The St. Paul's Epistle
November 16, 2007
Contents
Dear Members & Friends of St.
Pauls:
ECW Holiday Bake Sale
Welcome New Members!
RAIHN at St. Paul's Church
The All Saints' Party
The Pageant Needs You
The Advent Series
Help SPY Keep Heads, Hands & Feet
Warm
Using Literature to Launch a
Project
Young Stewards
Tips For Year-end Giving
The Hope of Sudan's New Educational
Program
A Meal and More
Save the Date
SPY Corner
Dear Members & Friends of St. Pauls:
We have slowly made our move toward autumn, a bit later I think than usual, but finally the world is donning its coat of many colors, the nights are cooler and the days are shorter. The fields look somewhat like an old man in need of a shave with only stubble after the harvests have come in and most of us are beginning to think of family gatherings and Thanksgiving and hopefully of "thanksgivings."
Thanksgivings are part of our language and relationship with God. In the General Thanksgiving, found in our Morning Prayer service, we pray these words "we bless you for our creation, preservation and all the blessings of this life." We are truly blessed people. However, with these blessings comes much responsibility. If you read just a few stanzas further in the General Thanksgiving, we find these words: "we pray give us such an awareness of your mercies that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise not only with our lips but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service."
There are many opportunities in our church community, and in the city of Rochester, for us to "give up ourselves to your service." For example, at St. Paul's our youth group will be collecting hats, scarves, mittens and white socks for St. Joseph's House of Hospitality and the church school will begin collecting food stuffs for SEM in Advent. RAIHN will be housed at Christ Church Pittsford the week of Thanksgiving and would welcome your helping hands. Around the city there will be soup kitchens and feeding stations to help those who would otherwise go without on Thanksgiving. Have you ever thought of working in one of those settings before you sit down to your bountiful table?
I urge you to prayerfully consider some "incarnate thanksgiving." That is, some piece of your life that is given to the glory of God, be it knitting a prayer shawl, working at St. Joseph's House or bringing in canned goods. It matters not what you choose to do.
What matters is that you prayerfully dedicate that portion of your daily life and work to the glory and praise of God. In so doing, you will walk before God in "holiness and righteousness."
I wish you every blessing in this the season of thanks. I pray that the richness of this creation all around us brings God very near to you and that in and through and with His presence your lives are made the Holy works of the Lord.
Peace,
~ Leslie St. Louis
ECW Holiday Bake Sale
The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) will be holding its annual Bake Sale December 2 following the two Sunday services. This is a fine opportunity to pick up some holiday gifts as well as to stock the freezer for those last-minute hostess gifts or occasions of unexpected guests. Your family will be pleased that you dropped by, too!
Please visit us in the Parish Hall to treat yourself and your friends to some home-made holiday wrapped delicacies to include candy, cookies, quick breads, pies, and brownies. We'll be happy to see you! Conserve your holiday energy: Buy-Don't-Bake!
Thanks.
~ Mary Critikos
Welcome New Members!
Please welcome the following into the St. Paul's community:
Enrolled Baptisms
Michael John Reidy and Allysun Fleming Reidy
Baptisms
Lilliana Joy Donner
Daughter of Waldemar Donner III & Kimberly Rizzo
Donner
Ava Elizabeth Gustafson
Daughter of David Malleber & Lisa Gustafson
Aiden Robert Kennedy
Son of Steven Robert Kennedy & Heather-Rae Dashnaw
Kennedy
Natalie Elizabeth Larzelere
Daughter of Eric Clayton Larzelere & Ellen
Schnabel Larzelere
Isabelle Olivia Reidy
Daughter of Michael John Reidy & Allysun Fleming
Reidy
Margaret Eloise Reidy
Daughter of Michael John Reidy & Allysun Fleming
Reidy
RAIHN at St. Paul's Church
The RAIHN (Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network) program continues, and St. Paul's Church will be the host congregation for families during the upcoming Thanksgiving week - November 18 through 25. The RAIHN program allowed St. Paul's to skip a scheduled host week in August due to our building reconstruction. Since our reconstruction remains in progress, the Thanksgiving week hosting must be held at another location. The First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford is preparing to become a RAIHN host congregation and has offered their facility to St. Paul's volunteers. By doing this both churches will share in the program while First Presbyterian will learn from St. Paul's volunteers.
To accomplish this at another location and make it a great week for all the families, extra volunteers are needed to support the program activities. Volunteers may choose to prepare meals, to enjoy dinners with the families, to participate in evening activities, to stay overnight as hosts, to work on the Sunday 'set up', to work on clean up at week's end, or to do laundry of bed linens at home. Many hands will make this program easier for all volunteers and families involved. You can help by volunteering a few hours to St. Paul's RAIHN program. Please contact us at 385-3187 or send your e-mail to hkingsto@frontiernet.net.
~ Hank & Kathy Kingston
The All Saints' Party
As you can see, we had a great turn out of superheroes, cute critters and lovely maidens, as well as pirates, witches and a skeleton at the third annual SPY All Saints' Party.
Fifty or so of our youth participated in one way or another, either as party guests or as SPY hosts. On behalf of the entire parish, we offer our thanks to those who worked so hard to decorate the "spooky" Spanish Chapel and then entertained our young guests with a wonderful variety of activities.
We offer thanks as well to all who attended the event. It was a spirited and fun-filled afternoon for all!
~ Laura Hayden, Louise Moore and the Rev. Leslie St. Louis, SPY Advisors
The Pageant Needs You
and, Perhaps, You Need the Pageant
Actors, readers, singers, stage crew, cooks, servers, and audience - come, All Ye Faithful; be part of the Christmas Pageant and Spaghetti Supper. We re-hear the Holy Day (holiday) story, work and play together, and refresh our souls in the midst of what can be a hectic, commercial season. Sign up in the Parish Hall, call 271-2240 or write barbara@stpaulsec.org.
Practice Times
Saturday, December 8, 10 a.m. - noon
Rehearsal and Costuming for readers and actors,
not angels and shepherds
Saturday, December 15, 10 a.m. - noon
Dress Rehearsal for all,
including angels and shepherds
The Christmas Pageant & Spaghetti Supper
Sunday, December 16, beginning at 4 p.m.
~ Barbara Warner
The Advent Series
"From Metrical Psalms to Hymns"
Thursdays, November 29; December 6, 13, and 20
Tom McCart, Associate Rector, and Robert Poovey, Director of Music, share their expertise in singing through 450 years of Anglican history. Join them for some theology and fun on the Thursdays of Advent, beginning November 29.
6 p.m. Evening Prayer in the Chancel
6:30 p.m. Supper in the Parish Hall
7 - 8 p.m. Program in the Parish Hall
Please sign up for supper by calling the church office at 271-2240 or by e-mail to jonathan@stpaulsec.org.
~ Barbara Warner
Help SPY Keep Heads, Hands & Feet Warm This Winter
This Thanksgiving season, as we reflect upon the many blessings for which we are so very grateful, we think as well of those who must do without. There are many homeless in our city, and as you know, the St. Paul's community ministers to them though St. Joseph's House. St. Paul's Youth (SPY) will be preparing the mid-day meal at St. Joseph's House on December 1 and will bring with them not only food for the hungry but hats, gloves and socks (white) to help keep these guests warm during the winter months that lie ahead.
Please join SPY in making a contribution this Thanksgiving season of new winter hats, gloves or white socks in men's sizes. Donated items may be left in the collection box on the stage of the Parish Hall or may be left at the desk in Wainwright Hall. Thank you for supporting this meaningful ministry.
~ The members of SPY
Using Literature to Launch
a Family/Community Project
On October 23, the families of St. Paul's Child Care gathered for their annual family feast. In the past, this dinner has always been an opportunity for the staff and families to mingle, get to know each other, and share a wonderful potluck dinner. This year, the Preschool classes got together with the rest of the staff to create a family/community project, based on the folktale, Stone Soup.
As many of you may know, the story Stone Soup has many retellings. There are also other pieces of literature that are similar versions but may have twists. Basically, the main idea of the story, Stone Soup, is that some weary traveler or group of travelers wanders into a town whose folk may be facing hard times, or just be plain stingy. Either way, the townsfolk hide their food. The weary travelers ask for something to eat, and upon rejection, state that they will simply feed themselves by making "stone soup." The travelers ask for a pot and water, make a fire, and then add a few stones. The curious townsfolk are drawn in, and when the travelers ask for salt, they part with some salt. The travelers then go on to ask for ingredients one by one, and, well, you get the idea… the townsfolk are drawn into the ruse and eventually provide all the fixings for a fine soup. The happy ending is when the townsfolk and the travelers celebrate together to share in the fine feast they have created. What a beautiful tale of sharing, even when times are hard.
So at St. Paul's, the staff decided to use this theme for this year's family dinner, and add an element of community service. Not only did we ask the families to bring in an ingredient for the "Stone Soup," but to consider bringing in another can or dry good for a Food Drive we are having until the end of November for the Food Cupboard located downstairs in the Church. The results were outstanding. Our soups were delicious, our family feast was a beautiful evening of sharing stories and song, and our Food Drive boxes are already overflowing!
It is so rewarding when the children "get it," and show pride in their involvement. In our UPK classroom, we read three versions of Stone Soup, intermixed with Wombat Stew, Cactus Soup, and other harvest stories. Each time we read a story and reminded the children of the Stone Soup Dinner, they were so proud to share which items they had brought in for the soup itself as well as what they brought for "the hungry people who come to the cupboard." A poignant, teachable moment about sharing that embraced literature, cooking, family relations, and community service. We plan to have the children help us deliver the goods to the Food Cupboard at the end of November.
~ Suzi Long, UPK Teacher, St. Paul's Child Care Center
Young Stewards
Students in the Church School have envelopes for weekly offerings. In sharing pennies, quarters, and dollars, our young people receive their own gift. They learn to be givers, supporters of God's work through the church. Teachers have extra envelopes for those who would like them.
~ Barbara Warner
Tips For Year-end Giving
To be eligible for tax-deductible charitable donation status, all contributions to St. Paul's Church must be received in the office or postmarked by December 31.
Charitable donations of non-cash items, such as stock, may be made electronically. Please contact Dick Stryker at (585) 271-2240, or dick@stpaulsec.org for information about routing and account numbers. We ask that all such donors also provide a letter or e-mail correspondence reporting the gift and the number of shares donated to St. Paul's.
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 provides some new charitable giving opportunities, according to a variety of published sources. Donors more than 70.5 years of age who have money in an IRA will be able to withdraw an amount up to $100,000 for a charitable contribution without penalty and without having to subject it to the adjusted gross income on the tax form. This may be especially useful for those over age 70 who are required to make minimum distributions from their IRA each year, as these charitable contributions can be considered part of their minimum distribution. The charity cannot be a donor-advised fund, and the tax break is available only through December 31, 2007. This information does not constitute tax advice, and you are advised to consult with your tax or financial advisor before acting.
You may prepay your 2008 pledge by December 31, so that your contribution may qualify as a charitable deduction on your 2007 tax return. If your gift includes a prepaid 2008 pledge, please let our financial office know, so that St. Paul's can properly record your gift.
For more information, please call the office at (585) 271-2240.
~ Dick Stryker
The Hope of Sudan's New Educational Program
As a result of our mission trip to Africa last year, we have decided to roll out a pilot program that enables the sponsoring of children in Sudan or in the refugee camp to go to a private Kenyan boarding school under the oversight and guidance of The Episcopal Church in Kenya and the Dominicans of East Africa.
We have found the Kenyan system to be extraordinary! The boarding schools are a safe place for students to stay and have access to food and clean water every day. Our oversight program enables health care oversight and accountability where the coordinators check up on the children's progress in school and in health on a frequent basis. All this and tuition and books can be provided for $750 per year!
With Province VIII of the Episcopal Church, The Hope of Sudan is currently funding 32 children. We have allowed the local Lost Boys to subsidize the sending of their relatives by chipping in $250 per year to the program. We are sending 12 Lost Boy relatives effective January 1, 2008 and there are 13 other Lost Boys who wanted to send a relative but we did not have the funding.
Why not sponsor a child? We are asking for a minimum commitment of 4 years. Once you see the difference you and your family are making with your gifts and your ongoing involvement and encouragement, you will have the opportunity to continue that sponsorship through high school for your student.
As you know, the infrastructure of Sudan is just not built to enable children to get educated in any sizable quantity and in any meaningful way. This program provides a terrific interim measure to make a difference.
Call us at 585-582-2648 if you wish to become a sponsor.
Blessings to you!
~ Ann Marie & Jerry DeLuccio
A Meal and More
Please help make holiday meals possible for those who otherwise would not be able to enjoy them. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are served at A Meal and More at Christ Church Downtown each year. The generous people of St. Paul's donate ten dollars or more to purchase the turkeys and roasts for these holiday meals. All you need to do is write a check to St. Paul's Episcopal Church with A Meal and More in the memo line. Know that this is much appreciated by those who gather there.
~ Gail Pearson
Save the Date
Shop til You Drop, a fundraiser for RAIHN, will be Monday, November 26 at Pittsford Plaza from 6-9 p.m.
Look for flyers around the church with all the details.
~ Nancy Frank
SPY Corner
St. Joseph's House
December 1
On Saturday, December 1 we will be preparing and serving the mid-day meal at St. Joseph's House. We hope that you can join us for this meaningful service opportunity.