Mars Hill Proclaimer
St. Paul's Episcopal Church May Newsletter 2021
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Beloved in Christ,
Have you noticed how many accounts of Jesus’ ministry are about the importance of vision and sound, of seeing and hearing? There’s a story in Mark 7:31-37, where we learn that Jesus healed a man who was deaf and mute. And then there are the stories of him healing the blind (for example, Matthew 9:27–30; Mark 8:22–25; John 9:1–7 among others.)
Seeing and hearing are essential to sharing the Gospel.
We at St. Paul’s have come to a point where it is increasingly difficult to share the gospel because our sanctuary sound system is failing. For those inside the sanctuary, the sound system—first set up in the 1960’s and slightly upgraded in 2010—is really not up to par.
Until this past year and more, of having the church closed to most of us, seeing—as such—wasn't an issue. Now it is. For those worshiping virtually via Zoom (most of us), the sound and camera system relaying the message is a handful of personal computers volunteered for that purpose—mine, Lorraine’s and Hannah’s, and formerly, Tyrique’s. St. Paul’s—as such—doesn’t have equipment with which to zoom the Sunday services, as it takes more than one computer to do it.
Someone might say, “Well, once COVID is finally suppressed, maybe later this year---we can drop Zoom and internet worship.” And I have to say, along with our Presiding Bishop and others, “Not so.” One of the few “upsides” of the pandemic has been that we’ve been forced to “do church differently” and as we have done so, people who might not otherwise have entered our doors are listening in and commenting online. And, until now, we’ve never adequately brought worship fellowship to our shut-ins. With Zoom worship, we’re far more able.
We’ve formed a workgroup we’re calling the Sound and Vision Integrated (i.e., in person as well as virtually) Worship Group. Peggy Newby is our chairperson, Gretchen, Lucinda, Lorraine, and I are group members. We’re giving ourselves three months to evaluate what we need, get estimates, purchase and put into place what we need.
I’d like to suggest that we start a “Sound and Vision Fund,” to which you might want to make a contribution. Seeing one another, hearing the gospel shared--- is essential to who we are in Christ Jesus.
Faithfully,
Barbara+
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We have found that many of the locks for the eight church doors have become worn and have broken easily. In order to increase security, we have replaced all the outside door locks. Only keys marked as Master Keys will open all eight outside doors and only seven of these will be issued. Other keys issued will only open Door 4 in the breezeway facing the Rectory. That way, if someone looses their key, we only have to rekey one door - very much the advice of our locksmith for security and for expense. Keys have been issued to people by the current responsibilities they have. If you have an older building key, you do not have to turn it in. |
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In-person services on Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter were successful and wonderful, as we implemented our plans for entering, worshiping, and receiving communion. Any feedback from those present would be appreciated. We’re ready for you whenever you’re comfortable returning. Thank you to everyone who offered to usher! If you’d like to join the ushering team, let Mother Barbara or Susan in the office know.
On your first return visit, you will be asked to check the contact sheet to make sure your information is correct. This is important for both our ongoing communications and in case contact tracing is needed. As a reminder, the offering plate, the bulletins, and bulletin inserts are available at the west entry to the sanctuary (Door #1). Please enter through that entry whenever possible. Handwashing stations are available throughout our buildings. (Just a tip – sometimes it takes a couple of passes of your hand to activate the dispenser.)
Peg Newby
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May, 2021
Greetings Brothers and Sisters of St. Paul’s,
Last week, I volunteered to be on the newly formed committee, Sound and Vision (SV) Integrated Worship Workgroup, initiated by Mother Barbara and soon to be led by Peg Newby. As someone, who is regularly involved with Zoom, I thought I could offer a unique perspective.
As I walked around the neighborhood this week, I began thinking about my experiences with worship SV set-up, in general. I did remember one occurrence that really left an impression on me about 50 years ago. I was in Manhattan and walking to the Port Authority to take the bus home. Suddenly, the sky opened up as I was standing on the corner of 51st St. and 5th Ave. Some of you may know that it is the home of the NYC landmark, St. Patrick’s Cathedral. So, I dashed up the steps to take cover. The cathedral is just over the length of a football field (397’). The thick bronze doors were open, a worship service ensuing, and I reverently peeked inside (whatever that looked like). Then, Holy Moly (I very quietly said to myself), St. Pat’s had 18” TV screens and speakers on every column that was spaced about 25’ apart for the length of the church (both sides). I could actually see and hear the worship service just inside of those doors. I was truly in awe because the big church that I regularly attended on the other side of the river had no SV available. Given Rockefeller Center (RC) was across the street from St. Pat’s, I naturally assumed St. Pat’s had an advantage because RC-NBC studios were just filming the worship service for the church. Little did I know that those screens were simply monitors, and St. Pat’s found a way to invest in their own 1960s technology to make their worship services SV-friendly, even for those who were simply getting out of the rain.
So, I wonder where God will lead St. Paul’s Sound and Vision (SV) Integrated Worship Workgroup. What are your thoughts?
Peace,
Gretchen
Senior Warden
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Hello all,
As I begin my second month of convalescing with ample time to ponder my future, my God driven purpose, I have been reading "scheduled" readings in my "Daily Guidepost" and "Jesus Calling". Each day seems to fit my current predicament more and more.
Each reading has appropriate Bible verses to backup its message. So as you can imagine it has been rather comforting to ingest these messages on a daily basis.
So Monday's reading followed my Sunday of "but why did this split second thing happen". The message was about prayers answered when we don't even realize they have been answered. I know that might seem strange but what I mean is the outcome of this split second action could end up being a totally different path than the one I had laid out for the next 10 years. This is where my faith and relationship with God needs to come into play. What is his Divine purpose for me? Additionally, as a Vestry member I find myself asking, what is our purpose/mission as St Paul's?
Do you ever wonder what your purpose is?
With our usual daily lives being so busy I am guessing this is not something you have time to ponder. I know for me I was more busy doing the planning than listening to God and seeking his will. I don't think everyone needs to experience the same extent of an ahah moment as I did but just thought it is worth mentioning.
What is my/our purpose (mission)?
In Christ,
Lucinda
Junior Warden
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Below is a list of activities and groups that have been of interest to the congregation in the past. Think about them, and let me know what you would like to continue. And let us know if you have suggestions for new ones, too!
Lucinda Brunner
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WEEKLY DEVOTIONS AND
OCCASIONS TO CONNECT
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Gardening, 9:00 AM
Tuesdays at the Garden
(depending on weather)
Book Discussion, 6 PM
(Zoom Video or Audio)
Thursdays
Liturgy of the Word and Prayer
8:00 AM
10:30 AM
Both services in Sanctuary and on Zoom
Zoom Coffee Chat following each service
Sundays
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TREASURER'S REPORT
April 18, 2021
As of March 19, our bank balance stood at $56,824.51.
We spent $17,887.78 from our General Fund in March plus an additional $1550 from the revolving and pass-through funds. Most of the $1550 came from expenses charged to the Building Fund, to install plastic shielding to guard against covid. We have spent $68,353.33 in 2021, about 27.2% of our annual budget. For sake of comparison, the end of March is 25% of the year. We took in $12,166.24 in pledges and contributions from regular attendees in March. We have collected 43.9% of our expected pledge income so far this year.
As of February 26, the Endowment Fund value stood at $2,419,209.50. Five percent of the 12 month average is $108,609. The Edward Jones Building Fund has $31,435.24 in it. Our Apache stock holdings were valued at $129.44 on February 22.
As of the end of March, the Music Fund contained $953.93, and the Discretionary Fund has $35.70 in it. I would encourage people to contribute to the Discretionary Fund—there is a lot of need out there in the community.
March was a fairly low-spending month. The only bills out of the ordinary were $737.50 for snow removal and $475 for guest clergy. I think we are probably at the end of the snow removal fiasco for this winter. We spent $3630 for snow removal; we had budgeted $1500. Despite this, we are on track for our budget so far this year.
Respectfully submitted,
Rick Johns,
Treasurer
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Dear St. Paul’s friends,
I have given a lot of thought to how we should proceed with Lobster Boil. It was quite obvious from the replies I got a few months ago that most of us weren’t ready to do it this May. But, what about holding Lobster Boil in September? To make a long story short, I can’t commit myself to running a Lobster Boil this fall. I would like to wait until next May. I will explain my reasons below.
First, there are some practical matters to deal with. It takes 3 or 4 months to prepare for Lobster Boil, so preparations for a fall event would require making a lot of decisions soon. I don’t know what the availability and price of lobsters is in September. It might be quite a bit higher than in May—this would need to be investigated. Also, we would need to do extensive advertising, because right now no one expects a September Lobster Boil.
I am very concerned about Covid and Covid-induced social isolation. Can we be sure that there won’t be a new wave of infections, or that the Diocese will allow an event of this nature to occur? The church would need to be open for us to work in close quarters during the Boil. And related to this, we need to build up our sense of unity and purpose as a congregation before we can tackle a big project like Lobster Boil. Freyja and I still haven’t even been able to bring ourselves to attend Sunday services in person. I look forward to the day when we can meet and converse once again!
If anyone feels strongly that we should have a September Lobster Boil, please say so, especially if you would like to run it. But I am not willing to take on that responsibility until May 2022.
Rick Johns
Lobster Boil Co-Chair
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A time to gather and share, catch up, hear a new anthem, plan for the future, say good-bye to Tyrique, and embrace the spring in song. All are welcome to join our zoom - link above.
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Tyrique McNeal, Bass
Hannah Buckle, Pianist
In Recital at Boutell
Memorial Concert Hall
Saturday, May 1, 2021, 5:00 PM
Northern Illinois University
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Perfido from Radamisto and Stille Amare from Tolomeo by G. F. Händel; Wie Melodien ziet es mir, Dein Blaues Auge, Sonntag, Die Mainacht by Johannes Brahms; Ici Bas, Les Berceaux, Dans le Foret de Setembre, Tristesse by Gabriel Fauré; Deep River and Walk Together Children by Moses Hogan.
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A Thank You Note from Tyrique
Next semester, I will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall pursuing a masters in Music Performance. While I’m there I hope to continue studying voice and developing my talents for Opera and recital singing. I also hope to study composition and continue to develop my voice for writing music. University of Michigan also has various opportunities for church gigs, teaching voice lessons, and opera chorus gigs so I will definitely have my hands full!
My time has St.Paul’s has been very educational as well as enjoyable. I gained experience in singing church liturgy and experience singing solo pieces in a chamber setting. I have so gained wisdom from watching Lorraine and Hannah lead rehearsals and even had opportunities to practice conducting with the choir.
My favorite part about this experience has to be the community. St. Paul’s has some of the sweetest people I have ever met. I have grown so much as a professional musician and as a person working at St. Paul’s.
I am grateful to have known every single member of this church and I will miss you all dearly. Thank you for giving me a place to grow.
-Tyrique McNeal
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We celebrated the start of our gardening season with the blessing of the gardens with Mother Barb officiating. We had a dozen parish members tour the gardens on Sunday, April 24, to say prayers of thanksgiving and hope for the garden.
Because of the cold and rainy weather the month of April was spent mostly planning and tending our seedlings waiting for the soil temperatures to rise above 50 degrees so we could begin serious planting of warm weather crops in the vegetable garden. So far, we have early spring crops planted: onions, beets, peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach, radishes, and kale. Brad spread compost and cultivated the tomato and bean beds to prepare for planting while Rebecca and Jocelyn sowed seed and we all participated in weeding. Asparagus is ready and being harvested and shared. The Service Berry tree has been in fragrant bloom promising lots of June berries in a month or so. The last frosts spared the blossoms.
The roses are greening up nicely getting ready to bloom. Perennials are up and getting ready to blossom. Throughout our lawns dandelions and violets are creating a gold and purple blanket, the first food for the bees and other pollinators as they emerge. Iris will soon be in blossom in the front flower beds. The coffee corner is ready with padded chairs for friends to come and sit and enjoy the flowers. Mother Barb and Mary Short are planning to start a butterfly garden and Peggy Doty, a naturalist educator with Illinois Cooperative Extension is coming in May to help design a master plan for gardens including the butterfly garden and some prairie restoration areas along the Prayer Path.
We plan to work each Tuesday morning beginning about 9 am. All are welcome to join us. We are seeking a few bales of hay, plain cardboard, and carpet remnants to use for mulching the walkways of the vegetable garden and the raspberry beds. If anyone wishes to donate hay, cardboard, or carpet remnants for us to use, please let Kris Borre know at kristenborre@rocketmail.com. We appreciate all donations and help.
Kris Borre
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St. Paul’s is happy to share that Marilyn Cleland is this year’s Honored Woman from our parish. The Chicago Diocese of ECW recognizes parish women by acknowledging their contributions towards outreach, leadership, and Christian modeling in their home parish, in the community, and beyond. The Honored Woman recipients will be recognized at the Diocesan Annual Meeting (via Zoom) on May 8th.
Marilyn is a long-time member of St. Paul’s. She has held numerous positions both during worship services and behind the scenes. It would be impossible to list all Marilyn’s contributions to our parish and community. One of her more recent endeavors was to encourage St. Paul’s to consider what our parish life beyond might look like beyond what is found on the budget worksheet. Marilyn (and Cliff!) help make up the soul of our parish, and we are lucky to have them with us.
While St. Paul’s does not currently have an “active” ECW group, women like Marilyn give us incentive to keep banding together in fellowship and service.
Mother Barbara, Rector
Peg Newby, ECW Diocesan Board Member at Large
Maureen Gerrity, St. Paul’s ECW Treasurer
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BISHOP ELECT CLARK CONSECRATION |
On June 12, Bishop-elect Paula Clark will be ordained and consecrated the Thirteenth Bishop of Chicago in a service at St. James Cathedral. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will attend in person and serve as the chief consecrator. Bishop Mariann Budde of Washington will preach. The service will include the bishop's seating in the cathedral.
The consecration, originally scheduled for April 24, was postponed after Bishop-elect Clark underwent surgery on April 15 to remove an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in her brain. More information about the event, including COVID-19 protocols, will be available in the coming weeks.
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As we are having services take place in the Sanctuary again, the Flower Guild is now placing fresh flowers on the altar every week. Lori Judkins, Chair, is hoping that more people would like to join in beautifying the altar on Sunday by arranging for the flowers placed there. No expense, any flowers you bring are reimbursed. Please let Lori know if you would like to take part.
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We have finished the C.S. Lewis books and have been studying Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time by Marcus J. Borg. Mother Barbara asks those interested to please email her with times you would be available to meet on a continuing basis.
Jennie Cummings suggested anyone who needs a copy go to the Audible.com website where Screwtape Letters was offered free as an audible book for listening, and this book may be as well.
Meetings on Thursdays
at 6:00 PM via Zoom
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We will say farewell to our friend and member Elizabeth (Puzz) George who passed into the nearer life in God on May 1st, 2021. The funeral service will be on Saturday, May 8th at 10:00 AM at St. Paul's. Interment will follow in the North Clinton Cemetery in Waterman, IL.
Friends may visit from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Friday, May 7, 2021 at the Nash-Nelson Funeral Home, 1001 E. Garfield, Waterman, IL.
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Give DeKalb County is a great way to support your favorite nonprofit organizations in DeKalb County! On May 6, donations can be made online from midnight to midnight at GiveDeKalbCounty.org. Donors who prefer to give by check can print a donation form, complete it by indicating the organization(s) and donation amount(s), then write a single check for the total amount payable to “DCCF.” Checks can be mailed to DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178. Mail-in donations must be postmarked April 22 – May 6. To see which organizations are included, click here. Many organizations listed are ones that St. Paul's and St. Paul's members support.
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Habitat For Humanity is planning to build a new house in DeKalb and is looking for volunteers to help or donations to help.
See their letter to us here.
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Beginning on May 3rd, people will allowed to come back in to the Salvation Army pantry to choose their own food. This comes with the need for more volunteers to help individuals who use the pantry. Covid 19 precautions are in place. If you would like to assist, you can call or email Erin Andrews, the Volunteer Coordinator at 815-756-4308 or email at erin.andrews@usc.salvationarmy.org. See her letter here.
Also beginning in May, Vince and Pat McMahon will again set out the baskets in the Sanctuary for collections to take over the the Salvation Army Food Pantry.
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The Rector's
Discretionary Fund Collection
Donations allow us to assist people in need
in our community.
Remember that donations can be mailed at any time.
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May Birthdays and Anniversaries |
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Birthdays
5/4 Hannah Buckle
5/11 Terry Dickow
5/12 Nan Mason
5/24 Jacob Maas
5/25 Ashton Rolando Judkins
Anniversaries
5/7 Dean and Lori Judkins
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church Contact Information |
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900 Normal Rd., DeKalb, IL 60115
Parish Office: (815) 756-4888
The Rev. Barbara A.T Wilson, Rector
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