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St.
Paul's is on a mission! To
reach the least, the lost, the lonely. Opportunities
for service to others are as close as our neighborhood, and as far as
Christ's word can reach. |
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Fair Trade
coffee, tea, and chocolate Mission Trips, 2006 & 2007, Biloxi, Mississippi |
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Women
in Mission - United Methodist Women (UMW) United
Methodist Women is a community of women whose purpose is to know God
and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to
participate in creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand mission
through the global ministries of the church. Membership
in the UMW is open to any woman with a desire to belong to and
participate in the global mission of the church. No matter who you are
or where in your life you are at this moment - plant, bloom, and
grow with other women who have been responding to this purpose for
over 135 years. General
gatherings are open to all women and may feature activities, a
speaker and refreshments. A yearly highlight is the June picnic. Call
the church office for the current schedule. Circles
meet monthly for fellowship, discussion, study, and planning. Ruth
Circle is a happy, relaxed group that meets on the second Monday of
each month, September through May, at 12:30 pm (after lunch but just
in time for dessert) in one of our homes. We learn what is happening
in the larger UMW, spend a few moments of worship, and take part in a
UMW-developed Bible or United Methodist study. Rebekah
Circle meets the second Wednesday of each month, September to May. We
meet at the church from 11:00 am to 12 noon for devotions and a
discussion about a current topic using The Upper Room
devotional guide and other resources, then gather in the Fellowship
Hall for our lunch and fellowship. Rachel
circle meets monthly in the evenings; dates and locations vary.
Discussion topics have included education, women as caregivers, women
of the Bible, and discrimination. For 10 years Rachel Circle has
provided financial support to young girls in India who attend a United
Methodist school, through the World's Children Organization. Rummage
and Bake Sales are held at the church twice yearly, on a
Saturday in April and September. Plan your spring and fall cleaning
around the sale, and bring your good rummage to the church during the
week preceding the sale; call the office for the dates. Always a
favorite neighborhood event, the proceeds benefit UMW mission work. Turkey
Dinner has been held annually for over 80 years, usually
on the last Wednesday of October. Get your tickets early for this
sellout event! And plan to arrive a bit early to enjoy St. Paul's Holiday
Boutique, where you may browse and purchase unique handmade items
and gifts from our kitchens. Bridge
Club meets regularly, June through May; the cost is
$1.00 per time. All proceeds are given to the UMW for missions. Call
the church office for the schedule. Men in
Mission - United Methodist Men (UMM) The United Methodist Men meet quarterly for fellowship, food, and service. The next meetings will be October 12, 2007 January 18, 2008 April 18, 2008 July 18, 2008 October 17, 2008 Watch for the date of the next pancake breakfast! Proceeds will be donated to this year's Annual Conference outreach commitments: United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, and the construction of a church center in St. Petersburg, Russia. The men of St. Paul's focus on "compatible technologies" which help those in developing countries find low-tech ways to feed, clothe, and house themselves. This year the men will assemble burr grinders for the grinding of grain; when complete, the grinders will be sent to Africa. The last pancake breakfast raised funds for the Solar Oven Society. Recently we assembled a record-breaking number of meals at the Feed My Starving Children facility. St.
Paul's junior and senior high-aged students join with the youth of
Faith United Methodist Church, West St. Paul, to grow in their faith
by regularly participating in programs to help children everywhere
receive adequate nutrition. At
Feed My Starving Children we
volunteer monthly to pack nutritious meals made up of rice, soy,
vitamins, and dehydrated vegetables, distributed to starving children
worldwide. 30-Hour
Famine allows us to experience hunger first-hand. We first
raise money through donors and sponsors, then with other youth from
around the Twin Cities we go 30 hours without food! Activities
including community service projects, volunteer work, and study help
keep us focused on our purpose, to help children in some of the
world's poorest countries. Loaves
and Fishes is a community program providing nutritious meals to
the hungry in an atmosphere of hospitality at St. Matthew's Catholic
Church in St. Paul. Our members shop, prepare and serve a meal there
every other month. Volunteers and financial support are always
welcome. Meals
on Wheels is actively supported by St. Paul's members. Call
the church office to learn how to volunteer for this important
outreach to our community. Food
Shelf - Neighbors, Inc., is our local food shelf,
serving families in need in Inver Grove Heights, Lilydale, Mendota,
Mendota Heights, South St. Paul, and West St. Paul. St. Paul's
supports this effort through Minnesota Foodshare, an interfaith
collaboration. Our food and funds drives are held in March and
November. Emma
Norton Services, a National Mission of the United Methodist
Church located in St. Paul, provides both permanent and temporary
affordable housing and services to homeless women and their families.
St. Paul's United Methodist Women provide ongoing support for this
mission through direct contributions and participation in the Emma
Norton Annual Dinner and Silent Auction. We are proud to say that two
members of St. Paul's and the UMW have served on the Emma Norton Board
of Directors. United
Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) responds to emergencies
and disasters around the world, helping people with their immediate
needs and in getting back on their feet. Every dollar donated goes
directly to the work of UMCOR. St. Paul's has participated in relief
efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina, the south Asian tsunami, and
the Pakistani earthquake. We have assembled layette kits for expectant
mothers, sewing kits, and school bag kits, and even responded to a
last-minute appeal for toothpaste to restock UMCOR warehouse supplies. Labels for Education
earn funds for the McCurdy School www.mccurdy.org
in northern New
Mexico, providing a Christian education for over 400 pre-school,
Kindergarten, elementary, and high school students. Just save the UPC
bar code from Campbell's soup and other products and General Mills Box
Tops for Education and drop them off at the church office. See www.labelsforeducation.com/eligibleproductsEN.aspx
for a
list of eligible products. Fair
Trade Peace Coffee and Equal Exchange tea, cocoa, and chocolate
bars are available for purchase at St. Paul's every Sunday and
during the week by contacting the office. Fair trade products link our
congregation with small-scale farmers and their families. All profits
go to St. Paul's mission outreach. Prices are: 1 lb. Coffee, light or dark roast, whole beans or
ground, regular or decaf: $10.00 1 box of 25 tea bags: $3.00 1 box cocoa mix: $3.00 1
bar light or dark chocolate: $3.00 Mission
Trips for 2006 and 2007 have focused on Mississippi
hurricane relief. Members of St. Paul's teamed with those of four
nearby United Methodist churches to travel to Biloxi and help rebuild
homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. "Inasmuch as you did it unto the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it unto me." |
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