By Maggie Beamguard
Insider Editor
Members of St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church in Seven Lakes will spend the month of July celebrating the life, witness and legacy of Mary Magdalene through worship, community outreach and educational events.
The month-long observance, titled “And There She Was: A Month of Mary Magdalene,” honors the church’s patron saint.
“This is the first year our church has had a “Month of Mary Magdalene” celebration including our community appreciation brunch,” said church vicar, The Rev. Colette Bachand. “Our hope is to honor the historical Mary Magdalene who was the “Apostle to the Apostles” and central to Jesus’ ministry; she was faithful and had a servant spirit. The other goal is to celebrate people in our community who embody her spirit and are doing good things.”
A unique outreach effort called the “Community Button Brigade” will take place throughout July. Parishioners will distribute 100 buttons reading “Caught You Being Kind!” to members of the community whose acts of service, compassion and kindness reflect the spirit of Mary Magdalene.
The celebration will continue on Saturday, July 19, with a Community Appreciation Breakfast from 10 a.m. until noon. During the event, church leaders will recognize members of the greater Seven Lakes community who have demonstrated a commitment to serving others and working for the common good.
“There is so much negative news in the world, but really there is so much good news too and a lot of good people doing really great things right in our own backyards,” said Bachand. “That’s why our community brunch is called “Celebrating Good!”
On Sunday, July 19, the congregation will welcome The Right Rev. Sam Rodman, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, for a Holy Eucharist service at 10 a.m.
The month’s activities will conclude on Saturday, July 25, with “The Spirituality of St. Mary Magdalene,” a presentation and workshop led by Soul Kindling artist, Ally Markotich. The program, scheduled from 10 a.m. until noon, will explore the life and spiritual significance of Mary Magdalene. Participants will also create their own Mary Magdalene prayer card.
This series is designed to honor Mary Magdalene’s role in the Gospel story, but also to inspire contemporary acts of faith, service and compassion.
St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church is located at 1145 Seven Lakes Drive in West End.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
