December 30, 2019--Doug and Iola moved away this year, but sent Christmas greetings to their parish family.
December 29, 2019--The special services in the Christmas season require more of our Altar Guild. Here Margaret is refilling one of our oil candles.
December 24, 2019--Christmas Eve -- the manger is ready to receive the Christ Child. Traditionally the youngest child present processes the baby Jesus into the church on Christmas Eve.
November 24th. The food is being set out for the Messy Church/Pot Luck as the people begin to gather. The idea was to have the craft/lesson first, but the kids couldn't wait. So the Messy part came after we'd eaten. We made pectoral crosses. Bishop Wayne spoke about the symbols associated with bishops like the ring, crozier and pectoral cross. It provided him an opportunity to explain the various ways bishops have been seen through the ages. He doesn't seen himself in the role of lordly bishop, but rather as a companion on the Way focused on encouraging and loving his fellow pilgrims.
Sometimes a bishop's spouse will come along. Here Mrs. Dana Lynn Hougland is visiting with some of the kids. It was Christ the King Sunday so the children were wearing colorful crowns and no small amount of glitter aquired in their construction.
The Rt. Rev. Whayne Hougland come to visit November 24th. Pictured with him are the Rev. Tom Downs, and Mr. Gary Grinn.
November 14, 2019 The city removed one of the trees beside the road and in front of our parking lot. The change opens things up. Now the large maple and the garden surrounding it will be more visible.
October 20, 2019 Every year we have an auction to raise money for outreach. What makes it unusual is that we ask people to bid on things sight unseen. Mary Jane bid on and won this locally made Tin Man, the character from the Wizard of Oz who needed a heart. What is especially meaningful about all this is that her husband Jim is a real life tin man; he received a heart transplant several years ago. Together they work tirelessly as advocates for heart transplants.
October 9, 2019 A son of St. Paul's, the Rev. William McClure (on the left), is the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Alpena, MI., and together will his wife, Deb and a parish deacon attended a clergy conference on Mackinaw Island. Picuted with them is the Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
October 6th saw our annual Blessing of the Animals service. This is a joint project between St. Paul's and Christ the King Lutheran Church. Pictures above is the Rev. Emily Olsen and friend. This picture was from 2018; we forgot to take pictures at this year's event. Dogs, cats, rabbits, and gerbils, Oh My!
During the Saturday (9-21-19) Work Bee the church doors were given a fresh coat of red paint. This is the traditional color for Episcopal churches. For thousands of years red doors meant a "place of sanctuary."
September 14, 2019 The annual White Elephant Sale. A bit brisk but sunny. The proceeds will be given to Backpack Buddies, a joint project with Christ the King Lutheran Church, that feeds local children.
....and followed up with a reception in their honor.
September 8th we inducted two new members to our Acolyte Guild.....
The Daughters of the King make up emergency packets for the local elementary schools. Accidents happen. To preserve the dignity of children they provide new socks, undies, sweat pants, and a plastic bag to take the wet ones home in.
Some of the folks from our weekly Bible study. We work on the three lessons that are part of the coming Sunday's service.
August 19, 2019 This colorful thing is a muff. Margaret made two for our pews. Sometimes your hands get cold, especially when you are in your 90's. They get used every Sunday.
August 14-16, 2019 The parking lot was beginning to show its age, so we filled the few pot holes, resealed the surface, and relined it.
We added 2 new handicapped parking spaces.
July 28, 2019 was our annual picnic. We began with a Eucharist. It was followed by lots of good food and then games. For the little ones and some of the crafty adults, we painted rocks. They will be scattered around the city like little prayers.
Frank is new to the musical team.
The musicians were under the able leadership of Tina
Bill helped set up for our picnic. You can tell he's a Michigan fam.
Did I mention we had cake. Among the July birthdays was our own church musician, Tina. Flowers, cards, a song, and her own special cake. That's three cakes for coffee hour on July 7th. Woo-hoo.
This Sunday (July 7) we had a baptism, so there was a good excuse for more cake.Every first Sunday of the month we celebrate that month's birthdays. We have cake!
July 6th, Jackie and Frank renewed their wedding vows surrounded by family and friends. It is their 50th anniversary.
The monthly Book Study group met June 23rd to discuss Lake of the Ozarks by Bill Geist.
It's a simple sign but gets a surprising amount of notice. The church is open most week days and people drop in for a few quiet moments. Today, June 10, someone who just happened to be driving by saw the sign. She pulled into our parking lot and spent a few moments inside praying. Her husband will be having surgery this afternoon.
It's June 9th. The iris' have made their appearance in the courtyard. Our garden and grounds make a cool quiet place to rest and think in the midst of our busy little city. St. Paul's is blessed with many good cooks, but there is one that seems to specialize in unique monthly birthday cakes. Bev chose a seashore theme for June's cake. Notice this cake comes with sharks...
May saw our spring Work Bee. Windows washed, pews polished, everything put in order after a long winter. Spring means work in the garden. This year we added a bench to invite passers by to stop and rest. It was given in memory of Art Perkins.
After a recent near emergency, we purchased an AED machine and held two training sessions.
Every Sunday we have coffee hour... there's more than just coffee. May 19thWe celebrated the life and ministry of the Rev. William Elliott. St. Paul's was his first parish and in retirement his last. Bill's memorial service was May 6, 2019
