Folks,
As Tony(!) and I are travelling for work this weekend we will have to make this email fairly brief. The lessons for this Third Sunday of Lent include from Exodus a familiar rendition of the Ten Commandments, and from John's gospel the dramatic story of Jesus at the Temple, including this: "In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”. In I Corinthians Paul helps make sense of both those lessons, since he speaks of his own proclamation as "foolishness" if the "wise" think they have all they need from the commandments in the Exodus passage, while the gospel lesson of a special part of Jesus ministry is a rebuke to other "wise guys" who have setup shop in the Temple for their own businesses - perhaps foolishly ignoring the real if symbolic importance of God's Spirit in the idea of the temple, which in fact might have been an instance of idolatry. Jesus's own words following make clear that he was speaking symbolically when referring to "his body". (I looked up about the part of the passage speaking of 46 years and found that the original language appears to be in the aorist tense (meaning an unqualified past tense of a verb without reference to the duration or completion of the action", thus suggesting the writer knew that the Temple might never be completed - perhaps because it wasn't the important thing? There are several discussions online, most of which state that the Temple was probably completed in 64 AD. and destroyed leaving ruins plus the newer mosques we see today.) May we recognise the minor extent of our "wisdom" and see that in comparison with Holy Wisdom it just might be foolishness! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matthew Church Events Parishioners of St Matthew Church in San Ardo will be having Morning Prayer this Sunday at 10am. While our fellow mission St Luke Church in Jolon will not be having a service this Sunday, the congregation there will be joining St Mark Church for a Service of Holy Communion , also at 10 am in King City. Other Events A few brief announcements (mostly copied from other parish news): From St Benedict Church we hear of the following: Meet me in San Luis - You are cordially invited to join us for fellowship, conversation and delectable Chinese lunch on Thursday March 7 at 12 noon at Golden Gong, 390 El Mercado .at Madonna Road. Please call or text Bryson McKelvey at (805) 235-3045 by Wednesday to reserve or with questions. Gong hay fat choy! March Potluck - Potluck for March will be held on March 10th to coincide with the Bishops visit. In Anticipation of Bishop Lucinda's Official Visit March 10th - Please contact Rev Jen Crompton or Lisa Gonzalez as soon as possible if you would like to be Confirmed or Received in the Episcopal Church or wish to Reaffirm your vows in the Episcopal Church. Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation are concurrent rites where a mature commitment to Christ is welcomed by the Church through the laying on of hands by a bishop. _Confirmation_ is for those wishing to affirm the commitments made for them at their baptism. _Reception_ is for those previously confirmed in another Church who now find their ministry in the Episcopal Church. _Reaffirmation_ is for those who desire to recommit themselves to the vows made at their baptism. All three require a period of guided preparation and self-examination, which St. Benedict's offers, in anticipation of a Bishop Lucinda's official visit on Sunday March 10th. The Tuesday Spiritual Discussion group - "Our Living Compass theme for the 2024 Lent season is _Practicing Forgiveness with All Your __Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind_. Designed for both individual reflection and group study, this daily devotional provides a foundation for seeking a deeper experience of Lent -- one that prepares us for the coming of Easter." The Tuesday Spiritual Discussion group will be using an Lenten program sponsored by a group called Living Compass. The six-week program includes Sunday and weekday meditations for the Lenten season. We will begin the program on Tuesday February 20, 2024 at 10.30 on Zoom. The program booklets are available as pdf electronic copies for free or a print copy available for $1.00 plus postage. A limited number of print copies have been received and will be available in the back of the church. If you are not planning on attending the Tuesday group, feel free to take one of the booklets for your personal use. Note as well that you might want to swing by St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande, where we hear that the new pergola is in place but awaits finishing touches (it was just begun when we last visited). From our friend Kathleen Pennington and St Stephen Church, San Luis Obispo we hear of a chocolate factory at the church - and you can order some of their chocolate Easter Eggs. Contact Kathleen at kapennington@netscape.net for full details. And from our friends at St Paul Cathedral in San Diego we received the following announcement - for full info go to the cathedral's website at https//stpaulcathedral.org Forum Series: Walking the Seven Stone Path--A Lenten Practice 9 am, The Guild Room Join author and philosophy professor Peter Bolland for a five-week study of his new book The Seven Stone Path: An Everyday Journey to Wisdom. Using questions and prompts from The Seven Stone Path Workbook, we'll explore the insights from the world's wisdom traditions and root them deeply into our own spiritual practice during this sacred Lenten season. Workbooks are free, but get your copy of The Seven Stone Path: An Everyday Journey to Wisdom online wherever you buy books, or buy it directly from the author at these sessions (cash, check, or Venmo). View entire schedule (Click Here). From The Deanery From our San Luis Obispo Deanery Convener David Ottesen of St Barnabas Church we received the following agenda for the Deanery Meeting (and contact David at <ottesen2@icloud.com> for any other info/questions on the Meeting): AGENDA San Luis Obispo Deanery Sunday, March 3, 2024, 2:00 pm In-Person at St. Benedict’s, Los Osos and via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83577412697?pwd=K2ZYUnhpcmtNTGs2L2p6eDh2NzJWUT09 Meeting ID: 835 7741 2697 Passcode: 980625 One tap mobile: +16694449171,,83577412697#,,,,*980625# US Opening Prayer and Welcome: The Rev. Jen Crompton Invited Presentation: Molly Kern (CEO, SLO Food Bank) Approval of Minutes: Laura Learned Treasurer: Lisa Gonzales “Ny Somangy Company”: The Rev. Dcn. Susan Arnold Deanery Support for Stephen Ministry: David Ottesen Future Meetings: May 5, 2024 – The Rev. Ian Delinger July 14, 2024 – Jeff Diehl Committee Reports: Standing Committee; Board of Trustees; Commission on Ministry; Missional Grants Commission; SLO Episcopal Campus Ministry; Social Justice Committee Announcements: Closing Prayer: The Rev. Dcn. Susan Arnold
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