St.

Paul's Episcopal Church

Lansing Michigan

St. Paul’s News

Objectivity November, 2005

By The Rev. Dr. Gordon Weller

Volume 30, Issue 9
O bjectivity (the abil-
ity to see the is-
sues of everyday life
think, rather than making decisions based on
personal moral choices.

clearly) is an important Helping to perpetuate this culture is the news

commodity for people media. We used to depend on them for a
straight story. Now “The News” has become such
Inside this issue:
today. Life is so com-
The Rev. Dr. Gordon Weller plex, and we are influ- big business that in order to be successful, they Upcoming Activities 2-4
enced by so many fac- need to be entertainment. They strive for contro-
tures, that without objectivity the intricacies of versy and conflict, rather than truth or stories of
importance—they sell better. Investigative re- St. Paul’s News 5-6,
today’s society have the possibility being over- 10
whelming. Without objectivity, we lose the abil- porting, long a staple of journalism, once was
ity of distinguishing between right and wrong. used to expose corruption for the good of soci- Choir 7
Unfortunately, objectivity, which we so desper- ety. Now it is done to sell advertising and win
ately need, is becoming increasingly more diffi- Pulitzers. Vestry Highlights 8
cult to find or maintain. Add to this situation the current position of the
The reasons for that are many. Part of the prob- Church, especially in America. The Church used Youth Ministry 9
lem is centered in our current culture. We are to be the primary institution that would help
increasingly more and more preoccupied with people maintain objectivity. It could hold up the
personal pleasure and possessions. These as- image of Jesus as a standard and ask people to
pects of life have always been part of the hu- use the Gospel as a plumb line for making deci-
man experience, but never have so many had so sions. Today we often find the Church and/or its
much and been so thankless. Never have so leaders and spokespersons striving for political
many striven for outward appearance rather power or influence. While they may claim to be
than inward peace. Never have so many been seeking the power to serve the will of God, they
so influenced by “the polls” and what others (Continued on page 10)

Counting My St. Paul’s Blessings

By Rick Laub, Senior Warden

R ecent events such as the hurricanes on the

Gulf coast, the earthquake in Pakistan, the
east coast floods, and, closer to home, the bank-
ruptcy filing at Delphi, can elicit feelings of
hopelessness in even the hardiest of souls. Add in
the everyday “slings and arrows” and things can
start to look bleak. At these times I find it most
helpful to thank God for all of my blessings.
Just limiting my list to those concerning St. Paul’s
produces a surfeit of blessings. As your senior
warden, I am blessed with serving with en-
gaged, committed, and independent vestry per-
sons. In addition to their assigned responsibili-
ties, they have taken the time to engage in our
visioning process to produce the document you
have before you.
I am blessed by the new energy I see in the pro-
grams. Chris Nazar is a catalyst for all sorts of
youth group involvement from visiting a nursing
(Continued on page 10)
Page 2
Upcoming St. Paul’s Activities
St Paul’s In Action
Ongoing Activities
St. Aelred’s Guild, 3rd Wednesday, 5 PM
Bible Study, Wednesdays, 6:15-7:30 PM
Book Cart, 2nd Sunday
B&PW Dinner Meeting, 2nd Tuesday, 6 PM
ECW, 1st Tuesday, 7 PM
Family Night Dinner, Wednesday, 5-6 PM
Food, Faith & Fellowship, 2nd and 4th Monday, Noon
St. Paul’s Library, open every Sunday
Prayer Group, 1st Tuesday, 5:30 PM
Mid-week Eucharist, Tuesday, 12 Noon
Service and Outreach, 3rd Monday, 6 pm
This Month
All Saints, All Ages Party, from 5-7 PM, Sunday,
November 6.
UTO Ingathering, November 20
“The Gathering” Dinner, 7-10 PM, November 4 at
the home of Kathy and Larry Gut
Looking Ahead
Women’s Retreat, April 28-29, 2006.,Weber Cen-
ter in Adrian

Men’s Breakfast, 3rd Thursday, 7 AM St. Nicholas Party, Sunday, December 4, following
10 AM service

New Orleans’ Style Fund Raiser

By Kathy Gut, Vestry Member

M y husband Larry and I are having a "Gathering" party at our house from 7 to 10 PM on November 4 to
benefit Episcopal Relief and Development. It will be a New Orleans’ jazz themed party, while gathering
donations for ERD.
We also want to make a special invitation to newcomers to the Church. I will have hors d'oeuvres, while every-
one else is asked to bring a little something. Our address is 5553 Wild Iris in Haslett. If anyone has questions,
please call (517) 575-0189.

B&PW Meeting
By Jennie Baly

B oth Jennie Baly and guest Donna Rose will present at the November 8 Business and Professional Women’s
meeting on “Being Blind.” They will be covering the different types of aides and appliances that are avail-
able to help blind people. The B&PW dinner will begin at 6 PM. at a cost of $8. The program is expected to
begin around 7 PM, and guests are welcome to attend just the program portion of the evening. To attend the
dinner, please call Nancy Milne at 882-0573 by Sunday, November 6.
The B&PW Guild is also participating in the Younker’s Community Day Sale again this year, so please purchase
coupons from any B&PW member or at the coffee hours. The sale is on Saturday, November 19 at all Youn-
ker’s stores.
 Upcoming St. Paul’s Activities Page 3

ECW News
By Barbara Richardson

I t’s that time of year again! “Time for what?” you’re thinking. Time to begin gathering treats for care pack-
ages for our college freshmen. As we have done for several years, we will send a care package to each
freshman at exam time. The students are surprised and grateful when they receive the package from their St.
Paul’s family. Items needed for the packages are popcorn, nuts, hot chocolate mix, tea, cookies, candy, and
granola bars. If you would prefer, you may make a cash donation to help with the mailing. Please put your
contributions in the basket outside the Merrifield Room by November 20.
Alert, alert! Please save the dates April 28-29, 2006. ECW will sponsor the Women’s Retreat at the Weber
Center in Adrian. Our own Carol Ingells will be retreat leader, and we promise it will be an inspiring week-
end. More details to follow in coming months.

St. Aelred’s Guild

St. Elizabeth - Fall Schedule S t. Aelred’s Guild works to provide visits, cards,
prayers and support to the community of St.
Paul’s unable to attend church regularly because of
By Debby Pierce illness or other hardship.

O n November 15, we will be meeting at the

home of Nancy Sheldon and our speaker will
be Phyllis Grumman on her expedition to the North
Pole.
St. Elizabeth Guild has survived and we have some
very interesting upcoming programs. We do not
have a president, but I will be the contact person
Request forms for this special ministry are avail-
able at the Welcome Table after church, or you
can call Gordon Weller or Susie Shaefer and give
the name of the person who would benefit from a
little special attention.
Call Nancy Sheldon, (517) 393-9165 for addi-
tional information.

UTO Fall Ingathering

By Kay Gallup

T he mission of the United Thank Offering is to expand the circle of thankful people. To achieve this mission
we encourage daily prayers, offerings and the awareness of God's blessings.
You may offer your thanks and prayers by putting an offering in your United Thank Offering box or envelope
and returning it to St. Paul's on Ingathering Sunday, November 20.
UTO boxes for daily gifts are placed at the entrances to the church. UTO envelopes will be in the November
13 and November 20 Sunday bulletins.
Page 4
Upcoming St. Paul’s Activities
The 4 F's Continue into November
By Nancy Sheldon

F aith...Food...Fun...Fellowship...for those who have time in the middle of the day, especially on the 2nd and
4th Mondays from 12:30-2:00 PM:
Faith: Bible study led by Steve Lange
Food: A $4 lunch by A Catered Affaire
Fun: A variety of programs; you help choose
Fellowship: With your St. Paul's family and friends

Monday, November 21 - Giving thanks

Monday, December 12 - The Grand Ledge Madrigal Singers bring us Christmas cheer

Call to make reservations with the Church office or sign up outside the Merrifield Room. Feel free to bring a
friend as your guest. Need a ride? Call Steve Lange (482-9454) or Nancy Sheldon (393-9165).

All Saints Festival: And I Mean To Be One Too

By The Rev. Susie Shaefer

A ll Saints Day is a
major feast of the
Church, usually celebrated on the first Sunday in No-
vember. It is a day to celebrate all the Saints who
have gone before us, and to remember that all who
are members of the Body of Christ share in the com-
munion of saints. Our Sunday worship will include cele-
bration of Baptisms, bringing new members into the
Body of Christ, and recognition of the children who
participated in our Communion Instruction class.
But the celebration will go on during the day! Join us
for the All Saints, All Ages Party from 5 to 7 PM on
Sunday, November 6. We will have dinner together,
and there will be games, crafts, stories and songs for
people of all ages to help us learn about the Saints of
the past and present, and to encourage us in our own
faith journeys. Sign-up is available outside the Merri-
field Room.

St. Paul’s Parishioners to Provide Prayers for Christmas and Advent

By Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music

F or the past several years, the Adult Christian Education and Formation Committee has provided the parish
with booklets of meditations written by parishioners themselves. This year the booklet will contain prayers
for Advent and Christmas. If you would like to have a prayer you authored included, please see Steve Lange.
The due date for the prayers is Sunday, November 13. The prayers will then be compiled and prepared for
distribution by the Harvest Home Festival, November 23. The prayers can be as long or as short as you wish—
they just should reflect in some way the themes and concerns of the Advent/Christmas seasons.
 St. Paul’s News Page 5

Service/Outreach Committee
By Debby Pierce, Chairperson
Harvest Home Dinner
T he Service and Outreach Committee met on Mon-
day, September 19 to set some guidelines for op-
portunities for St. Paul's to become involved in various
By Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music

outreach projects. Please give consideration to the Ser-

vice Committee when you complete the Time & Talent
portion of your Pledge for next year. We are always
looking for new members for this Committee. We meet
the third Monday of the month at 6 PM, and try to meet
quarterly except in the fall when we need to make
plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas projects.
C ontinuing its long-running tradition, St.
Paul’s will host the Harvest Home Dinner
and service on Wednesday, November 23. The
dinner will begin at 6 PM in the Merrifield
Room and will be sponsored by the England
choristers. A free-will donation will be received
for those wishing to eat. Please sign up on the
table by the elevator. The Harvest Home
Eucharist will begin at 7 PM. Members of the
Cherub and Boys’ and Grace Choirs will sing
an anthem at this service. Guests are always
welcome for the dinner and service!

St. Paul’s Prayer Group

By Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music

St. Paul’s Prayer Group, this year, is “praying and meditating with the saints.” At each of our monthly meetings,
the group hears a little about the life of a particular saint and what she or he taught about spirituality in gen-
eral and praying in particular. In September, Carol Ingells spoke about Julian of Norwich and her
“Reflections.” In October, Steve Lange spoke about St. Francis of Assisi and how he turned his back on great
wealth and a life of ease to devote his life to the care of the sick and less fortunate. One of the few writings
that St. Francis left is his “Canticle of Brother Sun,” the first work of literature in the Italian language, probably
composed during the winter of 1224-5. This canticle has several paragraphs that begin, “May Thou be
praised, my Lord for . . .” He then proceeds to share how the brother sun, sister moon and stars, the wind, wa-
ter, and other elements of nature show forth the nature of God. For example, St. Francis wrote, “May Thou be
praised, my Lord, for sister water, who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.”
All of the people who attended the prayer group then wrote their own praise of God, whose qualities were
revealed to them through some aspect of nature. Because many of these prayers were especially beautiful and
expressive, some of them are included below and interspersed between articles in the St. Paul’s News so that
we too can become more aware of God as revealed through the “Book of Nature.”

May Thou be praised, my Lord,

“May Thou be praised, my Lord,
for the wind, which reminds me of your Spirit that refreshes and moves me when I feel stifled by life,
for the sunshine, which reminds me of the warmth and the light of your love,
for the birds, which remind me that you will provide for my every need,
for the green grass amidst the dirt and concrete, which reminds me that your peace is an oasis amongst life’s trials, and for
the fallen leaves, which remind me that sometimes we just need to let go and let God take over.”

“May Thou be praised, my Lord, for the great trees and forests, for they protect our great earth, by providing shade, stopping
erosion, removing pollutants from the air, providing wood to make wonderful things, such as flutes, recorders, and shelter for
all kinds of animals—insects, birds, and people.”
Page 6
St. Paul’s News

By Tom Shawver, Staff Writer

Two more newcomer families have joined St. Paul's and are participating in parish activities. Please extend a
warm welcome to:
Don and Sally Lawrence, 2115 Walmar Dr., Lansing. He is an attorney and she is a homemaker. They have
lived in the Lansing area for 34 years and are the parents of two grown children, Patrick and Katherine. They
formerly attended St. David's Episcopal Church.

Thomas and Deanne Kelleher, 133 Julian Ave., Lansing, and their children, Thomas, 4, and Julia, eight
weeks. He is a spokesman for Jackson National Life Insurance Co., and she is a pediatric dietitian at Sparrow
Hospital. They moved here from Dedham, Mass., and both are graduates of Michigan State University.

May Thou be praised, my Lord,

“May Thou be praised, my Lord, for our brother stone, whose colors vary from brilliant white to muted shades of salmon,
brown, azure, and gold, and infinite varieties of gray, for they remind me of Thy strength and immutability, yet with an
inner fire and grace that is released by The Sculptor’s—Thy—hand.”

“May Thou be praised, my Lord, for the melodious songs of every different kind of bird, as they chirp, twitter, and whistle
their praise and thanksgiving to the Lord God, who created them.”
“May Thou be praised, my Lord, for the naturalness of death amongst life, as evidenced in the beauty of the dwindling
begonias and the Japanese maple leaves. And may you be praised for bodies—the living and the dead who share this sa-
cred space tonight. All praise to you for all and for you who art all.”

“May Thou be praised, my Lord, for the change of season in color, sound, smell, feel and light, for the autumn when green
leaves become gold, orange, and red, and crunch beneath our feet. For the winter when newly fallen snow glistens under a
beautiful bright moon and everything seems more still. Praise be to Thee, O Lord, for the promise of spring realized again
and again—tiny, strong, vibrant flowers finding their way through snow, rotting leaves, and the sight of the new bright
green leaf, here to replace the old. Then summer sun, and warmth again. Thanks and praise to Thee O Lord.”

“May Thou be praised, my Lord, for variety and intricacy of patterns—for simplicity or complexity of blooms and blos-
soms, for shades of green, splashes of light, and contrasting shadows. All are gifts to delight in, and through, and under,
examples of the cycle of life-death-rebirth, speaking of hope and affirmation.

“May Thou be praised, my Lord,

for Pennsylvania sedge whose tolerance accepts both wooded glen and arid slope,
for Green frogs waiting quietly at pond’s edge to spring too quickly away as I pass,
for Cardinal flowers who blaze in the summer sun drawing into their cups the blurred-winged hummer,
for Goldfinches gathering in the tall treetops, chattering amongst themselves of private matters,
for Lavender’s modest flower of hazy blue that teases me “Come breathe the fragrance of my crushed verdigris leaves,”
for three young Deer who dare to drink from the pool’s cool rim flaunting their freedom beyond reach of my gardener’s
ire,
and for Oaks reaching high with spreading, muscled branches dropping acorns like promises on my roof at night.
 St. Paul’s Choirs Page 7

Choir News and Dates to Remember

By Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music

On Wednesday, November 23, Cherubs and Boys’ and Grace Choirs will sing for the
Harvest Home Service, which begins at 7 PM. They will rehearse from 5:30 to 6 PM,
and then eat at the Harvest Home Dinner. The High School Choir will not rehearse
that night. There will be no Chancel Choir or Handbell Choir rehearsals on Thursday, November 24. HAPPY
THANKSGIVING!

Singing Schedule
Date Choirs

November 6 (All Saint’s Day) Boys’ and Grace; High School; and Chancel Choirs
November 13 Chancel Choir; High School Choir
November 20 Chancel Choir; High School Choir
November 27 Chancel Choir; High School Choir
December 4 Boys’ & Grace; High School; Chancel
December 11 Boys’ & Grace; High School; Chancel
December 18 (Lessons and Carols) Cherubs; Boys’ & Grace; High School; Chancel
December 24
4 PM Service Cherubs; Boys’ and Grace
11:00 Festival Service Chancel Choir; High School Choir
(10:30 PM Pre-Service Music)
December 25 No choirs to vest
January 1 No choirs to vest

November St. Paul's Prayer List

W e pray for those who are sick and in need: Cindy Robinson, Rob
Haltom, Beverly McEachern, Norris Ingells, James Lantz Family, Sally
Mishra, Dixie Durr, Don Fowler, Audrey Hegmon, Richard Hegmon, Aaron
Hegmon, Shelley Robinson, Donna Letner, Grady Letner, Clara Voges, Ma-
son Hill, Mary Olds, Lois Caswell, Pam Cathey, Ruthann Perry, Virginia Hil-
bert, Dorothy Lawrence, Brian Schray, Jan Bigham, Marilyn Francisco, June
Wyatt, Pat Brownyer, Barb Schwarz, and Janet Siebert.
We pray and remember those in the Military, serving in dangerous areas: Gabe Helma, Matthew Rawlins,
Joseph Shepherd, Carlos Sims and Stacey Speck.

We pray for comfort for the families of: The Rev. Elmer Braden, Bingley Hannah, and Mina L. Person who re-
cently passed away.

We pray for those expecting: Opuene & Karen Amachree, Vic & Marti Narezo, Rich & Vicky Bellon, Michael
& Julie Young, and Justin & Jessica Leonard.
Page 8
ST. Paul’s Vestry News
Treasurer’s Report
By Jeff Irwin

Financial Information As of September 30, 2005:

September marks 75 percent of the year, and total pledge revenue is $191,964 which is 68.1% of the total
amount pledged. Accordingly, we are almost $20,000 short of where the pledge revenue should be, based on
the budget.
The operations of the church had a loss for the month of September of $16,480, and a year to date loss of
$71,270. In September, over $10,000 of building and grounds expense occurred, which was more then half of
the amount budgeted for the year. We have budgeted to have a loss of more than $100,000 for 2005.
As of October 15, a total of more than $71,000 has been withdrawn from the St. Paul’s Perpetual fund this
year. Pending vestry approval, an additional $20,000 will probably need to be withdrawn to provide cash to
continue to pay our bills in a timely manner and meet payroll.

Highlights from October Vestry Meeting

At the October, 2005 Vestry meeting your Vestry:
• Received financial reports for the end of Sept.• Were told wooden exterior doors are refinished
that indicated pledged income was behind and • Signed contract for painting of rear doors (to
expenditures were slightly ahead of budget
• In response, authorized $20,000 from The Per-
petual Fund to be used, if needed, in the Oper-
ating Account
• Received a preliminary draft of concepts for the
2006 budget from Treasurer Jeff Irwin
• Continued to review our vision/mission statement
and discuss methods of implementation
• Continued to review the Actively Welcoming
Church document and discuss items of implemen-
tation
• Discussed Issues of Diocesan Convention; Senior
Warden, Rick Laub; Junior Warden Libby
Richardson, and Vestry member Debby Pierce
are our representatives
• Reminded everyone to schedule their picture ses-
sion for the new directory
• Heard of the progress of Building and Grounds/
Design & Preservation projects
be completed soon)
• Learned landscaping of west side of building
and courtyard in progress
• Learned heating repairs complete
• Learned the re-roofing of Choir Room is in pro-
gress
• Discussed bylaws revision to allow youth repre-
sentation on Vestry
• Received Stewardship report indicating that 13
days into the campaign, 20 percent of the cards
have been returned; no dollar figure was avail-
able
• Noted the pew refurbishing project that is in pro-
gress
• Discussed the Vestry calling that will take place
in November; we missed the September calling
 ST. Paul’s Youth Ministry Page 9

Crop Walk Report

By Chris Nazar, Youth Leader

October 9 was a wonderful early fall day for the Crop Walk, sunny and mild. The 10 kilometer walk be-
gan at Dwight Rich Middle School and included a stop at the Governor’s mansion. St. Paul’s fielded its
largest Crop Walk team in several years. Walkers included: Steven Walker, Melanie Walker, Victoria
Walker, Emily Laub and her friend Peter, Daren McConnell, Alyssa McConnell, Matt Nauss and his
friend Steve, The Rev. Susie Shaefer, Chris McDaniel, and Chris Nazar. Several other members of
St. Paul’s Youth Group helped collect pledges but were unable to participate in the walk.

The Crop Walkers met for a party at Chris Nazar’s house after the walk that included an intense cro-
quet match and cards.

A big thanks to everyone who walked, helped collect pledges, or pledged their support. All pledges need
to be collected by November 16. After we collect all of the pledges, we will provide a final total on how
much St. Paul’s raised to help relieve hunger here in Lansing and across the globe. Thanks again for your
support.

Saint Nicholas Party

On Sunday, December 4, we will have an inter-
generational celebration of Advent and the
feast of Saint Nicholas! Join us after church on
Sunday for crafts and activities for all ages.

May Thou be praised, my Lord,

May Thou be praised, my Lord,

For the endless variations in life—in plants, animals, and God’s people;
For the symmetry and consistency seen in the leaves of a tree, a chipmunk’s tail, and the replication noted in each species’
design and structure;
For birdsong, elevated sweetly above the sounds of machines;
For the perseverance and constancy observed in plant and animal life enduring even in a city environment, surrounded by
brick and concrete;
For that same quality of perseverance and endurance in human form, noted through service, love of family and friends, and
response to catastrophe;
I praise and bless my Lord for His love, creativity and constancy, and give him great thanks, with humility.

May Thou be praised, my Lord, for sister myrtle: for her blue flowers in the spring, harbingers of the blue skies of summer,
reminders of the hope and promise of new life; for her evergreen leaves, reminders of the constancy of Your love; for her
roots that bring nourishment and sustenance, just as our faith sustains us in cold or dry times; and for her vigorous growth that
spreads and brings beauty to otherwise barren lands.

“May Thou be praised, my Lord, for the cool breeze, for it helps create nature’s symphony, lifting birds in harmonious flight.”
Page 10
St. Paul’s News
(Continued from, “Objectivity,” page 1)

tear the Church apart along the way so that those with the proper (and improper) agenda may be identified.
We find politicians using God and religion as tools to achieve what they say is moral, but more often it is ex-
pediency for them and those who believe as they do.
With all this influencing us, how then can we remain the objective people—the objective Christians we want to
be? In a recent conference at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., John Danforth (a person whom I be-
lieve has maintained objectivity) offered the following observation while speaking to a group of Episcopalians
intent on wresting power from the conservative Christian right. “I believe that the heart of the New Testament is
the message of reconciliation and inclusiveness.” Please remember that John Danforth was a U.S. Senator for
18 years, ambassador to the U.N., and an Episcopal priest. In effect, he goes on to say that by maintaining
these two perspectives (reconciliation and inclusiveness), we embrace the totality of God’s creation and create
a world open to positive change, not negative coercion or force. While he was speaking to a primarily political
gathering, I think this Gospel message has the power to provide God’s personal grace to us as well. Look ob-
jectively (as Christ does) at those people with whom you disagree. When issues arise, consider (as Christ does)
the needs of others as well as your own. Do not accept people or issues at face value—delve deeper to an
increased level of understanding (as Christ does). Seek justice for all people and in every situation. Defend
yourself from the jaded opinions of others. With the help of Christ, try to be objective in all your thoughts and
doings.

(Continued from, “Counting My St. Paul’s Blessings,” page 1)

home, to the CROP walk, to all sorts of fun yet engaging activities. Susie Shaefer has used her experience
and organizational skills to revitalize our church school program. Nancy Sheldon has taken on the unenviable
task of getting our membership list cleaned up. We will soon have a new pictorial directory thanks to the dili-
gence of Barb Hamm. Martie Repaskey and the Newcomers’ Committee provide a consistent and concerted
effort to making sure new folks don’t get lost in the crowd. Bob and Karen Tarrant have a process and a
passion for helping us visualize and act on our stewardship to the ministry and mission of the church. The fi-
nance committee, under the driving force of Libby Richardson, has brought sanity to our finances through
painstaking sleuthing and reconciliation. St. Dunstan’s Guild has organized and orchestrated the refinishing of
our pews. Our evangelism committee has invested the time to explore a number of ways we can become a
more intentionally welcoming church.
I am blessed by the dedication of those who often work behind the scenes to make our lives richer. Our Altar
Guild prepares each and every service, wedding and funeral; and then the Guild, with reverence and re-
spect, stores everything to its place so it is ready for the next service. Dr. Lange, assisted by Mary Rodeck,
Maureen Nauss and Debbie McMartin Finkel, crafts the talents of six choirs (including two handbell choirs)
to ensure that our voices and bells are raised to reflect and amplify each week’s liturgy. Our clergy provide
pastoral care to those who are sick, and to those who find it difficult to be with us for church activities. Our
office manager Kathleen Johnson has reorganized our front office and serves as a reliable and friendly
resource for hundreds of things. Our design and preservation members are an active bunch, keeping our gar-
dens and our buildings in top form. Our bookkeeper Chris Strukel, and Jeff Irwin, our treasurer, provide
clear and accurate accounting. Christine Caswell, the SPN editor, cajoles, prods and shames the cadre of
contributors to get their articles in for editing, then off to layout by Lyn Zynda, and proofing by Helen His-
coe.
I am blessed by the newcomers and the not so newcomers who are contributing to the life of the parish and
getting involved in guilds, committees and outreach activities.
Perhaps, as you have been reading this, you have been making notes of all of your blessings and all of the
ones on your list that I missed. I hope your list is long, and you take time to celebrate and commemorate those
who have been a blessing in your life.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heav’nly
host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
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Choir Room: 517-482-0369
Website: Stpaulslansing.org

The St. Paul’s News is a publication of St. Paul’s

Episcopal Church, Lansing Michigan.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Staff
The Rev. Dr. Gordon Weller, Rector
The Rev. Susie Shaefer, Assistant to the Rector
Dr. Stephen R. Lange, Minister of Music
Ms. Mary Rodeck, Assistant Minister of Music
Ms. Kathleen Johnson, Office Manager
Mr. Patrick Brander, Sexton
St. Paul’s News Editorial Staff
Christine Caswell, Editor
Tom Shawver, Staff Writer
Helen Hiscoe, Proofreader
Lyn Zynda, Layout Editor

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