Called into Community

As you read this, I will have one week left on my time away and I will be looking forward to being with all of you again. I hope that in these weeks apart all has gone well for all of us!

But summer is winding to a close and I am anticipating the regular rhythms of church life picking up tempo as we all begin getting ready to resume the full offering of worship, fellowship and formation for all ages. We are blessed with new people in our midst as well as excited to see more and more of our old friends returning each Sunday. In preparation for the exciting year that lies ahead I want to extend to each and every one of you an invitation….an invitation to claim that place of joy and participation to which God calls us all. 

I often wonder if I am adequately articulating my own excitement and joy about our life together at St. Paul’s. Yes, this has been one of the most challenging transitions of my life because the strain of renovations and being in limbo in my living situation has tested me greatly. But I love my ministry with you, and I am so thankful to be your Rector.

My deepest hope is always to inspire each of you to a renewed sense of what it means to truly share in the full life and worship of our parish and then carry that greater purpose out into your daily lives. 

As our Patron Paul has told us, we are all called; all of us have a vocation, an invitation to take our place in doing the love of God. God wants to be revealed in the world in and through us. God desires us to be instruments of hope and joy in the world. God calls us to be stewards of the mysteries of grace, to be the voice of hope that the world is not lost and that none of us are alone. 

We are all given the gifts, the interests, and the abilities to create a community that deepens our lives of faith; lives that are not lived for self-interest alone, but gathered together in one place to be grown and fed. In this fullness we then go back into our homes, workplaces and schools as people who love more, forgive more, and care more about making sure the love of God is known to all. 

Not one of us, no matter what age or understanding is devoid of some way to serve God. Every one of us is able to share out of the gifts and talents and time we have been given. We are a gifted and graced people. I know this is true because that is God’s promise to all---our task is simply to believe it and then live lives that extend and reveal this promise to others.

It is all of you, more than the priests and deacons of the Church, who are most visible to the world. Much of your lives are lived beyond the walls of the church building. You are the “brand” of the church to those who are not even sure what “church” is any more and are really not sure they even care. Everything you do within the walls of St. Paul’s grows and strengthens you to be a people of grace and authenticity outside of these walls.

Wherever we are in our daily life, God calls and empowers us to be a people of divine grace; we are the people whom God invites to help the world to be reconciled and whole. 

As Paul has said, “Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.” 

For Paul, a “worthy” life consists in using our particular gifts for the sake of the community---community that is summoned to be caring and trusting.  The call of God asks us to embrace a particular life that holds deep conviction; the conviction that there is a purpose for us that is greater than mere self-fulfillment; the conviction that we are meant to gather gladly, share thanksgiving, and offer our own lives as bread for a hungry world. 

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Grace and Peace,

Mother Stephanie

The Assisting Bishop is Coming!

August 28, 2022

A Brief Guide to Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation

Assisting Bishop, Jay Magness is coming for a visit on Sunday, August 28th. This is a wonderful opportunity for you and/or your family to receive Confirmation, Reception, or to Reaffirm your faith in an intentional way. These acts are reserved strictly for the Bishop and it is always a day of joy when we gather and celebrate these wonderful Rites.

On that day we will have our One Service, One Body Celebration and I hope that we will turn out in great numbers to show our hope and excitement for our future.

REMINDER!  This is a brief outline of what each of these acts entails so that you might begin to discern your participation! Please notify Becky in the next week at office@stpaulwilkesboro.org and sign up to participate!

Confirmation

Confirmation in the Episcopal Church is a sacramental rite in which a baptized person makes a mature and public affirmation of the promises that are usually made at baptism by parents and godparents. After making these affirmations, a bishop lays hands on the candidate and prays a prayer of confirmation. (See the Book of Common Prayer for the promises made at Holy Baptism, pp. 299-308, and for the proceedings at the service of Confirmation, pp. 413-419.)

Adults and Young people can be Confirmed, and it is simply that moment, when you publicly say once again, “I still want to belong to God” and live my life accordingly!

Reception

In some dioceses, reception is reserved for those who have already been confirmed in another denomination by a bishop in apostolic succession. Apostolic succession means our bishop’s follow in a direct, unbroken line with the first Apostles whom Jesus chose to lead his Church (such as Roman Catholics or Orthodox). A more widely accepted understanding of reception is that it is a way of honoring anyone who has made a mature confession of faith in any other denomination by saying, in effect, we recognize and honor your spiritual journey in another fellowship, and we welcome you into the fellowship of the Episcopal Church, as you continue that journey. The bishop lays hands on the person being received and says, “We recognize you as a member of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church, and we receive you into the fellowship of this Communion” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 418). So, if you have not been confirmed or received by a bishop in apostolic succession, you may choose either confirmation or reception.

Reaffirmation

It is my hope that many of you will explore Reaffirmation! Reaffirmation is for people who have already been confirmed in the Episcopal Church. Some people presented to the bishop during the service of Confirmation are there to “reaffirm” their Christian vows. These might be people who have been away from the church for a period of time and want to make a new beginning. Others might be people who sense that they are at a new stage in their spiritual life and want to affirm this in ritual. Periodically, a spouse, fiancé or parent who is already a confirmed Episcopalian will go through reaffirmation as a way of honoring his or her family member's decision to become a confirmed Episcopalian, saying in effect, “We are in this together.” We all go through many changes in our life’s journey, and reaffirmation provides a rite for those who want to take stock of their religious and spiritual life anew. It is my hope that among those who will be Confirmed and Received that many of you will also seek Reaffirmation.

If you are interested in exploring any of these sacramental paths, please contact me and I would love to speak with you about it. It is my hope, in preparation for the bishop's visit, that we will have a number of you who seek to celebrate these wonderful rites. 

After I hear from those who might want to pursue this path, I want to offer a multi-generational exploration and study before and after in preparation for the bishop's visit. 

This will be a wonderful event for our community and an excellent way to share fellowship! For those interested please be prepared to stay after the 10:30 service on August 14^th and 21^st.

 It will be a fun and informative experience even for those who will not be participating in any of the Rites.

Grace and Peace,

Mother Stephanie

Office Renovation

Update 8/4/2022!

Flooring is complete in New All Purpose/Youth Room!!!

Flooring is complete in New Choir Room!!!!

Choir Room - Don't you love the soothing blue color!

Adjacent additional space for the Choir's use. Warm neutral gray coordinates with back hallway and meeting room/youth room

Back Hallway

Meeting Room/Youth Room

Upon entering from the exterior downstairs entrance, Mother Stephanie's office will be on the left. The wall has been re-located to allow for a larger (wider) entry way. Also, note the large opening which will be glassed in to provide safety for staff and visitors. Another glassed opening will be installed directly across on the other wall which will be the administrative office. Having both glassed openings will allow for a direct line of vision between the two offices.

Beginning demo of NEW All Purpose Meeting Room/Youth Room

New All Purpose Meeting Room/Youth Room after new wall installed.

Stay tuned for more photos as the construction progresses!

Commemorative Bricks!

UPDATE! 07/28/2022

Order deadline for Bricks has been extended to August 31, 2022

Did you know?

• The second order for bricks has been placed with

  Tri-County Monuments

• 77 Bricks have been purchased and approximately $21,770.00 collected

All Brick Orders Must Be Processed by

JULY 31st!

Some of you have asked, "where are the bricks going to go?"

The Commemorative bricks will be placed on the first level of the Gathering Plaza replacing the ones that are currently there

(See above photo)

Summer Sundays

One Body

One Service

9:30 AM

August 28, 2022

Confirmations, Receptions and Reaffirmations with the Assisting Bishop!

Scripture for the upcoming Sunday Service

First Reading                            Genesis 15:1-6 

The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." But the word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

The Response                                 Psalm 33:12-22

Exultate, justi

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord! *

happy the people he has chosen to be his own!

The Lord looks down from heaven, *

and beholds all the people in the world.

From where he sits enthroned, he turns his gaze *

on all who dwell on the earth.

He fashions all the hearts of them *

and understands all their works.

There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army; *

a strong man is not delivered by his great strength.

The horse is a vain hope for deliverance; *

for all its strength it cannot save.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him, *

on those who wait upon his love,

To pluck their lives from death, *

and to feed them in time of famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord; *

he is our help and our shield.

Indeed, our heart rejoices in him, *

for in his holy Name, we put our trust.

Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, *

as we have put our trust in you.

Second Reading                Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old-- and Sarah herself was barren-- because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore."

All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.  

The Gospel                                  Luke 12:32-40             

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."

MASKS ARE OPTIONAL IN WORSHIP



Masks are optional for inside worship and other inside activities for the foreseeable future.

Please help us put an end to this Pandemic by getting vaccinated.

Love yourself, love your neighbor, get vaccinated!

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

Short-term

John Oliver, Bonita Stewart, Julian Family, Jackie Foster, Estelle Gille, Juanita Phillips, Rebecca Carroll, Althea Johnson

Long-term

Lisa Wingler, Dot Beamon, Joyce Wheeling, David Temple, Ken Asel, Doug Merritt, Julius Parks & Family, Esther Eller

Armed Forces

Let us pray for the safety of all our troops, especially Micha Duerk, Faith Lankford, Cole Griffith, Zach Necessary, Walker Pardue, Philip Southwell, Mark Stone, Jason Westmeyer, and all others who serve throughout the world.

Please send to the church office the addresses of troops with connections to

office@stpaulwilkesboro.org, especially those abroad.

Prayer Requests

Prayer requests can be made by using the app under "contact us" and then the "prayer request" tab, by emailing the office at office@stpaulwilkesboro.org, or calling the office during regular office hours.

Bulletins are printed on Thursday mornings and requests submitted after that time will not be in the printed bulletin for that week, but may still be spoken. Prayer requests received by noon on Wednesday will be included in the weekly e-newsletter.

Serving in August

The August/September/October issues of Forward Day by Day are in the mailbox by the front door of the office.

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

AND

YOURSELF!

GET VACCINATED AND BOOSTED!!!

PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY!