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
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This Sunday:
This Sunday at the 10 am service we will all be introduced to the Rev. Stephen McKee, recently called Priest In Charge for St. Paul's Church & Day School. Also, the Cordillera Quartet will be our guest musicians, playing movements from the Dvorak American Quartet, and Borodin's String Quartet No. 2.
This will be a very special musical offering to our last Sunday in August.
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.
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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
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Former Rector's Note:
Dear friends,
Words cannot express sufficiently our appreciation of the retirement celebration St. Paul's offered us on August 4. It was amazing. As always, St. Paul's can party! Honestly, I was surprised at how emotional it was for me. I found myself unable to speak many times as people greeted me and shared stories with me. My thanks to all who worked so hard to pull all of this together and make is such a special event for my retirement. Thank you all for the privilege it was to serve with you as I served God's call to the parish and people of St. Paul's. I count it a singular privilege of my years as a priest of the Church to be associated with the long tradition of living the faith that is St. Paul's Episcopal Church at 40th and Main. I will always keep this parish and you, the people of God, in my prayers.
Many have wondered what is next for me and Guytie. First, Guytie continues her work in outpatient rehab at St. Luke's South. She has no plans for retirement in the near term. Consequently, Arno Rd KCMO remains our residence. I am taking August "off" to catch my breath. Currently, I am in south Mississippi tending to some family matters for my mother. Earlier this week I was in Wynne, Ar and Oxford, Ms taking care of some family matters for Guytie. I will spend some time in the Buffalo River National Park in Arkansas later this week observing the night sky in this area recently added to the international registry of astronomical "dark sky" zones. And, as some of you who follow me on social media know, I am "mindfulsauntering" on almost a daily basis. Beyond this, I am exploring some possibilities for some very short term consulting-like work with Episcopal parishes for later this year. I am not sure what will materialize, but it is something that intrigues me. So for now, that is what I am up to.
St. Paul's is entering into an exciting time of transition. As is the case in all significant transitions, there will be bumps along the way. But St. Paul's is an amazing parish with incredibly strong
bones
. The lay leadership is solid, the staff is amazingly capable, and the future is promising. My prayers will be constant for this time of transition. While I will not be actively present in the parish, I look forward to seeing you wherever we meet. And, if you happen to be at a justice rally and are looking for a friendly face, look for the Episcopal flag and there you will find me.
I remain . . .
your servant in Christ,
R. Stan Runnels+
Retired
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Parish Calendar
Information about these events can be found in the "more information" section below.
Aug 25, 2:00: National Bell Ringing ~ Healing Day
Aug 26, 27, 28: Get Your Photos Taken
28:
Vestry Meeting
Sept 1: Birthday Sunday
Sept 21: Oktoberfest
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St. Paul's Calls
Priest-In-Charge
The Wardens and Vestry are happy to announce that
the Rev. Stephen McKee has accepted a call to serve St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Day School as our Priest In Charge. He will be with us most Sundays, and have regular office hours, tbd.
See www.stpaulskcmo.org/new-page-2 for more details. Father McKee hit the ground running this week, already meeting with the staff, teaching a communion class at the Day School, and will preside at the All School Eucharist Friday. He will join our rota for preaching and celebrating starting Sunday, September 1st. Please introduce yourselves, wear your nametags, and help us welcome Father McKee to St. Paul's.
Other News & Opportunities
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The St. Paul's Photo Directory
Easy as
1-
2-
3:
2
- Show Up
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-28th (Monday-Wednesday) 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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Pilgrimage: London to Canterbury, 2020
Not all those who wander are lost. ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
A small but stalwart group of St. Paul's parishioners is planning a 70-mile walking pilgrimage along Chaucer's route from London to Canterbury, June 7 - 14, 2020. Our plan is to attend the mid-morning Eucharist at Southwark Cathedral on June 7, walk about 10 miles a day, arrive in Canterbury on Saturday, and attend the mid-morning Eucharist at Canterbury Cathedral on the 14th before going our separate ways.
This is not a church-sponsored or guided tour; each traveler is responsible for all logistics of air travel, lodging, etc. We simply invite you to join us in our planning to decide if you're interested. A very rough estimate of cost, including airfare, is $2400 to $3500. Adults only, please. If you are interested, please email Nancy Day at [email protected].
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St. Paul's KCMO to participate in the
Healing Day National Bell Ringing
Commemorating
400 years of African American History and Culture:
Sunday August 25 at 2:00 pm
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia Bishop James B. Magness invite Episcopal churches to take part in a national action to remember and honor the first enslaved Africans who landed in English North America in 1619 by tolling their bells for one minute on Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 3:00 pm ET (2:00 in KCMO).
"The first African people were brought to this continent in harrowing and dehumanizing circumstances. As we remember the 400th anniversary of their arrival, I pray that we will do the hard work of reconciliation that God longs for us to do," said Susan Goff, bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. "God forgive us. God give us courage and resolve. And God bless us."
All are invited to come Sunday afternoon and join Deacon Bryan in this commemoration. You may also watch Bishop Curry's message at the Episcopal Church's Website,
www.episcopalchurch.org on the page of the Office of Public Affairs, or by going here:
https://tinyurl.com/yxdkc4pr
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Transition Update: A note from Your Vestry
Thank you to everyone who emailed to let us know you are interested in serving on the Parish Profile Committee. We are looking for a few more parishioners who are excited about telling the story of St. Paul's Church and Day School - not only who we are now, but how we hope to continue to spread the Gospel in this community and beyond. If you wish to be considered, please contact our Senior Warden,
Gorden Gee. We are also thrilled to report that Nancy Franklin has agreed to chair this team.
Thank you Nancy! More to come.
Keep us in your prayers:
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 5th Annual St. Paul's Oktoberfest
is just one month away!
Saturday, September 21st at 6pm.
Please plan to join us and invite your friends.
Watch for more information in upcoming ePistles and Church announcements.
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
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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.
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Christian Formation
Sunday School
"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.
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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 [email protected].
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 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!
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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.--
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 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.
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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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click for:
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by 6:00 p.m. Wednesdays.
Please help out the Epistle editor and submit your items in a timely way. Thanks!
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Day School
11 E 40th St.
Kansas City, Mo. 64111
(816) 931-2850
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