The E-pistle. March Worship Themes

Transcription

1 The E-pistle ST. PAUL S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH MARCH 2016 March Worship Themes Sunday, March 6 4 th Sunday in Lent One Great Hour of Sharing Holy Communion John 10:1-10 I Am the Good Shepherd Knowing God s Care Sunday, March 13 5 th Sunday of Lent John 15:1-8 I Am the True Vine Knowing God s Power Sunday, March 20 Palm/Passion Sunday John 14:1-7 I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life Knowing God s Way Thursday, March 24 Maundy Thursday 7:00 p.m. Communion Service in the Sanctuary Friday, March 25 Good Friday 9:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Prayer Vigil 12:00 noon Guided Walk in the Labyrinth Prayer Garden 7:00 p.m. Tenebrae Service in the Sanctuary Sunday, March 27 Easter Sunday John 11:17-26 I Am the Resurrection and the Life Knowing God s Possibilities

2 Mark s Missive Holy Week... is the week of Christian observances leading to Easter Sunday. It begins with Palm Sunday and progresses through Holy or Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. It culminates with the Easter Sunday celebrations. Holy Week at St. Paul s offers these Worship opportunities: March 20 Worship begins with a triumphant procession of palms. As in Jerusalem centuries ago, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! throngs the air. But as we know, those Hosannas turned to cries of Crucify Him! by week s end. The service concludes in silence as we ponder the events of the coming days... On Maundy Thursday, we recall Jesus Last Supper with his disciples. At the table, he took the symbols of the Passover meal and reimagined them through his institution of the sacrament of Holy Communion. Our service in the Sanctuary will invite us to remember those events as we renew the covenant of discipleship. Good Friday features a Prayer Vigil from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. You may sign-up for a 30 minute shift to pray in the Sanctuary, from work, school, or from home. At Noon, Stephen Parsons will lead a Guided Walk in the Labyrinth Prayer Garden. Our 7:00 p.m. Tenebrae Service in the Sanctuary tells the story of Jesus Passion and the moments leading up to his death through scripture and music from Taize. But of course, that s not all there is to this story... Looking forward to Holy Week and beyond...

3 SYMBOLS SPEAK THE STORY OF EASTER What in nature is used as a symbol of Easter? Lilies, which have a bulb that is buried in the earth and emerge as beautiful flowers in Spring, as well as delicate butterflies which emerge from a firm cocoon, are examples of new life after being entombed or underground. The lamb is mentioned in the Bible (John 1:29, Revelation 5:6-14) as representing Jesus and his sacrifice as well as Jesus as a shepherd caring for His flocks. Eggs are some of the strongest symbols of the Easter season. Why are eggs associated with Easter? They symbolize new life. They have a shell around the body inside, just as the tomb was around Jesus body and then cracked open. They can be dyed pretty colors to represent joy, just as we have joy that Jesus has risen. The egg became associated with Easter somewhere near the 400s and was often a food that was given up at Lent. According to Mary Jane Pierce-Norton from Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Church, In some of the early church traditions, people brought their eggs to the church to be blessed before they ate them, as the first joyful food of Easter. On Easter Sunday, March 27 th our children will have the opportunity to participate in a long tradition of hunting for Easter eggs after morning worship. Family Ministries will be hosting this activity with the help of our St. Paul s youth. On behalf of Family Ministries, I invite our members to bring plastic eggs and wrapped candy to the church by Sunday, March 20 th. You are welcome to place the items in the Narthex on Sunday mornings or drop them off at the church office during the week. As we continue to journey through this Lenten season and prepare our lives for Easter, I encourage you to explore more interesting facts about this holy season at or become a friend with United Methodist News Service on Facebook. Continuing the journey with you Lisa

4 SERVING IN MARCH Coffee Fellowship March 6 March 13 March 20 March 27 March 6 March 13 March 20 March 27 March 6 March 13 March 20 March 27 Gary s Treats Discipleship Committee Board of Trustees UMM Continental Breakfast (after worship Liturgists Marlene Colby Pat Silva Bea Lingenfelter Kit Oase Ushers Jim Chapple, Bev Bancroft Tom Savage Teresa Chin, Teena Roland-Moreno Bob & Judy Wissel Jim & Jeanne Murchie Darryl & Margie Shaw Joel & Susan Groskopf Glenn & Deanna Phillips March 3 March 5 March 6 March 7 March 9 March 10 March 13 March 16 March 18 March 19 March 20 March 22 March 23 March 25 March 27 Taela Heath Ezra Costa Steve Parsons Rick Wentworth Marge Patzer-Hall Michael Tandy Shirley White André Gouaux Payton Costa Ralph McChesney III Darryl Shaw Jan Brown Yvonne Nylen Tom Brown Ross Kilpatrick Marsha Savage Keith Kubik Joan Rodriguez Pat Kilpatrick Mackenzie Weber Holy Roamers March Outing Saturday, March 19th Daffodil Hill in Amador County Daffodil Hill is a ranch owned by the McLaughlin family since It is situated in a beautiful mountain setting in Amador County. With pine trees, the original 1880 s barn, wagon wheels, gold rush era mining equipment and antique farming implements, it appeals to anyone with a love of nature and history. Flowers are everywhere and peacocks, chickens, miniature donkeys (Rosie and Sunshine), and a horse (Hannah) are also there for young and old alike to enjoy. Each Spring Daffodil Hill explodes with thousand of blooms, attracting visitors from around the world. Holy Roamers plan to meet in the church parking lot at 9:30 a.m. to share rides to Daffodil Hill. We will have lunch in the area before returning home. More details will follow. (If we find this date too late for the best viewing, we may move forward one week to March 12th).

5 March UMW Meeting - March 3rd UMW invites everyone to join us to hear from the St. Paul s group that went to the UMCOR outlet in Utah this past year as they share their experiences. The UMW business meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. and the Program will start at 11:00 a.m. Hope Circle March 9th at 1:00 p.m. at Prestige Senior Living Harmony Circle March 10th at 10:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room UMW New Book Reviews GET OFF YOUR DONKEY! Help Somebody and Help Yourself In Memory of Donna Kinser Reggie McNeal 166 pages In one of his most famous parables, Jesus points to a man who gets down from his donkey and helps someone in dire need. Now, with energy and enthusiasm, Reggie McNeal calls you to dismount, get messy, and live a life that makes a real difference. Editor: The author of this book reminds us that in order for the Good Samaritan be helpful to one in need, he needed to first get off his donkey. The author notes to become the person you were designed to be, you need to increase your capacity to serve others. In order to do that, one must get off their donkey! He discusses how to recognize how to respond to need, and how it positively affects you. Manteca St. Paul s is pretty good at getting off their donkey, but this book points the way to how we can improve, be more efficient in our helping and help ourselves more. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO DINNER? Recipes and Reflections for Family Mealtime Melodie M. Davis 242 pages Whatever Happened to Dinner? invites families to eat together, even as we live in a culture that often pulls us apart. Author Melodie M. Davis examines the role food and mealtime play in the family and reminds us of why God gave us the good gift of food. Editor: The author was surprised to find that teens seldom or never ate dinner with their family. She sets out to advise why we should gather, how to arrange it in a busy schedule and even gives us easy, but healthy recipes. I ve tried one recipe and have plans to try more that sound simple and tasty. Remember: even though these books can be found in the UMW section of the library, anyone can check them out. Happy reading, Luan Bland

6 WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS For some Christians, the week preceding Easter is known as Holy Week. It begins on Palm Sunday and is traditionally a week of somber reflection on the events preceding Jesus death: his triumphant entry into Jerusalem; his betrayal by Judas; his Last Supper with his twelve apostles; his arrest, crucifixion and death; and his burial in a tomb. Palm Sunday (March 20, 2016) On Palm Sunday, Christians celebrate Jesus procession into Jerusalem, which occurred several days before his death. According to the gospels, the people of Jerusalem spread branches from trees identified specifically as palm branches in John's gospel on the road to welcome Jesus as he rode a donkey into the city. Because of this, many Christian churches today offer congregants palm fronds as they enter the church on Palm Sunday. In some denominations, the story of Jesus entry into Jerusalem and of his death is read in church on Palm Sunday, juxtaposing the welcome Jesus received on one day with his betrayal and arrest a few days later. Maundy or Holy Thursday (March 24, 2016) On Holy Thursday (also called Maundy Thursday), Christians commemorate the Last Supper a Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples the night before his death. During the meal, Jesus broke bread and offered his followers wine, saying This is my body, given up for you. Many Christians consider this event to have been the institution of the Eucharist, which is a sacrament in some denominations. Good Friday (March 25, 2016) Easter (March 27, 2016) Christians observe Good Friday (for English-speaking Eastern Orthodox Christians, Great and Holy Friday ) as the day Jesus was crucified and died. It is the most somber day on the Christian calendar. On Good Friday, some Christians abstain from meat or refrain from food altogether. They may also attend special church services that might include readings from the gospel stories of Jesus' Passion, Jesus' last words, and other Bible passages. Easter is the most important Christian holiday, surpassing even Christmas. As a celebration of the day Jesus rose from the dead, Easter symbolizes forgiveness, rebirth, and God s saving power. Christians view the day as a victory over sin, death, and all destructive forces in people s lives. R e a d more a t h t t p : / / w w w. b e l i e f n e t. c o m/ F a i t h s / C h r i s t i a n i t y / / 0 3 / F A Q - C h r i s t i a n - H o l i d a y s - D u r i n g - H o l y Week.aspx#AAGiDU5OmVUmqzdb.99 NOTE: The Good Friday and Easter stain glass windows are in the ST PAUL S sanctuary windows. Next time you are in the Sanctuary, see if you can find them. Respectfully submitted by David Bland

7 Dear Sisters and Brothers of the Central Valley District, Is your church engaged in Vampire Evangelism? This is not a strategy proposed by a hot new church planter; it s been around for awhile. You can recognize it by phrases like We need new blood. (Imagine that old-style movie vampire voice: Vee neeeed new blaaauhd!) It is an expression of anxiety that the church can no longer afford a full-time pastor, or maintain its buildings, or have the energy to sustain traditions and committees. It s a way long-time members sometimes express their weary longing to rest from their responsibilities and yet have confidence that their beloved church will continue. If you recognize a strain of vampire-like attitudes in your church, the season of Lent is a great time to practice confession and repentance and ask God for a new heart. Younger people who are not currently attending church do not need more problems, financial burdens, conflict, or a longer to-do list. They do not need your particular church especially if it full of vampires. Young people, however, do need to encounter the transforming power of God s love and grace as expressed through the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They do need to experience the support and acceptance of loving Christian community in order to grow spiritually and thrive in the daily struggles of life. They do need wise mentors to support them in raising their own families. They need partners in offering their own gifts to make a difference in the world and to participate in something larger than themselves. I suggest this Lenten practice: Each week, write a couple of sentences about how God s love and grace has transformed your life. See how your testimony unfolds as we prepare for Easter s celebration. Pray for an opportunity to extemporaneously share your witness in some routine of your life or a chance encounter. You never know how God might use you for healing and saving purposes in someone else s life! Show up at the Lord s Table to be nourished by Christ s body and blood. That s the only new blood we need! Walking with you as we follow Jesus, Debra

8 THE COMMUNICATOR or better known as Dave Bland. In all the times you have walked to Fellowship after church or to a meeting in the Fellowship Hall have you noticed the little room between the Fireside Room and the Nursery? After reading the following article put together by LUAN BLAND I hope you take her up on the invite. St. Paul s Library "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." Joseph Addison Do you like to read? Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction? Have you visited the church library lately? Do you know where the library is located? (In the fellowship building on the west side between the nursery and the fireside room) Are you aware of the many types of books available for checking out? Some of the categories housed include: fiction, non-fiction, Bible Stories, reference books, Bibles, hymnals, UMW books (anyone may check out, not limited to UMW readers). Response magazine, Guideposts magazine, past small group studies, including leader s guides and videos, audio books, and much more. Who is our current librarian? Lisa Kennedy and the assistant librarian, Liz Sucht, keep everything in order. These women have been busy updating our library. They have removed and given away old books (other than classics) that have not been checked out since 1990, in other words for 25 years. They are sorting many new donations to prepare them to add to the library. Some thoughts from some people you might know When you don t know what you re talking about, it s hard to know when you re finished. ~Tommy Smothers Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.~ronald Reagan A study of economics usually reveals that the best time to buy anything is last year. ~Marty Allen Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your children.~sam Levenson Misers aren t fun to live with, but they make wonderful ancestors. ~David Brenner My doctor is wonderful. Once, when I couldn't afford an operation, he touched up the x- rays. ~Joey Bishop I m not going to vacuum til Sears makes one you can ride on. ~Roseanne Barr My grandmother is over eighty and still doesn t need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle. ~Henny Youngman If you think nobody cares if you re alive, try missing a couple of car payments. ~Flip Wilson When I go to the beauty parlor, I always use the emergency entrance. Sometimes I just go for an estimate. ~Phyllis Diller Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today. ~Abraham Lincoln

9 Empty Bowls Fund-raiser Sunday, March 20th Coffee Hour To Benefit St. Paul s UMC Food Pantry My empty bowl, empty now will soon be filled with precious food. Beings all over the Earth are struggling to live. How fortunate I am to have enough to eat. When many people look at an empty bowl, they know their bowl will continue to be empty for a long time. So the empty bowl is as important to honor as the full bowl We are grateful to have food to eat We remember to find ways to help those who are hungry. - Thich Nhat Hanh Delicious Homemade Soups Rolls and Butter, Brownie Dessert One beautiful hand-thrown bowl made for this day and donated by local artists. (Tom Silva, Randy Pearsall, Manteca Artists Guild) Keep your bowl as a reminder of this meal s purpose. Every time you take the bowl from your cupboard, you will be reminded that someone s bowl is empty and that on this occasion you helped to alleviate hunger. Suggested Love Donation $10.00 for a hand-thrown bowl (one per family) $5.00 for a regular bowl $2.50 for children 2016 Scholarship Application Available Applications for scholarships available through St. Paul s for the academic year are now available. Download the application packet from our website: or contact the Church Office office@stpaulsmanteca.org to request the packet by . Completed applications are due April 15, 2016.

10 Paint By Day / Paint By Night On March 10 th, a hands-on, creative Lenten experience is planned for men and women to enrich their discipleship experience through watercolor painting. Each session will begin with prayer, scripture, and guided meditation from the Gospel of John I Am the True Vine. Pamela Wilhelm, a local artist from Tracy, will be our painting instructor. The afternoon session is 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the evening session is 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The cost is $25.00 per individual. If you are interested please call the church office to make your reservation or Pastor pastorlisabrown@gmail.com. For our parents with young children, if you are interested in attending and need child care, please discuss this with Pastor Lisa. St. Paul s United Methodist Church 910 E. North Street Manteca, CA office@stpaulsmanteca.org NON-PROFIT ORG. PRSRT-STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 67 MANTECA, CA Return Service Requested Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors All are welcomed and received in Christ s love. Church Office Hours: Monday Friday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Phone: , Fax: St. Paul s Preschool Office Phone: