1895 Laurel, Saint Paul MN 55104

Saint Mary's Episcopal Church

1895 Laurel Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104

Saint Mary’s Weekly – June 18, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Worship In-person and via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

This Sunday The Rev Carol Arney will be our Preacher and Officiant.  This is a Morning Prayer Sunday so there won’t be Eucharist. Zoom coffee time and outdoor visiting for in-person worshippers will allow us to have social time after the service.

  • First Message: Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32
  • Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

For the Zoom worship service on June 20, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the 2021 Summer Songbook – Click HERE

What’s in this Weekly?

Worship Team

Congratulations to our Graduating High School Seniors!

Search Committee Update

Altar Guild

Pastoral Care

Education

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at St. Mary’s by The Rev. Susan Moss

After more than 4 months of worshiping with you on Zoom, and knowing many of you only on a screen, it was so good to be with many of you in person for the first time.

Since February, I have been learning how well you work together to craft robust and Spirit filled worship. Opening and walking through the sanctuary doors at 8:30 Sunday morning I was greeted by Vonda and the  “Borchestra” rehearsing.  Soon many others arrived to be greeters , to lead and welcome, to usher, serve as verger and on altar guild, proclaim the Gospel, broadcast the first hybrid service and more. Prior to this historic day, many more on The Regathering and Worship Teams had worked together to set the stage.
 
Clearly, leading and planning worship is one of St. Mary’s major charisms. A charism is a spiritual gift or talent given by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of others. In Ephesians 4:12 Paul writes that gifts (charisms) are given for the work of ministry in order to build up the body of Christ. In I Corinthians 12:7 Paul teaches  The Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all.
 
Signs of the Spirit’s gifts and presence show up as you share your gifts in teamwork, your enthusiasm and joy, your shared concerns and blessings in prayer.
 
As we all continue to experiment and  learn in this new hybrid world, we can trust the Spirit will continue to empower St Marian’s with gifts and talents for leading and planning worship.
 

What’s New?

  • If you’d like to listen to the beautiful guided meditation that Erika Scheurer walked us through on June 6th, Click HERE.
  • If you’d like to listen to the sermon given by Brian Nerbonne (Warden) and The Rev. Susan Moss on June 13th (and maybe some photos and additional footage from the recorded service), Click HERE.
  • Not new, but so IMPORTANT:  Before you leave home, download and save the bulletin on your device and bring your device to church. For those with no device (cell phone, iPad, laptop), a few printed bulletins will be available on the left as you enter the sanctuary. The bulletin is shortened from our usual length.
  • An early HEADS UP:  July 4th is on a Sunday this year. The Worship Team scheduled Gospel Based Discipleship (GBD) for that Sunday since the likelihood is that the attendance will be extra low. Given our need to keep in-person worshippers safe, gathering in in-person groups for GBD discussion isn’t realistic. So July 4th will be a ZOOM ONLY worship service.

Feedback is welcome!
Expect changes as we try things, see how they work and make improvements! Your feedback is more important than ever before to help us know what’s working well and what isn’t. Please send your thoughts, ideas, suggestions to the Worship Team.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

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Congratulations to Our Saint Mary’s High School Seniors!

 
Each year, we have the opportunity to join our congregation in celebrating some of the biggest milestones in each others’ lives. This has been a particularly challenging year and we want to hold up with special care and love our high school seniors who are graduating this spring!  We are so grateful to have had them in our midst enriching our communities, providing insight to our church and serving through their gifts.  This year we honor: 
 
Bennett Patrick Anderson: Bennett is graduating from Mahtomedi Senior High. His current greatest passion is playing Spikeball; he is participating in a tournament on Saturday to hopefully achieve status as a Premier Player, a nationwide ranking. Next year, Bennett plans to attend college of St. Benedict/St. John’s University and pursuing a major in Exercise Science and Sports Studies. Congratulations to Bennett and his parents Amy and Matt Anderson.
 
Ava McCallister: Ava is graduating from Central High School.  She participated in the life of Saint Mary’s through Sunday School, Tweeners, Youth Group and a variety of other events throughout the years.  She will be attending the University of Denver in the fall. A big congratulations to Ava and to her parents Josh and Cathy McCallister.
 
Lucas Nerbonne: Lucas is graduating from South High School in Minneapolis.  Throughout his time at Saint Mary’s he has been in Sunday school, Tweeners, and Youth Group but has really taken on leadership as a lay leader, song leader and in helping prepare for parish picnics.  He is headed to Middlebury College to study Environmental Science.  Congratulations to Lucas and to his parent Julia and Brian Nerbonne!
 
Max Johnson: Max is graduating from Great River School.  Throughout their time at Saint Mary’s, Max has been connected through Sunday school, Tweeners, Youth Group and a variety of other events throughout the years. They will be taking a gap year, during which they will move out, get a job and learn how to do life. After that, they will be heading to college!  Congratulations to Max and their parents Nina and Mike Johnson
 
God of creation, pour out your Spirit on our high school seniors as they enter a new period of life. Be with them as they begins new ventures knowing you have blessed them with hope and a future of success. Be with us all and help us to be reminded of your guidance in our lives. Amen.
 

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Search Committee Update

 

1. We’ve completed first-round interviews via Zoom. Topics covered in these deep, joyful, and wide-ranging conversations included:

– what drew them to priesthood

– what drew them to the St. Mary’s call

– favorite liturgical resources (aside from BCP)

– full and radical inclusion of all in the sacraments

– the role of young people (birth-18) in the church

– their personal processes and goals that support authentic and inspiring sermons

– administrative management experience

– equity and inclusion experience/education

– discernment and empowerment of lay leadership (skills, experiences, challenges)

– healthy organizational relationships that support a community-wide cycle of discernment/engagement/rest and mutual respect for privacy and autonomy. 

– organizational change management experience

2. We are delighted to be currently scheduling in-person interviews with two marvelous candidates (goal: end of June.) We are excited to build the itinerary for those visits, and to validate/iterate our planned topics for those conversations. 

Next steps: After these second, in-person interviews, the search committee will continue in deep discernment towards whole-hearted endorsement of someone as our next rector.  

We are buoyed by the deep listening, thinking, and sharing that our entire community has engaged in over the past year. We continue to offer and to ask for prayers of patience and grace during this time of intense and tantalizing discernment for our communal future. We all have such fierce faith in and passion for St. Mary’s, and we can’t wait to step into the future with you all.

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Volunteers for Saint Mary’s Altar Guild

As we open for the first time in a very long time, we are looking for new volunteers for Saint Mary’s Altar Guild. Your duties will be to serve on a team for one Sunday a month. Your team will set up for the services that day. Making sure that the wine and bread are ready for each service, the correct linens are placed where needed, candles are replaced occasionally, and various other small chores having to do that Sunday. Then clean up when the services are over. Once in a while there will be a 5th Sunday, those are rotated among the 4 teams. We really, really do need you, please volunteer if you are interested. I will talk you through the process in detail first and answer questions. Finally you will have the backup of other team members.

Also badly needed are folks that like to bake, one month out of the year you would bake the communion bread for that month, the recipe is simple and we have bakers that will give you the recipe and instructions.

Thank you, Kitty McFarland
mcfarlandkitty274@gmail.com or text 651-955-1639

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Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for Summer 2021:

LGBTQ+
Monday, June 21, and each third Monday, ongoing
6:30pm meets monthly for reflective conversation and community building. Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to
join us.

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Each Tuesday at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the
Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are
welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org 

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which
each of us can explore our own healing. This quiet confidential prayer last about an hour and
support each of us in our personal healing work. Our next circle will be held on June 29. We are
hoping to meet in person at St Mary’s. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more
information / to register and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for 
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at 
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

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Book Club

Next iteration of the St. Mary’s Book Club — video edition

Slavery and racism aren’t new – and they aren’t accidental. How were these systems created in the British colonies and woven into the founding of the United States? Join us for a series of “watch parties” in which we will view and discuss the 2005 PBS series “Slavery and the Making of America.”

We will meet Mondays at 7:30, starting on June 14, for 6 sessions (final session on July 12). Feel free to join us even if you can’t make all the meetings. We’ll watch 30 – 40 minutes of the video and then have some time for discussion at each session. Plan for sessions to run 7:30 – 8:30 PM, with the option for people to stay later for further discussion if there is interest.

Please email Beth Varro at beth.varro@gmail.com to sign up and get the Zoom link. Hope you can join us!

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Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 6/18 – 6/24

Sunday, June 20, 2021
Worship with coffee hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Monday, June 21, 2021
LGBTQ+
6:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Monday, June 21, 2021
Book Club
7:30pm
Please email Beth Varro at beth.varro@gmail.com to sign up and get the Zoom link.

Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Vestry Meeting
7:00pm
Contact for details and a link Click HERE

Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, June 24, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, June 24, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

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Saint Mary’s Weekly – June 11, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Worship In-person and via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

Yes, it’s final!! We will have our first hybrid (in-person & zoom) worship service this Sunday, June 13th!!!  Enough people stepped up and committed to being Sunday morning lay ministers so we are able to re-gather for in-person worship!!  The Rev. Susan Moss will be the preacher and celebrant, so we will have Eucharist. Zoom coffee time and outdoor visiting for in-person worshippers will allow us to have social time after the service.

  • First Message: an excerpt by Henry Nouwen
  • Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

For the Zoom worship service on June 13, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the 2021 Summer Songbook – Click HERE

What’s in this Weekly?

Worship Team

Congratulations to our Graduating High School Seniors!

Search Committee Update

Altar Guild

Pastoral Care

Education

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s

Worship Team

What’s New?

  • Yes, we had enough people commit to lay ministries on Sunday mornings so that we could have our first hybrid worship service, BUT if you didn’t get around to signing up yet, YOU STILL ARE NEEDED!!  The more we spread the work around, the lighter it will be for any one person.  Right now you could expect to be scheduled once a month or less!  PLEASE SIGN UP!!  Click HERE

What changes will take place when we worship in person?

  • IMPORTANT:  Before you leave home, download & save the bulletin on your device and bring your device to church!  For those with no device (cell phone, ipad, laptop), a few printed bulletins will be available on the left as you enter the sanctuary.  The bulletin will be shortened from our usual length. 
  • COME EARLY!!  You’ll be seated by an usher so allow plenty of extra time.
  • Bring your mask.  We’ll be masked and stay 6’ apart.
  • Offering plate is on the right as you enter the sanctuary.  Offering plates won’t be passed.
  • The choir will be back.  No congregational singing, but humming is allowed!
  • For Eucharist, ushers will let you know when your household will go to the front to receive communion (a wafer in a little paper cup), staying 6’ apart.  No wine yet.
  •  For now, the Lay Leader will read announcements. In-Person:  Paper & pens are available in the entryway, on the table near the name tag rack. Write your announcement & leave it in the basket.  Zoomers: Put announcements in the chat.  Announcements will also be picked up from the Weekly Email.
  • Prayer requests:  Zoomers: Put Prayer Requests in the chat.  In-person: Come to the mic located “center stage low” (pew level, in front of the altar steps).

Feedback is welcome!
Expect changes as we try things, see how they work and make improvements!  Your feedback is more important than ever before to help us know what’s working well and what isn’t.  Please send your thoughts, ideas, suggestions to the Worship Team.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Return to Top

Congratulations to Our Saint Mary’s High School Seniors!

 
Each year, we have the opportunity to join our congregation in celebrating some of the biggest milestones in each others’ lives. This has been a particularly challenging year and we want to hold up with special care and love our high school seniors who are graduating this spring!  We are so grateful to have had them in our midst enriching our communities, providing insight to our church and serving through their gifts.  This year we honor: 
 
Bennett Patrick Anderson: Bennett is graduating from Mahtomedi Senior High. His current greatest passion is playing Spikeball; he is participating in a tournament on Saturday to hopefully achieve status as a Premier Player, a nationwide ranking. Next year, Bennett plans to attend college of St. Benedict/St. John’s University and pursuing a major in Exercise Science and Sports Studies. Congratulations to Bennett and his parents Amy and Matt Anderson.
 
Ava McCallister: Ava is graduating from Central High School.  She participated in the life of Saint Mary’s through Sunday School, Tweeners, Youth Group and a variety of other events throughout the years.  She will be attending the University of Denver in the fall. A big congratulations to Ava and to her parents Josh and Cathy McCallister.
 
Lucas Nerbonne: Lucas is graduating from South High School in Minneapolis.  Throughout his time at Saint Mary’s he has been in Sunday school, Tweeners, and Youth Group but has really taken on leadership as a lay leader, song leader and in helping prepare for parish picnics.  He is headed to Middlebury College to study Environmental Science.  Congratulations to Lucas and to his parent Julia and Brian Nerbonne!
 
Max Johnson: Max is graduating from Great River School.  Throughout their time at Saint Mary’s, Max has been connected through Sunday school, Tweeners, Youth Group and a variety of other events throughout the years. They will be taking a gap year, during which they will move out, get a job and learn how to do life. After that, they will be heading to college!  Congratulations to Max and their parents Nina and Mike Johnson
 
God of creation, pour out your Spirit on our high school seniors as they enter a new period of life. Be with them as they begins new ventures knowing you have blessed them with hope and a future of success. Be with us all and help us to be reminded of your guidance in our lives. Amen.
 

Return to Top

Search Committee Update

 

1. We’ve completed first-round interviews via Zoom. Topics covered in these deep, joyful, and wide-ranging conversations included:

– what drew them to priesthood

– what drew them to the St. Mary’s call

– favorite liturgical resources (aside from BCP)

– full and radical inclusion of all in the sacraments

– the role of young people (birth-18) in the church

– their personal processes and goals that support authentic and inspiring sermons

– administrative management experience

– equity and inclusion experience/education

– discernment and empowerment of lay leadership (skills, experiences, challenges)

– healthy organizational relationships that support a community-wide cycle of discernment/engagement/rest and mutual respect for privacy and autonomy. 

– organizational change management experience

2. We are delighted to be currently scheduling in-person interviews with two marvelous candidates (goal: end of June.) We are excited to build the itinerary for those visits, and to validate/iterate our planned topics for those conversations. 

Next steps: After these second, in-person interviews, the search committee will continue in deep discernment towards whole-hearted endorsement of someone as our next rector.  

We are buoyed by the deep listening, thinking, and sharing that our entire community has engaged in over the past year. We continue to offer and to ask for prayers of patience and grace during this time of intense and tantalizing discernment for our communal future. We all have such fierce faith in and passion for St. Mary’s, and we can’t wait to step into the future with you all.

Return to Top

Volunteers for Saint Mary’s Altar Guild

As we open for the first time in a very long time, we are looking for new volunteers for Saint Mary’s Altar Guild. Your duties will be to serve on a team for one Sunday a month. Your team will set up for the services that day. Making sure that the wine and bread are ready for each service, the correct linens are placed where needed, candles are replaced occasionally, and various other small chores having to do that Sunday. Then clean up when the services are over. Once in a while there will be a 5th Sunday, those are rotated among the 4 teams. We really, really do need you, please volunteer if you are interested. I will talk you through the process in detail first and answer questions. Finally you will have the backup of other team members.

Also badly needed are folks that like to bake, one month out of the year you would bake the communion bread for that month, the recipe is simple and we have bakers that will give you the recipe and instructions.

Thank you, Kitty McFarland
mcfarlandkitty274@gmail.com or text 651-955-1639

Return to Top

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for Summer 2021:

Pastoral Care Team
The Team meets on Zoom on Monday nights at 6:30. Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to
join us.

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Each Tuesday at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the
Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are
welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org 

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which
each of us can explore our own healing. This quiet confidential prayer last about an hour and
support each of us in our personal healing work. Our next circle will be held on June 29. We are
hoping to meet in person at St Mary’s. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more
information / to register and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for 
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at 
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Return to Top

Book Club

Next iteration of the St. Mary’s Book Club — video edition

Slavery and racism aren’t new – and they aren’t accidental. How were these systems created in the British colonies and woven into the founding of the United States? Join us for a series of “watch parties” in which we will view and discuss the 2005 PBS series “Slavery and the Making of America.”

We will meet Mondays at 7:30, starting on June 14, for 6 sessions (final session on July 12). Feel free to join us even if you can’t make all the meetings. We’ll watch 30 – 40 minutes of the video and then have some time for discussion at each session. Plan for sessions to run 7:30 – 8:30 PM, with the option for people to stay later for further discussion if there is interest.

Please email Beth Varro at beth.varro@gmail.com to sign up and get the Zoom link. Hope you can join us!

Return to Top

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 6/11 – 6/17

Sunday, June 13, 2021
Worship with coffee hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Monday, June 14, 2021
Pastoral Care
6:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Monday, June 14, 2021
Book Club
7:30pm
Please email Beth Varro at beth.varro@gmail.com to sign up and get the Zoom link.

Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Finance Committee Meeting
6:30pm
Contact for details and a link Click HERE

Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, June 17, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, June 17, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

Return to Top

 

Saint Mary’s Weekly – June 4, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, June 6, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

This Sunday Erika Scheurer will lead us through a guided meditation. We are hopeful this will be our last “Zoom only” service…See Brian Nerbonne’s article below regarding our need for volunteers. Please sign up to enable us to worship in person June 13th and throughout the summer!!

  • First Message: TBD
  • Gospel: Mark 3:20-35 Jesus and Beelzebul; Jesus’ Mother & Brothers: Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?

For the Zoom worship service on June 6, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE

What’s in this Weekly?

Worship Team

Regathering Team

Altar Guild

Pastoral Care

Education

Outreach

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss

I will be away the week of June 6 when we gather for worship on Zoom. On June 13, I look forward to seeing many of you face-to-face for the first time at the Regathering Eucharist in St. Mary’s beautiful sanctuary. The Regathering and Worship Teams are working together every day now to prepare for this joyful day.

Let’s talk about what to expect when St. Mary’s regathers after more than a year of pandemic restrictions that have kept us apart:

Expect and allow yourself to experience the range of emotions you will carry with you to worship. It’s been a hard year, and as excited as many are to regather, “back to normal anxiety” is at an all- time high across our country. Being together again after adapting to a year of extreme caution, stress, loss, grief and non stop change can be overwhelming for many.

Respect the choices parents of young unvaccinated children are making for their children’s safety. It takes time to ease back in while learning how to regather after a pandemic and the social isolation we have had to endure.

Expect both familiarity and change. When you come, try to arrive early. Bring not only your mask, prepared to social distance with restrictions on congregational singing, and your pre downloaded service bulletin from The Weekly.

Bring also the attitude and spirit of turning up as a newcomer; the attitude of a new church start up.

Things will look different and feel different. Each one of us is learning how to do something new.

Expect to be graceful and patient with one another as we walk step by step into this new world. We gather to be together to worship, to pray, and to be fed by Word and Sacrament for the work God has given us to do.

Trust the Spirit to help us find the way.
And as Sr. Julian of Norwich reminds us:
All shall be well.
All shall be well.
All manner of things shall be well

What’s New?

  • No “Question of the Day” during the summer! Enjoy the social time during the Break Out group today!

What changes will take place when we worship in person?

  • Come early!! You’ll be seated by an usher so allow plenty of extra time.
  • IMPORTANT: Before you leave home, download & save the bulletin on your device and bring your device to church. For those with no device (cell phone, ipad, laptop), a few printed bulletins will be available.
  • We’ll celebrate Eucharist the 2nd & 4th Sundays of each month, starting June 13th IF WE HAVE ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS! SIGN UP TODAY!!
  • The choir will be back!! We’ll hear choral in-person singing! (No congregational singing yet. Humming allowed!!)
  • We’ll be masked and stay socially distant (6’ apart) in the building.
  • For now, there won’t be an organized Coffee Time. Feel free to go outdoors and visit with people. Bring your own beverages if you’d like!

Feedback is welcome!
Please expect changes…even from week to week…as we try things, see how they work and make improvements! This is a new path we’re on, one we’ve not experienced before. Your feedback is more important than ever to help us know what’s working well and what isn’t. Please send your thoughts, ideas, suggestions to the Worship Team

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Return to In-person Worship Will Be Delayed Without More Volunteers

I know that people are excited about our plan to return to in-person worship on June 13, but I also know people are busy in the summer and may be hesitant to sign up for something when they won’t be around every week. However, at this point we do not have enough volunteers to adequately staff the roles needed for our in-person services. The vestry made the decision at our last meeting that we would not start in-person services if we didn’t have the people to make it happen. This comes from a safety perspective of living up to our responsibilities for our community who attend, and to avoid putting all of that burden on a small group of people.

I am asking that people email regathering@saintmarysepiscopal.org and offer to help out. Most jobs like greeters and ushers are not hard to do, and the greeter shift can even be done with kids! We also need more people to step up be vergers and lay leaders occasionally so that the burden does not fall on the same people. We also need people to help with tech so that we can continue to offer online access for those not able to attend in person. Once we have enough people to fill those positions, we will consider adding coffee hour shifts. If you have questions about different roles, feel free to ask.

If we do not have enough volunteers by June 9, we will make the call to postpone services. This is an all hands on deck moment, and I trust that people will answer the call.

Brian Nerbonne, Warden

Re-Gathering: Saint Mary’s Needs YOU…& YOU…& YOU!!!

As you know from the Brian’s article above, we need “all hands on deck” right now! In order to meet in person in the church building and live stream the service via Zoom, we need enough volunteers to staff our Sunday morning needs for a whole month…9 volunteers per Sunday which translates to a minimum of 36 volunteers per month. This is the number we feel we need to safely worship in person. We also feel this number of volunteers is needed to spread the work around. Each person would be scheduled to volunteer approximately one time each month and hopefully that would avoid burnout. As of right now, we have 12 volunteers signed up…so yes, we need YOU…& YOU…& YOU!!!

So, now you are probably wondering what are the needs each Sunday? Click HERE to see a brief descriptions of duties.

+3 Ushers +2 Greeters +1 Lay Leader +1 Verger +2 Tech-ies

Safety of all worshippers is a high value as we plan our return to in-person worship. If you intend to worship in person, please sign up for one (or more!) of these positions. Training will be provided if needed. The more people who sign up, the fewer times each of us will need to serve. As mentioned in Brian’s article, the Vestry will consider adding Coffee Hour when all of the above positions are filled, so you can also sign up for Coffee Hour Hosts. Sign up by clicking regathering@saintmarysepiscopal.org.

URGENT—PLEASE SIGN UP NOW!

The Regathering Team Needs to Know Who Is Coming on June 13

The Regathering Team needs your help in planning how to configure the church for our June 13 service. We are not requiring an RSVP to attend, but we would like people to respond to a poll on how many people from your household are likely to attend. This will make our jobs much easier if most people planning to come take the survey, rather than need to adjust pews/chairs on the fly on Sunday morning. Please Click HERE and answer a couple quick questions.

Volunteers for Saint Mary’s Altar Guild

As we open for the first time in a very long time, we are looking for new volunteers for Saint Mary’s Altar Guild. Your duties will be to serve on a team for one Sunday a month. Your team will set up for the services that day. Making sure that the wine and bread are ready for each service, the correct linens are placed where needed, candles are replaced occasionally, and various other small chores having to do that Sunday. Then clean up when the services are over. Once in a while there will be a 5th Sunday, those are rotated among the 4 teams. We really, really do need you, please volunteer if you are interested. I will talk you through the process in detail first and answer questions. Finally you will have the backup of other team members.

Also badly needed are folks that like to bake, one month out of the year you would bake the communion bread for that month, the recipe is simple and we have bakers that will give you the recipe and instructions.

Thank you, Kitty McFarland
mcfarlandkitty274@gmail.com or text 651-955-1639

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for June 2021:

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, June 8 and each Tuesday following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Coffee and Conversation with Rev. Cindi
Wednesday, June 9 at 10:00am & 7:00pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link.

Book Club

Next iteration of the St. Mary’s Book Club — video edition

Slavery and racism aren’t new – and they aren’t accidental. How were these systems created in the British colonies and woven into the founding of the United States? Join us for a series of “watch parties” in which we will view and discuss the 2005 PBS series “Slavery and the Making of America.”

We will meet Mondays at 7:30, starting on June 14, for 6 sessions (final session on July 12). Feel free to join us even if you can’t make all the meetings. We’ll watch 30 – 40 minutes of the video and then have some time for discussion at each session. Plan for sessions to run 7:30 – 8:30 PM, with the option for people to stay later for further discussion if there is interest.

Please email Beth Varro at beth.varro@gmail.com to sign up and get the Zoom link. Hope you can join us!

Treaty People Gathering

https://www.mnipl.org/event/treaty-people-gathering-virtual-rally/

On June 5-8, thousands of people from all over the world will be at Treaty People Gathering to join Native women at the front lines to stop the Line 3 oil pipeline. If you can’t make it to northern Minnesota, we invite you to join a virtual rally of faith actors on Sunday, June 6, at 6:00 pm CT!

We’ll lift up our collective vision of a world where water is sacred, where Native treaty rights and sovereignty are respected, and where rural communities prosper. You will hear directly from activists at the gathering in northern Minnesota, and from members of MNIPL’s multifaith delegation. You will also have the opportunity to take action, and to share tools, resources, and next steps with your community.

We are so excited for you to join us as part of this movement. All are welcome from wherever you are! RSVP to receive the Zoom link for the event.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 6/4 – 6/10

Sunday, June 6, 2021
Search Committee Q & A
9:15am
Worship with coffee hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Coffee and Conversation with Rev. Cindi
10:00am & 7:00pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, June 10, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, June 10, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Saint Mary’s Weekly – May 27, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, May 30, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

This Sunday we, the parishioners, will make our own homilies!! Listen carefully to the Gospel and during the sermon time, we’ll go into breakout groups and experience Gospel Based Discipleship to answer two questions:

  • What words, ideas or sentences stand out for you?
    (A second reading of the Gospel.)
  • What is Jesus calling you to do?
  • First Message: TBD
  • Gospel: John 3:1-17 (If you want to have time to think about your responses, you might want to read this ahead of time!)

For the Zoom worship service on May 30, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss
Memorial Day Weekend 2021

The story is told of a South American tribe that went on a long march, day after day,
when all of a sudden they would stop walking, sit down to rest for a while, and then
make camp for a couple of days before going any farther. They explained that they
needed the time of rest so their souls could catch up with them.

from Sabbath: Restoring the Sacred Rhythm of Rest, Wayne Muller, Bantam Books 1999

What’s New?

  • To hear the homily given by the Rev. Susan Moss on Pentecost, May 23, Click HERE.
  • We are now entering “Ordinary Time”, the green season, which runs from now all the way through November 21st ! Why is it called “Ordinary Time”? It doesn’t mean “normal”. It’s connected to the ordinal numbers (1st Sunday after Pentecost, etc). There is no unified theme that ties the Sundays together. We are sent off to do the work of the Spirit, a season of discipleship, a time of digging deeper to figure out what it means to be a Christian. Typically, themes are taken from the Gospel.
  • We have two Sundays remaining of zoom only worship—May 30 and June 6. Then we’ll switch to hybrid worship—both Zoom and in-person. This switch will bring experimentation and changes—we’ll try some new things and ask for your feedback. This will be a new path we’re on, one we’ve not travelled before. Some experiments will work well and will be continued. Others won’t work so well and will be set aside to try something else. In any case, we’ll learn something. We’ll need your feedback even more than ever before during this time as we move forward on a road less travelled!
  • During the summer we won’t have a “Question of the Day”. We’ll just have a Zoom social time for those on Zoom and an outdoor social time for those attending the service.

Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Re-Gathering: Saint Mary’s Needs YOU…& YOU…& YOU!!!

As you know from the letter sent by our Warden and Vestry last Friday, Saint Mary’s will begin meeting in-person for worship on June 13!!! We will also continue to live stream the service via Zoom. So you will be able to worship with the Saint Mary’s community in either of these ways.

To safely worship in-person, many Sunday morning Lay Ministers are needed. What are the needs? Click HERE to see brief descriptions of duties.

+Ushers +Greeters +Coffee Hour Hosts +Lay Leaders +Vergers
+Tech-ies +1 or 2 people to schedule Lay Ministers +(possibly) Cleaners

Safety of all worshippers is a high value as we plan our return to in-person worship and we need “all hands on deck” to make this happen. In-person worship is an example of “it takes a village”…it truly does take a village to safely gather together for worship. If you intend to worship in person, please sign up for one (or more!) of these positions. Training will be provided. About a dozen people are needed each Sunday. The more people who sign up, the fewer times each of us will need to serve. Sign up Click HERE and let us know where you are willing to help.

URGENT—PLEASE SIGN UP NOW!

Regathering Team Needs to Know Who Is Coming on June 13

The Regathering Team needs your help in planning how to configure the church for our June 13 service. We are not requiring an RSVP to attend, but we would like people to respond to a poll on how many people from your household are likely to attend. This will make our jobs much easier if most people planning to come take the survey, rather than need to adjust pews/chairs on the fly on Sunday morning. Please Click HERE and answer a couple quick questions.

Finance Update

Pledge income was approximately $7,000 in April, which was well under the
projected monthly total of approximately $24,600. However, pledge income for 2021 thru April is only about $1,200 under budget. This is due to the significant pledge income received in each of the months of February and March. Non-pledge income (rent, etc.) is approximately $2,000 over budget for the year as of the end of April. As a result, total income year-to-date is very close to our projected budget.

Expenses are almost $18,000 over budget for the year due to the $21,000 paid to Northland Heating for boiler repairs. We had to make significant repairs and upgrades to the two boilers this past winter season. We have not had to make such significant repairs and upgrades for well over ten years. The total for all repairs and upgrades was approximately $33,000. We paid for approximately $12,000 of the repairs out of the 2020 operating budget, which was a balanced budget due to the Paycheck Protection Program loan we received last year and was totally forgiven. The $21,000 in boiler repairs paid this year will have to be taken out of our Holden Fund. These funds will be applied to our 2021 operating budget in the next month, which will bring our 2021 expenses in line with our projected budget for the year.

A reminder that the Holden Fund was established through the generosity of the estate of Margaret Holden. The account is reserved for major capital projects to maintain the existing building and infrastructure. When such expenses are paid for out of the fund, such as the major boiler repairs, that amount is paid back to the Holden Fund monthly out of the operating budget over the projected life expectancy of the improvement.

If anyone needs more information or has questions about the St. Mary’s budget, please call or e-mail Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at 651-308-4895 or rexaholzemer@gmail.com.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for May and June 2021:

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, June 1 and each Tuesday following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Book Club

Next iteration of the St. Mary’s Book Club — video edition

Slavery and racism aren’t new – and they aren’t accidental. How were these systems created in the British colonies and woven into the founding of the United States? Join us for a series of “watch parties” in which we will view and discuss the 2005 PBS series “Slavery and the Making of America.”

We will meet Mondays at 7:30, starting on June 14, for 6 sessions (final session on July 12). Feel free to join us even if you can’t make all the meetings. We’ll watch 30 – 40 minutes of the video and then have some time for discussion at each session. Plan for sessions to run 7:30 – 8:30 PM, with the option for people to stay later for further discussion if there is interest.

Please email Beth Varro at beth.varro@gmail.com to sign up and get the Zoom link. Hope you can join us!

Updates from the Saint Mary’s Communications Team

Like so many of the Saint Mary’s Teams at the moment, we are working hard to make sure we are communicating and connecting with everyone at Saint Mary’s and all our friends who follow us. We continue to try and make the Weekly the best we can and will be implementing a few changes in the upcoming weeks.

Starting after Memorial Day we will issue the Weekly on Friday mornings rather than Thursday mornings as it has been the past several months. We still ask that all submissions for the Weekly be turned in by 9pm on Tuesdays. This extra 24 hours will be incredibly helpful in making sure the Communications Team has the time to do the best possible job that we can.

Another change to the Weekly that we hope to be implementing in the upcoming weeks is to change to a digest format so that information can be compressed to allow the reader to see the headline and introduction to each article and choose to expand the complete information if they want to read it. We hope that this will help prevent the need for a whole lot of scrolling when we have a whole lot of information to share.

The Communications Team greatly appreciates any feedback you would like to provide as we make these changes to help us create the best channels of communication possible. We also invite anyone interested in joining the Communications Team to drop us a line and perhaps drop in on one of our meetings.

Thank you.

The Saint Mary’s Communications Team
(communications@saintmarysepiscopal.org)

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 5/28 – 6/3

Sunday, May 30, 2021
Worship with coffee hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Caring for an aging loved one
7:00pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link

Men’s Group
7:00pm
For details and Link Click HERE

Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, June 3, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, June 3, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Saint Mary’s News from the Wardens and Vestry – Return to In-person Worship

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May 21, 2021

Dear St. Mary’s community,
 
Your vestry and I would like to share some details about planning for a return to in-person worship. It has been a long time since we have been together in person, and we believe it is time to soon regather. This decision comes in consideration of new guidance from the CDC, the state of Minnesota, and the Episcopal Church of Minnesota (ECMN) that all suggest the time is right. We have set the date for our first in-person worship as June 13, 2021.
 
The vestry’s conversation on regathering focused on the values that we want to uphold during this transition. Safety will be a big emphasis; we recognize that we are a multi-generational congregation that includes kids who cannot be vaccinated yet, and we may have adults in the congregation who also cannot for medical reasons. The same values are a part of revised guidance being produced by ECMN that continues to require masking within church buildings, and maintaining 6-foot social distances.
 
Another important value that will be stressed is inclusivity. We recognize that some members of the congregation will not be ready to return to services right now, and for others that may always be the case. A hybrid model for services will allow us to continue to include people at home (or the cabin) in weekly services. We are looking at technology to make this a higher quality production. Though the hybrid services will likely be a different experience from our usual Zoom model for those at home, we are confident that we can continue to offer Zoom access to our services.
 
We have heard from many people that music is an important element of worship. A return to in-person worship will allow for more options for the number of musicians playing together, including at least some singing. That won’t include congregational singing right now, but attendees at services can certainly hum along.
 
Many people desire a return of the sacrament of communion. This will be allowed under ECMN’s guidance, although we may not be able to offer it every service. Our worship planning team has planned a mixture of clergy and lay-led services over the past several months as we await the hiring of our next rector, and that will continue through the summer.
 
Staying within our congregation’s capacity is another important value. We are humbled by how many of you have gifted your time and talents to our community. These gifts speak to the passion we all have for St. Mary’s, however all of our points of engagement have stretched our capacity to take on more. With that in mind, we have chosen to focus on the longer-term approach of planning indoor services rather than planning for outdoor services as an interim step. 
 
It will take more volunteers than our pre-COVID services to fill roles like ushers, greeters and live-stream techies. With many people already busy on committees like Search, Worship Planning and Communications, more people to step up to take on a role on Sundays will be needed. Please consider answering the call for volunteers to fill these roles, which will be coming in the next week or two. If you would like to be a part of the Regathering Committee that is making some of these decisions on how to conduct services, we would also welcome your participation. Reach out to Cindi Brickson or Brian Nerbonne if you are interested.
 
We will approach this change knowing that we are building the road as we walk it. Things may not be perfect, especially at the start, but we will learn from each service and apply those lessons going forward. We appreciate the guidance that Susan is giving, and all of the efforts of volunteers and staff who are working to make our worship services happen
 
The vestry shares the excitement that many are feeling about once again being together. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
 
Caroline Kaker, outgoing warden
Jim Deluca, outgoing warden

Saint Mary’s Weekly – May 20, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, May 23, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

This Sunday we’ll hear the story of the first Pentecost, the day that the Holy Spirit first shows herself. The Rev. Susan Moss will lead the service and be the preacher. The color of the day is red, a symbol of tongues of fire and a reminder of an invisible reality that the whole Christian life is fueled by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. In preparation for the Question of the Day discussion, give some thought to “How is the Holy Spirit at work in your life? At Saint Mary’s? In the world?” And…pull out those red clothes, red flowers, red backdrops!!

  • First Reading: Acts 2:1-21…Story of the first Pentecost…A MUST READ!!!
  • Second Message: by Sr Joan Chittister (OSB)
  • Gospel: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15…The Promise of the Holy Spirit

For the Zoom worship service on May 23, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Music Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss

While grateful for time in our gardens, restaurant dinners, baseball games, the voices of children playing outside, the fragrance of lilacs, the lifting of pandemic related restrictions and more, at the same time we continue to live in a betwixt and between world that is disorienting and confusing.

Guided now by values identified by the Saint Mary’s vestry, the Worship Team will enter a time of crafting liturgies for the summer that align with these values. We are energized by the desire for an inclusive and safe regathering for in person worship; a regathering that will include virtual attendance and continued lay leadership.

At the same time we know we are in-between somethings that have ended and a new things that are not yet ready to begin.

In these betwixt and between times, this “journey without maps” we must learn our way through by listening, experimenting, reflecting on what we learn, and moving ahead.

Pentecost Sunday will remind that we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is God’s presence among us. The Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry. And, for those of us who are overwhelmed by paddling the whitewater rapids of constant change, the Spirit is given to comfort us in betwixt and between times.

Some days I pray—-Holy Spirit empower me with wisdom, strength and new eyes to see! Other days, I pray, Holy Spirit comfort me. Life is hard right now.

Let us hold fast to the promises proclaimed in the Pentecost Sunday Gospel and pray for the Spirit’s guidance in uncertain times. Jesus said: When the Spirit of truth comes, s/he will guide you into all the truth; for s/he will not speak on her/his own, but will speak whatever s/he hears, and s/he will declare to you the things that are to come.

What’s New?

  • To hear the sermon from The Rev. Liza Anderson given on May 16, Click HERE
  • A poem by Pope Francis, entitled “Pentecost People”:

Come, Holy Spirit, and make us Pentecost people.
Let your wisdom and right judgment guide our decisions and temper our impulses.
Let knowledge and understanding increase our capacity for empathy and compassion.
Let reverence and awe fill us with gratitude and respect for all creation.
Give us courage to witness boldly to our faith in word and deed.
Through and with and in Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Feedback is welcome!

We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Look for a special email from the Wardens and Vestry coming out in the next day or two and Join the Saint Mary’s Re-Gathering Team!

Are you looking forward to a time when we can once again gather in-person? Are you interested in being a part of a Team to help make that happen?

As we work towards approval from ECMN of our Saint Mary’s “Plan for Re-Opening for Physical Worship”, we also need to work out the internal logistics of holding in-person indoor and outdoor gatherings. We are looking to expand our Re-Gathering Team to include:

  • Technology coordinator(s)
  • Volunteer coordinator(s)
  • RSVP coordinator(s)
  • Safety Trainer for all Volunteers and Building Users
  • Cleaning coordinator(s)

We are looking forward to creating a complete and vibrant Team to help make this happen. We would like to assemble this Team as soon as we can to be prepared when the time is right.

If you are interested in joining the Re-Gathering Team or have any questions, please email regathering@saintmarysepiscopal.org.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for May 2021:

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, May 25 and each Tuesday following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Healing Our City

Every morning, 8:00am

A diverse group of faith leaders from across Minneapolis have created Healing Our City, a virtual prayer tent. You are invited to join the Zoom call each day at 8am for a 20-minute prayer for healing and reflection. Click HERE to learn more and join people of all faiths, across Minneapolis and beyond, in prayer for healing and solidarity.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 5/21 – 5/27

Sunday, May 23, 2021
Worship with coffee hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Vestry
7:00pm
Contact Wardens for link Click HERE

Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, May 27, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, May 27, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming May 15 – May 21, 2021

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Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
This is the last Family and Children Email that you will receive for the school year as Sunday School will have our last session on Sunday! The last Tweeners will be on May 26. I do not know what fall will hold for Children and family programming. Stay tuned for more information in late summer!
 
Thank you to everyone who helped make programming possible this year!!
 
Option #1 Sunday Schoofrom 9:00-9:45am until May 16, 2021
Option #2 Parent Led
Tweeners
Tweeners will be playing games on Wednesday!
Youth Group
Youth group is finished for the school year and will resume in September with our new Youth Group Leader, Kat Lewis.
 
Summer Camps
ECMN has 6 different summer camp opportunities. I would like to make certain that everyone is aware of the options that exist!
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – May 13, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, May 16, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

This will be the Seventh Sunday of Easter and we’ll be hearing one of the ECMN Eastertide sermons given by the Rev. Liza Anderson. Liza Anderson, PhD is a historical theologian who currently serves as assistant professor of theology at the College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, MN. She received her PhD from Yale University in 2016, and also holds degrees in religion and theology from Swarthmore College, Trinity College Dublin, and Harvard Divinity School. She has previously taught at Claremont School of Theology, the Ukrainian Catholic University, Episcopal Divinity School, and Saint Peter’s Seminary in Iraq. Liza specializes in the histories and theologies of ancient and medieval Christianity outside of Europe, and is currently writing a monograph on the experience of bandonment by God in Christian ascetical theology. She is a lay member of the Episcopal Church’s Executive Council and a previous member of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music.

  • First Reading: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 Peter proclaims the scripture has been fulfilled; Matthias is chosen to replace Judas
  • Second Message: Will be screen shared
  • Gospel: John 17:6-19 Jesus prays for his disciples before his betrayal and arrest.

For the Zoom worship service on May 16, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Music Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

What’s New?

  • To listen to the reading of “The Runaway Bunny” and the sermon given last Sunday, May 9 by the Rev. Cindi Brickson, Click HERE.
  • In preparation for Ascension Sunday and leading into Pentecost Sunday, read Acts 1.
  • Pentecost is coming…Sunday, May 23, and the color for of the day is red. Pull out those red clothes, red flowers, red backdrops in readiness for Pentecost! Now WHY all this talk about red?? Red is the symbol of tongues of fire and is a tangible reminder of an invisible reality…that the whole Christian life is fueled by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. This is what the whole season of Pentecost is about!
  • In preparation for the “Question of the Day” on Pentecost, give thought to “How the Holy Spirit is at work in your life, at St. Mary’s and in the world.”

Feedback is welcome!

We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Join the Saint Mary’s Re-Gathering Team!

Are you looking forward to a time when we can once again gather in-person? Are you interested in being a part of a Team to help make that happen?

As we work towards approval from ECMN of our Saint Mary’s “Plan for Re-Opening for Physical Worship”, we also need to work out the internal logistics of holding in-person indoor and outdoor gatherings. We are looking to expand our Re-Gathering Team to include:

  • Technology coordinator(s)
  • Volunteer coordinator(s)
  • RSVP coordinator(s)
  • Safety Trainer for all Volunteers and Building Users
  • Cleaning coordinator(s)

We are looking forward to creating a complete and vibrant Team to help make this happen. We would like to assemble this Team as soon as we can to be prepared when the time is right.

If you are interested in joining the Re-Gathering Team or have any questions, please email regathering@saintmarysepiscopal.org.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for May 2021:

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, May 18 and each Tuesday following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Healing Our City

Every morning, 8:00am

A diverse group of faith leaders from across Minneapolis have created Healing Our City, a virtual prayer tent. You are invited to join the Zoom call each day at 8am for a 20-minute prayer for healing and reflection. Click HERE to learn more and join people of all faiths, across Minneapolis and beyond, in prayer for healing and solidarity.

Info Re: KIVA loans 4-29-21

Our money is out there working around the world!

Less than 2 months ago, Saint Mary’s made over $1000 in KIVA loans around the world and now again we’ve made more loans! As loan payments are received, we’re able to keep those dollars in circulation by making new loans. $1275 was loaned last week…We partially funded a toilet in the Philippines, a water pump in Indonesia, supplies to weave traditional belts in Guatemala, floor looms to make fabric for traditional skirts in Guatemala, piglets and feed in Madagascar, chickens and feed in El Salvador, land and coffee growing supplies in Nicaragua, school tuition for 3 children in Kenya, school fees and data in the Philippines, smartphones needed for schooling in Indonesia, sewing machine, silk thread and fabrics in Palestine and apple trees and feed for goats in Albania! Yes, our money is at work around the world!!

Anyone interested in participating or finding out more Click HERE.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 5/14 – 5/20

Sunday, May 16, 2021
Worship with coffee hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Monday, May 17, 2021
LGBTQ+
6:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and a link Click HERE

Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Finance Committee Meeting
6:30pm
Contact for details and a link Click HERE

Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, May 20, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, May 20, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive this email, you are on the list.

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming May 8 – May 14, 2021

by

Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week. This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information. Please also check out the ECMN camp options for the summer– there are some great virtual and in person options. See what fits best with your family plan for the summer.
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am until May 16, 2021
 
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
 
Tweeners
Tweeners will be playing games on Wednesday!
 
 
Youth Group
Youth group is finished for the school year and will resume in September with our new Youth Group Leader, Kat Lewis.
 
 
Summer Camps
ECMN has 6 different summer camp opportunities. I would like to make certain that everyone is aware of the options that exist!
 
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – May 6, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, May 6, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

The Rev. Cindi Brickson will lead the service and be the preacher this Sunday.
Cindi is a member of Saint Mary’s and also leads our Pastoral Care Team. Sunday is
also Mother’s Day…see more below under “What’s New”.

  • First Reading: Acts 10:44-48 Peter is astounded! Holy Spirit falls upon all people; all are baptized; all count…all matter.
  • Second Message: Will be screen shared
  • Gospel: John 15:9-17 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you….

For the Zoom worship service on May 6, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Music Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss

It’s really quite marvelous to think about the many liturgical miles Saint Mary’s has traveled since November 29, traveling together week by week in a manner that has required everyone’s best efforts, calling upon the many and varied gifts of the entire congregation.

Think of where we have been: Advent- the waiting season; the 12 Days of Christmas, Epiphany and it’s call to “Go Tell Its on the Mountain” that Jesus Christ is born; the long 40 days of Lent to examine our souls and confront all to real powers and principalities in the midst of an isolating pandemic winter and the call for racial healing and justice; A creative and collaborative virtual Holy Week; Easter Sunday’s joy and the promise of new life in Risen Christ.

We are still in the midst of The Great Days of Easter proclaiming resurrection, hope, healing, and repair.

Soon the journey to tell the story of our faith lead to The Ascension and The Day of Pentecost, the story of life in the Spirit and the ways in which we are empowered to be courageous Spirit filled people.

It has been said the retelling of God’s story sustains us and moves us on.
I hope this has been true for you in this transition season during a protracted time of isolation, uncertainties and hope. Worshipping with you sustains me and encourages me to move forward. When a Re-Gathering Plan is ready we will see each other face to face in Saint Mary’s beloved worship space, continuing to share the creative and varied gifts to tell God’s life-giving story to sustain us and moves us on.

What’s New?

  • Sunday is Mother’s Day! Thanks to all those who provide mothering in whatever ways that is done and under whatever “titles” that may include…mothers, teachers, friends, coaches, aunts, grandmothers, caregivers, etc.
  • If you’d like to listen to the sermon given last Sunday, May 2, by the Rev. Kerri Meyer, Click HERE.
  • Pentecost is coming…Sunday, May 23! Red is the color of the day…tune in next week for why that is! Start thinking about what you might wear or display that’s red! This is also when the Holy Spirit shows herself…so give some thought to “How the Holy Spirit is at work in your life.”

Feedback is welcome!

We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Join the Saint Mary’s Re-Gathering Team!

Are you looking forward to a time when we can once again gather in-person? Are you interested in being a part of a Team to help make that happen?

As we work towards approval from ECMN of our Saint Mary’s “Plan for Re-Opening for Physical Worship”, we also need to work out the internal logistics of holding in-person indoor and outdoor gatherings. We are looking to expand our Re-Gathering Team to include:

  • Technology coordinator(s)
  • Volunteer coordinator(s)
  • RSVP coordinator(s)
  • Safety Trainer for all Volunteers and Building Users
  • Cleaning coordinator(s)

We are looking forward to creating a complete and vibrant Team to help make this happen. We would like to assemble this Team as soon as we can to be prepared when the time is right.

If you are interested in joining the Re-Gathering Team or have any questions, please email regathering@saintmarysepiscopal.org.

Now Easy Online Giving on Saint Mary’s Website

Now you can quickly and easily donate to Saint Mary’s online via credit or debit card, or by bank account! Our new, secure online e-giving program, established in conjunction with Vanco, is now available on the front page of the St. Mary’s website. Simply go to the website and click on “Contribute” in the heading or scroll down and click on “Give Online 2021 Stewardship” and you will be able to quickly make online donations. You can also use the following link: https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0.

The Vanco e-giving service allows you to direct your giving to several different funds on either a one-time or recurring basis. One-time gifts involve three easy steps. If you want to establish recurring donations, such as weekly or monthly pledge donations to our general fund, you will need to set up an account through Vanco, which is also easy to do.

Credit and debit cards have a 2.75% administrative fee attached to each transaction, and payments via a bank account include a 1% fee. You can choose to cover these fees with your donation. Of course, you still have the option of mailing in your donations or setting up auto-pay through your bank, options which do not have administrative fees.

Following is a link (Click HERE) to instructions for donating through our new e-giving site, including screen shots and written instructions. Check out our giving site now on the Saint Mary’s website or at https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0, and thanks for your donations, regardless of how you choose to give!

If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact Rex Holzemer at rexaholzemer@gmail.com or 651-308-4895.

Annual Meeting Finance Update

Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, presented information at the April 25th Annual meeting regarding the 2020 budget and the budget and household pledge trend lines from 2018 to 2021. The documents shared at the meeting are included in the following link:

Click HERE for the 2021 budget document shared at the meeting.
Click HERE for the document on St. Mary’s UBS Investments shared at the meeting.

The 2021 budget has a projected deficit of ($23,232). As of March 31, 2021, pledge income is approximately $16,000 above budget. However, this is due in large part to parishioners who have paid half or their full annual pledge in the first three months of the year. We expect that the 2021 annual deficit may actually run even higher than projected, possibly closer to $30,000 once a permanent rector is hired and salary and benefits for the position are finalized.

The 2020 deficit was ($29,172). However, we were able to eliminate the deficit with the transfer of the $31,700 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to the operating budget that St. Mary’s received and which was totally forgiven. The 2019 deficit was ($23,170), but this deficit was also eliminated with the transfer of a $25,000 grant to the operating budget from the GHR Foundation. We are not eligible for a second-round PPP loan, and the 2021 deficit will most likely have to be covered from reserves in the Heritage Fund (Click HERE regarding St. Mary’s UBS Investments for more information).

From a historical perspective, in the early 2000’s, St. Mary’s started to grow gradually, but consistently, both in terms of membership and overall budget. The peak year was 2018 when our total budget was $358,339, and we had 172 household pledges totaling approximately $255,000. Since that year, both our budget and household pledges have decreased significantly. Our 2021 budget is $244,909 and we have only 57 household pledges totaling $165,813.

Fortunately, the generosity of past parishioners has left us with reserves, so that we can sustain deficits, if needed, for several years as we rebuild our parish membership. However, if we go beyond 3 -4 years at the level projected for 2021, we will severely strain our reserves in the Heritage Fund, which has covered deficits in the past, as needed.

If you have questions or need further information regarding St. Mary’s budget, please feel free to contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at rexaholzemer@gmail.com or 651-308-4895.

Search Committee: “We have built it and they will come!”

The Search Committee has built our process and tools. We are ready to evaluate candidates and to discern who to recommend as the next priest for Saint Mary’s. To ensure we’re being clear and equitable to all candidates in our process, we’ve written:
Screening criteria to evaluate the candidates, and A slate of questions that we will ask each person we interview.

To read more on screening criteria and questions to be asked Click HERE.
Questions? Click HERE.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for May 2021:

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, May 11 and each Tuesday following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Coffee and Conversation with Rev. Cindi
Wednesday, May 12 at 10:00am & 7:00pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Mission Area Gatherings

You (yes, you) are enthusiastically invited and encouraged to attend your upcoming Mission Area Gathering. One of the recurring themes that came out of the discernment committees is that mission areas are crucial are for conducting experiments in discipleship, innovation, vitality, and story-sharing. We are called to be Christians together, and that means getting outside our faith community’s walls and finding out what our nearest Episcopalian neighbors are up to.

Click HERE for additional information on the East Metro Mission Area (EMMA) gathering.
Click HERE for a video from Bishop Loya encouraging everyone to attend.

East Metro: Saturday, May 8 at 1pm – Register Click HERE

Healing Our City

Every morning, 8:00am

A diverse group of faith leaders from across Minneapolis have created Healing Our City, a virtual prayer tent. You are invited to join the Zoom call each day at 8am for a 20-minute prayer for healing and reflection. Click HERE to learn more and join people of all faiths, across Minneapolis and beyond, in prayer for healing and solidarity.

Info Re: KIVA loans 4-29-21

Our money is out there working around the world!

Less than 2 months ago, Saint Mary’s made over $1000 in KIVA loans around the world and now again we’ve made more loans! As loan payments are received, we’re able to keep those dollars in circulation by making new loans. $1275 was loaned last week…We partially funded a toilet in the Philippines, a water pump in Indonesia, supplies to weave traditional belts in Guatemala, floor looms to make fabric for traditional skirts in Guatemala, piglets and feed in Madagascar, chickens and feed in El Salvador, land and coffee growing supplies in Nicaragua, school tuition for 3 children in Kenya, school fees and data in the Philippines, smartphones needed for schooling in Indonesia, sewing machine, silk thread and fabrics in Palestine and apple trees and feed for goats in Albania! Yes, our money is at work around the world!!

Anyone interested in participating or finding out more Click HERE.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 5/7 – 5/13

Sunday, May 9, 2021
Worship with coffee hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Coffee and Conversation with Rev. Cindi
10:00am & 7:00pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, May 13, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, May 13, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive this email, you are on the list.

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming May 1 – May 7, 2021

by

Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week. This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information. Please also check out the ECMN camp options for the summer– there are some great virtual and in person options. See what fits best with your family plan for the summer.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am until May 16, 2021
Option #2 Parent Led
 
Tweeners
Tweeners will be playing games on Wednesday!
 
Youth Group
Youth group is finished for the school year and will resume in September with our new Youth Group Leader, Kat Lewis.
 
 
Summer Camps
ECMN has 6 different summer camp opportunities. I would like to make certain that everyone is aware of the options that exist!
 
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – April 29, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, May 2, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

This will be the fifth Sunday of Easter and we’ll be hearing one of the ECMN
Eastertide sermons, given by The Rev. Kerri Meyer. The Rev. Kerri Meyer and her
spouse, Dr. Jennifer Blecha, are cultivating an agrarian ministry on their organic farm in
Hutchinson. The vision of Good Courage Farm called her back home to Minnesota after
having been ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of California and serving as
Associate Rector of St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco. Everything
that used to be a hobby for her has now become her livelihood, so there’s not much she can say about pastimes any more. Kerri has a fondness for animals that are black and
white, which almost makes up for nothing else in life being that simple. Hospitality is
part of Good Courage’s charism, so Kerri and Jen want you to know that everyone
reading these words is warmly invited to come out for weekday morning prayer with
coffee and pie, a Sunday afternoon nap in a hammock, or a weekend farmstay complete
with chores and fresh eggs.

  • First Reading: Acts 8:26-40 Phillip proclaims the good news of Jesus to the
    Ethiopian Eunuch
  • Second Message: Will be screen shared
  • Gospel: John 15:1-8 I am the true vine and my father is the vine grower

For the Zoom worship service on May 2, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Music Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

What’s New?

  • To listen to the “State of St. Mary’s” given by our Wardens, Jim DeLuca & Caroline Kaker, Click HERE.
  • “Up to the Mountain” performed by Maggie Brickson, Click Here.
  • Thank You video presented at the end of the Annual Meeting. Thank you Julie P. & Laura-Lee B. for making this happen! Click HERE.
  • The uncut version of the Thank You videos if you would like to grab a bowl of popcorn or other snack. (unedited version ~30 minutes), Click HERE.

If you have a hankering to put your thoughts about liturgy in the pot (on the Team, that is!), now is a good time to join the Worship Team. We’ll soon be planning Pentecost and then the long “Ordinary Times” season, running from May 30-November 21. All thoughts, all perspectives are welcome. Our next meeting is Saturday, May 8, 5-6pm. We’re meeting about every other week. If you’re interested, Click HERE.

Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Join the Saint Mary’s Re-Gathering Team!

Are you looking forward to a time when we can once again gather in-person? Are you interested in being a part of a Team to help make that happen?

As we work towards approval from ECMN of our Saint Mary’s “Plan for Re-Opening for Physical Worship”, we also need to work out the internal logistics of holding in-person indoor and outdoor gatherings. We are looking to expand our Re-Gathering Team to include:

  • Technology coordinator(s)
  • Volunteer coordinator(s)
  • RSVP coordinator(s)
  • Safety Trainer for all Volunteers and Building Users
  • Cleaning coordinator(s)

We are looking forward to creating a complete and vibrant Team to help make this happen. We would like to assemble this Team as soon as we can to be prepared when the time is right.

If you are interested in joining the Re-Gathering Team or have any questions, please email regathering@saintmarysepiscopal.org.

Now Easy Online Giving on Saint Mary’s Website

Now you can quickly and easily donate to Saint Mary’s online via credit or debit card, or by bank account! Our new, secure online e-giving program, established in conjunction with Vanco, is now available on the front page of the St. Mary’s website. Simply go to the website and click on “Contribute” in the heading or scroll down and click on “Give Online 2021 Stewardship” and you will be able to quickly make online donations. You can also use the following link: https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0.

The Vanco e-giving service allows you to direct your giving to several different funds on either a one-time or recurring basis. One-time gifts involve three easy steps. If you want to establish recurring donations, such as weekly or monthly pledge donations to our general fund, you will need to set up an account through Vanco, which is also easy to do.

Credit and debit cards have a 2.75% administrative fee attached to each transaction, and payments via a bank account include a 1% fee. You can choose to cover these fees with your donation. Of course, you still have the option of mailing in your donations or setting up auto-pay through your bank, options which do not have administrative fees.

Following is a link (Click HERE) to instructions for donating through our new e-giving site, including screen shots and written instructions. Check out our giving site now on the Saint Mary’s website or at https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0, and thanks for your donations, regardless of how you choose to give!

If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact Rex Holzemer at rexaholzemer@gmail.com or 651-308-4895.

Annual Meeting Finance Update

Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, presented information at the April 25th Annual meeting regarding the 2020 budget and the budget and household pledge trend lines from 2018 to 2021. The documents shared at the meeting are included in the following link:

Click HERE for the 2021 budget document shared at the meeting.
Click HERE for the document on St. Mary’s UBS Investments shared at the meeting.

The 2021 budget has a projected deficit of ($23,232). As of March 31, 2021, pledge income is approximately $16,000 above budget. However, this is due in large part to parishioners who have paid half or their full annual pledge in the first three months of the year. We expect that the 2021 annual deficit may actually run even higher than projected, possibly closer to $30,000 once a permanent rector is hired and salary and benefits for the position are finalized.

The 2020 deficit was ($29,172). However, we were able to eliminate the deficit with the transfer of the $31,700 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to the operating budget that St. Mary’s received and which was totally forgiven. The 2019 deficit was ($23,170), but this deficit was also eliminated with the transfer of a $25,000 grant to the operating budget from the GHR Foundation. We are not eligible for a second-round PPP loan, and the 2021 deficit will most likely have to be covered from reserves in the Heritage Fund (Click HERE regarding St. Mary’s UBS Investments for more information).

From a historical perspective, in the early 2000’s, St. Mary’s started to grow gradually, but consistently, both in terms of membership and overall budget. The peak year was 2018 when our total budget was $358,339, and we had 172 household pledges totaling approximately $255,000. Since that year, both our budget and household pledges have decreased significantly. Our 2021 budget is $244,909 and we have only 57 household pledges totaling $165,813.

Fortunately, the generosity of past parishioners has left us with reserves, so that we can sustain deficits, if needed, for several years as we rebuild our parish membership. However, if we go beyond 3 -4 years at the level projected for 2021, we will severely strain our reserves in the Heritage Fund, which has covered deficits in the past, as needed.

If you have questions or need further information regarding St. Mary’s budget, please feel free to contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at rexaholzemer@gmail.com or 651-308-4895.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for May 2021:

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, May 4 and each Tuesday following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Outreach Opportunity: The Performance Collective

www.cfpampls.com/collective

Bookkeeper needed (volunteer) for an emerging group of local artists who are reimagining sustainable art practice. There are deep, systemic inequities in how and for whom performance is made in our local community. The Collective is an inclusive group of Twin Cities artist-activists, longtime leaders of the local arts community who are connected to each other through an urgent desire to advance our capability to change the world. We hold decades of producing experience, with the artistry, the curiosity, and the commitment to justice that will shape a new creative ecosystem: that sustainably supports artists and their work; where artists share investment, resources, risk, and reward; while dismantling racist, patriarchal, oppressive structures that prevent all artists from exercising full agency. We strive to open any barriers to entry for audiences, so that all can experience new voices, new stories, and build new capacities for understanding and taking action in the world. A more equitable system of performance-making can lead our communities toward equity and justice for all.

In order to take our next steps, we need someone with basic bookkeeping skills to maintain a monthly balance sheet for us and make a brief monthly report. 3-5 hours/month. For more details Click HERE or email jennieward2@gmail.com.

Mission Area Gatherings

You (yes, you) are enthusiastically invited and encouraged to attend your upcoming Mission Area Gathering. One of the recurring themes that came out of the discernment committees is that mission areas are crucial are for conducting experiments in discipleship, innovation, vitality, and story-sharing. We are called to be Christians together, and that means getting outside our faith community’s walls and finding out what our nearest Episcopalian neighbors are up to.

East Metro: Saturday, May 8 at 1pm – Register Click HERE

Healing Our City

Every morning, 8:00am

A diverse group of faith leaders from across Minneapolis have created Healing Our City, a virtual prayer tent. You are invited to join the Zoom call each day at 8am for a 20-minute prayer for healing and reflection. Click HERE to learn more and join people of all faiths, across Minneapolis and beyond, in prayer for healing and solidarity.

Relationships & Common Good

As we move through this Eastertide season, the vestry wanted to share with you, our beloved community, that we are preparing to partner with you on answering the following question: What would church look like that serves the common good for our Saint Mary’s community and strengthens our relationships? Come Easter, the season of rebirth and new growth, we will bring suggestions on how we might start to engage in community conversations around this question. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or reflections, please share them with any member of the vestry, or email our wardens HERE.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 4/30 – 5/6

Sunday, May 2, 2021
Worship with coffee hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Men’s Group
7:00pm
Click Here for more details on how to join

Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Caring for an aged loved one
7:00pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, May 6, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, May 6, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive the Weekly email, you are on the list.

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming April 24-April 30

by

Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week. This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information as well as end dates for this school year.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am until May 16, 2021
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
Tweeners
Tweeners will be playing games on Wednesday!
 
Youth Group
Next Wednesday is the last Youth Group of the year! We have interviewed and agreed to hire a new Youth Leader, Kat Lewis, to handle Youth Group for the Fall (September). She is excited to start programming! Kat interned with us a couple years ago and will be graduating from a local college in May! Stay tuned for more information about our new Youth Group Leader for Fall!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
  • Wednesday 7:00-8:00pm through May 1, 2021
  • Youth Leaders: MiaLisa and I am looking for a volunteer!
  • Register by Clicking Here
 
Summer Camps
ECMN has 6 different summer camp opportunities. I would like to make certain that everyone is aware of the options that exist!
 
 
 
The Bishop’s Series for Parents & Caregivers
 
The final zoom in this three part series is this Sunday from 4-5pm with Jessica Heller from the Psychology and Spirituality Institute.
 
 
Jessica will be sharing creative strategies for managing conflict and building connection between parents and kids during this ongoing pandemic. The slides and a short video/audio recording from our prior two conversations about resilience and trauma are posted at www.ecmnyouth.org/parents.
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – April 22, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, April 25, 2021
Worship via Zoom —10:00am

This will be the fourth Sunday of Easter. You’ll notice right away that there
are some things missing from this service. There isn’t a First Reading or a Second
Message…there isn’t spiritual communion…there is less music. Yes, all of this is
intentional, just for this Sunday, because it’s Annual Meeting Sunday at St. Mary’s
and there’s so much going on and so, so, so much you’ll want to hear about. The
service has been shortened to allow as much time as possible to hear from Jim
DeLuca and Caroline Kaker, our Wardens (during the sermon time), and from
others during the Annual Meeting.

  • Psalm 23 (sung)—“The Lord is my shepherd…”
  • Gospel: John 10:11-18—I am the Good Shepherd

For the Zoom worship service on April 25, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Music Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss

Presiding Bishop Curry was invited to give a message to Minnesota at the ECMN Compline service on Tuesday night, April 20th.

Here’s the link to his powerful words in case you missed it.
https://www.facebook.com/healingourcity/posts/272469991193202

What’s New?

  • To hear The Rev Susan Moss’ sermon from Sunday, April 18 Click HERE.
  • To read the Second Message from last Sunday, Click HERE.
  • If you have a hankering to put your thoughts about liturgy in the pot (on the Team, that is!), now is a good time to join the Worship Team. We’ll soon be planning Pentecost and then the long “Ordinary Times” season, running from May 30-November 21. All thoughts, all perspectives are welcome. We’re meeting about every other week. If you’re interested, Click HERE.

Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Hear Ye, hear ye…Come one, come all…Saint Mary’s Annual Meeting, April 25

What’s going on??? What’s so important?? What’s this all about?? Sunday, April 25, is Saint Mary’s Annual Meeting and this is an Annual Meeting you won’t want to miss! There is so much going on at Saint Mary’s these days that the Wardens will be using the sermon time to give the “State of the Church” message, and after the service the Annual Meeting will start. We’ll hear an up-date on the Search process, information about gathering in person, a report on Saint Mary’s finances, and elections for Vestry members and Wardens. Come at 10am for the worship service and stay for the Annual Meeting. See you Sunday!!! Oh, questions in advance are invited! What do you want to know about Saint Mary’s? About what’s going on? Submit your questions to the Wardens – Click HERE.

Join the Saint Mary’s Re-Gathering Team!

Are you looking forward to a time when we can once again gather in-person? Are you interested in being a part of a Team to help make that happen?

As we work towards approval from ECMN of our Saint Mary’s “Plan for Re-Opening for Physical Worship”, we also need to work out the internal logistics of holding in-person indoor and outdoor gatherings. We are looking to expand our Re-Gathering Team to include:

  • Safety Trainer for all Volunteers and Building Users
  • Volunteer coordinator(s)
  • RSVP coordinator(s)
  • Cleaning coordinator(s)
  • Technology coordinator(s)

We are looking forward to creating a complete and vibrant Team to help make this happen. We would like to assemble this Team as soon as we can to be prepared when the time is right.

If you are interested in joining the Re-Gathering Team or have any questions, please email regathering@saintmarysepiscopal.org.

Now Easy Online Giving on Saint Mary’s Website

Now you can quickly and easily donate to Saint Mary’s online via credit or debit card, or by bank account! Our new, secure online e-giving program, established in conjunction with Vanco, is now available on the front page of the St. Mary’s website. Simply go to the website and click on “Contribute” in the heading or scroll down and click on “Give Online 2021 Stewardship” and you will be able to quickly make online donations. You can also use the following link: https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0.

The Vanco e-giving service allows you to direct your giving to several different funds on either a one-time or recurring basis. One-time gifts involve three easy steps. If you want to establish recurring donations, such as weekly or monthly pledge donations to our general fund, you will need to set up an account through Vanco, which is also easy to do.

Credit and debit cards have a 2.75% administrative fee attached to each transaction, and payments via a bank account include a 1% fee. You can choose to cover these fees with your donation. Of course, you still have the option of mailing in your donations or setting up auto-pay through your bank, options which do not have administrative fees.

Following is a link (Click HERE) to instructions for donating through our new e-giving site, including screen shots and written instructions. Check out our giving site now on the Saint Mary’s website or at https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0, and thanks for your donations, regardless of how you choose to give!

If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact Rex Holzemer at rexaholzemer@gmail.com or 651-308-4895.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for April 2021:

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, April 27 and each Tuesdays following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Warden Candidate – Brian Nerbonne

Name: Brian Nerbonne

Position: Warden – 1 year term

My family and I have been coming to church at St. Mary’s for about 11 years. I am grateful for such a wonderful community to help raise our kids, Lucas and Clara, and for the good friends we have made here. I previously served a term on the vestry as Outreach Chair, and am now two years into a second stint on the vestry. I’ve been active in buildings and grounds, on the worship planning team, and I help with tech stuff for Sunday Zoom services. I have offered to spend my final year of my vestry term as warden, finishing Caroline Kaker’s term. I am excited about the future for St. Mary’s as we look to call our new rector and hopefully soon return to in-person worship. I look forward to being a part of shaping our bright future.

Vestry Candidate – Lisa Stratton

1. Name: Lisa Stratton

2. Which position are you interested in filling?  Vestry, 3-year term

3. Are you a member of Saint Mary’s?  Yes

4. Do you attend Saint Mary’s on a regular basis?  Yes

Why are you interested to serve our community by being elected to our warden / vestry?
I’ve been coming to St. Mary’s for about 18 years. St. Mary’s is the only church community where I’ve felt completely at home and I know we’ve been a church home for others who might not easily find such a welcoming church. I believe we have something very special that makes that true and I’d like to be part of our ongoing discernment of what that is and how we can best preserve and build upon it through another major transition.

Since December, I’ve been serving on the Worship Team that has been meeting weekly, and I’ve attended several of the monthly Vestry meetings since last fall, so I feel reasonably informed about the nature of the responsibility.

I hope to add to the mix of skills and talents on the vestry. As we go through a search process and the development of an employment contract, it could prove helpful to have someone with employment law knowledge participating. Service on several government task forces with stakeholders of divergent viewpoints that achieved consensus on policy recommendations gives me confidence that I’ll be able to work productively with the group toward shared outcomes that serve the whole church community.

When St. Mary’s was hosting three services, I attended the 9:00 service.

Which worship styles and liturgies nourish you and do you attend most often (please select / highlight):

– Services with much music drawn from various time-periods, cultures, and traditions.
– Modern and inclusive language.
– A balance of scripture and non-scriptural readings and inspiration.
– Liturgy reflecting the seasons and current events.
– Lay-led services with engaged discussion.
– Focus on justice and community service.
– Contemplative practices.

Vestry Candidate – Joe McManmon

1. Name:  Joe McManmon

2. Which position are you interested in filling?  Vestry, 3-year term

3. Are you a member of Saint Mary’s?  Yes and my family

4. Do you attend Saint Mary’s on a regular basis?  Yes

Why are you interested to serve our community by being elected to our warden / vestry?
In recent months, I have spent a lot of time discovering and verbalizing who we are as St Marians through the Search Committee. My perspectives are strongly influenced by my faith, my husband and our multi-racial child. I hold a strong desire to strengthen our community and help lead us through change, from Covid restrictions; online services; new priest; growing concern for equity, diversity & inclusion. I am excited for our growth while maintaining our history. I bring gifts of an open mind, analytical skills, listening, and organization.

When we were hosting three services, which service did you most frequently attend (7:45, 9:00, or 11:00)? I attended the 9AM.

Which worship styles and liturgies nourish you and do you attend most often (please select / highlight):
– Lay-led services
– Services with much music
– Contemporary

Vestry Candidate – Jennifer Wedel


‌1. Name:  Jennifer Wedel

2. Position?  Vestry, 3-year term

3. Member?  Yes

4. Attend regularly?  Yes

5. Why I am interested

I came to St. Mary’s at the invitation of Paulette Briese, who has been a family friend since forever. Paulette invited me to join the group creating the new 9am service to give the perspective of a “de-churched” person. The irony is — participating in that process “re-churched” me! I attended infrequently for a few years, and now I come almost every week (Zoom lets me come more often). I’ve run the dishwasher as part of the Newcomers group, my daughter and I have opened the door and said “hello” as folks come in, and I’ve been a verger — which I think of as operational support for a spiritual event. Most recently, I was loudly called to serve on our search committee. I live in Roseville with my elderly dad and 3rd grade daughter Caroline, who comes to church with me. She is usually rolling around on the rug with the younger kiddos. Paulette and Bruce are her godparents. A quick personal and professional bio: I grew up in the Twin Cities, then migrated to Northern California, where I spent 20 years before returning. I’m divorced, and most of my family is widely dispersed around the country. My professional path has been a winding and satisfying road: journalist, travel writer, editor, civil rights and economic justice lawyer, marketing writer, and now I am my own boss as a marketing strategist.

The gifts that I hope to bring to the vestry are:

  • Via my service on the search committee, I have developed a deep and intimate understanding of our church community — as a whole.
  • I am plain-spoken and I advocate for transparent communication and decision-making.
  • I am a fan of the “disagree and then commit” framework for group work. This means — engage in healthy and strong debate, then make a decision, and support that decision without undercutting it.
  • I believe that vision is useless without execution. I do have vision, certainly, but I’m prepared to roll up my sleeves and work.
  • I’m at the expert level with regard to project planning and management.
  • My friends say that I am kind, generous, and funny.
  • I am vulnerable in my spirituality, and I am moved to tears even during dry committee meetings — because even dry committee work is to support our beloved community. At in-person church, I am usually the one dripping tears (literally) on the floor.
  • I am loyal. The love and appreciation and protectiveness that I feel for St. Mary’s surprises me sometimes.
  • My daughter and I both speak Spanish and have personal connections to Latinx immigrant communities in the North Metro

Participate in:

  • Whatever needs doing, to be honest. Wherever there’s a need to fill.
  • I feel an affinity with Communications and Newcomers and Families and The Future of Church

I will share perspectives from:

  • the sandwich generation
  • an elementary school parent
  • a lifelong learner of social justice issues, especially racial justice and gender justice
  • a de-churched and re-churched person, with a lot of healthy skepticism woven in with my faith
  • newcomers to Minnesota

I am prepared to lead our community:

  • I prefer to listen and learn and discern where I might best serve as a leader.

6. Services and worship styles

Before COVID, I attended the 9am service. In spirit, I attended the contemplative service, but the timing never worked. 🙂
Which worship styles and liturgies nourish you and do you attend
most often (please select / highlight):
– Morning prayer / noonday prayer / evening prayer / compline
– Contemplative
– Lay-led services
– Services without music
– Services with much music
– Smaller-group chapel, without music, with engaged discussion
– Contemporary
– Traditional, Rite I
– Traditional, Rite II
– High church with smells and bells
– Anything that provides eucharist
– Interfaith worship, or being a guest in another faith’s house of worship

Outreach Opportunity: The Performance Collective

www.cfpampls.com/collective

Bookkeeper needed (volunteer) for an emerging group of local artists who are reimagining sustainable art practice. There are deep, systemic inequities in how and for whom performance is made in our local community. The Collective is an inclusive group of Twin Cities artist-activists, longtime leaders of the local arts community who are connected to each other through an urgent desire to advance our capability to change the world. We hold decades of producing experience, with the artistry, the curiosity, and the commitment to justice that will shape a new creative ecosystem: that sustainably supports artists and their work; where artists share investment, resources, risk, and reward; while dismantling racist, patriarchal, oppressive structures that prevent all artists from exercising full agency. We strive to open any barriers to entry for audiences, so that all can experience new voices, new stories, and build new capacities for understanding and taking action in the world. A more equitable system of performance-making can lead our communities toward equity and justice for all.

In order to take our next steps, we need someone with basic bookkeeping skills to maintain a monthly balance sheet for us and make a brief monthly report. 3-5 hours/month. For more details Click HERE or email jennieward2@gmail.com.

Mission Area Gatherings

You (yes, you) are enthusiastically invited and encouraged to attend your upcoming Mission Area Gathering. One of the recurring themes that came out of the discernment committees is that mission areas are crucial are for conducting experiments in discipleship, innovation, vitality, and story-sharing. We are called to be Christians together, and that means getting outside our faith community’s walls and finding out what our nearest Episcopalian neighbors are up to.

East Metro: Saturday, May 8 at 1pm – Register Click HERE

Healing Our City

Every morning, 8:00am

A diverse group of faith leaders from across Minneapolis have created Healing Our City, a virtual prayer tent. You are invited to join the Zoom call each day at 8am for a 20-minute prayer for healing and reflection. Click HERE to learn more and join people of all faiths, across Minneapolis and beyond, in prayer for healing and solidarity.

Relationships & Common Good

As we move through this Eastertide season of reflection and preparation, the vestry wanted to share with you, our beloved community, that we are preparing to partner with you on answering the following question: What would church look like that serves the common good for our Saint Mary’s community and strengthens our relationships? Come Easter, the season of rebirth and new growth, we will bring suggestions on how we might start to engage in community conversations around this question. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or reflections, please share them with any member of the vestry, or email our wardens HERE.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 4/23 – 4/29

Sunday, April 25, 2021
Worship
10:00am
Link

Sunday, April 25, 2021
Saint Mary’s Annual Meeting following Church

Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Vestry Meeting
7:00pm
Contact Wardens for meeting link Click HERE

Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for details and link Click HERE

Thursday, April 29, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, April 29, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive this email, you are on the list.

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming April 18-April 24

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Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week. This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information. Please also check out the ECMN camp options for the summer– there are some great virtual and in person options. See what fits best with your family plan for the summer.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am until May 16, 2021
 
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
 
Tweeners
Tweeners will be playing games on Wednesday!
 
 
Youth Group
Youth group will continue with discussion next week as well!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
  • Wednesday 7:00-8:00pm through May 1, 2021
  • Youth Leaders: MiaLisa and I am looking for a volunteer!
  • Register by Clicking Here
 
Summer Camps
ECMN has 6 different summer camp opportunities. I would like to make certain that everyone is aware of the options that exist!
 
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – April 15, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow—10:00am

This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday in Eastertide. Rev. Susan Moss will be our preacher.

  • First Reading: Acts 3:12-19 Peter confronts people’s action; proclaims the resurrected Christ as the fulfillment of the prophets
  • Second Message: non-biblical, sacred or secular TBD
  • Gospel: Luke 24:36b-48 Jesus appears to his disciples

For the Zoom worship service on April 18, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Music Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by the Reverend Susan M. Moss

“Whether we are white, Black or brown, the senseless police killing of another black man, Daunte Wright, is a threat to our shared humanity. It is a complete violation of our faith that calls us to treat each other in the image of God.” writes ISAIAH Metro & One Body Lead Organizer Vivian Ihekoronye in her leadership update this morning.

“Simply Unbelievable”; “How Long O Lord”; “I have no more words” tumble from our lips and our grieving hearts. “My heart, like all of yours, is so heavy today,” writes Bishop Loya, “as a city that is already carrying so much is handed one more dose of sorrow and anger.”

I am among those finding the strength to not lose heart by getting under Healing Our City’s daily 8am interfaith prayer tent and urge you to go here, too when you are able –
www.facebook.com/healingourcity or www.healingourcity.org.

This morning’s reflection was offered by Ruby Sales, social activist, scholar, public theologian, and Founder and Director of the The SpiritHouse Project, who describes herself as a “long distance runner for freedom”. Click HERE.

Let us gather under the St. Mary’s Prayer tent this Sunday for worship, prayer, and fellowship, beseeching Risen Christ to grant us the courage to rise and do all in our power to stand as allies with our Black and brown brothers and sisters in this time of national trauma.

What’s New?

  • If you’d like to listen to last Sunday’s sermon by the Rev. Katie Capurso Ernst from Church of the Transfiguration about doubt and action, Click HERE.
  • Next Sunday, April 25, is our Annual Meeting and our Wardens, Jim DeLuca and Caroline Kaker, will use the sermon time go give the “State of the Church” message. Lots going on at St. Mary’s!

Feedback is welcome!

We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Join the Saint Mary’s Re-Gathering Team!

Are you looking forward to a time when we can once again gather in-person? Are you interested in being a part of a Team to help make that happen?

As we work towards approval from ECMN of our Saint Mary’s “Plan for Re-Opening for Physical Worship”, we also need to work out the internal logistics of holding in-person indoor and outdoor gatherings. We are looking to expand our Re-Gathering Team to include:

  • Safety Trainer for all Volunteers and Building Users
  • Volunteer coordinator(s)
  • RSVP coordinator(s)
  • Cleaning coordinator(s)
  • Technology coordinator(s)

We are looking forward to creating a complete and vibrant Team to help make this happen. We would like to assemble this Team as soon as we can to be prepared when the time is right.

If you are interested in joining the Re-Gathering Team or have any questions, please email regathering@saintmarysepiscopal.org.

Now Easy Online Giving Available!

Now you can quickly and easily donate to Saint Mary’s online via credit or debit card, or by bank account! Our new, secure online e-giving program, established in conjunction with Vanco, is available through the following link: https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0.

The Vanco e-giving service allows you to direct your giving to several different funds on either a one-time or recurring basis. One-time gifts involve three easy steps. If you want to establish recurring donations, such as weekly or monthly pledge donations to our general fund, you will need to set up an account through Vanco, which is also easy to do.

Credit and debit cards have a 2.75% administrative fee attached to each transaction, and payments via a bank account include a 1% fee. You can choose to cover these fees with your donation. Of course, you still have the option of mailing in your donations or setting up auto-pay through your bank, options which do not have administrative fees.

Following is a link to instructions for donating through our new e-giving site, including screen shots and written instructions. Check out our giving site now at https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0, and thanks for your donations, regardless of how you choose to give!

If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact Rex Holzemer at rexaholzemer@gmail.com or 651-308-4895.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for April 2021:

LGBTQ+ Community
Monday, April 19, and each third Monday, ongoing
6:30pm meets monthly for reflective conversation and community building.

Book Club: WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE
Monday April 19 at 7:30pm to finish our book.

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, April 20 and each Tuesdays following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Saint Mary’s Annual Meeting
April 25, 2021

Dear St. Marians,

An important date to add to your calendars is Sunday, April 25, when we will conduct the annual parish meeting and the annual financial meeting on Zoom during and after the church service. Several vestry positions will be filled by election during the meeting, so if you are looking for an exciting time to lead, this is your chance! Please pray and discern about this – we really need to continue to have our vestry at full strength and at a high energy level as we start a new chapter and enter uncharted waters of the post-pandemic world. This will be a great opportunity for reimagining how our parish will express God’s love to a hurting world. There will be opportunities for visioning and for collaboration with other churches and entities to realize the Beloved Community. Please stay tuned for more communication on filling vestry positions and on our journey together, and don’t hesitate to contact one of the vestry members if you have questions about vestry service.

We wish you all a blessed Eastertide; stay healthy and love one another!

St. Mary’s Vestry

Jim DeLuca and Caroline Kaker, Wardens

Saint Mary’s Call for Vestry & Warden Candidates
Deadline: Monday, April 19, 2021

If you missed the email sent out on Monday, April 5th, please Click HERE. Please consider, please pray, please discern whether you might be in a place and time to offer your talents, energy, and passion to our church leadership team.

For the application Click HERE

Mission Area Gatherings

You (yes, you) are enthusiastically invited and encouraged to attend your upcoming Mission Area Gathering. One of the recurring themes that came out of the discernment committees is that mission areas are crucial are for conducting experiments in discipleship, innovation, vitality, and story-sharing. We are called to be Christians together, and that means getting outside our faith community’s walls and finding out what our nearest Episcopalian neighbors are up to.

East Metro: Saturday, May 8 at 1pm – Register Click HERE

Healing Our City

Every morning, 8:00am

A diverse group of faith leaders from across Minneapolis have created Healing Our City, a virtual prayer tent. You are invited to join the Zoom call each day at 8am for a 20-minute prayer for healing and reflection. Click HERE to learn more and join people of all faiths, across Minneapolis and beyond, in prayer for healing and solidarity.

Outreach, ISAIAH

ISAIAH In-District (Zoom) Meetings

ISAIAH leaders from multiple locations are hosting In-District meetings with our local legislators during session. Saint Mary’s is in 64, and that In-District meeting with Wards 3 & 4 council members and State Representatives is April 15, 2021, 6:00-8:00pm,
registration: Click HERE.
Senator Erin Murphy (SD 64), House Rep. Dave Pinto (64B), St. Paul Council member Mitra Jalali (ward 4) and St. Paul Council member Chris Tolbert (ward 3) will be attending.

FAQs:
What are In-District meetings?
They are meetings organized and designed by ISAIAH volunteer leaders inviting their representatives into a co-governing conversation.

Why is it important?
It is an opportunity to hear how our representatives will be (or not be) champions of an agenda that honors our values.

Why attend?
It lets our representatives know that we are engaged and looking for their bold leadership and ongoing support of our agenda. It gives our representatives the support and documentation they need from our numbers and narratives as they communicate to colleagues and champion our agenda. It gives us an opportunity to participate more fully in our democracy.

How can I find my Saint Paul ward and MN senate district?
Saint Paul District Council and Ward Lookup (arcgis.com)
Click HERE.

If you reside outside of STP senate district 64 see options below. Please invite friends and neighbors to join you! For more information, contact Ginny DeLuca- ginnydeluca1736@gmail.com

*************************************************************************
Attend an In-District Meeting in Your District/Ward

SD65B / STP Ward 2
Sun Apr 18 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: STP Council member Rebecca Noecker

SD66A+B, Senator / STP Ward 5
Sat Apr 17 from 10:00am – 12:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: House Rep. Athena Hollins

SD53
Sat Apr 24 from 10:00am – 12:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: Senator Susan Kent

All other ISAIAH events and in district meetings here:
Click HERE.

Relationships & Common Good

As we move through this Lenten season of reflection and preparation, the vestry wanted to share with you, our beloved community, that we are preparing to partner with you on answering the following question: What would church look like that serves the common good for our Saint Mary’s community and strengthens our relationships? Come Easter, the season of rebirth and new growth, we will bring suggestions on how we might start to engage in community conversations around this question. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or reflections, please share them with any member of the vestry, or email our wardens HERE.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 4/16 – 4/22

Sunday, April 18, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.
10:00am
Link

Monday, April 19, 2021
LGBTQ+
6:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi Click HERE

Monday, April 19, 2021
Book Club
7:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi Click HERE

Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Finance Committee Meeting
6:30 PM
Contact finance@saintmarysepiscopal.org for the Zoom link

Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for more information and a link, Click HERE

Thursday, April 22, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, April 22, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive the Weekly email, you are on the list.

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming April 10-April 17

by

Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week. This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information. Please also check out the ECMN camp options for the summer– there are some great virtual and in person options. See what fits best with your family plan for the summer.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am until May 16, 2021
Option #2 Parent Led
Tweeners
Tweeners will be playing games on Wednesday!
Youth Group
Youth group will continue with discussion next week as well!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
  • Wednesday 7:00-8:00pm through May 1, 2021
  • Youth Leaders: MiaLisa and I am looking for a volunteer!
  • Register by Clicking Here
Summer Camps
ECMN has 6 different summer camp opportunities. I would like to make certain that everyone is aware of the options that exist!
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – April 8, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, April 11, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hours to follow—10:00am

During the Easter season, we welcome back the Alleluias, the Baptismal Covenant, and the Offertory Sentences (“God be in my head and in my thinking….)! We’ll continue having announcements at the beginning of the service and spiritual communion will be celebrated throughout the Easter season. A “Question of the Day” will be posed and we’ll have the opportunity to share our thoughts with others during our first Virtual Coffee Hour. The Reverend Katie Capurso Ernst will be our guest preacher. She is the founder of Transfiguration Minneapolis, a new worshipping community within the Episcopal Church whose focus is “cultivating a space for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people to gather and experience healing from the wounds and exhaustion of racism.”

  • First Reading: Acts 4:32-35
  • Second Message: a sacred or secular message TBD
  • Gospel: John 20:19-31

For the Zoom worship service on April 11, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Music Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s in the Great 50 Days of Easter
by The Rev. Susan M. Moss

There is an ancient Easter hymn in which the Risen Christ addresses Adam and Eve
(you and me!) with these powerful words:

Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image, rise!
Let us leave this place [of the dead] for you are in me and I am in you;
together we form only one person and cannot be separated…the banquet is ready…
the treasure houses of all good things lie open…
Rise up from your tombs and live!

I hope you all had a virtual seat at this year’s Children’s Easter Vigil, either while it was occurring or the recording. Such inspiring creativity by the young members of Saint Mary’s! A shout out of thanks and heartfelt appreciation Mia Lisa, the Vigil’s producer, editor, coach and creative director. Among her super powers is the ability to inspire confidence and creativity in children and youth while conveying what it means to be followers of Jesus.

A shout out of gratitude as well to Jim and Vonda for their many creative musical talents that supported our prayers and our worship in the seasons of Lent and Easter, seasons made especially challenging given this pandemic-restricted virtual world.

Jim will be taking an earned mini sabbatical for the next 6 Sunday’s, returning to Sunday worship on Pentecost Sunday May 23.

Onward into the Great 50 Days of Easter! May the Risen Christ continue to transform and renew us and Saint Mary’s with new life.

What’s New?

  • To listen to Bishop Craig Loya’s Easter Day sermon, Click HERE
  • Will you sing out loud? Will it make you laugh? Will it make you cry? Click HERE to find out!
  • We’ll have a mix of sermon types this season: priests at Saint Mary’s, sermons available through the ECMN Easter series and Gospel-based Discipleship.

Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for April 2021:

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, April 13 and each Tuesdays following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Coffee & Conversation
Wed. April 14, and each second Wednesday of the month, ongoing
10am / 7pm reach out to Rev. Cindi to reserve a time and get the link

LGBTQ+ Community
Monday, April 19, and each third Monday, ongoing
6:30pm meets monthly for reflective conversation and community building

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Search Committee Available for Q & A

Members of your Search Committee will be available this Sunday, April 11th from 9:15am to 9:45am to answer your questions or talk about the process so far. Join the usual Zoom church link and you will find us there.

Saint Mary’s Call for Vestry & Warden Candidates

If you missed the email sent out on Monday, April 5th, please Click HERE. Please consider, please pray, please discern whether you might be in a place and time to offer your talents, energy, and passion to our church leadership team.

Now Easy Online Giving on Saint Mary’s Website

Now you can quickly and easily donate to Saint Mary’s online via credit or debit card, or by bank account! Our new, secure online e-giving program, established in conjunction with Vanco, is now available on the front page of the Saint Mary’s website. Simply go to the website and click on “Contribute” in the heading or scroll down and click on “Give Online 2021 Stewardship” and you will be able to quickly make online donations. You can also use the following link: https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0.

The Vanco e-giving service allows you to direct your giving to several different funds on either a one-time or recurring basis. One-time gifts involve three easy steps. If you want to establish recurring donations, such as weekly or monthly pledge donations to our general fund, you will need to set up an account through Vanco, which is also easy to do.

Credit and debit cards have a 2.75% administrative fee attached to each transaction, and payments via a bank account include a 1% fee. You can choose to cover these fees with your donation. Of course, you still have the option of mailing in your donations or setting up auto-pay through your bank, options which do not have administrative fees.

Following is a link to instructions for donating through our new e-giving site, including screen shots and written instructions. Check out our giving site now on the St. Mary’s website or at https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0, and thanks for your donations, regardless of how you choose to give!

If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact Rex Holzemer at rexaholzemer@gmail.com or 651-308-4895.

Mission Area Gatherings

You (yes, you) are enthusiastically invited and encouraged to attend your upcoming Mission Area Gathering. One of the recurring themes that came out of the discernment committees is that mission areas are crucial are for conducting experiments in discipleship, innovation, vitality, and story-sharing. We are called to be Christians together, and that means getting outside our faith community’s walls and finding out what our nearest Episcopalian neighbors are up to.

East Metro: Saturday, May 8 at 1pm – Register Click HERE

Outreach, ISAIAH

ISAIAH In-District (Zoom) Meetings

ISAIAH leaders from multiple locations are hosting In-District meetings with our local legislators during session. Saint Mary’s is in 64, and that In-District meeting with Wards 3 & 4 council members and State Representatives is April 15, 2021, 6:00-8:00pm,
registration: Click HERE.
Senator Erin Murphy (SD 64), House Rep. Dave Pinto (64B), St. Paul Council member Mitra Jalali (ward 4) and St. Paul Council member Chris Tolbert (ward 3) will be attending.

FAQs:
What are In-District meetings?
They are meetings organized and designed by ISAIAH volunteer leaders inviting their representatives into a co-governing conversation.

Why is it important?
It is an opportunity to hear how our representatives will be (or not be) champions of an agenda that honors our values.

Why attend?
It lets our representatives know that we are engaged and looking for their bold leadership and ongoing support of our agenda. It gives our representatives the support and documentation they need from our numbers and narratives as they communicate to colleagues and champion our agenda. It gives us an opportunity to participate more fully in our democracy.

How can I find my Saint Paul ward and MN senate district?
Saint Paul District Council and Ward Lookup Click HERE.

If you reside outside of STP senate district 64 see options below. Please invite friends and neighbors to join you! For more information, contact Ginny DeLuca- ginnydeluca1736@gmail.com

*************************************************************************
Attend an In-District Meeting in Your District/Ward

SD65A + Senator / STP Ward 1
Sun Apr 11 from 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: STP Council member Dai Thao, Senator Sandy Pappas

SD65B / STP Ward 2
Sun Apr 18 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: STP Council member Rebecca Noecker

SD66A+B, Senator / STP Ward 5
Sat Apr 17 from 10:00am – 12:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: House Rep. Athena Hollins

SD67 + Ward 6
Fri. Apr 9 from 4:30pm – 6:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: Representative John Thompson, Council member Nelsie Yang

SD38
Sat April 10 10am – 12pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: None yet!

SD53
Sat Apr 24 from 10:00am – 12:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: Senator Susan Kent

All other ISAIAH events and in district meetings here:
Click HERE.

Relationships & Common Good

Now that we’re in the Easter season, the time of rebirth and new growth, the Vestry will soon bring suggestions on how our St. Mary’s family might engage in community conversations around a question important to us: What would church look like that serves our St. Mary’s common good and strengthens our relationships? If you have thoughts or reflections you’d like to share immediately, please talk with any member of the Vestry or email our wardens HERE.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 4/9 – 4/15

Sunday, April 11, 2021
Search Committee available for Q & A before Worship
9:15am
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow
10:00am
Link

Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for more information and a link, Click HERE

Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Coffee and Conversations with Rev. Cindi
10:00am & 7pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for more information and a link, Click HERE

Thursday, April 15, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE

Thursday, April 15, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive this email, you are on the list.

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming April 3-April 9

by

Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week. This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information. Please also check out the ECMN camp options for the summer– there are some great virtual and in person options. See what fits best with your family plan for the summer.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Easter Vigil TODAY at 4pm!
 
Join the Family Friendly 4:00pm Zoom service from Saint Mary’s.
  • Bring bells to ring and stuffed animals (if you have them).
*NO Zoom Sunday School on Easter Sunday*
 
 
Tweeners
Tweeners will be playing games on Wednesday!
 
 
Youth Group
Youth group will continue with discussion next week as well!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
 
Summer Camps
ECMN has 6 different summer camp opportunities. I would like to make certain that everyone is aware of the options that exist!
 
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – April 1, 2021

by

Worship Services this Week

Maundy Thursday – April 1, 2021

There are several options for you to choose from:

  • 7:00pm service at Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church in Sunfish Lake. To learn more Click HERE.
  • 7:00pm service at Christ Church in Woodbury. At home foot washing— Please have basin, pitcher of water and towel on hand. To join Zoom meeting, Click HERE:
    • Meeting ID: 830 9408 6729 Passcode: 027703
  • 7:30pm service at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. Susan will preach. If you would like to worship with Saint Mark’s Cathedral during Holy Week Click HERE for the schedule of services and for online registration.

Good Friday – April 2, 2021

There are several options for you to choose from:

  • 7:00pm Tenebrae* service at Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church in Sunfish Lake. To learn more Click HERE.
  • 7:00pm Tenebrae* service at Christ Church in Woodbury. Click HERE.
    • Meeting ID: 841 6184 8651 Passcode: 666575
  • Noon service at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. If you would like to worship with Saint Mark’s Cathedral during Holy Week Click HERE for the schedule of services and for on line registration.

*Tenebrae: Service of light to dark

Easter Vigil – April 3, 2021

Join the Family Friendly 4:00pm Zoom service from Saint Mary’s. Bring bells to
ring!! Email worship@saintmarysepiscopal.org for information on how to attend.

Easter Sunday – April 4, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00am

This Sunday is Easter Sunday, and we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Get out of
your pj’s and put on your Easter finery!! Wear a bonnet, a hat, bunny ears; hold a
stuffed rabbit; have flowers on your screen with you…whatever makes you think of
Easter! Saint Mary’s will be hearing Bishop Loya’s Easter sermon. Alleluias and
Baptismal Covenant return. Spiritual communion will be celebrated. Join us to
celebrate the resurrection!

  • First Message: Acts 10:34-43
  • Gospel: Mark 16:1-8 Peter proclaims the peace of Jesus is for all.

For the Zoom worship service on April 4, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Easter Service Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss

The Easter Triduum is ahead of us now. Beginning at sundown on Maundy Thursday these three days celebrate the newness of life which flows from the the crucified, buried and risen Christ. While we’re beginning to “see the light at the end of the tunnel” and the hope of regathering face to face, Saint Mary’s will gather together virtually on Easter Sunday for the second time. It’s good to remember the encouragement in Presiding Bishop Curry’s Easter 2020 sermon. Acknowledging that we won’t be in church, singing favorite Easter hymns, he said

“ …it may not look like Easter. It may not smell like it. It may not feel like it. But, it’s Easter anyway.” The bishop likened the feeling to the first Easter: Jesus executed; his followers uncertain where God was; then the miracle of resurrection.
“Easter was about a tragedy that was turned into a triumph; about God working behind the scenes, invisibly, in ways that people didn’t know,” Curry said. “And if we work together with our God and together with each other we will find our way forward.”

Dear people of Saint Mary’s: Let us be strong and take heart.
Have courage. Hold fast to that which is good. Easter is coming.

What’s New?

  • To hear the meditation from Palm Sunday given by The Rev. Susan Moss, Click HERE.
  • During the Easter Season:
    • We will celebrate spiritual communion.
    • We will have 3 readings each Sunday: A reading from Acts, a non-Scripture message and the Gospel.
    • We will continue to have a question to talk about in Virtual Coffee Hour #1 on most Sundays, followed by a Social Virtual Coffee Hour.

Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Now Easy Online Giving Available!

Now you can quickly and easily donate to Saint Mary’s online via credit or debit card, or by bank account! Our new, secure online e-giving program, established in conjunction with Vanco, is available through the following link: https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0.

The Vanco e-giving service allows you to direct your giving to several different funds on either a one-time or recurring basis. One-time gifts involve three easy steps. If you want to establish recurring donations, such as weekly or monthly pledge donations to our general fund, you will need to set up an account through Vanco, which is also easy to do.

Credit and debit cards have a 2.75% administrative fee attached to each transaction, and payments via a bank account include a 1% fee. You can choose to cover these fees with your donation. Of course, you still have the option of mailing in your donations or setting up auto-pay through your bank, options which do not have administrative fees.

Following is a link to instructions for donating through our new e-giving site, including screen shots and written instructions. Check out our giving site now at https://secure.myvanco.com/YNB0, and thanks for your donations, regardless of how you choose to give!

If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact Rex Holzemer at rexaholzemer@gmail.com or 651-308-4895.

A Message from Co-Warden Caroline Kaker:

Hello from your co-warden! Hopefully you read the announcement of Saint Mary’s upcoming Annual Meeting on Sunday, April 25th and have circled the date on your calendars. There is much to discuss and do, including the election our newest vestry members. Please plan to attend! While additional meeting logistics and details will be forthcoming, I would like to communicate now that the election slate will include a one-year warden position covering the third and final year of my 3-year term. I will be stepping down from my role and turning it over to someone new.

Read the whole letter HERE.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for April 2021:

Pastoral Care Team
Monday April 5 at 6:30pm

Lent Book Club: WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE
Monday April 5 at 7:30pm to finish our book.

Healing Circle
Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Caring for an Aging Loved One
Tuesday, April 6, and each first Tuesday at 7:00pm: ongoing

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday, April 6 and each Tuesdays following at 8:30pm, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Coffee & Conversation
Wed. April 14, and each second Wednesday of the month, ongoing
10am / 7pm reach out to Rev. Cindi to reserve a time and get the link

LGBTQ+ Community
Monday, April 19, and each third Monday, ongoing
6:30pm meets monthly for reflective conversation and community building

Join our Prayer Chain:
Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

KIVA Loans on International Women’s Day

Saint Mary’s has participated in making loans to people around the world through KIVA for many, many years. As loans are re-paid, we’re able to re-loan that money again. As of March 8, 2021, $1200 from previously made loans had been re-paid. KIVA had a special program for International Women’s Day–loans made to women were matched! So, our $1200 turned into loans for $2400!! Paulette Briese, Mary Hinz and Julie Thomas got together and made loans to 17 women, ranging from $25 to $300. Loans were made to women in 10 different countries for things such as toilets, water pumps, land, school supplies and tuition, smart phones for distance learning, animals to raise and sell, seeds to plant and grow and supplies for traditional handicrafts. Our money is back at work! If you’d like to join the “loaning team”, let Paulette Briese know by Clicking HERE.

Outreach, ISAIAH

ISAIAH In-District (Zoom) Meetings

ISAIAH leaders from multiple locations are hosting In-District meetings with our local legislators during session. Saint Mary’s is in 64, and that In-District meeting with Wards 3 & 4 council members and State Representatives is April 15, 2021, 6:00-8:00pm,
registration: Click HERE.
Senator Erin Murphy (SD 64), House Rep. Dave Pinto (64B), St. Paul Council member Mitra Jalali (ward 4) and St. Paul Council member Chris Tolbert (ward 3) will be attending.

FAQs:
What are In-District meetings?
They are meetings organized and designed by ISAIAH volunteer leaders inviting their representatives into a co-governing conversation.

Why is it important?
It is an opportunity to hear how our representatives will be (or not be) champions of an agenda that honors our values.

Why attend?
It lets our representatives know that we are engaged and looking for their bold leadership and ongoing support of our agenda. It gives our representatives the support and documentation they need from our numbers and narratives as they communicate to colleagues and champion our agenda. It gives us an opportunity to participate more fully in our democracy.

How can I find my Saint Paul ward and MN senate district?
Saint Paul District Council and Ward Lookup Click HERE.

If you reside outside of STP senate district 64 see options below. Please invite friends and neighbors to join you! For more information, contact Ginny DeLuca- ginnydeluca1736@gmail.com

******************************************************************************
Attend an In-District Meeting in Your District/Ward

SD65A + Senator / STP Ward 1
Sun Apr 11 from 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: STP Council member Dai Thao, Senator Sandy Pappas

SD65B / STP Ward 2
Sun Apr 18 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: STP Council member Rebecca Noecker

SD66A+B, Senator / STP Ward 5
Sat Apr 17 from 10:00am – 12:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: House Rep. Athena Hollins

SD67 + Ward 6
Fri. Apr 9 from 4:30pm – 6:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: Representative John Thompson, Council member Nelsie Yang

SD38
Sat April 10 10am – 12pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: None yet!

SD53
Sat Apr 24 from 10:00am – 12:00pm: Click HERE.
Confirmed: Senator Susan Kent

All other ISAIAH events and in district meetings here:
Click HERE.

Relationships & Common Good

As we move through this Lenten season of reflection and preparation, the vestry wanted to share with you, our beloved community, that we are preparing to partner with you on answering the following question: What would church look like that serves the common good for our Saint Mary’s community and strengthens our relationships? Come Easter, the season of rebirth and new growth, we will bring suggestions on how we might start to engage in community conversations around this question. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or reflections, please share them with any member of the vestry, or email our wardens HERE.

March is Food Share Month

Saint Mary’s has a tradition of donating to our neighborhood food shelf at, Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul (I. A.) for the Department of Indian Works (DIW). If interested, you can go online to I.A. (Click HERE) to the “Donate” tab and select the DIW. You can also mail a check to them with DIW in the note line. You may also call to donate or to drop off food by calling Theresa Halverson-Lee at 651-789-3854. Another option is to donate to the Food Shelf of your choice.

Thanks for considering helping others in this especially hard time!

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 4/2 – 4/8

Saturday, April 3, 2021
Children’s Easter Vigil (see additional information in Worship Services This Week above)
4:00pm

Sunday, April 4, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.
10:00am
Link

Monday, April 5, 2021
Pastoral Care
6:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi Click HERE

Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Men’s Group
7:00pm
For more information Click HERE

Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Caring for Aging Loved Ones
7:00pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for more information and a link, Click HERE

Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Compline
8:30pm
Contact Rev. Cindi for more information and a link, Click HERE

Thursday, April 8, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, April 8, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive this email, you are on the list.

Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming March 27- April 4

by

Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has updates for Children’s programming for Holy Week. Please see below as this includes changes in the usual weekly program and the Children’s Easter Vigil information.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Palm Sunday Sunday School
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
  • Lent Activities– for those of you that like to prepare ahead, there are a number of lent activities and Easter fun that you might enjoy in this folder!
 
NO Tweeners on 3/31/21
 
NO Youth Group on 3/31/21
 
NO Sunday school on Easter Sunday (4/4/21)
 
Children’s Easter Vigil 4/3/2021
  • We will be hosting a Children’s Easter Vigil on zoom at 4pm on 4/3/2021. This is geared toward small children but lots of fun for the whole family. Our kids and youth have worked very hard to put this all together. Please join us for this fun and engaging event. Please see the link, meeting id and passcode below.
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Holy Week Information – March 26, 2021

by

Dear St. Marians,

Last chance!! You don’t want to miss out! Order your Holy Week bag now!!
Send an email to pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org Indicate your name, number
of palms desired and if you’ll pick up your bag at Saint Mary’s between 2:00-3:00 pm on
Saturday, March 27th, or if you’d like your bag delivered to your home between those hours. If delivery is requested, also indicate your address and phone number. You’ll be called when the delivery person is at your address.

Palm Sunday – March 28, 2021

Join the 10:00am Zoom service from Saint Mary’s to celebrate the Liturgy of the Palms and hear the reading of the Passion story.
For the Palm Service Bulletin – Click HERE

Maundy Thursday – April 1, 2021

There are several options for you to choose from:

  • 7:00pm service at Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church in Sunfish Lake. To learn more Click HERE.
  • 7:00pm service at Christ Church in Woodbury. At home foot washing— Please have basin, pitcher of water and towel on hand. To join Zoom meeting, Click HERE:
    • Meeting ID: 830 9408 6729 Passcode: 027703
  • 7:30pm service at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. Susan will preach. If you would like to worship with Saint Mark’s Cathedral during Holy Week Click HERE for the schedule of services and for online registration.
Good Friday – April 2, 2021
There are several options for you to choose from:
  • 7:00pm Tenebrae* service at Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church in Sunfish Lake. To learn more Click HERE.
  • 7:00pm Tenebrae* service at Christ Church in Woodbury. Click HERE.
    • Meeting ID: 841 6184 8651 Passcode: 666575
  • Noon service at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. If you would like to worship with Saint Mark’s Cathedral during Holy Week Click HERE for the schedule of services and for on line registration.
*Tenebrae: Service of light to dark
Easter Vigil – April 3, 2021
Join the Family Friendly 4:00pm Zoom service from Saint Mary’s. Bring bells to
ring!! Please contact Children’s and Youth Director MiaLisa for more information on how to attend.
Easter Day – April 4, 2021
Join the 10:00am Zoom service from Saint Mary’s to celebrate Jesus’
resurrection! Wear your fancy clothes, a hat, an Easter bonnet, bunny ears,
whatever Easter brings to mind!! Hold stuffed/clay/plastic rabbits or other Easter
items!! Have your Easter flowers on your Zoom screen with you!! Watch for
specific information in the April 1, 2021, Saint Mary’s Weekly Email. Zoom link,
liturgy and music will be included.

A Blessing for Holy Week Journeys

 
Feel your feet
planted on holy ground
beneath you,
rooted in the earth. Feet.
From the earth,
upon the earth,
back to the earth…
eventually.
 
Remember.
These feet–
big, small, aching,
running, stumbling, dancing–
these feet carry us
down the paths
of our everyday lives.
 
Feet.
From the earth,
upon the earth,
back to the earth…
eventually.
 
Remember.
Jesus’ feet–
journeyed wildernesses and seasides
 
Jesus’ feet–
pointed him toward Jerusalem.
 
It was Jesus’ feet that the prophet woman
blessed and perfumed and prepared.
 
And it was Jesus’ feet
that were pierced together–
one on top of the other.
 
Feet.
From the earth,
upon the earth,
back to the earth…
eventually.
 
So we too shall walk
through an ordinary week,
that is a holy week,
for it is on sacred soil
that we live and run,
work and play.
 
Our feet,
carrying justice and love,
kissing holy ground,
to which
we shall return…
 
Eventually.
 
 
-Jill Crainshaw

Saint Mary’s Weekly – March 25, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, March 28, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

This Sunday, Palm Sunday, we celebrate the Liturgy of the Palms, waving our palms and joyfully singing All Glory Laud and Honor and Pave the Way with Branches and then we hear the reading of the Passion story. The Rev. Susan Moss will give a short meditation. Please join us as we enter Holy Week.

  • Gospel: Mark 11:1-11a
  • Psalm 22
  • Passion Gospel: Mark 15:1-39

For the Zoom worship service on March 28, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Palm Service Bulletin – Click HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss

A gentle spring rain is falling today; the grass is turning green almost before my eyes and the trees are beginning to bud. We are so ready for Easter! And yet, before we shout the Easter acclamation Christ is Risen we are invited to walk with Jesus in his final days in Jerusalem.

The Saint Mary’s Worship and Pastoral Care teams have thoughtfully collaborated in this virtual world to bring us a variety of ways in which we can observe Holy Week 2021. Take a look at the options and choose what fits for your household. Let us walk in the footsteps of Jesus next week. He walked the midst of injustice, violence, betrayal and fear with faith and purpose. His message through it all was clear: God desires peace, mercy, compassion and justice for all people. Bring your prayers of lament and sorrow for Colorado and the victims of relentless gun violence. May our lawmakers have the courage pass gun safety legislation to keep us safe. Pray for our city, the jurors and the court as the Chauvin trial continues with opening statements on Monday.

What’s New?

  • Right now, before you get busy and forget!!! ORDER YOUR HOLY WEEK BAG!! Send pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org an email.
  • To hear the sermon from last Sunday given by Julia Nerbonne, Click HERE.
  • Brief information regarding Holy Week services below. More information to follow in a Special Weekly mailing tomorrow—Friday, March 26.
    • Maundy Thursday & Good Friday: Saint Mary’s is invited to join Christ Church in Woodbury or Saint Anne’s Church in Sunfish Lake via zoom—services at 7pm—or Saint Mark’s Cathedral at 7:30pm on Thursday and noon on Friday.
    • Easter Vigil: A “don’t miss service”!!! Family friendly! 4:00pm
    • Easter morning, one service at 10am. Get out of your p.j.s and put on your Easter finery!! Wear a bonnet, a hat, bunny ears; hold a stuffed rabbit; have flowers on your screen with you…whatever makes you think of Easter! Celebrate the resurrection!

Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Finance Update

Several large, six-month pledge donations were received in February. As a result, pledge donations for the month of February were approximately $15,000 over budget. Expenses in February were approximately $3,700 under budget. Despite the large donations in February, our projected budget deficit for the year is still expected to be approximately ($27,000), as the large donations were for multiple months. See the attached financials for the exact income and expenses as of the end of February Click HERE.

A Message from Co-Warden Caroline Kaker:

Hello from your co-warden! Hopefully you read the announcement of Saint Mary’s upcoming Annual Meeting on Sunday, April 25th and have circled the date on your calendars. There is much to discuss and do, including the election our newest vestry members. Please plan to attend! While additional meeting logistics and details will be forthcoming, I would like to communicate now that the election slate will include a one-year warden position covering the third and final year of my 3-year term. I will be stepping down from my role and turning it over to someone new.

Read the whole letter HERE.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for March & April 2021:

Pastoral Care Team
There is no Pastoral Care Team Meeting in Holy Week; See you On Monday April 5 at 6:30 PM

Lent Book Club: WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE
There is no Book Club during Holy Week.
See you on Monday April 5 at 7:30 PM to finish our book.

Healing Circle
The Pastoral Care Team will host a virtual healing circle (prayer) during Holy Week. Healing Circles help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which each of us can explore our own healing. All are welcome; for planning purposes we ask that you make a reservation. This circle will meet on Tuesday, March 30 at 7:00 PM; please contact Rev. Cindi for more information and to get the link.

Caring for an Aging Loved One
Tuesday, April 6, and each first Tuesday at 7:00 PM: ongoing

Compline (All Are Welcome)
Beginning in the Easter Season (April 6 and Tuesdays following) at 8:30 PM, all are invited to pray Compline in our Zoom prayer room. We will use the Prayer Book. This is a brief form of the Liturgy of the Hours, prayed before bedtime. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Cindi for details / the link.
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Coffee & Conversation
Wed. April 14, and each second Wednesday of the month, ongoing
10 AM / 7 PM reach out to Rev. Cindi to reserve a time and get the link

LGBTQ+ Community
Monday, April 19, and each third Monday, ongoing
6:30 PM meets monthly for reflective conversation and community building

Join our Prayer Chain: Pray with and for your friends and family at Saint Mary’s
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

For confidential prayer requests or to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom Link

Easter Vigil Notice to Parents:

Hello Families with kids that are planning to be a part of this year’s Easter Vigil. As you know, it is a digital Easter Vigil which involves videos of the kids. If you have kids that are in Sunday school and Tweeners (and anyone else who joins in our Easter Vigil fun) we are inviting two other churches to participate in the event this year. As such, there will be three Episcopal church congregations in attendance. We do plan to record the Easter Vigil and share the link with the invited churches afterwords. We want to make sure you are aware of this fact and give your consent to allow your child to be a part of this year’s Easter Vigil. We will be sending out consent forms to document your acknowledgement of this fact and your approval to allow your child to be part of this year’s Easter Vigil.

If you have any concerns, please contact MiaLisa to discuss options! HERE

KIVA Loans on International Women’s Day

Saint Mary’s has participated in making loans to people around the world through KIVA for many, many years. As loans are re-paid, we’re able to re-loan that money again. As of March 8, 2021, $1200 from previously made loans had been re-paid. KIVA had a special program for International Women’s Day–loans made to women were matched! So, our $1200 turned into loans for $2400!! Paulette Briese, Mary Hinz and Julie Thomas got together and made loans to 17 women, ranging from $25 to $300. Loans were made to women in 10 different countries for things such as toilets, water pumps, land, school supplies and tuition, smart phones for distance learning, animals to raise and sell, seeds to plant and grow and supplies for traditional handicrafts. Our money is back at work! If you’d like to join the “loaning team”, let Paulette Briese know by Clicking HERE.

Relationships & Common Good

As we move through this Lenten season of reflection and preparation, the vestry wanted to share with you, our beloved community, that we are preparing to partner with you on answering the following question: What would church look like that serves the common good for our Saint Mary’s community and strengthens our relationships? Come Easter, the season of rebirth and new growth, we will bring suggestions on how we might start to engage in community conversations around this question. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or reflections, please share them with any member of the vestry, or email our wardens HERE.

March is Food Share Month

Saint Mary’s has a tradition of donating to our neighborhood food shelf at, Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul (I. A.) for the Department of Indian Works (DIW). If interested, you can go online to I.A. (Click HERE) to the “Donate” tab and select the DIW. You can also mail a check to them with DIW in the note line. You may also call to donate or to drop off food by calling Theresa Halverson-Lee at 651-789-3854. Another option is to donate to the Food Shelf of your choice.

Thanks for considering helping others in this especially hard time!

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 3/26 – 4/1

Sunday, March 28, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.
10:00 AM
Link

Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Healing Circle
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Rev. Cindi HERE.

Thursday, April 1, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie

Thursday, April 1, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00 PM
Link

 

St Mary’s Annual Parish and Financial Meeting April 25

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Saint Mary’s Annual Parish & Financial Meeting

Date Set for April 25, 2021
Dear St. Marians, 
 
We hope you are having a spirit-filled and meaningful journey through Lent! As we look toward Easter and the resurrection, signs of rebirth are everywhere. Although it has been a long haul for St. Mary’s, we see those signs of rebirth in the energy of the communications, pastoral care, search and worship committees and in that we are now actively searching for a new rector! A subcommittee is working on a church reopening plan as we also look forward to the COVID virus being quelled. We are blessed by pastoral and spiritual leadership from Susan Moss and Cindi Brickson. 
  
An important date to add to your calendars is Sunday, April 25, when we will conduct the annual parish meeting and the annual financial meeting on Zoom during and after the church service. Several vestry positions will be filled by election during the meeting, so if you are looking for an exciting time to lead, this is your chance! Please pray and discern about this – we really need to continue to have our vestry at full strength and at a high energy level as we start a new chapter and enter uncharted waters of the post-pandemic world. This will be a great opportunity for reimagining how our parish will express God’s love to a hurting world. There will be opportunities for visioning and for collaboration with other churches and entities to realize the Beloved Community. Please stay tuned for more communication on filling vestry positions and on our journey together, and don’t hesitate to contact one of the vestry members if you have questions about vestry service.  
 
We wish you all a blessed Lent and Easter; stay healthy and love one another!
 
St. Mary’s Vestry
 
Jim DeLuca and Caroline Kaker, Wardens

Family, Children & Youth Programming March 20-March 27

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Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information. Please also check out the ECMN camp options for the summer– there are some great virtual and in person options. See what fits best with your family plan for the summer.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Summer Camps
ECMN has 6 different summer camp opportunities. I would like to make certain that everyone is aware of the options that exist!
 
 
 
Sunday School Options for Families: 
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
 
  • Lent Activities– for those of you that like to prepare ahead, there are a number of lent activities and Easter fun that you might enjoy in this folder!
 
Tweeners
Tweeners helped put together one of the Easter Vigil stories this past Wednesday. This coming week we will do some more Easter Vigil filming and play some games!
 
 
Youth Group
Youth group will continue with discussion next week as well!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary‘s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – March 18, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, March 21, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

This Sunday, the last Sunday in Lent, we’ll continue using the Lenten pattern we started on Lent 1. Announcements will happen at the beginning of the service; there will be fewer voices and less music; there will be moments of silence and a question posed for us to reflect on and share thoughts with others during our first breakout time. Julia Nerbonne will be our preacher.

  • First Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34
  • Psalm 119:9-16
  • Second Reading: Hebrews 5:5-10
  • Gospel: John 12:20-33

For the Zoom worship service on March 21, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Lent 5 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For 2021 Lent Music Bulletin – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at St Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss

The greater availability of vaccines, the increasing hours of daylight and the loosening of pandemic related restrictions, lift our spirits and increase our hope for more freedoms
and opportunities to re connect with friends and loved ones.

At the same time we grieve, for the second year in a row, unable to observe Holy Week and celebrate Easter face to face in the church. St Marians miss the sound of the organ, the music of the band, gathering around the altar-face to face to share bread and wine, the passing of the peace, and the warmth of a shared cup of coffee in the St Mary’s room amidst the energy of the children.

As we begin to prepare our hearts and minds for the drama of a second virtual Holy Week, I invite you to hold grief and hope together. You may find comfort in using your power of memory and imagination. While at home and on Zoom, close your eyes and picture yourself together with fellow parishioners, climbing the stairs singing All Glory Laud and Honor or Pave the Way with Branches as you process into the nave waving your palms.

Imagine too the little ones gathered around the altar eager to assist and the faces of caring members praying for each other. What do you miss? What do you look forward to when we are able to safely re gather in the church?

Holy One, accompany us in these challenging times. Be near to us in our grief and in our hope, and we prepare to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Amen.

What’s New?

  • If you’d like to listen to the sermon given by The Rev. Carol Arney on Sunday, March 14, Click HERE.
  • Would you like to participate in the Sunday worship services? Would you like to be the “Welcomer”/Announcement Leader? a Reader? the “People”? Would you like to sing with the choir? If so, send an email to: worship@saintmarysepiscopal.org Your gifts are needed and would be welcomed! All ages invited!!
  • DON’T MISS OUT!!! SIGN UP FOR YOUR HOLY WEEK BAG NOW!! Although we won’t be meeting in person, the Worship Team is planning ways we can walk through Holy Week together. Holy Week bags will help us do that. The bags will contain directions for setting up a prayer altar at home as well as reading material and objects that will bring to mind the events of Holy Week. Bags can be picked up at St Mary’s the afternoon of Saturday, March 27th or they can be delivered to your home that afternoon! If you’d like a Holy Week bag, please send your request to pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org indicating how many palms you want and if you’ll pick up your bag or would like it delivered. (If you’d like delivery, please include your address and phone number.)
  • See Holy Week zoom plans below & watch for more information next week:
    • Palm Sunday (3/28/21) service planned by St Mary’s Worship Team and will include a virtual procession in your home with palms to wave.
    • Maundy Thursday & Good Friday: St Mary’s is invited to join Christ Church in Woodbury or St Anne’s Church in Sunfish Lake or St Mark’s Cathedral
    • Easter Vigil: 4pm Children’s Easter Vigil.
    • Easter morning: one service at 10am, planned by St Mary’s Worship Team.

Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

CLICK HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

2021 Sundays in Lent – Images

The Worship Team would like images to screen share during “Moments of Silence” during our 5 Sundays in Lent. If you have images of any kind (drawings, paintings, photos, videos, stained glass, mosaic, etc.) that conjure up thoughts of God’s Promises as indicated below…and you’d like to share them with the St Mary’s community…please send them to Brian Nerbonne at Michigander_guy@yahoo.com by the Friday before the Sunday they would be used. If you’d like to read the lessons to get your creative juices flowing, check lectionarypage.net website.

03/21/2021
God’s Promise – a new covenant with Israel
Jesus as man suffered, through this suffering
and obedience he became salvation.
Jesus must die like the wheat grain in order to
bear much fruit – so we can believe.

Finance Update

Several large, six-month pledge donations were received in February. As a result, pledge donations for the month of February were approximately $15,000 over budget. Expenses in February were approximately $3,700 under budget. Despite the large donations in February, our projected budget deficit for the year is still expected to be approximately ($27,000), as the large donations were for multiple months. See the attached financials for the exact income and expenses as of the end of February CLICK HERE.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for March & April 2021:

Pastoral Care Team
Mondays at 6:30 PM, ongoing

Lent Book Club: WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE on Mondays during Lent at 7:30 PM

Healing Circle
Tuesday, March 30 7:00 PM

Caring for an Aging Loved One
Tuesday, April 6, and each first Tuesday at 7:00 PM: ongoing

Evening Prayer (All Are Welcome)
Tuesday April 13, and each second Tuesday of the month, ongoing
8:00 PM this is a change to a once a month format and an invitation for all to join us.
Evening Prayer Rite 2 from the BCP reach out to Rev Cindi for the Link, or if you need a Book of Common Prayer

Coffee & Conversation
Wed. April 14, and each second Wednesday of the month, ongoing
10 AM / 7 PM reach out to Rev. Cindi to reserve a time and get the link

LGBTQ+ Community
Monday, April 19, and each third Monday, ongoing
6:30 PM meets monthly for reflective conversation and community building

Join our Prayer Chain: pray with and for your friends and family at St. Mary’s.
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

You are invited to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom link

For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Getting to Know You!

You have seen the names associated with a number of these committees that are working hard to put together our worship services, music, pastoral care, our search for a new rector, our finances, good communication, as well as our vestry, but you may not necessarily know the faces. For the next couple of weeks we will try to highlight one of those groups and this week we have Family, Children, and Youth Programing!

Top Row: MiaLisa, Trevor
2nd Row: Carmen, Rose

Contact MiaLisa if you have questions about these programs HERE.
 
Thank you for all you do to keep Family, Children, and Youth Programs going!
Easter Vigil Notice to Parents:

Hello Families with kids that are planning to be a part of this year’s Easter Vigil. As you know, it is a digital Easter Vigil which involves videos of the kids. If you have kids that are in Sunday school and Tweeners (and anyone else who joins in our Easter Vigil fun) we are inviting two other churches to participate in the event this year. As such, there will be three Episcopal church congregations in attendance. We do plan to record the Easter Vigil and share the link with the invited churches afterwards. We want to make sure you are aware of this fact and give your consent to allow your child to be a part of this year’s Easter Vigil. We will be sending out consent forms to document your acknowledgement of this fact and your approval to allow your child to be part of this year’s Easter Vigil.

If you have any concerns, please contact MiaLisa to discuss options! HERE

New Form for submissions for Weekly, Website, Calendar, and Social Media:

Moving forward, please give our new Google form a try when submitting information needed for the various platforms of communication St. Mary’s has (Weekly, website, calendar, etc). You can find the form HERE.

If you have any questions with this form please email the Communications Team HERE.

Relationships & Common Good

As we move through this Lenten season of reflection and preparation, the vestry wanted to share with you, our beloved community, that we are preparing to partner with you on answering the following question: What would church look like that serves the common good for our St. Mary’s community and strengthens our relationships? Come Easter, the season of rebirth and new growth, we will bring suggestions on how we might start to engage in community conversations around this question. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or reflections, please share them with any member of the vestry, or email our wardens HERE.

March is Food Share Month

St. Mary’s has a tradition of donating to our neighborhood food shelf at, Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul (I. A.) for the Department of Indian Works (DIW). If interested, you can go online to I.A. (Click HERE) to the “Donate” tab and select the DIW. You can also mail a check to them with DIW in the note line. You may also call to donate or to drop off food by calling Theresa Halverson-Lee at 651-789-3854. Another option is to donate to the Food Shelf of your choice.

Thanks for considering helping others in this especially hard time!

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 3/19 – 3/25

Sunday, March 21, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.
10:00 AM
Link

Monday, March 22, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136

Monday, March 22, 2021
Book Club
7:30 PM
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent. Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Mondays of Lent. We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest allows.
For more information: pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Vestry
Vestry Meetings are open to all Saint Mary’s members. The Saint Mary’s Vestry usually meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM. (Note: If you are a member of Saint Mary’s and would like to attend this meeting via Zoom, please contact Jim DeLuca or Caroline Kaker for the Zoom access code at wardens@saintmaryepiscopal.org)

Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Adult Choir
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact
Vonda at musicdirector@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Thursday, March 25, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie

Thursday, March 25, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00 PM
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive this email, you are on the list.

Visit the St. Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

Family, Children & Youth Programming March 13-March 20

by

Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: 
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
  • Lent Activities– check out this link for Lent and Easter fun and activities!
 
Tweeners
Tweeners –we finished the scavenger hunt Julia Nerbonne put together and started filming some footage for the Easter Vigil. We will continue working on the Easter Vigil next week!
 
I look forward to seeing what is shared next week!
 
Youth Group
We had a reflective Lent discussion last week and plan to continue getting to know each other better through discussion this coming week!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary‘s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – March 11, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

This Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Lent, we’ll use the Lenten pattern we started on Lent 1. Announcements will continue at the beginning of the service; there will be fewer voices and less music; there will be moments of silence and a question posed for us to reflect on and share thoughts with others during our first breakout time. The Rev. Carol Arney will be our preacher.

  • First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9
  • Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
  • Second Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10
  • Gospel: John 3:14-21

For the Zoom worship service on March 14, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145

To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179

For the Lent 4 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For 2021 Lent Music Bulletin – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at St Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss

This week, for your consideration, I’m sharing an excerpt from a recent post by The Episcopal Church Foundation called Hybrid Church-A Way Forward for Church Leaders by The Rev. Tim Schenck.

…In reflecting on what a post-pandemic church will look look, I was struck by a comment made during our online clergy conference for the Diocese of Massachusetts this year by Dr. Melissa Perrin, a clinical psychologist from Chicago. She talked about the distinction between resuscitation and resurrection. It’s not a new concept, but it’s one that feels particularly relevant as we begin to look towards the future. To resuscitate someone, or in this case an institution, is to bring it back to what it once once. It’s to revive something and attempt to return it to its former state. Resurrection, however, is different. It acknowledges that after a life-altering experience, things will never be the same. Resurrection by definition implies death. Certain things must die in order for new life to take hold. Following, say, a pandemic in which everything we’ve known and clung to for generations has been flipped over, you can attempt a resuscitation. But even if you’re able to temporarily resuscitate an organization, it will eventually still fade away. That’s simply the nature of resuscitation — it’s not a permanent solution. Resurrection, rather than resuscitation, is the model I believe the church must embrace in order to move forward in a post-pandemic world. As much as we might hope for it to be so, things will never fully return to the way they once were — not fully anyway. And so we must reflect upon that which has died, name it, grieve it, and then embrace new models of being church in the days, months, and years ahead. As disconcerting as this may be, there is hope in resurrection. There’s a reason resurrection is the very bedrock of our faith. Resurrection can be as scary as it is life-giving. Think about those first disciples who came face-to-face with the resurrected Jesus. They were terrified! Indeed, at one point they thought they had seen a ghost. But once they embraced and moved past the fear, a new way of being unfolded before their very eyes; a new freedom rooted in salvation emerged. This is helpful to keep in mind as we enter what may well be a destabilizing period of death and resurrection

The open question of resuscitation vs. resurrection demands that we ask ourselves whether we will seek to return to the model of “the way it’s always been” or whether we will allow the Spirit to break open our hearts to new ways of being church?

What’s New?

  • To listen to the Sunday, March 7 sermon by Rev. Susan Moss, CLICK HERE.
  • Although we won’t be meeting in person, the Worship Team is planning ways we can walk through Holy Week together. Holy week bags will help us do that. The bags will contain directions for setting up a prayer alter at home, reading material and objects that will bring to mind the events of Holy Week. Bags can be picked up at St. Mary’s the afternoon of Saturday, March 27th or they can be delivered to your home that afternoon! If you’d like a Holy Week bag, please email to pastoral care email address indicating how many palms you want and if you’ll pick up your bag or would like it delivered. (If you’d like delivery, please include your address and phone number.)
  • Would you like to safely (masked and practicing social distancing) deliver Holy Week bags to parishioners on Saturday, March 27th? If so, please send an email to the Worship Team using the feedback email shown below.
  • Worship plans during Holy Week:
    • Palm Sunday (3/28/21) is being planned and will include a virtual procession in your home with palms to wave.
    • Maundy Thursday: St. Mary’s is invited to join Christ Church in Woodbury (foot washing at home) or St. Anne’s Church in Sunfish Lake via Zoom at their 7pm services.
    • Good Friday: A 7pm service is being discussed, either planned by St. Mary’s or joining another congregation.
    • Easter Vigil: Planning for a 4pm Children’s Easter Vigil is underway.
    • Easter morning, one service at 10am, planned by St. Mary’s Worship Team.
  • As you can tell, there’s lots of planning going on! And right on the heels of Holy Week is Easter season to plan for. If you have an interest in worship and would like to help shape worship during the Easter season, please use the feedback link below to let us know of your interest. There is always room for new voices and fresh perspectives! The Worship Team meets from 4:30-6:00pm on Saturdays.

Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.

CLICK HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

2021 Sundays in Lent – Images

The Worship Team would like images to screen share during “Moments of Silence” during our 5 Sundays in Lent. If you have images of any kind (drawings, paintings, photos, videos, stained glass, mosaic, etc.) that conjure up thoughts of God’s Promises as indicated below…and you’d like to share them with the St Mary’s community…please send them to Brian Nerbonne at Michigander_guy@yahoo.com by the Friday before the Sunday they would be used. If you’d like to read the lessons to get your creative juices flowing, check lectionarypage.net website.

03/14/2021
God’s Promise – whining Israelites, still God
saves them from the snakes when they turn to
him.
God’s gift of grace to faithful. God sacrifices
Jesus (Son), a gift for us.
Light comes to save.

03/21/2021
God’s Promise – a new covenant with Israel
Jesus as man suffered, through this suffering
and obedience he became salvation.
Jesus must die like the wheat grain in order to
bear much fruit – so we can believe.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for March & April 2021:

Pastoral Care Team
Mondays at 6:30 PM, ongoing

Lent Book Club: WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE on Mondays during Lent at 7:30 PM

Healing Circle
Tuesday, March 30 7:00 PM

Caring for an Aging Loved One
Tuesday, April 6, and each first Tuesday at 7:00 PM: ongoing

Evening Prayer (Elders or NOT!)
Tuesday April 13, and each second Tuesday of the month, ongoing
8:00 PM this is a change to a once a month format and an invitation for all to join us.
Evening Prayer Rite 2 from the BCP reach out to Rev Cindi for the Link, or if you need a Book of Common Prayer

Coffee & Conversation
Wed. April 14, and each second Wednesday of the month, ongoing
10 AM / 7 PM reach out to Rev. Cindi to reserve a time and get the link

LGBTQ+ Community
Monday, April 19, and each third Monday, ongoing
6:30 PM meets monthly for reflective conversation and community building

We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support!
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)

You are invited to join any of these events:
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom link

For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Update From Your Search Committee

1. Curious about our next steps? Questions about this whole process? Thoughts to share about your hopes for the future? Join the Search Committee from 9:15-9:45 am (BEFORE the service) on the first Sunday of every month, for the discernable future. A few of us will be hanging out in zoom, and we’re delighted to chat with you!

2. All materials to be able to post our open Rector position have been submitted to ECMN for publication! Thanks for all the ways you in our community have shared your experiences of our past and hopes for the future, as we prepare to step into that future together!

3. The final version of the “OTM” (the character-limited form that is input into the database of open positions) can be found HERE.

As always, you can send any questions, concerns, or thoughts to transitionteam@saintmarysepiscopal.org. We are so excited to take these next steps in our community journey together!

Emma B., Laura-Lee Brown, Ginny DeLuca, Joe McManmon, Cathy McNaughton, Catherine Neuschler, Joanna Schnedler, Jennie Ward, Jennifer Wedel, Jane Wells

New Online Giving System Coming Soon!

This week, the Vestry approved the recommendation of the Finance Committee to implement a new online giving and payment processing system in conjunction with Vanco. Vanco has been in the business of assisting nonprofits, schools and churches improve their communication and donation systems for 30 years. We intend to have this new system in place within the next several weeks. It will make it easy to give both online and through a mobile application. Look for more information and updates soon!!

New Form for submissions for Weekly, Website, Calendar, and Social Media:

Moving forward, please give our new Google form a try when submitting information needed for the various platforms of communication St. Mary’s has (Weekly, website, calendar, etc). You can find the form HERE.

If you have any questions with this form please email the Communications Team Here.

Relationships & Common Good

As we move through this Lenten season of reflection and preparation, the vestry wanted to share with you, our beloved community, that we are preparing to partner with you on answering the following question: What would church look like that serves the common good for our St. Mary’s community and strengthens our relationships? Come Easter, the season of rebirth and new growth, we will bring suggestions on how we might start to engage in community conversations around this question. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or reflections, please share them with any member of the vestry, or email our wardens HERE.

Assistance Requested

Do you have Word Press skills? Would you like to content on the St. Mary’s website updated? If you fit into either or both of these categories, the St. Mary’s Communication Team could use your assistance in the upcoming weeks as we try to make some updates. Please email communications@saintmarysepiscopal.org if you are interested.

Resources:

ECMN News

If you are interested in hearing from the Bishop, finding out about Education, Events, and Training, and what is happening in the Episcopal Church of Minnesota, please subscribe to the ECMN News weekly email – CLICK HERE

Bishop’s Series for Parents and Caregivers

Hi ECMN Parents, Caregivers, and Ministry Leaders,

Following the Bishop’s Summit in December, we heard a clear ask for more opportunities to gather and support one another as parents and caregivers in ECMN.

So we’ve pulled together some key professionals who can speak to the intersection of faith formation and home dynamics in the context of this ongoing pandemic.

Anyone in ECMN who is in a supporting role for young people is invited to the following series of zoom gatherings.

Bishop’s Series for Parents and Caregivers
Hosted by ECMN, St. Mark’s Cathedral, and St. John in the Wilderness

Family Trauma and the Pandemic
Sunday, March 28 @ 4-5pm
The Rev. Sarah McCaslin, MS, MDiv, LCSW

Home Dynamics: Connection & Conflict
Sunday, April 25 @ 4-5pm
Speaker TBD

Come expecting to:

  • Hear from an expert on the topic
  • Meet other parents and caregivers from other Episcopal faith communities in breakouts
  • Debrief with a Q&A time with your Bishop and the presenter
  • Learn about more opportunities across ECMN

Nobody can do this alone. We are working really hard to make sure this transformational community across the state is connected and surrounded by support for the long haul. We hope you can join us for one or all of these gatherings.

Outreach:

Opportunities for Line 3 Engagement

As soon as the spring melt comes to the rivers of northern Minnesota, Enbridge is poised to drill their Line 3 pipeline under the headwaters of the Mississippi. This pipeline is a climate disaster, a threat to the drinking water we all depend on, and a direct violation of the treaty rights of the Anishinaabe people.
President Biden can stop Line 3. We need to make clear to this administration that leading on climate means building a world where water is sacred, treaties with Native nations are respected, and where rural communities have access to safe and sustainable jobs. Time is of the essence, and we need communities of faith and spiritual practice to come together now to protect the sacred.
Join us on Thursday, March 11 as we Rise by the Mississippi to Stop Line 3! RSVP here:

Gather at the Scenic Overlook park in St. Paul overlooking the river for rally, songs, and prayers to Stop Line 3. We will then march along the river to make our presence felt. Indigenous Water Protectors and allies are putting their bodies on the line up north to disrupt construction. Let’s show them that they are not alone.

Street parking is available in the St. Paul neighborhoods nearby the overlook park, which is located just north of the Ford Parkway bridge.
Masks and social distancing are expected of all attendees. Bring art and signs. Wear warm clothes and rain boots for whatever weather that March in Minnesota will throw at us. Your RSVP helps us make sure we can fully support everyone who comes. Thanks, and see you there!

WHAT: Rise by the River to Stop Line 3
WHEN: March 11, 2021 at 3pm
WHERE: Scenic Overlook, Mississippi River, St. Paul
615 Mississippi River Blvd S
St. Paul, MN 55116
United States
Google map and directions Click HERE.

For more information please click HERE.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 3/12 – 3/18

Sunday, March 14, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow
10:00 AM
Link

Monday, March 15, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136

Monday, March 15, 2021
Book Club
7:30 PM
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent. Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Mondays of Lent. We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest allows.
For more information: pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Thursday, March 18, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie

Thursday, March 18, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00 PM
Link

Sunday School Online:
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities,
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.
If you receive this email, you are on the list.

Visit the St. Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming March 6- March 12

by

Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: 
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
  • Lent Activities– check out this link for Lent and Easter fun and activities!
 
Tweeners
Tweeners –last week we started a scavenger hunt that Julia Nerbonne created. We will continue the hunt this next week. The tweens were asked to do some research for next week and find out the following:
  1. Find something in your house that belonged to someone who is no longer with us.  What is that item? Who did it belong to? And what can you learn about that person from this item.  Is there one story you can tell about that person?
  2. Where did your family’s ancestors come from? What kind of job did one of your great grandparents have?  Would you want to do that job?
I look forward to seeing what is shared next week!
 
 
Youth Group
We plan to continue a reflective lent discussion next week.
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary‘s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – March 4, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, March 7, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

This Sunday, the third Sunday in Lent, we return to the Lenten pattern we started on Lent 1. Announcements will continue at the beginning of service; there will be fewer voices and less music; there will be moments of silence and a question posed for us to reflect on and share thoughts with others during our first breakout time.
 
First Reading:  Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Gospel: John 2:13-22
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on March 7, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Lent 3 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Lent 2021 Music Bulletin – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at St Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss, Transition Priest
 
Astonishingly, a full one year ago was the last time most we were in each other’s actual (not virtual) presence for worship. Since then, St. Mary’s and ECMN faith communities across Minnesota have been adapting to a new covid world; a world in which so much that was familiar has now been profoundly disrupted.
 
Now, with vaccination rates rising and hospitalizations rates lowering, we are beginning to turn our hearts and minds to what post covid worshiping will look like. ECMN clergy are reaching out to each other for support, inspiration and practical ideas in a manner and at a rate I have never seen before.
 
As St. Mary’s moves forward in this new world while in the midst of a rector’s search, how might next decisions about worship be made? What principles and values will guide decisions for the near term future?
 
Presiding Bishop Curry continues to point us to the democratic principle of E Pluribus Unum- one, out of many. He points us to Roman statesman Cicero who said “When each person loves the other as much as himself, it makes one out of many.” “…love for each other,” the Presiding Bishop adds, “is the way to make e pluribus unum real. Jesus of Nazareth taught us that.”
 
Going forward in uncharted territory, let the Spirit guide the people of St. Mary’s, that we may honor one another and serve the common good in matters of liturgy.
 
What’s New?
  • The Worship Team is currently planning services for Holy Week. Here’s what we know now and more information will come as we finalize plans.
    • Palm Sunday (03/28/21) is being planned and will include a virtual procession in your home with palms to wave.
    • Maundy Thursday: St. Mary’s is invited to join Christ Church in Woodbury via Zoom at their 7pm service. Other options may be available.
    • Good Friday: A 7pm service is being planned.
    • Easter Vigil: Planning for a 4pm Children’s Easter Vigil is underway.
    • Easter morning: One service at 10am
  •  As you can tell, there’s lots of planning going on! And right on the heels of Holy Week is the Easter season to plan for. If you have an interest in worship and would like to help shape worship during the Easter season, please use the feedback link below to let us know of your interest. There is always room for new voices and fresh perspectives!
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

2021 Sundays in Lent – Images

The Worship Team would like images to screen share during “Moments of Silence” during our 5 Sundays in Lent. If you have images of any kind (drawings, paintings, photos, videos, stained glass, mosaic, etc.) that conjure up thoughts of God’s Promises as indicated below…and you’d like to share them with the St Mary’s community…please send them to Brian Nerbonne at Michigander_guy@yahoo.com by the Friday before the Sunday they would be used. If you’d like to read the lessons to get your creative juices flowing, check lectionarypage.net website.
 
03/07/2021
God’s Promise – through commandments, 
Israelites struggle
God is wiser than our wisest.
Jesus upset with commercial-ness of 
worship/sacrifice – rebuild in 3 days
 
03/14/2021
God’s Promise – whining Israelites, still God 
saves them from the snakes when they turn to
him.  
God’s gift of grace to faithful. God sacrifices 
Jesus (Son), a gift for us.
Light comes to save.  
 
03/21/2021
God’s Promise – a new covenant with Israel
Jesus as man suffered, through this suffering 
and obedience he became salvation.
Jesus must die like the wheat grain in order to 
bear much fruit – so we can believe.

Pastoral Care
The Pastoral Care team invites you to send cards of support and caring to Anne Green during her recovery. They may be sent to:
 
Anne Green
502 Lynnhurst Ave E #704
St Paul MN 55104
 
Pastoral Care Calendar for March 2021
Mondays (ongoing) Mar. 8, 15, 22, 29
Pastoral Care Team 6:30 PM
 
Mondays (ongoing) Mar. 8, 15, 22, 29
Book Club 7:30 PM
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent. Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Mondays of Lent. We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest.  
 
Tuesday, Mar. 9
Evening Prayer (Elders or NOT!) 8:00 PM
This is a change to a once a month format and an invitation for all to join us.
Evening Prayer Rite 2 from the BCP
Reach out to Rev Cindi for the Link, or if you need a Book of Common Prayer
 
Wednesday, Mar. 10
Coffee & Conversation 10:00 AM / 7:00 PM
Each second Wednesday of the month (ongoing)
Reach out to Rev. Cindi to reserve a time and get the link
 
Tuesday, March 30
Healing Circle 7:00 PM
 
Tuesday, April 6
Caring for an Aging Loved One 7:00 PM
Each first Tuesday (ongoing)
 
Monday, April 19
LGBTQ+ The Third Monday starting April 19 and ongoing 6:30 PM
For reflective conversation and community building
 
We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support! 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for 
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)
 
You are invited to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at 
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Update From Your Search Committee:

1. Curious about our next steps? Questions about this whole process? Thoughts to share about your hopes for the future? Join the Search Committee from 9:15-9:45 am (BEFORE the service) on Sunday, March 7th. A few os us will be hanging out in zoom, and we’re delighted to chat with you! (This will be a monthly opportunity, on the first Sunday of every month, for the discernable future.)
 
2. All materials to be able to post our open Rector position have been submitted to ECMN for publication! Thanks for all the ways you in our community have shared your experience of our past and hopes for the future, as we prepare to step into the future together!
 

3. The final version of the “OTM” (the character-limited form that is input into the database of open positions) can be found HERE.

As always, you can send any questions, concerns, or thoughts to transitionteam@saintmarysepiscopal.org. We are so excited to take these next steps in our community journey together!
 
Emma B., Laura-Lee Brown, Ginny DeLuca, Joe McManmon, Cathy McNaughton, Catherine Neuschler, Joanna Schnedler, Jennie Ward, Jennifer Wedel, Jane Wells

New Online Giving System Coming Soon!

This week, the Vestry approved the recommendation of the Finance Committee to implement a new online giving and payment processing system in conjunction with Vanco. Vanco has been in the business of assisting nonprofits, schools and churches improve their communication and donation systems for 30 years. We intend to have this new system in place within the next several weeks. It will make it easy to give both online and through a mobile application. Look for more information and updates soon!!

Getting to Know You!

You have seen the names associated with a number of these committees that are working hard to put together our worship services, music, pastoral care, our search for a new rector, our finances, good communication, as well as our vestry, but you may not necessarily know the faces. For the next couple of weeks we will try to highlight one of those groups and this week we have the Vestry Team!
 
Top Row: Susan Moss, Laura-Lee Brown, Todd Reemtsma, Trevor Sannes
2nd Row: Rex Holzemer, Paulette Briese, Caroline Kaker, Cindy James
3rd Row: Jim DeLuca, Nina Johnson, Lisa Stratton*, Brian Nerbonne
Bottom: Rev. Cindi Brickson*, Jennie Ward**, Jim Wheeler
*Guest
**Vestry Clerk
 
The Vestry Team meets monthly on 4th Tuesday of the month from 7:00-9:00pm.
The Vestry Team has also been meeting every Sunday from 8:00-9:00pm for planning. 
Contact the Wardens wardens@saintmarysepiscopal.org for the link if you’d like to join us.
 
Approved minutes from past meetings can be viewed HERE.
 
Thank you for all you do Vestry Team!

Assistance Requested 

Do you have Word Press skills? Would you like to content on the St. Mary’s website updated? If you fit into either or both of these categories, the St. Mary’s Communication Team could use your assistance in the upcoming weeks as we try to make some updates. Please email communications@saintmarysepiscopal.org if you are interested.

Resources: 

ECMN News
If you are interested in hearing from the Bishop, finding out about Education, Events, and Training, and what is happening in the Episcopal Church of Minnesota, please subscribe to the ECMN News weekly email – CLICK HERE
 

Bishop’s Series for Parents and Caregivers

Hi ECMN Parents, Caregivers, and Ministry Leaders,

Following the Bishop’s Summit in December, we heard a clear ask for more opportunities to gather and support one another as parents and caregivers in ECMN. 
So we’ve pulled together some key professionals who can speak to the intersection of faith formation and home dynamics in the context of this ongoing pandemic. 
Anyone in ECMN who is in a supporting role for young people is invited to the following series of three zoom gatherings. 
 
Bishop’s Series for Parents and Caregivers
Hosted by ECMN, St. Mark’s Cathedral, and St. John in the Wilderness
 
Family Trauma and the Pandemic
Sunday, March 28 @ 4-5pm
Home Dynamics: Connection & Conflict 
Sunday, April 25 @ 4-5pm
Speaker TBD
 
Come expecting to:
  • Hear from an expert on the topic
  • Meet other parents and caregivers from other Episcopal faith communities in breakouts 
  • Debrief with a Q&A time with your Bishop and the presenter
  • Learn about more opportunities across ECMN
Nobody can do this alone. We are working really hard to make sure this transformational community across the state is connected and surrounded by support for the long haul. We hope you can join us for one or all of these gatherings. 

Outreach: 

Opportunities for Line 3 Engagement
 
1. Sign this nationwide petition asking President Biden to take action to stop the pipeline. We have thousands of signatures and the list is growing – adding your name shows the power and breath of the Stop Line 3 movement. 
 
2. If you identify as clergy or as a faith leader or spiritual leader, please sign this faith and spiritual leader petition!
 
3. Share the Nationwide Petition and the Faith and Spiritual Leader Petition with your friends and communities. This our moment to show the Biden administration that as people of spirit, faith, and conscience, we expect our elected officials to help us build a world where water is sacred, where Native treaty rights and Native sovereignty are respected, and where rural areas have access to sustainable jobs and community wealth.

Faith Reflection Writers Wanted:

The organization ISAIAH MN is seeking volunteer Faith Reflection writers.
 
We’re looking for more voices to write the faith reflections. This is an opportunity to get published and help make meaning of our current world and events through the lens of Islamic and Judeo Christian faith Traditions. If you have a heart for telling God’s story through written word, please email us at isaiah@isaiahmn.org

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups

for the week of 3/5 – 3/11

Monday, March 8, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Monday, March 8, 2021
Book Club
7:30 PM
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent. Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Mondays of Lent. We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest allows.  
 
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Evening Prayer (Elders or NOT!)
8:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact
 
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, March 11, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 
 
Sunday School Online:  
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities, 
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.  
If you receive this email, you are on the list. 
 
Visit the St. Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

Family, Children & Youth Programming February 27- March 5

by

Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners and Youth Group information.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: 
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
 
  • Lent Activities– for those of you that like to prepare ahead, there are a number of lent activities and Easter fun that you might enjoy in this folder!
 
Tweeners
Tweeners — join our Tweener group for a fun scavenger hunt next week!
 
 
Youth Group
Join youth group for reflective lent discussion.
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – February 25, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, February 28, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

Sunday will be the second Sunday in Lent and our Contemplative Service is being highlighted. Although that service isn’t a Sunday morning service, it offers a fourth option of being together in worship. This service is available via Zoom on Thursdays at 7pm.
 
First Reading:  “Ever Shining Light”…Mark S. Burrows, printed in bulletin
Second Reading:  “Fire”…Judy Brown, printed in bulletin
Gospel: Mark 8:31-38
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on February 28, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Lent 2 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Lent 2021 Music Bulletin – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at St Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss
 
During Lent the Spirit drives us into the wilderness to search out our truth.
I’m told that on some wilderness trails there are often boxes where a hiker can drop off what s/he does not need or…take supplies that are needed. 
 
As you travel this 40 day trail, what can you leave behind that no longer serves you? What will you continue to carry? 
 
What do you need?
 
What’s New?
  • To listen to the 2-21-21 sermon by Rev. Susan Moss, CLICK HERE.
  • A new question will be posed during the Sunday service. Our first Coffee Time gives us an opportunity to talk with others about our thoughts in response to that question. Second Coffee Time will be social. 
  • The Worship Team is planning Holy Week services and soon will be talking about services during the Easter season (April 4-May 16). If you would like to participate in planning these services, please use the feedback link below to let us know of your interest.
  • St. Mark’s Cathedral is starting to gather for in-person worship services with an initial maximum of 25 people and many other safety restrictions.  St. Mary’s is working on a gathering plan to submit to ECMN for approval. This is the first step in making a return to in-person worship in the building possible. Even after ECMN approval is received, there are many other things to consider before St. Mary’s would conduct worship services in the building. There are currently no set dates and we will be looking for feedback as we proceed.
     
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

2021 Sundays in Lent – Images

The Worship Team would like images to screen share during “Moments of Silence” during our 5 Sundays in Lent. If you have images of any kind (drawings, paintings, photos, videos, stained glass, mosaic, etc.) that conjure up thoughts of God’s Promises as indicated below…and you’d like to share them with the St Mary’s community…please send them to Brian Nerbonne at Michigander_guy@yahoo.com by the Friday before the Sunday they would be used. If you’d like to read the lessons to get your creative juices flowing, check lectionarypage.net website.
 
02/28/2021
God’s Promise – first barren, then fruitful, 
because faithful
Jesus must suffer, we must trust in the plan, be
faithful.
 
03/07/2021
God’s Promise – through commandments, 
Israelites struggle
God is wiser than our wisest.
Jesus upset with commercial-ness of 
worship/sacrifice – rebuild in 3 days
 
03/14/2021
God’s Promise – whining Israelites, still God 
saves them from the snakes when they turn to
him.  
God’s gift of grace to faithful. God sacrifices 
Jesus (Son), a gift for us.
Light comes to save.  
 
03/21/2021
God’s Promise – a new covenant with Israel
Jesus as man suffered, through this suffering 
and obedience he became salvation.
Jesus must die like the wheat grain in order to 
bear much fruit – so we can believe.

Pastoral Care

The Pastoral Care team invites you to send cards of support and caring to Anne Green during her recovery. They may be sent to:
 
Anne Green
502 Lynnhurst Ave E #704
St Paul MN 55104
 
Pastoral Care Calendar for March 2021
Mondays (ongoing) Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Pastoral Care Team 6:30 PM
 
Mondays (ongoing) Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Book Club 7:30 PM
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent. Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Mondays of Lent. We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest.  
 
Tuesday, Mar. 9
Evening Prayer (Elders or NOT!) 8:00 PM
This is a change to a once a month format and an invitation for all to join us.
Evening Prayer Rite 2 from the BCP
Reach out to Rev Cindi for the Link, or if you need a Book of Common Prayer
 
Wednesday, Mar. 10
Coffee & Conversation 10:00 AM / 7:00 PM
Reach out to Rev. Cindi to reserve a time and get the link
 
We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support! 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for 
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)
 
You are invited to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at 
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Update From Your Transition Team

FIRST, GRATITUDE: we are so grateful for all the ways that you have stepped into conversation with us; have expressed your reflections, needs, and inspirations about St. Mary’s; and have provided a rich and deep trove of experience for us to distill into a call for a new priest. 
 
SECOND, OUR GROUP’S NAME: The title of our group, Transition Team, was given to us by the ECMN when we formed in August. St. Mary’s is undergoing a lot of “transitions” these days, and we want to avoid confusion. We were called, and chosen by the Wardens, to be a Search Committee to find our next permanent rector.
 
THIRD: CALL DOCUMENTS: We received strong positive feedback from Bishop Loya and the ECMN regarding our search materials, which we have shared with you previously. We made a couple of changes in response. We are still in process on the Ministry Portfolio. HERE is the final version of the Community Overview (two-page letter). Once these documents are finalized and submitted to ECMN, the job will be posted and open for responses for one month. ECMN will forward candidates to the Search Committee.
 
FOURTH, MONTHLY CHECK-IN: We welcome any thoughts you might have about this “Community Overview” document – and we use this opportunity to kick off a Monthly “Search Committee Check-in Meeting.” On the first Sunday of every month (starting March 7th), members of the Search Committee will be available on the worship zoom link from 9:15-9:45 (BEFORE the service) to share updates, to answer questions, and to listen to your reflections. We plan to continue this monthly session until we have hired a new rector. We will continue to post major updates via this weekly email.
As always, you can send any questions, concerns, or thoughts to transitionteam@saintmarysepiscopal.org. We are so excited to take these next steps in our community journey together!
 
Emma B., Laura-Lee Brown, Ginny DeLuca, Joe McManmon, Cathy McNaughton, Catherine Neuschler, Joanna Schnedler, Jennie Ward, Jennifer Wedel, Jane Wells

New Online Giving System Coming Soon!

This week, the Vestry approved the recommendation of the Finance Committee to implement a new online giving and payment processing system in conjunction with Vanco. Vanco has been in the business of assisting nonprofits, schools and churches improve their communication and donation systems for 30 years. We intend to have this new system in place within the next several weeks. It will make it easy to give both online and through a mobile application. Look for more information and updates soon!!

Getting to Know You!

You have seen the names associated with a number of these committees that are working hard to put together our worship services, music, pastoral care, our search for a new rector, our finances, good communication, as well as our vestry, but you may not necessarily know the faces. For the next couple of weeks we will try to highlight one of those groups and this week we will start with the Worship Team!
 
Top Row: Terry Alewine, Rev, Susan Moss, Paulette Briese
2nd Row: Anne Hanson, Nina Johnson, Ginny DeLuca
3rd Row: Brian Nerbonne, Jim May, Cathy McNaughton
Bottom: Rev. Cindi Brickson, Vonda Humburg
Missing: Anne Green, Lisa Stratton
 
The Worship Team meets weekly on Saturdays from 4:30-6:00pm. Contact Nina Johnson at nina@jazmn.net for the link if you’d like to join us.
 
Thank you for all you do Worship Team!

Assistance Requested 

Do you have Word Press skills? Would you like to content on the St. Mary’s website updated? If you fit into either or both of these categories, the St. Mary’s Communication Team could use your assistance in the upcoming weeks as we try to make some updates. Please email communications@saintmarysepiscopal.org if you are interested.

Resources: 

Lenten Series from St. Matthews
Next Tuesday, March 2 at 7 pm Don Samuels will talk about what has been happening on Minneapolis’ North Side since George Floyd was killed. For the Zoom Link CLICK HERE.
 
ECMN News
If you are interested in hearing from the Bishop, finding out about Education, Events, and Training, and what is happening in the Episcopal Church of Minnesota, please subscribe to the ECMN News weekly email – CLICK HERE
 
 

Hi ECMN Parents, Caregivers, and Ministry Leaders,

Following the Bishop’s Summit in December, we heard a clear ask for more opportunities to gather and support one another as parents and caregivers in ECMN. 
So we’ve pulled together some key professionals who can speak to the intersection of faith formation and home dynamics in the context of this ongoing pandemic. 
Anyone in ECMN who is in a supporting role for young people is invited to the following series of three zoom gatherings. 
 
Bishop’s Series for Parents and Caregivers
Hosted by ECMN, St. Mark’s Cathedral, and St. John in the Wilderness
 
Fostering Coping & Resiliency in Our Homes 
Sunday, February 28 @ 4-5pm
 
Family Trauma and the Pandemic
Sunday, March 28 @ 4-5pm
Home Dynamics: Connection & Conflict 
Sunday, April 25 @ 4-5pm
Speaker TBD
 
Come expecting to:
  • Hear from an expert on the topic
  • Meet other parents and caregivers from other Episcopal faith communities in breakouts 
  • Debrief with a Q&A time with your Bishop and the presenter
  • Learn about more opportunities across ECMN
Nobody can do this alone. We are working really hard to make sure this transformational community across the state is connected and surrounded by support for the long haul. We hope you can join us for one or all of these gatherings. 

Outreach: 

Opportunities for Line 3 Engagement
 
1. Sign this nationwide petition asking President Biden to take action to stop the pipeline. We have thousands of signatures and the list is growing – adding your name shows the power and breath of the Stop Line 3 movement. 
 
2. If you identify as clergy or as a faith leader or spiritual leader, please sign this faith and spiritual leader petition!
 
3. Share the Nationwide Petition and the Faith and Spiritual Leader Petition with your friends and communities. This our moment to show the Biden administration that as people of spirit, faith, and conscience, we expect our elected officials to help us build a world where water is sacred, where Native treaty rights and Native sovereignty are respected, and where rural areas have access to sustainable jobs and community wealth.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 2/26 – 3/4 

Sunday, February 28, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
Monday, March 1, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Monday, March 1, 2021
Book Club
7:30 PM
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent. Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Mondays of Lent. We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest allows.  
 
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Men’s Group
7:00 PM
Vestry Meetings are open to all Saint Mary’s members. The Saint Mary’s Vestry usually meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM. (Note: If you are a member of Saint Mary’s and would like to attend this meeting via Zoom, please contact Jim DeLuca or Caroline Kaker for the Zoom access code at wardens@saintmaryepiscopal.org)
 
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Adult Choir
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact
 
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, March 4, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 
 
Sunday School Online:  
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities, 
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.  
If you receive this email, you are on the list. 
 
Visit the St. Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

Family, Children & Youth Programming February 21-February 27

by

Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners info, Youth Group info, Beginnings Info and some fun Parish-wide events.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: 
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
  • Lent Activities– for those of you that like to prepare ahead, there are a number of lent activities and Easter fun that you might enjoy in this folder!
 
Tweeners
Tweeners — great job brainstorming some activities for the winter/ spring. This coming week we plan to play some games! Feel free to join even if you are new to the group!
 
Youth Group
This coming week youth group will do our usual question of the day, check in and play a game. We will also brainstorm some topics for discussions next week!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – February 18, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, February 21, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

 
This will be the first Sunday in Lent. Can you think back to a year ago when we were in the Sanctuary during Lent? If so, maybe you remember that we put away all the bright, shiny things and brought out wooden crosses and offering plates and pottery for all services. The Worship Team is trying to create that same sense of simplicity in our Lent Zoom services. We hope the flow/pace of the service will feel a bit slower, a bit more thoughtful and contemplative. So, you’ll notice some changes in the service. (See “What’s New” below for more info.)
 
First Reading: Genesis 9:8-17
Psalm 25:1-9
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22
Gospel: Mark 1:9-15
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on February 21, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Lent 1 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Lent 2021 Music Bulletin – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at St Mary’s by the Rev. Susan M. Moss
 
Liturgy means “the work of the people.” I have been learning how true this is for you.
 
Your voices on worship and what is important to you, are represented in the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church: Overview carefully composed by your Transition Team.
 
The Worship Team has been working hard to represent these values in this extraordinary time of Covid-19.
 
In matters of Worship: 
What are you seeing now that you were not able to see pre-pandemic? 
What is the Spirit saying to St. Mary’s?
What should be maintained? 
What should change? 
Be left behind? 
What new insights might the Spirit be revealing?
 
What’s New?
  • To listen to the 2-14-21 sermon by Missioner Sarah Barnett, CLICK HERE.
  • HELP!!! Calling all artists, photographers, videographers, “image makers” of all kinds. Please see the “2021 Sundays in Lent – Images” article below.
  • What will be different in our worship services during Lent? Announcements will be at the beginning of the service so they don’t interrupt the flow of the service at the end…so don’t be late! There will be fewer voices in each service. There will be less music. There will be two “Moments of Silence”, one after the sermon and one at the end of the service (like a quiet recessional). Our first coffee time will give us an opportunity to talk with others about a question based on the theme for the day-kind of 7:45am style! There will be a second coffee time for socializing! It’s a lovely service and we hope you’ll join us! 
  • The Big Lenten Prayer Tent: For the season of Lent, Bishop Loya invites each of us in ECMN to practice discipleship through daily prayer: 5 minutes every day, inviting the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Let’s join with other congregations and other people throughout ECMN in prayer during this season of Lent. CLICK HERE for more information.
     
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

2021 Sundays in Lent – Images

The Worship Team would like images to screen share during “Moments of Silence” during our 5 Sundays in Lent. If you have images of any kind (drawings, paintings, photos, videos, stained glass, mosaic, etc.) that conjure up thoughts of God’s Promises as indicated below…and you’d like to share them with the St Mary’s community…please send them to Brian Nerbonne at Michigander_guy@yahoo.com by the Friday before the Sunday they would be used. If you’d like to read the lessons to get your creative juices flowing, check lectionarypage.net website.
 
02/21/2021
God’s Promise – first trial through water, 
baptism, then promise in rainbow – NOAH
Jesus Baptism and then 40 days in desert
 
02/28/2021
God’s Promise – first barren, then fruitful, 
because faithful
Jesus must suffer, we must trust in the plan, be
faithful.
 
03/07/2021
God’s Promise – through commandments, 
Israelites struggle
God is wiser than our wisest.
Jesus upset with commercial-ness of 
worship/sacrifice – rebuild in 3 days
 
03/14/2021
God’s Promise – whining Israelites, still God 
saves them from the snakes when they turn to
him.  
God’s gift of grace to faithful. God sacrifices 
Jesus (Son), a gift for us.
Light comes to save.  
 
03/21/2021
God’s Promise – a new covenant with Israel
Jesus as man suffered, through this suffering 
and obedience he became salvation.
Jesus must die like the wheat grain in order to 
bear much fruit – so we can believe.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for February 2021
Fridays (ongoing) Feb. 19, 26
Elders & Evening Prayer 6:30 PM
 
Monday Feb. 22
Pastoral Care Team 6:30 PM
 
Mondays (ongoing) Feb. 22 (Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29)
Book Club 7:30 PM
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent. Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Mondays of Lent. We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest.  
 
Let’s stay in touch! Join Rev. Cindi, St Mary’s Pastoral Care Minister, for Coffee (or tea?) and Conversation with a few other St Marians (via Zoom.)  The next conversations will be on March 10th, at 10 AM and 7 PM.
 
We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support! 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for 
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)
 
You are invited to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at 
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

2021 Budget and Pledge Numbers

The Vestry approved a 2021 working budget for the first six months of 2021 at its January meeting. The budget has a projected annual deficit of ($26,832.40), in spite of the fact that the overall 2021 budget was reduced by almost $47,000 from last year. It was determined that making further reductions would result in unacceptable consequences for staffing and programs.  
 
The Finance Committee recommended only a six-month budget due to the significant budget changes anticipated by the hiring of a permanent rector and likely resumption of in-person services later this year. Another six-month budget covering the last half of 2021 will be forwarded to the Vestry by the Finance Committee in late Spring. 
 
The 2021 Stewardship campaign resulted in a total of 57 households pledging $165,813 for 2021. This is 10 households fewer than 2020, when 67 households pledged $176,542. The 2021 working budget is based on a slightly higher number of $170,000 in pledge income than pledged for 2021 to date, so if total pledge income does not increase to that level by the end of the year, or expenses are higher than projected, we will have a larger deficit than currently projected for 2021. 
 
Pledge income for January was approximately $5,000 under budget, while expenses were right on budget, so we have unfortunately fallen behind our projected budget in the first month of this year. However, pledge income for the first half of February is running a bit higher than expected.

Resources: 

ECMN News
 
If you are interested in hearing from the Bishop, finding out about Education, Events, and Training, and what is happening in the Episcopal Church of Minnesota, please subscribe to the ECMN News weekly email – CLICK HERE
 
 
Hi ECMN Parents, Caregivers, and Ministry Leaders,
Following the Bishop’s Summit in December, we heard a clear ask for more opportunities to gather and support one another as parents and caregivers in ECMN. 
So we’ve pulled together some key professionals who can speak to the intersection of faith formation and home dynamics in the context of this ongoing pandemic. 
Anyone in ECMN who is in a supporting role for young people is invited to the following series of three zoom gatherings. 
 
Bishop’s Series for Parents and Caregivers
Hosted by ECMN, St. Mark’s Cathedral, and St. John in the Wilderness
 
Fostering Coping & Resiliency in Our Homes 
Sunday, February 28 @ 4-5pm
 
Family Trauma and the Pandemic
Sunday, March 28 @ 4-5pm
Home Dynamics: Connection & Conflict 
Sunday, April 25 @ 4-5pm
Speaker TBD
 
Come expecting to:
  • Hear from an expert on the topic
  • Meet other parents and caregivers from other Episcopal faith communities in breakouts 
  • Debrief with a Q&A time with your Bishop and the presenter
  • Learn about more opportunities across ECMN
Nobody can do this alone. We are working really hard to make sure this transformational community across the state is connected and surrounded by support for the long haul. We hope you can join us for one or all of these gatherings. 

Outreach: 

Opportunities for Line 3 Engagement
 
1. Sign this nationwide petition asking President Biden to take action to stop the pipeline. We have thousands of signatures and the list is growing – adding your name shows the power and breath of the Stop Line 3 movement. 
 
2. If you identify as clergy or as a faith leader or spiritual leader, please sign this faith and spiritual leader petition!
 
3. Share the Nationwide Petition and the Faith and Spiritual Leader Petition with your friends and communities. This our moment to show the Biden administration that as people of spirit, faith, and conscience, we expect our elected officials to help us build a world where water is sacred, where Native treaty rights and Native sovereignty are respected, and where rural areas have access to sustainable jobs and community wealth.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 2/19 – 2/25 

 

Friday, February 19, 2021
Elders & Evening Prayer
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Sunday, February 21, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
Monday, February 22, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Monday, February 22, 2021
Book Club
7:30 PM
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent. Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Mondays of Lent. We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest allows.  
 
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Vestry Meeting
7:00 PM
Vestry Meetings are open to all Saint Mary’s members. The Saint Mary’s Vestry usually meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM. (Note: If you are a member of Saint Mary’s and would like to attend this meeting via Zoom, please contact Jim DeLuca or Caroline Kaker for the Zoom access code at wardens@saintmaryepiscopal.org)
 
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Adult Choir
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact
 
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, February 25, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 
 
Sunday School Online:  
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities, 
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.  
If you receive this email, you are on the list. 
 
Visit the St. Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

Saint Mary’s Ash Wednesday Service – February 17, 2021

by

Ash Wednesday Service

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Service via Zoom – 7:00 PM

Please note that the Zoom information below is for this service only
For the Zoom worship service on February 17, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 480380
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 988 0430 7388
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Ash Wednesday Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Ash Wednesday at Home (below) – CLICK HERE

Family, Children & Youth Programming February 13-20

by

Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners info, Youth Group info, Beginnings Info and some fun Parish-wide events.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: 
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
 
  • Lent Activities– for those of you that like to prepare ahead, there are a number of lent activities and Easter fun that you might enjoy in this folder!
 
Tweeners
Tweeners – it was fun finishing our Bigfoot mystery. Next week we will be having a conversation and playing a game!
 
 
Youth Group
Last week we painted a campfire scene. Next week I am canceling youth group because it is the same time as the Ash Wednesday service.
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – February 11, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, February 14, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

This will be the Last Sunday after the Epiphany and the focus will be on the “Final Revelation”. This will be our last sermon provided by ECMN (Episcopal Church in Minnesota) and the preacher will be Sarah Barnett. Sarah serves as a resource for mission and ministry with children, youth, camp, and young adults. She also assists in the development of children’s and youth ministry for faith communities across ECMN. She coordinates and convenes ECMN Children’s and Youth Ministry Commissions and provides support and networking opportunities for adults who work with youth.
 
First Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-12
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Gospel: Mark 9:2-9
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on February 14, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Last Service Bulletin of Epiphany  – CLICK HERE
For the Revised Epiphany Song Book – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

From The Right Reverend Craig Loya’s 2/9/21 Message : What does love look like?
 
I encourage you…to be asking the question as individuals, as families, and as faith communities, what does love for the earth look like? What does love for our nation’s first people’s look like? What does love for my neighbor who disagrees with me look like? Those questions will animate our lives, help us become the fullest and truest versions of who God has created us to be, and lend whatever short life we have been given to God’s project of healing and saving the whole world. What does love look like?
 
What’s New?
  • To listen to the 2-7-21 sermon by Bishop Loya (apologies for missing the recording of the first portion), CLICK HERE.
  • To see and hear the 2-7-21 “Lego Gospel”, CLICK HERE.
  • In preparation for Ash Wednesday (Feb 17th), you may pick up ashes and instructions in front of St Mary’s on Sunday, February 14th, 2-3pm or contact Rev. Cindi Brickson (pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org).  Please join us at 7pm on February 17th for the Ash Wednesday zoom service. Zoom link, bulletin and info will be sent on Monday, February 15th.
  • The Big Lenten Prayer Tent: For the season of Lent (February 17th – April 3rd), Bishop Loya is inviting each of us in ECMN to practice discipleship through daily prayer: five minutes every day, inviting the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Let’s join with other congregations and other people throughout ECMN in prayer during this season of Lent.  CLICK HERE for more information.
     
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

Vibrant and Thriving in a Virtual World

This week we highlight the St. Mary’s Men’s Group (SMMG)
When:  7:00PM the first Tuesday of every month
How:    Zoom online
For link and information contact: Bill Turner at BillTur719@aol.com
SMMG Vibrant and Thriving Message
SMMG Vibrant and Thriving Message
Our Saint Mary’s Men’s Group (SMMG) meets each month on the first Tuesday at 7:00pm – all are welcome!  Please stop in for some fellowship and conversation; we’d love to see you.
 
Having a mixed heritage which derives, at least in part, from a prior iteration as “theology and a pint”, we were in a pattern of rotating locations to a different brew pub each month. As the local scene closed, opened, closed, and so-on, we adapted with a mix of Zoom and a few safe and successful outdoor gatherings. We carefully selected brew pubs with big patios with lots of available real estate, so we can spread out and still be together. Also, we added extra events and we looked for new ways to stay in touch!
 
The Zoom SMMG gatherings have several pros & a few cons, as inherent to the platform, but have been pretty well attended with a frequent crowd and a few bonus drop ins from time to time. While we are constrained to just one conversation at a time, the chances to connect are completely worthwhile and everyone gets a chance to share updates and tell their stories. 
 
The video has offered some benefits, such as virtual tours of the backyard projects – we’ve seen some beautiful landscaping, gardens in bloom, and decks progressing through construction. It’s a very personal touch that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
 
With all of us more isolated than we’re used to or want to, we were looking for more ways to stay in touch. After some discussion, the merits of text and email were a bit pale (we all get enough of those!). At the suggestion from Dan, we decided to try the “Marco Polo” app to record and share short video messages. Throughout the month, there are active individual and group conversations going on and people share anything on their mind – a view while on a run, a glimpse of the walk with a dog, a skyline at sunset, a progress report on the solar panel installation, and even some contemplative and harder messages. The video brings so much more depth to the conversation; it’s been a great option and a way to stay in touch.
 
If you’re interested, you are welcome – it would be great to see you in a Zoom or on the Marco Polo video chats. Even if you just want to listen in or ease into the group, please reach out and let’s stay in touch! 
 
This isolation is hard on everyone, so while we need to keep our distance, there is no need to be alone all the time. We hope to see you at a future gathering!
 
P.S. The St. Mary’s Men’s Group will be holding a Special Mardi Gras gathering on Tuesday, February 16th at 7PM. Please join if you can.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for February 2021
Fridays (ongoing) Feb. 12, 19, 26
Elders & Evening Prayer 6:30 PM
 
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent.  Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Tuesdays of Lent.  We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest.  
 
We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support! 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for 
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)
 
You are invited to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at 
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Communications Team Update

While we haven’t said a lot or really had a chance to introduce ourselves, the St. Mary’s Communications Team has been hard at work the last couple of months and would like to take the opportunity to provide everyone with some updates and to solicit feedback.
 
St. Mary’s Weekly
We’ve been working hard to make sure that all of the information that you need to know about what is happening at St. Mary’s goes into one Weekly email with the exception of the weekly Family, Children, and Youth email and the daily St. Mary’s Mornings. We will be implementing a form for submission of articles to the Weekly in the upcoming weeks to try to do a better job of keeping track of information.
 
St. Mary’s Website
We know that the website needs some work and we’re going to do our best to make some content updates in the next couple of weeks to get it up to date and a useful resource for St. Marians and visitors to the site. We would appreciate suggestions immediately and feedback as we make changes.
 
St. Mary’s Social Media
We put the St. Mary’s Facebook page on hold back in November and will be starting a gradual return as we go into Lent. We will do our best to make sure that the content provides information and inspiration and represents who we are.
 
We would love to hear from you to help us make sure that we are communicating with all St. Marians in the manner that they prefer. Please drop us a line at communications@saintmarysepiscopal.org.
 
The St. Mary’s Communications Team – Beth Varro, Cindy James, Steve Andrews, Todd Reemtsma, and Trevor Sannes

Souper Bowl of Caring

It’s not too late to support the Youth Group with their fundraiser through the Souper Bowl of Caring. This year the youth voted to help Second Harvest Heartland with their funds– since they are struggling and we need every organization possible to help people with hunger right now. The fundraiser will be running for a couple of weeks instead of for a day to allow for all the donations to go through.
  
 
Check out the website, the logo created by youth group, the organization we are donating to and give generously to help those in need!

Resources: 

ECMN News
 
If you are interested in hearing from the Bishop, finding out about Education, Events, and Training, and what is happening in the Episcopal Church of Minnesota, please subscribe to the ECMN News weekly email – CLICK HERE
 
 
Hi ECMN Parents, Caregivers, and Ministry Leaders,
Following the Bishop’s Summit in December, we heard a clear ask for more opportunities to gather and support one another as parents and caregivers in ECMN. 
So we’ve pulled together some key professionals who can speak to the intersection of faith formation and home dynamics in the context of this ongoing pandemic. 
Anyone in ECMN who is in a supporting role for young people is invited to the following series of three zoom gatherings. 
 
Bishop’s Series for Parents and Caregivers
Hosted by ECMN, St. Mark’s Cathedral, and St. John in the Wilderness
 
Fostering Coping & Resiliency in Our Homes 
Sunday, February 28 @ 4-5pm
 
Family Trauma and the Pandemic
Sunday, March 28 @ 4-5pm
Home Dynamics: Connection & Conflict 
Sunday, April 25 @ 4-5pm
Speaker TBD
 
Come expecting to:
  • Hear from an expert on the topic
  • Meet other parents and caregivers from other Episcopal faith communities in breakouts 
  • Debrief with a Q&A time with your Bishop and the presenter
  • Learn about more opportunities across ECMN
Nobody can do this alone. We are working really hard to make sure this transformational community across the state is connected and surrounded by support for the long haul. We hope you can join us for one or all of these gatherings. 

Outreach: 

Opportunities for Line 3 Engagement
 
1. Sign this nationwide petition asking President Biden to take action to stop the pipeline. We have thousands of signatures and the list is growing – adding your name shows the power and breath of the Stop Line 3 movement. 
 
2. If you identify as clergy or as a faith leader or spiritual leader, please sign this faith and spiritual leader petition!
 
3. Share the Nationwide Petition and the Faith and Spiritual Leader Petition with your friends and communities. This our moment to show the Biden administration that as people of spirit, faith, and conscience, we expect our elected officials to help us build a world where water is sacred, where Native treaty rights and Native sovereignty are respected, and where rural areas have access to sustainable jobs and community wealth.
 
  • Do you believe that our community is measured by how we treat those most in need?
  • Are you a person of faith, who is moved to ensure safe housing for all?
  • Are you a state legislator, a county commissioner, or a city council member whose work has been transformed in these trying times?
Our Mission: Everyone, without exception, deserves a safe, decent, accessible, and affordable home.   
 
 
Parks, hotels, and shelters are filling up with the homeless. There is nowhere near enough affordable housing to meet our needs. The crisis of housing is magnified by the crisis of COVID, and the crisis of the economy, and the crisis of institutional racism.
 
Let us come together, as community members and elected officials, to talk about our vision to end homelessness and share our ideas for how to make that a reality. Let us come together to mobilize power to do what it takes to make a safe HOME a reality for everyone.
 
MICAH (Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing) will present its legislative agenda and we will hear from a member of our community directly affected by the housing shortage. We will ask our elected officials to share their visions and their commitments to action.
 
We are strong when we bring together people of values, of faith, of caring. We act on our shared values for shelter and affordable housing, undoing racism, and building opportunity in every neighborhood. MICAH leaders across our city are daily making our vision reality. We must continue to advocate for stronger housing policies at the State, the County, and the City level.
 
RSVP with your name, phone number, legislative district or street address, and the number attending to us at MicahBrkfst@comcast.net
 
Friday, February 12, 2021    8am-9:30am

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 2/12 – 2/18 

Friday, February 12, 2021
Elders & Evening Prayer
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Sunday, February 14, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
 
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Finance Committee Meeting
6:30 PM
Contact finance@saintmarysepiscopal.org for the Zoom link
 
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
St. Mary’s Men’s Group – Special Mardi Gras Edition
7:00 PM
Contact Bill Turner (billtur719@aol.com) for the Zoom link
 
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Virtual Ash Wednesday Service
7:00 PM
Zoom link, bulletin and info will be sent on Monday, February 15th
 
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Adult Ed./Book Study
7:00-8:30 PM
This is the final meeting for this book. If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Nina Johnson at nina@jazmn.net or 651-308-8663 
 
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group

Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie

Thursday, February 18, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 
 
Sunday School Online:  
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities, and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.  
 
Visit the St. Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

Family, Children & Youth Programming February 7-February 14

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Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners info, Youth Group info, Beginnings Info and some fun Parish-wide events.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: 
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
Bishop Loya will be joining us for Sunday Sunday School this week. We plan to do a show and tell. Children should bring an object that reminds them of church or God and be prepared to answer why the object is important to them and why it reminds them of church or God! See you on Sunday!
 
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
Tweeners
Tweeners -thanks for the help with the Souper Bowl of Caring skit! I think the whole parish will enjoy it at church on Sunday. Next week we plan to conclude the mystery of Bigfoot (As per request).
 
Youth Group
Last week the youth played Code Names (which was awesome…thank you Julie Phillips). This coming week we plan to do another paint session. Bring your artsy crafts selves.
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – February 4, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Worship via Zoom and Community Gathering with Bishop Loya Following – 10:00 AM

This will be the 5th Sunday After the Epiphany and the focus will be “Revelation in Transfiguration”. We will welcome The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya, X Bishop of Minnesota, who will be our preacher. (See What’s New? below for further information.) This is also Souper Bowl Sunday and our youth (along with Bishop Loya) will lead our worship service. They will also invite us to participate, as they’ve done for many, many years, in the Souper Bowl of Caring. (See article for further information.)
 
Psalm 147:2-3
First Reading: Isaiah 40:21-31
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on February 7, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Epiphany 5 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Revised Epiphany Song Book – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Epiphany Message from an article in “Progressing Spirit” by Rev. Deshna Shine entitled What Pulls at Your Heart:
 
We must maintain hope.  At the heart of Christianity and the path of Jesus is Wild Hope, living and loving with abandon. As John Shelby Spong says, “live fully and love wastefully.”
 
“If God is the source of love, as I believe God is, then the only way you can worship God is by loving. Not by being right, but by loving. By loving wastefully. The image in my mind is an old sink in the basement, that you plug up the drains and you turn on all the [taps] and the water overflows the boundaries and goes all over the floor and fills up every crack and cranny… and never stops to ask whether that crack deserves this living water. You love because love is what you have to do, not because somebody deserves the love. You love wastefully.”
 
Radical love, patience and trust require hope and we must maintain that burning light within if we are going to be a real part of transforming our communities and world. Hope tells us that there will always be more living water within to pour out of us.
 
What’s New?
  • For the 1-31-21 sermon by The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya to ECMN, CLICK HERE.
  • Bishop Loya is making his congregational visit, which happens once every 2 to 3 years, to St Mary’s this Sunday, February 7th.  This will be his schedule:
^    9:00am…..Time with the children in Sunday School
^  10:00am…..Participate in and preach at worship service
^  11:00am…..Join us for a Community Meeting
^  12:00pm…..Break
^    2:00pm…..Time with the St Mary’s Vestry
  • In preparation for Ash Wednesday (Feb 17th), ashes and instructions will be available to be picked up on Sunday, February 14th, 2-3pm.
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

Souper Bowl of Caring

On Sunday, February 7, 2021 the Youth Group will kick off their fundraiser through the Souper Bowl of Caring. Each year the youth pick a charity and have a fundraising event on Super Bowl Sunday. This year, needless to say, things are a bit different. We cannot have our signature pots with the Super Bowl team logos on them; but we are still having a fundraiser. The youth voted to help Second Harvest Heartland with their funds– since they are struggling and we need every organization possible to help people with hunger right now. We will be running the fundraiser for a couple of weeks instead of for a day to allow for all the donations to go through.  If you want to get a quick head start on donating, here is the website where Souper Bowl of Caring is tracking our online donations!  We will share the link again on Sunday along with a poll to see which Super Bowl team you think will win!
  
 
Check out the website, the logo created by youth group, the organization we are donating to and give generously to help those in need!

Vibrant and Thriving in a Virtual World

This week we highlight Elders and Evening Prayer from Pastoral Care

When:  6:30pm every Friday
How:    Zoom online
For link and information contact: pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org
 
Pastoral care takes many forms at St Mary’s. In addition to the traditional way we think of pastoral care, the Rev Cindi Brickson, Pastoral Care Minister, is broadening that definition. One of the ways she is doing that is by offering a series of Zoom get-togethers around various topics from GLBTQ, to Caring for Aging Parents, to prayer services.
 
Pastoral Care is a contemporary term for an ancient model of emotional, social and spiritual support.
 
This past week on Friday, January 29th, was Elders and Evening Prayer.  Announced in the online St Mary’s Weekly, a spoken Evening Prayer service was offered by Rev Brickson. The attendees consisted of elder members of the parish for whom the flow of the service provides a calming reverence to the end of the day. After a check-in period, attendees participated through readings and spoken canticles throughout the service.
 
This bow to other services outside of the normal Sunday morning is a nod to what the Episcopal church and St Mary’s in particular has to offer the community.
 
If Evening Prayer speaks to you, join us on Fridays at 6:30pm as we move forward together, vibrant and thriving in a virtual world.

Pastoral Care

Please keep Jennie Ward and her family (Todd, Max, and Theo) in your prayers as she recovers from a significant and startling health crisis.  If you would like to keep updated, please visit:
 
To provide other support:
 
******
Pastoral Care Calendar for February 2021
Fridays (ongoing) Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26
Elders & Evening Prayer 6:30 PM
 
Monday, Feb. 8
Pastoral Care Team Meeting 7:30 PM
 
Wednesday, Feb. 10
Coffee & Conversation 10:00 AM / 7:00 PM
 
The Pastoral Care Team will host the book club during Lent.  Please join us in reading and discussing WALKING THE WAY OF LOVE by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. We will meet on Tuesdays of Lent.  We invite you to join us for one or any of the weeks, as your schedule and interest.  
 
We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support! 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)
 
You are invited to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom link
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Finance Updates:

2020 Contribution Statements E-mailed

Year-end 2020 contribution statements for donations to St. Mary’s for the period January 1, 2020 thru December 31, 2020, were e-mailed to all contributors on Monday, January 25th.  Printed statements were mailed on February 2nd to any household for which we do not have an e-mail address.
 
Please note that any 2020 contributions that were received either by mail or electronically after December 31, 2020, will be reflected in your 2021 contribution statement. 
 
If you note any inaccuracies in your 2020 statement, please contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at 651-308-4895 or rexaholzemer@gmail.com.  
 
We are very grateful to everyone that has continued to provide financial support to St. Mary’s over this past year. Thank you!!     

 

Missing Phones!

Two black desk phones we are leasing from Comcast have gone missing at St. Mary’s and we need to find the phones or pay Comcast for them.  Please help us find our phones!  
 
It’s possible the two phones may have mistakenly been put out in the lobby area last year for people to take if they wanted, along other items we no longer needed.  If anyone has them or knows where they might be, please contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at 651-308-4895 or rexaholzemer@gmail.com.  A phone amnesty program is in place, so no questions asked!!  We just need to find them as soon as possible.  Thanks for your help!

Resources: 

Hi ECMN Parents, Caregivers, and Ministry Leaders,

Following the Bishop’s Summit in December, we heard a clear ask for more opportunities to gather and support one another as parents and caregivers in ECMN. 
So we’ve pulled together some key professionals who can speak to the intersection of faith formation and home dynamics in the context of this ongoing pandemic. 
Anyone in ECMN who is in a supporting role for young people is invited to the following series of three zoom gatherings. 
An email with a zoom registration link will follow this one next week. It’s flexible – so in the meantime just save the date if you are interested in one or all three. 
 
Bishop’s Series for Parents and Caregivers
Hosted by ECMN, St. Mark’s Cathedral, and St. John in the Wilderness
 
Fostering Coping & Resiliency in Our Homes 
Sunday, February 28 @ 4-5pm
 
Family Trauma and the Pandemic
Sunday, March 28 @ 4-5pm
Home Dynamics: Connection & Conflict 
Sunday, April 25 @ 4-5pm
Speaker TBD
 
Come expecting to:
  • Hear from an expert on the topic
  • Meet other parents and caregivers from other Episcopal faith communities in breakouts 
  • Debrief with a Q&A time with your Bishop and the presenter
  • Learn about more opportunities across ECMN
Nobody can do this alone. We are working really hard to make sure this transformational community across the state is connected and surrounded by support for the long haul. We hope you can join us for one or all of these gatherings. 

Outreach: 

  • Do you believe that our community is measured by how we treat those most in need?
  • Are you a person of faith, who is moved to ensure safe housing for all?
  • Are you a state legislator, a county commissioner, or a city council member whose work has been transformed in these trying times?
Our Mission: Everyone, without exception, deserves a safe, decent, accessible, and affordable home.   
 
Parks, hotels, and shelters are filling up with the homeless. There is nowhere near enough affordable housing to meet our needs. The crisis of housing is magnified by the crisis of COVID, and the crisis of the economy, and the crisis of institutional racism.
 
Let us come together, as community members and elected officials, to talk about our vision to end homelessness and share our ideas for how to make that a reality. Let us come together to mobilize power to do what it takes to make a safe HOME a reality for everyone.
 
MICAH (Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing) will present its legislative agenda and we will hear from a member of our community directly affected by the housing shortage. We will ask our elected officials to share their visions and their commitments to action.
 
We are strong when we bring together people of values, of faith, of caring. We act on our shared values for shelter and affordable housing, undoing racism, and building opportunity in every neighborhood. MICAH leaders across our city are daily making our vision reality. We must continue to advocate for stronger housing policies at the State, the County, and the City level.
 
RSVP with your name, phone number, legislative district or street address, and the number attending to us at MicahBrkfst@comcast.net
 
Friday, February 12, 2021    8am-9:30am

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 2/5 – 2/11 

Friday, February 5, 2021
Elders & Evening Prayer
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136
 
Sunday, February 7, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Bishop Loya Community Time to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
Monday, February 8, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
7:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136
 
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Coffee and Conversation with Rev. Cindi
10:00 AM & 7:00 PM
Please reply to Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org to reserve your space and get the Zoom link
 
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Adult Choir
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Vonda at musicdirector@saintmarysepiscopal.org
 
Thursday, February 11, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, February 11, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 

Saint Mary’s News from the Transition Team and Vestry

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January 29, 2021

St. Marians,
 
There are two important messages below – one from the St. Mary’s Transition Team and one from the St. Mary’s Vestry. Both of these messages are hoping for your careful review and encouraging your feedback. Every voice in this community is important and we want to hear from you.
 
Please review:
  • St. Mary’s Transition Team – Narrative Letter
  • St. Mary’s Transitional Priest
  • St. Mary’s Staffing Changes
  • Bishop Loya’s Visit with St. Mary’s on February 7th
The St. Mary’s Transition Team and Vestry
To our St. Mary’s community,
 
We are writing with news of solid progress. We have completed the first of the two documents we will use in our search for a new priest. This is a narrative letter that describes who we are and what we are looking for in a priest. We worked hard to capture the “soul” of St. Mary’s and to envision what characteristics a priest should bring to the table — God’s table — in order to help us build the future.
 
It is based on input from congregation members that came in a lot of different ways: the “Visioning Our Future” post-it note project, the materials we provided when considering merging with St. James, the answers to and analysis of the Holy Cow! survey, and your feedback during the Transition Team Community Meeting in mid-October.
 
The St. Mary’s community deeply values transparent communication and getting input from all sources. We would love to receive your comments, and we will bring your thinking into the search process. Next week, we will share the rest of the ministry profile, which is one of the last tasks before posting the position.
 
You can read the narrative letter online here. Please send comments and questions to us by e-mail at transitionteam@saintmarysepiscopal.org. To get a reminder about who is on your transition team, see our information here.
 
Our hearts and minds are wide, wide open.
 
Emma Brickson
Laura-Lee Brown
Ginny DeLuca
Joe McMannon
Cathy McNaughton
Catherine Neuschler
Joanna Schnedler
Jennie Ward
Jennifer Wedel
Jane Wells
Greetings from your Vestry,
 
We continue to find ourselves in a time of great change here at Saint Mary’s, as well as in the world around us. This can be both exciting and worrisome, depending on the circumstance. Despite these challenges, Saint Mary’s continues to be a thriving place during our Sunday services and youth programming, and in the active work of multiple committees. The Vestry continues to strive to keep members of our community abreast of changes in a timely manner. There is much happening at this time that we would like to share with you.
 
Transitional Priest Hiring
Our previous Vestry letter described the possibility of Rev. Susan Moss joining us as our transitional priest. We heard only positive feedback from the congregation following that letter, and we are excited to announce that Rev. Moss has accepted our invitation! She will join us at our Sunday, January 31 service on Zoom and be formally introduced to the congregation at that time. She begins her part time role with us at the start of February. Susan will focus her time with us mainly on worship services and working with our community to prepare us for welcoming our next permanent rector. Other administrative duties will continue to be handled by members of the congregation, and pastoral care will continue to be led by Rev. Cindi Brickson. We are very excited to have Susan joining us on our journey through this time of transition, and will be appreciative of her guidance along the way.
 
Transition Team Update
The Transition Team has reached an exciting milestone in their rector search process. The first document that goes outside of our congregation is creating a portfolio describing the position we hope to fill and describing our faith community so that potential applicants can understand what we are looking for in a priest. Within the next couple of weeks, that will be released and posted for potential candidates to review and will of course be available to members of our church. The portfolio is based on what we learned about the congregation from the Holy Cow! survey that many members of our community filled out last summer. This release will kick off the rector search process that we hope will lead to a hire by sometime this summer. Thank you to the Transition Team for all of their work to get us to this stage!
 
Staffing changes
This period also continues to hold challenges for us. Our number of pledging members has declined over the past couple of years, and we as a Vestry are making some difficult choices on how to live within our means. Jim and Caroline met with Joann and agreed that because our church services are now held online, there is no need to staff our nursery. We appreciate Joann’s care for our little ones over the years, and will reevaluate the need for nursery after we have returned to in-person worship. 
Another challenge is our need to reduce staff costs from our music team. We know that music is an important part of the worship experience to many members of our community. However, our current finances and our conducting only one service per week suggests the potential for some cost savings over the next several months. Our wardens met with the music team to discuss options, and Jim and Vonda both expressed a willingness to reduce costs until we return to in-person services, but also as a way to free up some of their own time during this period. When more details become available on any changes to music at Sunday services or choir, we will share them. 
 
Bishop’s Visit
Last but not least, we are excited to virtually host Bishop Craig Loya and a guest deacon on February 7th. Bishop Loya will spend the day with our congregation, starting with his participation with Sunday school at 9:00 a.m. Our worship service that Sunday at 10:00 a.m. will be led by youth from our congregation as part of our annual Super Bowl of Caring event, with Bishop Loya providing a sermon and also celebrating spiritual communion with us. He will then join us for a Community Meeting after the service. In the afternoon, Bishop Loya will join the Vestry for our weekly meeting. We hope you can join us for this visit that typically happens once every 2-3 years. Please submit questions for Bishop Loya to answer during our Community Meeting by emailing wardens@saintmarysepiscopal.org before 5pm on Wednesday, February 3rd. The wardens will compile the questions and share them with Bishop Loya ahead of his visit. During the Community Meeting, we also will take questions using the Zoom chat feature so as to avoid interrupting the conversation.
 
Members of the Vestry continue to appreciate the joy, compassion, and community within Saint Mary’s that is so apparent even though we are not able to be together. Our congregation has been through many challenges over the past few years, and there is still a sense of loss that we feel. However, we are also grateful for the continued contributions of time, talent and treasure by members of our church to make this such a vibrant place, even when we are restricted to a virtual format. Thank you for being a part of that effort!
 
As always, we welcome your feedback on anything raised in this letter, or on other matters you feel we need to hear. Please reach out to the wardens or other members of the Vestry whenever you feel the need.
 
Blessings,
 
The Saint Mary’s Vestry

 

Family, Children & Youth Programming January 30- February 6

by

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners info, Youth Group info, Beginnings Info and some fun Parish-wide events.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: THIS IS A NEW LINK!
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
 
  • Lent Activities– for those of you that like to prepare ahead, there are a number of lent activities and Easter fun that you might enjoy in this folder!
 
Tweeners
Tweeners -we did some drawings for Bishop Loya this past week and did a scavenger hunt. This coming week we will conclude our mystery of Bigfoot and play a game.
 
 
Youth Group
Last week we pulled together details for the upcoming Souper Bowl of Caring. This coming week we will play Code Names and put the final details on Souper Bowl of Caring!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
Blessings,
 
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – January 28, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, January 31, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

 
This will be the 4th Sunday After the Epiphany and the focus will be “Revelation in Transfiguration”. The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya will be our preacher. The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya was consecrated the X Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota on June 6, 2020.  Bishop Loya served as Dean of Trinity Cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska from 2013-2020, and was the Canon to the Ordinary in the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas from 2009-2013.
 
Psalm 111:1a, 7, 9
First Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on January 31, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Epiphany 4 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Revised Epiphany Song Book – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Epiphany Message from Bishop Craig Loya:
 
“…I spent yesterday reading Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s newest
book, Love is the Way. In it, he calls us to embrace a universal love as
the way forward as individuals and a nation. His understanding of what
love is, how we find God, and how love has the power to change the
world and see us through these challenging times is deeply grounded in
his own very real experiences of both suffering and hope….” (excerpt
from Bishop Loya’s message in the 1/19/21 ECMN Weekly News)

 

What’s New?
  • To listen to the 1-24-21 sermon by Rachel Babbitt, CLICK HERE.
  • Sunday’s worship service highlights our St Mary’s Elders.
  • Ash Wednesday is on February 17th this year. In preparation for that day, ashes will be available to be picked up on Sunday, February 14th, from 2 – 3pm at St Mary’s. (See “Pastoral Care” below for more info.)
  • Worship services during Lent are now being planned. If you have thoughts about Lenten services CLICK HERE.
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

Vibrant and Thriving in a Virtual World

Have you looked at the St. Mary’s calendar?  Almost every day there are events on the calendar, and more are being added as the weeks go by. Our community is alive with so many opportunities to be together in community – book club, pastoral care, Tweeners, choir to name but a few.
 
A year ago, most of us had never heard of Zoom and now it’s a way of life for many of us. Work meetings, online school and yes, St. Mary’s on Sunday mornings and beyond.
 
While Zoom may not work for everyone and it’s certainly not a substitute for in person gatherings, it does afford us the chance to participate together and see each other.
 
The Communications Committee is taking the opportunity over the next few weeks to showcase some of what’s happening at St Mary’s in this virtual world we live in.
 
Sunday mornings find many of us gathered in front of our computer, tablet or phone Zoomed in to the 10:00am worship service coming live into our homes, cabins or wherever we might be on a Sunday morning. These services are put together by the Worship Committee and a group of volunteers each week who read prayers and lessons, provide music and make sure our technology is up and running. We’ve learned a great deal about ‘being live’ and providing a thoughtful and uplifting service each week. While we have had a few glitches, it is all part of the process that makes St. Mary’s an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.
 
As we move forward together, take a look at our calendar and see where you can Zoom into St. Mary’s to enrich the fabric of our community with your presence.

Pastoral Care

It is with sadness that I inform members and friends of St Mary’s that the mother of Anne Hanson, has departed this life. Please keep her family in your prayers. Notes of condolence may be sent to 1861 Pinehurst Ave / St Paul MN 55116. 
 
And Taylor, daughter of John and Tonia Erickson. Please keep her family in your prayers.  Notes of condolence may be sent to 1800 Keller Lake Dr / Burnsville MN 55306. 
 
May their souls and the souls of all faithful departed, through God’s immeasurable love and mercy, rest with the angels in peace and rise with the saints in glory! 
 
******
 

Please keep Jennie Ward and her family (Todd, Max, and Theo) in your prayers as she recovers from a significant and startling health crisis.  If you would like to keep updated, please visit:

 
To provide other support:
 
******
Pastoral Care Calendar for January/February 2021
Fridays (ongoing) 
Elders & Evening Prayer 6:30 PM
 
Monday, Feb. 1
Pastoral Care Team Meeting 7:30 PM
 
Tuesday, Feb. 2
Caregiving for Aging Loved Ones 7:00PM
 
We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support! 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for 
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)
 
You are invited to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at 
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Finance Updates:

2020 Contribution Statements E-mailed
 
Year-end 2020 contribution statements for contributions to St. Mary’s for the period January 1, 2020 thru December 31, 2020, were e-mailed to all contributors on Monday, January 25th. If we do not have an e-mail for your household, a written statement will be sent to your mailing address early the week of February 1st.
 
Please note that any 2020 contributions that were received either by mail or electronically after December 31, 2020, will be reflected in your 2021 contribution statement. 
 
If you note any inaccuracies in your 2020 statement, please contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at 651-308-4895 or rexaholzemer@gmail.com.  
 
We are very grateful to everyone that has continued to provide financial support to St. Mary’s over this past year. Thank you!!     
 
PPP Loan Eliminates 2020 Deficit!
 
We ended 2020 with a deficit of ($29,173), just shy of the projected ($31,190) deficit for calendar year 2020.  Fortunately, we just recently received confirmation from the Small Business Administration that the $31,700 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan we received in April of 2020 was 100% “forgiven”.  As a result, we can apply the full PPP loan proceeds to our operational budget, effectively allowing us to eliminate the 2020 deficit and add approximately $2,500 to our contingency reserve for future years.
 
Our initial review of the second round of PPP loans just being made available indicates that we will not be eligible for another PPP loan in 2021.  Our current working budget for 2021 has a projected deficit of approximately (32,000+), so this is of significant concern given we will need to utilize reserves if we cannot either increase pledge income or further reduce expenses.  
 
We have already reduced expenses by approximately $45,000 in 2021 compared to 2020.  Further reductions are being considered, but another $32,000+ in reductions would effectively disable our services and staffing.  We currently have only $166,000 in 2021 pledges from 60 households, so the projected pledge income we have included in our current 2021 working budget is $170,000, $30,000 less than in our 2020 budget.   In 2020, we received approximately $187,700 in pledge income, or ($12,300) under our budgeted pledge income of $200,000.  
 
We will continue to provide updates as we work to identify further budget reductions and manage what will be another challenging year financially for our community.  Any additional pledges or contributions will be greatly appreciated!! 
 
If you have any questions regarding the 2021 budget, or input related to revenue or expenses, please feel free to contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at either 651-308-4895 or rexaholzemer@gmail.com.

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 1/29 – 2/4 

Friday, January 29, 2021
Elders & Evening Prayer
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
Monday, February 1, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
7:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Caregiving for Aged Loved Ones
7:00 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Saint Mary’s Men’s Group
7:00 PM
Please email Jim Wheeler if you have any questions or 
would like to get the Zoom link.
 
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Adult Choir
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact
 
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Adult Ed./Book Study
7:00-8:30 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact 
Nina Johnson at nina@jazmn.net or 651-308-8663 
 
Thursday, February 4, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, February 4, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 

Family, Children & Youth Programming January 23-30

by

Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners info, Youth Group info, Beginnings Info and some fun Parish-wide events.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
 
Sunday School Options for Families: THIS IS A NEW LINK!
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
Tweeners
Tweeners -had an awesome time painting this past week! This coming week we plan to make a music video and continue our mystery (hopefully figure it out!)
 
 
Youth Group
Last week we did a painting with Bob Ross and did some prep for the Souper Bowl of Caring. We will do some more work on the Souper Bowl of Caring this coming Wednesday and figure out which charity we plan to support with the collected funds!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
  • Wednesday 7:00-8:00pm
  • Youth Leaders: MiaLisa and I am looking for a volunteer!
  • Register by Clicking Here
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – January 21st, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, January 24, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

This will be the 3rd Sunday After the Epiphany and the focus will be “Revelation in Galilee”. Rachel Babbit from ECMN will be our preacher. Rachel is the Missioner for Community Engagement. She supports faith communities in using their gifts for God’s mission in the community. She also supports faith communities in building partnerships and innovative connections with the wider community. Rachel is the primary contact for completing community assessments, organizes and promotes the current Mission Opportunity and oversees MIP grants.
 
Psalm 62:11-12
First Reading:  Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 729-31
Gospel:  Mark 1:14-20
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on January 24, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Epiphany 3 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Epiphany Song Book – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Epiphany Message from Bishop Craig Loya:
 
“Our nation and our world stand in desperate need of light, shining the way of love. The only way we can be those lights and fulfill our promise is by rooting ourselves, day by day, even moment by moment, in the person and power of Jesus through unceasing prayer.” (Taken from Bp Loya’s 1/12/21 letter)
 

What’s New?

  • To hear the 1/17/21 sermon by The Rev Canon Robert Two Bulls CLICK HERE.
  • To view the 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 11-20 First Reading from 1/17/21, CLICK HERE. You’ve never heard it this way!!
  • Thank you to ECMN for providing sermons during the Sundays After the Epiphany.
  • If you would like to be a Reader now and then, send Anne Green an email at georgeanne1376@yahoo.com. All people (including kids) are invited to be Readers.
  • Do you know everyone who logs in to Sunday morning worship services?  Or might you wonder who that second person on the screen is? Who’s here this morning?? By putting names of all those in your household who are participating in the service on your screen (even those we can’t see), you help us know how many people are attending the service. It’s kind of like wearing your name tag!  It’s more hospitable and inclusive as well.  If you’d like to do this, arrive at the service a little early; on your pc or laptop, click on “Participants” at the bottom of the Zoom screen.
    • Participants: See who’s currently in the meeting and invite others. You can also access to these options:
      • Rename: Hover over your name, click More, and choose Rename to change your screen name displayed to other participants. (Zoom Support) 
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for January 2021 
 
It is with sadness that I inform members and friends of St. Mary’s that Leone, mother of Jim May, has departed this life. Please keep her family in your prayers. 
May her soul and the souls of all faithful departed, through God’s immeasurable love and mercy, rest with the angels in peace and rise with the saints in glory!
Notes of condolence may be sent to jnmay5@gmail.com 
 
Friday, Jan. 22 
Elders & Evening Prayer 6:30 PM
 
Monday, Jan. 25
Pastoral Care Team Meeting 7:30 PM
 
Wed., Jan. 27 
Grief Circle (Prayer and Support) 7:00 PM
Grief and change are often isolating, but they don’t have to be.  
Join this circle for time to be heard, to connect with others, and to pray.
 
We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support! 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)
 
Looking ahead:
Tues. Feb. 2 at 7 PM
Caregiving for Aging Loved Ones
 
You are invited to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom link
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Finance Update: PPP Loan Eliminates 2020 Deficit!

We ended 2020 with a deficit of ($29,173), just shy of the projected ($31,190) deficit for calendar year 2020.  Fortunately, we just recently received confirmation from the Small Business Administration that the $31,700 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan we received in April of 2020 was 100% “forgiven”.  As a result, we can apply the full PPP loan proceeds to our operational budget, effectively allowing us to eliminate the 2020 deficit and add approximately $2,500 to our contingency reserve for future years.
 
Our initial review of the second round of PPP loans just being made available indicates that we will not be eligible for another PPP loan in 2021.  Our current working budget for 2021 has a projected deficit of approximately (32,000+), so this is of significant concern given we will need to utilize reserves if we cannot either increase pledge income or further reduce expenses.  
 
We have already reduced expenses by approximately $45,000 in 2021 compared to 2020.  Further reductions are being considered, but another $32,000+ in reductions would effectively disable our services and staffing.  We currently have only $166,000 in 2021 pledges from 60 households, so the projected pledge income we have included in our current 2021 working budget is $170,000, $30,000 less than in our 2020 budget.   In 2020, we received approximately $187,700 in pledge income, or ($12,300) under our budgeted pledge income of $200,000.  
 
We will continue to provide updates as we work to identify further budget reductions and manage what will be another challenging year financially for our community.  Any additional pledges or contributions will be greatly appreciated!! 
 
If you have any questions regarding the 2021 budget, or input related to revenue or expenses, please feel free to contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at either 651-308-4895 or rexaholzemer@gmail.com.

Would you like to say THANK YOU?

Please join us in thanking everyone who is working so hard on behalf of our community by signing our online message board. The link is below. The site is easy to use and in addition to a written message, you can add photos and GIFs. Feel free to have fun with it!
 
You may consider dropping a note of gratitude for the amazing Pageant; perhaps you loved Community and Carols; or maybe you’d simply like to thank all of the folks that are working behind the scenes to bring St. Mary’s forward. If possible, please post one message on the board per family, as we have a limited number of posts.

Outreach Opportunities: 

January 24, 2021
Isaiah’s We Make Minnesota Virtual Launch
Please CLICK HERE for more information on the event and/or contact Ginny DeLuca for more information – ginnydeluca1736@gmail.com

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 1/22 – 1/28 

Friday, January 22, 2021
Elders & Evening Prayer
6:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136
 
Sunday, January 24, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
Monday, January 25, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
7:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136
 
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Vestry Meeting
7:00 PM
Vestry Meetings are open to all Saint Mary’s members. The Saint Mary’s Vestry usually meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The meeting  begins at 7:00 PM. (Note: If you are a member of Saint Mary’s and would like to attend this meeting via Zoom, please contact Jim DeLuca or Caroline Kaker for the Zoom access code at wardens@saintmaryepiscopal.org)
 
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Adult Choir
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Vonda at musicdirector@saintmarysepiscopal.org
 
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Adult Ed./Book Study
7:00-8:30 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Nina Johnson at nina@jazmn.net or 651-308-8663 
 
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, January 28, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 
 

Family, Children & Youth Programming January 16-23

by

Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners info, Youth Group info, Beginnings Info and some fun Parish-wide events.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: THIS IS A NEW LINK!
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
Tweeners
Tweeners – it was fun playing games and continuing our mystery this past week. This coming week, please remember to bring art supplies (watercolors) for our paint class!
 
 
Youth Group
Last week we player Among Us again and this coming week we will be putting together a video for Souper Bowl of Caring and we have paint night too! Bring your art supplies!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – January 14th, 2021

by

Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, January 17, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

This will be the 2nd Sunday After the Epiphany and the focus will be on “Revelations to the Childhood of Christ.” Many of our children will participate in this service. The Rev Canon Robert Two Bulls will be our preacher. (See “What’s New” below for further information.)
 
First Reading:  1 Samuel 3:1-10, 11-20 (Will be read as a Play)
Gospel:  John 1:43-51
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on January 17, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Epiphany 2 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Epiphany Song Book – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

What’s New?
  • ECMN is graciously providing sermons by Bishop Loya and Missioners for the last 5 Sundays After the Epiphany. Congregations may use one, a few, many or none. St Mary’s will be incorporating 4 of these sermons into our Zoom services, starting this Sunday, January 17th, with Rev Canon Robert Two Bulls preaching.
  • Have you ever wondered how some people become Readers for our Sunday morning worship services? If you would like to be a Reader now and then, send Anne Green an email at georgeanne1376@yahoo.com. All people (including kids) are invited to be Readers.
  • Do you know everyone who logs in to Sunday morning worship services?  Or might you wonder who that second person on the screen is? Who’s here this morning?? By putting names of all those in your household who are participating in the service on your screen (even those we can’t see), you help us know how many people are attending the service. It’s kind of like wearing your name tag!  It’s more hospitable and inclusive as well.  If you’d like to do this, arrive at the service a little early; on your pc or laptop, click on “Participants” at the bottom of the Zoom screen.
    • Participants: See who’s currently in the meeting and invite others. You can also access to these options:
      • Rename: Hover over your name, click More, and choose Rename to change your screen name displayed to other participants. (Zoom Support) 
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for January 2021 
Sunday, Jan. 17 
GLBTQ+ virtual gathering 7:00 PM 
A quarterly event to connect and support each other
please contact Eily Marlow for more information, including the Zoom link at marloweily@gmail.com
 
Mondays, Jan. 18, 25
Pastoral Care Team Meeting 7:30 PM
 
Friday, Jan. 22
          Elders & Evening Prayer 6:30 PM
 
Wed., Jan. 27 
Grief Circle (Prayer and Support) 7:00 PM
Grief and change are often isolating, but they don’t have to be.  
Join this circle for time to be heard, to connect with others, and to pray.
 
We have launched our new Prayer Chain, a ministry that anyone can support! 
Please contact Rev. Cindi if you would like to be included among those praying for 
the needs of St. Marians or if you have a prayer request. (No meeting required)
 
Looking ahead:
Tues. Feb. 2 at 7 PM
Caregiving for Aging Loved Ones
 
You are invited to join any of these events: 
Reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at 
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Would you like to say THANK YOU?

Please join us in thanking everyone who is working so hard on behalf of our community by signing our online message board. The link is below. The site is easy to use and in addition to a written message, you can add photos and GIFs. Feel free to have fun with it!
 
You may consider dropping a note of gratitude for the amazing Pageant; perhaps you loved Community and Carols; or maybe you’d simply like to thank all of the folks that are working behind the scenes to bring St. Mary’s forward. If possible, please post one message on the board per family, as we have a limited number of posts.

Outreach Opportunities: 

January 24, 2021
Isaiah’s We Make Minnesota Virtual Launch
Please CLICK HERE for more information on the event and/or contact Ginny DeLuca for more information – ginnydeluca1736@gmail.com

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 1/15 – 1/21 

 
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
Sunday, January 17, 2021
GLBTQ+ Virtual Gathering  
7:00 PM
A quarterly event to connect and support each other. Please contact Eily Marlow for more information, including the Zoom link marloweily@gmail.com
 
Monday, January 18, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
7:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at 
 
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Finance Committee Meeting
6:30 PM
Contact finance@saintmarysepiscopal.org for the Zoom link
 
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Adult Choir
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Vonda at musicdirector@saintmarysepiscopal.org
 
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Adult Ed./Book Study
7:00-8:30 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact 
Nina Johnson at nina@jazmn.net or 651-308-8663 
 
Thursday, January 21, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, January 21, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 

Family, Children & Youth Programming January 9-15

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Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners info, Youth Group info, Beginnings Info and some fun Parish-wide events.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THE LINKS WILL NOT BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE REFER TO THE EMAILED INFORMATION OR CONTACT MIALISA FOR THE LINK AT MIALISA@SAINTMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families: THIS IS A NEW LINK!
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am
 
Option #2 Parent Led
 
 
Tweeners
Tweeners please note we have a new link for Winter/ Spring…Use this NEW LINK! We will continue with our mystery this upcoming week and hopefully find out who took the photos.
 
 
Youth Group
Last week we painted and it was so relaxing and so much fun. Next week we plan to do Among Us again and the following week we will do painting again…join us!
  • This is a NEW LINK!!!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
 
 
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church

Saint Mary’s Weekly – January 7th, 2021

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Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, January 10, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

Epiphany was on Wednesday, January 6. This year at St Mary’s we celebrate Epiphany on Sunday, January 10th. For the sermon we’ll be transported to breakout rooms and join in a participatory sermon. Join other St Marians to talk about Epiphany and the Magi/Wise Men.
 
First Reading:  Ephesians 3:1-12
Gospel:  Matthew 2:1-12
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on January 10, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Epiphany I Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Epiphany Song Book – CLICK HERE

Worship Team

Epiphany Message from Bishop Craig Loya
Taken from Bishop Loya’s letter in the ECMN Weekly News:
“…Epiphany is about remembering how the light of Jesus was first revealed in the world, and is an invitation to consider the ways it continues to shine in the present darkness. In the coming Sundays, we’ll hear stories of how the light of God’s love was revealed in the life of Jesus, and be challenged to look for the ways it continues to show up in our own lives today….” 
 
What’s New?
    • Last week’s sermon by Rev Lydia Huttar Brown CLICK HERE.
    • For the remaining 5 Sundays during the Season after Epiphany, we will hear sermons from Bishop Loya and ECMN Missioners.  These sermons will be shared through our St Mary’s zoom services. 
    • On Sunday, February 7, Bishop Craig Loya will be visiting St Mary’s via Zoom and preaching. St. Mary’s Youth will also participate in the service and will hold their annual Super Bowl Fund Raiser.
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
CLICK HERE  to give feedback. Thanks!

Update from Your Transition Team 

We continue preparing the materials we will share with prospective priest candidates.  We are on track with our original timeline.  Most recently, we received feedback from Vestry members, which we are incorporating into the materials. We will present the complete portfolio to the congregation before sending it to Bishop Loya for final review and posting. Details TBA.  The next meeting of the Transition Team is January 9th. Resources: 
 

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Calendar for January 2021 
Mondays, Jan. 11, 18, 25
Pastoral Care Team Meeting 7:30 PM
 
Wednesday, Jan. 13 
Coffee and Conversation with Rev. Cindi 
Come, connect with your neighbors and check in!
10:00 AM, 7:00 PM
 
Friday, Jan. 22 
Elders & Evening Prayer 6:30 PM
 
Wed., Jan. 27 
Grief Circle (Prayer and Support) 7:00 PM
Grief and change are often isolating, but they don’t have to be.  
Join this circle for time to be heard, to connect with others, and to pray.
 
Jan. dates TBA:    
GLBTQ+ gathering
Alzheimers support group
 
We will also launch our new Prayer Chain this month….details TBA 
(No meeting required)
 
You are invited to join any of these events: reach out to Reverend Cindi Brickson at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom link
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org

Would you like to say THANK YOU?

Please join us in thanking everyone who is working so hard on behalf of our community by signing our online message board. The link is below. The site is easy to use and in addition to a written message, you can add photos and GIFs. Feel free to have fun with it!
 
You may consider dropping a note of gratitude for the amazing Pageant; perhaps you loved Community and Carols; or maybe you’d simply like to thank all of the folks that are working behind the scenes to bring St. Mary’s forward. If possible, please post one message on the board per family, as we have a limited number of posts.

Outreach Opportunities: 

January 24, 2021
Isaiah’s We Make Minnesota Virtual Launch
Please CLICK HERE for more information on the event and/or contact Ginny DeLuca for more information – ginnydeluca1736@gmail.com

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 1/8 – 1/14 

Sunday, January 10, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
Monday, January 11, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
7:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136
 
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Coffee and Conversation with Rev. Cindi
10:00 AM & 7:00 PM
Please reply to Cindi at  pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org to reserve your space and get the Zoom link
 
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Adult Choir
7:00 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Vonda at musicdirector@saintmarysepiscopal.org
 
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Adult Ed./Book Study
7:00-8:30 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Nina Johnson at nina@jazmn.net or 651-308-8663 
 
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, January 14, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 
 
Sunday School Online:  
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities, 
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.  
If you receive this email, you are on the list. 
 
Visit the St. Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

Family, Children & Youth Programming January 2-8

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Winter/ Spring Children’s and Youth Programming 2021

Dear All:
 
Here is your informational email on all Children’s and Youth events for the week.
This email has in it Sunday School options, Tweeners info, Youth Group info, Beginnings Info and some fun Parish-wide events.
 
*PLEASE NOTE THAT LINKS TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH EVENTS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE. PLEASE CONTACT MIALISA FOR LINK INFORMATION AT MIALISA@STMARYSEPISCOPAL.ORG*
 
Sunday School Options for Families:
 
Option #1 Sundays from 9:00-9:45am starting September 20th, 2020
Option #2 Parent Led
Tweeners
Tweeners please note we have a new link for Winter/ Spring…Use this NEW LINK! Parents please make certain that your tween is participating in your presence
Youth Group
This coming week we will be doing some painting. Please make sure to bring some paint and a brush and paper.
  • This is a NEW LINK!!!
  • Parents please make certain that your youth is participating in your presence (ie not locked in a room). We may have youth break into breakout rooms in groups of three and will not have an adult for each section. According to Safe Church, this is okay so long as youth are in a space where they are all alone.
  • Wednesday 7:00-8:00pm
  • Youth Leaders: MiaLisa and I am looking for a volunteer!
  • Register by Clicking Here
 
Blessings
MiaLisa McFarland Millares
Children’s and Youth Director
Saint Mary‘s Episcopal Church

Vestry Letter: An Option for Interim Ministry to Saint Mary’s; Reverend Susan Moss

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December 31, 2020

Families and friends of St Mary’s,
 
Your vestry sends this letter today with sincere hopes that it finds you well and in a place of peace and celebration during this Christmas season. The new year will soon be with us and we are looking forward with confidence, hope and optimism for the blessings that 2021 may bring.
 
We are so grateful for all the gifts of time and energy that members of our community are investing for our future. There is so much activity and participation from so many; the worship teams are hosting loving and touching services to nourish us, the music teams fill us with joy and celebration, our children’s ministry continues to redefine creativity and care for our children, the transition team is gathering often with boundless energy to help discern the possibilities for our futures, the finance team is turning countless iterations in stewardship of prospective budgets, the buildings crew is caring for our (largely) empty beloved home, and so much more… in even in the brief and distanced conversations, limited to phones and zoom, the energy and optimism binds us and shines through to brighten our days.
 
We are blessed to have so many members of our congregation filling important roles, but the vestry feels that it would be best to have someone with experience in these matters walking the road with us. An interim priest could help us through this transition by filling important roles between now and when we are able to complete a call for a new permanent rector. Someone who can walk with us, listen to us, support us, guide us, and work with us, as we are and as who we want to be, for the coming months.
 
We are fortunate that ECMN continues to support us through this transition. The Reverend Karen Olson (ECMN) has been more than just a point of contact for us at the diocese. She is our support, she cares for us, and recently (about two weeks ago) she came to the wardens with a potential candidate who might be a fit for us as an interim role: Reverend Susan Moss.
 
Reverend Susan Moss might be a familiar name to you: she knows us, she has presided and preached at services at Saint Mary’s (listen to her sermon December 9th, 2018), she has been a priest in Minnesota for many years, has been part of the diocese (ECMN) in several roles, and to support our congregation she is interested to step out of retirement and into active ministry to work with us on a part time, temporary basis.
 
Reverend Moss has a wealth of experiences and she has the wisdom to teach, guide, and coach. She is formed and grounded in Episcopal traditions, yet she is so open and imaginative in the ways she sees Christ in the world. She has quiet, but seemingly boundless energy and creativity to help others find the joys from God in this world and she calls us all to serve others to share that love.
 
She has been employed as a permanent Rector in stable communities, she has been deployed as a Vicar for a newly-formed mission church, and she has served in interim and transitional roles to guide congregations through tough transition in face of hard realities. She can share more details of her background as our conversations with her continue. In the meantime, we found this summary bio interesting and informative from just a few years ago, written by Rev Barbara Mraz, while Rev Moss was serving an interim role at St John the Evangelist.
 
Within just a few days from the time that Rev Karen Olson brought forward Rev Susan Moss as a potential candidate to serve in a part-time, temporary interim role with Saint Mary’s, our wardens (Caroline Kaker and Jim DeLuca) were able to follow up in a conversation directly with Reverend Moss. Since your vestry has been meeting weekly (on Sunday nights) for the past several months, a timely second conversation was arranged with the larger vestry audience. The activities aligned over a short period of time just about a week ago.
 
The series of two short conversations with Rev Moss went well. The vestry feels that she may be a good fit for this role and hope to further explore this possibility. In this consideration, it is important that we recognize the context of our community situation: we are a strong, lay-led congregation on our way through transition with a need for an experienced hand to help guide us for just awhile along this path. Rev Moss should not be considered as an “applicant” who reached out to us to fill an open position; rather, our mentors within ECMN recognized potential for mutual ministry and helped to guide two parties together toward the next conversation.
 
Also, it is important to note that none of this is certain; it is just promising. It is new and promising enough for us to share this information with you and share some excitement of the possibility. Whether Reverend Susan Moss is the right fit for Saint Mary’s, whether she is the right person to guide us in the coming months is still in discernment.
 
If we were to proceed, the details (the nuts & bolts) of her role, responsibilities, boundaries, start date and contract would need to be worked out. One consideration in discussions with Reverend Moss is that she is only looking to work part-time and will not assume all of the duties filled by a rector. We are blessed to have Reverend Cindi Brickson, a member from our community, serving us in a role of pastoral care and that could continue should we hire Reverend Moss. This continuity of pastoral care would be beneficial as a way to minimize further transitions for the community.
 
One thing Reverend Moss has shared: if she is called by us to serve in a temporary interim role, she will want to know from us; what is our most important work in this world? And, she will want to be there, beside us, working with us.
 
We welcome your feedback on this question as we continue our conversation with Reverend Moss. We also want to hear from you and know how this option appeals (or doesn’t) to you. We are your vestry representatives and we want to be sure we are best considering all of our voices. If you have immediate questions, please reach out to any of the vestry directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
 
We’ve been through many changes together over the recent years and months. As our lives in community continue to evolve, let us continue together on our journey with an eye to the horizon, while we do our best to ensure each step on the path is in firm footing.
 
We also would like to share an update on the deep, discerning, and meaningful work that our Transition Team is doing. The congregation received an update after services on November 15th. Since then, they have continued to meet at least weekly, often with more conversations and gatherings between. Most recently, they shared another update to the Vestry that shows major progress toward developing information needed for a call for a permanent rector. They are focused on the long term; they are casting forward and guiding our eyes toward the horizon with hope for what might for a call for a permanent rector. In their prayerful work, much remains unknown, but they are working hard and with optimism toward a goal of a successful call sometime in mid-year 2021. As they complete that work, we will be asking them to provide another update to the community for their feedback.
 
We appreciate how difficult so many of the transitions of the past two years have been for this community. Please provide us with any feedback on how we as a vestry can serve the congregation through the transitions ahead of us. We look forward to walking that road together with you.
 
In service,
 
Your St. Mary‘s Vestry
 
Caroline Kaker, co-warden
Jim Deluca, co-warden

Saint Mary’s Weekly – December 31st, 2020

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A Letter from the St. Mary‘s Vestry

Please look for another email from St. Mary‘s later today (December 31st) with a letter from the St. Mary‘s Vestry. Your attention and feedback is greatly appreciated.

Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, January 3, 2021

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

On the second Sunday after Christmas, the Rev Lydia Huttar Brown will preside and preach.  There will be lots of Christmas carols included in this service, so please join other St Marians and give voice (muted, of course!) to many of the beautiful carols that enrich this season.
 
First Reading:  I John 3:1-2                      
Gospel:  Matthew 2:19-23
 
Please note that the Zoom information below is new for the New Year!
For the Zoom worship service on January 3, 2021 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 657179
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 915 5954 9145
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 915 5954 9145
If asked for a passcode, use 657179
 
For the Christmas 2 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Christmas 2 Song Book – CLICK HERE

Would you like to say THANK YOU?

Please join us in thanking everyone who is working so hard on behalf of our community by signing our online message board. The link is below. The site is easy to use and in addition to a written message, you can add photos and GIFs. Feel free to have fun with it!
 
You may consider dropping a note of gratitude for the amazing Pageant; perhaps you loved Community and Carols; or maybe you’d simply like to thank all of the folks that are working behind the scenes to bring St. Mary‘s forward. If possible, please post one message on the board per family, as we have a limited number of posts.

Worship Team

Christmas Message
 
     When the song of the angels is stilled,
       When the star in the sky is gone,
         When the Kings and princes are home,
           When the shepherds are back with their flock,
     The work of Christmas begins:
       To find the lost,
         To heal the broken,
           To feed the hungry,
             To release the prisoner,
               To rebuild the nations,
                 To bring peace among people,
                   To make music in the heart.
 
     Howard Thurman,”The Work of Christmas”: The Mood of Christmas & Other Celebrations, 1985
 
What’s New?
  • Last week’s sermon by Rev Carol Arney CLICK HERE.
  • A few folks requested to include the link again for the Pageant from the December 20th, 2020 service CLICK HERE as well as the Lego Gospel CLICK HERE!
  • Epiphany is on Wednesday, January 6. There are 6 Sundays in the Season after Epiphany, starting on January 10th. The Worship Team is currently working on those worship services.
  • On Sunday, February 7, Bishop Craig Loya will be visiting St Mary‘s via zoom and preaching.
Feedback is welcome!
We welcome your feedback and recommendations about worship services.
 
Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

Update from Your Transition Team 

On Sunday, December 20th we met with the vestry to present the narrative part of the Ministry Portfolio (which we affectionately call the “two-pager”). You can watch a recording of our presentation HERE (video will play in your browser window).  We plan to present the complete portfolio to the congregation before sending it to Bishop Loya for final review and posting. Details TBA.  
 
The next meeting of the Transition Team is January 2nd. We would love to hear from you — email us at transitionteam@saintmarysepiscopal.org.

Pastoral Care

Is there something on your mind? 
In your heart?
 
For confidential prayer requests, reach out to Rev. Cindi at: pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org
 
The Pastoral Care Team meets (by Zoom) on Mondays at 7:30 PM.  All are welcome!  
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link.
 
How to contact Rev. Cindi: pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136
 
The Pastoral Care Team is looking for your prayerful support. 
We are beginning a prayer chain ministry!  If you would like to join the chain, or would like more information about how it will work, please reach out to Rev. Cindi.
Come pray with us!

In a Hurry? Donate by Credit Card! 

It’s the end of the year. If there are  too many things to do and not enough time, you can make a year-end or Christmas donation to St. Mary‘s quickly by credit card. Just click on the link below and it will take you to the St. Mary‘s site where you can donate using any credit card. Be aware that a fee of 2.9% of your donation will be deducted from your donation.  
 
 
Have enough time and want your entire donation to go to St. Mary‘s with no fee (that’s our preference too!!)? Mail a check with your year-end or Christmas donation.  We check the mail daily, so it’s safe to send in donations via U.S. mail. Send your check to the following address:
 
St. Mary‘s Episcopal Church
1895 Laurel Ave.
St. Paul, MN  55104 
 
Regardless of how you choose to donate, we appreciate it—-a lot!! 
 
Questions? Contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at 651-308-4895 or rexaholzemer@gmail.com.

Outreach Opportunities: 

January 24, 2021
Isaiah’s We Make Minnesota Virtual Launch
Please CLICK HERE for more information on the event and/or contact Ginny DeLuca for more information – ginnydeluca1736@gmail.com

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary‘s  

Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups for the week of 12/31 – 1/7 

Thursday, December 31, 2020
Saint Mary‘s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, December 31, 2020 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM
 
Sunday, January 3, 2021
Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to follow.  
10:00 AM
 
Monday, January 4, 2021
Pastoral Care Team
7:30 PM
Contact Rev. Cindi for the Zoom link at pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org or 612-998-5136
 
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Saint Mary‘s Men’s Group
7:00 PM
Please email Jim Wheeler if you have any questions or would like to get the Zoom link.
 
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Adult Ed./Book Study
7:00-8:30 PM
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact Nina Johnson at nina@jazmn.net or 651-308-8663 
 
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Saint Mary‘s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click here to contact Julie
 
Thursday, January 7, 2021 
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service Via Zoom
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark  
7:00 PM 
 
Sunday School Online:  
MiaLisa McFarland Millares will send out an email with readings, activities, 
and links for videos and discussions to all on our Constant Contact list.  
If you receive this email, you are on the list. 
 
Visit the St. Mary‘s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.

Saint Mary’s Worship – December 27th, 2020

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Weekly Worship Service

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Worship via Zoom with Coffee Hour to Follow – 10:00 AM

On the first Sunday after Christmas, the Rev Carol Arney will preside and preach.  There will be lots of Christmas carols included in this service, so please join other St Marians and give voice (muted, of course!) to many of the beautiful carols that enrich this season.
 
Music – Vonda Humburg
Technical Assistance – William Welsh & Brian Nerbonne
 
For the Zoom worship service on December 27, 2020 CLICK HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 330173
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 921 8033 3901
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 921 8033 3901
If asked for a passcode, use 330173
 
For the Christmas 1 Service Bulletin – CLICK HERE
For the Christmas 1 Song Book – CLICK HERE