The Saints of God
Each year All Saints Day is set aside to teach and celebrate the great mystery of what the Apostle’s Creed calls the communion of saints. When we hear the word saint we usually conjure up images of those greats that have come before like St. Francis or Mother Teresa, but today is the day we are reminded that the saints of God are not limited to these exceptional Christians whose names we know so well.
But All Saints is also about remembering ordinary people, like you and me and all of those we love; unknown followers of Jesus who live by faith in his word and practice love and forgiveness toward the relatives and neighbors God has given us.
And, our Book of Common Prayer describes the communion of saints in this way: The communion of saints is the whole family of God, the living and the dead, those whom we love and those whom we hurt, bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer and praise. You might read that description again. It has so much to teach us about how to be a family of faith.
So, being a saint first and foremost simply means deciding to belong to God and then to celebrate that belonging in the lives we all lead together.
And being a saint doesn’t require our moral and spiritual perfection; it only requires us to share Christ’s extraordinary love for the world that God created. Which is not as easy as it sounds!
In fact, the saints are not distinguished by their goodness or perfection. But, they are distinguished by their extravagant love of God, a love that shines so much brighter than anything else about them.
It is in this great love for God that ordinary human beings are inspired to do extraordinary things.
This time in our history is a great reminder to us all that we need to constantly resolve to choose to love God’s way and cast out a hardness of heart that may well find us hating our neighbors. No matter what unspeakable act might occur next, we must decide with even greater resolve to love beyond our fear, and to open our hearts and minds further to keep God’s love for all as the center of our thinking and in how we view the world. The answer is more love not more fear and suspicion. To choose love for others across such a great divide is perhaps one of the hardest things Jesus ever asks us to do.
While there have been times of prosperity and peace, our history always records times of upheaval. And through it all, the people of God—the ordinary people of God have been called to live lives that reflect the promise of God’s love and mercy for the world, the WHOLE world that God created.
This is how the famous saints as well as those only known to each of us can guide us. These amazing people, having come through some great struggle, find themselves even more in love with the world than ever, even in all its pain and imperfections.
Saints are courageous precisely because they refuse to feed hatred and evil and let it gain control of their lives. They are ordinary people who are faithful because they know that without trust in God, they are weak and vulnerable to the challenges that everyday life presents to us all.
The Church exists today because everyday, none-to perfect people like you and I decided to trust and persevere with God, becoming saints because we know that God offers a better way. And that’s why we celebrate and remember this coming Sunday that we are ALL part of this joyful company who chooses to love God.
We celebrate that we have, in all who’ve gone before us, what St Paul calls such a great cloud of witnesses and that the faithful departed are as much the body of Christ as we are.
It is quite a thing, really. That we are connected to so many. Connected to so much faith. So many stories. So much divine love. Especially in this day and age of alienation. This should give us great hope.
All Saints reminds us that saintly acts are always just really simple acts of love. Simple acts of love can be the hardest of all, but we are not alone as we reach to extend our love to others in this world.
We have the power, grace, courage and hope of millenias of saints who stand behind us and beside us to help us release to the world the love of God which dwells in all of us.
Join us this Sunday as we renew our Baptismal Vows and renew with chrism the the deeper truth of our lives that we are all marked as Christ’s own forever.
In these challenging times, may we living saints be bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer and praise, may we all allow the love of Christ, grace of God and the witness of all the saints to guide us.
Grace and Peace, Stephanie+
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November 1st Service - Sign Up Today and Join Us!
There is still space available to attend the 11:00am service in the Outdoor Chapel (Labyrinth) this coming
Sunday, November 1st.
Please note new service times!
Beginning THIS SUNDAY November 1st we will share ONE service at 11AM
If you would like to worship in person with mask on and social distancing in place, please reserve your spot by emailing the office at [email protected].
Service will be held WEATHER PERMITTING
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Can't be with us in person? Join us for Worship on YouTube or click on the link on our website! |
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Consider using your talents and gifts to help support the
Wilkes Prison Ministry
Dear St Paul’s
As an Adult Basic Education Instructor for the College over at Wilkes Correctional Facility, I have had a great opportunity to get to know a lot of the Inmates and what their needs are. Along with my previous experience as a Juvenal Offender Teacher-Counselor and Community Service Supervisor, I am acutely sensitive to the behaviors of offenders of all ages. Even though they exhibit an “above the law” type of attitude sometimes, the one thing that I have noticed, is their sincere sense of appreciation when someone does something for them or just shows an interest.
For that reason and the fact that the Inmates love to play cards, board games and various other activities, I would like to ask everyone at St. Paul’s to consider donating such things as used challenging adult board games or books that cover the classics or stories of life’s trials and tribulations and the struggle of protagonists to overcome what life hits them with. These are quite popular. Before the Covid furloughs, I had donated several chess sets and was amazed as to how many of them played. Joe Fesperman and I have discussed at great length, the donation of Cornhole games for outdoor use. If anyone in the congregation has carpentry skills and would be able to donate their time to build one or two sets, it would be much appreciated. We will see about getting the lumber to build them. They already have one or two sets and a Horseshoe toss, but they could use a couple more of the Cornhole sets.
It looks like I have asked for a lot, but these are just a few of the things that they need. I have purchased books from our library book sale in North Wilkesboro to build a classics library in my own classroom. I know that the Inmates appreciate books and games because when they are checked out, they are returned in one piece and in a timely fashion. I personally appreciate what a ministry like this can do, because I’ve seen what it can do. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Outreach Committee and the congregation at St. Paul’s for contributing to the Christmas Project because it is extremely important to the Inmates to be able to give their families gifts and to share a meal with them.
Sincerely, Bob Arthur
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Labyrinth Walk for the Election and
for our Country
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Stand at the crossroads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way lies; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.
Jeremiah 6:16
The time for walking will be 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM.
At 4:00 PM, Sheree Sloop will open the time for walking with a short introduction to the labyrinth, as well as prayers for the Election and for National life.
If you prefer not to walk with your feet, there will be small labyrinths available for you to use as you sit around the labyrinth and use your finger to “walk” the path.
Come Walk and Pray
Wilkesboro, NC
Outside labyrinth located
on the west side of the church
Whether the labyrinth is new to you
or is a familiar spiritual practice,
please join us for this special time of gathering
to walk in prayer
** Please remember to wear a mask
** We will observe proper social distancing
**This walk is weather permitting**
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Deodorant Drive for Hospitality House
Hospitality House of Northwest N.C. board members are collecting Christmas bag items for clients specifically containers of deodorant for men and women . Sixty small deodorants for men and 60 for women are needed.
A container will be placed outside the church office Monday - Friday to collect donations until Dec 1, 2020
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The Nov/Dec/Jan
Forward Day by Day
are here and in the brass mailbox by the front door of the office.
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3 Thursday Worship Slots!
Beginning Thursday, October 15th the Sunday Virtual Service will be recorded on Thursdays at 1:00 pm in the historic chapel. There is room for 3 people to attend worship during this time. If you would like to sign up to worship on a Thursday at 1:00 pm click below.
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September Minutes Now Available
The 2020 Vestry Meeting minutes are now available on St. Paul's website under Vestry.
Click button to go directly there
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Beginning November 1st we will share ONE outdoor service on Sundays at 11AM.
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Readers for November, 2020 |
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11:00 AM
Nov. 1 - Tom Carnes
Nov. 8 - Mary Anne Caplinger
Nov. 15 - Tana Myers
Nov. 22 - Maggie McCann
Nov. 29 - Cindy Smith
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Readers for Virtual Service
Nov. 5 - Nancy Scroggs
Nov. 12- Jeri Martin
Nov. 19 - Joe Fesperman
Nov. 25 - Mary Anne Caplinger
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Birthdays:
Nov. 1 - Maia Cook
Nov. 3 - Tim Murphy
Nov. 3 - Rose Mary Street
Nov. 4 - Eden Burkenbine
Nov. 4 - Elijah Burkenbine
Nov. 4 - Ray Stone
Nov. 7 - Chuck Forester
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Prayer List for Bulletin
Dear Friends, our prayers are one of the most visible and sacred ways we have of supporting and upholding both those among us and our loved ones as we list them for our Prayers of the People and publish them in the bulletin. It is so important that we keep these prayers current and that we are able to recognize healing or death as those on our prayer list move through their situation. And, of course, there are those whose need is long-term and they need our continued prayers over a sustained period of time.
To better enable us to keep our Prayer list current and recognize passages, on November 1st we will begin fresh on the first Sunday of every month. To keep someone on the prayer list please refresh your request on the last Wednesday of the previous month to make our printing deadline. Beginning on November 1st the only names on the prayer list will be those requested by Wednesday, October 28th.
I know you join with us in wanting to ensure that this important part of our worship life is tended closely and always current. We thank you in advance for your participation and support.
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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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Prayer List
Please remember in your prayers: All who are ill or unemployed and those who are on our prayer list.
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Illness
Pam Baugh, Robert Baugh, Bella, David Blair, Nancy Blair, John Brame, Thomas Dellinger, Laura Gentry, Margo Hurd, Brenda Merritt King, Ken Love, Misty Millsaps, Diane Shaw, Linda Sloop, Delores Weaver
Armed Forces
Let us pray for the safety of all our troops, especially 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 November 1, 2020 |
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Revelation 7:9-17
After this I, John, looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,
"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen."
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
"For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
Psalm 34:1-10,22
1 I will bless the Lord at all times; *
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2 I will glory in the Lord; *
let the humble hear and rejoice.
3 Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord; *
let us exalt his Name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me *
and delivered me out of all my terror.
5 Look upon him and be radiant, *
and let not your faces be ashamed.
6 I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me *
and saved me from all my troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encompasses those who fear him, *
and he will deliver them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; *
happy are they who trust in him!
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.
22 The Lord ransoms the life of his servants, *
and none will be punished who trust in him.
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1 John 3:1-3
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 336-667-4231 | [email protected] | https://stpaulwilkesboro.org |
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