From the Dean & Rector

This Week in Adult Forum: How the Gospels Became Gospels, Part 2

This week’s Adult forum continues our conversation regarding How the Gospels become THE Gospels. There is still much to unpack, and we will get to the Gospel According to Mark, the Diatessaron, Gnostic Gospels.

You don’t need to have been present at Part one to get a whole lot out of Part two. Please come be a part of the fun Sunday after worship and a snack. Questions and discussion are encouraged. 

Cathedral Arts & Capital City Concerts Present Instrumental Works of J.S. Bach

This year Capital City Concerts presents an all-instrumental program of J.S. Bach's best-loved chamber music and solo works performed by veteran artists including pianist Jeewon Park, violinist Jeffrey Multer, cellist Edward Arron, and flutist Karen Kevra. Also performing is Hudson Valley, New York flutist Jillian Reed, who hails from Vermont and is dazzling audiences across the Northeast. 

Sunday, October 27, 4 - 5:30 p.m.

Cathedral Church of St. Paul

Tickets Available via Capital City Concerts

PROGRAM:

Trio Sonata in G major for two flutes and continuo, BWV 1039

Trio Sonata from the Musical Offering in C minor, BWV 1079 for flute, violin and continuo

Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007

Italian Concerto, BWV 971

Sonata No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014 for violin and continuo

All Saints Day at St. Paul's

On Sunday, November 3 we will celebrate All Saints' Day at St. Paul's with the Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m.

Traditionally on this day we reaffirm our belief in "...the communion of saints, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting." As a reflection of this faith, we remember in our prayers loved ones who have died.

If you would like to add the names of loved ones who have died in the past year to this prayer list, you can email the name(s) to the Cathedral office at admin@stpaulscathedralvt.org, or fill in a form on the Narthex table and put it in the offering plate, or give it to a clergy person or staff person.

Please send us your name(s) on or before Thursday, October 31.

Stewardship Moment: Why I Pledge

I walked into St Paul’s in the Fall of 1973 when the cement had just set. I had been recently discharged from the US Army Vietnam, was recently married, and was a newly hired middle school teacher. Growing up in the county, Penny and I left our farms on Sundays and went to different churches in the same town: Penny the Federated Protestant, and me the Roman Catholic. We joined St Paul’s to grow in our faith and to have a faith community that would help us raise our children spiritually.

St Paul’s community supported our children’s faith significantly. Caleb and Ellen sang in musicals, Noye's Fludde and Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. They walked from Edmunds with friends to choir practice after school to prepare to sing on Sundays. They hustled us out of bed to get them to 8 a.m. services to be acolytes. Over the years they made Advent wreaths, participated in Nativity pageants, hid the Alleluia banner, painted eggs to give out at Easter service, released balloons on Ascension, brought in their pet Jennifer for St Francis Day, and dressed up as their favorite saint on All Saint’s Day. They took the opportunity to attend a national Episcopal Youth Event. They attended Rock Point Summer Camp. Ellen attended the Bike Ride Conference for many years with her friend Hilary Cooke, now an Episcopal priest. This community supported our offspring, and they eagerly engaged in all it offered. 

St Paul’s spirituality has enveloped our next generation. Our grandson, Leo, 2 ½ yrs., goes with his mommas to St Mathew's Episcopal Church in St Paul, Minnesota. He helps them do coffee hour and plays with a eucharist set, mimicking the priest. At daycare, Leo frequently lifts a book over his head with two hands and sings Alleluia, leading his playmates singing around the room. Imagine his Spanish caregivers' reaction the first time he did this.

I appreciate being part of a faith community that nurtures its children and adults and acts on Jesus’ teachings in the world outside its doors. This requires the support of all of us. I believe increased financial support for this church is necessary for our immediate needs and will have unanticipated outcomes in the future.

Keith Pillsbury

St. Paul's Young Adults Host Brunch and Viewing Party for the Wider Congregation

Saturday, November 2, 10 a.m. - Noon

Everyone is invited to join St. Paul's Young Adults in the Parish Hall at the Cathedral for brunch and to watch the installation of the 28th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church.

While many of the events in which our Young Adults engage are specifically for that age range to foster and build community, this event is for everyone! So, keep reading.

On Saturday, November 2nd, the Episcopal Church will install our new Presiding Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, with music beginning at 10:00 a.m. and the worship service beginning at 11:00 a.m. This will all be live-streamed from the Episcopal Church Center in New York. The Young Adults of the parish (aged 18 after-high-school to 40ish) will host a brunch during this event, as well as a special activity for those who would like to participate. Sean Rowe was himself ordained priest and bishop as a Young Adult.

All you need to do is come and receive the hospitality of our Young Adults while you celebrate the new P.B. If you are considering attending, please contact Bobby+, so that there is plenty of food.

Thanks so much! 

2025 Stewardship Ingathering November 3

Throughout the month of October we're holding our 2025 stewardship campaign, themed Walk in Love.

Consider what you can give - the dollars pledged to our 2025 campaign will be used to fund our operating budget - salaries, utilities, outreach programs, and much more. Donating to St. Paul's Annual Giving campaign enables us to accurately budget each year. Our ingathering date will be Sunday, November 3, 2024.

If you did not receive one in the mail, pledge packets are available on the Narthex table, or pledges can also be made online using the link here. If you would like a pledge packet mailed to you, please reach out to Jennifer in the Cathedral office (admin@stpaulscathedralvt.org, or 802-864-0471). 

Cathedral Arts & Vermont Choral Union Present Fauré's Requiem

The Requiem of Gabriel Fauré is one of the most-performed works in the sacred music repertory. This presentation will be a unique opportunity to hear the work in a fresh guise, performed with Period Instrument Orchestra (instruments from the late 19th century) which, as used at the time of composition, sound dramatically different from an orchestra of modern instruments. Additionally, rarely is the profound work heard in its original “church version,” as conceived for use in worship by Fauré in 1887 and completed in 1890. It will be one of the first performances of these works with period instrument orchestra in the U.S.

Sunday, November 3 at 4 p.m.

This is a ticketed event, tickets available at the door or online via eventbrite.

Last One in the Building? Turn off the Lights!

One of the most common energy-saving tips is to turn lights off when not in use. We all heard our parents say it many times!

If you're the last person to leave the building, please remember to turn off the lights! It helps with the electric bill, and since our high ceilings make light bulb changes a bit tricky, delays having to replace the bulbs.

Thank you!

Prayers for the Election

Offerings to pray together as one body of Christ no matter what kind of political opinions we hold as citizens:

• Election Eve Compline with St. Paul's Cathedral, Monday, November 4, 9 p.m. Online.
• Election Novena* with Bishop Shannon and the Green Mountain Online Abbey. October 29 through November 6 at 8 p.m. Nine days of devotional prayers for discernment in voting and well-being for our nation. Online.
• A Season of Prayer for an Election, a Novena of prayers and a daily litany, produced by Forward Movement, is available here. Printed copies are on the table in the back of the church.

*A Novena is a nine day or nine week cycle of prayer focused on a specific intention or as preparation for a specific event or feast day.

Weekly Vigil for Racial Justice and Reconciliation Resumes Noon Start Time

After a few weeks trying out an 11:30 start time for our Sunday vigils, we've decided to return to beginning at noon. We heard from many participants that they missed being able to attend Adult Forum and coffee hour.

Thank you for your flexibility as we try and find the timing that works best for the majority of our participants. We hope you will come on out and join us at noon! We're a friendly group. We have plenty of signs downstairs in the vigil closet.

Volunteer at Diocesan Convention

Hey did you know? The Cathedral hosts the annual convention of the Diocese of Vermont each fall. This is a full day of education, community building, and worship, that is essential to our common life together in Vermont. Present on this day are clergy and representatives from every parish (including ours!), the bishop, bishop's staff, and special guests. This year, our guest speaker is The Very Revd Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas.

We could use a few volunteers at strategic points during the day on Saturday, November 9 to help ensure that things run smoothly, to find things that are needed, to make coffee, help clean up, and just be around. Specifically, it would be great to have two folks to be here at each of the following times:

8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. to make coffee, help set up for continental breakfast and check-in, to help diocesan staff get ready for attendees.

11:30 - 1:30 to help set up for lunch, guide the diocesan volunteers and caterers, and help clean-up after lunch

3:30 - 5:00 to help clean up at the end of the day and re-set for Sunday morning as needed.

The Dean will be here all day and will provide guidance as needed. Can you help by being present for a couple of hours? Please let us know by emailing the office. Anyone who volunteers is welcome to stay for/participate in the programming. Lunchtime volunteers will be fed! All volunteers will have the undying gratitude of the Dean.

Young Adults and Campus Ministry Grants

As you know, at St. Paul's, we have a thriving community of Young Adults (aged 18 after-high-school to 40ish). A fair number of these Young Adults are connected with area colleges and the University of Vermont.

I am working with some of these campus-oriented young adults to explore how we might ramp up our ministry to and with them. Part of this work includes some grant-writing. I humbly ask that you please pray for this ministry – that we might find who we need to find and be found by those who need to find us – and that the grant reviewers might find all we feel the Holy Spirit calling us to, worthy of their financial support.

Yours in Christ, Bobby+ 

Cathedral Arts Presents Praise and Majesty

A Concert in Thanksgiving for the Gift of Music

Sunday, Nov 17 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm

Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 2 Cherry Street, Burlington

Suggested Donation $30 / Seniors $15 / student ID and children free

Join the Cathedral Choirs (adults and youth Choristers), guest singers, organ, brass quintet and tympani for a festival of thanks. This concert combines readings from C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, and secular and sacred poetry to celebrate music's role in our lives. The Te Deum, one of the oldest hymns of praise, is an Anglican favorite in C. V. Stanford's noble, stirring setting for the 1902 Coronation. Music by Flor Peeters, Arthur Baynon, Mary Plumstead, Hugo Distler, Nadia Boulanger, an Anglican Chant psalm, and a prayer for peace are joined by four audience-participation works. Brass and organ solo in Strauss's Festival Procession, Elgar's Nimrod in an act of Remembrance, and Widor's Toccata from Organ Symphony No. 5. This concert may leave you with a feeling of hope.

For further information: (802) 861-0244. cathedralarts.org

Save the Date: Decorate the Nave

While it might seem far away, Christmas will be here before we know it!

Please mark your calendars to stay after worship on Sunday, December 22 to decorate the Nave for our Christmas celebration.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Jennifer in the Cathedral office: admin@stpaulscathedralvt.org

Questions About the Episcopal Church? Ask Cathy

Cathy (Churchy Answers That Help You) is a virtual guide designed to engage with users through text messages. She combines an advanced AI system called ChatGPT with a wealth of resources about The Episcopal Church. Cathy’s mission is to provide information, answer questions, and facilitate conversations with anyone interested in learning more about The Episcopal Church, whether they are seekers, committed Episcopalians, or somewhere in between. 

Cathy was created by the TryTank Research Institute in partnership with the Innovative Ministry Center at TUCC.  

You can visit with Cathy here.

If you have questions, check out the FAQs here.

Counterpoint in Concert, The Sceptered Isle

You're invited to Counterpoint's opening concert of The Sceptered Isle on Friday, October 25 at the United Methodist Church in Shelburne.

Counterpoint explores the rich repertory of the English Choral Tradition, with sacred and secular works from the Tudor period and the early 20th century.

$30 general admission / $25 seniors / $5 limited means

Tickets available at the door

United Methodist Church, 30 Church St, Shelburne VT 05482

Grief Support Retreat for Women Offered

A one-day contemplative retreat to explore grief through conversation, journaling, artwork, poetry, mindfulness, gently body movement, and reflection.

Saturday, November 2, 2024

9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Mission Farm

316 Mission Farm Road

Killington, VT, 05751

This event is facilitated by St. Paul's parishioner Kate Maynard and Joanne Nelson.

Registration and more information available via Eventbrite.