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Tulip Field

Photograph by Albert Dros

A Beautiful Easter Holy Week and Easter at Saint Mary's

We have much to be grateful for at Saint Mary's. A heart-felt thank you to everyone who worked to make our Holy Week journey and Easter services so very special. We are grateful to Father Scott, and Pastor Russ for offerring so many opportunities for worship. Thank you also to Dr. Mark Lawlor and the phenomenal Saint Mary's Choir. We were treated to beautiful soloists and talented musicians throughout the week.

Thank you also to the Altar Guild and Flower Guild who worked so hard to beautify our sanctuary and to all of our devoted liturgical participants. We appreciate you all.

Please be sure to share any pictures you may have taken over the course of Holy Week and Easter with Allison at community@stmarys-church.org.

Thank you!

A Special Offering for Easter Continues..

This year Saint Mary's Special Good Friday and Easter Offering is designated to support the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza.  Click here to learn more about their critical work among the people in this war-torn area of the Middle East.

Last Fall, several weeks after the October 7 deadly attack on Israel by Hamas, Saint Mary's Outreach Committee allocated a gift in the amount of $5,000 to the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, designated for Ahli Arab Hospital. We have attached to this email a copy of Archbishop Naoum's letter of thanks for our congregation's generosity. 

As you read his heartfelt letter you will discover that, miraculously, Ahli Hospital has remained open throughout the months since the attack. The only hospital known to be currently operating in Northern Gaza, it has continued to provide critical relief to anyone who is in need of its services. As of late February, this 80-bed hospital was treating over 300 people per day.

Checks to support the Special Offering should be made payable to Saint Mary's Church, with "Ahli Hospital" in the memo field. All cash and non-pledge offerings collected will be will be sent to the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and designated to support the work of the Ahli Arab Hospital. We will continue to receive contributions for this special offering until April 15, 2024.

Images from Ahli Arab Hospital, Gaza City

Author Talk at Sturgis

One of our own parishioners, Alexander Theroux, will be presenting at Sturgis Library on Tuesday April 30, 2024 at 5:30 PM. Alexander Theroux will be discussing his newest book, Cape Cod Tales, which presents the stories of three nineteenth century Cape Codders: Horatio Rock, Austin Paper and Jacob Scissors. We hope you can attend. Click here for Sturgis Library's calendar of events.

Creation Care Column

In honor of the upcoming Earth Day, Pastor Russ has shared a beautiful reflection on the very nature of our relationship with the earth for the Creation Care Column this month. Please click here to read more.

Another member of our Creation Care Ministry, Amy Crocker is sharing these monthly creation justice sheets for action ideas or reflections that corresponds with the liturgical/seasonal calendar. Click on the image below for the April ideas.

Pastoral Care

This month your Pastoral Care team is sharing an article on the 7 Secrets of Super Agers from AARP magazine. Here is a link to the article. or click here for a PDF version.

Thank you.

Lutheran and Episcopalian Friends

We continue to build our collaboration and friendship with the First Lutheran Church in West Barnstable. You are invited to participate in the following regular meetings at First Lutheran Church:

• Tuesdays - Silent Meditation Group meets at 12pm 
• Wednesday Nights - Sacred Journey (Via Sacre) Worship Service. Potluck Supper at 6:00 PM and Worship at 7:00 PM
• Our next "Friends Meeting" is May 7 at Saint Mary's if you would like to join.

Learn more about everything that is happening at First Lutheran Church by visiting their website.

Coming Events

Please note as our Movie Theology Series continues the movie time is switching back to 3:00 PM in the afternoon. We hope you all will join us on April 14th for a wonderful film, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Please click here to read a full description of the film.

The 60^th Annual Daffodil Tea – Saturday, April 20th

Volunteers needed for the Daffodil Tea



This year’s Tea will be held on Saturday, April 20 at 1pm. 

It takes many hands to make the Daffodil Tea the lovely experience that it is for our guests and to maintain the excellent Cape-wide reputation that this annual tea has acquired over the past six decades. This wonderful event would not be possible without the hard work of many volunteers. 

There are many ways you can help – prepping mixtures for tea sandwiches on Thursday. & Friday., creating tea sandwiches and serving trays on the day of the Tea, as a member of the kitchen crew, ironing tablecloths, arranging and setting the tables, making simple flower arrangements for the tables, welcoming and seating our guests, serving delicious food and tea as a member of the wait staff, directing traffic in the parking lot, serving as a member of the crack clean-up crew in the kitchen and Walden Hall.

A sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board in the Sunroom for those wanting to participate in this very special Saint Mary’s event.

Outreach and Volunteering

The Garden Committee is looking for new members!

Spring has sprung! Our first official Saturday garden work day is April 14th. Wouldn't you rather be playing in the dirt with friends than doing your taxes? All are welcome! You don't need to be an experienced or knowledgable gardener as we can pair you up with a mentor. We will be working hard to be sure the gardens look beautiful for the upcoming Daffodil Tea weekend when we have lots of visitors strolling through our gardens.

Seeking Tea Pots

Angels' Treasures is seeking donations for a special Spring display during the Daffodil Tea. Angels’ Treasures Thrift Shop will be open for business the day of the Tea. We hope that many of our guests will come to the shop. We would like to create a display of tea-related and seasonal items for sale. We are requesting donations of new and “vintage” items such as teapots, teacups & saucers, cozies, creamers & sugar holders, tableware, fancy aprons, fancy plates – dinner size & dessert size, lace of any type or size, knick knacks, and most anything with a daffodil design. Handmade notes cards and artwork would be especially welcome and sure to be a hit with our guest shoppers. 

If you have items that you would like to donate, please bring them to Angels’ Treasures Thrift Shop during business hours, Wed.-Sat., 10am-3pm. Please contact me if you have any questions jumschlag1@gmail.com, 508-362-9519 or see me at the shop or in Church.

Many thanks,

Janis Umschlag, Daffodil Tea Committee

In-reach Volunteer Opportunities

Angels' Treasures Volunteer Staff

contact Janis Umschlag

Angels' Treasures Social Media Marketing

contact Allison Bresette

Video Streamers

contact Allison Bresette

Outreach

Out-reach Volunteer Opportunities

Saint Mary's has a long-time relationship with Habitat for Humanity. Many of our parishioners are very involved with the agency and out Outreach Committee supports their good work with financial gifts. Habitat continues to work hard to address the affordable housing crises on the Cape. They are always looking for more volunteers to join in the fight and in particular they are looking for volunteers to help them spread the word about all of their programs and opportunities. Are you willing to distribute fliers around the Cape? Please see their request for volunteers below:

Street Team Wanted

We are seeking volunteers to help distribute flyers about various events and programs throughout the Cape. This could be to businesses and organizations you already visit or to introduce you to a new part of beautiful Cape Cod.

If you can help us, please get in touch with Volunteer & Community Relations Manager Sandra Harrison at sandra@habitatcapecod.org and 508-362-3559 x28.

A "Wopila!" from the Sicangu Lakota, Oyate, the people of the Rosebud Reservation.

Please click here to read a lovely thank you note from The Rev. Canon Dr. Lauren R. Stanley, Canon to the Ordinary serving at The Rosebud Episcopal Mission in Pierre South Dakota.

Dennis & Wellfleet Homeownership

Applications Are Now Available

Application Submission Deadline: Monday, May 13, 2024

Applications are available at:

• Online at the Habitat Cape Cod’s website, click here.
• Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod’s office: 411 Main Street (Route 6A), Suite 6, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675
• Dennis Public Library, 5 Hall St. Dennis Port
• Wellfleet Public Library, 55 West Main St. Wellfleet
• Or call to have a paper application mailed to you: 508-362-3559 (Habitat Cape Cod office)

 Applicants are strongly urged to attend one of the in-person or virtual Zoom Habitat Cape Cod Application/Information Workshops for prospective buyers. More information is available here.

If you have any questions, please contact Family Programs Manager Mary Ann Mills-Lassiter at maryann@habitatcapecod.org, applications@habitatcapecod.org, or call 508-362-3559 x21.

Angels Treasures is on Facebook!

If you are on facebook please take a peak at our Angels' Treasures Facebook page. We will try to keep the feed fresh with photos and information highlighting the constantly changing inventory. Please check out our Facebook Page Here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553985862261

LIKE It, FOLLOW us and SHARE it with friends near and far. We will not be selling items online yet but we will be marketing them to help spread our reach. Thank you for helping us with this mission.

Supporting Our Church

Legacy Giving

1891 Society members help grow our endowment which in turn, supports Saint Mary’s community outreach, contributes to key programs and protect the church from unanticipated adverse financial circumstances. Most importantly, the commitment from members of the 1891 Society, empowers future generations of Saint Mary's parishioners to make visible the extraordinary light that comes from God.

In each monthly newsletter, we plan to hear from current members of the 1891 Society about what becoming a legacy donor to Saint Mary's has meant to them personally.

Recognizing Our 1891 Society Members

A Note From Marian Ferguson

When I was thinking of who or what I wanted to support after I am gone, immediately two beneficiaries came to mind: Gitta, the babysitter I relied on while raising four children should receive a significant bonus, and St. Mary’s church should be able to rely on income from me after I’m gone.

Gitta, now a young mother, will be surprised. She’s been to our children’s graduations and weddings, but I doubt she knows the extent of her role in my life as a mother and how deeply I appreciate it.

St. Mary’s church will not be surprised. This has been my spiritual home for nearly twenty years. Many of the parishioners who greeted me have died; their investment in St. Mary’s both in dollars and in their volunteer work remain as the foundation of our community.

I will no longer be able to give of my time, but I want to be able to continue to give to St. Mary’s after I am gone. A bequest in my will to St. Mary’s endowment will perpetuate my pledge. The income from that bequest will help to support St. Mary’s operating budget as my pledge has — my appreciation of St. Mary’s will live on!

Please click here to read the Vestry minutes from the February 2024 meeting. Please note that minutes are not published until approved at the subsequent Vestry meeting.