The Bellringer Connect Inspire Inform - St. Mary's Episcopal Church Eugene, Oregon - St. Mary's Episcopal Church
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St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
The Bellringer Eugene, Oregon
www.saint-marys.org
Lent 2022
Connect ♦ Inspire ♦ Inform Volume 23
Worship Services * Reflections * Lent Activities
Find these and more in this edition of The Bellringer.
How We Live
Sharon L. Rodgers, Liturgist
Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your 1300 Pearl Street Eugene, Oregon 97401
commands; Church Office 541-343-9253
Collect for Saint Joseph, BCP page 239 Web Page: www.saint-marys.org
“Like” us on Facebook:
There are three churches in our relatively small diocese that are www.facebook.com/st.marys.eugene
named for Saint Mary, but none that claim Saint Joseph as their “Follow” us on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/st.marys.eugene/
patron saint. That is not uncommon, there are many fewer churches
throughout the Church named for Saint OFFICE HOURS
Joseph played an Joseph than for his beloved wife. At this point in the pandemic, our hours are
While Mary is certainly worthy 11 AM to 3 PM, Tues-Thurs
important, if behind the of all the attention and praise
Christians heap upon her for CLERGY
scenes role, in raising the man The Rev. Bingham Powell, Rector
her willingness to say yes to
The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones, Curate
who came to be known God’s call to bear a son who The Rev. Christine Marie, Small Group Ministry Developer
as the Messiah. would grow up to be the savior The Rev. Nancy Crawford, Deacon
of the world, much was asked of The Rev. Tom English, Deacon
Joseph as well. Remember Mary was
found to be with child before she and Joseph MUSIC
had slept together. Not wanting to embarrass her, Matthew tells us John Jantzi, Organist and Music Director
Pam Swisher, Assistant Organist
Joseph planned to quietly divorce her until an angel came to him in a
Linnae Eckley, Cherub & Joyful Noise Choirs Director
dream and urged him to not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, Tom Trent, Liturgical Choir Director
explaining that the child she carried had been conceived from the Christine Zeller-Powell, Spanish Service Pianist
Holy Spirit. So Joseph stayed with her. After the birth and the visit
from the wise men another angel appeared to Joseph and urged him to OFFICE
take his wife and infant son and flee to Egypt because the baby was in Judy Alison, Building and Operations Manager
danger. Again, he obeyed. From other references to “the parents" or Email: judy@saint-marys.org
Louise Fortuna, Communication and Program Coordinator
"his parents", we know that Joseph was both a faithful Jew and a
and Bellringer Editor
caring parent to Jesus as he grew up. In short, Joseph played an Email: louise@saint-marys.org
important, if behind the scenes role, in raising the man who came to Lana Johnson, Finance and Records Manager
be known as the Messiah, Son of the living God. Email: lana@saint-marys.org
Tom Beckstrand, Facilities and Grounds Maintenance
While some people crave the spotlight, others are quite comfortable
CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND
playing an important role in the lives of others and even the world in YOUNG ADULTS
general while not necessarily ever being recognized for their efforts. Glenda Jeter, Nursery Coordinator & Care Giver
Indeed, many people prefer to live a lifetime of largely unrecognized Sue Ann Hinman, Interim Children Ministry Director
service than to have to deal with the pressure that comes with being The Rev. Lainie Allen, Campus Chaplain
the one in charge. This is a good thing of course, because without
followers no leader would ever have been able to accomplish anything. VESTRY
Shane Johnson, Senior Warden
That is as true for Jesus as for anyone currently offering up sound
Craig Taylor, Junior Warden
bites on the evening news. Perhaps then, the reason Joseph's feast day Flossie Barnhart
falls on March 19th, which is always during Lent, is because this is the Judy Bruns
time of year when we traditionally focus on how we live our lives, to Cheryl Crow
what degree we’re willing to put the good of the community - be that Hillary Kittleson
family or company, congregation or nation, ahead of our own personal Lisa Kovacevic
Jim Mender
ambitions. I have read that on the outside wall of the Episcopal
Don Metheny
Church Center in New York are the words “whose service is perfect Robin Okumu
freedom”. I sense Joseph was a man who would have identified Randy Trox
strongly with that sentiment. I wonder how many of us could say the Beth Wirth
same. Kim Davaz, Clerk
Ron Scharfer, Treasurer
Page 2 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022
General Announcements Endowment Update
Sunbula Orders St. Mary’s Endowment Fund Reaches $2 Million!
Dcn. Nancy Crawford is Strengthened by recent generous bequests (as well as a rising
making an order for the stock market), the St. Mary’s Endowment fund passed the
$2 Million mark for the first time in November. This is
upcoming diocesan ECW
important and wonderful news for St. Mary’s, as the
Spirituality Day from earnings from the endowment provide an important source
Sunbula, a fair-trade of income for our annual budget. St. Mary’s follows the
organization in Jerusalem recommendations of the endowment custodian, Oregon
that supports Palestinian artisans. If you would like to Community Foundation, and receives an annual earnings
make an order for yourself this Spring, please contact draw of a little over 4% of the average balance of the last 13
Nancy (nancy@saint-marys.org) or watch for more quarters. This provides a steady income stream to the
detailed information in the St. Mary’s weekly email church, while allowing for long term growth of the
announcements. This order goes out March 19th. We principal. In 2022, we will receive a record $72,600 to
support our budget – clear testimony that those who
expect to make another order in September.
remember St. Mary’s in their estate plans can leave a gift
that keeps on giving!
If you are considering including St. Mary’s in your estate
St. Mary’s Office Hours plan, please contact Lana Johnson at 541-343-9253 ext 105
or Lana@saint-marys.org.
The welcome desk is staffed Tuesdays through
Thursdays from 11 AM until 3 PM. Our volunteers
are eager to greet you and answer your phone calls!
Staff members are available outside of those hours by News of the Family
appointment, phone, and email.
We celebrate the baptism of Lucy Elaine Dixon, daughter
of Linnae Eckley and Dan Dixon, on December 26, 2021.
Building Updates
We remember the life of Norton Cabell, who died on
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning): We September 17, 2021.
officially have heat and ventilation in the sanctuary!
Our new system brings in more fresh air. This Staff Anniversaries
increased exchange of air helps remove airborne In January, Christine Zeller-Powell, Spanish service pianist,
contaminants, like cold and flu viruses. The new and Randall Smith, choir rehearsal pianist, each celebrated
system will also add cooling, making our space more 20 years of employment at St. Mary’s!
hospitable in the summer, particularly during heat In March, Glenda Jeter, Nursery Coordinator and Care
waves. Better temperature control in the church will Giver, celebrates 15 years of employment at St. Mary’s.
also protect our pianos and organ. The new system is Join us in thanking Christine, Randall, and Glenda for their
more energy efficient and electric, reducing our use of service to our church community.
fossil fuels. Thank you to everyone who contributed
to this project! Parishioners recognized out in the community
Mariela German Hernandez received the 2021 Distinctively
Elevator: St. Mary’s elevator, which goes up to Springfield Leader of the Year Award from the City of
Berktold Hall and down to the Sunday School wing, is Springfield. Mariela serves as Chair of Escudo Latino, which
out of order. We are actively researching our options supports the LatinX community within Springfield and
and will update you as soon as we have a plan. Lane County. Her leadership within Springfield has created
a network of support and resources for Spanish-speaking
community members. We are thrilled to see Mariela’s good
work recognized!
Page 3 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022
Lent with St. Mary’s
Lenten Adult Education Series:
Witness at the Cross
Thursdays in Lent
At 7 PM on Zoom
Join Bingham+ and Ryan+ as we explore the story of Good
Friday from the perspective of different witnesses at Jesus’
Crucifixion: the bystanders, the other victims, the soldiers,
and several of Jesus’ followers. Each week we will explore a
different witness or group of witnesses and examine the
transformative event from their perspective. We will gather
on Zoom, 7 PM Thursday evenings in Lent from March 3rd
Ash Wednesday - March 2 through April 7th. Pick-up a copy of Amy-Jill Levine’s Witness
at the Cross, read chapter one, and join us on Thursday,
In-Person March 3rd for our first session. (A few copies of the book are
Join us for Eucharist and the Imposition of Ashes at one available to borrow. Please contact Bingham –
of four in-person Ash Wednesday services. We continue bingham@saint-marys.org – if you would like to borrow
to require masking at all times and the Eucharist one.)
remains in one kind only (bread).
Details on how to join the Zoom gathering will be included
Morning in the Tuesday email announcements on March 1st. You can
9:30 AM also get the details by contacting the office (541-343-9253 or
Mid-day info@saint-marys.org)
Noon
Evening
5:30 PM (This service is designed specifically with
our youngest members in mind; however, all ages
are welcome!)
7:30 PM (This service includes music.)
Online
Join us for our Zoom service at 9:30 AM. The text of the
Ash Wednesday service can be found in the Book of
Common Prayer. If you so desire, have an unlit candle
ready to light. Those who want to have ashes during the
Zoom service can make ashes at home by burning last
year’s palm branch ashes, arrange to pick up ashes at
church, or have other ashes ready for blessing. This
service can also be done without ashes. The Zoom link
for joining will be in the email announcements on
Tuesday, March 1.
Ashes & a prayer on the go
If you would like ashes and a prayer, but cannot attend a
service for any reason, please reach out to the Rev.
Bingham Powell or the Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones to
schedule a time to come by the church between 7:30
AM and 7:30 PM on Ash Wednesday. You can reach
them at: bingham@saint-marys.org or ryan@saint-
marys.org or 541-343-9253.
Page 4 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022
In-Person Worship Changes Online Offerings
Our new ventilation system has been installed and we are We continue our commitment to offering ways to
moving all worship services back into the sanctuary. worship online. Our pre-recorded Sunday service
and Zoom offerings remain a vital part of our ministry
Starting March 6th we will return to offering all four Sunday and continue at their usual times:
services in-person in the sanctuary St. Mary's at Home: Our pre-recorded service is
posted on saint-marys.org by 8 AM Sunday along
8:00 AM Holy Eucharist (Rite I) A quieter, more traditional with a service bulletin. The video is just below the
service using the majestic and poetic language and cadences slideshow at the top of the page. Watch at your
of Elizabethan English. convenience.
Coffee Hour at 12 Noon on Zoom.
Spanish-language Zoom: La misa en Español a las
9:30 AM Holy Eucharist (Rite II) This service is an 1:30 regresará a Zoom por unas semanas.
intergenerational service that makes a special effort to
We also continue to offer Zoom Morning Prayer on
welcome and include children and youth. Sunday School will
Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 AM. Details for joining
return March 6th! For now, we are following a Summer our Zoom gatherings are included in our weekly emails.
Sunday School schedule. Elementary-age children (K-5) will If you haven’t signed up or if you are having trouble
gather in Berktold Hall at 9:30 AM and join their families at receiving our emails, contact Louise@saint-marys.org.
the peace. We are working on bringing nursery back as an
option for those who choose it. For more details about our
Children and Youth ministry, please see page 8.
11:00 AM Holy Eucharist (Rite II) This service has a
dignified solemnity. While the Liturgical Choir usually sings
at the service, we will not have them singing at an in-person
service yet. For now, continue to watch for them in our pre-
recorded online service.
1:30 PM Spanish-language Eucharist (Rite II) At this
service, we celebrate the Eucharist every week in the primary
language of many of our members. We make a special effort
at this service to welcome children.
What to expect from our in-person worship services:
No need to register, just come to the worship service of
your choice.
Bring a mask! Universal masking is still required. Thinking ahead to Holy Week and Easter?
Please give others space. Physically distance from people
not inside your household when sitting in the pews. Yes, we will have in-person and online worship options
Communion remains in one kind, bread only, at stations for Holy Week and Easter, including an Easter Day
instead of kneeling side by side at the altar rail. park service! One thing the pandemic has taught us is
We will have hymns and service music; however, at this that we need to hold our plans loosely. We are working
time, we will not have choirs and the psalm will be behind the scenes on specifics for those services and will
spoken. announce details as we get closer. Watch for the Holy
At the 9:30 AM service, we won’t yet be inviting children Week and Easter schedule to be mailed to you at the
and youth to gather closely together around the altar beginning of April. Details will also be included in our
during the Great Thanksgiving. weekly email announcements.
We won’t be having in-person coffee hours yet.
Page 5 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022
Children, Youth, & Families News
Welcome Back! What to expect from our in-person worship services
at this time:
As of March, Sue Ann
Hinman is returning to No need to register, just come to the worship service of
St. Mary’s staff as our your choice.
Interim Children’s Bring a mask! Universal masking is still required.
Ministry Director. We Please give others space. Physically distance from people
are excited to work with not inside your household when sitting in the pews.
Sue Ann on the next Communion remains in one kind, bread only, at
stage of St. Mary’s stations instead of kneeling side by side at the altar rail.
Sunday School! We will have hymns and service music; however, at this
time, we will not have choirs and the psalm will be
spoken.
At the 9:30 AM service, we won’t yet be inviting
In-Person Sunday School Returns!
children and youth to gather closely together around
the altar during the Great Thanksgiving.
With the sanctuary ventilation system installed, Berktold
We won’t be having in-person coffee hours yet.
Hall is now available and we are ready to bring back in-
person Sunday School! For now, we are using our
Summer Sunday School model - Kindergarteners - 5th
graders will gather in Berktold Hall at the beginning of
the 9:30 AM service for a lesson and time together. They
will join their families in the church at the Peace, in time
to take Communion. Berktold Hall windows will be open
for increased ventilation. At this time, we will remain
masked.
Sunday School Lessons
In March, we will be re-gathering and re-connecting and
our lessons will focus on our lives in the Church. Joyful Noise
The Joyful Noise choir meets on Sundays in Berktold Hall
th
In April, as we move towards Easter (April 17 ), our from 11:00 AM to noon. Our choir members all have
lessons will focus on Holy Week and Easter. specially tailored singer's masks to rehearse and record in.
Do you have a child or youth interested in singing in a
After Easter, we will focus on our lives out in the world. choir? The choir is generally 2nd grade and up; however, we
are open to dedicated younger singers as well. Just reach out
to Linnae, Joyful Noise choir director, for more details. Her
email is leckley7@gmail.com.
Nursery
We are working on bringing nursery back as an option Middle & High School Youth
for our youngest members during the 9:30 service. Please
watch our weekly emails for further communication Our 9th-12th grade youth continue to meet in-person twice
about the nursery. monthly for Confirmation and Pilgrimage classes. Details
can be found at saint-marys.org/kids-and-youth.
We haven’t forgotten about our 6th-8th graders! We hope to
have class news for you soon!
Page 6 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022
Women of St. Mary’s
All who identify themselves as women are invited to our events.
UNITED THANK OFFERING for LENT
Please continue to fill your UTO
Blue Boxes with coins of
gratitude. It is our hope to have
an Ingathering later this year. If
you need a blue box, or would
like to know more about this
ministry of gratitude, feel free to contact Deacon
Nancy Crawford (Nancy@saint-marys.org).
UTO is offering opportunities for your Lenten
discipline. Following are excerpts taken from a
letter sent by Kathy Lenox, UTO Coordinator for
the Diocese of Oregon.
Lent is a time to reflect on the things in our lives
that God has done for us. There are several
resources for you and your families to help guide
you in your Lenten practice. There are liturgical
resources for congregations, as well as crafts that
can be done at home with your children. There is a
downloadable journal so you may pause daily,
reflect, share and rejoice in the joys and support
you see in your life, everyday. These resources
are located on the web at
unitedthankoffering.com. The "blue" line at the An easy drive to the Canby exit off I-5, south of Wilsonville,
top of the page will take you to readings, lessons let’s plan to have carpooling to Spirituality Day. Wonderful
and more information. workshops are planned, along with a variety of vendors in
the marketplace. Registration begins in mid-April.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the death of
Julia Chester Emery who founded the Women's
Auxiliary (now called Episcopal Church Women) in
SPIRITED WOMEN
1876. Her devotion to our church and to spreading Our group continues to meet on Zoom on the 2nd Thursday of
the Good News of Christ among all people was each month. We start with personal check-ins, and then
responsible for developing the United Thank continue with opportunities for all in attendance to share on a
Offering through women's ministries. She devoted specific topic including what practices bring us spiritual
forty years of her life to serving the Church and to nourishment, favorite saints or holy women, and more. All who
ensuring that "women's work" would not be identify as women are welcome. Please contact Joyce Bowers for
unnoticed. Recognized as a saint in the Episcopal more information (contact the church office if you need Joyce’s
Church, there is now an icon created in her honor, contact information), or watch for the invitation in the St.
also available on the web. Mary’s weekly emails.
Gratitude is a practice, and the more gratitude you Church Women United (CWU)
have in your life, the more you share with others.
Notice the good things that happen each day, give is a movement of women from various Christian faith
thanks to God for your blessings, and make an communities. Women find unity in diversity, and come together
offering for your blessings (into your blue box). In to work for a world of peace and justice. Monthly events are
that way, your blessings become a blessing for announced in the St. Mary’s weekly emails, and posted on the
others. ECW bulletin board in the church.
Page 7 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022
Outreach News
hats and gloves, whatever is donated to the church or what
we can find through Food For Lane County or buy
elsewhere at a reasonable price. We may never return to the
old setting, but we will continue to provide food to our
hungry neighbors.
Please contact Dick Zeller (rwzeller@comcast.net) or Holly
Cabell (hollycabell@gmail.com) for information on how to
volunteer through SignUp.com.
St. Mary’s Food Pantry Ministry
Katharine Hunt
Thank you for contributing to the food pantry ministry.
When you bring nonperishable food items to St. Mary’s
Volunteers serving breakfast at one of the local camp sites. they are then delivered to either the Episcopal Campus
Ministry Student Food Pantry located in Grace Lutheran
Church on 17th and Hilyard or to FISH located in Trinity
Saturday Breakfast Methodist Church on Maxwell Rd. Another good Lenten
Dick Zeller practice!
“Saturday Breakfast” is still operating, although it might be
more descriptive to call it the breakfast, sandwich lunch,
fruit, and other snack crew. The kitchen team makes hot
breakfasts every Saturday: oatmeal with baked apples or
some other delicious topping; egg scramble with veggies and
cheese, potatoes (or Kathryn Cone’s famous biscuits!), and
sausages. Sandwich makers in Berktold Hall churn out
500+ peanut butter and jam sandwiches each week (as many
as 800 on one busy week!) and 70 or so meat and cheese
sandwiches. Because any food containing meat or dairy
must be consumed within a few hours of preparation or
removal from refrigeration, the PBJs are a staple of those
who lack adequate food.
Food is distributed though White Bird on 12th street and
various camping sites in the city. As of this report, we are Student Food Pantry shelves
taking Everyone Village (EV) the hot breakfast each week.
EV is a new and growing operation in West Eugene with
alternate housing options (RVs, pallet houses, Conestoga Find Your Climate Story
huts, and tents) and a program designed to support Betsy Halpern
individuals to get back into more stable housing, income,
and employment settings. We will continue to provide food Often at Lent we are asked to give something up, but
to settings like this, especially as the concentration of another way to experience this time is to start a new
individuals in the new “safe sites” is enough to justify practice. Here is one suggestion from an article in the fall
putting together a “serving line.” It won’t be the traditional 2019, issue of Audubon Magazine.
Saturday Breakfast which welcomed up to 300 in Berktold
Hall; however, it will be hot, delicious, and nutritious. “One of the most important things you can do to fight
climate change is also one of the simplest: talk about it.
In addition to the breakfasts and sandwiches, we also Research shows that discussing global warming with family
provide boxes of fruit, snacks, energy bars, and warm socks, and friends reinforces that the crisis is real and the science
Page 8 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022
Outreach News
unequivocal. And yet, nearly two-thirds of Americans say one of the farms for a CSA Food Share. There are 15 farms
they rarely or never have those conversations. Facts alone that are members of TMF. They are
won’t cut it–to really connect, you need a story with heart.
We are all eyewitnesses, and we all have a story to tell. Camas Swale Farm (camas.swale.farm@gmail.com)
FOOD for Lane County Youth Farm
Your climate story might involve changes in your backyard, (gardens@foodforlanecounty.org)
a favorite place that’s threatened, or how you moved from Good Food Easy CSA (farmers@goodfoodeasy.com)
apathy to activism. To find it, carve out time for quiet Horton Road Organics (hortonroadorganics@gmail.com)
journaling with these tips in mind: Kris Ruby & Amber's Organic Oasis
• Build an emotional connection (rubyamberfarm@gmail.com)
• Focus on a pivotal moment in your relationship to Wintergreen farm (folks@wintergreenfarm.com)
climate change Fair Valley Farm (mail@fairvalleyfarm.com),
• Tie it to the big picture with a fact or two Erik Dietz (fatcatfarmdx@gmail.com)
Fog Hollow Farm (foghollowfarmllc@gmail.com)
Then share your story. The sharing of your story does L'Etoile Farm (letoilefarm@gmail.com)
something inside of you. It feels like ‘My voice is important moondogsfarm@gmail.com
and what I say does matter.’” sweetleaforders@yahoo.com
Full Farm CSA (fullfarmcsa@deckfamilyfarm.com)
You can find more inspiration or submit your story at Upriver Organics (uprivercsa@gmail.com)
climatestories.org Kaitlin Crowley (info@pkpastures.com)
Earth Week - SAVE THE DATE! A number of these farms are receiving funds from the TMF
Low Income Fund (LIF) to help provide people that can least
This year Earth week is the third week in April. The Earth afford it with nutritious locally grown food shares. Funds are
Stewards committee is planning some fun and earned for the LIF through the annual fall dinner as well as
informational activities for Sunday, April 24. Watch the donations. The fall dinner 2021 raised $6,396. This has been
email announcements for more particulars, and plan on distributed amongst 10 farmers. For further information,
joining us on that Sunday, either virtually or in person. contact Katharine Hunt keehhunt@gmail.com.
Refugee Resettlement Coalition of Lane County
Katharine Hunt, Christine Zeller-Powell
St. Mary’s is a Community Partner
with RRCLC and some members
serve on the RRCLC Steering
Committee. Contact is Katharine
Hunt. We have now welcomed 32
Afghan individuals which brings us to
our capacity. In the coming months and years we hope to be
able to welcome some of the families of these individuals. We
are still looking for affordable housing. We also continue to
work with individuals from around the world, providing
assistance and immigration legal services.
That’s My Farmer If you are interested in learning more about this ministry go
Katharine Hunt to www.rrclc.org. The Coalition publishes a monthly
newsletter. In it you will find information as to how to
Spring is nearly here!!! The farm members of That’s My volunteer and or to donate needed household items as well as
Farmer are busy with early crops. They have been signing informative articles. To receive the monthly newsletter go to
people up for Community Supported Agriculture Food the "About Us” page www.rrclc.org/about-us.html on the
Shares for a while but you may still be able to sign up with RRC website and give them your email address.
Page 9 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022
Vestry Report
The vestry is the elected governing body of the church. St. Mary’s Also at our December meeting, we discussed the Episcopal
vestry consists of 12 lay members of the congregation and the Church’s “Becoming Beloved Community” document and
rector. Four members are elected to three-year terms each year at our next steps in the journey towards racial healing,
the annual meeting. The Vestry typically meets on the second reconciliation, and justice. We recognize that the journey
Tuesday of most months. You will find regular updates from them is more of a “becoming” since it is a long-term, open-ended
in this column and online in the articles section of our website: process. It aims to move ever-towards an ideal, but its
saint-marys.org/articles. nebulous nature is also part of what makes it so difficult.
Our discussion about racial justice is ongoing, and we are
Our last Vestry report, which was posted on the St. Mary’s looking into ways that we can specifically focus on
website in January, reflected back on the Christmas and diversity, equity, and inclusion at St. Mary’s this year. This
Advent seasons, along with the rise of the Omicron issue and the broader “becoming” of the St. Mary’s
variant back in November. We were—admittedly—a little community continues to be at the forefront of the Vestry’s
disheartened by the extreme weather disasters and pivots goals, and we will keep you updated about our ideas as we
back to remote activities that ushered in the new year. The move forward.
joke about 2022 as 2020 too felt more cruel than funny,
and we wondered how we would endure yet another The season of Epiphany is always a season of change for
“unprecedented” stage of the pandemic. So far throughout the Vestry as we say goodbye to our Senior Warden and
the months of 2022, our Vestry meetings have continued three other members who finish their terms, and we
to be illuminating moments of community, shared hope, welcome four new members. We want to thank Carolyn
and excitement for this year. We remember that it is a rare G. one more time for being our Senior Warden this past
and wonderful privilege to be a part of such a caring and year. We will miss her thoughtful leadership, along with
gracious group. Don L., Peter V., and Lydia F. We welcome new members:
Flossie B., Hillary K., Don M., and Lisa K. This is always a
Back at our December meeting, Jesse W. visited us to bittersweet time, but the conviviality and closeness of the
discuss an annual audit of St. Mary’s bookkeeping and Vestry’s annual retreat the last weekend in February
financial practices and to give us recommendations for usually serves to transition us into the new Vestry year
improvements based on overall best practices. We were with renewed enthusiasm and a firm sense of our group
happy to hear that everything looks good, and also to identity. Last year, we held the retreat entirely on Zoom,
consider certain things that were put on hold during the and this year, we had of course been hoping for in-person
early days of the pandemic that can now feasibly be retreat. Due to the fluctuating COVID situation though,
reincorporated into our functioning. Jesse also visited us at we’ve decided to postpone a partially in-person retreat to
our January meeting to report about the annual budget, the first weekend in April. While this seems distant, we
and we are excited to begin 2022 with a balanced budget. know that time goes by so quickly—we’re now already
We send a big thank you to Jesse for conducting the audit looking towards Lent and the coming of spring!
and for his work with the budget. St. Mary’s financial
strength and stability continues to stem in large part from Finally, we want to thank you all for your patience during
our parishioners’ faithful giving. the long process of updating our ventilation system—which
is DONE! (Or at least it has been turned on and is
In January 2022, we received a generous gift of $400,000 working. There may be some fine tuning to do). This calls
from parishioners to make a transformative impact on our for songs of thanksgiving, celebration, singing together,
outreach ministry and our children and youth ministry. At and seeing each other in-person again. Or perhaps we can
our February meeting, the Vestry voted to invest these do all of these things while attending one of the services in
funds while the details of how to use them are still being the sanctuary with its new and improved, fresher air.
worked out. We will be working with the donors to create Thanks be to God!
a structure to use the funds in a prudent and
transformative way at St. Mary’s. This is an exceptional -Submitted by Robin O.
blessing--thank you so much!
Page 10 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022A Poem Rector’s Closing Thoughts
As we begin our third pandemic Lent, I’m feeling like the
pandemic is more akin to the forty years the Israelites wandered
Come Close in the wilderness than the forty days that Jesus spent out in the
desert! And yet, one of the great themes of Lent is that God is
Gravity says: Come here, be close. with us through the difficult times. God taught Noah how to
build an ark for the stormy forty days. God nourished and
Water reminds us that we thirst. guided the Israelites for those forty arduous years of struggle
Bread says: You are hungry! and longing. The angels tended to Jesus during those forty days
Light calls us out of the darkness. of deprivation and temptation.
-The Rev. Christine Marie Lent is a time to intentionally draw closer to God. We typically
do that through spiritual practices of “giving up” and “taking
on.” We might give up on sweets or watching TV. We might
take on a spiritual book to read or praying Compline. We give
something up to make room for
God; we take something on to
I encourage you to invite God in. There are
Thank You find ways to draw near to each countless ways that we
can grow spiritually
Pledge Reminder Callers! other this Lent, for in the process, during Lent. Sometimes,
you will draw nearer to God. it is to do something new,
To the heroes of our Stewardship Drive! like joining us for our
Lenten program about
Thank you to this fall’s witnesses to the cross. But sometimes
Reminder Callers: John it is about renewing or recommitting to something old. Like, if
Pfanner, Brian we have lost the habit of regular worship, Lent is a good time to
McMurray, Judy Bruns, start worshipping again by committing to go to church each
Tom Beckstrand, and week, whether virtually or in-person.
Laurie Strother. The
There is a helpful illustration from the 6th Century monk
challenges of Covid-19
Dorotheos of Gaza about the spiritual life. He invited his
required continued
monks to imagine a circle with lines or spokes between the
adjustments in the Pledge
circumference and the center point. Not unlike a wagon wheel.
Drive. Therefore, we asked only experienced
Now, the center point is God; the circle’s circumference is the
volunteers to make calls again this year which world; and the lines are our lives. The closer we draw to God,
resulted in more calls per person. We had 26 the closer our lives must draw to each other. One way to draw
parishioners on our call reminder list, so each of closer to God this Lent is to draw closer to one another. For
our callers made multiple phone calls. These some of you that might mean gathering in-person as you start
diligent and gracious parishioners volunteered their coming to in-person activities this Lent and re-connect with old
days and evenings reminding the rest of us to get friends or make new ones. For others, they cannot return yet in-
our pledge cards in on time. Several of these folks person, and yet we can still draw close to each other while being
have accepted this responsibility for many years. We physically separate: by joining a Zoom
truly appreciate their conscientious efforts. gathering or making a phone call or
sending a letter. Whatever is the right
A big thank you for a big job!!! and safe option for you and your
household, I encourage you to find
Another big thank you to our St. Mary’s ways to draw near to each other this
parishioners for responding so quickly with a pledge Lent, for in the process, you will draw
decision. Far fewer reminder calls allowed for a nearer to God.
more efficient budget process.
Bingham+ The Rev. Bingham Powell
Rector of St. Mary’s
Page 11 St. Mary’s Bellringer Lent 2022T HE B E LLR INGER
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Lent 2022
Inside this issue:
Ash Wednesday 4
Building 3
Children, Youth, and Families 6 Lent with St. Mary’s
Endowment Fund 3
How We Live 2 Read this edition of The Bellringer to find
In-Person Worship 5
out what is happening at St. Mary’s and
Lent 4
how you can be a part of it.
News of the Family 3
Online Worship 5
Outreach News 8
Rector’s Closing Thoughts 11
Vestry Update 10
Women of St. Mary’s 7
All are welcome at St Mary’s, no matter what age, ethnicity or race, gender identity,
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