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The Shell Newsletter – April 30, 2020

From the Rector

New weekly Bible study begins next week

As I preached about last Sunday, in this time when we are fasting from the sacrament of holy communion because of social distancing measures, perhaps we are called to more fully feast on the sacrament of the Word.  It is my hope that by beginning a new weekly Bible study using Zoom we will be able to do just that together.

There are numerous ways to study scripture, from using books & devotionals (like we are with our Easter Way of Love Bible study), to focusing on a specific book from the Bible, to using a thematic arc across the breadth of scripture, to name just a few.

For our new Thursday Lunchtime Bible Study though, I thought it would be good for us to follow the Sunday lectionary.  It will be a opportunity to deepen our connection with the scripture that will anchor our worship.  And so each week I will choose one of the readings for the coming Sunday and we will spend an hour in reflection and discussion.

If you’re a Bible study pro, this is perfect for you.  If you’ve never studied scripture before, this is a great place to start.  And if you are worried about a weekly commitment, worry no more!  The great thing about a lectionary Bible study is that each week is fairly self-contained, so you can join in whenever it fits your schedule and your mood.

We will meet on Thursdays beginning 5/7 from 11:30 – 12:30.  Zoom information for the upcoming week will be included in the weekly Shell email, and a separate email on Wednesdays the day before.  You can also email me to receive the invite.  And feel free to invite friends and family!  One of the gifts of doing online activities is that people can join from near and far.

As we continue to live into the changes we’re experiencing because of this pandemic, I find myself more and more drawn to the opportunities that are popping up.  This Bible study is just one more way we are staying connected, staying church, and taking care of each other.

Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+

At Home Worship/Formation

Virtual Worship

  • Join us for Zoom Morning Prayer at 9:30 am followed by Coffee Hour this Sunday, or watch the livestream on YouTube.  A printable bulletin is available here.  Click here to download a children’s worship bulletin.
  • Virtual Compline services on Facebook are Monday through Friday at 8:30 pm.  You do not need to have a Facebook account to “attend” – just click here to participate.  While your at our Facebook page be sure to “follow” and turn on notifications so you will be alerted when we go live or post updated information.  Compline order of service
  • Easter Zoom Bible Study   Join the Way of Love 50 Day Bible Challenge.  Using the book of the same name, we are reading individually during the week, and gathering on Zoom Mondays at 7:00 pm to pray, reflect, and discuss the previous week’s readings together.  Email Kristin+ to sign up.

Resources:

For a complete listing of resources visit our At Home Worship/Formation page.

Boy Scouts

Be Prepared – that motto is the core of scouting. Scouting is a youth leadership program. While traditionally scouting is thought of as an outdoor program it is much more than that. When schools closed and Maryland Stay at Home orders were announced, we at Troop 829 shifted immediately to weekly meetings over Zoom and were one of the first units in the area to do so.  We have had two scouts earn new ranks participating in online reviews since then.

During the first six months since we started we grew from six scouts to 10. We renewed our troop charter in January earning gold status as a unit in just five short months. On March 1st we increased again as three new scouts transitioned from earning their Arrow of Light as Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts in our troop.

Six weeks ago, our scouting district started an online (virtual) Merit Badge Academy (Merit Badges are awards earned by members of the Boy Scouts of America, based on activities within the area of study by completing a list of periodically updated requirements).  Usually these are earned by individual study and in person review, in an in person class or troop meeting setting or at summer camp. As of last week, our troop of 13 scouts has started over 82 merit badges through that academy (2nd highest in the Carroll District, with the troop above us being over 50 scouts). Our scouts have learned about and are earning badges on topics like Public Health, Citizenship, Family Life, Personal Management, Mammal Study, Bird Study, Environmental Science, Radio, Theater, Cooking and Camping. We’ve also had a scout complete his project that is part of his pursuit for the rank of Eagle Scout that benefitted the church’s Thrift Shop (I hope to share more about this scout and his rank pursuit in the near future).

Make no mistake, we do not know what yet lies ahead. We do not know if our summer camp scheduled at the end of June will still happen.  We do not know if other summer activities that we have planned will occur or need to be postponed.  What we do know is we will adapt.  We will continue to grow and most importantly we will continue to have fun. From all of us at Troop 829, please continue to be safe and thank you for providing us a nurturing place that we call home.

Yours in Scouting and Service,
Bill Cunnane
Troop 829 Scoutmaster

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Parish Administrator Hours for the week of May 3, as needed from home.

Prayer Rotation Please join the Daughters of the King in praying for each parishioner in rotation during 2020 by taking this notice home and by posting it where it will remind you pray to on a daily basis for the needs and blessing of:

Steve and Rainey Stafford (Quinlan, Henry, William)
Donald and Carey Staley
Steve Stowell

A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting  you this week for special prayer requests.