St. Paul’s Epistle Lent, 2016 Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, let me sow faith; where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, let me sow light, and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, in pardoning that we are pardoned, and in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. OUR PURPOSE To make disciples of Jesus Christ. Fresh Eyes St. Paul’s will celebrate its 50th OUR MISSION anniversary in 2017—September We are a welcoming community of 10, 2017, specifically. We expect faith where all are invited to discover, that it will be a year of reflection, discern, and use their spiritual gifts reunion, and celebration, as befits to transform the world through Jesus such a significant event. In the run-up Christ. to it, however, we have some very OUR VISION important work to do. Convinced the future is in Christ, we A Vision Team, made up of a diverse will become a broad-based commu- group of members and staff, has nity of faith ministering to all persons. been formed. The team is facilitated by Frank Falcione, a new member OUR WELCOMING STATEMENT who has worked with companies St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and churches on forming and writing celebrates the sacred worth and vision statements, and by Faith Geer, value of all individuals. We welcome our own Administrative Director, who all who seek a home in this house of likewise has extensive experience God with open hearts, open minds, helping churches in this process. and open doors. We invite people of every age, race, ethnicity, economic I want to briefly address why a vision reality, family status, sexual is important to a church. Our Mission orientation, gender identity, diverse describes what we ARE and what ability, or legal status to join us on a we DO. At St. Paul’s, that is: We are journey toward full participation and a welcoming community of faith service in Christ’s church. where all are invited to discover, discern, and use their spiritual gifts to transform the world through Jesus LEADERSHIP TEAM Christ. This mission statement actually JEFF STERLING gathers several denominational Pastor objectives and biblical teachings into something we carry out as our primary task KAREN SLUSSER as a church. Pastor A vision statement, on the other hand, expresses what we WILL BECOME. It RON HOELLEIN is designed to lure us toward a new or next reality. Our current Vision states: Pastor Emeritus Convinced the future is in Christ, we will become a broad-based community of faith ministering to all persons. As the kids say on a long car trip, “Are we there FAITH GEER yet?” Actually, when it comes to a good vision statement, we may never “arrive” Administrative Director fully where it leads us. I would say that St. Paul’s has come a long way toward fulfilling its current vision; yet it still has the power to motivate us toward the dual TOM TAYLOR goals of becoming a broad-based community and one that ministers to all. Director of Music and Worship Ministries The task of the Vision Team initially is to talk to as many persons and groups in the life of our church as they can. Some of this has already happened through the TAMI WEISNER Appreciative Inquiry stories that members of the Church Council heard during Director of Youth Ministries interviews conducted last year. Many more opportunities will be offered for all of ERIN SOZA us to talk about our hopes and dreams for St. Paul’s, especially thinking about the Director of Children’s Ministries NEXT 50 years. We hope you will be involved in sharing your heart and faith with us in this process. ST. PAUL’S UNITED METHODIST Proverbs 29:18 tells us, Where there is no vision, the people perish. A positive 1965 Ferguson Road vision of the future is essential to the continued growth and vitality of any Allison Park, PA 15101 organization—or even any individual! The RSV (Revised Sterling Version) might 412.486.7006 say: A church without a vision actually has 1,000 separate visions, thus fulfilling WWW.STPAULSUMC.COM the warning of what another Bible translation states: [Without a shared vision] the people stumble all over themselves. Pray the St. Francis Peace We look forward to Christ’s peace Without a shared, energizing vision, 2 Prayer daily. You will find the breaking into the world right here in everyone goes in their own direction, scriptural stories and songs and this community! and the “stumbling” begins! We have insights from worship echoing in Show the dove! been fortunate at St. Paul’s that we these words as we pray our way have had such a vision, and it has through Lent: produced a vital church that isn’t afraid to take the necessary risks to Lord, make me an instrument of Thy go, grow, and serve. Please keep peace. our St. Paul’s Vision Team in prayer Where there is hatred, let me sow love; as they help us in this process of where there is injury, pardon. STORIES OF PEACE “re-visioning” our future as a church. Where there is doubt, let me sow faith; Using our Lenten theme of peace, we Shalom, Beloved! where there is despair, hope. are asking individuals to share stories about peace. It may be retelling an Where there is darkness, let me sow light, event that was peaceful. Perhaps and where there is sadness, joy. relaying a time of peace in your life. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so Describe a place that is peaceful to much seek to be consoled as to console; you. These can be shared in several To be understood, as to understand; to be ways. For those who blog, our loved, as to love. website will have a special tab for SHOW THE DOVE! blogging. If you prefer, you can email For it is in giving that we receive, your story to Robb Montgomery at Henri Nouwen once prayed, “Do in pardoning that we are pardoned, [email protected]. not allow evil powers to seduce me and in dying that we are born to with the complexities of the world’s eternal life. Our peace stories will be used in problems, but give me strength to Amen. several ways. During the weekend think clearly, speak freely, and act worship services on February 27 and boldly in your service. Give me the Write your prayers for peace 28, they will be displayed. The blog courage to show the dove in a world 3on the giant peace dove in the will be available at all times. so full of serpents.” Our Lenten grassy area near Ferguson Road or on theme is peace. Empowered by the the one inside Wesley Hall. All are Holy Spirit, we will resist the serpents welcome to write their prayers on the of fear and hatred and violence that peace doves, so please help spread are slithering through the world the word to the community. You can today. We will explore what it means even take a selfie with a peace dove to “show the dove,” and we will be to share on social media. challenged to boldly choose a Christ- like pursuit of peace in our time. You’re invited to make “showing Doves of Peace the dove” your Lenten discipline in several ways: Our Lenten theme of becoming instruments of peace is being Come to worship! We’re going captured visually in the form of a 1 to explore Christ’s peace dove. We are using the doves from process and pray for God to make the Palestine Peace Project, like us instruments of God’s peace. We the one that is lighted on the altar The second one will be a huge prayer will leave worship each week with during worship services. (Some of the dove erected in our front yard. We ideas for how we can “show the ceramic doves, shown here, are still want people to stop and write prayers dove” in our lives; those practical available for purchase.) Each week for peace on the board. We hope peacemaking steps will become during Lent, three doves will be that people will even stop and take a part of our Lenten discipline. The hidden in the building for children “selfie” with the dove and then post St. Francis Peace Prayer will be our to find. In addition, two prayer-board it to our facebook page. There are so frame for preaching. This leads to the doves are being created. One will many ways to think about peace… second opportunity: be stationed inside, where all are How will you be an instrument of encouraged to write prayer requests. peace this year? PALM SUNDAY Lenten Worship: Show the Dove! PANCAKE BREAKFAST During Lent, our weekly worship theme will follow the text of the St. Francis The Volunteers in Mission (VIM) Peace Prayer, looking at ways we can “Show the Dove!” Team will be making delicious Where there is hatred, let me sow love… Februray 13 & 14 pancakes on Sunday morning, March Luke 10:25-37 – God’s peace instrument of STORY 20, from 8:30-10:30 AM. Come and enjoy a hardy breakfast of pancakes, February 20 & 21 Where there is doubt, let me sow faith… sausage, juice and coffee.