The St. Paul's Epistle
January 1-15, 2005
Contents
Letter from the Rector
Carol Miller - Retirement
Could your stewardship involve knitting?
You Are Invited
Flower Ministry
Mission I Activity
Letter from Bartholomayo Deng
Diocesan Convention 2004
Antiques Show Update
Vestry Nominations
Water for Sudan
Letter from The Rev. Paul Majer
Come Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.
Weekend
Pathways on the Road to Utopia
Christian Dialog on Contempory Issues
God Speaking in the Word
Needed! Greeters
Dear Members and Friends of St. Paul's:
On January 8, 2005 we will celebrate the ordination to the priesthood of Leslie St. Louis. It is a joyous time to give thanks to God for raising up Leslie with her many gifts for priestly ministry. The occasion is a setting apart, in the Episcopal church, for the unique role of specially trained persons as sacramental leaders for the church. Ordained persons, Deacons, Priests and Bishops, are the most obvious and visible sign of God's ministry.
We are blessed to have two faithful and dedicated clergy in Leslie St. Louis and Tom McCart. Leslie is the spiritual leader for our children, youth and parents. As Curate for Family Ministry, Leslie brings her many gifts and love of God to spiritually support our Church School program, St. Paul's Youth (SPY), acolytes, torchbearers and our Youth and Alleluia Choirs, as well as parents of young families.
Tom McCart, in the beginning of 2004, accepted my call to move from Interim Associate Rector to Associate Rector. We are blessed by his academic expertise with a Ph.D. in Church History and a minor in Liturgics. Many of us have appreciated his clear, insightful and witty teaching style during our October and Advent Adult Education series. Tom's primary responsibility is for Pastoral Care. Under his leadership the Stephen Ministry has trained nine parishioners for this caring ministry of friendship and listening.
We are blessed to have Leslie and Tom's priestly ministry with us here at St. Paul's. However, I believe that the wonderful gifts that each clergy have for ministry are to awaken and empower you for your ministry.
Leslie's gifts for family ministry are to empower our children and parents to experience and know their gifts for ministry. Tom's gifts for teaching and pastoral care are to empower you to deepen your faith and understanding of Christ and to awaken your Christian calling to care for those in our parish family who need a listening ear and caring heart.
As we celebrate Leslie's ordination to the priesthood, may we also celebrate our own gifts for ministry during this season of Epiphany.
Faithfully yours,
Rector
Carol Miller - Retirement
Carol Miller has thoughtfully and lovingly guided our Church School program for the last two and one half years. She has recruited excellent teachers, as well as guided forward our Godly Play program and Journey to Adulthood curriculum. Carol was the guiding light to revitalizing our beloved Christmas Pageant. All of our children have been blessed with Carol's big heart and vital spirituality.
As of January 1 Carol will step down as Church School Coordinator. She will be missed by parents, children, teachers and clergy. Come and celebrate Carol's Church School ministry as we give thanks to her at the 10 o'clock service on January 23, 2005.
In the interim, from January to June 2005, Barbara Warner has graciously accepted my offer to be interim Church School Coordinator. Thank you, Barbara!
Fred Reynolds
Rector
Could your stewardship involve knitting?
The church women have been supporting the ministry of the Seamen's Institute in New York City for many years by knitting scarves and caps. This is a ministry that helps thousands of seafarers of all nationalities with services that run the gamut from transportation, clothing, legal advice and religious services.
If you enjoy knitting, and would like to help, please contact Gail Snelling (248-9464) or Mary Jane McKnight (238-0393) for the knitting directions and yarn. The projects are simple and fun - and could be done by parishioners of all ages. Join us, won't you?
Mary Jane McKnight
You Are Invited
God willing and the people consenting
The Right Reverend Jack M. McKelvey,
Bishop of Rochester
on behalf of
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg, D.D.
Bishop of East Tennessee
will ordain
Leslie Marie St. Louis
to the Sacred Order of Priests
in Christ's one, holy, catholic Church
at half past ten in the morning
Saturday, January Eighth
Two Thousand Five
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
25 Westminster Road
Rochester, New York
Your prayers and presence are requested
The festal color is red Reception following
As many of you know St. Paul's and I are in the midst of planning my ordination. This service is scheduled for January 8th at ten thirty in the morning. I am excited about this new step in my life in ministry and look forward to sharing this experience with all of you. I do hope that you will come and join my family and me, as well as the many friends who have aided me in this journey, to celebrate the call of God in each of our lives.
This is a special service; it is, as you may know, a bit of a "higher" service then our regular Sunday service. I thought I would take some space here to share some of my thoughts about the service and things that will be in the service and why they are important to me. It is my hope that sharing these thoughts with you will allow you to understand why we do these things and what they mean to me.
Probably the first thing you will experience is the smell of incense floating through the church. I promise that we will not "sling smoke" so thickly that anyone gets sick. Incense is a very old symbol in our faith. It, in fact, goes back to the Old Testament. In Psalm 14 the psalmist prays "let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice." It is a sign of our prayers being carried to God and a sign of the Holy Spirit being present, amongst us. I am very fond of incense. Most of the churches I have attended throughout my life have used incense on a fairly regular basis. For me it is a comforting smell, all seems right to me when I enter a church and can smell the incense from services long past. I love the way it lingers in the wood faintly recalling those who have worshipped here before. It is said that the sense of smell is our strongest sense and the one most often equated to memory and emotion. I suppose for me the wafting of incense connects me to the past, both my own and ours as a community of faith; Christians on a journey with saints in the present and saints of the past.
The next thing that will be different for some of you is that we will process the Gospel out into the congregation. The cross and four torches will lead the way for the Gospel book which will be carried by a deacon and one of the priests will read the Gospel out to the people as it is covered by the cross and lit by torch light. This is a very old way of reading the Gospel and really the truest way or sense in which to have the good news of Christ proclaimed. This too is a part of my history. Many of the churches I have attended process the gospel every Sunday. I love to watch the Gospel procession; it seems so "right" to me to have the word come forth from the midst of God's chosen. Christ most likely proclaimed the good news in this fashion. We only have one account of Jesus reading the text from the front of the synagogue, unfortunately that ended with his being chased from the place and narrowly escaping with his life. The Gospel is really at its truest sense just a compilation of stories, stories which would have been told by one person sitting or standing and walking around in the midst of a group of followers. In my days in New Mexico I had the opportunity to experience this manner of oral history first hand. Many Native American tribes still only pass on their history and their understanding of God and creation orally. It was simply magic to be in the presence of a gifted story teller, to have the story come from the midst of the people and to have myself and those gathered with me now becoming part of the story as it is told and woven all around us and through us and in us. This is what the experience of the Gospel reading is for me, both when I read it and when I hear it. I hope it will be likewise for you.
Finally there is the "vesture" that you will see at this service that may be somewhat different. After the bishop has laid his hands on my head and all of the priests have covered me with their hands I will be robed in the "vesture of the office of priest." The only garment that is particular to the office of priest is the chasuble. The word chasuble comes from the Latin word casula. Casula means "little house" and in a sense the chasuble can be considered the house that the word of God inhabits. It is a symbol that goes back to at least the 4th century; it ties us as well to the Old Testament priests who would have worn a garment with something called a breastplate on it. The breastplate had on it symbols of the twelve tribes of Israel and in wearing this garment the priests "carried" the community he represented into the holy of holies on his breast. And of course the chasuble reminds us of Christ. The Chasuble is woven as one piece of material with no seams, similar to the garment that the soldiers tore in two after Christ died and the shape of the chasuble is in the shape of a yoke. When one vests in chasuble and stole they take on both the yoke of Christ and the care of the community of Christ. These are rich and wonderful symbols. While we do not regularly vest in chasuble and stole at St Paul's these are important symbols to me. To be able to in some tangible way take on the yoke of Christ is the culmination of many years of prayer, discernment and work, for both myself and many of the folks who will be gathered and many more who will not be able to come. To carry this community on my breast is a privilege.
These are some of the signs and symbols, which we will all experience in this service of ordination. These and many others are really tools or props to help us delineate that something has changed, that new definitions and new roles are being taken on. I hope that they speak to you and that you find joy and peace in them. I pray that as we gather together in the wafting of incense under the spell of words spoken out through the centuries you will experience God; I know I do in each of you.
In Christ,
Rev. Leslie M. St. Louis
Flower Ministry
A significant pastoral care ministry takes place every Sunday at St. Paul's as volunteers take flowers from the Altar to our home bound, those in the hospital or recovering at home, and members of this community who are celebrating an "advanced" birthday.
This past year, Jeannette Lyons has coordinated this ministry by scheduling volunteers for each Sunday, and I'm grateful for her ministry. As we begin a new cycle in the church year, we invite you to consider joining this dedicated group.
It is not a complicated ministry. One simply comes to the flower room, picks up a "delivery" card (maps provided) and the flowers, and you're on your way!
Although a simple ministry, it is one that is deeply appreciated by the recipients. Just one example is this note from a parishioner: "The beautiful thought expressed in the card accompanying the exquisite flowers from the altar added to the great pleasure of receiving them. The reminder of God's love and concern and from the friends at St. Paul's is a wonderful gift."
I hope you will consider this important ministry. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me or Jeannette.
Thomas McCart
Mission I Activity
The Mission I Funding Committee has wrapped up work for 2004 with grants of $11, 616 to five organizations stretching from the St. Paul's neighborhood in southeast Rochester to Sudan in eastern Africa.
The largest of the grants, at $4,000 and $4,516, went to the Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Housing Foundation and the Jonglei Development Society of Sudan. The housing grant supports emergency health and safety related repairs for local seniors. The Sudan grant supports construction of a high school in the Jonglei region of Sudan, the first such school to operate there in more than two decades. At least 25% of the students will be young women.
Mission I also approved local grants of $1,000 for Southeast Ecumenical Ministries - SEM - which supports a food pantry for the needy at St Paul's; and $1,100 for School #9. These grants support programs where St. Paul's volunteers are directly involved, a guiding principal for Mission I decision-making. The committee also approved $1,000 for Sojourner House, a local agency supporting women and children.
Mission I year-end work also included a change in procedure with several grants getting pre-approval for 2005. These will appear as line items on the church budget, but still require Mission I Grant Applications. They are: Rochester Area Interfaith Housing Network, School #9, St. Joseph House of Hospitality and Paul's Place.
In the coming year the Mission I Committee will be seeking potential members to fill vacancies from resignations and expired terms. Active, pledging members of St. Paul's are eligible. Those interested should contact Committee Chair, Scott Arrington.
Letter from Bartholomayo Deng
Dear Scott;
I am overwhelmed with joy when passing my heartfelt and sincere greetings to you with hope that you are fine. With me, I am well and sound.
I have received the check you sent through Nancy Frank. I really appreciated the contribution more than I can say. It will help me start, as you have put. May the Almighty God multiply your gracious contribution and reward you too for your kindness.
Please express my gratitude to Mission I Funding Committee, million times over.
The school will be called St. Paul's Rochester, since you are the starter.
God bless
Bol (Bartholomayo Deng)
Diocesan Convention 2004
Last October, parishioners Chris Curtis, Melissa Hopkins and Chris Moore served as Delegates representing St. Paul's at the 73rd Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester. On October 29 and 30, they joined our clergy, Fred Reynolds, Tom McCart and Leslie St. Louis with about 330 delegates, clergy and staff from surrounding parishes, at the Hyatt Regency on Main Street in Rochester. The Convention theme was entitled, Partnerships and Possibilities: Grow For It, celebrating the teamwork among the 52 congregations in the Diocese of Rochester.
On Friday afternoon, the Convention opened with educational workshops. Melissa Hopkins chose Women in Islam, led by representatives from the Islamic Center of Rochester on Westfall Road in Brighton. The program leaders traced the roots of Islam to some of those shared by Judaism and Christianity beginning with Adam and Eve, recognizing Noah and Abraham, and Christ, then culminating in their chosen prophet Mohammed, who lived 570-632. Mohammed's teachings are recorded in the Koran, in which God instructs Mohammed to unify all tribes and races around the world into one people of God. Islam celebrates oneness, the unity of humankind. With no intermediary between man and God, an individual is born spotless, and must choose good deeds to stay unified with God and to ultimately travel the road to salvation.
The pure tenets of Islam honor women as equal to men, promoting equal education, financial and religious rights, and supporting intermarriage of races and creeds within the family of humanity. The program leaders denounced the extremist groups such as Al Qaeda oppressing women and waging war in the name of Islam. Islam in its purest form celebrates forgiveness and peace, as expressed in the greeting, "Shalom."
The workshop Should Gays and Lesbians Marry? was led by the Diocesan Committee for Gay and Lesbian Ministry, who explored the secular and spiritual meaning of marriage as a covenant of joy and commitment to honor God and one another. In the book of Genesis, the Hebrew description of a companion fashioned from the rib of the first human is not gender-specific. Rather, one is created for the other so that a person is not alone. In the New Testament, St. Paul emphasizes the importance of marriage as a discipline to sanctify human sexuality in a committed relationship, a home for love to dwell within? The church blesses animals; why not human relationships? The program leaders called for the canon law to redefine marriage as gender-inclusive and cited Christ as loving and welcoming all individuals. While Christ offers clear and specific guidelines about money, he does not specify rules about sexuality. In the Gospels, Christ reaches out to the marginal, the disenfranchised in society, and teaches us to love one another.
Before the Friday Banquet, Bishop McKelvey gave his annual address in which he expressed hope that American politicians would remember the needy in the approaching national elections.
The Dinner Banquet featured delicious entrees of vegetarian or surf and turf.
The Convention reconvened on Saturday with a service of Holy Eucharist, featuring music performed by directors, singers and musicians from throughout and beyond the Diocese. The service also featured the raising of the Peace Quilt made by youth in the Diocese; a Necrology praying for deceased parishioners this year, and the United Thank Offering.
The guest preacher was The Rt. Rev. Gayle Harris from the Diocese of Massachusetts.
Growth theme-we have much potential for growth:
- God is not finished with us yet.
- Continue to spread the love and peace of Christ in the world around you.
- Live for vitality, not mediocrity.
- Seek God in one another instead of divisions among humanity.
- Celebrate diversity of life, gift of human sexuality, repair damage from the controversy over homosexuality, abuse, HIV.
- All of God's diverse, colorful creation is a gift.
- Ministry support; planned giving including last gift at end of life;
- Enhance youth ministry
- Encourage diversity among clergy and parishioners
- Love is the medium, the vehicle driving conversation vs. the fear of differences and change)
At the Business Meeting following the worship service, the new Diocesan Youth Missioner, The Rev. Cynthia Sever, described her work on behalf of youth in the diocese. Several young people gave testimonials about the October trip to New York City for the Nightwatch program at St. John's the Divine, and last summer's mission trip to Dungannon, Virginia, to repair homes in Appalachia. Among the 50 youth attending Convention were St. Paul's members Scott Haag, Elizabeth Marini, and Olivia Moore. After this report, St. Paul's own Youth Leader, Charlotte Kimberly-Haag, helped conduct youth programming at Christ Church in downtown Rochester.
Next, Stephen Lane, The Rochester Diocesan Canon for Development, circulated copies of and invited discussion about The Windsor Report, by the Lambeth Commission on Communion. This report derives from a meeting of Anglican Church leaders in Windsor, England, in which the Anglican Church requests that the Episcopal Church in America apologize for causing pain and division on the subject of homosexuality and church leadership. The Report further states that the Episcopal Church must refrain from further disobedience in order to remain part of the Anglican Church. Clergy and lay members alike participated in this discussion, which will continue among individual parishes in the year to come. Many people expressed the hope that our Church would continue to seek to understand and respect every person as a child of God. This report is available on request at each church in the Diocese.
The Business Meeting continued with reports, discussions, resolutions and elections.
The following resolutions were discussed and passed:
- Approving Rural and Migrant Ministry with the Rural Poor;
- Expressed to national government respect and sympathy for suffering among Palestinians Living in the Occupied Territories as well as reaffirming support of the state of Israel;
- Commits to continued pastoral care for homosexual persons by supporting services of blessings for all couples.
- Preference for intentional, proportional giving and planning giving programs in personal stewardship;
- Embraces the redevelopment of downtown Rochester at a living wage and opposes the prospect of casino gambling;
- Dissolution of St. Paul's in Montour Falls, and St. Stephen's, Wolcott, from parish to sites for non-ecumenical, social ministry. Participants sang Doxology for the work of these parishes.
To close the Convention the youth gave each participant a gift bag with a spring bulb to recall the theme of possibilities and growth. We were honored to represent our parish and celebrate our connection to one another within the Diocese.
Chris Curtis, Melissa Hopkins, Chris Moore
Antiques Show Update
Several folks have asked [me] if the Antiques Show is set for next year. The answer is yes and the dates are:
- Preview Party, Thursday, April 21 (6:30-9 p.m.)
- Friday, April 22 (11 a.m.-7 p.m.)
- Saturday, April 23 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.)
The Parish Hall, Cadigan, Vestry and Jameson Rooms will be filled with professional dealers from six states and Canada. Jerry DeLuccio has agreed to be Chairman. This year the focus will be primarily on Mission Outreach with the ECW, "The Lost Boys of Sudan," and our Youth (to support their Mission project) sharing the proceeds. Other Church activities and needs could continue to be supported and will be decided by the Leadership Team of Volunteers that will support Jerry this year.
As I have learned after so many years, to run a successful Show we need over 185 volunteers, so the whole church is touched in some way. Our planned involvement of the Youth will be a great blessing to expand that involvement to all. There are leadership positions for all areas that are needed and positions to be filled in the Shops upstairs (Curiosity, Linens, and Jewelry) or those along the Westminster Road entrance (Plants, Baked Goods & Used Books), and positions of assistance for the preview party, as well as in food service, and door management. This year we will also have a silent auction supported by some of our antique dealers and parishioners, and a "giving works" web store on eBay so the opportunities to assist are going to be plentiful!
So please mark down the dates and if you are so moved to assist in a leadership position or as a pair of helping hands please step forward by calling Linda White, Gail Bush, Gwen Cheney or Jerry DeLuccio to let them know if a particular area interests you. This year's Antique Show will be the best yet!
Gwen Cheney & Jerry DeLuccio
Vestry Nominations
The nominating committee is pleased to announce the following candidates for Warden and Vestry positions. For Warden, Chris Moore and Les Kernan; for Vestry, Charlotte Kimberly-Haag, Bob Frank, Erin Glanton, Griffin Jones, Beverly Vaughan, Dean Arvan, Ruth Dawson, Judy Wadsworth. Thanks to all candidates for their willingness to serve. Thanks also to all parishioners who offered input to the nominating committee.
Water for Sudan
We at Water for Sudan are quite excited that an anonymous donor will be giving $10,000 to this much-needed project. However, this person wants you to help, too. The contribution being made is contingent on parishioners of St. Paul's contributing a matching amount to Water for Sudan. So, please help.
Checks can be made out to Water for Sudan, Inc. or to St. Paul's Episcopal Church with the memo line marked "Water for Sudan" and then left in the collection plate or at the church office. Contributions are tax exempt.
Salva Dut will soon accomplish his dream of bringing clean water to his homeland of southern Sudan. He will begin drilling wells in the village where he was raised, and where his father and mother still live. Wells will then be drilled in the many similarly destitute villages in the surrounding region in order to bring life to them as well.
In this part of Africa there are two seasons in the year, the Dry season and the Wet season. During the arid Dry season no rain falls and people (women) travel up to 20 miles daily to find water to live on in swamps and other fetid pools of water. Often entire villages must move during this season to find water for their use and for their livestock. Villagers continue to suffer with worms and parasites; many of them die from water-borne diseases as they have for generations.
On Sunday, January 9, Salva will be speaking from the lectern after the sermon to describe his mission. He will also have a brief slideshow during coffee hour and some photographs posted that he took while visiting his father in 2001.
If you have questions about Water for Sudan, please ask any of the following who are involved as members of the Board in this life-giving project: Scott Arrington, John Bevier, Jim Blake and Nancy Frank. We will all be glad to discuss it with you.
Letter from The Rev. Paul Majer
St. Paul's received a thank you letter from The Rev. Paul Majer whom St. Paul's sponsored at Berea Theological College, Nakuru, Kenya for four years. We also supported Paul's family of seven children and four war orphans whom he adopted. When I last heard from Paul he was unsure whether his ministry would be in Kakuma Refugee Camp or in some of the most remote parts of Southern Sudan where he had served as evangelist prior to going to Berea. ~ Nancy Frank
Paul's letter:
May the whole members of St. Paul's followers of Christ be touched with a spiritual blessing from my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and may He continue to encourage you in your fruitful idea of your sponsorship to the needy people of God.
It was on 27th November 2004 that I had obtained my Diploma from Berea College with my heart felt of remembering God's hand on this issue and immediately I had remembered the whole congregation of St. Paul's for their idea of sponsorship in connection to Fred statement.(He is referring to Fred's saying in an earlier letter that "We at St. Paul's pray for you during our worship on Sunday.")
My aim is to tell you that the result that you have heard plans your commitment in your prayers and the sponsored that you had offered, could give you clear vision of your future programs so please continue.
I am leaving Berea today 30th November 2004 to my former area in Sudan (Booma) where I had been serving God's people and I am urging you to continue praying for my mission which contains many ambitions though I did not have support from anywhere but God is the provider who made me be the subject of your future achievements of your ministry. It is in my confession today also that I had left the house to the authority of Berea Theological College through the care of Principle Rev. Chadrack Mwangangi in good condition with the exceptional of doors lose locks, toilets and covering paper board that have been used in the house top. The house is not to be used in regard to my directives but your directives.
In my conclusion may God remember Nancy Frank work forever and may He extend His blessings to her entire family and may God continue to guide the newly entrusted members of St. Paul in the same manner that he guide Nancy Frank in her work.
May God also remember the whole college in His blessing so that its administration could find progress.
God bless you all in Jesus name Amen.
Thank you.
Rev. Paul Majer Mach
Come Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend
St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Brockport will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. with a weekend of activities.
January 14 through the 16 St. Luke's will host a study retreat entitled Violence to Wholeness: 2005 and Beyond. The Rev. David Seltzer, past President of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship will lead the retreat. The retreat will begin on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and include a covered dish dinner; continue on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include lunch (donations requested); and conclude on Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is no registration fee.
At 4 p.m. on Sunday, St. Luke's will host its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Worship Service. This year's key note speaker is Dr. Phyllis Wade, Dean of the Eastman School of Music. Those wishing to register for the Retreat are asked to call the church office, 637-6650 or email the church at stlukes@frontiernet.net.
Pathways on the Road to Utopia
Christian Pathways is an adult formation group that meets every Sunday (except Easter) at 9 a.m. With the new year we will be starting a new book, Utopia by Thomas More. Erasmus of Rotterdam, a friend, wrote of More, "In human affairs there is nothing from which he does not extract enjoyment, even from things that are most serious. If he converses with the learned and judicious, he delights in their talent; if with the ignorant and foolish, he enjoys their stupidity. He is not even offended by professional jesters. With a wonderful dexterity he accommodates himself to every disposition. As a rule, in talking with women, even with his own wife, he is full of jokes and banter" --- a description that captures the spirit of Christian Pathways as well.
Everyone is welcome at Pathways, and we are especially pleased that people not otherwise affiliated with St. Paul's have been joining us. We meet in the Conference Room for the hour between the 8 and 10 o'clock services. Feel free to join us as often as you care to. We plan to show A Man for All Seasons early in 2005, but have not picked a date or time yet. For more information on Christian Pathways, call David or Linda White at 482-2616.
Christian Dialogue on Contemporary Issues
What do you think it means to shop at Wal-Mart? How does the way we shop fit into our ideas of stewardship? What are the implications of buying products made in China, or in sweatshops? If supporting local businesses, fair wages and fair trade practices means we have less money for our families, how can we find the right balance?
The committee on Christian Dialogue on Contemporary Issues welcomes you to join with us as we wrestle with such questions in our next forum at 11:30 a.m. on January 23. We encourage you to participate no matter what view you may hold. The expression of diverse thoughts, opinions, and questions helps us all to learn and grow, and allows us to develop deeper understanding of our fellow parishioners. Please come!
God speaking in the Word
Christians believe God speaks to us through his Word. And we hear him more clearly in company with others. We are then nurtured by His Spirit.
On the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of each month, those who would like to sharpen listening skills together with Christian friends, and who would like to explore our scriptural first steps, are invited to meet from 7:30 to 8:30 PM with the Rev. Edward French. The first meeting will be March 8th, then March 22nd at the Parish Hall. If possible, we shall then meet in the homes of those who take part. It is hoped that we shall meet each month through the spring. Those interested are asked to leave their names and telephone numbers with the secretary in the office.
We shall begin with the early stories of Genesis.
Mr. French received his STB from General Seminary in Old Testament studies and the STM in Ethics in 1967. He also holds an EDM degree from Harvard University. His wife Jean is active in St. Paul's and their sons, Benjamin and Nathan are a part of the SPY program. They returned from South Africa in 2001 and live in Pittsford.
Needed! Greeters
Many people, who visit St. Paul's for the first time are not always traditional Episcopalians. We need to be intentional about how we welcome them into our congregation. It is important that we make them comfortable participating in the service.
They need to experience proof of being welcome. A welcoming congregation communicates that it is there for the visitor. A handshake, a warm hello, the gift of a program, an answer to a newcomer question; all of these are the function of a greeter.
Please help us by becoming a part of this initial contact with our visitors. Your service is simple and short. Greeters serve twenty minutes prior to the beginning of church service. You are assigned to an entrance and provide a warm welcome to all who come to worship.
Please phone the church office at 271-2240 to have your name added to those interested in greeting. You can also stop by the office and sign up in person. An organizational breakfast will take place after the holidays.
Nancy Kleintop 461-5508.