Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

-Matthew 28:19-20

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

We walk this week in the light of the resurrection, as we begin the season of Easter. While every Sunday throughout the year should be celebrated as a “little Easter”, with the glory of the resurrection lifted high, we shout Hallelujah especially loud during this season of hope.

The verses above come from the closing lines of the Gospel of Matthew. They are words of instruction, but they are also words of assurance. They remind the followers of Christ – that’s us too – that as we go about the sharing & deepening faith, and carrying on the work of bringing healing and hope, we are not alone because Christ goes along with us. Join us this Sunday as we explore this text and continue our Easter journey. Come early and join in the sing-a-long in the sanctuary. Stay after for the free fellowship lunch in the hall.

Unable to make it out to service?  Traveling for the Season? Join us online     

Sunday Morning Worship: – https://zoom.us/j/955672091

Sunday Worship is just one way to participate in the life and work of St. Paul’s United. Check out what is going on in your community of faith:

–Youth group will be meeting Friday April 26th in the evening at 7:30 p.m..  RSVP to Rev. Michelle so we know numbers for supplies.

–Reflective Bible study:  The Bible speaks in many ways, one way is by what resonates for us.  Join Eric as he leads a reflective Bible study based on an ancient way of letting the Holy Spirit speak through our scriptures.  This Sunday the reading will be Matthew 28:16-20. Following the study, there will be a prayer group until 10:20 am. Come for one or both, Absolutely everyone welcome!    

–Faith 5: Last Sunday we launched a new congregational wide practice that will help our congregation to dig deeper into our faith and integrate our faith into our lives.  This daily practice has 5 steps and can take between 5-15 minutes. Our goal is to have everyone in the congregation participating, If you didn’t get the information last week, we’ll have some for you this week available from the greeters or in Fraser Memorial Hall. Imagine what God can do working in and through us!

–Retirement Home Worship: A big THANKS to members of the choir for volunteering to lead worship this coming week at St. Anne’s Court and Shannex. Your ministry team is thankful, and the residents appreciate the chance to sing and pray. If you want to be a part of these worship services, feel free to come and lend your voice.

  • St. Anne’s Court: Wednesday May 1st @ 3 p.m.
  • Frederick Hall: Thursday May 2nd @ 10 a.m.
  • Governor Hall: Thursday May 2nd @ 10:45 a.m.

All are welcome and encourage to come and worship!

–Congregational Meeting on May 5th: Members and Adherents are encouraged to come to a meeting of the congregation following worship on May 5th to hear about the upcoming plans for the congregation and updates on ongoing work of the congregation..

–ATTENTION PARENTS LOOKING FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS: Vacation Bible School is changing! St. Paul’s and Wilmot are partnering to host FULL DAY programming. From July 22-27, our Vacation Bible School will be running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The dates are firm, and pre-registration will open soon. Cost for registration is by free-will offering.

Looking Ahead: Mark your calendars because on June 1st from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Rev. Richard & Rev. Michelle will be leading a”Sharing Faith, Living Faith” Workshop. This time is about equipping us to share the joy, passion, and faith that we have with each other and with the world around us.

With all that is going on in our lives, it can be easy to hear the story of the resurrection and move on to the next thing on our lists. I want to invite you to take a moment today and imagine what it would have been like for the early followers of Christ to hear the news from the women who were first to witness it. Imagine standing before the risen Christ as he assures you that through everything, he would be with you. Imagine and pray:

Risen Christ, we feel a mix of joy, relief, confusion, and excitement in this time.
Calm our racing hearts and quiet our raging minds.
Give us the courage we need to walk the road before us, with you watching over us.
Give us the strength we need to do your work, with you supporting us.
Give us hope for those dark days, with your light shining in and through us.
Most of all, walk with us, we pray. AMEN

Yours in Christ,        

Rev. Richard  and Rev. Michelle

The bulletin is also available for download from here.