Announcements, October 13

TONIGHT…

Liturgy and Music Planning Meeting, Thursday, October 13, 7pm: We’ll meet to plan ahead for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, and to discuss some new liturgical possibilities. All are welcome!

THIS WEEK…

Caregivers’ Support Group, Saturday, October 15, 9am: The sessions are planned for the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. This will be a safe space to share concerns with others who have similar situations and to offer support in return. For more information, contact John Rasmus, Bonnie Magnuson or Joseph Wermeling.

Men’s Book Club, Saturday, October 15, 10am-12noon: The book is The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. The story follows Hetty “Handful” Grimke, a Charleston slave, and Sarah, the daughter of the wealthy Grimke family, who went on to become a feminist, suffragist and an abolitionist.

Creation Care meeting, Saturday, October 15, 12-1:30pm: We will discuss how to move ahead with living into our Creation Care Mission Statement. Members of the parish who’d like to get involved are welcome to attend.

Special Collection for Haiti, Sunday, October 16: Our diocese has a partnership with the community of Jeannette in Haiti. In the aftermath of the destruction of Hurricane Matthew, and at the request of our bishop, we will hold a special collection for Jeannette this Sunday in place of our usual collection for the Rector’s Discretionary Fund. Half the cash in our collection plate, and any designated checks, will go towards our Haiti partnership. To learn more, visit haitiproject.org . Thanks for your generosity!

Episcopal 101, Sunday, October 16, 9am: An ongoing exploration of the Episcopal Church for new and long-time members. All are welcome!

Sunday school, Sunday, October 16, 10am: This Sunday, our 3 year olds to kindergarten class will be learning about the Great Family, while our Elementary classes explore the parable of the Unjust Judge.

Spirituality of Parenting Lunch, Sunday, October 16, 11:30am: 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.

Children’s Choir, Sunday, October 16, 11:30am: The Children’s Choir will gather for our first rehearsal. Kids need to be able to read English (not music), and to focus and learn with a group. Please talk to our Organist & Choir Director, Martin Ganschow, with any questions.

Crop Walk 2016, Sunday, October 16, 12:45pm: St. Dunstan’s will send a team of walkers; all are welcome to grab a T-shirt & walk along! Last year over $36,000 was raised to support the work of many local food pantries and international relief agencies. The goal for this year is $40,000. You can give to our team online at https://www.crophungerwalk.org/madisonwi/Donate ; click on “Donate to a Team” and search for “St. Duntan’s.” Thanks for helping us make a difference!

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, October 16, 6pm: Join us for a simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.

Young Adult Meetup at the Vintage, Sunday, October 16, 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 & partners welcome too.

Parish Map & Regional Groups: Last year we created a map of our parish, by having members put pins in a map for their home and workplace or other places where they spend time. (If you didn’t participate, but we have your home address, we have added you!) We are sharing the Map back to the parish, with some tentative Regional Groups outlined. Take a look, and get to know your St. Dunstan’s neighbors!

THE WEEKS AHEAD…

Vestry meeting, Wednesday, October 19, 6:45pm. Any members are welcome to attend. The draft agenda is posted outside the Meeting Room.

This year’s Parish Talent Show will be Sunday, October 23! What will you share? A poem, a song, a dramatic monologue, a unique skill, a dance? A sample of art, craft, tinkering, building, study or science? Group acts are encouraged. Sign up anytime, even if your act is still in the works!

Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday, October 23, 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.

Spooky Sandbox, Thursday, October 27, 5:30pm: All are welcome to a special edition of our weekly Thursday evening worship. We’ll share some spooky Bible stories, with appropriate music and crafts. Dinner will follow our inter-generational worship service. All are welcome!

Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, October 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 Sa Bai Thong at 6802 Odana Road, in Madison. For more information or to arrange a ride, please contact Kathy Whitt or Debra Martinez.

Fall Giving Campaign: Kids’ Market: As the Kids’ portion of our fall Giving Campaign, the kids of St. Dunstan’s (and their parents) are invited to contribute used toys or other unwanted but useful items to our Kids’ Market, which will run from October 30 through November 13. Kids are encouraged to go through their rooms and bring in some small, good-condition items that are ready for a new home. (No clothing, and no more than one plastic grocery bag per child, please!) Please bring in all contributions by Sunday, October 30. Kids and adults of the parish can shop the Market from October 30 through November 13. All donations will go to support our 2017 parish budget, as our kids’ contribution to our church’s ongoing life. Thanks for your participation!

Naming our Saints: In anticipation of All Saints Day, please fill out one or more Saint Slips, available in the Gathering Area. Tell us about a saint, well-known or known only to you, whom you remember with love.

All Saints’ Day, Sunday, Nov. 6: We will celebrate this holy day with an opportunity to remember the faithful departed; renewal of our baptismal vows; and, at our 10am service, a kids’ saint procession.

Remembrance Station: Consider bringing in a token of one of those saints whom you remember with love and respect, as an extension of our All Saints commemorations. Our Remembrance Station this year will include a place to hang pictures or notes, and a table where you may place a photo or other memento. Please don’t bring in anything precious or irreplaceable. On Sunday, November 20, we will commend these faithful departed to Christ our King.

International Potluck, Saturday, November 5, 5pm: Diversity comes in many flavors, and our congregation has a wide range of ages, sexual orientations, and nationalities.  The Diversity Potluck is a get-together intended to showcase and celebrate our beautiful diversity, whatever that word means to you.  Bring a dish that you feel celebrates your own personal diversity.  You can bring artwork, music, or poems (original or not) that celebrates it as well!  Feel free to dress up to celebrate it!  Dinner will start at 5:00.  Please, bring a small card telling us about your dish/art, and note if the dish is gluten free/ vegetarian/ peanut free.  Please sign up with what dish you are bringing in the Gathering Area.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE…

Christmas Cards for Jail Inmates: St. Dunstan’s has been invited by our sister parish Grace Church to join them in writing Christmas cards to the inmates of the Dane County Jail. Christmas is a bleak time for these men and women, and even a simple message of kindness can bring some joy and hope. Our goal is to complete at least 100. Right now we are asking for donations of Christmas cards – odd leftovers from past years, ones you don’t really like enough to send, cheap ones from the thrift store. Once we have some cards, we’ll set up a Card-Writing Station where people can pause to write a message while they’re at church, or take a few cards and the guidelines for card-writing to do their writing at home. Cards will be delivered to the jail before Christmas.

Become a Mentor to a Local Student! The mentoring program at Kromrey Middle School aims to help kids who may face barriers due to their background or educational challenges, to be well-supported and high-school ready. If you enjoy working with young people and have wondered how to make a difference in our community, this may be a perfect opportunity for you. The initial training will be October 28. Application forms are available at St. Dunstan’s and should be sent in by October 24th.