesday” mark our beginning of this holy season,  services will be held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral at 7:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. All of these will include the imposition of ashes and Holy Eucharist.  Childcare will be provided for the 7:00 p.m. service.

*The Inquirer’s Class: led by the Rev. Canon Paul McLain

This class will extend beyond the Lenten season on Wednesday evenings, through May 23.  It is designed to be an introduction to what it means to be a Christian in general and an Episcopalian in particular.  The course is a preparation for confirmation or reception in the Episcopal Church by Bishop Larry Benfield on Pentecost Sunday, May 27th, for those who are interested.  Others may see it as a chance to learn about the Episcopal Church and as a way to come to know Christ and to go deeper in their journey of faith. All are welcome to attend all or parts of this series.

*Bible Study – Revelation: led by the Rev. Stephen Kidd

The book of Revelation is filled with extravagant images that some believe forecast gloom and doom. On the contrary, Revelation intends to encourage its readers using a type of literature that was common at the time it was written. The true message of the book is one of hope, and looking ahead toward God’s ultimate victory over evil.  Come discover the remarkable beauty of this often misunderstood book, and God’s ultimate vision for us and for our world.

*Ministry of Mothers Sharing (MOMS):  led by Mrs. Mel Kidd

This pilot 8 week session will serve as an introduction to this community-based peer ministry. The purpose of M.O.M.S. is to gather women together to form a network of mutual spiritual support, provide group experience of learning, praying, and ministering to each other. It will introduce women to opportunities for personal and spiritual growth in a faith sharing group, increase communication skills and the use of prayer rituals in the home.  To find out more, contact the church office or Mel (512) 623-0012, melmarg@gmail.com

*The Spiritual Life of Children: led by Mrs. Beth Maze

This class is open to anyone, but is especially intended for parents, grandparents, Godparents, or anyone concerned with the spiritual development of children. Using the lessons of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Beth will share with us how to enrich the spiritual life of our children, our families, and our Parish.

*Read and Share Bible Stories for Children:

We will have a special Lenten offering for children which combines a variety of media and activities to teach and reinforce several essential stories of scripture.  The Read And Share Bible on DVD combines enchanting art with a warm narrator and gentle musical underscore to transport kids back to Biblical times. The bite-sized vignettes are perfect for the attention span of little ones.  The animated story is then combined with art projects to help the children explore the story.  Readers can also use the available children’s bibles to read more about the characters, or explore different stories.

Those elected are Linda Brown, Herschel Cast, Scott Gordon, Tommy Jameson, and Fred Rector.

We had nine excellent candidates. Thank you to all who stood for Vestry and were willing to serve.