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A legacy of faith

10/9/2019

Gloria Hartman was a beloved member of St. Paul’s church for over 60 years. It’s safe to say she served in almost every role a layperson could. For over twenty years she served as church treasurer - which is probably one of the most time consuming and challenging roles there is! Just ask Kim Boelling, our current treasurer, she’ll tell you.
When Gloria died in July, her personal service to St. Paul’s ended. However, she left a lasting gift through a bequest of just under $200,000. This bequest is a tremendous blessing for St. Paul’s.
A portion of this money was designated for installing solar panels on our flat roof. Another portion was given to install a sound system in the sanctuary. For the timebeing, the bequest will be placed in our Diocesan Investment Trust (DIT). The income from the interest on our DIT funds already supports the parish $40,000 a year. With the additional interest generated from this bequest, we may, by the end of 2020 be able to add another $3 - 5,000 to General Fund income.
I have two things to say about this:

If you are like me, when you hear that the church just got a big chunk of money, you will think, “Yay, now I don’t have to give to the church.” I correct myself as I challenge you, this money is being invested so that it can give us interest income for the long haul. It’s a wonderful gift, but it won’t sustain St. Paul’s financially - we will.
St. Paul’s has been living in deficit mode for many years to the tune of about $30K each year. If we increase our pledges by $5,000 this year, we will be able to significantly decrease the deficit gap. Combining the interest from Gloria Hartman’s bequest, and our increased pledges will accomplish this. Together, we can do it!

I am so grateful to Gloria for her commitment to this parish and her deep love for us as reflected in her generosity. Let’s dream big, give big, and step forward in faith together!
-- Pastor Rebecca Ragland

Who needs a Bishop? We do!

9/30/2019

Candidates for bishop (the episcopate) of the Diocese of Missouri have been named and introduced. In the coming 6 weeks, we’ll learn more about each one, and evaluate them. Then, on November 22 and 23, at Annual Diocesan Convention, delegates and clergy from each congregation, will elect one to be our next bishop.
You might be wondering, besides wearing amazing outfits, what does a bishop do?

Oversees the financial and spiritual well-being of parishes especially when there is a crisis, transition, or long-term need. Our bishop helps St Paul’s by sharing discretionary money for our budget among many other things.
Identifies and ordains candidates for deacon and priest. The bishop has the power to help form the criteria and process by which our clergy are selected.
Moderates or approves diocesan-wide events from clergy gatherings, to convention, to particular outreach programs and targeted activities for constituents (think youth lock-in at the cathedral)
Serves as the executive in decision making and policy for the Diocese
Is a spiritual role-model and mentor for the Diocese - especially the clergy
The bishop incarnates the character of the Diocese. Visiting every parish in the Diocese on a rotation gives her/him the opportunity to get a sense of who we are together and where we, as a group, are being called by God.

I am so grateful to be an Episcopalian - the very name itself speaks to our identity as a church with Bishops. The checks and balances that come from bishop, clergy and congregations sharing power together is beautiful and trustworthy. Join me in praying for our Diocesan community as we discern who our next bishop will be.
-- Pastor Rebecca Ragland

Our building got a huge facelift!

9/16/2019

Carondelet Vigil for the Children killed by gun violence

9/16/2019

On Tuesday, September 10, several of the St. Paul's community joined eight other churches and their members, along with community members in Carondelet and the Patch to mourn the deaths of children in St. Louis to gun violence. Even as the vigil was ending, we learned that another child had been shot. Thankfully, that time, the child survived.

The Church as Family

8/13/2019

Depending on who you listen to in the world of Church practices, you’ll get different opinions on whether or not it’s wise to call the people who attend a church, ‘family’. There are reasons why it’s helpful and reasons why it’s not. Since I tend to use this term to describe what we are at St. Paul’s, I’m going to tell you why I see it as an appropriate term, but also point out the unhelpful aspects of it.

Family language is appropriate because:

It’s theologically meaningful. Jesus calls us brothers and sisters (anyone who does the will of my Father is my sister and my brother...Matthew 12:50)
It’s psychologically meaningful. We need to belong, and some of us don’t ‘belong’ in our biological families for a number of different reasons. Church is a place for loving each other - and for practicing doing it well.
It’s honest. Whether we like it or not, our family issues leach into our church relationships. Often this causes confusion or conflict, but it also gives the opportunity for healing.

Family language is not appropriate because:

Church relationships are not the same. They are much more fluid and often superficial - Churches experience a fluctuation of who is there and who is absent. Some members prefer to keep a low profile and just worship and leave. We, as a church, accommodate that but in a family, those things would probably indicate problems.
Families express themselves in ways that are not appropriate in the church family. Conflict, affection, and decision making in churches must be modeled more after a professional organization than a family.
Families are not wide open systems - healthy churches are. In churches it’s important that newcomers be invited in and easily find their place as members and participants in the common life of the community. In a family, this would be unhealthy.

I am comfortable using the language of ‘church family’ for as long as we are fairly small in size and we continue to be welcoming and flexible. Let’s keep an eye out for signs that we are becoming a “closed family” - or when we are not welcoming, because we’ll want to address it. I welcome your thoughts on the matter! In the meantime, I am so grateful to be a part of our church family.

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A legacy of faith

Who needs a Bishop? We do!

Our building got a huge facelift!

Carondelet Vigil for the Children killed by gun violence

The Church as Family

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