In the Garden
This Sunday we kick off a month of worship in our beautiful churchyard (weather permitting). We will have one service only at 9:00 am for each of the four Sundays in July. Bring a lawn chair (if it’s easy—if not, rest assured we have a chair for you) and join us as we enjoy the beauty of our little corner of the world.
In this Sunday’s gospel lesson (Luke 10:1-11, 16-20) Jesus sends seventy of his followers “to every town and place where he himself intended to go.” Who were these people? What did Jesus expect them to do? And what did they do? Certainly this is a story about the spread of the word of Christ; what does it tell us about our work today as followers of Christ?
Please join us at St. Paul’s this Sunday, where we will explore the messages God has for us in the Holy Word.
Collect:
O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Altar Plants are given in memory of Francis and Anna Pilling and Bob Marsden.
Lee Food Pantry
This week’s food pantry
suggestion is peanut butter. 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: soup & tomato sauce). St. Paul’s will
volunteer at the Lee Food Pantry on Saturday,
July 13th.
Join us for an Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social: Saturday, July 20, 3:00-5:00 pm
On July 20 St. Paul’s will share the joys of summer with the community, aided and abetted by ice cream and refreshments for people of all ages. This church yard event will be a sort of block party for Stockbridge, timed to occur before folks go to theater and concert events in the evening.
In anticipation, we need two things from you: 1) Volunteer to assist us that afternoon—see Don Cook, Natalie Boyce, Duncan Pollock, or Sam Smith to offer your help; and 2) Invite your friends and family! We hope to attract a big crowd!
Community Summer Reading Project
The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, by David Brooks
This Summer we are joining with First Congregational Church here in Stockbridge and Christ/Trinity Church in Sheffield to read David Brooks’ latest book The Second Mountain. This book explores the four commitments that define a life of meaning and purpose: to a spouse and family, to a vocation, to a philosophy or faith, and to a community. It is about embracing a life of interdependence rather than independence.
After reading the book, beginning around mid-July participants will gather in small discussion groups around the area in different formats, at different times, and in different locations like a home, a coffee shop, or the church, so that everyone can find an option that fits their summer schedule. Finally, on Sunday, August 25, all participants will gather for a picnic to talk together about their experience and discuss the final section of the book about building community.
If you would like to be part of this Inter-church summer read, get the book and start reading, and sign up on the Tower Room bulletin board for a group. Questions? See Father Sam.
CONSTRUCT Celebrating 50 Years
Construct, the nonprofit which helps low-income folks with housing solutions and onward fiscal planning, is celebrating 50 years of work here in the Berkshires. Help them celebrate on July 20th at Butternut. Details are posted on the Tower Room bulletin board. It promises to be a wonderful family event!
Save the Dates to Join the Summer Kids Choir
The First Congregational Church of Stockbridge is hosting a brief summer Ecumenical Kids Choir for children in kindergarten through grade 8. This is free of charge to participate. Free will donations toward local nonprofit programming for children will be collected at the concert. Rehearsal dates are 7/28 & 8/4 from 2PM-3PM. The concert will be held at 2PM on Sunday, August 11 with the dress rehearsal beginning at 1:15 that same day. Both spirited and soulful music will be fun and easy to sing. This will be directed by Jill Wheat & accompanied by Dr. Gene Kalish. Please email Jill, songsailormusic@yahoo.com, the names and ages of your interested family members and for more information.
Altar Flowers
If you would like to honor or remember a loved one by providing altar flowers, the following Sundays are available: 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, July 7
Celebrant/Preacher: The Rev. Sam Smith
9 am: Peter Dillon, Greeter
Diana French, Usher
Darryl Lafferty, Lector & Intercessor
Ginny Willcox, Altar Guild
Hospitality – Lemonade on the Lawn
Doug Schmolze, Guitarist
Next Sunday, July 14
Celebrant/Preacher: The Rev. Sam Smith
9 am: Tom Skakel, Greeter
Don Temples, Usher
Vaunie Graulty, Lector
Peter Dillon, Intercessor
Natalie Boyce, Altar Guild
Hospitality – Lemonade on the Lawn
Doug Schmolze, Guitarist
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: Lee Food Pantry and Berkshire Community Diaper Project
- Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Grace Church, Oxford
- Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea
- Birthdays: Jorja Marsden & Kathryn Sirois (6th), Mary Taylor (10th), Caroline & Robert Maloney (11th), Ben Wheeler & Helen Davies (13th)