Holy Cross Episcopal Church

WOMEN’S LENTEN DAY OF REFLECTION

based on the critically acclaimed book

 LIFTING WOMEN’S VOICES

Prayers to Change the World

 Saturday, March 13, 2010

Holy Cross Church

Center Road, Weare, NH

(between routes 77 and 114)

Registration and coffee from 9:30am

Program begins at 10:00am and will conclude at 3:00pm

A simple luncheon of soup, bread and fruit will be served.

A free will offering will be taken to cover costs.

Lifting Women’s Voices is a collection of prayers written by women and girls throughout the Anglican Communion.  The prayers reveal the depth and power of faith and the belief, that collectively, those voices can be transformative and change the world.

 The day is set in the context of the Eucharist and Stations of the Cross using prayers from the book.  The prayers in the book are organized according to themes of the Millennium Development Goals.  

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori says, “These prayers claim the special gift it is to be a woman, the holiness God gave us in being born of woman, the apostolic vocation of another Mary, first to witness resurrection.  These prayers remind us that we most often meet God in the daily work of feeding, healing, nurturing, cleaning, listening, encouraging – blessings all!”

The Diocese of New Hampshire claims three authors of prayers in the book, Johanna Young, Church of the Epiphany, Newport; Dawn Formica, Church of Our Saviour, Milford; and Marjorie Burke, Holy Cross, Weare.   They will be present to read their prayers and sign books.

All women of the diocese are invited to attend.  Books will be available for purchase at $25.00. 

WOMEN’S LENTEN DAY OF REFLECTION

based on the critically acclaimed book

LIFTING WOMEN’S VOICES

Prayers to Change the World

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Holy Cross Church

Center, Road, Weare, NH

(between routes 77 and 114)

Registration and coffee from 9:30am

Program begins at 10:00am and will conclude at 3:00pm

A simple luncheon of soup, bread and fruit will be served.

A free will offering will be taken to cover costs.

Lifting Women’s Voices is a collection of prayers written by women and girls throughout the Anglican Communion.  The prayers reveal the depth and power of faith and the belief, that collectively, those voices can be transformative and change the world.

The day is set in the context of the Eucharist and Stations of the Cross using prayers from the book.  The prayers in the book are organized according to themes of the Millennium Development Goals.  

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori says, “These prayers claim the special gift it is to be a woman, the holiness God gave us in being born of woman, the apostolic, vocation of another Mary, first to witness resurrection.  These prayers remind us that we most often meet God in the daily work of feeding, healing, nurturing, cleaning, listening, encouraging – blessings all!”

The Diocese of New Hampshire claims three authors of prayers in the book, Johanna Young, Church of the Epiphany, Newport, Dawn Formica, Church of Our Saviour, Milford, and Marjorie Burke, Holy Cross, Weare.   They will be present to read their prayers and sign books.

All women of the diocese are invited to attend.  Books will be available for purchase at $25.00. 

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            REGISTRATION FORM

 WOMEN’S LENTEN DAY OF REFLECTION

 LIFTING WOMEN’S VOICES

Prayers to Change the World

 SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 2010

 HOLY CROSS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Center Road

(between routes 77 and 114)

Weare, NH 03281

Coffee and registration 9:30am

Program begins at 10:00am and will conclude at 3:00pm

A simple luncheon of soup, bread and fruit will be served.

A free will offering will be taken to cover the cost.

Name:_____________________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________________

Telephone:__________________email:__________________________

Parish:____________________________________________________

Please let us know you are coming by sending an email to dawn_richard @ charter.net

and put Day of Reflection in the Subject line.  Or mail the registration form to Marjorie Burke, 47 Merrill Road, Weare, NH 03281

The book Lifting Women’s Voices will be available for purchase at $25.00. 

Yes, I would like to purchase a book ___________.

Parking is available, however, carpooling is encouraged.

Making Anglican rosaries. On Wednesday evenings, September 9 and 16, a group of women gather at Holy Cross to make Anglican rosaries. Some use beads they have on hand — grandmother’s broken necklace, faux pearls from a long ago boyfriend’s gift, others have purchased beads or make them from clay that will be fired at low temperature. It’s all pleasant and informal, a gathering of friends old and new.

We usually associate rosaries with the Roman Catholic Church, but other Christian groups — and indeed Muslims and Buddhists — also use these aids to devotions. You can read more about the Anglican rosary on this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_prayer_beads.

The Anglican rosary has four groups of beads, 33 in all (the number of years of Jesus' life).

Of course, the point of a rosary is not just to do a craft project, but to produce an aid to personal prayer. In typical Anglican fashion, rather than prescribing a prayer or prayers to be used with the beads, we invite individuals to develop their own pattern.

How to use an Anglican rosary. The use of the rosary or prayer beads helps to bring us into contemplative prayer, really thinking about and being mindful of praying, of being in the presence of God by use of mind, body, and spirit. The touching of the fingers on each successive bead is an aid in keeping our mind from wandering, and the rhythm of the prayers leads us more readily into stillness.

To begin, hold the Cross and say the prayer you have assigned to it (most often The Lord’s Prayer), then move to the Invitatory Bead. Then enter the circle of the rosary with the first Cruciform Bead, moving through the Weeks and the other Cruciforms, saying the prayers for each bead, and then exiting by way of the Invitatory Bead and the Cross. It is suggested that you pray around the circle of the beads three times (which signifies the Trinity) in an unhurried pace, allowing the repetition to become a sort of lullaby of love and praise that enables your mind to rest and your heart to become quiet and still. A period of silence should follow the prayer, for a time of reflection and listening. Listening is an important part of all prayer.

Saying the rosary. Begin praying the Rosary by selecting the prayers you wish to use for the cross and each bead. Practice them until it is clear which prayer goes with which bead, and as far as possible commit the prayers to memory. Find a quiet spot and allow your body and mind to become restful and still. After a time of silence, begin praying the Rosary at an unhurried, intentional pace. Complete the circle of the beads three times. When you have completed the round of the Rosary, you should end with a period of silence. This silence allows you to center your being in an extended period of silence. It also invites reflection and listening after you have invoked the Name and Presence of God.

Two sample collections of prayers. You may try either of the following collections, mix and match or put together your own.

             I.

       II.

The Cross
Glory to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be for ever.
Amen.

The women at Holy Cross are planning to gather regularly for special presentations, worship opportunities, outreach or just for fellowship. Please share any ideas you have about things we can do together to increase our spiritual formation or that you think would be fun.