Gifts of Time,
Talent & Treasure
“O Sovereign and Almighty Lord,
Bless all your people, and all your flock.
Give us your peace, help and love.
That we may be united in the bond of peace and love,
One body and one spirit, in one hope of our calling,
In you divine and boundless love.”
Liturgy of St. Mark
“Ecumenism is the movement within Christianity that aims at ‘the
recovery in thought, in action, and in organization, of the true
unity between the Church's mission to the world (its apostolate)
and the Church's obligation to be one’.
Thus, ecumenism is the promotion of unity or cooperation
between distinct religious groups or denominations of
Christianity.”
“Ecumenism is distinguished from and should not be misused to
mean interfaith pluralism. The interfaith movement strives for
greater mutual respect, toleration, and co-operation among the
world religions. Interfaith dialogue between representatives of
diverse faiths, does not necessarily intend reconciling their
adherents into full, organic unity with one another but simply
to promote better relations.”
Harvesting the Fruits: Aspects of Christian Faith in Ecumenical
Dialogue (
At
St. Mary Parish we are enthusiastically involved in the practice
of ecumenism both by communal prayer and active participation in
community programs.
The LARCUM Conference ~ Living the LARCUM Covenant
(Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic & United Methodist)
All
are welcome to be involved.
For more information call the parish office at
540-373-6491.
Taize Ecumenical Prayer Service ~ Preparing a Place of Unity and
Peace
(2nd Monday of the month at
Prayer in the spirit of the Taize Community is a meditative form
of common
prayer. Gathered in
the presence of Christ we sing
uncomplicated, repetitive songs, uncluttered by too many words,
allowing the mystery of God to become tangible through the
beauty of simplicity.
A few words sung over and over again reinforce the
meditative quality of prayer.
They express a basic reality of faith that can quickly be
grasped by the intellect and that gradually penetrates the whole
being.
Micah Ecumenical Ministries
Christ-centered community response led by
with God.”
Several programs within Micah are listed below.
Micah-Cold Night Shelter
Mission:
To provide a warm, safe environment for homeless individuals to
spend the night on evenings that the weather falls below 32° F.
Time:
November-March. Teams
are on-call once a week and serve 3-4 hours weekly.
Special Skills:
Help set-up cots and blankets, serve refreshments and snacks and
welcome the guests.
Coordinator:
Micah-Community Dinners
Mission:
To provide a meal to those in our community in need of food or
companionship.
Time:
St. Mary provides meals on the 1st and 5th
Monday of every month at
Special Skills:
Friendly and compassionate.
We serve, eat and visit with our guests.
Coordinator:
Steve Keene,
keene1946@cox.net
Micah-Refugee Assistance
Time:
Looking for a consistent presence in the lives of these family
members. A weekly or
monthly commitment is preferred. Children need tutoring and help
with homework. Adults need help grocery shopping and budgeting;
among many other things.
Special Skills:
Friendly and organized.
Good with kids and patient.
Coordinator:
Micah-SOKS Camp
Time:
One week during the summer (usually July)
Special Skills:
A love for kids and a desire to teach, play games and have fun with
kids who need encouragement and hope.
Coordinators:
Dawn Miller,
dmiller@millerpainting.net
Note: “SOKS” Sema,Ota,Kua,Soma (Speak,Dream,Grow,Read)