Mars Hill Proclaimer
St. Paul's Episcopal Church May Newsletter 2022
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Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Yay! It's Spring again! We can open our doors and windows to enjoy the fresh air and the scent of freshly cut grass. Have you noticed how early the robins begin their song in the morning? They begin just before daybreak. And while they sometimes chirp their way through the day a little, it's nothing compared to their chorus in the morning and evening as the sun goes down. As long as the robins are with us, they sing Morning and Evening Prayer to their Creator and we are blessed to take part by listening attentively, mindfully.
And while we are considering the gift of song, we are very blessed to welcome the Bread & Roses Women's Chorus to rehearse every Sunday evening in our Parish Hall, from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. They tell me visitors are welcome to drop by and listen and they are always looking for new recruits. Please stop by and say hello.
Our Taize experience of worship and chant will begin again on the evening of Friday, July 8th. Please spread the word! We'll start at 7 PM and I will be asking for people to be part of a new Taize "workgroup," to help with planning and setting up each time. The July date gives us ample time to let the community know so they may join us. It also affords us time to practice new music. I hope everyone will come out and join us!
We have recently acquired three icons of the Resurrection by Ukrainian artist Ivanka Demchuk. They are signed reproductions on canvas ordered as Russia began invading Ukraine, and I was a little surprised that they made it to us in spite of the violence perpetrated on the people of Lviv, where Ivanka and her family reside. As of a month ago, they were safe. I purchased them for us both to have the beautiful icons for the Taize services and noonday prayer---but also to support this gifted Ukrainian artist. We will have a basket out to accept monetary gifts to send to Ukraine at each Taize service going forward.
We also want to resume sharing meals together, like the dinner club of years ago. Jennie Cummings will be heading up that effort and we think we might begin with breakfast together and wonder what your thoughts are about this.
Wishing you all a very blessed Spring! Alleluia, Christ has risen!
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Barbara+
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MAY, 2022
Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,
I am happy to share that our thoughtful and poignant approach to the Prayers of the People was noticed and much appreciated by a recent visitor to our Sunday service. I also recall being impressed with the messaging of St Paul’s viewpoint via the Prayers of the People when I first attended. Our new friend felt comforted by this window into how she perceives our focus as a Church. LOVE, COMPASSION and JUSTICE for all. I agreed with her and told that I too felt the same way when I first heard them and now as a member of St Paul’s. How neat that just one aspect of our service can have such an impact.
Combining LOVE, COMPASSION and JUSTICE with one of my top 5 chapters in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, whose last verse states ..faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is LOVE. In this increasingly challenging time of struggle from all perspectives these should be our daily drivers. We are the light of Christ and therefore by default our membership at St Paul’s is by design creating a light for the community. How can we contribute to this mission? May means that the majority of NIU students will be heading home for a few months. But before we know it, they will be back, and a new class of freshman will join them. So now is the time we need to plan for how we can engage the students starting in August.
One of the ways we do this is thanks to the signs and wonders committee and especially Marilyn and Cliff Cleland. Their ministry is to reach out to the students who use the path on our property. They come up with wonderful supportive, enlightening messages and beautiful photographs and put them along the path. Should you have any message or ideas you would like to share with the students please reach out to Marilyn. Pre-Covid we were able to use other gestures to show our love and support for the students. God willing it will be safe to resume those activities and ideally come up with more.
We are a small team of great people who are united in our desire to be a light and so let’s continue to focus our efforts on being there for the community at large and for each other. I believe we are hoping to resume meeting for meals whether at St. Paul’s or out supporting a local business. These would be great for fellowship, fun, and even a little brain storming.
In Peace and Love,
Lucinda
Senior Warden
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Hello St. Paul's.
This month I want to encourage everyone to take a few minutes to review the church E-Directory. I will ask Administrative Assistant Susan to email a current version of the E-Directory to everyone. Call a few folks that you haven't seen in awhile. Set up some breakfast, lunch, or supper dates with someone at coffee hour. Ask that person that you've been wanting to get to know better for a walk or a cup of coffee.. Check in with each other. Start up a Fellowship Group: Breakfast at the Sycamore Cafe, Lunch at Panera, Supper at the Junction Restaurant. Watch for trash pickup dates in our church neighborhood, possibly with the group Trash Squirrels. Please share your ideas and let's make 2022 a fun and memorable year.
My appreciations this month go first to Kelsey Crawford-Scott for participation in our choir and for her beautiful solo. And, thank you to her wife, Katt Crawford for her time and skill working with the Sound Ministry and Zoom. Thank you to Lori Judkins for her attitude and wisdom. Thank you to Michael Wise and his husband, Tom Skuzinski, for their smiles and joy. I appreciate all of our St. Paul's family.
Phillipians 4:4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness[d] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned[e] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
In service and prayer,
Jennie Cummings
Junior Warden
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How do you prefer to get your news on church activities? How has the church been doing the last two month? How can we improve?
Specific newspaper sections that you check or specific, constructive ideas, please. Our office administrator strives to communicate well but it is a two way street and it is teamwork. The vestry will do our best to assist the office as is needed. Please let Jennie or anyone on the vestry know how we are doing.
All the ways that we try to communicate:
Sunday bulletins, Sunday verbal announcements, Bulletin board, Newspapers (Which newspaper, section), Radio (Which radio station), Personal Phone Calls.
Thanks,
Jennie
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WEEKLY DEVOTIONS AND
OCCASIONS TO CONNECT
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WEDNESDAYS
Noonday Prayers
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Leader-led prayer
12:00-12:30 PM
Last Wednesday of month-
Catered lunch at 1:00 PM
THURSDAYS
Multi-generational choir rehearses
in person and via zoom on Thursdays, 7:00 PM
SUNDAYS
Liturgy of the Word and Prayer
8:00 AM in Sanctuary (no music)
10:30 AM
Sanctuary and on Zoom (with music)
Coffee Hour following
Beginning July 8
Taize service on the first Friday of the month at 7:00 PM
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MARCH 2022 VESTRY MINUTES
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TREASURER'S REPORT
APRIL 24, 2022
As of April 23, our Heartland Bank checking account balance stood at $102,523.73. This should see us through the next several months.
We spent $21,734.20 in March, and we took in $8392 from pledges and regular contributions. As mentioned last month, we also took $65,000 from the Endowment Fund. We also took in $303 from the revolving and pass-through funds, and spent $75.49. We also spent $3750 for painting the exterior arches (which is half the total cost) from the Leonard Memorial Fund, and $1600 from the Building Fund for (vestry-approved) sound system expenses.
As of March 31, the Discretionary Fund had $1685 in it. The Endowment fund is valued at $2,221,915.72 and the Capital Fund at Edward Jones is $31,439.09. Our Apache stock was worth $212.50 on February 22.
We have signed a contract with Helm Service of Rockford for a new furnace for the parish hall, at a cost of $15,259. They don’t want any money until it is installed, and as far as I know, that hasn’t happened yet.
Our snow plowing bill from Marc’s Lawn Service for March was $1332.50. We have spent $3785 on snow removal this season, but I don’t anticipate any more snow until next winter.
I have some concern about a bill from Network Solutions for $119.98 to renew a certificate for a Secure Socket Layer for our website. It is a biannual bill, and it got charged to our Visa card automatically. I have not followed up on this, I am sorry to say. I am going to attach the email I got from Lorraine concerning it, and I hope the vestry will pay a bit of attention to it.
Respectfully submitted,
Rick Johns, Treasurer
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The Choir is preparing to share several beautiful Choral Anthems with you in worship for the remainder of Easter!
Scroll down and click open the underlined links to hear several Choral Anthemsperformed by the St. Paul's Choir.
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5/08 Fourth Sunday of Easter, 10:30 AM Service
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5/15 Fifth Sunday of Easter, 10:30 AM Service (Anthem TBD)
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Come join in our music making and fellowship. All ages and musical abilities are welcome! Choir rehearsals are on Thursdays at 7:00 PM, in-person (masks and safe distancing) and live via Zoom for anyone to attend, listen in & sing along. (see links is below).
Our last regular choir rehearsal for the season is May 12th at 7 PM. Our last Sunday leading music in worship is May 15th at 10:30 AM.
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Taizé Gatherings
Return: Friday, July 8, 2022
Calling all musicians. Please let Lorraine know if you are interested in singing and/or playing an instrument.
Stay tuned for more information on our first Taizé music rehearsal (tbd).
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Lorraine Langer
Hannah Buckle
Assistant Director of Music/Pianist
Kathleen Johnson
Pipe Organist
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Streaming Ministries
Enhancing the Quality of In-Person and On-Line Worship Services
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Our new streaming ministries sound and video system continues to enhance our:
- Intelligibility of spoken and sung worship in-person and on-line;
- Ability to stream live via YouTube in tandem with Zoom to our Parishioners and community; and
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Ability to offer an Assisted Listening System (ALS) We are now offering the option for anyone to use "Listen EVERYWHERE" to enhance their ability to hear the service more clearly. This is an Application to download from Apple and Google Play onto your smart phone, iPad, device, etc.) You can listen via BlueTooth, using Earbuds as well as Hearing Aids. Let Mthr. Barbara and Lorraine know if you would like to explore and try out "Listen EVERYWHERE".
The Sanctuary system has a new upgrade and is now essentially complete. We recently added the capability to play music from a computer (CD, Sound track, YouTube, etc.) and have it heard in the Sanctuary (through our new speakers) and via Streaming. This was used recently for the Jan Bach Celebration of Life service.
Additionally, as previously shared, having the addition of two handheld wireless microphones, is making it easier for parishioners to use for reading the Lessons and Psalms, as well as share an announcement from the pews (instead of going up to the lectern), during the service.
The Parish Hall system also has an abbreviated version of the afore-mentioned new upgrade noted in the Sanctuary system, to play music from a computer live into the room and streaming. While we are looking into a more functional work area that is esthetically appealing, it is essentially complete.
The choir has been using the parish hall system for rehearsals via Zoom. And yep, this is available for coffee hour, for the parishioners zooming in from home after the service on Sundays to join in fellowship Just stay on with us to chat!, and essentially any meeting (book group, gathering, vestry, staff, etc).
Come join us and share in our New Streaming Ministry! Send us an email if you would like to have some fun (via zoom and YouTube) operating the cameras, chatting with parishioners, experiencing worship through another lens, giving to others, Etc.
Streaming Ministers:
Peg Newby, Gretchen Schlabach, Katt Scott, Hannah Buckle, Lorraine Langer
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YouTube and Zoom Links are below for easy access! |
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St Paul's 2022 garden season has finally begun!
April proved to be an unpredictable month, as Spring brought us temperatures that were up, down, and all around. Holy week activities also made finding time for the garden more challenging.
Nevertheless, our gardeners persevered. Getting the 50 lb bags of compost and soil out of Kris' car was a major accomplishment! Thanks to all who helped out.
In the last week of April, we met to put the fresh soil and compost in the beds, and to plant beets, radishes, garlic, and lettuce. The asparagus is doing nicely. We cleaned up the raspberry patch, and removed the dead stems. The week before that, Jocelyn and Rhys planted the peas. It's a good start!
Also, individual garden members have been growing seedlings. Everyone is so happy to share tips and techniques, and to answer any questions. It's been a marvelous learning experience!
As we go into May, we look forward to adding pollinator gardens around the vegetable garden fence. Many thanks to Rhys, who rototilled those areas and parts of the Durning Memorial Garden.
We will be meeting our own Master Gardener Intern soon! Her help will be so appreciated!
Mother Barbara will bless St Paul's Garden in early May. As always, we pray that our work will yield bountiful harvests for a hungry community.
Please join us, ocCasionally or regularly, if you want to help. The club will continue to meet on Mondays and Thursdays, or as needed.
Jo Plenger-Schulz
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The "Church Path" is noted on Google maps and frequented by NIU students walking back and forth from apartments to classes on Garden Avenue. St. Paul's has started a "sign ministry" for our young student pilgrims - there are five posts with artwork and poetry to look at as they start or end their day. There will be something thought-provoking, something encouraging, something informative to maybe stop and consider. The offerings are changed every few weeks. Check out the path when you get a chance for the "El Camino de San Pablo" experience. |
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Pat McMahon's family invites St. Paul's family to a celebration of her life on Saturday, May 14th at 11:00 AM. Luncheon will follow the service.
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Our Annual Meeting and Convention will be held on Saturday, May 7th from 9:00 AM until around noon. This will be an online-only event to enable participation from as many in our far-flung diocese as possible, and is celebrating our connections across time and geography with the women of the diocese.
We would like to have participants from every parish and encourage "viewing parties" where technology permits. Every member for whom we have an email address, and every parish will have received an email with the Eventbrite link for registering, but that link is also included here:
The Zoom session will open at 8:30 to enable all registered attendees to login and be admitted from the virtual waiting room. The full book of reports and a program booklet will also be sent by email to registered attendees in advance.
After a short morning devotion, our business meeting and election will occupy the first hour of the meeting, and after that and a short break, we will hear from two new ministries we are supporting: the Clergy Spouse ministry led by Charles Zaucha and our 2022 Ministry Partner, the Renaissance Collaborative in Chicago represented by its Executive Director, Pat Abrams.
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ISLAMIC SOCIETY OPEN HOUSE |
The NIU Islamic Center of DeKalb at 801 Normal Road has invited all to an Open House on Saturday, May 14 th from 11AM to 1:30 PM. The open house includes a tour, “food and fun”, Henna tattoos, and a chance to connect with our neighbors.
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On Wednesdays the Sanctuary will be open for quiet prayer and meditation at 11:30 AM. At noon, there will be a leader for responsive prayers until 12:30 PM. The Sanctuary will remain open until 1:00 PM for quiet prayer and meditation. On the last Wednesday of the month, all are invited to gather at a BYO lunch at 1:00 PM.
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The Rector's
Discretionary Fund Collection
Donations allow us to assist people in need
in our community.
Remember that donations can be mailed at any time.
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We will again be listing flower donation memorials in the bulletin. Watch for the flower chart that will be in the Parish Hall. Or simply send a check with your memorial honoree listed.
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May Birthdays and Anniversaries |
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Birthdays
5/4 Hannah Buckle
5/11 Terry Dickow
5/12 Nan Mason
5/24 Jacob Maas
5/25 Kelsey Crawford-Scot
5/25 Ashton Rolando Judkins
Anniversaries
5/7 Dean/Lori Judkins
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church Contact Information |
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900 Normal Rd., DeKalb, IL 60115
Parish Office: (815) 756-4888
The Rev. Barbara A.T Wilson, Rector
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