St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church
November 12, 2020

Thank You for Your Generosity!
Please Help Us Complete The Campaign!


Our parish leadership is looking forward with great anticipation to the year 2021.  The Finance Committee and Vestry are presently hard at work on a budget that will equip us for our common mission and ministry in the year ahead.  
 
We invite you to pledge as a means of empowering our parish leadership to make the best-informed decisions about our common future.  In the weeks ahead, members of our Stewardship Team will be following up with those in our parish from whom we’ve not yet heard.  Complete your 2021 online today!
Use the button above to confidentially submit your 2021 pledge online.

Latest News from St. Mary of the Hills

Departing for the season? Let us know!

As many will soon be departing the High Country for the season, know that we will miss you! Please contact the parish office and let us know when you will be departing so we can update your contact information! Stay safe and happy winter!
Organ Concert - November 19, 7:00PM

Joe Causby, Director of Music and Organist at Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, along with some friends, will offer a concert on Thursday evening at 7:00PM from St. Mary of the Hills.  The concert will be available on our YouTube channel and archived there for later viewing.
See the schedule of upcoming services and sign-up using the button below.
St. Mary of the Hills
on YouTube

Did you know that all services are available for steaming and are also archived on YouTube?

Visit our channel and don’t forget to subscribe.

Sorrow and Joy in our Parish

+ Sonny Howard, a former St. Mary's parishioner and Blowing Rock resident died this past week in George. An obituary is forthcoming and services will be held at a later date. More details will be shared as they become available. We pray for Sonny, and for his family.


As we become aware of births and deaths in the life of our parish community, this will be a space to share those announcements, as we have permission, so that we can pray for and support one another amidst all life's seasons. Please contact Fr. Andrew to share announcements of birth and death in your family.

This Sunday - Join us Online


PLEASE NOTE:
The livestream of Sunday morning services will now take place on YouTube Live only, as we continue working toward an improved video and audio quality. Use the button below to access our parish YouTube channel. The livestream will begin approximately ten minutes prior to the service.


Click the image above to view Sunday's bulletin.

The Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
November 15, 2020


Morning Prayer
Online at 10:00AM


Sunday Coffee Minute

Are you missing the opportunity to connect with
St. Mary's friends during Coffee Minute?
So are we!

After worship on Sunday, join us at 10:45AM for an online Coffee Minute on Zoom.
Use the button below to connect. The password is 'coffee'.

Online Giving to St. Mary of the Hills

Thank you for your continued generous support of St. Mary of the Hills!

Even as we practice social distancing and refrain from gathering for the health and safety of one another, the mission and ministry of the Church is ongoing - Worship, Christian Formation, and Outreach to our community continue in this season.

Please continue to remember us with your generous financial support.
Gifts can also be received via mail at P.O. Box 14 Blowing Rock, NC 28605.

Joe Raulerson, Financial Secretary, can speak with you about setting up recurring payments to fulfill your pledge. You may reach him via e-mail at financial@stmaryofthehills.org.


Prayer & Study at Home

Rector's Forum

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus' ministry is oriented around five distinct sermons. Last week, we began reading from Jesus’ final sermon.  Today, we continue our study of Matthew 25.  Join us as we reflect together on these words of our Lord and their meaning for us today. We meet via Zoom on Sunday mornings, 9:00-9:30AM. Use the button below to connect (password: forum) All are welcome!

Reading Between the Lines

Reading Between The Lines (formerly BibleWorkbench) is a lectionary based life-centered biblical resource designed for small group formation in church and home. This group meets via Zoom on Fridays from 9:30AM until 10:30AM. No need to commit forever! Just say 'yes' for one session at a time. 

If you are interested in learning more or signing up, contact parishioner Owene Courtney (owene_courtney@yahoo.com).


Godly Play
I wonder...

For those with children in the home, or the young at heart, click above to watch and engage with a video of a Godly Play story.


Serving our Community

Casting Bread –
Give Thanks for 2020 Challenge

During the twenty days from November 1st until November 20th, the Casting Bread will focus on the things for which to be thankful in 2020.  To maintain its ability to feed families, Casting Bread encourages you to accept the 'Give Thanks for 2020 Challenge': 

  1. Donate $20.
  2. Donate 20 cans of food.
  3. Challenge 20 people to take the same challenge. 

Visit Casting Bread's website by clicking the image above to make your donation, donate 20 cans of food, and download tools to help you invite 20 people to increase food security. 
Responding to Natural Disaster

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is an international relief and development agency and a compassionate response to human suffering on behalf of the Episcopal Church. ERD is working diligently to respond to the needs of those affected by the multiple natural disasters affecting our nation, including areas of the Gulf Coast Impacted by Hurricane Laura and along the West Coast as communities confront the destruction of wildfires.

To learn more about the efforts underway,  and to contribute to the Episcopal Church’s response to these disasters, visit ERD’s website by clicking on the image above.

In the Diocese of
Western North Carolina
and Beyond



Diocese of Western North Carolina
News and Events


Want to keep up with the latest news from our diocese? Subscribe to the Diocese of Western North Carolina's E-News to receive weekly updates and information about upcoming events.

The 98th Annual Convention of
the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina

The 98th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina will take place on November 13 and 14. In light of the ongoing pandemic, this year's convention will take place online. Click the convention image to the left to visit the website and learn more about ways to connect.