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Weekly News for March 7, 2021
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Worship-at-Home Service
March 7 at 10:30 a.m.
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Pastors' Weekly Message: From Pastor Pat
Greetings Beloved,
It is day thirteen of this Lenten season (Sundays are not counted), and some of you may have lived into a new rhythm as part of your Lenten journey. You may be noticing just how much more time you have for other things, if you’ve reduced or ghosted your social media interactions. You may be finding that you’re sleeping better, thanks to the walk that you’ve added to your day.
Or you may be one who has not yet figured out just what you should pick up or give up this season. And if this is your situation, you might be thinking you’re somehow not making the grade.
Whether you are embracing a new rhythm or still searching for that rhythm it is important to understand that the purpose of Lent is not to out-perform the next person by giving up more or doing more. This is a season of drawing closer to God, to hear what God needs to speak to our spirits and souls. And finding the right time and space for that to happen, can take a moment. Just wanting to be on the journey opens the way for God to guide you into that space where you are able to connect and commune with our Creator.
What makes the season sacred is not how much healthier you are for adding exercise or eating right. The sacredness of the season is the engagement of the journey of discovering what God wants to speak to us, that we are sometimes too distracted to hear.
Again and again, God waits to meet us and is listening for us.
-- Pastor Pat
pallen@stpaulsk.org
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available 24/7 until Easter
Again & again, God hears our prayers.
Visit the "&" screen set up at the front steps of St. Paul's as often as you wish. Take a strip of black plastic then use the silver Sharpie marker provided to write your prayer. Weave the black strip into the screen inside the ampersand shape, adding it to the prayers of the community. (On Easter Sunday, the spaces surrounding the "&" will be filled with flowers.)
The & symbol in our prayer wall invites us to let go of either/or thinking this Lent and instead embrace God's holy "and." We are broken and beautiful, joy and grief coexist, the world is full of injustice and God is leading us to wholeness.
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now until March 28
Our goal is to have printed copies of a new Church Directory for Spring
2021 ready for pick-up at in-person Easter worship services and available in the days that follow, so we need your help with updates. Our directory can only be as good as the information our members and friends provide for our records!
and find the link to our secure form. Even if your home address hasn't changed, please share the best phone number and email where St. Paul's clergy and friends can reach you. We also invite you to upload a current photo of people in your household. (The best grouping will have everyone close to the center of the photo, but we'll work with whatever you send!)
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Class meets Wednesdays, now - March 31
4:00-5:00 pm
Living Well Through Lent 2021: Listening with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind, led by Dr. Meg Baker, is a new study series that includes the voices and deep reflections of ten writers of diverse backgrounds. Thousands of individuals across multiple denominations use this study to invite spiritual renewal throughout this holy season of Lent.
All are welcome. To participate either on an ongoing or a drop-in basis, please visit https://forms.gle/dwp8kS98Uoe8rZvbA or contact mbaker@stpaulsk.org to receive the Zoom link and the downloadable study materials.
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March is recognized as Women’s History Month. The efforts of a group of women began in 1980 in Santa Rosa, California and culminated in a Congressional Act declaring March as National Women’s History Month. The theme for 2021 is “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced.” This year’s theme is the opportunity to acknowledge those women who have taken extraordinary measures and immeasurable risks to use their voices to register voters, to champion the cause of women’s right to vote, and capturing the stories of women’s advocacy throughout the ages. Women have often been relegated to positions and assignments that have restricted their access to professional opportunities and their life’s vocation. Women’s History Month is designed to honor and celebrate women who have contributed and continue to contribute to the fabric of our existence. This month celebrates the women who have sacrificed for a better quality of life for all. So if you know a woman, tell her thank you! And let us celebrate!
--Pastor Pat
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Our journey through Lent will lead us into Holy Week and onward to Easter, the joyful celebration of the risen Christ. For the latest information on seasonal activities and plans for worship on these special days, please visit: stpaulsk.org/worship/lent-and-easter
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March 10
St. Paul's has committed to providing meals for about 50 women at the Interfaith Works Silver Spring shelter, one meal a month for six months. Our next assignment is March 10. Anyone who would like to join the St. Paul’s men and women already committed to this initiative should contact coordinator Lyn Walker directly (lwalker60@hotmail.com). You can make deliveries to the shelter, prepare salads, entrees, pastas, boil eggs, cut up oranges, shop for supplies, etc. Please let Lyn know if you wish to serve.
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Volunteer by March 14
St. Paul’s will be hosting a new self-guided Stations of the Cross event throughout Holy Week. This program honors the ancient story of Jesus’ death while recognizing the ways this narrative repeats itself again & again throughout the past and present. It provides multisensory ways to engage, confess, and lament.
Church Groups are encouraged to sponsor one of the ten stations. This involves setting up on Sunday, March 28, replenishing supplies as needed, and disassembling the station on Saturday, April 3. Groups will receive materials from our Lenten series, Again & Again, which offers guides for station assembly while allowing the group to incorporate its own ideas as well.
Volunteers are also needed to greet participants and help ensure covid safety protocols are observed during the event.
To volunteer, contact Meg Baker by March 14 at mbaker@stpaulsk.org or 240-723-6642.
Event Open Monday March 29 - Friday April 2, 11:00 am-1:00 pm & 5:00-7:00 pm
Saturday April 3, 11:00am-1:00pm
Octagon Room at St. Paul's
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Saturdays
11:00am-12:00 noon
Each week’s session includes a brief audio talk, a short video about a biblical book or theme, and a time of interactive study and discussion guided by the BibleProject’s Reflections Bible Study. All are welcome to participate in this one-hour, no-prep weekly opportunity on a drop-in or regular basis.
Topics for this month:
- March 6 – Meaning of Sacrifice
- March 13 – Gift of Rest
- March 20 – Trusting God in the Wilderness
- March 27 – God’s Wisdom on Display
Questions? Contact Meg Baker at mbaker@stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933 ext. 104.
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Part Two: March 25, 6:30pm
Pastor Pat leads the next Book Club discussion as we examine the final chapters of Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, And How to Reverse It. Author Robert Lupton asks us to wrestle with questions about the best way to help those in need and how to increase dignity while reducing dependency. The first 6 chapters were discussed on Feb. 25; you are welcome to attend in March even if you were unable to attend the previous discussion.
Zoom information:
March 25, 6:30 pm
Meeting ID: 919 8198 2861
Passcode: 964053
The Better Humans Book Club is under the umbrella of our Justice & Compassion team and is open to all! If you have questions, please contact Travis Stalcup directly or Erin Steele at the church office (stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org).
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closes March 24
The Baltimore-Washington Conference of the UMC awards scholarships for qualified high school seniors who plan to attend college in the fall of 2021. The application process is now open and closes March 24. A variety of scholarships are offered. To be considered for a scholarship, students must complete the full online application, which includes uploading their current transcripts and providing references from their pastor and another person in their church. For more information or to apply:
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Sunday, March 28
10:00-10:30 am
Following the success of our February virtual coffee hour, we've scheduled one for March. Set a reminder now so you can grab your coffee (or tea or cocoa or water) and head over to the virtual Octagon for the next coffee hour on March 28. Come in your PJs or your Sunday best. Bring the kiddos or cats or come alone! Everyone is welcome.
Topic: Virtual Coffee in the Octagon
Time: Mar 28, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 975 6645 7215
Passcode: 000075
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Pastor Pat and Pastor Kate are as eager to connect with the congregation as the members & friends are for connecting with them! The pastors are available by appointment until regular office hours are re-established. Email is the best way to make an appointment.
Pastor Pat and Pastor Kate both maintain personal Sabbath practices to ensure that they remain rested and restored to devote themselves to the needs of St. Paul’s. During their Sabbath times (listed below) they break from routine email and phone communications. All are welcome to leave voice and email messages for Pastor Pat and Pastor Kate at any time, and our pastors will respond to messages received during their times of Sabbath on the next day.
The exception would be an urgent, emergency situation. What is urgent? Serious injury, rapid decline in health, impending death, or despair leading a person to consider self-harm is considered urgent. In an emergency, contact the pastors by cell phone. You can also find the pastors' cell numbers listed in their office voicemail greetings and on page 12 of the March issue of the Epistle.
Pastor Patricia Allen
office: 301.933.7933 ext. 101
email: pallen@stpaulsk.org
cell (emergencies only): 410.963.8942
Sabbath Times (out of the office):
- After 1:00 pm on Thursdays
- All day on Fridays
- After 1:00 pm on Sundays
Pastor Kate Mackereth Fulton
office: 301.933.7933 ext. 103
email: kfulton@stpaulsk.org
cell (emergencies only): 301.524.5196
Sabbath Times (out of the office):
- After 1:00 pm on Fridays
- All day on Saturdays
- After 1:00 pm on Sundays
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Sundays now through March 28
On the 10th anniversary year of the renovation of St. Paul's magnificent pipe organ, Marvin Mills will present a special musical offering each Sunday of Lent. Expanding on the decade's long tradition of Fugues by J. S. Bach as postludes, a complete Prelude and Fugue will be offered this year, preceded by a contrasting short chorale prelude. These will be available at stpaulsk.org/worship/worship-at-home in tandem with (but separate from) the streaming worship service.
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July 25 - 30
Wilderness Trail is currently planning to take groups out on the Appalachian Trail in 2021, and we've reserved spots for two groups! This trip allows youth to spend time in God's creation by backpacking for 4 days along sections of the AT in Virginia and/or Tennessee. This year, each group on the trail can consist of up to 7 youth, 2 adults, and a Wilderness Trail staff guide. This trip is open to all youth in grades 6-12, plus any seniors from the class of 2020 that were not able to attend this past year. Of course, there will be some changes to the program to keep us safe and healthy. The total cost of the trip is $305 per participant and a sign-up/payment form will be online soon! As always, camperships are available to provide financial aid - simply reach out to Micah for a completely confidential conversation about what needs you may have. If you'd like more information, please contact Micah at msmartt@stpaulsk.org.
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Ongoing Activities - Click on each heading to learn more.
Still Wednesday: Wednesdays, 7pm. - All are welcome for this time of prayer, connection, and quiet contemplation in a busy world. We are meeting each week by Zoom. Email kenzier@rcn.com or call Kenzie Raulin at 301-237-1520.
Daily Breath: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at 9am - Use your social media time for good! Take a deep breath and deepen your spiritual well as staff take turns offering a short meditation, music, a reading, or reflection. www.facebook.com/stpaulskensington/ - no Facebook account required!
SPY Zoom: Sundays, Middle High 4:30pm, Senior High 7pm - St. Paul's Youth (open to all St. Paul's friends in grades 6-12) will be sticking with our weekly Zoom meetings for the immediate future. Add yourself to the SPY email list to get the Zoom link; enter your email in the form found HERE or contact Micah Smartt (msmartt@stpaulsk.org).
Prayerwaves: Wednesdays, 10am - During this time of Prayer over the Air Waves, we pray together over the phone. Call 425-436-6326 at 9:55 each Wednesday morning. When prompted for the “access code," type in 774042 followed by #.
Prayer Request Form: Our new prayer form is available right on the stpaulsk.org website! If you have a joy or concern, you can share it confidentially with St. Paul's ministers or share with the entire Prayer Team.
Card Ministry: Congregational Care Log - Anyone who wishes to send cards to friends experiencing times of grief, change, or celebration can access the Congregational Care (aka "Sick List") online. Please contact Dr. Meg Baker at mbaker@stpaulsk.org
Sunday School: Sundays, 9:30 am - Virtual classes for children in grade 5 and younger can be found at stpaulsk.org/community/sunday-school. Contact Meg Baker (mbaker@stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933 ext 104) to join the Sunday School email list and receive activity pages and materials!
Upper Room Mailing List - To receive paper copies of The Upper Room daily devotionals, please contact Erin Steele in the church office (stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org) with your mailing address and whether you prefer the pocket-sized or large print version.
Lydia Circle Meeting: Every other Friday, 1:30 pm - Lydia Circle women are gathering via Zoom. We invite any woman interested in joining us to contact leader Susan Schwarz at susan10748@aol.com or call 301-339-8242.
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Scripture for March 7, 2021
John 2:13-22
13The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
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Contact us! ● 301-933-7933 ● stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org ● stpaulsk.org
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