Dear Friends in Christ,

Transcription

1 Thursday, Sept ember 27, 2018 Dear Friends in Christ, A pilgrimage song. Of David. If the Lord hadn t been for us let Israel now repeat! if the Lord hadn t been for us, when those people attacked us then they would have swallowed us up whole with their rage burning against us! Then the waters would have drowned us; the torrent would have come over our necks; then the raging waters would have come over our necks! Bless the Lord because he didn t hand us over like food for our enemies teeth! We escaped like a bird from the hunters trap; the trap was broken so we escaped! Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 124 (CEB) I like the start of this Psalm: If the Lord hadn t been for us... David, in this pilgrimage song, is right to linger on that thought:...let Israel now repeat!-if the Lord hadn t been for us... Pastor Sherrie has invited us to envision our life of discipleship through this image of a journey, or more specifically, a pilgrimage. One of the things faithful pilgrims must do is stop and consider how things could have been if the Lord hadn t been for us. As we journey on together, let us step off the road for a moment and consider together, If the Lord hadn t been for us... (That little bit about the raging waters in there may

2 be particularly pertinent to us). If we will stop to consider it, I suspect, with David, we will find Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. -Pastor Jonathan Adults Pilgrimage Progress Gathering - October 4 Anyone from St. Paul s with an interest in our vision and ministry action plans for the coming year is invited to participate in this interactive night. Join us on October 4, 2018 from 6:00 8:00 pm in the Wesley Center. Celebrate Devotion & Overview Review how we got here and Accomplishments Contemplate Clarify schedule and processes Calibrate (in Guidegroups) Planning and review Solicit input new/ideas for the future MAPS Regroup, closing thoughts ad worship Help Invite Our Neighbors - October 6 Join the Reaching & Receiving team at 9:30 am Saturday, October 6th as we canvas Wellington Heights to prepare for our Block Party. We will spend a bit of time setting up for the event, and then we will walk Wellington Heights to hand out flyers to invite our neighbors to join us at the Block Party. We will be done by 10:30 am.

3 Join us Sunday, October 7th between 11 am and 1 pm in the St. Paul s Circle Drive for a Block Party! Food, live music, photo booth, and good conversation will make this a celebration you will not want to miss. View Facebook Event & Share T'ai Chi Class Starting - Begins Oct. 10 9:30 10:30 a.m., Upper Room Keep moving into fall. St. Paul's UMW Be Healthy, Be Green task force and the Arts Ministry invite you to experience the benefits of t'ai chi with instructor Mandy Dickerson. She will lead the experience of gentle movement in eight, weekly, one-hour sessions on Wednesday mornings starting October 10th in the Upper Room. T'ai chi improves flexibility and balance, helps prevent falls and can improve your golf swing. The class starts out with movement while seated in a chair and then goes into a standing series of foundation movements for improving energy flow. Mandy will adapt class content to participants' skill level. The cost for eight sessions will be $80 with the option of purchasing a 6-session pass for $60. (Pay instructor $10 per class if more than six sessions attended.) Please register at the Connection Center between services on Sundays or by calling the church office, Class fee must be paid before Monday, October 8th. Questions? Contact Judy Fitzgibbons, (please leave a message) or judy@fitzgib.net. Origins of Islam Lecture Series Oct. 11

4 The Adult Spiritual Formation team invites you to a lecture series on the origins of Islam. Four, one-hour lectures led by Mike Bryant will help us better understand our religious neighbors. Each lecture will begin at 7 pm and will take place in the Wesley Center. Dates for this series: October 11, 18, and 25; November 8. Less Stuff. Live More. Find Joy! - October 13 Less Stuff. Live More. Find Joy! At The Good Life Redefined workshop learn how our faith traditions call us to reconnect with what is meaningful to live in harmony with the earth and each other. Together we will learn how our stuff contributes to climate change, examine the Good Life, and make a plan to create a more JOYFUL life that is easier on the planet. Saturday, October 13, 2018 from 9:30-11:30 am, St. Paul s United Methodist Church, rd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids. Co-sponsored by Mt. Mercy University Office of Sustainability. Register at click Upcoming Events. Registration required. Contact programs@iowaipl.org for more information. A program of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light. Contact the church office for assistance with the on-line registration Trunk Decorators Needed Trunk Decorators Needed! We are in need of volunteers to decorate their vehicle trunks for St. Paul s Trunk or Treat on Oct. 28th. We have set a goal for 50 trunks! We will be decorating trunks with a friendly Halloween theme. Set up will begin at 2:00 pm and the

5 event will end around 5:00 pm. Not into decorating but would love to provide us a trunk to use, awesome! We can take care of the decorating for you! Please sign up in the church office or contact Julie Hanlin (jhanlin@stpaulsumc.org) with questions. Sunday, September 30 is the last day to see some of Ernie Miller's stamp collection in the Candy Donations Needed for St. Paul's Trunk or Treat Candy Donations Needed We are looking for candy donations (no nuts) or cash donation towards the purchase of candy. Please drop off donations at the church office or contact Julie Hanlin (jhanlin@stpaulsumc.org) with questions. New Books in St. Paul's Library The library has received a variety of new juvenile (children s and youth) books this fall. We are very excited about these new additions. We also have a newly expanded youth space in the center of the library. Stop by to see what s new. Click here to go to the Library tab on the St. Paul s web site where you will find a short synopsis of each of these new youth additions. Happy Reading! mystpauls Allows You to Send Group s Did you know mystpauls allows you to send GROUP s to your current activities, groups, or class members? If you need to contact a St Paul s UMC staff member, please use your personal . Click here to link to "mystpauls." To send a group 1. Point to Groups, then click My Groups. 2. In the I want to drop-down list beside the activity, group, or class you want to e- mail, select Send a Message. 3. Click Go. 4. Enter a Subject and message. Use the toolbar to format your message. 5. Once you are satisfied with your message, click Send Message. Curio Cabinet Display

6 cabinets in the room next to the Gathering Space. September 30 is Pledge Sunday! Please bring your estimate of giving form with you this Sunday. If you missed worship last Sunday, here's a short message from our Stewardship Team! Sunday Worship Stewardship Announcement Good morning, I am Jim Steggall on behalf of the Stewardship Comm, by now you should have received a mailing from the Church with the Growing on the Journey information for the 2019 stewardship campaign. If not, please pickup a copy at the Welcome Centers. A major stewardship emphasis this year has been making monthly apportionment payments to the Iowa Conference. Through your generosity, we have been making monthly payments of $11,000. We are pleased to report that we have paid two thirds of this year s allotted amount. We are on track to pay our annual allotment of $193K in full. One way you can help sustain this significant accomplishment is to signup to have your pledge made automatically from your bank account. Sixty-six families at St. Paul s have signed up to have their church pledge transferred electronically from their bank accounts to the church on a regular basis. By making ACH (automatic clearing house) transfers on a quarterly, monthly, or semi-monthly basis, you never have to wonder if you are up-todate with your pledge. No matter where you are or what you are doing, your support for the ministries of the church remains constant. This is especially helpful for those travelling or those who are away for the winter. As you complete your estimate of giving for the coming year, please consider automatic deduction. The 2019 Pledge card has a block to check if you would like to start paying in this manner. All you need to do is attach a voided check. Whenever you want to adjust the amount of your contribution, a note to the Church Office is all that is needed. Please note that next Sunday Sept. 30 is Commitment Sunday where we would appreciate your response. By working together as one spirit in God s generosity and growing in our Journey we can continue the ministries that St. Paul s is so well known for that will continue to transform lives into the future. Thanks be to God for your generosity to St. Paul s. Jim Steggall Stewardship Committee

7 Visit our Facebook Page Arts Ministry & Music New Art Exhibit in the Upper Room: Scott Dolash Through September 30 Artist Scott Dolash grew up in Cedar Rapids and graduated from Kennedy High School in After graduation, he earned a BFA in painting and BA in Design and Illustration from Southern Illinois University. He then became creative director/illustrator of a sportswear company in Kansas City. His time (20 years) in Kansas City, also included special projects manager, marketing director, and business owner (Words and Pictures Creative). In 2012 he returned to Cedar Rapids. Current projects include illustrating comic books and children s stories, designing coffee table books, creating portraits, marketing and advertising pieces, and teaching drawing and painting classes from his home. Care, Serve, & Outreach CROP Walk to Address Hunger Issues If you are interested in joining others to address issues of hunger, the CROP Walk is for

8 you. If you have questions or are interested in walking at 1:30 pm on October 14th, see Kate Buroker or contact Pastor Jonathan Registration begins at 1 pm at Thomas Park in Marion. St. Paul's is Going to Puerto Rico! In early February, 2019, we will have our biennial international mission trip to Puerto Rico. The work will include construction and other physical manual labor. Cost is $1700, but do not let cost deter you: generous scholarships are available for participants, and no passport is required. Application deadline: October 28, Application forms are at the Connection Centers. Application Form Contact Lee Ann Dielschneider ( ) with any questions. Forms should be mailed to: Lee Ann Dielschneider rd Ave Dr. Shellsburg, IA Or left in church office Our BIG Service Project October 21, from 3:00-5:00 pm. You are invited to this intergenerational service opportunity where we will assemble the Ingathering School and Hygiene kits. Light refreshments will be provided.

9 Children & Youth Confirmation Parent's Meeting - Sept. 30 Confirmation Parent Sunday, THIS Sunday, September 30 from 10:20-11:20 am plan to meet to connect and discuss what our kids are doing in Confirmation at Via Sofia s st Avenue SE. Upcoming Service Opportunities 1. Block Party for the Church Community Sunday, October 7 from 11 am to 1 pm. Come have fun and fellowship with our neighbors! Sign Up for anyone interested in helping with popcorn and cotton candy! 2. Sunday, October 14 PANCAKE Breakfast! This is a big mission and activity fundraiser for the Youth 5-12! Please sign up for as much as you can on the Sign- Up Genius. Please note that Confirmation is still going on so they need to choose times outside of the 10:20-11:20 am times! We will also have invitations for kids to give out to friends and relatives for the meal! Mr. Bill teaching the kids how to make a compass before we set off on a scavenger hunt at St. Paul s UMC We were able to locate important places like the baptismal font and Pastor Sherrie s office. #stpaulsumccr #wearestpaulsumc #tgiw Club 56 Fall Social - Oct. 13 Club 56 Fall Social at Bever Park on October 13 from 2-4 pm. Meet at the Bever Pavilion (east entrance next to Bever Avenue) for games and refreshments. RSVP to Kim at kimbachman@outlook.com or Kathy at neighbors5@mchsi.com Acolyte Meeting & Training - Oct. 14

10 Sunday, October 14 we would like all acolytes, current and future to meet in the sanctuary at 10:30. We will be training the new 3rd graders and any others that missed training and would like to become an acolyte. We will also be doing a little refresher with the existing acolytes to make sure we are all doing it the same way. I would also like to ask that the parents please stick around to fill out some information. Youth Missions Pancake Breakfast, October 14 will be held on Sunday, October 14 8:30 am-12:30 pm in the Wesley Center. Join us for pancakes, sausage and juice. Come hungry! Free will donation. Trunk or Treat! St. Paul s UMC looks forward to hosting our neighbors at our annual Trunk or Treat event for an afternoon of fun, food, and of course CANDY! No TRICKS here...only TREATS! You and your children can walk through our parking lot stopping at each parked car to get candy. Join us at the 2nd Avenue Parking lot on Sunday, October 28 from 3-5 pm for this family friendly event. View Facebook Event & Share

11 Youth Halloween Party, Oct. 31 from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Youth Worship space (110). Grades 7th-12th are invited to join us for live music by Theody, a costume contest, games, food, and fun! Theody delivers a highly charged rock motif. Their true hope is to share more than just a stage Theody offers a unique approach, backed by the power of their faith and testimony that inspires any who hear them. Questions? Contact Becca Nims (rnims@stpaulsumc.org). Visit Theody's Facebook Page UMW Please join us on Thursday, October 4, to learn about homelessness in Linn County. A speaker from our neighbor on 4th Ave SE, Willis Dady Shelter, will share how services provided help individuals and families who experience temporary or long-term homelessness. Open to anyone interested in this topic. 10:00 coffee / 10:30 program. Business meeting will follow. Sponsored by St. Paul's United Methodist Women Sign up at circle meetings or church office View Flyer for Event

12 Youth working at Thrift Mart move out! Prayers Stephen Ministers Stephen Ministers, wearing the blue badge, are glad to talk privately with anyone going through a rough time. Pray for... For spiritual disciplines of a weekly fast Thursday after dinner to Friday midafternoon, and pausing to pray at 2:23 2:26 daily for our church s mission and way forward. Joy... Celebration of Christian marriage of Rachael and Britton Ballard. Continued healing and grace for: Fran Nathanson Theodore Teddy Dvorak Alice Hart (Brad Hart s mother) John Hart (Brad Hart s father) Anne Laverty (John) Tom Smeed (Bill s father) Louise Single (Fred) Don Thomsen (Marilyn) Robert Ford Myrna Cooney Peggy Smithson (LeLand) Martha McCollough (Amy Reisen s mother) Neoma Starnes (Duane) Katherine Martensen Rhemi Studt (Ashley & Matthew Studt) Angela Shultz Rhonda Viktora Carrie Cummins (Jamie s daughter and Steve and Kathy Davis granddaughter) Edie Nekola Jim & Rose Milden Raine Allen (Dixie & Roger Allen s granddaughter) Charman Banks (John) James Wahe

13 Pat Sharp Deborah Cassidy (daughter of Julie Gladfelder) Barb Zahradnik (Bob) John Matthews Audrey Swalley Cheri Young (Gene & Carrie Young s daughter) Patricia Hartwell (Heather Moore s mother) Sally Ford Diane Berrett (Bob) Pauline Belding Linda Hadley Justin Ilg (Sherrie & Larry Ilg s son) Clyde Satterly Quinn Anton Jensen (Nancy & Brice AntonJensen s son) Nora Mae Vance Sandy Pingel (Gloria Ford s daughter) Robert Moore (Lee Moore s father) Jody Sloan Marti & Spence Grayson (Dave Mahlke s sister and brother-in-law) Mina Arbore (John) John McQuilkin (Jean Kwader s father) Ryan Vick Pam Anslyn Kris Yahn (Steve) Matthew Hudson (Fran Nathanson) Memorial prayers for the families and friends of: Elizabeth Jimmie Ann Reid (Joyce Fleming s mother) John Kimber (son of Jim and Joanne Kimber) Marguerita Nyandwi View Worship Times Worship is for the whole family. While childcare is available in our nursery for all Sunday morning services, we welcome children of all ages at all worship services. stpaulsumc.org