The first Sundays of April and the week in between honor the holiest days of the church year. Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus' triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem with the blessing and distribution of palms. Hymn #154 captures the excitement with the words, "All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer, King! To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring." We hear, "Do this in remembrance of me" as we celebrate the institution of the Holy Communion. On Thursday evening everyone is invited for a Passover Fellowship Meal in the Parish House honoring the time our Lord gathered his disciples for his last meal with them. Good Friday remembers the seven words from the cross. Most poignant are, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." The gift of the day is our Lord forgiving our sins and giving his life so we might have new life ourselves. Easter is the day of the celebration of our Lord and his victory over sin and death. Festive celebrations of the Holy Eucharist are marked with the choir at both services and The Archbishop of Uganda (retired) as the preacher. Between the services, there will be coffee and the opportunity to learn more about the Church in Uganda and the Aids crisis that has devastated that country. Please join us for as many services and events as you can.

FROM THE RECTOR

Dear Parishioners,

We are privileged to have The Most Reverend Livingstone M. Nkoyoyo, retired Archbishop of Uganda as the preacher at both Easter Day services. He will also preach at the joint Ware and Abingdon Good Friday service at Abingdon Parish Church. The bishops of the African Church are known for their vibrant faith and witness and preaching gifts.

Over the years the Archbishop has concerned himself with the problem of Aids. There is a whole generation growing up in Uganda who have lost their parents to this disease. Thousands of children are orphans and need homes, food, schooling, health care, and religious instruction. They need the care that parents give their children. The Ugandan clergy have opened their homes to as many children as they possibly can care for. The offerings taken at the Easter Services will be given to assist with growing disaster in Africa.

Please join the Archbishop for coffee beginning at 9:30 a.m. to meet one of the leaders of the Anglican Communion and to learn more about the needs in east Africa.

Faithfully yours,
Peter Worthington

VESTRY NEWS

The Vestry of Ware Church will meet Tuesday, April 13th at 7:30 p.m. All meetings are open to the congregation. The meeting minutes and monthly financial report are posted on the Parish Hall bulletin board. Should you have questions, please telephone or speak to one of the Vestry members.

PRAYER CHAIN MEETS - April 14th

The Ware Church Prayer Chain will gather for fellowship, prayer and the Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 14th in the Parish House Chapel. The group prays for friends and members of Ware. For prayer requests, please call Jane Van Leeuwen at 693-3500, Bruce Forsberg at 776-7734 or Anne Clark at 693-4026.

In addition to offering prayer for the joys and concerns of the church, the Prayer Chain begins with less formal celebrations of the Holy Eucharist with various members writing prayers more suitable for the group's worship. New members are always welcome to join this important work of the church.

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

GRAPEVINE DEADLINE FOR MAY - Thursday, April 15th

FOOD PANTRY INGATHERING

Bring canned and boxed food items, paper products, etc. to church on Palm Sunday, April 4th. Anne Dyal will take all the items to the Salvation Army to be distributed.

EPISCOPAL YOUTH

The Ware Episcopal Youth Committee, open to all members, 7th - 12th grades, usually meets the 2nd Sunday of each month. In April, due to Easter, join us April 18th at 9:40 a.m. The Youth thank all who supported their Potato Bar Project and the Talent Show.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS SUNDAY, APRIL 4TH

Set your clocks forward one hour before you go to bed Saturday night, April 3rd. That way you won't be embarrassed by being late for church on Sunday, April 4th, the first day that Daylight Savings Time is in effect.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR GOOD FRIDAY

The office will be closed on Good Friday, April 9th.

GIVING STATEMENTS

In an effort to save postage, the giving statements for the first quarter of 2004 are on the church porch. Please pick yours up and check it for errors or needed corrections. Call the church office if you have any questions about your statement.

FAMILY ROOM

The Family Room continues to be a source of delight for children and parents alike. This co-operative free playgroup for preschool children meets in the Parish House Tuesday - Thursday, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. during the school year.

To supplement The Family Room, parents have group fund-raisers. The yearly Yard Sale is Saturday, June 5th. New families are always welcome to join us for singing, playing, learning, support, companionship and fun.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN BOOK CIRCLE

The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Book Circle will meet Thursday, May 6th at 12:30 p.m. at Nell Jones' home. The book that will be discussed is "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd. It is available in paperback and hardcover at area bookstores and the library. If you are planning to attend, please call Nell Jones at 693-5632 by Tuesday, May 4th to let her know you are coming.

The Episcopal Church Women of Wicomico Parish, Wicomico Church, VA are hosting the Region II ECW Spring Meeting on Wednesday, April 7th. Sharon Baldacci, a Northern Neck resident and ECW member, will be speaking about her first novel A Sundog Moment. The book is being released this month in bookstores nationwide. (A Sundog moment is a moment when differing circumstances that you cannot control suddenly tie together, creating a definitive moment of faith. How her book came to be published is a true Sundog moment.)

Bring a sandwich for your lunch and then stay for the Holy Eucharist. The Very Rev. Dr. W. Scott Dillard, Rector and Dean, Region II will be offering the Holy Eucharist. For more information, call Dolly Rabalais, President, ECW Region II. Her number is 804-435-3869.

SEDER PASSOVER FELLOWSHIP MEAL FOR THE CONGREGATION

Ware Church is hosting a Passover Fellowship Meal on Thursday, April 8th at 6:30 p.m. in the parish house. This activity re-enacts the Passover through liturgy, tradition and the breaking of bread. Eveyone is invited to contribute to the community meal. Suggested items are cheeses, fruits, vegetables, lamb or other meats, eggs, salad, nuts and lentils. Foods traditionally excluded in a Passover meal are pork, leavened bread, shellfish and meat dishes cooked with dairy. Being Lent, dessert will not be served. Everyone is welcome, especially children and guests.

SHRINEMONT

The Diocese of Virginia offers wonderful summer camp programs at Shrinemont - the diocesan conference center in Orkney Springs just east of West Virginia and north of Harrisonburg. There are camp sessions for soccer, the arts, music and drama, and regular summer camp sessions.

Some of the camps may still have openings. All sessions of the Music and Drama Camp have openings for boys and Session I of the Art Camp has openings for boys. Apply by call 1-800-DIOCESE, accessing the web site at http://camps.thediocese.net or pick up an application in the church office.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

The new church directory is in its final stages of being edited for errors. Any changes in your address, phone number or e-mail (if you want it in the directory) should be in the church office by Sunday, April 11th. If the office has your current e-mail address but you do not want it included in the directory, please inform the Parish Administrator know. Thank you to those who have provided their current e-mail addresses and to those who let the office know of phone and address changes.

Easter Lilies for Ware Church

Every Easter Ware Church is adorned with lilies that have been given in memory of the loved ones of the parish. Lilies are one of many Biblical flowers that grew in the Galilean hills. They have long been associated with Mary, the mother of Jesus at the time of the Annunciation and with the Resurrection.

To celebrate the joy of Easter, Ware Church will be filled with these beautiful plants on either side of the cross and the church windows. To give one or more plants in memory of your loved ones, please contact the church office. Plants are $8.00 each. Have your check to the church by April 5th. (Last month's newsletter erroneously listed the 7th.)

+ + + + + + + + MUSIC NOTES + + + + + + + +

Junior and Senior choirs Combine to Sing on Easter Sunday

Both choirs will join forces for a special Easter anthem by Natalie Sleeth, "Christ Is Arisen, Indeed" for the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Each choir has been working separately on the piece throughout the months of February and March. Before singing it in church, the choirs will need one rehearsal to put the music together. That rehearsal is Wednesday, April 7th at 6:15 p.m. On that day, the Junior Choir will have an "upside down" rehearsal, with their snack and game beginning at 5:30 p.m. They will meet the Senior Choir at 6:15 p.m. in the church. Parents are asked to pick up Junior Choir members from the church, not the parish house on that evening. Senior Choir, note that this is a 15-minute rehearsal that will begin promptly at 6:15 p.m. and end promptly at 6:30 p.m. We have a lot of work to accomplish in a very short time!

Ware Ringers Prepare for Palm Sunday and Easter

The Ware Ringers will provide the postlude for Palm Sunday. They will also play a celebratory prelude for both the 8:30 and 10:30 Easter morning services. We want the bells to look beautiful and shiny for Easter morning, and that means polishing! On Wednesday, April 7th, beginning at 6:30 p.m., we'll have a picnic supper followed by a rehearsal and a bell-polishing session. Ringers are asked to bring a sandwich and drink for themselves as well as a picnic food item to share that evening. (Food items to share might be chips, brownies, cupcakes, cut veggies, etc.)

Senior Choir and Ware Ringers Pull Double Duty on Easter Morning

Once again this year the Senior Choir and Ware Ringers will be providing music for both Easter morning services. Between the services, the members of both choirs will treat themselves to a potluck casual breakfast in the kitchen of the parish house. Members are asked to bring their favorite breakfast casseroles, fruit salads, muffins and bagels. This is always the best Easter breakfast in town!

FOUR VESTRY MEMBERS ATTEND STEWARDSHIP CONFERENCE

The Diocese of Virginia held its annual Stewardship Conference on February 28th at Trinity Church in Fredericksburg. Tom Hay, Phil Morton, Rip Radcliffe and Nancy Wilson attended the day-long event. The speaker, Terry Parsons, gave the audience some good laughs as well as some thought-provoking ideas on how a church should plan its mission of stewardship. There were small groups discussions about how some individual churches developed meaningful programs.

Stewardship has often been equated with the monetary aspect of being a church member. Most of us think of tithing and the 10% of the money that we give back to God. In return, he insists that we keep 90% of our blessings. However, stewardship of tithing of time and talent is equally important.

Stewardship is a lifestyle of being thankful to God for His gifts. We find personal ways to offer Him our "time, treasure and talents." Growing into a lifestyle of stewardship is a mission that each of us would find satisfying.

The entire program was well done and inspired us with new concepts on the meaning of stewardship. Since that day those who attended plus Sara Delo, Pete Roane, and Karen Ward have met to discuss our impressions and to plan for the continuation of stewardship at Ware. It is the intention of the Vestry to develop programs in which all the communicants of Ware can more completely participate in the tithing of their time, treasure and talents. We hope to make this a year-round program or series of events that will help us all to have a deeper understanding of how to respond to God's abundance.

CONFIRMATION AND RECEPTION

The Right Reverend Francis Campbell Gray, Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia will be at Ware Church Sunday, November 14 for his regular visitation. Classes for those wishing to be confirmed or received in the Episcopal Church will begin in the September. In Confirmation, the bishop acknowledges one's faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and one's desire to follow and obey Him. One is usually twelve or older when they are confirmed.

Ware Church also has people join by transfer from other denominations. The bishop recognizes the faith journey that was begun in another tradition and then receives them into the Episcopal Church. Ware Church always rejoices when one becomes part of this congregation. To join, call the office at 693-3821 to transfer your membership or arrange for a baptism.

Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter Day Schedule

Folding Palms Immediately following Children's Chapel at 9:30 a.m. Learn how to fold a palm into a cross and keep it until next year.

Wednesday, April 7th
Holy Eucharist In the Chapel at 10 a.m.

Maundy Thursday, April 8th
Holy Eucharist In the Chapel at 10 a.m.
A Seder Supper for the Congregation In the Parish Hall at 6:30 p.m.

Good Friday Good Friday Service, April 9th
Abingdon Parish at Noon
The Most Rev'd Livingstone M. Nkoyoyo, Archbishop of Uganda, retired Guest Preacher

Saturday, April 10th
Easter Egg Hunt at Toddsbury at 3 p.m.

Toddsbury is east of Ware Church off Route 14. Turn onto Toddsbury Lane and go to the road's end. Activities include prizes, an Easter Bonnet Parade and a special guest!

Festive Easter Celebration of the Holy Eucharist - 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The Most Rev'd Livingstone M. Nkoyoyo, Archbishop of Uganda, retired, Guest Preacher

Flowering of the Cross - 9:30 a.m.
Please bring lots of flowers from your garden. The Sunday School will decorate the cross.

Lenten Mite Box Offering

Have you been filling your mite boxes with coins and folding money? Bring them to church to be included in the Easter offering. This year the Mite Box offering will be sent to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund. The Episcopal Relief and Development Fund made its maximum grant to the Gloucester Samaritans to help those devasted by Hurricane Isabel.