Parker leads us in worship with scripture coming from Hebrews 4:1-11. Rest is a state we seldom find ourselves in during our hectic school and work weeks. However, God has beckoned us into moments of sabbath and taught us to make space for rest, like Christ did when going off to pray several times in the gospels.

As you arrive to worship on Sunday, take a deep breath and settle in as we seek to explore the possibilities of rest in our personal and spiritual lives.

by Earth Care Team

Are you one of those who feels overwhelmed in how to help our environment recover, or even thrive? One suggestion is to read Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy.  It will give you hope and ideas on how one person can make a positive difference in supporting our good earth.

Tallamy has an engaging writing style, and he approaches the conservation topic in a methodical way. Starting with a short review of environmentalism’s history, he ends with suggestions on what each of us can contribute in helping our natural world recover. Though he is very clear on the dire challenges this planet faces, his book is about hope.

This is a bit of what Richard Rosen of Frankfort, KY expressed when reviewing this book. Rosen wrote,  “Plant trees. He (Tallamy) lays out the concept of creating a Homegrown National Park by planting native trees and shrubs in your own yard to benefit birds and insects….if you don’t have space for another tree in your yard….I went to my town’s parks department and offered to purchase trees for the city streets and parks if they would plant and care for them.”  Mr. Rosen continued by saying that his legacy was supplying his city with hundreds of trees.

Regardless of the action you take, each of us has a moral obligation to help care for God’s creation. This book is a good source to draw on to start or continue that care.

If you would like to borrow a copy, text or call Gwen at 910-620-5894.

by Jen Phelps

We will be holding a Confirmation class during the upcoming school year. If you are, or have, a rising 8th or 9th Grader (or older that would like to participate) please contact Jen Phelps. Even if you are unsure about what Confirmation is or if it is for you - let Jen know!  

We will be having a Confirmation Contemplation meeting soon for any who are interested.

by Jen Phelps

Families of Rising 6th Graders: NOW is the time to contact Jen Phelps about getting your child involved in our youth ministry. Email Jen ASAP.

by Catheryn Thomas

The office will be closed Friday, July 4th, for the Independence Day holiday. We will reopen on Monday, July 7th, at 9:00 am.

by Emily Donovan

For the early part of summer, we will publish Saints Alive on a biweekly schedule. This means a new edition of Saints Alive will be delivered to your inbox on June 10th, June 24th and July 10th. Please be mindful of the altered publishing schedule and ensure your news is submitted with enough advanced notice to reach the congregation. As always, click the button below to submit your news items for publishing.

Life Line Screening will be here at SACPC on Friday, June 27th offering safe, painless, non-invasive preventive health screenings that are typically not a part of a routine physical. To be more proactive about your health for yourself, your family and your community, please register for these health screenings today.  

Please refer to the attached flyer to get more info about how you can sign up. There is no time like the present to take action!  

Three ways to register:

Call toll-free: 1-888-814-0466 promo code HSCA001
Online: https://www.llsa.social/hsca
Text: the word "circle" to 216-279-1607

Adults aged 25 - 60 are invited to join us on Saturday, June 28th at Marina Grill for free concert by the band Overtyme. Bring a bag chair and meet at 5:30 p.m.

Thank you to Pat Litzinger for heading up the group once MK moves on July 7th. Pat would love the help of one more person! Reach out to MK or Pat to volunteer.

MK – 434-964-6438
Pat – 910-232-8603

Come join your fellow church members for fun and fellowship at our 5th Sunday Breakfast, June 29th between services from 10:00 am - 11:00 am in Brown Hall. A fantastic breakfast will be prepared by our own Jackie Norton along with our resident pancake chefs. A love basket will be available for donations.

Join us reading this book by Mariann Edgar Budde, one chapter at a time, and meeting for informal discussion on Wednesdays, 4-5 pm in Room 214 (Living Faith). You will need to acquire the book on your own and try to read Chapter 1 before our first meeting: July 2-Aug. 6. If you would like to meet via Zoom please contact Sue McCaffray.

The Walking in the Word Sunday School class invites you to join us during the Sundays in July  and August as we meet from 9:00 - 10:00 am and continue our study of Acts. 

Come meet the Capital Campaign Team, learn more about our renovation projects and get answers to any questions you may have. We will host two Meet & Greets directly following the 10:00 am worship service. plan to attend July 13 or July 20. Light refreshments will be served in the Chapel.

For August, our Fellowship Team invites everyone to join us in the Chapel after worship for sweet treats, coffee, water, and lemonade. 

We are truly blessed by the wonderful interest in our handbell ministry. We've had folks express a desire to join our group and in order to make a space for all to continue to enjoy the job of making music together, we're forming a second bell choir!

Whether you're a seasoned ringer or new to handbells, we invite you to join us.  

Here are the details:
 
When: Thursdays, 10:00 am - 11:00 am beginning Sept. 18th
Where: Handbell Room
Questions?  Cindy Litzinger

Thank you for your support as we continue to expand our music ministry together.

St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church is looking to hire a Contemporary Music Director to join our team. This position offers the unique opportunity to lead an already established group of dedicated volunteers and skilled paid musicians who share a common goal of enhancing our worship experience through music. If you're passionate about music and ministry, we'd love to hear from you! For more information, please our full job description.

by Carol Query

With the summer months upon us, our friends at the Domestic Violence Shelter continue to need the casseroles we have prepared for them so far in 2025. Those enjoying the casseroles are often mothers with young children. Therefore, the casseroles need to be child-friendly, not a dish that Emeril might have prepared with lots of ingredients and spices.        
If you would like to prepare a casserole, please go to the mail room near the dining room to get a 13 x 9 aluminum pan and lid from the cabinet next to the freezer. Take it home, prepare a casserole in it with directions for heating on the outside, and then on Sunday place the casserole in the freezer where I will get it and take it to DVSS.          

For additional information, call or text Carol Query at 910-470-3127 or click the link below to send an email.

Current available dates:
JULY 6, 13, 20, & 27.
AUGUST 3, 10, 17, 24, & 31.  
SEPTEMBER 7, 14, 21, & 28.
 
THANK-YOU so much for considering my invitation for your participation in a most beneficial Go and Serve project.

Our June collection of items for local ministries will be for our neighbor, The Carousel Center. The Center provides a "one-stop shop" of services for children who have suffered abuse. Everything from intakes, interviews with law enforcement, medical examinations, and counseling is available under one roof, thus limiting the trauma retelling their story causes. We'll be collecting the following items:

• Small bottles of water 
• Individual serving size microwavable soups and mac  and cheese
• Single serving snacks (Cheez-Its, popcorn,  pretzels, and chips are favorites)  
• Juicy Juice boxes 

Please drop them in the bin in the 15th Street lobby. Thank you for caring for these children.

In July we will once again have one of our favorite collections--providing backpacks and school supplies for children in need in our community. We are accepting backpacks for children from kindergarten through high school.

Supplies we'll collect include:

• pens and markers
• pencils and colored pencils
• crayons
• 3-ring binders and notebook paper
• composition books
• folders
• construction paper
• scissors
• erasers
• glue sticks
• rulers
• index cards
• -and, of course, backpacks 

The items we collect will be divided among WRAAP, the Domestic Violence Shelter and Services, and Family Promise. This is a tangible--and fun--way to stay faithfully present in our community.

THANK YOU to all the campers and volunteers who made CAMP FUSION - PUTTING OUR TRUST IN GOD an amazing week of learning and fun! Here are a few pictures to give you a glimpse of our week - more to come in the next edition of Saints Alive!

Join us at Fort Fisher State Park (Kure Beach) for a SACPC Family Beach Night! Bring a picnic dinner for your family. We will provide ice cream treats. Come fellowship and enjoy God's beautiful creation together!

Ten of our high school students and three faithful adults traveled to Montreat for the annual Youth Conference June 8-14.  It is hard to put the Montreat Youth Conference experience into words - but here are some of their reflections:

"God envelopes this place, the people I have connected with remind me that there is hope for this world and for me."

"This place, these people restored my faith."

"I needed Montreat ❤️"

"The strong connection between the youth on this trip has some extraordinary power that helps us notice the work that God does."

"Montreat is a thin place where you see God most clearly."

"The Montreat Youth Conference changes lives"

"Montreat builds a strong community that shows the good in humanity."

"You find out things you didn’t know, do things you don’t normally do, and talk about things you don’t normally talk about."

"Every year I leave better."

Middle and high school students are invited to come help get our new Youth space moved in and ready! Bring your friends and meet your friends at the church between 10:00 am - 3:00 pm (lunch provided!).

Sign up using the link below.

Middle and High School students are invited to come hang out in Brown Hall for pickleball and other air conditioned shenanigans! Friends are welcome - snacks will be provided. If you have Pickleball equipment to share - please bring it with you!

By popular demand - we are spending more time at Bill's! We will gather Sunday night, August 10th from 6:30 - 8pm. There will be walking tacos and water fun. Friends are welcome!

Our annual lock-in event for middle and high school students! This year, we will be in the main church building. Friends are welcome - just warn Jen how many you are bringing so we can plan accordingly!

Thank you for contributing to the work and love of Jesus through St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church. Your gifts enable us to stay Faithfully Present in Our Community by providing beneficial programs and spiritual events that lift up, motivate, and provide joy!

Financial updates will be provided each month.  If you have any questions, please contact Susan Dykes, Financial Administrator, 910-762-9693x207, sdykes@sacpc.org; or our Church Treasurer, Ed Hobson, treasurer@sacpc.org.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:4-6

The family of Emily Pensinger who passed away last week. The funeral is planned for this coming Saturday (6/28) at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary with a reception to follow in the Chapel.

The Malawi team who are on a mission from June 23 - July 3: John Pasquariello,  Lynn Atkinson, Katie Harrington, Max Harrington, James Brumit, Lily Skipper, Margo Davy, Meredith Mack, and Catheryn Thomas.

The Soaring As Eagles Pre-K Jumpstart program which runs at our church from June 23 until August 1 — prayers for the children and their families, for the teachers, Kim Ceasar, staff and volunteers. 

Billy Purdom (USS Stout DDG ), Smith Beacham (Poland/Germany), Jack Looney (USS Carl Vinson, San Diego, CA) , Samuel Makepeace (Fort Moore, Georgia), Brennan Litzinger (Fort Bliss, Texas-deployed to Poland 11-24), Mikayla Reifert (Tinker AForce base in Oklahoma), Bradley Garrett (Coast Guard, Elizabeth City)

Prayer requests: Click here to tell us about your need.

Hospitalizations: Please click here to email Katie Harrington or call the church office at 910.762.9693 to leave a message.

June 24: Karen Crooks
June 25: Tony Colmenares, Ev Randall
June 26: Steve Lowry, Joy Murrell, Bob Van Note
June 27: Phyllis Leimer, Sue Messina
June 28: Betts Appleton, Thomas Bissette, Jr, Kaleb Lowry, Jack Mitchell
June 29: Griffin Johnson, Wilson Johnson, Mark Parks
June 30: Di Chamblee, Ryan Johnson, Susan Joyner, Jackson Wayne
July 1: Finnlay Donovan, Mirabelle Donovan
July 2: David Massey
July 3: A.C. Tyler
July 4: Evelyn Estep, Melynda Snyder
July 5: Jim Smith
July 6: Adair Flynn, Lilly Harrison
July 7: Katherine Brandi, Beverly Hinson, Meg Massey
July 8: Doug Dean, Matt Hilliard, Connor Padula

View our most recent Session Reports.