As of this writing on Thursday morning we as a nation still find ourselves awaiting the results of the general election. The waiting seems in many ways familiar for this year as we have been in a state of waiting since March. Waiting for businesses to reopen, waiting for a vaccine, waiting for anxiety to subside, waiting for a time when we can gather together in person as a faith community.
The familiarity of waiting, however, has not made it any less anxiety producing for many of us. To that I hope to offer a certain truth amidst all of our uncertainty: No matter what happens in the hours, days, and months ahead God remains ahead of us working to transform our lives and the world we live in, creating something new. The barriers and divisions that we have created among ourselves have already been broken down by God (Ephesians 2:14). My prayer is that we each may find strength in God to seek God’s healing in our lives so that as a Church we may continue to be about that healing and transformation in the world around us.
I am encouraged and hope-filled in our efforts toward that mission through the ongoing work of our Community Ministry team. During the last few months Community Ministry has continued to support our partners in ministry through awarding grant funds, funds which come directly from your faith filled generosity in giving to the mission and ministry of St. Paul’s. Recently Community Ministry has given $1000.00 to support Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard as they continue to alleviate hunger in our community. We’ve also given $500 to Good Shepherd Center at the request of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in lieu of their annual Thanksgiving Meal. We’ve also continued to support Snipes Academy and their students during this time, providing an abundance of snacks in order to reinforce and encourage positive engagement with learning as students continue most days to participate in school remotely.
Several parishioners continue to volunteer with 2Share, an organization that provides furniture and home goods to those in need. Many more have continued to support this ministry through donations of furniture and other items.
I am also pleased to share that our partners who hold space in the Ormond Center, in particular Support the Port and the Frank Harr Foundation continue to work towards their missions in improving the North Side Community through the establishment of a food co-op as well as continuing to provide support for Wilmington’s LGBTQ community. We are grateful to be in partnership with them and to support their work. And lastly I want to say how pleased I am to know that the gym floor, damaged due to flooding during the summer of 2018 and hurricane Florence, is in the process of being repaired. Once it is St. Paul’s will be able to welcome back Coach Clifton Thomas and his basketball teams to utilize that space.
I want to say thank you to each of you who give to the mission and ministry of St. Paul’s. Because of God’s generous abundance in our midst we are able to support and fund ministries and build partnerships with those outside our walls to further the work of transformation God has made possible for us.
God’s Peace,
