This Sunday, May 4, 2025

Third Sunday of Easter 

8:00 and 9:30 service of Holy Eucharist

including a send-off prayer for the Wales pilgrims at the 9:30 service

St. David’s is glad to serve consecrated gluten-free bread at communion. Come one, come all. All are welcome at God’s table.

The Nursery will be open during the 9:30 service and forum time.

Forum: Social Time

We continue to Facebook Livestream the Sunday 9:30 service and upload to YouTube.

Sunday Bulletin

Worship Team Schedule

Wales Pilgrimage Send-Off

Join us on Sunday May 4th at the 9:30am service as we offer prayers for safe travel, strong fellowship, and sacred experience for those from our congregation embarking on the pilgrimage trip to Wales. Our travelers leave the afternoon of May 4 and return Tuesday, May 13. The list of St. David's pilgrims: the Rev. Katherine Lewis, Shea Brendalen, Roger Stratton, Ann Carda, Marilyn Clark, Scott Clark, Diane Curley, Julia Handley, Mary Mann, Eileen McNamara, Huldah Niles, Pam Schroeder, and Cathy Schwictenberg. Other pilgrims include: Susan Allen (sister of Cathy Schwictenberg), Lonnie Clark (father of Ann Carda), Beth Kendall (sister of Katherine Lewis), Ruth Swaney (fellow traveler and friend of the pilgrimage leaders, from Pennsylvania). Pilgrim leaders: the Rev. Tony Pompa and Dr. Connie Andrejko.



Please pray for our travelers. We look forward to their safe return and for hearing stories of how God's Spirit traveled with and touched them.

O Christ,

You are

Lord of our journeying,

Lord of our searching,

Lord of our exploring,

Lord of our finding

Lord of our arriving.

May we

Find that

In travelling

To the edges,

We discover

The Centre.

This Sunday: The Peace Table for children ages 7-11

This Wednesday: May 7^th – LIFT Youth Group at St. David’s 6:30-8:30pm

Click Here: to Sign-up for the 3-5th Grade Overnight

Sign up for text reminders:

Youth Ministry GroupME 

Children's Ministry GroupME

ECMN programming registration is live for Youth Camp, and Family Camp. 

Full C+Y Program Calendar Here

ECMN Central & West Metro Mission Area Gathering

The morning of Saturday, April 26, ECMN hosted the Central and West Metro Mission Area Gathering at St. Mark's Cathedral.

The Very Reverend Katherine Lewis, Reverend Leonard Freeman, Reverend Lindsay Freeman, David Niles, Cathy Schwichtenberg, and Julia Handley all attended on behalf of St. David's.

The morning began with a welcome and introductions, followed by Dwelling in the Word with a passage from Jeremiah 29.

Bishop Loya then addressed the gathering. The subject of his talk was "Forming Remnant Communities of Witness, Practice, and Resistance. The Bishop discussed how we're in a limnal/transitional space in the church right now and outlined three commitments of the remnant church: 

• We look to the past to harvest wisdom, not to nurse nostalgia
• We embrace the gift of small, allowing us to deepen our roots and our relationships and commit more fiercely to our practices
• We focus on launching and supplying lifeboats more than repairing the ocean liner. The ocean liner (the large church of our past) can no longer be repaired.

He referenced the book Signs of Life by Jay Sidebotham as recommended reading in this area.

The Bishop discussed how the primary responsibility of local churches is to help people deep their relationship with God.

He then offered three things to keep in mind as we are supplying these lifeboats to "seed the future":

• Have "the heart of the leader"
• Embed scripture in everything
• Pastor the community (not just those who attend church)

He described the cycle of the missional journey - listening, loving, being in community, sharing Jesus, having church experiences, repeat the cycle from the beginning. 

He concluded with some examples near and far of how congregations are seeding the future, and noted that seeding the future is our spiritual heritage using the example of Bishop Whipple seeding faith communities that are still in existence in the early years of the church in Minnesota.

Following the Bishop's address, the gathering broke into a number of discussion groups based on roles - clergy, wardens, vestry, justice, and formation.

The morning concluded with the renewal of baptismal vows by everyone present.

Seeking Art for the Bulletins

We have been blessed by the artistic contributions of parishioners who have created stirring imagery for the cover of our Sunday bulletins, most recently this past Sunday when Maggie and Hannah Idzik offered their beautiful baptismal art. We want this artistic ministry to continue! If you are interested in creating art for the Sunday bulletin, especially for special Sundays and high holy days, please contact Julia at office@stdavidsparish.org. We will work to offer guidance on liturgical themes and other details. Thank you for considering this invitation!

Good Friday Offering   

Thank you for donating to our Good Friday Offering which supports the ministry of The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East.  Through your generous support we raised $959. 

Your gift to the Good Friday Offering will support ministry at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, which has continued to provide essential health care services despite the violence of war; St. George’s in Baghdad, Iraq, and its medical center; an eye clinic at Christ Church in Yemen; and the powerful Christian presence of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Damascus, Syria, and All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Beirut, Lebanon.  

Update from the Wardens: Forum Presentation - April 27th

Thank you to all who attended the community forum last week to receive an update from the wardens. As a reminder, Vestry meetings are open for parishioners to attend and observe. Our next meeting will be, on May 19th from 6:45-8:30pm in the Jones Room (ICA building.)

Click here to view the presentation given during last Sunday's forum time.

The Bike MS: Twin Cities Ride is back for another year!

The formal event will be in St. Paul on Saturday, May 10^th. 

Our Team known as Beckmann’s Bike Brigade will once again hold our own ride on Thursday, May 8^th in Minnetonka.

This is our 6^th year as a Team in collaboration with Westwood Professional Services (where Dan Beckmann and Chris Carda are employed).

Date: Thursday, May 8^th

Location: Westwood Professional Services to Lake Riley and back

                12701 Whitewater Drive

                 Minnetonka, MN 55343

Time: 4:30 p.m. departure from the south parking lot

          The ride should take about 2 hours

          Happy hour to follow at Boom Island Brewery (around 6:30 p.m.)

Route: Click here to open

For those who are newer to St. David’s, we ride to support our own Dan Beckmann, who lives with MS. Through the miracles of modern medicine, Dan has been able to juggle a full work and family life despite the disease. Dan will be the first to say this event isn’t about him, it is about supporting a community of friends and family members who have been impacted by MS and working towards a cure.

For the event in May you have the option to sign up as a full participant through MS Society webpage. This allows you to fundraise on your own, yet be included as part of our greater team. Since we’re organizing our own version of the ride, you also have the option of simply showing up and riding with us on the 8^th….without formally signing up. This provides the opportunity for more folks to informally join the ride and simply donate to the team without paying a registration fee. My 9 old will make his own way again for the 3^rd straight year, so feel free to bring the kids and make it a family affair. This is an informal event, so just drop me a note (chris.carda@westwoodps.com) or call (612-209-2616) before the event (the day before is still not too late) for planning.

We’ll plan to meet at Westwood’s parking lot (SE side of the building) for a 4:30 departure on Thursday afternoon, May 8^th. We’ll ride the Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail to the southwest for about 7.5 miles to Lake Riley and then turn around and go back to the office (15-ish miles total). All are welcome to join us for a happy hour at Boom Island Brewery at the end of the ride. The trail is hard-packed gravel, so plan accordingly with your bike. If it looks like a complete washout with rain, we’ll hold Saturday, May 10^th (same place at 9:00 a.m.) as a backup.

You can sign up for the team here. Our team name is Beckmann’s Bike Brigade.

If you can’t ride, but would like to donate, click here.

Spring Clean-up: Save the Date

Saturday May 17th 9:00-1:00pm

Mark your calendars! Spring cleanup day is Saturday, May 17th from 9:00am-1:00pm. Come for all or part of the time. There rare approximately 40 tasks to be done.

Examples:

• Light painting
• Kitchen clean-up
• Murphy Soap doors and tables
• Vacuum smoke detectors
• Turn on water and bring hoses out
• Clean exhaust over the dishwasher

Sign-up sheets are in the Undercroft and Narthex - looking forward to seeing you there!

- Buildings & Grounds Team

Crossroads Conversations: End-of-Life Hopes, Fears, & Curiosities

How can contemplating dying enhance living? How can I be more prepared for the decline and death of my parents or other loved ones, or myself? What are the most eco-friendly options for body disposition available in the Twin Cities? What is a death midwife or death doula, and why would I want one? Through a combination of informative presentation and unstructured dialogue, we’ll explore your end-of-life hopes, fears, and questions. During the community forum time on Sunday, May 18th, join death midwife Michael Sala in a relaxed conversation about a profound topic that is relevant to each of us.

Michael Sala has been a wellness, care, and support professional for over 30 years. As a special education and later hospice social worker, he has served individuals from age 4 to 104. Now retired from social work, he offers a holistic array of services for wellbeing throughout life and at end of life, including yoga, Thai bodywork, energy medicine, spiritual guidance, and end-of-life care as a death midwife. He is also a poetry enthusiast and a proponent of radical unconditional love. Learn more about his offerings at presentpurpose.weebly.com and imagineabetterfuture.weebly.com. Contact Michael with any questions at Michael.PresentPurpose@gmail.com.

Wonder Women Social Hour Returns - May 15th!

Now that May is here, let's get together for snacks, beverages, and conversations. St David's Wonder Women gatherings are fun and a "wonder-ful" way to get to know people better on an informal basis. Please join us!

Thursday, May 15th: 5:00-6:30 at the Sandsmark's home!

8531 W 29th St St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Thursday, June 12th: 5:00-6:30 at the Carda's

July: hosted by Susan Taylor, more details to come!

Appetizers and beverages are welcome but not required - your presence takes precedent. 

If you are willing to host or willing to double up with someone and co-host - let Nan Drake know at drake.nan@gmail.com or 612. 590.9092 Dates still open are August, September,and even October. Thursdays seem to be good days - keep in mind other church events happening so we don't overwhelm our involvement and commitments.

Community Night with Rogation

Save the date for our next community night, on Wednesday, May 28 at 6:00. After a potluck community meal, we will head outside to celebrate Rogation Day.

Rogation is an ancient church practice of seeking blessing for a community and its sustenance (the word "Rogation" comes from the Latin Rogare, meaning "to ask"). Rogation Days are the 3 days preceding Ascension Day and are intended for asking God's blessing on agriculture and industry.  

Since medieval days there has been a tradition of "beating the bounds" – walking together in procession around the boundary of property, praying for God's blessing upon crops, the well-being of the land, and sharing hope in God's ability to nourish and sustain life. 

We will keep this tradition alive with a procession on the land on which our congregation resides, accompanied by scripture and song.

Grow (literally) in faith at Good Courage Farm this year! 

Join with other Creation-loving folks for four seasons of on-farm learning and practice through the Farm Stewards ministry at Good Courage Farm in Hutchinson. This immersive, agrarian faith formation experience invites you (and church friends new and old!) to commit one Saturday a month (March through October) to a prayerful, joyful, reciprocal relationship with the farm's fruit trees, grapevines, or animals. Reconnect your spiritual life with the land and its gifts. Share the real fruits of your labor with those who hunger. Deepen your literacy in reading both Creation and Scripture for revelations of God's generous love. Click here to learn more about growing with Good Courage Farm in 2025 - spiritually and literally.

Sunday, May 18th - Join us in welcoming Rev. Kerri Meyer from Good Courage farm to be our guest preacher. Rev. Meyer will also hold a booth during the forum time.

ICA Update

ICA Sunday this Sunday

This Sunday, May 4, is the first Sunday of the month and, thus, St. David’s ICA Sunday. Everyone was so generous during Minnesota FoodShare month in March, which is greatly appreciated. However, ICA is providing food & other stabilizing resources for more households than ever before in its 50+ year history. In fact, more families than ever before (1143 families) received full food orders just this March at ICA. 

ICA is starting to collect items for its Kids’ Summer Market. There is a special section set up in the food shelf that is designed to provide extra food for families with school-aged children during the summer months when kids do not receive breakfast or lunch at school. The Kids’ Summer Market offers kid-friendly foods where parents can choose foods that will best match their family’s needs. Special needs include:

Of course, these are just suggestions. Anything you would like to donate is always welcome. Bring your items to church this Sunday or drop them off at your convenience in one of the ICA baskets, located at the church entrances.

While food donations help bring in supplies for immediate use, a financial donation to ICA helps ensure the shelves can be kept well stocked. A check made out to ICA can be dropped in the Sunday collection plate. Or go online at www.icafoodshelf.org, choose Donate from the menu & follow the prompts. To ensure your donation is linked to St. David’s, be sure to check “donate as an organization”, put in St. David’s in box labeled “organization name.” Your donation will still be attached to your name, but also gets linked with St. David’s. Thank you for supporting ICA. 

Postal food drive - May 10

Mark your calendars! Another way to support ICA is coming up on Saturday, May 10. It is the annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. All you need to do is leave a bag of non-perishable food items at your mailbox that Saturday. It will be picked up and delivered to ICA. 

Our mission: To create a healthy and stable community for all

Our vision: A community where everyone has the resources to thrive

Our belief: ICA’s presence in our communities makes our neighborhoods more stable and secure

Loaves and Fishes

Please join us as we prepare and serve delicious meals for those in need

May 13th



Please contact Sue or Basil Owen to sign up or sign up in the Undercroft. Sue’s cell is 612-716-1945. Basil’s cell is 612-716-0683 or email at bowen3@fastmail.com.

Easter Flower Donations

Thank you to everyone who offered donations in memory, celebration, and thanksgiving of loved ones and other prayers which supported the beautiful flowers which adorned our sanctuary on Easter Sunday.

In Memory of:

• My wife Nancy Popp, and her parents Marguerite and Ralph Burt. My Parents Clara and Edward Popp. - From LaMar Popp
• Judy Roggow & John Galich – From Dorothy & Leo Roggow
• Peter VonGrossmann – from Helen VonGrossmann
• Family members who have died: Mary & Len Korbel, Lee Korbel, Collin Scott – From Marty Scott
• Leroy Whitmein Lumberjack – From Roger Sonnesyn
• Paul & Vi Tsuchiya, Tom & Doris Barnard -From Paul & Debi Tsuchiya
• Dwight Lord, Jack & Dot Oberbagh – From Gretchen Lord
• Karl Kaufmann, Bil & Dotty Mark – From Nancy Mark
• Penny & Walter, Brian Michael, Binta – From Judy Bouts
• Jim & Peggy Sweely, Jack Sweely – From Becky Sweely
• Jim Engel – from Sharon Engel
• MaryLou Erickson, Mike Johnson, Gary Peterson – From Marilyn & Scott Clark
• Donna Kramer & Terry Kramer – From Tim Kramer
• Andrea Albrecht – From Allison Ferro
• Katherine & Russell Gardiner – Mary Ellen Gardiner
• Lois Irene Sonnesyn – From Roger Sonnesyn
• Grace, Jack & Tom – From Leigh & Sather
• John & Helen Molnar, Darrel & MaryAnn Monteith – From Jim & Ann Monteith
• Mother Barbara – From Kimber Lopac
• Harrison & Dorothy Cary – Diane Curly

Healing for: Jackie & Andy Galich- from Judy Roggow & John Galich

In Celebration for:

• God’s blessings in this life – from Marty Scott
• “All sinners repentant” – From Roger Sonnesyn
• Easter – Emma Stokes
• 50^th Wedding Anniversary – From Carol & Steve Johnson
• FGBMFI – From Roger Sonnesyn
• Thanksgiving – Marian Stokes
• Easter  – From Leigh & Sather

In Thanksgiving for:

• St. Davids & Rev. Katherine Lewis – from Marty Scott
• Deacons ministry – From Roger Sonnesyn
• Our St. David’s Family – The Carda Family
• The People of St. David’s – The Rev. Katherine Lewis
• Katherine Lewis & our St. David’s Family – From Mary Mann & David Pearson
• Family – From Launa Tucker
• Heaven as a free gift – From Roger Sonnesyn
• Our children & grandchildren – From the Freeman’s
• Our sons – From Leigh & Sather
• Drew, Ann and Jamie Monteith – From Jim & Ann Monteith
• Family & Community – From Gretchen Lord

Have an announcement you would like to share in this weekly email?

Send it to office@stdavidsparish.org before 9:00 am on Wednesday to be featured.

What else is going on at St. David's?

Want to view the full calendar for the week? Click here to view the St. David's website complete with a calendar to keep you updated on events and offerings! Scroll all the way to the bottom to view it.

Pastoral Care Line: 952-767-0891