What‘s Happening at St. Paul’s 02-11-2022
I hope you will join the Diocese of Maine Racial Justice Council, our own Nick Smith, the Maine Council of Churches, the League of Women Voters and me in writing our Maine legislators in favor of LD 1626, the tribal sovereignty bill. Please submit your testimony to the Maine legislature in support of a tribal sovereignty bill, LD1626, testimonies by February 13. You can get clear, detailed information, and instructions on how to do this from the faith leaders of the MLK Permanent Commission Advocacy Group – contact Allison Smith allisoncgsmith@gmail.com or Gail Witherill gwitherill@gmail.com. The Maine League of Women Voters has some excellent non-partisan resources on this topic here: https://www.lwvme.org/Wabanaki
UPDATE ON DAMAGE FROM BURST PIPE IN THE VESTIBULE
On a local note, you may wonder what is going on with our St. Paul’s building. I’ve asked Hugh Savage, our Buildings and Grounds Chairperson (B&G Chair) to help me update you on the work to remove damp and damaged areas from the burst pipe in the vestibule. From floor to two feet up, drywall has been removed. Demolition work is continuing in the basement boiler room and room where the electrical and digital equipment operates.
Here is the update and an informational video:
1. The root of the burst pipe is that the boiler shut down over the weekend of January 15-17, 2022. The pipe in the heater burst, leaked and flooded the vestibule, Union Street entrance and ramp. This was discovered on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. Both boiler room and storage room in basement were saturated.
2. That day, Hugh Savage, Randy Day and Nancy Whitehouse began to dry out the areas with Shop Vac and fans.
3. That day, Serv Pro was called and a day later they came with their water extraction equipment spending three days to dry out the drywall, floors and ceilings.
4. Our Church Insurance agent was also called that day in order to make the claim.
5. Our claim agent toured the area Monday, January 24, 2022.
6. Rector and B&G chair agreed to Serv Pro’s recommendation that 2’ of drywall and insulation from floor up needed to be replaced because the materials were still damp after initial drying treatment. Drying was needed to prevent mold growth.
7. During the demolition, Serv Pro discovered that the walls upstairs and down had additional layers of double sheetrock behind the surface sheetrock and studs which were damp from floor to ceiling in the basement. The formerly hidden layer of sheetrock in the boiler room was especially difficult to remove.
8. Moore Painting was called to evaluate the extent of the replacement of the sheetrock and need for painting.
9. The recommendation of both Moore Painting and Serv Pro managers was that the work was so much more extensive than expected that a contractor was needed to organize the work and coordinate with the insurance adjustor. Repairs may involve building code issues, plumbers and electricians, so Fraser Ruwet, a contractor familiar with our building was brought in to consult.
10. As of February 9, the removal of wet materials continues by a team from Serv Pro.
Our Parish Administrator, Randy Day is coordinating the weekly workers coming and going for cleanup and demolition. We haven’t determined yet why the boiler shut off. B&G Chair, with the approval of the vestry has requested pricing from Titan Mechanical and Protection Professionals to install a relay from the boiler controls to the alarm system to ensure someone from the parish is contacted if the boiler shuts down. Thank you, Hugh Savage, Nancy Whitehouse, Paul Womer and Randy Day for helping us dry out those very early days! Randy is keeping a folder of all the associated information and has labeled it, “Noah.” Love our humor!
Blessings,
Carolyn Eklund+
St. Paul’s Guidance for Indoor, In-Person Worship and Gatherings
(Guidelines subject to change as pandemic unfolds.)
INDOOR IN-PERSON WORSHIP (Digital worship offered as well!)
Based on the most recent CDC instructions,
please follow our guidelines for safer in-person indoor worship:
We will require that you wear a mask. (sanitizer & masks will be at each entrance)
Double masking is recommended by the Maine CDC and the Diocese of Maine. Feel free to take one of our masks for double masking
We will encourage three feet of physical distancing. (Seating will be clearly marked and ushers will help us keep our distance. Please only pass the peace to those near you to limit movement around the Hall and Nave)
We will say the responses, but no congregational singing. (The choir will sing)
We will not come forward to receive the bread or wine; communion of one kind from pews.
We will limit two people or family units in each restroom, masked.
We will not require a limit on the number of people in attendance, and will use the Vestibule for overflow seating.
We will not offer in person fellowship after worship.
- Cumberland County has a high vaccination rate and lower cases than other parts of the state.
- St. Paul’s membership has a high vaccination rate, though we are not requiring proof.
- The Nave and the Hall are well ventilated. (*Bundle up!)
- There will be no congregational singing. (The choir will sing)
- There will be no coming forward to receive bread or wine. (Taken individually while seated in pew)
Sunday, February 13th The Sixth Sunday After The Epiphany
Feast Day for Absalom Jones
Family Ministries Sunday Schedule
9 a.m. Modified Eucharist in the Great Hall & on Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 966 1711 1762
Passcode: church
Family Worship Bulletin Here
Family Group following worship, ending by 10:15
12-1 pm, 2nd & 4th Sundays Middle & High School Youth Group
10:30 a.m. Modified Eucharist in the Nave and 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
This week the church celebrates the life and Ministry of Absalom Jones, the first black man ordained as an Episcopal Priest.
Learn more about Absalom Jones here.
Set us free, heavenly God, from every bond of prejudice and fear: that, honoring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Parish Announcements
It’s almost that time again! Please send in your articles for the March 2022 issue of the Messenger to stpauls@stpaulsmaine.org by Friday, February 18th. We expect to have Lenten Meditations Books
available on Sunday, February 27.
You may also pick them on Ash Wednesday or stop by the church office during office hours.
Announcing the Adult Formation Lenten Program Offerings:
Tuesdays in Lent: Zoom, 7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m., March 8, 15, 22, 29.
The Evil Done on Our Behalf (exploring this important phrase we say in the corporate con-fession during Eucharist)
Speakers: Chick Carroll, Macauley Lord, Deborah Goodwin, Pat Ryan
Saturday, March 19, (The Feast of St. Joseph) 10-Noon. St. Paul’s Great Hall
Movie: “Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times.”
The movie will be followed by a discussion led by the Rev. Mary Lee Wile
Ash Wednesday, March 2nd
7:30 am to 8:15 am – Ashes and Lenten bags will be distributed to all who come to the parking lot. We will give each person instruc-tions for individual imposition of ashes, a Lenten prayer and the Lenten Meditation book.
Noon – Join us for Ash Wednesday Liturgy with modified imposition of ashes and Eucharist in-person in the Nave and on Facebook Live.
First Sunday in Lent, Great Litany – March 6th
10:30 a.m. First Sundays Life Together
The Racial Justice Council and Committee on Indian Relations of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine invite you, on February 20 at 2:00 pm, to a public forum in support of “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act” (LD 1626).
Maulian Dana, Ambassador of the Penobscot Nation, will be the keynote speaker. Bishop Thomas Brown will offer the opening prayer. The forum will take place via a Zoom Webinar, hosted by Christ Church, Gardiner. Click here to register.
If passed, the bill will restore to the Wabanaki tribes their inherent sovereignty over the territories in which they reside. Maine is the only state in the nation which blocks such sovereignty. (Learn more about sovereignty here in this document from the Committee on Indian Relations.) We hope you will join us to become better informed about this act, and to learn what you can do to promote passage of LD 1626!
Read these recently published messages of support from members throughout the diocese:
- Maine Voices: People of faith urge legislators, Gov. Mills to support tribal sovereignty by Evelyn Johnson Moore and John Hennessy, Diocesan Director of Public Advocacy
- Times Record Guest Column: Stand with the Wabanaki, pass LD 1626 by Nicholas Smith of St. Paul’s, Brunswick
- Letter to the Editor: “ERA for Women and Equal Rights for Maine Native Tribes” by June & Roy Smoot of St. David’s Episcopal Church, Kennebunk (scroll to the 4th letter to the editor on the page to read)
Healing Prayer Box
The Healing Prayer Team has placed a decorative box (with paper and writing implement provided) on a table in the vestibule. Please take the opportunity to request healing prayer for yourself or for someone else, just as you would if we could anoint and lay hands on you in person. Our commitment is to pray for whatever needs you share with us. As has always been true, we abide by a policy of strict confidentiality. A member of the Healing Prayer Team will check the box every Sunday. The Healing Prayer Team (Pam Nugent, Andree Appel, Sarah Arnold, Myrna Koonce, Carol Thomas, Virginia Vincent, Bob Walkling, Julia Walkling)
St. Paul’s Schedule
Sunday
9:00 a.m. Family Modified Eucharist in the Great Hall & on Zoom
(ID: 96617111762, Passcode: church)
9:30 a.m. Family Group
10:30 a.m. Modified Eucharist in the Nave & on Facebook Live. https://www.facebook.
12:00 p.m. Middle & High School Youth (2nd & 4th Sundays)
St. Paul’s Zoom Exploring the Sermon after 10:30 a.m. Modified Eucharist approximately 11:50 a.m.
Daily Morning Prayer and Compline
Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Facebook Live.
Tuesday 12:30 pm Women’s Bible Study on ZOOM, ID: 814 5988 6763 Passcode: 032484)
Wednesday 1:00 pm Bible Study in the Great Hall except 1st Wednesdays on
Zoom (ID: 881 3208 5376 , Passcode: 326628)
Prayer Requests
Pray for the life of Blessed Absalom Jones, the first African American priest in The Episcopal Church.
Pray for Anderson, Cedric, Jason, Michael, Richard, Peter, and all in the military.
Pray for those who have died remembering especially Billie Wilson who died recently.
We pray for:
Christy, Ryan & family, John, David, Nick, Bob, Kathy, Skip, the Blackburn family, Willow, Ann, Lollie, Carol, Harlan, Rick+, Elizabeth, Lyn and family, Sam, and Michael M., Chip, Eddie, Patsy, Robert G., Victor, Travis & family, Diane, Nate, Priscilla, Garrett, Elliot, Barbara, and Ed Barker family, Nancy and Dave, Reta, Sally, and Billie, Matthew, Ron, Hope, Darah, Ronald, Ray, Patricia, Diane, Therese, Sallie, Julie, Jacob, Carolyn B, Kimberly B, Jane and family, Julia, Sue, Ed+, Andrea H, and Judy and Sam P.
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.