Diners and their guests attending St. Margaret’s Indian Potluck Supper Saturday, July 13, may find themselves confronted with new foods, new flavors, new spices, even new beverages. Organizers Chris Urick and Nan Cobbey promise to provide recipes for dozens of dishes — curries, chutneys, stir-fries, sweets, vegetarian fare, dals, rice preparations, but also some favorite Indian drinks — yogurt-based lassies and aromatic almond drinks. Email Chris for Aloo Gobi (a cauliflower dish), Shervedar Chukander (beetroot with onions and tomatoes), Cardamom Butter Chicken, and Chana Dal. Email Nan for Saag Paneer (a Spinach and cheese dish), Madhur Jaffrey’s Crusty Potatoes with Ginger and Garlic, Renu’s Lemon Rice with Peanuts and a Kerala-Style Red Shrimp Curry.For a more extensive list, explore the Food Network’s “46 Delicious Indian Recipes Everyone Should Master.” Here’s a link: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/photos/indian-recipes . That article explains how to make a yoghurt-based Lassi flavored with rosewater and spices, and a Thandai, a drink made from ground almonds, poppy seeds, cardamom, fennel, pepper, saffron and rose petals. The Indian potluck is open to all. Price of admission is a dish to share, Indian-themed or not. Dinner starts at 6 p.m. Come earlier if your dish needs to be reheated or arranged. Non-cooks are invited to bring along some ice cream or other purchased offering. We encourage you to invite a friend or neighbor to enjoy our hospitality.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper Tuesday, February 13, 2024, starting at 6:00 p.m. followed by “Making of the Ashes”
Join us for fellowship and pancakes – prepared by some of our men! Please let Paul Mazur know if you are planning on attending AND able to assist in the kitchen – (207) 323-2526 or [email protected]
Following the pancake supper take part in a brief and poignant service of reflection and preparation for Lent as we burn last year’s Palm Sunday fronds to use for this year’s Ash Wednesday ashes. As these palm branches are changed to ash, change us, Lord; make us new. A little background . . . Shrove is the past tense of the word shrive, which means to hear a confession and to absolve from sin. In the Middle Ages, especially in Northern Europe and England, it became the custom to confess one’s sins on the day before Lent began to enter the penitential season in the right spirit. Lent, the penitential period before Easter, has been a time of fasting and abstinence for many Christians. Some choose to abstain from all meat and items that came from animals, including butter, eggs, cheese, and fat. That is why Shrove Tuesday became known as Mardi Gras, the French term for Fat Tuesday. Over time, Mardi Gras extended from a single day to the entire period of Shrovetide, the days from the last Sunday before Lent through Shrove Tuesday.
Sunday morning, June 4th, we had the opportunity to celebrate, appreciate and thank Linn Johnson who has been our faithful and devoted organist for over 30 years.
Our talented Kristin Frangoulis penned the following Ode to Linn.
ODE TO LINN Linnea’ Gunnarson Johnson a Swedish girl by name, Hailed from Yonkers, but in Belfast gained much fame. You can find her Sunday mornings atop the organ bench, Playing music at St Margaret’s like it was an easy cinch. She plays preludes, postludes, and hymns in between. At St. Margaret’s Linn is the Music Queen. Beethoven, Bach, Schuman, and Liszt, Haydn and Handel are fellows on her list. She makes these greats proud as her fingers grace the keys. Their notes she plays with passion, that helps us all to see, That the Holy Spirit is within, and loves us one and all, No matter if we stumble, no matter if we fall. On Easter Linn gets Louis to help her with his horn, To play “Christ Is Risen” as we all sing along. While working on the tulips, weeding on her shift, Ruth paused to hear Linn practice, a celestial music gift. A little bit of Linn’s history we shall now let spill. She went off to Rutgers and there she met her Bill. Eric and Chris, their two sons that make the family tree Had in turn four sons, Drew, Devon Brian, and Steve. In 1989, Linn and Bill moved here with their gifts, And joined St Margaret’s an Episcopalian church. Linn also played accompany for a music group, The Penobscot Bay Singers, a terrific choral troupe. Linn, we are happy you’ll stay with us, sitting in a pew. And keeping us all mindful of our music cues,
COME ONE! COME ALL! Come to our Epiphany celebration this Friday, January 6. We shall begin with church service in the sanctuary at 5:00 to remember the arrival of the Magis. We shall then process into the great hall (the parish hall) led by bagpiper Shaun King. The hall will have been prepared for a feast and frivolity, fun. Everyone should bring a potluck dish (fit for a king). Dessert will be provided. Bakers, Nancy Perkins and Nan Cobbey will provide a king cake. Three lucky people will be crowned king/queen. Louis Pelletier will blow his trumpet for the royal fanfare.Thre will be crowns and capes. After dinner the games and music will begin. Kristen Burkholder will be the Mistress of Fools. Please bring a small, wrapped gift for men in the Reentry Center, or for women in need. Costumes are optional, but part of the fun. Wear something festive, silly, outrageous, or with a medieval or renaissance flair. Have fun being creative. A nonalcoholic punch will be provided, but you are welcome to BYOB. Come and share in this festivity this Friday evening.
We gathered last Sunday (August 7, 2022) in the Parish Hall to share in an historical story-telling event. To trigger some thoughts these questions were offered by Craig Watson who presented and moderated the session:
Do you remember you first day attending St. Margaret’s? What stands out about that memory?
What personal or family milestones have you celebrated at the church? What made them most memorable?
What current or former parishioner or clergy member had a big impact on you and why?
What do you think Maude Gammons would feel about the trajectory of our parish?
What are some of your most important “hopes” for the future of St. Margaret’s?
It was exciting to see so many parishioners in attendance and with their own stories to tell.
Chris shares how she first came to St. Margaret’s to the Blessing of the Animals and found everyone to be so friendly – she has not looked back!Mary describes her impressions when she first came to St. Margaret’s from another church.Cindy shares how she became involved in the Food Cupboard and how she was inspired by Joan and Maynard Clemons.Jackie and Randy talked about their long involvement in the parish – going back to Randy’s father, their marriage at St. Margaret’s and bringing their young children to church.
Others spoke about the Rev. Truman Fudge who was Rector of St. Margaret’s for 20 years (1974-1994) and the changes that came about during his time. Parishioners who made a mark on the parish but are no longer with us were remember. The Rev. Tom Duplessie, our first Deacon (2012-2016) was remembered to include a tribute “Ubiquitous Tom”, penned by John Cuozzo.
We also had the opportunity to welcome our very newest parishioners!
The Vestry has planned a very special event for us. A historical story-telling event will take place at 9:00 AM on Sunday, August 7 in the parish hall. You are each a beloved and very important part of the community of St. Margaret’s. It will be a gift to be with you as we take the time to tell each other about the graces and challenges we have experienced as part of the beloved community that Jesus called together for our mutual joy and the good of the world. Please let the office, or a member of the Vestry, or Barbara know if you are unable to join us. Craig Watson has offered a few questions to consider in preparing responses for the visual timeline: 1) Do you remember you first day attending St. Margaret’s? What stands out about that memory? 2) What personal or family milestones have you celebrated at the church? What made them most memorable? 3) What current or former parishioner or clergy member had a big impact on you and why? 4) What do you think Maude Gammons would feel about the trajectory of our parish? 5) What are some of your most important “hopes” for the future of St. Margaret’s?
On August 7 at 9:00AM we will gather as a parish to tell the story of St. Margaret’s. What were the significant events that marked us as a congregation? What provoked growth? When did we experience significant challenges? What did we learn through those times about ourselves and about God? Please come join us to tell the story as you see it. Craig Watson is our history telling event coordinator and has been doing some research, as well. Thank-you, Craig!
Every Tuesday from noon to one, Lectionary Lectio. We gather in the parish hall to listen to the Scripture text(s) appointed for Sunday. Lectio Divina is a contemplative way of reading the Bible. It dates back to the early centuries of the Christian Church and was established as a monastic practice by Benedict in the 6th century. It is a way of praying the scriptures that leads us deeper into God’s word. We slow down. We read a short passage more than once. We chew it over slowly and carefully.
