What’s Happening at St. Paul’s 7-23

What’s Happening at St. Paul’s 

We have exciting Sacred Ground news! Welcome Andrea Lauerman, Sacred Ground Coordinator!

Beloved community, it is with great joy and thanksgiving that the Sacred Ground Advisory Group and I, with the joyful approval of the rector, share that we have now invited Andrea Lauerman to join us as our Sacred Ground Coordinator.

You may remember that Caroline Russell donated a generous gift to the parish last year. After a discernment process it became clear that the Spirit was calling us more deeply into the work of racial justice by way of The Episcopal Church’s Sacred Ground curriculum. This film and reading-based program offers a space for folks to learn more about the history of racism in our nation through faithful conversation circles. As we explored this clear call to turn our hearts more deeply to this work, the Advisory Group, under my leadership as chair of the Sacred Ground project, prayerfully created a stellar job description, received twice as many applicants as we had anticipated, went through multiple rounds of interviews, and faithfully discerned together who God was calling us to invite into this deep and sacred work.

We give thanks that after months of hard and thoughtful work Andrea will be joining us in August! She is a former teacher, and has great experience and training in the work of facilitating difficult conversations on race and other topics. Andrea holds an Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a BA in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College. As we look to expand the program over the next two years, Andrea will help us connect with folks around the wider Brunswick community, and invite others to join us in learning and conversation. We look forward to all that Andrea will bring to this work as we expand to make this a truly ecumenical endeavor. 

Peace,
Rev. Katie Holicky, Assistant Rector


Sunday, July 25
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost



10:30 a.m. Outdoor Picnic Eucharist in the Memorial Garden & on Facebook

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 11:1-15
Psalm 14
Ephesians 3:14-21
John 6:1-21
Lectionary Page


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.Rev. Katie Holicky is away July 25 —August 1.  For pastoral emergencies, please contact Rev. Carolyn Eklund.

Mid-year Giving Statements have been emailed and are in the mail for those without email. Anyone with questions upon review, please contact Nancy Whitehouse, Treasurer.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program
If you’ve been grocery shopping recently, you have seen the increase in prices of many food items. It impacts our food budget and it also impacts MCHPP in their ability to provide food to their clients. MCHPP is providing lunches in Brunswick and surrounding towns for children who are food insecure. Anyone in need can walk up and get a lunch, no questions asked. MCHPP needs our support to carry out the important mission and any amount you can spare will go a long way in helping them. Their address is: MCHPP, 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick, ME 04011
 
Pleasant Street Corridor Study
The Town of Brunswick will host a public hearing on the Pleasant Street Corridor Study live and zia Zoom on July 29th at 6:30 pm. Here is a letter from the town with more information. 
The draft information is expected to be available on the Town Webpage a week before the public meeting.  The links to the two previous meetings can be found at:
http://tightrope.brunswickme.org/CablecastPublicSite/show/4449?channel=1
http://tightrope.brunswickme.org/CablecastPublicSite/show/4524?channel=1
Click here to watch the meeting on Brunswick TV14 (public access station).


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 The Rev. Katie Holicky, 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 for St. Alban’s, Cape Elizabeth and Our Lady of the Evergreens, Harborside.
Pray for Episcopal Peace Fellowship.
Pray for Anderson, Andrew, Cedric, Jason, Michael, Richard, and all in the military.
Thanksgiving for the birth of Braxton Smith, nephew of Eugene Smith and Randy Day.
Thanksgiving for Andrea Lauerman for joining us as the Sacred Ground Coordinator.

 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 Nancy

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, Thelma, Joann, Bob, Caroline, and Carol

Matthew, Herb, 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, Linda, Barbara, Ronald, Ray, Philip, Patricia, and Steven F.

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