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Photos: Parish Dinner on March 5 (2/3)

Special Music Sunday on March 14 at 10AM Service

Cantata BWV 106 - Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (God's Own Time is the Best of All) by J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

In celebration of the 325th anniversary of Bach's birth, the St. Mary's Adult Choir, soloists and guest instrumentalists will perform Cantata BWV 106 during the 10 a.m. service on Sunday, March 14.

This cantata, known as Actus tragicus, is an early composition, probably written by Bach in 1707 for his uncle's funeral. It is scored for two recorders, two violas da gamba and continuo. The text consists of Biblical passages and verses from existing hymns, addressing the theme of human mortality and, at the same time, reminding us of God's continuing presence with us.

During the first half of the 18th century, the most important form of Protestant church music was the cantata. Bach wrote cantatas for every Sunday of the Church Year, as well as for special services. The cantata was performed following the Gospel reading, either before or after the Sermon, as a sung proclamation of the Word of God. Cantata 106 will be performed as the musical centerpiece of our service on March 14. Please join us next Sunday for this special Lenten meditation in song.

--Kirsten Johnson

St. Mary's Update for Sunday, March 14, 2010

Sunday, March 14
8:00am Holy Eucharist Celebrant: The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
Preacher: Nick Gilbert
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5
and Middle School
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Special Music & Morning Prayer
Homily: The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first; (leave at 2nd hymn w/ teachers)
11:00am Coffee
11:30am Adult Forum - Lenten Study
Topic: Forgiveness
Child Care & activities for youth provided.
1:00am West Gallery
Monday, March 15
8:30am Yoga
8:00pm AA (6:30pm newcomers)
Tuesday, March 16
12:00pm MECA
7:30pm Vestry
Wednesday, March 17
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, March 18
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Friday, March 19
8:00am Yoga

Photos: Parish Dinner on March 5 (1/3)

Noah Francis Bullock New Director of Fundacíon Cristosal

Some of our parish members will remember Noah Bullock, who was with our 2008 mission trip in El Salvador and also visited St. Mary's last summer. Cristosal is a U.S. Episcopal Church Foundation focused on relief and development efforts in El Salvador.

"Noah Bullock was unanimously elected Director of Fundacíon Cristosal by the Board of Directors February 27th, 2010 in San Salvador.

"Noah holds an MA in Development from the University of Central America, San Salvador, and a BA with an emphasis in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Montana, Missoula.

"He has lived in El Salvador since 2005, engaged in community and parish development, sustainable agriculture projects, human rights advocacy, and health programs with the Episcopal Church. He developed El Centro Pastoral de Jiquilisco, the work of the Salvadoran Anglican Church in the Eastern Provinces from 2006-2009, living and working in rural communities comprised of relocated ex-combatants and displaced persons from El Salvador's civil war.

"In addition to his full time efforts on behalf of Fundacíon Cristosal, Noah is conducting a written and photographic project on poverty and development in El Salvador entitled "That a More Humane World Might Be," based in La Libertad province."

Good News: March 5, 2010

The Good News from March 5 is now available for download:

Good_News_2010_March_05.pdf

This issue includes the article "Roman Catholcism as Seen Through the Eyes of a Rabbi", adapted from a sermon preached by Rabbi Ron Weiss, St. Mary's Rabbi-in-Residence, on Sunday, February 28.

I think I should also say to you that one of the reasons I am proud to live in this area, aside of course, from St. Mary’s of which I am very proud, is because of St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, which is a close neighbor of yours, and because that church is the home of the Voice of the Faithful, an organization of Catholics who have attempted to move the larger Catholic church kicking and screaming into the 21st century. It’s difficult to tell yet what impact they have had, but they represent an aspect of the Roman church that allows us to know that the church is not monolithic, but in fact, like every religion that I am familiar with, it represents a spectrum running from highly conservative to ultra-liberal, with all the stops in between. As I say, this is true of every religion: Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, so that it makes it very difficult to speak in general terms of any religious tradition. One only needs as an example the Episcopal Church in Massachusetts or elsewhere in the US to see how wide is the spectrum, and how diverse is the make-up of your church.

Good News: February 26, 2010

The Good News from February 26 is now available for download:

Good_News_2010_February_26.pdf

This issue includes a special article on the state of the Anglican church in Zimbabwe, and our sister parish there, St. Luke’s in Greendale Parish, Harare, whose members were locked out of their church this past Christmas.

600 Posts!

We usually don't post self congratulatory materials, but we wanted to note that we have now posted 600 items in this blog in the its first two-and-a-half years of operation. Your editors have tried to make this blog relevant and timely, and keeping it up to date has been a major goal for us.

St. Mary's Calendar for Sunday, March 7, 2010

St. Mary's in 1937 (Historic American Buildings Survey Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer Sept. 9, 1937 (c) EXT.- FRONT & SIDE, LOOKING NORTH HABS MASS,9-NEWT,11-3)

Sunday, March 7
8:00am Holy Eucharist
Preacher & Celebrant: The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5
and Middle School
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist
Preacher & Celebrant: The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
K-3 Attend Church first; leave at 2nd hymn w/ teachers
11:00am Coffee
11:30am Adult Forum - Lenten Study
Topic: Prayer
Led by The Rev. Margaret Schwarzer.
Child Care & Activities for youth provided.
*Special Youth Activities for the Lenten Adult Forum Series
Supervised activities will be available downstairs while parents attend the special Lenten program in the Chapter Room. Care will be available from 11:15am - 12 noon. Marie Schlegel will offer extended childcare for the younger children. Older youth will have the choice of viewing a movie in the middle school classroom or participating in other supervised activities in the K-5 Sunday School rooms. Popcorn will be served!

Monday, March 8
8:30am Yoga
12:30pm Staff Meeting
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, March 9
7:00pm Stitch'n Chat at Kitty Smitih's
7:00pm NLF Group in Chapter Room
Wednesday, March10
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, March 11
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Friday, March 12
8:00am Yoga
1:30pm Organ Tuning (sanctuary in use)
Saturday, March 13
9:00am Special Music Rehearsal
1:00pm Vestry Retreat
Sunday, March 14
Daylight Saving Time - Turn clocks forward
Church School & Childcare as usual
8:00am Holy Eucharist
Celebrant: The Rev. Margaret Schwarzer
Preacher: Nick Gilbert
10:00am Holy Eucharist
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
11:30am Adult Forum - Lenten Study
Topic: Forgiveness
Led by The Rev. Margaret Schwarzer.

Childcare at 9:45 a.m.
Children are welcome to attend the church service with their parents or participate in childcare or Sunday school.

Photos: Youth Christian Ed (2 of 2)

Diocesan Global Mission Website and Mailing List

For those who are interested in global mission work (El Salvador, Haiti, and beyond), the Diocese of Massachusetts has a website and mailing list with information on activities at both the parish and diocesan level, maintained by the Rev. Ted Gaiser.