Help Your Community This Winter

Have you ever felt that need on cold nights to snuggle in your bed under the warm blankets? Have you ever been grateful to have that opportunity? Have your thoughts ever been on those less fortunate, those that don’t have a hot meal, warm blankets, or even a bed? There are volunteer opportunities for you to help others survive the cold nights.

St. Paul’s Outreach has made our Parishioners aware of a local organization that provides those meals, beds and warm blankets. Please allow me to give you a first hand view of this small volunteer organization, called NEST, because they indeed make a big difference in our community for those homeless people during freezing temperatures. The Newnan Emergency Shelter Team was started by the Newnan City Church (Methodist), which has a small church space, next door to Bridging the Gap. This church is filled with many members with huge hearts. Here is a more detailed description of volunteering for a shift at NEST.

There are single Aerobeds, sheets, mattress pads, blankets, pillows, and pillow cases that have either been donated by businesses, or collected from the Newnan community. These 20+ beds (as needed) are placed in the small sanctuary of Newnan City Church after a team of people move out all the chairs used for their services. There are teams to register guests, take temps, and issue masks, volunteers that bring in dinner, teams of men and women that split shifts spending the night, a team that serves breakfast, and breaks down the beds. Another team removes the linens to be laundered, and straightens up the church area. There is a sign up for each of the “duties”, and it is done on a daily basis when NEST is open. Organization is key, and NEST excels in that area. On some occasions, when the weather turns quickly, Newnan City Church will transport and pay for people to stay at the Red Roof Inn at the Moreland exit and issue Waffle House gift cards. This can be expensive, depending on the number of guests, however, their mission is to be “the hands and feet of Jesus”.

The opportunities to meet other community and church volunteers, to share time with those who need our time and attention, and to learn more about the vital ministries of Newnan City Church has been such a blessing in my life. We, at St. Paul’s, expressed many times a desire to help with the homelessness in the downtown area of Newnan. Here is a small Methodist church downtown (only in its structure, it has grown to 3 services on Sundays), that began a program we so dreamed of doing. All we need to do now is step up and volunteer for a team job, on a late afternoon, or evening with freezing temps, that will make a difference in lives and show our community that St. Paul’s is indeed part of the community.

Although Covid is always a concern, I have found that interaction with others at a distance with a mandatory mask rule creates a safe space. Cleanliness is a priority. Please consider volunteering and email Joshua Wieda, St. Paul’s community outreach coordinator; he will forward the sign-up opportunities when NEST is activated for freezing temperatures. If you aren’t comfortable volunteering, a cash donation is always needed and welcomed! Just send it to Newnan City Church, 17 1st Avenue, Newnan 30263, and specify NEST.

Maybe we can work as a team one cold evening. ~ Jane Murdock, St. Paul’s Parishioner and Community Volunteer

December 27, 2020: The First Sunday after Christmas

Join us online on December 27, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. for a Festival of Christmas Lessons and Carols, presided by the Rev. Hazel Smith Glover with music by Dawn Harrison and featuring St. Paul’s youth as readers.

Click here for a PDF version of the bulletin for this service. You may also follow along in The Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 355.

Christmas Eve Online Worship Service

Join us online on December 24, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. for Holy Eucharist: Rite Two, officiated by The Rev. Hazel Smith Glover. This service features a virtual Children’s Pageant. If you cannot view it at that time or wish to watch it again, it can be viewed at any point after the initial broadcast.

Click here for a PDF version of the bulletin for this service. You may also follow along in The Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 355.

December 20, 2020: The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Join us online on December 20, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. for Holy Eucharist: Rite Two, officiated by The Rev. Hazel Smith Glover.

Please note there is no outdoor in-person service this Sunday. Click here for an outline of our Christmas worship schedule.

Click here for a PDF version of the bulletin for this service. You may also follow along in The Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 355.

December 13, 2020: The Third Sunday of Advent

We have two ways you can worship with us on Sunday morning!

Diocesan protocols allow us to gather in person, outside and with a maximum of 50 people in attendance. On Sunday, December 13 at 10:30 a.m., we will share in Holy Eucharist, Rite Two. Click here for a PDF of the bulletin which you may print at home and bring with you, or access via your mobile device during the service.

We will follow the safety restrictions outlined by the St. Paul’s Re-Opening Task Force as we gather outside in the lower parking lot.

  • Masks/face covering must be worn by all (except those aged two and under).
  • Six-foot social distancing must be observed.
  • Anyone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or having been recently exposed to someone with COVID-19 should not attend the in-service worship.
  • Pre-registration is required and limited to fifty attendees. Click here to register.
  • There will be no singing or chanting.
  • Printed bulletins will not be available.

Further details may be found in the Re-Opening Task Force letter here. We strongly encourage any parishioners who fall into any high-risk categories to not attend the in-person services but to continue to enjoy the recorded services. Thank you for your continued patience and prayers during this pandemic.

For those wishing to continue participating in worship via the online service, please join us on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. here for Holy Eucharist: Rite Two, officiated by The Rev. Hazel Smith Glover. Click here for a PDF version of the bulletin for this service. You may also follow along in The Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 355.

Congregational Singing of “O Come All Ye Faithful” for Christmas Eve

We have all missed each other joining in congregational singing! This Christmas Eve, we are asking for you to participate in the congregational singing of O Come All Ye Faithful! Since we are unable to be together, it will be meaningful for us to see each other’s faces through the singing of God’s praises on Christmas Eve.

Here is what we need you to do:

1. Click on this link to access the sing-a-long track. We will be singing verses 1, 3, & 6 ONLY

2. Follow the instructions below on how to record yourself singing using your phone, iPad, computer, or other device:

  • Wear headphones while singing. Please sing out!
  • For the best result, I recommend playing the sing-a-long track from a device separate from whatever camera you’re using to record. That may mean listening from your phone while you record yourself on your tablet or webcam – or vice versa. If you have to record and playback on the same device, I can make it work – but in that case, PLEASE BE LOUD.
  • Set your camera to record in landscape mode. Be sure that your are in the center of the frame, with a bit of space above your head. Try to have a generally empty background (possibly an empty wall behind them). Have the phone about 2 feet away from yourself.
  • Try to be in a well-lit space.
  • You’ll want to practice singing along with the track once or twice before you start recording. You MUST use headphones to listen to the guide track. Earbuds work best, because you can only use one (in order to better hear yourself sing).
  • Once you’re ready to record: 1) put the music in order, 2) start the video recording, 3) play back the guide track, 4) SING
  • Try not to worry about perfection, the ensemble will hide mistakes!
  • Be sure that the video is recording before the music starts and that you don’t stop recording until about 5 seconds after the music stops. You may be recording a lot of “dead air” while there is no singing. Just smile and get ready to come in!

3. Submit your video to this dropbox link.

Hazel, Mason, and the choir are excited for us to connect in this way on Christmas Eve!

Have fun and we all can’t wait to see and hear the final product! Any questions? Contact Cole!