Nauset Light at Night

By: Todd Vorenkamp

And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.

Mark 13:37

Weekly Calendar

Quick Links for Online Worship and Fellowship

Advent I

A Prayer for our Community in Transition

Almighty God, you know the needs of your Church in every place: look graciously upon the people of Saint Mary’s and grant us the guidance of your Holy Spirit as we seek a new Rector for this parish. Guide the members of our Search Committee as they labor to be faithful in seeking your will. Inspire those who will discern with us, that each may be responsive to Your call. Give us wisdom and confidence in your timing, and in all things help us to seek the path you have set for us to follow. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Tis the Season for Christmas Flower Dedications

Please click here to donate/dedicate Christmas flowers and help our amazing flower guild adorn our altar on Christmas Day. Thank you!

Prayer Requests

If you have additions to our Parish Prayer List, please fill out this,

Online Prayer Request Form There are also always paper forms available in the rear of the church or our parish office.

Celebrating With Our Lutheran Friends

We continue to build our fellowship with one another. Please know we are invited to participate in the following weekly meetings at First Lutheran:

• Tuesdays - Silent Meditation - Noon to 12:30 pm 

You are invited to meet in the Sanctuary every Tuesday at noon year round for some silence and meditation. It is completely free. Light a candle. Worship, Contemplate, Heal, and Commune.

• Wednesday Nights - Pot-luck Supper 6:00 PM
• Sacred Journey (Via Sacre) Worship Service at 7:00 PM

Via Sacre is an alternative form of worship held every Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM; it is filled with candlelight, time for meditation and prayer, Bible readings and sermon, and the sharing of Communion – and community. Each week may be a little different without any set liturgy, but there is plenty of music – both in the Taizé tradition and others with upbeat rhythms.

All Gifts are due by no later than Sunday, December 10

Santa's Sleigh Toy and Gift Shop Collection

Partnering with the Cape Cod Council of Churches and the Hands of Hope Outreach Food Pantry, Saint Mary's is invited to help make Christmas just a little brighter for Cape Cod Families in need. Please click on the flier for details. Please read the instructions on gifting carefully and leave the unwrapped gifts beneath the Advent Giving Tree in our Sunroom. Also, IF you choose to donate actual gift cards instead of physical presents, we ask that you please drop those in the secure mail slot drop box located on the outside of the West facing parish office door ( by the front driveway, covered walkway). This process will help us keep the valuable gift cards from getting lost in the shuffle of "stuff". Thank you in advance for supporting this outreach effort. We truly appreciate your help. Any questions? Please contact Allison.

During the past ten days, each member of the Search Committee has privately examined information provided by the 23 clergy who have expressed their interest in becoming our next rector. The applicants come from a variety of locations – as close as Massachusetts’ North Shore and as distant as Alaska. And they currently have a range of roles in churches of various sizes. Our committee’s current goal is to determine which candidates to invite to move on to the next stage of the search: meeting the entire committee in a Zoom interview. In the next few days, committee members will meet as a group to compare our assessments of individual candidates. We’ll use consensus to determine whom we’ll invite to join us on Zoom.



If you have any questions or comments for us, please email them to [email protected].

Movie Theology Series

Please bring your own beverage, adult or soft, a seat cushion and we’ve got the rest, including the popcorn. We have a great line up of movies selected for this year. Please invite friends and help us welcome others to Saint Mary's on the following dates.

• December 10
• January 14
• February 11
• March 10
• April 14
• May 12
• June 9

You are encouraged to share the flier on your social media and around town. Thank you!

The Christmas 2023 Worship Service Schedule

Saturday, December 23 - Advent IV

5:00 PM - Holy Eucharist with hymns

Sunday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Day

11:00 AM - Holy Eucharist with special music 

4:00 PM - Family Eucharist with special music

9:30 PM - Prelude of Christmas music

10:00 PM - Festival Eucharist with choir

Monday, December 25 - Nativity of Our Lord

10:00 AM - Holy Eucharist with hymns

We are hoping to find children to participate in our 4:00 PM Family Christmas Service. Please reach out to Allison if you know of any children who may want to participate in the service. All are warmly welcome in our manger.

Thank You!

"You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving."

Amy Carmichael

Coffee Hour

We are always looking for more hosts and hostesses.

Please be sure to check the bulletin board in the sunroom in order to sign-up. You are welcome to co-host with a friend if you desire. We have allowed for 2 volunteer slots each week although, you are welcome to host solo as well. This is a crucial way for us to build community and welcome newcomers. Thank you very much for your help with this ministry.

Altar Flower Dedications

Please click here for the online signup form. Flower arrangements can be donated for so many different reasons whether it is in loving memory of a deceased loved one, in celebration of a joyous event, a wedding, a baptism, a graduation, or in thanksgiving for something important in your life. We are very blessed to have a team of talented flower guild members who always work to create beautiful arrangements holding your intentions in their hearts. We also have a paper sign-up on the bulletin board in the sunroom as well. Please note that dates do need to be shared as we have a large community to honor and celebrate together. There are NO flowers during Advent or Lent. You are welcome to dedicate Altar Arrangements during Advent but please understand the arrangements will not include flowers, just seasonal greens.

Thank you!

Sharing Your Thoughts

Your Vestry has decided to set up an on-line Let's Talk Box in addition to the physical ones around campus. Please click on the image below to share your thoughts, questions, concerns, ideas etc. The hope is this additional pathway of communication will help our Vestry members know what is on the hearts and minds of our parish.

• Weekly E-News deadline: Wednesday at noon.
• In an effort to keep it brief we will only highlight happenings of the next 10 days in our E-News.
• The deadline for submissions to our Monthly E-Newsletter is the 25th of the prior month.
• For your convenience, the Monthly Newsletter (printed out) will be available in the sunroom and the back of the church for those who would like a paper copy. If you know of someone who would enjoy receiving a paper copy in the regular mail please let Allison know.

     Saint Mary's Episcopal Church

P.O. Box 395

3055 Main Street

Barnstable, MA 02630

508-362-3977

www.stmarys-church.org