Dear Friends in Christ:

St. Paul’s is a lively gathering of God’s people around the Gospel-centered promise of grace, a “Reconciling in Christ” congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in NW Washington, DC. 

St. Paul’s is focused on living thankfully in light of God’s gracious love, gathered in prayer for the world, and actively working for justice and peace locally and globally. Join us for outdoor worship this Sunday and often! 

To join our mailing list, please click HERE.

Simply Giving: Click Below

CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone	202-966-5489
Email	office@stpaulslutherandc.com
Address                   Like us on Facebook                       Follow us on You Tube   Follow us on Twitter     and Instagram	4900 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Washington, DC 20008   We are located between Ellicott & Everett Streets NW, between Murch Elementary School and the Fire Station.                                                                    St. Paul's Podcasts available online!

From Pastor Walker's Desk:

"Perhaps you have come . . . for just such a time as this." (Esther 4:14b) 

I give thanks to God for each of you. It has been some first year of ministry with you and I celebrate being right here, to get to know you and experience God's presence with you. Throughout these months of a global pandemic, we have managed to be church, we have had a virtual presence to ensure that all who are members of this community hear the Word of God. We have also worshipped outside; we have stood in the sunshine and in the cold as a visible sign of God's love, God's hope and God's grace in a world that so needs it. Thanks be to God!

 As 2020 comes to an end I ask that you reflect on the mission and ministry of St. Paul's and all that we have experienced this year and if you are able consider a year-end gift that would help us narrow the gap in our budget.

  St. Paul's has been in this unprecedented year a beacon of hope for me and for many in this tumultuous year. My prayer is that together we will be good stewards of all God's gifts to us and continue to be a sign of God's goodness and love.

You may give by 11:59 on December 31: 

Online---- Click here.

By Text:

Simply send a text message to St. Paul's GivePlus Text number, 844-262-6943, with the amount you would like to contribute. 

By mail postmarked by Dec. 31

St. Paul's Lutheran Church

4900 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20008 

Thank you for being the people of God in this place and for considering a year-end gift. 

Be safe, be well, be blessed. 

Pastor Andrea

Click here to view the Phase 2 Guidance for Places of Worship in DC.

" For more information from the DC Metro Synod on Coronavirus, please click HERE.

For up to date information in the District of Columbia: dchealth.dc.gov/coronavirus                  

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St. Paul's is Looking for a Media Intern!

 Do you like to video edit and work on social media content? Do you need Community Service or SSL hours?  Are you looking to build a portfolio of your work to use for a class, a college application, or resume? 

Then we are looking for YOU! 

St. Paul's is looking for someone who is willing to join our team as a media intern.  Ideally, this person would join us every week to video record our services (and do any necessary post-edit), manage the church's social media presence on Instagram and Twitter, and keep our website up-to-date. 

Basic video editing skills are highly desirable (for example, experience with iMovie on a Mac), but extensive knowledge is not required.  
 

This position could be shared by more than one person.  Approximate number of hours required each week: 4. 

All ages are welcome to apply!

If interested, please contact Pastor Andrea. 

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Save the date! We will have a virtual congregational meeting on January 31, 2021.

All reports are due to the office by Friday, January 8th!

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Comfort is being spread! 

Seven prayer shawls were delivered in the past two weeks.  Members of the prayer shawl ministry offer these gifts to those for whom they would be a comfort.  One member of the congregation said a prayer shawl is like a hug from St. Paul's on the couch any time it is needed.  Indeed!

 Please reach out to have one for your home, a neighbor or a loved one that could use such a hug.

Church office (delivery usually possible too)

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News from Lutheran World Relief

On behalf of Lutheran World Relief, I want to reach out one last time to update your congregation about the quilts and/or kits that you had in the Beirut port when the blast shook the city on August 4. As you recall, we originally thought all was lost and only later discovered that the LWR supplies were protected. 

 Thanks to the love of your congregation and other Lutherans across the U.S., over 11,500 people in Lebanon have received these quilts and kits! All 21,433 quilts and kits were distributed to families (many households receiving multiple items). 

 A video has been created to share with your congregation, accessible either on YouTube or via download. 

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/JIrXrgGbB5U

Bringing Christ's light to life in Beirut

Download:   https://photos.lwr.org/?r=32494&k=932ca74359 

 Additionally, thanks to the love of Lutherans and our staff on the ground, we've been able to meet more needs in Beirut:

1. We have finished 290 household repairs and another 810 are in progress to be completed by Christmas. We're exceeding our target of 742 households ... and yet there are so many more to whom we could respond.
2. We are in discussions with partners on a mental health/psychosocial training for those who are still struggling with the impact of the blast, coupled with the COVID-19 lockdown (much like the US, Lebanon experienced spikes in November and the government has severely limited movement as a result).

Once again, thank you for bringing the light of Christ to our neighbors this Advent. If you ever have any questions about your partnership with Lutheran World Relief, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

 In gratitude,

Emma Wagner

Associate, Congregational Engagement

Lutheran World Relief

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Adult Sunday School will resume in January, 2021

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Send Us Your Selfies and Family Photos!

We are still hanging your pics in the Church's Chancel, so you can "be" in church, even though you can't be in church!  We will continue to do this as long as we can't be together physically!  Send your selfies to Lisa Wackler!

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You have this, because God has YOU.

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Parents of College Students

Please let Lisa Wackler know your college student's school address.  Now more than ever we want to let them know that their church is praying for them!

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Youth Group News On Sunday, October 18th, our Youth Group gathered at Reformation to continue discussion on Jesus' Beatitudes, and what it meant when Jesus said Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit and Blessed Are Those Who Mourn. What do those things mean to us today? We had a great discussion while we carved our pumpkins outside in the fantastic weather!  Youth Group is for youth grades 7-12, and we meet once a month-in person, if the weather is good, and on Zoom if it isn't! Join us! Contact Lisa Wackler for more info.   Youth Choir Practice on Hold Until Further Notice If you wish to join the youth choir or would like more information, please contact director Marcia Perez . _______________________________   MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLERS LOOKING FOR SERVICE HOURS:  Please contact Lisa Wackler Community Service or SSL hours!  _______________________________   Website Work for St. Paul's We are planning for some web redesign and expansion. Please let us know what you would find useful on the congregation's website. What's missing? What do you use? If there is old and bad info, please continue to point us to that as well. But do talk to us! It makes our work better.  ______________________________   New Benches for Portico Garden We would like to thank both Lynn Adkins and Bruce Pihlstrom for their wonderful generosity in the purchase of the two new black steel memorial benches that were installed recently in the Portico garden. Not only do they look perfect in their setting, but the benches are also comfortable and functional. In fact, we are pleased to note that many visitors to St. Paul's have already been able to enjoy using the two benches.  _______________________________ Worship Assistants It's never too early to think about ways that you can serve the church when we can gather again! Complete a survey to let us know your interest by clicking HERE. ___________________________ Prime Time Center Canceled Until Further Notice.  We will be providing updates as we know them.  If you would be interested in reaching out to Prime Time attendees to see how they're doing, please let Lisa or Joy know!

WEEKLY SCHEDULE AT ST. PAUL'S

While we are physically away from each other there are ways that we have decided to be church together during this time.

Every Sunday, there will be one outdoor worship service at 10 am. Please bring your own chair or blanket and wear a mask.  Each Sunday, there will also be a video and podcast of some music and the readings and sermon for those who are unable to be there or in cases of inclement weather. Also on Sunday mornings at 8 am, Adult Sunday School is available on Zoom (see article for more information).

Mondays at 3 pm - Storytime with Pastor Andrea (for children) via Facebook Live. Friend her at Pastor Andrea Walker to listen in.

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 noon via Facebook Live - Prayers and devotions with Pastor Andrea.  Friend her at  Pastor Andrea Walker to participate.

Mondays thru Fridays: The Church is now open for quiet meditation and prayer.  You must sign up! We ask that you limit your visit to 30 minutes, and that you stay in the church nave.  You may enter through the handicapped entrance on the south side of the church (up the ramp, and by the side doors of the main church) and exit through the Portico door.  (Slots are 45 minutes long to give everyone time to clear the space before the next person or family.  Please don't be late!)  Please don't forget to wear your mask, and wipe down any surfaces in which you make contact (wipes will be provided)! 

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Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 11 am:

Good Morning, and welcome to church!

Please join us at on YouTube!

Please click HERE for the service bulletin.  

Please click HERE for today's Children's Bulletin.

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FOOD PANTRY UPDATE

 Food Pantry -

Our Food Pantry continues to provide for many in our community, and with the arrival of cold weather we expect to see even higher demand.  Over the last two Food Pantries, we've seen the number of bags distributed jump almost 20%.  

At the present time, we have critical need of hearty soups, canned meats, full-size toiletries and large paper shopping bags WITH handles (Whole Foods and Trader Joes bags are ideal!).

 Our additional Food Pantry day was well-received this month, and starting in January we will be on a four Saturday a month schedule.  This will help us meet the increasing demand that we're seeing.  

And don't forget, the Washington Humane Alliance will be at the Food Pantry the first Saturday of every month distributing pet food for DC residents in need. 

 If you have any questions, about the St. Paul's Food Pantry, please contact Lisa Wackler.

Thank you for your support!

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Here are some photos of our home creches!

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URGENTLY NEEDED: help with recording Sunday services

We are urgently seeking volunteers to help record Sunday services. Since the end of the summer, the staff has handled all aspects of recording the Sunday services by ourselves. There's a fair amount of work required: we need to set up and run an iPhone to capture the video and adjust the audio levels of the sound system during the service to ensure good-quality sound. After the service we edit the video and upload it to YouTube. It has been very challenging to lead the worship service while simultaneously handling all the audio/video logistics.

It will soon be too cold to worship outdoors on Sunday mornings. Before the summer weather enabled us to gather outside (as we have done since July), we recorded services in advance (first audio only, then video, too) to be available on Sunday morning. But going forward, when outside worship is no longer feasible, the staff wants to lead the worship service at 11:00 on Sunday mornings and simultaneously livestream to YouTube. This change will allow all of St. Paul's members plus the many additional virtual visitors who have discovered our church during the pandemic to all worship together at the same time. We cannot do this without additional help, however.

It is clear that we need some helpers to manage the audio and video during the livestreaming. We are looking for multiple people to volunteer to be trained and be available to help on a rotating basis. Just as there are many people who volunteer to be lectors, ushers, acolytes, and Communion assistants, there is now an immediate need for audio/video helpers to join that list. The responsibilities aren't difficult, but they are critical, especially now. All ages are welcome, particularly high school or college students.

Please let us know you're interested by emailing Sonja and Matt. Or email us if you just have questions or want more information.

We cannot extend our ministry at St. Paul's to include livestreaming without your help.

Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Sonja and Matt

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Racial Equity

Movement 3

To be discussed in early January

Opening prayer:

God of love, help me value the diversity in your creation and in the human family. Help me to love others and send your Holy Spirit to transform my life. I pray for your unfathomable grace to touch me so that I am energized to work toward dismantling white supremacy. Help me to know more clearly who I am and to live out your compassion and justice in my life, through Jesus the Christ. Amen 

Scripture:

 Amos 5:23-24 

"Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." 

Activity Options:

(Please choose one or all these options) 

Listen

The 1619 Project Podcast - Episode 3 The Birth of American Music (35minutes) 

Watch:

 TEDTalk - How to Deconstruct Racism One Headline at a Time Baratunde Thurston 

(6:51minutes) 

Read:

 10 Habits of Someone Who doesn't Know They're AntiBlack. (www.welcometostratagem.com/post/10-habits-of-someone-who-doesn-t-know-they-re-anti-black) 

Or/and- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo Chapters 6,7,8 

Watch: 

The Oprah Conversation on Apple TV "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man" episode 1 (39.37 minutes) 

Reflection Questions: 

How did the activity make you feel?

What was new to you?

What surprised you?

What made you feel uncomfortable? Why do you think that is?

What does any of this have to do with your faith?

Write a brief synopsis of your chosen activity.

What do you want to do after hearing/reading/watching this?

Closing Prayer: 

Peacemaking God help me discover what makes for peace. Amen 

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Church is open for Prayer and Meditation.

As the pandemic continues we are holding worship services outside as the weather permits.

If you miss being in the church, please contact Joy Belew to set up a time to come inside for quiet meditation and prayer.

Please don't forget to wear your mask, and wipe down any surfaces in which you make contact (wipes will be provided)!

If you have any questions about using the space, please contact Joy in the church office at 202.966.5489.

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Introducing GivePlus Text!    You can now make a contribution with text!

Simply send a text message to St. Paul's GivePlus Text number, 844-262-6943, with the amount you would like to contribute. Within a few minutes, you'll be sent a text with a link to register. Click on the link and enter your cardholder name and debit or card information. Once your registration is complete, you will receive a text verification and a receipt of your donation via email.

For future giving, send a text with the amount you wish to give, and it will process automatically! You can even text "repeat" to make it a recurring donation. Text giving is one of the fastest and easiest ways to give. 

To learn more watch this video or click here  to view a pdf "Quick Guide to GivePlus Text". 

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