Upcoming Service - Sunday, July 6

9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist
Preacher & Celebrant: Peter Chase
7:00pm Newton Country Players
rehearsal in Parish Hall

Sunday, June 29 at St. Mary's

Sunday, June 29
8:00am Holy Eucharist – Peter Chase
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist – Peter Chase
11:00am Punch-on-the-Lawn
7:00pm Newton Country Players
rehearsal in Parish Hall
Monday, June 30
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)

Punch-on-the-Lawn
We are in need of Punch-on-the-Lawn hosts for the
Month of July & August. Please see bulletin board for
sign-up.

El Salvador 2008: Update from St. Paul's

The following article appeared in a recent newsletter from St. Paul's in Natick:

"As I write these brief notes for St. Paul’s Reporter in the Miami Airport, I am surrounded by my fellow mission team members. Some members are trying to reach home, others resting, others talking about trip. As has been the norm someone is trying to help someone with something……

"This moment, this time is typical of our week together. Our time on this trip has been defined by relationships; our relationship with the team; the staff of the Salvadoran Diocese; the parishes of Santa Maria Virgen; and San Marcos Communidad.

"The two tangible goals of our week were to reconnect with the members of Santa Maria Virgen (St. Mary’s sister parish) and help build a road for the village of San Marcos. Well, we toiled and sweated with the villagers of San Marcos to build over 100 feet of new concrete road directly in front of the village church. We attended two services with the members of Santa Maria Virgen and helped them clean and mow a field. I am not sure if this is the correct term since we used machetes to do the mowing. Judging by the bear hug from Padro Julio, Rector of Santa Maria Virgen, and the warm handshakes and gentler hugs from other members — we reconnected.

"Our group also achieved a more intangible goal — that of gaining a greater understanding and sense of communion with each other and the people of El Salvador. This goal became more realized everyday as the memories piled up and began to tell a story. There was; the laughter and patience of the group on the long drive to and from the work site; the site of the children of the village shovel and lifting the rocks in San Marcos; listening to Daniela, their Dioceses doctor, explain how the diocese runs medical and dental clinics in some of the poorest villages in the country; the celebrations of masses in both English and Spanish; the long discussions with Vince, the diocesan’s man-about town, who patiently explained the difficult recent history (civil war and gang violence, and earthquakes); and even visiting our driver’s Arcielo’s, father’s grave- who was killed by government soldiers during a protest at the start of the civil war.

"If you would like to learn more about our trip you can come to our September presentation (date TBA) or better yet catch up with me, Mary Erickson, Joan Hellmuth, Sandy Hall or The Rev. Mark Mckone-Sweet at coffee hour. But be careful though after talking with us you maybe next!"

- Ron Burns
Missioner to El Salvador

Minutes, May 2008 Vestry Meeting

At the May 2008 Vestry meeting, it was decided to make minutes from the Vestry meetings available on the website. (There may be minor edits to protect privacy or sensitive information.) As minutes from a meeting need to be reviewed and approved at the next meeting, it will be 45 to 60 days after a meeting before minutes are posted.

Please direct any questions to our wardens, Paul Pyzowski and Mary Green.

Here are the minutes from the May 2008 Vestry Meeting:

Vestry_Minutes_2008_May_20.pdf

Outreach_Report_2008_May_20.pdf

Outreach_Disbursements_2008_May_20.pdf

Weekly Update: June 22, 2008

Sunday, June 22
8:00am Holy Eucharist
Celebrant & Preacher: The Reverend Gwen Buehrens
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist
Celebrant & Preacher: The Reverend Gwen Buehrens
11:00am Punch-on-the-Lawn
4:00pm Episcopal Mission Group meets in Parish Hall (Ted Gaiser)
7:00pm Newton Country Players Rehearsal in Parish Hall

Please Note:
The church office will be closed on Monday June 22 and reopen on Thursday, June 25.

Punch on the Lawn
We are in need of Punch-on-the-lawn hosts. We are in need for hosts for July 6, 20, 27 for the month of July. Please see bulletin board for sign-up. Thanks for your help!

Summer Services
We will have one Holy Eucharist service at 10:00am starting on July 6. The 8:00am services will resume in September.

Esperanza Academy on CBS News

One of beneficiaries of St. Mary's outreach - the Esperanza Academy in Lawrence, Massachusetts - was recently featured on the CBS Evening News.

St. Mary's has contributed to Esperanza for the past several years, and the founding head of school - Laurie Bottiger - visited St. Mary's several years ago. Laurie and the people of Christ Church in Andover were behind the founding of the school.

Photos: Annual Picnic, Acolytes, Sunday School

Today was our Annual Picnic, which we held inside due to the rain.

Today is also the Sunday we honor our twenty five acolytes, as well as the last day of Sunday school until September.

We especially thank
- Tim Green and Elisabeth Rippey for overseeing the acolyte program
- Our Sunday school teachers: Jeff Hughes, Joanne Flatley, and Susan Walko
- Stephan Braun and Dan Leonard for organizing the annual picnic

Good News: June 11, 2008

The Good News from April 28 is available for download:

Good_News_2008_June_11.pdf

This issues includes an extensive article written by Tim Green on St. Mary's recent mission trip to El Salvador and our sister parish Santa Maria Virgen, as well as an update on the situation in Zimbabwe and our sister parish, St. Luke's.

St. Mary's Update for Sunday, June 15

Sunday, June 15
8:00am Holy Eucharist - Peter Chase
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist - Peter Chase
10:00am CGSI & II
11:00am Middle school Class
11:00am Coffee Hour and & Poetry
read by Sunday School in Parish Hall.
Church picnic after the 10:00am service
Monday, June 16
>8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, June 17
7:30pm Vestry Meeting

Letter from Bishop Martin Barahona

[The following is an email I received from Bishop Martin Barahona, Bishop of El Salvador and Primate of Central America. It is edited slightly for clarity. - Paul]

Dear Paul:

Really I am very much impressed by the love and commitment that Saint Mary’s people have for the people of El Salvador. Thank you very much for your testimony in this last visit, the work in San Marcos [the site of our road construction project], and for your relationship with Santa Maria Virgen in San Bartolo.

Here is the report of the six computers you brought with us
- One to Father Julio Rivera at Santa Maria Virgen
- One to Reverend Amy Zuniga for the school at San Andres church
- One to Cain Hidalgo who is a Lay Missionary in Bajo Lampa, Usulutan
- One to Elizabeth Barahona who work in the psychology program for the young people at risk
- One for Father German Lopez Elias, who works in San Marcos, Izalco, as he did not have a computer at the church.
- The last one with me, because I didn't have one for my own use.

Please explain to the people of Saint Mary’s that we will use them thinking of the generosity of all of you, and say to them that the Bishop of El Salvador did not have computer before but now does thanks to the members of Saint Mary's.

We already received the additional $700.00 to continue the road construction work in San Marcos.

If you have any question please do not hesitate to ask. The relationship between Saint Mary’s and the Diocese of El Salvador will continue with even more enthusiasm.

In Christ,

The Most Rev Martin Barahona


Note on the computers: We received donations of eight computers, and were able to take six with us as checked luggage on our flights. We will send the remaining two computers to El Salvador with a Diocesan youth trip in August.

Photos: WSM Outing at Pickity Place, Mason, NH

Photos: Celebration of Music, June 1, 2008

Sunday, June 8 at St. Mary's Episcopal Church

9:45am Childcare
8:00am Holy Eucharist - Peter Chase
10:00am Holy Eucharist - Peter Chase
11:00am Adult Forum on El Salvador Mission Trip
1:00pm (Use of Parish Hall - Bruce Randall - West Gallery Music)
2:00pm Walking Tour of Churchyard led by Beverly Hurney and Sponsored by Jackson Homestead
7:00pm (Use of Parish Hall - Rehearsal for Newton Country Players)