TODAY and the WEEK AHEAD
Rev. Miranda will be away at General Convention on Sunday, June 28. Our priest associate the Rev. John Rasmus will preach and celebrate, following our usual Sunday summer order of worship. Father John will also be available if anyone urgently needs to speak with a priest between June 22 and July 4.
Worshipping with Zion City Church, Sunday, June 28: 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. Share song, prayer, and friendship with these brothers and sisters in Christ!
Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday June 28, 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.
St. Dunstan’s is recruiting a basketball team (or two) for Hoops for Housing! Members, friends, and family – all welcome, and players can be of all ages and skills. Each team will have 4 – 6 members, and is asked to raise at least $100 through pledges and donations for Briarpatch Youth Services. Hoops for Housing will take place on Saturday, August 8. It is a friendly community basketball tournament, sponsored by St. Dunstan’s, to raise funds for Briarpatch, which serves homeless youth in the Madison area. Team pledge envelopes are available in the Gathering Area; sign up & start gathering a team! Questions? Talk with Rev. Miranda.
Books Needed for Little Library! With warmer weather many more people are stopping by for a new “read” and we in need of books to supply the library. If you have books to donate, please bring them to St. Dunstan’s and put in the labelled box in the Gathering Area. Thanks!
GENERAL CONVENTION…
Prayers for General Convention: Every three years, the Bishops and elected Deputies – both clergy and laypeople – of the Episcopal Church gather to consider issues and new directions in the life of the church, and through democratic process, to make decisions and set directions and priorities. This year we will also be electing a new Presiding Bishop, who is the public face of our denomination and helps run the national church office. Rev. Miranda is one of the elected clergy deputies from our diocese who will be attending General Convention, which takes place in Salt Lake City from June 23 through July 3. Please pray for the Convention, for all bishops and deputies, for the Presiding Bishop candidates, and for the mission of our church.
Stir Up the Spirit – Celebremos! is the theme of this year’s Triennial of the women of the Episcopal Church – (the ECW). Three hundred thirty women will be gathering from 85 Dioceses in Salt Lake City, June 25th-July 1st. They will be meeting in conjunction with the General Convention, sharing worship, exhibit hall and space with the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies. Their program includes keynotes, workshops, and reports, business, a 5K run, a Distinguished Women Luncheon and the celebration of 125 years of United Thank Offering. If you want to see what they are doing, go to ecwnational.org. Thanks to Connie Ott for her faithful service in the ECW both locally and nationally!
THE WEEKS AHEAD…
Birthdays and Anniversaries will be honored next Sunday, July 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 Prayer, Sunday, July 5: Next 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, July 5: Next Sunday, 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 are the current 10 most-needed items at the pantry: sugar, cooking oil, cereal, meals-in-a-box, jelly, toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels, diapers (sizes 4, 5, and 6), and laundry detergent. MOM is always in need of quality bedding items such as comforters, sheets, blankets and towels, too. Thank you for all your support!
Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, July 8, 7:15-9pm: Julian’s era was one of turmoil and crisis. Contemporary reports indicate that at least half the population of Norwich died from the Plague. Meanwhile, disease killed the cattle and harvests failed. In the larger world beyond Norfolk, the Hundred Years War between England and France raged on, and the Great Schism split the Church in 1377 with one pope in France and the other in Rome. Does this chaos sound familiar? In the midst of all of this, Julian came to believe unshakably that “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”
Post-General Convention Information Session, Wednesday, July 15, 6:30pm at St. Dunstan’s: Come and learn about the actions and decisions of the General Convention.
Men’s Book Club, Saturday, July 18, 10am at St. Dunstan’s: “Masters and Commanders: How Four Titans Won the War in the West, 1941-1945” by Andrew Roberts. This is an epic joint biography of four titanic figures – a President, a Prime Minister, and two Generals, who shaped the grand strategy of the Allies during World War II. Great read. Have fun!
SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES…
Summer Evening Worship, Thursdays at 5:30pm: Our Thursday evening “Sandbox Worship” will take place outdoors whenever the weather permits. Come at 5:30pm for a shared meal (provided), simple evening worship, and then hanging out around a fire for conversation and s’mores. “Summer Sandbox” will begin on June 18. All ages are welcome.
Between Church, July 2015: Beginning July 5, you’re invited to simple outdoor worship between our two regular services. “Between Church” will meet from 9:15 to 9:45am, every Sunday in July – and maybe August too. We’ll gather at the stone altar to sing, discuss a short piece of Scripture, share blessings and concerns in prayer, and sing some more. Come as an enrichment to regular Sunday worship, or just enjoy this simple service as your summer worship.