Interfaith Service of Prayer for the Nation

The Washington National Cathedral

Tuesday January 21, 2025

11:00 AM

Washington National Cathedral will host an Interfaith Service of Prayer for the Nation, Tuesday, January 21. In this special service, the Cathedral will gather with our interfaith and ecumenical partners to offer prayers of thanksgiving for our democracy and to seek God’s guidance in the years ahead.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde will preach, and music will be offered by the Cathedral Choir, the Cathedral Contemporary Ensemble, and special guest musicians as we gather to seek healing, unity and wisdom in the months to come.

Due to security concerns and the large number of expected guests and dignitaries, this service is not open to the public. All are welcome to watch the livestream below, or on the Cathedral’s Youtube Channel.

Staff Retreat

January 23 and 24, 2025

Saint Mary's parish offices will be closed all day on Thursday, January 23 and Friday, January 24 for their annual planning retreat days. The staff will be gathering off site these two days as they to focus on setting goals and planning for 2025.

SMART Launch Informational Meeting

Sunday January 26

11:15 AM

St. James Room and zoom

Please join us as we launch SMART (St. Mary's Advocacy and Resource Team) for an Informational Meeting on Sunday, January 26 after the 10:00 AM service. Come hear from parishioners already involved in groups working on Racial Reconciliation, Creation Care, Housing & Homelessness Prevention, and Food Insecurity. SMART hopes to build on this foundation, deepening our commitment to these causes as well as broadening our focus to include LGBTQIA+, economic disparity and many others. Each of these focus areas offers opportunities to learn, pray, and act. Whether you’re passionate about a particular issue or want to explore where you feel called to make a difference, SMART will provide resources, education, and pathways to action.

2025 Ministry Discernment Conference -Resources for Vocations of All Kinds

Saturday February 1, 9:00 AM

The annual Diocesan Ministry Discernment Conference is widening its embrace in 2025 to include anyone looking for resources for discerning God's call in their life. In 2025, all who are interested in discerning calls to ministry in the church and in the world, both lay and ordained, are warmly invited. This has been something that's been on the heart's of the Commission on Ministry for several years. They are delighted to be able to expand the focus of the conversation to discernment of all kinds. "Our hope is that this is one step in a much longer process," said the Rev. Richard Burden of All Saints Parish in Brookline. "This is something we hope to iterate over the course of the next several years as we figure out ways that work best for everyone to do discernment towards vocation, whatever that vocation is."

The conference takes place at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston on Saturday, Feb. 1, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Registration is open through Jan. 29. Click here for further information.



St. Mary’s SMART Speaker Forum: LGBTQ+ Issues

We are excited to host our first SMART Speaker Forum featuring a panel of guests from PFLAG, the nation’s first and largest organization for LGBTQ+ people, their loved ones, and allies. This engaging discussion will explore LGBTQ+ issues affecting the community, families, and allies.

The panel will be facilitated by the Rev. Paula Degree, a dedicated advocate from PFLAG, who will guide the conversation and address your questions.

When: Sunday, February 9, 2025, at 11:30 AM (following the 10 AM service)

Where: St. James Room 

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and grow in understanding. All are welcome—bring a friend! For more details, contact the church office.



Boar's Head Dinner

First Lutheran Church

February 14, 2025

5:30 PM

Our friends at First Lutheran Church are extending a warm invitation to St. Mary's parishioners to join them for their Boar's Head DInner, a Mid-Winter night of Feasting and Fun. There will be singing, frolic, feasting, and fun. The celebration will begin in the sanctuary with explanations about the history of this tradition and singing; then the pig will be wheeled in. After a prayer, the pig will be carried out to the social hall, while the crowd sings and celebrates some more. Then everyone moves to the social hall for the feasting. 

$30 per person

Tickets are limited! Don't miss out on this fun way to fill a colf Febrauary night.

Please contact The First Lutheran Church Office to reserve your tickets.

Book & Breakfast Group Update

Starting Thursday, January 16th, the Books & Breakfast Group will begin discussing A Pilgrimage to Eternity: From Canterbury to Rome in Search of a Faith by Timothy Egan. 

Sacred Ground Returns

Sacred Ground is a film and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith and sponsored by the National Episcopal Church:

(https://www.episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground/).



During the summer of 2020, nearly 100 St. Mary’s parishioners participated in ten online Sacred Ground groups. We are pleased to offer Sacred Ground again.

The 11 Session program will be provided via zoom on Saturday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, beginning February 8.



The first ten sessions will meet weekly through April 12, and session 11 will be held on April 26, the Saturday following Easter Sunday.

If you could not complete the program when it was initially presented, or you are new to the parish since then, we invite you to participate in Sacred Ground this spring. You are also welcome to repeat Sacred Ground, as the curriculum has been updated since 2020. We will limit the group size to 6-12 people, plus facilitators. Sacred Ground graduates Susanne Bennett and Karen Morgan will co-facilitate.

To register or discuss further program details, please get in touch with Susanne by email at:

 csusanne.bennett@gmail.com

or by phone at 508-789-6048.

Call for Reports

for the Parish Annual Meeting

(February 23, 2025): 

Do you have reports for our Annual Parish Meeting? Reports should be in Word format wherever possible, include a short description of the ministry, accomplishments for 2024 and hopes for 2025 and any photos you may want highlighted.

Please submit reports to Julie, at admin@stmarys-church.org by Monday, January 27.

Valentines for Veterans

Join in the fun of making Valentine cards for our local veterans. They will be distributed in early February at the Cape & Islands Outreach Food Pantry and the Vets Center. It is simple! You can make or purchase Valentines cards. Suggested message to be written inside:

"Thank you for your service.

From St Marys Church, Barnstable Village."

Due date for cards is February 4, 2025. Please sign- up or ask questions of Judy Scarafile via email at:  Judyscarafile@gmail.com

Cape Cod Council of Churches and A Baby Center SeekingVolunteers to Help With Their Big Move.

The CCCC and Baby Center are seeking volunteers to assist them during the last week of January as they transfer belongings to their new space. See their plea below:

"We are seeking, good spirits, good humor, and good backs.There will be a fair deal of lifting involved as we ferry moving boxes (by van!) to the new building just down the road on Main St. in Hyannis. Many hands make light work. Refreshments and a light lunch to keep up our energy will be provided.

Please sign up at the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnEXZvcBqA2AQlaYETPGRDBzxPgNUsVt_RrXFiRdXriUH4zQ/viewform?usp=header

Cold Sets In - Town of Barnstable

Opens Warming Centers

As extreme temperatures move into the region, Barnstable has set up warming stations at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center at 141 Bassett Lane and the Barnstable Adult Community Center at 825 Falmouth Road to help those in need of some warmth.

The Hyannis Youth and Community Center will operate from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Friday, while the Barnstable Adult Community Center is open Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Music and More Winter Concert Series,

Cape Cod Museum of Art –

1/12 thru 4/6, Sundays, 3:30PM

The winter outlook just got a little warmer – the Cape Cod Museum of Art has announced their Music and More Winter Concert Series for 2025! Spend Sunday afternoons enjoying some of your favorite local performers entertaining with a wide variety of genres. Tickets are $24 for non-members;

get your tickets here.



● Sun, 1/26 – Elizabeth Miya Jones – Cello

● Sun, 2/2 – Monica Rizzio with Brian Miller

● Sun, 2/9 – Lighthouse Jazz Quintet – Quintessential Jazz

● Sun, 2/16 – Dennis Flaherty & Friends in Dennis – Jazz from the Great American Songbook

● Sun, 2/23 – Fred Clayton Band – Blues

● Sun, 3/2 – Rose Clancy & Max Cohen – Music from the Celtic World

● Sun, 3/16 – The Kingfish – A Musical Mix that touches your soul

● Sun, 3/23 – “Music of the High Winds” – Chamber Music for Flute, Oboe & Clarinet

● Sun, 3/30 – 440 Gypsy Jazz – Toe-tappy, Snappy Hot Jazz

● Sun, 4/6 – The Songbirds of Cape Cod – Quartet of singer-songwriters

Wildlife on Tap, Sip 'n Learn Event

January 29 - March 26

to Benefit Long Pasture Audubon Preserve

Meet us at Cape Cod Beer in Hyannis to learn about wildlife – from threatened terrapins to river herring – over delicious local beverages. This three-part event offers engaging presentations by experts, highlighting recent discoveries and local insights in a warm and welcoming setting. 

Wednesday January 29 -

Terrapins: A Unique Salt Marsh Turtle

Wednesday February 26 -

Wildlife in Winter

Wednesday March 26 -

Fascinating Fishes: River Herring

Registration is required for each session.

Location: Cape Cod Beer,

1336 Phinney’s Lane, Hyannis

Cost: $15 per person, per event*

St. Mary's Social Media

Please be sure you are following us on both of our public Instagram and Facebook pages in order to stay on top of what is happening at St. Mary's. We want our social media to represent who we are and your contributions are most welcome. We need your pictures, videos, and voices. Please send Allison your pictures and posts for sharing.

Notes and news must be submitted by the prior Thursday morning to be included in the This Week at St. Mary's - Weekly News (mailed on Tuesdays).



• The This Weekend At St. Mary's will go out on Fridays. Please submit your content for this no later than Tuesday mornings.
• A reminder that all events and space usage must be scheduled in advance with our Parish Administrator, Julie Remie. St. Mary's is a busy place and adhering to these policies helps us avoid conflicts.
• The deadline for submissions for our Monthly E-Newsletter is the 25th of the prior month.
• For your convenience, the Monthly Newsletter (printed out) will be available in the sunroom and in the parish office for those who would like a paper copy.