St. Paul’s United Church
Our Mission: Glorifying God through Worship, Proclaiming the Gospel of Christ and Serving Others in Christ’s name.
From the desk of Rev. Michelle…
Sometimes you just need to roll with the waves, and sometimes you need to trim the sails. The challenge in life is often knowing which action to take. In deciding, the sailor needs to evaluate what is happening on and around the ship. Being aware of the threats and opportunities that are present allows for the captain to make the best decision possible.
Awareness and taking stock are part of the shape for our January at St. Paul’s this year.
You have already been asked to give your time to the Downtown United Survey (and if you request an individual survey) and you may have been or will be contacted as part of a targeted group interview. The Downtown United committee thanks you in advance for your participation. We want 100% participation by our congregation, so if you haven’t filled it out, please take the time today. If you need help accessing the survey please reach out to the office. As we identify opportunities that exist, this action of taking stock is vital.
The other side is awareness. Discussions have continued with Kindred Works/UPRC, our Trustees, Board and Property committee. As we stand on the threshold of moving into the next level of engagement with Kindred Works, we want to ensure that all members of the congregation are aware of who they are, the process of working with them, and the ways that we are looking at partnering with them to engage and support our ministry. To this end, JANUARY 25th, a representative from Kindred will be here at St. Paul’s. The presentation and chance for questions will happen twice – once at 1pm and again at 7pm. This way all people of the congregation can attend. If possible, let the office know which season you will be attending. Once again, this is important for the course we will take as a congregation moving into the future. Your participation and awareness is vital.
As people of faith, along with awareness and taking stock, we also need to be grounded in God. Thankfully, we have Jesus to show us God’s heart and how to live faithfully, and the Holy Spirit to move us to where we need to be. Over the next few months we will be hearing the stories of Jesus in worship, seeing firsthand what God among us looks like and the actions he took to make the kingdom of heaven seen in the here and now. Our task is to take these stories and ask, “what does it mean for us to live as Christ’s hands and feet and make manifest the kingdom of heaven today”
As we move towards Sunday let us pray:
Ground us in you, Holy God,
that as we live day by day, we will see your presence
as we face challenges and temptations, that we will know your way
that as we ponder what the future holds, we can trust that it is already in your hands.
Life Giving God,
you know the parts of us that feel worn out and broken – in these places hold us tenderly
you also know the parts of us that feel so alive and energized – help us to engage more fully with this spark of life you have given to each of us.
Make us bold to proclaim your presence and Good News in all we do.
This we pray in Christ’s name.
Amen.
Featured In This January 12th Edition of St. Paul’s eNews
Worship This Sunday January 15th
Downtown United Survey
Kindred Works/UPRC And St. Paul’s ~ Be Informed!
Lost & Found
Hospitalizations & Visits
Annual Committee Reports Due!
Where To Start In Becoming Affirming?
FundScrip
Bible Study Is For Everyone
Sound & Projection Volunteers Needed!
Pantry Program
Brown Bag Lunch Program
Upcoming Dates To Remember
Worship This Sunday January 15th
Please join Rev. Michelle for worship at St. Paul’s at 10:30 am on January 15th, 2023
Covid protocols still in place are: hand sanitizing, sitting in marked pews, and social distancing and masking while moving around the church and while singing.
As always, if you are unable to join us in person we hope to see you on Zoom – link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86854718551 Passcode: 165090
You can also join by phone only, if you don’t have a long distance plan charges will apply. All you need to do is call 1 647 558 0588 and follow the prompts to enter Meeting ID: 868 5471 8551 and Passcode: 165090
Downtown United Survey
Downtown United Survey Closes January 23rd! Credence and Co. is our consultant group, and as part of phase 1, helped us create a survey for all members and adherents of St. Paul’s and Wilmot. The responses will be vital for our work to continue. The survey can be filled out online here. Online responses are encouraged, however, if you are unable to complete online hard copies are available. To submit these responses there are a few options: a) ask a trusted friend to enter their survey responses online: b) submit your paper survey (name included) to a member of the planning team or Office Admin to enter online; c) read responses to a Credence Assistant in a phone call. The Survey is only open from January 8-January 23rd. Looking for more info on Credence and Co., check out the letter circulated last year: Downtown United Intro Letter
Kindred Works/UPRC And St. Paul’s ~ Be Informed!
Over the last year, the Trustees, Property and the Board have been learning more about what this organization of the United Church can do for our congregation. Kindred Works helps congregations redevelop their property to make a greater impact in our community, while providing sustaining revenue for congregations. A representative from Kindred Works will be here at St. Paul’s for two meetings on January 25th, at 1pm and at 7pm. Your attendance at one of the meetings is requested to ensure the maximum knowledge of Kindred Works (their process and opportunities) and where our congregation is in their engagement process. If possible please let the office know in advance which session you will be attending. Thank you!
Lost & Found
Found – one Fisherman knit sweater! Contact Donna Chauvin 458-5885.
Found – 3 pairs of reading glasses – Collect them at the Church Office.
Hospitalizations & Visits
Just a reminder that with the ongoing stress in hospitals, that services previously available to discover if someone was in hospital are no longer available. If you or a loved one is in hospital, please contact Rev. Michelle or the office and provide the room number and floor so that a visit can be arraigned. Without this information, Rev. Michelle will be unable to find you!
Annual Committee Reports Due!
If you are a committee Chair or are involved in organizing a group in the congregation, your Annual report is Due by January 27th. Don’t delay! Get it in to Meghan in the office today via email to stpaulsoffice224@gmail.com or in paper format!
Where To Start In Becoming Affirming?
Are you interested in knowing more about the process for a congregation to be affirming? Ever thought: Why is St. Paul’s not an affirming congregation, or wished we were? Then this Zoom Webinar is for you! Where to Start in Becoming Affirming, Tuesday, Jan 17th at 2 pm. In this webinar, Kim Curlett, Coordinator of Affirming Ministries in Atlantic Canada and Quebec (English) along with members of the FSLDW Affirm Ministry Committee will share a few steps in getting started. For registration please click here https://ucceast.ca/76043-where-to-start-in-becoming-affirming-zoom-webinar-hosted-by-fsldw-affirm
FundScrip
Welcome back, FundScrip shoppers! Did you use up all you gift cards over the holidays? You can place your order anytime now for our next deadline Sunday, February 5. Family birthdays or other celebrations coming up soon? Why not consider a gift card for a favourite store or restaurant? And don’t forget Valentine’s Day, February 14 . . . order a card now to treat your sweetie! Order forms are available at the church office, in the Narthex on Sunday or you can print a copy by clicking here: February 5th FundScrip Order Form If you haven’t taken part in this program before, give it a try. The process is simple and your shopping is fundraising for St. Paul’s! You can purchase gift cards to cover all your shopping needs . . . groceries, gas, hardware, restaurants, etc. Cards from over 200 stores and services are available in different denominations from $5 at Starbucks to $500 at Staples, Home Hardware, Home Depot and Best Buy. Each purchase automatically includes a donation from the retailer to St. Paul’s calculated as a percentage of the card’s value. There is no cost to you for this donation. You receive the full face value of every card you purchase. Just fill out an order form, take it to the office during the week or bring it to church on Sunday. Payment by cash, cheque or e-transfer must accompany your order. Please speak with Carole Peacock if you would like to know more.
Bible Study Is For Everyone
Wednesday morning lectionary study. This year we will be reading through the Gospel of Matthew, with a focus for this week on Matthew 5:1-20. Join us in the conference room at 11:15am or online via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88619319967 and Passcode: 259190. Interested in an evening bible study? If daytime doesn’t work for you, there is a couple looking to start a bible study for evenings. Let Rev. Michelle or the office know and help guide the time of meetings.
Sound & Projection Volunteers Needed!
Sound and projection are vital parts of our service and right now these tasks are being shouldered by one person. We need to expand the team. Training provided! We are hoping to develop a rotating team. Please contact Meghan to express your interest at 458-1183.
Pantry Program
The Pantry program needs the following items: dish detergent, laundry detergent, coffee, sugar, molasses, tooth brushes, Miracle Whip, granola bars, pancake mix and syrup. Thank you for your continued support!
Brown Bag Lunch Program
The Brown Bag Lunch program is in need of proteins with flip top lids, pudding cups, juice boxes and granola bars. Thank you for your ongoing generosity!
Upcoming Dates To Remember
January 15th ~ Fellowship Hour ~ Hosted by Outreach
January 22nd ~ Fellowship Hour ~ Hosted by the UCW
January 29th ~ Fellowship Hour ~ Hosted by the Worship Committee
February 5th ~ Fellowship Hour ~ Hosted by The Board
February 12th ~ Fellowship Hour ~ Hosted by Christian Ed
St. Paul’s United Church
190 Years of Glorifying God through Worship, Proclaiming the Gospel of Christ and Serving Others in Christ’s name
Contact Information
224 York St., Fredericton, NB E3B 3P1
Web: www.stpaulsunited.ca | Tel: 506-458-1183 | Email: stpaulsoffice224@gmail.com
Minister: Rev. Michelle Armstrong | Organists: Dr. Sharon Pond & Alexis Ervin
Church Administrator: Meghan Roebuck | Custodian: Rusty Blakely