Thanksgiving

Our Invitation to be a Blessing

On All Saints Sunday it was such a joy to renew our Baptismal Covenant together and remember that we are marked as Christ’s own forever. Our Baptisms call us into the art and practice of Blessing. Often, we confuse feelings of gratitude with feeling blessed; when we are rightfully thankful for some wonderful thing in our lives, “My home, spouse, child is such a blessing.” And they probably are! As people of the Baptismal Covenant we are also called to see the world through God’s eyes and be a conduit for God’s love. As a conduit we bless others, even as others share God’s blessings with us.

Blessing is a response to the revelation of God: God came into history to create a people who could change the world, who could make the world a place where every person knew that he or she was loved, was valued, had a contribution to make and had just as much right to the riches of the world as every other person. To be a blessing means more than anything to see the uniqueness, individuality, and unfamiliarity in others as beautiful.

The practice of blessing can be initiated through acts of caring, hospitality, and gratitude as well as others like forgiveness.

As we approach Thanksgiving we have an ever-present possibility before us to be a blessing to neighbors in our community. Crisis Assistance Ministries is one of the conduits through which we share our abundance and the need for us to respond generously is always before us. Thanksgiving is a particularly important time for us to display the love of God at the center of our life together.

Caring means to become aware and attentive to the sorrow, grief or anxiety that rises within us when we see others struggling. Caring calls us to act and respond to need rather than deny or ignore it. I know you want to join with me in letting our care for others shine through.

With mass shootings in Colorado and other places of division within our nation creating a sense of hospitality means promoting a sense of inclusion, and deep welcome to all. The love we show to one another and to our neighbors, week by week, will stream out of our beautiful church and flow into a world that is hungry for grace.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving we are reminded that gratitude is the practice that teaches us to tap into the steady mountain stream running with grace through every day and every situation. Holy Gratitude transcends being thankful only for positive things and tapping into the deep well of thankfulness even in times of difficulty and struggle.

Blessing is necessarily relational; an affirmation of our beloved-ness as fellow children of God. This is the time to share the blessing of our lives together.

God has given each of us gifts with which to Bless others. In fact, for a community to be whole, every person’s gifts must be called forth, nurtured, and used. This week, spend some time in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in how you can focus on acts of caring, hospitality and gratitude.

Let us pray:

God of hope, from you come every blessing and all peace: Show us that, in the midst of our struggles, you are with us. Give us the abundance of your grace that we may do the work you give us to do and that we may be for the world a sign of your presence; through Christ, the Way and the Truth. Amen.

(The Office of the General Convention of The Episcopal Church, Daily Prayer for All Seasons (New York: Church Publishing, 2014), 71.)

Happy Thanksgiving,

Mother Stephanie+ 

The ECW Bake Sale & Bazaar

The ECW took in over $1200.00! Many thanks to everyone that helped set-up, price, take-up money and stayed to clean up! Also, thanks to all that baked something or made something! All of the proceeds will go to our Crisis Assistance Ministry and Step Ahead.

A BIG Thank You to Doug Shupe for organizing the breakfast and St. Paul's men who assisted in preparing the delicious food!

IT WAS A WONDERFUL DAY OF COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATION ALL-AROUND!

Sunday was a great reminder of how great is is to be part of a vibrant faith community.

ECW will meet Tuesday, December 6th at noon in the Parish House. Lunch and dessert will be served. Please bring a toy for Circle of Care and books for our Crisis Assistance Ministry.

We look forward to seeing you on December 6th!

Carol & Colleen

Please drop off your donation at the Church office or you may call Ruth Harris 336.984.9690 for pick-up

And Progress continues in the Office Renovation!!!!!!

*Exterior window in Rector's office has been installed

*Interior security door is in process

We are asking your cooperation when sending in your announcements, events, etc. for the weekly

E-News and Bulletins The submission deadline is NO LATER THAN TUESDAY BY NOON for the upcoming E-News and Bulletins. Anything received after Tuesday at Noon will not be included in the weekly upcoming E-News or Bulletin

In addition - we need your help in keeping the prayer list up-to date.

(here's a handy link)

E-News/Bulletin Submissions

The Parish Office will close Wednesday at Noon for the Thanksgiving Holiday and be closed Thursday, November 24th and Friday 25th in observance of Thanksgiving.

Scripture for the upcoming Sunday Service

First Reading          Isaiah 2:1-5                   

 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

            In days to come

            the mountain of the Lord’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be raised above the hills;

all the nations shall stream to it.

Many peoples shall come and say,

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations,

and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more.

O house of Jacob,

come, let us walk

in the light of the Lord!

The Response        Psalm 122

 Laetatus sum

I was glad when they said to me, *

"Let us go to the house of the Lord."

Now our feet are standing *

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city *

that is at unity with itself;

To which the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord, *

the assembly of Israel,

to praise the Name of the Lord.

For there are the thrones of judgment, *

the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *

"May they prosper who love you.

Peace be within your walls *

and quietness within your towers.

For my brethren and companions' sake, *

I pray for your prosperity.

Because of the house of the Lord our God, *

I will seek to do you good."

Second Reading          Romans 13:11-14     

You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

The Gospel            Matthew 24:36-44                                                  

 Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the

 angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is

coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore 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

Nick Eller, Mildred Kimball, John Oliver, Bonita Stewart, Joe Samuel, Julian Family, Jackie Foster, Juanita Phillips, Althea Johnson

Long-term

Steve Jackson, Lloyd Putzek, Ryan Marlow, Jordan Denny & Family, Kathi Johnson, Paul Barlow, Dot Beamon, 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, 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 November

SIGN UP TODAY!

Sponsor our Sunday

Flowers to Honor Your

Special Memories and

Occasions!

Signup sheet and envelopes are in the commons.

Cost: $40 for one vase and $80 for two.

Sign up for one or both vases.

UPDATE! In addition to the sign-up sheet in the commons, please contact Becky at the Parish office to confirm your chosen date is available. Call 336.667.4231 or email office@stpaulwilkesboro.org

We have a standing order with City Florist, who will bill the church monthly. If you want something special for your two vases, call City Florist with your request. In that case, if you pay them directly, let them know your flowers replace our order.

If you choose to contact City Florist directly, please advise the Parish office at least ONE week prior to your chosen Sunday.

The November/December/January 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!