Home | Welcome | News | Outreach | Pastoral Care | Calendar | Music | Families & Youth | Christian Formation  | Contact Us

The St. Paul's Epistle

March 16-31, 2004

Contents

Letter from the Associate Rector
Vestry Highlights - February
Churchyard Revival - April 3
$5,000 Raised By St. Paul's Youth Group for Heifer Project ARK
The St. Joseph's House of Hospitality
Share Your Joy
Southeast Ecumenical Ministry (SEM) Needs Your Help
Episcopal Church Women
Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter

Letter From the Associate Rector

A friend of mine sent this to me recently, and I share it with you in this Lenten season as food for thought.

"If Earth's population was shrunk into a village of just 100 people with all the human ratios existing in the world still remaining, what would this tiny, diverse village look like? That's exactly what Phillip M. Harter, a medical doctor at Stanford University School of Medicine, attempted to figure out. This is what he found:

• 57 would be Asian
• 21 would be European
• 14 would be from the Western Hemisphere
• 8 would be African
• 52 would be female
• 48 would be male
• 70 would be nonwhite
• 30 would be white
• 70 would be non-Christian
• 30 would be Christian
• 89 would be heterosexual
• 11 would be homosexual
• 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth, and all 6 would be from the United States
• 80 would live in substandard housing
• 70 would be unable to read
• 50 would suffer from malnutrition

"Think of it this way: If you live in a house, have food to eat and can read, you are a member of a very select group. And if you have a good home, have plenty to eat, can read and have a computer, you are among the very elite.

"If you work up this morning with more health than illness, you are more fortunate than the million who will not survive this week.

"If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. "If you can attend a religious meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are fortunate; more than three billion people in the world can't.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

"If you have money in the bank, in your wallet or purse, spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

"If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not."

The Reverend Thomas McCart
Associate Rector

Return to contents...

Vestry Highlights - February

• The Vestry approved the use of up to $20,000 from the Property Reserve for restoration work on the organ.
• The Vestry adopted a balanced provisional budget for 2004 in the approximate amount of $1,051,000.
• Christopher Moore, Michael Traphagan and Christopher Curtis were approved as St. Paul's delegates to the Diocesan Convention.
• A Web Site and Church Directory Privacy Policy recommended by the Communications Commission was adopted.

Return to contents...

Churchyard Revival - April 3

To spruce up our grounds for Easter and then the Antiques Show, all are invited to come Saturday morning, April 3, for a beautifying cleanup of leaves, sticks, papers, etc. that have accumulated on the church lawn and in the gardens through the winter. We are planning to work from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, but any segment of that time would be appreciated. Bring rake and/or broom. Praise the Lord!

Bill Hosley

Return to contents...

$5,000 Raised By St. Paul's Youth Group for Heifer Project ARK

The following is a report given by St. Paul's youth during the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper.

St. Paul's Youth Group would like to tell you about a really exciting project that we are all part of. One year ago we decided to set a goal - a really high goal - a goal we knew we would need a lot of help reaching. Tonight we are so excited to tell you that we have raised $5,000 to purchase "An Ark" from Heifer Project International. All last year we worked hard to raise this money - We made hats and sold them - we painted flowerpots and sold them, we sold "Bishops blend" coffee. We had a lot of help from many of you - Some of you gave us donations, some of the Dads gave money through their, hmmm...St. Paul's Poker Nights, the Antiques Show Committee gave us a LOT of money, and Father Hunt gave his entire ordination collection to our project.

What have we accomplished together? What does buying an Ark do? By purchasing animals to give to families around the world we are:

• Helping families create sustaining incomes.
• Helping families provide food for themselves.
• Helping families make their own clothing from sheep's wool and llama fiber.
• Helping provide families with transportation.

The Ark Project creates life saving economic stability for villages and families around the globe. And — our gift keeps on giving! Each family is required to give their first newborn animal to another local family — the circle of helping we started gets even bigger this way!

What did we buy anyhow?

2 Sheep, which help American families produce wool.
2 Trios of Rabbits, which can provide food and income for families in China.
2 Beehives to help Mexican families earn money through the sale of honey and beeswax.
2 Guinea Pigs for families in Peru.
2 Llamas to produce wool for a family in Bolivia.
2 Camels that help a family in India earn money by transporting materials.
2 Donkeys that help a farm family in Zimbabwe plant their fields.
2 Oxen that can pull plows and carts in Cameroon.
2 Cows that can give milk to a family in Bangladesh.
2 Trios of Ducks help a family in Thailand earn money by selling eggs.
2 Water Buffalo help a family in the Philippines increase rice production through animal draft power.
2 flocks of Geese help two families in Ghana eat better by providing eggs and meat.
2 Pigs help a family in the Dominican Republic attain greater self-sufficiency.

We think it's amazing the amount of help and hope we are providing to people around the world through this gift of a Heifer Project ARK. Without your support, your prayers, and your generosity this would have not been possible. We would like to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts as we celebrate our common Christian bond of loving and helping other people. "Thank You"

During the Pancake Supper, $337.00 was raised for the Mission Trip to Dungannon, Virginia, this summer. Details about the trip will appear in upcoming Epistles.

Return to contents...

The St. Joseph's House of Hospitality

The St. Joseph's House of Hospitality group will be cooking and serving lunch at St. Joseph's on Saturday, April 3, 2004, at 9:45 AM. Come join the fun and bring potato peelers!

Return to contents...

Share Your Joy

Okay, how long is your list of blessings? Here is my list so far: clean water, a warm house, too many shoes, my favorite red sweater, medicine, I can drive where I want to when I want to, hot showers, Chapstick, a washer and dryer in my house, I can call my parents wherever they are, snowglobes, a cat who sleeps with me, funny movies, my amaryllis, I can walk in Highland Park, my music collection and ice cream.

In case you missed the last newsletter, I challenged us all to take stock of our blessings to remind us how rich we really are. In this time of uncertainty, fear sometimes overshadows our joy. But to take a lesson from our rector, when we find ourselves submerged in fear, "Don't get out of it, get into it." No matter how fearful we may be about our jobs, our retirement funds, and our future, we can continue to plunge right into life, stepping out in faith, and sharing our richly blessed lives with God's people everywhere.

Another rector whom I hold in great esteem once told me that when we give of our first fruits, God makes sacred and sufficient what is left. I have always found this to be true. No matter how much I give, I am never left without enough.

On March 21, we have the opportunity to share of our blessings through the Episcopal Relief and Development fund. Through ERD we can help those suffering from the unrest in Haiti, victims of disease and natural disaster all over the world, and assist others in building communities with clean water, education, and adequate housing. ERD is the way the Episcopal Church reaches out to the whole world. Help make our reach long, loving and joyful.

Linda Workman, ERD representative

Return to contents...

Return to contents...

Episcopal Church Women

The Episcopal Church Women will hold a formal tea for this year's outstanding senior girls in the Debutante program at John Marshall High School on Thursday, March 25th, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. This tea, in its fourth year at St. Paul's, honors these young women and their families. At the same time, it provides a social experience new to many of them; something they will likely encounter as they begin their college careers. This Debutante Tea was initiated at the suggestion of Michael Robinson at an ECW luncheon meeting a few years ago. Mr. Robinson, former John Marshall High School Principal, will be our speaker at this lovely party.

The ECW extends a hearty invitation to all parishioners, to join us as we honor these young women. Help is needed in preparing tea goodies and giving assistance in the kitchen, as well as being present to help our guests feel welcome. If you would like to help with this happy event, please call Nancy Lyke, 244-0795.

Susan Dow

Return to contents...

Return to contents...