st. paul’s episcopal church chittenango, new york the good...

Volume 6 Issue 1

2009 Memories—2010 Wishes

January / February 2010

OUR MISSION

STATEMENT

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chittenango, New York exists for the

purpose of glorifying God, proclaiming the Gospel and Serving

others in His Name, in this community and

around the world by the grace and power of the

Holy Spirit.

We gather together to joyfully celebrate the

sacraments, encourage inquiring hearts and

minds and share life’s joys and sorrows.

Altar Ministry Training

2

Hearts & Hands 3

Lent 2010 4

Presiding Bishop’s Convention Sermon

5-6

Vestry Highlights 7

Tid-Bits 9

Time for Prayer 11

Altar Guild 2010 Schedule

13

Inside this issue:

St. Paul ’s Episcopal Church Chittenango , New York

Dear friends ~

Happy New Year and Cheers to each and

every one of you!

As I write this, we are just about ready to

ring out the old year and bring in the new one. This

time of year brings me to want to look back on the

year we have just had. It has been a good year. I have now been here at

St. Paul’s for two years and in some ways, it seems like yesterday that I

came, and in more ways, I feel I have been here for a long time already.

So - allow me to be a bit nostalgic for a moment as I look back on some of

my best memories of the year… (in no particular order)

♦ Healing Services - on Sundays and Community Healing with many

themes: Celtic, All Saints Remembering, water imagery, Taize

♦ Ecumenical Services - Thanksgiving & Good Friday

♦ National Day of Prayer - hosted by St. Paul’s - so many people pitched

in to make it a beautiful night - I cannot begin to list the people who

helped with music, food, posters, decorating the parish hall!

♦ Stonehedge Nursing Home Sunday afternoon services - and the help

from Denise who plays piano each time, Judy who helps me or leads

prayers in my absence, and Bob Semian who filled in for me when Jim

went to the hospital.

♦ The wonderful way the people of the parish reached out when my

husband had surgery and I was in the hospital - prayers, concerns and

so many cards!

♦ Our not so quiet days of summer - with Vacation Bible School, the

Carnival and Oz Day (with basset hounds) - many hands doing many

things!

♦ Visits to people who are homebound, in the hospital, or ill - for allowing

me to minister to them in such difficult times

♦ The Blessing of the Animals - from huge horses to small dogs -

wonderful

♦ A Holy Lent with our Lenten Study of The Shack, Children’s Stations

of the Cross and a special Holy Week

(cont. p. 2)

The Good News

THE GOOD NEWS VOLUME 6 ISSUE 1

Memories-Wishes (cont.)

♦ Leadership Training with Anthony Robinson - updating the needs of today’s church in this place

at this time

♦ And Diocesan Convention - and getting to meet the Presiding Bishop!

I could go on and on. I think that New Year’s Resolutions are fine in their place, but I feel so

thankful in my heart to have had the year we have had. It makes me hopeful that we can build on

these activities and have even more to celebrate when we ring in 2011!

It is my hope that we all may move a bit deeper in our spiritual life, move closer to God in our

prayer life, be more open to our neighbors in the community in our recognition of the needs all

around us, and be quicker to share St. Paul’s with others - to invite them to join us, to be open to

what new people and new ideas can mean for this parish, to be ever attentive and responsive to the

call of God in our lives - both personally and as a community.

So - my wishes for a happy New Year, a bright Epiphany and a Holy Lent!

Faithfully,

Altar Ministry Training God calls many of us to all sorts of ministries all the time. Sometimes we listen,

sometimes - not so much. Sometimes, our fear of the unknown or unfamiliar role keeps us

from answering this call from God. I urge you to remember that God knows us better than we

know ourselves. God’s calling us will bring us special joy in our service.

Our parish worship services are supported and enriched by the participation of as many

people as possible. Each type of ministry calls upon different skills and answers a different kind of call to serve.

Altar Ministry Training to begin in January:

1/10 - Lectors - following each service

1/24 - Acolytes - following the 9:30 service

1/31 - Ushers - following each service

2/7 - Eucharistic Ministers - following each service

2/14 - Make up day for training - following each service

2/21 - Prayers of the People

2/28 - Greeters

3/7 - Acolytes - who have served less than 4 years

These training days will serve as a refresher for any one currently doing these ministries and may cover some

changes in process. All are expected to participate. I think you will find that there are opportunities for growing these

ministries and therefore to enliven our worship services. Anyone who is not currently active in these ministries and is

interested in exploring getting started, please plan to come to these trainings - see what it is all about.

Eucharistic Ministers will need to be licensed at the Diocesan level once again. Training will be done here in

the parish according to Diocesan expectations.

Lectors, Acolytes, Ushers - do not require official licenses, but are expected to participate in periodic updates

and refreshers.

Eucharistic Visitor training will be scheduled soon - please see Mother Kathlyn if you are interested in visiting

and bringing the sacrament to those who are unable to get to church.

We will also schedule training for people interested in leading Morning or Evening Prayer or Stations of the

Cross. See Mother Kathlyn with questions or to reschedule training dates - OR if you are interested in getting started

in altar ministry of some sort.


Mother’s Musings

“Clean Up the Books” One of the important and difficult to maintain aspects of parish life is the Membership Record List. There

has not been an updated full membership list at St. Paul’s for a few years.

I am looking for a few people who are familiar with the population of St. Paul’s who will be willing to work

with me on this project. I am unfamiliar with most of the inactive members and need help with this especially. The

goal is to establish a base list that we can maintain electronically to update with each new member and each change

in membership status. We are assembling information for our annual Parochial Report now making this an excellent

time to improve accuracy and clarity in membership.

Please see Mother Kathlyn if you are interested in this - either in the gathering of information or in the data

capture in a spreadsheet. I will be contacting some of you personally if you have expressed interest or questions on

this topic. Our first task will be to establish the information we want to capture and develop a form that will gather

this information from existing members as well as those who wish to become members of St. Paul’s Episcopal

Church in Chittenango.

Spiritual Renewal Center Event:

Silent Directed Retreat...

...Begin the New Year with some quiet time

with your God—Come to beautiful Stella Maris

Retreat House for our annual Weekend Directed

Retreat!

The retreat will begin with dinner at 6 p.m. on

Friday, January 8, and conclude on Sunday, January

10, at Noon. You will be assigned an experienced

spiritual director who will help you listen to God's

Spirit. The weekend will include all meals and snacks,

a private room, four scheduled times to meet with

your director and Mass on Saturday evening.

Call the Spiritual Renewal Center at 472-6546,

to register. This retreat is open to any interested

person. The fee for the weekend is $195; we ask for a

non-refundable deposit of $25.

Hearts & Hands Hearts & Hands Hearts & Hands Hearts & Hands A Learning and Sharing MinistryA Learning and Sharing MinistryA Learning and Sharing MinistryA Learning and Sharing Ministry Monday, January 25, 7:00 p.m.Monday, January 25, 7:00 p.m.Monday, January 25, 7:00 p.m.Monday, January 25, 7:00 p.m. Calling all crafters and needle workers! We are

formulating plans for the Hearts & Hands ministry

here at St. Paul’s Church. I know that some of you are

knitters, quilters, scrapbookers, crochet experts. We

would like to see if we can share these skills with our

brothers and sisters who would like to learn how to do

these crafts. This is a wonderful way to learn together.

But beyond that, it is a rich experience to sit with

others with whom you share an interest in the craft or

the recipients of our crafts as we learn, chat, share our

faith, pray, laugh and enjoy sharing this aspect of

our lives with each other and with others who may

enjoy or even need the fruits of our handiwork. Some

goodies will be available.

Our first session will be January 25 at 7:00 in

the Parish Hall. At that time we share ideas on how

and where these ministries will benefit others as well

as share our own talents and skills. It will be helpful to

ascertain any supplies and equipment that are

available for us to use and what we will need for this

project. More importantly, we will begin discussion on

which type of crafts lends itself to what ministry for

others we may want to address. .


Community Healing Services 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 20

Wednesday, March 10

Come and bring along a friend, neighbor, or family

member who might be interested in some special

prayers for God’s healing and love.

February 17th Ash Wednesday Services at 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Imposition of Ashes

Thursday Evenings, 6:30 p.m.

February 25, March 4, March 18, March 25

Book Study: Learning to Fall: The Blessings of an Imperfect Life by Philip Simmons

Winner of the 2002 Books for a Better Life Award for Best Spiritual Book.

Philip Simmons, Ph.D., was just 35 years old in 1993 when he learned that he had ALS, or Lou Gehrig's

disease, a fatal neuromuscular condition that usually kills its victims in two to five years. With two young children

and at the start of a promising academic and literary career, he suddenly had to say goodbye. And by learning the art

of dying he succeeded, against the odds, in learning the art of living. Already a widely published author of fiction and

literary criticism, he now shares his hard-won insights with this book.

In twelve brilliantly crafted essays, Simmons charts his search for peace and his deepening relationship with

the mystery of life. Whether finding answers to life’s questions in turtle behavior or Buddhist philosophy, Robert

Frost’s poetry or daily life in his small New England town, he offers us the gift of connecting more deeply and

joyously with our own imperfect lives.

"Philip Simmons is that rare and necessary human being—one with the courage to see things as they are, for

better and worse. He possesses an invaluable gift: the capacity to take the rest of us where he has been and where he is

going." (Rebecca Pepper Sinkler, former editor, The New York Times Book Review)

Mother Kathlyn will post a sign up sheet for book orders. Books can be purchased via Amazon or major book

stores for about $14.00. We can save on shipping if we order several at one time.

LOOKING AHEAD to LENT 2010

Five Questions Charlotte Davis Kasl

If you feel as if your life is somewhere out there

as opposed to right here, stop and ask yourself:

- What is missing in my life?

- What have I put on hold?

- What am I waiting for?

- What would really fill my heart and make

me happy?

- What would I regret if I died tomorrow?

(Source: Finding Joy)


Diocesan Convention Presiding Bishop's Sermon November 22, 2009

I met our new President the day after he was inaugurated. There was a big prayer service at the National Ca-

thedral, with a whole raft of religious leaders. Before the service, each of us had about 20 seconds for a picture with

the Obamas and the Bidens. When President Obama saw my staff (the stick or primatial cross I carry), he said to one

of his staff, “I need one of those!” He has plenty of signs and symbols of office, but I think all leaders yearn for some-

thing that will make the work of leadership easier or more straightforward.

Pilate has plenty of signs of authority, and not just symbols of power, but physical evidence of it. The sto-

ries about him tell of his cruelty and unpredictability and inclination to violence. He doesn’t just use signs to keep

order, he uses every element of power he can put his hands on. He uses both signs and sticks. His guard carried en-

signs and banners representing the power of Rome right into the center of Jerusalem, provoking offense and deep

resentment in the Jewish populace. Pilate’s very name is probably a reference to his skill with a spear. His job is to

collect taxes and keep order, which he does with brute force. He knows that Passover has historically been a time of

unrest and rebellion, so he’s in Jerusalem to make sure there isn’t an uprising. He’s worried, and with good reason.

The guards bring Jesus in, bruised from his most recent interrogation, and Pilate begins his scornful question-

ing, “Are you the king?” Can you hear Pilate’s worry, and also his disbelief? “Are you, you pitiful creature, trying to

usurp my authority here?” What is Pilate going to do with this pathetic upstart?

“They say you’re king of the Jews. Are you a king?”

And Jesus makes his remarkable riposte: „You say so. I am here to address truth.‟ Jesus evidently doesn‟t

see truth sitting right there, talking to him, so why should he continue this conversation? “You say that I am a king…

If you had anything to do with truth, you would listen to me.”

Pilate can only understand the kind of king he aspires to be, and he can‟t conceive of anything kingly about

the prisoner in front of him. Who is free here? Who is king? Who has truth?

We celebrate this feast of Christ the King on the last Sunday of the Christian year, as a reminder of the end of

all things, or perhaps in language that makes more sense, as the end or goal of creation. We’ve had this feast in the

western church since fascism began to raise its head in Europe between the World Wars. It also reminds us that our

ultimate allegiance is supposed to be to a very different kind of power and authority.

What kind of king is Jesus claiming to be? He tells Pilate that he hasn’t become a king through the world’s

doing, and that he’s not one who either fights himself or encourages others to violence. His is not a kingdom of force.

It is one of vulnerability, without arms or family or political power or even a place for the king to lay his head. Nor is

this kingdom interested in defense; instead it comes with an invitation to embrace those who want to do us violence,

and a command to love our enemies as well as those who love us.

The signs of this kingdom are humble – water and oil, bread and wine – the stuff of everyday life. And the

symbols of power in this kingdom are the very sticks that Pilate uses for violence – the tree of death become the tree

of life, and the royal throne of the cross.

You and I are citizens of this upside down kingdom, the ministers of a lord who as Revelation puts it, “made

us to be a kingdom.” We have been created and baptized to be implementers of this love of enemy, to be servants of

the least of these, to be dreamers of the undefended vision of the Reign of God.

Where is this kingdom, or maybe a better question, when is this kingdom? Jesus frequently reminds his


Presiding Bishop's Sermon (cont.) hearers that it is around us, and among us, and within us. It is here and now, and it is urgent. It’s not just pie

in the sky when you die, as Joe Hill sang – and he knew something about the violence of the kingdoms of this world.

One of those earthly kingdoms took his life too. No, Jesus insisted this kingdom was here, and he thought it was im-

portant to feed and heal people in this life, even if some of his followers have always wanted to push the feast off for

a few years – or millennia.

King Jesus reigns wherever his kingdom-makers are at work. I am told that there is a certain priest in this

diocese who used to work as a probation officer, and refused to carry a weapon. After she left that work, her former

colleagues began to imitate her unwillingness to pack a pistol. How is it possible to meet Jesus in your neighbor if

you walk around ready to shoot him or her?

I got to see the kingdom at the L’Arche Croyden home on Friday. The shared lives of those who are disabled

and those who are not bring joy to any who meet them. The assistants who live or work in the four L’Arche homes in

Syracuse come from around the world as well as right here. Each one is on a journey in search of that kingdom, and

discovering it in the shared pain and joy and challenge of daily life.

I see the kingdom at work in the community who gather around Kathryn Jensen and the people of Grace,

Utica, sharing pain and grief and fond memories of Jim, and refusing to let death have the final word. Even the editor

of the local newspaper in Utica, Mike Kilian, had the vulnerability to write about his grief and stand in solidarity with

others.

I met the kingdom yesterday among dozens of passionate young people who told me they want to leave this

world better than they have found it.

Look a bit farther abroad and see king Jesus at work in the Mission of Miracles, El Salvador, transforming the

lives of those with no other access to health care.

Where is king Jesus in the midst of the health care debates here? He is certainly speaking when we hear that

all people need access to healing. There are lots of other voices in those debates that talk about self-protection and

fear: we don’t want to lose our coverage, we don’t want to do anything to endanger what we already have. Most of

those voices haven’t yet recognized that if we don’t share the resources we have we’re all going to be a lot worse off.

Jesus healed more often than he did anything else, he went out of his way to heal, and he rarely counted the cost. He

healed lepers who didn’t bother to say thank you, he healed people who merely got close enough to touch him, he

healed a man whose friends worked hard to get their buddy in through the roof. The kingdom is evident whenever

anyone is healed. I certainly don’t want to miss it.

The signs of the kingdom are open doors, and access to Jesus and his ministry of good news, healing and feed-

ing. The signs of the kingdom are not more and higher fences to inhibit access. Jesus doesn’t use sticks to keep people

out or drive them away. His sticks are the sacrificial, cross-shaped work of solidarity and accompaniment.

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the

world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger

and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison

and you visited me.” (Matt 25:34-36)

The only signs of office we need are the sticks of the cross. That is truth, right in front of us. Where and when will you

help to build this kingdom.

TREASURER’S REPORT

November, 2009

Nov. Income: $8,303.95

Nov. Expense: $5,520.53

YTD Income: $85,879.12

YTD Expense: $92,401.06

2009 Pledge Total: $73,604.00

PAGE 7 THE GOOD NEWS VOLUME 6 ISSUE 1

Vestry Meeting December 3, 2009 Treasurer’s Report: (Jim Montgomery) 1) The Holiday Boutique brought in over $1500 profit. 2) The 2009 budget deficit is predicted to be around $6500. 3) Still waiting for half the pledges to come in before finalizing the 2010 Budget. New Business: 1) The nominating committee is making progress on finalizing the slate for people to fill positions for jr. warden, two 3-yr terms, and one 1-yr term on vestry. 2) Annual meeting, Jan. 17, 2010. A request to have reports in by Jan. 3 so parishioners can receive booklets Jan. 10 to read ahead of the meeting.

3) St. Pauly’s Shed Co. will send a $50 check to provide a holiday dinner to a deserving family whom we identify.

Worship (Gini Smith): Dates and service times were changed to accommodate having the Children’s Pageant on Jan. 3. Finance: As of this meeting, pledges are behind last year. Discus-sion about how to generate more money or a higher num-ber of pledging families: (1) Give a financial progress report semi-annually so pledges may be changed; (2) em-phasize the Wish List more so parishioners may fund specific needs; (3) conduct more fundraisers. Old Business: 1) Discussion about the contents of an updated vestry manual. Motion: To purchase copies of “The Vestry Resource Guide” (Episcopal Church Foundation) at $12 each MSC: Smith / Judy M. 2) More discussion about the details of converting from styrofoam: use up the cups we have; post a “Do Not Use Stryrofoam” sign; investigate biodegradable options and reusable sleeves.

Vestry Highlights

Next Vestry Meetings

January 14 & February11 6:30 p.m. in Parish Hall

The Agenda will be posted or published within a reasonable time before the meeting.

for the March /April issue:

February 21st

Annual Meeting Annual Meeting Annual Meeting Annual Meeting January 17, 2010 January 17, 2010 January 17, 2010 January 17, 2010

Pot Luck Brunch and Business Meeting Following a combined 9:00 a.m. service

Jan. 3—reports due in office

Jan. 10—Meeting booklets distributed


Learning from History

( Ida Goins requested that we reprint this article from the 1993 newsletter)

“Everyone who has been in the church lately has enjoyed the clean and trim appearance of our Sanctuary.

The plaster—sagging or loose in places—has been firmed up and smoothed. Two coats of cream-colored paint now

match the side walls, as it used to be. For the time being, the red curtains are down and if we decide to put them back,

they will be extended and replaced.

Jeff Finch, of Golgotha Restorations, did the work; many of you already know Jeff and his deep interest in

historic preservation. So as he was stripping the walls Jeff was fascinated to discover, on the bottom level of paint,

some traces of the original stenciled decoration of 1865. Several of us were able to drop by and see it (the visitors in-

cluded Dick Sullivan, the local historian) in the brief time it was exposed to view.

A pattern emerged of a lower section, up to the base of the window, patterned with an interlocking circle de-

sign. At the height of the window sill a stenciled band about eight inches across separated this from an upper section

spotted with Jesus’ monogram “ I H S.” The colors appear to have been a cream background stenciled with pale tan

or beige, very soft in their effect. At some later time a wall paper with stronger colors was placed on top of the origi-

nal decoration, but only a few tiny fragments remain, so we have no idea how it looked or what its pattern was.

Jeff will keep his photographs and line tracings in his own study collection for now. He reports that our deco-

ration is similar to other churches of that date. Eventually these records will be given for storage to the Preservation

Assoc.. of CNY, so that if we ever decide to reconstruct them—maybe in 2065!—they’ll be available.

But what touched and impressed us most was the loving care our forebears took to decorate God’s house and

fill it with harmony and beauty. We felt close to those builders who created a house for God right after the Civil War,

in a rural village on a canal, at a time with only a weekly newspaper for communication and only a horse for com-

muting to work. The early notes in our record book tell of the heroic struggles these builders undertook in establish-

ing this building we inherit; they are inspiring. It goes without saying that a Church consists, not in a building but in

its people; nevertheless, we can be proud of our building and the devotion it embodies.

St. Paul’s present prosperity springs from devout and loyal beginnings. Let’s be worthy stewards in our gen-

eration so they can look down and be proud of us.”

Fellowship Traditions MARDI GRAS Tuesday, February 16, 6:00 p.m. at Delphia’s, (next door to the church)

Cost of dinner buffet and type of entertainment TBA

Sign up sheet will be posted in the Parish Hall.

St. Patrick’s Day Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner

Saturday, March 13, 6:00 p.m.

Tantalizing “Tid-bits”

PAGE 9 THE GOOD NEWS VOLUME 6 ISSUE 1

Dining Out Around Syracuse entertainment books — $20.00 each

Pick one up in the Parish Hall.

W I S H L I SW I SH L I SW I SH L I SW I SH L I S TTTT The Vestry would like to continue the idea of a Wish List of purchases, improvements, and maintenance items

for the parish which may help with our financial health. There will soon be a perpetual bulletin board display to in-

spire someone to fund—all or partial—dreams or expressed needs in the parish or for building maintenance. Already

anonymous donors have helped with nursery furniture and blinds.

Other suggestions:

< Sunday School needs: soft seating (large pillows, sofa), supplies

< New toys for the Nursery

< White folding chairs

< Large screen TV &/or Wii game system

< Monthly fee ($40.00) for the new web page

Use the short form below to add your own wish to the list or to volunteer to fund a project.

WI SH L I SW I SH L I SW I SH L I SW I SH L I S TTTT

My wish is Approx. cost: I can fund all or part of Return to Gloria Wilkins or Mother Kathlyn

Outreach Watch for information about a work day at the Habitat House in January

and

a special youth project may kick off in January also.

More to follow after the New Year.


Thanks and Gratitudes

My dear friends at St. Paul’s, I want to thank you for your prayers and cards. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. Love, Mavis Stanton

...to Mary Jane Pokorny, Ethel & Ron Barber, April Boyle, Roberta Kincaid, Jill Just, Jim and Judy

Montgomery who helped with the brass cleaning on Dec 19. Thanks to Mother Kathlyn for the

meditation, Eucharist and support.

...to Jim Montgomery for installing the donated blinds which improve the windows’ appearance and

to Jim Kraus and Mike Furtado who put new wiring in to hook up the outside heat tape for the roof.

...to everyone who donated toward the beautiful altar flowers at Christmas. Thanks to Ethel Barber,

Jim and Judy Montgomery and Mother Kathlyn for picking the flowers up and arranging them.

Thanks to everyone who helped in decorating the church and tree on Sunday, Dec. 20 that helped

make our Christmas services special.

January Birthdays

2 ~ Ronald Barber 2 ~ Warren Tedford 7 ~ Kanestio Tarbell

11 ~ Jennifer Courtwright 11 ~ Caleb Wood 14 ~ Kimberly Chappel

14 ~ Kristin Tedford 19 ~ Claudia Jensen 22 ~ Jim Kraus

23 ~ Mike Mills 24 ~ Dana Kraus 25 ~ Libby Mills

28 ~ Mabel Pullen

Anniversaries 14 ~ John & Sue Gerling

February Birthdays

1 ~ Jerry Jackson 3 ~ John Gerling 4 ~ Karen Lounsbury

6 ~ Ida Goins 6 ~ Carter Woodworth 11 ~ Ted Tedford

12 ~ James Fellows 12 ~ Harley Fellows 16 ~ Margaret Mules

18 ~ Natalie Stansbury 18 ~ Dick VanValkenburgh 21 ~ Ashley Saunders

22 ~ Niel Huebler 23 ~ Jennifer Hobbs 26 ~ Roberta Kincaid

28 ~ Brittany Reals 29 ~ Amy Randall

Anniversaries 9 ~ Jim & Becky Kraus 14 ~ John & Jennifer Wood 14 ~ Todd & Kim Chappell

24 ~ Doug & Darryl Tarbell 29 ~ John & Barb Tafe


Time for PrayeTime for PrayeTime for PrayeTime for Prayers & Thoughtsrs & Thoughtsrs & Thoughtsrs & Thoughts in the New Year in the New Year in the New Year in the New Year

~ I ~

" Light of the Epiphany . . . What the Heart Already Knows"

by Phyllis A. Tickle

"The twelve days of Christmas come to an end on January 6, and the season of the

Epiphany begins. But Epiphany not only ends Christmas, it also fulfills it by celebrating the

revelation of the Christ to the whole world. The coming of Incarnate God to all people, especially

to those of us who are Gentiles, is the bridge from birth into life, the event that makes Easter

possible for most of us. The light of the Epiphany illuminates the church’s year as it illuminates

the human race from whom the kings came.”

(A Book of Christmas, Nashville: Upper Rooms, 1988, p. 13)

~ II ~

O God of new beginnings and wonderful surprises, thank you for the gift of a new

year. May it be a time of grace for me, a time to grow in faith and love, a time to renew my

commitment to following Your Son, Jesus. May it be a year of blessing for me, a time to cherish

my family and friends, a time to renew my efforts at work, a time to embrace my faith more

fully. Walk with me, please, in every day and every hour of this new year, that the light of Christ

might shine through me, in spite of my weaknesses and failings. Above all, may I remember this

year that I am a pilgrim on the sacred path to You.

Amen

ST. PAUL’S PRAYER LIST Betty Allen (Matthews/Brown’s request), Irene Barber, Ron Barber, John Brennan (Kraus’s request), Lena Brown, Diana D’Amico (Pokorny request), Alicia Doherty, Eleanor Dougan (Judy Montgomery’s mother), Betty Every, Raymond Every, James Fellows—in Iraq (Matthews/Brown’s request), Tim Frink–-in Afghanistan (Matthews/Brown’s request), Laurie Green (Lena Brown’s request), Fr. Charles Grover, Janice Hall (Lynn Greene’s sister), Judy Hallagan (Pat Stucker’s sister), Peter Hudson (Schofield’s request), Terry Long ( Lena Brown’s request), Ola Nicholson (Brown’s request), Dorothy Norlander, Diane Ojugbeli (Gerling’s request), Pat Olcutt (Barber’s request), Dorothy Pearson (Robin Weisbrod’s mother), Alan Snyder, Mavis Stanton, Heather Tarbell, Katherine Weisbrod, David Wilcox (Matthew/Brown’s request), Joanne Wilcox (Matthews/Brown’s request), Chris Winters, Robert Winters (Chris Winters’s brother), Mary Wright

(If you do not wish a prayer list name to include the relationship or wish to remove or add a name, please contact Dorothy Saunders at the church office on Monday mornings.)


GOD LAUGHS TOO !GOD LAUGHS TOO !GOD LAUGHS TOO !GOD LAUGHS TOO !

When setting priorities for the New Year,

remember the mayonnaise jar & two cups of

coffee... The Mayonnaise Jar

A professor stood before his philosophy class

And had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly,

He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar

and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students, if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and

poured them into the jar.

He shook the jar lightly.

The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured

it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded

with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from

under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar,

effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I

want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - family, children, health,

friends, and favorite passions –

Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained,

your life would still be full..

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your

job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued,

'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small

stuff,

You will never have room for the things that are

important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your

happiness.

Play with your children.

Take time to get medical checkups.

Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time to clean the house

and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first --the things that really

matter.

Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what

the coffee represented.

The professor smiled, 'I'm glad you asked'. It just goes

to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,

there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'


Behind The Scenes: Priest-in-Charge: Rev. Kathlyn Schofield (H)315-378-4650 [email protected] Senior Warden: Virginia Smith (H)315-687-0089 Junior Warden: Judy Montgomery (H) 315-687-6282 Secretary: Dorothy Saunders (H)315-687-6409 (O)315-687-6304 Director of Music: Elizabeth Kay (H)315-469-3975

Finance/Stewardship Commission: Buildings and Grounds: Don Lee (H) 687-3558 Mike Furtado (H) 687-3726 Fellowship Commission: Worship Commission: Becky Kraus (H) 633-2971 Gini Smith & Mike Mills (H) 687-9201 Outreach / Service Commission: Pastoral Care Commission: Tania Mousaw (H) 687-7023 Judy Montgomery (H) 687-6282 Education: Treasurer: Mike Mills (H) 687-9201 & Gini Smith Jim Montgomery (H) 687-6282 Communication: Assistant Treasurer: Denise Bordell (H) 687-6306 Robert Semian (H) 687-6736 Clerk of the Vestry, Newsletter Editor & Web Manager Gloria Wilkins (H) 363-6065 — [email protected]

Altar Guild—2010 Schedule January Ethel Barber Mary Jane Pokorny

February Judy Montgomery Sue Huebler Jennifer Jackson

March Jill Just Meredith Furtado

April Becky Kraus Dorothy Norlander

May Joanne Furtado Jill Just

June Ida Goins April Boyle Robin Weisbrod

July Ethel Barber Mary Jane Pokorny

August Joanne Furtado Meredith Furtado

September Becky Kraus Dorothy Norlander

October Judy Montgomery Sue Huebler Jennifer Jackson

November Ida Goins April Boyle

December Robin Weisbrod Judy Montgomery

Many thanks to Roberta Kincaid who cleans the Altar Linen and to Ethel Barber, treasurer.

If you are interested in joining the Altar Guild please see Mother Kathlyn or Judy Montgomery.

We would welcome new members.

st. paul’s episcopal church chittenango, new york the good...

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