|
|
| |  | BOOK STUDY GROUP
| | | Wednesday morning book study is at 9:00 am. We are studying Henri Nouwen's The Way of the Heart. |
| | | SUNDAY SCHOOL HAS BEGUN | | |
Adult and Children's Sunday are up and running. Click below for the schedule
Sunday School Schedule. |
| | |
Click Here for October Calendar
October Calendar | | |
|
| | | Click Here for Lay Ministry Schedule | | |
October Lay Ministry Schedule |
|
|
|
The Margarita
St. Margaret's Episcopal
Church & School
October, 2011
|
|
And now, a word from our Vicar:
In our Wednesday morning book study we have been looking at a book by Henry Nouwen called "The Way of the Heart." The book looks at three disciplines; those of solitude, silence and prayer and sets out to demonstrate how through their practice we can connect with God. In the section on silence he quotes one of the ancient Desert Fathers by the name of Abba Poemen who said "A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning to night and yet he is truly silent." It is an interesting observation, one that seems to equate inner peace with silence and condemning with noise.
In The Revelation of John after Michael and his Angels have defeated the dragon (Satan) and have thrown him down from heaven a voice proclaims, "For the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God." It is interesting that of all the descriptive nouns that could have been used to describe Satan that the one that was used was accuser. There is something evil in constantly looking for and finding faults in others and condemning or accusing them both in our hearts and aloud to others.
Of course, this is not to say that we are to be without standards and wish for good conduct in others, but what it is saying is that we are not to be fault finders actively seeking the destruction of other people. When we are acting like Satan is described in The Revelation we are whispering in God's ear that others are not worthy and their faults are vast and deserving of condemnation. The heart that does this is seeking union with God not through its own elevation, but through the destruction of others. You can have the nicest house in the neighborhood by either fixing up your own house or by bulldozing all of your neighbor's homes. A quiet heart is one that is seeking to raise up not only itself but also their neighbors to God.
I have heard a story of a certain type of crab that when caught does not need to be placed in a container with a lid. The reason for this is that if one of the crabs tries to escape the container, all of the other crabs will gang up on it and pull it back into the container. This is what a condemning heart looks like. It does not look at someone who is rising up with joy, but rather looks and thinks, "how can we bring them down?" And while I may not advocate talking from morning to night, I think all of us need to reflect and ask how can my heart be silent, how can I seek God both for myself and for others. Rejoicing in the triumphs of others and seeking to be united with God in all that we do.
+Fr. Philip
|
|
|
|
Budget News - Pledges
Actual Budgeted Difference
January 28,054 14,600 13,454
February 10,594 14,600 (4,006)
March 10,894 14,600 (3,706)
April 12,265 14,600 (2,335)
May 12,645 14,600 (1,955)
June 12,452 14,600 (2,149)
July 15,550 14,600 950
August 9,505 14,600 (5,095)
September 13,330 14,600 (1,270)
Total 111,959 116,800 (6,111)
| |
|
 |
|
|
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, will hold its annual NAMI Walks for The Mind of America on Saturday, October 8, 2011 in Brackenridge Park Koehler Pavillion begining at 8:00 AM. All funds collected by walkers will be used to fund NAMI's programs here in San Antonio and surrounding areas. These include support, education, and advocacy for people living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and other mental illnesses. Many of these people are poor or indigent. Mental illnesses strike one person in four in America today. It is a major health care crisis.
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the largest education, support and advocacy organization that serves the need s of all whose lives are touched by these illnesses. This includes persons with mental illness, their families, friends, employers, the law enforcement community and policy makers. The NAMI organization is composed of approximately 1100 local affiliates, 50 state offices and a national office.
The goals of the NAMI Walks programs are: to fight the stigma that surrounds mental illness, to build awareness of the fact that the mental health system in this country needs to be improved, and to raise funds for NAMI so that they can continue their mission. NAMI has been rated by Worth magazine as among the top 100 charities "most likely to save the world" and has been given an "A" rating by The American Institute of Philanthropy for efficient and effective use of charitable dollars.
Magdalena Crittenden, a member of St. Margaret's, is very active in NAMI and will be chairing a team of walkers from the diocese called the Bishop's Blisters. Please join her in the Walk to show your support of the efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination. If you would like to donate to the Walk you may go on line to http://www.nami.org/namiwalks11/SAT/Magdalena or you may write a check and put her name in the subject line of your check to NAMI San Antonio, PO Box 15348, San Antonio, TX. 78212. NAMI is a 501(C)3 organization so your contribution is tax deductible. | |
|
|
|
|
Blessing of the Animals - Sunday October 9th
Fr. Philip and St. Margaret's Episcopal Church invite you and your pets to our annual Blessing of the Animals Service. We will be blessing your animals, taking photographs of you and your pets, and serving refreshments. You will also receive a Blessing of the Animals Certificate in the mail.
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday Night Program begins October 5th at 6:00 pm - Dinner and a Movie and a Virtue
For some reason during the middle ages people really liked to number things. So it was in this time a concept known as the seven heavenly Virtues caught on (although they were actually developed much earlier). The idea was that there were seven heavenly virtues which would work to counteract the seven deadly sins. So by practicing these virtues you would be less prone to sinning. The virtues are chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness and humility. In this class we are going to be exploring each of these virtues by watching a movie which demonstrates either the virtue or the complete lack thereof. Popcorn will be provided. |
|
|
|
|
The Pumpkins are Coming, The Pumpkins are Coming
October is just around the corner and that means that it is getting close to Pumpkin Patch time. This will be our 12th year participate in the Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers with our proceeds going to fund various outreach programs. Please mark your calendars for October 8th at 12:30 as pumpkin delivery day. We will need help with putting out pallets, setting up the sales tents and unloading lots and lots of pumpkins. The signup sheets for working October 8th and the daily work schedule will appear very soon. A successful Pumpkin Patch depends on your help! |
Ladies Night Out
Ladies night will be held at Los Generales, 16216 Nacogdoches Road, on October 11th at 6:30 PM. Please email me at wendy@mhi-tx.com or call me 210-831-3069 if you can attend. |
|
October Prayer Team Meeting
The Prayer Team will meet Sunday, October 23rd after the 10:30 service. |
|
Boy Scout News
St. Margaret's Boy Scout Troop 804 held its end of summer Court of Honor on September 27, 2011. Nine boys and three adults attended summer camp at the Indian Nations Council Hale Scout Reservation, Talihina, Oklahoma. The Scouts earned 46 merit badges over the summer. Most of the Scouts earned the Snow Sports merit badge at summer camp. Jonathan Saleen earned the Eagle Scout rank at the Roughrider District's September Eagle Scout Board of Review. The annual Trail's End popcorn sale is in progress. Please support the Boy Scouts by buying popcorn.
|
|
|
|
|
Prayer Team
Just a reminder that there are now blue cards in the pews for you to fill out with your prayer requests. You can place your completed cards in the offering plate and they will be added to the Parish Prayer List. The prayer team will be praying specifically for the individuals that you submit. In addition, we will continue to pray for those on our prayer list during Sunday Worship (unless you specify otherwise). Furthermore, on Sundays during and after Communion, there will be members of the prayer team available to pray for any specific needs you may have.
Thanks to all of the individuals who have volunteered for this most wonderful ministry. |
|
|
|
Food Pantry
Please remember to bring Cereal and Peanut Butter for the Food Pantry.
|
Clean-up with the Vicar
Starting Thursdays from 8:30 to 9:30 am the Vicar is going to be doing various clean up projects around the campus, like raking, weeding and sweeping. If anyone is interested in joining him you are more than welcome. If you work hard he might buy you a taco.
|
|
|
|
|
Notes from the Diocese
October 13-16 - Cursillo #254
Will be at Mustang Island Conference Center. The Rector is Elizabeth Neally, St. Andrew's, Port Isabel. Spiritual Director is Rev. Richard Speer, Grace, Weslaco, and assistant Spiritual Directors are the Revs. Tom Turner, Advent Alice, and Robert McAllen, Epiphany, Raymondville.
October 21-23 - Food for the Soul
From Friday's wine pairing dinner through Sunday's brunch enjoy fine food while praising God. Learn favorite Mustang Island Conference Center recipes alongside Kathy and Sandra, chefs. Learn a variety of new skills, hints, and tricks. Register online by clicking on the mouse graphic above. Each person, including spouse, must register individually. Cost is $248 per person for double occupancy and $295 per person for single occupancy, if available. Questions? Contact Lynn Corby at lynn.corby@dwtx.org or 361-749-1800.
Thursday-Sunday, November 10-13 - The 40th annual 2011 Silent Retreat
It will be at the Moye Center in Castroville will be held November 10-13. Conducting the weekend will be the Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge. For information contact Colette Koehler at 210-828-1995 or tailk@aol.com.
November 11 - 12 - Bishop Elliott Society Lecture
The next lecture will be held at St. Luke's, San Antonio. The speaker will be author and professor Philip Jenkins. Philip Jenkins is the author of The Lost History of Christianity and Jesus Wars and has a joint appointment as the Edwin Earle Sparks Professor of the Humanities in history and religious studies at Penn State University and as Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University. He has published articles and op-ed pieces in The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, The Atlantic Monthly, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe and has been a guest on top national radio shows across the country. To view the flyer, please click here. To register online, visit www.bishopelliott.org, or mail in the registration form attached to the flyer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
