Kedron's Corner-
Doing the best we can
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I read an article this week that began like this: “Everybody is doing the best they can,” said my friend, a well-known opera singer and teacher. She was a powerful woman, but never forced her ideas on me, and I wasn’t buying this one. “Oh, I can think of a few people who might not be doing their very best” I replied. At the time, I had a fairly long list of people whom I thought could be doing better. I have learned a lot since then. One of the key lessons of these past decades… and, yes, it took that long for me to finally get it… is that everybody really is doing the best they can.”
The holidays are a time of all kinds of stress. I don’t have to tell you about it. You know! It can be a fun season and often it can be a stressful season – travel stress, money stress, family stress. No matter how well we plan or how much we pray, there are bound to be moments we feel stressed.
When those moments come, before you shout or slam a door or beep your horn, take a deep breath, and ask yourself, “Am I doing the best I can right now?” Be kind to yourself. Can you lower some of your own expectations? If your stress sends you to a more serious place of depression, reach out for help. There are people and places that want to help and support you. You can always call me and I will help you find the support you need.
Try to remember that everybody is doing the best they can. Sometimes our best is pretty good, sometimes it’s not. But everybody is doing the best they can under the load that they carry.
See you Sunday! – Kedron +
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Director of Youth Ministries & Community Engagement
Rachel Minick
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Youth Group meets this SUNDAY 5:30-7:30pm.
We will meet at the church, take a field trip to Aldi, return to package F2F Grocery Ministry bags and dishcloths for Crisis, and play Minute to Win it style games together!
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We had a busy and exciting beginning to Advent. We hosted Advent wreath making in the commons between services, handed out grocery bags for our F2F Grocery ministry, and filled up our new Giving Wagon. Children filled the rug of the Prayground during the service, and two of those children wheeled the wagon to the altar to celebrate the gifts given to feed our neighbors. What a HOPEFUL and JOYFUL start to Advent.
Mary and Jospeh began their journey together by attending What Christmas is All About- we have a feeling they might have known before they even sat down. They enjoyed a front row seat during rehearsal and rumor has it, they climbed into the light booth to help run the spotlight.
On Tuesday morning, the travellers joined Pam Mayberry as she shopped for our F2F Grocery Ministry. We look forward to seeing more of their adventure as we journey toward Christmas together. Follow their journey on
Facebook
or
our website
!
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FAMILY TO FAMILY GROCERY RELIEF MINISTRY
A new way you can be involved in sharing with our neighbors is the Grocery Relief Ministry. We received a $5,000 matching grant from the Diocese through the Human Hurt & Hope Fund to support this program.
The goal is to provide a week's grovery supply for families using the heathy eating choices selected by a nutritionist. Our job will be to shop for the groceries and pack the provided bags for distribution through our Assistance Ministries. On Sunday, December 2nd we will have the bags and lists available in the commons. In addition, a copy of the 501(C)3 letter will be provided to present to the merchant to save taxes on the purchase. As part of the grant, we will be able to provide store gift cards for your use. If you choose to use your own funds, a letter acknowledging your gift will be provided. Because of the grant terms, we have to keep an account of all bags purchased using personal funds or the grant provided funds. For questions about this ministry, please contact JOE & WILLIE BARBER at
williebarber@ymail.com
or DEACON SUSAN at ridinhabit@gmail.com.
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December 2, 2018 Sermon
First Sunday in Advent: When fear is being sold to us, we're not buying.
Rev. Kedron Nicholson
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INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY
In the event of inclement weather, we will publish notification of cancellations or delays on our website, Facebook, via email, and on WXII.
We encourage all church members, guests, and staff to observe all safety precautions possible always by staying off the roads during icy or especially stormy weather.
SUNDAY INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES
- St. Paul's will make every reasonable effort to be open for worship at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday morning.
- In the event of extreme weather conditions, we may cancel Sunday School and other activities, and when necessary, 10:30 a.m. worship.
WEEKDAY INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES
- Church closings during the week will typically follow the schedule of the Wilkes County Public School system.
- On some occasions, the church office will be open when schools are closed.
- Evening meetings and activities will be cancelled on days when the church office has been closed due to inclement weather.
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Poinsettia Season - Christmas Remembrances
Look in the Sunday bulletin for inserts to sign up to give one or more poinsettias in honor or in memory of someone. This helps us fund the purchase of flowers to decorate the church throughout the upcoming year.
The cost is $17.00 per plant.
You can leave the donation in the collection plate with your information or drop it by the church office. You may also mail a check to the office at PO Box 95, Wilkesboro, NC 28697 with your request(s). Please write the check out to St. Paul's and put the person's name that you wish to honor or memorialize in the memo line. Names of the people being honored or memorialized will be published in the Christmas Eve bulletin.
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Please check the Sunday Servants schedules
on our website
and make arrangements for coverage during this Advent and Christmas season.
Thank you!
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Attention all ladies of the church
: You are cordially invited to
join us at
Olive Garden next Monday December 10th at noon
where we will celebrate the season together. Please bring cash for your lunch and a pair of Christmas socks containing any small gifts you'd like to exchange with one of the gals. I'll look forward to seeing you. Anne H
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The Wilkes Chamber Singers will hold their first Christmas concert at St. Paul’s on Sunday, Dec. 16th at 3:00pm.
This community group which was started by Greg Wright of the First Baptist Church in the early 1990’s consists of choir members of local churches and schools. Ann Fortuna directed the group for many years. Debo Cornett is the current conductor and she is assisted this year by Larissa Leapley, Jim Brooks, and Mike Norman.
Members from our choir are George Cox, Steve Reid, Cindy Smith, Nancy Scroggs, and Ramona Curtis
. The concert will consist of many beautiful Advent and Christmas pieces. An additional concert will be at the NW Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, Dec. 18th, at 7:30pm. Come and enjoy!
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Sunday, December 9:
8:30am-
Holy Eucharist in Chapel
9:30am-
Coffee Club - Sunday School for Parents
9:30am
- Sunday School - Children & Youth
9:45am -
Choir Practice
10:15am-
Nursery opens for children under 4
10:30am-
Holy Eucharist in the Sanctuary
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Tuesday, December 11:
7:00pm
- Al-Anon in library
Wednesday, December 12:
6:45pm -
Choir Practice
7:00pm -
Dick Underwood Book Club
Thursday, December 13:
11:30-1:00-
Crisis Assistance and Step Ahead at Wilkesboro UMC
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Birthdays
9– Rachel Canter
10– Donnie Bishop
10– Coleen Manolovich
13– Philip Stone
14– Joyce Wheeling
Anniversaries
None this week
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Prayer List
Please remember in your prayers:
All those who are ill or unemployed. All those who are on our prayer list.
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Illness
Rik Absher, Jim Andrews, Joe Barber, Pam Baugh, Wayne Boyd, Jacob Brown, Dan Bumgarner, Ken Canter, Billy Coles, Rancene Cook, LaMar Creasman, Ann Davis, Craig Freas, Ernestine Freas, Gail Gattis, Mike Graf, Ruth Gray, Edward C. Griffith III, Janet Hartzog, Gerald Hendley, Larry Hendley, Margo Hurd, Steve Jackson, John Jacobson, Pat Jones, Joan Knox, Maggie McCann, Kay McCloskey, Susan McManus, Ann McNeill, Glenn Merritt, Donna Moore, Becky Mullins, Bertie Pardue, Curtis Parker, Ryan Rigby, Bob Skees, Ester Small, Carolyn Stephens, Marie Waddell, Robin Walsh, Dick Whittington, Susan Whittington, and Cole Younger.
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Armed Forces
Let us pray for
the safety of
all our troops
,
especially Rob Beauchaine, Matthew Cage, Alex Cline, Philip Cooney, Karl Duerk, Mike Earley, William Grant, Edward C. Griffith IV, Jacob B. Hall, Jonathan Johnson, Brandon Moore, Russ Necessary, Charlie & Lauren Pendry, Adam Pinkerton, Philip Southwell, Mark Stone, Patrick Szvetitz, Jackson Triplett, Levi Walker, Nathan Wyatt, and all others who serve in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout
the world.
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Readings:
The Liturgy of the Word for December 9, 2018
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Malachi 3:1-4
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight-- indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
Canticle 16 Page 92, BCP
The Song of Zechariah
Benedictus Dominus Deus
Luke 1: 68-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
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Luke 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 336-667-4231 | office@stpaulwilkesboro.org | https://stpaulwilkesboro.org
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