Seeking God • Building Community •

Growing Faith • Reaching Out

 

November 12, 2026

Thursday

In this issue:

(scroll down for more)


Help Needed this Saturday!


Sign Up to Serve this Sunday, November 15


Happening this Week:

  • November Book Discussion
  • "Small Groups Saturday"
  • Diocesan Confirmation Service
  • Deadline for Thanksgiving contributions for NCCF


St. Dunstan's Volunteer Night at Nourishing Bethesda


Stewardship 2027: "Celebrating God's Abundance"


Friendsgiving Potluck


Donate to the 2026 Christmas Auction


For Your Prayers

Help Needed this Saturday!

We are looking for someone to carry St. Dunstan's Banner in this Saturday's Confirmation Service at the Washington National Cathedral! If you are willing to take on this very important role, please contact The Rector today.

Sign Up to Serve

this Sunday, November 15

Please use the buttons below to let us know how you will take part in Sunday's service:

Happening this Week

TODAY!

Thursday, November 12

2 p.m.


November Book Discussion:

Atmosphere,

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

On Zoom


The conversation is open to everyone...Please click the button below to join the conversation!

Saturday, November 14

"Small Groups Saturday"

9 a.m.


Monthly Men's Group Meeting

Kitchen/Parlor



All St. Dunstan’s men – and friends – are invited to gather for bagels, coffee, and lively conversation. As usual, we will gather for bagels and coffee in the kitchen starting at 9 a.m. We will start our discussion in the Parlor around 9:20. This month we have three starter topics for consideration:


  • The mid-term election results - and what it means that several of the winning candidates openly professed their faith as part of their campaign.
  • How churches can preach morality and virtue and ethics while being welcoming to those with a range of political views.
  • How rock-solid our system of government is.  How the world's oldest constitution repeatedly does the job of correcting bad policy and hemming in lunatics.


For more information, please contact John Wyss.

10 a.m.


Soul Sisters

On Zoom


The St. Dunstan's Soul Sisters, our women's discussion group, will meet this Saturday morning, November 14, from 10-11:30 a.m. Our starter topic this week will be our reactions to the midterm elections. How has it changed things for us? What lessons might we learn from this big turn-around? In particular, what do we think about the emergence of what some call "Matthew 25 Christians" - those who emphasize Jesus' teaching that we are to care for the most vulnerable?


Anyone is welcome to join the conversation, so feel free to share the Zoom link: 

Meeting ID: 871 7035 4558

Passcode: 600490

For more information, please contact Sue Carroll.



10 a.m.


Diocesan Service of Confirmation and Reception

Washington National Cathedral


ALL are welcome to come support St. Dunstan's parishioners Calvin Bentley, John Flentje, Barbara Graham, and Alex Lane as they make a public declaration of their faith in a beautiful service at the Washington National Cathedral this Saturday!


Parking in the Cathedral’s garage will be free of charge. Although tickets may be issued as cars enter before the service, the gates will be open so that persons departing within one hour of the conclusion of the service will not be charged.

Sunday, November 15

DEADLINE for

Thanksgiving Meals for The National Center

for Children and Families 


This is a reminder that if you plan to purchase a grocery gift card or Thanksgiving meal ingredients for families served by The National Center for Children and Families here in Bethesda, please bring them to church this Sunday, November 15th.


To participate with a gift card, please purchase a $25 card from Giant, Safeway, Aldi, or Food Lion.


If you would like to provide ingredients for a Thanksgiving meal, a full list of needed items can be found here. Please bring bagged groceries to church on Sunday and place them in front of the Altar for blessing during worship.


Volunteers Needed! Please let Deacon Jessica know if you can help drop off the items at NCCF next week. 

St. Dunstan's Volunteer Night at Nourishing Bethesda

Thursday, December 3


5-7 p.m.


Nourishing Bethesda Group Packing Program

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad

Volunteers of All Ages Needed!


Please join us in supporting the Nourishing Bethesda Group Packing Program on Thursday, December 3, from 5–7 p.m. Volunteers of all ages are needed to help pack food for individuals and families in our community who are experiencing food insecurity. 


This is a wonderful opportunity to put our faith into action, serve our neighbors, and make a meaningful difference together. No special experience is necessary—just a willingness to help! Please consider volunteering and joining this important community outreach effort. Feel free to reach out to Deacon Jessica for further information


Sign up using the button below:

Stewardship 2027:

"Celebrating God's Abundance"

St. Dunstan's 2027 Stewardship Drive, Celebrating God's Abundance, is underway! As you consider your family's plans for the coming year, we invite you to pledge your support for St. Dunstan's ministries and mission through this year's campaign. 


If you'd like to learn more about making a pledge, we encourage you to watch this video from Bishop Mariann Budde explaining what a pledge is and why it matters to our parish community. 


Additional Stewardship materials are available in Founders' Hall. Please reach out to any of us with questions. We wish you and your family a joyful and abundant November!


Karen Kosiba Edwards 

Alex Lane

Carmen Petruzzi

Graham Rehrig

To make your pledge online, please click below:

Friendsgiving Potluck

Sunday, November 22


5 p.m.


Friendsgiving Potluck and Advent Decorating

Parish Hall


As Thanksgiving approaches, we are excited to gather for a parish-wide Friendsgiving Potluck hosted by the Family Ministry! 


We invite everyone to bring a favorite dish that reflects your favorite family traditions, cultural heritage, or holiday celebrations. It's a wonderful opportunity to share a meal and give thanks for the many ways God has blessed our community this year. To sign up, please click the button below.


After dinner, we will help decorate the Nave for the Season of Advent.


We hope you'll come hungry and ready to celebrate the season together! For more information or to lend a hand, please contact Alex Lane.

Donate to the 2026 Christmas Auction

Join the Fun:

Our Fourth Annual

Festive Christmas Auction!



This year’s Festive Christmas Auction will be live online from Sunday, November 29 until Sunday, December 13 at midnight. Mark your calendars now for this fun, online auction event!


We would love everyone to be involved in donating an auction experience and bidding! Remember: These proceeds support the important mission and ministry of St. Dunstan’s and this year, 5% of the proceeds will be donated to the non-profit Nourishing Bethesda. 


What can you donate? Be creative! Think experiences! Something enjoyable, useful, and/or helpful to offer and that others will want to bid on and win! This auction is virtual and online only. Want some ideas?

  • Make dinner in your home or deliver dinner to a family of up to four or more.
  • Donate tickets to sporting events, a theatre performance, or a musical event.
  • Offer a golf outing at your club for one or two players or dinner at your favorite restaurant.
  • Bake your special cake or make ice cream for someone’s birthday or anniversary celebration.
  • Share your energy and offer babysitting, car washes, dog walking, or leaf raking.
  • Share your skills and teach someone knitting, bread baking, pickleball, chess, or your favorite card game.


Use this online form to submit your auction item and description. Donors from last year who want to donate again need to submit this form, too. All auction donation forms are due by Friday, November 20.

No physical auction items (other than tickets and gift cards) can be delivered to the church, but items can be presented directly to the auction winner. Please contact Elisabeth at admin@stdunstansbethesda.org if you have any questions. 

 

For Your Prayers

If you have added names to our Parish Prayer List, please help us keep the list current and accurate by letting The Rector know when they are ready to "graduate."

For healing, strength, and protection:


Galen Adams; Hollis Anderson;

Jim and Karen Besser; Joyce Bleby; 

Phil and Patti Carroll; Henry Cox; Traci Dean;

Kenny Farnsworth; Katie Beck Fey; Torrey Finck;

Nick Gilbert; Louisa Greene; Terry Haight; Sue Hale; Deryck Hammon; Joe Heiberger; Ben Hull; Taylor Jones; Pope Leo; Michael and Susan Leto; Patricia Mackenzie;

Silvia Mesen; Marsha Muawwad; Rick Nickles; 

Linda Rogers; Curtis Shively; Jack Tovornik;

Sandra Walters; David Wheeler; Charlie Wooters; Martha Lou Youngblood; Anna; Ben; Bill; Christopher; Griffin; Heather; JW; Karen; Katherine;

Lindsay and William; Marty; Melanie; Michelle; MT; Noor; Paola; Patrick; Sherry; and Shiloh


For others in need of prayer:


The peoples of Bolivia, Haiti, the Holy Land, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan and South Sudan, and Ukraine


The women and men of our

Foreign Service and Armed Forces 


Emergency personnel and first responders


Victims of climate and natural disasters


Missionaries serving throughout the world


The 2026 St. Dunstan's Vestry

The Reverend Patricia Phaneuf Alexander, Rector


Vince Leonard, Senior Warden

Fred Atwood, Junior Warden

 Nils Overdahl, Treasurer

Michelle Mesen, Registrar


Nancy Douglas

Doug McManus

Marie Park

Carmen Petruzzi

Graham Rehrig

St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church | Website

Parish Administrator's 

Regular Office Hours:

Tuesday and Thursday afternoons

(Office closed Fridays and on Federal holidays)

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