TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2025

Responding to Food Shortage

Our food drive supporting the Jefferson Presbyterian Church Food Bank continues as we help families make ends meet in this critical time of need. Please bring non-perishable food items, including baby formula, to the bins in the Phifer Library.

If you know of anyone who may be impacted by food scarcity, visit our food resources webpage.

Special Guest Lecture

On Wednesday, November 12, the Spiritually Hungry Women will hold a special session on the topic “A Medieval Illuminated Life of St Francis Made for a Woman,” led by Dr. Holly Flora, professor of Art History at Tulane. Her lecture-discussion will focus on a 14th-century manuscript illustrating Bonaventure’s Life of Francis of Assisi. This particular manuscript features images of an unknown woman who owned and used it for her personal devotional purposes. Together we will talk about how her image is strategically placed throughout the manuscript to help her engage spiritually with Francis. This session is open to all. We will meet in the Land Building at 12:30 p.m. A Zoom option will also be available. For more information, contact Beth Poe at bethpoe@tulane.edu.

Youth Parent Discussion Group

We are introducing a new group for parents of 6th–12th grade students – PATH612 – Parents Abiding Together in Hope. This group will have gatherings throughout the year during regularly scheduled youth group programs. It will be a time to come together for fellowship, socializing, a meal, and discussion. Our first event will be held Sunday, November 23 from 5:00–7:30 p.m. in the Land Building. The topic - Using Social Media Responsibly - will be led by Lexi Daly, Learning Innovation Coordinator and Reading Teacher at Trinity Episcopal School.  

PW Sign-Up for Eden Centers Thanksgiving Dinner

Presbyterian Women and the SCAPC Congregation are asked to support our PW November Mission Partner, Eden Centers for Hope and Healing, for their Thanksgiving feast on Tuesday, November 25. The event has grown to include both houses and its outreach center creating a much larger feast for 150 people. Given this increase in size, we will be joining a few other churches in providing the meal. Please click the link below for further details and to access the joint mission partner sign-up list and help where you can at this time when so many need food and comfort. Volunteer help will also be needed at the event itself, and advanced food delivery or monetary donations for those who will be travelling may be coordinated with Paige Morrison (pesmorrison@gmail.com) at her home.

Program of Hope Homeless Ministry:

How You Can Help

The Program of Hope homeless ministry is one of SCAPC’s 18 community ministry partners. The program was started in the aftermath of Katrina as a way to help neighbors get back on their feet. Over the years, the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church has become a place of respite for many in the neighborhood. Some who visit stay at the Salvation Army, others stay with friends, in their own homes, or even in cars. Some stop in briefly for coffee, a bus token and sandwich before heading to work. Others come for worship, prayer, monthly communion, friendly conversations and all the practical services offered: a station for bus tokens and Salvation Army vouchers, a lunch station, a toiletries station, and finally clothing. There is a small library too where readers are encouraged to pass books along when they finish. Each person has a story and is treated with respect.

Here are some ways you can help:

• Set up on Tuesday mornings: Roll out clothing racks, arrange clothing and shoes on pews and set up tables.
• Welcome guests and serve lunch or staff a station on Wednesday mornings.
• Prepare sandwiches for guests.
• Deliver premade sandwiches and assemble the lunch bags on Wednesday mornings: fruit, water, snacks and the sandwich.
• Host a clothing or toiletry drive at your church, office, or school.
• Donate books to our library.
• Purchase an urgently needed item through our Amazon Wish list.
• Share our newsletter and Instagram with friends.
• Drive guests to a medical clinic.
• Solicit local hospitality businesses for donations of travel sized toiletries or fast food restaurants for meal coupons.
• Donate money for the lunches for a week or a month.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jane Rasi at janerasi@gmail.com.

Casseroles/Meals for Food Pantry Needed

With the holidays approaching we are in need of casseroles/meals to help those in our congregation needing some extra care. You may drop off your labeled items to the church freezer located in the kitchen. Should you need a container please reach out to Gail Kaliszeski at gkaliszeski@cox.net or via text at 504-914-8308 and she will arrange to get you one.

YAF Friendsgiving Potluck

Join the Young Adults & Families for their annual Friendsgiving potluck celebration on Saturday, November 22 from 4:30-6:30 in the Land Building! Sign up at scapc.org/yaf to RSVP and tell us what dish you'll be bringing. This is always a fun event for the whole family with lively fellowship and our favorite holiday dishes! Questions? Email Caitlin, caitlin@scapc.org. 

Prison Visit

Join us for a visit to the Elayne Hunt Correctional Center on Friday, December 5. This experience is a sacred journey into the Louisiana incarcerations system, where we will be guided by our partner Matthew Pineda of the Parole Project and the Frederick Douglass Project. Matthew’s program will follow a tight schedule with a quick tour of the facility led by the Prison Chaplain, a visit to the veterans’ cell block, and a moderated small group conversation with incarcerated members in the chapel. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Ashley@scapc.org as soon as possible. The deadline to reserve your place is November 17. Ashley will email each attendee forms which must be filled out by November 19. This is a full-day event with a late breakfast stop included at Cracker Barrel. We will meet at St. Charles at 8:30 a.m. and return at 5 p.m. We hope you can join us.

Children's Christmas Play

We will present our Christmas Play in the sanctuary on Wednesday, December 10 from 6:30 – 7:15 p.m. It's time to sign up! Details and rehearsal schedule are below. 

The Mysterious Animal is a new nativity play for kids that tells the story of Jesus’ birth from the perspective of the animals in the barn. It’s a funny play with a sincere message: the creatures who share the barn with baby Jesus are among the first to receive and understand the Good News of the gospel.

• Open to all students 3-years-old through 5th grade
• Youth Group students may sign up as “stagehands” – must be able to attend at least one of the speaking role rehearsals and day-of rehearsal.
• Both speaking and non-speaking roles (please note this is a 30-minute skit so each speaking role only has 2 – 3 lines)
• All children will be learning 2 simple songs. We will send out links to the music and will introduce them in the Sunday school classes for everyone (speakers and non-speakers)
• November 19 - Deadline to sign up for speaking roles (limited number)
• November 24 – Deadline to sign up for non-speaking roles (unlimited number)
• Speaking roles-only rehearsals – (children need to memorize their lines) must be able to attend at least 2 out of 3 rehearsals:
• Sunday, November 23 – 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. in Learning Center on second floor (during Sunday School hour)
• Sunday, November 29 – 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. in Learning Center on second floor (during Sunday school hour)
• Wednesday, December 3 - 6:15 – 7:00 p.m. in Sanctuary (during WNO- cast members will need to finish eating by 6:15)
•  Mandatory rehearsal for all speaking and non-speaking roles - must be able to attend to participate:
• Wednesday, December 10 – 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. in Sanctuary and dinner in the Learning Center afterwards; play will begin at 6:30

Please let Michele Murphy (michele@scapc.org) know the names and grades of your children who would like to participate. 

YAF Tchoup Yard Meet-Up

YAF (Young Adults & Families) members enjoyed a beautiful evening at The Tchoup Yard meet-up last Friday!

PINTS

The Young Adults & Families PINTS group (Presbyterians Imbibing in Necessary Theological Study) meets every Wednesday from 6:45-8:00 p.m. in the Land Building for drinks and theological discussion. Childcare is provided. Join us for PINTS and for dinner beforehand at WNO (Wednesday Night Out) in Frampton Fellowship Hall. (Make dinner reservations online at scapc.org/wno). Shown here from left are Shyla and Mitchell Nuland, Sean and Hazel Chaney, Chris Keene, Katie Brendler, Ashley Brown, Sarah Bleile, Catherine Rigby and Jessie Bruggers.