St. Paul’s Newsletter – 20 February 2025

Hello, Everyone!

I trust that you are all snuggled in where it’s warm and dry during this fresh spill of wintry weather.

Last Sunday (2/16), the sixth Sunday after Epiphany, the gospel lesson was the familiar sermon referred to as The Beatitudes, and we discussed the blessings of trusting in the Lord. 

This coming Sunday (2/23), the seventh Sunday after Epiphany, we’ll join Jesus as he exhorts us to love our enemies. Bring a friend and join us at 10:00 am as we discuss this radical approach to love.

Mt. Zion Chili Challenge

Weather permitting, this Saturday, February 22, from 11 am – 1 pm, our friends at Mt. Zion Baptist Church (805 N Oseuma Ave, Claremore) are holding a chili cook-off fund raiser. There is a $10 entry fee for those who wish to compete, and taste hits are $5 each. The 1st-Prize winner will receive a $50 gift card. To enter, contact Sandra, the church secretary, at 918-342-2799 or 918-639-9092 or mtzionclaremore.secretary@gmail.com no later than February 17.

Inclement Weather

As we face this winter season, we want to be sure that you are receiving information about last-minute changes to our service schedule. As such, we have implemented an emergency notification system wherein parishioners can receive text messages about service cancellations, as well as various other information. If you have not already given us your updated contact information – especially your cell phone number – be sure to do so as soon as possible (we promise not to spam your inbox!). Current information may be given to Ron Parker, our IT, PR, and social media coordinator.

Volunteers Needed

It’s not too late to volunteer for these openings (see list below). If you would like to serve in any of these positions, please let someone on our Bishop’s Committee know (Shelby Mancell, Danny Haden, Kaitlyn Rodwell, Christina McMahan, Joyce Landrum, Barbara Bajon, or Rev. Nancy).

Safety Officer

-Maintains fire extinguishers

-Maintains exit signs

-Replaces light bulbs inside and outside the church building

-Reports to Junior Warden

Maintenance Officer

-Maintains building: paint, grout, stucco repair

-Fencing repair

-Schedules heat & air maintenance Spring and Fall

-Schedules bug exterminator Spring and Fall

-Maintains smoke detectors

-Changes clocks Spring and Fall

-Winds grandfather clock in Parish Hall weekly

-Reports to Junior Warden (Danny Haden)

Supplies Manager

-Maintains cleaning supplies for janitorial service: paper goods, toilet paper, hand towels, Pinesol, Scrubbing Bubbles, Lysol toilet cleaner

-Maintains kitchen supplies: paper towels, napkins, dishwasher, soap, coffee, filters, creamer, sugar, paper plates, cups, bowls

-Reports to Junior Warden (Danny Haden)

Offering Bearers

-2 people per service

-Collects offerings during services

-Counts collections for that day after services

-Reports to Treasurer (Barbara Bajon)

Altar Guild

-Maintains sacristy and supplies: Communion elements, instruments, and linens, and the cleaning and upkeep of these items

-Sets up for Communion each week before the Eucharistic service

-Cleans up the Communion elements after each Eucharistic service

-Reports to Altar Guild Director (Kaitlyn Rodwell)

Greeters

-Starting about 20 minutes before services begin, stand near the church entrance to give bulletins to those who come in

-Direct visitors to fill out the registry, and explain how our services flow to people new to the Episcopal Church

Lenten Book Club

During Lent this year, we will be participating in a national-church-wide book club. We will meet on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am for coffee (and food if you wish) and conversation about the book The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri. Our first discussion will take place Sunday, March 16, and will continue through Palm Sunday (April 13). If you wish to read along and/or participate, please sign up on the bulletin board at church or reply to this email no later than Sunday, March 2, so we know how many books to order for everyone.

Lenten Dinner Worship

Our weekly Lenten offerings to the community for this coming season will be in the form of Dinners and Worship on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm. We are collaborating with the Claremore First Christian Church, Grace United Methodist Church, and Verdigris United Methodist Church. The first Lenten Dinner Worship will take place on Thursday, March 13, at Grace UMC. The rest of the services will be held at different church campuses. Here is the schedule:

March 13 – Grace UMC

March 20 – St. Paul’s 

March 27 – Verdigris UMC

April 3 – Claremore First Christian Church

April 10 – Verdigris UMC

April 17 (Agape Dinner & Maundy Thursday Worship) – Grace UMC

Let Us Pray

  • That our parishioners will exemplify God’s love and peace during this time when so much religious, social, and political unrest plagues our community, nation, and world
  • For all individuals living in fear due to new executive orders and mandates being imposed
  • For all students and school personnel 
  • For Ukraine and Russia
  • For Israel and Palestine
  • For Patty/ Karen/ Tammy Morales/ Cynthia Woods/ Chris/ Rose/ Brady/ Zachary/ Donna/ Justin/ Robert/ Lenny/ Gabriel/ John/ Cooper/ Josh/ Steven/ Connor/ Jace/ Rose Ridge/ Bertha Boyles/ Pastor James Coulter and Mt. Zion Baptist Church

If you have prayer requests to add to the Newsletter, email them to Clergy@stpaulsclaremore.org 

Save the Dates

  • Saturday, February 22 – Mt. Zion Chili Challenge from 11am-1pm
  • Sunday, February 23 – Holy Eucharist @ 10:00 am; 7th Sunday after the Epiphany
  • Sunday, March 2 – Holy Eucharist @ 10:00 am; Last Sunday after the Epiphany
  • Tuesday, March 4 – Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper @ 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday, March 5 – Ash Wednesday service @ 6:00 pm
  • Sunday, March 9 – Holy Eucharist @ 10:00 am; 1st Sunday in Lent
  • Wednesday, March 12 – Grace UMC Mobile Food Pantry at St. Paul’s from 3-6 pm
  • Thursday, March 13 – Lenten Dinner Worship @ 6:00 pm at Grace UMC
  • Sunday, March 16 – Holy Eucharist @ 10:00 am; 2nd Sunday in Lent; Lenten book club @ 9:00 am; Bishop’s Committee Meeting
  • Thursday, March 20 – Lenten Dinner Worship @ 6:00 pm at St. Paul’s
  • Sunday, March 23 – Holy Eucharist @ 10:00 am; 3rd Sunday in Lent; Lenten book club @ 9:00 am
  • Thursday, March 27 – Lenten Dinner Worship @ 6:00 pm @ Verdigris UMC

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