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Looking for ways to deepen your faith and connect with your community and church? The United Methodist Church and Rethink Church provide a range of spiritual tools and resources to help you do just that! From daily devotionals and prayer guides to Bible study resources and worship services, there are plenty of ways to engage with your faith and find the support you need to grow as a person and a disciple. As we strive to grow in our faith and connection with our community and church family, it is important to have spiritual tools and resources at our disposal; when, where and how we want. Reading the Bible, attending worship services, participating in small groups, prayer sessions, and engaging in community through volunteering are all great ways to deepen our connection with God and others. From daily devotionals and prayer guides to Bible study resources and worship services, there are plenty of ways to engage with your faith and find the support you need to grow as a person and a disciple. Additionally, spiritual support groups virtually or in-person, online devotional resources, and Christian literature, like our 'Free Gift to You' by Rightnow Media, can also provide valuable support and inspiration on our faith journey. As we seek to strengthen our relationship with God and one another, we invite you to check out these spiritual tools and resources provided by The United Methodist Church easily accessible from our site! So why wait? Check out these amazing resources today and start your journey towards a deeper, more fulfilling spiritual life! (don't forget to bookmark it for easy access!)

As the first female senior pastor at St. Paul's, it is important for me to offer relevant information about the ordination of women in light of scripture and our Methodist tradition. My hope is that this letter will bring further enlightenment to this important dialogue! Content courtesy of Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications. Clergywomen have been part of Methodism since John Wesley licensed Sarah Crosby to preach in 1761. Although women were ordained in the Methodist tradition as early as the late 1800s, it was the May 4, 1956 General Conference vote for full clergy rights that forever changed the face of ordained clergy. The United Methodist Church continues to declare its belief in the full equality of women and the importance of women in decision-making and leadership positions at all levels of the church. In her Commentary, Women in Ministry, Rev. Joy 3. Moore offers helpful insights related to the seemingly prohibitory scriptures against the leadership of women in the church: "In all of Christian scripture, the only text that explicitly sets the limit on all women to be silent is 1 Timothy 2:11. The verse, if taken literally, actually contradicts the chapter, which is addressing public prayer. Men are instructed to pray without anger and doubt, and wormen are similarly instructed to be decent and modest in appearance. While the instructions for public prayer to men refer to attitude, the directive to women specifies outward appearances (which reflects inner attitudes). I am inclined to consider this single limiting instruction in the context of the many directives throughout scripture encouraging believers to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ. In the context of first century Judaism, a directive to let women learn was not only countercultural, but a revolutionary notion that would effectively double the number of witnesses of Jesus Christ to all the world. Whereas previously tradition forbade women from even being taught the scriptures, this text grants wom en the opportunity to learn in the same manner as men who previously had little knowledge of a subject. Some teachers then, such as Pythagoras (for those who know Greek teachers), even required long periods of silence probably as a form of moral discipline. The Greek word translated as silence used in 1 Timothy is otherwise used to mean respectful attention or quiet demeanor rather than imposing total silence. The same word is used in verse 2 of this same chapter to exhort the whole church to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. Most people consider the texts in Corinthians directing married women to wear head coverings as a specific cultural instruction. Similarly, the directive that married women cannot speak publicly at all seems excessive as an instruction for all times and all Christian assemblies. Silence in this portion of Scripture is related to ordering worship, not restricting half of the body of Christ to total public silence" To read the full commentary, visit https://www.umc.org/en/content/commentary-women-in-ministry Other resources are available at https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-why-does-the-united-methodist-church-ordain-women. I hope this content will initiate fruitful conversations about the calling of all believers to share the good news of the gospel, regardless of gender. I am continually blessed and grateful to serve as your sensor pastor and look forward to the continued work of ministry alongside each one of you. Peace, Rev. Mary Ward

I answered my call to ministry six years ago and became a licensed local pastor in Mississippi. During this time, I began my academic journey at Asbury Theological Seminary and have completed 83 out of 96 credit hours toward a Master of Divinity degree. I have also accumulated 60+ residential hours and plan to seek a Doctor of Ministry in the future. Once I complete my degree in 2024, I plan to go before the Board of Ordained Ministry in the NMAC with the intention of becoming a provisional elder prior to ordination. Currently, I am appointed as a Licensed Local Pastor in the New Mexico Annual Conference after moving my candidacy from Mississippi last year. Pastorally, I have a deep love and care for my congregations. In previous ministry experience, I oversaw a large youth and college ministry program with 120+ students and 50+ volunteers while successfully navigating the challenges that came from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to my specific ministry area responsibilities, I took on the work of an associate pastor once licensed and was trained in administrative leadership, budgeting, and pastoral care as part of my preparation to become an ordained elder. I worked directly with the other pastors who mentored and coached me in all things administrative while also developing strong pastoral and worship leadership skills. I assisted in worship planning, committee oversight, team management, regular hospital visits, one-on-one parishioner meetings, officiating weddings and funerals, administering the sacraments, and preaching Now as your Senior Pastor, I hope to bring together all of these elements-experience, training, education, and passion- in order to move St. Paul's forward. I also served as co-chair of the Youth Ministry Network of NE Mississippi, during which time I was responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing youth ministry strategies and events for several thousand students, volunteers, and other church leaders. After serving in this capacity for four years, I began to discern the calling to church planting, church revitalization, and fresh expressions. In 2021, I was appointed as the Fresh Expressions liaison for the Mississippi Annual Conference. In addition, I was appointed as the planter for Cyclesia, a Fresh Expression of church that met in an indoor cycling studio, and to a three-point charge in which I was tasked with developing a youth ministry program, regular preaching. administration of the sacraments, and fundraising. As an administrator, my favorite words are effective and efficient. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, equipping teams to function in their healthiest capacities and staying focused on the tasks at hand by accomplishing them in a timely manner. Pastorally, I have a deep love and care for my congregations. Since coming to St. Paul's last year, I have sought to provide pastoral care, worship leadership, and creativity in reaching those in the church and in the community. Now as your Senior Pastor, I hope to bring together all of these elements-experience, training, education, and passion- in order to move St. Paul's forward. I feel a deep sense of calling to St. Paul's and desire to see a fresh movement of the Spirit as we grow in unity, stability, and reach Blessings as we take our next steps on this journey together. May the peace of Christ be with us! Pastor Mary

Our Christian faith is formed by the Easter Surprise. Christ's resurrection was a surprise for the world. St. Paul's is once again facing a change of pastors. This is occurring in the midst of celebrating the new covenant creation found in the resurrection. However, because of the resurrection of our Lord we are not afraid but embrace the future without fear. St. Paul's is called to be the church which Christ created and will continue to lead through the Holy Spirit. I know that when we follow Jesus together, hearts will be filled, neighbors will be loved and all who call out will be transformed. ...because of the resurrection of our Lord we are not afraid but embrace the future without fear. Victoria and I will be beginning the next phase of our lives with part of our hearts left at St. Paul's and we cannot thank you enough for your love, support, and encouragement. We part ways as the family of God, but no goodbyes, just as our clown friends in the circus say, "See you Down the Road." May God continue to bless and fill you with His Grace, Pastor Vernon and Victoria

To the loving congregation of St. Paul's, I am deeply joyful, humbled, and honored to serve as your interim Senior Pastor. When I first met you in March of 2021, I knew without a doubt that St. Paul's was where I needed to be. Over the past two years, the Holy Spirit has continued to affirm my calling to be with you and my love for this church has grown deeper as I have gotten to know you. As my role now shifts to interim Senior Pastor, you can be confident in my continual communion with God as I turn to Him for inspiration, direction, and leadership. This is not a journey that we walk alone, therefore I encourage you to join me in seeking God's guidance through ongoing prayer for our church, our staff, and those whom we are called to reach. May the love of God become and remain vibrantly alive in our hearts as we seek to know Him and be transformed in His image. The past several years have brought uniquely challenging circumstances not only to our world, but also to us personally at St. Paul's. Amidst pandemic related stress, leadership changes, and challenges within our denomination, our footing has certainly felt unsteady at times. Those feelings are real, valid and understood by our Heavenly Father. My hope is that we are able to find renewed rest within the stability of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our rock and our redeemer, because we are never alone, forsaken, or abandoned. God has always been and will always be with the people of St. Paul's. May we hold onto these unwavering the move forward with our eyes perpetually on the cross. My hope is that we are able to find renewed rest within the stability of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our rock and our redeemer, because we are never alone, forsaken, or abandoned. God has always been and will always be with the people of St. Paul's. Isaiah 43:18-19 reminds us "Do not dwell on the past: See, I am doing a new thing Now It springs ve you not perceive it?" This is a new chapter in the story of our church and I am eager to see how God intends to fill these pages. May the love of God become and remain vibrantly alive in our hearts as we seek to know Him and be transformed in His image. Let us walk this journey together and trust that our Lord will lead us well. In Christ's Peace, Rev Mary Ward Interim Senior Pastor

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB) Have you ever had a hard time being thankful? Sometimes people make it sound as though it should be so easy to be grateful and that if you're not it's because you're sinning or have a horrible attitude. But what do you do when you're tired and hurting when you look around and are saddened by the sin and destruction in our world? What does it mean to, as 1 Thessalonians says, give thanks in everything? I'm a small town, nature loving girl. Being outdoors, immersed by God's creation refreshes me like nothing else. Unhindered views of land and sky remind me of how vast, present, and beautiful God is. I feel joyful, free, and so very connected to Him. My worries and fears fade, replaced by a steady confidence that God is working all things to His good. But now I live in Albuquerque, a city where I often feel like I'm suffocating in a prison of nameless people, never-ending traffic, and countless buildings. This environment spiritually wears me down, and there are days when I can't find anything to appreciate about this place. So, what does it mean to give thanks in everything? Do I have to be happy about the crime? Or the frequent traffic accidents? Or the greater difficulty in finding a steady, consistent community? Must I now rejoice in not being able to bask in the sight of open land and sky? What did Paul mean? As I pondered this question, another passage came to mind. Romans 5:3-5 says. "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (NASB) Paul's hope and his thankfulness were founded firmly in the love of God that flooded his heart through the Holy Spirit. Paul understood discomfort and how it felt to suffer and land in situations where we would think there was no earthly way for him to be thankful. Was he grateful for the sin and evil of the world that brought about those incidents? Probably not. But he still discovered how to have hope and give thanks. He did this by recognizing that in every circumstance. God was with him, strengthening and providing for him. Paul's hope and his thankfulness were founded firmly in the love of God that flooded his heart through the Holy Spirit. I don't think I will ever enjoy the city as much as small towns and an open countryside. But I am learning to recognize and appreciate the gifts God has brought me while I've lived here. I met my husband and gave birth to three healthy daughters. Amid the numerous, faceless people, God introduced me to some wonderful friends and directed me to an excellent Christian school for my girls to attend. While part of me would still love to live elsewhere, I can no longer deny the blessings God has showered me with in the place where I'm at. What about you? (Share your thoughts below!) Are there circumstances in your life for which you struggle to be thankful? Where can you see God's goodness in the midst of your challenges? With God's Love, Jenny Fulton Fresh Expressions Writing Group Leader

What's changing: Our Admin has been taking time voluntarily to scan in and upload the Epistles for nearly a decade. It takes a lot of time from scanning to creating a blog post for the Epistle that is engaging and content driven. As such, he has decided to pause the Epistles being available online until further notice. What's staying the same: You can still receive paper copies of the Epistle mailed directly to your mailbox each month. Please see the Church Office for details. The previous years Epistles will remain online for viewing. Check them out here! We will still post the special messages from Pastor Vernon or other Guest Writers that is included in each Epistle. And if there are any specific news, updates or events for be included in a Featured Post, we will have them online as well! Additionally, we have kept former Pastor Doug's and Interim, Rev. Jim Hawk's special messages online. You can view them all under the Pastor's Blog category. Thank you for your understanding! We appreciate your understanding with this decision of our Admin. We are always looking for better ways to create a better site for visitors, guests and members. If you have suggestions or feedback, please complete a Feedback Form. With Kindness and Grace to you, St. Paul's UMC Web Admin

A Special Message from Pastor Vernon After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. "There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Matthew 17 This moment on the mountain when three of Jesus disciples witnessed the divinity of Jesus Christ, is what we know as The Transfiguration. They immediately wanted to do something to honor this moment and the place. They wanted to conform the experience to their understanding of this event. Jesus did not let them do this as the goal was the transforming of their heart, minds, and souls. We are called to allow Jesus to transform us, rather than form Jesus into what we think is right. We are called to introduce Jesus to our neighbors so that they may be transformed also. It is the greatest gift we can give. The St. Paul's mission statement is, "Connect People, Transform Lives." February 19th is Transfiguration Sunday when we will take time to consider the event found in in Matthew 17. This then set us up for Ash Wednesday on the 22. On Ash Wednesday we will be offering the imposition of ashes to our Precious Possibilities Childcare families as they pickup their children from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. Then we will welcome you and our neighbors for the Eat, Pray, Love Dinner Church at 6:00 pm followed by an Ash Wednesday Worship at 6:30 pm. Just as a note, on February 12th we will be welcoming the scouting units, Troop 285 and Cub Scout Pack 442 as we celebrate and worship together for Scout Sunday. This is one more way for us to connect people as we continue to build relationships with these families. By the way, the Troop 285 just approved their 228 and 229 Eagle Awards to two great young men. In the Grace of Christ, Pastor Vernon

A Special Message from Pastor Vernon In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? ...they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. "On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2 The past few weeks we experienced an Advent filled with preparation of our hearts and souls for our Christ who was born in Bethlehem and who is coming again. We heard words of Hope, Peace, Love and Joy which define the meaning of Christmas for us today. Many find the joy of Christmas tempered by the pain and hurt we endure in our own lives and observe in the world around us, which is why we joined together for a Service of Healing and Remembrance. We find peace in the darkness through the presence of the Light of the World, our Lord and Savior. We heard words of Hope, Peace, Love and Joy which define the meaning of Christmas for us today. Christmas Eve was wonderful with a warm and joyous worship experience, with Choir Anthems and Christmas Carols to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ. It was wonderful to see so many persons arrive on Christmas Day for Worship on this very special day, and to sing even more Carols. New Year's Day was much the same but with a reflective challenge of commitment through John Wesley's Covenant Service. We had the opportunity reflect on the covenant from our Lord and sign this agreement to remind us of our part in this faith. In the Grace of Christ, Pastor Vernon

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