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 second in a two-part forum series on “Exploring Spiritual Direction.” In Part II we will learn several practices that can help us “center entirely on the presence of God.” (Thomas Merton). All are invited to attend today even if you did not attend Part I last Sunday. 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 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.
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.
HERMANO DAY: Sunday, April 10 is our annual ‘Hermano Day’. We will be joined by representatives from the Episcopal Farmworker Ministry. Please bring donations of men’s clothing and bedding to church that day. These items are for migrant farmworkers who have just arrived in North Carolina. Migrant laborers journey here with just the clothes on their backs and live in remote labor camps. The Episcopal Farmworker Ministry in Newton Grove, NC, provides men in 47 labor camps with clothing, bedding, food, medicine, and a Sacramental Ministry.
The following donations are needed and welcomed: Men’s work pants (smaller sizes), Men’s long-sleeved shirts (small sizes), men’s socks and underwear, sheets (twin are best), towels, blankets, dried pinto beans, rice and tortillas. Clothing and bedding can be new or used. Monetary donations are always welcome. Please make checks out to the ‘Episcopal Farmworker Ministry’ and BRING YOUR DONATIONS TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY, APRIL 10. Thank you for your generous support of the Farmworker Ministry.
DORCAS: March 20 – TP collection for Dorcas Ministries Food Pantry: Help us meet our goal of 200 rolls of toilet paper. Please bring it to the parish hall during coffee hour on Sunday March 20.
COFFEE HOUR MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS: The Men’s Group is hosting Coffee Hour in the parish hall following the 9:00 a.m. service today. 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.
Next week Dorcas Ministries will be hosting coffee hour. This local organization provides affordable clothing, food, and tools for self-sufficiency to those in need. Come by to enjoy coffee and refreshments and perhaps learn how to volunteer in the Dorcas Thrift Shop.
“CONVERSATION AND COMMUNITY” a small group discussion 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 p.m. 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!
LAST DAY FOR Easter Lily Envelopes which are available in the pews. 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.
“GOD CALLS LEADERS,” the fourth Bible Study course in the Kerygma “Great Themes of the Bible” series, begins April 6. Classes are led by the Rev. Dr. Cathy. Deats and are held weekly in the youth wing, 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings through May 18. There is a cost of $20.00 per participant for a resource book. To participate in this course, sign up by email to Beth Barnes, eanbarnes@gmail.com, or at the Adult Education display in the narthex.
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. 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 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
- Today is “Spring” forward Sunday, and we are wearing our PJs to celebrate!
- Children’s Chapel will be held at the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services 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 George at the door to the courtyard.
- Please contribute to the Children’s Stewardship Basket as the children continue their collection toward our $2900 goal that will sponsor a children’s Stop Hunger Now Day on May 15, 2016. To date we have collected $1634.82.
- 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.
- Next Sunday is Palm Sunday and due to the length of the services, there will be no Sunday School, and Chapel will be held only at the 9:00 a.m. service.
YOUTH
- Sunday School: The lesson today is entitled “Getting To Know God: Hearing God.” Middle School meets in the youth wing (go straight there, snacks are provided) and High School meets in Room 10.
- Confirmation: Class will meet at the Center for Hope and Healing during the Education Hour. Carr will lead a class on Holy Week.
- EYC Today: Senior Luncheon. Meet in the parish hall at 11:00 a.m. to set-up and cook for our Senior Parishioners. We’ll will be done around 2:30 p.m. There is no EYC this evening.
- Happening #62: We ask for prayers for our group of 6 youth and 1 adult participating in the Diocesan Happening this weekend. We pray that this is a spiritually enriching weekend and the journey is safe.
- Lenten Series: Tuesday March 15, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.: We will conclude our video and discussion session entitled “Spirituality and Racial Justice.” We hope you will join us for food, fellowship, and interesting discussion. Meet in the youth wing.