This past Sunday, Director of Music Keith Shafer chose the anthem, “Shall we gather at the river” recorded by the Canterbury and Saint Paul’s Choirs. I confess that I was not prepared for Robert Lowry’s famous hymn and my mother’s personal favorite! I have no memory of when she was not humming or singing the music or lyrics while she went about housework or just relaxing on the porch.

If you were at church Sunday or caught the service on the live stream, you may remember that I jokingly remarked to Mr. Shafer that the next time he included this hymn in the service he was to supply me with a large box of Kleenex!

Why the tears upon hearing a hymn I have heard all my life? The answer is one powerful word, memories, which at the end of the day is perhaps the prime effect that music has on the human spirit. Even though I was never a member, I have a lot of Saint Paul’s church memories going back over fifty years. Many of you have similar long-term memories, but the ones that are very close to all of us are those from just a couple of years ago when we took church and worshiping together for granted.

Mr. Shafer’s anthem selection at this time may also prove to be prophetic. When you receive this newsletter today, the diocese will release new guidelines, which will in the coming weeks and months allow us to make new memories together. Translation–restrictions will be softened!

When Robert Lowery wrote “Gather at the River,” he drew heavily upon the words of Revelation 22:1-2. I’ve always been impressed that Lowery was inspired to take a passage from an apocalyptic text and transcend it to hope and promise. Yes, I was impressed, but not surprised. Lowry was a popular Baptist minister in the 19^th century. He knew the message of the Gospel. No matter how bad things are, no matter how hopeless things may be, God always heals, restores, and reconciles!

Peace,

Joe+

Fr. Bowden will host a study on our Presiding Bishop’s latest book, Love is the Way: Holding on the Hope in Troubling Times. In this book, Bishop Curry offers no abstract or philosophical analyses of love. He simply tells his personal stories of how he has experienced the love of God, which he proclaims is the only source and key to life and that love is “an equal opportunity employer.” Fr. Bowden declared this book as “not just a good read, but a must read!”

Copies will be available in the Parish Office to anyone interested. If you would like to join the study with Fr. Bowden, please contact Maddy Baker with your interest. 

To the People of Saint Paul’s:

This week, the Vestry met in person for the first time in 14 months! It was wonderful to be in the River Room, even if we did have some acoustical challenges. We are happy to be working toward more in-person opportunities to share with you. We are looking forward to May 16, when we will celebrate the faith and accomplishments of our graduating high school seniors and begin our new prayers for them as they transition into the next phase of their lives.

We are happy to announce the new diocesan guidelines which will now allow us to have 100 persons in attendance during a service. The Vestry voted to allow this opportunity to be in effect immediately. You will notice that last week we were able to include a lay reader and that the congregation remained in the church until the final blessing. As we return to normal practices, we ask that you still wear a mask and help us keep moving forward. As we increase our in-person options, we will continue to have additional needs for ushers, altar guild, and flower guild members. We welcome your offers of service; please contact the Parish Office if you are interested.

We are planning the meeting sessions for the review of the second round of listening sessions. The reviews are planned as in-person meetings, but there will be a Zoom meeting option. Please look for more information on this next week.

Finally, in a TED talk this week, I heard a beautiful thought: Prayer is action, almost like a dance. I have tried to imagine the “visual” of prayer – the shape, size, and flight of thoughts and words as they move around in the realm of God. I think that Sunday’s sermon will look different to me this week!

Ashley Wright

Senior Warden

If you have not completed a pledge card, please complete this year’s annual stewardship appeal and return it to the church as soon as possible, or pledge online on our website at saintpauls.org/pledge-card/. If you did not receive a pledge appeal in the mail or have simply misplaced yours, please email the parish office or contact by telephone at (706) 724-2485 ext. 225.

as of 4/21/21

Please contact the Parish Office to update our files.