Friday, October 9, 2026 | Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost | | |
Dear People of St. Paul's,
By now I hope you have received the packet in the mail containing your pledge card and other information related to this year's stewardship campaign. If you have not, we may not have your mailing address. Simply reply to this email and we will be sure to get a packet in the mail to you ASAP, or we will leave one for you for the next time you're at church!
Our theme this year is taken from the twelfth chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans, which tells us, among other things, to rejoice in hope. The Christian life is not always an easy or convenient one. It's not always popular or the way that we see many others go. But it is a way of joy, the very thing that sustains us when happiness runs short, when the world feels off-kilter, when things aren't going well. Joy abides. Joy carries us through our days even when it feels like the last word we would use to describe how we are feeling, because it isn't dependent on our circumstances but on the sure and certain promises of our loving God, which do not falter or fail based on what is happening to us or around us. The pledges we make, then, in a sense, become outward and visible signs of our continued commitment to joyful hope in a world that has plenty of other suggestions (or commands!) for what we should subscribe to.
More practically, one of the overlapping realities of this season in a congregation that has experienced significant change in membership in the last few years is that not everyone in our midst knows what a pledge is, or how the work we do is financially supported. So, here are a few general pieces of information, along with the ever-present invitation to meet with me if you want to talk further and to join us for the Annual Meeting in January. St. Paul's is financially supported in several ways: through pledged (aka promised) dollars from members of the parish; through unpledged dollars (that is, any gift that is not fulfilling a pledge); by being the beneficiary of a large, local endowed fund called the Crowell Trust; through St. Paul's own endowment, which totals just over $4 million; and through a couple of other smaller means. These dollars support a remarkable amount of ministry: feeding thousands from our food pantry, supporting a school in Haiti, nurturing discipleship for all ages, paying the clergy and staff, keeping a large and increasingly old building going, and more. The dollars, both pledged and then given, are entrusted to the care of the leaders of our community, and we are so grateful. Without them, and without you, we cannot do what we are able to do together.
In this season, we mostly about pledges as a way to make at least a couple of invitations to you:
- I hope you have and will prayerfully consider what God has entrusted to you and how you might return that to the work of God at St. Paul's. This is especially focused on financial gifts but, of course, on your time and your talents, too. What we have received from God is pure gift meant to be shared generously. I know there are increased stresses on finances these days. We feel that in the church budget too, so any gift you can give is vital.
- We also talk about this now so that the Finance Committee and Vestry can begin to make plans for what's to come in 2027 and beyond. Those groups will put together a budget, which the Vestry will eventually approve and which we will present to all of you in January.
The image that often comes to mind for me this time of year is that of a Thanksgiving meal. In my family, each meal was created by some offering made by everyone or every family. We all would bring something to the table that then built the full picture. Your pledge is much the same. Joined with the 120+ pledges we receive, it begins to knit together the full picture of all that has been and will be accomplished by God through you at St. Paul's. This work God does here does ask something of all of us, gifts of our time and our talent and our treasure, to do this work not for our sake but for the sake of God's love being known, that each of us and those we meet might know even more what it is to rejoice in hope.
Fr. Steven
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We begin at 9:00 AM with:
Bible Study | Garden Room | Readings
Nursery | Birth–5 Years | Walnut Room
Sunday School | Toddlers–5th Grade | Third Floor
And continue at 10:00 AM with:
Worship | Nave | Behold the tabernacle of God - William Harris
- Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church, Belton
Children's Worship | Pre-School–2nd Grade | Walnut Room
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Find out more about what's happening at St. Paul's on our website.
To view the Sunday worship bulletin and join us for online worship, click here.
| | Full calendar is available on our website. | |
Oct. 10: 5th Annual Paul Chaney Fitness Fundraiser | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM | City Gym | Info Below
Oct. 11: Young Adult Pawns & Pints | After Service | Info Below
Oct. 11 & 18: Our Story, Our Impact, Our Legacy | Sundays 11:30 AM–12:30 PM | Garden Room | Food Sign Up | Info Below
Oct. 16: Modigliani Quartet Concert | 7:00 PM | Info and Tickets
Oct. 25: Book Group | 11:30 AM | Archive Room | Info Below
Oct. 25: Fall Festival | After Service at St. Paul's | Info Below | Volunteer
Nov. 1: Pledge Ingathering | Rejoice in Hope | All-Parish Brunch After Service
Nov. 1: All Saints' Day
Nov. 6 - 7: Diocesan Youth Gathering | Info Below
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Oct. 11: Holy Eucharist | Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost | 10 AM | Nave
Oct. 14: Midweek Eucharist | 12:10 PM | Chapel | Samuel Isaac Joseph Scherechewsky, Bishop and Missionary
Oct. 18: Holy Eucharist | Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost | 10 AM | Nave
Oct. 21: Midweek Eucharist | 12:10 PM | Chapel | Saint Luke the Evangelist
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Young Adult Event | Board Games at Pawn & Pint
Sunday Oct. 11 | After Service
Join us for board games and drinks at Pawn & Pint on Sunday, October 11th. Whether it's Scrabble, Clue, or Monopoly, come roll the dice and try your luck. You can drive there and meet us, or ride the streetcar with the group. If you're taking the streetcar, we'll gather by the lobby desk after the service and walk to the stop together.
Location: Pawn & Pint (613 Walnut St, Kansas City, MO 64106) Questions? Email Sarah Tredway (sarahhaley93@gmail.com).
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Welcome, Charlie!
Grace and Trey Graham have welcomed their baby into the world! Charlotte "Charlie" Joan Graham has arrived, and we are delighted to celebrate with them. Please keep Grace, Trey, and Charlie in your prayers as they settle in to this new chapter. If you'd like to send a card, reach out to the church office for information.
| | In Case You Missed It: Mike and Jill on Rejoice in Hope
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Our Story, Our Impact, Our Legacy
Sundays, 11:30 AM–12:30 PM | Garden Room
There's still time to join us! We held our first session on October 4, and we'd love to have you with us for the final two.
Stories are an important part of the human experience and the Christian faith. They are the art by which we make existential and corporate meaning of our lives and preserve shared values for the generations to come. In this three-part interactive series led by Whitney Hosty and Jane Lampo, we'll explore and share our personal stories and the importance of preserving them for the next generation, using guided reflection and small group discussion to examine your life, recognize God's presence in it, and intentionally consider the legacy you want to leave behind.
October 4 — Session 1: The Power of Storytelling
October 11 — Session 2: The Thematic Thread of Grace
October 18 — Session 3: Beyond Us, Empowering the Next Generation
We are coordinating brunch for each session. Please sign up to bring a dish here!
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Gratitude for the Youth Choir
When we announced that the youth choir was back in business, we hoped the parish would be glad. We did not expect how generously you would respond! Gifts large and small have come in from across the parish, and together they are providing new robes, music folders, sheet music, and more for our young singers. To everyone who gave: thank you!
One of the notes that came with a gift captures what many of us feel about this ministry:
"I read in the recent newsletter that the youth choir is back in business. I am so happy for all those kids and the church. My son, Walker Adams, joined the St. Paul’s youth choir 32 years ago and it had a profound impact on his life. He went on to sing in the Kansas City Children’s Chorus, sang in Ireland and at Carnegie Hall and choirs at KU, UMKC, and the seminary at Sewanee. Music teaches children important lessons like commitment, discipline and teamwork, and can introduce them to other languages. Character traits that will serve them for a lifetime.
St. Paul’s deserves a first class youth choir, so it is my honor to make a donation to make it happen. This gift is in honor of Walker Adams. Thank you for reinstating such an important ministry.
God bless you,
Cynthia Smith-Kelly"
Thank you, Cynthia, and thank you to all who have invested in the next generation of singers at St. Paul's!
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Fall Festival Coffee Hour is Oct. 25
After the service | Northwest Churchyard
Join us as we celebrate the arrival of fall together as a parish! There will be pumpkin painting, popcorn, a pop-a-shot basketball game, face painting and temporary tattoos, and a photo booth.
Bring your favorite fall coffee hour treats. This is a coffee hour, not a meal, so please stick to sweet or snack-style items (baked goods, fruit, cider donuts, and the like) rather than savory dishes such as chili or meats.
We need your help to run the event! Sign up for a shift here.
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Diocesan Youth Gathering (D.Y.G.): November 6-7
Grades 5-12
This year, St. Paul’s is honored to host this beloved diocesan tradition, bringing youth from across the Diocese of West Missouri together to deepen their faith, build community, and make new friends.
Held beside Diocesan Convention, DYG offers a vibrant, welcoming space for youth to grow in their faith while having fun together. Breakout sessions include prayer through art, living faith outside the church, music, meditation, games, and community service.
Fee: $25
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5th Annual Paul Chaney Fitness Fundraiser
Saturday, October 10 | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM | City Gym, 7416 Wornall Road
Join us as we support parish members Jeff and Katie Chaney in honoring the memory of their son Paul through this annual fundraiser. The morning includes a 5K fun run/walk, a group workout, mobility and recovery stations, a plank competition, adoptable dogs, a DJ, and more.
Paul, a SPEDS graduate in 2016, was killed in a motor vehicle accident in 2022. As an organ donor, he saved five lives and touched countless others. This event carries forward what he loved most: fitness, dogs, community, and helping people. All funds raised go to charity, split between KC PAWS (90%) and Midwest Transplant Network (10%).
Register early for access to two free City Gym classes. Learn more, register, or donate at the Paul Chaney Fitness Fundraiser website.
The Paul Chaney Memorial Foundation, KC PAWS, and Midwest Transplant Network are all registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
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Modigliani String Quartet Concert
October 16 | 7:00 PM | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
One of today’s most acclaimed string quartets returns to Kansas City. The Modigliani String Quartet presents a captivating program that connects past and present, featuring the U.S. premiere of Kryštof Mařatka’s evocative AMEDEA – visage de jeune fille, alongside landmark works by Debussy and Schumann.
Inspired by a portrait by Amedeo Modigliani, AMEDEA explores love, passion, memory, and the mystery of human presence. The program continues with Claude Debussy’s groundbreaking Quartet in G minor and concludes with Robert Schumann’s deeply expressive Quartet in A major, composed during his seminal chamber music year of 1842.
St. Paul’s members receive 25% off single tickets to the concert. Use code PAULS25 at checkout.
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Touching the Soul Book Group - October
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
Discussion: October 25
Leif Enger's debut, Peace Like a River, is a richly evocative novel, narrated by an asthmatic 11-year-old named Reuben Land. It is the story of Reuben's unusual family and their journey across the frozen Badlands of the Dakotas in search of his fugitive older brother. His brother, Davy, is charged with the murder of two locals who terrorized their family. Davy has fled, understanding that the scales of justice will not weigh in his favor. But Reuben, his father, Jeremiah—a man of faith so deep he has been known to produce miracles—and Reuben's little sister, Swede, follow closely behind the fleeing Davy.
Everyone is welcome! Come to the Archive Room on the third floor at 11:30 after coffee hour to join in the discussion. We will discuss the entire book on the 25th. If you'd like to personally receive updates and discussion questions in advance, please register by emailing Loretta Birkenmeier at lbirkenmeir@comcast.net. We hope to see you there!
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