Announcements

Announcements, August 17

THIS WEEKEND…

Guest Preacher, Sunday, August 20: The Rev. Jonathan Melton: Next Sunday, Rev. Miranda will be on vacation. Father Jonathan Melton will celebrate and preach at both the 8am and 10am services. Jonathan is the chaplain at St. Francis House Episcopal Campus Ministry at UW-Madison, just a couple of miles east on University Avenue, and a friend of the parish and many of its members.

Rector’s Discretionary Fund Offering, Sunday, August 20: Half the cash in our collection plate, and any designated checks, will go towards the Rector’s Discretionary Fund this day and on every third Sunday. This fund is a way to quietly help people with direct financial needs, in the parish and the wider community. Please give generously.

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, August 20, 6pm: Join us for a simple service as the week begins. All are welcome. 

Cupcake Decorating Contest! Decorate a cupcake with an image or theme from a Bible story! Deborah Sproule invites us into creative and delicious work. All ages are invited to participate and teamwork is encouraged. Here’s how to participate:

  1. Bring edible decorations. Frosting, interesting sprinkles or candy shapes, pretzel sticks – there are many possibilities! (Please avoid peanuts – thanks!) Bring items anytime from this Sunday through Friday, Sept. 1.
  2. Come at 9am on Sunday, August 27 to start brainstorming and designing. We’ll start sketching ideas on paper. (Not required for participation, just a fun opportunity!)
  3. Cupcake decorating and judging will take place at the Camp-Out, Friday evening, September 1. You can bring decorative elements already prepared if you like, but you don’t have to. Cupcakes will be provided and decorating elements will be on hand.

Youth Group T-Shirts Available: Our Middle School Youth Group is about to start their third season! If you’d like to show your support for the group, we have a limited number of T-shirts available, for a suggested donation of $5. The logo is inspired by the game Betrayal at the House on the Hill, a favorite of the group. Donations can be made by cash, check with “Youth T” on the memo line, or a General Donation with a memo at donate.stdunstans.com.

Sponsor a Bible for our Sunday School Students! This year we’d like to offer our 3rd through 5th grade Sunday school students their own study Bibles to keep in the classroom and use this year and beyond. As the class explores our focus texts from the lectionary, they can look them up in their own Bible, underline or write notes in the margins, and start to feel like the Bible is theirs to study, grapple with, and love. We ask a $25 donation to be a Bible Sponsor. You may write a dedication in the Bible you sponsor, if you wish! We hope to buy 10 Bibles, to be ready for current and future students. You can make your gift online at donate.stdunstans.com or by cash or check with “Student Bible” on the memo line or envelope. Thanks for supporting our young disciples!

Altar Flowers: fall dates available! Honor a loved one or a special event with altar flowers. Reserve your special date by writing your dedication on the sign-up sheet. Suggested donation is $35. Write “flowers” on the memo line of your check or on envelope containing cash, or donate online at donate.stdunstans.com.

Coffee Hosts Needed on September 3: Please consider being a coffee host and talk with Janet Bybee for more information.

THE WEEK AHEAD & BEYOND…

Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, August 25, 6pm: Come join us for good food and good conversation among women of all ages from St. Dunstan’s. This month we’ll meet at Via Dolce, 1828 Parmenter Street, in Middleton.  

Memorial Service for Jim Osen, Saturday, August 26, 3pm: Friends of the Osen family and all members of our parish family are invited to this service to celebrate Jim’s life and commend him to God. A light reception will follow the liturgy.

Outreach Meeting, Saturday, August 26, 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.

Men’s Book Club, Saturday, August 26, 10am: The book is A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. He is a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars, caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell. A fun read and well written.

Last Sunday Worship, Sunday, August 27, 10am: We’ll dive into the story of Moses together, beginning the story of the great journey of God’s people which we’ll follow in our Sunday readings all the way through October.  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. Come at 9:45 to compose our Psalm response for the 10am service! NOTE: Our 8am service always follows our regular order of worship.

Camp-Out Night at St. Dunstan’s, Friday, September 1, 5:30pm: For those who have been meaning to camp out all summer – or want to give it a try in an easy setting (with flush toilets available!) – or who camp all the time and can share tips with the rest of us! We’ll share a simple potluck supper (hot dogs and marshmallows, etc., provided), fellowship around the fire pit, singing, and Compline prayers at dusk. You can spend the night, or just come for the evening and then go home to your nice warm bed. Friends welcome!

Blessing of the Backpacks, Sunday, September 3: 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. Come between 9 and 10am to help decorate this year’s backpack tags. Blessed backpack tags will be available on Sunday, Sept. 10, as well.

Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday, August 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.

“Good Books” Book Group Meeting for Good Omens, Sunday, September 3, 9am: We’ll have donuts, coffee, juice, and conversation about our final summer read, Good Omens. Bring your book, with favorite or perplexing pages dog-eared!

Game Night at St. Dunstan’s, Friday, September 8, 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!

Lammastide Festival of Bread, Sunday, September 10: Lammastide is an ancient harvest festival that became a church festival in our mother church, the Church of England. It’s an opportunity to offer the fruits of the growing season thankfully to God. The word means “loaf mass” – it was originally held at the time of year when the first grain ripened enough to be made into fresh loaves of bread. We will celebrate the end of summer together with a Lammastide procession and blessing, and a festive bread-themed Coffee Hour after the 10am service. Bring a loaf of bread – any kind! – or something beautiful from your garden or the farmer’s market: vegetables, fruit, flowers. We will offer our harvest gifts during worship; you can reclaim your produce afterwards.

Sunday School starts again, Sunday, September 10, 10am:  Our Sunday school classes meet on the second and third Sunday of every month, during the first part of the 10am service. We have three classes this year. Our class for 3 year olds through kindergarteners uses the ‘Godly Play’ approach, sharing and reflecting on the central stories of our faith.  Our classes for 1st and 2nd graders, and for 3rd through 5th graders, use a curriculum based on the Sunday lectionary, the same Bible lessons we hear in the liturgy that day. They explore those lessons through discussion, art, drama, Lego, and other projects. All kids are welcome to participate!

Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, September 13, 1:00 – 2:45 PM: A Julian Gathering is open to everyone and you are welcome at all times.  We support each other in the practice of contemplative prayer and contemplative spirituality, and have the quintessentially Anglican writings of Bl. Mother Julian of Norwich at their core.  They are for all who want to deepen their life of faith through the practice of contemplative prayer, for beginners as well as those already practicing.  Each meeting includes time for contemplative prayer and reading/discussion of Bl. Julian’s revelations.  Don’t worry if you’ve never practiced silent prayer before, we can set your mind at ease. We meet the second Wednesday of each month.  For additional information, contact Susan Fiore.

 

Finances

Midyear financial report

St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church Mid-Year Financial Report

Based on January through June finances 

Overview

The parish’s finances are healthy and most lines in our budget are on target for this point in the year, with only minor exceptions.

Income 

Income is up and ahead of budget by about $9,000. The areas reflecting this increase are Feast Day Income (offerings given at Easter and Christmas, which are over budget by $1,235) and Rent Income from groups and events that use our main buildings occasionally. That budget line is currently $375 over the anticipated annual budget. The Pledge Income is ahead of budget, reflecting strong giving into the summer. This line usually ends the year close to budget, which means people tend to give what they said they would give; thank you!

Expenses

Overall, most expense lines are on target or only slightly above or below their midyear budgeted amount.

Many costs can be managed to be with budget at year end but are not distributed evenly during the year. Some budget lines that reflect this are Formation, Other Ministries, Building Repairs and Maintenance, the Rector’s expenses lines, and Administration. All seem to be on track or manageable to end the year close to budget. Fellowship/Kitchen may exceed its budget as we continue to do more, particularly extending our formation programs. Office Supplies may end the year over budget.  The Rector’s Continuing Education line is also over budget for the year, but no additional expenditures are anticipated.

Some overages, such as Outreach giving, the Rector’s Health & Disability premiums, and lay staff salaries, are simply an artifact of when payments or grants are made relative to the calendar, and will resolve by the end of the year.

Altar and worship expenses are under budget. This may be partially due to the investment in communion wine that we made last year, which means we will not have to re-order this year. The Event Fund, a new line last year, is below budget, but is used more heavily in the second half of the year for Evening Bible Camp and the Craft-In in November.

Any expense lines which do end the year in deficit (i.e. over the annual budget amount) will likely be covered by enough other accounts finishing under budget. In addition, the Balance Sheet shows that there are funds (Retained Earnings) from previous years’ budgets that can be used to cover small deficits in current Net Income.

In summary, if our giving and spending continue on track, we expect to end this fiscal year on a sound footing, thanks to your generosity and faithfulness.

Designated Funds

St. Dunstan’s maintains many “Designated Funds” which do not show on an income and expense report. These are investments and gifts given for specific purposes.

We have investments with the Diocesan Trustees of Funds and Endowments. The current balance there is $196,693, divided into two designated funds. One of these is the fund that generates the income for our outreach grant program. The other is an unrestricted investment. We have used these funds to make outreach grants and to fund the preparations for a capital campaign. In practice, we have often used our cash flow to temporarily cover these expenditures without having to withdraw funds from these investments, leaving as much there as possible earning dividends.

These funds represent money that St. Dunstan’s uses in its various ministries beyond the day to day operating of the parish. Some of the funds you may be familiar with which are outside our operating budget are the Middleton Outreach Ministry, the Middleton Outreach Pantry, memorial funds for individuals and general memorials, the Discretionary Fund, and part of our rent income is designated for capital expenses for our facilities. There are others: the organ fund, music contributions, birthday offerings, the Haiti project, the United Thank Offering and most recently our very successful Diaper Drive. So far this year $26,402 in contributions have been made to all our assorted designated funds. All of these funds are listed on our balance sheet and a full report is given to the vestry at least every quarter.

Copies of our detailed finances are available for review by members of the parish at any time. Ask one of our Co-Treasurers, Val McAuliffe and Sue Lloyd; Rev. Miranda; or contact the church office.

Announcements

Announcements, August 10

THIS WEEKEND…

The Book of Jonah, Sunday August 13, 9 am: Jonah: three parts burlesque, one part parable-with-teeth. Many approaches to the book that are productive; we’ll watch how God-talk and Divine patience/humility intersect. Read the book ahead of time; it’s only four chapters long, and will take you twenty minutes. Fr. Tom McAlpine will facilitate.

School Supplies for Middleton Outreach Ministry: Deadline, Sunday, August 13! Although we still have plenty of summer left to enjoy, the ads are encouraging us to think about “Back to School!” And, that means it is time to think about school supply donations for the MOM Backpack program. You are always so generous with your contributions, giving students the chance to have the needed items to succeed in school! Please check the Gathering Space for the collection box and lists of most needed items. THANK YOU!!!

Youth Group T-Shirts Available: Our Middle School Youth Group is about to start their third season! If you’d like to show your support for the group, we have a limited number of T-shirts available, for a suggested donation of $5. The logo is inspired by the game Betrayal at the House on the Hill, a favorite of the group. Donations can be made by cash, check with “Youth T” on the memo line, or a General Donation with a memo at donate.stdunstans.com.

Sponsor a Bible for our Sunday School Students! This year we’d like to offer our 3rd through 5th grade Sunday school students their own study Bibles to keep in the classroom and use this year and beyond. As the class explores our focus texts from the lectionary, they can look them up in their own Bible, underline or write notes in the margins, and start to feel like the Bible is theirs to study, grapple with, and love. We ask a $25 donation to be a Bible Sponsor. You may write a dedication in the Bible you sponsor, if you wish! We hope to buy 10 Bibles, to be ready for current and future students. You can make your gift online at donate.stdunstans.com or by cash or check with “Student Bible” on the memo line or envelope. Thanks for supporting our young disciples!

Altar Flowers: fall dates available! Honor a loved one or a special event with altar flowers. Reserve your special date by writing your dedication on the sign-up sheet. Suggested donation is $35. Write “flowers” on the memo line of your check or on envelope containing cash, or donate online at donate.stdunstans.com.

THE WEEK AHEAD & BEYOND…

Vestry Meeting, Wednesday, August 16, 6:45pm: The Vestry is the elected leadership body of our parish. Any members are welcome to attend our meetings, to observe or raise questions or ideas.

Guest Preacher, Sunday, August 20: The Rev. Jonathan Melton: Next Sunday, Father Jonathan Melton will celebrate and preach at both the 8am and 10am services. Jonathan is the chaplain at St. Francis House Episcopal Campus Ministry at UW-Madison, just a couple of miles east on University Avenue, and a friend of the parish and many of its members.

Rector’s Discretionary Fund Offering, Sunday, August 20: Half the cash in our collection plate, and any designated checks, will go towards the Rector’s Discretionary Fund this day and on every third Sunday. This fund is a way to quietly help people with direct financial needs, in the parish and the wider community. Please give generously.

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, August 20, 6pm: Join us for a simple service as the week begins. All are welcome.

Outreach Meeting, Saturday, August 26, 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.

Men’s Book Club, Saturday, August 26, 10am: The book is A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. He is a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars, caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell. A fun read and well written.

Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday, August 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.

Camp-Out Night at St. Dunstan’s, Friday, September 1, 5:30pm: For those who have been meaning to camp out all summer – or want to give it a try in an easy setting (with flush toilets available!) – or who camp all the time and can share tips with the rest of us! We’ll share a simple potluck supper (hot dogs and marshmallows, etc., provided), fellowship around the fire pit, singing, and Compline prayers at dusk. You can spend the night, or just come for the evening and then go home to your nice warm bed. Friends welcome!

Game Night at St. Dunstan’s, Friday, September 8, 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!

Sunday School starts again, Sunday, September 10, 10am:  Our Sunday school classes meet on the second and third Sunday of every month, during the first part of the 10am service. We have three classes this year. Our class for 3 year olds through kindergarteners uses the ‘Godly Play’ approach, sharing and reflecting on the central stories of our faith.  Our classes for 1st through 2rd graders, and for 3rd through 5th graders, use a curriculum based on the Sunday lectionary, the same Bible lessons we hear in the liturgy that day. They explore those lessons through discussion, art, drama, Lego, and other projects. All kids are welcome to participate!

Lammastide Festival of Bread, Sunday, September 10: Lammastide is an ancient harvest festival that became a church festival in our mother church, the Church of England. It’s an opportunity to offer the fruits of the growing season thankfully to God. The word means “loaf mass” – it was originally held at the time of year when the first grain ripened enough to be made into fresh loaves of bread. We will celebrate the end of summer together with a Lammastide procession and blessing, and a festive bread-themed Coffee Hour after the 10am service. Bring a loaf of bread – any kind! – or something beautiful from your garden or the farmer’s market: vegetables, fruit, flowers. We will offer our harvest gifts during worship; you can reclaim your produce afterwards.

Big Questions, Current Events, Hospitality, Spiritual Practices

Our Immigrant Stories

As immigration has become a major topic in our national conversation, we as Christians are mindful that our holy book commands us to be kind to the stranger residing among us. You shall love the stranger living among you, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt, says Leviticus 19 – one of many places where mercy towards the outsider is mentioned.  Our Scriptures and our God call us to treat immigrants with kindness and respect – remembering that we or our ancestors were once immigrants seeking a new home. To help us understand the lives, needs, and fears of our immigrant neighbors, some members of St. Dunstan’s have been sharing their own “how I got here” stories.

Julie

My immigrant story really is my grandmother’s story. I never knew her, because she died in the mid-1930s, when my father was a teenager. But I spent most Wednesday afternoons after school with my great-aunt Frances, her sister, and she loved to talk about my grandmother to me.

My paternal grandparents emigrated from one of many German enclaves in Romania in the first decade of the 20th century, before World War I. Their entire village and the extended families of both my grandmother and grandfather immigrated to the United States together. My grandfather was possessed of a simple ambition: to own his own land, for back in Romania he never would have been allowed to do so, as he was only a peasant.

After a few years of working hard in America, he achieved his dream and bought his own dairy farm. Many members of their families and fellow villagers settled in the same area, about 60 miles north of Detroit, Michigan. My grandparents had four children, two born in Romania and two, including my dad, born in this country. They were contented on the farm. My grandfather planted roses around the house and by the barnyard fence for my grandmother, roses that still bloom by our horse paddock gate here in Wisconsin. He made the old farmhouse as pretty as possible for her, too, with wallpaper and paint and a marble-topped table in the parlor. He was one of the first farmers in the area to install an indoor bathroom in their house. All this and more to make my grandmother happy.

And she was, I think, mostly contented. But she dreaded going into town. Back then, people disliked and looked down on immigrants from southern and eastern Europe, especially if they were Catholic. When she went into town with her children, people were unfriendly, some even going so far as to cross the street to avoid the newcomers. “Why do they hate us so?” she used to ask her sister, my great-aunt Frances, tears pouring down her face. All the older German women who knew her used to tell me after mass each Sunday that she was the sweetest, gentlest soul they ever knew, and perhaps this is the reason she never grew accustomed to the prejudice she faced. One day, she laid her head down on the table at breakfast and said, “I’m so tired,” and died.

My great-aunt Frances always maintained to me that my grandma died of a broken heart, that she wore herself out pining for something that would never be given to her, no matter how spruce her home and farm, no matter how white and starched the immaculate lace dresses she put on her three young girls for town visits. She craved respect and friendship from the people among whom she settled, and she never got that. Of course, who knows whether that unrequited dream contributed to her death? But I’m certain that she felt the sadness my great aunt told me about, for they were very close.

This seems a sad story, doesn’t it? But its ending is not sad, I hope. Before I share the end of the story, though, let me first share a few facts. My German grandparents came here during a period when this country, according to the Pew Research Center, had a very high percentage of foreign-born residents. And it’s predicted that we may break the record for that percentage within the next few years. Many things about immigration have changed since my grandparents came over from eastern Europe. Here are just a few: there are now more immigrants who are Hispanic, though that also will change in the future, Pew Research analysts predict; there are more refugees in the world than at any other time in the last seventy years except right at the end of World War II; and there are many foreign-born residents here without legal authorization who have not been able to, and will not be able to, secure that authorization. One can gain legal permission to remain here through work, family ties, or for humanitarian reasons, but those exceptions don’t apply to many of the undocumented immigrants in our country. There is, at this point, no line for a large percentage of the undocumented immigrants in this country to go stand at the end of, so that they can secure permission to stay here.

It’s true that as a society today, we don’t always agree about how to address the challenges of today’s undocumented immigrants and others who arrive in our country. But I think some things about immigrants, authorized or otherwise, remain the same as when my family emigrated here. People still want to feel welcomed to our country, and accepted. And other people still feel threatened by people with a different culture and a different language, perhaps fearful that the way of life that is theirs will change.

As for my grandmother, I believe she would be happy to see that her family has thrived in America, that all her grandchildren have college degrees while many have obtained advanced professional degrees. My grandparents valued education, as well as hard work, music, and beauty. Naturally, my grandfather, being German, also valued a bottle of good beer! We feel part of the life of this country. It took about two generations for the German Catholic community from Romania to fully integrate into the small town where I grew up, but it did. Even though we are no longer strangers to this country, however, I don’t forget my grandmother’s pain. I remember Barbara Loeffler’s story.

I think about her path as a stranger to this country, and I think about my path to this church of St. Dunstan’s. My journey, nowhere near as difficult as hers, was made easy by so many people here. And I thank you all for that, and for listening to my grandmother’s story.

Nana

We were born in South Africa. At the time we emigrated in 1985 we had lived most of our lives there. This was where we grew up, were educated, had our family and worked for more than a decade. Peter grew up Methodist, I was Anglican and after our marriage, we worshipped in both communions. South Africa was also where our parents and siblings lived. Why, then, did we leave?

South Africa was an apartheid society, with power and wealth in the hands of whites (who were less than 20% of the population). As we grew up, resistance to the status quo by the subservient black population led to draconian laws that limited where black people could live, who they could marry, what jobs they could hold, and what consequences they faced if they transgressed. To manage this, the apartheid government ramped up security forces – both police and the military. After high school, all white males were conscripted for at least two years: their primary purpose was to maintain the status quo. States of emergency that suspended normal civil liberties were imposed. The polarization between white and black increased to the point that mediation efforts appeared to be withering, and outright civil war seemed a distinct possibility. Small wonder, then, that in spite of our deep roots, we decided South Africa was not a country where we wanted to spend the rest of our lives.

The next question was: Where should we go? Since both of our ancestral families were from the UK, and that is where we both went for postgraduate study and where we met, this might have seemed an obvious choice.  But 2½ years in Vancouver, Canada where Peter had a post-doctoral fellowship and I did my master’s, changed our minds: we’d have happily stayed. There were personal reasons – we look back on that time as an extended honeymoon, we made life-long friends and Fraser, our son, was born there, I completed my master’s and Peter found new professional directions. But there were no jobs. After 6 years back in South Africa, a sabbatical gave us the opportunity to spend more than a year in Ithaca, NY. This was highly influential for both of us in our professional development. Once again, we’d have happily stayed. Two in-depth, decidedly positive North American experiences convinced us that this is where we could happily live. It took, however, another 5 years back in South Africa before contacts initiated in Ithaca bore fruit with a faculty position at the UW-Madison.

We are conscious that we have been extraordinarily privileged in our lives. Our decision to leave was not forced on us by deprivation, persecution, or civil war. As white English-speaking South Africans, we had access to excellent schools that opened doors to university education in South Africa and to study-abroad opportunities after graduation. These gave us a perspective on other parts of the world beyond the borders of South Africa. Our decision to come here was also a choice that we could pursue on our terms, and do so in an orderly manner: we received a job offer at the UW-Madison where they held the position open for more than a year until our green cards were issued. To get established here we were indebted with the support we received from many quarters: professional, social and spiritual.

These two questions – Why leave? and Where to go? – faced many of our own ancestors, as they do for the vast number of migrants and refugees we see in the world today. Shortly after we were married we met an Indian physicist in Canada. He told us he was a citizen of the world, and he had a newsletter to promote this concept. We signed on, and that is what we are today: citizens of the world.

Announcements

Announcements, August 3

TONIGHT…

The Book of Jonah Dinner Theater, Thursday, August 3, 5:30pm: As the concluding evening of our Bible, Arts & Science Camp, parents of campers and members of the parish are invited to come share a simple supper, watch our Jonah drama, and learn from our campers about what they’ve done all week. All are welcome! You can bring a side dish or sweet to contribute to dinner if you’d like but it’s not required. This is our Sandbox Worship this week.

THIS WEEKEND…

Birthday and Anniversary blessings and Healing Prayers will be given this Sunday, August 6, as is our custom on the first Sunday of the month.

“Good Books” Book Group Meeting, Sunday, August 6, 9am: We’ll have donuts, coffee, juice, and conversation about our two middle-grade chapter books, “Return to Sender” and “A Door in the Wall.” Come chat even if you didn’t read them; you might get interested!

MOM Special Offering, Sunday, August 6: This 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: dried, freeze-dried, and canned fruit; shelf-stable dairy/non-dairy beverages; toilet paper and paper towels; mayonnaise and ketchup; herbs, spices, and salt; spaghetti and pizza sauce; whole grains: rice, quinoa, gluten free pastas; quick-cook prepared sides EX: Knorr’s (veggies/pasta), Zatarain’s (beans/rice); heart-healthy oil (olive, coconut); nut butter, other than peanut (allergies). Thank you for your generous support!

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

Youth Group T-Shirts Available: Our Middle School Youth Group is about to start their third season! If you’d like to show your support for the group, we have a limited number of T-shirts available, for a suggested donation of $5. The logo is inspired by the game Betrayal at the House on the Hill, a favorite of the group. Donations can be made by cash, check with “Youth T” on the memo line, or a General Donation with a memo at donate.stdunstans.com.

School Supplies for Middleton Outreach Ministry: Although we still have plenty of summer left to enjoy, the ads are encouraging us to think about “Back to School!”  And, that means it is time to think about school supply donations for the MOM Backpack program. You are always so generous with your contributions, giving students the chance to have the needed items to succeed in school! Please check the Gathering Space for the collection box and lists of most needed items. Deadline for contributions is NEXT SUNDAY, AUGUST 13! THANK YOU!!!

Bat Count Update: The bat count last Friday went well. Our count doubled from earlier in the year with 82 bats to date, and the numbers statewide are also on the rise. Yeah bats, keep eating those mosquitos!

THE WEEK AHEAD & BEYOND…

Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, August 9, 1:00 – 2:45 PM: St. Julian’s era was one of turmoil and crisis. Yet in the midst of it all, Julian came to believe unshakably that “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” Please join us for contemplative prayer and discussion of Julian’s optimistic theology! For more information, contact Susan Fiore.  (Julian Gatherings are initiated and supported by the Order of Julian of Norwich, a contemplative monastic order in the Episcopal Church: www.orderofjulian.org).

The Book of Jonah, Sunday August 13, 9 am: Jonah: three parts burlesque, one part parable-with-teeth. Many approaches to the book that are productive; we’ll watch how God-talk and Divine patience/humility intersect. Read the book ahead of time; it’s only four chapters long, and will take you twenty minutes. Fr. Tom McAlpine will facilitate.

41st Annual Women’s Mini Week: Courageous Women of God! August 10 – 13, 2017, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For further information please contact Rose Mueller, Ellen Rishel or Robin Ertl. Others who can share info are
Joan Knudson, Shirley Laedlein, Kathy Whitt, Connie Ott, and Dianne McCoy.

Outreach Meeting, Saturday, August 26, 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.

 Men’s Book Club, Saturday, August 26, 10am: The book is A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. He is a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars, caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell. A fun read and well written.

Camp-Out Night at St. Dunstan’s, Friday, September 1, 5:30pm: For those who have been meaning to camp out all summer – or want to give it a try in an easy setting (with flush toilets available!) – or who camp all the time and can share tips with the rest of us! We’ll share a simple potluck supper (hot dogs and marshmallows, etc., provided), fellowship around the fire pit, singing, and Compline prayers at dusk. You can spend the night, or just come for the evening and then go home to your nice warm bed. Friends welcome!

Announcements

Announcements, July 27

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.

THIS WEEKEND…

Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, July 28, 6pm: Come join us for good food and good conversation among women of all ages from St. Dunstan’s. This month we’ll meet at The Great Dane at Hilldale, 357 Price Place. For more information, please contact Kathy Whitt or Debra Martinez .

Bat Count, Friday, July 28, 8 – 9pm: Come hang out and count the bats emerging from the colony on our property. This is part of a statewide bat count to monitor bat populations, so it’s both science and a chance to get to know our (flying) neighbors. All are welcome!

My Immigrant Story – Alex Surasky-Ysasi: You shall love the stranger living among you, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Leviticus 19). Our Scriptures and our God call us to treat immigrants with kindness and respect – remembering that we or our ancestors were once immigrants seeking a new home. To help us understand the lives, needs, and fears of our immigrant neighbors, members of St. Dunstan’s will be sharing their own “how I got here” stories in the weeks ahead, during our Announcement time. This Sunday, Alex Surasky-Ysasi will reflect on her family’s story. If you have a story to share, talk to Rev. Miranda or Evy Gildrie-Voyles.

Vacation Bible School: The Story of Jonah, July 30 – August 3: Our Vacation Bible School this summer is planned for Sunday, July 30, through Thursday, August 3. We’ll meet in the evenings – likely 5:30 to 7:30pm, as in previous years. Keep these dates in mind as you make your summer plans! Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; middle school and older kids will be involved as actors and helpers.

The Book of Jonah Dinner Theater, Thursday, August 3, 5:30pm: As the concluding evening of our Bible, Arts & Science Camp, parents of campers and members of the parish are invited to come share a simple supper, watch our Jonah drama, and learn from our campers about what they’ve done all week. All are welcome! You can bring a side dish or sweet to contribute to dinner if you’d like but it’s not required. This is our Sandbox Worship this week.

Co-Leader Needed for St. Dunstan’s Group in Madison PRIDE Parade, August 20th: Last year we sent a lively group to march downtown with our church sign and show that we believe God loves everybody, no exceptions. We’d like to organize a group this year, but some key folks are otherwise committed that weekend. If you’d like to help recruit a group, talk to Rev. Miranda or Evy Gildrie-Voyles.

School Supplies for Middleton Outreach Ministry: Although we still have plenty of summer left to enjoy, the ads are encouraging us to think about “Back to School!”  And, that means it is time to think about school supply donations for the MOM Backpack program. You are always so generous with your contributions, giving students the chance to have the needed items to succeed in school! Please check the Gathering Space for the collection box and lists of most needed items. Deadline for contributions is SUNDAY, AUGUST 13! THANK YOU!!!

St. Dunstan’s Care Network – Meals Needed: Jess and Nate Viste, new parents to baby Austin, would like our help with meals for the next week or so as they adjust to their new family life. To sign up to help, go to St. Dunstan’s website and click on the “Fellowship and Learning” tab, and select Sharing Meals from the dropdown list. There will be a link to the St. Dunstan’s Care Network where you can sign up for a meal. Thank you so much!

Coffee Hosts Needed for August 27: Please consider being a coffee host. Janet Bybee can explain more. Thanks for lending a hand!

THE WEEK AHEAD & BEYOND…

Birthday and Anniversary blessings and Healing Prayers will be given next Sunday, August 6, as is our custom on the first Sunday of the month.

“Good Books” Book Group Meeting, Sunday, August 6, 9am:  We’ll have donuts, coffee, juice, and conversation about our two middle-grade chapter books, “Return to Sender” and “A Door in the Wall.”  Come chat even if you didn’t read them; you might get interested!

MOM Special Offering, Sunday, August 6: 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: dried, freeze-dried, and canned fruit; shelf-stable dairy/non-dairy beverages; toilet paper and paper towels; mayonnaise and ketchup; herbs, spices, and salt; spaghetti and pizza sauce; whole grains: rice, quinoa, gluten free pastas; quick-cook prepared sides EX: Knorr’s (veggies/pasta), Zatarain’s (beans/rice); heart-healthy oil (olive, coconut); nut butter, other than peanut (allergies). Thank you for your generous support!

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

Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, August 9, 1:00 – 2:45 PM: St. Julian’s era was one of turmoil and crisis. Yet in the midst of it all, Julian came to believe unshakably that “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” Please join us for contemplative prayer and discussion of Julian’s optimistic theology! For more information, contact Susan Fiore. (Julian Gatherings are initiated and supported by the Order of Julian of Norwich, a contemplative monastic order in the Episcopal Church: www.orderofjulian.org).

41st Annual Women’s Mini Week: Courageous Women of God! August 10 – 13, 2017, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For further information please contact Rose Mueller, Ellen Rishel or Robin Ertl. Others who can share info are
Joan Knudson, Shirley Laedlein, Kathy Whitt, Connie Ott, and Dianne McCoy.

 

Announcements

Announcements, July 20

THIS WEEKEND…

Eucharist with Holy Baptism, Sunday, July 23, 10am:  We will celebrate the baptism of a new member of Christ’s Kingdom, Blythe Francis Ballard. We rejoice with Cecilie, James, Linus, Olive and Lorne!

Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday, July 23, 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.

** POSTPONED**: Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee Haiti Project Fundraiser, Sunday afternoon: This event has been postponed until September 17.

St. Dunstan’s Care Network – Meals Needed: Jess and Nate Viste, new parents to baby Austin, would like our help with meals for the next week or so as they adjust to their new family life. To sign up to help, go to St. Dunstan’s website and click on the “Fellowship and Learning” tab, and select Sharing Meals from the dropdown list. There will be a link to the St. Dunstan’s Care Network where you can sign up for a meal. Thank you so much!

Haiti Project Picnic Lunch, Spring Harbor Greenhouse, Wednesday, July 26, 12:30pm:  (Address: 1110 Spring Harbor Dr, Madison, WI 53705.  The Greenhouse and gardens are located directly behind the school building).  Fresh vegetables from the garden will be served, and Arol Ilerand and Acenel Laurent will present to you about their school garden in Jeannette, Haiti at St. Marc’s.  If you plan to attend, please RSVP via email to Heidi Ropa ().

1 Samuel Study Group, Wednesday nights, June 21-July 26, 6:30-8:30 PM: Gather with a friendly group to explore the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel – a rich and complex tale of the rise and fall of kings. The study group is hosted by the McAlpines at their home in Fitchburg, about five minutes from the intersection of the Beltline and Verona Road.

School Supplies for Middleton Outreach Ministry: Although we still have plenty of summer left to enjoy, the ads are encouraging us to think about “Back to School!”  And, that means it is time to think about school supply donations for the MOM Backpack program.  You are always so generous with your contributions, giving students the chance to have the needed items to succeed in school! Please check the Gathering Space for the collection box and lists of most needed items. Deadline for contributions is SUNDAY, AUGUST 13!  THANK YOU!!!

Coffee Hosts Needed in August 20 and 27: Please consider being a coffee host. Janet Bybee can explain more.

THE WEEK AHEAD & BEYOND…

Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, July 28, 6pm: Come join us for good food and good conversation among women of all ages from St. Dunstan’s. This month we’ll meet at The Great Dane at Hilldale, 357 Price Place. For more information, or to arrange a ride, please contact Kathy Whitt or Debra Martinez.

Bat Count, Friday, July 28, 8 – 9pm: Come hang out and count the bats emerging from the colony on our property. This is part of a statewide bat count to monitor bat populations, so it’s both science and a chance to get to know our (flying) neighbors. All are welcome!

My Immigrant Story – Alex Surasky-Ysasi: You shall love the stranger living among you, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Leviticus 19). Our Scriptures and our God call us to treat immigrants with kindness and respect – remembering that we or our ancestors were once immigrants seeking a new home. To help us understand the lives, needs, and fears of our immigrant neighbors, members of St. Dunstan’s will be sharing their own “how I got here” stories in the weeks ahead, during our Announcement time. This Sunday, Alex Surasky-Ysasi will reflect on her family’s story. If you have a story to share, talk to Rev. Miranda or Evy Gildrie-Voyles.

Vacation Bible School: The Story of Jonah, July 30 – August 3: Our Vacation Bible School this summer is planned for Sunday, July 30, through Thursday, August 3. We’ll meet in the evenings – likely 5:30 to 7:30pm, as in previous years. Keep these dates in mind as you make your summer plans! Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; middle school and older kids will be involved as actors and helpers.

Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, August 9, 1:00 – 2:45 PM: St. Julian’s era was one of turmoil and crisis. Yet in the midst of it all,  Julian came to believe unshakably that “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”  Please join us for contemplative prayer and discussion of Julian’s optimistic theology! For more information, contact Susan Fiore. (Julian Gatherings are initiated and supported by the Order of Julian of Norwich, a contemplative monastic order in the Episcopal Church: www.orderofjulian.org).

41st Annual Women’s Mini Week: Courageous Women of God! August 10 – 13, 2017, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For further information please contact Rose Mueller, Ellen Rishel or Robin Ertl. Others who can share info are
Joan Knudson, Shirley Laedlein, Kathy Whitt, Connie Ott, Dianne McCoy.

 

Announcements

Announcements, July 13

THIS WEEKEND…

Timbergreen Woods Full Value Forestry Workshop, Saturday, July 15, 9am – 4pm, Timber Green Woods, Spring Green: A group of St. Dunstan’s folks are headed to Spring Green to learn about managing and harvesting trees, and some creative ways to use timber.  This will be both fun and informative! The only cost is a $5 contribution for lunch. Responsible older kids may come too. If you’d like to come, sign up in the Gathering Area or contact the office at or 238-2781.

First “Good Books” Book Group Meeting, Sunday, July 16, 9am:  We’ll have donuts, coffee, juice, and conversation. Our first session will focus on “Cherries and Cherry Pits”. We’ll read the book together and talk about it. All ages are welcome!

Rector’s Discretionary Fund Offering, Sunday, July 16: Half the cash in our collection plate, and any designated checks, will go towards the Rector’s Discretionary Fund this day and on every third Sunday. This fund is a way to quietly help people with direct financial needs, in the parish and the wider community. Please give generously.

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, July 16, 6pm: Join us for a simple service as the week begins. All are welcome.

Grownups, are you a little jealous that you can’t come to our Summer Bible, Arts & Science Camp? Well, guess what: you CAN! We are seeking 2 – 3 more grownups to help out during our camp (5:30 – 7:30pm, July 30 through August 3). You can dig deep into the story of Jonah, make crafts, try science tricks, sing and play games right alongside the kids! If you’d like to help out, talk with Rev. Miranda or Sharon Henes.

1 Samuel Study Group, Wednesday nights, June 21-July 26, 6:30-8:30 PM: Gather with a friendly group to explore the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel – a rich and complex tale of the rise and fall of kings. The study group is hosted by the McAlpines at their home in Fitchburg, about five minutes from the intersection of the Beltline and Verona Road.

School Supplies for Middleton Outreach Ministry: Although we still have plenty of summer left to enjoy, the ads are encouraging us to think about “Back to School!”  And, that means it is time to think about school supply donations for the MOM Backpack program.  You are always so generous with your contributions, giving students the chance to have the needed items to succeed in school! Please check the Gathering Space for the collection box and lists of most needed items. Deadline for contributions is SUNDAY, AUGUST 13!  THANK YOU!!!

Coffee Hosts Needed in August: Consider being a coffee host and talk with Janet Bybee for more information.

THE WEEK AHEAD & BEYOND…

Eucharist with Holy Baptism, Sunday, July 23, 10am:  We will celebrate the baptism of a new member of Christ’s Kingdom, Blythe Francis Ballard. We rejoice with Cecilie, James, Linus, Olive and Lorne!

Grace Shelter Dinner, Sunday, July 23, 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.

Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee Haiti Project Fundraiser, Verona, Sunday, July 23, 1-5pm: Come to the Wisconsin Brewing Company at 1079 American Way in Verona to enjoy micro-brews, help support our diocesan partnership with St. Mark’s School in Haiti, and meet Arol Ilerand, a guest from Haiti. Arol is the lead agronomist on the Clean School Green School project at St. Marc’s. We would love a critical mass of supporters to attend and hope you will invite your friends out to enjoy the venue, listen to live music, sample brews and food cart delicacies, and shop Haitian art and jewelry.

Ladies’ Night Out, Friday, July 28, 6pm: Come join us for good food and good conversation among women of all ages from St. Dunstan’s. This month we’ll meet at The Great Dane at Hilldale, 357 Price Place. For more information,  please contact Kathy Whitt or Debra Martinez.

Bat Count, Friday, July 28, 8 – 9pm:  Come hang out and count the bats emerging from the colony on our property. This is part of a statewide bat count to monitor bat populations, so it’s both science and a chance to get to know our (flying) neighbors. All are welcome!

Vacation Bible School: The Story of Jonah, July 30 – August 3: Our Vacation Bible School this summer is planned for Sunday, July 30, through Thursday, August 3. We’ll meet in the evenings – likely 5:30 to 7:30pm, as in previous years. Keep these dates in mind as you make your summer plans! Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; middle school and older kids will be involved as actors and helpers.

41st Annual Women’s Mini Week: Courageous Women of God! August 10 – 13, 2017, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For further information please contact Rose Mueller, Ellen Rishel or Robin Ertl. Others who can share info are
Joan Knudson, Shirley Laedlein, Kathy Whitt, Connie Ott, Dianne McCoy.

 

Announcements

Announcements, July 6

SANDBOX WORSHIP today at 5:30: One of our younger members will lead worship based on a favorite book. A simple dinner of sandwiches will follow. All are welcome!

THIS WEEKEND…

Sermons are (usually) available on the way into church if you find that it helps you to read along as Rev. Miranda preaches. They’re also available online after church and during the week at www.stdunstans.com.

Grownups, are you a little jealous that you can’t come to our Summer Bible, Arts & Science Camp? Well, guess what: you CAN! We are seeking 2 – 3 more grownups to help out during our camp (5:30 – 7:30pm, July 30 through August 3). You can dig deep into the story of Jonah, make crafts, try science tricks, sing and play games right alongside the kids! If you’d like to help out, talk with Rev. Miranda or Sharon Henes.

1 Samuel Study Group, Wednesday nights, June 21-July 26, 6:30-8:30 PM: Gather with a friendly group to explore the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel – a rich and complex tale of the rise and fall of kings. The study group is hosted by the McAlpines at their home in Fitchburg, about five minutes from the intersection of the Beltline and Verona Road.

THE WEEK AHEAD & BEYOND…

Madison-Area Julian Gathering, Wednesday, July 12, 1-2:45pm: We meet monthly for 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.” All are welcome. For more information, contact Susan Fiore.

Timbergreen Woods Full Value Forestry Workshop, Saturday, July 15, 9am – 4pm, Timber Green Woods, Spring Green: A group of St. Dunstan’s folks are headed to Spring Green to learn about managing and harvesting trees, and some creative ways to use timber.  This will be both fun and informative! The only cost is a $5 contribution for lunch. Responsible older kids may come too. If you’d like to come, sign up in the Gathering Area or contact the office at or 238-2781.

First “Good Books” Book Group Meeting, Sunday, July 16, 9am:  We’ll have donuts, coffee, juice, and conversation. Our first session will focus on “Cherries and Cherry Pits”. We’ll read the book together and talk about it. All ages are welcome!

Rector’s Discretionary Fund Offering, Sunday, July 16: Half the cash in our collection plate, and any designated checks, will go towards the Rector’s Discretionary Fund this day and on every third Sunday. This fund is a way to quietly help people with direct financial needs, in the parish and the wider community. Please give generously.

Evening Eucharist, Sunday, July 16, 6pm: Join us for a simple service as the week begins. All are welcome.

Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee Haiti Project Fundraiser, Verona, Sunday, July 23, 1-5pm: Come to the Wisconsin Brewing Company at 1079 American Way in Verona to enjoy micro-brews, help support our diocesan partnership with St. Mark’s School in Haiti, and meet Arol Ilerand, a guest from Haiti. Arol is the lead agronomist on the Clean School Green School project at St. Marc’s. We would love a critical mass of supporters to attend and hope you will invite your friends out to enjoy the venue, listen to live music, sample brews and food cart delicacies, and shop Haitian art and jewelry.

Vacation Bible School: The Story of Jonah, July 30 – August 3: Our Vacation Bible School this summer is planned for Sunday, July 30, through Thursday, August 3. We’ll meet in the evenings – likely 5:30 to 7:30pm, as in previous years. Keep these dates in mind as you make your summer plans! Kids ages 3 to 10 are welcome to participate; middle school and older kids will be involved as actors and helpers.

 41st Annual Women’s Mini Week: Courageous Women of God! August 10 – 13, 2017, Camp Lakotah, Wautoma, Wisconsin: This is your time to retreat from your everyday routines, to allow discoveries and friendships to refresh you, to find comfortable activity or blissful quiet. Registration forms are in the Gathering Area. For further information please contact Rose Mueller, Ellen Rishel or Robin Ertl. Others who can share info are
Joan Knudson, Shirley Laedlein, Kathy Whitt, Connie Ott, Dianne McCoy.

 

Sermons

Readings from American History, July 2

Abigail Adams, writing to her husband, Founding Father John Adams, 1776:

“I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation. That your sex are naturally tyrannical is a truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute; but such of you as wish to be happy [should] willingly give up the harsh title of ‘master’ for the more tender and endearing one of ‘friend.’ Why, then, not put it out of the power of the vicious and the lawless to use us with cruelty and commit indignity with impunity? Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the (servants) of your sex; regard us then as being placed by Providence under your protection, and in imitation of the Supreme Being make use of that power only for our happiness.”

Chief Seattle, in response to a government official’s offer to purchase the remaining Seattle land, 1845:

Our good father in Washington–for I presume he is now our father as well as yours–our great and good father, I say, sends us word that if we do as he desires he will protect us. His brave warriors will be to us a bristling wall of strength, and his wonderful ships of war will fill our harbors, so that our ancient enemies far to the northward will cease to frighten our women, children, and old men. Then in reality he will be our father and we his children. But can that ever be? Your God is not our God! Your God loves your people and hates mine! He folds his strong protecting arms lovingly about the paleface and leads him by the hand as a father leads an infant son. But, He has forsaken His Red children, if they really are His. Our God, the Great Spirit, seems also to have forsaken us. Your God makes your people [grow] stronger every day. Soon they will fill all the land. Our people are ebbing away like a rapidly receding tide that will never return. The white man’s God cannot love our people or He would protect them. They seem to be orphans who can look nowhere for help. How then can we be brothers? How can your God become our God and renew our prosperity and awaken in us dreams of returning greatness?

Sojourner Truth, 1851:

That little man in black there, he says women can’t have as much rights as men, ’cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

African-American orator Frederick Douglass, 1852:

This, for the purpose of this celebration, is the 4th of July. It is the birthday of your National Independence, and of your political freedom. This, to you, is what the Passover was to the emancipated people of God. It carries your minds back to the clay, and to the act of your great deliverance; and to the signs, and to the wonders, associated with that act that day. …  I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary!  Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not be me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This fourth of July is yours, not mine.  You may rejoice, I must mourn.

Women’s rights activist Amelia Bloomer, 1854:

We see no reason why it should be considered disreputable for a woman to be usefully employed… [Women] eat, they drink, they sleep, they dress, they dance and at last die, without having accomplished the great purposes of their creation. Can woman be content with this aimless, frivolous life?…While all other things both animals and vegetable perform their allotted parts in the universe of being, shall woman, a being created in God’s own image, endowed with reason and intellect, capable of the highest attainments and destined to an immortal existence, alone be an idler, a drone, and pervert the noble faculties of her being from the great purposes for which they were given? It will not always be thus; the public mind is undergoing a rapid change in its opinion of woman and is beginning to regard her sphere, rights and duties in altogether a different light from that which she has been viewed in the past ages. Woman herself is doing much to rend asunder the dark veil of error and prejudice which has so long blinded the world in regard to her true position; and we feel assured that, when a more thorough education is given to her and she is recognized as an intelligent being capable of self-government, and in all rights, responsibilities and duties man’s equal, we shall have a generation of women who will blush over the ignorance and folly of the present day.

President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address, 1865:

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

Cuban activist and writer Jose Marti, Our America, 1891:

One must have faith in the best in men and distrust the worst. One must allow the best to be shown so that it reveals and prevails over the worst. Nations should have a pillory for whoever stirs up useless hate, and another for whoever fails to tell them the truth in time.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1932:

This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.

Martin Luther King, Jr., from his Letter from the Birmingham Jail, 1963:

I have not said to my people: “Get rid of your discontent.” Rather, I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled into the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. And now this approach is being termed extremist. But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Was not Amos an extremist for justice: “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.” Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Was not Martin Luther an extremist: “Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.” And John Bunyan: “I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.” And Abraham Lincoln: “This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.” And Thomas Jefferson: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal . . .” So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?

6205 University Ave., Madison WI

St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church