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Weekly Happenings
June 15, 2017
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Last week as I came from my car around Dixon House I saw a large bird perched on our fl
è
che just below the cross. I thought it was a red tail hawk, but wrote to  parishioner Hank Ballerstedt, our ultimate birder, to get confirmation. Hank responded:
"
The raptor looks
to be
a female (1/3 larger than a male) when I compare it to the dimensions of the fl
è
che.
Red-Tails are perch hunters trying to conserve energy to make their needed 10% of body weight daily food intake.
Any high unobstructed viewing perch works; looks like she has found a holy one!
"
The Red Tail reminded me of a verse from our weekly Wednesday Bible Study on the Book of Job. Here God is giving a speech to Job making it clear that it is presumptuous of Job to think he understands all the mysteries of the universe. God asks:
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Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and spreads its wings toward the south?
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Clearly, our wisdom is rather paltry compared to God
'
s.
Contrast Job with Paul:
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When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified
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(1 Cor. 2: 1-2). The Red Tail seems to want us to see God
'
s wisdom that is giving of one
'
s self in love for the life of another, which is the way of the cross. That
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s what I got out of it. Of course, what the Red Tail got, in a burst of feathers, was lunch.
~ Cliff
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"To whom the lips of children..." (Hymn 154)
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Scripture Verse for the Week
(from the daily office lectionary)
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Sustainability Tip
of the Week
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After a geography class studied the Seven Wonders of the World, the students were asked to list what they considered to be seven wonders. A girl took some extra time with her list, then told the teacher,
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I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: 1) to touch 2) to taste 3) to see 4) to hear 5) to run 6) to laugh and 7) to love.
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The Second Sunday after Pentecost:
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And they (the faithful) sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
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Great and amazing are your deeds. Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of the nations!
'"
~ Revelation 15: 3
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Mow your lawn when it's dry and leave the clippings lying on the grass to feed the lawn underneath.
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WORSHIP
Mindful Worship - June 18
Mindful Worship is open and curious, graceful and accepting of the present moment. Mindful worship takes place every Sunday at 5 p.m. when there is not an Evensong. Together we explore the open heart, the cleansed heart, the quiet heart, and the ready heart. There is a mindfulness exercise that accompanies the Gospel. All are invited.
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TEACHING
Summer Faith and the Arts
We are recruiting parents to lead the annual Faith and the Arts program for this summer. Faith and the Arts is a way of retelling one of the lectionary readings for each Sunday, exploring some questions about the story with the children, and helping them capture their understanding of the story through drawing or painting. Faith and the Arts usually meets after the 9 a.m. worship, and the dates for this year are July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30. If you are interested in sharing an hour with the wonderful children of Saint Paul's, please contact Manny: [email protected]
Vacation Bible School - June 26-30
Saint Paul's is offering a Vacation Bible School for children ages 3 1/2 to 12, June 26 through 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. We offer this camp in celebration of the children of Saint Paul's and children everywhere. All are welcome to register for this camp, which will be about stories of faith, music, games, food, and fun. The cost is $50 per child. After Care will be provided until 5:30 p.m. for those who may have a need for it. We also have generous scholarships available. To register, log on to www.stpaulschestnuthill.org
Recruiting Teachers For Church School 
As a parish, one of our strengths is children's education, and each year we launch a search for new teachers to help with Church School. If you are interested in being a Story Teller, Door Person, or Middle School class teacher, please contact Manny: [email protected].
Summer Film Series
Free films with discussion (and popcorn) will be shown on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the Dixon House Library, as part of our summer Adult Christian Education Program.
NEXT:
- Becket - June 20 - Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole star in the 1964 film about King Henry II of England coming to terms with his affection for his close friend and confidant, Thomas àBecket, who finds his true honor by observing God's divine will rather than the king's. A good movie for parishioners on the Canterbury Tales pilgrimage to see.
STAY TUNED FOR:
- The Seventh Seal - June 27 - Ingmar Bergman's 1957 film of a man seeking answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the Grim Reaper during the Black Plague.
- Luther - July 11 - During the early 16th Century, idealistic German monk Martin Luther, disgusted by the materialism in the church, begins the dialogue that will lead to the Protestant Reformation. This year celebrates the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's posting of 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
- God's Outlaw - July 18 - A 1986 dramatized biography of William Tyndale, the 16th century reformer determined to translate the Bible into English, an illegal act at the time, setting him at odds with the Roman Catholic Church, Sir Thomas More, and King Henry VIII.
Parish Pilgrimage to the Standing Rock Reservation - July 14-21
The annual pilgrimage to Standing Rock will take place from
Friday, July 14 through Friday, July 21. High School youth and adults are invited to participate as peers with Sioux youth and adults in providing a three-day summer camp for children on the reservation. We will work to prepare the campsite, and help with activities. We will also have the opportunity to visit sites such as Fort Abraham Lincoln, from which Custer rode out to the Little Big Horn; visit a reconstructed village of the Mandan tribe; see where the Lewis and Clark exploration took place, and visit the North Dakota Heritage Center. Our second rector, William Hobart Hare, served as Bishop to the Great Sioux Nation, ministering among the native peoples in the late 1800's throughout the Dakotas. Each summer Saint Paul's travels to the Standing Rock Reservation, 3567 square miles spanning the border of North and South Dakota. It is always a life-changing experience for those who go. Contact Manny if you would like to participate.
Prayer from Education for Ministry Class
O God of grace and truth,
Grant us wisdom
So that we can find it easier to behave decently,
Through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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MISSION
Rummage Set-up and Collection Days 
Rummage set-up will take place in the parish house on Saturday morning, July 1 at 9 a.m. If you can help out, call Joe Fafara at 215-421-9502.
Our first collection day will be on Wednesday, July 5. You can drop off your "treasures" over the summer on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon, and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Rummage workers will gladly receive them and get them ready for sale. The parish hall will begin filling up with lots of wonderful things to sell on Friday, September 8 (pre-sale) and Saturday, September 9. Joyce Klinefelter is heading up the Rummage sale this year with lots of assistance. If you would like to pitch in and help, contact Weezie Lauher at [email protected]. Join our helpers who are all having fun and serving for such a good cause.
Red Shopping Bags
We still have lots of red shopping bags in the narthex. All are encouraged to pick one up, shop for our hungry and poor neighbors, and then bring the items bought to Saint Paul's for delivery to the Food Pantry of the Church of the Annunciation. This resilient congregation feeds over 70 families a week, and all our support will go a long way in helping our hungry and poor neighbors.
"Give and it will be given to you..." - Luke 6: 38
Saint Paul
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s through its Room at the Inn ministry is settling a family  who fled the Congo. They have been with us since January. Yesterday was full of moments. Valerie Stevens, who heads up this ministry, arrived at their apartment on Sunday morning and told the Mom, Bahati, that she would take the children for church and a picnic. While they were at church, Bahati was cleaning rooms at the Holiday Inn. Valerie narrates,
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Of course the kids are completely ready to go, as always, unlike any American kids. Moses answers the door and I hand him a new pink $1.98 kick ball. His face lights up.
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For me?
'
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Yes, to play at the picnic.
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I kid you not, I got thanked by all
five of them for the pink kick ball. Justine sings
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We're going to a picnic
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repeatedly in the car.
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A new Congolese refugee family of six people with four teenage kids will be coming through Bethany Christian Services on June 22, and will be welcomed by Saint Raymond's Roman Catholic Church in East Mount Airy.
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I have talked to the team leader,
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Valerie says.
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I told Bahati
'
s children this news on the drive to church for the 10:30 a.m. service.
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They don't speak English,
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I say;
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Swahili and French.
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The second oldest,
Gertride
, says:
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I want to be the first one they see to welcome them to America. We will teach them English.
'"
Later in the day Bahati asks:
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Where they from?
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(meaning in what country have they been living as refugees from the Congo?).
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I don't know,
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Valerie answers.
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You don't know?
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Bahati replies.
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I bring them food. I say WELCOME.
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Around 5 p.m., Wendy Munyon of our Outreach Committee and Room at the Inn ministry drove Bahati home from her work at the Holiday Inn. She discovered delicious barbecue and beans in her refrigerator, left over from the parish picnic. Delighted, she called Valerie.
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Sister Valerie, this food from church! You church too good to me. Wendy drive me home. I like this food for my family. You do too much for me. Sister Sue (Sue Proud also of the Outreach Committee and Room at the Inn), she teach my kids. Thank you very much.
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Valerie concludes,
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I understand Bahati
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s English better than she understands mine. How do I tell her she
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s got the vector direction wrong? How do I say she and her family have given me and the church so much more than we
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ve given her and them? I have an awkward silence where I decide that
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walking the walk
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will have to do.
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You are so very welcome, Bahati,
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I say.
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Honorary Chairpersons to Capital Campaign 
David and Lyn Montgomery, Edie Dixon, and Barbie and John Kimberly have all agreed to be Honorary Chairpersons of our Saint Paul
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s Capital Campaign, which we are calling,
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For Such a Time as This,
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a quote from the Book of Esther in the Bible. That they have lent their names to the campaign reinforces the campaign
'
s exciting purpose to ensure the future of Saint Paul
'
s Church. The Property Committee has just approved a list of projects that will be funded by this campaign. In the next year and a half, everyone in the parish will be visited and given the opportunity to contribute. We are taking a great step forward as the parish pursues tomorrow
'
s spiritual mission!
Thank You, Stewards!
Stewards are faithful in giving and managing the talents God loans us, regardless of the outward success of the mission. They remember that even when their best efforts appear to fail, God supports them with an everlasting love. When all is said and done, God remains steadfast to our gifts and graces.
(Meditations from David Mosser)
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COMMUNITY
Saint Paul's Camping Trip - June 23-25
Saint Paul's is hosting the 3rd Annual
Fun for All
Camping Trip to Mauch Chunk Lake Park in Jim Thorpe, PA on Friday, June 23 through Sunday, June 25. Come one, come all, and bring your gear. This delightful camping facility is less than a 90-minute drive from Saint Paul's. There is a lake for swimming, boating, and fishing, as well as plenty of trails for nature walks. The park is located minutes from historic downtown Jim Thorpe, PA. Plan to arrive any time after 2 p.m. on Friday, June 23, and check out by 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 28. If camping is not for you, come join us just for the day. A small park entrance fee will be required, per person, which includes swimming. Contact Cathy Davis at 215-687-1022 or [email protected]. More information about the park is available at www.mclpark.com.
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PASTORAL CARE
Fellowship Hour After Sunday Worship
Please join us every Sunday morning after worship in the Dixon House from 11:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. for refreshments and fellowship with other parishioners and the clergy!
When a member of Saint Paul's needs support at a time of illness or loss or other difficulty,
the clergy are the principal people who visit and support and counsel. There are also other groups, made up of parishioners, who deliver help to parishioners-a friendly face, a Eucharistic visit, a cheery arrangement of flowers, or a delicious dinner for someone just home from the hospital.
Please let us know, if you -
~ Would like to place a name on the prayer list (We ask that you obtain permission from those you are commending to the prayer list)
~ Would like a visit from Cliff, Manny, or Rob
~ Have been admitted to the hospital
~ Would like communion delivered to you by a lay Eucharistic Minister
Everyone is invited to participate in these ministries, as well as to call upon Saint Paul's pastoral care resources as the need arises.
Please click {here}
for more information or you can
contact Virginia Emlen directly at 215.242.2055 (ext. 25) or email her at vemlen@stpaulschestnuthill.org and she
will alert the Clergy.
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Upcoming Events
To view the full parish calendar, including locations & more info on events, please click {
here}
Friday, June 16
- Communion at the Hill, 11:15 a.m.
- Wedding Rehearsal, 5 p.m.
- AA, 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 17
- AA, 9:30 a.m.
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Anne Dulaney Lee Funeral Service and Reception, 11:30 a.m.
- Frances Betancourt Wedding, 5 p.m.
Sunday, June 18
-
Spoken Service of Word & Communion, 8 a.m.
- Finance Committee Meeting, 8:45 a.m.
- Alternative Eucharist Service for Families, 9 a.m.
- Faith Forum, 9:15 a.m.
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Traditional Eucharist with Choir, 10:30 a.m.
- Mindful Worship, 5 p.m.
Monday, June 19
- Vestry Meeting, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, June 20
- Fundamental Pilates Class
, 6 p.m.
- Pilates with Hildy, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 21
-
Centering Prayer,
7 a.m.
- Bible Study,
10:30 a.m.
- Healing & Holy Eucharist,
12 p.m.
- Pilates, 7 p.m.
- Education for Ministry, 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 22
- Gathering of Men, 7 a.m.
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Saint Paul's sent to you electronically. Thank you!
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Unsubscribing
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Labyrinth Hours
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The Saint Paul's Labyrinth is open during office hours. If the church is not open,
please ask and one
of the staff will open the doors so you may walk the labyrinth.
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Gluten-Free Communion Bread
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Gluten-free communion bread is available for those who wish. Please ask the clergy at the altar rail.
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Handicapped Parking
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Please, if you are parking along the drive on Sunday mornings be mindful of the
 handicapped spaces. If you could please leave those spaces for members
who need a little assistance getting in the church, that would be most appreciated!
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Contact Us
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22 East Chestnut Hill Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
215-242-2055
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Worship With Us! Sundays 8 a.m. | 9 a.m. | 10:30 a.m.
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