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A Christian community of all ages
grounded in
worship, well-being, and service.
| August 29 - September 4, 2026 | |
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From the Rector
Dear Friends,
As we kick off our new program year at St. Mary’s, our parish calendar is quickly filling up. From faith formation and Bible Study to choir rehearsals and community outreach - a wonderful, familiar energy is returning to our church lives. But before the autumn routine fully takes over, it is worth pausing to ask ourselves a foundational question: Why do we do all of this?
In the Gospels, Jesus gives us a radical job description: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
To understand what this means for us today, we can look to the beautiful tradition of Celtic spirituality. In the ancient Celtic world, when Christians carved the great stone crosses that still dot the landscapes of Ireland and Scotland, they didn't just carve a symbol of execution or solitary suffering. They added a distinct circle around the center.
That circle represents eternity, wholeness, and the complete, unbroken embrace of God's love.
For the Celts, the cross was the ultimate "thin place"—the exact intersection where the divine meets the ordinary details of our daily lives.
This fall we are going to share a focus on Celtic Christianity and spirituality. You will experience this emphasis in the adult education offerings, our music, the annual giving campaign and a Celtic concert in October. Next month I will head on a pilgrimage to Iona, a small island off the western coast of Scotland, to immerse myself in Celtic traditions and spirituality.
To "take up our cross" in a Celtic sense isn't about quietly enduring miserable burdens alone. It is a daily invitation to step into that circle of community, to lay down our separate, selfish agendas, and to join a shared pilgrimage.
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Kicking off a new year at St. Mary's isn't just about keeping church programs running. It is a collective commitment to step into the circle and pick up our crosses daily:
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It happens in our service: When we offer our time to a ministry or reach out to the wider community, weaving our unique threads into the larger tapestry of the parish.
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It happens in our worship: When we extend genuine grace, and love to a fellow member or a guest, remembering that the circle of God's love excludes no one.
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It happens in our quiet moments of prayer: When we look for the divine presence hidden in our ordinary, messy, everyday routines.
This year, let’s challenge ourselves not to be "busy" in this holy place, rather let us be active pilgrims on a journey together. Let’s look at every gathering whether it is worship or a planning meeting as a way to encounter Christ in our community.
Welcome back to a new program year of worship, well-being and service. May it be a sacred journey as we pick up our crosses and travel together.
Blessings,
Jennifer
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Weekly worship is on
Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and
Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Christian Meditation is weekly
on Saturdays, 4:00 - 4:45 p.m., Southside Classroom, Lower Level, Parish House
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Wednesday, 8.26 -- Pickleball, 6:00 p.m., Upper Parking Lot.
Saturday and Sunday, 8.29 & 8.30 -- Tickets go on sale for Newport Polo Charity Day following worship. Details below.
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Sunday, 8.30 -- Deadline to signup for Family Dinner, noon.
Details below. Signup to help revised link.
Wednesday, 9.2 -- Family Dinner, 6:00 p.m., St. George's Chapel. Details below.
Saturday, 9.5 -- Bites and Beverages, Following 5:00 service, Gathering Space.
Wednesday, 9.9 -- Pickleball, 6:00 p.m., Upper Parking Lot.
Friday, 9.11 -- Youth Ministry, 5;00 p.m., Gathering Space, Parish House.
Saturday and Sunday, 9.11 & 9.12 -- Welcome Weekend. Details below.
Sunday, 9.13 -- Children's Sunday School, 9:50 a.m., Lower Level, Parish House
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| Click on the image above for the service bulletin for this weekend. | |
Join us in worship at 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays or 10:00 a.m. on Sundays. The liturgical ministers for our worship services are listed in the bulletin.
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Worship on Sundays at 10:00 is live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. Use the comment section to say hello if you use Facebook.
You also can listen to the Gospel reading and sermon at your convenience on Apple Podcasts and Podbean. They are available by 6:00 p.m. on Monday.
We are trying to make better connections between those who are in person and those who are at home.If you miss worship on Sunday and just want to hear the sermon, you can listen to it online.
Prayer requests for individuals can be added to the prayers of the people for weekend worship and in the daily prayers of our prayer team by contacting Parish Administrator, Karen Laroche. We typically keep people in the prayers for one month.
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Our first event will be Family Dinner on Wednesday, September 2. Join us for a BBQ dinner and the opportunity to signup for Christian Formation for 2026/27. Be sure to RSVP for dinner by noon on Sunday, August 30. Also, if you'd like to help with the dinner, you can signup online to do so.
The youth group will regroup on Friday, September 11 at 5:00, and on Sunday, September 13 children's Sunday school will reconvene at 9:50.
If you'd like to know more, click on the "Grow in Faith" picture.
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The Parables of the
Kingdom
Our parish fall Bible study will begin on Friday, September 18 at 11 o’clock in the adult education room and continue through November 6.
All are welcome for any and all sessions. We will be exploring the gospel parables of Jesus about the Kingdom of God based on a study by Dallas
Willard entitled The Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with
God. The book is available through the parish office or from other booksellers. The syllabus is available online.
If you have questions, contact Greg Prior.
Please signup online for the class.
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The Welcome Committee and St. Mary’s leaders are preparing to welcome new members to the church!
We will be hosting a welcome dinner on Saturday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. for all new adult members. At both services that weekend we will recognize our new members and pray for them as they sign the baptismal register.
If you are new and are interested in becoming a member of the church, please contact Nancy Kimble for more information.
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No, St. Mary's hasn't opened the back field to polo or bought a polo pony, but we are planning on having a presence at the Newport Polo annual Charity Day event on Sunday, September 13.
All non-profits are invited to participate. Each non-profit sells their own tickets to the game and gets to keep 100% of their proceeds, and St. Mary's proceeds will go to support the church's outreach. Also, it is a great way for St. Mary’s congregation to socialize as well as a wonderful way to evangelize to demonstrate to the community what a engaging group we are!
Tickets are $25 each, and children under 15 are free. Some free tickets are available, and you can ask for "one of Jennifer's tickets" if needed. We will be selling tickets after each worship service, and Karen will also have them in the office. We will have a reserved spot so we can all sit together. We are asking members to bring an appetizer or dessert to share. If you want to bring more food for yourself, feel free to do so. It will be BYOB.
There is no rain date, so pray for good weather. So, buy a ticket,
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grab a chair, bring an appetizer or dessert, and come join the fun! Invited your family and friends. The more the merrier!
If you have questions, please contact Sheila Collins.
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SAVE THE DATE!
The Annual St. Mary's Day of Service will be on Wednesday, September 30.
We will be providing and serving a familystyle meal to the clients of the MLK Center in Newport. There will be many opportunities to help including: baking desserts at home, purchasing food items, preparing food in St. Mary's kitchen, serving the meal at the MLK Center and clean-up.
Watch eNews for the opportunity to sign-up to assist with this wonderful event.
Contact Lynn Carlson if you have questions or want to help.
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Communication & Other Announcements | |
Have an announcement?
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