Messages from Our Clergy
March 15, 2021
Welcome to Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth, Minnesota, and our Reflection and Announcements.
Today is March 15, 2021.
Today’s reflection is brought to us by Ellis Rayes Montes who is a musician, writer, and lifelong Episcopalian from Houston, Texas. If you like this reflection, you can find more of them in Forward Day by Day: Daily Devotions for Disciples. Forward Day by Day is available online and through the church office. Simply contact Rita to get your copy.
In the Gospel of John (6:5-6) we hear, “When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?“ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.“
Just before the miracle of the feeding of the five-thousand, Jesus asked a question of Philip, Philip answers by thinking about the logistics of the situation and concludes that the situation is impossible.
This miracle reminds us that Jesus will provide. But our faith is not a one-way street, receiving the bounty from the Lord. Jesus calls us to action, to bring together the resources we have and reach out to the people we know and those we don’t know yet. Jesus calls us to pray, to thank God for the life that we have and for our many blessings. And Jesus calls us to go, to serve our neighbors with whatever we have and to bring the blessings of God to all people!
So, rather than dismiss a situation as impossible because of preconceived notions about budgets, appearances, reputations, or abilities, we must listen to Jesus and be ready to act.
This week ask yourself: Have you ever experienced a loaves-and-fishes moment? How are following Jesus’ call to go, to serve our neighbors with whatever we have and to bring the blessings of God to all people?
Announcements
It’s time to start looking forward to Holy Week and Easter.
If you haven’t before, please consider contributing a new Floral Memorial or Thanksgiving to decorate the church for Easter. Simply send the suggested minimum donation of $20, payable to St. Paul’s Altar Guild, to the church office by March 19. Please put Easter flowers on the memo line of your check.
Help us Pass the Paschal Light during our Easter Service. Check out the sample video on our website, then record yourself doing the same thing and email it to Tim Metcalfe (tmetcalfe@css.edu) by March 26. Then make certain you watch yourself and your friends on Easter Day passing the Paschal Light to one another!
Natalie Smith to retire April 15th. Please consider emailing or mailing a note of thanks or special memory with Natalie to the church office (office@stpaulsduluth.org) by April 5 for inclusion in her memory basket. There will be a special zoom coffee hour with her on April 18. Please plan to join us.
March is Minnesota Food Share month. Please consider making a donation online or by check to St. Paul’s, and mark CHUM on the memo line. You can also contribute directly to CHUM. CHUM is very challenged to keep the shelves stocked. The campaign runs through April 11, so act today.
Other Online Offerings
Today is March 15, 2021.
Today’s reflection is brought to us by Ellis Rayes Montes who is a musician, writer, and lifelong Episcopalian from Houston, Texas. If you like this reflection, you can find more of them in Forward Day by Day: Daily Devotions for Disciples. Forward Day by Day is available online and through the church office. Simply contact Rita to get your copy.
In the Gospel of John (6:5-6) we hear, “When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?“ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.“
Just before the miracle of the feeding of the five-thousand, Jesus asked a question of Philip, Philip answers by thinking about the logistics of the situation and concludes that the situation is impossible.
This miracle reminds us that Jesus will provide. But our faith is not a one-way street, receiving the bounty from the Lord. Jesus calls us to action, to bring together the resources we have and reach out to the people we know and those we don’t know yet. Jesus calls us to pray, to thank God for the life that we have and for our many blessings. And Jesus calls us to go, to serve our neighbors with whatever we have and to bring the blessings of God to all people!
So, rather than dismiss a situation as impossible because of preconceived notions about budgets, appearances, reputations, or abilities, we must listen to Jesus and be ready to act.
This week ask yourself: Have you ever experienced a loaves-and-fishes moment? How are following Jesus’ call to go, to serve our neighbors with whatever we have and to bring the blessings of God to all people?
Announcements
It’s time to start looking forward to Holy Week and Easter.
- March 28, Palm Sunday you will find our worship on the website. Drive-by the rear entrance of the church between 12 noon and 1 pm and we’ll be handing out palms in a COVID-19 safe way.
- April 1, Maundy Thursday hybrid worship Agape Meal. Simply put together a simple meal of soup, bread, and wine or grape juice. Then join us on Zoom at 6:30 pm to learn more about the Apapé Meal tradition and participate in the blessings. Then we will all sign off Zoom and eat. Once you’re finished eating, or you could do this while you eat, click the link on our website to hear the lessons, reflection, and special music to finish the service. You can also find a bread recipe for a traditional bread used for Agape meals on the website.
- April 2, Good Friday you will find a link on the website for a beautiful, artistic, and musical Stations of the Cross.
- Saturday, April 3, enjoy the Easter Vigil streamed from St. Mark’s Cathedral in Minneapolis. The link will be available on the website or you may go directly to the Cathedral’s website.
- Sunday, April 4, the Day of the Resurrection, Easter, join us for Holy Eucharist on our website. Drive-by the rear entrance of the church between 12 noon and 1 pm and we’ll be distributing the Easter Holy Communion in a COVID-19 safe way.
If you haven’t before, please consider contributing a new Floral Memorial or Thanksgiving to decorate the church for Easter. Simply send the suggested minimum donation of $20, payable to St. Paul’s Altar Guild, to the church office by March 19. Please put Easter flowers on the memo line of your check.
Help us Pass the Paschal Light during our Easter Service. Check out the sample video on our website, then record yourself doing the same thing and email it to Tim Metcalfe (tmetcalfe@css.edu) by March 26. Then make certain you watch yourself and your friends on Easter Day passing the Paschal Light to one another!
Natalie Smith to retire April 15th. Please consider emailing or mailing a note of thanks or special memory with Natalie to the church office (office@stpaulsduluth.org) by April 5 for inclusion in her memory basket. There will be a special zoom coffee hour with her on April 18. Please plan to join us.
March is Minnesota Food Share month. Please consider making a donation online or by check to St. Paul’s, and mark CHUM on the memo line. You can also contribute directly to CHUM. CHUM is very challenged to keep the shelves stocked. The campaign runs through April 11, so act today.
Other Online Offerings
- Tuesday morning Bible Study, focusing on the lessons for the upcoming Sunday at 9:00 am on zoom.
- Wednesday Faith Formation Offerings. We have two special Faith Formation offerings this Lent. Family & Intergenerational Formation on Facebook and our website begins at 6:00 pm. Then at 6:30 pm you can join the adult program, Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth. This week’s theme is Take a New Look: Checking your vision.
- Thursday evening Compline on Facebook at 9 pm, followed by a Zoom Chat at 9:15.
- On Fridays at 9 am, you can join Morning Prayer on Facebook.
- Sunday worship premieres on Saturday and is available all week long. Consider joining us for Coffee Hour starting at 10:45 on Sundays on Zoom.
- And of course, we’ll be back here next Monday on Facebook with another Reflection and Announcements at 9:00 am.
March 8, 2021
Welcome to Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth, Minnesota
and our Reflection and Announcements.
Today is March 8, 2021.
Today’s reflection is brought to us by Ellis Rayes Montes who is a musician, writer, and lifelong Episcopalian from Houston, Texas. If you like this reflection, you can find more of them in Forward Day by Day: Daily Devotions for Disciples. They are available through the church office. Simply contact Rita to get your copy.
In John 7:15, 24 we hear a word about judgment. “The Jews were astonished at it, saying, “How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?“ Jesus answered them, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.“
When I was studying for my bachelor’s degree, I was looked down upon because I did not follow the prevailing theory on musicianship that was championed by many of the faculty (with the great exception of my bassoon professor). However, I received honorable mention in my first solo competition, and in the second, I won the top prize. I went on to graduate school, winning the solo competition there as well. I played in a professional orchestra. I currently lead ensembles and perform professionally, whereas many of the people who came from so-called “tried-and-true“ backgrounds have mostly given up music.
Jesus reminds us that there will be struggles, especially as people judge our backgrounds, but God will always look after us. When we keep ourselves focused on building upon our God-given gifts, we will succeed. Even though people will try to find ways for us to fail, God always has the last word.
This week ask yourself: When have you been judged by appearances? When have you unjustly judged others? Pray for forgiveness and new direction.
Announcements
It’s time to start looking forward to Holy Week and Easter.
We need your help getting ready for Easter.
Please consider Floral Memorial or Thanksgiving to decorate the church. Simply send a suggested minimum donation of $20, payable to St. Paul’s Altar Guild, to the church office by March 19. Please put Easter flowers on the memo line of your check.
Help us Pass the Paschal Light during our Easter Service. Check out the sample video on the website then record yourself doing the same thing and email it to Tim Metcalfe (tmetcalfe@css.edu) by March 26. Then make certain you watch yourself and your friends on Easter Day!
Applications for the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund are due March 15, 2021. Please call or email the church office to get your application.
March is Minnesota Food Share month. Please consider making a donation online or by check and mark the memo line CHUM. You can also contribute directly to CHUM. There has been a lot of need this year and CHUM is very challenged to keep the shelves stocked. The campaign runs through April 11, so act today.
Lenten Faith Formation
Throughout Lent you will find Family & Intergenerational Formation on Facebook and our website at 6:00 pm. Then at 6:30 you can join the adult program, Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth. This week’s theme is Thirsting Souls: Living Invitation.
Other Online Offerings
Tuesday morning Bible Study, focusing on the lessons for the upcoming Sunday at 9:00 am on zoom.
Thursday evening Compline on Facebook at 9 pm, followed by a Zoom Chat at 9:15.
On Fridays at 9 am, you can join Morning Prayer on Facebook.
This Saturday remember Community Connection at 9 am on Facebook.
Sunday worship premieres on Saturday and is available all week long. Consider joining us for Coffee Hour starting at 10:45 on Sundays on Zoom.
And of course, we’ll be back here next Monday on Facebook with another Reflection and Announcements at 9:00 am.
All video and Zoom links can be found on our website at: www.stpaulsduluth.org
Please note: To reach Mother Debra directly, please use this email address: Interim.Rector@stpaulsduluth.org
and our Reflection and Announcements.
Today is March 8, 2021.
Today’s reflection is brought to us by Ellis Rayes Montes who is a musician, writer, and lifelong Episcopalian from Houston, Texas. If you like this reflection, you can find more of them in Forward Day by Day: Daily Devotions for Disciples. They are available through the church office. Simply contact Rita to get your copy.
In John 7:15, 24 we hear a word about judgment. “The Jews were astonished at it, saying, “How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?“ Jesus answered them, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.“
When I was studying for my bachelor’s degree, I was looked down upon because I did not follow the prevailing theory on musicianship that was championed by many of the faculty (with the great exception of my bassoon professor). However, I received honorable mention in my first solo competition, and in the second, I won the top prize. I went on to graduate school, winning the solo competition there as well. I played in a professional orchestra. I currently lead ensembles and perform professionally, whereas many of the people who came from so-called “tried-and-true“ backgrounds have mostly given up music.
Jesus reminds us that there will be struggles, especially as people judge our backgrounds, but God will always look after us. When we keep ourselves focused on building upon our God-given gifts, we will succeed. Even though people will try to find ways for us to fail, God always has the last word.
This week ask yourself: When have you been judged by appearances? When have you unjustly judged others? Pray for forgiveness and new direction.
Announcements
It’s time to start looking forward to Holy Week and Easter.
- March 28, Palm Sunday worship online. Drive-by the rear entrance at 12 noon and we’ll be handing out palms.
- April 1, Maundy Thursday hybrid worship Agape Meal. Simply put together a simple meal of soup, bread, and wine or grape juice. Then join us on Zoom at 6:30 pm to learn more about the Agapé Meal tradition and participate in the blessings. Then we will all sign off Zoom and eat. Once you’re finished eating, or you could do this while you eat, click the link on our website to hear the lessons, reflection, and special music to finish the service. You can also find a bread recipe for traditional bread from the time.
- April 2, Good Friday you will find a video link for a beautiful, artistic, and musical Stations of the Cross.
- Saturday, April 3, enjoy the Easter Vigil streamed from St. Mark’s Cathedral in Minneapolis.
- Sunday, April 4, the Day of the Resurrection join us for Holy Eucharist online the drive by the rear entrance at 12 noon and we’ll be distributing Holy Communion.
We need your help getting ready for Easter.
Please consider Floral Memorial or Thanksgiving to decorate the church. Simply send a suggested minimum donation of $20, payable to St. Paul’s Altar Guild, to the church office by March 19. Please put Easter flowers on the memo line of your check.
Help us Pass the Paschal Light during our Easter Service. Check out the sample video on the website then record yourself doing the same thing and email it to Tim Metcalfe (tmetcalfe@css.edu) by March 26. Then make certain you watch yourself and your friends on Easter Day!
Applications for the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund are due March 15, 2021. Please call or email the church office to get your application.
March is Minnesota Food Share month. Please consider making a donation online or by check and mark the memo line CHUM. You can also contribute directly to CHUM. There has been a lot of need this year and CHUM is very challenged to keep the shelves stocked. The campaign runs through April 11, so act today.
Lenten Faith Formation
Throughout Lent you will find Family & Intergenerational Formation on Facebook and our website at 6:00 pm. Then at 6:30 you can join the adult program, Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth. This week’s theme is Thirsting Souls: Living Invitation.
Other Online Offerings
Tuesday morning Bible Study, focusing on the lessons for the upcoming Sunday at 9:00 am on zoom.
Thursday evening Compline on Facebook at 9 pm, followed by a Zoom Chat at 9:15.
On Fridays at 9 am, you can join Morning Prayer on Facebook.
This Saturday remember Community Connection at 9 am on Facebook.
Sunday worship premieres on Saturday and is available all week long. Consider joining us for Coffee Hour starting at 10:45 on Sundays on Zoom.
And of course, we’ll be back here next Monday on Facebook with another Reflection and Announcements at 9:00 am.
All video and Zoom links can be found on our website at: www.stpaulsduluth.org
Please note: To reach Mother Debra directly, please use this email address: Interim.Rector@stpaulsduluth.org
March 1, 2021
Welcome to Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth, Minnesota and our Reflection and Announcements.
Today is Monday in the second week in Lent, March 1, 2021.
In John 4:27 we read, “Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that Jesus was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?”
Today’s meditation is brought to us by Ellis Rayes Montes who is a musician, writer, and lifelong Episcopalian from Houston, Texas:
In this chapter of John, Jesus starts his conversation with the Samaritan woman by talking about her marital situation. However, rather than heaping condemnation after condemnation, Jesus teaches her. He chooses to continue the conversation without dwelling on the differences they could otherwise separate them.
Growing up and to this day, I’ve been told that I cannot approach Jesus. As a gay man, I am an unforgivable sinner. As a Latino, I cannot bring my culture into the church. As a young man, I cannot speak my mind. But Jesus teaches me to come to him. Jesus invites me into communion, into conversation. Jesus welcomes me, even as people build barriers around the well of life.
I constantly thirst after the Good News, especially when my life continues to storm. My future is unclear, and even my present does not make sense. But I know that on the journey, I can find Jesus, sitting by the well, inviting me to drink the living water.
This week consider what barriers you put up for other people and what barriers in your own life, God can help you tear down?
Wednesday Night ProgramJoin Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth Lenten Study each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm throughout Lent, and till the ground of prayer, learning, reflection, and conversation with your friends. Groundwork will engage the Bible in a way that encourages personal and congregational transformation. Demographics, membership, attendance and giving trends will also be discussed. We will review Church/Committee lifecycle theory and there will even be the opportunity to look at St. Paul’s the way a visitor would!
Materials and Zoom link are available on our website at https://www.stpaulsfaithformation.org/covid-19-response.html
This week’s topic is “Faith Stories: Traveling with God.” Please read each week's lesson prior to coming to the program. Groundwork will take place on the Zoom platform. Don’t worry if you don’t have a computer; you can call into a Zoom meeting on a telephone, too!
Applications for New ScholarshipsApplications for new scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee c/o St. Paul’s Church by March 15, 2021. Application forms are available in the church office. Please email office@stpaulsduluth.org or call 218-724-3535 to request an application.
New Easter Floral Memorials
NEW NAMES for the floral memorials to be printed in the bulletin will be accepted until Friday, March 19. Suggested minimum donation is $20, payable to St. Paul’s Altar Guild Easter flowers. An acknowledgment will be sent to the donors. We are grateful for your contributions for flowers. If questions, please call Joanne Marinac, Altar Guild Floral Coordinator.
Holy Week Schedule:
· Palm Sunday Worship March 28 at 10:00 am, and Drive-by Palm Pick-Up at 12:00 noon
· Maundy Thursday Virtual Agape Meal, April 1, 6:30 pm
· Good Friday Stations of the Cross , April 2, 12 noon video link on our website
· Easter Vigil, streamed from St. Mark’s Cathedral of Minneapolis, April 3, 7:30 pm
· The Day of the Resurrection, Sunday, April 4, 10:00 am on Facebook and website
Help Pass the Light of Christ this EasterHelp Needed: Members to pass the Paschal Light for the Easter Sunday service. All you need to participate is a white candle and something to record you. Watch the sample video at this link. Remember to pass the light from your left to your right. If you live alone, you still can do this by having another candle lit off camera. That’s how Mother Debra did it! It will be so wonderful to see lots of members “passing the light” on our Easter Sunday worship! When you are finished, email your “passing the light” recording to Timothy Metcalfe at tmetcalfe@css.edu
Weekly St. Paul’s Online Opportunities:
These will be available on Facebook with links on our website: www.stpaulsduluth.org
· Monday Reflection and Announcements, 9 am: Mother Debra shares a reflection and announcements on Facebook and website
· Tuesday Bible Study, 9 am: Bible study with other parishioners to reflect upon the upcoming Sunday readings (join via the same Zoom link each week)
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/985710661
Meeting ID: 985 710 661
Or dial in using your telephone:
1-312-626-6799
· Wednesday Evening Faith Formation for families, 6:00 pm, on Facebook and website
· Wednesday Evening Adult Formation at 6:30 pm, via Zoom. Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945?pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710
Or dial in using your telephone:
1-312-626-6799
· Thursday Compline, 9 pm: Join us in praying Compline. View on Facebook at 9 pm.
NEW LINK for Compline Check-in Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88572042666?pwd=TXlJbGRtczVrTkpROTFxWHBzSG90UT09
Passcode: 1710
· Friday Morning Prayer, 9 am: a traditional morning prayer service each week on Facebook and website
· Community Connections, 9 am: on the second Saturday of each month Brad Brunfelt and Amber Sadowski share some ideas for supporting your local community, on Facebook
· Sunday Worship, 10 am on Facebook and website
· For your convenience, the prerecorded service is available any time after noon on Saturday via YouTube or our website. It premieres on Facebook at 10 am on Sunday.
· Sunday Virtual Coffee Hour: Every week on Sunday following the 10 am service, approx. start time 10:45 am (the same link every Sunday). To join the Zoom Coffee Hour, click on this link: https://zoom.us/j/502278631
Meeting ID: 502 278 631
Or dial in by telephone: 1-312-626-6799
Please note that the password is embedded in the link. But if needed, the password for all of our Zooms is 1710
Today is Monday in the second week in Lent, March 1, 2021.
In John 4:27 we read, “Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that Jesus was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?”
Today’s meditation is brought to us by Ellis Rayes Montes who is a musician, writer, and lifelong Episcopalian from Houston, Texas:
In this chapter of John, Jesus starts his conversation with the Samaritan woman by talking about her marital situation. However, rather than heaping condemnation after condemnation, Jesus teaches her. He chooses to continue the conversation without dwelling on the differences they could otherwise separate them.
Growing up and to this day, I’ve been told that I cannot approach Jesus. As a gay man, I am an unforgivable sinner. As a Latino, I cannot bring my culture into the church. As a young man, I cannot speak my mind. But Jesus teaches me to come to him. Jesus invites me into communion, into conversation. Jesus welcomes me, even as people build barriers around the well of life.
I constantly thirst after the Good News, especially when my life continues to storm. My future is unclear, and even my present does not make sense. But I know that on the journey, I can find Jesus, sitting by the well, inviting me to drink the living water.
This week consider what barriers you put up for other people and what barriers in your own life, God can help you tear down?
Wednesday Night ProgramJoin Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth Lenten Study each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm throughout Lent, and till the ground of prayer, learning, reflection, and conversation with your friends. Groundwork will engage the Bible in a way that encourages personal and congregational transformation. Demographics, membership, attendance and giving trends will also be discussed. We will review Church/Committee lifecycle theory and there will even be the opportunity to look at St. Paul’s the way a visitor would!
Materials and Zoom link are available on our website at https://www.stpaulsfaithformation.org/covid-19-response.html
This week’s topic is “Faith Stories: Traveling with God.” Please read each week's lesson prior to coming to the program. Groundwork will take place on the Zoom platform. Don’t worry if you don’t have a computer; you can call into a Zoom meeting on a telephone, too!
Applications for New ScholarshipsApplications for new scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee c/o St. Paul’s Church by March 15, 2021. Application forms are available in the church office. Please email office@stpaulsduluth.org or call 218-724-3535 to request an application.
New Easter Floral Memorials
NEW NAMES for the floral memorials to be printed in the bulletin will be accepted until Friday, March 19. Suggested minimum donation is $20, payable to St. Paul’s Altar Guild Easter flowers. An acknowledgment will be sent to the donors. We are grateful for your contributions for flowers. If questions, please call Joanne Marinac, Altar Guild Floral Coordinator.
Holy Week Schedule:
· Palm Sunday Worship March 28 at 10:00 am, and Drive-by Palm Pick-Up at 12:00 noon
· Maundy Thursday Virtual Agape Meal, April 1, 6:30 pm
· Good Friday Stations of the Cross , April 2, 12 noon video link on our website
· Easter Vigil, streamed from St. Mark’s Cathedral of Minneapolis, April 3, 7:30 pm
· The Day of the Resurrection, Sunday, April 4, 10:00 am on Facebook and website
Help Pass the Light of Christ this EasterHelp Needed: Members to pass the Paschal Light for the Easter Sunday service. All you need to participate is a white candle and something to record you. Watch the sample video at this link. Remember to pass the light from your left to your right. If you live alone, you still can do this by having another candle lit off camera. That’s how Mother Debra did it! It will be so wonderful to see lots of members “passing the light” on our Easter Sunday worship! When you are finished, email your “passing the light” recording to Timothy Metcalfe at tmetcalfe@css.edu
Weekly St. Paul’s Online Opportunities:
These will be available on Facebook with links on our website: www.stpaulsduluth.org
· Monday Reflection and Announcements, 9 am: Mother Debra shares a reflection and announcements on Facebook and website
· Tuesday Bible Study, 9 am: Bible study with other parishioners to reflect upon the upcoming Sunday readings (join via the same Zoom link each week)
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/985710661
Meeting ID: 985 710 661
Or dial in using your telephone:
1-312-626-6799
· Wednesday Evening Faith Formation for families, 6:00 pm, on Facebook and website
· Wednesday Evening Adult Formation at 6:30 pm, via Zoom. Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945?pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710
Or dial in using your telephone:
1-312-626-6799
· Thursday Compline, 9 pm: Join us in praying Compline. View on Facebook at 9 pm.
NEW LINK for Compline Check-in Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88572042666?pwd=TXlJbGRtczVrTkpROTFxWHBzSG90UT09
Passcode: 1710
· Friday Morning Prayer, 9 am: a traditional morning prayer service each week on Facebook and website
· Community Connections, 9 am: on the second Saturday of each month Brad Brunfelt and Amber Sadowski share some ideas for supporting your local community, on Facebook
· Sunday Worship, 10 am on Facebook and website
· For your convenience, the prerecorded service is available any time after noon on Saturday via YouTube or our website. It premieres on Facebook at 10 am on Sunday.
· Sunday Virtual Coffee Hour: Every week on Sunday following the 10 am service, approx. start time 10:45 am (the same link every Sunday). To join the Zoom Coffee Hour, click on this link: https://zoom.us/j/502278631
Meeting ID: 502 278 631
Or dial in by telephone: 1-312-626-6799
Please note that the password is embedded in the link. But if needed, the password for all of our Zooms is 1710
February 22, 2021
Welcome to Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth, Minnesota and our Reflection and Announcements.
In Psalms 41:13 we hear: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from age to age. Amen. Amen.
Today’s meditation was written by Julie Bowers who is a special education teacher and a member of Christ the King Episcopal Church in Tucson, Arizona.
At age five, I asked my older brother what infinity meant. He said it meant “to go on forever.” I looked in the bathroom medicine cabinet mirror and saw myself reflected over and over again. Where would it end? Was infinity in there? I puzzled over it. I asked more questions. My brother told me not to try to understand infinity. It would make me crazy. I still consider that a pretty wise response from a 10-year-old.
Since then, I have never expected to understand God. How could the finite ever understand the infinite? Some people consider the concept of holy mystery a cop-out, a way of avoiding seeking definite answers, but I think chalking some things up to mystery is just having the proper perspective. I am small and confined to a particular time and place. I have very little power to change anything. The God I worship is omniscient and omnipotent. God is immortal and infinite, and that is holy mystery indeed.
This week consider this: The mathematical expression for infinity, a figure eight on its side, is also metaphorically a symbol of love. How does understanding the love of Jesus as endless and limitless shape your face?
Announcements:
Parish MeetingNext Sunday, February 28: The Vestry and Mother Debra will host another meeting during our weekly after-service coffee gathering. This meeting is intended to share information and our “roadmap” for continuing our building maintenance and parish revitalization objectives under a capital campaign. Please join us using the regularly weekly Zoom link for our Virtual Coffee Hour, click https://zoom.us/j/502278631
Meeting ID 502 278 631
Password: 1710
Adult Faith Formation for Lent
Join Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth Lenten Study each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm throughout Lent, and till the ground of prayer, learning, reflection, and conversation with your friends. Groundwork will engage the Bible in a way that encourages personal and congregational transformation.
Please register by calling Rita in the Parish Office at 218-724-3535 or emailing
office@stpaulsduluth.org. Materials will be available and emailed to each participant in advance. Groundwork will take place on the Zoom platform. Don’t worry if you don’t have a computer; you can call into a Zoom meeting on a telephone, too!
2/24: Lent 1 – The Great Temptation
3/3: Lent 2 – Faith Story: Traveling with God
3/10: Lent 3 – Thirsting Souls: Living Invitation
3/17: Lent 4 – Take a New Look: Checking Your Vision
3/24: Lent 5 – Leaving the Grave Behind
Applications for New ScholarshipsApplications for new scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee c/o St. Paul’s Church by March 15, 2021. Application forms are available in the church office. Please call 218-724-3535 or email office@stpaulsduluth.org to request an application.
New Easter Floral Memorials
NEW NAMES for the floral memorials to be printed in the bulletin will be accepted until Friday, March 19. Suggested minimum donation is $20, payable to St. Paul’s Altar Guild Easter flowers. An acknowledgment will be sent to the donors. We are grateful for your contributions for flowers. If questions, please call Joanne Marinac, Altar Guild Floral Coordinator.
Help Pass the Light this Easter
Help Needed: Members to pass the Paschal Light for the Easter Sunday service. All you need to participate is a white candle and something to record you. Watch the sample video at this link: https://www.stpaulsfaithformation.org/worship.html Remember to pass the light from your left to your right. If you live alone, you still can do this by having another lit candle off camera. That’s how Mother Debra did it! It will be so wonderful to see lots of members “passing the light” on our Easter Sunday worship! When you are finished, send your “passing the light” recording to Tim Metcalfe at tmetcalfe@css.edu
In Psalms 41:13 we hear: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from age to age. Amen. Amen.
Today’s meditation was written by Julie Bowers who is a special education teacher and a member of Christ the King Episcopal Church in Tucson, Arizona.
At age five, I asked my older brother what infinity meant. He said it meant “to go on forever.” I looked in the bathroom medicine cabinet mirror and saw myself reflected over and over again. Where would it end? Was infinity in there? I puzzled over it. I asked more questions. My brother told me not to try to understand infinity. It would make me crazy. I still consider that a pretty wise response from a 10-year-old.
Since then, I have never expected to understand God. How could the finite ever understand the infinite? Some people consider the concept of holy mystery a cop-out, a way of avoiding seeking definite answers, but I think chalking some things up to mystery is just having the proper perspective. I am small and confined to a particular time and place. I have very little power to change anything. The God I worship is omniscient and omnipotent. God is immortal and infinite, and that is holy mystery indeed.
This week consider this: The mathematical expression for infinity, a figure eight on its side, is also metaphorically a symbol of love. How does understanding the love of Jesus as endless and limitless shape your face?
Announcements:
Parish MeetingNext Sunday, February 28: The Vestry and Mother Debra will host another meeting during our weekly after-service coffee gathering. This meeting is intended to share information and our “roadmap” for continuing our building maintenance and parish revitalization objectives under a capital campaign. Please join us using the regularly weekly Zoom link for our Virtual Coffee Hour, click https://zoom.us/j/502278631
Meeting ID 502 278 631
Password: 1710
Adult Faith Formation for Lent
Join Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth Lenten Study each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm throughout Lent, and till the ground of prayer, learning, reflection, and conversation with your friends. Groundwork will engage the Bible in a way that encourages personal and congregational transformation.
Please register by calling Rita in the Parish Office at 218-724-3535 or emailing
office@stpaulsduluth.org. Materials will be available and emailed to each participant in advance. Groundwork will take place on the Zoom platform. Don’t worry if you don’t have a computer; you can call into a Zoom meeting on a telephone, too!
2/24: Lent 1 – The Great Temptation
3/3: Lent 2 – Faith Story: Traveling with God
3/10: Lent 3 – Thirsting Souls: Living Invitation
3/17: Lent 4 – Take a New Look: Checking Your Vision
3/24: Lent 5 – Leaving the Grave Behind
Applications for New ScholarshipsApplications for new scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee c/o St. Paul’s Church by March 15, 2021. Application forms are available in the church office. Please call 218-724-3535 or email office@stpaulsduluth.org to request an application.
New Easter Floral Memorials
NEW NAMES for the floral memorials to be printed in the bulletin will be accepted until Friday, March 19. Suggested minimum donation is $20, payable to St. Paul’s Altar Guild Easter flowers. An acknowledgment will be sent to the donors. We are grateful for your contributions for flowers. If questions, please call Joanne Marinac, Altar Guild Floral Coordinator.
Help Pass the Light this Easter
Help Needed: Members to pass the Paschal Light for the Easter Sunday service. All you need to participate is a white candle and something to record you. Watch the sample video at this link: https://www.stpaulsfaithformation.org/worship.html Remember to pass the light from your left to your right. If you live alone, you still can do this by having another lit candle off camera. That’s how Mother Debra did it! It will be so wonderful to see lots of members “passing the light” on our Easter Sunday worship! When you are finished, send your “passing the light” recording to Tim Metcalfe at tmetcalfe@css.edu
February 15, 2021
Reflection from Mother Debra Kissinger, Interim Rector
Good morning and welcome to Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth, Minnesota and this reflection and announcements for the week of February 15, 2021.
Our reflection today is brought to us by Thomas Bray.
In Hebrews we read, “In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing.”
A story is told of the philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson who, when warned by a doomsday prophet of the approaching end of the world, said, “Very well, we’ll get along without it.“
The thought of heaven and earth passing away is terrifying to some, heart-rending to others. When I admire a hillside carpeted with golden poppies or watch the yellow disc of the moon rise over a sandstone cliff, I feel connected to God. I do not want such beauty to disappear.
We know we are mortal but can seldom comprehend it. Life on this planet and in these bodies was always a temporary gig. Paul tells the Hebrews that heaven and earth will wear out like clothing and will be changed. Still, God remains. If we believe God’s promises that some part of us came from and will return to eternity, we can passionately love God‘s creation, heaven and earth, and then, with Emerson’s bravado, prepare to do without them.
Reflect: The Bible often talks about heaven and earth passing away. This week think about how this knowledge impacts your daily decisions.
Announcements
Shrove Tuesday
Intergenerational Shrove Tuesday Pancake Flip & Crazy Apron Contest will take place on February 16, 6:30 pm on Zoom. Come to the Party wearing the Craziest the Apron you can come up with and/or a frying pan and a pancake. Or just come to watch. We’ll play some fun games and then hang out and chat. Open to all ages.
Ash Wednesday
On Ash Wednesday, February 17, the traditional Ash Wednesday service will air on our website beginning at 7:00 am. Imposition of Ashes will take place between 1:00-1:30 pm and 5:30-6:00 pm at the McGiffert entrance of the church (Greysolon Road side). Please note, this is a change in time from what was previously announced. We ask that you turn onto 18th Avenue East from Superior Street and exit onto 17th Avenue East. You may either simply drive up and roll your window down or use one of the parking spaces. At the bishop’s direction, ashes will be imposed using a cotton swab. Masks and social distancing required.
Lenten Study
Join Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth Lenten Study each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm throughout Lent, and till the ground of prayer, learning, reflection, and conversation with your friends. Groundwork will engage the Bible in a way that encourages personal and congregational transformation.
Please register by calling Rita in the Parish Office at 218-724-3535 or emailing
office@stpaulsduluth.org. Materials will be available and emailed to each participant in advance. Groundwork will take place on the Zoom platform. Don’t worry if you don’t have a computer; you can call into a Zoom meeting on a telephone, too!
2/24: Lent 1 – The Great Temptation
3/3: Lent 2 – Faith Story: Traveling with God
3/10: Lent 3 – Thirsting Souls: Living Invitation
3/17: Lent 4 – Take a New Look: Checking Your Vision
3/24: Lent 5 – Leaving the Grave Behind
Applications for New Scholarships
Applications for new scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee c/o St. Paul’s Church by March 15, 2021. Application forms are available in the church office. Please call 218-724-3535 or email office@stpaulsduluth.org to request an application.
Weekly St. Paul’s Online Opportunities:
These can be found with links on our website: www.stpaulsduluth.org
· Monday Reflection and Announcements, 9 am: Mother Debra shares a reflection and announcements on Facebook and website
· Tuesday Bible Study, 9 am: Bible study with other parishioners to reflect upon the upcoming Sunday readings (join via the same Zoom link each week)
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/985710661
Meeting ID: 985 710 661
Or dial in using your telephone:
1-312-626-6799
· Wednesday Evening Faith Formation for families, 6:00 pm, on Facebook and website
· Wednesday Evening Adult Formation at 6:30 pm, via Zoom. Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945?pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710
Or dial in using your telephone:
1-312-626-6799
· Thursday Compline, 9 pm: Join us in praying Compline. View on Facebook at 9 pm.
NEW LINK for Compline Check-in Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88572042666?pwd=TXlJbGRtczVrTkpROTFxWHBzSG90UT09
Passcode: 1710
· Friday Morning Prayer, 9 am: a traditional morning prayer service each week on Facebook
· Community Connections, 9 am: on the second Saturday of each month Brad Brunfelt and Amber Sadowski share some ideas for supporting your local community, premieres on Facebook and gets posted to website later
· Sunday Worship, 10 am on Facebook and website. For your convenience, the prerecorded service is available anytime after noon on Saturday via YouTube or our website. It premieres on Facebook at 10 am on Sunday.
· Sunday Virtual Coffee Hour: Every week on Sunday following the 10 am service, approx. start time 10:45 am (the same link every Sunday). To join the Zoom Coffee Hour, click on this link: https://zoom.us/j/502278631
Meeting ID: 502 278 631
Or dial in by telephone: 1-312-626-6799
Links and Instructions to Connect Via Zoom:
Please note that the password is embedded in the link. But if needed, the password for all of our Zooms is 1710
Good morning and welcome to Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth, Minnesota and this reflection and announcements for the week of February 15, 2021.
Our reflection today is brought to us by Thomas Bray.
In Hebrews we read, “In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing.”
A story is told of the philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson who, when warned by a doomsday prophet of the approaching end of the world, said, “Very well, we’ll get along without it.“
The thought of heaven and earth passing away is terrifying to some, heart-rending to others. When I admire a hillside carpeted with golden poppies or watch the yellow disc of the moon rise over a sandstone cliff, I feel connected to God. I do not want such beauty to disappear.
We know we are mortal but can seldom comprehend it. Life on this planet and in these bodies was always a temporary gig. Paul tells the Hebrews that heaven and earth will wear out like clothing and will be changed. Still, God remains. If we believe God’s promises that some part of us came from and will return to eternity, we can passionately love God‘s creation, heaven and earth, and then, with Emerson’s bravado, prepare to do without them.
Reflect: The Bible often talks about heaven and earth passing away. This week think about how this knowledge impacts your daily decisions.
Announcements
Shrove Tuesday
Intergenerational Shrove Tuesday Pancake Flip & Crazy Apron Contest will take place on February 16, 6:30 pm on Zoom. Come to the Party wearing the Craziest the Apron you can come up with and/or a frying pan and a pancake. Or just come to watch. We’ll play some fun games and then hang out and chat. Open to all ages.
Ash Wednesday
On Ash Wednesday, February 17, the traditional Ash Wednesday service will air on our website beginning at 7:00 am. Imposition of Ashes will take place between 1:00-1:30 pm and 5:30-6:00 pm at the McGiffert entrance of the church (Greysolon Road side). Please note, this is a change in time from what was previously announced. We ask that you turn onto 18th Avenue East from Superior Street and exit onto 17th Avenue East. You may either simply drive up and roll your window down or use one of the parking spaces. At the bishop’s direction, ashes will be imposed using a cotton swab. Masks and social distancing required.
Lenten Study
Join Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth Lenten Study each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm throughout Lent, and till the ground of prayer, learning, reflection, and conversation with your friends. Groundwork will engage the Bible in a way that encourages personal and congregational transformation.
Please register by calling Rita in the Parish Office at 218-724-3535 or emailing
office@stpaulsduluth.org. Materials will be available and emailed to each participant in advance. Groundwork will take place on the Zoom platform. Don’t worry if you don’t have a computer; you can call into a Zoom meeting on a telephone, too!
2/24: Lent 1 – The Great Temptation
3/3: Lent 2 – Faith Story: Traveling with God
3/10: Lent 3 – Thirsting Souls: Living Invitation
3/17: Lent 4 – Take a New Look: Checking Your Vision
3/24: Lent 5 – Leaving the Grave Behind
Applications for New Scholarships
Applications for new scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee c/o St. Paul’s Church by March 15, 2021. Application forms are available in the church office. Please call 218-724-3535 or email office@stpaulsduluth.org to request an application.
Weekly St. Paul’s Online Opportunities:
These can be found with links on our website: www.stpaulsduluth.org
· Monday Reflection and Announcements, 9 am: Mother Debra shares a reflection and announcements on Facebook and website
· Tuesday Bible Study, 9 am: Bible study with other parishioners to reflect upon the upcoming Sunday readings (join via the same Zoom link each week)
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/985710661
Meeting ID: 985 710 661
Or dial in using your telephone:
1-312-626-6799
· Wednesday Evening Faith Formation for families, 6:00 pm, on Facebook and website
· Wednesday Evening Adult Formation at 6:30 pm, via Zoom. Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945?pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710
Or dial in using your telephone:
1-312-626-6799
· Thursday Compline, 9 pm: Join us in praying Compline. View on Facebook at 9 pm.
NEW LINK for Compline Check-in Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88572042666?pwd=TXlJbGRtczVrTkpROTFxWHBzSG90UT09
Passcode: 1710
· Friday Morning Prayer, 9 am: a traditional morning prayer service each week on Facebook
· Community Connections, 9 am: on the second Saturday of each month Brad Brunfelt and Amber Sadowski share some ideas for supporting your local community, premieres on Facebook and gets posted to website later
· Sunday Worship, 10 am on Facebook and website. For your convenience, the prerecorded service is available anytime after noon on Saturday via YouTube or our website. It premieres on Facebook at 10 am on Sunday.
· Sunday Virtual Coffee Hour: Every week on Sunday following the 10 am service, approx. start time 10:45 am (the same link every Sunday). To join the Zoom Coffee Hour, click on this link: https://zoom.us/j/502278631
Meeting ID: 502 278 631
Or dial in by telephone: 1-312-626-6799
Links and Instructions to Connect Via Zoom:
Please note that the password is embedded in the link. But if needed, the password for all of our Zooms is 1710
February 8, 2021
Vocation
“Your vocation is that which lies at the very core of your identity. There are particular moments in life, perhaps when you experience something, meet someone, hear some words which touch that deep core within, and it resonates. And you say – Oh – that’s who I am, or that’s what I want to do or be in life. Sometimes you forget it, or you try to put it out of your mind, if it doesn’t fit in with other plans. But it usually comes back, and deep down, you just know that it’s truly who you are meant to be,” says Brother Geoffrey Tristram of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The word “vocation” is rooted in the Latin word for “voice.” A vocation is not a goal that we pursue, but rather a calling we must hear. And as I said last week, if we want to hear our vocation, or what God is calling us to be and do, we must listen. And to deeply listen, we must lean into the silence, and become still and centered.
Parker Palmer, a Quaker writer, teacher, and activist from Madison, Wisconsin says it another way. “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths you embody, what values you represent.”
What both of these wise men are saying is a vocation is not something that we choose, but rather it is the vocation that chooses us. A vocation is not an act of will that one’s life will go this way or that whether it wants to or not. “Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening.” says Palmer.
God calls us, just as God called Moses, Abraham and Sarah, and Deborah, Phoebe, and Mary. You too are called. You too have a vocation that God wants to let you in on. To do this, we must stop our chatter while praying and listen instead.
“Let Your Life Speak” says Parker Palmer. Why not ask yourself instead, “Is the life I am living the same as the life that wants to live in me?”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The monthly Tuesday Book/Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, February 9, 6:30 p.m. This month’s book is “Love is the Way: Holding onto Hope in Troubling Times” by Bishop Michael Curry. Contact Charlie Orsak for more information. Or join in on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89234664914?pwd=WkcwSnZMSHRrOHp6YzlxODEwRW5qZz09, Meeting ID: 892 3466 4914, Passcode 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
Getting to Know Mother Debra+ and Transition on Zoom
There is one more opportunity to join this Wednesday night Adult Formation on February 10, 6:30 pm. Come meet Mother Debra in a smaller virtual group setting. She would like to get to know you and for you to know me. Come ready to introduce yourself, and share what drew you to and what you love about St. Paul’s. Please contact Rita at the Parish Office (call 218-724-3535, or email office@stpaulsduluth.org) so we know how many people will attend. Join us on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945?pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
Getting to Know Deacon Pat Come to this Sunday’s Coffee Hour and meet our new deacon! Find out what brought her to St. Paul’s, what she hopes to accomplish, and what she loves. This Sunday is Valentine’s Day, so let’s show her some St. Paul’s love! Join us on Zoom at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/502278631?pwd=VHl4Q2I2UVZ0dVV4TTd4MXNjK1prQT09; Meeting ID: 502 278 631, Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
Intergenerational Shrove Tuesday Pancake Flip & Crazy Apron Contest will take place on February 16, 6:30 pm on Zoom. Come to the Party wearing the Craziest Apron you can come up with and/or with a frying pan and a pancake. Or just come to watch. We’ll play some fun games and then hang out and chat. Open to all ages. Join us on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89833094500?pwd=dnlBa3lERnZ1Sm9INEw1cFczWFVVQT09; Meeting ID: 898 3309 4500, Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
On Ash Wednesday, February 17, the tradition Ash Wednesday service will air on our website beginning at 7:00 am. Imposition of Ashes will take place between 1:00-1:30 pm and 5:30-6:00 pm at the McGiffert entrance of the church. Please note, this is a change in time from what was previously announced. We ask that you turn onto 18th from Superior Street and exit onto 17th. You may either simply drive up and roll down your window or use one of the parking spaces. At the bishop’s direction, ashes will be imposed using a cotton swab. Masks and social distancing are required.
Join our Lenten Study, Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth will take place each Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. throughout Lent, and till the ground of prayer, learning, reflection, and conversation with your friends. Groundwork will engage the Bible in a way that encourages personal and congregational transformation.
Please register with Rita by calling the church office at 218-724-3535 or emailing office@stpaulsduluth.org. Materials will be available and emailed to each participant in advance. Join us on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945?pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
2/24: Lent 1 - The Great Temptation
3/3: Lent 2 - Faith Story: Traveling with God
3/10 Lent 3 – Thirsting Souls: Living Invitation
3/17 Lent 4 – Take a New Look: Checking Your Vision
3/24 Lent 5 – Leaving the Grave Behind
Annual Meeting - Part 3 “Thank you” to all of you who attended Part 2 of St. Paul’s Annual Meeting. We would love to see even more of you join us for Part 3 which will be held on Sunday, February 28 at 11:00 am on Zoom. This meeting will share information and our “roadmap” for continuing our building renovations and parish revitalization objectives under a capital campaign. Information for the meetings will be provided electronically (email, website) and by mail in advance. Join us on Zoom at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/502278631?pwd=VHl4Q2I2UVZ0dVV4TTd4MXNjK1prQT09; Meeting ID: 502 278 631, Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
RESPECT GUIDELINES: At January’s Vestry meeting, the Vestry considered and adopted Eric Law’s “RESPECT” meeting guidelines, which will underpin our ways and means of communicating and conducting the business of the church. This acronym calls out Responsibility for our words and feelings; Empathetic listening; being Sensitive to different communication styles; Ponder what you’ve heard before speaking; Examine our assumptions and perceptions; maintain Confidentiality; and Trust ambiguity, as we are not meeting to debate right and wrong. The RESPECT GUIDELINES will be used at the Annual Meeting and we encourage other committees to adopt them also.
Applications for new college scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund are available in the church office. Please call 218-724-3535 or email office@stpaulsduluth.org to request an application. Application forms must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee, c/o St. Paul’s Church, by March 15, 2021.
God loves a Cheerful Giver: Thank you to everyone who submitted their 2021 pledge commitment. We are pleased to report that 141 members have made commitments totaling $311,000 to support St. Paul’s in 2021. For those of you who are new to St. Paul’s, visiting from afar, or simply enjoying our online programing, we invite you to try our Text “Give to 218-394-3535” or consider giving online through our website www.stpaulsduluth.org.
Welcome Sarah Barnett this SundaySarah Barnett, ECMN: Missioner for Children, Youth, Camp, and Young AdultsNext Sunday, February 8, we welcome Sarah Barnett as our guest preacher! Sarah serves as a resource for mission and ministry with children, youth, camp, and young adults. She also assists in the development of children’s and youth ministry for faith communities across ECMN. She coordinates and convenes ECMN Children’s and Youth Ministry Commissions and provides support and networking opportunities for adults who work with youth. Please join us online, via website, YouTube or Facebook.
There are many times to join us for worship, Bible Study, and for formation throughout the week. Please check our website to find learn more about these opportunities and get your Zoom links and passwords.
God’s blessing upon you and may you have a wonderful, spirited week!
To email Mother Debra, please use this email address: Interim.Rector@stpaulsduluth.org
“Your vocation is that which lies at the very core of your identity. There are particular moments in life, perhaps when you experience something, meet someone, hear some words which touch that deep core within, and it resonates. And you say – Oh – that’s who I am, or that’s what I want to do or be in life. Sometimes you forget it, or you try to put it out of your mind, if it doesn’t fit in with other plans. But it usually comes back, and deep down, you just know that it’s truly who you are meant to be,” says Brother Geoffrey Tristram of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The word “vocation” is rooted in the Latin word for “voice.” A vocation is not a goal that we pursue, but rather a calling we must hear. And as I said last week, if we want to hear our vocation, or what God is calling us to be and do, we must listen. And to deeply listen, we must lean into the silence, and become still and centered.
Parker Palmer, a Quaker writer, teacher, and activist from Madison, Wisconsin says it another way. “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths you embody, what values you represent.”
What both of these wise men are saying is a vocation is not something that we choose, but rather it is the vocation that chooses us. A vocation is not an act of will that one’s life will go this way or that whether it wants to or not. “Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening.” says Palmer.
God calls us, just as God called Moses, Abraham and Sarah, and Deborah, Phoebe, and Mary. You too are called. You too have a vocation that God wants to let you in on. To do this, we must stop our chatter while praying and listen instead.
“Let Your Life Speak” says Parker Palmer. Why not ask yourself instead, “Is the life I am living the same as the life that wants to live in me?”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The monthly Tuesday Book/Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, February 9, 6:30 p.m. This month’s book is “Love is the Way: Holding onto Hope in Troubling Times” by Bishop Michael Curry. Contact Charlie Orsak for more information. Or join in on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89234664914?pwd=WkcwSnZMSHRrOHp6YzlxODEwRW5qZz09, Meeting ID: 892 3466 4914, Passcode 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
Getting to Know Mother Debra+ and Transition on Zoom
There is one more opportunity to join this Wednesday night Adult Formation on February 10, 6:30 pm. Come meet Mother Debra in a smaller virtual group setting. She would like to get to know you and for you to know me. Come ready to introduce yourself, and share what drew you to and what you love about St. Paul’s. Please contact Rita at the Parish Office (call 218-724-3535, or email office@stpaulsduluth.org) so we know how many people will attend. Join us on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945?pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
Getting to Know Deacon Pat Come to this Sunday’s Coffee Hour and meet our new deacon! Find out what brought her to St. Paul’s, what she hopes to accomplish, and what she loves. This Sunday is Valentine’s Day, so let’s show her some St. Paul’s love! Join us on Zoom at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/502278631?pwd=VHl4Q2I2UVZ0dVV4TTd4MXNjK1prQT09; Meeting ID: 502 278 631, Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
Intergenerational Shrove Tuesday Pancake Flip & Crazy Apron Contest will take place on February 16, 6:30 pm on Zoom. Come to the Party wearing the Craziest Apron you can come up with and/or with a frying pan and a pancake. Or just come to watch. We’ll play some fun games and then hang out and chat. Open to all ages. Join us on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89833094500?pwd=dnlBa3lERnZ1Sm9INEw1cFczWFVVQT09; Meeting ID: 898 3309 4500, Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
On Ash Wednesday, February 17, the tradition Ash Wednesday service will air on our website beginning at 7:00 am. Imposition of Ashes will take place between 1:00-1:30 pm and 5:30-6:00 pm at the McGiffert entrance of the church. Please note, this is a change in time from what was previously announced. We ask that you turn onto 18th from Superior Street and exit onto 17th. You may either simply drive up and roll down your window or use one of the parking spaces. At the bishop’s direction, ashes will be imposed using a cotton swab. Masks and social distancing are required.
Join our Lenten Study, Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change & Growth will take place each Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. throughout Lent, and till the ground of prayer, learning, reflection, and conversation with your friends. Groundwork will engage the Bible in a way that encourages personal and congregational transformation.
Please register with Rita by calling the church office at 218-724-3535 or emailing office@stpaulsduluth.org. Materials will be available and emailed to each participant in advance. Join us on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945?pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
2/24: Lent 1 - The Great Temptation
3/3: Lent 2 - Faith Story: Traveling with God
3/10 Lent 3 – Thirsting Souls: Living Invitation
3/17 Lent 4 – Take a New Look: Checking Your Vision
3/24 Lent 5 – Leaving the Grave Behind
Annual Meeting - Part 3 “Thank you” to all of you who attended Part 2 of St. Paul’s Annual Meeting. We would love to see even more of you join us for Part 3 which will be held on Sunday, February 28 at 11:00 am on Zoom. This meeting will share information and our “roadmap” for continuing our building renovations and parish revitalization objectives under a capital campaign. Information for the meetings will be provided electronically (email, website) and by mail in advance. Join us on Zoom at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/502278631?pwd=VHl4Q2I2UVZ0dVV4TTd4MXNjK1prQT09; Meeting ID: 502 278 631, Passcode: 1710. You can also call in at 312-626-6799.
RESPECT GUIDELINES: At January’s Vestry meeting, the Vestry considered and adopted Eric Law’s “RESPECT” meeting guidelines, which will underpin our ways and means of communicating and conducting the business of the church. This acronym calls out Responsibility for our words and feelings; Empathetic listening; being Sensitive to different communication styles; Ponder what you’ve heard before speaking; Examine our assumptions and perceptions; maintain Confidentiality; and Trust ambiguity, as we are not meeting to debate right and wrong. The RESPECT GUIDELINES will be used at the Annual Meeting and we encourage other committees to adopt them also.
Applications for new college scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund are available in the church office. Please call 218-724-3535 or email office@stpaulsduluth.org to request an application. Application forms must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee, c/o St. Paul’s Church, by March 15, 2021.
God loves a Cheerful Giver: Thank you to everyone who submitted their 2021 pledge commitment. We are pleased to report that 141 members have made commitments totaling $311,000 to support St. Paul’s in 2021. For those of you who are new to St. Paul’s, visiting from afar, or simply enjoying our online programing, we invite you to try our Text “Give to 218-394-3535” or consider giving online through our website www.stpaulsduluth.org.
Welcome Sarah Barnett this SundaySarah Barnett, ECMN: Missioner for Children, Youth, Camp, and Young AdultsNext Sunday, February 8, we welcome Sarah Barnett as our guest preacher! Sarah serves as a resource for mission and ministry with children, youth, camp, and young adults. She also assists in the development of children’s and youth ministry for faith communities across ECMN. She coordinates and convenes ECMN Children’s and Youth Ministry Commissions and provides support and networking opportunities for adults who work with youth. Please join us online, via website, YouTube or Facebook.
There are many times to join us for worship, Bible Study, and for formation throughout the week. Please check our website to find learn more about these opportunities and get your Zoom links and passwords.
God’s blessing upon you and may you have a wonderful, spirited week!
To email Mother Debra, please use this email address: Interim.Rector@stpaulsduluth.org
February 1, 2021
Reflection and Announcements for the week of February 1, 2021 from Mother Debra+
“How shall I break the silence? What word is more eloquent than silence itself? In the moments before a word is spoken, anything is possible…depending on what is said, earth could be all ocean, a blue waterworld in space.
“Anything is possible until God exhales, inspiring the void first with wind, and then with the Word (made flesh), which is both utterance and act, which make something out of nothing by saying that it is so.”
“Anything is possible until God exhales,” says Barbara Brown Taylor, in her book When God is Silent.
Sometimes, I think that we have dismissed silence. We fill the space before us with empty and meaningless words. We create noise by keeping ourselves busy. And we don’t allow ourselves time to listen. I wonder, have we really given silence a chance?
Silence is where God speaks. Hannah prayed to God in silence and she was granted a child. God called to Samuel out of the silence of dark night. “Samuel, Samuel.” Until Samuel said, “speak for your servant is listening.”
It was in the silence of the night that an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said to him, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” And as we sing each year, it was on a silent night that Jesus our Savior was born.
Back in the early 2000 ‘s, the United Church of Christ had a campaign called, “God is still speaking.” It was a reminder to their members, that God still speaks today, and has a lot more to say. That remains true.
But how can we hear God if we are not silent, if we continually keep ourselves busy, worrying, and “distracted” like Martha about less important things?
We must practice. We need to set aside time to quiet ourselves, simply resting in God’s presence. For it is in the silence, that God speaks to us, perhaps even surprises and calls us to something we’d never dreamed of, if we get quiet and simply listen.
Silence is a spiritual practice, and it can be a real gift. When we learn to quiet ourselves and open our ears and our hearts to the Almighty, we will find that “anything is possible (when) God exhales.” Give it a try! God is calling you! Listen!
Amen.
Announcements
Thank you to all of you who attended Part 1 of St. Paul’s Annual Meeting. We would love to even more of you join us for Part 2 which will be held this coming Sunday, February 7 at 11:00 am via Zoom. This meeting will include: electing new vestry members and convention delegates, taking time to celebrate the memorable moments of 2020, and engaging in a discussion of goals, objectives, and the transition process for 2021. Information for each of the meetings will be provided electronically (email, website) and by mail in advance. Please remind your friends that they can call in on Zoom too.
Getting to Know Mother Debra+ & Transition on Zoom
There are two more opportunities to join our Wednesday night Adult Formation on February 3 or 10, 6:30 pm. Come meet Mother Debra in a smaller virtual group setting. She would like to get to know you, too, so come ready to introduce yourself, and share what drew you to and what you love about St. Paul’s. Each session is on Zoom. Please contact Rita at the Parish Office (call 218-724-3535, or email office@stpaulsduluth.org) so we know how many people will attend. Join us on Zoom: https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945? pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710
The next monthly Tuesday Book/Bible Study will meet by Zoom on Tuesday, February 9, 6:30 pm. “Love is the Way: Holding onto Hope in Troubling Times by Bishop Michael Curry is the book of the month. Contact Charlie Orsak (flamsak@msn.com) for more information.
Applications for new college scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund are available in the church office. Please call 218-724-3535 or email office@stpaulsduluth.org to request an application. Application forms must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee c/o St. Paul’s Church by March 15, 2021.
Intergenerational Shrove Tuesday Pancake Flip & Crazy Apron Contest will take place on February 16, 6:30 pm on Zoom. Come to the Party wearing the Craziest the Apron you can come up with and/or a frying pan and a pancake. Or just come to watch. We’ll play some fun games and then hang out and chat. Open to all ages.
On Ash Wednesday, February 17, the tradition Ash Wednesday service will air on our website beginning at 7:00 am. Imposition of Ashes will take place between 1:00-1:30 and 5:30-6:00 pm at the McGiffert entrance of the church. Please note, this is a change in time from what was previously announced. We ask that you turn onto 18th from Superior Street and exit onto 17th. You may either simply drive up and roll your window down or use one of the parking spaces. At the bishop’s direction, ashes will be imposed using a cotton swab. Masks and social distancing required.
Annual Stewardship Campaign: Thank you to everyone who has submitted their 2021 pledges.
We are pleased to report that 135 members have made commitments to St. Paul’s in 2021. We know that some of you are still considering your commitment for 2021. We encourage you to make that commitment as soon as possible. A strong and balanced budget is attractive to rector candidates and is a theological statement of what is important to St. Paul’s.
RESPECT GUIDELINES: At January’s Vestry meeting, the Vestry considered and adopted Eric Law’s “RESPECT” meeting guidelines, which will underpin our ways and means of communicating and conducting the business of the church. This acronym calls out Responsibility for our words and feelings; Empathetic listening; being Sensitive to different communication styles; Ponder what you’ve heard before speaking; Examine our assumptions and perceptions; maintain Confidentiality; and Trust ambiguity, as we are not meeting to debate right and wrong. The RESPECT GUIDELINES will be used at the Annual Meeting and we encourage other committees to adopt them also.
Weekly Virtual Offerings
Sundays
10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship via St. Paul’s website, YouTube or Facebook
10:45 a.m. Zoom Coffee Hour via Zoom
Mondays
9:00 a.m. - Reflection & Announcements via Facebook. This content is also added to St. Paul’s website and emailed to all parishioners on Mondays.
Tuesdays
9:00 a.m. - Bible Study via Zoom
Wednesdays
6:00 p.m. - Family Faith Formation via Facebook/website
6:30 p.m. - Adult Formation via Zoom
Thursdays
9:00 p.m. - Compline via Facebook/website 9:15 p.m. - Post-Compline Chat via Zoom
Fridays
9:00 a.m. - Morning Prayer via Facebook
Saturdays
9:00 a.m. - Community Connections (2nd Saturdays) via Facebook/website
All Zoom links, Meeting ID, and Passwords may be found online at www.StPaulsDuluth.org Please like us on Facebook.
“How shall I break the silence? What word is more eloquent than silence itself? In the moments before a word is spoken, anything is possible…depending on what is said, earth could be all ocean, a blue waterworld in space.
“Anything is possible until God exhales, inspiring the void first with wind, and then with the Word (made flesh), which is both utterance and act, which make something out of nothing by saying that it is so.”
“Anything is possible until God exhales,” says Barbara Brown Taylor, in her book When God is Silent.
Sometimes, I think that we have dismissed silence. We fill the space before us with empty and meaningless words. We create noise by keeping ourselves busy. And we don’t allow ourselves time to listen. I wonder, have we really given silence a chance?
Silence is where God speaks. Hannah prayed to God in silence and she was granted a child. God called to Samuel out of the silence of dark night. “Samuel, Samuel.” Until Samuel said, “speak for your servant is listening.”
It was in the silence of the night that an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said to him, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” And as we sing each year, it was on a silent night that Jesus our Savior was born.
Back in the early 2000 ‘s, the United Church of Christ had a campaign called, “God is still speaking.” It was a reminder to their members, that God still speaks today, and has a lot more to say. That remains true.
But how can we hear God if we are not silent, if we continually keep ourselves busy, worrying, and “distracted” like Martha about less important things?
We must practice. We need to set aside time to quiet ourselves, simply resting in God’s presence. For it is in the silence, that God speaks to us, perhaps even surprises and calls us to something we’d never dreamed of, if we get quiet and simply listen.
Silence is a spiritual practice, and it can be a real gift. When we learn to quiet ourselves and open our ears and our hearts to the Almighty, we will find that “anything is possible (when) God exhales.” Give it a try! God is calling you! Listen!
Amen.
Announcements
Thank you to all of you who attended Part 1 of St. Paul’s Annual Meeting. We would love to even more of you join us for Part 2 which will be held this coming Sunday, February 7 at 11:00 am via Zoom. This meeting will include: electing new vestry members and convention delegates, taking time to celebrate the memorable moments of 2020, and engaging in a discussion of goals, objectives, and the transition process for 2021. Information for each of the meetings will be provided electronically (email, website) and by mail in advance. Please remind your friends that they can call in on Zoom too.
Getting to Know Mother Debra+ & Transition on Zoom
There are two more opportunities to join our Wednesday night Adult Formation on February 3 or 10, 6:30 pm. Come meet Mother Debra in a smaller virtual group setting. She would like to get to know you, too, so come ready to introduce yourself, and share what drew you to and what you love about St. Paul’s. Each session is on Zoom. Please contact Rita at the Parish Office (call 218-724-3535, or email office@stpaulsduluth.org) so we know how many people will attend. Join us on Zoom: https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945? pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710
The next monthly Tuesday Book/Bible Study will meet by Zoom on Tuesday, February 9, 6:30 pm. “Love is the Way: Holding onto Hope in Troubling Times by Bishop Michael Curry is the book of the month. Contact Charlie Orsak (flamsak@msn.com) for more information.
Applications for new college scholarships for the 2021-22 school year from the St. Paul’s Church Scholarship Fund are available in the church office. Please call 218-724-3535 or email office@stpaulsduluth.org to request an application. Application forms must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee c/o St. Paul’s Church by March 15, 2021.
Intergenerational Shrove Tuesday Pancake Flip & Crazy Apron Contest will take place on February 16, 6:30 pm on Zoom. Come to the Party wearing the Craziest the Apron you can come up with and/or a frying pan and a pancake. Or just come to watch. We’ll play some fun games and then hang out and chat. Open to all ages.
On Ash Wednesday, February 17, the tradition Ash Wednesday service will air on our website beginning at 7:00 am. Imposition of Ashes will take place between 1:00-1:30 and 5:30-6:00 pm at the McGiffert entrance of the church. Please note, this is a change in time from what was previously announced. We ask that you turn onto 18th from Superior Street and exit onto 17th. You may either simply drive up and roll your window down or use one of the parking spaces. At the bishop’s direction, ashes will be imposed using a cotton swab. Masks and social distancing required.
Annual Stewardship Campaign: Thank you to everyone who has submitted their 2021 pledges.
We are pleased to report that 135 members have made commitments to St. Paul’s in 2021. We know that some of you are still considering your commitment for 2021. We encourage you to make that commitment as soon as possible. A strong and balanced budget is attractive to rector candidates and is a theological statement of what is important to St. Paul’s.
RESPECT GUIDELINES: At January’s Vestry meeting, the Vestry considered and adopted Eric Law’s “RESPECT” meeting guidelines, which will underpin our ways and means of communicating and conducting the business of the church. This acronym calls out Responsibility for our words and feelings; Empathetic listening; being Sensitive to different communication styles; Ponder what you’ve heard before speaking; Examine our assumptions and perceptions; maintain Confidentiality; and Trust ambiguity, as we are not meeting to debate right and wrong. The RESPECT GUIDELINES will be used at the Annual Meeting and we encourage other committees to adopt them also.
Weekly Virtual Offerings
Sundays
10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship via St. Paul’s website, YouTube or Facebook
10:45 a.m. Zoom Coffee Hour via Zoom
Mondays
9:00 a.m. - Reflection & Announcements via Facebook. This content is also added to St. Paul’s website and emailed to all parishioners on Mondays.
Tuesdays
9:00 a.m. - Bible Study via Zoom
Wednesdays
6:00 p.m. - Family Faith Formation via Facebook/website
6:30 p.m. - Adult Formation via Zoom
Thursdays
9:00 p.m. - Compline via Facebook/website 9:15 p.m. - Post-Compline Chat via Zoom
Fridays
9:00 a.m. - Morning Prayer via Facebook
Saturdays
9:00 a.m. - Community Connections (2nd Saturdays) via Facebook/website
All Zoom links, Meeting ID, and Passwords may be found online at www.StPaulsDuluth.org Please like us on Facebook.
January 25, 2021
Reflection and Announcements for the week of January 25, 2021 from Mother Debra+
Perception!
Perception!
I once served a church who thought they were the friendliest church in town, but they couldn’t understand why they weren’t growing. I sent three vestry members out into the community to ask: “Is there an Episcopal Church in town? Where is it? What do you know about it? What are they like?
They decided to go to the library, a gas station, and the Hardware store. They each came to the next meeting vestry meeting and shared what they learned. The one who went to the library reported, “They said they didn’t know! Can you believe that? You can see St. Andrew’s from library’s front door!”
Perception!
The next member went to the gas station. He received the same response but was more persistent. He told the person he had seen an “Episcopal Church welcomes you” sign on Route 11. He shared, “The guy scratched his head and said, this is Route 11. That must be the little white church with the red doors and the peeling paint.”
Perception!
The third vestry member went to the hardware store and asked the manager the same questions. The manager quickly replied, “Oh yeah, St. Andrew’s. They have a Strawberry Festival every year.” The vestry member asked, “Are they friendly?” The manager hesitated then said, “I went to the funeral of one of my friends there. He was a member. When I went to the reception after the service. No one talked to me.”
Perception!
All of us perceive things differently and our responses are related to our own experiences.
During Jesus’ ministry most of the Pharisees (with the exceptions such as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea) believed that Jesus was a religious impostor who was trying to draw people away from the worship of God.
The Sadducees were a religious faction that wielded societal power in nearly every aspect. They were the Jewish aristocrats of their day, known as much for their wealth and corruption as for their religious devotion. They hated Jesus.
Jesus’ disciples kept changing their minds. They saw him as a teacher, a miracle worker, a healer. Simon Peter said he was “Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And finally, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”
Perception!
How we perceive things and how others do can be really different. So here are two questions to ponder this week:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Stewardship
Thank you to everyone who has submitted their 2021 pledges. We have received over 100 pledges so far! Pledges are still being accepted. Your St. Paul’s Stewardship Committee requests that you prayerfully consider your pledge for 2021, complete the pledge card and mail it to the Parish Office as soon as possible. You may also read the letter and submit your pledge online by visiting the church website: www.stpaulsduluth.org
Getting to Know Mother Debra+ & Transition
January 27; February 3, 10, 6:30 pm: Getting to Know Mother Debra+ & Transition on Zoom
Our Transition Companions will join in casting a light on our inhouse “Transition Specialist,” Mother Debra+. Come meet her in a smaller group setting. She would like to get to know you, too. Come ready to introduce yourself, share what drew you to and what you love about St. Paul’s. Bring your questions about Transition, too. Space is limited to 15 people per session. Please contact Rita in the Parish Office (call 218-724- 3535, or email office@stpaulsduluth.org) so we know how many people will attend. Join us on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945? pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710
Welcome The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya next Sunday
Next Sunday, January 31, we welcome Bishop Craig Loya as our guest preacher! Please join us online, via website, YouTube or Facebook. It was exactly one year ago today that he was elected to serve as our Tenth Bishop, on January 25, 2020.
There are many times to join us for worship, Bible Study, and for formation throughout the week. Please check out website to find learn more about these opportunities and get your Zoom links and passwords.
God’s blessing upon you and may you have a wonderful, spirited week!
To email Mother Debra, please use this email address: Interim.Rector@stpaulsduluth.org
Perception!
Perception!
I once served a church who thought they were the friendliest church in town, but they couldn’t understand why they weren’t growing. I sent three vestry members out into the community to ask: “Is there an Episcopal Church in town? Where is it? What do you know about it? What are they like?
They decided to go to the library, a gas station, and the Hardware store. They each came to the next meeting vestry meeting and shared what they learned. The one who went to the library reported, “They said they didn’t know! Can you believe that? You can see St. Andrew’s from library’s front door!”
Perception!
The next member went to the gas station. He received the same response but was more persistent. He told the person he had seen an “Episcopal Church welcomes you” sign on Route 11. He shared, “The guy scratched his head and said, this is Route 11. That must be the little white church with the red doors and the peeling paint.”
Perception!
The third vestry member went to the hardware store and asked the manager the same questions. The manager quickly replied, “Oh yeah, St. Andrew’s. They have a Strawberry Festival every year.” The vestry member asked, “Are they friendly?” The manager hesitated then said, “I went to the funeral of one of my friends there. He was a member. When I went to the reception after the service. No one talked to me.”
Perception!
All of us perceive things differently and our responses are related to our own experiences.
During Jesus’ ministry most of the Pharisees (with the exceptions such as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea) believed that Jesus was a religious impostor who was trying to draw people away from the worship of God.
The Sadducees were a religious faction that wielded societal power in nearly every aspect. They were the Jewish aristocrats of their day, known as much for their wealth and corruption as for their religious devotion. They hated Jesus.
Jesus’ disciples kept changing their minds. They saw him as a teacher, a miracle worker, a healer. Simon Peter said he was “Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And finally, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”
Perception!
How we perceive things and how others do can be really different. So here are two questions to ponder this week:
- How is St. Paul’s perceived by others?
- How do you perceive Jesus?
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Stewardship
Thank you to everyone who has submitted their 2021 pledges. We have received over 100 pledges so far! Pledges are still being accepted. Your St. Paul’s Stewardship Committee requests that you prayerfully consider your pledge for 2021, complete the pledge card and mail it to the Parish Office as soon as possible. You may also read the letter and submit your pledge online by visiting the church website: www.stpaulsduluth.org
Getting to Know Mother Debra+ & Transition
January 27; February 3, 10, 6:30 pm: Getting to Know Mother Debra+ & Transition on Zoom
Our Transition Companions will join in casting a light on our inhouse “Transition Specialist,” Mother Debra+. Come meet her in a smaller group setting. She would like to get to know you, too. Come ready to introduce yourself, share what drew you to and what you love about St. Paul’s. Bring your questions about Transition, too. Space is limited to 15 people per session. Please contact Rita in the Parish Office (call 218-724- 3535, or email office@stpaulsduluth.org) so we know how many people will attend. Join us on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85904118945? pwd=YkUrb0d2blpqa1pRcGZrelN2dm5XUT09; Meeting ID: 859 0411 8945; Passcode: 1710
Welcome The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya next Sunday
Next Sunday, January 31, we welcome Bishop Craig Loya as our guest preacher! Please join us online, via website, YouTube or Facebook. It was exactly one year ago today that he was elected to serve as our Tenth Bishop, on January 25, 2020.
There are many times to join us for worship, Bible Study, and for formation throughout the week. Please check out website to find learn more about these opportunities and get your Zoom links and passwords.
God’s blessing upon you and may you have a wonderful, spirited week!
To email Mother Debra, please use this email address: Interim.Rector@stpaulsduluth.org
January 18, 2021
Reflection and Announcements for the week of January 18, 2021 from Mother Debra+
Today is the day in which we celebrate the life of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, a civil rights leader, who was assassinated in 1968.
“The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption,
the end is the creation of the Beloved Community.
It is this type of spirit and this type of love that
can transform opponents into friends. ...
It is this love which will bring about miracles
in the hearts of men.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
I have no doubts, that the recent events in Washington DC, would have disappointed beyond measure and left him more than surprised that we are still fighting the fight?
Martin’s “call-outs” could have been destructive if they were not accompanied by compassion. From social media trolls to politicians to everyday encounters, it feels as if we live in a culture in which we are losing the ability not only to speak civilly to each other, but more importantly to forgive and to seek reconciliation. Too often it is not justice people seek but power; the power to be right, to win or to dominate, whatever the cost to the lives of others. We flirt with danger when legitimizing one's self or one's own position becomes the justification for dehumanizing another.
As Christians we are called to seek justice but never at the cost of destroying others. We seek justice in order to build a broad, diverse community that lifts everyone, creating a common good and making God's kingdom known. Jesus chooses us to reveal in our words and in our actions God's inclusive, all-encompassing and compassionate love.
Scripture tells us that justice and mercy are inextricably linked. As we read in Micah 6:8, "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
King, as you know, had a powerful dream of racial equality and reconciliation, a dream articulated so eloquently in 1963 in his "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington. Because of this dream and his tireless advocacy for justice there were many who, quoting from Genesis, "conspired to kill him."
For millennia, there have been those who sought to kill a dream by killing the dreamer. Considering the tragic and insidious pervasiveness of racism in our nation today it might seem as if King's dream died when he was assassinated in 1968. But dreams cannot be killed. King's dream is God's dream and, therefore, it must be our dream. We have opportunities each day to be reconcilers, to reach across the racial divisions that continue to haunt and define our culture. Even a small gesture makes a difference.
I'll conclude with a short prayer I found in the Forward Movement liturgical calendar. Although it is offered in the context of a brief narrative explaining King's importance, the prayer itself is not for him but for us.
"Gracious God, may we share in the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., that all races might live together in peace, and grant us courage to manifest that dream in our time, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
What are you doing today, to be compassionate, to seek justice, and to reduce the insidious pervasiveness of racism in our nation today? What are you doing today to speak civilly to each other, but more importantly to forgive and to seek reconciliation?
TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
ECMN OPPORTUNITY
This month the Youth commission and Teens Encounter Christ will be held virtually for all faith formation ministries with children, youth and young adults in ECMN. Please hold them in your prayers. You may find more information about this opportunity on ECMN’s website, https://episcopalmn.org/
STEWARDSHIP
Thank you to everyone who submitted their 2021 pledge. We have received over 100 pledges so far. We have about 40 families who have not yet turned in their pledges. If you are among them, we ask you to prayerfully consider your pledge for this year. It is easy to make your pledge, simply go to St. Paul’s website and submit it online at www.stpaulsduluth.org/give. And of course, you may also send in the pledge card you received in the mail. If you are new to St. Paul’s or simply enjoying our online program offerings, you might consider our text to give opportunity by texting GIVE at 218-394-3535.
I personally want you to invite you to one of our Wednesday night opportunities called, “Getting to Know Mother Debra+.” They take place at 6:30 pm on Zoom.
I simply want to get to know you better and help you to get know me! Please call 218-724-3535 or email Rita at the office at ofice@stpaulsduluth.org to sign up today!
And now for our weekly virtual schedule:
Tuesdays 9:00 am – Bible Study via Zoom.
Wednesdays at 6:00 pm - Intergenerational Faith Formation on Facebook & our website
And “Getting to Know Mother Debra” at 6:30 pm on Zoom
Thursdays 9:00 pm Compline 9:00 pm on Facebook followed by a 9:15 pm midweek Zoom Post-Compline chat.
Fridays – Morning Prayer on Facebook at 9:00 am
Sunday Services are available on our website starting at noon on Saturdays, followed by a Sunday Zoom Coffee Hour at 10:45 am
And finally, we hope to see you next week on Facebook for our regular Reflection and Announcements.
All Zoom links, Meeting IDs, and Passwords may be found online at www.stpaulsduluth.org. Please like us on Facebook!
Thanks for joining me today. We’ll see you again next Monday morning at 9:00 am for Reflection and Announcements.
The Rev. Debra Kissinger, Interim Rector
Today is the day in which we celebrate the life of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, a civil rights leader, who was assassinated in 1968.
“The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption,
the end is the creation of the Beloved Community.
It is this type of spirit and this type of love that
can transform opponents into friends. ...
It is this love which will bring about miracles
in the hearts of men.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
I have no doubts, that the recent events in Washington DC, would have disappointed beyond measure and left him more than surprised that we are still fighting the fight?
Martin’s “call-outs” could have been destructive if they were not accompanied by compassion. From social media trolls to politicians to everyday encounters, it feels as if we live in a culture in which we are losing the ability not only to speak civilly to each other, but more importantly to forgive and to seek reconciliation. Too often it is not justice people seek but power; the power to be right, to win or to dominate, whatever the cost to the lives of others. We flirt with danger when legitimizing one's self or one's own position becomes the justification for dehumanizing another.
As Christians we are called to seek justice but never at the cost of destroying others. We seek justice in order to build a broad, diverse community that lifts everyone, creating a common good and making God's kingdom known. Jesus chooses us to reveal in our words and in our actions God's inclusive, all-encompassing and compassionate love.
Scripture tells us that justice and mercy are inextricably linked. As we read in Micah 6:8, "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
King, as you know, had a powerful dream of racial equality and reconciliation, a dream articulated so eloquently in 1963 in his "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington. Because of this dream and his tireless advocacy for justice there were many who, quoting from Genesis, "conspired to kill him."
For millennia, there have been those who sought to kill a dream by killing the dreamer. Considering the tragic and insidious pervasiveness of racism in our nation today it might seem as if King's dream died when he was assassinated in 1968. But dreams cannot be killed. King's dream is God's dream and, therefore, it must be our dream. We have opportunities each day to be reconcilers, to reach across the racial divisions that continue to haunt and define our culture. Even a small gesture makes a difference.
I'll conclude with a short prayer I found in the Forward Movement liturgical calendar. Although it is offered in the context of a brief narrative explaining King's importance, the prayer itself is not for him but for us.
"Gracious God, may we share in the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., that all races might live together in peace, and grant us courage to manifest that dream in our time, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
What are you doing today, to be compassionate, to seek justice, and to reduce the insidious pervasiveness of racism in our nation today? What are you doing today to speak civilly to each other, but more importantly to forgive and to seek reconciliation?
TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
ECMN OPPORTUNITY
This month the Youth commission and Teens Encounter Christ will be held virtually for all faith formation ministries with children, youth and young adults in ECMN. Please hold them in your prayers. You may find more information about this opportunity on ECMN’s website, https://episcopalmn.org/
STEWARDSHIP
Thank you to everyone who submitted their 2021 pledge. We have received over 100 pledges so far. We have about 40 families who have not yet turned in their pledges. If you are among them, we ask you to prayerfully consider your pledge for this year. It is easy to make your pledge, simply go to St. Paul’s website and submit it online at www.stpaulsduluth.org/give. And of course, you may also send in the pledge card you received in the mail. If you are new to St. Paul’s or simply enjoying our online program offerings, you might consider our text to give opportunity by texting GIVE at 218-394-3535.
I personally want you to invite you to one of our Wednesday night opportunities called, “Getting to Know Mother Debra+.” They take place at 6:30 pm on Zoom.
I simply want to get to know you better and help you to get know me! Please call 218-724-3535 or email Rita at the office at ofice@stpaulsduluth.org to sign up today!
And now for our weekly virtual schedule:
Tuesdays 9:00 am – Bible Study via Zoom.
Wednesdays at 6:00 pm - Intergenerational Faith Formation on Facebook & our website
And “Getting to Know Mother Debra” at 6:30 pm on Zoom
Thursdays 9:00 pm Compline 9:00 pm on Facebook followed by a 9:15 pm midweek Zoom Post-Compline chat.
Fridays – Morning Prayer on Facebook at 9:00 am
Sunday Services are available on our website starting at noon on Saturdays, followed by a Sunday Zoom Coffee Hour at 10:45 am
And finally, we hope to see you next week on Facebook for our regular Reflection and Announcements.
All Zoom links, Meeting IDs, and Passwords may be found online at www.stpaulsduluth.org. Please like us on Facebook!
Thanks for joining me today. We’ll see you again next Monday morning at 9:00 am for Reflection and Announcements.
The Rev. Debra Kissinger, Interim Rector
January 11, 2021
Reflection by The Rev. Dr. Barbara Elliott
Welcome to St. Paul’s Reflection and Announcements for this Monday, January 11. First, let me thank you for the loving thoughts and comments at the ‘Retirement Zoom’ yesterday after our service. My life is so blessed by our connections and common work.
But let me continue by commenting on the enormity of this past week in our lives. The week’s major events, both the experiences in Washington DC and the continuing COVID pandemic, have radically reframed our reality. How are you doing? Personally, I can no longer either ignore or take things for granted that I have in the past. I find myself wrestling with grief and anger, and yet more awareness of our racial double standards. How discouraging.
As I have processed things these past days, I find myself acknowledging the shadows, yet leaning to find the Light. Howard Thurman wrote that “Hope is the remembrance, the assurance that Light will be Light, even when walking in dark places.” I am grieving but also claiming that there is a stronger force, a deeper truth in Love. Resilience is based in love.
Yes, St. Paul’s is an active community of good hearted, decent people. We are a group of people who got up this morning and are making the world a kinder place, one day, one person, at a time…with a 6-foot bubble around us. We need to stay connected with each other to reaffirm what keeps saving us: generosity, gratitude, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, justice and love…always love. These connections build treasure in our lives and remind us of the power of Walking the Way of Love. And we each in our own way, make the world a kinder place.
As RUMI told us in another of his wisdom pieces: “Be a lamp, a lifeboat, a ladder. Help someone’s soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd.” Thank you for doing that for each other—and for me.
God’s peace... AMEN
Announcements
Welcome to St. Paul’s Reflection and Announcements for this Monday, January 11. First, let me thank you for the loving thoughts and comments at the ‘Retirement Zoom’ yesterday after our service. My life is so blessed by our connections and common work.
But let me continue by commenting on the enormity of this past week in our lives. The week’s major events, both the experiences in Washington DC and the continuing COVID pandemic, have radically reframed our reality. How are you doing? Personally, I can no longer either ignore or take things for granted that I have in the past. I find myself wrestling with grief and anger, and yet more awareness of our racial double standards. How discouraging.
As I have processed things these past days, I find myself acknowledging the shadows, yet leaning to find the Light. Howard Thurman wrote that “Hope is the remembrance, the assurance that Light will be Light, even when walking in dark places.” I am grieving but also claiming that there is a stronger force, a deeper truth in Love. Resilience is based in love.
Yes, St. Paul’s is an active community of good hearted, decent people. We are a group of people who got up this morning and are making the world a kinder place, one day, one person, at a time…with a 6-foot bubble around us. We need to stay connected with each other to reaffirm what keeps saving us: generosity, gratitude, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, justice and love…always love. These connections build treasure in our lives and remind us of the power of Walking the Way of Love. And we each in our own way, make the world a kinder place.
As RUMI told us in another of his wisdom pieces: “Be a lamp, a lifeboat, a ladder. Help someone’s soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd.” Thank you for doing that for each other—and for me.
God’s peace... AMEN
Announcements
- Mother Debra is ready to provide the leadership in our transition toward a new Rector. So, as you have likely already learned, I am retiring from St. Paul’s this Friday, January 15. Today, January 11, is my final Reflection and Announcements. I will continue my church activities through this week. Thank you for yesterday’s Zoom coffee hour that celebrated my retirement!
- There are poinsettias available for you to pick up and enjoy at home—we had them at church through Christmas season. They are in the McGiffert Entrance, which will be open between 8:30 am and 1:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
- Yes, it is still Stewardship and Budget time at St Paul’s. A gentle reminder to complete your Pledge Card and continue your ongoing support and gifting. You can do both of these through the website or by mailing them to the Parish Office.
- Our church schedule this coming week includes:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via Zoom;
6:30 pm Bible/Book study via Zoom discussing racism—let me know if you need a Zoom invitation. - Wednesday: 6 pm program this week for youth and families—thanks to Joanne Erspamer; and
6:30 pm program for adults. Mother Debra will be introducing St. Paul’s Transition work. Please register with the Parish Office. - Thursday: 9 pm Compline with Zoom check in following the prayers
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Sunday Worship
January 4, 2021
Reflection by The Rev. Dr. Barbara Elliott
Good morning, this 4th day of January. Yes, we are into the new year—a time of resolutions. Do you make resolutions? As we begin 2021, it is an especially good time to recognize what has been accomplished in these past nine months: it has not been easy. Some of us actually are now doing fine, others have lost their jobs, and still others are living some of the hardest times of our lives, grieving the death of a loved one. All of this reminds us to be kind to one another and to listen carefully to hear how things are going in their lives. Together we can celebrate the turn of the calendar while we make it through today and what is to come.
This week I again came upon a few words that were written by Howard Thurman about this time of year. Howard Thurman was a teacher and leader in early social justice conversations in our country; he mentored Martin Luther King and his colleagues when they were in seminary and after. Howard Thurman wrote about “The Work of Christmas” in this poem:
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
These words can guide our resolutions as we look toward 2021. There is lots of work to do, as we embrace the new opportunities which will present themselves to us here, both within St. Paul’s and beyond. May we make our world a better place as we walk the Way of Love, together. AMEN
Announcements
Good morning, this 4th day of January. Yes, we are into the new year—a time of resolutions. Do you make resolutions? As we begin 2021, it is an especially good time to recognize what has been accomplished in these past nine months: it has not been easy. Some of us actually are now doing fine, others have lost their jobs, and still others are living some of the hardest times of our lives, grieving the death of a loved one. All of this reminds us to be kind to one another and to listen carefully to hear how things are going in their lives. Together we can celebrate the turn of the calendar while we make it through today and what is to come.
This week I again came upon a few words that were written by Howard Thurman about this time of year. Howard Thurman was a teacher and leader in early social justice conversations in our country; he mentored Martin Luther King and his colleagues when they were in seminary and after. Howard Thurman wrote about “The Work of Christmas” in this poem:
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
These words can guide our resolutions as we look toward 2021. There is lots of work to do, as we embrace the new opportunities which will present themselves to us here, both within St. Paul’s and beyond. May we make our world a better place as we walk the Way of Love, together. AMEN
Announcements
- Mother Debra is ready to provide the leadership in our transition toward a new Rector. So, as you have likely already learned, I will be retiring from St. Paul’s on January 15. Next Sunday, January 10, will be my final service, and it will be followed by a Zoom coffee hour to celebrate my retirement. Also, if you want to send a note for a book of remembrances, please email it to the office today. And if you want to make a donation in honor of my work at St. Paul’s, please send it to church for helping pay for the Bell Tower’s renovations. I do hope you can join us next week on Zoom, beginning about 11:00 am.
- Yes, it is still Stewardship and Budget time at St. Paul’s. A gentle reminder to complete your Pledge Card and continue your ongoing support and gifting. You can do both of these through the website or by mailing them to the office.
- Our church schedule this coming week includes:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via Zoom
- Wednesday: 6 pm program this week for youth and families; 6:30 pm program for adults. Charlie Orsak will present a Zoom conversation about talking with our children about climate change, informed by both faith and science. Access both of these programs through our website on Wednesday.
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline with Zoom check in following the prayers
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Saturday: 9 am Community Connections on Facebook
- Sunday: 10 am Sunday Worship Service followed by Zoom coffee hour
December 28, 2020
Reflection by The Rev. Dr. Barbara Elliott
Monday, December 28, 2020
This is the season of gifts. When I say that word “gift,” what comes to your mind this morning? These days, we are so aware of the holiday gift exchanges we have been part of, whether because of gifts we shared with others these past days, or that we received—or wanted to receive. What comes to your mind?
Each day I receive a gift in the form of a brief reflection from the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, an Episcopal monastery in Boston. They send a few thoughtful sentences each day, and I find my thoughts often return to them throughout the day. Before Christmas, a reflection titled Gift arrived that I want to share with you:
Gift
Sometimes the things we wait for do not arrive. We seek, we suffer, and we trust. And in God’s time, a gift does indeed arrive, but it is not at all what we had imagined or hoped for. In its place, there stands a thing we needed so deeply that we could not name it aloud, even in our solitude, even in the dark. We could not name it until it arrived, looked us in the face, and changed everything.
“…and changed everything…” What gifts have you received that have changed everything for you? Often looking back, we recognize that the gifts, the ones that have changed everything, were truly unexpected. We were surprised, and often experienced sorrow before our transformation. These amazing gifts bring personal growth, a new reality, and a new sense of Love—they indeed change everything.
May we each encounter the gifts that God has for us today with gratitude. AMEN
Announcements
Monday, December 28, 2020
This is the season of gifts. When I say that word “gift,” what comes to your mind this morning? These days, we are so aware of the holiday gift exchanges we have been part of, whether because of gifts we shared with others these past days, or that we received—or wanted to receive. What comes to your mind?
Each day I receive a gift in the form of a brief reflection from the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, an Episcopal monastery in Boston. They send a few thoughtful sentences each day, and I find my thoughts often return to them throughout the day. Before Christmas, a reflection titled Gift arrived that I want to share with you:
Gift
Sometimes the things we wait for do not arrive. We seek, we suffer, and we trust. And in God’s time, a gift does indeed arrive, but it is not at all what we had imagined or hoped for. In its place, there stands a thing we needed so deeply that we could not name it aloud, even in our solitude, even in the dark. We could not name it until it arrived, looked us in the face, and changed everything.
“…and changed everything…” What gifts have you received that have changed everything for you? Often looking back, we recognize that the gifts, the ones that have changed everything, were truly unexpected. We were surprised, and often experienced sorrow before our transformation. These amazing gifts bring personal growth, a new reality, and a new sense of Love—they indeed change everything.
May we each encounter the gifts that God has for us today with gratitude. AMEN
Announcements
- Our youth had a Living Nativity the Sunday before Christmas. I do hope you were able to join us—at least to drive by! In any case, there are pictures on our website and Facebook. The manger scene was created using straw bales, which are now for sale. Please pick up the bales you want from the front yard and send a check for $8 per bale to the office. Thanks again to Nat Constance and Amber Sadowski for all their work making this happen.
- Thank you for all you do for St. Paul’s. A gentle reminder to complete your Pledge Card and continue your ongoing support and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can do this through the website or by sending them to the office. As we are now in the last days of 2020, this reminder is also time sensitive. Money that reaches the church before January 1 will be counted toward this year’s donations. Please see the bulletin from our Christmas services for these details and an explanation.
- Mother Debra is ready to provide the leadership in our transition toward a new Rector. So, as you have likely already learned, I will be retiring from St. Paul’s in two weeks—on January 15. January 10 will be my final service, and it will be followed by a Zoom coffee hour to celebrate my retirement. I hope you can join us!
- Next Sunday, January 3, Mother Debra will lead our Epiphany celebration with video clips of our youth as the ‘Wise Ones.’
- Our church schedule this coming week includes:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via Zoom
- Wednesday: no 6 pm program this week
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline with Zoom check in
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Worship Service for Epiphany
Reflection by The Rev. Dr. Barbara Elliott
Reflection for Monday, December 21, 2020
Welcome to St. Paul’s this Monday morning, December 21, 2020. It is Solstice today, the day of the year with the shortest light span in the Northern Hemisphere, and it is the day—amazingly—that we can see the Christmas star.
I do hope we can each make time to both recognize and honor these remarkable events of Creation. Solstice has been revered for as long as humans have been on the earth. There are ancient sites built in Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, US, Germany, Peru, and England where only at the winter Solstice does the light enter the chambers to kiss the most holy site, marking it as sacred. And celebrating the turn of the sun toward the light for another year. Perhaps you have visited one or more of these places. Today, here in Minnesota, we can measure the impact of the day by noticing the length of our shadow at mid-day—it is at its longest at any time during the year at that time. Something to think about…how has your shadow impacted the earth these years?
The second remarkable terrestrial experience today does not occur every year like the winter solstice: the great conjugation of Saturn and Jupiter happens rarely—today’s experience happened last in 1254 AD. This intersection of the planets has also been used to explain the Bethlehem star (or Christmas star), which of course is part of our Christmas story this week as the star that occurred in the East for the Wise Men guiding them to the manger. This same conjugation of the planets is known to have happened in those early years too. Do go out this evening within an hour of when the sun sets and look to the Southwest, where–assuming the clouds allow—we will be able see this miraculous phenomenon.
An amazing week. Nature is offering a remarkable backdrop for our sacred stories. Merry Christmas. AMEN
Announcements
Welcome to St. Paul’s this Monday morning, December 21, 2020. It is Solstice today, the day of the year with the shortest light span in the Northern Hemisphere, and it is the day—amazingly—that we can see the Christmas star.
I do hope we can each make time to both recognize and honor these remarkable events of Creation. Solstice has been revered for as long as humans have been on the earth. There are ancient sites built in Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, US, Germany, Peru, and England where only at the winter Solstice does the light enter the chambers to kiss the most holy site, marking it as sacred. And celebrating the turn of the sun toward the light for another year. Perhaps you have visited one or more of these places. Today, here in Minnesota, we can measure the impact of the day by noticing the length of our shadow at mid-day—it is at its longest at any time during the year at that time. Something to think about…how has your shadow impacted the earth these years?
The second remarkable terrestrial experience today does not occur every year like the winter solstice: the great conjugation of Saturn and Jupiter happens rarely—today’s experience happened last in 1254 AD. This intersection of the planets has also been used to explain the Bethlehem star (or Christmas star), which of course is part of our Christmas story this week as the star that occurred in the East for the Wise Men guiding them to the manger. This same conjugation of the planets is known to have happened in those early years too. Do go out this evening within an hour of when the sun sets and look to the Southwest, where–assuming the clouds allow—we will be able see this miraculous phenomenon.
An amazing week. Nature is offering a remarkable backdrop for our sacred stories. Merry Christmas. AMEN
Announcements
- This week, our final Wednesday evening online sessions for Advent will be available, at 6 pm for children and families (or anyone!), thanks to Joanne Erspamer and her elves. These recordings include a family video describing Advent preparation and food—like at our Advent festivals in the past. Also, each week a “Story with Mother Debra” is part of the session. Enjoy!
- Yesterday afternoon, Sunday, our youth had their Living Nativity in the church’s front yard. Many thanks to Natalie Constance and Amber Sadowski for making it happen! I do hope you were able to join us. In any case, the manger scene was created using several straw bales – which are available to you if you would like some for your backyard or your garden. It is a self-serve, on-your-honor system. Just come and get the bales you need from the front lawn of church; then mail a check to the Parish Office. Suggested donation is $8 per bale.
- This week is Christmas! Our Christmas services are Thursday and Friday this week.Christmas Eve service will be available online after noon on December 24.Christmas Day service will be available online after 7 am on December 25.
- There is no regular St. Paul’s church service next Sunday, December 27. Please enjoy the National Cathedral’s Lessons and Carols service which you can access via our website, or from http://www.cathedral.org
- We have so much to be grateful for as we approach Christmas this year. If you have not yet completed and returned your Pledge Card, please do so, that we can continue to build our future together.
- Thank you again for your ongoing support and gifting to St. Paul’s. Please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You may pledge/give online, give via text, or mail a pledge/check to the Parish Office.
- Weekly online schedule:
Monday:9 am Reflection and Announcements
Tuesday: 9 am No Bible Study via zoom this week
Wednesday: 6 pm Advent for children and families
Thursday: Christmas Eve service available after noon and 9 pm Compline
Friday: Christmas Day services available after 7 am
Sunday: enjoy Lessons and Carols from the National Cathedral http://www.cathedral.org
Monday, December 28: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
December 9, 2020 - from The Rev. Debra Kissinger
Coronavirus Fatigue
“Speaking for all us, we’re tired. But we get up and we still do this every day,” said an utterly exhausted Jody White, respiratory therapist at Indiana University Health Systems, into the television screen during Stephanie Gosk’s interview on Nightly News with Lester Holt on December 4th.
Just two weeks ago I laid in a hospital bed overnight recovering from a major assault to my body. With tubes going into me and coming out of me, I was still keenly aware of the nurses rushing outside my room, yet giving me their full attention, not rushing, totally patient each time they entered my room.
“Thank you,” I said. “How are you doing amid this coronavirus?” Their responses were all similar. “It is getting much worse; we only have two nurses and one aide on this floor because of it. We are stretched, tired, or get moved around because of it.” One nurse even said she had asked, “not to be put on a COVID-19 floor because she was pregnant,” but wasn’t sure week to week if that would hold because there were no guarantees and things were getting closer to capacity.
More from Nightly News
I thought back to those incredible nurses and aides I had met at Essentia Health. I had asked them how the community was supporting them. One nurse’s answer summed it up, “When it all started, the community reached out. Now it is four times worse and it’s like we don’t exist. Everyone has coronavirus fatigue.” I said, “I’m sorry. I’ll pray for you,” and they would say “Thank you. Thank you for just asking.” It made me so sad.
The pandemic started during my last interim while I was still on Cape Cod. Two to three feet high hearts with “Our Heroes” printed on them started popping up in yards, in stores, and around hospitals on the Cape and in the Boston area. Citizens would line the staff entrances of the hospitals, applaud the staff, and hand out bottles of water at shift changes. While the heart signs remained, in time, the applause stopped.
Within the past two weeks:
In our Baptism we are called to “proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.” You, the members of St. Paul’s, have shown great love to me and been the face of Christ to me in my illness. Soon the light of the star of Bethlehem will reveal Jesus Christ to us again anew. How do we love and show the Light of Christ to others, especially those on the frontlines during this pandemic?
In Christ’s love,
Mother Debra
“Speaking for all us, we’re tired. But we get up and we still do this every day,” said an utterly exhausted Jody White, respiratory therapist at Indiana University Health Systems, into the television screen during Stephanie Gosk’s interview on Nightly News with Lester Holt on December 4th.
Just two weeks ago I laid in a hospital bed overnight recovering from a major assault to my body. With tubes going into me and coming out of me, I was still keenly aware of the nurses rushing outside my room, yet giving me their full attention, not rushing, totally patient each time they entered my room.
“Thank you,” I said. “How are you doing amid this coronavirus?” Their responses were all similar. “It is getting much worse; we only have two nurses and one aide on this floor because of it. We are stretched, tired, or get moved around because of it.” One nurse even said she had asked, “not to be put on a COVID-19 floor because she was pregnant,” but wasn’t sure week to week if that would hold because there were no guarantees and things were getting closer to capacity.
More from Nightly News
- 50% of medical workers suffer some sort of emotional distress
- 50% of all frontline care workers suffer extreme burnout
I thought back to those incredible nurses and aides I had met at Essentia Health. I had asked them how the community was supporting them. One nurse’s answer summed it up, “When it all started, the community reached out. Now it is four times worse and it’s like we don’t exist. Everyone has coronavirus fatigue.” I said, “I’m sorry. I’ll pray for you,” and they would say “Thank you. Thank you for just asking.” It made me so sad.
The pandemic started during my last interim while I was still on Cape Cod. Two to three feet high hearts with “Our Heroes” printed on them started popping up in yards, in stores, and around hospitals on the Cape and in the Boston area. Citizens would line the staff entrances of the hospitals, applaud the staff, and hand out bottles of water at shift changes. While the heart signs remained, in time, the applause stopped.
Within the past two weeks:
- The #1 cause of deaths in U.S. has been COVID-19, surpassing heart disease, #1 killer for decades
- Minnesota had the highest infections per capita in the U.S.
- St. Louis County had the highest infection rate in the state
In our Baptism we are called to “proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.” You, the members of St. Paul’s, have shown great love to me and been the face of Christ to me in my illness. Soon the light of the star of Bethlehem will reveal Jesus Christ to us again anew. How do we love and show the Light of Christ to others, especially those on the frontlines during this pandemic?
In Christ’s love,
Mother Debra
December 7, 2020 - from The Rev. Dr. Barbara Elliott
Reflection
Good morning on this December 7 morning. This is today’s Reflection and Announcements from St. Paul’s.
Yesterday, December 6, was St. Nicholas day—a time our church has celebrated with our children in the past. This Bishop, become saint, from the 200 AD era, is the early human source of Santa Claus and Baba Noel. The story is that he was born to a wealthy elderly couple. As he grew, he was clearly attracted to church teachings and was ordained when he was 19. He became a monk then and continued to develop and live his gifts of healing.
In his village there was a family with three daughters who could not marry. Their father had lost his money during hard times, so there was no money for the girls’ dowries. Nicholas took some of his inherited money and gifted it to the family—he threw a sock with the money in it through the window in the night. No one knew where the money came from. By the time he did this for the third daughter, the father saw who had thrown the money into the house, and Nicholas’ gifting became known.
Soon after that, Nicholas was sent to prison for his beliefs. After Constantine allowed Christianity to be worshiped, Nicholas became an important leader in the church.
Over the years, Nicholas’s anonymous gifting has caught our imagination and been an example for the rest of us. I invite you to think about how you can anonymously do something for another today—perhaps get a coffee, or shovel their sidewalk, or extend your energy in some way on their behalf. They do not need to know about it—it is just your way of being St. Nicholas today. And maybe we can each find a way to build something like this, an anonymous gift for someone in our lives, into each of the remaining 18 days til Christmas!
Happy Advent!
Announcements
Good morning on this December 7 morning. This is today’s Reflection and Announcements from St. Paul’s.
Yesterday, December 6, was St. Nicholas day—a time our church has celebrated with our children in the past. This Bishop, become saint, from the 200 AD era, is the early human source of Santa Claus and Baba Noel. The story is that he was born to a wealthy elderly couple. As he grew, he was clearly attracted to church teachings and was ordained when he was 19. He became a monk then and continued to develop and live his gifts of healing.
In his village there was a family with three daughters who could not marry. Their father had lost his money during hard times, so there was no money for the girls’ dowries. Nicholas took some of his inherited money and gifted it to the family—he threw a sock with the money in it through the window in the night. No one knew where the money came from. By the time he did this for the third daughter, the father saw who had thrown the money into the house, and Nicholas’ gifting became known.
Soon after that, Nicholas was sent to prison for his beliefs. After Constantine allowed Christianity to be worshiped, Nicholas became an important leader in the church.
Over the years, Nicholas’s anonymous gifting has caught our imagination and been an example for the rest of us. I invite you to think about how you can anonymously do something for another today—perhaps get a coffee, or shovel their sidewalk, or extend your energy in some way on their behalf. They do not need to know about it—it is just your way of being St. Nicholas today. And maybe we can each find a way to build something like this, an anonymous gift for someone in our lives, into each of the remaining 18 days til Christmas!
Happy Advent!
Announcements
- This week, we are continuing our Advent online sessions on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm for children and families, and everyone, thanks to Joanne Erspamer and her elves. These recordings include a family video describing Advent preparation and food—like at our Advent festivals in the past. Also, each week a “Story with Mother Debra” is part of the session. Enjoy!
- As we plan for our upcoming holidays, there are a few important ones to write on your calendar:
-Wednesday, December 16, 7 pm Blue Christmas service, online from National Cathedral
-Friday, December 18, 6 pm Gospel/Jazz Christmas, online from National Cathedral
-Sunday, December 20, our youth will have a Living Nativity in the church’s front yard. Plan to drive by between 3:00-4:30 pm.
-Christmas Eve service will be available online after noon on December 24.
-Christmas Day service will be available online after 7 am on December 25. - Watch your emails from Mother Debra, and from Rita in the Parish Office these days—lots of communication coming about our church activities.
- We have so much to be grateful for as we live into our Advent season. If you have not yet completed and returned your Pledge Card, please do, so that we can continue to build our future together. Thank you again for your ongoing support and gifting to St. Paul’s. As we move through December, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can donate online, by text, or by mailing a check to the Parish Office.
- Weekly on-line schedule:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via Zoom
- Wednesday: 6 pm Advent Faith Formation
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline with Zoom check in
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Worship Service and Zoom Coffee Hour
November 30, 2020 - from The Rev. Dr. Barbara Elliott
Reflection
Hello on this Monday morning, the last day of November and the first week of Advent.
This past week during our Tuesday morning Bible Study, we were talking about how times are different this year. How now that we have gotten through the election, we are in this in-between time politically. And how, now that we have vaccines coming, we are in this in-between time as an economy, as families, as schools, as a church and regarding our own health. We are waiting. Last I heard we have several more months of this waiting.
As we come to these realizations, we are also in the church season of waiting: we are in Advent. Yesterday we lit the first candle of Advent, the candle that represents hope. And yes, we do need hope while we are waiting. Christmas will be as different for us this year as Thanksgiving has been, and perhaps healthier for us--? We can hope.
While we wait, it is important to know that ‘not everything is cancelled’…As Piglet from Winnie the Pooh has reminded us:
Sunshine is not cancelled
Love is not cancelled
Relationships are not cancelled
Naps are not cancelled
Devotion is not cancelled
Music is not cancelled
Dancing is not cancelled
Imagination is not cancelled
Kindness is not cancelled
Conversations are not cancelled
HOPE is not cancelled
May it be so… God’s blessings. –Barbara+
Announcements
Hello on this Monday morning, the last day of November and the first week of Advent.
This past week during our Tuesday morning Bible Study, we were talking about how times are different this year. How now that we have gotten through the election, we are in this in-between time politically. And how, now that we have vaccines coming, we are in this in-between time as an economy, as families, as schools, as a church and regarding our own health. We are waiting. Last I heard we have several more months of this waiting.
As we come to these realizations, we are also in the church season of waiting: we are in Advent. Yesterday we lit the first candle of Advent, the candle that represents hope. And yes, we do need hope while we are waiting. Christmas will be as different for us this year as Thanksgiving has been, and perhaps healthier for us--? We can hope.
While we wait, it is important to know that ‘not everything is cancelled’…As Piglet from Winnie the Pooh has reminded us:
Sunshine is not cancelled
Love is not cancelled
Relationships are not cancelled
Naps are not cancelled
Devotion is not cancelled
Music is not cancelled
Dancing is not cancelled
Imagination is not cancelled
Kindness is not cancelled
Conversations are not cancelled
HOPE is not cancelled
May it be so… God’s blessings. –Barbara+
Announcements
- What fun to light our own Advent Wreaths at home along with the wreath during our Sunday service in church! If you haven’t picked up your materials to prepare your own Advent Wreath, they are available in the McGiffert entrance, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, through this week.
- Our annual Giving Tree is in the McGiffert entrance, too, with the decorations describing gifts for folks among our community partners. The paper decorations also include how to deliver the gift in a COVID-friendly way. Please take one with you to include them in our holidays.
- This week, we are beginning our Advent online sessions on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 pm for children and families, thanks to Joanne Erspamer and her elves. These recordings include a family video describing Advent preparation and food—like at our Advent festivals in the past. Also, each week a “Story with Mother Debra” will be part of the online session. Enjoy!
- We have so much to be grateful for as we settle into our Advent season. If you have not yet completed and returned your Pledge Card, please do, so that we can continue to build our future together.
- Thank you again for your ongoing support and gifting to St. Paul’s. As we move through December, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can pledge online, with text, or by mailing it to the Parish Office.
- Weekly online schedule:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via zoom
- Wednesday: 6 pm Advent Faith Formation for children and families
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline with Zoom check in
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Worship Service and Zoom Coffee Hour
November 16, 2020
Reflection
Good morning. It is Monday, November 16, and these are today’s Reflections and Announcements from St. Paul’s. This past week I was helping teach a college course, and as we concluded, I was invited to say something hopeful as we left the class and moved back into the world. It was interesting for me how that request left me pondering what I could say. As you all know, I am a hopeful and joyful person; this experience revealed that these days my optimism is stretched. Yes, I came up with something to say and closed the class, but I have been thinking about this since then.
Steven Charleston, a retired Bishop in Oklahoma who also worked as a younger priest in Minnesota, artfully described how we are living now*: “The heavy footsteps of hope are trying so hard to climb to higher ground, but are pulled down by the weight of growing numbers of human tears. These days will be remembered…for those who stepped forward to meet that pain, to heal it and to carry hope the last mile to mercy. Yes, we will weep over these dark days, but we will also celebrate and honor the heroes of this hour.” (*including my light edits)
These are times we reach deeply for our hope, remembering all we are grateful for, and thanking God each day for those who do essential work that we can continue. They bring us life and hope. They enact the love we are each called to, as we walk the Way of Love.
May we be love this week and bring love to all we meet along the way. This is how we know hope. AMEN
Announcements
Good morning. It is Monday, November 16, and these are today’s Reflections and Announcements from St. Paul’s. This past week I was helping teach a college course, and as we concluded, I was invited to say something hopeful as we left the class and moved back into the world. It was interesting for me how that request left me pondering what I could say. As you all know, I am a hopeful and joyful person; this experience revealed that these days my optimism is stretched. Yes, I came up with something to say and closed the class, but I have been thinking about this since then.
Steven Charleston, a retired Bishop in Oklahoma who also worked as a younger priest in Minnesota, artfully described how we are living now*: “The heavy footsteps of hope are trying so hard to climb to higher ground, but are pulled down by the weight of growing numbers of human tears. These days will be remembered…for those who stepped forward to meet that pain, to heal it and to carry hope the last mile to mercy. Yes, we will weep over these dark days, but we will also celebrate and honor the heroes of this hour.” (*including my light edits)
These are times we reach deeply for our hope, remembering all we are grateful for, and thanking God each day for those who do essential work that we can continue. They bring us life and hope. They enact the love we are each called to, as we walk the Way of Love.
May we be love this week and bring love to all we meet along the way. This is how we know hope. AMEN
Announcements
- Mother Debra has arrived in Duluth and moved into the lakeside home. Next Sunday, November 22, we will have a “Welcome Debra and John!” zoom following our service. Tune in at 11:00 am and meet them.
- We welcome Rachael Kresha as our organist and Tim Metcalfe as our videographer. You will see and hear their wonderful work this week and into the future!
- An invitation for those who are interested. You are invited to be part of the Duluth Transgender Day of Remembrance to be held virtually this Friday, November 20, at 7 pm. Please go to our webpage for information and the connection into the event.
- After carefully and joyfully recognizing God’s gifts, please complete and return your Pledge Cards before Thanksgiving so we can continue to build our future together.
- Thank you again for your ongoing support of St. Paul’s. As we move through the Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can submit your pledges online, by text, or by mailing a check to the office.
- Weekly online schedule:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via zoom
- Wednesday: 6 pm Evening Prayer
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline with zoom check in
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Sunday Service followed by Zoom Coffee Hour
November 9, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
Reflection
Good morning. Today is November 9, and yes, as I speak to you this morning, we do have a president (and vice-president)-elect. We have come through a unique election season, with strong partisan differences and conflicts. Whatever your politics, having the election behind us and a defined path moving forward is a relief for all.
These past weeks I have again recognized that most of the people I and we spend time with enjoy a lot of privilege. It is common to hear the advice that ‘now we need to be kind and keep living’ as we rebuild our relationships and communities. When I say, “I’ll wake up and just do what I have been doing”, it reflects my privilege—that I do not have to worry about my life. However, there are others around us who live on the edge. These folks have been and now are terrified of what is going to happen for them. Given COVID and the economy, their lives are literally hanging in the balance: no income, health insurance at risk, lots of illness in the community, and freedoms threatened. It is important that I—we—take a moment to think twice about this.
Yesterday in my sermon, I shared Bishop Loya’s suggestions that we can refill our lamps with prayer, speaking up, and getting involved to make needed changes. Those of us in our privileged space, need to speak up for those who are terrified and exhausted. Let us take these steps together, so we continue to create and walk the Way of Love. AMEN
Announcements
Good morning. Today is November 9, and yes, as I speak to you this morning, we do have a president (and vice-president)-elect. We have come through a unique election season, with strong partisan differences and conflicts. Whatever your politics, having the election behind us and a defined path moving forward is a relief for all.
These past weeks I have again recognized that most of the people I and we spend time with enjoy a lot of privilege. It is common to hear the advice that ‘now we need to be kind and keep living’ as we rebuild our relationships and communities. When I say, “I’ll wake up and just do what I have been doing”, it reflects my privilege—that I do not have to worry about my life. However, there are others around us who live on the edge. These folks have been and now are terrified of what is going to happen for them. Given COVID and the economy, their lives are literally hanging in the balance: no income, health insurance at risk, lots of illness in the community, and freedoms threatened. It is important that I—we—take a moment to think twice about this.
Yesterday in my sermon, I shared Bishop Loya’s suggestions that we can refill our lamps with prayer, speaking up, and getting involved to make needed changes. Those of us in our privileged space, need to speak up for those who are terrified and exhausted. Let us take these steps together, so we continue to create and walk the Way of Love. AMEN
Announcements
- This weekend there were some technical challenges with the Sunday service. Please know the service will again be available from Saturday noon on through our website, as well as on Facebook at 10:00 am Sunday morning.
- Since Tom Hamilton has left, we are welcoming Rachael Kresha as our organist and Timothy Metcalfe as our videographer. You will see and hear their wonderful work this week and into the future!
- Mother Debra has arrived in Duluth and moved into the home she and her husband will share in Lakeside. We are helping them get set up in their home, and they still need one more dresser for their clothes. Please contact Rita if you have one for them to use this year. Soon we will formally welcome her to St. Paul’s! Stay tuned.
- Our Messenger was emailed out October 30. I want to draw your attention to one of the articles (with pictures)—written by Craig Fellman about the repairs to our bell tower. Take a look! Yes, there is a big white wrapping around our bell tower—a package with lots happening inside of it! Enjoy.
- Thank you again for your ongoing support of St. Paul’s. As we move through the Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges online, by text, or by mailing a check to the Parish Office. Also, our Stewardship letters have been mailed, and pledge cards are to be returned by Thanksgiving. Please anticipate how you will support St. Paul’s as we build our future together.
- Weekly online schedule:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via zoom
- Wednesday: 6 pm Evening Prayer
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Worship Service
November 2, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
Reflection
Yesterday we celebrated All Saint’s Day, our annual Feast Day remembering those who have died before us—especially those who have died in the past twelve months. All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are Christian celebrations that were originally celebrated during summer months. Over time, other cultures influenced the timing of this important annual memorial.
The strongest influence on the scheduling of this celebration originated with the Irish Celts. Their festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-win) marked the beginning of the dark half of the year. Samhain was held on November 1 to honor the harvest and move the animals between pastures for protection from the elements. For the Celts, this was also the time when they had connection with the spirits of those who had died before; they identified these days as when the veil between the living and dead was particularly thin, so the spirits could be met, talked with, and appealed to for advice. It is also when otherworldly creatures—like fairies and leprechauns—were more likely to be active. Those who didn’t want to be contacted by the spirits actually wore costumes to avoid meeting their departed ancestors.
Many of these Celtic rituals were shared in common with the All Saint’s Day teachings brought by the Christian missionaries to Ireland. It is easy to see how the celebration, costumes, and connections with those who have gone before influenced each other and have become our annual Halloween, All Saint’s Day, and All Soul’s Day experiences between October 31 and November 2.
Whatever your beliefs and traditions, this history and our rituals bring us closer to those who have gone before us and our memories of times past. Today, these days we are preparing for our future in uncertain times. May our ancestors walk with us and protect us. AMEN
Announcements
Yesterday we celebrated All Saint’s Day, our annual Feast Day remembering those who have died before us—especially those who have died in the past twelve months. All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are Christian celebrations that were originally celebrated during summer months. Over time, other cultures influenced the timing of this important annual memorial.
The strongest influence on the scheduling of this celebration originated with the Irish Celts. Their festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-win) marked the beginning of the dark half of the year. Samhain was held on November 1 to honor the harvest and move the animals between pastures for protection from the elements. For the Celts, this was also the time when they had connection with the spirits of those who had died before; they identified these days as when the veil between the living and dead was particularly thin, so the spirits could be met, talked with, and appealed to for advice. It is also when otherworldly creatures—like fairies and leprechauns—were more likely to be active. Those who didn’t want to be contacted by the spirits actually wore costumes to avoid meeting their departed ancestors.
Many of these Celtic rituals were shared in common with the All Saint’s Day teachings brought by the Christian missionaries to Ireland. It is easy to see how the celebration, costumes, and connections with those who have gone before influenced each other and have become our annual Halloween, All Saint’s Day, and All Soul’s Day experiences between October 31 and November 2.
Whatever your beliefs and traditions, this history and our rituals bring us closer to those who have gone before us and our memories of times past. Today, these days we are preparing for our future in uncertain times. May our ancestors walk with us and protect us. AMEN
Announcements
- Our Tom Hamilton will leave us and move to Germany a week from today. If you want to connect with him, please do so through the church during this week. Tom’s contact information will be available through our website and the office.
- We are looking forward to Advent which begins a month from now. As we plan, we are inviting help creating Advent wreath kits for families to pick up at church later this month. If you are interested in helping create these bags, please let Rita in the office know.
- Our Messenger was emailed out last Friday. I want to draw your attention to one of the articles (with pictures)—written by Craig Fellman about the repairs to our bell tower. Take a look! Yes, there is a big white wrapping around our bell tower—a package with lots happening inside of it! Enjoy.
- Thank you again for your on-going support of St. Paul’s. As we move through the Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can deliver your pledge online, by text, or by mailing a check to the office. Also, our Stewardship efforts are beginning; please anticipate how you will continue to support St. Paul’s as we build our future together.
- Weekly online schedule:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via zoom
- Wednesday: 6 pm Evening Prayer
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Worship Service
October 26, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
After being encouraged by some correspondence from our Bishop Craig Loya, I found myself making these observations:
Awe and wonder have been part of my life these past weeks. I have been amazed to see the variety of birds that have been moving through our part of the world as they hibernate south, and to watch our surroundings change with the season. Such amazing changes!
As I have observed my own awe watching the beauty of creation, some of the words in our baptismal liturgy come to mind. The prayer after the water is administered asks God to give us “. . .the gift of joy and wonder in all your works.” Yes, it is a gift!
Nonetheless, I also note, there are plenty of reasons for anxiety and despair these days. The world can be a hard place, and there are unending challenges in front of us.
And yet,
There are the birds.
There is the joy of children.
There is the beauty of our Lake.
There is the note that arrives from an old friend.
There is the excited dog greeting us at the end of a long day.
There are the quiet saints who reach out to keep our communities connected while we are physically apart.
There is the precious memory of a loving look or touch from a departed ancestor.
Everywhere around us, even with the uncertainty of the pandemic, the economy, and the election, God touches us with these moments of awe, pauses when we can notice God’s peace and love. I hope some of this awe catches you today. May it happen—it’s a remarkable thing to share with each other, too. AMEN
Awe and wonder have been part of my life these past weeks. I have been amazed to see the variety of birds that have been moving through our part of the world as they hibernate south, and to watch our surroundings change with the season. Such amazing changes!
As I have observed my own awe watching the beauty of creation, some of the words in our baptismal liturgy come to mind. The prayer after the water is administered asks God to give us “. . .the gift of joy and wonder in all your works.” Yes, it is a gift!
Nonetheless, I also note, there are plenty of reasons for anxiety and despair these days. The world can be a hard place, and there are unending challenges in front of us.
And yet,
There are the birds.
There is the joy of children.
There is the beauty of our Lake.
There is the note that arrives from an old friend.
There is the excited dog greeting us at the end of a long day.
There are the quiet saints who reach out to keep our communities connected while we are physically apart.
There is the precious memory of a loving look or touch from a departed ancestor.
Everywhere around us, even with the uncertainty of the pandemic, the economy, and the election, God touches us with these moments of awe, pauses when we can notice God’s peace and love. I hope some of this awe catches you today. May it happen—it’s a remarkable thing to share with each other, too. AMEN
- There are a couple of requests for pictures to be sent to Rita in the Office—both due before Wednesday of this week, October 28. First, please send a ‘selfie’ picture of your family to her. She will use it to create a new photo directory of us. The second picture request is related to our upcoming All Saints’ Day, November 1, 2020. We always recognize those who have died in the previous year in the church service on All Saints’. Please send the names (and a picture if you have one to share) of people in your life who have died this year to the office, so they can be part of that upcoming service.
- Early November is also when Tom Hamilton will leave us and move to Germany. We plan to honor his time at St. Paul’s and have a chance to say farewell at the zoom following the service next Sunday, on All Saint’s Day, November 1. Join us for these events! Tom’s contact information will also be available through our website and the office. The password for the zoom session is 1710, the street address of the church.
- We are looking forward to Advent which begins a month from now. As we plan, we are inviting help creating Advent wreath kits for families to pick up at church later this month. If you are interested in helping create these bags, please let Rita in the office know.
- Thank you again for your on-going support of St. Paul’s. As we move through the Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges using on-line, texting methods, or sending a check to the office. Also, our Stewardship efforts are beginning; please be anticipating how you will continue supporting St. Paul’s as we build our future together.
- Weekly online schedule:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via zoom
- Wednesday: 6 pm Evening Prayer
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Worship Service
Reflection October 19, 2020
This past Saturday there were two zoomed funerals for people who have made a difference in Duluth. You likely know of Marilyn Bamford’s funeral which was through St Paul’s; the other was John Hawley’s, and it was celebrated through Peace Church. Both of these people improved the lives of us all—John began CHUM and multiple other community social safety nets; Marilyn worked one-person-at-a-time through her church work and her volunteer efforts at Safe Haven and Amberwing. It will be interesting to notice who steps forward into their shoes. We need to continue expanding Duluth’s efforts to care for all of its citizens.
How have these issues touched you? I have been thinking about all the people I may overlook during these difficult days. It is so easy for that to happen. As we are all distracted by the daily toll collected by the virus and as we are focused on the election process happening around us, it is no wonder that we can look away from the people in need who are always there.
So many people who live beneath the headlines. Single parents keep working hard. Bullied children wake up to a familiar pain. The lives of the poor continue in their struggle. The lonely watch the clock, and the hungry search for food.
Today, let’s take a moment to be aware of those who need us. Even in the midst of historic events: we have the chance to change another life for the better. Touching another’s life is walking the Way of Love. AMEN
[Thanks to Steve Charleston whose words echo in these thoughts, too…]
Announcements
This past Saturday there were two zoomed funerals for people who have made a difference in Duluth. You likely know of Marilyn Bamford’s funeral which was through St Paul’s; the other was John Hawley’s, and it was celebrated through Peace Church. Both of these people improved the lives of us all—John began CHUM and multiple other community social safety nets; Marilyn worked one-person-at-a-time through her church work and her volunteer efforts at Safe Haven and Amberwing. It will be interesting to notice who steps forward into their shoes. We need to continue expanding Duluth’s efforts to care for all of its citizens.
How have these issues touched you? I have been thinking about all the people I may overlook during these difficult days. It is so easy for that to happen. As we are all distracted by the daily toll collected by the virus and as we are focused on the election process happening around us, it is no wonder that we can look away from the people in need who are always there.
So many people who live beneath the headlines. Single parents keep working hard. Bullied children wake up to a familiar pain. The lives of the poor continue in their struggle. The lonely watch the clock, and the hungry search for food.
Today, let’s take a moment to be aware of those who need us. Even in the midst of historic events: we have the chance to change another life for the better. Touching another’s life is walking the Way of Love. AMEN
[Thanks to Steve Charleston whose words echo in these thoughts, too…]
Announcements
- There are a couple of requests for pictures to be sent to Rita in the Office. First, please send a ‘selfie’ picture of you or your family to her, ASAP. She will use it to create a new photo directory of us.
- The second picture request is related to our upcoming All Saints’ Day, November 1, 2020. We always recognize those who have died in the previous year in the church service on All Saints’. Please send the names (and a picture if you have one to share) of people in your life who have died this year to the office, so they can be part of that upcoming service. (must be received by Wednesday, October 28 to be included).
- Early November is also when Tom Hamilton will leave us and move to Germany. We plan to honor his time at St. Paul’s and have a chance to say farewell at the zoom following the service on All Saints’ Sunday, November 1. Join us for these events! Tom’s contact information will also be available through our website and the office.
- Thank you again for your ongoing support of St Paul’s. As we move through the Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges using online, text, or mailing a check to the Parish Office. Also, our Stewardship efforts are coming soon; please be anticipate how you will continue to support St. Paul’s as we build our future together.
- Weekly online schedule:
- Monday: 9 am Reflection and Announcements
- Tuesday: 9 am Bible Study via zoom
- Wednesday: 6 pm Evening Prayer
- Thursday: 9 pm Compline
- Friday: 9 am Morning Prayer
- Sunday: 10 am Worship Service
