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Baldwin Wallace University's premier Choral Ensemble
ELEMENTS
Friday, January 6
7:30 p.m. Concert, St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church
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With the new year, we begin a new sermon series at 10:45 a.m. services:
Hard Knocks: Weathering the losses, troubles, and conflicts life brings, without losing our humor, compassion, and inner peace.
We all face tough times in life: illness, relationship troubles, aging, rejection, and failure. As we get older, we face more and more losses - of friends and family members, of physical health and capabilities, of dreams and possibilities for the future. This is all part of being human, but that doesn't make it easy.
Our faith in God doesn't eliminate these challenges, but our faith can help us immensely to navigate stormy seas and maintain our bearings, our inner peace. Strong roots in Christian faith help us find compassion for ourselves and for others, and hope for new life - resurrection - to emerge out of the heartache of painful experiences. Isn't that what we all need, and long for?
In planning this series, I've thought of many "hard knocks" that come to us:
- Failure - all kinds
- Relationship breakup or divorce
- Job loss, firing, and rejection
- Death or loss of a child, friend, partner, or relative
- Dealing with a troubled child
- Crisis of faith
- Debilitating illness or accident
- Mental health issues, depression
- Financial crisis, poverty
- Aging, infirmity, dementia
- Betrayal, hurt, humiliation
- Disillusionment/despair
I'll be talking about many of these. Of course, there are many others. Is there something you'd like to see addressed in this series? If so, please let me know and I'll do my best.
This is not a kind of self-help course, nor will it be a "don't worry be happy" version of Christianity, as if bad things don't happen to faithful people. They do. Rather, my goal is to bring to bear Christian resources from scripture, the life of Jesus, and the practices of the Church to help us cope with very real problems in life, and come through them. The paradigm of Christian life, simply put, is:
Life --> Death --> New Life.
Come participate in this new sermon series on "Hard Knocks" at the
10:45 a.m. service, starting
January 8, 2017. JBM
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Update on Sue von Rautenkranz ...
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Sue had successful surgery to replace a failed hip implant on
December 28 at Inova Mt. Vernon Hospital, and left the hospital on
Sunday, January 1 to stay with friends. She can place no weight on her leg for 8 weeks after surgery. In mid-January, Sue will come and stay at the MacKnights' house, where her trusty dog Zeke is hanging out. Zeke will be glad to see her! Many thanks for the prayers, cards, and visits that have helped Sue get through this.
In Peace,
Jeffrey MacKnight, Rector
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Come and See: whom do you choose to follow? 
Next Sunday, January 15 the children will learn about two special people who followed Jesus and tried to make a difference in the world in which they lived. Martin Luther King, Jr., a great leader and preacher during the Civil Rights movement and young Ruby Bridges, only 6 at the time, both tried to show a new way to teach tolerance, to respond peacefully when others were angry, and to always follow Jesus. Children in our younger class will learn to the story of Ruby and the older children will be treated to a special book about MLK.
On this Sunday we hear the story of Peter and Andrew choosing to follow Jesus after hearing about him from John the Baptist. This might be a good time to talk with your children about being a leader and a follower. Invite them to tell you whom they follow and why.
L. Sue von Rautenkranz
Christian Formation
Coordinato
r
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Did you ever wish you had a better grasp on the Bible - the big picture - main events in the story of God's people through the ages?
Starting
January 15
, we'll explore the "big" Bible narrative through five major acts or moves that define our faith:
- Creation
- Slavery/Liberation (The Exodus),
- Learning How to Live (the prophets)
- Jesus Changes Everything
- New Creation in Christ
On
January 15, we'll see how Martin Luther King's teaching fits into this grand biblical narrative.
(Sundays, 9:50 - 10:35 a.m. in the Parish Hall).
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Dunstan's Youth Group - Thursday, January 5
All 5th t
h
rough 12th graders!
Program 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Who is Jesus?
On this the last day of Christmas - otherwise known as Twelfth Night - we will continue our learning about the person we follow - Jesus of Nazareth. Is it enough to say we believe in Jesus? Is that the same thing as being a follower of Jesus? Come and be a part of the conversation. Fr. Jeff and Joel will be leading the group tonight.
P.R.A.Y.
(
Potomac River
Anglican
[
Area
-Amazing-Awesome] Youth
) 
January 16 (Monday)
- MLK Day of Service at National Hebrew Congregation
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
On this day our youth and those from our PRAY congregations will join with our brothers and sisters at
Washington Hebrew Congregation fo
r "tikkun olam," a Hebrew concept of "repairing the world" or social action and justice ministry.
The day will include packing meals, sorting donated clothes, making food, and even creating family craft projects. We will work along side folks of all ages and all faiths to help those most in need in the DC Metro area. Please let Jeff know if you will be attending this event no later than Monday, January 9. This is a great way for students to get 3 hours of community service - please be sure to bring your form so it can be signed on the day.
Please put the following dates on your calendar for these joint youth events:
February 12
+
March 19
+
April 9
+
May 21
Friends are always welcome at any youth program!
L. Sue von Rautenkranz
Christian Formation Coordinator
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Welcome Julie Petersmeyer ...
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We are pleased to welcome Julie Petersmeyer to St. Dunstan's on January 15, for a 6 month ministry placement. Julie is part of the deacons' training program in our diocese. She will spend around 10 hours per week with us, sharing some of her outreach experience with prisoners, serving in liturgies, and leading formational activities. Julie is a long-time member of St. Columba's and lives in our neighborhood. Please welcome her warmly!
________________________________________________________________
Movie Screening
Wednesday, January 11, 5:30 p.m.
The Festival Center
1640 Columbia Road NW
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Lent Preview
Lent begins this year on March 1. On Monday evenings during Lent, St. Dunstan's and neighboring parishes will offer a series on Christian Theology and Harry Potter, with the Rev. Patricia Lyons. Ms. Lyons was with us for two Sundays last year, and won us over with her vitality and creative approach to teaching. Please save your Monday evenings in March and April for this great opportunity.
Walk- In Funds Needed
'Tis the season for giving. The walk-in funds are in need of donations. Every week we are solicited by people in need. The walk-in fund provides us with funds to give them for transportation, food, and even medicine. Every little bit helps. Please consider donating any amount to the fund. You can place you donation in the collection plate, leave it with Jeff, or leave it in the staff office. Be sure to mark it "walk-in fund".
Kim Matthews
Parish Administrator
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Hopes and Prayers on our Journey ...
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 I
n Need of Healing:
Don Larrabee,
infirm in nursing care
Curt Shively,
husband of Susan Burkhalter,
in nursing care
Penelope McCormick
, mother of Ryan McCormick
John Riordan,
father of Meghan Jarvis, ill
Ken Farnsworth
, ill at home in Wheaton
Maureen Lake
, ill
Carmine Smith,
mother of Nancy Douglas, ill
Donna Courtney,
ill
Troy Kravitz,
brain surgery
Sue von Rautenkranz
, recovering from Surgery
Recently Departed:
Wynn Smith
, brother of Nancy Douglas
The flowers
are given to the glory of God.
We pray for St. Dunstan's Missionaries,
Cameron and Roberto Vivanco, who serve in Quito, Ecuador, and the parish of Buen Pastor.
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer, please complete our prayer request form by clicking
here.
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The First after the Epiphany
The Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ
January 8, 2017
9:00 a.m. Family Service
9:50 a.m. Life-Long Christian Formation
10:45 a.m. Traditional Holy Eucharist
The readings for this Sunday are:
Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 29, Matthew 3:13-17
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Sunday Schedule of Ministries ...
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Serving this Sunday
Host Family: McNally
Liturgical Coordinator: Rosi Sweeney
Eucharistic Ministers:
Carl Adams
and Sue Newman
Lector: Cathie Morton
Prayer Minister: Rosi Sweeney
Flower Guild: Ann Boyd
Tellers:
Donna Alvarez and Bob Boyd
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