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GOOD NEWS!
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A Newsletter of St. Paul's Church, Concord, NH
"A place to belong . . . Whoever you are . . . Just as you are." | November 2010
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November Calendar Highlights
2 Service of Remembrance, Healing and Hope
At this afternoon service you can remember loved ones who have died and receive prayers of comfort and healing for whatever struggles you may be facing. 6 Diocesan Convention St. Paul's Clergy and delegates will be attending this important annual diocesan event at Bektash Temple in Concord. 7 Don't forget to turn your clocks back! 9 Forever Young Our active seniors group will meet to enjoy lunch (which will be provided) and welcome our speaker, Nancy Dunnell who will discuss her work as a teacher of the deaf. 13 Fall FairThank you for your contributions to the fair! We continue to welcome donations for the Silent Auction (gift baskets, gift cards, antiques, etc.) and Jewelry Tables.
You can be
part of the fun!
· Host one of the various tables on the day of the fair.
· Help set up and create displays.
We will begin set-up on Nov. 12.
· After the fair is over, assist with bringing unsold items to the Salvation Army. A pickup truck and volunteers are needed to load and
unload items.
· We love baked goods! Bakers are invited to deliver their goodies to the church the day before or day of the fair.
If you would like to get involved, contact Florence McAllister or Joyce Thorpe at ministry@stpaulsconcord.org
with "Fair" in the subject line. Thank you.
SEE YOU AT THE FAIR!
20 Saturday Night Alive!
Our once-a-month evening service of Holy Eucharist with innovative
liturgy and contemporary music.
20 Dinner and a Movie
Saturday Night Alive! is followed by a pizza meal and 'Babbette's Feast' - a G-rated, Danish movie (with subtitles).
21 Thanksgiving Lunch, Mission & Ministry Cift Card Sale, and Pledge Ingathering
A day of celebration as we praise God for our many blessings and give thanks to one another for the many ways we share our gifts to ensure the life and ministry of our parish.
Look for sign-up sheets in the Upper Parish Hall, to attend the lunch and help with the food.
See all of this month's Calendar . For details of these and other parish events, check the weekly CentrePoint .
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Come Worship With Us
Sundays:
8:00 AM This celebration of Holy Eucharist is quiet and reflective. Occasional music, but no choir.
10:00 AM This is an informal service of Holy Eucharist. Music includes traditional and contemporary hymns and choir anthems. All ages welcome.
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:10 PM
Holy Eucharist in the chapel. Third Saturday of the Month: 5:30 PM Saturday Night Alive! A relaxed and informal service with non-traditional music. Followed by "Dinner and a Movie."
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church
21 Centre Street
Concord, NH 03301
Tel: 603-224-2523
Fax: 603-224-2524
rector@stpaulsconcord.org
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Clergy and Staff
Rev. Kate B. Atkinson,
Rector
Rev. Herb Sprouse,
Assistant Priest
Rev. Charles Edward LeClerc, BSG,
Deacon
Rev. Deacon Will Ottery,
Deacon
Mark Pace,
Director of Music
Kristin Dunklee,
Parish Administrator
Sarah Nyhan,
Minister for Families, Youth and Children
Kellie Denoncourt,
Minister to High School Youth
Andrew Brundrett,
Sexton
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We'd like to hear from you! Is there something you'd like to see in future issues of Good News! or something that you would like to contribute? Letters to the Editor, perhaps? Your own Personal Reflection? An "Ask St. Paul's" column? Let's make this Newsletter an interactive forum; we are just a click away! Contact us at communications@stpaulsconcord.org
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Clergy Corner
by Rev. Herb Sprouse
Abundance. It's a word we have been using quite a bit around St. Paul's lately. We are using it as we think about stewardship season, and the annual pledge drive, of course. We have also been talking about giving thanks for God's abundant gifts with the grateful hearts we must cultivate as we face each new day of our lives. The fact is, though, that many of us don't think that we are experiencing much abundance these days. We are focused on our monetary insecurities, or the uncertainty of the larger economy, or unforeseen needs that have disrupted our plans or our dreams.
When we talk about abundance, we are acknowledging the sacred reality that in God's creation, and therefore in our own lives, we have already been given all that we need to live well. It is up to us to be effective stewards of the abundance we have been granted - to make sure that no one goes hungry, ill, abandoned or unsheltered because we have not used God's gifts wisely. Time and again, here at St. Paul's Church, we have seen acts of open-hearted, faithful Christians make the difference between "not having enough" and moving toward "living well" for those on the margins of our community. That's the purpose of our food pantry, Chapter II thrift shop, Assistance with Dignity prescription medication program and many other initiatives we operate or support. And we have seen similar acts of generosity and compassion within our own congregation, as some members share their homes, their time, their talents and their money with others who are in need. In all of this, it is important to understand that a key difference between abundance and its opposite, scarcity, lies in whether we think of God's plenty as gifts made to us as individuals or, instead, whether we see them as they truly are - showered without limit upon all of humanity and entrusted to our generous distribution and use.
Perhaps our best illustration of the sacred concept of abundance is found in the Gospel story of Jesus and his disciples feeding a crowd of 5,000 men with only two fishes and five loaves of bread. Acting out of compassion for their hunger, the disciples acknowledge that the available resources seem to be pretty meager. Yet their faithful response under the guidance of Jesus is to proceed with the meal, trusting in God to provide what is needed. In the twelve baskets of leftovers gathered after everyone had eaten their fill, it was discovered that there had been, in fact, more than enough all along. That's sacred abundance.
+ Herb
hsprouse@stpaulsconcord.org |
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Ministries and Missions
by Diane Barlow and Persis Gow
Food Pantry
 St. Paul's Mission of the Month for November is our Food Pantry, which has been helping people in need for almost 20 years. We now serve an average of 125 households each week, providing basic foods from many sources. We receive food from local and government programs, at no cost. Gifts of money from parishioners, friends and organizations allow us to shop at the New Hampshire Food Bank, and locally, to balance our available offerings. Local businesses and various fundraising programs provide us with other items such as fruit, dental supplies, yogurt and bread.
The Pantry is open 16 hours each week, thanks to our wonderful volunteers. We have:
- Volunteers to distribute food to clients between the hours of 10:00am- 2:00pm (2 hour shifts per volunteer Monday through Thursday)
- Volunteer to pick up bread on Monday afternoons
- Volunteers to unload, sort & stock food which is delivered to the Food Pantry each week
We welcome members of the parish who would like to help with this ongoing program. The time spent and the work accomplished is immensely satisfying. Co-workers become friends. The gratitude of our clients is heartwarming and there is nothing better than knowing that, because of St. Paul's Food Pantry, hungry children are fed. |
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Formation at St. Paul's
by John Bouton
Eucharistic Ministry: Bringing the People to Both Sides of the Altar Rail "There's something deeply significant about administering the bread and wine." -- Rev. Kate Atkinson Honestly I was unprepared for the truth in that statement as I contemplated applying to become a lay Eucharistic Minister at St. Paul's. Being a Eucharistic Minister is more challenging than it might appear. Having grown up in the Catholic faith, with its doctrine of transubstantiation, I have found it awe-inspiring to balance the gravity of passing on the sacrament with the symbolic ministry of hospitality at Communion. As one of the newest Eucharistic Ministers at St. Paul's, I thought you might want to know a bit more about our training and approach.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers are licensed by the Diocese to administer the consecrated bread and wine. Having applied to the Vestry through a personal statement and testimony from Kate, I was approved for this service last Spring. All Eucharistic Ministers receive annual training in how to ensure sanctity and health in the administration of the gifts. As you likely know, at Communion we wipe the rim after a communicant's lips have touched the chalice and then rotate the cup a quarter-turn to cut down on the spreading of germs. We manage the amount of wine to ensure communicants' comfort with drinking or intinction. Because the wine is consecrated, Jack Griffin, Phil Denoncourt, and their acolytes are fastidious in ensuring that none of the wine spills as they transfer it into the chalice. The church keeps stain-removal substances handy in the event of a spill onto clothing. I'm sure that I'm not the only Eucharistic Minister who worries about spilling!
The experience becomes sublime when a Eucharistic Minister considers the range of responses to receiving the sacrament. My favorite part about coming to church is seeing the diversity of communicants, all of whom are giving up part of their Sabbaths to glorify God through worship. Serving at Communion as a Eucharistic Minister allows me to witness the range of responses, from excitement in the youngest members to rapture in the most demonstrative. That is the experience that is deeply significant; the Spirit moves at the altar rail. Being a Eucharistic Minister is a practice in spiritual formation, for it reminds me that a personal experience of God is vital, that we are all called to participate in the life of our church, and that the people share equally with the clergy in making Communion holy. |
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Stewardship
by Jim Barker
 A few Sundays ago, I shared some of the reasons why I am grateful to be a member of St. Paul's Church. I also tried to explain why the church needs your pledge in the same way that I need to know what my monthly paycheck will be. Without knowing what will be coming in, I would have a tough time making a budget and planning for my family's needs. Similarly, without knowing what to expect in terms of pledges, the vestry can't build a budget to ensure that St. Paul's fulfills our mission next year both as a parish and in our larger community.
To meet our mission, we need new pledges. That includess pledges from new members of St. Paul's and from longer-term members who did not pledge last year (or maybe ever). If you have never pledged before, select an amount that you know you can comfortably pay. Then, once you successfully meet that obligation - and realize the personal and spiritual benefits of giving back to God - you can increase your pledge in the future. Pledging $10/week is a great place to start if you have never pledged before.
We also need increased pledges. If you have been pledging the same amount for several years, please know that we are grateful for the support you have given to God's work through St. Paul's. Please also understand that the church's expenses increase every year just like your expenses (and hopefully your income!) go up a bit from year to year. So, for example, if you have been pledging $100/month for the last five years, the impact of those $100 today might be more like $80 five years ago. In other words, for your pledge to have the same impact on our mission from year to year, it would have to increase by something like 3-5% per year. That would mean a $100 pledge this year would have to become $105 next year in order for St. Paul's to be able to offer the same level of services.
Times are still challenging for many in our parish but I would venture to say that, as a group, we are more fortunate than God's people in many other corners of the world. Remembering the parable of the faithful servant, it is always good to remind oneself that "from those to whom much is given, much will be expected." Indeed, God's blessings on us are bountiful and we are bound to return what we can for God's work.
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Photo Feature: Blessing of the Animals
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From the Vestry
by Tamar Roberts
September Vestry Minutes
The September Vestry Meeting was held on the 21st, with several members missing due to other commitments. Committee reports were circulated prior to the meeting with opportunity for discussion. We discussed the work of the Jamaica Committee in trying to plan two trips for 2011, a youth trip to conduct a Vacation Bible School, and an adult medical mission trip.
Diocesan Convention will be on November 6th, and the Vestry will be discussing the resolutions to be brought before Convention at the October meeting. Central Convocation met recently, and minutes of that meeting are available.
The first edition of Good News! is out, and our parish website is up and running. Both have been positively received and the Vestry is very happy with them.
The Buildings and Grounds Committee expects the painting to be done by October 1. The
Memorial Garden committee will be meeting with our rector, Kate. The sound system in the church is still an issue. The committee is working on prioritizing a list of needed or potential repairs.
The Finance Committee has begun work on the 2011 budget, which is a very difficult task in light of our current financial situation. The mortgage has been paid off.
More than half of the staff reviews have been completed and the others should be done soon. Kate will be working with the Personnel Committee on updated job descriptions.
Frank Spinella will be leading an Adult Education offering this fall based on his book, The Cloak and the Parchments. The two Education for Ministry groups have started their studies.
Chapter II is undergoing restructuring of both the voucher and pricing systems, which should allow it to meet the needs of those who rely on it, while generating more income to assist with the other important missions of our church. October's Ministry of the Month is Haiti, and we will be participating in a drive to collect used musical instruments for the Music School that was part of the Episcopal Cathedral complex in Port-au-Prince destroyed in the earthquake.
Two lay Eucharistic Minister license renewals were approved. Vestry members were encouraged to start looking for parishioners that could or should be approached as candidates for the next annual election in January.
Jerry Tepe, Senior Warden Lee Waples, Junior Warden
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Youth Happenings
by Mark Pace
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Copyright 2010 Concord Monitor.
Used by permission. |
Rhythm-Dance-Movement and Song (RDMS) is "a Montessori-based music curriculum for children aged from birth to 4 years, and their adult caregivers. Children sing, dance, play instruments, and listen to music and poetry." That's the official blurb in various church publications. But it is much more than that.
RDMS is about 25 to 30 kids along with their Moms and also quite a few Dads who gather on Tuesday evenings each week after work to enjoy each other as well as music. It is great-grandparents in their 80s who are visiting from Florida, and who are offered chairs rather than sitting on the floor like the rest of us. It is a special child named Angelina who has the face of an angel, but whose two year old body can only be moved when her father moves it for her. RDMS is also well over 50 children along with their Moms and caregivers who come on Wednesday mornings for a little break from their regular routine, and rock back and forth and sing Jesus Loves Me. It is where you can wear your Halloween costume or your pajamas all year round and no one minds. It is a place available to participants who have very little money, quite a few children of them students from our local law center, who can come and have a quality music educational experience for their children.
Quite a few studies have shown that early music exposure helps with reading and math in addition to later musical expertise. However, one of the best reasons for RDMS is for almost 100 adults as well as the same number of children coming to St. Paul's Church during the week and having a wonderful church experience, even if it is in Ordway hall and not upstairs in the sanctuary.
We meet on Tuesday afternoons from 5:15-5:45 and again on Wednesday mornings from 10:30-11:00. There is no charge for RDMS but donations are gratefully received. For more information, please contact Mark Pace.
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Personal Reflections
by Gail Schilling
"Let God use you without consulting you."
---Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Why me?
Mere days after being offered my first Honors English course, I was suddenly reassigned to the remedial class, the ill-prepared students who bristled with resentment -- many at me -- for having to take a non-credit course. Wasn't I talented enough for the Honors group? Yes, but God had another idea...
Like priests, hairdressers and bartenders, English teachers hear achingly personal stories. As I read raw-boned sentences describing abuses, addictions, fears and dreams for a better future, I found lots of grammatical errors, but more importantly, I found young men and women who needed encouragement, who needed to believe that they were more than the sum of their misspellings and sentence fragments. They needed someone to believe in them. God knew that I had the compassion and grit for the job -- dare I say "ministry"? -- well before I did. The semester would be a tough slog, but within a few weeks, I knew I was exactly where I belonged.
Did my class adore me and rave about my lessons? Hardly. At first, I had to repeat, reteach, calmly hold my ground and ignore immature attitudes. Yet eventually many of these wounded students trusted me enough to seek me outside of class for extra help. The more prickly, defensive students began to relax because they felt safe. In fact, they risked making mistakes to learn to write and in so doing learned how capable they truly are. Amazing grace...
By the end of the semester, my most defiant -- and capable -- student let me preview the diamond ring for his sweetheart; the young man who had emerged from prison knew he could write well. One student even wrote me a thank you note, using the semi-colon perfectly: "You gave me encouragement when I needed it and kept me from dropping out."
Gosh.
God didn't give me what I thought I wanted that semester. Now, however, I request remedial classes. Now I trust God to use me without consulting me. |
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History and Artifacts
by Frank Spinella
Did you know that before there was a St. Paul's Church in Concord, Episcopalians worshiped here as St. Thomas Chapel? According to Bouton's The History of Concord (1856), "Worship according to the Liturgy of the Episcopal church was commenced in this town in1817, at which time a few individuals 'agreed, and did associate and form themselves into an Episcopal church and congregation, under the name and style of St. Thomas Chapel.'" However, "in 1823 the meetings of the society were discontinued, except occasionally, until July, 1835, when a new organization was subscribed and formed by twelve individuals, under the name and style of the 'Wardens and Vestry of St. Paul's church,' and the Rev. Moses B. Chase, of Hopkinton, chosen rector, who officiated here a part of the time for one year."
That one year was enough under then-current diocesan rules for St. Paul's to be formally admitted into the Diocese of New Hampshire on June 28, 1837. This account is taken from THE JOURNALS OF THE CONVENTION OF THE CLERGY AND DELEGATES OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHES, IN NEW HAMPSHIRE:
"The business of the Convention being resumed, the Committee to whom had been referred the subject of admitting St. Paul's Church recently organized in Concord, into a union with the other churches in the State reported as follows:
'WHEREAS it appears from the Records of the Convention of 1803, 1805, and 1830, that "any number of Episcopalians who may be desirous to form a church, and be received into union with the other churches of this State, shall, for one year preceding their admission, regularly assemble on Sundays and attend divine worship, and the administration of the ordinances, according to the Liturgy and practice of the Protestant Episcopal Church"−AND WHEREAS it appears, to the Satisfaction of this Convention, that a number of Episcopalians at Concord have formed themselves into a society, or parish, by the name of the Wardens and Vestry of St. Paul's church, and have in conformity to a law of the State, enacted July 3, 1827, "empowering religious associations to assume and exercise corporate powers," given public notice of the formation of said Society: and also have organized, by the choice of parish officers and a rector, and for more than one year have regularly assembled on Sundays, attended divine service and the administration of the ordinances, and have acceded to the Constitution−the Committee therefore recommend that the said Church be admitted into union with the other churches in the State, and to a participation in the proceedings of their conventions.'
'And the said Report being read and considered; was received and accepted−and therefore it was RESOLVED, that St. Paul's Church, in Concord, having conformed to the usual requirements, and acceded to the constitution, be received into a union with the other Episcopal churches in the State, and to a representation in their conventions.'"
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© St. Paul's Church, 2010. Next Newsletter: December 1; deadline for submissions: November 23. Please do not reprint text or graphics without permission.
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