Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

Reason #1,678 why I love the Episcopal Church: We like a good time.

Episcopal churches across are gearing up for Mardi Gras. We’ll spend the next six weeks of Lent in prayer and reflection; some will fast, others will make a sacramental confession. Regardless of how we prepare our hearts for Easter, this period is not known for its frivolity. 

But Mardi Gras or Carnival is all about fun – brightly colored masks, plates of pancakes taller than a 10-year-old, and good music.

Episcopalians in Long Beach have an opportunity to attend the First Annual Zydeco Mass and Mardi Gras Dance on Fat Tuesday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Dinner features good-for-the-soul (if not the body) foods as jambalaya, red beans and rice, and of course, King Cake. 

Celebrating Mardi Gras is old hat for the folks at St. Paul’s in Augusta, Georgia. They’ve enjoyed Cajun dinner and dancing for several years as part of their annual Mardi Gras event. And like good Episcopalians, they like to do good while they’re having fun. This year’s event raises money for mission and outreach. 

Members at Holy Trinity in Spokane, Wash., want to share the fun, so they’ve invited their neighbors at St. David’s to “Do something worth repenting … eat more Cajun food than is wise.” 

St. Anne’s, West Chester, a suburb of Cincinnati, is celebrating during its Sunday worship. They will bury the “Alleluias” New Orleans-style. A Dixieland Jazz band will assist parish musicians in leading a joy-filled celebration. The liturgy will end with church school children carrying out the Alleluia to be buried for a season until the proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection at the Easter Vigil. Talk about a great Second Line! 

I’d love to hear more ways that churches are celebrating Mardi Gras. Send in your stories, and we’ll post them next week. 

In the meantime … Laissez les bons temps rouler!