TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2024

Youth Sunday

Youth Sunday is this Sunday! This is an opportunity for our 6th-12th graders to lead the congregation through all aspects of our liturgy. Over 50 youth have joined together this year to create the worship components for the 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. services – from the prayers to the sermons to the hymn selections. The theme is “God’s Protection.” We believe that youth are not just the future of the church but the church here and now, with God-given gifts, creative instincts, and thoughtful theological insights that we can learn from and should honor. We encourage you to welcome their leadership this Sunday with an attentive heart and open mind.

Our Thanks to Bonnie & Jim!

Our deepest thanks go out to Bonnie and Jim Hobden for their many years of service (30 years for Bonnie and 15 years for Jim) to SCAPC as chefs for our Wednesday Night Out dinners! We will be formally recognizing them during the 10:30 worship service this Sunday.

New Aden Program Director

Today we welcomed Marti LeBourgeois McEnery (pictured second from left) as our new Aden Program Director! Today a reception was held for Marti and all participants, volunteers, and staff. To learn more about the Aden Program for elder care, visit scapc.org/aden.

Support the Presbyterian Foundation of LA

Today is Give NOLA Day! We invite you to support the Presbyterian Foundation of Louisiana whose purpose is "to glorify God and to extend his kingdom by helping the needy in areas of education, medical care, and the necessities of life." The Foundation grants scholarships to students in the fields of engineering and medicine. Additional grants relating to the Foundation's mission are made from the Johnston Aldrich Fund, named in part for the late Nell Johnston, SCAPC member and avid supporter of missions around the world. The Foundation also oversees the Ministry on Aging Fund which receives gifts from institutions, churches, and individuals for the benefit of and assistance to programs for the elderly. SCAPC's Aden Program has been the recipient of a Ministry on Aging grant.

Other SCAPC community ministry partners participating in Give NOLA Day include Café Reconcile, Crescent City Café, Eden Centers for Hope & Healing, Junior League of New Orleans (SCAPC is partnered with JLNO Diaper Bank), Kinship Center, Liberty's Kitchen, N.O. Charter Science & Mathematics High School ("The Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education"), N.O. Women & Children's Shelter, N.O. Young Adult Volunteer Program, Okra Abbey, Raintree Children & Family Services, St. Thomas Community Health Center, STAIR (Start the Adventure in Reading), and YMCA of Greater New Orleans (SCAPC is partnered with YMCA YES! program).

Jin Shin Jyutsu Demonstration

As a follow-up to their study of The Amen Effect's references to the power of healing touch, Judy Andry, a Jin Shin Jyutsu instructor, practitioner, and author of the book A Touching Good-Bye: The Gentle Use of Jin Shin Jyutsu at Times of Critical Illness, has agreed to come to Spiritually Hungry Women’s meeting tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in the Land Building.

Judy will demonstrate how Jin Shin works and will teach us some simple techniques that we can use both on ourselves and on our loved ones (of all ages). Judy will be accompanied by her friend and experienced Jin Shin practitioner, Mary Jane Phelan, whose work with Thomas Schulingkamp as an infant and toddler was instrumental in his ability to walk as well as to enjoy a life of real quality. Please plan to attend. It is extremely generous of Judy to offer to come share her expertise with us. Jin Shin Jyutsu is something she is passionate about because she has seen again and again the healing, calming, restorative effect that a gentle touch can have. 

A Call for Ushers!

Serving as an usher for 10:30 a.m. worship services is one of the most important and enjoyable ways to volunteer for the church. The role can involve anything from passing the offering plates, recording attendance, assisting congregants with special needs, and most importantly, greeting everyone as they gather for worship. Each usher team serves for one month twice a year. We are currently looking for ushers to serve on Team E (May and November). If you are interested in ushering, please contact Geoff Snodgrass at gpsnodgrass@gmail.com. 

Sanctuary Flowers

If you would like to donate flower arrangements for the two urns in the Sanctuary in memory or honor of loved ones for Sunday morning worship, please contact Libbie Reiss at libbiereiss@yahoo.com. 

Raintree Day of Service

The Community Ministry Committee and Presbyterian Women have planned a day of service to Raintree Children and Family Services on Saturday, May 18 at 1233 8th Street in the courtyard from 10 a.m. until Noon with lunch on the grill. The event will be staged for 14 Raintree House residents to provide fun and games. We will make jewelry, play BINGO and grill hamburgers for all. Volunteers are needed. Please contact Kathy Randall for more information at cell 601.519.2413 or kathyrandall7070@gmail.com. 

Presbyterian Borderlands Trip November 10-16

In partnership with the Presbyterian Borderlands Ministries, SCAPC is organizing a service and learning trip to the U.S./Mexico Border in the McAllen, Texas area. To learn more about this trip, please visit Frampton Fellowship Hall this Sunday or contact Cindy Bush, cindyfbush@gmail.com.

World Vision: Sponsor a Child

In addition to your regular church giving and your ongoing support of our Global Ministry partnerships, child sponsorship through World Vision is one option that individuals, families, and groups may choose as a way to support and enter into relationship with our global neighbors. The purpose of this invitation is to provide an opportunity for members of our congregation to become more personally involved in global mission.

World Vision is an international organization that focuses on children living with food insecurity in developing countries all across the world. Participating individuals (or groups) sponsor a child at a cost of $39 per month, and this sponsorship fee provides food for that child. What is unique about this program is the frequent communication with the sponsored child and the organization which helps the sponsor feel much more personally involved in the relationship. For example through World Vision, cards will be provided for Christmas, Easter, and the child’s birthday for the sponsor to write a brief message and to be sent to the child by the organization at a mailing cost of $9.00. Sponsors can also correspond with their child via email.

In addition to sponsorships, other World Vision programs support the whole family and the child’s local community with food and other necessities. Sponsors can also voluntarily provide an additional contribution of $10-$20 for the child to have a birthday party where his entire family and often close community members will be invited. Children are usually 5-6 years of age when sponsorship begins, old enough to write their sponsors personally, and they are sponsored until age 17 years, so please prayerfully consider the long term commitment of this relationship.  

To learn more, Dr. Russel Steele will be in Frampton Fellowship Hall following worship this Sunday to share about his experiences of sponsoring many children over the years through World Vision. You can also click the link below.

End-of-School Food Drive

This week we are partnering with East Jefferson High School to provide food pantry items for their 33 unhoused students during summer vacation. Many students share that their only meals during the week come from free breakfasts and lunches provided by the school and summertime is when these students are their hungriest. Please bring non-perishable food items (snack bars, boxed meals, fruit snacks, cereal, chips, etc.) to the bin in Frampton Fellowship Hall now through Monday, May 13.

Nursery School is Hiring

The SCAPC Nursery School is hiring part-time teachers now! They are looking for experienced teachers to work with children ages 2-3 years-old for the 2024-25 school year (beginning in mid-August with possible summer camp opportunities). Work hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Please email Keflyn Fransen at scapcns@gmail.com for more information.

YAF Night at the Ballpark

Take yourself out to the ball game with YAF! Join us as we cheer on the Green Wave v. East Carolina University this Friday, May 10 at Tulane’s Turchin Stadium. Meet up at 5:30 p.m. at Jessie and Sean Chaney’s home (3026 Nashville Ave) and walk over to the game with us or meet us at the stadium for the 6:30 p.m. game. Tickets are $5 each paid either in the SCAPC app or through Venmo (@thwheeler). RSVP BY TOMORROW to join in the fun.

Program of Hope Homeless Ministry

LUNCH VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: May is SCAPC’s month to serve at Program of Hope, held each Wednesday from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian (FPCNO), 5401 S. Claiborne Ave. The program serves the unhoused and those living on the margin by providing shelter vouchers, bus tokens, lunches, hygiene items, clothing, counseling, prayer and worship. Volunteers are needed to help serve and may go directly to FPCNO on any Wednesday. For more information please contact Karen Donaldson @ 504-908-9509 or khdonaldson57@gmail.com

ITEMS NEEDED: During the month of May, Presbyterian Women are collecting new men and women’s underwear in sizes M/L/XL, socks, and travel-size toiletries. Please place items in the bin at the Chapel entrance on State Street.

PHILIPPIANS AND GALATIANS

March 24 - May 19 | Phifer Library

The letters to the Philippian and Galatian congregations illustrate the passion and intensity of Paul's writing. Together these letters provide a compelling portrait of a theologian and social critic of rare power and insight whose legacy continues today to spark heated debate. For the May 5 class recording, click here.

The May 12 class topic will be "The Gospel, the Spirit, and Christian Identity" led by Phil Stagg.

FAMILY SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

May 5 - May 19 | Frampton Fellowship Hall

Parents and children are invited to meet in Frampton Fellowship Hall for our Family Sunday School Class. The theme is "Emotions in the Psalms". Each week we will explore a different emotion with lots of activities and projects for families to work on together. We will continue this theme through June 24 with our children 2nd grade and younger during the 9:30 a.m. single worship service. This Sunday's topic will be "Friendship."

Family Sunday School Class

Families joined together in the first Family Sunday school this week as we explored what emotions are, some emotions we found in the psalms, and those within ourselves. Pictured is our water balloon activity where we were aiming for love and our post-its of emotions.

Welcome!

Join us in welcoming Charlie Hadley who was received into SCAPC membership on Sunday!

Graduating Seniors

On Sunday, graduating high school seniors were recognized and prayed for at the 10:30 service, after which they were joined by the children of the church for the Children's Message given by Tyler Wheeler.

Happy Birthday, Jim!

Last week's Wednesday Night Out crowd celebrated not only Cinco de Mayo but Chef Jim Hobden's birthday as well!