Announcements, Feb. 26

Episcopal 101, Sunday, March 1, 9am: An ongoing exploration of the Episcopal Church for new and long-time members. This month (POSTPONED from February), a whirlwind tour of Anglican history. All are welcome!

 Birthdays & Anniversaries will be honored this Sunday, March 1, 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 Prayer, Sunday, March 1: 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, March 1: Half the cash in our offering plate and any designated checks will be given to Middleton Outreach Ministry’s food pantry.  Groceries are welcome gifts, too. Here is a list of the top ten items needed at this time: cereal, sugar, canned chicken/turkey, cooking oil, toothpaste/toothbrushes, diapers (sizes 4, 5 and 6), paper towels, and facial tissue. MOM is always in need of quality bedding items such as comforters, sheets, blankets and towels. Thank you for all your support!

Deacon Sybil Performs, Sunday, March 1, Coffee Hour: Did you know that our beloved deacon Sybil Robinson, who still faithfully proclaims the Gospel for us at the age of ninety, is a retired professor of theater and an actress? She will share two prepared pieces, one serious and one comic, for us over Coffee Hour.

Backpack Snack Pack Prep, Sunday, March 1, 11:45am: The kids and families of St. Dunstan’s are invited to join our Madison Vineyard Church neighbors in preparing “Backpack Snack Packs,” to help local school children from low-income households to have nutritious snacks available over the weekend. We’ll work in the Meeting Room at St. Dunstan’s following the 10am service.

Let’s Get Uncomfortable! Conversations about Racism and Racial Justice: Whether you’ve got lots of questions or whether you think you’ve got it all figured out, come explore more deeply with others who share your faith, in this Lenten series. This week we meet at 1pm on Sunday, March 1, and on Wednesday, March 4 at 7:15pm. Talk with Rev. Miranda with questions or for the complete schedule.

 Evening Eucharist, Sunday, March 1, 6pm: Join us for a simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.

Guest Preacher, Sunday, March 8: The Rev. John Rasmus, one of our treasured resident retired clergy, will preach about the faith and influence of John and Charles Wesley (feast day, March 3). Thanks to Father John for sharing his voice!

Bible Study, “Dwelling in the Word”, Sunday, March 8, 9am: Every second Sunday, adults and youth are invited to gather in the Meeting Room for an opportunity to engage some of the holy stories of Scripture with our minds, hearts and imagination.

Sunday School, Sunday, March 8, 10am: This week, our 3-6 year old class will begin exploring the Faces of Easter, while our 7-11 year old class will reflect on Psalm 19.

Spirituality of Parenting Lunch, Sunday, March 8, 12 noon: All who seek meaning in the journey of parenthood (at any age or stage) are welcome to come for food and conversation. Child care and a simple meal provided.

Support our Sunday School! Here are a couple of ways you may be able to help out with our growing and energetic Sunday school classes for kids ages 3-6 and 7 – 11.

1. Assist in a classroom. The teachers for our younger class are looking for helpers to help manage the room and watch over play and crafts. This is a lovely bunch of kids; wouldn’t you like to get to know them? Sign up for as little as one date for the months ahead, on the yellow sheet in the Gathering Area below the big calendar.

2. Give us your Lego. Do you have a stash of Lego gathering dust in a closet or basement? There are some great new approaches to doing Sunday school with Lego, and our older class would LOVE to try it out. If you have some Lego to contribute, please bring it in! Only actual Lego, please, but Lego in any amount and of any age is welcome.

Members of St. Dunstan’s are welcome to join the Zion City Church congregation in their weekly worship service of thanksgiving and praise on March 15.  The service is from noon to 2:00pm.  Meet at St. Dunstan’s at 11:30am to carpool, or meet at Zion City Church shortly before noon.  They are located at 1317 Applegate Road in Madison.  This is just south of the Beltline, off of Fish Hatchery Road.  Five of us attended their service in January, and came away inspired and blest!

The Stations of the Cross in Downtown Madison, Friday, March 27, 12pm & 5pm: Walk the story of Jesus’ journey to the cross on the streets of a modern city.  As we walk the fourteen traditional Stations of the Cross, we will reflect together on how we can trace those events in the geography of Madison today – our issues, stories and struggles. We will start on the sidewalk near the Federal Courthouse, across from the Overture Center, and end in the garden at Grace Church on the square. The total walk will be about 1.2 miles, and it takes about 45 minutes. Come at noon or 5pm, as your schedule permits. All are welcome.

Spring 2015 Chocolate Making: Our Spring Chocolate Event will be after Easter this year. Mark your calendars for Friday evening and Saturday, April 10 – 11. Signup sheets and order forms will be out by mid-March.

Tools for Tanzania Giving Opportunity: St. Dunstan’s seeks to raise $800 for a set of tools to send to our sister diocese, the Diocese of Newala in Southern Tanzania. Rev Miranda visited Newala with our diocesan team in 2013, and Bishop Oscar Mnung’a visited St. Dunstan’s last October. As partners in this “diosisi rafiki” (friend diocese) relationship, we look for ways to support one another, both in prayer and practicality. Newala is one of the poorest parts of Tanzania. It is overwhelmingly rural, and most people are small-scale farmers, working with traditional hand tools. During Bishop Oscar’s visit last fall, we learned about better-engineered, modern hand tools that would help farmers in Newala. If we can send one set of new farm tools to Tanzania, then local artisans can use them as models to adapt the tools they make for local use. Then local farmers may be able to grow more food for their families, which means more resources for their churches & communities! A set of tools, plus transport costs, comes to about $1300. We are trying to raise $800 as our contribution; our sister parish, St. Andrew’s Church in Monroe, WI, will raise additional funds as our partners in this project. To contribute, put a check in the offering plate with “TZ Tools” on the memo line. Thanks for your generosity!

Lent Letters:  It’s an ancient custom of the church for members to confess their sins to a priest and receive God’s forgiveness. Sometimes we carry old hurts or regrets that need to be told, but are hard to tell someone we see regularly. “Lent Letters” is a new approach, inspired by the tradition of sacramental confession and reconciliation in Lent.  You write a note about something you want to lay down, and sent it to another priest to be blessed and offered up. See the “Lent Letters” station in the Gathering Area, from Ash Wednesday onwards, to learn more. Rev. Miranda is also very willing to meet with you for the Rite of Reconciliation (BCP p. 447) during Lent or at any time.