cycles of reading instruction, the Crop Walk... 2 When the kids finally arrived, it Prayer Shawl & was splendid! Fantastic job!

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1 September 2015 serving God by serving others Dear People of St. Alban s, There are different kinds of planning that shape the life of any organization, including churches. Most of us engage in calendar planning. We chart out what s going to be happening on various dates so that we don t end up with too many things scheduled at once. The big calendar on the wall of the parish office is one example of calendaring at work. It s still a challenge to remind folks to report dates to Charleen for this calendar. Please help us! Keeping a calendar makes it possible to coordinate the regular functions of our community, but sometimes planning must happen to address an urgent situation. For example, a year ago we got the finances sorted out sufficiently to realize that we needed to raise $37k very quickly to close a gap in our budget. With a well-developed plan that mobilized the extraordinary commitment of all who love St. Alban s, we were able to raise the funds in less than 37 days. That kind of planning might be called short-term problem solving. Thank God we don t have to deal with that problem again! Another kind of planning is oriented towards the future, developing ideas we d like to try for ministries that we might want to cultivate into the future. Our Glen Burnie Reading Camp is a good example of this kind of planning. We first heard about the idea of Reading Camp three years ago. The more we learned about it, the more it seemed like the kind of thing that fit the interests and capabilities of our St. Alban s community. Beginning last summer, an organizational team visited the other two Reading Camps in Maryland and set up a plan for our experiment. We wrote a grant proposal and received funds, recruited volunteers and got everyone through the requisite training. Plans were made for the Inside cycles of reading instruction, the Climate in the Pulpit. 2 meals, the activities and field trips. Crop Walk... 2 When the kids finally arrived, it Prayer Shawl & was splendid! Fantastic job! And Stitching Ministry. 3 next we assess whether to do it Sunday School... 4 again. Diocesan Visit... 4 During the upcoming year, St. Choirs... 5 Alban s will be engaging in a Ladies Guild... 5 Reading Camp process for long term strategic Calendar planning. We ll pull together a Dominican strategic planning team to find out what kinds of needs exist in Republic Trip the wider community around us. We ll work on gaining greater Parking Sign clarity about what core purposes motivate and energize us at St. Fall Bazaar Alban s. What part of Jesus ministry is ours to live? How might we serve God by serving others in a way that addresses real needs September 2015 (Continued on page 2)

2 (Continued from page 1) in our surrounding community while drawing on the passions and talents of our members? What do we want to be doing five years from now? What do we want to be known for in ten? What steps might we begin now to live into this strategic vision? God is working in our midst. We feel it: we see the evidence. What is God trying to bring about? Strategic planning helps us discern what the Spirit is up to and align our resources of time, talent, and treasure with the Spirit s work. God knows what we ll become! Yes, God knows. And God will help us plan the changes that enable God s dream for us to come true! In hope, Paula+ Climate in the Pulpits - Maryland In late September, Pope Francis will be visiting our region, speaking about our moral obligation to care for our neighbors by taking action on climate change. On the last weekend of the month (September 25-27, 2015), pastors, rabbis, imams, and other clergy in congregations across Maryland will be addressing Creation care and climate change as part of their sermons at weekly services and offering other learning programs. Through a partnership between Interfaith Power & Light and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, congregations will be inviting their communities to better care for Creation: at home, in our congregations, and in Annapolis. Climate justice will be the focus at St. Alban s on Sunday, September 27. Also on September 27 Join the walk, or sponsor someone who is walking. Funds raised support efforts to end hunger and make drinking water accessible for people nearby (25% goes to NCEON) and around the world. Mary Moran is organizing St. Alban s participation on September 27, 2015.

3 PRAYER SHAWL AND STITCHING MINISTRY The St. Alban s Prayer Shawl and Stitching Ministry has had a very busy and exciting summer. The ladies have worked very hard sewing sundresses which were sent to Buen Pastor in the luggage of our Dominican Republic mission trip group. The talented seamstresses met numerous times in the months of June and July. The final count was 103 dresses for the little girls of Buen Pastor, and all the dresses were made in just 6 weeks! Those 103 dresses were in addition to the 61 dresses sent to the Orphan Grain Train Project this past spring. An amazing total of 164 dresses made in just a few months, and every one of those dresses was adorable! Each was made of cute, colorful printed fabric, many with extras like pockets, ribbon trim, and appliqués. It is worth noting that the ladies donate much of the fabric, thread, and trimmings for the dresses, in addition to the hours and hours of their time. This ministry has been blessed with donations of fabric from parishioners as well as the Friendship Quilters Guild. At our July 8 th meeting, the Prayer Shawl and Stitching Ministry was pleased to be interviewed by Kathy Shatt, our local Gazette reporter, who wrote an article this summer on St. Alban s Prayer Shawl and Stitching ministry. We hope the Gazette article might invite other knitters and crocheters in our community to become part of this wonderful ministry. Also, we were grateful to receive donations of yarn and fabric from generous women in the community who were touched by the Gazette article and willing to give away some of their stash. It is amazing that after sewing 103 dresses, the ladies will not be resting, but will move right into working on the Holiday Bazaar. And, they do so joyfully! They are very talented and enjoy sharing their gifts with others. We are blessed at St. Alban s to have such a giving ministry. The next meeting of the Prayer Shawl and Stitching Ministry is Wednesday, September 9th from 2:00 4:00 pm. At that meeting, we will begin planning the items to be sewn and crafts to be made for the Holiday Bazaar on November 14 th. Please join us if you are interested in working on items for the bazaar, want to sit and knit or crochet, or just be part of the fellowship. September

4 Sunday School starts on September 13 Let s celebrate St. Alban s kids and their teachers as classes are launched. Some new features for this year include: A focus on helping kids of all ages connect with worship in the church. After starting their classes at 10:30 am, kids from elementary grades and up will come to church during the Eucharistic Prayer. Meetings of teachers, led by Kirsten Mizerak, will occur regularly to coordinate, plan, and deepen understanding of what s being taught. A new curriculum for the smallest kids in the Nursery. Mary Moran and Sandra Heinecke are joining Danielle Seiler and Joann Cherrico as nursery teachers. rlee is developing a choral program for kids that will meet for 20 minutes after church each Sunday. Normally, we ll hear them sing on first Sundays of each month. Our teens will have a Confirmation Class! Coming this Month: Diocesan Visit to St. Alban s! This year, The Rev. Canon Scott Slater will be visiting us on behalf of the bishop on Sunday, September 20th. We will have one service that day at 10:30 am, followed by a Fellowship Hour with opportunities for Q & A. Let s give him a wonderful St. Alban s experience!

5 THE ST. ALBAN CHOIRS ARE LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS BREAKING NEWS: A NEW CHORAL OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS is being developed by rlee. Rehearsals will occur for a short period (20 minutes) after 10:30 service. Watch for further details. Bell choir practices Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30pm The joy of serving in the bell choir is unlike any other. We are blessed to have a talented bell choir, but we are in need of a few more ringers to fill out the number needed for the music we have. There is one weekly rehearsal and the bells play a few times per season. No previous experience necessary. Rehearsals are at 6:30pm on Wednesdays beginning September 9th. Come try it out! Parish choir rehearses Wednesdays from 7:30-8:30pm If you ve ever wanted to sing with a group of friends and enjoy singing to God s glory, please consider serving in the Parish Choir. The Parish Choir sings regularly at the 10:30am Holy Eucharist on Sundays as well as special services like Christmas Eve and Maundy Thursday. We welcome singers of all experience levels: middle school and older. Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 7:30-8:30pm in the Church and 9:45am on scheduled Sundays. Our first rehearsal is September 9th. St. Alban s Ladies Guild Just a short reminder to all the ladies of the Guild. Our first meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 15th. Remember that all ladies of St. Alban's are members of the Guild and it would be so wonderful to have more of you come out to our meetings. They're usually over by 9:00 and start at 7:30. Frequently, they're over even sooner than that. So please, surprise me, and come to your first Guild meeting. We would love to see you. Please send your submissions for the October Beacon by September 20 to cedarpup@cablespeed.com or place them in the newsletter editor bin in the vestry room. September

6 ST. ALBAN S GLEN BURNIE READING CAMP Thanks to all the dedicated volunteers who made reading camp possible. Join us next year July 18-22, 2016! READING BOOKS! LIBRARY TOUR! FORT MCHENRY! MORE READING!

7 MEETING FIREFIGHTERS! TIE-DYED SHIRTS! SWIMMING! GREAT TEACHERS! AWESOME YOUTH COUNSELORS! September

8 September 2015 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00 am Holy Communion 10:30 am Holy Communion :00pm Prayer shawl/ stitching ministry FALL FLEA MARKET 9 am 1 pm Labor day HOLIDAY Office closed 6:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Voice Choir 13 8:00 am Holy Communion 10:30 am Holy Communion :00 pm Social Ministries 7:30 pm Ladies Guild 16 6:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Voice Choir SIESTA FIESTA Dominican Republic Mission Trip Report/ dinner 4 pm 7pm 20 CANNON SLATER VISIT 10:30 am Holy Communion :00pm Prayer shawl/ stitching ministry 6:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Voice Choir 24 7:00 pm Vestry Meeting :00 am Holy Communion 10:30 am Holy Communion Climate Sunday :30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Voice Choir Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Monday & Friday at 7:00 pm Al-Anon meets every Friday at 7:00 pm Eternal Quilters meets on the 2nd Thursday at 10:00 am Food Addictions meets every Monday at 7:00 pm Purple Heart meets on the 3rd Thursday at 6:30 pm September

9 The diocesan mission trip to the Dominican Republic was a huge success! Rev. Paula, Melinda, Joan, Caitlin, Victoria, and Bryanne went from our church along with other youth from local churches. In one week, the team taught vacation bible school to over 100 children and repainted an entire preschool! Come to St. Albans on September 19 th to share stories and eat tamales with the adults and youth who went on the trip.

10 The trip was truly a life changing experience. Everyone we met welcomed us into their community with open arms. I am so glad that we went, thank you to everyone who supported our trip and prayed for our safe travels! Caitlin Murphy TURN THE PAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING DINNER! The bond that was created not only between us and the children, but all of us as a group was incredible. It was an amazing trip. Bryanne Adams September

11 The bond that was created with the children in such a small amount of time was indescribable! As well as the love that was given and received throughout the week. I hope to revisit soon. Madeline Ostenso It was amazing how a group of us became so close and how open and loving the children were! I will never forget the love and support from everyone. It was really touching. Kayli Readmond An amazing opportunity to learn about another culture and realize the language of love is understood by all! Joan Rumenap

12 SAVE THE DATE! SEPTEMBER 19, 4-7pm CELEBRATION OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MISSION TRIP WITH A PROGRAM AND A POTLUCK FEATURING LATINO FOOD Come one and all to learn from those who traveled to Dominican Republic last July on a mission to assist the people of Buen Pastor School and the surrounding community. There will be pictures and stories from the participants, giving a glimpse of the powerful ways God worked to bring about experiences of being a community of love. See where all of the little dresses and baseball equipment are now. Enjoy amazing food, too! Bring something Latino, if you re able. We can provide recipes for tasty beans and rice, stewed chicken, and coconut custard in case you d like to try cooking something new. NO SIESTA: FIESTA! This trip shared with me God s love. I saw love between a group of people who had only been with each other for a few days, I saw love between children and teens who didn t even speak the same language, and I saw love in the bateys (small villages of sugar cane workers) where people have almost nothing. Victoria Murphy September

13 A Special Thanks to Kirsten Mizerak who is hard at work repainting our parking lot sign! St. Alban s Fall Bazaar Is Coming! Our big fall bazaar is coming up and will be here sooner than we would like as there are tons of things to get done for the event. The date is November 14th. Crafts are needed. Would you be willing to work on some things at home?? Would you rather work at church with some of the other ladies? The dates for Craft meetings at church are yet to be decided. When they are, they will appear in the bulletin. So ladies and any gentlemen who are handy, please start thinking about what you might be willing to make for sale at our bazaar.

14 Fall Flea Market St. Alban s Episcopal Church 1st & A Streets, Glen Burnie Saturday, Sept. 12th 9am-1pm For more information call: Call Bonnie , Judy or church , M-F, 9am-12pm White Elephant Table September

15 The Beacon of St. Alban s St. Alban s Episcopal Church 105 1st Ave SW Glen Burnie, MD Phone: , Fax: stalbans.church2verizon.net RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Sunday Worship Services 8:00 am - Holy Communion, Rite I (no music) 10:30 am - Holy Communion, Rite II (with music) Sunday School, K-8 and Nursery Church Office Hours Monday-Friday 9am-12 pm Rector Rev. Dr. Paula Datsko Barker