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Music This Sunday
Hymns:
| #269 |
Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days
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| #252 |
When Jesus Came to Jordan
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| #723 |
Shall We Gather at the River
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When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Organ:
Fugue in a minor, BWV 543
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Quick Links
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Our Website & Calendar
9:00 AM & 10:30 AM
Contact Us:
Office Manager
Dr. Erin Steele
301-933-7933
Senior Pastor
Rev. Adam B. Snell
Associate Pastor
Rev. Claire Matheny
Youth Pastor
Mr. Micah Smartt
Director of Christian Education
Mrs. Meg Baker
Director of Music
Mr. Tom Pedersen
Organist
Mr. Marvin Mills
Treasurer
Mrs. Sharon Zeigler
Facilities Manager
Ms. Tracey Furman
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Rev. Adam B. Snell, preaching
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Mark 1:9-15
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9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
12And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
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We enter the Lenten season as Mark's Jesus steps into the waters of baptism and the temptations of the wilderness.
Ponder these questions:
Lent is a season of prayer, self-examination, and self-denial. In what ways will you commit yourself to these practices during these 40 days?
Jesus is tempted in the wilderness. What is your greatest temptation in this season of your life?
Jesus is with the "wild beasts" in the wilderness. In Jesus' time the menace from carnivorous animals was very real. What "wild beasts" are threatening you now?
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Dear friends:
It's what candy is for.
When my children were small the secretary of my home church used to keep a dish of candy, usually M&Ms, on her desk in the church office. One day Janis Hosmer graciously invited my girls to have some. They eagerly accepted the offer. And, I also noticed that they thereafter always asked if they could "go see Mrs. Hosmer" when we were at church. They wanted to have some candy. They began, at a young age, to associate church with delicious things to eat.
St. Paul's has a candy jar in the office, too. Many people, young and old, dip into its depths to pluck out something delicious to eat. The young have to reach up high on the counter to get to it, but they nonetheless approach this task with some fervor.
Last night's Ash Wednesday service began the 40 days of Lent in this season of the Christian calendar. I know some of you have given up sweets for this season of self-denial, and I applaud your willpower. I, for one, have not. And, I can attest that there are at least two young people who also have not.
After worship last night, Billy Crittenden and his sister Sage walked through the church office. Billy spied the candy jar, and me, standing not too far away. "Can I have candy?" he asked. John Stephens, who was also nearby, immediately replied on my behalf. "Of course," he said. "It's church." 11-year old John is a frequent patron of the candy jar, and immediately began to demonstrate his mastery of the receptacle by getting elbow-deep in the thing. Billy, encouraged by the example, followed suit. Sage exercised more Lenten restraint.
John's mother discouraged him from filling his pockets with candy, but I love the idea that the church, even in the Lenten season of somber self-reflection, is the place where the good things of life are abundant. The place where grace and smiles are free, the place where the young and old are encouraged to make themselves at home.
See you on Sunday, friends. The candy jar is still recovering from Wednesday's onslaught and is a little low at the moment. But, it will be full again for our next worship service. You may help yourself to it, of course. Because it's church
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Peace,
A.B. Snell
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Upcoming Events
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Sunday
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2/18/2018 |
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9:00 am
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Nursery - 202
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9:00 am
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Worship with Communion - Sanctuary
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| 10:30 am |
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Worship - Sanctuary
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| 10:30 am |
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Opening Chapel & Children's Sunday School (age 2 - grade 5) - DuVall Chapel, classrooms
Children begin with a worship moment in the Chapel then transition to their Sunday School classrooms with their teachers.
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10:30 am
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Youth Sunday School - youth classrooms
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| 10:30 am |
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Nursery - 202 |
| 6:30 pm |
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Senior High SPY - Youth Lounge, MPR |
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Monday
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2/19/2018
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Church offices close in observance of Presidents Day
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Tuesday
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2/20/2018
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| 10:00 am |
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Prayer Lift - Chapel |
| 10:45 am |
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Jericho Road "Lite" Study - Library |
| 12:00 pm |
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Taste & Sing - Sanctuary, Octagon
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| 7:00 pm |
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Lenten Study Classes - Octagon, 109, Parlor |
| 7:00 pm |
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Disciple I - Library |
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Wednesday
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2/21/2018
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| 5:30 pm |
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Joyful Ringers! - 109 |
| 7:00 pm |
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Still Wednesday - Sanctuary, Octagon
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Thursday
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2/22/2018
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| 7:30 pm |
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Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal - 211 |
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Friday
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2/23/2018
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| 7:00 pm |
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Middle High SPY - MPR, Youth Lounge |
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Saturday
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2/24/2018
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No church activities scheduled |
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Sunday
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2/25/2018
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| 9:00 am |
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Worship with Communion - Sanctuary |
| 9:00 am |
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Nursery - 202 |
9:30 am
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Temple Emmanuel Comparative Religions Class - Youth Lounge
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| 10:30 am |
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Worship - Sanctuary
Children's Sunday: All students grade 5 and younger will begin in the Sanctuary and will be dismissed to Sunday School with their teachers.
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10:30 am
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Nursery - 202
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10:30 am
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Youth Sunday School - classrooms
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| 10:45 am |
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Children's Sunday School (age 2 - grade 5) - classrooms |
| 11:30 am |
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Acolyte Training - Sanctuary
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| 11:45 am |
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Youth Choir Rehearsal - 211 |
4:30 pm
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Confirmation Class - 109
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| 6:30 pm |
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Senior High SPY - MPR, Youth Lounge |
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This Sunday,
February 18 all children age 2 through grade 5 will begin with a short worship experience in the Chapel at 10:30 a.m. and will transition to their Sunday School classes with their teachers. Youth in grades 6-12 will have Sunday School in the youth wing at 10:30 a.m.
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Adult Sunday School Feedback
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Following its study of Christianity & World Religions, the Adult Sunday School class will be taking a break during the Lenten season. The Adult Education Committee is evaluating the future of this class offering and would welcome your suggestions! Please stop by the table in the Narthex and fill out a very brief survey or contact Meg Baker, Director of Christian Education.
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Each Tuesday through
March 20, during the weekly Lectionary Bible Study slot (10:45-11:45 a.m.), Rev. Claire Matheny will lead a shortened version of the Jericho Road study series featuring Scripture, readings, and themes related to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s work at the intersections of racial and economic justice. No registration is necessary. The devotional guide and major topics will be the same as those offered in the Tuesday night Lenten Study class, but discussion and enrichment projects will differ.
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On Tuesday, February 20, gather at 12:00 noon in the Octagon for a hymn-sing and celebration of the life of Charles Albert Tindley, a noted songwriter and composer considered one of the fathers of American gospel music. Included among our songs are "We'll Understand it Better By and By" and "Stand By Me." There will be a tasty lunch by Ginny Hagberg to follow.
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St. Paul's is co-sponsoring next month's Biblical Archaeological Forum, "The Book of Esther Revealed," on Wednesday,
February 21 starting at 8:00 p.m. at the Bender JCC of Greater Washington (6125 Montrose Road, Rockville MD). University of Maryland scholar Dr. Adele Berlin will explore the Persian, Greek, and Jewish influences evident in this fascinating Old Testament text about a devout queen. Admission is $5 for members and friends of St. Paul's, $10 for the general public, and free for high school students. Transportation is available; to sign up please contact Meg Baker at [email protected], 301-933-7933 ext. 104. Go to
http://www.benderjccgw.org/event/book-esther/ to read more about this event or call 301-881-0100.
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Feeling called to quiet, stillness and community in a world that is all too loud? Each
Still Wednesday
is a unique opportunity to deepen your relationship with the divine. From 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., Still Wednesday offers prayer and silence in a variety of formats: walking meditation, lectio divina, poetry, journaling, art or music, all dependent on who is facilitating. Most evenings will include 20 minutes of silent prayer. Throughout Lent, we will have our usual hour of contemplative prayer followed by an additional half hour of fellowship, 8:00-8:30 p.m. The time is an opportunity to share information on contemplative practices, resources, and to be together a bit longer during this season of reflection.
Still Wednesday is held in either the Sanctuary or Octagon at St. Paul's. No need to RSVP, simply come any of the following dates:
February 21, February 28, March 7, March 14, March 21, March 28. Please contact the church office if you have any questions.
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Have you ever wanted to be an acolyte or crucifer at St. Paul's? Now is your chance! Join us for an Acolyte and Crucifer training Sunday,
February 25 following the 10:30 a.m.service. All youth grades 6 and up are welcome! Please email Laura Simpson at
[email protected] with any questions.
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Please visit the display in the Narthex on Sunday for materials that might be helpful to you on your own Lenten journey:
The Jericho Road
, our church-wide Lenten study;
Lent 2018,
a weekly study geared toward young families; and
About Lent
, a helpful guide to the meaning, history, and traditional practices of this time of repentance and renewal. You can also test your knowledge with the UMC Lent Quiz!
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Black History Month in the Parks
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February is Black History Month. To celebrate, Montgomery County Parks will be having several special programs. Go to
www.HistoryInTheParks.org for more information, including a PBS documentary about excavating the Josiah Henson site.
- Josiah Henson Park (11420 Old Georgetown Road in North Bethesda MD, with parking at the Shriver Aquatic Center across the street) will be open for free tours on Saturdays February 17 & 24, 12:00-4:00 p.m.; the last tour begins at 3:00 p.m. The park is part of the National Park Service "National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom" program, and is the former plantation property where Rev. Josiah Henson was enslaved before he escaped to freedom and wrote an influential 1849 autobiography The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave...
- Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park (16501 Norwood Road in Sandy Spring, MD) will host two special programs in February. On Saturday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. there will be a special Winter Walking Tour about the life of the enslaved at Woodlawn, and the Underground Railroad. (Tours of the Woodlawn Manor House will begin in March and guided hikes with museum tours begin in April.)
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All God's Creation Is Very Good
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All women and men are invited to the World Day of Prayer meeting of the Church Women United group, here at St. Paul's UMC on Friday,
March 2 in the Octagon, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon, for the program "All God's Creation Is Very Good."
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Our next Community Pancake Breakfast will be Saturday,
March 3, 8:00-10:30 a.m. All are welcome! We will feature regular pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, fruit, and grits, plus a specialty pancake. Proceeds from this breakfast will benefit the Red Bird Mission, a longtime UMC partner serving communities in rural Kentucky.
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The next Communion Collect will be Sunday,
March 4 with distribution on
March 5, but you can bring non-perishable food items to the Narthex any time. Monetary gifts or grocery store gift cards (Giant or Safeway, $10 value each) are always gratefully received in the office. Each month, we serve 110+ families in the 20895 ZIP code who face hunger, providing hungry neighbors over 2,450 food items per month, and we can only do it thanks to your generosity. To volunteer, contact Dawn Ely (
[email protected]) and read more at:
http://stpaulsk.org/service/hunger-ministry
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BWC Scholarship Deadline!
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Each year, the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church awards a variety of scholarships to qualified students attending or planning to attend college. The scholarship application window closes
March 7. The entire process will be handled online. For details about individual scholarships or to apply, please visit
www.bwcumc.org/administration/finance/local-church-resources/scholarships/. If you have questions, please contact Cheryl Cook at [email protected] or 410-309-3446.
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Altar Flowers Dates Available
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If you would like to sponsor the flowers that grace our sanctuary on Sunday mornings,
March 18 and
March 25 are available, as well as some dates later in the year. You may take the bouquets home after the 10:30 a.m. worship service or have them delivered to church members who are in need of a little extra cheer. Simply add your name to the chart on the bulletin board in the church office, and then fill out the yellow Flower Request Form with your information. The cost is $65; checks may be made payable to St. Paul's UMC with "altar flowers" on the memo line.
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Liturgists and Communion Stewards
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Would you like to read Scripture or help serve Communion at the 9:00 a.m. Worship Service? We are looking for Liturgists and Communion Stewards to assist in the first worship service on Sunday mornings. There are dates available now for
February and
March 2018. To sign up online, simply add your name and email address to the sign-up sheet found at this site:
goo.gl/Xz5T79. Contact Rev. Claire Matheny (
[email protected], 301-933-7933 ext. 103) if you have questions.
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The 2x4s book group for readers in their 20s-40s will be taking a break in the season ahead while many families welcome new babies and we focus on Lent. We anticipate resuming our book discussions on
April 19 and will provide the book title and location information closer to that time.
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In the event of inclement weather, St. Paul's follows the Montgomery County Public Schools announcements concerning delays, closures, or cancellations. We try to update the office voicemail and the stpaulsk.org website, but you may also contact the leader of a specific activity or refer to
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/ for more information. Your safety is always the first priority - please use your own best judgment before venturing out in wintry conditions.
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Upcoming surgery? Have a joy or concern? In need of prayer support? Submit a prayer request online, day or night. You have the option to share your request with the Prayer Lift team or only share directly with the pastors. Visit our online prayer request form linked on our website at:
http://stpaulsk.org/community/prayer-requests.
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Thank you for staying connected to St. Paul's UMC through this weekly publication. The email addresses used in this mailing were provided by the addressees for church use.
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