THIS WEEKEND…
4th & 5th Grade Group: Kids in 4th & 5th grade are invited to gather on occasional Friday evenings for pizza, conversation, small service projects, and fun. This group (nicknamed the Owls) will meet on Friday, March 8, and Friday, March 22, from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Talk to Rev. Miranda, Krissy Mayer or Marian Barnes to learn more!
Cookie Church, 6-7pm, Sundays in Lent (Starting March 10): Cookie Church is simple bedtime church. It is child-centered but not just for kids. We will share singing, story, Eucharist, and a snack. (Yes, there will be cookies.) We end with bedtime prayers and it’s OK to come in your pajamas! We’re trying this out for a season to see what we learn; come try it out with us! Sign up in the Gathering Area if you’d like to make a batch of cookies for us one week. We ask for at least 20 cookies, and it’s OK to drop them off Sunday morning (clearly labeled so they don’t get eaten at Coffee Hour).
Bite Size Climate, Sunday, March 10, 11:50 – 12:10: Many of us are fearful and sad about climate change and its many impacts. An important first step towards change is to be informed citizens who understand the issue and can talk about it with others – since we’ll all need to work together for change. Adults, kids, and youth are all invited to a series of twenty-minute (we promise!) gatherings to watch a short video, talk, and pray together. Over time, we’ll expand our understanding and commitment in bite-sized chunks. We’ll meet in the Meeting Room after 10am worship on Sundays when children’s choir doesn’t meet; our first few dates are March 10, March 31, and April 7. See you there!
Open Door Project Plans: Look for posters around the church building to tell you about our upcoming renovation! Construction is expected to begin after Easter. Talk to Rev. Miranda or any member of the Vestry if you have questions or ideas.
Are you new to St. Dunstan’s? Would you like to share a little about yourself? Just talk with Rev. Miranda on a Sunday, or email () or call (608) 238-2781. We’d love to include you on our new members board!
Looking for Coffee Hosts for March 2019! Consider being a coffee host and talk with Janet Bybee for more information.
Easter Flower Sign-Up: If you would like to sponsor and dedicate flowers for the Easter services, please see the sign-up sheet in the Gathering Area.
THE WEEKS AHEAD…
Madison-Area Julian Gathering Wednesday, March 13, 1:00 – 2:45 PM: We welcome everyone who is interested in learning more about contemplative spirituality in the Christian tradition. We meet the second Wednesday of the month for a period of contemplative prayer, after which we discuss a reading from 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, ObJN.
Saturday Morning Bible Study: Luke devotes a good chunk of his Gospel to Jesus’ last journey to Jerusalem. We’re going to read part of it together, wondering what Luke wants us to hear and see, wondering what following this Jesus is about. Five Saturday sessions 8-10 am starting March 16. If you plan to attend, please let Rev. Miranda or the church office know so we have enough materials (, 608-238-2781). For more information contact Fr Tom.
Spirituality of Parenting Lunch, Sunday, March 17, 11:30am: All who seek meaning in the journey of parenthood (at any age or stage) are welcome to come for food and conversation. Childcare and a simple meal provided. Pick up the essay “Life with our Children” in the Gathering Area to read before we meet, if you’d like!
What do we mean by Doubt? Sunday, March 17, 9am: Jesus once said to Thomas “Do not doubt, but believe.” Does that end or start the conversation about doubt? Spiritual writer Frederick Buechner has written, “Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.” There seem to be different sorts of doubt, or different roles doubt can play. What’s been your experience? Come share an open conversation with Rev. Miranda and Father Tom. All ages welcome!
Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, March 22, 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 Monk’s Bar & Grill, 8313 Murphy Dr., Middleton (next to Costco). For more information please contact Kathy Whitt.
From Fort Atkinson to Tajikistan, Youth Reach Out Through Microloans – At the recent St. Dunstan’s Youth Group retreat, as part of the Way of Love, our youth chose seven people to Bless with a microloan through Kiva.org. We also established a lending team that any Kiva user can join! For more information about Kiva and our team, visit https://www.kiva.org/team/friends_of_st_dunstans_madison – and we welcome prayers for Anni, Ever, Hector, Monica, Nasiba, Boaz’s Group, and Isaac’s Group, the recipients of our first loans.
Camp Webb 2019 (June 16 – 22) is accepting applications now! Camp Webb is an outdoor ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee, for children and youth grades 3 through senior high. It is held at a camp outside Elkhorn, WI. Camp tuition is $400, with a deposit of $100 due at the time of registration. St. Dunstan’s offers $150 in aid to all our campers, with additional assistance possible; contact Rev. Miranda for financial assistance. http://www.diomil.org/forming-disciples/children-youth-and-family-ministries/camp-webb/ for registration forms. Camp Webb IS EXPECTED TO FILL this year, so apply soon!
Greeting Card Recycling! Do you have old, used greeting cards around that you don’t have the heart to just recycle? Our 4th & 5th Grade group is planning a project using pictures from old cards, and we’ll put them to good use! Bring them in and give them to Miranda or Krissy, or leave them in Miranda’s mailbox. We prefer general or nature- and spring-type images – nothing Christmassy, please!
Have you been baptized? The Prayer Book tells us, “Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church.” From the earliest years of Christianity, the season of Lent (which begins February 10) was when new Christians studied the faith and prepared for baptism at Easter. If you have never been baptized, or aren’t sure, and would like to learn more about this rite, please contact Rev. Miranda.
The Rite of Reconciliation is a simple practice of offering up our sins to God for cleansing and healing. Sin often has to do with habits of mind and action that tend to separate us from God, from one another, and from our truest selves. Most of us can easily name two or three ongoing struggles in our lives – areas where we strive, and sometimes fail, to be healthier and kinder and more ethical people. You may seek the Rite of Reconciliation at any time, but Lent is an appropriate season for self-reflection and penitence. If you would like to experience the ministry of Reconciliation, contact Rev. Miranda to make an appointment.