A Christian community of all ages

grounded in

worship, well-being, and service.

November 29 - December 5, 2025

From the Rector

Dear friends,

This year, while we are still enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers, Advent begins!

Advent is the gift of time to reflect and prepare for Christ's coming. No doubt there are many things to accomplish before our Christmas celebrations, but Advent's preparations are a bit different in tone. This holy season invites us to slow down and light a candle in the dark. In our worship we will anticipate Christ's second coming at the end of time, as well as preparing with joy for the twelve days of Christmas that begin on Christmas eve.

Our lay leaders and staff have some great plans to support us in our preparations. The family dinner this month will include making Advent wreaths, singing some great advent hymns and sending you with some prayers you may sit with at home. It will be a wonderful evening for all ages.

Carol Brierley will be making homemade pot pies in honor of her birthday - a generous gift to us! To be sure that we have enough wreath supplies and pot pies, it is very important that you sign up below in the link. We will have an assortment of greens, but please consider bringing your own greens as well. You might also like to bring clippers, bows, berries or pine cones for your wreath.

This comes with my best wishes for a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

Gratefully, Jennifer

For a calendar of all of St. Mary's activities visit our website.

Click on the image for this week's bulletin.

Liturgical ministers for Saturday at 5:00 and Sunday at 10:00 are listed in the bulletin.

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 on Sunday mornings and in the daily evening prayers by contacting Parish Administrator, Karen Laroche. We typically keep people in the prayers for one month.

Christmas Flowers 

We thank Joann Gracia and the altar guild for their ministry of decorating our church for Christmas. If you would like to give flowers in thanksgiving or in memorial please email Karen Laroche with the names/text and send your donation or put it in the offering plate. Or you can use an envelope you will find at the greeters stand or in the gathering space of the parish house. Complete the information and include your donation.

The deadline for making a donation is December 14.

Give Altar Flowers year round!

Do you want to remember someone or give thanks for a blessing by donating flowers?

Here's how...

1) Contact Karen Laroche by email and send a donation for $60 to the office.

2) When contacting Karen, include the names or thanksgiving information as well as your name as donor. Ex. In memory of Sarah Gibbs, given by George Gibbs.

3) Donations and information needs to be submitted at least two weeks in advance in order to be included in the bulletin.

Please note: It is possible that multiple donations, memorials and thanksgivings will be included on the same weekend.

Well-Being

Thank you to . . .

... mother and daughter team Sarawyn Berrett and Debra Legassie for providing the November Coffee Hour.

Of special note were the cucumber tea sandwiches and the cumber slices with a dab of cream cheese.

If you would like to host coffee hour in the coming months, we have openings in 2026!

December Family Dinner

Join us for Family Dinner on Wednesday, December 3, at 6:00 p.m. and prepare yourself for Advent.

We'll be beginning a new liturgical year with the sacred season of Advent. The evening will include a nourishing meal, learning about the liturgical year and the meaning of Advent, and celebrating with song and creativity—including a chance to make your own Advent wreath to take home.

It will be an evening of warmth, learning, and celebration—a wonderful way to gather as a community, break bread together, and begin this season of hopeful anticipation.

Bring your family, bring a friend, and come ready to sing, learn, and rejoice as we welcome Advent!

We have 2 different signups for this event.

• RSVP for dinner by Sunday, November 30.
• Signup to help cook, setup, and cleanup.

Please contact Jason DeFalco with any questions.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Toys under the Giving Tree!

St. Mary's realizes that many families are struggling, and we seek to bring the spirit of Christmas to them by providing gifts for their children. The Christmas Giving Tree recipients will be from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, Newport. This year, the Center is encouraging us to support their families in several ways. 

Ideas for toys and gift cards are available online. Also, you can purchase gift cards in increments of $10.00 to Stop and Shop and/or Shaw’s to help support families in need of holiday food.

A member of the Outreach Committee will be at each service (5:00 and 10:00) collecting new, unwrapped toys and gift cards Sunday, December 7th. The deadline for donations is Sunday, December 7th. Toys can also be left in the Parish House during the week.

If you have any questions, please contact (Judy Hall) at 401-924-4252 or at woofer64@yahoo.com. 

St. Mary's response to help with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center has been overwhelming as has the need as SNAP benefits remain uncertain. For a list of what's needed, click here.

Contact Jon Edwards if you'd like to help deliver food to the MLKCC.

Click on the Wild Worship poster to learn more about

this opportunity for worship on Aquidneck Island.

For all other types of communication:

Contact the Rector if you'd like it verbally announced at worship. 

Contact Parish Associate for Administration Karen Laroche to be included in writing in the weekly worship bulletin.

Image credits: Richard Grosvenor, Historic Church, watercolor, used with permission.

Stay Connected:

http://www.smcportsmouth.org/