A Christian community of all ages

grounded in

worship, well-being, and service.

From the Associate

Rector

Dear Friends,

I love snow.

I think we can agree that we got a lot more snow since last Sunday than even a snow-lover like me needed. And for many people the record blizzard was a source of

frustration and anxiety. Many streets went unplowed for so long that it tried folks’ patience. And clearing paths and driveways was a major challenge. Schedules and

businesses were disrupted and in most towns a week of school time was lost. So, I can well understand that not everybody appreciates a nice snowstorm as I do.

But I spent most of my adult life living on the coast of South Carolina, missing real Rhode Island winters. Since then, I have lived through a good number of New England winters but I still respond to each snowstorm with the excitement I felt as a boy. Living now in the south part of Tiverton, I am surrounded by fields and stone walls. Even a small snowfall changes the landscape into a view from a picture on a calendar. The

sunlight on the snow sets the fields glowing. And a blizzard with its drifts and swirls of snow creates a transformed creation.

In our scripture readings for this weekend, we focus our attention on transformed lives. The passage from John’s gospel tells of a Jewish leader, a Pharisee named Nicodemus who comes under cover of night with a question for Jesus. (The contrast between

darkness and the light of Christ is an important theme in the gospel of John). Jesus tells Nicodemus that to really see the kingdom of God he needs to start his life all over

again. He must be born from above or “born again” by water and the Holy Spirit. This new birth, this new life would make it possible for Nicodemus to see the love of God

shining forth in the self-sacrifice life of Jesus.

It is not clear from this passage whether Nicodemus “gets it” but the story of his transformed life goes on in John’s gospel. Later, Nicodemus comes to Jesus’ defense at a meeting of the Jewish leadership. And finally, it is Nicodemus who provides the spices for anointing Jesus body after his death on the cross and assists in his burial. St. Paul writes of this kind of transformation: “So if anyone is in Christ there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new.” (2 Cor.5:17).

In our reading from the Hebrew scriptures, the patriarch Abraham responds to God’s call by leaving his homeland to set off on a journey to the new land and new life that

God has promised him. St. Paul sees Abraham as the pattern for the Christian believer’s faith-filled response to God’s grace. Like Nicodemus and Abraham, we as

Christian are called to set off on a pilgrimage toward transformed lives. I am convinced that we Christians keep getting converted, not just one time but Sunday after Sunday.

During Lent, we are beginning each service with the confession and absolution. We are given opportunity to commit ourselves to the transformed lives to which God’s grace calls us.

Blessings,

Greg+

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.

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

Click on the image above for the Saturday evening bulletin and the one below for the Sunday morning.

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."

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.

Exploring the Book of Common Prayer:

Nourished by Liturgy

Sundays at 11:15

February 22 - March 22

St. George's Chapel

Led by the Rev. Jennifer Pedrick and the Rev.

Dr. Gregory Prior

For a class outline,

click here.

Living Well through Lent

Thursdays at 5:30

February 26 - March 26

Southside Classroom

Lower Level, Parish House

Led by

Jenny Williams

Bible Study: The Prophets

Fridays at 11:00

February 20 - March 27

Adult Ed Room

Main Level, Parish House

Led by the Rev.

Dr. Gregory Prior

Don't forget to join us for Family Dinner on Wednesday, March 4 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

This is a potluck Family Dinner! Make something to share if you can, and if you can't, just bring yourself!

We are going to get a sneak preview around the importance of Palm Sunday as we make our way through Lent and prepare ourselves for Holy Week. Looking forward to breaking bread and fellowship with our St. Mary’s family! 

RSVP online. Signup online to help with dinner.

Join Jenny Williams for a small group conversation based on the Living Compass booklet, Living Well Through Lent 2026: Cultivating Healing and Wholeness in Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind.

The group will gather on Thursday evenings from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Southside classroom in the parish house on the lower level. The conversation will start on Thursday, March 5th and meet weekly until March 26th.

Pick up the Living Well Through Lent 2026: Cultivating Healing and Wholeness in Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind booklet at St. Mary's (it's free). Questions? Email Jenny at or text her at 401.359.2315.

MIndfulness Retreat

Join us for a mindfulness retreat on Sunday, March 22 from 2-5 p.m.

Come learn about mindfulness if you're curious about it or already aware of it.

Ginny Wholley, a certified mindfulness instructor will teach you ways to experience life with a sense of peace and ease and offer opportunities to practice mindfulness.

Information and registration are available online.

Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners,



We’re excited to share the impact our clothing shed made over the past year!

• 19,423 pounds of clothing were donated to St. Mary’s shed in 2025.
• That was enough to help clothe an estimated 3,578 people around the world.
• Based on this volume of donations, St. Mary’s received $776.90 to support our parish.

The next time that you clean out your closet continue or start to support this effort by donating

• clothing,
• shoes,
• belts,
• purses,
• blankets,
• sheets,
• curtains,
• pillowcases, and
• stuffed animals.

Sincerely,

Penny Pare and Jeff Field

Wild Worship at the Norman Bird Sanctuary

2 p.m., Saturday, March 21, 2026

The Creation Care Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island invites you to a Wild Worship event marking the Spring Equinox and the Church’s continuing observance of Lent as a time of holy reflection. Wild Worship, or Worship in the Wild, offers prayer and simple song, encouraging quiet exploration of the glories of God’s Creation as found on the exquisite grounds of the Norman Bird Sanctuary. This will be a time of listening to one another after our prayerful experiences of the abundant life around us. The beginning of spring, occurring the day before this event, marks a time of new growth, new beginnings, and hope for all who share “this fragile Earth, our island home.” Please join us as we walk, look, share and pray. There is an indoor space to gather and to use in case of inclement weather. We will meet rain or shine.

The address of the Norman Bird Sanctuary is 583 Third Beach Road, Middletown. There is no charge for attending Wild Worship on the Sanctuary grounds. For more information, email nmacleod03@gmail.com or call the Rev. Norman Macleod at 203-444-2424.

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/