St. Paul’s United Methodist Church November 2014

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YOU ARE INVITED Anyone who would like to visit with

Willie and Veronica is invited to a Pot Luck Dinner on Saturday, November 22, at 6 PM

in the Fellowship Area of St. Paul’s.

The Missionary is Coming! Do you know that St. Paul’s has been in a covenant relationship with a mis-

sionary of the Methodist Mexican Church for the past 4 years? Although St. Paul’s has sent mission teams to Mexico for many years, the past four years have been in this special relationship through the General Board of Global Ministries with Guillermo (Willie) Berman. What is a Covenant Relationship? It means St. Paul’s has promised to support the ministries of the missionary through designated financial giving, prayers, and other support. Willie is a commissioned missionary with the Methodist Church serving in his home country of Mexico. Willie is the director of an organization of the Methodist Church of Mexico known as Manos Juntas (Hands To-gether). From its headquarters in Rio Bravo, just across the border from McAllen, Texas, Manos Juntas manages programs that affect the lives of thousands of people every year in an area of extreme poverty. Willie and his wife, Veronica, will be visiting St. Paul’s on November 23 and will be preaching at all three services. Make plans to be present to give Willie a great welcome and to hear an inspiring message about the ministries of Manos Juntas and how the Methodist Church is affecting the lives of the people in Mexico.

You can make a pledge estimate at any time. If you have not turned in a Pledge Estimate card and would like to do so,

please call Pat in the church office at 322-4454 M—Th.

DeSiard Street Mission

This month, the UMM cooked for around 123 people. They served about 165 meals. The volunteers this month included Brent Chappell, Jake Metzger, Bob & Lynda Burns and Bill Funderburk. Remember, anyone can help serve with the men. Take time to lend a helping hand this month on November 20!

St. Paul’s Financial Report - YTD September, 2014 General Fund Income $524,167.16 General Fund Expense $565,593.14

Booklets will be available on November 23 and November 30.

COMMITMENT SUNDAY – NOVEMBER 16 SINGLE SERVICE 10:00 AM

FOLLOWED BY LUNCH AT LEXINGTON ELEMENTARY What is God calling you to contribute to St. Paul’s ministries?

How will you help nurture St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Christian love?

The Advent deadline is extended to November 9. We only need 4 more!

It’s that time of the year to arrange for worship assistants for the coming year. Let us fol-low the habit of John Wesley whose heart was to serve. Serve God and serve His church by participating as an usher, greeter, or communion assis-tant. Call the church office if you are interested in volunteering. Place the card in the col-

lection plate. We appreciate all who give of their time and talent.

The UMM thank everyone for helping to make this year’s To-Do at the Zoo the most suc-cessful event yet. This year, we raised over $26,000!

Christians Education Event in Nashville Jill Mouk and Patsy Chappell attended the “Christians Engaged in Faith Formation” event in Nashville, Tennessee October 17-20. During the event each of them attended classes to learn better ways to enhance the programs we offer to the children at St. Paul’s. “Being a Techno Savvy Educator” was one of the classes Jill attended. In it participants learned about several free websites that offer ways to engage youth and older children in many activities such as real-time polls that provide instant feedback for the teacher. Jill also at-tended several other classes including “Mission Education with Children” and “Journaling for Peacefulness and Ministry” which provided practical ideas for teaching children and youth. Patsy attended several classes as well including “Giving and Receiving: The Lord’s Prayer in These Times” where motions were taught to the words of the Lord’s Prayer which helps children better understand the meaning of the Lord’s

Prayer. In addition to the classes, Jill and Patsy had a great time driving to Nashville

together which provided time to talk about visions and concerns, what

they learned in classes, and time to just visit and laugh together! This was

a great event which gave each of them time for renewal, learning, and fun.

Dear Friends, Once again we approach the season of thankfulness and remembering what we can and should be thankful for. I am thankful not only to God and the bishop for my ap-pointment to you wonderful people of St. Paul’s UMC, but also to you all who are re-sponsible for my and Linda Beth’s emotional and spiritual well-being. Together, we carry out the many ministries that God has placed before us.

Since we discerned the spirit of God who revealed our mission focus of nurturing one another in Christian love though all that we do, all that we have set out to do has answered to that vision! We understood that our number one responsibility was to provide nurture for one another through spiritual formation events. The development of our retreat ministries stands out as the most influential in this effort. Besides the two weekend events themselves, two weekly fellowship/study groups have formed! More retreats and small groups are sure to follow! Besides their Chicken Salad Lunch-eon each spring, our UMW studies and responds to needs in our local area. Our UMM’s To Do at the Zoo provides phenomenal support of LA’s children and families who next special attention. Our mission groups go beyond our country’s border to Mexico and tend to missions closer to home in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Monroe, and across the street at Lexington School. Our youth and children get into the act in local one-day missions. Then, there are the countless hours and financial support of our selfless volunteers who provide leadership in our weekly activities, our administrative and ministerial staff, our dynamic worship ex-periences on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings... At the risk of leaving some out, I mention these, but there are more too numerous to count!

I am most thankful for those saints who have come before us, but are now gone, for all that they have given us to make us who we are to-day. This All Saints Sunday, we will remember and honor those who have “finished their course in faith and now rest from their labor”: Martha Jor-dan, Howard Lance, David Barker, Gloria May, Anita Roberts, Charlotte Cole, Leon Garfield, Pamela Smith, Irma Cox, Betty Harris, Joann Meek, William Neill.

For these and all of God’s blessings which are too numerous to count, may we all be forever thankful. Peace, my friends…Tim

CHURCH WOMEN UNITED WORLD COMMUNITY DAY will be on Friday, November 7, 2014

at 12 noon at First United Methodist Church in Monroe. All women are invited to this covered dish meeting. It is important that we reach out to others in our community and the CWU puts us in an international commu-nity of women, as well as with others in our community. The topic will be: Healing. The featured text is “Through God Our Hands Can Heal” written by Kathy Zamonski and Carolyn Good. For more information call Annie Staten 235-0668 or Jane Ellett 547-5341

The St. Paul's UMW general meeting was held on Thursday, September 25th in the church parlor. The evening's program, called "Intercept Human Trafficking," highlighted information about and brought awareness to the UMW priority on Human Trafficking. Kristi Gadwa from the ULM Wesley Foundation spoke about their upcoming mission trip in December to Thai-land. They will be helping children impacted by sex trafficking. Their mission will include ministering to children at the Abba House which is a home for sex trafficking victims, visiting an HIV hospital and visiting a men's prison. Mackenzie Townsend also spoke to the group about a new mission called Project 41 "For the One." This a local program in its beginning stages of helping victims of human trafficking and the sex industry. They are currently ministering to women in the Ouachita Parish Correctional Facility who are involved in the sex industry. Ultimately, they hope to expand their services to include a truck stop ministry and eventually have a shelter for victims of human trafficking and the sex industry. This January, they will host the second White as Snow Gala to help support their ministry and bring awareness in the community to this problem. A love offering was taken to help support both of these worthwhile projects. We ask for continued prayers for the very important work these groups are doing.

Look for the Angel Tree on November 30!

Join us for a day trip to Historic Natchez, Missis-sippi on Saturday, November 15th. We will meet at the church and go on the church bus.. We will take a tour, eat lunch and do some shopping. More details will follow later.

Circle of Friends Circle We meet the 2nd Sunday of every month in the Parlor at 5:00p.m. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Joy Circle Our next meeting will be on October 14 at

6:00p.m. in the Parlor. We will have a brief discussion led by Debbie Cuthbert after a light meal hosted by.

Mary Henry Our next meeting will be on November 18 at 9:30a.m. in the Parlor. Pat Hoover will continue teaching on the book called, “Strong Was Her Faith.” Please note the date change due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Harmony Circle Our next meeting will be on November 20 at 6:30p.m. Annyece Girtman will lead the study on the book, “Strong Was Her Faith (Mary Magdalene: When love is greater than faith) in the church Parlor. Kathy Wells and Jackie Hendrick will host this month.

(If you are not currently a member of a women’s circle, just pick a circle and join in!)

Ladies of the Circle of Friends Circle

Harmony Circle met in the Parlor on October 16

Joy Circle met in the Parlor on October 14

The Mary Henry UMW Circle met in the Parlor on October 14 - some of the ladies in attendance.

YUM!

St. Paul's day school had a

visit from the firefighters dur-

ing fire safety week. One

firefighter read a book to all

the children and the others let

them use the fire hose.

ST. PAUL’S INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION St. Paul’s members Beulah (pictured left) and Naeem Shakir come to Louisiana from Paki-stan. They are from a community where being a Christian is the minority. Both well educated; Beulah, a former school principal, and Naeem, a practicing lawyer, have seen their share of discrimination based on religious grounds. Being Christian in a predomi-nately Muslim country has risks. Even if the country is considered an ally of the U.S.A. Beulah has traveled to Monroe to live with her son and his family. Khurrim

and his wife Amy, are also members here at St. Paul’s and have 3 young children: Emily, Ian, and Eva (pictured right). Naeem, although able to visit every couple of months, remains abroad and embroiled in a human rights case which has garnered international attention. Ask yourself one question. With all the freedoms we are afforded here in the U.S.A, what little trans-gressions do you commit which could result in the death penalty? Here, probably nothing. In Pakistan, sharing a cup of water with a Muslim could get you accused of blasphemy with the resulting trial condemning you to death by hanging. If at this point you think this is a fore gone, way of the past. Read on.

Asia Bibi (pictured left,) a Christian mother of five, was accused of “blasphemy” in 2009 over a cup a drinking water that the Muslim women she was picking fruit with deemed unclean. According to CNN http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/20/world/asia/pakistan-asia-bibi “(Asia) was accused of blasphemy against the Prophet of Islam and the Qur’an in June 2009, when she was working in the fields as a laborer in Sheikhupura. A religious argument broke out be-tween her and her co-workers after she brought water for one of them. One of her co-workers objected that the mere touch of a Christian had made the water haram, or relig-

iously forbidden for Muslims. (Asia) was told to convert to Islam in order to become purified of her ritual impu-rity. Her rejoinder was perceived as an insult of Islam and hence she was accused of committing blasphemy. Last week an appeals court upheld her 2010 conviction and death sentence under Pakistan’s Shariah blasphemy law. In a released statement Mrs. Bibi said, “I, Asia Bibi, have been sentenced to death because I was thirsty. I’m a prisoner because I used the same cup as those Muslim women, because water served by a Christian woman was regarded as unclean by my fellow fruit-pickers.” "We had some differences, and this was their way of taking revenge," she said. Bibi's attorney, Naeem Shakir, told CNN that he would file an appeal once he had re-ceived a detailed copy of the judgment. "I have a very strong case, I am sure the Supreme Court will provide us with relief. There is no concrete evidence against Asia Bibi, and the courts are only relying only on the statement of those two women," Shakir said. An investigation by Shahbaz Bhatti, who was then Pakistan's minister for minority affairs, found the charges stemmed from religious and personal enmity, and he recommended Bibi's release. In 2011, he was assassinated in Islamabad. The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the killing was "a message to all of those who are against Pakistan's blasphemy laws." Speaking after last week's verdict, Shakir admitted also feeling that his life was in danger. "I do feel threatened. Even in the court, there were some two dozen people who were against Asia Bibi. I have not received any threats literally, but the presence of people there makes the environ-ment very hostile toward us," he told CNN. Asia recently wrote to her family, “ Since I have returned to my cell and have known that I am going to die, all my thoughts have turned to you, my beloved Ashiq,

and you, my adoring children. Nothing pains me more than to leave you alone in total anguish. My children, don’t you lose courage or faith in Jesus Christ. Better days shall smile upon you and up there, when I am in the arms of the Lord, I will continue to watch over you. But please, I ask the five of you to be prudent, I ask you not to do anything that would offend Muslims or the laws of this country.”

Please be in prayer for Asia and her family. Also pray for the safety of Naeem and to give Beulah peace while her husband is away and continuing to fight for Asia’s freedom.

November 16

Is your pantry well-stocked? If so, you may want to be on the list to be “raided” for St. Paul’s UMYF Annual Pantry Raid. You’ll need to be ready – these kids are serious! It’s a competition to see which group can collect everything on their list the fastest. They come…they grab…they go! And it all happens about THAT fast!

Beginning November 2 you will be able to sign up to be “raided” on the tear off portion of you worship bulletin. If you would prefer, you can bring food to the church office and we will hide it at someone’s house. Contact one of the youth coun-selors or Jill Mouk in the church office if you would like more information. Food collected is given to the Salvation Army.

On Tuesday, October 14th several youth delivered free ice to our neighbors in the Garden District as they began recovery work from the tornado. Please continue to keep all the survivors of the storm and recovery workers in your prayers.

2014 Junior High Retreat and Louisiana Skeeter Run

Who: Any Junior High Youth in 6th – 8th Grades When: Friday, November 7th - Sunday, November 9th Where: Wesley Center, Woodworth, LA Cost: FEE COVERED BY ST. PAUL’S Includes Louisiana Skeeter Run

Nov. 7-9 Jr. H. Retreat

Nov. 13 Food Bank

Nov. 16 Pantry Raid!

Nov. 30 NO UMYF

SPECIAL EVENTS SUNDAY MORNINGS

UMYF Sunday school @ 9:30 WORSHIP

Contemporary @ 10:45 Traditional @ 8:30 & 11:00

SUNDAY NIGHTS Youth Group + meal from 5-7

TUESDAY MORNINGS Breakfast Club

@ McDonalds on N. 18th @7 am

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS Meal @ 5:15 and

Bible Study @ 6:00

The weather will soon be turning colder and we want to help those in our community that may be with-out a warm coat or blanket. You will have the opportunity to bring clean, new or gently used coats or blankets (The blankets may also be new.) beginning October 19th coats and blankets may be dropped in the church office.

THIS

This year’s fall fest was a success with over 300 people in attendance, not includ-ing volunteers! We were able to have a great night of fellowship as well as pro-vide a safe night of fun for our neighbors. As a result we have reached out to 12 families without a church home. We give a special thanks to all of the volunteers that made it possible: the youth, Ainslee Peters Jill Mouk and many others.

Rosco & Clara Jane Jones, Board Members

The support of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church is very much appreciated.

CCM serves people in need in our community. They have been in operation for 29 years and ST. Paul’s was one of the first churches to support them. They supply clothes and in some cases food. They help families who have lost everything in a fire. They have been doing this with the financial support of 50 area churches, including St. Paul’s. In addition to monies, these same churches provide volunteers to work and help families get what they need. There is always a great need of new volunteers at CCM. A commitment of as little as 3 hours a week can provide vital help. CCM is open from 9 until 12 noon every Monday through Thursday.

CCM is in need of: canned soups canned meats: tuna, Spam, chicken beanie weenies flip top cans of pudding fruit cups peanut butter jelly 4lbs bags of sugar 4 lbs bags of corn meal 4lbs. Bags of flour

CCM is in desperate need of: men’s & women’s socks men’s work pants sizes: 32”, 34”, 36”, 38” Women’s clothes: larger sizes Men’s shoes: larger sizes Men’s belts

Donations can be made at: 1. 322 Harrison Street (across the street from the city bus station of

4th Street between 9am and 12 noon on Monday through Thursday. )

2. Or you can leave them in the basket outside the church office.

Your Mission Dollars at Work! Grace Place – St. Paul’s feeds the hungry on the second Friday of each month at Grace Place Ministries in south Monroe. In October mission giving provided a nutritious hot meal to 165 people. Cooking in October were Jill Mouk, Beulah Shakir, Dana Taylor, and Kathy Wells. Serving were Ellen Breed, Susan Robinson, Jo Ann Pounds, Betty Ann Nolan, Emily Rash, and Kathy Wells. Located at 1600 Jackson Street, Grace Place will also take donations of gently used clothing for their clothes closet and donations of devotion books to share with anyone who wants to know more about Christ. For more information or to volunteer contact Kathy Wells.

Saturday Meals on Wheels

St. Paul’s participates in a Saturday Meals on Wheels program 5-6 times a year and delivers a hot meal in addition to a “second day” sack lunch to approximately 100 elderly or handicapped people in Monroe and West Monroe. We have a dedicated team of volunteers who cook or deliver the meals in pairs (driver and rider). If you would like to cook or volunteer to substitute as a driver or rider, we would love to have your help.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church 1901 Lexington Ave. Monroe, LA 71201

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