- This Week at St. Mary's
Come join us this week
for a joyful and faith-filled
experience of community!
This Sunday, we have three thought-provoking Adult Ed sessions at 10:30 a.m. in Waldron Hall.
"Capital Punishment" - The Episcopal Church has called on all its members to work actively to abolish the death penalty in their states. In this final class in a series of four, Eric Wohlforth leads a discussion of the many issues surrounding the death penalty.
"Discover" - This is a program for adult seekers and inquirers.
"Today's Gospel" - Join us to examine the Gospel reading for today and learn how the message relates to our lives. Depending on the wishes of the participants, we may decide to merge with the Capital Punishment class again today.
Next Sunday, December 6, Ann Lovejoy brings back her popular class about poetry, rhythm and ritual. "Discover" and "Today's Gospel" also meet at 10:30 a.m.
Also on Sunday, December 6, a Public Forum on Homelessness meets at 1 p.m.
in Waldron Hall to address how we, as individuals and as a community, can respond to the urgent issue of homelessness in Anchorage. Michael and Nancy Burke will facilitate the event, and Trevor Storrs, chair of the Anchorage Coalition on Homelessness, is a guest speaker. Pizza will be served, with donations accepted.
Join us Thanksgiving morning for a pancake breakfast at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Eucharistic service at 10:00 a.m. It's a great way to start off Thanksgiving Day with your church family.
Please take a UTO “blue box” home today. Spend time each day with God in Bible Study, prayer, or quiet reflection, and intentionally call to mind the blessings you receive each day from God. Use the “blue box” as a way of marking your own awareness of thanksgiving by “giving something back” to help others in need.
For more information, contact Nancy Burke, our parish UTO coordinator at , or visit us on the web at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/uto.htm.
The diocesan Standing Committee and Bishop Search Discernment Committee are proceeding with their work. Updates are posted at: http://www.alaskabishopsearch.org/. Meanwhile, the Rt. Rev Rustin Kimsey, retired bishop of Eastern Oregon, will be supporting the work of the Standing Committee, the diocese, and the deaneries as the interim Assisting Bishop of Alaska.
Sunday School for preschool through 6th grade is up and running. Come join us at 10:30 a.m.!
Welcome to St. Mary’s Youth Group “OPUS”!
Fall 2009 Calendar
NOVEMBER:
- Sunday, November 29th- Movie afternoon with youth (Time and movie TBA closer to date)
DECEMBER:
- Sunday, December 6th from 5-7 pm at St. Mary’s. Art in Spirituality: Christmas card making. Dinner following with a red and green theme. Please bring a dish to share that is red and/or green in color.
- Saturday, December 12th- Christmas shopping trip from 10am-6pm. We will be shopping once again for Angel Tree gifts as well as all those other on our Christmas lists. Meet at St. Mary’s at 10am and we will return to the parking lot at 6pm. Bring spending money and lunch money.
- Sunday, December 20th- Ugly Christmas sweater party and caroling. We will sing Christmas carols from 3-5pm and then return to St. Mary’s for dinner from 5-7pm. Wear an ugly Christmas outfit to be admitted to this feast! If you don’t---don’t worry, we will find something for you (and Paul REALLY has no sense of fashion!!!!) .
This Sunday, November 29
Our preacher at the 8:00, 9:00, 11:30 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. services the preacher will be the Rev. Michael Burke, our Rector.
The best live music venue at Lake Otis & Tudor! Organist Marilyn Barry and St. Mary's Choir at the 9:00 a.m. service, and St. Mary's Praise Singers perform at 11:30 a.m..
- Announcements
Musician / Worship Leader
Position Opening
St. Mary's Has a New Associate Rector!
The Rev. Dr. Ted Cole, Jr. comes to St. Mary's from Christ Church in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where he has served as a deacon and priest since 2005. Among his responsibilities, he built up and coordinated Christ Church's youth ministry program, including a youth pilgrimage to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. last summer, and he also built up the baptism ministry, including the presenting of faith baskets to baptism families to help them form their children in our Christian faith at home.
Ted attended Middlebury College (1990) in Vermont, Harvard Divinity School (1993) in Cambridge, and most recently Boston University where he was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Fellowship for Graduate Studies in 1995, finally earning his Ph. D. in philosophy of religion in 2007 (yes, a 12 year journey!). Ted has taught two short courses in philosophy and religion at the parish. Before ordination, he made his money working in restaurants for 21 years.
Ted's been married and divorced with no children, and has a good-sized family back East including a fellow Episcopal priest for a brother, many nieces and nephews and now a great niece and nephew. He loves our Episcopal Church, creative and dramatic worship, the Gospel of John, baseball (Mets fan and born-and-raised New Yorker), hiking, reading, movies and music. He and his cat, Saki, are looking forward to the journey to St. Mary's this summer and joining us very soon!