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Dear Friends,
It was one of my summer time goals to create a blog on which to share my sermons and other musings with anyone who cared to read them. However, I found myself completely confounded as to what to name this thing! The potential for the name of this thing to sound church-y, preach-y, and all together corn-y was high.
And so my spirits were low as a result. As my summer vacation approached I decided to just let go of the whole raging blog name debate in my mind and embrace some holy leisure, and true Sabbath for me means as little technology as possible. It was during our three weeks away from home that Rich and I began to notice indigo buntings everywhere. I have only ever had one other sighting of an indigo bunting in twelve years of bird watching. That sighting was years ago on a tree some distance away in July in Meramec State Park, Missouri. The other thing I remember vividly from that camping trip was it was hot, hot, hot! This July was another hot, hot, hot camping trip at Rock Island State Park in Door County, Wisconsin, and once again we found ourselves in the presence of the indigo bunting. We seemed to be camped right in the middle of a particularly happy flock of them who sang their hearts out every morning.
The cry of the indigo bunting did not begin at Rock Island, nor did it stop there. We remembered that our son Oscar's first bird sighting at our finch feeder this year was an indigo bunting. And then as we traveled on beyond Rock Island to Michigan we found ourselves running one morning as indigo buntings flitted and sang over our heads across fields of hay and corn. I looked at Rich and said, "I think God is trying to tell us something!"
Yes, I wonder if God is trying to tell me something, and what God is trying to tell me, but not how. How God is trying to tell me something is in the cry of the indigo bunting, that much I know for sure. I am certain that other messengers of God's grace will appear when I am ready to see them as well. I wonder how God might be trying to tell you something, my dear friends. I wonder. And as we begin a new year of Christian education and formation this September, I encourage you to wonder as well.
In Christ,
Rev. Stacy+
P.S. You can read my sermons and other blog postings at: http://cryoftheindigobunting.blogspot.com/
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Join us for our Parish Workday in the Undercroft/Basement scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 20th, 2011
We need your help!
A parish workday is scheduled for Saturday, August 20th at 9 a.m. to clean out the undercroft to get it ready for upcoming construction work. Volunteers are needed to complete the following projects:
· Removing the corkboard wall, shelving in the toll room, and the water fountain
· Moving items to be donated upstairs and items to be discarded to the dumpster
· Moving furniture we are keeping to the correct rooms
· Replacing broken ceiling tiles, door knobs, and toilet seats
Please mark your calendars to join us if you are able to help. Many hands make light work! Childcare will be provided. Please contact Rick Johns with any questions. |
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Food Pantry Ministry does not take a Summer Vacation!
On Sunday, July 10, parishoners donated 176 items to the Salvation Army Food Pantry, bringing St. Paul's total donations year-to-date to 960 items.
A personal message from Pat and Vince McMahon: "We encourage all members to donate as the need is very great in our community. Even one small item per month from each parishioner helps a great deal. Monetary donations are welcome."
St. Paul's has been generous with its donations in the past. However, we encourage parishioners to consider making more consistent contributions. If you forget to bring your offering on Food Pantry Sunday (Second Sunday of each month), just bring your food any time and place it in one of the baskets. This is a ministry that St. Paul's can grow and it really does not have to cost anyone a lot of money. Please consider bringing some contribution, no matter how small. If you don't have time to shop, drop a designated donation for the Food Pantry by the parish office or in the collection plate and we will shop for you.
Remember, a big part of our Christian action in living into the mission or the Church is to help those less fortunate than we are.
The Second Sunday of each month we offer our donations to the food pantry before the altar at the Holy Eucharist. Non-perishable food items (no glass jars, please) and monetary donations can be dropped off on any Sunday, or at the parish office Monday through Thursday, 9AM-2PM. For further information contact Pat and Vince at (815)758-1575. |
St. Paul partners with Love In the Name of Christ
A "Community Needs Request" came from Love, INC stating that diapers are urgently needed in our area. All sizes and all brands are being accepted and are greatly appreciated. Diaper donations can be left in the Parish Hall throughout the month of August.
For the month of September, Love, INC will be starting another drive, for the Kitchen Ministry. They will be accepting: Pots, pans, dishes, silverware, etc. These items can also be dropped off at St. Paul's and left in the Parish Hall.
If you have any questions, please contact Jennie Cummings at marshalljenniel@gmail.com. |
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Young Families & Friends Potluck & Playdate
Wednesday, August 17 at 6PM
Are you in your twenties, thirties, or perhaps a bit more? Do you have a young family or are a friend of young families at St. Paul's? Then you are invited to a potluck and play-date on Wednesday, August 17 at 6:00 PM.
Children are invited to bring their riding toys. Adults are invited to bring their lawn chairs. After supper a portion of the parking lot will be blocked off for safe riding for the kids, and shade will be staked out for comfortable lounging by the grown-ups.
This will be a great opportunity to fellowship and make new friends! A sign-up sheet for this potluck will be in the parish hall, or contact Rev. Stacy: revstacy@stpaulsdekalb.org for more information. |
Blessing of the Back Packs and School Supplies Drive
Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 9:30AM
Rev. Stacy will be leading a prayer for the blessing of the back packs of all those who will be returning to school this fall preschool through university! This is scheduled to take place at St. Paul's, during the 9:30 AM service, on
Sunday, August 21st, 2011. Those returning to school are invited to bring their backpack or other symbol of learning and/or teaching with them for prayers and blessings.
St. Paul's would also like to help those who may not be able to afford everything that is needed to return to school, by hosting a school supply drive in cooperation with the Salvation Army in DeKalb. The Salvation Army will be handing out backpacks packed with school supplies to children in need in our community on Thursday, August 25th, 2011.
Some of the more common school supplies includes: crayons, pencils, notebooks, notebook paper, folders, rulers and glue. You may bring your school supply donations to church, each Sunday, and leave donations in the Parish Hall or you may drop your donations off during the week through Monday, August 22nd, 2011. There is always someone in the Parish Office to let you in Monday through Thursday from 9 AM-2 PM. |
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Godly Play Sunday School Informational Meeting for All Ages, Sunday, August 28, 2011
 Join us during coffee hour following the 9:30 AM service on Sunday, August 28th, 2011 for a brief introduction to the new Sunday School curriculum, Godly Play.
Meet the teachers, experience a lesson and help make some of the materials! This is a great opportunity for parents, grandparents and caregivers of children who will be part of the program to ask questions and get ready for Kickoff Sunday. For more information, contact Rochelle Cripe, Maureen Gerrity or Julie Stubblefield.
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Kickoff Sunday: September 11, 2011
 This year's kick off to our program year will be on Sunday, September 11, 2011. This is also the return to our program year Sunday service schedule with Holy Eucharist Rite I at 8:00AM and Holy Eucharist Rite II (with music) at 10:30AM. Sunday School will also resume at 930AM for children, youth, and adults. This year we will also have sign up sheets after both services for the various opportunities to serve at St. Paul's. Opportunities include, but are not limited to: choir, acolytes, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Lectors, Intercessors, Mission and Outreach, Neighborhood Garden, etc. For more information contact Rev. Stacy at the parish office 815-756-4888.
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Keeping God's People Safe Training Postponed
 The Keeping God's People Safe Training that was scheduled for Saturday, September 10th, 2011 has been postponed. This training will be rescheduled for another Saturday in the fall of 2011. The date has yet to be determined.
This training is required for all vestry members and adults who work with children and youth. For more information, please feel free to contact the Parish Office at 815-756-4888 or by email at parishoffice@stpaulsdekalb.org.
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Come and See How our Garden Grows!
 | | St. Paul's Neighborhood Garden August 6, 2011 |
The garden is growing wild! A great big "Thanks be to God!" for the saints who watered the garden and harvested produce during Rev. Stacy's recent vacation. There are many delightful veggies and herbs ready to grace your table. Please join us Wednesday evenings the rest of the growing season for fellowship and gardening fun. Bring your shopping bags for produce, lawn chair, favorite beverage, and come relax. If the weather doesn't allow for Wednesday gardening, we will meet on Thursday evening. We will start after supper around 6:30 PM or so. Friends and families are welcome. Any questions about the garden, contact Rev. Stacy at (815)756-4888.
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News from Grace Place Campus Ministry at NIU
Grace Place Campus Ministry at NIU has called The Rev. Sarah Schaffner to be their transitional minister. Rev. Stacy has been an active member of the Bishop's Task Force for Campus Ministry at NIU as well as the United Campus Ministry board these past several months as the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago and the Northern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have been negotiating merging our separate ministries into one unified ministry. This fall a new ministry between the Episcopal Church and the ELCA officially begins under the new name: Grace Place Campus Ministry at NIU.
The following introduction is from the new campus pastor:
Hi! My name is Sarah Schaffner and I have recently been called to the interim pastor position at Grace Place! I am so excited to begin this new journey--one where us crazy Lutherans and Episcopalians seek to serve and guide the young people at NIU. Currently, I am also called as part-time pastor to First Lutheran, Lee, where I have served a small, rurual, community-focused congregation for five years. I am married to another ELCA pastor, Steve Dow, who serves Faith Lutheran, Rochelle. We have three children: Isaac (10), Evelyn (7), and Elijah (4), and spend a majority of our time at soccer and football fields. I cannot imagine all the opportunites to which God is calling Grace Place and St. Paul's, but I am so excited to see what unfolds!
St. Paul's will also be hosting a picnic in the parish hall on Kickoff Sunday, September 11th, 2011 after the 1030AM Eucharist. Please join us in welcoming the students of Grace Place Campus Ministry as they begin a new year at NIU.
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Christian Love Made Known:
A Letter of thanks from Sue Ouellette for our prayers during her recent journey with Korean Ties
Dear Friends in Christ,
This summer, I had a chance to travel once again with Korean Ties, a homeland journey for Korean adoptees of all ages and their families. Some of you will remember that I have traveled with this group previously... three times, in fact! I've taken each of our three children, all of whom were adopted from Korea, separately to retrace their adoption stories and learn about their wonderful birth country. Cami (Camille) was just 11 when we traveled, Matt was 14 and Michael and I travelled last year when he was 16. I can truly say that the trips were life-changing for all of us. Two of the children met members of their birth families and two met foster mothers who cared for them until they were old enough to travel. All three visited the hospitals where they were born and reviewed their files with an adoption case worker. An opportunity to visit a maternity home and talk with young birth mothers who were considering adoption helped each of our children understand the incredible depth of love that motivates this difficult decision.
This year, I was honored to be asked to serve as a staff member for the Korean Ties trip. I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist so this trip allowed me to volunteer in a capacity that I hoped would support the families who planned to travel this summer. The group consisted of about 75 people with adoptees ranging in age from 9 to mid-twenties. We even had two sets of grandparents who came along with their children and their grandchildren. In my role as adoption professional, I held separate "talk times" for parents, adoptees, and siblings. I also met individually with families who were perhaps working to integrate new or disturbing information learned during a file review or disappointed about the inability to locate birth parents or foster families. I also had the incredible opportunity of facilitating reunions between birth families and adoptees and their families. I was in Korea for a little over two weeks and enjoyed every busy, emotion-filled and joyous moment!
While preparing for past Korean Ties trips, I have asked the people of St. Paul's to consider contributing to one or more of the orphanages we visit that either care for children until they can be adopted or care for children who, sadly, are not available for adoption but cannot be cared for by their families. People have always been incredibly generous with their monetary donations and gifts. One person actually researched and found a Korean counting book to give to a lucky toddler! The ECW has also been willing to support this ministry. This time I didn't ask for contributions (I felt that everyone had already given so much!) but received them nonetheless! I chose to donate these funds to a small family-run orphanage in Busan that cares for children who are not available for adoption but who very much need a loving home.
A sad part of this year's trip was learning that the founder of Eastern Social Services (the agency that brought Cami and Matt to us), Kim, Duk Kwon, had recently passed away. Dr. Kim worked until he was well into his late 80's and rose each and every morning to climb to the top of a nearby mountain and pray for the children in his care. Not a single baby left to board a flight to join his or her new family without a moment of prayer shared by Dr. Kim, the agency workers, and the foster family. The true spirit of Christian love was so very evident throughout the trip this summer, as it is every day through the wonderful people of St. Paul's. Thank you so much for your support and prayers!
Blessings,
Sue Ouellette
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Birthdays and Anniversaries
August Birthdays September Birthdays
27- Brad Cripe 6- Lana Prouty
31- Sue Ouellette 7- William Cummings
7- Peggy Russell
8- Jo Abbott
 15- Brenda Leonard
15- Robert Russell
16- Janice Guiborat
17- Kristin Duffy
18- Lorraine Langer
19- David Anderson
24- Elizabeth George
25- Pat Brown
26- Peggy Newby
27- Jamie Stubblefield
28- Vince McMahon
28- Victoria Newport
29- Jennie Cummings
August Anniversaries
3- Rick & Freyja Johns
16- James & Janie Torma 
20- Craig & Jo Abbott
22- Richard & Sharon Dowen
25- Roy & Nanette Mason
25- Joe & Sharon Smaldino
September Anniversaries
4- Henry & Eva Leonard
4- Bill & Jennie Cummings
6- Richard & Thea Beard
10- Roger & Janice Larson
11- Jamie & Julie Stubblefield
16- Robert & Lana Prouty
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Other Happenings at the Church of St. Paul
Young Families and Friends Potluck and Play Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 6:00 PM.
Blessing of the Backpacks: Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 9:30 AM.
August Vestry Meeting: Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 10:45 AM.
Choir Rehearsal Resumes: Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 7:00 PM.
Basement Renovation Team: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 7:00 PM.
Kickoff Sunday and Picnic with students from Grace Place Campus Ministry: Sunday, September 11, 2011
Hymn Sing: Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 10:30 AM.
3rd Annual Pet Blessing: Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 1:00 PM.
Sundays in the Summer:
Holy Eucharist Rite I 8:00 AM, Holy Eucharist Rite II (with music) 9:30 AM.
Sundays in the Fall: Holy Eucharist Rite I 8:00 AM, Holy Eucharist Rite II (with music) 10:30 AM.
Rector's Discretionary Fund Collection: First Sunday of every month.
Food Pantry Offering: Second Sunday of every month.
Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayers: Wednesdays at 9:30 AM.
Parish Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM.
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The Episcopal Church of St. Paul Contact Information
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