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Dear Companions in Christ,
I spent a few hours in our church today trying out something new for the Sunday worship livestream. I noticed that someone had changed the altar hangings to green for the new season after Pentecost, refreshed the silk altar flowers to summer blooms, and even turned the page of the book of readings on the brass eagle lectern to the current week. This was profoundly moving to see. It reminded me that two different things can be true at the same time: We can miss the physical space which holds so many prayers and memories AND be a faithful, loving Christian community when we are apart. I think you’ll find that the pages of this newsletter bear witness to both of these truths.
The work of our Living with COVID-19 Regathering Task Force could be described in much the same way. This hard-working group is made up of Wardens Chuck Maynard and Gene Gervais, staff members Frances Chamberlain, Bobby Gervais, Jay Lindsay, and Jennifer Parsons, and parishioners Maryellen Connell, Patti Cullen, Marisa Esposito, Tammy Napoli, Sharon Rogalski, Nathalie Szilagyi, and Sharon Turlis. We meet weekly to work on two levels: Planning for a safe and practical return to in-person worship AND doing what we can now to be the lively worshipping community we are.
We’re careful not to say that we’re “reopening” -- because we never closed. (Spoiler alert: The following pages attest that most of our staff and many volunteers have been working harder than ever.) We don’t focus on “going back” but on moving forward in the new reality. We’re aware that things will never again be exactly as they were, so ask ourselves: Who does God need us to be, now? How shall we serve most faithfully, now?
For the longer-term, this means studying and adapting protocols from church and public health officials for keeping people safe during a pandemic. It turns out that in-person worship poses unique challenges in the age of COVID-19. Receiving Communion? Singing? Passing the Peace? Sitting in your favorite pew? Touching Prayer Books and Hymnals? Bulletins? Collecting the offering? Enjoying coffee hour? Sanitizing between services? Preaching in a facemask to a congregation wearing facemasks? Signing into worship in case we need to do contact tracing? These are just some of the more obvious issues this pandemic poses for houses of worship. Concurrent with this, we’re securing a thermometer, mass quantities of sanitizer and other supplies we never dreamt would be part of a Sunday morning together.
At the same time, we’re planning meaningful things we can safely do together right now. We already had our first successful physically distanced event earlier this month when about twenty of us bore witness together in front of church for the Silent Protest Against Police Brutality. (See page 13 & 14 inside.) Next up is the “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself” event on July 1 where we’ll take donations for Master’s Manna and our “Diaper Sunday” families, and distribute free St. Paul’s cloth face masks to interested parishioners. (See page 5). We’re planning to open our buildings and grounds for a St. Paul’s “pilgrimage” with simple, prayerful activities for all ages -- all carefully distanced. We hope to offer an informal outdoor worship service either at Camp Washington, a local park or right on our own North Lawn. I’d be happy to borrow an idea from a colleague and offer “Roaming Rector” sessions where I’d bring my own lawn chair to your yard so we could chat, loudly – wearing masks and sitting at least six feet apart. Please let me know your questions about or interest in any of these opportunities.
To guide our planning, the Living with COVID-19 Regathering Task Force is developing a short survey to solicit your concerns and comfort level about the resumption of in-person worship. This will be available online and in a paper mailing. Please look for it in the next several days and be prepared to complete and return it as soon as possible. It’s another way to show how much we value your input, your companionship, and your health.
In the meantime, we’ll continue to offer as engaging worship as we can on our livestream Sundays at 9:30. We sincerely invite your participation. Comment in the YouTube chat. Text or email to let me know how you’re working that week’s “Way of Love” word. Volunteer to read or “track milestones” on screen or help behind-the scenes with technical details. Folks of all ages and locations welcomed. On recent livestreams we’ve had kids as young as first grade and folks as far away as London. (All you need is a reliable internet connection and a good sense of humor.) Invite friends and family far and near to watch along – we’re thrilled to be reaching folks new to St. Paul’s and from beyond our immediate area. And, send fan mail. (Yes, we actually get some!)
On that last Friday as Jen Parsons and I were preparing to close the office and work remotely from our respective homes, we made a sign that still hangs on the glass door from the rear parking lot. Written hastily but heartfelt, it says: Thank you for your prayers, patience and perseverance. We could never have guessed how long it would be there, but we mean it just as much now as we did back then.
Thank you. Thanks be to God for you.
Faithfully,
The Reverend Dee Anne Dodd, Rector
P.S. Thank you for bearing with this and other lengthy articles. It’s our first newsletter of the COVID-19 era and there’s a lot to catch up on. Take it all in. Pray without ceasing. Stay in touch. Love God, love your neighbor as yourself, change the world . . .
I spent a few hours in our church today trying out something new for the Sunday worship livestream. I noticed that someone had changed the altar hangings to green for the new season after Pentecost, refreshed the silk altar flowers to summer blooms, and even turned the page of the book of readings on the brass eagle lectern to the current week. This was profoundly moving to see. It reminded me that two different things can be true at the same time: We can miss the physical space which holds so many prayers and memories AND be a faithful, loving Christian community when we are apart. I think you’ll find that the pages of this newsletter bear witness to both of these truths.
The work of our Living with COVID-19 Regathering Task Force could be described in much the same way. This hard-working group is made up of Wardens Chuck Maynard and Gene Gervais, staff members Frances Chamberlain, Bobby Gervais, Jay Lindsay, and Jennifer Parsons, and parishioners Maryellen Connell, Patti Cullen, Marisa Esposito, Tammy Napoli, Sharon Rogalski, Nathalie Szilagyi, and Sharon Turlis. We meet weekly to work on two levels: Planning for a safe and practical return to in-person worship AND doing what we can now to be the lively worshipping community we are.
We’re careful not to say that we’re “reopening” -- because we never closed. (Spoiler alert: The following pages attest that most of our staff and many volunteers have been working harder than ever.) We don’t focus on “going back” but on moving forward in the new reality. We’re aware that things will never again be exactly as they were, so ask ourselves: Who does God need us to be, now? How shall we serve most faithfully, now?
For the longer-term, this means studying and adapting protocols from church and public health officials for keeping people safe during a pandemic. It turns out that in-person worship poses unique challenges in the age of COVID-19. Receiving Communion? Singing? Passing the Peace? Sitting in your favorite pew? Touching Prayer Books and Hymnals? Bulletins? Collecting the offering? Enjoying coffee hour? Sanitizing between services? Preaching in a facemask to a congregation wearing facemasks? Signing into worship in case we need to do contact tracing? These are just some of the more obvious issues this pandemic poses for houses of worship. Concurrent with this, we’re securing a thermometer, mass quantities of sanitizer and other supplies we never dreamt would be part of a Sunday morning together.
At the same time, we’re planning meaningful things we can safely do together right now. We already had our first successful physically distanced event earlier this month when about twenty of us bore witness together in front of church for the Silent Protest Against Police Brutality. (See page 13 & 14 inside.) Next up is the “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself” event on July 1 where we’ll take donations for Master’s Manna and our “Diaper Sunday” families, and distribute free St. Paul’s cloth face masks to interested parishioners. (See page 5). We’re planning to open our buildings and grounds for a St. Paul’s “pilgrimage” with simple, prayerful activities for all ages -- all carefully distanced. We hope to offer an informal outdoor worship service either at Camp Washington, a local park or right on our own North Lawn. I’d be happy to borrow an idea from a colleague and offer “Roaming Rector” sessions where I’d bring my own lawn chair to your yard so we could chat, loudly – wearing masks and sitting at least six feet apart. Please let me know your questions about or interest in any of these opportunities.
To guide our planning, the Living with COVID-19 Regathering Task Force is developing a short survey to solicit your concerns and comfort level about the resumption of in-person worship. This will be available online and in a paper mailing. Please look for it in the next several days and be prepared to complete and return it as soon as possible. It’s another way to show how much we value your input, your companionship, and your health.
In the meantime, we’ll continue to offer as engaging worship as we can on our livestream Sundays at 9:30. We sincerely invite your participation. Comment in the YouTube chat. Text or email to let me know how you’re working that week’s “Way of Love” word. Volunteer to read or “track milestones” on screen or help behind-the scenes with technical details. Folks of all ages and locations welcomed. On recent livestreams we’ve had kids as young as first grade and folks as far away as London. (All you need is a reliable internet connection and a good sense of humor.) Invite friends and family far and near to watch along – we’re thrilled to be reaching folks new to St. Paul’s and from beyond our immediate area. And, send fan mail. (Yes, we actually get some!)
On that last Friday as Jen Parsons and I were preparing to close the office and work remotely from our respective homes, we made a sign that still hangs on the glass door from the rear parking lot. Written hastily but heartfelt, it says: Thank you for your prayers, patience and perseverance. We could never have guessed how long it would be there, but we mean it just as much now as we did back then.
Thank you. Thanks be to God for you.
Faithfully,
The Reverend Dee Anne Dodd, Rector
P.S. Thank you for bearing with this and other lengthy articles. It’s our first newsletter of the COVID-19 era and there’s a lot to catch up on. Take it all in. Pray without ceasing. Stay in touch. Love God, love your neighbor as yourself, change the world . . .
St. Paul’s “Love your Neighbor as Yourself” Event
Wednesday, July 8th
10-12 and 5-7
Help those in need in our community as you help yourself and others stay safe. Donate food and diapers at St. Paul’s “Love your Neighbor as Yourself” event and pick up a free St. Paul’s cloth face mask. We’ll be collecting food donations for Master’s Manna (cash, check, or non-perishable food please) and money for diapers and wipes (cash, or check payable to “Community Health Center, Inc.” with a note for “Healthy Families Partnership” in the memo). Drive through the church parking lot on Wednesday, July 8th, from 10-12 or 5-7, to say hello to some of your church friends and drop off your donations.
Enter the back parking lot between the rear church door and the thrift shop. Exit into to Wooding-Caplan lot onto Wallace Ave to Center St.
Our volunteers – wearing masks and keeping a safe distance -- will be there to guide you. No donation is required to receive a free mask.
Wednesday, July 8th
10-12 and 5-7
Help those in need in our community as you help yourself and others stay safe. Donate food and diapers at St. Paul’s “Love your Neighbor as Yourself” event and pick up a free St. Paul’s cloth face mask. We’ll be collecting food donations for Master’s Manna (cash, check, or non-perishable food please) and money for diapers and wipes (cash, or check payable to “Community Health Center, Inc.” with a note for “Healthy Families Partnership” in the memo). Drive through the church parking lot on Wednesday, July 8th, from 10-12 or 5-7, to say hello to some of your church friends and drop off your donations.
Enter the back parking lot between the rear church door and the thrift shop. Exit into to Wooding-Caplan lot onto Wallace Ave to Center St.
Our volunteers – wearing masks and keeping a safe distance -- will be there to guide you. No donation is required to receive a free mask.
Treasurer’s Financial Update – June 2020
-submitted by Ted Hartsoe, Treasurer
The Covid-19 pandemic and economic lockdown have changed our parish life dramatically. After some initial disruptions, though, our financial situation has stabilized.
With no services in our lovely sanctuary and the building closed for all meetings, several of our revenue sources have disappeared. We no longer receive any plate offerings at the Sunday services (including on Easter Sunday, traditionally a large sum). We also received less in Easter donations from our pledgers. We are not receiving any contributions from the organizations that use our facilities, and the Thrift Shop remains closed. Now some good news: After the initial disruption from halting in-person services in March, most of our pledgers are now up-to-date with their pledges—THANK YOU!!!!! To make it easier for parishioners to make their pledge payments, and for others to donate, we are in the process of adding a link on the church website for on-line payments by credit card or bank ACH payments.
On the expenditure side of the budget, our spending is below what we anticipated primarily due to temporary factors. The Church Pension Group granted us a waiver for two months of assessments for the rector’s pension. We also have deferred three months of health insurance premiums and property insurance premiums, which we will have to start paying later this summer and in the fall, respectively. These pandemic assistance programs saved us nearly $6,000 in May and will again in June. There have been some additional savings over the past three months, while we have spent more on technology to facilitate our live-streaming of the services and of meetings. Overall, our budget deficit is actually a little lower than it has been at this point the past two years.
Our investment funds took a big hit in March when financial markets crashed, but they have recovered to a large extent. We have not had to make any additional withdrawals beyond our normal monthly distributions. Our cash flow has been helped tremendously by the loan we received through the Payroll
Protection Program. I anticipate that we will have most if not all of the loan forgiven by the government.
Thank you, again, to everyone who has made a point to keep up and even surpass your pledges and gifts to support God’s mission through this parish.
-submitted by Ted Hartsoe, Treasurer
The Covid-19 pandemic and economic lockdown have changed our parish life dramatically. After some initial disruptions, though, our financial situation has stabilized.
With no services in our lovely sanctuary and the building closed for all meetings, several of our revenue sources have disappeared. We no longer receive any plate offerings at the Sunday services (including on Easter Sunday, traditionally a large sum). We also received less in Easter donations from our pledgers. We are not receiving any contributions from the organizations that use our facilities, and the Thrift Shop remains closed. Now some good news: After the initial disruption from halting in-person services in March, most of our pledgers are now up-to-date with their pledges—THANK YOU!!!!! To make it easier for parishioners to make their pledge payments, and for others to donate, we are in the process of adding a link on the church website for on-line payments by credit card or bank ACH payments.
On the expenditure side of the budget, our spending is below what we anticipated primarily due to temporary factors. The Church Pension Group granted us a waiver for two months of assessments for the rector’s pension. We also have deferred three months of health insurance premiums and property insurance premiums, which we will have to start paying later this summer and in the fall, respectively. These pandemic assistance programs saved us nearly $6,000 in May and will again in June. There have been some additional savings over the past three months, while we have spent more on technology to facilitate our live-streaming of the services and of meetings. Overall, our budget deficit is actually a little lower than it has been at this point the past two years.
Our investment funds took a big hit in March when financial markets crashed, but they have recovered to a large extent. We have not had to make any additional withdrawals beyond our normal monthly distributions. Our cash flow has been helped tremendously by the loan we received through the Payroll
Protection Program. I anticipate that we will have most if not all of the loan forgiven by the government.
Thank you, again, to everyone who has made a point to keep up and even surpass your pledges and gifts to support God’s mission through this parish.
Thank you for keeping up your pledges
Thank you to everyone who has gotten their financial gifts to us even during the chaos of moving Sunday services online. Consider online banking if you don’t already do this, or mail to the parish office.
Online giving - You can now make online payments and donations to St. Paul's by credit, debit card or by electronic transfer from your bank account. We have partnered with Vanco, a premiere online payment company to process your gifts securely. This online giving system enables you to make a payment toward your 2020 stewardship pledge or make a one-time donation. To explore this option, click on the "Donate Now" button
Thank you to everyone who has gotten their financial gifts to us even during the chaos of moving Sunday services online. Consider online banking if you don’t already do this, or mail to the parish office.
Online giving - You can now make online payments and donations to St. Paul's by credit, debit card or by electronic transfer from your bank account. We have partnered with Vanco, a premiere online payment company to process your gifts securely. This online giving system enables you to make a payment toward your 2020 stewardship pledge or make a one-time donation. To explore this option, click on the "Donate Now" button
Beware Scams
Tragically, electronic scammers are working overtime to take advantage of compassionate people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that church folks are prime targets! Please know that clergy and church staff will NEVER text or email you personally asking for a “favor” or gift certificate for someone in need. (We have other, legitimate ways of addressing such matters.) If you receive such a scam, please say a prayer for the lost soul who sent it and delete immediately. Do not give out personal financial communication to strangers online — including those posing as clergy or other church staff.
Tragically, electronic scammers are working overtime to take advantage of compassionate people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that church folks are prime targets! Please know that clergy and church staff will NEVER text or email you personally asking for a “favor” or gift certificate for someone in need. (We have other, legitimate ways of addressing such matters.) If you receive such a scam, please say a prayer for the lost soul who sent it and delete immediately. Do not give out personal financial communication to strangers online — including those posing as clergy or other church staff.
Joining Jesus Campaign
Before our world was turned upside down, we had started a Joining Jesus Capital Campaign to improve accessibility of our physical building, deepen our spiritual life by expanding the youth and music programs, help secure our endowment and support the ECCT. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we set the campaign aside to focus on how to serve and worship in the “new normal” of social distancing. Even so, we are still almost halfway toward meeting our financial goal! The Joining Jesus Committee feels we are ready to finish our journey. It looks different than when we started, but doesn’t everything these days? Details are coming so stay tuned! For now, we ask you to please mark your calendar for Sunday, July 12 for a virtual “reception” via Zoom following our worship livestream. Please contact Donna Regan, chair thedonnajregan@gmail.com, Senior Warden Chuck Maynard (203) 671-0041 or the Rector for more information.
Before our world was turned upside down, we had started a Joining Jesus Capital Campaign to improve accessibility of our physical building, deepen our spiritual life by expanding the youth and music programs, help secure our endowment and support the ECCT. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we set the campaign aside to focus on how to serve and worship in the “new normal” of social distancing. Even so, we are still almost halfway toward meeting our financial goal! The Joining Jesus Committee feels we are ready to finish our journey. It looks different than when we started, but doesn’t everything these days? Details are coming so stay tuned! For now, we ask you to please mark your calendar for Sunday, July 12 for a virtual “reception” via Zoom following our worship livestream. Please contact Donna Regan, chair thedonnajregan@gmail.com, Senior Warden Chuck Maynard (203) 671-0041 or the Rector for more information.
Church School Update: Summer 2020
Some of you may be wondering what happened to St. Paul’s Church School when the pandemic struck, and we were no longer able to attend church in person. In short, it moved online and became virtual! From March 27th through May 17th Miss Frances produced short, prerecorded church school lesson and activity videos. Each week our church families received an email with links to these lessons and activities by ability level, for kids in Pre-K - 5th grade. Families could choose to do these lessons at their convenience and all recordings were made available through mid-June. Extras, such as: Holy Week activities, coloring sheets, worship bulletins, a coloring poster, a church slide show, and a scavenger hunt/prayer walk were made available. Youth Group continued as well. We met several times over Zoom to enjoy prayer and fellowship, and perhaps, most importantly, to commiserate! During our livestreamed Sunday worship services, Children’s Messages, delivered by Miss Frances, were added in order to provide an experience tailored specifically to families each week.
With the pandemic being such a fluid situation requiring so much extra planning, at the Rector’s request the Vestry voted to extend Miss Frances’ hours on a limited basis through the summer. (Per her Letter of Agreement, she normally has two full, unpaid, months off between mid-June and mid-August.) During this time, most of Frances’ work will be behind-the-scenes. She is a vital member of the Living With COVID-19 Regathering Task Force, making sure that any projects and events are family-friendly. Most of all, she will be closely monitoring the public health situation while crafting a Christian formation plan for the coming school year which is creative, flexible, safe and fun! Thank you for respecting her time limitations as she goes about this important work this summer.
Some of you may be wondering what happened to St. Paul’s Church School when the pandemic struck, and we were no longer able to attend church in person. In short, it moved online and became virtual! From March 27th through May 17th Miss Frances produced short, prerecorded church school lesson and activity videos. Each week our church families received an email with links to these lessons and activities by ability level, for kids in Pre-K - 5th grade. Families could choose to do these lessons at their convenience and all recordings were made available through mid-June. Extras, such as: Holy Week activities, coloring sheets, worship bulletins, a coloring poster, a church slide show, and a scavenger hunt/prayer walk were made available. Youth Group continued as well. We met several times over Zoom to enjoy prayer and fellowship, and perhaps, most importantly, to commiserate! During our livestreamed Sunday worship services, Children’s Messages, delivered by Miss Frances, were added in order to provide an experience tailored specifically to families each week.
With the pandemic being such a fluid situation requiring so much extra planning, at the Rector’s request the Vestry voted to extend Miss Frances’ hours on a limited basis through the summer. (Per her Letter of Agreement, she normally has two full, unpaid, months off between mid-June and mid-August.) During this time, most of Frances’ work will be behind-the-scenes. She is a vital member of the Living With COVID-19 Regathering Task Force, making sure that any projects and events are family-friendly. Most of all, she will be closely monitoring the public health situation while crafting a Christian formation plan for the coming school year which is creative, flexible, safe and fun! Thank you for respecting her time limitations as she goes about this important work this summer.
St. Paul's Graduates 2020
We were honored to pray for each of these 2020 graduates by name during the Sunday, June 14 service. We were blessed to have grads Eamon and Devin help lead the liturgy, and hear Ava preach. This service appears on our YouTube channel, with Ava’s sermon archived on our website under “worship/sermons.”
Ava Bibisi, daughter of Ray and Ranee Bibisi, is graduating from Mercy High school and attending Siena College for Nursing in the fall.
Andrew Carboni, son of Walter and Allison Carboni, is graduating from Mark T. Sheehan High School. He plans to attend Gateway Community College and study Electrical Engineering or Biomedical Engineering Technology.
Camille Henry, daughter of Rebecca & Eric Henry, graduated from UMASS and has returned with knowledge and a smile to Blue Hills Orchard to run the operation with her father and brothers.
Evelyn Juliano, daughter of Donna and Chris Regan, graduated from Jefferson University with a Bachelors of Architecture.
Samantha Martinez, daughter of Kit Hensler, graduated from the Boston Conservatory with honors (Cum Laude) on May 9th. With the music world on a bit of a hold, she is keeping connections alive through virtual collaborations. And, until we can all sing together again and enjoy live performances, she is honing her craft and preparing her audition repertoire.
Kelly McCoy, daughter of Kathie McCoy, graduated from University of Colorado Denver with a Master of Arts in Geospacial Science on Saturday May 16. Prayers appreciated for Kelly to find a job in her field with the Federal government, preferably at a National Park.
(continued on next page…..) 9
Devin Napoli, son of Tammy Napoli, is graduating from Sheehan High School. Devin will be attending North Greenville University in South Carolina, where he plans to major in sports management and play Division 2 lacrosse.
Liam Chevalier Podos, grandson of Beverly and Richard Chevalier, is graduating from Choate Rosemary Hall High School. Liam will be attending NYU, Tisch School of Film and TV.
Oliva Chevalier Podos, granddaughter of Beverly and Richard Chevalier, is graduating Summa Cum Laude from University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics. She will be working as an Analyst for Economic Analysis Group in Washington, D.C.
Eamon Szilagyi, son of Nathalie Szilagyi and Greg Sullivan, graduated from Xavier High School in Middletown. He’ll be studying film production at Sarah Lawrence College, starting in August.
We were honored to pray for each of these 2020 graduates by name during the Sunday, June 14 service. We were blessed to have grads Eamon and Devin help lead the liturgy, and hear Ava preach. This service appears on our YouTube channel, with Ava’s sermon archived on our website under “worship/sermons.”
Ava Bibisi, daughter of Ray and Ranee Bibisi, is graduating from Mercy High school and attending Siena College for Nursing in the fall.
Andrew Carboni, son of Walter and Allison Carboni, is graduating from Mark T. Sheehan High School. He plans to attend Gateway Community College and study Electrical Engineering or Biomedical Engineering Technology.
Camille Henry, daughter of Rebecca & Eric Henry, graduated from UMASS and has returned with knowledge and a smile to Blue Hills Orchard to run the operation with her father and brothers.
Evelyn Juliano, daughter of Donna and Chris Regan, graduated from Jefferson University with a Bachelors of Architecture.
Samantha Martinez, daughter of Kit Hensler, graduated from the Boston Conservatory with honors (Cum Laude) on May 9th. With the music world on a bit of a hold, she is keeping connections alive through virtual collaborations. And, until we can all sing together again and enjoy live performances, she is honing her craft and preparing her audition repertoire.
Kelly McCoy, daughter of Kathie McCoy, graduated from University of Colorado Denver with a Master of Arts in Geospacial Science on Saturday May 16. Prayers appreciated for Kelly to find a job in her field with the Federal government, preferably at a National Park.
(continued on next page…..) 9
Devin Napoli, son of Tammy Napoli, is graduating from Sheehan High School. Devin will be attending North Greenville University in South Carolina, where he plans to major in sports management and play Division 2 lacrosse.
Liam Chevalier Podos, grandson of Beverly and Richard Chevalier, is graduating from Choate Rosemary Hall High School. Liam will be attending NYU, Tisch School of Film and TV.
Oliva Chevalier Podos, granddaughter of Beverly and Richard Chevalier, is graduating Summa Cum Laude from University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics. She will be working as an Analyst for Economic Analysis Group in Washington, D.C.
Eamon Szilagyi, son of Nathalie Szilagyi and Greg Sullivan, graduated from Xavier High School in Middletown. He’ll be studying film production at Sarah Lawrence College, starting in August.
Update from Jay Lindsay, St. Paul’s Music Director
Who ever heard of Zoom before March 2020? Certainly not me! Neither had I heard of Streamlabs, Loopback, OBS or about a half a dozen other pieces of software that I would be using every day for the next two months and counting. In this article I thought I’d tell you a little bit about what’s been going on behind the scenes to bring music into our Sunday morning virtual worship services.
As you may know, I was handling the live streaming from the sanctuary during the first 5 weeks or so of quarantine. I was pretty comfortable with adding content to YouTube since I had been posting videos from the choir and choristers since I came to St. Paul’s. It couldn’t be that much harder to live stream, right? Boy was I wrong! This would be a major theme of my relationship with technology during Covid. After much trial and error, I eventually figured out how to live stream using my laptop. You may remember the picture and sound quality were not great the first two weeks, so I decided to try my hand at using the church’s camcorder instead of my laptop. After even more trial and error, I
finally came to the conclusion that there was no way to manage that and play the organ on Sunday mornings, so next I tried my phone. That worked pretty well. The sound and picture quality were great, so I attached it to a gooseneck phone clamp I had and attached that to a ladder so we could get the better camera angle. It looked a little weird, but it worked.
Then, for a variety of reasons, we decided to switch to using Zoom for Sunday morning worship. This was great because it allowed us to involve more worship leaders and musicians. After a bit of research, I was able figure out how to live stream a zoom meeting to YouTube. Unfortunately, it was too hard to do that and play the organ at the same time, but lucky for us, Tim Rowe volunteered to help out with the live streaming so I could focus on music. Recently Andrew Speyer started helping with the Sunday livestream as well. We’ve also created an ongoing Tech Committee including Ralph Nardi, Donna Regan, Linda Liversidge-Daley, and Bill Merrick who will be helping in various ways as we plan to continue livestreaming. There are lots of different ways to serve and we’re eager to build up this team, so please be in touch with me musicdirector@stpaulswallingford.org for more information about how you or someone you know might help.
The first thing I had to figure out with this new service format was the organ. Now, it just so happened that I have an organ in my home. I’ve been building it from spare parts over the past 10 years or so and it’s been a fun hobby. The sounds are generated by a computer program called Hauptwerk. It actually sounds very realistic when you’re playing it, but getting it to sound that good over Zoom has been the source of much hair-pulling. In order to get the organ sounds into Zoom, I have to route the sound from Hauptwerk into a program called Reaper using another application called Loopback. Then I route the sound from Reaper to Zoom using yet another program called Synchronous Audio Router. If that sounds complicated, you don’t know the half of it! Unfortunately, it still doesn’t sound as good on Zoom as it does in person, but that’s one of the limitations of Zoom.
At the same time I was figuring out the organ, I was trying to figure out how to incorporate some singers and instrumentalists into our service. I discovered early on that there is no way to perform simultaneously with another musician using Zoom. There’s a fraction of a second delay in the sound when using Zoom which makes live collaboration impossible. So I started trying to figure out what we could do by recording in advance. I’ve done a few projects now with singers and instrumentalists, and even choir. Here’s a little bit about what goes into making a virtual choir: I record myself playing the organ and edit out any extra footage at the beginning and end. Then I send that recording to the choir along with an email about any musical considerations in the piece, so we’re all on the same page musically. Then the choir members record themselves singing, while listening to a recording of me playing the organ. That last step is important, because we all need to be singing at the same tempo or speed. Then they send me their recordings, and I edit it all together. The editing process can take hours, although I am getting faster at it every time. I’ll spare you the headache that goes into playing the finished product over Zoom, but the short story is, that’s not easy either!
So that’s a little behind the scenes look at some of what goes into making music during Covid. I’m really grateful to the church staff and parishioners for the time they spent planning, brainstorming and training to put these services together. I am so glad that I have the technology skills to be able to enhance our services musically during this time. I’m also so appreciative of the singers and instrumentalists at St. Paul’s who have been my guinea pigs for some of these virtual collaborations. All that being said, I can’t begin to tell you how eager I am to go back to making music the old-fashioned way!
Who ever heard of Zoom before March 2020? Certainly not me! Neither had I heard of Streamlabs, Loopback, OBS or about a half a dozen other pieces of software that I would be using every day for the next two months and counting. In this article I thought I’d tell you a little bit about what’s been going on behind the scenes to bring music into our Sunday morning virtual worship services.
As you may know, I was handling the live streaming from the sanctuary during the first 5 weeks or so of quarantine. I was pretty comfortable with adding content to YouTube since I had been posting videos from the choir and choristers since I came to St. Paul’s. It couldn’t be that much harder to live stream, right? Boy was I wrong! This would be a major theme of my relationship with technology during Covid. After much trial and error, I eventually figured out how to live stream using my laptop. You may remember the picture and sound quality were not great the first two weeks, so I decided to try my hand at using the church’s camcorder instead of my laptop. After even more trial and error, I
finally came to the conclusion that there was no way to manage that and play the organ on Sunday mornings, so next I tried my phone. That worked pretty well. The sound and picture quality were great, so I attached it to a gooseneck phone clamp I had and attached that to a ladder so we could get the better camera angle. It looked a little weird, but it worked.
Then, for a variety of reasons, we decided to switch to using Zoom for Sunday morning worship. This was great because it allowed us to involve more worship leaders and musicians. After a bit of research, I was able figure out how to live stream a zoom meeting to YouTube. Unfortunately, it was too hard to do that and play the organ at the same time, but lucky for us, Tim Rowe volunteered to help out with the live streaming so I could focus on music. Recently Andrew Speyer started helping with the Sunday livestream as well. We’ve also created an ongoing Tech Committee including Ralph Nardi, Donna Regan, Linda Liversidge-Daley, and Bill Merrick who will be helping in various ways as we plan to continue livestreaming. There are lots of different ways to serve and we’re eager to build up this team, so please be in touch with me musicdirector@stpaulswallingford.org for more information about how you or someone you know might help.
The first thing I had to figure out with this new service format was the organ. Now, it just so happened that I have an organ in my home. I’ve been building it from spare parts over the past 10 years or so and it’s been a fun hobby. The sounds are generated by a computer program called Hauptwerk. It actually sounds very realistic when you’re playing it, but getting it to sound that good over Zoom has been the source of much hair-pulling. In order to get the organ sounds into Zoom, I have to route the sound from Hauptwerk into a program called Reaper using another application called Loopback. Then I route the sound from Reaper to Zoom using yet another program called Synchronous Audio Router. If that sounds complicated, you don’t know the half of it! Unfortunately, it still doesn’t sound as good on Zoom as it does in person, but that’s one of the limitations of Zoom.
At the same time I was figuring out the organ, I was trying to figure out how to incorporate some singers and instrumentalists into our service. I discovered early on that there is no way to perform simultaneously with another musician using Zoom. There’s a fraction of a second delay in the sound when using Zoom which makes live collaboration impossible. So I started trying to figure out what we could do by recording in advance. I’ve done a few projects now with singers and instrumentalists, and even choir. Here’s a little bit about what goes into making a virtual choir: I record myself playing the organ and edit out any extra footage at the beginning and end. Then I send that recording to the choir along with an email about any musical considerations in the piece, so we’re all on the same page musically. Then the choir members record themselves singing, while listening to a recording of me playing the organ. That last step is important, because we all need to be singing at the same tempo or speed. Then they send me their recordings, and I edit it all together. The editing process can take hours, although I am getting faster at it every time. I’ll spare you the headache that goes into playing the finished product over Zoom, but the short story is, that’s not easy either!
So that’s a little behind the scenes look at some of what goes into making music during Covid. I’m really grateful to the church staff and parishioners for the time they spent planning, brainstorming and training to put these services together. I am so glad that I have the technology skills to be able to enhance our services musically during this time. I’m also so appreciative of the singers and instrumentalists at St. Paul’s who have been my guinea pigs for some of these virtual collaborations. All that being said, I can’t begin to tell you how eager I am to go back to making music the old-fashioned way!
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Socially Distanced Silent Protest Against Police Brutality
Our first time together on church grounds since the beginning of the COVID-19 quarantine was on Friday, June 5, at the Silent Protest Against Police Brutality. About twenty of us – from teenager to octogenarian – gathered in front of church bearing signs and witness for racial justice and healing and against white supremacy. Our folks in front of St. Paul’s were among hundreds who gathered peacefully along the sidewalks from town hall on South Main to Choate on North Main. As most of those gathered, the St. Paul’s group all wore face masks and maintained a healthy physical distance. (It was hard, but we refrained from hugging each another!) At one point we were invited to lie down for 8 minutes and 46 seconds – the amount of time George Floyd lay dying under the weight of those police officers on the curb in Minneapolis. One of the youthful organizers broke the silence to share Mr. Floyd’s final words – calling out for his deceased mother, and gasping “I can’t breathe.” This experience has only strengthened our resolve to be a place of “no outcasts.” We’ve had prayers and sermons on anti-racism and dismantling white supremacy, and plan further opportunities to educate ourselves and take thoughtful action. Because of the parish’s history on issues of racial justice, our rector was the only clergyperson quoted in a recent Record-Journal article on this subject. |
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Summer Book Group forming
We’re gearing up for a summer book group to help us do something to promote racial justice and dismantle white supremacy – and are so excited we might consider reading more than one! Here are some suggestions so far: The Hate U Give (a highly regarded YA novel) by Angie Thomas; I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown; Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by LaTasha Morrison; and Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. Perhaps parents and teens might do this as a family? We’ll begin online via Zoom and see where the summer takes us. Remember, you don’t need to be online – you may participate via landline phone– on Zoom. Contact the Rector with questions, ideas or to indicate interest.
We’re gearing up for a summer book group to help us do something to promote racial justice and dismantle white supremacy – and are so excited we might consider reading more than one! Here are some suggestions so far: The Hate U Give (a highly regarded YA novel) by Angie Thomas; I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown; Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by LaTasha Morrison; and Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. Perhaps parents and teens might do this as a family? We’ll begin online via Zoom and see where the summer takes us. Remember, you don’t need to be online – you may participate via landline phone– on Zoom. Contact the Rector with questions, ideas or to indicate interest.
Healing Prayer Group
The St. Paul’s Healing Prayer Group has continued to meet throughout the pandemic. Meetings are conducted over Zoom and all prayer requests are being honored. Our prayer chain has been a wonderful way for us to keep up with the latest needs in our community. Rest assured, we are thinking and praying for the whole congregation during this time of great need and unrest. The following prayer was shared by Stephanie Crump at our latest meeting. We hope you will find it useful, and pray it as your head and heart struggle to make sense of this turbulent time.
Simple Prayer for Peace
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The St. Paul’s Healing Prayer Group has continued to meet throughout the pandemic. Meetings are conducted over Zoom and all prayer requests are being honored. Our prayer chain has been a wonderful way for us to keep up with the latest needs in our community. Rest assured, we are thinking and praying for the whole congregation during this time of great need and unrest. The following prayer was shared by Stephanie Crump at our latest meeting. We hope you will find it useful, and pray it as your head and heart struggle to make sense of this turbulent time.
Simple Prayer for Peace
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
El Porvenír
El Porvenir partners with rural Nicaraguans on water, sanitation, reforestation and hygiene education projects. Since 2014, the parishioners of St. Paul’s have supported the goals of El Porvenir by participating in work trips and donating to specific projects. For more information about the work of El Porvenir, please check their website at http://www.elporvenir.org/ . Please contact Rob Page at rpage@protonmail.com for information about St. Paul’s work with El Porvenir.
Dear friends and supporters,
We write to you with gratitude for your continued support during such challenging times. In Nicaragua, we’ve experienced just over two years of political instability which is now coupled with our global crisis from COVID-19. These crises have served to reaffirm the importance of our work to ensure that all community members have access to water, sanitation, health and hygiene.
Last year, with your support, El Porvenir worked with 34,054 Nicaraguans on the development of 18 water projects, 11 school hand washing stations, and 846 latrines. Our Nicaraguan partners also planted 96,715 trees as part of reforestation efforts to ensure a year-round water supply.
In Nicaragua, the last two years have seen the closure of many organizations, and now we see similar troubling indicators on a global scale as a result of COVID-19. The fact that El Porvenir has been able to continue work (in fact, even increase) amidst these crises is a testament to (1) the strong foundation of community relationships and trust that El Porvenir has built over years, and (2) the flexible and committed support from all of you.
Because hand washing and hygiene have always been foundational parts of our work, right now we are able to double down on ensuring that community members have access to hand washing for their immediate needs to protect against the spread of COVID-19. With your support, we will continue this critical work.
El Porvenir partners with rural Nicaraguans on water, sanitation, reforestation and hygiene education projects. Since 2014, the parishioners of St. Paul’s have supported the goals of El Porvenir by participating in work trips and donating to specific projects. For more information about the work of El Porvenir, please check their website at http://www.elporvenir.org/ . Please contact Rob Page at rpage@protonmail.com for information about St. Paul’s work with El Porvenir.
Dear friends and supporters,
We write to you with gratitude for your continued support during such challenging times. In Nicaragua, we’ve experienced just over two years of political instability which is now coupled with our global crisis from COVID-19. These crises have served to reaffirm the importance of our work to ensure that all community members have access to water, sanitation, health and hygiene.
Last year, with your support, El Porvenir worked with 34,054 Nicaraguans on the development of 18 water projects, 11 school hand washing stations, and 846 latrines. Our Nicaraguan partners also planted 96,715 trees as part of reforestation efforts to ensure a year-round water supply.
In Nicaragua, the last two years have seen the closure of many organizations, and now we see similar troubling indicators on a global scale as a result of COVID-19. The fact that El Porvenir has been able to continue work (in fact, even increase) amidst these crises is a testament to (1) the strong foundation of community relationships and trust that El Porvenir has built over years, and (2) the flexible and committed support from all of you.
Because hand washing and hygiene have always been foundational parts of our work, right now we are able to double down on ensuring that community members have access to hand washing for their immediate needs to protect against the spread of COVID-19. With your support, we will continue this critical work.
St. Paul’s is on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Please follow us:
Facebook: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Wallingford, CT
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Twitter: @StPaulsWlfd
Facebook: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Wallingford, CT
Instagram: stpaulswallingford.org
Twitter: @StPaulsWlfd