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You may preview the Annual Report by clicking here.
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The Golden Rule
I write this early on Wednesday afternoon. The snow has stopped now - it's been utterly beautiful in our cul-de-sac, with pristine white snow piled on every tree branch like icing on a spider's web. This morning, Maggie and I went out to clear off the cars and start to shovel out the driveway. Our neighbor Mark was zipping through his own driveway with his big New-Hampshire-grade snowblower. Soon he was on his way over to our driveway to zip through that...and so we traveled together for the next hour, clearing older neighbors' cars, shoveling walks, and watching the amazing machine dispatch the snow from driveways. It was actually fun!
"Do to others as you would have them do to you."
That's in today's Gospel, and it's probably the most universal imperative of all, found in all the world's great religions in some form or another. I thought of our neighbor Mark, who walks with a limp from some surgery years ago, but freely offered himself and his wonderful snowblower to us and our neighbors. Storms can bring out the best in neighborhoods. We are reminded of the true joy of living among good people.
Jesus' other exhortations - "Love your enemies, pray for those who abuse you..." - these are harder to accept and practice. But almost everybody sees the wisdom in the Golden Rule. This Rule is stated in functional terms, but there is an underlying value here, and that is love. Love is what makes us care about our neighbor - her needs, his hopes and dreams, her comfort and safety. When we want the best for someone else, that's love.
A pleasant snow-day at home is a lovely, unexpected gift. But the greatest gift of this day is the love experienced among neighbors helping each other shovel out. We could use more occasions like this...bring on the snowstorms! JBM
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Justice League Update ...
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Here's a summary of our event on February 18, which I think went very well. Thanks to all of you who helped with the preparation and showed up to participate with friends and neighbors. Thanks
to Sue Carroll and to Lisa Martin for all the cookies!
Our Forum on Affordable Healthcare with County Executive Marc Elrich was well attended, with over 50 people filling the Parish Hall, and staying for a full two hours to listen to Elrich talk about the challenges of providing affordable healthcare in a time of shrinking county budgets. We also heard from Dr. Travis Gayles, Montgomery County's Health Officer, who described the various programs and highlighted the importance of good data analysis to focus resources where they could do the most good. Leslie Graham, head of the Primary Care Coalition which administers the County-funded programs, told us that the Montgomery Cares program services around 25,000 adults and Care for Kids about 6,000 children, with a budget of $10-11 million. Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Gabe Abornoz were supportive of the affordable care programs. All the policymakers were aware that the challenging immigration climate had caused a decline in the use of the services, and that there were affordability gaps in coverage, an issue highlighted with a personal story from our interim music director Joseph Arkfeld. Questions came from visitors and community members, including personnel from some of the clinics providing service through these program. The meeting closed with County Executive Elrich encouraging us to "show up" for county government meetings and hearings on affordable care and to reinforce the message with friends and neighbors that receiving health care through these programs will not endanger anyone's immigration status.
I'm going to follow up with the staff of the policymakers to make sure I know what's going on with the budget, funding, eligibility issues and the immigration challenges, and I'll let everyone know if there are developments we should attend to.
Our next discussion might be on affordable housing, and in particular Council member Riemer's idea for revising the zoning rules to make it easier to construct ADUs (accessory dwelling units), with the goal of increasing the amount of housing available in the county.
Mark MacCarthy
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Christian Formation for Children and Youth ...
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Children's Ministry
This Sunday, February 24, children will watch a movie in the parlor while the adults attend the Parish Annual Meeting.
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Youth Ministry
February Youth Night
6:00 p.m. Dinner
6:30-7:30 p.m. Program for youth in grades 5-12
Wednesday, February 27 at St. Dunstan's
We are now meeting on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays.
Our conversations in February will continue to explore our humanity as baptized followers of Christ. How can teenagers love God, and love neighbors in today's competitive world? Come for dinner and stay for games, community building, and conversation. Please click
here to sign up.
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Joint Service @ Redeemer ...
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Save the Date ... Pancakes @ Redeemer!
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Redhot & Blue @ St. Dunstan's ...
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Yale's Redhot & Blue @ St. Dunstan's
Friday, March 15, 2019 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Fresh off tours in San Francisco, Seattle, and China, Redhot & Blue, Yale University's oldest all-gender a cappella group, is coming to the Bethesda this coming March! With a unique focus on jazz music and a commitment to musical excellence, Redhot promises a night of smooth listening for all interested. Come to hear the group's original arrangements of the Gershwin's "Summertime", the Beatles' "Blackbird", and our own take
on Beyonce's "Halo", among others!
90 minutes of performance (and a 10-minute intermission) will be followed by a half-hour Q&A, where audience members are invited to ask the group about its music, its tours, or its members' lives at Yale College.
Tickets: $16 online, $20 at door.
Refreshments available for purchase at intermission.
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Bishop Budde @ St. Dunstan's ...
Bishop Budde Comes to St. Dunstan's! Sunday, March 24
Please be sure to come to church when our Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde makes her visitation to St. Dunstan's on Sunday, March 24, at both regular services. This happens only once every couple of years.
Between the services at 9:45 a.m. we'll have refreshments and a conversation with the Bishop about the future of the Church - St. Dunstan's in particular, our Diocese of Washington, and the wider Church beyond us.
Service Schedule
9:00 a.m. Family Service with children's message by Bp. Budde
9:45 a.m. Bishop's Forum
10:45 a.m. Eucharist with sermon by Bp. Budde
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Parish Notice ...
Walk-in Funds Needed
Consider giving a small donation to our Walk-in fund. Any amount is helpful. All donations can be put in the collection basket, given to Jeff, or brought to the church office.
Eucharistic Bread Bakers
Are you baker? Are you looking for an easy volunteer opportunity? Then we need you! We are currently recruiting volunteers to bake bread for Eucharist. For more information, contact
Jeff .
Kim Matthews
Parish Administrator
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Rector Search News
Below is a list of the members of the Rector Search Committee. If at any time your have questions or concerns, please reach out to one of the members of the committee or its chair, Chuck Cash. You can email us at
[email protected].
Chuck Cash, Chair; Donna Alvarez; Fred Bentley; Clint Chamberlin;
Lynn Adduci Leonard; Sue Newman; John Wyss
Committee Chair
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Hopes and Prayers on our Journey ...
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 I
n Need of Healing:
Curt Shively
,
husband of Susan Burkhalter
,
in nursing care
Ken Farnsworth
, at home in Westwood Towers
David Keegan
, friend of Tom and Rosemarie Barrett, fighting cancer
Pam Plaisance
, fighting cancer, cousin of Sue von
Samantha Barnes,
ill,
sister of Muriel Croston
Ray Bridson
, friend of the MacKnights, fighting cancer
DJ Crane
, family friend of Trudy Surut, fighting cancer
Jessie McCardell,
recovering from a fall
Nancy Hay,
ill
Joan (Penny) Denny
, ill
The flowers at the altar
are given to the glory of the Lord.
As we seek a new rector, we pray: Lord Christ, we ask that you surround us with your love during this time of transition and renewal at St. Dunstan's. Let us view this moment of change as an invitation to build upon that which has been given to us so generously by our founders. May we possess an open heart to all the possibilities that lie ahead. We hope these months of preparation will further unite us as one faith community, and that we will continue to cherish the strengths and gifts of one another. May we find new leaders who will unite us in our mission and shared values. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
We pray for St. Dunstan's Missionaries,
Cameron and Roberto Vivanco, who serve in Quito, Ecuador, and the parish of Buen Pastor.
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer, please complete our prayer request form by clicking
here.
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The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 24, 2019
9:00 a.m. Family Service
9:50 a.m. Parish Annual Meeting
10:45 a.m. Traditional Holy Eucharist
The readings for this Sunday are:
Genesis 45:3-11, 15, Psalm 37:1-9,
and Luke 6:27-38
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Sunday Schedule of Ministries ...
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Serving this Sunday
Trail Guide: Mark McCarthy
Liturgical Coordinator: Sue Newman
Crucifer:
Carl Adams
Lector: Frenchie Gogos
Prayer Minister: Sue Newman
Flower Guild:
Sue Newman
Altar Guild:
Ann Johnson
Tellers:
Donna Alvarez and Jackie Jones
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