|
The Week of February 16-22, 2021
|
THE TEMPTATION TO BE RELEVANT
Three Temptations of Jesus - Relevancy, Spectacular, Powerful Henri Nouwen writes in his book In the Name of Jesus there are three temptations Jesus faces in the desert with Satan. He frames them as: - Relevancy - turning stones into bread
- Spectacular - leaping off the temple
- Powerful - bowing to satan
Why is relevancy a temptation? "I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in the world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self." He goes on to say, "The great message that we have to carry, as ministers of God's Word and followers of Jesus, is that God loves us not because of what we do or accomplish, but because God has created and redeemed us in love and has chosen to proclaim that love as the true source of all human life." Finally he says, "The leaders of the future will be those who dare to claim their irrelevance in the contemporary world as divine vocation that allows them to enter into a deep solidarity with the anguish underlying all the glitter of success, and to bring the life of Jesus there." As I read it, Nouwen is saying that more and more people are feeling irrelevant. People feel irrelevant as they watch automation take their manufacturing job. People feel undervalued at a their job that gives little to no benefits. People feel more replaceable than ever as the world changes faster and faster. The rise of the irrelevant is well underway and there is no place in the world that cares about irrelevance because we assess people's worth on how relevant they are. The Church and Church leaders are to stand with the growing number of people for whom irrelevancy is the norm. Relevant pastors will continue to peddle the wares of the culture that values relevancy. Success in the Church is not being more relevant. Success looks like being in solidarity with the irrelevant of the world. You know, like Jesus did. May we be like Jesus who resisted the temptation of to be relevant. May we be like Jesus who defined success by our willingness to follow. The Rev. Jason Valendy, along with this wife the Rev. Estee Valendy, serves as co-pastor of Saginaw United Methodist Chuch in Saginaw, Texas.
--Shawn Prater-Lee
To be redirected to the Lectionary Page and get a digital copy of the readings
Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-9; 1 Peter 3:18-22;
Mark 1:9-15
|
|
|
PARISH NEWS
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NEWS
The AGM was held on Zoom January 24 following the 10:00 Service. The Vestry proposed the following slate: Warden - 2 Year term - Mark Debald; Vestry - 3 year terms - Pete Bedrossian, Colleen Misner and Gillian Prater-Lee. All were elected by unanimous consent - There were no nominations from the floor. Treasurer Dewy Clarke gave an overview of our finances and presented the annual budget for 2021. Shawn gave an update on the status of the furnace and the chimney repairs. We are collecting estimates and are waiting to hear from the insurance company before we proceed. He announced that the Vestry will act as the search committee as recommended by the Diocese. Pete is chairing the Search. We may be looking for a part-time priest who we would share with another congregation (possibly St. James in Newburgh). This is based on financial figures obtained from the Diocese. There are a couple of priorities before we can advertise the position - we need input from the congregation and our website needs an overhaul since that will be the main way an inquiring priest would be introduced to St. Paul's. That actually can replace the Parish Profile. You will be receiving a questionnaire soon asking for your thoughts and ideas. WE ARE ALL ST. PAUL'S CHURCH. So it is MOST IMPORTANT that you complete the questionnaire and return it. The Search Committee will also take part in a workshop for transitioning congregations shortly. Bobbie gave the Stewardship report - Pledges to date - 53 for $64,335 compares to last year at this time - 63 pledges for $75,477. If you need a pledge form, please call the office and we'll send one to you. We know they can be misplaced. We always give the Paraclete Potter award at the AGM. This award is given to a volunteer who isn't on the Vestry or in a committee leadership position. This year the award was given posthumously to Stephanie Campos who volunteered daily from March - September for Small Blessings and the Food Pantry. Her unexpected death in November was a very sad time for all volunteers who knew her.
ZOOM CHURCH LINK FOR ALL SERVICES Sunday Services will be on ZOOM until further notice
Our Zoom connections remain the same and are Meeting ID: 823 3911 5280 One tap mobile +16465588656,,82339115280# US (New York) +13017158592,,82339115280# US (Germantown) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YOUTUBE CHANNEL We now have a YouTube channel. To get there PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW: or search on YouTube for St. Paul's Poughkeepsie. We hope to put copies of all of our online services there.
A NOTE FROM THE TREASURY TEAM
Total deposits for the past week - $1640 ($45 for the Food Pantry). Many thanks to all who have been generously supporting the Food Pantry.
We're looking forward to seeing you on Zoom until further notice.
|
COMMUNITY NEWS
--The Rev. Dcn. Julett Butler
Sermon for
Ash Wednesday
By the Rt. Rev. Allen K. Shin
Bishop Suffragan
|
|
This video sermon is one of an ongoing series by our bishops. Please share this link: https://vimeo.com/edny/2021aksaw with your congregation and friends. The video may be embedded on your site, played directly from Vimeo, or downloaded.
|
Our Journey through Lent
Is not this the fast that I choose...?
A Welcome Reflection by Allison Duvall
Dear friends,
Thank you for your interest in being part of Episcopal Migration Ministries' journey through the Lenten season. We are grateful to have you join us for daily prayer, devotions, and reflection.
Beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 17, we will post a daily devotional ( subscribe to receive by email) that offers a reflection on a portion of Isaiah 58:6-12, pondering the text and its meaning through the lens of migration. You are welcome to invite others to join, and we encourage you to forward the emails along. We will also share the daily devotions on our social media channels, and welcome you to share. As you pray and engage with the devotions, you will be joining with so many others across the Episcopal Church and the country who are doing the same. Together, #WeAreEMM: we form a community of prayer, reflection, and action.
Throughout the daily devotional series, we will share ways that you can become more involved in the work of Episcopal Migration Ministries. We also invite you to share the ways that you are involved in migration ministry. We would love to hear from you. EMM is a ministry of the whole Church and her people. Through this work, we welcome, support, and advocate for our newest neighbors, and are met by Christ and transformed in the process.
Blessings to you this Lenten season. We are grateful to walk with you.
EMM Church Engagement Team
Subscribe to Lenten Daily Devotions
EMM's Lenten Daily Devotions are possible because of the generous volunteer efforts of members of EMM's Asylum & Detention Ministry Network. We extend our gratitude to Ana Reza, Diocese of the Rio Grande, BA Miskowiec, director of West Virginia Interfaith Refugee Ministry, Flor Saldivar, Diocese of West Texas, Michelina Nicotera-Taxiera, Diocese of Arizona, and The Rev. Michael Wallins, Diocese of the Rio Grande, for their work to make the daily devotions a reality.
Previous Lenten Devotions:
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
--Shawn Prater-Lee
COVID-19 VACCINE INFORMATION
Sign up for update when vaccine is available. Please share this site with others.
Pharmacies in our area are dispensing vaccines. Please visit these pharmacies like Rite Aid on South Ave. and Hooker Ave. and get your names on a list. As soon as an individual is eligible, the pharmacy will call. People can sign up with the county by clicking on the website link above as well.
--The Rev. Dcn. Julett Butler
FREE PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID TRAINING
Dutchess County Legislator Barrington Atkins will be working with Westchester Medical Center Health Network to provide a FREE PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID TRAINING. The training will focus on reducing the effects of trauma during and following a disaster and public health emergencies such as covid-19.
Space is limited.
https://forms.gle/s167bJE6y6VEzYjj8
Blessed Absalom Jones Celebration Service
Officiant: The Rt. Rev. Andrew M. L. Dietsche, Bishop of New York
Sermon:The Hon. Byron Rushing,Vice President of the House of Deputies
Saturday, February 20, 2021 | 10:30AM-12PM | via Facebook Livestream
|
|
- Jay Hoggard - Jazz Musician
- Tina Fabrique - Broadway Performer
|
|
- Poet Gold - Spoken Word Artist
- Michael James Leslie - Broadway Performer
- Larry Marshall - Broadway Performer
|
|
|
Join Us in Collaborative Chorale!
Interested in participating in the online collaborative choir performance of We are Marching in the Light of God during the Absalom Jones celebration on 2/20/21?
Contact Jeannine Otis at jotisnyc@aol.com by January 31 for more information and simple recording and uploading instructions!
|
|
Join the Virtual Procession!
This year our celebratory service procession will be virtual. If you would like to participate, please provide a few high resolution photos of your church banner, (ideally held by cheerful team members in front of your church!), or as a plan B, please provide a photo of your banner at an event or against a contrasting background.
Please note: photos must be uploaded by Sunday, January 31 to be included in the procession.
|
|
Blessed Absalom Jones Mutual Aid Project
January through March 2021
Celebrate His Triumph and Continue His Work!
This year your congregation has the opportunity to continue the work of Blessed Absalom Jones by participating in a Diocesan-wide effort to help those in need in our communities. We suggest working with several organizations that are seeking tangible items to provide much needed support to those they serve.
|
|
Make a Donation in Honor of Absalom Jones
Offerings associated with the Absalom Jones Celebration will be donated to Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina, a member of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities with a long-standing affiliation with the Episcopal Church.
|
|
|
|
To Donate by Check
Make Checks Payable to: Union of Black Episcopalians
Memo: Absalom Jones
Mail To: Mabel Wernham, Treasurer
2040 Bruckner Blvd, Apt 14A
Bronx, NY 10473
|
|
For questions or more information, please email Carla Burns.
|
|
|
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS
|
|
14 Brooke Plain
| 18 Celia Filor
| |
|
15 Ade David Oni
|
19 Anita Santos-Bravo
| |
3 Jamal Wethington
| Shawn Prater-Lee
| 23 William V Hyson
| 9 Marlene Fisher
|
William B. Rosborough
| 25 Cynthia Benjamin
| |
|
16 Luis alberto Jr. Barban
| 26 Sterling Benjamin
| |
13 Annastasia Schmouth
|
18 George Reyes
|
|
|
|
Please keep those on our parish prayer list in your minds and in your
prayers, especially at this time of separation and isolation.
Intercessions
FEBRUARY 2021
Our prayers are asked for:
Frank Burnett, Food Panty Volunteers, victims of Human/Sex Trafficking; Burton family; Lillian, Matthew, Sasha; Paul & Donna, Margaret, Joe, G.J., Aleta, Plain family, Melius family; Ibadan Diocese, All Saints' Church, Oni family; Gary, Legend; Rhonda, Joe, Ann, all Teachers, Parents, Students, Theodore, John, Paul, Kathy, George, Janett, Renate, and Notoe; Sharon Greene, Owen,Agnes, Norma; McLauren family; Graham family; Wood family; Braxton family; Lori, Steven, Elyse, Jim, Seth; Phil; All essential workers; Beryl & Glen, Vincent family; George; Daniel Mizell and family; Liz, Martha; Eileen; the Butler, Richards and Barrett families; Fr. Allan and family; St. Paul's Vestry; Darien family; Richardson family; Sherow family; Edna Clarke,Michelle, Kathy B.; Carola and Violet; Whitman, Medical Reserve Corp. of Dutchess County, The Laken family; All Parishioners; Kairos International, Catherine, Michelle, Yamily; G.J., Joe; Lois, Matthew, Lillian; Lynita, Perry, Melius family, Sasha; Stacey, Linda, Phil, Jody; Tucker family, Branch family, Atkinson family; Alison, McGhan, Sterling, Unah, Avonel, Kim, Santos family, Madeline, Bramble, Charlie, Cynthia, Gencia, Val, Joanne, Janet, Corkey, Pelaez, Josephs-Clarke family, Dixon family, Paulette, Jarah, Mertlyn; Adam, Paul, Andrew & family, Douglas family, Ron, Dave, Liz; Jill, Lana, Andrew, Susan; Schneider family, all in need; Susie; Sherry, Claudia
Please "Like" our page to stay up to date with all services and events.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church-Poughkeepsie
|
'In Service to God & You' 
Our food pantry volunteers are in active service at St. Paul's these days. We give thanks to them and thanks to God for their willingness to help us by helping others. |
THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR
|
| TUE 16
| 10:00am Food Pantry & Thrift Shop (CLOSED)
|
|
| WED 17
|
10:00am Food Pantry & Thrift Shop
|
|
| THU 18
|
10:00am Food Pantry & Thrift Shop
|
|
| | SUN 21 |
10:00am Zoom - Rite II, Ante Communion
|
|
| MON 22
| 6:00pm Evening Prayer; Vestry
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
