Announcements, February 18

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21…

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.

Lenten Study Group – Growing a Rule of Life, 9am, & every Sunday in Lent:  To participate, sign up at ssje.org/ssje/growrule/ to receive the daily email prompts, and come to the Meeting Room on Sundays at 9am for group discussion about our individual work.

Sunday School, 10am: This week, our 3-6 year old class will be learning about some of Jesus’ parables of growth, while our 7-11 year old class explores the covenant between God and Abraham.

Christian Formation meeting, 12noon: Our Christian Formation Committee will meet to review and plan programs, especially for Easter and beyond. All interested folks are welcome to attend and participate.

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

Younger Adults’ 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.

Lenten Virtual Book Group Begins Feb. 21: Unapologetic, by Francis Spufford. Rev. Miranda invites members and friends to a “virtual book group” this Lent, beginning the third week in February. We’ll read along together during Lent and share reactions and reflections on a Facebook group. We may also plan one or more in-person book discussion sessions as well, if there is interest. Questions? Talk with Rev. Miranda.

Stations of the Cross in Lent, every Thursday at 7:15pm and every Friday at noon: We will walk the Stations of the Cross together in our nave. You may also walk and pray the Stations on your own at any time the church is open; call 238-2781 before you come. Our Stations booklet is based on Scripture and readings from Christian tradition.

Do you love getting books into the hands of readers? Our St. Dunstan’s Little Free Library is seeking a new co-Librarian or two. The Library sits on the southeast corner of our property, and can be reached by car or on foot through our woods. The Library needs to be checked and restocked (every few weeks in winter, perhaps weekly in nice weather), and this task can easily be shared by a small team of helpers. Members and friends of St. Dunstan’s donate used books to put in our Library. Please talk to Rev. Miranda or email to get involved!

Coffee Hosts needed for Special Easter Coffee, March 27! Please see the sign-up sheet in the Gathering Area if you would like to bring something for the Easter coffee after the 10am service.

THE WEEKS AHEAD…

Men’s Book Club, POSTPONED to Saturday, February 27, 10am: The book is “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson.

Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, February 26, 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 Cocina Real at 2518 Allen Blvd. in Middleton.

Our kid-inclusive All-Ages Worship this month will be Sunday, February 28, at the 10am service. 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. NOTE: Our 8am service always follows our regular order of worship.

Poetry Reading, Sunday, February 28, 11:30ish: Bring a poem that fits the season – in the church or the wider world – to share. Participants of all ages are welcome. We will share our poems in the Nave, after grabbing some Coffee Hour treats.

Middle School Lunch & Learn, Sunday, February 28, 12-1pm: Rev. Miranda invites the 10-and-up youth of the parish to meet with her for lunch after church once a month. We’ll dig into faith, Scripture, life, and our questions about all three. We’ll wrap up by 1pm, and we can arrange rides home for the kids if that helps the parents’ schedules.

Help feed the students! St Francis House Dinner, Sunday, February 28: St. Dunstan’s will provide dinner for the St. Francis House community in a few weeks. We are asked to provide food for up to 15 people, and we are invited to attend worship with the students at 5pm.  Vegan and gluten-free options are welcome (that’s easier than you think: a veggie stew over rice, bean chili …). Please sign up in the Gathering Area if you can help with the meal, or contact Rev. Miranda.

Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday, February 28, 7pm: Every fourth Sunday, a loyal group of St. Dunstan’s folk provides dinner for resident at the Grace Church shelter, and breakfast the next morning. See the signup sheet in the gathering area.

Lenten Retreat for Women, “Recognizing God’s Voice,” Saturday, March 5, 9:30am – 3:30pm, at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 670 East Monroe Avenue, Hartford, WI , Hartford, WI US 53027: The Rev. Paula Harris, rector at St. Luke’s, Madison and an active Spiritual Director, will lead this retreat for women. To register send $25 payable to Dio. Milwaukee ECW, along with your name, phone #, address, and parish affiliation to: Micki Hoffmann c/o 53 E. Rogers Street, Hartford, WI 53027. Deadline is March 1st. There will be a van leaving from St. Dunstan’s.

Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, March 9, 7:15 – 9:00 PM at St. Dunstan’s: These meetings are open to all who want to deepen their life of faith through the practice of contemplative prayer. Each meeting includes time for contemplative prayer, fellowship, and reading/discussion of Julian’s book.

Making Crosses: A Creative Connection to God, Thursday, March 10 – Kids & Families, 4 – 5:30pm; Adults, 6 – 8pm. We will share a simple dinner in between sessions, for participants in both groups. This event is both a crafting session and retreat for theological reflection on the themes of Lent. We will make crosses out of found objects. All skill levels are heartily welcomed. Thanks to those who have already contributed “found objects” for the project; more are welcome!

Spring Cleaning – on the inside of the Church, Sunday, March 13, 12-2pm, Hearty Coffee Hour 11:45am: Come and help get the Church ready for Easter and spring. We’ll have a hearty coffee hour at 11:45 am and then use a little elbow grease. To sign-up, see the task sheets in the Gathering Area.

“Palm Saturday”, Saturday, March 19, 10:30am – 12pm: Kids, parents, grandparents and friends are invited to make Easter crafts and communion bread, and to take part in a gentle, age-appropriate and participatory telling of the whole Easter story, presented by the youth and adults of our church. This event is best suited for kids ages 3 to 10; our Middle Schoolers are invited to help present the Easter pageant. All are welcome!