A Note from Pastor Marilyn

Dear Faith Des Peres Church Family,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I am on vacation December 25-January 1.  We will be welcoming back as our guest preacher Sunday, December 29 the Rev. Dr. Steve Heitkamp.  Many of you enjoyed hearing Steve when he filled the pulpit for me back in July.

I will be back in the pulpit, Sunday, January 5, when we will celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, share Holy Communion, and receive our Feeding the Flock gifts for Circle of Concern.

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

Guest Preacher Sunday December 29th

Please join us in welcoming Rev. Steve Heitkamp as our guest preacher next Sunday. Rev. Heitkamp will close out our year with a wonderful message entitled, “A new page and a fresh perspective” Please prepare to join us!

Food Outreach! Save the date! February 1st at 8am

Join us for a fulfilling morning of mission on Saturday, February 2nd 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! 

A Note About Stewardship Pledges

With the end of 2019 fast approaching, please remember that all of your pledges paid through Dec. 31, 2019 will be included in a letter you will  receive from FDP in early 2020 for income tax purposes. If you are current on your pledge for fiscal year 2019-2020 and would like to pay any portion of your  remaining balance in advance, please have your check in the weekly offering or turned into the church office no later than Dec. 31. Also, if your pledge offerings are made in cash, please be sure to use the offering envelopes available in the pews and the Gathering Space and write your name on the envelope to ensure that you receive the correct credit for your pledge payments. Thank you for all you do for and give to Faith Des Peres. Your gifts support our mission and vision shown above.

A Note from Pastor Marilyn

Dear Faith Des Peres Church Family,

Our Advent through Christmas Eve services theme of “Heaven and Nature Sing!  300 Years of Joy to the World” continues this Sunday.  My sermon message this Fourth Sunday of Advent will be “Making the Nations Prove:  Peaceful Joy” from Isaiah 7:13-15 and Matthew 1:18-25. 

Looking ahead to next week, join us for our special Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service with Communion December 24 at 5:30 p.m.

I will be on vacation December 25-January 1.  We will be welcoming back as our guest preacher Sunday, December 29 the Rev. Dr. Steve Heitkamp.  Many of you enjoyed hearing Steve when he filled the pulpit for me back in July.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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

Christmas Eve Service

Come and join us for our special Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service with Communion December 24th at 5:30 p.m.

A Note About Stewardship Pledges

With the end of 2019 fast approaching, please remember that all of your pledges paid through Dec. 31, 2019 will be included in a letter you will receive from FDP in early 2020 for income tax purposes. If you are current on your pledge for fiscal year 2019-2020 and would like to pay any portion of your remaining balance in advance, please have your check in the weekly offering or turned into the church office no later than Dec. 31. Also, if your pledge offerings are made in cash, please be sure to use the offering envelopes available in the pews and the Gathering Space and write your name on the envelope to ensure that you receive the correct credit for your pledge payments. Thank you for all you do for and give to Faith Des Peres. Your gifts support our mission and vision, found on the back of the Sunday morning bulletin.

Disciples Gathering

Disciples Gathering classes will meet again in 2020, beginning on Sunday, Jan. 12.

Buddy Packs Advent Calendars are Back!

We are once again partnering with TWIGS - our Buddy Pack food supply source - during the Advent season to collect additional food to support FDP's Buddy Pack program. Like a traditional Advent Calendar, the  Buddy Pack Advent calendar reveals a list of food items you can purchase each day during Advent to supplement our Buddy Pack program. Buddy Pack Advent Calendars will be available in the Gathering Space throughout Advent - one per  family please! - while  supplies last. Whether you buy food daily, weekly or for the whole month, please bring all purchased food to the church by Sunday,  December 29th. (You can also bring food to the church each week and give it to Roy Lenox, Ashley Laws or Erica Abbett). Contact Roy  Lenox or Erica  Abbett for additional details.

Poinsettia Contributions

If you would like to contribute to the poinsettia fund to decorate the church during the Christmas season, you may do so by signing up in the Gathering Space. The suggested  donation is $10.00. You may honor or dedicate your donation to a loved one. Please note on your check that your payment is for poinsettias. Thank you.

The Faith Formation Center

The Faith Formation Center has decided to take a different approach to an Advent Devotional for 2019. We decided to give our wonderful writers, artists and publication coordinators a break for this year and have ordered “Straw for the Manger” from Presbyterian Church USA. The focus of the devotional is “caring for the least of these” and provides each day of Advent a Scripture excerpt, meditation and prayer to deepen the season’s experience. Devotionals are  available Today in the Gathering Place. Will Ridley, 314-821-8524, Email: ridleywp@att.net.

A Note from Pastor Marilyn

Dear Faith Des Peres Church Family,

An update on our parking lot project – the replacement of our driveway and parking lot pavements is now not expected to happen until spring. Therefore, on Wednesday stripes were painted on the rear parking lot to make it both look better and accommodate more vehicles. We thank everyone for their patience as we go through what has turned out to be a new parking lot marathon!

Our Advent through Christmas Eve services theme of “Heaven and Nature Sing! 300 Years of Joy to the World” continues this Sunday. My sermon message this Third Sunday of Advent will be “Making Blessings Known: Unabashed Joy” from Isaiah 35:1-10 and Luke 1:46b-55.

Don’t forget about our annual Gingerbread House party with Leslie Barnes this Saturday, December 14 10:00 a.m.-Noon in Fellowship Hall. The cost is $14 per house. The deadline to sign up was this past Monday.

Our Family Fellowship focused on the nativity story is planned for this Sunday, December 15 at 9:30 a.m. No reservation needed – just come and have fun!

And join us for our special Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service with Communion December 24 at 5:30 p.m.

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

Christmas Eve Service

Come and join us for our special Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service with Communion December 24 at 5:30 p.m.

Gingerbread House Party This Saturday, December 14, 10am to noon

Join us on Saturday from 10 am to noon in Fellowship Hall to decorate  gingerbread houses. The cost is $14.00 per gingerbread house, to be paid directly to Leslie Barnes on the day of the party. All children and adults are welcome. Please sign up in the Gathering Space.

Family Fellowship This Sunday, December 15th: 9:15am-10:30am.

Family Fellowship- Nativity Story and craft.  Join us for worship while the children play.

The Faith Formation Center

The Faith Formation Center has decided to take a different approach to an Advent Devotional for 2019. We decided to give our wonderful writers, artists and publication coordinators a break for this year and have ordered “Straw for the Manger” from Presbyterian Church USA. The focus of the devotional is “caring for the least of these” and provides each day of Advent a Scripture excerpt, meditation and prayer to deepen the season’s experience. Devotionals are available Today in the Gathering Place. Will Ridley, 314-821-8524, Email: ridleywp@att.net.

A Note About Stewardship Pledges

With the end of 2019 fast approaching, please remember that all of your pledges paid through Dec. 31, 2019 will be included in a letter you will receive from FDP in early 2020 for income tax purposes. If you are current on your pledge for fiscal year 2019-2020 and would like to pay any portion of your remaining balance in advance, please have your check in the weekly offering or turned into the church office no later than Dec. 31. Also, if your pledge offerings are made in cash, please be sure to use the offering envelopes available in the pews and the Gathering Space and write your name on the envelope to ensure that you receive the correct credit for your pledge payments. Thank you for all you do for and give to Faith Des Peres. Your gifts support our mission and vision, found on the back of the Sunday morning bulletin.

Buddy Packs Advent Calendars are Back!

We are once again partnering with TWIGS - our Buddy Pack food supply source - during the Advent season to collect additional food to support FDP's Buddy Pack program. Like a traditional Advent Calendar, the Buddy Pack Advent calendar reveals a list of food items you can purchase each day during Advent to supplement our Buddy Pack program. Buddy Pack Advent Calendars will be available in the Gathering Space throughout Advent - one per family please! - while supplies last. Whether you buy food daily, weekly or for the whole month, please bring all purchased food to the church by Sunday, December 29th. (You can also bring food to the church each week and give it to Roy Lenox, Ashley Laws or Erica Abbett). Contact Roy Lenox or Erica Abbett for additional details.

A Note from Pastor Marilyn

Dear Faith Des Peres Church Family,

Our Advent through Christmas Eve services theme of “Heaven and Nature Sing!  300 Years of Joy to the World” continues this Sunday.  My sermon message this Second Sunday of Advent will be “Repeating the Sounding Joy:  Loving Joy” from Isaiah 11:1-10 and Matthew 3:1-15. 

If you have not already done so, please bring your Christmas Giving Tree gifts and ornament tags to worship this Sunday.  We will dedicate them during worship before delivering them to Lydia’s House and the SouthSide Early Childhood Center.

This Sunday is our Disciples Gathering for children with Clare Dingus following the young people’s worship message.

In addition to weekly worship, we have a number of ways to share together in this Advent season of preparation and waiting for Christmas.

This Sunday is our monthly Buddy Packing Sunday following worship.  We have been packing about 240 bags of food for University City school children to take home for their weekend meals.

The Presbyterian Women’s annual cookie exchange and brunch is coming up next Wednesday, December 11 at 9:30 a.m. at Terry Baker’s house.  Extra cookies will be packaged and delivered to our shut-in members and friends.

Our annual Gingerbread House making is planned for Saturday, December 14 10:00 a.m.-Noon in Fellowship Hall.  The cost is $14 per house.  Please sign up in the Gathering Space by this Sunday.

Another Family Fellowship focused on the nativity story is planned for Sunday, December 15 at 9:30 a.m.  No reservation needed – just come and have fun!

And join us for our special Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service with Communion December 24 at 5:30 p.m.

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

Buddy Packs this Sunday

Join us Sunday as we do our Buddy Packing for the University City School District.