St. Paul's Episcopal Church Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
MESSENGER
"Making friends while serving God"
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The Week of August 31-September 6, 2021 |
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You Shall Love God With All of Your Heart
Jesus’ primary concern was to be obedient to his Father, to live constantly in his presence. Only then did it become clear to him what his task was in his relationships with people. This also is the way he proposes for his apostles: “It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples” (John 15:8). Perhaps we must continually remind ourselves that the first commandment requiring us to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind is indeed the first. I wonder if we really believe this. It seems that in fact we live as if we should give as much of our heart, soul, and mind as possible to our fellow human beings, while trying hard not to forget God. At least we feel that our attention should be divided evenly between God and our neighbor. But Jesus’ claim is much more radical. He asks for a single-minded commitment to God and God alone. God wants all of our heart, all of our mind, and all of our soul. It is this unconditional and unreserved love for God that leads to the care for our neighbor, not as an activity that distracts us from God or competes with our attention to God, but as an expression of our love for God who reveals himself to us as the God of all people. It is in God that we find our neighbors and discover our responsibility to them. We might even say that only in God does our neighbor become a neighbor rather than an infringement upon our autonomy, and that only in and through God does service become possible.
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To be redirected to the Lectionary Page and get a digital copy of the readings
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Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23; Psalm125;
James 2:1-10, [11-13], 14-17; Mark 7:24-37
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The Sunday Sermon
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Hand Washing
Many of you must remember the Broadway musical “Fiddler on The Roof.” In case you don’t, briefly it is about an Eastern European Jewish couple, Tevye & Golda, and their three daughters; and it’s about the things that happened to them as a family.
One song that most people remember from this musical was called “Tradition.” Important events take place for the family at a dinner, at a betrothal, at a wedding; and when these events occur some family members may ask, “Why do we do it this way?” And Tevye explains that there have always been certain traditions, and they are important because they keep the community in balance. Traditions are at the root of community. They can also help the community when it needs to transform into new ways, because it is what we have been in the past that can help us imagine where we need to go in the future.
However, when traditions are followed without people thinking about where the traditions came from, or who the traditions are supposed to serve, they can also be terribly hurtful and damaging, which brings us to the topic discussed in this morning’s gospel. The Pharisees criticized the followers of Jesus because they didn’t wash their hands before eating. Now you have to understand, the Pharisees weren’t concerned about hygienic issues, which would be our concern. No, they were more concerned about seeing people not washing before a meal as a violation of one of the Jewish traditions. They turned to Jesus and angrily asked him why he allowed his disciples to eat with defiled hands.
Traditions were very important to the Pharisees. Traditions helped them recognize who followed the law and who didn’t. The following of traditions helped them to know, in their way of thinking, who was inside the circle of God’s blessing and grace, and who was outside. Because of the disciples’ behavior, the Pharisees criticized them for having broken an important tradition, and suggested that in doing this, they must also have broken their relationship with God.
But wait a New York minute; hearing this Jesus must have looked them straight in the eye, and in response to their judgmental statements, he had some choice words for them. He criticized them for being so caught up in traditions that they had lost sight of what is really important about the meaning of the law, or better still, the spirit of the law.
In Jesus’ mind the problem was that the Pharisees were looking only at externals, looking only at the things they could see about a person from the outside, judging a person’s goodness and faithfulness based upon appearances. But they had forgotten about the importance of the internals, of what was inside the person as a measure of his or her goodness and faithfulness. He told them that it is not what goes into a person that should be of concern for the faith community, but what comes out of them in the way of behavior.
I can never forget; it seems like yesterday that I watched on television John McCain’s memorial services. I try to be careful about dealing with political issues from the pulpit, because I don’t ever want to use this place in which I stand as a “bully pulpit.” But I have to say some things about John McCain. He came from a well to do family steeped in a strong military tradition. As the son of an admiral and the grandson of an admiral, I’m guessing he could have pulled all kinds of rank, arranged all kinds of favors while in the Navy; but he didn’t do that. He didn’t even make it public knowledge that he had two sons in the military because he didn’t want them to get favors. When he was a POW, he could have been released from the Hanoi Hilton years before he was finally released, but he refused to leave until all of his buddies were released. The traditions we embrace are one thing, but what we say and how we behave is far more important than those traditions. McCain understood that.
Aretha Franklin, often referred to as “The Queen of Soul,” appeared to live a life that suggested to the public that she was concerned only about accruing wealth. I remember in her later years she created a tradition of coming on stage to perform dripping in a mink coat or shawl. But what people did not realize was that she did scores of concerts to raise money for the homeless, and the less fortunate particularly in the Detroit neighborhood in which she was raised. And many do not remember that she worked in the civil rights movement, at times marching with Martin Luther King. The traditions we embrace or create are one thing, but how we behave, what comes out of us is far more important than those traditions.
As members of St. Paul’s, as you return from summer vacation and move into a new season with a new priest , keep these ideas in mind, that traditions are comforting and important, but people come first in the eyes of God, and therefore you must always be open to and investigate with open minds new ideas, and welcome in the name and posture of Christ anyone who comes through the doors of this church; and unlike the Pharisees, you must look for the good that may come out of that person no matter how they present externally.
--Fr. C. Allan Ford
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SAVE THE DATE:
Sunday, September 26th from 3 - 7pm.
CELEBRATION POT LUCK for TYLER & MOLLY.
More information to follow
--Bobbie Gordon
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Our mask policy has changed due to new safety concerns that have developed. We ask that all people please wear masks while in church except when seated. If you are singing please put on your mask. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe.
--Shawn Prater-Lee
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PLEASE HELP OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED
Loving your neighbor as yourself. We are all aware of the needs around us: fires, floods and displacement. With this in mind I am asking that you to consider small donation to the Episcopal Relief and Development fund to help the neighbors in the US, Haiti and the Afghan families. Please consider creating a Love jar in your home and dropping in 50 cents or $1 each day. At the end of September we will receive your donations with a blessing and send it off from the St. Paul’s family.
--The Rev. Dcn. Julett Butler
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The Vestry is THRILLED to announce that St. Paul’s has called The Rev. Dr. Mary E. Barber to be our halftime Priest-in-Charge. We will share her with St. George’s in Newburgh. She is currently a transitional deacon and will be ordained priest on Saturday, September 18. She will celebrate her first Holy Eucharist at St. George’s (her sponsoring parish) Sunday, September 19 at 4:00. We all are invited to attend. At this time we don’t have a definite day for her to begin her work at St. Paul’s, but expect to soon. You’ll be hearing and reading more about Mary in the weeks to come but we wanted you to know that our search is finally over and we are excited to begin St. Paul’s next adventure with God’s help.
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HELP NEEDED!!
We’re having a Chicken BBQ Take-out on September 18th as a fund raiser. WE NEED A GRILL, A PICKUP TRUCK TO GET IT HERE, AND WORKERS in order for this to take place. If you are willing to help us out and can commit to one of those days, PLEASE SPEAK TO JANET, DEBBIE P., ROSE MARIE OR BOBBIE BY SEPT. 5.
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ST. PAUL'S SMALL BLESSINGS THRIFT SHOP & FOOD PANTRY: PLEASE HELP US TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY SAFELY
DONATIONS TO THE THRIFT SHOP MUST BE IN CLEAR PLASTIC BAGS OR CONTAINERS OR ON HANGERS WHEN YOU BRING THEM IN. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THE DONATIONS ON THE PORCH, BUT BRING THEM IN DURING THRIFT SHOP HOURS (TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS 10AM – 2PM).
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We thank everyone who has helped our missions stay open during these trying times. We kindly ask you all to help us to continue to serve our community with the safety it needs and deserves: Any food you donate should be unopened and within the sell by date. Shop items need to be clean and seasonal. We can only accept donations during shop hours. Leaving them at any other times or in the hallway can violate fire safety codes. Please DO NOT use black/opaque garbage bags to bring in your donations as the staff is unable to process the contents of it. Thank you again for your support.
--Jeanne Henderson
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IN-PERSON SUNDAY SERVICES
As more and more people are getting vaccinated against COVID 19 the Bishop has eased some of the restrictions that have affected our worship. Given this the Vestry has decided that all services (10:00am), except for the second Sunday of the month, will be in person and will include singing. We also hope to be able to broadcast the in person service live on our YouTube channel.
The second Sunday of the month will be on Zoom (see below for Zoom link). This allows us to have the coffee hour discussions and to retain those parishioners who are able to only be with us remotely.
We hope to see you on Zoom on Sunday and in person whenever you can make it in.
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ZOOM CHURCH LINK FOR ALL SERVICES
All services except for the second Sunday (on Zoom) of the month, will be in person at 10:00am and will include singing.
Our Zoom connections remain the same and are
Meeting ID: 823 3911 5280
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,82339115280# US (New York)
+13017158592,,82339115280# US (Germantown)
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
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ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YOUTUBE CHANNEL
We now have a YouTube channel.
To get there PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
or search on YouTube for St. Paul's Poughkeepsie.
We hope to put copies of all of our online services there.
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A NOTE FROM THE TREASURY TEAM
Total deposits for the month - $6662 ($295 for the Food Pantry). Many thanks to all who have been generously supporting the Food Pantry.
A reminder - Please remember to either mail in your pledge or drop it off through the mail slot any day during the week. The correct address is: 161 Mansion St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
ST. PAUL’S THANKS YOU!!!
--Bobbie Gordon
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UPCOMING LIFELONG LEARNING COURSES
Want to deepen your faith or expand your ministry toolkit but don’t have a lot of spare time and thousands of dollars to enroll in seminary?
Considering becoming a lay preacher, a faith formation leader, or evangelist or are you doing these ministries and want to develop your skills with peers?
Designed to be accessible and affordable, Pathways courses create communities of learning by blending asynchronous work (choosing when you want to read, watch videos, and interact with peers and your instructor in online discussions) with synchronous (live, same time) conversations via Zoom.
Click on the course title to learn more and to register.
Theology and Ethics —a four-week course starting August 29 with Marcus Halley that explores and wrestles with key tenants of Christian Doctrine.
Mentoring Deacons —an three-week, four live session course starting August 29 with Geri Swanson that provides tools and skills to guide, encourage and support the newly ordained deacon.
Faith Formation Leaders Training (Satisfies canonical requirements for Catechist license with approval of your Bishop) —a seven-week course September 5 with Sharon Pearson that explores faith development, the rudiments of formation, choosing curriculum, program planning and more.
Understanding Addiction and Becoming Recovery Allies (Satisfies canonical requirements for Catechist license with approval of your Bishop) —an eight-week course September 5 with Jan Brown to develop core competencies to meet the needs of persons with alcohol or substance related problems.
Engaging Storytelling —an six-week course starting September 19 with Simon Brooks and Lani Peterson to explore some of the transformative moments of your life and learn how to turn those experiences into a well-crafted, and compelling story that will resonate with your audience.
Gracious Leaders: Facilitators Training for Becoming Beloved Community —a three-week, four session course starting September 19 with Kaleidoscope Institute Associates Bill Cruse and Julie Boleyn equip participants to become Gracious Leaders with the skills and tools that are foundational for gracious and brave facilitation. (Participants must have completed the Becoming Beloved Community course first.)
Growing Relational Ministries for Deacons —a four-week course starting September 19 with Elizabeth Mae Magill that discusses how to move from ministry that is primarily to others into one that is ministry with people who are in need, and then look at the ways sharing the ministry creates a community that is church.
Episcopal Tradition: Prayer and Worship —a four-week course starting September 26 with Victor Conrado that explores how Christians can connect to and with God personally and communally as well as gain a deeper understanding of Episcopal prayer and worship including the significance of ritual practices, the liturgical year, the basics of liturgy, expressive and formative potential of worship, and reflect on the nature of worship in light of rapidly changing congregational contexts.
Pastoral Leader Training (Satisfies canonical licensure requirements with approval of your Bishop) —an eight-week course starting October 3 with Steve Matthews that explores the essentials of Pastoral Leadership while encouraging participants to shape approaches to fit the context where they will be serving as well as what it means to be an innovative leader who invites shared leadership within the community that is both adaptive and compelling.
Preaching Training: Finding Your Voice —a nine-week course starting October 3 with Susan Ironside to develop your sermons and gain confidence effectively delivering them. Typically taken after taking Foundations of Faith, Engaging Gods Word, and Theology and Ethics.
A Life of Grace Grace for the Whole World —a six-week course starting October 3 with Jerry Cappel and Stephanie Johnson explores a spiritual framework for deepening our relationship with God’s creation. This program’s presentations, exercises and discussions will be guided by teachings from the Episcopal House of Bishops, Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si, and other statements and teachings from faith communities on climate change, environmental racism and care for creation.
Becoming Beloved Community - a five-week course starting October 10 with Bill Cruse and another facilitator from Kaleidoscope Institute - deeply explore the roots of systemic racism and explore transformative responses personally, interpersonally, culturally, and institutionally in order to enact the vision of Beloved Community. It includes taking and reflecting on results from the Intercultural Development Inventory and satisfies the Canonical requirements for all lay and ordained leaders to participate in anti-racism training.
Advocacy 101 —a seven-week course starting October 17 with John Hennessey designed for teams and individuals who want to address issues from an institutional or systemic perspective. It will help you move from an understanding of your theological grounding to developing and implementing a plan for change.
Episcopal Tradition: History and Polity —a four-week course starting October 24 with Brad Peterson to discuss the history of our Anglican Communion from the English Reformation to today, the centrality of Baptism and Eucharist for Episcopalians in pursuing our mission, our commitment to the ancient orders of bishop, deacon and priest in supporting and leading us in our mission, and how we Anglicans organize ourselves as the church locally, regionally, globally and ecumenically.
Becoming Community & Representing Christ —a four-week course starting November 21 with Sarah-Beth Wright invites us all to engage and reflect on the culminating question of the Baptismal Covenant: Will you strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being? and discover ways to bridge the gaps between who we strive to be and who we actually are in our becoming more authentically church and representing Christ in the world.
Learn more about Pathways for Baptismal Living at Bexley Seabury Seminary here.
Contact me if you want to collaborate in offering these courses in your diocese or province or if you have ideas about courses that you would like us to develop with you.
Hope to see you online!
Julie Lytle, MDiv, PhD
Director of Distributive and Lifelong Learning Initiatives and
Associate Professor Educational Leadership
--The Rev. Dcn. Julett Butler
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My dear Brothers and sisters,
The first time I visited Haiti the earthquake of 2010 was a recent memory, and everywhere we
could see the signs of rebuilding and recovery from that horrific tragic catastrophe. The ruin that
was visited upon the country, and upon its cities and villages, was extreme. And it was clear to all
who had eyes, or who listened to the accounts and stories of the Haitian people, that what would
have been a great hardship under any circumstances was made horribly worse, and the suffering
of people more terrible, by the endemic poverty which is written into the lives of the Haitian
people. It felt like a wakeup call. At every construction site or rebuilt clinic or school were large
signs, which identified the charitable organizations, religious organizations, governments of
foreign countries, and international NGOs which had contributed to the work and its costs. One
could imagine that Haiti was at a tipping point, when the eyes of the world were opened to the
long years of International disinterest or geopolitical forces which had kept the country in a state
of perpetual struggle, and there was now some measure of global repentance. And that repentance
was bearing fruit in a renewed life and opportunity for growth.
Good things have happened in Haiti. Churches across our diocese, as well as across America and
the world, have long-standing mission partnerships with villages, churches, schools and hospitals
in Haiti, and our diocese has many ordained a lay missioners and friends of that wonderful
country which has struggled so long. The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is the largest diocese in the
Episcopal Church, and is a member of Province II, of which the Diocese of New York also
belongs. The people of the Diocese of Haiti are our brothers and sisters, and partners in
ministry. Once one has been to Haiti one will never again forget the beauty of the island and the
people.
Now in the weeks which have followed the assassination of President Moïse, and the political
instability arising from an attempted coup d’etat, another powerful earthquake has visited death
and suffering, destruction and ruin, again upon Haiti. Some two thousand people have lost their
lives in the last week. Countless numbers of people are sleeping outdoors or under tarpaulins
because their homes have been destroyed or are no longer safe. Many churches, the first
responders to Haitian people in need, are destroyed, and in some communities that are no
churches left at all. Every Christian heart must break in observing such suffering, and as we have
done before, I ask this diocese - our churches and our people - to respond in constant prayer, and
with generosity and godly love.
Sometimes money is pastoral care, and I ask your most generous giving for Haiti at this
time. Episcopal Relief and Development is inviting donations to support the work they are doing
in Haiti and will expand now to respond to the earthquake, and I commend ERD to you as a
venue for your giving. However, in the Diocese of New York we also stand ready to receive your
gifts on behalf of the people of Haiti, with particular attention to our already existing relationships
with communities and people in that country. Donations may be sent to the Diocese of New York,
designated for Haiti relief, and we will make provision for getting that help to the places most
needed.
In addition to your charitable giving for Haiti, I strongly ask your prayers for these: the Reverend
Pierre André Duvert, Rector of Saint Luke’s Church in the Bronx; the Reverend Nathanael Saint-
Pierre, Priest-in-Charge of Saint Augustine’s Church in Manhattan; the Reverend Sam Owen,
Priest in Charge, and Deacons Adeline Smith and Wilson Estil, all of the Haitian Congregation of
the Good Samaritan in the Bronx; and the Reverend Promise Atelon of Trinity Parish. May they,
and the great number of Haitian people who worship and minister in this diocese, be living icons
for us of the strength and vitality of the Haitian Diaspora in our midst. Let us give thanks for
them, and join them in their ministry to the Haitian community of this diocese. With every good
wish, I remain
Yours,
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The Right Reverend Andrew ML Dietsche
Bishop of New York
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_1 Noto Hodge
_ Brandon Clarke
_4 Brian McKarthy
_7 Rebecca Lynn Brown
_9 Janet Woods
__ Judith Mizell
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11 Louise Evans
12 Marjorie Marks
__ Colleen Misner
14 Robert Dubois Jr.
__ Jack Porter
21 Aleen Josephs-Clarke
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22 Douglas Robinson
__ Shamara Ame Wethington Mizell
23 Benjamin Porter
28 Adrian Joseph Goldson
29 Daphne Barett
30 Thomas A. Walker
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Please keep those on our parish prayer list in your minds and in your prayers, especially at this time of separation and isolation.
Intercessions
SEPTEMBER 2021
Our prayers are asked for:
Mary Ann, Steven, Jim Janett, Charlie; Alison, Paulie, Grandpa Prater; Lillian, Sasha, Melius family, Plain family, Joe, Pat, Matthew, Those known only to God; Gary, Dawn, Eckwall-Lahey families; Paul, Andrew & family, Ron, Dave & Liz, Burton family; Tish; Tommy; Carol; Chris; Sandra; George, Norm; Janett; Kay, Katherine, Renate; Frank Burnett, Food Pantry Volunteers, victims of Human/Sex Trafficking;
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church - Poughkeepsie
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'In Service to God & You' |
Our food pantry volunteers are in active service at St. Paul's these days. We give thanks to them and thanks to God for their willingness to help us by helping others. |
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THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR
August 31-September 6, 2021
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YOUR NEWS BELONGS IN ST. PAUL'S MESSENGER
Help us get the word out by submitting news of parish activities. Send submittals to stpaulpk@verizon.net or call 845 452 8440
Give us a call today!
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church 161 Mansion Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
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