NEWS
WEEKLY UPDATE
January 26th, 2024
Annual Meeting
January 26th
10:30am
All voting members of the congregation are encouraged to attend. At this meeting we will be voting in new Church Council members, voting for Nominating Committee members, going over the budget, as well as other business.
There will be no 10:30am service, there will be Sunday School and ALL children are welcome to join!
Camp Sunday February 9th
Youth Fundraising Breakfast: 830-11am.
Tony Ducklow from Summerfest Preaching at all 3 services.
Camp Wapo representative will be here to answer any questions and give a temple talk at the 915 and 1030 services.
Join the Choir!
The choir has resumed its rehearsals and we are always looking for people to join us! All you need is a love of singing – no auditions are needed. If you enjoy singing and want to be a part of a fun group to help you get through some of the winter doldrums, we’ll find a place for you! Not sure or worried about the time commitment? We’ll take what you can give us and we try to be respectful of everyone’s schedules. Come on a Wednesday night, 7:00 pm in the sanctuary, and see what we’re all about!
St. Paul’s Prayer Team
Your St Paul’s Prayer Team would like to extend an invitation for you to join us Monday mornings in the Church Library at 9:15 AM for a time of prayer for our church and congregation. Please feel free to contact us with any prayer requests: either through the web page (stpaulsinhanover.org), the prayer request forms found in the church bulletins (place in the offering plate), and coming soon: A Prayer Box for requests. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”
Philippians 4:6
Early Preschool Registration For Next Year
Children’s Country Preschool is now accepting registrations for the 2025-2026 school year for St. Paul’s members and current preschool families. Registrations for the general public begin Monday, January 27th. New registration forms and brochures are in the kiosk outside the church office or you may contact Sue Duley, Director, at 763-498-8938 for registration forms or to set up an appointment to tour the classes while they are in session. A public open house will be on Thursday, January 30 from 5:30-7:00 pm. Extended child care is also available during the school year and will be open 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. next year. A separate registration form is available for child care.
Last Week’s Worship Attendance
8:00am: 64
9:15am: 86
10:30am: 49
Online: 79
Total: 278
Last Week’s Offering:
Online Giving: $5,383
Offering: $ 2,960
Building: $40
Total: $8,383
PASTOR'S MESSAGE
January 2025
Why is it that we give so much attention to something as simple as turning a page in the calendar? Do we hope that things will change, or that they won’t change? Maybe we like the idea of a blank slate, but the credit card and mortgage companies don’t see it that way. Maybe there is just some hope and some promise that this year might bring with it some new things or some new opportunities.
My family watches a show called The Middle, and their high school senior daughter, about the most awkward character you’ve ever seen, was calling her senior year, the “year of Sue.” She has had a rough go leading up to this and is convinced that this will finally be her time to shine. Is that the hope and dream we have, that 2025 will be our year? For some, anything will be better than 2024, you might have had the worst year in recent memory. Now, you look forward with some optimism, hoping that something better is on the horizon. Out there, at work in the distance is Jesus, and he is waving you to follow.
The interesting thing about walking with Jesus is that he is already out there in front of us. He’s been prepping 2025 for us well before we thought about it. As we are well aware, when Jesus is out ahead of us, our call is to just join him where he is. You heard me right, 2025 is a year to be joining Jesus, and we’ll be spending time with that intentionally again, revisiting Greg Finke’s great book and call to action as he joins us on January 12 to preach and host a lunch and learn for all past and future “joiners” that want to see what Jesus is up to and how they come alongside. We will be launching small group opportunities again for those who wish to walk through the topic once more and for those who are ready to experience for the first time what one St. Paul’s member called, “The most significant thing I’ve done in my faith journey.”
As we look forward to 2025, why not look at it differently than we did 2024? Why not see things as Jesus does, and partner up with him to see what new adventures he leads us into? If you haven’t yet adjusted your way of thinking to know that Jesus is present in the entirety of our future, working to set the stage for meaningful relationships and opportunities, then 2025 is the perfect year to reflect on and experience fully Ephesians 1: 17-18 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints
Let’s have a great year!
Pastor Luke