A Better Way to Connect

St. Paul’s Online, Interactive Directory

There’s no need to download anything- If you can use Facebook, you can use this new system. One might even say it will be… a breeze.

Link to Breeze

When you become a member of St. Paul's, an email is sent inviting you to Breeze. if you can't find that email and would like another invitation, fill out the form uusing the link above to request it.

With Breeze, each member has their own username and password. This is the most important reason we upgraded from the old system of posting a PDF directory on the website under a shared password. These days, that’s not responsible stewardship of our parishioners’ personal information. Lists like this are easy to steal and sell to unscrupulous marketing companies.

Breeze integrates with QuickBooks and takes online payments, which makes tracking pledges much easier for our treasurer—and for you.

There is only one problem with Breeze: it’s only as good as the data we put into it. The data we imported from our old system was sorely out-of-date and disorganized.

When you look yourself up, you may notice that your child is listed as your spouse, or the address we have on file from you has been out of date for three years. Maybe your name is even spelled wrong! We need your help cleaning up your entry so that our information is as up-to-date as possible.

What should I do first?

Look someone up!

1. Click the People tab at the top of the webpage.

2. Type a name into the search bar on the left, then type “enter” to search. Or scroll down until you find the person you’re looking for, and click on them.

3. Now you can see the person’s email address, phone number, and mailing address. You can also see other members of their household.

Now, try looking up yourself and your family members. What updating does your profile need? If you can upload a photo to help people get to know you, that would be a wonderful act of hospitality.

Check on your pledge!

1. Click the My Profile tab at the top of the webpage.

2. Click the Giving icon on the left of the webpage.

3. This page has two types of giving you can track: Giving (which is non-pledge donations) and Pledges. You can click between those two little tabs to look at details for each, and even export an Excel spreadsheet.

If you like learning from videos, here’s an introductory one from Breeze about your new account.

A very special thanks is due to Angelo Troiano, who worked hard to transition us from our old system and get us started on Breeze!

Questions? Concerns? Please reach out to the Wardens or to Angelo. We’re still learning the system alongside you. It can do lots more than act as a directory, and we’re excited to see how our use of Breeze can continue to grow as we use it.

Christmas 2022 Fun

When I was growing up, I almost never went to church on Christmas Morning.

Christmas Eve was for church. Sometimes, I went to two or three services on Christmas Eve, depending on which my family was attending and whether or not I was singing in a choir. But almost never on Christmas Morning.

Christmas Morning was for presents. As important as church was at Christmas, it was a distant memory as soon as would I first see our tree with presents under it.

So, as clergy, I never expected to see many people at a Christmas Morning Eucharist. That’s why, at the beginning of Advent, I suggested something fun: anyone who would be there on Christmas Morning was encouraged to attend in pajamas. (Mainly, I really didn’t want to have to get out of pajamas on Christmas.)

What a beautiful surprise, then, that this year, almost 25% of our Christmas attendees were there on Christmas Morning! And half of them wore pajamas!

One thing I love about St. Paul’s is that, while we take worship seriously, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. I loved connecting with some of the kids over my Baby Yoda Christmas pajama pants and seeing the fun pajamas everyone wore.

One more detail from our Christmas worship: at the 4pm service on Christmas Eve, I noticed just before worship began that our altar party was entirely female. Priest, server, Eucharistic minister, crucifer, and torch bearers—all of us were women or girls. The altar party prays together before we begin worship, but before beginning that prayer, I reminded them, “Very recently, not one of us would’ve been allowed to do what we’re about to do.” Some of them were surprised, so I explained that a bunch of women sitting in the pews that night had wanted to serve as acolytes growing up, but hadn’t been allowed to.

Our accidentally all-female altar party was completely normal at St. Paul’s. But in the history of the Christian church, it was remarkable. What an honor to be part of something so special to celebrate the birth of our savior!

Merry Christmas, all!

P.S. Most Valuable Player award goes to Cori, who served at all three Christmas services with me.

Lamenting, mourning, acting together

My heart is broken once again. One week after a gunman killed Dr. John Cheng at a Taiwanese Presbyterian church in Laguna Woods, CA. Nine days after another gunman killed 10 Black people in a Buffalo, NY supermarket. Here we are yet again.

As I am sure you have heard, yet another gunman killed at least 19 children and two teachers at a school in Uvalde, TX yesterday.

I have no words of wisdom. Instead, I'm writing to share two things:

Service of Lament, Saturday 7pm

On Saturday at 7pm, St. Paul's will host a Service of Lament. Please invite any members of the Southington community or surrounding areas who may want to attend.

This is a time to gather so that we can mourn those who have died, lament with those who are left behind, and discern what actions God is calling us to take. Prayer is not an action in itself; rather, it is the action we take to discern and fortify whatever it is we need to do next.

Message from Our Bishops

Today, Bishops Ian and Laura released a message about the Uvalde, TX shooting. You can read their message here.

Both Bishop Ian and Bishop Laura have been leaders in the important work of Bishops United Against Gun Violence. And I'm so grateful that Bishop Laura will be able to pray with us on Saturday evening.

The stresses of COVID, gun violence, white supremacy, a struggling economy, and so many other factors are compounding and causing very real trauma for all of us. Please reach out to me (and to each other) for support at this time so that we can continue to be about the work God has in store for us.

I conclude with the prayer our bishops shared today:

Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding. Deal graciously with the families of the victims of the Uvalde school shooting in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.