New Year's Eve message from our bishop

Below is Bishop Karen’s weekly message to our conference:

I am praying for the laity and clergy of the Mountain Sky Conference on this last day of the year.

2022 has not been an easy year. Divisions seem to have deepened and multiplied. Civility is in short supply. It feels like anger, mistrust, and disinformation guide personal and communal actions. We’ve grown accustomed to war and rumors of war. We have stopped seeing the image of God in some faces. Heartbreak crowds the corners of our heart, nudging out joy.

Looking at the blank slate of the New Year, I wonder what it will hold for you and me. When will a sunset create a deep pang so poignant that catches in our throat? What call will we receive in the middle of the night? How will joy well up so fast it will surprise us, and beauty suddenly appear and take our breath away? What strangers will become friends? What will we learn that will inform how we live for the rest of our lives? When and where will love blossom unbidden?

As I look for a word to guide my steps into the uncharted map of 2023, I found this section of I Peter from the First Nations Version of the New Testament:

"Walk side by side in harmony with each other. Try to feel what others feel. Love each other as family. Be tenderhearted and walk with a humble spirit.
"Never return evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, speak words of blessing over each other, for you were chosen to share together in the Creator’s blessings." (I Peter 3: 8-9)

I receive the gift of these words from the Holy Spirit and will hold fast to them each day. I don’t think they will keep hardships at bay, but I do believe that they will make the way through hardships clearer. Grounded in Jesus’ way of love, I pray that my walk in 2023 will be one of gentleness and tenderness, caring for the earth and others as best I can.

What words will guide your steps into 2023?

With love,
Bishop Karen 

Join us for worship

Join us Sunday for worship at 10:15 in person or online here. 

Claudia Mills will lead us in worship. We will not celebrate communion this week. 

Preview Sunday's bulletin here. Happy New Year!

Devotional for the Seventh Day of Christmas

Norwich Cathedral

Light of those whose dreary dwelling

Borders on the shades of death,

Come, and by Thy love’s revealing

Dissipate the clouds beneath:

The new heaven and earth’s Creator,

In our deepest darkness rise,

Scattering all the night of nature,

Pouring eyesight on our eyes.

Still we wait for Thy appearing,

Life and joy Thy beams impart,

Chasing all our fears, and cheering

Every poor benighted heart:

Come and manifest the favour

God hath for our ransom’d race;

Come, Thou universal Saviour,

Come, and bring the gospel grace.

Save us in Thy great compassion,

O Thou mild pacific Prince,

Give the knowledge of salvation,

Give the pardon of our sins;

By Thine all-restoring merit

Every burden’d soul release,

Every weary, wandering spirit

Guide into Thy perfect peace.

~ Charles Wesley

2022 Year in Review: July - December

 

July: Pastor Charles starts his fourth year at St. Paul's UMC; EFAA food drive (812 lbs.); Summer sermon series - "Stories That Sneak Up On You"; Hank Troy & Wende Harston return to worship.

August: A month of Zoom worship; New hallway flooring installed; Summer music continues with Bob Muckle, Ron Revier, Tim Cook, and Louise Cook & her sisters; Work day at Wesley Foundation @ CU.

September: The choir and hand bells return to worship; Rebecca Glancy begins "Transforming" book study; the Rev. Janeen Hill shares a sermon; Sew What returns to the calendar; Pastor Charles attends Conference Clergy Orders event in Wyoming.

October: The Rev. Ashley Murphy shares sermon on World Communion Sunday; Second session of Mountain Sky Annual Conference (virtual); Adult class begins world religions study; donations taken to Knights Closet at Fairview HS.

November: Virtual Church Conference; Decorating the church for Advent & Christmas; Fourth annual Advent/Christmas devotional (print/online versions); Our 2,500th blog post. 

December: Donation of gifts to the EFAA gift room; Collection of holiday decorations for Fairview HS Marshall Fire recovery; Annual Mitten Tree collection; Choir cantata; Christmas Eve worship; Christmas Day virtual worship; Post-Christmas blood drive.

Devotional for the Sixth Day of Christmas

Lichfield Cathedral

All glory to God, And peace upon earth,

Be publish’d abroad At Jesus’s birth;

The forfeited favour Of heaven we find

Restored in the Saviour And Friend of mankind.

Then let us behold Messiah the Lord,

By prophets foretold, By angels adored;

Our God’s incarnation With angels proclaim,

And publish salvation In Jesus’s name.

Our newly born King By faith we have seen,

And joyfully sing His goodness to men,

That all men may wonder At what we impart,

And thankfully ponder His love in their heart.

What moved the Most High So greatly to stoop?

He comes from the sky Our souls to lift up;

That sinners forgiven Might sinless return

To God and to heaven; Their Maker is born.

Immanuel’s love Let sinners confess,

Who comes from above, To bring us His peace:

Let every believer His mercy adore,

And praise Him for ever, When time is no more.

~ Charles Wesley

2022 Year in Review: January - June

January: We began the year worshipping in-person; St. Paul's responded to the Marshall Fire with contributions; We switched back to virtual only mid-month;  Don Lloyd memorial service.

February: We continue with online only worship; God: Stories book discussion online led by Claudia and Rebecca; Preparations underway for Lent back in the sanctuary.

March: The third annual Lenten devotional (print/online); the (re)Launch of in-person worship (again); Ash Wednesday service in the sanctuary; Virtual blood drive; In-person Ladies Lunch Bunch and Men's breakfast; Masks are not required in the church building.

April: Maundy Thursday and Easter back in the sanctuary after a two-year hiatus; Fellowship time following worship resumes; Tim Cook resumes the Sunday Adult Class; Skippy Rollins memorial service; Harry Owen memorial service; Joint Easter service with Boulder Beautiful Korean Church; A Covid outbreak sends us online again.

May: We return to in-person worship (again - 3rd times the charm); Mother's Day; Recognition of the graduations of Dr. Abby Lagemann & Ben Glancy; Boulder Beautiful Korean Church marks its 25th anniversary; Music Appreciation Sunday.    

June: Return of the Dinner Circles; Jerry Ferguson memorial; Back to mask wearing; Women's Summer Book Club resumes (virtual); Dedication of Nelson Serenity Garden; Mountain Sky Annual Conference (hybrid); Father's Day; Rev. Tom & Lil English visit for worship; We received thirty prayer shawls from the women of Fowler UMC (Fowler, Colorado).    

Devotional for the Fifth Day of Christmas

Ely Cathedral

Join, all ye joyful nations,

The acclaiming host of heaven!

This happy morn, A Child is born,

To us a Son is given:

The messenger and token

Of God’s eternal favour,

God hath sent down To us His Son,

An universal Saviour!

 The wonderful Messias,

The Joy of every nation,

Jesus His name, With God the same,

The Lord of all creation:

The Counsellor of sinners,

Almighty to deliver,

The Prince of Peace Whose love’s increase

Shall reign in man for ever.

Till then, Thou holy Jesus,

We humbly bow before Thee,

Our treasures bring To serve our King,

And joyfully adore Thee:

To Thee we gladly render

Whate’er Thy grace hath given,

Till Thou appear In glory here,

And take us up to heaven. 

 (John Wesley omitted verses 3, 4, & 5 of the original eight verses)

~ Charles Wesley

Wednesday with the Wesleys

They shall call his name Emmanuel - To be called, only means, according to the Hebrew manner of speaking, that the person spoken of shall really and effectually be what he is called, and actually fulfil that title. Thus, Unto us a child is born - and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace - That is, he shall be all these, though not so much nominally, as really, and in effect.

And thus was he called Emmanuel; which was no common name of Christ, but points out his nature and office; as he is God incarnate, and dwells by his Spirit in the hearts of his people. It is observable, the words in Isaiah are, Thou (namely, his mother) shalt call; but here, They - that is, all his people, shall call - shall acknowledge him to be Emmanuel, God with us. Which being interpreted - This is a clear proof that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Greek, and not in Hebrew.

~ John Wesley’s Notes on the New Testament, Matthew 1:23

Devotional for the Fourth Day of Christmas

Durham Cathedral

Glory be to God on high,

And peace on earth descend;

God comes down: He bows the sky,

And shows Himself our Friend!

God the invisible appears,

God, the blest, the great I AM,

Sojourns in this vale of tears,

And Jesus is His name.

Him the angels all adored,

Their Maker and their King:

Tidings of their humbled Lord

They now to mortals bring:

Emptied of His majesty,

Of His dazzling glories shorn,

Being’s Source begins to be,

And God Himself is born!

See the eternal Son of God

A mortal son of man,

Dwelling in an earthly clod,

Whom heaven cannot contain!

Stand amazed, ye heavens, at this!

See the Lord of earth and skies!

Humbled to the dust He is,

And in a manger lies!

We the sons of men rejoice,

The Prince of Peace proclaim,

With heaven’s host lift up our voice,

And shout Immanuel’s name:

Knees and hearts to Him we bow,

Of our flesh, and of our bone,

Jesus is our brother now,

And God is all our own!

~ Charles Wesley

December blood drive results

Here are some of the highlights of our December 27 drive:

• 11 donors were registered to give whole blood
• 1 first time donor
• 1 day of deferral
• 9 whole blood donations made, each donation can potentially help save more than one life
• 1 power red donation, producing 2 units
• Total of 11 donations collected, each helping up to 3 patients!

Devotional for the Third Day of Christmas

Chester Cathedral

O astonishing grace,

That the reprobate race

Should be so reconciled!

What a wonder of wonders that God is a child!

 The Creator of all,

To repair our sad fall,

From heaven stoops down;

Lays hold of our nature, and joins to His own!

 

Our Immanuel came,

The whole world to redeem,

And incarnated show’d

That man may again be united to God!

 

And shall we not hope

After God to wake up,

His nature to know?

His nature is spotless perfection below.

 To this heavenly prize

By faith let us rise,

To His image ascend;

Apprehended of God, let us God apprehend.

~ Charles Wesley

This week @ St. Paul's UMC

 

Tuesday: 

9:00 AM, Office Hours

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Vitalant Blood Drive (Franz Hall)

Wednesday:

9:00 AM, Office Hours

10:00 AM, Zoom Fellowship

7:30 PM, Choir practice

Thursday:  

9:00 AM, Office Hours

11:45 AM, Ladies Lunch Bunch

Sunday: Second Sunday of Christmas / New Year's Day

10:15 AM, Worship - Claudia Mills

11:15 AM, Fellowship

12:30 PM, BBKC

Devotional for the Second Day of Christmas

Canterbury Cathedral

Let angels and archangels sing

The wonderful Immanuel’s name,

Adore with us our new-born King,

And still the joyful news proclaim;

All earth and heaven be ever join’d,

To praise the Saviour of mankind.

The everlasting God comes down

To sojourn with the sons of men;

Without His majesty or crown

The Great Invisible is seen;

Of all His dazzling glories shorn,

The everlasting God is born!

 Angels, behold that Infant’s face,

With rapturous awe the Godhead own:

‘Tis all your heaven on Him to gaze,

And cast your crowns before His throne;

Though now He on His footstool lies,

Ye know He built both earth and skies.

 By Him into existence brought,

Ye sang the all-creating word;

Ye heard Him call our world from nought;

Again, in honour of your Lord,

Ye morning stars, your hymns employ,

And shout, ye sons of God, for joy.

~ Charles Wesley

Christmas Day @ St. Paul's UMC: Prayers

Joys:

+Our thanks for the blessings received through donations to the PATH Fund and the Pay-It-Forward Fund.  

+We are thankful for those who worshipped with us Christmas Eve.

+Pastor Charles gives thanks for his nephews Jason (from Michigan) and Jeremiah (from Indiana) who joined us on Zoom this morning.

+We were blessed this morning with 23 in attendance including Frank & Katherine from Iowa and Abby Laggeman (checking in from Texas).

+We give thanks for this week's birthdays: Pastor Charles, Peg Fritschel, and Ron Revier.

+We are blessed by those who served this week: Belinda Alkula (Zoom host/slides) and Paige Sandusky (video soloist).

Concerns: 

+We lift up Don B. in our prayers as he deals with health concerns in rehab.

+We remember in our prayers John C. as he recovers from Covid.

+Bob Muckle asks for prayers for his dad who is in the hospital.

+Prayers are asked for Lisa & Lily B. who are having health issues and for the family of Marcy R. who all have had the flu recently.

+We pray for those in our congregation in need of Pay-it-Forward urgently-needed assistance and for those in our community who have been contacting the church for much-needed assistance.

+We hold in our prayers everyone in our church family who are traveling this holiday season. 

+We join with many across our nation in mourning the deaths of the 226 killed and 347 injured due to gun violence last week.  

Christmas Day @ St. Paul's UMC: Announcements

+Our PATH Fund and Pay-It-Forward Fund have been depleted. In addition to increasing needs present in our community (PATH Fund), an urgent need for assistance has come forward for a member of St. Paul's UMC (Pay-It-Forward). Please consider a donation at this link to either/both of these funds as soon as possible.

+You are invited to include the gift of life in your Christmas gift-giving this year. Vitalant will hold a blood donation drive in Franz Hall on December 27, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM. There are 34 available appointment slots. To sign up to be a donor in the Vitalant blood drive schedule online at this link or call 303-363-2300. Use donor code 10397. All donors will receive a Vitalant Winter Donor long-sleeved t-shirt and a $10 Amazon gift card. 

+Claudia Mills will bring the message next Sunday as we begin 2023 at St. Paul's UMC.

+The first Ladies Lunch Bunch of 2023 will take place on January 5 at Parma Trattoria & Mozzarella Bar in Louisville, starting at 11:45 p.m. Please R.V.S.P. your intention to participate to Belinda Alkula by January 3.

+Join us on January 8 for the celebration of a Wesley Covenant Service. This historic expression of faith has been practiced wherever the spiritual descendents of the Wesleys have gathered since 1755. 

Christmas Day @ St. Paul's UMC: Worship

Christmas Day @ Home   

Service recording available at this link.

Welcome                                                                                                                                      

Litany for Christmas Day: In this season of waiting, of longing, of looking for You to come into our world. We are seeking light. In our own lives. We are seeking light. In our neighborhoods. We are seeking light. In our families. We are seeking light. In our work. We are seeking light. In Grace. We are seeking light. In our nation. We are seeking light. In our world. We are seeking light. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened. Ask and it will be given to you. Jesus, You are the light of the world. May we have eyes to see You and ears to hear You. Come into our world today. Amen. (Grace Church – Ealing, London)                                                                            

Music: “What Child is This?” – Jubilante Ringers (December 15, 2019) 

Luke 2:1-7

Prayer for Christmas Day: Loving God, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.  (Attributed to Robert Louis Stevenson)  

Music:  Christmas Lullaby - Anthem Airs (December 24, 2019)

Luke 2:8-20

Reflection: “Unwrapping the mystery”–– Pastor Charles

I Believe: An affirmation based on John 1:1-5: Jesus Christ, brother of Light, I believe. I believe that in the beginning was the Promise and the Promise was with God and the Promise was God. I believe in the infinite, nurturing creativity of God, in the incarnate, crucified humility of God, in the intimate, inspiring liberality of God. Jesus Christ, brother of Light, I believe. (Bruce Prewer)

Music: The Debut (tune: Jingle Bells) – sung by Paige Sandusky (Rev. Christine Sobania Johnson, East Hills Moravian Church – Bethlehem, PA)  

Come and see, go and tell:

Come and see! The light of God has come into our world to proclaim God’s justice and love; It has overcome the darkness and brought new life.  Come and follow! Christ our companion has redeemed our world. He draws us into a loving family From every tribe and family and culture. Go and tell! The Spirit has equipped us for service To love our neighbors as we do ourselves To bring God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. Come and see, come and follow, go and tell! In God’s Love the nations of the earth will put their hope. (Adapted from Christine Sine)

Prayer of Adoration and Intercession for the Christmas Season

We come to adore you, little one.

On bended knee,

with hopeful heart,

and eyes stretched wide with wonder and awe.

The gentleness of your gaze

draws us into the mystery of all that lies beyond,

and in that place of falling into joy

we yield all that we are to you.

And we pray.

For those who are broken,

Those who seek,

The trembling and the rumbling tummies,

The haggard spirits and the ragged lives.

For those who cling to the last best thing,

and those whose hearts pine for love.

Bless us, O Lord, whom we adore,

and turn our faces ever toward you.

For peace,

for mercy,

for the sake of all that is holy.

We come to adore you, O Christ.

~ written by the Rev. Anne Fraley, rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in 

South Windsor, CT. Posted on RevGalBlogPals.  

Devotional for the First Day of Christmas

Bristol Cathedral

During the Twelve Days of Christmas (December 25– January 5) and the Day of Epiphany (January 6), we will hear from Charles Wesley,    Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord (London: Strahan, 1745). These hymns were written for the season of Christmas and speak of the birth of the Messiah and of the joy that is the Christmas season. 

Ye simple men of heart sincere,

Shepherds who watch your flocks by night,

Start not to see an angel near,

Nor tremble at this glorious light.

 An herald from the heavenly King,

I come your every fear to chase:

Good tidings of great joy I bring,

Great joy to all the fallen race!

To you is born on this glad day

A Saviour, by our host adored;

Our God in Bethlehem survey,

Make haste to worship Christ the Lord.

By this the Saviour of mankind,

The incarnate God, shall be display’d,

The Babe ye wrapp’d in swathes shall find

And humbly in a manger laid.

It’s Christmas Again

Silent Night Chapel - Oberndorf, Germany

It’s Christmas Again

Seems like forever, and yet yesterday

Everything was normal, but that has no meaning today

The four horsemen have always been here,

but lately they have been winning more

And … it’s Christmas again.

We saw the storm clouds rising, but hoped for sun

When the rains fell at first, we saw some benefit

Then the night came, and the cold, and the dark brought death

And …. It’s Christmas again.

We used to have neighbors, now we have “Oh Them”

Some cyber news has infected the folk on the block

They have flags, and slogans,

and lots of friends who think like “them”

And …. Yet … it’s Christmas again.

Bombs and rockets fall on the innocent now,

children without helmets

Rich nations want more so they take more,

misery means victory to them

Poor people just want to simply live and yet they horribly die

And …. Unthinkably … it’s Christmas again.

I’m not sure how to fill out my creche this year

I think the wise men got turned back at the border

The shepherds didn’t look up from their

phone games to see the Angels

And … almost without notice … it’s Christmas again.

Come Lord, into the darkness of December, into our humble homes

Come Lord, into a million aching souls, searching for the light

Come Lord, into our confused and troubled hearts, with a new birth

Because … behind the tears and fears, dreams and hopes …

it’s Christmas again.

Fill us Lord, not with the bounty of the table,

but with your loving smile

Fill us Lord, not with a tree bursting with boxes,

but with a message for our hearts

Fill us Lord, not with the constant clamor of Carols, but a quiet peace

And … bring us Hope and Peace and Joy and Love …

Because … it’s Christmas again.

We need Christmas, … again.

May the personal powerful presence of Christ be yours this year.

© Rev. Steve Petty, 2022

Reprinted with permission