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In Memory
Letter from the Associate Rector
Let a Vestry Member Know
Antiques Show A Big Success
Stephen Ministry News
Summer Choir
Blessings on the Marriages
St. Paul's Welcomes Leslie St. Louis
Spiritual Resources for Daily Living
Remember St. Paul's
Stewardship Newsletter
In Memory of
Alice Harrison
Erwin Panzer
Jane Arnoldy
We have now entered "Ordinary Time," also referred to by some as the long "green season," and also known as "Sundays after Pentecost" - although historically and theologically the season has nothing to do with Pentecost. It is that period in the Church year that follows the close of the Easter season and ends with the first Sunday of Advent. From Advent through Easter, we follow the life of Jesus - the birth, his baptism, his passion, death, and resurrection. Now, in Ordinary Time (the term asserts the independent status of this period, i.e., it is not connected with any other period of the calendar) we focus on the teachings of Jesus.
Certainly the lectionary from Advent to Easter contains teachings, but these are selected to support the telling of Jesus' story. The lectionary in Ordinary Time is designed, primarily, to address the question "How do I live a Christian life?" Thus, we hear the story of the seventy appointed to proclaim the good news (Luke 10:1ff) or the lawyer who asks "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25ff) or Jesus' visit to the home of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38ff), for example. These stories, and the others we will hear, call us to reflect upon our relationship with God through Christ and our relationship with each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. They also challenge us to grow in our faith (perhaps that is why the color of the season is green).
Since Advent, we have been focusing on Jesus, his story. Now, in Ordinary Time, it is time for each one of us to focus on our own lives - reflecting upon how each of us will live out our faith, our understanding of what God is calling each of us to be and to do, living out the gift of the Holy Spirit that God has given to each of us. So as we go through the summer and into the fall, listen to what God is saying to you through our lectionary readings, ponder God's Word in your heart, and through the Spirit, may each of us grow in our faith as we journey in our daily lives with God.
Thomas McCart
Associate Rector
During Sunday morning Coffee Hours, look for Vestry members wearing nametags - "Ask me or tell me!" Please seek these people out and inquire about anything you have questions about. They will be happy to help find answers. They also want to hear your ideas about supporting St. Paul's missions and ministry. Share your thoughts on what is going well for you and what you would like to see changed. The Vestry looks forward to your input. You can find the names of the designated representatives for the week in the Sunday bulletin that day.
Beth Gallagher
The 55th Annual Antiques Show cleared a profit of nearly $17, 500. We are enormously proud of all the workers, committee chairs and bakers, for helping to make this year's Show one of the best in recent years. Every one of you who helped in any way—even if you only did a little shopping, or contributed a few items to sell—deserves a well-earned pat on the back.
The ECW will receive 25% of the profits, which is their main income for the year, and which is returned to the community and the world as outreach.
The portion which funds outreach requests has helped Habitat for Humanity, Water For Sudan, and through Mission I, funding for A Meal and More. It will also provide Day Care Scholarships, funds for the SEM pharmaceutical project, and a large screen TV requested by the Episcopal Church Home.
The funds remaining are to be used for unbudgeted special items for St. Paul's. This year we will be able to purchase a commercial floor buffer for use on the wooden floors, a computer upgrade for one of the offices, materials for the Church School to make more banners, trumpet music for special services, carpeting for one of the Church School rooms (after plastering repairs are completed), new upholstery for the bench seat in the Vestry Room, and we will make a donation to the parish hall renovation fund.
Our grateful Thanks go to all of you.
Gwen Cheney and Gail Bush, Co-Chairs
On Thursday, May 13, our first class of Stephen Ministers began their training. Please keep Sally McGucken, Jim Blake, Anna Marie Fabrowicz, Beverly Vaughan, Kitty MacDowell, Nancy Frank, and Joyce Bogdanksi in your prayers as they begin this vital ministry. Under the guidance of our Stephen Ministry Leaders, Anne Refermat, Judy Carpenter, and Thomas McCart, they will receive 50 hours of training. When that is completed, we will commission our Stephen Ministers and begin to assign them to care receivers.
Come and join our Summer Choir beginning June 20. We meet for rehearsal on Sunday mornings at 9:15 a.m. in the Vestry Room. Open to high school age and up.
Blessings on the Marriages of
April Haase and Christopher Thurston
May 1, 2004
and
Heather Dashnaw and Steven Kennedy
June 12, 2004
Greetings— It is so good to be with you!! I thought those of you with whom I have not had the privilege of meeting would like to know a little bit about me. So... here it goes. I was born in Wiesbaden, Germany; my father was a career Air Force type. He began in the Army Air Corp during World War II and then stayed for over forty-three years combined active duty and civil service time. I am the youngest of three children. I have an older brother, Terry, who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, and an older sister, Morrell, who currently lives in Merrimack New Hampshire with her husband and three children. My parents, Terry and Lydia, also live in Albuquerque. Prior to going to seminary I worked for a major medical center in Albuquerque as a paramedic, surgical scrub and clinic coordinator for a group of five Urologists.
In 2001, I moved from Albuquerque to Sewanee, Tennessee, to go to seminary. In May of this year I graduated from Sewanee, and on the 29th of May, I was ordained in the Episcopal Church. The following day I loaded up my truck and came here!!! I made the move with two cats, Half-pint and Caitlynne and one German Shepherd, Sienna. Sienna is a pet therapy dog and chances are very good that you will see her with me in my travels amongst all of you.
I am an avid gardener and outdoors person. I love to swim, hike, bike, sail and ski. If I am forced to be inside, (which I suppose I will be in winter here) I love to read, do handwork and cook. I am a musician of some sort, playing the flute and singing. I have spent most of my life singing in church choirs and will miss that some now; as I believe singing may be the best way to pray.
There is much more to share but I think I may be out of space, so, I will just have to look forward to hearing all of your stories and to sharing more of mine throughout our time together.
Peace,
Leslie St. Louis
Curate for Family Minstry
Enrich your spirit and nourish your soul...
Christians are by nature living a life of the Spirit. Our lives are a testament to the love of God, and the compassion of Jesus Christ, the greatest gift our Creator could give us. Yet in today's world we live decidedly materialistic and increasingly secular lives, going about our week as if the most important decisions are what color draperies to match with the wallpaper. Even as we hum tunes from the morning's hymns and the taste of the Eucharist still lingers, our thoughts are often filled with how the next day's labors will go, or how to meet the demands of a hectic family schedule.
Leading a Spirit-filled life is not made easy by today's society, yet it is the most natural thing we as Christians can do. We've gathered the resources presented here to help bring Spirit into your daily life. Whether contemplating a daily devotional, reflecting on the day's scripture passage, or taking advantage of a prayer technique, we hope to help enrich your spirit and nourish your soul. May your spiritual journey be fruitful and rewarding.
From the Episcopal Church USA website—www.episcopalchurch.org
Q: Who needs a will?
A: Every adult who owns anything and cares what happens to
it.
Please remember St. Paul's in your will.
Stewardship calls us to remember that all we have and all we are comes to us as a gift from God. St. Paul's Church is a treasure that has been entrusted to us. The beautiful building; the rich traditions of worship, music, and preaching; the diverse offering of ministries and programs; and the legacy of those who came before, are ours to care for, to strengthen, and to preserve for future generations. We, the people of St. Paul's, have a 176 year history of Christian Stewardship. Pledging financial support is essential for a strong parish. It represents the cornerstone of our capability for ministry. Please join us later this year in making a pledge to show your gratitude for the many, many gifts we all receive through God's grace.
When we first heard of "RAIHN", we thought it was a quirky name for an organization dedicated to providing just one ray of sunshine in the life of a homeless family. Things have dramatically changed in the past year for the RAIHN organization, for St. Paul's church in outreach, for the parishioners in stewardship and for us personally.
Over a year ago, the vestry at St. Paul's approved the church's participation along with twelve other hosting congregation faith communities in Rochester to bond together in providing overnight accommodations, meals, and support to families who have been temporarily displaced from their own homes. It has taken a year of time, a ton of talent, and a trove of treasure to make St. Paul's participation in RAIHN a reality. By the time you read this, we will have hosted our first set of families here at St. Paul's. The Rochester RAIHN program officially opened its doors for guests on April 22nd, and quickly was taking phone calls from many Rochester social-service agencies, wanting to place families in the IHN program.
On May 9th, St. Paul's opened our doors and hearts to four families who had lost their homes. Each day of the week began with a breakfast meal prepared by St. Paul's volunteers alongside the guest families, who were then transported to the RAIHN Day Center. At the end of each day, the guests came back to St. Paul's where they were provided with a warm meal, evening activities and "down time" from their day of house-hunting, job-hunting and counseling through the RAIHN organization. At the end of each day, the guests stayed with us in our St. Paul's Sunday School classrooms, only to repeat the process very early the next morning.
The volunteers who provided this time, talent, and treasure are a mix of St. Paul's parishioners alongside a team from the Zen Center/Buddhist Peace Fellowship. This has been the truly wonderful part of this outreach program and has meant a great deal to all of us as stewards in service. The RAIHN program has truly created a "win-win" for everyone involved. Looking back, the past year of committed time, talent, and treasure seems to pale as we look at the benefits of the program. But the job is far from done! The number of families who are temporarily displaced from their homes in the Rochester area is growing each year. We will continue our participation in the Interfaith Hospitality Network four times a year in rotation with other faith communities. We are eagerly seeking other volunteers to become stewards in the program. More information can be found on the St. Paul's Outreach web pages as well as at www.raihn.org. Or simply, give us a call. We love to share the story.
Faithfully,
Doug & Gayle Hitchcock
$FACT$ Last year's utilities expenses were $49,617.01
Clergy $291,214
Admin. $244,077
Outreach $190,808
Property $152,644
Parish $ 65,167
Music $ 63,978
Restricted $ 43,702
"God of grace and God of glory," Harry Emerson Fosdick's well-known hymn written during the Great Depression petitions, "...shame our wanton, selfish gladness, rich in things and poor in soul. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, lest we miss thy kingdom's goal" (595, Hymnal 1982).
John Wilson and Nancy Lyke
Co-Chairs
John Bevier, Barry Brown, Gwen Cheney, Spencer Cook, Chris Curtis, Nancy Kleintop, Bill McCoy, Donna Suchy, Duane Swanson, and Gretchen Zenner