1895 Laurel, Saint Paul MN 55104

Saint Mary's Episcopal Church

1895 Laurel Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104

All Parish Message from Reverend Lindsey Briggs – September 2022

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Dear Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church,
 
I write knowing that many of you call our church community home, while others are still deciding if St. Mary’s is where you want to belong. I know many are bone tired due to COVID and crisis. My hope for Saint Mary’s is that we are a place of rest, healing, connection and growth; that each person who enters our physical or digital space will know that they have inherent worth, unrelated to their skill or ability to produce. 
 
Amidst the noise of global crisis and constant urgency, I invite you to our discernment year. Who are we now? How do we want to show up in our own lives? Who will we serve as we join with God to love the world into wholeness?
 
Our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya, has provided a road map which we will follow in our own St. Mary’s way. None of us are who we were when the pandemic started, but all of us can blossom in the here and now. We worship a God of new beginnings and second chances, a God who makes all things new.
 
Our map for the year follows a helpful pattern. We start by getting grounded, asking what spiritual practices keep you connected to God and walking in the way of Jesus: discipleship. Then we’ll explore how we can focus and change as a community, choosing to partner with the Holy Spirit’s movement in the world: faithful innovation. In Lent we’ll discuss how we collectively live out our baptismal covenant, repairing harm, treating every human life with dignity and respect: justice. And in Easter we’ll build skills to create healthier relationships with ourselves and others: vitality. Click hyperlinks to watch videos of Bishop Loya speaking on each theme.
 
Underneath these themes we’ll explore the questions driving how we live in our neighborhoods, city, country, and world. We will make meaning using our sacred texts. We will grow in wisdom. We’ll commit ourselves to strengthening our integrity and love. 
 
Please join us on Rally Sunday, in person or online, to gently regather our community and ourselves. A Church Picnic will follow the service as we celebrate the start of a new program year. Bring a side dish you’d like to share!
 
Following Rally Sunday we’ll have a new schedule and new programs.
 
Saint Mary’s Sunday Schedule
  • 9:00 am Families worship in the chapel for 15 minutes of singing and praying before Sunday School
  • 9:15 am Kids K-6th grades walk to their Sunday School classroom. 
  • 9:15 am Parents are invited into a neighboring class room for mutual support.
  • 10:00 am Holy Eucharist
  • 11:00 am Apple Cider Hour on front lawn (weather permitting) 
 
Our adult education takes new shape, inviting us to dive deeper into each theme. In person and online opportunities will be available. Contact me by email, text, or phone to sign up for any of our Sacred Space/Sacred Study groups.  
 
Sacred Space/Sacred Study – Tuesday Nights 6:30-7:30 pm
 
Ordinary Time: Discipleship
  • Gospel of Mary (10/18, 10/25, 11/8, 11/15) 
  • Altar Building for All Saints & All Souls (11/1)
 
Advent: Faithful Innovation
  • Book Study & Spirituality Group on The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker (12/6, 1/10, 2/7) 
 
Lent: Justice 
  • Collective Discernment – To whom? what? where? is God inviting us to create a more justice and kind world. We will be drawing on a diversity of sources. (every Tuesday in Lent)
 
Easter: Vitality
  • Boundaries Build Kind Community will draw diverse sources including Victoria Albina, Nedra Glover Tawwab, Tara Brach, and many others! (4-week class, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16)
 
Additional Events
  • Rally Day & Church Picnic (9/18)
  • Choir Practice (Wednesdays and Sundays)
  • Pre-Tweeners, Tweeners and Youth Group Relaunches (Wednesdays)
  • Confirmation (1x monthly)
  • Contemplative Service (Thursdays at 7pm)
  • Animal Blessing on St. Francis’ Day (10/2)
  • All Parish Fun Day! At Big Stone Mini Golf (10/16) 
  • Installation Service (10/12)
  • Senior Quilt Sewing Nights (We will gather together in the dead of winter to collectively work on our senior’s quilts for 2-3 nights in February and March)
  • LGBTQ+ Healing Service & Karaoke (Co-hosted with other churches at St. Mary’s, 3/3)
  • Confirmation at St. Mark’s Cathedral (04/23)
  • Youth Recognition Dinner (5/TBD)
  • Sacred Sites with Rev. Jim Bear (Spring)
 
I’m delighted to be your new Rector and looking forward to seeing who we become in the coming year. Please email or call to sign up for any Sacred Study/Sacred Spaces events.
 
 
Many blessings,
Rev. Lindsey Briggs+
 
 
The Rev. Lindsey R. Briggs, BCC (she/they)
612-444-1090