Where your heart is…

This week’s gospel passage (Luke 12: 32-40) includes that very familiar phrase: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Too often I hear this as a condemnation: I know that my spending rarely reflects my desired values.

     But what if we turned this phrase around, and made it aspirational? How about saying, “Where do you want your heart to be? Put your treasure there”? For me, that creates a goal. I know the things that I love at my core—the things that bring me the most joy and hope. And I know what I want to value more. With this slight change of focus, I see more clearly what really matters to me, and therefore where I should put my treasures.

     Welcome to St. Paul’s, where we strive to focus on things that matter.

Collect:

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Altar Flowers are given in memory of Christina Sedgwick Powell.

Lee Food Pantry
This week’s food pantry suggestion is tuna. 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 items for next week are: pasta, rice and beans). St. Paul’s will volunteer at the Lee Food Pantry on Saturday, August 10th.

Godly Play Takes a Recess!

Godly Play will be on hiatus now through Labor Day Weekend. As always, children are welcome in Church on Sundays!

Join us Sunday, August 25, beginning at 2:45 pm
Healing Day National Bell Ringing

The National Park Service has commissioned churches and people around the country to toll bells to commemorate and honor the first enslaved Africans who landed in English North America in 1619. Joining with the people of Grace Church Great Barrington and others, we will gather in our church yard beginning at 2:45 pm for a simple service of prayer and singing, culminating in the ringing of our church bell at 3:00 pm. (In case of inclement weather, we will meet in the church.) Join us for this simple remembrance and powerful statement about the truths of the past and the need to create a new future for us all.

“Second Mountain” Culminating Event: Sunday, August 25, 11:45 am

We will gather at the First Congregational Church of Stockbridge on Sunday, August 25, 11:45 am for lunch and a group discussion by all those who have participated in the community book read. More information will be sent to those who signed up for individual discussion groups; others who would like to attend should contact Father Sam for details.

Altar Flowers

If you would like to honor or remember a loved one by providing altar flowers, the following Sundays are available: 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, August 11

Celebrant/Preacher:   The Rev. Sam Smith

9 am:    Don Cook, Greeter

              Sebastian Bonner, Usher

              Kendra MacLeod, Lector

              John Davies, Intercessor

              Ginny Willcox, Altar Guild

              Patty Melville & Diana French, Hospitality

Next Sunday, August 18

Celebrant/Preacher:   The Rev. Jane Tillman

9 am:    Lila Berle, Greeter

              Diane Dillon, Usher

              Don Temples, Lector

              Sebastian Bonner, Intercessor

              Natalie Boyce, Altar Guild

              Don Temples & Sam Smith, Hospitality

              Nancy King, Organist

Parish Prayer List

  • People we pray for on Sundays: Cecilia
  • Long-term prayer list: George, 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: St. Paul’s Children’s Center
  • Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Trinity Church, Shrewsbury
  • Anglican Cycle of Prayer: United Church of South India
  • Birthdays: Anne Auberjonois (8th), Graham Higgins & Andrew Weston (9th), Natalie Boyce (11th), William Cuene (15th), Elizabeth Skakel (17th).
  • Anniversaries: Sebastian Bonner & Anne Auberjonois (8th).