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           The Monthly NEWSLETTER OF:           
         (Grace, Augsburg, Bonnechere)                                Deaconess Pam Harrington
           Lutheran Churches.                                                                           Cell:               613-635-1366
           Office Location:  14 Bonnechere St. W.,                                        Office:           613-628-1392           
           P.O. Box 129,                                                                                         Fax                613-628-9534
           Eganville, Ontario. K0J 1T0                                                                        Office Hours: Wed. & Fri.           
           E-mail:  gracelutheran @nrtco.net                                                                             9 a.m. to 2:30 pm.                  
            Website: gracelutheraneganville.ca                   
            Facebook:  Three in the Valley Grace Augsburg Bonnechere                               

Dear Friends in Christ:

Here we are, beginning the journey towards Lent, Holy Week and Easter, just as Jesus began his journey towards Jerusalem, betrayal, and the cross. Lent has been a traditional time of preparation and learning—preparing new catechumens for their baptisms on Easter Sunday—and for thoughtful reflection on repentance and penance and good works dedicated to God. This year we have ample opportunity to do all those things during Lent.

As some of you know, we are in the midst of preparing four confirmands—two boys from Grace and two from Augsburg—for their Affirmation of Baptism (also known as confirmation) this June. I say “we” are in the midst because it is a group effort. I have set the curriculum and am doing the bulk of the teaching, but there are lots of people that are also sharing in this preparation. Pastor Jim Goos is teaching as well; parents and grandparents are listening to discussions about the lessons; congregational members are witnessing with their signatures when the confirmands do their worship studies; other members will be pulled in to talk about their faith life and how they serve in the church. And each Sunday we all help teach about what it means to worship God and follow Jesus.

This Lent the Sunday school at Grace invites us all to “walk the Lenten path” by giving 40 Cans in 40 Days. This is their outreach project, serving the community by collecting food for the food bank, and they are inviting each of us at the three congregations to show our Christian love by contributing one can of food for each day in Lent. That’s a lot of food for the community if we all pitch in. 

This year the congregational councils chose not to hold evening Lenten services, but to provide some time for Lenten devotion and thoughtful reflection, I will be hosting weekly services at 10:00 am each Wednesday during Lent at Grace in Eganville. Each service will be short, about 20-30 minutes, and we will be looking at the symbols of Good Friday--a Roman helmet, the thirty pieces of silver, the rooster, the crown of thorns, the whip, the nails. It will teach the back-story behind the events of Holy Week. For instance, the helmet will teach about the oppression of the Roman Empire on Israel and the contrast between the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached and the kingdom of Caesar. The thirty pieces of silver will teach the collaboration of the Jewish leaders with their Roman overlords and the desire of the High Priests to be rid of Jesus. We will begin the first Wednesday AFTER Ash Wednesday, so the dates will be:

 March 13, March 20, March 27, April 3, April 10, April 17. Please join me in this time of learning and prayer.

Our education of our Sunday school and confirmands continues in Holy Week with the dramatic re-enactment of Jesus’ last week: the Palm Sunday parade; the teaching about sharing the Holy Meal and serving one another on Maundy Thursday, followed by an overnight vigil at Grace (“Watching and Waiting with Jesus”) for the confirmands and youth; then participation in a joint Good Friday service at St. John’s, Augsburg at 10:00 am. This will be an emotional service of “darkness and light”—not to be missed, because, although it focuses on sin, death and betrayal and the sombre mood of the day Christ died, it also prepares us to celebrate the joy of the Easter resurrection.

And what is that joy? That beyond the cross and the tomb, there walks the risen Savior. Jesus and his message of transformative love was NOT conquered by death. It lives on, in our churches, in the world where Christ still lives, and in us—each one of us “Easter people”! The resurrection celebrates that in the midst of death, there is life; that even in the darkest hour, there is always hope; that when we think we are alone and forsaken, God is there with us. And the community of faith that centres around the risen Christ is with us too, dancing in baptismal waters, sharing a meal of love, and shouting “Alleluia” to the rafters. 

Come celebrate that joy this Easter!

Deaconess Pam

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To our Sick and Shut-In.  Every second Sunday – St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kitchener has a televised service at 10:00 AM on CTV.  Shaw has this as channel 369 but I do not know what it is on Bell or Rogers.  Every other Sunday the service is from a Presbyterian Church in Kitchener.  You can take part in the service watching this.

SERVICES THROUGH LENT, HOLY WEEK AND EASTER
 
Ash Wednesday – March 6
            Worship at Bonnechere at 7:00 pm with Imposition of Ashes 
            Begin “40 Cans in 40 Days” – donations to food bank
 
Every Wednesday through Lent (Mar 13, 20, 27, Apr 3, 10, 17)
            10:00 am at Grace
Brief Study & Prayer service – 20 to 30 minutes 
 
Palm Sunday – April 14
            9:00 at Augsburg
            10:30 at Grace – Sunday school procession with palm branches
                         
Maundy Thursday – April 18
            Communion service at Grace – 7:00 pm 
            Followed by Youth Vigil – “Keeping Watch with Jesus”
Confirmands and Youth stay overnight at the church for learning, movies & games
 
Good Friday – April 19
            Holy Cross Service of Darkness and Light at 10:30 am at Augsburg
            No communion, but prayerful use of candles
 
Easter Sunday – April 21
            9:00 at Bonnechere - Holy Communion
            10:30 at Grace – Holy Communion
            Completion of “40 Cans in 40 Days” – donations to food bank

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Prayer doesn't only happen when we kneel and put our hands together and focus and expect things from God. Thinking positive thoughts and wishing good things for others is a prayer. When you hug a friend, that's a prayer. When you cook something to nourish family and friends, that's a prayer. When we send off our near and dear ones and say, "Be safe" or "Drive carefully", that's a prayer. When you are helping someone in need by giving your time and energy, you are praying. When you forgive someone, that is prayer. Prayer is a vibration, a feeling, a thought. Prayer is the voice of love, friendship, and genuine relationships. Prayer is the expression of your silent Being. Keep praying always.
 
Article suggested by Jean Lett
Edited by Deaconess Pam Harrington.

Notes for All Parishes

If you wish to contact someone other than during the office hours, please call and leave a message. Please call and leave a message on the office voice mail.  If you require assistance before the next business day, please call Deaconess Pam Harrington at 613-635-13665.

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If you with to sponsor a bulletin or the Guidepost – please call the office and advise

Lorna.

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Please remember our Parish members in your prayers:

From Grace: Evelyn Jobin, Earl HEIN, Natasha Gagnon-Burchat, Earl Bochert and

Arlene Smith. 

From Augsburg/Bonnechere: Ken Roesner, Ellie Sommerville, Lawrence Scheuneman,

Myles Newman, Don Musclow, Audrey Bramburger, Leah Pringle, Delroy Hein, Cyril Waito, Courtney Schruder, Gord Grant, Shirley Glickman, Marilyn Schneider, Donna Hoffmann, Gail Hein, Emily Rhode, Phyllis Miller, Keith Benoit and Lorna Turner.

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CAMP LUTHERLYN CLEAN UP DAY.

Please mark this date May 4, 2019 on your calendar.  This is clean up day at

Camp Lutherlyn.  Watch your bulletins for more information.

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This Guidepost is sponsored by Marilyn Mundt and Family in loving memory of Ralph
Mundt who passed away on March 25, 2017.  Sadly missed and always in our Hearts.

                           HE DIED FOR ME

Once again we are coming to that time in the church year when we will be starting into Lent. The time of fasting, giving up something for the 6 weeks of lent, and travelling down the road that Jesus travelled to the cross. 
We all know, as parents, siblings, children, etc., what it means to protect someone or give something up for them.  We would not hesitate to push any of our loved ones out of the road and be hit by a vehicle or a person ourselves.  Even a good friend.  But would we do the same for a stranger? Perhaps, and perhaps not. Perhaps we would not feel that urge to save, to protect – to put ourselves out there to be hurt instead.
I know someone who did.  My Lord and Saviour.  He died for me.  A perfect stranger.  He didn’t know or care whether I was worth saving or not – but he did not hesitate.  Yes, he asked his Father if there was some other way that eternal life could be obtained for all mankind, but he already knew the answer before he asked the question.  He Father, Our Heavenly Father had chosen HIM for the purpose of saving all mankind.  Jesus knew this – but the human side of him took over for just a moment – looking for another way.  Through the years I have heard sermons that have rocked me – and made me really think about Christ’s death.  One was given by Pastor Metzger years ago.  He said that to say someone who died nailed to a cross was not that traumatic – it was a way of being put to death in those days,  was not correct.   He mentioned that the 7 statements made by Christ on the cross were really not that hard to say normally.   But then he invited us to really think about crucifixion.  Nailed to a cross – body weight pulling you down – weight on the chest, trying to put weight on the feet that were also nailed – but the legs not strong enough to hold the weight.  Hanging in this manner the very act of trying to breath becomes a labour on the lungs.  Instead of simply uttering words like – Father, forgive them – they know not what they do, the sentence comes out in anguished gasps – “Father – (gasp) forgive them (gasp)(--pause) – they know – (gasp) not what (gasp) they do.”  Suddenly the crucifixion takes on a whole new meaning.  The other thing that has stuck with me was in Arnprior on another Good Friday Service – someone in the gallery – hammering nails into a 2x4 and the echo it left in the Church and the chill I felt.   He suffered the persecution of the crowds, carried a crown of thorns that must have been worse than 10 migraines together, was lashed, ridiculed, mocked, scorned and finally crucified for me. He didn’t even know me.  Thank you God for your Son and Thank You Jesus for your suffering and death so we can have eternal life. Help us this Lenten season to realize what you did for all mankind and help us to proclaim and share this love with the rest of the world and celebrate that glorious Easter Morning. HE IS RISEN. Allejuliah.
                                    -Lorna Turner