A Note from Mtr. Brittany

Dear People of St. Paul's,

Many of us cherish those special stories that serve as the touchstones of our faith—narratives about how God manifested in our lives in remarkable ways. Different traditions may label these personal tales differently, such as testimony or spiritual autobiography, yet their essence remains the same. They recount moments of spiritual awakening to God’s interventions in the world and in individuals' lives, moments when one realizes that an infinite God desires a personal relationship. For many, these awakenings occur when one takes the time to observe what God is doing, listens for God's call, and feels empowered by a community to respond to the movement of the Spirit. Church camp often serves as one of these places.

The history of Christianity in the United States is marked by stories of people gathering in fields or at tent meetings for days or weeks, seeking to hear God's voice. They recognized that by retreating from the stresses of daily life and entering a space where they could be defined not by their productivity but by their faith and trust, they became more receptive to the movement of the Spirit.

I am thrilled that St. Paul’s will take a group of children and teens to Episcopal Mega Camp at Camp Wood YMCA. Church camp offers much more than just bug bites, swimming in creeks, and staying up past bedtime. It provides our youth with an opportunity to join fellow Christians their age, to receive love and support on their faith journey. It's a space where they can be with peers grappling with similar issues and asking similar questions about life, God, and the church.

I cannot guarantee that our youth will return having encountered a burning bush or having experienced a mountaintop revelation. However, I can assure you they will be in a fun, safe, and inclusive environment to appreciate God’s creation, hear the word of the Lord, partake in the blessed sacrament, and, above all, be surrounded by fellow Episcopalians who will affirm their love every day. My hope is that the memories they create at places like Church Camp will positively impact their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual growth as they journey through adolescence. Who knows, perhaps Church camp will one day become a pivotal part of their spiritual narrative.

Learn more about how you can support our youth at camp by writing them a note in one of the articles below.

Mtr. Brittany

This Sunday

We begin at 9:00 AM with:

Godly Play | Third Floor

Adult Forum | Garden Room | Embracing Easter | Info Below

And continue at 10:00 AM with:

Worship | Nave | Greater Love Hath No Man - Ireland

• Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, Bolivar and the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry

Children's Worship | Third Floor

Find out more about what's happening at St. Paul's on our website.

To view the Sunday worship bulletin and join us for online worship, click here.

Coming Soon

Apr. 12: TGIFF | Hosted by Richard Barrows

Apr. 21: Acolyte and Chalice Bearer Training | After service| Info Below

Apr. 26: David von Drehle Author Talk - The Book of Charlie | 5:30 PM | Info Below

Apr. 27: Safe Church, Safe Community Training | 10:00 AM | Learn More

Apr. 28: Touching the Soul Book Group Discussion on The Book of Charlie | After service

For an easy-to print list of all upcoming events, click here.

All items subject to change.

Announcements

TGIFF is this Evening!

Get ready to kick off your weekend in style because our next TGIFF (Thank Goodness It's Fellowship Friday) is happening today, April 12th, from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM! This beloved St. Paul's tradition is a casual happy hour where we gather together to enjoy each other's company and strengthen our bonds as a community.

Who: All St. Paul’s parishioners!

What: TGIFF - a casual happy hour to connect and get to know each other better.

When: Today from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM.

Where: The home of Richard Barrows, located at 14310 Manor Ct., Leawood, KS 66224. We're excited to be closer to our southern KC families for this TGIFF!

Why: Because what better way to start the weekend than with good company and great conversation?

How: Please RSVP to debschneider49@gmail.com if you can, and if possible, bring an appetizer to share!

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to relax, unwind, and connect with your fellow parishioners. Whether you're a regular at TGIFF or you've never attended before, all are welcome to join in the fun.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Graduation Sunday is May 19th

We want to celebrate with you! If you or someone you know is graduating from school (8th grade and up), completing a course, degree, or program work we can honor, or has done so since last May, please submit their name and their course or school of completion to the Church Office email by Wednesday, May 1st.

Acolyte and Chalice Bearer Training April 21

Join us for an Acolyte and Chalice Bearer training session in the Nave following the service on April 21. Acolyte positions are open to any baptized individual aged nine and above – adults are warmly encouraged to participate as well! Any confirmed individual, under the guidance and approval of the clergy, is invited to become a Chalice Bearer.

Curious about the roles of Acolyte or Chalice Bearer? You're welcome to attend the training to learn more. We look forward to seeing you there!

Embracing Easter: Hope, Love, and Resurrection in Today's World

What difference does Easter make today?

Join us for a series of insightful 9 AM Sunday forums exploring the profound impact of the Easter season in our modern lives. Whether through war and violence, illness, or any other troubles, we know that as followers of Jesus, hope, love, and joy always find a way. Together, let's reflect on embodying these promises amidst the woes of today's society.

This Sunday morning: "Confronting Hate, Embracing Love: Unveiling the Power of Compassion" (Part 1)

Mail Call! Support our youth at Camp by writing them a note. 

Episcopal Mega Camp has several cherished traditions, including singing the mealtime prayer to the tune of the "Addams Family" theme song, Forkless Spaghetti night, and the evening mail call. We need your assistance in ensuring that all our children receive mail each of the six nights at Camp.

You can contribute by bringing notes to the church or writing them during coffee hour. Throughout May, a card-writing station will be available in the Parish Hall. Everyone is encouraged to participate! By May, we will have the names of all our campers, allowing you to address your notes to them. Additionally, we can spread the love of the St. Paul family by writing general notes of encouragement to give to youth whose communities did not send mail.

Cards will be collected during coffee hour and delivered to Camp Wood during check-in.

For further information, please reach out to Mother Brittany at bsavage@stpaulskcmo.org.

Get St. Paul's Gear ANY TIME!

Now you can grab St. Paul's Gear whenever you want!

We're thrilled to announce that our church logos are now featured on the Spirit Wear store of The Day School. This means you have access to hundreds of items adorned with our logo, available for purchase anytime and delivered straight to your doorstep.

Click here to visit the store!

Here's a helpful tip for navigating the merchandise selection: Don't be swayed by the logos you see initially. Once you've found the item you desire, simply click "Other Designs Available" to switch over to the church logos. Happy shopping!

St. Paul's Food Ministries Values

Over the last couple of months, St. Paul's Food Ministries Team has summarized our values, as shown here. We think it’s important for everyone to know what drives our efforts to feed hungry people in our community.

Touching the Soul Book Group - Upcoming!

Please join us to wind down our 2023-24 season! This year our library included classics (A Christmas Carol), nonfiction (Killers of the Flower Moon), mysteries (Pleasantville), novels (Between Two Moons), and prizewinners (The Sea - Booker Prize and Trust ¬- Pulitzer).

We hope you can make April, our exciting "all campus" read. Because May turns out to be busy for us all, we're taking a "reading holiday" and have moved the book slotted for May to June.

Keep an eye out for the 2024-25 TTSBG list! 

We would love for you to join us! Please register (nancyeday@gmail.com) to receive updates and discussion questions. Or just show up! A Zoom option is available.

In April, we'll join the entire St. Paul's Community to read The Book of Charlie (https://shorturl.at/LMY57).

• "In every era, an author writes a genuinely original, formula-shattering book. Von Drehle has done this in The Book of Charlie, a serious history of the last 100 years. Charlie is told through the personal story of one man, finding joy and what matters." – Bob Woodward. 
• We are pleased to host a talk by its author, David von Drehle, on Saturday, April 26, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.; a reception follows. On Sunday, April 28, Touching the Soul Book Group will meet at our usual time,11:45 in the conference room, to discuss the book in our small group setting. All are welcome.

May Reading holiday - see you in June!

June - will feature The Measure (https://shorturl.at/bjqHP): 

• "A story of love and hope as interweaving characters display how all moments, big and small, can measure a life. If you want joy, love, romance, and hope—read with us." — Jenna Bush Hager
• Our discussions will be after church at 11:45 in the second-floor conference room on June 9 & 23. 

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