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St. Paul
Lutheran Church
An Evangelical Lutheran
Church of America
Our mission is to
Share Christ's Love
with Joy!
Pastor Sarah Friesen-Carper
Worship
Sunday, August 9
9:00 am Drive In Outdoor Worship Service
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Beloved of God,
On Sunday our Gospel reading from Matthew is the story of Jesus walking on the rough water of the sea, toward a boat in which the disciples are sitting. They are scared of the storm and they are scared of what looks like an apparition walking toward them. As they realize it is Jesus, they rejoice. Peter asks Jesus if he too can walk on the water. Jesus invites him to climb out of the boat and walk on the water. It works, for a few steps. Then Peter falters and begins to sink. He begs Jesus to save him which, of course, Jesus does. They both get back in the boat, the storm abates, and the disciples praise Jesus as the Son of God.
There is so much goodness in this story. One thing that sticks out to me is Peter's absolute trust that Jesus will save him as he sinks. Sure, he was trying to show off a bit by climbing out of the boat and walking on water. Sure his confidence fails and he begins to sink. But even then, he knows he can trust Jesus to pull him up out of the sea and bring him back to the boat.
Peter's faith is imperfect. He demonstrates his imperfection many times in scripture. But that makes him the perfect model for us. Our faith is also imperfect. We get over-confident in ourselves. We get it wrong. Nevertheless, we know that we can always and absolutely trust our God to be with us when things are hard. Thank God!
In Christ,
Pastor Sarah
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In Case of Severe Weather...
If there are thunderstorms, and we cannot safely worship outside, worship will be live streamed from the sanctuary. A notice will go out via email, put on the church's website & Facebook account and personal phone calls will go to those who do not have internet connections.
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Sunday's Worship Service is streamed live...
We can all worship together -- You choose if you will join us for drive-in worship or live on our Facebook page.
The worship service will still be posted on the website for you to watch anytime.
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The readings for Sunday,August 9th are:
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DIAL A SERMON
Call 651.371.5421 to hear this week's sermon.
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 On Friday, August 7th, at 1:00 pm, we will gather to commit our sister in the faith, Carrie Reed, to her savior, Jesus Christ. For more information regarding Carrie's service, and for a copy of her service bulletin, please visit the homepage of our website www.sharingchristslove.org.
"Rest eternal grant her, O Lord. And may light perpetual shine upon her."
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 Thank You Julie! Jesus said, Whoever welcomes a child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Luke 9:48
Julie Hyrkas, director and teacher of All God's Children Preschool, is stepping down from her role. We are so grateful for her years of service, her dedication to the children, and her gifts of organization and care. She welcomed many children in the name of our Lord Jesus, giving them the gift of education and faith.
God bless Julie in her next chapter! She will be missed!
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 SPLC COVID Response Team Update:
Ministry Teams are welcome to meet outdoors at church, observing appropriate physical distance of 6 or more feet and wearing masks. In case of rain or inclement weather, meetings will be rescheduled. Bringing your own chair is recommended.
SPLC will follow the Governor's Executive Order requiring face coverings in all public indoor spaces and businesses, unless alone. For more information, please visit the MDH Website.
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CONGREGATIONAL CARE AND FELLOWSHIP
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Golden Opportunity: Things We Are Learning in Lock Down.
Share with us what you've learned about in these 5 months! From the silly to the meaningful and everything in between! All ages welcome!
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 Bring Your Own Picnic Nights
Wednesday nights - 6:00 pm
August 19th
September 2, 16 and 30th.
Has dinner time conversation become a bit stale at your table in recent months? Ours has... Join us for fellowship and lively conversation by bringing your own picnic dinner, drink, mask, and a lawn chair. We will be abiding by our COVID Response Team guidelines, so we will need to wear our masks when we are not eating and sitting at a safe distance from one another.
Please contact Brandy Timmons at 651-319-3255 or at [email protected] if you have any questions. This event will be cancelled if it is raining.
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Walking Club
The Congregational Care Team will soon be starting a weekly Walking Club one morning and evening a week. Please watch for further updates...
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- Share Prayer Requests and God Sightings here, by email or call 651-462-5212
Or connect via phone by dialing 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 528 018 344
Password: 5212
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NURSE'S CORNER
We are blessed to have knowledgeable and caring nurses in our congregation! They have some words of advice for us:
Abuse can take on many forms. Physical abuse can include hitting, punching, whipping, burning, shaking, choking, and rape. Psychological abuse can include threats of violence towards someone or a loved one, verbal abuse and belittling, intimidation, humiliation, monitoring calls and texts, and isolating someone from loved ones. Child sexual abuse includes rape, molestation, and pornography. Abuse can also be in the form of neglect, which is more commonly found with children and elders. Abuse is about power and control. Abusers use fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under their thumb.
COVID-19 has forced many to avoid public places and to work or go to school remotely. For those facing abuse, staying home may not be the safest option. External factors that add stress and financial strain can negatively impact survivors and create circumstances where their safety is further compromised.
Abusive behavior is never acceptable, whether from a man, woman, teenager, or an older adult. You deserve to feel valued, respected, and safe. No one should have to endure this kind of pain. Recognizing that your relationship is abusive is the first step to breaking free.
If any of these situations sound like it may be happening to you or someone you love, create a safety plan. If planning to leave, consider options like staying with a friend or family member, your vehicle, or a motel. To support someone experiencing abuse, ask if something is wrong, express concern, listen and validate, offer help, and support their decisions.
The National Abuse Hotline is 1-800-799-7233 or if you're unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 22522. You are not alone.
Remember to pray for these nurses and all those on the front lines fighting the coronavirus.
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Questions: Contact Council
Treasurer, Chris Timmons at [email protected]
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As of 08/06/2020
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2020
Budgeted
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2020
Received
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Over / (under) Budgeted $
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Year-to-Date Totals
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$ 96,563.77
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$ 2,579.62
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9:00 am Outdoor and Live Stream Worship
11:00 am Coffee Hour via Zoom
Wednesday, August 12
1:00 pm Adult Bible Study via Zoom
Sunday, August 16
9:00 am Outdoor and Live Stream Worship
11:00 am Coffee Hour via Zoom
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