St. PJ's eNews: May 29, 2026

In this week's edition of the eNews:

- Wonderful news: Milton Gilder to be ordained June 20


- Call for livestream volunteers and LAs


- David Tate's next show is Junk


- News from the Wider Church: Pope Leo's ground-breaking letter on AI and "just war," Newark priests stand with families outside ICE, Province of Centra Africa ordains first 14 women, and more



- This Sunday at St. PJ's

  • Cycles of Prayer
  • Video: Last Sunday's Service and Sermon


- There's Always More...

Your prayers and presence are requested...


- BY THE GRACE OF GOD -


The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey W. Mello, Bishop Diocesan

&

The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens, Bishop Suffragan


- WILL ORDAIN -


Milton Frank Gilder II


to the Sacred Order of Deacons in

Christ's One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church


SAT

June 20

11 AM

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL

45 CHURCH STREET

HARTFORD, CT 06103


The service will be livestreamed on Facebook and You Tube.


Additional Information

Validated parking available at the MAT Garage. A reception will follow the service in the Cathedral House. Clergy, red stoles please.

Jazz, Justice, and Jesus:

Support St. PJ's Ministry and Community


Church finances are urgently tight and getting tighter. Our budget is in the red, there is essentially no cash on hand, and expenses have already been cut. There are questions each month about whether certain bills will be paid.


To help ensure that St. PJ's can continue to support the low-income patrons of Loaves & Fishes and Sunrise Cafe, offer robust worship with unique and spiritually grounded jazz, speak out for justice in Jesus's name, gear up for a full year of adult formation, and more, please spread the word about our available rental facilities and consider making an extra donation if you can.

Call for livestream volunteers and LAs


Livestream: With Dontae going to Julliard soon (and we are incredibly proud of him), we need to build a new volunteer team to run our Sunday livestream!


This is a light but vital ministry: Not only is video necessary for keeping homebound parishioners connected to St. PJ's, but new studies show that the only growing churches are ones with an active livestream. It's part of how most newcomers decide what churches to visit.


Please email music@stpaulstjames.org if interested, and we will plan a training day this summer for the new team.


Liturgical Assistants: There will also be a training day on Saturday, June 13, for new and returning LAs. Please speak to Rev. Nathan if interested!


Ministry Teams: The Prophetic Voice social-justice and Resource & Renewal external-fundraising teams are rocking and rolling each month. Please speak to Pam Sayre if you would like to join PVMT or Aggie Evans-Zichichi for RRMT.

David Tate's next show is Junk


St. PJ's member David Tate will perform in two upcoming shows: "Junk" and as Oberon in Shakespeare's classic "A Midsummer Night's Dream."


"Junk: A monologue Series on Modern Masculinity"

Saturday, June 6, 7 p.m.

One performance only

Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts Campus - Riverside Theatre

24 Belden Ave., Norwalk, CT

Admission is free but RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED

Call (203) 524-3036 or (570) 335-6824


"A Midsummer Night's Dream"

July 9-12, 16 - 19, 7:30 p.m. each night

Curtain Call's Shakespeare on the Green

Stamford, CT

Admission is free

News from the Wider Church:


- [ENS] Province of Central Africa ordains first 14 women to priesthood


- [ENS] Newark priests stand with families outside ICE detention center


- [ENS] Sarah K. Fisher consecrated East Carolina's ninth bishop


- [RNS] In his first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV says AI must serve humanity, not the powerful few


- [RNS] Why Protestants should read the pope’s encyclical


- [RNS] Pope Leo calls just war theory 'outdated' in new encyclical


- [Sojourners] A '90s Christian Hit Song Is Now Blooming as a Queer Anthem

This Sunday at St. PJ's

Come 10:30 a.m. this weekend, Trinity Sunday, May 31, for Morning Prayer with Coffee & Community.


Children's Sunday School will meet as usual after last Sunday's break.


Serving this Sunday:

Officiant

The Rev. Lynne Severance

Preacher

Bev Lett

Lectors

Agatha Evans & Stephen Price

Sunday

10:30 a.m.


Jazz Service


In-person and online

Wednesday

12:30 p.m.



Quiet Communion


In-person only

Thursday

12:30 p.m.



Midday Prayers


In-person only

Cycles of Prayer and St. PJ's Prayer List


In the Episcopal Church in Connecticut cycle of prayer, we pray for Trinity, Newtown; St. John's, Niantic; Zion, North Branford; Companions in Mission for Publishing & Communication; those who work & volunteer in church communications; and for digital ministries, online social networks & communities.


In the Anglican Communion Cycle of Prayer, we pray for Eglise Anglicane du Rwanda (the Anglican Church of Rwanda).


On the St. PJ's prayer list, we pray for Rachel, Doug Parker, Calvin Griffin, the Rev. Walter MacNutt, Kevin Gerbe, Leota Tucker, Edwina Johnson, Cynthia King, Paul D'Agostino, Richard Holcomb, Tiras Jaske, Uli Mackert and family, Charlie & Bridget Farrell, Alyce, Pam, Tommy, Stephen Lett, Vanetta Lloyd, Marietta D'Albero, Marietta Coppola, Alexandra Sanseverino, Dr Milton Coke, Pam Yesner, the Rev. Carl Scovel, Karl Mini, Patrick Reynolds, Margaret Perry, Ryan Welch, Jack Welch, Kyle Park, Fr. Tom, George Moore, A.J. Crosby, Adrienne Brady, Jeannie & Clemente Campos, Jean Douglas, Joan Capella, Joan Farrell, Sharyn Kessler, D.J. Multer, Michael Montenegro, Susan Yates, Meryl Tate Triplett, Tom Olds, Anthony Marchitto, Dawn Magliulo, the Gilder Family, Carolyn Wigley, Lee J. Howard, Wendy McLeod, Anne Cheney, Sandy Sanford, Judy Hopkins


Deceased: Jim Hopkins (5/26)


Birthdays for Ordination: The Rev. Deacon Felix Rivera (5/31), Jeff Lange (06/02)


Candidate for Ordination: Milton Gilder

VIDEO: Last Sunday's Service and Sermon


Last week was Pentecost. Rev. Nathan preached and celebrated Communion.


If you either missed or want to revisit last Sunday or other recent Sundays at St. PJ's, you can find the recorded livestream on our Facebook and/or YouTube pages.

There's always more...


Please remember that there is a blue Lost & Found bin in the church office.


If you would like to submit an item for consideration in the eNews or bulletin announcements, please let Rev. Nathan know at revnathan@stpaulstjames.org by next Wednesday afternoon.


Please contact Monifa Atkinson in the church office at office@stpaulstjames.org or (203) 562-2143 if you are interested in receiving more information about any of the following:


- Renting space at St. PJ's for your next party, meeting, concert, wedding, or other event. More info at the St. PJ's website here >>


- Volunteering with St. PJ's


- Adding a name, birthday, or anniversary to the St. PJ's prayer list


- Arranging pastoral care needs


- Purchasing grocery-store gift cards to benefit St. PJ's


- Reserving a place in the St. PJ's columbarium or purchasing a plaque on the Memorial Wall

St. PJ's Staff and Contacts

 

Administrative Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - Noon

Priest Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday by appointment

office@stpaulstjames.org

(203) 562-2143


  • Priest-in-Charge: The Rev. Nathan Empsall, revnathan@stpaulstjames.org, (203) 278-9199
  • Administrative Director: Monifa Atkinson, office@stpaulstjames.org
  • Sexton: Sammy Rodriguez
  • Children's Sunday School: Sarah Hill
  • Interim Director of Music: Dylan Rowland
  • Tech and Music Intern: Dontae James
  • Vestry: Bill Evans (co-warden), Juhani Jaske (co-warden), David Hill (treasurer), Maggie King (clerk), Maurice Harris, Pam Sayre, Vanetta Lloyd, Lynne Severance, David Boyer, Roni Holcomb
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