1895 Laurel, Saint Paul MN 55104

Saint Mary's Episcopal Church

1895 Laurel Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104

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Saint Mary’s Weekly – February 11, 2022

February 10, 2022 by communications


IMPORTANT NOTICE: St. Mary’s continues Virtual Services until the end of February

Weekly Worship Services
Sunday, February 13, 2022

  • First Message: Jeremiah 17:5-10
  • Gospel: Luke 6: 17-26
9:00am – Virtual Family Church Service via Zoom. Thanks for all of your feedback, we will continue doing the Family church service for the month of February and then reassess again.  All are welcome.  The service begins at 9am and lasts about 20 minutes.
To join the 9am Family Church Service on February 13, 2022 Click HERE
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 860 0920 4974
If asked for a passcode, enter Fun
 
For the February 13th Family Sheet – Click HERE
 
10:00am – Virtual Adapted Eucharist Service via Zoom. The Reverend Susan Moss will give the homily. After the service a Zoom social gathering will be held.
No in-person service. Worship is via Zoom only.
To join the 10am worship on February 13, 2022 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 277625
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 818 4016 4967
 
To join by cell phone only (voice only, no video),
call: 312-626-6799
Enter Meeting ID 818 4016 4967
If asked for a passcode, use 277625
 
For the February 13th Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Epiphany Songbook – Click HERE

What’s in this Weekly?

Worship Team

  • What’s New? Zoom-in’ right along!!

Keeping our community safe and healthy

  • St. Mary’s continues Virtual Services until the end of February

Opportunities to serve St. Mary’s

  • Ask not what St. Mary’s can do for you – ask what you can do for St. Mary’s

Search Committee

  • Update from the Search Committee
  • Prayers for the Search Committee and Candidates

Children and Youth

  • Souper Bowl of Caring
  • NEW! Pre-Tweeners
  • Youth Group and Tweeners
  • NEW! Sunday morning Family Service

Outreach & Education

  • A Message from Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light
  • Making a difference in the world – KIVA Loans

Prayers in the Weekly

  • Prayer Requests
  • CaringBridge for Don Horton

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s

  • New!: The Evening Compline Service has moved from Tuesday nights to Monday nights at 7:30pm.
  • New!: The Thursday evening Contemplative Service will be Zoom only until the end of February and will then be reassessed.

Worship Team

What’s New?
  • To hear the homily given by Anna Clark, St. Mary’s parishioner, on February 6, Click HERE.
  • Worship Schedule for February
    • February 13—
      • 9:00am Family Service.
      • 10:00am Eucharist. The Reverend Susan Moss is celebrant and preacher.
    • February 20—
      • 8:00am Adapted Morning Prayer with Gospel Based Discipleship.
      • 9:00am Family Service.
      • 10:00am Adapted Morning Prayer. ECMN Canon for Ministry Karen Olson will preach.
    • February 27—
      • 9:00am Family Service.
      • 10:00am Eucharist. The Reverend Susan Moss is celebrant and preacher.
  • Come to Zoom church and see faces you may not have seen for awhile. Even though it’s been great to have both the Zoom and in-person worship options, it’s also nice to have the community gathered all together.
  • Looking for a new Lenten activity? Lent Madness may be for you…Read on…

Lent Madness began in 2010 as the brainchild of The Rev. Tim Schenck. In seeking a fun, engaging way for people to learn about the men and women comprising the church’s Calendar of Saints, Tim came up with this unique Lenten Devotion. Combining his love of sports with his passion for the lives of saints, Lent Madness was born on his blog, now called “Clergy Confidential”.

The format is straightforward: 32 saints are placed into a tournament-like single elimination bracket. Each pairing remains open for a set period of time and people vote for their favorite saint. 16 saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Faithful Four; two to the Championship; and the winner is awarded the coveted Golden Halo. The first round consists of basic biographical information about each of the 32 saints. Things get a bit more interesting in the subsequent rounds as we offer quotes and quirks, explore legends, and even move into the area of saintly kitsch. 

As Lent Madness continues to grow and evolve, what won’t change is the essence of Lent Madness: allowing people to get to know some amazing people who have come before us in the faith and reminding one another that there’s no reason for a dreary Lenten discipline. If this helps people connect with the risen Christ during this season of penitence and renewal, and have a bit of fun in the process, then it continues to be worthwhile.

Want to check it out or sign up? Go to www.lentmadness.org

  • Still thinking about giving the Worship Team input about your yearnings/longings around worship at St. Mary’s? It’s never too late to let us know what you’re thinking about. Use the feedback link below.

Feedback is welcome!
Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

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St. Mary’s continues Virtual Services through the end of February

The COVID wave may soon be peaking, but we have a ways to go before it dissipates. On Tuesday, January 25, the St. Mary’s vestry discussed whether to resume holding in-person worship services. We have continued to watch the cathedral, which has said they will not return in-person until case rates approach 100. When the Vestry made this decision, Ramsey County case rates were over twice that. With this in mind, the vestry decided to continue with virtual services through the end of February. Our first in-person service is slated to be on Ash Wednesday, March 2, in time for the start of Lent.
 
We recognize that this news may disappoint some people. In-person worship is an important ritual and social function for many of us, and it is hard for virtual services to fully replace that experience. We all hope conditions improve by March so that we can follow through on the plan to return to in-person. Until then, we hope to have you join us online for services.
 
Sincerely,
 
The St. Mary’s Vestry

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Ask not what St. Mary’s can do for you – ask what you can do for St. Mary’s

What gifts and talents has God given you? How might you be called to share your time and talents to build up the body of Christ at St. Mary’s? Where is the Spirit calling you to serve?
 
If you have been at St. Mary’s awhile, you have certainly heard the phrase, or perhaps more importantly seen the actions – “It takes a village.” In spite of a pandemic there is so much going on at St. Mary’s and many hands are needed to help keep our village thriving. Would you like to get to know St. Marians better and what makes the church “tick”? Below are some of the immediate opportunities to serve at St. Mary’s as well as some of the upcoming opportunities. Please feel free to be curious and ask questions about these positions and step up if one seems right for you or provides an opportunity to grow and to get to know your community better.
 
Immediate opportunities to serve:
Altar Guild – Join the team that helps prepare the Altar and Sanctuary for worship and other services. Kitty McFarland – mcfarlandkitty274 at gmail.com
Saint Mary’s Weekly – If you like communication and have some editorial skills, please join the team in creating the Weekly. Communications Team – communications@saintmarysepiscopal.org
Stewardship Committee – Are you interested in helping St. Mary’s grow? Are you wondering where our money comes from? If you answered YES to these questions, our community is asking each of you to consider whether participation with the Stewardship committee could be your ministry at St. Mary’s. Cindy James – james.c.a at comcast.net or Jim Wheeler – james.jw.wheeler at gmail.com
Finance Committee – If you have an interest in helping guide the finances of St. Mary’s, please consider joining the Finance Committee. All St. Mary’s members are welcome to sit in on the monthly Finance Committee meetings. finance@saintmarysepiscopal.org
Technology (Worship Assistance) – Join the team that keeps the audio working and Live Stream accessible to those attending worship virtually. Commitment is a Sunday every month or two based on your availability. Todd Reemtsma – todd.reemtsma at gmail.com
Technology (Equipment & Infrastructure) – Someone with knowledge or interest in networks and equipment to work with the Buildings & Grounds Team to improve and maintain our network at St. Mary’s. building@saintmarysepiscopal.org
 
Upcoming opportunities to serve:
Warden(s) – 1 or 2 people to serve a term-limit of no more than 3 years. Elected at the 2022 Annual Meeting.
Vestry Members – 2 or 3 new Vestry members to replace outgoing Vestry members with a 3-year term. Elected at the 2022 Annual Meeting.
Treasurer – Appointed during the first meeting of the 2022-23 Vestry.
Vestry Clerk – Appointed during the first meeting of the 2022-23 Vestry.
 
Please note that most committees – Worship, Communications, Finance, Buildings & Grounds – can be joined at any time that you might be interested.
 

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Search Committee

Update from the Search Committee
We’ve finished our first, short interviews (on Zoom) with candidates. We are conducting second interviews, also on Zoom. We’ve also asked each candidate to answer a short essay question, we’ve listened to recordings of their sermons, and we are answering thoughtful questions from the candidates. Each candidate brings different gifts and experiences to the table, and we are excited to have deeper discussions about our community’s needs and their strengths. After the second interviews, finalists will visit with the search committee in person for more mutual discernment. God be in our ears and in our listening!
 
Prayers for the Search Committee and Candidates
Dear Saint Marians:
 
As the Rector’s Search begins anew, let us remain constant in prayer for members of the Search Committee and the candidates who have come forward.
 
Faithfully, 
 
Susan
The Rev. Susan M. Moss
 
 Let us pray:
 

Lord Jesus Christ you are the Light of the World!

May your Holy Spirit continue to  guide and illumine the discerning hearts and minds of the Saint Mary’s Search Committee and rector candidates, in the search for a faithful pastor who will care for your people and equip us for ministries in your name.  Amen.
 

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St. Mary’s Children’s and Youth for Winter

Souper Bowl of Caring
The Youth Group is raising money for the Souper Bowl of Caring this year again! This year they chose Community Bridge as the recipient for the funds. Here is the link to their fundraising page. Please share widely! If you prefer to send a check for this effort, please mark Souper Bowl of Caring in the Memo so we can make sure the funds are added to this effort! 

https://map.tacklehunger.org/donate/stmarysyouth22

NEW! Pre-Tweeners Group on Wednesday from 6:30pm – 7pm:
We just started a group for kids who are K-2nd grade.  Any child in that age group is welcome to join.  We will be having a question of the day, talk about our lows and highs and then do a show and tell.  All children K-2 are welcome to join. Please contact Mia for the link! 

Youth Group:
Join Kat for youth group on Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm-8:00pm We are excited that the youth will be back in person again this year! Just a reminder that Youth Group is for young people who are 7th through 12th grade. Stay tuned to our text chain. Kat will inform the group if YG will be virtual or in person. Contact Mia if you need to be added to the group.
 
Tweeners:
Join Mia and Emily for Tweeners on Thursdays from 7-7:45pm. The meeting will be virtual. Please contact Mia for the link!
 
NEW! Family Service on Sunday at 9:00am:
Thanks for all of your feedback, we will continue doing the Family church service for the month of February and then reassess again.  All are welcome.  The service begins at 9am and lasts about 20 minutes.
 
Topic: Family Church
 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86009204974?pwd=QU1TOTVyR0pDMW5xWXd5YUxBdk9xQT09
 
Meeting ID: 860 0920 4974
Passcode: Fun
 

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Outreach & Education

From MNIPL – Tell our state legislators that Minnesotans want bold climate action this year!

The 2022 session of the Minnesota Legislature has begun, and our lawmakers need to hear from us on climate! Our state has billions of dollars in budget surplus and additional federal dollars to spend. The newly announced MN House Climate Action Plan proposes investing $1 billion of the surplus in climate solutions. We can invest in clean energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, good-paying green jobs, and cleaner air. Click here to send your elected officials a strong message: 2022 is the year to prioritize climate action! 

Why this matters:

Our lawmakers need to hear from us at the start of the legislative session about the importance of bold climate action. Every call, email, and meeting makes a difference! Read more about the MN House Climate Action Plan, which proposes  investing in clean energy, clean transportation, energy efficiency, and climate resilience. Later this spring, you’ll have an opportunity to help your congregation further this message by participating in an in-district meeting with your legislators on Zoom. Register for our “How to meet your State Senator” training on February 15, where you’ll learn more about this exciting opportunity!

Making a difference in the world – KIVA Loans

This is a Report from the Xemuji Group in Guatemala. St Mary’s made a loan to this group and the group is re-paying the loan. Thanks to The Reverend Susan Moss for the translation.

Mayan women, textile weavers, are those who, for the most part, stick to tradition wearing typical traditional clothing. This is why Felipa, 64, stands out. She is an entrepreneur, married and mother of 10 children between the ages of 14 and 41. 

Felipa says because her large family is so large, her children could only attend school for 6 years. To generate her own income while not neglecting her children’s upbringing, Felipa decided to weave belts typical [of the region] to sell in the community market.

Felipa’s children are married, so she needs to generate her own income to defray the cost of her home’s basic services.

That’s why she acquired the third Kiva loan last March.

Thanks to the new financing, Felipa could actually buy a variety of good quality yarns and another back strap loom.

There are nine women that gave life to the Xemuj Community Bank. This group of women are in solidarity with one another and are motivated… investing capital into their textile businesses and
raising animals.

They have little or no formal education so the loan program, informal education and the health service “Microcrédito Plus” gives them monthly education training.

Studying finance allows these women to be able to effectively invest capital into their businesses and to save part of their earnings for an emergency. 

In matters of health, they were visited by nurses from the institution who visited their homes every two months.

They also were able to become familiar with their rights and duties as women, mothers and spouses.

Thanks to all who have given loan to Kiva, these women move forward creating a more prosperous and sustainable future.

 
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Prayer Requests

Please pray for those on Saint Mary’s prayer list: Don; Claire; the Horton family; Anne; Kirby; Amara; the Strande family; Steven; Georgia; the Weber Nelson/Nelson family; Bishop Craig Loya as he leads the ECMN; all frontline workers; teachers and those who support children and youth in education, all who are thinking about getting or waiting to get a COVID vaccine or booster; all who are homeless, unemployed, or struggling financially; doctors, nurses, caregivers, and all who care for the sick or dying; all who work for new systems of justice and equity; all who are in need of prayer.

If you would like a name to be added to Saint Mary’s public prayer list, please email claire1412 at gmail.com. The prayer list will be updated weekly, and all prayers will remain on the list for one month unless otherwise requested.

CaringBridge for Don Horton

Hello my dear friends,

If you would like to stay updated on my dad’s health situation and don’t use Facebook, I will be posting updates on CaringBridge too.

Website Link: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/donhorton

Much love,

Claire Horton

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Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 2/11 – 2/17

Sunday, February 13, 2022
Virtual Family Church Service
9:00am Service
Link

Sunday, February 13, 2022
Virtual Worship Service
10:00am Service
Link

Monday, February 14, 2022
Compline (Now on Mondays!)
7:30pm
Link

Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Finance Committee Meeting
6:30pm
For more information Click HERE

Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Pre-Tweeners
6:30pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Youth Group
6:30pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Thursday, February 17, 2022
Tweeners
7:00pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Thursday, February 17, 2022
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information – julieandcats at comcast.net

Thursday, February 17, 2022
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link (please note that the Contemplative Service will be Virtual Only until the end of February and then reassessed)

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

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Filed Under: News, Outreach, Transition Team, Vestry, Weekly News and Announcements

covid 19 update

This page may not reflect St. Mary’s current programming, as we continue to emerge from the pandemic. As of June 2021, for example, we have both in-person and Zoom options for attending our Sunday 10:00 a.m. worship service.

Find the current status of all St. Mary’s programming and community activities on THIS PAGE. Join us!

Our decisions about how to conduct activities at St. Mary’s are guided by our belief that it is our duty to care for one another as children of God, as well as by guidance from the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota.

 

© 2022 · St. Mary’s Episcopal Church