What’s Happening at St. Paul’s 9.11.20
 What’s Happening at St. Paul’s |
Today, our nation, neighborhoods, and families are remembering with particular poignancy the tragedy of nineteen years ago, when nearly 3,000 died in morning terrorist attacks in New York City, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I had been in my new post at Grace Church, Plainfield, New Jersey only three months. John was still in North Carolina preparing our house to sell. I remember the first thing I did when I arrived at Grace was to open the doors to the Nave and schedule Noonday Prayer and Evening Prayer. The door was open for anyone to come in and pray or to see the pastor. The second thing I did was to call the Wardens and Vestry members to check-in and to learn who might be a victim of the attack in Manhattan. We were only a 60-minute train commute to the City. Our town didn’t lose anyone to the attacks, but certainly, loved ones in extended families were affected. Neighboring communities suffered many losses. In those towns, after a few days, it was clear who wasn’t going to return home by the cars left unclaimed in the commuter parking lots. As people of faith, we pray for God’s ever-loving presence to be with those who suffer grief and loss, and who are adapting to life-long changes from the death of a loved one. Families of the nearly 3,000 dead from the attacks that day have had to adjust to so much. Families now, in the midst of the current pandemic have lost loved ones – a hard to fathom 190,000 deaths and still counting. I think this 911 anniversary is made more sad because of that distressing and growing number. We pray for our own sorrows and ask God to help us witness to God’s love and presence. Our own calling today may be to lie low and move through our grief, letting others pray for us. Or we might make our prayers for the good of all people in tragedy wherever tragedy is present. There is no absence of war, terrorism, disease, famine, fire, and pandemic. Today, we pray for those who have lost their lives nineteen years ago and for the dead and dying. “Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake.” BCP, p. 134) Especially today, too, we ask your protection, O God, on all who are First Responders and Essential Workers. Before I close, please join me in thanking Vestry member David Treadwell for his delightful articles in the “Times Record,” particularly the article today on Attic Treasures – our upcoming yard sale on September 19 is “win/win!” And thanks to Nancy Johnson who is heading up the sale happily traveling around town to pick up our “treasures!” Blessings and peace, Carolyn+ The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 13, 2020 |
| 10:30 Morning Prayer To view please click on the links below. Worship Booklet Worship summary sheet (one page for easy printing) Announcements Click here to join the St. Paul’s Zoom Coffee Hour Sunday, at 11:30 am Readings Exodus 14:19-31 Psalm 103 (1-13) Romans 14:1-12 Matthew 18:21-35 The Lectionary Page Family Worship  Sunday, September 13, 9:30 a.m. Rev. Katie Holicky and musician Susan Brown will lead us in a time of song, prayer, story, and sharing with our friends! Here is the link for the Zoom gathering. Click here for the 9:30 Family Worship Booklet Our Attic Treasures Sale Saturday September 19 Outdoors  |
| It’s almost here! The Attic Treasures sale is next Saturday, the 19th, from 9 to 2. Please drop off (or arrange pick up for) the items you can contribute by Tuesday at the latest. We will be at the church accepting items from 9 to 12 Tuesday morning. If you can’t make it then, let me know and we can try to arrange another time. We are in need of a few awnings or tents like those used in craft fairs to cover tables with displays. Any size is fine. If you have an awning we can borrow for the day, please send me a note at jdeblieu@mindspring.com or call Nancy Johnson at (978) 387-6058. And please come! All proceeds will go to St. Paul’s Outreach Fund to help those in need. Deep thanks to all those who have volunteered to help. See you there, Jan DeBlieu |
| Parish Announcements |
 Today at 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. This year, in addition to celebrating a Blessing of Backpacks, all are invited to a Blessing of Devices. Let us take a moment during worship to honor the things that are helping us all stay connected. Today at 1:00 Middle and High Schoolers youth group will meet in the Memorial Garden at 1:00 for a tie-dye event. Daily Morning Prayer and Compline — Join us every morning and evening on St. Paul’s Facebook Live for Morning Prayer and Compline, 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Coming Up Saturday, September 19—St. Paul’s Attic Treasure Sale! Sunday, September 20 at 10:30— We invite you to join us online for the first live-streamed Spiritual Eucharist from the Nave on September 20th at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, September 27 at 10:30 The pre-recorded “Spiritual Eucharist” will be our St. Paul’s worship, offered by the Diocese of Maine. It will feature members of St. Paul’s and our clergy. This worship service will be viewable on St. Paul’s Facebook page. The St. Paul’s Stewardship campaign begins next week with the theme of Faith Filled Generosity. We invite you to look for the Wardens’ letter next week. Thank You Many thanks to our visitor from Wilmington, Sue Brandes, who helped the Lowly Weeders clean up the office entrance gardens. Precautions to Observe While you are in the building of St. Paul’s We want parishioners and guests to be able to contact staff members in person while at the same time we take the Maine CDC recommended precautions. The hallway off the Union Street parking lot to the office and the office itself are the only areas open. Call or email the staff member working that day to alert them you’ll be coming and use the intercom at the parking lot door to call them to open the door when you arrive. Wear a mouth and nose covering when in the building. We have a mask to give you. Use hand sanitizer to wash hands. (Restrooms and kitchen will be closed.) We will provide hand sanitizer stations along the hallway off the Union Street parking lot. Please be sure to sign in. Observe distancing precautions: 6 feet apart. No more than four will be in the building at a time. Click here to see St. Paul’s office hours. Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program This summer Rev. Katie preached on the feeding of five thousand with only five loaves and two fishes on hand. Jesus was able to share this with everyone there. Those of us who do not have to worry about where our next meal is coming from are called to share with many in our area who are not so lucky. MCHPP has had their budget stretched because we and many other donors are not able to contribute physical goods to their pantry. The way we can help and share our blessings is to write a check in ANY AMOUNT to help them purchase supplies to alleviate those who have lost their jobs and financial aid from the government. In our own way, we can emulate Jesus and share our values as Jesus did with the 5,000. Please mail your check to Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick, ME 04011. Thank you! |
| Other Christmas Fair Events |
 Following up on the Attic Treasures sale in September, we are planning a second in-person event for late November or early December. This will be a simplified version of our famous Christmas Fair, with limited access to the church and controlled numbers of shoppers allowed inside at once. More details will follow! Rest assured that if the incidence of Covid-19 in Maine increases, or if events conspire to make it unwise to hold the fair events, they will be canceled or perhaps moved entirely online.What can you contribute to this major annual effort to help people in need? Please write to Jan at jdeblieu@mindspring.com if you can help. There are lots of tasks, for instance: Help photograph items for a possible online sale, and for advance publicity. Help build plastic shields to be used between volunteers and customers Donate to help offset expenses for safety supplies and face shields (mail checks to church with memo “Christmas Fair”) Help with set up, clean up, and staffing tables. Please volunteer! |
| Prayer Requests |
| Pray for the congregation of St. Columba’s in Boothbay Harbor, and for the people and clergy of our Companion Diocese of Haiti. Pray for Anderson, Andrew, Cedric, Jason, Michael, Richard, and all in the military. Pray for those who have died remembering especially Alan, in-law and friend of Tobey Lee, and Mary Bangs. We pray for: Christy, Ryan & family, Ethel, Ray, John, David, Judi, Carolyn B., Nick, Bob, Linda, Kathy, Skip, the Blackburn family, Willow, Tierra, Ann, Jim, Lollie, Steve, and James Jennifer, John, Reeve, Victor, Travis & family, Ben, Diane, Nate, Elijah, Priscilla, Garrett, Elliot, Marcia, Lynn, Peter, Patricia, Patrick, Bill, Bob, Paul, Sue, and Julie Matthew, Herb, Marijka and baby Savannah, Gair, baby Thomas, Jason, Annie, Carole, Arline, Franklin, Terry, Mark, Ronda, Donelda, Sudie, and Pat Call or email the parish office if you would like a name to be placed on the prayer list. The names will be removed after three months unless otherwise notified. |
