Newsletter

August 13, 2026

Renewal – it works!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

🧶 Prayer Shawls Blessed with Love & Prayer 🙏💙

This Sunday, Father Justin gave a special blessing to our beautiful Prayer Shawls, lovingly made to bring comfort, warmth, and the reminder of God’s presence to those who receive them.

And we had an especially sweet moment—Baby John received his very own new Prayer Shawl! 👶🧶💙

May it surround him with love, comfort, and many blessings. 🙏✨

🎉 Happy Birthday, Paula & John! 🎂💙

This Sunday, we celebrated Paula and John with a special birthday blessing from Father Justin.

Please join us in wishing them a very Happy Birthday! May God bless them with good health, happiness, and many more wonderful years! 🙏✨

Saint Mary’s Joins the Cause

Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church is proud to join the cause and support the victims of the devastating earthquake in Colombia.

We invite everyone in our community to come together for a Bingo Fundraiser, where 100% of our efforts will help bring support and assistance to those affected by this tragedy.

✨ A New Sign for Our Parish Office!

Another wonderful improvement has been completed thanks to Saint Mary’s Capital Campaign!

Our Parish Office now has a beautiful new sign, making it easier for parishioners, visitors, and members of our community to find and identify our office.

✝️ Our Outdoor Cross Has Been Beautifully Refurbished

A special thank you to our dedicated parishioner, Russell Rose, who refurbished our outdoor cross today!

Russell originally made this beautiful cross two years ago for the front of Saint Mary’s, and thanks to his care and hard work, it looks wonderful once again.

Many thanks, Russell, for sharing your time and talents with our parish! 💙🙏

🌿 Thank You for Caring for Our Chapel in the Woods! ✝️

We are very grateful to BSA Troop No. 483 for generously giving their time and hard work to help beautify our beloved Chapel in the Woods.

Under the leadership of Scoutmaster Frank Morro, Scouts Henry Franzen and Kevin Maas spent many hours spreading wood chips throughout the area. A special thank you also goes to Ron McCoy, Henry’s father, whose hard work and support helped make this project a success.

We are also especially grateful to Jose Centeno and his business for generously donating the wood chips used for this project.

Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, talents, and resources to care for this peaceful and sacred space. Your generosity is truly appreciated by our entire Saint Mary’s family! 💙🙏

🌳 Visit Our Chapel in the Woods

Our outdoor Chapel in the Woods is open to everyone seeking a peaceful place for prayer and reflection.

During July and August, we also celebrate Saturday evening Mass at 5:30 p.m. in this beautiful outdoor setting.

We invite you to come, enjoy the beauty of the Chapel in the Woods, and worship with us!

Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

💙 A Heartfelt Thank You from Our ESL Students

Father Justin and Jennifer Estrada, our Parish Administrator, received a very special surprise—a beautiful “Thank You” card from the students in our Saturday morning ESL class!

We are grateful for the wonderful relationship we have built with our ESL students and for the opportunity to welcome and support our immigrant and Latino neighbors in the Hampton Bays community.

At Saint Mary’s, our ministry extends far beyond Sunday worship. Through programs like our ESL classes, we continue to open our doors, build relationships, and serve our neighbors with love and hospitality.

A heartfelt thank you to our ESL students for this thoughtful gesture! It means so much to us. 💙🙏

📚✝️ Getting Ready for a New Sunday School Year!

Last week, our Sunday School teachers and parents gathered at the Rectory with Father Justin for dinner and a time of planning for the upcoming Sunday School year.

Together, they discussed the fall curriculum, special activities, and exciting parish youth trips, all with one goal in mind: helping our children deepen their faith and grow in Christ. 💙

We are so grateful for the dedication of our wonderful teachers and parents who give their time and talents to support the children of Saint Mary’s.

We look forward to another joyful year of learning, fellowship, faith, and fun! 🙏✨

💡 New Lighting Around Saint Mary’s!

Thanks to the ongoing success of our Capital Campaign, Saint Mary’s now has new and improved outdoor lighting around our property!

In addition to the new lights in the church parking lot, new lighting has also been installed at the front and back of the church, helping make our grounds safer, brighter, and more welcoming for parishioners, visitors, and everyone attending our evening services and activities.

We are very grateful for the generosity and continued support of our parish community. These improvements are possible because of your commitment to Saint Mary’s.

Together, we are caring for our church today and investing in its future! 💙🙏

ST. MARY'S VIDEO

If you haven't had the chance yet, we invite you to watch our fantastic video that beautifully showcases everything St. Mary's represents—simply click play above or you can find it on the first page of our website!

If you found it enjoyable, we would appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a review for Road K Productions. You can easily find them on Google and share your thoughts on their incredible work over the past year in bringing this video to life.

Thank you for your support!

Online Services!

At this time we are providing on Facebook and Youtube our Sunday and Wednesday 9am Services online! They can also be found through clicking on the Facebook icon on the first page of our website. You do not need to have a Facebook account to view services.

Silent Prayer

We warmly invite you to partake in silent prayer sessions held in the fireside room!

Every Wednesday, following our healing services, we gather at 10:00 am to engage in morning silent prayer.

Additionally, we extend this sacred opportunity to you on Thursday evenings at 6:15 pm. Join us as we come together in unity and purpose, fostering a collective spirit of hope and healing.

Get Involved!

Daughters of the King

Thank you to all that attended our July meeting! The next meeting will be held on August 4, 2026 at 10:00am in the Fireside Room.

Study topic: The Lord's Prayer

Brotherhood of St. Andrew

Monthly meetings will take place the fourth Tuesday of every month at 5:30pm in the Parish Hall.

Please note that there will be no meetings in July or August.

Meetings will resume on September 22.

Blessing Box

We are reaching out to our community for support in gathering non-perishable food items for our blessing box. Food can be dropped off at the office during office hours. Any contribution is greatly appreciated!

Below is a list of non-perishable foods we will need to keep them stocked:

Canned items: Fruit, vegetables, soup, tuna, chicken, salmon, beans, pork & beans, tomato sauce, ravioli, chili, spaghetti - O’s, stew.

Plastic jars/bottles:

Peanut butter, jelly, applesauce, juice, baby food.

NON-FOOD DONATIONS

FOR ST. ROSALIE’S COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

Toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo/ conditioner, body wash, deodorant, cleaning wipes, toothpaste, floss, toothbrushes (adult and child), feminine hygiene products, laundry detergent, personal soap bars, hand sanitizer, and more!

Committees at St. Mary’s

If you’d like to join a committee, don’t hesitate to reach out to the contact person listed for each one! Feel free to use our directory for each contact person information. If you are having difficulty accessing the director, please reach out to the office!

Property Committee: Care for building and grounds. From maintenance to room/space rentals.

Chair: John Mitchell

Youth/Sunday School & Young Families: Christian Education and Youth involvement in the Church Services

Chair: Adrian Drake

Community Outreach: Organize our service to the community and facilitate fundraisers for our Parish!

Chair: Susan Rumph & Elaine Curry

Finance and Stewardship Committee: Financial Records of the Church, Investment Recommendations, Organizing an effective Stewardship Program for the Parish.

Chair: Janet Hanks

Greeters Task Force: Ensures all visitors at worship and church events feel welcomed, introduced to others, and included.

Chair: Kevin Sullivan

Marketing Task Force: Manages church communications, including articles, flyers, social media, and the website.

Chair: Karen Lucas

Capital Campaign Committee: Identify needed updates to enhance our church and oversee strategic fundraising for these improvements

Chair: Susan Rumph

Hispanic Task Force: Outreach to Hispanic communities, exploring ways our church can offer support and make meaningful connections.

Chair: Mary Castro & Rubiela Facundo

Blessing Box Volunteers: help combat local food insecurity by collecting and restocking non-perishable food donations in the Blessing Box located at the library.

Chair: Kevin Sullivan

Non-Food Pantry Committee: accepts and organizes donations of essential non-food items such as hygiene products, clothing, backpacks, and more.

Chair: Patricia McCrave

Native American Task Force: celebrate and uplift Native American traditions, worship practices, and community outreach & Sage

Chair: Debby Krauss

Room Rentals

Looking for the perfect space to host your next event? Look no further! We offer flexible room rentals ideal for a variety of occasions, whether it's a one-time event or a recurring meeting. Our versatile spaces are perfect for weddings, birthdays, meetings, clubs, and more!

COMMUNITY EVENTS IN OUR PARISH HALL

Stay up to date with all Services, events, and more at:

St. Mary's Calendar and Events

Online Giving through Amplify

For anyone that may be interested, below is the link to our online giving and stewardship option. Your willingness to contribute online is greatly appreciated and we are truly grateful for your support. Your generosity helps us continue our mission and make a positive impact in the community. Thank you and God bless!

Click here: Online Giving Link

Parish Prayer List

Lord Christ,

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, including those serving in our military.

Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially those suffering from the war in the Middle East, the people of Ukraine and those on St. Mary’s prayer list: Ken, Trish N., Annie, Jessica, Joe, Shawn, Nancy, Sydney & Nancy Penna .

We ask this in your most Holy Name. Amen.