St. Paul's 2021

  Message to Parish Fr. Dale Jan. 13, 2022 From the Diocese As you may be aware every week the Bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina meets with clergy and other leaders over Zoom. I have said before that I am enormously impressed by the ability to stay connected with the bishop and the clergy of the diocese. It is one of those unintended and surprising consequences to our response to COVID-19. Last week was the first week since Christmas that we met. The bishop expressed some regret at the disruption that we have felt with the eruption of the Omicron variant among us. At that time, and again when he was with us for his visitation on Sunday, he emphasized that the diocese intends to support each local community as it makes decisions about how to respond with compassion and wisdom to the effects of the current spike resulting from the Omicron variant. In response to my inquiry, he reported that some parts of the diocese have continued to have in-person worship while other part...

  Rector's report I hardly know where to begin in writing a report on my place at Saint Paul's during the pandemic. The narrative doesn’t begin in any sense at all with the signing of a letter of agreement to be your interim part-time Rector in July of this year. My history with you as a congregation goes back for years now. I probably wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my time spent with you during critical times over the last few years. In my own experience it has been primarily with St Paul’s that I have tried to figure out how to be church in the midst of pandemic. In March 20 20 I returned from Dayton Ohio expecting to continue as the recent past had been. As if overnight my teaching and my supply work at churches changed dramatically. Your lives all changed just as abruptly. My experience mirrors and is comparable to what all of us have experienced over the last few years. The highlights of my time since August with you would include the following: Making a decision...

1. Day 1 – 10 INWARD Where is God in your life? Sun., Nov. 28 Think about the last 24 hours. What has given you joy? Name it, and give thanks. Mon., Nov. 29 Reflect on your experience of going to church. Where in the church or during   worship do you feel God’s presence? Tue., Nov. 30 Who introduced you to Jesus? How did they introduce you to Jesus? Wed., Dec. 1 Think of your life. When did you feel close to God? When did you feel far away?   What brought you home? Thu., Dec. 2 What is your favorite piece of scripture? Why do you love it? Fri., Dec. 3 Write a thank you post, note or email to someone who’s been influential in your faith life. Sat., Dec. 4 Read 1 Corinthians 12. What are your spiritual gifts? What part of the Body are you? Sun., Dec. 5 Is there someone in your life that shares your faith? Ask them a question today about their faith. Mon., Dec. 6 Is there a piece of music, art or film where you see or experience Go...

When we get to the end of November and the beginning of this December we enter a particularly sacred time for me personally. The church calendar presents with the series of holy days that over the years have had a particularly profound effect on my life. Queen Lili'uokalani -- King Kamehameha & Queen Emma: Nov. 11, Nov. 28. The first of these holy days have to do with Hawaiian royalty, and I didn't have any idea of a personal connection until 2001 when I responded to a call to do ministry there. I have 3 daughters and each of their names is associated with Hawaiian queens or princesses. The last queen died on Nov. 11 and a petition is being circulated to get her placed on the calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts . King Kamehameha and Queen Emma have been on the calendar for many decades. They brought the Anglican Church to the islands. Dorothy Day: Nov. 29 Dorothy Day died on Nov. 29. Her case is being pursued for sainthood in the Catholic Church. Ever since learning...

  Reflection November 22 was the day my stepfather died. None of you would know that. He was the love of my mother’s life and for many years was a father figure to me. It was also of course the day that John Kennedy was killed in 1963, an event that many of us have etched in our memories. What many people don’t realize is that it was also the day that Clive Staples Lewis died. He was more commonly known as C.S. Lewis. I first encountered Lewis’s writings when I was in junior high. One of the priest chaplains at a church summer camp gave a talk on the novel  Perelandra . He described it as a metaphor for what human life might be like without sin, or at least with sin completely redeemed. It was perhaps the first time in my life that I became aware of a piece of fiction trying to communicate the most significant things about life. I subsequently read every piece of fiction that Lewis wrote and most of his nonfiction work. He became a key figure in my own conversion to Christian ...

  To the saints at St. Paul’s, Monroe, NC I said last Sunday that we would be scheduling Christmas this past week. It has been a busy week and it will end with a virtual diocesan convention. We did, however, map out the basic schedule of worship for Advent and Christmas. Date Note Advent 1: Nov. 28 Begin consecrated wine from individual cups Advent 3: Dec. 12 8 am Eucharist Advent 3 10 am Lessons & Carols   (with communion from Reserved Sacrament) Christmas Eve 4:30 pm Music Christmas Eve Eucharist 5:00 pm Beginning with Advent, you will also receive via email a series of “thought questions.” These are intended to allow the congregation to participate in our preparation for confirmation at the Bishop’s visit in January. You will receive self-reflective questions in 4 areas: Where is God in your life? Where is God already moving? Where are the forces holding back God’s grace? What truths do you embrace and desire to vow to God? Where is God calling you to proclaim and perfo...

  November Rector Report The Rev. Dale C. Hathaway The highlight of the last month was the baptism of the Colt's grandchildren. It was a satisfying experience for me and I think for others as well. Nicci and I have slowly begun to reintroduce regular office hours. As I have continued to spend some time at the church, I've had the opportunity to meet some of the people coming and going, particularly those involved with Loaves and Fishes . I'm one of those occasions I got to meet Michael Moore who is the head of Loaves and Fishes. I am eager to learn how the ministry fits into the larger ministry of the church. One of my general concerns with the office and administrative work of the church has to do with the way in which files and technical tools are located in personal accounts rather than in the Church's own accounts. From my perspective I note the following: Sharing files in Google drive seems to be a good way to make things available to others, e.g. the vestry, and t...