Weekly Newsletter September 6, 2023

 St. Michael’s Weekly News – September 6, 2023

ROOF FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

This week, we are kicking off our fundraising campaign for the new roofs on St Veronica's, the kitchen and Larsen Hall!

Our new roof cost $65,800! We need to fundraise so that the cost of this roof does not wipe out our future reserves.

So, please seriously consider what each of you can contribute to this vital cause. 

One parishioner has offered to match donations up to $10,000 so let's take advantage of this generous offer and get those donations rolling in.

So far, we have received $8,000!  Let's continue this progress.

We will use this space to update you each week!

Remember this is OUR church and we are all in this together (and with God's Blessing we can accomplish much!)

See our gallery for pictures of the roof construction.

Dear People of St. Michaels,    

          Our roofing replacement and repair job is complete and it looks very good. You will receiving a letter, sent out this very week, with more details of all the places repaired and especially the cost. There were unexpected repairs and places we knew were needing serious work. They were able to match the wonderful roof job done on the sanctuary in 2011 and the shingles they used are rated to 50 years! That’s a great investment in St. Michaels future and our building.

          What is also notable is what we repaired. I’m so glad they did the roof over the sanctuary in 2011; I understand it really needed it. Our sanctuary is the heart and soul of what we do every Sunday and its beauty, including the windows, is something to be preserved and to adore. This time, we replaced the roof of our oldest building and the place we offer to the community for so many meetings: St. Veronica’s Hall. This hall is certainly one that we use (weekly, for Bible Study; monthly for Vestry Meetings), but it is used nearly every day by outside groups that find its location, size and outdoor entrance perfect for what they are doing to build up people’s lives. It is a great service to the community that happens there and our enhancement of it with a large Zoom screen even increased that. This was the main focus of our roof replacement this time.

          In addition, Larsen Hall, some places above the office and where Larsen meets the sanctuary were very much in need of repairs. Larsen Hall we mostly enjoy every Sunday and for many social events of the parish. It too, however, is used by other groups, for receptions and just this week was used by the Paul Bunyan Days committee for the Old Fashion Dress Review. So again, a place of outreach and gathering.

          We will focus on the next few months on reminding us all of the need to give some extra monies to this roofing and repair project that just happened. To give joyfully to this very tangible need and to acknowledge our commitment and God’s commitment to send the ministry of St. Michaels into the future.

(Special gifts and offerings can include 2023 Roof Campaign in the check memo!)      

In Christ,   

Pastor Randy Knutson

Special Days Coming Up

Sunday, September 24; 10:45 am - Our Annual Commemoration of St. Michael and All Angels in our Sunday Service (the actual date is Sept. 29)

Sunday, October 1; 10:45 am - Our yearly Blessing of the Animals Service, held outdoors this day. All pets and owners are welcomed at this Service.

Recycling and Trash Concerns at St. Michaels

          Dear Members of the Parish, we are all adjusting to a new reality in our homes and around our community concerning trash, recycling and compost; the three categories of left over material from our lives and gatherings. Recently, we even received the first of three warnings concerning black trash bags in our recycling container: after three times, a $25 dollar fee. So we need to be more careful about refuse after our meals, coffee hour etc. The main concern seems to be with recycling and compost.

          Many of us had the mantra of ‘recycling’ repeated to us again and again, but we live in a different world now where less is able to be recycled and some things we might have thought to recycle should instead go into compost, including used paper plates, napkins and paper cups. These should go now into ‘compost’, not recycling. Compost can also include left over food, coffee grounds, fruit peelings, and other plant based waste; along with grass clippings and other plant trimmings.

          Recycling needs to include only clean paper, cardboard boxes, CA redemption bottles and cans (rinsed and dried), plastic containers (#1-#7) and glass. As we found out, these should also not be in any kind of garbage bag.

Trash includes so many things, but unfortunately includes styrofoam cups and many other things that aren’t ‘compost’ and can’t be recycled. It seems like a waste to throw some things away, but what isn’t ‘recycle’ or ‘compost’ needs to go into this container.

          Thank you as we all work together to clean up after our times of great fellowship and worship.

Narcan Overdose kits available in Fort Bragg and at St. Michaels
Recently our Chief of Police received a grant to have Naloxone and its nasal spray version, Narcan, widely available here in Fort Bragg; to help with overdose victims we might come across. The most recent meeting of the Fort Bragg Rotary had a presentation about it and through that, a Narcan kit is now at St. Michaels, if need. Here is some basic information:

Naloxone is a life-saving medication used to reverse an opioid overdose, including heroin, fentanyl and prescription opioid medications. Naloxone can be quickly given through nasal spray (Narcan®) in the nose, or through an injectable or auto-injector into the outer thigh or another major muscle. Naloxone is safe and easy to use, works almost immediately, and is not addictive. Naloxone has very few negative effects, and has no effect if opioids are not in a person’s system.

September Birthdays: Andrew Scully, Margie Muto, Beverly Engelhardt, Anne Turner, Andrea Blanton, Susanne Norgard, Elea VanWormer, Mark J. Mesa, Karina Benson, Maryanne Baroni, Lynne Duncan

Online worship will be live on Facebook at 10:45 am and then it remains there.

Also recorded and downloaded later on YouTube

Online Worship Information

This Sunday we will offer in-person worship and at the same time offer the online broadcast of our service at 10:45 am in the ways posted below:

Our Sunday Service will be on St. Michael’s Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/StMikesFtBragg

https://www.facebook.com/StMikesFtBragg/videos

It will also stay there on the Facebook Pages and you can watch it later.

You can also watch it on this YouTube Channel later that day as well.

This is a NEW St. Michaels YouTube Channel and also on our website!

https://www.youtube.com/@st.michaelsepiscopalfortbragg

Website

When you can, check our new website: https://www.stmichaelfb.com/