News from the Red Doors - July 2, 2021

This Week at St. Paul's
Mother Michelle Walker

Dear St. Paul's Family,

On Wednesday night, as a handful of us gathered (between raindrops) for our Chair and Church event at Fox Park, I reflected upon how much I appreciated Mike Konieczny's initiative to put together these gatherings. While I will never diminish the power and importance of gathering for the Eucharist, I also realize that what makes us community is the conversations we have while enjoying a concert, serving a community meal, or cleaning up the church property during Spring clean-up. It is in the joking, the praying, the crying, and the working together that we learn about each other and become more faithful followers of Christ.

I've heard people who don't attend church remark that "they wouldn't mind going to church if it weren't for the people". If I'm honest, I've felt that way myself at different times in my life (definitely not NOW though!). What I've realized in this sentiment is that people find their own peaceful solitude comfortable. I find no blame there. And yet, I know that some of the most important lessons I've learned about myself and my faith have happened when my personality bumps up against that of the people around me. I've seen the light of Christ in the eyes of people that have hurt me ... as well as in the eyes of those people I have hurt. I've learned lessons in forgiveness given and received, and forgiveness of myself for the many ways I am imperfect. I've been enlightened to perspectives I might not have considered. I've learned life lessons from others that inform my daily actions. I have been formed by the people around me. We are all formed, to some extent, by the people around us.

And so I'm thankful for our Chair and Church events. It affords me an opportunity to sit with people that I might not have opportunity to converse with otherwise. It pulls me out of my regular Wednesday evening routine. And with our red shirts, it demonstrates our commitment to each other and to Christ in a subtle but inescapable way to the people around us in the larger community. We have fun together. It is precious time, for sure

This week we have a second chance for Chair and Church - Saturday at 6pm at the corner of Michigan and Indiana. If you want to learn about old cars, come and sit near to Steve Armstrong. (I think maybe he knows every car ever made!) If you simply want to be around people who love the Lord, love each other, and want to share with and learn from each other - then bring a chair and just hang out. It's wonderful to be faith community together!

Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend, no matter how you may choose to celebrate.

Blessings,
Mother Michelle
priest@stpaulslaporte.org | 219-575-0226 (c)

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News from the Red Doors - June 25, 2021

A Note from Your Senior Warden
Jean Burns

How busy the last weeks have been and how blessed we are that Mother Michelle very capably rose to the challenge, despite being a part time priest. A funeral, grave side services, a quick turnover on rectory renters, a backed up and blocked sewer, all of this and more required attention and, in some cases, prompted anxiety and stress. Regardless, all is well. I found our church insurance company adjuster extremely accommodating and rejoiced to learn that under our policy we are eligible for up to $2,500 toward our sewer excavation expenses, which left us with an outstanding balance of $162, surely a reason to rejoice.

How wonderful that we were able to find new residents for the rectory so quickly. Thanks to Joe, Mother Michelle, Abi, and Elizabeth Walker and Gloria Armstrong, the house was thoroughly cleaned for a quick turnover and in the process saved St. Paul’s a $350 professional cleaning fee. The entire faith family is grateful.

I continue to attend, via Zoom, the Diocesan Leadership meetings in order to stay current with both COVID policies and the activities, policies, programs, and issues of the Diocese of Northern Indiana and those of individual parishes. On June 7 I joined a Zoom meeting of Church Buildings for Collaborative Partnership, a groundbreaking partnership of our diocese with that of the Diocese of Indianapolis. In this introductory meeting we learned the value each of our churches brings to the community and the potential we have for making better use of our space. As the program continues, I anticipate learning more about how we, at St. Paul’s, can make additional use of a building that has so much potential and how it might become an even more effective asset to our community.

As we emerge from the accommodations we made during the COVID crisis, we have much to anticipate, among them our participation in the Sunflower Festival and the special events of our September 12 Celebration Sunday. Susie Richter, chair of the former, and I, of the latter, look forward to your sharing of  suggestions, as well as your volunteering and participation. We are all eager to return to the best of the past and to incorporate the best of the changes of the past months. To succeed, we need you.

On Tuesday evening, June 22, the vestry and priest met with facilitator, Susan Czolgosz, to conduct a Mutual Ministry Review (MMR). Both vestry members and the priest, through carefully designed questions, were encouraged to assess the roles they play, their strengths and/or weaknesses, and the challenges ahead. Through her guidance we were able to have an open, honest discussion of our successes during the past year, ways in which we fell short, and our goals for the coming year and how they might be attained. I left the meeting filled with hope and optimism for our future, one that asks each of you to contribute your individual gifts.  With God’s guidance, we can do this together.

This Week at St. Paul's
Mother Michelle Walker

Dear St. Paul's Family,

This week has been full of many wonderful activities related to parish ministry and I feel so blessed to be your priest amongst them all. From prayers and anointing, to calls and cards, to graveside committal services, to helping a volunteer scamper onto our roof to try to figure out why the ceiling is wet in the hallway by the sacristy, and to our first meal together as vestry before our Mutual Ministry Review on Tuesday - it has been a blessed week.

Please know that you each are in my regular prayers, as are fervent prayers that our ministry to share Jesus with the community of LaPorte will be blessed. Thank you for your love, support, prayers, and commitment to our precious faith community.

Have a blessed day.

Blessings,
Mother Michelle
priest@stpaulslaporte.org | 219-575-0226 (c)

News from the Red Doors - June 18, 2021

This Week at St. Paul's
Mother Michelle Walker

Dear St. Paul's Family,

This Tuesday evening our St. Paul's vestry will meet in the parish hall to participate in a Mutual Ministry Review (MMR) process. Every congregation in our diocese is expected and encouraged to conduct an annual ministry review. The purpose of this review is to:

  1. Provide clergy and vestry with the opportunity to assess how well they are fulfilling their responsibilities to each other and to the ministries that they share;

  2. Evaluate the relationship shared between the clergy and vestry; clergy and congregation, and vestry and congregation; in particular, the relationship with the mission of the congregation;

  3. Evaluate goals set at the previous mutual ministry review;

  4. Establish goals for the work of the congregation for the coming year;

  5. Isolate areas of conflict or disappointment that have not been resolved and may be adversely affecting mutual ministry; address/mediate/reconcile areas of conflict; and

  6. Clarify expectations of all so that goals can be attained through mutual work and that any future conflicts may be diminished or avoided.

Mutual Ministry Review (MMR) is a way for every parish to ask, “How are we doing?” It is a time to celebrate what has been done well and to understand what might be done better. As Christians we must continually ask: “What is God calling us to do and to accomplish here in this place?” And then, “How can we best practice this ministry?”

This is a first time experience for our vestry and for me. We are blessed to have Susan Czolgosz, who has 20+ years of consulting experience including work with the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, as our facilitator. I trust her to do a wonderful job. And she knows very little about us, which means she'll ask the questions we might not think to ask of ourselves. I am looking forward to the evening.

The vestry has been asked to be prepared to discuss the following questions:

  1. How would you describe your role on the Vestry? Would you like your role to change in the coming year? If so, in what ways?

  2. In what ways have you been able use your gifts, strengths, and experience in your work on the Vestry? Are there ways you would like to use them differently in the future? What might help you to do this?

  3. Reflect on your experience of serving on the Vestry of this church. Please describe a specific time when you felt most alive, most involved, spiritually touched, or most excited about your work on the Vestry and with the congregation.

  4. What do you see as the gifts and strengths of this Vestry - in the ways you work together and with your clergy-leader to serve the congregation?

  5. What do you see as the challenges facing this Vestry in working together and serving the congregation?

  6. If you could change one thing about how this Vestry and clergy work together in service to this congregation, what would it be?

  7. At the end of your term on the Vestry, what do you hope you will be able to say about your service to the congregation?

  8. What would make your and other Vestry members’ work on the Vestry more fulfilling and valuable?

  9. When you think about the various ministries of the congregation, what do you see as the strongest areas of ministry? What is valuable or appreciated about these ministries?

  10. What areas of ministry do you think need to be developed or strengthened? Reduced or eliminated?

  11. Please name several key goals you believe are most important for the coming year for this Vestry and for your congregation?

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share them with any vestry member or myself. As we look at ways of remaining and increasing our faithfulness in the town of LaPorte, we welcome your input AND your prayers. As I've said before, I believe God still has plans for us here in LaPorte. It's our job to listen diligently for those plans and then ACT!

On another note, let us celebrate the new tenants in the rectory. Dan and Lynn, along with their children Mary and Henry, moved in on the the 15th. Their lease is for 9 months while their home is being rebuilt after a fire. (Yes, of course we'd like a longer lease. We are making the best of the opportunities available!) We are so blessed to have them and appreciate their wonderful care of our property while they live here. So far they are thrilled!

Have a wonderful day and be sure enjoy this summery weather, with or without the rainshowers!

Blessings,
Mother Michelle
priest@stpaulslaporte.org | 219-575-0226 (c)

News from the Red Doors - June 4, 2021

Marriage Policy Communication from St. Paul's Vestry, Wardens, & Mother Michelle

Dear St. Paul's Family,

At our May vestry meeting we dedicated an hour to discussing our Inclusive Marriage Policy Educational Sessions, our draft marriage policy, and our desire to share the important details with each of you as fully as possible. To that end, we agreed to draft a letter from the vestry to ensure we are all on the same page. Here are a few key things to know.

  1. In 2018, the General Convention of The Episcopal Church passed Resolution 2018-B012. In essence, the wording surrounding the same-sex liturgies for marriage indicates “that all couples have convenient and reasonable local congregation access to these rites”. This means any same gender couple in a parish that desires to be married in their parish will receive full privilege to do so. The parish can’t prohibit the service. If the clergy of the parish is unable or unwilling to perform the service, another clergy will be located to do it.

  2. We realize that most of our St. Paul’s family was likely unaware of this Resolution and how it impacts our congregation directly. For this reason, we held the 4/20 and 4/27 Educational Sessions with Bishop Doug and have taken our time to discuss this in relation to our Marriage Policy.

  3. At our May vestry meeting, each vestry member present discussed their understanding, their perspective, their hopes, and their fears related to an Inclusive Marriage Policy. Above all, each of us is faithfully praying for these conversations to bring us all closer as a community and to demonstrate God’s unconditional love in all circumstances.

  4. A draft marriage policy was generated based on examples of other polices and submitted to the vestry for review. The only reference to gender is in the phrase “any couple” as in “This marriage policy shall apply to any couple wishing to be married at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.”.

  5. The remainder of the policy details the state, denominational, and diocesan laws/canons that apply. It also lists a desire that any couple wishing to be married at St. Paul’s have existing or planned membership at our parish. This is particularly important to Mother Michelle, as clergy. Weddings and wedding preparation take time that is well invested in the life and loving relationships of our members.

  6. Mother Michelle has indicated her intention repeatedly that (she and) St. Paul’s is thrilled to perform wedding ceremonies for our parishioners. Mother Michelle has also indicated she has no intention of promoting St. Paul’s as a wedding chapel and there are currently no wedding ceremony requests at this time.

  7. Lastly, Mother Michelle indicated that should one of our parishioners ask her to officiate a same gender marriage ceremony she is willing to do so, assuming the requirements of the Marriage Policy have been met.

We recognize these conversations have not been easy. Many circumstances, including being without dedicated clergy for nearly 2 years, have put us behind in having these important conversations. THANK YOU to those of you that have stepped into the conversation faithfully. It is important to us that each St. Paul’s family member feels he or she has had an opportunity to learn, process, share, and pray about this.

In June we will vote on the Draft Marriage Policy. The vestry would love to hear your thoughts on the policy prior to the vote. The policy is open for debate and wording. Whether or not St. Paul’s will someday host a same gender wedding was decided in July of 2018 in Austin Texas; and we are simply catching up to that General Convention decision. That has been an eye-opening revelation to many of us.

Please feel free to reach out to any vestry member, or Mother Michelle directly, if you’d like further information or to engage in conversation. It is important to us as leadership that each person desiring to share his or her perspective has an opportunity to do so.
In faithful service,

The Vestry, Wardens, & Priest of St. Paul’s Episcopal ChurchJean Burns (Sr. Warden), Tom Konieczny (Jr. Warden), Gloria Armstong, Linda Baker, Bruce Burmeister, Vickie Floyd, Sally Glynn, Susie Richter, David Sirugo, Wayne Woodrick, Mother Michelle Walker

Our first event is this Saturday 6/5 at 6pm in front of the PNC bank at the corner of Michigan and Lincolnway for Cruise Night. Beginning June 9th, we will gather at the Fox Park pavilion on Wednesdays to enjoy city band concerts. More details are available at our Facebook events. All are welcome ... even those who do not yet call St. Paul's their home!

News from the Red Doors - May 28, 2021

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This Week at St. Paul's
Mother Michelle Walker

Dear St. Paul's Family,

Thanks to the revised CDC mask guidelines and the Diocesan Guiding Principles publication in response, the vestry voted on Tuesday evening to relax, but not eliminate, our masking guidelines for in-person worship. While we are all eager to be mask less, we also want to continue to exercise care and caution for everyone’s safety. Here are our approved guidelines:

Masks are:
- Welcomed and encouraged.
- Required, if not fully vaccinated.
- Requested during entry and exit movement.
- Able to be removed once seated, IF you desire to do so and are vaccinated.

We realize that not everyone is vaccinated and this is especially true of visitors and minors. We ask you to be especially hospitable in encountering these individuals and consider keeping your mask on. We also respect your decision to continue wearing your mask as much as you’d like, for whatever reason you determine, as long as you follow the suggestions above.

Additionally, the individuals serving on the altar have all been vaccinated. As such, they will also be able to remove their masks if they desire to do so. What joy the prospect of being mask less brings me! And yet, to maintain our safety precautions, I want to assure you that the blessed sacrament will not be exposed at this time without MY wearing of a mask. During the consecration I will remain without a mask and the elements will be covered as they have throughout the pandemic. Once the Eucharistic prayers are complete, I will put on a mask prior to exposing the elements (removing the lid) and will wear a mask for the distribution of communion. This seems to be a reasonable extra layer of safety that I’m happy to provide.

This day has been a while in the making and it is joyous for many of us. Even if we choose to continue wearing the mask, having the freedom to make that choice again is nice. Please know we will continue to monitor the status of the pandemic and will make adjustments as needed. Thank you.

Have a safe and wonderful Memorial Weekend. I hope to see you Sunday.

Blessings,
Mother Michelle
priest@stpaulslaporte.org | 219-575-0226 (c)

Join us for Chair and Church with St. Paul's, a simple gathering of St. Paul's parishioners for city events throughout the summer. This is an opportunity to spend time with the people we love, in places we love around the city. LaPorte has a variety of events to offer this summer. And the only requirement is that you bring a chair and a fun loving attitude. (Rides are available for those that prefer not to drive at that time of day.)

The first event is Cruise Night on Saturday 6/5. Bring your chair, and your St. Paul's tee shirt if you have one, and join us in front of the PNC bank at the corner of Michigan and Lincolnway. Beginning June 9th, we will gather at the Fox Park pavilion on Wednesdays to enjoy city band concerts via Arts in the Park. More details are available at our Facebook events. All are welcome ... even those who do not yet call St. Paul's their home!