THIS WEEK….
Clergy Presence during Rev. Miranda’s Travel: Rev. Miranda will be away from church August 23-26. Father Tom McAlpine will celebrate and preach on Sunday, August 25. If you need the care or counsel of a priest during Rev. Miranda’s absence, you may reach Father Tom or Father John Rasmus.
Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, August 23, 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 The Nile Restaurant at 6119 Odana Road, Madison. For more information, or to arrange a ride, please contact Bonnie Magnuson.
Outreach Committee Meeting, Saturday, August 24, 8-10:30am: All our welcome to join us as we seek to serve God though supporting with our time, talent, and treasure organizations dedicated to feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, honoring the overlooked, and welcoming the stranger.
Parade Traffic Reminder for 10AM Worship, Sunday, August 25: Middleton’s annual Good Neighbor Parade will be lining up just west of St. Dunstan’s (and possibly past St. Dunstan’s driveway) for the 12pm parade this Sunday. If the main driveway is blocked, you can always exit by the back gate. (It should be open that morning but is never locked, even if it looks locked.) Please drive slowly and respectfully on Countryside Lane – it is narrow and our neighbors there are used to a quiet street.
A Reminder to Parents & Guardians: Please remind kids to stay clear of construction zones (or keep an eye on kids too young to follow instructions). Normally we are glad that St. Dunstan’s building and grounds are a relatively safe place to roam, but due to the renovation there are numerous not-so-safe areas right now. In particular, kids should not be playing or hanging out unsupervised on the lower level of the main building. Thanks!
Financial Update: As of the end of July, our parish finances look good. Both income and expenses are running very close to budget, and income exceeds expenses. Look for a more detailed overview of our parish finances in September/October. Keeping the everyday finances of a church in good shape during a capital campaign can be a stretch; it says a lot for the generosity and commitment of this community of faith that we are on a solid financial footing.
THE WEEKS AHEAD…
All-Ages Worship, “Cookie Church” Style, Sunday, Sept. 1, 10AM: Our 10am worship on September 1 will follow the structure of “Cookie Church,” our seasonal evening child-centered worship. Come get a taste of Cookie Church! Note: This will be more of a departure from normal Sunday worship than our regular monthly All-Ages Worship! Our 8am worship will follow our regular order of service.
Blessing of the Backpacks, Sunday, September 1: Students (and teachers!) of all ages are invited to bring backpacks, laptops, etc., to be blessed in this service, as we pray for our schools and universities. Blessed backpack tags will be available on Sunday, Sept. 8, as well.
Game Night at St. Dunstan’s, Friday, September 6, 6pm: Join us for an evening of games for all ages. Friends, partners, kids – all welcome. Bring a snack to share, or come as you are!
Guests Worshiping With Us, Sunday, September 8, 10am: Some participants in the Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice Sacred Sites program will visit St. Dunstan’s on Sunday, September 8, during 10am worship. The Sacred Sites groups have been visiting faith communities all over Madison to increase interfaith understanding and connectedness; several St. Dunstan’s folks have been participating. Please help welcome our guests!
Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, 1pm 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 Book Club, September 28 at 10am: A Good American Family by David Maraniss. Elliott Maraniss, David’s father, a WWII veteran who had commanded an all-black company in the Pacific, was spied on by the FBI, named as a communist by an informant, called before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1952, fired from his newspaper job, and blacklisted for five years. Yet he never lost faith in America and emerged on the other side with his family and optimism intact.
Green Habits Challenge Badge, July – September 2019: Part of our parish Creation Care Mission Statement invites us to pattern our daily lives as caretakers of Creation. Many of us are trying to make our daily habits “greener”, so let’s try together! Pick up a green leaflet under the big calendar in the Gathering Area or go to stdunstans.com/faith-practices/green-challenge-badge-summer-2019/ to see a list of eleven changes and challenges you could undertake. Complete five by the end of September to earn a badge!