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SPLC News Blitz in this issue >>>

Sermon Title and Text

Sick and Shut Ins

July Birthdays

Annoucements and Events

Additional Links and Resources

Friday, July3, 2020

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Sunday, July 5, 2020 at 11:00am

Virtual Worship

Sermon Topic: “Rest for Your Souls” Sermon Text: Matthew 11:25-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 NIV

Join us this Sunday as we receive Jesus’ invitation to come to him to find rest for our souls.

Given all that is going on in the world and in our lives, it is a tremendous blessing to have Jesus

extend this personal invite. Let us remember that the rest Jesus offers, will renew and replenish

us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This gospel invite is just what all people

need to help us navigate the times in which we live. Please invite others to join us as we together

receive a word from God designed to lift our spirits and souls.

Old Testament Reading: Zechariah 9:9–12 (Through the prophet, the Lord promises an end to spiritual warfare.)

Epistle Reading: Romans 7:14–25a (Unable to stop sinning, Paul finds deliverance only in Jesus Christ.)

Holy Gospel: Matthew 11:25–30 (Jesus invites His hearers to come to Him for true rest.)

Greetings brothers and sister-in-Christ! Tomorrow we join with our fellow citizens to

celebrate Independence Day. When we consider all that is happening in our country and the

world with the pandemic and social unrest due to systemic racism we may begin to wonder how

and when will all of this come to an end – especially given how COVID-19 is coming back with

a vengeance. I would encourage us to remember God’s Words in Ecclesiastes 3:1 - “There is a

time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Let us pray and ask God

to give us the faith and spiritual strength to endure, while we each do our human part to

overcome our challenges – knowing that the Lord is with us each step of the way.

Saint Paul Lutheran Church

2730 West Edgewood Avenue

Jacksonville, Florida 32209

765-4219/Church 419-3853/Mobile

www.splcjax.org

Rev. James Wiggins, Jr., Pastor

Hospitalized: Mr. Ernest “Calvin” Alston (Mayo), Ms. LeTonia Solomon (St. Vincent - Riverside) Convalescing: Mrs. Naomi Mungin at home (Knee Surgery on 6/9), Ms. Dora Williams. Health Concerns: Christa Merix, Chantel Williams, , Ms. Lorraine Williams, Mr. Rashaad Tillman, Mrs. Alice Patricia Washington, Mrs. Viola Hartsfield, Ms. Ruby Williams, Mrs. Dorothy Wilson, Elder Simon Moorer, Jr., Ms. Serena Washington. Shut Ins/Limited Mobility: Mrs. Bettye White (health), Mrs. Ada Houston (health), Ms. Vivian Walker, Ms. Stephanie Mosley. Nursing Home Care: Mr. Herbert Morton (Summerbrook). Pray for Family and Friends of Our Congregation: Mrs. Cynthia Gibson’s son and daughter-in-law,Gary Mills (hospitalized- Baptist Downtown) and Ronica Mills (hospitalized- Baptist South), Mrs. Cynthia Gibson’s sister, Cynthia Dennis (medical concerns – New York), Mr. Jerome Gibson’s cousin, Margie Spann (hospitalized), Deaconess Loretta Wiggins’ father, Lorenza Reddick (hospitalized -Orlando, FL), Ms. Lorraine Williams’ sister, Sharon Garner (health – Heart Surgery), Mrs. Sharon Chatman’s sister, Sarita Grace (health) and her cousin, Susan Tillman (health), Mr. Dorsey Hutchinson’s brother, Theodore Williams (health – Ft. Lauderdale, FL), Mrs. Veliria Shuford’s brother-in- law and sister-in-law, Felton and Lillie Bivins (health- Montgomery, AL), Mrs. Chrystal Presley’s Godmother, Mae Jones (hospitalized – heart condition), Ms. Dorothy Wilson’s granddaughter Daryne Jenkins – returned to USA, Sylvia Hagans family member, Mr. Jerry Hagans (health), Mr. and Mrs. Larenza Mungin’s daughter, Ms. Angela Mungin (health), Mrs. Rebecca Marshall sister, Mrs. Minnie Graves Mitchell (health – nursing home), Mrs. Cynthia Gibson’s niece, Torrie Derrick and family (Japan), Elder Simon Moorer’s sister Vertrese Cornelius (health), Mrs. Betty Williams’ grandson (health), Deaconess Doretha Brown’s daughter Mrs. Sarita Brooks (health), Ms. Patricia Cherry’s aunt Ms. Marion Walker, Mrs. Marsharine Calhoun’s sister Ms. Anna Durham (health), Mrs. Doris Thornton’s sister Mrs. Edwina Harris (illness), Ms. Titus Davis and Mrs. Martha Hemphill’s friend Mrs. Priscilla Williamson (illness), Mrs. Chrystal Presley’s friends Ms. Sylvia Mosley Hughes (Atlanta, GA) and Ms. Sylvia Mitchell.

Let us pray for all Coronavirus victims and their families.

2- James Wiggins, 3- Kyndahl Woulard, 4-Simon Moorer, 7-Jaiden Dacosta and

Latoya Kuester, 11-Dawan Bronson, 24-Titus Davis, 25-Stephanie Mosley,

27-Lorraine Marley and Christopher Merix, 31-Loretta Wiggins

Online Sunday 11:00am virtual worship to hear an encouraging Word from God.

Birthday Surprise!!!

June 21, 2020 District Family Group #3 held a Birthday Surprise Parade for some of their ederly members:

Mr. Moses Bronson Ms. Ada Houston Ms. Dora Williams

Thank you District 3 for staying connected to your district family.

Mid-Week Bible Study and SPLC Sunday at 6pm

Take the month of July Off Please pass the word that our mid-week Zoom bible study as it has done in the past, will take the month of July off for vacation. “SPLC Sunday at 6pm” will also take time off during the month of July. We look forward to gathering again in August, when we shall also resume our Sunday worship in the sanctuary, at 10:00am. During July you are encouraged to continue to read daily your Portals of Prayers devotional booklet. Also, pray for our church family as we enjoy vacation or staycation.

On Monday, May 18, 2020 the Board of Trustees met for its quarterly meeting. During the meeting it was decided that during COVID-19 we would continue to offer drive-in worship and Holy Communion at 10:00am once a month in our church parking lot. The Summer schedule is as follows:

Sunday, July 5th – Independence Day Weekend We will continue to offer our virtual online worship experience each Sunday. We give thanks to God that he allows us to gather for worship and the sacrament while practicing social distancing guidelines.

Drive-in Worship and Holy Communion – Update!

State Wide Juvenile Civil Citation Rally Hello ICARE Members!

As you know, we've worked over the past few years to make sure that children who commit nonviolent misdemeanors get access to diversion programs instead of being branded for life with criminal records. When we found out earlier this year that over 5,000 children who were eligible for diversion did NOT get access, we and our sister

organizations across Florida sent thousands of emails to the secretary of the Dept. of Juvenile Justice demanding change for our children. These emails got us a meeting with the secretary of DJJ, and we have some important updates. We will be having

a Virtual "Rally" for civil citations with Senator Brandes on Thur, July 9th at 10:30am via Zoom ! This "Rally" will

include people from all across the state of Florida and we will discuss our next steps to making sure children get second chances. Please share this Rally with your congregations. Right now, only 61% of eligible children get diversion across the state of Florida! We want as many people as we can on this Rally so we can push our state to make sure that as many children as possible get the help they need. Please RSVP yourself and anyone else who's able to come so we can give you the Zoom link.

We look forward to seeing you there! Kelly Doyle 561-870-3313 cell

Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation & Empowerment

The ICARE Justice Ministry has continued to work diligently to strive for justice.

Via Zoom, the ICARE organization has been visiting numerous corporate leaders to gain support financially.

ICARE is continuing to work on our "Issue Work". This includes but not limited to keeping our youth and adults out of jail. This has become more critical during the Covid-19 crisis. People in jail deserve basic human rights - especially in a pandemic.

Additionally, it is in all our best interest to keep people out of jail who have committed minor offenses.

We are committed to ensure our children are not getting washed down the school to prison pipeline. We will also ensure that restorative justice stays in our schools and that young people receive civil citations instead of getting arrested.

We are committed to preventing people with mental illness from being sent to jail.

Our Sheriff, State Attorney and Superintendent have been invited to attend the Community Problems Assembly in November. We will continue to adjust our schedule and plans to meet as new information is provided.

So much is uncertain, but we know for sure we will continue to press on because when we work together, great things happen.

ICARE individual investment goal for 2020 is to raise $80,000.

St. Paul Lutheran investment goal for 2020 was $4,800. We have currently raised $5100.

Thanks to all who have invested in this important Justice Ministry and allowed St. Paul to exceed our individual investment goal.

Thanks, Bro. Mungin

Student: Dashaun Berry

Age: 15

School/grade: First Coast High School/10th grade

Parents: Ms. Vanessa Berry

He Was There

God is the type that will be there when we think He is not there. God is always there when

we need Him. When I have my moments in life, I question why something has happened to me

when God could have stopped it. I’ve felt like God wasn’t there to look out for me or didn’t

have my back. To be honest, we all have had the experience when someone has died or

something terrible has happened to us.

We have had moments when we thanked God for being in our lives and praised Him for

being there. He has helped us get jobs, pass important tests, and He has gotten us out of bad

situations. I praise and thank God every day for the major blessings He has put in my life.

God was there in the moments of my adoption. When I was just a baby, I was taken from my

birth family and put in the Berry family, the family I now have to raise me and help make me into

the best man I can be. Thanks to God, I have an opportunity to have a better life and a better

future. The mother God has put in my life is the most amazing blessing ever! My mom is the

most loving person in my life. Even when we have our disagreements, she still loves me. She

always keeps things straight with me, no matter what.

God was there to put a father figure in my life. I actually have two father figures, Lance

Kuester and Pastor James Wiggins. Lance is the older brother I can talk to about anything.

Lance is there to explain to me why I need to be grateful for the family God has put in my life.

He is a person who can relate to me everything that happened to me when I was little. Then,

there is Pastor Wiggins. I can go to him about whatever is on my mind. He will always help me

solve a problem that I have created, and then, give me a scripture that I can use the next time the

situation arises in my life.

God was there to provide me with three older siblings who will help me to become something

great. Latoya, Enjoli, and James are my older siblings. They are always there in the moments of

my worry and trouble to help me understand why some things happen in life. They help me

prepare for my future with advice and suggestions that can be useful to me in the real world.

They help me when I have disagreements with my mom. They have helped me understand that

the things I did wrong were not the most positive ways to handle the situations.

God was there when he allowed my blood brother, Quareme, to stay in my life. Quareme is

one of my favorite people in this world. My brother and I have a unique type of relationship. We

have our moments of arguments, and we have our happy moments too. My brother is the person

who I open up to the most about anything that is in my heart.

God was there with all of the sports I have played in my life. When I played sports in

previous years, I would always get an injury in the same place on my right knee. Thanks to God,

I’m still able to walk and run. He made it to where I didn’t need to have surgery.

God has always been there. God was always in my life at moments when I thought he wasn’t.

There are a lot of moments in my life when I should have been dead, but I’m still here. Every

time I think He is not there; He always shows me I’m wrong. To be able to have a God like this is

amazing and a great blessing!

Dashaun/2020

Confirmation Essay

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ADDITIOINAL

Please submit all announcements and events for SPLC News Blitz

to alstona8@comcast.net by 2:00pm on Wednesday.