Dear St. Paul’s family,
As I’m writing this, we are at the beginning of the season of lent. Lent is my favorite season of the church year, as I appreciate and contemplate the mechanics of the spiritual life, the “means of grace” as John Wesley termed it. As Christians, we need to be intentional about our faith development. Just as one would practice to acquire any new skill, one must do that with the spiritual life. Daily Bible reading, prayer, giving to others, music – these are all practices to engage in regularly, so that our spiritual lives become honed, healthy, and mature. The Lord is looking for mature believers who will represent him well in the world. If that is your desire, use this season wisely, and spend time with the one who wants to transform every part of you.
Pastor Evan
Are you planning a church event that you’d like advertised in our weekly newsletter? Did you take some pictures at a past event that you’d like us to share in the newsletter and/or on our Facebook page? If either of these is the case, don’t forget to email us at media@stpaulsbrick.org.
The food pantry will be open on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 4 to 6 pm.
This is an open pantry, available to anyone in need.
“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”
For the entire month of February, the youth group has been discussing relationships. All different aspects and types of relationships.
We have covered Personal, Impersonal, Family, Technological as well as Romantic.
In all of these we have asked the question, “Does this particular relationship bring me closer to Christ?”
All of our relationships should center around Christ Jesus. He is who we should go not only by ourselves, but with others who also follow Him.
Blessings,
Melissa Jensen
Dear St. Paul’s family:
This Sunday will be the midway point of the Lenten season.
Periodically when we’re on a journey, like moving through lunch with Jesus on the way to the cross, it’s good to stop and take stock of where we are.
Now that we are nearing the halfway point of lent, where are things with you spiritually? Are you finding a return to simplicity and solitude, finding satisfaction in Jesus Christ? Are you attending to prayer and reading? Are you finding that the things of God become more and more a part of your conscience?
More than ever we need dedicated believers who are willing to go all the way with Jesus.
May that describe you this Lent.
Blessings,
Pastor Evan
A new episode of The St. Paul’s Podcast is available!
Melissa Jensen, Director of Youth & Family Ministries, talks about her long history and involvement with SPUMC and her hopes and dreams for the youth and family ministries.
Check out the link or find The St. Paul’s Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Be sure to subscribe!
The direct Libsyn link to the podcast:
https://sites.libsyn.com/481068/a-conversation-with-melissa-jensen
Being as the edition of News From the Pews is the same date as my wedding anniversary I decided to share a bit about my own family.
Mike and Melissa Jensen…
We are a family of 2. But we were united as 1 on February 22, 2014. That was 10 years ago!
What a difference a decade makes!
We have been through ups and downs as a family. We have received great blessings, and been through some very big struggles.
But through it all, we have had each other.
I do believe that the strength of our marriage comes from the Lord’s instruction. So I have added that below. This was the Scripture on the back of our wedding bulletin.
The instructions within this scripture to both me and my husband has led and strengthened our marriage.
What the Lord has brought together let no man put asunder.
Blessings,
Melissa Jensen
Ephesians 5:22-33
“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body.
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband”
Dear St. Paul’s family:
I continue to give thanks to God for his presence and power here in our congregation. The Lord is moving in our church and I am grateful to be a part of that! Perhaps you have been attending for a short while or a long time and want to deepen your relationship with St. Paul’s church through membership. Joining a local church is a public expression of your commitment to serving God and others through the mission and ministry of a church. If this is you, I’m so grateful!
Please reach out to the church office (office@stpaulsbrick.org or 732-458-2080) or to Pastor Evan (pastorevan@stpaulsbrick.org). We will have a new member orientation in the spring, and we want to reserve room for you!
Come be a part of what God is doing here!
Blessings,
Pastor Evan
“For dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:19
This past Wednesday was a great start to lent! Our Lenten Lunches began and I was able to provide the soup for the first week. Our Lenten lunch team put out some very yummy appetizers and our time of devotion was very special.
I also had the great privilege of helping to serve at the evening Ash Wednesday service. This was very special as we continued the tradition of pairing our service with another congregation.
St. Paul’s has had a long standing relationship with the Church of Epiphany. We have joined in the Lenten season for many year, alternating who is the host church.
It is like our extended Christian family.
This year, I was blessed to read scripture from their pulpit and helped to distribute ashes to the congregation. It was wonderful to see our two congregations sitting together and beginning a new season of Lent.
I thank Pastor Evan and Father Mike for allowing me to be part of the service.
Let us all have a blessed and fruitful Lenten Season as we remember the earthly journey of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
And please join us for Lenten Lunches if you are available!
Blessings,
Melissa Jensen
