LITUGY OF THE WORD AND WEEKLY READINGS

Sunday, April 28, 2013: Fifth Sunday Of Easter
First Lesson: Acts (11:1-8)
Psalm 148, Page 805, BCP
Second Lesson: John (Revelation 21:1-6)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To John (13:31-35)
Suggested Readings For Th Week
Monday Acts 14:5-18; Tuesday Romans 12:1-21; Wednesday John 1:43-51; Thursday Romans 14:1-12; Friday Romans 14:13-23; Saturday Romans 15:1-13.

Sunday, April 21, 2013: Fourth Sunday Of Easter, Confirmation
First Lesson: Acts (9:36-43)
Psalm 23, Page 612, BCP
Second Lesson: John (Revelation 7:9-17)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To John (10:22-30)
Suggested Readings For the Week 
Monday Acts 2:14, 22-23; Tuesday Acts 2:36-41; Wednesday Acts 3:1-10; Thursday Acts 3:11-26; Friday Acts 4:1-12; Saturday Acts 4:13-21.

Sunday, April 14, 2013: Third Sunday Of Easter

First Lesson: Acts (9:1-6)

Psalm 30, Page 621, BCP

Second Lesson: John (Revelation 5:11-14)

The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To John (21:1-19)

Suggested Readings For The Week

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

Sunday, April 7, 2013: Second Sunday Of Easter
First Lesson: Acts (5:27-32)
Psalm 118:14-29, Page 761, BCP
Second Lesson: John (Revelation 1:4-8)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To John  (20:19-31)
Suggested Readings For The Week
Monday Hebrews 2:5-10; Tuesday 1 John 2:1-11; 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

From the Desk Of The Rector 

The church should be the place where burdens are lifted, wounds are healed, depression is dismissed, poverty is rebuked, joys are restored, lives are changed, the anointing is felt - having been touched by the fire of God - and God is in the midst. When we attend church, we should want an audience with the God who died for us, who blesses us, and who answers our prayers. We should want to meet where good news is being preached and not where gossip is being practiced. When we come to worship, we should come to the mercy seat if only to thank God and bless His name. Remember that church is not a spectator sport; and even if it were, God through His son Jesus christ is the spectator and not us. Therefore, give Him His due.

St. Monica's Website

To visit St. Monica's website CLICK HERE.

Directions To St. Monica's

For driving directions to St. Monica's, 3575 Main Street, Hartford CLICK HERE

Tea and Hat Parade

The Tea and Hat Parade will be Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. The cost is $10.00. Donations of sandwich items, flowers, and tea items are welcomed. 

Foodshare Walk Against Hunger

Foodshare's 30th Annual Walk Against Hunger will be Sunday May 5, 2013. The proceeds that St. Monica's from the Walk is important to our Food Pantry. The Pantry provides groceries to over 100 families each week. Every member is asked to make a personal donation and then ask friends, Family, colleagues and neighbors to donate. For additional information, see either Mavis Blackwood or Stephanie Lightfoot at the 8:00 a.m. service or either Denzil Ricketts or Pat Nelson at the 10:30 a.m. service.

Union Of Black Episcopalians Conference

The Union of Black Episcopalians will hold its North East Regional Conference on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at The Church of the Good Shepherd.  Good Shepherd is located at 155 Wyllys Street, Hartford. Keynote speaker is Bishop Barbara Harris. For more information see either Bates Lyons or Marion Hanson.

Union Of Black Episcopalians Annual Luncheon

The Hartford Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians hold its annual luncheon at the Chowder Pot Restaurant on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. Tickets are $45 for adult. See Dorothy Jackson, Marion Hanson or any other member of UBE for more information.

Food Pantry

Please continue to donate to the Ruth Small Food Pantry. Suggested items are canned or instant potatoes, canned meats (tuna, salmon, chicken(, canned sweet potatoes, soup, peanut butter,jelly and individual fruit cups. Thank you for your continued support.

Rescheduling Meetings

Fr. Davidson needs our cooperation if we wish to reschedule a meeting on Monday or Wednesday between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Fr. Davidson schedules interviews and pastoral counseling either before or after Prayer Meetings on Monday. He may also schedule interviews and pastoral counseling on Wednesday. He schedules events when there is no Bible Study. As a courtesy, please call Fr. Davidson to verify if he has anything schedule.

Activity Calendar

Weekly: 1) Mondays-Prayer meeting at 6:30 p.m. 2) Wednesday-Bible Study at 6:30 p.m.

Special Days (Weekly): 1) Wednesdays and Fridays-Food Pantry opens 10:00 a.m. to noon.

2) Every other Thursday-Pro's and Con's task Force at 6:30 p.m.

Special Says (Monthly): First Thursday-Stewardship committee at 6:30 p.m. 2) Second Thursday-Vestry Meeting 6:30 p.m. 3) Third Tuesday- Women of Valier 4) Third and fourth Saturday opens at 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. 5) First Saturday-Episcopal Church women (ECW) at 12:00 noon.

Birthday And Anniversary in April

Happy Birthday to: Winston Barnaby and Greta Jordan 1st; Kishuana Lightfoot 2nd; Elvida Montgomery 3rd; Ijeoma Nwazojie 6th; Kylee Lightfoot 8th; Carmen Garvey and Justin Hall 10th; Nicole Walters 11th; Donna Ricketts 13th; Maureen anderson 19th; Hattie Henry 21st; Norma O'Neil 22nd; April Elliott, Joan Jones, Andre Krauz, Denzil Ricketts and William Washington 23rd; Julio Anderson 26th; Ingrid Dupuy and Norma Ifill 28th.

Happy Anniversary to: The Garveys on the 10th; Nicholas and Marie Harvey 25th.

Our sympathy for William Washington
We extend sincere Christian sympathy to the family of William Washington who died last week. Mr. Washington was an usher at the 8:00 a.m. service and he volunteered with the Food Pantry. May he rest in peace.

Our Sympathy to Ms. Dorothy McLachlan

We extend sincere Christian sympathy to Ms. Dorothy McLachlan as she mourns the death of her sister. May she rest in peace.

In Memory for April

In Memory of: Florence Mursell, Mary Countryman and Earl Eyrich 1st; Audrey Martin and Thomas Owens 4th; Carrie Bobcock 5th; anna Fish 6th; Wilfred Jaell 8th; Phoebe Smith and Mabel Ramsey 12th; Marie Williams, silver Gardner and George Sadler 13th; James Boulden; Clinton Dowen 16th; Mabel Mitchell 17th; Theodore Canigen, James Weeks

and emma Walker 18th; Vernah Morgan 20th; Glendora Skeete 21st;  Georgiana Scott 22nd; David Murray 23rd; Anna Crawford 24th; Bevbal Atkins, Lillian Seymour and Clarence Williams 25th; Gertrud Elliott, Muril Callender and Victoria Naraine 28th; Christine Lambert and Llewellyn Hanson 30th.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Easter
The center of the church's year is Easter Day. It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead that lies at the center of Christian faith. The resurrection, St. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, is of "first importance" (15:3) because "if Christ had not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain" (15:14). Christ conquered death, enabling Christians to receive the gift of new life through their baptism into Christ's body. In the earliest days of the church, the first day of every week was a time to give thanks again for this gift since Jesus rose from death on a Sunday. Every Sunday therefore was a celebration of Easter. But no other day in the church year is quite like Easter with its array of flowers, special music, and full churches. It is the greatest day of the church year and the first day in what Christians call the "Queen of Season."

Source: Christopher L. Webber, Welcome to Sunday (Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing 2003) pp.53, 54.

Clergy

The Rev. Charles Davidson

Vestry Members

Carol Anderson, Cyrus Aimey (Junior Warden), Veronica Airey-Wilson, Joyce Asiedu, Winston Barnaby, Walter Benjamin (Senior Warden), Marie Brown-Harvey (Secretary), Patricia David, Evelyn Green, David Hickmon, Bates Lyons, Joe Noel, Evelyn Stewart, Terrie Thomas.

Music

Rochelle Holder - Youth Choir

Nathaniel Baker - Music Director/Organist

Rector Emeritus

Canon Cyril Burke

Email

monicahartford@gmail.com

THE BOOK CORNER

The Secret Life of Bees
By Sue Monk Kidd

This is one of those rare books where every sentence is literary genius. Add to that a story that is profound, moving and gripping and you have The Secret Life of Bees.

Lily's mother is dead. She lives a man she calls T. Ray because "daddy" is just too nice a word for someone like him. Rosaleen is brought in from the peach orchard to work as housekeeper and nanny the day that Lily's mother dies. On Lily's first day of school, T. Ray wants to make sure that Lily understands it was she who picked up the rifle on the floor as her parents fought; it was four year old lily who pulled the trigger and shot her mother dead - not him. "The police asked lots of questions, but it was just one of those things. You didn't mean to do it."

Set in the South on the 60's, Rosaleen and Lily escape the sure murder of Rosaleen for the audacity of wanting to register to vote. Lily escapes T. Ray, his absolute hatred for his own daughter and a temper that threatens murder.

This book reminds me of Flannery O'Connors work and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. 

"I realized it for the first time in my life: There is nothing but mystery in the world, how it hides behind the fabric of our poor, browbeat days, shining brightly, and we don't even know it."
Review by Terri J. Rice