St Mary Anne's Church

Rooted in the past, reaching for the future

Diocesan & Bishop Announcement

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Dear Friends in Christ,
In this time when circumstances change from day to day, we Episcopal bishops of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC have conferred with each other in order to share our best wisdom with you. We know that we are better together during this stressful time, and at all times.
We urge everyone in our congregations to abide by the stay-at-home orders of our civic leaders. The orders make provisions for essential businesses and workers, and they provide mandatory guidelines for individuals and groups.
We have consulted with the offices of Governor Hogan, Governor Northam, and Mayor Bowser regarding the practice of live-streaming or recording services in our houses of worship. All three jurisdictions allow for such offerings provided that:
  • No more than 10 persons are present in-person for any service.
  • Those participating are not at high-risk for contracting the coronavirus. We are especially concerned for our elder clergy who, in love for their congregations, might take risks. We urge the elders and those with health issues to exercise wisdom and restraint.
  • Physical distance of six feet or more is maintained at all times, with hands washed and surfaces cleaned.
Within these parameters, Episcopal churches within our dioceses may offer live-stream or recorded services from our church buildings. This permission does not extend to any other gatherings in our church buildings or grounds, other than on site work by a limited number of church employees necessary for administrative services that cannot be performed remotely. These persons must rigorously observe mandated safety practices.
We fully support clergy and appropriate lay leaders who choose to live-stream or record worship from their homes. In this time when visits to hospitals and other facilities are limited, we urge you to offer pastoral care to people in those facilities via phone or other electronic means.
Should stricter guidelines be mandated in the future, we will adjust accordingly. For now, we will plan our Holy Week and Easter observances with the assurance of Christ’s presence with us and in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection.
The Rt. Rev. Santosh Marray, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Easton; The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Washington; The Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia;
The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson, Assistant Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia; The Rt. Rev. Susan E. Goff, Bishop Suffragan and Ecclesiastical Authority, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia; The Rt. Rev. Susan Haynes, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia;The Rt. Rev. Robert Ihloff, Assisting Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Maryland;
The Rt. Rev. Chilton Knudsen, Assisting Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Washington; The Rt. Rev. Eugene Sutton, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Maryland

Important message from Fr. John

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March 17, 2020

Loved Ones,
Today, my fellow clergy and I had a phone conference with Bishop Santosh Marray. To combat the Coronovirus, and minimize its spread, our Diocese will follow the recommendations of the CDC and the Governor, and will not hold church services for the next eight weeks. In addition, church activities and meetings are canceled.

Sadly, these restrictions will encompass our Holy Week activities and our Easter celebration. As your priest, I am heartsick that we cannot celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ with each other.

Unfortunately, we must cancel our 23rd Annual Garden Market, too.

These recent developments require us to be innovative with how we worship, pray and care for each other during this turbulent time. We have already begun some new strategies:

  •  I have recorded two audio services: Evening and Morning Prayer. I will work with Fr. Sam to record additional prayer services in the weeks to come. Click on the links to hear them.
    I am exploring ways to record Sunday services too, so you can listen to weekly worship from the comfort and safety of your home.
  • The church is now open during daylight hours. We provide a listing of psalms that you can use in conjunction with The Book of Common Prayer. Hand gel and wipes are provided to sanitize your hands when you visit. Please use our church and churchyard as your refuge and a place for quiet prayer and solace. We ask that you social distance from others that may be present. Please contact your physician and remain at home if you are showing symptoms.
  • We have turned off the big spot lights on the church at night to save on energy and reduce costs during this time. Instead, throughout the evening and night, we turn on a sanctuary light at a low glow, so passerby’s will remember that the Light of Christ is always present in their lives–as is St. Mary Anne’s.
  • We will continue with our weekly Enews. Sure, there will be less to report but it is vital to remain connected about recent parish developments.
  • We look for new ways to safely distribute food from our Outreach Office.
    We have a Parish Hotline available to parishioners: 410-287-5522. Please call and leave a message if you need prayer or assistance; or if another parishioner is in need. We will check the phone periodically during the day and return your call, ASAP. For pastoral emergencies only, please call 410-919-8231.
  • We have begun work on a Parish Prayer Chain using our weekly prayer list. Details will be forthcoming.
  • We are exploring safe ways to distribute the Eucharist to all.

Additional challenges and opportunities will be revealed in the weeks to come. In the meantime, please,

  • Reach out to each other in a safe manner.
  • Continue to open email correspondences from us, so you can remain informed of developments that affect the life of St. Mary Anne’s.
  • Be sure to “like” our official Facebook page, so you will receive periodic updates from that resource too.
  • Visit our website for news and updates, too.
  • Let us know if you haven’t received our new Parish Directory. We will arrange for you to get your hard copy and/or an electronic copy.
  • Continue to support St. Mary Anne’s with your pledges and contributions to help maintain the operating budget. You may go online to do so, or please send your check to the parish office.

I pray for your health and that of your family. I look forward to the day that we can all meet again to worship together with joy and thanksgiving. Let’s thank the Lord God for our blessings, and find solace that our Lord is steadfast, and that through his sacrifice on the cross we have the promise of eternal life. Rely on that wonderful steadfastness and promise during this time–and please share it with others who despair.

Blessings,
Fr. John +

Please Reach Out

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We are fortunate that modern technology allows us to remain in touch with our friends, family, and fellow parishioners during this time of uncertainty. We encourage you to reach out to each other in that safe manner.
Due to visiting restrictions at hospitals and senior care communities, routine pastoral visits and off-site services are temporarily suspended. In the event of an emergency, please contact Fr. John at 410-919-8231.
Fr. John is actively reaching out, via phone and email, to parishioners who are housebound. If you have made a decision to self-quarantine and would like a phone call, please let him know.

Treasurer News

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Loved ones,
We are looking for a few people who have servant hearts and a love for Saint Mary Anne’s. We have 2 volunteer positions to fill requiring a few hours each week. Due to retirement, we need to fill both our Treasurer and Financial Associate positions. We have complete training for these duties and job descriptions available.
Blessings,  Fr. John

Treasurer News

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Loved ones,
We just concluded our Annual Meeting at which we reviewed our 2019 programs and our financial reports. If you attended, I noted that Andrea Pugh, our Treasurer, is retiring after 10 years of dedicated service to the mission and vision of Saint Mary Anne’s. She will continue with her other roles as Altar Guild Directress and as an adviser to me.
Andrea will remain as Treasurer until a suitable person is found. In addition, she will assist in training and mentoring our next Treasurer.
Please know how important this role is to our ministry. The Treasurer position is integral to our day-to-day business operation but does not have everyday responsibilities. Some of these duties can accomplished from one’s home computer; and we are very flexible with the time one would need to spend in the office! We do ask the Treasurer to attend the monthly Vestry meeting, the 3rd Wednesday of each month (except August); and each Finance Committee meeting, the second Thursday of each month. The Treasurer works closely with the Rector, Finance Committee Chair, and Senior Warden.
It’s an interesting and rewarding position that is so important to our Parish life. A description of this volunteer position is available.
We are also in need of a Financial Associate who works closely with our Treasurer. Patty Wood has been in that role but due to a new employment opportunity, she has resigned. She will continue to be the Director of our Church School. The Financial Associate records and reconciles the Sunday service offering, prepares a bank deposit, and records contributions in our church database. Basic computer skills are needed and of course, we provide full training. This volunteer’s schedule is also flexible. A full listing of responsibilities is available.
Thanks for your prayerful consideration of this most important matter.
Blessings,
Fr. John

Service Times

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

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

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