Thursday, August 27, 2015



 

Adventures of Faith returns,

Thursday September 24.

 
The book studies will last six consecutive weeks.  We’ll have potluck at 6 p.m. and break into classes at 7 p.m.  Michael Desmond, Jon Copeland and Pastor Kathleen will have book studies.

If you would like to participate in please contact the church office.
 
Three Simple Rules for Christian Living by Rueben JobIn-depth questions for reflection follows our Sermon Series.
- Moderated by Pastor Kathleen

Blessing Same-Sex Unions: The Perils of Queer Romance and the Confusions of Christian Marriage by Mark D. Jordan.  In a time when the wedding industry provides more theology of marriage than the church itself, we must ask: why should Christians seek to bless unions in the first place?  In this challenging theological study, we will explore the complicated history of Christian marriage and ask hard questions about what Christians truly want in marriage.
- Moderated by Jon Copeland

Opening to God by David Benner.  "Pray without ceasing." We have heard this quotation from Thessalonians. Do you want to do this?  Have you discovered how to do this?
- Moderated by Michael Desmond

Wednesday, August 06, 2014

New Beginnings, A Well Kept Secret

We've said countless times that -“ if people only knew how much what we do means to our “New Tenants” and what a blessing it can be - there’d be a line of people waiting for a turn to serve!”  It’s  time to share the fun and share the blessings!


Discover
the “secret,” by being an active part of 
New Beginnings!

Could you be:
  • A COWGIRL / COWBOY?  
  • A SHOPAHOLIC?
  • A GIRL(S) FRIDAY (or guys) ?
  • A CHUCKWAGONEER or FOOD WRANGLER?
  • A NIGHT RIDER?
  • A HAPPY HAULER?


Discover the secret by BEING A BLESSING!!

COWGIRL / COWBOY to “ride herd” on the upstairs storage room.  Sort incoming donations.  Size & mark sheet sets, blankets, comforters & towels.  Organize housewares, dishes, flatware, glasses, pots, pans, small appliances, etc.  Could work with “new tenants” by appointment?
Time needed: once organized - about an hour or so per week (depending on amount of donations).

SHOPAHOLIC - be a Dollar Tree regular.  Once a week or every two weeks (as needed).  Shop Dollar Tree for our “Starter Baskets”.  We usually buy enough of about 14 different items to make up 4 baskets.  Then deliver the items to our storage room upstairs at Church. 
Time required: approximately an hour & a half weekly at your convenience.

GIRL(S) FRIDAY (or guys) - help with Data Entry recording info on # of households served, etc.  Record individual expenditures to provide better accountability of cash donations —what’s being spent on different categories. Help with correspondence like thank you notes and tax letters.  
Time required: whatever time you have — the biggest job will be set up and catch up—after that maybe an hour a week?

CHUCKWAGONEER / FOOD WRANGLER - drive your “chuckwagon” out to the St. Louis Area Foodbank, pickup large food order(s) and deliver to new tenant(s).  An SUV, station wagon or pickup truck is needed.   
Time required: pickup between 12 & 2 p.m. then make the delivery—will take most of an afternoon, once a week or once in a while; pick your day.

NIGHT RIDERS - Night Riders travel in pairs to pick up furniture donations from folks who work and are not available for daytime pickups.  Seasonal –would work until the change in daylight savings time. Requires moderate to heavy lifting (sofas).  Don’t worry, we don’t do appliances!
Time required: probably an hour and a half once a week.

HAPPY HAULERS - work in pairs to pick up furniture donations & / or deliver to “new tenants”.  Interesting and rewarding work.  Involves moderate to heavy lifting.
Time required :  2 1/2 to 3 hours on Saturdays (or whichever day suits your schedule).  We don’t do appliances.

Talk to Chuck by calling the church office (314-771-9214) or email.


Thursday, February 27, 2014

Lenten Book Study

During Lent, Michael Desmond will lead a book study on “Healing” by Francis MacNutt.  Classes will take place at Michael’s home, 2016 Geyer, each THURSDAY, beginning March 13, to Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m.  Please contact the church office, 314-771-9214  if you would like to attend.



Experience is the best teacher.  Also, it's the only thing that can convince some of us.  We've all become too sophisticated perhaps to pursue things like the Gifts of the Spirit.  We think they were for the early church or are just stories from a distant time and have no relevance today.  Or are
for fringe or uneducated folks or just the latest money machines of quacks who prey on those who suffer.  MacNutt breaks through this thinking with clear language and tells his experiences over the past 30 years.  He is a man I know and trust.  Also, there are people I regularly pray for with the
limited tools and understanding I have had up till now and without the support of other believers.  I would like to join with others on a faith journey that seeks the promise of God's healing of the body and the spirit and amp up my prayer for those I love and who need prayer.  I could use some support.  Please join me.  Individual chapter notes will be provided for quick learning and ready reference.
- Michael

Sunday, December 29, 2013

New Beginnings - Year In Review

Looking Back on 2013

WOW, last year provided so many blessings, so many experiences of God’s wonderful people!  In the last six months of the year the number of new tenants served by NB nearly exceeded the number served in the entire first year of operation. The Veteran’s programs at St. Pat’s Center and the Hope Recovery Center (of the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs) are responsible for the huge increase.

Somehow, through the grace of God, our church family, friends and acquaintances were able to provide the needed furniture and household items.

There are so many people we would like to thank publicly but that would be virtually impossible in such limited space.  We feel compelled, however, to recognize two couples who have been core supporters of the NB effort from the beginning.  Almost from day one, Sonny and Mike Burnside have generously allowed us to use one of their apartments for a storage/holding facility.

Our “new” furniture van

“She runs as good as she looks!” 

The paint job was courtesy of the former owners, Girls Inc.  It attracts a lot of attention and comments.  We love the look on folk’s faces when we mention that “she runs as good as she looks”.  They’re never quite sure what that means.  But it does run well and the more we use it the more we like it.  We’ve been able to make multiple deliveries and/or pickups in one trip.  The enclosed cargo area makes rainy day deliveries possible.  With the 14’ ramp we’ve loaded some heavy pieces we couldn’t have handled with just two men; it’s a great back saver!  Everything works, even the cargo light which is nice on those rare occasions when we’ve run a little late.  Because it’s enclosed we don’t have to unload it every night and we can store some needed items, like linens and such in the overhead compartment.


We still have a ways to go on our fundraising to cover the purchase price.  If you can help with a cash donation it would be greatly appreciated!  Make checks payable to LPUMC with “NB Truck Fund” noted on the memo line.  Thanks & God Bless You.

Ryan Gasser, from The Word at Shaw and NB volunteer Gary Buettner pose after loading furniture donated by the generous folks at TWS.

Looking ahead to 2014
Watch for News of
Happy Haulers – We are forming work crews for Saturday morning pickup and /or deliveries. We have commitments from two 2 person teams who are ready to experience the fun and blessings of working with our new tenants.  If you can spare about 3 hours once a month on a Saturday give Chuck a call @ 618/781-4538  (PS – fear not - we don’t do appliances)
NB Ministry Team we are in the process of forming a talented team to guide NB through its future levels of growth
Our First Fundraiser – still in the planning stage for February, our first real fundraiser promises to be a lot of fun.  Watch the eNewsletter and church announcements for more information.

A tisket a tasket . . .



. . .check out our “starter basket`

Our new basket offers twelve essential items for new tenants.  Items included are:  toilet paper, bath soap, paper towels, multipurpose cleaner, floor /tile cleaner, dish sponge, dish soap, trash bags,  bucket,  mop, broom, and the basket; all this for only twelve dollars.  Purchased at Dollar Tree, each item costs only a dollar. 

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Catembe Mozambique-Mosquito Net Distribution



THERE MAY NEVER BE ANOTHER MALARIA VICTIM IN CATEMBE MOZAMBIQUE!

With the help of Lafayette Park UMC,5,697 Mosquito Nets have been delivered to Catembe Mozambique.  Lafayette Park UMC raised $20,000 to purchase 2000 mosquito nets as our 2011 Christmas fundraiser.  Our friends at the Missouri Conference's Mozambique Initiative help gather the remaining funds and with our partners at the Nothing but Net's program managed the distribution of 5,697 nets to the people of Catembe.

Lafayette Park UMC has a covenant relationship with the Catembe United Methodist Church.  We support them with our prayers and a small financial to provide a pastor. But in 2011 we went even further.  Living out our promise to be a church without walls.






You can see all the photos in Picasa web album.


 

Thursday, October 03, 2013

September e-Newsletter

The September LPUMC e-Newsletter is out. There are updates on last months, news on great fall ministries. Check it all out at...

  • CROP Hunger Walk
  • Pumpkin Patch
  • Family Fun Day
  • Blessing of the Animals
  • HomeFirst STL Move-In Kits
  • Charge Conference

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Kristen Leslie to to train Navy chaplains on sexual assault ministry

In case you missed the story in the St Louis Post Dispatch . . .



Eden professor to train Navy chaplains on sexual assault ministry


Rev. Kristen Leslie began her 2003 book, “When Violence Is No Stranger,” with a verse from Psalms, a nod to her training as a theologian.

“It is not enemies who taunt me — I could bear that; it is not adversaries who deal insolently with me — I could hide from them. But it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend...

 The book’s subject was acquaintance rape, and it got the attention of a chaplain at the Air Force Academy. The school was then reeling from a Pentagon report indicating that 7 percent of its cadets reported being the victims of rape or attempted rape. Nearly 90 percent of the perpetrators were their own classmates.

Leslie, now a professor of pastoral theology and care at Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, was invited to Colorado to consult with academy leaders on how to train Air Force chaplains to deal with sexualized violence on campus.   (Continue reading . . . )