Dominican Republic Mission Trip "Stock Option"

One of our High School Youth, Katelyn Ellsworth is taking a mission trip with our diocese to the Dominican Republic in July. She is raising funds after Sunday's services during coffee hour. She is selling ”stocks” on her trip for $25 each. To buy a “stock”, she needs your phone number, name, email, and a check for the amount of money or donation directed to James or Rebecca Ellsworth. By buying these “stocks”, you become a “shareholder” in her trip. In August, the kids who go on the trip prepare a Dominican meal, and share pictures and stories from their trip, the “shareholders” who purchased “stocks” are invited to this event.

Special Collection for June and Tornado Relief Info

Volunteer Dates: June 8, 11, 22 & 25 times listed below

After a natural disaster, it's common for there to be a surge of help and interest, followed by a steep drop-off. Our Outreach Committee is challenging St Augustine's to be part of the continuing community strength that can step into that gap and continue efforts to help, in the following ways.

• Please pray regularly for all those affected by the storms, and all those working for their recovery, that God can comfort the afflicted and inspire the strong to work together for our community's restored wholeness.
• Our June special Outreach collection will be dedicated to tornado and flood relief through a fund that has been established by COPE, our local outreach partner. COPE has also committed to applying such relief to all those affected, both in and beyond their usual operations area through west Douglas County. Talk to Rhonda Vest (parish COPE rep) or Julie Pendegraft (Outreach Chair) for info!
• Donate needed goods. High-demand items right now are new linens and kitchen items including utensils, toasters and coffee makers, and as always, food. There isn't much extra space, so cash and gift cards are needed as well. You can always check Facebook to see what most needed items are before you head out to purchase! COPE (20601 Elkhorn Drive, Sat, 10-2). The Furniture Project (10808 J Street, M-Fri 10-3, Sat 10-1) for good-condition furniture – review their website for examples, or contact Mike and Mary Ferzely-Mullen via email, or call Mary's cell 678-525-3214 for info!
• Volunteer with COPE. COPE regularly has volunteer shifts that can be accessed on their website, and Julie Pendegraft as our outreach chair has scheduled some particular times for us to go and help together as a church. Please be sure to save these dates and meet us at the COPE building(address above).

-Saturday June 8, 10 AM-12 PM

-Tuesday June 11, 12 PM-2 PM

-Saturday June 22, 12 PM-2 PM

-Tuesday June 25 10 AM-12 PM

In May we raised $903.00 for Christian Outreach Program of Elkhorn (COPE). A big thank you to everyone!

Youth Summer Save the Dates

We are coming so near the end of our Sunday School Year! Below are some dates to note.

Sunday, June 23 will be our first Kid Craft Day. We will meet at 10:20-passing of the peace

Friday, July 12 Youth Pride(We will give details as soon as we have them)

Sunday, July 28 Kid Craft Day 10:20-passing of the peace

July 15-19 Camp Canterbury(Registration open now, see separate announcement)

Sunday, August 11 Backpack Blessing

Sunday, August 18 Kick off Sunday

Sunday, September 8 First Day of Sunday School

All Saints is having Vacation Bible School July 8-10, our youth have been invited to join them. For more information about helping their team with VBS or registering your child, please contact Kate and she can get you more information.

Registration is Open for Camp Canterbury

Registration for Camp Canterbury is open! The theme for camp is Holy Misfits: We'll be hearing stories of unlikely people that God called into the story of God's people, and celebrating our gathered misfits as well!

Registration is first-come, first-served.

Questions may go to our camp director, The Rev. Ben Varnum. This year, we also want to let families and youth know we'll have campers check-in any cell phones they bring to help us be in the moment at camp. Phones will be locked up and returned to campers at Thursday rest hour.

Campers should arrive July 15 at 3pm, and pickup is July 19 at noon. Adults interested in being counselors should contact our camp director. Please keep camp in your prayers as we prepare for another great year!

If you would like to register at Church on Sunday, there will be a table set up in the Parish Hall. There will be two QR Codes, one will take you to register a camper, the other will take you to register as a camp counselor.

Pride Mass at St. A's!

Thursday, July 11, 6:30 PM

This year, in addition to opportunities to join our diocese at the downtown parade on Saturday, June 13, and Trinity Cathedral's annual mass on Wednesday, June 10, we're going to hold a Pride Mass at St Augustine's. This celebration is a way of living out our baptismal covenant's vow to "Respect the Dignity of Every Human Being," (you can find the vows on page 305 of the Book of Common Prayer!), and to take one particular moment in the year to celebrate people who have often been excluded and harmed by church communities in other times, or often still are in other places today. In the face of that exclusion, we will offer the simple tools of our steady faith: readings from scripture, preaching and teaching about God's love and hope for us, and the feast of Christ's sacramental Eucharist table, with our usual broad invitation that all who feel called by the Spirit may come forward and receive Holy Communion or a blessing. You are certainly welcome to bring friends for whom this service might be particularly meaningful.

Education for Ministry

The Diocese of Nebraska offers Education for Ministry (EfM), a 4-year study for adults, meets for 36 meetings per year via Zoom.  This Zoom-based group serves primarily Western and West Central Nebraska plus churches that do not have an EfM group.  The co-mentors are Sandra Squires at sandra.k.squires76@gmail.com and Tammy Lassen at kittykatlassen64@gmail.com.  

The day of group meetings will be announced once our group is formed.  The cost for a full year of tuition is $355 or about $10 per session.  Individuals are responsible for buying their own books, but a Reading and Resource Guide for EfM is included in tuition costs. 

Anyone with questions, can ask Sandra or contact her at the email above or 402-536-9781.

Veteran Remembrance

write up by Jim Keepers

St. Augustine has a number of parishioners who have relatives that proudly served our country but are now deceased. So let us not forget these individuals. 

The White Cross located in our church’s 30^th Anniversary Garden was dedicated last year to all deceased family veterans of St. Augustine members.

If you have a related deceased veteran by birth or marriage, please pass along the names of this individual to Jim Keepers along with the following information: their branch of service, there rank, length of service and their relations to you. A photographic of this individual would be great. Jim is compiling a record of these individuals.