Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Get Ready for Kickoff Sunday:  September 10 

With program year beginning, the Sunday schedule will be as follows: 

        8:00 am   Holy Eucharist 

        9:15 am   Christian Formation – for youth, adults, and choir 

        10:00 am Guiding RAY classes begin 

        10:15 am Choral Eucharist 

 The choir returns!  Sunday Formation Returns!  Guiding RAY Returns! 

Guiding RAY (Religious Adventures for Youth)        

For all young people ages 0 to 10. During the program year (Sept – early June), we gather all together beginning at 9:30 for Formation in the lower level of the Parish House with classes beginning at 10:00.    Guiding RAY is on summer hiatus.  

See you on September 10 for Kickoff Sunday 

Sparkles Table at Kickoff Sunday: September 10 

It's getting close to Sparkle Season!  Come check out the opportunities to help and make friends.  Remember to bring donations on the drop off Saturdays:  Sept 9 & 16,  Oct 7 & 28,  Nov 4 & 18 

Schola Concert:  September 24, 4pm at Saint Mary's 

Save the date for the Saint Mary Schola presentation of Dido and Aeneas with guest director, Dr. Christina Scott Edelen.  Concert also at St. Luke's Cathedral on Saturday, Sept 23 at 4pm.  There is a 3:30 pre-concert talk for both concerts.   

No AM worship services on  October 1 

Due to the closing of Foreside Rd (Route 88) for the morning running of the Maine Marathon, there are no worship services on the morning of Sunday October 1.  Join the Falmouth faith community at 2pm, 

Maine Marathon Relay Teams: Oct 1:  Saint Mary's needs RUNNERS to be part of our relay teams. This is about participation and community involvement, not about winning a prize. We also need volunteers to staff our water station which is very busy on Marathon Sunday.   

2pm Ecumenical Worship at Holy Martyrs on October 1 

Join the churches affected in the morning by the Marathon for an Ecumenical service at 2pm at Holy Martyrs at 266 Foreside Rd - across form Town landing Market. 

Summer Soiree—Summer Success
The Summer Soiree was a big success on August 13. At press time, we raised $7636 for our mission and ministries! Thank you to the donors, the attendees, the bidders and the winners!  Thank you also to the culinary team including Valerie Kyros, Melissa Kane, Kelley Young, Robin Webber and Melissa Roland for offering the wonderful spread of oysters seeded by Jack and Susan Thomas on Cumberland Foreside, lobster bites, delicious cured meats, cheeses and vegetables. The dessert bar was full of more delicious bites supplied by Rick and Portia Hirschman. 
The bidding on the silent and live auction items was fast and furious. But what was most evident was the mixing, mingling, laughing and socializing of the attendees! Thank you all!  

Ongoing Outreach projects 

Monthly Mission and Last Sunday Offering 

Got Sneakers? Our Mission project for the summer!  Last week is coming up!! 

 Bring in your old sneakers to recycle, to support refugees, and to raise money for nonprofits. On Kickoff Sunday, we all get to decide what non-profit gets the money we have raised.   

Maine Council of Churches will be our Mission focus for the month of September. Mark your calendars for September 17 for a special visit from MCC Executive Director Jane Field who will give a sermon at both services. She and John Hennessy of our Diocese will lead a Formation discussion and be available at coffee hours.   

Red Cross Blood Drive: Critical levels of need.  Consider donating blood or platelets   www.redcross.org/give-blood.html    Next drive is: Sep 21, 9am-2pm          

St. Elizabeth's: donations of Housewares & Kitchenware needed. All needs are increasing at record levels.  Saint Mary's next serves on Tuesday, September 19. 

Souper Supper:  Sept 8 & 22 -  Enjoy this free sit-down dinner of hearty soup, salad, rolls, desserts and a beverage.  Come out to eat or volunteer to help set-up or serve on the 2nd & 4th Fridays! Buy Coffee By Design coffee to support Souper Supper.   

Falmouth Food Pantry 

The Falmouth Food Pantry serves close to 200 families a month and needs donations from individuals. Our donation box is in the foyer of the Parish House and in the Narthex. Helpful foods are soup in cans (but not cream soups), boxes of pasta, cold cereal, canned tuna fish, canned chicken, and granola bars. If you have any questions supporting the Pantry, feel free to reach out to Vanessa, recordvanessa@gmail.com.  

Grow a Row for the Falmouth Food Pantry!    

Join the Falmouth Food Pantry in providing fresh food this summer. A share of your harvest will mean the world to those for whom fresh vegetables are a scarce and treasured commodity.       

CARE team: Soup Deliveries:   Contact the parish office if you can help. 

One of the many activities of the Saint Mary's CARE Team is the delivery of  "Soup in a Bag" to parishioners each week who are unable to leave their homes. The bagged soup (along with rolls and a sweet) can be picked up on Fridays from the kitchen to deliver to the recipients who live nearby.   

Helping Hands at Home 

If you are in need of indoor or outdoor odd job help at your home, please reach out.  The 'Helping Hands at Home' ministry will try to assist!  Contact the parish office if you need assistance or can help 781-3366, or admin@smary.org   

Garbage to Garden: Remember to compost all food, paper, scraps in our supplied bins. If it came from a living thing, it can be composted here! 

 






Beth Shaw
Parish Manager
The Episcopal Church of Saint Mary
43 Foreside Road, Falmouth, ME 04105
207-781-3366
admin@smary.org