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Christ Memorial
moving forward
We are at the point in the yoking process that a Letter of Agreement/Ministry Covenant Agreement has been generated and is under revision between St. Paul’s, Christ Memorial and Rev. Jim Strader-Sasser. Once we are all in agreement on the details, it will be sent to the Canon for Congregational Life and Mission and the Canon for Mission Development and Innovation, and Bishop Scanlan for approval and signatures.
We are hoping to have the process completed in time for Advent, but there may be technical delays. The plan currently is to have Fr. Jim preside at the 8:00 services already occurring in the sanctuary throughout the season of Advent, and then to move to a balanced schedule once the 10:30 service returns to sanctuary church.
Victoria Wilcox
new senior warden
At the last vestry meeting, Victoria Wilcox was appointed to replace Scott Atherton as senior warden at his request. She is moving ahead with his support in the yoking process, COVID response, return to sanctuary church, and other duties as senior warden.
Please note that in the past, unless the senior warden was already a member of the vestry, he/she did not have a vote on the vestry. This is a “historical” anomaly, and is not actually in the by-laws. We will be discussing this at the annual meeting because in order to be effective, the vestry thinks the senior warden needs to have voting rights despite the historical and informal process in the past. Please contact Victoria or other vestry members if you have opinions on this subject.
No garlands this year
Vestry discussed our traditional hanging of laurel garlands in the sanctuary for Christmas, and agreed that we should not “green” the church this year. Returning to sanctuary church is still problematic and perhaps unwise at this point, and we felt that instead of asking for donations for laurel garlands we should hold a drive to send money to the Brighter Christmas Fund to help needy families at this difficult time.
Please consider responding to the continuing needs in our community by sending any donations you would have contributed to the laurel garlands to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, with “Brighter Christmas Fund” in the memo line. It is going to be a very different Christmas for us all.
Reason to celebrate
A Eucharist will be offered at the eight o’clock service on Sunday, November 1, in observance of All Saints Day. Fr. Jim Strader-Sasser will be the celebrant.
Church Leadership
Victoria Wilcox, Senior Warden
(victoriawilcox7@gmail.com)
Alan Brandt, Junior Warden
(AG1brandt@aol.com)
Carol Tevis, Vestry Secretary
(rheamtev@ptd.net)
Bruce Candlish, Treasurer
(brucecandlish6@gmail.com)
Other Vestry Members
Valerie Evert
(Valerie17815@gmail.com)
Doug Hippenstiel
Telephone: 570-854-6575
(dch17846@gmail.com)
Gini Shahovskoy
(vshahovskoy@ptd.net)
Katherine Staller
(kesbb@windstream.net)
Staff
The Rev. Jim Jenkins, Deacon
Telephone: 541-306-1215
(jim-jenkins@comcast.net)
Patty Creasy, Church Secretary
Telephone: 570-594-4518
(saintpaulsbloom@gmail.com)
November baptismal birthdays
Fred Morris * Rachel Bitler * Patricia Creasy * Karen Roszel * Tiffanie Creasy * Jake Mohr * Ryan Fritz * Michael Rupert * Rebecca Lowe * Graham Tevis * Henry Phillip Brandau
‘Noisy’ Collection
In November, the Noisy Collection will go to Agape for its heating fund. Since you will not have the opportunity to place your coins in the collection plate when we do not have Sunday services at the church, you may send a check to St. Paul’s and write “Agape” on the memo line. The church’s mailing address is P.O. Box 764, Bloomsburg, PA 17815. (The treasurer notes that very little has been donated via the noisy collection since the pandemic began in March.)
Scripture Readings
for November
11/1 – All Saints Day
Revelation 7:9-17
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12
11/8 – Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost
Wisdom or Solomon 6:12-16
Or Amos 5:18-24
Wisdom of Solomon 6:17-20
Or Psalm 70
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Matthew 25:1-13
11/15 – Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18
Psalm 90:1-12
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Matthew 25:14-30
11/22 – Last Sunday After Pentecost
(Christ the King)
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Psalm 95:1-7a
Ephesians 1:15-23
Matthew 25:31-46
11/26 – Thanksgiving
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
Psalm 65
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Luke 17:11-19
11/29 – First Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 64:1-9
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:24-37
Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18
11/30 – Saint Andrew, Apostle
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
Romans 10:8b-18
Matthew 4:18-22
Psalm 19
Copyright 2020
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
East Main at Iron Street
PO Box 764
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
570-784-3316
saintpaulsbloom@gmail.com
In Memorium
Kathy Lowe, always sharing her love. (This photo was taken at the farewell luncheon for Father Howie Sasser in 2019.)
In Our Prayers
O God of all mercy, look with favor on your servants who are in sickness, danger, sorrow or any other kind of trouble, especially Sean, Kevin, Abbie, Luke, Emily, Jan, Mary Ann, Jennifer, Tamara, Dorothy, Hannah, Meredith, Pamela, Beth, Lawrence, Charlene, John, Faith, Ellen, Richard, Katy, Owen Hey, Kathy, Allyson, Elva, Becky, Carol, Kathy, Bill, Christian, Eric, Kirk, Jeff, Florence, Margaret, Jill, Pam, Jane, Keith, Bruce, Pat, Tom, Deborah, Tommy, Peggy, Sarah, Sandy, Amber, Moxie, Barbara Ann and Nancy. Give them, we pray, courage and hope, and a happy issue from all their afflictions; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christmas with OOM
slated for December 19
We have received the gift request lists and set the date for the Christmas social!
The Gifts: We will be reaching out, by email and phone, to parishioners who participated in the Giving Tree in 2019 to see if they are willing to purchase gifts for the same OOM resident as last year, or, if the person no longer resides at OOM, are they willing to purchase gifts for a new resident. Outreach will then send out the new gift request information and guidelines/deadlines for gift drop-off.
It’s not a foolproof plan, so we are open to suggestions that will help this mission go smoothly. If you did not participate in 2019, but would like to take part this year by signing up for a new resident or sharing responsibility for gift-giving with another parishioner, please contact Elaine at mdmep@ptd.net
The Meal: Outreach will deliver the gifts and will cover the cost of a dinner that will be provided by an outside vendor on-site at Our Orangeville Manor.
The only thing missing is . . . us: While it is not the celebration we are used to, it is a manageable alternative that protects the health and safety of both the residents and staff at OOM and the parishioners at St. Paul’s. Please help Outreach give our friends a Merry Christmas! -- Elaine Pongratz
Clearance sale on
Thistle Farm products
Thistle Farms is a “local, national and global movement for women’s freedom.” They live their mission through the actualization of this statement: We declare that love is the most powerful force for change in the world by building a movement that connects survivors, customers, advocates and communities.
After almost five years as a source for Thistle Farms (TF) products, it is time for us to close out our inventory. The reasons are threefold: with a virtual Diocesan Convention this year, there was no vendors room where we could sell TF products; sales within the congregation have slowed down; and concerns about the possible “expiration” of these natural products as they sit through heat and cold in the parish hall. So starting November 1, all the remaining TF products will be marked down to 25% of their current price.
The Outreach and Fundraising committees encourage you to continue to support TF through their website: thistlefarms.org. As a consequence of Covid-19, Thistle Farms’ brick and mortar store is shut down, making online orders a more significant source of income. On the website you will find the history of TF and inspiring success stories about the impact of faith in action. You will also have access to a much wider range of products than we were able to get through their wholesale program, including apparel, jewelry and products for the home.
Thank you for supporting this mission at St. Paul’s. –Elaine Pongratz
Treasurer’s Report
September 30, 2020
January-September Income $ 130,005.12
2019 Carryover (prorated) 14,888.97
January-September Expenses 130,735.91
Net Surplus $ 14,158.18
Through a combination of solid congregational support, control of expenses, and several months of rector/staff vacancies, we have been able to operate through the first nine months of the year without withdrawing funds from parking lot investments. Further, cash flow projections indicate that we will also be able to finish the year without using those funds. Thank you for your continuing support of St. Paul’s financial resources.
I report two of vestry’s actions at its October meeting. In anticipation of a possible repurposing of the rectory, the vestry has earmarked non-budgetary funds in the Charitable Foundation. The vestry also authorized $300 to be donated to the Women’s Center for children’s Christmas toys.
In the coming year, we will have a rector and full complement of staff, and additionally, we expect that several usual sources of income will not be available. That will mean that St. Paul’s will be even more dependent on pledge income. Please seriously and prayerfully consider your 2021 pledge commitment as we begin our upcoming stewardship campaign. (Watch your mail for a letter.)
Respectfully submitted,
Bruce Candlish
“How We Think About Living and Dying”
Sundays, Nov. 1st - 29th, 6:00 -7:15 p.m. on Zoom
You are invited to join us for these discussions, led by Linda Candlish
I imagine that many of us have known someone who faced death with truthfulness and courage. Whether we are in an inner circle of beloveds, caring from a distance, or reading accounts of those who displayed nobility in their final hours, we are forever expanded, inspired, and sometimes changed. I personally have known four people who understood they were going to die; and each said that his or her unique stage of life gave them the grace of greater joy, acceptance, and love than ever before.
Many ancient and modern Christian writers have encouraged us to maintain an awareness of our aging and mortality. Focusing on the time-limits of death can strengthen us in our daily life and in our last hours. The coming class, “How We Think About Living and Dying” will provide opportunities to become increasingly accustomed to thinking about our own mortality.
Five interrelated goals, described below, will be addressed over five classes.
- Invoke curiosity about fears that underlie our avoidance of thinking about dying.
- Introduce practices that expand our capacity and endurance to manage discomfort. Can we build up a tolerance to the normal fear of dying?
- Increase skills for being present to individual grief and to the grief of others.
- Identify and discuss any questions that arise about Anglican Christianity as it relates to the life and death of Jesus and of us.
- Return to the concept of living a good life and doing our part toward a good death…Even as I lose functions, might my act of dying be life-giving to others? Within my own life, what meaning do I see?
Logistics: Participants should have available a pen and spiral bound notebook for responses to questions or taking notes. Participants will have opportunities to talk, but no one will be expected to speak unless he or she wishes to do so. If questions arise, please call Linda and feel free to leave a message at (570) 764-3128.
