Welcome to St. Paul's United Methodist Church
Pentecost Season Prayer
Spirit of God, breathe into us your life.
Renew us in love;
Revive us in faith;
Refresh us in hope.
Spirit of God,
breathe into us your life
that we might be instruments
of your grace now and always. Amen.
What If Christmas Came in the Summer?
Mark 1: 1-8, Rev. Marianne Niesen, July 20, 2008
Now, it is one thing for the Finance and Stewardship and Worship Committees to plan and pull off a Christmas in July celebration. It is quite another thing for the preacher to figure out what on earth to say about it all. Beyond the practical part of things - that is, what I’ve already said - what might a Christmas celebration in the middle of summer mean? There aren’t exactly any scripture texts that automatically lend themselves to this! After some pondering and praying, I was inspired by a Biblical figure who usually appears during Advent, just before Christmas - John the Baptist. As you probably remember, he’s the cousin of Jesus who became a desert preacher. While Jesus was busy being a good Jewish son and learning carpentry with his Dad in Nazareth, John left home, took to eating bugs and living in the desert. His parents must have wondered what they did wrong. In any case, when I thought about Christmas in July, it occurred to me that you could make a case that John was the one who called for the original Christmas in July. They didn’t call it ‘July’ then - and the term ‘Christmas’ wasn’t yet used. Still, it was John who knew the need for a new season of hope in the world and who challenged people to look for it, to prepare for it, to be ready. You see, long before Auntie Mame sang the song about the ‘need for a little Christmas right this very minute,’ John the Baptist told the people who gathered at the river . . . I know just what you all need . . . you need a little Christmas . . . you need a little hope . . . you need a new way of seeing . . . you need a bit of vision . . . and you need it now! It’s coming, he promised, look, listen, be ready and follow the one who is to come.
St. Paul's News, Events and Worship Opportunities
- August 3 is our next Meals for Milions offering. If you would like to collect your change in a fish bank, there are some in the foyer on the table near the bulletin board.
- 2008 St. Paul’s Lectureship is coming... and so is the Silent Auction! October 17-19 This year’s St Paul’s Lectureship is another in the Lectureship Series that has come to define St Paul’s commitment to understanding.
Dr. Jan Love, Dean of the Candler School of Theology of Emory University, will challenge our congregation to consider the role of progressive Christians in the political decision-making process. Dr Love comes to us as another in the tradition of outstanding guest lecturers including Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan – each considered widely influential theologians in our time.
As you may know, the Silent Auction has become an integral part of our Lectureship Program and contributes significantly to the financing required to support our Lectureship Series. In the past, our members have contributed art, valued possessions, food and exciting dining and other opportunities for sale at the Auction. We have recognized the Silent Auction is not a “white elephant sale” but rather an outpouring of what we have, purchase, create or otherwise value in support of the Lectureship. While more information will be forthcoming in the next several months about the Lectureship, now is the time to begin to plan your gift(s) to the Silent Auction. What you value and contribute will be valued also by others who shop the Auction and the result will be another successful Lectureship. For any questions, please contact Rick Hulbert, Silent Auction Coordinator, at rikhul@bresnan.net or 442-3731.
- Help someone with the bare essentials of life. Help a family with something as basic as food. Bring an item or two of non perishable food each Sunday and place it in the Food Share box at the door in the foyer.
- St. Paul’s “collection center” is in the Fellowship Hall. Below are the things we collect and who benefits:
Used cell phones are collected for use by women at the Friendship Center’s.
Used ink cartridges are collected to recycle. Funds support the computer and software needs in the church office. Please, NO toner cartridges we cannot recycle them.
Campbell’s Soup proof of purchases** and Betty Crocker Box Tops for Education are collected by the UMW for McCurdy School in New Mexico (United Methodist school for Hispanic and Native American children) and Intermountain here in Helena.
- St. Paul’s…”Where everybody knows your name” Help us to know YOU! Please wear a name tag.
- Join us for Fellowship between 9:30 and 11:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall. We serve UMCOR Fair Trade coffee and a variety of teas and snacks. (Please note that we will resume the noon Fellowship time on Welcome Home Sunday, September 7.)
- Good Coffee for a Good Cause. A United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Project links congregations with small farmers & their families in Latin America, Africa and Asia. As Christians we can help these small farmers earn a fair income, obtain access to credit and technical support, and gain a trading partner they can trust by using Fair Trade Equal Exchange coffee. Coffee and Tea will be available during the summer (June 22-August 31) by calling Jesse Long at 443-3352 or by email at jlong@metnet.mt.gov. .
Our Community
Contact us:
Office Address: 512 Logan, Helena MT 59601
Phone: 406-442-5643 or 406-443-4218
Please note new staff e-mails!
