Holy Week and Easter at St. Paul

Join us at St. Paul for Maundy Thursday or one (or both) of our Easter Services.  If you've been out of church for a while, this is a great day to come home and worship the King of kings.  If you come every week, you won't want to miss this highest and holiest of days.  There will be Easter lilies, a brass quintet, special choir music, as we celebrate and remember the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Easter Egg Hunt!

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!

"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

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,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

"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!

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!