From the Priest–in–Charge:

I again would like to thank St. Mary’s for a wonderful Welcoming Dinner (and Birthday Party), and to especially thank Tom and Renee McWilliams for hosting this event at their residence. We had wonderful fellowship as stories were told and people remembered.

I had heard stories of how in the past that St. Mary’s has held evening gatherings and meals in peoples homes and these memories were held in fond regard. I believe they used to be called Couples and Singles night, which were started by the Rev. Bob Bee while he was rector of St. Mary’s rector during the 70's.

I would like to resurrect this time of fellowship for St. Mary’s and rename it Mary’s Table hoping that regardless of marital status or age all people would feel comfortable in feeling at home around the table that is set by a gracious host each month.

I like the image of Mary’s Table, a warm and inviting kitchen, a place for the family to gather for a delectable feast and share what is going on in their lives, a time to listen and to encourage one another, a time to just kick back and enjoy the companionship of friends.

This is a wonderful image of how St. Mary’s can also gather around the altar for a feast of rich food and choice wine, as an open, caring, and welcoming community, and the how we can also take this loving fellowship to those in our community, our friends and neighbors.

One person did step forward to host our first Mary’s Table sometime this month and I would hope that other houses would be open to setting this table for us. Mary’s Table is a simple pot luck dinner open to anyone who would like to sit together for table fellowship.

Peace, Mark+

Pentecost Picnic

On June 4^th St. Mary’s will once again celebrate the Day of Pentecost with our annual Picnic. We will have hotdogs for the grill and Fr. Mark will be bringing his potato salad and we ask that you bring whatever side dishes you enjoy making. This Sunday will also be our Gift Appreciation Sunday, a day to give thanks for all the gifts that God has given to St. Mary’s through the ministries of so many people. Please mark your calendar and plan on attending this celebration.

Gateway to the West

During the city of Blair’s Gateway to the West celebration, it was suggested that St. Mary’s could provide a wonderful ministry of hosting a cooling station. Matt Wolff has offered his doorway to set up a table where we could provide free bottled water for people attending the parade, to let them know about St. Mary’s and to solicit help to send the many blankets that Jill Frahm has gathered so far for Fr. Daniel Kuot’s mission to the Sudan. So far she has gathered over 130 blankets to give to Daniel, who was with us for Eucharist on May 21^st. Please consider volunteering your time to this ministry.

Wednesday Evening Eucharist

Fr. Mark will be offering Wednesday evening Eucharist at 7:00 p.m. during the summer season. We will be evaluating if this is a service that St. Mary’s desires to continue throughout the year. This will be held every Wednesday except the first of the month which will remain the Meal & a Movie day.

Meal & a Movie

During the summer we will have our Meal & a Movie on the first Wednesday of the Month. The next movie will be on June 7^th and we will be watching "Sliding Doors."

Craig W., Betty R., Veda Mae, Jenny, Thelma, Mary J., Sue A., Gaye M., Tracy O., Jack, Joanne, Paul and his family, Fritz, Wilma, Gordon & Gina, Bob and Ellen Snow, Bishop Joe Burnett, Fr. Daniel Kuot and his ministry to the Sudan.

Pastoral Care

Fr. Mark’s office hours will generally be from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, but he may also be found in the office at other times. If pastoral care is needed at anytime, please call Fr. Mark in the office 426-2057, on his cell phone 706-1846 or at home 597-0736.

A Rumor?

There is an unconfirmed rumor at the time of the printing of this newsletter, but a reliable source says that Fr. Lyle Martin will be remarrying soon. Congratulations and God’s blessings Lyle!

75th General Convention:

Every three years Episcopal dioceses from across the United States send elected clergy and lay deputies along with their Bishop to the General Convention to make decisions on our church’s policies and our worship.

Among the decisions that will be discerned this year are the election of the 26th Presiding Bishop to succeed Frank T. Griswold and to lead us for the next nine years in developing policy, carrying out Convention’s programs and strategies, and representing our church to the world, the approval of a $150 million budget for our mission and ministry, and the response to the recommendations of the Windsor Report regarding the consecration of an openly gay man as the bishop of New Hampshire and the blessing of same-gender relationships.

Leading up to the convention St. Mary’s has been including Sunday bulletin inserts to help us understand different aspects of the convention and the Episcopal Church with topics such as "The Episcopal Church's beginnings," " The Episcopal Church today," "Episcopal Church ministries between conventions," "The Anglican Communion," "How the Episcopal Church is organized for mission," "The General Convention" and " The Presiding Bishop election." If you have missed any of these informative inserts there are extras in the parish office.

Also, posted on the bulletin board in the parish hall are the biographies of the seven nominated bishops who are being considered for the next Presiding Bishop. As more information is received concerning our convention it will be posted on the bulletin board next to our diocese’ Ministry Memos. Please check and see what is going on in the Episcopal Church!

To keep more up to date the diocese will have a ‘blog’ (a web log for posting opinions) at http://negeneralconvention2006.blogspot.com Our diocesan deputies attending General Convention may post their comments here.

The diocesan lay deputies are Woody Bradford, Margaret Schaefer, Don Betts, Wendy Keele, and Christine Plantz as an alternate. The clerical deputies are Tim Anderson, Nancy Huston, Thomas Hurley, Grant Wiseman with Judi Yeates as the alternative.

In this issue of St. Mary’s Messenger’s Spiritual Bouquet are prayers for the convention and delegates, and prayers for our church. Please keep these in your prayers as they discern the future of the Episcopal Church.

A Day of Prayer

The Iowa Assembly of the Daughters of the King has scheduled A Day of Prayer for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. This will be held from 9:30 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 10^th at Calvary Episcopal Church in Sioux City, IA. Luncheon reservations are recommended. For more information please see Nan Smutko.

Daughters of the King

The Daughters of the King are studying the book Speaking for Ourselves. All are welcome to join them at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday nights. Each section of the is self-contained so it is alright if you are not able to come every Tuesday. The last evening this session will be June 6^th. We will then start a new book study in the fall.

Vacation Bible School

Sunday School

Our last Sunday school for the Spring was on May 21^st. We will begin Sunday School again in the fall.

Vestry Meeting

The next vestry meeting will be held in the library on Tuesday, June 20^th at 7:00 p.m.

For the 75th General Convention

God our Wisdom, who eternally makes all things new: encourage by your Holy Spirit those who prepare for General Convention to labor together

for the building up of your world and your Church; counsel them when to act and when to wait; turn their hearts always toward those in greatest need, and away from their own preoccupations and fears; help them never forget that love and mercy are your greatest gifts given us all to offer one another as we see in them Jesus Christ who alone is our joy, our way, our truth, and our life.

God of light and life: As General Convention draws near, Help me to continue to grow up in all ways into Christ. Fill me with energy for the work before me; show me your surprising face in the people around me; delight me afresh with the variety of your creation; inspire me with a vision of your justice becoming concrete in the world;

and above all, teach me to love you and my neighbor more fully, less grudgingly, and with more forbearance day by day, and give me the grace of good humor, the leaven of laughter, and the tonic of hope through it all, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.