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Paul’s
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
SEPTEMBER 2010 — VOLUME 35, ISSUE 6
news
For the tenth year in a row, we are
Commissioning scheduling a Commissioning Service on
the first Sunday after Labor Day, the be- Church Events
(Again!) ginning of the fall schedule. One might
ask “Do we have to do that again?” The September
answer is “Yes we do!”
By the Very Rev. Dr. Gordon F. Weller
We are once again asking all members 7 PRAYER GROUP
of the acolytes, altar guild, choirs, lectors,
COMMISSIONING SERVICE,
Lay Eucharist Ministers, Lay Eucharist Visi- 12 CHURCH SCHOOL BEGINS
tors, Prayer Leaders, Church School teachers and students, Ushers, and all parishioners
in general to be present. The reason this continues to be such an important service is be- 14 B&PW
cause many are restarting their spiritual journeys. When we do, when we look to others
to lead us, inspire and transform us, we always need the blessing and companionship of 16 MEN’S BREAKFAST
God for the journey. 19 USHERS’ BREAKFAST,
MEMORY WALK, YOUTH
Sundays are special days. They are the times set apart for gathering together and GROUP PLANNING
praying that God will be in our midst. That we will receive by word, sacrament and
community the grace of God. By the nature of our very busy lives there will be times 20 4FS
when we will be unprepared and short of enthusiasm for the task. With Commissioning, 24 THREE-DIOCESE GATHERING
we hope and pray that it least one among us will hear the voice of God on that day.
Who will that be? 28 ST. ELIZABETH GUILD
We hope you will plan on being present at the 10 a.m. service on September 12 and
presenting yourself for the blessing of God.
Fall Beginning
B&PW St. Paul's Ushers for St. Elizabeth
By Nancy Rudd, President By John Hawkins Guild
The September meeting of the Welcome back. I hope your sum- By Debby Pierce
B&PW Guild is Tuesday, Sep- mer was enjoyable. I want to
tember 14, 2010. We will meet thank everyone for helping out Our first meeting of the season
in the Hill Room for dinner, pro- during the summer when others will be on Tuesday, September
gram, and business meeting. It is were away on vacation. How- 28 at 12:30 p.m. This will be a
our annual recipe dinner, so ever, the start of the fall schedule planning meeting for the rest of
please bring a dish to pass is quickly approaching. the year. Please bring your
along with copies of the recipes. ideas to the meeting, which will
Our program will be Chris We will have our Annual Break-
be at the home of Pat Smith,
Couch presenting a book re- fast Meeting on Sept. 19 at 9
7427 Delta River Drive, Lansing
view on Wolf Hall by Hilary a.m. Please let your Head Usher
48906.
Mantel. Please call Debby know how many in your family
Pierce for a reservation. Dinner will be attending. Head Ushers If you need directions or a ride,
is $8. Join us for an enjoyable must let me know by Sept. 12, so I please let me know at 485-
evening of delicious food, enter- can tell A Catered Affaire the 5446.
tainment and great companion- number that will be attending.
ship. As we start our next year,
let’s all try to bring a guest and Thank you, and I look forward to
possible new member. seeing you there.
Page 3
Evangelism Update
By Sally Lawrence, Jr. Warden
By the time the SPN is in print, pictures of the current Vestry should be hanging in the north entrance of the church. We
are now working on staff pictures and hope to have them up soon. Catching up with people, camera in hand, wasn’t as
easy as I had hoped, so this project took a little longer than I wanted. Now that everything is in place, and only three
new ones to be added a year, things will go more smoothly. The Evangelism Committee has also been finishing up the
new ministry guide and will have that ready for the fall.
We have had many new faces at St. Paul’s this summer, and several of them have mentioned how warm and welcom-
ing they found us to be. Keep up the good work, and as always, look around every Sunday for that new face. Intro-
duce yourself, introduce them to others, and invite them to the Merrifield room for lemonade. The Evangelism Commit-
tee is a small one, and we need the help of everyone to make this the friendly church that brings people back. Thanks.
Page 4
Financial Information as of July 31, 2010
By Julie Young, Treasurer
Pledge income in May was $23,943; in June, $21,229; and July, $13,239. This brings year-to date total pledge income
to $168,064, which is 51% of the annual budget amount. Operations for May had a net loss of $15,726; June, $9,766;
and July, $15,485. There was one transfer required from the investment account into the operating account during May
for $10,000. An additional $10,000 transfer was required in both June and July.
The investment accounts/funds had a net loss of $33,404 in May and $13,865 in June. There was a gain of $23,819 in
July.
Vestry Highlights
At the August 16 Vestry meeting, your Vestry: Noted that the credit card approved for the office at
an earlier meeting was still undone
Had dinner together Received a report that Terminex had completed the
Did devotions on the Blessed Virgin Mary and the work on the barrier to inhibit termites
topic of attitudes Noted that the bathroom in the Lange portion of the
Approved the agenda building had developed a leak and that it was re-
Held up the approval of the June minutes until Sep- paired including the sheetrock
tember Received various Committee reports
Had discussion of the cost overrun on the new com- Received various clergy reports
puter system Noted the Father Sauerzopf will be returning in Sep-
Approved a short term loan (three months) to Father tember - His recovery goes well
Weller for the purchase of a Condominium Noted that a three-Diocese Clergy day will be held
Received the treasurer’s report (found elsewhere in here September
this issue) Accepted a motion adjourn at 8:50 pm
Received a report on the progress of the new (2010)
pictorial Parish Directory
Come join St. Paul’s Youth Group on 10/10/10 as they walk 10K
to stomp out hunger in the 34th Annual Greater Lansing CROP
Walk. CROP, which stands for Communities Responding to Over-
come Poverty, raises money and awareness for hunger relief
around the world. A percentage of what is raised stays right here
in our own local community. Look for more details in upcoming
bulletins and at the sign-up table located in the Merrifield Room.
Page 6
Choir News
Choir Newsletter
I hope you’ve all had a great summer and are ready to get back together to do some singing, to share your talents
with the congregation in the worship of God and, of course, to see your friends and to catch up on your summer activi-
ties. Rehearsals will begin on Wednesday, September 8, for youth choirs: Cherubs (grades K-2) 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.;
Boys’ and Grace Choirs (grades 3-6) 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; and High School Choir (grades 7-12) 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Chan-
cel Choir (for adults) will begin on September 9, with a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. and rehearsal at 7:30 p.m. Please
come join us and bring a friend! See you then!
Singing Schedule
Date Choirs Date Choirs
High School Choir (grades (6)7‐12) 6:30‐7:45 p.m.
Calling All Choristers—Ages
We will vest choirs right after rehearsal, so choristers
5 to 105 may not be finished until a little after 6:30 p.m.
By Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music Thursday, September 9:
If you enjoy singing and you would like to add an ex‐ Chancel Choir (Adults) 7:30‐9 p.m.
tra dimension to your worship—and that of your fel‐
The Chancel Choir rehearsal will be preceded by a
low worshipers—on Sunday mornings, if you seek
fellowship based on shared work toward a common potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. Plates, cups and plastic
goal, or if you’ve just always wondered what it was ware will be provided. Please bring a dish to pass
like to sing in a choir, then come and join us this fall. and come join in the fellowship before rehearsal
begins. If you don’t have time to make a dish,
Choirs will begin rehearsals the week after Labor Day. please come and join us anyway!
Rehearsal schedule is as follows:
Thursday, September 16
Wednesday, September 8:
Handbell Choir will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Cherub Choir (grades K‐2) 5:30‐6:30 p.m. If you haven’t sung with us before, please come and
Boys’ and Grace Choirs (grades 3‐6) 5:30‐6:30 p.m. join us. If you have any questions, please call Steve
Lange at 482‐0369.
Page 7
Mission and Outreach Activities Canterbury MSU Mulch Sale
By Julie Powers
Where is Christ calling you to help others?
We have Michigan mulch for sale! For only $4, you get
September your choice of natural (medium brown) or red mulch.
19 Memory Walk for Alzheimer’s Association Sales of 10 bags or more are delivered to your home/
office/parish at no additional charge. Proceeds go to
26 U/M v MSU Food Drive for Greater Lansing underwrite an annual mission trip for students. In 2010,
Food Bank begins students participated in an ongoing Hurricane Katrina
relief effort and in 2009, traveled to Jamaica to refur-
October bish and rebuild a school. To order mulch, call Julie
Crop Walk, Food Drive ends Powers at (517) 292-3078 or email jpow-
10
ers155@gmail.com. You can also stop by All Saints
17 Christian Services Hat and Mitten Tree begins Episcopal Church in East Lansing and pick up your own
mulch. Leave your check/cash in the ASEL office.
November
TBD ECW United Thank Offering
14-21 Thanksgiving Baskets
Prayers
MaryLea Benson, Chairperson
During the past two years the Prayer Quilt ministry has given many prayers through the gifts of quilts to those among
us who have been in need or sick. During the past year quilts have been given to persons suffering from cancer, having
surgery, and experiencing difficulty in their lives. We have also provided quilts for an unborn child, St. Paul’s members
longtime and new, and both of our priests.
This next year will be just as trying for the members of our parish and quilts full of prayers will be needed even more.
Currently the committee has five active members, but more are needed. You do not need to know how to sew to be an
active member of the committee. People are needed to purchase cards for the recipients, as well as people to select
quilt top materials, threads and backing material.
This year we are in need of scrapbooking help so that pictures of the recipients with their quilts can be recorded for
those who come after us.
Please think about joining us and lending a hand or two during this next year.
Page 8
Requests for Prayer
We pray for those who are sick and in need: Cindy Robinson, Shelley Robinson, Mason Hill, Lois Caswell, Barb
Hacker, Marjorie Belles, Aleda, Dave, Kathryn Senko, Barb Powers, Patricia Reno, Skip & Marsha Macholz, Tom
Foltz, Vivian Hawkins, Linda, Bill, Jan Bigham, Max Sutton, John and Grace Hawkins, Joan, Karol Ryan, Phyllis
Quinn, Amanda, Laura Miller, Stephanie, Maureen Nauss, Stephanie Van Koevering, Noah, Norm Landon, Jared
Miller, Aviana Bridgeman, Pat Amundson, Sam Montie, Emilio Garcia, Richard Sauerzopf, Orville Wiggins, Lloyd
Law, Ray Benner, Andrea Ingraham, MaryLea Benson, Jacob Thomas, and Raymond White.
We pray and remember those in the Military, serving in dangerous areas: Jeff Doorlag and Justin Murphy.
We pray for comfort for the family and friends of Roland Howes and Julia Kludy who recently passed away.
We pray for and celebrate the weddings of Steven Irwin and Kirsten Forseman, Jack Boman and Sandra Tor-
geson, and David Parks, Jr. and Deborah Henrie.
We pray for those expecting: Kym and Matt Hall and Sacha Mallory and Seth Burris.
We pray for and celebrate the birth of Andrew Jacob Stevens to parents Jacob and Summer Stevens and big sister
Annabella.
We pray for and celebrate the baptism of Meadow Marie Rawlins.
We pray for guidance and continual help in all our activities at St. Paul’s.
Page 9
Reflections on Vacation Bible School 2010
By Sally Boron, VBS Volunteer
In the summer of 2003 I took my grandson to the first St. Paul’s VBS. I was an observer for several days until someone
asked if I wanted to help. I was hooked! (I am a retired elementary school counselor and love working with children.)
For the next five VBS events I brought both of my grandchildren and my two grandnieces. I also volunteered – after
all if I was going to drive them in from Clinton County, why not stay instead of making two trips for those five morn-
ings? I became the registrar, welcome committee, door security, attendance record keeper, and monitored delivery
and pick up of children, as well as floated to where I was needed. Over those years, we learned much and became
more efficient. Every VBS was a success for the children attending.
The grandchildren and nieces were “aging out” of VBS. I was ready to retire and pass my task of to someone else! But
my granddaughter and niece wanted to attend in 2009, and I could not attend because I had surgery the week be-
fore, so they attended without me. My plan to retire from VBS was a reality!
But, last spring Fr. Gordon asked me to return as registrar and my other roles. No one else had stepped up to the
plate, so I reluctantly agreed. My grandchildren decided that they each wanted to be youth helpers at VBS. I was
stuck!! I remained a rather reluctant volunteer until the first child walked in to the door on Monday morning June 21!
That excited face reminded me of why I had been volunteering all of these years. Every morning I had the privilege of
greeting all of the children and most of the volunteers. I had the opportunity to visit with many parents. Many took time
to tell me how much their children were enjoying and learning at VBS.
I have seen growth and change over the years in many children. Some of those little ones are now youth helpers. All
are maturing and growing into loving, caring Christians. One child has won the battle with cancer. Two others are fac-
ing the challenges of autism. Some were terrified to leave mom at the door and became confident and independent.
All had smiles. All loved VBS. All have benefited and learned. The songs, the Bible stories, the games, snacks, crafts
and the fellowship of other youth, and the caring of the adult and youth volunteers has had a profound impact on the
children.
This year, there were children with no church affiliation as well as five other churches. More than one parent told me
that she liked St. Paul’s because it is such a WELCOMING community! Another mother who is new to the USA told me
that they were expecting to feel like outsiders. She was overwhelmed with the warm reception that she and her chil-
dren received at VBS. She told me that they feel comfortable at St. Paul’s, truly WELCOMED and included!
I wish to leave you with two thoughts:
Consider volunteering next year. It is a wonderful experience!
Know that St. Paul’s is truly a welcoming and inclusive church. Please help keep it that way!
A special reception for Steve was held in the Merrifield Room following the service.
During the reception, representatives of several church groups gave tributes to Steve. The presentations were from the
Adult Christian Education Formation, 4 F’s and Worship Notes, Prayer Group, Men’s Breakfast, and Mission & Out-
reach. Other presentations included a poem for Steve written by Abby English, a member of The Lange Ensemble, a
proclamation from the Governor’s office, and a scrapbook from Martie Repaskey which contained reminiscences from
many of Steve’s friends.
The final highlight was given by Rev. Weller, a plaque that was hung over the educational wing naming it the “Dr.
Stephen R. Lange Music and Education Wing.”
Thanks to all fellow committee members who made this special event happen; Martie Repaskey (chairperson), Vicki
Walker, Kirk Lindquist, Larry Clark, Alex Wiesner, Debby Pierce, Kathy Vogel, and Rick Laub.
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