Please send news items to Tom Wrausmann at [email protected], or the Church Office at [email protected] by the 20th of the month. Schedule changes, Updates, and other emails will happen throughout the month in addition to our Angelus and can be sent in at any time. |
|
Upon receiving this email, please check the bottom of your email provider and click "View entire message". We are receiving reports that some people are not receiving an entire Angelus, and it is due to the inbox clipping it short to save space in the initial viewing. -Jenn |
|
We’re on a roll!
As I write this article, the restoration of St. Paul’s is going on fast and furiously. It’s very exciting to see how well all the projects are humming along toward completion! I think you’ll be very happy to see our newly renovated spaces. God is in the business of resurrection. God didn’t cause the fire to engulf St. Paul’s, but God will redeem the fire and turn it into something good for us. We are gaining so many things because of the fire. First of all, I think we now appreciate St. Paul’s more than ever, and we appreciate one another more as well. We’re also gaining new wiring in a good deal of the office wing, and newly remodeled facilities and furnishings in many areas. Everything will look fresh and inviting. Heneghan Hall will be much more likely sought out around town as a place to hold receptions.
We’re gaining a smart conference room in place of what was part of the old library. Did you know that no one had checked a book out of the parish library for more than two years, and that most of the books had never been checked out at all? The new conference room/classroom will be the sight of many future classes and meetings. A new nursery will be tucked into the end of the hallway and share a wall with the conference room. The conference room will also share its opposite wall with a much-needed, efficient, storage room for the office. Brand new ADA compliant restrooms await us as well. The second floor already has newly painted walls and will soon have new flooring and furnishings.
Our old, fond memories will still be with us, but many new memories and ministries await us because of our gracious God of new life and new beginnings! I can’t wait for us to share St. Paul’s together again! How about you?
Faithfully,
Mother Cindy+
|
|
I noticed many of you wistfully dipping your hand into the holy water font at Trinity, although COVID-19 forced us to empty the font. So I blessed some holy water and Diane Martin and I filled sixty little bottles with it. Please feel free to take a bottle with you! |
|
FESTIVITIES IN THE GARDEN
The parish's Episcopal Church Women are hosting a garden party Sunday Sept. 19 at 4:30 pm. The whole parish is invited to the gathering featuring music by guitarist Sean Stone. People are advised to bring a favorite beverage, an appetizer and lawn chairs. Please RSVP to the office. The number is 465-9149 or www.episcopalalton.org.
|
|
Choosing a New Bishop for The Episcopal Diocese of Springfield
written by Diane Martin
As you probably know, that after 10 years of faithful services as the Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, the Right Rev. Daniel Martins retired at the end of June.
The search for our new bishop was actually begun in January, when an Election Committee comprised of both lay and clergy, was selected to begin the process of discerning God's will for the new leadership of our diocese. The nominations closed on June 30 with many steps to go in the election process. Here are some dates and events and procedures that are coming up in this long process.
Sept. 14 -With initial reference checks completed, the plan is to post information on each nominee to the Bishop Election Website with three nominees.
Oct. 16 - The Nominating Synod will be held at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Springfield.
Between these two synods the three candidates will be interviewed individually. Also, walkabouts (visits around the diocese) will occur.
Dec. 11 - The Electing Synod convenes, also at the Cathedral, to elect the 12th Bishop of Springfield.
~ Fast forward to 2022! ~
On January 14th the bishop elect undergoes additional background checks and psychological exams, and the Consent Process begins!
The Consent Process
This process lasts about 120 days. It is a time for the entire Episcopal Church USA to come together as one to "consent" to the ordination of the nominee. The nominee for Bishop must be approved by a majority of all Standing Committees in the Episcopal Church USA.
In addition, the office of the Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, contacts all bishops in all the Episcopal Church USA dioceses. A majority of consents must be received from the bishops as well.
At that point the presiding bishop and and General Convention office will certify the election...the Diocese is now allowed to move forward to the consecration of the new bishop (Finally!)
Presiding Bishop Curry is already booked for the long awaited day - May 21, 2022. The Most Rev. Curry is the Primate of the Episcopal Church and Chief Consecrator. The location TBD. What a joy filled day that will be!!
The entire Episcopal Church USA is involved in selecting a bishop. One of the many great things about the Episcopal Church is that we are very serious about being one denomination which is inclusive and follows good practice.
But who has really brought us together with our new bishop? Much prayer has been central in discerning God's will for us. It is God who will bring us together with our new Bishop. And through much prayer by all of us, we will have hopefully listened to and discerned God's plans for doing his work in the Diocese of Springfield.
From the Book of Common Prayer -
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for the Diocese of Springfield, 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 BCP p. 818
|
|
|
|
|
|
GARDEN TOUR SUCCESS
Our portion of the recent Pride, Inc. Garden Tour was a major success! Roughly 125 people took in the garden's beauty. Mississippi Mud Pottery presented the parish with a flower pot to further enhance the garden that read 2021 Pride Inc. Garden Tour on it. Diane Martin planted begonias in the gift.
|
|
You Never Know What You Might Discover
written by Diane Martin
Do you ever wonder where in the world some of that stuff in the Book of Common Prayer comes from?
Do you ever wonder why the Apostles Creed begins with "I" believe & the Nicene Creed with "we" believe?
Do you ever wonder why sometimes we use the Apostles' Creed and sometimes the Nicene Creed other times? Or Do you ever wonder where they came from???
Do you ever wonder why so few people come to church for Morning Prayer? Or where it even came from?
Do you ever wonder about things like unction, office, colors on the altar, liturgies, liturgical seasons, or incarnation?
We all, hopefully, do sometimes. However, we are learning a great deal about so many things during our Wednesday Evening Discussions.
Coming soon! - salvation and grace, prayer, structures & governance of the church, the Communion of Saints, God the Father and Creation Care and much more.
The Wednesday Discussion Group is a fount of information, sharing and sometimes even hotly debating!
Walk in Love is a great read with serious messages as well as looking at many things with a sense of humor. We are blessed to have Mother Cindy with us to keep us on the straight and narrow and to lead us in Compline as our day is "complete."
Join us Wednesdays at 7 pm on Zoom. Questions? Comments? Contact Diane.
P.S. - Compline means "complete" as you know!
|
|
Book Club
From: Jean Downey
|
|
The Book Club has chosen The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt for our September read.
Our normal meeting date is the third Wednesday of each month; however, LuciAnna’s will be closed and on vacation that week. For this month, we will meet the last Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 9:30 a.m.
LuciAnna’s Pastries is located at 607 E. Broadway, Alton.
Please join us. We love to see new faces! ~Jean
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt:
Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by a longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into a wealthy and insular art community.
As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love -- and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.
Sneak Peek for October - The Racketeer, by John Grisham
|
|
Please keep these people in your daily prayers:
Sue, Sandy, Ruth, Jackie, Irene, Anne, Debra, Cheryl, Bill, Grace, Richard, Kay, Kim, Tina, Marie, Myrnelle, Mother Jane, Barb, Sarah, John, Boyd, all those affected by the viral pandemic.
|
|
If you would like to have a name added or removed from our prayer list, please contact the office or Mother Cindy+ at 618-465-9149. |
|
UPCOMING CALENDAR
Should information change as far as services times and availability for curbside Communion, an update will be sent out to parishioners immediately, via e-mail.
September 4 - 11:00 a.m. - Funeral for Rod Derricott at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Godfrey. Luncheon to follow.
September 5 - 9:00 a.m. - Mass at Trinity Chapel
11:00 a.m. - Mass at Trinity Chapel, Live Streaming on the
September 6 - 7:00 p.m. - Mondays@7 at Trinity Chapel
September 8 7:00 p.m. - Wednesday Discussion Group
September 12 - 9:00 a.m. - Mass at Trinity Chapel
11:00 a.m. - Mass at Trinity Chapel, Live Streaming on the
2:00 p.m. - PAWS at Trinity Chapel
September 13 - 7:00 p.m. - Mondays@7 at Trinity Chapel
September 15 - 7:00 p.m. - Wednesday Discussion Group
September 16 - 7:00 p.m. - Vestry Meeting
September 19 - 9:00 a.m. - Mass at Trinity Chapel
11:00 a.m. - Mass at Trinity Chapel, Live Streaming on the
September 20 - 7:00 p.m. - Mondays@7 at Trinity Chapel
September 22 - 7:00 p.m. - Wednesday Discussion Group
September 26 - 9:00 a.m. - Mass at Trinity Chapel
11:00 a.m. - Mass at Trinity Chapel, Live Streaming on the
September 29- 9:30 a.m. - Book Club @ Lucianna's
7:00 p.m. - Wednesday Discussion Group
A PDF of our Service Bulletins can be accessed on the Home page of our website. Please click here.
If you have not seen it yet, please join our private Facebook Group to stay connected and share with the immediate members of our congregation. The name of the group is Members of EPA.
|
|
3 Nancy Weiss-Hayes
11 Liam Downey
16 Lily Mills
22 Victoria Sever
24 Anna Potter
29 Linda Dunnagan, Mary Almonroeder Mills
30 Diane Martin
|
|
The office of the Episcopal Parish of Alton is operating out of the Parish Hall of Trinity Chapel while St. Paul's is being restored after a fire caused extensive damage to our office wing.
The Winter office hours are from October-April 9am-1pm.
Summer office hours, from May to September, will be 1 to 5 pm
We are working on limited time, and occasionally have to run errands, and due to various reasons, we sometimes work from home. If you plan to stop by the office, it is recommend to call ahead to be sure someone is available to let you in. We hate to miss visitors!
Or you may email:
|
|
The Episcopal Parish of Alton |618-465-9149| |[email protected] | www.episcopalalton.org |
|
|
|
|
|
|
