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Parishioner Mark Carpenter shares the following reflection:
Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you said in your entire lifetime is “thank you,” it will be enough.”
I am going to admit something: I love summer in Indiana. Yes, summer is humid here; but summer here is nothing like summer in Texas, which has daytime highs over 100 degrees and lows around 80, with high humidity from the Gulf of Mexico, very little rain and very little wind for weeks on end.
Not long after I joined St. Paul’s, a summer book club was organized on Robin Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass.” The group met outside, before church, every other Sunday during the summer. By nature I’m very introverted, and by participating in this group I started making friends at St. Paul’s.
Robin Kimmerer is a botanist, and an enrolled member of the Potawatomi Nation. In the book, she wrote about her personal experiences working with plants and reuniting with her people’s cultural traditions. In the Potawatomi creation myth, sweetgrass is believed to be the first plant to grow on earth.
We applied some of the ideas mentioned in “Braiding Sweetgrass”: it’s how the St. Paul community garden, and ultimately the Green Team, came into being. I applied some techniques from the book into my own garden: I started talking to my plants, treating them very gently, actually asking them when I could harvest fruit from them, and thanking the plants when I did harvest rather than just plucking the fruit from the plant. (If you detect resistance from a plant when harvesting, leave it alone. It's not ready.) I never harvested all the fruit off the plants until just before the last freeze, when I thanked the plants for the work they had done producing fruit.
That summer, the yields from my plants doubled. I forswore my allegiance to Monsanto and started using natural insecticides. I spent about two hours every day in my gardens, and gave thanks that the sunlight on my body gave me much more freedom of movement in arthritic joints. We were giving away poblano and Serrano peppers and tomatoes. My basil plant grew to four feet in height: it looked like a bush.
Time and time again in the Bible, Jesus gives thanks before (and after) performing a miracle. On the other hand, it’s rare that anyone on whom Jesus bestowed a miracle thanked Jesus for what happened. People “wondered”; often they were “amazed” (as I was with a four-foot tall basil plant!); but only one of the 10 lepers Jesus healed came back to thank Him.
That might be a metaphor for the way we treat the gifts of creation. Do we merely use what we have received, without actually taking the time to thank God for the gifts of creation, and our good Earth, where these gifts come from? It’s easy to plant our gardens and fields, grow the plants, and then harvest them without ever taking time to give thanks to God for providing this planet, our island home, or for the plants who did the actual work of producing fruit.
On our last book club meeting in August, 2022, I noted that I would really like to continue what we were learning from the book – and that’s how the Green Team was born. We’re now working towards continuing co-creation, sustainability, finding ways to recycle more, lowering our carbon footprint, and a complete energy audit of the church. The Green Team meets on the first Sunday of each month, right after the second service. Please feel welcome to join us!
Mark Carpenter, St. Paul's Parishioner
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RSVP FOR OUTREACH INPUT MEETING
Saturday, April 20, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Parish Center building
Be involved in the development of a new plan regarding how Outreach ministries will serve the community and promote justice and equity. Please plan to join this important meeting - lunch and snacks will be provided. Please click below to RSVP. Questions, please click here to email Cathy Henney, or click here to email the Rev. Beth Scriven.
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ADULT FAITH FORUM :: Building Sustainable Inclusivity
Sunday, April 21, 10:15-11 a.m., Parish Hall
Join Seminary Intern, Tyne Parlett as they discuss how our identities shape us, our bias and our ability to create belonging. There will be time for questions, and all will learn ways in which they can shape the way inclusivity is practiced at St. Paul's through each person's own identity and life experiences.
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MENTAL HEALTH WORKSHOP
Sunday, April 21, 10:15-11 a.m.
CRR (second floor, Parish Center building)
Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act—it affects how well we handle stress, relate to others, and make important decisions. Caring for our mental health, like our physical health, is important at every stage of life. Join the Wellness team for an interactive discussion on the topic. Clinical psychologist, Emily Williams, Psy.D., will answer questions, provide resources, and help navigate the difficult maze of accessing care. Please click here to RSVP to Carrie Bernhardt to help the team prepare. You don't have to do this alone – please join!
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THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL :: CHORAL EVENSONG AT TRINITY
Sunday, April 21, 5 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church
Guest conductor Maxine Thévenot (Director of Cathedral Music, Episcopal Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque, NM) will lead singers from St. Paul’s, Trinity, and Christ Church Cathedral. This weekend-long festival of music making will culminate with Choral Evensong at Trinity, featuring over 100 singers. Click here for details.
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EARTH DAY
In observance of Earth Day on Monday, April 22, please click here to review recycling guidelines. These guidelines are offered by St. Paul's Green Team. Questions, click here to email Mark Carpenter.
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HAVE YOU RSVP'D FOR "CELEBRATE ST. PAUL'S"?
Saturday, April 27, 6-9 p.m., Parish Hall and St. Paul's buildings
Please RSVP below to indulge in an evening filled with entertainment, delicious hors d'oeuvres and boundless fun. Together, we are kickstarting our efforts to make a positive impact in our community while celebrating the joy of giving back. Don't miss this opportunity to mingle, dance and contribute to a worthy cause! Please RSVP below to indicate your availability and preferences:
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RECENTLY DONATED SILENT AUCTION ITEMS
The "Celebrate St. Paul's" auction committee has been collecting gift cards and experiences to offer at the silent auction. Click below to see a list of recently donated items! All gift cards may be sent to Liz Hoffman in the St. Paul's office. Questions or to discuss auction items, please contact Debra Maley, 317.691.6841 or Ed Stewart, 317.698.6979.
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FAMILY MINISTRY STEWARDSHIP
New Youth Group financial & Children stewardship initiatives will begin on Sunday, April 28, introducing the reasons we are called as Christians to be stewards/caretakers. Click below to read details and discuss with your children and youth. Questions, click here to email Laurie Pierce.
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REGISTER FOR HOLY BAPTISM
The next opportunity for baptisms is May 19, 2024
The deadline to register for May 19 baptisms is Thursday, April 25. Please click the link below for more information and to request to be baptized on May 19.
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NEWCOMER OPPORTUNITY
Sunday, April 28, 10:15-11 a.m., CRR (second floor, Parish Center building)
The Rev. Jeff Bower will lead an informal conversation considering the question: What Does It Mean to be an Episcopalian? It's a simple introduction to a wider conversation. Questions, click here to email the Rev. Jeff Bower.
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GRADUATE RECOGNITION
We would like to pray for and recognize class of 2024 graduates in the St. Paul’s community. Please assist us in honoring those graduating from high school, undergraduate and graduate school. If you, your child or your grandchild is graduating in 2024, please click here to email Meegan Kriner by Friday, May 10 with the name, photo and details you wish to share. Graduates will be recognized and prayed for on Sunday, May 19.
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MLK CLEANING DRIVE
Household cleaning supplies collected on April 21 & 28
St Paul’s Lay Clergy Group is collecting cleaning and hygiene supplies for MLK families as they seek transitional housing and/or support. Please click the link below for a list of supplies requested. Donated items may be placed in the collection box in Burrows Commons. Questions, please click here to email Janie Frazier.
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ADULT LITERACY PROJECT
St. Paul's Mission in Mombasa team is sponsoring a literacy project to provide classes to parents of Dickson Comprehensive School students. Dickson School was built to serve an area of extreme poverty in Africa. If you have a passion for helping others to help themselves through literacy, please click the button below to contribute to teacher salary, materials and childcare during class time. Questions, click here to email Barb MacDougall. Thank you in advance for your support!
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LIVESTREAM :: ADULT VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED
St. Paul's is working to expand our Sunday livestream audio and camera volunteers! If you are interested in getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the church's camera system and possibly volunteering to help once/month, please click here to email Meegan Kriner in the Church Office.
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TGIF FILM EVENT
Friday, April 19, 6-9 p.m., Parish Hall
All adults (21+) are invited to watch the documentary film, Food, Inc., revealing shocking truths about how the corporate food industry controls how much of our food is produced and processed, sometimes genetically modified. Food, Inc. explains how corporations often put their own profit ahead of our health, the safety and health of their own workers, the livelihood of our farmers and the condition of the environment. Please plan to bring a dish to share and a beverage of your choice. Click below to RSVP to Alan Davis.
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MEN'S RETREAT AT WAYCROSS
Friday, May 17-Sunday, May 19, Waycross Camp & Conference Center
Registration for Waycross Men’s Retreat is now open. The men’s retreat will focus on fellowship, sharing stories and learning Benedictine spiritual practices. There will also be plenty of free time for hiking, reading, relaxing, conversations or reflection. The retreat will be led by Br. Abraham, a monk of St. Gregory’s Abbey (a Benedictine Monastery in the Episcopal Church). Click the link below to register now. Questions, click here to email George Slenski.
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SAVE THE DATE :: PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL
Indy Pride Parade & Festival, Saturday, June 8, Parade at 10 a.m. (Mass Ave.) and volunteers may assist at the Festival from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Military Park)
Click below for information about participating in Pride, volunteer registration, assisting with funding, Youth overnight details and Indy Pride T-shirts.
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