 |
|
|
Thank you Carolyn for all your hard work on the gardens!
Dear Friends,
The work of the church continues in the midst of this pandemic. As we have been saying, the building is closed but the church is very much open. The vestry met this past Tuesday (photo/update below!). Skip is convening a Bible Study on the Gospel of Mark each Wednesday. All are welcome! We continue to make calls to check in on parishioners (if you want to help, just let me know). Lauren is providing a prayer opportunity for us each week. The choir is working hard to provide beautiful music. We pray for one another regularly and we gathering online to worship each Sunday. These are just a few of the things going on. You can find more information on all of it and more below.
As we do each year, we will participate in the Susan McDaniel Run for Lovelane. Unfortunately this year the run will be virtual rather than in person. Although we won't be physically running/walking together we will be together in spirit, raise money together, and share photos with one another. I hope you will register and/or contribute to our fundraising team. Run is June 14th.
I want to thank each one of you who have paid your pledge and made "plate" donations during this time of physical isolation and uncertainty. It makes a big difference in our ability to continue the ministry of St. Peter's.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Links to worship and bulletin can be found in this e-mail. This week's coffee hour is brought to you by the letter "p" so bring your favorite pet, plant, picture, painting or person!
Grace and peace,
Lynn+
P.S. Do you have a 8th grader, high school or college senior graduating this spring? Please let me know!
Vestry Meeting May 5, 2020
|
|
|
Sign Up to Read on Sunday Mornings
We are recruiting Lectors, Litanists, Response Leaders and Coffee Hour Hosts for Sunday online worship. It's an easy, fun way to get the whole family involved in the service! If you are interested, please use
this SignUp Genius.
|
|
|
|
Read. Pray. Do. Prayer Stations for all ages.
Historically (and still the case in some churches today) new members of the church were baptized and received communion for the first time at the Easter Vigil, the first Easter service. After their baptism, they would enter a period of mystagogy, a time of continued spiritual formation.
As each of us are invited to spiritually experience Christ's death and resurrection (into which we were baptized) each Holy Week, we invite you to join us in a period of Eastertide spiritual formation.
Each week between now and Pentecost
a new prayer practice
will be available on St. Peter's website and Facebook pages. We will be invited to read (or listen to/watch) a story from scripture, pray, and "do something" that brings the story and prayer to life.
Missed a week? Use the links below to download the pdf.
|
|
Worship Online Sundays at 10:00am
Our primary platform for worship is Zoom. It isn't too hard to use and does not require registering. Click
here
for a video on how to use Zoom and
here
for information from the Diocese about using Zoom in a large meeting.
To join worship using Zoom click here. The "room" will open at 9:45am so feel free to sign on early.
To call into Zoom:
1-929-436-2866; Meeting ID: 847 442 446
If you have any problems with Zoom, please contact Camille Batarekh who is happy to help with technical issues.
Download this Sunday's Bulletin here.
Please stay after for a St. Peter's "Virtual Coffee Hour." Let's check in with one another.
|
|
|
Sunday Resources for Children (of all ages!)
Illustrated Ministries is offering excellent resources for children to use that focuses on the readings for each Sunday. Use these to help your kids learn about the readings of the day. Here is one for this Sunday.
Also, consider coloring this "Thinking of You" sign and sending it to a loved one or fellow parishioner.
|
We would like to make sure that the Prayer List is current. Please review the names and let
Cathy know
if she should keep, remove, or add people. We will start the new list on 5/10/2020.
Prayer list as 5/1/2020
Alan Biren, Sam Bush, Paul Cantrell, Elizabeth Dennett, Judy Edwards, Stephen Farrell, Al Fitzpayne, Stephen Frank, Andrew Gerzso, Sally and Bob Hammett, Victoria and Marshall Hunt, Mary Maguire, Tom Nicholson, Jr., Hannah O'Connell, Betty Reny, Mercer Riis, Christopher Rodiger, Heather Rodiger and Caleb.
|
Music from Easter Sunday and Easter Season
Enjoy the music offered by Bobby DeRegis, our Director of Music, and our section leaders anytime by visiting our YouTube channel.
|
|
|
Susan McDaniel VIRTUAL Run for Lovelane
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Sadly, the Run for Lovelane has to be virtual this year. But St. Peter's is still sponsoring the event and Rev. Lynn is recruiting team members! As with last year, all proceeds will benefit the Susan McDaniel Tuition Assistance Fund, which supports children who could benefit from therapeutic riding regardless of their families financial situation. Support for tuition assistance for Lovelane families to continue their therapeutic riding is more critical now than ever.
Lovelane is a special needs horseback riding program in Lincoln, MA that has dramatic impact on the physical and cognitive development of children with special needs. Susan McDaniel, an athlete, actress and equestrian, was a student at Lovelane throughout her 2-year battle with cancer. Susan was also a faithful member of St. Peter's and the daughter of Margaret Randle and Jim McDaniel and the sister of John McDaniel. Susan regularly attended Sunday School, sang in the Children's Choir and was a regular in the Christmas Pageant. Sadly, Susan passed away when she was 10, but her memory lives on in this annual run to benefit the children with special needs who ride at Lovelane.
You can register for the run here. You can make a donation on St. Peter's fundraising page.
What Is a Virtual Race?
A virtual race is a race that can be run or walked from any location you choose. You can run, jog, or walk on the road, on a trail, or even on a treadmill. You get to run your own race, at your own pace, and time it yourself.
How Does It Work?
Participants select a distance, either the 5K Run, 1 Mile Walk, or 1/2 Mile Kid's Fun Run, sign up, and pay the registration fee. You can sign up multiple participants. After completing the race, you can upload your finishing time and any pictures to the results page for the race. Participants will receive bibs and ribbons in the mail. Register by June 5th (at the latest) to receive your bib and ribbon to wear on race day, June 14th!
|
|
|
Bible Study on the Gospel of Mark
Join Rev. Skip for a weekly Bible Study on the Gospel of Mark on
Wednesdays from 10:00am-11:00am during the Easter Season. Come to as many as you are able. All are welcome!
May 13, 2020 10:00 AM
May 20, 2020 10:00 AM
May 27, 2020 10:00 AM
|
|
|
|
|
|
As many know, St. Peter's relies on its parishioners' generous pledges and contributions to the weekly collection plate to fund its programs and ministries. As with so many institutions and businesses dealing with the reality of COVID 19 and shelter-in-place directives, those revenue streams have recently been disrupted. Luckily, there are many easy things that we each can do to help St. Peter's weather this difficult period:
1. Consider converting your usual weekly plate offering into a recurring on-line donation. Click here to be forwarded to the online donation page on our website. Please make a special note that it is a "plate offering."
2. Consider making your scheduled pledge payments through an on-line donation. Click here to be forwarded to the online donation page on our website.
3. Consider setting up a regular check payments through your bank's website.
Of course you can also mail your checks to the church. In coming weeks, we will be investigating and implementing additional ways to make giving to St. Peter's convenient. Thank you!
|
|
|
Vestry Update
St. Peter's Vestry has been holding its regular meetings on Zoom during the shut-down. At our last meeting, this past Tuesday, Lynn brought the Vestry up to date with information and guidance that is being prepared and issued by the Diocese in conversation with the national Episcopal Church and a team of local experts
. Currently there is no firm date for when we might open our building doors again, but we do expect that the date will be determined by the Diocese, along with any new safety procedures and protocols that we will need to follow. To that end, the Vestry and Building Committee have begun to consider plans and budgets for our return to physical church, such as extra cleaning and cleaning supplies, as well as what technology might be needed to continue streaming services through Facebook once we are back at church, as we anticipate that some parishioners may need or choose to continue worshipping from home for some period of time after the re-opening.
The Vestry also reviewed financial projections taking into account a number of scenarios for the re-opening and other variables. The Vestry approved an outreach grant in connection with the upcoming Susan McDaniel VIRTUAL Run for Lovelane on June 14, 2020. More to follow about how parishioners can join Team St. Peter's for this great event!
|
|
|
|
Opportunities to Help Beyond St. Peter's
COVID-19 Donations and Volunteer Opportunities in Waltham
Are you looking for concrete ways to help people in Waltham who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic? Our friends at WATCH CDC have compiled
a list of organizations with various needs: financial support, food donation, medical supplies and volunteers.
|
St. Peter's Private Facebook Group
We have a new
private facebook group. Please do join. It is a place we can share how we are doing and encourage and support one another. Only parishioners who join this group will be able to see any of the content which allows for more sharing. As we continue there will be more online content and livestream videos offered on the private page.
|
Habits of Grace:
An Invitation for You
Monday Meditations with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
As we learn how to adjust our lives given the reality of the coronavirus and the request to do our part to slow its spread by practicing social distancing, Bishop Curry invites you to join him each week to take a moment to cultivate a 'habit of grace.'
A new meditation will be posted on Mondays through May.
|
Updates and Pastoral Messages for the Diocese
The Diocese and our Bishops continue to send updates and pastoral messages to support clergy, lay leaders, and the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. You can access them
here.
|
To Contact Church Members
|
|
|
