Parsonage visitor

There was a surprise at the parsonage this evening, a visit from former St. Paul's UMC pastor, Monte Baker (1994-1999).

Previously, Tom English (1965-1971) and Jim Luallen (1999-2005) had been to visit their former church and parsonage.

Lighthouse Congregations Guide United Methodists to Where They Can 'Stay UMC'

Disaffiliation has cast gloom over some church members whose congregation votes to leave – and leave them behind if they want to stay in the UMC. Piercing the gloom, however, is a new light emanating from North Carolina that brightens the present and shines on a new future.

Lighthouse Congregations represent a movement to provide a "safe place" for church members who don't want to leave The United Methodist Church and need to recover spiritually and emotionally from disaffiliation stress. How the idea came about also has excited church leaders as the fruit of a new collaboration across annual conference boundaries.

Read more at this link.

This week @ St. Paul's UMC

 

Monday 

9:00 AM, Office Hours

Tuesday 

9:00 AM, Office Hours

Wednesday:

10:00 AM, Boulder/Baseline Circuit (Pastor)

10:00 AM, Zoom Fellowship 

7:30 PM, Choir practice

Thursday:

9:00 AM, Office Hours 

10:00 AM, Service of Lament in a Season of Disaffiliation 

(register here)

3:15 AM, Fellowship Team meeting

7:00 PM, SPPRC Zoom meeting

Friday:

10:00 AM, Sew What @ Louise Cook's

Saturday:

11:00 AM, Dinner Circle Brunch @ Claudia Mills'

Sunday:

8:30 AM, Bell practice

8:45 AM, Adult class

10:15 AM, Worship 

11:15 AM, Fellowship

12:30 PM, BBKC

Scripture lessons for April 23

Walk to Emmaus - Chartres Cathedral (France)

We are continuing to make our way in the Season of Easter with scripture lessons from Acts 12:14a, 36-41 and Luke 24:13-35.

April 16 @ St. Paul's UMC: Prayers

Joys:

+Joey Vander Vorste celebrates the news that Abby Lagemann has accepted a teaching position at Drake University for the 2023-2024 school year. 

+Belinda Alkula celebrates recently married Jessica Sawyer who is with us today.

+We give thanks for this week's birthdays: John Courier and Sandra Jordan.

+We are blessed by those who served this week: Belinda Alkula (videographer), Steve Bainbridge (greeter), Louise Cook (piano), Tim Cook (adult class), Rebeca Glancy (message), Claudia Mills (liturgist), Myrle Myers (fellowship), and Suzanne Polacek (bells).

Concerns:

+Prayers are asked for Sandra Jordan following the unexpected death of her sister Donna last week. 

+Mark Leifeste asks for prayers for his daughter who had a surprise medical procedure last week. Mark will be taking care of his three-year old grandson during the recovery period.

+Belinda Alkula asks for prayers for David and Margaret, family members of a P.E.O. sister who are having health issues. 

+Bren Smith lifts up in prayer Gary who is having health concerns.   

+Suzanne Polacek asks for prayers for Ron who is having a procedure on Friday. 

+We join with many across our nation in mourning the deaths of the 197 killed and 465 injured due to gun violence last week.

April 16 @ St. Paul's UMC: Announcements

+Discipleship Ministries (of The United Methodist Church) is offering a time for the church to gather as we mourn those who have left or are leaving the denomination and to look to God as we envision a future in faith. A Service of Lament in a Season of Disaffiliation will be shared on April 20 @ 10:00am on Zoom.   Registration link.  

+Please plan to stay for fellowship time after the service next Sunday, April 23, when we will honor Jessica Bishop and Jakeb Sawyer who were married on Easter Sunday afternoon by Pastor Charles. There will be cake! Feel free to shower them with cards or words of congratulations.

+Please consider signing up to be part of the worship leadership. Help is needed each week for the following: liturgist, flowers, and fellowship time host. A clipboard is available on the usher's table.

+Sew What will meet on Friday, April 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Louise Cook’s home. Please R.S.V.P. by April 18 to Louise via email or phone call (louisecook916@gmail.com / 303-859-9327). Note: Folks are encouraged to bring their own lunches/preferred drinks. Some drinks will be provided.

+Do you like worship @ St. Paul's UMC? Pastor Charles is looking for people who are passionate about worship and willing to help on the Worship Team. 

April 16 @ St. Paul's UMC: Worship

Second Sunday of Easter

(Today's worship video)

Today’s Meditation Verse: “Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” —Genesis 21:6

Welcome... Rebecca Glancy

Prelude... Louise Cook / “I Love to Tell the Story” by William Fischer

*Call to Worship

Sing a new song! A joyful melody of springtime glory and rebirth. Sing praise to our Still-Laughing Easter God, Who has rolled away the bindings of yesterday. Immerse your anxiety and despair in the fountain of new birth. Sing a new song!

*Hymn... “Lord of the Dance” (UMH #261)

Opening Prayer (by The Rev. Thom M. Shuman)

You smiled, and the sun burst through the shadows of chaos; You chuckled, and the platypus splashed in creation’s fountain; You laughed and all that is good and beautiful was given shape by You, Imaginative God. Snickering at the feeble attempts of the evil one, You showed us how to resist temptation; giggling at sin’s desperate desire to hold on to us, You released us by Your love; howling with laughter at death’s foolish belief that the tomb could hold You, You burst forth into the kingdom as the stars pealed with joy, laughing Jesus. As You fill us with new life, may we delight in sharing it with others; as You tell us the good news which can never be taken from us, may we rejoice in offering it to the broken, the sad, the lonely; as You tickle us with grace, may we give it away with laughter on our lips and joy in our hearts, Spirit of Easter. God in Community, Holy in One, our hearts overflow with wonder. Amen.

A Communion of Saints Affirmation of Humor (Compiled by the Rev. Chris Anderson)

We believe with the Bible that “there is a time to weep  and a time to laugh.

We believe with John Chrysostom that “laughter has been implanted in our souls.”

We believe with Thomas Aquinas that there is a time for “playful deeds and jokes.”

We believe with Martin Luther that “you have as much laughter as you have faith.”

We believe with John Calvin that “we are nowhere forbidden to laugh.”

We believe with Francis De Sales that “humor is a foundation for reconciliation.”

We believe with John Wesley that “a sour religion is the devil’s religion.”

We believe with Søren Kierkegaard that “humor is intrinsic to Christianity.”

We believe with Fyodor Dostoevsky that “if a person laughs well they are a good person.”

We believe with Gilbert Chesterton that “a good joke is the closest thing we have to divine revelation.”

We believe with Dietrich Bonhoeffer that “ultimate seriousness is not without a dose of humor.” 

We believe with Fulton Sheen that “the only time laughter is wicked is when it is turned against He who gave it.”

We believe with Flannery O’Connor that “Christianity is a strangely cheery religion.”

We believe with Elton Trueblood, “Never trust a theologian without a sense of humor.”

We believe with Charles Schultz that “humor is proof that everything is going to be alright with God nevertheless.”

We believe with the Psalmist that “our mouths are filled with laughter and our tongues with joyful songs.” 

Community prayer requests, concerns, and celebrations... Rebecca Glancy

The Lord’s Prayer... Rebecca Glancy

Bell Anthem... “Cheerful Bell Melody,” arranged by Karissa Dennis 

Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15:35-54

Message... Rebecca Glancy / “Was the resurrection a bad joke?”

*Hymn... “Shine, Jesus, Shine” (TFWS #2173)

*Words for the Journey... Rebecca Glancy

May the God of surprises bring smiles and joy to the everyday and ordinary. May the God of love be seen in all we do and speak. Go forth rejoicing, for the good work has just begun! Amen.

Postlude... Louise Cook / “On Eagle’s Wings,” arranged by Douglas Wagner

Adapted from “A Service for Holy Humor Sunday” (April 19, 2020) Lake Sunapee UMC (Sunapee, New Hampshire)