Current Announcements
eLetter 185
Prayer.
O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth: Put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things, and give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Second Sunday after Pentecost, BCP 229)
Announcements, new and upcoming.
-Join us for worship this Second Sunday after Pentecost, June 2, at 11a. Pastor Ben will be presiding at Table and Rev. Keli Pennington will be preaching the Word.
-Casual summer Sunday School option starts June 9: a discussion of Pete Enns’ book “The Sin of Certainty.” Pastor Bob hopes to have a few copies available this Sunday, June 2, or buy your own online. Join us for coffee and discussion whenever you’re in town!
-Morning Prayer in-person is on break for the summer and will resume in August.
-Godly Play is on break for the summer and will resume in August.
-Church lawn care. We need someone to mow and edge the church lawn for the summer. This job pays $40. If you’re interested, contact Pastor Ben at [email protected]
-Church cleaning. We need someone to clean the church before Sunday service on June 9. This is a 3-hour job and pays $60 total. If you’re interested, contact Pastor Ben at [email protected]
-St. Paul’s next sexton. If you’re interested in serving as St. Paul’s sexton this next academic year, contact Pastor Ben at [email protected]
Financial Report through April 30, 2024:
Giving total: $50,731
General Spending: $52,734 (including $10,100 for the new furnace)
Budget: $45,783
Net income: relative to budget: $4,948; relative to spending: -$2,003
Ongoing invitations.
-Morning Prayer via zoom Tuesday-Thursdays at 7:30a. The password is 981142. Here’s the zoom link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/7875276187
-If you would like to be baptized or become a member of St. Paul’s, contact Pastor Ben at [email protected]
-Our companionship ministry witnesses to the difference Christ makes in our community for how we love and befriend one another. If you would like to be trained for companionship ministry, contact Jim Zahniser at [email protected].
-St. Paul’s Mission Team. Rev. Judy Cox will now be leading our Mission Team. The Mission Team helps St. Paul’s love our neighbors, locally and globally, through sharing and friendship. If you’re interested in joining the Mission Team, contact Rev. Judy at [email protected]
-Prayer focus: George Peters and family; Markel, Ayebale and Kallie Barigye; Meg Davendonis and family; William Miller; Blain Burns and family; Chris Swift and family; and Jean Edwards.
-Supporting mental health. Carrie Ackerman, MSW, offers counseling through our space at St. Paul’s and is offering one pro bono session a week for a community member in need. Contact Carrie for more information: [email protected].
-Spiritual direction. Wendy Shuffett is entering her final year of spiritual direction as a certified spiritual director and is offering free spiritual direction. Directees meet once every 3-4 weeks in person or by zoom. If you’re interested, contact Wendy at [email protected]
-There is opportunity for mentoring/companioning between individuals imprisoned at the local federal prison and community individuals to help aid in the imprisoned individual's rehabilitation. If this is something of interest to you, please reach out to the prison staff member Carrie Sellers ([email protected], 618-664-6382). This opportunity would require the completion of a background check.
Reflection.
Today we reflect on God’s providential care for the whole world. The early church talked about providence a good bit. Most significantly, they distinguished it from the fatalism of the pagan culture and commonly identified it as God’s loving kindness. God’s providence is not about fate or control but rather about how God loves the whole world and cares for all of creation.
Today’s prayer resonates with Jesus’s reminder that God gives good gifts to his children. One of my favorite early Christian images of God is as loving Parent. While some Christians conceived of God as a Judge or more abstractly as Truth, early Christians like Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyons, described God as our loving Parent. As our Parent who loves and cares for us, God never fails us, but rather protects us and gives us good gifts that benefit us. As our loving Parent, God can be trusted.
Benediction.
Thanks be to God, whose loving kindness for us is unfailing.
Pastor Be
O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth: Put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things, and give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Second Sunday after Pentecost, BCP 229)
Announcements, new and upcoming.
-Join us for worship this Second Sunday after Pentecost, June 2, at 11a. Pastor Ben will be presiding at Table and Rev. Keli Pennington will be preaching the Word.
-Casual summer Sunday School option starts June 9: a discussion of Pete Enns’ book “The Sin of Certainty.” Pastor Bob hopes to have a few copies available this Sunday, June 2, or buy your own online. Join us for coffee and discussion whenever you’re in town!
-Morning Prayer in-person is on break for the summer and will resume in August.
-Godly Play is on break for the summer and will resume in August.
-Church lawn care. We need someone to mow and edge the church lawn for the summer. This job pays $40. If you’re interested, contact Pastor Ben at [email protected]
-Church cleaning. We need someone to clean the church before Sunday service on June 9. This is a 3-hour job and pays $60 total. If you’re interested, contact Pastor Ben at [email protected]
-St. Paul’s next sexton. If you’re interested in serving as St. Paul’s sexton this next academic year, contact Pastor Ben at [email protected]
Financial Report through April 30, 2024:
Giving total: $50,731
General Spending: $52,734 (including $10,100 for the new furnace)
Budget: $45,783
Net income: relative to budget: $4,948; relative to spending: -$2,003
Ongoing invitations.
-Morning Prayer via zoom Tuesday-Thursdays at 7:30a. The password is 981142. Here’s the zoom link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/7875276187
-If you would like to be baptized or become a member of St. Paul’s, contact Pastor Ben at [email protected]
-Our companionship ministry witnesses to the difference Christ makes in our community for how we love and befriend one another. If you would like to be trained for companionship ministry, contact Jim Zahniser at [email protected].
-St. Paul’s Mission Team. Rev. Judy Cox will now be leading our Mission Team. The Mission Team helps St. Paul’s love our neighbors, locally and globally, through sharing and friendship. If you’re interested in joining the Mission Team, contact Rev. Judy at [email protected]
-Prayer focus: George Peters and family; Markel, Ayebale and Kallie Barigye; Meg Davendonis and family; William Miller; Blain Burns and family; Chris Swift and family; and Jean Edwards.
-Supporting mental health. Carrie Ackerman, MSW, offers counseling through our space at St. Paul’s and is offering one pro bono session a week for a community member in need. Contact Carrie for more information: [email protected].
-Spiritual direction. Wendy Shuffett is entering her final year of spiritual direction as a certified spiritual director and is offering free spiritual direction. Directees meet once every 3-4 weeks in person or by zoom. If you’re interested, contact Wendy at [email protected]
-There is opportunity for mentoring/companioning between individuals imprisoned at the local federal prison and community individuals to help aid in the imprisoned individual's rehabilitation. If this is something of interest to you, please reach out to the prison staff member Carrie Sellers ([email protected], 618-664-6382). This opportunity would require the completion of a background check.
Reflection.
Today we reflect on God’s providential care for the whole world. The early church talked about providence a good bit. Most significantly, they distinguished it from the fatalism of the pagan culture and commonly identified it as God’s loving kindness. God’s providence is not about fate or control but rather about how God loves the whole world and cares for all of creation.
Today’s prayer resonates with Jesus’s reminder that God gives good gifts to his children. One of my favorite early Christian images of God is as loving Parent. While some Christians conceived of God as a Judge or more abstractly as Truth, early Christians like Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyons, described God as our loving Parent. As our Parent who loves and cares for us, God never fails us, but rather protects us and gives us good gifts that benefit us. As our loving Parent, God can be trusted.
Benediction.
Thanks be to God, whose loving kindness for us is unfailing.
Pastor Be