St. Paul’s Newsletter The Monthly Newsletter of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

212 W. Grand Avenue * Beloit, WI 53511 * 608-362-4312 Office Hours: Monday - Thursday * 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

stpauls@stpaulsbeloit.org * www.stpaulsbeloit.org Volume 177, Issue 1 January 2018

Christmas Blessings And Happy New Year

To my family at St. Paul’s, As we begin 2018 it is with both sadness and expectation that I will be leaving this wonderful congregation in mid-February. Our two year sojourn has been a joy for me and I have treasured our time together. However, when my contract came up for renewal Dec. 1st I realized that it is time for me to say farewell to you. My leaving has to do with my own ‘life circumstances.’ Charles and I must put our physical health at the top of our priorities in 2018. His eye sight problems are ongoing and my own lack of physical self-care is a concern. We have a home in Mississippi that needs our attention if we ever hope to sell it. Finally, it will come as no surprise that I crave more time with new grandson, Zeke, and other WI family members. We still don’t know where we will end up, but trust that God is on the journey with us. Stay tuned...you are part of that journey as well and we will forever be part of the St. Paul’s family! I pray we will enjoy our last 6 weeks together. Zeke’s baptism will take place at St. Paul’s, Watertown on Saturday...the Feast of the Epiphany...at 10:00am. You are all invited! What a pleasure it would be to have you who have prayed for this child at this celebration. The Rev. Splinter will be with you for St. Paul’s Epiphany celebration the following day. A ‘king cake’ will be provided and you are invited to bring a covered dish to share. In worship and in fellowship, you will celebrate your gratitude for the ‘light of Christ, come into the world.’ Charles and I will still be in Watertown with family, who have ventured to the cold climes of Wisconsin. The rest of January and the first part of February will be devoted to working with your Vestry and the Diocese to ensure a smooth transition. I will have much more to say at our Annual Parish meeting, January 28th. My fervent prayer for 2018 is that we spend our limited time together loving one another as we move into this New Year. May God richly bless all of you. Helen+

Wednesday 12:00 Noon

in the Garden Room

Please check the

bulletin board for

current news and needs.

January 8th @ 1:30 pm Church Library

Call the office for more information.

608-362-4312.

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Simply send an email to: stpauls@stpaulsbeloit.org

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Coffee Hour & Altar Flowers

Sign up sheets are posted on the church office

window. Many openings

are still available!

Do you want to receive the newsletter and other information by email?

Do we have your email address?

Call or email the church office.

The Order of St. Luke will meet in the church library at 9:00 am

on Saturday, January 6th & 20th.

Contact Carolyn H. for information.

January 21st-27th Contact

Kathy Miller if you are interested in

volunteering.

Right Reverend Steven A. Miller Bishop of the Diocese of Milwaukee

800-236-3028

The Rev. Dr. Helen W. Tester Priest-in-Charge 608-207-9436

The Rev. Gregg Schneider

Deacon 608-207-3689

Staff

Jenny Williams Sexton

219-713-3202

Thomas Fallin Administrative Assistant

608-751-3769

The Vestry Johanna Peterson

Senior Warden 608-365-7813

Judi Robson

Junior Warden 920-410-2410

Shirley Brunton

608-362-4463

Diana Fogderud 608-751-3841

Patrick Jacobs 608-921-7306

Jeff Page

815-398-6189

Shari Williams 815-988-7837

Carolyn Hansen

Treasurer 608-207-9267

Anita Williams

Clerk 608-362-3295

There was no Vestry Meeting for the month of December due to

the holidays. The next meeting is scheduled for

Wednesday, January 10th at

6:30 in the library.

Our next rotation is January 28-February 4th

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Christmas Message 2017

In 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul says, “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new is come.” At a point in that passage, St. Paul says, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself,” and he also says at another point in the same passage, “and we have been given the ministry of reconciliation.” Have you ever gone to the movies or read a story or a novel, and the novel starts with the end, so you know where the story ends, but then the rest of the story or the novel is actually the story behind the story. We know about Christmas. We know about Mary. We know about Joseph. We know about the angels singing Gloria in excelsis deo. We know from our childhood the animals in the stable. We know of the magi who come from afar, arriving around Epiphany, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. We know of the angels singing in the heavens, and the star that shown above them. Therein is the story. But the story behind the story is what St. Paul was talking about. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and Jesus has now given us that same ministry of reconciliation. God was reconciling the world to him-self by becoming one of us. The divine became human. God entered history. Eternity became part of time. God was reconciling the world to himself by actually living it himself. In Jesus, God came among us to show us the way, to be reconciled with the God who has created us all and everything that is. And God has likewise come in the person of Jesus, to show us how to be reconciled with each other, as children of the one God who is the Creator of us all. That's the story behind Christmas. God is showing us the Way to become God's children, and as God's children, brothers and sisters of each other. God is showing us in Jesus how to become God's family and how to change, and build, and make a world where everybody is a part of that family. Where children don't go to bed hungry. Where no one has to be lonely. Where justice is real for all and where love is the ultimate law. Know there is a story behind the story, and it's a story worth singing about, and giving thanks for, and then living. One of my favorite writers, the late Howard Thurman, composed a poem many years ago about Christmas, and he says it probably better than I: When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and the princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, Then the work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace to others, And alas, to make music in the heart. The story behind the story is that God so loved the world, and so loves you, and so loves me. Have a blessed Christmas, a wonderful New Year, and go out and make music in the heart of the world. The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Happy New

Year’s!

2 8 AM Morning Prayer

3 12:00 Noon Day Service (No Eucharist)

4 5 6 9 AM Order of St. Luke

7 The Feast of the Epiphany 10:00 AM HOLY EUCHARIST 10:00 AM Sunday School

8

9 8 AM Morning Prayer

10 12:00 Noon Day Service • 6:30 PM Vestry Meeting

11

12

13

14 10:00 AM HOLY EUCHARIST 10:00 AM Sunday School

15

16 8 AM Morning Prayer

17 12:00 Noon Day Service

18

19 20 9 AM Order of St. Luke

21 10:00 AM HOLY EUCHARIST 10:00 AM Sunday School • Meals on

Wheels

22 Meals on Wheels

23 8 AM Morning Prayer • Meals on

Wheels

24 12:00 Noon Day Service • Meals on

Wheels

25 Meals on Wheels

26 Meals on Wheels

27 Meals on Wheels

28 Annual Meeting 10:00 AM HOLY EUCHARIST 10:00 AM Sunday School • Family Promise

29 Family Promise

30 8 AM Morning Prayer • Family Promise

31 12:00 PM Morning Prayer • Family Promise

Kathy Hudson 8th Diana Fogderud 14th Lexie Morse 14th Shirley Brunton 19th Judie Robson 21st

Joyce Metter 23rd Vern Shaffer 26th Marissa Dwyer 31st

Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servants and give your power of healing to those who minister to their needs, that they may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

• Names will be listed for one (1) month and renewed if the office is notified.

• Homebound and/or hospitalized members will remain on the list indefinitely.

• Chronically ill persons will be placed on the prayer list for the Order of St. Luke.

Billie Dahlberg David Gwin Denice Brunton Rachel Fogderud Bob Cornell Jane Ambrose Ben Thompson Freddie Wright Mary Dorr Marnie Wright Philip Kniskern

Tammie Frank Susan Adams Janet Easland Danne Willons Nancy Williams Kaya Posner- Hashioka Deacon Claudia Hogan Robert & Joy Dray

The AMEN Corner

If you haven’t met this young man, his name is David Avery Dwyer, Jr. or “DJ” for short. He is currently our youngest parishioner...and probably the most vocal of any age! He was born April 18, 2015 roughly three months early. Despite his early arrival, you couldn’t tell it by looking at

him now. DJ is a typical 2 year-old in appearances and in lung capacity. You can definitely tell when he is in church. Rev. Helen often refers to his parent’s choice of seating as the “AMEN” corner. He is quick to include his “AMEN”, but usually a few seconds after the rest of the parish. When he goes up to the altar for communion, he puts out his hands and says “Please” as Rev. Helen gives him bread. The above photo was taken Christmas Eve as we sang Silent Night. It was not planned or staged to have him looking up. I was fortunate to catch him as he looked towards the heavens with such innocence. Even at his age, DJ knows he is the presence of God. Let this picture remind us all to look towards the heavens in a child-like manner and know, that we are all in the presence of God. DJ is the youngest of five children to David and Shari Dwyer. His older sisters include: Marissa, Hanna, Caitlyn, and Xoey. Grandson to Jenny Williams and Great-grandson to Don and Nancy Williams.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

You may have noticed that we are using different prayers for the “Prayers of the People.”

These prayers come from the book “Planning for Rites and Rituals-A Resource for Episcopal

Worship (Year B 2017-2018)” from Church Publishing. This is the inaugural edition for this

new resource for liturgical planning.

Sunday, January 28th The meeting will be a part of

the service.

Potluck to follow the service.

Sign-up sheet for the potluck is on the office window.

212 W. Grand Avenue Beloit, Wisconsin 53511 608-362-4312 www.stpaulsbeloit.orgst pauls@stpaulsbeloit.org

St. Paul's Episcopal

Church of Beloit

WEEKLY

SERVICES SUNDAY

HOLY

EUCHARIST

10:00 AM

Sunday School

10:00 AM

(Coffee Hour

Following Service)

TUESDAY

Morning Prayer

8:00 AM

WEDNESDAY

Noon Day Healing/

Prayer Service Mission Statement:

We follow Christ’s teachings. We grow spiritually. We serve the needs of our neighbors.

Return Address Service Requested

The Feast of the Epiphany Sunday, January 7th

10:00 AM