St. George's Episcopal Church, Schenectady, NY * St. George's Episcopal Church, Schenectady, NY

St. George's Episcopal Church

 

Goings On About the Parish...

June 2010

Secret Garden Tour

Several years of work have culimated in the gardens and grounds of St.
George's being lovingly restored to a "work of art" on our campus. A round of applause goes to the many volunteers from our congregation who pitched in and made it possible for St. George's to be included in the Stockade's Secret Gardens Tour on June 25th and 26th. This is what they saw..........................................................."


Parish Raffle

Local merchants, parishioners and the community helped St. George's launch a successful Raffle, to offset the cost of a sound system, as spearheaded by Nancy and Johnnie Angus. Tickets sold for $1 each or 15 for $5. A total of
$781 was raised and 29 lucky winners were recipients of some very nice gifts.

The prizes "on display."

Rick draws a winning ticket.

Fr. Paul reads the name of the person holding the winning ticket.

Don comes forward to claim his prize.

Bob shows Nancy his winning ticket after his name was called.

A good time in the Great Hall was had by all attending.

 

 

Nightwatch

(L-R) Fr. Paul Blanch, Tim Everhardt, Jen Thiessen, Kali Moran, JJ Moran, and Alice Polumbo, along with Maggie Blanch (missing from picture) attended in an all-night NIGHTWATCH event at the Cathederal of St. John the Divine in New York City. Among the activities: walking the labyrinth as pilgrims on a spiritual journey, a candlelight vigil of prayer, a sung Midnight Mass, and a tour of the Cathedral. Highlight of the overnight: sleeping in the crypt.

 

 

Diocessan Convention

Father Paul Blanch, David Kennison and Jonathan Pearson attended this year's convention for The Episcopal Diocese of Albany June 11-12, 2010.

Fr. Paul Blanch after Friday evening meeting.

Father Paul Blanch relaxes after the Friday night session of the 2010 Convention.

David Kennison relaxing after Friday night meeting

David Kennison relaxing after the Friday night meeting.

Dave Kennison and Fr. Paul study information for convention

Dave and Fr. Paul study their convention workbooks to determine how to vote for various diocesan positions and resolutions.

Bishops Love and Gomes on stage

A picture of the stage with our own Bishop William H. Love in purple seated at the table as Drexel W. Gomez, Archbishop and Primate of the Provinces of the West Indies - Retired gives the keynote address for the weekend.

May 2010

Timber Framer's Guild

Because St. George's is one of the finest examples of restored Colonial church architecture, we were one of 6 scheduled Stockade stops by the Timber Framer's Guild (worldwide organization) during their annual Symposium (May 21-23) for the first time in this area. David Kennison took individual groups through the church attic and the roof to the steeple/bell tower.

  

 

Children's Mass

On Mother's Day, May 9th, a special Children's Mass was held in St. George's Holy Family Chapel at 11:15AM. This was a Rite II Mass, a more casual style of worship, with music appropriate to families with younger children. A pizza lunch followed in the Great Hall.

Children's Mass


Pizza Party

BLESSING OF THE APPLE TREE

After Mass on May 2nd, parishioners gathered around
a decorative apple tree in our Memorial Garden.

Fr. Paul blessed the tree, which was given in loving memory of former Georgian, Shirley Burris, by her friend Susanna Sherwood.

April 2010

PATRONAL FESTIVAL WEEKEND (THE FEAST OF ST. GEORGE THE MARTYR)APRIL 23-24-25, 2010.

The Weekend started Friday at 7:30PM with Solemn Evensong & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and ended with a reception in the Shaw Lounge.

Gentlemen & Boys of the Cathedral Choir, Albany rehearse prior to the event.


Woodrow Bynum, Director of Music at All Saints Cathedral, Albany.


Altar procession into St. George's.


An overview of the Choir in concert.


Organist for the evening, L. Graham Schultz, Lloyd Cast Organ Fellow.


An overview of the Choir, St. George's congregation, and guests.


Guest preacher, The Very Reverend Marshall J. Vang of All Saints Cathedral and 16th Rector of St. George's.

Fr. Urban of St. Adelbert's (background)celebrated with us.

Organ Recital Saturday at 7:30, Georgians, guests and friends were treated to an inspiring Organ Recital by Lawrence C. Roff, Senior Pastor at the First Presbyterian Church of Schenectady.

St. George's Day was cloudy but, miraculously, the rain held off as we celebrated The Solemnity of the Martyrdom of Saint George at 9AM with a Procession into church led by the St. Andrews Society and ending with a Procession around the Stockade Area that included the Schenectady Pipe Band.


The beginning Procession around the church.


Reading of the names of the founders and rectors of St. George's by Sacristan/Senior Warden, David Kennison St.

The lesson of the day read by Diane Reed. Notice the Tartans of the St. Andrew's Society in the background.


The blessing of the milk cartons, a project with students enrolled in our Christian Education program, by Fr. Paul Blanch.


Presentation of the Tartans with Fr. Paul and members of the St. Andrew's Society.


The Procession around the Stockade Area.


Members of the Schenectady Pipe Band

St. George's Choir Members follow the St. Andrew's Society in Procession.

The Procession concluded at the entrance to St. George's for a final Blessing and the Dismissal.

Afterwards, everyone was invited to attend a humongous meal provided by St. George's and parishioners in the Great Hall.

 

 

ARCHITECTURAL TOUR OF ST. GEORGE'S BY SENIORS ENROLLED IN THE ACADEMY OF LIFELONG LEARNING AT EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE ON APRIL 20TH.

Architecural tour

Class started their architectural tour inside St. George's church.

 

David Kennison Sr. Warden

Senior Warden, David Kennison, talked about the architectural background.

 

Rector Fr. Paul Blanch

Rector, Fr. Paul Blanch, discussed our liturgy and theology in general.

 

Fr. Paul Blanch demonstrates organ sound.

Fr. Paul demonstrated the sound of our M.P. Moller organ.

 

The Monstrance

In the Sacristy, the group learned the meaning of the Monstrance.

 

Vestments

They also were shown the vestments worn on specific days.

 

Sharing a laugh

George Riebel, leader of the group, stands behind David Kennison as they paused for a laugh.

 

Before disbursing, the group also walked our campus grounds.

Holy Week at St. George's.

Jim Wingate reading as altar is stripped

Jim Wingate reads Psalm 22 during the Stripping of the Altar.

The Watch

Silence is maintained during the Easter Vigil which began at 9PM and ended at 7:30AM.

Kindling the new fire

Fr. Paul Blanch presides over The Kindling of the New Fire outside the West Door.

Procession to the font on Easter

The procession to the font on Easter Sunday.

 

March 2010

PALM SUNDAY

Service started in the Great Hall distributing palms

Palm Sunday at St. George's begins in the Great Hall.

Choir preparing to lead procession to the church

The Choir leads parishioners from the Great Hall to the church.

Palm Sunday Mass continues at the High Altar

Mass continues at the High Altar.

 

WHITE DRAGON TAG SALE

Another successful White Dragon tag sale took place in the Great Hall on Saturday, March 21st. Thousands of items were offered to and purchased by area bargain hunters.

Dragon Sale #1 

Dragon Sale #2

Dragon Sale #3

 

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Stations of the Cross were scheduled Saturdays at 11AM during Lent at St. George's Church.

Stations #1  

Stations #2

Stations #3  

Stations # 4

 

 

BLESSING OF THE MILK CARTONS


Children in our Christian Ed program decorated banks shaped like St. George's Church out of one pint empty milk cartons. During Lent, parishioners are asked to drop their loose change into their banks and return them on or before April 18, 2010. Prior to the banks being distributed to the congregation, the children brought them to the altar for Fr. Paul's blessing.

Children at altar with milk cartons they made. 

Lenten Bible Study

Group discussions, exercises, meditation, and individual readings were all part of a lively Lenten Bible Study entitled “Christ and the Chocolaterie,” based on the movie “Chocolat” at St. George’s. There were two five-week sessions – 11:15AM on Sundays after Mass and Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM. Approximately 50 Georgians, friends and neighbors signed up for the course.

Fr. Paul

Bible study participants  Participants in Wednesday night group

Participants in the Wednesday evening group studying "Christ and the Chocolaterie".

Some participants in the Sunday morning group.  Additional participants in Sunday group

Participants in the Sunday morning group studying "Christ and the Chocolaterie".

Wednesday group.  Wednesday group

  

January 2010

See attached report of the Annual Meeting held January 24, 2010.

We elected:

Ralph Fusco - Jr. Warden

Richard Forshaw - Vestry member

Also elected for second terms:

Rosemary Pannone

Lynn Paska

 

December 2009

See attached for pictures of Fr. Paul F. Blanch's Institution held on December 12, 2009.

 

September 2009

See attached picture of work day.