Beloved,
Take a moment to ponder the picture above. At first glance it seems pretty straightforward - a woman holding a wreath - but there is so much unseen to become aware of as you look at it. Parishioner Sylvia Jope is holding a huge wreath that she completed with the beautiful cones you see. But what you don't see is her smile (it is there, though). We are still moving through this pandemic, and masks and physical distance have become a disappointing way of life for all of us. We miss seeing each other's mouths, and having to make sure our smiles extend all the way to our foreheads for people to see them! Yet, we are not stopped by this. This huge outreach project (all the proceeds go to charity) is not stopped by this. Love is not stopped by this.
Now look behind Sylvia and the wreath to the tall pile of boxes against the wall. Boxes don't come assembled, as you know. But what you probably don't know is that it was the St. Paul's Youth (SPY) that put those together last Sunday after church. Many young hands, with masks on their faces, staying apart from each other, making sure that the wreaths that need to be mailed will have a strong box to carry them across the miles. Love is not stopped by this.
Now look under Sylvia at the floor covered with plastic. So many of you helped last Sunday to lay down that plastic floor and bring the wreaths into the outside shelter built by so many loving hands with smiles hidden behind masks. The plastic on the floor protects the carpeting; the outdoor shelter protects the wreaths; and the masks protect ourselves and each other. Love is not stopped by this.
I could go on and talk about the radio you see on the table playing Christmas music, and the hidden table holding the papers detailing the sizes and decorations for the wreaths, and the smells of homemade soup wafting from the kitchen, but I won't. Love is not stopped by a pandemic. Love is not stopped by terrorism. Love is not stopped by anything. In the end of all things and in the end of these current things Love will still be there, as it always has been, smiling from a manger, working through our hands, and spilling out from the edges of our masks.
Beloved, you are beautiful. I love you and God adores you.
Greta+
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Cathedral Church of St. Paul News & Events |
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Wreath Pickup is Today and Tomorrow |
The Wreath Elves hope all customers of St. Paul’s Wreaths can come pick up their wreaths:
Friday, December 3, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. OR
Saturday, December 4, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Please come to the lower lot to the back (kitchen) door.
Cash or a Check payable to “St Paul’s Wreaths” are fine (no credit cards accepted).
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Would you like to return to Church for in person worship, but are not driving for some reason? Parishioner Nancy Snyder is matching folks who need a ride with regular church attendees who drive…only for the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Eucharist, and for the upcoming Christmas schedule at this time.
If you would like a ride to Church, or if you have room in your car for a passenger, please contact Nancy - her email address and phone number are below.
We are calling this Ministry CHARIOTS TO CHURCH.
Nancy Snyder
(603)443-2689
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Cathedral Arts Presents Organist David Neiweem |
David Neiweem will offer a free program of organ works at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday, December 7 at 12:00 noon. David, a longtime friend of Cathedral Arts, is Professor of Music and University Organist and Carilloneur at UVM. A Chicago native, he studied organ there as a boy, later earning degrees at Oberlin, the University of Wisconsin, and the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, Germany.
In years past, David led the UVM Catamount Singers in a concert of choral music on the first Tuesday in December; the Covid-19 pandemic has made that plan impossible this year, but instead David has graciously agreed to come and play the Cathedral’s 1973 Karl Wilhelm tracker-action organ. The program, drawn from some of David’s favorite repertoire, will include music by Giovanni Gabrieli, Louis-Claude Daquin, Nikolaus Bruhns, J.S. Bach, and Antonio de Cabezon.
Come and enjoy the brilliant sound of the organ in the wonderful space of St. Paul’s. This is a free concert, donations to Cathedral Arts are always gratefully accepted.
Covid-19 notes:
-Masks and social distance will be expected of all audience members at this recital.
-The high-ceilinged Cathedral nave has a new HVAC system that moves and exchanges the air efficiently.
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2022 Directory Update: Send Us Your Photos! |
We are beginning the process of updating our church directory, and are planning to have printed copies available for members by the Annual Meeting on January 23.
We'd love to have recent photos included for as many parishioners as possible! You can send us an updated photo in a few different ways:
- Stop by the Cathedral office during office hours (T - F, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.), and a member of the clergy or staff will take one for you.
- Email a photo of your family that you love to Financial Administrator Barbara Comeau (finance@stpaulscathedralvt.org), or,
- Ask a member of the staff or the Welcome Committee to take one for you in Church on Sunday. These can be snapped on a smartphone and emailed to us.
Pages of the most current directory will be posted on the wall in the Narthex after Christmas. We'll invite members of the congregation to mark them up with updates, additions, or deletions at that time.
Thank you!
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Thanks to the generosity of the St. Paul's community, we have received $264,539 from 110 pledges to date.
It is not too late to pledge! Help us reach our 2022 fundraising goal of $300,000. Consider what you can give - the dollars pledged to our 2022 campaign will be used to fund our operating budget - salaries, utilities, outreach programs, and much more. Donating to St. Paul's Annual Giving campaign enables us to accurately budget each year.
Pledges can now be made online using the link here. If you would like a pledge packet mailed to you, please reach out to Jennifer Sumner in the Cathedral office (admin@stpaulscathedralvt.org, or 802-864-0471).
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Donations for Christmas Altar Flowers |
Each year, it is a tradition to collect donations for a beautiful arrangement of Christmas decorations created by the Flower Guild in the Nave.
If you would like to contribute in memory of or in thanksgiving for a loved one once again this year, please email their names to Jennifer Sumner in the Cathedral office, and use the link here to offer your donation on the line marked "Flower Guild."
Alternatively, use the printable form here, and mail it in to the Cathedral along with your check. We ask that all donations be received by Thursday, December 16 so that we can include your loved ones' names in the Christmas Eve worship services.
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We hope that everyone who arrives at St. Paul’s is met by a friendly person who can offer a greeting, a name tag (or a chance to get a name tag), directions to the restrooms and where to find a bulletin for the service, etc. Ideally, we would have two people at the door for both services.
If this sounds like something you could do, email Cathedral Administrator Jen Sumner by email or phone, if you want to be a greeter, let us know which service and what dates would be good for you. admin@stpaulscathedralvt.org.
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Mid-Week Eucharist with the Sacrament of Healing Thursdays Throughout Advent |
All are welcome to join us for a service of Holy Eucharist with the sacrament of healing weekly on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. in the Chapel, led by the Rev. Sally Webster.
This quiet, simple service follows the usual order for Holy Eucharist, and is open to all, in addition to those who desire prayers for healing.
Generous God, we give you thanks for your beloved Jesus Christ,
in whom you have shared the beauty and pain of human life. Look with compassion
upon all for whom we pray, and strengthen us to be your instruments of healing in the world,
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Remembering the United Thank Offering at Thanksgiving |
The United Thank Offering (UTO) is a ministry of The Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through UTO, individuals are invited to embrace and deepen a personal daily spiritual discipline of gratitude.
UTO encourages people to notice the good things that happen each day, give thanks to God for those blessings and make an offering for each blessing using a UTO Blue Box. UTO is entrusted to receive the offerings, and to distribute 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion.
Traditionally Thanksgiving has been a time when we remember UTO at St. Paul's. Next year, we will give out UTO blue boxes at our Annual Meeting (scheduled for Sunday, January 23, 2022), and fill them with change all year long. We'll have a UTO ingathering close to Thanksgiving in November 2022, during which we will all make a joyful noise to the Lord by bringing those boxes to church so that we can empty them into the red metal sap buckets as part of our offering. Hearing the coins pour into the buckets reminds us all of the importance and joy of generosity. UTO funds many Episcopal Church outreach initiatives, including one here at our Cathedral some years ago when we needed a new sound system.
If you would like to make a donation to the United Thank Offering this year, you can do so using the link here, and entering the amount on the UTO line. |
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Decorating the Nave for Christmas |
As the colorful autumn leaves turn from bursting majesty to raking misery, our eyes turn to look for what the next season brings. At St. Paul’s it is a quiet reflective time of patience and focus as we enter Advent. The flower guild, notably Fran Carlson, Chris Sears and Marley Skiff will form our Advent Wreath as a visual reminder of the anticipation of His Birth.
All that quiet waiting bursts as an energized stage crew transforms the nave into a setting inviting everyone to celebrate His birth. While we will still practice safe social distancing, there is a space and place for everyone with interest to join us between 2:00 and 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 19. There will be tree schleppers, poinsettia placers, garland stringers, wreath and bow hangers, and candle lighters. Come for a few minutes or a couple of hours, whatever works for you. We will have a job for you and your time. Please email me at maureensrees@gmail.com to RSVP your interest.
Hoping that for some of you this may be your first of many interesting opportunities in the ministry of the Flower Guild. Until then, give thanks and sing praises for all the gifts bestowed on us.
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Children and Youth Corner |
I always loved Advent as a child. The candles and quiet time together as a family made everything feel cozy and warm as we rolled into the darkness and cold of December.
As each candle was lit, our anticipation grew. We were equally excited for our church Christmas as for presents. My brother and I were in choir, my mother was the organist, horns joined the organ for Carols, and the flickering candles bathed everything in warmth and gave everything a feeling of magic.
That is what Advent is about- preparing for the coming of Christ. Slowing down appreciating those around us and sharing stories.
Please join us downstairs in the Parish Hall this Sunday at 10:10 to make an Advent wreath for your family as we prepare for the birth of Christ.
-- Katie Gonyaw, Children's Formation Coordinator
You can click here for the latest edition of The Sunday Paper, a weekly publication for children that includes Scriptural images, and stories that relate the Gospel to the Old Testament, the life of the church, and their own lives.
All children aged four to 11 are welcome to join us for Church School, which takes place downstairs in the Parish Hall between the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services. If you are planning to participate or have any questions, please email Katie Gonyaw, our Children's Formation Coordinator.
Did you know? We also have a vibrant youth group - SPY - or St. Paul's Youth Group - available for kids in grades 6 - 12 that meets regularly. If you have questions or would like more information, speak to Marti Churchill, or email the Cathedral office at admin@stpaulscathedralvt.org. |
The Sunday Paper [Junior], to which The Cathedral Church of St. Paul has a paid subscription, is posted here with permission of the author/illustrator, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. © Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, The Sunday Paper, 19 Colony Road, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, www.the-sunday-paper.com. All rights reserved. This is copyright material and should not be further forwarded or distributed.
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Mark your calendars! Unless otherwise noted, Sunday worship takes place at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Some events are subject to change, so be sure to check back weekly.
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Holy Eucharist with the Sacrament of Healing (weekly): Thursdays in the chapel, 12:15 p.m.
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Multigenerational Advent Wreath Making: Sunday, December 5, 10:10 a.m.
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Cathedral Arts Presents Organist David Neiweem: Tuesday, December 7, Noon.
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O Antiphons Choir Rehearsal: Saturday, December 11, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
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The Great O Antiphons: Sunday, December 12, 5 p.m.
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Christmas Eve Adult Choir Rehearsal: Saturday, December 18, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
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Decorating of the Nave: Sunday, December 19, 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Christmas Eve Festal Holy Eucharist with the Telling of the Christmas Story: Friday, December 24, 4:00 p.m.
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Choral Music, Carols and Holy Eucharist: Friday, December 24, 9:30 p.m.
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Christmas Eve Festal Holy Eucharist: Friday, December 24, 10:00 p.m.
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Christmas Day Holy Eucharist: Saturday, December 25, 10:00 a.m.
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First Sunday After Christmas Lessons & Carols: Sunday, December 26, 10:00 a.m.
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No Church School: Sunday, December 26, 2021 and Sunday, January 2, 2022
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Second Sunday After Christmas Holy Eucharist: Sunday, January 2, 10:00 a.m.
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Epiphany, Holy Eucharist, Undecorating of the Nave, and Chili Supper: Thursday, January 6, 5:00 p.m.
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St. Paul's Annual Meeting: Sunday, January 23, 9:00 a.m.
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Weekly Silent Witness and Prayerful Vigil in Response to Racism |
The Cathedral's weekly Silent Witness and Prayerful Vigil continues this Sunday, December 5, at 1:00 p.m., in response to racism in our nation, state, and community.
In the event of really bad weather, we will send out a notification by Facebook (please use your own discretion). Face masks are optional if you are fully vaccinated. Please, if you can, bring a non-perishable food item - a volunteer will deliver all the donations gathered at the vigil to the Food Shelf. If you have a sign you would like to hold, bring it! This event is open to the community.
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Mid-Week Afternoon Tea with St. Paul's Clergy |
How's your week going? Need a mid-week pick-me-up? Looking for a chance to connect with your CCSP friends? Come have a cup of tea with us on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Here at the Cathedral, we've been missing coffee hour - that incarnation of Christian community and communal bonding that contributes to our sense of holistic well-being as a parish. This casual weekly gathering will be hosted by Dean Greta Getlein and/or Deacon Stan Baker, and offers a chance to gather, reconnect with old friends, and meet new ones.
Join us every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. via Zoom online or by phone:
Dial: 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID: 871 5286 1108
Passcode: 1973
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Join Us for Sunday Worship |
Join us this Sunday, December 5 as we celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. in person. Our 11:00 a.m. service will be live streamed on the Cathedral's YouTube channel for those who would like to join us virtually.
You can view or download the order of worship for the 11:00 Eucharist here.
Children's formation will take place between the two services downstairs in our Parish Hall.
In person coffee hour continues to be on hold until further notice.
Other Regular Services
All are welcome to join us for our weekday services:
Morning Prayer, Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. In Person and on Zoom.
Compline, Sundays and Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. on Zoom.
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For Our Prayers This Week |
We pray for blessings and joy for those who celebrate birthdays this week: Judith McManis, Robert Skiff.
Let us name before God those for whom we offer our prayers: Frances Range, Veronica and her four children; Karin Davis; Karen Lewis; Peter Frechette; Sandy Nicholson; Lisa and her family; Maria E. Righter; Cole; Nancy Johnson; Ella Baskett; Mary Magot; Michael Hill; Jean Erno; Chuck; Jackie; Michael Fernandez; Lillian Robinson; Stewart McHenry; Emily Harwood; Peter Adams; Elizabeth Webster; David, Carol and Samantha Simmons; Pat Barra; Margot (Lisa Schnell's sister); David Glendinning; Debbie Altemus; Vaughn Altemus; Marion Montross; Naomi Hodgett; Helen McGrath; and Mary Carter. For all those suffering from COVID-19 in our country or around the world, and especially those from our own faith family who have loved ones at risk or are themselves at risk. For those who have died from COVID-19 and for the grief of those who loved them.
We pray for the repose of the soul of those who have died: Bill Metcalfe.
We pray for those who are in the discernment process: Kenzo An; and for our seminarians, Bram Kranichfeld and Susan McMillan.
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"I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favorite story.
The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending."
--Fred Rogers
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Lessons for December 5: The Second Sunday of Advent |
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Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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Crowdsourcing Housing for New Afghan Arrivals |
Vermont and its two agencies that place refugees are expecting a near immediate arrival of Afghan refugees. As you know, the most critical resource is housing and we hope you can help spread the word in your networks. If you know a landlord with a vacant apartment or know of anyone that can temporarily host a new arrival until permanent housing is found, please spread the word.
If you have housing questions you can connect with a USCRI volunteer Al Belluche at albelluche@gmail.com. If you are ready to host temporarily or rent to a new arrival, you can contact the Executive Director of USCRI directly at amerdzanovic@uscrivt.org. In Southern Vermont, the new ECDC Resettlement agency in Brattleboro is also looking for housing solutions.
For those of you able to donate, gift cards to Hannaford’s, Shaw’s, PriceChopper, or Visa cards are most useful. Feel free to drop off at the Cathedral during business hours or mail to the Cathedral with a note saying they are for New Americans. We will deliver to USCRI offices for distribution.
Thank you.
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Diocesan Book Study: The Church Cracked Open
Thursdays in January and February
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Spellers is the presiding bishop's canon for evangelism and reconciliation and was the keynote speaker during the Diocese of Vermont's 2018 convention.
Keep an eye out in future publications for more information on how to register.
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Submission Deadline for St. Paul's eNews |
This weekly e-newsletter is circulated on Fridays. Please have your pieces submitted to Jennifer Sumner at admin@stpaulscathedralvt.org by noon on Wednesday. Thank you. |
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Contacts:
The Right Rev. Shannon MacVean-Brown, Bishop of Vermont
The Very Rev. Greta Getlein, Dean and Rector
The Ven. J. Stannard Baker, Cathedral Deacon and Diocesan Archdeacon
Mark A. DeW. Howe, Canon Precentor and Director of Music
Jennifer C. Sumner, Office Administrator
Barbara F. Comeau, Financial Administrator
Katie Gonyaw, Children's Formation Coordinator
Grace Jack, A/V and Social Media Coordinator
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