The E-pistle

Friday, April 25th, 2025

A Note from Father Sam

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

Dear friends,

I bring you joyful greetings at the start of this great fifty-day season of Easter, the “Queen of Seasons” of the church year. For fifty days (more than the forty days of Lent!) we proclaim in our liturgies, and in our lives, that Christ is risen from the tomb. This is the bedrock of our faith, the greatest message we have for the world every day of the year, no matter the season: Christ is alive, and so are we, and there is hope for us and for all people, and for every last one of God’s creatures in this world that he died to save.

What does that hope look like? Well, it certainly doesn’t mean that the world as we know it is free of pain and anguish. On Sunday, we’ll remember that even the resurrected body of Jesus bore the wounds of his crucifixion—holes in his hands and feet, a gaping wound in his side, big enough for Thomas to put his hand inside. In the joy of his new life, Christ bears the scars of the painful death inflicted upon him.

Perhaps Jesus’ resurrected body, wounds and all, gives us a clue to the hope of resurrection. The world still bears the marks of suffering, and death, and injustice. We are not out of the woods, by any measure. And yet, we have the nerve to proclaim that Christ is alive. In Christ’s resurrection, we see the first fruits of eternal life springing forth out of death—from the very place of death, not instead of or in spite of death. The stubborn hope of resurrection proclaims that even in our world of death, new life is on its way, and that in the end, the life and love of God will have the final say. “The last enemy to be destroyed is death,” St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

On Sunday, we turn our attention once again to those “glorious scars” on the resurrected body of Jesus. As we do, way we join our hearts and voices to say, in the face of all odds, in the face of all this world’s scars,

Alleluia! Christ is Risen.

The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Faithfully,

Father Sam

Sunday, April 27, 2025: The Second Sunday of Easter

8:00 AM Holy Eucharist Rite I

10:00 A.M Holy Eucharist Rite II

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Scripture for the Second Sunday of Easter: Acts 5:27-32, Psalm 118:14-29, Revelation 1:4-8, John 20:19-31

Serving this Sunday:

Altar Guild: Tracy Johnson

Fellowship: Cheryl Resetarits

Serving at 8:00 AM:

Celebrant: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Preacher: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Acolyte/LEM: Darryl Lafferty

Lector/Intercessor: Sebastian Bonner

Greeter: Sebastian Bonner

Serving at 10:00 AM:

Celebrant: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Preacher: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Verger/Acolyte: Darryl Lafferty

LEM: Brett Roberts

Lector: Frank Smith

Intercessor: Gale Page

Greeters: Gale Page and Frank Smith

Musician: David Smith

Parish Prayer List

Those who are ill or in need of intercession

Jacob, Kathleen, Donna, Cynthia, Lori, Kit, David, Ann, Celia, Anne, Dawn, Bill, Tom, Tracey, Ginny, Rebecca, Jim, Travis, Faye, Linda, Mary, Emery, Martha, Anne, Win, Beth, Joe, Mike, Janet

Those who have recently died

Dorit Vander Wilden, friend of Patty Melville

Walter M. Gillman, father of Anne Skakel

Charles Folger

Francis, Bishop of Rome

Those who have asked for our long-term prayers

Ginger, Heidi, Rick, Allie, Ginger, Joan, Duncan, Bernadette, Ray, Piers, Katrina, Rich, Karen, Michael, Khali, George, Barbara, Christy, John, Anthony, Astrida

Those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries

Cameron Skakel, Leonard & Barbara McCue

Our Parish: St. Paul’s, Stockbridge

That we may grow in faith, hope, and love, and together strive to be the hands and heart of Christ for Stockbridge and the wider world; for Sam, our Rector; Jane and Libby, our Priests Associate; for our Wardens  and Vestry; for the students and staff of the St. Paul’s Children’s Center 

The Diocese of Western Massachusetts

Doug, Bishop

Steven, interim Canon to the Ordinary 

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer (Week of 4/27)

Congregations, Ministries, and Partners in Ministry

Trinity Church, Lenox

Social Justice Commission

Church School teachers & Christian Educators

The Church and Wider Mission

Episcopal Youth Event (EYE)

The Society for the Increase of the Ministry (SIM)

The Episcopal Church in the United States of America; Sean, Presiding Bishop

The Anglican Communion throughout the world; Stephen, Archbishop of York

Anglican Cycle of Prayer

Sun 4/27: Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean

Mon 4/28: Diocese of Meridional (Brazil)

Tues 4/29 : Diocese of Meru (Kenya

Wed 4/30: Diocese of Mexico (Mexico)

Thurs 5/1: Diocese of Northern Mexico (Mexico)

Fri 5/2: Diocese of Michigan (Episcopal Church)

Sat 5/3: Diocese of the Great Lakes (Epis. Church)

Prayers for those in Authority

The Town of Stockbridge 

The Stockbridge Select Board 

Ernest Cardillo, Jamie Minacci, Patrick White

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts

The General Court of Massachusetts 

Leigh Davis (House of Representatives) 

Paul Mark (Senate) 

The United States of America 

Donald Trump, President of the United States

Supreme Court of the United States

The United States Congress 

Richard Neal (House of Representatives)

Elizabeth Warren (Senate) 

Ed Markey (Senate) 



Prayers for the World 

For lasting peace in the Middle East

For the people of the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Haiti, and other places of conflict

For kidnapped Ukrainian children and their families and friends

For all affected by natural disasters and climate change, especially in Kentucky

For all who live in fear, especially migrants and transgender children and adults

April & May Red Letter Days

Monday, April 28: Saint Mark the Evangelist (transferred from 4/25)

Thursday, May 1: Saint Philip and Saint James, Apostles

Lee Food Pantry: Current Needs

Baby wipes

Laundry detergent

Flour

Sugar

Rice

Paper towels

Toilet paper

Items can be dropped off at the back of the church. On the second Saturday of the month, a team from St. Paul’s volunteers to distribute food. Questions? See Jim Wade.

Sunday Forums Schedule

Mark your calendars for the following Sunday Forums and other activities, which will take place after the 10:00 Eucharist on the following dates. Questions? See Brett Roberts. (brett.roberts25@gmail.com)

April 27: Bible Study on the Gospel of Mark (read Mark - only 16 chapters!)

Bunnies, Eggs, and Jesus! It Must be Easter!

An Article for Parents from the Children's Formation Team

Have you ever wondered what bunnies, eggs, and Easter baskets have to do with the

real meaning of Easter? They point us to new life. For the very young child, this new life can be

seen in baby chicks pecking their way out of eggshells, baby bunnies, and blooming flowers.

Spring is a season of rebirth that invokes wonder for young and old alike. Here are some ways

to help young children experience new life:

Plant a flower and watch it grow. Go to a farm store that has baby chicks and enjoy seeing the

newborn animals. Visit the baby animal festival at Hancock Shaker Village. Dye eggs. Find out

about the life cycle of butterflies and visit a butterfly garden. In the midst of these experiences,

remind the child that God plans for new life whether that’s eggs hatching, butterflies emerging

from cocoons, animals being born, or flowers growing. You might simply say, “Easter is a

special time to remember Jesus and new life.”

As children grow older, they are ready to discover more about Jesus and the

Resurrection. You can help children see the connection between new life in God’s world and

new life in Jesus by layering in more details about the life of Jesus. Build on information

children already know. For instance, eggs point to more than new life in nature. When coloring

eggs, talk about the egg as a symbol of Jesus’ death and resurrection: The hard shell reminds us

of the tomb. The cracking of the egg reminds us that Jesus was resurrected out of the tomb.

Even the colors have symbolism: red reminds of Jesus’ great love for us, purple is the color of

Lent, blue reminds us of Jesus’ birth.

Eastertime also offers opportunities to talk with children about death. For young

children, it’s enough to hear that Jesus died. If asked why, you can respond that some people

didn’t like the things Jesus taught about God so they had him killed. At this age, specific details

about how Jesus died aren’t necessary. It’s enough to say that the cross helps us remember

that Jesus died. As children grow older, they’re ready to hear more information, but they still

don’t need to hear the frightening details. Older elementary children can handle more of the

details leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross. Always remind children that God was with Jesus

as Jesus died.

Children of all ages can celebrate the joyous news that Jesus lives in spite of his death

on the cross. Easter worship is filled with wonderful sensory experiences such as the aroma of

flowers, the sounds of festive organ music, and the sight of everyone dressed in their best

clothes. Encourage children to participate in the celebration and feel the joy that surrounds

this holy day. Above all, remind children that Easter is a special day to remember Jesus and

how much God loves each of us.

(slightly adapted from a Blog post by Daphna Flegal on www.cokesburycommons.com)