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Saint Paul’s Messenger Monthly Newsletter from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Bellingham, Washington “Gathered by the Holy Spirit we worship God, and transformed by Christ’s love, we go forth into the world to love and serve with joy.” The appointed Gospel for the Daily Office reading the Monday after the Third Sunday of Easter gave me a re- minder as to what faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead means for Christian living. In the reading from the fourth chapter of Luke, we hear again how Jesus re- turned from a wilderness sojourn after his baptism to his home town of Naza- reth. Attending the synagogue worship, he was given the privilege of reading the Scriptures. He opened to the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and read out loud: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then, he told the congregation that he lived to fulfill those words. Now, in his resurrection state, he shares that ministry with those who have faith in him. That’s us. In the season of Easter we claim the promise of Jesus that the same Spirit that empowered him will empower us. Resurrection life is acting in trust that the resurrected Jesus shares with us the work he laid out for himself when he read out loud from Isaiah. Resurrection faith is not easy, as I’ve been saying from the pulpit. Resur- rection life requires of us transformation; change. It requires us to let go of the control we think we have on life and receive what God wants to give us. What God wants to give us is the ministry of Jesus; which is one of compassion and service; a ministry of resistance to the powers of death that are obviously at work in the world. Now, if you think Resurrection faith is not easy for us, just think about what it’s like for God to entrust to us the message he entrusted to Jesus. Look Volume 28, Number 5 May 2013
Transcript
Page 1: Saint Paul’s Messenger

Saint Paul’s Messenger

Monthly Newsletter from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Bellingham, Washington

“Gathered by the Holy Spirit we worship God, and transformed by Christ’s love, we go forth into the world to love and serve with joy.”

The appointed Gospel for the Daily Office reading the

Monday after the Third Sunday of Easter gave me a re-

minder as to what faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

from the dead means for Christian living.

In the reading from the fourth chapter of Luke, we hear again how Jesus re-

turned from a wilderness sojourn after his baptism to his home town of Naza-

reth. Attending the synagogue worship, he was given the privilege of reading

the Scriptures. He opened to the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and read out loud:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to

preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to

the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those

who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then, he told the congregation that he lived to fulfill those words. Now, in his

resurrection state, he shares that ministry with those who have faith in him.

That’s us.

In the season of Easter we claim the promise of Jesus that the same Spirit

that empowered him will empower us. Resurrection life is acting in trust that

the resurrected Jesus shares with us the work he laid out for himself when he

read out loud from Isaiah.

Resurrection faith is not easy, as I’ve been saying from the pulpit. Resur-

rection life requires of us transformation; change. It requires us to let go of the

control we think we have on life and receive what God wants to give us. What

God wants to give us is the ministry of Jesus; which is one of compassion and

service; a ministry of resistance to the powers of death that are obviously at

work in the world.

Now, if you think Resurrection faith is not easy for us, just think about

what it’s like for God to entrust to us the message he entrusted to Jesus. Look

Volume 28, Number 5 May 2013

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2

what we did to Jesus! Resurrection isn’t easy for God, either! God takes a big

risk!

Resurrection life is described in the rite for Holy Baptism, in which we are

united with Christ’s life.

In Baptism, we promise to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellow-

ship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers. This is like Jesus, who in his

earthly life attended carefully to worship and teaching in the community of the

synagogue.

In Baptism, we promise to resist evil and turn to God. This also is like Je-

sus, who carved out time in his life for silence and presence to God.

In Baptism, we promise to proclaim by word and example the Good News

of God in Christ. This also is like Jesus, who proclaimed Good News no mat-

ter what the circumstance.

In Baptism, we promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our

neighbor as ourself. This is like Jesus, who did that.

In Baptism, we promise to strive for justice and peace among all people,

and to respect the dignity of every human being. This also is like Jesus, who

did that.

The Resurrected Jesus is in continuity with the Jesus the disciples knew

during the time before the crucifixion. His message is the same, and it is the

message he laid out in the synagogue in Nazareth that day.

Now Jesus entrusts that message to us. That’s a big stretch.

Try it out. Read the passage from Isaiah that Jesus read in the synagogue

that day in Nazareth. This time when you read the word “me”, put yourself

there.

That’s what Jesus is asking of us in his Resurrected glory.

— Jonathan+

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3

St. Paul’s purse…

The following is provided to up-

date you on the status of the finances

at St. Paul’s Church. If you have

questions about our finances, please

feel free to contact any of the finance

committee members.

Operating Statement 1/1/13—3/31/13

Operating Revenue: Stewardship $146,070.61

Supplemental Gift -

Plate and Holiday 10,391.85

Endowment 14,670.51

Other Revenue 5,077.98

Total Operating Income $176,210.95

Operating Expenses: Assessment $23,963.13

Clergy Pay. & Benefits 39,916.68

Staff Payroll & Benefits 50,190.56

Admin./Operating Exp. 10,183.67

Physical Plant Expenses 27,199.60

Outreach 1,560.00

Program Support 2,063.27

Total Operating Expenses $155,076.91

Operating Balance $21,134.04

The Verger

The Office of the Verger has its

roots in the early days of the Church

of England's history. Historically

Vergers were responsible for the or-

der and upkeep of the house of wor-

ship, including the care of the church

buildings, its furnishings, and sacred

relics, preparations for liturgy, con-

duct of the laity, and grave-digging

responsibilities. Although there is no

definitive historical examination of

the Office of Verger, evidence from

Rochester, Lincoln, Exeter and Salis-

bury Cathedrals points to the exist-

ence of Vergers even in the twelfth

century.

During the service itself, a ver-

ger's main duty is ceremonially to

precede the religious participants as

they move about the church; he or she

does not typically take any speaking

part in the service itself. It could be

argued that a verger's main pride dur-

ing a service lies in his or her incon-

spicuousness; vergers often play a

very prominent role "behind the

scenes" — helping to plan the logisti-

cal details of service

The office's title comes from the

ceremonial rod which a verger car-

ries, a virge (from the Latin virga,

branch, staff or rod.). The Maces of

State used in the House of Lords and

the House of Commons of the British

Parliament are examples of another

modern use of the medieval virge. In

former times, a verger might have

needed to use his virge to keep back

animals or an overenthusiastic crowd

from the personage he was escorting

or even to discipline unruly choris-

ters.

Page 4: Saint Paul’s Messenger

4

Dear St. Paul's family,

This will be my last time to write

to you as your seminarian, and what a

wonderful journey this has been! I

am currently in the process of tying

up the last of the loose ends before

graduation and working through all

the details of moving across the coun-

try one more time. My seminary

graduation will be on May 14 in Aus-

tin - and of course you're all invited! -

and I will be leaving here for Seattle

around May 20.

The next major step is my ordina-

tion to the priesthood, which is sched-

uled for June 13 at 7:00 PM at St.

Mark's in Seattle. After that, I will be

starting my job as a curate at St.

Mark's on the second week in Ju-

ly. Our family is very excited - both

for the move and for the new commu-

nity we will be joining.

It is difficult to describe the mix

of emotions we are all experiencing

as we approach this tremendous life

transition. We have really enjoyed

the seminary community and the great

personal formation (even transfor-

mation) we have experienced during

our time here. It's hard to believe it

has already been three years! It will

be hard to say goodbye to all of the

friends and happy places and memo-

ries here in Austin. That being said: I

can't wait to come back to the North-

west! I miss the rain and the moun-

tains. We look forward to being clos-

er to all of you again and all the won-

derful new experiences the future

holds.

Thank you all for supporting me

and my family through semi-

nary. Our life is different because of

this experience, and I appreciate the

role that St. Paul's has played. You

have been a great community to be a

part of and to receive support from -

what a blessing! I hope that you are

able to continue this ministry into the

future.

I can't wait to see you all next month!

Peace,

Michael Carroccino

Alms Stories:

He'd heard of a job, but didn't

have enough money to get to the in-

terview.

She needed to pick up her Medi-

caid prescription, but didn't have

money to get to the pharmacy.

He'd been given free glasses, but

didn't have money to get back to the

optometrist.

She just got an apartment, but she

now needed transportation to her job.

The family had been sleeping in

their car for a week. While the chil-

dren went to school, the parents dealt

with the errands of being homeless.

They had many appointments with

social service agencies as they strug-

gled to get food stamps, to get on a

housing list, and as they searched for

work. They came to Alms because

Page 5: Saint Paul’s Messenger

5

they needed gas. That vehicle was

their home, as well as their transporta-

tion. A small check and a list of re-

sources like First Baptist, Assumption

Catholic, St. Vincent de Paul, and

Love INC helped get the family to

their next step.

Thanks to St. Paul's Alms Minis-

try--and with your support--each of

these people was given a monthly bus

pass or a little bit of gas… no major

heroics but a small gift to make

change happen. Thank you.

Each Tuesday morning, Maple

Alley Café provides a filling, deli-

cious brunch in a pleasant, hospitable

atmosphere. Music from the piano,

flowers on the tables, resources in

binders, and friendly volunteers make

the day bright. Alms clients, neigh-

bors, and those who have heard about

Opportunity Council's Maple Alley

meals come for the morning.

Hope House Glimpses: St. Paul's has been a sturdy sup-

porter in both "stuff" and in volunteer

hours for HH. The Chancel Guild's

rummage sales provide shoes, dishes,

bedding and towels, clothing and mis-

cellaneous items. Weekly, the HH

box in the foyer is filled with diapers,

canned foods, and household items

like spatulas or pans, coats, and cloth-

ing. St. Paul's people share shifts on

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from

9 to 11 and on Friday from 1 to 6.

They are helping at the front desk and

intake, sorting and organizing the do-

nations, and distributing baby items

and household necessities, such as

toilet paper and dish detergent. Thank

you for being part of this community

service.

You’re Invited to the Interfaith Coalition Choir

Festival on May 4

Enjoy a concert of spiritual music

by attending the Interfaith Coalition

Choir Festival on Saturday, May 4 at

1:00 PM at Assumption Catholic

Church, 2116 Cornwall Ave. in Bel-

lingham. Individual performances by

ten church choirs will culminate in the

performance of two compositions by a

combined choir of over 200 voices.

Each year, the Interfaith Coalition

choir festival offers an opportunity for

singers and audience alike to rejoice

in the voices of our many faith tradi-

tions. An offering to benefit Interfaith

Coalition programs, which provide

homes, healthcare and shelter for all,

will be gratefully accepted.

Laura DeRose Harker

Executive Director

Interfaith Coalition

Mt. Baker Toppers Concert to Benefit Interfaith Coalition

The Mount Baker Toppers, a

men's a cappella chorus, will perform

a concert to benefit Interfaith Coali-

tion’s homeless housing program on

Tuesday, May 21 at 7 pm. at First

Christian Church, 495 E. Bakerview

Road in Bellingham. Following the

lively concert of popular, barbershop

and gospel music, enjoy homemade

pie and an ice cream social. First

Christian Church is sponsoring this

benefit. Tickets are available at the

door for donations starting at $5.00

Page 6: Saint Paul’s Messenger

6

each.

Proceeds support Interfaith Coali-

tion’s emergency housing for home-

less families.

Library notes...

Happy Spring! I have been pa-

tiently waiting for spring to arrive.

The telltale signs were starting in

March and somehow April was so

blustery, I didn’t think we would ever

get to the beautiful flowering trees,

the tulips and daffodils popping out,

and the robins running about. But, we

made it!

I will be out of town for a few

weeks during May, but the library will

be buzzing along with Bea Walton

manning the librarian’s desk.

Have you noticed that three-

fourths of the library now have labels

on the spines of the books for easy

location? This enormous project is

one that Bea has been working on for

a year. Thanks Bea!

May and June will see a major

movement of books into circulation.

Over 100 new books will be on the

shelves. That in and of itself is a ma-

jor project. Most of these books are

from the kind and generous donations

of fellow parishioners.

The books cover Fiction; Theolo-

gy; Biblical Commentary; History; or

every category in our library! The

children’s library is set to grow too!

Obviously, with this number of books

about to be put into circulation, I can’t

list them all here… the only way to

introduce these books is to invite you

to visit and see all of these books

yourself!!!! THIS IS AN AMAZING

COLLECTION and I am so excited

to share all of them with you.

The library has purchased a few

copies of Proof of Heaven for the

Workshop scheduled by Jack Gor-

such. Reservations are on a first

come, first served basis. Because of

the brevity of the book, it is important

that a TWO WEEK check-out be al-

lotted for each person. Please kindly

follow this schedule. FYI: The book

is available at Barnes and Noble for

approximately $10.00 per copy for

members.

Beginning in June, our Video

Library will be ready for check out.

This will include family videos, plus

DVD format programs from The

Great Courses, by The Teaching

Company. Many thanks to Gary and

Elizabeth Young for purchasing re-

placements for our outdated VCR

programs. We have diligently been

working to get these programs into

our library. It is only through the

generosity and thoughtful plan by

Gary, that these programs will now

be available.

Watch for more news in June!

I continue to be amazed how peo-

ple manage to find the library. When

they do, Parishioners are surprised

with the number of books on the

shelves. We have just passed the

5,000 mark! Enjoy!

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Blessing to all!

Diane Moore, Parish Librarian

Page 7: Saint Paul’s Messenger

7

A book that has been creating great interest is Proof of Heaven, by Eben Alexander, MD. Dr. Alexander, a neurosurgeon (and an Episcopalian by the way), had a near-death experience. In spite of the fact his neo-cortex wasn’t functioning and he was in a coma for seven days, he re-membered his experience of life after death while in the coma. He also saw we are one with larger consciousness - rather than consciousness just being a product of the brain as so many think today. Our great mystics have been saying this for centuries and it has huge implications for our spiritual journeys. For four Wednesdays, May 15 – June 5 Fr. Jack Gorsuch is hosting a

group to discuss Dr. Alexander’s book. It’s limited to fourteen people. This class is full and there is a waiting list. Interest for a second group may evolve up ahead (maybe fall?) You can get on the list by calling the parish office, 733 -2890. Required: read the book, bring your impressions and questions (it’s a discussion group), attend the sessions.

Fr. Gorsuch was rector of Epiphany, Seattle, then trained as a spiritual di-

rector and founded with Beverly the Center for Spiritual Development in Seat-

tle. They wrote a book, An invitation to the Spiritual Journey, and later lived

in an East-West community for eight years to deepen their spiritual awareness.

They are retired, living in Bellingham.

Page 8: Saint Paul’s Messenger

8

Thank you for supporting In-terfaith Coalition

Thank you for your congregation-

al participation in the Interfaith Coa-

lition 2013 Auction of Hope, held on

March 23. Our member congregations

always amaze us with their creativity

and generosity in creating their con-

gregational gifts. This annual auction

raised a record amount to support

homes, healthcare and shelter for all

of our neighbors in need.

Congregational gifts are tradition-

ally some of the most popular items I

our silent and live auctions. 2013 was

no exception. We appreciated your

congregational gift of children’s

books and a garden gift basket. It was

clear that your congregation put much

effort in creating a gift that would ap-

peal to our supporters. Thank you.

The congregational support of the

auction is inspiring. From donating

gifts, to volunteering, to attending,

you, our member congregations are

the backbone of the annual Interfaith

Coalition Hope Auction. Thank you

for coming together for our most vul-

nerable neighbors. Thank you for the

gift of hope.

Laura DeRose Harker

Executive Director

Interfaith Coalition

From our parish nurses

THE ABCs OF HEART HEALTH

The CDC is introducing the Mil-

lion Hearts initiative this year.

Their goal is to prevent a million

heart attacks and strokes over the

next five years. Here are their ABCs

to help keep you healthy.

A: Stands for taking a daily aspirin.

Right now only 47% of the people in

the U.S. who should be doing this are

doing it. It’s definitely beneficial if

you’ve already had a heart attack or

stroke. For people at low risk, it’s not

clear that there is a benefit. To find

your risk score look up million-

hearts.hhs.gov

B: Know your blood pressure and

get it under control. 67 million Amer-

icans have high blood pressure and

most of them don’t have it under con-

trol. A lot of them don’t even know

they have it. For most people, treat-

ing high blood pressure means taking

multiple medications every day for

the rest of their lives. To do this, you

need access to consistent medical care

and the means to buy the medica-

Page 9: Saint Paul’s Messenger

9

tions. You should have your blood

pressure checked regularly and fol-

lowed up with proper evaluation and

treatment as needed.

C: Stands for cholesterol. Anyone

who has had a heart attack or stroke

should have cholesterol well within

the healthy range. If it’s not, diet and

exercise can help, but most people

will find it difficult to get cholesterol

within the normal range without tak-

ing statins.

S: Stands for quitting smoking. The

adult smoking rate in the U.S. overall

is about 20%. But it’s still going

down in California and N.Y., which

continue to invest in tobacco control

by making public places smoke-free,

increasing the price of tobacco, and

running hard-hitting antismoking

messages. Washington is also encour-

aging the same.

Also two very important dietary

changes you can do are :

Reduce sodium intake. One way is to

cook for yourself using less salt. And

check food labels for “hidden”

sources of salt. Government and in-

dustry can still do a lot more to re-

duce sodium in the food supply.

Reduce the consumption of artificial

trans fat in processed foods, because

it increases bad cholesterol and reduc-

es good cholesterol. Trans fat is still

present in many food items, unfortu-

nately, including many that are la-

beled as having 0 grams, because the

government allows that label for

foods with less than half a gram per

serving. (adapted from Consumer Reports on

Health, Vol. 24, Number 12)

F i n a l Ta i z é P r a y e r o f t h e S e a s o n

May 26 at 5 p.m.

Our final Taizé Prayer until next

September will be based on a Pente-

cost theme “Come, Holy Spirit, Com-

forter”. In our increasingly violent

world we need the presence of God

more than ever. The Holy Spirit is

God within and among us, empower-

ing, prompting, warning, and com-

forting. The “Hymn For Terce” at-

tributed to St. Ambrose gives expres-

sion to the yearning of our hearts:

Holy Spirit,

Come upon us in this hour without

delay:

Pour out your graces on our souls.

Let tongue and soul and mind and

strength proclaim your praise.

Set our love aflame by the fire of your

love,

And may its warmth enkindle love in

our neighbors.

Empower us with your presence

In the name of Christ. Amen. (Adapted

by Dwight W. Vogel, OSL)

St. Paul’s Taizé Prayers are pre-

sented as a love gift to the communi-

ty and are an excellent means of spir-

itual formation for both those who are

seeking a spirituality as well as per-

sons who are mature in the faith. The

prayers have also become for some a

doorway into St. Paul’s. Our prayers

have been blessed by excellent musi-

cal leadership including choir mem-

bers and instrumentalists.

The Labyrinth will continue to

be available during the summer on

the 4th Sunday of the month from 1

to 4 PM. Come, walk the sacred path.

Page 10: Saint Paul’s Messenger

10

Youth News!

On Saturday, April 13, we had a

wonderful workshop and training for

Journey to Adulthood. Led by Heidi

Clark of Leader Resources, we spent

the day learning about the complete

program: from Junior High (Rite-13),

through the early years of high school

(J2A), all the way through the later

high school years (YAC). Heidi

shared her insights and gave us many

laughs. The event was well-attended,

with attendees coming from five dif-

ferent Northwest Washington Parish-

es. Special thanks to Laurel Cook,

Linda Ward, and Julia Findley for the

set-up and clean-up of our delicious

meals!

Have any questions about Jour-

ney to Adulthood? Have a teen who

might want to join in? Please contact

Nicole Pridachuk, our J2A coordina-

tor. [email protected]

Sunday School Volunteers needed

It’s that time of year again! I’m

looking for people who are interested

in volunteering to teach Sunday

School next school year. We ask for a

one year commitment of teaching, at

least, once per month. Training is

provided this summer. If you are in-

terested in being a part of this team,

please contact Lindsay at Lind-

[email protected]

An Introduction to Godly Play

WORKSHOP Saturday, May 11th

9:30 a.m. -5:00 p.m.

You’ve heard the words “Godly

Play” around this building a lot. But,

do you know what Godly Play is?

Join us for an introductory workshop

to learn about this beloved and amaz-

ing program for our children. The

morning will include an opportunity

to experience, first hand, what Godly

Play has to offer. And the afternoon

will include a series of workshops,

including doorperson training for

teens, a look at what “spiral curricu-

lum” is and how it works in Godly

Play, and a chance to go deeper in

your understanding of what Godly

Play is. Please fill out a registration

form that is included in the infor-

mation brochure to reserve your

space. Reservation forms are availa-

ble on the website. This workshop is

FREE for members of St. Paul’s.

Parent’s Night Out

Our next Parents Night out

will be May 24th from 5-

9pm. Cost is $10/child

with pizza or $5/child with-

out pizza. Enjoy a night out (or in)

without the kids! Email Lindsay to

reserve your space. Lind-

[email protected]

Cartridges for Kids (CFK) This is just a reminder to bring in your

used printer ink cartridges. CFK recy-

cles these cartridges and sends St.

Paul's money that benefits our chil-

dren and youth programs. There is a

collection box in the Great Hall.

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 2117 Walnut Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 (360) 733-2890

Website: StPaulsBellingham.org Email: [email protected]

The Rev. Jonathan Weldon, Rector

The Rev. Charles W. Whitmore, Assisting Priest

Robert Morse, Senior Warden

Joanne Clark, People’s Warden Todd Foster, Parish Administrator

Brad Howard, Parish Warden Wade Dingman, Music Director

Jim Beckwith, Treasurer Sharon Casey, Parish Secretary

Diane Moore, Librarian Lindsay Knight, Education Director

Bea Walton, Library Assistant Rocky Champagne, Facilities Manager

Bev Baldwin, “Messenger” Editor Alex/Svetlania Polishchuk, Housekeeping

Clip this out or make yourself a note!

St. Paul’s has NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES!

Church office: [email protected] Fr. Jonathan Weldon: [email protected] Fr. Chuck Whitmore: [email protected] Wade Dingman: [email protected] Lindsay Knight: [email protected] Newsletter/Messenger: [email protected] Website: [email protected] Facility/Operations Manager, Todd Foster:

Save these dates! July 22 to 26! Vacation Bible School

9 AM to Noon. Look for more details in your Sunday bulletins and next month’s Messenger.

DEADLINE for the combined JUNE/JULY issue of St. Paul’s Messenger

will be Noon on Monday, May 20th. Please remember to use the above


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