What’s Happening at St Paul’s 10-16-20
 What’s Happening at St. Paul’s |
| This week at the Zoom Finance Committee meeting several members mentioned that it was the third Zoom meeting that day and that our eyes were aching from watching a screen so much. We agreed that staying connected with fellow parishioners and doing God’s business together was very important. We agreed that Zoom or other platforms that provide opportunities to be face-to-face virtually are essential in the time of the coronavirus pandemic and certainly into the future. And we agreed it’s all hard. Being able to communicate with our faith community has always been essential since the time of Paul’s letters to his community, and by way of the gospel writers writing down and sharing the gospels in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John’s communities. We are people of the “Word made flesh” and the “Word of the Lord” and honestly, a seemingly infinite way of communicating God’s action in words. In our own faith community right now, communicating with each other takes on more urgency, transparency, and approaches. Communicating with those who have devices and those who don’t is essential. All along, in the years I have been St. Paul’s rector, the Lay Pastoral Visitors connect with those who are sick and lonely selflessly making sure that these beloved members and sometimes non-members receive flowers, a card, and a friendly phone call. In addition, the Vestry will soon be making phone calls to parishioners to check-in. Thank you. One popular mode of communication that we have not yet utilized in our community is the podcast. Our assistant The Rev. Katie Holicky and I are planning to start a series of St. Paul’s podcasts. They are audio, easy to create, and don’t require a huge expense for a device. We have purchased podcast microphones, and next week Katie and I will record our first podcast. It will briefly explore the topic of our favorite bible story and why. We will share with each other and YOU a conversation on this topic. We will invite others to explore topics from a list we are creating and hope you will join in the fun and communication! I remember thinking about the Apostle Paul during the days of managing communication for pharmaceutical products. I remember how inspired I was by Paul’s letters because they were so filled with faith, hope, and love – and sometimes a gentle rebuke. I desired to shave that confidence of faith someday and share it with others. That is exactly what we are doing as a body of Christ at St. Paul’s. The Apostle Paul understood the importance of being guided by the Spirit, indeed, how central the Spirit was to his ministry and in guiding his letters. Sometimes I feel chills speaking with members of the parish, our leadership, our staff, and you, knowing the Spirit is quite alive in our community and is transcending electronic connection. In Paul’s Letter to the Romans he writes, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” When Zoom overwhelms, God’s Spirit is ever-present sighing on our behalf. Your sister in Christ, Carolyn+ Convention  Watch the 201st Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, this Saturday, October 17 at 9 am. If you are not a registered delegate, please join us by watching the live stream at www.youtube.com/episcopalmaine/live. See episcopalmaine.org/convention/2020 for the agenda and other information about the convention. The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost October 18, 2020 |
| 10:30 Spiritual Eucharist from the Diocese of Maine Join the full Sunday service celebrating the 201st Convention of the Diocese of Maine, including a virtual choir and the convention address from Bishop Brown, compiled by a diocese-wide team of clergy and lay leaders. To view please click on the links below. Worship Booklet St. Paul’s Announcements Click here to join the St. Paul’s Zoom Coffee Hour St. Paul’s convention Delegates will share news of the convention Sunday, at 11:30 am Readings Exodus 33:12-23 Psalm 99 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Matthew 22:15-22 The Lectionary Page Family Worship  Sunday, October 11, 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 Faith-Filled Generosity  Please complete your pledge form by November 8. Online pledge form here. Click here to download and print a pledge form, then complete and mail to St. Paul’s PO Box 195 Brunswick, ME 04011. Parish Announcements Today – Sunday, October 18 at 10:30 a.m. – 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. Faith-Filled Generosity Susan Brown will be the stewardship speaker at 9:30 today. Please complete your pledge form by November 8. There are two easy ways to complete the form. Just go to St. Paul’s website stpaulsmaine.org/giving/ There you can download and print out a form, then just fill it out and mail it back to the church at St. Paul’s PO Box 195 Brunswick, ME 04011. If you prefer you can fill out the online form also found on the Giving page of our website. 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. For All Saints’ Sunday, November 1, please notify the office if you have loved ones who died in the past year that you would like remembered. Don’t miss St. Paul’s Harvest Fair! Next Saturday, October 24, 10:00 am—2:00 pm Outside in the Memorial Garden with all proceeds going to support Outreach. Rain date: October 31 Announcing the St. Paul’s Harvest Fair October 24th! 10-2 St. Paul’s is turning the Christmas Fair into an October Harvest Fair, to be held in the church garden on Saturday, October 24 (rain date October 31). This fair will include Baked Goods, the Country Store, Fiber Arts, Jewelry, Knives, and possibly more—in other words, many of the components for which our traditional Christmas Fair is known. The Gourmet Freezer (frozen meals, ready to eat) and the Wreaths and Greenery table will be taking orders for meals and Christmas decorations as usual, with delivery in early December. We are still in need of volunteers on fair day! Please join us for one of the few in-person events that will be possible at church this year. We have face shields for you to wear over your mask if you like, and plenty of hand sanitizer. All fair tables will be set up to minimize contact, and names will be taken for contact tracing if needed. We are serious about safety! Based on our experience with the Attic Treasures Sale, it will be a day of great fun. To sign up, please write Jan at jdeblieu@mindspring.com. Calling all cooks! Do you have canned goods and other prepared foods that you could donate to our Country Store? Perhaps some handmade Christmas ornaments or other goodies that would help us raise money for Outreach? Please contact Carol Martin at annieandcarol@gmail.com. (Whoops—Your fair chairwoman forgot to ask for these items earlier!) Please check your pantry and sewing baskets for items that can help us fill the shelves of the Country Store. Items can be dropped off at church on Tuesday, October 20th, from 9:00 to noon. Can’t make it then? Contact Carol (info above) or Jan at jdeblieu@mindspring.com. Used jewelry is also needed. Please contact Bonny Labonte at bd.labonte@comcast.net to arrange a drop-off time. Fiber Arts are needed. Please contact Charla Spann at chaspann13@gmail.com or 844-8220 to arrange a drop-off time. Someone from Holy Stitchers will meet you at the church to receive fiber arts donations, record the name/address of who made each item, and help set an appropriate price. The Bake and Candy Table needs your homemade items – Do not wait this year for your personal phone call from me requesting you donate as in past years. Simply bring your donations to the double doors at the rear of the Great Hall on Friday, October 23rd from 10 am to 4 pm, or at 9 am on Saturday, October 24th. Our best-selling items are pies, candy, specialty cakes, and yeast bread. Because of Covid-19, we are having to be extraordinarily careful this year. Bakers must use safe kitchen techniques as described Here. Freezer Gourmet meals are available for preorder– with pickup on Dec. 5th. Choose from delicious offerings! We are still charging only $15.00 for a two-person meal, and $30.00 for four servings. Click here for an order form or order online at https://st-pauls-episcopal-church-104807.square.site/ Wreaths & Sprays are available for preorder– with pickup on Dec. 5th. Wreaths may be ordered plain, bow only, decorated only, or with bow and decorations. Each wreath is unique; our wreath decorators are artists and bring their own creative talents to the task. Click here for an order form or order online at https://st-pauls-episcopal-church-104807.square.site/ Please also consider a donation to the Outreach Fund to help offset a potential decrease in fair profits because of Covid-19 restrictions. Donations can be sent to the church office or made online at https://stpaulsmaine.breezechms.com/give/online Many thanks! Jan DeBlieu jdeblieu@mindspring.com Prayer Requests For the congregation of St. Dunstan’s, Ellsworth For fulfilling the basic right of all people to adequate shelter as we approach the United Nations’ World Habitat Day Pray for Anderson, Andrew, Cedric, Jason, Michael, Richard, and all in the military. We pray for: Christy, Ryan & family, Ethel, Ray, John, David, Judi, Carolyn B., Nick, Bob, Christy, Ryan & family, Ethel, Ray, John, David, Judi, Nick, Bob, Linda, Kathy, Skip, the Blackburn family, Willow, Tierra, Ann, Jim, Lollie, Steve, James, Nia, and LindaJennifer, John, Reeve, Victor, Travis & family, Ben, Diane, Nate, Elijah, Priscilla, Garrett, Elliot, Marcia, Lynn, Peter, Patricia, Patrick, Bill, Bob, Paul, Sue, Julie, Harlan, and NanMatthew, Herb, Marijka and baby Savannah, Gair, baby Thomas, Jason, Annie, Carole, Arline, Franklin, Terry, Mark, Donelda, and Sudie, Pat, Marie, Michael, and Jim and Debbie 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. Click here for this week’s calendar |
