EAST FALLS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH February 2018 VaLENTine’s Day The last time Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) fell on Valentine’s Day was 1945. With such an unusual intersection, I’ve been pondering what it might mean to have a day where we both celebrate love (love of all kinds—not just romantic love) and also remember that we are going to die. Love is what makes death difficult. We grieve when someone dies because we loved them. Love is also what makes death bearable. The love of our friends, family, church family, and others carries us through the grief when we are left behind. The love of our friends, family, church family, and others who will remember us helps us to face the reality of our own mortality. Above all, God’s love for us makes us able to hear the words, “You are dust, and to dust you will return,” knowing that when we die, we will be held safely in the arms of our loving God. God’s love enables us to face our mortality on Ash Wednesday because we know that death is not the end of the story. Lent begins with a remembrance of our mortality on Ash Wednesday, but it ends with the Easter cerebration that God’s love for us is so strong that even death cannot stop it. Blessings, Pastor Kari WHAT IS LENT? Lent is a period of fasting, moderation, and self-denial traditionally observed by some Protestant denominations. It begins with Ash Wednesday (this year February 14th) and ends with Easter Sunday (this year April 1st). The length of the Lenten fast was established in the 4th century as 46 days (40 days, not counting Sundays). During Lent, participants eat sparingly or give up a particular food or habit. It’s not uncommon for people to give up smoking during Lent, or to swear off watching television or eating candy or telling lies. It’s six weeks of self-discipline. LENTEN SCHEDULE 2018 February 14th 7:30pm Ash Wednesday Service with imposition of ashes. Beginning of Lent March 7th 6:30pm EFPC Soup Supper with Wednesday Lenten Service at 7:30pm TBD Good Shephard Soup Supper with Wednesday Lenten Service March 25th 11am Palm Sunday Service March 28th 6pm (note 1/2 hr. earlier) Soup Supper at EFPC hosted by St Bridgett's with Stations of the Cross at 7:30pm at St Bridgett’s March 29th 7:30pm Maundy Thursday, Tenebrae Service in EFPC Fellowship Hall April 1st 9:30am Easter Breakfast in EFPC Fellowship Hall followed by Children's Easter Egg Hunt. April 1st 11am Easter Service GOD'S COVENANTS We are God' people and he has made covenants with us. What is a covenant? It is an agreement or contract drawn up between people. In ancient times, there were promissory covenants between a suzerain and his vassals (master and servant) which rewarded the servant for his loyalty. God made covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David and a New Covenant with Jeremiah. We will explore these covenants throughout this Lenten Season. Lent 1, February 18th: Genesis 9:8-17. Covenant with Noah to never destroy Creation again Lent 2, February 25th: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16. Covenant with Abraham that his descendants will always be God's chosen people Lent 3, March 4th: Exodus 20:1-17 (-21) Communion. Covenant with Moses, creating the Ten Commandments Lent 4, March 11th: Ephesians 2:1-10. We are saved by grace Jeremiah 31:31-34. The New Covenant made with Jeremiah that is written not on stone tablets but on the hearts of God's people Lent 6, Palm Sunday, March 25th: Mark 11:1-11 JOIN OUR CELEBRATION The Presbytery of Philadelphia, the Session and Congregation of East Falls Presbyterian Church joyfully request the honor of your presence at the Service of Installation of Rev. Kari A. Olson as Pastor at East Falls Presbyterian Church. On Sunday, March 11th 2018 at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. A light dinner reception will follow in the Church Fellowship Hall.
Ordination and Installation Elders and Deacons 2018
January 28th 2018 Courageous Conversations: Where Do We Go From Here? Our annual Black History Month Worship Celebration will be held at Oxford Presbyterian Church, hosted by the National Black Presbyterian Caucus and the Presbytery of Philadelphia on Sunday, February 11, 2018 beginning at 3:00 pm, with guest preacher, the Rev. Dr. Paul Timothy Roberts, Sr., President of Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary. East Falls Highlight Margaret Sadler, a resident of East Falls and a friend of EFPC, was elected Chairwomen of Board of Directors for The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. The Horticultural Society each year hosts the Philadelphia Flower Show, and this year is no exception. This year the show's theme is "Wonders of Water" and will run from March 3rd thru March 11th. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! HAPPY VALENTINES DAY February 14th 2018 Flowers, candy, red hearts and romance. That's what Valentine's day is all about, right? Well, maybe not. SHARING EXPERIENCES AND DISCUSSING SOCIAL JUSTICE THROUGH THE LENS OF FAITH: Kirkwood Camp is offering their first annual Youth Peacemaking Summit for teens in grades 6 through 12. The summit will be held February 23 through 25, 2018. Please RSVP to kirkwood@kirkwoodcamp.org by February 15, 2018 to ensure a space.
SPRING BEGINS Tuesday February 20th |