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Weekly Announcements for NOVEMBER 14, 2008
ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ALL-PARISH WEEKLY EMAIL for NOVEMBER 14, 2008
The Scripture Readings for this weekend are: Judges 4:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 and Matthew 25:14-30
Worship Services
Saturday 6:00 pm-Old St. Luke’s,
Sunday 8:00 a.m.-Chapel,
Sunday 8:30 a.m.-Family-Friendly in Church,
Sunday 10:30 a.m.-Church
Death Announcement
Monica Zipf, a parishioner, wife of Bill and mother of Morgan Ann, died on Tuesday, November 11, 2008.
Please send condolences to Bill Zipf, 7142 Sansue Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102
STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN UPDATE-Indeed it is a ‘New Morning for Giving’ at St. Paul’s! Results for this year’s Stewardship Campaign are very encouraging: over a third of pledges received show increases from the previous year - many of them significant; 5% of 2009 pledges are from new participants and, as a result, we are well past the half-way mark to our ambitious goal. (The latest results are posted below.) As exciting as this progress is, we must not think of stewardship as a numbers game. Rather, through proportionate giving, it is our opportunity to express our grateful and responsible use of God’s gifts in the light of God’s purpose as revealed in the good news of the Gospel. Thanks to you who have already made your pledge. A list of participants will be published based on pledges turned in by Monday morning November 17, 2008. We will continue to receive pledges through November 30, 2008. A follow-up effort by telephone will take place during the first two weeks of December. Pledge cards can be found in the pews and are available from the Church Office. It is our goal to complete this campaign on schedule so that the Vestry can budget proactively for 2009. Geoff Hurd - Stewardship Committee Member (412) 563-4931. Latest News: 171 pledges (325 goal) $399,853 pledged ($750,000 goal).
Reminders:
Beginning Saturday, November 29, the Saturday 6 p.m. service will be held in the Chapel, not at Old St. Luke’s.
DIOCESAN REORGANIZATION UPDATE: Nominations are now being accepted for elections to fill vacant diocesan offices, including the Standing Committee, Board of Trustees, Array, Canons, Cathedral Chapter, Growth Fund, and General Convention deputies. You may nominate any person willing to serve, including yourself. The positions will be elected at the diocesan Special Convention on December 13 at St. Paul’s, Mt. Lebanon. Nominations must be made by December 1. Nomination forms and additional information are available on diocesan website: www.episcopalpgh.org .
WEDNESDAYS AT ST. PAUL’S continues with dinner and activities for people of all ages. Dinner, prepared by one of several chefs who are parishioners, is served at 6:30 p.m. There is a suggested contribution of $5 per adult or older child. At 7:00 p.m. there is a program for adults (Aleph, led by the Rev. Lou Hays) and a program for youth. All activities will end by 8:30 p.m. Take a night off from cooking, and enjoy great food, fellowship and fun. NOTE: If you need childcare, please call the parish office at 412-531-7153, ext 10, no later than Tuesday. We take Thanks-giving week off and then resume for December 3, 10 and 17.
Aleph program concludes. Please join us on Wednesday evening (dinner at 6:30, program at 7) for the final session of Aleph, led by the Rev. Kris Opat. Our topic will be ‘How do I want to spend the rest of my life? What’s the point? Where are you, God, and what do you want from me?’
Starting Sunday:
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Our Voyage Down - Join us Sunday, November 16, in the back of the Parish Hall at 9:30 a.m. for the fifth installment of our Chronicles series. We are people who have many layers and many masks that help us to hide our deep vulnerability from the world. Come and hear the good news of Jesus Christ as it cuts deep within us to uncover our true, hidden selves. Come join us for our own voyage down to the depths of our sin and the incredible message of God to us…forgiven. (Prior knowledge of the book is not necessary for participation).
Call to Care-During the adult education hour this Sunday, there will be beautiful hand made baskets, hand carved wooden goods, and jewelry on display in the Parish Hall made by artisans from Uganda. These products have been purchased directly from local artisans at Fair Trade by Call to Care, a non-profit humanitarian organization. Call to Care strives to increase public awareness and raises funds for projects in order to empower Ugandan children by offering them health and educational opportunities. St. Paul’s has partnered with Call to Care in order to help improve the lives of Ugandan children.
Early Bird Bidding-Today, during the Coffee Hour, the Canterbury Fair Silent Auction Committee will start accepting bids for the items that are located in the Library. Please stop by and place your bids. After today, the next time bids will be accepted is Saturday, November 22, the day of the Canterbury Fair.
SHEPHERD’S HEART is November 16th. We will be serving meatloaf, potato casserole, fruit, and cookies. We are still in need of 6-10 more meatloafs and 120 servings of potato casserole. You can drop off your donations at the church before 4:30 pm. We are also in need servers. If you are able to help, please contact Amy Jennings at 304.830.0531. We will meet at the church at 4:30 p.m. and return around 8 p.m. Recipes are in the November Messenger.
Sr. EYC is making a trip to Dave and Buster’s on Tuesday, November 18! We will be meeting at the church at 4:30 p.m. to get to D&B’s quickly and hopefully beat the rush. We will have dinner, play some games and just have a great time! It will be tons of fun!
The Pickwick Boys November Luncheon will be on Thursday, November 20 at the Olive Garden. Any questions, please call the host, Del Rapp at 412-835-4576.
The ‘Garage & Attic Treasures’ committee will be collecting items again on November 20, 7-9 p.m., and all day Friday, November 21. For more information, please contact Jane Offutt at 412-531-0807 or joffutt2@verizon.net.
On Thursday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m., Katy Shackleton Williams, Pittsburgh’s outstanding lyric soprano, will perform Antonio Vivaldi’s, Motette, at Recital and Compline. Much in demand as a soprano solo artist, Katy has sung featured roles with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Opera. Currently she is a member of the professional core for the Mendelssohn Choir, chorister in the Pittsburgh Opera and serves on the music staff at Washington and Jefferson College. She is the soprano soloist at Rodef Shalom, Oakland, and Third Presbyterian Church, Shadyside. Ms. Williams is an honors graduate of Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Vocal Performance.
Looking Ahead:
Attention all 8th through 12th graders! The Annual Turkey Bowl will be held on Saturday, November 22 at 11:00 a.m. We will meet at the church, then traverse down to Bird Park for this exciting game. Lunch will be following the event, and maybe even some hot chocolate. Come be a part of this wonderful tradition!
The Silver Chair, We are a People Deceived - Come down to the back of the Parish Hall at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 23 for the penultimate gathering of our Chronicles series. We live in a world where things are often very different from what they appear to be. Each one of us, at one time or another, have been victims, as well as offenders, of deception. It is a painful and difficult reality, but God promises to guide us into all truth through the Holy Spirit. Join us as we talk about God’s power and promise to pierce through the deceptions of a sinful world. (Prior knowledge of the book is not necessary for participation).
Thanksgiving Dinner for South Hills Food Pantry Clients-On November 23 we are asking everyone to bring a perishable item to the altar, as that afternoon the South Hills Food Pantry will be delivering the makings of a Thanksgiving dinner to their clients. A few suggestions of what to bring are: apples, oranges, bananas, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, salad bag, pears, green beans. You get the idea. Please bring what you can. The Director of the food pantry recently wrote in the Southminster Church Paper: ‘How blessed we are to be able to carry on this mission with so much support from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church, and Dormont Presbyterian’. Thank you for all your donations.
Thanksgiving Evensong-Commemorating the Naming of ‘Pittsborough, 27th Novem’, 1758′, will be on Sunday, November 23 at 4:00 p.m. in Old St. Luke’s, with the Faure String Trio, Jeff Gray, Organist and Retta Campbell, Pittsburgh Historian, will be the speaker.
CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON INVITATION-The Pickwick Boys and Dickens’ Dames are inviting ALL members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church to a Christmas Luncheon on Thursday, December 4 at The Club at Nevillewood. Reservation deadline is Monday, December 1. There will be a Cash Bar starting at 12 Noon and the Luncheon will be served at 12:45 PM. Choice of entrée is Tenderloin of Beef or Baked Scrod English Style. Cost is $27 per person and gratuity is included. Please send your name, phone number, choice of entree and check, made payable to Norma Cappello, 2015 Bandek Lane, Lawrence, PA 15055-1042. For more information, please contact Doris Davies at 412-851-9212. Thank you.