Wednesday, June 3

6:30 – 7:30 pm

The United Methodist Men will have our first virtual (Zoom) meeting on Wednesday, June 3rd, at 6:30 pm. Normally, we would have a cookout this time of the year, so grill up your own burgers or hot dogs and join everyone online. John Scheirer and Steve Lillie will team up to give a presentation on cruising in Alaska. They’ll take you on virtual adventure that will be a nice break from the confines of your home. To support a local restaurant, we’ll also have a drawing for a gift certificate to a local restaurant for those in attendance. Please contact Phil Rush (phil_rush [at] hotmail.com) if you'd like to attend.

Tom Price, a leading layman in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, died April 23 following a battle with cancer. Tom Price was director of Conference youth ministries for several years and helped create and lead the BWC's annual ROCK retreats. (The photo shows Tom & Becki with Bishop Easterling at ROCK in 2019, courtesy the BWC.) He also served as a delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences. He is survived by his wife, Becki. Condolences can be sent to tombecki [at] aol.com or  you may contact the St. Paul's office to request Becki's home mailing address for cards. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Tom's honor to Compassion International at www.compassion.com.

Click here to sign up to indicate you would like to receive a meal!

To indicate you would like to cook a meal, contact Bill Butz or email the church office at stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org.

“Sequestered at Home” is tough on us all. For some of us, our kids are grown and our grandkids, much as we love ‘em, are not underfoot. Others of us are still working, often from home, AND our kids are now rattling around the house, too…and our spouses. That’s extra tough. Those of us in the first group—not yet going nuts—would love to lend a hand to those in the second group. How about if we drop off a home-cooked meal or at least a main dish, kid-friendly and big enough to last for snacks? We can’t come in to kid-sit, we can’t take them out for a jaunt, we can’t put the toys away, we can’t even do the dishes afterward! But cook and deliver we can do…and we’d love to. If One Less Meal would help out, either one time only or once a week, please sign up. We’ll begin the program the week of April 6 and continue for the duration. So please indicate a particular date or day of the week when a prepared meal would be most helpful, the number of adults and children, and any special “likes.” Your cook will be in touch, grateful for the opportunity to help out. And you know what, you can reward your cook when all this is over…with a big hug!

If you are able to gather new, un-used cards and save them for us, please do! Cards for our card ministry efforts are donated by members and friends of St. Paul's. Once we can find a way to safely collect them, we will certainly use them! We are particularly in need of Sympathy and Get Well cards, but we will take all kinds.

While we cannot meet in person, card ministry coordinators Deanna Hodgson, Judith Swan, and Sue Heidel are still finding ways to send notes to those who let our pastors know about illness, loss, or life changes. 

If you would like to request a copy of the Congregational Care list to spread some cheer by mail, please contact Erin at stpaulsunited [at] stpaulsk.org. The list is updated once a week.

Usually, friends of St. Paul's pick up pre-addressed cards at the Visitor’s Desk on Sundays to send to friends who could use a little extra cheer. The cards even have a stamp already affixed! You can simply sign your name or write a note. Please remove the customized insert inside before sealing the envelope for mailing, and put the insert into your paper recycling. Thank you so much for helping with this cheerful and uplifting ministry!

Mondays - Wednesdays - Fridays

9:00 a.m.

Facebook Live

Looking for a way to start your day with a calm breath and fresh spiritual encouragement? Three days a week, Pastor Kate or another leader will offer a short session with scripture, thoughts to ponder, prayer, and a chance to reflect on the eternal power of God's love even in challenging times.

Want to stay on top of events at St. Paul's? Please visit our Epistle & Weekly News page to sign up for the email newsletter. The form couldn't be simpler - you'll provide your name, email address, check a box, and click a button, and you're done! If you have trouble, contact the church office at stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org. You can also check out our guidelines for submitting material if you have an event or activity to share. Our policies about sharing photos and contact information is also available here.

Still Wednesday will continue to meet using ZOOM while the church building is closed. Go here for more information.

Once we resume operations, we invite you to visit in person on Wednesday nights, 7:00-8:00 pm to spend time in a sacred space full of quiet, peace, and opportunities for reflection. For more information, visit the Still Wednesday page.

You can join a time of prayer by phone on Tuesday mornings at 9:45. Visit our Prayer Requests page to learn how.

Bishop Easterling held a State of the Church web address on April 18. Among other news, "churches throughout the Baltimore-Washington Conference will continue to operate under restrictions that mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through May 15." For the link to view the address and the BWC news service summary, visit https://www.bwcumc.org/news-and-views/bwc-leaders-offer-state-of-the-church/

Sunday April 26, 2020 would be our annual Heritage Sunday celebration, recognizing those who have been members of St. Paul's for 50 years and more. Given we are currently practicing physical distancing and we truly want to embrace the occasion in all of its fullness, we will postpone the celebration of Heritage Sunday and reschedule it for such time as we are able to gather together.

The regularly-scheduled pancake breakfast for May has been CANCELED. 

During normal operations, serving hours are 8:00-10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall, on the first Saturday of each month September-June. We have a long-standing tradition of offering pancakes, eggs, sausage, ham, fruit, and other dishes. Instead of a fixed price, we request a goodwill donation. All proceeds are donated to charities that work to aid those throughout our region and the world. Read more at our Pancake Breakfast page!

Our Hunger Ministry will NOT hold a distribution night in May. This will help reduce the risk of spreading illness. Existing clients will receive grocery store cards by mail. This allows maximum flexibility for purchasing the items they need the most.

Monetary donations to support the Hunger Ministry are still welcome and may be mailed to the church office or can be made securely online. Donors may also mail or drop off grocery store gift cards ($20 value each, Safeway or Giant). 

Please read more at our Hunger Ministry page!

Under normal operations, the Hunger Ministry's monthly Communion Collect takes place the first Sunday of the month when our generous donors provide nonperishable food and sort and pack supplies. The following day, families facing food insecurity are welcomed to the Fellowship Hall for a hot meal and to receive grocery items. We look forward to resuming distribution as soon as possible. 

The UMM-sponsored Spring Indoor Yard Sale & Boutique, previously scheduled for May 15-16, has been canceled. The UMM is thankful for all continued support and interest, but cannot currently accept any new drop-offs or items meant for future sales because of limits on our storage capacity.

Stuck at home and looking for something to do? Here are some suggestions from Pastor Pat:

1. Post a note of thanks on your door for your mail person or delivery people .

2. If you know persons working as cashiers. medical personnel or other front line responders, offer yourself to be available for a "prayer break" with them, if they have a chance to pause during their shifts/day.

3. Join St. Paul's newly created Prayer Waves - prayer line.

4. Send a Door Dash or Uber Eats gift card to someone who may need an extra meal delivered.

5. Send cards to folk in nursing homes or assisted living facilities who are unable to have visits.

Go to our RENOVATION page to read more and submit a question! St. Paul's long-awaited building renovation project is designed to make our church ADA accessible, to connect our spaces for easier navigation and a more welcoming environment, and to shape our interior so we can host our mission and engagement efforts. The Building and Capital Campaign Committees have already worked with architects to draw up plans, bring them into line with our budget, invite donors to give above-and-beyond normal offerings, and to pull county permits for work. Submit your questions for our Building Renovation team as we move into the next phase and get ready to break ground. Committee leaders will use your thoughts to develop a Frequently Asked Questions guide. 

The meetings previously planned for April and May have been CANCELED. We will assess future meetings and provide updates at a later time - please check back here for more details.

The Friendship Club for older adults normally meets at 11:30 in the Fellowship Hall on the second Tuesday of the month, October-May with a "field trip" in June. Seniors throughout the community are invited to bring a dish to share for lunch, stay for short updates about members and club business, and then enjoy entertainment from local professional singers, musicians, or actors. Come be with us as we make our golden years our great years!

During normal operations, all young people from preschool through high school are invited to attend Sunday School at St. Paul's. A list of classroom locations is posted in the Narthex, and information packets are available at the Visitors’ Center desk and in the church office. 

Sunday School has been CANCELED from now through April 26. Worship services have also been canceled during this period. Please visit our CHILDREN's page http://stpaulsk.org/community/children for more details and other useful information!

Please sign up on the flower chart in the main office to sponsor the flowers that grace our Sanctuary each Sunday. The yellow forms on the bulletin board beside the chart will allow you to provide information so your dedication in honor, memory, or celebration appears in the worship bulletin. The cost is $65 and you may take flowers with you or have them delivered to those who need some extra cheer.  

Spread the love of St. Paul's by delivering flowers to those who are in need of a little extra cheer. A sign-up sheet is available in the church office. Flower Delivery people collect a bunch of flowers from the Sanctuary following the 10:30 a.m. worship service, then use a map and card provided to stop by the home of a church member or friend. It's an easy, family-friendly way to minister to our faith community. Please contact the church office or Ginny Hagberg if you have any questions.

Saying hello to old friends and assisting new visitors is a vital part of making St. Paul’s warm and welcoming for all.  Each Sunday, our greeters and those who serve at our Visitors’ Center desk do this good work.  It’s time to refresh our pool of volunteers!  Without your help, the Visitors’ Center would sit vacant and the Narthex would be less inviting.  Laura Tribble coordinates the Visitors’ Center and Debbie Zechar manages the schedule of greeters.  Every Sunday counts, so please contact Laura or Debbie if you might be able to help share the warmth of St. Paul’s.   

The Biblical Archaeology Forum, usually hosted at the Bender JCC in Rockville MD, offers a monthly presentation that brings together historians, archaeologists, and biblical scholars to look at intriguing questions and broaden our understanding of the biblical world. 

Go to our Adult Education Page to lean more about upcoming lectures, to find the full schedule for 2019-2020, and to access links to other Biblical Archaeology Forum resources.

Once we resume normal operations:

All are welcome to gather in the Octagon for refreshments and conversation after worship. The goodies we enjoy each week are provided by friends who sign up to bake or buy treats (nut-free please). Every Sunday, we need at least two adult volunteers to serve as hosts after the 10:30 a.m. service. The set-up host arrives about an hour before worship to plug in the coffee urn and set out cups, sugar, cream, snacks, etc., and stays after briefly to clean up when coffee hour is finished. Helping to set up and serve coffee is a great way to feel like a part of our church community. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact Dupeh Ochieng. We can also help pair novice hosts with experienced hosts to help you learn the ropes. Sign up sheets are available in the Octagon during Sunday fellowship time, and in the Octagon kitchen during the week.

We are welcoming new Lay Readers (to read the scripture) and Communion Stewards (to help serve communion) who would like to assist in the first worship service, 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. There are dates available throughout the summer! To sign up online, simply add your name and email address to the sign-up sheet found here: goo.gl/Xz5T79. If you have questions, please contact the church office or Rev. Kate Mackereth Fulton (kfulton [at] stpaulsk.org).

Special Church Conference was held Sunday, October 13 at 12:00 noon in the Sanctuary. District Superintendent Rev. Gerry Green presided. Members who were present voted by ballot on whether or not to begin the Reconciling process. 

The vote was 205 to 22 in favor of beginning the process. 

Click here to read the Frequently Asked Questions handout, which provides answers to questions raised during this process.

Please visit our Way Forward page stpaulsk.org/community/the-way-forward for more information. 

We also have downloadable documents and other resources available to help members and friends learn about what happened at the global United Methodist Church's special general conference held February 2019 and new UMC "Traditional Plan" rules restricting LGBTQ+ participation, and St. Paul's efforts to find our Way Forward, including video recordings of the Reconciling Info Session (Sept. 22) and Samoan Circle Panel (Sept. 29).