Last fall, St. Paul’s celebrated “God’s Work. Our Hands.” Sunday by rolling up their yellow sleeves and digging in to help spruce up Third Street Park. Now we hope to build upon the ministry we have begun, and look for more ways to share the love of Jesus Christ with our neighbors. Leading up to this year’s return to Third Street park, we are looking for more ways to listen, care, go, and connect to God’s mission in this neighborhood. But it can only happenif people commit to being involved! Everyone is encouraged to break out their yellow shirts and participate in the following events:
Operation Spring Clean-up
Tuesday, May 5 from 5p-8p
What is it? A city-wide campaign to clean up the city
What should I expect? The city will be providing all the materials needed and a list of work that needs to be done. It will include pulling weeds, picking up trash, and painting the playground equipment.
Why be involved? This is an excellent opportunity to go into the neighborhood, connect with community-minded neighbors, and show that St. Paul’s cares about the well-being of this park and neighborhood.
How can I help? Put on your God’s Work. Our Hands. T-shirt and show up to the park! City park department workers and volunteers will be on hand to direct volunteers. If you don’t feel up to working, you could stop by with some waters and treats for the other volunteers!
Neighborhood Walk
June 24, 5p-7p
What is it? A walk through the neighborhood to invitepeople to the service & picnic in the park.
What should I expect? We’ll meet at Third Street Park for instructions and prayer. Thenparticipants will be sent out into the neighborhood in pairs or triads to canvass the area.
Why be involved? Caring and helping begins with listening. We will listen to the community through observation and conversation with those who live there, and invite them to connect with St. Paul’s at worship in Third St Park the following Sunday.
How can I help? Help spread the word and encourage people to participate. Volunteers will also be needed to create invitations for worship and help coordinate the walk ahead of time. And then show up wearing yellow! We’ll gather at the park briefly at five, then gather together around 6:30pm for a short debriefing.
Worship & Picnic in 3rd St Park
June 28, 10:30 am, picnic to follow
What is it? Worship outdoors, followed by a picnic.
What should I expect? Service will begin at 10:30 and will follow the liturgy we have traditionally used in our park services, including communion. Afterwards, a picnic will be served.
Why be involved? Worship is central to our being as Christians. Through worship, we show care for and listen for God. Through Word & Sacrament, we are receive God’s care for us and the strength to go into the world, to live and serve God and neighbor.
How can I help? We will need several people to pitch in and provide food. The altar guild will also need help setting up for the service that morning. On the day of the event, show up, be bold, be kind. Engage one another and the community in conversation.
Preparations for God’s Work. Our Hands. Sunday
Early August (date & time to be determined)
What is it? Planning for activities and assigning roles for “God’s Work. Our Hands.” Sunday.
What should I expect? Assessing our work from the previous year, sharing what we have heard or learned over the summer, short time of brainstorming, and planning activities and publicity.
Why be involved? By tending to the work of preparation, we show we care and create ways for others to connect to God’s work. By working together, we learn to listen and connect to each other in faithful and productive ways.
How can I help? If you would like to be part of the planning team, please email the church office.
God’s Work. Our Hands. Sunday
Sunday, Sept 13, 9a-2p
What is it? We will begin with a short morning prayer liturgy and communion. We will then break off into groups and assign the work to be done. Lunch will be provided.
What should I expect? To get dirty! We will begin with a short morning prayer liturgy and communion. We will then break off into groups and assign the work to be done. Lunch will be provided.
Why be involved? We are called by God to go and participate boldly in God’s reconciling work in the world. By caring for creation, we care for God and our neighbors, and connect with one another, the church, and the community through loving acts of service.
How can I help? Plan to attend service and stay to help out. Share the event with others, via Facebook, email and word of mouth. We will also hoping to provide activities after service for the children, and are currently accepting ideas. More specifics about tools, supplies, etc. will be available after the planning meeting.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church is proud to announce the featured artists for the 2015 Art of the Passion exhibit.
Commemorating Christ’s passion & resurrection, 2015 Art of the Passion brings together the creative work of a variety of artists into a meditative gallery walk. This year, the exhibit will feature two sets of the stations. Leading up to Good Friday, Stations of the Cross invites visitors to a deeper experience of story of Christ’s journey to the cross. Then on Easter Sunday, Stations of the Light picks up the story with the Resurrection, and guides visitors along the disciples’ journey with Jesus to Pentecost.
In 2015, Art of the Passion will feature 25 artists working across a range of media, creating a two part exhibit of the Stations of the Cross and Stations of the Light.
Stations of the Cross
March 21 – April 3
Von Biggs Indianapolis, IN
Brenda Buckinghma-Ehrmann Frankfort, IN
Ann Dahmen Logansport, IN
Daniel Driggs Frankfort, IN
Mirvia Eckert Indianapolis, IN
Susan Fox Pittsboro, IN
He Qi Minneapolis, MN
Kerry Jackson Indianapolis, IN
Barbara Kinsler Frankfort, IN
Ann Lahr Corvalis, Oregon
Brigid Manning-Hamilton Lafayette, IN
Teresa Martin Julian, PA
Ed Selvidge Camden, IN
Thea Wilder Frankfort, IN
Stations of the Light
April 5 – April 18
Von Biggs Indianapolis, IN
Marge Burkholder Plymouth, IN
Beth Crawford Denver, CO
Dwayne Daehler Lafayette, IN
Daniel Driggs Frankfort, IN
Ehrmann Frankfort, IN
Laura Fox-Wallis Rock Hill, SC
Moises Garcia North Manchester, IN
Elias Garza Frankfort, IN
He Qi Minneapolis, IN
Cheryl Kaldahl Lafayette, IN
Stephanie Robertson Indianapolis, IN
Wayne Shedler Lexington, KY
Trish Williams Peoria, IL
Specific times, group reservations, and other information about the exhibit will be forthcoming. You can also stay up-to-date by following the Art of the Passion on Facebook or signing up for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church email updates.
St. Paul’s develops purpose statement to focus ministry and encourage mission.
On the morning of Saturday, October 11th, members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church gathered together to develop a purpose statement for St. Paul’s. The workshop was led by Rev. Nancy Nyland, Director of Evangelical Mission in the Indiana-Kentucky Synod.
With doughnuts and a lot of coffee, members delved into Scripture and discussed what it calls us to be as a church, and ways in which we have witnessed that Living Word working through St. Paul’s ministry in the past.
By the end of the morning, those sturdy souls had developed the following purpose statement for St. Paul’s:
“To Listen, care, go, & connect,
to God, one another, and the world.”
At its next meeting, the council discussed & affirmed this purpose statement. It will be brought forward to the congregation for affirmation at the Annual Meeting (on December 7th), but we also want to encourage conversation about the purpose statement now.
What do you think:
What in this statement resonates with your experience of God working in and through St. Paul’s?
How do you imagine the ministry of St. Paul’s being reshaped by this purpose?
What does this statement call St. Paul’s to let go of?
What new things does this statement call St. Paul’s to begin?
Members and friends of St. Paul’s Lutheran church participated for the first time in service for “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday. We got our hands in the dirt of a local park in our town of Frankfort, Indiana; one that was well used but had passed its prime.
So we loaded up our trowels, hoses, weed-eaters, rakes, hoes, wheelbarrows, paints, flowers and plants, and spent the day, beginning with a short service, in freshening and beautifying certain areas of the park. The community, and especially the surrounding neighborhood were invited to join us through the use of flyers and a newspaper announcement. Our local Parks Department was delighted and helpful by providing their suggestions, picnic tables and trash cans.
There was plenty of opportunity for service in different areas, as we also provided two craft stations for children to paint and decorate flower pots to take home, make their hand prints into flowerpot picks, and participate in a brief lesson with coloring opportunities.
In another area of the park, chalk and space was available for chalk art. Others concentrated on providing a light lunch and drinks, offered just at the right time for a boost of energy. And, gratefully, the weather on September 7 was absolutely beautiful.
But, for me, the most touching part came at the very end of the day as I was loading up my car with the last of the art supplies. A young girl who had been with me most of the day saw me leaving and rushed up to stop me. She declared excitedly, “I have a statement to make!”. Smiling at her grown-up exclamation, I asked what her statement was. And she said ” I declare this day a success!” And then we warmly hugged.
I’m not sure I’ll see that little girl again, but that affirmation and hug, at the end of a wonderful (but tiring day), made my heart sing. And now, when I think of God’s work, Our Hands Sunday, two weeks past, it is the thing I think of first.
It took a lot of “hands” to make the day possible. “Thank you” to all the volunteers, especially,
Carol Rodibaugh & David Rojas, for their careful & creative planning
Max Rodibaugh & the City of Frankfort Parks Dept, for planning & organizing the landscaping
Karen Reidenbach & Teresa Mudd, for providing lunch; (And to Frito Lay for providing the chips!)
Erik Dircks & Linda Mooney, for the fantastic photos
To all the neighbors, who pitched in a little labor and a lot of love
and to all those who came out and got their hands a little dirty, doing God’s work.
This series will provide an in-depth study 2 Corinthians and invite participants to engage in self-identified ministry actions. Topics will include the leadership in ministry and the church as a community centered in Christ and made alive through acts of compassion and witness.
Each session will begin with a brief “check-in” on previous actions, followed by a 45-60 min exploration of a particular passage. In the last 30 minutes, we will identify concrete actions that each person can take in the days to follow.
The He Qi art display at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church will be open to the public during the following day & hours:
Sunday, January 12: The gallery will open following morning worship (which begins at 10:30 a.m.) and remain open through 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 14: The gallery will be open from 3 p.m. -6 p.m.
Friday, January 17: The gallery will open immediately following the presentation by artist He Qi (7:00 p.m./Doors open at 6:30 p.m.) and remain open during the following reception until 9 p.m.
A limited number of the newly published “Art of He Qi” and select posters of artwork will be available for purchase.
If you have a small group that would like to visit the exhibit or would like to visit at another specific time, please contact the church at office@stpauls39.org.
Tuesday Night Bible study will return to its weekly schedule on Tuesday, January 14. What, exactly, we will be studying is still up for grabs. Got a suggestion? Let us know in the comment box below!
St. Paul’s develops purpose statement to focus ministry and encourage mission.
Tuesday Night Bible study will return to its weekly schedule on Tuesday, January 14. What, exactly, we will be studying is still up for grabs. Got a suggestion? Let us know in the comment box below!