Peace

“When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.”

If asked, we might define peace in a variety of ways. We can define it as the lack of conflict or aggression, as we might define world peace. We could define peace as security—the security to be able to walk the streets safely at night. Or we might describe peace as a feeling of satisfaction or contentment in our personal lives. 

Regardless of how we define, envision or describe it, what we seem to want most is peace, but it seems to elude us an awful lot of the time; we still live with restlessness and fear, we still live with anxiety and worry.

Sunday we will encounter Jesus as he stands in the upper room with his fearful disciples. After deserting him and locking themselves away in fear they are confronted with Jesus and the first thing he does is wish them peace and give to them the power of forgiveness.

This peace that Jesus gives is not the mere absence of conflict. Jesus comes to his disciples in a world that knows severe conflict and violence. Nor is the peace Jesus offers an invitation to magical safety and security. Jesus sends the disciples out into a world that is often hostile to their message; indeed, many of these early followers will die violent deaths.

No, the peace that Jesus brings is rooted in the Hebrew concept of Shalom. Shalom is that state of social and spiritual completeness and abundance that is not dependent upon the absence of conflict or our material needs and circumstances. Jesus himself was God’s peace in the flesh---Jesus’ life is the perfect expression of shalom. 

Jesus teaches us that true peace, God’s peace, does not mean the absence of struggle; God’s peace promises the presence of love within the struggle. True peace does not begin with job security, contentment, or happiness, although these are wonderful things. 

God’s peace is far more substantial. It begins with a deep thanksgiving and gratitude that springs from a constant awareness that God’s power to heal and give hope is alive and among us, here, now; that with participation in the power of the Holy Spirit we receive and then offer in kind the sustenance, guidance, courage and compassion to be peacemakers in the world.

This is a peace that moves out from us like ripples in water. This peace flows from the trust that Jesus has taught us what we need to know to heal our pain. This peace gives us the courage to be reconcilers in our families and communities. 

Jesus’ bidding of “Peace be with you” continually calls us away from the anger, violence and conflict born of mistrust and fear in the world around us. And this peace calls us away from the small tyrannies we enact upon each other in close relationships and friendships.

The peace of Christ pulls us toward forgiveness, grace and generosity. It calls us to be people of continual grace and forgiveness, and in that forgiveness our burdens of fear and anxiety are lifted. This is the way we heal our families, our church and the world in which we live.

Fear, loss, anger and resentments happen---they happen all the time. But, we are the ones who decide if these things will become a prison or a way of life. If you are caught in any of these traps know that Jesus offers a better way.

He stands among us to say, “Peace be with you”

You are witnesses to these things, Jesus will tell us on Sunday. He will remind us that we are to take God’s peace into our own hearts and then out into the world, having witnessed it and known it among ourselves we can then offer it to others.

God’s peace is not after all simply the silence of guns after the battle or a promise that we will never know sadness or dramatic change in our lives. It is the joy of Christ’s reconciling love painfully embraced in the midst of our most difficult times or relationships. Jesus’ peace is an unassailable witness to God’s love for all of humankind.

The current climate of our nation and world is rife and ripe with conflict and opportunities for hate and entrenchment. In such stressful times we can forget to be generous and kind to one another in our relationships and community Think about where this destructive cycle has you hooked, where you are most conflicted and torn and then remember that the first thing that Jesus offered his followers was this astounding gift of peace and forgiveness. Be fearless and brave and be reconciled in your heart and minds that there is a better way, not an easier way, but a better way.

May God’s Peace fill you and keep you and lead you into the cycle of unending grace.

Happy Easter,

Mother Stephanie

The office will be closed on Thursday, April 4th.

Upcoming Services

April 7,2024

The Second Sunday of Easter

8:30 in the Chapel

10:30 in the Church

April Labyrinth Walk

You're Invited!

SAVE THE DATE!

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 current possibilities before the Vestry makes a final decision.

We hope to see you there!

Wednesday Bible Study !



There and Back Again

From Jesus to Now:

A Brief History

You are still welcome to join us Wednesdays at Noon in the Parish House for study, discussion and fellowship.

Join Us!

Final Bible Study on April 17th.

~Mother Stephanie

Blessings Received

SLEEPING MATS



KEEP THOSE PLASTIC BAGS COMING

The 2024 goal is to complete 200. As of February 29th, 40 have been completed.

We need help with FLATTENING bags please. Tanya’s garage is full of bags of opportunity! Annette and Pat have both cut boxes of bags recently and homework boxes are out. Get your plarn (plastic yarn) made quickly! Lois is on a one-a-day completion schedule!

If you or your club or your youth group can help flatten grocery bags, please contact Teri Canter at 336-984-1698. Thanks!

Scripture for Upcoming Sunday Services

Second Sunday of Easter

April 7, 2024

8:30 in the Chapel

10:30 in the Church

The First Reading    Acts 4:32-35   

The Response  Psalm 133

The Second Reading 1 John 1:1-2:2

The Gospel   John 20:19-31              

The First Reading           Acts 4:32-35

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

The Response   Psalm 133

Ecce, quam bonum!

Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *

when people live together in unity!

It is like fine oil upon the head *

that runs down upon the head,

Upon the head of Aaron, *

and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

It is like the dew of Hermon *

that falls upon the hills of Zion.

For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *

life for evermore.

The Second Reading 1 John 1:1-2:2

We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us-- we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

The Gospel          John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."



Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

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

Short-term

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



No birthdays

 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!