In this week's edition:

- Weekly Reflection: Who Do We Say That We Are?

- March 15: Bishop Holly Commemoration Service at St. Luke's, Whalley Avenue

- Lenten Adult Formation: "Harden Not Your Hearts"

- News from the Wider Church: Trinity on the Green news, new theology books celebrate Black History Month, coverage of "A Call to Christians," 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...

Priest's Corner:

Who Do We Say That We Are?

(Or, our post-its from the Annual Meeting)

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

At our Annual Meeting earlier this month, we considered our parish mission statement and its four core holy instructions -- Love, Grow, Serve, Go -- and then discussed four questions at our tables:

• What do you value most about St. PJ's?
• What do each of these four words (Love, Grow, Serve, Go) mean to you?

Individuals were then invited to write brief answers on post-in notes and place them on posterboards around the room. Here are the answers you gave! I invite us all, myself included, to read and reflect on these lists as a way of learning how we see ourselves as a church and a community.

A few pictures first (click to embiggen), then a more complete transcript.

An enormous thank you to Jeff and Janie Lange for typing up all the handwritten answers below!

Slashes mean that / similar / answers / were grouped together. Asterisks mean answers that were given more than once.

What do you value most about St. PJ’s?

• * * loving acceptance
• camaraderie
• familiar faces
• * * welcome
• * * fellowship
• family
• * * * * * * * * * * * community/ fellowship / friendship / love / safe space
• comfortable connectedness
• openness
• like-mindness about the way people should treat each other
• *  * history
• faith
• service
• commitment to justice, bringing the word to life
• members invested in the church
• presence and potential
• church building with the Holy Spirit
•  * * * music
• joyful music
• jazz and justice
• jazz brings joy, light, love, and beauty to worship
• music, they bring down the holy spirit every Sunday; I can’t go back to  organ

Love

• happiness
• togetherness
• family
• friends
• sharing
• a safe environment to begin to look into ourselves and find love— its expression, fear, etc.
• showing feeling
• sharing the radical upending message of Christ to each other and our community
• caring for all others with the same intensity that God cares for us
• share God’s love to others
• * * reaching out
• * * first commandment, love as Christ loves us
• keep others’ humanity in the forefront
• open to all
• selfless concern for others
• seeking the good of others
• tolerate and accept those who drive me crazy
• love your enemies
• to be able to forgive
• faithful fittedness
• explore what it means to personally love and grow and then to practice in the community
• to live a life in Christ and abide in His word in order to love as he loves us and to stay connected to the Lord through prayer, worship, etc.
• ministry and sermons

Grow

• to mature spiritually
• aging
• grow in knowledge as a community in size
• internal examination of our faith
• faith journey, questions, confusion, fear, and a safe space
• be vulnerable to learn to be open
• grow in knowledge of God and faith
• embracing God’s fullness
•  * * attend church, invite others
• challenges of inviting / informing people across the street
• how to communicate the message to the neighborhood
• connect with the people in our physical proximity in practical ways
• expanding our vision for loving and helping others
• be open to change what we think and what we do to continue to live into being God’s people
• to listen to the Lord and our neighbors whether they be a call to action or a call to aid 

Serve

• to abide in the Lord’s will and love as he loves us and to channel that love into the world around us
• putting others first joyfully
• dignity, hospitality, charity, love without anger
• multiple ways like Sunrise Cafe
• enter discernment and spread God’s word by doing a ministry
• commitment
• give all you can
• teach
• growth
• togetherness
• meet people where they are
• opportunity
• giving of time, talent and gifts to the community and congregation
• reaching out
• meeting the needs of those around us even if we don’t particularly want to
• treating others the way they want to be treated
• the justice committee will build on this
• volunteer for stuff
• share talents
• give of yourself
• work together
• serve and go seem intrinsically connected— in order to serve one must go into their community

Go

• keep on trying to love, grow, serve as examples to others
• go and serve
• make a difference in lives and showing compassion
• to keep our light visible in both our worship and our daily lives and know we always carry God with us
• get outside of our comfort zones to create real community and not just friendships
• be Christ for those to whom Christ has called you
• carry God’s love out into the world not just here at church
• go outside of St PJ’s building
• to serve continuously and always remember that He is with us and loves us and to channel that into everyday life to serve Him and our neighbors
•  * * action not just talking ; doing ; stop talking about it
• * * move, don’t sit still
• not much on verbalizing
• get out and go the Green, in the streets with signs

March 15: Bishop Holly Commemoration Service at St. Luke's, Whalley Avenue

Did you know that the first Black man to serve as bishop in the Episcopal Church was first ordained a priest right here in New Haven? Before becoming Bishop of Haiti, the Rt. Rev. James Theodore Holly served as rector of St. Luke's from 1856-1861.

On Sunday, March 15, at 4 p.m., St. Luke's will hold a Bishop Holly Commemoration Service. The broader ECCT community is invited to what promises to be an auspicious and glorious occasion!

According to a brief biography shared by St. Luke's,

"His early years were spent in D.C. and Brooklyn where he connected with Frederick Douglass and other Black abolitionists... In 1856 Holly was ordained a priest in New Haven, Connecticut. That same year he co-founded the Protestant Episcopal Society for Promoting the Extension of the Church Among Colored People, which challenged the Church to take a position at General Convention against slavery. Theodore Holly would later become the first African American Bishop in the Episcopal Church. Holly served as rector at St Luke’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut until 1861 during which time he traveled and extolled the benefits of emigration to Haiti, a country where slaves had led a successful revolt and overthrown their European forces. He viewed Haiti as an opportunity for Black people to bind together and establish a Black nation in the Western hemisphere. Holly believed that bringing Anglicanism to Haiti would help to stabilize and develop the country more expeditiously."

Lenten Adult Formation:

"Harden Not Your Hearts"

From Kelly Park, Seminarian Intern

Starting this Sunday - after a week's weather delay -- the St. PJ's Lenten adult formation series is 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 that began on Ash Wednesday. Each morning you can receive reflections, invitations, and the daily INS link in your inbox. 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

- [Trinity on the Green] Statement regarding Community Care Minister Lisa Levy

- [ENS] New Orleans ministry makes plastic-bag sleeping mats for unhoused people sleeping on the streets

- [ENS] Southern Ohio is latest diocese to commit financial resources to racial reparations program

- [ENS] Indigenous Episcopalians to participate in suicide prevention training at Winter Talk conference

- [RNS] Black church leaders use new books to share history and hope (including one from New Haven's Rev. Boise Kimber)

- [RNS] Singing protests gain momentum as non-violent but emotionally stirring rebukes to ICE

Coverage of "A Call to Christians" statement

- [USA Today] Christian leaders denounce Trump actions, warn of 'crisis of faith'

- [MS NOW] Christian leaders accuse Trump admin of promoting faith ‘corrupted’ by nationalism

- [Baptist News Global] Statement urges US Christians to ‘resistance’ and ‘repentance’

Come at 10:30 a.m. this Sunday, March 1 -- the second Sunday in Lent -- for Holy Eucharist, children's Sunday School, coffee & community, and adult formation after church.

Serving this Sunday:

Sunday

10:30 a.m.

Jazz Eucharist

In person and online

Wednesday

12:30 p.m.



Simple Communion

In person only

Wednesday

2:00 p.m.



Afternoon Prayer

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. Martin’s, Hartford; St. Monica’s, Hartford; Trinity, Hartford; and for Haitian ministry in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.

In the Anglican Communion Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem & The Middle East.

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  

Postulant for Ordination: Milton Gilder

Birthdays: Sue Galvin (03/02), Danielle Reed (03/07)

Deceased: Robert Mann, the Rt. Rev. Jim Waggoner (retired Bishop of Spokane and mentor to Rev. Nathan)

VIDEO: Last Sunday's Service and Sermon

Last week, the Rev. Cecil Tengatenga joined us to celebrate Communion and preach for the first Sunday in Lent.

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