Announcements, June 30

THIS WEEKEND & THE WEEK AHEAD…

Give it a Try July: Would you like to try doing a reading at church? Or serving as an acolyte, or maybe help clean up after the Eucharist? For the month of July, instead of a set schedule of helpers for our liturgy, we’ll put out a set of cards every Sunday with the name of a role – Acolyte, Reader, Usher, Altar Guild Helper – and a short explanation of what you need to know. The intention is both to allow our regular helpers to serve when they’re available, in a month that’s often hard to schedule due to summer travel, AND to allow curious folk to try out a new role and see what’s involved. If you’d like to try something out, try to arrive ten minutes early to grab a card and read over what’s involved.

Summer Choir on First Sundays, this Sunday, July 3: Come at 9am to learn some simple music to share as part of our 10am worship. Young singers and adult singers with no previous choir experience are especially invited! You should be able to read text, and be ready to begin to learn to read music. Talk with our Organist & Choir Director, Martin Ganschow, to learn more. More summer choir on August 7 and September 4.

Healing Prayers: This Sunday, July 3, one of our ministers will offer healing prayers for those who wish to receive prayers for themselves or on behalf of others.

Birthdays and Anniversaries will be honored Sunday, July 3, as is our custom on the first Sunday of every month. Come forward after the Announcements to receive a blessing and the community’s prayers.

MOM Special Offering, Sunday, July 3: This Sunday, Half the cash in our offering plate and any designated checks will be given to Middleton Outreach Ministry’s food pantry. There are the current top-ten, most needed items: rice or pasta, spaghetti sauce, canned ravioli/spaghettios, cake or brownie mixes, flour, sugar, cooking oil, canned peaches, trail mixes and dried fruit snacks, 64 oz. beverages, dried beans (black, garbanzo, etc.), and baby wipes. MOM is also in need of paper grocery bags. Thanks for all your support!

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, July 3, 6pm: Join us for a simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.

The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, July 4, but will be open on Tuesday, July 5.

Wednesday Book Group, July 6, 9:30am: The Wednesday morning book group has chosen The Butterfly Mosque as the next book for reading and discussion. All are welcome to join the discussion for this book or the next. The group meets for about an hour and a half, beginning at 9:30 am. To order a book or for any other questions, please contact Valerie McAuliffe. Hope to see you there!

Diocesan Opportunities to Serve:  If you are interested in having a greater role in the Diocese, there are several positions becoming available. Open nominations are happening from now until August 8, 2016. To learn more about the positions, talk with Rev. Miranda and/or see the information sheets posted under the bulletin board calendar.

Take Out Church: If you haven’t yet picked up a “Take Out Church” box, please do! It’s full of ways to practice and explore your faith over the summer. Take Out Church is for all ages. One box per household; if you need extra coloring pages, ask Rev. Miranda. Take Out church is a gift to you, but if you wish you may make a $3 donation to help cover material costs.

Summer Thursday Evening Eucharist and Supper, 5:30-7pm: Got weekend plans? Come to church Thursday evening for an information Eucharist (outdoors, if weather permits!) and simple meal. Starting June 16, our Thursday evening Sandbox Worship will include an informal Eucharist every week. We also plan to worship outdoors as much as possible. All ages very welcome; dinner provided. If you like to cook you can sign up to contribute to a meal sometime.

THE WEEKS AHEAD…

Eucharist with Holy Baptism, Sunday, July 10, 10am: We rejoice to celebrate the baptism of a new member of Christ’s Kingdom, Schuylar. We join parents Rachel and Dave and big sister Kenley in celebrating this day!

Between Church, Sunday, July 10, 9:15am: Come try out simple outdoor worship between our two regular services. We gather at the stone altar to sing one or two simple songs, listen to the day, and share some brief reflections on spiritual practice in daily life. We will also meet July 17, 24, and 31. Between Church can be an enrichment to one of our regular Sunday services at 8 and 10am, or you can just come for Between Church.

Neighborhood Exploration, July 12 – 17: Rev. Miranda plans to spend this week doing some intentional noticing of the neighborhoods around St. Dunstan’s. Would you like to join her? The goal of this Neighborhood Exploration is not to develop a program or recruit new members. We’re open to both of those possibilities, but that’s not our current focus. Think of this as the kind of exploration you might do when you’re staying in a new city for a few days. Posted in the Gathering Area there is a list of possible things you could do – particular streets to walk, parks to visit, etc. – and tips for noticing and reflecting. Jot down some notes, and send them to Rev. Miranda, and/or meet at 11:30 on Sunday, July 17, to discuss in person. Read more & sign up in the Gathering Area if you’d like to participate!

Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, July 13, 7:15 – 9:00pm: What is a Julian Gathering?  A Julian Gathering is open to everyone and you are welcome at all times.  We support each other in the practice of contemplative prayer and contemplative spirituality.  These gatherings are initiated and supported by the Order of Julian of Norwich (www.orderofjulian.org) and have the quintessentially Anglican writings of St. Julian of Norwich at their core.  They are for all who want to deepen their life of faith through the practice of contemplative prayer, for beginners as well as those already practicing.  Each meeting includes time for contemplative prayer and reading/discussion of Bl. Julian’s revelations.  Don’t worry if you’ve never practiced silent prayer before, we can set your mind at ease.   We meet the second Wednesday of each month from 7:15pm to 9pm.

Last Sunday Worship Service, Sunday, July 24, 10am: Our Last Sunday worship is intended especially to help kids (and grownups who are new to our pattern of worship) to engage and participate fully. This Sunday our theme is God-in-creation. NOTE: Our 8am service always follows our regular order of worship.

Coffee Hosts Needed! Please consider being a coffee host. Sign-up sheets for upcoming Sundays can be found in the Gathering Area. For more information, contact Janet Bybee. Thanks!

The Thrilling Adventures of Tobias and Sarah! Evening Bible & Arts Camp, 5:30 – 7:30pm, July 30 – August 4. We are designing our own VBS this year, focusing on the book of Tobit, a rousing story of faith, adventure, risk, romance, and mystery, from a part of the Bible known as the Apocrypha. Drama, art, and outreach will be integrated into our curriculum. Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; need not be members of St. Dunstan’s. Registration forms will be available soon. We will also be inviting the adults of the parish into study and artistic engagement with the book of Tobit this summer; watch for more information!

40th Annual Women’s Mini Week – Surprised by Joy! – August 11 – 14, 2016, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For more information, see the website at www.womensminisweek.org.

 

Announcements, June 23

THIS WEEKEND & THE WEEK AHEAD…

Rev. Miranda’s Vacation: Rev. Miranda will be on vacation from June 25 through July 2. Father John Rasmus will preach and celebrate the Eucharist on Sunday, June 26. Father John will be available if anyone urgently needs to speak with a priest during Rev. Miranda’s absence.

Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday, June 26, 7pm: Every fourth Sunday, a loyal group of St. Dunstan’s folk provides dinner for residents at the Grace Church shelter, and breakfast the next morning. See the signup sheet in the gathering area to help out. To learn more, talk with Rose Mueller at (608) 836-1028.

Diocesan Opportunities to Serve:  If you are interested in having a greater role in the Diocese, there are several positions becoming available. Open nominations are happening from now until August 8, 2016. To learn more about the positions, talk with Rev. Miranda and/or see the information sheets posted under the bulletin board calendar.

Take Out Church: If you haven’t yet picked up a “Take Out Church” box, please do! It’s full of ways to practice and explore your faith over the summer. Take Out Church is for all ages. One box per household; if you need extra coloring pages, ask Rev. Miranda. Take Out church is a gift to you, but if you wish you may make a $3 donation to help cover material costs.

Summer Thursday Evening Eucharist and Supper, 5:30-7pm: Got weekend plans? Come to church Thursday evening for an information Eucharist (outdoors, if weather permits!) and simple meal. Starting June 16, our Thursday evening Sandbox Worship will include an informal Eucharist every week. We also plan to worship outdoors as much as possible. All ages very welcome; dinner provided. If you have special dietary needs, let Rev. Miranda know and if you like to cook you can sign up to contribute to a meal sometime.

Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, June 24, 6:30pm: Join our monthly get-together as we dine at area restaurants and enjoy good conversation among women of all ages from St. Dunstan’s. This month we will meet at Los Gemelos at 6713 Odana Road in Madison.

Neighborhood Exploration, July 12 – 17: Rev. Miranda plans to spend this week doing some intentional noticing of the neighborhoods around St. Dunstan’s. Would you like to join her? The goal of this Neighborhood Exploration is not to develop a program or recruit new members. We’re open to both of those possibilities, but that’s not our current focus. Think of this as the kind of exploration you might do when you’re staying in a new city for a few days. Posted in the Gathering Area there is a list of possible things you could do – particular streets to walk, parks to visit, etc. – and tips for noticing and reflecting. Jot down some notes, and send them to Rev. Miranda via email, and/or meet at 11:30 on Sunday, July 17, to discuss in person. Read more & sign up in the Gathering Area if you’d like to participate!

THE WEEKS AHEAD…

Give it a Try July: Would you like to try doing a reading at church? Or serving as an acolyte, or maybe help clean up after the Eucharist? For the month of July, instead of a set schedule of helpers for our liturgy, we’ll put out a set of cards every Sunday with the name of a role – Acolyte, Reader, Usher, Altar Guild Helper – and a short explanation of what you need to know. The intention is both to allow our regular helpers to serve when they’re available, in a month that’s often hard to schedule due to summer travel, AND to allow curious folk to try out a new role and see what’s involved. If you’d like to try something out, try to arrive ten minutes early to grab a card and read over what’s involved.

Summer Choir on First Sundays, next Sunday, July 3: Come at 9am to learn some simple music to share as part of our 10am worship. Young singers and adult singers with no previous choir experience are especially invited! You should be able to read text, and be ready to begin to learn to read music. Talk with our Organist & Choir Director, Martin Ganschow, to learn more. More summer choir on August 7 and September 4.

Healing Prayers: Next Sunday, one of our ministers will offer healing prayers for those who wish to receive prayers for themselves or on behalf of others.

Birthdays and Anniversaries will be honored next Sunday, July 3, as is our custom on the first Sunday of every month. Come forward after the Announcements to receive a blessing and the community’s prayers.

MOM Special Offering, Sunday, July 3: Next Sunday, Half the cash in our offering plate and any designated checks will be given to Middleton Outreach Ministry’s food pantry. There are the current top-ten, most needed items: rice or pasta, spaghetti sauce, canned ravioli/spaghettios, cake or brownie mixes, flour, sugar, cooking oil, canned peaches, trail mixes and dried fruit snacks, 64 oz. beverages, dried beans (black, garbanzo, etc.), and baby wipes. MOM is also in need of paper grocery bags. Thanks for all your support!

Eucharist with Holy Baptism, Sunday, July 10, 10am: We rejoice to celebrate the baptism of a new member of Christ’s Kingdom, Schuylar. We join parents Rachel and Dave and big sister Kenley in celebrating this day!

Between Church, Sunday, July 10, 9:15am: Come try out simple outdoor worship between our two regular services. We gather at the stone altar to sing one or two simple songs, listen to the day, and share some brief reflections on spiritual practice in daily life. We will also meet July 17, 24, and 31. Between Church can be an enrichment to one of our regular Sunday services at 8 and 10am, or you can just come for Between Church.

Coffee Hosts Needed! Please consider being a coffee host. Sign-up sheets for upcoming Sundays can be found in the Gathering Area. For more information, contact Janet Bybee.  Thanks!

The Thrilling Adventures of Tobias and Sarah! Evening Bible & Arts Camp, 5:30 – 7:30pm, July 30 – August 4. We are designing our own VBS this year, focusing on the book of Tobit, a rousing story of faith, adventure, risk, romance, and mystery, from a part of the Bible known as the Apocrypha. Drama, art, and outreach will be integrated into our curriculum. Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; need not be members of St. Dunstan’s. Registration forms will be available soon. We will also be inviting the adults of the parish into study and artistic engagement with the book of Tobit this summer; watch for more information!

40th Annual Women’s Mini Week – Surprised by Joy! – August 11 – 14, 2016, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For more information, see the website at www.womensminisweek.org.

 

 

 

Announcements, June 16

SUNDAY, JUNE 19…

All Ages Worship, 10am: Our Last Sunday worship will be celebrated a week early this month due to Rev. Miranda’s vacation. We’ll explore the Prophet Elijah and his relationship with King Ahab. This service is intended especially to help kids (and grownups who are new to our pattern of worship) to engage and participate fully. NOTE: Our 8am service always follows our regular order of worship.

Rector’s Discretionary Fund offering: Half the cash in our collection plate, and any designated checks, will go towards the Rector’s Discretionary Fund this day and on every third Sunday. This fund is a way to quietly help people with direct financial needs, in the parish and the wider community. Please give generously.

Evening Eucharist, 6pm: Join us for a simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.

Younger Adult Meetup at the Vintage, 7pm: The younger adults of St. Dunstan’s are invited to join us for conversation and the beverage of your choice, at the Vintage Brewpub on South Whitney Way. Friends and partners welcome too.

Take Out Church: Summer means many of our households head out for various adventures and expeditions. When you can’t be here, take church with you! Our Take Out Church boxes contain several ways to practice your faith when you’re not at church, including a “Flat Dunstan” (take a picture of him at the places you visit, and we’ll post it at Church!), meditative coloring pages, and a Christian Practices punch card. Take Out Church is for all ages. One box per household; if you need extra coloring pages, ask Rev. Miranda. Take Out church is a gift to you, but if you wish you may make a $3 donation to help cover material costs.

Summer Thursday Evening Eucharist and Supper, 5:30-7pm: Got weekend plans? Come to church Thursday evening for an information Eucharist (outdoors, if weather permits!) and simple meal. Starting June 16, our Thursday evening Sandbox Worship will include an informal Eucharist every week. We also plan to worship outdoors as much as possible. All ages very welcome; dinner provided. If you like to cook you can sign up to contribute to a meal sometime.

THE WEEKS AHEAD…

Give it a Try July: Would you like to try doing a reading at church? Or serving as an acolyte, or maybe help clean up after the Eucharist? For the month of July, instead of a set schedule of helpers for our liturgy, we’ll put out a set of cards every Sunday with the name of a role – Acolyte, Reader, Usher, Altar Guild Helper – and a short explanation of what you need to know. The intention is both to allow our regular helpers to serve when they’re available, in a month that’s often hard to schedule due to summer travel, AND to allow curious folk to try out a new role and see what’s involved. If you’d like to try something out, try to arrive ten minutes early to grab a card and read over what’s involved.

Between Church, Sunday, July 10, 9:15am: Come try out simple outdoor worship between our two regular services. We gather at the stone altar to sing one or two simple songs, listen to the day, and share some brief reflections on spiritual practice in daily life. We will also meet July 17, 24, and 31. Between Church can be an enrichment to one of our regular Sunday services at 8 and 10am, or you can just come for Between Church.

Greeters for First and Third Sundays Needed! If you enjoy making people feel welcome and at home, please consider becoming a Sunday greeter. For more information, contact Bernice Mason.

Coffee Hosts Needed! Please consider being a coffee host. Sign-up sheets for upcoming Sundays can be found in the Gathering Area. For more information, contact Janet Bybee. Thanks!

The Thrilling Adventures of Tobias and Sarah! Vacation Bible & Arts School, 5:30 – 7:30pm, July 30 – August 4. We are designing our own VBS this year, focusing on the book of Tobit, a rousing story of faith, adventure, risk, romance, and mystery, from a part of the Bible known as the Apocrypha. Drama, art, and outreach will be integrated into our curriculum. Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; need not be members of St. Dunstan’s. Registration forms will be available soon. We will also be inviting the adults of the parish into study and artistic engagement with the book of Tobit this summer; watch for more information!

40th Annual Women’s Mini Week – Surprised by Joy! – August 11 – 14, 2016, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For more information, see the website at www.womensminisweek.org.

In the Community…

Free Movie Night at the Madison Public Library with discussion, Thursday, June 30, 6-8:30pm: “Voices of Witness: Out of the Box” is a groundbreaking documentary giving voice to the witness of transgender people of faith. Courageously inviting the viewer into their journey, the film is ultimately a celebration of hope and the power of God’s love to transcend even seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This film features many Episcopalians, including Bishop Gene Robinson. For more information, call (608) 438-9536.

 

 

Sermon, June 12

Jesus was a guest in the home of a Pharisee, a member of a movement among the Jews to re-commit to the practice of their ancient laws of piety and purity. And while he was there, somehow, a woman of the city – a sinner – managed to get into the house and approach him, as he reclined at the dinner table. And she began to wash his feet – an intimate and inappropriate act. And look, she’s not even using water – she’s using her tears! And rubbing his feet with this pungent ointment, and kissing them!? His host the Pharisee – and probably many others present too – was thinking, Isn’t this Jesus supposed to be a prophet, who sees the truth of people? Can’t he see what kind of woman this is? How shameful and unclean she is? How can he allow her to touch him?

And Jesus, who was a prophet, who could see the truth of people, said, I have a story to tell. There were two men who owed money to a third man. One owed fifty thousand dollars, and one owed five thousand dollars. Now, the third man decided to forgive those debts and set those men free from their obligations. After that act of mercy, which of the two men whose debts were wiped out would love him more?

One hundred and twenty-three years ago tomorrow, a baby girl was born was born to a respectable English family. More than respectable, really – Papa was the chaplain of Christ Church Cathedral at the great and ancient university of Oxford. A clergyman and a scholar. He and his wife named their only child Dorothy. Dorothy Leigh Sayers. She spent her childhood immersed in the life of the church and the university. At the age of 19, Dorothy won a scholarship to Somerville College, a women’s college at Oxford. There she studied modern languages and medieval literature, finishing with first-class honors. Women could not be awarded degrees in 1915, but that rule changed a few years later and Sayers was awarded a Master of Arts degree in 1920.

Sayers’ vocation was as a writer. Her first poetry collection was published in 1916, and she began work on her first mystery novel in 1920. Her great academic work was a poetic translation of Dante. She also spent a decade working as an advertising copywriter, and is responsible for some of those clever slogans you see on vintage Guinness posters.

If you know Sayers’ name, the odds are that it’s because of her mystery novels – or perhaps the BBC mystery shows based on the books. I first read Sayers because my grandmother pressed the books upon me in my teens, and I’m so glad she did. They are delightful reading, with nuanced and lovable characters, and written with both humor and deep insight into many areas of human life, including the lasting impact of war, the education of women, ethics in advertising, and traditional English bell-ringing!

Sometime in the late 1930s, Sayers, a successful and acclaimed mystery writer, was invited to write a series of plays about the life of Christ to be performed at Canterbury Cathedral. She took up this work and fell in love with it. The plays were very well received, and were published as The Man Born to be King in 1943. Sayers became an important lay theologian and interpreter and advocate for Christian faith, in a jaded and secularizing age. Like her contemporary C.S. Lewis, who was a friend, she was driven by her own faith to use her skill as a writer to try to make Christianity relevant and understandable for modern people. She wrote this about G. K. Chesterton’s work but it applies to her own writing as well: she was a voice that claimed “that Christianity was not a dull thing but a [joyful] thing; not a stick-in-the-mud thing but an adventurous thing; not an unintelligent thing but a wise thing, indeed a shrewd thing.” She went on to write many public essays and several theological books, including The Mind of the Maker, a wonderful work on Trinitarian theology and the holiness of creative work.

She was also an outspoken feminist and integrated those convictions with her Christian faith. In one essay she writes, “Perhaps it is no wonder that the women [in the Gospels] were first at the Cradle and last at the Cross. They had never known a man like this Man [Jesus] – and there never has been such another. A prophet and teacher who never nagged at them, never flattered or coaxed or patronised; who never made arch jokes about them, never treated them either as ‘The women, God help us!’ or ‘The ladies, God bless them!’; who rebuked without querulousness and praised without condescension; who took their questions and arguments seriously; …. who never mapped out their sphere for them, never urged them to be feminine or jeered at them for being female; who had no axe to grind and no uneasy male dignity to defend…. There is no act, no sermon, no parable in the whole Gospel that borrows its pungency from female perversity; nobody could possibly guess from the words and deeds of Jesus that there was anything ‘funny’ about women’s nature.” (From Unpopular Opinions)

Sayers’ name was on a list of holy women and holy men to be commended to the church for commemoration that was passed at General Convention last summer. I was glad to see her name there, and resolved to add her to the cycle of saints whom we particularly remember and honor here at St. Dunstan’s. Not just because she is a personal favorite of mine, though she is; but because the work she was about is the work we are about: speaking the drama and hope, the joy and struggle, and, yes, the intellectual respectability of our faith, into a world that believes Christians to be dull, reactionary, and stupid. Sayers’ proposed feast day is the day of her birth, June 13. And when I looked at the Gospel for this Sunday, I knew this was the right day.

What I’ve told you so far is the public face of Sayers’ life, and her successes. Here, briefly, is the private face of her life, and her failures. In the 1920s Sayers fell in with the counter-cultural Bohemian artistic crowd in London. Writers, artists, performers; late nights, alcohol, drugs and… flexibility in personal relationships. Sayers went through several unhappy and ill-fated love affairs. In 1929, as the world was crumbling with the dawn of the Great Depression, Sayers’ world was crumbling too. Still unmarried, she had become pregnant. Remember: she’s a clergyman’s daughter. A scholar’s daughter and a scholar herself. A well-known and successful female author. One of the first women to receive a degree from Oxford. A feminist who knew that if her situation became known, it would seem to bear out fears that educating and liberating women would lead to promiscuity and the collapse of family life. This was a great and weighty shame for her. She retreated and bore her child in private – a boy who was left in the care of her cousin, and claimed as her nephew. It wasn’t revealed that he was her son until her death in 1957. Though she married a few years later, she never had another child.

Sayers didn’t write or speak publicly about any of this during her life. But I believe this Gospel story might have had special meaning to her. It’s one of those stories in which Jesus is handed an opportunity to be disgusted by a woman – her emotions, her body, her past, her weaknesses – and instead, Jesus treats her as a human being, and honors both her pain and her devotion. Sayers gave birth under a cloud of shame and secrecy and gave up the chance to be a mother to her only son so that she could continue her public life as a successful writer. And Sayers – instead of blaming God for the judgmentalism of humans, instead of abandoning God for seeming to abandon her – Sayers found hope and healing in the heart of the Gospel. Transformation. Redemption. Metanoia, turning – a change of heart and mind that bears fruit in a changed life. In the wake of that great shame, that great loss, she devoted her life to serving and proclaiming the Jesus who did not spurn or shame her, but welcomed her and loved her.

And she tells this Gospel story in her play, The Man Born to be King. She makes this nameless woman into Mary, Jesus’ friend, who in her younger life was seduced by the pleasures of the world. I don’t think it’s a stretch to imagine that in putting these words in Mary’s mouth, she was telling her own story: “I loved the wrong things in the wrong way… yet it was love of a sort… until I found a better kind of love. [There was a time when] I wept and was ashamed, seeing myself such a thing of trash and tawdry. But when you spoke to me, I felt the flame of the sun in my heart. I came alive for the first time. And I love life all the more since I have learnt its meaning.” (p. 180)

Announcements, June 9

THIS WEEKEND & THE WEEK AHEAD… 

END OF YEAR PARISH PICNIC! Sunday, June 12, 11:30 – 1pm: Come for good food and good conversation at our annual June parish picnic. Bring something to share, if convenient – a bag of chips, a salad, a favorite dessert. Drinks, pulled pork and egg salad sandwiches will be provided. Activities include a balloon artist and photo booth! The picnic will happen rain or shine.

Sunday School, Sunday, June 12, 10am:  Our Godly Play classroom (ages 3 – 5) will hear about “The Part that Hasn’t Been Written Yet,” while our elementary group will learn about the prophet Elijah. This will be our last regular Sunday school session until September.

Funeral Liturgy for the Rev. Dr. Sybil Robison, Sunday, June 12, 4pm: Sybil’s life and ministry will be honored with a service at St. Dunstan’s Church. Bishop Steven Miller will preside, to honor Sybil’s vocation as a deacon.

Take Out Church: Summer means many of our households head out for various adventures and expeditions. When you can’t be here, take church with you! Our Take Out Church boxes contain several ways to practice your faith when you’re not at church, including a “Flat Dunstan” (take a picture of him at the places you visit, and we’ll post it at Church!), meditative coloring pages, and a Christian Practices punch card. Take Out Church is for all ages. One box per household; if you need extra coloring pages, ask Rev. Miranda. Take Out church is a gift to you, but if you wish you may make a $3 donation to help cover material costs.

Neighbors in Faith, Grace Episcopal Church, Wednesday, June 15, 12pm: As Rev. Franklin Graham holds a rally on Capitol Square, join with Madisonians of all faiths to pray for peace, civility, and the common good, and to share a vision for an America that welcomes people of all backgrounds and belief systems, and where all people can thrive and pursue happiness. Speakers will include Rev. Stephen Marsh, Rabbi Jonathan Biatch, Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, and Sheik Alhagie Jallow. This event has been organized by the Episcopal churches of the greater Madison area. All are welcome to attend.

Summer Thursday Evening Eucharist and Supper, 5:30-7pm: Got weekend plans? Come to church Thursday evening for an information Eucharist (outdoors, if weather permits!) and simple meal. Starting June 16, our Thursday evening Sandbox Worship will include an informal Eucharist every week. We also plan to worship outdoors as much as possible. All ages very welcome; dinner provided. If you have special dietary needs, let Rev. Miranda know, and if you like to cook you can sign up to contribute to a meal sometime.

Musical Test Kitchen & BatWatch, Thursday evening, June 16, 7pm – 9pm: A Musical Test Kitchen is an opportunity to try out some paperless songs, either as a leader or a singer. If you’ve enjoyed some of our “paperless” songs at St. Dunstan’s or are curious to learn more about what we mean by “paperless” music, come along and join the singing!  As twilight falls we’ll move outside for our early summer BatWatch, to count the bats emerging from our local bat residence, a useful measure of the health of the colony. We’ll have a fire & S’mores. All ages welcome; feel free to come when you can & leave when you need to.

THE WEEKS AHEAD…

All Ages Worship, Sunday, June 19, 10am: Our Last Sunday worship will be celebrated a week early this month due to Rev. Miranda’s vacation. We’ll explore the Prophet Elijah and his relationship with King Ahab. This service is intended especially to help kids (and grownups who are new to our pattern of worship) to engage and participate fully. NOTE: Our 8am service always follows our regular order of worship.

Greeters for First and Third Sundays Needed! If you enjoy making people feel welcome and at home, please consider becoming a Sunday greeter.

Coffee Hosts Needed! Please consider being a coffee host. Sign-up sheets for upcoming Sundays can be found in the Gathering Area. Thanks!

Rector’s Discretionary Fund offering, Sunday, June 19: Half the cash in our collection plate, and any designated checks, will go towards the Rector’s Discretionary Fund this day and on every third Sunday. This fund is a way to quietly help people with direct financial needs, in the parish and the wider community. Please give generously.

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, June 19, 6pm: Join us for a simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.

Younger Adult Meetup at the Vintage, Sunday, June 19, 7pm: The younger adults of St. Dunstan’s are invited to join us for conversation and the beverage of your choice, at the Vintage Brewpub on South Whitney Way. Friends and partners welcome too.

The Thrilling Adventures of Tobias and Sarah! Vacation Bible & Arts School, 5:30 – 7:30pm, July 30 – August 4. We are designing our own VBS this year, focusing on the book of Tobit, a rousing story of faith, adventure, risk, romance, and mystery, from a part of the Bible known as the Apocrypha. Drama, art, and outreach will be integrated into our curriculum. Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; need not be members of St. Dunstan’s. Registration forms will be available soon. We will also be inviting the adults of the parish into study and artistic engagement with the book of Tobit this summer; watch for more information!

40th Annual Women’s Mini Week – Surprised by Joy! – August 11 – 14, 2016, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For more information, see the website at www.womensminisweek.org .

Announcements, June 2

THIS WEEKEND…

Guest Preacher Jonathan Melton, Sunday, June 5: Father Jonathan, friend of St. Dunstan’s and chaplain at the St. Francis House campus ministry at UW-Madison, will preach and celebrate on Sunday, June 5. His presence is a gift to Rev. Miranda, who can take her time away more fully without having to prepare a sermon. We welcome Father Jonathan and his words!

Summer Choir on First Sundays, Beginning June 5: Come at 9am to learn some simple music to share as part of our 10am worship. Young singers and adult singers with no previous choir experience are especially invited! You should be able to read text, and ready to begin to learn to read music. Talk with our Organist & Choir Director Martin Ganschow to learn more. Dates are June 5, July 3, August 7 and September 4.

Healing Democracy, One Heart at a Time, Sunday, June 5, 9am: We will explore techniques for creating safe spaces in which to talk honestly and reconnect as human beings across our differences. All are welcome!

An Introduction to Charitable Giving, Sunday, June 5, 11:30am: Come for lunch and an introduction to charitable giving and taxes, including an introduction to our church policies on major gifts. Folks of all ages and incomes are encouraged to come; child care will be provided.

Birthdays and Anniversaries will be honored this Sunday, June 5, as is our custom on the first Sunday of every month. Come forward after the Announcements to receive a blessing and the community’s prayers.

Healing Prayers: This Sunday, one of our ministers will offer healing prayers for those who wish to receive prayers for themselves or on behalf of others.

MOM Special Offering, Sunday, June 5: This Sunday, half the cash in our offering plate and any designated checks will be given to Middleton Outreach Ministry’s food pantry.  Here are the current top-ten, most needed items: rice or pasta, cake or brownie mixes, cooking oil, size 5 & 6 diapers, spices, honey or syrup, laundry detergent, canned ravioli/spaghettios, ketchup, oats or oatmeal. Thank you for all your support!

Readers Needed for Dramatic Reading, Sunday, June 12: We will share a portion of “The Man Born to be King,” by Dorothy Sayers. This is a dramatic reading, without costume or staging, and we plan to do it at both the 8am and 10am services. A signup sheet will be circulated on Sunday the 29th or you can also contact Rev. Miranda.

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, June 5, 6pm: Join us for a simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.

Greeters for First and Third Sundays Needed! If you enjoy making people feel welcome and at home, please consider becoming a Sunday greeter. For more information, contact Bernice Mason.

Coffee Hosts Needed! Please consider being a coffee host. Sign-up sheets for upcoming Sundays can be found in the Gathering Area. For more information, contact Janet Bybee. Thanks!

Seeking Open Minds and Warm Hearts to Help with our Sunday School! We seek teachers and helpers for our Sunday school classes for the 2016-17 program year, starting in September. Teachers and helpers generally serve once a month. Because of our growing group of kids, we would like to expand to THREE Sunday school classes for next year – for kids ages 3 – 5, 6 – 8, and 9 – 10. We use great curricula that give teachers good tools and information. If you’ve never done this before, there’s plenty of support, and if you’ve taught somewhere else, we’d love to benefit from your ideas and experience! Sign up in the Gathering Area or talk with Rev. Miranda or Sharon Henes to learn more and get involved.

THE WEEKS AHEAD…

Parish Picnic, Sunday, June 12, 11:30 – 1pm: Come for good food and good conversation at our annual June parish picnic. We’ll have food and fun activities for all ages, including a balloon artist and photo booth! The picnic will happen rain or shine. Mark your calendar and watch for more details!

Funeral Liturgy for the Rev. Dr. Sybil Robison, Sunday, June 12, 4pm: Sybil’s life and ministry will be honored with a service at St. Dunstan’s Church. Bishop Steven Miller will preside, to honor Sybil’s vocation as a deacon. If you would like to help with the reception and/or bring food, please contact Connie Ott.

Musical Test Kitchen & BatWatch, Thursday evening, June 16, 7pm – 9pm: A Musical Test Kitchen is an opportunity to try out some paperless songs, either as a leader or a singer. If you’ve enjoyed some of our “paperless” songs at St. Dunstan’s or are curious to learn more about what we mean by “paperless” music, come along and join the singing!  As twilight falls we’ll move outside for our early summer BatWatch, to count the bats emerging from our local bat residence, a useful measure of the health of the colony. We’ll have a fire & S’mores. All ages welcome; feel free to come when you can & leave when you need to.

The Madison-Area Julian Gathering will not meet in June due to conflicting dates with JulianFest. Our next Gathering will be Wednesday, July 13, 7:15 – 9:00.

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES…

Find us on Facebook! St. Dunstan’s has two primary Facebook locations. Our “St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church” page is our official Facebook presence. Upcoming events, sermons, and such are posted there by church staff. “Like” that page to get those updates in your Facebook feed. Our “St. Dunstan’s MadCity” group is a more informal place where members can post all sorts of things, like “Can someone lector for me this Sunday?” or “Can somebody use this old stroller?” or “I have a spare concert ticket, would someone like to come with me?” or “Hey, read this article; think we could do something like this?” and so on. Both can be great ways to keep up with the life of the parish while you’re traveling over the summer. So if you’re a Facebook user, look us up!

The Thrilling Adventures of Tobias and Sarah! Vacation Bible & Arts School, 5:30 – 7:30pm, July 30 – August 4. We are designing our own VBS this year, focusing on the book of Tobit, a rousing story of faith, adventure, risk, romance, and mystery, from a part of the Bible known as the Apocrypha. Drama, art, and outreach will be integrated into our curriculum. Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; need not be members of St. Dunstan’s. Registration forms will be available soon. We will also be inviting the adults of the parish into study and artistic engagement with the book of Tobit this summer; watch for more information!

40th Annual Women’s Mini Week – Surprised by Joy! – August 11 – 14, 2016, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For more information, see the website at www.womensminisweek.org.