THIS WEEK…
Thanksgiving Service, Wednesday, November 23, 7pm: There will be a simple Eucharist service on Wednesday evening. All are welcome.
Black Friday Craft-In, Friday, November 25, 1 – 4pm: All are welcome to this free public crafting event. Spread the word, and come make stuff!
First Sunday of Advent All-Ages Worship Sunday, November 27, 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. NOTE: Our 8am service always follows our regular order of worship.
Middle School Lunch and Learn, Sunday, November 27, 11:30am-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’s helpful.
Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday, November 27, 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.
Caroling in 2016: Last year a group of singers from St. Dunstan’s had a wonderful time visiting a few of our members and singing Christmas carols. We’d like to do the same this year. All ages are welcome to participate. Possible dates include Saturday, December 17; Sunday afternoon, December 18; and Friday, December 23. Please sign up and indicate your availability in the Gathering Area.
Military and College Student Care Packages – Addresses Needed! The Youth Group is preparing care packages for military personnel and college students. If you have a college student or service member who you would a care package sent to, please provide name and address to Sharon Henes by Sunday, December 4. Donations of small gifts to include in the packages are also welcome. Thank you for your support!
Christmas Shopping at St. Dunstan’s: This Sunday and in the weeks ahead, pick up something for your Christmas list!
– Haiti Chocolate Bars: Pick up a delicious chocolate bar – or several – made with fairly-traded cocoa from Haiti. The bars are $4 each, and are being sold by our Sunday school kids as part of their fundraising to support school fees for a child in Haiti next year.
– MOM Tribute Cards: For those people on your list who’d prefer a gift to charity. Make a donation of $10 or more, and take a card to give to someone you care about. All proceeds will go to MOM (Middleton Outreach Ministry) to support their work preventing homelessness and feeding the hungry. Make checks out to St. Dunstan’s, with “MOM Card” on the memo line.
Thank You Box – Last Chance! During the month of November, you’re invited to write a note about a person, thing, or event, in our church’s life or beyond, for which you feel grateful. Put your note in the Thank You Box. In December we’ll turn our notes into banners which will hang around the church as a celebration of all the gifts we’ve received from God and one another.
SHARING CHRISTMAS – Please return gifts by Wednesday, December 7! All the gift tags have been claimed, which is wonderful! If you took a gift tag, please purchase and wrap the requested gift, and return it to church with the gift tag firmly attached to the package. Thank you so much for your generous support of this wonderful Middleton Outreach project that makes Christmas brighter for so many!!
Christmas Cards for Jail Inmates: If you feel called to this ministry, please take a few cards and a sheet of guidelines, and write some messages of good cheer. These cards will go to the men and women who will be inmates of the Dane County Jail this Christmas. Reaching out to those in prison is one of Jesus’ clearest calls on his followers, and while this is a small gesture, it still matters. Our goal is to complete 100 cards by Friday, December 16.
NEXT WEEK & BEYOND…
Sandbox Worship, Thursday, Dec. 1, 5:30pm: We will gather for Advent evening worship, and to create prayer gems, a simple project to help us be faithful in prayer for particular people, issues, or situations. All are welcome. Dinner to follow. (There is NO Sandbox worship on Thanksgiving Day.)
Men’s Book Club Meeting, Saturday, December 3, 10am: The book is Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. “Essential. A compelling and damning exploration of the abuse of one of our basic human rights: shelter”. From abandoned slums to shelters, eviction courts to ghettoes, Matthew Desmond spent years living with and recording the stories of those struggling to survive – yet who won’t give up. A work of love, care and humanity, Evicted reminds us why, without a home, nothing else is possible. It is one of the most necessary books of our time. For more information, contact Jim Hindle.
Sunday school, Sunday, December 4, 10am: Next Sunday, our 3 year olds to kindergarten class will be learning about the prophet Jeremiah, while our Elementary classes will explore ideas about Jesus Christ from the letter to the Colossians.
MOM Special Offering, Sunday, December 4: Next Sunday, half the cash in our offering plate and any designated checks will be given to Middleton Outreach Ministry’s food pantry. Here are the current top-ten, most needed items: quinoa, farro, barley; various rice (wild, white, black); salt, pepper, spices; cooking oil / butter; honey / maple syrup; holiday foods (cranberries, etc.); canned pumpkin; size 5 & 6 diapers; flour and sugar; low-sugar cereals. Thank you for all your support!
Birthdays and Anniversaries will be will be honored and Healing Prayers will be offered next Sunday, December 4, as is our custom on the first Sunday of every month.
Learning about our Diocesan Haiti Partnership, Sunday, December 4, 9am: Heidi Ropa, the chair of our diocesan partnership with the rural community of Jeannette, Haiti, will be with us on Sunday, Dec. 4, to tell us about Jeannette, and the history and future of that partnership. Our Sunday school classes would like to raise funds this Advent to support a student in Haiti, helping with his or her educational and everyday expenses.
Evening Eucharist, Sunday, December 4, 6pm: A simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.
Bishop’s Visitation, Sunday, December 11: Our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Steven Miller, will lead worship, preach, and be available between services (at 9am) for conversation about our diocese and about our call as Christians in the world today. It’s an honor to share Advent with our Bishop and we look forward to our time together!
Help feed the students! St Francis House Dinner, Sunday, December 11: 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.
Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, December 14, 7:15-9pm: St. 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.
Christmas Day Services: On Sunday, December 25, there WILL be a service of Holy Eucharist at 10am. There will NOT be an 8am service. Christmas Eve services will be Saturday, December 24, at 3pm and 9pm.
IN THE COMMUNITY…
Creating for a Cause Holiday Art Fair, December 3-4, MOM Food Pantry, 3502 Parmenter St., Middleton: Over 60 local artists will have stands at this event, and all are donating 20% or more of their proceeds to MOM’s homelessness prevention and hunger fighting programs. Also featured at the event will be MOM Gifts of Hope, an “alternative gift” program perfect for purchasing for the person who has everything.