1895 Laurel, Saint Paul MN 55104

Saint Mary's Episcopal Church

1895 Laurel Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104

Saint Mary’s Weekly – February 25, 2022

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

Weekly Worship Services
Sunday, February 27, 2022

  • First Message:  Exodus 34:29-35
  • Gospel:  Luke 9:28-36
9:00am – Virtual Family Church Service via Zoom. All are welcome.  The service begins at 9am and lasts about 20 minutes.
To join the 9am Family Church Service on February 27, 2022 Click HERE
If asked for a meeting ID, enter 860 0920 4974
If asked for a passcode, enter Fun
 
For the February 27th Family Sheet – Click HERE
For the February 27th Activity Sheet – Click HERE
 
10:00am – Virtual Eucharist via Zoom. The Reverend Susan Moss will give the homily and be the Celebrant and Steve Andrews will be the Lay Leader. 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 27, 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 27th Service Bulletin – Click HERE
For the Epiphany Songbook – Click HERE

What’s in this Weekly?

Worship Team

Name Tags

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 returning to hybrid in March!

Worship Team

Liturgy Matters in Lent by The Reverend Susan M. Moss
On March 2, Ash Wednesday, we turn the liturgical corner into the observation of the 40 day penitential season of Lent.
 
We will hear again, the invitation to observe a holy Lent, receive ashes as a sign of our mortality and pray together the Litany of Penitence before celebrating the Eucharist.
 
As Lent begins,  my practice is to listen again to the voice of a master teacher: The Rev. John Westerhoff who in his book, A Pilgrim People writes:
 

There comes a time in our human pilgrimage when we come aware of lost innocence.

The naïveté of childhood comes to an end and we face up to the hard  realities about ourselves, others and the world…

…As persons and as the church we examine our interior and exterior lives. 

Aware that God accepts us just as we are and offers us forgiveness for the times we have denied who we really are, we enter a penitential season in the church’s eternal cycle. 

Penance: acts of making whole again and repairing damage done, [and] growing in grace…

…In Lent we face up to the struggle to acknowledge who we really are and the continuing battle with the principalities and powers in our lives and history that prevents us  —

not entirely against our will–from actualizing our true identity.

Lent is that serious, contemplative time when we prepare for the renewal of our baptismal covenant we will make at Easter. 

Easter is the key to the church’s story, but without a holy lent, its power is diminished. The stories told in Lent help us to face up to our temptations and the ever present threat of evil; they help us to face up to the ways in which we need to die and the narrow gate through which we need to pass; they help us to face up to  our blurred visions, misplaced loyalties, and wrongful desire; they help us face up to our blindness and to the healing and nourishment we need; and they help us to face up to the ways in which we are bound and trapped.

May God create in us a clean heart…and renew a right spirit within us these next 40 days of Lent.

Faithfully, Susan

Episcopal 101: For a brief review of  Lent’s history 

What’s New?
  • Back to hybrid worship—in-person and virtual!! Hybrid services return Ash Wednesday, March 2nd .
  • Ash Wednesday service, in-person at St Mary’s and via Zoom, will be at 7pm, straight from the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and will include the imposition of ashes.
    • If you’re joining via Zoom, have your ashes (from a fireplace, candle wicks, matches, BBQ briquettes are some possibilities!) with you. When imposition of ashes is taking place at St. Mary’s, you may make the sign of the cross on others in your household. If you are alone, you can make the sign of the cross on your own forehead.
    • Another option for imposition of ashes: Our neighbor, St. Clements at 901 Portland Avenue in St. Paul, will have imposition of ashes from 4-6pm outdoors.
  • To hear the homily given by Karen Olson, Canon for Ministry at ECMN (Episcopal Church of Minnesota), on February 20, Click HERE.
  • Looking for a new Lent activity? Here are some possibilities…
    • Monday evenings at 7:30pm, join other St. Marians for a Compline service. This is a beautiful way to end your day. Look for the link in the “Upcoming Events at St. Mary’s” section of this Weekly Email. (Virtual only)
    • Thursday evenings at 7:00pm, join other St. Marians for a Contemplative gathering in the St. Mary’s Chapel or via Zoom. This is another beautiful way to end your day.
    • ECMN extends an invitation to observe a Holy Lent by using 5 different spiritual practices, one for each week of Lent. The intent is not to add “one more thing” to your busy life, but to help you slow down so God can fill you spiritually. Join other Episcopalians from all over Minnesota in these spiritual practices. Click HERE to access ECMN info and link.
    • Kate Bowler’s free Reflection Guide, “A Good Enough Lent”. Check out katebowler.com/lent/ to learn more or to sign up for the free guide.
    • 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. This could be a Lenten practice or an on-going practice. Click HERE to learn more and to sign up.
    • Learn more about saints. For a bit more info, refer back to the 2/11/22 Weekly Email or google www.lentmadness.org to check it out or sign up.
  • Worship Schedule for LENT (hybrid—in-person & virtual unless otherwise shown)
    • March 2—
      • 7:00pm Ash Wednesday service, including imposition of ashes.
    • March 6—
      • 9:00am Family Service led by MiaLisa Millares (virtual)^^
      • 10:00am Adapted Morning Prayer. Buff Grace will give the homily.
    • March 13—
      • 9:00am Family Service led by MiaLisa Millares (virtual)^^
      • 10:00am Eucharist with The Rev Susan Moss as Celebrant. Homily given by Cherry Say from Church of the Messiah in St Paul. **
    • March 20—
      • 8:00am Adapted Morning Prayer with Gospel Based Discipleship led by Steve Andrews.
      • 9:00am Family Service led by MiaLisa Millares (virtual)^^
      • 10:00am Adapted Morning Prayer. Homily given by The Reverend John Mitchell from St. Andrew’s in Minneapolis.**
    • March 27—
      • 9:00am Family Service led by MiaLisa Millares (virtual)^^
      • 10:00am Eucharist with The Rev Susan Moss as Celebrant. Homily given by The Venerable Rena Turnham, Archdeacon, ECMN. **
    • April 3—
      • 9:00am Family Service led by MiaLisa Millares (virtual)^^
      • 10:00am Adapted Morning Prayer. Homily given by The Reverend Canon Blair Pogue, Canon for Vitality and Innovation, ECMN**
    • Mondays @ 7:30pm — Compline
    • Thursdays @ 7:00pm — Contemplative Service

**Homilies pre-recorded, part of the ECMN Lent Homily Series.
^^Will be assessed to decide whether or not to continue these.

  • Stay tuned for changes in COVID protocols—come back and read about them next Friday!

Feedback is welcome!

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.

Click HERE to give feedback. Thanks!

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Who are we?

Next week we’re back doing hybrid worship, both in-person and virtual!! Yeah!!
 
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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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 then donate HERE! https://map.tacklehunger.org/donate/stmarysyouth22
(As of the publication of the Weekly $314 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

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.

 

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 2/25 – 3/3

Sunday, February 27, 2022
Virtual Family Church Service
9:00am Service
Link

Sunday, February 27, 2022
Virtual Worship Service
10:00am Service
Link

Monday, February 28, 2022
Compline (Now on Mondays!)
7:30pm
Link

Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Men’s Group
7:00pm
For more information Click HERE

Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Pre-Tweeners
6:30pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Youth Group
6:30pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Hybrid Ash Wednesday Service
7:00pm Service (see above for additional information)
Link

Thursday, March 3, 2022
Tweeners
7:00pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Thursday, March 3, 2022
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information – julieandcats at comcast.net

Thursday, March 3, 2022
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link (please note that the Contemplative Service returns to In-person and Virtual!)

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

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