All Saints Sunday @ St. Paul's

What a week it's been! A significant amount of snow, record low temperatures, and lots and lots of love seen in the lives of the congregation's members. 

This morning's anthem was offered by the choir, a rendering of "In the Sweet By-and-by." Today's sermon was taken from Luke 6:20-31.

During our worship, we remembered the saints who have shaped us. We also blessed the socks that will be taken to the bandshell park and distributed to those in need as part of the Thanks Giving in the Park effort.

Thanks this morning to: Belinda Alkula (Video), Angela Baker (Liturgist/Communion), Jerry Beaber & Austin Cooper (Ushers), Jessica Bishop (Nursery), Wally Cleaveland (Alpha&Omega), Lorie Courier (Accompanist), Bets & Dan Daniels (Fellowship), Scott Glancy (Church school), Ron Revier (Choir), Lorie Courier (Accompanist), Jim & Joey Vander Vorste (Flowers/Counters), and Christopher Wahl (Hand bell).

A now for something completely different

Lent Madness began in 2010 as the brainchild of the Rev. Tim Schenck. In seeking a fun, engaging way for people to learn about the men and women comprising the Church’s Calendar of Saints, Tim came up with this unique Lenten devotion. Combining his love of sports with his passion for the lives of the saints, Lent Madness was born on his blog “Clergy Family Confidential” which has subsequently moved locations and become “Clergy Confidential.”

The format is straightforward: 32 saints are placed into a tournament-like single elimination bracket. Each pairing remains open for a set period of time and people vote for their favorite saint. 16 saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Faithful Four; two to the Championship; and the winner is awarded the coveted Golden Halo. 

Read more at this link.

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Bishop Cyprian (mid-3rd-century AD), in a letter commending the martyrs, addresses those who might yet face persecution.

"I not only beseech but exhort the rest of you... If the battle shall call you out, if the day of your contest shall come engage bravely, fight with constancy, as knowing that you are fighting under the eyes of a present Lord, that you are attaining by the confession of His name to His own glory; who is not such a one as that He only looks on His servants, but He Himself also wrestles in us, Himself is engaged, Himself also in the struggles of our conflict not only crowns, but is crowned. But if before the day of your contest, of the mercy of God, peace shall supervene {come first}, let there still remain to you the sound will and the glorious conscience {ready to endure suffering}."

Cyprian, Epistle 8.

(Cyprian himself was beheaded on September 14, 258 AD)

Remember to set your clocks back tonight

Pathways Focus Groups

The Mountain Sky Annual Conference of 2019 passed a petition entitled “Moving Towards God’s Good Future.” That petition instructed the Conference Roundtable to create a team whose purpose is to assist the conference in moving forward into God’s good future following General Conference 2019. One assignment to the newly formed team, named Pathways Team, was to conduct listening sessions across the conference. The Conference Roundtable, General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference Delegation, and Pathways Team have been working hard to make that possible.

Focus Sessions are now scheduled in churches across the conference. Additional Focus Sessions may also be scheduled as host churches express their interest and availability. The sessions will be led by knowledgeable leaders. You are invited to come and share your hopes and dreams for the future of the church.
You will also have an opportunity to focus on the pathways to make that future a reality. Your responses will be collected, summarized, and shared with the Bishop, Cabinet, Roundtable, Pathways Team, and entire conference. The Pathways Team will use the hopes and dreams you share during these sessions to determine what it needs to do to further assist the conference in moving into God’s good future. 

Dates and locations for the PPP District:

+November 5, 6:30; First UMC (Colorado Springs)

+November 18, 6:30; Smoky Hill UMC (Centennial)

+November 21, 6:30; Mountain View UMC (Boulder)

+TBD; First UMC (Greeley)

The devotional is coming

If you signed up to contribute an entry for this year's Advent -Christmas devotional, please submit it to the church office this by Wednesday (November 6). We will begin printing copies in anticipation of the November 24 distribution date later next week.

Starting on December 1, the First Sunday of Advent, entries will appear each day on the blog and on our Facebook page.

A Hymn for All Saints Day

Fra Angelico

(YouTube video)

1 Let saints on earth in concert sing
with those whose work is done;
for all the servants of our King
in heaven and earth are one.

2 One family, we dwell in Him,
one church, above, beneath;
though now divided by the stream,
the narrow stream of death.

3 One army of the living God,
to His command we bow:
part of the host have crossed the flood,
and part are crossing now.

4 E'en now to their eternal home
there pass some spirits blest;
while others to the margin come,
waiting their call to rest.

5 Jesu, be Thou our constant guide;
then, when the word is given,
bid Jordan's narrow stream divide,
and bring us safe to heaven.

Source: Charles Wesley, 1759, 
Ancient and Modern: Hymns and Songs for Refreshing Worship