The Women’s Study Group will meet on Tuesday, March 8th from 12:00-1:30 p.m. in the Bride’s Room tboweo discuss The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier. It is a novel about an English Quaker woman who comes to America and is drawn into the activities of the Underground Railroad. Come join us for fellowship and discussion about this book. For more information, contact Leah Dail (leahdail@gmail.com).
ADULT EDUCATION: All are welcome to attend forums in the chapel on Sunday mornings between the 9:00 and 11:15 a.m. services. Today we welcome Carolyn Edge, a spiritual director and retreat leader for more than 25 years, for the first in a two-part forum series on “Exploring Spiritual Direction.” In Part I, we will explore the process of spiritual direction, a process for becoming aware of the presence and movement of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives, work, celebrations, and struggles.
Next Sunday (Part II), we will learn several practices that can help us “center entirely on the presence of God.” (Thomas Merton). Ms. Edge received her certification from The Guild for Spiritual Guidance and is a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Raleigh. From 1992 to 2009 she directed the Spiritual Formation Program for men and women discerning a call to Holy Orders in the Diocese of North Carolina.
Habitat for Humanity Workday Lunches
Do you want to help St. Paul’s build a house for Habitat for Humanity? Does swinging a hammer, laying floors, or painting a wall seem like more than you can commit to at this time? Well there is another way you can assist. St. Paul’s will be providing lunch for the workers on March 12 and April 9. We need your help to provide the food. A Signup Genius will be available on the website for you to indicate what you will provide. More details will be included on the signup or you can contact Katie Robinson at katie015@bellsouth.net or 919-247-3472.
St. Paul’s Habitat Weekend: As part of St. Pauls’ continuing involvement with the Habitat for Humanity Episcopal Build, we have the weekend of March 10-12th reserved as a work weekend for our church. If you’ve been meaning to get involved with this exciting hands-on outreach opportunity, now is a great time! Come work alongside your fellow parishioners as we make a meaningful difference in the life of a family here in Wake County by helping realize their dream of home ownership. The work day begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m., and there are openings for volunteers on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. To register, visit http://episcopalbuild2016.habitatwake.volunteerhub.com/events/index or contact Dave Mackie at dw.mackie@gmail.com (or 919-260-6707) for more information.
All Seniors – young, older, and seniors-to-be and children with older parents are encouraged to attend a meeting Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. in the youth wing. We will be discerning if there is interest in pursuing a Senior Ministry at St. Paul’s for educational and social programs. We will write a Mission Statement for the ministry and ask that all complete a survey to gather your ideas and suggestions. Bring a snack if would like to; beverages will be provided. Wear your name tag. Contact Margie Best at mwbest@bellsouth.net or 919-3033830 if any questions. Sponsored by the Senior Ministry Organizational Team
COFFEE HOUR MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS: The Ministry of Mothers Sharing (MOMS) is hosting coffee hour in the parish hall following the 9:00 a.m. service today. MOMS is a special course which offers mothers a place to share the stresses, concerns and positive experiences that have influenced their spiritual growth. All parishioners – not just mothers! – are invited to stop by, enjoy coffee and refreshments, and find out more about this unique ministry.
Next week the Men’s Group will be hosting coffee hour. This group fosters fellowship while providing various service projects and activities for the parish, including Lobster Fest, Men’s Beach Week, and food for the Parish Picnic and Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper.
ARE YOU CALLED TO BE A SPONSOR FOR CONFIRMATION? Our Youth Confirmation Class is forming, and we are seeking adult confirmed members of St. Paul’s to be mentors to our Youth, who have chosen to confirm their baptismal promises through the sacrament of Confirmation. Sponsors will be asked to attend as many Confirmation sessions as possible with the Youth and will be willing to explore questions and issues of faith with the candidate. They should also be open to sharing their own spiritual journey with the candidate. Sponsors can get all the information by seeing Cathy Deats. Printed information is also available in the narthex for anyone interested in Confirmation or Sponsorship, as well as Reception into the Episcopal Church (for those already Confirmed in another denomination).
“CONVERSATION AND COMMUNITY” a small group discussion opportunity uses selections from Brian McLaren’s book, We Make the Road by Walking, to facilitate spiritually focused conversation and to foster friendships. All are welcome. This group is for anyone looking for something more casual than Adult Education Forums in the chapel but more structured than Coffee Hour. Meetings are in the conference room on Sunday mornings between the 9:00 and 11:15 a.m. services.
Annual Luncheon for SENIORS: The Youth would like to invite all Senior St. Paul’s Parishioners to our Annual Luncheon for Seniors on Sunday, March 13th at 12:30 in the parish hall. We will be serving salad, lasagna, bread, and dessert. This is our way to say that we appreciate you and the many gifts you bring to our Parish. Please let us know you are coming by emailing me at Leah.Dail@stpaulscary.org or calling the church office at 919-467-1477. We would love to serve you!
Easter Lily Envelopes are available in the pews through Sunday, March 13. Giving an Easter Lily that will decorate the altar and worship spaces on Easter Sunday is a beautiful way to remember and give thanks for the special people in our lives. The Altar Guild kindly requests a donation of $20.00 per plant. Checks may be made payable to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with Altar Guild Flowers noted on the memo line. All requests must to be received by Sunday, March 13, in order to appear in the Easter Bulletins. Easter Lilies will be available to take home following the 11:15 a.m. service on Easter Sunday.
Little Red Wagon: Help Keep It Rolling
St. Paul’s has been a significant supporter of Urban Ministries through our Little Red Wagon weekly food collection (more than 10,000 pounds donated in 2015 alone). Each week, this requires that the food then be transported from St. Paul’s to Urban Ministries in Raleigh. We are currently looking for a couple of people to each take one week per month to help with deliveries to UM. Ushers will load the food into your car on Sunday, and the folks at Urban Ministries will unload it on Monday. It’s just a matter of getting it from Point A to Point B. If helping with this project appeals to you, please contact Joe Ryan at jryan23@nc.rr.com or Aleta McClenney at aleta@att.net.
Children’s Ministries Volunteer Opportunities
- After Lent, comes Easter and our huge Easter Egg Hunt! We need donations of small, individually wrapped, nut-free candy for our Easter candy treat bags. Please drop off any donations to Christine Ingram of Christa Magee by March 20. Thank you so much!
- VBS Planning Meetings will be held on Tuesday afternoons at 1:00 p.m., starting Feb. 16! Our VBS theme will be Heroes and Villains! We need center leaders for 3-year olds, Music, Games, and Story. Please contact Christine Ingram if you would like to help create this fun and exciting week.
Easter Coffee HOUR: The Fellowship Events Team is hosting the Easter Sunday Coffee Hour on March 27th. This is always a very well attended event with a large number of parishioners and visitors expected. The Fellowship Events Team is asking for help providing food to supplement the event. If you are planning to attend, any donation of savory or sweet food would be greatly appreciated. Please bring items to the kitchen before 9:00 a.m. that Sunday.
Men’s Beach Week 2016: is scheduled for April 17-24 on Emerald Isle. More information and registration forms are available in the narthex or online at www.stpaulscary.org (search BEACH). Contact Jeff Kager at kagerclan@aol.com or 919-417-2179 with questions.
Women’s Beach Week 2016: Mark your calendars now for April 24th through May 1st for our annual beach trip to Emerald Isle. See the sign-up poster in the narthex or call Yvon Daniel 919-747-1199 or email at Yvdaniel60@gmail.com
FAITH ON TAP: Variety is the spice of life! The next few months Faith On Tap will be meeting at establishments with more than ten taps – something for just about any taste! So come join us to meet old friends and/or make new ones. Both men and women are invited! Please contact Tyrus Cohan (228) 223-4558 or tcohan0117@gmail.com with any questions.
Saturday, March 19 7:30 p.m. – World of Beer, 2036 Renaissance Park Place, Cary, NC 27513
Saturday, April 16 7:30 p.m.- Flying Saucer, 328 West Morgan Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
Saturday, May 21 7:30 p.m.- Tyler’s Tap Room, 1483 Beaver Creek Commons Drive, Apex, NC 27502
Children’s Ministries
- Children’s Chapel will be held at the 9:00 a.m. service only today. These sessions are for children ages 3 through 2nd Please follow the children’s cross processional to the youth wing.
- Clergy led Chapel will be held today at the 9:00 a.m. service. These sessions are for children in 3rd through 5th Please meet Father Carr at the door to the courtyard.
- Our Children’s Stewardship Basket is collecting for Stop Hunger Now. Please contribute as the children continue their collection toward our $2900 goal that will sponsor a children’s Stop Hunger Now Day on May 15, 2016. Money for this event will be collected June 1, 2015 through May 15, 2016. To date we have collected $1596.22.
- Mite Boxes are available in the narthex and near the Children’s Ministries Bulletin Board in the Education Building. This year’s Mite Box collection will go toward our Children’s Stop Hunger Now event. Mite Boxes will be collected on Easter Sunday.
- Communion Class registration forms are available in the narthex and the Ed. Building. Communion Classes are for children grade 1 and up who have not received prior Eucharistic Education. Classes will be held during Sunday School on April 10, 17 and 24. Our Communion Celebration will be held on Sunday, May 1st at the 9:00 a.m. service.
- Vacation Bible School participant and volunteer registration forms are available in the Narthex and the Ed. Bldg. Please join us for the daytime or evening sessions June 20-24, 2016.
- Pre EYC will be volunteering at the Food Bank of Eastern NC on Saturday, March 12 from 2:00-4 ;00 p.m. Please contact Christine Ingram if you would like to participate.
YOUTH
- Sunday School: The lesson today is entitled “Getting To Know God: In Relationships.” Middle School meets in the youth wing (go straight there, snacks are provided) and High School meets in Room 10.
- Confirmation: Classes start today at the Center for Hope and Healing (house at the end of our parking lot). Rev. Dr. Cathy Deats will lead a class on the Book of Common Prayer.
- EYC Today 5-7 p.m.: This a regular EYC, so come and join whatever fun we come up with. We’ll all start in the youth wing.
- Lenten Series: Tuesdays March 8 & 15 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.: We will continue our video and discussion session entitled “Spirituality and Racial Justice.” We will share a simple meal together, watch the videos, and discuss how we are called to respond to racial injustice and work towards healing. Meet in the youth wing.