A Message from Pastor Evan – June 20, 2024

Rev Evan Dodge

Dear St Paul’s family:

I want to share with you a poem I recently reread. It was a reminder to me that God is constantly using the soil of our lives to grow us for our good and for his glory. Maybe you need that reminder, and I hope this blesses you as much as it did me.

Harrowing
by Parker J. Palmer

The plow has savaged this sweet field
Misshapen clods of earth kicked up
Rocks and twisted roots exposed to view
Last year’s growth demolished by the blade.

I have plowed my life this way
Turned over a whole history
Looking for the roots of what went wrong
Until my face is ravaged, furrowed, scarred.

Enough. The job is done.
Whatever’s been uprooted, let it be
Seedbed for the growing that’s to come.
I plowed to unearth last year’s reasons—

The farmer plows to plant a greening season.

News From the Director of Family Ministries – June 20, 2024

Many Hands Make Light Work.

We are looking for some special help for Vacation Bible School,
we are looking for a few people to help facilitate a nursery room for some of our volunteers younger children. This would be for infant and children through age 3.

This nursery will be for volunteers children only.
We hope this will give opportunity for more people to help with the V.B.S. program.

If you would like to volunteer for the VBS Nursery, please let me know your availability. We hope to get a few volunteers so they do not have to do more than a day or two.
This would be the week of VBS July 29th – August 2nd and would run from 7:45am-12pm.

Thank you for all who are willing to volunteer as a part of this service.
Melissa Jensen
melissa.familyministries@stpaulsbrick.com

VBS 2024

A Message from Pastor Evan – June 13, 2024

Rev Evan Dodge

Dear St. Paul’s family:

This summer, I’ll be doing a sermon series on the life of Joseph. I don’t think there’s another character in the Bible who shows us how to live a life of forgiveness and integrity than Joseph.

He teaches us how to have confidence in God’s goodness and His plan even in the highs and the lows of life.

I’m looking forward to spending six weeks in the book of Genesis and looking at his life with you.

I encourage you now to start reading about him; read chapters 37 through 50 of Genesis and get a sense of this man and his life.

God bless!
Pastor Evan

News From the Director of Family Ministries – June 13. 2024


Many Hands Make Light Work.

I am ever impressed by the youth of our church. Last Saturday we had a yard work day.
The kids who came worked so hard, and really were a great service to the church members who needed their help. We are cleaning up yards to help the kids suppliment their mission trip they will participate in August.

This particular group of youth loves to participate in acts of service. It is a great foundation for a life in serving Christ.

A Big shout out to Todd Corino and Mike Jensen for their service as well.

Thank you for all who are a part of acts of service.
Melissa Jensen

yard work
yard work

A Message from Our Music Director About Sunday Worship – June 6, 2024

music director

“This, this is where children belong, welcomed as part of the worshiping throng. Water, God’s Word, bread and cup, prayer, and song: This is where children belong.” -James Ritchie

This Sunday is all about children as we celebrate the students, faculty, and staff of our very own Mustard Seed Preschool at our 9am worship service! We will celebrate the graduation of our students who will be moving on to Kindergarten in the fall during our Children’s Time, followed by a special time of music-making with Miss Amanda.

We will also celebrate the baptism of Jim and Claire Kroeze’s granddaughter, Payton.

We hope you will join us for this special Sunday as we celebrate the gift of the children God has placed in our lives, congregation, and school!

Director of Family Ministries – June 6, 2024

Church Family can Thrive from all different types of ministry.

Highlighted below is an excerpt from an article on how pickleball is helping churches not only give people opportunity to fellowship but how our church has connected with the community.

“Courts help neighbors feel they Belong”

“The new pickleball courts at St. Paul’s UMC in Brick provide one of many ways the church helps its community feel it “belongs,” says Tom O’Hearn, adopting GNJ’s 2024 Annual Conference theme.

“Our church now has portable pickleball courts in our fellowship hall to offer those in our surrounding community a time for fellowship and exercise,” he writes. “We have had more than 500 people come to play over the past three years. Many have joined us for worship, and a few have joined the church and our choirs.” The church also hosts in its gym basic instructional pickleball sessions for beginners for just $10. An unexpected benefit of the ministry, said O’Hearn, is the donations of pickleball players, which help the church fund much of its missions and ministries, as well as capital improvements and utility expenses.”

 

For Full Article, click on the link below

https://www.epaumc.org/news/neighbors-enter-church-pickleball-courts-with-praise/




pixkleball face



pickleball player

A Message from Pastor Evan – May 30, 2024

Rev Evan Dodge

Dear St Paul’s family:

We are winding down our program year! I want to thank all of our incredible staff and volunteers for a successful and God-honoring year. From our music ministries to our missions, our pre-school to our revamped Senior Joy, and so much more, we have brought glory to God and the love of Christ to so many. Now, on to summer!

Summer is a busy time for so many. Vacations, beach time, kids activities – don’t forget to stay connected to your church and your faith during this season. You can worship online if you are not able to in-person; online giving is a great way to financially support our ministries when you are traveling. Lets continue to love and serve the Lord together.

Peace in Christ,
Pastor Evan

 

A Message from the Director of Family Ministries – May 23, 2024

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice:

‘Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
Revelation 7:9 &10

The past three days I attended a Worship Conference with some members of St. Paul’s. We learned quite a bit and got to experience all different kinds of worship during an open mic night on the last night.

We will bring many of these ideas to our Mid-week Worship Service as well as elements for our Sunday Services, if applicable.

However, two things stuck with me the most. And these I will make an effort to put into practice.

  1. We ALL have a purpose and as the body of Christ, we must support everyone’s part together to make the body whole.
  2. We need to try and be of ONE voice. To worship together no matter creed, color, or station in life, let us all be united in the sacrificial worship to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessings,’
Melissa Jensen

worship conference 1

(Pictured here are the happy faces of youth leaders getting candy after the conference that they don’t have to share!)

A Message from the Director of Family Ministries – May 16, 2024

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Proverbs 22:6

This Past Monday we had a bitter sweet celebration as we wished our very own Bryan Koehler a fond farewell as he follows his calling.

Bryan will be pursuing his career working with youth age children and directing them in the way they should go.

Bryan started at St. Paul’s as a youth in my early years of leading youth ministry. He has grown into a very thoughtful and greatly spiritual man, and I know no matter where he goes, the lessons he learned here at St. Paul’s will go with him.

And we will treasure all of our memories with him in our hearts.

Good Luck Bryan! We wish you ALL the best!

youth 20240511 a

youth 20240511 b