And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Mark 1: 35

This Week of February 4

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Weekly Calendar

Quick Links for Online Worship and Fellowship

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.

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.

Saint Mary's Annual Meeting February 25, 2024

You are all encouraged to attend our Annual Meeting this year, immediately following the 9:00 AM Worship service at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday February 25. The meeting will be held in the church to ensure there is enough seating for all. We will review the Annual Report, approve the 2024 Budget, and elect various parish leaders. The Annual Meeting is a celebration of all Saint Mary's is as well as an assessment of the health of our community and a celebration of all we are and all we do.There will be a celebratory brunch in Walden Hall following the meeting.

^{“the world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything”.}

^{~ Albert Einstein}

Honoring Black History Month with the National Cathedral

Below is a link for the documentary movie entitled,

“Now and Forever: A Story of Freedom on the Move” . This film documents the history and creation process of the Cathedral’s new stained glass windows, “Now and Forever” by world-renowned visual artist Kerry James Marshall, accompanied by the poem “American Song” composed by acclaimed poet Elizabeth Alexander.

In the film we hear from Cathedral leadership, the selection committee, the artist, and the stained glass artisan to learn about this momentous addition to Cathedral art. The Cathedral’s Now and Forever Windows capture the resilience, faith and endurance of African Americans and our nation’s struggle with the original sins of racism and slavery. Click the link below to watch the documentary.

https://cathedral.org/discover/programs/racial-social-justice/windows/documentary/

Yarmouthport Historical Society Program

Sunday, February 4

3:00 PM

South Yarmouth United Methodist Church

In Celebration of Black History Month, Keith Stokes will discuss how, in the 'Gilded Age" of the late 1800s, Newport, Rhode Island became a magnet for leading African heritage families attracted to the numerous business opportunities to create wealth and also take part in the many civic, social, recreational, and religious organizations active during the era.

Tickets and Info:

www.hsoy.org/events or cash at the door

This Sunday, February 4, 2024

No Place For Hate Workshop

This is a opportunity to learn how you can make a difference in our community, support those who are persecuted, bullied or victim to racism and hatred. Participants will participate in powerful role playing designed to teach bystanders how they can help. There are a few spots remaining in the workshop. The workshop will take place at First Lutheran Church in West Barnstable from 12:00 to 2:30 PM. A simple lunch of bread and soup will be provided for participants.

Please click here to signup.



Strategic Planning

Holy Conversations in progress!

Your Vestry has embarked on a strategic planning process and will look to all members of the Saint Mary’s family to engage. Strategic planning may seem like it is too “business-y,” but it is for any organization that wants to chart a productive, reasonable path to the future. A short description -- an organization's leaders define the organization’s vision for the future and identify their organization's goals and objectives.

For your Vestry, that means diving into the information you have already given us – the CAT survey of last year that many of you took to inform our search for a new rector. We worked with a consultant in church strategic planning this fall to get us launched – and the Wardens have appointed a committee of current Vestry members to move the process forward.

It also means, as the Beloved Community, we seek God’s direction for Saint Mary’s, informed by Scripture and discernment and prayer. Hence the Holy Conversations! We are using a book called Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations by Gil Rendle and Alice Mann.

You will hear much more in the days ahead. The goal right now is to give the new rector tools for moving forward with us together.

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee

Fr. Scott Bellows, Sally Cameron, Marian Ferguson, Brad Goodwin, Beth Hearn, and David

Nawrocki.



A New Art Installation at Saint Mary's

Be sure to take a moment to enjoy the incredible quilts created by Lynne Conroy.

Angels' Treasures re-opened this Wednesday! If you are on facebook please take a peak at our Angels' Treasures Facebook page. We will try to keep the feed fresh with photos and information highlighting the constantly changing inventory. Please check out our Facebook Page Here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553985862261

Like It and Share it with friends near and far.

We will not be selling items online yet but we will be marketing them to help spread our reach. Thank you for helping us with this mission.

So many treasures!

REALM Training Session

We are pleased to announce that we will be offering a training session on our REALM - ACS Technologies. Please join us on Sunday, February 11 at 11:30 AM in Walden Hall. Please let Allison know if you will be able to attend. Participants should bring their cell phones, laptops or other devices on which they plan to use REALM.

Wednesday Spiritual Discussions Group



Wednesdays at 10am via zoom.

All are welcome! For more information, please contact Deacon Elizabeth Whitmore at [email protected]



Click here to join the zoom

Save these February Dates 

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

Tuesday, February 13, 5pm-7pm  

Ash Wednesday Liturgies - February 14

12:00 pm - Saint Mary's Church

7:00 pm - First Lutheran Church

Lent Flicks and Luncheon

Sundays at 12:00 PM beginning Sunday, February 18 

Annual Meeting Sunday - February 25

9:00 am - Combined Service of Holy Eucharist

10:15 am - Annual Parish Meeting in the Church

11:30 am - All Parish Brunch in Walden Hall

Last Call! Sign-up for the No Place for Hate Workshop

Sign-up here.

Shrove Tuesday Supper - February 13

We will be hosting a Pancake Supper in Walden Hall to mark Shrove Tuesday

from 5:00 to 7:00 PM

Join us for some delicious fluffy pancakes, sausage and bacon on the Eve of Lent.

RSVP Here or on the paper sign-up in the sunroom.

Lent Flicks & Luncheon Series:

All are warmly welcome to join us in Walden Hall on Sunday afternoons throughout Lent for a simple lunch of soup and bread followed by a movie and stimulating theological discussion. Our Lent Flicks will begin after Ash Wednesday, on Sunday, February 18 at Noon. We have a fabulous line-up of films selected. All are warmly welcomed. Please sign-up in advance here to help us know how many to expect for lunch.

Thank you!

If you are interested in helping make soup or bread for one of the Sundays please contact Marian Ferguson.

Legacy Giving - 1891 Society

When we look back on our lives, we think of those people and places that have meant the most to us. Has Saint Mary’s Church been such a place for you? Has this community of grace and its' people nurtured your soul? Would you like to assure that the ministries of our Church which proclaim the love of God in Jesus Christ in word and deed continue for future generations? If so, please consider joining the 1891 Society and becoming a legacy donor.

Thank you.

Click HERE to learn how you can join the 1891 Society

Annual Parish Meeting ~ call for reports:

Our annual parish meeting will be held on February 25. Please submit all reports to Julie Remie, at [email protected]. The deadline is next Friday, February 9 at 3pm. Please format reports with the following: Highlights from 2023, Looking ahead in 2024. Include 2-3 photos if possible. 

• 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 for our Monthly E-Newsletter will be 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