eNews – July 2, 2020
Typically, this coming July 4 weekend would find St. Michael's and the downtown area of Marblehead teeming with people. St. Michael's parishioners and friends would be engaged in our annual Lobster Lunch. Visitors would be visiting the Marblehead Festival of the Arts gallery in our parish hall. The Thrift Shop would be bustling with increased traffic and sales. Music lovers, and those needing a break from the outdoors, would be seated in the church for a free organ recital on July 4. The Lobster Lunch is a the primary source of the parish's outreach financial giving. As many know, the net proceeds from the Lobster Lunch are donated: one half to our partnership with St. Thomas, Arcahaie, Haiti; the other half to local charities.
This is not a typical year. Due to the COVID-19 virus the Lobster Lunch was canceled, as was the Festival of the Arts. The Thrift Shop remains closed, as does church office and church to public worship services. The streets are quieter. Evensong, there sill persists a spiritual connection of goodwill, fellowship and participation at St. Michael's. Thanks to the suggestion of Ed Reid, Lester Bartson and members of the Lobster Lunch committee, the Vestry unanimously voted to hold a special fundraiser for our partnership with St.Thomas, Haiti, with a goal of raising $10,000. Our donation to St. Thomas is a critical part of funding the operating budget of the elementary school St. Thomas runs. As we enter the July 4th weekend, we are pleased to report that $7,500 has raised to date!
Thank you all who have supported our partnership. If you would like to make a donation, please send a check to St. Michael's, payable to St. Michael's Church, with "Haiti" written in the memo. Or you may follow the donate link below, again, noting "Haiti" in the menu in the link. Thanks to all who normally make our Lobster Lunch a huge success, and to all who have supported our partnership with Haiti. Donate Here for Haiti Fundraiser.
Meanwhile, as noted below, Raymond Hawkins offers a brief online organ recital on Friday, July 3, at 7:00 p.m. Happy July 4th to all! We look forward to the Lobster Lunch teeming with people next year!
Fr. Andrew
Weekly Online Schedule
Wednesdays
Morning Prayer on Facebook Live at 9:30 a.m.
Bedtime Stories with Kelley
on Facebook at 7:00 p.m.
Thursdays
Thursday Evening Casual Connect
on Zoom at 7:00 p.m.
email Sarah Bates for info
Sunday Service
an email will be sent early Sunday with links to the service
Morning Prayer Service at 10 a.m.
on Youtube Premiere
Children's Chapel on Facebook Live at 11 a.m.
**Thanks to Everyone who donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank during Raymond's first organ series concert on June 5th. We raised $1345.00! Thank you!!
150 Years of Louis Vierne, Part 2
Friday, July 3 at 7:00 p.m.
On the eve of Independence Day 2020, organist Raymond Hawkins will play a very short program of one or two works by Louis Vierne that were dedicated to Americans as well as the premiere of Raymond's own arrangement of America the Beautiful in the style of Vierne.
St. Michael's Bell rings on the 4th of July
By request of the Marblehead Board of Selectmen, in honor of July 4, churches in Marblehead are asked that their bell(s) be rung on July 4th from 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.; 12:00 noon - 12:30 p.m.; 6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Thanks to Robert Howie, Jr., for organizing St. Michael's bell-ringing team to follow suit! Our bell will ring at those hours! Also, thanks to Rob and all who faithfully rang St. Michael's historic Revere bell every evening at 6:00 for five minutes the past two months. St. Michael's joined with Grace Community Church and Old North in ringing at the time as we pealed our interconnection and support of essential workers. Though our joint ringing has come to end, our interconnection and support of essential workers continues in our thought and prayers.
COMMUNITY UPDATES
Altar Flowers: One of the gifts of spring, summer and fall are the wonderful flowers in our gardens and on our altar. Through the fall months if anyone has flowers from their gardens that St. Michael’s could use on our Altar, please contact Anne Foster at 718-631-8957, or email Anne at: anne.foster@comcast.net Thank you. Meanwhile, thanks to Anne who has been arranging for flowers on the altar for our online services!
Can you help with Frozen Meals?: The Pastoral Care Commission is in need of folks to make frozen meals so that we can replenish the meals that have been given out to Parishioners. If you are able to prepare a tasty casserole or a lasagna (in a foil pan), please contact Sue Cool or Susan Butterworth. We can pick them up from your home and store them in the St. Michael’s freezer. Thank you!
Marblehead COA Grab 'N' Go Lunches
The Council on Aging has begun a new program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s a Meal pick-up at the COA Parking lot. There’s no charge, BUT reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. CALL: 781-631-6225. The meals are prepared by the Meals on Wheels Program. The 1st meal is Beef Stew with a Brownie, the 2nd is Balsamic Chicken with Rice Pilaf.
Note: The Grab ’N” Go lunches are not delivered to the home. They must be picked up at the COA. The COA is also giving free on line Zoom classes for exercising and staying strong. For more info, call Janice Salisbury-Beal and Lisa Hooper at 781-631-6225 or go to: www.marblehead.org/council-aging
Errands and Groceries: To Grocery Store or Pharmacy. You can give the person a list and reimburse when or before they arrive with your items. Please call: Linda Smidt: 781-248-3572; Sue Cool: 617-571-6639; Jenny Oliveira: 617-599-0439.
Thursday Evening Casual Connects:
St. Catherine’s Guild invites and welcomes parishioners to connect casually via Zoom on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Sarah Bates, St. Catherine’s president hosts the gathering. It is open to all parishioners and families. One can connect either from your computer or smart phone (you do not need to have the Zoom app or software to participate). Please contact Sarah Bates if interested. You can email her at sarahmbates@me.com
Our Mission
St. Michael's Mission is to seek transformation in God's grace by worshiping God in prayer, song, and study; loving and serving our neighbor in and outside our parish Community; and being good stewards of God's creation.