E-Blast for Sept 24, 2021

Creation Sunday: October 3, 2021

The Season of Creation at Grace St. Paul’s

Revel in the direct link between nature and God in a service as celebratory as Christmas and Easter. We celebrate the beauty of the earth. We recognize the intimate connection that each of us has with our Mother, this planet.

Come be a part of bringing the world back to its ancient connection to the cosmos. Bring everyone you know to this act of love and celebration on Sunday, October 3. It is our calling as Christians!

Creation Sunday Services at 7:45 and 10 a.m., in the church (10 a.m. also live-streamed on Facebook)
Reading by GSP’s own Alice Brown of her book Gregory A. Turtle Saves His Friends: A Pondside Adventure (this will follow the 10 a.m. service)
Blessing of Animals, 5 p.m. on the labyrinth

Animal Blessings 2021

Animals are a window to our Compassionate God. The love we give to a pet, and receive from a pet, can draw us more deeply into the larger circle of life, into the wonder of our common relationship with our Creator.

To honor the special relationship between you and your pet(s), please come to our annual Blessing of the Animals, October 3, at 5 p.m., on the labyrinth. Everyone and their companion animals are welcome: lizards, horses, cats, dogs, hamsters, and animals not listed.

For animals who have crossed over, bring your favorite picture. We will be social distanced and with masks.

For any questions you may have, please call Reverend Chris through the church office, 520-327-6857.

Creation Care Book Reading!

Join us after the 10 a.m. service on Sunday, Oct. 3, for author and parishioner Alice Brown to read her children’s book, Gregory A. Turtle Saves His Friends. This pondside adventure book, illustrated by Giada Gallo-Quiroz, tells the tale of animal friends trying to take care of their home amid a changing environment.

Signed copies of the book will be given to families with young children who attend. Alice will be reading in the sanctuary, and the event will also be live-streamed for those joining us from home!

Children can gather on the carpet in the sanctuary and adults can sit in the pews.

Come support Alice, have some fun, learn from Gregory A. Turtle, and go home with a signed copy of the book!

Celebration of Life Tomorrow

for The Rev. Michael Meyers

A Celebration of Life will be held at Grace St Paul's Episcopal Church on Saturday, Sept. 25, at 10:00 a.m., for The Rev. Michael Meyers, who died Feb. 18, 2021.

Everyone is invited to attend the live service at Grace St. Paul's. If you are unable to attend the live service, tune in to the streaming service via www.tinyurl.com/GSPVirtual.

Live, In-Person Service Protocols

Both Sunday services at Grace St. Paul’s — 7:45 and 10 a.m. — are live and in-person. The 10 a.m. service will also continue to be live-streamed.

To insure the safety of all present, these are the steps being taken:

Windows and doors to the outside are opened throughout the service.
Merv 13 air filters have been installed.
Pews are marked for seating locations, insuring 6 feet distance between family groups.
Service time is under 75 minutes.
Maximum seating capacity allowed is 200.
All congregants must wear a mask, properly worn over nose and mouth.
Congregational singing is now allowed with masks on.
Communion is served in one kind.
Children and youth and the nursery will meet outside and in McBride Hall, with the swamp cooler running to provide 100% air from the outside.
Only those who have been fully vaccinated should attend services in person.

Parents, please note. The nursery is staffed every Sunday in the Undercroft for the 10:00 a.m. worship service. Kids can be dropped off as early as 9:40 a.m. Nursery is for infants-age 3. Kids are welcome to enjoy church with their families in the Sanctuary.

*Please wear name tags so folks can recognize you in your mask.*

Don't have a name tag?

Call the office, 327-6857,

or email

[email protected].

If you asked for a name tag, please check with an usher on Sunday morning.

Sunday Offering

Please remember, we do not take the offering during the worship services. You can drop your offerings in the box in the narthex. Thank you for your continued support of Grace St Paul’s. We are able to make a difference in the world because of your support & generosity.

LIVESTREAMING CHURCH on SUNDAY, 10 A.M.

Bulletins: GSPtucson.org/bulletins
Livestream the Sunday 10:00 AM service on Facebook: www.TinyURL.com/GSPVirtual
High quality video of Sunday Worship, available Sunday about 7 p.m.: www.tinyurl.com/gspvids

New to GSP?

Have you recently discovered Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church? Would you like to know more about our beloved community? Please fill out our

Visitor Card at www.tinyurl.com/gspvisitor

Live Stream Instructions - Please click here.
Altar Flowers - Please click here to find out how to request flowers.
GSP has a YouTube channel! - Please click here for more info.
How to Support Immigrants - Please click here.
Just Coffee - Please click here.

"TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS"

First Friday Play Reading for October

The GSP Spirit Players' First Friday Play Readings continue Zooming into Autumn on Friday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m., with six comic plays that look at various ways in which people are "Taking Care of Business," even though the businesses are far from the typical 9-to-5, grey-flannel suit, 3-martini lunch type.

In "Controlling Interest," the agenda of a board meeting — of 8-year olds — revolves around accepting girls into the boardroom, while in "The Accounting Department," an office is used for a non-business ceremony, and Al Capone has trouble controlling museum employees in "Living History." Other scripts look at the difficulties of being an online influencer, living up to unspecified business standards, and congratulating people who perform R.A.K. (Random Acts of Kindness).

Those who wish to participate as readers or audience on Oct. 1 should RSVP by email to Nanalee Raphael by 10 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30. Contact information is in the Parish Directory. You may request a small part if you wish to read; roles vary in size from one liners to major characters. Scripts, cast lists and Zoom info will be emailed to all participants — readers and audience — by the Thursday before the reading. As usual, the evening begins at 7:00 pm via Zoom and will finish at 8:30. Everyone is encouraged to participate. No acting experience required.

The readings for this evening are suitable for humans 16+ years of age.

October Youth

Mini-Trip!

Come with Jessica to the Diocesan Convention in Phoenix Oct 15-16!

We will leave GSP at 3:30p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15.

Friday night, 5:30-8:30 p.m., we'll hang out with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, see old and new friends, eat pizza, play games, and worship together. Bring your sleeping bag because we will be hosted by a local Episcopal Church overnight.

Saturday morning, 8:30-11:30 a.m., we'll have delicious breakfast pastries and then attend Eucharist with the whole diocese, with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry preaching and our own Bishop Jennifer leading worship. You won't want to miss it!

Everything happens at Church for the Nations, 6225 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85012.

After Eucharist, our Youth Group will grab lunch and head over to Castles N' Coasters for the afternoon of Saturday, Oct 16. We will leave the park at 8 p.m. and head back to GSP.

RSVP ASAP to Jessica! [email protected].

Afghan Refugees are coming to Tucson

We have received word that 25 Afghan refugees will be arriving in Tucson around mid-month in October.

What you can do now

Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest has set up a Wish List through Amazon where you can purchase goods for our new friends. Items should be sent to their office at 3364 E. Grant Rd. Tucson 85716.

Amazon Wishlist Link: bit.ly/LSSrefugee

Donations may be made:

Online bit.ly/supportafghanallies
Text EMMALLIES to 41444
Mail - send a check or money order to:

DFMS-Protestant Episcopal Church US

P.O. Box 958983, St. Louis, MO 63195-8983

(Include EMM–Afghan Allies in the memo line.)

To make your gift over the phone, call 212-716-6002.
For information about making a gift of stock or securities, giving through a donor advised fund, or including Episcopal Migration Ministries in your estate plans, e-mail [email protected]

Initially, they will have temporary housing in hotels or AirBnBs set up by Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest while more permanent residences are sought. Think about sponsoring people as they will have no government support such as SNAP or healthcare.

Any questions: Call Jill Jenkins (420-265-6091) or email [email protected]

VIRTUAL ADULT EDUCATION

Dr. Chuck Dickson's newest Virtual Adult Education presentation is about "Receiving Communion in One or Two Kinds."

You can find this and all his earlier informative offerings at:

gsptucson.org/parish/virtualAdultEd.php

The Church office needs volunteers for the front desk on Tuesday afternoons.

The hours are 12:30-4 p.m. You would answer the telephone & greet visitors to the church office. It is usually very quiet & you can bring a book or knitting to occupy your time. Please let me know if you are interested, 327-6857. Even if all you can do is one or two days a month, please call me.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Your Parish Administrator, Pam Spears

Join GSP's

Anti-Racism

Study Group

Next meeting will be Sept. 27

4th Wednesday — 4:30-5:30 pm

In response to GSP's vision of social justice, the church's “anti-racism to ally” group has been endeavoring to live into its vision through focusing on social justice. The group has focused on writings regarding racism and white privilege, and aims to "move from anti-racism to ally."

To be put on the list to receive materials, to get zoom information on our monthly zoom meeting, or if you have any questions, please contact Rev. Chris, Jill McCollum, Barbara Morehouse, or Peggy Scott through the church office, 520-327-6857.

Book Study: Self-Revelation — East and West, Carl Jung and the Tao

Dr. John Dore offers a weekly book study on Sundays at 5 p.m. in the Bloom Room titled: Self-Revelation — East and West, Carl Jung and the Tao.

We begin with the question: “what exactly are we as human beings?” We’ll explore

two ways of responding to the question — Karl Jung’s vision of human nature and with

Taoist beliefs and practices, begun by Lao Tzu, about human consciousness.

This brings up questions like “who am I really?”; a ‘human-doing’ or ‘human-thinking

machine’? “When can I just BE without thinking, doing something?”

The study offers an introduction to Jung’s comprehensive psychology, applying it to

issues that arise. In pondering the Tao we learn the key principles of Taoism. Each

session includes a brief teaching on the book material (often a poem), a discussion of

the most engaging ideas (all sharing is voluntary), as well as some hands-on

experience of these ideas. This includes breathing techniques, meditations (both silent

and guided), viewings of art, audiotapes, and perhaps movement like QiGong.

MIGRANT JUSTICE

Migrant Monday!

As the number of asylum-seekers increases at the Casa Alitas shelter, the GSP Migrant Ministry is stepping up our support. We will meet in-person on the second and fourth Mondays, 4:00-5:30, in McBride Hall to assemble snack packs for the many migrants leaving Casa Alitas for their U.S. sponsors' homes. Our packs give them nourishment during their long trips. No soup or other food is needed at this time. Please join us! Many hands make light work.

For more information, please call Margie at 310-903-0280 or email her at [email protected].

A Prayer Vigil is held every first and third Monday, 4:30-5:30 p.m. for migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and those threatened with deportation.

Prayers may be offered in Spanish and English.

All are welcome.

Please join us on Zoom:

zoom.us/j/336535932

Artisans Beyond Borders, (ABB) a bi-national ministry at Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, began in 2019 as a way to bring trauma-informed arts & activities to asylum-seekers & their families waiting in shelters & on the streets in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.

Now in 2021, in the shadow of politics & a pandemic, therapeutic arts & the dignity of artisanal craft continue to bring comfort to the traumatized & hope to asylum-seekers. Bordando Esperanza – Embroidering Hope, the flagship program, also helps restore personal agency & income through Etsy shop sales of artisans’ original hand-embroideries.

For more information, see ABB's website:

artisansbeyondborders.org/

Casa Alitas Welcome Center

Thank you to our volunteers & supporters! Please spread the word about our work & recruiting friends, family, & colleagues for volunteering.

All of our teams could use the help!

Please click here for more information: Volunteering, Donations, & Job Opening!

PLEASE NOTE: it is more important to give one or two useful items than to give bags of things that are not needed.

Soup for Casa Alitas Guests

Casa Alitas needs a few cooks to each make 1 gallon of soup with vegetables. Please make the soup in your own kitchen, freeze it, and then take it to the Casa Alitas Welcome Center at 2225 E Ajo Way, Tucson, AZ 85713. As always, call Margie at 310-903-0280 with any questions.

'The Prophet of Nothingness'

We celebrate the release of GSP parishioner Joy Williams's new novel, Harrow.

Be sure to check out Anthony Domestico's review of Joy's work in The Atlantic magazine:

www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2021/09/joy-williams-harrow-review/620052/

Are you or someone you know in need of career assistance?

Local non-profit JobPath may be for you!

JobPath helps people get the training they need for jobs in healthcare, information technology, and industrial trades.

JobPath involves enrolling in school or certificate programs, receiving financial assistance, and help getting established. Participants see great success—in fact, many see a $38,000 increase in yearly household income after completing the program.

If you are interested in attending an information session with JobPath, please email Jessica at [email protected]. If there is enough interest, we will have them come and speak at GSP to get people started.

Thank you! Find out more at www.jobpath.net.