EPISTLE SAINT PAUL S MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR. One modest tool for letting go in prayer that I ve used for twenty-five years is a God box -Anne Lamott

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1 SAINT PAUL S EPISTLE MARCH 2017 NEWSLETTER OF SAINT PAUL S EPISCOPAL CHURCH OREGON CITY One modest tool for letting go in prayer that I ve used for twenty-five years is a God box -Anne Lamott A couple of years ago during Lent, I read Anne Lamott s book entitled Help Thanks Wow: Three Essential Prayers. The quote above is from her chapter on Help. She has been expressing her awareness that she s not in charge of things no matter how hard she may try and that she needs to be able to let go of this obsession to be in control. In her words HELP. The God box is the device that helps her surrender. She goes on to say: I ve relied on every imaginable container from a pill box, to my car s glove box, to decorative boxes friends have given me. The container has to exist in time and space, so you can physically put a note into it, so you can see yourself let go, in time and space. pg. 27 MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR I was intrigued by this tool. It makes so much sense to me. I remember a time in my life when I simply could not forgive a person who had hurt me deeply. For months I agonized and carried around this hatred and resentment. Finally my therapist said in one of our sessions if you can t do it out loud if you can t say I forgive you verbally, what about writing down the desires of your heart. Write a letter to God, to the person who hurt you.see if that will open the door to doing what you want to do. I did as she instructed I sat down one afternoon, many, many years ago with pen in hand and pad of paper my prayer God let it be..i began to write and like streams of tears the words flowed onto the paper what had happened, how I had been hurt, the action, the words, the feelings. It was almost as though I wasn t composing the letter but that it was composing me. I was exhausted when the message was complete. I took the papers, folded them up and put them in the top drawer of my dresser. Over the next couple of weeks, whenever I felt the cloud of anger come over me, I d go to that letter, as a reminder that I wanted, I needed to forgive and let go. It happened over time. One day when I realized that I hadn t been consumed by my anger for many months, I went in search for the letter; found it in the very back of the drawer. I burned the letter and as the smoke rose and the ashes crinkled in the bowl I knew I had been set free. I tell you this story because sometimes we need tools to help us accomplish the tasks that are before us. Sometimes we need something tactile that physically brings us into awareness and accountability. That is what Lamott s suggestion of the God box has done for me. It has reminded me that perhaps I need to have a box such as that to prompt me into giving to God that which doesn t belong to me that which I cannot control, govern, solve, manipulate or influence. I wonder how might a God box be a tool for your prayer life? May you know the blessings of God s love and compassion. Canon Linda

2 LENTON SEASON Ash Wednesday 3/1 Ash Wednesday Services at 9:30 am, noon and 7:00 pm Wednesday Soup Supper 6:15 Dinner 7:00 Lenton Study 8:00 Compline 3/8 A New Faith finds a Language ~ It s all Greek to me!! 3/15 A Thousand Years of Stability ~ Yeah, right! 3/22 Faith versus Facts. Can thinking people believe? 3/29 Faith in the Furnace Bonhoeffer and friends. 4/5 The Living Word of God Today Ever Ancient, Ever New. Sunday Lenten Forums 9:00 am 2/26 Ashes to Ashes; Dust to Dust 3/5 From Hosanna to the Cross 3/12 Do this in remembrance of me 3/19 We adore you O Christ 3/26 God have mercy on me 4/2 Raised to newness of life HOLY WEEK SERVICES 4/9 Passion/Palm Sunday Blessing of the Palms and Holy Eucharist 7:30 am & 10 am 4/13 Maundy Thursday Holy Eucharist and Footwashing 7pm 4/14 Good Friday Liturgy Noon & 7pm 4/15 Easter Vigil The Great Vigil of Easter & Holy Eucharist 7pm 4/16 Easter Sunday Holy Eucharist 7:30am & 10:00 am Stations of the Cross Fridays 7pm during Lent Lenton Quiet Day - Saturday, March 25 from 9-2:30 Find out more info on our website. SILENCE IN THE CHAPEL Please join us on March 15th, 10:30am, in St Pauls s chapel to discuss and practice meditation and contemplation. We will explore together how to approach this ageold practice of resting in God here at St Paul s. All are welcome. No experience necessary. We will all be beginners. Blessings, Doris Swanson (doris@sterling.net) and Caryl Strance (strance4ce@yahoo.com) BACKPACK BUDDIES SHOPPING LIST One item a week added to your cart can make a huge difference in helping our community fight child hunger! - Juice Boxes/Pouches - Pudding Packs/Desserts - Small Chip Packs - Granola Bars - Oatmeal Packets 1 - Mark Shepard 4 - Abraham King 10 - Michael Kolsut 18 - Gladys Kennedy 21 - Rita Mills 22 - Jeri Shaw-Osteen 23 - Tom Mason MARCH BIRTHDAYS - Mac n Cheese Go Cups - Soup and Chilli - Peanut Butter - Fruit Cups - Tuna Fish 24 - Brenna Prisel 25 - Ian Hite 26 - Joey Leckey 27 - Kathleen Polley 28 - Keightlyn dewaalmiller 29 - Denise Mason 31 - Linda Lassen page 2 March 2017

3 Please remember those serving in your prayers, especially: Brad Aebi Augustine Asche Kimberly Doty Eric Frey Gary Hagen Jacob Halverson Fr. Karl Neilson Emily Reeves Adam Richardson Jason Schneider Casey T. Ken T. Anthony Wright Joseph Wright BACPACK BUDDIES UPDATE Just a quick update to let you know that we are delivering 53 bags per week to Holcomb School. We are also putting out a plea for 15 oz. jars of peanut butter. If you happen to see a good sale, please let us know or put in an extra one in your grocery cart. Of course, all donations are welcomed. GREETINGS FROM ST PAUL S PLACE Greetings from St. Paul s Place! We had to miss two dinners in January because of the weather but we are back on track now. In February we served 81 meals of pasta and meatballs, 125 meals of shepherd s pie and 101 meals of meatloaf. Thank you to all who help with St. Paul s Place: Greeters, Servers, Cooks, Kitchen crew, Wellness Clinic and Healing Touch, and to those who donate and make the program possible. If anyone would like to help in any way, please contact Penny at or speak with any St. Paul s Place volunteer. Best wishes to all! page 3 March 2017

4 Date: Personal Gift Card Order Form Scrip Service Center - Spring Name: Phone: SPECIALTY STORES # RESTAURANTS Cont. # AUTOMOTIVE # GROCERY # 50 Eco Car Wash 1 car wash 26% 6 Olive Garden/Red Lobster/Yard House 8% 10 ACE Hardware 4% Albertson s & Sav On 4% Jiffy Lube * 15% 30 Oswego Grill / Copper River 8% Amazon.com For online. Can 10 Kaady Car Wash 1 car wash 26% 6 Outback Steakhouse 8% load funds on account for future 4% 20 Oil Can Henry s 14% 40 Panda Express 8% 15 purchases. 4% Washman Auto Spa* 1 car wash 26% 6 Panera Bread & Cafe 8% 10 Backyard Bird Shop 8% 50 RESTAURANTS Papa John s Pizza* OR & SW WA 10% 5 Barnes & Noble 8% Applebee s 8% 10 Papa Murphy s Pizza 8% 10 Bath & Body Works 7% 10 Fred Meyer /QFC/Kroger Natural Grocers 4% 50 Baja Fresh 8% 10 Pastini Pastaria 8% 20 Best Buy 2% Bellagio s Pizza 5% 20 Pizza Caboose* 8% 10 Big 5 Sporting Goods 8% 100 Big Town Hero* 8% 5 Pizzicato Gourmet Pizza * Build A Bear Workshop 8% Buffalo Wild Wings 8% Not airport, Bend, or Hood River 8% 10 Coastal Farm & Ranch 4% 50 Burger King 4% 5 No change back. Cold Stone Creamery 8% 5 New Seasons 4% Safeway 4% 100 Burgerville 8% 10 Pizza Schmizza*/Pub House OR & SW WA 10% 5 Craft Warehouse 8% 10 Thriftway Only for OR and SW WA. 4% Carl s Jr. / Green Burrito 5% 10 Portland City Grill See Stanfords to order Home Depot 2% Chevy s 8% 15 Red Lobster itunes Internet music & more 3% Olive Garden 3% R Whole Foods Market 100 Chipotle 9% 10 Red Robin 7% 10 Joann Fabrics 5% RETAIL / DEPARTMENT Chuck E Cheese's - Oregon only 8% Roundtable Pizza* - OR & SW WA 12% 10 Krispy Kreme * 1 dozen glazed 41% 10 Bed, Bath, & Beyond 5% 10 Claim Jumper See Landry's to order Ruby Tuesday 8% 10 Learning Palace -teacher 8% 10 Bridgeport Village All stores,kiosks, Davidson s* - Tigard - No change 8% 10 Shari s Restaurant 8% 20 Lowe s 4% 50 4% restaurants, theater,tips deducted & rebated. Denny s Restaurant 5% 10 Sonic Drive-In 8% 10 Michaels Crafts 3% Cabela's 8% Domino s Pizza * OR and WA only 12% 10 Retail 12% 50 Columbia Sportswear Elmer s Pancake House* 8% 5 outlets,employee stores for those w/ access.. page 4 March % 20 Peet s Coffee Use Fred Meyer cards at all FM Peet's 8% Famous Daves BBQ 10% Petco 8% Stanford s /Portland Seafood / Manzana Henry s Tavern,Portland City Grill,Palomino, Billy Heartbeats,Newport Seafood Grill, Kincaids 7% 17 Dicks Sporting Goods 8% Godfather s Pizza* Med Special or Lrg 2 top 27% Pier 1 Imports 8% Subway 6% GAP See Old Navy to order HoneyBaked Ham 8% Pottery Barn -Williams 7% Home Goods See Marshalls to order Izzy s Pizza 8% 20 Sweet Tomatoes 8% Powell s Books 8% 10 JC Penney 4% John s Incredible Pizza Co 8% Taco Bell 4% 10 See s Candy* 1 lb. certificate Kohl s Also payment on acct. in store. 4% Landry s Restaurants - Taco Time OR and SW Wash. 10% 15 Retail Price per pound is 19 Macy s 10% Claim Jumper, Morton s Steak, Tom s Pancake House* No Change back 8% 10 Staples Office Supplies 4% Marshall s-tj Maxx/ HomeGoods 6% Jake s Grill &Crawfish,Bubba Gump 8% McCormick's & Schmick s,chart House, Veggie Grill 9% 15 5 Nike, Inc. Nike Town, Online, Outlets, Harborside, Portland Heathman Restaurant 12% 50 Yard House Olive Garden Starbucks Coffee 6% 10 Employee store for those with access McCormick's and Schmick's See Landry's to order ENTERTAINMENT Old Navy GAP Banana Republic 12% McGrath s Fish House 7% 10 Cinemark* - Century Theaters 7% 9.00 Ulta 3% GAP KIDS ~ Outlet Stores One Card for All McMenamins / Ruby s Spa Family Fun Center & Bullwinkle's 15% Chinook App-Adroid or iphone 50% 15 Payless Shoe Source 12% For any Restaurant, Brew Pub,Spa, 12% Games,cars,golf, and food Wilsonville Only See's Peanut Brittle 25% 4 R.E.I. All Stores and Online 8% Hotel,Theater, Gift Shop, Hair Salon Family Theaters* Tigard and Oak Grove 16% 10 5oz box Ross Dress for Less 8% Noodles & Company 8% 10 Regal Cinemas Gift Card Sears- Kmart-Lands End 5% 50 Good all hours and for concessions 7% 15 TOTAL all columns = 8% 10 Please make check payable to: Old Spaghetti Factory* no change back. 7% 9.50 Regal Cinemas * Paper Ticket Adult prime time ticket is less than door price Thank You for your Support! Target 2.5% The Children s Place 12% Walgreens 4% * Indicates paper certificate Revised 4/8/16 Walmart 1.5% No card return - order carefully. Call number on back or check store website for balance on card.

5 PARISH OFFICE The office is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00a.m. to 1:00p.m.; phone There is a 24-hour answering service. is info@stpaulsoregoncity.org THE EPISTLE Please keep The Epistle in mind! Parishioner or parish news, views, events, photos, clippings, or what-have-you. Deadline is the 20th of every month for the following month s issue. to epistle@stpaulsoregoncity.org, telephone , or leave the information you want to include at the church office. Thanks! VESTRY MEETINGS Open to all, are held the third Sunday of each month at 11:30a.m. in the Kelly Room. Complete minutes are posted on the bulletin board outside the office. If you would like to receive the minutes via each month, give Betty Folmsbee your address. Parish of Saint Paul 822 Washington Street Oregon City, OR RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED FIRST CLASS