St.

Paul's Episcopal Church

Lansing Michigan

St. Paul's News

“The Agony and the Ecstasy” March, 2008

By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon Weller

Volume 33, Issue 3
ost of you will story of Jesus’ final week again comes to life, it
M recognize that
the title of this article is
occurs to me how frequently this title describes
life as we find it. As both the disciples and Jesus Inside this issue:
not mine; you’ve heard suffered through the agony of Holy Week
it somewhere before. events, they had no way of knowing the glory Calendar 14, 15
Some of you will rec- that lay beyond the darkness of Friday and Sat-
The Rev. Dr. Gordon Weller Choir Schedule 9
ognize it as the title of urday. Even in the days and weeks following the
a book and movie that portray the life of resurrection, there were fear and uncertainty. It
Michelangelo. A few of you know that story and was only later, when the full benefit of the ag- Mission 12
understand the contrast in the title as being the ony could be assessed, that the ecstasy of resur-
condition of Michelangelo’s life as he was com- rection could be appreciated. Prayer List 6
missioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine
Chapel. He did not want to accept the commis- It also occurs to me that we, in contemporary St. Paul’s News 6, 8
society, even as Easter People, are very anxious
sion, but was forced to. The difficulty of the de- Upcoming
cision and the work involved, the Agony, was to participate in the ecstasy of God’s presence
2-5
eventually worth the reward, the Ecstasy, when among us, but unwilling to have anything to do Activities
the final product was viewed and accepted as a with the agony this may require. As is so often
masterpiece. the case, I’m not sure you can’t have the former Vestry News 7
without the latter. Many were stunned when
I have been reading things on the Vatican re- Mother Theresa expressed doubt, despair and Youth Group 10
cently because I hope Linda and I may have the even loneliness in spite of her obviously blessed
opportunity to visit sometime this summer. My (Continued on page 13)
Lenten reading has also been on my desk. As the

2008 Annual Meeting

By Christine Caswell, Editor
t. Paul’s 2008 annual meeting was held on January 27 with four new vestry members
S elected, awards handed out and Jeff Irwin relaying the financial report as it was cited in
the February edition of SPN.
Since there were four vestry positions open and four people running, it was not a hotly contested
race. The new incoming members, including the new youth member, are as follows:
• MaryLea Benson
• Roger Fowler
• Kristi Thompson
• Stephanie Van Koevering
• Steve Kariuki (youth member)
Charlie Krupka is the new senior warden. Outgoing vestry members who were thanked for their
service were Erin Sanchez, Judi Clarke, Kathy Gut and Greg Wortley.
(Continued on page 13)
March 2008
Page 2
Upcoming St. Paul's Activities
Activities at a Glance
Ongoing Activities • Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, March 23, after 10 AM
• St. Aelred’s Guild, service
• Book Cart, 2nd Sunday after 10 AM Looking Ahead
• B&PW, Tuesday, March 11, 6 PM
• “Becoming the Household of God,” Aril 4 & 5, St.
• ECW, third Monday, 7 PM John’s Church, Royal Oak
• Family Night Dinner, Wednesdays, 5-6 PM • Marriage Seminar, Wednesdays, April 16– May
• St. Paul’s Library, open every Sunday 7, 6:15 PM
• Prayer Group, first Tuesday, 5:30 PM, Choir Re-
• Baptismal Instruction, Saturday, April 19, 9 AM to
hearsal Room Noon
• Men’s Breakfast, third Thursday, 7-8 AM, Hill Room
• Spring Blood Drive, Saturday, April 19
• Mid-Week Eucharist, Tuesdays, noon • “Serving God with Gladness” Women’s retreat,
This Month at St. Paul’s and Elsewhere April 25 & 26, Weber Center
• Youth Group Council Meeting, March 3 • England Choristers’ Auction, Sunday, April 20
• Nave Spring Cleaning, March 3 • Ascension Day Outreach Dinner, Thursday, May 1
• Lenten Luncheon Book Reviews, Monday, March 3 • Ministry Fair, Saturday, May 3, 9 AM to 4 PM
and 10, 11:30 AM-1 PM • UTO Ingathering, Sunday, May 4
• “Seeking the Common Good,” Wednesday, March • Men’s Golf League, Thursdays, beginning, May 8,
5 & 12, 6:15-7:30 PM 3:30 PM
• Cabaret, Saturday, March 8, 5 PM • Confirmation, Reception and Reaffirmation, Satur-
day, May 10, 10 AM, St. Michael’s, Lansing

Lenten Series Still Going Strong!

By Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music
here are still several opportunities left to take advantage of the two Lenten series that St. Paul’s has spon-
T sored this year. The Monday Noon Book Review Series will have Chris Couch reviewing The Dignity of
Difference by Jonathan Sacks and Cosmopolitanism by Kwame Anthony Appeah on March 3, and Gordon
Weller reviewing The Giving by Bill Clinton on March 10.
On March 5, the Wednesday evening “Seeking the Common Good” series will have St. Paul’s own John Nevin
speaking on “Great Lakes, Great Stewards” about being good stewards of our water resources, and on
March 12, two professors from the University of Michigan, Claude Jacobs and William McNeece, will be dis-
cussing “Difficult Dialogues across Race, Religion, Culture and Ethnicity.” The programs begin at 6:15 and last
until 7:30 p.m. Please join us for these timely discussions. Child care is provided upon request.

Palm Sunday Services and MDG Expectations

By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
n February 3, many parishioners heard presentations about possible ways for
O this parish to implement the Millennium Development Goals. During the season of
Lent, our Meditation Booklets have hopefully aided all members in seeking other
ways that we may be involved. The decisions will be made on Palm Sunday, follow-
ing the service. Prior to that, you will all receive a listing of all the suggestions made
in the mail. It will also be published in the bulletin on March16. Please come pre-
pared and take five minutes to vote as to what we might do for the period of Sep-
tember 2008–June 2009. If you have ideas, please get them in to the parish office
by March 9.

March 2008
 Upcoming St. Paul's Activities Page 3

Easter Vigil -
Easter Morning Changes
By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
Sunday, March 16, Palm/Passion Sunday
e are going to try something different this
W year for Easter. First, please note the time
changes for Easter day. There are only two ser-
8 a.m.
10 a.m.
Holy Eucharist
Choral Eucharist & Dramatic reading of
the Gospel
vices. The first will be a sunrise service. It will be-
gin at 7 a.m., and attendees will be receiving Monday, March 17
their communion at about the time the sun rises.
This is traditionally the time Mary went to the 7 p.m. Holy Eucharist
tomb, found it empty and was told of the resur- Tuesday, March 18
rection. The second service will be at the normal
time, 10 a.m. There will be no 9 a.m. or 11a.m. Noon Holy Eucharist and healing service
service, so the second service may be a bit
Wednesday, March 19
crowded.
7 p.m. Holy Eucharist
A second change will occur with the Vigil. We are
going to try to maintain an all-night Vigil. This Thursday, March 20, Maundy Thursday
ancient tradition of keeping watch through the 6 p.m. Seder/Agape meal with Garden ex-
night gives people the opportunity for an ex- perience and Stripping of the Altar
tended focus. There will be a sign-up sheet on the
table outside the Merrifield Room listing openings Friday, March 21, Good Friday
by the hour. Persons signing up should come to 7 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy
church prepared to spend an hour in some kind of
meditative way. Some may choose to read scrip- Saturday, March 22 – Easter Eve
ture or another book, some may choose prayer, 8 p.m. Baptisms and Vigil
still others may wish to bring a guitar or some in-
strument and sing God’s praises in their selected Sunday, March 23 – Easter Sunday
time. The all-night-vigil time will be on the hour, 7 a.m.* Sunrise service and first Eucharist of
from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The first Eucharist of Easter Easter
will begin as the last hour of the vigil concludes. 10 a.m. *Choral Eucharist with Brass
*Please note the time changes in the Easter Day services
and that there are only two!
Sabbatical
By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
t the February 19 Vestry meeting, the vestry granted me time for a sabbatical. As defined in Webster’s,
A a sabbatical is a time of extended rest, study, travel and reflection. Because of the deadline of the St.
Paul’s News, I do not have complete details available. They will be presented to the congregation by March 1.
One thing that is complete is the timeframe. The sabbatical will begin April 1 and conclude July 31. Incorpo-
rated into that period is my normal vacation time.
I would like to thank the Vestry and you, the congregation, for this gift. I know that many will have questions
about life here at St. Paul’s while I am away and how pastoral coverage will be handled. A Sabbatical Detail
Team has been established, and I have every confidence that they and the members of the staff will be able
to answer your every need. Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts with me.

March 2008
Page 4
Upcoming St. Paul's Activities
Marriage Seminars
By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
very few years we hold marriage seminars. We gather those who have been
E married for long periods (some more than 50 years) and some not so long. We
also invite those who will be married at St. Paul’s in the coming year to attend. The purpose is to share the
wealth of information that experience and inexperience have provided.
This year, the seminars will be held on four consecutive Wednesday evenings starting on April 16 and will run
from 6:15 to 7 PM. Speakers will focus on four major topics: communication, finances, children and life within
the Church. Please come, share you opinion and join in the fun.

Ministry Fair to Be Held at St. Paul’s

By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
nnually, for the last several years, the Diocese has held a Ministry Fair for the members of the parishes in
A the Diocese of Michigan. This fair is an all-day event, offering a wide variety of sessions, giving assis-
tance to people involved in ministry. In the past, it was always held in the Detroit area. This year it will be held
at St. Paul’s (also using Central United Methodist Church next door) on Saturday, May 3. It runs from 9 a.m.
until 4 p.m. with lunch in the middle. There will be both a morning and an afternoon session so that people may
attend more than one event. Please mark this day and time on your calendar as a wonderful opportunity.
More will follow in the April issue of the St. Paul’s News as to the exact sessions available.

4 F’s
By Nancy Sheldon
uring the Lenten Season, 4 F’s will not meet per health care proposals.
D se, as we’re blending our Monday gatherings
with the Lenten Book Review series.
• April 14 - Luke Shaefer looks back at the history of
social policy in U.S. health care.
• April 28 - Anne Rosewarne, president of the Michi-
We will resume our 4 F’s programs on Monday, March gan Health Council, will discuss some of the dra-
31 at noon. Since the fourth Monday falls the day af- matic changes that have already occurred in health
ter Easter this year, and the church office will be care in the United States and what the future might
closed, we are moving our meeting to the 5th Monday hold as the presidential candidates put forth their
this one time. different health care plans for the country.
Therefore, our schedule for the remainder of the year • May 12 – Year-end picnic with participants giving
will be as follows: a brief review of one or two of their favorite
books that would make for good summer reading.
• March 31 - With insightful humor, Chris Couch will
enlighten us on the process of enacting legislation The schedule for each meeting is noon, Eucharist;
concerning health care issues that might arise as we 12:30 p.m., Lunch; 1 p.m., Bible Study; 1:15 p.m., Pro-
try to sort through the presidential candidates’ gram; and 2 p.m. Dismissal.

B&PW
By Barbara Richardson
ark your calendars for a special treat! On March 11, Susie Shaefer will be our speaker. She will talk
M about her work for the Diocese of Michigan. Dinner is at 6 p.m. in the Hill Room. Reservations are re-
quested. Please contact Debby Pierce for a reservation.

March 2008
 Upcoming St. Paul's Activities Page 5

Men’s Golf League

By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
t’s only March, but the snow will soon be gone, the grass will turn green and the hope
I of spring will fill the air; it must be time for golf. This year’s Men’s League will again
play at Groesbeck Golf Course in Lansing. Play will begin at about 3:30 p.m. on Thurs-
days, with opening night scheduled for May 8. If interested in playing, contact the Church
office. If you have a partner in mind, let us know that information as well. Everyone is wel-
come to play. As we have observed in the past, skill is not a prerequisite.

Baptismal Instruction Confirmation

By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
ur normal four-week baptismal instruction
O classes will be condensed for one time only
into one session on April 19 from 9 a.m. to noon.
This meeting is required for those considering be-
ing baptized or wishing to have their children
baptized. Please contact the Parish office to enroll
or sign the list outside the Merrifield room on an
upcoming Sunday.
By The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
n Saturday, May 10, The Rt. Rev. Wendell N.
O Gibbs, Jr. will be present in Lansing for confirma-
tions, receptions and reaffirmations. This service will be
held at St. Michael’s in South Lansing beginning at 10
a.m. These sacraments are available to anyone who
desires them and is sufficiently instructed. Please con-
tact one of the Clergy for further information.

First Returns on the ERD Book Sale

By Sue Millar
or those who braved the wind and near-zero temperatures on the first day of the ERD Book Sale on Sun-
F day, February 10, the shopping was good and we collected a significant amount of money for our first
installment of this annual fundraiser. Purchases continued the following Sunday and on Family Nights. The full
report will appear in the April newsletter.
Thank you for your contributions. Thank you for buying books, and especially for your generosity when you
made additional contributions above and beyond the asking price, making it a win-win activity.

Cabaret Is Almost Here!

By Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music
abaret 2008 will be held on Saturday, March 8, with a delicious spaghetti dinner (including salad, roll,
C spaghetti, dessert and drink) beginning at 5 p.m. in the Merrifield Room. At 6 p.m. (or close to that) the
entertainment will begin in the church. The proceeds of this evening’s events will benefit the high school choir’s
study/travel trip to England this August. Tickets for dinner and entertainment are $13.00 for adults and $7.00
for children or $5 for just the show. Tickets for dinner should be purchased by Wednesday, March 5; those for
just the show will be available on March 8. Please invite friends and neighbors to attend this evening of great
fun and entertainment. There will be special numbers by members of the Cherubs and Boys’ and Grace Choirs,
along with delightful acts by members of the High School and Chancel Choirs.

March 2008
Page 6
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An Evening Out, for All
By The Rev. Ronald C. Byrd, Sr.
n February 15, 40 parishioners gathered at the Cadillac Club in REO town for an evening of fellowship,
O food and fun. The group enjoyed a wonderful dinner and welcomed the entertainment of jazz duo of Neo
Gordon and Ed Fedewa. While celebrating Valentine’s Day, the group also presented Fr. Gordon with a fruit
flan cake in honor of his February 11 birthday.
Although a separate event, the evening out at the Cadillac Club was coordinated and coincided with the youth
group’s babysitting Valentine’s night out. Nearly 20 children were dropped off at the parish house on Friday
evening to be watched by members of the youth group, along with three brave adults (Barb Heany, Patricia
Bellinger and Jules Foltz). The youth group provided five hours of games, movies, snacks and other entertain-
ment for children ranging from two to 10 years old, for the bargain-basement, blue-light special of only $10
for the entire evening. Wow…now that is miracle ministry in action for you! Our kids are to be congratulated
for doing a wonderful job and for providing this important ministry to so many deserving moms and dads.

An Opportunity for “Standing in Faith at the Crossroads of Life”

By Greg Wortley
n Friday night and Saturday, April 4 and 5, the Diocese of Michigan’s Whittaker School of Theology is
O sponsoring the 11th annual “Becoming the Household of God” conference at St. John’s Church in Royal
Oak. Over the years, this event has “explored the many different aspects of becoming the household of God .
. . offering programs of faith formation to nourish and strengthen members as they are sent into the world to
serve.”
This year’s keynote speaker will be Tracey Lind, dean of Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio, whose presen-
tation promises to be highly relevant to St. Paul’s ongoing welcoming efforts. As the school’s brochure explains,
“Tracey Lind is known as a dynamic speaker whose work has focused on ‘church growth and renewal grounded
in a vision of radical hospitality, stewardship, intellectual vigor and real-life spirituality.’ Under her leadership,
(Continued on page 13)

St. Paul’s Prayer List

We pray for those who are sick and in need: Cindy Robinson, Richard, Audrie & Aaron
Hegmon, Shelley Robinson, Grady & Dennis Letner, Clara Voges, Mason Hill, June
Wyatt, Dick Siebert, Carol, Judith Jones, Becky Chamberlain, Nancy Hiscoe Clark,
Charles Weaver, Ben Herbert, Chance Collins, Caroline Thomas and her parents, broth-
ers & godparents, Betty Jensen, Dan Heany, Irene Jones, Mary Ann Kelley, Ed Farmer,
Prayer List Ed Jones, Justin, Elizabeth, Barb Hacker, Andrew Astley, Michael Skinner, Ginny Ban-
croft, Darrick, Chris, Tom, Cheryl, Sally, Patricia Utter, Marjorie Belles, Edith Self, Cal,
Christopher, Carrie, Kathryn & Elizabeth Senko, Kaema Amachree, and Daphne Such
We pray for and remember those in the Military, serving in dangerous areas: Daniel Reno, Daniel Laurion
and Erika Harkness Barker
We pray for those expecting: Jessica & Justin Leonard, Rachel & Jeff Bott, Kym & Matt Hall, Andrea Horton
We pray for and celebrate the birth of Vivian Grace, daughter of Kristan & Christopher Chase

We pray for those who have died and for their families: Jack Siebold and Sally Engle

March 2008
 Page 7
News from the Vestry
Financial Information as of January 31, 2008
By Jeff Irwin
At the annual meeting on January 27, 2008, the con- the St. Paul’s Perpetual fund and 10 percent will be
gregation accepted the operating budget for this placed in the Mission and Outreach fund.
year. The budget shows an operating loss of
$135,998. While this is again a very large number, it With January being the first month of the church’s fis-
is slightly lower than the 2007 budget deficit. In addi- cal year, it is difficult to report any meaningful finan-
tion, the designated and restricted funds are not part cial results at this point. However, it is noteworthy that
of the operating budget. through January 31, 2008, we have recorded
$31,985 in pledge revenue. This is over 11 percent of
The fourth and final distribution from the Lucille Penni- the total pledge revenue budgeted for 2008, includ-
man Trust will occur in 2008, with a total of approxi- ing $9,600 of 2008 pledge payments received in
mately $60,000. This distribution is not part of the op- 2007.
erating budget. Of this, 90 percent will be placed in

Vestry Highlights
At the February 19, 2008 meeting of the Vestry,
your Vestry:
• Continued the Bible study begun at the Vestry
retreat concerning gifts that can empower us and
things that can impede us.
• Accepted with sorrow and regret the resignation
of Libby Richardson from Vestry.
• Appointed new signers for the checking accounts.
• Received the February financial report (summary
found elsewhere in this issue).
• Discussed reviving the practice of Vestry calling
of parishioners four times a year.
• Reviewed the action of the Annual Meeting.
• Reviewed the Goals and Objectives suggested at
the Vestry Retreat.
• Welcomed Stephanie VanKoevering's presenta-
tion of "An Action Plan" for St. Paul's as a way to
implement those plans.
• Agreed to read Bill Shore's book The Cathedral
Within as a stimulus for fund raising ideas.
Gordon will order several copies.
• Reviewed 2008 committee assignments.
• Will search for a vestry replacement and have
discussion on line with the hopes of having some-
one selected, nominated and elected by the
March meeting.
• Reviewed the Shaver Fund and agreed that a
small committee be established to continually ex-
amine ways to use those funds.
• Received Committee Reports:
1. Building and Grounds has several building
issues; roof leaks and drainage problems in
the parking lot.
2. Parish Life had good book read experience
and will plan for June Picnic.
3. Communications continues to work on the
web page.
4. Adult Christian Ed. Is concerned over low
attendance at a really fine Lenten Program.
5. Youth Christian Ed. Is beginning to plan for
Vacation Bible School.
6. Mission & Outreach continues to develop our
Millennium Development Goals projects. Fi-
nal parish vote is scheduled for Palm/
Passion Sunday, March 16.
7. Pastoral Care continues its program of
cards, letters, gifts' and visitations.
8. Personnel Committee is working on revising
the parish's Policy Manuel.
9. Evangelism hopes to continue on with Mark
Doyal in developing a Marketing strategy
the accurately reflects who we are.
10. Stewardship is looking for new chairpersons.
11. Worship and Music has two new items for
Holy week and Easter. Only Two services on
Easter Day and an all night vigil on Easter
Eve (Look elsewhere in this issue for informa-
tion)
• Approved Fr. Weller's request for a Sabbatical.
• Approved a grant to the Sudanese Congregation

March 2008
Page 8
St. Paul's News
Acting on the MDGs Doesn't Always Require Cash
By Sue Millar
eekly, the Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) sends out a Lenten letter under the title "For the
W Beauty – Climate Change Affecting Our Environment." You may recall that last month I encouraged pa-
rishioners to sign up to receive EPPN mailings. If you haven't already done that, I am urging you to do so
at www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn.
The Lenten Series begins with "Our climate is changing and the consequences could be dire. . . ." The first mail-
ing invites the reader to calculate his/her ecological footprint by answering some questions and doing some
calculations. My husband discovered our "footprint"—the land and water required to support our daily rou-
tine—was greater than he had expected. In this first letter of the series, the network’s suggested Lenten disci-
pline is to raise awareness, and that survey certainly raised our awareness!
The second Lenten discipline is “Making a Change.” This week, commit to one simple change in your routine
that will conserve or reduce your impact on the environment. Use cloth shopping bags instead of getting plastic
ones, etc. And there was my change. I didn't need to read the rest. I unearthed probably a half-dozen cloth
bags and have them ready to go into the car. (The second part of this discipline is to remember to take them
into the store.)
The website offers a link that lists additional ideas for changes (maybe you are already using cloth bags) and
also describes what other Episcopalians and their parishes are doing. This could be a real eye-opener.
If you are curious and decide to investigate this website sponsored by the National Church, I would enjoy
hearing your reaction.

Reprinted from EPPN For our waste and

pollution of your
Our climate is changing and the consequences could be dire. As Christians and creation, and our
Episcopalians, what is our role and responsibility in climate change? What can I lack of concern
for those who
do? What can we as a Church do? How do we not become overwhelmed?
come after us,
What is climate change? Simply put, the world is getting warmer and the con- Accept our
sequences will affect humans, animals and all of creation in negative and po- repentance, Lord

tentially drastic ways—increased droughts, disease, floods, storms—and with — Litany of
Penitence, BCP
these changes, an escalation in conflict and death. The cause? Most climate sci-
entists believe that the warming trends are the result of increased emissions of
carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as a result of
human activity. Carbon emissions come from our cars, our farms and our power plants, to name just a few. Just
about everything we do has carbon emission implications. Some of the strongest information comes from the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (http://www.ipcc.ch/). This panel, created in 1988 by the United
Nations, includes hundreds of scientists from around the world and representatives from many countries.
What is the bottom line? In order to avoid the most dire consequences of global warming, the best science
available today indicates that our nation must reduce our carbon emissions 15-20 percent by the year 2020
and 80 percent by the year 2050. However, if we don't start now, we risk losing the opportunity to avoid cli-
mate catastrophe completely. We do this by 1) Reducing our personal carbon emissions and 2) urging our pol-
icy makers at every level of government to begin addressing climate change locally, nationally and globally.
What is the Episcopal Church Saying about Climate Change? Last June, under the glare of camera lights,
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori testified before the U.S. Senate's Environment and Public Works
committee on climate change. She was joined by Roman Catholic, Evangelical and Jewish leaders, united in
urging Congress to make addressing climate change a national priority, saying:
(Continued on page 13)

March 2008
 St. Paul's Choirs Page 9

Choir Newsletter and Dates to Remember

By Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music
Saturday, March 8 – Cabaret
All members of the Cherubs, Boys’ and Grace, and High School Choirs will be performing in this annual
evening of food, entertainment and fun. Tickets for the dinner and entertainment are $13.00 for adults and
$7.00 for children or $5 for just the show. Please purchase your tickets as soon as possible so that we will
have an accurate count of those attending.
March 23 - Easter
This year there will be just two services on Easter morning (instead of the usual three): at 7 and 10 a.m.
The choirs (Cherubs, Boys’ and Grace, High School and Chancel) will vest and sing at the 10 a.m. ser-
vice this year. Happy Easter!
School Vacation Week
Because many schools will hold their spring break from April 6 to April 13, there will be NO choir re-
hearsals, or family night activities, during that week. Choirs will vest as usual on April 6 (Chancel Choir
is asked to vest on this Sunday) and on April 13.
Sunday, April 20
Right after Church - England Choristers’ Choir Auction. Please save this date to bid on some special
items!

Singing Schedule
Date Choirs

March 2 High School

March 9 Chancel; High School
March 16, Palm Sunday Cherub Choir, Boys’ and Grace, High School,
Chancel
March 23, Easter, 10 a.m. service Cherub Choir, Boys’ and Grace, High School,
Chancel
March 30 Chancel; High School
April 6 (Since this is the beginning of most school vacations, all
choristers who are present are invited to sing for this ser-
vice—Boys’ and Grace, High School, and Chancel)
April 13 Chancel; High School
April 20 Chancel; High School
April 27 Chancel; High School

March 2008
Page 10
St. Paul’s Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry Articles Provided in Collaboration By:
Youth Christian Education and Youth Fellowship Chairperson, Dr. Judith Brown-Clarke
Youth Group Executive Council President, Steven Kariuki
Youth Group Coordinator, Barbara Heany
Youth Group Advisor, Tom Foltz
Acolyte Guild, Directors Patricia Bellinger & Carol Sleight
The Rev. Ronald C. Byrd, Sr., Curate

Council Adopts Mission Statement

t our February meeting, the Council agreed to adopt the following mission statement: What we are is
A God’s gift to us, what we become is our gift to God. The membership is also in the process of discerning a
name for the youth group and hopes to make a decision at the March meeting. Plans are underway to have the
mission statement and group name stenciled, and then subsequently painted, by group members on a wall in the
youth lounge. Members are reminded to bring “youth group name” suggestions and possible contacts of indi-
viduals to assist in stenciling effort.

Youth Group Vending Machines

By Antonio Clarke
f you did not know, the vending machines are lo-
I cated downstairs near the choir vesting room. There
are two different types of machines: one for snacks
and one for beverages. They have healthy and not-so-
healthy choices. All the money collected from them will
be used to support youth group activities. If you would
like to see your favorite snack or beverage in the ma-
chines, contact Steve Walker, and he will bring it to our
next youth group meeting. Thanks for supporting the
youth group!

Ice Skating
By Courtney Irwin
n February 3, after the youth group’s monthly
O meeting, we had a great time ice skating at
Summit Ice. Even though it was the first time ice
skating for some of us—while others were pretty
experienced—we all had tons of fun. Thank you
Libby Richardson for donating tickets!

Antonio Clarke, Drew Krupka, Anna

Krupka and Margaret Kariuki Enjoy an
afternoon at Summit Ice.

March 2008
 St. Paul’s Youth Ministry Page 11

Yo, Need A Babysitter? Who You Gonna Call?

n Saturday February 9, members of the youth group were trained
O and certified for babysitting by the American Red Cross. Held at
St. Paul’s, the six-and-a-half-hour workshop provided our young peo-
ple with practical babysitting skills. Areas covered were child choking
treatment, basic care, rescue breathing and first aid. As part of the
registration fee, each trainee was provided a backpack, which con-
tained, among other things, a first-aid kit and a training manual. Par-
ticipants included Anna and Drew Krupka, Margaret Kariuki, Court-
ney Irwin, Daniel Crabtree and Steven Walker. If you should need
someone to watch your child, please do not hesitate to contact one of our new babysitting experts.
Additionally, since the training session, we have been contacted by the American Red Cross, requesting to pub-
lish pictures of our children during the certification workshop in some of their promotional materials. We be-
lieve this is an excellent opportunity to evangelize, demonstrating, yet again, to the community some of the
wonderful youth ministry offerings at St. Paul’s. Parental consent is required before we will release your child's
picture. Parents of children who participated in the babysitting training class are asked to contact Barb Heany
or Fr. Ron for picture release authorization forms.

Youth Council Receives Assis-

tance from Accounting Expert
lisabeth Richardson, guest speaker at our
E February council meeting, provided important
insights to the youth group regarding money man-
agement. Following Elisabeth’s informative and
interesting presentation, members of the council
asked several questions concerning how to better
manage the group’s financial affairs. An account-
ant by profession with an MBA, she graciously
advised and assisted the council in making several
necessary decisions regarding accounting prac-
tices, selection of a banking institution and vend-
ing machine merchandise inventory management.
Members who were not present at this important
February meeting are invited to review last
month’s meeting minutes (posted on the youth bul-
letin board) for council decisions on these impor-
tant matters.
This shout-out goes to Elisabeth for donating her
time and very helpful counsel to our council! We
hope you will come back soon!
Easter Egg Hunt
n Resurrection Sunday, March 23, the youth group
O will host an Easter Egg Hunt for our children ages
10 and under. This event will be held inside, beginning
immediately after the 10 a.m. service. Plastic eggs will
be stuffed and hidden with real candy and other treats
provided for the little bunnies.
Upcoming Youth Events:
March 3 Youth Group Council Meeting: Millennium
Development Goal Presentation, Presen-
tation [Rev. Ronald C. Byrd, Sr.] Immedi-
ately following Sunday Service around
11:30 am - 12:00pm
Nave Spring Cleaning Project (don’t for-
get to bring buckets and rags!) After the
Sunday Service, after the Speaker, after
the meeting, perhaps approximately
1:30 or 2 p.m.
March 23 Children’s Easter Egg Hunt, after 10 a.m.
service
April 4-5 Card Box City Lock-in, time TBA

March 2008
Page 12
Mission and Outreach
Mission & Outreach Activities:
Where is Christ calling you to help others?

May 3
March 8
• Ministry Fair for the Diocese of Michigan – AT St.
• Cabaret
Paul’s; Sessions to be Announced
March 10, 7pm May 4
• LAEP (Lansing Area Episcopal Projects) Mtg., St.
• UTO Ingathering
Katherine’s
May 5
March 16
• ACTION – Rally
• MDG/Mission and Outreach Project Choice(s) for St.
Paul’s May 12, 7pm
April 19 • LAEP (Lansing Area Episcopal Projects) Mtg. St
David’s
• Blood Drive – Red Cross
May 19
April 20
• ACTION – Nehemiah Action Assembly
• England Choristers’ Auction
Check the newsletter articles and the Sunday Bulletin
May 1
Announcements for additional details and informa-
• Ascension Day Outreach Dinner/Eucharist tion.

ACTION Update
By William H. Fineout, Diaconate Candidate
n February your St. Paul’s Justice Ministry team, as a part of ACTION of Greater Lansing, asked for your
I suggestions and ideas to take to the February 19 ACTION meeting. At this meeting three issues will be cho-
sen from the many suggestions provided, and presented to the Community Problems Assembly to determine
where ACTION will concentrate its efforts for 2008. At press time the Community Problems Assembly has not
yet met. The information from this meeting will be announced in the Worship Service Bulletin after the February
26 meeting.
During the months of March and April, teams of ACTION volunteers will be researching, exploring, and report-
ing upon the problem area and present their findings at two major meetings in May. The first meeting on May
5 will present the issue to all ACTION Justice Team members and parishioners of the thirteen participating
churches. At the second meeting on May 19, called the Nehemiah Assembly, the group will present the issue to
the appropriate local officials responsible for the justice focus area.
ACTION is a very open and grass-roots democratic process in which we are all invited to participate. It is not
about some outside influence or “big brother” telling us what to do, but an opportunity for the entire commu-
nity to present and implement ideas and work for their ultimate success. We are making a difference. So far
ACTION has implemented “Hot Spot Cards,” offering the opportunity for citizens to anonymously report crimes
in their community and is studying a “from jail to society” reentry program to help eliminate recidivism.
I invite you to support this exciting justice ministry. Additional details regarding meeting locations and times can
be found in upcoming issues of the Bulletins and St. Paul’s News. Please feel free to give me a call if I can an-
swer any questions or provide further information.

March 2008
 St. Paul’s News Page 13

(Continued from, “2008 Annual Meeting,” page 1)

Annette Irwin handed out the ECW angel awards to the following people: Pat Smith, Bob and Karen Tarrant
and John Irwin. Pat is an active member of numerous church programs, including St. Aelred’s and vacation bi-
ble school. The Tarrant's have co-chaired the stewardship committee since 2004 and are involved with the new
CARS Inc. program. John (yes, father-in-law of the presenter) was acknowledged for all of his maintenance,
woodworking and guild involvement for the church over the years.
Following Annette, Gordon handed out the Canterbury awards to Marge Cook, Pat Riley and Nancy Sheldon.
Marge is on the Design and Preservation committee and acknowledges all of the gifts to the church made in
memory of a loved one. Pat is co-chairing the blood drive, is on the Altar Guild and “always comes to work
days.” Nancy has served on the vestry, is in the choir and is in charge of St. Aelred’s and the 4F’s.
The meeting ended with the singing of “We Are a People United” and the announcement that $500 had been
raised for the food bank.

(Continued from , “The Agony...,” page 1)

mercy ministries. I pray that she has found the ecstasy that she missed in life as she is now joined with God in
heaven.
As we complete another season of Lent, acknowledge the agonies of your own lives—that they are often
painful and perhaps unfair. But, don’t let them defeat you. As a Christian, you are a follower of Christ and
Christ has promised, and given witness by his life, that ecstasy is waiting.

(Continued from, “Standing in Faith…,” page 6)

the area around the Cathedral has been transformed and revitalized into a vibrant urban piazza of sacred
space where this vision is lived out.”
The title of Dean Lind’s presentation is “Standing in Faith at the Crossroads of Life”— words St. Angela de
Merici used to describe the church’s mission of engaging the world. As the brochure continues, “St. Angela de
Merici was a 15th century Italian Franciscan and founder of the Ursulines, a religious community of women. In
her writings, St. Angela instructed her sisters to be like a piazza. She told them to be open, gracious, hospitable
and engaged in the world—to stand in faith at the crossroads of life. This year’s keynoter will explore faithful
piazza living for Christian individuals and communities in the 21st century.”
Cost of the event is $40 and includes both the Friday night presentation from 6:45 until 9:30 p.m., as well as
the Saturday presentation from 8:45 a.m. until 4 p.m. Please note that St. Paul’s does have two complimentary
tickets that will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested persons are encouraged to contact Sue
Millar, Father Weller or me.

(Continued from, ’Reprinted from EPPN,” (page 8)

The crisis of climate change presents an unprecedented challenge to the goodness, interconnect-
edness and sanctity of the world God created and loves….As one who has been formed both
through a deep faith and as a scientist I believe science has revealed to us without equivocation
that climate change and global warming are real, and caused in significant part by human ac-
tivities. They are a threat not only to God's good creation but to all of humanity. This acknowl-
edgment of global warming, and the Church's commitment to ameliorating it, is a part of the
ongoing discovery of God's revelation to humanity and a call to a fuller understanding of the
scriptural imperative of loving our neighbor.
For more information on this speech or about measuring your ecological footprint, go to
www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn.

March 2008
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Phone: 517-482-9454
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Website: Stpaulslansing.org

The St. Paul’s News is a publication of St. Paul’s Episcopal

Church, Lansing Michigan.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Staff
The Very Rev. Dr. Gordon Weller, Rector
The Rev. Ronald C. Byrd, Sr., Curate
Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music
Mr. William H. Fineout, Diaconate Candidate
Ms. Mary Rodeck, Assistant Minister of Music
Ms. Kathleen Johnson, Office Manager

St. Paul’s News Editorial Staff

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Tom Shawver, Staff Writer
Lyn Zynda, Layout Editor

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March 2008