www.stmargarets.org

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St. Margaret's News
Episcopal Relief
From Forward Movement
Who's Preaching?
August 9
The Rev. Andrew Butler

August 16
The Rev. Deborah Seles

Donations and pledges can easily be made online.  

Several categories are available.

www.easytithe.com/stmargarets

  • Click Account Tab to make a Pledge
  • Click Scheduled Giving to set up Auto-Pay
  • Or Click on one-timeand then specify gift 

"Quick Give" does not require a user account  

Weekly Worship Opportunities
See weekly announcements

Worship this Sunday includes The Rev. Andrew Butler, and inspirational music recorded by John Wright, Linda Morgan, Revae Reynolds, and Nicole Benvenutti.

Watch email for link.

More info: 
Need Prayer? 
Let us pray for you!
Prayer Team Ministry Continues

If you would like someone to pray with you and for any reason or concern, please contact Debby Jansma at debbyj@stmargarets.org to be placed on the prayer list. For Pastoral Care, please contact The Rev. Patricia Horkey at patriciah@stmargarets.org.

August 7, 2020 

HUGE PARADE OF CARS WELCOMES 
FR. ANDREW AND OLLY

One and a Half Tons of Food Donated for 
Hungry Families
"A Miracle is Happening Here in the Parking Lot!"
Fr. Andrew and Olly arrive on Sunday in classic desert style to lead parade and accept food donations.
Sunday morning over 300 cars formed a steady stream of parishioners intent on delivering a big in-person welcome to our new Rector, The Rev. Andrew Butler.  
Cars brought bags and boxes of canned goods to the parking lot of the church's hillside campus as donations for Neighbors4Neighbors.

More than 3,500 pounds of food was safely dropped off in a No-Touch zone run by volunteers. 

"I am grateful that even in these difficult times so many members of St. Margaret's came out to support their hungry neighbors.  They are living out the ideal that Jesus asked of us." said Butler.  

Earlier, In his Sunday sermon Butler said, "How appropriate that today's gospel is the story of feeding the five thousand with just two fish and five loaves of bread. If you want to see a miracle, come see the number of families that are fed here at St. Margaret's. A miracle is happening in the parking lot."  

Butler arrives in Palm Desert along with his fiancé, Olly, from Riverdale, Bronx, New York.

Tuesday of every week Neighbors4Neighbors provides food for more than 700 families  under the leadership Chet Hecht.  "The Covid pandemic has caused more and more residents to turn to us for assistance with food," said Hecht.

"I watched the live feed of my fellow churchgoers on FaceBook and was moved to tears by the outpouring of love and support for Fr. Andrew and the hungry," said Senior Warden Jan Romerdahl, who is visiting family in Idaho.

"It was a morning filled with welcome, joy and abundance," said Margo Baxley, a parish member who CO-CHAIRED THE Search Committee.

FR. Andrew and Olly were driven to the event in a red '57 Thunderbird convertible provided by El Paseo Cruise Night, a group of classic car enthusiasts. 
An Update on the Sacred Ground Initiative!!
We now have ten facilitators identified and committed to leading the charge for launching Sacred Ground!  We are preparing to meet the demand of SME participants and others from outside our congregation.  We presently have at least 25 people who have signed up!  If you want to join us, please go to SME's website and sign up!  You can also get one of the primary books, "Waking Up White" from Debby Jansma at the church office.  Groups of eight participants will be starting this important learning and sharing adventure in September.  You will soon hear about start dates/times for your engagement.

Take a peek at some of the interesting films that are part of the ten-part series.  You can see an excerpt (a short 8.5 minutes) from one important documentary in the curriculum by going to this link https://youtu.be/Yd8YoRp9WEE.    Join us in this exciting adventure.
Zoom Coaching Available
Zooming is as easy as 1,2,3! Learn to connect with virtual online Worship, Sunday Coffee Hour, Weekly Reflection groups, and meetings in general using Zoom on a computer, tablet, or smartphone! Please contact Andrew Trofka at (902) 619-6392 or by email andrewtrofka@gmail.com

Christian Formation Plans for Program Year
COVID won't get us down! We're planning a rich program year full of offerings to help your spiritual journey. To date ALL our offerings will be via Zoom. You only need a cell phone to connect with Zoom. Email Mother Deb (deborahs@stmargarets.org) for more information.
 
Stay tuned to THIS space for more details:
 
Scripture & Sermon Reflections:
  • Mondays at 3 p.m. or Wednesdays at 9 a.m. Zoom groups to discuss where we've met God during the week (through daily reflections, sermons, scripture readings). Judy Burton, Chris Davidson & Rick Martin facilitate the Monday group. Art & Scripture Email: curated by Hovak Najarian. Each week receive an email from Hovak about one or two pieces of art that take their inspiration from the weekly lectionary. For info about how to get on this email list, ask Mother Deb (email above)
All About Church:
Christian Living & Social Justice:
  • Sacred Ground: 10 session film and book exploration of our experience of race and diversity. Sessions begin in September. Waking Up White text, available for purchase in the office: $20.00. Check with Debby on Mondays or Thursdays for purchase.
Children's (and the Young-At-Heart!) Worship Resources
We began last week with an additional offering for the young and the young-at-heart: Mother Deb reading a selection from The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name. The link will be on the Children's Resources on our website (www.stmargarets.org).
Donating Stock, Bonds, Mutual Funds to St. Margaret's
The stock market is up significantly.  Your investments have probably appreciated greatly.  Have you considered using appreciated stocks/bonds/mutual funds to pay your pledge or make an extra donation to the church?
Donating long-term appreciated securities is a win-win for the donor and the church.  The church receives the full gift and the donor is able to deduct the full fair market value as a donation without paying taxes on the gains (some limitations may apply, please consult your tax advisor).
If you'd like to make a donation of securities, please contact Darlene Fletcher, Controller at darlenef@stmargarets.org or (760) 346-2697 ext. 125 for more information.
Additional On-Line Worship Opportunities for August
Join us weekly on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/St.MargaretsEpiscopalChurch) for Morning or Evening Prayer on Wednesdays and Compline on Sunday evenings:
August 9 - Compline
August 12 - Morning Prayer
August 16 - Compline
August 19 - Evening Prayer
August 23 - Compline
August 26 - Morning Prayer
August 30 - Compline
Neighbors-4-Neighbors UPDATE!
The Neighbors-4-Neighbors program continues to feed a hungry valley every Tuesday at St. Margaret's.

We desperately want to keep the doors open and the carts moving, knowing that many of our clients have been financially impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. With so many families facing hardship, N-4-N is serving over 650 families every Tuesday. And while many regular volunteers are staying away during sheltering, many new ones have appeared. God continues to provide and make the seemingly impossible possible. Thank you Chet Hecht and all our volunteers and contributors!

How can you help? Are you, or someone you know healthy enough to safely volunteer? We have strict procedures in place to protect volunteers and clients. Can you make a special contribution to help with this vital Outreach? Please respond generously by sending an offering with N4N on the memo line. Or use the easyTithe link on the homepage of www.stmargarets.org and note your purpose. 

Please note: due to our volunteer and space constraints, we are unable to accept clothing at this time.
Pastoral Care
What is pastoral care and when should I call?  Our Pastoral Care Associate, the Rev. Tricia Horkey wants to hear from you about any challenge affecting your spirits.  Often, it is a health issue. Pastor Horkey leads a team who give continuing support to anyone facing a challenge. Call her at (951) 522-2595.  Pastor Horkey has many excellent contacts for resources to help if loved ones are experiencing Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or  dementia.  She is eager to offer prayers and anointing for any important moment such as before surgery. The traditional prayers for the time of death can be very comforting, and we encourage you to reach out if a loved one is in this tender time. As hospitals deal with pandemic demands, they may not call us; we encourage you to call Pastor Horkey directly on her cellphone about yourself or loved ones.
"Forward Day by Day"
The newest edition of "Forward Day by Day" is available. Contact Debby at debbyj@stmargarets.org to receive a copy.
Parishioner Database Updates
Debby is almost finished updating our database.  Do we have a photo of you in the directory? We want to make sure Andrew knows who you are!  Just email any favorite snapshot to Debby: debbyj@stmargarets.org
Readings for 8/16/20  
Psalm 133
The First Lesson Genesis 45:1-15
The Second Lesson Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
The Holy Gospel  Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
 
For a direct link to the readings for next week, click here
Your 2020 Vestry and Their Ministry Areas
Click here for the names, contact information and ministry areas of your 2020 Vestry
Birthdays
8/9  Shirley Murguia, Vicki Chegwin, Leo Stopa
8/10  Kirk McLaughlin
8/11  Ty Hawkins, Ed Rainey Jr., Denise Magee, Ellen Sikorski
8/12  Judy Hamilton
8/13  Mark Leggett, Alan Paradise
8/14  Vince Heuring, Kathy Moawad, Lynn Johnson, Veronica Aguayo
8/15  Ursula Johnson
Anniversaries
8/9  Tom Hippensteele & Audrey Carey (6 yrs), Way & Eva Myers (34 yrs)
8/10  Jack & Gwen Bindon (63 yrs)
8/11  Dennis & Sally Hooper (55 yrs)
8/12  John & Kathy Moawad (54 yrs)
8/15  Douglas & Cyndy Tessitor (51 yrs)
More News from the Larger Church

·         Diocese of San Diego: 

             http://www.edsd.org/signup/

·         Episcopal News Service:

             http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/

·         Episcopal Café (independent):

             http://www.episcopalcafe.com/

·         Anglican Communion News Service:

             http://www.anglicannews.org/

St. Margaret's Episcopal Church | 760-346-2697 | saintmail@stmargarets.org | http://www.stmargarets.org
47535 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA 92260