What’s happening at St. Paul’s 3-19
 What’s Happening at St. Paul’s |
Blessings to you on this Feast of St. Joseph. In the book “Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints,” we remember Joseph today, “He is honored in the Christian tradition for the nurturing care and protection he provided for the infant Jesus and his mother … he is considered the patron saint of the working person, one who not only worked with his hands, but taught his trade to Jesus.” We are now entering into our second Holy Week in a pandemic. This year, we are adapting to offering some outdoor liturgies and continuing to offer digital Holy Week services. I believe that this second year of Holy Week observances will be meaningful, holy, and safe, We will continue to observe the precautions of wearing a mask and distancing. I hope you will prayerfully review the calendar of Holy Week in this email, mark the dates to join us in observing a different kind of Holy Week. You will see that our Lay Worship Leaders and clergy will offer daily Facebook Live Morning and Evening Prayer in the Celtic Tradition in addition to the liturgies I’ve listed here:Saturday, March 27, 4:00 p.m. parking lot Blessing of the Palms.Sunday, March 28, 9:30 a.m. Zoom Family Worship and 10:30 a.m. Facebook Live Palm Sunday.Thursday, April 1, 7:30 p.m. Facebook Live Maundy Thursday.Friday, April 2, 10:30 a.m., parking lot, Good Friday Stations of the Cross.Friday, April 2, Noon, Facebook Live Good Friday Liturgy.Saturday, April 3, 7:00 p.m., parking lot, Great Vigil of Easter, kindling of new fire of the Resurrection.It is my hope that like Joseph, who nurtured and cared for his infant son Jesus and his mother Mary, these holy observations of faith will nurture us all in the love of God. I also want to update you on our sabbatical plans. I submitted to the Lilly Foundation for Clergy Renewal a revision to the sabbatical plan in order to begin my three-month sabbatical in September. Our farewell Sunday will be September 12, 2021. I’ll return on Sunday, December 12, the Third Sunday of Advent. I’ve scheduled many cooking classes and am renting a farmhouse near Camden to be close to Salt Water Farm Cooking School in Lincolnville, Maine. After that, my friend and retired priest, the Rev. Janice Chalaron, and I will fly to Istanbul to take the tour of Paul and John’s footsteps in Turkey and Greece. (Because of heightened travel precautions from the State Department in Armenia, I won’t be traveling there.) I return home and spend a month in a cottage located on Pleasant Bay in South Addison, Maine. My sisters and brother and their spouses will travel to visit me there. In the meantime, Deirdre Good, Ph.D. will join St. Paul’s in October for two Sundays to preach and teach on Christian Hospitality, and Bishop Brown’s Visitation will be October 31. We are beginning to plan for the purchase and painting of the picnic table to offer a hospitable and safe “Coffee on the Corner” this summer. I will keep you informed about the plans as they unfold. The theme of the sabbatical is still intact and I’m excited that we are going to explore this theme, “Deepening the Practice of Christian Hospitality” together. Blessed Lent to you, Carolyn= Click here to watch the Presiding Bishop’s sermon to the Episcopal Church House of Bishops. Sunday, March 21 The Fourth Sunday in Lent  9:30 a.m. Family Worship 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  10:30 a.m. Spiritual Eucharist Click on the links below: To watch for the Worship Booklet for the St. Paul’s Announcements Readings Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33 Psalm 119:9-16 Lectionary Page  Explore the Sermon over coffee on Zoom Sunday, 11:30 am Join in for a facilitated virtual gathering to check in with each other and explore the morning’s sermon. Click here to join.  Zoom Soup and Scripture Chat Sunday, 4:00 pm We’ll discuss Mark 11:1-11—Jesus rides into Jerusalem. What do you find most significant about this story? How did he ride into your life? How is he helping you prepare for his Passion? Click here to join. Parish Announcements Easter Flowers: donations can be mailed to St. Paul’s or can be made online through your Breeze account or at St. Paul’s website http://stpaulsmaine.org/. Please include the name(s) along with your donation. Names received by March 30 will be printed in the Easter program booklet. Upcoming Worship & Activities 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. Lenten Meditation Booklets You may pick up a copy during Parish Office Hours or if you’d like a book mailed or delivered, please contact the church office (email stpauls@stpaulsmaine.org). Next Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28 Palm Sunday Eve and Day Saturday, March 272-4:00 pm Food Drive for MCHPP. Help fill the truck with non-perishable food! St. Paul’s parking lot4:00 pm Blessing of the Palms to take home at St. Paul’s parking lot and streamed on Facebook LivePalm Sunday, March 289:30 Family Worship on Zoom10:30 Spiritual Eucharist and Reading of St. Mark’s Passion on Facebook Live Sacred Ground Have you been wondering about how you might learn more about the history of racism in our nation and how you might consider your own call to anti-racism learning and formation? Have you been wondering about joining a Sacred Ground Circle? This Spring St. Paul’s will begin a second round of Sacred Ground Circles! If you are interested in joining please email Rev. Katie Holicky (katieholicky@stpaulsmaine.org). For more information on Sacred Ground visit https://www.episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground/ Zoom Lenten Program Offered by the Society of Saint John the Evangelist The Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE), an Episcopal monastery in Massachusetts, is offering a Zoom “eight-week retreat and course of study” that “will provide an overview of the Gospel of John and introduce participants to its major themes.” Br. David Vryhof is the presenter. Here are all the details you need to know to sign up. Registration: https://www.ssje.org/prayingjohn/ Remaining Dates of program: Tuesdays—March 16, 23, 30, April 6 Time: 7:30 p.m.-8:15 p.m. Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program OnMarch 27th we have organized a food drive at the Union St. parking lot from 2-4 pm. Please bring an item(s) of non-perishable food such as pasta, cereal, beans, and peanut butter (always needed). A truck will be in the parking lot – let’s work together to fill it up! The Blessing of the Palms will begin at 4 PM. I hope to see you there. Thank you, Bill Edman. Help Needed with St. Paul’s Research Charla A. Spann is researching and documenting information on all the different types of Fiber/Fabric used at St. Paul’s. Currently, she is focusing on the Altar Hangings and other Fabrics used at the services – Chasubles, Stoles, Banners, etc. Anyone who can share information on the history of any of these items, please contact Charla at chaspann13@gmail.com.  Prayer Requests Pray for St. Francis-by-the-Sea in Blue Hill. Pray for new members of the Church, penitents, and seekers. Pray for Anderson, Andrew, Cedric, Jason, Michael, Richard, and all in the military. We pray for: Christy, Ryan & family, Ray, John, David, Judi, Nick, Bob, Kathy, Skip, the Blackburn family, Willow, Ann, Jim, Lollie, James, Dave, Caroline, Jeffrey, Carol, Roger W, Harlan, Shirley, Rob, Rick+, and Elizabeth Jennifer, John, Reeve, Victor, Travis & family, Ben, Diane, Nate, Priscilla, Garrett, Elliot, Marcia, Lynn, Bill, Bob, Paul, Sue, Nan, Clare, Cameron, Barbara, Carol, Chris+, Christy, Michael, Ryan, Ralph, and Jacob Matthew, Herb, Gair, baby Thomas, Jason, Annie, Terry, Mark, Donelda, Sudie, Pat, Marie, Michael, Debbie, Carol, Ron, Hope, Therese, Lois, Bob, Virginia, Sally, Steve, Luke, Catarina, Jen, Richelle, and all essential workers 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 |
