Saturday, March 21, 2015
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Kids Party at St. Paul!!
Kids
be sure to join us for our Valentine's Celebration next Saturday,
February 7 from 10 - 12.
We will be making lots of goodies to show kindness to our community!
And don't forget to bring a friend!
We will be making lots of goodies to show kindness to our community!
And don't forget to bring a friend!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
"From the Pastor" Messenger Article
From the Pastor...
Have you ever heard the phrase "Pay it Forward?" Or what about
"Random Acts of Kindness?" These phrases come from the popular notion
in our culture that "what goes around, comes around." And that goes for the
good and the bad. "Pay it Forward," is a turn of phrase used to
encourage people to choose to participate in the good. That one should
do good in hopes of one day receiving good. This notion toward the good
has developed a wonderful movement in our society of doing kind things
for one another, because it has a ripple affect, hence the word
"Random."
For the next four weeks, as we are in-between high holy
celebrations in the church (Advent/Christmas and soon to be
Lent/Easter), we will focus in worship on going deeper in our
discipleship through what I am going to call a season of "Intentional
Acts of Kindness." As disciples of Jesus, we are expected to give our
faith feet, and to live our daily lives in the Kingdom of God. The
kindness that we show to others is not so that we will receive their
praise, it is so that our Father in heaven will see our good works and
know that we have taken His love, grace, mercy and peace to the streets!
Yes, we will all be asked to step outside of our comfort zones.
Yes, we will grow and be blessed in this process. Yes, and most
importantly, we will honor God in our expressions of kindness. Get
excited, because it means that God is going to show up!
As our scriptural foundation, we will journey through John's
Epistles, letters written to believers about what it means to live out
our faith in love. The heart of this sermon series comes from 1 John
3:18 where it says, "Little children, let us love, not in word or
speech, but in truth and action." Let's take it to the streets and show
our neighbors "Intentional Acts of Kindness" because as John says a
little later in chapter 4:19, "We love because he first loved us."
Hope to see you and yours in worship this Sunday. Invite a friend to join you!
Peace,
Sarah
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Happy 2015!
Happy New Year! Below is John Wesley's Covenant Prayer, an excellent prayer for centering yourself at the beginning of this new year. Peace and Blessings to all!
I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
- thou art mine, and I am thine.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
"From the Pastor" Messenger Article
From the Pastor...
I got in my car the other morning to be pleasantly surprised by one of my favorite christmas works on the radio-- Handel's Messiah. The chorus sang, "for unto us a child is born, unto us, a son is given..." I was instantly transported through time to years of Christmases and of hearing this powerful music.
In fact, one of my favorite experiences during Advent was while I was living in Durham, NC. Every Advent the Duke Chapel has an evening where the community is invited to come and sing Handel's Messiah together. Most everyone brings their own music, and the Duke Chapel Choir, an auditioned group of 100+ voices lead the singing from the chancel area and provided a group of incredible soloists. On the front end, it sounds like a bit of chaos-- and probably would be total chaos if it wasn't for the Chapel Choir, helping to lead. It is wonderful, the music is a perfect setting for Isaiah' prophecies, the gothic cathedral is awe-inspiring, and the task of singing with friends and neighbors around you is akin to the heavenly chorus singing around the throne.
I grew up around this music during Advent, but that particular experience made it come alive for me in an unexpected way. The words of the prophet Isaiah or powerful, but put to music they seep down into your soul. The music lifted my spirits and made me long for the anticipated birth of Jesus, in my own heart and for all the world. What tradition do you have that gets you, as they say, "in the Christmas spirit?"
From Isaiah 7:14, Therefore the Lord God will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel. Good news for you and me, for all the world!!
We have a few more traditions left at St. Paul that I hope you will attend. This Sunday, December 21st, after worship will be our packing party for the baskets that will be delivered on Christmas Eve to various businesses. Stay after church and join us in the Fellowship Hall to help! Then, Sunday evening we will enjoy our Christmas Church Potluck and the Children's Impromptu Nativity Play. This is an evening you won't want to miss-- a time of fellowship, fun, and the amazing story of Jesus' birth on that holy night in Bethlehem. Dinner begins at 5:00pm, bring your favorite dish to share! I'm bringing one of my favorite Christmas dishes that my Mom makes-- sweet potato dumplings!
On Christmas Eve we will worship God together with carols, candlelight at communion. The service begins at 5:30pm.
Christ is coming into the world, to be born in our hearts. Is your heart prepared to receive the sign this year?
Peace,
Sarah
From our family to yours-- Merry Christmas!
I got in my car the other morning to be pleasantly surprised by one of my favorite christmas works on the radio-- Handel's Messiah. The chorus sang, "for unto us a child is born, unto us, a son is given..." I was instantly transported through time to years of Christmases and of hearing this powerful music.
In fact, one of my favorite experiences during Advent was while I was living in Durham, NC. Every Advent the Duke Chapel has an evening where the community is invited to come and sing Handel's Messiah together. Most everyone brings their own music, and the Duke Chapel Choir, an auditioned group of 100+ voices lead the singing from the chancel area and provided a group of incredible soloists. On the front end, it sounds like a bit of chaos-- and probably would be total chaos if it wasn't for the Chapel Choir, helping to lead. It is wonderful, the music is a perfect setting for Isaiah' prophecies, the gothic cathedral is awe-inspiring, and the task of singing with friends and neighbors around you is akin to the heavenly chorus singing around the throne.
I grew up around this music during Advent, but that particular experience made it come alive for me in an unexpected way. The words of the prophet Isaiah or powerful, but put to music they seep down into your soul. The music lifted my spirits and made me long for the anticipated birth of Jesus, in my own heart and for all the world. What tradition do you have that gets you, as they say, "in the Christmas spirit?"
From Isaiah 7:14, Therefore the Lord God will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel. Good news for you and me, for all the world!!
We have a few more traditions left at St. Paul that I hope you will attend. This Sunday, December 21st, after worship will be our packing party for the baskets that will be delivered on Christmas Eve to various businesses. Stay after church and join us in the Fellowship Hall to help! Then, Sunday evening we will enjoy our Christmas Church Potluck and the Children's Impromptu Nativity Play. This is an evening you won't want to miss-- a time of fellowship, fun, and the amazing story of Jesus' birth on that holy night in Bethlehem. Dinner begins at 5:00pm, bring your favorite dish to share! I'm bringing one of my favorite Christmas dishes that my Mom makes-- sweet potato dumplings!
On Christmas Eve we will worship God together with carols, candlelight at communion. The service begins at 5:30pm.
Christ is coming into the world, to be born in our hearts. Is your heart prepared to receive the sign this year?
Peace,
Sarah
From our family to yours-- Merry Christmas!
Sunday, November 30, 2014
St. Paul UMC: Advent Activities
Happy Advent! There is a lot going on at St. Paul this time of year, and we hope that you will join us! Check it out:
December 7: Come for worship at 10:45 for a "Hanging of the Greens" service during worship. Why do we have a Christmas Tree? What does Chrismon mean? Where does the Natvitiy tradition come from? All of this and more!
December 14: During worship at 10:45 we will have our annual choir Christmas Cantata called "What Sweeter Music." It is filled with familiar songs of the season, and will be an inspiring time to prepare all of us for the birth of Jesus in just a couple of weeks. See you there!
December 21: Packing Party after worship! Come to the Fellowship Hall to help prepare the baskets for Christmas Eve. The baskets will be delivered to area workers who are on the job (thank you!!) on the holiest night of the year.
December 21: Christmas Dinner and Impromptu Children's Nativity! At 5:30, bring your neighbors, your grandkids and your kids for a potluck dinner and the nativity play. We are hoping for a special guest! This will be a wonderful evening of fellowship!
December 24: Christmas Eve service at 5:30pm will include candlelight, communion, and plenty of carol-singing! Merry Christmas!
December 31: Bistro Church in the Fellowship Hall! We will have worship, stories, and carols, all while enjoying a hearty breakfast. Kids are invited to wear pajamas and dress is casual!
December 7: Come for worship at 10:45 for a "Hanging of the Greens" service during worship. Why do we have a Christmas Tree? What does Chrismon mean? Where does the Natvitiy tradition come from? All of this and more!
December 14: During worship at 10:45 we will have our annual choir Christmas Cantata called "What Sweeter Music." It is filled with familiar songs of the season, and will be an inspiring time to prepare all of us for the birth of Jesus in just a couple of weeks. See you there!
December 21: Packing Party after worship! Come to the Fellowship Hall to help prepare the baskets for Christmas Eve. The baskets will be delivered to area workers who are on the job (thank you!!) on the holiest night of the year.
December 21: Christmas Dinner and Impromptu Children's Nativity! At 5:30, bring your neighbors, your grandkids and your kids for a potluck dinner and the nativity play. We are hoping for a special guest! This will be a wonderful evening of fellowship!
December 24: Christmas Eve service at 5:30pm will include candlelight, communion, and plenty of carol-singing! Merry Christmas!
December 31: Bistro Church in the Fellowship Hall! We will have worship, stories, and carols, all while enjoying a hearty breakfast. Kids are invited to wear pajamas and dress is casual!
Sunday, September 28, 2014
St. Paul UMC Fall Activities
Happy Fall Y'all! Come, Join us! You are always welcome to come to worship at 10:45am on Sundays, and Sunday School for all ages begins at 9:45am. Below is a sampling of some of the other things we have going on this Fall!
September Sermon Series: The Book of Exodus! Let's journey with Moses and the Israelites and discover how the lessons they learned can apply to our lives today.
September 28, 2014: Open House at the Parsonage and Mission Fundraiser
John Moyer's BBQ chicken will be provided, and church members are invited to bring picnic-style sides to share. The event will start at 4:00pm and include an opportunity to see the parsonage, food, and games for all ages. We are even planning a whiffle ball game to help with the mission fundraising.
October Mission Opportunity: Bring Shampoo for the Fountain City Ministry Center. Also, pecans for $10 a pound are on sale to raise money for diapers.
October 5, 2014: Hunger Hike!
We will meet at the church at 1:30 to head over for the Hunger Hike at the TVA Pavioion at Lakeshore Park. You can pick up donor support worksheets on the bulletinboard near the church office. Money goes to support Fountain City Ministry Center- Camp Meeting/ Piano Dedication
October 26, 2014: Camp Meeting, Storytelling, and Community Dinner
An event for all ages! Nursery will be provided for children 5 years old and under, if parents would prefer. The program will begin in the Sanctuary at 4:30pm with special camp meeting style music from the choir, and solos to highlight our beautiful baby grand piano. This service will include a piano dedication because we have officially paid the bill in full and it is time to set the piano apart for the very sacred task of leading worship each week.
We will also have storytelling! Introducing to St. Paul, Dianne Hackworth! From her website: "Although she has honed her skills with a Master's degree in Storytelling, Dianne comes to storytelling naturally, having learned many of her stories from her parents and grandparents. She keeps all these stories alive by passing them on to you! Touring throughout the Southeast telling stories for all ages, Dianne brings to life Appalachian Tales, musical tales, and folktales from around the world." Read more about her on her website: www.diannehackworth.com She promises that there may even be a slightly spooky story to share with Halloween just around the corner.
After the music and storytelling we will commune together over an old fashioned, St. Paul style smorgesbord pot-luck! John Moyer's Barbeque will be our central dish, but bring your favorite dish to share! It will be a great evening to get to know your friends at St. Paul, and a wonderful opportunity to invite a friend to church for a time of sweet fellowship and entertainment.
November 2, 2014: All Saints and Stewardship Commitment Sunday
Rev. Carl Oakes, beloved former pastor of St. Paul will be our guest preacher on this Sunday. We will remember and celebrate those who have gone on to be with Jesus, with a reminder that we must pick up where they left off to do God's work in this neighborhood and throughout our world. Every Sunday in worship is meaningful, but this day will be particularly special with Rev. Oakes among us.
September 28, 2014: Open House at the Parsonage and Mission Fundraiser
John Moyer's BBQ chicken will be provided, and church members are invited to bring picnic-style sides to share. The event will start at 4:00pm and include an opportunity to see the parsonage, food, and games for all ages. We are even planning a whiffle ball game to help with the mission fundraising.
October Mission Opportunity: Bring Shampoo for the Fountain City Ministry Center. Also, pecans for $10 a pound are on sale to raise money for diapers.
October 5, 2014: Hunger Hike!
We will meet at the church at 1:30 to head over for the Hunger Hike at the TVA Pavioion at Lakeshore Park. You can pick up donor support worksheets on the bulletinboard near the church office. Money goes to support Fountain City Ministry Center- Camp Meeting/ Piano Dedication
October 26, 2014: Camp Meeting, Storytelling, and Community Dinner
An event for all ages! Nursery will be provided for children 5 years old and under, if parents would prefer. The program will begin in the Sanctuary at 4:30pm with special camp meeting style music from the choir, and solos to highlight our beautiful baby grand piano. This service will include a piano dedication because we have officially paid the bill in full and it is time to set the piano apart for the very sacred task of leading worship each week.
We will also have storytelling! Introducing to St. Paul, Dianne Hackworth! From her website: "Although she has honed her skills with a Master's degree in Storytelling, Dianne comes to storytelling naturally, having learned many of her stories from her parents and grandparents. She keeps all these stories alive by passing them on to you! Touring throughout the Southeast telling stories for all ages, Dianne brings to life Appalachian Tales, musical tales, and folktales from around the world." Read more about her on her website: www.diannehackworth.com She promises that there may even be a slightly spooky story to share with Halloween just around the corner.
After the music and storytelling we will commune together over an old fashioned, St. Paul style smorgesbord pot-luck! John Moyer's Barbeque will be our central dish, but bring your favorite dish to share! It will be a great evening to get to know your friends at St. Paul, and a wonderful opportunity to invite a friend to church for a time of sweet fellowship and entertainment.
November 2, 2014: All Saints and Stewardship Commitment Sunday
Rev. Carl Oakes, beloved former pastor of St. Paul will be our guest preacher on this Sunday. We will remember and celebrate those who have gone on to be with Jesus, with a reminder that we must pick up where they left off to do God's work in this neighborhood and throughout our world. Every Sunday in worship is meaningful, but this day will be particularly special with Rev. Oakes among us.
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St. Paul UMC- Fountain City
