Pentecost / Anniversary photos!

St. Paul @ 125 in the news

The Jersey Journal for Thursday, May 28, has a great article about our anniversary celebration this Sunday: “A Mighty Wind” by Fr. Alex Santora.

Breathing new life at Pentecost

Mighty God, you breathe life into our bones, and your Spirit brings truth to the world. Send us this Spirit, transform us by your truth, and give us language to proclaim your gospel, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

What a powerful prayer we will pray together this Feast of Pentecost on Sunday, May 31. Let it sit and stir within you from now until that morning. Memorize it if you can; learn it by heart so that it can penetrate your bones as surely as God breathes life into us. Let it remind you of the power we have in Christ Jesus—the power and gift of faith, faith that proclaims the name of Jesus Christ as Lord, the power to live confidently in God’s love, knowing that our true identity is found nowhere else but in that love, power in the Holy Spirit to speak the language of faith to a world that needs to hear it, that longs for it, that dies without it. In God we have these amazing and life-changing powers. Yes, that means you.

God will surely breathe new life into us as we celebrate our 125th anniversary this Pentecost and pray these words. Pentecost commemorates the birthday of the church, God’s church. We are among those whom God blesses with the Holy Spirit and a calling. The calling of the church has always been to share the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection and so to be a blessing to the world, but that has always been lived out differently in different times and places. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us in this new age, and be present in us and among us this Pentecost as we worship, rededicate ourselves to be God’s church in this place, and then share a festive meal together. Invite your friends and family, your neighbors and co-workers.

Peace,
Pastor Jessica

Bibles dedicated

On May 3, we dedicated new Bibles for use in our pews and classrooms. Donated by the Riley family in memory of Sandra Riley, these Bibles are in the New Revised Standard Version. Now our study Bibles match the translation we use in worship! We thank God for this generous gift.

Palm Sunday photos

Worshippers at St. Paul Lutheran Church processed around our Five Corners neighborhood on Palm Sunday, April 5.

Join us in observing the rest of Holy Week and in celebrating Easter!

The gift of Easter

Easter is almost upon us! Once again we will unfurl the banners, including the new one made just for Easter that has been buried beneath our altar since Ash Wednesday. We will arrange the lilies, fill the church and sing our praises to God who has made abundant life, freedom, joy, and hope possible by raising Jesus from the dead. The season of Lent will be behind us, but I hope that its disciplines of prayer, charity, and fasting have made the imprint of Christ’s image in each of you deeper and more strongly felt. I hope they continue to shape your life in Christ as we move into this season of celebration and thanksgiving.

The other evening at church Jim Carrigan pulled out his wallet, opened it, pulled out a driver’s license, and wrapped around it was a little scrap of paper. He gingerly unfolded the paper, and on it was the typed word “Alleluia.” It was the paper I handed out to everyone on Shrove Tuesday in 2008! He still carries it around, still takes it out to look at that word and remember. It’s been in his wallet so long now that it has taken new shape, the shape of the license and the little pocket it sits in. Its creases are firm and permanent. The ink is slightly faded. It’s become a part of him, and he shares it by carefully unwrapping it like a precious object and showing it to others. What a wonderful image for the gift of Easter.

I have enjoyed our soup suppers and discussions on Wednesday evenings this Lent. It has been important for us to talk together about what makes for peace, especially in places where the idea of peace seems hopeless. We have looked at the conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian people through various lenses and found ourselves struggling for words, but wanting to know more. We are connected through history and faith and through the promises of God to the inhabitants of that land, and their peace is connected to our own. Thank you for our discussions, and please continue to pray for reconciliation, peace, and justice in the Holy Land.
In Christ,
Pastor Jessica

Backward & forward

On a trip to St. Louis recently, Nathan, Theo and I visited Nathan’s relatives, many of whom were meeting little Theo for the first time. One of those we visited was Nathan’s grandmother and Theo’s great-grandmother, Jeannette. Jeannette is 92, still living at home. She was absolutely thrilled to finally be meeting her first great-grandchild. We spent the better part of an afternoon at a photography studio having family portraits taken, at Jeannette’s request. It was important for her to have a visual record for the whole family of this meeting of the generations. In particular, she wanted a photo taken of the four generations present that day: herself, her daughter (Nathan’s mom), Nathan, and Theo.

Standing back and watching, reflecting on how important this all was to Jeannette, I was moved by what this portrait represented: the love and the sense of identity and belonging that get passed on from one generation to the next. Jeannette was being very intentional about this, not for her own sake, but for the sake of all of the others in her family now living and to come.

All of this, of course, reminded me of the 125th anniversary celebrations that will take place in 2009 and 2010 here at St. Paul, and the recurring themes of looking back at our history as well as looking ahead to the new paths God is calling us to walk. As we reminisce about the past, look at old photos, and think about what it might have been like for the first members of St. Paul, mostly immigrants, to live, work and worship in Jersey City, let us ask God in prayer what we might learn from them, what gifts they have to give us as an inheritance. And then, as we give thanks for them and their foresight, let us also welcome the new day that God is bringing into being in and through us.

Who are we now? We are a diverse congregation, from many nations and backgrounds, living in an ever-changing city and world. Where do we go from here? Our joy will be in discerning, through prayer and courage, our calling in this generation. One thing we know, however, by virtue of our Baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection, is that we are people who are nourished at Christ’s table and strengthened for service in Christ’s name for the sake of the world. Like Christ’s first disciples—like Peter and John and Thomas and Matthew and Paul—we are sent. That is part of our inheritance. That is where we begin to put this new portrait of our life together into focus, with that conviction and that trust: We are sent, and we are equipped for that which we are being sent to do in the world, whatever it may be.

St. Paul @ 125

2009 marks the 125th anniversary of St. Paul Lutheran Church, founded in 1884. We are celebrating our birthday in many ways, including a festival Eucharist on Pentecost, May 31, with Bishop Roy Riley presiding, followed by an international potluck to celebrate our current and past diversity. We’re also using this milestone for some vital fundraising. The St. Paul @ 125 Fund will be used for:

• Vital repairs to our 90-year-old organ to ensure it will lift its voice to God for many years to come–$40,000
• The Welcoming Project, including a lighted outdoor sign, air conditioning in the nave, and a space for private counseling–$30,000

So we hope to raise $70,000 in total. If you would like to contribute, please email us.

Pennies add up

Our children have been collecting pennies (and other coins) as part of our celebration of our 125th anniversary. This is a fun (and painless) way to add to our St. Paul @ 125 Fund. We all have loose change we can easily live without. Already we’re raised over $360 just in pennies! Bring yours and put them in the bowls at each entrance of the church.