Welcome to the Commonplace Blog of Faith Des Peres Presbyterian Church. Weekly updates of events and happenings will be posted here, as well as photos and reminders.
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 email Tiara in the office. Please designate if the flowers are being given in honor of or memory of loved ones. Make checks payable to Faith Des Peres and note that the funds are for Easter Flowers. Thank you.
This Holy Week the Worship Arts Center invites you to a simple meal during which we will remember Jesus' Last Supper with his first disciples through a brief message and sharing communion around our supper tables in the Gathering Space. Please sign up by emailing Tiara at adminasst@faithdesperes.org or by signing up in the Gathering Space. Everyone, including children, are welcome.
Again this year, Faith Des Peres is collecting the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering on Easter. OGHS is a Presbyterian Church (USA) ministry that supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self Development of People.
Dear Faith Des Peres Church Family,
This Sunday we are mostly pausing in our journey through Lent in order to have worship that sets the stage for our first “event” of our transitional journey toward preparing to call your next pastor, our “Summit on the Past.” During this “summit” we will be reviewing highlights from the Des Peres and Faith histories as well as from our merged Faith Des Peres church toward discerning:
Who are we, how did we get here,
and who and where do we want to go in the future?
Come and help us connect individual and shared memories and stories to our history from your own experiences of being a part of this church family.
Come and help us identify the core beliefs or values expressed through the histories, memories and stories, and their influence on our present ministry.
Help us remember roles these churches have played in the nearer and wider community, the values they represent, their influence on events, and their impact on the church’s identity.
My sermon message this Sunday will be “Seeking God’s New Thing” from Isaiah 35:1-10 and 43:18-21 in which God through the prophet offers hope to a discouraged people living in exile from their homeland who have had to learn how to practice their faith in new ways.
Worship will be about 45 minutes before adjourning to The Gathering Space for the “summit,” which will last no more than two hours. If you can’t stay the whole time, please come and stay for as long as you can. Lunch will be provided.
I look forward to seeing you in and around our church as we share in mission and ministry together!
Shalom in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Marilyn
Join us for a fulfilling morning of mission on Saturday, April 6 at Food Outreach (on Olive and Compton). Beginning at 8am, we will don our hats and hair nets and get to work packaging meals for those in need. No prior experience necessary- the Food Outreach program is very well organized- simply show up and everything you need will be provided there. We are seeking to establish a group of 15-20 participants ages 12 and up. Please sign up in the gathering space and indicate if you have interest in carpooling! This event is loved and enjoyed by many- we are excited to have you join!
Have you ever wondered how writers publish books? Plan to join Ron Scott, our own published author, for insights into the process of writing and publishing, “Rainswept and Other Stories”, a collection of fictional and non-fictional stories published in November 2018. Ron will describe his journey, read a selection and even autograph a copy for you. A light lunch will be provided in the Gathering Space. Please join us. Will Ridley, ridleywp@att.net, 314-920-1507.
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 email Tiara in the office. Please designate if the flowers are being given in honor of or memory of loved ones. Make checks payable to Faith Des Peres and note that the funds are for Easter Flowers. Thank you.
Again this year, Faith Des Peres is collecting the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering on Easter. OGHS is a Presbyterian Church (USA) ministry that supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self Development of People
The Frontenac Board of Aldermen's final approval of Payne Homes' proposal to build 18 townhomes on property to the immediate north of our Clayton Road Church is good news for Faith Des Peres! It means the sale of approximately 1.6 acres of the parking lot at the back of the church is going to happen. It also means we will have the resources to improve and install new parking facilities at the back and front of the church. The property FDP is selling will be combined with land immediately to the north of our parking lot on which the mobile home park is located to create the three-acre site for the new residential development. Within the next few weeks, Payne Homes will create a timetable for developing final construction drawings for approval by Frontenac's architectural review board, securing necessary permits and other pre-construction work. Payne representatives tell us they hope to close on the purchase of our property early this summer.
Dear Faith Des Peres Church Family,
This Sunday we continue our journey through Lent, 40 days not including Sundays, when as we travel with Jesus toward his crucifixion and are particularly invited to reflect upon how we are living our lives and any changes we would like to make toward bringing our lives back in line with our Christian faith and values.
This Sunday is a one of great joy for us as we welcome three new members to our church family during worship, and as we hear a report detailing more about the good news of the Frontenac Council having approved the Payne Homes project Tuesday night.
My sermon message this Sunday will be “Fertilizing Faith” from Luke 13:1-9. I will be focusing upon the extension of grace within the parable portion of this short reading.
I will be leading our black history and women’s history book study discussion on Michelle Obama’s Becoming following worship this Sunday. The former First Lady’s autobiographic book is at times entertaining, poignant, and very personally candid, and will hopefully spark some interesting and insightful conversations about race and gender in our country.
I hope you’re planning to attend our “Summit on the Past” on Sunday, March 31 following worship. In preparation for this “summit,” I met with long-time members of each of our former churches this past Sunday and I learned so many interesting things! But we need to not only hear their stories and memories; we need to hear yours as well and reflect together on how these have formed and shaped Faith Des Peres today. This will be the first “event” of our transitional journey in preparation to search for your next called and installed pastor. Fliers about this event are now available in the narthex and the Gathering Space.
I look forward to seeing you in and around our church as we share in mission and ministry together!
Shalom in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Marilyn
The Frontenac Board of Aldermen's final approval of Payne Homes' proposal to build 18 townhomes on property to the immediate north of our Clayton Road Church is good news for Faith Des Peres! It means the sale of approximately 1.6 acres of the parking lot at the back of the church is going to happen. It also means we will have the resources to improve and install new parking facilities at the back and front of the church. The property FDP is selling will be combined with land immediately to the north of our parking lot on which the mobile home park is located to create the three-acre site for the new residential development. Within the next few weeks, Payne Homes will create a timetable for developing final construction drawings for approval by Frontenac's architectural review board, securing necessary permits and other pre-construction work. Payne representatives tell us they hope to close on the purchase of our property early this summer.
Join the Presbyterian Women group as they study the GOD'S PROMISE - I AM WITH YOU. 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.
On Sunday, March 31 we will have the first “event” of our transitional journey, a “Summit on the Past” following a slightly shortened morning worship kick-off. Come to worship at the usual 10:30 time and then stay for the no more than two-hour conversation reviewing our church history and the evolution of our core values that inform the kind of faith community we are today.
This “Summit on the Past” is the first stage of asking ourselves who are we, how did we get here, and who and where do we want to go in the future as part of the preparation to search for your next called and installed pastor.
Join us for a fulfilling morning of mission on Saturday, April 6 at Food Outreach (on Olive and Compton). Beginning at 8am, we will don our hats and hair nets and get to work packaging meals for those in need. No prior experience necessary- the Food Outreach program is very well organized- simply show up and everything you need will be provided there. We are seeking to establish a group of 15-20 participants ages 12 and up. Please sign up in the gathering space and indicate if you have interest in carpooling! This event is loved and enjoyed by many- we are excited to have you join!
Have you ever wondered how writers publish books? Plan to join Ron Scott, our own published author, for insights into the process of writing and publishing, “Rainswept and Other Stories”, a collection of fictional and non-fictional stories published in November 2018. Ron will describe his journey, read a selection and even autograph a copy for you. A light lunch will be provided in the Gathering Space. Please join us. Will Ridley, ridleywp@att.net, 314-920-1507.
Again this year, Faith Des Peres is collecting the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering on Easter. OGHS is a Presbyterian Church (USA) ministry that supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self Development of People.
Dear Faith Des Peres Church Family,
This Sunday we continue our journey through Lent, 40 days not including Sundays, when as we travel with Jesus toward his crucifixion and are particularly invited to reflect upon how we are living our lives and any changes we would like to make toward bringing our lives back in line with our Christian faith and values.
My sermon message this Sunday will be “Standing One’s Faith Ground” from Luke 13:31-35. Among other things in this short reading Jesus compares himself to a mother hen desiring to gather her brood under her wings.
Before worship, our children, youth and adult PALS will meet at 9:30 to continue fostering their intergenerational relationships as they study and learn together.
I hope you are reading and will plan to join us for our black and women’s history book study discussion on Michelle Obama’s Becoming following worship Sunday, March 24.
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend our “Summit on the Past” on Sunday, March 31 following worship. This will be the first “event” of our transitional journey in preparation to search for your next called and installed pastor. Fliers about this event are now available in the narthex and the Gathering Space.
I look forward to seeing you in and around our church as we share in mission and ministry together!
Shalom in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Marilyn
Join the Presbyterian Women group as they study the GOD'S PROMISE - I AM WITH YOU. 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.
In recognition of Black History and Women's History months (February and March), Pastor Marilyn will lead a discussion on Michelle Obama's book, Becoming. Mark your calendars now and plan to be a part of this interesting discussion over lunch in the Gathering Space.
On Sunday, March 31 we will have the first “event” of our transitional journey, a “Summit on the Past” following a slightly shortened morning worship kick-off. Come to worship at the usual 10:30 time and then stay for the no more than two-hour conversation reviewing our church history and the evolution of our core values that inform the kind of faith community we are today.
This “Summit on the Past” is the first stage of asking ourselves who are we, how did we get here, and who and where do we want to go in the future as part of the preparation to search for your next called and installed pastor.
