ST. NICHOLAS IS COMING TO ST. PAUL’S: The St. Nicholas Advent tree is up and is decorated with approximately 400 tags identifying children in need served by the following agencies: WellComm Health, serving seasonal farmworkers; Healing Transitions, ministering to those who are challenged by addictions; West Haven (formerly Episcopal Housing Ministry), providing low-cost housing for low-income workers; and Families Together, serving homeless families in Wake County. Please take one or more of the tags from the tree and plan to join us for St. Nicholas Sunday on December 4th. St. Nicholas will be gathering the gifts for the children at both the 9:00 a.m. and the 11:15 a.m. services. The tags are self-sticking so after you have purchased and wrapped your gift, please stick the tag to the gift. Gifts may be dropped off earlier and placed under the tree. Please note that the gifts will be delivered to the service agencies on the afternoon of Dec. 4th, so any gifts brought to the church after noon on December 4th WILL NOT reach the children for Christmas.
Again, this year we have a few groups of tags, representing all the children in a single family, in case you would like to purchase gifts with the entire family in mind. You will find the bundled tags near the St. Nicholas figure on the counter next to the tree.
Help us share the love of Christ by providing gifts for these incredible children who endure many hardships. Your generosity in support of this ministry shows these children that they are loved in a very special way, by Christ, and by His community here at St. Paul’s. We are looking forward to the day when the faces of our children light up with the love of Christ given and received. If you have any questions, contact Mary Marsha Cupitt at 919-387-7993.
(Note: Healing Transitions do not want their gifts wrapped.)
WELCOME FAMILY FROM SOMALIA: Refuge for Refugees will be welcoming our 3rd refugee family next week. A family of 4 arrives from war-torn Somalia on Wednesday. We will be assisting in the re-settlement of a mom and dad, a 7-year-old girl, and a 4-year-old boy. The UN Refugee Agency says that “the Somali refugee situation, now in its third decade, is among the most protracted in the world – a third generation of refugees is being born in exile.” There are nearly 2.1 million displaced Somalis. We are blessed to have most of the furnishings we need but unfortunately the apartment complex where this family will be housed does not have a laundry facility. We are hoping to raise money to buy a washer and dryer. Can you contribute? Please see the website for links to the donations and volunteer’s sign-up pages. We have readied the apartment but we need help THIS AFTERNOON moving furniture. Meet at St. Paul’s at 12:30 p.m. (Email Ramsey at dingervb@gmail.com with any questions.)
EPISCOPAL FARMWORKER MINISTRY still needs assistance after Hurricane Matthew. The flooding in eastern North Carolina has wreaked havoc on the Episcopal Farmworker Ministry in Newton Grove. The Diocesan House is coordinating efforts for the ministry and collecting donations. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please make your check out to St. Paul’s and put Episcopal Farmworker Ministry on the memo line. Food and clothing donations may be placed in the gray bin to the right of the lobby in front of the music room and they will be brought to the Diocesan House. Current needs are for:
Food: drinking water, dry or canned pinto beans, rice, oil, salt, sugar, canned fruit, tuna and non-perishable foods
Socks, Shoes, and Underwear: the only clothes still needed.
Monetary donations: always needed to meet needs.
If you have questions about donations, please contact Gale Herrman at gherrman@nc.rr.com.
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIA envelopes will be available in the pews from until Sunday, December 4. Giving a poinsettia that will decorate the altar and worship spaces for the Christmas services is a beautiful way to remember and/or give thanks for the special people in our lives. We suggest a donation of $20.00 per plant. Checks may be made payable to St. Paul’s with Altar Guild poinsettia noted on the memo line. Please make sure the outside of the envelope is filled out with your name and the name of the person(s) for whom the poinsettia is being given and note if the poinsettia is being given in memory of, or in thanksgiving for, that person. All requests must be received by Sunday, Dec 4, to be included in the Christmas bulletin. Requests/donations may be placed in the collection plates or dropped off at the church office.
COFFEE HOUR MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS: There will be no Coffee Hour today. All parishioners are invited to the Stewardship brunch from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon.
Next week the Youth Committee will be hosting Coffee Hour. Our Youth Program is a strong and integral part of our parish community, and its leaders generously offer their time to create an inviting and inspirational environment for our youth.
ADULT FORMATION: Today in the Chapel from 10:15 – 11:00 a.m., the Scripture and Formation series continues with “Parables of Jesus: The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man,” led by Garrett Briggs. Coffee is available in the Chapel Narthex before class. Next Sunday’s topic is “The Parables of Jesus: Parables Related to Prayer,” led by Garrett Briggs.
On Wednesday, November 16, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m., join the Rev. J. Carr Holland III for the third session in a formation series entitled “Destined for God: Pathways of Moral Choice.” Child care is available on request. Email Beth Barnes at eanbarnes@gmail.com.
A NOTE FROM ST. PAUL’S STEWARDSHIP TEAM:
Dear fellow St. Paul’s Parishioners,
We chose the theme of this year’s stewardship campaign, “I am Welcome | You are Welcome | All are Welcome,” to celebrate the inclusiveness that has become a core value of our parish. It also speaks to the importance of relationships, both those within our faith community and with those to whom we minister through our outreach programs.
We hope that you have had the opportunity to watch the short videos that we’ve put together for the campaign. Nearly 30 fellow parishioners have lent their voices to tell stories of how St. Paul’s has touched their lives and those of others. If you haven’t seen the videos or would like to watch them again, they are available on the St. Paul’s web site.
We would love to receive your pledge by today, November 13th. You can pledge online or use the pledge forms also available in the Narthex. Your pledge helps make St. Paul’s community possible.
In celebration, we’ll have special music today at the 9:00 and 11:15 a.m. services and a brunch from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Parish Hall. From 10-11, we’ll serve bacon, sausage, and eggs, and from 11-12, we’ll serve biscuits, doughnuts, and French Toast. No RSVPs are necessary.
Please come and celebrate the possibilities that 2017 brings.
In appreciation of your role in our community,
Dan Loughlin, John Hemperly, LaQuinta Jernigan, Lee Collins, and Sherri Hubbard
St. Paul’s 2016 Fall Stewardship Team
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
- Children’s Chapel will be held today at the 9:00 a.m. service only. Children’s Chapel is for children ages 3 through 2nd grade. Please follow the children’s cross processional to the Youth Wing.
- The 2016-2017 Children’s Collection Basket is collecting funds to host a Note in the Pocket Sort Day on June 4, 2017. Note in the Pocket provides clothing to impoverished and homeless children in Wake County. So far we have collected $627.60 toward our $3000 goal.
- Christmas Pageant Participation Forms are available in the Narthex and at the Children’s Ministries bulletin board in the Education Building. Be sure to complete yours and return it TODAY by 10:00 a.m. for speaking roles. All non-speaking forms are due by December 4.
- Pre-EYCers: Thank you for all your hard work yesterday at Note in the Pocket and this morning for assisting with the Stewardship Brunch. Our next meeting is Sunday, November 20, at 11:15 a.m. in the Parish Hall.
- Be sure to join Children’s Ministries at the Craft and Cookie Coffee Hour on Nov. 27. Come eat freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and make an ornament for your Christmas tree!
YOUTH
- Sunday School: The lesson today is entitled “Difficult Decisions: What is Right?” Middle School meets in the Youth Wing (go straight there, snacks are provided) and High School meets in Room 10.
- Advent Play Rehearsal today from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Bring your script and we’ll continue rehearsing. If you want to participate, either onstage or off (we also need production help), please come too.
- EYC Tonight from 5:00-7:00 p.m. It’s back: Brinner! The youth will be cooking breakfast for dinner for themselves, so come ready to work in the kitchen. It’s always a lot of fun.
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, December 4,
7:00 p.m. The Youth are performing this play as an Advent gift to the parish. Our Youth(ful) thespians are looking forward to not only entertaining our parishioners both young and old, but also imparting a little bit of spiritual cheer in keeping with the season. The play will be in the Chapel.