Christmas Eve Service, 5:30 pm
Join us for Christmas Eve worship at 5:30 pm Wednesday, December 24. We’ll have a traditional candlelight service with violinist Christine Sasse. Christine was the first concertmaster for the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin. Currently she is a violin instructor at Washington University. Sing the carols, hear the music and stories, and find hope here!


Christmas Brunch and Worship, December 28    
Join us for a special Christmas Brunch and worship service on Sunday, December 28 at 10:30.  This special service will take place in the Gathering Space where we’ll eat and worship and focus on the new year.  It’s for all ages and will include the Christmas carols we love and some exercises to get us thinking about things we want to leave behind or take on in the new year.  This is also a potluck!  So, please sign-up in the Gathering Space or email Annie at pastor@faithdesperes.org and let us know what dish you’ll bring.  Thank you!  (There is no nursery care or Sunday School this day.  Everyone is encouraged to worship together!)


Christmas Joy Offering
Faith Des Peres is participating in the Christmas Joy Offering of the Presbyterian Church (USA) as a means of expressing and experiencing God’s love. The flyer in the pews explains more about this special offering which continues through our Christmas Eve Service.  If you would like to contribute, please make your check payable to Faith Des Peres and note that the gift is for the Joy Offering.  Thank you.


Adult Discussion Group
The Adult Discussion Group annual book study kicks off January 18.  This year’s book is “The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction About Jesus” by John Dominic Crossan.  Copies of the book are available on Amazon.  A reading outline is available in the Gathering Space and on the church’s website.  The class is after church and runs January 18-February 1.  Lunch will be available.  Thank you. 


 Mission and Ministry thanks you for your abundant Christmas giving spirit
We delivered toys to 39 children at Southside Early Childhood Center and Lydia’s House, gifts for 20 women at Lydia’s House and $2000 worth of gift cards to families at both Lydia’s House and Southside Early Childhood Center to help pay for groceries and needed items from Walmart and a local drug store. We know how easy it is to get lost in all the work that happens in this busy few weeks, and we thank you for taking time to care for these women and children. Thank you for passing Christ’s blessing onto them through your kindness. We wish you a very Merry Christmas. May the joy and love you give to these in our community come back to you many times over in the next year.

Peace and Blessings.
Erica Abbett, Whitney Payne, Elizabeth Pribor, Clarissa Schuller-Meyer and Keith Weber

 


Welcome New Members Ashley Marting and Tim Marting
Ashley is a manager at Avalon Exchange, a resale clothing store in the Loop. She got her degree from Webster University in Religious Studies. She enjoys hiking, fashion, and spending time with loved ones.  Her brother Tim teaches at Lindbergh High School and is a bartender at J. Greene's in Kirkwood.  Welcome, Ashley and Tim!


JANET BOYER FUND
Longtime Faith Des Peres member Janet Boyer was an accomplished musician and founder of Music Folk in Webster Groves. The Janet Boyer Fund was established in her memory. Gifts to the Boyer fund make it possible for us to host guest musicians such as various solo instrumentalists, A Fifth Above Woodwind Quintet, our Easter brass, and the Carolbeth Trio. We thank our generous donors for 2014:
Nancy Bender
Bernie and Leila Davis (in memory of Helen Barks)
Philip and Judy Hutchison 
Pat and Bill Malkemus
Michael & Margaret Onken
Will and Charlotte Ridley
Ron and Marilyn Scott
Samantha Stout
John and Beth Willock


Year-end donations to the church
Contributions that you wish to include on 2014 tax documents must be in the church office no later than Sunday, December 28, or in the mail postmarked no later than December 31.


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