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
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+
3
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.
roots in the early days of the Church
of England's history. Historically
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
Rochester, Lincoln, Exeter and Salis-
bury Cathedrals points to the exist-
ence of Vergers even in the twelfth
century.
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
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.
4
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.
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-
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.
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.
Peace,
have enough money to get to the in-
terview.
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.
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
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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.
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
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
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.
Festival on May 4
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
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
will be gratefully accepted.
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
6
each.
less families.
Library notes...
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
Blessing to all!
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.
8
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-
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
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
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-
9
pressure checked regularly and fol-
lowed up with proper evaluation and
treatment as needed.
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.
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
aging the same.
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,
delay:
strength proclaim your praise.
love,
our neighbors.
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.
be available during the summer on
the 4th Sunday of the month from 1
to 4 PM. Come, walk the sacred path.
10
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-
Linda Ward, and Julia Findley for the
set-up and clean-up of our delicious
meals!
ney to Adulthood? Have a teen who
might want to join in? Please contact
Nicole Pridachuk, our J2A coordina-
tor.
[email protected]
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]
WORKSHOP Saturday, May 11th
9:30 a.m. -5:00 p.m.
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
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
will be May 24th from 5-
9pm. Cost is $10/child
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.
Website: StPaulsBellingham.org Email:
[email protected]
The Rev. Charles W. Whitmore, Assisting Priest
Robert Morse, Senior Warden
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
