Weekly Sunday service information and parish newsletter.
The Reverend Benjamin Hankinson, Celebrant
May 15 - The Fifth Sunday of Easter

+Holy Eucharist+
Rite I 8 a.m. | Rite II 10 a.m. (Sung)

Masks are optional.

9:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
9:15 - Children's Church School in Lower Level
9:15 - Adults - Morning Prayer & conversation in Pearson Hall
10 a.m. service in person & streamed via Facebook Live.
Coffee hour after the 10 a.m. service.

Virtual coffee hour chat available at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81076773055
Readings for Sunday, May 15


Make Your Offering!
UTO Ingathering May 15-29

The United Thank Offering spring ingathering will take place from May 15-29.The United Thank Offering Mission Statement calls us to action: “Put gifts into the Blue Box with thanksgiving, prayer and generosity. Take Blessings out of the Box for grants serving the church’s mission.”

Obtain a Blue Box or UTO envelope now in the narthex then place your gift in the offering plate. Gifts may also be made online via the parish website at this link. Be sure to indicate the purpose of your gift is UTO!

More information about how UTO funds are used is available at this link.
The Week of May 15

  • Vestry Meeting, Sunday, May 15, 11:30 p.m.
  • Holy Eucharist (Eastertide), Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
  • Consecration of Bishop Burgess, May 21, Springfield or Livestream
  • Parish Picnic, May 22, following 10 a.m. service

Looking Ahead

  • Ascension Day Holy Eucharist, May 26, St. Michael's O'Fallon, 12 noon
  • Book Sale - Outdoor Clearance, July 1-2
  • Pearson Hall carpet tile and kitchen floor installation, July 5-8.
  • Summer Book Fair, August 5-6
  • Relay for Life Book Sale at Parkfest, October 16
  • Fall (Final) Book Fair, November 4-5

Mark Your Calendar for the
Consecration of Bishop Burgess Saturday, May 21!

  • The Consecration service will begin at 11:00 a.m. and will be livestreamed from the home page of the website for the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle in Springfield. Link

  • Contributions towards the purchase of items (vestments and insignia) needed by Fr. Burgess when he is consecrated are still welcome and can be made by mailing a check to the Diocese or online at this link. Mail checks to The Episcopal Diocese of Springfield, 821 S 2nd St, Springfield, IL 62704.

  • May news in the Diocese, including a letter from Bishop Burgess as he initially arrived in Illinois, is available at this link. The Diocese tells Bp. Tony Clavier, Vicar of St. Thomas, Glen Carbon, goodbye as he retired May 1 and is heading to Wales to live near family.

  • Parishes in the Darrow Deanery and others are invited to Holy Eucharist at St. Michael's O'Fallon on Ascension Day, May 26, at 12 Noon.

  • Other May News in the Diocese is available at this Link.
Bishop Burgess and his wife, Denise, as they arrive in Springfield!
Welcome Erin McCrary as the New Executive Assistant to Bishop Burgess!

Bishop-elect Burgess is pleased to announce that Ms. Erin McCrary will begin her tenure as Executive Assistant to the Diocesan Bishop beginning June 8th.

Erin has served many roles within the Diocese, which include Senior Warden at her home parish of St. John's, Centralia, as well as the Lay Director of the Cursillo Secretariat. Most recently, Erin has played a critical role on the Transition Committee.
In her own words, Erin shared with Bishop-elect Burgess how she finds “having the opportunity to support various church functions from worship services to working with the people of the church and Diocese extremely rewarding.”

Sue Spring, former Diocesan Administrator, retired in 2021 after 18 years.

You may find the complete announcement about Erin at this link.
Pearson Hall Carpet Tile and Flooring
Installation Begins July 5!

Vallow Flooring will be working in the parish hall, kitchen, pantry and janitor's closet from Tuesday, July 5, through Friday, July 8, installing the new carpet tile and wood-look flooring. The space will not be available for other activities during these four days. Help will again be needed to move items out of the way of the Vallow crew during this installation. Contact Marian Smithson at info@standrews-edwardsville if you have questions about this.
Parish Picnic, May 22, Township Park

Mark your calendar and hope for a sunny, but pleasant day, for the parish picnic at Township Park, following the ten o'clock service.
2022 General Convention in Baltimore

[Episcopal News Service] The 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church will proceed in person this July in Baltimore, Maryland, but it likely will be shorter and smaller, with enhanced safety protocols to further minimize the risk of COVID-19 infections, according to an outline of potential changes presented May 11 by The Episcopal Church’s presiding officers.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the House of Deputies, discussed their preliminary plan for a modified General Convention at a special meeting of Executive Council held online and livestreamed. They said that neither cancelation nor another postponement of General Convention is a viable option.

“There are essential matters for the governance and good order of the church which must be transacted. We are committed to holding the 80th General Convention in Baltimore this summer,” Curry said in his remarks. “I know how much this commitment to the city of Baltimore and to the Diocese of Maryland matters. But obviously, with the ongoing variation of the COVID pandemic, we are likewise committed to gathering in the safest and healthiest way possible.

“Love of neighbor is not simply a good idea. It is a commandment of Jesus based on the teaching of Moses to always seek the good and the well-being of each other.”

That commitment means that this General Convention meeting will not look like past triennial gatherings of the church’s governing body. “As hard as it is to accept, we are not yet able to hold the big family reunion we’ve all been longing for,” Jennings said. Instead of an eight-day meeting July 7-14 attended by thousands of deputies, bishops, staff members, vendors and visitors, Jennings said planners are working toward a “short, focused meeting, to hold elections, approve a budget and address other critical issues and essential legislation that cannot wait until 2024.”

Additional reporting available at this link.
A Prayer for Ukraine

God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen
 
Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby
Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell
St. Andrew's Communications
Communications Coordinator and Newsletter Editor-in-Chief, Marian Smithson
Newsletter Editor, Jane Weingartner | Newsletter Editor, Marianne Cavanaugh
info@standrews-edwardsville.com