Volume 12| August 5, 2020
Being Together - Apart
THE NOW AND FUTURE CHURCH…STEWARDSHIP 2021

It seems like we just went through a stewardship season! But truth be told, it has been a whole year since the topic of stewardship was addressed by the Parish of the Church of the Holy Spirit. A lot has happened in that year. Most recently the coronavirus has radically changed and challenged our lives. All that we took for granted has been turned upside down, especially when it comes to our church life. For now and our safety the doors are closed and the sanctuary silenced at 204 Monument Road.

So what of the present and future of CHS and how do we talk about Stewardship in these days of lock down lives and churches? Well let’s try!

We can begin by affirming that in spite of the “new normal” the CHURCH CONTINUES TO BE THE CHURCH. In spite of the fact that we cannot be in personal contact with one another, our parish ministry continues. We communicate through Constant Contact and Being Together-Apart. Sunday Morning Prayer is held via the technology of Zoom as are: Study Groups, Healing Services, Virtual Tea Parties, Sunday Morning Book Discussions, and Intercessory Prayer Requests honored. Reverend Gail Smith continues full pastoral care of those in need and our Vestry and Parish Committees continue functioning via Zoom meetings. In spite of the virus, the life and ministry of the church continues NOW in new and creative ways.

It is commendable that our varied and vital ministries continue uninterrupted! What is even more commendable is your continued sustaining encouragement and financial support. Both are very much needed as we look to the FUTURE of our Parish.

Mindful of that we are in a time of the Now and Future Church we begin Stewardship 2021. Later this month you will receive a mailing with a Pledge Card enclosed. We hope you will give prayerful consideration to the financial needs of the parish, now and into the future, and complete and return your Pledge. 

Out and about we see signs that say: “We will get through this together.” We, the Stewardship Team, echo that sentiment and resoundingly respond by saying: “Yes we will!” We hope you will join with us in that cheer for our beloved Parish that it might continue with a sound financial base.

Do stay safe and well, until we meet again in that place of abiding affections, the sanctuary of CHS.

Faithfully yours on behalf of the Vestry,  
The Stewardship Team for 2021
Georgia Schneider, Kate Paradise, Chris Crighton, Steve Koehler, and
Doug Fromm
FINANCIAL FORUM

In case you were unable to listen to Chris Crighton's August 2nd presentation on the current state of CHS' finances, please take a moment to review the attached document. If you have any questions, please contact Chris.
BEING INSPIRED
“pandemic” 

From Pandemic 2020 Poems, by Gail Smith
(Suggest you read this out loud to feel its true powerful message)
What is this crazy time
we live in?
No relief from the stress
and strain we live with.
Daily, I wake and for
A brief moment feel – “normal.”
Daylight slowly fills the windows
Still darkened by blinds,
Though the sun’s light is stronger
Than the blinds closed lids.

Morning comes in a sudden thought
“it will never end!”
My heart tightens, my mind fills with sickening panic
It Will Never End.

There will be no “normal” ever again.
Can I endure it?
I want to run away
Want to deny all that is happening,
In the running there is no real place to go.
No escape.

This Thing which catches us in its grip
Is here to stay
We are left with no escape route.
It is still early, I could
Go back to sleep
Or at least try.

The routine of the morning
And its necessary tasks
Will provide moments of respite
Until I plunge into the
day’s demands, the “shoulds”, the “oughts”, the things to do,
those remembered and
those forgotten,
those avoided.

I can lose myself, my anxieties, worries;
In the “doing.”
The “being” goes silent
Until solitude claims
Its sabbath space, and rest can come.

The day unfolds,
This is the “new normal,”

As if there ever was a former normal
At all.

Only God knows. 
WEDNESDAY BOOK STUDY GROUP
via Zoom at 4:30; You can still join us.
Gail Smith+
While we started this group on July 24th, you can still join in. If you are interested or have questions and want to receive the zoom invitation, please let Gail+ know. gsmith@chsorleans.org

Black lives matter. How we live our life matters. There are many books out there to begin a conversation. As a starting point, I have chosen “White Fragility: Why it’s so hard for White People to talk about Racism" by Robin Diangelo.
Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Remembrances
Upcoming dates to give you time to send a note, card, or call.

BIRTHDAYS
   Brenda Ridgeway   8.08   Steve Anderson  8.09    Todd Ash  8.09
Steven Koehler  8.11    Camden O’Brien 8.11   Janet Roberts  8.12
Margaret Anne Heuss  8.14    John Kilpatrick  8.14    Evie Ellison   8.19
Kathy Udall  8.19    Jude Hutchings-McMahon  8.22    Gerry Foley  8.22                      
Ann Anderson  8.24    Dick Koeppen  8.25    Phil Marshall  8.28
Susan Barrett  8.30    Page McMahan  8.30    Don Usher  8.30


ANNIVERSARIES
Charlie and Diane Deaton 8.02.14    Wayne and Marilyn Gass  8.05.61
Norman and Joan Proctor 8.18.56    Bill and Nancy Ranscht 8.18.56
Robert and Christine LaBranche  8.21.93    Rick Paris and Ann Pike Paris  8.21.71
The Rev. Ken and Ruth Campbell  8.26.67    The Rev. Herb and Peg Skelly  8.26.61
Bruce and The Rev. Sue Lederhouse  8.29.87    Jack and Jane Nixon  8.29.59


ORDINATIONS

REMEMBRANCES
Lucy Chandler  8.02.16    Phyllis M. Myers  8.02.15    Dottie Stevens  8.02.02
Peter Kuntz  8.03.01    Paul Jones  8.05.00    T. Will Joy  8.05.13
Frank Wiedeman  8.06.05    Mary Bunker  8.09.15    Frederick H. Burr  8.09.97
Claire Lockwood 8.10.96     Marion Grube  8.12.03    Abner Pratt  8.12.12
Suzan M. Deaton  8.13.10   Myles Mahoney  8.13.02    Mary Morgan  8.15.04
Sabin Hutchings  8.16.75    Ralph Mayo  8.17.86    Mary Wilcox  8.17.03
Robert Groves  8.18.00    Ruth Evans  8.19.99    Edith Houghton  8.22.89
Marion Kachadorian  8.22.07    Constance LoParto 8.22.13
Raymond Price  8.25.01    Frank Pike  8.26.06    William Ridgeway, Priest  8.26.84
V. Janet Seale  8.27.12    Irma Smith  8.27.97    Erick T. Miller  8.29.13
Sue Rightmire  8.30.06    Frank Joy  8.31.07 


RECENT DEATHS
Gilbert Merritt

.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Watch over thy children, O'Lord, as their days increase.
Bless and guide them wherever they may be
keeping them unspotted from the world.
Strengthen them when they stand;
comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall;
And in their hearts, may thy peace, which passes all understanding,
Abide all the days of their lives;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
ZOOM
MORNING PRAYER SERVICE
SUNDAYS at 10:00 A.M.
++++++++++++
Look for a separate
Zoom invitation email on Friday with this Sunday's Bulletin.

Thank you Gail+ and Joan.
TUESDAY HEALING SERVICES
Please join Gail Smith+
for a weekly healing service
on Tuesdays
at 10:00 a.m.

A Zoom meeting invitation will be sent each Monday.
It has been too long!
Let’s Get Together!
Church of the Holy Spirit Members
Thursday, August 6, 2020
4:00 - 5:00
(rain date, August 13)
***********************************
Meet at the Orleans Town Green at the corner of
Main Street and Route 28 next to Snow Library
B. Y. O. E. — Bring Your Own Everything!
*MASK  *CHAIR  *WATER
We will stay six feet apart.
Additional parking is available in lot across the street near the Orleans Post Office
There can be no food sharing or hugs, but it will be nice to see our parish friends in person, not on a computer screen!
Please let us know if you plan to join us. office@chsorleans.org.
KAMPUS KAPERS
Holy Spirit's Memorial Garden recently received some sprucing up.
It's a lovely place to sit, commune with our loved parishioners whose ashes are interred there,
and just meditate.

Thank you to our Garden Party Teams for keeping this special holy place looking so lovely.
PARISH SHARING
I received three different Pandemic Music Videos to share. Enjoy!
Note: we can not control the ads that pop up before the videos. Just click "skip ad" if you don't want to listen to them.
Sent by Sandy Marshall.

Lovers of the musical "Hamilton" will truly enjoy this parody of the song "You'll Be Back" sung by Episcopal Rector Lonnie Lacey of Tifton, Georgia.

Original is sung by King George to the Colonists.
17,500+-Member Virtual Choir singing an original new song, "Sing Gently"

Watch the CBS Sunday Morning feature about how this was done.
The song Video is 10 minutes long; 3 minutes for the song and
7 minutes for credits
listing all 17,500+ participants.
"The Longest Time"
A Social Distance -
Sing Project

A parody of Bill Joel's song as another Virtual Choir Video by
Phoenix Chamber Choir Alumni from Vancouver, joined by other local choir communities
Joan Kirchner grew garlic.

These are the top fronds that came up. They made the most interesting, almost magical arrangement.

Joan tried to cook with the fronds but said they were tough and inedible. But the garlic bulbs were good!
Thank you Bill and Barbara Sousa for this useful list.

All are good daily habits
to follow.
Free Scooter
If you know someone who can use this, please contact
Rick and Ann Paris.
Works fine; just does not fit in their new SUV.
Click here to learn all the new things available free from COT.
Longtime CHS Member,
Marilyn Gass,
sent this wonderful memory of CHS summer services she attended as a young child while visiting her grandparents, who were part of the founding members of CHS.

This beautiful Church and Parish community have been a part of most of my life. I was a very young girl, about two years of age, when during family summer vacations my parents, Dorrance and Elsie Talbot, and I visited my Grandmother, Mary "Polly" White Talbot, and my Great Aunt and Great Uncle, Sally White Johnston and Bard Johnston in Orleans.

Click here to read the full article.
ALERT FROM MEDICARE:
Have you gotten robocalls, text messages, or emails offering free face masks? Or maybe you've seen social media posts about free COVID-19 testing kits, "cures," or protective equipment? Do NOT respond

If anyone reaches out to get your Medicare Number or personal information in exchange for something, you can bet it's a scam.

Watch this short video and visit Medicare.gov/fraud for tips on preventing Medicare scams
and fraud. 
If you suspect fraud, call
 1-800-MEDICARE to report it.
DIOCESAN COMMUNICATIONS
Stay informed and connected to the Episcopal Diocese of MA
Sign up to receive our diocesan communications,
including the monthly E-news. (www.diomass.org)
REMINDER ABOUT SCAM EMAIL MESSAGES

PLEASE do NOT open or respond to emails messages that appear to be from our clergy or staff members asking for favors or gifts cards.
If the actual email address is not from a @chsorleans.org address,
do not open nor respond. Move the email to your Junk folder.

NEVER RESPOND NOR SEND ANY MONEY OR GIFT CARDS
IN RESPONSE TO AN EMAIL FROM A CHS STAFF MEMBER.

If you are not sure what to do, contact the parish office.
We feel that we have stumbled on a vital and
practical principle of Church union -
the kind we pray for every Sunday morning -
the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
from The Story of a Church
Copyright 1947, by Richard Kimball
THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Stay current on happenings at CHS.

and
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Editor - Sue Sasso newsletters@chsorleans.org