St. Paul's Epistle
Week of September 01 - September 07, 2021
Pastor's Perspective
Who will God Choose to be Out Next Bishop?
It has been an incredible privilege to be the chairman of the Bishop’s Search Committee. In case you haven’t heard, I’m pleased to announce three final candidates for consideration for the next Bishop Coadjutor of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. In alphabetical order, they are:
The Very Rev. Charles F. “Chip” Edgar, III, Dean of The Cathedral Church of the Apostles in the Diocese of the Carolinas, Columbia, SC.
The Rev. Dr. Robert C. “Rob” Sturdy, Chaplain to the Corps of Cadets, St. Alban’s Chapel at The Citadel, Charleston, SC.
The Rev. Christopher S. “Chris” Warner, Rector of the Church of the Holy Cross, Sullivan’s Island and Daniel Island, SC.
The candidates were chosen during a long search process that began with the initial diocesan approval at the Diocesan Convention in 2020 and will culminate with the election of a new bishop at Diocesan Convention in 2022. The Search Committee, a mixture of clergy and laity, were chosen by diocesan election during the winter of 2020 and met for the first time in the summer of 2020. The Committee operated under the principle that God has already chosen our next bishop and that our diocesan election will simply reveal whom that person is that has been pre-selected by God.
The next step in the election process will be to provide the diocese with a series of what are called “walkabouts” to be held in various locations throughout the diocese. The walkabouts will provide an opportunity for the upcoming delegates to the election to meet and get to know the candidates. The walkabouts will be held September 13-16 in Georgetown, Florence, Charleston and Beaufort.
The Special Electing Convention is scheduled for Saturday, October 16th, 2021 at Christ Church in Mt. Pleasant. The College of Bishops of ACNA will hopefully approve the election at their winter meeting in January 2022 and God willing, the new Bishop Coadjutor will be consecrated at the Diocesan Convention, March 12, 2022.
The St. Paul’s Day School opens soon. Let’s help get the school year get started fully stocked with supplies. Please donate unscented baby wipes, Lysol disinfectant spray, and Clorox wipes. You may bring them to church with you on Sundays or drop them off in the church office during the week. Deadline to donate is Sunday, September 5th. Thanks for your generosity!
Fall Small Group Ministries begin with an ice cream social tonight, Wednesday, September 1st from 6-7pm under the church belltower! We will have a Mr. Softee Ice Cream truck and fellowship, fun for all ages. This event is for the entire church family and is free to everyone. Come and enjoy!
Virtual Healing Prayer Service – Sunday, September 5, 2021
Our September Healing Prayer Service will be virtual. Our trained healing prayer ministers will pray for your needs and the needs of your friends and family. The teams will pray for any prayer requests submitted ahead of time. To submit a prayer request, fill out a Connection Card and put it in the “Tithes & Offerings” box at church. Or, you may send an email to prayerteam@stpaulsconway.org or text your prayer request to (843) 492-4521. All prayer requests are confidential. If you would like a prayer team member to call you and pray with you over the phone, please include your phone number on the prayer request. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
St. Paul’s Church Small Group Ministries are returning for the Fall of 2021.
Sign up for Discipleship, Fellowship, and Service opportunities.
Our Journey of Hope Ministry at St. Paul’s Needs YOU
“Hope you’re feeling better.” “I hope it rains today.” With hope, I’ll win the lottery.” “I hope he/she wins.” These are common sentences we have said or heard about hope. Biblically there are multitudes of scriptures about hope. For instance: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 15:4, 15:13, Hebrews 11:1, Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 39:7, Psalm 147:11, Lamentations 3:24, Proverbs 24:14, Titus 2:13…etc., etc., etc.
There are at least 4,145 songs (secular and religious) with hope in their title or as their theme. Examples include: Imagine, Don’t Stop Believin', Lean on Me, We Shall Overcome, Bridge Over Troubled Water, One Thing Remains, My Hope Is In You, Promises, Standing on the Promises, Who You Are, Blessed Assurance, Rock of Ages, Trust and Obey, I’ve Got Peace Like A River, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less Than Jesus Blood. Most of us have sung these songs at one time or another in church or along with them on our radio/mp3 players.
But what is ‘hope?” According to Merriam-Webster hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to circumstances in one’s life or the world at large. Synonyms for hope include: desire, trust, confidence, watchfulness, dream, wish, ponder, strive, execute performance, endeavor, and idealism. In short, a positive word. But what happens to optimism if you or someone you know is given a diagnosis of the big C, i.e. cancer.
The Cancer Ministry program at St. Paul’s is entitled Our Journey of Hope for a reason. It is a ministry for training and mentoring anyone who is ready to make a difference and offer hope in the lives of those fighting cancer. Rather than tritely saying ‘you’re in our thoughts and prayers’ we want to bring practical support, courage, compassion and above all hope to every person affected by cancer at St. Paul’s and in Conway. This is a chance to convert “Christian” from a noun to an action verb. We want to feed your faith, not your fears.
Six weekly training meetings will begin on October 4 at 1:00PM for the day session and at 6:00PM for the evening session. for those who are willing to take up their cross and follow Jesus in this crusade to help those in need. The training materials are provided free of charge from Cancer Treatment Centers of America. If you have questions and/or want to sign up, please contact Deb Wright (sassyfrass55@yahoo.com), or call Rose Mary in the church office at 843.248.4706.
Like the Marines, we are looking for a few good women and men, forged by the Sea, who will Aim High, be Army Strong, Semper Paratus, to Be All You Can Be for those suffering from cancer.
The Good News Club at Conway Elementary School will launch on September 23, 2021. The Good News Club is an after-school program that introduces children to Jesus. There are two (2) volunteer spots still available on the team. For more information and if you can help, please contact Pat Milley at (843) 347-4972.
After the christening of his baby brother in church, Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, little Johnny replied, “The pastor said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you and Mommy!” OUCH!
Happy Birthday To:
Sept. 2 - Beverly Kimbell, William Gascoign
Sept. 3 - Ann Schmidt, Estelle Shelton, John Lesnansky, Keith Bullard,
Patricia Grace
Sept. 4 - Charlotte Speedy, Deborah Amaral Sept. 5 - Brandi Hooks Sept. 6 - Janie Talbert, Kathy Benson
Sept. 8 - Audra Howser, Patricia Milley Sept. 9 - Jacquie Olster,Lauren Hargat, Lorretta DeMaria Sept. 10 - Betty Norman
Sept. 11 - Alice Bethel
Sept. 12 - Taylor Singleton
Sept. 14 - Paula Haas Sept. 15 - Patrick Hooks Sept. 16 - Nancy Owens, Sean Richardson
Sept. 18 - Dawn Rider
Sept. 19 - Robert Whitlatch
Sept. 20 - Timothy Belvin Jr., Wendy Lange Sept. 22 - Diane Gascoigne, Joy Wadman, Mariza Lorena Valenzuela Sept. 23 - Olivia Yessen
Sept. 24 - Casey Biddle
Sept. 25 - Diahann Saddler, Glen Sincovic
Sept. 26 - Shelton Long
Sept. 27 - Dorothy Silvernail, Gloria Roof
Sept. 28 - Amy Broo, Emily King, Sherry Smith
Sept. 29 - Orrin Stacy
Sept. 30 - Anthony Abajian
Happy Anniversary To:
Sept. 4 - Travis & Vanessa Todd Sept. 7 - Robert & Jacquelyn Wiley
Sept. 11 - William & Debbie Morgan
Sept. 16 - Kenneth & Garaciela Wicks
Sept. 19 - Robert & Martha Fay
Sept. 20 - Frank & Lorretta DeMaria
Sept. 23 - Zachary & Allie Jeffords Bennett
Sept. 24 - Bill & Cheryl Kellas
Sept. 24 - Bill & Patty Taylor Sept. 30 - Brad & Wendy Lange
10:00
Usher - Jimmy Jordan, Lauri Rinskey
Greeter - Mike Strite, Wayne Chandler
Acolyte - Kay Hungeford
Lector - Carol Crane
Please pray for:
Short-term: Beth Artz, Joanna Beall, Melodie Beall, Theresa Benway, Bill Bethel, Unitas Maximus Bochnar, Sylvia Burkley, Martina Castillo, Michael Mefford, Cindy Palmer, Wayne Pounders, Steven Starosto, Logan Suter, Janelle Warthen, Alice Windish
Long-term: Wyman Boatwright, Laverne Bridges, Amy Brooks, Barbara Diaz, Shay Gaillard & Family, Mary Hembree, Ithalia Hewitt, Aaron Joyner, Jack Joyner, Keith Larimore, Jane LaTour, John Lesnansky, Carol Lorenze, Suzanne Damiano-Owen, Lynn Parsley, Amber Rabon, Ann Roberts, Cheryl Sweat, Elizabeth Sweat, Phil Reynolds, Norm Smith, Hugh Smith, Kate Strite, Ellis Todd, Tommy, Fran Tuohy, Andy Vos, Bob & Jackie Whitlatch, Richard, Natalie Wicks, Scott Wiley, Blair Zoll
Under Construction
The church system, Tithe.ly, is under construction to help us utilze it's many advantages. There is some great functionality that I am exploring and implementing. Some of you have already received emails or texts from the church system. I apologize for any confusion that has been caused. Please be patient with me. I am trying to make life easier for our volunteers. If you receive any messages that you don't understand please contact me atwdeborah772@gmail.com or (843) 698-0795.
