Dragon Tales for September 25, 2019

Dragon Tales E-News

October 2, 2019

A Note from Pat

Last winter, as a Grants Liaison, I was assigned to a non-profit organization called The Club at Collington Square. “The Club” had been sponsored by The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland; however, it quickly outgrew the resources of the diocese and now is overseen by Smart City Baltimore.

Their mission is to provide after-school care for elementary and middle school children in East Baltimore. “The Club” can care for 100 children and has a waiting list of 50 more. These children live in a section of Baltimore that experiences violence and drug addiction on a regular basis.

After seeing what the staff accomplishes with the children in the cramped renovated quarters of four tiny rowhouses, I was honored to work with them to present their case for a grant. Thankfully, the Grants Committee recommended them for a $10,000 grant to help with operating costs and the vestry agreed.

I shared my story with the St. Margaret's Women’s Guild who wanted to support “The Club” with donations of supplies for cleaning, crafts, etc. Recently, I filled up my SUV with donations from the Women’s Guild and some of our parishioners who are teachers. The Director of “The Club” said the donations were like Christmas gifts. She said at this time the organization was particularly stressed as two of her staff narrowly missed being in a nearby store shooting. She also had to help one of her students locate his mother—who was found in a “crack house.”

I know that these children are not a part of our immediate community, but as someone told me “God dropped these children in our lap, and we will prayerfully work to support them in any way we can."

NOTE: The grants program at St. Margaret's is taken from an endowment fund left as a gift from Ed and Zoe Hall to the parish years ago. At times, we have had to limit the amount of grant funding available if we need to use that funding for operating expenses. This is why the current stewardship program and pledging is so important. Church leaders need to know what to expect in parishioner giving for the 2020 program year so the endowment fund and the grants program will or will not be affected.

Christine Duray Feldmann shared this information in church this Sunday.

Stewardship 2019

Just like giving of your time and talents, whether it be attending a service, participating in a missions program, or taking part or even leading a formation class, regularly giving funds to the church is also very important to the St. Margaret's community. We have tried to make that effort as easy as possible. Now we are in need of all members/families of the church to provide our leaders with an estimate of what you will be giving in total next year so that we can present a budget for 2020. The Stewardship Committee is challenging parishioners to increase their giving 7% from last year.

If you would like to see what you pledged last year and where your current amount of giving is, you can use Realm if you have logged in. Just go into your account and click the "Giving" tab.

Please give us an idea of what you will be financially giving in the year 2020 by filling out a pledge. You can click on the link above to pledge online or fill out a card by hand (mailed and in pews) and put it in the collection plate or drop it off at the church office.

Coming up this Sunday...

Blessing of the Animals on Oct. 6

All are welcome to bring their beloved pet to receive a blessing on Sunday, Oct. 6, 4:00 p.m. on St. Margaret's campus. The service will be recognizing St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Animals. Please bring animals on leash or contained. Stuffed animals and photos also welcome. Rain or Shine.

Flu Shots on Oct 6

Flu shots will be offered on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Please make sure you bring your medical card and your checkbook.

Blue Jean Sunday Now on Oct 6

Wear your work clothes to church and join other parishioners in sprucing up the church campus for the fall. Make sure to bring your work gloves and gardening tools. Work begins at 10:15 a.m.

Realm: Get Connected.

We are asking all parishioners to join Realm to foster efficiency and communication at SMC.

To log in, go the www.st-margarets.org website homepage and look for the Realm logo.

Special Note on Dragon Tales

Starting Oct. 31, we will be sending Dragon Tales out through Realm only on Wednesdays.

For those not in Realm, you can view it on our website, but it will not be directly emailed to you.

Parish Life

October 12 -TSB Rockin' the Hall

We invite all budding musicians and singers to participate in our upcoming OPEN MIC event on October 12 beginning at 6:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Do you play guitar, piano, or another instrument? have you written a song? Do you like to sing with friends? would you like to tell a story, slam a poem? Join Third Sunday Band for this acoustic singer/songwriter edition of our Fall Coffeehouse. We will have a sound system and instruments set up to help your performance, some refreshments and snacks, and of course coffee! Members of the Third Sunday Band will be participating but we hope this is mostly about YOU!

If you would like to participate in the show, or if you are able to help with set up and snacks, contact Al Todd at [email protected] or text 443-481-9042.

Shenandoah Run in Concert

Nov. 2, 2019 @ St. Margaret's

This nine-piece band pays tribute to both vintage Americana and contemporary folk, playing covers and some originals and occasionally including a song from the worlds of bluegrass, country or foreign lands. Expect top-notch musicianship and soaring harmonies that will lure you in for that irresistible sing-along.

Tickets will be sold at the door. For more information, click here.

Between War and Here

Forum Preview on Nov. 3

Concert on Nov. 10 at 4:00 p.m.

Between War and Here is a powerful new collaboration between journalists and musicians exploring honor, courage, loss and hope. Ensemble Galilei is teaming with award-winning National Public Radio foreign correspondents Neal Conan and Anne Garrels for a November U.S. Tour that includes St. Margaret's on Sunday, Nov.10 at 4 p.m.

Ensemble Galilei founder and poet as well as SMC parishioner Carolyn Surrick created this show from her recent poetry collection titled Between War and Here. She will provide a preview for parishioners on Sunday, Nov. 3, 10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Tickets for the concert can be purchased at

https://ensemble-galilei.ticketleap.com/stmargaretschurch/

and White Elephant Sale

Sponsored by St. Margaret's Women's Guild

Saturday, November 23 * 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Formation

Children's Registration for 2019-20 Programs is now open!

Student registration for Sunday School will be done through Realm. Email [email protected] for more information.

NOW is also a great time for your child to join the acolyte program here at St. Margaret's. Children ages 7-18 are welcome! Practice is at 5:45 in the Sanctuary on Mondays (NEW TIME) and every other Sunday afterwards from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. For more information, contact leader Julie Svendsen at [email protected] .

For children's music, chorister programs are available for K-2, 3-5, and 6-12. Practice is available on Mondays (make up time on Wednesdays). (See info below.)

Latest Youth News

St. Margaret's Youth Lock-in will be held Nov. 1-2 . Students should be dropped off at the church at 6 p.m. and picked up Saturday morning by 8:00 a.m.

Youth-led Sunday service at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 12th.

A MLK Day youth event through the Diocese will take place on January 19-20th. More details to follow.

Youth Happening #13 will take place for students in grades 9-12 at the Claggett Center near Frederick, MD. Participants should arrive Friday at 7 p.m. with parent pickup on Sunday at 3 p.m. Cost is $95 due by Jan. 23. Scholarships available.

Nightwatch, an overnight youth program at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City is on Feb. 20 & 21 . A $15 per person deposit is due in the next few weeks. There is limited space for this not to miss event! Registration is now being taken on REALM. Log in and click on Registration Events. Don't have a Realm account? Request one at

[email protected] .

New Beginnings diocesan program for grades 6-8 will be held April 26-28 at Camp Wright in Stevensville, MD. Cost is $75. Scholarships available. Deadline is April 18 for registration.

End-of-Year Lock-in will be held at St. Margaret's on Friday, June 15th . Look for more registration in the future.

Faith & Fellowship Mondays

The NEW Schedule for Faith & Fellowship is:

5:15 to 6:00 p.m.- Spirit Singers Kindergarten through second grade and third grade to fifth grade - Meet in Formation Building Classrooms B & C

5:30-6:15 p.m.- Youth Chorale (grades 6-12) - Choir Room

5:45-6:15 p.m.- Acolyte practice - Sanctuary

6:00-6:15 p.m.- Arts and Crafts - Parish Hall

6:20-6:45 p.m.- Fellowship Dinner - Parish Hall

6:45-8:30 p.m.- Youth Group - Classroom D

7:00-8:30 p.m.- Adult Formation -Formation Building

7:00-9:00 p.m.- Motet Ensemble Rehearsal - Choir Room

Adult Formation Schedule:

Monday Evening Book Study -

The God Who Sees: Immigrants, the Bible, and the Journey to Belong

by Karen Gonzalez

Our Monday adult formation class is studying the riveting story of seeking safety in another land. The book is a gripping journey of loss, alienation, and belonging. Author Karen Gonzalez recounts her family’s migration from the instability of Guatemala to making a new life in Los Angeles and the suburbs of south Florida. In the midst of language barriers, cultural misunderstandings, and the tremendous pressure to assimilate, Join us!

Monday, Oct. 7, 2019-Newcomers Class

Newcomer class continues with the Rev. Peter W. Mayer. New to St. Margaret's? You are still welcome to attend this session to learn more about our parish, Episcopalians, and our faith journey. Questions? Email [email protected].

Join the Thursday AM Book Study

Our Thursday morning book study is held in Classroom E from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. in Classroom E in the Formation Building. The group will discuss the C.S. Lewis book " Mere Christianity." All are welcome. Childcare for ages 0-4 is available in the church nursery.

Upcoming Day School Events

*Blessing of the Animals with Rev. Peter and Patti for SMDS families is at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3.

* Day School Open House on Thursday, October 10 from 9:15 to 11:15 a.m.

*Kindergarten registration opens October 10th for year 20-21.

*SMDS Board and SMC Vestry visitation day is October 11th.

* A SMDS Spizzico/Froyo fundraiser at Bay Hills Center will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 5:00 to closing. Tell the staff you are there for SMDS and they will receive a portion of the earnings.

* On November 14 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., the Day School is sponsoring "Bringing Up Resilient Kids" a program from specialist Dr. Duane M. Isava of Halcyon Wellness Center. All are welcome. The program is free, with light refreshments and childcare provided!

* On Nov. 15, the school will sponsor a recycling day for small tech components. St. Margaret's parishioners are welcome to bring any of these kinds of items and place in a designated box in the Formation building foyer on Nov. 17 and 24.

Compline Services 2019-20

Join us this choir season we are offering a regular schedule of “fourth Tuesday” evening Compline services at 7:30pm in the sanctuary on the following dates:

October 22

January 28

March 24

April 28

Any singer in high school or above is welcome to sing for Compline. Rehearsals take place prior to each service at 6:30 pm.

This contemplative service is 25-30 minutes in length and is comprised of prayers, lessons, psalms and collects, all chanted to ancient and timeless unison plainchant and a cappella choral repertoire. The present-day renewal of Compline places its emphasis on spiritual peace. It takes its name from the Latin word completorium, meaning completion, as it marks the completion of the working day through its focus on preparing the body for temporal rest as well as preparing the soul for its passage to eternal life. In many monasteries it is the custom to begin “The Great Silence,” an act by which the entire community, including guests, observes silence until the morning as a discipline to still the body, mind and spirit. Join us!

Missions

Endowment Grants Program for 2020

The 2020 St. Margaret's Church Endowment Grants application is now available on the church website . New this year: the committee will award one multi-year grant to a deserving organization. Applications are due by November 30, 2019. Pass this along to your favorite non profit!

Missions Fair on Oct.13

Where do you want make a difference in God's world? Visit the Missions Fair on October 13 in the Fellowship and Parish halls during the formation hour of 10:20 to 11 a.m. You will discover information on the many efforts St. Margaret's parishioners are a part of. It might just change your life!