All Are Welcome

The Annual Parish Meeting is this Sunday at 9:15 am. A light breakfast will be provided. We will go over the Parish Report and vote for 3 new Vestry members.

Pledge 2025: When you share your gifts with your neighbors, every step is walking in love. We invite you to share your time and talents by signing up for Lay Ministries, or participation in church groups.

We also invite you to share your treasure by turning in your pledge. A pledge is not a contract, but a goal. By turning in your pledge, the Vestry can plan 2025. So far, we have received 53 pledges; last year, we had a total of 64. Pledges can be turned in at the church office, on Realm or in the offering plate. Thank you for walking in love with us.

Vestry Nominations: The vestry is seeking nomination for three members to serve three-year terms on our vestry beginning in February. Candidates must be confirmed members and must attend regularly and pledge. You may submit your name or the name of another member to a member of the vestry. A slate of candidates will be presented to the membership prior to our annual meeting on January 19th. 

Altar Guild Volunteers Needed & Flower Scheduling: St Paul's Altar Guild needs volunteers for the following months: March (need 2), September (need 1), and October (need 1).

Also, flowers are needed for the following Sundays before Ash Wednesday: Jan 26th, Feb 9th, & 23rd, and March 2nd. Contact Jo Cargill-Krug at 870-613-6981. Text Jo if possible and she will confirm what dates are available.

Mark Your Calendar:

• Coffee Hour: After the service, everyone is invited to the Parish House (two lefts at the bottom of the steps) for refreshments and fellowship
• Children’s Sunday School: Sunday, January 19th at 9:45 am
• Bishop Harmon’s Annual Visit: Sunday January 26th we will have a breakfast potluck between services. Please bring your favorite breakfast casserole or treat!
• Churchmen’s Club Meeting: Tuesday, January 28th at 6:00 pm at Scott McSpadden’s home
• Mahjongg Lessons: Every Sunday at 2:00 pm in the Parish Hall
• Adult Sunday School: Sundays, 9:30 am in the Parish Hall
• The Chosen Discussion Group: Every Monday from 5:30-7 pm. During the waiting period for Season 5 of The Chosen to become available, we will be using our Tuesday 3-4:30 pm meeting time to put together a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle depicting Jesus and the apostles. We invite anyone who likes such puzzles to join us each Tuesday afternoon for comradery starting January 7, 2025.

Blessing Box: Looking for ideas about what to donate for the Blessing Box? Rice Krispie treats, pop tarts, ramen noodles, fruit snacks, granola bars or chips work! These items will go in the Blessing Box, and will also be shared with our Lyon College students when the Care Team makes “snack bags” to pass out monthly. Thank you! 😊

Officiant (8:00): Kristian Ameigh*

Officiant (10:30): Brenda Bittle*

8:00 Chalice Bearer: Ardis Gillespie

10:30 Chalice Bearer: Nikki Bittle

Lector: Mike Schmidt

Acolyte: Cade Archer

Ushers: Pam Baxter & Paul Hance

Technical Support: David Taverner

Coffee Hour: Abby & Kyler Dickey

Altar Guild: Judy Purnell, Kathryn Johnson, & Jo Cargill-Krug

Community Meal (1/22/2025):  Team Bumpers

This Sunday's altar flowers are given to the glory of God and in thanksgiving for our Search Committee & Vestry members.

EfM prayer from this week:

Dear Holy Spirit

You know that we turn our backs on you in moments of weakness, fear, selfishness, and denial. 

We ask for the strength and faith to follow Your provisions for us.

We pray that we can be more like Jesus in the world, so that we may reach the disinherited.

Amen 

Vestry Minutes 12/12/2024

*This Sunday's 8:00 am sermon is from Sermons that Work, a ministry of The Episcopal Church’s Office of Communication. It was written by Amy Richter, a priest who currently serves as an Episcopal Volunteer in Mission, working on the Galatians 6:2 ("Bear one another's burdens") project, focusing on theological education, and serving as a lecturer at the College of Transfiguration in Makhanda/Grahamstown, South Africa. Published by the Office of Communication of The Episcopal Church, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 © 2018 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved. 

*This Sunday's 10:30 am sermon is from Sermons that Work, a ministry of The Episcopal Church’s Office of Communication. It was written by The Rev. Jason Cox. The Rev. Jason Cox has served as associate rector for Youth Ministries at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., since 2011. Published by the Office of Mission Communications of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017. © 2016 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved.