Spreading God's Word, Not the Virus |
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A Message from Fr. Paul
Dear St. Paul's Family,
After two weeks of "staycation," I return to ministry rested, renewed, and excited!
What a way to wrap up vacation time...with a near miss in Hurricane (now Tropical Storm) Isaias! I’m happy to tell you that our church campus did not sustain any wind damage. Let’s pray for Fr. Angelica and all those still potentially in the path of this storm.
Speaking of Fr. Angelica, I want to thank him for making himself available for "virtual" pastoral care during my absence. I also want to thank the Rev. Chuck David and the Rev. Marcia Beam for serving as supply priests to celebrate our Sunday services the past couple of weeks.
Now that I am back, I want to update you about some of the things happening at St. Paul’s. [...]
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Daily Reflection from Bishop Peter Eaton
The Commemoration of George Freeman Bragg
August 3rd, 2020
Stay Home. Stop the Spread. Save Lives.
If you have to go out, wear a mask.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
In his seminal history, Yet With a Steady Beat: The African American Struggle for Recognition in The Episcopal Church, Harold Lewis, himself one of the most significant leaders in our Church, quoted the assessment of Bragg by another of our black church historians, J. Carleton Hayden:
Bragg was thoroughly devoted to Anglicanism which he believed the most scriptural ancient branch of the Catholic Church, and to the Episcopal Church which he regarded as the leading national institution where acceptance and cooperation by the best of both races occurred. Bragg believed that the faith and practice of the Church rightly and systematically applied would result in sizable numbers of educated Blacks drawn to it. He vigorously denounced racial discrimination within the Church. “For Zion’s sake, I will not hold my peace” was the motto of The Church Advocate. He believed that the Church was in its foundation catholic, inclusive, and egalitarian and that the fight for racial justice was essential to its renewal and reformation. [...]
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Exciting, first-ever Virtual South Florida Haiti Project Event
Friday, August 7 at 7:00 PM
You are invited to join us from your own home!
Journey with us LIVE through our own SFHP YouTube channel to explore Bondeau and our 5 areas of partnership. Hear and SEE what happened in the last year and see the vision for 2021! We are so excited to share videos, pictures, and messages from some of our Bondeau leadership.
Hear also about what’s happening with COVID-19 in Haiti and how they are coping with unimaginable challenges.
Don’t miss this time of connection and fun complete with a Silent Auction and interaction with others watching from across the country!
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Contact:
Info@southfloridahaitiproject.org
(401) 213-5636
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Be Prepared for Hurricane Season!
While we were spared the full brunt of Hurricane (now Tropical Storm) Isaias this past weekend, we are reminded that we need to be prepared for hurricane season. Read more on how to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus while preparing for a storm from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) HERE and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) HERE. For complete disaster preparedness plans, visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management at:
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SACRED GROUND
A FILM-BASED DIALOGUE SERIES ON RACE AND FAITH
Registration deadline: August 24th
Dialogue begins: August 31st, 7:00pm
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I am pleased to announce that Ellen Kentner and Kristen Murtaugh have agreed to facilitate the offering of Sacred Ground, the Episcopal Church’s new film- and readings-based dialogue on race. The dialogue is grounded in our call to faith, hope and love and especially designed to help white people talk with other white people about matters of race. Ellen and Kristen invite members of St. Paul’s to join them in taking a closer look at the divisions in White America and in themselves. The small study circle (5 to 14 members) will walk through chapters in America’s history of race and racism and weave in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The powerful curriculum includes documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories. [...]
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Prayer-by-Phone Ministry
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Mt. 18:20
Several of our Lay Healing Ministers are available for prayer-by-phone. Please feel free to call if you would like to have someone pray with you and/or for you. Of course, all prayer conversations are sacred and they are kept confidential. We believe in the power of prayer, and we know that Jesus is present in a special way when two or more people gather together in His name (Mt. 18:20).
Here is the schedule for our Prayer-by-Phone ministry:
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Helen - Sunday, 4-6pm...............(561) 398-7259
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Elizabeth - Monday, 10-11am....(410) 463-8825
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Patricia - Monday 5-6pm...........(561) 703-0800
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Barta - Tuesday, 1-2pm...............(603) 781-1630
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Claudette - Wednesday, 5-6pm..(561) 541-7361
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Faith - Friday, 7-9pm..................(561) 512-4056
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The Efficacy of Masks and Social Distancing in Reducing COVID-19 Transmission |
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Faithful Giving
Please help us to keep our mission and ministry strong. St. Paul's staff, operations, community outreach, and our missions to help the most vulnerable are dependent on Sunday offerings to keep afloat. When Sunday offerings decrease, our missions become at risk. Please support St. Paul's now by one of the options below:
Safe and secure online giving on our website - St. Paul's has a safe and secure electronic donation service available allowing you to make single donations or set up recurring donations. Click the button below to visit our donation page:
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Mail - If you prefer to send your pledge or other donation by check, please send your contribution to: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 188 S. Swinton Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444.
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Zoom Coffee Hour
Sunday, August 9th, at 11:30am
Please join us for this Sunday morning coffee hour after our 10:00am virtual service!
No Zoom account needed to join:
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A snapshot of St. Paul's virtual coffee hour for August 2nd |
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The Episcopal Church's Response to Racist Violence
In this time of national upheaval, outrage, and fear, we are writing to share resources with you on the Church’s responses. Over the weekend, as the nation and the Church mourned the egregious death of George Floyd, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry shared this message with the Church:
“Our long-term commitment to racial justice and reconciliation is embedded in our identity as baptized followers of Jesus. We will still be doing it when the news cameras are long gone.”
The Episcopal Church’s Department of Reconciliation, Justice and Creation Care and the Office of Government Relations assembled resources to assist individuals, congregations and communities seeking to LEARN, PRAY and ACT. We hope you find these useful, and we encourage you to make your voice heard in all the ways you are able to.
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Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Sustainability CARES Mortgage Assistance Program
100 Australian Avenue, 5th Floor, West Palm Beach, FL 33406
(561) 233‐3606 or (561) 233‐3600
NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY
Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Sustainability hereby announce the availability of $20,000,000 in CARES Act funding for temporary relief to homeowners for the following:
Mortgage Assistance: CARES Act funding will provide assistance to income eligible households who are delinquent in their first mortgage and escrow payments (PITI). Additionally, funding may assist with late fees, attorney’s fees, condominium and homeowners’ association payments, special assessments, and other mortgage associated costs related to COVID‐19. Maximum Award: $10,000 (Up to four‐months mortgage payments, but not to exceed $10,000) [...]
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MONDAY, August 3:
Judges 6:39
Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let your anger burn against me, let me speak one more time; let me, please, make trial with the fleece just once more; let it be dry only on the fleece, and on the ground let there be dew.”
The first time I asked God for a sign I was a child. I received an answer and found comfort.
I don’t remember asking for more signs until years later, and then I asked for enough signs to make up for lost time. I asked for so many signs I perfected the art of asking. I was specific. I set deadlines. I asked for signs to confirm I had read signs correctly.
Though some of my best God stories are sign stories, I don’t believe signs are the only way God communicates. I haven’t asked for a sign in years. Holy direction comes through scripture, nature, humans—even billboards!—when I am quiet and still from the inside out, from the Christ-light within me.
I believe God speaks to us differently, hoping we will tell one another. Gideon’s story helps me feel less alone.
MOVING FORWARD: What signs have you received from God? How have you responded?
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Volunteering Sign Up for Food Box Offloading
Below you will find a sign-up link for any volunteer willing to help with the offloading of food boxes for distribution on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 am at Cason United Methodist Church ( 342 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444 ).
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Interfaith Committee:
Shower Truck Donations Needed
In this midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, the Interfaith Committee of Delray Beach has partnered with the Delray Beach Police Department to keep their shower truck operations available to those enduring homelessness in our area.
A major aspect of this shower truck program is the distribution of clean clothing to participants afterwards, if you would like to help by way of donating these much needed pieces of clothing, please contact Caren Kilpatrick, Parish Administrator, at (561) 319-7947.
"Specifically, the shower truck needs men’s shorts or jeans sizes 32-34 desperately. We have larger sizes!"
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The Volen Center has instituted a program using their fleet of buses to deliver free lunches to seniors 60+ in Boca, Delray and Boynton. Outlined below is the program and who can be contacted. If you have any people who might benefit, please send us the names and numbers or pass along this information to them. Anyone we can help is a plus.
Lunches delivered to residences daily and 3 meals on Friday to cover the weekend.
To enroll, e-mail or call the following staff:
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Volunteering Opportunities
Dear Volunteers,
Please see the included link for a list of volunteer opportunities and agency needs. You will need to connect with the agencies directly to volunteer and/or make an item donation. If you have not completed the waiver and you do plan on volunteering, please use the link to complete the waiver https://secure.unitedwaypbc.net/inetwork/VolunteerForm
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Many local meetings have established their own Zoom meetings which can be found at the intergroup website for the particular county.
For example, here's the link for South Palm Beach County intergroup information on meeting closures and online meetings:
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VIRTUAL SERVICES DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
In response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, we at St. Paul's Delray Beach, together with all churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida, have closed for public worship and all other public gatherings until further notice, per our requirement of a double digit reduction in COVID-19 cases. This includes St. Paul's Day School until August 10th, Paul's Place after-school program, and all other ministries and scheduled events. If you have a pastoral emergency and need the services of our clergy, please contact Fr. Paul Kane (revpaul@stpaulsdelray.org or 561-921-7667)
We at St. Paul's Delray will offer a virtual morning prayer at 8:00am and a virtual evening prayer at 5:00pm (both through Facebook Live streams), Monday through Friday, and a virtual celebration of the Holy Eucharist every weekend until further notice.
Click below to view our Virtual Service for the 9th Sunday After Pentecost:
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As a church family, we will stay connected through social media, email, text messaging, our website, and other platforms. We will continue to spread the Good News of God's love while doing our part to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
I hope that you find peace and inspiration from the many resources for prayer and worship at home offered by Forward Movement (forwardmovement.org) , the Episcopal publishing house that brings us Forward Day by Day.
May God bring healing to the sick, comfort to the lonely, blessed assurance to the anxious, and hope to those in despair,
Fr. Paul+
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church
561-276-4541
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