Welcome to the 2020-2021 season of TASTE!  The Lord encourages us not to be intimidated by the pandemic, but rather to move forward with all faithfulness and trust!  We have adopted public health safety recommendations, made modifications in our group gatherings and are ready to greet those who are able this Thursday, September 17, 2020 at 10:15.  For those TASTE-sisters who need (for their own health or for the health of those they love) to continue to shelter in place, all talks will be made available online. We will miss each of you, but please attend in person only if you feel safe and comfortable doing so.   Fr. Larry Swink will open our 14th season discussing our theme, "Surrender and Be Refreshed: Praying in the new 'Normal'."

THIS WEEK AT TASTE: 

• NEW TALK -- Fr. Larry Swink will introduce this year's theme: Surrender and Be Refreshed. You can prepare by mediating on Jeremiah 31: 1-9, 23-25.
• LOCATION & TIME-- St. Mary’s Parish Center (Keesler) at 800 St. Mary’s Place, Laurel, MD 20707.  The Keesler Center is next door to Pallotti HS and has a parking lot in front.  See LOCATION.  Opening prayer will be at 10:15 and Fr. Larry will begin speaking at 10:30. Announcements will be given after Fr. Larry speaks.
• RECONCILIATION -- Fr. Larry will stay to hear confessions after his talk.
• NAME TAGS-- If you are a returning member and can bring your name tag from last year, it will be much appreciated.
• SUPPORT THE HUNGRY-- The St. Mary’s food pantry is sharing the Keesler Center with us on Thursday mornings.  This is a great opportunity to bring non-perishable foods and help them meet the needs of those in the Laurel community. See NEEDS
• DAILY MASS –- If you plan to attend the 9:00 daily Mass at St. Mary’s of the Mills, please remember there will be about a 30-minute gap between the end of Mass and the beginning of TASTE.  Guidelines for attending Mass at St. Mary of the Mills are attached.
• PUBLIC HEALTH -- If you have a fever, are not feeling well or have been in contact with someone with known or suspected COVID, please stay home and listen to the lecture online.
• FACE MASKS –- must be worn while inside the Keesler Center.  Please bring your own.

TASTE SMALL GROUPS: 

• We will begin the year meeting virtually via the Zoom application. If you want to participate in small group, please make sure you have the Zoom app installed on your phone, tablet or computer.  LINK  See attached notes.
• Reflection Questions will not be given out after lecture. Please bring any notes you may have taken during the talk to aid the discussions in the Zoom small group.
• You will NOT be assigned to a small group; rather you may attend any of the virtual small groups that best meet your schedule.  Zoom small groups will last for 30 minutes and begin the week of September 20, 2020.
• The drop in TASTE Zoom small groups are:
  • MONDAYs from 10:00 - 10:30 facilitated by Maria Montgomery and Karen Schembari
  • TUESDAYs from 3:00 - 3:30 facilitated by Jennifer Dougherty and Debbie Schmidt
  • WEDNESDAYs from 11:00 - 11:30 facilitated by Mary Giesey and Lori Putman
• Access the meeting via this LINK.  If you need the password, see the last email or CONTACT US and we will provide it to you. The Zoom meeting invitation is attached for further options and complete instructions.

TASTE Talks: As mentioned in our August 31^st email, not all of the talks this first semester will be in person.  Each week we will be sending you information about the upcoming lecture in an email (please remember to be in touch with TASTE sisters who you know do not have email).  Additionally, you can keep track of the schedule and the mode of presentation via our website at Upcoming Weeks under Schedules – See LINK

Prayer Requests:TASTE sister, Gini Linsenmeyer continues to battle cancer and has had quite a time these last months.  Please keep her and her family in your prayers.