Our Children's Christmas Pageant features the children of St. Ansgar and of the Sudanese congregation that worships here on Sunday afternoons. A simple nativity play, traditional Christmas carols, and a hot dog and birthday cake lunch after service. This is always one of the most cherished Sundays of the year. Don't miss it.
As a Reconciling in Christ
congregation of the ELCA, we welcome and celebrate weddings of heterosexual and same-gender couples. The wedding requirements, preparation, and
celebration (with or without Eucharist) are essentially the same for everyone.
The
pastor at St. Ansgar would be honored to witness your marriage on
behalf of the church and the State of Maine. To plan a wedding at St.
Ansgar, please contact Pastor Maria Anderson at
prmaria@saintansgar.org.
This year St. Ansgar will hold its St. Lucia Festival on Sunday, December 9th at 4PM.The event is free and open to the public.
What is the St. Lucia Festival? It is a Swedish Christian tradition that dates from the 14th century. According to the old Julian calendar, December 13th was the longest night of the year, and thus marked the first step toward spring, with its promise of light and sunshine. It is on this date that the people of Sweden celebrate the Lucia Festival. Christian legend has it that the Romans betrayed Lucia. Later, Vikings impressed by her faith, are said to have brought her legend to Scandinavia from Sicily, where she is the patron saint of fishermen.
Every year at Saint Ansgar, the St. Lucia legend is told. Authentic Swedish carols are sung, a young woman from the congregation is crowned the "Queen of Light, " and traditional Scandinavian refreshments are served. Come and enjoy one of our favorite Christmas traditions.
Don't miss it! St. Angar's "Just an Old Fashioned Fair" is Saturday, November 10th from 10AM-2PM. Every year Portlanders flock to the fair for homemade crafts, our famous luncheon featuring homemade fish chowder, delicious baked goods including our very own Julekake bread, Scandinavian gifts, and the ever unpredictable White Elephant Sale. 100% of the proceeds from the fair will go to charity! The doors open at 10:00 AM. Come one, come all. See you at the fair!
St. Ansgar's Social Justice Committee is raising funds and signing up volunteers for Kids Care meal packaging Saturday, November 3rd at 9AM. Each high protein, high calorie meal costs just 25 cents. Meals will be sent to the Good Shepherd Food Bank. Please help in our efforts to alleviate hunger in Maine. Stop by the church with a donation towards the $2,000 we need to provide 8,000 meals or sign up to help on the first Saturday in November.
Today was the first "noisy" offering led by St. Ansgar's Sunday School students. Proceeds from this loose change offering will go the the ELCA Malaria Campaign. Bring in your change every third Sunday and delight the children as the sound of the offering in the metal cans gets louder and louder.
At the New England Synod Assembly this past June, churches voted to
make the ELCA Malaria Campaign a focus and priority over this next year.
Malaria kills 655,000 people each year, and most of those people are
children under five years of age. That means a child dies from this
preventable disease every 60 seconds.
The ELCA has committed to raise $15 million to help prevent, treat
and educate communities in Africa about malaria and eliminate deaths
from this disease.
Donations can also be made on the ELCA's website and in the general offering at St. Ansgar. Be sure to put offering donations in an envelope clearly marked "ELCA Malaria Campaign."
A new blog for Dietrich Bonhoeffer information and events is under construction. See it take shape at cheapgracebonhoeffer.blogspot.com
Be sure to read about our upcoming sermon and discussion series starting on October 28th.
