1895 Laurel, Saint Paul MN 55104

Saint Mary's Episcopal Church

1895 Laurel Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104

Saint Mary’s Weekly – February 18, 2022

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

Weekly Worship Services
Sunday, February 20, 2022

  • First Message:  Genesis 45: 3-11, 15
  • Gospel:  Luke 6: 27-38
8:00am – Virtual Adapted Morning Prayer Service via Zoom led by Steve Andrews. In place of a homily, there will be a Gospel Based Discipleship discussion. After the service a Zoom social gathering will be held.
For the 8am Zoom worship service on February 20, 2021 Click HERE
If asked for a passcode, enter 171895
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 878 4182 3048
 
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 20, 2022 Click HERE
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 860 0920 4974
If asked for a passcode, enter Fun
 
For the February 20th Family Sheet – Click HERE
 
10:00am – Virtual Adapted Morning Prayer via Zoom. Karen Olson, Canon for Ministry at Episcopal Church in Minnesota (ECMN) will give the homily; Jennifer Wedel is the Officiant. 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 20, 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 20th Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Epiphany Songbook – Click HERE

What’s in this Weekly?

Worship Team

Name Tags

Keeping our community safe and healthy

Opportunities to serve St. Mary’s

Search Committee

Children and Youth

Outreach & Education

Prayers in the Weekly

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 The Reverend Susan Moss, on February 13, Click HERE.
  • Looking for a new Lent activity? Here’s one possibility…
    Kate Bowler is an associate professor of the History of Christianity in North America at Duke University; she has a podcast; she writes books; she’s an optimist; six years ago she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and given 2 years to live. She invites you to join her in “A Good Enough Lent”. It’s a book, but also available is a free Reflection Guide. Check out katebowler.com/lent/ to learn more or to sign up for the free guide.
  • Another possibility for a new Lent activity…
    These Daily Meditations are email reflections featuring Richard Rohr and the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) faculty, as well as guest teachers and authors, reflecting on the wisdom and practices of the Christian contemplative tradition. Subscribers receive an emailed meditation every day of the week. Each week builds on previous topics—but you can join at any time. On Saturday you’ll receive a summary of the previous week’s meditations and an invitation to practice—this will be your opportunity to go deeper with the wisdom and teachings and apply them to your day-to-day life. The hope is that these meditations will help deepen prayer practice and strengthen compassionate engagement in the world. This could be a Lenten practice or an on-going practice. Click HERE to learn more and to sign up.
  • Worship Schedule for February
    • 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.
    • Mondays @ 7:30pm — Compline
    • Thursdays @ 7:00pm — Contemplative Service
  • 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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Who are we?

Hopefully, it won’t be too much longer and we’ll be able to return to our hybrid worship—both in-person and virtual. The number of cases per 100,000 continues to drop (below 60 on Monday). The Vestry will assess the situation at its
February 22nd meeting and decide if we can resume in-person worship.
 
Let’s be ready!! Let’s all have name badges so in case our eyes showing isn’t enough to let people know who we are, our name badges will do the trick!!! Now I know not everyone will be returning to in-person worship even when it’s available…everyone is assessing risk vs benefit for themselves and their families and making decisions that are right for them. But again, let’s be ready for when each of us comes back to in-person worship and have a name badge waiting for us in the badge rack in the entryway.
 
Unless you’re 100% sure you have a name badge in the rack, let’s get you a new one! Send an email to Paulette Briese or use the “click here” for Worship Feedback and let me know:
  • Your name as you’d like it to appear on your name badge (Include personal pronouns if you’d like them listed)
  • Which style you’d like: pin? clip? lanyard?
  • If you’d like a rainbow pin on your name badge
This also gets us ready for when our new Rector arrives! It will help him/her get to know us easier. Order your new name badge today.
 

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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 are so excited to share that we will soon be visiting with candidates in person (Covid-cautious) for more mutual discernment! We will complete these in-person interviews by the end of February. God be in our ears and in our listening!
 
Prayers for the Search Committee and Candidates
Dear Saint Marians:
 
As the Rector’s Search continues, 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! 
 
Check out the 2022 Youth Group Souper Bowl of Caring video! Click HERE
(As of the publication of the Weekly $261 of the $750 goal has been raised.)
 

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
 
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.

Making a difference in the world – KIVA Loans

Over the years, St Mary’s parishioners have “put money in a pot” to make loans throughout the world through the KIVA organization. Sometimes money was gathered at home parties; other times money was gathered at a soup supper before the Good Friday service. Loans were then made…and eventually those loans (most of them) are re-paid.

Each time money from loans is re-paid, it goes into St Mary’s KIVA account. About once every 3 months, the accumulated money reaches the $1200-1300 level…and then we know it’s time to make new loans!! We don’t want our dollars sitting in the account! We want them out helping people start new businesses or expand already existing businesses or improve their living situation (toilets!) or pay for education expenses for children.

So, recently 11 KIVA loans were made totaling $1,225.00 (plus an additional donation to the KIVA organization). Loans were made to Thailand, El Salvador, Albania, Guatemala (2), Liberia, Vietnam, Philippines, Congo (DRC) and Kyrgyzstan. What were the loans for? Weaving silk cloth; tortillas/hammocks; potato & onion seeds/pay a tractor driver to ready the soil; ingredients to cook food to sell; toilets (2); West African fabric; pearls/gems/thread to make traditional clothing; a cow for milk to drink and sell. Many of the stories talk about earning money so their children can attend school.

Since we haven’t been able to host a Soup Supper the last couple of years, that means we’ve had no “new” donations coming in. Our thanks go out to those who came before us and made donations so it would be possible for us to continue making loans and making a difference in the world.

 

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 2/18 – 2/24

Sunday, February 20, 2022
Virtual Morning Prayer via Zoom
8:00am
Link

Sunday, February 20, 2022
Virtual Family Church Service
9:00am Service
Link

Sunday, February 20, 2022
Virtual Worship Service
10:00am Service
Link

Monday, February 21, 2022
Compline (Now on Mondays!)
7:30pm
Link

Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Vestry Meeting
7:00pm
For more information Click HERE

Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Pre-Tweeners
6:30pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Youth Group
6:30pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Thursday, February 24, 2022
Tweeners
7:00pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Thursday, February 24, 2022
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information – julieandcats at comcast.net

Thursday, February 24, 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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