Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Luke 12:49-56
Friday, August 16, 2019
In This Issue
Weekly Services

Sunday - 3 Services

10:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist

1:00 p.m.
South Sudanese Service
Dinka Language

5:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist
Spanish Language

Wednesday
6:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist
 
More St. Paul's Here!
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This Sunday:
Join us for Worship at 10:00 a.m..  It's the 3rd Sunday of the month, so our Healing Prayer Ministry team will be in the Chapel and the Tower Room during Communion. They are available to join you in offering prayers for yourself or for another.   Please note that we are having concrete work done at the South Entrance. Please watch your step and follow any signs if detours are necessary.  Please see important information about the St. Paul's Photo Directory below, and thank you in advance for grabbing your name-tag on Sundays so we can get to know each other better.  


Important Reminder
   St. Paul's will continue the weekend schedule of Worship at 10:00 a.m. Sundays, with Godly Play (Sunday School) starting at 9:50 a.m., followed by fellowship in the Garden Room.  We will continue the Wednesday evening 6:00 p.m. Service with Holy Communion in the chancel.   See you in church!   
Peace ~ Heidi Carter, Lay Associate for Ministry
Sr. Warden's Notes: 

A most heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped in celebrating Father Stan's retirement with a marvelous send-off celebration (please see more on that below).  

We anticipate finalizing arrangements for transitional clergy staffing shortly, and will advise the parish in the coming weeks.  

One of the next steps is the creation of a committee to prepare a comprehensive parish profile. Their work will be to describe our congregation's history, mission and goals, hopes, dreams, and the qualities we seek in our next rector.  

As we move forward there will be many opportunities for your involvement in the process of calling our new rector.  The Vestry sincerely hopes as many of you who are able and have the time will volunteer where you feel appropriate.  

If you are interested in playing a role as opportunities arise during the search process, please send me an email .

Gordon Gee, St. Paul's Senior Warden 

Parish Calendar 
Information about these events can be found in the "more information" section below.


Aug 16-25: Remarkable Book Give-Away!
Theological, Biblical, Social Commentary
Come & browse and take for yourself & a friend. 
In the hall near the nursery, south of the Tower Room

Aug 18:  Healing Prayer Sunday

Aug 28: Vestry Meeting
  
Other News & Opportunities

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The St. Paul's Photo Directory

Easy as  1- 2- 3:

1  - Sign Up
 
 2 - Show Up

3
 - Smile!
     

St. Paul's will be partnering with Lifetouch for parish family pictures and publishing a new parish directory. It couldn't be easier! Please find the link  here  for easy appointment-making! We are so excited to partner with Lifetouch because it will make it easier to communicate with each other.  There will be continuing information at church and in the Epistle.
Portrait Dates:
August 26th-29th (Monday-Thursday) for 2:00-8:40pm
If you have any questions, please feel free to
call Alison  816-686-3223 or email her.

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Transition Update: A note from Your Vestry
At the July meeting the Vestry voted to call a priest to a temporary position here at St. Paul's, primarily to tend to the Pastoral Care and Liturgical needs of the St. Paul's Parish, Staff, Pantry, and School community while we begin the search for a new Rector,  until or unless an Interim Priest is called to do so.   Details of the arrangement are still being finalized, and we are excited about this opportunity for continued care and guidance. 

If you have any questions or concerns about this interim time for the life of the parish, please feel free to speak with any member of the Vestry. Your prayers are appreciated.

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a rector for this parish, 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.
  
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The St. Paul's Parish Family wishes to extend sympathy to  Loretta Birkenmeier on the news of the death of her mother, Myrtice Farris, August 3rd. A memorial service will be held at  St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in San Antonio, Texas  on September 9th.   May she rest in peace and rise in glory. 
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This Week is a Healing Prayer Sunday
On the 3rd Sunday of each month during the 10:00 a.m. service a team of parishioners offers private healing prayers for you, or with you on behalf of someone else. 

All are  invited to visit either the small chapel west of the larger worship space (the nave), or the tower room on the east side, at any point during communion. 

You are also welcome to fill out a Prayer Request Form, available in both spaces and at the entrance (the narthex).
 
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Yoga on Your Cathedral Lawn:
One class date left!

We are invited to join other Episcopalians and community folk for three different 90 minute Yoga events! They will be All-Levels classes, held on the Cathedral lawn beginning at 1pmSeptember 21st . There is no charge. Bring your yoga mat or towel, a water bottle and enjoy the great outdoors!

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 Prayer Request Forms are for requesting prayers for yourself, and for others. They are available from the box on the wall in the tower room near the pulpit, on the Usher's Desk at the 40th street door, and the Receptionist Desk at the South/School side door. They are also on our website. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Pastoral Care Ministry Team, please contact Heidi Carter, Associate for Ministry.
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The Vestry and Wardens would like to thank the following individuals and Ministry Teams for their contributions to the wonderful Celebration Farewell for Father Stan.
                                   Dankeschön 
Kurt Knecht for the special musical offering during the service.
Paul Herbers for organizing, overseeing and emceeing the wonderful program.
Bridgett Wagstaff and the Reception Ministry Team for the food, drinks and decorations.
James McCalla for the piano accompaniments.
Sam Anderson for running sound and for recruiting & directing the men's quartet ~ Vince Woods, John Lawlor, Thou Yang who performed Die Nacht by Franz Schubert.
Catie Brouse for supervising the childcare.
Nancy Day for getting the invitations out into the community.
Pat Rudy, Ann Readey & Guytie Runnels for coaching the children in their wonderful song and dance send-off.
The Children ~ Lillian and Henry Hosty; Jack and Gus Collier; Bella and Brooklyn Niewald; Peter and Eva Kmeck; Lucy Wagner; Deng Deng; Yom Deng; Deng Aboui
Thanks also to our Featured Speakers: Bishop Martin Field, Richard Martin, Andrew Myler, Elizabeth Barnes, Fr. John Deng, Beth Herbers (Guytie should also get thanks here J) Gordon Gee & Bill Lacy.
Thank you Father Jonathan for naming God's great blessings upon us all, and Deacon Bryan for sending us forth to love and serve the world.
We would be remiss if we didn't mention the remarkable resources the rest of our small-but-mighty St. Paul's Staff provided throughout the weeks of planning, helping pull-together and support this great team. Thank you Nicole, Jose, Janice, Cory & Heidi. You made our parts look easy.

Faithfully, Gordon Gee, Senior Warden, and
Scott Seitter, Junior Warden

 

2020 promises many transitions for us as a faith family, requiring our full attention and care. We thank you in advance for your continued stewardship of this remarkable place. We are reminded daily, and proclaim weekly, that all we have comes by God's grace. We are called to return but a portion of that to serving God's life. 

             Summer Blessings ~ Your Stewardship Ministry Team

You can still use the link below to make a 2019 pledge,  or contact the  Church Office  for a paper pledge form.  Thank you for your support financially, for your participation, and by remembering the worship, outreach, and people of St. Paul's in your prayers.

 
             "Godly Play" 

This summer the children of the parish are focusing on serving others. They have planned special projects using their great gifts to meet a world's deep need. Please join us at 9:50 a.m. on the third floor.  This gives parents 10 minutes of quiet to themselves before church starts, and us time to get through our lessons without rushing. Everyone aged 4-11 is welcome to come and bring a friend. Children join the worship service in time for communion. Nursery care provid ed for younger children on the 2nd floor.


 

    
          Transcription-ist Needed
If you can listen to an audio-video recording and convert it into a written report, we need your help. Sooner is better. Contact the Associate for more information and to volunteer. 

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TEFAP & Backstage Hands Needed 
at Pantry

TEFAP: The Emergency Food Assistance Program has experienced a large increase in quality and quantity of food coming into our pantry. As a result, more clients are coming, bringing friends, and we are able to help them all. We served over 120 households last month (last year we averaged 80 per month). While we are happy to be able to help more, we really need more able bodied folks to help with moving, setting up, and distributing all of this heavy food. If you are able to help, it's only once a month, on the 3rd Saturday of the month, from 8am - noon. If you work with a youth group, scouting group, or know of youth or young adults needing service hours, we would welcome the connection. Please contact Melissa Hill via St. Paul's at stpauls@stpaulskcmo.org. Thank you!

Backstage: Many of us have seen, and been a part of, the food distribution at  our Pantry. It is humbling, hard and holy work.  But there is a very important part of our Pantry ministry that goes mostly unseen, and it's there that we can use your help.  To save money , where possible and practicable , o ur Pantry acquires bulk supplies of essential items for our pantry clients. It takes time and care to divide-up these supplies for distribution. It includes things like  rice, pasta, dry beans , laundry   and dish detergent, hair care supplies, frozen foods, etc. If you are able to come and help us sort these into shareable sizes, please let us know . Thanks so much. Richard Scarritt , Easom Bond and Sterling Roath .


We need more caring
hands on-deck in the
St. Paul's Parish Nursery.
Each Sunday we have two paid staff persons caring for our youngest (and cutest!) members. All are required to take the "Safeguarding God's Children" training, pass a background check, and love our kids and their families. We also occasionally need nursery caregivers during the week for special meetings, worship services, or events. Please speak with Catie Brouse if you are ready to join the team. Service hours for high school students are available, but the training requirements remain. Thank you!


Coffee Hour Hosts
       

Aug 18 - ?you?
Aug 25 - Ellen Haden
Sept 1 - Birthday Sunday
Sept 8 - ?you?
Sept 15 - ?you?
Sept 22 - ?you?
Sept 29 - ?you?

Hosting Coffee Hour is a fun and easy way to get to know other St. Paul's members! The host brings the food and the church provides the drinks. An example of what a host might bring would be: two large pans of brownies (cut very small), maybe a bowl of fruit (oftentimes grapes cut into small clusters), and a bowl or two of pretzels or popcorn. If you have questions or wish to co-host with another member, please contact Alison.  Dates are available.

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Bags Wanted
We need your plastic grocery bags!
Could you please bring in grocery bags and place them in the cart next to the Food Pantry entrance? TEFAP has so much produce to bag-up, which is wonderful, but we're depleting the pantry's supply. Thank you!

 
verse for the week

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his (Eliab's) appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." -- 1 Samuel 16:7 
 
voice for the week

So much of religion and spirituality that is offered to us is about sanding down our edges. It just so happens that the jagged edges of our humanity are actually what connects us to God and each other. - Nadia Bolz-Weber

prayer for the week

Teach us again and again to see the full, beautiful, messy humanity in others and in ourselves, oh God who sees our jagged edges and calls us beloved.   Amen. 

thought for the week

Worship grounds me again in the real world of God's creation, dislodging me from whatever world I have imagined for myself. I have come to believe that when we despair of praise, when the wonder of creation and our place in it are lost to us, it's often because we've lost sight of our true role as creatures - we have tried to do too much, pretending to be in such control of things that we are indispensable. It's a hedge against mortality and, if you're like me, you take a kind of comfort in being busy. The danger is that we will come to feel too useful, so full of purpose and the necessity of fulfilling obligations that we lose sight of God's play with creation, and with ourselves.--
Kathleen Norris,   The Quotidian Mysteries
episcopal shield Episcopal Church response to the crisis on our border
 
 
Summer 2019  Over the past several weeks, The Episcopal Church has responded to the reports of inhumane conditions for children and other asylum seekers in government custody in a number of ways. 

"We are all children of the one God - who is the Creator of us all," said Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. "It is our sisters, our brothers, our siblings who are seeking protection and asylum, fleeing violence and danger to children, searching for a better life for themselves and their children. The crisis at the border is not simply a challenge of partisan politics but a test of our personal and public morality and human decency."

  The Episcopal Church, through the Office of Government Relations (OGR) and Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), has compiled a list of resources, bishop statements, and information in response to the ongoing humanitarian situation at the southern border.
 
The list of resources for education and support is available on the EMM website at https://episcopalmigrationministries.org/response-to-the-border-education-and-advocacy/  and will continue to be updated with ways to learn more and take action. The OGR and EMM webinar with Bishop Michael Hunn of the Diocese of Rio Grande will be made available on-demand through this website as well.

B eyond the Walls of St. Paul's

Opportunities to Stay Connected and Involved

Please Visit Our Website at www.stpaulskcmo.org for information about The Diocese of West Missouri's  Youth Ministries , The Episcopal Church, Outreach opportunities and Advocacy and Community Engagement. Scroll down the welcoming page to find a series of interesting links and information. Thank You.

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St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Day School

11 E 40th St.

Kansas City, Mo.   64111

(816) 931-2850