Saint Boniface News Published by St. Boniface Episcopal Church, 5615 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota, FL 34242 MARCH 2021

Thank you to all who’ve joyfully pledged for what can be in 2021! You have brought our parish to within 4% of our goal, with only $31,000 remaining. To see the many goodworks your generosity creates, simply scan this newsletter. You make it all possible!

We give thanks for the following pledges received since the Gratitude Honor Roll in February’s newsletter: Lou Colantuono, Karen and Steve Dakan, Chuck Dorsey, Barbara and Jonathan Evans, Meade and Art Ferguson, Catherine Gorski, Debbie and David Griffiths, Nancy and James Guyer, Marilyn Hill and Jonathan Percival, John Long-McCullough and Jerry McCullough, Leslie McLean, Richard Meade, Tony and Louise Pearson, Gisele Pelaprat, Peggy and Bennet Williams

To add your name to this list, please contact the church office (bdanner@bonifacechurch.org or 941-349-5616 x318).

FROM THE RECTOR’S DESK ~ As we journey through Lent Dear friends,

The word Lent comes from the Old English meaning lengthening, and the Middle English and Old

German for springtime. The days lengthen as we approach spring. We of course know Lent as the forty

days of fasting and preparation before Easter. This custom of forty days is suggested by the forty-day fasts

of Moses, Elijah, and especially, Jesus, and began in the fourth century. Before that, preparation for Easter

lasted only two or three days! From about 325 AD, observance was very strict allowing one meal per day

with fish and meat prohibited. By the ninth century practices relaxed until today, only Ash Wednesday and

Good Friday are listed as fast days. The penitential character of Lent is reflected in the liturgy with the use of purple vestments,

no blooming flowers, quieter music, and the omission of the Alleluia. It is a time of added alms giving and devotion toward

spiritual exercises, while abstaining from festivities. Lent looks to last 46 days on the calendar. However, Sundays are not

counted as they are always to be joyful in character and free of fasting, commemorating the day of the Lord’s Resurrection.

Fasting, almsgiving and spiritual practices will look different for each of us. In whatever ways you practice a faithful, intentional

Lent, I assure you that it will lead to an even more glorious Easter.

God bless you, Wayne+

QUARANTINA CONCERTS This part of our varied music ministry provides a unique mixture of historically informed instrumental and sacred choral music performed live at St. Boniface Church, to be viewed from the comfort and safety of your home. Tune in on Wednesday nights at 7:30 pm on our website, on boxcast.tv or on our Facebook page:

Mar 3 - Dr. Erol Ozsever, guitar

Mar 10 - Luke Brennan, Organ (YAS)

Mar 17 - Emmanuel Montalvo, Saxophone (YAS) & Jazz Quartet

Mar 24 - Jonathan Gentry, Oboe & Dr. James Guyer, Organ

These programs are brought to you by the Boniface Friends of Music. Please consider a donation to help us continue this concert series. Any gift you can make goes a long way; a $200 donation will sponsor an entire Wednesday night concert (or consider $100 as co-sponsor), and receive a live thank you.

SUNDAY SEMINAR This month, deacon Elisa Hansen, Head of Library Services at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, speaks on "Women Artists from the Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century: How Their Works Can Inspire our Spirituality Today." Medieval women were often seen as mystics who depicted what they saw, while others were anonymous nuns working in scriptoria illuminating books. In the Renaissance, female artists began to be known by name, often depicting Biblical subjects for churches and devotional purposes. Into the Early Modern and Postmodern eras, women have continued to create works of art that represent their personal spirituality. In this presentation we will explore the ways in which these artists' works offer a way to enhance our own worship and spirituality. Sunday, March 28, 7:00 p.m., please register for this Zoom event at jevans@bonifacechurch.org.

SOCIAL JUSTICE at ST. BONIFACE happens in partnership with S.U.R.E. (Sarasota United for Equity & Responsibility). A Rally will be held by Zoom at 6:00 pm on March 8th, and is open to all. We will hear updates and get motivated to take powerful action at the Zoom Nehemiah Assembly meeting at 6:30 on March 29th. We have a goal of over 100 attendees from St. Boniface. Expect a call personally inviting you to attend and learn more. Do good work without leaving the house!

HOLY WEEK SERVICE SCHEDULE

Palm Sunday March 28 - 8:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Compline Wednesday, March 31 - 7:30 p.m.

Maundy Thursday April 1 - 6:00 p.m.

Good Friday April 2 - 2:00 p.m.

Easter Sunday, April 4 - 8:30 & 10:30 a.m.

And to give towards Easter flowers in thanksgiving or memorial, contact Lisa Wolf (941-349-5616)

Center for Spiritual Transformation EDUCATIONAL OFFERING Saturday,

March 13, 10:00 a.m. by Zoom: Holy Week in Lock Down: how to use our

common senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) for a deeper spiritual

experience this year, with Fr. Ted Copland. Most of us will

be at home, many alone, some with online worship, which

gives us an opportunity to use the traditions of the church

in new ways, and experience the sense of two thousand

years of spiritual anticipation for Easter. This event is part

of our series, "Living into the Joy from Lent to

Pentecost." (Zoom ID: 849 5849 3207 / passcode: 596368.)

Special Giving in March Each month, above and beyond our regular giving, we have an opportunity to support a specific area of our parish life at St. Boniface. This month’s focus is the Staff

Appreciation Fund. The Vestry established this

fund to recognize and support the work of our

extraordinary church staff. Year-end bonuses,

retirement honoraria, and milestone work

anniversaries are examples of how the Vestry has

made use of this fund. A quick glance through this

newsletter shows the breadth of ministries and

activities the staff supports, ensuring that St.

Boniface is a vital spiritual presence serving one

another and our community in Christ’s name. Your

gift can be made as a tribute or memorial.

– Suzanne Gregory, Senior Warden of the Vestry

LESSONS from the PANDEMIC Imagine someone who appears to be surviving cancer. The person could a middle-aged woman, for example, and she went through heavy chemo and radiation. She is responding to treatments, and the end appears to be in sight. I would bet that she would think of her life differently. She would look at how she used to live before cancer and decide what she will leave behind. She would consider what she has learned, and how she will live differently. I would like us to consider and articulate how as a church and as individuals what we have learned during the pandemic. What are we going to leave behind as a church? What have we learned as a church? How will we live differently as a church? And as individuals too? These reflections are critical for us as a faith community. Please write or email Fr. Jonathan Evans, jevans@bonifacechurch.org or Fr. Wayne Farrell rector@bonifacechurch.org to let us know. Thank you! In Christ, Fr. Jonathan Evans

EVENSONG March 7, 5:00 p.m. with compositions of Sumsion, Paulus, H o w e l l s , a n d V a u g h a n Williams. Livestreamed on our Boxcast link and Facebook page, in-person attendance is available by reservation only - online or call 941-349-5616.

Worship, Teaching, Fellowship:

Sunday morning services continue to be live-streamed at 10:00 via our website. In-person Sunday worship is offered at 8:00 & 10:00 am in the Church, with limited seating. RSVP is required by calling the church office at 941-349-5616 or online by Thursday 5:00 pm. Reservations must be made each week.

Sunday morning Bible Study at 9:00 by Zoom, contact Fr. Jeff Hamblin

Sunday morning Book Discussion at 8:45 a.m. by Zoom, contact Vince Brennan

Morning Prayer at 9:30 am, Monday - Friday and Evening Prayer at 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday, on our Facebook page.

Wednesday music offered weekly at 7:30 p.m. on our website.

Thursday "Coffee Hour" at 10:00 a.m. by this Zoom link (password 207747)

Men of Boniface gather each Friday at 8:00 a.m. by Zoom (ID: 869 5575 9179 passcode: 034605)

Prayer Shawl Ministry continues on Tuesdays at 1:00 pm on Zoom to knit prayers together into shawls for those needing to be wrapped in God's healing love (ID:886 7544 6820 PW:254048)

Circulo español This Conversational Spanish group meets by Zoom Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. for informal practice. Contact Mary Gordon (941-923-2302 or jmkpl@aol.com) for information.

Literary Ladies discuss this month Dear Edward, by Ann Napolitano by Zoom (password 335397) Thursday, March 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Contemplative Prayer meets via Zoom at 10:30 am on the first and third Wednesdays of the month March 3 & 17 (ID: 886 9678 4674 Passcode: 077733), and on the first Monday of the month April 7 at 7:30 p.m. (ID: 860 3428 5784 Passcode: 097079).

Many opportunities to continue to stay connected with St. Boniface Church:

Healing & Pastoral Care:

The clergy are always available to speak to, please call Fr. Wayne Farrell (941-266-2140) or Fr. Jonathan Evans (786-540-5704).

Prayer requests Contact the church office to let us know your needs. We pray for them at our weekly Pastoral Care Meeting, and our Prayer Team prays for them throughout the week. If you would like to join the Prayer Team, call x318 in the church office or email bdanner@bonifacechurch.org.

Prayer shawls are available. Contact Connie Mereness, 941-346-1844 to arrange a time for one to be dropped off at your doorstep.

EDUCATION for MINISTRY Our curriculum this year is Living into the Journey with God. Our first 'interlude' book, for all four years, was The Sabbath, by Rabbi Heschel. Our second 'interlude' book will be Hospitable Planet, by Steven Jurovics, concentrating on our Christian stewardship of the earth, and scheduled for April 9. The first year of EfM is dedicated to the Old Testament; the second year is dedicated to the New Testament; the third year is dedicated to Christian history; the fourth year is dedicated to theology and interfaith issues.

Please consider joining us this fall for our next year! Douglas Smith (941-539-9715)

RING SARASOTA presents “Highways & Byways” March 21, 6:00 p.m.

Travel on a hoedown Deep in the Heart of Texas, dance the Tennessee Waltz, give regards to old Broadway, jive to those California Good Vibrations, sit By the Lakeside in Minnesota, enjoy a Mint Julep with Georgia on My Mind, march to the Washington Post in D.C. and bring it all back home to Beneath the Sparkling Skies of Sarasota. Reservations (online or call 941-349-5616), distancing, and face coverings required. Livestreaming is also available through Boxcast on our website. Donations (suggested $10) at the door.

Be sure to drop off your items to the church by March 28!

Use the Giving Tree bin in front of the church Sunday mornings, or outside the church office during office hours.

Reaching out to Emma E. Booker Elementary School

A Wish List for Learning & Thriving

pencils pencil boxes hand-held pencil sharpeners crayons highlighters dry erase markers (thin, black) glue sticks scissors

tissues copy paper small, re-usable water bottles Ziploc bags (gallon size) Lysol or Clorox wipes disposable masks (child-sized) reusable face shields (child-sized)

All items are readily available at local stores.

If you prefer to shop online, please use this link (https://a.co/9e7DWif). It opens directly to St. Boniface’s Wish List for the Emma E. Booker Giving Tree, on Amazon. On checking out, choose the St. Boniface Giving Tree ship-to address to have your items delivered directly to St. Boniface.

Childhood is tougher than it should be for many of the nearly 540 kindergarteners through 5th graders at Emma Booker E. Elementary School on Martin Luther King Way. 97% of the students are from low income homes. Daily challenges such as access to meals and other basic needs make it difficult for many of these children to remain enthusiastic and curious about learning.

You can make a difference!

The caring and qualified teachers and staff at Emma E. Booker welcome your gift of any — or all! — of the learning tools and personal items on the wish list below for the students.

St. Boniface Church | 5615 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota, FL 34242 | 941-349-5616 | www.bonifacechurch.org

Ring Sarasota

Sarasota’ Premiere Handbell Ensemble

St. Boniface Episcopal Church 5615 Midnight Pass Rd. Sarasota Fl, 34242

Presents

March 21, 2021 at 6 pm (Doors open at 5:30 pm)

Attendance is free, a suggested donation of $10 can be made at the door

Registration is required for this event :

Register at Bonifacechurch.org

This performance will be livestreamed via Boxcast.tv and Facebook