Saint Mary’s Weekly News
March 23, 2014 – The Third Sunday in Lent
Our prayer concerns for this week
For healing of body, mind and spirit: Marion & Vincent Abramo, Michelle Bilodeau, Lynda Conner, Janet Corey, Paula Gardner, Kathryn Kuehn, Andrew Leighton, Mary Lygo, Roger Murray, Brian Pettingill, Peg Pierce, John Rich, Grace Robinson, Eileen Shortell, and John Unfricht.
For those deployed: For Shea Bickerstaff, serving with the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf, for his family, and for all active-duty military personnel and family.
God's power at work within us!
Amen! Saint Mary's is truly blessed. Since we kicked off our annual pledge effort, 108 parishioners have pledged their support to help us carry out our ministries, and each day's mail delivers more completed pledge forms. Thank you to everyone who has shared their intentions with us. We hope to complete our annual campaign by the end of March. The Stewardship Committee is making follow up phone calls. Please take a moment to complete the pledge form and send it into the office. Every pledge counts!! Scan your form and email it; send it in the post or drop it by the parish office. We need everyone’s participation. Thank you!
Kneelers were made for our knees!
The beautiful works of art that grace our church and provide a cushion for our knees during time of prayer suffer when shoes are put on them. The grit and dust works its way into the needlepoint and can slowly wear away at the stitches; repairs can only be made when the kneeler is taken apart and reupholstered. Please also be very careful not to drip candle wax on them (pushing the kneeler under the chair gets it out of harm's way), and please don't use the kneelers as a table when using markers and crayons. The Kneeler Guild thanks you very much!
Youth Ministry Notes
“The Middlers” meet from 9:30 to 10:35 AM
For our young people in Middle School, this special and fun group meets on the same schedule as the Guiding RAY classes, in order to make the group more accessible to even more of our young people. Newcomers are always welcome to join on any Sunday.
**Next Sunday, March 30th, the Middlers are hosting Coffee Hour for all of us!**
Middlers will be gathering on Saturday, March 29th at 2pm in the SM kitchen to help bake.
Godly Play: Christian Formation for our young people
On regular Sundays from September to June, we offer a Montessori-based program called Godly Play to learn about God, the Bible, and the Church with our children. Family Chapel begins at 9:15am followed by Guiding RAY classes (age 4 through 5th grade) begin downstairs in the Parish House at 9:30am. The nursery also opens at 9:15 for our infants and preschoolers.
FUN IS GOD High School group gathers monthly! Next one will be:
This Sunday, March 23, 2014, 1:00-6:00 (youth, choose all or part of event) In response to a recent article in The Forecaster about the needs of the Falmouth Food Pantry, the youth are changing their focus and event to collect canned food and rolls of toilet paper for the FFP.
12:45 meet at Expo for free Red Claws game: 1:00-2:30 ish
2:45 drive to Falmouth Food Pantry
3-5 At Falmouth Food Pantry to contribute food and TP, to stock shelves and enjoy snacks together. Why? God absolutely wants us to have fun by serving others and ourselves! ("love thy neighbor AS thyself”)
Acolyte Training will be on April 6th
On April 6th at 11:30am, Father Nathan will hold a 2-hour training session for all those interested in becoming an acolyte (young or mature – all are welcome). Don’t miss out!
Serving The World
Book, Bake and Soup Sale in support of Outreach: Saturday, March 22
As part of our 2014 Outreach Project, S. Mary's is holding its Book, Bake & Soup Sale on Sat., March 22nd, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. WE NEED YOU to:
Ø Join us from 4-6: 30pm TODAY ( Thursday) to set things up and bring books upstairs,
Ø Tell your neighbors, friend and family to all come and buy books, baked goods and delicious soups to support the Outreach projects on Saturday - in fact, send them the attachment telling them all about it!
Ø Help pack books on Sunday after church to give to the Salvation Army truck at 11:30am.
Preble Street Soup Kitchen: This Sunday, March 23
The Fourth Sunday of each month, Saint Mary’s prepares and serves a hot meal to the clients at the Preble Street Soup Kitchen. We need people to (a) go around 10:30 to help with the cooking and set-up; (b) to arrive about 11:45 to assist with table service; and/or (c) to help with clean-up beginning at 1:00. Bless you. Questions? Please call Marian McCue at 761-1936 or mmccue@maine.rr.com
Meetings, Gatherings and Events
Greater Falmouth Young Life Dessert: Sunday, April 13, 7-8:30 PM
You are cordially invited to attend this Young Life Dessert in the OceanView community room (20 Blueberry Lane, Falmouth). Young Life is a non-denominational, Christian outreach to high school and middle school students, which has been active in Portland and Freeport for many years. In the coming months, a Young Life staff veteran will be moving to Falmouth to begin Young Life ministry in our community as well as to strengthen the existing ministry in surrounding communities. The goal of Young Life is to provide adolescents with caring adult role models, fun and life-giving ways to spend time, and the basic information about the Christian faith. Come to this event to learn about Young Life, meet the new staff leader (Jordan), and hear how you can help support this vital new ministry. Please RSVP to Fr. Nathan at nathanferrell@smary.org and visit www.younglife.org for more information.
Lenten Soup & Salad Program: Wednesday evenings in Lent
Chanting for All: An Ancient Spiritual Practice for Contemporary Christians
Can you talk? If so, then YOU can chant! Come and learn about the ancient practice of chanting from Fr. Nathan and Bruce Fithian during our Lenten Supper Program which begins on Wednesday, March 12, at 6 PM in the Auditorium. Each week, we will all learn to chant portions of the ancient monastic Compline office, which we will all chant together on April 9 at 7 PM. No musical knowledge or skill is required. If you learn this, then you can begin to chant all of your daily prayers and discover a new way to draw close to God in this ancient practice. Four more gatherings: March 19 & 26, April 2 & 9.
What are your unique God-given Spiritual Gifts? Come find out!
Concluding this Sunday: March 23, 4 - 6pm
Join Fr. Nathan for these two sessions where we will study the biblical understanding of spiritual gifts and explore how our personal passions and styles are used by God for the benefit of others. Every person has a special role to play in God’s mission, and each one of us needs to find this!
Lenten St. Mary’s Schola Concert: Miserere Mei
Join the St Mary Schola for a 2014 Lenten Concert, Miserere Mei.
The concert features a full J.S. Bach cantata, an organ concerto by G.F. Handel, a Vivaldi recorder concerto, and a solo therobo piece by Robert de Visée. Highlighting the program are a capella pieces by Josquin des Prez, Thomas Tallis, and Orlandus Lassus. Also, for the first time, the Schola will perform choral work by a 20th Century composer, Francis Poulenc.
Concerts dates are: Friday, March 28, 7:30 PM at The Cathedral of St. Luke, Portland
Sunday, March 30, 7:30 PM at The Church of S. Mary, Falmouth
Tickets are available at the St Mary Schola website, www.stmaryschola.org, or at the door. Prices are $15/Adult, $12/Student or Senior, $40/Family Group.
The Book Group at Saint Mary's will meet on Monday, March 31 at 2 pm
Join the group to discuss Toni Morrison's "Beloved" novel which won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. The story takes place in post-Civil War Ohio and is about an escaped slave. Please call Kathryn Street, the host, 878-9641, for details. Everyone is welcome!
Pastoral Care
Communicating with Fr. Nathan
Feel free to contact Fr. Nathan at any time if you wish to speak with him. You can e-mail him directly at nathanferrell@smary.org or call him anytime on his cell at 609-410-7573.
Eucharistic Visitors take Holy Communion to those unable to worship with us on Sunday morning. The Eucharistic Visitor today is Ginny Stelk. If you or someone you know would like Communion brought to them, please call the Parish Office. If you wish to learn more about this special ministry, feel free to speak with Deacon Christine.
THIS WEEK at Saint Mary’s
Sunday 23 8:00am The Third Sunday in Lent: Traditional Eucharist
9:00am Coffee Hour in the auditorium
9:15am Family Chapel – for all families and children
9:15am Art and Faith Discussion group
9:30am Guiding RAY begins and the Middlers gather
10:00am The Third Sunday in Lent: Contemporary Eucharist
10:30am Preble Street Soup Kitchen volunteer work begins
4:00pm Spiritual Gifts Discovery Workshop
Monday 24 12noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
Tuesday 25 The Feast of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary
12noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
1:00pm Staff meeting in Guild Room
7:00pm AA in Auditorium
7:30pm Al-Anon in the Guild Room
Wednesday 26 12noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
6:00pm Lenten Soup & Salad Series: Chanting for All
Thursday 27 10:30am Wisdom Seekers Bible Study
12noon Healing Eucharist in the Chapel
4:00pm Boy Singers of Maine
6:00pm Dowers in the Guild Room
7:00pm Choir rehearsal
Friday 28 Parish Office Closed on Fridays
TEC High School Diocesan Retreat- Fr Nathan facilitating through Sunday
12noon Noonday Prayer – wherever you find yourself
5 - 7pm Community Souper Supper - All are welcome!
5:30pm Al-Anon in the Guild Room
7:30pm St. Mary’s Schola Lenten Concert at the Cathedral
Saturday 29 9:00am Boy Singers of Maine
Sunday 30 8:00am The Fourth Sunday in Lent: Traditional Eucharist
9:00am Coffee Hour in the auditorium
9:15am Family Chapel – for all families and children
9:15am Art and Faith Discussion group
9:30am Guiding RAY begins and the Middlers gather
10:00am The Fourth Sunday in Lent: Contemporary Eucharist
7:30pm St. Mary’s Schola Lenten Concert at Saint Mary’s Church
Beth Shaw
Parish Administrator
The Episcopal Church of Saint Mary
43 Foreside Road (Route 88)
Falmouth, ME 04105
207-781-3366
www.smary.org
