Dear Ones,

We have entered Lent with a smudge of ashes and the words “You are dust and to dust you shall return.” Ash Wednesday is a day on which we look at our mortality and begin to consider a season of difficult things that Jesus faced. Lent is a season that begins with the story of Jesus facing temptations in the wilderness and ends with His death on the cross. While we may not face these particular difficulties, we too face difficult issues and difficult times in life – both as individuals and as a congregation. We face such a time now as a congregation as we struggle with paying bills and declining attendance. In times like these, our faith in God can sustain us, helping us through and reaching beyond the time of trouble. Let us seek to learn what can be learned through the struggles and move ahead in our walk with God as we do. To that end, keep praying for your leadership, clergy and vestry, that they may have wisdom and discernment and also pray for God’s gracious provision for our needs, both spiritual and temporal.

With all of this in mind, I offer to you the latter part of Joel chapter 2 for your contemplation. We read an earlier portion of this chapter on Ash Wednesday this year.

I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten - the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm - My great army that I sent among you. ~ Joel 2:25

God brings about both the good and the bad. The seasons of famine have a divine purpose in our lives. They accomplish things that only these hard places can accomplish. But there is a time when those hard places have accomplished their purpose and He begins to restore. God did this with the nation of Israel after a season of famine and devastation.

Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten - the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm - My great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will My people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will My people be shamed" (Joel 2:23-27).

God wants each of us to know that there is a time when He will restore in order to demonstrate His gracious hand in our lives. He is a loving Father who tenderly guides His children through the difficult places. As God is taking us through a time of leanness, know that He is the restorer of that which the locusts have eaten. Depend upon Him in this time. Speak to Him in prayer often and then wait patiently for Him to bring this about in our lives and our life together. He will do it.

Your faithful sheepdog,

Jim+

TREASURER’S REPORT

JANUARY 2010

Ordinary income for the month of January was $11,930.64 (budget $11,325.00); we were blessed by a bequest from Fr. Jim Chipps of $10,013.15 for our building fund, and $240.00 was contributed for the benefit of the victims of the Haiti earthquake; total income was $22,183.79. Expenses totaled $11,558.21 (budget $11,325.00), resulting in ordinary income for the month of $372.43.

Please continue to pray for Grace Church that it will grow spiritually, financially and numerically. If anyone has any questions regarding this report or any financial matter, please feel free to contact me. Judy Ball

Treasurer

Wonderful Wednesdays in Lent

Each Wednesday in March, we will join with the good people of St. James, Warrenton for dinner, evening prayer and a time of teaching at St. James. The schedule will be as follows:

Lenten Supper at 5:30

Evening Prayer at 6:15

Study at 7pm – Bob Seiple – former President of World Vision International

St. James Episcopal Church

73 Culpeper St., Warrenton, VA

Folks who wish to carpool can plan to meet at the Parish Hall and travel together.

Summary of Jim’s ministry in January of 2010:

In January I made 8 home visits, 6 hospital visits, met with 7 people in my office and had 18 “other” visits by phone or some other place and officiated at the graveside portion of the funeral for The Rev. James D. Chipps. I prepared for and led our annual congregational meeting and served as celebrant and preacher at St. Andrew’s, Ada on the same day. I attended the annual Diocesan Council meeting in Richmond, the Region 13 Clericus (clergy) meeting and a monthly clergy colleague group that meets in the Chancellorsville area. In addition to all of this I attended drill one Saturday for the Virginia Defense Force, in which I serve as a chaplain, and made 3 hospital visits to VDF members.

Grace Church March 2010

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

11:00 AM Senior Center

Worship 9 AM

Daylight Savings Time begins

7:00 Vestry Meeting

*Jeremy Jacobs

*Andrea Warren

11:00 AM Senior Center

Ruritan Dinner

7:00 pm

Worship 9 AM

Grace Notes deadline

*Charlie Dawson

Senior Center 11:00 AM

*Ronnie Shipe

Worship 9 AM

Senior Center 11:00 a.m.

*Carol Goshorn

*Barbara Whitbred

Worship 9 AM

Palm Sunday

*Stephanie Butler

Healing Service 5 PM

Senior Center 11:00 a.m.

* = Birthday #Anniversary

Grace Church Serving Schedule -- March 2010

Date

Svc

Day

Lessons

Lector

Acolyte

Altar

Coffee Hosts

Mar 7

9:00

Lent 3

Psalm 63:1-8

Exodus 3:1-15

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Luke 13:1-9

Dee Garrett

Jack Perry

Charlotte Perry

Judy Ball & Barbara Whitbred

Mar 14

9:00

Lent 4

Psalm 32

Joshua 5:9-12

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Judy Ball

Doris

Pearson

Mignonne

Spellmeyer

Sue Ballentine

Mar 21

9:00

Lent 5

Psalm 126

Isaiah 43:16-21

Philippians 3:4b-14

John 12:1-8

Pam

Ruffner

Madell Day

Doris

Pearson

Mary Neal

Mar 28

8:00

Palm

Sun.

Psalm 31:9-16

Isaiah 50:1-9a

Philippians 2:5-11

:uke 23:1-49

Betsy

Anderson

Jack Perry

Betsy

Andersons

Mignonne Apellmeyer & Dee Garrett

Apr 4

9:00

Easter

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Acts 10:34-43

1 Corinthians 15:19-26

John 20:1-18

B. Gould-thorpe

Doris Pearson

Carol

Goshorn

Karen & Jimmy Walton

Sunday School Teacher Schedule

Mar 7 Dale Cirillo

Mar 14 Mary Neal

Mar 21 Charlotte Perry

Mar 28 Betsy Anderson

Apr 4 Amy Vasbinder

Non Profit Organization

U. S. POSTAGE

PAID

Casanova, VA 20139

Permit No. 1

GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Rev. James Cirillo, Rector

P.O. Box 18

Casanova, VA 20139

(540) 788-4419

Website: gracechurchcasanova.org

Services every Sunday at Grace Church on Route 602 in Casanova at 9:00 AM, followed by a coffee fellowship and Sunday School for all ages in the Family Center near the church.