The E-pistle

Friday, July 4, 2025

A Note from Father Sam

Dear friends in Christ,

Happy Independence Day! I hope that this weekend brings you a chance to rest, spend time with family or friends, and reflect on the great democratic experiment that we are all engaged in here in the United States of America.

As you may have read yesterday, we will observe the anniversary of our nation’s independence with a service of Holy Eucharist this morning at 10:00 a.m. In our current version of the Book of Common Prayer, Independence Day is listed (along with Thanksgiving Day) as a "National Day" to be celebrated among the other major holy days in the calendar.

Some of us might scratch our heads at this. Independence Day? July 4? A holy day?

There are good reasons to be skeptical of celebrating our country's independence in church:

• The word itself: isn't dependence on God and one another a more Christian concept than independence?

• The mixed legacy of American "freedom": why celebrate the founding of a nation that violently displaced dozens of indigenous nations, representing millions of people, including the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans here in our town?

• And finally, something maybe less serious: aren't we in the Episcopal Church the product of the Church of England, which faced an existential threat in the American colonies in 1776? (In Hamilton: An American Musical, Bishop Samuel Seabury is not the hero!)

I share in much of this skepticism, and I am especially wary of sanctifying our nation-state, which can and should remain a secular institution for people of all faiths and none.

So why have church on July 4?

Quite simply, gathering on Independence Day gives us a chance to pray for our country.

To lift up our country and our neighbors to God in prayer; to give thanks for the right to worship freely; to confess the ways we have failed to live and love as Christ commands; and to ask God, in the words of the Prayer Book, "to give the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will."

Wherever you are today, and however you feel about this holiday, I invite you to join me in prayer for our country. If you're free at 10, come pray and celebrate the Holy Eucharist in church. Pray for justice, pray for peace, pray that we may witness to the good news of Jesus Christ in our community, in our country, and throughout the whole world that God loves so dearly.

Faithfully,

Father Sam

Sunday, July 6, 2025

9:00 AM Holy Eucharist Rite II

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; 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 Fourth Sunday After Pentecost: 2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30, Galatians 6:7-18, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Serving this Sunday:

Altar Guild: Jennifer Carmichael

Fellowship: Deb Pege

Celebrant: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Preacher: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Acolyte: Rob Maloney

LEM: Jorja Marsden

Lector/Intercessor: Linda Mason

Greeter: Natalie Boyce

Musician: Doug Schmolze

Parish Prayer List

Those who are ill or in need of intercession

Jacob, Kathleen, Cynthia, Lori, Kit, David, Ann, Celia, Anne, Dawn, Tracey, Jim, Mary, Emery, Janet, Bobbie, Ginger, Arthur, Michael, Holly, Dick, Loralee, Maggie, Michelle, Patrick, Martha

Those who have recently died

Those who have asked for our long-term prayers

Josh, Mike, Ginny, Travis, Faye, Heidi, Rick, Allie, Joan, Duncan, Bernadette, Ray, Piers, Katrina, Rich, Karen, Michael, Khali, George, Barbara, Christy, John, Anthony, Astrida

Those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries

Jorja Marsden, Mary Taylor, Carolyn Maloney, Rob Maloney; Elizabeth Skakel & Diego Marchant

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

Search Committee for the next Bishop 

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer (Week of 7/3)

Congregations, Ministries, and Partners in Ministry

St. Stephen’s Church, Pittsfield

Worcester North Region & Dean of Clericus

The Church and Wider Mission

Girls’ Friendly Society

Bishops United Against Gun Violence

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 7/6: The Church of Nigeria

Mon 7/7: Diocese of Nebraska (Episcopal Church)

Tues 7/8: Diocese of Nelson (A, NZ, P)

Wed 7/9: Diocese of Nevada (Episcopal Church)

Thurs 7/10: Diocese of New Bussa (Nigeria)

Fri 7/11: Diocese of New Guinea Island (P. N. Guinea)

Sat 7/12: Diocese of New Hampshire (Ep. Church)

Prayers for those in Authority

The Town of Stockbridge 

The Stockbridge Select Board 

Ernest Cardillo, Jamie Minacci

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

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

July Red Letter Days

July 4: Independence Day

July 22: Saint Mary Magdalene

July 25: Saint James the Apostle

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.

Summer Bible Study

Summer Bible Study began this Wednesday, July 2. Every Wednesday through August 27, we gather at 5:30 p.m. on the screen porch of the Rectory to explore the readings for the upcoming Sunday. We let our curiosities guide the conversation, and we never know quite where we’ll end up! Bring a Bible if you have one (we have plenty here, too), and come with questions and an open spirit! You can enter on the west side of the house, from the church gardens. Questions? Email Father Sam.

Appalachian Trail Ministry

Here are a few photos from this week & last week at the Appalachian Trail Angels site, where radical hospitality is offered Monday-Saturday for 6 weeks each summer. St. Paul’s is a host church along with Christ Trinity and the Sheffield Congregational Church. Whether cooking a burger for a young hiker from Kenya or just sharing conversation with other volunteers on one of hottest days of the year when no hikers are passing through, it’s a day well spent. Thanks to St. Paul’s volunteers Martha Bodine, Ginny Willcox, Chris and Tracy Johnson, Patty Melville, Libby and Jim Wade. A few openings for volunteers remain. Let Father Sam or Mother Libby know if you would like to sign up.