CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

We join people around the country this month in honoring the incredible contributions the Black community has made throughout history and continues to make today.If you're looking for ways to learn more and celebrate Black History Month, we have some great resources on our website - including things to read, watch, listen to, and participate in this month. We especially recommend watching St. Paul and Smokey Hollow - A Community Story, a documentary about St. Paul AME. And we're excited to be invited to join St. Francis Springs Prayer Center for a special Black History Month celebration on February 16. Check out these and other opportunities here

MAKE A LASTING IMPACT WITH L’ARCHE

L'Arche is looking for reliable, long-term volunteers who can commit to just one day a month to help make a difference at L'Arche NC. By choosing one activity that speaks to you, you can become a regular volunteer and a valued member of their community. Even dedicating just one day each month will make a lasting impact!Here are the days/times they need help:

Cook Together - First Thursday each month, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. in our Bulla building

Craft Together - Third Thursday each month, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. in our Bulla building

Serve Together - Fourth Tuesday each month, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. in our Bulla building

Ready to build friendships and have fun? If you're interested, please email alyssa@larchenc.org.

DONATE FLU KITS

Alliance Medical Ministry is in need of flu kits for their patients. If you'd like to help, please assemble kits at home and place them in the collection bin near the first floor reception desk or in the Garden Gallery collection bin this month. Supplies needed in each kit:

Bag to hold supplies (zip top or labeled paper bag)

3 small packages of ibuprofen

1 small package of tissues

10 sugar free cough drops

1 small bottle of hand sanitizer

1 surgical face mask

*include the Flu Fact Sheet (one side in English, one side in Spanish)

Include an encouraging note if you'd like, too!

WEEKLY MEALS

Join us in this win, win effort! You get a night off from cooking, and proceeds from each meal go to A Place at the Table to help our neighbors facing food insecurity. You can purchase small or large dishes. Pick up is on Sunday mornings or you can arrange a time during the week. Click the links below to place your orders!

Feb. 9, 25: Tuscan Chicken Pasta (order deadline 2/4)

Feb. 16, 25: Beef Enchiladas (order deadline 2/11 )

Feb. 23, 25: 3 Meat Baked Pasta (order deadline 2/18)

March 2, 25: Ham Broccoli Quiche ( order deadline 2/25)

March 9, 25: Chicken Casserole (order deadline 3/4)

March 16, 25: Jamaican Beef Pie (order deadline 3/11)

March 23, 25: Vegetable Lasagna (order deadline 3/18)

March 30, 25: Bacon Cheddar Quiche (order deadline 3/25)

BUILDING SECURITY UPDATE

We are transitioning our building access from a universal code to individually assigned key fobs. The building will be accessible during normal operating hours without a key card or a code just as it is now by using the Curtis Center entrance M-F 8:30 am-4:30 pm or the Sanctuary or Garden Gallery doors on Sundays from 8:00am-12:00 pm. (The Curtis Center Doors will remain open from 8:45 am-11:30 am on Sunday mornings).

If you would like to request a key card that will allow you access to the building outside of regular operating hours, please submit a request through this form. Key fobs are currently being assigned and individuals will begin to receive more information about how to pick up their key fobs in the coming days and weeks. The universal code will remain active throughout the month of February, allowing folks the ability to use the fob and have the code as a back up as we get used to the change. If you have not done so, and still wish to order a key fob, Click here.

JOIN OUR WHITE FLAG HOSPITALITY TEAM

Do you enjoy making soup, chili, or baked goods? Does it bring you joy to greet and welcome people into our church spaces? Does gathering with others to prepare sandwiches and snacks sound like a fun way to serve? Would setting up or taking down cots help you feel connected to our guests? If so, we'd love to have you join our White Flag Hospitality Team! On nights when the temperature or windchill is expected to be 35 degrees or below, White Flag shelter sites open up in our community for men, women, and families who are experiencing homelessness. This year, our Bulla building will serve as the White Flag site for women on Wednesday evenings and as a potential back-up site on other nights. Our hope is to cover these women with love and hospitality during their time with us. Sign up here to get involved!

Click here to get involved!

JOIN OUR DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM

Are you interested in helping to rebuild homes, communities, and lives after disasters hit? If so, we'd love for you to join our Disaster Response Team. There will be plenty of opportunities in the upcoming months to serve in Western North Carolina as well as in other NC areas that still need help from previous disasters. From mucking out mud to building relationships, there are many roles to fill with varying skill sets. To join our team, please fill out this survey. Have questions? Contact Suzanne Botts sbotts1@yahoo.com. We'd love for several of our team members to get Early Response Training. Click here for upcoming training dates.

CHURCH NAME TAG

You are invited to order a permanent nametag to wear to church on Sundays. Please sign up here to order a nametag.

DEATH AND FUNERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Below we share with you the death of loved ones in our Edenton Street community. Please take a moment to offer prayers of gratitude for their life and for their family as we grieve this loss together.

Our sympathies go out to Caroline Russell and her family in the recent loss of her mother.

Our sympathies go out to Stacey Will and her family in the recent loss of her stepfather.

Our sympathies go out to the family and friends of Martha Jordan, who died January 27, 2025. Service arrangements are pending.

To view funeral livestreams, click here.

To sign up for death and funeral emails, click here.

eSTREET KIDS SUNDAY MORNING VOLUNTEERS

Volunteering for eStreet Kids Sunday morning Ministries is a fun and rewarding experience and we want you! We are looking for youth (6th grade and above) and adults of any age to help serve as Sunday School and Wiggler Worship leaders and helpers.

The time commitment for Sunday School Helpers and Leaders is 9:15-10:15am.

Lesson plans will be sent via email the beginning of each week and all materials be ready when you arrive on Sunday morning.

Sunday School will kick off for the fall on September 8th.

Wiggler Worship is during the 10:30am services.

For Wiggler Worship, you will sign up to walk children from either the Gathering or Sanctuary. You can also sign up to lead the lesson!

Sunday School Trainings will be offered August 18th and September 22nd from 9:45-10:15am in the Library.

If you have questions, or want to learn more, email Shannon Montague, Director of Children and Family Ministries, at smontague@esumc.org.

ESTREET KIDS MUSIC & WORSHIP ARTS

Join us Sundays, 4:00 - 6:00 PM as we train our children to be worship leaders through the arts! All children in Grades K-5th are invited to participate as we learn about music, dance, singing, and leading in worship! You may participate in one, two, or all three of our areas:

Liturgical Dance | 4:00-4:40 | Room 357

Children's Choir | 4:40-5:20 | Room 161 (K-1st Grade) or Choir Annex (3rd-5th Grade)

Handbells/ Handchimes | 5:20-6:00 pm | Room 161 (K-2nd) and Choir Annex (3rd-5th Grade)

Questions? Message Dr. Filippa: fmduke@esumc.org.

JOIN THE CHANCEL CHOIR

Do you love to sing? We'd love for you to join the Chancel Choir this fall! We are a fun-loving group of singers that meet weekly to lead worship at the 10:30 Sanctuary service. We rehearsal on Thursdays at 7 pm and welcome all voice parts to our group. All youth and adults are invited.

Contact Dr. Filippa Duke (fmduke@esumc.org) to learn more about our ministry and how you can be a part of the choir community at Edenton Street!

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to Katie & Sammy Hobgood on the birth of their son, Shepherd Dark Hobgood, on November 26, 2024!

Congratulations to Alan and Aly (Stanley) Hethcoat, on the birth of their son, Ross Burton Hethcoat, on November 26, 2024!

Have you or someone you know had a baby? We want to know! Please fill out this form and submit so we can welcome and support our families.

PRAYER + CARE MINISTRY

You are not alone. In a hurting world, Edenton St. has people who can be Christ’s presence to walk with you and pray for you during difficult times. There are multiple ways you can submit a request for Prayer + Care.

• Online- esumc.org: Prayer Request
• Prayer + Care Request Cards: Boxes are located in the Narthex, Garden Gallery Welcome Wagon, Kerr Hall Lobby (Gathering), and the Curtis Center Lobby and can also be placed in the offering at any of our three worship services.
• On the reverse side of the request cards, you will find the website / App path, mailing address, and church phone number.

You are not alone.

EVENT SPACE @ ESUMC

If you are part of an organization that needs event space, please consider using our church's beautiful facilities!

Our Facility Use Policy, which was written and adopted by our Board of Trustees in 2022, exists to identify opportunities for persons or organizations to rent our facilities for a fee. All requests are carefully vetted and fees determined based on a tiered structure outlined in our Facility Use Policy. Please note, all church sponsored events take precedence over outside event rentals!!

Since the adoption of this policy, we have rented our space to many corporate entities, non profit organizations, and individuals wishing to use our facilities for meetings, recitals, basketball tournaments and even children's birthday parties. If you or someone you know wishes to rent our facility for an outside event, please use this link to submit a request.

ALTAR FLOWER DONATIONS

Have you ever thought about blessing our traditional service with altar flower donations?  It can be from a study group, Sunday School class,  family, several families, a memorial, or a celebration and more.  If you are interested, please contact Lewanna Stout at  grammystout@nc.rr.com and she will lead you through the process.

PRAYER RESOURCES

At ESUMC, we use four elements to form our decisions. These are: prayer, discernment, consensus and communication. Prayer is at the top of that list. As we move through a challenging season, we lean on prayer more than ever before. Therefore, we are providing some tools to guide your individual prayer practices. By clicking here, you can find three methods of connecting with God in tangible ways. May this be a blessing to you.

SUNDAY MORNING HOSPITALITY

We are in search of more Sunday morning greeters to offer God's welcome to all who enter our doors on Sunday mornings. If you are looking for a way to plug into a new ministry, and feel a call to welcoming others into our church family, we invite you to serve as a Sunday morning hospitality servant. For more information about joining the Sunday morning hospitality team, please fill out this form.

WEEKDAY HOSPITALITY

We would love for you to join our dedicated team of weekday receptionists to offer God's welcome to all who enter our doors! No computer skills necessary, and training will be provided. For more information, please fill out this form, or email Lewanna Stout at grammystout@nc.rr.com.

FIXER UPPERS MINISTRY

Are you a church member with basic maintenance and handy person skills? We invite you to join our new ministry group, "Fixer Uppers"! As part of this group, you will have the opportunity to volunteer your time and skills to perform basic punch list projects around the church. Help us keep our church in tip-top shape and create a welcoming environment for everyone.

If you're interested in joining the Fixer Uppers ministry group, please fill out this form, or contact Brian McGuire at bmcguire@esumc.org

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY SUNDAY MORNINGS

Nursery (ages 3 months-3 years old) 8:15-11:30
Sunday School (ages 3 years old- 5th grade) 9:45-10:15
Wiggle Worship (ages 3 years old-2nd grade) During the 10:30 services.
Worship Bags with Activities available in for all services for ages 2nd through 5th grade.)

If you have any questions or would like to know more, reach out to Shannon Montague, Director of Children's and Family Ministries. smontague@esumc.org

DOORSTEP MINISTRY

Our Doorstep Ministry helps vulnerable neighbors avoid homelessness by providing financial assistance with rent and utilities to get them over a bump in the road such as an unexpected medical bill, car repair, or temporary job loss. You can help a family stay in their home or keep their utilities on by donating to this vital ministry. Give here.