The St. Paul's Epistle
October 1, 2007
Contents
Dear Members & Friends of St.
Pauls:
A Season of Plenty
Two Views on Stem Cell
Research
Arbor Society Celebration
What Mormons Believe
Stephen Ministry
Work Orders
Welcome Center at St.
Paul's
Meet Dr. Robert Poovey
The Blessing of Animals
SPY Service Trip
SPY Corner
Notes from Church
School
St. Joseph's House News
Focus on Walter Brueggemann
Upcoming Organ Programs
Address Updates?
Dear Members & Friends of St. Pauls:
After a meeting with the new director, Ann Ryan, of SEM (previously known as Southeast Ecumenical Ministry), I was shocked to learn the number of people who need assistance with food: over 3,000 people annually. SEM also provides transportation to over 1,800 people for medical appointments, in addition to a relatively new program that has provided over 53 medical prescriptions so far this year to both children and adults.
Thanks to your stewardship dollars, St. Paul's provides SEM with year round storage facilities, with freezers and refrigerators, as well as almost $9,000 per year in financial support.
On one of my pastoral visits this summer, a long-time member of our parish expressed her gratitude for the cards, flowers and phone calls over the past year that have let her know we, as a church, care! From your Clergy and Stephen Ministers to individual parishioners, over 70 parishioners are contacted and are cared for each month thanks to your financial giving to St. Paul's.
From the beginning of July, as we drive up to St. Paul's, cranes and scaffolding decorate our church and church school wing like an old-fashioned erector set. Much needed structural repairs to roofs, interior and exterior walls, as well as our bell tower, are well under way this fall. Thanks to the generosity of past parishioners who gave their financial support to St. Paul's through their estate planning, we are able to fund these crucial structural repairs. I urge you to consider joining the Arbor Society as a way to support the property and programs of St. Paul's for future generations.
I speak with parents of young families that are thankful that our church school provides not only a nurturing and caring environment, but an alternative story that we call the Bible for their children, on which they can base their values and moral decision making. We have dedicated, faithful teachers from pre-school to high school teaching the Christian faith to your children and grandchildren. Your stewardship dollars enable this to happen.
We at St. Paul's are helping to change lives. I urge you to increase your stewardship pledge to St. Paul's for 2008 by 4 - 5%, as your Vestry, Clergy and Stewardship Committee have done.
~ The Rev. Frederic W. Reynolds, Rector
A Season of Plenty
In our part of the country, October means harvesting corn, picking apples and pumpkins and viewing the changing colors associated with the fall season. It is not uncommon to visit a public or farmer's roadside market and see stands bursting with local produce because the harvest is so bountiful! All these things remind us that our God is a God of abundance and not a God of scarcity.
It is also a time for us to remember that God is the source of all that is and that each of us are trustees (stewards) of this bounty. Whatever each of us possess - whether it be treasure or money, talents or skills, opportunities, creative ability, or time, the minutes, the hours, the days, life itself - each of us possess these gifts, not because of having earned them, but because they have been given by God's gracious and abundant hand.
As faithful members of St. Paul's, we ask you to join us in a journey of generosity - giving back to God with thanksgiving a portion of what God has so freely given you.
~ The Stewardship Committee
Two Views on Stem Cell Research
Dr. James Boynton, a noted ophthalmologist, and the Rev. Christopher Luedde, Rector, St. Thomas Church, Rochester, will be offering two views on the topical issue of stem cell research October 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall following the ECW dinner. They will present their studied views for your consideration and will take questions, with respect, from the audience following their remarks. Too often one or the other position is given without the opportunity of equal air time to the other. We assure you this will be an opportunity to hear both views, side-by-side.
Won't you join us and share the opportunity to understand the other view. Then there's the possibility you might even come away more convinced of your going-in position than you thought possible!
As always, if you plan on dinner at 6:00 p.m. with ECW, please confirm your reservation through the Church office at 271-2240 by Friday, September 28.
~ Mary Critikos
Arbor Society Celebration
On Wednesday, October 10 at 5 p.m., a reception will be held in the Parish Hall to honor present members of the Arbor Society (those who have included St. Paul's in their wills.) All members of St. Paul's are invited. These celebrations are held from time to time and one does not have to die to be thanked. Arbor Society legacies are important to the future of the church, so membership is encouraged. Please plan to attend.
~ Bill Hosley
What Mormons Believe
IMLDSRU
on the license plate of a SUV on Route 390S
You probably are not, but in the United States today, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the 4th largest denomination, with more than 5.5 million members. (In contrast, the Episcopal Church is made up of between two and three million worshipers.) Worldwide, there are over 12 million Mormons and the Anglican Communion has approximately 77 million members.
Want to know more? Join Rector Fred Reynolds to look at "What Mormons Believe" on October 14 & 28 and November 11 & 18, from 9-9:40 a.m. in Wainwright Parlor.
~ Barbara Warner
Stephen Ministry
(One-to-one Ministry by a Trained, Caring Friend)
The Stephen Ministry Leaders are delighted to welcome five new members to the team, who have been recruited over the summer. They have joined an ecumenical training class at St. John of Rochester in Fairport along with trainees from St. John, Church of the Assumption, Pittsford Presbyterian, Church of the Resurrection, and St. Michael's Newark. The fifty hours of training began in September and will conclude in May, 2008, when the new recruits will be commissioned. St. Paul's Stephen Leaders will be a part of the teaching team at St. John.
The new members are Kathy Kingston, Suzy Spencer, Bruce Sweet, Madeleine Sweet and June Talarico. They will join the current group of Stephen Ministers: Donna Nash-Bayley, Floyd Bayley, Jim Blake, Joyce Bogdanski, Anna Marie Fabrowicz, Nancy Frank, Kitty MacDowell, Louise Moore, Carol Panzer, and Beverly Vaughan.
Stephen Ministers provide confidential one-to-one care to individuals in our congregation who are experiencing difficulties or significant life changes. The skills that Stephen Ministers learn and practice prepare them to provide a very high level of Christian care-giving.
Please keep our training class and our current Stephen Ministers in your prayers as we move forward in this important ministry at St. Paul's.
~ Judy Carpenter, Tom McCart, Sally McGucken, & Anne Refermat
Work Orders
Remember that work orders need to be filled out for any function or activity at St. Paul's. Forms can be picked up in the church office in Wainwright Hall or online at St. Paul's web site.
~ Keith Thompson
Welcome Center at St. Paul's
Over the past several years, the leadership of St. Paul's has been diligent in helping all of us become more intentional in welcoming guests and potential new members - something we were already doing well, but also something that can always be improved. This focus resulted in a new visitor card, a new welcome brochure, and a re-designed service leaflet.
The next stage of development was to re-constitute a group of people to coordinate this welcome ministry - the New Member Ministry Committee. Seeking to gain more insights into this ministry and learning from others' experiences, six members of the committee along with Fred Reynolds and Tom McCart attended three day-long workshops led by Alice Mann of the Alban Institute and sponsored by the diocese. In addition, Tom McCart shared information he gleaned from meeting with the leadership team of three churches he visited during his sabbatical.
Drawing from these sources, the committee developed a "Welcome" bag of goodies, including a St. Paul's coffee mug with our new logo, and a temporary Welcome Center (outdoors during good weather and in the bell tower otherwise), and re-invigorated the Greeters by recruiting more than forty new volunteers. In addition, materials were designed, and a process put in place, to respond to those guests who completed the visitor card. As a result, St. Paul's has been blessed with some forty-two new members during the past two and one-half years. This growth is even more striking when it is separated by year: 2005 - 11; 2006 - 16; and in the first half of 2007 - 15 new members (and we still have several months to go)!
As these various aspects of this ministry were unfolding, conversation returned several times to the importance of having a well-identified and permanent space for the Welcome Center. During good weather, having a table outside with balloons and banner has served us well. In inclement weather, being in the bell tower has proved less desirable.
The New Member Ministry Committee brought this issue to the attention of the Vestry, and they spent considerable time discussing possible options over the course of this past year. The result of these several conversations was the decision to increase the space in the narthex of the church by moving the wood and glass screen forward. The benefits of doing this are several. Increasing the space will minimize the congestion of that area that all have experienced, especially when the choir is present. This will allow all to be able to enter the church more easily. With the increased space, a more convenient site for the Welcome Center will be possible, one that will be readily noticed from both the Macomber and bell tower entrances. Having more space will also enhance the atmosphere of hospitality by creating a sense that there is indeed "room" for new people at St. Paul's.
If you have questions, please contact Bob Frank or one of the Wardens.
Meet Dr. Robert Poovey
St. Paul's Director of Music
Robert Poovey looks forward to getting to know us as we look forward to knowing him. Meet with Robert in Wainwright Parlor from 9-9:40 a.m. on Sunday, October 7. Note that the time is 9 a.m. to allow both those coming from the 8 o'clock service and those going to the 10 o'clock to participate.
~ Barbara Warner
The Blessing of Animals
This special service will take place on Sunday, October 8, at 2 p.m. at Paul's Cross. All animals (living or stuffed) and their human companions are welcome. The service is inspired by St. Francis of Assisi's love for animals (St. Francis' Day is October 4) and includes prayer, readings, and a blessing for each animal. A special offering will be collected for Lollypop Farm.
SPY Service Trip
In August, St. Paul's Youth (SPY) returned to Chebeague Island, Maine, for a week of service at the Island Commons, an assisted living facility. Trip participants included Emily and Maeve Doyle, Josh Gilbert, Julia and Rob Hayden, Leah and Parker Moore, and Becca Warner. The group thoroughly enjoyed a visit from honorary SPY member Ted Curtis, who can attest to the efforts put forth by the SPY team as well as to the fun and fellowship shared by all.
SPY members trimmed the shrubbery, weeded the flowerbeds, planted perennials and put down truckload after truckload of mulch, transforming the flowerbeds surrounding the Island Commons. In addition, some of the youth assisted the caretaker of the island cemetery in righting toppled headstones. On their final day on the island, the youth hosted a very well attended tea at the Island Commons for Chebeague seniors.
SPY offers thanks to the members of St. Paul's for their generous support of our mission trip fund raising efforts. Special thanks goes to the Antiques Show Committee for their continued support of the SPY Mission Trip Fund.
~ Laura Hayden & Louise Moore
SPY Corner
Bulb Planting/Paint the SPY Room
We will meet in the Parish Hall on Sunday, October 14 at 1:00 p.m. Come dressed for the weather and to paint! We will be planting bulbs at St. Paul's for all to enjoy come spring as well as decorating the SPY room with some colorful murals. Pick up time will be at 3:00 p.m.
Save the Date
The third annual SPY All Saints' Party
- Pre-school through 5th Grade -
Sunday, October 28, 11:30 - 1:00
Wear your costume to church!!!
Notes from Church School
We are settled into our temporary lodgings, awaiting newly decorated rooms sometime soon. The high school class continues to look at issues of faith, taking time for donuts to celebrate a birthday. Middle schoolers, with many preparing for the Rite-13 ceremony on November 18, are writing original skits applying parable lessons to their experiences. Children in the Intermediate Grades, sitting downstairs in the Spanish Chapel, on their new carpet remnant, are learning to be together and then appreciate the worship service. Youngsters in Godly Play recently used lamb figures to tell the story of the Good Shepherd, who cares for each of His sheep.
Families have done well getting students to class by 9:30 a.m., and teachers are working together to have young people into church at 10:40, during the Peace, to sit with their families. Leslie St. Louis, Family Minister, plans an Instructed Eucharist on October 25.
~ Barbara Warner
St. Joseph's House News
Many thanks to Chris Curtis for providing cookies in the past. We are still looking for someone to provide home-baked cookies for St. Joseph's House the first Saturday of the month. We are hoping to find someone to provide cookies for October, November and December 2007. The cookies could be picked up and transported to St. Joseph's House for you, if you are not in a position to transport them yourself. We would truly appreciate anyone who would be interested in helping us by providing home-baked goods for our guests at St. Joseph's House.
Additionally, please mark your calendars for the following dates: November 3 and December 1. On November 3, one of our faithful volunteers, Gayle Stiles, will be coordinating the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford youth group to help us cook and serve the lunch. On December 1, St. Paul's Youth (SPY) will be attending St. Joseph's House. Adult volunteers are encouraged to attend both of these dates to assist our youth.
Please call Jane Smith (385-4012) or Mary Ellen West (442-9632) (westme@frontiernet.net) if you have any questions or to volunteer.
~ Jane Smith & Mary Ellen West
Focus on Walter Brueggemann
"Our faith is not about pinning down moral certitudes. It is, rather, about openness to wonder and awe in glad praise," says Walter Brueggemann, speaker for this year's The Bible & the World lecture in the sanctuary on Sunday, November 4, at 5 p.m.
Discuss Brueggemann's latest book Mandate to Difference: An Invitation to the Contemporary Church in the East Room on Thursdays, October 11, 18 & 25, 7 to 9 p.m.
The Rev. Tom Hanson, who will facilitate the discussions, asks that you read at least the first two chapters for October 14. Copies of the book are available at The Good Book Store.
~ Barbara Warner
Upcoming Organ Programs
at St. Paul's
Tuesday, 2 October, 7 p.m.: Fabrice Muller
Works by Hindemith, Reger, Lemare, Bolcom, Purcell, Bach and Arbeau.
Fabrice is a Master's student at ESM, studying with Hans Davidsson.
Sunday, 7 October, 5 p.m.: Erica Johnson
Lecture-recital featuring music of American composer Leo Sowerby.
Erica is a Doctoral student at ESM, also studying with Hans Davidsson.
Friday, 12 October, 8:30 p.m.: Todd Wilson
Works by Dupré, Stanley, Lang, Lemare, Phillips, Widor and Hampton.
This concert is a part of the 2007 Festival of the Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative (EROI). ESM Organ Department Chair David Higgs will join Mr. Wilson for the second half of the concert, which will utilize both the Skinner organ and the Wissinger continuo organ.
~ Robert Poovey
Address Updates?
If any of your address or email information has changed over the Summer, please send your corrections to wayne@stpaulsec.org.
~ Wayne Reinert