St. Paul Partners A PUBLICATION OF ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH

Transcription

1 August 2017 VOL31 #1 St. Paul Partners A PUBLICATION OF ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH S P O N S O R E D BY M A R G A R E T I K E R D I N H O N O R O F B A R B A R A S L O O P FROM THE PASTOR: The Real World and the Kingdom World For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. Romans 8: Dear St. Paul Family, Last month at Camp Lutherock some of my colleagues and I were admiring the lush greenery and the beauty of the mountains. One of them said with a kind of a sigh, Well, tomorrow is Saturday which means we take our kids and head back to the real world. After a moment of reflection another colleague said, Yes, but this is the real world too. And you know what, both of my colleagues are right. When Jesus took with him Peter, James and John and went up on a mountain he was transfigured before them. It was such an awesome experience that the disciples wanted to stay there forever but Jesus knew that was not VISIT US ONLINE AUGUST 2017 possible and so led them back down the mountain back to the real world from which they had come. But what they experienced on that mountain top was part of their faith journey, part of their story and hence was also part of their real world experience. We humans have this warped sense of what the real world is in that we remember one part but forget the other. We somehow learn over time that the real world is only experienced when we are working, being productive, staying busy and/ or caught up in the brokenness, the fear, the suffering and the evil that is part of our world reality. Within that we somehow interpret that if we are at church or church camp or on vacation or experiencing happiness, then we are not part of the real world, it is a pie-in-the-sky world and if we stay there too long we lose touch with reality. Actually nothing could be further from the truth. In the above scripture INSIDE this issue INSIDE this issue Pastor s Article... 1 Caring for our Members... 2 Birthdays & Anniversaries... 2 News Notes... 3 Homecoming... 4 Council Highlights... 4 August Worship Assistants... 5 August Calendar... 6 Living Lutheran... 7 Backpack Blessing... 8 StPaulStartown.org VOLUME 31 NUMBER 1 PAGE 1

2 PAGE 2 passage from Romans, Paul is saying that true spirituality means we experience the reality of the Holy Spirit, which enables us to pray as God s children, keeps us in solidarity with creation, and gives us unseen hope that God will liberate us and creation from bondage to death and decay. When my colleagues and I are having teaching time with the youth at camp one of the things I like to do is called a Catechism Connection, where what they learn in Confirmation class is tied in with the outdoor setting they are in at camp. Together we studied and were reminded of the second petition of the Lord s Prayer thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. This is really powerful in the sense that every time we pray this prayer we are asking for God to make his kingdom known, not only in heaven but also here on earth. As Christians we know that one big way the Lord has done that is through Jesus Christ. Now that Christ is back in heaven we also know that God s presence is made known to us now through the Holy Spirit and that Spirit also works through us. God can work through us his adopted children to make his kingdom known now to let others know the real world is not just pain, suffering and fear but also peace, joy and love. As we look toward this month, we will be blessing school supplies collected through our Christmas in July ministry, the youth will gather for a pool party for fun and fellowship and begin looking toward Sunday School and Confirmation classes beginning for the fall, the Handbell and Adult Choirs will begin practicing again, a solar eclipse will be experienced (the likes of which the earth hasn t seen in 99 years), we will continue to gather for worship and families will get together for reunions and last-minute vacations. Through it all we do it as participants in the real world the world God has given us to make his kingdom known and there is nothing more real than that. I look forward to being with you as we make Christ s kingdom known by putting our mission into practice to Witness, Welcome, Worship and Work in the name of our Lord. Yours in Christ, Pastor Ralph is extended to the family of Myrtle Rae Sherrill Corpening who passed away July 3 rd. She was the mother of St. Paul s former Administrative Assistant, Cheryl Hendrix. Memorials may be made to New Hope Moravian Church, 2897 Sandy Ford Road, Newton, NC is extended to the family of James Franklin Hendrix who passes away unexpectedly on July 15 th. He was the husband of St. Paul s former Administrative Assistant, Cheryl Hendrix. Memorials may be made to New Hope Moravian Church, 2879 Sandy Ford Road, Newton, NC is extended to the family of Brandon Erik Miller who passed away unexpectedly on July 4 th. He was the nephew of St. Paul member Becky McNeil and cousin to Connor and Everly. is extended to the family of Letha Warren who passed away on July 20 th after a period of declining health. She was the mother-in-law of St. Paul member Joyce Warren. is extended to the family of Benjamin Dowell who passed away on July 24 th. He was the brother of St. Paul member David Dowell. Memorials may be made to Gideons International. August 10 August 14 August 15 August 17 August 19 August 24 August 27 Aug. 11 Gayle Jarrett Donna Miller Glenn Hoke Almeita Helton Cierra Lail Tim Lail Sue Jarrett Darrell Hamby Bradley & Sharron Scronce Please Note: If we have missed your birthday or anniversary, please let the church office know so we can update our records. office@stpaulstartown.org or (828) ext. 301 During worship on July 2 nd we welcomed Anna Schneider into our church family by affirmation of faith. Anna has been a regular attender at worship over the past several months. She is retired and enjoys cooking, making jewelry and gardening. Her address is: 2169 Barringer Circle, Newton, NC

3 As summer is upon us and different ones within the church family are out and about the prayers of St. Paul are with you to be safe and have fun. Also, as the 500 th year of the Reformation continues, perhaps you might consider taking a picture of Martin Luther with you. Lutheran churches across the country are participating and it will be fun to see where Martin shows up in people s travels world over. Wherever you go on vacation, etc. take a picture with you and Martin in it and share it on social media with the hashtag #WheresMartin. Also, send to Morgan for us to share on St. Paul s website and Facebook page. If you are not on social media, take a picture and bring it to share with your church family. Pictures of Martin Luther for you to take and enjoy are in the narthex and the table in the hallway below the bulletin board. Open Invitation to St. Paul Members Anyone interested in singing in a Christmas Cantata with orchestra is invited to attend rehearsals beginning Monday, July 31st at 6:45pm at Bethel Lutheran Church in Claremont. The performance of the cantata will not interfere with any planned St. Paul activities. See Morgan Lane for more information or simply show up on Monday, July 31st! Don t Let Your Giving Take a Vacation! Summer is almost here and that means family vacations! St. Paul relies on you, the members of St. Paul to do ministry and when your tithing takes a vacation, certain projects have to take a back seat. So, we want to remind you that we offer electronic giving as a way to automate your regular offering. Electronic giving offers convenience for individual congregation members and provides muchneeded donation consistency for our congregation. Direct Debit Giving is used to automatically transfer funds from your checking or savings account to the church s bank account. Credit & Debit Card Giving lets you make offerings automatically on a pre-determined schedule using a credit or debit card. Online Giving lets you go to at any time to set up an automatic donation plan, change your donation plan, make a one-time donation or view your online donation history. HONORING THOSE WHO LABOR Mark your calendars for Sunday September 3 rd as this will be the Sunday before Labor Day. To recognize this milestone for those who labor and/or volunteer you will have permission to come to church that day in your work or volunteer uniform. We will also recognize those in the church family who are recently retired. DID YOU MISS US?? This summer we have enjoyed and appreciated the musical selections performed by Mike Reed. But have you missed the St. Paul Adult Choir? Not to worry the choir will resume practice this month, beginning August 9th at 7:00 PM. And, as you can see each week, we have plenty of extra places for new members. No special vocal talent is necessary, just a Spirit-led desire to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Come and join us we need YOU! Youth News POOL PARTY SUNDAY AUGUST 13 TH AFTER WORSHIP Richard and Gail Blackburn will again be hosting us for lunch and a pool party. All are welcome. Please let Pastor Ralph or the Blackburn s know if you plan to attend so we will have an idea of how many to expect. NATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING JUNE 27 July 1, 2018: Watch for upcoming information in the near future. Registration is open in September. PAGE 3

4 Bring a Smile - Get a Smile! In these busy days do you ever wish you have just an hour of refreshing time to spend in the company of others you know? That hour could be yours when you spend it with your WELCA sisters at St. Paul. The August hour will be on August 14, 2017, from 6-7 PM in the Conference Room. Join us for devotions led by Betsy Linder and discussions about Fall activities. Come, bring your smile and be ready to leave renewed and smiling! SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR Huh?? What date?? Why?? The occasion is our Homecoming Sunday and the date is September 17th. We will welcome Pastor Laura Carr Wind (Vicar at St. Paul from ) as our special guest. So, plan ahead and consider what special culinary dish you could bring to our potluck luncheon. What a blessed way to welcome Autumn at St. Paul! Bored? Too hot to work outside? St. Paul has the answer!!! Start now baking a batch of cookies, pop em in the freezer and you will be ready when the call goes out in September for our Prison Cookie Ministry Drive. Well. OK.. Maybe you don t want to turn on the oven, but at least be on the lookout for sales on baking needs. This semi-annual drive provides cookies for the group of Statesville men, including Brent Bowman (Helen Bowman s son) who monthly bring the word of God to the Taylorsville Federal Prison. Twice a year they bring sweet treats to the inmates in the program. The cookies don t have to be individually bagged a bulk bag is preferred. Last Spring we donated over 120 dozen cookies - that s a great goal for this Fall s drive! Will you help us meet that goal? PAGE 4 The St. Paul Lutheran Church Congregation Council met on July 9th, 2017 beginning at 11:21 am. Devotions were led by Adam Fincannon. Motions Approved: Attendance Report June 2017 Congregation Council Meeting Minutes Treasurers Report to be filed for audit Pastors Report Ministry Team Reports Joey Potter selected as St. Paul Scholarship recipient for 2017 Items of Interest: NCDOT has begun planning and environmental studies for proposed widening of Startown Rd Next Congregation Council Meeting is scheduled for August 13th, 2017 at 11:30am. Meeting was adjourned at 12:17pm with the Lord's Prayer.

5 MONTHLY DUTIES AUGUST WORSHIP ASSISTANTS Liturgy The Work of the People Offered Unto God USHERS Richard Blackburn Gail Blackburn ALTAR GUILD Glenda Townsend Betsy Lindler MONEY COUNTER (TELLER) Richard Blackburn Gail Blackburn SUNDAY SCHOOL TELLER Richard Blackburn COMMUNION (1ST, 3RD, 5TH) Michelle Potter Mary Kraft COMMUNION (2ND, 4TH) Kathy Frye Gail Bowman WEEKLY DUTIES August 6 August 13 August 20 August 27 GREETER Gail Blackburn Richard Blackburn Wanda Helton Roger Frye LAY READER Mary Kraft Karina Coulter Keith Frye Kathy Frye PRAYER LEADER Libby Wells Pastor Ralph Wanda Helton Keith Frye ACOLYTE Richard Helton Connor McNeil Betsy Lindler Dylan Lail CRUCIFER Dewey Jones Everly McNeil Kathy Frye Cierra Lail CHILDREN S MESSAGE Pastor Ralph Richard Helton Kathy Frye Barbara Sloop PAGE 5

6 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY pm - A.A :30am - Java w/ 7pm - Boy Scouts & Council Reports 8pm - A.A. Jesus Cub Scouts Due 9am - Sunday School 10am - Worship 11:30am - Worship & Music Team 6pm - Handbells 7pm - Adult Choir :30am - Java w/ 6pm - WELCA 6pm - Handbells 8pm - A.A. Jesus 7pm - Adult Choir 9am - Sunday School 10am - Worship with Blessing of Backpacks 11:30am - Church Council 12pm - Youth Pool Blackburns 7pm - Boy Scouts & Cub Scouts :30am - Java w/ Office Closed September 8pm - A.A. Jesus Newsletter Deadline 9am - Sunday School 10am - Worship 12:30pm - Rader Reunion (FH) 7pm - Boy Scouts & Cub Scouts 6pm - Handbells 7pm - Adult Choir :30am - Java w/ 7pm - Boy Scouts & 6pm - Handbells Jesus Cub Scouts 9am - Sunday School 10am - Worship 7pm - Adult Choir 10:15am - Pastor Ralph leading Trinity Village PAGE 6

7 Old time radio show brings the Reformation to congregations Sermons, as many know them, are oral remarks steeped in theology, often paired with lessons from current or modern-day life. But members of Emanuel Lutheran Church in Modesto, Calif., were treated to something unique during worship on four different Sundays. Instead of a sermon, they were sent back in time to the 1940s when radio was the primary form of mass communication. And it s here, in the old-style radio shows, that the You Were There series was born in Author and church member Michael Clarke has written four shows in the series. Each show runs 30 minutes and features a radio show host interviewing the play s characters. The last in the series honors the Reformation anniversary and debuted on Sunday, Feb. 5, Clarke, a retired periodontist, created the series based on his experience with the You Are There CBS Radio series, which he listened to while growing up. The You Were There series pays homage to the real-life radio show, blending history with theater, taking listeners on a time warp each week to report the great events of the past. For his shows, Clarke remained true to the original concept but took a theological angle for his subject matter. The You Were There plays originally introduced his fellow congregants to people who knew Jesus and shared their memories of his life and ministry. The initial series featuring the birth of Christ, the Last Supper and the Resurrection was well-received, so he decided to write a Reformation-themed show. For You Were There: The Reformation, the radio show host interviews people who knew Martin Luther. Clarke features Luther s sister, who remembers their childhood; Yohann Tetzel, a Dominican friar; and Rabbi Josef, a childhood friend who responds to questions about Luther s writings on the Jews. A seminary classmate, a Roman Catholic cardinal, and a young girl who witnessed Luther s trial complete the cast. This production, like the others, was born out of a passion for writing. As an English major in college, Clarke returned to writing as a retirement hobby. I started writing performance pieces in college, he said. When I retired in 2001, I started writing again and have completed a number of projects, many for our congregation. In most cases, Clarke spends four months writing, although not in continuous effort, given that he does so part time. My writing time reflects the intervals between the initial ideas and the performances, he said, with the time varying depending on my other activities and obligations. The writing of the Reformation play required additional research to fill in some of the gaps details mostly in my knowledge of the overall Luther story. (Clarke s primary reference was Martin Marty s Martin Luther, 2004.) Once he s satisfied with the final written product, the show goes into production, with parishioners volunteering as actors. An initial read-through of the script is followed by rehearsals in the sanctuary. Included in the troupe is Emanuel s pastor, Lyn Crase, who introduces each show. Like the other shows, this one doesn t require the actors to memorize dialogue or wear costumes, though some of the performers chose to dress up in 1940s attire. Since Emanuel has produced You Were There: The Reformation, Clarke said the show has had five requests for the script: two Illinois congregations and one each in California, Minnesota and New Hampshire. PAGE 7

8 St. Paul Lutheran Church STAMP HERE 3761 Startown Rd Newton, NC Phone: (828) <<Address Here>> Sunday, August 13th During Worship This is a special opportunity to pray for our students scholastic diligence and success in the coming school year, the teachers who will inspire them, and the collected school supplies collected during our Christmas in July effort. Encourage the young people in your life to come and join us for this meaningful service as they continue their educational journey. PAGE 8