St. Paul United Methodist Church

Announcements

• Goal Date for Returning to In-person Worship

  This past weekend the cabinet and the Bishop of the South Carolina Conference set a goal date of returning to in-person gatherings on June 10th, and resuming worship on Sunday June 14th.  South Caroline DHEC has been in communication with faith leaders across the state and have asked us to follow certain protocol for when we reopen.  We want to have things as safe as possible for every member of our church, but it will of course be up to individuals whether or not they feel safe to return.  With this is mind, even when we restart worship in the sanctuary, we plan to continue ways of reaching people who are not able to join us.  Below is a link to resources and guidelines for churches to reopen.  

   

  https://www.umcsc.org/restart/

   

  I want to thank you for your patience and remarkable calmness during this strange time.  I have truly been inspired by the way you all have adapted to care for the people around you.  Also those of you who have contributed to our online worship and continued to give to your church through means of mail, text, and online giving.  Many of you have contributed videos and music to make these worships a little more special.  Mostly, thank you for your prayer for our church, our community, our country and our world.  

   

  As we get closer to the June 14th date, we will send out official guidelines for our church in preparation of restarting worship.  In the meantime, keep loving God and loving your neighbor, and call me if you need anything at all. 

   

  I can't wait to be together again, 

  Rev. Sara Relaford
• 

  Easter Happens Where We Are

  Though we will not be able to be physically together this Easter, Easter still happens. This year will feel strange, but I hope that whether you are celebrating at home with your family, or celebrating all alone, that you will create positive memories for this strange Easter in the wilderness. And when we meet together for the next time in person, we will celebrate some of the things that we typically celebrate on Easter.
  
  A pastor friend of mine reminded me that we Christians look like a strange bunch to some. Because we look at the week before Easter and tell the stories of the saddest week on earth, when they betrayed, turned over, arrested, tortured, killed our Lord and Savior, and we call it “Holy“ week. We do this because we know as Christians that the story isn’t over. Pablo Neruda once wrote that “you can cut all the flowers, but you can’t stop spring from coming.” So it is with Easter. No matter what is happening today, no matter what they put Christ through 2000 years ago, Jesus still rises. Keep the faith, friends. We will meet and hug and laugh and eat together again. Easter is coming.
• 

  St. Paul on the Radio!

  Rev. Sara Relaford will be on the radio on WLRE 96.5 with her husband Rev. Jon Hoin of the Elloree charge and their friend Rev. Justin Ritter of Providence UMC in Holly Hill.  They will sing and pray and read and discuss scripture every Sunday at 11am while we are not able to worship together.  We will send out the recording of worship to our email list later that day.   
• 

  COVID - 19

  We are temporarily on break from meeting in person due to the coronavirus. Our facebook page is very active and we are sending out multiple pieces of worship to our email list throughout the week.  Email us at stpaulsmumc@gmail.com if you'd like to join our mailing list.  In the meantime, stay safe! 
• 

  Next Food Pantry Sunday - March 1

  First Sunday of every month is Food Pantry Sunday. Bring a few non-perishable food items with you to church and place them in the basket at the back of the sanctuary. Thank you for all you do to help provide food for those in need in our community!