Dragon Tales E-News
March 4, 2020
A Note from Jeff

As always, our youth have lots of fun things happening. The very first thing is to welcome our new volunteer with the youth. She is Catelyn McMenamin and she is new to St. Margaret’s. She is a kindergarten teacher on Kent Island, and she was recently engaged. Fortunately for us when shopping for a new church she settled on St. Margaret’s, and now the Youth Group benefits! If you see a young woman on campus Monday nights you don’t recognize, introduce yourself!

This coming Sunday, March 8 th , between the 9 & 11:15 services, I will hold a Summer 2020 Pilgrimage & Service Trip Information Meeting in the Youth Group room, Classroom D.  This is a meeting for all who are going or interested in learning more about our adventure to the coast of Maine this July 6-13. This meeting will provide greater insight into what we are doing, and we will begin our detailed planning.

Next up is our annual Game Night Lock-In on March 20-21. This is a fun, free-form event designed just to have fun with your friends. Bring games to play, maybe work on a craft or two, eat food that is bad for you, and laugh a lot!

A special note for middle-schoolers out there – New Beginnings is coming up! This is the diocese’s annual retreat for middle school youth.  It is a fantastic weekend at nearby Camp Wright in Stevensville, MD. Previous New Beginners that have reached high school are the designer team and staff for the weekend. This year it is our own Ella Tomko and Austin Canuel. This makes for a perfect sense of what it means to be a part of the community. A whole weekend dedicated to youth working through the transitions of middle school through talks, skits and small group. A place where kids can find community in Christ and mentors in high school students. Campers are responsible for personal transportation to and from Camp Wright. Parents, family, and adult leaders are warmly invited to attend closing Eucharist at 2:00 p.m. in the dining hall. 

And finally (not really, but for these Dragon Tales, anyway…), we are working on a special project right now in Youth Group. This involves student leadership, creativity, developing some technical skills, honing a little public speaking, and TEAMWORK. It’s kind of a surprise, so I won’t spill the beans here, but as soon as you see it, I hope you enjoy it half as much as the fun we are having putting it together. Intrigued? Well, be patient and have faith! 
As we are facing a potential global pandemic of the coronavirus (COVID-19), I direct all of our congregations to revisit their current liturgical practices in order to maximize the safety of all worshipers. In an effort to encourage confidence during this time, we issue these guidelines for human interaction during worship, especially around the Holy Eucharist.
Go to Church!
  • As long as you are feeling well and have not been in conscious contact with persons and places of known exposure to the virus, then continue to worship as usual. Take the normal precautions if you or a family member is ill (i.e. stay home).
The Passing of the Peace:
  • A handshake is not mandated by the Church, and is especially discouraged during this time.
  • Continue to verbally share the Peace of the Lord with those around you. Making eye contact, slightly bowing your head, or offering a friendly wave are good substitutes for the traditional handshake or hug.
The Holy Eucharist:
  • It is not sacramentally necessary to receive in both kinds the bread and the wine in order to make a full communion. A worshiper’s individual health needs may preclude taking either the bread or the wine.
  • Clergy and eucharistic servers: be sure to wash your hands, and consider using an anti-bacterial gel before the administration of communion. Hand sanitizers made available in the pews, if possible, can serve as extra protection.
The Common Cup:
  • Medical experts agree that the danger of transmitting communicable diseases by sharing a chalice is negligible. History has borne this out and we still highly encourage this ancient liturgical practice.
  • Chalice bearers, be sure to wipe the rim of the cup and turn it after every person is served.
  • Intinction (dipping the bread into the cup), however, poses a greater potential threat, especially when the bread is handled with unwashed hands of children and adults. Therefore, we discourage this practice during this period. No fingers in the cup! If intinction is an important offering for your congregation to practice, we recommend only one hand in the cup, i.e. one clergy person or eucharistic server shall intinct each wafer and place it in the hands of the communicant or on their tongue.
As long as we all use common sense we will be fine. If a member of your parish does fall ill, please remember them in your prayers. The bishop’s office is closely monitoring the situation, and we may revise these recommendations as needed.
Blessings and peace,
The Right Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton
Bishop of Maryland
Summer Service Scheduling
We are now beginning to schedule Sunday service roles for the summer months beginning June 14. For those of you who serve as Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Acolytes, or Flower Guild team members, please email any conflicts you might have to laura@st-margarets.org no later than next Monday. And if there any rotating team changes or additions for any roles, team leaders should let Laura know.
UTO Offering this Lent
uto
St. Margaret’s Women’s Guild will be sponsoring a collection drive for the Episcopal Church’s United Thank Offering (UTO). There are blue boxes available in the narthex, formation lobby, and in the church office. The idea is to put change in the boxes in thanks for a blessing every day of Lent. We ask all families bring their full boxes to church on Palm Sunday or to the church office if you won’t be here April 5th. (You can also give by credit card here: https://onrealm.org/smcannapolis/-/give/now The Guild will then deliver the entire offering amount total to the Diocese at the convention in May. All funding will go to the UTO program offering grants to nonprofits here in our country and around the world.
Lenten Adult Study
Our Monday night adult study in March is called “Signs of Life – Why Church Matters.” Each week we’ll explore a different element of life – Light, Water, Food, Shelter, and Community – and discover “Why Church Matters” on Monday nights after our family dinner at 6:20, in the Fellowship Hall. Begins around 7:00 p.m. No book purchasing required!

Lenten Check-up
purple cross
The Rev. Peter W. Mayer will have a Lenten season "check up" on parishioners on Sunday, March 8 and 22 in the Fellowship Hall during coffee hour (10:20 to 11 a.m.). Please join him for a dialogue on faith and action during this season.

Pantry Volunteers Needed
St Margaret's is looking for volunteers to help out at My Brother's Pantry this month.

The biggest thing that My Brother's Pantry does each month is to provide a monthly food supplement to  more than 125    local families who could use a little extra help.

1. Packing Grocery Bags   -   6:30 pm on Thursday, March 12 , at the Pantry located at College Parkway Baptist Church on College Parkway (~1.5 hours)
We'll set up a joyful little assembly line in the Pantry to pack the bags for our big monthly distribution.

2. Delivering Grocery Bags   -   8:45 am on Saturday, March 14 , meeting at the Pantry (~1.5 hours)
We'll send one group of volunteers loaded with packed bags of groceries to our families at College Parkway Place, while a smaller group stays at the Pantry to help our other families who come to pick up their food.

We could use volunteers for one day or both. All ages are welcome!! For questions, email Russell Jackson at  russell140.6@gmail.com .
Celtic Service on March 15
Our annual Celtic service is scheduled for Sunday, March 15 at the 9:00 & 11:15 a.m. featuring our Third Sunday Band with special musical guests. The Celtic style of contemplative liturgy used in this worship service is known for engaging imagination through visual and spatial imagery, as well as emphasizing the life of God within creation. Join us!
Light House Donations Info
Parishioner Pam Roth will be serving as the Coordinator for donations to the Light House shelter from St. Margaret’s. 

We will not be accepting clothing or household items at this time. If there is a specific need, she will announce it with the monthly list. Clothing that is left at the church will now be donated to Goodwill or Hope for All. 

Items now needed are canned meats, canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned soup, oatmeal, pancake mix, syrup, cereal, packaged rice, peanut butter, and canned tomato products.

Please check your donations to make sure that all the “Best by…” dates are current. The organization cannot use food that is past its expiration date, not even a little. We will have to dispose of any expired canned goods.

Please consider remembering our neighbors each time you shop for groceries during Lent. Simply add one extra item to your weekly shopping, and drop it into the designated basket in the Narthex on your way into church on Sunday.  This is a simple and very meaningful Lenten discipline. -- Pam, rothsbythebay@verizon.net .
Quiet Day Retreat
On March 22nd, from 1-4 p.m., beginning in the Fellowship Hall the Rev. Patti Sachs and Dalyn Huntley will lead a few hours of quiet meditation. We will have a short service in the sanctuary, rooms for journaling, quiet music and meditation. (Hopefully it will be a pleasant day, as walking around our campus makes for a beautiful meditation.) Mark your calendars and please plan to make a little time just to be quiet and walk with God.
Easter Egg Candy Needed

Our annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place on Easter Sunday at 10:30 a.m. We are in need of candy for the eggs. Please make sure that all donations have no nuts or nut oil . Donations can be left in the church office or in the narthex in the labeled boxes.
Easter Flowers Orders
Honor or remember a loved one this Easter by purchasing Easter flowers to beautify the church on Easter Day. All dedications will be added to Easter bulletins. Due date is April 5th. Cost is $35.

*You can purchase through a check made out to "St. Margaret's Church" and put "Easter flowers" in the memo line
or
*by credit card by going to www.onrealm.org/smcannapolis/give and choose the category "church flowers" and add information in the memo section.

Make sure you provide the following information or your order might not appear in the bulletin:
Your name
Name of Person(s)
In Honor or In Memory of
Day School Auction Coming

Day School summer camps are already half full. For camp information and registration, go to their website @ www.stmargaretsdayschool.org .
Claggett Center Programs
March 13, 2020 - March 15, 2020

  • High School Camp: (grades completed 9-12) June 21-26
  • Adventure Camp (grades completed 5-8, special focus on outdoor skills and activities): June 28-July 3
  • Middle School Camp (grades completed 6-8): July 5-10
  • Youth Camp (grades completed 2-5): July 12-17

South Africa Pilgrimage with Bishop Sutton
Join Bishop Sutton on a South Africa Pilgrimage of Creation, Reconciliation and Hope , November 6-18, 2020. Participants will travel to both Cape Town and Johannesburg, visiting historic sites related to Apartheid, President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. They will tour the countryside, including nature preserves, whale watching and a safari. They will spend two nights at an Anglican monastery, but otherwise stay in hotels. Most meals and all transportation will be included in the price .
This Sunday, March 8

7:30
Eucharistic Minister: Joan Rich
Lector: Joan Rich

9:00
Eucharistic Ministers: Elizabeth Bowers, Terry Otis
Lectors: Mark Torrence, Jean Clarke
Acolytes: Sunny Bowers, Molly Rose Svendsen, Caroline Viscardi, Dylan Bishop, Hannah Ruegg
Children's Chapel: Kristen Berthelotte, Arvilla Wubbenhorst

11:15
Eucharistic Ministers: Janis Brewer, Peg Overton
Lectors: Jerry Smith, Ann Lallande
Acolytes: Wes Reising, Greta Lunsford-Poe, Dylan Lunsford McBride, Caroline VanArsdall

Altar Guild: Nancy Saroch, Stephanie Ceruolo, Lisa Moylan, Lynn Goff
Coffee Hour Hosts: Sarah Westcott, Anne Sessions, Ted and Mary Lesster, Carol Bracken
Next Sunday, March 15

7:30
Eucharistic Minister: Ben Tolley
Lector: Ben Tolley

9:00
Eucharistic Ministers: Jim Barnett, Katy Strother
Lectors: Paul Westcott, Sandra Golthwait
Acolytes: Ella Tomko, Sarah Mayer, Allen Mayer, Gabby Smith, Kaden Huntley
Children's Chapel: Cory & Zack Greene

11:15
Eucharistic Ministers: Jim Hall, Stacia Bontempo
Lectors: Mel Kessler, Stacia Bontempo
Acolytes: Emily Bontempo, Emily Carroll, Hannah Carroll, Henry Macmillan

Altar Guild: Charlie Lang, Teresa Todd, Susan Byrom, Robert Thomas
Coffee Hour Hosts: Arvilla Wubbenhorst, Mary Kirkeby, Don & Hope Schroeder, Stacy Canuel, Vera Torrence