Rev. Harrington will lead us in worship with scripture readings coming from 1 Samuel 3:1-10 and John 1:43-51. It's also 5-cents A Meal Sunday. Worshipers come forward during the first song/hymn and place your 5-cents offerings in the baskets located next to the Communion table. A portion of this offering goes to the Malawi Street Kids program, which provides nutrition for kids who live on the streets in Zomba, Malawi, and attend the CCAP school in the city.

by Catheryn Thomas

The office will be closed for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, January 15th. The preschool will still be in session, honoring the day with MLK-inspired activities.

by Cindy Litzinger

Unlock the magic of music and discover the joy of rhythm, melody, and movement in a fun-filled musical adventure for you and your little ones. Classes begin the week of January 29, 2024.

There are two class options to choose from:

Mondays at 10:00 am - Mixed Ages - 8 weeks
Thursdays at 10:30 am- Mixed Ages - 4 weeks

Don't miss out - reserve your spot today and let the laughter and learning begin! For more information, contact Cindy Litzinger.

by Jane Smith

Please join us in Brown Hall on February 10th from 10:00 am – 2:15 pm to learn about dementia and how to best care for loved ones with a memory impairment.  North Carolina’s well-known dementia expert, Melanie Bunn, RN, MS, GNP, will lead a discussion on the different levels of dementia and behaviors caregivers may expect. She will share helpful suggestions and tips on things like communication, redirection, and how to work through anger and resistance to care. Melanie will also help us understand what we need to do, ourselves, to avoid difficult situations our care receivers might not understand. We will also have numerous service providers and vendors onsite who will explain how they can be of assistance.

Several of us from SACPC attended a similar conference in the fall and found it to be very worthwhile.

Please RSVP online using the link below. There is a $5 registration fee, which includes lunch and snacks. Registration ends on February 2nd.

We also have limited space for a group respite setting for loved ones with dementia, if needed. Please check the appropriate box when you RSVP and someone will reach out to you about the possibility.

This workshop is sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging, Lower Cape Fear Life Care, Life Care Memory Partners, and the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina.

by Jen Phelps

Confirmation classes will begin on Wednesday, January 17th. Parents and Confirmands - be looking for more information and details coming to you soon from Jen. If you are interested in joining Confirmation (for current eighth graders and older) contact Jen Phelps ASAP.

by Jane Smith

As announced elsewhere in this edition of Saints Alive, we are hosting an educational workshop focused on dementia and how to best care for those suffering from it. We need the following volunteers:
 
Directional assistance (both outdoors and inside): 9:15 am - 10:15 am (3-4 people)
 
Registration table: 9:15 am - 10:15 am (1-2 volunteers)
 
Lunch service: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm (2-3 volunteers)
 
Support for the respite area: 9:30 am - 2:30 pm (up to 4 volunteers) Sponsoring agencies are providing interactive care for up to 10 people in the dining room. Examples of ways volunteers may be asked to help include sitting with an attendee, playing games, or helping serve lunch. All activities will be led by professionals.

If you are interested in helping in any of these areas, please click the link below to email Jane Smith. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of serving in this way.

by Shelley Hobson

Our Malawi education fundraiser for the 2024-25 school year has reached $16,000 so far—well on our way toward this year’s $25,000 goal. Zikomo for donations made and those still to come! (Pictured is the distribution of shoes, uniforms, and book bags to this year’s primary school recipients).

Just before Christmas, gifts from the Malawi Partners Foundation and SACPC bought over 33,000 pounds of maize to feed 1,500 families in the village. There is a severe food shortage due to last year’s cyclone and the resulting destruction of much of the harvest.

Finally, in a loaves and fishes story of sorts, Abusa Silas Ncozana organized a Christmas party at Chuluchosema for an expected 1,200 children from the village and surrounding area. When 4,000 kids showed up, Silas emptied his and Margaret’s bank account to be sure there would be enough food and treats. As always, Silas believed God would provide. Hearing about this selfless gift, several of Silas’ American friends refilled his bank account. God is good…all the time!

m&m resumes Wednesday, January 10, 2024.  All children K-5th grade are invited to attend.  For more information, contact Cindy Litzinger

This week's menu: Chicken Penne Alfredo, Garden Salad, Garlic Bread, and Dessert. Cost is $25/family of 4 or more, $7/adult, and $5/under 12. 

Join us for our first POPS Program of the new year with a crowd favorite--BINGO Night!  Come early and enjoy dinner at 5:30 pm. BINGO starts promptly at 6:30 pm. Sue McCaffray for more details.

Our small group ministry for 6th - 12th graders returns this week. The HUB will open at 6:30 pm for fellowship with programming starting at 7:00 pm. See Jen Phelps for more details.

Get a respite from the post-holiday doldrums with a performance by the all-male professional group, Brethren, in the first concert of the new year.  We welcome them for their third appearance for Music on Market. The group will bring an eclectic mix of many musical genres. From Renaissance polyphony to traditional hymnody to spirituals to patriotic standards to southern gospel – they deliver a choral program that is sure to suit even the strongest of critics.

This concert is free to the public. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Music on Market Fine Arts Series is a certified non-profit corporation that began as an outreach of the Ministry of Music at SACPC in 2003. Since then, it has grown to become an independent organization.

Looking for Summer Activities for your Children and Youth? Come to the Summer Activities Fair in Brown Hall on Sunday, January 28th from 10:00 am - 11:00 am. The following groups have already signed on to be there for information and sign-up opportunities:

- Camp Kirkwood
- YMCA
- UNCW - Upward Bound Math & Science
- Hanover Stables
- SACPC - VBS & Music Camp - June 10-14
- SACPC Youth Opportunities
- Junior Lifeguard Camp Information

These groups and more will be represented! See Lynn Warner for more details.

Each year our middle and high school girls celebrate Galentines - and this year we are inviting all ladies of all ages to join us! We will gather in Brown Hall on Wednesday, February 7th from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm (after POPS) for fun and fellowship and chocolate fountains.  Please bring items for dipping to share!

Activities are planned and we will be collecting period products for the Diaper Bank of NC to be distributed to our schools. Please consider donating ultrathin pads (not traditional maxi pads), tampons, and individually wrapped liners before the event, or bring them that evening.

See Jen Phelps for more details.

Mercy Pouch Donations: January is the month we will be collecting Mercy Pouch supplies.  Last year, again, we distributed over 1,000 pouches. Thank you!!!  The bulletin board in the 15th St. Lobby near the Narthex has tickets for the items needed.  Please take one ticket or as many as you can and help purchase the items. Thank you again for your contributions and for distributing these pouches to our neighbors in need.  

Physical Labor Needed: Go & Serve's Shelter Care volunteers have built over 11 ramps in the past year and half. These ramps are built locally and typically happen on Saturdays. Please prayerfully consider joining the work crew and participating in 2024. If you are interested, contact Palmer at 910-622-4040.

Tutors Needed: Saturday Academy is a tutoring program designed to help 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders from Title 1 schools with reading and math in preparation for the EOGs.  Beginning in January 2024, volunteers will meet two Saturday mornings a month, January through May, at Rachel Freeman School of Engineering, 2601 Princess Place Drive.

The Lord gives his people strength.  The Lord blesses them with peace. 
Psalm 29:11

Dr. Bill Rippy will celebrate his 102nd birthday on January 13th. 

Dr. Thomas Craven’s memorial service is planned for January 11th at 2:00 pm at SACPC in the Sanctuary. A reception will follow the service in the Chapel.

Mike Lee had a cardiac pacemaker/defibrillator implant on January 4th at NH.  Mike remains in the hospital.

Martha Futch had a cardiac ablation at NH and is recovering at home.

Carolyn Wells had a cardiac valve replacement at Duke and is doing well at home.  

Billy Purdom (USS Stout DDG ), Smith Beacham (Fort Richardson, Anchorage, AK), Jack Looney (USS Carl Vinson, San Diego, CA) , Samuel Makepeace (Fort Polk, Louisiana), Brennan Litzinger (Fort Bliss, Texas), Mikayla Reifert (Kadena, Japan), Bradley Garrett (Coast Guard, Elizabeth City)

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

Hospitalizations: Please click here to email Ann Benson or call 910.762.9693 x202 to leave a message.

January 9: Megan Johnson
January 10: Kathryn Ciarrocca, Tory Hilliard
January 11: Melissa George, David McGowan
January 12: Walter Bland, JC Hunt, Cameron Lefler, John Pasquariello, Megan Tadlock
January 13: Kent Anderson, Bill Rippy, Jane Shelton, Randy Warner
January 15: Ryder McEwen, Mike McGowan, Olivia Phelps
January 16: Pat Litzinger