St. Paul's Trumpet
July 25, 2024
“Generations of disciples, reflecting God’s love, to our community and the world.”
Dear Friends,
Perhaps one of the most precious and powerful gifts we can give another person is to really listen to them, to listen with quiet, fascinated attention, with our whole being, fully present. This sounds simple, but if we are honest with ourselves, we do not often listen to each other so completely.
Listening is a creative force that requires our daily practice. Something quite wonderful occurs when we are listened to fully. We expand, ideas come to life and grow, we remember who we are. Some speak of this force as a creative fountain within us; others call it, intelligence, true self. Whatever this force is called, it shrivels up when we are not listened to and it thrives when we are.
The way we listen allows the other person the opportunity to express what is true and enlivening to them. Sometimes we have to do a lot of listening before we get to the heart of the matter. Patience is required to listen to a person sharing from the depth of their souls. A long listen is the only way for another to find their point of tranquility and peace. The results of such listening are miraculous. Listening requires our spiritual center the ability to listen to our own hearts and minds.
My challenge to you is to be mindful of one conversation per day. Ask yourself, did I really listen? Did I hear their words and recognize what they were feeling? What is my most compassionate and just response to their story? Was I fully present with the other person as they spoke?
Take some time in silence to reflect on these questions. Listen for your inner voice that will speak truth to you if you are open in heart and mind.
Blessings
Pastor Chad
If you have any questions or difficulty using the form, please contact the Church Office at 402-339-3308 or admin@stpaulspapillion.org
Prayer Requests:
Please keep Julie Williams and her family in your prayers on the death of her sister, Kathy, who died on July 12th. Kathy had suffered a massive stroke at age 51 and had lived in various facilities until her death at age 73.
Please pray for the following members of our church during the month of July.
Papillion Creative Arts Academy Summer Camp
Last week the Papillion Creative Arts Academy hosted their 2nd week-long summer camp! The 14 campers got to try out a wide variety of art including painting with different mediums and techniques, acting and improv, baking, juggling, and much more.
Thank you to our guest presenters who did a fabulous job! We had Gus Moses (6th Grader) who taught us how to solve Rubik's Cubes, Ben Lovett (6th Grader) who taught us how to bake his famous Pumpkin Bread, Linda France who taught us about making Cards, and The Amazing Arthur who taught us how to juggle!
Shout out to Lillian Lovett our Camp Assistant and Char Pyle our Theater Teacher -- both of you did such a great job with our very energetic campers! And to our amazing leader Pastor Rebecca for all the hard work you put in and the passion you have for young people and the arts!
During the next few months we will be featuring various blessings happening here at St. Paul’s, so that we can celebrate all of the wonderful ways in which our church is blessing our lives and our community. We gathered input from a variety of sources to cover many different kinds of blessings, some you may not have even thought about, but know that there are more blessings than we could ever completely count. We will highlight just a few each week and the list will also be shown during the offertory time each Sunday.
Mission of the Week
Please support our local food pantries by bringing an item each week & putting it in the grocery cart in the West Hallway.
This week's wish list: Boxed Puddings, Jell-O, & Cornbread mix
Mission of the Month - Birthday Bags
This August we are helping throw birthday parties for families who aren't able to have a birthday party for their kids. The Birthday Bags will go to Pearl Food Pantry who will distribute them to families who have a birthday coming up! Join us in brining joy to a child on their birthday!
Things to include: Gift bag, Party Decorations, Cake Mix, Frosting, Candles, Paper Plates, Plastic Silverware, Napkins, Disposable Cups, Tablecloth, & Party Favors.
Pick up a shopping list or drop off your completed bags on the table in the West Hallway.
Volunteer Opportunity: Brush-Up 2024!
Project Houseworks is hosting their annual Brush Up event on Saturday, August 17th, and we are recruiting a team of volunteers to put a fresh coat of paint on the home of a low-income older adult in our community!
Starting at 8 a.m. on that Saturday our team will paint the exterior of a home, the trim, and any designated outbuildings. It will be a one-story home and lunch will be provided.
If you would like to be a part of our team, you need to sign up ahead of time through Brush-up.
Please click the button below to register. Please select the role of “Volunteer Painter” within the volunteer “opportunity.”
Note: The length of time needed to paint will depend on the size of the volunteer team and the size of the home we are assigned. We do ask all volunteers to stay until the project is complete, or to make arrangements with the team leader in advance.
Any questions, please let us know.
Mat Making - Off for the summer!
Our faithful Mat Weavers are taking the rest of the summer off! There will be no Mat Making for the month of July. They will resume on August 7th!
Mission Trip
The mission committee is looking to plan a Mission Trip in 2025 and want you to be a part of planning it. Mission trips are a great way to serve others, create new relationships, and grow in your faith. If you are interested in exploring this opportunity, please fill out this form or sign up in the West Hallway and someone from the mission's committee will reach out to you with more information.
UMM Breakfast
The United Methodist Men will be meeting on:
Saturday, July 27th at 8:00am for breakfast at:
Summer Kitchen Cafe (12010 Giles Rd, LaVista)
Donations for Donuts!
The Sowers Sunday School Class will be selling Donuts in the Narthex between services, every Sunday in August! Stop by to pick up a yummy donut and make a donation for the shelf-stable milk fund at Pearl Food Pantry. Suggested Donation of $2 per donut.
Women's Bible Study
Women's Bible Study is starting a new book on August 8th! They will meet for 6 weeks on Thursdays at 9:00am in the Lower Conference Room.
The book for this study is First Corinthians: Living Love When We Disagree by Melissa Spoelstra. Purchase your copy on Amazon here.
Reach out to Barb Thornburg if you have any questions.
Bell Choir
Bell Choir Rehearsals will resume on August 14th at 6:00pm in the Sanctuary and will continue every Wednesday evening at 6:00pm. We look forward to hearing their joyful ringing again in services soon!
If you have any questions please contact Barb Wild for more information.
Chancel Choir
Chancel Choir Rehearsals will resume on August 14th at 7:00pm in the Sanctuary and will continue every Wednesday evening at 7:00pm. We look forward to having their beautiful vocals lead us in worship and praise during services again soon.
Childcare will be provided, please contact Jenny Jensen for more information.
Book Club
All Readers Welcome! The St. Paul's Book Club meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. in the library. If a single book sparks your interest or you can only make it once in a while, we would still enjoy your insights and love to have you join us!
Upcoming books:
- August 14 - Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
- September 11 - The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
- October 9 - First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Blood Drive
Please SAVE the Date for the next Red Cross Bloodmobile at St. Paul's UMC on Sunday, September 8th!
You need to sign up ahead of time in order to give blood and there should be 56 days between donation appointments. Thank you for donating and saving lives!
We will be kicking off the school year for Play & Worship (Ages 3 - PreK), Sunday School (K-3rd Grade), and Club 456 (4th-6th Grade) on Sunday, August 25th during the 9:15am Service! Please REGISTER your children for the 2024-2025 Sunday School Year by clicking here. If you have any questions, contact Pastor Rebecca Hjelle.
NOTE: We will not have children's programming on Sunday, August 4th, 11th, or 18th -- this is our summer break for volunteers -- please plan to worship together as a family on those Sundays!
Acolyte Training
Acolyte Training for all incoming 4th, 5th, and 6th graders on Sunday, August 4th at 10:30am in the Sanctuary! We ask that you attend that session so you can learn about the ministry of our acolytes and the best practices for Sunday mornings. Even if you've been an acolyte for a couple of years, we'd love to see you there!
3rd Grade Bible Presentation
We will then have a Bible 101 Class on Wednesday, August 28th at 6:30pm in the Club 456 Room for these Bible recipients & a parent to attend -- we'll meet for about an hour to learn all about these new Bibles and what's inside!
God Squad Olympics!!
Sunday, July 28th is the God Squad Olympics from 6:30-8:00pm! We will be playing games of all skill levels, but there is a chance you could get wet, so dress appropriately! We will also be welcoming the new 7th graders to the group on July 28th!
Middle and High School Youth Ministry
Youth Worship: Sundays at 9:15am
Youth Group: Sundays at 6:30pm
Join us for Worship!
Live Stream Service Online
Ways to Give at St. Paul's UMC
Your financial gifts help sustain the mission and ministry of our congregation as we "reflect the love of God to our community and the world!" There are several different ways that you can give to St. Paul's, the details are below, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have along the way.
1. Online Giving – This is a safe and convenient way to support St. Paul's with either a one-time or recurring gift. Click here to set up your account, and if you need assistance, contact our St. Paul's Treasurer, Cindy Balentine.
2. Cash or Check –On Sundays during worship, you can place your cash or check in the offering plates or offering box. There are offering envelopes in each pew and in the back of the Chapel so that you can designate your gift. Checks should be made out to "St. Paul's United Methodist Church" and designations can also be noted on the memo line. You can also mail your gifts to St. Paul's at 324 S. Jackson Street, Papillion, NE 68046.
3. Automated Bank Withdrawals –This form of giving allows your bank to withdraw money directly from your designated account and transfer it to St. Paul's UMC. There are no fees involved and it's as simple as filling out a form -- contact the Church Office or St. Paul's Treasurer, Cindy Balentine to get started!
4. IRA Distribution or Savings giving –This is another wonderful way to help sustain the ministry of St. Paul's UMC. It requires you to work with your bank or broker to determine the details, but you can also contact our St. Paul's Treasurer, Cindy Balentine, to get an outline of this process.
Every gift helps make a difference -- thank you for your generous support of St. Paul's United Methodist Church!
Office Hours
St. Paul's UMC, Papillion
Email: adminasst@stpaulspapillion.org
Website: stpaulspapio.org
Location: 324 South Jackson Street, Papillion, NE, USA
Phone: (402) 339-3308
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stpaulspapillion.org/