St Paul Church

March 29th at 9:30am

March 29th at 7pm – location to be determined

March 22nd at 7pm

March 15th at 7pm

March 8th at 7pm

March 1st at 7pm

Youth Fellowship schedule for March:

• March 8th after worship
• March 22nd after worship — (TRIP)

Thursday, March 19th at 8:30 am

Scout Pack meeting schedule for March: Tuesday, March 17th at 6pm

Scouts meeting schedule for March:

• March 2nd at 6pm
• March 9th at 6pm
• March 16th at 6pm
• March 23rd at 6pm

Confirmation meeting schedule for March:

• March 1st at 5:30 pm
• March 8th at 5:30 pm
• March 15th at 5:30 pm
• March 29th at 5:30 pm

Awana meeting schedule for March:

• March 4th at 6pm (Career Night — dress in your future attire)
• March 11th at 6pm (Beach Bum Night — shorts, tank tops, sandals!)
• March 18th at 6pm — parents, friends and congregation joining at 6:30pm

Thursday, March 12th at 7:30pm

Youth Fellowshipwill meet on Sunday, March 8th at 6:30pm. We will be discussing our upcoming trip to the Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells on Sunday, March 22nd following worship. The cost for the water park pass and meal ticket with 10 or more people will be $20.00 per person. There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board and please feel free to bring a friend. Parents — we will be in need of drivers so if you would be willing to drive, please let April know.

The St. Paul Church Council met on February 11th and discussed the following:

• Cemetery map and the current layout/labeling. This wil be further discussed at the next meeting. Also appointed Richard Meinert to the Cemetery Committee  to help out as needed until Fred Meinert’s health improves.
• Greg Raymond of Raymond Electronics in Davis will stop by the church to put together an estimate as to costs for a screen and projector for the sanctuary.
• Discussed boiler room issues and settings on controls.
• Mission Committee will give us recommendations for missions to support for the coming year.
• Discussed the carpet problem at the entry doors to the sanctuary.
• Mowing prices for 2009 will be teh same price as in 2008 with services being provided by Schmerse Lawn Care.

The next meeting is set for Monday, March 16th at 7pm.

Beginning in March, a new address and telephone directory will be in the works, so if you have had any changes to what is listed in the 2008 directory, please contact the church office at 815-865-5314 as soon as possible. This includes telephone and email changes. We would also like to have dates for birthays and anniversaries.

The March meeting of Women’s Fellowship will be held Wednesday afternoon, March 4th at 1:30 PM.  Joanne Meinert will be worship leader, continuing studies in Luke. St. Paul women are welcome to share in Bible study and fellowship.

The Stateline Ministerial Association will be hosting Sunday evening Lenten services during the Lenten season. All services begin at 7pm with the exception of Good Friday, that’s at 1pm. Here is the schedule:

• March 1st — Dakota Community presbyterian Church with Pastor David Schrader speaking
• March 8th — St. Paul Church of Epleyanna with Dennis Buss speaking
• March 15 — Freeport Mennonite Church with Pastor Jack Ward speaking
• March 22 — Emmanuel Evangelical Congregational Church in Cedarville with Pastor Bob Kolb speaking
• March 29 — TBD – watch bulletins for location and speaker
• April 10 (Good Friday) — 1pm service at Winneshiek Evangelical Free Church with Pastor Dick Thompson speaking

We hope that you will be an active participant in these Lenten services helping to represent our church.

New addition to the library:

• NIV Couples Devotional Bible by Zondervan. It is a Bible for today’s young couples reflecting the realities of relationships today. If you’re newly married or are contemplating marriage, this Bible is for you. The topics are as broad and important as marriage itself.

Greetings in the Name of our Lord,

Well here we are at March. I know that we all look forward to warming temperatures and a lot less snow and ice.

I want to thank you all for your attendance and support during these winter months. Your loyalty for the church and desire to be part of the functioning congregation shows in great detail. I can certainly understand why St. Paul Church has been a real bright beacon on this hill, demonstrating love for God and love for our neighbors.

I am also grateful for those of you who go out of your way to send cards, to make phone calls, to pray, and to visit folks who are in nursing homes or who do not have the ability to get out of their homes. I certainly recognize that I have a lot of help in the work of the ministry.

Thank you to those ladies who initiated and organized the “Sweetheart Luncheon” this past Sunday. It was a wonderful time to share a meal together and rejoice in the love that we experience in our families — both our biological family and our church family. And the food was great also!

All five Sundays of March are Lenten Sundays. We will be sharing in Sunday evening services with other churches in the Stateline, with March 8th being the Sunday on which we host this event. This is an opportunity to tune our hearts for the coming of the most glorious time of the Church year, Easter! Use these opportunities for worship and fellowship to soften your heart, to encourage your fellow travelers on the road of faith, and to give God the glory for all He has done for us.

In the business and pressure of the past number of weeks, I have had to remind myself often of God’s love and His provision for my life. Maybe you have experienced some stress yourself. Who doesn’t have things in their life to cause stress? Whether it is trying to get the kids to all their events, getting along at work, looking to some deadline that is on the horizon, a concern for bills being paid, some big change that has occurred, or the loss of someone near and dear. Let me give you a brief word from the Apostle Paul:

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything b prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

– Phillipians 4: 6-7

Take heart! Hang in there! God is not just near, He is in you!

In the love of Jesus,
Pastor Dick