“Embracing Life - Breaking Through The Illusions”
...Ron Joki and Anna Lucas, hosts
Prayer Service on Wednesday, March 7, 2001

With a background of flute music, soft lights, and candlelight, one by one and two by two they came upstairs from the comraderie experienced at the soup supper and entered the church to settle in for the Lenten Prayer Service which began with a gracious welcome given by Ron Joki.

Approximately 230-250 people attended this Lenten weekly service that was graced by the warm and mellow voice and guitar of Steve Kremer.

The prayer service continued the “brokenness” theme, which is the connecting thread that will be woven at each of these prayer services every Wednesday through Easter Sunday. The original prayer by Anna Lucas spoke of our need to strengthen our openness to life. Ron’s reflection was rich with his personal story of brokenness in his life as he related what the loss of four people in his life meant to him. A poignant reminder to us that each of our journeys may be filled with a myriad of experiences that we must welcome - all of them - not just the joy, but the sorrows as well.

The “new” beatitudes of blessing were punctuated with the strongly sung response:

The fitting music began with “All This Joy” and ended with the lively “Put Your Hand In the Hand (of the man who stilled the water)…” The now familiar Lenten prayer we sing each Sunday during Lent was used as a response to the scripture reading from Corinthians and reiterated the strong theme as stated above as we sang…

After the service, about 40 people remained for the discussion led by the dynamic friend of St. Joan’s, theologian and teacher, Tom Orzechowski. His chosen subject, “A New Look at Jesus” began with stunning revelations about ourselves and our place in the big picture. In depth descriptions of who we are and who Jesus was were discussed. It was made obvious to us that we received just a taste of what is to come in the next four weeks as we continue on this path with the effervescent Tom O (as we who can’t pronounce his name affectionately refer to him). Tom referred several times to the current Lenten theme and the previous prayer service and assured us that, “all life is a gift”.

I invite you to come not only for the soup “n” prayer but also for the discussion led by this gifted and learned teacher. The price is right, it’s open to all and you may be surprised how much you enjoy it. In the meantime, ponder this bit of wisdom from Tom: “The question is not how many seeds in an apple, but how many apples in a seed?”

Soup Suppers/Lenten Prayer Services occur every Wednesday evening through Lent. Suppers begin at 6 pm and goodwill offerings are accepted. Prayer Services start at 7 pm. You are also invited to stay for the discussion sessions when you are able. They begin at 7:30 pm.

Joann Potts is a retired music and English teacher and 30 year member of St. Joans. She enjoys working with Anna Vagle each week. She is "in charge" of doing those slides you see at church each Sunday and for preparing the music sheets for the musicians. JoAnn and her husband Jim will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 2001 and are proud of their family of five children and eight grandchildren. Her hobbies include singing, playing her digital piano, writing her memoirs, reading, writing poetry, entertaining friends, visiting the North Shore and ballroom dancing with Jim.

Edie Kalweit has been a St. Joan of Arcer for 23 years now. Now that her children are grown, there is time to participate more fully in activities taking place at St. Joan's.