Dragon Tales

Oct 28, 2026

A Note From the Rev Patti

One of the meditations I read this week asked these questions:

· What kind of life are you living, right here and how?

· What do your actions reveal, as opposed to the stories you tell yourself?

· How do you actually direct your time and attention?

· And with whatever time you’ve got left, what’s truly important to you?

I printed these questions out and have looked at them every morning. My first thought this morning was how thankful I am for…well, just about everything. I considered my life in the quiet of the early morning office, and just felt so grateful. I’m grateful to be here, with you all. I’m grateful to live here by the water, in this community. I’m grateful to live in this country. I’m grateful for our system of government and our right to vote to make it better, for the right to worship as I please, to speak out against injustice and inequity. I say thank you.

Going back to the questions – what do my actions reveal and to what do I direct my attention? I was so happy last Sunday at the Fall Festival! So many of our family showing up and having fun, helping out with so many things! A HUGE thank you to ALL – our grill guys, Bill, Steven, Paul and Jim – GREAT food! All the Missions represented – truly a joy to see so many expressions of the outreach we do here. The children in their costumes and balloon animals! The whole morning was just wonderful. Again, thankful! This is truly important to me.

I’ve put a little blue United Thank Offering box on my desk and it’s filling up! Spend some time with these questions and feel your heart expand with gratitude for our community. Let it show in your pledge. Let it show in your participation. Keep filling your blue boxes. We will collect them on November 22nd. Count your blessings!!

Don't Forget to "Fall Back" For Church On Sunday! Daylight Savings Time is This Weekend!

Pledging is easy!

Pledge now by

scanning this QR code!

Practice Gratitude:

Change the World

Pick up a UTO box in church and take it home and fill it with change. The boxes will be collected November 22nd.

The United Thank Offering (UTO) began in 1883 when the women of the church took up a thank offering to support innovative mission and ministry in The Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion that the church budget could not cover.

Today, UTO includes members of all ages and genders and welcomes people regardless of church affiliation. UTO’s focus is still on promoting gratitude and supporting innovative projects that address compelling needs around the globe.

Continuing a Legacy of Generosity

Nearly three decades ago, St. Margaret’s parishioners Ed and Zoe Hall made a generous gift to the church. Our parish chose to honor their generosity by creating an endowment that supports nonprofit organizations whose work reflects the mission and priorities of St. Margaret’s.

Today, that legacy continues. Nearly $3 million in grants has been awarded to local, regional and international organizations working to address poverty and hunger, restore health, protect the environment, expand educational opportunities, and promote reconciliation and equity.

Applications for the next round of St. Margaret’s Endowment Grants are being accepted through November 30, 2026. Grants will be awarded in spring 2027.

We invite charitable organizations whose work aligns with our mission to apply at https://submit.link/5lw.

Questions? Please contact Christine Feldmann at missions@st-margarets.org or at 410-353-2862. 

Cards of Encouragement for

College Students



Let us help keep up your students spirits while they are away from home. Please send your college students name and address to (info@st-margarets.org) and they will receive a monthly message from St. Margaret’s Church reminding them they are in our thoughts.

Used Eyeglasses Donation

Donate your used-yet-usable eyeglasses. If you have used prescription or nonprescription glasses or sunglasses, you can donate them now! There will be a box in the Narthex. Children’s glasses are especially needed. We will take them to the Chestertown Lions Club for recycling by organizations hosting optical missions in developing countries for those in need.

THANK YOU!

VESTRY- The Vestry of the church, our group of twelve elected lay representatives who help the Rector run the church, meets on the third Tuesday of every month except August. The meetings are hybrid and are open to the congregation to attend. Please let the Rector (peter@st-margarets.org) or the Senior Warden know in advance if you’d like to attend and if you have a matter to bring. You need to be on the agenda to have a voice. The next meeting is November 17th at 7pm.

On-going Ministries

WOMEN’S GUILD ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Guild has voted to buy the new refrigerator to go with the new dishwasher they bought earlier this year in the Parish Hall kitchen. Your support of mum sales, quilt and honey sales, and the BAZAAR November 21 make gifts like this possible. THANK YOU! 

The Broadneck Pantry will be open on November 9. Lists are available in the narthex to best meet their needs. 

In November, empty shoe boxes will be available for parishioners to fill with "couch surfer" - travel size tooth paste, deodorant, shampoo, etc. for Christmas. Gift cards will also be solicited. These are high school students who can not live at home for a number of reasons and "surf" on friends' couches. 

Our November Guild meeting will be at noon on Wednesday, November 4. Mike Winn, Robert Thomas, and Peter Mayer+ will have an interactive historic letter from the Bishop in the 1800's with questions for St. Margaret's. ALL ARE WELCOME. Bring a sandwich and dessert and drinks will be provided. 

Tuesday Evening Book Study

We are using the book Creation and the Cross: The Mercy of God for a Planet in Peril by Elizabeth A. Johnson, Roman Catholic feminist theologian and Distinguished Professor Emerita of Theology at Fordham University. We explore God's dream for creation and our part in it at 7:00 pm on Zoom every Tuesday. If you'd like to explore with us, email Rev. Patti for the link.

(patti@st-margarets.org)

First Thursdays Contemplative Service

at 7pm

A contemplative service offering sacred silence, gentle prayer, and healing presence. Pause from life’s noise, open your heart, find peace, renewal, hope, and God’s abiding love. Our readings range far and wide. Please join us at 7pm on the 1st Thursdays of each month in the Sanctuary.

St. Margaret’s Prayer Shawl Ministry knits (or crochets or quilts) prayer shawls to give to ill or grieving parishioners who need the warmth and comfort our shawls offer. We also craft christening blankets that are given to those baptized at St. Margaret’s.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets for knitting and fellowship 9:00-11:00 a.m. (usually) on the first Saturday of the month on the lower level of the Formation Building. Park in the back of building near the Day School playground and enter through the backdoor noted with a “Prayer Shawl” sign.)

Join us! Our next meeting will be on Saturday, November 7th. Bring a knitting project or start one. We have all the supplies you’ll need as well as a welcoming group happy to teach knitting and share crafting wisdom. Contact Janet Gellici at jgellici@gmail.com or Lois Lechleider at Loislechleider@gmail.com for more information.

Qualified Charitable Distribution to St. Margaret's Church

Are you over 70.5 years old? Are you struggling to take your required minimum distribution (RMD) from your traditional IRA? Do you know that you can minimize your taxes by making a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to St. Margaret's Church for as much as $108K a year per person! Call our office today to find out more information, and thank you for your generosity.

Children And Youth

Music

Missions

OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT SMC's ONGOING MISSIONS

Light House: Ongoing: The Light House in Annapolis currently provides dinners year-round for up to 50 community members in need. St. Margaret’s Church parishioners provide that meal once a month. The work involves planning, purchasing, and preparing the meal and delivering it to the Light House. Reimbursement is available for your grocery costs.

2026 LH dinners are currently covered. Dinner Cooks will be needed to cover monthly dinners in 2027. Please look for the 2027 Sign Up Genius coming later in the fall. Providing a meal for 50 is so much easier when the cooking is shared by a group, family or friends. When the work is done and the food is delivered, the sense of helping is truly wonderful.

SMC POC: Janet Allen, SMC’s Light House Dinner Coordinator

janettuckerallen@gmail.com

Light House:  Ongoing: Donate REQUESTED food and other items to Light House by placing in the designated area under the window in the Narthex. Please see list of needed items here: https://annapolislighthouse.org/get-involved/needs/

We collect for the Lighthouse Shelter all year, and you can leave your donations in the basket in the back corner of the narthex. 

Thanks for your support of this great cause! 

SMC POC: Jeanne Nardi, SMC's Light House Donation Coordinator nardij@me.com 

Sunday Service Oct 25, 2026

Sunday's Bulletin

Sunday's Announcements

Servers have been added to Realm Connect: check on your profile page under "serving." For more info about how to find your schedule, contact Gwen Davis at gwen@llamaworks.com.

Calendar

Oct 28- Eucharist 9am, Te Deum Ringers 3:15pm, Jubilate Ringers 6:30pm

Oct 29- Adult Choir Faure Requiem Rehearsal 7pm, Wellspring Band Rehearsal 7pm

Nov 1- **

Nov 2- Choristers Rehearsal 5:15pm, Youth Group 6:15pm, Adult Choir 7pm

Nov 3- Tuesday Night Book Study 7pm Zoom

Nov 4- Eucharist 9am, Te Deum Ringers 3:15pm, Jubilate Ringers 6:30pm

Nov 5- Contemplative Service 7pm, Wellspring Band Rehearsal 7pm

Nov 8- **, All Souls Faure Requiem Service 4pm,

Nov 9- Choristers Rehearsal 5:15pm, Youth Group 6:15pm, Adult Choir 7pm

Nov 10- Tuesday Night Book Study 7pm Zoom

Nov 11- Eucharist 9am, Te Deum Ringers 3:15pm, Jubilate Ringers 6:30pm

Nov 12- Movie Night: The Ballad of Wallis Island 7pm, Wellspring Band Rehearsal 7pm

Nov 15- **

Nov 16- Choristers Rehearsal 5:15pm, Youth Group 6:15pm, Adult Choir 7pm

Nov 17- Tuesday Night Book Study 7pm Zoom, Vestry Meeting 7pm

Nov 18- Eucharist 9am, Te Deum Ringers 3:15pm, Jubilate Ringers 6:30pm

Nov 19- Wellspring Band Rehearsal 7pm

Nov 21- Women's Guild Holiday Bazaar

Nov 22- **, SMC 101 CoffeeHour

Nov 23- Nov 27 SMC Office Closed

Nov 23- TBD Choristers Rehearsal 5:15pm, NO Youth Group, TBD Adult Choir 7pm

Nov 26- No Eucharist

Nov 29- **, Intergenerational Advent Activities Coffee Hour

Nov 30- Choristers Rehearsal 5:15pm, Chorister Evensong 5:45pm, Community Dinner 6:15pm, Youth Group 6:15pm, Adult Choir 7pm

**Program Year Sunday Service Schedule 7:30am, 9am, and 11:15am, Nursery from 8:45am to 11am, Coffee Hour between the 9am and 11:15am Services, Sunday School at 10:15am beginning September 20th

St. Margaret's Contacts

The Rev. Peter W. Mayer, Rector - Peter@st-margarets.org

The Rev. Patti Sachs, Associate Rector - Patti@st-margarets.org

Elizabeth Radley, Director of Operations - Elizabeth@st-margarets.org

Jim Douglas, Director of Music - Music@st-margarets.org

Jake Ritmiller, Associate for Contemporary Music - Jake@st-margarets.org

Ginny Joy, Administrative Assistant - Ginny@st-margarets.org

Judy Hall, Churchyard Admin- Churchyard@st-margarets.org

Emily DelSordo, Children's Formation Coordinator - Emily@st-margarets.org

Allison Wood, Youth Ministries Coordinator - Youthministry@st-margarets.org

Teresa McCorkle, Bookkeeper - Office@st-margarets.org

Christine Feldmann, Grants Administrator - Missions@st-margarets.org

Deadline for Dragon Tales submissions is Monday afternoon.

Deadline for Weekly Announcements is Monday afternoon.

Do you have a prayer request to post in Sunday's announcements? Click HERE to make the request on our website. Deadline to make it in the Sunday's announcements is Monday afternoon.

Church Calendar

Newcomers

St. Margaret's Day School

Episcopal Diocese of Maryland

The Episcopal Church

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