Adult Sunday School @ 8:00 AM
Sunday In-Person and Livestream Worship Service @ 10:45AM
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.”
Matthew 5:14 NRSV
TheChurchontheHill,NeartheCross,IntheWord,andOntheMove forChrist
Febr u a ry 1 9, 202 3
Senior Pastor
e Reverend Robin Hinton
Technical Administrative Assistant: Tiffany Grier
Carlene Mahan
Lead Stan Edwards
Youth Church Sunday @ 10:45 AM
Adult Sunday School on Zoom @ 8:00:AM
Sunday Service on Livestream @ 10:45AM
Monday
Pastor’s Prayer Call @ 7:00AM
Monday - Friday
KAIROS Call @ 1:00 PM
Bible Study on Zoom @ 7:00 PM
Monday through Friday
9AM - 4 PM
One Hagerty Blvd.
West Chester, PA
19382 610.692.2446
www.stpaulsbaptist.org
Table of Contents Page Order of Worship .................................................................................................... 4-5 Scripture ...................................................................................................................... 6 News & Announcements ............................................................................................ 7 “The MountainTop” at the Uptown and Pastor Croft’s Sermon Discussion ............. 8 Pastoral Installation of Reverend James Mack – February 26th ................................ 9 Right Hand of Fellowship Ceremony and Reception – March 19th .......................... 9 National Civics Bee/Chester County Chamber Middle School – Deadline February 24th ........10 Women’s Fellowship & AKA Women’s Heart Disease/Breakfast – February 25th ................. 11 Adult Sunday School ................................................................................................ 12 Journeying Through Lent Wednesday Night Bible Study ....................................... 12 The Uganda Project .................................................................................................. 13 Preaching with Power – United Lutheran Seminary – March 5th – 8th ................... 14 Youth Church – 2nd & 3rd Sundays ........................................................................... 14 Men’s Fellowship Breakfast & Meeting – March 4th .............................................. 15 Church School Corner ............................................................................................. 16 Pillars in Action ........................................................................................................ 17 Delta Sigma Theta 2023 Scholarships -Valley Forge Alumnae Chapter ................ 18 Ministry Volunteers – AV, Safety & Security, Ushers, Youth Ministry, Nursery ............. 19 COVID Protocols for Worship ................................................................................. 20 Prayer Line Monday – Friday .................................................................................. 21 Pastor Croft’s Monday Prayer Call .......................................................................... 22 Giving ...................................................................................................................... 23 Scholarship Fund ..................................................................................................... 23 Health & Wellness Ministry Seeking Youth and Young Adults for Educational Videos ........24 Members in Nursing Homes, Hospitals and Convalescing at Home ....................... 25 Health & Wellness General COVID Guidelines ...................................................... 26 YouTube ................................................................................................................... 27 FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance ................................................................... 28 Social Security. ......................................................................................................... 29 Reach Out to St. Paul’s ............................................................................................. 30
Order of Worship
The Last Sunday After the Epiphany
Sunday, February 19, 2023
The Reverend Orville Brissett
The Reverend Dr. Tracie Gatewood
Minister of Music and Worship Arts Worship Leader
Praise and Worship
The Call to Worship
The Choral Introit……………… Holy, Holy, Holy…......….…………..Congregation
Prayer of Invocation………….........................…….The Reverend Dr. Tracie Gatewood
Prayer Chant……………….….The Lord’s Prayer……………………..Congregation
The
Pastoral
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Interlude…………………………………………………………………
Musical
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Hymn of Consecration …... “Lift Every Voice and Sing” …...….....…..Congregation
Greeting our Visitors………………….…………….….…………Sister Grace Kelly Black History Month Spotlight……………………………………………………
Offertory
Loper ** Announcements …..…….……………............................................................................ Prayer of Intercession………..………..….……………..…..Deacon Vaughn Jennings 4
Emphasis & Scripture Lesson………...…….The Rev. Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr. The Ministry of Giving
Prayer………………………...…………………...…..Trustee Terry
“We don’t need another political uprising. We don’t need another conqueror on thescene. What we need is a special word, that will bond within our hearts and give us direction from above. We need a Word from the Lord. A Word from the Lord. Just one Word from the Lord, will remove all the doubts and cause the sun to shine and give peace of mind. Speak Lord, Speak Lord.”
The Ministry of Preaching
The Reverend Farrah Gaskins From Doubting to Doing Judges 6:11-18 (NRSV)
*Call to Discipleship
Departing to Serve
Choral Response.…...……....………………………..…………………..………... ** Ministry of Music …………………………….……….…….….………................ Sermonic Selection.…….…….……“Victory”…………...…….…Inspirational Choir
Please Stand ** Ushers May Seat Worshippers *** Congregation
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Be Seated
Judges 6:11-18 NRSV
11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites.
12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior.”
13 Gideon answered him, “But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you.” 15 He responded, “But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16 The Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them.” 17 Then he said to him, “If now I have found favor with you, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. 18 Do not depart from here until I come to you, and bring out my present, and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay until you return.”
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FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS
For Reservation Information and Links, Go To UptownWestChester org, or call 610.356.2787.
Ticket purchase to the Mountaintop show are not a prerequisite
Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, 7PM
Brother Outsider - The Life of Bayard Rustin
A Film Presentation with Introduction by Mayor Lillian DeBaptiste, family friend
REFLECTIONS ON THE MOUNTAINTOP
Uptown is partnering with The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, the AntiDefamation League Philadelphia, and Chester County Kehillah, in a hosted Zoom conversation at 6:30.
. Guests - Uptown Artistic Director, Carmen Khan; Director, Ryan George; and actor, Chaz Rose.
Reservation Required Go to bit.ly/JQxDGgS to register.
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Thursday Feb. 16, 2023, 5:30 PM Rev. Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr. Pastor, St. Paul's Baptist Church, West Chester
On several occasions The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a sermon titled The Three Dimensions ofa Complete Life about rising from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. Join Dr. Croft to hear and discuss this provocative, relevant sermon.
Space is limited. Reservation Required, Call the Box Office at 610.356.2787, •
UPTOWN Knauer Performing Arts Center presents: Feb. 1-19
LIMITED TIME SPECIAL TICKET OFFER: All fullpriced seats just $30 Feb through Feb. 8, excluding Opening Night (Feb. 3). Call the Box Office at 610.356.2787
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226 High St., West Chester PA 8
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St. Paul’s Baptist Church
Women’s Fellowship
The Health and Wellness Ministry
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.,
Iota Tau Omega Chapter
Dr.LisaCroft
WOMEN AND HEART DISEASE
PREVENTION, SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND TREATMENT Breakfast Served
February 25, 2023
9:30 to 11:30
at St. Paul's Baptist Church
Taste Heart Healthy Recipes Prepared by: Dee Capers & Bernice Ridgel
Paul’s Baptist Church One Hagerty Boulevard West Chester,
St.
PA 19335
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TheUganda MissionProject
The Uganda Mission Project is a program of the Canaan Family Life Center, a non-profit, 501 3c organization. St. Paul’s Baptist Church recently made over 100 dresses for girls of all ages. For some Ugandan girls this will be the only dress they have.
The Uganda Mission Projects has many other projects including two that St. Paul’s is committed to supporting. The first project that provides feminine products to young women that makes it possible to regularly attend school. The second project provides new or gently used (refreshed) neckties for men in need of a necktie.
You can help by giving an offering or donating a necktie. Be sure to put Uganda Mission Project on your envelope. Please remember to pray for the Uganda Mission Project.
If you have questions, or would like to know more, please see Sis. Shirley Haines, Sis. Rita Waters, or Bro. Larry Wright.
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Church School Corner Church School Corner
MONDAY
"Rescued from Darkness" (Colossians 1:9-22)
TUESDAY
"Paul's Charge to Timothy" (1 Timothy 6:11-16)
WEDNESDAY
"God Turns Darkness into Light" (Isaiah 42:8-17)
THURSDAY
"God's Word Gives Light" (Psalm 119:121-136)
FRIDAY
"You Are Children of Light" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10)
SATURDAY
"You Belong to God" (1 Peter 2:1-12)
SUNDAY "Live free in the Light" (1 Peter 2:13-25)
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)
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Four Pillars in Action
What a blessing it is to celebrate 136 years of Resilience in Faith. From our humble beginning as the Baptist Colored Mission to St. Paul’s Baptist church today, we have sustained growth and continued to build on the foundation of our church founders. Today, St. Paul’s, under the leadership of Reverend Dr. Wayne E. Croft Sr., is actively engaged on multiple fronts simultaneously through the efforts of different ministries here at St. Paul’s. We are prayerfully living and manifesting the 4 Pillars of the Church. Some of our programs include:
Global Missions
➢ We have been on missions to Haiti and Puerto Rico following devasting earthquakes in those areas
➢ Our Women’s Ministry provided 100 dresses as part of the Uganda Dress Project - making dresses for young girls in need in Uganda
➢ Traveled to Mississippi following hurricane Katrina
➢ Collected and sent truck loads of water to Flint, Michigan at the peak of the water crisis In that city and took a bus load of St Paulians there to provide direct support
Outreach
Our outreach programs have grown significantly over the years and that is both an indication of greater need and of the increased number of volunteers to meet those needs
➢ At the height of the Pandemic we held a forum to educate the community and help dispel myths about the vaccine and health disparities. This effort directly led to over 200 people in our community getting vaccinated that otherwise would have opted out
➢ Our men have volunteered over 1000 hours of service at the West Chester Food Cupboard and continued that effort through the Pandemic
➢ Provide assistance to those in need in the community at Thanksgiving and Christmas
➢ Toy drives at Christmas. This past Christmas being one of the most successful to date. The Youth Ministry works with Toys for Tots sorting and distributing toys
➢ Clothing drives for local shelters
➢ Providing transportation to/from church for recently released inmates through our prison ministry
➢ Project Cure (Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment) – our volunteers helped in sorting and boxing medical supplies to be sent to Ukraine
Discipleship
➢ Our Pastor, Dr. Croft, as a full professor of Homiletics at the United Lutheran Seminary is bringing others into ministry and teaching and encouraging them to step out on their own path. We have in just the last 3 years seen several ministers from St. Paul’s move on to lead their own churches
➢ We have graduated multiple classes of St. Paul’s students from Church Leadership certificate programs at ULS and many have moved into positions of leadership within the church
➢ During the Pandemic (for 11 months) we implemented Project Hope, a weekly hosted zoom call, to provide the community a platform to express how Covid was impacting their lives. Authorities in their respective fields in Medical, Hospitals, Education, and other Industries to address Covid questions
Social Justice
➢ The church has hosted forums, open to the community
o to meet and dialogue with candidates looking to be elected to local offices
o to dialogue and address relationships with local police agencies
➢ The church is a base of operations for over 400 volunteers for the annual MLK Day of Service. Children and adults of different races and religions come together for one purpose, to serve
➢ The church is a voice in the community supporting multiple causes and events
o We have been actively present at court proceedings for various situations impacting our community and stood with families seeking justice
o Participated in protests and marches for local and national events
o Pastor Croft has served as President of the West Chester NAACP
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2023 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION AVAILABLE All completed applications must be received by March 12, 2023 Click HERE or scan the barcode for Scholarship Application High School seniors in Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties are eligible Have questions? Please contact us at vfacscholarship@gmail.com J.Robin Jones, President VALLEY FORGE ALUMNAE CHAPTER DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED 18
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Many people in the United States have some protection, or immunity, against COVID-19 due to vaccination, previous infection, or both. This immunity, combined with the availability of tests and treatments, has greatly reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 for many people.
The CDC has stated “We’re in a stronger place today as a nation, with more tools—like vaccination, boosters, and treatments—to protect ourselves, and our communities, from severe illness from COVID-19. We also have a better understanding of how to protect people from being exposed to the virus.”
Because we have better tools to protect ourselves against COVID19, the CDC has lifted most COVID19 restrictions. However, we are recommending that we gradually reduce mitigation strategies against COVID 19 for our congregation.
Our first step is that we will no longer require social distancing for our Sunday services. We will still require masking at all times while in the sanctuary. We will continue to encourage anyone who is feeling ill to please stay at home. We are requesting people who are immunocompromised or have other chronic illnesses to wear N95 protective masks. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boosted.
We will continue to closely monitor COVID 19 data locally and nationally over the next few weeks. We will revisit COVID19 mitigation strategies for St. Paul’s Baptist in October. We thank you for your cooperation.
COVID Protocols for Worship 20
St. Paul's Baptist Church Relaunch Committee
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Members
In Nursing Homes and Hospitals
Pembrooke
Sister Deedra Matthews - Room 226 1120 West Chester Pike West Chester, PA 19382
Members
Convalescing at Home
Deacon Jesse Craig
Sister Lurerlene Crook
Brother Lynell Laws
Sister Arden Olsen
Sister Geneva Porter
Sister Betty Ringgold
Sister Judith Thomas
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HEALTHAND WELLNESS COVID GUIDELINES
Based on new scientific data, the CDC has revised its isolation and quarantine guidelines regarding COVID-19 infections and exposures.
Important terms used in these guidelines.
· Isolation- refers to the behavior after a confirmed COVID infection via testing
· Quarantine- refers to the time following exposure to the COVID virus
If test POSITIVE AND REMAIN ASYMPTOMATIC
If test POSITIVE AND SYMPTOMATIC
If and individual is EXPOSED to COVID, ASYMPTOMATIC, and is unvaccinated or completed primary series, but has not received booster
If an individual is exposed to COVID and is fully vaccinated and boosted
days
5 days as long the individual does not have a fever/ other symptoms are resolving
N/A
5 days
*If symptoms develop the individual should immediately quarantine until testing can confirm that symptoms are not present.
N/A does not need to quarantine if symptoms develop the individual should immediately quarantine until testing can confirm that symptoms are not presentVD
5 days after completion of isolation
For a total of 15 days after exposure
5 days after exposure
15 days 5 days after exposure
Length of Isolation Length of Quarantine How long to wear Mask when around others When to Test
5
N/A
5 days after completionof isolation
N/A
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COVID Funeral Assistance
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.
We are working with stakeholder groups to get their input on ways we can best provide this assistance, and to enlist their help with outreach to families and communities. FEMA will begin to implement COVID-19 funeral assistance in April.
Additional guidance is being finalized and will be released to potential applicants and community partners as soon as possible. In the meantime, people who have COVID-19 funeral expenses are encouraged to keep and gather documentation.
FEMAwillbeginacceptingapplicationsforFuneralAssistanceon Monday,April 12, 2021throughthededicatedcallcenter.
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions: The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.
How to Apply
COVID-19FuneralAssistanceLineNumber Applicationsbeginon April12,2021 844-684-6333|TTY:800-462-7585
HoursofOperation: Monday -Friday
8a.m.to8p.m.CentralTime
If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation. Types of information should include:
An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. Funeral expenses documents (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened.
Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. We are not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.
How Funds are Received
Ifyouareeligibleforfuneralassistanceyouwillreceiveacheckbymail,orfundsbydirectdeposit, dependingonwhichoptionyouchoosewhenyouapplyforassistance.
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ST. PAUL'S BAPTIST CHURCH
MARTIN LUTHER KING PLAZA
ONE HAGERTY BOULEVARD WEST CHESTER, PA 19382
PHONE: 610-692-2446 FAX: 610-692-7582
EMAIL: CHURCHOFFICE@STPAULSBAPTIST.ORG
WWW.STPAULSBAPTIST.ORG
