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 – November 26, 2021

November 26, 2021 by communications


Weekly Worship Service
Sunday, November 28, 2021

  • First Message: Jeremiah 33:14-16
  • Gospel: Luke 21:25-36    
10:00am – Adapted Morning Prayer Worship Service In-person and via Zoom with social time to follow for those worshipping in person (see “What’s New” in Worship Team section) and Zoom gathering for those worshipping virtually. Instead of a Homily, we’ll hear Bishop Loya’s Address to the ECMN Convention on November 5, 2021.

The new format for the 10am service has seemed to work well for those attending 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.

For the 10am Zoom worship service on November 28, 2021 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 Service Bulletin – Click HERE
Lighting of Advent Wreath Candles – Click HERE
NEW! For the 2021 Advent Songbook – Click HERE

What’s in this Weekly?

Worship Team

  • Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s 
  • What’s New? Advent Schedule & Devotionals

Update on the October 21st Letter from Bishop Loya

  • Details on scheduling a meeting with LeeAnne

Finance Committee

  • Updates from the monthly Finance Committee meeting

Children and Youth

  • Youth Group and Tweeners
  • Family Advent Resources

Outreach

  • All Our Good Holiday Giving
  • The Saint Mary’s Angel Tree is Back!
  • KIVA Loans – St. Mary’s “Out in the World”

Prayers in the Weekly

  • Prayer Requests

Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s


Worship Team

Liturgy Matters at Saint Mary’s by Ginny DeLuca, Worship Team member

Nurturing the Roots of Our Community:
An Advent Service of Healing and Renewal 

led by The Rev. Susan M. Moss
Saturday, Dec. 4th at 4pm

Let us prepare the way for renewal at Saint Mary’s as we experience Advent this year. Join us for a Healing and Renewal Service, Saturday Dec. 4, 2021 at 4pm. 

Saint Mary’s has experienced many changes these past few years, some which went smoother than others, to say the least. On November 28th we enter the season of Advent in preparation for the birth of Jesus as we also prepare to call a new Rector. There have been requests to have a time where all our community may gather together and support each other as we heal; a time to come with our faith and doubts, hopes and fears as we prepare for what that exciting future can be! No matter where we are on our journey, we recognize that the community of Saint Mary’s is important to us.

In her October 24th sermon, Susan Moss reminded us about a gardener’s care when she and her neighbors rescued and transplanted perennials from the backyard of a house on their alley that had been torn down. “Some of the plants were really tattered…we reminded each other– protect the roots!… we need to protect  that which has been entrusted to our care.”  This definitely sums up our community; we’re feeling a bit ragged, some of us more than others. Remember, our roots are good, we need to nurture them, protect and care for them. Let us all create space for a time to be together to offer that care, show support, and pray as we prepare to move forward and thrive. God is Good!

What’s New?

  • To listen to the homily given by The Rev. Susan Moss on November 21st, Click HERE.
  • Winter temps are now with us and the Worship Team has discussed how to do Social Time for in-person worshippers in a COVID-safe way. Here’s what we came up with! Some folks may still want to gather outside, and that’s just fine…feel free to gather in front of the entrance as you’ve done in the past or in the “garth” (which would give you some protection from the wind). People can also stay inside and gather in the entryway area with the front doors and doors to the “garth” open for good air flow…even better protection from the wind and hopefully a little warmer than outside. Let’s give it a try…and please give us your feedback and other ideas.
  • Worship Schedule
    • There will be a Christmas Pageant. The date is TBD.
    • Sun—Nov 28…10am adapted Morning Prayer—Advent 1 (Bishop Loya’s Convention Address)
    • Sat— Dec 4……4pm Nurturing the Roots of Our Community: An Advent Service of Healing and Renewal” (The Rev. Susan Moss, officiant)
    • Sun—Dec 5……10am Eucharist—Advent 2 (The Rev. Susan Moss)
    • Sun—Dec 12…..8am adapted Morning Prayer–Advent 3 (Zoom only)
    • Sun—Dec 12….4pm Lessons & Carols—Advent 3 (The Rev. Susan Moss, officiant)
    • Sun—Dec 19….10am Eucharist—Advent 4 (The Rev. Lydia Huttar Brown)
    • Fri— Dec 24……4pm Eucharist—Christmas Eve (The Rev. Susan Moss)
    • Sat— Dec 25…..No service
    • Sun—Dec 26…. Let’s Zoom together to St. Mark’s Cathedral in Mpls–More info to come                       
    • Sun—Jan 2…….10am Christmas carols & adapted Morning Prayer
  • On December 4th and Eucharist Sundays in Advent, the sacrament of Laying on of Hands & Annointing will be offered.
  • And another free Advent Devotional…this one by Kate Bowler entitled “The Season of Almost: A 4-week Advent Devotional”. Kate says:
    Many of us still feel we are living in uncertainty. We feel exhausted and weary under the weight of this distended anxiety and fear. And yet, the long dawn of Advent is coming. Advent is the season of almost. Almost Christmas. Almost an end to a pandemic. Almost vaccines for everyone. As we learn to sit in the faint glow of a long Advent which begins this Sunday, November 28th , we need gentle reminders to look for hope and beauty and love. My hope and prayer is that this will be a way for us to make the very act of waiting, holy. And as we anticipate Christ’s birth together, may we experience the stubborn hope of Christmas, joy in the midst of sorrow, a love that knows no bounds, and a transcendent peace amid a world on fire. Jesus can’t be born soon enough. 
    Click HERE to download this devotional.
  • Do you know about #AdventWord? 28 daily words, meditations and images will be offered during this holy season beginning Sunday, November 28.  There is also a new Advent devotional published by Forward Movement, Promise & Praise, which corresponds with the daily reflection words of AdventWord, including reflections by Bishop Curry and Lisa Kimball who teaches at VTS (Virginia Theological Seminary) and who some of you know.  Click HERE to learn more and to sign up for AdventWord.
  • The Worship Team is looking for new members who would like to help plan the liturgy for one season. Advent is already planned so we’re looking ahead to Epiphany. Epiphany Sundays  include January 9 through February 27 ( 7 Sundays). Planning for these Sundays will start at the Worship Team meeting  on Tuesday, December 7, from 4-6pm at St Mary’s. Click HERE if you’re interested in joining us!

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!

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Update on the October 21st Letter from Bishop Loya

This will be the final posting of this message in the Weekly.

In his October 21st pastoral letter to St. Marians Bishop Loya wrote:

… I recognize that given the nature of LeeAnne’s departure, some of you may want to have a conversation with her in order to bring closure to your pastoral relationship with her. If so, please be in touch with my office, and I will work with you and LeeAnne to arrange for you to meet. 

To make an appointment with The Rev. LeeAnne Watkins for the purposes of bringing closure to a pastoral relationship, please contact Karen Olson, Missioner for Ministry at karen.o@episcopalmn.org or call Karen at 612-423-3902 (cell)
 
Available times: Monday 9-4; Wednesday 1-8; Friday 9-4
Place: St John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, 60 Kent Street, St. Paul 55102
 
The names of those who want to schedule time with LeeAnne are confidential and will not be shared. Conversations are private.

Please contact us if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Brian Nerbonne, Warden michigander_guy@yahoo.com
Susan Moss, Transition Priest susan@saintmarysepiscopal.org

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Updates from the Finance Committee monthly meeting

Due to two large contributions, pledge donations were $7.2K over budget for the month of October. Pledge contributions are now $32,600 over budget for the year. Total income for the year is $31,400 over budget. Expenses were $3,700 under budget for October and are $31,300 under budget for the year. One of the contributing factors to lower expenses is that the approved budget includes a ¾ time priest with benefits effective July 1, 2021, and we continue to employ only an interim priest at 15 hours/week.
 
Year to date, we are running $62,700 ahead of budget based on our deficit budget of ($23,232). In other words, we currently have a $39,500 surplus for the year. We expect lower than monthly pledge income in November and December given a number of parishioners have fulfilled their annual pledges in the last several months through large donations. Regardless, we are now projecting that we may at least end the year with a balanced budget, which is better than expected! Thanks to each of you for your continued financial support of St. Mary’s!
 
If you have any questions regarding our budget or financial status, please feel free to contact Rex Holzemer, Treasurer, at 651-308-4895 or rexaholzemer@gmail.com.
 

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

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.
 
Tweeners:
Join Mia and Emily for Tweeners on Thursdays from 7-7:45pm. Please note that Tweens will be on THURSDAY and not on WEDNESDAY due to the availability of the tweens that expressed interest! The meeting will be virtual. Please contact Mia for the link!
 
Family Advent Resources:
Parents, here are some advent resources that emphasize ideas that can work well for your Family Advent adventures at home. There are some great ideas in the newsletter for each week. Each week emphasizes advent in a different country! Take the time to learn about traditions in the Philippines, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Norway. They also give ideas for creating together (a craft), serving together (family service) and exploring together! Enjoy this time together as a family, bringing church into your home this Advent season. 
 
Click HERE for the link
 

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All Our Good Holiday Giving

Nina Johnson is asking for your help in collecting donations for the annual holiday community event sponsored by Zion Baptist Church, We Win Institute, and the Racial Justice Network. Several St. Marians donated a total of 100 gift cards last year to this cause, and it was a huge success!

Event details: 

“All Our Good Holiday Giving”
Saturday, December 18
11:00am-3:00pm
Zion Baptist Church
621 Elwood Ave N, Minneapolis
Hosted by Zion Baptist Church, We Win Institute, and Racial Justice Network

Last year we welcomed over 300 adults and children and gave away over 1,600 toys, books, and gift cards in 2 hours. This year, we’re doubling the length of the event and we plan to double the amount of inventory.  

What we need–

*2500 gifts (ages birth to 18 years)
*1000 Target, Walmart, Cub Foods gift cards ($10)
*$5,000 to purchase books by Black authors and illustrators

Several other churches, community partners, and corporate partners are also being asked to help make this happen. Since we know there are supply chain issues this season, we’re asking for your help in securing dollars or gifts as soon as possible. 

Please let Nina Johnson know how you can help. Organizers are hoping to have a preliminary total number of gifts, gift cards, and/or dollars by December 5, if possible, so we can plan accordingly.

Please contact Nina Johnson at 651-308-8663 or nina@jazmn.net with any questions.

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The Angel Tree is Back!

Starting next week, the weekly will have a link to a student at Galtier School whom the social worker has identified as someone to receive an angel tree gift provided by the generous families of St. Mary’s.

We will be provided the age, gender and sizes of clothing for each child and since we can’t have a real angel tree this year, please open the link and sign up for either an article of clothing or a toy/gift/game.

Then please wrap your gift in a holiday gift bag , put the child’s number very conspicuously on the outside (for later sorting) and bring it to the main church lobby NO LATER THAN Sunday, December 19 where they will be sorted and bagged by child number and loaded into cars for delivery to Galtier school on Monday morning

We will also be collecting $10 gift cards to Walmart, Target or Cub to give to the social worker to use during the year as she becomes aware of needs. If you would prefer to write a check for your gift cards, please put your check in the offering plate or mail it to the church office (1895 Laurel Ave, St Paul, 5104). We will be happy to shop for you. Be sure to write angel tree in memo line of your check.

Thanks in advance for your generosity.

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KIVA Loans – St. Mary’s “Out in the World”

Once again the KIVA loans that were re-paid to St Mary’s totaled over $1000—it takes about 3 months for this to happen!! So, once again this $1000+ was turned into new loans made to people around the world…loans made to Moldova, Kenya, Madagascar (2), Sierra Leone and Guatemala (2)…7 loans in all to enable people to start or expand their small businesses.

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Prayer Requests

Please pray for those on Saint Mary’s prayer list: Don; Anne; Kirby; Amara; Bishop Craig Loya as he leads the ECMN; all frontline workers; all who are thinking about getting or waiting to get a COVID vaccine or booster; all who are sick, anxious, struggling financially; all who care for the sick and 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.

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Upcoming Events at Saint Mary’s
Opportunities for Worship, Education, Choir, & Meet Ups
for the week of 11/26 – 12/2

Sunday, November 28, 2021
Hybrid Worship Service In-Person and via Zoom
10:00am
Link

Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Compline
7:30pm
Link

Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Youth Group
6:30pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Thursday, December 2, 2021
Tweeners
7:00pm
Contact Mia for more information. Click HERE

Thursday, December 2, 2021
Saint Mary’s Dinner Group
Contact Julie Thomas for more information. Click HERE.

Thursday, December 2, 2021
Thursday Evening Contemplative Service
Led by Erika Scheurer and Anna Clark
7:00pm
Link

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

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Filed Under: Finance, News, Outreach, 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.

 

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