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.
For more information: pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org
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
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
pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org for a Zoom link
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
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.
For more information: pastoralcare@saintmarysepiscopal.org
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
If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please contact
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Thursday, March 4, 2021
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.