The E-pistle

May 17th, 2024

A Note from Deacon Sharon Billetter as she leaves for Williamstown

Dear Good people of St. Paul’s,

Thank you so much for the Anointing Oil Stock that you gave me as a gift. I enjoyed my time at St. Paul’s as I learned the skills of a deacon and getting to know some of you on a deeper level. I will be excited to see you in the wider ministry in Berkshire County.

From Father Sam: On Sunday, May 12, we bid goodbye to Sharon Billetter, our Ministry Intern for the past year. We are grateful to God for the gifts that Sharon shared with us and for the opportunity we had to be part of her formation. This Sunday, Sharon will begin her ministry as Deacon assigned to St. John’s, Williamstown. Thank you, Sharon, for everything!

Sunday, May 17th

8:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M.

Holy Eucharist

Collect for the Day of Pentecost

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Scripture for the Day of Pentecost: Acts 2:1-21, 104:25-35, 37, Romans 8:22-27, John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

Serving this morning, May 19 (8:00 a.m.)

Celebrant/Preacher: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Acolyte: Rob Maloney

Lector/Intercessor: Jorja Marsden

Altar Guild: Natalie Boyce

Serving next week, May 26th (8:00 a.m.)

Celebrant: The Rev’d Jane G. Tillman

Preacher: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Acolyte: Kim Savery

Lector/Intercessor: Kim Savery

Altar Guild: Jennifer Carmichael

Serving this morning, May 19 (10:00 a.m.)

Celebrant/Preacher: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Acolyte: Rob Maloney

Lector: Frank Smith

Intercessor: Gale Page

Musician: Nancy King

Greeter: Ginny Wilcox

Fellowship: Carl Sprague

Altar Guild: Natalie Boyce

Serving next week, May 26 (10:00 a.m.)

Celebrant: The Rev’d Jane G. Tillman

Preacher: The Rev’d Samuel T. Vaught

Acolyte: Kim Savery

Lector/Intercessor: Martha Bodine

Musician: David Smith

Greeters: TBD

Fellowship: Lis and Virgil Stucker

Altar Guild: Jennifer Carmichael

Altar flowers are given by Jorja Marsden in memory of Francis Pilling, Anna Pilling, and Bob Marsden.

Parish Prayer List

Those who are ill or in need of intercession

Bruce, Charles, Linda, Veronica, Jeff, Karen, Lisa, Rosalind, Jacob, Kathleen, Doug, Holly, Rick, John, Lenore, Vicki, Donna, Cynthia, Eliza, Cindy, Lori, LaDawn, Elaine, Kit, Adam, Peter

Those who have recently died

Larry Tonini

Leslie Wright, father-in-law of Darryl Lafferty

Margie Cosby, sister of Michael Cosby

Nina Fersen, friend of Mary Maltzoff

Those who have asked for our long-term prayers

Allie, Irby, Ginger, Joan, Duncan, Bernadette, Ray, Piers, Katrina, Rich, Karen, Michael, Khali, George, Barbara, Christy, John, Anthony, and Astrida

Those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries

For the birth of Forrest William Tierney, son of Colin and Mary Tierney, on May 6

Bill Higgins; Bill Higgins & Anne Covell

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer (Week of 5/19)

Congregations, Ministries, and Partners in Ministry

Trinity Church, Milford (The Rev’d Daniel L. Collier, Priest-in-Charge)

Bement-Waterfield Educational Grant Committee

Young Adult Ministry Network

The Church and Wider Mission

National Episcopal Health Ministries

Anglican Cycle of Prayer

Sun 5/19: The Anglican Church of Canada

Mon 5/20: Diocese of Ely (England)

Tues 5/21: Diocese of Embu (Kenya)

Wed 5/22: Diocese of Enugu (Nigeria)

Thurs 5/23: Diocese of Enugu North (Nigeria)

Fri 5/24: Diocese of Esan (Nigeria)

Sat 5/25: Diocese of Eswatini (Southern Africa)

Support St. Paul’s Children’s Center May 18

The annual St. Paul’s Children’s Center Color Run, in memory of Grayson Pellegrino, will be Saturday, May 18, at 10:00 a.m. behind Monument Mountain High School. If you know a child aged 2-12 who would like to participate in a fun 1-mile run or walk, encourage them to sign up! The entry fee is $10/child, and all proceeds help fund scholarships to help families afford tuition for the Children’s Center. If you’d like to support the runners, all donations will be accepted and appreciated! You can make a check out to St. Paul’s Children’s Center and drop it in the plate at church or mail it to the Children’s Center, PO Box 784, Stockbridge, MA 01262. Entry forms and more information are available in the church tower room.

Church Clean-Out Day

Plan to stay after church this Sunday to help in a clean-out day! We’ll tackle some of the clutter in the basement, and also do some gardening. In the gardens, we’ll focus mainly on edging the beds. If you have an edging tool at home, please bring it along. There will be snacks and fun and jobs for all ages and abilities. Bring your work clothes!

St. Paul’s on the agenda at the Stockbridge Town Meeting

Stockbridge residents: the annual Town Meeting is this coming Monday, May 20, at 6:30pm at Town Hall. One item on the agenda is the approval of Community Preservation grant money for St. Paul’s, to help us replace the aging roof and gutters on our historic church building. If you’re a Stockbridge voter, don’t forget to show up and help us (and other neighbors) secure this vital funding.

Summer is around the corner!

Outdoor summer worship begins on Sunday, June 2, with one service each Sunday at 9:00am. Once again, we will worship in the churchyard and enjoy the sunshine and summer weather. Outdoor worship will continue through September 1.

There will also be a summer Lectionary Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at 5:30, beginning June 5. Each week, we will explore the readings for the upcoming Sunday. More details to come.

An important message from our partners at Grace Church, Great Barrington

Dear friends & faith leaders, 

As you know, our community has been blessed these past few months by the presence of a community of Haitian and Latin American people who have begun new lives here. Many of you have already done a lot to help these newest of our neighbors feel welcome and connected. Thank you! 

I am writing now with a specific and pressing request: The time allocated for our new neighbors to stay at the motel in Great Barrington is now almost up.  Some are excited to move on to new places, but many have begun to make real lives here, securing employment, settling their kids into school, and creating community with friends and neighbors. For this reason there is now an urgent need for housing in the area and - as you know - housing is in short supply around here!  

Would you be willing to spread the word that if anyone has a space for rent of any size, that we have reliable, hard working, financially stable individuals and families who would be grateful to pay market rate and become their new tenants. Many are people of deep faith, and everyone comes with excellent references from several respected members of our community. 

During these times of global upheaval and pain, many in my own congregation have struggled with a feeling of powerlessness: how can they do anything that will make a difference?  I believe this is an opportunity to do just that. Please help spread the word!  

Please ask anyone with potential leads or space to reach out to Shasta Bona and Jason Godfrey at the Great Barrington Family Resource Center as they are coordinating the search.  Their emails are:  Shasta.Bona@csoinc.org and Jason.Godfrey@csoinc.org

-The Rev’d Tina Rathbone

Two Opportunities to Pray Together Each Week

Wednesday: Morning Prayer at 8:30am (Online)



Every Wednesday, a group of parishioners meet at 8:30am to pray Morning Prayer online via Zoom. All are warmly welcome to join via the Zoom link on our website. Thank you Darryl Lafferty for continuing to lead this weekly offering.

Friday: Intercessory Prayer at 8:30am (In-person)

Some may remember that several years ago, a group of parishioners met each week to pray for the needs of those on the parish prayer list. All are invited to join on Friday mornings in the church as we revive this tradition of intercessory prayer. Thank you Alice Wohl for your leadership in reviving this weekly offering.

Getting Ahold of Father Sam

Father Sam now has a working church email address, rector@stpaulsstockbridge.org, that can be used for all church communication. You can call him at the church office, (413) 298-4913, or any time at his cell phone, (765) 401-6112. Father Sam will observe Monday as his sabbath day each week and therefore not check email, but will always respond to a pastoral emergency if contacted by cell phone.