Looking Back, Moving Forward from the Rector’s Annual Report

In Hopkinsville for a meeting of local priests and deacons, one of my brethren opined, “You’ve got to admit, Rich, y’all pretty much worship that building.” With a good deal of shared mirth, I couldn’t resist responding, “It helps to have a space worth celebrating.”

The 2010 celebration of the 150th an-niversary of this Parish home was, of course, a celebration of much more than just its first dedication, and 2016 marks the 185th anniversary of the founding of our Parish. But in our own generation of the life of St. Paul’s Parish, we celebrate year by year, month by month, week by week, sometimes day by day the journey we are on together, and it’s good to look back from time to time. Together, our stories, rather than the facts and figures of our common life, are our journey.

Worship—A few weeks ago, young Michael approached me during coffee hour and asked about receiving communion. Knowing that Michael has for some time been eyeing the blessed Sacrament as he dutifully crosses his arms in front of him-self, I sat with him and we talked about belonging to Jesus, and about belonging to each other. The next time I saw him, Mi-chael came up to me and announced that he was going to receive Communion that very morning. And you know what? He did!

Our average Sunday attendance for this year was 75, up from 70 last year, we cele-brated the Eucharist every Sunday but one, and on 41 weekdays, with our usual array of special celebrations. My annual ordina-tion anniversary celebration of St. Nicholas Day was my 20th, and was made more joy-ous because I got to share it as always with our children, and this year with all of you as well since it fell on a Sunday.

Education—About this time last year, we sent a collection of the thoughts of C.S. Lewis and Henri Nouwen to each house-hold in the Parish, and then used the same devotional booklet as the basis of our Wednesday evening Lenten reflections,

Inside this Issue Parish News & Notes Vestry highlights Upcoming Events EYC Happenings Church Calendar and Ministry Schedule

inspiring our own thoughts on Christ’s journey toward his Passion.

Our Wednesday evening programs covered a lot of other interesting ground as well, from General Convention to the PB’s call to become Crazy Christians, Saints, Sinners and Cynics continues to learn a little something, and EfM now includes Years 1-3 of the four-year program.

The Vestry established as their number one priority the idea of pursuing intergen-erational opportunities for worship and learning, engaging Michelle Green to help make that happen. That’s what was behind this year’s St. Nicholas celebration, our prayer crane meditations during Advent, and an Epiphany pageant that got over-come by events.

Our youth program at St. Paul’s con-tinues to build relationships that matter, still leading the Diocese in involvement in the camp and youth programs at All Saints, involvement that has become leadership, with three of the twelve members of the Diocesan Youth Council being from St. Paul’s. And the Godly Play program that I have highlighted year after year continues to make the stories of Scripture and our tradition come alive in the minds, and more importantly, in the hearts of our children.

We can always use more help taking the proper care and protection for our most precious treasure. When we call for help, step up – not for their sake, but for yours.

Parish Life—When St. Paul’s formed a chapter of the Order of the Daughters of the King last fall, our Daughters looked for inspiration, to the three-panel window on Center, to St. Agnes, the famed “shepherdess on the green” of song and story, who refused every enticement and endured every punishment for the sake of the love of Jesus Christ.

This year, St. Paul’s has once again shown that we are more family than organ-ization, because from celebrating the mo-ments of our lives, to helping one another through difficulties, to comforting one an-other in times of loss, we see loving one another as the absolute most important thing we do. What’s more, not only do we

THE GOOD NEWS February 2016

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Parish News and Notes

Upcoming Events Sundays—8 a.m.—Holy Eucharist, Rite 1, 9 a.m. Choir Practice,

10 a.m. Choral Eucharist, Sunday School. Coffee Hour following the service.

Mondays—6 p.m.—EfM

Tuesdays—6 p.m.—Saints, Sinners and Cynics—Rookies Sports Bar

Wednesdays during Lent —Noon Lenten Luncheons

Fridays during Lent—6 –p.m.—Stations of the Cross

Tuesday—February 9—5-7 p.m. Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

Wednesday—February 10—7 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 6 p.m. Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes

Monday—February 15—Noon —St. Ann’s Guild

Tuesday—February 16—5:30 p.m.—Vestry Meeting, Rector’s Study

Wednesday—February 17— Noon—Community Lenten Luncheon, 1st Christian Church

6 p.m. Soup Supper and Program

Sunday—February 21—Annual Bishop visitation - CCO Sunday—Toothpaste

Wednesday—February 24—Noon—Community Lenten Luncheon, Community Baptist Church

6p.m—Soup Supper and Program

Saturday—February 27—10 a.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry

6 p.m. Quinceañera Celebration for Zoë Green

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love our Parish, but in general we’re pretty sure that everybody else should love it too.

Building—I’m probably the single biggest user of St. Paul’s men’s room, so believe me when I say what an absolute joy it is to be able to turn on the new ergo-nomic and ADA compliant tap, and wash my hands in warm sudsy water.

Though, with the new roof and all, last year was a much bigger year for capital repairs, but we’ve been busy this past year as well, it’s just been a little bit more… frustrating. We did manage to get the first floor carpet replaced, along with a bright and clean floor for the children’s Atrium, we have engaged someone to take care of our smaller to-dos, and we have a contract already set to replace the front steps. But the contract we had to finally answer the gutter problems could not be completed, so we’re back to square one. Then there’s the on-going drama associated with the HVAC system, which, I’m afraid, is a long way from over.

But with all her problems, we are blessed to be the current custodians of a treasure set aside for us over a century and a half ago, and I wouldn’t trade this grand lady we call home for anything.

Outreach—My favorite part of the Summer Feed-ing program the last week of July was the young people dressed in black shirts and tissue-paper collars serenad-ing me for my birthday, but the most important part of the program was the education I received on the scope of hunger right here in our own community. I suspect that the real measure of the need will be seen this sum-mer when the word is finally on the street that we are here to help make sure that no child is left hungry.

We continue to contribute to CCO’s monthly budg-et, and over and over, we have also helped fill their pantry shelves. The Prayer Shawl Ministry continues to reach out with shawls, scarves, hats, and comfort and prayer to people who need to feel the love of Christ. And by our gifts and by our personal presence, with our treasure and with our time, St. Paul’s is involved in ministry throughout the community.

Partnership—We agreed to host this year’s Com-munity Thanksgiving service before the Ministerial Association moved it to the same Sunday as our own Thanksgiving feast, and decided to entice participation by serving pie, but it sounded like a good idea. Until, with only minutes left before the service, I found that we needed to arrange and serve the score of pies that had been brought. We laid a veritable smorgasbord of a pie buffet, though, and everybody had a great time.

We can’t do everything ourselves, so we try to be a good partner in ministry. In our community, we partner youth programing and for Vacation Bible School, for the Lenten Luncheon series, and host events for groups from the DAR and the Garden Club, to the Democratic Women’s Group.

Through partnership with others in the Diocese of Kentucky, we can and do much more, with representa-tion on the Commission on Ministry, the Standing Committee, the Trustees of the University of the South, the Budget Committee and the Bishop Dudley Trust. Last year we directly supported the ministry and mis-

sion of the Diocese with $27,886, and the Vestry voted to keep the percentage at that level for 2016, which is $29,234 because of our expanding budget.

Budget—St. Paul’s was perhaps the first to take advantage of a new program for the Diocesan Finance Office to provide an external audit of our financial rec-ords, likely saving us over $7,000 and providing a level of security that we have not had for several years.

We managed to bring expenses in under budget for 2015, but while we received 95% of pledged income, our investment accounts produced only 82% of what we budgeted. We ended the year drawing a little over $7,000 from our generous reserves, less than half what we drew last year, but still without using as much as we had hoped, for our outreach efforts.

The 2016 Budget is flat, up only 1% on both sides of the ledger. On the income side, your generosity al-lows us to further reduce the amount we expect to draw from invested funds, closer to actual performance in this economy. And on the expense side, that 1% allows us to make that increase in Diocesan giving, and to of-fer a small cost of living increase to some of the staff.

Conclusion—There’s nothing in the world wrong with looking back, even sometimes way back. Of course, my friend was right that it is possible to make the past into an idol that distracts us from our real pur-pose of spreading the love of Christ to our world, here and now. But looking back helps define where we’ve come from. It helps us know who we are and the phe-nomenal things we are capable of accomplishing.

You see, the purpose of taking these glances back, the reason for hearing, and telling the stories that have defined us and define and inspire us day by day, is so that we can look forward to what we can do as we hold each other up in the love of Christ, as we serve our community and the world in his name, and as we raise praise and thanksgiving to the One who has brought us thus far, and wants to bring us so much further.

Thank you for letting me once again be part of our journey this year. I cannot imagine being anywhere but right here, in this place, with all of you. Because, as I’ve said before, I love being a Christian. I love being a priest. And with all my self: body, soul, and spirit, I love being your priest. Thank you for once again loving me through this year, and thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me love you.

Peace and joy,

The Right Reverend Terry A. White Eighth Bishop of Kentucky

will call on the Rector, Wardens and People of

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Henderson Sunday, February 21, 2016

As part of the 10:00 celebration of the Holy Eucharist,

Bishop White will Confirm those prepared and Receive those presented into the Episcopal Church.

Luncheon will follow in the Parish Hall

Back from the Snow Days Leslie Newman—We had a good turnout among the youth on Sunday, January 24, after the back-to-back snows, and while the adults conducted business at the Annual Parish Meeting, the youth and children walked down to the Presbyterian church for “free play” in their Hoffman Hall. It was a good chance for the St. Paul’s kids to connect with their friends from VBS.

Trae and Quinton organized the younger boys into teams for basketball, and Alexis, Zoe, Kaleigh and Mi-randa welcomed the younger girls to work on a crafts project. The time served too to give the youth an oppor-tunity to socialize and exercise and use some of their cooped up energy from having been snowbound. We are fortunate to have the partnership we do with the Presbys, and the activities we share are always bound to be a success.

Cooking Up an EYC Tradition Leslie Newman—As always, EYC will cook and serve the parish breakfast on the fifth Sunday, January 31, which will be good practice for them to hone their skills for the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on Tues-day February 9. Serving will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 7 p.m., and our master chef Kent Preston has accepted the invitation to join us again.

Please invite your family and friends and co-workers, and get the word out through your social me-dia channels for this fundraiser to benefit our youth program! There is a lot going on that evening, includ-ing an event at the Fine Arts Center, and it will be great if we can draw some of the folks going there. Judy will email a flyer you can forward or print to distribute. Thank you for your efforts to support this St. Paul’s tradition!

Come Help Us Celebrate! Todd and Michelle Green would like to invite their Par-ish Family to be part of the Quinceañera Celebration in honor of Zoё Michelle Green, at 6:00 Saturday even-ing, February 27 at St. Paul’s. For more information or to RSVP by February 14, please call Todd or Michelle.

Pageant, Poinsettias, & Puppies Leslie Newman—The Epiphany Pageant scheduled for January 10 was postponed due to inclement weather. With many thanks to Michelle Green, St. Paul’s youth and children pulled off an endearing, adorable, tradi-tional pageant on January 17. Better late than never.

Some year, perhaps we will remember to videotape the entire production, from choosing costumes through wandering sheep, and we undoubtedly will qualify for a prize on the Funniest Home Video show. There is an age at which our youth seem to think they have out-grown the Epiphany Pageant. But my favorite thing among several this year, was that one of our youth brought a friend as a guest, and they both got caught up in the fun. After much urging them to participate as wise men, and throwing together their costumes, the friend exclaimed that it was the best Sunday of his life.

Thanks to our high school seniors Alexis and Ren-ner for assuming leadership roles, and to all the youth and parents who helped and encouraged the young chil-dren, and those who read and sang along with Ms. Evalyn’s accompaniment on the Christmas carols we never tire of hearing or singing. The pageant doesn’t last long but it’s surely a full morning and one which it certainly appears our entire parish enjoys.

Most of our youth and children, and some of their parents were able to stay after that service for more activity and, of course, lunch. The kids worked fever-ishly and as a team to move the poinsettias to the Parish Hall and to take down and store the Christmas wreaths. The bonus there is getting to up go to the attic.

Afterwards we went back to a project Ellen Red-ding introduced us to a couple years ago. We cut old donated T-shirts into strips, and then braided them to make twenty dog toys for the dogs at the Humane Soci-ety of Henderson County. Carol Noon was impressed enough with the project, and kind enough, to run home for her fabric cutting board and good scissors, and then volunteered to take home the remnants left when we ran out of time, so she can make even more toys. I for-got to take photos of all the whole group but you can see the Purdys holding the toys. And we can teach you to make them with your old t-shirts, or if you want to donate some, we can make them again.

Shrove Tuesday

PANCAKE SUPPER

Bring your whole family!

Invite all your friends!

Eat all you want—and then some!

5:00 to 7:00 Tuesday, February 9

Financial Summary as of December 31, 2015 Pledged Amount to Date $182,882

Pledged Income received to Date $178,704

Other Operating Income to Date $53,105 Operating Expenses to Date $239,082

Lenten Season from the Postulant

Lent is the forty day liturgical season of fasting and prayer before the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. The forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the desert, where according to the Bible, he endured the temptation of Satan. Lent is our season of the Chris-tian Year where we should focus on simple living, prayer and fasting in order to grow closer to God.

We begin Lent with the Ash Wednesday service where we recognize our unfaithfulness, repent of our sins, and return again to our loving God. We should realize our life is a gift from God and try to faithfully return our sinful lives toward Jesus Christ. Each year, Fr. Rich marks the sign of the cross on our foreheads with ashes, a sign of our mortality and repentance. Also the sign of the cross is to remind us of Jesus resurrec-tion and forgiveness. When we proclaim his for-giveness it’s a powerful way to experience God’s for-giveness and renewal as we return to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Too many of our lives are filled with lots of dis-tractions that cause us to move away from living life as a Christian. A lot of us have an emptiness inside us that we fill with mindless TV, meaningless talk, drugs, al-cohol, too many other activities that cause us to turn away from God. Lent is an opportune time to “repent” to make a change and return to God, and to commit our lives to serving the Church. We have forty days to ac-complish changing our lives and let God back into our hearts so that we may commit to being a better servant for God and Church.

To help you succeed, try one of these practices this year for Lent:

Prayer is the number one practice that is a must! Set time aside each day in lent for prayer and quiet listen-ing to God. No cell phone, no distractions, just si-lence and become more in touch with God.

Everyone tries fasting. So try to fast by cutting out some of the things in your life that keep you from coming to Church. Think of what you need to let go of or “fast from” in order to focus on God.

Be a servant and volunteer to help an organization in our community. You can even just commit to helping a friend or neighbor in need. In serving others we serve God.

I urge you to humbly confess “ Lord be merciful to me, a sinner” and say to him, “Lord in my hand no price I bring; simply to the cross I’ll cling.” This just might be the fulfillment and healing we need from God. Dear Lord start with me this very hour!

God bless us this Lenten season.

Vestry Notes It was the Vestry’s intent to have a brief meeting fol-lowing the Annual Meeting on January 24, but in the hustle to clean up and get home after the meeting, we ended up without a quorum. Since implementation of parts of the 2016 Budget awaited approval of Decem-ber’s minutes, that vote was conducted by email

The next Vestry meeting will be at 5:30 Tuesday evening, February 16.

Lent Begins The season of Lent begins early this year, and this year we will observe Ash Wednesday, February 10 with three services of Eucharist with imposition of ashes: 7:00 if you’d like to come before work, 12:10 if you come during your lunch hour, and 6:00 in the evening.

One of the Lenten traditions in our community is the Lenten Luncheon series sponsored by the Hender-son County Ministerial Association. Each week during Lent, another of the area’s churches takes a turn provid-ing an ecumenical worship opportunity at noon fol-lowed by a light lunch. The first of this year’s series will be at First Christian Church at noon on February 17, and the second on February 24 at Community Bap-tist Church. No ticket is needed, and there is never a cost for the meal, but an offering is collected for the work of the Ministerial Association during the year.

Another of our traditions is our Wednesday even-ing soup suppers which will begin on February 17 as well. Our program this year will follow the daily devo-tional series to be mailed to every Parish household, God’s Abiding Love, featuring the thoughts of spiritual author, Henri Nouwen. Please join us for the study and for the fellowship of our journey together.

Over the past few years, as a part of his spiritual journey, Larry Courtney has been the one to lead us in observing the Stations of the Cross each Good Friday. This Lent, Larry will lead us on that journey at 6:00 each Friday evening, beginning with the first Friday, February 12. This devotion of our Lord’s Passion may be the key to your journey this Lent.

Finally, though it is not often availed of in our time, especially during Lent we are reminded that in addition to our corporate confession at celebrations of the Eucharist, the Book of Common Prayer makes pro-vision for the ministry of reconciliation for individuals as well. Fr. Rich is always available for this ministry as requested, but this Lent he has committed to being available without appointment, at 2:00 on Ash Wednes-day afternoon, on the first Friday of Lent, February 12, and on Good Friday, March 25. All are welcome.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Staff The Very Rev. Rich Martindale, Rector Leslie Newman, EYC Director Evalyn Champion, Organist/Choir Master Donna Mulcahy, Bookkeeper Judy Duncan, Parish Secretary Phone—270-826-2937

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 5 South Green Street

Henderson, KY 42420

www.stpauls-henderson.org

Vestry Members Service Times Sr. Warden Greg Powell Sunday 8:00 Rite I Jr. Warden Bill Gentry 10:00 Rite II Clerk Susie Watkins Wednesday 12:10 Rite II Budget and Finance Hugh Hennessy, Bill Gentry w/anointing Parish Life Marilyn Dixon, Greg Powell Building and Grounds Greg Powell, Bill Gentry, Hugh Hennessy Outreach Worship and Music Kurt Wilson, Marilyn Dixon Christian Formation and Youth Jennifer Preston, Communications Kurt Wilson, Jennifer Preston Treasurer Hugh Hennessy

Prayer List Parish Family Steve Dan Joan Marsha Charlene Barbara Billy Marty Terry Donna Seymour Michelle Tom John Catherine Quinton Darrell Jackie Quinton Darrell Our Family & Friends Don Camden Nolan Jerry Jane

Ashley Kathy Nancy Jeff Carol Polly Beverly Anna Jennifer Darrell Mary Catherine Rachel Celina Diane Molly Dana Barry Jack Joretta Remington Patty Joe Mike Chris Sally David Alan Jan Stacy Bonnie John Wayne Logan Isaac Pam Ken Ali Frank Jean Rebecca Elaine Barbara Robert Neil Jackie Akhtar Laurie Linda Heather Shawn Shane Andi Max Sharon

only first names are listed here.) Claudia Patsy Chris