May 16, 2021
Youth Church @ 9:30 Adult Sunday School @ 9:30 AM Sunday Livestream Worship Service @ 10:45 AM “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14
The Church on the Hill, Near the Cross, In the Word, and On the Move for Christ 1
Church Information The Reverend Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr. Pastor
Office Staff
Administrative Assistant to Pastor Croft: Minister Carol J. Hicks Administrative Manager: Valerie McGruder – Cortes Bookkeeper: Carlene Mahan Sexton: Stanley Edwards
Sunday
Monday
Youth Church on Zoom @ 9:30 AM st
(Except 1 Sunday)
Pastor’s Prayer Call @ 7:00 AM M – F: KAIROS Call @ 1:00 PM
Adult Sunday School on Zoom @ 9:30 AM Sunday Service on Livestream @ 10:45 AM
Wednesday Bible Study on Zoom @ 6:00 PM
Church Office Hours Monday through Friday
9AM - 4 PM One Hagerty Blvd. West Chester, PA 19382
610.692.2446 www.stpaulsbaptist.org
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Table of Contents
Page
Order of Worship…………………………………………………………………...4 Scripture……………………………………………………………………………5 Bio - Minister Langston Huzzy...……...……..…..…….…………………………..6 Man of the Year………………………………………..…………………………...7 Man of the Year (Continued)...………………………..…………………………...8 Health & Wellness “Alert”…………………………………………….…………...9 Women’s Fellowship Activities……………...……..………..……..………...…..10 Mail Addressed to the Church………….………………………….………...…....11 May is Mental Health Awareness Month……….……………………..………….12 Bible Study……………………………………………………………………….13 The Next Primary Election……………………………………………………….14 Your Vote Counts………………………………………………………………….15 Your Vote Counts (Continued)……………………………...…………………….16 Service Academy Info Session………………..………………………………….17 Project Hope …………......…….………………………….………..……………18 Scholarship Application…………………………………………………………..19 News & Announcements……………….…………………......…………………..20 Volkswagen Internship Program……………………………...…….……………..21 Office Announcement……………………………………….………………...…..22 Peer Support Expansion Initiative……………………………...…………………23 Instruments of Praise……………………………………………………………...24 Affirmation of St. Paul’s Building Closure……………………………….……....25 St. Paul’s Baptist Church Re-opening Update………...…………..….…………..26 COVID-19 Funeral Assistance………………………………………….………...27 PA Revises Masking Order…………………………...…………………………..28 Pastor Croft’s Monday Prayer Call……………………………………………….29 How to Give……….…………………………………………………...…………30 Prayer Line Monday – Friday…………………………….……………………….31 You Tube……………………….………………………………………………….32 Social Security………...…………………………………………………………..33 Church School Corner…………..………………………………………………...34 Sick & Shut In…………………………………………………………………….35 3 How to Join………..…………………………. ..……………………...…………36
Order of Worship 10:45 AM Praise & Worship The Call to Worship HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Invocation……….….......................................................Rev. Lawrence Claiborne Hymn...……………...………….........................................I am on the Battlefield
Welcome.…............................................................................................................... Offertory Prayer…………....…..........................................Trustee James Johnson Intercessory Prayer…........................................................Deacon John Covington Sermonic Selection…………………...……….....………………Men’s Ensemble Award Presentation………................................................Deacon Sterling Moore Men’s Day Plea……….....................................................Brother Stanley Edwards Introduction of the Preacher..............................................Deacon Sterling Moore
Acknowledgements…………………….……………………...Pastor Wayne Croft Sermonic Scripture…............................................................................................... Sermon....…................................................................. Minister Langston S. Huzzy A Righteous Man Will Take a Stand and Know No Fear Fighting the Right Way Ephesians 6:10-18 (NRSV) Invitation to Discipleship Closing & Benediction 4
Fighting the Right Way Ephesians 6:10-18 (NRSV)
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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11Put on the whole armor of God, so that
you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18
Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere
in supplication for all the saints.
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Minister Langston S. Huzzy Born and raised in South Philadelphia, PA by a career social worker, it was in Langston’s genes to serve humanity in some capacity. His mother, a Temple University School of Social Work graduate, was his earliest example of unprejudiced Christ-like service. Often found in his mother’s office assisting clients with job development and resume construction, during his teenage years Langston soon recognized a call to service beyond his thenpresent volunteerism. Baptized as a youth and a proud believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, Langston wrestled with ministry purpose. Having no mystic experience, and only a “tug” to serve those in need, he struggled with whether the preaching of the Gospel was in fact his destiny or if he should remain a youth expressionist. It was, however, after much prayer and coming across an autobiographical piece on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that he received divine confirmation that the preaching of the Gospel was in fact his call. He recalls these words of Dr. King: “My call to the ministry was not a miraculous or supernatural something. On the contrary it was an inner urge calling me to serve humanity.” These words, coupled with pastoral counseling, led to his official licensing as a Minister of the Gospel of Christ on October 19, 2008 by the Senior Pastor Emeritus of the St. Paul’s Baptist Church of West Chester, PA, The Rev. Dr. Robert Scott Jones. While a part of the ministry staff at St. Paul’s, Langston joyfully served as staff-Youth Minister, Co-Director of the Vacation Bible School program, and led Journey to Wisdom; a young adult Church School Class. From the fall of 2013 until the fall of 2018, Langston humbly served the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church of Ardmore, PA as staff-Youth Minister. Under the supervision of the Senior Pastor, Rev. Albert Davis, Jr., Langston’s ministry role included assisting with youth programming and development, and teaching a weekly youth/young adult bible study. It was, however, after much prayer and submission to the Holy Spirit that Langston returned home to the St. Paul’s Baptist Church of West Chester, PA in the spring of 2018, under the leadership of the Senior Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Wayne Croft, Sr.
Langston is affiliated with the Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the PA State Baptist Convention, and for seven years served as Assistant to the National Director of Conventions, Meetings and Planning of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. During a short stint as a resident of the Borough of West Chester, PA Langston happily served as committeeman for his precinct and as a member of the Parks & Recreation Commission. Educationally, Langston began his collegiate matriculation at the Center for Urban Theological Studies. He is a proud graduate of Cairn University in Langhorne, PA having earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biblical Studies and a minor in Organizational Management. Langston is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Missio Seminary, formerly Biblical Theological Seminary, in Hatfield, PA, and is employed by Temple University as Assistant Director for Finance and Administration within the Office of the Vice President, CFO and Treasurer. A devout family man, Langston is happily married to the former Sharontina Brightman—a librarian—and his greatest joy is being father to his daughter, Trinity Renee.
Above all, Langston is a Christian man, who is unapologetically sold out to the work and causes of Christ. 6
St. Paul’s Baptist Church, Men’s Fellowship MAN OF THE YEAR 2021 Brother Timmy Nelson has worked tirelessly serving our community in several capacities for a number of years. During the last 12 months and throughout the pandemic he has stepped up his involvement with several organizations. Timmy’s efforts have ensured that the residents of our community received information, assistance, and appropriate levels of engagement from available local resources. He has been at the forefront of ensuring African-Americans are vaccinated against COVID-19. Timmy serves on the board at Chester County Hospital and is a member of St. Paul’s Baptist Church. He worked through both organizations to collaboratively organize efforts to help maximize the number of people getting vaccines. He has done this through virtual educational formats connecting the community with knowledgeable authorities on Covid and vaccinations. Timmy organized a Black History Speaker Series with Chester County Hospital, where a dozen presenters spoke with the hospital community about history and relevant events pertaining to the experiences of African Americans. Additionally, through the NAACP, Timmy has created a partnership with the West Chester Food Cupboard, The Melton Center, and Men’s Fellowship at St. Paul’s to provide food and supplies to those in greatest need in our area. It is not uncommon for Timmy to log 40 or 50 hours per week doing organizational work at the Food Cupboard. His work at the Food Cupboard did not just begin during the pandemic. He has been a volunteer there for several years. In addition to the accomplishments noted during this past year, Timmy is involved in numerous other community based organizations.
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Brother Timothy Nelson—Man of the Year Award (Continued)
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St. Paul’s is Partnering with Rite Aid Pharmacy for a Vaccination Clinic: When: Friday May 21, 2021 Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Melton Center, 501 East Miner Street, West Chester, PA 19382 The vaccine is safe and effective and will provide protection against Covid-19. Encourage your family, friends, neighbors and community to come out to the clinic and get vaccinated Friday, May 21, 10 AM-2 PM. Go to St. Paul’s Website Home - St. Paul's Baptist Church (stpaulsbaptist.org) for more instructions to sign up for an appointment.
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ST PAUL’S BAPTIST CHURCH HEALTH AND WELLNESS MINISTRY
MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH 1 in 5 People Live with A Mental Illness in A Given Year Key Findings • Youth mental health is worsening. 9.7% of youth in the U.S. have severe major depression, compared to 9.2% in last year’s dataset. This rate was highest among youth who identify as more than one race, at 12.4%. • Even before COVID-19, the prevalence of mental illness among adults was increasing. In 2017-2018, 19% of adults experienced a mental illness, an increase of 1.5 million people over last year’s dataset. • Suicidal ideation among adults is increasing. The percentage of adults in the U.S. who are experiencing serious thoughts of suicide increased 0.15% from 2016-2017 to 2017-2018 – an additional 460,000 people from last year’s dataset.
• There is still unmet need for mental health treatment among youth and adults. 60% of youth with major depression did not receive any mental health treatment in 2017-2018. Even in states with the greatest access, over 38% are not receiving the mental health services they need. Among youth with severe depression, only 27.3% received consistent treatment. 23.6% of adults with a mental illness reported an unmet need for treatment in 2017-2018. This number has not declined since 2011. While rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation are increasing for people of all races and ethnicities, there are notable differences in those changes over time. Black or African American screeners have had the highest average percent change over time for anxiety and depression, while Native American or American Indian screeners have had the highest average percent change over time for suicidal ideation. THE FULL REPORT ON MENTAL HEALTH 2021 is located @ www.MENTALHEALTHAMERICA.net
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News & Announcements Please Pray for our Church Family Sincerest thanks to our St. Paul’s family for the outpouring of prayers, love, support, compassion and cards during Paul’s illness and after his transition. Paul and I appreciated all of the uplifting visits, calls, shared laughter, good conversations, cooking & sharing of delicious food in our home & much more as we continued to celebrate life in some way each and every day while he could participate. Our grief & sadness is extremely heavy. We appreciate you and ask for your continued prayers. Blessings to all. Bobbie Chambers and Family
Deaconess Beverly Smith Craig is convalescing at home after she incurred a broken kneecap and abrasions from a serious fall.
Brother Frederick Price is home from the hospital and convalescing at home.
============================ Minister Kay Anderson’s father, John Ringgold transitioned early Sunday morning, May 9, 2021. We have no additional information at this time.
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There are 50-60 opportunities open for college Jr’s. This is a virtual position that pays $16/hr. Any questions, please reach out to Joseph Harvey at 610-476-7896.
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ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY
WWW.GERALDCHAVISMUSIC.COM
OR CALL 302-319-3977
AVAILABLE ON CD & USB
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Affirmation of St. Paul’s Baptist Church Building Closure As an outcome of the Covid-19 pandemic, and an abundance of caution in supporting the safety of St. Paul’s members and visitors, our leadership appropriately determined it was critical to cease services and activities at St. Paul’s.
Thankful for the blessing of technology and St. Paul’s Technology Team, we have been able to effectively stay connected as one body in Christ via zoom and most recently live streaming.
The Relaunch Taskforce’s mission is to protect the safety and welfare of St. Paul’s Church family and community against the spread of Covid-19. In alignment with the Centers for Disease Control, State of Pennsylvania and county guidelines the church building has remained closed. As guidelines have continued to be updated, requests have been made for events to take place at St. Paul’s. To ensure your safety, the building and property will remain closed to all activity and events with the exception of work required for live streaming. This can be safely managed by following a strict schedule of tracking and monitoring of a limited number of individuals in the church. This monitoring includes temperature checks, screening for symptoms of Covid-19, social distancing, use of personal protective equipment and disinfecting protocols.
Although our church facility remains closed, the Relaunch Team is working diligently in planning for the day when it will be safe for us to physically join together and fellowship at St. Paul’s. St. Paul’s Baptist Church Relaunch Taskforce Dr. Lisa Croft - Chair
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ST. PAUL’S BAPTIST CHURCH
RE-OPENING UPDATE MISSION: Protect the safety and welfare of the St. Paul’s family and members of the community against the resurgence of Covid 19. GOALS: To ensure the safety and well- being of Congregants and members of the community, the St. Paul’s Relaunch Team recommends following scientific data using the following metrics to increase the probability of a sustained re-opening: CDC guidelines regarding congregant gathering, including wearing face masks, frequent hand washing and social distancing. Consistent trend in decreases of cases, hospitalizations and deaths based on national, state and local data. Equipment and personnel are available at the church to meet Covid 19 safety guidelines.
We encourage and hope that everyone will get the vaccine when available, although, it will not be required to enter the church. We will keep members apprised of pertinent, accurate information via email blasts, public service announcements and St. Paul’s Relaunch web site regarding Covid 19 and its impact on re- opening St. Paul’s. At this time, there is no projected date or concrete measures to be used for our re-opening. We are still following unstable data and once the data stabilizes more definitive information will be shared. We are taking every precaution to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our congregation and members of the community.
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COVID-19 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.
FEMA will begin accepting applications for Funeral Assistance on Monday, April 12, 2021 through the dedicated call center. 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-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number Applications begin on April 12, 2021 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585 Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time
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
If you are eligible for funeral assistance you will receive a check by mail, or funds by direct deposit, depending on which option you choose when you apply for assistance. 27
Following CDC, Pennsylvania Revises Masking Order Pennsylvania has revised its mask mandate to bring it in line with new federal recommendations that say fully vaccinated people don’t have to wear them outside anymore unless they’re at a crowded event. The Department of Health said its updated masking order incorporates the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
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Church School Corner DAILY BIBLE READINGS Jeremiah: The Suffering Preacher Jeremiah 37-38
Devotional Reading * Jeremiah 38:7-13; 39:15-18
Monday
Apostles Speak Truth to Council
□ Acts 4:13-22
Tuesday
Prophet Jeremiah is Arrested and Imprisoned
□ Jeremiah 37:1116
Wednesday
Ebed-Melech’s Trust in Jeremiah Honored
□ Jeremiah 38:7-13; 39:15-18
Thursday
Jeremiah Reaffirms Prophecy of Zedekiah
□ Jeremiah 37:1721
Friday
Jeremiah’s Last Days in Jerusalem
□ Jeremiah 38:2428
Saturday
Jerusalem Destroyed; People Exiled □ 2 Kings 25:1-12
Sunday
Zedekiah Must Submit to Babylonian Conquest
□ Jeremiah 38:1423
“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) 34
Members
In Nursing Homes and Hospitals Pembrooke Sister Deedra Matthews ~ Room 226 1130 West Chester Pike ~
West Chester, PA 19382 (610-692-3636)
Convalescing at Home Sister Carol Anderson Sister Janet Anderson Sister Theresa Battaglia Brother Guy Calloway Sister Janet Christie Deacon Jesse Craig Sister Lurerlene Crook Sister Lucille De’Berry Sister Bridget Dudley Sister Renee Golden Brother Lynell Laws Sister Arden Olsen Brother Frederick Price Sister Betty Ringgold Deaconess Beverly Smith Craig Sister Judith Thomas
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ST. PAUL’S BAPTIST CHURCH MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PLAZA
ONE HAGERTY BOULEVARD * WEST CHESTER, PA 19382 PHONE: (610) 692-2446 * FAX: (610) 692-7582 EMAIL: CHURCHOFFICE@STPAULSBAPTIST.ORG WWW.STPAULSBAPTIST.ORG
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