St. Martin's Newsletter
   Weekly E-News   May 29, 2015

Worship Schedule
Sunday
8am and 10am
Holy Eucharist
9:45am Nursery
Tuesday-Friday
9am Morning Prayer in the Chapel
Wednesday
7am service with Holy Eucharist 
  Tomorrow...Saturday, May 30

Last open day for the Thrifty Goose for summer. Stop by 10am-2pm for your special "mystery discount"!

30th Anniversary Diaconate Service & Reception
2pm  at St. Martin's
(see box below)
 

RI Deacons to Celebrate 30 Years of Ordained Ministry
 
Saturday, May 30 at 2pm 

                                                           
On July 13, 1985, Bishop George Hunt ordained the first class of Deacons. This was the beginning of the revival and resurrection of the vocational Diaconate in our Diocese. Since that time, there have been 42 people ordained to this order and several others who have transferred their orders to our diocese for a total of 46 vocational deacons. Today, there are 27 canonically resident vocational deacons in Rhode Island.


On May 30, 2015, at 2 pm,
the
Diocese will celebrate 30 years of the diaconal ministry with a Mass and reception here at St. Martin's. There will be deacons from all over Province I . The Rt. Rev. Bishop Knisely will be attending the Eucharist and reception.


The offering of the day will go to St. Mary's Home for Children
 

Please join us in this wonderful celebration!
 

  

Rambling Rector

 

This coming Sunday is Volunteer Recognition Sunday at St Martin's. This Sunday, being also Trinity Sunday, marks the one-year anniversary of my ministry at St Martin's.  Perception of time is multi-layered. It feels like only yesterday that I arrived in the parish, yet, the last 12 months have been so full of exciting challenge and gratifying fulfillment that it feels to me that I have been here for much longer. Among many impressions, one that stands-out for me during the last year is the important contribution that all our volunteers make in sustaining our community life.

 

St Martin's is operating at the upper critical edge of capacity. We have no slack anywhere in the system. Both paid staff and volunteers carry a very full load, indeed.  At times we all experience frustration because we don't have the numbers we need to maintain momentum at a more comfortable pace. Yet, tension is a fruitful place to be because it is gritty and at times uncomfortable. Ever mindful of the danger of asking individuals to over extend, straining sinews also prime us for growth!

 

I can't tell you what a joy it will be to formally thank all our members for the time and talent each brings and generously shares to enable us to be an every member volunteer force. Because of this we continue grow into the community God is already dreaming us into becoming. There is no more appropriate time to celebrate our volunteers than on Trinity Sunday.

 

Christianity is a historical rather than a cosmic religion. This means that we believe that God actually enters into human history and is active among us beginning with the Incarnation we celebrate at Christmas all the way through to the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Trinity Sunday marks the end of the historical cycle as it were, with a mighty affirmation of the nature of God. In celebrating the Holy Trinity, Christians loudly affirm that God is by nature relational and communal. Although, we tend to talk as if God is a solitary individual, the Trinity reveals God as a community emerging from a relationship between three persons.

 

So is God one or three? The Early Church answered this question in language that seems pretty incomprehensible to many of today. For me, the easiest way through this confusing theological complexity is simply to say that God is one, i.e. a single community or relationship comprising three participants. If you want to know more about how all of this works then you will have to be in Church this Sunday!

 

What I do want to stress is this - there is a profound point to celebrating the diversity of our community of volunteers on the Sunday the Church honors the nature of God as a divine community.

 

Mark+


    +A note concerning pre & post service etiquette from the Rector              

I've received a number of comments from people concerning appropriate etiquette in the period before the Organ Voluntary signals the immanent start of worship. There is inevitably a tension between differing needs. Some people wish for space for silent preparation for worship. Others wish to greet others on arrival and enjoy  talking quietly with their neighbors. There is no right or wrong way, as far as I am concerned. Personally, I value some

quite space preparation. Yet, liturgy is not the space for private devotions, liturgy is a communal activity - the community at worship. Therefore, it's also appropriate to acknowledge the presence of others and to enjoy being in the company of others. The solution to competing needs is always to act with consideration. Could I ask that we be sensitive to those who wish for quiet? I would also ask that are tolerant of those who wish reasonable and respectful communication. Let's see how this goes. 


At the end of the final hymn the traditional Episcopal practice has been to stand or to sit quietly after the words of dismissal until the altar candles have been extinguished.  A newer practice is now to proclaim the dismissal from the back of the Church at the end of the last hymn. So please wait for the dismissal before collecting your items and preparing to leave your pew. In some places remaining until after the organ postlude is encouraged. I am convinced that we can be sensitive and tolerant of one another's differing wishes and needs without imposing a rigid right/wrong way to behave. 


Mark+ 

READINGS THIS WEEK


Isaiah 6:1-8 (OT)

  Romans 8:12-17 (NT)
 John 3:1-17 (Gospel)
Click here for this Sunday's readings.
     THIS SUNDAY
We will be thanking our volunteers, and celebrating Mark's first year with us. 
 +
Sunday's Coffee Hour is in gratitude for St. Martin's members and volunteers and prepared by Linda Griggs and Susan Esposito.
+
Gluten Free Hosts available at the altar rail
MORNING PRAYER
    
It is my practice to endeavor to say Morning Prayer in the Chapel of the Church at 9am   on Tuesday through Friday each week I look forward to seeing you there!   
               Mark+
  +Congratulations to Graduates

Martha Bodell - from Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School to Wheaton College
Kate Ellicott - from Loyola University, Chicago
Priscilla Tyler - from Amhearst College
Mike Griggs - from Wake Forest University

Evan McKenna - from University of New Haven

 
Save the Date!
June 

+

Saturday, June 6 at 10am
Altar Guild Meeting in the Sanctuary 

Sunday, June 7
9am: Head Usher Training in the Sanctuary 

11am: Healing Prayers
 
**This Sunday is the last Choir and Church School for the summer

+
Saturday, June 13  11am-3pm

 Knitting Ministry in the Stearns Room & Great Hall 

To our May volunteers John and Sue Condon, and Anne and Bob Wood for helping maintain our beautiful St. Martin's Memorial Garden.

Time for your Annual Spring closet clean-out!

                                  
 D
onations for Saint Martin's Thrifty Goose and The Cloak closet are always welcomed!  (And they are tax deductible).                                                                                                                 

               The CLOAK is looking for blue jeans for men/women/children.                                                         

The Thrifty Goose is in need of summer items: clothes for the family, all things for the beach, sun hats and umbrellas!                                                                                                                              

              Make your spring closet clean-out a win-win situation!!                         

For the Cloak please contact Mary Gray at [email protected]

For the Thrifty Goose please contact Karen Bracken at [email protected].

Participants in Worship
May 31, 2015
June 7, 2015
Reading Link (Track 1)
8am:
Reader/EM: Denny Scott
Altar Guild: Al Howes
10am: 
Readers:
Elizabeth Welshman (OT)
Al Anderson (NT)
Al Anderson (Prayers)
Altar Guild:
Susan Rodgers
Tom McDonnell
Eucharistic Ministers:
John Condon (H)
Denis Moonan
Meg LoPresti (V)
Acolytes:
Robin McGill
Alex Potter
Olivia Gray
Greeter:
Natasha Lofgren
Ushers:
Peter Dennehy
Peter Lofgren
Jaye Tyler
Bob Amarantes
Dennis Stark
8am: 
Reader/EM: John Staniunas
Altar Guild: Pat Knowles
10am: 
Readers:
 Barbara Blossom (OT)
 Gail Peet (NT)
 Cathy Bodner (Prayers)
Altar Guild:
Susan Rodgers
Tom McDonnell
Eucharistic Ministers:
Hal Conner (H)
Gail Peet
 Robin McGill (V)
Acolytes:
Elizabeth Blake
Diana Blake
Gabrielle Ellicott
Greeters:
Chris Rooks
Ushers:
Peter Dennehy
Peter Lofgren 
Cathy Bodner
David Burke
Sam Coale 


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