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Activities & News2024-03-04T13:26:39+00:00

Calendar of Events

When you join St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, you’ll quickly learn how many opportunities there are to join together in fellowship. There’s something happening every day at St. Mary’s. Whether it’s a book club, evening prayers, Bible study or choir practice, the schedule at St. Mary’s reveals the busy daily life of the church. Please consult the calendar regularly to be sure you know the latest gatherings that are important to you.

Celebrating Our Fellowship

St. Mary’s Tented for Fumigation

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Altar Guild prepares the Sanctuary for Advent

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St. Mary’s New Pipe Organ

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Baked Fish Dinner A Great Success
Collage from the Baked Fish Dinner

Altar Guild Donation – candlesticks and vases

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New blue accent for St. Mary and Lady Chapel

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Connect with St. Mary’s Online!

Sunday, February 25th, 2024, 10AM
Second Sunday in Lent

facebook.com/stmarysbonita/

Click the link below to view the service bulletin:
February 25th, 2024 Service Bulletin

Request a prayer from the Order of St. Luke
[email protected]

Please consider donating to St. Mary’s online plate offering

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Connect with St. Mary’s Online!

Sunday, March 3rd, 2024, 10AM
Third Sunday in Lent

Click the link below to view the service bulletin:
February 25th, 2024 Service Bulletin

Request a prayer from the Order of St. Luke
[email protected]

Please consider donating to St. Mary’s online plate offering

ECW – Christian Growth & Fellowship

National Logo of Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
Every woman who attends St. Mary’s Church is a member of our Episcopal Church Women (ECW), so if you’ve never been to a meeting, or participated in an activity, don’t be shy. We’ll give you a warm welcome and guarantee you’ll find friends here. Pick up your copy of the events brochure in the narthex or parish hall.

In a change from previous years, we offer ECW programs on the second Tuesday of each month, November through April. Our meetings begin at 11 a.m. with Father Wright who celebrates the Holy Eucharist in the chapel. Immediately following, we share a light lunch in the Parish Hall and hold a brief business meeting before the program.

Interest in Foyer Groups has waned over the past few seasons, and we are considering how to revive active participation in these fellowship building experiences. Look for a renewed and refreshed model of “mixers” in the 2024-25 season.

Mark your calendar for this year’s ECW programs:
We’ve planned our programs so that all the women of St. Mary’s feel welcomed to spend time together to share in fellowship and to continue growing our faith and commitment to Jesus Christ our Savior as we support our parish.

November 14: “A Gem of a Tree”
Local Artist Greta Birnbaum will demonstrate how to repurpose your
favorite loved, but unused, costume jewelry to create a uniquely personal,
glittering Christmas tree for your table. Greta is an imaginative and exciting
teacher who will inspire you to “shop your closet” to ferret out your own forgotten gems when you return home.

December 9, Saturday 2-4 PM
Each ECW hostess sponsors an elegant, themed table in the Parish Hall to entertain her guests. This year’s theme is “Gifts of the Spirit.” With delectable scones, savory and sweet treats, the afternoon tea is a foretaste of the 12 days of Christmas. There may be a traditional pantomimed sing-along, a “surprise” visit from Santa and an impish elf to enliven the party.

January 9: A presentation by Golden Paws Assistance Dogs
This is a local organization that promotes independence for combat-wounded veterans, first responders and children with life-changing disabilities. Founded in 2012, Golden PAWS Assistance Dogs are highly trained by skilled handlers. As part of its training, each dog spends time with its handler in service projects to the community. Despite the cost of training, boarding and maintaining healthy dogs, there is no cost for the individuals they ultimately serve. This meeting is open to men as well as ECW members.

February 10:The PennyWise Fashion Show
By popular demand, we’re bringing back this charitable event. St. Mary’s parishioners and friends generously donate gently used and new fashionable clothing and accessories to our thrift store. Many donated items are so lovely that we are proud to showcase the quality of goods available in our shop; and what better way than to strut the runway, wearing boutique clothes that are affordable while having fun in the process! Proceeds from PennyWise are traditionally split between St. Mary’s Outreach Commission and the church general fund. Tickets for this event will go on sale in January.

March 12: Our Faith Journeys
Lent is the perfect time for us to share our life experiences through the prism of our faith in Jesus Christ. Volunteers will read the stories of their Christian walk to stimulate discussion from the group. Whether you choose to be a silent listener who is seeking or one who is ready to share, spoken participation is voluntary.

April 9: Hats in the Garden
St. Mary’s parishioners Linda and Steve Burdette are former owners of a thriving gardening business. They have volunteered and worked extensively on the Flora Linda Gardens at St. Mary’s, and will discuss ideas to replant and remake our garden space into a verdant oasis for contemplation and prayer. It’s a perfect way to try out your Easter bonnet and to welcome spring.

Some of Our Latest Blog Posts

NEW HORIZONS Vestry Report to the Congregation

NEW HORIZONS – SUPER KIDS CLUB (SKC) AT ST MARY’S

Vestry Report to the Congregation

After nearly 5 years, the New Horizons Super Kids Club will enjoy its last session in St. Mary’s Parish Life Center on May 11.  Current, former and potential future St. Mary’s tutors and speakers are invited to join the celebration at 3:45 that afternoon.

Clergy, vestry and congregation of St, Mary’s are proud to continue our support of New Horizons as it moves to new accommodations at Oak River Church, 10951 E. Terry St., (between Old 41 and Imperial).  The library provided by our congregation will move with the program, and the $11,524 designated in our Outreach account for New Horizons will be used for them.  Tutors are encouraged

By |April 29th, 2023|0 Comments

The Myths of Saint Patrick by David Bergquist

ST. PATRICK: The Conflation of Myth and Faith
The feast day for St. Patrick occurs this week, March 17th, and it is noteworthy for the way it is exuberantly celebrated in our secular society, with parades, parties, wearing green garments, drinking green beer, etc. So who was St. Patrick and why all the hoopla! And in terms of one’s faith and spirituality does the mythology that grows up around a particular figure from Church history actually enhance and enrich or, perhaps, cause doubt. For example, how do you reconcile the myth of driving all the snakes out of Ireland if there are no snakes to begin with, with the other achievements of St. Patrick’s ministry? Are they fact or fantasy? Indeed, perhaps the snakes could merely be

By |March 17th, 2023|1 Comment

INTERCESSORY PRAYER: A Way of Life at St. Mary’s Parish

The 17th Chapter of the Gospel according to St. John contains what is generally referred to as The Great Intercessory Prayer of Jesus wherein among several petitions he intercedes on behalf of his disciples. To quote: “I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours…but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” And in the Apostle Paul’s First Epistle to Timothy we read: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for everyone…so that we may

By |June 5th, 2021|1 Comment

TRINITY SUNDAY: Pondering the Impenetrable

This Sunday we observe the feast of the Trinity, the only major Christian festival that features a doctrine of our faith rather than an event in its sacred history. It has been a feast day in the Western Church since the ninth century and it celebrates the central mystery of our faith because the doctrine of the Trinity alone informs us who God is. To quote one source: “It is the mystery of God in himself.” And where does the unfolding of this mystery begin? Like the entire sweep of the biblical account of our salvation history it begins in Genesis when God says: “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness… .” In other words, in the beginning there was a pluralism

By |May 29th, 2021|0 Comments

PENTECOST: The Birth of the Church

In the Gospel according to St. Matthew (28:19) we read: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit….” This is known as the Great Commission. But how was it to be inaugurated and accomplished?

In biblical times there were several pilgrimage festivals a year in the Jewish tradition; the first of which was Passover, followed fifty days later by the Festival of Weeks. In Greek fiftieth translates as Pentecost. Consequently, fifty days (Pentecost) after Christ’s death and resurrection there was another occasion when Jews from around the Mediterranean area gathered in Jerusalem to observe a major religious and, in a sense, obligatory feast of their faith tradition. It is reasonably

By |May 21st, 2021|0 Comments

THE ASCENSION: The Exaltation of Christ

From the Gospel according to St. John (Chapter 16:7) we read: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”  With these words, spoken to his disciples, Jesus foretells of two post resurrection events that they will eventually experience: his ascension into Heaven to be “exalted at the right of God”; and the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The first of these events comes 40 days after Christ’s resurrection on Easter, and it is always a Thursday (indeed sometimes referred to as Holy Thursday); the second comes after 50

By |May 15th, 2021|0 Comments
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