Have a preschooler? Or know someone who does? Nurturing Curiosity is now enrolling for Summer Camp & Fall 2017!
Visit the Nuturing Curiosity website for more information or call Pam at 314-378-2321.
Friday Foodies is a group up for members and friends of all ages to get together to have fun and get to know one another better. Sponsored by the Church Life group, Friday Foodies is a quarterly get-together at a local restaurant, and childcare is at the church provided free of charge. The next Friday Foodie is June 2 at 7:00 pm at Lesters Restaurant, 9904 Clayton Rd. Childcare is available starting at 6:30 pm, dinner at Lesters at is at 7 pm. Sign up in the Gathering Space or email Kendra in the church office at adminasst@faithdesperes.org before Thursday June 1st at noon to RSVP. We hope you can join us!
Join us for worship on June 18th when we recognize the fathers and father-like figures in our lives and the congregation with a “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” theme. All men in the church will get a special gift, and after church there will be hotdogs, popcorn and nachos. Come dressed in your favorite Cardinals gear!
Dear Friends of Faith Des Peres,
This Sunday we’ll kick-off our annual stewardship campaign when we hear from members of the Administration, Membership Expansion, Faith Formation, Worship Arts and Mission and Ministry Centers about the number of things we do at Faith Des Peres to reflect God’s love and serve in the same way Christ served others. This service is unique in that it is the only time when members and friends can get a comprehensive understanding of everything that we do. You’ll be reminded of how your generosity is so important to the church and the communities we serve. I hope that you will be able to attend the service.
This is a great Sunday to wear your t-shirt and show your Faith Des Peres pride, too!
After church, we’ll engage in a Courageous Conversation on Race facilitated by students (including Tommy Epling) from Cultural Leadership Institute. Lunch is provided. Even if you haven’t signed up you can come.
Also this Sunday, we’ll recognize Leslie Barnes for her many years of service as the fellowship hostess. To celebrate her service there will be cake after church!
There’s a lot going on, and I hope you’ll be here to celebrate!
Blessings,
Annie
Join us after church Sunday May 7th to take part in a courageous conversation on race. These
conversations will be facilitated by students from the Cultural Leadership Institute which includes our own Tommy Epling.
A Reminder About the Columbarium Expansion
A couple of weeks ago letters were mailed to Faith Des Peres members and friends informing them about the expansion plans that are being finalized for the Columbarium at the Old Stone Church on Geyer Road. That letter also explained the process for purchasing a niche in the expansion area, which is being undertaken because all spaces in the current Columbarium are owned and we continue to receive inquiries and requests to be placed on a waiting list when additional spaces become available.
If you and your family have not yet considered or made plans for life's end, this may be an appropriate time to do that. Making decisions such as this before faced with them can be helpful and comforting when grief descends. Some FDP members and friends have purchased niches in the planned expansion and there still are spaces available.
If you are interested or have questions about this, please contact the church office (314-432-8029). We can send you additional information and would be happy to meet with you to further explain the expansion project and how you can make your purchase at this time.
The Columbarium Team -- Barb Abbett, Dianne Modrell, Jean Neunreiter
Mother’ Day and Confirmation of Julia Epling. Julia will be confirmed on this Sunday, and after church we’ll have yummy pastries and sandwiches to honor all of the women of the church. A photographer will be here to take pictures of families
before and after church. Invite a special woman in your life to join you for church!
We’ll recognize our graduates and have cake! If your child is graduating from preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, or college please let us know.
Memorial Day - so we will worship at the Old Church on Geyer Road.
Have a preschooler? Or know someone who does? Nurturing Curiosity is now enrolling for Summer Camp & Fall 2017!
Visit the Nuturing Curiosity website for more information or call Pam at 314-378-2321.
We had a very successful GO Sunday last Sunday, with nearly 40 people participating in serving 3 very worthy organizations. In just one day, we contributed more than 100 volunteer hours to Doorways, Lydia's House, and Children's Hospital. I want to personally thank Erica Abbett and Clarissa Schuller-Meyer for organizing this year's GO Sunday. They did a great job. I also want to thank Margaret Onken, Katy Richter, and Mary Dingus who were project leads at Doorways, Lydia's House, and blanket-making for Children's Hospital, respectively. Thank you all for sharing your time and talent. I'm continually amazed at what we can accomplish on GO Sunday, and I love the tradition this has become. It's a great thing to do the Sunday after Easter because it shows the world that we actually put into practice the stuff Jesus told people to do!
This Sunday, Rev. Jillian Embrey is preaching while I'm at Trout Lodge for the annual church weekend there. (Note: pray for a miracle! The forecast is foreboding!) Jillian was most recently the Organizing Pastor of Southampton Presbyterian Church, which many of you know was a new church start of the presbytery. Unfortunately, the presbytery made the decision to close Southampton (boo!), but that means Jillian is able to come and preach for us. I hope you'll be here to welcome Jillian.
There are many special events in May that you'll read about below. On May 7, we kick-off this year's stewardship campaign, and after church we'll host Courageous Conversations on Race. On May 14, we'll celebration Julia Epling's confirmation and recognize all the women of the church for Mother's Day. After church, a photographer will be here to take pictures of families and there will be a light lunch. Come be a part of the celebration! And on May 21, we'll recognize all of our graduates.
There's so much happening. I hope you'll be a part of it!
Blessings,
Annie
May 4th at 7:30PM
Food Trucks starting at 5:30PM
Thursday Later Tales: “Spirits and Saints”
Storytellers: Donna Washington, Tim Lowry, Angela Lloyd, Dovie Thomason, Leeny Del Seamonds, Brian “Fox” Ellis. Food trucks beginning at 5:30 p.m. Bring the family for dinner and entertainment! Our featured storytellers will perform in two different venues, sharing stories to preview our Fall 2017 GHOST Youth storytelling workshop and performance program on one stage, and spiritually-based stories on the other.
A couple of weeks ago letters were mailed to Faith Des Peres members and friends informing them about the expansion plans that are being finalized for the Columbarium at the Old Stone Church on Geyer Road. That letter also explained the process for purchasing a niche in the expansion area, which is being undertaken because all spaces in the current Columbarium are owned and we continue to receive inquiries and requests to be placed on a waiting list when additional spaces become available. If you and your family have not yet considered or made plans for life's end, this may be an appropriate time to do that. Making decisions such as this before faced with them can be helpful and comforting when grief descends.
Some FDP members and friends have purchased niches in the planned expansion and there still are spaces available. If you are interested or have questions about this, please contact the church office (314-432-8029). We can send you additional information and would be happy to meet with you to further explain the expansion project and how you can make your purchase at this time.
The Columbarium Team -- Barb Abbett, Dianne Modrell, Jean Neunreiter
Courageous Conversation on Race
These conversations will be facilitated by students from the Cultural Leadership Institute which includes our own Tommy Epling. A light lunch will be provided. Sign up today in the Gathering Space.
Stewardship Campaign
Our 2017/8 Stewardship Campaign will be kicking off on Sunday May 7th and we look forward to seeing you all there for a wonderful service. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Accepting, Growing, Serving, Welcoming”. Sound familiar? They are the Values that shape and guide our life at Faith Des Peres. Your continuing generosity makes everything we do possible and it is much appreciated. In addition to finding out about the important work each of our Centers perform on the 7th, we will also be setting up 3 informal gatherings in May at a member’s/friend’s home to provide some fun and some information about this year’s campaign. All will be invited to attend at least one gathering so please be on the lookout for information in the days and weeks ahead.
Mother’ Day and Confirmation of Julia Epling. Julia will be confirmed on this Sunday, and after church we’ll have yummy pastries and sandwiches to honor all of the women of the church. Like last year, a photographer will be here to take pictures of families before and after church. Invite a special woman in your life to join you for church!
Graduation Celebration!
We’ll recognize our graduates and have cake! If your child is graduating from preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, or college let us know.
It’s Memorial Day weekend, so we’ll be at the Old Meeting House church on Geyer Road for Sunday morning worship at 10:30am.
Dear Faith Des Peres Friends,
“Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" – Tolkien
After the resurrection, Jesus told the disciples to go, so that’s what we’re going to do. It’s GO Sunday and it’s not too late to participate. We have 2 off-site locations at Doorways and Lydia’s House and one on-site location making blankets for Children’s Hospital. DON’T FORGET WE START AT 10 AM!!! There will be bagels and coffee in the Gathering Space starting at 9:30. Lunch will be provided for you. If you’re at Doorways or Lydia’s House, bring gardening gloves and gardening tools (shovel, spade) if you have them. If you’re making blankets, bring scissors if you have them. Details about what each site is doing are posted below.
I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make Holy Week and Easter so special. Gail Robins did an excellent job leading the choir and musicians on Palm Sunday and Easter. We are so fortunate to have Gail here at Faith Des Peres. If you haven’t thanked her, please do. Holy Week and Easter are a lot of work for musicians! The choir did an outstanding job on Palm Sunday with the cantata. It was just beautiful. And I want to thank the Worship Arts Center (Leslie Barnes, Danny Mortimer, and Beth Willock) for assisting with Maundy Thursday (Ginny Feeler and Terry Baker, too!) and getting the sanctuary ready for Easter. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It really does take a village.
I hope to see you Sunday as we put the Easter message into practice.
Blessings,
Annie
We have exciting things happening in worship in May. Mark your calendars and join us!
May 14: Mother’ Day and Confirmation of Julia Epling. Julia will be confirmed on this Sunday, and after church we’ll have yummy pastries and sandwiches to honor all of the women of the church. Like last year, a photographer will be here to take pictures of families before and after church. Invite a special woman in your life to join you for church!
May 21: We’ll recognize our graduates and have cake! If your child is graduating from preschool, elementary school middle school, high school, or college let us know.
May 28: It’s Memorial Day weekend, so we’ll be at the old church on Geyer Road.
Every year on the Sunday after Easter, members and friends of Faith Des Peres Presbyterian church go into the community to share our gifts of time, service and love with those in need. This year, on Sunday, April 23, we will send teams to four service activities. See details about those activities below. Please sign up on the sheets in the Gathering Space.
We will have a brief worship service at 10 a.m. before heading out for our service projects. Child care will be available at the church during Go Sunday.
Blanket Making (Gathering Space)
We need 8 - 10 volunteers to make blankets for children at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Mary Dingus is the team lead for this project. She will bring the blanket materials, plus patterns/size information for the blankets. Team members should bring good fabric-cutting scissors.
Doorways – Gardening Project
(North St. Louis)
We need 4 – 6 volunteers to plant four raised beds and pot citronella plants at this Doorways location. Three of the beds also need dirt. One bed needs repair, but no dirt. They would like us to plant herbs (no need for mint), tomatoes (preferably beefsteak), cucumbers, beans (best by seed), collard greens and zucchini, as well as citronella. The lead for this project would need to purchase and bring the seeds for planting and the pots for the citronella plants. Additionally, the lead would need to purchase and bring dirt/mulch for the beds. Team members should bring gardening tools and gloves.
Lydia’s House – Outdoor Space Beautification (Location coming soon)
We need 4 – 6 volunteers to help beautify the outdoor space at a new site for women and children. This group will provide two large potted plants for a small front patio and will trim some landscape already planted in the front of the building. Lydia’s house has requested low-maintenance perennials (plants that come back every year) and purple, gold and green plants/flowers. These plants/flowers will get full sun at times. Additionally, the patio needs some good old fashioned sweeping and cleaning, and the patio furniture needs to be cleaned. The lead for this project would be responsible for purchasing and bringing the plants and pots to the site. The team should bring planting and trimming tools, a broom, and cleaning supplies for the patio furniture.
Sandwich Making (Gathering Space)
We need 3 – 4 volunteers to make and bring sandwiches for our volunteer teams. We will let you know by Wednesday, April 19 how many sandwiches we will need, but this team should plan to make approximately 30 – 35 sandwiches depending on how many people sign up for projects. We request that the team lead also provide bottled water, fresh fruit (apples, bananas, Cuties oranges) and chips for our volunteers.
