Kedron's Corner- “May we all be defined by what we are for…”
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“May we all be defined by what we are for” was a closing statement in a letter penned by Bishop DeDe Duncan Probe of Central NY. She was responding to the news from the Bishop of Albany that he would not honor the Episcopal Church’s resolution stating that marriage is open to all people including same gender couples. Her letter was an affirmation of the belovedness of all people as well as an invitation for us all to reflect on how we represent God to the world.
“May we be defined by what we are for.” Who is God for? That’s what we fight over, isn’t it? Who God is for and who God isn’t for? That’s what the bishop of Albany is saying: that God is not for people who want same-gender marriages. How do we know that? Jesus doesn’t speak about same gender marriages nor does he speak about the death penalty nor euthanasia not lots of other modern quandaries. How do we know what and who God is for?
Our scriptures tell us that Jesus came so that we would have abundant life. He himself told us to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves, to welcome the outcast at our tables and to spend our time with those whom the world rejects for to them the kingdom of God belongs.
Based on this definition, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we made a list of all the things God is for and all the things we are for? Where would those lists converge? For instance, I am for the Georgia Bulldogs. I don’t think that falls on God’s list. However, I am for children and they clearly fall on God’s list. How can I live so that I am defined by those places where what I am for and what God is for overlap? “May we all be defined by what we are for.” It is an interesting statement that begs us to delve into our core beliefs about God and ourselves. And that delving is good for the soul. See you Sunday.
Blessings, Kedron
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Welcome to the Prayground!
We are experimenting with different ways to engage our children here at St. Paul’s. For the last 2 months we have had children’s chapel in a separate space. Beginning in December for 2 months, we are trying something new: A Prayground.
The Prayground is a soft space where kids can sit, stand, play with soft toys and be kids while in church. Our hope is that this space helps small children feel comfortable in this big space where it’s hard to be if you are small. We encourage parents and caregivers to sit close by and help kids participate in worship. This addition may mean moving seats for those who sit by the space (it will be by the font, see photo). How we welcome children directly affects how they feel here, understand God and their involvment in Church. Please help parents know we love their children, appreciate their hard work in getting kids to worship and enjoy seeing their kids grow. We are one body of Christ and it takes all of us to reflect the fullness of God.
Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the
joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient
wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love
whatever is just and true and good, following the example of
our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer, pg. 829
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Director of Youth Ministries & Community Engagement
Rachel Minick
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Friends,
St. Paul's will host a kid's craft and hot cider booth in the Carolina West Commons during the Wilkesboro tree lighting ceremony and celebration on Saturday, December 1st, beginning at 4:30pm. Help will be needed to setup, breakdown and assist with the offered crafts. Let me know if you can help by calling the office # 667-4231 or email:
stpaulscyfm@gmail.com
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Thank you to everyone who participated in our video! It’s a great way to share a little of who we are here at St.Paul’s and help new people feel welcome. Great job everyone! If you haven't seen the video yet, you can find it on
Facebook
, our
website
, and
YouTube
.
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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 grocery supply for families using the healthy 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 DN. SUSAN at ridinhabit@gmail.com.
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November 11, 2018 Sermon
Sunday, November 11th Sermon: A spoonful of rice
Dn. Susan Whittington
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Stewardship is Here!
Nov. 4-25th
November is harvest time and at St. Paul’s it is time to harvest our gratitude and give back to God. We give of our time, talents and treasure.
Think about the impact this community of faith has on your life and the wider community. Pray about God’s generosity in your life and prayerfully make a pledge that reflects that generosity. Your pledge means we can plan ministry for the next year. Pledge packets available in the Commons Sunday. New to pledging? Want to discuss it? Call Rev. Kedron to talk about how giving is a spiritual practice.
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Diocesan Convention!
Thanks to Connie and Carol who joined Rev. Kedron and Dn. Susan to take part in the councils of the Church last weekend. It was a glorious gathering of clergy and members of each parish in our diocese. We heard from the Bishop a message of Christ’s welcome of all people and our mandate to do the same. We also got to hear about some of the amazing ministries in our diocese. 2 members get to participate each year. If you’d like to go next year, please submit your name to the office.
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We need your help to make the annual ECW bazaar and bake sale a success!
We seek your help in making our annual ECW bazaar and bake sale a success. This is ECW's only fundraiser and it raises money we use to financially support vital non-profits doing work for displaced children and those with special needs, recovering addicts, impoverished seniors, neighbors in financial crisis, and the like.
Our bazaar and bake sale is
Sunday November 18, 2018, from 830am to 1pm
in the Commons and the adjacent outdoor patio (assuming our parish house is still under renovation). We ask those of you who are crafters, to please consider making crafts and donating them to our bazaar. Whether it's woodworking, art making, ornament making, floral arranging, jewelry making, sewing, knitting, cooking, writing, etcetera, we know folks will enjoy taking home something you have hand crafted. Additionally, we ask all bakers to donate home made sweet or savory fare. Many of our customers use those goodies on Thanksgiving, the following Thursday, and are grateful for one less thing they have to prepare themselves! Finally, we are happy to receive donated "re-gift" items, that is, new or gently used items you have received but have no use for. Let us make them useful to someone else, while simultaneously assisting ECW.
ECW members will collect donations on
Saturday, November 17, 2018, from noon to 3pm
at the choir room entrance on the eastern side of the church building. If needed, we can refrigerate donations in the kitchen adjacent to the teen room, located below the sanctuary. If you prefer, you may drop items off early on the morning of Sunday, November 18, 2018.
Thank you in advance for supporting us! Any questions, please call Anne Hannibal 216 644 1595.
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Outreach Opportunity
Wilkes Ministry of h.o.p.e. is in the process of preparing for the 2018 Toy Store. This ministry is supported with some funding from the St. Paul's Outreach budget but they need volunteers to purchase and organize the toys, contact and schedule the parents of the children, organize volunteers, and help with the distribution of the toys to the children. If you are interested in taking part in this work contact John Triplett, 336-903-1414 or email:
hope@brushymountain.com
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Shhhh...it is a secret! Ernestine Freas is turning 100! Everyone is invited to celebrate with the family on Saturday, December 8th from 1:00-3:00pm at the Holiday Inn Express in Wilkesboro. You can RSVP to katiefreas@gmail.com, but please don't ruin the surprise!
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Sunday, November 18:
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
10:30am-
Children’s Chapel meets in Commons
From 8:30am to 1:00pm:
ECW bazaar and bake sale
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Tuesday, November 20:
7:00pm
Al-Anon in library
Wednesday, November 21-Friday, November 23:
Office closed for Thanksgiving holiday
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Birthda
ys:
19- Kieran Cook
19- Riley Canter
20- Kathi Johnson
20- Maria Curtis
23- Jim Smoak
24- Stephen Nardini
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Anniversaries:
20- Justin and Bobba Norman
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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, Wayne Boyd, Jacob Brown, Dan Bumgarner, Ken Canter, Billy Coles, Rancene Cook, LaMar Creasman, Ann Davis, Alvin Emmanuel, 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, 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 November 18, 2018
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1 Samuel 1:4-20
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.”
As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.
They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.”
A Reading from 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
my strength is exalted in my God.
“There is no Holy One like the Lord,
no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble gird on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low, he also exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
and on them he has set the world.
“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;
for not by might does one prevail.
The Lord! His adversaries shall be shattered;
the Most High will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king,
and exalt the power of his anointed.”
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Mark 13:1-8
As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”
When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.”
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St. Paul Servants
November 18
Chalice Bearer/Lector 8:30
Laurie Love
Ushers 8:30
Bob Will
Chalice Bearers 10:30
Chuck Forester
Cindy Smith
Lector
Tana Myers
Prayers of the People
Tom Carnes
Oblation Bearers
Joe and Jenny Richardson
Acolyte Leader
Mayberry
Acolytes
Crucifer 1-Maddie Beard
Torch-Julie Koch
Torch-Amelia Koch
Gospel-Katie Beard
Server-Drew Mayberry
Greeters
Monty Shaw
Diane Shaw
Communion Bread
Ramona Curtis
Ushers 10:30
Colleen Manolovich, Chief
Robert Baugh
Steve Jackson
Ryan Minick
Altar Guild
Pam Mayberry, cpt
Mary Southwell
Rose Andrews
Laurie Love
Nursery Attendants
Morgen Love
Anne Hannibal
Feed My Sheep
Shepherd
Sandra Elledge
336-566-8941
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 336-667-4231 | office@stpaulwilkesboro.org | https://stpaulwilkesboro.org
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