St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Readings (NRSV) for

      Ø Sunday, May 4: Acts 1:6-14; Psalm 68: 1-10, 33-36; 1 Peter 4:12-14,         5:6-11; John 17:1-11
        Ø Sunday, May 11: Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104: 25-35,37b; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13; John 7:37-39
        Ø Sunday, May 18: Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Canticle 13; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13;                                        Matthew 28: 16-20
        Ø Sunday, May 25: Isaiah 49:8-16a; Psalm 131; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 6: 24-34

Your prayeres of intercession are asked for those who are sick and suffering:

Karen, Monica, Carmen, Sarah, Kathy, Florence, Ellis, Muff, David, Marilyn, Kelly, Penny, Gregory, Helen, Margaret, Diane, Tori, Spud, Aiden, Bill, Cody, Biff, Hedda, Mary Lou, Norma, Susan, Jeanne, Larry, Hannah, Uriah, Jeannie, Kristi, Doris, Iris, Peter, Chris, Florence, Krista...

"O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servant the help of your power, that his/her sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." (Book of Common Prayer, page 458)

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS HAPPENING AT ST. PAUL'S

The Search Continues for a new Rector. Click on "Home" and find the link to the Search Committee page for more information.

The Memorial Flower Walk
April Showers are bringing May flowers. If you wish to remember a loved one with Memorial Day Flowers this year, you are invited to plant spring and summer shade annuals along the Memorial Walk here at St. Paul’s. The Memorial Walk is the side walk garden that runs between the glass doors to the Atrium and the Ramp way. Annuals are requested so that each year the delight of planting can be renewed. Shovels, trowels, garden hose, and buckets will be available for your use. Enjoy some time to reflect and remember.

First Friday Alternative Worship Service
Join us for 1st Friday, evening, informal Eucharists, preceded by a dinner, very family friendly, and featuring a variety of musical accompaniments both live and recorded. The next service is June 6, 2008 at 6:30pm - dinner at 5:30pm. Topic: TBA

St. Pauls College Scholarship Fund joins ESCRIP
St. Pauls is now registered with ESCRIP for its college scholarship program fundraising. You can now contribute to the scholarship fund at St. Pauls simply by shopping at Safeway. It's easy and painless, but in order for it to work, we need your name, Safeway card number (not just your phone number) and address (and email address optional). A form is available for you in the office (and soon to be posted in the Atrium) and return it to the office if you are interested in being registered. Another option is to just drop us a note with your information. If you are already registered by a school and have a supporter number and password, you will need to access your own account and add St Paul’s (org #163945143) to your contribution group list (you can contribute to up to 3 different groups) or we can submit a change form for you. If you have any questions, please contact the ECRIP coordinators, Stan Heller or Sandi Blackaby.

First Thursday Concerts are Back!
St. Paul’s Church announces the return of the First Thursday concert series on the First Thursday of each month from 12:15pm to 1:00pm. Open to the public, and inviting all to bring their lunches if they like, these concerts offer a variety of musical settings and arrangements to delight the senses as they provide a wonderful break in the day. Revived under the direction of Dr. Kraig Scott, the concert series schedule includes:

June 5th Walla Walla Symphony String Quartet
July 3rd TBA (Fourth of July)

Wheatland Village Eucharist has Begun
Wheatland Village has become a favorite place of retirement for a number of Episcopalians. Under Paula’s planning and direction, St. Paul’s will hold weekly services of the Holy Eucharist at Wheatland starting September 11 and continuing each Tuesday at 10:45 a.m

FirstSundays are big deals. On the first Sunday of each month we take all the cash from the offertory and send half of it to Episcopal Relief and Development and the other half to the Food Pantry located in the basement of First Presbyterian. With some degree of humor we encourage each other to be extraordinarily generous on those days. The result is significant. We end up being major contributors to the relief of hunger and poverty both here and elsewhere.

Newcomers to St. Paul’s may wonder about a few things. For instance, in the Atrium is a basket labeled Betty’s Basket. What is that? Betty Hines was a much beloved member who dedicated her far too short life to helping those in greatest need. Betty’s Basket is used to receive unused hotel amenities and trial size items to make up hospitality kits for homeless families through Helpline and the Women’s Shelter at the YWCA.

Also, there is the blue cardboard Food Box on the chancel steps leading up to the altar. Each Sunday children from the Sunday School add their donations of food to the box during the offertory. Adults are welcome to do the same either in the Food Box or in the Shopping Cart located in the Narthex.

Fifth Sundays are single service Sundays. Most months have four Sundays, but now and then there is a Fifth Sunday in a month, and on those Sundays we have one service at 10:00 preceded by an old-fashioned informal hymn sing at 9:30 and a congregational potluck lunch afterwards. On those Sundays we also incorporate the children and youth of the congregation into leadership roles as greeters, ushers and readers. The idea is to bring the 8:00 and 10:30 congregations together for worship and fellowship, and to create a very family friendly event that is a joy to all.

DBSA Support Group: we have a weekly support group on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Guild Room for people who are suffering from depression or bipolar disorder. The group operates under the DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) guidelines; see the website at: www.dbsalliance.org/.

Sign up to sponsor a child: A sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the Atrium for our six sponsored children (through Christian Children’s Fund). Please consider taking a slot or two, perhaps in your birthday month, or other special occasion. By signing up in one slot, you are committing to pay just $25 to support an overseas child for an entire month. Thank you!

Christian Aid Center Dinners: There’s a sign-up sheet in the Atrium for the Christian Aid Center Dinners, held on the third Tuesday of each month. We’ve changed the process to allow people to sign up as helpers, and not the coordinator for that dinner. For more information, please contact Nancy Reiff at 525-3405. A regular monthly donation from a parishioner covers the cost of food. Won’t you please consider signing up for a month? Please contact the church office to do so.