Wednesday, March 16, 2011

March Habitat Build Day

Friends,

On Saturday, March 19th, at 8:45, St. Paul's parishioners (among them YAMs) will gather in the St. Paul’s parking lot to carpool to work on a Habitat house. Habitat for Humanity builds homes in partnership with those who would otherwise be unable to purchase a home.

As many of you may also know, there is a required form to be filled out in order to work. I am making that form available here. Just print out the form and bring it with you on Saturday. If you forget, I will try to have some forms with me at 8:45 AM at St. Paul's. Our official work time is the morning shift of 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. As a special treat this week, lunch is being provided for us by a Habitat Volunteer.

There is no cost (outside sweat equity) associated with this event. After we all arrive at St. Paul’s and get our paperwork filled out, we will carpool to the build site to work for the morning shift. If you already have paperwork on file, please feel free to meet us at the build site (which I will post here assoon as I have).

We will be painting this week, so dress appropriately.

Yours in Christ,
Bob

Friday, February 18, 2011

February Habitat Build Day

Friends,

On Saturday, February 19th, at 8:45, St. Paul's parishioners (among them YAMs) will gather in the St. Paul’s parking lot to carpool to work at the Habitat Retail Store. Habitat for Humanity builds homes in partnership with those who would otherwise be unable to purchase a home. The ReStore raises money for these efforts and also provides inexpensive materials for those building or renovating their own homes.

As many of you may also know, there is a required form to be filled out in order to work. I am making that form available here. Just print out the form and bring it with you on Saturday. If you forget, I will try to have some forms with me at 8:45 AM at St. Paul's. Our official work time is the morning shift of 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. As a special treat this week, lunch is being provided for us by a Habitat Volunteer.

There is no cost (outside sweat equity) associated with this event. After we all arrive at St. Paul’s and get our paperwork filled out, we will carpool to the ReStore to work for the morning shift. If you already have paperwork on file, please feel free to meet us at the ReStore (1201 E. Main St.).

Yours in Christ,
Bob

P.S. We will not be lifting tiles or reorganizing wallpaper. Rather, we will be building wall frames for a house to be installed next week. I know that sometimes the ReStore is not as exciting for folks, especially when it seems like busy-work, but this week we will actually be doing a lot of good for a Habitat family in ways that we can immediately see and feel.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

State of the YAMs Meeting and Luncheon

Friends,

As I am sure all of you have read in the bulletin or in the Chimes, this Sunday at 12:30 PM is the State of the YAMs meeting. It all began a few months ago . . .

Faithful YAM, Brandon Mozingo, asked me where I envisioned the YAMs going in the next five years. I hemmed and I hawed and I really couldn’t give a good answer. While we know that Jesus did not have a five-year plan when he began his public earthly ministry, we probably should be thinking longer term than we are. So . . . if you are interested in where the YAMs might be going . . . do you have an idea for a particular ministry? Would you love to see the YAMs do something that we are not? Do you think that there needs to be a strategic plan in place for the welcoming of 20s and 30s people when they walk into St. Paul’s for the first time? Would you like to know about what mission opportunities are available for 20s- and 30s-aged Episcopalians? Perhaps you grew up at St. Paul’s and have not yet come to see what the YAMs have to offer you. If you have opinions on any of these items or have some grand plan for a great ministry in a way that none of us have ever envisioned, please consider coming to share this idea with the group as we work together through where we might be headed. The event will start at 12:30 – enough time to allow for Coffee after the 10:30 service. We will share ideas as we eat lunch together.

I really hope that everyone will be able to come out to this event to share ideas. It is really important.

Yours in Christ,
Bob

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Sermon for the Conversion of St. Paul

Friends,

Last Sunday, Jan. 24th, St. Paul's Celebrated our Patronal Feast Day, the Conversion of St. Paul. Below are the Collect, readings, and my sermon for this occasion.

The Collect

O God, by the preaching of your apostle Paul you have caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we pray, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show ourselves thankful to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Readings

Acts 26:9-21
Psalm 67
Galatians 1:11-24
Matthew 10:16-22

The Sermon (audio files)

The Acts Reading
The Sermon

I hope that you all enjoy it.

Yours in Christ,
Bob

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Great Movie Opportunity for YAMs and Others

Friends,

Faithful YAM, Kat Hoffman, sent me this information that I am sharing with you:

The documentary film, “What’s Organic About Organic,” by Shelley Rogers will be screened at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Room #3 on Friday, January 21, 2011, at 8:00 P.M. The film will be followed by a brief discussion. Admission to the event is free. Please consider coming out for this event about such an important topic.

Thanks,
Bob

P.S. The official (read: pretty) flyer can be found here.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Pictures from Beers, Brats, and Boardgames


YAMs Big River 10032010 010, originally uploaded by rkleopold.

Friends,

Here are some pictures from one of our most popular YAMs events to date, the Beers, Brats, & Boardgames excursion to Big River Brewery.

Click on the picture above to be taken to the whole set. Thanks to Jonathan for his picture-taking skills (all of the blurry ones were taken by yours truly). Enjoy!

Yours truly,
Bob

Preparation for The Dinner for the Wider St. Paul's Community

Friends,

There has been some confusion about "the day of preparation" for the dinner for the wider community. In a word, everything is on Sunday. After the 10:30 service on Sunday, December 5th, the YAMs will meet in the kitchen throughout the day, as you are able, to help prepare the feast for that evening. Everyone is invited and encourage to attend the service of Advent Lessons & Carols at 5:00 PM, followed (at 6:15) by the Second Annual St. Paul's YAMs Dinner for the Wider Congregation. We will need lots of YAMs on hand for the dinner, so please consider coming out for this event.

Just to reiterate: nothing is happening for this event on Saturday. Enjoy MainX24 or the like.

Peace,
Bob