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Weekly News for August 2, 2020
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Worship-at-Home
Sunday, August 2 at 11:00 a.m.
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Pastors' Weekly Message: From Pastor Pat
Greetings St. Paul’s Family!
I truly appreciate your prayers and patience as I embraced a few days of rest and relaxation. I am back and excitedly looking forward to what God has in store for us!
This Sunday we will kick off a sermon series entitled “Green Acres, Green Thumbs and Other Principles of Sowing,” based on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 13. Each week through a variety of lenses we will explore sowing vs planting; the role of the farmer, the seed, and the soil; God’s hope for the sowing; and what happens when we sow. This sermon series will lay the groundwork for our upcoming church wide Stewardship Campaign which will launch September 6, 2020. Stay tuned for the announcement of our 2020 Campaign theme.
We were just beginning to know one another when life shifted and we were thrust into social isolation and distancing. Our outdoor worship service reminded us of just how much we miss in person interactions, and just how much we have missed the opportunity to get to know each other. Therefore on Wednesdays, as weather permits between 1pm - 2:30pm I am available to meet with you in Reinhardt Park with masks and social distancing precautions, for anyone who would like to stop by and chat.
As we continue to navigate these unusual times, I am truly grateful for the many ways in which God is stretching us to be light and witness to our community and our world. Stay safe, stay hydrated, and stay well!
--Pastor Pat
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Sunday, July 23
8:30-10:00 a.m
Town Hall Parking Lot
Our Justice & Compassion team is partnering with Interfaith Works again in 2020 to get new school supplies to disadvantaged children for the start of school in Montgomery County. This school year, of course, things will look very different -- but students still need essential items to succeed!
Weather permitting, we will have a supply drop off on Sunday, August 23 at the Town Hall parking lot. The full list of supplies, plus a link to the Interfaith Works Amazon wish-list, is available here:
http://stpaulsk.org/service/justice-and-compassion
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starting August 16
Our Children's Ministry will be providing a free virtual camp experience the week of August 16!
Compassion Camp: Be Loved, Be Kind, Be You
is an at-home experience. Through Bible stories, crafts, music, and movement, your family will explore ways we can practice compassion. Families may participate at their own pace using the Family Camp Guide.
Optional online sessions will be available. Campers will also have opportunities to gather virtually, by age group, giving kids time to engage with each other in community!
Materials, additional info, and a detailed schedule will be included in a Care Package coming soon to families with young children.
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Worship at Home: Aug. 2, 9, 16, 30
Worship in the Park: Aug. 23
We will have one outdoor in-person worship experience (weather permitting) on Sunday, August 23 starting at 9:30 a.m. Wear a mask and bring picnic blankets or folding chairs to Reinhardt Park, directly across from St. Paul's front doors, or enjoy from the safety of your car "drive-in" style. We will build on what we learned from the July outdoor service so things may look a little different, but we will still be glad to gather together. More details are available at
http://stpaulsk.org/worship
. All other Sundays, worship services are available at 11:00 am through
http://stpaulsk.org/worship/worship-at-home
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Submit comments by July 31
Please read the draft of St. Paul's new Welcoming Statement and provide your feedback by clicking here:
https://forms.gle/MBSEF8cZuz6DTbrB9
As part of our Reconciling journey, lay leaders from across our congregation collaborated to create a draft "Welcoming Statement" that is reflective of our community values and offers an explicit and intentional welcome to anyone wanting to learn more about God's grace, specifically members of the LGBTQIA+ community and other marginalized groups.
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The United Methodist Committee on Relief provides long-term humanitarian relief when war, conflict, or natural disaster disrupts life to such an extent that communities cannot recover on their own. UMCOR's operations, including training for their first responders, are supported by this UMC designated Special Sunday: UMCOR offering. You can still give securely online:
stpaulsk.org/giving
or mail your donation to the church office, attn Michelle Gregonis. Please make checks payable to St. Paul's UMC with "UMCOR Sunday" on the memo line.
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Wednesday, August 19
7:00-8:00 p.m.
We will be very still for the summer! Instead of meeting weekly, we will meet once a month for the remainder of the summer. The August gathering for Still Wednesday will be held on August 19. Still Wednesday offers a time of prayer, connection, and quiet contemplation in a busy world. Email [email protected] or call Kenzie Raulin at 301-237-1520 for the Zoom link. All are welcome.
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Saturdays & Tuesdays
The Saturday study this month meets 11:00 am-12:00 noon -
note the new time
! - and uses the BibleProject’s
Church at Home: Small Group Bible Study,
with an online video, Scripture selection, and discussion questions. Sessions include:
- August 1: Holy Spirit
- August 8: Character of God
- August 15: Heaven and Earth
- August 22: Love
The Tuesday study
(4:00-5:00 pm) on
The Psalms
is a traditional Bible study, using a guide from Eugene Peterson. Selections for this month are:
- August 4: Praying our Tears - Psalm 37
- August 11: Praying our Doubt - Psalm 73
- August 18: Praying our Death - Psalm 90
- August 25: Praying our Praise - Psalm 150
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If you would like to pray alongside others from St. Paul's, call
425-436-6326
at 9:45 each Tuesday morning. When prompted for the “access code," type in
774042
followed by
#
.
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Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
9:00 a.m.
Facebook Live
Three days a week (except holidays!), St. Paul's staff and special guests take turns offering a live meditation or reading, reminding us to start our day by taking a breath. Once the live session closes, the recording remains available for later viewing. No Facebook account required - simply go to
https://www.facebook.com/stpaulskensington/
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July 30-Aug. 8
Aug. 12-26 (tentative)
Pastor Kate will be out of the office July 30 - August 8 for a planned visit with family. She has her final surgical procedure to repair a chronic condition in her left leg scheduled for August 12. As with the surgery on the right leg back in February, she will likely be out of the office for about two weeks afterward for recovery. During Pastor Kate's absence, Pastor Pat and other members of the staff will be caring for the needs of our community. For contact information for all of St. Paul's staff, visit
http://stpaulsk.org/community/meet-the-staff.
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The Re-Entering Well Team has now contacted the leaders & coordinators of church ministries and outside groups regularly using St. Paul's facilities, inviting them to submit plans outlining how they might re-enter the building while following established guidelines and restrictions. The Re-Entering Well team will consider each plan and will provide leaders with feedback or approval. If you have questions, please contact Erin in the church office at [email protected]
Some staff have re-entered the building to complete tasks which cannot be done remotely. The building however remains closed to the public, because we are carefully engaging in distancing restrictions and extra sanitation practices.
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Contact Meg Baker, Director of Christian Education
Kids’ Connection episodes are short videos featuring members of the St. Paul's community sharing stories, songs, and activities geared for our youngest friends. We will continue sharing videos through August, and older installments are still available for viewing any time at
http://stpaulsk.org/community/children. S
croll down the page to find it! New episodes are available each Friday. We would love to feature you or your family sharing a joke, magic trick, favorite recipe, puppet show, or brief special message in a future episode! To find out how, please contact Meg Baker.
Summer Sunday School materials, which include children's bulletins and activity sheets, continue to be sent via email each week with short worship-oriented Children's Message videos. If you are not receiving these but would like to, let Meg know.
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Our ministry leaders are working on developing creative ways to re-open in the coming months. However, we will not hold an in-person food distribution or meal in August. Our recipients will once again receive grocery store gift cards through the mail and can request groceries through our partners at Bethesda Help. If you can, please continue setting aside nonperishables now to help restock the St. Paul's pantry. Our grocery "wish list" is available at
http://stpaulsk.org/service/hunger-ministry
You can also make a gift of financial support at
http://stpaulsk.org/giving.
Thank you!
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Sign up any time
This ongoing opportunity matches friendly home cooks at St. Paul's with any family who might appreciate having one less meal to make. Those who would like to receive a meal should start with the form found here:
https://forms.gle/PBxN89ECm8Tg9kVZ7
and those who would like to cook should email Bill Butz or Erin Steele at the church office ([email protected]).
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Scripture for August 2, 2020
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:1-9
1
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
2
Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3
And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow.
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And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up.
5
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil.
6
But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away.
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Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
8
Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9
Let anyone with ears listen!”
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