Dear Friends:
Seeing so many of you the last couple of weeks has been wonderful as we blessed backpacks and celebrated our Bruce Springsteen Eucharist. Personally, I know I am deeply blessed to be part of this vibrant and dynamic community.
This summer, the parish has been hard at work getting ready for this fall! Our Property Commission has overseen the upgrades of the Sanctuary lighting and installed new lighting in the Undercroft. We are awaiting a final shipment in late September to complete the installation of the last set of Undercroft lights. I am grateful to Greg Hammer and Rich Creehan, who oversaw the installation of the Sanctuary lighting, and to Russ and Paula Meyers, who did the bulk of the work installing the Undercroft lighting. We also installed new closets in the Undercroft and the Chapel to help keep our spaces organized and tidy. The 100th Anniversary Campaign has funded all of these projects. Thank you! We are grateful for those who have already made pledges and gifts to this important Campaign. Their sacrificial giving has a demonstrated impact on the mission of our parish. You can learn more about the 100th Anniversary Campaign on the Campaign webpage.
This coming Sunday, August 31, we will bless several new educational spaces on the third floor of our education wing. We have created a new Godly Play classroom on the third floor of the education wing and refurbished another classroom. I am grateful for our summer Sextons, who initially painted these rooms, and Karen Melvin, who painted murals on the walls. One of the classrooms will also serve as an additional conference room (called the 3rd Floor Conference Room) to be used by our Nursery School during the day and parish groups in the evening. This will help on busy evenings when all our spaces are booked!
As you enter the building, you may notice new monitors. These will help show where and when special events are happening in the church and shape a more welcoming environment. These were funded by a small St. Paul’s Endowment Fund grant.
I am particularly excited that we have developed and opened a Sensory Space on the third floor and Sensory Boxes in each Sunday School classroom this fall! These have been made in the spirit of our core value to share God’s love with all people, recognizing that many come to church with different sensory needs. Sometimes individuals need a place to release energy, while at other times they may need a quiet moment of calm. Our new space and resources provide both, offering supportive tools such as fidget toys, a sound machine, calming books, and a beanbag chair. These simple resources create a safe and welcoming environment for anyone who may need them during services and other church events. This initiative was funded by a small St. Paul’s Endowment Fund grant. Thank you to Ann Coffaro and Laura DiPanfilo who have worked to develop this space.
Last, I am excited to announce that starting on September 1st, Rebecca Oreto is being given an expanded role as Director of Operations. She will transition to serving as a salaried senior administrative staff member. She will continue in many of her current duties and assume responsibility for overseeing facility use and all facilities staff. Please congratulate Rebecca on this promotion!
I am looking forward to us entering the next season together. Please check out our fall page on our website for everything happening at St. Paul’s, and I hope to see you soon.
Peace,
The Reverend Noah H. Evans, Rector
P.S. Would you like to buy St. Paul’s T-shirts and gear? Check out our new merchandise store here (and also linked from the St. Paul’s website): https://www.bonfire.com/store/st-pauls-episcopal-church/