Week of December 8, 2024

“God comes to us like the sun in the morning—when it is time."

The God Who Comes

By: Carlo Carretto

Tuesday December 10

12:00 PM Adventtide Study, Walden Hall

1:00 PM Welcome Team Committee Meeting, Walden Hall

3:00 PM Finance Budget Committee Meeting, St. James Room

Wednesday December 11

10:00 AM Staff Meeting, St. James Room

10:00 AM Wednesday Spirituality Discussions - On hiatus till 2025

6:15 PM Parish Choir Rehearsal, Walden Hall

Thursday December 12

8:30 AM Books & Breakfast, Walden Hall

1:30 PM OAT Committee Meeting, St. James Room

5:00 PM Vestry Meeting, St. James Room

6:30 PM Zen Meditation, St. James Room

Friday December 13

1:00 PM Grief Group, Library

Saturday December 14

5:00 PM Holy Eucharist, Church

6:00 PM Jingle & Mingle, Community Christmas Party, Walden Hall

Sunday December 15

8:00 AM Holy Eucharist, Church

10:00 AM Holy Eucharist, Church

11:15 AM Coffee and Fellowship - Walden Hall

11:30 AM P.A.T.H. Meeting, Library

 2:00 PM Movie Theology, Walden Hall

Monday December 16

3:30 PM EfM Group, St. James Room

7:00 PM Private Meeting, Walden Hall

Tuesday December 17

8:00 AM Men's Fellowship, Walden Hall

2:00 PM Adventtide Study, Walden Hall

7:00 PM NAMI Meeting, St. James Room

Movie Theology - Field Trip to Pastor. Spy. Assassin

Thank you to Pam & Bruce Gordon for deftly repairing our Memorial Garden Cross

Movie Theology Dining and Discussion at Tomatoes Italian Bar and Grill

Upcoming Events

Save the Dates!

Congratulations to Pastor Russ on his 5th Anniversary of joining the clergy at St. Mary's. We are so very blessed by his generous service to our Church.

Click the flier below for our full Christmas Worship Schedule

St. Mary's Formation & Education

Join Fr. Michael for an Adventtide study as we prepare our hearts for the season of anticipation and hope. Beginning this Tuesday, November 26 and continuing each Tuesday in Advent on December 3, 10, and 17 at noon in Walden Hall. Bring your own lunch and come ready for meaningful conversation and reflection.

Together, we will reflect on the names of the Messiah found in Isaiah 9:6: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Together, we will explore the significance of these titles in their historical context and what they might mean for us today. We will use Walter Brueggemann's, "Names for the Messiah" as our study guide.

Dates: December 3, 10 and 17

Time: 12:00 pm

Location: Walden Hall

Facilitator: Fr. Michael

Education for Ministry (EfM) theme for this year is Living into the Journey with God. EfM meets each week for 3 hours from September through June. Year 1 participants study the Old Testament, Year 2 studies the New Testament, Year 3 studies Christian History, and Year 4 puts everything together in Theology. In addition each Year reads the same two texts, one around Christmas, Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman and the second around Easter,The Four Vision Quests of Jesus by Steven Charleston. The discussions are lively and engaging and the community that is developed is well worth your time. Speak with Amy Crocker if you are interested or have questions about the program.

This group will be on hiatus through the Holiday Season. They hope to meet again in early 2025, every Wednesday at 10:00 AM at the home of Deacon Elizabeth Whitmore 1391 Hyannis-Barnstable Rd, Barnstable Village. All are welcome! Any questions? Contact Deacon Elizabeth

Please consider joining our weekly gathering on Thursday mornings in Walden Hall at 8:30 AM. Each week different participants take turns facilitating the discussion and contributing tasty breakfast treats. All are welcome!

This is a perfect time to join in if you have been considering participating. The group is beginning, a new book, The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis.

The Problem of Pain is a 1940 book on the problem of evil by C. S. Lewis, in which Lewis argues that human pain, animal pain, and hell are not sufficient reasons to reject belief in a good and powerful God.

Lewis states that his writing is "not primarily arguing the truth of Christianity but describing its origin, a task necessary if we are to put the problem of pain in its right setting". He begins by addressing the flaws in common arguments against the belief in a just, loving, and all-powerful God such as: "If God were good, He would make His creatures perfectly happy, and if He were almighty He would be able to do what he wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both."  



Topics include human suffering and sinfulness, animal suffering, and the problem of hell, and seeks to reconcile these with an omnipotent force beyond ourselves.

Supporting Our Church

Thank you all for your faithful support of St. Mary's.

You can see our pledging progress in the charts below.

Cape Community News and Events

Rob and Bev Parke are sharing an invitation with St. Mary's:

"It will be a fun concert with a wide variety of pieces, including a soaring Gloria by Michael Trotta, Grieg's beautiful Ave Maris Stella, and Herrick's Carol, by Brian Holmes. Our amazing Director, Danica Buckley, has challenged us with some truly unique versions of Angels We have Heard on High, Go Tell it on the Mountain, and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. There are also a trio of Spanish/Catalan Christmas tunes called Tres Villancicos Espanoles and some very familiar Christmas songs (indeed, the actual Christmas Song that Nat King Cole made famous, along with Sleigh Ride and a medley entitled It's the Holiday Season. And you won't want to miss a tongue-in-cheek millennial holiday song, I Want to Stare at my Phone with You. We would love to see your happy faces out there in the audience at one of these three concerts! - Rob (and Bev) "

Tickets are $25 (free for those 18 and under) and can be purchased on line at capecodchorale.org or directly from the Parkes.

colparke@hotmail.com

This much-anticipated holiday event features trees decorated by local non-profits – with not just tinsel and ornaments, but fantastic gifts! These trees feature incredible items like TV’s, sports tickets, gift cards, artwork, and even vacations. When you visit or check out the event online, you’ll have the chance to donate “Tree Bucks.” Each Tree Buck you drop into an organization’s box earns that non-profit $10. If you’re one of the lucky winners at the end, you’ll take home the beautifully adorned tree along with its treasures. And the best part? Even if you don’t win, your support ensures that the non-profit receives 100% of your donation! For more details, and to view online, click here.

Drive Thru Holiday Lights Display

YMCA's Camp Lyndon

Who: The whole family!

What: A Family Friendly Holiday Light Village

Where: YMCA Camp Lyndon

When: December 9th – 13th 5:00pm – 7:30pm

Tickets, $15/ car

While tickets are sold by the car load, this is a walking event. Please wear weather appropriate shoes and clothing.

Episcopal Church News

Get Involved With Volunteer Opportunities

Gals and Guys - we are putting together a “few teams" to help with the party on Saturday.  This is St. Mary’s Jingle & Mingle which will feature delicious food, beverages and caroling with Mark and Betsy at the piano.  A reminder that this party is a potluck so, please bring an appetizer or sweet to share. St. Mary's will provide wine, water and cider. We know it is going to be a wonderful time. 

But beyond that we need some elves to assist. 

Here is where we need help:

• Set-up Walden Hall on Friday morning at 10:00 AM

Dressing up the tables (prob. only 1 hour)

• Kitchen Support Crew to help as food comes in

Arrive by 5 to start set up.

• Clean-up crew, including dishwasher.

Probably start around 8 pm

• Bar tenders for wine, mulled cider and water

Arrive at 5 pm to start set up

Please contact Judy Scarafile if you can be a party elf. 

Each year we gather toys and treats for all our furry friends who are living in shelters awaiting their forever home. There is a collection box in the sunroom. Amy Crocker will collect all of the toys and have them delivered to the animal shelter on Christmas Eve so all the animals will have a merry Christmas morning. Any questions? please contact Amy Crocker

 Saint Mary's Episcopal Church

P.O. Box 395

3055 Main Street

Barnstable, MA 02630

508-362-3977

www.stmarys-church.org