Spreading God's Word, Not the Virus
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The Good Shepherd Series:
The Rev. William H. Chip Stokes - Part I: In the Beginning…
By
Tim Kilpatrick
,
Interim Youth Minister
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What kind of a priest was the Rev. Chip Stokes while he served as Rector at St. Paul’s? I can’t think of a better way to explain the heart and spirit of ‘Father Chip’, than to share a very heartwarming story written by parishioner Ron Backer in his installment of the
‘My Story’
series a couple of years ago.
“Another spiritual highlight for me was in 2008. We were not as regular at church as we should have been. In January, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. I was scheduled for surgery February 15th and told to show up at the hospital at 6 AM. Being a little removed from St. Paul’s, I had not told anyone. Barbara and I walked into Bethesda Hospital at 5:45 AM. Who was sitting there? Father Stokes!! He said that he would like to pray with me and anoint me if that was OK. WOW!! ….. He did. The surgery went well. The chemo was tough. We became more active in St. Paul’s again. What a Blessing I/we had received from Father Chip! Unconditional Love. Certainly, I was not worthy of Father Stokes’ attention but he offered it anyway. That is why we are all here. To share God’s Love and Jesus’s sacrifice …. for us. Amen”
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Fr. Paul on Vacation Until August 2
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
I will be on vacation starting July 18 through Sunday, August 2. In the meantime, I’m happy to tell you that Fr. David Angelica will be available for any pastoral emergencies. You can contact him at (508) 237-4642 or
dmangelica@comcast.net
. Caren Kilpatrick, our Parish Administrator (
caren@stpaulsdelray.org
), is available to help with any parish office issue that you may have. During my vacation, we will not have virtual Morning and Evening Prayer via our St. Paul’s Facebook page. For those seeking daily virtual prayer, I encourage you to go to the website of the National Cathedral (
https://cathedral.org
)
, which celebrates virtual Morning Prayer weekdays at 7 a.m.
I ask your prayers for Irene and me as we take a little time for rest and refreshment. Please know that you will remain in our prayers.
In Christ,
Paul+
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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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Check Out Our NEW Website!
ALL new with tons of info and pictures! Take a video tour of Bondeau and Meet some of the leaders!
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Please Subscribe to the South Florida Haiti Project’s YouTube Channel!
The South Florida Haiti Project now has a YouTube channel now that we will be using for our Journey with Bondeau Virtual Event on August 7. Currently all the videos from our website reside there as well. In order to have our name on the channel (
youtube.com/southfloridahaitiproject
) we must have 100 subscribers FIRST. It will be much easier for people to find us with our own name... please take 2 seconds to subscribe... it literally will take you only 2 seconds.... click on the link below and then once the page comes up, click on the subscribe button.
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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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A Call to Pray for Our Community Healthcare Practitioners
By Fr. Paul
A few weeks ago, I heard from Rev. Kathleen, who now serves as a staff chaplain at Bethesda Hospitals East and West, part of Baptist Health South. She shared that, with COVID-19 cases once again on the rise, they are seeking the prayerful support of the faith community.
Joanne Sparks, the Director of Pastoral Care, writes, “once again we bid your prayers for our hospitals. We are asking you to join us in prayer and let us know how many in your faith community are committed to praying for the doctors, nurses, aides, therapists and technicians in every specialty… The stress on the front-line workers is rising again, and so our prayers are rising again. The staff could use all of the prayer, encouragement and support you can give.“
At our daily online Morning and Evening Prayer services, we remember our healthcare practitioners. I ask you to join our parish family in praying for them. As many of us continue to shelter at home in order to mitigate the impact of this viral pandemic, we have a wonderful opportunity to care for others through our prayers.
Finally, I also want to share that Bethesda/Baptist provides regular COVID-19 updates for our community
, please click here
for the latest.
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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:
- Helen - Sunday, 4-6pm...............(561) 398-7259
- Elizabeth - Monday, 10-11am....(410) 463-8825
- Patricia - Monday 5-6pm...........(561) 703-0800
- Barta - Tuesday, 1-2pm...............(603) 781-1630
- Claudette - Wednesday, 5-6pm..(561) 541-7361
- 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
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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
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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, July 26th, 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 July 19th
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A Letter to Congregations Regarding Voting and the Census
By
The Reverend Dr. Kwasi A. Thornell
Bishop's Deputy for Special Ministries
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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
-
Timothy 2:1
Cast your vote, not on a partisan basis, not based on your biases, but vote your values. Vote the values of human dignity and equality. Vote the values of the rock on which this country was built. Vote.
-Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
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Dear Sisters and Brothers,
In Our Baptismal Covenant, we promise to “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.” It is part of our calling as Christians to be engaged in civic life on a national, state and local level to insure the rights, protections and privileges of all people.
One way we can do this is to encourage our members and community to vote in the upcoming Primary on August 18th. This Primary looks at state and local issues and candidates. Also, by voting in the general election on November 3rd. The general election will determine our national leadership.
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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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What?
RenewalWorks
is an online inventory, exploring individual beliefs and practices, faith at work in the world, and the church’s role in all of that. Followed by online workshops to reflect on where the congregation has been, where it is and where it feels called to go.
Revive
is a discipleship program to help active lay leaders grow in confidence as spiritual leaders.
RenewalWorks For Me
is a personal guide for the spiritual journey, providing coaching to help individuals grow.
Where?
When?
Thursday July 23rd
2pm-4pm
& Friday July 24th
2pm-4pm
RSVP
Simply click on the button to RSVP for our 2 day conversation with
Rev. Jay Sidebotham
as he explains why these tools are an important part of The Jesus Movement and bringing the focus back to building disciples.
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Join ILIR for its Summer Session via Zoom
Register now for the summer session of ILIR on ZOOM. Summer session begins on
Monday, July 6th
. You will need to be registered to be admitted to classes. See registration info included in the link below.
Registration for summer session is $50.00 for one & $75.00 for two in the same household.
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MONDAY, July 20:
Elizabeth, Amelia, Sojourner, and Harriet
Romans 13:10
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Amelia Jenks Bloomer, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Ross Tubman: Each of these remarkable women exemplify love of neighbor.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton called on the church to stop using scripture to justify the oppression of women. Amelia Bloomer was an active abolitionist and temperance advocate who sought freedom for women to use their minds and bodies. Sojourner Truth escaped slavery with the help of Quaker friends. A powerful orator on women's rights, she preached on street corners, noticing and advocating for the poor. After escaping slavery, Harriet Ross Tubman answered God’s call to help others gain freedom. She was the premier conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading more than seventy people to freedom. They called her Moses.
For each of these women, love of God was tied to helping other folks claim freedom. They remind us that faith is action.
MOVING FORWARD:
Who are the women in your life leading people to claim their freedom? Lift them up in prayer—and join them on the journey!
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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
July 31st.
This includes St. Paul's Day School, Paul's Place after-school program, and all other ministries and scheduled events through July 31st. 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 between now and July 31st.
Click below to view our Virtual Service for the 7th 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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