Welcome to
The Church of St. Paul and Incarnation!
An Episcopal / Anglican Parish
in the Heart of Jersey City
“It Should Sound Like You’re Praying”
It’s been more than twenty years since Sue
and I first walked through the red doors of St. Paul’s. That first Sunday, we
were moved and impressed by so much: the beauty of the church, the warmth of
the welcome, the authenticity of Fr. Hamilton’s preaching, the exuberant
passing of the peace, and also the excellence of the music. Nothing in our
background prepared us for the central role of music in the life of this
church. Previously, I hadn’t given much thought to church music, hearing it as
a kind of underscore meant to cover otherwise quiet parts of the service. That
was definitely not the case at St. Paul’s! While the choir was quite good, I
was even more impressed to see and hear that most people in the pews sang the
hymns, maybe not always on key, but with reverence and joy. And, maybe most
surprising of all, everyone seemed perfectly happy to sing every verse,
no matter how long it took!
Over my years as a St. Paul’s
parishioner, I came to know and love many of the hymns in The Hymnal 1982 and Lift
Every Voice and Sing, gradually discovering church music’s power. However,
not being much of a singer, I was content to offer just a quiet voice, easily
drowned out (I hoped) by the rest of the congregation. That was more than
enough for me.
When I was discerning a call to
ordained ministry, I don’t think I gave much thought to my vocation’s musical
aspects. But, when I arrived at General Seminary, I discovered that many of my
classmates had sung in choirs for years, and some even had professional musical
training. It quickly became clear that, musically, at least, I was way out of
my depth. Occasionally at chapel services, what I had thought was my quiet singing
voice would draw sideways glances from classmates. That was bad enough. Worse
was the fact each of us seminarians had to audition with David Hurd, the
brilliant, but (to me, anyway) pretty intimidating professor of church music
(and organist, choir director, and composer). I remember waiting outside the
classroom where the auditions were happening, listening as my classmates sang
for him one by one. To my ears, they all sounded great, pushing my already high
anxiety through the roof. By the time it was my turn, I felt like I was going
to pass out. Professor Hurd asked me for my favorite hymn. In my moment of
panic, I couldn’t think of even one hymn. As I looked at him blankly, he said,
“If you don’t pick something, you’ll sing ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’.” I
said that was fine, found the page in the hymnal, and we began.
I don’t think I made it through “glory
to the newborn king” before Professor Hurd stopped playing, waved his hands in
the air, and said, “I think we have a problem.” My stomach dropped. It felt
like a waking nightmare. I was ready to be sent packing, but, instead, he
patiently played notes, asking me to listen and try to match pitch. After I finally
settled down, I was able to do that, and the professor concluded that I was not
tone-deaf, just a really bad singer!
Over the next few months, Professor
Hurd generously worked with me one-on-one, focusing on chanting, which I would
need to learn for the final exam. At home, I spent hours chanting along with a
recording of the Thanksgiving Over Water from the Baptism service. In the end,
I did OK, though, despite David Hurd’s best efforts, I could never quite manage
to chant the word “water” without a Jersey accent.
Anyway, I felt a great sense of
accomplishment – and a great relief to be done. And, I remember thinking that I
probably would never serve in a church where I would be required to chant.
Wrong. I began my ordained ministry as
a deacon at Grace Church in Madison. I had never expected to serve in a large
suburban church like Grace, a place with many vibrant ministries, most
especially an extraordinary music program led by the brilliant Anne Matlack. The
adults, teenagers, and children in the choir were amazingly talented, singing
lots of different music so very well. In my first few months, I was dazzled by
it all, but gnawing at the back of my mind was the knowledge that once I was
ordained a priest, I would stand at the altar in front of the choir (not to
mention the congregation) and have to chant the Sursum Corda and the Preface.
When that moment arrived, just as I was
about to begin, I looked out at the faces of the choir, little kids to senior
citizens, most of them watching me with what seemed like a mix of curiosity and
encouragement. Then, I stretched out my arms, took a deep breath, glanced down
at the altar book, and began to chant, The
Lord be with you…
Later, Anne Matlack helped me finally
lose my nervousness about chanting. More than that, she reminded me of what all
church music is supposed to be about, reminded me of what the church is
supposed to be about, reminded me of what I
am supposed to be about. I forget how it came up, but one day she commented
about my chanting, “It should sound like you’re praying.” In the years since, I
have often thought of those words, remembering that, while hitting the right
notes is important, my responsibility - and our task together - is to pray.
Of course, everyone who knows the
incomparable Gail Blache-Gill knows that she sees her work as ministry. No one
can hear her sing without also hearing profound prayers offered to God. For
many weeks now, Gail has been organizing our first musical event since the
start of the pandemic: the Sixth Annual Choral Festival of Peace. Each year,
this gathering of our own musical talent, joined by choirs from near and far,
has been a deeply moving event, truly music as prayer. This year, we won’t be
able to be together in person. That’s too bad, but it also frees us from
worrying about transportation, parking, and getting home before dark. And, by
presenting this year’s festival on the church Facebook page, our whole extended
congregation, stretching from here to California, will be able to join us!
So, please mark your calendars for NEXT
Sunday, September 13, at 4:00 pm. Join us on our church Facebook page for a
time of beautiful music that will open our hearts, helping to create desperately
needed peace. It will definitely sound like we’re praying!
Prayers and Thanksgivings:
Please
pray for:
All
those on our parish prayer list, especially Jean, Andy, Kit, and Julio.
Students
and teachers, as they begin a new school year under very difficult circumstances.
On Labor Day weekend, we offer special prayers for the unemployed, the underemployed, and all those who unfairly compensated for their work.
Please
also remember in your prayers those who have died, and those who grieve their
loss:
Bertha
Rieling, former longtime St. Paul’s parishioner
All of
those who have died as a result of Covid -19
Jonathan
Leonardo, the brother of Yonar Candelario, in whose memory the altar flowers
are given.
And, we
give thanks for all those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries during
September
First Sunday
Parish Get-Together
Join us
this Sunday at 1:00pm on Zoom for our monthly parish get-together. It’s a
wonderful chance to see, and catch up, with fellow parishioners. This month we
will reflect on these two questions:
What is
helping you cope during this time of much fear and division? Are there
particular practices you have taken up or lifestyle changes you have made?
Share a
story about a time you saw God in someone who was created very different from
yourself. How did this experience change you?
Contact Fr. Tom at tmurphy@stpaulsjc.org for more information.
Supporting Our Church:
We are
aware that, unfortunately, some parishioners have been laid off or furloughed
and others are in danger of losing their jobs. Please know that you are in our
prayers and we are here to help any way we can. In these extremely challenging
economic times, we are especially grateful to those of you who have been able
to keep up with your pledges. You can still mail checks to the church or you
can use online giving. Visit stpaulsjc.org and click on "Online Giving."
We also have a Venmo account. Call the office or email me for more information.
Worship Schedule:
Monday through Friday: "Church By Phone"
Morning
Prayer, 7:30
Noonday
Prayer, 12:00
Evening
Prayer, 5:30
Call: 201-433-4922 for more information.
Sunday at 10:00am
Join us
on Facebook Live for a celebration of Holy Eucharist
www.facebook.com/StPaulsJC
From the Diocese:
Read
The Voice Online for all the latest news, including an inspiring message
from Bishop Hughes:
Lay Conversation with the Bishop
Bishop Hughes is eager to once again
spend time in conversation with the members of the diocese, to reflect and
consider what we, our churches, and our communities have learned and
experienced as we have adjusted to the changes this time has demanded of us.
On Thursday, September 17 at 6:00 pm we
will hold the monthly Lay Conversation with Bishop Hughes. Scheduled for 90
minutes, this Zoom conversation is open to all members of the diocese.
Sign-in instructions will be sent out
on Monday, September 14.
The Bishop’s Visit
Bishop Hughes will make her official visit (via Zoom) with us on
Sunday, September 27 during the 10:00am Service and “Coffee Hour.” Stay tuned
for more information about this joyful event!
New Jersey
Together
Thank
you to the more than 25 parishioners who joined with over 2,000 people from
across New Jersey at the New Jersey Together action on Monday evening. It was a
powerful event, revealing just some of the deep inequities in our state.
Several elected officials pledged to work on these issues, but we know that it
will require persistence and pressure on our part.
North Porch at
Triangle Park Community Center
As many of
you know, North Porch offers diapers, formula, and other assistance to families
with infants and young children. Since the need continues to grow, North Porch
is asking for financial donations through a GoFundMe campaign. Please consider
supporting this beautiful ministry:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/north-porch-mom-amp-infant-program?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&fbclid=IwAR2tibm9cDTU2k9BqFh-dtWMCn77qrsNaNBpNeMh7gcaW_M_reC03IdJpi4
DJ’s Free Market
Subscribe to
the DJ’s Newsletter to stay informed about this exciting new ministry led by
Deacon Jill:
The Arts at St. Paul & Incarnation:
The Choral Festival
of Peace
Join us at Facebook.com/StPaulsJC for
the Sixth Annual Choral Festival of
Peace on Sunday, September 13, at 4:00pm.
This year’s festival will feature music
by composers:
Shelton
Becton
Colin Britt
M. Roger Holland
W. Mark Howell
Tash Neal
Colin Britt
M. Roger Holland
W. Mark Howell
Tash Neal
And, performances
by members of:
The
Mark Howell Singers, Harlem
St Peter’s Prep “VOX”
New Jersey City University Music Department
Old Bergen Church, Jersey City
St. Paul & Incarnation Choirs
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Englewood
St Peter’s Prep “VOX”
New Jersey City University Music Department
Old Bergen Church, Jersey City
St. Paul & Incarnation Choirs
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Englewood
UpRooted
Visit our virtual gallery to see our latest exhibit:
Help for Renters and Homeowners:
There
is help available for renters and homeowners suffering because of the pandemic.
One is the website for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency: www.njhousing.gov. You can also call 1-800-NJ-HOUSE
(1-800-654-6873).
Helpful Resources:
State
of New Jersey Covid-19 Information Hub:
https://covid19.nj.gov
The
Diocese of Newark posts Covid-19 resources here:
https://dioceseofnewark.org/covid-19
You can
subscribe to diocesan newsletters here:
https://dioceseofnewark.org/subscribe
The
Episcopal Church has collected Covid-19 resources here:
https://episcopalchurch.org/concerning-covid19
"Habits
of Grace," weekly reflections from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry:
https://episcopalchurch.org/habits-of-grace
The
Church of England has some wonderful prayers and other materials here:
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-liturgy-and-prayer-resources
Fr.
Tom’s sermons can be found here:
http://tommurphe.blogspot.com