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This Week of March 10


Stained glass window at Saint Ann's Episcopal Church, Kennebunkport


“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."



John 3: 16


Don't forget!

Daylight Savings

We SPRING ahead this weekend

Weekly Calendar

Friday, March 8

1:00 PM Grief Support Group, Library, zoom


Saturday, March 9

9:00 AM Vestry Retreat, Walden Hall

5:00 PM Holy Eucharist, Church

6:30 PM Vestry Social, Ferguson Residence


Sunday, March 10

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS - Spring forward!

8:00 AM Holy Eucharist, Church

10:00 AM Holy Eucharist, Church Livestream

11:15 AM Fellowship, Walden Hall

12:00 PM Lent Flicks - (Pay it Forward) Walden Hall


Monday, March 11

3:30 PM Education for Ministry, Saint James

6:45 PM Cape Cod Chorale Rehearsal, Walden Hall


Tuesday, March 12

8:00 AM Interim/Wardens Meeting, Interim's Office

12:00 PM Silent Meditation, First Lutheran Church

3:30 PM NO NAMI Education Class - CANCELED


Wednesday, March 13

9:00 AM Staff Meeting, Saint James

10:00 AM Wednesday Spirituality Discussions, zoom

1:00 PM Covid Booster Clinic, Walden Hall

6:00 PM Potluck Supper, First Lutheran Church

6:15 PM Parish Choir Rehearsal, Walden Hall

7:00 PM Sacred Journey Worship Service, First Lutheran Church


Thursday, March 14

8:30 AM Thursday morning Eucharist & book discussion, Walden Hall, zoom

11:00 AM AGO Meeting, Library

6:30 PM Zen Meditation Group, Walden Hall


Friday, March 15

1:00 PM Grief Support Group, Library, zoom


Saturday, March 16

8:00 AM South Congregation Retreat, Walden Hall

5:00 PM Holy Eucharist, Church

6:00 PM Third Saturday Potluck Reception, Walden Hall


Sunday, March 17

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

8:00 AM Holy Eucharist, Church

10:00 AM Holy Eucharist, Church Livestream

11:15 AM Fellowship, Walden Hall

12:00 PM Lent Flicks, (A Man For All Seasons) Walden Hall

2:00 PM Amazing Grace Meeting, Library



Quick Links for Online Worship and Fellowship


Click here for the livestream

of the 10:00 AM Sunday morning worship service.


You can enjoy the services live or watch the recording any time thereafter.

All of our services are available on YouTube after the livestream ends.



Click here for our YouTube channel


Please click the image below for our worship bulletin.

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.

Supporting the good works of our Diocese

The 2024 Bishops' Annual Appeal

February 18th/ February 25th


We are reminded throughout Scripture that God has formed an everlasting covenant with us. This covenant is an invitation to enter into relationship with God and to act together in harmony with one another and all the earth. As we launch the 2024 Bishops' Annual Appeal, we invite you to join us in deepening covenants we have formed as the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.

Our diocesan mission strategy is a covenant to become ever more faithful and generous disciples of Jesus. With your support, the Bishops' Annual Appeal promotes this goal through lifelong Christian formation, youth and young adult ministries, racial justice and creation care initiatives, as well as multicultural and immigration outreach. did you know the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts annually commits $2.2 million in grants, allocations and program support to mission initiatives, congregations, and special ministries, as well as support for the wider church.


The Annual Appeal brochure will be available to you in the rear of the church and in our sunroom throughout Lent. Please mail your donations directly to the Diocesan office with the pre-addressed envelope included inside the Annual Appeal Brochure.


Please click here to read the appeal newsletter .



Coming Events



The Babes of March

The birthday list in our March newsletter was all jumbled. Sincere apologies for all the mistakes. Below is an updated and corrected March birthday list. Click on the image below.

Lent Flicks & Luncheon Series

Join us for this Sunday's film - Pay It Forward

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. We have a fabulous line-up of films selected. 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.

Lenten Quiet Day


The Cape Cod Chapter of the Companions of the Holy Cross invites you to a Lenten Quiet Day on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at St. David's Episcopal Church in South Yarmouth. "Meeting Jesus in the Wilderness and the Garden: Through Bible study, quiet reflection/journaling and guided meditation" will be led by The Reverend Gail Smith. Coffee/tea at 9:30 A.M.. The program begins at 10:00 A.M; Communion Service at noon, followed by lunch at 12:30 P.M. Please bring journal and pen/pencil. If you wish to attend, please contact: Ruthanne Allen at ruthannegallen@icloud.com.

 

Celebrate Holy Week and Easter at Saint Mary's

click the image below for details


Formation



Grief Support Opportunities at Saint Mary's


The Pastoral Care Ministry of Saint Mary’s Church invites anyone experiencing a significant loss in your life to consider participating in one of the two grief support opportunities listed below.


The Bereavement Group will begin meeting on Wednesday, March 20 in the Saint Mary's library and will continue on the third Wednesday of each month. This group is for those in need of compassionate, non-judgmental support while processing and embracing the grief of a death or significant loss. To participate in this group, or for more information, please email Pastor Russ Norris. The group is open to anyone who is wrestling with a sense of loss. Participants are welcome to join or leave at any point in time. The Bereavement Group will be facilitated by Hospice Chaplain Kristy Hodson. Chaplain Hodson spent the first half of her career in the fields of Accounting and Human Resources connecting with people in all aspects of their lives. Since 2010, she has focused on pastoral care, earning a M.A. in chaplaincy, a M.Div., and working as a local church pastor and healthcare chaplain. Kristy currently works as a Hospice Chaplain with Gentiva in Sandwich, MA.


Saint Mary’s Grief Support Group, is an additional ongoing group at Saint Mary's which has met weekly for many years and can be attended either in-person at 1:00pm on Friday afternoons in the Saint Mary’s Library or remotely via Zoom. This group brings together men and women who are experiencing grief due to the death of a spouse, relative, or friend. In some cases, members may be experiencing anticipatory grief due to the impending loss of a significant person. Members share their wisdom and personal stories. Their time together is characterized by honesty, transparency, compassion, and mutual support. There are tears but also laughter as we walk this sad journey together for a period of time. All are welcome to Saint Mary’s Grief Group, regardless of where you are on your journey. Cay Hartley has an extensive history of working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing grief due to the death of a loved one. Cay was licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in Maryland and the District of Columbia prior to moving to the Cape and Saint Mary’s in 2016.

To participate in this group, or for more information, please email Cay at:

 cayhartley1040@gmail.com


We are grateful for the gifts of these two skilled professionals who have committed themselves to walking with us on this journey of loss and renewal.

The Stolen Beam: Essential Conversation and Spiritual Reflection on Reparations 


The name “Stolen Beam” refers to a Talmudic debate about the right thing to do when we discover that the house in which we live was built with stolen materials, i.e., a “stolen beam” – do we tear the house down and return the beam to its rightful owner or do we acknowledge the crime and offer compensation to the beam’s owner? We use this metaphor, the Stolen Beam, in recognition of the fact that much of our country was built on stolen land with stolen lives and stolen labor.


The Stolen Beam is a course of educational engagement and personal reflection, originating from the Jewish Community of Amherst, exploring the legacy and aftermath of African enslavement, what was stolen, and what may be owed.  It examines the historical case for reparations; global and national precedents for reparations; practical proposals for national and local reparations; and theological reflections on reparations from Jewish and Christian sources. 


Offered under the auspices of Episcopal City Mission, and facilitated by Dr. Constance Holmes and the Rev. Steve Bonsey, Stolen Beam will be offered over seven Zoom sessions.


Monday evenings, 7-8:30 p.m., April 8 through May 20

Registration is open until March 1 at https://www.tfaforms.com/5107491

A course overview is available at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DdnJvMVHcg

Questions? Email margotcritchfield@gmail.com



Outreach and Volunteer Opportunities




Helping Our Friends Ardie and Stefanie

Extending the Share A Meal Sign-up

Thank you to everyone who has been helping cook and deliver meals for Ardie and Stefanie while Ardie continues to recover from shoulder surgery. It has been really helpful for both of them. We would like to extend the campaign a bit longer and are hopeful for some new volunteers. The online sign-up makes it super easy and even includes suggested recipes. Thank you in advance for your support and a special thank you to Stella Bearse for organizing this sign-up.

Click Here to Bring A Meal


Egg Stuffing Egg-stravaganza


Allison is looking for helpers to stuff all of our Easter eggs with candy. We will have an egg stuffing work party in Walden Hall on Wednesday, March 20th at 12:00 PM. Many hands make lite work. Please R.S.V.P. to Allison if you are able to help. and THANK YOU!

Amazing Grace Camp

In 2013, Saint Mary's parishioners united to support children affected by a family member's incarceration with the goal of breaking the cycle of family incarceration. A decade later, Amazing Grace of Cape Cod has supported 81 children from 62 families and celebrated its 10th Anniversary in May.

 

What started as a free, week-long camp experience for 8-11 year olds has grown to include year round programming that supports the children well into adulthood. Last summer one of our first campers was old enough to be a camp mentor. Other recent graduates are studying to be a social worker, an auto mechanic, a chef, a writer of children's stories, and an artist.

 

Now a separate 501c3 charity, St Mary's parishioners are well represented on the board (Carol Bolstad, President; Dick Galbraith, Treasurer; Lisa Barr, At Large), staff (Julie Lytle, Executive Director), and as current and past mentors (ask Dave Knauer!). As the AG team begins strategic planning to ensure sustainability for the next decade, we continue to be grateful for St Mary's active involvement, financial support, and prayers.



The Daffodil Tea is Coming!

Saturday, April 20th



Volunteers Needed


Please click the image below for a flier with more details.

For those of you interested in attending the Daffodil Tea, there will be only one seating at 1:00 PM. TIckets are going FAST! The ticket price is $35 for adults and $15 for children 16 and under. Reservations may be made for the tea by calling the special Daffodil Tea reservation line: 508-362-3977 ext 25

Thank you!

The Garden Committee

Seeking new members!

Our first garden work-day will be Saturday, April 13 from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. We will be sprucing up the gardens to be sure everything looks sharp for the upcoming Daffodil Tea. The Garden Committee meets twice a month; one physical garden work-day and one planning and sharing meeting on the First Tuesday of the month at 4:00 PM. Join us!

Our Next Gatherings

Garden Committee Meeting: April 2 at 4:00 PM in the Saint James Room

Garden Work Day: April 13 at 9:00 AM in the gardens.

ALL are warmly welcome!

INREACH


Video Streaming

We are looking to train more people for video streaming. If you are interested in joining this ministry please let Allison know and she will arrange for you to train at your convenience. You do not need to be a technology wizard at all. This is an important way for us to reach people outside the walls of our church. Thank you in advance for considering this.


For our Movie Theology and Lent Flicks series

Soup/Salad Makers

Bread/Cookie Bakers

to help please contact Marian Ferguson


Angels' Treasures Volunteer Staff

contact Janis Umschlag


Angels' Treasures Social Media Marketing

contact Allison Bresette

Calling All Artists!

The Saint Mary's Art Committee is looking for artists of all types who wish to display their work in the halls and walls of Saint Mary's Church. If interested, please contact Barry Olofsson at 774- 212-6703 or bolofsson@comcast.net.  

Did you know that Angels' Treasures has a Facebook page now? For those of you who use Facebook, we could use your help. You can find our our page with the link below:



https://www.facebook.com/AngelsTreasuresThrift/

Please LIKE and FOLLOW our page and if you would be willing, please invite your friends and family to do so as well.

Thank you so much to those of you who already have taken this step. Every little bit helps!

Featured Finds of the Week

Is there a special Irish lass or lad in your life? Are you ready for Saint Patrick's Day. A lovely candy dish with basket weaving and shamrock detail would make a lovely gift with some authentic Irish cadbury chocolate eggs. Or how about this sweet little collectible Irish doll? She has a wind up mechanism that allows her head to nod to "When Irish Eyes are Smiling." Stop in this weekend to see what other treats you can find. The angels' are always happy to see you!

Shop Hours: Wednesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM.

Think Ahead

You have a will and an IRA/retirement account. You think you are all set. Remember the beneficiary form on your IRA trumps your will. Check to make sure your beneficiaries are correct. Make sure you have a primary and secondary beneficiary.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can help St. Mary’s, please contact Linda Gadkowski at 508-292-5500



Parish Communications



  • 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.
Give to Saint Mary's
Visit our website

     Saint Mary's Episcopal Church

P.O. Box 395

3055 Main Street

Barnstable, MA 02630

508-362-3977

www.stmarys-church.org