Dear Friends,
This month we will begin the season of Lent. On Ash Wednesday, February 14, we are invited “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.” (BCP p. 265)

This Lent I would like for us to pay particular attention to our individual prayer lives and what that means to us. I am often asked why do we pray? If God knows our desires and needs then why is it necessary to pray? Prayer, as we know from the Catechism (BCP p. 856), is responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words. The principal kinds of prayer are adoration, praise, thanksgiving, penitence, oblation, intercession and petition.

I believe that Soren Kierkegaard stated it best when he said “Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes the one who prays.” When we pray, we are acknowledging our relationship with God and our need for God. We cannot tell God what to do or who to heal, but we can draw closer in our dependence with the One who can. When we communicate with God we become aligned with God’s will, our desires, fears, hopes and wants are known and received.

For many years Birdie Lighthiser has overseen our Prayer Vine. Many of you have reached out to Birdie for prayer requests and have been the recipient of these prayers. We are strengthened by knowing that so many are interceding on our behalf or on behalf of a loved one. The time has come for us to continue this great ministry in another way. Knowing the importance of this ministry, we will now be overseeing it through our church office. Wendy and I will be sending the requests to our church family who are committed to praying for one another. You may join this group or be removed from the group at any time.

We also have a prayer list that is included in our weekly bulletins and The Messenger Newsletter. Starting this month, we will be managing this list differently. The list will be divided between Church Members and Family and Friends of Church Members. If you would like for a name to be included on the list, please notify the church office. Names will be included for a specified period of time and then will be removed, unless you request longer. We are going to start the list over so that names that have been placed on the list for a particular circumstance that are no longer needed may be removed. Since we are not aware of all of these situations all names will come off and we will begin again. When adding someone to the prayer list, please make sure that the recipient has given their permission to be included. When the hospital stay, treatment or situation has ended, please let us know so that we can give thanks and remove the name from the list. See enclosed form.

As we draw nearer to God through Christ and the Holy Spirit during this Lenten season, let us remember that through communicating in prayer, we will be changed. If you would like to discuss your personal prayer life or would like suggestions for new ways to talk with God, please let me know. I am more than happy to discuss this.

Blessings,
Gini+

Dear Friends,
I am a list maker and a goal setter. I love New Year’s because I take the opportunity to assess my goals from the previous year and to set new ones for the one ahead. Although I cannot fully check the completed box for all my goals from 2023, I am pleased with my progress and will keep them before me in 2024.

Top of my list in 2024 is to try to increase my observance of God’s creation and to provide better care where I am able. At the clergy conference this past fall, we had former Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori as our keynote speaker. Her science background laid the foundation for how we need to be better stewards of God’s gifts. At first, I could not embrace all that she was placing before us. Then I became overwhelmed by the abundance of need in our world. I concluded the conference by committing to do what I can do personally to make a difference. I have not turned into “Captain Planet”, but I have a far better understanding about how a little change can make a big difference.

Since the conference, I have limited my use of plastic water bottles and now drink from reusable bottles. I recycle more items. I use washable silverware instead of plastic when possible. When using disposable products, I try to use paper instead of plastic and dispose of it in a way that it will be recycled. I request paper bags instead of plastic in the grocery store when I forget to take my reusable bags. These are small steps, but one at a time I will strive to be better.

On January 27, the Vestry and I will meet to set our goals for Manakin Episcopal Church for 2024. We would love to hear from you as to what you feel that we should accomplish in the year ahead. In what areas do we need improvement? How can we be better stewards of God’s creation at Church and in our homes?

Happy New Year!

Blessings,
Gini+

Dear Friends,

“Advent creates people, new people.”   Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This year, Advent begins on the first Sunday in December on the 3rd. This is one of those seasons when we say, “Advent is short this year”. We have the unusual occurrence of Christmas Eve falling on a Sunday, so we observe the Fourth Sunday in Advent in the morning and Christmas in the evening. Although it may seem shorter, the number of days is the same to Christmas and our preparation needs to be intentional and prayerful as we await the coming of Christ.

You have heard me say many times that I love the rhythm of the church. Our liturgical calendar brings not only us, but the whole world around to a time of beginning again. We start a new church year and have the opportunity to prepare in a special way for Christmas. How well we do this will be an example to others.

How do we need to get ourselves ready to welcome Jesus into our lives? What needs moving or rearranging to make space for God and to make us a new people? Here are a few suggestions that you might find helpful as we wait.

• Set aside daily time for solitude, study and reflection.

• Keep an Advent wreath in your home to see the light burning. (We will make these at church on December 3.)

• Have an Advent calendar for daily observance and prayer.

• Turn the radio off while driving. Not hearing the noise of the world for a short time can be refreshing.

• Explore a new way of praying. (See me for ideas and suggestions.)

On December 24, the fourth week of Advent, we light the final purple candle on our Advent Wreath that symbolizes peace. This candle, the “Angel’s Candle,” reminds us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.” During the week prior to this on December 20 we will observe “the darkest day” as a day of Prayer for Peace in the world. The church Nave will be open from 12 PM to 6 PM for those who would like to stop by to light a candle and/or say a prayer. Written prayers will be available.

Perhaps if our focus this year is on peace, internal and external, we might meet Christ on Christmas as a new people.

Blessings,
Gini+