The Third Sunday In Lent
Sunday, March 20, at 10:00 am | The Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Livestreamed on Facebook (click and open the ‘live’ video)
The order of this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
To give to St. Paul’s, select an option below:
Online: E-Giving (Realm) | PayPal
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Prelude: “Wen Wir in Höchstein Nöthe” J.S. Bach
THE ENTRANCE RITE & PENITENTIAL ORDER
Hymn 152: “Kind maker of the world, O hear”
1. Kind Maker of the world, O hear
the fervent prayer, with many a tear
poured forth by all the penitent
who keep this holy fast of Lent!
2. Each heart is manifest to thee;
thou knowest our infirmity;
now we repent, and seek thy face;
grant unto us thy pardoning grace.
3. Spare us, O Lord, who now confess
our sins and all our wickedness,
and, for the glory of thy Name,
our weakened souls to health reclaim.
4. Give us the discipline that springs
from abstinence in outward things
with inward fasting, so that we
in heart and soul may dwell with thee.
5. Grant, O thou blessèd Trinity;
grant, O unchanging Unity;
that this our fast of forty days
may work our profit and thy praise!
The Penitential Order
Celebrant ✠ Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
People His mercy endures for ever.
The Decalogue is sung, and the people respond, “Amen. Lord have mercy.”
Hear the commandments of God to his people: I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage. You shall have no other gods but me.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not make for yourself any idol.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not invoke with malice the Name of the Lord your God.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
Honor your father and your mother.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not commit murder.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not commit adultery.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not steal.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not be a false witness.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
Celebrant
Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence is kept.
Celebrant and People
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Celebrant pronounces absolution.
Kyrie: “Lord, have mercy”
Salutation & The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Exodus 3:1-15
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”
But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.”
Lector The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 63:1-8
1 O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; *
my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.
2 Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, *
that I might behold your power and your glory.
3 For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; *
my lips shall give you praise.
4 So will I bless you as long as I live *
and lift up my hands in your Name.
5 My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, *
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,
6 When I remember you upon my bed, *
and meditate on you in the night watches.
7 For you have been my helper, *
and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul clings to you; *
your right hand holds me fast.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
Lector The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 148: “Creator of the earth and skies”
1. Creator of the earth and skies,
to whom the words of life belong,
grant us your truth to make us wise;
grant us your power to make us strong.
2. We have not known you: to the skies
our monuments of folly soar,
and all our self-wrought miseries
have made us trust ourselves the more.
3. We have not loved you: far and wide
the wreckage of our hatred spreads,
and evils wrought by human pride
recoil on unrepentant heads.
4. For this, our foolish confidence,
our pride of knowledge and our sin,
we come to you in penitence;
in us the work of grace begin.
5. Teach us to know and love you, Lord,
and humbly follow in your way.
Speak to our souls the quickening word,
and turn our darkness into day.
The Gospel: Luke 13:1-9
Priest The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Luke.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
A tract is then sung by the choir.
The Sermon
The Nicene Creed Said in unison
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
✠ and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
In peace, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”
For the holy Church of God, that it may be filled with truth and love, and be found without fault at the day of your coming, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, Presiding Bishop; Daniel, Bishop of this Diocese; and Daniel, priest of this Parish; for all bishops and other ministers, and for all the holy people of God, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all who fear God and believe in you, Lord Christ, that our divisions may cease, and that all may be one as you and the Father are one, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost their faith, that they may receive the light of the Gospel, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the world, that you would make all wars to cease, and that a spirit of respect and forbearance may grow among nations and peoples, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those in positions of public trust, especially ___ , that they may serve justice, and promote the dignity and freedom of every person, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For a blessing upon all human labor, and for the right use of the riches of creation, that the world may be freed from poverty, famine, and disaster, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger; that they may be relieved and protected, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this congregation—for those who are present, and for those who are absent—that we may be delivered from hardness of heart, and show forth your glory in all that we do, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our enemies and those who wish us harm, and for all whom we have injured or offended, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For ourselves; for the forgiveness of our sins, and for the grace of the Holy Spirit to amend our lives, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all who have commended themselves to our prayers, especially ___ , and for those we now name:
The people may add their own petitions
… for our families, friends, and neighbors; that being freed from anxiety, they may live in joy, peace, and health, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our sister parish of St. Mary’s, Sololá, in our companion diocese of Guatemala, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For __________, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all who have ✠ died in the communion of your Church, and those whose faith is known to you alone, that, with all the saints, they may have rest in that place where there is no pain or grief, but life eternal, we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle and all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life to Christ our God.
To you, O Lord our God.
Silence
The Celebrant concludes the prayers with a Doxology.
The Peace
Priest The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The Celebrant introduces the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture.
The Holy Communion
An anthem is sung as the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
To give an offering, select an option below:
Online: E-Giving (Realm) | PayPal
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Offertory Anthem: “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” Raymond H. Haan
Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock
within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.
Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of one
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart with tears
two wonders I confess:
The wonders of glorious love
And my unworthiness.
I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of his face;
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss;
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all, the cross.
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer B
The Celebrant faces the People and sings
The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant continues
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who was tempted in every way as we are, yet did not sin. By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and to live no longer for ourselves alone, but for him who died for us and rose again.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy Lord”
The People may stand or kneel. The Celebrant continues
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
Celebrant and People
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
The Celebrant continues
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine. We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being ✠ sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.
By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
People and Celebrant
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast.
Fraction Anthem: Lamb of God
Facing the People, the Priest says
The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
This prayer form is for those who desire to receive the Sacrament but are unable to do so, with the assurance that all the benefits of Communion are received, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.
In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of grace and the hope of glory.
I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Communion Duet: “Pie Jesu” Andrew Lloyd Webber
Caitlin Stein, Soprano & Shelley Reed, Soprano
Pie Jesu, pie Jesu, pie Jesu, pie Jesu
Qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona eis requiem, dona eis requiem
Pie Jesu, pie Jesu, pie Jesu, pie Jesu
Qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona eis requiem, dona eis requiem
Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei,
Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei
Qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona eis requiem, dona eis requiem
Sempiternam
Sempiternam
Requiem
Merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus,
merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus
Father, who takes away the sins of the world
Grant them rest, grant them rest
Merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus,
merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus
Father, who takes away the sins of the world
Grant them rest, grant them rest
Lamb of God, Lamb of God,
Lamb of God, Lamb of God
Father, who takes away the sins of the world
Grant them rest, grant them rest
everlasting
everlasting
Rest
Hymn 392: “Come, we that love the Lord”
1. Come, we that love the Lord,
and let our joys be known;
join in a song with sweet accord
and thus surround the throne.
Hosanna, hosanna!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing.
2. Let those refuse to sing
that never knew our God;
but children of the heavenly King
may speak their joys abroad.
Refrain
3. The heirs of grace have found
glory begun below;
celestial fruits on earthly ground
from faith and hope may grow.
Refrain
4. Then let our song abound
and let our tears be dry;
we’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground
to fairer worlds on high.
Refrain
Postcommunion Prayer
Priest Let us pray.
The People may join in saying this prayer
Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Welcome & Announcements
Blessing & Dismissal
The Celebrant blesses the people and dismisses them.
The people respond Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Lord Jesus, We Give Thanks to Thee” Camil Van Hulse
Service Participants
Celebrant: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Preacher: The Rev. Raymond L. Harbort
Eucharistic Minister: John Black
Lector: Beth Guffey
Acolyte: Alex Kelly
Ushers: Joe DeTato, Maureen McGraw
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Altar: Linda Chinn, Jacky Grande
A/V: Liam Kelly
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Jill Dulany, Muriel Hastings, Nick Lindberg, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, David Taylor, Deborah Taylor, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
Welcoming the Rev. Raymond L. Harbort
On this third Sunday in Lent, we welcome the Rev. Raymond L. Harbort as our guest preacher.
To the Men of St. Paul’s
You are invited to our scheduled Brotherhood of St. Andrew meeting at 9 am Sunday, March 20 in the Conference Room in the Education Wing. (At this meeting, masks are optional. Coffee and danish are required.) We will discuss our ongoing support of the Little Free Pantry, Coffee Hour support, full breakfast on Sunday May 1, annual retreat at Rehoboth (6/10-12/22) and discussion options for that retreat. Please contact George Wiemann with any questions.
Lenten Collection
All Lenten donations will be directed to St. Mary’s, our sister parish in Sololá, Guatemala. The situation in Guatemala due to the pandemic, and weather-related emergencies, remains a challenge on not only education, but also on basic needs like food, water, and healthcare. Please use the Lenten envelopes available in the pews for your donations. Thank you for your generosity.
Weekday Mass: Wednesdays at 12:00 Noon
During Wednesdays in Lent, mass will be said weekly in the church at 12:00 noon. All are welcome to come and join with us as we offer mid-week prayers and observe a holy Lent.
Stations of the Cross: Fridays at 5:30 PM
The Stations of the Cross will take place in the church at 5:30 in the evening during the Fridays in Lent. This brief, walking prayer service tells the story of Christ's passion in 10 movements (stations). All are welcome.
Collection for Ukraine
St. Paul’s is currently working with the UUARC (United Ukrainian American Relief Committee) to help aid the victims of the war in the Ukraine. A list of the critically needed items is available here. If you are interested in helping, a container will be at the back of the Parish Hall. You can also order the donations online and ship them to: Maria Bakuridze 527 Mark Lane King of Prussia PA 19406. Additionally, we have learned that new or gently used clothing for children between first and fifth grade is also needed. There is a separate box for these donations. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful generosity!!! Questions? Contact Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee Chair.
Lenten Day of Reflection: Racial Justice is Christian Justice
You are invited to attend the 2022 Lenten Day of Reflection on April 2. Although the secular world has controlled the conversation on racism and racial justice, we are going to move beyond the sound bites and talking heads and focus on the idea of justice grounded in the Gospel. No matter where you are in your thoughts and exploration of race, racism, and justice we invite you to join us, listen, and reflect on your own heart as we strive to be the Body of Christ.
The day will begin at 9:00AM and will wrap-up by 2:00PM. Morning coffee, tea, breakfast items, and lunch will be provided. Please register for the Lenten Day of Reflection by March 28th using this form.
Contact the Social Justice Committee Co-Chairs, Wendy Brumbaugh and Jim Massey with any questions.
LENTEN BOOK STUDY: THE CROSS AND THE LYNCHING TREE
Wednesdays in Lent, at 7:00 PM, starting March 9—via Zoom
Lent is a season of preparation, and of focusing on the sorrowful mystery of Christ’s crucifixion—and how long the shadow of the cross is cast, even to our present day. This Lent at St. Paul’s, we will take up this work by reading The Cross and The Lynching Tree, by the late Dr. James Cone. From the publisher: “Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning.” Join us for a discussion of this book over the course of five sessions via Zoom; or simply obtain a copy of the book and read it on your own. This study is initiated by the work of our Social Justice Committee, and facilitated by the Rector.
