Welcome from Pastor Bob

Transcription

1 December 6, 2015 Welcome from Pastor Bob Welcome to St. Paul United Methodist Church! Whether you re a long-time member or a first time guest, I'm glad you're here! We are in the midst of the Advent season, and there is a lot happening at St. Paul! During this season of expectation we are exploring the stories of several biblical figures who were involved in the birth of Jesus. Each were transformed by their encounters with the Divine, and each has something to teach us today. I hope you will also join us for our Advent study on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. I am leading this study along with our Senior Directory of Ministry, Bobby Van Duyne, and I think it will have a powerful impact for many. See page 4 for more. Take a look at this bulletin to find out more about our upcoming events and ways you can Give in Love during this season. I invite you to visit our website at stpaulumc.org, or stop by the Connection Center off the side of the sanctuary lobby if you would like to know more about us and our ministries. I'm so excited about what the Lord is doing here at St. Paul, and I thank each of you for being a part of His work! Bob Martin, Senior Pastor

2 9:00 Traditional Worship Prelude David McKee, Traditional Worship Leader Lighting of the Advent Candle Welcome *Greet Emmanuel, Emmanuel No. 204 *Hymns O Come, All Ye Faithful No. 234 Angels From The Realms of Glory No. 220 Apostle's Creed No. 881 Prayer with Lord's Prayer No. 895 Offertory Sanctuary Choir Doxology Praise God From Whom No. 95 Prayer of Thanksgiving Transitional Chorus Message "It Begins: The Story Unfolds" Pastor Bob Martin Isaiah 61:1-4 10:30 Contemporary Worship Snapshot A typical contemporary worship at St. Paul lasts about an hour. Our worship is filled with current Christian music from our praise band. You are invited to sing along with the words on the screens, or simply enjoy the music. Our scripture and message are the same theme as the 9 a.m. worship. Each week during Advent we light one of the Advent candles. Check page 4 for more about the meaning of these candles. You'll notice every week there is a time in our worship to give financially. While this is something we're called to do in scripture, it's also our way of saying, "We love and support our church!" Directed Prayer Holy Communion *Benediction *Postlude *Please stand, if you are able. ABOUT 60 MIN. PASSIONATE MUSIC NO PRESSURE If you need assistance, please let an usher know and they would be happy to help. Baby changing tables are located in both men and women s restrooms. Know someone who would like to worship with us, but is unable to join us in the sanctuary? Invite them to worship with us live online every Sunday at 9 or 10:30 a.m. Just visit stpaulumc.org and click "Watch." VISITING US TODAY? If you're visiting us today, welcome! We're glad you're here. We hope you find St. Paul a welcoming place to worship, and that you feel God's love. To find out more about us we invite you to: VISIT OUR CONNECTION CENTER If you have questions or would like to talk to someone about St. Paul and what we offer, visit the Connection Center to the side of the lobby. We would love to speak with you! VISIT OUR WEBSITE stpaulumc.org JOIN OUR MAILING LIST LIKE OUR FACEBOOK: StPaulUMCLargo 2

3 Online Giving If you need a convenient way to make recurring contributions or you plan to make an additional gift, we encourage you to use our electronic giving options. To set up a recurring giving schedule, or to give a one time gift online, visit stpaulumc.org and click the Giving button, or use this QR code. Flowers This week's flowers were given by: Alice Ricketts in loving memory of her daughter, Jessica Ricketts The Ricketts family in remembrance of Jessica Morgan Ricketts Do you have an event or person you would like to honor with flowers? You can give a flower bouquet to the Glory of God. Call the church office at , visit the Giving page on our website, or church@stpaulumc.org. Bouquets are $40. Be sure to include your inscription with your order. Flowers can be picked up after the second worship or at the church office during the week. Stay and Pray Today Do you have additional prayer needs? Stay and pray in the chapel after each worship. Someone from our Prayer Ministry will pray with you or you are welcome to pray silently if you prefer. Deaths Please pray for the families of the people listed below, who recently passed on to life eternal: Barbara Janiece Brown Mary Ivey, wife of Tom Ivey Tom Flannigan If you would like to send a card to Tom Ivey, write to: Dunthorpe Lane, Purcellville, VA One Worship on Jan. 3 On Sunday, January 3 we will join together as a St. Paul family for one worship time at 9 a.m. As we begin the new year we ask, What will this next season of life bring? One thing is for sure, as Christians it is an opportunity for us to renew our commitment to the One whose love reigns forever. Join us for a message on "A New Identity." 3 To Make a Prayer Request Drop your prayer request in the offering plate. Call our prayer line at PRAY(7729) around the clock to leave a prayer need. Hear Our Prayer Please pray for the people listed below with immediate needs: S.T.A.A.R. Ministries Allison and Elise Hall Amy and Caregivers Ashley Audrey & Michelle Talbert Austin Barb and Bob Barbara Brown Bill Penhallegon Carolyn Goodwin Cheryl Chris Dick Chris Grey Chuck D.J. Vickie Goodin Danielle Daretta Aldrich Darlene Mitchell Dave and Do David and Cathy Dubrock David and Nicole Dena Don Don and Helen Doris and Chuck Doris Davis Duane Wells & Family Fred Hailey Jace Pruitt Jack Jackson Jane Jason Jenny Walter Jerry and Family Jim Lucky Jodi John Fady John Kays Jose Maldonado Joseph and Jennifer Karen and Jordan Goodin Kat Farhangi Kathy Seitz Kaydon Kenneth A. Kevin and Vicki Kim Morris Kristi Burslem Kyle Larry Harmon Leslee Lois Arnold Lois Kerns Lynn and Joyce Dunn Marguerite Buchanan Maria Marilyn Wehner Mark LaPolla Marlene & David Mary Moore Melissa Michael Campbell Mike and Family Mona and Paul Paul Howell Paula Peter Rev. Barbara Brockoff Rev. Dr. David Rahamut Rich Stemboroski Sableski Family Safa Scott Harrison Shirley Steve Harvey Steven Pruitt Tim Case Todd Smyzer Tom Black Bear Travis Ward Trish Vinney & Christina Wayne Boyd Zackary Kueker

4 Advent Study "Sent" Wednesday s 6:30 p.m. Mariposa Café Join Pastor Bob and our Senior Director of Ministry, Bobby Van Duyne for a weekly Advent Study, "Sent: Delivering the Gift of Hope at Christmas." God sent Christ at Christmas. In turn, Christ sends us into the world to be his hands and feet, head and heart. This study by Rev. Jorge Acevedo will help us discover how, where, and why we are sent. Children have their own Advent themed activities in rooms 201 and 243 of the CLEC. See page 6. During each Sunday of the Advent season, we focus on one of the four virtues Jesus brings us as we light the four candles of the Advent Wreath. At St. Paul we use three blue candles, and one pink candle to represent joy, along with one larger, white candle in the middle as the Christ candle. The lighting of the first candle symbolizes hope and expectation, while the second symbolizes peace, the third joy and the fourth love. The white Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve reminding Christians that Jesus is the light of the world. Surviving the Holidays Seminar Next Sunday, Dec :15 a.m. Mariposa Café If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, the holidays can be an especially difficult time. Stephen Ministry is sponsoring a FREE "Surviving the Holidays" event after 9 a.m. worship on Dec. 13. During the seminar, you'll receive a Holiday Survival Guide book with resources to help you during the holiday season. You'll also learn practical holiday survival tips: This week we focus on PEACE. As we light this Advent Candle we acknowledge that peace does not reign in our world. We ask, Who will show us the ways of peace and reconciliation? Jesus beckons us to prepare for his birth and in the birth of Jesus we find hope. In the life and teachings of Jesus we find the way to peace and justice. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is our hope for Peace. Jesus shows us the way. What to do about traditions and coming changes Helpful tips for surviving social events How to discover hope for your future If you plan to attend this free seminar, you need to sign up by this Thursday. Call the office at so we can reserve a book for you. 4 Suncoast Singers Concert January 10 3 p.m. LuAnne Willey Fellowship Hall Join us in the LuAnne Willey Fellowship Hall for an afternoon of music as the Suncoast Singers celebrate the "Spirit of America" with an uplifting patriotic program,/ A love offering will be taken to benefit St. Paul UMC ministries.

5 Adult Studies Adult Sunday Morning Classes Adults of any age are invited to join one of our Sunday school classes. All classes gather at 10:15 a.m. Inspirations - Purple Door Classroom (101) in Bldg C Crusaders - Conference Room 1 in Bldg B Friendship - Room 201 (Community Room) in CLEC Bereans - Room 101 (Carpenter's Room) in the CLEC JOY (Just Older Youth) Older adults are invited to join us in the Christian Life Enrichment Center at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays. Come and be a part of this time of worship, study, and fellowship. If you have any questions, contact Traditional Worship Leader, David McKee at x228. Adults Ages IGNITE Join our IGNITE group for adults ages for discussion, study, and a chance to hang out with some great people. During December they are focusing on the Advent Study, "Sent." IGNITE leader Felix Koutsourais c24go1@aol.com for more information. Like the IGNITE facebook: IgniteStPaul to keep up to date on all their upcoming events. Dorcas Like to sew? You can use your talents to serve the Lord! Dorcas Sewing Circle meets this Wednesday, December 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We need you to help make simple children's clothing, lap robes, walker bags and more for local and overseas missions projects. Bring a sandwich, sew with us to help others, and enjoy good fellowship. Hannah Hannah meets this Tuesday, December 8 at 6:45 p.m. in room 201 of the Christian Life Enrichment Center. Meeting includes refreshments, devotion, prayer, and a program. Rachel-Lydia The United Methodist Women s Rachel-Lydia group meets at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 10, in the Carpenter s Room 101 of the Christian Life Enrichment Center. Bring a potluck dish to share, and a wrapped gift ($5-7) for exchange! The Christmas celebration meeting will also include a devotional, Bible comment, special prayers, and the passing of our Dennis Fund Memorial Pediatric Mission monthly donation envelope. Our program speaker is Pam Dubov, who will share the story of her life as a strong Christian woman in "The Crooked Road." New faces are welcome! Welcome, New Members! St. Paul is blessed to welcome the new members who joined us on Sunday, November 22. Received into membership were Joni Allen, Donna and Brooke Errett, Darrel and Shirley Swain. Be sure to say hello to our new members and make them feel at home! Darrel & Shirley Swain Joni Allen Donna & Brooke Errett 5

6 Children Infant 5th Grade, Kaitie Johnson, Director of Children's Ministry, Sunday Morning Lil Kidz Care Lil Kidz Care is available every Sunday for infants to 4-year-olds, at 8:45 a.m. in the nursery building (Bldg B) next to the sanctuary. Sign in and be given a pickup card that you will need to pick-up your child. Sunday Morning Lil Kidz Class Our preschool class for 3 to 4 year-olds meets at 10:30 a.m. in the Red Door Room of Bldg C. Children's Advent Series Kids are invited to join us in Rooms 201 and 243 of the Christian Life Enrichment Center on Wednesdays this December at 6:30 p.m. for their own Advent series. Each week we will unwrap an object related to Advent and talk about what it represents, make a craft, play a game, and worship. The four week series ends on December 23. Parents are invited to attend our Advent series for adults in the Mariposa Café at the same time. See page 4 for more information. Sunday Morning for K 5 Sunday Morning Small Group at 9:00 a.m. South Fellowship Hall in Bldg C. Sunday Morning Worship at 10:30 a.m. South Fellowship Hall in Bldg C. December Sunday Series: Triple Dog Dare TODAY: God loved you first. How will you love others? Every week this month, we ll be asking our kids an important question to help them think about showing compassion. We kick off the month thinking about how we can respond to God s love for us and how we can love the people around us. Follow Our New Children's Ministry Facebook Lots of exciting things are happening in our Children's Ministry in December, from a new director, to the opening of our new dedicated children's space, to the children's Wednesday Advent series, and more. We've even given our Children's Ministry a new name: "Treehouse Children's Ministry." The Treehouse is a symbol of the journey of discovery and the sense of wonder our Children's Ministry seeks to instill as we introduce our kids to a life of faith. It also ties in closely with our "Lighthouse Youth Ministry." If you want to keep up with everything that's going on, follow our new Children's Ministry facebook: StPaulChildrensMinistry Son Kissed Christmas Program Saturday, December 12 6 p.m. Sanctuary Our Son Kissed Preschool kids will share a special Christmas program this Saturday. All are invited to join them in the sanctuary for music and more as we experience the joy of Christmas through the eyes of our children. Parent's Morning Out Parent's Morning Out is a safe place where your kids can have fun while you take time for yourself. PMO is available Tues. and Thurs. from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is just $20 per day, per child. Reserve a spot by calling

7 Youth 6th-12th Grade, Alison Van Duyne, Youth Ministry Director, Sunday Night Youth Group TONIGHT: SILENT TREATMENT Bottom Line: Even when God is silent, He s up to something. You ve heard of the silent treatment, right? If you ve ever been on the receiving end of the silent treatment then you know it s confusing, hurtful, and just no fun at all. Have you ever felt like you were getting the silent treatment from God? You ve prayed for something and felt like you never heard Him respond. You ve been in a hard situation or have questions about things happening around you, and it seems like God is nowhere to be found. If you ve ever felt that way about God, I ve got some news for you you re not alone! In fact, lots of people in the Bible felt this way, too. As the Old Testament came to a close, believers in God were left with hundreds of years of what seemed like silence before His work in the New Testament began. But as we look at the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, we ll see that even though God seemed silent, He was working on behalf of His people all along. Christmas was coming! Join the middle and high school youth from 5:30 8 p.m. Dinner is $4 on Sunday or $3 if the student reserves a meal online by the Wednesday before. Visit stpaulumc.org to reserve your meal. Students are invited for group games, exciting crowd breakers, passionate worship, biblical teaching, and a chance to connect with others through Source Groups. The group meets in the Mariposa Café at 5:30 p.m., then branches out to the Youth Room, the Gym or the Fellowship Hall. Confirmation Class Registration is open on our website for our Confirmation Class for students 6 th grade and up. The purpose is for students to learn and experience basic foundations of the Christian Faith. At the conclusion of the class, students will make a public profession of their faith as they become members of St. Paul United Methodist Church. During the five weeks of class, students will: Attend the overnight Confirmation Retreat at St. Paul on January 8-9 Attend weekly Confirmation lasses Complete weekly journal readings with parents Attend three worship services (youth group can be included) What students should bring to class: Bible Journal (they will get this during first session) Cost: $30 REGISTER ONLINE Confirmation Parents Meeting Next Sunday December 13 11:30 a.m. Connection Center Join us for a Parents' Meeting in the Connection Center at the side of the sanctuary lobby next Sunday, December 13 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. We will go over information about confirmation, the class schedule, and you can ask any questions you may have. 7

8 Help on Christmas Eve This Christmas Eve we expect to host lots of visitors at our 6 and 8 p.m. worships. We need your help to give them all a warm welcome and show them the love of God at Christmas! Contact Senior Director of Music and Worship Arts, Laurel Fortuna if you can help us at one or both of our Christmas Eve worship times - laurel.f@stpaulumc.org or x208. We need both greeters and ushers for Christmas Eve. Greeters Be the first smile our visitors see! Can you help give a warm welcome to all who enter St. Paul? Ushers Ushers are an important part of worship offering assistance in the sanctuary, participating in worship through offering collection, and more. Help Beautify Our Church Grounds We got a lot done at our Clean and Sparkle Day last month, but we still need help beautifying the church grounds. Please join us on Saturday, December 12 from 8:30 11 a.m. to help with mulching, trimming and more. Let's make sure St. Paul is ready to welcome our Christmas visitors! Open Arms Angel Trees Please take a tag from one of the Angel Trees in the lobby to help our Open Arms Resource Center provide toys for over 500 children. Buy a gift for the gender and age marked on the tag you choose, and drop your unwrapped gift off in the blue shopping cart in the sanctuary lobby or at Open Arms by December 16. Leave all presents unwrapped so parents can "shop" for their children's toys on December 18. If you can bring a roll of wrapping paper or a gift bag with your donation, parents will use these to wrap their gifts after they choose them. This is a wonderful way to share the joy of Christmas with children in need, and we are counting on you to help us again this year. If you can't donate, please consider helping with set up and distribution. Call Open Arms Director, Yvette Carter at if you'd like to volunteer. Chocolate for the Homeless Each year we include a special gift of chocolate at the homeless feeding before Christmas. This is a small token that means a lot to those who have nothing. We need individually wrapped chocolate candy to provide this treat. If you can donate, please bring your candy to the office by December 17 or drop it off in the blue shopping cart by Sunday, December 20. Thank you for your generosity! 8

9 Coming this Week Sunday, December 6 Courtyard Coffee 8:30 AM Lil Kidz Nursery 8:45 AM Traditional Worship 9:00 AM Lil Kidz Small Group 9:00 AM Stay & Pray 10:00 AM Bereans 10:15 AM Crusaders 10:15 AM Friendship 10:15 AM Inspirations 10:15 AM Contemporary Worship 10:30 AM Stay & Pray 11:30 AM Homeless Feeding 3:30 PM Youth Group 5:30 PM IGNITE 7:00 PM Monday, December 7 Stephen Ministry 6:30 PM Boy Scouts 7:00 PM Tuesday, December 8 Sonrise Men s Study 6:30 AM Parent's Morning Out 8:30 AM JOY (Just Older Youth) 10:30 AM UMW: Hannah 6:45 PM Cub Scouts 7:00 PM Adult Basketball 8:00 PM Thank You to Everyone Who Helped Open Arms Provide Over 400 Thanksgiving Dinners This Year! Monday afternoon, November 23, over 100 Open Arms Ministry volunteers helped to provide Thanksgiving dinners to more than 400 local families in our community. Long lines began forming over an hour before distribution of the food began. The joy that resonated from the faces of recipients and volunteers alike made for a wonderful day. Thank you to all who volunteered their time! A special thank you also goes to Save-a-Lot, Feeding America, Aldi, Fifth Third Bank, Wawa, Beacon of Light, Lake Palms Community Church, 7-11, United Methodist Women, the Tax Appraiser's office, and our St. Paul family for providing donations and food to make this distribution possible. We appreciate all you've done to help us pour God's blessings upon those in need. Wednesday, December 9 UMW: Dorcas 9:00 AM Handicapable 6:15 PM Adults Advent Study 6:30 PM Kids ADVENTure Box 6:30 PM Volleyball 7:45 PM Thursday, December 10 Men's Bible Study 7:00 AM Parent's Morning Out 8:30 AM UMW: Rachel-Lydia 10:00 AM Prayer Shawl 5:30 PM Bells of St. Paul 5:30 PM Choir Rehearsal 7:00 PM Intercessory Prayer 7:00 PM Friday, December 11 Church Office Closed Handi Christmas Banquet 6:00 PM Saturday, December 12 Soaring Eagles 8:00 AM Campus Work Day 8:30 AM SKP Christmas Program 6:00 PM * Visit our website for our full calendar. Visit our Facebook for more pictures StPaulUMCLargo 9

10 Pumpkin Patch A Big Success for Youth Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's pumpkin patch a successful fundraiser for our Lighthouse Youth Ministry! From helping to set up the tent and unload pumpkins, to working shifts all month long, we appreciate all your hard work! This year's patch made even more than last year's, with a net income of about $10,500! These funds help us provide events, retreats and meaningful programs for our students. This year we offered students who worked at the patch the opportunity to earn money in their youth accounts, which can be used for retreats like Teen Valley Ranch. We had 52 students who worked shifts, and they were able to raise a total of $2,600 for next year's retreats. Great job, students! Thanks again to all our parents, church members and other helpers for supporting our Youth Ministry! Son Kissed Thanksgiving Luncheon Was a Hit Friday, November 20, Son Kissed Preschool hosted about 180 students and their families at our third annual Thanksgiving Luncheon. We made so many wonderful memories with our families and loved seeing them enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving meal. We want to send a special thanks to Jules and Patrick McMillan for cooking 80 lbs of turkey, 12 lbs of stuffing, 20 lbs of mashed potatoes, and a huge pot of gravy! Thank you, parents, for entrusting your children to Son Kissed Preschool! Thank you, Church Decorators! The sanctuary is adorned with Chrismon trees and festive greenery thanks to the women and students who helped decorate last Saturday morning to make the sanctuary and Luanne Willey Fellowship Hall reflect the Advent season. We thank God for your servant's hearts! Thank You, Rachel! Rachel Shockey, Administrative Assistant to the Senior Pastor and Senior Staff, will leave her position the first of the year to obtain her Master's degree in Christian Apologetics, which presents reasoned bases for the Christian faith. Although we are sad to lose her from our church staff, we are glad she will continue to be a member of our St. Paul family. Rachel, thank you for your faithfulness in serving Our Lord! We wish you all the best in your academic endeavors! IGNITE Helps With Homeless Feeding Thanks to our IGNITE group for adults ages for serving the homeless in Clearwater last Sunday. It was exciting to see that some new folks joined them to Give in Love, then spend time hanging out over dinner after they were done serving. If you're looking for a great place to serve, grow deeper in your faith, and make new friends, they would love for you to join them in the IGNITE room (room 202 of the Christian Life Enrichment Center) this Sunday at 7 p.m.. If you would like to help out with our weekly homeless feedings, we are always in need of more volunteers. Please contact our Contemporary Worship Leader, Shaun Powers at or shaun.p@stpaulumc.org The Reverend Bob Martin, Senior Pastor Address: 1199 Highland Avenue in Largo, Phone: (727) Office Hours: 8 a.m. 5 p.m., Monday-Thursday church@stpaulumc.org Prayer: (727) 559-PRAY 10