St. Paul s Epistle September 2018 ArtPark Tuesdays... We have another ArtPark season completed, and we d like to thank everyone that volunteered to collect donations, especially Germain & Donna Ludwig, Simon & Barb Shakarjian, and Marcie Lynch. After expenses (new barriers and signs), we raised $1,540! Pet Blessing September 22nd at Grandpaw s Plaza from 11am-1pm for members of the congregation and community. Thank you Germain Ludwig Donating a cart for hauling the parking lot barriers in & out Randy Shoop Filling holes & dips in the parking lot Online Donations... We have started to receive donations on our website. Although we lose a small percentage for the convenience, it has become another source of income for us. DONATE HERE
From Pastor Barbara Every year at this time I begin my September newsletter articles by saying something about how quickly the summer has flown by, and every year that sense of the rapid passing of time becomes more and more real. It was just one year ago that we that is, St. Paul s, Lewiston and St. John s, Youngstown had our first joint parish picnic at Ft. Niagara State Park. Do you remember? The weather was warm and the sky above us was a stunningly beautiful blue with fluffy white clouds. It seemed as if God was smiling on our new relationship and blessing us. On July 1 st of this year, we made our Covenant relationship official and at our picnic this year we will all have the opportunity to sign our covenant statement, affirming our intent for our parishes to embrace our spiritual unity. For each parish individually and for both of our parishes together, we are seeking to discern Christ s Spirit in one another and in our respective faith communities and to bring Christ s Love to one another and to our wider civic context(s). Whether our endeavors are undertaken separately or together, we have learned that the key to the spiritual covenant is mutual support. It is my sense that we are moving forward to find balance in our new relationship, ever remembering to hold one another in prayer and to seek God s guidance in our decision-making. Some of the decisions we have made include these upcoming activities. On Saturday, September 22 nd St. Paul s will offer Pet Blessings at Grandpaws in Lewiston for the pets of members of the church and wider community. St. John s Pet Blessings will take place on Sunday, September 30 th, time and place to be announced. In mid-autumn we will begin a Lunch and Learn program for members of BOTH parishes (and open to the wider community). This will take place at St. John s every Wednesday from 11:30 to 1 pm, starting on October 3 rd. Topics will vary week to week or month to month sometimes sacred and sometimes secular. I will be our presenter for the first session, followed by Germain Ludwig on October 10 th, 17 th, and 24 th. Please see further information about Germain s program elsewhere in this newsletter. In late autumn, St. Paul s will embark on hosting a Memory Care Respite program on one Wednesday a month from 11 am to 3:30 pm. This program will seek volunteers from the wider community as well as the church to work one-on-one with clients having memory issues. Their caregivers can use their free time for whatever they wish. One option will be for them to attend a support group and/or education program designed to help them in their caregiving role. The Vestry of St. John s will be considering at their September meeting whether or not they choose to be the host site for the caregiver support portion of this program. Finally, remember to save the date of October 20 th for a Retreat at Stella Niagara. All members of both parishes are invited and welcome. We will think and pray together about What Brings You Joy? and What is Your Sacred Story? 2
These wonderful events will be upon us before we know it. Fall s crispness will be in the air and the next thing you know we ll be carving pumpkins! Please do begin praying and planning now for your own participation in some or all of these opportunities. In Christ, Mother Barbara What s Goin On??? Way back in the spring of 2018, I told you that the Vestry had taken a look at what we were trying to do here at St. Paul s. We did a little dreaming at our Vestry Retreat and came up with a two-year plan to make our parish more involved and inviting in our community. We decided that we would spend the first year, meaning 2018, getting our building in more presentable shape. Well, a lot of those items are finally getting moving. Check out the list below: New railings for the main church entrance. DONE! Get the parking lot holes filled in, surface sealed and new striping. CONTRACT APPROVED AND WORK TO BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER! Paint all the exterior trim and entrance area. CONTRACT APPROVED AND WORK TO BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER! Repair and re-paint the steeple. ESTIMATES TO BE REVIEWED AT VESTRY MEETING ON 9/6. CONTRACT TO BE APPROVED. WORK TO BE COMPLETED THIS SEASON! Trees need to be trimmed to get them off our roof. CONTRACT APPROVED AND WORK TO BE COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 6 TH. We will be getting a lot of work done in the next couple of months. KEEP A LOOK-OUT, WATCH US GET SPRUCED UP! Ed Walker Ed Walker, Warden Skip Dengate, Warden Carol Conibear Donna Ludwig Marcie Lynch Jackie Portik (alt) Barb Shakarjian Laurel Shoop Sonja Slother Debra Sherman, Treasurer Shawn Slother, Vestry Clerk August Vestry Highlights Approved an estimate to have the trees on the north side of the church trimmed back away from the church Will be updating the basement windows on the south side of the church by installing glass block windows Approved an estimate to have our weary parking lot sealed and re-striped Approved an estimate to have all wooden areas of the exterior re-painted 3
4
Income & Expense Report July 1, 2018 - July 31, 2018 5
6
Untethering Your Inner Self... This is an exploration of the topics of critical thinking and how that process can be used to free ourselves from being trapped by the limitations of our self-imposed world. It provides the opportunity to view your self from different angles. And although the journey is primarily an inner one, it will draw upon every aspect of your life. We will be seeking the root of our self, which means what we are actually seeking is you. It is a how-to session on looking at your inner growth and how it is completely dependent upon the realization that the only way to find peace and contentment is to stop thinking about yourself. Could your thoughts be creating barriers to your growth? Do you believe you can reprogram your self to be more open? How do you protect your self-concept? Do these acts of protection help you? If you continue to protect your self, you will never be free. If you really want to see why you do things, then don t do them and see what happens. This seems so simple. Have you ever abruptly stopped doing something a negative habit or behavior? Have you ever truly examined the assumptions that drive all of your behavior? The session helps you explore the difference between avoiding pain and fear, and simply releasing it. We present a powerful practice to help you with this transformation. See the possibility of relaxing every time you feel the energy of fear, anger, or insecurity, and that, how over time, the energy of those emotions would pass through and have less influence on your life? Learn to stop resisting reality, and what used to look like stressful problems will begin to look like the stepping-stones of your spiritual journey. We will create dialog about what it would be like to live a life free of resistance. What would the world be like if everyone lived this way? The session will be presented in a three-part series of 60-90 minute segments given on October 10 th, 17 th and 24 th from 12 noon to 1:30 (bring your own lunch). It will be facilitated by Germain Ludwig and is based on his own research and writings on critical thinking and a book by author Michael Springer; The Untethered Soul. Joint Outdoor Congregational Service and Picnic September 9th, 11am Fort Niagara State Park Shelter 3G (by the beach, past the rest rooms) Sunday Service at 11 am & Picnic at Noon Bring a dish to share. This year, St. John s is cooking the hot dogs and hamburgers and St. Paul s has reserved the shelter. Beverages will be provided. 7
Worship Schedule September 2 Altar: The Rupnows 11am Holy Communion Presider: Rev Dan Pinti Reader: Germain Ludwig Chalice: Marguerite Rupnow Acolyte: Marguerite Rupnow Ushers: TBD October Newsletter Deadline is September 26th September Birthdays Shawn Slother September 4 Chase Slother September 23 September 9 11am Holy Communion & Picnic Fort Niagara, Shelter 3G Presider: Rev Barbara Price & Rev Dan Pinti September 16 Altar: Carol Conibear 11am Holy Communion, Healing, Sunday School Presider: Rev Barbara Price Reader: Ed Walker Chalice: Caitlyn Conibear Acolyte: Caitlyn Conibear Ushers: The Conibears Coffee Hour after Service September 23 Altar: Laurel Shoop 11am Holy Communion & Sunday School Presider: Rev Barbara Price Reader: Chris Perkins Chalice: Teresa Carter Acolyte: Teresa Carter Ushers: Renee Coltpetzer & Penny Fickett September 30 Altar: TBD 11am Holy Communion & Sunday School Presider: Rev Barbara Price Reader: Germain Ludwig Chalice: Marguerite Rupnow Acolyte: Marguerite Rupnow Ushers: TBD Pray for our Children St. Paul's in Lewiston and St. John's in Youngstown invite us all to join them in prayer every day at noon to End the Violence in Schools and For the Safety of All Children. Just a simple "I pray for the end to violence in our schools and for the safety of all children" will do. If you would like something more formal, Bishop Bill suggests the Collect for Peace found on page 99 of the Book of Common Prayer (Morning Prayer II). New Office Email Please update your contact list to office@splewiston.org Parish Contact Info Church Office: (716) 754-4591 Email: Website: office@splewiston.org splewiston.org Facebook: St. Paul s Episcopal Church Shawn s Office Hours Tuesday & Thursday: 2pm-5pm Friday: 7am-4pm 8
September 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Communion 11am 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Admin & Vestry Meeting 630pm Joint Service at Fort Niagara 11am Picnic Noon 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Mission & Outreach Meeting 630pm 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Communion & Healing 11am Covenant Team Meeting at SPL Pet Blessing 11am-1pm Sunday School 11am 7pm Grandpaw's Plaza Coffee Hour Noon Parish Life Meeting Noon 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Communion & Sunday School Deanery Council Newsletter 11am Meeting 7pm Deadline Communion & Sunday School 11am 30 Grace, Lockport Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings: Monday, Wednesday, & Friday, 7:30am 9
September 9th at 11am, Fort Niagara St Paul s Episcopal Church 400 Ridge St, PO Box 354 Lewiston, NY 14092 Phone: 716-754-4591 Email: office@splewiston.org Website: splewiston.org 10