August 2014 HYMN SING REQUEST

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1 The Epistle The Newsletter of St. Paul s Moravian Church 8505 Heathermore Blvd. Upper Marlboro, MD Phone: spmoravian@gmail.com Facebook: St. Paul s Moravian Church Rev. Bill Andrews stpaulspastor@gmail.com Office Hours: Tuesday Friday, 9:30AM - 4:30PM PASTOR S SERMON SERIES One of the requests received in the Questions You Asked series was for the Pastor to preach through an entire book of the Bible. Pastor Bill has wisely decided not to go through the Psalms (150 chapters) but will take the five chapters of 1 John in coming weeks. The inspiration for that choice came from working with the Confirmation Class. As these young people are discovering what it means to follow Christ in the 21 st century there is much for all of us to learn from Christians from the 1 st century. 1 John helps us have a confident, positive faith and shows us how to stay closely connected to Jesus. Perhaps you can use some encouragement and guidance for your walk with Christ. Join us starting on August 10. You will get more out of the sermons if you prepare yourself by reading 1 John beforehand. 5 chapters four pages, that s not too much! HYMN SING AUGUST 17! Join us on August 17 for an inspiring Hymn Sing. The sermon will be replaced by singing many of our favorite hymns. If you have a favorite you ve been waiting to sing we would love to hear from you! You may complete and submit the form below or send an to Kendra (spmoravian@gmail.com) or use the form in a Sunday bulletin to let us know your favorite. We ll be looking for you on the 17 th as we lift our voices together in joyful praise! HYMN SING REQUEST August 2014 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL WOW! Group s Wilderness Escape, Where God Guides And Provides VBS Program was exciting for staff and VBS children. It was a time of bringing-to-mind for some and learning for others that God is with us, God gives us what we need, God gives us strength, God saves us, and God guides us, so...( we can) TRUST GOD! From the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, to God s provision of quail and manna, to the defeat of the Amalekite Army, to remembering the Passover, to God giving the Ten Commandments God is faithful. The VBS children experienced what it may have been like for the Israelites to wander in the desert and to be completely dependent on God. They learned that God loved the Israelites and that He loves them and that God kept his promises to the Israelites and He will keep his promises to his people today. (Amen!) One more thing, you just had to be there to experience the joy and exuberance of the kids raising their hands, singing and praising God, and sharing their experiences of looking for and finding God in the everyday things of life, and to seeing the generosity of St. Paul s and VBS families in giving donations for Water for India. Next year, lend a hand with VBS, if you can, you will be blessed! Pat Jones & Sarah Kruzan ST. PAUL S 101 If you are interested in learning more about St. Paul s and how to get involved more deeply in the life of the church this is your big chance! Pastor Bill is organizing a class called St. Paul s 101 for you. You will learn about our beliefs, history, and customs and discover how you can be part of a church with deep roots in the Christian faith. Pastor Bill would love to talk with you about signing up for St. Paul s 101! 1

2 ~ Learning and Growing in Faith ~ ADULT EDUCATION Women s Bible Study Tuesdays, 10:30 AM Ladies who have free time in the mornings are invited for Spiritual Food and good Fellowship. Lead by Sister Dorothy Thomas, the group is studying the book of Mark. Exodus: Learning to Trust God. You are invited to join us as we study the second book of the Bible. Learn about Moses, Pharaoh, the plagues, Passover and manna! We begin at 8:45AM, and will meet on August 31. SUNDAY SCHOOL Classes for children aged three (and potty trained) through high school start each week at 8:45 A.M. sharp! Our teachers are ready and eager to shape the hearts of our children. ONLINE LEARNING COMMUNITY A discussion group focused around the Moravian Daily Texts! You can receive the Daily Texts for free by by subscribing at: To find the discussion group go to: Join the conversation today! 2015 MORAVIAN DAILY TEXT You may order your 2015 Daily Text through the church office. The Daily Text is available in journal, hardcover, large print and paperback editions. Please call or mail Kendra if you would like to order a copy of the Daily Text. NORTHERN PROVINCE SYNOD UPDATE: Sister Pat Jones and Pastor Bill represented St. Paul s at Synod, a business meeting every 4 years. Clergy and lay delegates from our congregations in the Eastern, Western and Canadian Districts gathered to elect leaders and make decisions about the future of our denomination. The Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller was reelected to serve as the President of the Provincial Elders Conference, the executive body that leads our church. This will be her second term in this office. Many legislative matters were addressed including making the way congregations help finance the work of the denomination more fair, the decision to hold a special synod in two years to restructure our denomination to achieve cost savings, social issues including guns in church, t shirts, drugs, oil drilling and politicians and war. By far the most significant issue was the proposal to ordain gay or lesbians in covenanted relationships. The Synod affirmed our commitment to inclusiveness so that all are free to express a perspective on this issue without fear of consequences. The measure was approved overwhelmingly. The policy of our Province continues that no pastor can be forced on any congregation against its will and that we do not conduct same sex marriages, but but we may conduct covenanted relationship ceremonies. In light of this action Pastor Bill has stated that he has not changed his views on this matter. A fuller explanation of Synod can be found at: NEWS OF THE CHILDREN S CENTER The children and staff have all being enjoying the lovely summer weather God has given us. They are enjoying going to the pool twice a week and have been on several field trips. The school-age children enjoy Zumba with Ms. Nikki Greene as well as the theme a week they are working on. So far this summer they have learned about Friendship, Butterflies, and the Fourth of July as well as the American Flag, with reading and math enrichment as part of the themes. The children will go to Pump-itup and the Imagination Stage as well as several inhouse trips. We look forward to the rest of the summer with themes on Health and Fitness, Oceans and Music. We have several openings in our schoolage summer camp as well as in the full-time program. If you would like your child in a safe, Christ based, loving environment please call We pray each of you will have a safe blessed summer. From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16 ~Ms. Virginia Anthony, Director 2

3 ~ Opportunities for Service ~ MARLBORO CHURCHES FOOD BANK August is the month for distributing school supplies to the children of our Food Bank families. We ll collect and distribute supplies for approximately 100 children. Please help the food bank families by donating school supplies. We have children from kindergarten through high school. Now is the time that stores have the supplies on sale. Bring your donations to St. Paul s on or before the 1st Sunday in August. We were surprised last month when the Maryland Food Bank notified us that they would no longer deliver food to our food bank. We now receive our food delivery from Capital Area Food Bank. Our food is delivered on the Wednesday before the second Saturday of each month. We need help unloading the food from the delivery truck. The food is delivered between 12 PM and 4 PM. If you can help unload food, please contact me about this important activity. We always need volunteers especially during the summer months; please consider helping. Food bank schedule for August will be: Thursday, August 7, 2014 between 8AM-12PM unload food at Trinity Episcopal, 7 PM set up food at Trinity Episcopal Friday, August 8, 2014, 8 AM bag food at Trinity Episcopal Saturday, August 9, 2014, 7 AM distribute food at Trinity Episcopal Please also remember to bring your food donations to church on the 1st Sunday in August. To help with packing and distribution, just show up, or you may call Sister Trudy Smith, ~ A Word from the Pastor ~ These are morally and spiritually challenging times! One of the challenges is to know how to respond to change in a Christ-honoring way. Some of the change happening around us is difficult to harmonize with our faith in Christ. As I reflect on our Moravian Motto: Our Lamb has conquered, let us follow Him, I realize it s not possible to go back to some version of the past because the Lamb leads us forward. We are followers of the Lamb and our great mission is to go where He leads. Jesus is moving into the future and as His followers you and I must go with Him wherever that takes us. Our Moravian heritage teaches us that the path of following may lead us to periods of spiritual darkness, suffering and persecution, but it also teaches us it may lead to periods of Gospel opportunity, peace and joy in serving Jesus. Jesus calls us to follow Him wherever that may take us in faith that He will go with us to comfort and strengthen us. The motto reminds us the Lamb we follow has also conquered. He conquered sin and death in the past on the cross. This is the basis for our lives His love and forgiveness. At times society can feel overwhelming, convincing us we are too small and weak to resist its relentless downward pull to go along. The Lamb we follow will ultimately destroy every temptation, habit, impulse and thought that tries to pull us from the path of following Him. It s encouraging to know that ultimate victory is His when I struggle and sometimes fail to resist temptation and embrace obedience. My failures and discouragement shrink and fade in the light of His overpowering victory on the cross! We face the same choice, fellow traveler: go mindlessly along with whatever happens in our culture, withdraw and lament over better days long ago, or take up our crosses and follow Him! I m picking up my cross, and would be so encouraged if you did the same. I don t know where it will lead, but I know Who will lead, and He s never failed me yet! ~ Pastor Bill ~ Invitation to Fellowship ~ 3

4 MEN S GROUP The Men s Group will not meet in August. All men are invited to participate in the Men s Retreat on September MEN S BREAKFAST All men are invited to attend the Men s Breakfast on Saturday August 16 th at 8:00 AM. Join us at the Marlboro Grill in the town of Upper Marlboro. MEN S RETREAT All men are invited to attend the Men s Retreat September The retreat is held in the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains and includes time for reflection, rest and recharging your spiritual batteries. Good food and good conversation are also an important part of the event. If you are interested in learning more about this event please contact Pastor Bill or Jeff Haynie. If you re a man you need this retreat! R.E.A.L. WOMEN We will meet August 16th. Check your Weekly Update for meeting locations. This is an opportunity for you to build relationships with other women and to develop friends and sisters in Christ. R.E.A.L Women (Relating, Exalting, Affirming, Loving, Women). Come share your joys, sorrows, trials, let down your guard and be real. Open to all women 18 and older, members and non -members. Come to be encouraged and to encourage. ~ Tamara Brooks WALKING GROUP Please join the St. Paul s Walkers beginning August 12th. We will meet at St. Paul s on Tuesday nights at 7 PM and walk in the Marlton neighborhood. It s fun to walk, talk and say Hi to our neighbors. Walking will be cancelled if it is raining. PRAYER AND HEALING SERVICE You are invited to join us as we pray for one another on the FIRST Friday of each month. The next service is scheduled for: August 1, :30PM September 5, :30 PM There is power in prayer! O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. Psalm 30:2 MORAVIAN WOMEN S CONFERENCE 2015 Every four years, the Interprovincial Women s Board hosts a three-day conference for Moravian Women across North America and other parts of the world. The conference offers time for attendees to relax their bodies, refresh their spirits and renew their minds. Meaningful worship and engaging speakers challenge, inspire and call us to action on God s behalf. Participants attend workshops on topics of interest and enjoy fellowship, quiet time, recreation and even sight-seeing. Our Sister Tamara Brooks will be a workshop leader at this conference. Let s support her and attend. Dates: June 25-28, 2015 Location: Sandy Cove Conference Center, North East MD Registration: $485/per person before January 7, 2015, $550/per person after January 7, Website: moravianwomen@gmail.com Phone: GET YOUR ST. PAUL S MORAVIAN GEAR! T-Shirts, Golf Shirts and Ball Caps with St. Paul s embroidered or screen printed logo are available for purchase! Available sizes and quantities are listed below. Fill out an order form today, located on the table in the narthex, and give it to Kendra. Make checks payable to St. Paul s Moravian Church. Shirt Style YL S M L XL T-Shirt - light blue 2 3 T-Shirt - dark blue Golf Shirt - dark blue Golf Shirt - light blue Ball Cap - light blue 8 Ball Cap - washed blue 9 4

5 THE OLIVET HAND BELL CHOIR On Sunday July 6, we had a wonderful concert from the Olivet HandBell Choir followed by a wonderful feast from our members and friends. We give thanks for the blessing of music that they brought to us and look forward to seeing them again! Compassion International Update St. Paul s Moravian Church actively sponsors FOUR children in need, through Compassion International: Fernandito, Joan, Hilarius, and Karen. They would love to hear from YOU! Although the church sponsors them, you can send gifts or sponsor a month or two if you are so moved. Sponsorship is only $38 a month for each child. Contact Kendra for the Commpassion.com log in information to write or donate easily or mark on your envelope for Compassion. Please pray for each of these children, that the small part we are doing helps them with their education and spiritual growth. It is so simple to send a letter to these beautiful children, and it means so very much to them to hear from us! YOU can make a positive impact on those in need TODAY! NOTES OF THANKS We want to thank you Kendra, and everyone else who has been involved in preparing for and helping with Homer s funeral- you have been so sweet and kind. We are blessed to still feel a part of St. Paul s the prayers and support have been wonderful. Thank you so much. Joan Revis and Family Dear Friends at St. Paul s, It has been so heartening to hear from so many members and past members who have moved remembering Homer, even the Tuesday Morning Bible Study. Everyone has been so faithful through as the years of Homer s illnesses, I really appreciate that. With the Lord as my strength, I am doing quite well and is the family. It was so good to hear all the nice things that people said about Homer. He would be so pleased. Thank you. Love, Joan Revis and Family 5

6 Greetings All, These are difficult times for so many, and thus for our churches. Though we can t attend but from time to time, St. Paul s has a special place in my heart. This year, April 17th, marked my 20th anniversary of ordination. I take quiet pride in being the first pastor to have been birthed by St. Paul s and continue to share our Moravian heritage as I share Christ with those I serve. May St. Paul s people continue to be a haven, a loving support for those in need; a strong witness to Christ s love and compassion. Your Sister in Christ, Mary Ann Pula ETHAN S HEART Dear St. Paul s Moravian Church, Blessed day to all the members! Indeed God is good through the support you have shared to Ethan and our family. We don't know how we could possibly express our sincere gratitude. We are overwhelmed and even cried for joy after knowing the love we received from you. We experienced the love of Christ that is manifested and practiced in your congregation. You are blessed because of what God has done to your lives and the life you have touch. Thank you so much. We still have a long journey to take but we are rested that God has already set everything right in His perfect will. We are secured that He will use people to help us get through all this life's challenges. It is our hope to meet all of you someday so that we can thank you personally May you continuously include Ethan and our family in your prayers and you are in our prayers as well. May the love, peace, and joy that the Lord has given through Christ Jesus be with you all. Thank you once again. Sincerely yours, Elluis and Melody Joy Invento 6