Worship. Serve. Grow.

Bulletin announcements for Sunday, Dec 11, 2016

HEIFER INTERNATIONAL invites us to give Christmas gifts to our friends and loved ones in the form of donations, which in turn help struggling families around the world lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Our donations placed in the Heifer Ark on Sunday mornings buy working animals for families in need. Please take a Heifer card (available in the narthex) for each donation of $10 that you make, to send to family members or friends you wish to honor with your charitable gift. St. Paul’s annual goal is $5000, which purchases a GIFT ARK of animals (two cows, sheep, camels, llamas, etc.). With your generosity, we can give life-changing gifts to even more impoverished families and communities this year. Contact Alison Arnold for more information at, 919-605-0761 or alisonearnold@gmail.com.

SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS FOR ADVENT: On Sunday, December 18 at 4:00 p.m., the St. Paul’s Choir and Bells of St. Paul’s present a Service of Lessons and Carols for Advent. Rusty McKinney, Minister of Music, leads both ensembles accompanied by Joanna Li, Organist. Music by George Frideric Handel, John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, Carson P. Cooman and others reflect and enlarge upon themes presented in nine scriptural readings. This service is a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and neighbors to St. Paul’s for beautiful music and reflection on the season.

ADULT FORMATION: Today in the Chapel from 10:15 – 11:00 a.m., a series entitled “Advent: O Antiphons” use the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and its roots in the “O Antiphons” to study the theology of Jesus. We will seek ways of understanding the meaning of Jesus through the lens of prophetic hope. Join the Rev. George Adamik for the final class in this series. Coffee is available in the Chapel narthex before class. Classes will resume January 8, 2017 with a series entitled “The Prophetic Voices of Scripture.”

On Wednesday, December 14, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m., join the Rev. Javier E. Almendárez Bautista for the final session in an Advent series entitled “Prepare the Way: Prayer and Expectation.” We will spend time in prayer and will reflect on how prayer impacts our daily lives and what it means to welcome God’s hope into our lives.

DORCAS: St. Paul’s has half a shelf in the Dorcas Ministry Food Pantry and a commitment to provide toilet paper to give 1 roll per month for each family member in about 400 families identified through the Dorcas Crisis Ministry. We will be collecting TP again on January 8 – look for the bins marked for Dorcas in front of the church entrance. Contact Nancy Fierke at nfierke@bellsouth.net or call 919-467-8807 for more information or to volunteer at Dorcas Ministries.

PRAYER LIST RENEWAL: We ask that those who have requested friends and loved ones be included on the prayer list, email the office at Melanie.Fairbrother@stpaulscary.org or call the office at 919-467-1477 extension 10, to renew the request. Please contact Melanie Fairbrother by Monday, December 19, to renew your request. Call or email anytime to remove a name. Please do not assume that we know the name should be renewed.

ADVENT ENVELOPES are available in the pews throughout Advent, and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Funds collected in these envelopes are designated to continue the mission and ministry of St. Paul’s.

I AM WELCOME | YOU ARE WELCOME | ALL ARE WELCOME: If you haven’t done so already, please fill in a pledge card online (www.stpaulscary.org) or fill out a paper copy (available in the narthex) and place it in the offering plate or turn it in to the office. The Finance Committee and Vestry meet soon to construct next year’s budget, and knowing your pledge will greatly facilitate that process. Through your generosity, St. Paul’s is changing lives. Thank you!
St. Paul’s Fall Stewardship Team

COFFEE HOUR MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS: Children’s Ministries and the Fellowship Events Team are co-hosting a special Coffee Hour in the Parish Hall following the 9:00 a.m. service today. Please join them for coffee and goodies and to thank all our talented children and our many, many parent volunteers.

Next week there will be a special Coffee Hour in celebration of Javier Bautista’s ordination. It will be co-hosted by the Fellowship Events Team and the Stay at Home Parents Group – a group which provides an informal fellowship opportunity for parents, as well as playtime for little ones.

THE GREENING OF THE CHURCH will be Thursday, December 22, from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. While the Altar Guild is responsible for preparing the church for our Christmas services, we always welcome the help of members of the congregation. Come and help us decorate the Altar and windows, hang the roping and, for the children, put out the crèche. Light refreshments will be provided by the Fellowship Events Team. We also need fresh greenery to fill various areas around the church – boxwood, cedar, Magnolia leaves, holly, etc. Please bring some when you come to Green the Church or you may drop off greens on the walkway to the right of the church doors during the day of the 22nd. This is a fun event so we hope you will come and join us!

ALTAR FLOWER MEMORIALS: The Altar Flower Chart for 2017 will be hung in the narthex in early December. If you would like to give flowers that will decorate the altar for a Sunday service, please sign up for the Sunday of your choice. Flowers are usually given in memory of, or in thanksgiving for a loved one, or special occasions. The Altar Guild requests a donation of $45.00. Checks may be made payable to St. Paul’s with Altar Guild flowers noted on the memo line. You must sign up on the flower chart at least 3 weeks in advance to order for your name to appear in the appropriate Sunday bulletin.

THE WOMEN’S STUDY GROUP will meet Tuesday, December 13, from 12:00-1:30 p.m. in the Bride’s Room to discuss Raney by Clyde Edgerton. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote: “Raney appears to be a harmless little novel, but readers should be warned: The book is dangerous. It is one of those rare volumes that causes uncontrollable fits of laughter and makes normally quiet, shy people read passages aloud. Raney herself is a masterpiece.” This will be a fun book to discuss so we hope you will join us. If you have any questions, contact Leah Dail at LeahDail@gmail.com.

FACEBOOK and QR CODE: Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/stpaulscary or visit our website via QR code.

INVITATION TO ORDINATION: By the Grace of God and with the consent of the people, the Right Reverend Anne E. Hodges-Copple, Bishop Pro Tempore of North Carolina, will ordain Javier Enrique Almendárez Bautista to the Sacred Order of Priests in Christ’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church on Saturday, the seventeenth of December, two thousand and sixteen at eleven o’clock in the morning at Phillip’s Chapel, Canterbury School, 5400 Old Lake Jeanette Road, Greensboro, North Carolina 27455. Your prayers and presence are requested.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES

  • The 2016-2017 Children’s Collection Basket is collecting funds to host a Note in the Pocket Sort Day on June 4, 2017. So far, we have collected $791.82 toward our $3000.00 goal.
  • Children’s Chapel and Sunday School are on vacation until January 8, 2017. Thank you for your understanding as we give our volunteers a much-needed break for the holiday season.
  • Coming up in 2017: Mark your calendars for our Teddy Bear Tea on February 4 and Communion Classes in March.
  • Thank you to all our pageant participants and parents for a wonderful pageant today!

YOUTH

  • Sunday School: The lesson today is entitled “Difficult Decisions: Choosing Life.” Middle School will meet in the library in the Education Bldg. – please note the change. High School meets in Room 10.
  • EYC Tonight from 5:00-7:00 p.m. We will be decorating sweaters or sweatshirts for our 5th annual Crazy Christmas Sweater / Sweatshirt contest at the party the next EYC (Dec. 18). Bring a sweater, shirt, or sweatshirt to decorate or embellish and bring some decorations to share – bells, Christmas-themed decorations, fabric paint/pens, whatever – the flashier the better!
  • Advent Study Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.: Come join us for a look at C.S. Lewis’s world of Narnia in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Reading the book is not required. Bring your dinner and we’ll eat together and discuss how the world of Narnia helps us understand the Season of Advent here a little better. We will meet in the Youth Wing.