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Vestry Report for Pentecost Bellringer

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“In this season of anticipation and waiting, we have decided to begin each Vestry meeting with a discussion of a short passage by Thomas Merton. We see this as a way of focusing on our spiritual growth. In March, we reflected on how we cannot explain everything, and how we shouldn’t always try to find answers. Sometimes we must sit with the unknown and with “the abyss of darkness” at our core. In light of the pandemic, Merton’s words reverberate loudly, especially his exhortation to let go of our desire to understand why and to embrace the ways we encounter God in our vast interior selves.”

Click “read more” to read the entire Vestry report.

Refugee Relief Kit Event

Refugee Relief Kit Event


The Refugee Resettlement Coalition of Lane County (RRC), which St. Mary's is a part of, invites all community members to join them Thursday, June 17, between 4 and 7 PM in the First United Methodist Church parking lot, 1376 Olive Street (enter on Charnelton Street). Contribute $20 (cash or check) and stay to assemble a relief kit for a refugee family.

Click the “Read More” button below to read more details.

Happy Pentecost

“The Holy Spirit is about life. In Hebrew, Greek, and Latin the word for spirit and the word for breath are the same. In the ancient story of creation, God breathed life into Adam, God gave him Spirit. Just as breathing is necessary for us to live physically, the Spirit is necessary for us to live spiritually. When the Spirit is mentioned in scripture, it is about giving life, about empowering, about liberating people from death and destruction. Living spiritually is about a life attuned to the life-giving divine action at work in this world. And it is about helping others do the same, allowing for the flourishing of all of humanity and creation.”

Click “Read more” to read Bingham’s entire Pentecost reflection.

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News from the Vestry: A Staffing Update

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Dear Friends in Christ,

Throughout the pandemic, the Vestry has been constantly considering how we adapt right now and to what is coming up next, one eye on the present and one eye on the future. One aspect we have regularly been examining is personnel. During this time, in conjunction with the Personnel Committee, the Vestry has been looking at what staffing has needed to look like and what it needs to look like over the coming months and even years. The future is full of uncertainties, but as we look to this past year and look toward the possibilities moving forward, we know that there are many challenges on the path. It has become clear to the Personnel Committee and the Vestry that additional staffing will be necessary to navigate this next leg in the journey.

Click “Read More” to read the Vestry’s entire announcement.

Easter is Coming

That first Easter morning was not a time of rejoicing for the disciples, but one of total confusion superimposed on the abject terror they had been feeling since Friday, when they had seen Jesus dragged away and ultimately executed. While we’re not faced with quite that level of distress, we’re still in the dark with regard to just how the next few months are going to unfold.

Episcopal Campus Ministry 2020 in Review

I began as interim chaplain in December of 2019. From January to March I worked to get to know the students, the house, and The Student Food Pantry. At the start of the year we had four student residents, Tatiana, Colman, Jepry, and Leslie. On Thursdays I invited local parishioners and Episcopal Campus Ministry (ECM) Board member to prepare meals and share in fellowship with the students and I invited local clergy to celebrate the Eucharist. This was a great way for us to connect with our local Episcopal Churches and to hear from different parishioners and priests about their faith journeys. For the Student Food Pantry, there was lots of hands-on learning and new connections to be made as I took on Chaplain Doug’s role of oversight. And then COVID-19 arrived.

Vestry Report for January

Can you believe it’s already February? Since January flew by somehow, the Vestry wanted to send a quick update about where we are as we start this new year and what we are planning to do in 2021. We hope that 2021 will bring the eventual end to our pandemic way of life, but we also know that the year will have its own unexpected challenges. It might even be more difficult in certain ways as we experience the ripple-effect of last year’s financial strain, and we come to understand more fully the toll the pandemic has taken on our social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. While we move forward with a mixture of faith and caution, there truly is much to be thankful for. In that spirit, we want to acknowledge both how much we accomplished in 2020 and how well-equipped we are to confront 2021.

Dignity of Human Nature

I don’t remember how old I was when my dad taught me and my sisters to say a prayer on Christmas morning thanking God for sending Jesus to us before rushing downstairs to see what was waiting for us under the tree, but clearly it was a lesson that stayed with me since I still do it. Over the years I’ve come to understand that all those beautifully wrapped presents, unearned gifts, given simply because the givers love the recipients, are but tangible reminders of the greatest unearned gift of all.

Vestry Report for November/December Bellringer

But the pandemic goes on.

In 1961, one year before the end of the Algerian War for Independence, Frantz Fanon began an essay describing the effects of the war with the phrase, “But the war goes on.” Although his situation was very different from our present one, this strange beginning seems appropriate given that we too are still in the midst of a crisis that seemingly will not end.

Click “Read More” for the entire Vestry update that was included in the November/December Bellringer.

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A picture from Christmas past! 🎄 St. Mary’s kids singing 🎵 at a party? or a retirement home? Maybe someone who remembers can tell us!
Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Services at St. Mary’s Christmas Eve 3 PM: Celebrate Christmas Eve with this joyful and simple worship service. Pre-service harp music begins at 2:30 PM. 5 PM: Experience the joy of Christmas as we sing ca

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