Sanctuary cross
GOOD NEWS!    
A Newsletter of St. Paul's Church, Concord, NH
"A place to belong . . . Whoever you are . . . Just as you are."
July-August 2011
In This Issue
Summer Calendar Highlights
Milestones
Shorts
Clergy Corner
Ministries and Missions
Poll of the Month
Topics in the News
Formation
Photo Feature
From the Vestry
Youth Happenings
Personal Reflections
History and Artifacts
Summer Calendar Highlights  

 

July 12 Forever Young Annual Picnic

 

July 15 & 16 St. Paul's takes part in Concord Downtown Market Days

 

July 19  Parish Potluck

 

August 7, 14, 21, 28 Batulo's Market

Buy fresh produce after Sunday Services and support refugee ministry in Concord

 

August 15-19 Summer Celebration Camp

 

August 16 Parish Potluck

 

August 20 Flea Market in St. Paul's parking lot.  Rent a bay, sell your stuff, make some money, support your parish!

 

August 28 Farewell party for Katie Solter

 

See entire calendar    
For details of these and other parish events, check the weekly
Milestones 
the tortoise and the hare   
Baptisms
 Cooper Fecteau 6/12/11
Jacob LeClair 6/12/11
 
Confirmations
 Brad Decker 6/19/11
Sarah Lindsay 6/19/11
Eric Perron 6/19/11
Riley Solter 6/19/11

Reception into the
Episcopal Church
Bob Samson 6/19/11

Marriage
Cortney and David Levesque 6/4/11
 
Memorial Services
Joseph Vadurro 6/15/11
Ann Anderson 6/26/11

   

Shorts 

Time is running out to share your opinions on what the Diocese of New Hampshire is looking for in our next bishop!  Click here to take the Bishop Search Survey.

 

The St. Paul's Black Flies softball team welcomes all to join in the fun on Monday evenings at 6 PM (practice starts at 5:30) at the Webster Elementary School field (next to the Blackwater River).  Here is the schedule:

 

June  27  vs. Wesley United Methodist

July  11  vs.  Immaculate Heart of Mary

July  18  vs. Boscawen Congregational

July  25  vs. Countryside Community

Aug.  1  vs. South Congregational

Aug.  8  vs. Unitarian Universalist  

Aug. 15  vs. Immaculate Heart of Mary

Aug. 22  vs.  River of Grace 

 

Got Stuff?  St. Paul's will be hosting a flea market in the Centre Street parking lot on Saturday, August 20.  Reserve a parking bay for a $15 donation, display your wares, and donate 10% of your proceeds to St. Paul's.  For details, call the church office  or email [email protected] with "Flea Market" in the subject line.

 

Katie Solter will soon take up her new position as Assistant to the Rector at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Hopkinton.  She will be ordained to the Transitional Diaconate in early January 2012, and will be ordained Priest around six months later.  We will be celebrating Katie's ministry and saying farewell to her and her family after the 10:00 service on August 28.  We pray for God's richest blessing on Katie in her new vocation.

Quick Links...
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 a traditional 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.

 
The Episcopal Church Welcomes You

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
21 Centre Street
Concord, NH 03301
Tel: 603-224-2523
Fax: 603-224-
2524
[email protected]
            Clergy and Staff
Rev. Kate B. Atkinson,
Rector
Rev. Herb Sprouse,
Assistant Priest
Rev. Darrell Huddleston,
Priest Associate
Rev. Charles Edward LeClerc, BSG,
Deacon
Rev. 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

Join Our Mailing List
Who says 'No news is Good News?"   Not us!  It may be the lazy days of summer for some, but we'd like to keep the lines of communication open no matter the season.  Let Good News! stay in your in-box and on your desk this summer, and let it remind you to share your own news with fellow parishioners.  Email news for our "Shorts" column to [email protected] 

Clergy Corner

Herb by Rev. Herb Sprouse
 

Sunday Morning Sure Ain't What it Used to Be...

 

There's no denying that we lead very busy lives, and that we often have conflicting demands on our time.  Perhaps we feel this the most on Sunday mornings, when the many demands of family and work can collide with our desire to be in church.  Many of us can remember a time when the popular culture actively supported church attendance.  In fact, society-at-large assumed that church attendance was the norm.  So-called "Blue Laws" prohibited retail stores from opening on Sundays, sports practices and sporting events never occurred on Sunday mornings, and you could be hard pressed to find an open gas station before church, or an open grocery store afterwards.

 

Times have certainly changed.  Today, no event in our lives has restrictions in the weekly calendar.  Malls, auto dealers and big box stores promote major sales events on Sundays, our schools routinely schedule sports events and other activities on Sunday mornings, and business travel often requires that we depart early in the day.  All of this Sunday morning activity also means that many of us must work to earn our livings on Sundays.

 

The toll that this Sunday busy-ness takes on our life as a parish is significant, and its impact on individuals and families is even more profound.  Weekly worship together is the center of our life as the Body of Christ.  It's the one time when we all gather to praise and worship the Almighty, to be fed sacramentally at God's table, to revitalize our relationships through fellowship (with donuts!) and then to return to the world "...in peace, with strength and courage to love and serve our Lord with gladness and singleness of heart" in the week ahead.  It is hard to imagine how our community of faith could thrive without this regular renewal.  On the "low" Sundays after Christmas and Easter and during summer vacation times we especially notice how the energy and enthusiasm of our community worship is diminished by our reduced numbers.  During certain seasons of the school year and sports calendar, attendance in our church school and youth groups falls off dramatically, to the great loss of everyone who can still participate. 

 

But our individual lives are even more greatly impoverished when we can't participate in worship together on a weekly basis.  We can start to forget our essential identity as children of a loving God, and the relationships through which we do God's work in the world can begin to come unglued.  The example of faithful attendance we would hope to set for our childrens' future is lost.  For all of these reasons, it is vital that we worship together as a whole community as much as we possibly can manage.

 

No amount of nostalgia or regret can bring back the Blue Laws or clear our calendars.  At St. Paul's we are realistic in our desire to meet the needs of parishioners who, from time to time, absolutely cannot make it to Sunday morning worship.  So beginning on Saturday, September 10th we will initiate a new weekly service on Saturday afternoons at 4:30.  This will be a Rite II Eucharist, with music (but no choir) and a sermon - very close to what you would experience at the 10:00 service the next day.  We're not offering this service as a permanent alternative to Sunday morning attendance; rather, it's intended to fill a need, on a weekly basis, for those who just can't join us on a given Sunday morning.  But regardless of whether you can attend on Sunday or need to join us on Saturday afternoon, please remember this:  we worship together out of joy for our common life, thanksgiving for the gifts of a most generous God, and devotion to Jesus Christ, the One who is Risen.

 

Yours faithfully,   

 

Herb+

[email protected]  

Ministries and Missions

                    by Robin Broadbent and Deb Baker   

 

Robin Broadbent
Robin Broadbent

At St. Paul's we know that ALL the time we spend together is important - not just the time we spend together in worship.  So we put a lot of energy and enthusiasm into our Ministry of Hospitality, St. Paul's Mission of the Month for July.

 

We are committed to providing a warm welcome to everyone who walks through the doors of our church building - making them feel at home, sharing good food and fellowship, answering their questions, and helping them to learn more about the life of our parish and how they can eventually become more involved.  Look for the people wearing big bright flowers - these are members of our hospitality ministry and you are very welcome to wear a flower yourself and join in that ministry!

 

Deb Baker
  Deb Baker

We know from our recent Mutual Ministry Review, that the people of St. Paul's want to "love and be loved"; we want to build a sense of belonging that extends to newcomers as well as to our longstanding parishioners. Some of the ways we do this are our monthly potluck, our lively coffee hours after the Sunday services, and our regular newcomer events - when staff, clergy, and lay leaders share food and information with new members of the parish.  We honor those who are newly baptized with special treats at coffee hour, we celebrate arrivals, departures and other milestones, and we have a growing ministry of catering receptions following memorial services.  We also organize annual celebrations such as the Thanksgiving Lunch, the Parish Picnic, and the Ministry Celebration Breakfast. 

 

All of these events are intended to promote a sense of community, of being a part of something that is both meaningful and fun.  We value the uniqueness and the connectedness of every member of our parish family, and we really mean it when we say that St. Paul's is "A place to belong, whoever you are, just as you are"!

 

St. Paul's Refugee Partnership (SPRP), our Mission of the Month for August, is a ministry that is rooted in hospitality.  It was originally conceived to help resettle one refugee family, with the result that strong bonds of friendship were formed between St. Paul's parishioners and the Bhattarai family. On Valentine's Day, 2010, we hosted a baby shower for Saraswati, and we joined in celebrating Adam's birth a few weeks later.

 

Today, SPRP offers a wider variety of volunteer opportunities in conjunction with other parish outreach ministries, such as our Food Pantry and Chapter II, which are actively serving the growing refugee population of Greater Concord.  We have offered English enrichment classes, and we have provided a venue for a training course for new Americans seeking jobs in the service industries.  We will also be welcoming back Batulo and her vegetable stand in the Upper Parish Hall during the month of August!

 

We continue to liaise with Lutheran Social Services (and with other groups such as Second Start, the Concord Multicultural Family Project, and the New American Africans as opportunities arise) in order to identify new ways for St. Paul's parishioners to help welcome new Americans to their Concord home.

 

Through St. Paul's Ministry of Hospitality, and our Refugee Partnership ministries, we are living out our diocesan mission: "Infinite respect for one another. Radical hospitality for the world."

   Poll of the Month

Last month's poll question was:  "Which topic do you most prefer hearing from the pulpit?"  Here are the results:

 

Applying Scripture to our life today  58% 

Stewardship                                      2% 

Biblical/historical contexts                 17% 

Personal anecdotes/experiences        21% 

All-age talks                                       3% 

 

This month's poll question is: "Where do you find God in the summertime?"

 
At the beach/lake/mountains
In my garden
On ball fields 
On Main Street
Visiting/vacationing with family and friends
 
 To vote, click here    
Topics in the News    

                                                        by John Bouton 

John Bouton
With St. Paul's considering plans to grow our membership through parishioners' inviting neighbors to "come and see" in the coming year, it is timely that a coalition of Christian groups on June 28th issued guidelines for missionaries seeking to bring people into their religious fold. While no one imagines Concord or Bow to be analogous to East Timor or Somalia, the morality of seeking to convert people from one faith tradition to another calls for sensitivity as well as conviction. The guidelines serve to undergird those efforts internationally. The Anglican Communion is a signatory to this agreement within the framework of the World Council of Churches; an evangelical synod and the Vatican have also signed on, effectively covering 90% of the world's Christians, according to Reuters. Entitled Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World, the agreement has been five years in negotiation. 

According to Reuters, the agreement seeks to reduce hostility from Muslims and others concerned with missionaries who have offered financial incentives to convert to Christianity. Reuters reports that "Christian missionaries have long been accused of offering money, food, or other goods to win converts in poor countries, either from other faiths or from rival churches." The code of conduct rejects "inappropriate methods of exercising mission by resorting to deception and coercive means", saying that such behaviour "betrays the Gospel and may cause suffering to others."  

The statement of principles also enhances Christians missionaries' efforts to lobby against anti-conversion laws being implemented internationally. India recently passed an anti-conversion law, threatening evangelical Christian efforts there. As reported in last month's Good News, tensions surrounding Coptic Christians in Egypt have twice erupted into riots based on rumors of forced conversion to Christianity from Islam, which is against the law in several theocratic Islamic regimes. In some of these countries professing one's Christian religion or seeking to convert others is considered blasphemy, punishable by death.  

Twelve principles inform the recommendations for conduct. They include acting in God's love, imitating Jesus Christ, pursuing Christian virtues, acting in service and justice, discerning in ministries of healing, rejecting violence, promoting freedom of religion and belief, maintaining mutual respect, solidarity, and respect for all people, renouncing false witness, ensuring personal discernment, and building interreligious relationships. Ultimately, the document reminds us, conversion is not caused by the proselytizer, but by the agency of the Holy Spirit.  

The document is found here in its entirety: http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2011pdfs/ChristianWitness_recommendations.pdf

Formation: The Discernment Process        

by Michael Atkinson

 

Steve Blackmer
Steve Blackmer, Postulancy hopeful

 Steve Blackmer took a further step toward the ordained ministry last month when the Vestry approved him to apply - to the Bishop and the Commission on Ministry - for postulancy. (In the Episcopal Church, postulancy is a period of assessment which must take place before a person can be admitted as a candidate for ordination.) This followed several months of Steve meeting regularly with his parish discernment committee to investigate his calling.

 

Steve's discernment group included Maeve Blackman, Molly Brown, Bunny Huddleston, Jack McAllister and myself. Initially some of the members did not know Steve well, but we all quickly grew to appreciate his intellect, warmth and humor, as well as discovering a well-rounded faith and character that left us in no doubt that he will make a fine priest. The decision to recommend him to the Vestry was unanimous.

 

This period of discernment was a learning and growing experience for the entire committee, not only for Steve. Throughout our time together, we discovered things about ourselves and each other as well as about Steve. Increasingly we shared our own experiences and feelings, taking a risk of opening ourselves up, while remaining secure in the knowledge that we were among friends. The faith journey that has taken Steve closer to the priesthood has taken each of us forward in our own spiritual journey. I believe that it has made us all better equipped for ministry (whether ordained or not) in our congregation and community. 

 

When we think of formation, classes and workshops are often what come to mind, but the work of a parish discernment committee is unquestionably formative in nature. A discernment group provides an ideal opportunity to sharpen your spiritual skills on the job, and to get to know others in the group at a deeper level than before. It is also a way to pay attention to God's voice and to see God's plans unfold. I can say with confidence that it has been a rich and rewarding experience

for us all.

Photo feature: Parish Picnic       

                                                                             

On June 12, due to some cold, wet weather, our annual Parish Picnic was held indoors in Ordway Hall.  Thanks to Dick Miller for these photos of the event:

 

2011 Picnic 1

2011 Picnic 2

2011 Picnic 32011 Picnic 4

2011 Picnic 6

From the Vestry 

Vestry                         May Vestry Notes 

by Tamar Roberts

 

Due to other commitments, there were five vestry members missing from our May meeting on the 17th.  Our opening devotion was presented by Seminary student, Steve Blackmer, who was shadowing Kate.

 

We again had as guests, Dave Cawley and Jan Greer-Carney of the Finance Committee, who presented some proposals on consolidating and better reporting on some of our invested funds.  Three motions were made and approved that should provide for easier and better reporting of our invested funds in the future.  

 

We discussed the four task forces that came out of the Mutual Ministry Review process, and suggested parishioners that we thought would be candidates to serve on them.

 

Vestry members were encouraged by Kate to attend as many parish events as possible and to respond to such invitations.  It was announced that the Bishop will be attending our October vestry meeting.

 

Plans for the Parish luncheon to present what came out of the Mutual Ministry Review were discussed.  Vestry members are putting on this luncheon and are to contribute bread for the meal and time for either preparation or cleanup, and are to serve as table hosts during the meal. 

 

Ginnie reported that the Leadership Institute School for Vestries was an incredible and helpful experience and encouraged others to attend in the future.  Tamar urged vestry members to take a shift at the front desk during the week, as she had tried it and found it to be eye-opening in terms of all that is going on at the church.

 

The meeting ended at 8:35 PM.

 

Casper Kranenburg, Senior Warden                                                Lee Waples, Junior Warden

Youth Happening

                                                       by Kate Atkinson  

 

Spy Seniors 2011June was a significant month for many of the youth of St. Paul's. 

 

  • Charlie Arsenault, Gregory Baker, Bret Bamberger, Philip Denoncourt IV, Patrick Greene, Alison Howard, Matte Lindsay, Sarah MacDougall, and Emily Spring all graduated from High School.
  • Callie Bouton, Cecily Braley, Tate Ellinwood, Ella Fabozzi, Luke Jameson, Sophie Johnson, Lucy Martinson, Zachary McMenemy, Joseph Nyhan, Anneliese Oxaal, Oliver Spencer, and Aniecia Vargas all finished 5th grade and are preparing to become middle-schoolers in the fall.
  • Sarah Lindsay and Riley Solter were confirmed on Trinity Sunday.

It was a significant month for the rest of the parish too because, on several occasions during June, we were able to hear - and learn - from some of our younger members.

 

At the 10:00 service on June 5, our Sunday School students (elementary grades) presented an "Instructed Eucharist" in which they explained all the significant elements of that service that is central to our life of faith.  On that same day, we heard about the faith journeys of several of our graduating seniors:

 

Philip Denoncourt IV called himself "Easter/Christmas" parishioner since he is rarely in the congregation on Sunday morning.  However Philip almost never misses a Sunday night SPY meeting, where he is deeply involved with the activities and ministries of that remarkable group of youth.  In addition, Phil finds God outside, in nature, and his faith is inspired when he is hiking mountains. "The feeling when I climb to the top is a spiritually fulfilling one for me."

 

Matt Lindsay remembered one SPY meeting when "Charlie lit my hair on fire" and SPY seems to have lit Matt's faith on fire, too! Matt feels that, for SPY, simply existing is its main purpose.  He told us, "It is a safe place, and all of its members have helped to mold me into who I am now. I hope that I have helped them too in some small way."

 

Sarah MacDougal admitted that she has not been to church services in a while due to her Sunday job, but told us how her faith is always traveling with her beyond the walls of St. Paul's. She has discovered an important spiritual dimension in her work at Pleasant View Retirement Home - where she serves meals to the residents, and often is able to connect with them in a profound and meaning for way.  For Sarah, "Faith is limitless."

 

Emily Spring described how she was in the middle of a ropes course recently, making her way across a set of monkey bars 50 feet above the ground. Halfway across she just couldn't hold on anymore, but when she let go and fell through the air, the safety cord pulled her back and saved her.  This is how Emily describes her faith. "My faith is always there; I'm clipped in all the time, and when I fall, it saves me."

 

A week later, on the Day of Pentecost, we recognized the five parishioners who were due to be confirmed and received the following Sunday.  The two youth from that group shared with us their favorite passages from the Bible and explained why they had chosen them.

 

Riley Solter chose some verses from Job, chapters 38-40, where God reminds Job who is ultimately responsible for the creation of the world and all its elements and creatures.

 

Riley observed that God is telling Job what we as humans usually forget: that we are not the center of everything. The passage is important because we have been acting like Job for centuries. We have acted like we are God's only creation, and have destroyed forests, slaughtered animals, and polluted the oceans without thought. God is reminding us that we need to acknowledge that his other creations are just as important as we are, and that we need to protect the environment. Just as God tells Job to respond, we too must respond and help save the environment. 

 

Sarah Lindsay's selection was Luke 24:13-32, the story of the two disciples who were traveling on the road to Emmaus, shortly after Jesus had been crucified.  Jesus joined them on their journey, and opened the Scriptures to them, but they didn't recognize him until he sat with them at supper, gave thanks, and broke and distributed the bread.

 

Sarah talked about how we can lose sight of Jesus in our lives at times - either forgetting he's there or failing to recognize him. But he always makes an appearance.  He always reassures us that he is with us all the time.  And that is how our faith life gives us hope to keep going and meet all the challenges of our lives.

 

We pray for God's blessing on all of our youth who are stepping out into new chapters of their lives, and we give thanks for all that we receive and learn from them.

Personal Reflections 

                                                       by Doug Black 

Doug Black  

My wife Elizabeth and I have been at Saint Paul's Church for almost 50 years-commonly know as fixtures, and that is not bad.  A lot has changed, yet at the same time little has changed.  Just like any family, we have had our ups and downs-both good for us as a parish.

 

There have been very significant changes.  Changes in the hymnal and prayer book were particularly awkward.  The ordination of women was wrenching for many - our Senior Warden at the time said it was the end of the church for him-but he hung in there.  And then a gay Bishop - can you think of anything more controversial and divisive - our bishop and Concord, NH, are on the church world map.  Gene, our Bishop, has done a great job and the church is better for it.

 

In 1984 the church burned down - a day that I will never forget.  I can still see the flames leaping out of the church and the stained glass windows crumbling.  It really brought us together - moved us from being a lethargic parish to a dynamic parish.  Great love and generosity rebuilt this church.  Money and time poured out and we are now a great church.

 

Just look at our music programs - singing, varied instruments, solos, groups, little kids and big kids - they are all introduced to music that will stay with them for a lifetime.  The Sunday School -an experience that also lasts a lifetime for most of us.  The food pantry, the thrift shop and much, much more.  We are alive.

 

The Eucharist is what really holds all of us together - for 2000 years - and that is why I go to church.  The Eucharist is a sign of God's love for all of us and a reminder for us of God's total sacrifice on our behalf.  I need that at least weekly kick in the pants to keep me pointed in the right direction.

 

See you in church.

History and Artifacts
                                               by Frank Spinella
Red Doors

 

In the early nineteenth century, few churches in America had functional bell towers, and of those that did, most had but a single bell to summon worshipers to Sunday services.  Chimes were a rarity.  Gradually, however, they gained popularity.  An article in Harpers Magazine, Vol. LII (1876), entitled "The Poetry of Steeples," discusses their history, and reports:  

 

"Full and partial chimes are now to be found in all parts of the country. Away off in Eureka, California, is a chime in the steeple of Christ Church. There are three chimes of bells in Troy, New York. The Church of the Good Shepherd, in Hartford, the gift of Mrs. Samuel Colt, has a chime. St. James's Church, in Birmingham, Connecticut, old St. John's, in Savannah, Georgia, and churches of various denominations in Indianapolis, Petersburg (Virginia), Cleveland (Ohio), Concord (New Hampshire), York (Pennsylvania), Rochester, and New Brunswick all have chimes." 

 

A newspaper account from 1869 purports to list all thirty-five chimes then in existence in America, including only one in New Hampshire - here at St. Paul's, a set of nine bells installed in 1868 and weighing a total of 6,407 lbs.  Apparently they were a source of some pride for our parish; their acquisition dominated our delegation's annual report at the Diocesan Convention that year, recorded in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Sixty-Eighth Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of New Hampshire (1868):  

 

"In connection with this, as showing the condition of the parish, I would mention that about $3,500 have been raised for the purpose of procuring a chime of bells. This chime, consisting of nine bells, has been placed in the tower.

"The bells were cast at Messrs. E. A. & G. K. Meneely's Foundry, West Troy, N. Y., and give the most perfect satisfaction. They are most effectively rung by Frank Eugene Brown, the son of our esteemed Senior Warden, Horace A. Brown.

"The three medium sized bells were given by the ladies of the parish, and the others were personal gifts from Mr. J. H. Pearson, Mrs. Eliza C. Davis, Mr. Edward L. Knowlton, Mr. Edward A. Abbott, and Mrs. William Butterfield.  Each bell has its appropriate name and motto."

 

    Lyford's History of Concord, N.H. (1903) tells us "They were first rung on Easter morning, April 12, 1868."   They still peal here at St. Paul's, and those hearty enough to climb the 26 spiral steps and 10 ladder rungs to the belfry can see them in all their splendor.  (Quasimodo, is that you up there?)      

� St. Paul's Church, 2011. Next Newsletter: September 1; deadline for submissions: August 27.  Please do not reprint text or graphics without permission.