What’s Happening at St. Paul’s 8-20
 What’s Happening at St. Paul’s |
Each morning in my prayer time when I journal and practice contemplative silence, the worries of the day are very much on my heart. I wake up with them. I find it a bit humorous that before I fall asleep at the end of the day, I have gratitude on my heart, not worries. Why I don’t wake with gratitude instead of worry is a mystery. Thankfully, though, I’m certain that God is on my heart with my worries. Some mornings, God is right behind my right ear listening to my frustrations. God is certainly with me in my daily journal writing. In addition to morning journaling and silent contemplation, I sing hymns. Recently, I downloaded a couple of albums of Anglican hymns and play them on my Bluetooth speaker. My dog Sophie leaves the room when I start to sing. I can’t imagine how I sound to her as I pick out the alto parts! But the physical involvement helps heal me and move through the stress of the morning to a more serene outlook. Through the uncertainties and particularly right now as the Delta variant puts a wrench into our in-person indoor plans at St. Paul’s, I’m deeply grateful that God is steering you and me through it. I trust that God has been steering us as a body of Christ all along. I love a challenge. I love to collaborate with YOU to plan our ministries together, even in a pandemic. At the same time, I acknowledge that our lives have been disrupted, and these 18 months of change, “pivoting” and uncertainty have threatened to pick away at our patience and undermine our well-being. Some of us are experiencing life problems and loneliness that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Please continue to reach out and connect with each other, with our St. Paul’s clergy or with family and friends. Loving-kindness, patience and gentleness with ourselves and each other are helping us right now. I want to thank our staff, wardens, vestry, members of the Future Planning Committee and Worship Ministry Team for your constant council as we’ve discerned how to be in Christian community these months. God has graced us with wise, prayerful, faithful and generous leaders. The Apostle Paul calls a Christian community like ours the body of Christ, a community in unity that brings together for good all the gifts and experience God has given us to build up in community and holiness. In that spirit, in the current surge of the virus in Maine, we are called upon to set new guidelines for gathering outdoors, indoors and for worship. We reviewed with you in a Town Hall last Sunday the updated guidelines. Note that they will be printed in the Sunday announcements and on our Facebook page. I share with you the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians to give us encouragement as we continue to be in community as Christ’s body, God’s chosen, the church. “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15 With Christ’s peace, Carolyn+ St. Paul’s Guidance for Outdoor and Indoor Gatherings* *Updated 8/13/21 OUTDOOR 1. Masks are highly recommended for fully vaccinated people and required for unvaccinated people. 2. Contact tracing is required. 3. Masks are recommended for congregational and choir singing. 4. Physical distancing is not required. 5. There is no limit to number of people gathered. 6. Please gently ask if a hand shake or hug is permissible. 7. Community groups such as the 12-step groups may meet outdoors. 8. If possible, it is recommended to bring a chair to use. 9. If food and drink are served, servers must be masked. Food is not laid out buffet style, but served on individual plates. INDOOR Parish Office is open. (see hours in announcements) No in-person indoor Sunday worship until surge reverses to May 2021 levels for at least a month’s consecutive days. 1. No more than 25 people in building at a time. 2. Masks are required for all entering building. 3. Contact tracing is required for all entering the building. 4. No more than two masked people or two family units in each restroom at a time. 5. Building is closed to community groups, but open to members. WORSHIP 1. Summer Sunday outdoor “picnic Eucharist” will continue through the end of October in-person in the me-morial garden at 10:30 a.m. Facebook live streaming will be offered. 2. Starting September 12, Family Worship and Family Group begin at 9:00 a.m. outdoors. 3. When heavy rain or thunderstorms are forecast, Spiritual Eucharist from the Nave at 10:30 a.m. will be offered on Facebook Live from the closed nave instead of outdoor in-person Eucharist. The Saturday email and a Facebook announcement will be sent. 4. Memorial services may be in-person in memorial garden (see above for outdoor guidelines) or in-person indoors in the nave for no more than 25 masked family and friends or postponed to a date that fits the in-person indoor gathering criteria. |
| Sunday, August 22nd The Thirteenth 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 1 Kings 8:[1, 6, 10-11], 22-30, 41-43 Psalm 84 Ephesians 6:10-20 John 6:56-69 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 HARVEST FAIR  HARVEST FAIR—Help Needed The Annual St. Paul’s (Christmas) Harvest Fair will be Saturday, October 2nd, outside in the garden (rain date October 9th). Please volunteer to help with this yearly signature event! This is St. Paul’s biggest push. All proceeds will go into our Outreach Fund and be distributed to nonprofit organizations. The Fair will feature: · Jewelry and household Treasures · Fiber Arts · Country Store · Baked Goods · Silent Auction—back by popular demand! We need volunteers to: · Staff various tables · Serve as ambassadors and greeters · Cashier · Set up for the fair and clean up afterwards · Help create items for the Fiber Arts table. We have yarn and supplies available. To volunteer, please contact Jeff DeBlieu at jeff.deblieu@icloud.com or 252-548-0001. · Have some household items for our Treasures Table? Please contact Nancy Johnson at (978) 387-6058. · Have an idea for a service or item for our Silent Auction? Please contact Nancy Whitehouse at nancyw797@gmail.com. · Is your garden overflowing? Please save some of your canned creations for our Country Store. Contact Carol Martin at cmartin@northpark.edu. Many thanks! Jan and Jeff DeBlieu Parish Announcements Parish Office volunteers needed: If you’d like to help with reception / answering phones on Fridays from 10-12, please contact the Rector. Memorial services scheduled at St. Paul’s in September: Due to the surge of the COVID Delta variant in Maine, currently planned and future memorial services will be offered either in the memorial garden under the canopy (weather permitting), indoors in the nave with a limit of 25 family and friends, or postponed until criteria are met for safe indoor in-person gatherings. Sunday, September 5 at 2:00 p.m. service for Ritalee Doty Friday, September 10 at 11:00 a.m. service for Cam Smith Saturday, September 25 at 2:00 p.m. service for Jo Belknap From Ellen Hall and Caroline Russell to the women of St. Paul’s, We are hoping to co-facilitate a new women’s faith community for an initial period of 6 months. We are introducing some “touchstones” to guide how participants treat each other. *We speak from personal experience, knowing that others will respect our feelings. *We provide a safe space for open conversation, respecting confidentiality. *Identify assumptions; suspend judgement. *Each of us is here to discover her own truths, not to fix or correct what we perceive as broken or incorrect. *Be aware of the difference between intention and impact; assume no member intends harm or discomfort. Please examine our offerings and share your reactions and input at one of the following: Wednesday, September 14, 2:00pm at Caroline Russell’s at 8 Whitney Way Topsham 729-1845 OR Saturday September 18, 2:00pm at Ellen Hall’s at 29 Tarrantine Drive Brunswick 603-721-1733 or 373-1113. If you cannot attend either, please feel free to call or email either of us. Hoping for fruitful discussions. 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 When the Covid-19 pandemic hit last year, MCHPP had to close their dining room. Despite this, they have been able to continue to provide meals to those in need. They partnered with a few local organizations to provide remote sites for those who find it hard to get to their main site. From January to July, they have provided 80% more meals this year over last year. Your donations this month will be doubled due to a matching grant that they have received. Please consider sending them a check, in any amount to MCHPP, 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick, ME 04011 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. Prayer Request The scene in Haiti right now is devastating… After a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck on Saturday morning, at least 5,700 people have been injured, 30,000+ people lost their houses, hospitals and churches have been reduced to rubble and at least 1,300 people are dead. That death toll continues to climb. Communities affected by this deadly earthquake urgently need your help. Please donate now to support relief efforts on the ground. We are in touch with our partners in Haiti as they assess the damage and determine what is most needed, and will be providing that support. They have reported numerous casualties and extensive damage in and around Les Cayes, Petit Trou de Nippes and Maniche. Pray for St. Thomas’, Winn Christ Church Dark Harbor, Islesboro. Pray for our retired clergy, spouses, and surviving spouses. Pray for the Maine Episcopal Public Policy Network. Pray for Anderson, Andrew, Cedric, Jason, Michael, Richard, and all in the military. Pray for those who have died remembering especially Nancy Adams and Jennifer Hayden, who died this week. 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, Rick+, Elizabeth, Courtenay, Larry, Courtenay, Patsy, Ward, Mary Ann, Steve, Nancy, Joe, and Robert G., and Larry Jennifer, John, Victor, Travis & family, Ben, Diane, Nate, Priscilla, Garrett, Elliot, Marcia, Lynn, Bill, Bob, Paul, Sue, Clare, Cameron, Barbara, Christy, Michael, Ryan, and Jacob, Jen, all essential workers, Sandy, Carolyn D., Jennifer, Caroline, and Carol Matthew, Herb, Jason, Annie, Terry, Mark, Donelda, Sudie, Pat, Marie, Michael, Debbie, Carol, Ron, Hope, Therese, Lois, Bob, Virginia, Sally, Steve, Luke, Catarina, Darah, Linda, Barbara, Ronald, Ray, Philip, Patricia, Steven F, Bill, Dave, Diane, Therese, Sally, Julie and her children, and Judy 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 |
