The Margarita ST. MARGARET S YOUTH IN ACTION WANT MORE LOOK INSIDE

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1 St. Margaret s Episcopal Church and School March/April 2017 Issue The Margarita ST. MARGARET S YOUTH IN ACTION WANT MORE LOOK INSIDE

2 Brotherhood of St Andrew We had a good lesson in January by Mike Gibson who brought a handout on the importance of thankfulness. He listed multiple passages in the Bible where we are encouraged to give thanks to God with a willing spirit. Hollis made homemade meat sauce and pasta with salad and bread, while Rick brought cheesecake for dessert. There were no leftovers as it was all delicious! In February Fr. John brought handouts on The Greatest Commandment and loving God with all your heart, soul and mind. We focused especially on the mind part and what that entails on a daily basis, whether at work or at home. We lost power during the study but were able to finish the lesson and the discussion. Also even in the dark we were able to clean up and then adjourned by moonlight. Mike Gibson supplied us with fried chicken and all the sides. Max Trevillian brought cheesecake with cherries on top as usual it was all fantastic. Max Trevillian Sojourners Group The Sojourners group continues to meet and have added some new members. We meet at the church at 11:30 and spend a few minutes discussing where we are and then we go eat together. When we started this group we were thinking primarily of those who had lost spouses. There were only three of us. As we have lived into group, we realize there are many others who have experienced loss of various kinds. Any kind of loss death of anyone close to you, loss of health, loss of a spouse s health, or even loss of a marriage due to divorce affects you and how you cope with life. Our group has grown to We hope that any of you whose life has been touched by loss of any kind will join us. We meet on the third Saturday of the month at 11:30. If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Baugh, , or Karen Klatt, Barbara Baugh 2

3 Ladies Night Out Hi Everyone --- Happy Spring!! We will be meeting on April 11th at 6:00 PM Place: Buck s BBQ 203 North Loop 1604 West #180, (210) ***If planning to attend please me at gcsudzy@yahoo.com or text me at so I can have some idea of the number joining the group. Marinell Myers We had a great group in March at Bourbon Street Grill. Ultreya We are currently having our meetings on the First Sunday of each month after the 10:30 am service, and we are looking to have weekly group meetings. The Ultreya Group may be small, but we have had some great spiritual talks and discussions about our daily mission on being better Christians and ways to assist St Margaret s in our Mission Statement To Serve God. The next Cursillo #274 is scheduled to be at Camp Capers March 9-12, then #275 at MICC May 4-7, #276 at MIIC October 5-8, and #277 at Camp Capers November 2-5. We are still looking for additional parishioners to attend one of the several Cursillo that will be held this coming year. We have financial scholarships to assist you in attending. If you are interested, please contact me. Max Trevillian 3

4 Nursery We continue to improve this program for all babies through preschool. The nursery students will be learning beloved Bible stories and also learning beloved songs about God and Jesus. For the older children in the nursery we offer crafts to do. Our nursery is full of games and toys for the children to play with. We also know that toddlers love to run and play outside. Our staff escorts the children to the playground to run off that energy. This is a great time for the toddlers. The nursery is open from 9:00 AM to Noon every Sunday. This is available so that you may attend the adult Sunday school as well. Some people like to get their children from the nursery so that they can participate in the Holy Eucharist. This is welcomed. We have children bags in the lobby and have specific ones for the toddlers themselves. We want you to know that your children are welcome in God s home. If you feel more comfortable with your children in the nursery the whole time, this is ok too - that is what we are here for. We want to make sure that everyone is getting what they need. If you have any questions or concerns about the nursery, please feel free to contact me in the church office. I appreciate any feedback so that we can give you the quality care you desire. Tonya McAlexander F.R.O.G.-Fully Rely on God (Kinder 4 th Grade) We finally found a new name!!! We are no longer called the children of St. Margaret s. The children just voted on this and it passed. We are kindergarten through 4 th grade and WE ARE THE FROG S!!! This year we have been working on curriculum that contained blocks and clay. Who knew that we could go to church, learn about God and his son Jesus, and play? It has been such a great time to see the children enjoy learning and build a foundation for their faith. We are starting our Lenten curriculum. For Lent the children will learn about prayer, charity, the Stations of the Cross, and fasting (or giving something up). This is just the basics, so they can build their foundation. A house is not a good house, no matter the size, if the foundation fails. FROG S meet every Sunday at 9:30 AM in schoolroom 6. It is the last door at the end of the building by the parking street. The door is unlocked during Sunday school time. If you have a child that is new and uncomfortable about being by himself or herself, you are welcome to be with them. If you would like to observe the teachings, please come in and hear what they are learning; we support family. We want to make the children comfortable. Trust me your children will love it! Tonya McAlexander 4

5 Gummi Smurfs (5 th Grade-6 th Grade) This group is growing so fast! Our preteen group is such a fun group. They are working on a new book called The Case for Faith. They enjoyed the previous book The Case for Christ and are looking forward to starting this new study. The book study is most Sundays after our 10:30 AM service. Along with the book study, we do a lunch with the CREW youth group, and also volunteer as well as play. This age group is learning to find their own faith and what it means to them, as well as starting to form those lasting bonds with each other. They are just beginning this process, so we make sure that our teachers are comfortable having conversations with the youth in an open and safe environment. They also have their own Sunday school class at 9:30 AM in the parish hall. At this stage in life everyone is just getting their feet wet and to have a group to be with is a blessing. They are included in the Wednesday Night Live events during Lent. Please follow us on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you would like a copy of the calendar as well, please contact me at the church office and I will get it to you. All youth are welcome at any of the group activities. This group is very welcoming and loving. Tonya McAlexander C.R.E.W. (Christians Ready, Equipped, and Willing) (7 th Grade -12 th Grade) There has been a lot happening with this wonderful youth group as it changes and evolves. The biggest challenge for the youth is they are being pulled by work, extracurricular activities, school, and relationships so they often times struggle to find their way to church. It is great when you come to church because you find nourishment for your soul. You get fellowship with those who are going through the same things as you. The further you are from God, the harder things seem to get. Why did it get harder, why is the relationship difficult, why can t I get people to understand me? Everyone experiences this in life; it doesn t matter the age. However, youth need a little bit more understanding as they learn to balance things in their life. They need people to listen to them and work with them. At St. Margaret s we have been putting together new things for our youth because just having Bible quotes said to you doesn t help you find the people you can rely on. We have started a mentorship program for our youth. The adults of our church meet the youth of our church where and when they can best support them in their endeavors. They support them at activities and in life, letting them know that we are there to help them figure it out. We adults have fumbled our way through college, life, work, families; and we understand how important it is to have that support system in place. We also understand that our youth cannot always make our regular 9:30 AM Sunday school class, so during Lent we are going to put on a Wednesday Night Live for youth (ages 5 th grade -12 th grade) so that they can have a moment of fellowship and nourishment. Our youth are important to us not because of what they can give us but because of what we can give each other. We are a family. If you would like to receive a copy of the youth calendar, please feel free to contact me in the church office. Tonya McAlexander 5

6 We had our 3rd annual Mall Scavenger Hunt. This year it involved CREW, Gummy Smurfs, and our (newly named) FROGS. Making blankets for the children s shelter. 6

7 Father John and Elizabeth Williams celebrating Read Across America with our school The Tooth Fairy brought her friend The Moleinator. (Dental students from Madison High School volunteered their time to teach the kids about taking care of their teeth) The class had dinosaur day. Elizabeth Williams donated the watermelon. Olivia Espinosa Scholarship Dinner 7

8 Adult Sunday School Class During the five Sundays in Lent, 5 March through 2 April, the theme for the adult Sunday school class will be In the Cross I Glory. These Lenten reflections will focus on the Cross of Jesus from a number of perspectives. We will begin with a teaching and presentation on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and the search for the True Cross. Following this will be a study of St. Francis of Assisi bringing the pilgrim experience of Jerusalem to the local church; the Celtic Cross telling the Story of Christ in stone; St. Julian of Norwich contemplating Christ s love; and last, but certainly not least, St. Paul and God s foolishness the Cross. The Rev. Julie Wizorek will be the principal teaching leader, assisted by Jaan Sass and Mike Burroughs. Please come and join us for this exciting and informative series of presentations. Perhaps you don t usually attend the adult class. Come join us and see! All are welcome. Michael Burroughs The following article has been reprinted from the Winter 2017 North East ISD Round Up. Thank you Bonnie Cole for providing us with a copy of their newsletter. Madison cadets volunteer at Pumpkin Patch Cadets from the Madison High School JROTC devoted their time to a great cause this past fall. On Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, they gathered at St. Margaret s Episcopal Church and Day School to help set up its annual Pumpkin Patch. When the trucks arrived, cadets went straight to work unloading pumpkins and placing them on pallets for the church to sell. This is an annual event for the Madison JROTC. Reverend John S. Hill, pastor at St. Margaret s, was very grateful for the help. The project is important because all of the proceeds go to the community. Each year we give between two and three thousand dollars in scholarships, said Hill. We also do some outreach with Stahl Elementary School, providing school supplies and various items. None of it goes to the church. The Pumpkin Patch is also a social event that brings together members of the community along with cadets to get to know one another, reach a mutual goal and have fun in the process. 8 Similar to photo used in article

9 Why vs What Living Life Marked as Christ's Own "What are you giving up for Lent?" That is the question I often hear when we begin Lent each year. Many people give up things like candy, soda, fast food, coffee, or even social media like Facebook or Twitter. I usually give up chocolate each year because, as you all know, I love chocolate! Here are some other ideas of what you might consider giving up not just for Lent but also for the rest of your life. How about giving up guilt, fear, envy, impatience, sense of entitlement, bitterness and resentment, blame, fear of failure, excuses, pride and worry. God has so much more in store for you. These are things holding you back from wonderful relationships. Whatever you decide to give up for Lent this year the question I really want you to consider is "Why?" Why are you giving that particular thing up for Lent? What is your motivation? If I give up chocolate is it because I want something from it or is it because it will grow my relationship with the Lord? In fact why do you do anything you do? Why do you work, have a family or care for others? Is it more about you or the other? I believe the answer to the question "Why" in our Lenten practices and in everyday life decisions is found in our baptism. After we are baptized we receive the sign of the cross on our forehead with blessed oil hearing the words "marked as Christ's own forever." We are his beloved children and marked as Christ's own now and forever more. We are loved by God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. This Lent we are going to explore more in depth this idea of "Living Life Marked as Christ's Own" in our Wednesday night Lenten Dinner's. We will observe and reflect on the ways in which God's life expresses itself in us and through us. Here are the five topics and the dates. March 8 th March 15th March 22nd March 29th April 5th Tell: Proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom Teach: Teach, baptize, and nurture new believers Tend: Respond to human need by loving service Transform: Transform unjust structures, challenge violence of every kind, and pursue peace and reconciliation Treasure: Strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth These "Marks" are the fruit of God's life within us, a life that is nurtured by prayer and worship. When we center our lives in God and allow Christ to live life in and through us, we participate in the mission of God. It is God's intention to reconcile all things in Christ and make them new. I want to invite you to explore the "Why" of life by joining us for the Wednesday Night Lenten dinners. We will start at 6:30 PM and end by 7:30. We will have soup and salad at each one. If you are planning on attending or would like to bring soup or salad please sign up on the office door across from the sanctuary. We are blessed with the following teachers over the next 5 weeks: The Rev. Jay George, Grace Church; The Rev. Rob Harris, Christ Church; The Rev. David Read, St. Luke's, The Rt. Rev. David Reed, Bishop; and The Rev. Ram Lopez, St. George. I look forward to traveling this journey together this Lent. Father John 9

10 St. Margaret s Episcopal School Greetings and wonderful wishes to all!!! Each time I write an article I begin to wonder what will I write about? In all actuality that is a pretty silly thought because the school is full of activity each and every day! The school is thriving! The teachers continue to provide Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) educational themes, projections and activities. In addition, all teachers continue to better themselves by extending their knowledge in this fascinating field of early childhood education. We have had two on campus trainings - one learning about the brain and how it functions and the other about how to promote and support parent involvement. The Olivia Espinosa Scholarship Supper was a memorable event. The fellowship and sharing was outstanding! The event raised $2, to help reimburse scholarships that have been awarded this year. Incredibly, our expenses were $14.99.thanks to the generosity of this church, school, staff, Olive Garden and Pesto s! Please go to the Olive Garden on 281 & Bitters or Pesto s right here on Judson Road and tell the manager where you are from and thank them for making such a positive difference in the lives of our families. Can you say. Chili Cook-off?! Saturday, March 25 th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., will be the 1 st Annual Chili Cookoff! Come compete for bragging rights and the coveted 1 st place trophy. There will actually be a panel of judges! There will be games, 2-steppin, and line dancin with your favorite country music. For more information or to register to compete, contact Stephanie, in the school office or Gretchen, in the church office. Look for details to come. Some recent activities on campus have been rodeo (students rode real saddles, designed bandanas, and made stick horses), learned about how to combat tooth decay through a visit from the Tooth Fairy and the Incredible Hulk. Students wore crazy socks and capes for Crazy Sock Day and Super Hero Day! March has brought a Dr. Seuss Celebration during chapel. Not only did we sing Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss, but also our Parent Organization Coordinator Elizabeth Williams read to us and gifted us with pom-pom bookmarks that she made. Other upcoming activities will include a dinosaur center-based activity set up in the parish hall. We actually have a real dinosaur bone, fossils and imprints of dinosaur skeletons. All students will learn that dinosaurs come from eggs, are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores, plus so much more. The Fiesta Carnival is on April 22nd, 4:00-8:00 p.m. There will be something for everyone! There will be a live band, performances, face painting, vendors, food trucks, fabulous silent auction baskets and items, raffles and more!!! Invite the family, neighborhood and friends to come share in a fun time and fundraiser for our school. If you need more information on this event you may contact Tonya McAlexander she s doing a fabulous job.yay, Tonya!!!! Preferred registration has begun. Tell everyone about our school! Blessings to all, Stephanie L. Cady, M.Ed. 10

11 Ashes to Go was a success. This tow truck driver stopped by to receive ashes and a blessing. The 1st Wednesday Night Live - 5 of our youth and 5 youth from other churches attended. The 1st Lenten Dinner, led by Father John, was very well received. We ate, listened to speakers on video, and broke into pairs for discussions. Our next dinner will be on March 15th on the topic of teach, baptize, and nurture new believers. The 2nd Lenten Dinner was led by Rev. Rob Harris. He is the Assistant Rector for Community Formation of Christ Episcopal Church. He spoke about teaching through example, not by preaching to people. Everyone enjoyed having him. Our next dinner will be on March 22nd on the topic of tending or responding to human need by loving service Budget January February Totals: Actual $26,320 $45,115 $71,435 Open Plate $1,245 $ 889 $2,134 TTL Budget $17,522 $17,522 $35,044 Difference $10,043 $28,482 $38,525 11

12 Election of Bishop Suffragan To: All clergy, clergy spouses, and church offices in the Diocese of West Texas From: Laura Shaver The Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson was chosen Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas during the 113 th annual Diocesan Council on Saturday, February 25, 2017, held at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is the first woman to be elected bishop in the Diocese of West Texas. Brooke- Davidson, age 56, is currently the Vicar of Saint Elizabeth Episcopal Church in Buda, Texas, and was one of seven nominees. Now as the sixth Bishop Suffragan of the diocese, she will serve alongside the Diocesan Bishop, the Rt. Rev. David M. Reed. In order to be elected, a candidate needed to receive a simple majority of votes from both the clergy and the lay delegates, voting separately as orders on the same balloting round. Brooke-Davidson secured election on the sixth ballot, receiving 55 number of clergy votes and 153 number of lay votes, with 49 and 151 needed, respectively, for election. After thanking the other six nominees and saying what a privilege it was to walk with them on this journey, Brooke-Davidson said, "We will be good friends forever." She then quoted a passage from the second chapter of 1 Corinthians, saying, "Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Brooke-Davidson said, "With God, anything is possible, and I suppose it is possible that God can make me a bishop." Pending consents of the Bishops and the Standing Committees of the majority of the dioceses in the Episcopal Church, Brooke-Davidson will be ordained as Bishop Suffragan during a worship service held on July 29, 2017, at TMI The Episcopal School of Texas in San Antonio. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, will preside. Brooke-Davidson was ordained a priest in 2009 after graduating from Fuller Theological Seminary. Brooke- Davidson has served as Vicar of St. Elizabeth since She served as the Assistant Rector of St. Stephen s Episcopal Church in Wimberley, Texas, from Prior to ordination, Brooke-Davidson practiced commercial financial law for 12 years. She is married to Carrick Brooke-Davidson, and they have two grown daughters, Emma and Kate. The other nominees for Bishop Suffragan were the Rev. Chris Caddell, the Rev. Chris Cole, the Rev. John Hill, the Rev. Lisa Mason, the Rev. Jonathan Wickham, and the Rev. Robert Woody. You can see pictures at Blessings, Laura Shaver Communications Officer Episcopal Diocese of West Texas laura.shaver@dwtx.org 12

13 Fiesta 2017 Fiesta is happening on April 22 nd! It s almost here. This is a great fundraiser for our school. We are currently taking monetary donations from people and businesses to help put on a great Fiesta for the community. If your company would like to donate, please let me know and I will contact them. We are 501c3, so the donation will be tax deductible. Who doesn t love getting a break on taxes? More information will come about this event through social media, s, and of course our best source, Father John! Tonya McAlexander Spring Cleaning & Personal Hygiene Drive We are preparing 8 family baskets. The deadline for bringing the items is April 9, SUGGESTED CLEANING ITEMS: laundry detergent, dryer sheets, 409, Windex, furniture polish, Comet, bleach, dishwashing soap, paper towels. SUGGESTED PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS: toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash, hair brush, comb, cotton balls, q-tips, Kleenex, bathroom tissue, hand soap, body wash, shampoo, deodorant, lotion, sewing kit Photo Directory 13

14 THE MISSION OF ST. MARGARET S EPISCOPAL CHURCH Mission Statement: To serve God, we the people of St. Margaret s Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, come together to reach out in faith and love to all people with the Good News of God s reconciling Grace. We do this through our worshipping, serving, praying, healing, giving, studying, teaching the Faith, and evangelizing for the glory of God. Website: How to Find Us: Facebook: Instagram: stmargaretsec St. Margaret s Episcopal Church 5310 Stahl Road San Antonio, Texas (210)