What’s Happening at St. Paul’s 6-25
 What’s Happening at St. Paul’s |
“Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.” St. Paul’s has experienced a loyal daily digital following for our prayers twice a day since the beginning of the pandemic. As things locked down and for safety’s sake, we closed the building and moved worship to Facebook Live, our staff and leaders knew that daily digital prayer would be important to many people. Now, sixteen months later, our faithful, committed Lay Worship Leaders and clergy have led Daily Morning Prayer and Compline Monday through Saturday without a break. Indeed, our digital prayer community currently extends from Scotland to Vermont to Virginia to Bangor and Greater Brunswick. Our digital members know that they can send prayer requests for the list we keep updated. I give joyful thanks for the current leaders: Hugh and Caroline Savage, Myrna Koonce, Cliff Ruprecht, Carolyn Eklund, Carol and Larry Kalajainen, Mary Lee and Rick Wile, Andree Appel, Macauley Lord and Julia Walkling who has kept us organized. Last Saturday, our leaders met for supper on my deck and shared the surprises and delights of leading prayer all these months. We all agreed that our own faith has been strengthened through leading these prayers so regularly. Still, we agreed that as summer begins, infection rates decline and vaccination rates increase, many of us are making vacation plans for a break. We will be taking a break from offering digital live stream prayers every day. Instead, we have worked out a summer schedule that will continue to give a digital prayer presence twice daily only on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays in the summer starting July 6 through the beginning of September. We will continue with prayers daily July 1, 2, 3, then pick up on Tuesday July 6. I hope you will continue to be a member of our digital live streaming prayer community or join us if you haven’t enjoyed this wonderful way to pray together! “Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake, we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace” from Compline in the Book of Common Prayer. Your friend in Christ, Carolyn + |
| Sunday, June 27 The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost  10:30 a.m. Outdoor Picnic Eucharist in the Memorial Garden Please bring your own bread and chair for picnic Eucharist. Ushers will provide both a wafer and chair if it’s not possible for you to bring these. Or click on the link below to view from home: To watch on Facebook for the Worship Booklet for the St. Paul’s Announcements Readings 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 Psalm 130 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Mark 5:21-43 Lectionary Page  Explore the Sermon over coffee on Zoom Sunday, 11:30 a.m. Join in for a facilitated virtual gathering to check in with each other and explore the morning’s sermon. Click here to join.  2:00 p.m. Outdoor Family Picnic Eucharist in the Memorial Garden Rev. Katie Holicky and musician Susan Brown will lead us in a time of song, prayer, story, and sharing with our friends! Click here for the Family Worship Booklet Parish Announcements St. Paul’s Summer Schedule Changes Sunday “Picnic Eucharist” 10:30 a.m.; Family “Picnic Eucharist” 2:00 p.m. in the Memorial Garden. Bring your own bread and chairs if able. If storms predicted, Facebook Live. Sunday “Zoom Exploring the Sermon” at 11:30 a.m. will not meet over the summer. Summer Choir Schedule—In July and August a member or members of the choir will lead the hymns at outdoor worship, sometimes as a solo cantor, other times as a quartet. Daily Morning Prayer and Compline starting July 6: Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Facebook Live. Wednesday afternoon Bible Study, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. will not meet over the summer. It will resume in September. Those interested in joining in the fall please contact Pam Nugent. Newcomers Brunch—Saturday, July 10th at 10:00 a.m. Announcing St. Paul’s Newcomers Brunch, Saturday July 10 at 10:00 a.m. in the Memorial Garden to meet the Vestry. All newcomers, even if you’ve been with us for a couple of years are invited! On July 11, St. Paul’s will offer Diocese of Maine pre-recorded Spiritual Eucharist. There will be no outdoor “picnic Eucharist” on these Sundays. Reserving the Memorial Garden: Please contact the church office if you’d like to schedule a meeting in the Memorial Garden to ensure you’re on our calendar and we avoid double-booking. Thank you! Camp Bishopswood -Summer Finale is a program for whole households. Households can gather at Camp Bishopswood for free diocese-wide programming during the day on Sunday, August 29, and optional camping is available on both Friday and Saturday nights. Swim, boat, hike, rest, lunch and worship on scenic Lake Megunticook. We will gather on August 29 in the morning and late afternoon for worship, and in the afternoon for a free Bishopswood lunch. Stations will be set up across camp throughout the day, where individuals and households can experience the liturgy on their own terms, at their own pace. Youth completing grades 5-12 will have Pray, Play, Connect LIVE programming available in the afternoon. Want to camp overnight? Come up on Friday or Saturday, and enjoy Camp Bishopswood’s lodging, food and hospitality. Diocesan programming is only provided on Sunday, but everything Camp has to offer is available all weekend long. Scholarships are available – we want this to be accessible to all families. To register visit https://episcopalmaine.formstack.com/forms/summer_finale. Questions? Contact Cn. Sara D’Angio White, sdangiowhite@episcopalmaine.org, or The Rev. Katie Holicky, kholicky@gmail.com. Rev. Al Niese’s New Book Now at Gulf of Maine Bookshop Soren’s Story: A Parable About Bullying and the Peaceable Kingdom (Maine Authors Publishing, Thomaston, 2021) written by St. Paul’s member Al Niese and illustrated by Amy Gagnon, is now at Gulf of Maine (reopened) and other Maine bookshops. The children’s story is told by Soren, a city park pigeon, who fledged from a nest under a highway bridge. The parable is about bullies and the dove of peace — the same avian species as the city pigeon, the rock dove, Columbia Livia, of ancient history, art and the world’s sacred literature (including Genesis and the Gospels). The narrative (with teacher’s guide) addresses arrogant, destructive human behavior with ancient wisdom, offering children (and adults, too) hope and “a better way to be,” the Peaceable Kingdom. 18 paintings and drawings by Amy Gagnon accompany story excerpts available on the website: alfredniese.com Al raised and flew high-flying tippler pigeons as rector of Atonement, Fair Lawn, NJ. (’67-’76). He is a member of Rick Wile’s spiritual writers group. Soren’s Story is mentioned by Francis Fennell, Jr. in the official website of the Jesuit English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program Curtis Memorial Library is a host site for the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program’s Summer Meal program. FREE grab and go summer meals for children and teens (and accompanying caregivers) on a first come, first served basis. Monday through Friday from Noon to 1:00 pm near the Nancy Bouchard Laffely Children’s Garden and the Morrell Meeting Room entrance. PLEASE SHARE and SPREAD THE WORD. This is one of the many critical ways MCHPP supports our community. You may support them by writing a check in any amount and sending it to MCHPP, 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick, ME 04011. Thank you. St. Paul’s Guidance for Outdoor and Indoor Gatherings* OUTDOOR Masks are not required for fully vaccinated people, but they are recommended for the sake of children who are not yet eligible for the vaccine and those who are immunocompromised. Physical distancing is not required. There is no limit to the number of people gathered. Masks are not required for congregational or choir singing. Sign-in for contact tracing is required. Community groups such as the 12-step groups may meet outdoors. If possible, it is recommended to bring a chair to use. Limited entry to the closed building for restroom use one at a time. Food and drink are served by servers who are masked. Food is served on individual plates. INDOOR ** Due to work on the building, the building will remain closed until mid-August. Please note advisory below regarding restrooms. Masks are not required for fully vaccinated people, but they are recommended for the sake of children who are not yet eligible for the vaccine and those who are immunocompromised. The building will remain closed with the posted office hours schedule. There is no limit to the number of people in the building or parish office. There is no physical distancing required. Sign-in for contact tracing is required. WORSHIP Summer Sunday outdoor “picnic Eucharist” will be in-person in the memorial garden at 10:30 a.m. and Family “picnic Eucharist” at 2:00 p.m. beginning June 20. (see above guidelines for outdoor gatherings) On June 13 and July 8, St. Paul’s will offer Diocese of Maine pre-recorded Spiritual Eucharist. There will be no outdoor “picnic Eucharist” on these Sundays. When heavy rain is forecast, Spiritual Eucharist from the Nave at 10:30 a.m. will be offered on Facebook Live instead of outdoor in-person Eucharist. The Saturday email and a Facebook announcement will be the vehicles to inform the parish of this change. In-person indoor gatherings including Sunday worship will begin mid-August depending on the flooring installation in the building. New guidelines will be introduced at that time. *See guidance by the governor of Maine as of May 24th, 2021 located on the website of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. https://www.episcopalmaine.org/resource/forcongregations/maine-guidelines **Thanks to a generous gift given by Caroline Russell, contractors will be painting and replacing flooring in the restrooms, kitchen, Great Hall, sacristy, hallways, and parish office during July and the first weeks of August. The building will not be open until mid-August. Because of June-July renovations, downstairs restrooms will either have a reduced number of toilets or even none. Upstairs restrooms will be unaffected. Parish Office Hours Monday: Building Closed except to Counters Tuesday: 9 am — 1:00 pm Carolyn Farr & Nancy Whitehouse Wednesday: 10 am – 2 pm The Rev. Carolyn Eklund & Nancy Whitehouse Thursday: 10 am – 2 pm The Rev. Katie Holicky, The Rev. Carolyn Eklund & Nancy Whitehouse Friday: 10 am – Noon Carolyn Farr Noon -2 pm The Rev. Carolyn Eklund Saturday & Sunday: Building Closed (ministers of the liturgy only) Prayer Requests Pray St. James in Old Town and St. George’s Chapel in Tenants Harbor. Pray for those who advocate for the poor, the lonely and the oppressed. Pray for Anderson, Andrew, Cedric, Jason, Michael, Richard, and all in the military. Thanksgiving for the birth of the daughter of Johanna Wigg and Cheryl Golek, and little sister of Estella. 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, Harlan, Shirley, Rob, Rick+, Elizabeth, Courtenay, Larry, Courtenay, Patsy, Ward, Mary Ann, Steve, and the grandson of Greg and Linda Millert 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, Sandy, Carolyn D., Jennifer, and Thelma 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, Barbara, Ronald, and Ray 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. 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