St Mary Anne's Church

Rooted in the past, reaching for the future

Thank you!

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Amanda Summers Marr knitted a beautiful nativity set for a special Christmas raffle in December. Larry Gibeck constructed a wooden stable to accompany the Nativity set.
Thanks to your generosity, and the skills of Amanda and Larry, the raffle raised $588.00! Proceeds from the raffle were given to St. Mary Anne’s String Studio, to help local school children with lessons and musical instruments.

Young Adult Gathering

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The Young Adult Gathering is reading Everybody Always: Becoming Love in a World of Setbacks and Difficult People by Bob Goff. The next meeting is, Monday, Jan 25th, 7-8 PM.
Our meeting time is still a work in progress so it may change based on participant availability. We will discuss chapter 4 & 5. If you have questions, contact Janice Flood jmflood45@gmail.com.
A summary of the book: What happens when we stop avoiding difficult people and simply love everyone? In his wildly entertaining and inspiring follow-up to the New York Times bestselling phenomenon Love Does, Bob Goff takes readers on a life-altering journey into the secret of living without fear, care, constraint, or worry. The path toward the outsized, unfettered, liberated existence we all long for is found in a truth as simple to say as it is hard to do: love people, even the difficult ones, without distinction and without limits. Driven by Bob’s trademark hilarious and insightful storytelling, Everybody, Always reveals the lessons Bob learned – often the hard way – about what it means to love without inhibition, insecurity, or restriction. From finding the right friends to discovering the upside of failure, Everybody, Always points the way to embodying love by doing the unexpected, the intimidating, the seemingly impossible. Everybody, Always reveals how we can do the same.

Annual Meeting Details

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Our restrictions on gathering (less than 50% capacity) impact our Annual Meeting and require us to be innovative this year. To achieve the required quorum numbers to vote for the mission budget, convention delegates, and the vestry election, we plan a combination Zoom meeting and in-person meeting in our Parish Center.
We need every adult parishioner to participate either online (by downloading Zoom) or by meeting in the Parish Center on Saturday, January 30 at 11AM.
Our bylaws dictate a quorum, or we must reschedule the meeting. So, please help us by participating that day.
We will attach electronic copies of the Annual Report closer to the meeting date. If you need to download Zoom, or have questions on the process, we are here to help. Call 410-287-5522.

Reopening to In-person Worship next Week

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We reopen for in-person worship beginning on Wednesday, January 20 at 10AM.
Sunday worship on January 24 is limited at this time to under 25, so reservations are required. Please contact the church office via email or call (410-287-5522) to make a reservation.
Confirmation class resumes next Sunday, Jan 24 at 9:30-10:30AM.

In Person Services

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Dear Parishioners,
Last week, I shared with you our decision to remain closed to in-person worship following the Bishop’s call for us to limit our worship to under 10.
After some additional discussion this week, the Bishop now encourages Diocesan clergy to use our own discretion about reopening to a maximum of 25 parishioners. We are to consider our county’s health department guidelines and our own efforts to maintain a safe worship space.
Clearly, this is a confusing time filled with lots of unknowns, viewpoints, suggestions and dictates, but I can assure you that we are proactive and cautious, do our homework, and do not take any unnecessary risks.
This week, I consulted with our local health department and discovered they currently advise local churches to gather at less than 50% capacity. I noticed that many nearby churches remain open at this reduced capacity.
In light of these findings, and our robust efforts to keep this church safe (the installation of an air purification system last summer, the use of the electrostatic sprayer between services, and all mandated protocols), I believe we can safely meet with the suggested maximum of 25 parishioners.
I discussed this decision with two local Episcopal colleagues, Henry Sabetti of Shrewsbury Parish and Darcy Williams of Emmanuel Church in Chestertown. They did their homework, too, and now plan to reopen to in-person worship gatherings.
So, beginning next week, let’s gather again for in-person worship on Wednesdays at 10AM and Sundays at 8 and 10AM. We require reservations for Sundays, so please contact the church office if you plan to attend either our 8 or 10AM worship.
If you have any symptoms, please do not attend church and consult your healthcare provider. We will continue with our online services for those who remain at home.
I remain optimistic for the day we will safely worship together at full capacity (about 120). As we work toward that goal, please know that I pray for your health and well-being and miss seeing you. Thank you for your flexibility and understanding during this time.
Blessings,
Fr. John

Service Times

Sunday 8:00AM: Rite II Service with Holy Eucharist

Sunday 10:00AM: Rite II Service with Holy Eucharist

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