Welcome!
Please review The Church of St. Michael & St. George's weekly newsletter to
keep abreast of our events. Visit our online calendar for event
information.
Come visit! Let us know....
If you or someone close to you has had a change in ircumstances [in the hospital, moved to a nursing home, etc.] please call the church at 314.721.1502, so we can keep CSMSG in your life.
Recent
Transitions
Baptisms
Lillian Florence Mayer, daughter of Hannah and Nicholas Mayer
Kelley Charlotte Stricker,
daughter of Christine and Mark Stricker.
Deaths Keith Shaw 8-25-2011
Visit Our Website
Volunteer
Music
Questions? Call us at 314.721.1502 or e-mail laurie@csmsg.org
The Church of
St. Michael &
St. George
6345 Wydown Blvd. PO Box 11887 Clayton, MO 63105 314.721.1502 p 314.721.4670 f |
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"Living Christ In This World"
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September 6 - September 11, 2011
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This Week's Banner
Last year's Canterbury Festival and lay ministry fair was blessed with great weather and large crowds of parishioners. |
Preaching Rota September 11 The Rev. J. Michael Wheeler September 18 The Rev. Andrew John Archie September 25 The Rev. Paul Thomas October 2 H.M. McFarling III, MD
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Transitions Please note a new addition to our e-letter called "Recent Transitions" to keep you informed of recent births, weddings and deaths. This information can be found immediately to your left.
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Summer Schedule Ends this Sunday!
Sunday liturgies are at 8 AM, 10 AM, and 5:30 PM.
Sunday, September 18 begins our regular schedule.
Liturgies will be at 8 AM, 9:15 AM, 11:15 AM and 5:30 PM. Check Out Our New Website! Check out our new website! It is a work in progress. For those of you who have content in it, please review and update, if needed, by sending an e-mail to eklamer@csmsg.org. A special thank you to our webmaster, Matt DePew, and parishioners, Jim Holbrook and Jeff Miller for their valued participation.
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Sunday Adult Education
The Rector's Forum The Rector's Forum will resume October 2.
Faith & Life Forum Faith & Life Forum will resume October 2. |
Welcoming
Fishin' for Folk
Church "business" cards are available in the Great Hall and Narthex. Look for the flower pots. Please plant a card in a friend's hand and let them know about all the great things happening here.
Forward this e-letter to your friends!
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From the Pews I wonder, is our church a social services agency with the Gospel laid on top? Is that how to define a church? If we simply strip away the 'religion' we're left with a very powerful and helpful not-for-profit organization that does a lot of good in our community and around the globe. Is that the way to look at the church? On the other hand, if we strip away the good works that we do, and are simply left with the Gospel, is that enough to constitute a church? What is more meaningful, the words or the acts? It's easy to say that you need both, and I agree. But which one is more powerful? Which one is God's plan for us? To be full of words and thoughts, or to be motivated to act for Him? I sit in my pew and hear the words, and I admire the actions that I hear/read about. And I wonder. That's my question from my pew!
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This Week

Sunday, September 11
The Canterbury Festival this Sunday!
immediately following the 10 AM liturgy This Sunday, following the 10 AM liturgy, follow the crowd outside. You will find a live band, picnic lunch and a celebration of our wonderful ministries. This is a great opportunity to learn about all that happens here at CSMSG, visit with other parishioners and dance in the street to our own Christi Bye's fabulous band! See you at the Festival this Sunday!
Monday, September 12
Susan Mount Luncheon
The Susan Mount Guild, which is dedicated to fellowship, hospitality and Christian service, was established in 1927 to honor Miss Susan Mount, whose anonymous gift established St. Michael and All Angels churches which merged the next year to form The Church of St. Michael & St. George.
The September luncheon will be Monday, September 12, beginning with Punch Bowl (socializing) at 11:30 AM and lunch at noon. After lunch, Alison Wiedle will speak about the Honor Flight program which takes WWII veterans to Washington, D.C. free-of-charge. All parish members are invited to join us the second Monday of each month for good food, fellowship and interesting speakers.
Please make your reservations by calling Helen Cavin at 314.647.0889 by Wednesday, September 7. Costs are $10 for annual dues and $5 for the luncheon. |
Last Chance for the Raffle Tickets
Purchase a chance to win one or more of these fabulous gift baskets! You choose which basket to buy a chance for. Your selections include: 1) A Halloween basket filled with treats 2) A Rams bag with 4 tickets to the Sunday, September 25 game against the Ravens, Section 151 and a parking pass 3) A wine cart filled with 4 delicious bottles of wine 4) A Cardinals basket with 2 tickets to the Cubs game on Friday, September 23. Great seats behind home plate in Section 148.
All proceeds go to the Canterbury Festival on September 11.
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Upcoming Events
Tuesday, September 13 Church Service LeagueThe Church Service League will open this year's activities with a program, "Haiti: Rebuilding the Cathedral After the Earthquake." Cheryl Ward, Diocesan Chair for the Rebuilding Effort, will cook a Haitian meal and talk about the project. Haiti is the largest diocese in the Episcopal Anglican Community and also the fastest growing. With the destruction of the Cathedral much of the activity was put on hold. We have an opportunity, along with other dioceses to help insure that the work of the Haitian Diocese can continue. If you wish to attend Bible Class with Mike Wheeler, it begins at 11 AM. Otherwise, lunch ($7) is served at noon followed by the program at 12:30 PM. Contact Aleda Littlefield 314.872.9010 if you have any questions or would like to let us know you are coming.

Steak & Stories6 PM Great HallStarting our fall tradition and upcoming Steak & Stories speaker series. We will focus our theme with Thomas Hyers telling us about Pharmaceutical Drugs: "The almost impossible journey-the road to approval for a new drug." He will share his experiences and knowledge of this industry and give you insights into the business. Please RSVP to Alice 314.721.1502 or alice@csmsg.org no later than noon Monday, September 12.
Saturday, September 17 10-11:30 AM Taylor Room Hunger Ministry Sandwich-making
 All parishioners are invited and encouraged to join the St. Michael's Hunger Ministry on the third Saturday of each month from 10-11:30 AM in the Taylor Room to make sandwiches for the FOCUS and Centenary Food Ministry clients. This month we'll be meeting on September 17 in the Taylor Room. Bring a friend. Come join in meeting this ever growing need for our community.
Sunday, September 18
Back to the Regular Schedule Alarm clocks need to be changed for Sunday, September 18. That is when we move to the fall service schedule. We will go back to four liturgies on Sunday, 8 AM, 9:15 AM, 11:15 AM and 5:30 PM.
Monday, September 19
Faith@Work 11:45-1 PM Sverdrup Room
Faith@Work will meet Monday, September 19, in the Sverdrup Room from 11:45 AM-1 PM. We begin with NOONDAY PRAYER and a "B.L.T.- Blessed Little Thought" by Fr. Jed. Lunch and Open Discussion follow. The cost is $7 for lunch. Please contact Michael Hanrahan (314.518.3086, mikehanrahan01@gmail.com) by Monday, March 21, 10 AM to rsvp.
Sunday, September 25
St. Michael's Day Preacher The Rev. Paul Thomas studied at the University of Wales in Cardiff where he read an Undergraduate Degree in Anglo-Saxon Literature. He went on to read a Masters Degree in Historical Musicology, with a particular interest in 19th Century Russian Music. Father Paul went to Cuddesdon College, Oxford to read theology and to train for the Sacred Ministry. After having served a curacy in East London and moving to a second curacy at St. Marylebone Parish Church in Central London, Father Paul was Inducted and Installed as Vicar of Paddington by the Lord Bishop of London on July 4, 2011. He is the fortieth Vicar of the Parish since records began in 1324. Fr. Paul is also Chaplain to Britain's oldest conservatory, the Royal Academy of Music, founded in 1822, and a member of the Church of England's Liturgical Commission. He has spent all of his ordained life in London but grew up on a dairy farm several hundreds of miles west of Paddington, in rural Wales. Fr. Paul is married to Louisa, a classical musician.
September 29
Moment in Time 6 pm Crowne Plaza Hotel Please don't miss the fun at ECM's gala event. 'Moment in Time' will be held on Thursday, September 29 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Clayton. The cocktail reception and dancing to The Just in Time Ensemble begins at 6 PM. This year our featured speaker is the Rev. Dietra L. Wise, ECM chaplain. Also, we are honoring the Rev. Susan C. Skinner for her years of work on behalf of ECM. Please call the office at 314.436.3545 if you would like to reserve a space. The tickets are $125 per person. We look forward to seeing you on September 29. Saturday, October 1
Mark your Calendars! CSMSG Progressive DinnerThe CSMSG Progressive Dinner is Saturday October 1. We had a ball last year, and we just had to do it again. We begin with cocktails and appetizers in the Great Hall, then "progress" to a hospitable parishioner's home for dinner and dessert. Invitations forthcoming.
Stewardship Workshop
 Our stewardship speaker this year is H.M. McFarling III, MD. His workshop "Grace begets Gratitude begets Generosity" will be Saturday, October 1. A continental breakfast will be served. He will preach Sunday, October 2. H.M. (Mac) McFarling III, MD has been involved as a lay person with The Episcopal Church since 1991 when The Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Churches held its annual conference at his home parish, St. Luke's in Atlanta. Since 1980, he has served on the vestry there twice, and as Senior Warden. He served as St. Luke's Stewardship Chair (1990-91), and has been active with the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes since 1991, when he was elected to both the Board of Directors and the Stewardship Committee of the Consortium. He also served as Vice President of the Consortium. During his term as Chair of the Stewardship Committee, he developed CEEP's "Spiritual Seasons of Stewardship" workshop. Mac was elected as Chair of the Episcopal Church Foundation's Board of Directors in May 2006. Following his term as Chair of The Episcopal Church Foundation he continues to serve on various Episcopal Church- related committees and is on the board of Piedmont Healthcare, the healthcare system in Atlanta where he practices Obstetrics and Gynecology. His interests beyond Stewardship include women's health and the plight of women in the developing world.
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Youth
6th Grade Rite of Passage will be held THIS Sunday, September 11 at 10 AM. All 6th graders and their families are invited to sit in reserved seating on the Gospel (left hand) side of the church during this liturgy. Afterwards ,all 6th graders and parents are invited to join Isaac for a tour of the Youth Ministry space and a brief overview of our Youth Ministry program at CSMSG before heading to the picnic! "What's YOUR Status?" Make plans NOW to attend our 8th annual Youth Ministry Kick-Off on Sunday, September 18 from 10:30 -11:30 AM in the Great Hall! All 6th-12th graders and their parents are invited and should bring your calendar, driver's license, auto insurance card and your checkbook! A notary will be available. Parents of 3rd-5th graders are also invited to join in the fun to see what goes on in our Youth Ministry program! Confirmation Orientation for our rising 8th graders and their parents was held on August 28. If you were not able to be here, please contact Marty Chapman or Isaac Arten for your confirmation packet. There is information to be completed and returned to the church for your confirmand. Thank you! The High School Girls' Bible Study has resumed meeting Tuesday mornings from 6:45-7:30 AM over breakfast! All 10th-12th graders are invited! Please contact Marty at youth@csmsg.org if you would like to join this Bible Study. Wednesday Night Bible Study has resumed on Wednesdays, with dinner in the GREAT HALL at 6:30 PM and Bible Study in the Armstrong Room from 7-8 PM. Students are welcome to come to the Armstrong Room at 5:30 PM to hang out. All 6th-12th graders and friends are invited! |
Church School Happenings
Church School for Preschool- 5th Grade resumes Sunday, September 11 All families are invited to their children's classrooms anytime between 9:15 and 10 AM to meet the Church School teachers and high school assistants. The children will join their parents at the time of the Peace in church, and then enjoy the Lay Ministry Fair following the final 10 liturgy. The 9:15 AM liturgies begin on September 18. |

Thank you for wearing your name tag!
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Adult Formation
Monday Night Bible Study
6:30 PM Library
Fr. Jed Fox continues his Monday Night Bible study at 6:30 PM in the Library. We continue our Journey to the Cross in Mark's Gospel with a mixture of lecture and discussion. Everyone is welcome.
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Endowment Fund
Over the last several years, it has become apparent that the Endowment Fund of The Church of St. Michael and St. George ("CSMSG") needs to be significantly expanded. Our members provide generous financial support to fund the ongoing activities of the church. The average annual pledge of CSMSG members is almost twice as large as those of other Episcopal churches. Unfortunately, our endowment of approximately $6 million is much smaller than statistical comparisons would indicate is needed for a vibrant church of our size.
The recent period of economic weakness has graphically illustrated that pledges alone will not completely fund our current programs, allow full implementation of the recently approved Strategic Plan, and assure the long-term viability of the CSMSG. The logical source of additional and consistent revenue to meet these objectives is a larger endowment.
The Endowment Expansion Committee has been formed to study our financial needs. The Committee, chaired by John Rowe, includes: Ken Bean, Spencer Burke, Marianna Deal, Becky Fouke, Nick Kouchoukos, Talbot MacCarthy, Jeff Miller, Stephen Nickelson, Joe Sheehan and JoAnn Vorih. If you have any suggestions regarding this important initiative, please feel free to discuss them with the Committee members. |
Suggestion Box
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Canterbury Bookstore
Here we are at the start of a brand new year. It's exciting and we are proud to say the Canterbury Bookstore has been a part of the ministries at The Church of St. Michael and St. George for 19 years! That's right, Canterbury Bookstore is 19 this month. And we're celebrating all month long. Each week a "Birthday Special" will be available at a drastic price reduction. Please stop by to learn more. Happy Birthday Canterbury Bookstore!
Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Braton is an invitation to you to meet God deeply and fully outside the demands and noise of daily life. Much of our faith and practice is about words--preaching, teaching, talking with others. Yet all of these words are not enough to take us into the real presence of God where we can hear his voice. This expanded edition includes a guide for groups to use, both in discussing the book content and in learning to practice silence together.
Uncommon Gratitude by Joan Chittister and Rowan Williams is a series of reflections about the things and circumstances to be grateful for -- things for which we can sing "alleluia." Some are things we naturally feel grateful for -- God, peace, wealth, life, faith, unity. But when these things are set alongside other things we would never think to say "alleluia" about -- death, divisions, sufferings, and even sinners -- we begin to see that life means to deal with moments that do not feel like "alleluia moments" at all.
In Search of Belief by Joan Chittister spells out the meaning of the Apostles' Creed phrase by phrase. She breathes new life into these familiar phrases. What makes this book so refreshing is that the Creed is made relevant to the modern age. There is absolutely no chance of anyone being bored!
The Birthday Special this week is Folkmanis Puppets. All puppets are available at 40% off regular prices. 2012 Lesson Calendars and the Christian Planning Calendars are in stock. Pick up yours today.
Bookstore hours: Sunday 8:30-11:30 Monday 10-noon Thursday 10-3 Friday 8:30-noon
Book of the Month Featured Books
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Outreach Ministries
Outreach Ministries
There are many needs within the Outreach community at St. Michael & St. George. Whatever your talents, there is an opportunity for you. Tutoring, cooking, interacting with kids (of any age), counting money, sewing, knitting, driving, talking with people, writing, the list could go on...Call Peggy Strelinger, Outreach coordinator, (314.721.1502) and find where you are most needed.
Simple Suppers Simple Suppers is looking for a sponsor. This is an opportunity to raise funds for a ministry or project at The Church of St. Michael and St. George. Simple Supper is served in the Taylor Room following Evensong except for the months of December and April. The dinner usually includes a simple entree, salad, and dessert for a donation of $5 per person. Please call Peggy Strelinger, Outreach Coordinator, if you or your group in interested in learning more about this fund raising opportunity.
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Columbarium Update
Columbarium Update First came the bitter cold of last winter, followed by the torrential rains of spring and the suffocating heat of summer. In the midst of all was a city-wide mason's strike and periodic delays in stone shipments. Each has played its part in delaying construction. But... the Page Garden columbarium is finally starting to round into shape. Most of the Missouri red granite has been laid, with limestone caps, new pavers and landscaping to come. Construction should be done this fall, weather (and materials shipments) permitting, with landscaping to follow. |
Bulletin Board
CSMSG Pre-primary Enrollment We are currently accepting 2011-12 applications for our parish's two pre-primary programs: 18-24 months on Thursday and Friday mornings from 8:30-11:30 AM and 2-3 years on Monday through Wednesday mornings from 8:30-11:30 AM. We are also offering a five-morning schedule for both classes. Our programs are taught by a degreed teacher and have proven quite successful since their inception. For more information, call Carol at 314.721.1502.

Wanted: 8 AM Greeters Looking for a place to serve? Become a greeter at the 8 AM liturgy and help extend the hospitality at of The Church of St. Michael & St. George. Contact Patricia Johnson before or after the liturgy, or call her at home at 314.993.3779.
The Servers' Guild The Servers' Guild provides a unique opportunity for students from 6th through 12th grades to participate in the Sunday liturgies and gain a deeper appreciation for our traditions and style of worship. If you would like to join a group of young people who are dedicated to enhancing the worship experience at CSMSG, contact Catherine Salmon at salmonfarm@gmail.com.

Altar Guild We invite you to deepen your spiritual life and connection to the liturgy by becoming a member of the Altar Guild. This ministry is dedicated to the service of God by lovingly preparing the altars. Many hands are needed, weekdays and Sundays, to care for the linens, candles and silver. Contact Betsy Panke: 314.993.6487 or epanke@aol.com.
Smiles Needed!
Want to volunteer one Sunday a month? The Greeter position is just right for you. Contact Laurie Brown at Laurie@csmsg.org or 314.721.1502.
Valet Parking Valet service by Midwest Parking will be available on Sunday mornings for elderly parishioners and those with special needs. This valuable service is being provided by an anonymous benefactor. Thank you for this very generous gift!
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