A Moment of Truth
August 18th, is Sojourner Truth Day. Sojourner Truth has captivated my imagination since the very first time I heard her story. We are still in the “Bread of Life” discourses and so I thought I would cast my gaze into Lesser Feasts and Fasts and talk about a woman whose message is still so powerful for us today.
Born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree (the surname of her owner) around 1797 in Ulster County, New York, Sojourner Truth experienced a call to public ministry in 1843.
New York, like other northern states, had “gradual” emancipation laws, but Isabella knew in her heart that God had already set her free. So she says she told Jesus “it would be alright if he changed her name” because when she left the state of bondage she wanted “nothin’ of Egypt” left on her account. In 1826, and not yet emancipated, Isabella escaped captivity with her infant daughter.
She took the name Sojourner Truth in fidelity to her call to walk about the country preaching and doing God’s will. The name “Sojourner” spoke to her journey and “Truth” spoke to her advocacy for the cause of freedom from oppression for African Americans and for women.[1]
She was an extraordinary preacher and speaker and one of her most famous speeches was delivered at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in 1851. After several ministers who were attending the convention were not shy in voicing their opinion of man’s superiority over women, Sojourner Truth rose to her full 6 feet of regal height and delivered a speech that has been titled “Ain’t I a Woman.” (Link to speech below)
During her fiery address she pointed at one of the ministers and in her deep resonant voice, she said, “That man over there says women can’t have as much rights as men ‘cause Christ wasn’t a woman. Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with him!” At that point, the entire assembly roared with deafening applause. She continued to go about the country and left a legacy of enduring, persuasive, timeless, and moving testimonies to the God-given rights of all of God’s people; man or woman, slave or free, black or white.
Sojourner Truth is a shining example of the fact that nothing need ever limit our potential or ability to be people of hope and extraordinary love. She reminds us that the Gospel message empowers us to do in our own times and places and circumstances what she did in hers: to be courageous, faithful, barrier-crushing advocates of God’s will for justice and love among all people.
Who out there is currently crying “Ain’t a person? Ain’t I a Christian? Ain’t I like you?
Whose voice do we yet need to hear?
Come and join us this Sunday and celebrate that by following Jesus, by matching our lives with his, we can be a gift to the world, just like Sojourner Truth!
Grace and Peace,
Mother Stephanie
[1] Anne Marie Terrell, God’s Transforming Justice, Westminster John Knox, 2011, pg 355.
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Mother Stephanie Away for Rest
and
Re-Creation!
Mother Stephanie will be away August 13th through the 28th for some more time of refreshment. You will be in excellent Liturgical and Homiletical hands with the Rev. Martha Honaker on Sunday the 15th and the return of The Rev. Kris Kramer on the 22nd.
It will be wonderful to fill the pews and show them that St. Paul's spirit! In addition, Our own Ramona Curtis has some lovely music planned during this time.
For Administrative needs please contact Parish Administrator Morgen Love and for pastoral needs please contact Carl Elledge.
Mother Stephanie will not have access to email during this time.
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MASKS REQUIRED IN WORSHIP...
AGAIN
Due to the update in CDC guidelines and the growing threat of the DELTA variant to the unvaccinated we are returning to wearing masks in worship.
We will continue to sing, but masks will be required during singing as well.
But, until then, we remain committed to protecting the unvaccinated in our midst.
PLEASE!
We urge all members to get vaccinated. We care about you and have a deep desire for all to be safe, especially the most vulnerable among us.
We will offer vaccinations Thursdays from 11:30-1:00 in the Parish House.
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LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
AND
YOURSELF!
GET VACCINATED!!
PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY!
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Crisis Assistance Resumes!
Our Crisis Assistance team is back in business! A special thank you to all of those who came out and volunteered their time.
Crisis Assistance will be holding lunches from 11:30am-1:00pm on Thursdays. For now, the lunches provided will be bagged.
St. Paul's will is offering free COVID-19 vaccines during the Thursday lunches and all who get vaccinated will receive a $100 gift card (while supplies last).
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CARD & LETTER CAMPAIGN
As you know, Jim and Rose Andrews, long-time members of St. Paul’s, relocated to Cary, NC, just as we began returning from COVID restrictions. As such, we did not get an opportunity to say goodbye and give them our best wishes.
This is your invitation to send Jim and Rose a card or letter to offer your best wishes or just to say, “We miss you!”.
Please contact the office for their address, or pick up a campaign handout in the commons.
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Do you have keys to the church?
If you have keys that you no longer need, please return them to the office.
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SIGN UP TODAY!
Sponsor our Sunday Flowers to Honor Your Special Memories and Occasions!
Signup sheet and envelopes are in the commons.
Cost: $40 for one vase and $80 for two.
Sign up for one or both vases.
Standing order with City Florist, who will bill the church monthly. If you want something special for your two vases, call City Florist with your request. In that case, if you pay them directly, let them know your flowers replace our order.
If you want to “do your own thing” sign up for both vases then let Kathie Smith know at least a week before your chosen Sunday, so that the standing order can be canceled.
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Attention ECW Members:
If your contact information has changed since ECW last met, please contact Morgen at the office.
ECW will be hopefully returning by the time the summer is out. Stay tuned!
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Mark Your Calendars
NEW DATES!
Genesis Bible Study
Wednesdays
12-1
IN THE PARISH HOUSE
Beginning
September 1st
through
October 6th
Sign Up begins on August 15th!
Please call or email the office to let us know you will be participating.
The First book of the Bible contains so many of our best known and most beloved stories, many of them familiar since childhood. But do we really know the power and purpose of these stories as intended by their original Hebrew writers and storytellers?
Join Mother Stephanie on a 7 week adventure through the first nine chapters of this beautiful scripture and learn that the human journey is never far from the presence and love of God.
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Join us for Worship on YouTube or click on the link on our website! |
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Ongoing Ministry Opportunities Below!
Listed below are on-going opportunities to give, participate, and serve at St. Paul's. We don't want these ministry activities to become "wallpaper" as they do change slightly from time to time so check in each week and see what invitation to serve might be calling your name!
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CARE & FEEDING FUND
Offering Hospitality in Time of Need
Thank you for your generosity! $1930.00 so far...
And thank you to Gwen Temple and Carol Canter for fulfilling this needful ministry!
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Hospitality is a primary call of faith community. We all have times in our lives when circumstances overwhelm our basic needs and that is when the the care and feeding of our members becomes a paramount need.
There are many in our church family that could use and appreciate a meal. Since COVID, our Feed My Sheep Teams have been inactive.
Until such a time when we can get those teams up and running we are starting a Care & Feeding Fund.
We have received $1390 worth of donations towards our Care and Feeding Fund. A special thank you to those who contributed.
If you would like to donate to this fund by writing Care and Feeding Fund in the memo line of your check, we will purchase food and deliver to our parishioners in need.
Donations can be mailed or dropped off by the church office. And again, please make all checks out to St. Paul’s with the memo of Care & Feeding Fund.
Thank you!
Carol Canter
Gwen Temple
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SHAWL MINISTRY
“You created every part of me, knitting me in my mother’s womb.
For such handiwork, I praise you. Awesome this great wonder!”
Psalm 139:13-14
The prayer shawl collection at St. Paul’s is very low.
Prayer shawls are made to provide warmth, comfort, healing, and peace to those who may need it.
If anyone is inclined to knit or crochet a shawl and would like to donate it to the churches shawl collection, donations can be dropped off at the church office.
A special thank you to those who have made and donated shawls in support of our ministry.
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The Aug/Sept/Oct issues of Forward Day by Day are in the mailbox by the front door of the office.
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UPDATE
New Vestry Minutes have been added. April's minutes are now available!
Click button to go directly there
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Readers
Aug 15 - Robin Shumate (8:30)
Aug 15 - Joe Fesperman (10:30)
Aug 22 - Mary Southwell (8:30)
Aug 22 - Cindy Smith (10:30)
Aug 29 - Lisa Beard (8:30)
Aug 29 - Denise Sturdivant (10:30)
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Altar Guild
Aug 15 - Mary Lankford, Sharon Greene, & Bonnie Merritt
Aug 22 - Pam & Drew Mayberry
Aug 29 - Mary & Mike Southwell
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Birthdays:
Aug 12 - Alyson Curley
Aug 12 - Maggie Shupe
Aug 16 - Nancy Scroggs
Aug 18 - Korann Graves
Aug 18 - Rick Brockner
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Anniversaries:
Aug 17 - Whitman & Nancy Loflin
Aug 17 - Doug & Bonnie Merritt
Aug 18 - Joe & Sarah Fesperman
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Prayer Requests
or by calling the office during regular office hours.
Bulletins are printed on Thursday mornings and requests submitted after that time will not be in the printed bulletin for that week, but may still be spoken. Prayer requests received by noon on Wednesday will be included in the weekly e-newsletter.
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Please remember in your prayers: All who are ill or unemployed and those who are on our prayer list.
Short-term
Laurence Virgil Hawkins, Ken Love, Kris & Tara Riley, Jeff Smith, Joyce Wheeling
Long-term
Robert Baugh, Dot Beamon, Christina Floyd, Nancye Johnson, Kitty Owens, David Temple
Armed Forces
Let us pray for the safety of all our troops, especially Cole Griffith, Zach Necessary, Walker Pardue, Philip Southwell, Mark Stone, Jason Westmeyer, and all others who serve in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world.
Please send to the church office the addresses of troops with connections to
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The Lessons for August 15, 2021 |
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Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her house,
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
from the highest places in the town,
“You that are simple, turn in here!”
To those without sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Lay aside immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
Psalm 34:9-14
Benedicam Dominum
9 Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, *
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger, *
but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good.
11 Come, children, and listen to me; *
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who among you loves life *
and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?
13 Keep your tongue from evil-speaking *
and your lips from lying words.
14 Turn from evil and do good; *
seek peace and pursue it.
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Ephesians 5:15-20
Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 6:51-58
Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 336-667-4231 | [email protected] | https://stpaulwilkesboro.org |
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