Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Holy wow!!! You all did it. In a week our team traveled nearly 1,000 human-powered miles for the great EpisGOpal Race. We topped the entire country in most money raised and most miles covered (see more about this below).
I am in awe our church's commitment to health and wellness as well as our commitment to the wider church. Special thank yous to Caitlyn for setting this up. The United Thank Offering has helped churches and ministries across the country for years. I am glad St. Martin's commitment to the UTO is as strong as it is.
In the next two weeks St. Martin's finance committee and our vestry will meet. Topics of conversation will include ways we can begin to re-gather as a community and ways we can be of service to our community. Our commitment to growing in love, faith, and service is as strong as ever.
In Christ,
Mitch+
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Join us online for church this Sunday! |
Click HERE for the readings.
Click HERE for the Book of Common Prayer.
Click HERE for the Order of Service, which includes current prayer lists.
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Then join us after church
for a Zoom coffee hour!
This is a great way to catch up with one another. You will need Zoom on your device to join. If you do not have Zoom, when you click HERE, you'll be invited to download Zoom and join the meeting.
Once you are in Zoom, you will need the following to join the meeting:
Meeting ID: 924 4926 0578
Password: onthepoint
If you want to join by dialing in, call 253.215.8782
Meeting ID: 924 4926 0578
Password: 236317
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The Great EpisGOpal Race 2020 |
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Congratulations to everyone for finishing the Great EpisGOpal Race! According to Caitlyn's highly scientific calculations, the St. Martin's team traveled a total of 977.1 miles! The team cycled, walked, and ran. In addition, team members did pilates, swam laps and treaded water, did yoga and weight-lifted. St. Martin's had the largest team in the nation with 27 parishioners getting involved. And excitingly, St. Martin's raised more than $2,300 for the UTO Ingathering, the most money raised by a team, which means prizes are headed St. Martin's way.
In total, the national race raised more than $20,000, which will fund two Seed Grants in the coming grant cycle. This means that two communities will have what they need to respond in God's love to the pandemic around them. Thank you all for your part in making that happen.
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Could you bake some casseroles? |
The Casserole Ministry is NOT in the building, but it is gearing up for another round of casserole preparation from the safety of home. Whether or not you are part of this ministry, if you would like to take part now, here's how to proceed.
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Contact Theresa Watts ([email protected]) for recipes (either a chicken or beef based casserole).
- Then on Tuesday, Aug. 11, and Thursday, Aug. 13, between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., we will have a table with all the packaging materials/information set up outside the parish office for you to come and pick up the number of containers you are able to prepare. You will need to purchase the perishable items for making the casseroles individually.
- Make the casserole(s), and freeze at home.
- Deliver frozen casseroles back to the Parish Office on Tuesday, Aug. 18, or Thursday, Aug. 20, between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. We'll have a cooler just outside the parish office for drop-off. Thanking all in advance for supporting this meaningful ministry!
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Community Garden needs you! |
Please click below to sign up to help water and weed the Community Garden. |
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Please share a letter of encouragement
for immigrants in detention
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Through El Refugio, St. Martin's has begun ministries of remembering and walking alongside people in immigration detention. This winter, we sent our first group of "missionaries" to make visits with people in detention, listening to their stories and letting them know they are not alone or forgotten. Since the pandemic, we have been conducting ministries of relationship through letter writing. Our friends in immigration detention are discouraged, fearful, and anxious during this pandemic. While some have been released on asylum, or had their deportation orders cancelled during this time, others have died from the COVID-19 virus while in detention.
For those who remain imprisoned, notes of hello and encouragement are a very important piece of love and charity that we can show them. Pictures drawn by children are also encouraged!
Here are important details about this effort:
- Our goal is 100 total notes. They will go to men at Stewart Detention Center and women at the Irwin Detention Center.
- For guidelines & video, go to the OUTREACH PAGE of our website.
- For sample notes in Spanish or English, click HERE.
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#GospelsbyHand Challenge!
See scripture in a whole new way -- in your own handwriting! You're invited on a formational (and transformational) journey through the Gospel of Mark. All you need is a Bible, a pen, and some paper. The challenge is to copy down 10 verses per day. That's it!
- Prizes for whoever completes the challenge (besides the prize of spiritual edification).
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Join the Facebook group to share your progress pics, reflections, and receive encouragement from your friends! Or follow along on Instagram!
- Challenge open to anyone: adults, youth, and friends!
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Tuesday Morning Prayer Group
You are invited to join this group of parishioners that gathers weekly via Zoom for Morning Prayer on Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m. The video call is protected by a password. You can obtain that password by clicking HERE. After clicking in, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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If you would like to learn more in-depth about the history and work of the Church, consider taking part in the Education for Ministry program. This four-year program created by Sewanee is available each fall at St. Martin's. This year's classes will start via Zoom on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. with leader Terri Bailey. Once face-to-face meetings are allowed, a combination of Zoom and in-person gatherings will take place. For more information about the class, the cost to take part and how materials are ordered, please contact Terri at [email protected]. |
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Resources for talking with children about race are HERE. |
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#GospelChallenge
for kids and teenagers
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It's simple!
1. Be a kid or teenager.
2. Read the Gospel of Mark.
3. Prove to Mitch that you read it.
4. FREE SNOW CONE.
That's it! There's no time limit, but the first one to the finish line might get a bonus snow cone.
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2 OPTIONS FOR CHURCH DIRECTORIES |
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This app puts the church directory at your fingertips!
The easiest and fastest way to have an up-to-date parish directory is by downloading the ChurchLife app onto your phone. Follow these instructions to get started. You will be so glad you did this! We promise.
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For the iPhone, click HERE.
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For an Android phone, click HERE.
Log in info: Site # 90036
Username and password are same as your church website log in. You will only have to input this info once. If you haven't created a login, follow the steps with the login button on the homepage of the church website.
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You can also use the church website
Click the button below for step-by-step instructions on how to access directories via our website.
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Aug. 10
Betsy Adams
Aug. 11
Lauren Layden
Aug. 12
Pete Williams
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Aug. 13
Marc Fogarty
Anne Marie Gibbons
Jane Jannack
Jody Lumpkin
Aug. 14
Marnie Smith
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Follow St. Martin's on Facebook (St. Martin's-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church) throughout the week for parish news. LIKE the page for us, and SHARE posts with friends and family.
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Follow St. Martin's on Instagram at @smifsc, where we post:
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The 3-Word Gospel on Tuesdays.
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Compline from Home each evening, Monday through Friday.
- And other fun posts!
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Thank you for your gifts . . . |
To make your pledge via online giving, click HERE.
To make a financial gift to St. Martin's online, click HERE.
To make your Capital Campaign pledge online, click HERE.
To make a gift to the Capital Campaign, click HERE.
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5220 Clemson Avenue
Columbia, SC 29206
803.787.0392 | www.stmartinsinthefields.com
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