What’s Happening at St. Paul’s 5-14
 What’s Happening at St. Paul’s |
The St. Paul’s Future Planning Committee met yesterday on Zoom just moments after the CDC announced the new recommendations for fully vaccinated people. The new guidelines about mask wearing and distancing are more relaxed or even eliminated based on recent studies conducted on fully vaccinated people. Our committee agreed to update our own St. Paul’s guidelines for vaccinated people both for outdoor and indoor gatherings. We agreed to move deliberately as we know in our faith community, the vaccine is not approved yet for young children and only this week was approved for children 12 years and older. Our building remains closed for now, but we are considering new guidelines for those participating in Facebook Live worship and staff office hours. I’d like to share with you right now two important outcomes from our meeting yesterday: For outdoor gatherings in the Memorial Garden, surrounding grounds and church-sponsored functions at member homes:Masks are recommended, particularly if you are not vaccinated, but they are not required, nor is distancing. There is no limit on number of people. However, for worship, for now, we are not recommending congregational singing. Choir members wearing the singing mask, will sing the hymns at outdoor worship. We will also ask you to sign in for contact tracing purposes. The emotions this news creates in us: I’m sure we will be moved with emotion as we meet one another in-person and realize we can see their face and consider a hug – maybe not a hand-shake, but a hug. I have felt tears well up as I meet another fully vaccinated person and we can consider a hug! Please move forward gently with each other and ourselves as we may feel tears of release and possible anxiety in this renewed and still uncertain way of being with each other. I’ve shared the news that once a month we will worship outdoors, rain or shine because we’ve rented a large canopy to be set up in the Memorial Garden on May 23 and from June to the end of October. Not only will we meet for worship once a month, but our ministry and fellowship groups may meet outdoors, rain or shine. Contact the parish office via email to be placed on the calendar, stpauls@stpaulsmaine.org. We are grateful to Nancy Whitehouse who has volunteered to work in the parish office in the interim while we search for a Parish Administrator. Be sure to join us outdoors in the Memorial Garden on Sunday, May 30, 4:00 p.m. to say thank you and good-bye to Susan and John Tyler. Please also mark your calendar for Sunday, May 23 at 10:30 a.m. when we will meet outdoors under the canopy for a celebration of the Day of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church and God’s Spirit that gathers all the people of every race and language and tribe and creed in mutual love and harmony. The symbol of the Holy Spirit is red like fire. I invite you to wear red that day. We are calling the outdoor Eucharist, “Picnic Eucharist” because we are inviting you to bring your own bread. We will then bless you and your bread in place. Our bishop has approved Eucharist in one kind. That means that the Celebrant blesses a small amount of bread and wine at the altar, but congregants will only take and eat the bread they bring. Ushers will also have wafers available in small separate containers if needed. I’m filled with hope and relief as more and more people are fully vaccinated in our parish and in our neighborhoods. The latest studies on vaccine effectiveness give me more hope and joy than I expected. My delight is in the way we continue to find new ways of being the Body of Christ together. The Future Planning Committee and I are cautiously hopeful and are preparing a plan for the fall that we can look forward to implementing. Yours in hope, Carolyn + P.S. If you’d like to make your own Altar Bread for the “Picnic Eucharist,” click here for a recipe from St. Gregory’s Abbey, Three Rivers, Michigan: |
| Sunday, May 16 The Seventh Sunday of Easter  9:30 a.m. Family Worship Rev. Katie Holicky, along with 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 Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 1 John 5:9-13 John 17:6-19 Psalm 1 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. Parish Announcements 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. Next Sunday, May 23 Pentecost Sunday We invite you to wear the color red to symbolize the fire of the Holy Spirit! 10:30 In-person Outdoor “Picnic” Eucharist under a canopy in the Memorial Garden and on Facebook Live Following the service (may start later than 11:30)Explore the Sermon over Coffee on Zoom 1:00 Middle and High Schoolers gathering 2:00 In-person Family “Picnic” Eucharist in the Garden 2:30 Family Group in the Garden Please bring your own bread for 10:30 and 2:00 Outdoor “Picnic” Eucharist. Pentecost Sunday & Other Outdoor Eucharist Sundays—Family Worship moves to 2:00 pm. Once a month Family Worship will move from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm and meet outdoors in the Memorial Garden. St. Paul’s Ministry Meetings Moving Outside As the weather improves, meetings are starting up again in the Memorial Garden. Here are some upcoming dates to note. Please wear masks and stay distanced. Wednesday 1:00 pm Bible Study is now meeting weekly in the Memorial Garden (on Zoom if it rains)Lay Pastoral Visitors will meet Wednesday, May 19 at 12:30 in the Memorial Garden. On Thursday, May 20, in partnership with Upstander Project, BTS (Bangor Theological Seminary Center) is offering a public online film screening of the Emmy Award-winning documentary Dawnland, followed by live Q&A. This event will spotlight the first government-sanctioned Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the United States, exposing the disturbing truth about the impact of Maine’s child welfare practices on Native American communities. On Monday, May 24, in partnership with Cape Elizabeth United Methodist Church, BTS will feature Bill Middlecamp leading “Reimagining The Future: a Climate Reality Presentation and En-ROADS Interactive Solutions Simulation.” Here’s a unique opportunity to consider the environmental-destruction impacts we are experiencing today, how we got to this point, and what the future may hold. Graduates to be Celebrated on June 20 at 10:30 and 2:00 In-person Outdoor “Picnic” Eucharist! Please email us (katieholicky@stpaulsmaine.org or stpauls@stpaulsmaine.org) with the name of a loved one who is graduating from high school, college, or graduate school. It will be important for our parish to recognize them, particularly again this year as remote and hybrid schooling continues. World Too Beautiful – An Online Contemplative Gathering First & Third Wednesdays of Each Month @ 5:45 pm World Too Beautiful, a collaboration between St. Luke’s Cathedral and the Diocese of Maine, is a twice-monthly musical and meditative gathering that focuses on beauty, interconnection, harmony, mutual encouragement, and healing. Bring a candle to light during our prayer time. For more information and the Zoom link visit https://www.episcopalmaine.org/ministry/world-too-beautiful Camp Bishopswood Located in the beautiful woods of mid-coast Maine, Bishopswood is an Episcopal coed overnight camp affordable and open to all youths ages 6-16. The camp is open again and accepting registrations now at https://www.bishopswood.org/. Scholarships are available through St. Paul’s. Please email the office if you are interested (stpauls@stpaulsmaine.org). Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program MCHPP received some good news recently – they received two generous grants to assist them in their mission. That is great; however, it will not solve the ongoing problem of food insecurity in our area. Even though the grants totaled $20,000, your donation in any amount you can spare will help them and will be greatly appreciated. Please direct your check to MCHPP: 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick, ME 04011 Prayer Requests Pray for St. Andrew’s in Millinocket and Trinity Chapel in York Harbor 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+, Elizabeth, Courtenay, Larry, and Courtenay Jennifer, John, Reeve, Victor, Travis & family, Ben, Diane, Nate, Priscilla, Garrett, Elliot, Marcia, Lynn, Bill, Bob, Paul, Sue, Nan, Clare, Cameron, Barbara, Christy, Michael, Ryan, and Jacob, Jen, all essential workers and Sandy 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, Richelle, Darah, Chick, Linda, and Barbara 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 |
