The Presbyterian Women’s group is hosting a fundraiser at California Pizza Kitchen in Creve Coeur on Monday, April 18. 20% of the sales generated from the fundraiser will be given to Lydia’s House. Come for lunch or dinner and you can dine in or take out.
Mark your calendar for April 19, 11:30am for lunch at J. Greene’s Pub on Manchester in Warson Woods. This is a monthly lunch group for anyone who just wants to have lunch. We’ll reserve the private room there, so please let us know you’re coming. You can sign up in the Gathering Space or let Yolanda know at adminasst@faithdesperes.org. Thanks!
Celebrate Mother’s Day with readings by local writers on Motherhood, including our own Terry Baker! Located at St. Luke’s Hospital Institute for Health Education, 232 South Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield. There are 2 shows—11am (doors open at 10) and 3pm (doors open at 2). Tickets are available at www.listentoyourmothershow.com/stlouis or by calling 636-485-1971.
The Old Des Peres church is mentioned for its involvement as a stop on the Underground Railroad and its slaves’ graves in a current exhibit by Andrea Stanislav at the St. Louis Art Museum. The free exhibit runs through June 19. For more information you can contact the museum at 314-721-0072 or http://www.slam.org/exhibitions/currents112.php
At its March meeting the Session approved moving worship to 10:00 am starting May 29 and running through Labor Day weekend (September 4). The change was made so that we can finish a little earlier and enjoy the beautiful summer days.
We have exciting things happening in worship in May. Mark your calendars and join us!
May 1: We’ll kick off our stewardship campaign “Lessons and Carols” style. You’ll have a chance to hear what the various centers and teams have been up to all year and how your gifts support our ministry.
May 8: Mother’s Day! We’ll have yummy pastries and sandwiches from Daily Bread after church, the kids will make something special for their moms during Disciples Gathering time, and we hope to have a photographer here to take pictures of our families. Whether you are a mom or not, everyone mothers in their own, so join us for a special day.
May 15: Pentecost! It’s the birthday of the church and we’re celebrating. We’ll also dedicate our pledges on this Sunday.
May 22: We’ll recognize our graduates and have cake!
May 29: It’s Memorial Day weekend, so we’ll be at the old church on Geyer. Note: Worship this summer will be earlier at 10:00 am.
Dear Faith Des Peres Community,
We had a wonderful Easter celebration last week! I want to thank the choir and Peter for the great music, the Worship Arts Team (Danny, Leslie and Beth) for all their hard work arranging flowers and putting up the PALS banners, and Kathy Sherrick and Leslie Barnes for making and arranging for the beautiful parament hanging behind the cross. It takes a village to pull off Easter Sunday, and I'm thankful to all of them and all of you for making it happen.
This Sunday we "Go!" out to serve just as Christ proclaimed to the disciples. It's not too late to join us at any of the locations, but we could especially use people at blanket-making, Doorways and Circle of Concern. Don't forget bagels, doughnuts and juice are available at 9:30 and we commission everyone at 9:45 so we're out the door by 10! Wear your blue t-shirts. Extras are in the Gathering Space.
See you Sunday!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Annie
Save the Date! California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser Monday, April 18
The Presbyterian Women's group is hosting a fundraiser at California Pizza Kitchen in Creve Coeur on Monday, April 18. 20% of the sales generated from the fundraiser will be given to Lydia’s House. Come for lunch or dinner, and you can dine in or dine out.
Come hear our own Terry Baker Saturday, May 7
Celebrate Mother’s Day with Readings by local writers on Motherhood, including our own Terry Baker! Located at St. Luke’s Hospital Institute for Health Education, 232 South Woods Mill Road, Chesterfield 63017. There are 2 shows – 11am (doors open at 10) and 3pm (doors open at 2). Tickets are available at www.listentoyourmothershow.com/stlouis or by calling 636-485-1971.
Easter is almost here, and I'm ready! Are you? We have a brass quartet coming to play, and the message is about living as Easter people in the world. Let's be bearers of hope, love and justice! The world could use some of that, don't you think?
Easter is usually one of our highest attended Sundays with members, friends, and guests joining us. Knowing this, I thought I'd suggest a few things for you to take into consideration to make people feel comfortable.
- Observe the 2/10 rule: spend two minutes before and after church saying "hi" to someone you don't know. Thank them for coming. And take responsibility for the 10 foot radius around you: does someone need something? Directions? Look confused? Help them!
- Show, don't point. Does someone need to know where the nursery or bathroom is? Take them there, don't point.
- Sit towards the front of the sanctuary.
- Be a parking lot greeter. Guests formulate an opinion within the first ten minutes of arriving.
- Pray as you enter: for guests, for everyone worshiping, and for those of us leading.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Annie
Easter is more than egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, and baskets. It’s about hope, the promise of a new life, and love conquering hate. Does this sound like something you need to hear? News you need in your life? Whether you come to church often or never, you are welcome here just as you are.
Join us for worship at 10:30 am to hear an inspiring message and great music with brass quartet. Childcare for ages 5 and under is available. Invite a friend or neighbor to join you.
GO Sunday will be on April 3. There will be a light breakfast available in the Gathering Space at 9:30am, followed by a brief service from 9:45-10:00am. We will then GO and serve the following organizations! You can sign up on the attached signupgenius accounts or in the Gathering Space. Childcare will be available until 1:30. It will be a great day working together to improve our community and help the groups/organizations that we support!
FOOD COLLECTION
Organization - Circle of Concern
Location - Frontenac Schnucks
Circle of Concern is a food panty that serves west St. Louis County. We will need 2-3 volunteers to collect food outside of Schnucks from 10am-1pm. Volunteers will set up a table outside of the store. They will hand out a list of needed items to customers and collect purchased food.
www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aaba922a5fd0-food1
GARDENING
Organization - Lydia's House
Location - Downtown (address withheld for safety reasons)
Lydia's House provides safe, affordable housing for victims of domestic abuse.
We will need 2-3 volunteers to plant approximately one dozen potted plants for the porches of the women and families living there.
www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aaba922a5fd0-gardening
BLANKET MAKING
Organization - Soldiers Angels
Location - Faith Des Peres Gathering Space
Soldier's Angels delivers blankets to soldiers in military hospitals here in the United States. We will need 5-10 volunteers to make no-sew fleece blankets for the soldiers.
www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aaba922a5fd0-blanket
GARDENING
Organization - Doorways
Location - 4385 Maryland Avenue (Central West End)
Doorways is an interfaith organization that provides housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. We will need 5-10 volunteers to help clean up the community's gardens.
www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aaba922a5fd0-gardening1
INDOOR CLEAN UP/PAINTING/GARDENING
Organization - Southampton Presbyterian Church
Location - 4716 Macklind Avenue (near Tower Grove)
Southampton Presbyterian Church is a new church development in our Presbytery and the first Presbyterian church started in the city in over 60 years. We will need 15-20 volunteers for painting, carpentry, yard clean-up, and trash clean-up. There will also be jobs available for children.
www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aaba922a5fd0-painting
SANDWICH MAKING
We will also need volunteers to make sandwiches/lunches for everyone!
Do you spend more time keeping up with friends and family – near and far – on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, etc., than talking with people in your own living room? Then we need you. The newly forming Faith Des Peres Social Media Team is looking for two or three social media enthusiasts (Facebookers, Tweeters, Snapchatters, Instragramers, etc.) to help the Membership Expansion Committee spread the word about Faith Des Peres, our vision, mission, values and all the great things we have to offer. In addition to using these tools to promote our church, we need your ideas about the content we should be posting – from information about our worship services to links on today’s hot topics – in each of these forums. Time commitment is minimal – maybe a meeting or two initially to get the group up and running. And then a couple emails each month to generate content ideas and plan the social media posting calendar for the coming weeks. Please contact Erica Abbett or Annie Epling if you’re interested in joining the team!
Through abundant and generous gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS), Presbyterians have faithfully heeded God’s call to serve people seeking to reclaim and restore their lives. Your gift to OGHS is a gift of hope. The programs supported by OGHS depend on continued and increased support from congregations like ours. We will collect the OGHS this Sunday, March 27.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Dorcas Case will be held on Saturday, April 9 at 1:00pm here at Faith Des Peres.
Dear Faith Des Peres Community,
This Sunday is Palm Sunday which also marks the beginning of Holy Week. On Sunday we’ll begin outside with our procession of palms, weather permitting. We’ll hear the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem from Luke’s gospel. Luke’s take on the story has a decidedly more political hue than some of the other gospels. It really forces us to ask some difficult questions about our own role in the political process and how we sometimes resist Jesus’ message of peace and justice. Which is another way of saying, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate when we look at what is happening in politics these days. As I was thinking about Sunday, I received an email from Sojourners. In it Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine asked: “What is behind all the angry talk, alarming conflict — and where are we going? Can and how will the people of God help make a way, a path in the sea, and find sustaining streams in the desert?” It’s an excellent question for Palm Sunday, and one which I hope to address.
On Wednesday you received an email about our Easter service. I hope you’ll take a moment to forward it to someone you know and invite them to worship. If you missed the email, you can find that information here. It’s a great day to come!
Blessings,
Annie
You're invited to Easter at Faith Des Peres
Easter is more than egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, and baskets. It’s about hope, the promise of a new life, and love conquering hate. Does this sound like something you need to hear? News you need in your life? Whether you come to church often or never, you are welcome here just as you are.
Join us for worship at 10:30 am to hear an inspiring message and great music with brass quartet. Childcare for ages 5 and under is available. Invite a friend or neighbor to join you!
To better serve our vision and mission, the Congregational Life Center made changes in the annual Children's Easter Egg Hunt. This year, we’re moving the egg hunt to Southampton Presbyterian Church, a new church start on the corner of Macklind Avenue and Nottingham Avenue in the Southampton neighborhood of St. Louis. The church is just getting started and wants to be an active part of their community, and what better way to do that than to hold an egg hunt for kids there? So, we’re going there to live into our mission to reflect and live God’s love, accept and affirm all and inspire a passion to do God’s work.
The hunt will start at 11 am at the Southampton Church, located at 4716 Macklind Avenue, and will be open to the children of the surrounding neighborhood as well as our own. We are hoping some of our older youth and adults will come with us at 9:00 am on Saturday morning March 19th to help hide eggs and organize the hunt for the younger children. After the hunt, we’ll grab a bite to eat at Russell’s Café across the street from the church.
This will be a good opportunity for our children to have fun and for all of us to show our support for the Southampton Church.
Make Easter even more meaningful by participating in Maundy Thursday worship. We are offering a service on Maundy Thursday at 7:00 pm with experiential elements that will teach more of our faith story. We invite you to come experience the hospitality of Christ with food and song, prayers and communion. This is an all ages worship service. Sign-ups are needed by Tuesday, March 22, so please let us know you are coming by e-mailing Yolanda at adminasst@faithdesperes.org, post to Facebook, text Annie, sign up in the Gathering Space, or you can indicate on the friendship pad that you are coming.
Again this year, we will decorate the sanctuary with a variety of blooming flowers (6” pots). Cost per plant will be $10. See the sign-up sheet in the Gathering Space to place your order or you can email Yolanda at adminasst@faithdesperes.org. Make checks payable to Faith Des Peres and note that the funds are for Easter flowers. Thanks!
Through abundant and generous gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS), Presbyterians have faithfully heeded God’s call to serve people seeking to reclaim and restore their lives. Your gift to OGHS is a gift of hope. The programs supported by OGHS depend on continued and increased support from congregations like ours. See the insert for more information. We will collect the OGHS offering on Easter Sunday March 27.