In this issue: August
Letter, Rector Concerts
by Candlelight Thanks
Be to God Notes
from You Summer
Bible Study Note
from the Choirmaster Thank
You Sept.
Bishop’s Election Outreach
Opportunities Discernment
Committee Recommended
Birthdays/Anniversaries August
Calendar Deadline for
September issue:
Dear Brothers
and Sisters in Christ,
Here in the sultry days of summer, when
the air conditioners are humming and we find it too oppressive to spend much time
outside, perhaps it is a good time to turn off the television and the
computer—they produce heat too you know.
Not so much to save the planet, but more so to pray and to dream, to
dream about the future, to dream about a church family that loves and protects
all its family members, especially the most innocent and vulnerable, to dream
about a loving God smiling as he watches over us, as we fall in love anew with
his Son, and renew our faith and our commitment to him. We do need to be re-energized in this great
old parish. The potential for a good future is just too great to waste, and
everyone has a role.
How will we come together in September,
after all have taken their vacation and seen their out of town family? Refreshed with a new vision and vigor? anxious to contribute? to do better? to grow
spiritually? to be a vibrant part of this living, breathing organism we call
the Body of Christ?
Nothing will please God more and assure
that He sends you a good priest to be your next rector, than your being ready
to take on a ministry, to accept your calling as a member of this parish. For that, perhaps you need prayer and rest,
and time to reflect and dream. God bless
us all in these final days of summer.
Faithfully,
Marjorie+
Many of you
may be wondering “What is a ‘Blog’?” No it’s not something offensive or
dangerous, though without a little courtesy or restraint it could be both.
It is simply a
way to have a conversation online. It’s
not active in real time, but you may post a comment and then check later to see
if anyone else has responded or added to your comment, or you may continue to
post a particular line of thought or inquiry, or you may simply read what
others are writing.
The benefit of
a blog is that it can keep people talking about a topic when they cannot get
together to do so. A perfect example of
this is during the summer when people are away on vacation or when it is too
hot to get out much. How many times have
you ever gotten into a really good discussion about faith at church, but then
you had to leave for lunch or because someone else was waiting for you? Wouldn’t you have liked to carry on the
conversation?
The focus of
the
If you go to
our website, www.stpaulspetersburg.org,
you will find a little icon entitled “Blog”.
Double click on it and sign up by giving a user name (whatever name or
nickname by which you would like to be known), e-mail address and password. Look in the upper right hand corner for the
button that says “Not a user?” It may take a little while to receive
registration confirmation. Then when you
want to add something, click on “Add a post.”
Please encourage all your friends and family, especially those who are
younger and internet savvy to check out our blog. With your help, we hope to reach those who do
not attend a church, who have left the church, or who have questions about what
we believe.
Thanks to all who helped with the Annual Parish Picnic,
especially Peachie & Chris Johnson, Anne Rowlett, Brenda Orlando, and Joe
Aldrich!
Thanks Be to God for Brenda Orlando!
For being so
generous with her time and energy, her treasure and her talent, to assist with
so many of our fellowship meals and to host numerous coffee hours during the
summer; for sneaking into the back of the church to get a headcount for
breakfast during the 8:00 service; for doing so with a great attitude and a big
smile; for putting up with the rest of us who aren’t always as cheerful in the
kitchen; and for her patient, tender, loving care for Phillip; and for simply
being a lovely person, we say “Thanks be
to God for Brenda Orlando!”
Summer Bible Study
Summer
Bible study is being held on Wednesdays at
A Note from the Choirmaster
The Bristol Ringers, our handbell group here at
We meet on most Sunday mornings at
The reality is that, if we do not recruit more people, it
will not be long before our lovely brass handbells go silent and unused.
I urge you to prayerfully consider this unique and fun opportunity for
ministry, fellowship, and worship!
Concerts
by Candlelight
Every second Friday of the month at
FRIDAY
8 AUGUST, Sarah
Motley, Soprano and Charles Lindsey,
Jr, Organ & Piano
A Varied Program of Vocal and Organ
Music
Come join us and drift downtown
afterwards for a nice dinner with friends, enjoying the various forms of visual
and musical arts along the way.
Bishop
Election Dates:
Meet the Nominees,
Sept.13th, Blackstone
Election, Sept. 27th,
“As you have done it for the least of
these, you have done it for me”—Outreach Opportunities
Please be
thinking about how
Contact
Barbara Reynolds, Vestry Liaison for Outreach, to help.
We will
continue to collect food contributions for St. Joseph’s Food Pantry on 4th
Sundays.
Please
remember to bring canned goods, especially meats, tuna, vegetables, soups and
peanut butter, and boxed goods that are simple to prepare.
Our Next Rector
The
Discernment Committee is receiving names and reviewing résumés and deployment
profiles of prospective rector candidates.
Please keep
the Committee in your prayers this summer.
Is God calling you? Please
listen to Him.
We have great
need for a Visual Historian! This is someone who knows how to use a digital
camera and submit photos on a regular basis to the webmaster.
We are
fortunate to have a photo gallery on our website. Every time we have a special service, meal or
we have parishioners involved in outreach ministries,
or other
parish ministries, we would like to have pictures to put in our photo
gallery. Taking photos can be fun! In
this day and age if a website does not have
recent photos
on it, it begins to look aged—and none of us wants to look too aged! It’s not as time-consuming as it sounds.
Sunday School
There is
interest in re-establishing Sunday school for our very young children. We envision a small team effort here. Could you be a member of this team,
working with
the most vital part of our congregation, our children? This is about the future of
if you would
like to help. Now is the time to start
planning for September.
Little Notes from You
Dear
Thank you so
very much for your very kind note. I am
very much improved, and I have only high hopes that
Fondly,
Pat
Ryan
Dear Friends
at
Thank you very much for the birthday
card. It was a delightful surprise to
hear from the church we still consider our “home” church…It is indeed one
of our
treasured memories of the by-gone days.
We send our best wishes to all our
friends and neighbors—we still think of them often.
Most
sincerely,
Joe
& Nancy Kail
Stewardship/Finance
Note
Please
remember to keep your pledges current.
Some of us have fallen a little behind in our pledging, but remember the
utility bills continue to come during
the summer
months. Please prayerfully support your
parish. God bless you all!
Our
Summer Worship & Fellowship Schedule
We
continue to worship at
Coffee
hour continues after the
for
the rest of the summer.
Recommended
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, a 17th
century Carmelite monk, is a short classic in spiritual discipline. Brother Lawrence had been a
soldier and
had witnessed the suffering of war. The
abbot put
This work is a
record of 4 conversations
that joy.
August Birthdays & Anniversaries
4th Jeff Clark, Carla Odom
6th Virginia Maclin
8th Heath Myers, Steve Tuck
20th Anne Finney, Jim Wynne
27th Bryan Sheetz
29th Stephanie Little
6th John and Linda Maclin
12th Wert and Pat Smith
17th Ted and Mary Stewart Ruhnke
Happy belated birthday to Justin (7/17) and Vanessa (7/22)
Keeler! And their first anniversary was
7/14! Happy First Anniversary Justin and
Vanessa!
Did we miss your birthday or
anniversary? Please forgive us! If we did, let us know. We may not have had the information. As a parish family, we
really do want
to remember each person’s birthday and anniversary.