“A Little Child Shall Lead Them” is the theme of this year’s 4:00pm Family Christmas Eve Service. We will journey through scripture, learning about God’s saving work, while we sing carols and other songs to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Children and youth will assist in leading the final two lessons as we mark the arrival of the Light of the World with a unique twist on the ancient tradition of lighting candles in celebration of the Light. Kid-friendly lights will be shared with worshippers as we leave the sanctuary to spread the warm glow of Christ’s love in the world.
The Traditional Candlelight Service begins at 11:00pm. Worshipers will experience the holy watching and waiting for the Light of the World to break forth as we celebrate Holy Communion and sing the great carols of the season.
Please join us as for this year’s Christmas musical! Forty kids between the ages of 4 and 18 have been hard at work with director Marcy Shellenberger to prepare for this year’s comedic production. You are invited to join the cast as one of the residents of Rumor’s Mill, USA as they speculate who their special guest king might be. Festive singing and dancing break out as surprise guests come to their town.
For 120 years, the Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund has been a tangible expression of God’s love. One of the four Special Mission Offerings of the United Church of Christ, the Christmas Fund provides UCC congregations and members an opportunity to reach out in loving compassion, providing assistance to those who have so faithfully served our Church and who now and themselves facing unexpected financial needs.
A letter from Rev. Shellenberger to the congregation sharing the wonderful news of the dedication of the iron cross that is used during Lent on the altar.
April 18, 1973
“A notable event happened on Passion Sunday, April 8, when the sculptured iron cross made by Mr. David C. Weimer and commissioned by Mr. & Mrs. Dale W. Oglevee in memory of her parents, Mr. Ezra R. and Mrs. Lucy P. Baer was dedicated and placed upon the altar. This appointment for use during the Lent and on occasions of penitence should remind us of the other side of our central symbol of the Faith. Certainly, the Cross was made beautiful by what God through Christ did with it. Our sculptured iron cross and crown of thorns bears a vivid testimony to the cruelty imposed upon our Lord as He lived out His Compassion for people like ourselves.”
The nails that Mr. Weimer used to sculpt the cross were salvaged by church members when the parsonage was torn down.
In honor of our 225th anniversary and on behalf of the anniversary planning team, I am inviting you to share your St. Paul’s story! Our hope is to bring together a living history of our shared stories in a video that will be shared during our celebration on Sunday, November 6th and archived for future generations. Stories need not be lengthy or elaborate, but a genuine reflection of what the church means to you. Please consider sharing your St. Paul’s story. A sign-up sheet is on the table in the back of the Sanctuary for those who would like to share their St. Paul’s story. Once you sign up, we will contact you to set up a time to record your story.
Please join us for our prayer vigil that begins on Good Friday evening and continues through Easter Day. Although we are distanced physically, let us draw to one another spiritually as we unite to pray for our church, community, country and world. The vigil can be accessed through clicking the link below.
The current COVID-19/Corona Virus pandemic has forced many individuals, businesses, and organizations to rethink how to accomplish day-to-day functions. The church is no different.
St. Paul’s continues to do vital ministry:
Reaching out to the homebound & lonely
Caring for the sick
Comforting the dying & their families
Working with the Somerset Area School District, Meals on Wheels, Somerset Area Ministries, and other agencies to ensure our most vulnerable community members are fed everyday
Online children’s programming
Online fellowship events
Live-streaming and videos of worship services on Facebook & YouTube
Launching a COVID-19 community mission fund to assist those in need because of social distancing, job loss, and illness
Honoring our monthly mission partners
A number of our members and friends have asked for an online way to give, so we are pleased to offer this service through tithe.ly. You can make a gift by accessing our website (see the “Give” button on the homepage or the button below), www.stpaulsuccsomerset.org. You may also download the free tithe.ly app to your smartphone or tablet and customize it to meet your needs. Although the service is free to the church, credit card and transaction fees are assessed to each gift, so when making an online contribution through tithe.ly, please consider using the bank funds transfer feature, which has the lowest fee of one percent per transaction. For your convenience, you may also select the reoccurring gift option if you would like to make regular gifts to the church. If you have any questions or need assistance using this service, please do not hesitate to contact Cindy, our financial secretary. And as always, we still accept and appreciate your mail-in contributions!
We value your continued thoughts and prayers during these challenging times. On behalf of the staff, and lay leadership of our church, we wish you good health and strength as we encounter each day together. Relying on God and one another, we will get through this!
“An Ethic of Love” February 16, 2020 Rev. J. Matthew Deal“The Third Way” February 9, 2020 Rev. J. Matthew Deal“When Things Break Down” February 2, 2020 Rev. J. Matthew Deal“Following Jesus” January 19, 2020 Rev. J. Matthew Deal
Mardi Gras in the Christian tradition is a festive time of laughter and celebration right before the contemplative six weeks of Lent. We will be celebrating our own Mardi Gras with some special surprises during worship. Johnstown Brass Works will be with us providing some Dixieland style music. Our Chancel Choir and the Children and Youth Choirs are preparing a couple of selections that will get us into the spirit. We’ll follow worship with a special potluck brunch in Fellowship Hall, complete with King’s Cake cupcakes and a few special surprises! You won’t want to miss the fun, so be sure to bring your favorite dish to share, a friend (if you’d like), wear colorful clothing, and be prepared for some enjoyable fellowship.
December 3, 2022
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