TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2023

THE SERENITY PRAYER

by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

God, give us grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

courage to change the things which should be changed,

and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.

Among its many uses, this prayer was printed on cards and distributed to soldiers in World War II by the United Services Organization.

EPIPHANY PRACTICES: NEW TRADITIONS TO TRY AT HOME

If you were unable to join us for worship on Sunday as we celebrated the new year and Epiphany, you can still engage in Epiphany practices that help mark this season and take this story into our homes and into the new year.

PICK UP A "STAR WORD"

Star words are a prayer practice connected to Epiphany and the new year. All are invited to pick up a star this week. They are located by the Chapel entrance now and will also be in the Sanctuary Narthex on Sunday. The stars are facing down so you won't know which word you are picking. The word you choose (for example 'home', 'community', 'be') is to be used as a guiding word for you in the new year. Put your star in a place that you will see everyday to remind you to pray and spend a little quiet time with God. Reflect on your word and how God might be speaking to you as a challenge or invitation, or as a way of noticing things in new ways and practicing gratitude.

CHALK YOUR DOOR

This tradition is practiced by many of our Christian siblings on the day of Epiphany or the night before. Mark your door in chalk (or another implement) with the inscription shown here. Bracketed in the numbers of the year 2023, the letters C, M, and B have two meanings. First, they are the first letters of the traditional names of the three magi who visited the baby Jesus: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. These names are not recorded in scripture, however they have become part of church tradition. The letters are also the first letters of the phrase Christus mansionem benedicat which means “May Christ bless this house.” After you inscribe the letters and numbers, you may share this simple blessing:

May Christ bless this home and all who live here.

May Christ bless this home and all who visit here.

May we all share the love of God, the grace of Christ,

and the friendship of the Spirit. Amen.

VOLUNTEER IN THE NEW YEAR!

Are you searching for a way to put your unique talents to use through the ministry of the church? In a few minutes, you can take our Ministry Match Survey and find opportunities personalized for you here at SCAPC and in the communities we serve. We pray that you will consider these options and discover new ways to serve. You may be surprised by the opportunities placed before you!

Sunday School for all ages resumes this week!

NEW ADULT CLASSES

"AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY"

January 8 - February 5 | led by Richard Ashmore | Learning Center (2nd floor)

This class will explore African American spirituality from its roots in many diverse Western African societies to its many manifestations in America today. Key questions to be addressed will be: Is there a “Black Church” in America? How did enslaved Africans adopt and adapt Christianity? How have Historically Black Protestant Denominations served both group cohesiveness and societal change? Music will be emphasized.

"GOD, IMPROV, & THE ART OF LIVING"

January 8 - April 30 | book by MaryAnn McKibben Dana | 2nd floor conference room

Each week, class members will listen to an excerpt from the book which blends personal stories, pop culture and Scripture into a smart, funny down-to-earth guide to the art of living. Offering concrete spiritual wisdom through seven improv principles, the book shows how to become more awake, creative, resilient and ready to play – even (especially) when life doesn’t go according to plan.

FOR DETAILS ON CLASSES FOR ALL AGES, VISIT OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL PAGE.

NEW WEDNESDAY EVENING CLASS

On Wednesdays, January 11-February 8, the pastors will lead "A Vocabulary of Faith...a.k.a. theology for beginners...a.k.a. theology for dummies...". This class will be a study and discussion of the basic theological building blocks of our faith. We will explore words we think we know, words like 'faith', 'church', 'God', 'love', 'vocation', 'kingdom', 'communion', and explore their deeper meanings. Classes will meet at 5:15 p.m. in the Phifer Library.

WNO PROGRAM LINE-UP

Wednesday Night Out is SCAPC's most fun night of the week! Join us for dinner at 6 p.m. in Frampton Fellowship Hall, followed by a special program. Dinners are $10/adult, $5/child under 12, or $25/family. Reservations are due by Mondays at noon at scapc.org/wno. Here's our program line-up through Mardi Gras!

SPIRITUALLY HUNGRY WOMEN: NEW STUDY

On Wednesday, January 11, Spiritually Hungry Women will begin an eight-week study of Harold Kushner’s book When Bad Things Happen to Good People. The group meets in the Land Building every Wednesday from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.

UNITY BUILD WEEKENDS

January 14-16, 20-21

Join us as we gather for our third Habitat for Humanity Unity Build, where we will be joined by faith communities from all over New Orleans to build a home together. Shifts are available in the morning or afternoon, and there are also options to provide snacks and help sign folks in each morning. Construction experience is not required and there are jobs for all abilities and skill levels. Anyone on the build site must be 16 and older. You can sign up following worship on Sundays, January 8 and 13 or email Pastor Sarah. 

YOUTH NEWS

SCAPC DRESS SOCKS

Due to high demand, our youth ministry ordered a final shipment of custom SCAPC dress socks. The socks are $20/pair (minimum donation), cash or check only, and all proceeds go to support youth trips, events, and curriculum materials. The new socks have arrived and will be sold at a table in Frampton Fellowship Hall immediately following 10:30 worship this Sunday. They are first-come, first-serve, and always sell quickly! If you would like Chris to reserve you a pair to pay for after church, you are welcome to reach out to him at [email protected].

PARENTS MEETING

Parents of SCAPC youth (grades 6-12), please join us tomorrow, January 4, at 6 p.m. for a virtual All Parents Meeting to kick off 2023! It will be no more than a half hour and in this meeting Youth Director Chris Hazlaris will discuss the summer trips open to our 6^th-12^th graders this year, including our first mission trip in years! Chris will also be sharing what youth can expect from our ministry in the coming months and how we can best be supported by parents and families in our endeavors. The Zoom link (click here) will be resent to all parents before the meeting.

Youth Sunday School & Youth Group resume Sunday!

YAF TWELFTH NIGHT PARTY

Kick off the carnival season with YAF (Young Adults & Families)! This Friday, January 6, we will gather at the Land Building at 6 p.m. for Popeye's and king cake. Please bring a king cake to share for the tasting party! Around 7 p.m., we will head to St. Charles Avenue to watch the Phunny Phorty Phellows and the Funky Uptown Krewe pass by on the streetcar line. Please RSVP by TOMORROW to Tyler Wheeler. To view YAF's full calendar of events, visit our YAF page.

SYMPATHY

Our sympathy is extended to Linda Kolb and her family on the death of her brother, Stephen Wiley Neal, who passed away in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 19, 2022; and on the death of her sister, Susan Williamson Neal, who passed away in Charlotte on December 19, 2022.

CHILDREN'S MEDICATIONS FOR CUBA

Presbyterian Women are collecting children's chewable vitamins and cold/flu/pain medications (no liquids, please). Please deliver your donations to the basket inside the Chapel entrance doors by January 22. A group of SCAPC members will be delivering these to our sister congregations in Cardenas, Cuba.

OUR SISTER CHURCH IN GHANA

Since 2012, SCAPC has enjoyed a sister relationship with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana Gethsemane Congregation in Senchi Ferry, Ghana. On Sunday, a memorial service will be held honoring SCAPC members Walter Harris (who died on November 21, 2020) and John Geiser (who died on July 6, 2022). The service will be presided over by Rev. Elijah Foh Amaning and Rev. William Darko Koranteng. Our great thanks are extended to Rev. Amaning who has served as the pastor of the Gethsemane Congregation for the last five years and has recently been assigned to the Adom Congregation. Together we welcome Rev. Koranteng who has assumed his pastorship. To learn more about SCAPC's mission work in Senchi Ferry, please click here.

AND IN CLOSING...

Congratulations go out to SCAPC member Stewart Peck on his dance cam win alongside grandson Penn Samuels at the Pelicans game last month!