Thank You

Thank you to everyone who pitched in last Sunday to make our Last Sunday Lunch another success. Thanks especially to Ann Guillot and Francesca D'Luna for their work to set up, and to the dedicated clean up crew - Marley Skiff, Peter and Jean Barenbregge, and others.

Thank you COTS liaisons Ann, Karen and Al for coordinating another successful daystation lunch. Many thanks also to everyone who provided sandwiches, cookies, fruit, and other items for our neighbors in need.

Thanks to everyone who was in-person at the Cathedral last Sunday for the positive feedback on the sound system! For those of you joining us online, we are aware of the issues and are working to correct them. Thank you for your patience as we perfect this new tool.

October Young Adults Table Tonight

We hope you are planning to take your seat tonight at the Young Adult Table!

5:30/Childcare/Catering from The Wise Fool (last time this year)/Parish Hall

Please RSVP today to: (karenbrightly@gmail.com or text to 323-385-2034)

And it's Board Game and Music Night....

We'll have a selection of board games to play and really get to know each other, because nothing brings out someone's true colors better than...

- trying to remember what Chandler's job is, or

- guessing what your teammate has drawn, or

- building an empire, or

- putting hotel on Park Place, or

- deciding whether to challenge with a dictionary

We'll have a well-curated selection of games to choose from and team up to play.

For those for whom gaming is not a thing, we'll take a separate space to share music!

Please bring a song you love, tell us why it matters to you, and we'll experience it together.

(After this, our last two gatherings of the year will be November 6 and December 4)

We hope to share Compline and Community with you Friday. Let us know, please, if we can expect you at the Table.

St. Paul's 2027 Pledge Campaign: We, the Lord's People

October at the Cathedral is all about Annual Giving as we launch our 2027 Stewardship Campaign. Stewardship means the duty Christians have to responsibly manage and make use of the gifts that God has given them. As Christian stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and propagate and return them to the Lord.

Consider what you can give - the dollars pledged to our 2027 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 1, 2026.

A pledge packet is on its way, and extra copies will be available on the Narthex table, or pledges can 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). 

Blessing of the Animals This Sunday During Regular Worship

The primary Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is celebrated annually on October 4th, commemorating the life, legacy, and transition to heaven of the patron saint of animals, the environment, and all creation.

At St. Paul's, we will celebrate with a slightly abbreviated Holy Eucharist on that Sunday at 10 a.m., to which we invite you to bring your well-behaved, leashed or caged pets, or a photo, ashes, or favorite toy or other item of your pet for a blessing.

All are welcome.

Church School Update

We have had a great kick off to the Church School year and have been busy working on formalizing our time together by adding some routines. There is now a schedule posted outside the Church School Room for our planned activities as well as our word of the day! Stories, crafts, and conversations are focused around these words as they relate to the lessons in the church service.  

Last weeks word was “Action” and how we connect the love in our hearts to the help our hands can provide in the community. This week’s word is “Kindness” with activities centered around the teachings of St Francis of Assisi. Join us downstairs after the Blessing of the Animals service for our own “stuffed animal celebration” to include gluten free animal crackers and mask making. We will wrap up our time together by offering our hopes and prayers for ourselves and one another before each putting coins into our Shared United Thank Offering Box (no need to bring coins, Holly will provide them) 

Join us next week when we will each be decorating our own UTO Box to take home!  

Cathedral Arts Presents Victoria

Performed by the Green Mountain Monteverdi Ensemble

The Green Mountain Monteverdi Ensemble of Vermont will perform the most beautiful works from the greatest Spanish composer of the early 17th Century: Tomás Luis de Victoria. The six-voice ensemble will perform Victoria's Requiem Mass, the Officium Defunctorum, originally published in 1605. This work includes the Mass for the Dead and two motets, Taedet animam meam and Versa est in luctum. The second half of the concert consists of Victoria's best-loved motets for four and six voices including O Magnum Mysterium, O vos omnes, and Quem vidistis pastores. The exquisite harmonies of Victoria, which sometimes take surprising turns, will transport the listener to the glories of the High Renaissance. Stephen Falbel directs.

Sunday, October 4 at 4 p.m.

Tickets Available Here

Spectrum Empty Bowl Dinner October 7

St. Paul's liaisons invite you all to participate in Spectrum’s Empty Bowl Dinner, on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. This family-friendly evening brings the community together to raise over $100,000 to help teens and young adults get help when they need it most.

Choose a handmade ceramic bowl to keep, and fill it with soups donated by local restaurants and served up by local celebrities. Buy eyeglasses, textbooks, warm socks – even birthday cake – directly for youth at our Giving Board.

You will leave with a full heart and your own bowl to remind you of the difference you’ve made in the life of a young person facing homelessness and other challenges in our community.

Office Closed Friday, October 9

The Cathedral office will be closed on Friday, October 9 to accommodate staff vacations.

Cathedral Arts Presents an Autumn Concert of Remembrance

Join us for a spectacular choral and orchestral event combining the Cathedral Choirs, guest singers and soloists, the Professional Choristers of the Choir School of Newport County (Rhode Island), and the Rhode Island Festival Orchestra of twenty players.

With the backdrop of fall foliage through the massive south window, and a candlelit conclusion, you won't want to miss this journey of the soul—from birth through love, praise, reflection and death to eternal life—in poetry and song.

Sunday, October 11 at 4 p.m.

Tickets Available via Cathedral Arts

Wreath Orders Open

Our annual St. Paul’s Wreath Project to benefit the Cathedral’s outreach ministries is now taking orders. If you ordered a wreath last year, you will be contacted by email to see if you would like to repeat your order. If you do not use email or are new to St Paul’s, please stop by our table in the South Porch after either service to check out what is available and fill out a paper order form. The order table will be available the next two Sundays. We sell the freshest wreaths, garlands and boughs in a wide variety of sizes and decorations.

The deadline for ordering will be Tuesday, October 13. Wreaths can be picked up at the Cathedral on December 4 or 5, or shipped to a loved one for a fee.

If you’d like to help out the Wreath Project, we can use all shapes and sizes. Elves of all skill sets should call Penny Pillsbury 862-3575 or email her ppills949@gmail.com. She can probably find you a task or two!

Redevelopment Project Q&A October 18

Join Dean Getlein and members of the Task Force on Sunday, October 18 after worship in the Parish Hall for a discussion of recent developments regarding the proposed redevelopment project with Stewardship Realty.

Bring your questions, thoughts, and concerns and learn more about the next steps we're taking to achieve financial stability for the long term.

COTS October Winter Boot Drive

The COTS October Winter Boot Drive is coming right up!

COTS would love donations of NEW winter boots or funds to purchase what will be needed. We will start accepting new winter boot donations October 1.

Winter boots are pivotal for those experiencing homelessness, and every pair makes a meaningful difference for someone.

People experiencing homelessness walk an average of 10 miles per day, regardless of weather or conditions. Foot problems are the third most common health concern among people experiencing homelessness.

Many foot conditions worsen due to wet, worn-out, or ill-fitting shoes, which can lead to long-term complications like hospitalization or even amputation.

Ideal boots are:

1. Above the ankle

2. Waterproof

3. Insulated (the warmer the better)

4. Men’s size: 8 - 12

5. Women’s size: 7 - 10

Your winter boot donations can be dropped off at the Cathedral and left at the reception desk in the office area. Thank you for your generosity!

Justice Speaks: PFAS Pesticides in Foods

In these days of discouraging news on many fronts, I find good news in City Market and at the Farmers Market in the local, organic produce. I am grateful to see the beautiful products of healthy cooperation between humans and Earth, to buy food from farmers who treat the Earth and their workers with respect. 

Organic agriculture helps living soil nurture plants and absorb CO2, producing healthy foods while avoiding chemicals that harm people, pollinators, soil biota, land and water. Learn more about organics here: www.nofavt.org and here: realorganicproject.org.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture pesticide use data show that pesticides with PFAS active ingredients have been used on corn for dairy cows (accumulating in their bodies and milk) and in some food production for several years in Vermont. Sadly, conventionally raised foods are allowed to contain pesticide residues at levels that can affect human health, especially in children. These toxic residues -allowed by regulators- harm the microbiome in your gut that helps your immune system fight off disease.  

EPA registered more PFAS pesticides recently, and the Agency approved two of them earlier this year, but they are not required to do so.  

PFAS Pesticides Approved for Use on Crops

PFAS make pesticides more persistent, mobile and toxic, causing cancers, immune system and reproductive disorders, and contributing to toxins in water. In 2024, Vermonters used more than 22,000 pounds of PFAS pesticides, 5,000 of that in food crops. 

Let our Vermont Senators and Reps know that we want PFAS pesticides out of our food, out of Vermont!

Sylvia Knight

Earth Community Advocate & Researcher

Burlington, VT

sknightinvt73@gmail.com

United Thank Offering Collection Boxes Available

It is an annual tradition in the Episcopal Church to keep a United Thank Offering (UTO) Blue Box at home, and sometimes at work. The box is made so that the user can drop their change into it each day. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving we all make a joyful noise to the Lord by bringing those boxes to church so that we can empty them into the red metal sap buckets as part of our offering. Hearing the coins pour into the buckets reminds us all of the importance and joy of generosity. UTO funds many Episcopal Church outreach initiatives, including one here at our Cathedral some years ago when we needed a new sound system.

UTO encourages people to notice the good things that happen each day, give thanks to God for those blessings and make an offering for each blessing using a UTO Blue Box. UTO is entrusted to receive the offerings, and to distribute 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion.

Take a UTO Blue Box today, fill it with your spare change, and bring it back to church on Sunday, November 22 and join the chorus of givers. Alternatively, you can donate to UTO via the Cathedral's website using the link here and entering your contribution on the UTO line.

Cathedral Redevelopment Corner

The Redevelopment Task Force wants to answer your questions! Join us on Sunday, October 18 after worship for a Q&A session with Greta and members of the Task Force to learn more about the new direction the Task Force is taking after their recent discussion with consultants Brian Pine and Al Shehadi.

Task Force Members: Dean Greta Getlein, Senior Warden Marley Skiff, Junior Warden Karl Fandrich, David McKay, Lisa Schnell (trustee), Caroline Henne, Shannon Williamson (vestry), Jen Sisk (vestry), Peter Anderson, Sarah van Ryckvorsel, Bert Cicchetti (trustee), Frank Guillot, Jennifer Sumner (staff)

Religion and the American Founding: A Free Conference at UVM

Please join us for the Religion and the American Founding Conference on Friday, October 9, 2026 in the Jack and Shirly Silver Pavilion at the University of Vermont. Sponsored by UVM's Humanities Center, the event coincides with the many nationwide celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and brings together award-winning scholars of religion in early America from Harvard University, Princeton University, Washington University, University of Pennsylvania, University of North Carolina, and other research institutions to share their groundbreaking and innovative work on this topic and time period. 

The event consists of two roundtables discussing religion in colonial America and in the early national period, followed by a plenary from Catherine Brekus, the Charles Warren Professor of the History of Religion in America at Harvard Divinity School. Her talk will be followed by a reception open to all attendees.

Date and Time: Friday, October 9th, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.



Schedule:

2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. – Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Michael Baysa, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – First Roundtable - Colonial American Religion

Chair: Johanna Mueller, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

• Anca Wilkening, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
• Tim Grieve-Carlson, Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA
• Philippa Koch, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
• Mark Valeri, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
• Douglas Winiarski, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA

3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Second Roundtable - American Religion in the Early Republic

Chair: Rebekah Trollinger, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

• Seth Perry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
• Sonia Hazard, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
• Dana Logan, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
• Jamie Brummitt, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC
• Melena Sims-Laudig, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ

5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Plenary Speaker - Religion and the America Founding

• Catherine Brekus, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

University of Vermont

Jack and Shirley Silver Pavilion

61 Summit Street, Burlington, VT 05405

Cost: Free

Accessibility: If you require an accommodation related to a disability, please contact Accessibility Services at access@uvm.edu, or (802) 656-7753 and include Humanities.Center@uvm.edu. 

Vermont Philharmonic Presents Dual Delights

Vermont Philharmonic, the resident orchestra of the Barre Opera House, presents Dual Delights, conducted by Lou Kosma, and featuring St. Paul's parishioner the Rev. Kim Hardy on cello.

The program includes Carl Czerny's Concerto for Piano Four-Hands, featuring Alison Cerutti and Sylvia Parker on piano, and Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 1.

Saturday, October 17, 4 p.m. at the Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, and

Sunday, October 18, 2 p.m. at the Barre Opera House in Barre.

Tickets cost $25, $20 for seniors, and $5 for students, and are available at the door or online at www.vermontphilharmonic.com.

Help Fill the Family Room's Shelves This Fall

Located in Burlington’s Old North End, the Janet S. Munt Family Room is a welcoming parent-child center for all Chittenden County families with children from prenatal to age 5. Each year, they support over 1,600 individuals with 29+ free programs, services, and resources designed to nurture both children and caregivers.

Families come to the Family Room every week for food, diapers, and other essentials. You can help keep the shelves stocked with familiar, nourishing foods and everyday necessities families need.

How you can help:

• Fill a reusable grocery bag with items like rice, cooking oil, apples, black tea, flour, and canned tuna.
• Donate diapers and wipes: With the Vermont Diaper Bank now closed, families have fewer reliable resources for these essentials. Sizes 4-6 are needed most.

Please bring donated items on or before Friday, October 23 to the Cathedral and leave them behind the reception desk in the office space. Questions? Contact Marti Churchill or Annegret Schmitt-Johnson, who will coordinate bringing items to the Family Room.

Dismas House Seeks Board Member

Dismas of Vermont is looking for community members who may be interested in serving on its Board of Directors. Dismas provides housing, support, friendship, and advocacy for men and women leaving incarceration as they work toward stability and a new beginning. There are currently five transitional houses operating around Vermont. This year is their 40th year of operation!

If you feel called to share your time and gifts in support of this important ministry and community work, and if you believe in second chances, please consider learning more about service on the Board. Visit dismasofvt.org or speak with Nancy Snyder, (603)443-2689.

2026 Diocesan Convention

The 2026 Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont will be held in three parts: the Pre-Convention Meeting on November 5, the Program Day at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul on November 7, and the Business Meeting on Zoom on November 14.

Registration for the 2026 Diocesan Convention is open until October 23. 

Registration is open for clergy, delegates, alternates, and non-delegates. The registration fee is $35 per person.

Nominations for positions to be elected at the 2026 Diocesan Convention are also now open and may be submitted through JotForm. The deadline for submission is October 23.

Elections will take place for the following bodies:

• Brookhaven Learning and Treatment Center Board of Trustees
• Commission on Finance
• General Convention Clergy Deputy 4
• General Convention Alternate Deputies
• Rock Point School Trustees
• Standing Committee
• Trustees of the Diocese
• Provincial Synod Delegate
• Provincial Synod Alternate Delegate

To learn more about each of these bodies visit the diocesan website.

Nominate yourself or another now online.

A separate registration process will be available for youth participants and their chaperones. There is no cost for youth participants. Questions regarding the youth program should be directed to the Rev. Sarah Ginolfi, youth missioner.