|
Dear Friends in Christ,
My mind and spirit feel jumbled this week. I’m still thinking about a funeral I officiated on Saturday, experiencing the grief of losing a parishioner who was very dear to me. A couple of members of our family are struggling, and there are limits on what I can do to help. The anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks and the tension surrounding the upcoming election remind me we live in anxious times. Holding onto all of life sometimes feels like a lot, doesn’t it?
When I feel this way, I often find myself gravitating toward the kitchen. Baking normally requires planning in advance, but sometimes I search the refrigerator and cabinets and imagine what I can do with the ingredients I find. I then bake something familiar or experiment with a new recipe. Baking invites me to set aside everything crashing around in my brain. For me, it’s prayerful and meditative. When I’m finished, my mind and spirit feel settled, and I have something tasty to eat!
As I shared this experience with a retired pastor I met last week, he asked me how he might frame his baking with prayer. Instead of suggesting specific prayers, I offered two “themes” to focus his mind and spirit. First, start your baking with a prayer of gratitude. We give thanks to God before a meal, so why not do so before we bake? Give thanks to God for the ingredients, the tools, the creator of the recipe and the ability to make something delicious and pleasing.
Second, as you approach the end of the baking process, pray for a spirit of acceptance. If you’re trying a new recipe, it might fail. If you’re baking a favorite recipe, it might turn out differently than you expect because of factors outside your control (such as the humidity level in your kitchen). Unless you’re a pastry chef, nothing you bake will be perfect. Though the end result may not be what you wish, even failures can be delicious. And you’ve learned something, right? Acceptance transforms baking into a joyful task instead of an onerous one.
We live in a culture that demands much of us. American society rewards long hours of work and study, striving for achievement, and seeking to be the best. Mastery and success matter above all else. But is this really the goal of life? Will our minds and spirits be any more settled and at peace because we are the best at anything?
In her book, By Bread Alone, Kendall Vanderslice writes, “The goal [of baking] should not be mastery in and of itself, but curiosity and joy. Breadmaking, like faith, is a craft to hone over the course of a lifetime, a truth that is at once exciting and liberating.”
As I get older, I find myself seeking joy instead of achievement. This is, after all, what Jesus desires for us. “I have said these things to you,” he said in the 15th chapter of John’s gospel, “so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” This joy won’t change all of the things swirling through life. But when I stop trying to master it all, when I’m grateful for the life I have and accept God’s presence and love in it, I’m filled with the peace of Christ which settles my mind and spirit.
Your Friend in Christ,
The Rev. John Denson, D.Min.
| |
|
FALL WORSHIP SCHEDULE
Sunday, September 15, worship at 7:45, 9 & 11:15 a.m.
Fall is almost here and we are returning to regular worship hours! The 9 and 11:15 a.m. services will also be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. Formation hour opportunities for all ages will resume from 10:15-11 a.m. and will occur most Sundays each month (Sunday School, Rector’s/Adult Forums, Practices of Prayer offerings and more). We will continue to offer Wednesday Holy Eucharist at 11 a.m. Please mark your calendars and spread the word!
| |
|
RECTOR'S FORUM
Sunday, September 15, 10:15-11 a.m., Parish Hall
Join us to view photos and hear reflections from the Rev. John Denson's sabbatical. There will also be time for questions and open conversation.
| |
|
INTRO TO "CENTERING PRAYER"
Sunday, September 15, 10:15-11 a.m.
CRR (second floor, Parish Center bldg.)
Sometimes finding a prayer practice that just feels right can be hard! Parishioner, Jan Johnson found "Centering Prayer" to be the missing piece in her spiritual journey. “Centering Prayer is a receptive method of silent prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God, and a discipline to foster that relationship.” (Contemplative Outreach) Starting September 19, Jan will lead a St. Paul's "Centering Prayer" group on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Learn more about Centering Prayer during Sunday morning's introduction. Questions, click here to email Jan Johnson.
| |
|
NEWCOMER WELCOME TOUR
Sunday, September 22, 10:15-11 a.m., meet in the church
Whether you are new or have been attending for years and are curious about the spaces and places that we call St. Paul's, all are invited to a guided tour. Join the Rev. Jeff Bower to explore our facilities and learn how we are using our spaces to be Church in this new day. Please meet in the sanctuary following the 9 a.m. service.
| |
|
DEEP DIVE FAITH EXPLORATION FOR ADULTS & YOUTH
Starting Sunday, October 6, 6-8 p.m., Lilly Room (first floor, church bldg.)
Do you want to explore your faith and spirituality with other inquiring minds? Are you curious about how the Episcopal Church does things? Are you considering confirmation, reception or baptism? Do you want to get to know other St. Paul’s folks better? Join for Deep Dive Faith Exploration this fall! Youth and adult participants will enjoy supper together on October 6 to start our journeys. Each group will then meet separately several times this fall, closing with another joint gathering in January. Click below to learn more about Adult and Youth Confirmation and to sign up for Deep Dive Faith Exploration:
| |
|
PET BLESSING AT ST. PAUL'S
Sunday, October 6, 9 a.m. service
In the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, we invite you and your (well-behaved) pets to church for a shortened Holy Eucharist service - neighbors and family are welcome to bring their pets also. Afterwards, plan to stay for All-Parish Coffee Hour in the courtyard with treats provided by the Intergen Team and a special visit by IndyHumane. Non-aggressive dogs are welcome on leashes; other animals need to be in travel carriers. If your animal isn't suited to coming to church, bring a picture; we'll bless their image! Children are welcome to bring their stuffed animals for a blessing. We will also say a prayer for pets we have loved and see no longer.
| |
|
HOLY BAPTISM
Register for November 3 baptisms.
Baptisms are offered next on Sunday, November 3 at 9 a.m. Baptism is the sacrament by which we are adopted as God’s children and made members of Christ’s body, the Church. Please click below to learn more or to request to be baptized. The deadline to register is Thursday, October 10.
| |
|
¡ÚLTIMA OPORTUNIDAD
PARA INSCRIBIRTE!
(LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP)
Wednesdays, September 18 - November 6
6-7 p.m. (beginning); 7-8 p.m. (intermediate)
Community Resource Room,
(second floor, Parish Center bldg.)
Start your language journey with eight-weeks of Spanish classes for only $65. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and connect! Please use the link below to register and pay. Click here to email the Rev. Jeff Bower with questions.
| |
|
SMALL SNACKS NEEDED
Everyone likes a small snack after the 9 a.m. service. Children usually cite "the snacks" as their favorite part of church; adults have been caught sneaking into Adult Formation with multiple cookies! The perfect time for a light snack is 10 a.m. Let's keep it going. Can you please pick ONE Sunday this year to bring the snacks? Sign up below and see suggestions for what and how much to bring. Questions, click here to email Laurie Pierce.
| |
DIOCESAN CONVENTION
Friday, November 8 - Saturday, November 9
CRG Event Center (Plainfield)
Registration is open for Diocesan Convention and adult registration is only $85 through September 30 and $125 from October 1-25 (online registration closes on October 25). Fees include all programming, workshops and convention materials, the Friday night banquet and lunch on Saturday. Click below for details and to register:
| |
|
SACRED GROUND
Registration is open!
Sacred Ground meets in a hybrid format from October through May 2025. Most sessions happen via Zoom, two Tuesdays a month from 7:10 – 8:40 p.m. There are also occasional in-person sessions to anchor our community. The first session on Sunday, October 13 (12:30-2 p.m.) is a pitch-in lunch in the Lilly Room.
Sacred Ground is an Episcopal dialogue series on race, grounded in faith and open to all. Together all will explore America’s history of race and racism, including the particular American histories of Black, Indigenous, Latino and Asian/Pacific American communities as they intersect with European American histories, our own family stories, economic class and political and regional identity.
Click below to see all details and register. Questions, click here to email the Rev. Beth Scriven.
| |
|
UPCOMING:
- Sunday, September 29, St. Paul's 101
- Saturday, November 2, Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe's Installation Service
-
Monday, November 4, St. Paul's Day Camp
-
Sunday, January 26, 2025, Confirmation will occur during the Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows visit to St. Paul's.
| | | | |
