TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2023

A PRAYER BY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Oh God, we thank Thee for the creative insights in the universe. We thank Thee for the lives of great saints and prophets in the past, who have revealed to us that we can stand up amid the problems and difficulties and trials of life and not give in. We thank Thee for our forebears, who’ve given us something in the midst of the darkness of exploitation and oppression to keep going. And grant that we will go on with the proper faith and the proper determination of will, so that we will be able to make a creative contribution to this world and in our lives. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.

‘To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.’ Martin Luther King, Jr.

SAVE THE DATE! Serving as a keynote for our SCAPC session retreat is Bob McKillop, currently Leader-in-Residence at Davidson College, after a 33 year coaching stint at Davidson. Members of the congregation and larger community are invited to Coach McKillop’s closing address at noon on Saturday, January 28 in the Sanctuary. 

CHURCH STAFF UPDATE

We are deeply grateful to Bonnie Shoemaker for her dedicated service on staff these last six years as Assistant to the Senior Pastor and Funeral Coordinator, and we are saddened to bid her goodbye as she retires! Bonnie will continue on staff through January.

We are very pleased to welcome back Pierce Young to assume these positions! Pierce grew up in this church and graduated from Louise S. McGehee School and the University of Richmond in Virginia. She and her husband Tom lived in Richmond and Augusta, Georgia before returning to New Orleans with their two children, William (22) and Helen (19). With a background in human resources, Pierce has formerly served on the SCAPC staff for 15 years in various positions including Facilities Coordinator, Columbarium Coordinator and Membership Coordinator. Welcome back, Pierce!

MISSION TRIP TO FLORIDA

RHINO is taking a volunteer trip to Florida and will be flying out March 2nd to Tampa and then driving to Port Charlotte. We will be staying at the Winter Garden Presbyterian Church in Port Charlotte. We will be flying back to New Orleans on March 5th. Work will include debris removal and long-term rebuilding. We are doing our best to keep the costs at less than $500 per person. RHINO YAVs will be tabling on Sunday mornings in Frampton Fellowship Hall for signups, so meet us there for more information or send us an email at rhino@scapc.org.

YAF TRIVIA NIGHT

YAF (Young Adults & Families) will have a Trivia Night at Oak Street Brewery on Wednesday, February 1. We will meet up there at 6:45 p.m. and trivia will run 7:00-9:00. PINTS will not be meeting that night.

40/50 GROUP IRIS/TUCKS WATCH PARTY

Mardi Gras is coming! The 40/50 group is hosting an Iris/Tucks Watch Party on Saturday, February 18 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Neely and Steven Griffith’s home, 2808 St Charles Ave. Registration is required and the cost is $20/adult (19 and older). There is no cost for children. Bring you bead bags and get ready to catch sunglasses and toilet paper while enjoying delicious food and drinks at the Griffith’s front row seat to the parades. Please register all houseguests attending. Click here to register on our 40/50 page!

CHILDREN & YOUTH CHOIRS

We are re-establishing our children and youth choirs: a 3 years - Kindergarten group, a 1st - 5th grade group, and a 6th - 12th grade group. Our children's choirs (3 years - 5th grade) will rehearse on Sundays from 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. (after the 10:30 worship service). Our youth choir (6th - 12th grades) will rehearse on Sundays from 4:15 - 5:00 p.m. This Sunday, January 22, we will begin our 1st - 5th grade group and our youth choir with rehearsals in the choir room on the 3rd floor. Our youngest group (3 years – Kindergarten) will begin in a few weeks. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the survey at this link.

WORSHIP WORKSHOP FOR 1ST GRADERS & PARENTS

On Sunday, February 12, first graders will begin a new chapter and will remain in worship services with their families after the children’s message to continue their Faith Journey with Jesus Christ. To help with this transition, we are offering a Worship Workshop at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays, January 22, 29 and February 5 in Frampton Fellowship Hall. These are for first graders AND THEIR PARENTS. We will meet each week in Frampton Fellowship Hall for the lesson which will include parts of the live streaming of the worship service and will explain the parts of the bulletin and what our faith says about corporal worship. Each lesson will build on the previous one and students who attend the three classes will gain a better understanding.  

Sunday School for all ages resumes this week!

ADULT CLASSES

"AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY"

January 8 - February 5 | led by Richard Ashmore | Learning Center (2nd floor)

This class explores African American spirituality from its roots in many diverse Western African societies to its many manifestations in America today. Key questions being addressed are: Is there a “Black Church” in America? How did enslaved Africans adopt and adapt Christianity? How have Historically Black Protestant Denominations served both group cohesiveness and societal change? Music is emphasized. For the January 15 class recording, click here. The music video/audio for the end of the class can be found at this link, minute 15:31.

"GOD, IMPROV, & THE ART OF LIVING"

January 8 - April 30 | book by MaryAnn McKibben Dana | 2nd floor conference room

Each week, class members listen to an excerpt from the book which blends personal stories, pop culture and Scripture into a smart, funny down-to-earth guide to the art of living. Offering concrete spiritual wisdom through seven improv principles, the book shows how to become more awake, creative, resilient and ready to play – even (especially) when life doesn’t go according to plan.

FOR DETAILS ON CLASSES FOR ALL AGES, VISIT OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL PAGE.

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

Shown here, discussions abound at the pastor-led class, "A Vocabulary of Faith...a.k.a. Theology for Beginners". This class meets every Wednesday from 5:15-6:00 p.m. in the Phifer Library just before Wednesday Night Out dinner. Join us! If you plan to stay for dinner, please note that reservations are due Mondays at noon at scapc.org/wno.

SEEKING ARTISTS

If you have a piece of art (painting, sculpture, photograph, etc.) that you would like to have included in our Lent devotional books, please contact Katie Brendler at katie@scapc.org.

NEW READING GROUP

Chris Currie is forming a new Theology Reading Group to meet weekly on Thursdays at 12:15 in the Land Building Riverside Room beginning March 2. The first book will be Daniel Migliore’s Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. All are welcome!

SYMPATHY

Our sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Flora Kelly who passed away on Friday, January 13. A memorial service will be held this Friday, January 20 at 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary, with visitation preceding at 10 a.m. in the Bloomfield Room.

PW RETREAT

On Friday, 48 Presbyterian Women traveled to Loranger, Louisiana for a retreat at the Solomon Conference Center. Rev. Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman led the retreat with the theme "Beautifully Made". The group also enjoyed worship services, an evening camp fire, and plenty of fun and fellowship on the beautiful woodland grounds. Retreat co-chairs were Christina Carlisle, Stephanie Currie, and Kelly Gottsche. Shown here clockwise from center are Jessie Bruggers, Brittany Simmons, Christina Carlisle, Amy Goodson, Kyle Siegel, Anna Turner, Catherine Karas, and Tyler Wheeler.

CONFIRMATION RETREAT

This weekend, SCAPC’s 2023 Confirmation Class began their journey together with a retreat to Mobile, Alabama. There, our 8th graders were introduced to the Confirmation process and each other. They began reflecting on what it means to trust God and explored how faith means not only believing with our minds and hearts, but also showing and spreading love out into the world. Below are some great pics from the group’s stay at Baytreat Conference Center, their environmental cleanup work with Mobile Baykeeper, and their worship and joint service project with Government Street Presbyterian Church, where the Confirmands made sandwiches for the local community. The weekend also included some fun bonding activities, like hide and seek and an egg toss trust exercise! The 19-member class includes: Harrison Currie, Connor Becnel, Nicholas Becnel, Thompson Becnel, Harper Beezley, James Gottsche, Oscar Grabill, Parker Pugh, Elliot Rice, Owen Heymann, Elise Griffith, Bizzie Guy, Adele Fort, Lauren Fish, Caroline Hillery, Logan Lanier, Elle Marshall, Rachel Ruiz and Caroline Schmidt.