Monthly Tidings May 2017Vol. VII Number 5

Living in Harmony with the EnvironmentSaint Paul's captures the spirit of Chestnut Hill. Or perhaps I should say that

Saint Paul's infuses the

Spirit into the spirit of

Chestnut Hill. Perhaps both

things are true. I attended

the Visionaries Roundtable

sponsored by the Chestnut

Hill Conservancy on April

21. The architect Louis

Kahn noted in 1970 that,

"We can only know Chestnut

Hill as a spirit..." His son,

filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn added at the Roundtable, "Mid-Atlantic trees are

like nowhere else. Nature and building are in such harmony here." (Continue

Reading...) Landscape architect Bryan Henes observed, "Landscape is a shared

experience for everyone." And organizer Shirley Hanson concluded that this

place "is a fitting home for our souls."

It is interesting that when speakers try to understand this place in which we

live, whether consciously or not, they resort to religious language - words such

as spirit, harmony, soul. All of this leads me to wonder, what is the role of

Saint Paul's in the future of Chestnut Hill?

Saint Paul's is a sacred place at the heart of the mercantile district of Chestnut

Hill. Hard by the bus turn-around, or what I like to call the SEPTA circle, we

exist as a serene place of refreshment. Jesus says, "Come to me, all you that are

weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Our pocket

garden Cooke Park is a little, private place where the world-weary can find

peace.

Sited among twenty varieties of trees on our campus are our neo-Gothic

buildings of locally quarried Wissahickon schist. First-time visitors and

pedestrians who daily walk through our campus marvel at the natural and

sacred beauty of Saint Paul's. The majesty and grounded verticality of the

buildings and trees encourage the viewer to surrender the illusion of self-

sufficiency. They suggest the value of higher purpose and the reconciling

strength of community. As Nathaniel Kahn noted, nature and building are in

harmony here.

Place also influences character. Psychiatrist Esther Sternberg, who has done

extensive work on brain-immune interactions, observes that some places "help

us to live in harmony with the environment and sustain our health." Saint

Paul's is one such place. At a time of ecological crisis, the sacred place that is

Saint Paul's directs all toward the possibility of new life that furthers

interrelationship and the well being of all.

Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron observed that Chestnut Hill is very well

positioned for development. "It has great transportation, and large lots that

can be developed. New buildings," she said, "invigorate a community. More

population supports stores and churches." As to the future, Rich Snowden of

Bowman Properties, cautions there are no big ideas, only big values. "Be flexible

and ready to manage change," he advises. Paul, in his First Letter to the

Corinthians, addresses this same needed discernment. Of the varieties of gifts,

he mentions "the discernment of spirits" (1Cor. 12: 10). To discern the spirit of

Chestnut Hill we need those sacred places like Saint Paul's that point to spirit,

higher purpose, harmony, healing, new life, and rest for our souls.

-Cliff

WORSHIP

Choral Evensong ­ April 30 at 5 p.m.­ Sung by the Adult Choir­ Zach Fritsch­Hemenway, Director of Music­ Joe Russell, Organ Scholar

Repertoire for this service will be chosen from the musicbeing prepared for the choir's Choral Residency at SaintPaul's Cathedral, London, in July. Open to the public. The freewill offeringsupports the music program at Saint Paul's. The service is preceded by anorgan prelude at 4:45 p.m. A reception in the Parish Hall follows the service; allare welcome.

162nd Parish Annual Meeting and One Worship ­ May 21The parish will hold its 162nd annual meeting on Sunday,May 21. There will be one service of worship at 10a.m. on that day followed by brunch and the annualmeeting in the parish hall. An annual report will beoffered by each of the different ministries of Saint Paul's.The Nominating Committee will present its slate ofcandidates for vestry and delegate to the Deanery andDiocesan Convention. The worship recalls our former rector, William HobartHare, whose "saint's"day is May 17. He became bishop to the Great SiouxNation and is the reason why we go on pilgrimage each summer to the StandingRock Reservation.

TEACHING

Faith Forums Sundays at 9:15 a.m. ­ The 2010 Film: "The Way"Our final Adult Christian Education gatherings this springfocus on pilgrimage in preparation for our choir's residency atSaint Paul's Cathedral, London and a parallel pilgrimage toCanterbury. At 9:15 a.m. on April 30 and May 7, we will showthe film "The Way." Half of the movie will be shown on the30th, and we will complete the film on May 7th. "The Way" is a powerful andinspirational story about family, friends, and the challenges we face whilenavigating this ever­changing and complicated world. The tale is told throughthe story of Tom, played by Martin Sheen, as he walks the pilgrim trail, theCamino de Santiago, also known as The Way of Saint James.

Noontime Discussions of Pilgrimage ­ April 30 & May 7Zach Fritsch­Hemenway, Madeline Schroth, and Doug Anderson will speak onthe historical and spiritual aspects of pilgrimage on two Sundays, April 30 andMay 7, in the Swift Bird Room at noon. Over the centuries and up to today, thisspiritual discipline has led millions to places around the globe, seekingenlightenment, healing, and a stronger faith.

Conversations about Transitions At Parents Exchange ­ May 7Transitions are a central part of our lives. Our challenge has always been how toeffectively handle the different transitions that we go through. Ann Adalist­Estrin,will be with us on May 7 to talk to us about this important part of our lives andhow best to deal with transitions should they occur. All are invited ­ please joinus at 9:40 a.m. in the Swift Bird Room for this important conversation.

Rogation Day Tree Tour! ­ May 21Rogation Day, Sunday, May 21, is a day of prayer in the spring for a goodharvest in the fall. The day is known forprocessions around the parish, giving rise to ourfestival tour of trees at 4 p.m. This will be a self­guided tour complete with map and explanations ofall the trees ­ over twenty varieties! Pick up yourguide at the Chestnut Hill Avenue exit and walkalong the drive toward Bethlehem Pike and CookePark. Along the way, discover and learn about thetrees, the Dag Hammarskjöld memorial, gospelpassages about the growing seed and the mustardseed, all the way to Cooke Park where the tourends at the Celtic Cross and a closing meditationby the Anglican Mystic Thomas Traherne (1637­1674), "you never enjoy the world aright, till you solove the beauty of enjoying it, that you are covetousand earnest to persuade others to enjoy it... It is a Paradise of God."

Rite 13 Ceremony ­ May 21Saint Paul's will honor the Rite 13 Candidates on May 21 at the 10 a.m. service.Rite 13 represents the first two years of a six­year Journey to Adulthoodprogram that we began teaching a few years ago. Mrs. Kimberly Leach, Ms. LizBrooks and Mr. Charlie Affel have been instrumental in teaching our candidates:Drew Warnick, Jackson Tullo, Harry Bradley, Jack Fitzpatrick, Maida Budd, Jah­Rhe Watson­Moore and Will Stutman. It is our privilege to honor these youthand to celebrate this important milestone with them. These candidates will jointhe Confirmation class in the fall.

Church School Closing Ceremony ­ June 4The Church School Closing Ceremony is scheduled for June 4 at the 9 a.m.service. This closing ceremony is a celebration of a successful Church Schoolyear for our children and their dedicated teachers and parents. We will honor theday with a Godly Play Story­Circle of the Holy Eucharist. Parents, teachers andchildren are invited to a reception in their children's classrooms. If a parent haschildren in different classrooms, they are invited to spend some time in eachclassroom. The teachers we honor for all their hard work and dedication areMaria Johnson, Kathleen Karhnak­Glasby, Renee Warnick, Sherry Hamilton,Sarah Latini, Tabitha Oman, Valerie Chikwendu, Sue Proud, Lynn Williamson,Amanda Scates­Preisinger, Charlie Affel, Liz Brooks, and Kim Leach. We also

want to honor Abby Fafara and Jordan Fafara, our wonderful volunteers. Theyhave been a wonderful support to our children and teachers.

Vacation Bible School ­ June 26­30Saint Paul's is offering Vacation Bible School for childrenages 3 1/2 to 12 from June 26 to 30. VBS will meet from8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day. We offer this camp incelebration of the children of Saint Paul's as well aschildren everywhere. All are welcome to register for thiscamp, which will include stories of faith, music, gamesfood, and fun. The cost is $50 per child, and we also havegenerous scholarships available. To register, click here.

Summer Faith and the Arts ­ Begins July 2We are in the process of recruiting parents to lead the Annual Summer and theArts program for this summer. Faith and the Arts is a way of retelling one of thelectionary readings for that Sunday, exploring some questions about the storywith the children, and helping them capture their understanding of the storythrough drawing or painting. Faith and the Arts meets after the 9 a.m. worship.The dates for Faith and the Arts are July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30. If you areinterested in sharing a hour with the wonderful children of Saint Paul's, pleasecontact Manny: emercer@stpaulschestnuthill.org

Recruiting Teachers for Church SchoolAs a parish, one of our strengths is children's education,and each year we launch a search for new teachers tohelp with Church School. If you are interested in being aStory Teller, Door Person, or Middle School class teacher,please contact Manny: emercer@stpaulschestnuthill.org.

EfMEducation for Ministry is a four­year learning program leading to a certificate intheological education from The University of the South at Sewanee. EfM isabout collaborative learning, community outreach, serious theological inquiry,and spiritual growth conducted in a small group setting. Saint Paul's has a veryvibrant and supportive group which meets on Wednesday evenings fromSeptember to May. We are recruiting for the coming year, and invite all toconsider being a part of this important ministry. If interested, please contactDoug Anderson: moriturus@verizon.net, or Manny:emercer@stpaulschestnuthill.org.

EfM May PrayerOur Father,Grant us discerning heartsSo that we may hear and answer your call for us,Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

MISSION

Guests from Interfaith Hospitality NetworkThree families will be living at the church for three weeksas they transition to homes of their own. They are allwonderful people. A great group of us at Saint Paul's arevolunteering to make their stay as comfortable as possible. There is still time tohelp out. If you see any of our guests, stop and chat. You will enjoy meetingthem.

Five Fridays V ­ May 5 at 7:30 p.m.­ Molly Quinn, Soprano­ David Walker, Lute and Theorbo

Music in French, Spanish and Italian from the early17th century.A reception follows the concert. Tickets online or at the door. For more info clickhere.

Mother's Day Car Wash ­ May 14The Annual Mother's Day Car Wash is on Sunday, May14 from 7:30 a.m. until noon. The Car Wash is anopportunity for the Youth of Saint Paul's to raise funds insupport of our Youth mission trip to the Standing RockReservation in North Dakota. This year's trip isscheduled for July 14­21, 2017. We encourage all tobring their cars for a very CLEAN wash in support of an important ministry in ourlife together.

Parish Pilgrimage to the Standing Rock Reservation ­ July 14­24The annual pilgrimage to the Standing Rock will take place from Friday, July 14through Monday, July 24. High School youth and adults are invited to participateas peers with Sioux youth and adults in providing a three­day summer camp forchildren on the reservation. We will work to prepare the campsite, and help withactivities. We will also have the opportunity to visit sites such as Fort AbrahamLincoln from which Custer rode out to the Little Big Horn, a reconstructed villageof the Mandan tribe, see where the Lewis and Clark exploration took place, andvisit the North Dakota Heritage Center. Contact Cliff or Manny if you would liketo participate.

Capital Campaign NewsSaint Paul's continues to work on capital campaign to change lives by building

community. Currently, the Case Statement is being developed. Therewill be visitor training on May 10.

COMMUNITY

Saint Paul's Goes to Gettysburg ­ April 29Historian Joe Fafara will lead a group from SaintPaul's to the Gettysburg Battlefield on Saturday,April 29. Persons interested in going will meet atSaint Paul's at 8 a.m. and car pool to Gettysburg.Samuel Stites was wounded in the upper right armat his shoulder at the Battle of Gettysburg on July2, 1863. His brother, Adam, was also wounded atGettysburg. They were both sent to the Mower General Hospital in Chestnut Hillto recover. They were brought directly from the battlefield by train using specialcars converted from wagons. This terrible journey was known as the "sevencircles of hell to heaven on earth"; a journey lasting days or even weeks. Anexisting freshwater supply of the Chestnut Hill Water Company was used; thestone Water Tower on Ardleigh St. still stands today. Saint Paul's parishionerswill tour the battlefield, break for a hearty lunch and continue the tour untilleaving at about 4 p.m. For those slightly less interested n the battlefield therewill be sight­seeing and shopping in the town of Gettysburg.

Family Event ­ May 15Mark your calendars now for Monday, May 15 at 5:30 p.m. It's an event open toall but most specifically geared as a community service opportunity for ouryoung members. Adults will most definitely be needed to guide and direct ourchildren as we set about packing 250 breakfast bags for the organization Aid forFriends, a local organization providing free meals to those who are trulyhomebound. Dinner will be served at 5:30 ­ a simple macaroni and cheeseconcoction ­ and then we will set about our task for the evening. There is,however, an opportunity for ALL parishioners to help as we need to collect thegoods with which to stuff the bags. Between now and the event, we will be collecting supplies to make the bags.Consider adding an extra item or two from the list below to your weekly groceryshopping. A collection box is right inside the Dixon house. As we collect, wewill update the numbers. The numbers below reflect what we have alreadyreceived.

We will need the following supplies for the Breakfast bag event: 250 gallon size Ziploc plastic bags250 Fruit­cups250 Small boxes of raisins244 Juice boxes or pouches (100% juice preferable)

224 Crackers with peanut butter or cheese228 Small cereal boxes or packets (oatmeal, cream of wheat)174 Granola bars170 Tea bags or instant coffee packets All of the food products must be individually sized and wrapped as we cannothandle the food to repackage it. Please feel free to contact Cheyenne DeMulder (cldemulder@gmail.com) orKaren Richter (karenrichter120@gmail.com) with any questions.

Terrace at Chestnut Hill Offers Blood Pressure Clinic ­ May 7After church is a great time to have your blood pressurechecked. What could lower your blood pressure more thanthe beauty of worship? The Terrace at Chestnut Hill,located at 495 East Abington Ave., will offer a bloodpressure clinic after worship on Sunday, May 7 at the backof the church. The Terrace is a senior residence that offersboth personal and memory care. Their chef will offer a delicious sheet cake toconclude our annual meeting on May 21. Any who wish may tour the Terraceand be treated to lunch on May 16. You can learn more about the Terrace at:http://meridiansenior.com/community/the­terrace­at­chestnut­hill/. Meanwhile,see what difference worship makes in your blood pressure!

Mothers' Day Marks Last Sunday Morning Breakfast ­ May 14Six breakfast teams serve up hearty meals from September to May. May 14 willbe the last breakfast until next fall. A big "thank you" to all who have shopped,cooked, served, and cleaned. If you would like to help on a breakfast team nextyear, please contact the office at 215­242­2055 orvemlen@stpaulschestnuthill.org. Breakfast has a big impact in terms offellowship, communication, good food, and fun. The risen Jesus said to hisdisciples, "Come and have breakfast" (John 21: 12).

Youth Progressive Dinner ­ June 2Saint Paul's Youth will take part in a progressive dinner on June 2. This will be afun time for our Youth as they travel from one home to the other to enjoyappetizers, entrées, desserts and many more dishes. We are looking forvolunteer hosts and drivers for our Youth event. If you are interested involunteering your home or your vehicle, please contact Manny.

4th Annual Camping Trip ­ June 23­25Saint Paul's parishioners will camp at Mauch Chunk Lake Park from Friday,June 23 through Sunday, June 25, and EVERYONE is invited! Friends, family,friends of friends, etc. ­ absolutely no experience required, and there AREbathrooms and showers! The cost of $40/ per family campsite includes dinnerboth nights, swimming, a campfire with s'mores and singing each night, hiking,and a presentation on the animals of the area by the Carbon County

Environmental Center on Saturday morning!Contact Cathy Davis for information andreservations at 215­687­1022 or atkaloskid@aol.com.

PASTORAL CAREWe Are Here For YouWhen a member of Saint Paul's needs support at a time of illness or loss orother difficulty, the clergy are the principal people who visit and support andcounsel. There are also other groups, made up of parishioners, who deliver helpto parishioners­a friendly face, a Eucharistic visit, a cheery arrangement offlowers, or a delicious dinner for someone just home from the hospital.

Please let us know, if you ­

Would like to place a name on the prayer list (We ask that you obtainpermission from those you are commending to the prayer list)Would like a visit from Cliff, Manny, or RobHave been admitted to the hospitalWould like communion delivered to you by a lay Eucharistic Minister

Everyone is invited to participate in these ministries, as well as to call upon SaintPaul's pastoral care resources as the need arises. Please click here for moreinformation or you can contact Virginia Emlen directly at 215.242.2055 (ext. 25)or email her at vemlen@stpaulschestnuthill.org and she will alert the Clergy.

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Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, 22 East Chestnut Hill Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118