As our effort to protect St. Paul's from further water damage continues to gain strength through the generosity of our people, I think it good to celebrate one of the most important aspects of this stewardship ministry: common sense.

It makes sense to fix a leaking roof before it gets worse. It makes sense to protect such irreplaceable assets as our windows and organ. It makes sense to get out of debt so you stop paying high interest rates. All of these basic ideas are at the heart of our capital campaign.

But the common sense doesn't end there. We also have the common sense to make sure the work we are about to do is done right. Our plan calls for a checks-and-balance system between a project manager who is a trained architect/engineer, and, a contractor expert in the work of repairing roofs and walls. We know from our Lutheran neighbors down the street whose roof is the same as ours: you can get the leaks fixed once and for all. It makes sense to do it right.

Finally, we have the common sense to practice sound financial management. We are committed to a balanced budget, to fiscal responsibility. It is common sense to show people you know how to handle money if you are asking them to invest: and that is exactly what we are doing at St. Paul's. So please make your pledge to our capital campaign! We can't do it without you.

Thank you, +Steven

"lex orandi, lex credendi"

Welcome to Lent at St. Paul's!

This year, in keeping with our year-long theme of "Back To Basics", we will be offering an immersion in the very ground of what it means to be an Episcopalian: The Book of Common Prayer. Through worship, study and fellowship, we will explore the rich history, theology and resources of this definitive work of Anglican genius.

If your Latin is a little rusty, "lex orandi. lex credendi" is a phrase from a 5th century theologian, Prosper of Aquitaine, that means "the law of prayer establishes the law of belief". In other words, what and how we pray defines what and how we believe.

That is Anglicanism in a nutshell. Or, to describe it more fully, consider these words by the Rev. Jeffrey Lee in his work, Opening The Prayer Book:

The prayer book does not offer precise doctrinal formulations that must be adhered to; rather, it provides the forms that outline our practice of the Christian faith, shaped principally by worship. If you ask an Anglican what it means to belong to the church, the answer might well be, "Come and worship with us." Being an Anglican means doing what the church does – and what the church does, first and foremost, is worship the living God. It is out of our common worship that our understanding of God proceeds and our ethical and moral decision-making takes shape.

To renew our awareness of ourselves as Anglicans, we will renew our familiarity with the Book of Common Prayer. We will study it, use it, and reflect on it as our shared Lenten discipline. We will rejoice in its ancient heritage, while enjoying how it speaks to us today with language of grace and words of meaning.

So get out your Prayer Book! Start carrying it to church! A journey is about to begin and you will need your guide book to find your way through its landscape of faith and wonders!

The Guild of St. George needs plastic grocery bags.

Recycling at its finest! Please save your plastic grocery bags for our clients in the Food Pantry. You may place them in the basket at the Reception Desk in the Education Building.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

St. Paul’s Cathedral is having a mug drive!

Please donate unwanted mugs that are in good shape for use during coffee hour. You will not get your mugs back so make sure it is not one of your special mugs. If you have been bringing your mug on Sundays, you can take it home and leave it there.

Through the mug drive, we hope to have enough mugs for everyone. And you can still order fair trade and organic coffee.

If you have any questions please call Ferrella March at 405-314-3757 or catch her at church.

The results of the elections at St. Paul's Annual Meeting on January 29, 2012, are as follows.

Vestry - 4 positions (all are 3-year terms)

• Lauren Bass
• Don Resler
• Sharon Rysted
• Evan Walter

Convention Delegates - 9 positions:

• Marshall Binns
• Ann Bonsteel
• Hank Bowen
• Gary Derrick
• Dian Everett
• Mary Lu Jarvis
• Larry Joplin
• John Koons
• Steve Parker
• First Alternate:  Ferrella March
• Second Alternate:  Ann Murray

 

St. Paul's Annual Report for 2011 will be presented at the annual meeting.  Click here to read your advance copy.

Please Print the Pledge Year

If you are still paying your 2011 pledge, please mark the memo section "2011"; likewise if you are paying your 2012 pledge, please mark accordingly. This helps the bookkeeper greatly during this busy time.

We are in need of volunteers to greet newcomers at our Sunday services, especially at the 11am service. Please sign up on the sheet in Narthex if you are interested in helping in this important ministry.

Please read about our impressive slate of Vestry Nominees for this year.  Each nominee has written about his or her Qualities and Experiences as well as what he or she sees as the Needs and Concerns of our cathedral parish. We will be voting on them at the annual meeting on January 29.

Our Confirmation/Reception Class 2012 will begin January 15, 2012. Click here to view the syllabus, including class schedule, required reading list, and other information is available online.

We are publishing an updated St. Paul's Directory and need your help! It is time for us to update our database with any changes, additions or deletions that may have occurred in your family.

• Have you changed your phone number? Cancelled your home phone?
• E-mail address?
• Have you recently moved or are you planning to move soon?
• Are all of your children still at home and are they all included in your membership record?
• Is your other household information correct?

If you have not already informed the church office about changes to your record, please let us know now so that the information is in the 2011 St. Paul's Directory is correct.

There is a proofing copy of the directory at the front desk in the reception area, so you can see if your records are up-to-date and write in whatever changes are necessary.  You may also call the office at 235-3436 or email spcoffice@stpaulsokc.org to make changes.