St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

The Epistle

May, 2017

Love God. Love others. Help others love God.

We welcome you to join us on our journey as we strive to share the love of Jesus through worship, Christian education, fellowship and service to each

other and the community beyond our walls.

From Your Rector

Marion Wright Edelman wrote: “We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily difference we can make which, over time, adds up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.” “What a difference a day makes” is a phrase we hear all too often. But how true it is! All too often we react in the moment instead of giving ourselves time to process and evaluate. We jump to conclusions all too quickly. Many times we overlook the daily routine of our lives and miss quiet and subtle ways that God and others speak to us. Scripture reminds us that God speaks in the silence. In reality, I think He speaks in all of creation: the wind, the snow, the rain, and the sunshine. This time, from Easter to Pentecost, gives us 50 days to contemplate the mystery of the resurrection… time to celebrate new life, to see creation come alive and be revived through the season of spring. We live outside the tomb in the light of the day and of Christ. We take time to contemplate those mighty acts that our God has accomplished and know that sin and death no longer have power over us. May we notice the little things around us. May we sharpen our senses to realize that what a difference we can make by just those little things that we sometimes take advantage of and really don’t give much thought. Stop, smell the coffee. Stop, smell the roses. Just stop and be aware of this time in your life where God is active and alive, renewing and re-creating. May the Lord bless our daily efforts to find Him in the small differences we can make.

Fr. John+

A BIG THANK YOU to all those who made palm crosses for Palm Sunday: Eunice Barton, Bea VanNess, Melissa Moon, Janet Manchester, Deborah Wirag, Barbara

Becker, Mary Gilfoyle, Patricia Wallace, Jack and Jennifer Westermann, Connie Hess, Scotty Race and Lorraine Jones.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Marley Cohen for her long years of service to the choir. Marley has been singing in our choir since she was 10 years old! It will be a real

asset having her voice in the pews to help lead the congregation in song.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Jackie Reece for all the years she organized the church picnic. A great big THANK YOU to all who provided the delicious meals for our recent Lenten program: Susette, Kristin and Meghan Walton, Barb and Bruce Dailey, Jennifer S.

Westermann and Jane Parker, Eunice Barton and Judy Shannon, Sandy and Dick Schwab.

Thank you once again to Lynn and Bill Freeman for hosting the April Movin’ On lunch along with their helpers, Jane Parker, Sue Jones, and Jennifer Westermann. Everything

was perfect!

Thank you to our dedicated Sunday School staff for their hard work and generous commitment of their time to our students this year: John Swavola, Lynne Jones, Ann

Supa, Zach Manchester, and Jack and Jennifer Westermann. Thank you also to Kelly Parker-Seeley for acting as a substitute teacher throughout the year for all the classes.

Thank you to all who participated in the reading of the Passion for Palm Sunday and the Stations of the Cross for Good Friday. We appreciate your participation.

It was a Maundy Thursday to remember as we gathered for a service, shared a meal with one another, and gathered for Eucharist and the stripping of the altar. Thank you to all

who participated by sharing your food and presence that evening. Thank you also to Linda Littell and Dolly Chergosky for the Gethsemane Watch coordination.

Thank you to all those who helped behind the scenes for our Easter Sunday liturgies, to Dick Schwab for the flower boxes, to those who decorated the altar, and the Altar Guild.

A note of thanks to the Liturgical Ministers, Paula and the Choirs, the Acolytes, and the Ushers for all their presence and ministry during our Easter Services.

Stewardship Thought

It is a wonderful day for the church of Jesus Christ as the faithful members of his congregation gather to worship Him on the day of His resurrection throughout the world. The message of His triumph over death and Good Friday are being told. I am thankful that God has brought us together at St. Paul’s to rejoice and praise Jesus and to share in His Holy Eucharist. We offer ourselves throughout this Easter Season--our time, our abilities, our funds and our prayers--for the telling of the story, so that through we at St. Paul’s and others throughout the world, Jesus will be made known. Thank you!

Fr. John+

Rector’s Forum for May

During the month of May the Rector’s Forum will cover a variety of topics led by a variety of people. The Forum dates will be:

• May 7 - No Forum due to Cottage Visit

• May 14

• May 21 – Last Forum until the Fall

Lectio Divina 7:00 P.M., Gould Chapel

Lectio Divina will meet on Mondays, May 1st and May 15th at 7:00 PM in the Gould Chapel at St. Paul’s. Lectio Divina is a meditative way of looking at Scripture. No reservations or notification needed; just come! Speak with Fr. John if you have any questions.

In appreciation for all the prayers, help and love that you, my Church family, has shown me these last three years. It has given me comfort and strength in taking care of my husband, John Perestam. Linda Littell

Flower Memorials

5/7 available

5/14 The flowers on the altar this week are in thanksgiving for the 45th Wedding Anniversary of Harold and Ingrid Elliott. Happy Anniversary, Harold and Ingrid!!!

The flowers on the altar this week are also in loving memory of Elaine Rozina from her daughter and son-in-law, Beth and Cliff VanDervort.

5/21 available 5/28 available

Sanctuary Candle Memorials

5/7 The Sanctuary Candle burns this week in loving memory of George Schwab, father of Dick Schwab.

5/14 The Sanctuary Candle burns this week in loving memory of John Perestam from Anne Marie Kuzma.

5/21 The Sanctuary Candle burns this week in loving memory of Lindsey Schwab,

niece of Dick Schwab.

5/28 The Sanctuary Candle burns this week in loving memory of John Perestam from his loving wife, Linda Littell.

Note: Please call the office (748-8118) any time during the month if you would like to designate the altar flowers or candles in memory of a loved one, to recognize a special event or simply in thanksgiving for God’s many blessings. Forms are in the back of the church. Dates may be shared.

Prayers for Our Ministries

Each week a different ministry area of St. Paul’s is featured in the bulletin to highlight, encourage involvement and give thanks for the people who make it happen. During the month of May we pray for the following ministries:

May

5/7 Welcoming Ministry 5/21 Worship Committee 5/14 Women of the Church 5/28 Acolytes

Cottage Visits

If you have not yet received your invitation for the Cottage Visit, please let Jennifer Westermann know. If you are unable to attend the visit that you were invited to, please come to the last one that is planned at the church on June 4th at 11:00 a.m. No RSVP necessary; just come! These are small group gatherings consisting of coffee or tea, dessert and conversation with me. The vestry and members of the congregation will be our hosts for these visits. It will be a great time to renew friendships, meet some new people and have conversations about our life and ministry together. The gatherings are informal and will begin with prayer, then conversation and we will share some food. Our topic of conversation will be based on our mutual ministry together, what is working, what are our challenges and where can we improve upon our ministry together. It is always good to examine our life together and look towards the future and in what direction we plan to move in on our journey of faith.

Fr. John +

Movin’ On Luncheon Monday, May 8th, Noon

The Movin’ On Lunch will be held on the 2nd Monday of May. The theme for the day will be a summer picnic. All widows and widowers are invited to share in this time of food and fellowship at noon in Fellowship Hall.

CHOW

The CHOW Pantry is in need of chunky soups, peanut butter, instant potatoes, and canned fruit. The dates for Broome County Health Department Food and Safety classes are posted on the CHOW Pantry door. If you have large or small storage containers (totes) that you no longer need, please consider donating them to St. Paul’s. Thank you.

Help Needed!!! The Oakdale Mall held a “Canstruction” which is an international hunger-relief competition where architects, engineers, and contractors competed to design giant structures made entirely from full cans of food. At the close of the competition, food will get donated to the CHOW Food Bank of the Southern Tier. The CHOW Warehouse has generously offered us the opportunity to pick up some of these canned goods to supply our CHOW Pantry here at St. Paul’s. This will be on Tuesday, May 2nd. Please see me if you would be available help transport some canned goods. It should only take a half hour of your time and would be greatly appreciated! Mary Cermak

Women of the Church News

May will be a busy month, and will kick off with the spring rummage sale on May 6th. The schedule for the sale is as follows:

o Set up tables: April 29th, 2:00 pm o Move rummage to undercroft: April 30th o Sort and organize rummage: May 1st through 3rd o Drop off baked good for sale: May 4th and 5th o Package up goods for bake sale: May 5th o Rummage sale: May 6th, 9 am to 2 pm; bag sale from 11 am to 2 pm; o Packing and clean-up following sale

Please see Eunice Barton with any questions or to offer assistance. We still can use more help with the heavy work of carrying packed bags upstairs after the sale to be hauled away as well as help with putting away tables, shelves, and display racks and returning the undercroft to its normal appearance following the sale. Normally we hold a business meeting in May to disburse funds from the rummage sale, and we shall view options for when this will be feasible.

Our next sleeping bag workshop will be on Thursday, May 11th at 1:00 pm. We are getting faster and possibly we can complete two bags this time.

I am currently in discussion with Saweeba Athar regarding the Muslim ladies joining us for a pot luck lunch in May. We have this narrowed down to either Wednesday May 10th or Wednesday, May 17th. This will be held at St. Paul’s and will afford us all the opportunity to get together and learn more of each other. We all enjoyed so much the time spent together during Lent and look forward to continuing this relationship. I will notify you all as soon as the exact date is set.

Finally, it is hard to believe that the seasonal wrap is nearing with the approach of summer, so we will be looking to hold our annual WoC picnic on June 7th. I am more than willing to host it at my home again; however, I am open to the ideas of the group. Please let me know your thoughts.

If you are not receiving my emails, please see me or email it to me at sanjrussel@epix.net. Sandy Schwab, Chair

Visit to the Mosque Sunday, May 14th at 6PM

If you attended the Lenten Program, you were able to meet Dr. Shah and members of the Muslim congregation. They have invited us to visit their mosque on Sunday, May 14th at 6 PM for dinner and a short program. I hope that many of you will attend. I need to give them a number of attendees. There is a sign-up sheet in the back of church to indicate your attendance. Please sign up by Sunday, May 7th. The

Mosque is located at the junction of Route 26 and Sheedy Road – 10 Sheedy Road, Vestal. Father John+

It is Merry Mowing Time!

The sun is shining (sometimes) and the rain is raining (often!) resulting in the grass growing! Mowers are needed to keep the grounds neat and tidy. A self-propelled mower is in the shed; a calendar sign-up sheet is on the table in the back of the church. If it is convenient for your schedule, the ideal mowing days are Thursday through Saturday so the lawn looks nice for Sunday.

Christian Education Needs

It is with sadness and regret that Lynne Jones will not be coming back in the fall to teach Sunday School. She has enjoyed her years with the program immensely as her students are a joy. This means we now have an opening for a teacher for the “Middle Class”. It is a small group of about six 9 and 10 year olds who will give you their full attention and enthusiasm. If you feel a call to this ministry, please speak with either Fr. John or myself. The curriculum is provided for you.

Note: The last day of Sunday School for the 2016-2017 school year will be on Sunday,

May 21st. Classes will resume in the fall. Jennifer S. Westermann

Christian Education Chair

Rummage Sale May 6th

Help is needed carrying heavy packed bags upstairs after the Rummage Sale on May 6th.

Picnic Coordinator Needed Sunday, June 11

We are in need of a parish picnic coordinator this year. It is not a difficult job as it is a one-day event. Most of the job entails collecting items from the church kitchen (table cloths, plates, utensils, condiments, etc.) and transporting them to the park. If this seems like a ministry you would like to take on, please see Fr. John.

MAY 5/2 Juanita Evanek 5/16 Lynn Freeman 5/3 Harold Elliott 5/19 Connie Hess 5/5 Harland Payne 5/20 Nadine Maruca Rebecca Shoemaker 5/23 Judy Finlayson 5/7 Patricia Wallace Barbara Becker 5/8 Kristin Walton 5/26 Valerie Fineout 5/12 Patricia Maxim 5/27 Tammie Mangano 5/13 Verona Kidder Lynne Jones 5/14 Mary Buffum 5/31 Lisa Besemer Thomas Maxim

MAY 5/2 Bill and Lynn Freeman 5/16 Tim and Elaine Yacovoni 5/5 Cliff and Beth VanDervort 5/18 Harold and Ingrid Elliott 5/8 Sarah Evans and Michelle Wolf 5/24 Bob and Patricia Maxim 5/11 Bob and Connie Hess

Are you a May birthday or anniversary but you don’t see your name here? Please let the office know so we can update our records! We don’t want to miss anyone!

Endwell League of Community Action (ELOCA) Tuesday, May 2nd – 7 to 10 PM

ELOCA is a non-profit organization that contributes to many charities in our area, including the American Cancer Society, CHOW, Mom’s House and many more. On May 2nd, they will be hosting a card party from 7 to 10 p.m. at Kalurah Shrine Center, 625 Dickson Street in Endicott. The cost is $5.00. Please bring your favorite card game or board game to play. There will be door prizes, theme basket raffles and a 50/50 drawing at the end of the evening. There also will be a homemade dessert table to delight your appetite. Gather up your friends and join us for a fun evening! All proceeds are donated to various local community projects.

Mom’s House Pizza Take-Out Sales Wednesday, May 3rd

Want to order a pizza to go? Call Cortese Restaurant at 117 Robinson Street in Binghamton between 11:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Or, you can call Bud’s Place at 4740 Route 434 in Apalachin between 4:00 and 10:00 p.m. Come support Mom’s House!

Conti Jewelers Fundraiser Saturday, May 6th, 10AM to 5PM

Come purchase some jewelry for Mother’s Day, a loved one, or for yourself at Conti’s Jewelers, 532 Hooper Road, Endwell. 20% of all sales will benefit Mom’s House. (Excludes loose diamonds and engagement rings).

Mothers’ Day Tutu Run (2.2 miles) Sunday, May 14th at 11AM

Come to the Mothers’ Day Tutu Run at 11:00 a.m. at the Vestal Rail Trail. Register online at thetuturun.eventbrite.com. Proceeds benefit Mom’s House.

May Liturgical Ministers Schedule

May 7 8:00 AM 10:00 AM

Lay Assistant Jane Parker Karen Cahill

1st Reading Barb Dailey

2nd Reading Mary Cermak Carl Kinne

Chalice Richard Parker Eunice Barton

Readings Acts 2:42-47 1 Peter 2:19-25

May 14 8:00 AM 10:00 AM

Lay Assistant Jack Westermann Sue Jones

1st Reading Youth 1

2nd Reading Garvin Alexander Youth 2

Chalice Luther Chergosky Steve Koerts

Readings Acts 7:55-60 1 Peter 2:2-10

May 21 8:00 AM 10:00 AM

Lay Assistant Mary Cermak Jim Buffum

1st Reading Sue Pettit

2nd Reading Jane Parker Bob Pettit

Chalice Chip Kinne Jim Garceau

Readings Acts 17:22-31 1 Peter 3:13-22

May 28 8:00 AM 10:00 AM

Lay Assistant Jennifer Westermann Ruthie Koerts

1st Reading Georgia Wilber

2nd Reading Dolly Chergosky Judy Shannon

Chalice Jack Westermann Barb Dailey

Readings Acts 1:6-14 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11

Note: If you are unable to serve on a given week, please try to find a substitute. Luther Chergosky is available as a substitute Lay Assistant for 8:00 services. If you need a phone number, please call the office at 748-8118. Copies of our church directory are available as well for your convenience.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Vestry Minutes, April 4, 2017 To love God, Love others, Help Others to love God

Rector: Fr. John R. Martinichio

Wardens: Bruce Dailey, Jennifer S. Westermann

Vestry:

Eunice Barton Lynda Helmer Ruthie Koerts

Karen Cahill Marge Johns Robert Pettit

Duncan Finlayson (A) Chip Kinne Richard Schwab

Treasurer: Jack Westermann

Guest: Fr. Bill Lutz

Fr. John opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. with a prayer, The Cross of Christ from the book The

Wideness of God’s Mercy.

Fr. Bill was introduced and entertained questions from the vestry.

Note: The March vestry meeting was cancelled due to Winter Storm Stella.

February Minutes - Motion made by Chip Kinne with second from Karen Cahill to accept the

February minutes as presented.

Financial Reports

Bob Pettit:

• Gould Report – the Gould fund balance as of March 31 is undefined as the monthly

report generally does not arrive until the 8th of each month. Bob ventured the guess that

the gain would cover the monthly withdrawal.

• Income – Bob expects pledges will level out.

• Expenses – Currently we are $4,283 ahead on income vs. expenses.

Jack:

• Balance Sheet – Closed month with $24,199.15 in checking account.

• Other Accounts – $13,500 of the above is restricted to other uses such as

Flowers/Candles, CHOW/CHAP, and Memorials leaving $10,699.15 for payroll and

operating expenses.

• March Treasurer’s Report – things tracking pretty well

Fr. John noted that an anonymous donor contributed just over $10,000 to go toward the stained

glass window project and the shadow box construction for the window from the synagogue.

Motion made by Lynda Helmer with second from Eunice Barton to accept the financial reports

as presented. Motion carried unanimously.

Consent Agenda

• Diocesan Convention Jennifer, Dolly, Lynda. Alternates for 2017, Karen, Eunice and

Ruthie: – Motion made by Jennifer S. Westermann with second from Lynda Helmer to

name Karen Cahill, Eunice Barton and Ruthie Koerts as alternates for the 2017 Diocesan

Convention.

• Gould Grants: Motion made by Bob Pettit with second from Bruce Dailey to approve the

Gould grants as presented. (see attached applications). Motion carried unanimously.

• Cottage Meeting: Fr. John reported on the results of the first cottage meeting, held on

Tuesday, April 4, 2017. There were seven in attendance and they had a fruitful

conversation.

Items for Discussion – Rector’s Report

• Maundy Thursday: – Potluck supper at 5:30 p.m. with simplified Passover downstairs,

move upstairs for Eucharist and stripping of altar then Gethsemane Watch in Gould

Chapel.

• Property Committee meeting tonight after vestry, Social Committee: - after church this

Sunday

• Palm Cross making this Thursday at 4:00: –

• United Way report: Fr. John distributed report compiled by United Way from its

neighborhood meetings from 2013-2016.

Items for Discussion – Wardens’ Report

• Thank you notes – Bruce Dailey shared thank you notes for Gould grants from the

following recipients: Methodist Church for Haiti Partnership, Habitat for Humanity, JCC

of Binghamton and Roberson Museum.

Committee Reports

• Christian Education: – Hopefully next year the Youth Sundays can be a little more

predictable.

• Women of the Church: – Spring rummage sale set for May 6. Still need people to help

with cleanup. Sale from 9:00-11:00, bag sale from 11:00-2:00.

• Trinity Canteen: Dick and Sandy Schwab will be coordinating April 30 canteen. Need a

July and December coordinator; Westermanns will handle the October canteen.

Other Items – A Blessing of Oils will be held at St. Mark’s in Chenango Bridge at 7:00 p.m.

Bishop Dede will preside. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Next Meeting - Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 8:02 PM with Night Prayer.

Minutes submitted by Jennifer S. Westermann, Vestry Clerk