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Saint Paul Presbyterian Church 4517 Rufe Snow Drive
North Richland Hills, TX 76180 817-281-3175
Saint Paul’s Epistle to You March 2020
A Prayer By Walker Westerlage, Pastor
A Prayer from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) stated clerk. Let us all pray, As the novel coronavirus has captured the headlines in recent weeks, misinformation, conspiracy theories, and fear of the unknown have raised anxiety and caused widespread apprehension. Financial markets have wobbled and people of Asian descent in this country and around the world have been unfairly targeted. This virus has exposed the vulnerability and fragil-ity of the global community. As we all struggle with the horrific impact of the deadly virus that has infected so many people in China and now in a num-ber of other countries, we cannot but call upon our God for help and healing. Please join me in crying out for relief from this plague. We pray for healing for those who are infected, in China and in all the places where the virus has spread. We pray for all who already have lost loved ones to the illness and those who will yet suffer such loss. We pray for doctors, nurses, and aides providing medical care, for insight in their caring, and for their health and well-being. We pray for wisdom for the medical and scientific experts who are desperately seeking ways to control the spread of the virus. We pray for public officials who must make the hard decisions about the quarantining of those who may have been exposed to the virus; and we pray for all those for whom those decisions feel like unjust imprisonment.
We lift up the Christian church in China and our partners throughout the region as they seek to bring Christ’s healing pres-ence and peace. We pray for God to keep us alert to the threats posed by such a worldwide crisis, remember-ing the millions of God’s children who live in places where the availability of medical care is meager or nonexistent. May God open our hearts, our financial resources, and our political will, so that the vision of a better future can become a reality for all of God’s children. In the Providence of the God who created us, in the Passion of our Savior Jesus Christ who redeems us, and in the Power of the Holy Spirit through whom God’s will is done. AMEN.
Peace,
March Liturgist
Sue Sewell
Elders of the Month
Sandra Turner Sue Sewell
Continue to use the email addresses of “[email protected]” or “[email protected]” to communicate with Walker.
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WEDNESDAY SCHOOL CLASS
The JOY Class is on hiatus.
Adult Sunday School
The Adult Sunday School is starting up again. Please ask Scott Carter for more info. The class will meet at 9:30—10:30 in the Fellowship Hall Adult Classroom.
Everyone enjoys the fellowship after church and it’s even better when there is a little something to nibble. There are four months this year that have a 5th Sunday. We are open to suggestions, i.e., soup, salad, ice cream social, etc. Please let one of the com-mittee members, such as Heidi Newell, Louise Wilson, or Norma Russell know what you’d like to see for the 5th Sunday. The fourth Sunday will continue to be a Birthday Cake Sunday.
It’s easy and if you cannot serve it yourself, any member of the Congregational Care Committee is willing to help then, or any Sunday.
Testimonials Requested
Testimonials of 350 words or less are requested to post on the Saint Paul website and in print communications. Please submit your testimonial of why you joined Saint Paul and why you continue to be a member. Email it to Walker at [email protected]. If you need help with typing your testimonial, submit a written copy to Joyce Kirkpatrick and she will see that it is formatted correctly and submit-ted.
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If you have a recipe you’d like to share, please submit it to Joyce Kirkpatrick for inclusion in an upcoming newsletter!! Enjoy!! In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here’s a recipe that is very tasty and GREEN!!! (yummy—this is one of my favorites)
Green Fluff Salad from Sandra Turner
INGREDIENTS Large can crushed pineapple in juice, drained well 16 oz small curd cottage cheese Large pkg lime jello (do not make it per pkg di-rections, leave it dry) Large tub of Cool Whip
DIRECTIONS Mix pineapple and cottage cheese. Sprinkle dry jello on the mixture and stir until combined. Fold in Cool Whip. May use low fat cottage cheese and sugar free jello. May use other jello flavors to change up the fla-vor and color for different seasons.
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THE MISSION PAGE
March NEED Volunteers Chris and Sandra Turner
2nd Monday of each month
10 am—3 pm
The Mission Committee met on January 26 to review plans for the coming year’s mission commitments. We hope to continue with all the important work we are attempting and add new mis-sions when we can. Here is the status of our various missions:
NEED—Thanks for your generous donations following the holiday. We learned in late January that they are in great need of cereal, green beans and pinto beans. Cereal is get-ting more expensive and donations are greatly down. The pantry goes through green beans and pinto beans quickly so they need a steady supply. Health Equipment Loan Program—Rosalee is the contact for this program at this point. We are organizing a cleanup day to inventory and organize the HELP room. Thanks for all your valuable donations to this ministry. Recently we took excess walker frames to both NEED and Presbyterian Night Shelter. Presbyterian Night Shelter--We’ll repeat the ever popular March Madness to collect items for the shelter. Watch the bulletin and the March newsletter for details. Check the sales for tooth hygiene items, cleaning products for the body and for clothing, over-the-counter drugs, and bedding and bathroom items like towels, wash cloths, blankets and pillows. For the last two years we have provided over 3,000 items as a result of our “Madness.” Thanks to everyone! Support Our Soldiers—We’ll begin to collect items for our service personnel again in May, June and July in recognition of Memorial Day and Independence Day. You are wel-come to leave items in the bin at any time as deliveries can be made throughout the year. Pennies for Mission—Watch for Bingo Night in May. Collect your coins—quarters fit nicely on the squares--and your White Elephant gifts and be ready to rumble. Meanwhile, nickels, dimes and pennies can be deposited in the jar in Fellowship Hall. Last year, your loose change added up to over $600 for our missionaries on the border. Mark Adams and Miriam Maldonado Escobar are mission co-workers with the Presbyterian Border Ministry in Agua Prieta, Mexico. Operation Christmas Child—Later in the year we will be discussing collecting Christmas gift boxes again for children around the world. We are always looking for new mission direction and mission committee members. If you have comments or questions see Linda Akins, committee moderator, or Beckie Briggs,
recording secretary. Thanks again for all you do in God’s name.
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It’s Back!!!
March Madness Benefitting
Presbyterian Night Shelter
We are bringing back March Giving Madness and making a few changes. This year we will partner with the Worship Committee to bring even more meaning to our weekly Lenten Cele-brations. Each week we will feature a different item to collect during the specified week and also at the dinners.
March 1 to 7 is Tooth Week
Bring toothbrushes and/or toothpaste, plus other dental care products
March 8 to 14 is Clean Week Bring body wash, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc.
March 15 to 21 Drug Week
Benadryl, Antacids, Advil, Tylenol, Cough drops, Multi-vitamins, Sunscreen, etc.
March 22 to 29 is Home Week
Single flat sheets, towels, washcloths, blankets, pillows, etc. Remember to “Think Small and Give Big”. Small, personal sizes of items are best except for
laundry detergent and shampoo which may be in large containers. There’s no team competi-
tion this year, but there is a goal to collect 1000 items—about 250 in each category. Instead of
giving something up for Lent, think about giving something out—a donation to the clients of
Presbyterian Night Shelter. If you prefer to give a cash donation, label your check
“Presbyterian Night Shelter”, and deposit in the collection plate. Or give a donation to Linda
Akins and a Mission Committee Member will be happy to shop for you.
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Presbyterian Women Vote on Donation Recipients
The Presbyterian Women selected two recipients for their most recent donations. Locally, funds in the amount of $200 were used to purchase food for NEED West. The group tried a new avenue for the giving by coordi-nating with NEED to order a pallet of most needed items from Aldi. A PW member met the NEED representa-tive at Aldi and, after the tab was paid, the volunteer loaded the groceries into his truck to deliver to NEED. We wanted to share these details in case others wanted to make a larger contribution.
The second donation was made to a global mission via The Presbyterian Giving Catalog. The women were able to purchase four sewing machines for $200 to benefit women in developing countries. The machines can be used both for family clothing as well as setting up a sewing business. Again, the process was made simple by ordering online at https://presbyteriangifts.pcusa.org/. Sample catalogs also are available in Fellowship Hall for ordering by mail or phone. A variety of gifts are available in a wide range of price points. You can even pur-chase a cow for $450. Other items are tools; seeds; other farm animals like pigs, chickens, and goats; and more.
IMPORTANT DATES
Lenten Suppers, Wednesday Nights - Mar 4, 11, 18, 25, Apr 1 at 6:30, Fellowship Hall Palm Sunday - Apr 5, palms are provided in the service Maundy Thursday – Apr 9, 6:30, Agape meal and service in the Fellowship Hall, communion will be served Tenebrae (Good Friday) - Apr 10, 7 pm, Sanctuary Easter Sunday - Apr 12, 7 am Sunrise on back patio and 11 am traditional service in Sanctuary, communion served in both services. After the Sunrise service the men of the church will serve breakfast. Bring fresh flow-ers to adorn the cross for the 11 AM service DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME STARTS MARCH 8TH!!!! Clocks will “Spring Forward” one hour at 2 AM on 03/08
THIS ‘N’ THAT
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THIS ‘N’ THAT (con’t)
ANNUAL N.E.E.D. MEETING AND VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
All N.E.E.D. Volunteers are cordially invited to attend this special meeting. DATE AND TIME: Thursday, March 19, 2020 Noon – 130 pm WHERE: Shady Oaks Baptist Church 1336 Cavender Drive Hurst, TX 76053
Pizza, Salad, Cake, Lemonade/Tea/Water
Entertainment, Annual Report, Door Prizes
Please RSVP by Monday, March 16, 2020 if you plan to attend by sending an email with your name and number of people attending to
Pot Luck Salad Lunch
The Nurture Committee will be hosting a Potluck Salad Lunch on Sunday, March 29 after worship. There will be a sign up sheet posted in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring a dish to share!
Evening Book Club
The evening book club will meet on Wednesday, March 19th at 7:30pm in the Fellowship Hall. We are reading The Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. All are welcome to attend.
Thank You
We received the following in a hand-written thank you note from the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox pro-gram:
To the Members of St. Paul Presbyterian Church,
Thank You so much for taking part in the 2019 OCC Shoebox Ministry. Because of your efforts and dedication, the North Texas Area sent 14,873 “GO Boxes” (Gospel Opportunity) to children around the world last Decem-ber. That’s 14,873 Gospel Opportunities to impact the lives of children, their family and community. The total number of boxes sent from the U.S. was 8,950,144!! Indeed, we have much to celebrate. Praise the Lord!
Again, thank you for participating in the OCC Ministry, and may God bless each of you.
Sincerely,
Becky Neely, Community Relations
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THIS ‘N’ THAT (con’t)
Here is where we get our palms for Palm Sunday and why. Welcome to EcoPalms.org By choosing Ecopalms for Palm Sunday, you can promote environmental and social justice through your congregation's palm purchasing decisions! Promote Social Justice Harvesting palms is an important source of income but gatherers receive a low price Gatherers will receive a higher price for their “fair trade” palms improving their income. Promote Environmental Stewardship Palms protect valuable natural forests because they provide income to forest communities. Palms will be “sustainably” harvested and managed, protecting the palms and the forests they need for shade. Why a "Fair Trade" Palm? To improve income and living conditions for the communities gathering the palm. To protect the palms and the important forests from which they are gathered through sustaina-ble harvest programs. Did You Know? Approximately 308 million palm fronds were consumed in the United States in 1998. Palm purchases for Palm Sunday may be worth up to 4.5 million dollars/year. A congregation of 1,100 to 1,500 members will order approximately 700 palm fronds for Palm Sunday services. Palm gathering actually protects valuable natural forests. At least half of the farmers in the Central Petenof Guatemala earn additional income from har-vesting fronds and, more than a quarter of household heads support themselves exclusively by collecting fronds. Each palm plant produces 2 to 5 harvestable leaves over a 2 to 4 month period.
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What Presbyterians Believe — from the PCUSA Website Biblical Justice—Jesus came to save institutions as well as souls By Mark Achtemeier | Presbyterians Today
From its earliest beginnings the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition has been deeply involved with ministries of justice. In the 16th century John Calvin’s Geneva developed pioneering programs for public health, employment, and care of refugees and indigent persons. In the 19th century Presbyterian abolitionists fought to end slavery in America. In the 20th century Reformed and Presbyterian Christians were leaders in the Civil Rights movement and the international struggle against the racist Apartheid system in South Africa. And Presbyterian congregations today champion the cause of migrant farm workers, of unwed mothers, of impoverished immigrants, of inner-city homeless persons.
Not everyone understands why justice work should be such an important part of Christian discipleship. If Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world,” why should the church be so concerned about matters of political, economic and social policy? Presbyterians sometimes hear other Christians wondering if these down-to-earth political concerns are a distraction from the church’s proper calling of proclaiming the gospel and saving souls. But justice work, as Presbyterians understand it, is all about salvation! The reason justice ministries have been such an important part of our tradition has to do with the very Biblical way in which Presbyterians understand God’s sav-ing work in Jesus Christ. Simply “saving souls” is not in fact a very accurate description of what the Bible says Jesus came to accomplish. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus quotes from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah in his first public description of what his ministry is about: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. — Luke 4:18-19 There is clearly something more going on here than a simple transformation of inward piety, or even a promise of heaven in the sweet by and by. Re-making the world What is going on in Jesus’ ministry is nothing less than God putting right again everything that has gone wrong with the fallen, sinful creation. Jesus’ presence with us is the forward edge of that new, restored creation breaking into the midst of the old. This is exactly what Paul is describing when he says “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The newness of that dawning, restored creation takes many forms. We see in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross how the new creation overcomes our sin and alienation from God. In Jesus’ resurrection we see how the new creation brings the overthrow of death’s dominion over us. In the fruit of the Spirit we experience how this new creation extends even to our own hearts, recreating them in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This new creation, which the Bible also calls the Kingdom of God, isn’t fully here yet. But the New Testament in-sists that God’s re-creation of the world has begun in the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is important to emphasize here that God is not simply re-making that little corner of creation occupied by the church. The Bible assures us that God is re-creating and perfecting the entire world. This is why the church confess-es that Jesus is Lord not just of the church, but also of all creation. (Click the link in the title above for the full article)
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News Briefs
Kroger Community Rewards. We need all of you who shop at Kroger and have loyalty cards to check your accounts and update your designation of Saint Paul as the recipient of funds. And for those who have not signed up, please do. Just go to Kroger.com and scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Kroger Community Rewards. If you are enrolled, you need your password. If not, just follow the prompts to set up an account. Enter Saint Paul Presbyterian Church in the search box or our new number WL034. It’s an easy way to donate to Saint Paul at no cost to you. You may also call Online
Account Customer Service at 1-800-576-4377. NOTE: If you receive a “technical error” the first time you click to enroll St. Paul, click it again. If you continue to encounter technical difficulties, please don’t hesitate to call their Customer Service
If you shop at Kroger, please be sure and use your Kroger Loyalty Card so that St. Paul will receive Community Rewards from Kroger.
04 Hannah Moore 06 John Carlberg [f] 08 Ginger Jeffries [f] 09 Brandi Melendez 10 Barbara Compher 11 Melynda Davis 22 James Morris 27 Bob Leeming 28 George Jeffries [f]
24 Anthony & Hillary Cahee
01 Westerlage 08 See sign-up sheet 15 See sign-up sheet 22 See sign-up sheet 29 Salad Luncheon
Flowers—sign-up list located in the Fellowship Hall
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For Updates to the Church Directory
Please visit Saint Paul’s Church Directory
at: www.stpaulnrh.org. Click on Church Directory.
If your information is not correct, send an email with corrections to
Mary Atkins: [email protected] or
call Mary at 817-988-3909 or make your correction on paper and give to Mary.
The Third Monday Book Club is a lively
book discussion group that meets at 1
p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. All readers
are welcome and books for discussion
are selected several months ahead by
the group. Both fiction and non-fiction
books are discussed with the focus on
enlightenment and fun. Contact Rosalee
Fleming at 817-281-0149 if you need
more information.
Mar: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright
Apr: Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate
May: Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines
Jun: The Memory House by Linda Goodnight
Key Websites Here are some websites related to our denomination that you may bookmark for reference:
www.stpaulnrh.org Saint Paul Presbyterian Church www.gracepresbytery.org Grace Presbytery www.synodsun.com Synod of the Sun www.pcusa.org Presbyterian Church (USA) www.pres-outlook.com Presbyterian Outlook www.need-tarrant.com NEED www.facebook.com/need.tarrant NEED Facebook page www.facebook.com/sppcnrh/ St. Paul Facebook page
To remove your name from our mailing list, please click here.
Questions or comments? E-mail us at [email protected] or call 817-281-3175.
Session Members
Your current Session Members are: Class of 2020: Norma Russell, Linda Akins, Jo Elle Scott, Louise Wilson Class of 2021: Al Kirkpatrick, Scott Carter, Sue Sewell, Sandra Turner Class of 2022: Arlene Schneider, Anne Leeming, Heidi Newell
WORSHIP LINKS
To hear some of the Sermons and Worship Anthems please click this link to navigate to the St. Paul Sermon webpage.
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Saint Paul has a prayer circle that will pray for you or someone you care about when there is need of special prayers. You may call the Church office from 9 a.m. until Noon with any prayer re-quests or send them to the church email at [email protected]. Your request will be confidential if you so desire. The members of the prayer circle have promised to pray for the person for 7 days. If you would like to be a part of the Prayer Chain, notify Walker.
The Presbyterian Women’s Circle meets the first Tuesday each month in the Fel-lowship Hall. Come join us!!! Everyone is welcome!!
Send Us Your Church News!
Got news? We want it! The Saint Paul church newsletter helps spread the word about com-mittee activities, special events, group meetings, important milestones, honors/awards, finan-cial reports, and more. Please submit your articles to the editor at [email protected] or give a hard copy to Joyce Kirkpatrick. If you need writing help, let her know. Photos and original
artwork are also welcomed!
April 2020 Issue Deadline: Sunday, March 29, 2020
Mission Statement of Saint Paul Presbyterian Church
As joyful believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to worship God, educate disciples, remain steadfast in our faith, and do Christ’s work through ministry, missions, and fellowship. We are led by the Holy Spirit to be a nurturing congregation that maintains a connection with the larger church as well as our local community, being open to the needs and concerns of others.
![The Saint Paul globe (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1903-04-18 [p 7]](https://img.dokumen.tips/doc/110x75/619f25408a76c32a2b4b0754/the-saint-paul-globe-saint-paul-minn-1903-04-18-p-7.jpg)
![The Saint Paul globe (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1898-02-12 [p 8]](https://img.dokumen.tips/doc/110x75/629fda4e8e49823a1b4837f4/the-saint-paul-globe-saint-paul-minn-1898-02-12-p-8.jpg)
