St. Paul's Epistle - February 14, 2019

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

301 E. Stuart Street, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Phone: 970-482-2668

Email: office@stpauls-fc.org - Website: www.stpauls-fc.org

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Warden Update

Smile! God is smiling on St. Paul’s. Your smile lets God’s love shine through you to anyone you encounter – even to yourself looking in the mirror! Smile because St. Paul’s is moving forward! Smile because a lot of St. Paulites are doing a lot of work to get done the work God has set before us: the work of finding a priest to walk with us as we journey on; the work of finding the place God is calling us to be; and the work of putting voice to the purpose for which God has called this unique congregation together.

On Valentine’s Day your Wardens and a representative of the Vestry will be meeting with the Bishop to seek his guidance regarding our search for our Priest in Charge and our options for our place to plant ourselves. Stay tuned to the Epistle for a report on that meeting.

The Place Team has spent the past 6 weeks reviewing many documents and reports of meetings held over the last 3 years to capture the consensus of what the congregation felt was important to St. Paul’s, both in place and purpose. We reviewed reports from countless cottage meetings, all parish meetings, experts brought in, committee gatherings and also countless conversations both in Bacon Hall (our former Parish Hall) and in coffee shops or restaurants around town over the past 3 years. From what turned out to be pretty extensive research, the team gleaned the criteria St. Paulites had repeatedly identified as vital to who we are, where we are called to be, and what we are called to do. Using these criteria the Place Committee is creating a decision matrix and gathering data about costs, and “fit” with our criteria. This, along with the Bishop’s guidance, will be used to help us discern the place God is calling us to be. The criteria will be reviewed in Focus Groups starting in March. Sometime around Easter we will have an all-Parish meeting to share and discuss the results of all this work. Stay tuned to the Epistle for progress on Place Committee process.

As the above research was conducted, we found lots of material about who we are and what St. Paulites identified as our purpose in God’s plan – what God is calling us to do as ministers in the 21 ^st century right here in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Stay tuned to the Epistle for opportunities to help give voice to St.Paul’s Vision and Mission.

Smile! As Dr. Seuss so eloquently expressed it (with some minor alterations in italics):

Oh! The Places We’ll Go!!

We have brains in our heads

We have feet in our shoes

With God as our Guide, we’ll find the direction to choose

We’re not on our own. We know what we know.

With God’s grace, we’ll decide where to go.

Rhoda and John

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, Silent Auction and Talent Show

Tuesday, March 5, 5:30 - 7 pm

Please join us on Shrove Tuesday: Pancakes, Awesome Talent, a Silent Auction and lots of FUN! All proceeds will support the youth mission trip 2019!

We need your help with donations of time and/or talent. Go here for a google document and sign up to contribute. Hot items in the past have been: weekend get-aways, lessons, food, art, crafts, etc. If you have a talent that you would like to share, there is place on the document for that information. As we approach the date, more information will be coming!

Joint Worship Service

This Sunday, February 17 at 10:30 am

All three Faith Communities at Trinity will join to sing, celebrate, ponder, and praise God. There will be no other St. Paul's services on this day. Our own Laurie Gudim will be the preacher.

Saint Swissom's Day Luncheon

February 17, 2019, at noon

Support Cross Road's Safe House in this luncheon that will feature tall tales, fellowship and good food. Join us after the joint worship service on Sunday. Rhoda has extra tickets if you need one.

Habitat for Humanity Wall Raising

This Saturday, February 16th, Habitat for Humanity will be dedicating the two new homes to be built at the Harmony Cottages site in Fort Collins this year. These are homes which volunteers from St Paul's and Trinity Lutheran Church are helping to finance and build. It is an opportunity to "bless the dirt, sign the studs, and raise the walls" for these two homes, and to recognize and celebrate the two families whose hopefulness and future they represent. All from St Paul's and Trinity are invited to come and share this inspiring event. It will begin at 8:00 AM onsite at the SE corner of Taft Hill Road and Harmony Road. A poster with more information is HERE

Need a Lift?

Would you like to attend church more regularly but . . . Need a ride? Please contact Susan in the church office by calling 482-2668 OR email her or Judy Matthew s. Make sure to let Susan or Judy know which part of town you live in.

Can You Give Someone a Lift?

Do you have a spare seat in your vehicle? Please consider sharing a ride with someone else. Judy Matthews is coordinating this effort - please contact her (and let her know which part of town you live in).

Flowers for the Altar

T o dedicate altar flowers in memory of a loved one, in celebration of a birthday

or anniversary, or just to express gratitude to God, sign up on the list located on the red bulletin board where we used to gather for coffee. The money for these flowers comes from donations. We ask for a $25 donation, but any amount is acceptable. Write the check to St. Paul’s, put “Flowers” in the memo line, and put it in the offering plate. Thanks!

Tibetan Singing Bowls

Saturday, February 16th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Sun Room at Trinity

Experience soothing sound vibrations in a beautiful setting. Betsy has been using ancient Tibetan and Nepali methods to induce balanced body rhythms, relaxation, and meditation since 2008. It's a great idea to bring a yoga mat and blanket, as it's a little cooler than usual in the Sun Room, during the wintertime. Thank you for your interest in Sound Healing, Singing Bowls.

What Must I Do?

" Christ's relationship with us, his followers, is a love story. His is self-sacrificing love of the most profound sort. He puts himself on the line again and again, hoping to hear a “yes” from us when he poses the life-giving choices .'"

-- Laurie Gudim writes for Speaking to the Soul at the Episcopal Cafe. Read the full reflection HERE .