In this week's edition:

- Winter Weather Update: Things still look okay for tomorrow - check our Facebook page in the morning

- Weekly Reflection: Honoring Two Pioneers, from Roni Holcomb

- Striving for Justice and Peace: CT clergy kick off Lent with public witness

- Lenten Adult Formation: "Harden Not Your Hearts"

- News from the Wider Church: Presiding Bishop Rowe's Ash Wednesday letter, remembering Absalom Jones and Jesse Jackson, Lutheran Kenyan church elects first woman Presiding Bishop, and more

- This Sunday at St. PJ's

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

- Support Loaves & Fishes and Sunrise Cafe during renovation

- Reach out to Rev. Nathan to schedule your household visit

- There's Always More...

Winter Weather Update

Although another winter storm is rolling in, at this time, things still look okay for Sunday morning. Forecasts are constantly changing and do not have much certainty yet, but the current model is that the New Haven area will probably get four inches of snow starting later on Sunday and into Monday morning.

Pray that the storm holds off as expected, because it will be a joy to have our friend the Rev. Cecil Tengatenga with us again tomorrow for the first Sunday in Lent!

If there's any doubt tomorrow/Sunday morning, take a look at St. PJ's Facebook page before you head out of the house for chruch, but things do look good for now.

Weekly Reflection: Honoring Two Pioneers -- and the Witness Among Us

Submitted by Veronica "Roni" Holcomb

As we move through Black History Month, I am deeply concerned about the larger culture choosing to dismiss and diminish the contributions of Black Americans. How can we as a church community do our part to remember? 

This past Sunday, our own Rev. Steve brought me a treasured keepsake: the program from the consecration of Bishop Barbara C. Harris. On February 11, 1989, at age 58, Barbara Harris became the first woman ordained a bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion - and she did so as an African American woman stepping into a role no woman had ever held.

Bishop Harris was known not only for breaking barriers, but for telling the truth with courage. She insisted the Church must make room - especially for those too often left out - and she carried that conviction into her preaching, leadership, and public witness. Her ministry helped widen the doorway for generations who came after.

I’ve written before about the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, her path was just as astonishing. She entered General Theological Seminary in 1973, earned her degree in 1976, was ordained deacon on June 9, 1976, and then on January 8, 1977 - at age 66 - became the first African American woman ordained to the Episcopal priesthood.

What especially moves me is how both women carried a shared struggle: the “double bind” of racism and sexism in spaces long shaped by white, male authority. Murray gave that experience a name - “Jane Crow” - to describe discrimination aimed at Black women in particular. Bishop Harris, even as she made history, faced fierce resistance in the church and ugly attacks precisely because she would not stay in anyone’s “assigned place.” Neither retreated. Both turned what was meant to diminish them into prophetic ministry that widened the path for those who followed.

And then there is this part that takes my breath away: Several St. PJ's members, including Rev. Steve, were there. In the room. Bearing witness.

I asked him why he thought God allowed him to be part of these monumental historical moments, and how those experiences shaped him. This is what he said: 

“My nannies were black women from infancy; and I grew up in a segregated society that I hated and abandoned as soon as I could. I lived the civil rights movement. But it was many years before I met both of them. 

They were colleagues and mentors -- inspirations.

Now you and Sheila share that place.” 

Barbara Harris and Pauli Murray deserve our attention not only because it is Black History Month, but because their lives still ask something of the Church: courage, truth-telling, and a widening welcome. I’m grateful that Rev. Steve - through his witness, his memory, and his love - helps bring that holy history right into our own parish life.

May we be the kind of community that reflects God’s love – steadfastly - and makes room for all people.

Striving for Justice and Peace:

CT Clergy Kick Off Lent with Public Witness

Three stories in one about putting faith into action:

Bishops Jeffrey Mello, left, and Laura Ahrens of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut speak to interreligious leaders and people of faith from around the state during the Connecticut Interreligious Witness rally outside the federal immigration courthouse in Hartford on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)

1) We thank Bishops Jeffrey Mello and Laura Ahrens for speaking at the Connecticut Interreligious Witness rally outside the federal immigration courthouse in Hartford on Ash Wednesday. The rally delivered a letter from 200+ CT clergy gently calling on ICE agents to lay down their arms, leave a cruel system, and return to love.

Episcopal signers include Rev. Nathan, our friend the Rev. Harlon Dalton, Trinity on the Green's Revs Luk de Volder & Heidi Thorsen, and various members of the ECCT staff, among others. Read the letter at the Hartford Courant:

"We wonder: Who are you who hide behind those masks? What life experiences have brought you to a place where you are willing to inflict this kind of trauma and pain on other people, to visit terror upon your neighbors? And we wonder about the sort of pain you must carry as a result of what you are now being asked to do."

2) Also released Ash Wednesday: A letter from 400 national leaders called "A Call to Christians in a Crisis of Faith and Democracy," decrying the abuse of faith to support tyranny and violence.

Alongside denominational leaders, authors, Episcopal bishops, and seminary presidents, CT signers include Rev. Nathan and several Yale Divinity faculty, among them Dr. Miroslav Volf, Min. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and St. Thomas's senior warden Dr. Jennifer Herdt.

Rev. Nathan’s recent DC trip was to provide feedback on an earlier draft. Read the letter at the link above, and read more about it in this article from Religion News Service.

3) Lastly, look for Rev. Nathan’s op-ed from lastw eek in the New Haven Register and other Hearst CT papers, including the CT Post and the CT Insider, which the paper chose to headline, “A priest has a message about ICE for MAGA and Democrats.” Rev. Nathan wrote this letter about the clergy meeting with Rep. Rosa DeLauro in response to a column from CT Public broadcaster Colin McEnroe.

Lenten Adult Formation:

"Harden Not Your Hearts"

From Kelly Park, Seminarian Intern

Starting this Sunday, the St. PJ's Lenten adult formation series will be based on "Harden Not Your Hearts," a 2022 online offering from the Ignatian Spiritual Network.

In-person conversations will take place at church after Coffee and Community on most Sundays in Lent, beginning this week.

Additionally, there is also an optional email portion which, upon signup, will arrive each morning in your inbox with reflections, invitations, and the daily INS link. Send an email to kelly.park@yale.edu to be added to the list!

You can receive the emails, come for the conversations, or both! It is my hope that through this time of prayer, penitence, and reflection we will be able to grow together as a community of faith and to shore up our dedication to being Christlike in our hearts, minds, and actions.

News from the Wider Church

- [ENS] Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s Ash Wednesday letter to the church: https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/02/18/presiding-bishop-sean-rowes-ash-wednesday-letter-to-the-church/

- [ENS] New York leads Ash Wednesday prayer ‘bearing witness’ to immigration enforcement’s human impact: https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/02/19/new-york-leads-ash-wednesday-prayer-bearing-witness-to-immigration-enforcements-human-impact/

- [ENS] Chicago bishop, Voorhees president respond to death of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson: https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/02/17/chicago-bishop-voorhees-president-respond-to-death-of-civil-rights-leader-jesse-jackson/

- [ENS] Philadelphia slavery exhibit featuring Absalom Jones reinstalled at President’s House: https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/02/20/philadelphia-slavery-exhibit-featuring-absalom-jones-reinstalled-at-presidents-house/

- [ENS] Diocese of Pittsburgh chosen to host 83rd General Convention in 2030: https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/02/20/diocese-of-pittsburgh-chosen-to-host-83rd-general-convention-in-2030/

- [RNS] Inspired by Catholic nuns, Kenyan Lutheran pastor becomes church's first female presiding bishop: https://religionnews.com/2026/02/20/inspired-by-catholic-nuns-kenyan-lutheran-pastor-become-churchs-first-female-presiding-bishop/

- [Sojourners] Pro-Life Coalition Decries ICE Detention Practices: ‘Unborn Children Are Dying’: https://sojo.net/sojoshare/NTE5NTJ8MjM4MjcyfDE3NzE2ODcwOTd8NQ%3D%3D 

- [Substack: Tim Whitaker, The New Evangelicals] Meet the Christian Nationalist Pastor Who Just Preached at the Pentagon: https://substack.com/home/post/p-188554380

Come at 10:30 a.m. this Sunday, February 22 -- the first Sunday in Lent -- for Holy Eucharist, children's Sunday School, coffee & community, and adult formation after church.

Serving this Sunday:

Sunday

Jazz Eucharist

and Children's Sunday School

10:30 a.m.

In person and online

Ash Wednesday

Simple Communion

12:30 p.m.



In person only.

Wednesday

Afternoon Prayer

2:00 p.m.

In person only.

Cycles of Prayer and St. PJ's Prayer List

In the Episcopal Church in Connecticut's cycle of prayer, we pray this week for St. John’s, Guilford; Grace & St. John’s, Hamden; Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford; and for Christ Church Cathedral’s ministry in Hartford, the Cathedral Chapter, & the honorary canons of our Cathedral.

In the Anglican Communion Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Church of Ireland.

On the St. PJ’s prayer list, we pray for: Rachel, Doug Parker, Anne Matthies, Calvin Griffin, Rev. Walter MacNutt, Kevin Gerbe, Leota Tucker, Edwina Johnson, Cynthia King, Paul D'Agostino, Richard Holcomb, Tiras Jaske, Uli Mackert, Charlie & Bridget Farrell, Alyce, Pam, Tommy, Beverly Lett, Stephen Lett, Vanetta Lloyd, Janea Barthle, Lydia Hamnquist, Rita Valenti-Piovane, Rev. Nihal de Lanerolle, Heather de Lanerolle, Marietta D’Albero, Maria Rodriquez, Marietta Coppola, Paul Mangels, Alexandra Sanseverino, Dr. Milton Coke, Pam Yesner, Rev. Carl Scovel, Karl Mini, Patrick Reynolds, Margaret Perry, Ryan Welch, Jack Welch, Andy & Karla Codney, Kyle Park, Carol Brennan, Fr. Tom, George Moore, A. J. Crosby, Adrienne Brady, Jeannie & Clemente Campos, Marilyn Bergen, Lydia Albers, Jean Douglas, Melissa & George Cunningham, Joan Cappella, Ruby Slade-Wooten, Yvonne Scott, Joan Farrell

Postulant for Ordination: Milton Gilder

Birthdays: Marilyn Barnett (2/23), Melanie McDowell (2/23), Claudia Roach (2/23), George Moore (2/23)

Deceased: Robert Mann

VIDEO: Last Sunday's Service and Sermon

Last week, Rev. Nathan celebrated Communion and preached on the Transfiguration.

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.

Support Loaves & Fishes and Sunrise Cafe during renovation

The long-awaited replacement of the steps to the undercroft, right on the corner of Chapel and Olive, is underway! Work has restarted now that the ground has warmed a little and the snow has begun to melt. This means that our front yard along Olive Street is fenced off while construction is underway.

While we are disappointed that we are not able to include a ramp in the project, the new steps will be wider, safer and more welcoming to the community. Please direct questions to Brian Fillmore as Capital Campaign Project Manager.

Sunrise Cafe and Loaves & Fishes continue to operate, using alternate entryways to the undercroft. We acknowledge that though fruitful in the long run, this is an inconvenience for now, so please donate to either important organization if you can:

Reach out to Rev. Nathan to Schedule Your Household Visit

By the Rev. Nathan Empsall, priest-in-charge

By now, you've likely heard me say that I want to visit every St. PJ's household. I want to hear about who you are, what makes you tick, what you believe and love, your history at St. PJ's, and your hopes for the future of our common life together. Ideally this meeting would be at your home, where I can get to know you in your own environment and also offer a home blessing, but coffee shops and walks in the park are okay too.

These meetings are happening, and I have greatly enjoyed them -- but I am also realizing that I am my own bottleneck when it comes to scheduling, as I reach out to families one or two at a time. To try and speed things up, I invite you to reach out to me with some suggested times and dates we might meet.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are ideal, but Fridays and Saturdays are okay too. While weekday daytimes are certainly best, I understand that work schedules can necessitate evenings or Saturdays. Please email me at revnathan@stpaulstjames.org, and I hope to see you outside the church building soon!

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 Ministry: Molly Clayton + Sarah Hill
• Interim Director of Music: Dylan Rowland
• Tech and Music Intern: Dontae James
• Seminary Intern: Kelly Park
• 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