A Note From Reverend Peter | |
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St. Margaret’s is not unique in the challenges that we experience. We may have charisms and qualities in which we excel, but almost every church deals with maintaining buildings, keeping up with technology, and finding volunteers. What every church possesses, with the exception of some with very extraordinary circumstances, are issues around money, and making ends meet. In that sense, St. Margaret’s is in the same boat as many other churches around us, locally and nationally.
At last month’s vestry meeting, our treasurer Kathy Wiernicki reported the following:
- We are currently (as of March 31, end of Q1) running a deficit of $36,317.
- Our giving (pledge income) is behind $58,615. Our donations are behind by $2,922.
- The budget we passed in based on pledge income in 2024 of $990,000, and we are currently at $902,513.
The good news:
- Pledge income in 2022 and 2023 was approximately $890,000, and we continue to give generously to the church.
- Total expenses so far this year are under budget. Staff and lay leaders continue to steward our resources wisely.
- We received three bequests from estate plans last year.
- Our ministries, from music to mission to formation are firing on all cylinders. We are adding people to our choirs, we are seeing new families each week, and we continue to preach the hope of the Risen Christ to a world in despair.
The challenges:
- The pledge model that has sustained our church since the days of pew rentals could be nearing the end of its life cycle. We are seeing more people give as donations and less people making the commitment to an annual amount. That makes forecasting difficult.
- The proportional giving model that I have used so often in my life has been made much more complicated in the new economy. Lower and stagnated wages for people under 40, coupled with the rising cost of everything (especially kids), make it very challenging for many of our younger families.
- If we continue to fall short of our funding goals, we are forced to make difficult decisions about giving to grants, staffing and compensation and deferred maintenance.
- As the summer months approach, we usually see a dip in consistent giving. By automating your giving through your bank, you can keep your giving plan consistent and offer the church a steadier cashflow.
I want to be honest with you all about what our leadership is facing. We tried a new approach to asking for pledges last year that took the pressure off the Sunday ask, and I think that went very well. It has been my experience over 13 years here that we meet our challenges. I have full faith that it will all turn out right in the end, but in the meantime, we need your help. Many of you are already pledging and giving generously. I thank you graciously. If you are not giving, or not pledging, please let me know why. I need to know how to do this better, so your input will help.
And please know that our people are our greatest resource. Thank you for serving with me here at St. Margaret’s.
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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).
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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.
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Children, Youth, And Families | |
VBS Volunteer Meeting: Wednesday, May 22nd at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall | |
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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.
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**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. | |
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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.
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Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations
Task Force Update
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June 9 Joint Worship Service at Asbury Broadneck UMC (no 9am or 11:15am services at St. Margaret’s)
Get ready to worship God on June 9th with our family-in-Christ at Asbury Broadneck United Methodist! As you know by now, the TRR Task Force has worked hard over the past three years to get us to the point of presenting an apology to our family members as the next step in our journey of Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations. We are the guests, and they look forward to welcoming us as both churches walk this path to foster racial reconciliation. As Pastor Tillett at ABUMC aptly stated, “If the church can’t do this, no one can!”.
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Let’s Read!
In building relationships with our neighbors, we must find ways to understand their life experiences. One way to do this is by reading books or watching movies written by people different from us. To that end, Beth Kopack has purchased several copies of Austin Channing Brown’s bestseller, “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness.” The book, published in 2018, became a bestseller in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
The book is a quick read but gives the reader much to think about: “Why would a Black mother name her daughter Austin?” The answer is very telling (including all the people who challenged her as a child to tell her that it was not really her name!). It is an especially good read for those of us in the church since it was in white churches, among other places, that Austin experienced harm.
Connect with Beth Kopack (esolchamp@icloud.com) if you would like to get a copy
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Banneker-Douglas Museum Events
May 11: “Death of the Heart: Stories of White Supremacy, Black Resistance, and Contextualizing our History” is a powerful lecture, conversation, and archive activity led by Black history-based artist Jason Patterson and REVISIT/REIMAGINE guest curator Thomas James. This program will explore Patterson’s work, which highlights the Civil Rights era and Black American movements nationally and on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Immediately following the discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive artifacts activity. Attendees are encouraged to participate through bringing an artifact with them to this program, such as a photograph or object that speaks to their past.
RSVP here: http://bit.ly/JasonPattersonArtistTalk
May 16: Museum Storytime for children ages 2-5. A partnership between the museum and Baltimore Read Aloud bookshop. Expect a read-aloud, interactive games, art activities, and light snacks. RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/day-out-at-the-museum-storytime-tickets-788923640847?aff=oddtdtcreator
May 27: Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and Baltimore National Cemetery 2024 Memorial Day Ceremony. This will be held at Loudon Park National Cemetery in Baltimore. Expect the playing of taps, guest speakers, a special guest performance, and more.
RSVP here: https://bit.ly/LoudonMemorialDay2024
| *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 1st 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
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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 1 dinner in 2024 - Gather a few of your friends or family members and sign up for the remaining dinner on November 27. 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
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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 | |
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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, Color Us Love Event 2pm, 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
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