St. Paul’s United Methodist Church February
Come have
February 17 St. Paul’s will serve hot, yummy pizza Sunday, February 17 at noon in the Fellowship Area. This is an informal “meet and greet” opportunity designed for visitors to get to know the ministers (Tim, Chad, and Joseph) and staff of St. Paul’s. If you know of anyone who might like to attend, please pass along an invitation.
ADULTS February 4, 11, 18, 25 5:30 Beth Moore Deuteronomy Study Library February 6, 13, 20, 27 6:00 Vesper Service Sanctuary 6:30 Chancel Choir Choir Room
MEN February 7, 14, 21, 28 11:30 Beth Moore Deuteronomy Library
February 10 7:00am UMM Breakfast Kitchen Area
February 8 9:00 Cooking at Grace Place for Mission
February 13 11:30 FORM (Fellowship Of Retired Men) Catfish Cabin
February 13 – 17 Mexico Mission
February 21 (9:45 Kitchen) UMM (11:30) DeSiard St.
WOMEN February 3, 17 5:00 UMW Circle of Friends Parlor February 5 6:00 UMW General Meeting Parlor Call to Prayer and Self Denial Service
YOUTH February 3 SOUPER BOWL OF CARING February 3, 10, 17, 24 5:00 UMYF at church in the youth room
FAMILY
February 10 UMW Sunday UMW Woman of the Year
February 6, 13, 20, 27 5:15 Dinner
February 6, 13, 20, 27 6:00 UMYF Worship Fellowship Hall
February 12 6:00 UMW Joy Circle Parlor
February 17 12:00pm Pizza with the Pastors
February 14 5:30 - UMYF Food Bank & dinner out
February 21 6:30 UMW Harmony Circle Diane Martin’s Home February 26 9:30 UMW Mary Henry Circle Parlor
CHILDREN
COMMITTEE MEETINGS February 4 5:30 SPRC meeting Conference room February 5 6:30 Trustees meeting Conference room
February 1 9:30 Day School Parade Sunday school hall
February 19 5:30 Finance Committee meeting Conference room
February 3 NO Confirmation Class
February 28 5:30 Church Council meeting Parlor
February 6, 13, 20, & 27 4:30 Mandarin Class 6:00 Music Makers, Bible 101, Club 56 February 10, 24 4:00 Confirmation Flinn’s Men’s Rm February 17 4:00 Confirmation w/ mentors fellowship hall
Dear Friends, Oh, how Linda Beth and I love the first few months of the year in Louisiana. Back in New Mexico, January and February meant snow and bleakness. The Christmas decorations had been taken down and summer was so very far away. Here in Louisiana, red and green Christmas decorations have been replaced with equally festive purple, gold, and green decorations. Carnival season is in full swing, crawfish is boiling, king cakes are in the bakeries, and a very big party is just around the corner. In the Church, we, too, are in celebratory mode. Christmas has arrived, which means Jesus, our Lord and King is here. Our king walks among us. We are in carnival season, or, more precisely, we are in the incarnational cycle of the Christian year. What does that mean? Carne means flesh (think chili con carne, or chili with meat), so the incarnational cycle is the time when Jesus is present with us in the flesh. This is the time we remember when our Lord walked among His people. During that time He became our teacher, our example, and our very best friend. During this carnival season St. Paul’s UMC is studying together the Christian to the Core curriculum, and the very first lesson is to increase our intimacy with our Lord. Intimacy is most easily accomplished when you spend time with another. During this season of carnival, let’s all walk and talk with Jesus, making Him our teacher, our example, and our very best friend. Let’s become so intimate with Jesus that we KNOW Him with our hearts, with our minds, and with our actions. The King cake has been served to us all, and the baby is ours for the taking. Let the celebration begin. Peace, my friends… Tim
UMW February Meetings Harmony Circle - We will meet on Feb 21 at Diane Martin's home at 6:30 pm and continue our studies.
Joy Circle - We will meet on Feb 12 in the Parlor at 6 pm. Bring finger food, $5 for missions and $5 for the Pokeno game. Any interested ladies are invited to join us!
Circle of Friends Circle - We will meet on the 1st and 3rd Sundays in the Parlor at 5 pm and continue discussing our outreaching plans.
Mary Henry Circle—We will meet on Feb 26 in the Parlor at 9:30 and continue our studies.
UMW’s Call to Prayer and Self Denial Tuesday, February 5 at 6:00 in the Parlor This is a General meeting for all UMW Circles hosted by Circle of Friends.
UMW Sunday February 10 at all services The UMW Outstanding Woman of the Year will be announced at the 11:00am traditional service.
THE UMW Reading Program The UMW Reading Program collection has doubled in size for this year. Twentytwo new books have been added to our collection. All UMW members are encouraged to read—as few or as many as they desire—then fill out and turn in a record of what they have read. For those who wish to fulfill the requirements for a specific Reading Plan, there are issues of both response and World Outlook available. The UMW library is located in a cabinet in the church library.
Our UMM cooked and served around 140 servings of food to the people at the DeSiard Street Mission in January with the aid of some of the young men from the St. Paul’s Confirmation Class. Won’t you help this month?
DeSiard Street Mission St. Paul’s UMM and Confirmation’s young men
Thursday, February 21
– MANDARIN ages 4 to 10 – DINNER all ages – NURSERY for AGES 0-3
MUSIC MAKERS 3yrs – 1st grade
BIBLE 101 2nd – 4th grade
CLUB 56 5th – 6th grade
YOUTH 7th – 12th grade
VESPERS Adults
Confirmation Class news! Confirmation classes are going great! On Sunday, January 13, the confirmands met with their mentors to study the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. This sparked great discussion within the group. Discussed were topics such as prayer in schools, divorce, capital punishment, homosexuality, and many others. Many of the mentors commented about what they learned as well as how much the confirmands already know! On Thursday, January 17, the boys in the Confirmation class served the meal prepared by the United Methodist Men’s group at the DeSiard Street Shelter. This was a great experience for the confirmands as well as the parents who attended. The boys learned about the number of homeless people who are served at the shelter each day as well as other statistics about the homeless in Monroe. Pictured here are the boys who served the meal. Attending were Christian Bagwell, Owen Gregg, Carter Keyes, Ian King, John William Madison, Jett Polk, and Matthew Wolleson.
Required Skills: No previous experience required. Requirement: Desire to share God’s love.
Help Wanted!
Position: Missioner to Mexico Salary: Abundant blessings!
Come join St. Paul’s mission team to Mexico, February 13-17, 2013, and experience the total benefit package! Sign up available at the church or call Kathy Wells, 387-0168, for more information.
GRACE PLACE
St. Paul’s serves lunch at Grace Place on the 2nd Friday of each month. It’s a blessing to do this, and after all, isn’t that what God wants us to do, help others? It was a lot of fun when we were there in January. We fed 152 people on behalf of St. Paul’s. Thanks a bunch to the folks who helped cook and serve: Mary Lou Blakeman, Billie McCready, Claudia Woods, Kay Morgan, Jill Mouk, and Ellen Breed. Also, thanks so much to those who provided cakes: Georgia Street, Jewel King, Buff Harvey, Betty Ann Nolan, Dianne Cage, and Jan McGrew. There are many ways you can help. So, call if you feel the pull to help. Babs and Ray Clary 322-0731
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church CHURCH COUNCIL AND LOCAL CHURCH OFFICIALS 2013 (R) Chairperson—————————————————————————————————George Snellings (13) Vice Chairperson—————————————————————————————————Mike Mulhearn(13) Recording Secretary————————————————————————————————Rachel Shelby (14) (R) Committee on Finance Chairperson———————————————————————--Chuck Casteel (13) (R) Board of Trustees Chairperson—————————-(elected by Trustees annually)———-—Joe Hoover (14) (R) Committee on Staff Parish Relations Chairperson————————————————--Troy Luttgeharm (13) (R) Committee on Nominations and Leadership Development Chairperson—(Senior Pastor)—Tim Neustifter (R) Witness Ministries Work Area (Invitation)——————————————————————Chad Brooks (R) Nurture Ministries Work Area—————————————————————————————Jill Mouk (R) Outreach Ministries Work Area (Missions)—————————————————————--Kathy Wells (13) (R) United Methodist Men President———————--(elected by UMM—————————Brent Chappell (13) (R) United Methodist Women President——————-(elected by UMW)—————————--Kathy Wells (13) (R) United Methodist Youth President———————(elected by UMYF)—--Riley Luttgeharm, Emily Mouk (13) Lay Member to Annual Conference—————————————————————————Nancy Hemrick (13) Lay Member to Annual Conference————————————————————————Paulette Eubanks (13) Lay Member to Annual Conference——————————————————————————-Heath Work (13) Treasurer——————————————————————————————————————--Jeff Mouk (R) Associate pastor——————————————-(appointed by bishop)—————————-Joseph Guo (R) Associate Pastor——————————————-(appointed by bishop)—————————Chad Brooks (R) Senior Pastor————————————————(appointed by bishop)————————Tim Neustifter MEMEBERS AT-LARGE Class of 2013 Class of 2014 Class of 2015 Susan Crawford Don Durham Lane Eddleman Charles Gagnon Gay Morris Georgia Street Charlie McDonald Mike Mulhearn Evelyn McClelland Rachel Shelby Christy Stidham Riley Luttgeharm Heath Work Khurram Shakir Emily Mouk George Snellings Dan Hoover COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (Par. 258.1) Class of 2013 Class of 2014 Class of 2015 Nancy Hemrick (Vice Chairperson) Taylor Cagle Matt Nolan Sandy Casteel Nat Smith COMMITTEE ON STAFF PARISH RELATIONS (Par. 258.2) Class of 2013 Class of 2014 Class of 2015 David Clary Earl Huff Don Durham Sherry Free Troy Luttgeharm (Chairperson) Christy Stidham Betty Jean James Pam Stratton John Landry BOARD OF TRUSTEES (Par. 258.3, 2524-2550) Class of 2013 Class of 2014 Class of 2015 Tricia Nolan J.C. Cunningham Mike Gibbens Emily Rash Mike Cage Margaret Barker Marshall Napper Paula Garrett COMMITTEE ON FINANCE (Par 258.4) Class of 2013 Class of 2014 Class of 2015 Joey Bales Johnny Bryant Paula Napper
Day School & Mother’s Day Out for School year 2013—2014
Registration will begin Monday, January 28, at 8:00 a.m. for children presently enrolled in our programs. Then, on Tuesday, January 29, church members may participate in the enrollment process. Finally, public registration will be on Wednesday, January 30. If you are aware of a family that may be interested in placing their child in St. Paul’s next year, we would appreciate all of the recommendations made by anyone on our behalf. If you have any questions or need any further information, feel free to contact me, Patsy Chappell, at 325—8831.
Ladies’ Beach Retreat
June 19-23, 2013 The total cost - $325 per person $100 nonrefundable deposit due March 31st. Write “2013 Beach Retreat” in the memo line of your check.
Please call Jill at 322-4454 to join the list NOW!
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church 1901 Lexington Ave. Monroe, LA 71201 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Epistle Editor: Julie Blakeman
Epistle Proof Readers: Linda Beth Neustifter, Betty Ann Nolan