ACP This Week - 30 October 2025

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ACP This Week

Hello ACP Family,

Please view this video message from Pastor Paul reflecting on our sermon series, The Journey of Faith, and how each one of us can actually grow in our journey through making a financial contribution to the church. How does our committing ourselves -- really putting ourselves out there -- with our time and resources, help us to grow in faith and also grow the beloved community.

He also reminds us that this Sunday is Communion, the First Sunday Food Drive, and the launches of the 2026 Generosity Campaign and the Love in a Box ministry. Details below.

More about this Sermon Series - if you are interested in reading a good book on the stages of faith, we recommend one of the following:

The Critical Journey, Stages in the Life of Faith - Hagberg and Guelich
Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development & the Quest for Meaning - Fowler
Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It - McLaren
Inspired: Rachel Held Evans

Do you have a transformational faith journey story that you would like to share during our “The Journey of Faith” series? If so, please share your story here acparis.org/faith-story.

Building the Beloved Community (2026 Generosity Campaign). Since September, ACP has been celebrating and recommitting ourselves to the vision of Building God’s Beloved Community. As we continue our “Journey of Faith,” we want to encourage everyone to use this fall’s Generosity Campaign as an opportunity to do whatever you can to help build up ACP as Christ’s Beloved Community. Please make your 2026 financial commitment to ACP at acparis.org/generosity2026.

“Christ’s body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does their work.” - Ephesians 4:16

If you have never made a financial commitment to God through the church, we hope this will be the year you begin. And if you’ve made a commitment before, we ask you to prayerfully consider increasing your financial commitment to ACP for 2026.

As ACP continues to grow in and embody the diversity, grace and love of our God, we want our ministries and message to continue to grow and expand as well. And as each of God’s children gives back according to their abilities, or as Paul writes in Ephesians, “each part does their work,” we all will be, “built up in love” that will spill onto the streets of Paris and beyond.

This Sunday

Scripture Reading
- Mark 8:27-30
- Philippians 3:4b-11
Communion Sunday
First Sunday Food Drive: Sunday, 2 November. As we experience the abundant feast of Christ’s last supper, you are invited to bring non-perishable food items for our blessing box in Reception and Serve the City. Collection boxes are in the sanctuary and narthex. Requested items: ready-to-eat, long shelf life foods of different varieties.
Coffee Hour Nametag Initiative: Join us in the Theater for coffee hour. Grab a name tag at the designated tables and meet someone new!
Sunday Adult Bible Study: 15h30-17h in the 2nd Floor Library or on Zoom. All are welcome. This Sunday, we'll discuss the Book of Acts, Chapter 18. Drop by or sign up at acparis.org/groups.

Love in a Box: This Sunday through 7 December, bring your box back to ACP. You are invited to participate in Love in a Box (L'Amour en boîte) for the holiday season. This is a non-profit association that for over 20 years has worked with volunteers to provide holiday presents to children in local homeless shelters, children’s homes, and community centers mostly in the Ile-de-France region. Get instructions at acparis.org/liab or at the Welcome Table during coffee hour.

Please Support the ACP

Save the Dates

Full list of weekly announcements here.

Christian Education Conversation - Woven Together through Inclusion featuring the ACP African Fellowship: 6 November 19h-20h45 at ACP and on Zoom. Nathaniel Akujuobi, GP Usino, and Professor Emmanuel Igah of the IPAG Business School in Paris will lead us in a conversation on “Africa: A Continent of Unity and Rich Diversity.” All are welcome! Sign up at acparis.org/ce-conversations.

Thanksgiving Dinner: Saturday, 29 November 19h-21h. A joyful evening of gratitude, fellowship, and thanksgiving! Tickets on sale at acparis.org/thanksgiving (beginning this Sunday) and at coffee hour (Sundays, 9-23 November) -- 45€ [12 years+], 25€ [5-11 years old], under 5 years free. Seating is limited, so don't wait to get your tickets!

Eternal Youth Group: First gathering is Tuesday, 4 November 11h-12h30 in the Associate Pastor’s office on level -1. For those desiring meaningful conversation and community at the crossroads of life. Whether your crossroads is moving into retirement, a career or relationship transition, or simply a desire to be in deeper community, you are welcome. We meet every other Tuesday at 11h-12h30 in the Associate Pastor’s office on level -1. The first gathering is Tuesday, 4 November. Sign up at acparis.org/groups.

Young Professionals: Next meeting 6 November 19h30-21h, 2nd floor ACP Library. YoPros is a warm and welcoming fellowship for young professionals. Together, we navigate the intersection of faith, career, and life. We will discuss “Inspired” by Rachel Held Evans. Sign up at acparis.org/groups.

Women’s Fellowship: 9 November 12h15-14h in the Thurber Room. All women are invited to join us for our participative discussions on a monthly-changing theme relating to everyday life and spirituality. Please bring snacks to share. For information and to sign up for the fall meetings, visit acparis.org/groups.

Your ACP Council is here for you! For any questions or concerns about ACP, please feel free to reach out to councilmoderators@acparis.org, the Council would love to hear from you.

ACP is searching for a new, permanent Director of Music Ministries! Our spring survey gave us your input on ACP’s music ministry, and we’ve received applications from across the globe. The search task force, led by Council members, is currently narrowing down the group of applicants. They hope to make a hire later this fall. Thanks for your prayers! Info at: acparis.org/dmm.

Previous Weeks' Sermons

In case you missed it, Sermon - 26 October 2025 - Deformed or Transformed? Sermons are available at acparis.org/sermons. Other previous worship livestreams are available on YouTube.

ACP's services are available with subtitles in English and other languages, beginning on Tuesdays, on ACP’s YouTube channel youtube.com/c/TheAmericanChurchinParis. Click the CC button on the video to enable closed-captioning and translations.

Announcements & Opportunities to Serve

Full list of weekly announcements here.

In need of prayer? If you are in need of prayer, a lay caregiver is available in the chapel on Sundays to pray with you. If you would like members of the lay care ministry team, members of the prayer chain, and the pastoral team to uphold you in prayer, you may contact us at acparis.org/prayers.

Sandwich Ministry: Thursdays promptly at 17h. Our ACP sandwich ministry meets weekly to make sandwiches to help feed over 100 unhoused persons a week. All materials are provided. Join our listserv at acparis.org/sandwich.

Food Box: To serve our neighbors who seek help from our church, you are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the box (located in reception). The food box is open to anyone in need of food and additional supplies go to Serve the City-Paris.

Christian Education volunteers: Do you enjoy coming to the various learning opportunities such as Bible studies and Thurber Conversations? Interested in helping with set-up, attendance, technical assistance, etc.? Please contact christianeducation@acparis.org.

Nursery volunteers: We need many new volunteers to welcome children (ages 0-2) in our nursery at both the 11h and 14h services! Without volunteers, we don’t have a nursery. If you would like to serve, contact Grace Archer at nursery@acparis.org.

Ushers and Greeters needed: It takes a team of volunteers to welcome our Sunday attendees with love, and help them feel connected and ready to worship together. Contact: welcoming@acparis.org.

Docent Team volunteers: Would you like to learn about the rich heritage of ACP and share it with our members, neighbors, and the wider Paris community? Docents give tours after the 11h service on the second Sunday of every month and make open-door visits of the sanctuary possible on most Thursday mornings. If you are interested, please contact docents@acparis.org.

Audio Visual Ministry volunteers: If you’d like to be a part of our worship tech and A/V team for both Sunday services, we welcome your help. Contact: avm@acparis.org.