More Easter Joy
Easter is not just one day—it’s a season! Easter lasts for seven weeks, or 50 days through Pentecost Sunday. Throughout the season we are called to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, and we do so in church with a special acclamation (“The Lord is risen indeed!”), Easter hymns, and lots of alleluias!

     In the Anglican Church, the upcoming Second Sunday of Easter has been called “Low Sunday” because the liturgy does not have the “pull out the stops” festivities associated with the Easter Vigil or Easter Day.  Another reason for this designation is that church attendance is generally a fraction of the Easter Day attendance. Dear people of St. Paul’s, this is not the time to take a day off! In fact, our Bishop has renamed this Sunday “Momentum Sunday” in order to affirm that the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we celebrated on Easter Day, should energize us more than it exhausts us. In Eastern Orthodox churches the Second Sunday of Easter is known as “Thomas Sunday,” because our lectionary has us reading about the story of Thomas, who reports that he must see and touch the wounds of Christ in order to believe in the resurrection of the body. And our neighbors the Marians designate this Sunday as “Mercy Sunday.”

     Welcome to St. Paul’s, to celebrate the resurrection, to continue the momentum of celebration that Easter Day has initiated, and to experience God’s divine mercy in the face of our human doubt and stumbling. Alleluia, the Lord has risen!

Collect:
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Altar Flowers this week are given in memory of Paul Platzman.

Lee Food Pantry
This week’s food pantry suggestion is toiletries and diapers. Please bring this or other non-perishable food items with you to church on Sunday to share with those in need in our community. (Suggested item for next week is: tuna).

St. Paul’s Prayer Circle will meet Tuesday, April 30, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., for evening prayer.

Join us this Saturday, April 27, 3:00-5:00 pm
St. Paul’s Arbor Day Celebration

Come to the St. Paul’s Church Yard this Saturday, April 27, for a celebration of trees! We will gather in the church yard (or, in case of rain, in the church) and embark on walking tours of downtown Stockbridge led by local tree experts, circling back to the church yard for refreshments and gifts and activities for participating children. Local folk music artists (including our own Patty Melville!) will play, and there will be tours of the church. Representatives from the Diocesan Creation Care Team will also be present to demonstrate the Sustain Island Home program, offering creative ways to lessen our carbon footprints.

Save the Date: Sunday, June 9
County-wide Event to Rise Against Hunger

On the afternoon of the day of Pentecost, the Episcopal Churches of Berkshire County, along with our friends, will join together to celebrate the Holy Spirit by packaging 20,000 meals for those who are hungry throughout our world. We will also make summer activity bags for local kids who are served by our local food pantries and other charitable programs. This family-friendly event will conclude with a meal for all to celebrate! Questions? Ask Father Sam.

Altar Flowers

If you would like to honor or remember a loved one by providing altar flowers, the following Sundays are available: Sep. 22; Nov. 10; Dec. 1, 8. To sign up, please email stpaulsstockbridge@gmail.com and tell us the date you’d like to reserve, the wording of the announcement, and whether or not you’d like the office to order the flowers for you (cost is $60).

Worship Teams (If you exchange shifts with someone, please notify the Church Office by Thursday morning at stpaulsstockbridge@gmail.com.)

This Sunday, April 28

Celebrant/Preacher:   The Rev. Sam Smith

8 am:    Jorja Marsden

10 am:  John Davies, Greeter

              Peter Dillon, Usher

              Martha Bodine, Lector

              Don Temples, Intercessor

              Ginny Willcox, Altar Guild

              Don Cook & Tim Swingle, Hospitality

              Nancy King, Organist

Next Sunday, May 5

Celebrant/Preacher:   The Rev. Sam Smith

8 am:    Pam Drumm

10 am:  Carl Sprague, Greeter

              Don Temples, Usher

              Peter Dillon, Lector

              Diane Dillon, Intercessor

              Natalie Boyce, Altar Guild

              Anne Skakel & Diane Dillon, Hospitality

              Nancy King, Organist

Parish Prayer List

  • People we pray for on Sundays: Cecilia, Alec, Tessa, George
  • Long-term prayer list: Jeff, David, Doug, Barbara, Charles, ZsuZsa, Tom, Rich, Ronnie, Karen, Michael, Christy, John, George
  • Our partners at Grace Church, Great Barrington and the Rev. Janet Zimmerman; Trinity Episcopal/Christ Lutheran, Sheffield and the Rev. Erik Karas; the Austen Riggs community and the Riverbrook Residence; victims of violence, abuse, persecution and disaster at home and abroad
  • Outreach Ministries of the Week: Gideon’s Garden
  • Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St. Helena’s, Lenox
  • Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Anglican Communion in Japan
  • Birthdays & Anniversaries: Alison Larkin (28th), Cameron Skakel & Michael Sirois (2nd), Robin Race (8th)