|
Dear Friends in Christ,
This past Sunday during worship we renewed our Baptismal Covenant, responding to three questions about core beliefs (orthodoxy) and five questions about core actions (orthopraxis). The words of the covenant are powerful but can feel formulaic and disconnected from our daily lives. What might a life formed by orthodoxy and orthopraxis look like? We find one example in the saint we commemorate on the church calendar on August 14, Jonathan Myrick Daniels.
As a young man, Daniels wrestled with vocation. Who am I to be? What am I to do? Attracted to medicine, ordained ministry, law and writing, he experienced a profound conversion on Easter Day 1962 and then enrolled in the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A second conversion followed in March 1965 when he heard Martin Luther King, Jr.’s appeal to come to Selma to secure voting rights for Black citizens in the South. His desire to go was deepened during the singing of the Magnificat during Evening Prayer in the seminary chapel. “He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”
Daniels’ life bears witness to the way belief (orthodoxy) and practice (orthopraxis) can be woven together. “The doctrine of the creeds, the enacted faith of the sacraments, were the essential preconditions of the experience itself,” he wrote. “The faith with which I went to Selma has not changed: it has grown . . . I began to know in my bones and sinews that I had been truly baptized into the Lord’s death and resurrection . . . with them, the black men and white men, with all life, in him whose Name is above all the names that the races and nations shout . . . We are indelibly and unspeakably one.”
Using the language of the Baptismal Covenant, we can say that Daniels embraced the core faith of Christianity as articulated in the Apostles’ Creed and committed himself to “persevering in resisting evil,” to proclaiming “by word and example the Good News of God in Christ,” and to striving “for justice and peace among all people.”
Daniels’ commitment called for the highest sacrifice. He was killed in Haynesville, Alabama on August 20, 1965 while shielding Ruby Sales, a Black teenager, from a racist attack.
No one reading my reflection is likely to be asked to make the same sacrifice. But all of us are called by God to weave together our beliefs and our actions. God desires us to do more than recite a covenant each time we celebrate Holy Baptism. God wants us to live the covenant in whatever way makes the most sense for us. As the late writer and theologian Frederick Buechner wrote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.”
Your Friend in Christ,
The Rev. John Denson, D.Min.
| |
|
WORSHIP REMINDERS
On Sunday, August 18, please note the following due to Mess Fest preparation:
- The tower doors to the sanctuary will not be accessible on August 18; please plan to enter and exit through the cloister doors near the courtyard.
- Bicycle parking will not be available on August 18.
Beginning Sunday, September 15, St. Paul's will continue to offer Wednesday Holy Eucharist at 11 a.m., but will return to having three in-person Sunday worship services (7:45, 9 and 11:15 a.m.) and livestream at 9 and 11:15 a.m. on Facebook and YouTube. For more worship details, please click here. Formation offerings for every age will resume from 10:15-11 a.m. and will occur most Sundays each month (Sunday School, Rector’s Forum, Adult Forum and more).
| |
|
KIDS/YOUTH WORSHIP ROLE TRAINING
Sunday, September 8, 11:15 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Lilly Rm. (first floor, Church bldg.)
Ages 7-teens are invited to explore acolyting, reading, ushering, greeting, livestreaming, assisting with Children’s Chapel and worship tools management. Lunch and an ice cream party are included! Participation in the training is a chance to try things out; it is not a commitment to any role. Parents are encouraged to join the Ministry Fair; nursery staff is available for ages 0-6. If you have questions, click here to email Laurie Pierce.
| |
|
BACKPACK BLESSING & MESS FEST
Sunday, August 18
10 a.m. worship service :: Backpack Blessing, Sanctuary
11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. :: Mess Fest, St. Paul's Campus
Kids and youth are invited to bring their backpacks to the 10 a.m. service for a special Backpack Blessing. This is a wonderful way to start the school year with a prayer and support from the St. Paul's community. Kids and youth are welcome to wear a bathing suit under their clothes and to bring a towel — please plan to stay for all of the fun at Mess Fest!
Please plan to wear nametags or make a nametag for yourself on Sunday. There will be lots of visitors and we encourage you to help us provide all with a warm welcome.
Click here for Mess Fest details and vendors.
For questions about the Summer Festival or Backpack Blessing, please click here to email Laurie Pierce.
| |
|
CIVICS, CIVILITY & CONSENSUS WORKSHOP
Saturday, August 24, 9-11:30 a.m.
Community Resource Rm. (second floor, Church bldg.)
St. Paul's parishioners and facilitators, Kate Appel and Katherine Tyler Scott invite all to join for a civil conversation. Content based on the Women4Change Civic Education curriculum will be shared with participants, providing processes and tools for mastering the skill of conversation with family, friends or colleagues who have different perceptions and opinions. Registrants will receive a video link and printed materials. Please click here to email Katherine Tyler Scott (or call 317.822.8205) with your RSVP by August 20.
| |
|
NEWCOMER LUNCHEON
Sunday, September 8, 12:30-2 p.m.
Lilly Rm. (first floor, Church bldg.)
If you are new to St. Paul's, we welcome you to join clergy and staff immediately following the Ministry Fair for an informal luncheon. Please click here to email Tana Hunnicutt, call the St. Paul's office (317.253.1277) or sign up in Burrows Commons with your RSVP by September 3.
| |
|
ST. PAUL'S DAY CAMP REGISTRATION
Various dates, September 3, 2024 - May 30, 2025
8 a.m. - 5 p.m., St. Paul’s campus
St. Paul’s invites you to enroll your Pre-K 4 to sixth-grade child(ren) in one or all of our Day Camp sessions! With flexible dates and diverse programming (to include Godly Play, sports, arts and crafts, cooking, team building, games and more), there’s something for every child to enjoy. Camp programming is planned from 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., with drop-off starting at 8 a.m. and pick-up by 5 p.m. Snacks and lunch are provided. Cost is $25/child per day with financial aid and multi-camper discounts available. Space is limited to 30/students per day. Click below to see more details and to register. If you have questions, please click here to email Laurie Pierce.
| |
|
REGISTER FOR ALL-PARISH RETREAT
Friday, September 20 - Sunday, September 22
Waycross Camp & Conference Center
Join us for a rejuvenating All-Parish Retreat at Waycross, a year-round retreat center nestled in the scenic beauty of Brown County. This retreat is for YOU! With programming designed for every age and interest, there's something for everyone, and all activities are participation optional.
Whether you're looking to engage in enriching experiences or simply unwind in nature, this retreat offers a variety of opportunities like a conference. See details and register by Monday, September 9 to secure your spot:
| |
MINISTRY FAIR
Sunday, September 8, 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
St. Paul’s Courtyard/Parish Hall
Don’t miss this festive all-parish opportunity to learn more about the various ministries and teams that are active at St. Paul's! Enjoy light refreshments while browsing displays, discovering what fellow parishioners love about participating in different programs and committees, and having the opportunity to ask volunteer and staff leaders the questions you always wondered about ministries big and small. There will be over 40 ministries featured - from community service and justice efforts to worship roles - from formation for all ages to fellowship in groups of all sizes!
| |
|
WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY - ALL AGES
Thursdays, starting September 5, 10-11:30 a.m.
Rector's Conference Rm. (second floor, Parish Center bldg.)
Need a spiritual uplift or relief from "worldly" pressures? The Women's Bible Study provides a midweek spiritual boost through the reading of God's word and learning how to apply it to daily living. Each lesson is basically self-contained, requiring no homework. No previous Bible knowledge is necessary to attend, and all are welcome to simply show up. If you have questions, please click here to email Alice Roettger.
| |
|
CHOIR SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, September 12, 5:30 p.m.
Choir Rm. (second floor, Church bldg.)
Those interested in St. Paul's Choir School are invited to come to the Choir Room for an overview of the Choir School program. Ages 7+ may participate in rehearsal and younger children are welcome to observe. Youth (ages 4+) may enjoy free dinner with the choristers afterwards. This is open to the public — family/friends are welcome! Please RSVP to Brad Hughley so that we can plan accordingly.
| |
STAY TUNED :: DETAILS COMING SOON
-
Sunday, October 6, Deep Dive Faith Exploration meetings kick off for those interested in Confirmation at St. Paul's. Others are welcome to attend! Confirmation will occur during the Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows visit on Sunday, January 26, 2025.
-
Sacred Ground will meet bi-monthly (mostly on Tuesdays from 7:10-8:40 p.m.) with an anticipated in-person lunch gathering on Sunday, October 13. Watch for more details and registration information. For questions, click here to email the Rev. Beth Scriven.
-
Saturday, November 2, Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe's Installation Service
| | | | |
