St. Paul's Church

March 28, 2014 

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Dear St. Paul's,

As we draw closer and closer to Good Friday and ultimately Easter Sunday,

pay particular attention to the Cross of Jesus.  Paul calls it "the power of God."  If you want more passion and power in your devotion and love for God, look to Calvary.  There's nothing like the rough-hewn, blood-stained wood of the Cross to strip away every last bit of pretense in my life.  There's nothing more humbling.  Jesus had to die for me.

"On a hill, far away, stood an old wooden cross,

The emblem of suff'ring and shame..."

Sadly, many people today, like 2000 years ago, think that the message of the cross is foolishness.  Many believe that they are more enlightened that God Himself, and say that there must be a less violent, and less costly, option to save the world.  Others refute the idea that the world needs saving at all declaring, "My sins are not so terrible as to require such a horrifying sacrifice."  Don't buy it.  If the Lord could have found a less ugly and torturous path, He would have taken it.  Forgiveness is possible, only because of the Cross.

"And I love that old cross where the dearest and best,

For a world of lost sinners was slain..." (George Bennard, 1913)

The closer you look at the Cross, the more beautiful it becomes.  "Lord, you did that for me?"  It leaves you speechless.  There is nothing that communicates God's love for the world like the outstretched arms of Jesus on the Cross.  "Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)  Jesus died so that we might be forgiven, and live forever with Him. 

Join us for Holy Week and Easter services as we walk the way of the Cross, and celebrate the greatest victory the world will ever know.

Gratefully in Christ,

Pr. Jon 

"Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

                                                             Galatians 6:9

 We have three more weeks of Lent and the "Give Up & Give Back" challenge.  Each week of Lent you 'give up' something for the week, and then 'give back' by bringing a designated food item to church the following Sunday. 

The "give back" information for the remaining weeks are listed below:

 Week Five - Sunday, March 30 - Saturday April 5, 2014

                  Give Up - Pizza & Pasta

                        Give Back - bring in boxes of pasta & jars of sauce

Week Six - Sunday, April 6 - Saturday April 12, 2014

                        Give Up - Salty Snacks - pretzels, any kind of chips, popcorn

                        Give Back - bring in bags of salty snacks

Week Seven - Sunday, April 13 - Saturday, April 19, 2014 (Holy Week)

                  Give Up - repeat the week that was the most difficult for you

                        Give Back - bring in cans of soup &/or peanut butter

Please place your food items in the labeled box at the back of the church.  We will supply the "Breath of Heaven Ministries" with the food items collected, thank you. 

 BIRTHDAYS 

(Please call the church office if your birth date or