THIS WEEK…
Thanksgiving service, Wednesday, November 27, 7pm: There will be a simple Eucharist service on Wednesday evening. All are welcome.
Black Friday Craft-In, Friday, Nov. 29, 1-4PM: A free all-ages crafting and gift-making event for all ages, open to the wider community. Come join the fun and invite a friend!
Advent Begins on Sunday, December 1! Advent is the beginning of the church’s new year. Advent is a wonderful season to celebrate at home! Advent materials are available in the Gathering Area! Please take whatever you will use.
Bite Size Climate, Sunday, December 1, 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. This time, we’ll learn about the science of climate modeling. This video is a little longer (12 minutes), but we’ll keep our 20 minute total time.
There are still a few ornaments to claim for Winter Wishes (formerly Sharing Christmas)! As a congregation, we will be buying gifts for 4 families with a total of 7 adults and 6 children. The wishes are on the paper ornaments near the main door in the Gathering Area. Directions are on the table underneath the ornaments and the sign-up sheet is there also. Gifts should be brought to St. Dunstan’s, wrapped, with ornament attached, by Sunday, Dec. 8th. Questions? – contact Connie Ott. (Thanks for your generosity:).
Furnishing our Renewed Spaces: Before the renovation, there were benches along the east wall in three sections of the main floor of our main building. The benches were a permanent feature – they had to be bolted to the floor to be stable, and could not be moved. Those benches moved out when the new carpet was installed, and we need to decide whether and where they should come back. We can make a different decision for each area: the Gathering Area; the area near the kitchen and restrooms; and the Meeting Room. The decision is not whether to have seating or not; it’s clear that we often need seating in these areas – but we have the option of using benches or chairs that can be moved when we have opportunity or need to use the space in a different way, such as setting up tables for an event. Over the next couple of weeks, when you are at church, please notice these spaces and think about how they have been used and could be used. There are sheets up on the windows in each area where you can share some thoughts! You can also email thoughts to Rev. Miranda . We’ll try to make a decision by the end of December.
THE WEEKS AHEAD…
Advent Quiet Day, Saturday, Dec. 7, 9am – 4pm, Holy Wisdom Monastery: All are invited for an Advent day of contemplative prayer, song, and reflection. Mediations will be offered with ample time for silence and reflection. $15, including lunch. Pay when you arrive. Please register by emailing . Offered by Living Compass and our sister parish, Christ Church, Whitefish Bay.
Bring Christmas Cheer to St. Dunstan’s! Celebrate what’s important to you with a gift that helps us decorate for Christmas and honors a loved one or a special event. Please see the red Christmas Flowers sign-up sheets in the Gathering Area. Write “Christmas Flowers” on the memo line of your check or on the envelope containing cash. Suggested donation is $25.
Christmas Eve Helpers Needed: We are in need of assisting ministers in several positions for our holiday services including: ushers, greeters, and serving refreshments. There are signup sheets in the Gathering Area. Please consider offering a bit of your time to these joyful services!
Madison-Area Julian Gathering Wednesday, December 11, 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.
Las Posadas Party, Saturday, Dec. 14, 6pm: Las Posadas (Spanish for “the inns”) is an Advent celebration practiced in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America, revolving around the concept of hospitality. We learn from the Posadas that by welcoming the poor and the needy, we are welcoming Jesus in our midst. We’ll celebrate Posadas with an intergenerational gathering for food, fellowship & fireworks! All are welcome.
POSADAS FOOD SIGNUP: Could you bring a bowl of guacamole or a batch of rice or beans? Sign up in the Gathering Area or let Miranda know!
Announcements for E-news: If you have an announcement you would like to see in the weekly e-news or the Sunday News and Notes, we are happy to include it. Send announcements to the office at . We ask that all announcements be submitted by the end of the day on Wednesday, because we prepare the E-news and News & Notes on Thursday morning. If you have an announcement or event you’d like to share but are uncertain whether it’s appropriate for the e-news, you can send it to Rev. Miranda .