This Sunday January 27, 2019 is our Annual Meeting . Most Episcopal Churches across he country are holding their annual meetings this Sunday, or the first Sunday in February. The Canons of the Episcopal Church require that all parishes hold an Annual meeting to conduct the business of the parish, which includes approval of a budget, and elections of vestry members and delegates to Diocesan Convention. The annual meeting is also a time to celebrate the ministry that is carried out here at St. Mary's from week to week. It is a meeting for new people and old timers alike to become informed about the joys of this parish as well as the challenges we are facing going forward into 2019. The meeting will open with one 9:00 a.m. Eucharist. (Please note there is no 8:00 or 10:00 a.m. service this Sunday) . It is common for the Rector of the Parish to have an address, which I will do in my sermon at our Eucharist Celebration.   We will also have a parish wide brunch in the Great Hall. We are still in need of brunch items, so please consider bringing beverages, an entrée, or a side dish to share. I am looking forward to our time together.  

Snow, freezing temperatures, and gusting winds could not keep people away from our community meal this past Saturday. We served 62 dinners and also provided 40 meals for PADS. Mary and Randall Frake and their crew of volunteers served the PADS dinners on Sunday. Thank you Chef Tom for a fantastic dinner, and thank you Tracy Higgins for shopping and organizing our volunteers. A special shout out to Twisted Stem for donating the lovely flowers for our tables, and a big thank you to Heather Horeled who organizes our flower donations month to month. Thank you to all of the volunteers who came out in the cold and stepped up to the plate. It was such a great time and once again we saw a group of new people as well as many of our returning guests.