TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2025

This week on Wednesday at our weekly bible study (5:15 p.m.) and at Wednesday Night Out at 6 p.m., we will welcome Matthew Pineda from the Louisiana Parole Project and the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice. He will share some of his own experiences of work with the imprisoned. We will discuss the value of prayer and spiritual practices from those who are or have been imprisoned, and we will be reminded of Jesus’ own commission that part of our mission and ministry in the world should include those who are in prison. Jesus Christ knows his way around a prison; and as disciples of the once imprisoned, crucified, and risen Lord, so should the church. 

Our Spring Day of Service is this Saturday, April 5! Projects for ALL AGES include gardening, sorting and organizing materials, making bracelets, and moving heavy furniture for our Community Ministry partners. We will meet in Frampton Fellowship Hall at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast and proceed to various volunteer sites from there. Work should wrap up by noon. Sign up on the Community Ministry webpage today! For additional questions please email Pastor Sarah. 

Gifts Issued to Our Community Ministry Partners

Last week, the church issued over $39,000 in first quarter Community Ministry funding to 17 partner organizations. This support, made possible by your pledge dollars, has a direct impact on our local community! These partners include:

Aden Program for Elder Care

Café Reconcile

Crescent City Café

Eden Centers for Hope and Healing

JLNO Diaper Bank

Kinship Center

Liberty’s Kitchen

N.O. Charter Science & Math School

N.O. Mission

N.O. Women & Children’s Shelter

Okra Abbey

Program of Hope Homeless Ministry

Raintree Children & Family Services

St. Thomas Community Health Center

STAIR (Start the Adventure in Reading)

YMCA Educational Services (YES!)

Young Adult Volunteers (YAV)

How to Navigate Your Child's Big Emotions

The SCAPC Nursery School has partnered with Nicole Bryson and Rebecca Connick from Ripple Child Development for a program to be held this Friday, April 4 at 9 a.m. in Frampton Fellowship Hall. All parents are welcome! Nicole and Rebecca are a Pediatric SLP and OT team with a passion for empowering caregivers. Their goal is "to help you understand where your child is developmentally so you can feel confident in handling various behaviors that may come your way. This presentation will provide strategies you can use to encourage your child to work collaboratively with you in your home, and foster their social emotional development all while building a deeper connection with them."

Adult Sunday School Classes

9:30 a.m. | Details on Sunday School page

New Class! MAKING ROOM: CELEBRATING HOSPITALITY AS A CHRISTIAN TRADITION

led by Ashley Brown and Bev Church | April 6 - May 18 | Land Building Riverside Room

In this class, we will explore themes of welcome, generosity, and the sacred art of making room for the stranger, challenging neighbor, the needy, and even those who may be difficult to embrace and welcome. Every class will include modernized lessons on hospitality by local expert and published author Bev Church. Our final class on May 18th will culminate in a special Sunday School celebration of all we have learned. Bring a friend and be our guest! This Sunday’s topic will be “A History of Old Testament Hospitality.”

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

February 16 - May 18 | Phifer Library

In its tone, structure, and portrayal of Jesus, the Gospel of John differs greatly from the other three gospels. John’s story of Jesus is theologically complex, interweaving themes of light and darkness. This Sunday's topic will be “Growing Opposition to Jesus”, led by Sandra Jenkins. 

Audubon Park Walking Group

All are invited for a walk in the park this Sunday, April 6! This is a chance for churchgoers of all ages to share fellowship and exercise in the fresh air together. We will meet at 5 p.m. in front of the Land Building, make one loop around the Audubon Park track and return.

Home Communion

On Monday and Tuesday, April 7 and 8, our pastors will be bringing home communion to those who are unable to attend worship. If you or someone you know would like home communion, please notify our parish associate, Miriam Hollar, at miriam@scapc.org. 

Grant Us Rest

During the 10:30 a.m. service on Palm Sunday, April 13, the SCAPC Chancel Choir and Orchestra will perform Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living. The composer writes, “Overall, the work is a prayer for rest (“Requiem”) for the living, as much as for the deceased...a major work like this allowed me to work out ideas on a much larger scale...I had to carefully manage the huge buildup of energy throughout, that culminates in the explosion of energy in the final section...This is the final answer to our prayers for rest, musically speaking--we’ve found it. The door opens, finally, so to speak”. All children will be invited to join in a palm procession at the beginning of the service.

SCAPC 101

Our next SCAPC 101 will be held on Sunday, April 13, from 9:30-10:15 a.m. in the second floor conference room. This class is designed as an orientation for new members and visitors interested in joining our church...or anyone wishing to learn more about SCAPC! We will talk about our basic beliefs as Presbyterians, the history of SCAPC, and how you can get involved in its ministries. Learn more in the meantime by visiting our membership page.

Bread Making as a Spiritual Practice: A SCAPC Tradition

Join with others from the congregation to make bread for the communion we will share during our Maundy Thursday worship. This evening, which will be held Wednesday, April 16, has become a tradition during Holy Week. We will share a light supper and then talk about the art of bread making as a meditation. This year, we will be working with sourdough. If all goes well in the preparation for this event, each participant will take some sourdough starter and a loaf to bake at home at the end of the evening in addition to helping with the bread for the Thursday communion table. Join us if you have never baked before or if you are a seasoned professional. All ages welcome. The cost is $15 for dinner and supplies. Your check, delivered to the SCAPC Office, is your reservation. The deadline is Monday, April 14 at noon.

Seeds for Survival in Malawi

In Lilongwe, Malawi, husband and wife team, Drs. Brigid O'Brien and Jacob Todd, former students of Dr. Russell Steele, run an HIV hospital and serve as pediatric infectious disease specialists. With the help of Dr. Steele, Global Ministry began to discuss the ways we could help these children and their families. Brigid and Todd said their main need is food. After much discussion and research about how we might best help fill this need, we sent money for seeds and young fruit trees for Brigid and Todd to procure.

Here is the amazing part, American dollars go a long way in Malawi! For just $100 we purchased 185 young fruit trees, 2 trees per family, and seeds that will produce enough crops to feed 500 people for less than $500. The families are doing the planting and attending to the gardens. You can see some of the plants and gardens in this picture, including a tomato tree/bush (Tomarillo) held by one of their patients, who gave permission to share this picture. The gardens planted with the seeds are in the background. 

Collection for Raintree Children & Family Services

For the month of April, Presbyterian Women are collecting regular-size toiletries, towels, wash cloths, soap, lotion, toothpaste and toothbrushes for Raintree Children and Family Services. Donations can be dropped off in the basket at the Chapel entrance.

Michael Lindvall, Guest Preacher

This past Sunday we were joined by Madeline Radman Lindvall and Michael Lindvall as our 2025 Lupberger Lecture Series speakers. Shown here, Michael guest preached for our morning services. He and Madeline also led a class entitled "Mystery and Mysterium."

Aden Program Activities

This week at the Aden Program for Elder Care, we enjoyed birthday celebrations for both Kris and Marti!

Youth & Family Crawfish Boil

A huge crowd turned out for the annual Youth & Fmaily Crawfish Boil!

James Kuuskraa, Paul Curry, Field Barba, and Harrison Currie

Caroline Seelman, Ashlin Murphy, Michael Frankowski, James Warren, Griff Thomas, Della Tasker, and Mary Carroll Waller

Stephanie Currie and Charlie Kehlenbach

Cory Kennedy, April and Savannah Weiser

Supper Clubs

More Supper Clubs met this weekend! Pictured here from left are Michele and Kevin Murphy, Julianne Lansing, Nancy Borland, and Sheila Schwartzmann at Sheila's home.

Pictured here clockwise from left foreground are Thomas Schulingkamp, Harriet Riley, Dale Curry, Jennifer Foss, Greg Browne, Patti Pannell, John Dunlap, and Kelley Mackenroth at the Mackenroths' home.

Baby Arrival

Congratulations are extended to Vicki and Rick Vega on the birth of their granddaughter, Vera Lynn Vega, daughter of Maddie and Christian Vega, who was born on Thursday, March 20!

Sympathy

Our sympathy is extended to April Weiser and her family on the death of her mother, Evelyn Mayo Christian, who passed away on Saturday, March 29.

New Members

Join us in welcoming Mary Margaret and Parker Favrot who joined by Reaffirmation of Faith this past Sunday with daughter Lila!

Membership Updates

since January 1, 2025

BIRTHS

·        February 28, 2025 – Russell Palmer Chernekoff, son of Meg and Stephen Chernekoff, grandson of Nancy and Parke Ellis

·        March 18, 2025 - Benjamin Rees, son of Avery and Austin Rees, grandson of Debbie and Rick Rees

BAPTISM

·        March 16, 2025 - Binnie Bee Morison, daughter of Doree and Taylor Morison

NEW MEMBERS

·        January 19, 2025 – Allison Mott

·        February 9, 2025 – Caroline McArthur

·        March 10, 2025 – Sally and Brett Perry

·        March 16, 2025 – Shannon and Michael Wells

·        March 16, 2025 – Jane and Bill Kufta

·        March 30, 2025 - Mary Margaret and Parker Favrot, Jr.

MARRIAGE

·        March 6, 2025 – Mary Louise Phelps to Craig Matthew Bryan (ceremony for immediate family)

Discount Opera Tickets for SCAPC Members

Several of our Chancel Choir members are performing in New Orleans Opera's Elixir of Love this weekend, and all church members are being offered discounted tickets. To purchase tickets for the performances this Friday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday, April 6 at 2:30 p.m., visit neworleansopera.org and use the discount code "SCAPC" by Thursday at 5 p.m.