Conway Village
Congregational Church
March 2025
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Ash Wednesday March 5, 2025 Service of Hippolytus
This Lenten season will begin on Ash Wednesday, March 5 at 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. We will be celebrating the Service of Hippolytus, also known as the Celebration of the Three Communions. It was a Liturgy written by Hippolytus to offer people a way to actively participate in a holy ritual.
The Celebration begins with people writing out what they wish to give up for Lent (obstructions they wish remove from their lives), or, qualities they wish to call out in their lives to be closer to God. After writing on small pieces of paper, the paper is placed in a flame and once lit, dropped into a container containing the ashes from leftover palms from Palm Sunday 2024.
The celebrant then proceeds to:
- the first communion, matza, milk, and This represents remembering the wandering in the wilderness, and the final arrival at the Land of Milk and Honey, the promises of a new covenant with God fulfilled.
- the second communion of Pita and This represents the meals Jesus shared while on earth with everyone he gathered together for blessings, healings, and prayer, the shared reality of the God-with-Us, Emmanuel.
- the third communion is bread and This represents the Last Supper shared in the Upper Room in Jerusalem during the Passover, the elements of which Jesus reinterpreted for a new everlasting covenant with God.
Hippolytus wanted everyone to celebrate a ritual of remembering that the God of Covenant, the God of Incarnation, and the God of Salvation are all one. This service recognizes this theological truth as it allows each participant to prepare personally and confidentially for their journey through the Lenten season.
Lenten Dates:
- Ash Wednesday, March 5th
- Palm Sunday, April 13th
- Maundy Thursday, April 17th
- Good Friday, April 18th
- Easter Sunrise, April 20th at 5:45 m.
- Easter Worship, April 20th at 10:00 m.
Rev. John Hughes March 2025
Psalm 86:5 “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love for all who call upon you.” This short passage has a lot to say, doesn’t it? Our Lord is good. Our Lord is forgiving. (no brainer there). It’s the next part, for me, that tells us pretty much all we need to know: He abounds in steadfast love for those who call upon him. When does this apply?
Every once in a while? When we think of it? Well, no. It is every second of every day. Now THAT’S a lot to know.
And as we approach the season of Lent, this is the moment by moment thought I will call upon in my heart. Lent prepares us for Easter by providing a dedicated period of reflection, prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. bI personally will use this time to turn inward and deepen my understanding of Jesus’ sacrifice. We all need reminders of what God has given us and how he is steadfast, even when we might not be. As the winter MARCHES on, I encourage you to find something to do daily that gives you light and joy. I have recently begun a few new crochet projects that literally have me hooked….haha. It’s in these little moments of time, that I personally find that God is with me.
And the church is “MARCHing” on as well. So many projects to complete and get us ready for wor- ship in the Sanctuary. It’s coming, slowly, but surely. Stay tuned!
May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and God be with you wherever you go.
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
Blessings,
Your Deacons, Judy, Beth, Jill, Louise, Charles M. and Charles B
The days are getting longer……sunset is 5:30!
On February 8th, we had a church clean up day, specifically the Sanctuary. Thank you to everyone who came to help out. The chairs were moved out of the way, the old carpet was torn up, bibles and hymnals were boxed up, and miscellaneous items were boxed up or taken to the dump.
We review the cash management report weekly and we are keeping up with the bills. This winter, we are back to paying for heat and plowing, both sizable expenses. We appreciate all the pledge support that continues and seeing many of you on Sundays.
On February 24th, we met with Bergeron Technical Services (TA). They have been working on a design for heat and air conditioning for the Sanctuary. They plan to put this out to bid soon. The Sanctuary needs more work than what we had originally planned. We don’t want to just get the floors, carpet and heat done and open; only to close again to make further repairs.
FEMA is covering 75% of the heating, AC and carpeting costs (reimbursment after the work is done). What FEMA is not covering, but needs to be done, is refinishing the floor, removing the grooms room and move the door to go into the Fellowship Hall. There are significant wall cracks in parts of the Sanctuary. While some can be patched, the wall behind where the organ was located should be replaced.
Bergeron will put together an estimated cost for all this work. We can then see where we are at with the Building Fund and the FEMA reimbursement. We had hoped the Sanctuary would open in the spring, but it is unlikely. We will keep you all up to date.
We recently received a letter from Brotherhood Insurance. They did an exterior inspection and have told us we need to have a plan in place to repair the rotted siding on the Bell Tower. We expect there is rot under the shingles. Bergeron Technical Associates will look into the this project as well.
Anne Getchell
Trustee Board ~ Anne Getchell, John Edgerton, Duddie Andrews, Nancy Irving, Nancy Divine, Tom Workman, ex officio member, Treasurer
The Dinner Bell and Food Pantry are open!
A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to help get the pantry open again! Thank you doesn’t begin to express our gratitude. We are grateful for our returning volunteers and a huge welcome to our new volunteers!
We deeply appreciate the support that has enabled us to reopen Our Dinner Bell and Food Pantry missions. With the Food Pantry now operational, we kindly request the community’s assistance in maintaining stocked shelves. Your donations of funds or shelf-stable food products would be greatly appreciated. Please refer to page five of the March newsletter for a list of needed items. Thank you for your generosity.”
March Worship Schedule 2025
Sunday, March 2nd Transfiguration Sunday Communion
Scriptures: Psalm 99, 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 Luke 9:28-36, (37-43)
Meditation: “Veiling the Heart”
Wednesday, March 5th – Ash Wednesday
Scriptures: Psalm 51:1-17 Joel 2:1-2,12-17 Matthew 6:16-21
Meditation: “Humanity’s Search for Meaning”
Sunday, March 9th – Lent 1 Scriptures: Psalm 91:1-2,9-16 Romans 10:8b-13 Luke 4:1-13
Sermon: “Inescapable Temptations”
Sunday, March 16th – Lent 2
Scriptures: Psalm 27 Philippians 3:17-4:1 Luke 9:28-36
Sermon: “Full bellies, Shameful glories, Earthly things”
Sunday, March 23rd – Lent 3
Scriptures: Psalm 63:1-8 Isaiah 55:1-9 Luke 13:1-8
Sermon: “Seek Abundant Life”
Sunday, March 30th – Lent 4 (Rose Sunday)
Scriptures: Psalm 32 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:11b-32
Sermon: “What is a True Renewal?”