The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and the Blessing of the Animals

WORSHIP & PRAYER

Holy Eucharist Single Service - October 6, 2019

9:00 AM - Holy Eucharist

Blessing of the Animals

St. Paul's Church

Rev. Meg Ingalls, celebrant & preacher

Readings for Sunday, October 6

This Sunday, October 6th is our annual Blessing of the Animals service. We ask that you bring service and well- mannered pets or a special toy, memento or photo of your animal(s) for blessing.

  "An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language."

― Martin Buber

We also begin October as Stewardship month with the maiden voyage of "St. Paul's Steward Ship" with the children as crew! This is the same Steward Ship that "sailed" in the Yankee Homecoming parade. The theme of this service will be the resources who are our past and present parishioners, the people God has called to this place over the years, and how each person has and continues to make a difference in the lives of all of us. Come listen to our guest speaker celebrate the resources in such abundance in this place.

Note: All Sunday services in October will be single services at 9:00 AM.

Wednesday Evening Bible Study - Note: There will be no Bible Study on Wednesday, October 9 due to a Pre-Convention Meeting of clergy and delegates in Topsfield that evening. Bible Study will resumed on October 16 Wednesday evening from 5:00 - 6:00 pm. We continue our journey through the Bible using The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and his People. Copies are available. You may join the group in the library at any point. Evening Prayer is available after the class.

Sunday Forum will resume on Sunday, November 3 in the Library

This Fall, the Adult Forum is based on Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s 9-session program called  The Way of Love . He describes it by saying: “The Way of Love is a way of life. More than a program or curriculum, it is an intentional commitment to a set of practices. It's a commitment to follow Jesus: Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, Rest.” We’ll focus on one fundamental, prerequisite question: What does it mean to you to follow Jesus?

LEARNING, SHARING, and SERVICE for OUR CHILDREN and YOUTH

October Sundays are a little different: worship time on October 6, 13, 20, and 27 is at 9 am . (No classes on 10/6 - come to sail the Stewardship! - or 10/13 - holiday weekend.)

Our annual Blessing of Animals is on October 6 . Pets are welcome at the 9:00 service! (Or bring along a pet's photo or special item for blessing.) Lots more is planned for this day: our youth will be readers, ushers, and more. . . children will process with our "Steward-ship" . . . listen for a Noisy Offering (bring coins!). . . w hat a Sunday it promises to be!

High schoolers , save that date: come to lunch after worship on October 6 ! Meet, eat good food, share what's on your mind, and get ready to take action. Gail Bishop-Davis is your liaison; Meg and Linda, your hosts. RSVP , please.

Join us at church school! Children and teachers gather in the Community Room at 9am on October 20 and 27 (follow the sheep!), then head to classrooms: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd , Levels 1 & 2 (ages 3-9), and (on 1st 3 Sundays, so October 20) The Lighthouse (ages 10-13) . Registration is open throughout the year.

Friends, visitors, and newcomers are always welcome!

New this year! The Lighthouse (ages 10-13). Young people, join your peers and teacher, Emily Russin, for classroom time on the first 3 Sundays each month, and a variety of activities - fun and service - on 4th and 5th Sundays! This Sunday , 10/6, youth are participating in our special service. Bring friends, bring yourself, be the light!

Each Sunday, before heading to classrooms, our children spin a globe to select somewhere in the world for which to pray. We are all God's children; He knows our names!

St Paul's cares for our young adults! WHOoooo would like to surprise them with Halloween treats, gift cards, etc. at the end of October? We're assembling care packages to remind these special people that we're thinking about them! To contribute, drop off treats, useful/fun items, gift cards - there's a box by the pulpit - or donate a check (please write "Young Adult Care Package" on the memo line) by October 20. Notes of encouragement are welcome, too!

Middle School Retreat at the Barbara C. Harris Camp is November 15-17. Register here . Send Linda a note or speak with Emily Russin - we'll coordinate our St Paul's participation; it's a great time!

Are you a ninth grader, or older youth, called to action? Sign up by December 13 for "Faith in Action" Las Fronteras Pilgrimage, August 2020. Connect with Linda to learn more, or reach out to The Rev. H. Mark Smith to register (617-482-4826, ext. 215 or [email protected] ).

Check out our October newsletter - click here! And to connect with our Children & Youth Program Coordinator, Linda Davis Siess, anytime: click here!

FALL FAIR & SILENT AUCTION

St. Paul's Church Fall Fair & Silent Auction

Saturday, November 9, 2019 - Diamond Anniversary!

Now we’re in October we can say – The Fair is Just Next Month!  So – put a big circle around the date of November 9 on your calendar. And if you use an electronic calendar – program it in. Where are you going to be on November 9? Why at St. Paul’s Diamond Jubilee Fair and Silent Auction of course!

And – we’re going to say it yet again: We need all of you to make this, our Diamond Jubilee, the best year ever.  Volunteer, Donate, Spread the Word, and Be There!

For all you who have already signed up to Volunteer – thank you. Someone will be contacting you shortly if not already to chat about what you want to do to help. And for everyone else, there’s a sign-up sheet on the small bulletin board. If there’s no room on the lovely colorful poster use the printed sheets underneath. Remember, your help is critical and can be for any amount of time you wish. We already have ‘jobs’ open now as well as helping out on Fair Day.

And please, Donate . Items for our Silent Auction, our Holiday Table, Clothing, and Books can be brought directly to the Donation Room, open Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, located in the basement at the end of the Christian Education hallway (follow the signs), or contact Mary or Annie for an appointment. For Jewelry, there’s a box on the church windowsill nearby the pulpit or hand to Deb in the church office. For crafts please contact Craft Chair Eldeen Suda, [email protected] o r 978-270-2455. And closer to the date we will be looking for goodies for our Bake Table. Please only donations in good condition, no furniture or very large items. Think about what you yourself might like to bid on or buy.

Spread the Word! Ed is coming up with some posters and yard signs and we’ll be asking you to help display these – more about that later. And do let all your friends, neighbors, acquaintances, hairstylists, butchers, bakers and candlestick makers know about what a fun day they’ll have at our Diamond Jubilee Fair! 

And, you must, of course, Be There . This is St. Paul’s major fundraiser, generating funds to help us maintain the generous outreach that we have offer to our local communities and beyond. Lots of treasurers and lots of fun.

For more information, contact Mary Olson 503-702-8693 or Annie Winslow 508-733-0651.

PARISH NEWS

Fall is the Time to Catch-up on Your St. Paul's Pledge

The summer is over, cool winds blow, and our lives settle down to a more regular routine of work, school and life activities. Now is the time to catch up on your pledge to St. Paul's. During the summer we typically see a drop in anticipated income for operating expenses. This summer has been more so, so please check you pledge account so we can maintain our ongoing operating expenses. Deb is happy to answer any questions about where you stand on your 2019 pledge at [email protected] or 978-465-5351.

Altar Guild Ministry

Interested in learning more about St. Paul's Altar Guild ministry? Come join us at our Altar Guild meeting on Saturday, October 12 at 9:30 am in the church. Come learn more about this important ministry! All are welcome! Contact Annie Winslow at (508) 733-0651

if you have any questions. Thank you very much!

Request for Singers for Rev. Sarah Mato's Children's Baptism

Hello friends! This is a plea/favor for a collaborative choir to sing at my children's baptism on Oct. 18th . One of the two pieces is the lullaby I sing to my kids every night that was arranged by a dear friend of mine. The other piece will be a hymn that another friend is composing but its not quite done yet. I would love to have y'all join the St. Paul's North Andover choir on that Friday evening. For those in the LMVC and in the area, Music Director Ed Stauff can let you know of rehearsals that you can join in. Of course there is always a need for tenors especially. Please let me or Ed Stauff at [email protected] know if you will be able to sing and if you will just be joining us on Friday Oct. 18th or if you might make a rehearsal. Thank you soooo much! (Bishop Alan Gates will preside)

Sarah+, Aidan, and Anna Máto 

Rev. Sarah Mateo, Rector of St. Paul's Church North Andover

Welcome to Benjamin Quinn! - Meal Train Request

Lydia Quinn, a St. Paul's parishioner and our nursery caregiver, had her third son, Benjamin Michael Quinn (8.5 lbs, 20") on 9/19/19. Healthy and happy! Would you like to join us in providing suppers for the family on Mondays and Thursdays for the next several weeks? Check out this online sign-up app - Meal Train - set up by Stephanie Higgins. To participate, click the button below.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Friday, October 25th at 7:00 PM

Skylark Vocal Ensemble welcomes three world-renowned basso-profundos to perform the greatest masterwork for a cappella choir

In the first ever collaboration of its kind, Skylark's performances of All-Night Vigil ('Vespers') will include the full 22-member Skylark ensemble which will come together with three incredible, world-renowned basso profundos:  Eric Alatorre , who recently retired from a 30-year career as basso profundo with the Grammy® Award-winning all male Chanticleer ensemble,  Glenn Miller , the United States' leading basso profundo and  Adrian Peacock , from Great Britain, an award-winning, Grammy®-nominated audio producer who is also an internationally acclaimed bass choral singer and soloist. 

" These three giants of the choral world are appearing together for the first time  - I cannot begin to imagine what this profound collaboration is going to sound like" notes Artistic Director Matthew Guard. "Their contribution to our performance of Rachmaninoff's stunning All-Night Vigil, the greatest masterwork of a cappella music, is sure to be epic." 

Tickets: $45 per person HERE Visit www.skylarkensemble.org

The Rimsky-Korsakov String Quartet from St. Petersburg

returns to St. Anna's Chapel on Sunday, November 10th.

Beethoven ~ Rimsky-Korsakov ~ Glazunov

Watch for details and ticket information in future newsletters

We hope you enjoy reading our weekly newsletter which covers the current news of our parish life. If you have questions or news you would like us to include, contact Administrator Deb Hay at  978-465-5351   or   [email protected] .

Rev. Margaret Ingalls

Interim Priest