Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, January 9, 2022
- First Message: Isaiah 60: 1-6
- Gospel: Matthew 2: 1-12
10:00am – Eucharist Service In-person and via Zoom. Social time to follow – outside and in the entryway for those worshiping in person and a Zoom gathering for those worshiping virtually. The Reverend Tom Eklo will be the celebrant and preacher. See “What’s New” for more info regarding Epiphany.
For those joining virtually, please join via Zoom in the link below and the Zoom Host will share the Live Stream. This will allow all of those attending virtually to interact during the service.
What’s in this Weekly?
Worship Team
- Liturgy Matters at St. Mary’s by The Reverend Susan M. Moss
- What’s New? The story of the Epiphany Ring
Keeping our community safe and healthy
Vestry Update
Search Committee
Children and Youth
Outreach
Prayers in the Weekly
Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Worship Team
Dear Saint Marians:
- To hear Bishop Loya’s Christmas sermon, Click HERE.
- Heads up: On Sunday, January 16, in addition to the 10am Worship Service, an 8am adapted Morning Prayer will be led by Steve Andrews via Zoom. Gospel Based Discipleship (discussing the readings for the day) will take place instead of a homily.
- The Epiphany Ring:
Yes, on Sunday, January 9th, St. Mary’s will celebrate Epiphany in-person and virtually. It’s not yet possible to have a piñata for the kids or a cake to hide the 128 year old ring in, but we will have Epiphany cupcakes and the ring will be hidden in one of them! What’s this about a ring, you might ask? And why is a ring connected with Epiphany? Here’s some information passed from Margaret Neily (a longtime St. Mary’s member) to St. Marian LaVonne Mayer who was the keeper of the ring for many years. The ring was kept in the Mayer safety deposit box and brought out every year before the Epiphany celebration which is held the Sunday after Epiphany.
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In 1894 some St. Mary’s women donated gold jewelry and a ring was made. Exactly why this was connected with Epiphany isn’t really known, but this became a much loved tradition. In those days, there were only “Vestrymen”…no Vestrywomen…and only the spouse of a Vestryman could get the ring! To be sure that this would happen, a portion of the cake was designated for these spouses! The finder of the ring would be crowned Queen for the year, and apparently the only benefit (??) derived from being Queen was that the Queen made the cake the next year!! This tradition went on for many years but at some point it was discontinued.
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The ring was kept in a big heavy safe at St. Mary’s. In the 1980’s it was decided that this big safe was obsolete. Jim Jepson “took it off St. Mary’s hands”, and as he was removing everything from the safe, he discovered the ring. He and his wife Kathie decided to bring back the Epiphany ring tradition, but now anyone could find the ring and a Queen or King would be crowned. The Reverend Russ Johnson, St. Mary’s rector at the time, added the piñata for the kids. His daughters put candy in little bags before they were put in the piñata to keep candy clean and to be sure each child could get some candy. No longer was the spouse of a Vestry member responsible for making the cake. For many years the cake was purchased and Kathie would expertly cut into the decorated cake, insert the plastic wrapped ring in the cake and hide all evidence of where the ring was hidden!!
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St. Mary’s master-baker, Joe McManmon, has baked the cake in recent years (pre-Covid shut down) and this year will bake cupcakes!! Thank you, Joe!!
(NOTE: The ring is given back so the tradition can continue for years to come!)
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!
“Love your neighbor” and COVID Protocols
“Love your neighbor” implies to me that we care about, and for, each other. We care about our neighbors near and far and, right now, part of that care involves having COVID protocols that work to keep us all as safe as we can be. Being vaccinated and boosted is expected…that’s the first step.
KN95 masks provide greater protection than cloth or 3-layer paper masks. If you can find them, buy one! If not, there are some at St. Mary’s you can take.
The Vestry again looked at our St. Mary’s protocols at its January 4th meeting and re-affirmed those already in place and added a few more.
- Wear a mask (covering nose and mouth) when in the building.
- Practice 6’ physical distancing (also referred to as “social distancing”).
- Stay home if you’re not feeling well.
- If you’re scheduled for a Sunday morning lay ministry but are feeling uncomfortable with the idea of being with people, know you have permission NOT to come to church. Please let the Verger or Brian Nerbonne or Paulette Briese know ahead of time if you can.
- If you’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID, consider testing or not coming to church.
- If you get a positive test result within 72 hours of being at church, let Brian Nerbonne know so others at St. Mary’s can be made aware of their potential exposure.
Yes, in the world we live in today, part of how we show our love for our neighbor is by doing our part to keep not only ourselves, but also those we come in contact with, as safe as we can. Thank you, St. Mary’s, for being concerned about the common good and for loving your neighbors.
Paulette Briese
Worship Team
Summary of the January 4, 2022 Vestry Meeting
Search Committee
Lord Jesus Christ you are the Light of the World!
St. Mary’s Children’s and Youth for Winter
Outreach
MICAH (Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing) Legislative Breakfast on January 26, 2022
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at this email (micahbrkfst@comcast.net). We hope to see members from your community at this important event.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for those on Saint Mary’s prayer list: Don; Anne; Kirby; Amara; Steven, 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@gmail.com. The prayer list will be updated weekly, and all prayers will remain on the list for one month unless otherwise requested.
Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 1/7 – 1/13
Sunday, January 9, 2022
Hybrid Worship Service
10:00am Service
Link
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Men’s Group Gathering
7:00pm
For more information Click HERE
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Compline
7:30pm
Link
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Youth Group
6:30pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Tweeners
7:00pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link (please note that the link has been updated for 2022)
Visit the Saint Mary’s Calendars page for more information on what is happening.