Come see all of the ministries of the parish in one place – you will be amazed! Following both services on Sunday, October 9, we will host a Ministry Fair for all parishioners.

A ministry fair is a great opportunity to discover the full extent of what we do to serve God, either during worship (think Acolytes, Lay Readers, etc.) or through our property ministries, like the Green Team and Garden Committee, and the wider community ministries of Outreach and Recovery.

It is also a great opportunity for you to identify and use your gifts in the context of ministry or ministries you have an interest in but just weren’t sure where to begin!

Approximately 25 women “went back to school” this week at our Wednesday Women September Luncheon!

The women teamed up to play a trivia test and proved collectively, they are “smarter than a fifth grader!”

After a delicious lunch selection of five casseroles (King Ranch chicken, Beef Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Tetrazzini, a Vegetarian casserole, and Cheesy Potatoes with ham), salad, rolls, fruit, and Texas Sheet cake for dessert, our nourished “students” had a short lesson in Anglican Prayer Beads. The ladies created their own prayer beads to take home. Door prizes were awarded at the conclusion. It was a fun and active afternoon for our “students”!

Thank you to our September team of “lunch ladies”: Dru Torregrossa, Jacquie McMullen, Becky Flood, Dawn & Hannah Rodenbaugh, and Karen Schaeffer for cooking and organizing this event.

Andrea Pugh and her team are scheduled to organize our next next Wednesday Women Luncheon on November 2! Mark your calendar and join us!

Choir Director and musician Alex Bi, his wife Danyang and infant daughter Ivy are moving to California at the end of September.

It has been a busy year for them, as Alex and Danyang completed their Ph.D.’s at the University of Delaware and welcomed the birth of their daughter Ivy in July.

We are grateful for Alex’s contribution to our music program, especially the formation of our Virtual Choir during the pandemic. He shared his incredible talent as a pianist and composer to elevate our worship.

We will say a fond farewell to this young family on Sunday, September 18 when they join us for worship.

Last month, we informed the parish that with Father John’s 72nd birthday, on July 28, 2022, Church canon rules required his resignation as “Rector”.

The Vestry wants Father John to remain at St. Mary Anne’s, so we asked the Bishop to appoint Father John as “Priest in Charge”. Click here to read Senior Warden Mike Pugh’s letter to the Bishop stating the Vestry request.

This new status is a change in title only, and does not change any of the duties Father John assumes in his ministry. It is important to note that the Priest in Charge status needs Vestry and Bishop approval each year.

We are pleased to report that Bishop San and Father John met on Tuesday and the change in status is now official.

Click here to read Bishop San’s official letter stating his approval.

A “Churchyard Committee” was established by the Vestry late in 2016. The Committee is expected to oversee maintenance and historical research, in addition to the management of plot purchases and interments.

We moved off track with the pandemic and we need to get back on board! Here’s what we need to get restarted:

• A few people to help repair some of the tombstones. We’ve had a number of them vandalized in the past 24 months.
• Help with cleaning and straightening of the stones.
• A person or two to help locate existing gravesites when a need arises for a burial and to use our recording-keeping system. This person would work alongside Fr. John.

If you can help in any way with “outside” or “inside” recordkeeping work, please contact Fr. John and come to our meeting this Saturday September 10 at 9am in the Parish Hall to get an overview of the need and responsibilities. Coffee and a snack provided.