SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 · 325 PARK AVENUE AT 51ST STREET  212-378-0222 · STBARTS.ORG
"An Open Place"
by the Reverend Deacon John Wirenius
As this summer draws toward a close, and Autumn approaches, we find ourselves surrounded by uncertainty as fires afflict the West Coast and our polarized nation looks toward an election season almost fearfully. 
JOIN US THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Download our service leaflet to follow along with us as we livestream worship from the church on our website, Facebook and YouTube. Read our tips and tricks for worship online.

Cole Arthur Riley, the creator of the Instagram account @blackliturgies, shares some of her beautiful prayers and speaks to the importance of amplifying Black voices in the liturgical life of the Church. The Forum will be streamed on our website, Facebook Live and YouTube.

Sunday, September 20
Episcopal Charities is a long time, vital donor to Crossroads Community Services here at St. Bart’s. Crossroads continues to receive among the largest grants awarded annually by Episcopal Charities. We are blessed by and deeply grateful for the extraordinary and gracious support of Episcopal Charities in our mission to unite the community in the fight to end hunger and homelessness. A gift to Episcopal Charities is, in essence, a gift to Crossroads and similar organizations committed to responding to the needs of the most vulnerable among us. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Sunday, September 20 at 2 pm
Join us on another distanced meetup this Sunday in Cedar Hill, Central Park. RSVP here. Since rainouts are always a risk, we will reach out before the 11 am service that day to confirm whether it is happening or not.
The September 11 Memorial Service was beautiful, moving, and meaningful particularly in this highly stressful and challenging year. The presence of St Bart’s in New York City and the close bond that the Church has with firefighters, police, and first responders is truly special. Your continued support of St. Bart’s helps us to continue feeding this City spiritually as we historically have and ensure that that mission and our beautiful buildings are here for generations to come. We ask for your continued generous support. Thank you!

MEET US AFTER CHURCH

for a list of groups meeting after church each week.
Newcomers welcome to all groups!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
On Sunday, September 27 we mark the Feast of St. Bartholomew by celebrating our wonderful community established in his name. The Forum at 10 am will feature our clergy speaking on the fall’s upcoming programming. After a festive 11 am Eucharist, the Wardens and Rector will hold a virtual town hall meeting to discuss steps towards re-gathering for in-person worship. Make plans to join us for this special day!
Sunday, October 4 at 2 pm
Each year, in observance of the Feast of St. Francis, we celebrate the beauty of God’s creation and bless the furry creatures who provide joy and companionship in our lives. This year, our Blessing of the Animals will take place virtually via Zoom. We plan on incorporating a slideshow of our beloved animal friends as part of the festivities. Please submit a photo of your pet by emailing central@stbarts.org.
PARISH LIFE
During this time of continued upheaval, caring for one another has become more important than ever before. St. Bart’s continues to invite you to send in prayer requests for those you care for and love, for yourselves, and for those God has placed upon your heart. Prayer requests may be submitted to prayers@stbarts.org.
Do you have a talent for arranging flowers?
Our flower guild is seeking volunteers able come to to the church and make altar flower arrangements for our Sunday morning livestream service. Contact Manny Rodríguez if you can help.

WEEKLY ADULT FORMATION
Centering Prayer
Mondays at 7 pm, Wednesdays at 5 pm, and Fridays at 9 am. Experience a few moments of peace and comfort through the contemplative practice of centering prayer. Newcomers welcome! To join our email list to receive updates on centering prayer, contact Manny Rodriguez.

Tuesdays, September 8-29, 6:30-7:30 pm
Are you interested in bridging the gap between the image of God you hear about in Church and your everyday life? Dana Catharine, a St. Bart’s parishioner and experienced workshop facilitator, aims to help you do just that in this four-week exploration of Celtic spirituality. Known especially for its enthusiastic embrace of the natural world, Celtic spirituality is a form of Christianity rooted in the ancient traditions of Scotland and Ireland.

Wednesdays, September 16 - October 28, 6:30-8 pm
We often talk about what Christians believe, but what about what they don’t? This seven week class, led by the Reverend Peter Thompson, will focus on a series of beliefs rejected by the Church in the first few centuries after Jesus’ death. Sessions will be based on the book Heresies and How to Avoid Them: Why it matters what Christians believe (edited by Ben Quash and Michael Ward), though no advance reading is required. Our first session will focus on chapter 1, Arianism, and chapter 2, Docetism.

Thursdays, September 10-October 15 at 7 pm
This fall, all 200 parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of New York are invited to form local groups to read, discuss, and learn from one of the most timely and important books of our day: How To Be An Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi. St. Bart's and St. Mark's in the Bowery will read and discuss this book online for six weeks. Our journey will culminate in an exclusive Diocesan online event on October 22, when the author will answer questions and reflect on the nationwide antiracist movement. Before the next meeting, please read Chapters 7-9.

Saturdays, September 12-October 17, 10 am-11 am
What really matters when everything seems to be falling apart? During one of the more difficult times in his life, Roman Catholic priest and theologian Henri Nouwen contemplated this question in a series of lectures recently published for the first time in the book Following Jesus: Finding our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety. Join the Reverend Peter Thompson and an intimate group of other Jesus followers for a discussion about how Nouwen’s words speak to the difficult times we are living through now. Please read Chapter 2 before the next session.
 
Sunday, October 11, 1:30 pm
Please join us for our final session on White Fragility. The focus will be Chapter 12, “Where do we go from here?” We encourage you to think about the clarifications, ideas and processes that have been discussed in previous meetings, and consider what the next steps might bewhere we want to go, whom we might join, what “good trouble” we might start.

JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION
Please join us for the next Interfaith ROV phone banking sessions. Phonebanking is second only to canvassing for Getting Out the Vote (GOTV). It might not seem you’re making much headway with all the unanswered, out-of-service calls, but at scale – when we’ve made thousands of dials, the effect is substantial. We need you!

The U.S. Census Bureau will end the census on September 30, one month earlier than previously planned. This means we have a short time to get every New Yorker counted or the city will lose crucial funding, at a time when the city is already struggling to recover from COVID-19. If you have left the city, we still need you to do your part. Complete the census today in just five minutes at my2020census.gov or by calling 844-330-2020.

Vote Faithfully
The Office of Government Relations/Episcopal Public Policy Network has posted a great article about the Election Process Integrity and how we can plan our vote for the upcoming elections.

Click here for more resources to carry out our faith and live into our responsibilities living in community with others.


DAILY PRAYER
Do you need a few moments of peace to embark upon your daily rounds? Watch the Reverend Deborah Lee's one- to three-minute scripture-inspired video meditations, released at 7 am weekdays on YouTube and Facebook.

Do you desire a few moments of peace at the end of each day? Join the St. Bart's community for Night Prayer each weekday evening at 8:30 pm. Clergy and lay officiants will lead brief services based on or inspired by the ancient office of Compline.

LAST SUNDAY
Missed Last Sunday?

Watch last Sunday's Forum with Dr. Jamie Ferrara and Dr. Jim Marion, who returned to discuss progress being made towards a COVID-19 vaccine

Watch or listen to the sermon preached by the Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe

Watch St. Bartholomew's Choir perform Bairstow's "I sat down under his shadow" and the Combined Choirs sing Taize's Ubi Caritas.

Over 350 people have completed our St. Bart's Census, our summer initiative to update as many records as possible in our database. This is an important way to make sure we have the accurate information we need to be in touch with you. If you haven't yet completed this short online form, please take a moment to do so—even if you think we already have your information. 

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