S T P AUL ’ S E PISCOPAL C HURCH † M ARCH 2009

T HE E PISTLE
L ENT
“T HEREFORE , SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES ,
L ET US ALSO LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT , AND SIN WHICH CLINGS SO CLOSELY ,
A ND LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US …”
H EBREWS 12:1

Entering St. Paul’s Church, encountered real difficulties nesses who watch and en- L ENTEN O FFERINGS
we are confronted with and some lost their lives in courage us in our journey.
what the Epistle to the He- the struggles in which they Imagine if you will, that • Enquirer’s Classes
brews calls, “a great cloud were engaged. We do not each decision is made with
• Evening Prayer
of witnesses.” The histori- need to forget them and we these saints looking down
cal marker itself is a listing should not forget their sto- upon us. They are encour- • Lenten Lunches
of some of the witnesses: ries. Too many stories are aging us to be faithful in our
• Morning Prayer
Richard Wilmer, James lost because they are not own generation. Do not
Ticknor, Robert Philpot, retold and they are not see them as bound by the • Stations of the Cross
Joseph Johnson, Joseph written to preserve them cultural limitations which
Hardee, John Forney, for later generations. Who they endured during their • Meditation Book
Catesby Jones, life times. The
Henry Jackson, prayer for the
John Murray, Whole State of
Robert Barn- Christ’s Church I NSIDE THIS ISSUE :
well, Clara prays that the
Weaver Parrish, departed may
and Jonathan continually grow S ENIOR W ARDEN ’ S 2
Daniels. Go in God’s love M ISSIVE
inside and you and service. It
are confronted also prays for us D EACON ’ S B ENCH 2
by more of to follow the
these witnesses. good example of
Chapter 11 of the Epistle to are these people that are all God’s saints that with L ENTEN O PPURTU- 3
NITIES
the Hebrews is a long listing memorialized on the his- them “we may be partakers
of heroes of the Old Testa- torical marker? Who are of thy heavenly kingdom.”
M USIC N OTES 3
ment. It begins with Abel these people who are
In these difficult days, these
and concludes with Rahab. named on stained glass win-
are ways for us to find en-
Then in almost an after- dows and listed on plaques K ID ’ S P AGE 4
couragement. Ash
thought, the writer lists at St. Paul’s Church?
Wednesday, February 25
others who persisted in the Knowing their stories can
will begin Lent. Let us look
midst of difficulty. help us in our journey and F INDING N EMO 5
to “the great cloud of wit-
encourage us when we face
These listings of names are nesses” and renew our com-
difficulty.
memorials to them, but mitment to run the race of
Papa Joe’s 6
represent more than just a Hebrews 12 makes clear life with renewed integrity.
Journey
tribute. Their names en- that this is no listing of dead
courage us to “keep the people, but ones who are C ALENDAR 7
faith.” Each of these saints alive. They are living wit-
Jim+
P AGE 2 T HE E PISTLE

S ENIOR W ARDEN ’ S M ISSIVE

I am happy to report that afterThe self-study subcommittee ceived from the Diocesan of-
several meetings the Vestry has will do a survey of the parish, fice. They will then interview
Almighty God, selected the search committee. seeking everyone’s input as to certain candidates, travel to
giver of every
It was not an easy task to select
each parishioner’s assessment their home parish and select
good gift: Look
graciously on a committee, as so many good of where we are and where some to visit St. Paul’s for
your Church, and names were considered. you want us to go. After the further discussion and associa-
so guide the minds survey is complete, the self- tion. Finally they will then
of those who The other good news is that all
study group will put together a recommend a name to the
shall choose a who were nominated have
parish profile for our own use Vestry.
rector for this agreed to serve! We are all
and to be distributed to poten-
parish, that we grateful to them for their com- The discernment committee
may receive a tial candidates.
mitment and we must keep includes: Harry Gamble,
faithful pastor,
who will care for
them in our prayers as they go Those serving on the Self-study Grace Hobbs, Mike Sexton,
your people and about their important tasks. committee are: Harry Gam- Roberta Leach, Catesby ap R
equip us for our ble, Grace Hobbs, Mike Sex- Jones, Lynn Kendall, A. C.
The overall Chairperson of the
ministries; ton, Roberta Leach, Nancy Reeves, Manera Searcy, Jim
through Jesus committee is Harry Gamble.
Bennett, Miller Childers, Patty Truax, and Becky (Mrs. Lee)
Christ our Lord. He will be assisted by two ves-
DeBardeleben, Nancy John- Youngblood.
Amen try persons, namely Grace
son, Gerald Mange, and Miller
BCP p. 818 Hobbs and Mike Sexton. Please keep these people and
Childers.
Those three persons, along our search process in your
with Roberta Leach, will serve Following the completion of prayers.
on both of the two subcommit- the parish profile, the discern-
tees, self-study and discern- ment subcommittee will re- Bill
ment. view and screen names re-

D EACON ’ S B ENCH
WHAT ARE YOU each year. stoves to prevent water-borne
illnesses and acute respiratory
DOING FOR THE • We work to prevent ma- infections, and provide training
WORLD??? laria through the Nets for Life in their use and maintenance.
program partnership by distrib-
• We educate new mem-
uting long-lasting insecticide-
treated nets and educating bers on sanitation and hygiene
Episcopal communities in prevention and
practices, nutrition, maternal

Relief & treatment methods.

and child health and basice
first aid.
Develop- • We train clergy, educa-
ment saves lives, tors, youth leaders and com-
Joanie
munity health workers to stop
promoting good the spread of HIV/AIDS and
health and fight- provide care to those affected
ing preventable by the disease. (If you would like to learn more about
reaching out to the needs of the world
diseases that kill • We build wells, latrines,
through ERD, talk to your deacon.)
water stations and smokeless
millions of people
L ENT P AGE 3

L ENTEN O PPURTUNITIES
Lent is the forty day liturgi- lunches with the Rev. Dr. been removed and replaced
cal season of fasting and Barry Vaughn. Thursday with wrought iron. The
prayer before Easter. The mornings join Nancy Ben- cross is now made of
forty days represents the nett for Morning Prayer at wood.
time Jesus spent in the de- 8am. Friday afternoons at
The church practices a pe-
sert where he was tempted 5:30pm, walk the Stations
riod of self-denial by not
by Satan. Those forty days of the Cross with Liz Tay-
using the “A” word, Alle-
begin on Ash Wednesday lor and Barbara Pritchard.
luia during the season (even
and end on Holy Saturday.
You should also have re- on Sundays). And by ob-
However, the six Sundays
ceived a Lenten Meditation serving certain fast days
in Lent are not counted as
Book in the mail. These such as Ash Wednesday and
they represent “mini-
meditations were written Good Friday. Even the
Easters”, a celebration of by parishioners and edited clergy dress a little differ-
Jesus’ victory over sin and He was in the
and published by Grace ently replacing their
death. Hobbs and Nancy Bennett. brightly colored chasuble wilderness
forty days,
The purpose of Lent is the They follow the Daily Of- and stole with one made of
tempted by
preparation of the believer fice Year One and are a burlap to match the altar
Satan;
through practices of great discipline to under- cloth and hangings. and he was
prayer, penitence, self- take during this time. with the
Whatever way you observe
denial, alms-giving and wild beasts;
There are changes around Lent it is important to re-
discipline as we approach and the
the physical space of the member that this season of
Holy Week and Easter. angels waited
church as well. You might grief ends with the great
St Paul’s has a number of notice that the hangings on celebration of Easter. And on him.
offerings to enrich your the lectern and pulpit as because of this is often re- Mark 1: 13
Lenten disciplines or prac- well as the cloth on the ferred to as the season of
tice of prayer. On Tuesday altar have been replaced “Bright Sadness” in the
evenings we will offer Eve- with burlap. All the beau- Eastern Orthodox Church.
ning Prayer at 6pm. tiful brass candlesticks have
Wednesdays bring Lenten

M USIC N OTES
I love this scripture. I while walking is something God won’t do everything
learned it along with the many of us do to maximize for us; He expects us to do
rest of the chapter and used workouts, but if you were some “throwing off” as an
to say it to myself as I was training for a marathon, act of obedience, so as
out walking. The writer of you would find it counter- Nike says, “just do it”!
this passage had a knack of productive. The same goes
In Christ,
making great analogies to for our Christian walk. Sin
make things abundantly is a cumbersome weight Patti
clear. that is in direct opposition
to getting us to our goal:
Carrying a heavy weight
closeness with Jesus.
P AGE 4 T HE E PISTLE

s t
J u Esther
o r
F Esther was a beautiful, young girl who becomes
queen and by using her gifts and talents saves
her people. Esther is
a story in the Old
Find-A-Word
Testament, though it
P S M Z P P N U P E sounds a lot like a
S E Y O U L H V I Z
Disney story with a
common girl who
Q X W A R R L J D W marries her prince
P R O V I D E N C E and an evil villain who
tries to destroy her
Q E L C M P E S T U
family.
Z X H A M O N C N W But this is no Disney
G I I W D K K D A C story, instead it is a
story of learning about who we are as God’s
Q R E H T S E N K I
people and how we must take a risk in order
that God can act through us. She is taught
Esther Mordecai Purim
these principles by her cousin, Mordecai, and
Hamon Providence Xerxes
when the evil Hamon threatens to kill all the
Jews, Esther risks her own life to go before the
king and saves her people.

Find out more

about Esther
at the Rotation Rodeo
each Sunday morning
at 9:10am
L ENT P AGE 5

S T P AUL ’ S M EMORIAL H ISTORY W INDOW

Got a Historic St Paul’s Ancestor?
T HOSE
~ ALREADY
MEMORIALIZED
INCLUDE :
St Paul’s Memorial History Window
T HE R T R EV
Contact James Hammonds 412-3131 for details R OBERT W
B ARNWELL
Or just tell Joyce you are interested
T HE R T R EV
OR J OHN G
M URRAY
Want to honor a famous Rector or Parishioner?
W ILLIAM J OSEPH
Like H ARDEE
Captain Jones Clara Weaver Parrish
T HE R T R EV
The Reverend Edward Gamble General John Forney L EONIDAS P OLK
Governor John Forney Johnson The Reverend Ellison Capers
J OSEPH E
J OHNSTON
The cost is $500.
To view the window, look in the Lower Hall Kitchen.

F INDING N EMO
This year, the PB&J Club has During our time together, we whales! Noah
spent a great deal of time watch a clip from the movie shared his tale of
under the sea, searching for “Finding Nemo” and met a being swallowed
Nemo and learning about character from the Bible who by the whale be-
how God has worked through shares a water-related experi- cause he tried to
some of our favorite charac- ence with us. run away from
ters in the Bible. God and did not
In January, we met Moses’
want to do what
mom and learned about her
God asked of him.
faith and courage as she hid
her baby boy in a basket in the If you would like
bulrushes next to the Nile to help out as a
River in order to save him. Bible character,
please contact
In February, Noah came for a
Candice. We are
visit, fresh from the belly of
always in need of those who
the whale. He was very con-
would be willing to come and
cerned that we might be from
play with us the second Mon-
Ninevah and encouraged us
day of every month.
several times to watch out for
P AGE 6 T HE E PISTLE

P APA J OE ’ S J OURNEY
drinking to ex- Disciples, Bishops, Priests, and
cess, using vul- Parishioners, are also guilty of
garity, and sexual a few if not many of this same
immorality to description. And it is because
name a few. This Paul was also guilty of many of
shallow and erro- these same sins that he writes
neous concept in Romans 7:18-24: “I
allows us the know that my selfish de-
freedom to pick sires won’t let me do any-
and choose the thing that is good. Even
things in life when I want to do right, I
which are socially cannot. Instead of doing
unacceptable as what is right, I do wrong.
sin and prevents And so, if I don’t do what
us from recogniz- I know is right, I am no
ing and address- longer the one doing
ing those sins in these evil things. The sin
our own lives. that lives in me is what
For instance, let does them. The law has
us look at Ro- shown me that something
It appears to me that Paul must mans 2:18-27, the center- in me keeps me from what
at some time in his youth been piece of much conflict in the I know is right. With my
a runner. Perhaps he may even Church today. If we are seri- whole heart I agree with
have competed in some kind of ous about sin, let us continue the Law of God. But in
ancient sports games - similar to read “the rest of the story” every part of me, I dis-
Such a large to the Olympics - because he in verses 2:28-32. These cover something fighting
crowd of wit- often refers to our journey in verses don’t target just a few against my mind, and it
nesses is all faith as a “race.” (I Corin- of us; they include all of us. makes me a prisoner of sin
around us. So thians 9:24, II Timothy 4:07 We are included to some ex- that controls everything I
we must get rid and Hebrews 12:1) Cer- tent in the following: “Since do. What a miserable per-
of everything tainly Paul was aware that these people refused to son I am. Who will rescue
that slows us all runners must not carry any think about God, he let me from this body that is
down, espe- additional weight if one was to their unclean minds rule doomed to die? Thank
cially the sin endure, to run the race well. over them. That’s why God! Jesus Christ will res-
that just won’t Therefore Paul encourages they do all sorts of inde- cue me.”
let go. And we Christians to divest ourselves cent things. They are evil,
Our Lord has given us one
must be deter- of any “weight” or “sin” that wicked, and greedy, as
commandment - to love one
mined to run may cause us not to finish the well as mean in every pos-
another, even as He has
the race that is race or to run the race well. sible way. They want what
loved us.
ahead of us. others have, and they
The question for us is: “What murder, argue, cheat, and
Hebrews 12:1 weight or sin is there in our are hard to get along with.
Contemporary
lives that hinder us in our They gossip, say cruel
English Version “journey in faith?” It is unfor- things about others and
tunate that many Christians hate God.”
have reduced the term “sin” to Papa Joe+
mean only those areas in life HELLO!!! I know that I,
that are easily recognized - along with all the Apostles,
L ENT P AGE 7

S CHEDULE OF E VENTS M ARCH 2009

• 1st Ultreya 6pm Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
• 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th Enquirer’s Classes
4pm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
• 1st, 8th, 15th, 29th EYC 5-7pm
• 2nd Daughters of the King 6:15pm 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

• 3rd Staff Meeting 3:30pm

15 16 17 18 19 20 21
• 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st Evening Prayer
6pm
• 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th Choir 6pm 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

• 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th Lenten Lunches

29 30 31
• 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th Morning Prayer 8am
• 6th-8th Happening #54
• 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th Stations of the Cross
5:30pm
• 9th Peanut Butter & Jelly Club 3:30pm
• 11th Cedar Hill Holy Eucharist
• 12th-15th Cursillo #166
• 15th Epistle Deadline
• 17th Vestry 5:30pm
• 28th PLTE

Make plans now

to join
The Right Rev Henry Parsley
and his wife Becky along with
all your favorite St Paul’s
parishioners
for
Easter Lunch
in
Parker Hall.
Call Joyce and make
your reservations today!
 S T P AUL ’ S E PISCOPAL
C HURCH † M ARCH 2009
210 Lauderdale Street
P O Box 1306
Selma, AL 36702-1306

Phone: (334) 874-8421

Fax: (334) 875-7457
www.stpaulsselma.dioala.org

The Rev Jim Elliot - rector@stpaulselma.org

The Rev Joe Knight - hazenone@bellsouth.net
Joyce Dawson - parish@stpaulselma.org
Joanie Hammonds - deacon@stpaulselma.org
Candice Frazer - family@stpaulselma.org
Miriam or Patti - choir@stpaulselma.org

Lenten Lunches
Parker Hall
Wednesdays at Noon
Featuring: The Rev. Dr. Barry Vaughn
Light lunches provided by:
(Donations Accepted)

March 4 ~ Daughters of the King

March 11 ~ ECW
March 18 ~ Cursillo
March 25 ~ Choir
April 1 ~ Vestry