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Letter from the Rector
Spring Concert
On Another Note:
Who We Are - Where We Are Going - How We Will Get
There
Newcomer Breakfast
Churchyard Revival
Wear Red for Pentecost Sunday, May 30
Habitat News!
Almus and Merriel Thorp Lay Theological
Scholarship
I am delighted to announce to you that Leslie St. Louis has accepted my call to be St. Paul's Family Minister, starting the week of June 6.
I give thanks to Melissa Hopkins, Jean French, Peter Doyle and Chris Moore for their prayerful discernment as the Search Committee, and advisors to me for this important call. We were blessed with some excellent candidates which made the discernment process even more challenging.
Leslie has a background in nursing and in administration. She will graduate in May from The School of Theology, The University of the South. Her canonical diocese is East Tennessee. However, from 1985—1999, she lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I asked her if she liked snow and she responded with her enthusiastic manner, "I love to ski!"
Leslie brings a deeply-felt enthusiasm and warmth with a graciousness and honesty that reflects her faithfulness in the love of God. Both Tom McCart and I look forward to Leslie joining our clergy staff and becoming an integral part of the St. Paul's family.
Thanks be to God for sending us Leslie St. Louis and her gifts for ministry to St. Paul's.
Faithfully yours,
The Reverend Frederic Reynolds
Rector
St. Paul's Spring Concert will take place on Sunday, May 2 at 4 p.m. All three choirs will participate with conductors David Fetler and Laura Dunbar, and organist Christian Lane. Alleluia and Youth Choirs will sing Nigerian spirituals, a setting of Psalm 124 by Laura Dunbar and other selections. The major work by the Senior Choir will be the beautiful Mass for St. Cecilia by Charles Gounod, with soloists Nancy Curtis, Holly Bewlay, Louis Kinsella, Derrick Smith and Christopher Moore. All the choirs will join in the well-known "Sanctus". Come and bring your family and friends to this program of inspiring sacred music.
David Fetler
Interim Organist Chris Lane will present his degree recital for the Eastman School here at St. Paul’s on Thursday, May 6th at 5:00 p.m. All are invited.
The mission of St. Paul's defines our purpose:
To proclaim the Good News of God in Christ by:
Administering to individuals within and outside the church, and inviting others to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Serving the spiritual needs of the parish family, and providing opportunities and leadership for growth in the knowledge and worship of God.
Bearing witness to the person and teaching of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, who calls us to serve and to make responsible use of our human and material resources.
As we accept the mission, we express a hope for our community, the anticipation of an ideal:
Anyone entering St. Paul's experiences immediately that God is in this place, a place that through Christ is loving, joyous, inclusive, transformative and full of grace.
Grounded in this mission and vision, the Vestry has focused on setting priorities for the next three to five years in the areas of:
Vestry members are working with parishioners and staff involved in each area to evaluate objectives and to create action plans and time lines. A benefit for all of us is seeing how our effort connects to the work of others and relates to our overall mission. Articulating goals and strategy allows us to be increasingly the people we are meant to be. There is a place for everyone interested in this process - speak with Vestry members and clergy.
Barbara Warner
All newcomers from the last year who haven't already attended one, are cordially invited to the Newcomers' Breakfast on Sunday, May 16, 2004. This event will be held in the Cadigan Room at 9:00 a.m. It provides a delightful opportunity to meet and share a lovely meal with other parishioners and newcomers, as well as the clergy. Children are welcome.
To help us in our planning please let us know you would like to attend by calling the church office at 271-2240 or signing up in the Parish Activities Book in the Sunday office. Questions can be addressed to the church office or to me at 637-8851. We look forward to seeing you.
Alice Eldredge
Welcoming Committee Chair
For a beautifying cleanup of leaves, sticks, papers, etc., that have accumulated on the church lawn and in the gardens through the winter and to spread mulch among the bushes, a "revival" is planned for Saturday morning, May 8, from 9:30 a.m. until noon. Whole families are invited. Jack Pearson will provide hot dogs and entertainment. (Donations of beans, chips and condiments would be welcome.) Bring rake and/or broom.
Joy to the World!
Bill Hosley
Pentecost is known as the birthday of the church, the day the Holy Spirit empowered early Christians to spread the Good News. Disciples had gathered to wait and pray for the Spirit. A mighty wind filled the room, flames of fire appeared, and the disciples began praising God in different languages. We wear red to resemble the flames of the Holy Spirit.
Our young Christians have made a new banner to use in the Procession along with the cross we made last year. We'll be wearing red and we invite everyone to join us. Let's make St. Paul's aflame with the Holy Spirit!
The final fund-raising event for the Habitat House is a giant Garage Sale held at Asbury First Methodist Church, 1050 East Avenue, Friday, April 30, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., and Saturday, May 1, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. You can donate items in good condition by bringing them to church on Sunday, April 25 (stage area) or by calling Jerry Schaertel at 288-6489 if they need to be picked up. You can volunteer for an hour or two at the sale. Come be a part of the Habitat story. Upcoming event... May 22 - Dedication of the House at 11:00 a.m. All Welcome.
St. Paul's has a wonderful scholarship opportunity open to all Episcopalians in the Diocese of Rochester. It was created to help support those who wish to seriously explore and further their Christian education as a way to expand their ministry in our community and in the world. The Merriel and Almus Thorp Lay Theological Scholarship Fund was established by the Vestry of St. Paul's to pay tribute to the Thorps and to their commitment to Christian formation and furthering leadership among the laity.
We are pleased and proud that the fund received a record number of applicants last year from all around the Diocese and was able to help support educational opportunities for many people and parishes, including several at St. Paul's. One letter of thanks to our Rector from a parishioner in our diocese said, "I wish to express my gratitude for this gift as it aids me in the effort of discernment of God's wishes for me….I am putting forth my best effort to make good use of this opportunity for the betterment of whatever ministry God has planned for me."
We are pleased that this opportunity has been so effectively communicated throughout the diocese as this is one of the goals of the Fund. Increased awareness has naturally resulted in more applicants and more grants. In order for the fund to continue to support future generations of Christian leadership, it also needs to receive contributions. The St. Paul's budget plan allows for a regular percentage to be contributed each year to the fund balance, but this is a very conservative figure. We are now reminding parishes that the Fund also accepts contributions to help it grow and continue to support the education of our laity.
There will be an opportunity at St. Paul's this season to give to the Thorp Lay Theological Scholarship Fund through a special plate offering during our worship service. Almus Thorp had a Spring birthday, and it is our hope to designate a Sunday this Spring for us to give generously to his and Merriel's memory. If you are interested in learning more about the Fund, please visit St. Paul's website or call the office for a brochure.
The Scholarship Committee