church St. Paul‟s

EPISCOPAL

December 2011 Vol. 12 - No. 12

THIS ISSUE:

FROM THE

RECTOR

So much to do this

month. Mark your

calendars.

MUSIC NEWS

Advent Lessons and

Carols on December 4.

&

Messiah Sing-along

on December 3.

HISTORY OF

ST. PAUL‟S

The case of the

Erben Organ in Need

of Redemption

STEWARDSHIP

CAMPAIGN

The Importance of Trust.

The “main event:”

Stewardship Luncheon–

a festive meal in McEwan

Hall on December 4.

The Epistle of Saint Paul’s: a Joyful Noise

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY

EPISCOPAL CHURCH

IN THE CITY OF ALBANY

From the Rector

The four Sundays of Advent, the season in which

we prepare for the annual remembrance of

Christ’s incarnation and prepare for His re-

turn in glory, began on the Sunday after Thanks-

giving, November 27. This is also the beginning

of Lectionary Year B, during which readings from

the Gospel of Mark are most often used.

On Saturday December 3, Steven Rosenberry,

conductor, soloists, and Ed Heffron, organist, will

lead a sing-along performance of excerpts from

George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, in the church

at 2:00 p.m.

On Sunday December 4, the Service of Advent

Lessons and Carols with Eucharist will occur at

10:30 a.m. and be followed by the Stewardship

Luncheon in McEwan Hall.

On Saturday December 10, St. Paul’s Bus Trip to Boston will leave at 8:00 a.m.

from the church.

On Sunday December 11, the Third Sunday of Advent, the „Rose Set‟ will be used.

The third Sunday of Advent is nicknamed ‘Rose Sunday’ because there is a break

from the darker, traditional, violet-colored vestments on this day, perhaps symboliz-

ing a lightening of the disciplines of Advent for this one day.

On Sunday December 18, Advent IV, there will be the usual 8 a.m. .and 10:30 a.m.

services of Holy Eucharist. On this afternoon, there will be a youth choir concert

as outlined in our concert brochure, which may be found in the narthex.

Christmas services begin with the Christmas Eve Family Eucharist at 4:30 p.m.

in the Chapel, which will include participation by the children and youth of the par-

ish. The Christmas Eve Choral Eucharist will begin 7:30 p.m. in the Church and

be followed by a party in the Blue Room.

On Christmas Day, Sunday December 25, there will be one service of Holy Eu-

charist at 10:00 am in the Chapel

On Sunday January 1, there will be one service of Holy Eucharist with carols at

10:00 a.m. in the church. This is the last of the Christmas Services.

“From the Rector” cont’d on page 6

The Annunciation stained glass

window from the Chapel

Rector

The Rev. J. Nixon McMillan

Rector Emeritus

The Rev. Leslie C. Hughs

Priest Associate

The Rev. Ned Dougherty

Deacon.

The Rev. Nancy Rosenblum

Organist-Choir Director

Steven L. Rosenberry

Sexton

James H. Noisette

Wardens

Judy Condo

Bob Walenta

Vestry

Candace Deisley

Lisa Kissinger

Sandy Lowery

Mary Jane McGuire

Geoffrey Moore

Perry Smith

Katherine Storms

Valerie Thompson

Treasurer

Denise Mason

Secretary

Sharon Kasman

Who’s Who

at St. Paul’s

1

OUTREACH

ACTIVITY

Outreach at Christmas

The Episcopal Relief & Development

2011Christmas catalog allows you to

make meaningful gifts that honor both

the Christchild and your loved one. Open the colorful pages of Gifts for Life.

Find a life-saving or community-enhancing program that speaks to you. Make

your donation online, by mail or by phone. When the acknowledgement card

arrives in the mail from ERD, personalize it for your honoree. Explain your

choice. You have found an easy way to introduce a friend or relative, maybe a

youngster, to a means of sharing abundance in a way that respects and benefits

all parties. Gifts for Life catalogs are available in the narthex at church and

online at www.er-d.org/gifts for life.

Traditional St. Paul‟s ways to help others at Christmas are familiar by now. The

Mitten Tree will soon brighten the narthex with cheerful hats, scarves, gloves

and mittens for adults and children. Patrons at local food pantries will be glad to

receive these warm and useful expressions of our concern for them this winter.

Remember, too, that participants in the USDA Food Stamp do not receive any-

thing extra to see them through Thanksgiving or Christmas. Your generosity

with additional non-perishable food and toiletries will ease the pinch. Interfaith

Partnership for the Homeless on Sheridan Ave. encourages your dropping coins,

rolled or unrolled, in the jugs at church for the annual Pennies for Haven appeal.

Checks made out to IPH are welcome, as well.

This Year and Next

St. Paul‟s response to the plight of those

battered by Tropical Storm Irene took the

form of donated implements, household

goods, cleaning supplies and $470 to bol-

ster the discretionary fund established at

St. Christopher‟s Church in Cobleskill,

NY. Our gratitude to Susan Lawrence for

her leadership and initiative at this im-

portant moment.

The 2012 Martin Luther King Interfaith

Memorial Service will take place on Jan-

uary 15th at 7PM. Mark the date.

St. Paul‟s will forge a stronger partner-

ship with St. Andrew‟s to help the com-

munity of La Hoye, Haiti. More information from the Haiti Work Group can be

found on page 6.

Getting to Know “Healing a Woman’s Soul”

On Saturday evening, October 15, St. Paul‟s hosted a fund-raising

event for “Healing a Woman‟s Soul”. A few weeks earlier guest

preacher, Rev. Anne Curtain, told us poignantly about her ministry

to victims of domestic abuse in the Capital Area. To the delight of

the crowd of about 20 attendees, Ann McMillan and Gretchen

Coyner coordinated the culinary magic that filled the long buffet

table in McEwan hall with tasty specialties. Local performer Ann

Carter-Cox‟s music on harp and Nixon‟s piano playing filled the

space as guests and supporters contributed $3,100 through silent

auction bids to strengthen this much-needed ministry to women

and children. Rev. Curtain can be contacted at 465-4737 at her

office at 68 State Street, Albany 12210. Thanks to all who are sup-

porting this important work.

Performance by Ann Carter-Cox

Handmade Goods on Display for Sale

Ann McMillan & Rev. Curtain

Lovely Donated Items Adorn Tables

2

Paul wrote, “Now it is required that

those who have been given a trust

must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians

4:2). How blessed we are that our

God can be trusted totally and that

he loves and trusts us enough to be

nhis ambassadors and representa-

tives here on earth. Through the

working of the Holy Spirit, we can

be faithful to His trust.

We can be faithful to His trust by

supporting His church by returning

a proportion of what He has given

us. Your opportunity to fulfill that

trust will come on December 4th at

the parish stewardship luncheon. By

ow, I hope you have confirmed with

your host that you and your family

will attend and considered the infor-

mation you have been receiving in

the mail. If you have not received an

invitation, please contact me at

ML325@aol.com or 459-0764, or

just feel free to “walk in.” You need

bring nothing except yourself, your

family and your love of Christ, but

your parish needs you. I trust that

we will see you there.

Mark Lowery

Stewardship Chair

3

Trust is an important part of a rela-

tionship between spouses, between

parents and children, between em-

ployers and employees, and be-

tween friends. Former President

Dwight (Ike) Eisenhower illustrat-

ed the concept of trust by describ-

ing an event from his earlier days

on a Kansas farm.

“An older farmer had a cow we

wanted to buy.” the president said.

“We went over to visit him and

asked about the cow‟s pedigree.”

“Don‟t know,” replied the farmer.

“Well, how‟s her butterfat produc-

tion?” we asked.

“Don‟t know.”

“Let‟s see,” my dad finally said.

“How many pounds of milk does

she give each year?”

“Don‟t know that either,” said the

farmer shaking his head. “But I do

know she‟s an honest cow and

she‟ll give you all the milk she

has!”

“Well,” Ike concluded. “I‟m kinda

like that old cow. You can always

trust me to give you everything I

have.”

Life would be so much easier if we

could take people at their word. It

doesn‟t take long to discover that

talk is cheap, so we are forced to

decide whom or what we will

trust. Where do we place our faith

The Importance of Trust

and confidence? Do we trust God as

our source of life and things? Trust-

ing is not an easy thing to do. We

may trust God in some things but

not all things. By nature, we are

self-reliant, and we live in a society

that admires self-reliance and dis-

courages trust in anyone other than

oneself.

Trust knows that God loves us and

wants the best for us. Complete trust

in God is seeking God himself, ra-

ther than his gifts. Knowing God,

through Christ, brings about a self-

surrender and total trust in Him.

Then our trust is not dependent on

what He gives, but who He is. In the

same manner that God proves he is

trustworthy, God wants us to prove

our trustworthiness. The apostle

Cut alo

ng th

e dotted

lines an

d sav

e as a bookm

ark fo

r reference

Lectionary

Readings December 2011

Second Sunday of Advent December 4, 2011

Isaiah 40:1-11

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

2 Peter 3:8-15a

Mark 1:1-8

Third Sunday of Advent December 11, 2011

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

Psalm 126

or Luke 1:46b-551

Thessalonians 5:16-24

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Fourth Sunday of Advent December 18, 2011

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Luke 1:46b-55

or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26

Romans 16:25-27

Luke 1:26-38

Nativity of the Lord - Proper I December 24 & 25, 2011

Isaiah 9:2-7

Psalm 96

Titus 2:11-14

Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)

Nativity of the Lord - Proper II December 24 & 25, 2011

Isaiah 62:6-12

Psalm 97

Titus 3:4-7

Luke 2:(1-7), 8-20

Nativity of the Lord - Proper III December 24 & 25, 2011

Isaiah 52:7-10

Psalm 98

Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)

John 1:1-14

ST. PETER’S OVERFLOW HOMELESS SHELTER NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

St. Peter‟s Church, along with Partners in Outreach, operates an over-

flow homeless shelter during the winter months to augment the ministry

of the Capital City Rescue Mission. The Mission selects 12-15 men

from their population and brings them, along with a Mission Resident

Assistant, to St. Peter‟s at 8:00 in the evening and they stay until

7:00am. Volunteers sign up to stay during the overnight hours and act

as an extra pair of hands assisting the Mission Resident Assistant. The

shelter is opening on December 1 this year. See Kate Storms for more

information if interested in volunteering.

Thank you to everyone who participated (the St.

Paul's AIDS Care Team participated) and helped

make the AIDS Walk 2011 a success. This

year‟s AIDS Walk raised $100,000. In addition,

$30,000 in matching funds will be provided

by AIDS United. Mark your calendars for

next year‟s AIDS Walk on September 29, 2012.

Thank you again for your support.

Lord, when

did we see you

hungry or thirsty

or a stranger or

naked or sick or in prison, and did not

minister to you?

4

5

After much research to find the best value and a low cost, we have decided to acquire a new Canon copier for the office. This will replace our greatly-used ma-chine that requires more and more frequent service.

We have been successful with restricting

smoking outside of the front doors of the

church. This has been done to accommodate

the requests of the Achievements day care

center and to reduce the amount of litter by

the front doors.

We discussed various options to pro-vide emergency power for the Recto-

ry‟s sump pump. Investigation will continue.

Rector’s Report: 2 of our young adults

attended a retreat at the Spiritual Life Cen-

ter. St. Paul‟s was well-represented at the

“Healing a Woman‟s Heart” event. Still

room on the bus

trip to Bos-

ton. Attend-

ance for Oc-

tober – need

to work hard-

er on captur-

ing names,

addresses,

phone #s of

visitors. It‟s

important for

parishioners to

wear nametags!

Small crew worked on fall clean up in

early November.

Warden‟s Report: The Columbarium

Committee will be convening in

November; Judy Condo will chair

the Nominating Committee.

Treasurer’s Report: Parishioners are

encouraged to make their year-end

contributions. Please support our fundraisers

for the Music program. We discussed

the need for a computer back-up and

purchasing a more updated bookkeep-

ing and payroll software programs. We

will need to organize a capital cam-

paign in the near future to raise money

for replacing the roof.

Parishioners will be encouraged to

pair up for coffee hour to minimize

the financial impact on one household. Ju-

dy Condo (new Hospitality Chair) will be

encouraging more parishioners to sign

up!

Meeting November 8, 2011 For the complete meeting minutes, please see

Molly Gilbert (Clerk) or Rev. Nixon McMillan.

NOTES FROM THE VESTRY

Submitted by Lisa Kissinger

“From the Rector” cont’d from front cover…

There is an envelope included with this Epistle in which you may make special contributions toward the music and sea-

sonal decorating as A Thanksgiving or In Memory of Loved Ones. Please return the envelope to the office by Sunday

December 18 to have names listed in the Christmas bulletins.

May we be richly blessed as we serve God in this place, and as we experience the splendor of Advent and Christmas

with word and music in our magnificent church building with loving people!

May we be blessed by God‟s presence now and forever! Peace, Nixon+

Our 2012 Stewardship campaign w

ill be

launched on Sunday, December 4

th with

a special lu

nch.

UPDATE FROM HAITI WORK GROUP

The October fund-raiser at the Cathedral made about $8,000. The St. Andrew's/St. Paul's share will go toward paying

teachers' salaries at School of St. Jacques in La Hoye, Haiti, and toward providing a source of potable water and hy-

giene education for the school and its families.

There is no water at the school for drinking or hygiene. Some children bring enough water to drink but not enough

for hygiene issues. The nearest water is at the well, which is a half mile from

the school. Tests showed some type of bacteria in the water. We hope to

work with our partners in LaHoye to get a well dug at the school/church loca-

tion. We are also co-operating with a team affiliated with RPI that has de-

veloped an inexpensive water filter which can be used by each family in

LaHoye to reduce the amount of water-borne pathogens by 90 percent..

St Paul's Haiti Work Group is planning a luncheon meeting after church

one Sunday in January to show photos of LaHoye taken by members of St.

Andrew's on their visits to LaHoye and to demonstrate the operation of the

water filter .

Submitted by Kate Storms

Christmas for Mariners and The Mitten Tree The St. Paul's Knitters who meet on the second Wednesday of each month decided at our November meeting to give

our hand-knitted scarves and hats to the Mariners who come to the Port of Albany, as we have the past couple of

years. This means we do not spend money on postage to New York City. In addition to

our knitted articles, we will give the 2012 Calendars which parishioners have put in the

narthex. We will prepare these items for delivery at our December 14 meeting. Those

knitting at home who would like to contribute to this ministry should bring the items to

church by Dec. 11.

The Mitten Tree will again collect mittens, scarves, hats and gloves for people of all ag-

es. These items can be hand or machine made. They will be given to a local food pantry

to help our neighbors in need keep warm this winter. In addition to the warm accesso-

ries, please remember that people can not use food stamps to buy toiletries, diapers and

wipes, so these items are always needed at the food pantry.

Submitted by Carolyn Burnworth

6

The Misses Eliza, Catherine, Mary Ann, and Jane Carter

and the case of

The Erben Organ in Need of Redemption

The anonymous author of the letter

specified that the request came

from persons outside the congrega-

tion, and definitely not from mem-

bers of the vestry.

Why would St. Paul‟s new Erben

organ, built by one of New York

City‟s premier organ-builders, and

a highlight of the new building,

require redemption? In brief, the

organ had not been purchased; the

vestry, already overextended by

purchase of the land and construc-

tion of the church building, was

unwilling to go further in debt. In-

stead, the builder loaned the instru-

ment to the congregation, taking

notes of credit from members of

the congregation acting as individ-

uals. When all but one of those

who signed notes had financial

reversals, the remaining signer was

forced to retract his backing as

well, and the organ was in danger

of being removed. Much of this

background had not been made

public, and many, even some with-

in the congregation, assumed that

the vestry had been fiscally irre-

sponsible. The misunderstanding

was cleared up in another anony-

mous letter to the editor, but the

appeal to the young ladies was de-

nied: they chose to use the pro-

ceeds for the poor, as originally

intended. The Misses Carter must

have been in-

volved in the

young ladies‟

discussions, but

we will never

know whether

they agreed or

disagreed with

the decision.

We do know

that that they later returned to St.

Peter‟s, for reasons we can only

guess.

Our Christmas story does, howev-

er, have a happy ending: the organ

was redeemed, and served the con-

gregation until 1839, when it was

sold, along with the Ferry Street

building, to a Roman Catholic con-

gregation. And while the Misses

Carter‟s young ladies didn‟t help

with purchase of the organ, the

young ladies of the Albany Female

Academy did. Early in January

1832, the rector, warden and vestry

publicly thanked them for a gener-

ous gift of $50

Submitted by Paul Nance

A mong the good people

who sat in St. Paul‟s

pews in December

1831 were the Misses

Eliza, Catherine, Mary Ann, and

Jane Carter, four young women

who had transferred from St. Pe-

ter‟s the previous spring. These

“Irish ladies of culture and refine-

ment” operated The Misses

Carter‟s School near the corner of

Maiden Lane and North Pearl

Street, where a former student said

that they “won an almost reveren-

tial attachment from those who

were the recipients of their care”.

Not merely cultured and refined,

these sisters were also industrious:

in later years they operated a

boardinghouse favored by mem-

bers of the legislature.

In addition to a rigorous course of

academic study, the Misses Carter

trained their young ladies in a vari-

ety of needle arts. Two days before

Christmas, the young ladies of the

Misses Carter‟s School held “A

Fair of Fancy Articles,” with the

proceeds to be used for “relief of

the poor”. The day after the fair,

however, an “urgent appeal” was

described in a letter to an Alba-

ny newspaper, that the proceeds

instead be used to redeem St.

Paul‟s organ.

“You don't think your way into a new kind of living.

You live your way into a new kind of thinking.”

― Henri J.M. Nouwen

7

8

DECEMBER 2011

Dec 3

Soup Kitchen (Grace & Holy Innocents

Church) (See Kate Storms)

Messiah Sing-along 2:00 p.m.

Dec 4

Lessons and Carols 10:30 a.m. service

Stewardship Luncheon after the 10:30 a.m.

service in McEwan Hall

Dec 10

Soup Kitchen (9:30 a.m. Grace & Holy

Innocents Church)

(See Prudence Backman)

Boston Trip 8:00 a.m.

Dec 14 St. Paul’s Knitters

(after 12:10 p.m. Eucharist)

Dec 17 The Prayer Shawl Knitters (9:30 a.m.)

Dec 24

Children’s Service 4:30 p.m. in the Chapel

Christmas Eve Service 7:30 p.m.

(Reception following)

Dec 25 Service 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel

M usic Notes

from the Music Director

DECEMBER 2011

CHORAL MUSIC

Dec 4

10:30 a.m.

(A Service of Lessons and Carols with

Holy Communion. A meditation

on Christ's Advent and Nativity)

Pearson - Advent Processional

Bruckner - Ave Maria

Cooman - Adam lay ybounden

Willan - The Three Kings

Hassler - Verbum caro factum est

Dec 11

10:30 a.m.

Byrd - Magnificat

Hassler - Dixit Maria

Dec 18

10:30 a.m.

Manz - E'en so Lord Jesus, quickly come

Stravinsky - Ave Maria

Dec 24

7:30 p.m.

Hassler - Missa Secunda

Ledger - On Christmas Night

Hinton - Torches

Holst - Lullay my liking

English trad - This Endris night and Boar's Head

Carol

15th cent anon. - There is no rose

Flecha - Villancicos de Navidad

Do you have something to

share in the Epistle ?

Please send it to the editors:

Deborah Regimbald

(dr06892004@yahoo.com)

or

Joan Pflieger

(jpflieger@nycap.rr.com)

Saturday, December

3 at 2 P.M. A Christmas Messiah

Sing Along. Bring your

score (or borrow one of ours)

to Handel‟s Messiah (Part I plus

Hallelujah) and sing in the chorus

for this most famous of Handel‟s ora-

torios. Soloists Amanda Boyd, Susan-

nah Fedak, William Harrison, Allan

Kirk will sing the arias and organist

Edward Heffron will accompany on the church‟s magnifi-

cent 68-rank Casavant pipe organ.

Steven Rosenberry conducting.

Admission $10.

Reception following.

Non Profit Org.

US POSTAGE PAID

Albany, NY

Permit No. 259

Or Current Resident

St Paul's Episcopal Church in Albany

21 Hackett Blvd

Albany NY 12208-3496

CONTACT INFORMATION

Internet

Church Website:

http://www.stpaulsplace.org

Church e-mail:

stpaulsec@logical.net

St. Paul‟s Episcopal Church

21 Hackett Boulevard

Albany, NY 12208 Write

Church Phone: 518-463-2257

Rectory Phone: 518-451-9549

Fax: 518-463-2981

Phone

Want to Get Involved

at St. Paul's?

Activities at St. Paul's are organized by

committees called Triads. A contact list is

included on the back of each Sunday's Bul-

letin. We have Triads to help us plan and

organize activities for:

Children and Adult Spiritual Formation

Buildings and Grounds

Hospitality

Outreach

Music

Altar

St. Paul‟s celebrates the Holy Eucharist on Sundays at 8 a.m. (Quiet Holy Eucharist in the

Chapel followed by Coffee Hour) and 10:30 a.m. (Holy Eucharist with Choir and Organ in the

Sanctuary followed by Coffee Hour) and on Wednesdays at 12:10 p.m. Daily Morning Prayer

is said at 9 a.m.

Schedule of Services

Birthdays and

Anniversaries

We would like to add

birthdays and anniver-

saries to our bulletin.

Please call the church

office at 463-2257 with

your birthday or anni-

versary date or send

dates to us via e-mail:

stpaulsec@logical.net

so we can update our

membership database.

Office Hours

The Church Office is

open Monday through

Thursday from 9:00 a.m.

to 12:00 p.m. and from

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Please plan your phone

calls and visits between

those times.