Special Services & Gatherings during Holy Week

• Palm Sunday, April 13: We will gather on Palm Sunday to sing ‘Hosanna’ and wave palm branches as we remember Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Join us for worship at 9:02am in the Fellowship Hall for our contemporary, discussion-based service, or at 11:00am in the Sanctuary for our traditional worship service. Sunday School opportunities for all ages are available at 10:00am.

• Maundy Thursday, April 17: Keeping with St. Paul’s tradition, on Maundy Thursday we will gather for dinner and worship with our friends at Community UCC (814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh). Dinner will begin at 6pm, followed by worship at 7pm. The service will also be livestreamed.

• Good Friday, April 18: If you are looking for a worship service to mark Good Friday, we recommend worshipping with our friends at Fairmont United Methodist Church (2501 Clark Avenue) on Friday at 7:00pm.

• Easter Sunday, April 20: We will gather for worship at 9:02am and 11:00am. Our 9:02am worship service meets in the Fellowship Hall, is discussion-based and includes contemporary music. Our 11:00am worship service will also begin in the Fellowship Hall with the celebration of baptism before moving into the Sanctuary. This service is more traditional and formal. In addition to worship, we will gather for a Potluck Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall at 10am, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt on the church grounds at 10:30am for kids of all ages.

• Holy Week Devotional: Our Easter and Lenten devotional offers written and creative reflections for Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Click here to view the digital devotional.

Over the six weeks of Lent leading up to Easter, as we spend time in worship and personal meditation, we are invited to navigate the polarities in our lives with more faith, intention, and openness to be transformed. Each week we will explore two supposed binaries, like “faith & works,” “rest & growth,” or “grief & hope.” We often consider these ideas to be opposing. However, as we explore these concepts within the scriptures, we find nuance and complexity. We find that these dichotomies are false. We might begin to see a full spectrum instead of black and white. We might find that God is present in between the divisions humans create.

This season, we invite you to look beyond black and white binaries and easy answers. We encourage you to notice the dichotomies that define our lives, but also imagine where God might be meeting us beyond the categories we create. This Lent, we're trusting that God shows up in shades of gray, rainbow hues, and everywhere in between.

Resources for our Lenten Journey

Lenten Daily Devotionals: Printable or Digital

• Devotional Books with readings, songs, art and reflection prompts for each week are available online, or printed copies are available at church in the Narthex and Fellowship Hall. Please contact the office if you need a printed copy mailed to you. 

• Lenten Practices for Elementary Families: Our elementary families will receive a copy of Traci Smith’s book titled “Faithful Families for Lent, Easter and Resurrection: Simple Ways to Create Meaning for the Season.” Parents and families are invited to find one or two faith practices to mark the season of Lent and the celebration of Easter. 

• Lenten Practices & Connection for Families of Young Children: Families of young children are encouraged to attend our monthly Faith & Parenting Circle the first Sunday in March and April as we reflect and learn new spiritual practices for our families to “try on” during the Lenten and Easter season. Learn more about this gathering at stpauls.net/family. 

Regular Opportunities to Worship, Study and Pray

• Prayer Group gathers every Thursday morning at 9:30am, both in-person and on Zoom, for 30 minutes of prayer for our church and world. Consider joining us and deepening your prayer life this Lenten season.

• Worship Services take place every Sunday at 9:02am & 11:00am. Our 9:02 service is a contemporary, discussion-based service that meets in the Fellowship Hall and our 11am service is a traditional service that meets in the Sanctuary. Childcare & worshipful opportunities for children are available in both services. 

• Sunday School gatherings for all ages meet every Sunday at 10:00 am:

• Children’s Gatherings: Pre-K - 3rd Grade & 4th - 5th Grade

• Middle & High School Gathering

• Adult Gatherings

  • The Koinonia Class will spend the Lenten season encountering and “sinking into” a different Psalm each week, led by Elizabeth Caldwell’s book, “Pause.”

  • ESL Sunday School embarks on a slow reading of the Sunday Scripture.

  • After 9:02 Gathering - Join 9:02 worshippers and young adults for an informal gathering based on the Sunday Scripture and a chance to catch up on life!

Special Worship Services

• March 5, Wednesday - Ash Wednesday: St. Paul’s will host a Soup Supper at 6pm in the Fellowship Hall, followed by Ash Wednesday Worship at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary with our friends from Community UCC.

• April 17, Thursday - Maundy Thursday: We will gather for dinner & worship with our friends at Community UCC (814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh). Dinner will begin at 6pm, followed by worship at 7pm. The service will also be livestreamed.

• April 20, Sunday - Easter Sunday: In addition to worship services at 9:02 and 11:00 am, we will have a Potluck Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt at 10:00 am in the Fellowship Hall. 11:00 worship will begin in the Fellowship Hall with baptisms before moving into the Sanctuary. 

Community Opportunities to Serve, Connect and Journey in Faith

• March 7, Friday at 6:30pm & 7:00pm: Team Trivia Night - Invite a friend!

  Invite a friend to join you for an evening of fun & fellowship organized by St. Paul’s Evangelism Team. Come at 6:30 pm for a pizza dinner fundraiser to support Church World Service’s immigration advocacy work (suggested donation of $5 - $10 per person). Trivia starts at 7 pm. 

• March 8, Saturday at 7:00 pm: Bobby Jo Valentine Concert

  Enjoy an evening of catchy tunes and thoughtful lyrics about faith, love, human connections. Hosted by Good Shepherd UCC (1050 NW Maynard Rd, Cary). Admission is free, and donations benefit Apex Pride. RSVP & donate at https://tinyurl.com/BJValentineConcert 

• March 15, Saturday from 9am - 12pm: Property Work Day

  All ages are invited to help with projects around St. Paul’s campus. Donuts & coffee provided. 

• March 16, Sunday: Youth Families Serve Dinner at the Helen Wright Center for Women

  Youth and their families will prepare and serve a meal for women experiencing homelessness. Contact Amanda to sign up and get details.

• March 18, Tuesday at 7:00 pm: Virtual Book Club

  St. Paul’s Book Club meets on zoom to discuss Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood. 

• March Ramadan Friendship Dinners at the Divan Center: March 6 (5:45 pm), March 19 (6:30 pm) or March 27 (6:30 pm)

  Join Muslim neighbors as they break their daily fast and learn more about their celebration of Ramadan. Click here to RSVP or contact Diane. 

• March 27, Thursday from 12:00 - 5:30 pm: National Faith & Climate Forum

  Join the Green Team in St. Paul’s Fellowship Hall from noon - 5:30 pm, as we explore how to embody our faith through creation care, engage in transformative discussions, and connect with like-minded leaders. Register for free at https://nationalfaithandclimateforum.org

• March 29, Saturday from 8:15am - 3:30pm, Habitat for Humanity Interfaith Building Framing Day

  Join St. Paul’s Outreach Team as they gather with individuals from many faiths to officially “kick-off” our 2025 build with our annual Framing Day. Contact Pastor Diane for more details.

• March 30, Sunday at 12:30 pm: Immigration Workshop with Church World Service

  St. Paul’s Immigration Advocacy Team will host a speaker from CWS in the Fellowship Hall  to update us on current immigration policy, how CWS is responding, and what we can do to help. 

• April 3, Thursday from 6:00 - 8:30 pm: Inter-Community Seder

  Up to four representatives from St. Paul’s are invited to attend a community-wide Seder at Temple Beth Orr. Contact Diane for details by March 21. 

• April 15, Tuesday at 7:00 pm: Virtual Book Club

  St. Paul’s Book Club meets on zoom to discuss Patriot by Alexei Navalny.

• April 12 and June 28: Habitat for Humanity Interfaith Build Work Days

  Join St. Paul’s Outreach Team as they partner with individuals from many faiths to build affordable housing for neighbors in our community. Contact Pastor Diane for more details.