Weekly ePistle July 9, 2014

Jul 10, 2014

Thoughts from Lori+

Stories. Stories may be the single most important thing that connects us as human beings across all divides. Some years ago, I knew a couple – both therapists – who decided to up and move to Hawaii. One of their early observations about the people of Hawaii was that they were, as a group, the most emotionally healthy people they had ever met, largely because they were storytellers. (I can only presume that they made a living by treating transplants from the mainland who were experiencing island fever!) It seems that storytelling has a healing, almost sacred effect on the psyche. When our stories are shared, we come to know ourselves and each other more deeply. And we come to see how much we have in common because our stories are almost always about our hopes and dreams, our fears and disappointments, our loves lost and loves found. Our stories might be the most genuinely intimate parts of ourselves that we have to share.

I read an article yesterday about a woman who set a record for her solo flight around the world in 1964. Her name is Jerri Mock. [You can Google her to find out some of the details, or search for the story that I read by Amy Saunders on “BuzzFeed.”] As I read her story, I realized that my late aunt, Auleen Hall, also a pilot and a member of the Ninety-Nines* — surely would have known about her, and might have even known her! How I would have liked to ask her, my aunt, what she knew about this story. How I would have liked taking her to Columbus for the 50th anniversary of this event being celebrated as a landmark in aviation history.

I thought I knew a lot about my aunt and her life, but it’s clear to me now how few of her stories I actually know. And how I wish I had asked… and listened.

So my heart is full of the desire to hear some of your stories; the real stories of your lives, and to share some of mine. We don’t really know each other until we do this, until we enter into our authentic storytelling. The older we are, the more important and urgent this becomes. Tell your stories to your children, even the grown ones; to your grandchildren. How you met the love of your life. What you wanted to be when you were a child. How that worked out or didn’t. Tell about your successes and your regrets. About your best and worst memories.  Don’t worry if they are somewhat disinterested. Someday they will be glad that you told them. Even so, write them down or speak them into some kind of recorder. Let your stories be a witness to your life. Who knows! It may give you – us – a whole new perspective on our lives, and hopefully, a reason to be grateful.

Faithfully,

Lori +

P.S. And let us not forget that the Bible is the story of the people of God, and it is our story; a witness of how we came to be who we are. Thanks be to God!


Fiesta Days!

Friday, July 18th

McHenry Fiesta Days are coming up soon and St. Paul’s is going to have a booth on Friday, July 18th at the Children’s Ice Cream Social.  Volunteers are needed and there is a signup sheet in the Narthex. Can you spare a few hours to help out? We’ll have children’s games and prizes.

 Summer Parish Picnic

Mark your calendars now for the Summer Parish Picnic – Sunday, August 3rd at 4:00pm. If you were here for last year’s picnic, you already know you don’t want to miss it. But if you weren’t, here’s your chance to get in on the fun and fabulous food. Look for more detailed information in the coming weeks.


 July 13 Servants:

Ushers: Bill Lang, Bobbi Fiali
Lector: Jill Harrison
Intercessor: Terry Jaworski
Eucharistic Ministers: Deb Lang, Charlie Boak
Vestry Person of the Day: Deb Lang


Lessons and Hymns for July 13th, Pentecost V – Proper 10A

by the Rev. William P. McLemore

THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS:

The First Reading: Again, the first readings have choices for this Sunday. The first choice is Genesis 25:19-34, Psalm 119:105-112; the second choice is Isaiah 55:10-13, Psalm 65:(1-8) 9-14. Genesis tells of the birth of Esau and Jacob and the Psalm promises to observe the commandments. Isaiah tells of the fruitful nature of the word of the Lord and the Psalm also tells “you to visit the earth and water it abundantly.

The Epistle: Romans 8:1-11. Here St. Paul reminds us that in Christ we no longer live according to the flesh, but the spirit of God that dwells in us.

The Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9,18-23. Jesus tells the parable of the sower and the various outcomes of where seed is planted. “But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

THE HYMNS:

PROCESSIONAL HYMN: No. 182. “Christ is Alive.” The author of this new hymn is Brian Wren (b. 1936), of Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. He is a writer, preacher, liturgical scholar, and internationally published hymn-poet. Brian is a Minister of the United Reformed Church (UK). Hope Publishing Company owns the 1975 copyrights to the text. The hymn reflects the sacrificial nature of Our Lord’s Resurrection. Here is the 4th verse: “In every insult, rift and war where color, scorn, or wealth divide, he suffers still, yet loves the more, and lives though ever crucified.” The tune, “Truro,” is from a 1789 Psalm Book, harmonized by Lowell Mason (1792-1872).

THE SEQUENCE HYMN: No. 657. “Love Divine All Loves Excelling.” Here is a famous Charles Wesley hymn which he published in a pamphlet titled, “Hymns for Those that Seek, and Those that Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ.” Some of the symbolic imagery of Revelation is found in these words, “Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.” The tune, “Hyfrydol,” composed by Rowland Hugh Prichard, has some delightful harmonies and movement.

PRESENTATION HYMN: No. 379. “God is Love, Let Heaven Adore Him.” This hymn was written by Timothy Rees, the Anglican Bishop of Llandaff, a distinguished speaker in English and Welsh and respected hymnographer.  This beautiful hymn covers many aspects of God’s love and is appropriate for reflecting on Chapter 13 of St. Paul’s letter to Corinth. Cyril V. Taylor composed the tune, “Abbot’s Leigh,” in May of 1941 when he was working for the Religious Broadcasting Department of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

COMMUNION HYMN: No. 487. “Come My Way, My Truth, My Life.”   There is no mention of Jesus, God, or the Holy Spirit in this hymn by the English Poet, George Herbert (1593-1633), which probably explains it’s rare appearance in Christian hymnals. This verse, entitled “The Call,” was published posthumously in The Temple, 1633. Obviously, the editors of this 1982 hymnal felt it refers directly to Jesus as it is located in the section entitled “Jesus Christ Our Lord.” The tune, which is named, “The Call,” was composed by Dr. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Editor of the English Hymnal (1906). He was born October 12, 1872 and died in 1958.

RECESSIONAL HYMN: No. 492. “Sing Ye Faithful, Sing with Gladness.”   The author of this hymn is John Ellerton, born in London, December 16, 1826 and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. Although an Anglican priest, he is better known as a hymnologist, hymnwriter, and translator.   We sang this hymn last Sunday, but repeat it because of its inclusive image of the full incarnation and redemption of Jesus Christ. The tune, “Finnian” was composed by Christopher Dearnley (1930-2000), British organist and composer.   As we noted last week, The National Cathedral recently sung this hymn and it can be heard on YouTube by entering the first line in a Google search which will produce the link to the music.


 Altar Flowers

Please contribute to the beauty of our worship by dedicating the altar flowers. The suggested donation is $35, and your dedication may be “in memorial for…” or “in thanksgiving for…” There is a calendar of Sundays on the bulletin board in the narthex where you can sign up. Your dedication will be listed in the Sunday service bulletin on the appropriate date. Thank you so much for adding to our worship in this way.

Don’t forget!  Summer Diaper Drive

The summer months are vacation months for many of us, including schools, organizations, and charities. Consequently, there is little activity for donations and diaper drives. But as you know, baby’s bottoms don’t take vacations EVER. St. Paul’s Diaper Bank is in need of children’s diapers, especially size 5’s.  Here’s the great news! St. Paul’s Church will be conducting a diaper drive on behalf of the Diaper Bank in June, July, and August. Please help us by bringing your diaper donations to church on Sunday mornings.  We will also accept monetary donations.  Checks should be made out to the “St. Paul’s Diaper Bank.”  Let’s make this a huge success!  Remember, every little bottom counts.

June Collection = 619

July (as of 7/9) = 171


From the cartoons created by the Rev. William P. McLemore

1965 – 2014.

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 101 Reasons to be Episcopal

Reason 66

“We leave neither our minds, nor our hearts, nor our bodies at the church door.”

John F. Schwaller

Diocese of Minnesota

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love God. Love Your Neighbor.

Change the World.

St Paul's Episcopal Church Welcomes You.