Thrive Neighborhood Market and Community Garden

Summer's here and the garden is growing! The Thrive/Garden Team is excited to announce the dates for the Farmer's Markets we will be hosting here at St. Paul's this Summer: June 28th, July 26th, August 23rd, an September 27th

WE NEED YOUR HELP! We are asking for volunteers to come out each Tuesday evening between 6:30 and 7:30 P.M. to help weed and tend the garden.  There's a sign up sheet in the Parish Hall. 

Please be thinking about how you might like to contribute on market days.  We will be in search of volunteers to help coordinate children's activities/crafts and folks to provide musical entertainment, etc.  We want these events to be a good time and since we know you all know how to have fun, we want you to help us make it happen!  Check the website, thrivemarket.org or see any member of the Thrive or Garden team if you have questions or ideas: Christina Krueger, Freyja Rasmussen-Johns, Jocelyn Prall, Jamie Stubblefield, Terry Dickow.                    

The Adult Sunday School will continue to meet for Bible Study throughout the summer months.  Our Rector, Rev. Stacy, will serve as our lead teacher starting June 1st.  In June we will finish our study of Romans (chapters 10-15) begun earlier this spring. On July 6th we will start a study of the Gospel according to Mark.  This is a casual drop-in as you are available class. No preparation outside of class time is required.   For more information please contact Rev. Stacy at revstacy@stpaulsdekalb.org

Spend this Summer with a Christian Classic-C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity

The Adult Sunday School class at St. Paul's invites you to spend part of your summer reading a classic of Christian literature: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.  Study guides will be made available starting on June 15th, (or you can download your own copy at www.cslewis.org.pdf

Please contact Rev. Stacy by June 12th to order a copy of Mere Christianity, or order your own copy through the bookseller of your choice.  This title is also commonly available as an audiobook. At the end of the summer we will gather together for a meal and discussion group.  Date to be announced.  

Another Lobster Boil passed. What a great success, in no small part due to the efforts of Rick Johns. To understand what Rick did, let me take you back a few years.

It was 2011, and my wife Christina and I had only been at St. Paul's for a few weeks. When we learned of the opportunity to be a part of the Lobster Boil, we jumped in head first. When we arrived, everything had been set up and we were waiting for live lobster delivery to begin. During this lull, I noticed Rick lounging on the grass with his notebook. I had not yet met Rick, and I thought, "Oh, he must be an artist." I asked him if he was sketching people as we awaited the rush. Rick, in his resonant voice said, "Aw...no, I'm just taking notes on how everything is set up and runs. You know, at some point, someone else will have to run this. It's so well run, and operates pretty smoothly. I just don't want us to lose that."

That was three years ago. Rick had that foresight. I don't think Rick envisioned himself running the whole shebang, but when it came time for him to fill the void of making the Lobster Boil run, he was ready. He had detailed, to scale, diagrams from his computer ready to go. When it came time for set up, my guests (parents and my friend Ryan) knew exactly what to do having despite never having attended before. It is this foresight that I am amazed by. An awareness that although the need wasn't immediate, it was looming. 

And that's what I'm thinking about today. I echo Peg Newby's article. We are half-way through our calendar year, but I am already thinking of wrapping up my time on the vestry. To be sure I have much to do, and many months remain on my term, but soon I will be done. I have relished that time. I honestly enjoy doing the weekly counts of our collection. I like taking every third Sunday to attend to church matters. In short, I'm not looking forward to having my time back.

I'm already contemplating what my next role for the church can be once my term ends. (Right now, teaching Sunday school has the edge.) I urge everyone to consider what you wish to do, in a new phase of St. Paul's history. We will have three departures from the vestry in January, we will need a new clerk, and someone to represent buildings and grounds.

Perhaps you are the Cincinnatus type, one who does not seek to serve but will when asked. I'm like that. But as we move towards January, consider Rick. We should all take a moment, lounge in the grass at St. Paul's and wonder, not what more can you do (because a lot of people are doing so much already), but what will be your new role as the year and years role on; to make sure St. Paul's sustains what makes us wonderful, and creates new and innovative ideas for our congregation and our community. 

Luke Krueger, Senior Warden

From the Junior Warden, Peg Newby

I continue learning the workings of our church, as I attend Vestry and other meetings.  I have been active in several aspects of parish life, but it is amazing what goes on behind the scenes to keep our programs and fellowship going. 

This takes the work of a dedicated parish.  Each and every one of us plays an important role in carrying out our Vision Statement:  We pray that our hearts may be opened to seek the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to be the church and the Christians that God is calling us to be.  This statement is on the front of our weekly service bulletins, along with our Mission Statement: We are called to gather around the sacred story and table of Christ where all are invited to be fed and everyone's story matters. 

If we read these Statements regularly, and do what is in our hearts to fulfill our Mission and Vision, we will be more than prepared to accept challenges, perform services, and participate in the life and worship of our church family.

We are only halfway through the calendar year, but it is not too soon to be thinking about leadership needs for 2015.  I hope you will prayerfully consider how you might be involved in our remaining events for 2014, and what role you are called to play in the next year.  And as I have said before, regular attendance at worship is important, to hear the sacred story and be fed, and share fellowship with our church family.

See you on Sunday!

Peg Newby, Junior Warden

Treasurer's Summary, Pat Brown

April 2014