What’s Happening at St Paul’s 10-23-20

What’s Happening at St. Paul’s

St. Paul’s began the weekly Rector’s Discretionary Fund food and gas card distribution on Wednesday mornings beginning April 1 when it was clear that area agencies would need support to help our neighbors in need. What began as a distribution to about 18 neighbors has grown after nearly seven months to serve over 70 people. Word has spread throughout neighborhoods nearby and shelters, affordable housing for older people, and a few people living in tents. Mothers, grandmothers, and children are being helped. Your generous contributions have funded the Rector’s Discretionary Fund in response to God’s clear call to us to help during the crisis of this coronavirus pandemic. Caroline Russell these past weeks has helped with the distribution. I want to thank Caroline and all of you for your generosity, compassion, and hospitality. We now know many of our neighbors by name and have built mutual trust with each other. 

        As I have looked ahead to the growing numbers, I know this program is not sustainable, even with your generous contributions. It was meant to help neighbors and agencies as we experienced the early “lockdown,” and now has far exceeded our expectations and plans. Thank you.

       In consultation with the Wardens and our clergy, I have decided to end the program with Wednesday, November 4, as the last day. We created a card with the program’s closing date and prayers to give to each of our neighbors as we hand them a food and gas card. To a person, our neighbors have thanked us and returned God’s blessing to us as a congregation. They give us their gratitude in abundance, even as the program comes to an end.

       The prayer card we give our neighbors has these words printed on them:
“Our dear neighbor,
The food/gas card program will end November 4. We give thanks for you and ask God’s blessing and protection to be upon you. May the God of hope fill you with peace and love.” 

(Thank you, Susan Tyler, for making these cards in abundance for us.)
On Wednesday, one woman returned to us, not to ask for another food card, but to ask for another prayer card for her daughter.

           While the food/gas card program is ending, I still use the Rector’s Discretionary Fund for needs like assistance with medical costs, and, as the weather turns cold, I surely will expect to help with heating and housing. Finally, we always keep a supply of food and gas cards in the Parish Office for those who come by and ask for them.

           My deepest gratitude goes to you all for supporting this neighborly ministry. We are accomplishing these connections in Christ together as God calls us further into the neighborhood. My prayer is for you, too, 

        “I give thanks for YOU and ask God’s blessing and protection to be upon YOU. May the God of hope fill you with peace and love.”

Carolyn+

The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
October 25, 2020

10:30 Spiritual Eucharist
Facebook Live

To view please click on the links below. 
Worship Booklet
Worship Summary Sheet
 St. Paul’s Announcements

Click here to join the St. Paul’s Zoom Coffee Hour  
Sunday, at 11:30 am 

Readings
Deuteronomy 34:1-12          Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8           Matthew 22:34-46
The Lectionary Page 

Family Worship

Sunday, October 25, 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

Faith-Filled Generosity
Inua Saibou-Baldi will be the stewardship speaker at 9:30 today and Macauley Lord will be the speaker at 10:30.

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.

November 29 at 4pm—All-Parish Stewardship Dedication on Zoom
In lieu of potluck supper, consider recipes from the St. Paul’s Cookbook for soup-making!

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.
Harvest / Christmas Fair Order Forms  While our Fair is over, it’s not too late to place orders…

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
Lenten Meditations BookletCalling all writers for the 2021 Lenten Meditations booklet. We need your help to make it work (yes, a hard copy) for Lent 2021. You will have until November 29 to write something and turn it in, and anyone who can get it in earlier gets a gold star.
To volunteer today, please phone Pam Nugent at 207-737-2369 or e-mail momperson458@roadrunner.com for further information.

Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program
The Census Bureau just announced that 65,000 Mainers say they do not have enough to eat. With winter coming soon that number will go up. Families with children, senior citizens, and those who are unemployed will be deciding what to spend given what resources they have. Will it be for food, heating oil, or medicine? Since we can’t donate food items, the way to support MCHPP will be to write a check in any amount so that they can purchase food to supply to their clients. Mail your check to MCHPP, 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick, ME 04011. Your help is urgently needed.

Prayer Requests

  • For our sisters and brothers in common mission in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on Reformation Sunday
  • Pray for those who have died remembering especially Donna Thivierge’s brother, Scott Villeaux, who died last week.
  • 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, and Nia
  • Jennifer, John, Reeve, Victor, Travis & family, Ben, Diane, Nate, Elijah, Priscilla, Garrett, Elliot, Marcia, Lynn, Peter, Patricia, Patrick, Bill, Bob, Paul, Sue, Julie, Harlan, and Nan
  • Matthew, 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.

The 201st Convention of the Diocese of Maine

You may view the online worship that includes Bishop Thomas Brown’s Convention Address and the virtual choir!
Find the video here: https://www.youtube.com/user/episcopalmaine
Find a PDF file of the Bishop’s address on the Episcopal Maine website:
https://www.episcopalmaine.org/images/diocese/documents/2020/Convention_Address_FINAL.pdf
Or make an appointment to pick up a copy during office hours.

Click here for this week’s calendar