St. Paul's Episcopal Church Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
 
MESSENGER
"Making friends while serving God"

The Week of August 30 - September 5, 2022

St Paul’s mission statement is “Making friends while serving God.” St. George’s mission statement, taken from our baptismal vows, talks about knowing Christ and making Christ known. Living out these missions is something that is not done only on Sundays, or only inside our church buildings.

 

This week I got to see this in action, to see the building of relationships that can help spread the light of Christ in the world.

 

Other members of the Committee to Elect a Bishop and I held a three-day retreat to interview and pray and discern with candidates for the bishop coadjutor position. I soon realized that it was not just me in the room with the committee and candidates, but you were all with me as well, and the neighbors we live near and serve. The issues we deal with every day and week as church communities, and the context in which we do ministry, were topics of discussion throughout the three days.

 

What should the Church do about declines in attendance, about individuals and families exhausted and traumatized by the pandemic? What can and should the Church become? How can the Diocese strengthen our connections with each other and help churches to live out their mission?

 

Because St. Paul’s and St. George’s were in those spaces, the candidates were left with a clear picture of who we are and what we do. Their discernment and visioning for themselves and the Diocese will include us.

 

Later in the week, St. George’s was present staffing a table at the Newburgh Library’s block party event to get ready for back-to-school. There were backpack and food giveaways, a DJ, and African drumming. Matthew Tether and the Crossroads Community Chess group were out playing chess at tables and on their giant canvas board.

 

St. Paul’s is familiar with Matthew and Crossroads now too, since we are preparing to open outdoor chess on the St. Paul’s lawn. We had a practice session a couple Sundays ago, and now when you come to church, you’ll see that the chess board platform is installed in front of the parish hall.

 

Building relationships like these takes time. It takes showing up and listening. We will not always see immediate results. But it is never time wasted to make some new friends, find new ways to serve God, find new ways to bring Christ out into the world.

 

Mary+





To be redirected to the Lectionary Page and get a digital copy of the readings 

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 9.4.22

Jeremiah 18:1-11; Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17; Philemon 1:1-21;

Luke 14:25-33

The Sunday Sermon



In the last few years, I have watched helplessly as the world seemed to come apart at the seams. It seemed as if every day that I woke up, it was to some bad news; a global pandemic, war, fires and floods, police brutality, loss of basic rights, seditious politicians… the list goes on and on. The way I view the world, and even those around me, has experienced a seismic shift. With this shift comes a myriad of emotions, and these emotions can sometimes affect my faith. It can make me doubt who I am as a Christian and whether my faith is real and connected to a true and living God.

Recently, I read a study that related to spiritual doubt. According to the study, 2 out of 3 Christians admit to experiencing spiritual doubt. More than a quarter of Christ followers still find themselves doubting, even as their belief in Christ remains strong. Do you know the most common response to spiritual doubt? It is to quit attending church! One out of 4 people you see every day is struggling with spiritual doubt. The person sitting next to you may be struggling, right now! But how do we deal with this dilemma? We need to start talking about it!

Doubt is a necessary part of the spiritual journey, but if we are not aware of that, it feels like we are alone in feeling and thinking the way we do. Isn’t it blasphemous to think that way? To question our faith? Actually, no it is not. Although doubt can be crippling, it can also be a path to seeking the truth and to experiencing growth. When we fail to ask questions, we also fail to seek answers that will open our eyes to the power of faith. Our churches need to help us realize that spiritual doubt is okay, and they also need to have a game plan for helping congregants deal with it. When we know that we are not alone, our predicament loses its power over us.

So how do we begin to deal with spiritual doubt? We acknowledge our pain and allow our pain to turn us towards God! On a recent news program, I watched an interview with Christian contemporary artist TobyMac. He is known for his Christian music, and for chronicling his faith and the way it uplifts others, since the beginning of his career. Recently he lost his 21-year-old son to a drug overdose. During the interview, he was asked,          “How did the loss of your son affect your faith?” His response was simple. “It rocked it! I didn’t walk away… but I had to give God a chance, and in that time, He was kind.” To wrap up, the reporter said, “Along with faith and music, it was community that helped TobyMac during his time of need…” So when we experience spiritual doubt, we need to just give God a chance, find a community of believers and accept the unconditional love that will bring us back to the path of true faith and belief in Christ.

 

Amen.                                              


--Aleen Josephs-Clarke

PARISH NEWS

From Fr. Steve Schunk:


My sisters and brothers, clergy colleagues and friends of Deacon Chris,


You are cordially invited to join us at St. Mary's Cold Spring on Saturday, September 3, 2022 @ 11:00 am, as we celebrate the Rites of the Burial of the Dead with a Solemn Mass for the life and labor of John Clark-Colon, the late husband of the Reverend Deacon Christopher (Chris) Colon who died suddenly at work on July 19, 2022.


A reception for the family will immediately follow the service in the Parish Hall, with a light lunch to give everyone a chance to visit and comfort the family. (We would appreciate your RSVP for planning purposes.)


Feel free to contact me with any questions. rev.steve.schunk@gmail.com 


Cards and other messages of sympathy and condolences can be mailed to the family: 1185 North Avenue, Beacon, NY 12508; or emailed to: chriscolon@mac.com


The Lord will guide our feet into the way of peace, having taken away the sin of the world.

May John's soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.


Steve+


Note: Rev. Mary will be the Preacher for this Service, and James Fitzwilliam of Christ Church will be the organist.

PASTORAL CARE UPDATE


The Committee met with Rev. Mary on August 17 and would like to share some updates with you.


Eucharistic Visitation. If you would like to receive or know of someone who would

like a visitation, please contact Rev. Mary or a member of the committee.


Ongoing committee activities include phone calls, cards, rides to church, prayer list

intercessions.

Nursing home and hospital visits done by Rev. Mary at this time due to Covid.


Pastoral Care asks for your assistance in reaching out to those who may need support, are sick or

struggling in any way.


If you would like to join the committee, please speak with Rev. Mary or a member of the Committee.

We welcome and thank you.


Pastoral Care Committee: Rev. Mary, Mark Goodwin, Tessa Kale, RoseMarie Proctor,

Cynthia Benjamin, Janet Quade, Deb Williams


--Rev. Dr. Mary E. Barber

--Aleen Josephs-Clarke

COSTA RICA RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION

We were in Costa Rica during a major feast day, La Virgen de los Angeles (Virgin of the Angels), on August 2.

 

The celebration marks the discovery of a small statue of an dark-skinned Virgin Mary in Cartago, Costa Rica, by an Indigenous woman in 1835. It is said that when the woman tried to bring the statue home, it returned to its original place three times.

 

So a basilica was built on the spot. Each year pilgrims walk the 22 km from the capitol San José to Cartago. People come from all over the country and outside the country. Vendors and first aid tents set up on the route to assist pilgrims, and streets are blocked off for pedestrians toward the end of the route. Some pilgrims enter the Basilica on their knees, paying their respects to La Negrita, as she is called, the statue now housed in a gold-and-jewel-laden structure at the altar. There is a natural spring at the site which is said to have healing properties. Some pilgrims wash their hands and face in the waters, and some collect bottles of it to take home.

 

We visited the Basilica on August 1, one day ahead of the big crush, but still quite busy and active. We saw pilgrims making the trip on foot with backpacks and walking sticks, and when our driver took us back to the hotel, the stream of people on foot was moving and impressive. The news shown in the breakfast room of our hotel in San José covered the event, interviewing pilgrims and showing the devout on their knees approaching the altar.

 

It was clearly a national cultural event, made more poignant by the pandemic. For the past two years the basilica had been closed. Pilgrims still “unofficially” made the trip and stood outside the church, but this year was the first year of being fully open to celebrate.

 

We did not do the full experience of walking for days, but instead were driven as close as our guide could get to the Basilica, walking a mere few blocks. We washed in the spring and walked to the altar. The group approaching on their knees had a separate entrance and aisle. It was striking to actually see them, as it was to see the steady stream of new visitors arriving as we left by car.

 

The crowd included many young adults, and it made me wonder. Were these regular churchgoers, or were they doing the pilgrimage as more of a cultural event? Either way, it was moving to see many many young people enthusiastically taking part in a religious celebration. This is something we might see here in the US for a music concert or protest event. We know that youth and young adults in the US are hungry for connection, for meaning, for spiritual nourishment. And we know that they are generally not getting those things in church. How do we change that? Or should we instead be going to those places where youth are finding spiritual fulfillment, and follow their lead?

 

These are things I will be reflecting on in the weeks and months to come. I’d love to hear your thoughts too!

 

Rev. Mary

ALL AGES BOOK READ
PAULI MURRAY:
SHOUTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE (DEBORAH NELSON LINCK)

This fall, we will be reading this book, about an attorney, writer, activist, priest, and saint in The Episcopal Church. Pauli Murray was all that and more, and her life can teach us about ourselves, and inspire us in our work in these present, difficult times.

 

This new book from Church Publishing is for young readers, but the content is very adult. For many of us who are unfamiliar with Pauli Murray, it’s a great introduction.

 

We will plan to have a time to reflect on the book at our own church, in a discussion after the Sunday service on Sunday, October 2.

 

Later, we will gather sometime in the fall for a multi-church retreat with others reading the book. Hopefully we will have enough young people to have a separate youth breakout group at that retreat.

 

For those wanting more content on Pauli, there is also an Amazon Prime documentary available. If there’s enough interest, we could schedule a watch party.

 

More to come on the date of the retreat, but for now, get ready for the October 2 discussion, and go ahead and order the book and start reading!

 

Rev. Mary

Photos from Gillian's trip with Bike and Build. These photos are from the Montana part of their journey. The adventure is almost at its end!




--Rev. Dr. Mary E. Barber

FUNDRAISERS


HELP!! MEN NEEDED!!! We will need help setting up and breaking down for the Rummage Sale Sept. 17 (Rain Date - Sept. 24). We plan to begin setting up at 8:00 and will break down at 3:00. We’ll need tables ( not sure of the number yet) and chairs brought out to the Hamilton Street side of the church. Please see Janet Quade or Bobbie Gordon if you are able to help. MANY THANKS!!

ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER RUMMAGE SALE : Acceptable items: women’s, men’s & children’s gently used clothing, shoes, handbags, housewares, knick knacks, pictures, small furniture, lamps.  NOT ACCEPTING: bedding, seasonal items, jewelry, electronics, appliances.
Bring donations to the church door between 10 am & 2 pm Sat., Sept. 10, Mon., Sept. 12 - Fri. Sept. 16.   PLEASE BRING YOUR DONATIONS AT THESE TIMES!!! Someone will be there to accept them.  Many thanks.



--Bobbie Gordon
FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Please call 845-452-8440 to speak to Ms. Daphne Barrett

PLEASE DONATE RE-USABLE BAGS FOR OUR FOOD PANTRY

--Daphne Barrett
ST. PAUL’S
SMALL BLESSINGS THRIFT SHOP AND FOOD PANTRY

In addition to our regular Thrift shop and Food pantry hours (Tues. Weds. Thurs. 10am - 2pm)

WE ARE ALSO OPEN THE LAST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH - 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Clothing for men, women and children, housewares, knick-knacks, etc.

GREAT BARGAINS - CHECK IT OUT!!

St. Paul’s Church
161 Mansion St.
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 
--Bobbie Gordon
It was decided and announced that we are dropping the mask mandate for services. People may continue to wear the mask if they choose, but they are not required to wear one.



ZOOM CHURCH LINK FOR ALL SERVICES

All services except for the second Sunday (on Zoom at 10am) of the month, will be in person at 10:00am and will include singing.
 
Our Zoom connections remain the same and are
 
Meeting ID: 823 3911 5280
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,82339115280# US (New York)
+13017158592,,82339115280# US (Germantown)
 
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YOUTUBE CHANNEL  
 
We now have a YouTube channel. 
To get there PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
 
 
or search on YouTube for St. Paul's Poughkeepsie.
 
We hope to put copies of all of our online services there. 

--Shawn Prater-Lee
STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

FROM THE STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE:

The Members of the Stewardship Committee would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make our fund raising events so far this year a big success.  It’s only with your participation that these events have been successful. The CHILI TAKEOUT EVENT earned about $847 and all the chili has been sold. The lunch at OUTBACK brought a profit of $931. Again many thanks to all who supported these events. Next up - FALL FLING - Rummage sale, raffle, snacks & beverage for sale.

Many thanks to all who have returned their pledge form for 2022. Your envelopes are available to be picked up in the Narthex. It’s not too late to return your pledge - just complete the form and put it in the collection plate. Your envelopes will then be available the following Sunday.

A NOTE FROM THE TREASURY TEAM


St. Paul’s Treasury Team gratefully acknowledges the generous gift of $25,000 from the Estate of Gerry Sprague. This money has been deposited in the Investment Account.  Gerry always had St. Paul’s best interest in his head and heart. Many of us remember fondly his sense of humor along with his help at parish dinners - usually attending to the raffle.




A reminder - Please remember to either mail in your pledge or drop it off through the mail slot any day during the week. The correct address is: 161 Mansion St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. 


ST. PAUL’S THANKS YOU!!!  


--Bobbie Gordon

COMMUNITY NEWS

August 30, 2022


My Dear Friends,

 

This summer has brought the funerals of three spouses of clergy within our diocesan family. I write to honor those who have died and to invite your prayers as the Church commends them to God.

John Clark-Colon

Husband of the Rev. Deacon Cristóbal Colon, John died unexpectedly on July 20, as he neared his 56th birthday and after more than 25 years of marriage. A graduate of both the New York University Tisch School of the Arts and Columbia Teacher's College, John spent 15 years teaching art to junior and senior high school students in Manhattan, striving to foster in them an appreciation for art-making and art history. He also bestowed practical guidance for pursuing careers in the arts. Believing that art education was essential for personal and intellectual development, he took great pride in avoiding the use of wooden popsicle sticks and what he viewed as other trappings of mediocre art education.

  

After retiring from teaching, John began to work with New York State's Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, his love of art and music, together with his kindness, touching many facing difficult lives in group homes and institutional settings. He also had his own artist studio where he explored different techniques using various media. He was always inspired to create art that mirrored society, especially in its treatment of LGBTQI+ people. 


John's funeral will be held this coming Saturday, September 3, at 11 o'clock, in St. Mary-in-the-Highlands, Cold Spring. Please pray for God's consoling presence with Deacon Chris, Chris' sister Mona who was, in every way, also a sister to John, and their wider family.

Sally Eileen Johnston

The wife of the Rev. Edward Johnston, Rector Emeritus of Christ's Church, Rye, Sally died on August 5, just following their 60th wedding anniversary. She grew up in Glenview, Illinois, attended Grinnell College, and graduated from the University of Denver. She then moved to Manhattan to work at Time, Inc., and, in 1962, married. Over the years, she and Ed pursued a life of ministry together, serving various congregations mostly in our diocese and raising two daughters. During many of these years, Sally was a legal assistant in a small law firm in Tarrytown. In retirement, they enjoyed living both on Museum Mile in Manhattan and in Sarasota, Florida.


Sally was an enthusiastic member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Frick Museum; the New York Society Library; the Yorkville Library Book Group in New York; and Literary Ladies, a book group at St. Boniface Church, Siesta Key, Florida. She also served on the Executive Board of the New York Altar Guild. She loved her cat and dogs, art galleries, her friends and family, and, in her words, "Ed, always Ed."



Sally's funeral was held on August 9 in St. Peter's, Lithgow, where Ed served as Vicar after his tenure as Rector of Christ's Church (1979 to 1997). Please pray for God's comforting presence with Ed, their daughters Margot and Amy, and their wider family. 

Jane Williams Tully

The wife of the Rev. William McD Tully, Jane died on July 14, in the 55th year of their marriage. A graduate of Occidental College and with a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University, Jane was highly esteemed as a speechwriter, including for the National Geographic Society, and enjoyed teaching the art of engaging audiences. During Bill's tenure as the 11th rector of St. Bartholomew's, Manhattan (1994 to 2012), she was an integral part of the parish's life and was especially instrumental in ensuring the parish' embrace of LGBTQI+ Episcopalians. She became a leading advocate for the full inclusion of queer individuals  within the wider Episcopal Church, co-founding the organization Clergy Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (CFLAG). In 2005, she was the only layperson invited to address the Anglican Consultative Council in Nottingham, England as the Anglican Communion struggled to respond to the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the communion's first openly gay and partnered bishop. 


Jane's graveside funeral was held in Santa Barbara, California on July 20. Please pray for God's solace to cover Bill, their sons Jonah and Adam, and their wider family.

With every good wish, I remain


Yours,

The Right Reverend Andrew ML Dietsche

Bishop of New York


FAMILY FUN DAY 2022

Dear Friends,

        Our Family Fun Day is on Saturday, September24th, and you are all invited. Would you please put this flyer in your weekly newsletter? Thanks for your help.💕


--Carol Reichert

--Bobbie Gordon

Lay Eucharistic Visitor

Online Training

Monday, September 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Via Zoom

The Eucharistic Visitor is a bishop-licensed lay ministry in the Episcopal Church. At the conclusion of Sunday worship, those who have been authorized to serve as Eucharistic Visitors take communion to fellow parishioners who are homebound or hospitalized.


Has your priest, deacon or warden identified you as a member of the congregation who is called to serve as a Eucharistic Visitor? This two-hour online training will teach you about:


  1. Spiritually preparing to make a visit;
  2. The materials that you will need for a visit;
  3. What to do once you arrive;
  4. The worship/liturgical content of a visit;
  5. Writing up a visit for clergy or warden; and
  6. What to “do” or not do after a visit.


There is no charge for this online training.


(We're sorry, but there is no in-person training option at this time.)

Please click here to register for the Sept. 19 online training Instructions for joining the Sept. 19 training via Zoom

will be sent well ahead of the day.

Questions?

Arlene Bullard

abullard@dioceseny.org

212-932-7363

Fall and early winter dates to be announced for:

  • Eucharistic Minister training (Spanish)
  • Eucharistic Minister training (English)


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--The Rev. Dr. Mary E. Barber

COMMUNITY CHESS PARK - UPDATE

We did it! Another hurdle crossed! (Photo above)


Back story:


We have not actually drawn the Chess Board in over a year since we now have the canvas. So, I "forgot" a few things. Fortunately, the chairman of the Poughkeepsie Arts Commission, Jeff Aman, showed up and talked some sense into me. We have always used chalk since that is what Columbia University School of Architecture gave us in 2019 for the original Chess park on South Street. ADS Warehouse generously allowed us to draw with chalk in their courtyard. So we started drawing with chalk, until Jeff saw what I was about to do and said it would be better with a pencil. Of course we have lots of pencils since........ we all know how to read and write in Algebraic Notation! 


Also, crawling around on hot pavement to draw 64 squares can be a little tedious. So we made a long 2 X 4 to knock out long straight lines. This I had totally forgotten about. Hopefully I will remember to toss it in my car tomorrow morning and I can kill this on my lunch hour. (1:00 PM +/-). It will be a simple connect the dots exercise.


BIG thanks to Jeff Amen for stopping by this evening. Every day we are making new connections and building more positive community!


Thank you everyone for your Faith and continued support of our community based project.


Schedule ahead:

  • Wednesday - Shopping for Paint
  • Thursday - Paint Party (exact time to be determined based on the weather)
  • Friday - Paint Dries / 6:00 PM Pop- Up Chess Park @ Murphy Park
  • Saturday - seal coat - early morning..... (exact time TBD)
  • Sunday - LAUNCH of the Community Chess Park ! ! !


Onward.


Matthew


--

Matthew E. Tether, AIA

Board of Directors



-- Matthew E. Tether, AIA

tetherarchitecture@gmail.com

 Board of Directors

NEW Regional EFM Group 

We are planning a new Education for Ministry cohort for either the Fall of 2022 or January of 2023.
The intention is for this group to meet on-line as well as occasionally in-person.
Alison Quinn and Heather Sisk are currently in organizational discussions with Deacon Teri Jones.


We need at least six participants to start a new group.
Please contact Heather if you have interested parishioners.

Thanks and Peace,
Heather+
(Cell: 917-561-0141)


The Rev. Heather K. Sisk
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
PO Box 1449
Pleasant Valley, NY 12569
845-635-2854

www.magdalenespath.com retreats & spiritual direction





--The Rev. Dr. Mary E. Barber
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

  4 Owen Tucker

23 Marlene Taylor

15 Adriana Babb

25 Dewy Clarke

Please keep those on our parish prayer list in your minds and in your prayers, especially at this time of separation and isolation.


Intercessions
AUGUST 2022
 
Our prayers are asked for:
Michael, Those impacted by natural disasters; Habitat for Humanity; Rural and Migrant Ministry; Peace in our world; The elderly, shut-ins and prisoners; Jeanne & Charlie; Ann, PhilHailey, Vickie; Marie; Maggie; G.J., Cynthia, Jeffrey, Linda, Marshall, Lillian, Michail I & II, Chandra (Plain), Evans; Paul; Alexis, Avonel; Carola, Violet, Warren; Nancy, Plain family, Sasha; Margaret; Mizell family; Jill; Donna; Janice; Norma; Ruthann; Lauren; Andrew & family, Ian, James family, Pittman family; Nicholas, George; Gary, Marianne; Stacey, Meghan, Peggy K.; Carol, Jim, Seth, Lori, Neil; Whitman, Deb; Adrian; Chloe; Christine, Lucas, Santos family, Bramble, Anna, Sterling, Leigh family, Stewart, Tucker family, Hosier family, Darien family

Please "Like" our page to stay up to date with all services and events.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church - Poughkeepsie
 

'In Service to God & You'
Our food pantry volunteers are in active service at St. Paul's these days. We give thanks to them and thanks to God for their willingness to help us by helping others.

THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR

August 29 - September 5, 2022

YOUR NEWS BELONGS IN ST. PAUL'S MESSENGER
Help us get the word out by submitting news of parish activities. Send submittals to stpaulpk@verizon.net or call (845) 452-8440
Give us a call today!
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
161 Mansion Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 452-8440
 
The Rev. Dr. Mary E. Barber, Priest-in-Charge
The Rev. Gloria Payne-Carter, Priest Associate
The Rev. Deacon Julett Butler, Deacon
Maris Kristapsons, Music Director and Organist
Adam Mazzuto; Audio/PA System
Notoe Hodge, Custodian/Sexton
Ben Sundar, Parish Administration

St. Paul's Episcopal Church 161 Mansion Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
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