St Paul Church

Dear St. Paul Family,

Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, poverty, sickness, personal tragedy. He Arose! Unemployment, government borrowing, national debt, credit cards maxed, foreclosure. He Arose! Divorce, abandonment, abuse, alimony, childcare payments, separation, broken relationships, loneliness, depression. Am I worthy? Does anyone love me? He Arose! Achieve, be your best, strive, get a good education, get a good job, I’m average. They are all smarter. I’m a failure. He Arose! Murder, suicide, wars, violent crime, rape, bullying, verbal abuse, physical abuse. He Arose!

Autism, SIDS, birth defects, miscarriages, downs syndrome, infertility. He Arose! Pollution, over population, global warming, nuclear meltdown, gas prices. He Arose! Death — death of a parent, death of a spouse, death of a child, death of a friend, death of a pet, death of our Savior. He Arose!

When the movie The Passion of the Christ came out, it had a powerful impact on the audience … a major complaint about the movie is that it spent too little time on the resurrection … that Jesus did rise from the dead.

We come to this season of Easter and isn’t it easier to think about all the problems we face? All the hurts we experience? All the concerns that burden us? Christians are called “Easter People” because of the hope we have in the resurrection … but too often we are “tomb people” … frustrated that we can’t get the stone rolled away.

Mark 16: 1-3 ~ “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices so they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

In essence they were asking, “Who will remove the burden for us? Who will take away the stone so we can serve and honor Jesus? The stone is too great for us.” Why do we think we have to have our burdens taken away before we can serve Jesus?

God rolled the stone away and Jesus’ resurrection defeated death … and every other burden, concern, stress, pain, sickness, doubt, disaster, depression, helplessness and the list goes on, we have ever had or ever will have.

He Arose! … He Arose! … Hallelujah Christ arose!

Who will you tell? Who will you invite to join you for Easter? Who will you bring hope to?

Happy Easter!

Pastor Scott

The apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:13,14: Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Together we come to the end of one year and we begin a new year together. Often times the end of the year means the opportunity for reflection and with the new year we take some time to dream.

I think the apostle Paul has the right balance … he acknowledges the past … recognizing his imperfections, recognizing that he is not perfect. We can all do that. But Paul says that he is going to forget what is behind him. How often do we really do that? As I come through this Christmas season I think of some of the traditions I have had over the last 20 years and how some had to change this year because we moved. It would have been easy to not change … to try and hold on to the past, but that isn’t really what God wants for us.

We are called to strain toward what is ahead … to press on toward the goal … to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward. It is time to get our priorities in-line with God’s plan for our lives … because our tendency is to go with our desires and ask God to bless them and make them His desires for us. When we do that, we can pretty much justify anything.

Paul addresses this very same thing later in verses 18 and 19: “For as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame, their mind is on earthly things.”

Powerful words … challenging words that should help us start the new year focused on God and His kingdom and His priorities. I’m not real good at New Years’ resolutions, but I know that I want to challenge myself to grow in my faith. I recognize that in the life cycle of many plants there are periods of dormancy … periods of rest … but all with the purpose of growth.

I look forward to 2012 and what God wants to teach me as I yield to His will and direction … my prayer for you is that you look at your own life and ask God to reveal to you what you need to let go of in your past and where He wants you to press on for His kingdom and His glory. When we do that we will be blessed because we are following God’s priorities.

God bless you in this new year ~

Pastor Scott

‘Tis the season of preparing for Christmas. By the time you read this the church will be decorated … and Sue will be wishing that my decorating were already done. The Sunday you receive this, we will be lighting the first candle of the Advent wreath. Preparations are underway for Music Sunday and the Christmas Committee is getting the program ready. We have asked the boys for their Christmas lists so we can get an early start on their shopping. Lists are a good thing because they help us remember … for I can forget some of the simplest things.

As I prepare for Christmas, I am trying to remember some of the simple things that make Christmas so special. I would like to share them with you:

• The first Christmas was real. In spite of those who think it is all a myth … it really happened.
• God’s plan for Christmas is not about decorations or family gatherings.
• God’s plan for Christmas is about Jesus coming to earth in human flesh, bringing the opportunity for the salvation of God.
• Jesus came as a Savior … not as a role model, not as a good religious teacher or as a god.
• Christmas is not about giving and receiving presents … but it is all about giving and receiving forgiveness. God gave forgiveness to us through Jesus … we simply have to receive it … and extend it to others.
• Christmas is all about love, joy and peace … God so loved the world that He gave us His Son. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

I am still going to forget some of the simplest things in my life … but my prayer for myself this season is to remember the simple things of Christmas … because it brings hope every moment of every day.

Enjoy Advent! Christmas is coming!

Pastor Scott

Sue, Kyle, Todd and I look forward to seeing you at our Open House on December 17th. It is our Christmas card to you … our church family. Drop in anytime between 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM for a time of refreshment and fellowship.

When I was in high school I remember being at church and hearing about a program called Operation Andrew. It had its roots in the work and ministry of Billy Graham. The basic premise is found in John 1:41-42—”The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon, and tell him ‘We have found the Messiah (that is the Christ)…and he brought him to Jesus’.” Operation Andrew was simply an encouragement to be like Andrew and bring people to Jesus…to ask them to come.

For the past couple of weeks I have encouraged you to invite family and friends to the Patriotic Concert. Personal invitation is important. The following is shared with permission from my son, Todd. It is a portion of his blog titled “R.S.V.P.”

This idea came to me last week Thursday. I was supposed to meet some friends in the Dining Commons to go see the Lion King in 3D. Side note for context, Thursday in DC is also the meeting for Living Waters. Living Waters is a weekly gathering for spiritual renewal. It has sermons and testimonies, and then they move into that “wacky” Christian stuff, like healing and prophesying. I say “wacky,” meaning “uncommon.” I have never really seen this kind of thing in action. Anyhow, back to my story. I got there and couldn’t find them. It seemed like they were gone. I heard what was going on, and usually, I would duck out and go back to my dorm. However, my friend, Jessica invited me to sit with her. I’m glad that she did. I listened and was interested by the speaker’s talk about brokenness, and after, I sat in on a session of prophesying. I’m still curious about it, but a lot of it seemed very important to the person we were asking insight for.

I could (and probably will) get into an article about these spiritual gifts, but this update is just going to talk about invitation. Inviting someone in is a powerful think. I would have left that Thursday if I hadn’t has someone friendly invite me in. How strange is that? I didn’t want to be in a Christian meeting without the presence of someone I consider a friend. Having a friend ask you to be there makes an experience that might have been uncomfortable originally, a time of comradery. Imagine if you were to go to a party on your won, it would be awkward, you might know people, but you would be there because you wanted to be, not because you were asked. If someone invites you, however, it sets you at ease, and gives you an anchor. The person who invited you is someone you can rely on, and from there, branch out to others.

This whole thing really drives home a need that Christians should fulfill. If we invited more people, more friends, to church or to our church gatherings who knows what would happen. The benefits could be numerous. People may just feel awkward about going to a church or bible study on their own, and if someone invites them to join them, they feel included. What do we have to be afraid of? We aren’t trying to drag them kicking and screaming to our churches, but bring them in as friends. I believe that if we I invite them to join us, mre will take up our offers. We don’t always have to be the ones to change them, just the ones to show them where they can find answers. Invitations are powerful, and they can really help change someone’s mind about a given situation.

Let’s just not invite people to those snake handling services, that might might not be a good idea.

Just something to chew on.

So whether it is the Patriotic concert, Sunday worship or Sunday school, a bible study or choir, Women’s Fellowship or just catching a Christian movie…all of us should be Andrews and invite people along.

God Bless you – Pastor Scott

P.S. Todd’s blog spot is on the web at http://alatenightcupofsoup.blogspot.com/

In January when Sue and I first visited St. Paul Church we were struck by the beauty of the stained glass. None of the churches I have been part of since my birth had any stained glass windows. I love the beauty that can be seen in the art of the stained glass. And the beauty and inspiration of faith is definitely captured in St. Paul’s windows.

As I was reading a little of the history of St. Paul Church, I saw that part of the loss the church experienced in the fire was the destruction of those windows. Of course, while the windows may have been lost, their meaning has been part of St. Paul Church since its beginning … and that meaning is the importance of who Jesus is. The stained glass windows in our sanctuary reflect the unison of the founders of St. Paul Church, and their firm belief and faith in Jesus Christ.

Over the next 8 or 9 Sunday mornings I want to spend our time in God’s world looking at the symbolism that is found in the window titled “Holy Communion.” Then for Advent and the Christmas season we will look at the Nativity window.

While the windows are beautiful, it is more important that they identify who we are in Christ and who we are as a Church in Christ. It is important that anyone who comes to St. Paul Church doesn’t simply marvel at the works of art found in the glass, but instead that they see Jesus Christ in you and me.

There is a story I came across, attributed to Chris Rush. I think it is a great way to look at ourselves in relationship to our stained glass windows.

A fourteenth-century Italian stained-glass artist was summoned to design and create a huge portrait for the window of a cathedral in Chartres, France, a place well known for its stained-glass work. He laid all of the pieces he was going to use out on the floor of the cathedral. They were beautiful to behold; most of them were large and colorful. Some of the colors from that time cannot even be reproduced today. Among these awesome pieces of glass was a small, clear piece about as big as your fingernail. As the stained-glass portrait was assembled, that little piece remained on the floor. Only the big colorful pieces of glass were used.

On the day of the window’s completion, the tiny piece of clear glass was still lying on the ground. The entire city gathered to witness the unveiling of the brilliant and beautiful stained-glass portrait. The artist stood in front of the crowd, made his speech, and dramatically pulled down the cloth cover. The crowd gasped at the beauty of the colorful window glowing in the sunlight.

After a few seconds, however, the crowd grew silent. They sensed that something was missing, that the portrait was unfinished. The great artist then walked over to where the little clear piece of glass lay, picked it up, and placed it in the portrait, right in the center of Jesus’ eye. As the sun hit that little piece, it gave off a dazzling sparkle.

The magnificent stained glass window still draws visitors. The first thing they see is that sparkle in Jesus’ eye.

My prayer is that while the stained glass windows are magnificent … what will really be noticed at St. Paul Church is that sparkle of Jesus found in the eyes of each one of us.

God bless each of you,

Pastor Scott

It’s amazing how fast the summer goes.  I remember shopping for a bathing suit in June and thought the old one I had would work fine…until the other day when I could pick one up for $3.00.  Obviously it is time to get the winter stuff in the store.  Of course the big shopping season right now is Back to School shopping…And why is that…because it is time for our kids to go back to school.

Sue and I have brought Todd back to school and Kyle goes back in a few days…and so we have done our back to school shopping.  Well it is also back to church time.  Pretty soon we will restart our full programs and add some new ones.  The choirs will be starting, as will Awana, Confirmation and, on September 11th, Rally Day for our Sunday school.  Faith Angels are meeting and their theme is “ Back to School for the Christian.”

One of the great things about going back to church in the fall is that you don’t have to buy anything.  At St. Paul Church, you just have to show up…but then, like in school, you can’t just take up space…God wants you to be involved.

Lamentations 3:40 “Let us examine our ways and test them and let us return to the Lord.”  And Zechariah 1:3 “Therefore tell the people:  This is what the Lord Almighty says `Return to Me` declares the Lord Almighty, `and I will return to you` says the Lord Almighty.”

Now I won’t tell you all that follows after these verses, but when you read them you will see that returning to the Lord involves action like worship and confession, listening to God and repenting.

So the end of the summer is not just about coming to church but about getting involved.  Maybe you’ve never attended a Sunday school class…now is the time to try it out.  Maybe you’ve never taken notes during the sermon…now is a good time to do that.  Maybe you’ve never been to Mission Fest…well get it on your calendar for September 17th & 18th.  There are a lot of ways to help yourself return to the Lord…you just have to step into the action.

Read through the Visitor and see how you want to get involved.

God Bless you

Pastor Scott

It is hard to believe that it will already be a month since Sue and I have been in Davis. Again we would like to express our thanks to all who worked on the parsonage, the great team of movers who came up to Green Bay on Thursday, only to be matched by the many hands that moved us in on Friday. We also have appreciated the meals and food gifts that have been shared with us. Thank you for making us feel welcome at St. Paul Church.

If you have been here on Sunday mornings through July you know we are in the midst of a sermon series called “Songs of the Summer.” As I was looking through the Psalms one day I noticed that many of them have a subscript that says “For the director of Music.” When I think of the term, I think of our own directors of music, Bonnie & Lavonne, both outstanding musicians. Well, in my study, I came across the following passage:

Your procession has come into view, O God,
The procession of my God and King into the sanctuary
In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
With them are the maidens playing tambourines
Praise God in the great congregation.
Praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.

– Psalm 68: 24-26

When I read this passage I think of the worship here at St. Paul Church. We already have great musicians and from what I have heard there is a lot of musical talent here that I am looking forward to hearing. But at this time we don’t have singers.

In the temple worship there were three sounds of music that would help the congregation in their musical part of worship. There were musicians who would play the tune, the tambourines that would provide the rhythm for the tune and the singers who give words to the tune.

These singers are from the choir. The ministry of these singers is to help lead the congregation in singing during the worship service. So I’m looking for singers to help with the congregational singing. Men, women, high school and older, anyone who loves to sing and can carry and follow a tune. You don’t need to be able to read music … but reading English would be very beneficial!

My hope is to start this ministry in September. If you are interested there is a sign up sheet available in the narthex. And if you have any questions, please give me a call.

“Sing to the Lord a new song for He has done marvelous things” — Psalm 98:1a

God Bless you

Pastor Scott

How does one summarize and express appreciation for 5 years of ministry and church life? I don’t think I can even begin to do so. It has been a great run and a wonderful experience. It has been a “God-thing” without a doubt. I am, even now, continuing to discover how much it has meant to me.

I remember when I first saw St. Paul Church and realized how large the congregation must be. I thought, “Dear God, do you want me to pastor this church? It is far beyond anything I have done to this point.” And I wondered seriously if I was up to the challenge.

I came here believing my stay would be for a year or maybe a bit more. It was only to be until a permanent pastor was found, who would live in the parsonage and give full time attention to the church ministry. I have always believed that there were good reasons for seeking a full-time pastor. And I still see that there are more people and ministries and activities to attend to than is possible for a part-time minister. More can be done to minister to our members and to reach into our communities with the message of Christ.

I want you to know that I am not moving on because I am unhappy. That is certainly not the case. I have had an incredible experience in being your spiritual leader. God has done wonderful things and I praise Him for all that has transpired in the past 5 years. In fact, I am sad about leaving because you are now my friends and even more, my family. I believe that what God wanted to accomplish through my ministry is completed and it is time for another pastor who can devote more of his time to the church. I pray that Pastor Scott is that pastor.

Over the years we have genuinely connected. God truly brought us together. We have gone through many things together … good times, happy times, sad times and difficult times. And through it all, God has been growing us into a more healthy church. That has most certainly been a work of God’s grace and through His strength from above. Praise Him!

Continue, then, walking with the Lord. Keep on doing the things you have been doing well, such as caring for each other, sending cards, making phone calls, visiting those in need and always giving generously. You truly know how to do the “work of the ministry.”

I leave you with some words from the Scripture:

• “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” (Romans 12:10)
• “Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
• “Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you.” (Romans 15:7)
• “Serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)
• “Bear one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
• “Be completely humble and gentle; bearing one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)
• “Encourage one another and build each other up!” (I Thessalonians 5:11)

Thank you all for the support, gift cards and words of encouragement. I have always felt loved and appreciated. I plan to stay connected and won’t be far away. One plan that I do have is to visit my mother in Pennsylvania. I want you to know that she has been praying for you faithfully over the past 5 years, and I don’t expect her to stop just because of this change. I really wish she could have visited you. I know there would have been an instant connection with her as well.

May God bless each of you and may God continue to bless this part of His body, known as St. Paul Church of Epleyanna.

Love in Jesus,

Pastor Dick

February! Sometimes this time of year is difficult. The holidays are past but the expenses aren’t. The days are still long and the weather often cold. But change is coming. It always does.

In thinking about our church, I have very positive and encouraging thoughts. I believe that some very good days are ahead for St. Paul Church. I hope you believe that, too. Yes, there will be change, but remember that God is on the throne and He is in control. We simply need to be discerning of how He is moving and where He is going.

Romans 12:1 & 2 have been some of my favorite verses for a long time. Paul tells us that when we really understand the mercies of God, our response will be to give ourselves wholly to Him as a living sacrifice. That response is how we best serve and worship Him.

Paul then goes on to give us a kind of prescription for behaving like a Christian.

• Let love be sincere.
• Hate what is evil and cling to what is good.
• Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
• Honor others above yourselves
• Don’t lack in zeal…the burning desire to please the Lord.
• Be fervent in spirit as you serve the Lord.

In another setting Paul says,

“One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Press on! Continue to stretch for the goal that is ahead! Whatever lies ahead, we must not hold back, but keep on serving with zeal and commitment. Always in order to please God, to do His will, and to advance His name in our world in every way possible.

Pray that we will have that zeal and that we will keep on moving and growing in our walk with our Precious Lord.

In the Love of Jesus,

Pastor Dick

PS.: The sermon had droned on for nearly and hour. Finally, the minister stretched out his arms and asked, “What more can I say?” To which a teenager sitting in the back called out, “Amen would be nice.”

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

Greetings in the name of Jesus,

It is difficult to believe that another year is soon to arrive. 2008! It seems like only yesterday that we were worried about everything shutting down because of the dawn of a new millenium.

With a new year coming I simply want to encourage you to continue walking in faith and in the steps of Jesus. One thing I always think of at the beginning of a new year is priorities. I want to make sure I do what is important, not simply what seems at the time to be urgent.

This story of the Mayonnaise Jar and 2 cups of coffee illustrates my concern. If we all get our lives pointed in the right direction and if we set our priorities in order, I believe that we, the people of faith who woship here at St. Paul, can accomplish much in the name of Jesus and bring honor and glory to Him.

May God bless you all, as you serve our living Lord!

Pastor Dick