A Message from the Interim Rector:


In the Bleak Midwinter
The Medieval mystic, Julian of Norwich once imagined and described the infant Jesus holding a small brown hazelnut in his tiny hand – a symbol of future hope. She also had a vision about the whole of creation, as small as this tiny nut:

“And in this he showed me a little thing, the quantity of a hazel nut, lying in the palm of my hand, as it seemed. And it was as round as any ball. I looked upon it with the eye of my understanding, and thought, ‘What may this be?’ And it was answered generally thus, ‘It is all that is made.’ I marveled how it might last, for I thought it might suddenly have fallen to nothing for littleness. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasts and ever shall, for God loves it. And so, have all things their beginning by the love of God. In this little thing I saw three properties. The first is that God made it. The second that God loves it. And the third, that God keeps it.” ―Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love

In the Bleak Mid-Winter of 2020, the holy family (see our creche photo above) are frozen in the shadowy snowdrifts as we contemplate God keeping us all in the palm of a hand. We remember Christmas past and how much we simply took for granted-travelling where we wanted or inviting friends and loved ones for eggnog and Christmas cheer. We remember the simple joys and warmth of human contact, carols and the smell of greens in church. All these things we hold dearly in the palm of our hands and no-one can take those memories away from us, not even in this bleak mid-winter.
The Memorial Empty Chair is here for us to think about and pray for all our loved ones we are missing this holiday season. Drop by the decorated church this week to see it.

Missed Sunday's Lessons and Carols? Here it is.
Congratulations, Confirmands!
Maida Budd
Charlie Budd
Juliana Brueckner
Livi DeMulder-Stites
Ben Hayes
Olivia Hayes
Elizabeth Pearcy
Sophie Piatkowski
Gus Platt
Cecelia Stevenson
Drew Warnick
Louella Whitaker
Ellen Williamson
THANK YOU MRS. DIXON

Many thanks to Anne Coste and the Flower Guild for the beautiful Christmas decorations and to John and Janna Grigger for the altar arrangements.

We give thanks for our beloved patron who ensures our Christmas greens and flowers are paid for each year, Mrs. Edith Dixon.

So many of us enjoy these annual decorations and Edie dedicates all these magnificent creations to the glory of God and in memory of her family members:

F. Eugene Dixon, Jr., Eleanor Widener Dixon, George D. Widener, Eleanor Dixon Gentle,
F. E. Dixon and Sarah and David Robb.
Many thanks to everyone who sent their pledges into the office and online these past couple of months. As of December 23rd, we have received 139 pledges for a total of just over $558,491 -- about 88% of our goal! If you have not pledged to the operating budget for 2021, please do so here. Your generosity ensures that St. Paul's can continue to be a positive force in our community for many years to come. We have around 30 families and individuals who pledged last year and we hope can do so again so we can meet the $100k challenge gift.

It is also very important that everyone who pledged in 2020 can fulfill their commitment within the next week to include their gift in tax records for this year. We have $110k in outstanding pledge commitments to meet. Thanks to everyone who has already completed their gifts for this year.
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Affel
Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Albert
Mr. Richard Alexander
Mr. Douglas Anderson
Mr. Henry Ballerstedt
Mr. & Mrs. Justin Baxter
Mrs. Charlotte Betancourt
Ms. Charlotte Biddle
Ms. Linda Boggs
Ms. Patricia Bonsall
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Boothby
Ms. Pamela Bracey
Ms. Elizabeth Brooks
Mr. Colin Brown & Ms. Lauren O'Garro-Moore
Mr. & Mrs. Wilson Brown, III
Mr. Martin Brueckner & Ms. Kristen Poole
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Budd
Mr. Robert Busser & Ms. Karen Richter
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Butler, Jr.
Mr. Sandy L.V. Byrd & Mrs. Bessie Jordan-Byrd
Mr. Stephen Camp-Landis
Ms. Lynn Carroll & Ms. JoAnn Puccella
Ms. Alessandra Cartelli
Mr. Kenneth Class
Ms. Margaret Class
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Clowery
Miss. R. Jeanette Cord
Mr. Henry Crouter
Mrs. Nina Deats
Dr. Mary Anne Delaney & Ms. Helen McBride
Ms. Cheyenne DeMulder & Ms. Shana Stites
Mrs. Ruth Desiderio
Ms. Sandra Dillon
Mrs. Edith Dixon
Mr. Mark Ducket & Mr. Stan Gaddy
Ms. Suzanne Dure
Ms. Margaret Emmons
Mr. Joe Fafara & Ms. Catherine Davis
Mr. & Mrs. William Fikioris
Ms. Janice Fiore
Ms. Joan Fischer
Mr. & Mrs. Walter Foulke
Mrs. Margaret Freeman
Mr. & Mrs. W. Roderick Gagné
Ms. Lee Gast
Mrs. Sandra Glendinning
Mr. Wm. Graham
Mrs. Jane Gray
Dr. & Mrs. John Grigger
Mr. Clark Groome
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Hanlon
Mrs. Henry F. Harris, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Hayes
Mr. Charles Head & Mr. John Faggotti
Mr. Brian Henes
Mr. Jeffrey Hoeltzel
Mr. and Mrs. & Mrs. Robert Hubby
Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Hyde
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Irwin
Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Johnson
Ms. Shireatha Johnson
Mrs. Joseph L. Jones
Ms. Bernice Jones
Ms. Denise Jones
Dr. Richard Kagen & Ms. Valerie Stevens
Mrs. Kathleen Karhnak-Glasby
Mr. & Mrs. John Kimberly
Mrs. Charlotte Kleis
The Rev. Daniel Kline
Mr. Charles Klitsch
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Knudson
Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Knup, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kolb
Miss. Kirsten Landreth & Mr. Scott Smith
Michael & Sarah Latini
Mr. & Mrs. David Leach
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Leonards, III
Ms. Chesley Lightsey & Ms. Sherri Hamilton
Ms. Rosaria Love
Ms. Mary Loveland
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Lower
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Mabry
Mr. Myron Manternach & Ms. Tabitha Oman
Mr. Timothy Martin & Ms. Paula Brown
Mr. Tim McLean & Mrs. Anna Marley
Mr. George McNeely
Dr. & Mrs. Kara McShane
Mrs. Evelyn H. Miller
Mr. Harvey Shipley Miller
Ms. Lisa Miller
Mrs. Lyn Montgomery
Ms. Wendy Munyon
Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Nalle
Mr. Jonathan Nidock
Dr. & Mrs. Daniel O'Connell
Mrs. Suzanne O'Neil
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas O'Rourke
The Rev. Canon Albert Ogle & Mile Petrov
Mrs. Jeanne Omans
Mrs. Harriet Palmer
Mrs. Margaret Pearson
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Pearson, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Robin Peirce
Mr. & Mrs. Adam Piatkowski
Mr. Michael Pongracz
Mr. & Mrs. James Pope
The Rev. & Mrs. James Proud
Mrs. Rose Randall
Mr. & Mrs. George Reath Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. John Rollins
Mrs. Trudy Roman
Mr. & Mrs. Steven Schindler
Ms. Madeline Schroth
Mr. Schwarz & Mrs. Jorge-Schwarz
Mrs. Nancy Shepard
Captain & Mrs. Carl Sheppard, Jr.
Mr. Edward W. N. Smith
Mrs. Judith Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Southwell
Dr. George Spaeth
Mr. & Mrs. Baird Standish
Ms. Elizabeth Starrantino
Mr. & Mrs. Fred Straub, III
Mr. Newbold Strong
Ms. Charlotte Sutton
Mrs. Elaine Sykes
Mrs. Louise Thompson
Mr. & Mrs. Spencer Tullo
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Van Sciver, III
Mrs. Patricia Voigt
Mr. & Mrs. James Walker
Mr. & Mrs. William Wemple
Dr. Robert Whitaker & Dr. Hillary Burdette
Mr. & Mrs. J. Randolph Williams, Jr.
Mr. Sheppard Williams & Mr. Stephen Stone
Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Williamson
Mrs. Margaret Woodruff
Mr. John Zimmermann, III
During this time when most of us are not attending church services in person, we are offering a Virtual Collection Plate. Please contribute what you would normally have given each Sunday and help Saint Paul's continue its important work!
Shop and Drop

Your contribution to St. Paul’s Shop and Drop has made a positive impact on so many families in our nearby communities through our weekly deliveries to St. Luke’s food pantry in Germantown. The demand continues to rise. 

Consider donating:

Vegetables/rice/potatoes, other: canned vegetables, boxed mashed potatoes, and rice

Protein: Peanut butter (or any other nut butter), nuts/seeds/trail mix, canned tuna fish, canned chicken, soup/stew-hearty, shelf stable milk. Consider donating jelly or jam in unbreakable containers to accompany peanut butter.
 
Carbohydrates: Crackers, granola bars, cereal
 
Other: Red tomato sauce, fruit cups, applesauce, canned fruit, and dried fruit.

The St. Paul’s Outreach Committee thanks you for your dedication.
-Charlotte Biddle and Tom O’Rourke, Outreach Committee Chairs
UPDATE: St. Paul's is unbelievable!!!! We at Outreach are overwhelmed and delighted by the generosity of St. Paul's parishioners -- we delivered 40 coats to Face to Face last week. Thanks to all. Keep scratchin'!

It’s time! It’s getting cold.

Face to Face Germantown again needs gently used winter coats - men’s and women’s - the larger the better. You all were amazingly generous last winter. Jody and I made a trip a week with your coats and they were all snapped up.

So, please check the closet and if you see a coat you won’t wear again and would like it to see new life, you can drop it off in the back of the church, near the usher's table or in the rectory during office hours.

Jody and I will see that it gets to Face to Face.

Thanks so much.
Tom O'Rourke
Thank you to all who donated for this project. Special thank you to Cathy Davis for dropping off the gifts with Rev. Dan+!
Please continue to pray for Max and Avery Peterson during this difficult holiday season. If you are hurting, please reach out to the clergy for any pastoral care. We are available around the clock.
Missed our Christmas services?


You can watch them (or re-watch them!) here.
Marisa Curcio is available to help you get connected, and she can be reached by e-mail at mcurcio@stpaulschestnuthill.org.
Stay connected.