By Pastor Rob Helton

Silence

“Silence is golden;” a well-known saying used by everybody from college librarians to overwrought parents. (I’m thinking a mother made it up while traveling with her kids in a car or covered wagon.)

Whatever its origins, I think the saying shares truth. Silence is valuable.
I went camping a while back. For two weeks my dog Meg and I lived in the Pisgah National Forest. I needed to get close to heaven, so I went to the mountains.

While I was there, I was silent. I practiced silence as a spiritual discipline. Every morning I rose long before the sun, made my coffee, prayed my prayers and sat in silence. Every morning I was sitting in silence as the darkness slowly surrendered to the light.
I think there is no time and place more void of sound than the pre-dawn hour in the middle of the woods. The temperature drops a degree or two, the nighttime creatures are going to sleep, the daytime creatures are still dreaming…and silence fills the void.

It’s the kind of noiselessness that can be felt, like a heavy mountain fog. It grows into your psyche like kudzu grows into a tree until the tree disappears. It gradually fills every part of your being like rain fills the river till it overflows its banks.
Then, in that silence, you sense that God has invaded every square inch of your soul. And in that space you know him. To your surprise you commune with him. In that silence you sit with Jesus.
If you’re like me, you need enough silence to balance out the noise. And we hear a lot of noise! Bad noise and good noise! Media noise! Work noise! School noise! Kid noise! Spouse noise! Plenty of noise!

So, may I encourage you to be intentional about finding ways to create silence. Little interruptions of silence strategically interjected into our otherwise noisy day.

You may not be like me. Camping and flyfishing may not be your thing. Maybe you’re into visiting the library. Maybe eating lunch in your car is therapeutic. Maybe sitting in the coffee shop long enough to enjoy your latte is just what the doctor ordered.

I believe in meeting God in the voluminous worship of the gathered church, but my intuition tells me that God inhabits the silence as much as he inhabits the praise and the prayers and the preaching…sometimes maybe even more. That’s why silence is golden. Because you will likely meet God there.

If you’ve never practiced silence as a spiritual discipline, perhaps you would consider it. Maybe turn off the noise makers, put down the devices and be silent…listen…wait. You may discover just how valuable silence is!

MEN’S BROTHERHOOD BREAKFAST

TBA AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS OVER.

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FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

4 GENE SKINNELL
6 ERIC DETTER
7 LINDA SHUGART
9 KEN BOLICK
10 KELSEY LITTLE
16 LINDSEY MINGUS
19 DIANE WATTS

HEAR AND SEE THE MESSAGE AGAIN!

If you would like a DVD copy of the worship services at St. Paul’s please contact Donna Rudolph at stpaulsreformed@gmail.com or
please contact the church office at 465-0931
or you may watch the Worship Service on our You Tube channel stpaulsreformed or on our website St. Paul's Reformed Church
or on our Facebook page: St. Paul's Reformed Newton

*We are currently live streaming our worship service on Sundays at 10 am on Facebook and our website

Consistory Notes…

Consistory notes for the month of January will be available in the March Newsletter along with the March notes/minutes due to illness and Covid-19 irregularities. We apologize for the inconvenience during these unusual trying times. We truly hope things return to some semblance of normalcy in the near future.
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Why we lament

In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic struck America during the middle of Lent, a season associated with deprivation. Some people made light of the shutdowns, joking, “I didn’t mean to give up this much for Lent!” Others asked why the suffering was occurring in the first place.
Professor N.T. Wright, in an essay for Time, explains that asking “why?” but receiving no answer is key to biblical lamenting. Adding to the mystery, he says, is that God also laments — grieving at the wickedness of humans, despairing over Israel’s unfaithfulness. Jesus cries at a friend’s tomb; the Holy Spirit groans in anguish.
“Part of the Christian vocation,” Wright concludes, is not being able to explain why but lamenting instead. “As the Spirit laments within us,” he says, “so we become, even in our self-isolation, small shrines where the presence and healing love of God can dwell. And out of that there can emerge new possibilities … new hope.”

A daily prayer

Whatever happens today, dear Lord, help us remember that you are present. If we find ourselves in the shadows of disappointment or rejection or pain, let us see your comforting light. If we’re in the radiant light of success or acceptance or wholeness, may we acknowledge your providence and grace. Wherever we are, grant us the assurance of your nearness. Amen.

Fasting from criticalness

Most fasting involves temporarily giving up something you enjoy. When you long for a cookie or a favorite show, you instead turn your attention to God, reorienting yourself to his best.
Catherine Marshall, in A Closer Walk, presents a different approach she calls fasting from “criticalness.” God dealt with her judgmental spirit by prompting her to spend 24 hours without criticizing “anyone about anything.” At first, Marshall felt rather empty when she didn’t engage in a heated political debate. But friends and family didn’t seem to miss her comments. Plus, God replaced the energy she’d spent attempting to correct others with energy and creativity to positively influence them.
A critical spirit can make us lose perspective, joy and even relationships. It also can prevent the good work God wants to achieve through us. Consider what could happen as a result of your own “criticalness fast.” Pray for God to do the correcting while you focus on building up others.
—Janna Firestone

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St. Paul's Reformed Church Congregational Meeting
December 113, 2020

The St. Paul's Congregational Meeting was called to order by Consistory President Gary Watson on Sunday, December 13, 2020 following the Sunday morning worship service.
The Congregational Meeting was originally scheduled for December 6, 2020, but due to issues with Covid-19. the service on December 6, 2020 was cancelled. Therefore, the Congregational Meeting was called to vote on the proposed 2021 Budget for St. Paul's and to vote for two deacons, Gene Hoover and Ron Williams which the Consistory presented to the Church to begin serving in January 2021.
President Gary Watson asked the ushers to pass out the ballots to the members to vote for the 2021 Budget and the two deacons: Gene Hoover and Ron Williams.
The Congregational was asked to give the ballots to the ushers as they exited the sanctuary. President Gary Watson then recognized Martha Headrick to make a presentation
Martha Headrick dedicated to the Glory of God and to the use of St. Paul's Reformed Church, Communion pieces consisting of matching sets of 4 challises and 4 trays to be used to serve communion plus an extra challis to replace a broken one. The Communion pieces were given in loving memory of Elizabeth K (Libby) Lail, Helen Headrick Winegar, and Martha's Mother, Lilian I. Holsclaw These women were important Christian guided to Martha during her life.
President Gary Watson thanked Martha for her contribution of the Communion pieces to St. Paul's Reformed Church.
President Watson asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. A motion was made by Hank Mathis and a second by Gene Hoover.

DIRECTORY UPDATE AND ADDITIONS:

DON’T FORGET
TO GIVE US YOUR
UPDATED DIRECTORY INFORMATION
IF YOUR
ADDRESS, PHONE, EMAIL,
MARITAL STATUS HAS CHANGED,
PLEASE LET THE CHURCH OFFICE
KNOW SO WE CAN UPDATE OUR
DIRECTORY!! DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 14TH.
ALSO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD
YOUR NAME, PHOTO, BIRTHDAY
OR ANNIVERSARY TO OUR DIRECTORY,
PLEASE LET US KNOW,
828-465-0931
OR
828-638-8856
stpaulsreformed@gmail.com

The Corner Table Needs

CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP, CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

SNACK PACK PUDDING, RANCH DRESSING,

POTTED MEAT, VIENNA SAUSAGE, SALTINE CRACKERS

(Monetary gifts are also helpful during this time.)

PLEASE PLACE ALL ITEMS IN THE CART IN THE NARTHEX. OR LEAVE AT THE DOOR IF SOMEONE IS IN THE OFFICE, YOUR SUPPORT IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED.

Serving God Through Serving Others

All ladies of the church are invited to attend the Christian Women's Fellowship as we develop a closer relationship with God, make Him known to others, and fellowship with each other.

“Today you are the oldest you have ever been, yet the youngest You will ever be, so enjoy this day which the Lord has made.”
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St. Paul’s Young at Heart Group is open to anyone in the church age 50 or over. You do not have to be a member of the church to participate in any of the activities. So plan to join us this year as we share the love, joy, and fellowship of Christ.

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ST. PAUL'S REFORMED CHURCH NEWTON

Please bring your empty hand sanitizer bottles

to the church. We can reuse them by filling them back up. Thank you! (Please give to attendants in parking lot or staff, you may also bring to the church during the week)