St. Paul's Weekly E-News: It's Not Over, Inclement Weather Policy, ECW Announcements, and more

E-newsletter | January 9, 2019

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Wilkesboro, NC

336.667.4231 office@stpaulwilkesboro.org

Kedron's Corner - It’s not over

The day always comes after the holidays when the decorations must come down. Everyone has had their fill and truthfully we want the floor space back. It takes time and never do the decorations go back in the way they came out—why?? There is one thing I don’t mind putting away—the card wreath. Some years ago I acquired a wreath made out of clothes pins whose purpose is to hold cards for display. Each year, I sit on the floor and take them off one by one. They get put up in a hurry, envelopes torn open to eagerly see the cards. But after Christmas, I take time to read the messages, look at the pictures and take one last deep breath of Christmas. It’s a blanket for my heart and makes me love the world a tiny bit more. Sappy, I know, but true.

Christmas isn’t over ever really of course. The message of the angels bringing “good news of great joy” is always part of our lives. We know there is always good news of God’s presence in our lives, even in the darkest of moments. I hope as those hard moments come for you this year, as they do for all of us, you will hold on to the message of Christmas. Let it wrap around you and bring you a bit of lightness. This year may we all make a point to be loving, kind, giving and to share the message of the angels with all those we meet.

Happy New Year, Kedron +

Thank you to our Children's Choir for singing for us for Epiphany! Special thank you to Jeri Martin for directing and Cassie Stone for accompanying on piano.

Jr. Warden Announcements:

The first Outreach Committee meeting of 2019 will be held in the chapel following the 10:30 service this Sunday, January 13th. All are invited. The agenda includes: the selection of a chairperson, the preparation of a meal for Circles of Care, an update on the Family to Family Grocery Bag program and a beginning discussion of this year’s priorities. Hope to see you there!

Parish house renovation project: Work continues, though obviously behind the hoped-for-schedule. Completion now appears to be early February. Fear not, you will be kept up to date and in due time, invited to help put the space back in order. Keep those muscles and cleaning/organizing skills sharp and ready. An in-service on the new appliances is set for next week. Contact me if you have questions.

Thank you,

Joe Fesperman

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.

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.

January 6th, 2019 Sermon

Epiphany: Star Words

Rev. Kedron Nicholson

Upcoming Events

Annual Meeting and Vestry Slate:

Annual Meeting Jan. 20 ^th (after 10:30 worship)

Join us on Jan. 20 ^th to elect Vestry members, approve the 2019 budget and celebrate our parish. There will be worship at 8:30, however, we encourage everyone to come to a shortened 10:30 worship and stay for the meeting. The canons of the Diocese of WNC call for a parish-wide gathering once a year to do the business of the church. Your voice is important! Children can play in the nursery with our nursery worker, Morgen, if they like or stay in the sanctuary for the meeting.

The following people have been nominated for the 4 open slots on Vestry: Doug Merritt, Ramona Curtis, Mark Williams, Dick Sloop . Nominations from the floor will be taken at the Annual Meeting and a simple majority vote will be taken. Thank you to those who are standing for election!

Youth Group will meet Sunday, January 20th

5:00-6:30pm

Please check the Sunday Servants schedules on our website and make arrangements for coverage if you are not available.

Thank you!

ECW News and Announcements:

Please support the ECW Valentine's Day outreach project. We make goodie bags for to members and neighbors on our prayer list and member who are homebound.

We are asking for donations of candy, kleenex, notepads, pens, pencils, nail files and other toiletries. Please fill the box we have placed in the commons, over the next four weeks, with your donations. We will collect them and fill the goodie bags at our February 11, 2019 ECW meeting.

We appreciate your support, Episcopal Church Women

We want to express our sincere gratitude for your help in making our annual bake sale and bazaar a success. We raised over $1,600, which we will use to assist our neighbors in the community. THANK YOU!

Our next ECW meeting will be Monday, Jan 14, 2019 at noon in the youth room on the lower level of the Sanctuary. You can access this location from the office driveway or parking lot beside the Columbarium.

Next Week's Calendar

Sunday, January 13th:

8:30am Holy Eucharist in Chapel

9:30am Children and Youth Sunday school, Coffee Club in the lower level of the Parish House

9:45am Choir Practice

10:15am Nursery opens for children under 4

10:30am Holy Eucharist in the Sanctuary

Next Week

Tuesday, January 15th:

7:00pm Al-Anon in library

Wednesday, January 16th:

6:45pm Choir Practice

7:00pm Dick Underwood Book Club

Thursday, January 17th:

11:30am -1:00pm Assistance Ministries at Wilkesboro United Methodist Church

12noon Al-Anon in library

St. Paul's Celebrations

Birthdays

13- Jennifer Nardini

14- Marilyn Payne

14- Russ Ferree

15- Peggy Harwell

15- Dave Barton

16- Ray Barger

16- Rachel Minick

17- Bea Welborn

18- Anne Davis

Anniversaries

None this week

Prayer List

Please remember in your prayers: All those who are ill or unemployed. All those who are on our prayer list.

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, Tim Day, Craig Freas, Ernestine Freas, Gail Gattis, Mike Graf, Ruth Gray, Edward C. Griffith III, Peggy Harris, Janet Hartzog, Gerald Hendley, Larry Hendley, Margo Hurd, Steve Jackson, John Jacobson, Pat Jones, Joan Knox, Maggie McCann, Kay McCloskey, Susan McManus, Ann McNeill, Doug Merritt, Donna Moore, Becky Mullins, Bertie Pardue, Bob Skees, Ester Small, Carolyn Stephens, Marie Waddell, Robin Walsh, Dick Whittington, Susan Whittington, and Cole Younger.

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, Zach Necessary, John W. Pardue, 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.

Please send to the church office the addresses of troops with connections to office@stpaulwilkesboro.org , especially those abroad.

Readings: The Liturgy of the Word for January 13th, 2019

Isaiah 43:1-7

T hus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I give Egypt as your ransom,

Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

Because you are precious in my sight,

and honored, and I love you,

I give people in return for you,

nations in exchange for your life.

Do not fear, for I am with you;

I will bring your offspring from the east,

and from the west I will gather you;

I will say to the north, "Give them up,"

and to the south, "Do not withhold;

bring my sons from far away

and my daughters from the end of the earth--

everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made."

Psalm 29

Afferte Domino

1 A scribe to the Lord, you gods, *

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; *

worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

the God of glory thunders; *

the Lord is upon the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *

the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *

the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *

and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;

the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *

and strips the forests bare.

9 And in the temple of the Lord *

all are crying, "Glory!"

10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; *

the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.

11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; *

the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.

The Gospel

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

A s the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 336-667-4231 | office@stpaulwilkesboro.org | https://stpaulwilkesboro.org