St. Paul's Episcopal Church Staten Island

+ Stations of the Cross +

2012-01-25T06:06:00.001-08:00

Fridays in Lent
7:00pm
Feb. 24th-March 30th

Please join us as we observe this ancient devotional practice
of walking the final stages of the earthly life of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Enter the parish through the red side -doors near the front of the church.

All Are Welcome.

+

The Stations of the Cross are a series of 14 plaques designed for a devotional purpose
that depict incidents in the last journey of Christ from Pilate’s house to the tomb of St. Joseph of Arimathea where He was buried.

Visiting the Stations, in order, probably arose out of the early attested practice of the pilgrims at Jerusalem following the traditional route of Jesus’ journey.

When these pilgrims returned to their home countries, they wished to observe a similar
devotion in their parish churches. The Franciscans especially, during the Middle Ages, made visiting the stations a popular devotion throughout the parish churches of Europe.

Participating in the ancient devotion of walking the Stations of the Cross is a means of sharing an intimate time with Christ, going through the journey with Christ who walked this road “for us men and for our salvation”.

On this road we become not mere visitors, not mere tourists
observing from afar something that happened nearly 2000 years ago.
In the mysterious way in which worship operates we somehow become drawn into Christ’s passion as participants ourselves.
We inflict the pain. We receive the pain. We share in Christ’s passion and in so doing,
we learn what it means to be followers of Christ.

Welcome to St. Paul's

2011-12-19T14:17:00.001-08:00

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
A Traditional Anglo- Catholic Parish

225 St. Paul's Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10304
718-273-9572

Sunday Mass Schedule:
Sung Mass 10:15 am

All Are Welcome.

Welcome to St. Paul's Memorial church, one of the oldest Anglo-Catholic Episcopal parishes in New York city. We are located in the landmarked "Mud Lane" section of Stapleton, an ethnically and culturally diverse neighborhood near the Staten Island ferry. Our beautiful church and rectory are triple landmarked Gothic Revival structures nestled among some of the finest examples of Victorian residential architecture. Our parish grounds are also home to a large award winning garden...a quiet place to come and be close to God. And we're as beautiful on the inside as we are on the outside. We warmly invite you to come visit us as we explore the Holy Mysteries of Christ and serve the community in love and fellowship with one another.

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2011-12-19T14:02:00.000-08:00

A Poem for Advent

2011-12-14T21:40:00.000-08:00

And the angel spoke and went to great trouble

with the man, who clenched his fists;

But dost thou not see by every fold

that she is as cool as God’s early day?

Yet the other looked somberly at him,

murmuring only: What has changed her so?

But at that the angel cried: Carpenter,

dost thou not yet see that the Lord God is acting?

Because thou makest boards, in thy pride

wouldst thou really call him to account

who modestly out of the same wood

makes leaves burgeon and buds swell?

He understood. And as he now raised his eyes

very frightened, to the angel,

he was gone. He pushed his heavy

cap slowly off. Then he sang praise.

Joseph’s Suspicion by Rainer Maria Rilke

Magnificat

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My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed forever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.

An Advent Invitation

2011-12-12T06:31:00.001-08:00

Advent Greetings: Rik Pike from The Episcopal Church on Vimeo.

Remembering Gwen Simmons

2011-11-17T05:56:00.000-08:00

First let me start of by saying my heart goes out to you for your loss and I am sorry I cannot be there with you all. I have had the privilege to come to know Ms Gwendolyn Simmons. From 1973 to 1977 she was my Assistant Principal at McKee high school. I cannot explain how much of an impact she has made on my life.

She was like a mother to me encouraging me through my tough times as a student. She was able to see the potential in me that some teachers did not see. She always had a way of correcting you with love and you could only receive it because it would benefit you. She always had someone else’s best interest at heart and she had the God given ability to make you believe that you could achieve anything that you put your mind to.

I called her momma Simmons because we had such a great relationship and she meant the world to me. I kept in touch with her ever since I graduated from McKee HS in 1977. She was a woman of wisdom and a soldier for the Lord. I say to you today, II Timothy 4: 7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearing”.

I will truly miss, Ms. Simmons she was a world changer a woman of integrity, a mother to me and an Angel for the Lord who never stopped reaching out to people for the good of God. She will always be in my heart.

God bless you all and remember what you do for others God will do for you. That was Gwendolyn Simmons a world changer and a soldier for God.

Love you all,

Demetrius Means

Gwendolyn Simmons, Rest In Peace

2011-11-17T05:55:00.001-08:00

Our beloved Gwendolyn Simmons went to her Savior on Friday morning October 28th, 2011. Gwen was an extraordinary person. She taught us to be kind toward one another; she taught our children the joy of faith. She gladdened our hearts and showered us with love. Her spirit will be with us always surrounding the second pew on the Epistle Side. We will miss her dearly.

http://www.silive.com/obituaries/index.ssf/2011/10/gwendolyn_simmons_86.html

WE INVITE FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO SHARE PERSONAL MEMORIES OF GWEN VIA EMAIL AT stpaulssi@aol.com. We will be posting a selection of your submissions here shortly.

Sacred Sites Program Open House at St. Paul's

2011-05-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

On Saturday and Sunday, May 21-22, St. Paul’s Memorial Church will participate in a city-wide open house in connection with the 25th anniversary of the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Sacred Sites program. The Church will be open from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM each day. Tours that include an historical overview and identification of key architectural elements will be conducted by St. Paul’s parishioners. A booklet will be available for those who prefer a self-guided tour.

The triple-landmarked Church of Gothic design was completed in 1870 and is one of only two structures remaining in New York City designed by Edward Tuckerman Potter, a renowned architect of that era. The second structure is the Church Rectory located next door, which will not be open to the public.

The Great Vigil of Easter

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Mandatum novum

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"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you"

Maundy Thursday; Altar of Repose.

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The Last Supper

They are assembled, astonished and disturbed

round him, who like a sage resolved his fate,

and now leaves those to whom he most belonged,

leaving and passing by them like a stranger.

The loneliness of old comes over him

which helped mature him for his deepest acts;

now will he once again walk through the olive grove,

and those who love him still will flee before his sight.

To this last supper he has summoned them,

and (like a shot that scatters birds from trees)

their hands draw back from reaching for the loaves

upon his word: they fly across to him;

they flutter, frightened, round the supper table

searching for an escape. But he is present

everywhere like an all-pervading twilight-hour.

by Rainer Maria Rilke
[On seeing Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper", Milan 1904.]

Palm Sunday

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Helping the Altar Guild: Holy Week Preparations

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Thanks to everyone who helped the Altar Guild with our Holy Week preparations!

The Services of Holy Week at St. Paul's

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Dear Members, Friends and Neighbors,

We invite you to join us for the wonderful services of Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday on

April 17, 2011. You are welcome here no matter where you may be on your spiritual journey. You are welcome with your doubts and uncertainties, your questioning and your problems. We invite you to come. During Holy Week our services are marked by the ancient ceremonies of the Christian Church – reverent, mystical and inducing a sense of awe and wonder at God’s love for us.

“God so loved the world,” and we want you to know that “God so loved you.” All that Christ did during Holy Week was done in love for you.

Come home for Holy Week. Come home to St. Paul’s

THE SERVICES OF HOLY WEEK:

4/21 Maundy Thursday (Jesus institutes the Blessed Sacrament)

7:30 p.m. High Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Procession to the Garden (the Altar of Repose)

Stripping of the Altar.

4/22 Good Friday (Christ is Crucified)

7:30 p.m. Solemn Liturgy of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Veneration of the

Holy Cross, Mass of the Presanctified.

4/23 Saturday: The Great Vigil of Easter

7:30 p.m. The Great Vigil, Lighting of the New Fire. Solemn Blessing of Baptismal Water,

Litany of the Saints, Renewal of Baptismal Vows and the First Mass of Easter.

At this service, Bishop Catherine S. Roskam will Preach and Celebrate the Mass.

Following the Vigil, there will be a reception and the Rectory will be rededicated by the Bishop.

4/24 Easter Sunday (The Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ)

10:15 a.m. Solemn Mass, Festival Procession. The Tisbury Service – Richard Shepherd

Anthems, He is Risen – Cope, Ave Verum – Mozart, Hallelujah Chorus - Handel

UPCOMING EVENTS AND SERVICES:

Saturday, May 7th, 2011
5:00 PM
STATEN ISLAND PHILHARMONIC
"Italianissimo"
The Staten Island Philharmonic will present a concert of music with an Italian flavor.
A "must hear" musical treat.

June 4th and 5th, 2011
St. Paul's Annual Flower Festival
Details coming soon.

Dorian Lake in Recital at St. Paul's

2011-03-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

A photo of Dorian Lake in recital this past Sunday at St. Paul's as part of our Sunday afternoon concert series. Congratulations, Dorian! By all accounts, it was a wonderful program...Thank you to everyone who helped make this such a great afternoon. And thank you Dorian for dazzling us with your vocal talents.

Stations of the Cross, Fridays during Lent at 7pm

2011-03-05T17:47:00.000-08:00

On Fridays during Lent we will recite the Stations of the Cross in procession beginning at 7pm in front of the High Altar. Please join us for this ancient devotional practice of walking the Stations, as we share an intimate time with Our Lord who walked this road "for us men and for our salvation".

(Enter the church through the red door on the left side of our driveway)

24th annual Victorian Festival of Lessons and Carols

2010-12-13T07:54:00.000-08:00

The Holy Of Holies by G.K. Chesterton

2010-10-10T06:09:00.000-07:00

"Elder father, though thine eyes
Shine with holy mysteries,
Canst thou tell what in the heart
Of a cowslip blossom lies?

"Smaller than all lives that be,
Secret as the deepest sea,
Stands a little house of seeds,
Like an elfin’s granary.

"Speller of the stones and weeds,
Skilled in Nature’s crafts and creeds,
Tell me what is in the heart
Of the smallest of the seeds."

’‘God Almighty, and with Him
Cherubim and Seraphim,
Filling all eternity—
Adonai Elohim."

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Bishop Roskam's Visitation and Confirmations

2010-01-25T06:27:00.000-08:00

It was a great blessing to have the Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of New York with us recently. Congratulations to all who were confirmed with the Apostolic Laying on of Hands by Bishop Roskam.

Strengthen, O Lord, your servants with your Holy Spirit; empower them for your service; and sustain them all the days of their lives. Amen.

The Gift by William Carlos Williams

2010-01-02T16:58:00.001-08:00

As the wise men of old brought gifts
guided by a star
to the humble birthplace

of the god of love,
the devils
as an old print shows
retreated in confusion.

What could a baby know
of gold ornaments
or frankincense and myrrh,
of priestly robes
and devout genuflections?

But the imagination
knows all stories
before they are told
and knows the truth of this one
past all defection

The rich gifts
so unsuitable for a child
though devoutly proffered,
stood for all that love can bring.

The men were old
how could they know
of a mother's needs
or a child's
appetite?

But as they kneeled
the child was fed.

They saw it
and
gave praise!

A miracle
had taken place,
hard gold to love,
a mother's milk!
before
their wondering eyes.

The ass brayed
the cattle lowed.
It was their nature.

All men by their nature give praise.
It is all
they can do.

The very devils
by their flight give praise.
What is death,
beside this?

Nothing. The wise men
came with gifts
and bowed down
to worship
this perfection.

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2009-12-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to pass,
which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe
lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad
the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2: 14-19

Congratulations, Father Walsted

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Solemn High Pontifical Mass
on the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary
of the Ordination to the Priesthood
of
John Howard Walsted

Sunday, 13 December, A.D.2009

Picnic at Father Walsted's

2009-08-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

On July 19th St. Paul's parishioners were treated to an afternoon of good food and good fellowship at the home of Father John Walsted and Father Jerry Keucher. Friends of Fathers Walsted and Keucher from other parishes were also in attendance. The festivities were serenaded by the rhythms of a steel band. Many thanks to Fathers Walsted and Keucher for their generosity!

More Picnic at Father Walsted's.

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Picnic at Father Walsted's.

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St. Paul's Garden and Grounds Cleanup 4/18/09

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Thank you to everyone who came out to help us clean up the garden area. It looks beautiful! Special thanks to Joe and Cheryl Gobin as well as to the many members of The Mud Lane Society who joined our crew for the day. Below are some action shots...raking, wheel-barrowing, weeding, bagging, pruning...and even some snails!