Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. The season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.

Scripture lessons for todayGenesis 2:15-173:1-7Romans 5:12-19Matthew 4:1-11Psalm 32

Scripture lessons for next weekGenesis 12:1-4aRomans 4:1-5, 13-17John 3:1-17Psalm 121

Invitation to Observe Lent–By Fr. John Burk

The True and Only GodBy Bill Reed

In the third temptation of Christ in Matthew’s Gospel, the devil offers Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them” if He will worship him. And Jesus answers Satan, quoting the First Commandment: “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you shall serve.” (Mt 4:8, 10) Martin Luther offers a profound meditation on the First Commandment in his Large Catechism. The temptation to worship false gods is always present to us, whether we know it or not.Initially Luther asks “what does it mean to have a god?” He answers “nothing else than the...confidenceand faith of the heart alone make both God and an idol.” Luther’s answer is existential. He centers it in the heart.In times of trial and temptation, do we turn to the Living God first as our refuge and support or do we turn tosubstitutes? If our hearts are centered in God, there are no substitutes for the strength of His powerful grace andloving friendship. The false gods offer apparent alternatives that cannot last and finally deceive us. The list of thesesubstitutes will not surprise us, as they are as omnipresent today as they were in the sixteenth century. Money andpossessions “is [sic] the most common idol on earth,” Luther says. Further “whoever trusts and boasts that he possesses great skill, prudence, power, favor, friendship and honor also has a god, but not this true and only God.” Whether it is money, possessions, ourselves or other human beings, nothing should supplant the faith and confidence we put in God alone. He only should we turn to and worship from the heart.

The First Sunday of Lent— March 9, 2014

All Saints’WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORGThe Weekly

AnnouncementsWednesday: Join us for Bible study from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Grant Hall as we explore Jesus’ life in a chronological study of the Gospels.

Wednesday: Our annual Lenten soup suppers begin this Wednesday, March 12. Dinner starts at 6:00 p.m., followed by Lenten presentations by Bishop Mary, Canon Jesus Reyes, Ed Fincke, Canon Brian Nordwick, Frank Graham, and others. A children’s program will be offered in the library. Dust off your tastiest soup recipe, sign up for a slot on the roster of cooks, and enjoy this Lenten opportunity for fellowship and spiritual growth.

Ukrainian egg decorating—Now that Lent is here, our annual pysanky classes are just around the corner. New and returning egg-makers are welcome, and no special artistic skill is necessary. The free classes will be offered on Thursday, March 20 (9:00 a.m. to noon); Friday, March 21 (6:00 to 9:00 p.m.); and Saturday, March 22 (9:00 a.m. to noon). To register, contact Andrea Matters at 624-3090 or andreamatters@gmail.com. New staff and new e-mail addresses—For print, web, and advertising needs, please send e-mail to communications@allsaintscarmel.org. For all business administration needs, use admin@allsaintscarmel.org.

Reclaiming the Gospel of Peace: An Episcopal gathering to challenge the epidemic of violence will take place in Oklahoma City April 9–11, 2014. Would you be interested in

attending? A partial scholarship is available; contact the church office. More information is available at http://epiok.org/reclaiming-the-gospel-info.

Pastoral care transportation help—The pastoral care team is putting together a list of potential drivers for members who need help with transportation, such as for a medical appointment. If you’d be willing to occasionally give a fellow member a lift, please contact Susan Stanton via the office.

Sunday handout deadline—To be included in next Sunday’s handout, your announcement must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday. Most special parish events are included in the announcements for three weeks before they occur. Contact Andrea Matters at andreamatters@gmail.com or 624-3090.

Boxes for Lenten giving are available by the front doors of the church and by side windows. These gifts of gratitude will be collected at Easter time and given to Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD)-South Sudan and St. Patricks’ School, Haiti.

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Program. 35 people attended. We enjoyed crepes with both sweet and savory fillings along with traditional pancakes. We were entertained with music and poetry by All Saints’ members from 10 to 70. It was a delightful evening, and a wonderful start to the Lenten Season

Highlighted Events and MeetingsMarch 11- Buildings and Grounds

Committee MeetingMarch 11- Book ClubMarch 11- All Saints’ SingersMarch 12- Lenten Soup SupperMarch 20, 21, 22- Egg Decoration

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