Weekend of May 13, 2022
The Fifth Sunday of Easter
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Reflections on a Clean Desk |
As I write this reflection it is precisely 10 days, 15 hours, 22 minutes, and 23 seconds until I leave for sabbatical. Not that I'm counting or anything. The online countdown clock I've had going has shifted in meaning for me. When it was showing months it was about excitement and anticipation. As it wound down to weeks it became more about anxiety. There's been lots to get done, lots of things to put in place, lots of loose ends that need tying up. I think I'm there, though. A couple of more meetings with key folks, and a detail here and there and I think I'll be ready for that countdown to hit zero-hour.
This week I took the time in preparation to clean off my desk, and it reminded me of something important. I tend to make little piles of papers that come across my desk, things that may need addressing, things that may need filing. Something will show up in the mail and I'll think, "Ah, this is important. I need to get to that," and aside it goes. Whenever I clean off my desk, however, I always rediscover that a lot of the things I thought were important in the moment really were not all that important at all. Lots of the things in the piles end up going into recycling--and I mean lots. Obviously, I do not learn my "desk lesson" very well, because I continue to repeat it.
How much do I do this in all parts of my life on a daily basis, I wonder? How much of what I encounter ends up going onto the pile of things in my life that seem important in the moment, but ultimately just weigh me down needlessly? A lot more than I'd like to think, I'm sure. We all do this. We all spend a lot of time on the seemingly pressing, letting things live rent free in our heads or on our desks, that in the grand scheme of things we could have just put in the proverbial recycle bin from the get go.
All of this is about priorities, I suppose. About becoming much clearer on what's important and what's not. As the countdown of our very lives ticks away, what are the things that we may realize too late are just taking up space, and which things are the most important? (Or, maybe I think way too hard and reflect way too deeply on something as mundane as cleaning off my desk . . . I guess that's why I do what I do).
I'll say more in next week's ePISTLE about how I'll be spending my sabbatical time. What I'll say about it now, though, is that a lot of it is about my own personal and spiritual development. That's not something any of us has to save for a sabbatical, though. There's always time for prioritizing that kind of work if we choose to do just that--prioritize it. That's why I want to encourage you to look below especially at the information on the "Life, Faith, Church" summer learning series. It's not something that will take much of your time. There are probably other things on your desk you could easily move to the recycle bin in favor of something truly important and meaningful in your life. Give it some thought.
Meanwhile, the countdown continues. See you Sunday. Keep the faith, St. Paul's.
God's Blessings,
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We invite you to join us this Sunday, May 15, 2022.
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7:45 AM Sunday: Holy Eucharist in the Church
- Childcare Provided in Nursery
- Coffee & Donuts Following the Service
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9:00 AM Sunday: "Lectionary Lounge" Bible Study with Greg Williams in the Chapel
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10:15 AM Sunday: Holy Eucharist in the Church
- Childcare Provided in Nursery
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11:30 AM Sunday: Coffee Hour with Donuts
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Servers: Want to know if you're scheduled to serve in worship this week? Click Here to See the Schedule
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Masks are now optional at in-person worship and learning opportunities. Make the choice that works best for you and your family.
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If you need an alternative to in-person worship, you can view the live stream on our YouTube channel HERE and on Facebook HERE
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We encourage you to spend some time beforehand with the readings and Collect of the Day. Don't have a Book of Common Prayer for Sunday? Find it online HERE.
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Wednesday, May 18:
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5:30 PM: Holy Eucharist in the Church
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6:00 PM: Dinner in O'Ferrall Hall
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6:30 PM: "Life, Faith, Church" Kick Off Event in O'Ferrall Hall (see below for more information and to sign up!)
Questions? Contact Mtr. Liz here.
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Tomorrow, clergy and delegates from around our diocese will gather at Christ Church Cathedral to elect the 12th Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana. The St. Paul's delegates are Fr. Rob, Mtr. Liz, Mtr. Gina, Stephen Kepper, Eston Fain, Dr. Jeanne Robertson, and Melissa Carnall. We ask for your prayers for us and for our diocese. You can watch the Electing Convention online beginning at 9:00 AM with the opening Eucharist. Click below to watch the live stream.
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Please take a few moments to visit our diocesan website, linked below, to learn more about the bishop search process and our two candidates for bishop, including two Q&A sessions with the candidates.
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"Having access to online worship available has been such a comfort to me. Thank you so much!"
"We watched last week when we were on vacation--it was so cool that we could do that!"
"Yes, it's our first Sunday here, but we watched online a few times before coming in person."
These are the kinds of comments we hear from people regularly about our online worship. Having stream producers available each week has an impact on members and newcomers alike, and we are inviting you to be a part of it.
Each Sunday, a volunteer runs our virtual stream so people around our neighborhood, city, and even country can join us for worship. You do not need previous experience in videography, or an Oscar for directing--just a comfort with computers, a working knowledge of the worship service, and a desire to serve others. The software and equipment is very user-friendly, and actually a lot of fun to use. All volunteers will receive one-to-one training to get you ready. Please contact Fr. Rob here for more information and to sign up!
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This summer, Fr. Rob will go on a much deserved 3 month sabbatical in Hawaii. This will be a time of rest and renewal for him and we are grateful that he is able to take this time. On Sunday, May 22, we will send Fr. Rob off at the coffee hours after both the 7:45 AM and 10:15 AM services. We hope you will join us to say "See ya later!" and "Travelling mercies!" and "Don't get a sunburn!" to Fr. Rob and to honor all the work he has done and will continue to do in this place.
If you would like to give a gift to Fr. Rob for his sabbatical, we encourage you to click the button below.
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This summer, St. Paul's will offer "Life, Faith, Church", a summer learning series that is primarily a self-study bookended by only two in-person events so your calendar will not go into overload. This summer you will work at your own pace over a period of about 17 weeks. It only requires minutes per week, and you’ll have an accountability “shepherd” who will check in to encourage you and answer questions. Click the button below to learn more and sign up!
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Children’s and Youth Ministry Vision Summit - We want to hear from you!
Join us June 11th from 9 - 11:30 am in O'Ferrall Hall.
We will be joined by our consultants from Ministry Architects to build clarity and consensus through a fun, positive process, so we hope to see a wide variety of people involved. We will come out of the process with three documents pertaining to our congregation’s future for children and youth ministries:
- Mission Statement
- Core Values
- 3-year goals with one-year benchmarks
All are welcome! Come help us set forth a vision for our young people. For more information, contact Dawn Brown, Renovation Team member, here.
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The St. Paul's vestry is dedicated to sending 2 campers to camp on FULL SCHOLARSHIP this summer. Please contact Mtr. Liz here for more information.
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This is NOT your usual Bible study, although we will be reading from the Bible, we will be reading for answers to put into action in our lives now.
-Wednesday, May 18, 2022
-6am - 7am Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits & Coffee
-Chapel, St. Paul's Episcopal Church (enter at Canal Blvd. door by Chapel)
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Diocesan-wide Young Professionals Social at Second Line Brewery Sunday, May 15th from 1:30pm-3:30pm. Viet Pinoy Cajun crawfish and good company. RSVP preferred but not required. This is a relaxed event for conversation among new, exploring, and lifelong Episcopalians.
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STRESS
an article by Dr. Jeanne Robertson
COVID cases have decreased. We are able to do more “normal” things. Things are “better.” So why do I feel MORE stressed? We aren’t really more stressed, we are more AWARE of all the burdens, pressure, work, and responsibilities we are carrying around. As the intensity of COVID, that weight we’ve carried around, lessens we are slightly lighter. Yet because we’ve entered year 3, many feel overwhelmed, at the end of our rope, exhausted, worse.... Read the rest of her article at our website.
Dr. Jeanne is the Director of the St. Paul's Center for Counseling & Education and is a valuable resource in our community. Whether you need to talk through a specific problem or discuss issues in general, Dr. Jeanne is ready and able to help. You can meet with her by phone, Zoom, and in her office, if you are fully vaccinated. If you would like to set up a meeting with Dr. Jeanne, please call or text her at (504) 330-2549 or email her at jrobertson@stpauls-lakeview.org.
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Denny, Joan, Sara, Dave, James, Tim, Siguard, Rick, The Henry Family, Steve and The Harris Family, Kathy and Charlie and The Richardson Family, The Eggleston Family, The Merrick Family, The Segal Family, Paula, Helen, Steve, Susan, Gail, Michele, Barbara, Sally, Lee, Justin, George & Barbara, Cindy, Alice, Ozzie, Bill, The Williams Family, Mark & Joy, Tino & Lupe Navarro, Deborah & Ian Gage, Corey & family, Mallory, The Guerra and The Alfortish families, Henry, Jodee, Charlie, Matthew, Robert, Yasmeen, Betty, Pat, Joseph, Phil, Noah, Stephen, Ann, Gerald, Tom, Earlyn, Bryson, Clyde, Zina, Christina, Harlon, Jack, Jane, Mike, Kylie, Kay, Judy, Ruth, Helen, Devin, Phillip, Anna, Pam, Mary, Vic, Claire, Paul, Sue, Delores, Jean, Shelly, Judson, Chris, Robert, Ted, Stephanie, Audrey, Harvey, Jan & Ralph, Eugene, Nan, August, Patti, Nathaniel, Kathleen, Rosemary, Larry & Carl, Bonnie, Erin, all those who are ill with COVID-19, the people of Haiti in the recovery efforts, the people of Ukraine, Afghanistan, and those in harms way, and all victims of natural disasters.
We pray for all those in the healthcare profession, especially Ranjit Chima, Lindsey Hill, Rob Ramirez, Laura Beth Ramirez, Bob Vieth, Stephanie Palmisano, Kelley Morel, Tommy Morel, Jasmine Bahd, Jeanne Robertson, Doug Bostick, Vicki Kennedy, Gene Antenucci, Melissa Carnall, Betty Lo, Chris Blaise, Jennifer Chamberlain, Michael Napoli, Alison Napoli, Jane Clayton, Alison Quayle, Ian Townley, Mike Santone, Mark Thomas, Jean Thomas, Nikki Wilder, Riley Sibley, Catie Brown, Catherine Courtney, Julie Rose, Amelia Martin, Jamie Fineran, and all others who care for those who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit.
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church
In person worship
Sundays at 7:45 & 10:15 AM
Wednesdays at 5:30 PM
Virtual Services:
Sundays at 10:15 AM
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