The E-pistle

Friday, June 20, 2025

Outdoor Worship begins this Sunday, June 22nd at 9:00 AM

A Note from Father Sam

“A Note from Father Sam” is on a break this week as Father Sam travels to a wedding in Virginia.

Remember that Sunday marks our first outdoor service of the summer—one service of Holy Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. in the Churchyard. We have some chairs, but bring a lawn chair if you have one! We are pleased to welcome the Rev’d Richard Burnett as our guest celebrant and preacher.

See you in the churchyard!

Sunday, June 22, 2025: The Second Sunday after Pentecost

9:00 AM Holy Eucharist Rite II

O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; 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 after Pentecost: 1 Kings 19:1-15a, Psalm 42, Psalm 43, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39

Serving this Sunday:

Altar Guild: Tracy Johnson

Flower Guild: Patty Melville

Fellowship: Martha Bodine

Celebrant: The Rev’d Richard A. Burnett

Preacher: The Rev’d Richard A. Burnett

Acolyte: Kim Savery

LEM: Rob Maloney

Lector/Intercessor: Gale Page

Greeter: Don Savery

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

Those who have recently died

Donna Gray

Bette Vaught, grandmother of Father Sam

Julie, niece of Linda Mason

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

Nick Dillon, Ron Muir, Vaunie Graulty; Libby & Jim Wade, Patty & Tom Melville

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 6/22)

Congregations, Ministries, and Partners in Ministry

Church of the Nativity, Northborough

Diocesan Council

The Church and Wider Mission

Episcopal Church Women (ECW)

Trans Episcopal

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 6/22: Anglican Church of Mozambique & Angola

Mon 6/23: Diocese of the Nakuru (Kenya)

Tues 6/24: Diocese of Nambale (Kenya)

Wed 6/25: Diocese of Namibia (Southern Africa)

Thurs 6/26: Diocese of Namirembe (Uganda)

Fri 6/27: Diocese of Nampula (Mozambique & Angola)

Sat 6/28: Diocese of Nandyal (South India)

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

June Red Letter Days



Tuesday, June 24: The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Sunday, June 29: Patronal Feast: Saint Peter and Saint Paul, 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.

Outdoor Worship begins this Sunday!

Starting this Sunday, June 22, we worship outdoors in the churchyard each Sunday through Labor Day weekend. Our services change to one service of Holy Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. each Sunday. Chairs will be available, but please bring a comfortable lawn chair if you have one!

A Note from David Pearson, Co-chair of the new Church Preservation Committee

Good people of Saint Paul’s, By the Grace of God our Congregation and Community are in a strong place…but my friends, our physical church is in trouble. The church needs some expensive repairs. The Vestry has been engaged over the last several months in exploring what we can do to safeguard our heritage. We hired Preservation Inc. to help us have a comprehensive plan to address the building’s problems. In helping all of us to understand the task ahead of us, I am including the following excerpts from their report:

“The historic Church of St. Paul’s in Stockbridge, Massachusetts is a jewel box of architectural design and decorative craftsmanship. Its significance is uncontestable. It is a prominent monument in Stockbridge’s historic district, and its preservation a high priority.. Completed in 1884, the building is now 140 years old. As weathering and decay are omnipresent and relentless, the building has evidently undergone a variety of maintenance interventions over time. However, the effective service lives of important building elements, particularly in the weather envelope that protects the building, are now being reached or have already been exceeded. Water leaks, in particular, are starting to cause significant damage to the structure of the building and its fine interior finishes.

“The goals of this Conservation Assessment are simple:

1. The first goal is to help the Vestry, Staff, and Clergy to better understand their building, with its important architectural values and the varied, extensive, and potentially bewildering decay problems, their causes, and their significance.

2. The second goal is to identify emergency and hazardous conditions which need immediate attention.

3. The third is to make prioritized conservation recommendations, about what to do about each identified problem, with options and guidance on who might conduct the work and the work’s relative costs. While the building has survived 140 years, the visible damage shows that many aspects of the exterior weather envelope have exceeded their service lives and need to be restored or replaced so the building will be secure for at least another 100 years.”

Surely it is not an easy task to come to you with this information…but the time has come to engage you all with our task in repairing our sanctuary. Please plan to stay after church on Sunday, June 29, to learn more about this Conservation Assessment and the initial phases of work that are planned to begin later this year.

Sincerely,

David Pearson, Co-chair

Chris Johnson, Co-chair

Jorja Marsden, Senior Warden

Rob Maloney, Junior Warden

Summer Bible Study

Summer Bible Study begins Wednesday, July 2. Every Wednesday through August 27, we will 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

There are still volunteer spots available on the Appalachian Trail this summer! Join us to provide hospitality and conversation to hikers on the trail, in partnership with our friends at Christ Trinity Church and Old Parish Church, Sheffield.