Staying Connected
Please join us this weekend for worship in person (church)
Saturday at 5:30 pm or Sunday at 9:00 am.
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June 25, 2021
Dear Family in Christ,
According to our Catechism, as stated in the Book of Common Prayer (p. 855) the mission of the church is “to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” Furthermore, the Church pursues its mission as it prays and
worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love. According to Canon 14 of the Episcopal Church, the vestry “shall be agents and legal representatives of the Parish in all matters concerning its corporate property and the relations of the parish to its clergy”
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Vestry work in a small church with Big ministry, holding all of those things in balance, can be difficult but rewarding work. Our vestry continues to work tirelessly to address challenges with a compassionate heart keeping Christ at the center of all we do.
I am extremely grateful to our wardens and vestry for their willingness to engage in difficult tasks and decisions. I am grateful for their love and dedication to St. Mary's, our Community of Stone Harbor, and our surrounding communities as we seek to engage in meeting our church and community needs while living into our mission.
No doubt the years of transition here before my arrival have led to work undone. I am aware of the heartache, the trauma, and the disillusion that comes with such experiences, perhaps even fear and hesitation to trust. The wardens, vestry and I are working together to address both the challenges of our times and that which has been left behind. Once again, it is not an easy task, but one we are willingly engaging in together to ensure a healthy lasting foundation.
My commitment to you; I am here for the long haul, from birth to death, through the sacraments of Baptism, Matrimony, and Unction, I will love you through the good times and bad. I will walk with you and beside you. Sometimes my pace may seem too fast or too hard, and at other times too slow or too soft. I am urging you to express your needs as we walk together.
As we meet and tackle the challenges before us there are times when we will succeed with great triumph, other successes may be smaller, and some though moving forward may feel like a miss. There are times when we will all agree on decisions made and other times we will not all be on the same page, and that's ok, so long as we continue to walk together. Through it all, with our courage, compassion, and willingness to work and engage in the mission and ministry of the church together, we will grow in body, spirit, and faith.
I am quite hopeful for our future, what's to come and where God is leading us, and once again, I am very grateful for the work of all our ministries including our wardens and vestry.
May the peace and love of God be with you this day.
Blessings,
Mo. Allison+
551-697-6133
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If you would like a pastoral visit or a visit from one of our
Eucharistic Ministers, please contact Mo. Allison.
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Used Cargo Van wanted to purchase |
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The Branches has been awarded a grant titled “Nourishing Neighbors Summer Meals Program.”
We are very grateful to Albertsons/Acme for making it possible for us to serve families in our area that may need some extra help with food during the summer when schools are not in session.
Branches will be stationed in the parking lot at Pet Smart in Rio Grande from 10-12 noon on Mondays and at The MLK Center in Whitesboro on Wednesdays from 10-12 noon.
We will also be supplying food to Mitnick and Memorial Schools in Lower Twp. for pick up on Mondays and Thursdays from 10-12 noon. We are supplementing the already existing outstanding program in Lower.
We are beyond excited to embark on this new venture. However, we have one very big problem. At the present time we are transporting food in vehicles owned by our volunteers. We would very much like to use our grant money to purchase a used cargo van. Unfortunately, these vans are in short supply, because of COVID 19.
If you, or anyone you know, has a used cargo van that may be available for purchase, we would love to hear from you!
Please contact The Branches at 609-886-5091, or email TheBranchesCenter@gmail.com.
Many, many thanks to Albertsons/Acme!
We are blessed by your community minded spirit.
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What is the purpose of understanding stewardship?
The purpose of understanding stewardship is to reflect on our personal commitment to Jesus Christ and his church.
I thought Stewardship only had to do with money.
To say that stewardship only involves money is like saying marriage only involves paying the household bills. Stewardship, like marriage, involves all aspects of demonstrating the love and commitment one person has toward another — it grows out of the relationship.
I’m not sure I understand!
Stewardship involves all of the many different ways that God’s people demonstrate their love for him and for what he has done for them in his Son, Jesus Christ.
What are some of the ways I can do this?
Ways that we demonstrate our love for Jesus Christ and his church include: attendance at worship, involvement in personal and group study of God’s Word, sharing Christ’s love with others, willingly serving as opportunities arise, setting aside a regular portion of our income for use in his church, and living in obedience to his Word. There are many others.
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It's good to be open again! |
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Coffee Hour has returned!
Come and enjoy coffee and fellowship on Sunday mornings after the 9 am service.
If you would like to provide a small snack for all to enjoy, a sign-up sheet is posted on the kitchen door.
Alanon has resumed meeting in the parish hall Friday mornings at 10 AM.
SUNDAY PARKING: Sturdy Bank lot and Fred's Tavern lot may be used.
Please remove your car from Fred's before 12 noon.
(The meters are off until 10 AM.)
SATURDAY PARKING: Sturdy Bank lot is available.
*** BAPTISMS ***
Benjamin Orwig will be baptized on Sunday, July 4th at 9:00 am.
*** MEMORIAL SERVICES ***
The Memorial Service for Timothy Fitzgerald Noble will take place on Saturday, July 24th at 1:00 pm
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Mo. Allison's
Official Installation as our Rector will take place on
July 25th at 12:00 pm.
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More details of the installation and the Bishop's visitation will soon follow. |
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Important Communication Reminders |
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Mother Allison may be reached on her mobile phone at 551-697-6133.
Morning Prayer is Tuesday-Friday via Zoom. Mother is available immediately following morning prayer to those who join to answer any questions, hear your concerns, or for pastoral care.
If you are in need of a home visit or wish to receive the Eucharist, please call Mother directly.
The Vestry is once again meeting in person in the Hall. All vestry meetings are posted to the calendar on our website. Anyone may attend vestry meetings.
With the building now open all vestry meeting minutes will once again be posted on the bulletin board as they are available.
Our newsletter is distributed via email every Friday morning. If you would like to add to the newsletter, please email the office with your entry.
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A Church that Prays Together Stays Together! |
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God the King of Glory, in whose hands are the living and the dead: We give you thanks for all those who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant them your mercy and the light of your presence; give us a sense of your will and purpose, that we may understand that the work you have begun in them will be perfected through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, in whom all strife is resolved. Amen.
In addition to our regular prayer list, we are introducing a new, easy accessible way to add you or a loved one to our daily prayers. You may access this link at any time for prayers or additions.
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Worship at the Beach, our "Come as you are" service on the 101st St. Beach Pavilion returns July 10th!
We're moving the Saturday service from the church to the beach for the summer months. Plan to join us for a relaxed worship service in a glorious setting!
Our Thursdays on the Lawn concerts are set for Summer 2021 with a terrific line up! We'll get off to a great start with the super popular group Three and One on July 8th. One of our favorites, The Snake Brothers, continues our summer concert series on July 15th, followed by The Quietmen on July 22nd,
Marnie and Nate on July 29th, and C. Lynne Smith on August 5th.
We'll wrap up on August 12th with Three and One. Bring some friends and plan to join us on the front lawn this summer!
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Coming to St. Mary's
in July...
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Summertime will be exploding with fun, fun fun!
IN-PERSON SUMMER CAMPS 2021 AT ST. MARY'S
July 6 - July 30th
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STEM Lab Extravaganza - Week of 7/6
9 registrations
Loose in the Lab - Week of 7/12
8 registrations
Final Frontiers - Week of 7/19
9 registrations
Jr. Explorers - Week of 7/26
12 registrations
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Altar flowers are a wonderful way to remember someone. There are many open spots on the calendar for the upcoming months. If you would like to honor a loved one, please make a note on the chart in the narthex, and send a donation to the church office. The flowers are available to you to take after worship. |
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Joseph Griesbach on June 29th,
Ken Vavrek and Sandy Neufeld on July 2nd!
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We're sending Best Wishes
from St. Mary's to
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Margaret Bennett
If you would like to reach out to Margaret with a card or phone call,
she would love to hear from you!
Her address is: 200 Sunrise Blvd., Apt 215, Exton, PA 19341
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Lectionary Text for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 8 |
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"In this account of Jesus healing two people, we see two common threads: taking Jesus at his word and admitting that one’s need is greater than one’s resources. Regardless of how far medicine and science and knowledge advance, we should never keep Jesus out of the picture."
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Saturday 5:30 pm in person (church)
Sunday 9:00 AM in person (church) and
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Daily Office and Study Links |
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