E-newsletter | March 27th, 2019
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Wilkesboro, NC
336.667.4231 office@stpaulwilkesboro.org
Kedron's Corner :

It's Winter! It's Spring!
“What’s the weather today? What’s the weather today?” Our boys learned a song that began with these words when they entered preschool. It seems that’s our question every day lately! Is it winter or spring? Are we still in the slow, hibernating time or are we bursting forth and beginning anew? It’s awfully good it’s Lent because Lent lets us be both a bit of winter and a bit of spring. Lent allows our souls to slow down, see what needs to be worked on and reflect on our lives.

Lent also brings new growth as we see ourselves as forgiven children of God who are called to do new things. All the beautiful daffodils around town make me want warmer weather and yet the chill in the air reminds me to keep a foot in Lent and reflect on my life and on how much God loves the world. Where are you finding yourself this Lent? I pray it’s a lovely spot where you feel both loved and challenged by God to grow.

See you Sunday, Kedron +
Dear Parents, 
Please share these images with your children and youth. 

In the fall, members of our youth group wrote their fears on notecards and buried them in the garden with flower bulbs on top. As the flowers are beginning to grow and blossom, I think reflect on faith and how if we can let our fears die, we have room for hope and restored life through Christ.
 
On Shrove Tuesday, the children buried their Alleluias in the garden and planted seeds on top. I looked out to see that flower are beginning to grow, a wonderful reminder of what the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter are about; a season when faith grows as we focus on the virtues of Christian life: prayer, good works, and fasting. The purpose of the season of Lent is to help us prepare for Easter when we will renew our baptismal commitment.

As these flowers continue to grow in the days leading to Easter, May this Lent be a time for growth and hope for your family
Lenten Bible Study Opportunities

Join Carl Elledge for a study on the book of Hebrews during Lent. Sunday mornings at 9:15 in the Chapel, beginning Sunday, March 10th. 
  
Join us for an evening bible study beginning March 11th. Join Bev Cook for a study on the Book of Isaiah in the Parish House on Mondays from 6:00-7:00pm. Feel free to bring your dinner or a snack to share- sign up in the Commons! 
March 24, 2019 Sermon: Do not be astonished
Rev. Kedron Nicholson
Upcoming Events
Sunday, March 31:

8:30am Holy Eucharist in Chapel

9:15 am: Book of Hebrews study with Carl Elledge in the Chapel

9:30 am: Children and Youth Sunday School and Coffee Club meet in Lower Level of Parish House

9:45am    Adult Choir Practice

10:15am  Nursery opens for children ages 0-4 (The nursery is located on lower level
of the Sanctuary)

10:30am Holy Eucharist in the Sanctuar y

Monday, April 1:
6:00 pm      Lenten Bible Study with Bev Cook
Tuesday, April 2:
7:00pm       Al-Anon in library

Wednesday, April 3:
6:00pm        Stations of the Cross in the Commons
6:45pm         Adult Choir
7:00pm         Dick Underwood Book Club in Parish House
 
Thursday, April 4:
11:30am Crisis Assistance in Parish House
12:00noon Al-Anon meeting in library.

 



Wednesday, April 3rd - 6:00pm
Stations of the Cross: A Sensory and Experiential Walk

   Meet in the Commons at 6:00pm for a walk through the Stations of the Cross where we will experience the scripture through all of our senses. All ages are welcome
The custom of walking the Stations of the Cross has long been observed by pilgrims to Jerusalem who want to walk in the footsteps of Christ on his journey to the Cross. The Way of the Cross invites us to reflect together on the suffering of Christ as we journey with him to the cross. A simple service that takes about 30 minutes, it invites participants of all ages to carry the weight of the story with them.
 
Looking ahead to next week…
Sunday, April 7th is 1st Fruits Sunday
*   Bring something to share for Coffee Hour!
*   Nametags for everyone!
*   Music @ 8:30 Worship !
Please check the Sunday Servants schedules on our website and make arrangements for coverage if you are not available.
Thank you!
Thank you Mike Southwell!
Mike shared that this picture is the original idea for the Parish House, it is a very old drawing. The plan shows how they wanted to match the Gothic chapel, but it was too expensive at $1,000. Our Parish House was built in 1958, and was expanded in 1990's. The pictures are currently in the library, available for viewing there and will eventually grace the walls of that space.
St. Paul's Celebrations
candle-cupcake.jpg
Birthdays:
March 31 - Frankie Barger                                   April 2 - Patrick Zander
April 1 - Elizabeth Freas                                      April 5 - Doug Rhodes
April 1 - Connie McNeill                                     April 6 - Pam Baugh
April 1 - Rebecca Tilley


Anniversaries:

April 1 - Richard & Carol B. Canter
April 3 - Joe & Colleen Manolovich




  *Birthdays and Anniversaries will be celebrated on the 1st Sunday of the month in each service.
Prayer List
Please remember in your prayers: All who are ill or unemployed and those who are on our prayer list.
Illness

 Jim Andrews, Joe Barber, Pam Baugh, Dot Beamon, David Blair, Nancy Blair, Wayne Boyd, Jacob Brown, Ken Canter, Billy Coles, Rancene Cook, LaMar Creasman, Ann Davis, Mike Duncan, Priscilla Eaton, Craig Freas, Ernestine Freas, Gail Gattis, Mike Graf, Ruth Gray, Edward C. Griffith III, Peggy Harris, Janet Hartzog, Larry Hendley, Margo Hurd, Steve Jackson, John Jacobson, Joan Knox, Maggie McCann, Susan McManus, Ann McNeill, Doug Merritt, Donna Moore, Becky Mullins, Bertie Pardue, Bob Skees, Carolyn Stephens, Ryan Rigby, Elsanaa Thompson, Marie Waddell, Robin Walsh, Bob Will,
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, William Grant,
Edward C. Griffith IV, Jacob B. Hall, 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.
The Fourth Sunday in Lent
Joshua 5:9-12

The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt." And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.
While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.



Psalm 32

1 Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
and whose sin is put away!
2 Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, *
and in whose spirit there is no guile!
3 While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *
because of my groaning all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *
and did not conceal my guilt.
6 I said," I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." *
Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
7 Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; *
when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8 You are my hiding-place;
you preserve me from trouble; *
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
9 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; *
I will guide you with my eye.
10 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *
who must be fitted with bit and bridle,
or else they will not stay near you."
11 Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *
but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord.
12 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; *
shout for joy, all who are true of heart.


Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So Jesus told them this parable:
"There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe--the best one--and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.
"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"

Unbinding the Heart: A Mountain Yoga Retreat
Friday, June 14 - Sunday, June 16
Facilitated by Chad Hallyburton
Lodging in the Farm House and Annex.

$214 full (program, meals, and lodging inclusive); $124 commuter

It has been said that when all the knots that bind the heart are loosened, we'll find true life. Spend a weekend "unwinding" with yoga, meditation, hiking, good food, good people, and more. No yoga experience needed. 
Chad Hallyburton is a student, teacher, and practitioner of yoga from Cullowhee, NC. His passion is bringing people together to explore their own physical, mental, and spiritual strengths and frailties in the context of community. www.centeringyoganc.com

Thursday, April 18- Saturday, April 20th 9:00am - 12:00pm

Children and Youth are invited to join in a
Journey to Jerusalem during Holy Week.

Crafts, games, and fun with friends! Register online!
VBS Registration is open our our website:
St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 336-667-4231 | office@stpaulwilkesboro.org | https://stpaulwilkesboro.org