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Creation Seas
on: Plant, Nurture, Harvest, Celebrate!
This Sunday begins a month - long celebration of God's gifts of creation. This is a season to focus on God as creator, on the beauty of creation, and our responsibility to care for all creation. The theme of the harvest exemplifies creation and our role in it. We sow seeds, nurture the plants, harvest the bounty, and celebrate God's abundance through sharing. In the liturgy we hear readings both from scripture and from other sources selected for their attention to creation. The cross, candlesticks and bookstand all are handcrafted from wood. We use earthenware pottery on the altar. All are reminders of the gifts of God's creation.
St. Dunstan's worship group takes great care in designing this season to enrich our worship. A changing display on the baptismal font will show the bounty of the earth and the goodness of God throughout October. We hope you enjoy this year's Creation Season.
Rosi Sweeney
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Forming Disciples for the Journey with Christ
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Forming faith in non-traditional ways ...
Caring for those who depend on us!
PET BLESSING -
Sunday, October 4 during the 9:00 Service! On this feast of St. Francis
we will bless animals and stuffed critters as well. Please be sure that they are properly leashed or caged for their comfort and safety.
We will have a special presentation during our formation time in the parish hall, complete with special treats for our furry friends. Allan
Cohen,
Chair of the
Board of Directors for MCPAW will give a special presentation to our community.
He is a founding member of the organization and has a great love for the well-being of animals in our county.
MCPAW
serves as a partner to the Mont. Co. Animal Services & Adoption Center. They work to identify and correct the causes that make shelters necessary and provide programs and advocate for change so that animals are cared for properly.
If you have any old towels or blankets or wish to send treats to the dogs and cats,
please bring these on Sunday morning!
Children's Formation ...
Music will be the offering for children on
Sunday, October 11 as they gather in the choir room with Michael to sing and play instruments. The choir room is accessed by walking through the youth room (bean bag room)
.
Children are back in their classrooms on the lower level on
Sunday, October 18.
Youth Formation ... 4th-7th Grade
We have a great group planning to climb the trees at Sandy Springs Adventure Park this Sunday, October 4! We hope that the weather cooperates! Youth will meet at the church for lunch beginning at 12:30 p.m. Don't forget your year-long permission form or guest form. Cost is $50 made payable to St. Dunstan's. We will be monitoring the storm and update all participants on Saturday afternoon. If we have to cancel for this week, we will find another time to go later in the year.
Upcoming Adult Sunday Formation: October 11
What's Wrong with Economic Inequality?
Why you should care about growing disparities of income and wealth?
Come join the St. Dunstan's Economic Justice Working Group for a timely and lively conversation on a topic that is front and center in today's political debates - what to do about economic inequality? We will discuss what our Christian faith says about economic inequality; how we experience it in our own lives; how and why it has worsened and what will happen if current trends continue, including how it might affect our children and grandchildren. We've put together two resolutions for the January Diocesan convention on what we can do individually, as a parish, in the diocese, and as a country to address the problem. You can find the resolutions and a wealth of supporting material on this page of our website and scroll down to Sunday Formation. Please come and share this important conversation.
October 18:
Mr. Paul Cooney
, Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Washington will be our featured speaker and preacher to kick off our annual giving campaign.
October 25: Martha's Table - Intergenerational Formation through Service.
On the last Sunday of each month our formation will be intergenerational and experiential as we gather to make sandwiches for the hungry people in our community.
L. Sue von Rautenkranz
Christian Formation Coordinator
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Children's Choir Tonight!
5:45 p.m. - Children's Choir
Dinner will follow at 6:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m. -Adult Choir
Please let us know that you are coming so we can prepare for the dinner. Sign up at church or fill out this easy form.
This fall is a PERFECT time to give choir a try! If you have any questions, please e-mail Michael.
Michael Austin
Director of Music
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The Episcopal Trail to Discipleship: Paying Attention
We continue our journey through questions of The Baptismal Covenant.
The last two weeks were focused on:
Will you give your heart away? (
Do you believe in God the Father ... the Son ... the Holy Spirit?
)
Will you show up? (
Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?)
This week we sum up the question - Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? - as Will you pay attention?
In all aspects of our life, paying attention is a serious reality. One only need look at the latest PSAs about texting and driving - the blunt images of death and loss hit very hard in these video announcements. Taking our eyes off the road has consequences. This is also true in our faith.
When we speak of paying attention - we are not just referring to listening to sermons or engaging in the liturgy. These are important if we are to truly worship, as we do this by becoming completely engaged - singing, praying, listening with intent and care, and partaking with the community gathered. This question has more to do with our focus, and our focus on the big picture.
What is that big picture? It is God and what it is that God desires for each of us. Living an intentional Christian life is not easy. There are so many other things that get our attention and draw us away from God. And usually these temptations are not, in themselves, bad or harmful desires or activities. It is when these desires or activities turn us to a focus on ourselves that we step off the path of faith.
So how are we doing at paying attention?
What is your focus? How do you make decisions about the family, relationships, money, and how you spend your time? Does God play a role in the everyday decisions of life? This is about living intentionally and maybe taking seriously the question WWJD that became part of culture - WWJD - "What would Jesus Do?" Maybe wearing one of those bracelets isn't such a bad idea, to remind us to focus on what God would have us do.
When we give our heart away, we will desire to show up and pay attention.
Next week - Telling the Story.
Sue von
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All of us want to welcome new members to our parish here at St. Dunstan's. We have so much to share, so much to offer; we enrich lives, do God's work in the world, teach our children, and care for each other in times of trouble.
Those who study churches cite several characteristics of churches that are
welcoming - churches that are good at attracting, incorporating, and retaining new members. Here are a few that we are working on at St. Dunstan's:
1. We want to learn about you...what you love to do, how you like to help. We'll gladly help you find the right ministry for you.
2. We're having welcoming greeters at every major service and event. First impressions are important! A personal welcome makes a difference.
3. We are creating numerous easy "entry points" for new folks to get involved in a group or activity beyond Sunday worship. We want to make it easy to explore ministry possibilities here, and join small groups or projects.
4. We are moving our congregation towards asking/inviting more people to participate in every ministry activity. The more the merrier.
5. We want to have many one-time ministry opportunities that don't require an ongoing commitment.
6. When recruiting for ongoing ministries, we ask people to do one thing, for one year. A limited time commitment is easier for all of us to say "yes" to.
7. We are trying never have the same person do the same job twice in a month. Why? So that more people learn to do different things, and nobody gets burned out.
8. We try always to do ministry in pairs and groups. We invite a partner or co-chair to learn and serve with us. It's never ideal to go it alone...even though that may seem the easiest way to get it done. We want to identify and groom the next leader/successor for each ministry position.
Most of these practices are pretty simple and easy. We've made good progress with many new small groups. The key is an overall shift in emphasis from
"To get it done, I'll do it alone," to
"Our primary goal is to involve more and more people in ministry."
Each one of us can help St. Dunstan's grow by watching for new people, actively greeting them in church and coffee hour, and personally asking new people to take part in various ministries. People who come to church expect to be asked! They won't say "yes" to every invitation, but they will become more active if we keep inviting.
Jeff MacKnight
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 Bible Study
Bible study group invites you to participate on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.. This coming week we will continue in Matthew 26:31.
 Grief and Loss Group
It helps to share our burdens when we suffer a loss or difficult transition, as several of us discovered last year. We'd like to know who would be interested in a monthly grief and loss support group this year. Please contact Jeff MacKnight if you would participate in this group.
Men's Group
All men of St. Dunstan's are invited to check out the Men's Group. Men's group will meet on Saturday, October 3, at 9:00 a.m. in the kitchen. For more information, contact
Don Baker. The focus of this meeting will be on David and Jonathan, I Samuel 18:1-5, and
II Samuel 1:25-27.
Glimpses of God
Glimpses of God group will meet on Tuesday, October 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the
parlor. For more information about this small group, please contact Rosi Sweeney
.
 Health and Healing Group
St. Dunstan's has many folks engaged in the healing arts: doctors, nurses, and other medical, therapeutic, counseling, and health policy vocations. How do we see our work as a ministry of God, and draw on strength from our faith as we do it? Is there energy for a small group to support each other? Come and explore the possibilities at the home of Karen and Steve Evans, 6609 Pyle Road, Bethesda on
Saturday, November 7, 2015 5-7 p.m.
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Contact Information Updates
Have you moved, changed your phone number or email address? Remember to update your information should any changes occur. Please email
Kimberly Matthews. To reach Jeff MacKnight, our rector, please us his cell number: 301-655-6990.
Walk In Funds
The office is in need of cash to assist homeless persons who come into the church seeking assistance. If you would like to make a cash contribution to the walk-in fund, please bring small bills to the church office, or place it in the offering plate marked "walk-in contribution".
Kimberly Matthews
Parish Administrator
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Hopes and Prayers on our Journey ...
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n Need of Healing:
Barbara Larrabee, Don Larrabee, Curtis Shively, Tula Floridis, John Morriss, Judi Kane, Tom Oxendahl, Jim Burch, Betty Bledsoe, Carol Kaminar, Barbara Cullum, Vicki Malone, Linda St. Thomas,Tim MacDonald, Shona Domeris, Marion Meany, Keely O'Brien, Ann Boyd, Adam Boffa, Virginia Jeffers, Zach Quinonez, Mary Jane Owen, Norman Martin, and Ann and Bruce Hobart.
The flowers this week are given for the Glory of God by Christopher and Helene Hemus ...
We pray for St. Dunstan's Missionaries,
Cameron and Roberto Vivanco, who serve in Quito, Ecuador.
The 2015 Altar Flower Chart is on the bulletin board in the Front Hall. Sundays are available and need sponsors. The Flower Guild depends on your contributions to fund our beautiful arrangements each Sunday. Just sign up on the Flower Chart in any open spot. Sponsoring the flowers cost $60.00. Send a check to the office or put it in the offering plate on Sundays. Be sure to write "flowers" in the memo line, and include the wording of your dedication. Thank you!
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Creation I
October 4, 2015
9:00 a.m. Family Eucharist +
Blessing of Animals
9:50 a.m. Presentation on
Animal Welfare and Fellowship
10:45 a.m. Traditional Eucharist
12:00 noon Fellowship
The readings for this Sunday are: A Quotation from the work of
Chief Seattle, Hebrews 2:1-18
and Mark 10:13-16.
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Sunday Schedule of Ministries ...
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Serving this Sunday
Trail Guide:Trudy Surut
Liturgical Coordinator: Sue Newman
Eucharistic ministers: Sue Carroll
and Joanne Comstock
Lector: Ray Donnelly
Prayer Minister: Jackie Bray
Flower Guild: Ann Boyd
Altar Guild: Ann Johnson
Teller: Donna Alvarez
and Chuck Cash
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