Worship – St. Mary's Episcopal Church ~ Afton, MN

Lenten Soup & Study Series 2026

Wednesday evening worship with our soup & study series begins February 25^th. A simple service of Holy Eucharist will be held at 5:30 followed by a meal of soup and bread, and concludes with our study of women leaders in the Bible.

The study, titled “Miriam’s Sisters, Deborah’s Daughters: When Women Lead the Way” is made up of five short videos with questions for reflection or discussion. We will consider how different times demand a different kinds of leadership, involving imagination and creativity, and reflect on the experiences of women leaders including Miriam, Deborah, Esther, Ruth, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary of Bethany and the woman at the well, and finds inspiration and guidance for today in their practices of accompaniment, accountability, spirituality, communal discernment, provision and creativity.

Copies of a companion book, Women of the Bible, and supplemental materials are available at the church. A donation of $12 for the book will be appreciated.

Is there any health risk in drinking from the Common Cup at Holy Communion?

The CDC has found no documented transmission of any infectious disease has ever been traced to the use of a common communion cup.

The CDC has found no documented transmission of any infectious disease has ever been traced to the use of a common communion cup. The consensus of the CDC is that a theoretic risk of transmitting infectious diseases by using a common communion cup exists, but that the risk is so small that it is undetectable—you are far more likely to catch something by shaking someone’s hand than by drinking from the common cup.

Worship on Wednesday

Fr. Scott is hosting Wednesday Morning Worship and Kaffeeklatsch at 9:30 each week.

Fr. Scott is hosting Wednesday Morning Worship and Kaffeeklatsch at 9:30 each week. We’ll gather for a simple service of Holy Communion followed by coffee and conversation. Topics will include current events, Bible study, local happenings, or anything else we decide to bring up. Stop by and join us when you can!

Bishop Loya to Visit June 20th

The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya, Bishop of Minnesota

Bishop Craig Loya will visit St. Mary’s on Sunday, June 20th. Bring your lawn chair for a special baptismal liturgy in the Memorial Garden at 9:30 AM to welcome him. The Bishop will host a town hall style conversation at a reception following the service. Join us to give Bishop Craig a genuine St. Mary’s welcome!

St. Mary’s Is Open!

We are following a plan to safely reopen our doors and worship in person.

Welcome back to indoor worship!

We are following a plan to safely reopen our doors and worship in person. Our first priority remains the spiritual and physical wellbeing of our parish community. We are confident that, as Bishop Craig Loya has said, we are “learning to negotiate risk with love.”

Masks are recommended for all worshipers regardless of vaccination status. We encourage worshipers to use personal discretion and to respect the space and choices of those around them. People who are sick or have been exposed to someone with Covid-19 should stay home.

We recognize that everyone is not yet ready to resume indoor activities. For those choosing to stay safe at home or are otherwise unable to attend, we will continue to livestream the service on our YouTube Channel each Sunday.