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

Wardens' Update

My Sisters and Brothers of St Paul’s Rag-Tag Army,

Thank you all who attended our Annual Meeting last Sunday. We had great attendance, and all enjoyed the discussions about our parish: current and future. Your wardens stand ready for any additional feedback or questions after you have had time to reflect.  

Meet the New Vestry

Our new Vestry members are Mary Jean Currier and Lee Janssen. Seth Stepleton has been elected for a three year term after having filled a vacancy on the Vestry for a year. Thanks to Gray Currier, Chris Schraeder, and Demetrios Godnitz for their service!

Please Go Through Susan

Our take-charge and can-do attitude as a parish leads to lots of WONDERFUL lay leadership. It can also generate a bit of chaos.

Please, if you would like to schedule a room at Trinity for a meeting, go through Susan.
St. Paul's needs 12 volunteers for Faith Family Hospitality (FFH) to help families like this one!

As an FFH coordinator and volunteer, I have seen the strength that some of these parents have shown. It takes strength to accept help and admit they need help, help for their children and for themselves.  FFH provides safe shelter at night and nutritious meals for these families.  And the great thing about volunteering to cook, evening host or stay overnight is that it's an easy thing to do

The FFH community impact can not be understated!

FFH keeps families together and safe, reduces their time in homelessness, and supports them with dignity. Their experience results in fewer disruptions – for both parents and children – to education, medical care, and family, peer, and work life.  FFH works! And your help is needed to keep St. Paul's commitment to FFH. PLEASE VOLUNTEER!! 

3 cooks are needed on:  Sunday, 2/17, and Saturday, 2/23
2 overnight hosts on: Monday, 2/18; Wednesday, 2/20
2 evening hosts on: Wednesday, 2/20

 If you have any questions about these volunteer opportunities, please call or email Marianne Lutton or call 970-214-9806.   Sign up  If you have any troubles doing this, let Marianne Lutton know and she will sign up for you!
Deadline Announcement Regarding Dinner with Friends

As Parishioners might have already read, the steering committee for “Dinner with Friends” is getting ready to form new groups of people that will begin meeting together for our next cycle. If you would enjoy being a part of “Dinner with Friends”, we encourage you to contact Terry Birdsong or (970) 493-9412 to get your name on the list. One may also sign up after the Sunday services. Note that the deadline for signing up is Sunday, February 10. Thank you for considering being a part of this well-received ministry of St. Paul’s!

Jim Steinborn, Terry Birdsong, Tracy Williams , and Bill Hoelzel , Steering Committee 
Joint Worship Service

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

Tickets are on sale through Susan at St. Paul’s office, $10 for adults and $5 for children. Come to the St. Swissom’s Day Luncheon AND Support Crossroads Safehouse. CROSSROADS SAFEHOUSE has 26 Living Units nearly always full. My daughter KNEW 2 women in Larimer County who were murdered by their abusive partners. Men, if you would like to support this effort by helping to cook, please let me know— Jim Laird , Luncheon Coordinator.

The February Social Justice Meeting

will be a joint one with Trinity Lutheran and Mary of Magdala. It will be February 5th (Tuesday) at 5:15 pm in the Fireside Room. All are invited.
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!
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.  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).
"Please Pray for Him"

Saint Teresa of Avila said “Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.” The central pursuit of Daughters of the King is prayer. We have provided blue cards to request confidential prayers from the congregation.

The mechanism in requesting confidential prayers is simple. Fill out the blue card that is on the table with the Sunday bulletins and place it face down in the offering plate, or call the DOK prayer contact person, Sara Frazier (484-9611) or contact the church office. All that is n"eeded is the intention and for how long you would like the Prayer Group to pray. We don’t even need to know your name or the full name of the person for whom we’ll pray, or even a given name at all. God knows, and that is what is important.

An example: Please pray for John who will undergo surgery. Guide the surgeon’s hands, give John strength and surround him with love. I ask for a one time prayer on Tuesday from all the Prayer Group.

Another example: My friend’s family is in turmoil. Please pray for guidance and resolution. I ask that the Prayer Group pray for them every day for two weeks.
For either of these examples, more prayers can be later requested!

If you would like the congregation to pray for you, someone you know, or even a situation (for instance “Please pray for the homeless”), sign up on the clipboard attached to the rolling bookcase on the way into the sanctuary on Sunday and prayers will be offered up that day.
Flowers for the Altar

To 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 and put “Flowers” in the memo line and put it in the offering plate. Thanks!
Trinity Book Group

 at 9:30 on Monday, February 4th, will discuss Amor Towles’ novel  A Gentleman in Moscow , the story of a Russian count who is put under house arrest in 1922 and lives out his days in the luxurious Metropol Hotel in Moscow.  Questions?  Call Nadine Hunt at 825-3730.
Self-Compassion through Contemplative Neuroscience
Dr. Christine O’Brien, Presenter

Contemplative Outreach of Fort Collins
February 9, 8:30-11:30 am, Plymouth Congregational Church
And then there's this. . .
Courageous Vision

"On Sunday I open the daily lectionary to find the readings I’ll be contemplating for Thursday’s reflection and groan. The Gospel is the story of the loaves and fish. Again."

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