Memorial Cross Dedication

Sunday, May 28, 10:00 am

Our Garden Steward, Jim Keepers, has determined that the concrete cross in our central garden berm has no current dedication, and we will be dedicating it to the memory of parish members who have served in the military this coming Sunday, over Memorial Day weekend, between the services at 10 am. This is a bit spontaneous this year, but we want to take up that opportunity, and in future years we will have a chance to offer a celebration around the space. If you have names of someone you would like to have remembered, you may send them on to Fr Ben, or offer them on Sunday.

St. A Store

Open until May 31

You’ve asked for shirts to wear for outreach and other events, so the Outreach Committee has set up a pop up shop! If you are looking for shirts, hoodies, hats, totes, and more, check out the shop by CLICKING HERE. We had them give us an option of picking up at the location to avoid a shipping charge, so if you’re willing to wait, choose that option! The shop will only be up and running until May 31, and if it goes well, we will open the shop on a regular basis. The Outreach Committee will discuss how to best use the money when we have an idea of how much we have raised.

C.O.P.E Food Needs

May's Monthly Offering

will be given to COPE (Christian Outreach Program of Elkhorn). Cope helps people and families in western Douglas County whose needs temporarily exceed their means. Food, clothing, and household goods, along with rent and utility assistance are just a few of the community services we support through our outreach partner. We will collect throughout the month of May, please be sure to note on your envelope of the memo line of your check so Jay knows where to place your donation.

Thank you to everyone who donated or bid in Cope's first ever silent auction.  Our poker basket brought $110  and two additional baskets from St. A's brought $30 each.  The auction itself raised just over $12,000. Thank you so much for participating.

Racial Reconciliation Opportunities

One of the Mission Priorities of the Episcopal Church is Racial Reconciliation, and a group of our Sacred Ground (a TEC curriculum around reconciliation from a faith foundation) facilitators and alumnae have coordinated several opportunities for engagement in the coming weeks:

             Building Bridges of Hope Conference on June 7^th-8^th  Last year, several St A’s members attended the inaugural Race, Religion, and Social Justice conference put on by Tri-Faith and University of Nebraska – Omaha. This year, the theme is Building Bridges of Hope, and guest speaker Clint Smith will be present, giving a keynote talk on Wednesday evening and offering additional workshops Thursday. Otherwise, the day is full of workshops submitted both from Nebraska and around the country (including a workshop co-led by Canon Liz Easton and a colleague of hers, who organized visits between people from different perspectives throughout the country to gather in Nebraska this past year). Information and registration can be found here: https://www.trifaith.org/rrsj-2023/ Some scholarships are available through Tri-Faith, or you can contact Fr Ben for parish scholarship assistance. Megan Griffiths (Fr Ben’s wife) is one of the lead organizers for this conference through her new position at Tri-Faith this year, and can also answer questions about the event!

             How the Word is Passed Book Club, Tuesday, May 30^th, 6:00 – 7:30 pm. In preparation for the keynote speaker for the above conference, we will be hosting a “Brown Bag” (bring your own dinner) book club on Clint Smith’s book, How the Word is Passed. The book considers the way history is told through nine different locations throughout the United States, and challenges us to think deeply about all the different relationships we have with history. Anyone is welcome to attend the book club, and it is especially an opportunity for those planning to attend the RRSJ conference to prepare by reading the keynote speaker’s book.

Women's Day Luncheon

Saturday, June 3, 11 AM-12:30 PM

Hosted by Daughters of the King, Naomi & Ruth Chapter

ALL women of St. Augustine's are invited to a special brunch for fellowship, a brief study on women of the Bible, a fabulous brunch and gift bags! We are thrilled to honor Amy Churchill as our Woman of Honor this year. Please help us celebrate her! I please contact: Lynette Kautz via email, or call 402-499-7618 and we'll get you one! Babysitters from Youth Group will be here to entertain young children. We look forward to seeing you all on June 3rd!!

End of Year Picnic

Sunday, June 4 after

combined 10:30 AM service

On Sunday, June 4, 2023, we will be having an End of Year Picnic hosted by the Parish Life Committee. The day will begin with an all parish church service at 10:30 am, followed by the picnic. Food will be served by the Mobile Grace Food Truck(more info about them below), we will also have a bounce house, face painting by our Youth Group, outdoor games, and maybe even a competition or two. Parish Life will be providing drinks.

If you are able to help by providing a dessert, Parish Life is asking that it be cookies or bars so any leftovers can be frozen for Summer Coffee Hour. If you would like to bring an outdoor yard game or tent for some shade, please feel free! The North Parking lot will be closed off that day for tables, bounce house & food truck! You are welcome to park on the West side lot across the street for any overflow.

For your Food truck order, we are asking for a good will offering of as much as you are able to pay. If our donations go above the cost of the meals, we will be donating any extra to the Food Truck to provide meals to the low to no income patrons that they serve. 

Table Grace Ministries fosters a healthy community by offering great food prepared and served with dignity and providing opportunities for transformation both personally and spiritually through hospitality, music and fellowship. Their vision is "Nourishing hungry bodies and souls." Table Grace values hospitality, compassion, respect, transformation, creativity, dignity, community, wellness and empowerment. Table Grace lives its mission through the Café, 10 day Job Experience Program, Music Ministry in the café and throughout the community, Mobile Grace Food Truck, Catering and Fellowship. Volunteer opportunities and a 10 day-Job Experience program assist people in re-entering the workforce. A majority of the staff who carry out the operations of the food truck, café and catering operations are people who have come up through the ranks at Table Grace, either originally entering our doors as a homeless patron, 10 day Job Experience participant or court-appointed volunteer. Table Grace serves 90% low to no income patrons at the Cafe, many volunteer for their food.

Pre-Picnic Garden Clean Up Day

Friday, June 2, 9:00 AM

Our recently launched Good News Gardens Ministry invites everyone to join them starting at 9:00 AM on Friday, June 2, for a special work day to touch up our garden areas before our End of Year Party! All are welcome to come and participate in this transformational ministry that feeds body, mind, and spirit!

Berry Picking

Saturday, June 17, 10:00 am

Nothing says summer like fresh picked strawberries! Join us on Saturday, June 17 at 10:00 AM at the Bellevue Berry Farm as we pick our own fresh strawberries and sweet peas! Bring your own bucket(s). All ages are welcome, costs vary based on the weight of fruit picked. Please note, the date of this event could change to June 12, depending on weather and when the berries ripen, so watch our newsletter and Facebook page for updates! If you are interested in carpooling, or have questions, please contact Leslie Stubbendieck or Barb Hall.

Vacation Bible School

Wednesday, June 21-Friday,

June 23 5:30-7:30 pm

Please join us this year for VBS! We will have an exciting three days learning about God's Garden.

VBS meets Wednesday, June 21-Friday June 23.

The evenings begin with Dinner at 5:30 PM. Parents are welcome to stay and eat! Programming begins at 6:00 PM, we will have a check in, then move into stations for crafts, snacks, games & stories, we will come back together before pick up for check out & songs! VBS will be completed at 7:30 and kids will be ready for pick up!

VBS is for youth ages 3 and up through entering 6th grade. Our Youth Group (Entering 7th-12th) will assist in programming. Please CLICK HERE to register ASAP so we can begin purchasing craft supplies and planning food!

Save the Date for Camp Canterbury! Monday, July 17-Friday, July 21, 2023

Mark your calendars! Camp Canterbury is our diocesan summer camp for youth from 4th through 12th grade. Youth are invited to join us for outdoor activities, swimming, sports, crafts, games, worship, program and more! Our theme this year will be: God Saw It Was Good. Our 2023 Co-Directors are Fr. Tony Anderson and Fr. Ben Varnum. The fee for camp is $275 per camper, scholarships are available Learn more about camp, including information about financial assistance, on our FAQ page. Want to be a Counselor? We'd love to have you join us! Please email Lachisha Baskin to request an application.

Registration is Open!

CLICK HERE to register

Upcoming Retreat at St. Benedict Center, Schuyler, NE June 16-17, 2023

Discovering what Matters: Embracing a Life of Meaning, June 16-17, retreat at St. Benedict Center, Schuyler, with best-selling author and Benedictine Oblate, Kathleen Norris from Honolulu, Hawaii. How is the Bible as our collective story reflected in our daily lives? What is it about the Bible that always seems to address our present moment? Community matters, for in it individualism and imperfection meet grace and acceptance. What is our part in the Body of Christ? Place Matters: In what ways is faith set within the physical space of home, church, land and people? We Matter: What does it mean to remain in God's image and to counter our selfishness by embracing the world and its needs? Register now by CLICKING HERE or call 402-352-8819

Cursillo Weekend

June 22-25, 2023

Cursillo is a ministry of the Episcopal Church. The weekend is intended to renew and deepen Christian commitment. Erin Rhian of Omaha’s St. Augustine of Canterbury and Heather Bauer of St. Matthew's Lincoln are the Co-Rectoras (leaders) for this weekend. They have chosen the verse Titus 3:5 for the weekend’s theme: "He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy". The dates are the evening of June 22 through mid-afternoon June 25, 2023 at the beautiful Immaculata monastery and spiritual center in Norfolk. You can find a flyer about the weekend here and an application here. Please feel free to contact Erin or Heather. If you are someone that has attended a Cursillo weekend in the past, we can also use more team members as well as prayers.

Culture Club Event at the Playhouse Sunday, June 25, 2 PM

BECAUSE OUR ORIGINAL DATE WAS FATHER’S DAY, THE DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO JUNE 25.  



Join us on Sunday, 2 p.m. on June 25 for “Respect” at the Omaha Community Playhouse. This is a great show featuring influential female recording artists from the 1960-1980 era of music. Learn some background information about the singers and song writers of that era. For the first time, a couple of male singers have been added to the group. It will be a great show! 

If we get a group of 12 or more, ticket prices are $30 per person. Give your checks, made out to the Omaha Community Playhouse, to Sandra Squires, by June 4.