Spreading God's Word, Not the Virus |
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An Appeal for Disaster Relief Donations
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
Like you, I woke up this morning to the heartbreaking news that Hurricane Laura had devastated Louisiana and southeast Texas. We in south Florida know all too well the hardship that comes with the impact of a large hurricane. Having already seen the devastating impact this storm had on the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba, we know that the relief and recovery effort will be significant. [...]
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As people of faith, we first turn to prayer, commending the deceased to the mercy and goodness of God and asking God’s healing grace on the survivors. For many of us, these days of pandemic have allowed us to see ever more clearly that while we might be physically distanced, we are very much connected spiritually. And so, we feel the pain and grief of those impacted by Hurricane Laura, as well as those in California dealing with the wildfires. [...]
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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:
For more preparedness info visit:
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Daily Reflection from Bishop Peter Eaton
The Commemoration of Thomas Gallaudet and Henry Syle
August 27th, 2020
Stay Home. Stop the Spread. Save Lives.
If you have to go out, wear a mask.
Your mask is not a chin guard.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Prayer is at the heart of our Christian life, because it is the way in which the individual Christian puts him- or herself intentionally in God’s way. We know how important it is, and most of us probably give less time to our prayer life each day than we should, or might like. The disciples’s plea is our plea: “Lord, teach us to pray.” In my experience, those who are serious about their Christian lives are interested in a deeper life of prayer, and we see this interest in the popularity of retreats and stays in monasteries. Or at least we did before COVID. But even if such visits cannot continue for the moment, that does not change the desire. [...]
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Drive-In Back-To-School Blessing
Backpacks, Students, Families, and Teachers
Sunday, August 30th, 2020 @ 11:30 am
St. Paul’s North Parking Lot
There will be:
· Back Pack Tags
· Goody Bags
· Special Prayers
Join us in celebrating the start of the new school year with a blessing of our backpacks, students, families, and teachers!
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SACRED GROUND
A FILM-BASED DIALOGUE SERIES ON RACE AND FAITH
The registration deadline has passed. At 14 registered participants, this dialogue circle is at capacity!
Dialogue circle orientation: Monday, August 31st, 7:00pm
Our Sacred Ground study circle will meet on-line via Zoom on Monday evenings from 7:00-8:30 pm. The first meeting will be an Orientation on August 31, which will include a general introduction to the expectations of the series and technical assistance to maximize the Zoom experience. 10 sessions will follow, each session separated from the next by two to three weeks. The last session will be February 22, 2021. The curriculum for this study is rich and demanding. Preparation for each session includes time spent viewing films (an average of 60+ minutes) and reading about 35 pages of articles and excerpts from books. Most of the film and reading materials are available free on-line, but there are two core books which must be purchased. Participants will be asked to create a covenant together that will express their understanding of the importance of active commitment to the success of the circle.
A full description of the Sacred Ground dialogue series is available at www.episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground. For more information, please contact Ellen Kentner (ellenjanekentner@gmail.com) or Kristen Murtaugh (MURTAUGH@fau.edu).
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2nd Re-opening Survey
Dear St. Paul's Church Family,
Last week marked five months since the closure of our churches for in-person gatherings, including worship. At St. Paul's, we have a re-entry plan in place that has been approved by our Diocese of Southeast Florida. At this point, the timing of our reopening for in-person worship will be determined by the public health data. Specifically, there needs to be a sustained, 14-day reduction in the number of new COVID-19 cases in Palm Beach County and the positive test rate needs to be below 5% for COVID-19 tests done in Palm Beach County.
This seems like an appropriate time to do a second survey relative to reopening for in-person worship. Even if you completed the first reopening survey, I ask you to please complete this second, anonymous survey as we contemplate reopening for in-person worship.
Please complete the survey by August 30th.
In Christ,
Fr. Paul+
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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 30th, 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 23th |
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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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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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When your loved one is struggling, you want to do everything you can to help them. And sometimes, you don’t know what that is.
As a family member or friend, it can be hard to know what to do, how to act or what to say. But your support can have a positive impact on your loved one’s long-term mental health and well-being.
In fact, according to the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) curriculum, there is evidence that support from individuals or mutual support groups may be helpful for people with depression and anxiety problems. It can also help people get the professional support they may need, as research shows people with mental illnesses are more likely to seek help if someone close to them suggests it. [...]
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Getting tired of contemplating your navel?
Even though ILIR is taking a break between summer session and fall session, we do have a few happenings in the interim. You will receive the link for each week's event in the weekly email. And, fall schedule is close to ready to be disseminated.
Here are some upcoming events:
September 9th at 5:30 pm - The first ILIR Happy Hour with the Quarantine Music Busters, a group of young musicians who have formed a non-profit with the goal of adding music to our lives during COVID.
September 14th at 10:00 am-11:15 am - Current Events with Joel Ivers - if there is any news of note!
September 23rd at 11:00 am - 11:15 am - the first ILIR Book Club. First book is News of the World. START reading!
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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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THURSDAY, August 27:
Thomas Gallaudet and Henry Winter Syle
Isaiah 59:1-2
See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear to dull to hear. Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
From the Archives: August 27, 1950
It seems to be humankind’s characteristic to seek the causes our failures outside of ourselves. Adam blamed Eve.
Even in religious practice it is common to charge God with our misfortunes. Why did God do it? Why did God not do it? Ancient nations would charge their gods with weakness when the desired response or protection was not forthcoming.
Even Israel spoke thus, and God replied that God’s strength was not insufficient to the need. The situation in the nation was not beyond God.
The shortcoming is the people’s. Their own sins are what hinder prosperity. Their own transgressions have risen up as partitions so that they cannot see God. It was their reach that was shortened, not God’s.
The need is for self-examination and humility before God. If our religion seems to fail us, we must seek the explanation in ourselves and not upbraid God for it.
MOVING FORWARD: What is your favorite method of prayer? Use it with wild abandon today.
Read the contemporary reflection here.
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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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Volunteers are needed to sort and pack PPE for nonprofit agencies in Palm Beach County so they can continue to operate as well as provide supplies to their clients.
Distribution to the nonprofit agencies will take place on Thursday August 27th from 1:00-4:00pm and Friday, August 28th 9:00-Noon and 1:00-4:00pm. Three volunteers are needed for each time slot to load the supplies into agency cars. Volunteers must wear a face mask and gloves; we will provide them if you do not have them. Water will be provided.
This event will take place at Clinics Can Help: 2560 Westgate Ave. West Palm Beach 33409
Check in with Owen O’Neill from Clinics Can Help and either Meghan Foley or Donna Pulda from United Way of Palm Beach County
We hope you can join us!
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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 sustained double digit reduction in COVID-19 test positivity. 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 12th 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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