Dear Faith Des Peres Community

Dear Faith Des Peres Community,

Our country is more polarized than ever. The intense rhetoric of local and national campaigns spills over into conversations and Facebook feeds, and blue states and red states are pitted against one another. Yet, as Christians, we’re called to be peacemakers. How can we bridge the divide? Furthermore, what role does our faith play in politics? These are the questions we’ll address in my sermon series, “Seeing Purple in a Red and Blue Country” as well as the faith formation series.

While I know many of us are tired of hearing about politics, and you may even be thinking “I come to church to get away from that!”, one of my goals in preaching and education is to help you connect Sunday to Monday; i.e., how does your faith inform your daily life? And in this specific instance, how does your faith inform your vote and citizenship?

This series is a good opportunity for you to invite someone to church, perhaps someone who doesn’t agree with your political views! Because on November 9, all of us will wake up as citizens of this great nation, but some of us are going to be unhappy; either unhappy with who won or unhappy that we didn’t have better choices in candidates. So, our call to work together (remember “we the people”?) is more important than ever. And as Christians, we’re called to bridge the divide.

You can find a video about the series here on Facebook. Share it with your friends! It is the easiest way to invite someone to church. So don’t delay!

This Sunday after church, Terry Jones will speak about local and national races. His talks are always informative. I hope you’ll take the time to attend. A light lunch is provided. On November 23 and 30, I’ll continue the faith formation series before church at 9:30 when we’ll have a chance to talk about the sermon, as well as dive deeper into the subject of faith and politics.

 See you Sunday.

Annie

Faith and Politics Forum Sunday, October 16 at noon

On October 16th, at 12 noon, Dr. Terry Jones, Founders’ Professor of Political Science at UMSL, will kick off a series sponsored by the Faith Formation Center at Faith Des Peres titled “Faith and Politics”. Terry has agreed to speak on the current political climate for both the national and statewide elections. He has spoken at FDP on previous occasions and provided insightful and thoughtful perspectives. A light lunch will be served in the Gathering Space. On October 23rd and 30th, at 9:30 am, Annie Epling will speak on the “History of Religion and Politics” and November 6th will conclude the series with an Election Roundtable. 

Centering Prayer Group Sunday, October 16 5 pm

The Centering Prayer Group, a small group of Faith Des Peres members and friends, meets every 3rd Sunday of the month at 5 p.m. in the Gathering Space. Often referred to as Christian meditation, Centering Prayer is a method of contemplative prayer that places emphasis on inner silence. It offers a way to grow in intimacy with God, moving beyond conversation to communion. You are welcome to come!

Monthly Lunch Gathering Tuesday, October 18 11:30 am

The lunch gathering will meet at McArthur’s on Kirkwood Rd. in Kirkwood. McArthur’s serves soup, sandwiches and salads with a “walk-up” order bar. This should speed up the process for everyone coming on his/her lunch hour. Join us!

Are You Ready To Be A Member?

Have you attended a “Coffee with the Pastor” in the past and are now ready to become a member of the church? Have you attended for years and now is the time to join? If so, please let Kathy Sherrick, Cat Harper, or Annie Epling know. We plan on accepting new members later this month. And in case you’re wondering, “What is the benefit of joining a church?” which is a valid question, here are some thoughts as to why you might join:

A church is a community, one with values and beliefs like yours. Joining a church will help you better understand and grow your faith, and provide a more direct path to serve God and others in your community.

 Church becomes a spiritual home for your faith. A church:
            ∙Helps you meet new people
            ∙Helps you discover yourself
            ∙Helps you grow as a Christian
            ∙Provides a place for you to “practice” your faith
            ∙Helps you find meaning and guidance in the world
            ∙Helps you experience God’s love

When people gather in a church setting, they work together as a community to learn and live God’s word. We hope you’ll consider joining Faith Des Peres.

Advent Devotion Booklet

Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about this year’s Advent Devotion Booklet! We’re looking for writers to submit a devotion no more than 250 words. It can be a story, you can share a tradition, or write about something meaningful to you. We need submissions by November 1. You can find examples in previous years’ devotion booklets found here. Questions? See Annie Epling or Terry Baker. 

Bonfire Friday, October 28 at 7 pm

The “almost annual” bonfire is Friday, October 28 at 7:00 pm. Join us in the back parking lot for an informal evening. Bring a lawn chair and food and/or drinks to share. Kids, feel free to wear you Halloween costumes to church. It’s always a fun night!

Dear Faith Des Peres Community

Dear Faith Des Peres Community,

This week we’ll welcome Rev. Miriam Foltz as our guest preacher. Miriam is the founder of UKirk, the Presbyterian campus ministry at Wash U and SLU. Miriam preached a year ago when she was just getting UKIrk started, and I’m excited to have her back and hear what she says about UKirk now that she has a year behind her. Did you know our own Clare Dingus is active in UKirk? We’re also welcoming a second Disciples Gathering teacher this Sunday, Sydney Curtis, who is active in UKirk. Sydney is a sophomore at Wash U and a member of First Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC where she is a deacon and an elder. I hope you’ll come to hear Miriam and support our students at UKirk.

Next Sunday, October 16, I’ll start a 3-week sermon series titled “Faith and Politics: Seeing Purple in a Red and Blue World”. Our country is more polarized than ever when it comes to politics. As people of faith, how can we help? What role does our faith play in politics, and what about the separation of church and state? This sermon series is aimed to help you be a more faithful voter. The faith formation series is aimed to make you a more informed voter, and will include time to discuss what was said in the sermons. Join us, and invite a friend. Our intent is to educate and inform, not sway or influence.

And finally, I want to say a word about the screen in the sanctuary since some of you may be wondering “Is it staying?” The short answer is “no”, you won’t see it for a few weeks. But the longer answer is “yes”. Let me explain . . .

Like everything the Worship Arts Center does, our goal is create a meaningful worship experience. In order to create that experience, we use certain tools. Some of our tools are large, like the pews, windows, communion table, and pedestals. We use lots of tools you never see, like books, bricks, tape, pins, and needles. And other tools you do see, like fabric, scarves, water, candles, and flame. When we develop a theme, we ask, “How can we best interpret this theme?” For the Half Truths series, we wanted you to see what people on the street said about the half truths and that required a screen. When we had the pews in a circle a year ago, we wanted to create a community feel to symbolize our collective journey of faith while symbolizing our individual journeys with the scarves. At Advent, we wanted the congregation to embody the Advent wreath, so we moved the pews accordingly. When the screen helps us to interpret a theme, we will use it. We also use it when we want to incorporate different ways of learning and hearing the Word.

I’m reminded of our vision: to challenge the present to change the future to make Christ known. Everything we do here, from worship to faith formation, to how we serve others to how we spend our resources, should align with our vision. When it does, we’re on the right track. When it doesn’t, it’s time to correct course. As we seek to make Christ known and live into our goals to increase both spiritually and numerically, we will use the necessary tools to do that in every aspect of our church life.

Blessings,

Annie

All Saints Celebration

The Worship Arts Center wants pictures of YOUR SAINT for a special All Saints Day worship service. Your saint might be your Mom or Dad, brother or sister, coach or mentor; your saint is the person who molded you and helped you and shaped you into the person you are today. You can email your picture to Annie at pastor@faithdesperes.org , or bring your picture to church and leave it in the saint basket in the Gathering Space. We’ll make a copy of your picture and return the original to you. You won’t want to miss having your saint in the display, so don’t delay. We need your pictures by October 16. Thank you. 

Faith and Politics Forum & Sermon Series Begins October 16

On October 16th, Dr. Terry Jones, Founders’ Professor of Political Science at UMSL, will kick off a series sponsored by the Faith Formation Center at Faith Des Peres titled “Faith and Politics”. Terry has agreed to speak on the current political climate for both the national and statewide elections. He has spoken at FDP on previous occasions and provided insightful and thoughtful perspectives. On October 23rd and 30th, Annie Epling will speak on the “History of Religion and Politics” and November 6th will conclude the series with an Election Preamble. Please join us after worship in the Gathering Space for a light lunch and informative presentations.

Also on these Sundays the sermon series will be “Faith and Politics: Seeing Purple in a Red and Blue World”. Our country is more polarized than ever before. As people of faith, how can we help? What role does our faith play in politics, and what about the separation of church and state? This sermon series is aimed to help you be a more faithful voter. The faith formation series is aimed to make you a more informed voter, and will include time to discuss what was said in the sermon. Join us, and invite a friend. Our intent is to educate and inform, not sway or influence.

Monthly Lunch Gathering Tuesday, October 18, 11:30 am

This month the lunch gathering will be at McArthur’s on Kirkwood Rd. in Kirkwood. McArthur’s serves soup, sandwiches and salads with a “walk-up” order bar. This should speed up the process for everyone coming on his/her lunch hour. Join us!

Are You Ready To Be A Member?

Have you attended a “Coffee with the Pastor” in the past and are now ready to become a member of the church? Have you attended for years and now is the time to join? If so, please let Kathy Sherrick, Cat Harper, or Annie Epling know. We plan on accepting new members later this month. And in case you’re wondering, “What is the benefit of joining a church?” which is a valid question, here are some thoughts as to why you might join:

A church is a community, one with values and beliefs like yours. Joining a church will help you better understand and grow your faith, and provide a more direct path to serve God and others in your community.

 Church becomes a spiritual home for your faith. A church:
            ∙Helps you meet new people
            ∙Helps you discover yourself
            ∙Helps you grow as a Christian
            ∙Provides a place for you to “practice” your faith
            ∙Helps you find meaning and guidance in the world
            ∙Helps you experience God’s love

When people gather in a church setting, they work together as a community to learn and live God’s word. We hope you’ll consider joining Faith Des Peres.

Congratulations to Tommy Epling For his Acceptance into the Cultural Leadership Class

                  Cultural Leadership Selects Twelfth Class of Students to be Civil Rights Activists

Award Winning Program Trains Youth to Stand Up, Speak Out, and Take Action

ST. LOUIS, August 2016 — The award-winning Cultural Leadership program has announced the area high school students selected for their twelfth class. Cultural Leadership has received six community awards, most recently the 2015 Doing the Most Good Award from the Salvation Army. Cultural Leadership is a unique yearlong educational leadership program including classes, cultural activities, travel/study, public speaking, and conducting diversity workshops.  The goal is to teach teens about social injustice, racism and discrimination and inspire them to work toward change, promote mutual respect and dispel stereotypes.

The 2016 Cultural Leadership Class 12 is comprised of 24 students representing 14 high schools from throughout the St. Louis region both public and private, and is racially and culturally diverse with students from 13 different houses of worship, and the voices of 13 Black students, 8 Jewish students, and 3 allies. The program began in 2004 originally for African American and Jewish students and has since expanded to accept students of all ethnicities.

"In St. Louis, like so many other communities in our country, we have not overcome the separation that leads to so many social injustices" says Holly Ingraham, executive director of Cultural Leadership. "Cultural Leadership is about bringing together youth from different backgrounds and training them to break down the things in St. Louis that separate us."

Cultural Leadership was modeled after Operation Understanding DC, www.oudc.org, a successful program in Washington, D.C. created 23 years ago. Both programs prepare students to become leaders in promoting interracial harmony and respect for diversity.

The students accepted into Cultural Leadership’s ninth year class are: Samuel Amacher, Parkway North, Bryce Berry, MICDS, Bryce Bolden, Chaminade, Camille Denton, Kirkwood, Mahogany Donaldson, Clayton, Tommy Epling, Kirkwood, Dani Gottlieb, Parkway Central, Josh Hagene, Clayton, Malone Hanis, Ladue, Amit Harir, Lafayette, Jordan Harris, Whitfield, David Jones, Vashon, Olivia Joseph, Clayton, Chenny Lee, Clayton, Elizabeth Mills, Clayton, Promise Mitchell, Central VPA, Amadi Morris, Homeschooled, Jeda Murphy, Maplewood Richmond Heights, Clara Grace O’ Connell, Metro, Leora Rauchman, Clayton, William Sherman, Bayless, Liam Simckes, Clayton, Eden Spiva, Central VPA, and Winston Waddell, Kirkwood.

Information about Cultural Leadership can be found online at www.culturalleadership.org. The phone number is 314-725-3222. Cultural Leadership is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization.   

Nicaragua Community Partnership Scholarship Dinner Monday, October 24

The annual dinner to support the presbytery’s high school scholarship in Plan Grande 2, Nicaragua will be Monday, October 24 6:00 ~ 9:00 at LoRusso’s 3121 Watson Road, St. Louis. The scholarship program is really making a difference in Plan Grande #2.  We’ve had 51 graduates since the program began and more than half of them have continued on to vocational/technical or university study.  Currently 10 of them are primary school teachers! Tickets for the wonderful dinner at LoRusso’s are only $50! Reservations can be made by mailing checks made to “GLPBY” or “Presbytery of Giddings Lovejoy” to 411 Tregaron Place, St. Louis, MO63131.

Dear Faith Des Peres Community

Dear Faith Des Peres Community,

This Sunday I’ll conclude the sermon series “Half Truths” with the cliché “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin”. I’m going to extend the benefit of doubt to people who say this that they mean it with good intentions, but if it were said about you, how would it make you feel? People may mean it to be gracious and kind, and reflect the love they have for people, but let’s be honest – it’s said with a certain amount of judgment. And that’s why it’s only a half-truth, because it doesn’t carry the whole truth we find it scripture.

 It’s no coincidence that we saved this half-truth for World Communion Sunday, because on this Sunday we remember that at Christ’s table, there is room for everyone; no one is excluded because of race, ethnic origin, economic status, social class, sexual preference, nationality, gender, or ability. On this Sunday, we “draw the circle wide” (you won’t want to miss the choir’s awesome anthem by this name!) just as Christ did!

 It’s going to be a GREAT celebration. You won’t want to miss it! Is there someone in your life who has felt excluded by a church? Invite them to join us as we draw the circle wide and make Christ known!

 Blessings,

Annie

Food Packing at Food Outreach Saturday, October 8 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, October 8. There we will pack food into individual meals that will be given to those living with HIV/AIDS and cancer that are living at or below the poverty level. We start at 8am and are done before 11 am. Food Outreach requests that volunteers be at least 11 years old and in 5th grade.  Please sign up in the Gathering Space.

Are You Ready to be a Member?

Have you attended a “Coffee with the Pastor” in the past and are now ready to become a member of the church? Have you attended for years and now is the time to join? If so, please let Kathy Sherrick, Cat Harper, or Annie Epling know. We plan on accepting new members later this month. And in case you’re wondering, “What is the benefit of joining a church?” which is a valid question, here are some thoughts as to why you might join:
 
A church is a community, one with values and beliefs like yours. Joining a church will help you better understand and grow your faith, and provide a more direct path to serve God and others in your community.
 
Church becomes a spiritual home for your faith. A church:

·         Helps you meet new people

·         Helps you discover yourself

·         Helps you grow as a Christian

·         Provides a place for you to “practice” your faith

·         Helps you find meaning and guidance in the world

·         Helps you experience God’s love

 
When people gather in a church setting, they work together as a community to learn and live God’s word. We hope you’ll consider joining Faith Des Peres.

All Saints Celebration

The Worship Arts Center wants pictures of YOUR SAINT for a special All Saints Dayworship service. Your saint might be your Mom or Dad, brother or sister, coach or mentor; your saint is the person who molded you and helped you and shaped you into the person you are today. You can email your picture to Annie at pastor@faithdesperes.org , or bring your picture to church and leave it in the saint basket in the Gathering Space. We’ll make a copy of your picture and return the original to you. You won’t want to miss having your saint in the display, so don’t delay. We need your pictures by October 16. Thank you. 

Terry Jones, Professor of Political Science at FDP Sunday, October 16

On October 16th, Dr. Terry Jones, Founders’ Professor of Political Science at UMSL, will kick off a series sponsored by the Faith Formation Center at Faith Des Peres titled “Faith and Politics”. Terry is the author of three books including, The Metropolitan Chase:  Politics and Policies in Urban America, and has agreed to speak on the current political climate for both the national and statewide elections. He has spoken at FDP on previous occasions and provided insightful and thoughtful perspectives. Please join us after worship in the Gathering Space for a light lunch and an informative presentation.

Monthly Lunch Gathering Tuesday, October 18, 11:30 am

This month the lunch gathering will be at McArthur’s on Kirkwood Rd. in Kirkwood. McArthur’s serves soup, sandwiches and salads with a “walk-up” order bar. This shouldspeed up the process for everyone coming on his/her lunch hour. Join us!