Dragon Tales E-News
December 12, 2018
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A Note from Patti
Well, we didn’t get the snow…are you disappointed? It would be nice to have a bit of snow sometime soon…just to get us a bit more in that seasonal spirit. If we don’t get snow, and you want some spirit anyway, come to the St. Nicholas hour this Sunday! Join us in the Parish Hall at 10:15 a.m. for music, song and…a special visit from St. Nick himsef!! Some of our youngest parishioners will perform a play to tell us his story. We’re really looking forward to this time!
Sometimes, though, all this “jolly old stuff” can wear us out. Sometimes, we just want to have a quiet time to be with our thoughts. Maybe someone is missing this year or there is something we feel troubled about. Maybe it’s all just too much. If that is the case for you, join us on Wednesday, Dec. 19th, for a Quiet Christmas service. We’ll worship at noon and 7 p.m. to hear the word of God, pray, remember, light candles for loved ones and celebrate the Eucharist together. A member of the Healing Team will be available for special prayers at each service during this busy season -- quiet love, compassion and presence. Please consider joining us.
With love and the blessings of the Advent season,
Patti
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St. Nicholas Day This Sunday
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Join us this Sunday in the parish hall during coffeehour
(10:15 to 11 a.m.)
as we provide the special story of St. Nicholas, the generous bishop who provided gifts for many. Children will learn about the man and his legend. Sunday School classes will not be held.
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This Sunday is our youth's annual caroling outing event.
Participants will visit some of the parishioners who are either in a nursing home or are home-bound, to bring them some cheer this season.
Participants should join us following the 11:15 a.m. service this Sunday in the parish hall. We will have a quick lunch of cold cuts before heading out. We should be back on the campus around 2 p.m.
jeff@st-margarets.org
you plan to come so that he has enough food on hand for lunch, and that there are enough song sheets, instruments, and hats to go around!
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Water at St. Margaret's
Have you noticed that sometimes our tap water isn’t entirely clear?
The discoloration is due to a slightly higher than usual iron content.
This week we have had several professionals consult on our water treatment system. The consensus is we need to upgrade our system to better process the volume of water that is used.
Our water system is regulated by the Maryland Department of the Environment and we submit to regular testing. We have not had any issues with our water quality and are in compliance in every monitored category.
The Environmental Protection Agency considers iron in well water as a secondary contaminant, which means it does not have a direct impact on health. However our goal is to have zero contaminants in the water at all times.
We anticipate replacement of the system the first week in January. Until then, the water is still safe to use with the only real side effects being a slight metallic taste, odor and staining of the toilets, sinks and linens.
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REMINDERS FOR THIS SUNDAY
All Giving Tree donations are due THIS SUNDAY
. Please return unwrapped donations with the ornament attached by the tree in the narthex.
All those who signed up to provide holiday meals to local neighbors in need should pick up the donated hams/turkeys in the Parish Hall THIS SUNDAY.
Parishioners are invited to make a donation to
decorate the church for Christmas in honor of or in loving memory of a loved a loved one
. Poinsettias are $25 and wreaths are $40.
Fill out this form to print
and pay by check (put in offertory plate or drop by church office) or pay by credit card online.
Orders due THIS SUNDAY.
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Schedule Reminder -- The church office will now be open on Fridays by appointment only. This will allow staff to be able to be flexible with their schedule if they need to work on Sundays. You will still be able to communicate through email and voicemail.
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Sunday's Service
December 9, 2018
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Service Schedule for Jan.-Easter
Our new service schedule for January through Easter Sunday on April 21 is now available on the new online scheduling system. This means you can now begin swapping or asking for subs if you know you cannot complete the duty assigned.
Office Copy Machine Use
Because of the upcoming Christmas services, the office copy machine will be in use even more than usual by staff. We ask that parishioners do not plan to use the copy machine without scheduling a time with staff first. And if you can avoid using the machine and can copy elsewhere this month, please do so.
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To help our homeless brothers and sisters, the Missions Commission is once again collecting
small value gift cards ($5 or $10)
for area restaurants and convenience stores. The gift cards will allow homeless men and women to purchase food or a hot cup of coffee and in some cases get out of the cold for a while. Suggested gift card venues include fast food restaurants, coffee houses, and Wawa. Gift cards can be given to parishioner Christine Feldmann, placed in her mailbox in the church office, or given to clergy on Sunday.
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LONGEST NIGHT”HOMELESS PERSONS MEMORIAL SERVICE
for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
Friday, December 21, 4:30pm
Sunset at 4:47pm
WHITMORE PARK
37 Clay St., Annapolis
just off Calvert St.
Sponsored by
Arundel House of Hope, Sarah’s House - Catholic Charities,
and Light House Annapolis
A 40-minute somber service to remember the lives of homeless sisters and brothers who have died in Anne Arundel County in the previous year.
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A Quiet Christmas on Dec. 19
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The Christmas season can be overwhelming, especially for those who are experiencing sadness, loss, or illness. Join us for a special service that allows participants to remember loved ones in a calm and reflective way (and invite any friends or relatives that have had a challenging year).
Our Quiet Christmas services will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at noon and 7 p.m.
Childcare available at the 7 p.m. service.
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Youth Mission Program on Dec. 17
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Kate Riley from the Diocese Youth program is coming down from Baltimore on Monday, Dec. 17 to present information on two summer youth mission opportunities that are open for our students.
The meeting will be
Monday, December 17
th
, during the 6 o’clock Faith & Fellowship dinner
. Youth and their parents will get food from our Faith & Fellowship meal and move down to the youth room to eat and listen to Kate.
While the initial deadline for the Puerto Rico trip has passed, there are still opportunities to participate! For more information, contact Youth Ministries Leader Jeff Conover at
jeff@st-margarets.org
.
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Christmas Eve Services
4:00 p.m. -- With music from the Spirit Singers
7:30 & 10:30 p.m. -- With music from the combined choirs
Christmas Day Service
10:00 a.m.
First Sunday after Christmas - Dec. 30
7:30 a.m. -- Rite I Service
9:00 & 11:15 a.m. -- Christmas Lessons and Carols
10:20 a.m. -- Parish New Year's Brunch
Bring a breakfast casserole to share!
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Year End Giving from the Church Office
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Deadlines for contributions to be recorded for 2018 taxes are as follows:
Stock or bond sales need to be given ASAP.
This is because it may take 2-3 weeks for the transaction to be processed and for our bank to receive the proceeds from the sale. Please remember to alert the church office of your gift in advance so you can be properly credited.
Automatic drafts from your bank need to be scheduled ASAP.
It can take six to seven business days to process and then mail the checks to our office.
Please mail your final 2018 contributions so that the office receives them by Thursday, December 27
.
Did you know the IRS requires those over age 70.5 to withdraw a certain amount from their IRAs each year? Talk to your financial planner about possibly giving to St. Margaret’s. You might avoid paying income taxes on the distribution!
NOTE: We will not be mailing pledge giving statements until after the new year. If you need a statement before the first of the year, please email Elizabeth Radley at Elizabeth@st-margarets.org before Dec. 20th.
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Genealogical Presentation on Jan. 3
The Anne Arundel Genealogical Society is hosting a presentation on Thursday, January 3 at 7:30 pm at the Severna Park United Methodist Church, 731 Benfield Road. There is no charge and all are welcome — members and non-members alike. The program will focus on the
Exhumation of Sir Robert Eden presented by Michael Parker.
The mania for assembling colonial tombstones in St. Anne’s Churchyard, Annapolis, culminated in June 1926 with the translation, not of another stone, but of human remains: those of the last pre-revolutionary governor of Maryland, Sir Robert Eden. Lawyer and antiquary Daniel Randall crowned his three-year search for the bones in the ruined church of St. Margaret’s Westminster by commissioning an elaborate stone to mark the new grave and planning a grand re-interment ceremony. The Eden translation relied extensively on forensic analysis and public pageantry to secure national and even international validation for the groups that supported it. The reburial, however, ignited a noisy public dispute between the parishes of St. Margaret’s and St. Anne’s that soured Randall’s triumph and raised questions about the bones that remain unanswered to this day.
Michael Parker taught English at the United States Naval Academy for 38 years until his retirement in 2018. He has published extensively on the history of Annapolis.
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Children's Epiphany Pageant
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After the Christmas week is over, the children of St. Margaret's will be offering the story of the Magi in a
pageant on Epiphany Sunday, Jan. 6
. There will be no Sunday School that day.
Dress rehearsal will be on Saturday, Jan. 5 in the parish hall at 9 a.m.
We are in need of volunteers to help with costume mending (before Christmas) and rehearsal help. We are very happy to announce that parishioner Sierra Mullen will be leading this effort. Since this is her first year, we are in need of many parents to offer her support.
Please email Sierra
at to let her know if you can help!
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Annual Meeting/Vestry Candidates
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Mark your calendar for our annual meeting to be held in the parish hall on Sunday, January 27
. There will be a parish potluck lunch right after the 11:15 a.m. service and the meeting will begin around 12:45 p.m.
There will be four new Vestry members elected (three annually and one to cover Paul O'Donnell's spot who became senior warden). If you would like to be a vestry candidate, please contact the Rev. Peter W. Mayer at
peter@st-margarets.org.
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Upcoming Diocesan Retreats
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The Diocese of Maryland is offering upcoming retreats for men and women at its Claggett Center located near Frederick, Maryland.
Participants across Maryland join together to study and discuss scripture, pray, and celebrate the love of God in a peaceful setting.
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Contacts
Jim Bowersox, Facility Operations Assistant
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St. Margaret's Church
1601 Pleasant Plains Road
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 974-0200 Office
(443) 867-5463 Pastoral Emergency Number
www.st-margarets.org
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