Lent is a time of preparation leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus. We practice prayer, repentance, and self denial for forty days, like the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness before beginning his ministry. Our primary spiritual tool this Lent will be Lectio Divina, held for six Wednesdays. 5:30pm before Ash Wednesday worship at 6:00pm each following Wednesday in Lent. Soup and bread will be shared each week. Here I'll let Wikipedia help give you some background:
Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, spiritual reading, or "holy reading," and represents a traditional Christian practice of prayer and scriptural reading intended to promote communion with God and to increase in the knowledge of God's Word. It is a way of praying with Scripture that calls one to study, ponder, listen and, finally, pray and even sing and rejoice from God's Word, within the soul.
Saint Benedict in his Rule (chapter #48) stipulated specific times and manners for Lectio Dinvina. The progression from Bible reading, to meditation, to prayer, to loving regard for God, was first formally described by Guigo II, a Carthusian monk and prior of Grande Chartreuse in the 12th century. Guigo named the four steps of this "ladder" of prayer with the Latin terms lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio. In Guigo's four stages one first reads, which leads to think about (i.e. meditate on) the significance of the text; that process in turn leads the person to respond in prayer as the third stage. The fourth stage is when the prayer, in turn, points to the gift of quiet stillness in the presence of God, called contemplation.[3]
In September 2005, Pope Benedict XVI stated: "I would like in particular to recall and recommend the ancient tradition of Lectio divina: the diligent reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about that intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears God who is speaking, and in praying, responds to him with trusting openness of heart (cf. Dei Verbum, n. 25). If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church — I am convinced of it — a new spiritual springtime."Book Study—Phyllis Tickle, "The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why" Friday mornings, 7:00-8:00am March 7, 12, 19. We will read and discuss this brief, well written overview of transition in the history of the Church with a focus on the current “Emergent Church.” This is an excellent book for those new to Christianity and old timers (in faith!). The breadth of cultural and historical movement covered in such a brief book is awesome, and it helps place us in an historical context from which to understand who and where we are. I expect great discussion. Come for a stimulating beginning to your day. I would hope that even those who cannot pull themselves out of bed so early may pick up the book and read it themselves. There is much to be learned about the historical context of the Protestant Reformation, our current emerging church, and who God calls us to be.Love,Pastor MaxAnnual Meeting: Feb. 21 after Church for the purpose of receiving the 2009 annual report and approving the pastor’s Call. Following the congregational meeting, we'll enjoy a Pot Luck together. Bring your favorite dish to our annual meeting next Sunday, Feb. 21.More Re: Lent Starting Ash Wed, Feb. 17 and every Wednesday through Lent we will share together the introspective, scriptural meditation practice of Lectio Divina. Jason Guy, intern, and David McPhail leading. We will share soup and bread together.About those Lenten suppers... After the Lenten devotions each Wednesday during Lent, we will have a time to share some soup. We currently have two people signed up to bring soup on Wed, Feb. 17 and the 24. If you could bring soup, would you please call Karma . We have a donation of bread each week. Thank you for considering this opportunity to share Lenten time together.
Water Into Wine meets Saturday, Feb 20, 5:00-8:00pm at the home of Martha and Howard Perdue. Come one, come all, and bring a friend! Carouse with old friends and make new ones! Call if any questions. RSVP, or not See you there!
Mark your calendars! May 21-22-23 for our all-church retreat! This year we will have our retreat at a new location—Monte Toyon in Aptos. It’s a lovely retreat center, only 4 miles from the ocean but in the redwoods. The facilities appear to be very appropriate for all of us (entirely accessible) and very beautiful. Watch for more details throughout the spring!!!!!
You can help just by taking a walk (but first, by offering to serve as St. John's "point person" for this event! Call Glenda Pawsey)
First annual Berkeley CROP Hunger Walk
Sunday afternoon (2 pm), April 25, 2010
A 5 K walk starting at YEAH Shelter/ Lutheran Church of the Cross and stopping by Berkeley sites where the community is serving the homeless.
Benefiting hungry people throughout the world through Church World Service,
and locally YEAH and Dorothy Day House (25% of the funds raised).More info at: http://www.crophungerwalks.org/berkeley/
Walk goal: 20 congregations/organizations/ 200 walkers, $20,000 raised!
All youth of the church are invited to join a youth chorus to present an anthem as part of the Easter Service. There will be four half-hour rehearsals with Todd Jolly after church, 11:30 to 12:00, Next up: February 28 and March 14, 28 in the choir room.Flick Flak will meet on Friday, February 26, at 6;30pm for a potluck (somewhere at present unknown in the church!) The movies to see and develop opinions on for sharing are "The White Ribbon" currently at the Albany, and "Invictus" playing at the Oaks and United Artists Emery Bay.
Women’s Worship Service will be held on Sunday, March 7. Would you like to help plan or participate? Don't miss this opportunity to hear some perspectives you may not have considered!
Youth of the church are planning a sleepover at the church. . .
Saturday, March 13 through Sunday Morning, March 14. Come any time after 5:00pm Saturday and plan to stay through church on Sunday morning. This sleepover is for all youth of the church through grade 12. For information see Fred Harvey or Kathy PrattInform yourself,
learn the facts transform your thinking, prepare for action
A Time for Truth, A Time for Action: Palestine/Israel & the U.S.
at the Crossroads,
a Major Regional Conference, March 5-6, 2010,
First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo, 72 Kensington Road, San Anselmo
Sponsored by Bay Area Friends of Sabeel
Sabeel, Arabic for The Way, is an international peace movement initiated by Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land. Sabeel seeks a just peace for Palestinians in Palestine/Israel and promotes the theological, moral, and legal principles set forth in the Jerusalem Sabeel Document, which may be reviewed at www.fosna.org. Friends of Sabeel-North America (FOSNA) works in the United States and Canada to support the vision of Sabeel. For more information—speakers and workshops, cost—contact FOSNA at friends@fosna.org . Bay Area Friends of Sabeel is an affiliate of FOSNA. To participate in this important event, once held at St. John’s, contact Glenda Pawsey or Fred Goff.
Flyers and Applications for Camp Elmwood. . . August 9-13 and Camp Elmwood's Teen Leadership Camp, August 2-6 are now available in the narthex and at stjohnsberkeley.org. Please let friends and neighbors know about these programs.Upcoming Sunday Forums
Feb 21 St. John’s Annual Meeting
Feb 28 Psalms series continues
Mar 14 3-part series on the Atonement by Dr. Bruce Willats.
Prime Timers
Feb 23: Diana Bohn will show a video of her recent trip to Haiti. She left there two days before the earthquake! She met with farmers and others in the agricultural program.
March 2: Lunch will be served. Birthdays celebrated
March 9: Blood pressure checks by Roma Arellano.
Coming up: Program about bats and marshes as waste water treatment plants