To My Brothers and Sisters at St. Matthew's,

Grace and peace be with you!
       We began the very first day of this month with a rather serious service, Ash Wednesday, the gateway to Lent. It comes at a time when the woods are the grayest. The fallen leaves from last autumn are so bleached and faded that they seem more like broken shells. They're so fragile, they crumble and crunch with each footfall and seem to turn to ashes or dust, a reminder that we too came from dust and will return to dust. And the Ash Wednesday Service is a sobering experience because it too is a reminder of how fragile life is and that by our sins we deserve death. But as we confess our sins and pray for restoration, we are reminded that there is hope in God's grace. This past Sunday we read from Paul's letter to the Ephesians; God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ. Lent means "spring" and spring, we know, doesn't happen all at once. It is a season of metamorphosis: at first there's a sense of barrenness and despair, then the smallest signs of hope are sighted in the budding of a tree or the return of the robins. Sometimes a cold snap burns some of the new growth, but in time the world is changed by the rebirth of spring. So too Lent is a spiritual season; and through a time of introspection, repentance, prayer, study, the desire for change, getting through setbacks, and experiencing new growth, we too are transformed.

It was a perfect time for our Vestry retreat, and it was a retreat, not a business meeting. Though it was a Saturday and we were filled with other pressures, we left them behind and drove to Grace Point. It was a good place to get away from it all. The day was fabulous, with a clear deep blue sky, mild temperatures and daffodils, forsythia, quince, red maples and Bradford pears blooming everywhere.

After noonday prayer, we went exploring along the shoreline and up along the ridge trail, admiring God's creation and the signs of springand taking lots of pictures. When we returned to the meeting house, we shared our favorite Bible passages and then feasted. Following dinner we talked about the best and the worst things about this year and then we prayed for the church. We all agreed that the Art Camp last summer was the best thing. It showed us all how God helps us to work together as a team so we could share His love with others through outreach. We talked about how disharmony and miscommunication can really fragment the unity of the church and the peace therein. Eileen was sad that many of the old members have moved on, and Jack talked about how well we had pulled together in crisis and kept the church alive but that he was afraid that disillusionment and burnout were starting to take hold. We talked about being careful not to be overly critical and instead encourage one another. God has truly blessed us to have this little church and each other and it couldn't happen unless each person does his or her part, not by being "Marthas" and controlling everything, but by loving each other, being kind, giving thanks, being generous with time, talents and treasure and by praying. At the retreat, we spent a long time praying for the church and the most amazing thing happened! The following Sunday, the church had more people in it on a regular Sunday than it had in years. WOW!

It seems these past two years have been a Lenten season of sorts: a time of growth and rebirth for St. Matthew's. May we continue to grow and bloom as we reach out to others in the name of Christ.

Easter is right around the corner and with it comes Holy Week. We are working hard on Thursday evenings to make the banners for The Stations of the Cross. It is amazing how things have just fallen into place.

Please try to attend the services through Holy Week. It really sets the tone and helps prepare our hearts for the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday. We have started studying the Gospel according to Mark on Sunday mornings. It's an excellent time of fellowship and study. I hope you'll come and join us.

Thank you all for your hard work, for your fellowship and prayers!

Love in Christ Always,
Ellie

These are the guidelines the vestry used when we prayed for St. Matthew's:

• We gave thanks:
• for our church family
• for our church building
• for God's Love
• for all the love we share.
• We prayed for:
• Guidance
• Direction
• spiritual growth
• outreach
• strength to do God's work
• joy, cooperation, fellowship, and compassion
• ministries within the church
• our supply priests and our members
• those who are sick
• those who haven't been with us lately
• stewardship of church property, education, services, and for projects and programs