St. Joseph of the Pines Announces 2019 Lenten Journey Series

March 1, 2019

St. Joseph of the Pines invites the public to join its residents on a Lenten journey that includes simple suppers and reflections by community leaders on ways in which we can experience God’s love more fully.

“Our Lenten series has an outstanding lineup of speakers this year,” said Lori Portfleet, president at St. Joseph of the Pines. “Each of our speakers has a unique message that will appeal to people of all ages.”

The journey begins March 21 as the Rev. John Jacobs, pastor at The Village Chapel in Pinehurst, reflects on “Relating to Our Kids when They Become Parents (or Grandparents)!”

“I am very interested in what Rev. Jacobs has to say because my husband and I will become grandparents for the first time in June,” Portfleet said. “We are looking forward to our ‘new’ relationship with our son and his family.”

The four-week series will then continue each Thursday through April 11 in the Fordham Room at Belle Meade in Southern Pines. Each program begins at 5:30 p.m. with a simple supper, followed by a 40-minute talk at 6 p.m. that ends with a question-and-answer session.

Subsequent speakers include:

• John Dempsey, president at Sandhills Community College, will reflect on “Stewardship of the Mind – Make Good Use of What’s Left” on March 28. Dempsey, who has been president since 1989, has duties that range from planning and directing the operations of the college to teaching a freshman course in American politics.
• Bishop Luis Zarama, of the Diocese of Raleigh, will explore “Pilgrims in a Foreign Land – Finding Peace on the Far Side of 80″ on April 4. Zarama is the first Hispanic and Latino bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh, the first Bishop of Raleigh to have been born outside the United States, and the first Colombian to lead a Catholic diocese in the United States.
• Mike Macchiavello, a 2018 NCAA wrestling champion at North Carolina State University, will discuss “Grandmother, God and a National Championship” on April 11. Macchiavello is just the second North Carolina native to ever win an NCAA wrestling individual title.

Dempsey, who has been president at SCC since 1989, said he is going to tell his story “through the eyes of Alexander Hamilton,” one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

“How do you take advantage of what’s left by employing the focus and energy that Alexander Hamilton applied to his life?” Dempsey said. “His approach to life was to drain every minute he had out of all the things that he was given.”

Dempsey added that attendees will also be getting a bargain versus attending the Broadway musical Hamilton.

“People can come to the Lenten series at Belle Meade and save themselves $997.97 instead of paying $1,000 in New York,” he said.

The Lenten series is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Please RSVP to the Belle Meade concierge at (910) 246-1003.

For more information, please call (910) 246-3125.

St. Joseph of the Pines is an aging services network offering a full continuum of retirement housing, health care and community-based services for older adults as well as community outreach to those in need. It is a Trinity Health Senior Community continuing the legacy of the Sisters of Providence.