E-newsletter | June 26th, 2019
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Wilkesboro, NC
336.667.4231 office@stpaulwilkesboro.org
Kedron's Corner: How to help

It’s so sad. What can we do? Sunday was peppered with questions like these and more. How refugees are treated is not a new topic but it is a pressing one. As reports of families separated and children taking care of children all without hygiene products, supervision and sleeping on concrete floors without blankets emerge we wonder what can we do? What can I do?

Remember that we are the most powerful people on the planet: we can drive, have bank accounts, vote, own property. We are never powerless to help or affect change. And we are always called to live our faith in the world. Right now there are thousands of people, thousands of children suffering and we are called to treat them as though they are Christ. (Matt 25)

So what can be done? Here’s a short list of ways to live your faith in this crisis:
  • Donate money or items to organizations on the ground helping people in immediate health danger or with lawyer fees or to reunite children and parents.
No More Deaths provides necessities http://forms.nomoredeaths.org/about-no-more-deaths/
RAICES – A non-profit that offers legal defense services to immigrant children, families and refugees.  https://www.raicestexas.org/
National Immigration Law Center —defends and advances the rights of immigrants https://www.nilc.org/

  • Join a webinar to learn about border advocacy and how to help refugees sponsored by the Episcopal Public Policy Network and Episcopal Migration Ministry. (Sign up on the Ep. Migration Ministry facebook page)
  • Write our senators and express your opinions and your hopes for their actions regarding refuges and the border crisis. https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact
  • Be a buttress— I am part of a group called Flying Buttresses. We send out stories and contact information of people doing brave, holy, compassionate things in the world and we “buttress” them by sending cards of love and support. Like the architectural support for a cathedral, we believe support from near and far keeps faith aloft. When I feel the world is falling apart I look for a helper and send them my support. Today I wrote letters to 2 people who have been investigated and harassed for giving water and care to dying migrants as they crossed the border.

I read a quote about there being a variety of reasons to be unwelcoming to those crossing our borders— political, financial, territorial, but there are no religious ones. I hope you feel powerful and know that your voice, your words and your help matters. God is love and we love others because we are loved.

See you Sunday. Blessings, Kedron +
June 23 rd Vestry Meeting Report
The Vestry was delighted to share lunch with the Kanuga Staff and hear their joy and love of camp. They are ready for our 28 kids!                        
·         Financials: pledges are lagging behind $20,000. Expenses are on target for the year and keeping to the budget. Vestry approved the creation of a Long Range planning committee to look at finances for the coming years. A Stewardship committee is being formed—all welcome!
·         Buildings and Grounds: downstairs bathroom has some water damage that was repaired—will need to seal outside wall of parish house. AC in parish house was repaired and AC in chapel is getting serviced this week. Ground cover and cemetery stone repair is being researched.
·         Diocesan Council representative needed to represent St. Paul’s November 8-9 at the Diocesan gathering.
·         Rector Call Update: This is the timeline as we understand it now: Connie, our Sr. Warden, will write a letter in early July saying we are ready to begin the conversation of moving from Priest in Charge to Rector. In September, Canon Anderson, will have a conversation with the Vestry and Rev. Kedron asking them to reflect on aspects of the last year. In October, Canon Anderson will meet with both the Vestry and Rev. Kedron to hear those reflections and then they will gather together and make a decision about calling Rev. Kedron as our Rector.
·         Mission, Vision and Core Values: The Vestry is working hard on revising our mission and vision statements. We are also spending time each month reflecting on our core values. We look forward to sharing our work with the parish in the early fall. 
TONIGHT @ 7pm:

Join us for evening prayer and fellowship in the Coventry Chapel.

Bring a chair, beverage of choice, and a snack to share.


*Rain location is the Commons*

books_on_shelves_two-tone.jpg
Dick Underwood Book Club  

The book club will not meet on the 12th and 19th of June. The next meeting will be in the Parish House on June 26 at 6 pm in instead of the usual time to accommodate the Compline service on Wednesday evenings. 
Arts Camp VBS:
Volunteer Meeting

Adult and Youth Volunteers will meet on Monday, July 1st from 6:00-7:30 pm in the Parish House to prepare for VBS.
If you are interested in helping with

Camp Kanuga (days 1 & 2) highlights!
Please check the Sunday Servants schedule on our website and make arrangements for coverage if you are not available.
Thank you!
Sunday Sermon: Second Chances
June 23rd, 2019

Rev. Kedron Nicholson
Birthdays:
June 30- Steve Reid
July 1- Mills Nicholson
July 1- Walt Nicholson
July 2- Susan Hubbard
July 2- Grace Nye
July 2- Alline Skees
July 5- Beth Graf

Anniversaries:
July 2- Johnny & Kathi Johnson
July 4- Douglas & Denise Morris

You are invited to celebrate Rose Andrews
90th birthday!
Prayer List
Please remember in your prayers: All who are ill or unemployed and those who are on our prayer list.
Illness

Jim Andrews, Ken Asel, 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, Craig Freas, Ernestine Freas, Gail Gattis, Mike Graf, Ruth Gray, Edward C. Griffith III, Peggy Harris, Janet Hartzog, Larry Hendley, Margo Hurd, Steve Jackson, Tom Jackson, John Jacobson, Joan Knox, Maggie McCann, Susan McManus, Ann McNeill, Doug Merritt, Donna Moore, Bertie Pardue, Bob Skees, 
Carolyn Stephens, Ryan Rigby, Marie Waddell, Robin Walsh, Reba Whittington, Susan Whittington, Bob Will, Bob Webber, 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, Jason Westmeyer, 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 Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Third Sunday after Pentecost
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.
Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20

1 I will cry aloud to God; *
I will cry aloud, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; *
my hands were stretched out by night and did not tire;
I refused to be comforted.
11 I will remember the works of the Lord, *
and call to mind your wonders of old time.
12 I will meditate on all your acts *
and ponder your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy; *
who is so great a god as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders *
and have declared your power among the peoples.
15 By your strength you have redeemed your people, *
the children of Jacob and Joseph.
16 The waters saw you, O God;
the waters saw you and trembled; *
the very depths were shaken.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies thundered; *
your arrows flashed to and fro;
18 The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lit up the world; *
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was in the sea,
and your paths in the great waters, *
yet your footsteps were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock *
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Luke 9:51-62
When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.
As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."


Registration information can be found on our website:
*scholarships available for all summer programs*
St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 336-667-4231 | office@stpaulwilkesboro.org | https://stpaulwilkesboro.org