Announcements, April 27

THIS WEEKEND… 

Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, April 28, 6pm: Come join us for good food and good conversation among women of all ages from St. Dunstan’s. This month we will meet at Cocina Real on 2518 Allen Blvd. in Middleton.

Outreach meeting, Saturday, April 29, 8-10am: 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 All-Ages Worship, Sunday, April 30, 10am: Our last Sunday worship will focus on the Gospel story of two disciples’ walking with Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Father John Rasmus will preach and celebrate. 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.

How Shall We Care for Our Waters? Creation Care Open Meeting, Sunday, April 30, 9am OR 11:30am: Caring for God’s creation is a core aspect of St. Dunstan’s mission and identity. To live this out, our parish Creation Care Task Force invites us to set two or three simple, achievable goals for better environmental stewardship each year. For the first year of this practice, we have identified Water as the focus – as in the water that sustains life, the water of our beautiful lakes, the waters of baptism! At this open meeting, we’ll briefly explore local and global challenges related to water, and choose 2 – 3 simple steps we can take, as individuals and/or as a parish, to be better stewards of water. If you have questions, or can’t attend but have ideas, talk with John Laedlein.

Middle School Lunch & Learn, Sunday, April 30, 12-1pm: JonMichael Rasmus will be meeting with the 10-and-up youth of the parish for lunch after church this Sunday. Conversations will dig around 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.

Weeders Wanted! While we allow much of our property to flourish on its own terms, we do try to keep the garden beds in front of the church, around our sign, and outside the windows of the nave looking pretty and tidy. Would you like to help by taking responsibility for one of these areas for the growing season? A visit every couple of weeks should be enough, and you’re welcome to share the work with a buddy. A “Weeders Wanted” signup is in the Gathering Area.

THE WEEKS AHEAD…

URINETOWN, May 4 – 6 at 7:30pm at the Middleton Performing Arts Center:  In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides that he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! Urinetown is a darkly humorous satire which raises keen questions about freedom and survival. Members of St. Dunstan’s with an interest in creation care are encouraged to attend. Tickets are $10 ($8 students and seniors) and can be purchased at https://mhswi.booktix.com . A group will attend together on Thursday night, May 4.

Birthday and Anniversary Blessings and Healing Prayers will be given next Sunday, May 7, as is our custom on the first Sunday of the month.

MOM Special Offering, Sunday, May 7: 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: toilet paper & paper towels; shelf-stable dairy/non-dairy beverages; oil and butter; whole grains: rice, quinoa, barley; nut butter (other than peanut butter – allergy); ketchup and mayonnaise; dried lentils, garbanzo, or black beans; canned tomato products; prepared meals in cans or boxes; baking supplies (all types, including boxed mixes). Thank you for your generous support!

Holy Baptism, Sunday, May 7, 10am: We will baptize a new member of Christ’s Kingdom, little Harlem. Please welcome the White family as they celebrate this holy occasion among us!

Spring Clean-Up Day, Sunday, May 7, 12-2pm: Join us after the 10 am service to enjoy a time of shared work on our beautiful grounds, tidying them up and preparing for the growing season. A list of tasks will be posted in the Gathering Area ahead of time. Wear or bring your scruffy clothes and work gloves. Lunch will be provided! A list of tasks will be posted by Sunday, April 23rd.

– Lunch Host(s) Needed for Clean-Up Day! Would you like to prepare a simple meal to feed our workers? We could use your help. Food expenses can be reimbursed. Contact Rev. Miranda at 238-2781 .

Visitation and Memorial for Larry Alt, Sunday, May 7, 2:30pm: Larry Alt will be remembered with Visitation at 2:30pm, followed by a Memorial service at 3:30pm. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gloria and the family.

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, May 7, 6pm: Join us for a simple service before the week begins. All are welcome.

Recovery Eucharist, Tuesday, May 9, 5:30pm: The Recovery Eucharist, celebrated in many churches around the country, is designed for those recovering from any addiction and for those who support them in their recovery.  Elements of the service are drawn from the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church, and the 12 Step readings. The Eucharist (Holy Communion) will be celebrated with grape juice instead of wine. All are welcome; feel free to invite a friend. A Beginners’ AA meeting follows at 7pm, in the Meeting Room; this AA meeting is held weekly at St. Dunstan’s, and anyone is welcome to attend.

Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, May 10, 1-2:45pm: We welcome everyone who is interested in learning more about contemplative spirituality in the Christian tradition. We meet every month for contemplative prayer and discussing the writings of Julian of Norwich, a 14th century English mystic who has been called “a theologian for our time.” We would love to have you join us. If you have questions, contact Susan Fiore.

Guest Preacher, Sunday, May 14: We welcome Hal Edmonson as our guest preacher this Sunday. Hal was raised in Madison, a stone’s throw from St. Dunstan’s, and is currently pursuing his M.Div. at Harvard Divinity School.

St. Dunstan’s Day All-Ages Worship & Hat and Tie Sunday, May 21: We will celebrate the feast day of our saint, Dunstan, on Sunday, May 21. You’re invited to mark the occasion by dressing up with a fancy hat and/or tie, serious or playful.  Wear your own or borrow one from the collection at church. Easter Sunday saw a fine array of bowties on our members; can we top that number? We will formally welcome new members on this festive day. It’s our custom to take photos of the whole congregation after each service that Sunday; we hope you’ll stay a few moments to participate.

Making Our Grounds an Eternal Home: Discussing a Columbarium for St. Dunstan’s, Sunday, May 21, 9am: At St. Dunstan’s, members are welcome to scatter the ashes of their loved ones on our grounds, with the intention that those ashes become part of the soil of this place. We do not currently have a place or a practice for interring ashes in urns in a columbarium of some sort. Interested members are invited to a conversation about the legal and logistical differences between scattering ashes and interring urns, with the goal of establishing whether there is a desire among our congregation to create a columbarium here. If you have questions or input and can’t attend the meeting, talk with Sharon Bloodgood  or Rev. Miranda.

Summer Flowers: From June through August, we are trying something new with our altar flowers. We invite members to sign up to *bring* flowers, instead of ordering them through our florist as usual. During these months, local flowers are readily available, at the farmer’s market or in your own gardens. We are planting some flowers on the church grounds as well, which can certainly be used! If you’d like to contribute flowers, simply sign up for your chosen Sunday. You can still make a dedication, and we will include it in the bulletin as usual. You may use your own vase, or one of the vases here at church. Please take your flowers home, or give them to a friend, after the 10am service. Questions? Talk with Gail Jordan-Jones or Rev. Miranda.