In St. Mary’s 159-year-old history we can boast of two things: we’re one of if not the oldest congregations in Eugene, Oregon; and we share something in common with the city of Eugene- the founders.
Saturday Breakfast - Respecting the Dignity of Every Human Being
Why Leaders Need Support: Small Group Leadership Support Groups
At St. Mary’s Episcopal Church we would like to have a small group available to anyone who would like one. Small groups are places where people practice listening to God and to each other. Small groups can provide safety and closeness that makes our community life together more meaningful. Sunday worship gains a whole new level of joy when you see your group members sitting in the pew opposite.
Love
It Matters
Earth Day
As Christians, we have a responsibility to care for God’s creation. At the end of the first chapter of Genesis, we are told that humanity has been given dominion over creation. This has been misunderstood by some to mean that we can use, even abuse, creation however we would like. But Scripture teaches us quite clearly that dominion from a Christian perspective means to be servants, not lords. We were invited to be stewards, not rulers, of creation. We are to appropriately use, not abuse, this gift that God has given us.
Listening Hearts - Small Group Leadership Training
Small Group Leadership Training
Sunday April 22
3 to 5 PM in Berktold Hall
One of our five-year goals at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is to have a small group available to anyone who would like one. Small groups are places where people practice listening to God and to each other in order to discern God’s presence and movement in our lives and community.
Maundy Thursday
I wouldn’t say we go to an experimental church. But, yesterday our church had an experiemental service. They offered their first annual Maundy Thursday Family Service. I would call the experiment a success. The only thing they should change would be saving the nice towels for the adult service. More on that later.
A Lenten Meditation
Observing a Holy Lent
Lent is a journey we take every year with Christ through the wilderness. Traditionally, Lent has been a time to prepare for Easter by extra prayer, self-examination, self-denial, study, and acts of charity. Many have simplified this by saying that in Lent we give up and we take on. Through giving up, we open space for God within us; through taking on, we invite God in.
Deepen your faith this Lent by adopting a practice for the season.
Advent: A Time for Introspective Reflection
Advent starts a new church year. There may be four Sundays in Advent, but our Sunday lectionary readings point us to three primary stories for the season: the end of time (1 Advent), John the Baptist (2 & 3 Advent), and Mary (4 Advent). These stories help us prepare for Christ’s coming, Christ’s advent, into the world. Advent is a wonderful time for introspective reflection and these stories of Advent give us a wonderful launching pad for this task.
Community
Reflections on Family Night Shelter
When Betsy Halpern and Katharine Hunt tapped me to head up Family Night Shelter, I was fairly new to St. Mary's. I had volunteered a few times at Saturday Breakfast but had no firsthand knowledge of the Night Shelter program. But I felt a deep sense of gratitude to our congregation and our wonderful church.
A Look Back at Our Cambodian Refugee Family
Throw in the Towel and More for Refugees
St. Mary’s Refugee Committee invites you to take part in this Refugee Resettlement Coalition of Lane County (RRCLC) Relief Kit project. Our committee, which includes some great cooks, will be hosting coffee hour after each service on June 18. At that time, we will collect new bath towels and other bucket items, as well as funds for the RRCLC Relief Kit project. There will also be information available about RRCLC and the plight of refugees around the world.
Local Partnerships for Addressing Your Carbon Footprint
Recently, St. Mary's Earth Stewards decided to look into local options for counterbalancing carbon outputs, and began working with local organizations to develop the necessary relationships. We agreed that the Long Tom Watershed Council (LTWC) and McKenzie River Trust (MRT) would be the two most appropriate organizations (due to geographic overlap, mission, efficacy, capacity, etc.).
Soil--It's More Than Dirt
In her book, The Soil Will Save Us, Kristin Ohlson recounts the story of being able to push a 4-foot pole down into a farmer's corn field up to her knuckles. She was able to do it several times in different places, proving that the farmer, Gabe Brown, had completely transformed his soil from the Dust Bowl desert he had purchased into a farm that had become easier and cheaper, not harder and more costly, to run.
