Next Meeting: Tuesday March 3, 7-9 : Isaiah 58

Here's part of the text from Isaiah, Chapter 58 that we'll be looking at this week, and relating it to some of the sayings of Jesus in Matthew 25.   It comes up just as we're being given an opportunity to participate in a service project, so it should be an appropriate time an way to study and pray with this chapter.  We have also been invited to join members of Holy Comforter in collecting groceries for families in need in the Fairfax area through an organization called "Our Daily Bread." Most needed items include:

Canned fruits, Juice/juice boxes, Pasta sauce (plastic jars or cans), Rice, Dinner kits, Macaroni and cheese

Crackers/cookies, Toilet paper, Shampoo/conditioner, Toothpaste, Coffee/tea.

Please do some shopping and bring what you can Tuesday night.  There are also opportunities to help with packing and delivering food to families this weekend. Let me know if you're interested-  and we'll have more info on Tuesday.

Hope to see many of you at our gathering this Tuesday evening! 

. . . . . . 

Pancakes for Mardi Gras! -Tuesday Feb 17, 7:30 at IHOP

So the consensus seems to be that the group will meet for pancakes at IHOP, on Blake Lane in Fairfax --     At 7:30 Tuesday evening, February 17.

Why pancakes?  Why "Shrove Tuesday?" As we discussed last time, this is an old custom in northern European Christian churches, especially (the southern celebration being "Mardi Gras" or "Fat Tuesday") -- the old custom was that during Lent  people would fast from meat, fat, eggs and dairy products -- so the night before Ash Wednesday, when Lent began,  was a time to have a great feast to use up all those ingredients that would not be consumed during Lent.  Hence pancake suppers on Shrove Tuesday. (It's called Shrove Tuesday after the word "shrive/shriven" -- meaning to be given forgiveness and absolution from one's sins, referring to the Catholic custom of making a confession the day before Lent begins in preparation for the season of penitence.  

Meeting this Tuesday February 3 7-9PM

Hi everyone - hoping to see many of you  this Tuesday evening, 7-9 as usual, for light refreshments, Bible study, prayer, and good time together.   At Rodman House on the grounds of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church (see earlier post for directions in case you've forgotten).  We'll be continuing our study of conversations between the book of Isaiah and the New Testament, looking at what's known as the "First Servant Song" in Isaiah 42 and where that takes us (I like to read all of Isaiah 42-43 for context  and recommend this if you have time to read ahead a little!)  We'll see what this passage has to say to us, both about the experience of Israel as the "people of God," trying to work out what that meant after a time of great struggle,  and also what it has to say to us as Christians