29mar23

Holy Week is upon us. I encourage you to participate in all the many services that will happen this next week. On Sunday, April 2nd, you are invited to walk with us as we process from the School Courtyard to the Church for Palm Sunday. As you listen to the Passion Gospel you will get a recounting of movement from Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem all the way to his death on the cross. For many people, that is their preparation for Easter Sunday. However, in our tradition, we have important services that enhance the Holy Week experience. I invite you to attend all of the midweek offerings, which includes the Seder Meal, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Stations of the Cross. Easter itself begins with the kindling of the fire at the beginning of the Easter Vigil on Saturday Night. It should be a stunning service. We will have a baptism at that service. There will be incense at the Vigil, and much of the service will be chanted. On Easter Sunday, we will have services at the regularly scheduled time, and the music for the 10:30 am service promises to be outstanding. We will follow that with the Easter Egg hunt for the children.

I am excited to celebrate our first Holy Week together and look forward to seeing you at as many of the services as possible.

Yours in Christ,

Father Grant +

The real meaning of Palm Sunday could be lost in the waving of the palms. Such celebration with attendant joy has its place, but festival times last just so long until worries and setbacks return as surely as Calvary follows procession. The meaning? Whatever our fortune, whether pain or bliss, our trust in Christ always prevails. We walk in his sandals up our Calvaries into our gardens of resurrection. (Norm Carroll)

We have received several requests regarding this year’s Easter Lily hosts. If you are interested in sponsoring Easter Lilies that will be placed on the altar for our Easter Sunday services, please notify Kelly Harris at kharris@saintmarks.com, along with the name(s) to be honored or memorialized. You may also make the donation through our website: OnlineRealm. The names will be placed in our Easter Sunday bulletins. The deadline to submit your requests is Tuesday, April 4th.

The choir has been working hard preparing for a spiritual Holy Week. Beethoven’s Hallelujah Chorus: The Trumpet Shall Sound by Handel; Randall Thompson’s Hallelujah: I know My Redeemer Liveth by Handel: Let the Bright Seraphim by Handel. (Robin Dreyfuss)

Our church web address is www.saintmarksftl.com. To view up-to-date, easy-to-read church and school schedules of meetings and activities CLICK HERE, this is a very useful tool. If you want to receive the weekly Parish Newsletter via email please sign up at https://saintmarksftl.com/#subscribenow and complete the Constant Contact form located on the right side of the web page. If you are interested submitting an article to our weekly Parish Newsletter email dorothyseibert@comcast.net. 

Father Grant has a daily prayer blog which he starts each morning. He shares this with all who would like to pray together at www.atwinfather.com. When you go to the prayer of the day, there is an option to receive the daily prayer in your email inbox so that you don’t have to type it in every day.

Now that the cases of COVID have thankfully abated, wearing a facial mask is encouraged, but not required. Please respect the space of those who choose to be more cautious.

Father Grant, our rector is currently available to provide pastoral care for our parish. You may contact Fr. Grant at 954-334-0131, or by email at gwiseman@saintmarks.com.

We invite you to post on our church website blog, https://saintmarksftl.com/submit-post/, which helps us keep up with the sharing of information. All information will be reviewed and considered for posting on the church website, Facebook page, and Instagram, as well as in this Parish News.