Gift of Lent
We Invite You to God’s Chosen Fast

Matthew 25 Initiative

Anglican Relief and
Development Fund
Isaiah 58:6–8
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free…
to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn”
Prayer

of the Trinity Mission
April 17
Giving

Ciudad Nueva
M25i grant recipient Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach seeks to embody the gospel of Jesus Christ by advancing the renewal and development of central El Paso’s Rio Grande neighborhood through the empowerment and transformation of its residents. They want to interrupt cycles that ensnare in poverty and despair. They aspire to cultivate hope and an environment where kids, families, and the community are empowered to move toward a successful future where these statistics are no longer a reality.
Brazil
For this ARDF project, the diocese will renovate a multi-purpose gym in Pernambuco that will serve members of the community and complement House of Hope’s outreach programs. The current gym lacks a roof, exposing users to the rain or tropical sun. With the renovated space, the Diocese of Recife will be able to offer programs that boost the lives of community members. Services will include support groups and prenatal care for teen and single mothers as well as an after school program for children.Stories
Today:
Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church
christtheredeemernampa.com
Posted on: Thursday, February 15, 2018
“Is not this the fast that I choose… to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
There are few burdens so heavy and so difficult to explain as the loss of a child before he or she ever takes a breath. Yet, one in four women will suffer a known miscarriage or stillbirth.
Six years ago, James and Stephanie Robledo were excitedly making space in their home and hearts for a new baby, when misgivings sent them to their doctor for a checkup. They remember the blur of faint hope, fear, and confusion until the doctor soberly announced, “You’ve lost the baby.”
Anyone who has heard those words knows the momentary inability to make sense of them, or to receive other well-meaning comments like, “These things happen,” or “You can try again.” As James and Stephanie were sharing their pain with another couple, they began wondering aloud: What could offer real comfort? What could begin to loosen the straps of the yoke and free families from the oppression of unexpressed grief?
From those conversations, they joined together in David’s Hope Pregnancy Loss Ministry. David’s Hope began by helping families acknowledge that in a miscarriage, parents have suffered the loss of a life and of a particular hope. Through the gift of “memory boxes,” which contain a Certificate of Life along with small gifts, the ministry provides tools to make concrete the often unnamed and unarticulated hope that has been cut short. Like a fear that has been named and lost its terror, this concretizing of grief is a way to begin healing.
Through the boxes, David’s Hope has become known for understanding this unique loss and connecting families with the One who knows and heals every hurt. When they could be enjoying entertainment or relaxing on a weekend, these Redeemer parishioners pour out their lives, time, and resources to provide counseling, visit hospitals, conduct memorials, and share wisdom with pastors who feel inadequate to comfort their grieving parishioners. They are living the fast, undoing the straps of the yoke.
Today:
Johnne Donne
Posted on: Friday, March 30, 2018
O Savior, as thou hang'st upon the tree;I turn my back to thee, but to receiveCorrections, till thy mercies bid thee leave.O think me worth thine anger, punish me,Burn off my rusts, and my deformity,Restore thine Image, so much, by thy grace,That thou may'st know me, and I'll turn my face.—John Donne, from "Good Friday 1613, Riding Westward"
Art Spotlight

Still Life with Grape Juice and Sandwiches (Xenia)

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