The Vestry met on Tuesday, April 14 via ZOOM. Following are some highlights from the meeting:

• discussed suggestions for rewording of St. Margaret’s Mission Statement.
• discussed how the Care Groups are working
• Elaine gave an update on parish house maintenance. The BES specialists should soon be providing an in-depth report. New flooring has been installed in the lower level. Eric will soon start painting the parish hall. The parish house roof scheduled to be replaced in or around mid-June.

Our knitting circles will now be held weekly online! All knitters, crocheters and hand crafters are welcome to join the group which meets virtually from 4-6pm on Fridays. Post COVID 19, we will resume our biweekly schedule, but for now, we need each other! Project support, community, and friendship are all offered here. Please join the Zoom meeting with the following code:  https://zoom.us/j/414079395Any questions or concerns, please email Jillian:[email protected]

March 22, 2020 – Holy Eucharist

During this time of social distancing we have Hannaford cards available in the church office. Please email your request to [email protected] and cards can either be mailed or delivered to you.

March 29 is the first fifth Sunday of the year and the Outreach Committee has asked that the collection be used 1) to beef up Women of St. Margaret’s Medical Fund – a fund used to assist those in need to help cover medical, prescription and other related expenses. 2) To help people coping with the impact of COVID 19 possibly through Belfast General Assistance or by purchasing Hannaford cards for those in need.

Because we won’t be able to pass the plate during worship, we ask that you send a check to St. Margarets Church, 95 Court Street, Belfast with “Fifth Sunday” in memo line.

Thank you!

Our first broadcast of Sunday worship went fairly well – just a few minor glitches!

This will be the way until further notice and we would like to see as many of you as possible. To log in to the service at 9:20 or so go to https://zoom.us/j/3747351210 .

Instructions: On Sunday morning at 9:20 am, click on the above link.  You will be taken to a Zoom invite page.  Click on  OPEN ZOOM.US   This will get you into the meeting but be patient while it loads. 

When Zoom opens you will hear a doorbell.  You should see John/Chris/Elaine in the big window.  If you don’t see your face in a little window on top, go to the bottom task bar and remove the red slash line through the video icon.  PLEASE MUTE YOUR DEVICE BY CLICKING ON THE MICROPHONE ICON IN BOTTOM LEFT CORNER OF SCREEN (IN TASK BAR). WHEN YOU SEE A RED DIAGONAL LINE THROUGH THE ICON IT IS MUTED.

If it says “the host needs to be on line” it just means you are early and we will be opening the host window very shortly.

You may also watch a tutorial here.

If you have any questions about this, please call Chris (323-5955) or Elaine (252-9377) and we will try to help.

Some images from our service on Sunday, March 22 with the Rev. Ted Kanellakis.

Following the guidelines of CDC and State recommendations that limit group gatherings to 50, and for groups of Seniors to 10, we are planning to start streaming worship services effective March 22.

More information on how this will be accomplished will be posted in the next few days.

Women from four of Belfast’s churches this week agreed to participate in a dramatic Holy Week event: a retelling of the crucifixion story titled “Women of the Passion: A Journey to the Cross.”  

Women from First Church, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church and St. Francis of Assisi Church will present “Women of the Passion” on Wednesday, April 8,  at 5:30 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Church.

Organized much like traditional “Stations of the Cross,” this version features narration of each station by a woman mentioned in the Bible whose life was transformed by her encounter with Jesus.  Fourteen women tell of their experience of him and then describe their emotion as they witness his crucifixion. 

“Women of the Passion,” written more than 20 years ago by journalist Katie Sherrod for a parish retreat in Fort Worth, Texas, has been presented in hundreds of churches across the country since then.  The moving stories come from Mary Magdalene,  the woman taken in adultery, the woman with the flow of blood, the widow with her mite and nine more. Three meditations begin the observance and recount the anointing of Jesus by a woman, his denial by Peter and the dream of Pilate’s wife.  The readings end with Mary’s grief as a mother over the loss of her son and the peace she finds as she places him in the tomb.

 All are welcome to attend this retelling of the passion at St. Margaret’s Church, 95 Court St.. 

If a storm is coming and you’re wondering whether church might be cancelled, notification will be placed after 7:00 PM on Saturday evening on the our website and on the church voicemail, 338-2412. and listen to the announcement.   The same announcements will be posted after 7:00 PM on Tuesday evening for a cancelled Wednesday service.