St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church
Our Vision: To be a community… Real. Rooted. Relevant.
Our Purpose: To follow Jesus Christ so that we will be His hands and feet in the world.
The Call
November, 2023
A Message from Fr. Larry
A Month to Remember
Zakhor is the word in Hebrew that means ‘remember’. It is a very rich word, and also implies that we are not to forget. It appears many times in the Hebrew scriptures and was often on the lips of the Prophets. “Remember who you are, and whose you are”, they would often say.
In Jewish spirituality, it is lived out both in private prayer and in communal ritual.
November has been a month of remembrance in the Christian community for centuries. We remember those who have walked in faith before us on All Saints Day. We remember those in our lives who have died, and we recall with love on All Souls Day. Even the celebration of Thanksgiving has a sense of remembering the many blessings we have in our lives.
Very importantly, this sense of remembering is not simply a sense of nostalgia. In Jewish and Christian spirituality, when we remember – somehow the event or person being recalled is present to us once again. Every Sunday, when we gather for the Eucharist, the Presider says, “We remember on the night before He was handed over to suffering and death….”. Later, “Do this in remembrance of me” is proclaimed.
When we do that, we are not simply recalling the Last Supper – we are experiencing the Last Supper now – in our midst again. That is the deep meaning of ‘remembering’ in our spirituality.
As we move into the month of November, I pray that you may remember those who have walked before us in faith, remember those in your life who have died and are still loved, and remember those blessings that we celebrate at Thanksgiving.
Blessings,
Larry Ehren+
On October 22, your vestry met and discussed the following:
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The Finance Commmittee will be meeting Monday evening, October 23, to discuss the Pledge drive and budgeting for 2024.
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Fr. Larry, as a member of the Standing Committee of the Diocese, reported that Regina and Brock have been named to the Selection Committee for the next Bishop.
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Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday. We will have Morning Prayer via Zoom at 10:30 and one in-person service that day starting with carols at 7 PM and the servuce at 7:30. There will be no service on Sunday, December 25.
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Four raised beds have been set up in the Community Garden. Produce grown in the Garden will go to Heart-n-Hand in Belton. Sarah Hirtzel is heading ths effort.
Minutes of the September vestry meeting are at this link.
Pay off Principal- a Great Start!
If you’ve ever been moved by the Spirit to show your appreciation for a special blessing God has given you- an anniversary, a landmark birthday, the birth of a grandchild- the envelopes in the Narthex are for you. We’ve launched a “Pay off Principal” drive to reduce our mortgage balance. We’ve already collected over $16,000. Given the likelihood that interest rates will rise before we have to refinance in a couple of years, your gifts will have an even bigger impact.
This will be an ongoing effort to encourage year-round awareness of stewardship as one way to give from what God has given us. Please take an envelope home so you can add donations to the offertory plate when you’re moved to do so. No amount is too small!
Remembering Loved Ones on All Saint’s Day
In honor of All Saint’s Day… when you sign the Book of Remembrance in the narthex for All Saint’s Day, we will use the list to also plant bulbs in your loved one’s memory. This will take place in the Memorial Garden on November 12th after church. Anyone who would like to help plant the bulbs is welcome.
Learn to Keep Your Kids (and Yourself) Safe On-Line
Pledge Reminder
As we return to work and to school, it’s a good time to check on whether or not you’re current on your 2023 pledge. Our expenses do NOT go on vacation! To see your pledge status, log into Aplos at this link. Check with Cyndi if you need to get access to Aplos.
The search for a new Bishop has begun! If an appropriate slate of candidates has been identified, the new Bishop will be elected at the November, 2024 Convention.
A detailed description of the process, potential time line and the work of the three Committees involved (Search, Transition and Consecration) is here. The link includes an application form for anyone who wants to be a part of the process. If you are interested in serving or wish to nominate someone, the deadline is October 1.
The New Spirit is published every two weeks. Read the latest issue here.
Dates to Remember
November 19: Bishop’s Visit. Bishop Diane will preach at the service and answer Q&A during coffee hour following the service. She’s witty, straightforward and well-informed so you’re bound to learn something new! She’ll meet with the vestry afterwards.
November 30: On-Line Safety Workshop directed to parents, 7 PM at the church. If you suspect your children or grandchildren know more about social networking than you do, this workshop will help you keep them out of harm’s way. Free-will offering will be taken.
On-Line Training: We Especially Need a Sunday School Team!
If you’re involved in any kind of ministry at St. Mary Magdalene (and most of you are!), the Diocese strongly recommends the “Safe Churches, Safe Communities” series of on-line modules. Each can be covered in 15 minutes or less. Everyone- Chalice Ministers, Lay Readers, Acolytes, Vestry members, people with a key to the church, Sunday School teachers, etc.- needs to be educated on risks and risk mitigation to keep God’s people safe.
As we think about how to attract young families, having Sunday School is key. For this effort in particular, we need a team of people who can be “on call” if there are children in the congregation who want to be in Sunday School. You won’t be put on a schedule but if you’re in church and there are kids in Sunday school you’d be asked if you can serve. All you need to do to prepare is to go over the readings in the Bulletin and lead a discussion on one. There are plenty of supplies in the classroom for recreation and crafts afterwards! We require two adults for Sunday School so you’ll have help. Please let the clergy or any vestry member know if you’re interested.
If you haven’t started these courses, contact Cyndi and she’ll set up an account for you.
Women‘s Book Club
On November 6 we will discuss Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.
Daughters of the King
Daughters of the King meets the third Sunday of the month in Education Room right after church. If you’re interested, please contact Cyndi Troyer.
God and Guinness November 17
God and Guinness Night at Conroy’s
Please join us for a fun gathering of fellowship, drinks, and food.
Contact Rich Koch 913-707-0148 or koch0520@sbcglobal.net for questions or information.
KC for Refugees
A few years ago we opened up the basement of the House of Grace to KC for Refugees, an organization that provides support for newly-arrived refugees from war-torn countries. They’re in need of all the basic necessities. You can help by filling a reusable bag with supplies shown below and placing them on the table by the Family Rest Room in the narthex.
Heart-n-Hand Ministries
Heart-N-Hand Ministries, right here in Belton, serves the homeless as well as others just needing a hand up. At their website, www.heartnhand.org, there is always a current list of donated items they are seeking.
Heart-N-Hand would also appreciate volunteers to assist in their Thrift Store, Monday-Saturday; the store hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For for more information, please contact Alexis Butterfield, Executive Director, at 816-322-1133 or 417-551-2470. Her e-mail is alexisjbutterfield@gmail.com.
Here’s the latest list of items they need most. Donations can be left in the Narthex.
New tax information: Missouri residents who donate money to a food bank can claim a 50% credit on their Missouri taxes for their donations. They must get Form MO-FPT from the organization. Heart n Hand makes it easy; if you donate through their web site you can request it when you make your donation.
Canned meals like Chili, Ravioli, Spaghetti-O’s, stew (pop top preferred)
Pancake Mix Eggs
Pork & beans Crackers
Refried beans Ready to eat Soup
Spaghetti sauce White rice
Boxed mashed potatoes Baking goods: Flour, Sugar, cooking oil
Peanut Butter Grape Jelly
Canned chicken, ham, or pork Canned fruit
Condiments Powdered milk
Fresh produce Meat ( ground beef, ground turkey)
Lunch meats Cheese
Juice Dressing
Baby wipes Dish soap
Toilet paper Paper towels
Household cleaning products Shampoo and conditioner
Tampons and pads Kleenex
Here is a link to items you can order from Amazon
We collected 21 units of blood at our September 7 Drive!
Our Next Blood Drive will be Wednesday, November 15 from 2 PM to 6 PM.
Our first drive of 2024 will be on Thursday, January 25.
We still need plastic bags to make mats for the homeless. If you’d like to learn how to crochet them, contact Regina at berensregina@gmail.com.
Single Moms KC needs clothing for women and children and full-size toiletries.
Missouri Puppy Mill Rescue needs bleach and Lysol multi-surface cleaner.
The Call
We are still looking for another person to create The Call every other month (alternating with Regina). It can be done gradually as you get announcements of events, etc. Many other items are provided by others and you just have to incorporate them with some pretty straightforward “drag-and- drop” software. Please let Regina know if you are interested.
Events
We need someone to take over co-ordination of church events — the earlier, the better so Denise can show you how it works. Please contact her if this interests you.
More About Us
St. Mary Magdalene offers in-person Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m. We are also live streaming the service for those who prefer to join us from home, on our YouTube channel at this link.
If you have a family illness or a personal concern, please contact the church office at 816-331-2222 and leave a voicemail.
We miss you when you cannot participate in church, and we want to know when one of our members can be comforted from a pastoral visit, being added to our prayer list, or by receiving communion at home.
If you have a family illness or a personal concern, please contact the church office at 816-331-2222 and leave a voicemail.
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St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church | 16808 Holmes Rd., Belton, MO 64012
(816) 331-2222 | http://www.marymag.com
