From Your Senior Warden, Jean Burns
Dear Members of My Church Family,
As I write this morning, I am reminded of how grateful I am to be a member of St. Paul’s family. We are a small, but stalwart and faithful group that, I believe, shares my dream of new, exciting, ministries and growth. You may recall, our diocese joined the Diocese of Indianapolis in the Church Buildings for Collaborative Partnership program. As a member of the project, St. Paul’s committee, Mother Michelle, Tom, and I participated in four introductory/ instructional/ sharing sessions.
And now the climactic event. On November 17 during an on-site visit, our church properties will be assessed for space sharing by our committee, members of the community, and members of the Thriving Congregations project team. I am hopeful that the results will guide us in using our historical property in new ways. I believe our size does not limit the many exciting possibilities for St. Paul’s. What new ministry would reach the needs of our own neighborhood, located as we are at Michigan and Harrison? What new ministry is a dream worth pursuing for St. Paul’s? What new ministry would inspire and excite you? We encourage you to share your thoughts, your ideas, your dreams, your gifts for St. Paul’s.
What a joyful lunch members of the Altar Guild shared a week ago. It was truly a special occasion. Winnie Eyrick, at 12, became a junior member of the Altar Guild of her parish in New York. She subsequently and faithfully served as a member of the Altar Guild and as a friend and mentor to all of us for over 70 years. It was such a privilege to thank her and recognize her service. What a blessing she is! In tribute to her, a new Gospel/Lectionary has been ordered to replace the outdated one we have. Inside, a book plate will honor her long and significant ministry. We are looking forward to using the new Lectionary for the first time on November 14.
Two groups in our church, the Vestry and the Thursday Bible Study are engaged in book studies. I am thoroughly enjoying both. As I reflect, I smile, grateful that I still able to read, think, and learn, all an abundance of my own life. The Vestry is reading and discussing, a chapter at a time, Part-Time Is Plenty, by Jeffrey MacDonald, who argues that churches with part-time clergy cannot only survive, but thrive when the members of the congregation become responsible for many of the duties traditionally delegated to the clergy. Carefully planning and oversight are needed, but a more vital, thriving church is attainable.
The second book, Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter is guiding the discussions of Bible Study on Thursday mornings. Compared with the number of named men of the Bible who speak, there are relatively few named women. However, the women’s voices are there and important, many of them ahead of their time and setting precedents. I was unfamiliar with the daughters of Zelophehad before reading their story in Numbers. I certainly did not know that their persuasive words have been used as legal arguments for women’s rights. How eye opening and inspiring to read and discuss the stories of these women.
On the fourth Sunday of each month, the words of one of these women are the subject of discussion during coffee hour. If you haven’t been to coffee hour lately, please give it a try. The gatherings are informal and welcoming.
Mother Michelle’s words from last week’s newsletter are with me as I close. I am grateful for the abundance in the lives of all of us. As God guides us, may our abundance flourish.
God’s blessings, Jean
This Week at St. Paul's
Mother Michelle Walker
Dear St. Paul's Family,
This week I was overwhelmingly blessed by our community dinner. While I know it was significantly different than what we did in the past, I witnessed many wonderful things:
Our St. Paul's group was mighty. We had plenty of food and lots of volunteers. It was a joy to peek into the parish hall windows (I was outside) and see the vibrant hum of people caring for other people. THANK YOU to everyone to helped in big and small ways.
We fed people. We fed people who were hungry, who remembered and appreciated the wonderful meals we've provided in the past, and who were thankful for an opportunity to simply be in community with others. (I also answered a few questions about being a female priest!)
Most importantly, I witnessed the fruits of this ministry from before the pandemic. Several of the "regulars" were there, and they were thankful. They talked about how lovely our meals were and are. They expressed their delight at seeing us again. And they remembered the people of St. Paul's with fondness.
I praise God for our ability to restart this ministry and ask his blessings upon it. I thank Mike and Margie for their good work in planning and to everyone who made a dish or helped in anyway. I'd guess we saw between 15-20 people, many who took meals for a partner. All of these people will help spread the word for our next community dinner. We learned a few tips about relaunching, especially in terms of advertising, and expect this wonderful ministry to continue to grow.
Now, what are you willing to prepare for our Tuesday November 23rd dinner?
Blessings,
Mother Michelle
priest@stpaulslaporte.org | 219-575-0226 (c)