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…
This week’s eNews is not going to come from my desk, because you have enough opportunities to hear from me. I hope to see you at this week’s Thursday, Friday, and Sunday services. Instead, I wish to pass along Moderator Carmen Lansdowne’s Holy Week and Easter message.
Hello, I’m the Right Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne, Moderator of The United Church of Canada.
For the past several months, I have been thinking a lot about the nature of life and work in the church. Specifically, I have been thinking about the “bad news” story of churches being in decline, with the United Church leading that trend in Canada. The financial sustainability of the church is in question, the number of volunteers is dwindling—even at the national church level we have committee vacancies that go unfilled. The church feels like it might be in crisis to some; the church definitely feels in crisis to others.
But this is not a new story. If you think back through the ages to this crisis that Mary Magdelene was having in this story, the whole world of the community of Jesus had been thrown into a real crisis that looked like it had no possibility of resolution. Jesus was crucified for the ways he questioned the status quo, the imperial order of the world under the Romans. Through parable and prophecy, healing and prayer, Jesus confronted the way things were and asked the world to consider a different way, a way focused on discerning God’s will for humanity. This world trusted that God wanted us to know that we were and are beloved, which was all well and good when Jesus was alive. But then what?
For centuries—for millennia—we have continued to turn to the scriptures to look for guidance in our faith and our lives and the life of the church. The Easter story is not a story of peace and benign hope. It is a story of disruption and grief, disbelief and uncertainty. And in the midst of it all, Jesus still shows up to Mary Magdalene, calls her by name, and says “But I am still here—and you cannot hold on to the me that you think you know. Go and tell the others.”
We are well practiced in the United Church at daring justice, about using the Jesus story to justify where we believe others need to turn around and repent to bring about God’s justice in the world. But what about our claims to deep spirituality and bold discipleship? We don’t see or hear or talk about those things much.
The church is filled with God’s faithful people, yes—but what does that mean in terms of how we form each other as disciples of the Jesus story? This is the message that I hope for the church: that we will hear Jesus calling us into deeper spirituality and bold discipleship. That in the uncertainty of our so-called decline, that we need to remember that our faith calls us to believe in a God that shows up and acts in the world. To know that even in our deepest grief the risen Christ will show up and call us by name and remind us that this is not the end of our story.
What does it mean to come from a religious tradition of faith that has very rarely not been in crisis? And for 2,000 years has continued to choose faith, hope, and love through it all?
This year, for Easter, my prayer for the church is also the prayer of Martin Luther King, Jr.: that we remember that discipleship means coming together in the ways and teachings of Jesus to believe in a way when there is no way—not only in the seeking of daring justice, but also in our formation as disciples of the Christ story.
May it be so. Amen.
Featured In This March 28th Edition of St. Paul’s eNews
Good Friday Worship This Friday March 29th At 10am
Worship This Sunday March 31st
Maundy Thursday Service At Wilmot
Good Friday Service At St. Paul’s
Easter Morning Sunrise Service
Fellowship Hour Servers Needed!
FundScrip
Brown Bag Lunch Program
Pantry Program
Booking Meeting Space at St. Paul’s
God’s Story, Our Story
Upcoming Dates To Remember
Organ Recital at Christ Church Parish Church
Ham Takeout at Nashwaaksis United
Good Friday Worship This Friday March 29th At 10am
&
Worship This Sunday March 31st
Please join Rev. Michelle for service this Sunday at 10:30am
Can’t make it in person, join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81834519740 Password: 657067
Maundy Thursday Service At Wilmot
Maundy Thursday Service will take place on March 28th at 6pm at Wilmot in their lower parlor. Please note this year there will be no meal, just a service.
Good Friday Service At St. Paul’s
St. Paul’s will host Downtown United Good Friday Service at 10 am on March 29th.
Easter Morning Sunrise Service
Downtown United Easter Sunrise Service will take place at 7am on March 31st at the pedway by the library. Breakfast will follow at St. Paul’s.
Fellowship Hour Servers Needed!
We are seeking folks to sign up for the month of April. Check the bulletin board across from the hall for available dates. Thank you to everyone who has provided for our fellowship time.
FundScrip
Deadline for our next gift card order is Sunday, April 7th. Time to think about Spring things… new barbeque, outside furniture, bikes for the kids. You can purchase all of these with FundScrip gift cards. Mother’s Day will be here before long… why not give Mum a gift card to her favourite store or take her out for dinner at one of the dining spots on our gift card list. Order forms are available in the church office, in the Narthex or click here April 7th, 2024 FundScrip Order Form. New supporters always welcome! Remember: Shopping is fundraising for St. Paul’s.
Brown Bag Lunch Program
This week, the program needs pudding cups, and proteins with flip top lids. Thank you for your continued support and generosity of this program.
Pantry Program
The Pantry program needs the following items this week: Mr. Clean, waxed paper, tin foil, oatmeal, rice, baking powder, chocolate cake mix, pancake mix, Hamburger Helper, vinegar, granola bars, and laundry soap. Thank you for your continued support of this increasingly busy outreach program!
Booking Meeting Space at St. Paul’s
As the use of our space at St. Paul’s gets busier, please remember to book your meetings space through the office. Drop by in person, call 458-1183 or email Meghan at stpaulsoffice224@gmail.com.
God’s Story, Our Story
Pick up this reflection guide in the narthex to use as a home devotional or with your friends. This devotional follows the pattern of pray, reflect and do, offering suggestions on how to put the biblical theme into action.
Upcoming Dates To Remember
Tuesdays from 10:45am-11:45am ~ Bible Study on Sunday Reading
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81736183320 Passcode: 750844
Thursdays from 6-7pm ~ Evening Small Group Faith Exploration
March 28th ~ Downtown United ~ Maundy Thursday Service at Wilmot at 6pm
March 29th ~ Downtown United ~ Good Friday Service at St. Paul’s at 10am
March 29th ~ Good Friday STAT Holiday ~ Office Closed
March 31st ~ Downtown United ~ Easter Morning Sunrise Service at the pedway at 7:05am with Breakfast to follow at St. Paul’s
March 31st ~ Easter Sunday Service with Communion ~ Fellowship Hosts Needed
April 1st ~ Easter Monday STAT Holiday ~ Office Closed
April 7th ~ Annual General Meeting following service
Organ Recital at Christ Church Parish Church
Sunday April 14th at 2pm Christ Church Parish Church (245 Westmorland Street.) The Fredericton Organists’ Association is presenting an organ recital entitled: From Darkness into Light: Organ Music for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. All are welcome to attend this recital of seasonal music performed by Fredericton area organists. Admission by freewill offering with proceeds going to the Fredericton Food Bank.
Ham Takeout at Nashwaaksis United
Nashwaaksis United Church, 46 Main Street, will be hosting a Ham Takeout on Friday, April 19th, from 4:00-5:30pm. The menu includes delicious ham, potato and macaroni salads, roll and lemon tart for dessert. The cost is $15.00. Cut off for reservations is Tuesday, April 16th @ 2pm. Please call the church office at 506-458-9452 or email admin@nashwaaksisunited.ca please use front door for pickups
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: Jaedyn Williams