A Note from Mtr. Brittany

Dear People of St. Paul's,

"How might we?" I've been asking myself this question a lot recently!

As Autism Acceptance Month draws to a close, I wanted to share an update on our efforts to make worship more welcoming and inclusive for autistic individuals.

Thanks to parishioner Janette Platter, who is also the Chaplain at Bishop Spencer Place, St. Paul's received a grant from the Lilly Foundation. This grant allows us to explore how our worship services can better serve autistic members of our community.

Since last fall, Janette and I have been part of a group of Kansas City church leaders who received the same grant. Our group represents diverse worship styles, from high liturgy to megachurches to a house church. What unites us is the question, "How might we" create inclusive worship that's authentic and reflects the core values of our individual parishes?

The beauty of this question is that it acknowledges there's no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one church might not work for another, and what one person finds welcoming may not be the same for someone else.

However, the question does open the door to exploration, discovery, and trial and error. It allows us to explore how the Holy Spirit moves in ways that transcend our personal preferences. It reminds us that some may need movement during worship, while others prefer stillness; some may find solace in silence, while others connect with uplifting music. This approach embraces diversity without sacrificing unity. The "we" emphasizes that we can maintain boundaries that define our identity, shared prayers, and common life, while still advocating for creativity and accessibility.

One tangible result of this process is the support shelf in the Narthex. This shelf isn't filled with toys, but with tools to help people engage in worship, such as fidget tools, pens and paper, pictorial liturgy guides, and sensory boxes that reflect the liturgical season. While initially curated for neurodivergent children, these resources are available to anyone who finds them helpful.

I'm grateful for this opportunity to explore more inclusive worship practices for our autistic community. I'm hopeful this will lead to further community partnerships. Most importantly, I appreciate the chance to reflect on how creating an inclusive community requires dedication, compromise, and advocacy – for ourselves and others. This experience makes me wonder, "How might we" apply this approach to other ministries and groups at St. Paul's?

Mtr. Brittany

This Sunday

We begin at 9:00 AM with:

Godly Play | Third Floor

Adult Forum | Garden Room | Embracing Easter | Info Below

And continue at 10:00 AM with:

Worship | Nave | I was glad - Hubert Parry

• Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, Branson and the Bishop’s Search Committee

Children's Worship | Third Floor

Find out more about what's happening at St. Paul's on our website.

To view the Sunday worship bulletin and join us for online worship, click here.

Coming Soon

Apr. 26: David von Drehle Author Talk - The Book of Charlie | 5:30 PM | Info Below

Apr. 27: Safe Church, Safe Community Training | 10:00 AM | Learn More

Apr. 28: Touching the Soul Book Group Discussion on The Book of Charlie | After service

May 5: Handbell Choir Concert | 7 PM

May 12: Letter-Writing Coffee Hour | After Service | Info Below

May 15: St. Paul's Adult Choir Concert | More info soon!

May 19: Graduation Sunday | Info Below

Annual Pentecost Picnic | After Church

May 22: SPEDS Baccalaureate and Reception

May 24: SPEDS Graduation

June 1: Joan Ridge Funeral | 11 AM | Bishop Spencer Place

For an easy-to print list of all upcoming events, click here.

All items subject to change.

Announcements

TONIGHT! Local Legend's Story Comes Alive! Author David Von Drehle at St. Paul's

Join us for a heartwarming evening with renowned author David Von Drehle (Washington Post) tonight - Friday, April 26th (5:30 PM - 7:30 PM).

Why this is BIG:

• Hear the story of Charlie: the beloved St. Paul's parishioner at the center of Von Drehle's book, "The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man."
• Meet the author, get your book signed, and enjoy a reception: Mingle with Von Drehle, enjoy a glass of wine, and get your copy signed after the discussion. Books will be available for purchase, courtesy of Rainy Day Books.
• Discover what it means to live a long, happy life: Inherit wisdom gleaned from Charlie's extraordinary journey.

P.S. The Wall Street Journal calls "The Book of Charlie" "an original and highly readable account of a splendid American life."

We look forward to seeing you there! If you incur childcare expenses to attend this event, please submit them to the church office for reimbursement.

Coffee Hour at St. Paul's

A warm, inviting, and well-stocked coffee hour is a wonderful opportunity to connect with friends old and new. For visitors, it helps creates a welcoming environment, and puts on showcase a bit of who we are here at St. Paul’s.

Whether it's pastries, fruit, or finger foods, your offering, whether store-bought or homemade, is warmly welcomed. To make the process easier for you, we have set up a Sign-up Genius link where you can choose the day that suits you best to bring your offering.

Mail Call May 12! Support our youth at Camp by writing them a note. 

Episcopal Mega Camp has several cherished traditions, including singing the mealtime prayer to the tune of the "Addams Family" theme song, Forkless Spaghetti night, and the evening mail call. We need your assistance in ensuring that all our children receive mail each of the six nights at Camp.

You can contribute by bringing notes to the church or writing them during coffee hour. Throughout May beginning on the 12th, a card-writing station will be available in the Parish Hall. Everyone is encouraged to participate! By then, we will have the names of all our campers, allowing you to address your notes to them. Additionally, we can spread the love of the St. Paul family by writing general notes of encouragement to give to youth whose communities did not send mail.

Cards will be collected during coffee hour and delivered to Camp Wood during check-in.

Embracing Easter: Hope, Love, and Resurrection in Today's World

What difference does Easter make today?

Join us for a series of insightful 9 AM Sunday forums exploring the profound impact of the Easter season in our modern lives. Whether through war and violence, illness, or any other troubles, we know that as followers of Jesus, hope, love, and joy always find a way. Together, let's reflect on embodying these promises amidst the woes of today's society.

This Sunday morning: "Walking the Emmaus Road: Finding Jesus' Abiding Presence" - Bible Study on Luke 24:13-35

St. Paul's Choir Concert May 15 - Save the Date!

Save the date for a wonderful concert full of high Anglican choral music presented by St. Paul's Adult Choir, led by Sam Anderson. We're still ironing out some exciting details, so the exact location has yet to be determined. In any case, we would love to see you there to support our outstanding St. Paul's musicians. Be on the lookout for more details in the near future.

Save the date for food and fun at our annual Pentecost Picnic!

May 19th after church under the tents on the upper field. Please bring a generous side dish - enough for your family and a few more ~ e.g. salads, beans, casseroles, rice, cookies, etc. St. Paul’s provides the chicken, biscuits and drinks.

Cool off with a Super Water Slide for the kids! If you have a lawn game you're willing to set up and share with fellow parishioners, please bring it.

Contact Pat Rudy or Rebecca Collier with questions.

Touching the Soul Book Group - 2024/2025

We would love for you to join us! Please register (nancyeday@gmail.com) to receive updates and discussion questions. Or just show up! A Zoom option is available.

In April, we'll join the entire St. Paul's Community to read The Book of Charlie (https://shorturl.at/LMY57).

• On Sunday, April 28, Touching the Soul Book Group will meet at our usual time,11:45 in the conference room, to discuss the book in our small group setting. All are welcome.

May Reading holiday - see you in June!

June - will feature The Measure (https://shorturl.at/bjqHP): 

• Our discussions will be after church at 11:45 in the second-floor conference room on June 9 & 23. 

Graduation Sunday is May 19th

We want to celebrate with you! If you or someone you know is graduating from school (8th grade and up), completing a course, degree, or program work we can honor, or has done so since last May, please submit their name and their course or school of completion to the Church Office (stpauls@stpaulskcmo.org) by Wednesday, May 1st.

Do you have something you think should be included in this email? Submit your request to the editor by 6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. If your request is submitted after this cutoff, we may not be able to include it in the same week's edition. Thanks!