Our Youth are at the National Youth Gathering in Detroit!

Follow along with our Youth!

On Tuesday, July 14, bright and early in the morning, five of our youth and three adults packed a van and departed for the journey to Detroit, Michigan. The youth are spending four days exploring the foundations of their faith in the company of 30,000 other youth from around the country and the globe. What an incredibly unique and memorable experience for our youth -- and our adults. You can follow along with their experiences at this blog site:
     http://stpaulsdurhamyouth.blogspot.com

So far, they are trying to meet friends in all 50 states and are documenting that on the blog. We encourage you to pray for them, pray for safety and health, for open minds, and open hearts, and for the formation of our youth: Sarah Woolley, Erin Timmins, Greta Timmins, William Timmins, and Ryan Pusak.

New Art at St. Paul's

If you've entered Trinity Hall recently, you have surely seen a new work of art on the wall. It is the Last Supper, a mural icon in the Byzantine tradition created by George Bessias. George is an iconographer in Greece, and he came to the U.S. in April to exhibit thirty works of which the Last Supper was one, at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Durham. 

Summertime...

Yes, the heat is upon us -- summer is here! June brings our annual Vacation Bible School, this year the theme is EVEREST! So you can be sure that it will be cool in our building in more ways than one. The rooms are beginning to take on the look of snowy mountains as we prepare for a fun week, June 22-26, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm daily. Children will travel around from Base Camp to Cool Crafts, the Ice Wizard's Cave, Bible Adventures, Kid-Vid, and Recreation and Snack before returning to Base Camp for the Summit Celebration. You are invited to visit at any time. More importantly, we hope everyone will come to the closing worship and hot dog picnic on Friday, June 26 beginning at 12:00 noon. Closing worship will be in the sanctuary and the hot dog picnic in Trinity Hall, otherwise known that week as Base Camp. 

Summer does mean a few of our areas take a break -- Bible Studies, Choirs, and Sunday School all take a break in the summer. We continue with worship every Sunday at 8:30 am and 11:00 am. Committee meetings are held, but some of the other fellowship groups relax their schedule. Wednesday night suppers will be on the third Wednesday of the month (June 17, July 15, and August 19) until September when the first and third schedule returns. 

While we seem to be relaxing, it is quite the opposite. In the summer we have our Vacation Bible School which requires a minimum of 25 people to lead. We have Confirmation Camp Week at Camp Agape in July. We begin planning for the fall and the next Sunday School year. Budget planning begins. Building maintenance increases both inside and out, depending on the weather. 

Join us for worship, our committee meetings, our Wednesday suppers -- refresh yourself with the Holy Spirit as we seek to do the work of the Lord.

Music, Drama, and Mount Everest!

Joyful Noise at St. Paul's presents a coffee house Concert by...

QUENCH! on Saturday, April 25. Desserts served at 7 with concert at 7:30 pm.

Do these songs make you wanna put on your boogie shoes? Black Velvet, Brown Eyed Girl, Gimme Three Steps, Proud Mary, Margaritaville, Pretty Woman, Sweet Home Alabama? If so, come on our this Saturday, April 25 when Trinity Stage will be rockin' to the sounds of Quench, a local rock 'n roll cover band. 

On Friday, May 1, at 7:30 pm we present an Organ Recital by Jacob Street in the sanctuary. Organist and harpsichordist Jacob Street performs extensively throughout New England as a solo recitalist and continuo player. A graduate of Holy Cross College and Oberlin Conservatory, Mr. Street is currently pursuing a Master’s in Organ from Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music. In 2013, he traveled to Lubeck, Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, studying on the many historical instruments there and giving recitals throughout northern Germany. He has performed across Europe and the United States, including in Tallinn, Estonia; Toronto, Ontario; and in concert with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

EVEREST!

This year, St. Paul’s Vacation Bible School will be chilling out! The theme is Everest! Dates are June 22 through 26, 9 am through 12:30 pm. Worship and singing will start off each day in the sanctuary. The children will then travel through the day to the Imagination Station, have Glacier Games, enjoy kidvid cinema, and Bible Expeditions as well as Cool Crafts. They will learn that God has the power to provide, to comfort, to heal, to forgive, and to love us forever. Registration forms are on the display in the atrium by the Creation Garden and on our website under resources/forms. Deadline for registrations is June 1.

St. Paul’s Musical Theater Summer Camp -- July 26 - August 1

Know a teenager that enjoys performing? Then send them our way!! St. Paul’s is excited to announce its first ever musical theater summer camp, for rising 7th - 10th grade students. Campers will learn and perform in a production of “Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway” at the end of the week. Join us for a week of acting, singing and dancing that’s sure to be memorable and fun filled! We are nearing the date for early registration.  We need some guys for parts! For registration and more information, contact Vicar Daniel Locke.

Holy Week Worship

Wednesday, April 1 at 12:00 noon

Guided Reflection on the Stations of the Cross with Pastor Scott Anderson and Vicar Daniel Locke

Maundy Thursday, April 2

12:00 noon -- Holy Communion with stripping of the altar
7:00 pm -- Holy Communion, foot washing, and stripping of the altar

Good Friday, April 3

12:00 noon -- Stations of the Cross Worship using "This Far by Faith -- The Way of the Cross" service
7:00 pm -- Tenebrae Worship

Saturday, April 4

7:00 pm - Vigil of Easter

Easter Sunday, April 5 -- The Resurrection of Our Lord

8:30 am Holy Communion Worship
9:30 am Easter Breakfast in Trinity Hall (free-will offering will be taken to offset food costs. Menu: eggs, sausage, pancakes), applesauce, fruit, biscuits, and beverages)
10:15 am Easter Egg Hunt (for children up to grade 5 -- bring a basket)
11:00 am Holy Communion Worship

From the Pastor...

April is here and with it we celebrate the victory over death that we share with Christ. Our Lenten journey comes to an end as we remember Christ’s last Three Days. I want to share with you my reflection on the Three Days and especially the meaning behind the Great Vigil of Easter. May God bless us in our journey to Easter.
Pastor Scott

“Every Sunday in worship the church celebrates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit gathers us to receive again the gifts of God that come to us through Christ, the saving Word. On several key days at the center of the church year, however, worship takes a particular shape. These central days have come to be known as the Three Days recalling Jesus’ own words to his disciples that he would be handed over to death, and that ‘after three days he would rise again.’ The Three Days encompass the time from Maundy Thursday through the evening of Easter Day. In particular the church has celebrated with the services of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil on Saturday Evening.” (ELW)
The Church celebrates these three days with one continuous service. No benediction is given on Thursday or Friday. This year, we will produce one bulletin for the three days. The Great Vigil of Easter is important because it is an expression of our spiritual boundary crossing. Each of the four scenes of this service points to some facet of our passage from death to life with Christ.  

Scene 1: The setting is the new fire, a symbol of Christ’s glorious resurrection from the dead. We quickly process to the sanctuary for the readings, led by the paschal candle. This action symbolizes Christ’s leading us from the darkness of sin to the light of forgiveness.

Scene 2: The readings remind us of our baptismal passage from death to life. The creation story prefigures our journey from the spiritual chaos of sin and death to eternal life in Christ. The flood story from Genesis 7-9 reminds us that we, like Noah, have been preserved from God’s condemnation, having been brought safely through the waters of baptism. Like Noah, we who have been saved are a new humanity. The exodus story suggests that we have been rescued from the slavery of sin and brought to the promised land of righteousness in Christ. Ezekiel’s prophecy of the valley of dry bones points to our reception of the life-giving Holy Spirit.

Scene 3: The focus shifts to the font, as we celebrate the central act of crossing the boundary from sin and death to new life with Christ in baptism. This celebration of baptism reminds us that in baptism we die and rise again with Christ and are cleansed from sin and “sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.”




Scene 4: The focus is now on the Lord’s table. We remember how Christ, our Passover Lamb, was slaughtered to gain our freedom from sin and death. The risen Christ himself comes to be our food, filling us with faith, hope and love. In this act of remembrance we look toward our final transition from this world to the next, when we anticipate the day” when Christ will come again in beauty and power to share with us the great and promised feast.”

In addition to the Three Days celebrated at 7 pm each day, we will have noon services on: 
▸ Wednesday – guided meditation on the Stations of the Cross
▸ Thursday – Maundy Thursday Holy Communion
▸ Friday – Stations of the Cross Liturgy

I hope you all will join in the celebration of the Three Days with Christ.
Pastor Scott

March

LENT...

Each Wednesday during Lent (February 25, March 4, 11, 18, and 25) we have the following opportunities to meditate, attend worship, or intentional prayer time as well as share in food and fellowship:

• 12:00 pm Quiet Communion
• 6:00 pm Lenten Suppers
• 7:00 pm Lenten Worship 

What is Quiet Communion? It is a service with spoken confession, reflection on the readings, Apostles' Creed, and Holy Communion. 
Evening Lenten Worship uses the worship setting "That You May Have Life" which includes Holy Communion from the worship setting "Unfailing Light", a liturgy for Lent created by Marty Haugen and Susan Briehl which we have used previously.
Lenten Suppers are open to all and usually are simple meals, served from 6:00-7:00 pm. 

The Way of the Cross has always been a powerful part of the Christian Faith tradition. The early practice of Christians attempting to retrace and walk the path of Jesus has been a treasured way to commemorate the Passion and Death of Christ. The Stations presented in our sanctuary during Lent are original art by Nicholas Markell. It has been interpreted through the work of our Arts Committee and the work of Barbara Williams Ellertson. You are encouraged to find the time to come and meditate on the imagery and the Biblical texts. A booklet entitled Biblical Way of the Cross by David Haas is available to guide your meditation. These may be found on the usher table in the foyer. Please use the booklets for meditation and leave for the next person to use.

Hope College Chapel Choir will be at St. Paul's on Sunday, March 15 with a concert at 5:00 pm. Hope College is located in Holland, Michigan, and it has a strong choir program dating to 1938. Its 40 auditioned choristers tour extensively in the United States and Canada and have traveled abroad on seven occasions. The choir performs in the annual Hope College Christmas Vespers program, which is broadcast throughout the US on PBS Television and National Public Radio. The program is open to the public and we invite you to our beautiful sanctuary.

"Miserere" -- Another opportunity to enjoy music at St. Paul's will come on Friday, March 27 when we feature El Fuego Early Music Ensemble. There will be a 7 pm pre-concert lecture in Trinity Hall followed by an 8 pm concert in the sanctuary. This Lenten theme concert, titled "Miserere," features sacred cantatas of the Spanish Baroque by Jose de Nebra (1692-1768) and Juan Manuel de la Puente (1692-1753). The leader of the El Fuego ensemble, Salome Sandoval, is a Venezuelan native who established the group in Boston and moved to Durham in 2014. Members of the new, Durham-based El Fuego Early Music Ensemble include Allison Willet and Matvey Lapin, baroque violins, and Jacqueline Nappi, organ and harpsichord.

Have Books? During March, the preschool is collecting new and gently used children's books for Book Harvest, a local non-profit that gives books to children in need. Since 2011, they have given over 160,000 donated books to low-income children. Books open a world of discovery and learning for children. Donations bins are upstairs and downstairs. 

Interested in Membership at St. Paul's? Pastor Scott Anderson will meet with all who are interested and those who have questions -- Sunday, March 15 at 9:45 in the conference room.

CROP Hunger Walk takes place on Sunday, March 22, stepping off at 2:30 pm from the front of Duke Chapel. This is an 8K (4.8 miles) walk. Register now to walk or donate to those who are walking. Stop by the table in the foyer any Sunday until then.

This Summer St. Paul's Musical Theater Summer Camp will make its debut! Dates are July 26 - August 1. We are looking for rising 7th-10th grade students to participate in our first musical production of "Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway". Join us for a week of acting, singing and dancing that's sure to be memorable and fun filled! Know a teenager that enjoys performing? Then send them our way!!!
Contact Vicar Daniel Locke for registration and more information.

A New Year - 2015

Service of Prayer for Christian Unity
Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 7:00 pm is the Day of Prayer for Christian Unity worship here at St. Paul's.  At least once a year, Christians everywhere are reminded of Jesus' prayer for his disciples that "they may be one so that the world may believe" (see John 17:21). Hearts are touched and Christians come together to pray for their unity. Many area denominations will come together for prayer, remembrance of baptism and for fellowship. This year, outgoing Bishop Leonard Bolick of the NC Synod, ELCA will be our preacher. He will just have returned from a trip to the Holy Land and his text is from John 14  -- the woman at the well. Please join us for a time of prayer for our unity in Christ. Offering will benefit CROP Walk of Durham and their efforts to provide clean drinking water.

Young In Spirit on the Road Again!
Young In Spirit will travel to the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh on Wednesday, January 14. The museum opens at 10 am so the group will gather at St. Paul's by 9:15 am. Lunch will be at the "Iris" cafe at the museum. There will be time to enjoy the permanent art displays before lunch. Call the church or sign up in the reception office if you would like to go.

Preschool & PMO 
St. Paul's Preschool and PMO is getting ready to host the Wednesday, February 4 supper. Money raised will go toward financial scholarships for families needing assistance to attend the preschool. They have also finalized class offerings for the 2015-2016 school year and are excited to be offering an additional class for 2 year olds! Registration forms and enrollment procedures can be picked up downstairs in the preschool space or downloaded from the web site. Registration begins January 12, 2015. We offer classes for children ages 9 months - 4 years old. Contact Amanda Stoen - preschool@stpaulsdurham.org for more information.

Valentines' Day Big Band Bash!
Come and enjoy the big band sounds of the Durham Jazz Orchestra on Friday, February 13, at 7-9 pm in Trinity Hall. The Durham Jazz Orchestra is an eighteen piece band with vocalists. They have been here several years and it has proven to be a wonderful evening of entertainment. You will hear the sounds of yesteryear and are invited to take a spin on the dance floor if you are so inclined. It is a great time to invite your loved ones to a fantastic event. If able, please bring some sweet or salty treats or desserts to share. A free will offering will be taken to offset the cost of the band.

Wednesday Night Suppers Chili Festival!
We already had a great supper on January 7 -- Chicken Pot Pie (homemade), salad bar, and desserts.  Now we get to look forward to our Chili Festival on January 21. This is a name change for our Chili Cookoff (everybody's was so good we couldn't award winners) so it is time for you to dust off those favorite chili recipes and cook them up. Supper begins at 6:00 pm so the chili should be here by 5:30-5:45 pm in crock-pots. Indicate if it is hot or mild, vegetarian or meat. We'll supply the corn bread, salad and desserts. Ya'll come out and enjoy our Chili Festival!

Bible Studies
We have two Bible Studies each week: Mondays at 7:00 pm with Vicar Daniel and Thursdays at 10:30 am with Pastor Scott.  Hope to see you here!

Worship 
Our Sunday worship continues at 8:30 and 11:00 am using Setting 3 of the ELW. Holy Communion is celebrated at each service.