SUNDAY AND THE WEEK AHEAD…
Evening Eucharist, 6pm: Join us for a simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.
Grace Shelter Dinner, 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.
We are mapping our congregation! Knowing who else from the St. Dunstan’s community lives or works nearby might make it easier to: 1) provide care when someone’s going through a hard time, 2) meet up for fellowship or study, 3) engage together with issues in our neighborhoods. We hope everyone will participate, even if you’re new or don’t attend regularly. “And the Word of God became flesh and moved into the neighborhood.” John 1:14
Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, August 28, 6pm: 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 Claddagh, 1611 Aspen Commons in Middleton.
Outreach Meeting, August 29, 8-10:30am: All are welcome to join our conversations about how St. Dunstan’s can best serve the world with our resources and our hands. We begin with an optional potluck breakfast at 8am.
Last Sunday Worship & Blessing of Backpacks, Sunday, August 30, 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 we’ll explore a word that is both big and small: Love. Bring your backpack (or, for older students, your briefcase or laptop or …) and we will bless them as we begin a new academic year. Note: Our 8am service always follows our regular order of worship.
THE WEEKS AHEAD…
Education for Ministry Grads Invited Back!! The new EfM curriculum was put into use in 2013, and EfM participants are enthusiastic about the scholarship, relevance, and scope of the new program. We are offering a scholarship of $100 off the yearly regular price of $350 to EfM grads who would be interested in repeating any year with the new materials. There are two scholarships available at this time.
Lammastide Festival of Bread, Sunday, September 6: Lammastide is an ancient harvest festival that became a church festival in our mother church, the Church of England. It’s an opportunity to offer the fruits of the growing season thankfully to God. The word means “loaf mass”; it was originally held at the time of year when the first grain ripened enough to be made into fresh loaves of bread. We will celebrate the end of summer together with a Lammastide procession; themes of bread, food, welcome, and justice in our music, Scriptures, and sermon; and a festive bread-themed Coffee Hour. If you are a baker, you are invited to bring a loaf of bread – any kind! If you are a gardener or a farmer’s market shopper, you are invited to bring something beautiful from God’s Creation to contribute to our decorations – a handsome squash, an ear of decorative corn, flowers, colorful chard. You are welcome to reclaim your produce after worship.
Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, September 9, 7:15-9:00pm: Julian of Norwich: 14th Century feminist? 14th Century heretic? No, although a reader might at first think so. 14th Century psychologist? Sort of . . . she understood the human heart and, through her sixteen revelations of Jesus, she understood the heart of God. Thomas Merton called her “the greatest theologian for our time.” Come to one of our monthly meetings and find out why — and learn about contemplative prayer. We meet the second Wednesday of each month. We’d love to see you.
Men’s Book Club, Saturday, September 12, 10am at St. Dunstan’s: This month the book is a mystery, The Bartender’s Tale by Ivan Doig. The action takes place in a bar called the Medicine Lodge in northern Montana, run by Tom Harry and his son, Rusty. Enter a woman from the past and her daughter and things begin to happen.
“What Am I Doing Here?” A Class For Those New to the Episcopal Church, Sundays at 9am, Sept. 13, 20, and 27. Join us for an exploration of the parts and purpose of our pattern of worship. Please pick up a copy of the book (“What Am I Doing Here?” – it’s small and blue) in the Gathering Area, and if possible, read Chapters 1 & 2 before our first session on Sept. 13. It’s an easy read and it has cartoons! Questions? Talk with Rev. Miranda at (608) 238-2781.
LOOKING AHEAD….
Diocesan Convention, Saturday, October 17: This year’s Diocesan Convention will be held at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, WI. A number of resolutions inviting our Diocese into engagement with some of the big issues of our General Convention this summer will be addressed. Mark your calendar if you would like to attend.
This year’s Parish Talent Show will be Sunday, October 25! What will you share? A poem, a song, a dramatic monologue, a dance? A sample of art, craft, tinkering, building, study or science? Group acts are encouraged. Chat with your friends this summer and begin to plan and practice!
IN THE COMMUNITY…
Lotsa Loot Rummage & Bake Sale, Friday, August 28 and Saturday, August 29, 8am – 3pm both days at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 4011 Major Ave., Madison: Come enjoy reasonably priced goods in a broad selection of donated items and also two large book collections, one of mysteries and one of politics. Proceeds go to support such efforts as: Porchlight, Salvation ARMY, St. Stephen’s Food Pantry, a motorcycle for a Tanzanian priest, and a donation for rebuilding black churches burned by arson. Thanks so much for your support of St. Luke’s.