Dragon Tales

April 24, 2024

A Note From Elizabeth Radley

When I first came to St. Margaret’s in 2015, I was hired as the Parish Administrator. I was excited about the position as it would give me the opportunity to serve a faith community with tangible and personal interactions. Over the first two years it became apparent that the new Formation building and aging campus needed more than administrative support. My job evolved into operations and management. This was not what I wanted though. I wanted a job serving the faith community in person-- front of the house, if you will. Did the change in my assignments mean I was no longer serving the faith community?

Facilities management is a profession dedicated to supporting people. It ensures “the functionality, comfort, safety, sustainability, and efficiency of the built environment-the buildings we live and work in and their surrounding infrastructure” (as presented and adopted by the International Facility Management Organization).

Most of my work now is behind the scenes and when I am out front it is often to manage “bad” news or solve a crisis. My work plan for the week may include accounting, capital project planning and management, or space-use planning. It may also include repairing toilets, troubleshooting our HVAC systems, pest control, sump pump repair and other glamorous tasks. But the part of that Professional Organization statement that really speaks to me is the “supporting people.”

An operations and facilities management director takes on these tasks and frees up other resources so that our congregation, music and formation leaders, and clergy can fully focus on what makes the church successful in delivering its core ministry. My love language to God and the faith community has simply evolved into a different expression of acts of service. Our campus and buildings are much more than just pieces of real estate. I want to do all I can to help the members of this church use our campus as a safe and welcoming place. We can show through our actions, including those of campus care and stewardship that we are a place of service, community, and connection.

BYO Coffee Mug to Coffee Hour

As we continue to celebrate Earth Day and care for Creation, we are always looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly. During coffee hour we use earth-friendly disposable cups, but re-use of materials is better for our environment. We try to use ceramic mugs from our kitchen, but do not always have the manpower to wash them all afterward. Why not bring your own mug? (You bring your mug and take it home with you– we don’t need any more in our kitchen). This would have an added benefit of saving on the cost of coffee hour. Free refills for all that bring their own mug! The other choice is sign up for wash-up duty! Talk to Kathy Lang to get on the schedule (kathy.lang@verizon.net).

Please Bring a Wheelbarrow If You Can!

Women's Guild Meeting

The next general meeting of the Women’s Guild will be on May 1^st at noon in the Fellowship Hall. Our speaker will be a member of Annual Father’s Day Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and empowering African-American communities on the Broadneck Peninsula.  ALL are welcome. Bring your own lunch. Light refreshments will be provided.

https://onrealm.org/smcannapolis/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=ODdmNTViNjAtYzQ4OC00M2ZjLTljNjctYjEzZjAxM2FhNWE0 OR QR CODE Below:

VESTRY- The Vestry of the church, our group of twelve elected lay representatives who help the Rector run the church, meets on the third Tuesday of every month except August. The meetings are hybrid and are open to the congregation to attend. Please let the Rector or the Senior Warden know in advance if you’d like to attend and if you have a matter to bring. You need to be on the agenda to have a voice. The next meeting will be May 21st.

Children, Youth, And Families

Brethren Disaster Ministries Mission 

July 14-20, 2024

Location: Dawson Springs, KY

Cost: $350

Helping hands ages 14 (with a parent) and older are invited to be on the team headed to wherever disaster has struck. Brethren Disaster Ministries moves around the country helping those affected by disaster that are still in need after Red Cross and national services have left. Focus is on home repair and learning new skills. BDM provides us with a site manager that has a experience in the work we set out to do. Our team of 15 will be divided into teams and then sent to sites. 

Dawson Springs, Kentucky, 2021 Tornado Recovery

On Dec. 10-11, 2021, a devastating outbreak of 61 confirmed tornados swept through eight states with Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri being the most impacted. The resulting destruction leveled whole towns, but also caused much damage along the 250-mile paths of the storms. From 24 counties in Kentucky alone, over 15,000 applications were completed for requests for assistance from FEMA.

Estimates are that around 75 percent of the town of Dawson Springs was leveled, which was home to around 2,500 people. Over 650 of the 1,200 housing units in the town were lost, and there were 15 lives that were lost. A BDM rebuilding site opened in January 2023 to serve in Dawson Springs, Ky. BDM volunteers are currently housed at the Habitat for Humanity Pennyrile Region property located in Madisonville, Ky. Work will continue there until the end of summer 2024. 

**Youth Chapel is on hold. Youth Chapel participants are encouraged to attend Children's Chapel to learn the songs for Youth Sunday and to hear the lesson.

Music

Junior Organ Scholar Program Returns

Back by popular demand is our junior organ scholar program! A Signup Genius is available now for select Sundays to help me out at the organ during a service. This is a unique way to engage in and experience worship. Though geared for youth elementary school age and older, adults are most welcome to sign up too. Click here for the link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49A5AC29A7F8C43-48560867-smcjunior.

Missions

Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations

Task Force Update

On Sunday, April 21^st, over thirty women of St. Margaret’s attended our Black neighboring church at Asbury Broadneck United Methodist for an Anniversary Service of the United Women of Faith. Presiding President Mrs. Dee Rowell invited the St. Margaret’s women to join their celebration in worship. It was a humbling experience to witness the dedication to God and community service the women of Asbury Broadneck live. Reverend Patti spoke briefly to express our gratitude for the invite. Many conversations ensued post worship that are good steppingstones in building our relationships and reconciliation. JoEllyn and Beth spoke with President Dee Rowell to extend our assistance to prepare for the joint service of contrition on June 9^th. Based on the attendance Sunday and the expressed interest for June 9^th, plans are being made to accommodate a large crowd at Asbury Broadneck. Anyone willing to help in these efforts please contact Beth Kopack at 410-279-5136 or esolchamp@icloud.com. 

Let’s Read!

The June 9^th  joint service of contrition at Asbury Broadneck will bring us new conversation opportunities with our Black neighbors. I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown is a bestseller that has received praise for opening hearts and minds to the Black experience in America. This book is a quick, personal, and tender read that recognizes God’s ongoing work in our world where Blacks and Whites coexist. Beth Kopack 410-279-5136 has several copies to share.  

Episcopal Church leaders launch independent racial justice coalition.

Read about the new racial justice developments from the Diocese. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and President of the House of Deputies Julia Ayala Harris signed the incorporating legal documents required to make the Episcopal Coalition for Racial Equity and Justice an official independent New York nonprofit corporation.

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/publicaffairs/episcopal-church-leaders-launch-independent-racial-justice-coalition/

*TRR Task Force meets monthly (via Zoom) on the first Tuesday of the month. The next meeting is Tuesday, May 7th at 7pm. If you are interested in joining in on these meetings and planning for how St. Margaret’s is connecting with others on the Broadneck Peninsula, please reach out to Beth Kopack (esolchamp@icloud.com) or JoEllyn Fountain (jfountain777@gmail.com) to learn more or to get on the list.

Pride Parade: Annapolis Pride is happening June 1^st and SMC is getting ready!

There are many ways to get involved!!

• We are looking for suggestions for a playlist to use during the parade! Send suggestions to Doreen Campbell. Barbara Ambrose is working on securing a killer sound system that is sure to out-do the floats ahead and behind!
• If you’re creative and need a venue to express that creativity, join our float committee, headed by Barbra Ambrose! We had a decent float last year but we’re looking to have an amazing float this year.
• Have a small flat bed or landscaping trailer and willing to let us borrow it for the parade? Let Barbara or Doreen know!
• Looking for volunteers to work two-hour shifts at our booth during the festival. It’s an amazing chance to connect with others and offer the love and support of our SMC family. A signup genius will be available once we receive more information from Annapolis Pride.
• Want to march to show your support?! We’d love to have you, your family, your friends and neighbors…The more the merrier! You may even get a ribbon wand for the effort. Signup Genius to be provided once we have more info!
• Thank you to Sarah, Elizabeth, Janet, Karyn, and Lois for stepping in and helping assemble ribbon wands! They’re going to be beautiful. Thank you Mollie and Mitch Owens, for providing the information cards for the ribbon wands and the cards to give out during the parade!

If you are interested in a Pride T-shirt, please let Doreen know by May 1st. They are available in a large range of youth and adult sizes. I have some sizes left over from last year. If not enough interest is expressed, we won’t be able to order new shirts this year so no more procrastinating or hedging!

Dlcampbell613@gmail.com

410-271-0776

OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT SMC's ONGOING MISSIONS

Light House: Ongoing: The Light House in Annapolis currently provides dinners year round for 65 community members in need. St. Margaret’s Church parishioners provide and prepare that meal just one night a month. For now, the work involves planning, purchasing, and preparing the meal in the convenience of your home and delivering it to the Light House. Reimbursement is available for your grocery costs. Preparing a meal for 65 is a big undertaking, but knowing you have been a part of helping others makes it all worthwhile. 

Dinner Cooks Still Needed for 2 dinners in 2024 - Gather a few of your friends or family members and sign up for one of the remaining dinners on November 27 and December 23. Preparing a meal for 65 is so much easier when the cooking is shared! Please click on the link below to learn more about this volunteer opportunity and to sign up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0F4AABA62FA7F85-smclight1 

SMC POC: Janet Allen, SMC’s Light House Dinner Coordinator

443-717-4190, janettuckerallen@gmail.com

Light House:  Ongoing: Donate REQUESTED food and other items to Light House by placing in the designated area under the window in the Narthex. Please see list of needed items here: https://annapolislighthouse.org/get-involved/needs/

We collect for the Lighthouse Shelter all year, and you can leave your donations in the basket in the back corner of the narthex. 

Thanks for your support of this great cause!   - Pam Roth and Helen Patterson

SMC POC: Pam Roth, SMC's Light House Donation Coordinator rothsbythebay@verizon.net

Sunday Service, April 21st

Sunday's Service Bulletin

Sunday's Announcements

Servers have been added to Realm Connect: check on your profile page under "serving." For more info about how to find your schedule, contact JoEllyn Fountain at jfountain777@gmail.com

Calendar

Apr 24- Eucharist 9am, NO Adult Handbells

Apr 28- **, Youth Group 4pm-6pm

Apr 29- LAST Spirit Singers as scheduled 5:15pm, Faith and Fellowship dinner 6pm, Adult Choir 7pm

May 1- Eucharist 9am, LAST Adult Handbells 6:30pm

May 5- Services at 7:30am and Youth Sunday 10am, Chili Cookoff 11:30am, Youth Group 4pm-6pm

May 6- Faith and Fellowship dinner 6pm, LAST Adult Choir 7pm

May 8- Eucharist 9am

May 12- **, Music Appreciation Sunday, NO Youth Group

May 13- Faith and Fellowship dinner 6pm, Adult Formation/ Kids Games 6:30pm

May 14- Gospel Session Zoom 9am

May 15- Eucharist 9am

May 19- **, EFM Hosting Coffee Hour, Last day of Sunday School, Youth Group 4pm-6pm

May 20- LAST Faith and Fellowship dinner 6pm

May 22- Eucharist 9am

May 26- **, No Sunday School, No Youth Group

May 28- Gospel Session Zoom 9am

May 29- Eucharist 9am

June 2- ****

June 5- Eucharist 9am

June 9- 7:30am service, No 10am service, Service at Asbury Broadneck (657 Broadneck Rd, Annapolis, MD 21409), Newcomers Dinner

June 12- Eucharist 9am

June 16- ****

June 19- Eucharist 9am

June 23- ****

June 24-June 28- Vacation Bible School 9am-12:30pm

June 26- Eucharist 9am

June 30- ****

July 1-5- Office is closed

**Sunday Service Schedule 7:30am, 9am, and 11:15am, Coffee hour between 9am and 11:15am services in the Parish Hall, Sunday School at 10:15am in the Formation Hall

**** (Summer Schedule) Sunday Services at 7:30am and 10am, Nursery at 10am service, Children's Chapel at 10am service, Lemonade outside following 10am service

St. Margaret's Contacts

The Rev. Peter W. Mayer, Rector - Peter@st-margarets.org

The Rev. Patti Sachs, Associate Rector - Patti@st-margarets.org

Elizabeth Radley, Director of Operations - Elizabeth@st-margarets.org

Jim Douglas, Director of Music - Music@st-margarets.org

Judy Hall, Administrative Assistant - Judy@st-margarets.org

For Churchyard Information- Churchyard@st-margarets.org

Emily DelSordo, Children's Formation Coordinator - Emily@st-margarets.org

Jeff Conover, Youth Ministries Leader - Jeff@st-margarets.org

Teresa McCorkle, Bookkeeper - Office@st-margarets.org

Christine Feldmann, Grants Administrator - Missions@st-margarets.org

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