Resurrection Life

“O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”

Death and Resurrection. New life out of death is very difficult to comprehend. Yet, that is the theme in our scriptures these 50 days of Easter. The question for us, just as for the disciples is this: how do we live a resurrection life?

Surrendering to new ideas is not something the human creature does easily. I think our apprehension of Easter and Resurrection is a place where great confusion collides with deep hope.

As we hear the Easter Gospels a lot happens in just a few days. We are asked to move from a horrible death to jubilation in the blink of an eye.

In the brief time we traveled from that fateful Friday at sundown until that jubilant Sunday at sunrise, we’ve barely had time to accept the truth and begin to process. 

Like the different women, the first, faithful witnesses to resurrection, we’ve gone rushing to the tomb, still uncomprehending in our grief, when we reach the tomb on Resurrection Sunday to experience total mystery.

As we encounter the angelic announcement we might want to run away, but the angel tells us (in the various Gospels), as Jesus has so many times, “Do not be afraid.” 

With this exhortation our old world, which was a place where hope was in constant danger, a place where might makes right, and a place where peace has little chance, has suddenly given way to new life out of death.

The implications are overwhelming. Somewhere between the time Jesus was placed in that tomb and Easter morning, Jesus, the once disgraced and crucified itinerant preacher and teacher became, as Joan Chittister says, “the Christ who galvanizes all time.”

Jesus of Nazareth died on that cross and now rises, if we allow him, in our hearts and in our lives. We, maybe even more than Jesus, are transformed by this great mystery now and always; once we allow Christ’s eternal, transforming, love to penetrate our worldview life is never again the same; life begins anew.

The power of Easter joy teaches us that resurrection goes on and on and on. Every time Jesus rises in our heart in a new way, resurrection happens again. Again, as Joan Chittister says, “Every time we see Jesus where we did not recognize him before----in the faces of the poor, in the love of the unloved, in the revelatory moments of life, Jesus rises anew.”

She goes on to say that the “real proof” of Resurrection, should that be something we think we need, does not lie with the transformation of Jesus alone, but in the transformation awaiting us if we will accept that after every death we can rise to new life. 

What is very clear is that no one or no - thing is the same after Resurrection happens. We find ourselves with new hearts, more penetrating insights into true joy, we are able to release many of our fears and compulsions that we will never be enough or have enough. 

The life of the Spirit pulsates within us and the world as we once knew it is redefined. We begin to see things we have never seen before. We burst from our tombs able to snatch victory out of any death that life can hand us; Resurrection is change at the very root of the soul.

For people of faith resurrection is a fact of daily life. This is the message that Jesus asks us to share with the world. All we have to do is let go of our fear and name resurrection when we see it. 

Whenever we see the power of addiction broken, the crushing pain of a wrong forgiven, or the burning anger of a betrayal overcome, it is Easter day. 

Whenever a failure is transformed into new insight or anytime the prejudices attached to gender, color, religion, or sexual orientation are thrown down and cast aside, it is Easter day. When we gather around our altar every Sunday and flow back out into our communities in response to God’s love, it is Easter day, and the risen Lord is at work. 

Death of any kind is not our final end. In all the deaths we may die, even our last bodily one, even in that moment when we return to God, the breath God breathed into us at our beginning, the joy of Easter tells us that there will be more, much, much more. We must grieve every loss, every failure, every lost hope and dream, that is how we learn and grow; grief is holy and necessary. But a resurrection life tells us that we too can rise and be a new creation.

As we celebrate for 50 glorious days, Resurrection calls us to rejoice my friends, rejoice! For Christ is risen and everything is in fact changed forever. God in Christ brings new life to us all. 

Happy Easter,

Mother Stephanie

St. Paul’s and Step Ahead Awarded $10,000 Grant from The Episcopal Foundation of Western North Carolina!

St. Paul’s has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Episcopal Foundation of Western North Carolina to advance the mission of Step Ahead.

The Episcopal Foundation of Western North Carolina, an organization whose funding is fully independent of the Diocese of Western North Carolina and created specifically to involve more Lay persons in the work and mission of the Diocese, sponsors the Restoration Grant.

Mother Stephanie, along with some of the leaders of Step Ahead, Dave Greenwood, Maggie McCann, and Jenny Nelson, (Carol Canter is the ministry lead for both Assistance and Step Ahead—collectively, Crisis) collaborated on a grant application to the Foundation and had an opportunity to share the work and hope for Step Ahead with the Foundation members in person on the Tuesday after Holy Week.

Dave, Maggie, and Mother Stephanie answered questions from the Foundation members and the Foundation responded by saying that we, “presented a compelling proposal and the Foundation was excited about the future opportunities for Step Ahead in serving the Wilkes community.”

Even as Mother Stephanie, Dave, and Maggie were meeting with the members of the Foundation in Black Mountain, Jenny Nelson was busy at the same time in a training class for recipients of the Step Ahead program that is a collaboration with NCWorks.

This generous grant will allow Step Ahead to continue its good work with members of our community that are looking to improve their lives and gain the skills and tools needed to help them create a better life for themselves and those they love.

Poverty is often punished with fees, fines, and hurdles that can be impossible to overcome and Step Ahead strives to be that voice and place of support and dignity; a place where people are seen and heard and given the opportunity so often denied to those in the financial margins.



Thanks to this grant from the Foundation, along with your generous and continuing support, St. Paul’s and Step Ahead can participate in the good work of restoring hope and opportunity to those hungry for some good news. 

Upcoming Services

April 14,2024

The Third Sunday of Easter

8:30 in the Chapel

10:30 in the Church

A Tale of Two Opportunities!

This coming Saturday and Sunday will provide a great time for sharing and discussion/discernment. As has been noted in this e-news for the last several weeks this weekend will be very busy as we celebrate both our Memorial Brick Plaza and we gather for a "Town Hall" to let you know of a potential community partner for utilizing the wonderful resource of the Parlier House as an offering to our community.

BRICK DEDICATION: ALL are welcome and encouraged to join. You need not be a brick donor or a recipient of recognition to share in the celebration. Be with us to share recollections both of the people named but also of stories that endear the saints of St. Paul's to you. 

AND REMEMBER! the Memorial Brick Plaza is accessible by using the ramp in front of the chapel. Light refreshments will be enjoyed.

And on Sunday after the 10:30 service: we will meet in the Parish House to share an exciting possibility for the future of the Parlier House. There will be time to share questions and comments. Come and be a part of this process.

Respectfully,

Joe Fesperman, Senior Warden

Men's Breakfast

Breakfast will be provided on Sunday morning, April 14th, from 9:00 to 10:30.

You're Invited!

THIS SUNDAY!

April 14th following the 10:30 Service:

Parlier House Town Hall

Over the last many months your Rector, Warden's and Vestry have been exploring possible Community Partners that might benefit from the resource we have in the Parlier House (the old Admin office)

Please join us in the Parish House after the 10:30 service on Sunday, April 14th, as we update you on our progress and hear your important input and feedback on A current possibility before the Vestry makes a final decision.

We hope to see you there!

An Empty Pantry

The photo above is not staged for effect, this has been the state our Little Food Pantry on multiple occasions over the last few months.

A faithful group of parishioners work hard to keep this pantry full, but it takes all of us to fill this Pantry day by day, week by week, month by month so that we can help all of those in our community who are increasingly suffering from food insecurity.

It may not seem like much, but I have on several occasions been present as members of our wider community came to this as a resource for their next meal.

I am inviting all of you to bring can goods, peanut butter, and other food items to worship with you every Sunday. We will collect your offering in a basket in the Commons and bring them to the altar for blessing as we present our oblations to God. And your offerings will flow right back out into our community, through the Little Pantry, filling this desperate need.

I know your generosity and your desire to make a difference--thank you in advance to your overwhelmingly abundant response to this important need,

Mother Stephanie

Wednesday Bible Study



Concludes this coming Wednesday!



Thank you to all who have traveled this 7-week journey and engaged in energetic discussion.

~Mother Stephanie

SLEEPING MATS



KEEP THOSE PLASTIC BAGS COMING

As of the end of March, the goal for 2024 is 26.3% complete!

March:

Completed - 19

Distributed - 18

YTD:

Completed - 60

Distributed - 59

Goal:

224 total in 2024

Please keep those grocery bags coming. The collection box is in the Commons.

Scripture for Upcoming Sunday Services

Third Sunday of Easter

April 14, 2024

8:30 in the Chapel

10:30 in the Church

The First Reading    Acts 3:12-19  

The Response  Psalm 4

The Second Reading 1 John 3:1-7

The Gospel   Luke 24:36b-48            

The First Reading           Acts 3:12-19

Peter addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

“And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.”

The Response   Psalm 4

Cum invocarem

Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; *

you set me free when I am hard-pressed;

have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

"You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory; *

how long will you worship dumb idols

and run after false gods?"

Know that the Lord does wonders for the faithful; *

when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.

Tremble, then, and do not sin; *

speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.

Offer the appointed sacrifices *

and put your trust in the Lord.

Many are saying, "Oh, that we might see better times!" *

Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord.

You have put gladness in my heart, *

more than when grain and wine and oil increase.

I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; *

for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

The Second Reading 1 John 3:1-7

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

The Gospel         Luke 24:36b-48

Jesus himself stood among the disciples and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

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

Short-term

Pat Bumgarner, Dick Sloop, Buddy Forester, Jeff Crutchfield

Long-term

Bev Cook, Beckie Mullins, Chris Privette, Ridley Martin and Family, Dennis Johnson, Jacqui Quick, Craig Freas, Emily Asel, Hannah Gray, Mary Iva Gray, Don Dorsten, Aletha Johnson, Hannah Everson, Mike Orlando, Steve Jackson, Ryan Marlow, Dot Beamon, Ken Asel, Julius Parks & Family

Armed Forces

Let us pray for the safety of all our troops, especially John Craine, Micha Duerk, Faith Lankford, Cole Griffith, Zach Necessary, 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 they may still be spoken. Prayer requests received by noon on Wednesday will be included in the weekly e-newsletter.

Serving in

April



April 15 - Reba Whittington

April 15 - Joan Bumgarner

April 17 - Bob Will

April 17 - Sheree Sloop

  No anniversaries

The February/March/April issue of Forward Day by Day is now available in the

 Parish Office and the Commons.



We will no longer place them in the mailbox at the Parlier House.

MASKS ARE OPTIONAL IN WORSHIP

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

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

AND

YOURSELF!

GET VACCINATED AND BOOSTED!!!

PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY!