Worship. Serve. Grow.

Bulletin Announcements for Sunday, Jan 26, 2020

AWARD-WINNING FILM SCREENING along with Q&A:  St. Paul’s hosts a screening of the award-winning documentary Same God on Saturday, February 29 at 5:00 p.m.  A question and answer session follows with the woman at the heart of the film, Dr. Larycia Hawkins, and its director, Linda Midgett.  In December 2015, the political rhetoric against Muslims was escalating. Dr. Hawkins, an African American political science professor at Wheaton College wanted to show support for Muslim women.  She posted a photo of herself in a hijab on Facebook. “I love my Muslim neighbor,” she wrote, “because s/he deserves love by virtue of her/his human dignity…. we worship the Same God.”  Within days, she was suspended from her tenured position and eventually terminated.  Were the school’s actions a move to protect its Christian theological purity, as it insisted?  Or was it, as some suggested, the result of racism and Islamophobia? Same God, directed by Midgett, a Wheaton alumna with ties to North Carolina, follows the journey of Dr. Hawkins while exploring the polarization taking place within the evangelical community over issues like race, Islam, religious freedom, and political leadership.  Everyone is invited to a reception following the movie and discussion for a chance to meet Dr. Hawkins and Ms. Midgett. This event is free and open to the community.  

COFFEE HOUR: There is a parish update today in the church following the 9:00 a.m. service.  In lieu of coffee hour in the parish hall, coffee will be served by the vestry in the narthex before the meeting.  

The Winter Mini Ministry Fair will take place next Sunday, and the participating ministries will be hosting coffee hour 

VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED:  The Care and Share Committee provides transportation for those in our parish who need a ride to appointments or to attend a Sunday service.  We are putting together a team for a new parishioner in Apex who is willing to attend either the 9:00 or the 11.15a.m. service. We will need four drivers, one for each Sunday!  If this is something you can do or have questions about please contact me, Lesley Dinwiddie (919) 616-8140 or email to lesleydinwiddie@gmail.com.  

SCOUT SUNDAY:  St. Paul’s will recognize the citizenship and volunteer efforts of all Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, and their leaders at the 9:00 a.m. service on February 9th.  Scouting fosters self-esteem, a sense of value and belonging, accountability, service, leadership, and teamwork.  On Scout Sunday, scouts and adult leaders will participate in a variety of roles such as greeters, ushers, and lectors.  All scouts and adult leaders are asked to wear their uniforms. Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040F49AFA92C7-scout or contact Stephany Enders at stephany.enders@gmail.com  

INVITE, WELCOME AND CONNECT: Have you noticed there are new faces in the church?  Or perhaps individuals who just seem new but perhaps you do not know?  Do you wish you knew more people at St. Paul’s? Could we do a better job connecting with other members? Join with the Invite, Welcome and Connect committee Sunday, February 9 from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. in the parish hall to explore how we can improve the way in which we connect with our neighbors in the pews and to explore ideas for enjoying and networking with others in our church community.  Sandwiches will be provided, so it would be helpful to have a count of how many people plan to attend. Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/1cZD11jMte9EXKtg8
or by calling the church office at (919)467-1477.  If you have any dietary restrictions, let us know.  

DORCAS FOOD PANTRY: Thank you, St. Paul’s, for provided 183 rolls of toilet paper to Dorcas in January.  Did you know that you can’t use food stamps to buy paper goods – like toilet paper? With current monthly toilet paper donations, Dorcas Food Pantry can provide families in need with 2 rolls of TP/month.  Look for the green bin across from the choir room to put your TP donations or contact Gail Cowper at gcowper@bellsouth.net. Thank you for your donations!

RACIAL EQUITY INSTITUTE PHASE I TRAINING: St. Paul’s will host a two-day Racial Equity Institute Phase 1 training on April 30 and May 1.  Moving the focus from individual bigotry and bias, the REI Phase 1 workshop presents a historical, cultural, structural, and institutional analysis.  REI, which is based in Greensboro, believes that organizations often work for equity with multiple understandings of racism that rely more on personal feelings and popular opinion.  

These workshops are open to the community and fill up quickly, so early registration is encouraged.  Scholarship funding is available to help defray the cost for those who would otherwise be unable to attend.  Email Father Javier at Javier@stpaulscary.org for more information about scholarship support. The full cost for both days including a light breakfast and lunch is $295 for first-time participants.  REI alums can attend for $35.  Fees are payable online when registering or by check mailed to the OAR Coalition.  You must register in advance through the St Paul’s website for this two-day training, which takes place from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.  Please only sign up if you can attend both full days.  

For questions, please contact Kevin McIntire at kvn.mcintire@gmail.com, or Aleta McClenney at aleta@att.net.   

ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL raised $7,558 for outreach ministries in 2019.  We need your help to continue this good work in 2020.  We’ll begin planning in the spring for our festival in November.  We have openings for committee members to head up the different areas of the festival.  Please consider joining the committee. It’s a great opportunity to help raise money for outreach while getting to know other St. Paul’s parishioners.  For more information, please contact Sally Moller at sbm2@nc.rr.com.  

PULSE MINISTRY: Guess Who’s Calling? Someone taking the PULSE of St. Paul’s .  Three times a year, each of the seven members of the Pulse Ministry will call 12 parishioners to ask two simple questions and jot down the responses.  You may be one of these randomly selected parishioners called!  Often times today, we choose not to answer the phone if we do not recognize the phone number.  If this occurs, Pulse members will leave a message stating that we are with St. Paul’s and have two questions about St. Paul’s that we would like your “feedback” on.  Your responses can be anonymous if you choose. Only the clergy gets this information and has commented at an annual meeting about how this valuable information is in helping the clergy to detect trends and make positive adjustments for our wonderful community. This is an awesome opportunity to share your opinion on two questions: (1) what you like about St. Paul’s; (2) are there any changes you would like to see in the services and/or programs at St. Paul’s. When you are called Please return OUR calls!

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES:  

There is Children’s Chapel today for children ages 3 years-2nd grade at the 9:00 a.m. service. 

Sunday School begins at 10:10 a.m.in the Education Building.  

The annual Teddy Bear Tea will be held February 8.

First Communion Classes will be on March 1, 15, 22, with a special service on the 29th.  Registration information will be sent via email and available on the website.  

Kids’ Club provides childcare for infants through three-year-olds during worship and Sunday school. 

ADULT FORMATION

Sunday Morning: There will be no Adult Formation today, January 26, 2020. The Epiphany series, Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, will resume at 10:15 a.m. in the Chapel on Sunday, February 9.

Wednesday Evening: Join us at 7:00-8:00 p.m., January 29, in the Youth Wing, when we begin our 4-part series, Death, Grief, Support, and Faith. Annie Ritter, Clinical Chaplain and Grief Counselor, UNC Hospice, will lead discussion of “Terminal Illness: Common Spiritual and Emotional Issues.”  How do you imagine you would feel and think if you were facing a terminal illness? What would be important to you? What faith questions arise at this time? How could close friends offer support?

WINTER MINI MINISTRY FAIR:  This event will be held in the parish hall during coffee hour on February 2.  Different ministries are highlighted at the three mini fairs each year. Here are some of the groups which will be on hand at this fair: Children’s Ministries, Eucharistic Ministers, Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry, Fellowship Events Team, Greeters, Lectors, Mystery Book Group, ONE Wake, Refuge for Refugees, Ushers, Veterans and Military Outreach, and Wheels4Hope.