Looking for a quick and easy way to serve the church and wider community? Join the Mission and Ministry Committee following church on February 11th to pack buddy packs.
The Worship Arts Team is hosting a pancake breakfast on February 11 . Breakfast includes pancakes and worship includes burning last year’s palms outside in a fire pit. Sign-up in the Gathering Space if you plan to attend and if you can, lend a hand. If you would like to help or have questions see Pastor Annie or Leslie Barnes.
Ash Wednesday Service, February 14th at 6:45 pm
Plan on joining us on Wednesday, February 14th for a brief (30 minute) Ash Wednesday service. All are welcome as we enter the season of Lent.
Janet Boyer was a long-term member of Faith Des Peres. She and her husband started and owned Music Folk in Webster Grove. Since her passing, FDP created the “Janet Boyer Music Fund" to hire special musicians throughout the year. All donations to the fund will go directly into the special music provided here at FDP.
We are looking for people interested in ringing in our new handbell choir. We could use 2-4 people who are willing to learn. Note-reading helpful, but not required. Right now, we’re practicing for 45-60 minutes after church on Sunday mornings. Do you play an instrument? We’d like to put together a database of people who are willing to share their gift in church services. Any level of ability is welcome! If we have enough, we might be able to have a small orchestra! Would you like to play an instrument? We have some folks who play the recorder, and would be interested in putting together an ensemble (technically called a “consort.”) This not the squeaky instrument that 4th graders bring home (which are soprano recorders), but larger, lower-pitched instruments. If you’re interested in bells, playing, or learning, check the sign-up sheets in the Gathering Space. See Jeff White if you have any questions.
Dear Friends of Faith Des Peres,
Last Sunday was a wonderful one! We celebrated the baptism of Henry Robert Harper, our 6th baptism in 6 months. This is a really big deal! I don’t know many churches that have celebrated this many baptisms. Each and every one of them has been a joyous occasion and cause for celebration.
Also last Sunday, we hosted Kelly Storck who spoke to us about understanding transgender. Kelly’s presentation made me think about how Faith Des Peres can be more welcoming to people across the gender spectrum. Most churches, as Kelly pointed, aren’t welcoming at all to people who are transgender. So while we can stand proud that we are, I can think of ways that we could improve our hospitality. Can you? As we seek to live into our values and fulfill our goals of growing spiritually and numerically, we need to constantly evaluate how we’re doing on the hospitality front. What one thing can you do to make someone’s visit to Faith Des Peres better? This is a question everyone should be asking and answering.
On Friday night we’ll have our annual game night. This is a fun night for people of all ages; bring a game, drink or nosh to the Gathering Space on January 26 at 7 pm, or just bring yourself!
Lastly, our morning to volunteer at Food Outreach is Saturday, February 3. Food Outreach provides meals to people living with HIV/AIDS and cancer. We pack already prepared food in individual containers from 8:00 am – 10:30 am. Food Outreach is very well run which makes for a really good volunteer experience. Trust me, you’ll leave feeling like you’ve really accomplished something good. Consider volunteering that morning; you only need to be 12 years and older, and you will stand for most of that time. Let us know if you can volunteer; we still need about 10 people.
I hope to see you Sunday in worship!
Blessings,
Annie
Charlotte Epling is selling Girl Scout cookies today after church. Please see her in the Gathering Space.
Touchy Topics Book Club, Sunday, January 28th
The Faith Formation Center has started a new book group called Touchy Topics Book Group. The idea is to read a book (religious or not) about a touchy topic and then come together to talk about it. This month we’re reading This Is How It Always Is, a book about a family whose son transitions to female and the joys and challenges that brings to them. Join us after church (lunch provided) today for about 1-1 ½ hours to talk about the book.
Help UKirk kick-off our semester by joining us at our Winter Open House on Sunday, January 28. We'll gather from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church (6800 Washington Ave) for an evening of dinner and worship together. It's an opportunity for you to connect with our collegiate community and for UKirk students to connect with the broader church in St. Louis. If you have any questions, contact Pastor Miriam at ukirkstl@glpby.org
Children and youth, join Disciples Gathering. Classes for children (grades K-4) and youth (grades 5-8) meet during the worship hour from about 10:40-11:30. Youth meet with Sydney downstairs in the youth room, and children meets upstairs with Clare in the classroom next to the nursery.
High School Program: Our award-winning, year-long program recruits a diverse cohort of students passionate about social justice. Participants attend monthly meetings and three weekend-long retreats, learn leadership and facilitation skills, explore African American and Jewish history and culture, and discover the pervasiveness of privilege and oppression. Students also participate in a School Swap to witness education inequity, and a Holiday Swap to learn about other cultures and religions. It is a great opportunity to learn important history they don’t teach in school! Participants also embark on a 3-week Transformational Journey to 15 U.S. cities significant to the civil rights movement. To Learn more about this see Flyer in the Gathering Space.
Join the Presbyterian Women group as they study the Book of Hebrews. They meet the last Wednesday of the month from 9:30-11:15. You can join the group any time as each lesson stands alone. They meet in the Gathering Space.
Food Outreach, February 3rd, 8 am
Come join members of Faith Des Peres at Food Outreach on Saturday morning, February 3rd. 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. Food Outreach is located at 3117 Olive Street. Meet us there.
You’re invited to “Coffee with the Pastor” on Sunday, February 4th at 9:30 am in the
Gathering Space. You will have the opportunity to get answers to questions about what it means to be Presbyterian in a friendly and fun environment while also meeting some great people. If you’ve already attended a “Coffee with the Pastor” and are interested in joining the church, we plan on accepting new members during worship in February. Any Questions? Ask Pastor Annie. It would be an honor to be your church family.
Join the Friday Foodies at Canyon Cafe, 1707 S. Lindbergh Blvd., Store #2 St. Louis, MO 63131. Childcare will be provided at the church starting at 6:30 pm. Please RSVP to Whitney Payne by text 773-339-6642 or Sign up sheet in the Gathering Space
Ash Wednesday Service, February 14th at 6:45 pm
Plan on joining us on Wednesday, February 14th for a brief (30 minute) Ash Wednesday service. All are welcome as we enter the season of Lent.
We are looking for people interested in ringing in our new handbell choir. We could use 2-4 people who are willing to learn. Note-reading helpful, but not required. Right now, we’re practicing for 45-60 minutes after church on Sunday mornings.
Do you play an instrument? We’d like to put together a database of people who are willing to share their gift in church services. Any level of ability is welcome! If we have enough, we might be able to have a small orchestra! Would you like to play an instrument? We have some folks who play the recorder, and would be interested in putting together an ensemble (technically called a “consort.”) This not the squeaky instrument that 4th graders bring home (which are soprano recorders), but larger, lower-pitched instruments. If you’re interested in bells, playing, or learning, check the sign-up sheets in the Gathering Space. See Jeff White if you have any questions.
Dear Members and Friends of Faith Des Peres,
There’s a lot happening here on Sunday and it’s all good! At 9:30 Kelly Storck, LCSW and local therapist, will be here to talk about understanding transgender and how to create a space where people of all genders feel safe and welcome. This is a very timely topic and important for us to hear as we live into our Vision 2020 goals and values. In worship, we’ll baptize Henry Robert Harper, son of Cat and Patrick Harper. This is our 6th baptism in as many months! What a blessing it has been to baptize all these babies and welcome them into the church. I have a hunch that the number of baptisms we’re having is connected to the fact that we’re creating a faith community that is welcoming to all people. What do you think?
Don’t forget that next Friday, the 26th, is game night. It starts at 7:00 pm. Bring a game and munchie and/or drink to share. This is fun for all ages!
I hope I’ll see you Sunday!
Blessings,
Annie
Join us Sunday with Guest Speaker Kelly Storck, Gender Beyond the Binary: Understanding What It Means to Be Transgender.
What does it mean to be transgender? Simply put, transgender is a term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex the doctor marked on their birth certificate. Gender identity is a person’s internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman (or someone outside of that gender binary). But there’s nothing simple about gender and sexual identity. It is complex. It is emotional and can be incredibly challenging for us to wrap our minds around. This particular talk is designed to be place for you to ask your questions.
Join us Sunday, January 21 to celebrate the baptism of Henry Robert Harper, son of Cat and Patrick Harper and brother of Nora!