LITURGY OF THE WORD AND WEEKLY READINGS

Sunday, May 29, 2011: Sixth Sunday of Easter

First Reading: Exodus (3:7-14) and Numbers (20:7-13)

Psalm 66: 7-18, Page 674, BCP

Epistle: Paul's Letter (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)

The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (17:1-24)

Suggested Readings For The Week

Monday Luke 9:18-27; Tuesday Hebrews 3:1-6; Wednesday Luke 12:22-31; Thursday Hebrews 2:5-18; Friday Hebrews 4:14-5:6; Saturday Hebrews 5:7-14.

Sunday, May 22, 2011: Fifth Sunday of Easter

First Reading: Acts (7:55-60)

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16, Page 622, BCP

Epistle: Peter's Letter (1 Peter 2:2-10)

The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (14:1-14)

Suggested Readings For The Week

Monday Colossians 3:18-4:1; 2-18; Tuesday Romans 12:1-21; Wednesday Romans 13:1-14; Thursday Romans 14:1-12; Friday Romans 14:13-23; Saturday Romans 15:1-13.

Sunday, May 15, 2011: Fourth Sunday of Easter

First Reading: Acts (2:42-47)

Psalm 23: Page 612, BCP

Epistle: Peter's Letter (1 Peter 2:19-25)

The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (10:1-10)

Suggested Readings For The Week

Monday Colossians 1:1-14; Tuesday Colossians 1:15-23; Wednesday Colossians 1:24-2:7; Thursday Colossians 2:8-23; Friday Colossians 3:1-11; Saturday Colossians 3:12-17.

Sunday, May 8, 2011: Third Sunday Of Easter: Mother's Day

The Rev. Cynthia Williams was a guest and gave the sermon

First Reading: Acts (2:14a, 36-41)

Psalm 116: 1-3, 10-17, Page 759, BCP

Epistle: Peter's Letter (1 Peter 1:17-23)

The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (24:13-35)

Suggested Readings For The Week

Monday 1 John 3:19-4:6; Tuesday 1 John 4:7-21; Wednesday 1 John 5:1-12; Thursday John 1 John 5:13-20 (21); Friday 2 John 1-13; Saturday 3 John 1-15.

Sunday, May 1, 2011: Second Sunday Of Easter

First Reading: Acts (2:14a, 22-32)

Psalm 16, Page 599, BCP

Epistle: Peter's Letter (1 Peter 1:3-9)

The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (20:19-31)

Suggested Readings For The Week

Monday Acts 12:25-13:3; Tuesday John 1:43-51; Wednesday 1 John 2:12-17; Thursday 1 John

2:18-29; Friday 1 John 3:1-10; Saturday 1 John 3:11-18.

NEWS AND EVENTS

Welcome From the Pastor

Directions To Saint Monica's

Food Pantry Outreach

Members of the congregation volunteer for the Food Pantry and Outreach Community Feeding Programs. To learn more about the Programs click HERE.

The Union of Black Episcopalian Scholarship

Students who are in college should apply by writing a letter of request for funds. the letter should contain information regarding their past year in college and should be sent to Mrs. Dorothy Johnson. The deadline is Saturday, May 28, 2011. The Scholarship Jazz Social will be held Sunday, June 5, 2011 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at The Good Shepherd Church, Hartford. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from any Union of Black Episcopalian member

Horace V. Davidson Scholarship Announcement

The Horace V. Davidson Scholarship Committee is asking each parishioner to contribute to the Scholarship Fund. Applications for the Scholarship are now available and are located in the Narthex.. There are two scholarships, one for first time applicants and the other for continuing students. The deadline for first applicants is Sunday May 15, 2011. The deadline for continuing students is Wednesday June 1, 2011.

Episcopal Church Women and Mother's Day

In celebration of Mother's Day and Women's Day, the Episcopal Church Women ask all women to wear pastel colors on Sunday, May 8, 2011. Women are asked to do do this at both the 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. Please see any member of the Episcopal Church Women if you have questions.

Harvest Committee Meetings

The Harvest Committee will meet Sunday, May 15, 2011 and again on thursday, May 19, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. All members are asked to attend. Please see Olive James for more information.

Bishops' 5K For Kids

The 10th Annual Bishops' 5K For Kids will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at Webster Hill School. Webster Hill School is located at 125 Webster Hill Boulevard, West Hartford. The start time is 9:30 a.m. We intend to put together a team of approximately 10 or more children to participate. Our team will be called the "Saintly Servants", which is a way of reminding us that we are God's servants. Please see either Jeremy Ifill or Maureen Evans for a sponsor for and more information.

Mother's Day/Father's Day Dinner: Correction

In last month's edition it was mistakenly reported that the Young People's Fellowship would host its annual Mother's Day/Father's Day dinner on Saturday, May 7, 2011. The correct date is Sunday, May 22, 2011 at 12:30 p.m.

Please signup by Sunday, May 8, 2011 if you plan to attend. For more information please see any member of the Young People's Fellowship.

Safe Church Training

Basic Safe Church Training at the following churches from 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided:

1. Saturday, May 21, 2011 at St. John's Church, 3 Trumbull Place, North Haven.

2. Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Christ & Holy Trinity Church, 55 Myrtle Avenue, Westport.

Birthdays and Anniversaries In May

Happy Birthday to: Constance King 1st; Dominique Dupuy 2nd; Gregory Dupuy 3rd; Kathleen Register and Dennis Williams, Jr. 5th; Gregory Hurdle 7th; Andre Barnaby 9th; Patricia Bell 10 10th; Kaya Wattin 11th; Nancy Bailey 13th; Percy Nelson and Beryl Gomes 17th;

Lurlene William 18th; Lloyd Wimbish 19th; Glendolwyn Hall and Ann Johnson 20th; Jean Hylton 27th; Olive James, Marvin Jones and Elijah Elliott 29th; Terry Brown, Sonia Dupuy and Beverlye Watkins 31st.

Happy Anniversary to: Mr. and Mrs. Winston Barnaby 10th; Mr. and Mrs. Brown and Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson 20th.

Condolences

We extend our sincere Christian sympathy to the Samuda Family. Edward Samuda, the father of Densil Samuda and grandfather of Courtney and Travis Samuda, passed away on Monday, April 25, 2011 in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. May he rest in peace.

We extend our deepest Christian Sympathy to the family of Patricia Hurdle. May she rest in peace.

We extend our deepest Christian sympathy to Dr. Charles Groce on the passing of his dear wife Maxine Hilburn. May she rest in peace.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

I Wonder

There is a book that list all kinds of interesting things about the Episcopal Church and about the Bible. I would like to take this opportunity to share one of them with you.

The Three Most Rebellious Things Jesus Did

1. The prophet returned to his home town

(Luke 4:14-27)

"Jesus returned Nazareth, where he was raised and was invited to read Scripture and preach. First, he insisted the scriptures he read were about him , anointed by God. Second, he insisted God would bless foreigners with those same promises through him. These statements amounted to the unpardonable crime of blasphemy!"

2. The rebel thumbed his nose at the authorities

(John 11:55-12:11)

"Jesus had become an outlaw, hunted by the religious authorities who wanted to kill him. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus threw a thank-you party for Jesus in Bethany, right outside Jerusalem, the authorities stronghold. In spite of the threats to his life, Jesus went to the party. This was not just rebellion but a demonstration of how much Jesus loved his friends."

3. The King rode a royal procession right under Caesar's nose

(Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38; John 12:12-19)

"Jesus entered Jerusalem during a great festival, in full view of adoring crowns, as a king come home home to rule. Riding the colt, heralded by the people with cloaks and branches, accompanied by the royal anthem (Psalm 118), he rode to claim Jerusalem for God and himself as God's anointed. The Roman overlords and the Jewish leaders watched this seditious act and prepared for a crucifixion."

The Episcopal Handbook (Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing 2008) p.174.

Clergy

The Rev. Charles Davidson

Vestry Members

Carol Anderson, Cyrus Aimey (Junior Warden), Veronica Airey-Wilson, Joyce Asiedu, Walter Benjamin (Senior Warden, Nora Brown, Terry Brown (Treasurer), Marie Brown-Harvey (Secretary),Evelyn Green, Shannon Holder, Bates Lyons, Joe Noel, Peter Marsele Terrie Thomas, Herbert Bowen (Hon)

Music

Rochelle Holder - Youth Choir

Nathaniel Baker - Music Director/Organist

Rector Emeritus

Canon Cyril Burke

Email

monicahartford@gmail.com

THE BOOK CORNER

The Grace of Silence

by Michele Norris

In this eloquent and affecting memoir, Norris, co-host on NPR's All Things Considered, examines both her family's racial roots and secrets. Spurred on by Barack Obama's campaign and a multipart NPR piece she spearheaded about race relations in America, Norris realized that she couldn't fully understand how other people talk a bout race until she understood how her own family dealt with it, particularly with their silence regarding two key events. She intersperses memories of her Minneapolis childhood with the events that shaped her parents' lives: her maternal grandmother's short career as a traveling "Aunt Jemima," which always embarrassed her mother, and her father's shooting by a white policeman in Alabama in 1946. It is the shooting, which occurred son after Belvin Norris Jr. was honorably from the navy, that forms the narrative and emotional backbone of Norris's story, as she travels to Birmingham to try and piece together what happened. Though the quest is a personal one, Norris poignantly illuminates the struggle of black veterans returning home and receiving nothing but condemnation for their service. The issue of race in America is the subject of an ongoing conversation, and Norris never shies away from asking the same difficult questions of herself that she asks of others because "all of us should be willing to remain at the table even when things get uncomfortable."

Review is an Editorial Review from Publishers Weekly