Easter message 2010

Dear friends:

We are now in our final full week of Lent. As Lent draws to a close, we shift our focus to the solemn celebration of Passion Sunday and the three holiest days of our church year. As we hear the crowds change their shouts from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify him!” we are reminded of the sinful and unstable nature of our human relationships. But as we stumble upon an empty tomb at Easter, we are also reminded that all things are made new in the Covenant that is Christ.

Without the meal, we cannot remember; without the cross we cannot be washed clean; without the resurrection we would be a hopeless bunch! This is why our communal celebration of Holy Week is so important to our spiritual life together. We remember all that God has done for us in Christ. We do this as a community of faith, love, and support.

Holy week begins this Sunday, the 28th, with Palm (Passion) Sunday. Service begins at 10:30 outside (weather permitting).

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services are at 7:00 p.m. on April 1st and 2nd. I am very pleased that Pastor Tom Chittick has agreed to give the instructional sermon on Maundy Thursday.

April 4th, Easter Sunday, begins with our legendary homemade breakfast, sponsored by the church council to benefit kids with camper scholarships to Calumet. The breakfast starts at 9:00 a.m. in the church hall. The voluntary donation is $3.50 per person with a $10.00 capped price for a family. (You are free to donate more to help a young camper!)

If you can join us on Easter Sunday, please remember Project Feed and bring non-perishable food for the basket.

Easter worship is at 10:30 a.m. Bring a hand bell (or cowbell or dinner bell or jingle bell) to ring in the ALLELUIA season!

This Easter, we are pleased to welcome new members to the St. Ansgar church family. I hope you can join us in this happy occasion of the growth of our congregation.

Finally, if for any reason you would like to come to church and cannot find transportation, please let me or a member of our church know. We will make sure you can be here!

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Pr. Bill Barter
Pastor@saintansgar.org
207.774.8740 ext 1

Lent pastoral letter

February 15, 2010

Dear friends in Christ:

This Wednesday, February 17th, marks the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. At 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, I will mark the foreheads of our church members with ashes that commemorate our mortality and our need for repentance. This marks the beginning of our second season of Lent together since I have been your pastor.

How will Lent be different for you this year? Are there ways in which this can be a holy time, a period of reflection, a season of renewal? Will your Lenten discipline help to prepare your heart for accepting the tremendous sacrifice of the cross, the lasting gift of the Lord’s Supper, and the awesome joy of finding an empty tomb at Easter?

Here are some suggestions for Lent. This is by no means exhaustive, and you may well have thought already about how you will spend this prayerful season:

Attend our weekly Lenten devotions at First Lutheran Church at 132 Auburn Street in Portland. This is a regional gathering of Lutherans that happens each Lent in a different parish. We begin with a simple soup and bread meal, followed by evening prayer and a sermon by a local pastor. This happens each Wednesday of Lent, with the soup supper at 6:00 p.m. and worship at 7:00 p.m.

As a symbol of giving yourself over to Christ, be generous during Lent. St. Ansgar has become a crucial partner in the Project Feed program by collecting non-perishable food items for the hungry. Are you participating in Project Feed? If not, do you have food to spare? Can you hit a sale at a supermarket, or check out the food deals at the dollar stores? Can you simplify your diet during Lent to help the hungry?

Can you invite a friend to church on Sunday? Perhaps you know someone (even a family member) who just needs that little extra invitation to come and hear God’s Word.

Can you make an extra devotion during Lent? We are encouraged to pray unceasingly, yet so many of us take far too little time to talk with God. Could this Lent be the time that you commit to regular conversations with God?

Reflect on the Sacred Scriptures during Lent. Bring your Sunday bulletin home and re-read the Bible passages during the week. What is God saying to you during this holiest of seasons?

I can’t think of a better place to be during Lent than St. Ansgar. As a strong community of faith, you are an inspiration to me. Let us hold one another in prayer and loving support during this holy time.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Pastor Bill Barter