Messages from Our Clergy
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
October 19, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
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
October 12, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
Good morning to you each on this October Monday morning. Yesterday, Sunday, as part of the sermon she gave, Dr. Liza Anderson talked about how Moses was the one who walked up the mountain and into the darkness to meet with God, while the others stayed below with Aaron and created an image of their imagined God. Liza also remarked that our meeting God is not easy and takes courage.
We are living in changed and challenging times—times that are in-between, and times when our relationships have had to change. This includes how God fits into the world: it is common to be questioning our relationship with God now, too. Is this true for you?
Some questions for you to ponder this week:
May God bless you with God’s presence and peace in these changed and challenging times. AMEN
Announcements
We are living in changed and challenging times—times that are in-between, and times when our relationships have had to change. This includes how God fits into the world: it is common to be questioning our relationship with God now, too. Is this true for you?
Some questions for you to ponder this week:
- Where have you recognized the divine in your life recently?
Place?
Pet?
Person?
Contemplation?
Nature?
Somewhere else? - Notice where the divine emerges into your awareness this week—and then tell someone about this experience.
May God bless you with God’s presence and peace in these changed and challenging times. AMEN
Announcements
- Our October Messenger has been delivered. There are a couple of places in the Messenger that request pictures be sent to Rita in the Parish Office. First, please send a ‘selfie’ picture of yourself or 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.
- Among the Messenger items is also more information about Reverend Debra Kissinger, our Interim Rector, who will join us in November. Enjoy her article about what Interim Ministry is all about—it is how we will transition to our Search process with her.
- You may have noticed the invitation to sign up for chores at church—a time we can be back in and around the building in very small numbers. This way we can keep the church prepared for our real return (when that can be...). This past weekend the kitchen and the front yard were being worked on—thank you!
- This next Saturday (October 17) we will be able to share Marilyn Bamford’s funeral using zoom. The zoom invitation will be available on the website and her CaringBridge site, and it will be followed by an online reception hosted by the Bamford family.
- 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 or text methods or by mailing a check to the office. Also, our Stewardship efforts are coming soon; 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 5, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
Good morning to you each on this early October Monday morning. The past Saturday we blessed our animals in our drive-by community. I think we saw about 25 animals and their owners. Several of us were there—Margaret Thomas and I were blessing animals, Kathleen Halverson and Tanis were sharing treats, and others were there supporting us as well. Channel 6 came to interview (perhaps you saw it on their Saturday news broadcasts). In any case, it was lovely to connect again, if only among those of us who were able to bless each other with our presence.
I came across a Rainer Maria Rilke poem about Fall yesterday, which brought several emotions together for me. It offers windows for the end-of-day questions I often consider, especially if I have a chance to be talking with my grandchildren. I ask: What surprised you today? Then: What happened that made you feel hurt today? And the third questions: What are you grateful for now as we finish this day?
You might ask yourself those questions as well. In these uncertain times, I find them grounding—they allow me to recognize that despite the chaos around us, I am here, now, loving and encountering people and our dog. This is the poem:
Autumn
The leaves are falling, falling as if from far up,
As if orchards were dying high in space.
Each leaf falls as if it were motioning ‘no’.
And tonight the heavy earth is falling
away from all other stars in the loneliness.
We’re all falling. This hand here is falling.
And look at the other one. It’s in them all.
And yet there is Someone, whose hands
Infinitely calm, holding up all this falling.
Indeed, God is calm, sustaining us, and holding all this falling together. AMEN.
Announcements
Thank you again for your ongoing support of St. Paul’s. As we transition into Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges using online, texting, or mailing a check to the office. Information is online at www.stpaulsduluth.org
I came across a Rainer Maria Rilke poem about Fall yesterday, which brought several emotions together for me. It offers windows for the end-of-day questions I often consider, especially if I have a chance to be talking with my grandchildren. I ask: What surprised you today? Then: What happened that made you feel hurt today? And the third questions: What are you grateful for now as we finish this day?
You might ask yourself those questions as well. In these uncertain times, I find them grounding—they allow me to recognize that despite the chaos around us, I am here, now, loving and encountering people and our dog. This is the poem:
Autumn
The leaves are falling, falling as if from far up,
As if orchards were dying high in space.
Each leaf falls as if it were motioning ‘no’.
And tonight the heavy earth is falling
away from all other stars in the loneliness.
We’re all falling. This hand here is falling.
And look at the other one. It’s in them all.
And yet there is Someone, whose hands
Infinitely calm, holding up all this falling.
Indeed, God is calm, sustaining us, and holding all this falling together. AMEN.
Announcements
- Our October Messenger has been delivered. Among the items it includes is more information about Reverend Debra Kissinger, our Interim Rector, who will join us in November. Enjoy her article about what Interim Ministry is all about—it is how we will transition to our Search process.
- Also in the Messenger is the suggestion that we each send a ‘selfie’ picture to Rita in the office. She will use it to create a new photo directory of us for our Interim (and for all of us). Email it to office@stpaulsduluth.org or mail a hard copy to the church.
- You may have noticed the invitation to sign up for chores at church—a time we can be back in the building in very small numbers. This way we can keep the church prepared for our real return (when that can be...). This past week end the kitchen and the front yard were being worked on—thank you!
- Also, November 1 is coming—and then we will be honoring All Saints’ Day. We always recognize those who have died in the previous year in the church service. 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.
- 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
Thank you again for your ongoing support of St. Paul’s. As we transition into Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges using online, texting, or mailing a check to the office. Information is online at www.stpaulsduluth.org
September 28, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
Good morning—welcome to St. Paul’s Monday Reflections and Announcements, today, the 28th of September.
This past week end our new Bishop Loya presided over his first annual Episcopal Church in MN (ECMN) Convention. His sermon yesterday is worth listening to—go to ECMN’s webpage or Facebook page where it is posted.
Bishop Loya’s point, overall, is that our church is like a tree that is being challenged by an excruciating storm with health (pandemic), justice (Floyd George) and violence. Indeed, we are living all of our lives in this context.
Bishop Loya then observed that our way forward is to remember that we—you and I—are called to abide with Christ (from the day’s Gospel reading in John) as we live these days: to maintain our practices as we Walk the Way of Love. Each step. Each day.
Mother Teresa reminded us about how to do this when she said: “Our job is not to do great things. Our job is to do small things with Great Love.”
May it be so. God’s peace to you each through this week. —Reverend Barb
Announcements
Thank you again for your on-going support of St Paul’s. As we transition into Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges using online, texting methods, or mailing a check to the office. Information is online at www.stpaulsduluth.org
This past week end our new Bishop Loya presided over his first annual Episcopal Church in MN (ECMN) Convention. His sermon yesterday is worth listening to—go to ECMN’s webpage or Facebook page where it is posted.
Bishop Loya’s point, overall, is that our church is like a tree that is being challenged by an excruciating storm with health (pandemic), justice (Floyd George) and violence. Indeed, we are living all of our lives in this context.
Bishop Loya then observed that our way forward is to remember that we—you and I—are called to abide with Christ (from the day’s Gospel reading in John) as we live these days: to maintain our practices as we Walk the Way of Love. Each step. Each day.
Mother Teresa reminded us about how to do this when she said: “Our job is not to do great things. Our job is to do small things with Great Love.”
May it be so. God’s peace to you each through this week. —Reverend Barb
Announcements
- Reverend Debra Kissinger, our Interim Rector, will join us in November. She is coming from Massachusetts, and there is more information about her arrival in the Messenger this week.
- Next weekend, on Saturday, October 3, we will bless our animals! We celebrate St Francis day as Pet Blessing Day! Between 11:00 am-12:00 noon on Saturday morning, you are invited to bring your precious pets for a drive-by blessing. Bring them, or a picture of them, with you in your car to church on the Superior Street side. Rev. Margaret Thomas and I will be there to bless them.
- You may have noticed the invitation to sign up for chores at church—a time we can be back in the building in very small numbers. This way we can keep the church prepared for our real return (when that can be...). Some of the work will be cleaning up the dust in the Sanctuary from the Bell Tower work…
- The repairs on the Bell Tower continue too, as anticipated and scheduled. During weekdays, workers are removing the grout and mortar from between the stones, in preparation for new material that will keep the water outside.
- 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
- Saturday: 9 am Community Connections
- Sunday: 10 am Service
Thank you again for your on-going support of St Paul’s. As we transition into Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges using online, texting methods, or mailing a check to the office. Information is online at www.stpaulsduluth.org
September 20, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
Good morning—welcome to St. Paul’s Monday Reflections and Announcements.
We have had quite a week since we met last Monday, with some national losses we need to grieve. One is the death of supreme court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The other is that our country has now lost more than 200,000 lives due to COVID 19. Both of these milestones have been marked by our national church.
Our Presiding Bishop made these comments regarding RBG’s death:
“The late John Fitzgerald Kennedy once said, ‘while on earth God’s work must truly be our own.’ The sacred cause of liberty and justice, dignity and equality decreed by God and meant for all has been advanced because while on earth Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made God’s work her own. Because of her the ancient words of the prophet Micah to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God have found fulfillment. May we follow in her footprints. May she rest in the arms of the God who is love and the author of true justice.
Rest in Peace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Shalom. AMEN”
Regarding the deaths that are happening throughout the country, including here in St. Louis County, the Washington National Cathedral has responded as they described in this message:
“As our nation prepares to mark 200,000 lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington National Cathedral will toll its mourning bell 200 times -- once for every 1,000 dead -- on Sunday (Sept. 20) starting at 5 pm ET. We toll this 12-ton bell for every funeral held at the Cathedral. Funerals mourn the loss, but they also celebrate the lives of our loved ones and point us to the hope of resurrection. This gesture cannot replace the lives lost, but we hope it will help each American mourn the toll of this pandemic.
[Let us pray:]‘Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with those who mourn in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’”
As I reflect on these days, I am also aware that we are now passing the Fall Equinox. Let us celebrate these days’ equal light and darkness, and as our light becomes less each day until December, may we sense God’s closeness in the darkness. AMEN
Announcements
We have an Interim Rector: Rev. Debra Kissinger will join us in November. She is coming from Massachusetts and there will be more information about her arrival in The Messenger.
October 3, Saturday, is Pet Blessing Day! We will have a 11:00 am drive-by Blessing for our precious pets. Drive your cars to Superior Street, in front of the church, with your pets—or bring a picture of them along. Rev. Margaret Thomas and I will be there to bless them.
You may have noticed the invitation to sign up for chores at church—a time we can be back in the building, keeping it prepared for our real return (when that can be...). Some of the work will be cleaning up the dust in the Sanctuary from the Bell Tower work.
The repairs on the Bell Tower continue too, as anticipated and scheduled. During weekdays, workers are removing the grout and mortar from between the stones, in preparation for new material that will keep the water outside.
Weekly on-line schedule:
We have had quite a week since we met last Monday, with some national losses we need to grieve. One is the death of supreme court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The other is that our country has now lost more than 200,000 lives due to COVID 19. Both of these milestones have been marked by our national church.
Our Presiding Bishop made these comments regarding RBG’s death:
“The late John Fitzgerald Kennedy once said, ‘while on earth God’s work must truly be our own.’ The sacred cause of liberty and justice, dignity and equality decreed by God and meant for all has been advanced because while on earth Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made God’s work her own. Because of her the ancient words of the prophet Micah to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God have found fulfillment. May we follow in her footprints. May she rest in the arms of the God who is love and the author of true justice.
Rest in Peace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Shalom. AMEN”
Regarding the deaths that are happening throughout the country, including here in St. Louis County, the Washington National Cathedral has responded as they described in this message:
“As our nation prepares to mark 200,000 lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington National Cathedral will toll its mourning bell 200 times -- once for every 1,000 dead -- on Sunday (Sept. 20) starting at 5 pm ET. We toll this 12-ton bell for every funeral held at the Cathedral. Funerals mourn the loss, but they also celebrate the lives of our loved ones and point us to the hope of resurrection. This gesture cannot replace the lives lost, but we hope it will help each American mourn the toll of this pandemic.
[Let us pray:]‘Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with those who mourn in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’”
As I reflect on these days, I am also aware that we are now passing the Fall Equinox. Let us celebrate these days’ equal light and darkness, and as our light becomes less each day until December, may we sense God’s closeness in the darkness. AMEN
Announcements
We have an Interim Rector: Rev. Debra Kissinger will join us in November. She is coming from Massachusetts and there will be more information about her arrival in The Messenger.
October 3, Saturday, is Pet Blessing Day! We will have a 11:00 am drive-by Blessing for our precious pets. Drive your cars to Superior Street, in front of the church, with your pets—or bring a picture of them along. Rev. Margaret Thomas and I will be there to bless them.
You may have noticed the invitation to sign up for chores at church—a time we can be back in the building, keeping it prepared for our real return (when that can be...). Some of the work will be cleaning up the dust in the Sanctuary from the Bell Tower work.
The repairs on the Bell Tower continue too, as anticipated and scheduled. During weekdays, workers are removing the grout and mortar from between the stones, in preparation for new material that will keep the water outside.
Weekly on-line 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 Service
Thank you again for your on-going support of St. Paul’s. As we transition into Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges online, texting or sending a check to the office. Information is online at stpaulsduluth.org
September 14, 2020 Reflection and Announcements
First, some thoughts in prayer and blessing as we all make our September transitions with school and schedule changes. Then, Announcements for the upcoming week… Reverend Barb
Back to School Blessings and Prayers
God of all wisdom, we praise you for gifting us with curiosity and learning. Give to all students, teachers and parents/caregivers a clear sense of your love. May they feel your presence throughout this school year. Guide their choices, their quest for knowledge, and their relationships.
For Students
To those who study, give curiosity, imagination, and patience to wait and work for insight. Fill their learning with joy. Help them to doubt with courage.
For Parents/Caregivers
We confess some days the worries of parenthood are as abundant as the joys. Guide us through the valleys, until we are all brought again to the mountaintop. May we always remember to pray: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference…
For Teachers and Educators
Grant our teachers an abundance of your wisdom. Prepare their hearts to welcome and love. Give them grace in their encounters, courage to face challenges, and strength when they feel weak. When they feel unseen, remind them we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the gifts they share with your children. May they see how their dedication forever impacts generations.
In blessing and with gratitude…AMEN
Announcements
September 14, 2020
First, some thoughts in prayer and blessing as we all make our September transitions with school and schedule changes. Then, Announcements for the upcoming week… Reverend Barb
Back to School Blessings and Prayers
God of all wisdom, we praise you for gifting us with curiosity and learning. Give to all students, teachers and parents/caregivers a clear sense of your love. May they feel your presence throughout this school year. Guide their choices, their quest for knowledge, and their relationships.
For Students
To those who study, give curiosity, imagination, and patience to wait and work for insight. Fill their learning with joy. Help them to doubt with courage.
For Parents/Caregivers
We confess some days the worries of parenthood are as abundant as the joys. Guide us through the valleys, until we are all brought again to the mountaintop. May we always remember to pray: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference…
For Teachers and Educators
Grant our teachers an abundance of your wisdom. Prepare their hearts to welcome and love. Give them grace in their encounters, courage to face challenges, and strength when they feel weak. When they feel unseen, remind them we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the gifts they share with your children. May they see how their dedication forever impacts generations.
In blessing and with gratitude…AMEN
Announcements
September 14, 2020
- Thank you again for your ongoing support of St. Paul’s. As we transition to Fall, please continue your pledges and gifting to St. Paul’s. You can deliver your pledges using online, texting or sending a check to the office. Information is online at stpaulsduluth.org/give
- Our Bell Tower continues its rehabilitation! You will see the scaffolding and its wrap in place when you visit or drive by the church, and our larger parking area is occupied by the contractors. A good time for this to be happening, since we are not using the building yet. There will be more coming about these efforts—our keeping the water out!—in the future, along with information about our Capital Campaign.
- Soon we will be able to announce more about our Interim Rector! In the next week the contracts will be finalized, and we can all know what to expect.
- If you are wanting to be in St. Paul’s again, watch for Buffy’s invitation to do bite-sized tasks, dusting the sanctuary, removing Prayer Books from the pews, and/or helping clean a particular space in the building you miss. We can all come in ones-and-twos to make a difference.
- Are you interested to help with Christian Formation/Sunday School? We are looking for volunteers to work with the children while we cannot be together—finding and promoting materials for the children and their families as they learn about our faith.
- Thanks to Tom Hamilton! Tom has taken on additional tasks recording and editing our online efforts! I personally am very grateful for his skills and energy—in addition to his amazing music efforts, too.
- 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: 10:00 am Service
