Fun and Fellowship:
Koinonia
I love events like this coming Sunday’s Homecoming. Such events help us to become the kind of community to which God calls us. The kind in which we encounter a sense of welcome and belonging and where we become known to one another as we share food, play games, and enjoy just being together. Community of this kind is what I believe the world needs now more than ever. This is possibly one of the greatest things we could offer one another as well as our neighbors in these current times---a place to encounter the holy and deepen their spiritual lives; a place of joy and deep, abiding fellowship.
In the New Testament, the Greek word translated as “fellowship” is koinonia. Koinonia is a close connection. To have koinonia with something or someone is to participate with it and in it. Koinonia can mean “fellowship” or “community.” An even better translation for koinonia is communion and our communion service is called just that because in communion we have and celebrate koinonia/fellowship with God and with each other. In Communion, we participate in the very life of God and in one another’s hopes, sorrows, and joys.
In 1 John we read that, “If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.” It’s interesting that he says that in getting closer to God, we grow closer to one another. At a practical level, it has to be that way. As we draw closer, to God we get closer to all those God is close to. Communion with God leads to a deeper connection to one another. Faith community is at its best when we share each of our joys and bear one another’s burdens because of the connection we feel.
We act out koinonia each time we celebrate a communion service and yes, every time we join together as a faith community to enrich our lives together and work toward our future together. Through that communion with God, we realize that as children of God, we are brothers and sisters to all the other people on earth. Our connection to God allows for a deeper connection to other people.
God is consistently calling us all into transformation, the Holy Spirit is always working to magnify the best of who we are so that we manifest in our common lives the love that Christ taught us to share with the entire world. God calls us into koinonia/fellowship and through that relationship with God we can experience a deeper connectedness with other people.
As our lives return to “normal” after the long sojourn through COVID we can begin to get “back in the habit” of coming to church. We can rediscover the joy of connection and community and begin to stake a claim on a future for St. Paul’s that is rich with opportunities to answer God’s call to create a community full of rich koinonia! Come to the Homecoming THIS Sunday!
Grace and Peace,
Mother Stephanie+
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Do you have keys to the church?
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NEW COVID GUIDELINES
Vaccinated persons are no longer required to wear face masks during worship, even during singing.
However, if you are most comfortable wearing your mask in worship please do so.
Our hope is to see more and more of you here each Sunday and our desire is to help everyone feel welcome.
We also encourage everyone to get vaccinated to prevent the spread of variants like the Delta strain. Having enough people vaccinated to reach "herd immunity" is the only way to prevent more virulent and dangerous versions of Covid from proliferating.
We are working on scheduling a vaccine clinic at St. Paul's so please stay tuned to the E-news for that schedule. It will happen during the course of our Thursday Assistance gatherings.
Love you neighbor--get vaccinated!
Updated 7/1/21
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Prayer List Reset
Deadline next Wednesday, July 21st @ 4pm
Please help us update our prayer list. Email or phone our Parish Administrator, Morgen Love, to remove, edit, or edit your prayer request. The prayer list will "reset" on July 21st with all names removed unless the status is updated.
Please remember in your prayers: All who are ill or unemployed a those who are on our prayer list.
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This Sunday!
St Paul's Homecoming
Potluck
July 18th
Plan to join us for this very special day of
Celebration!
Reconnect as we
gather as
ONE Community
with
ONE Service at 10 AM
followed by
Bring a Covered Dish!
Bring your friends!
Join us for
Music
Games
and
LOTS of Fellowship
Ham will be provided, please bring your favorite covered dish to share!
Did We Say, "Invite your friends!"
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You Did It!
You bought your Homecoming T-Shirts and we raised
$413.00
Raised for Crisis Assistance!
The shirts can be picked up at Cook's Sports in Wilkesboro starting July 16th at 12pm until July 17th at 5:30pm, regardless of which ordering option you chose. Shirts that have not been picked up by the deadline can be picked up the next day, July 18th, at the Parish Picnic.
If you signed up for a shirt instead of ordering through the webstore, please don't forget to send in your payment with "t-shirt" in the memo line. If you have concerns about payment, please contact Morgen at the church office.
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Sign up today!
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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Mark Your Calendars
NEW DATES!
Genesis Bible Study
Wednesdays
12-1
Beginning
September 1st
through
October 6th
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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CARE & FEEDING FUND
Offering Hospitality in Time of Need
Thank you for your generosity! $1290.00 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 $1290 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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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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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 now in the mailbox by the front door of the office, as well as the May/June/July issues.
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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
July 18 - Mary Southwell (8:30)
July 18 - Jeri Martin (10:30)
July 25 - Dick Sloop (8:30)
July 25 - Maggie McCann (10:30)
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Altar Guild
July 18 - Mike & Mary Southwell
July 25 - Drew & Pam Mayberry
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Birthdays:
July 15 - Mary Lankford
July 15 - Rose Andrews
July 16 - Jared Hagler
July 16 - George Cox
July 17 - Miller Faw
July 19 - Joseph Richardson
July 19 - Ashley Barton
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Anniversaries:
July 15 - David & Karen Shupe
July 17 - James & Misty Hartzog
July 19 - Rick & Stella Brockner
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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
Sadie Broome, Lucca Hailey, Doug Johnson, Lorraine Little, Jen & Cliff McElroy, Becky Mullins, Kris Riley, Tara Riley, Chris Shaw, Jeff Smith, Susan Whittington
Long-term
Jim Andrews, Ken Asel, Pam & Robert Baugh, Thomas Dellinger, Tina Duncan, Mary Hawkins, Cynthia Hill, Bob & Donna Webber
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 July 18, 2021 |
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Jeremiah 23:1-6
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
Psalm 23
Dominus regit me
1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.
3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
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Ephesians 2:11-22
Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” —a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 336-667-4231 | [email protected] | https://stpaulwilkesboro.org |
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