Amidst the commotion and stresses of the season, let us find repose in receiving the gift of new birth and life. Please join us for a special evening of community worship this Advent featuring chants and prayers originating from the world-reknowned monastery in Taize, France. We will watch and pray together as easily sung melodies and the simple and timeless words of Scripture are interspersed with silence and icon imagery. All are welcome. Come, watch, and pray together Sun, December 18th, at 5PM.
Meet at the church before 6pm!! We'll be singing in the Rosemont neighborhood. This is an intergenerational event sponsored by the youth group. It would be wonderful if we had some adult voices to make this successful. Younger children are encouraged to attend also! Hot chocolate and cookies will be provided afterwards! Bring jingle bells if you have some!
The economy is down, and so is church membership throughout the country. However, St. Ansgar is bucking that trend. We are a GROWING congregation. Why? How unusual is our growth compared to local ELCA churches? Click on the You Tube link below for Pastor Bill's thoughts on what sets St. Ansgar apart, what challenges we still face, and how you can help.
http://youtu.be/ziE6m2A7BkE
This Sunday, 9/18, St. Ansgar celebrates 50 years in the Rosemont neighborhood. Come join us for a special worship service and potluck luncheon. History buffs, please note. Our congregation's archivist will have a selection of historical photos on display.
We will also host our first Taize Community Prayer of the season this Sunday evening. Wind down from your hectic weekend with meditative prayer and song. Taize starts at 5PM.
The fall worship schedule starts today. We will begin at 10:00 AM. Please come and join us as we mark the 10th Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks and pray for peace.
St. Ansgar Members and Friends may donate to Lutheran World Relief online or in an offering any Sunday. Be sure to designate your gift to LWR with a note on your envelope or check. Below is a letter from the CEO of Lutheran World Relief about the crisis in East Africa.
Dear Friends,
The crisis in the Horn of Africa is worsening by the day. Lutheran World Relief needs your help. To respond to this crisis, and make a long-term impact on hunger in East Africa, LWR needs to raise $2 million by the end of this year.
Right now more than 11 million people are at risk of starvation. Lucia Muvili Ngotho is one of them. Holding out her hands, she shows a few meager beans. “This is the last of my food,” she reports.There’s been no decent rain in her area for years. Now she has to buy food for her family— at drastic price hikes — because she can no longer grow it. “We only have enough food for one meal a day,” she says. But the sad reality is Lucia’s family is a lot better off than many others in East Africa. Many have nothing to eat and no way to grow or buy food. Will you reach out to them with a gift to the East Africa Drought fund?
With our partner, The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), we’re already working to reach thousands of vulnerable families in Kenya and Ethiopia with food, water, shelter items and other critically needed assistance. Your emergency gift will help LWR reach even further.
With your help we’ll work with communities to help families earn money to buy food, preserve and protect their farmlands and become less vulnerable to future droughts. Please support this work with a gift today. If Lucia’s family runs out of food they, too, will be left with nothing. Pray for them, and for all the people of East Africa. And please give generously so that LWR can stay with them for the long haul.
In Christ’s Mercy,
John A. Nunes
President and CEO
Your gifts to the East Africa Drought fund will be used to respond to this crisis until needs are met. Gifts received after that time will be applied where needs are greatest.
St. Ansgar is featured on the New England Synod's website for our participation in the Southern Maine Pride Parade. Check it out at www.newenglandsynod.org.
The car wash is on! Stop by this morning, Sat 7/23, and get your car washed. All donations benefit St. Ansgar youth.
All are welcome. Come and experience the meditative power of Taize worship.
All proceeds go to offset the costs of our Vacation Bible School. Guilt free shopping!
St. Ansgar is pleased to host its seventh annual Vacation Bible School week for kids (ages 4-14) in the community. Once again we are partnering with Calumet Lutheran Camp and Conference Center in NH to provide professionally trained and experienced counselors. VBS is sure to provide a safe, fun, and welcoming atmosphere for all participants.
VBS which is all day (8AM - 5PM) is only $45 for the entire week. The dedicated VBS Committee raises money every year to keep that cost affordable for all. There are 30 slots. Be sure to contact the church soon to reserve space for your youngster. Here's to another week of summer fun at St. Ansgar!
This Advent St. Ansgar hosted our first community worship featuring chants and prayers originating from the world-reknowned monastery in Taize, France. In the new year we will host Taize Prayer once a month. In January it will be at 5PM on Sunday, 1/23. After that Taize Prayer will be on the third Sunday of the month (excluding July) always at 5PM. If you have never been to a Taize Prayer, be prepared for a meditative experience. The easily sung melodies and the simple and timeless words of Scripture are interspersed with silence and icon imagery. All are welcome.
Today is the first Project Feed Sunday of 2011.
The first Sunday of every month is Project Feed Sunday. Project Feed is an emergency food bank serving Portland and supported by many area churches. All are invited to bring canned goods and other basic necessities to St. Ansgar for donation to Project Feed.
Please limit canned goods to items that are easily prepared (canned soup for example rather than canned pumpkin). Helpful nonfood items include large diapers, toilet paper (individually wrapped), tissues, toothpaste and toothbrushes, dish soap, laundry soap, sanitary napkins and tampons, shampoo, and bar soap.
On the first Sunday of every month the donations are brought to the altar during the offering and after the service they are transported to the food bank which is housed in Woodfords Congregational Church. St. Ansgar also accepts cash donations on Project Feed's behalf. Members need only designate on their offering envelopes which portion of their offering they would like to go to Project Feed.
If you have any questions about Project Feed visit their website. For those who would like to volunteer for Project Feed through St. Ansgar, contact the pastor. He can put you in touch with a few members who volunteer regularly.
