Community Updates (8/17/23)
All Parishioners,
Betty Consorte and I invite you to the Pastoral Care Committee meeting, Friday, August 18, 10:00 am, In Person in the Narthex. We will share how we are reaching out to support our parishioners, and discuss ways to make sure needs are being met. Please bring your concerns and ideas.
All are invited to join together for lunch at the Country Inn at 11:30 am, after the Pastoral Care Committee meeting.
See You Friday,
Betty Consorte, Chairperson
Marianne Schmidt, Scribe
Maui Wildfire Victim Donations
If you are interested in donating for the victims of the devastating wildfires in Maui, please consider donating funds to the Episcopal Relief and Development at
https://www.episcopalrelief.org/what-you-can-do/give/donate-now/individual-donation/.
Also to an organization associated with the Diocese of Hawaii called "A Cup of Water" at
https://www.episcopalhawaii.org/a-cup-of-cold-water.html
Bishop Robert and the Diocese of Hawaii have invited you to pray along with them and have offered these prayers:
Almighty God, who is our strength and our refuge; be with those who are besieged by fire, guide those who evacuate so that they may find care and comfort in a safe place; protect their homes and their pets, their neighbors and their friends, so that they may return home to a loving community. We ask this in the name of Jesus your son, who abides with you and with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O God, whose love encircles us; sustain those who respond when wildfires roar, keep them safe from harm and hold them in your sheltering embrace so that they may complete these burdensome tasks, return home to their families, and keep the lives and homes of all they protect safe from harm, in the loving name of Jesus, who gave his life for all. Amen.
Loving God, our strength in times of despair, be with all those who have lost their homes to wildfire, comfort them in their distress, strengthen them for the journey ahead, and sustain them with your loving embrace, that they may find a sense of home once again. We ask this in the name of your son Jesus Christ, who heals the sick and restores the lost. Amen.
Celebrate Sundaes on Saturday!
Plan on coming to church for a combined Fellowship event with CCAV,UCC on Saturday afternoon on August 26th at 1:30pm for some fun, fellowship and time together. Our JV Fellowship Event will be a tasty treat and an afternoon engaged in creating the worship space you desire and much more.
Sunday BBQ after worship on Aug 27th.
Sign-ups in Fellowship Hall, contact
Dave Byers for questions. Fr John Buenz will be with us again that day.
Communion Wine returns to Worship
Beginning on Sunday Aug 27th we will begin serving wine during communion. The options for receiving communion will be taking a wafer and/or drinking from the common cup. Dipping of the wafer into the cup will not be offered by the recommendation of the Diocese. It is important to remember that taking of either the wafer or the cup or both of them is considered equal by the church.
Don’t forget to send in your Shape articles and Gifts of Gratitude for our September issue to Mike Schmidt by Aug 25th!
‘Susie’s Book Nook’ August book review has been posted!
The book reviewed by Susie this month is: “We Are Water Protectors” written by Carole Windstorm and illustrated by Michaela Goade
If you know of any parents looking for some great books to introduce to their children and/or teens around the subjects of Creation Care and Social Justice, please send them this link and let them know about Susie’s Book Nook on our website and YouTube channel. She provides many great book recommendations! You can find the full review on our website in Susie’s Book Nook blog :)
https://www.churchinalmaden.org/susies-book-nook/we-are-water-protectors-booksforkidsandteens
The remediation and repair work is being completed downstairs in the Learning Center thanks to the efforts of many, led especially by Steve Wing, Todd Lukanc and Susanne Moore.
Update on our Rector Search
The Transition team is continuing their work in our search process. Our recent posting closed on July 31st and we will be progressing on to the next steps.
Update on Music Director Search
Our search committee has conducted another round of interviews and is setting up auditions for August.
Here is a direct link to our weekly “An Episcopal Sermon” podcast.
Each weekly podcast episode is a live recording of the Gospel reading followed by the sermon based on that reading from our Sunday services. A new episode is posted on our website every Monday (in case you missed it on Sunday). This podcast provides thought provoking messages that can be listened to anywhere at anytime.
Enjoy!
Link for this week:
https://www.churchinalmaden.org/news/aug13-2023-an-episcopal-sermon
Prayer Vine
Kathleen Eagan is the director of the Prayer Vine. If you have any prayer requests that we can be praying for, please contact her at kathleeneagan34@gmail.com. Also if you are interested in becoming a part of the volunteers who are the Prayer Warriors, please let Kathleen know.