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As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make ever effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4. On Sunday September 25th we gathered as one Body of Christ. We celebrated our One Lord through our worship, we loved others as we shared our faith with each other, and we broke bread together through our actions of the Love Feast. Also, we were blessed and greatly enjoyed an amazing spread of Brunch items as we celebrated being together. Our world has been stressed with a devastating pandemic, political and cultural divisions which continue from the past or have been newly created, economic struggles, and personal mental health stressors which have become overwhelming for many. We enter St. Paul's as many and become one Body of Christ through our sharing of a common faith in Jesus Christ. This is where our Lord and the church which He created shines. This is where we come as we are but turn our focus away from ourselves towards a common worship of the God of all creation, the Savior of our souls, and the Spirit which guides our path. We enter St. Paul's as many and become one Body of Christ through our sharing of a common faith in Jesus Christ. As Ephesians 4 continues, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 'one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." St. Paul's is a great place to join with our fellow sinners as those who are living out our faith toward sanctification and eternal life. This promise is not only a future ideal, but also our present "to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." God will judge us someday but is also calling us to live as Christ followers ready for that judgement today. May we all seek the Spirit, which is guiding us in unity, that is under God's direction and not on any of our own selfish paths. Also, may we "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." In the Grace of Christ, Pastor Vernon

DOWNLOAD THE EPISTLE! CHECK OUT WHAT'S COMING UP! * By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy STAY INFORMED. FIND SUPPORT. TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP. SHARE AND INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS! Visit spumcabq.org/worshipathome for ways to worship, fellowship and grow your faith at home! Note: Sharing your experience at St. Paul's on Google helps others searching for a Home Church discover St. Paul's United Methodist Church easier!

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing , for with such sacrifices God is pleased. - Hebrew 13:15-16 September is a great time to commit and recommit ourselves to the journey of our faith lived out through St. Paul's. I have witnessed so many amazing acts of faith during the last two months that it makes me excited to see what month number three will reveal. I hear and feel a great desire from this congregation to be the church as God is calling us to be. We may not know what St. Paul's will look like in the next five years, but if we are faithful to Jesus Christ and reflect His love and hope today, that is our calling today. This means saying yes to praying, reading scripture, serving the church, serving our neighbors and sharing our resources. The ministry needs all of this in order to Move Forward. This is also a time to understand that you are important to Christ's church and vital in the ministry of St. Paul's. I do mean every one of you. God has equipped each person with exactly the right gifts, talents and presence for who we are right now. Tomorrow will take care of itself, but we will only each God's vision for us if we are doing what we need to do with what we have today. This means saying yes to praying, reading scripture, serving the church, serving our neighbors and sharing our resources. The ministry needs all of this in order to Move Forward. So, it is a great time to examine our financial giving that is needed, examine our time and energy giving as others need us, and giving ourselves fully to God. Let us Move Forward with our love of Jesus Christ revealed through our Love for each other and expressed through our Love for our neighbors. God has big and wonderful things planned for us. Let's say yes. In the Grace of Christ, Pastor Vernon

DOWNLOAD THE EPISTLE! CHECK OUT WHAT'S COMING UP! * By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy STAY INFORMED. FIND SUPPORT. TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP. SHARE AND INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS! Visit spumcabq.org/worshipathome for ways to worship, fellowship and grow your faith at home! Note: Sharing your experience at St. Paul's on Google helps others searching for a Home Church discover St. Paul's United Methodist Church easier! Pop Quiz! NOTE: The answer will be shared in the next Epistle Blog Post. Last Month's Pop Quiz Answer: 40

DOWNLOAD THE EPISTLE! CHECK OUT WHAT'S COMING UP! * By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy STAY INFORMED. FIND SUPPORT. TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP. SHARE AND INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS! Visit spumcabq.org/worshipathome for ways to worship, fellowship and grow your faith at home! Note: Sharing your experience at St. Paul's on Google helps others searching for a Home Church discover St. Paul's United Methodist Church easier! Pop Quiz! NOTE: The answer will be shared in the next Epistle Blog Post.

Romans 12: 4-5 "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Victoria and I are thrilled, and honored, to begin serving Jesus Christ with our St. Paul's family, once again. We were very blessed to have been with you starting in December 1993 through June 1997. Rev. Gerald White encouraged me to become your Youth Ministry Director, work with the LOGOS mid-week ministry, and later to become an Associate Pastor and including the Christian Education ministry to my duties. We come back to you now following nine years serving across town with the wonderful congregation of Covenant UMC. We grew to love and be loved by these people of God and will miss those relationships while building new ones, and rekindling older ones, at St. Paul's. Since we were with you, we also have served at Sacramento Camp and Conference Center, Cross of the Hills UMC in El Paso, First UMC in Roscoe Texas and First UMC in Tahoka, Texas. Our first time at St. Paul's was a wonderful time for our young family. We were loved and supported as we became a newly called pastoral ministry family. Jeremy, our oldest is now a cotton farmer in Roscoe, Texas married to Eden, owner of a hair salon, and gifted us with two of our amazing granddaughters, Jaycee (14) and Elyn (11). Christopher is a full-time professional musician living in Las Cruces married to Paige, a Medical Assistant, and gifted us with our other wonderful granddaughter, Alexis (17). Vanessa is managing their own creative media business in Austin, Texas married to Levi, a videographer for Texas Methodist Foundation, and sharing their lives as foster parents, currently of a very cute baby boy, of which we are proud foster grandparents. I am grateful for this new opportunity to join with this passionate and gifted staff, committed leadership and faithful serving congregation. I fully expect and believe that the Ho people of St. Paul's to be fruitful in bringing the presence of Jesus Christ to our neighbors. I challenge us to "be" and "make" disciples in every, and whatever way God may place in our path. I also want to join with you in personally thanking Rev. Jim Hawk for his service as your Interim Pastor. Jim and Jean are important people to Victoria and I including opening their home and lives to us, as well as Jim officiating at our wedding. Jim has, and remains, a spiritual and pastoral mentor, long-time ministry colleague, and friend. We pray for God's continued blessings upon them. In the Grace of Christ, Pastor Vernon

DOWNLOAD THE EPISTLE! CHECK OUT WHAT'S COMING UP! * By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy STAY INFORMED. FIND SUPPORT. TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP. SHARE AND INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS! We have new ones! Visit spumcabq.org/worshipathome for ways to worship, fellowship and grow your faith at home! Note: Sharing your experience at St. Paul's on Google helps others searching for a Home Church discover St. Paul's United Methodist Church easier! To leave site feedback, please visit spumcabq.org/feedback

When I was in seminary in the seventies each student was asked to pick their "Life Verse” from the Bible. This was mine: Psalm 122:1: I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the LORD During the months I have served as Interim Pastor at St. Paul's, I have remembered this verse. Serving and worshiping with you has brought me great joy. I have tried to participate in everything you were doing: Traditional and Flame Worship, small group study, Celebrate Recovery, Staff/Parish Committee, Trustees, Boy Scouts, Church Council, Family Dinner, monthly food box distribution, monthly Eat, Pray Love and some I may have forgotten. I have been amazed as you worked with the restrictions of Covid 19 to keep ministry going. As the Covid restrictions were lifted more people took part in the existing ministries and in new ministries. It was a joy welcoming Mary Ward to the staff as the pastor of Fresh Expressions Ministry. All of your staff bring wonderful gifts and graces to St. Paul's life and ministries. Volunteers have stepped up to enable ministry to happen as they gave themselves tirelessly to one or more ministry opportunities. Thank you for putting up with me in your midst as we served God together through the Body of Christ, we call St. Paul's United Methodist Church. Now a word about the future. On July 1, 2022, you will welcome Vernon and Victoria as your new Pastor and wife. I met Vernon when I came to Central Methodist in 1979. Vernon and Victoria were a part of a young adult Bible study that met at our home. Vernon and I worked together on the staff of Central. I was honored to officiate at their wedding and watch them grow and raise a family. They will bless you in untold ways. Remember that Vernon will be your new pastor and I will not be available for ministerial duties. Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica these words and they are my closing words to you. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3: We always thank God for all of you when we mention you constantly in our prayers. This is because we remember your work that comes from faith, your effort that comes from love, and your perseverance that comes from hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father. May God Bless St. Paul's in the years to come. May you be known for your joy in being in ministry in the community and the world. You a great future ahead! Rey, Jim Hawk, Interim minister December 1 through June 30

DOWNLOAD THE EPISTLE! CHECK OUT WHAT'S COMING UP! * By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy STAY INFORMED. FIND SUPPORT. TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP. SHARE AND INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS! We have new ones! Visit spumcabq.org/worshipathome for ways to worship, fellowship and grow your faith at home! Note: Sharing your experience at St. Paul's on Google helps others searching for a Home Church discover St. Paul's United Methodist Church easier! To leave site feedback, please visit spumcabq.org/feedback