Buck Mountain Episcopal Church
Announcements for October 25, 2026

Sundays 9:15 a.m.–10:15 a.m. during the Easter Season. Our topic: “Epis-co-speak.” How to speak Episcopalian. Bring your off the wall Episcopal questions! Like Carnac the Magnificent there will be an attempt to offer answers.

If you are a key holder, Vestry member, Stephen Minister, or Sunday School assistant: please complete your online Safe Church training and turn in your transcript or certificates.

Clergy have a number of responsibilities we seldom think about. On page 445 of The Book of Common Prayer it says “The minister of the congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about …” the care of their family, to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for disposition of their possessions and not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses.”

Hospice of the Piedmont is offering a number of related Workshops this spring. You can see them on the events page of their website (https://hopva.org/events/). An excellent resource from the Episcopal Church Foundation is this Planning for the End of Life PDF (https://www.ecfvp.org/uploads/tools/files/Planning_for_the_End_of_Life.pdf).

Time to update our records! Contact Kate Daniels for information and to volunteer. The goal is to be complete by the end of the month. As they say…many hands make light work.

We researched, we interviewed, we developed an agreement with an outside bookkeeping service. The agreement was signed March 30, 2026. It will take a few weeks to get everything set up for our upgraded system.

We will transition to a program called Realm. It will take time to load all of our data but once it is done we will have tools that will allow us to do things we have not done in the past. There are other Episcopal churches in the area using Realm. We are happy our bookkeeper speaks Episcopalian and is familiar with the processes used by the Diocese of Virginia.

The vestry appointed a Discernment Committee in October 2025 when our previous priest retired. They are guiding the process used by the Diocese of Virginia to seek and call our next priest. In January and February, the Discernment Committee convened focus groups to gather insights and clarify are preparing a parish profile for vestry approval.

We think the vestry will approve it in April. It will go to the Diocese for official posting where all potential candidates can see it. Parishioners will be given the link so you can see it also. The committee will begin preparing to interview candidates.

Job description is available at episcopalvirginia.org/jobs-transitions/staff-positions (https://episcopalvirginia.org/jobs-transitions/staff-positions/). Please help us get the word out!

The BMECadassist@gmail.com e-mail is being read by The Rev. Mary L. Staley until we find an admin assistant. Send questions or requests about your financial/pledge to bmectreasurer@gmail.com (Doug Smith) who is our acting pledge secretary.

There are projects for all abilities—just talk to Mother Mary. We need help for the building inventory and sorting some files after Easter. Volunteers are the reason we do so much!

Coffee hour, Altar Guild, lawn maintenance, Food Pantry, AIM, Sunday School, maintaining the library, the website update, helping with worship services, and much more! Thank you to everyone who helps with all of these things.

There are openings available for hosting coffee hour after our Sunday services. Please check the sign-up sheet on the long table in front of the kitchen.

Books and Abbreviations

• “BCP” stands for the Book of Common Prayer, the red book found in your pew.
• Hymns from the blue Hymnal are marked with an “H” in the bulletin.
• Service music from the front pages of the blue Hymnal are marked with an “S”.
• “LEVAS” stands for Lift Every Voice and Sing, the red-and-black hymnal in your pew.
• Renew is the tan paperback music.

Restrooms

The building next to the sanctuary is called Deese Hall. Restrooms are located in the far-right corner upon entering.

Communion

The Episcopal church recognizes baptisms in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit from any denomination as sufficient to receive communion to receive communion. (Canon I.17.7 of the General Convention.)

Episcopalians invite all baptized people to receive, not because we take the Eucharist lightly, but because we take our Baptism so seriously. Those who are not yet baptized are welcome to come forward during communion to receive a blessing. Please cross your arms over your chest to indicate you would like the blessing.

Gluten-free hosts/bread are available. It helps if you tell the usher know before the service begins so we have what we need at the altar.

The common cup may be received in the traditional fashion (i.e., sipping directly from the common cup). You may carefully dip the bread in the wine making sure your fingers to not make contact with the wine or the edge of the cup.