January Sunday School
The kids are learning all about Sarah and Abraham in January. Jason Meyer is leading them – he’ll be ready to collect the kids for Sunday School after the Old Testament reading. Keep an eye out for him and join the fun!
Celebration Weekend
The Presbytery’s Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration workshop will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Ferguson on Saturday, January 17. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and the workshop begins at 9:45 a.m. The theme will be “Confronting the Racial Divide” with the Rev. Jimmie Ray Hawkins, leader in the “Moral Monday Movement” in North Carolina and Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church, Durham, NC. The Worship Celebration will take place at the same location on Sunday January 18 at 3:00 p.m. with the Rev. Jimmie Ray Hawkins preaching.
Adult Discussion Group
The annual ADG book study, led by Ron Scott, begins Sunday, Jan. 18 and will continue on Jan. 25 and Feb. 1. This year's book by John Dominic Corssan is "The Power of the Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction about Jesus." We'll meet from noon until 1:30 p.m. each of the three Sundays. If you are planning to attend and would like to have a box lunch available, please see Barb Abbett after church today (Jan. 11) or phone or email her (721-3292, b.abbett@att.net) before Wednesday, Jan. 14. Cost per lunch (turkey or tuna sandwich, side dish and cookie): $11.00.
Game Night
Join us for GAME NIGHT in the Gathering Space on Friday evening, January 23 at 6:30 pm. Bring your favorite board games, drinks, and a snack to share. Fun for the whole family. Don't be SORRY. Take a RISK, and have the time of your LIFE!
Vision 20/20
VISION 20/20 is being launched by the Session, with guidance from an outside consultant, to look at what kind of church we want to be and what path we have to take to get there. The purpose is to engage all of us in talking about our dreams and aspirations for the church, and how these dreams and aspirations can come to fruition to support our mission identity, help us grow spiritually and numerically, and lead us to be a faithful church. This process will draw on the participation of all, both members and friends, to bring everything together into a focused plan.
Over the next few weeks, the Session will be in conversation about aligning Faith Des Peres’ vision, mission and values. On Saturday, Jan. 24 members of the church’s committees are being encouraged to join the Session and the consultant in a 9 a.m. to noon workshop to set the direction for VISION 20/20. Other interested members and friends also are welcome to attend this workshop. Then on Sunday, Feb. 8 all members are invited (and encouraged) to attend a two-hour dialogue following the worship service. This noon to 2 p.m. “pot luck lunch” will provide an opportunity for sharing our thoughts and responding to the early visioning work.
Please plan now to set aside time on Feb. 8 and also on Jan. 24 to be a part of VISION 20/20 – looking at the future of the church and the church of the future. If you have any questions about this process, please speak with Annie or a member of the Session.
Next food packing at Food Outreach is Saturday, January 31st at 8 am.
Want to know how you can make a difference in people’s lives in just a few short hours? Come join members of Faith Des Peres at Food Outreach on Saturday morning January 31. There we will pack food into individual meals that will be given to individuals living with HIV/AIDS and cancer who are living at or below 400% of the poverty level. We start at 8am, and are done before 11 am – often by 10 am. If there is interest, sometimes we go out for breakfast afterwards. Food Outreach requests that volunteers be 11 years old and in 5th grade. We need to have at least 10 individuals and they strongly prefer 15 – so know that we NEED YOUR HELP. Please sign by emailing Elizabeth Pribor at efpribor@gmail.com.
TROUT LODGE
We're going back April 24 - 26, 2015! The church plans two happy hours on Friday and Saturday nights, and one brief worship service on Sunday morning, but the rest of the time is yours to enjoy as you want. There’s fun for everyone – horseback riding, ponies, zip lines, fishing, biking, relaxing, mini golf – the sky’s the limit at Trout Lodge. It’s a great weekend away. Reserve your spot by calling the Trout Lodge reservation desk at (573)438-2154 before January 31. The food is good, and the room includes a private bath and hotel type amenities. For more information, pick up a handout in the Gathering Space, or call Terry Baker @ (314)313-8499.