Tri-Ball-Athon - June 21st

The LPUMC Young Adult group will be participating in the Tri-Ball-Athon! This benefit for Metro Homeless Center and Family Services will consist of volleyball, kickball and bounce ball. Our team will be "competing" against some of St. Louis's finest!

Metro's new group, The Shalom Outreach Society, is hosting this - a lazy person's triathlon! Please join us for a day of food, festivities, and fun in Forest Park from 11am to 4pm on Saturday June 21st. BBQ, beverages, and other snacks will be available for purchase starting at 11am.

If your interested in joining our team, contact Victoria Leonard as soon as possible to finalize our team, options for car pooling and team attire!

120 Anniversary Celebration Month - May 2008

Celebrating Past, Present and Future at LPUMC
by Debra Crowe

Banners proclaim it, singers celebrate it and a month of special Sunday services commemorates it: the 120th anniversary of Lafayette Park United Methodist Church at its present location. Please join us during the month of May as we mark this momentous occasion.

May 4th is Mission Sunday. Hear representatives of Doorways, Epworth Children’s Home, Kingdom House Social Services Agency and Metro Homeless Center share information on their respective responses to the needy of our greater community. Learn about Volunteers In Mission trips to Juarez, Mexico to build homes for those who currently live in cardboard shelters. (The next trip is scheduled for October 11-17. To learn more, contact Nancy Thuer. Each will give a brief presentation during the service and will then be available in Fellowship Hall after the service to answer questions and provide more details.

On May 11th, celebrate Pentecost and Mother’s Day with a sermon as it would have been presented by Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley, founders of the early Methodist Church. This Sunday, the church will be collecting women’s toiletries to be given to a local shelter.

On May 18th, delight to the sound of our special musical guests, Charis Women’s Chorus. Following the service, Fellowship Hour moves to the front portico for an ice cream social.

On May 25th, Bishop Robert Schnase will deliver the day’s sermon. There will be Praise Dancers and special music by harpist Wayne Elrod. A barbecue lunch will follow the 10:00 service.

As you drive by the church, look out for the new banners designed for our anniversary. Proclaiming “Deep Roots, New Shoots,” they honor our rich history and anticipate future growth. If you’d like to be a part of that future, please come visit us.

Vacation Bible School - June 23 - 27th

Vacation Bible School is coming up, June 23-27. This year’s theme is Where Kids are Wild about God. Kids ages preschool through senior high are invited to bring their friends to experience Critter Crafts, Wild Games, The Mane Event, and lots of singing and laughter. Daily adventures are 6:00-8:30 p.m. and include a light supper.

Interested in a little summer excitement?

Call Kim at 427-6430 or the church office at 771-9414. VBS is free and open to all.

YASTA Night (Youth Pasta Night) - May 3rd

When it comes to pitching in, the kids of Lafayette Park United Methodist Church really step up to the plate—the dinner plate, that is. Join them on Saturday, May 3 from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. for YASTA Night in Fellowship Hall on the lower level of the church. On that day, the children and youth of the church will be preparing and serving a pasta dinner featuring your choice of lasagna or spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, dessert and beverage. Prices are $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for kids under 10. Proceeds will go towards the refurbishment of the bowling alley in the church.

YASTA night is the brainchild of Andy Wilder, son of Pastor Kathleen and Jim Wilder. He created the name (derived from a combination of youth and pasta) and even has a marketing jingle: “YASTA, YASTA, come eat your pasta!” The rap-like rendition he gives it is reflective of the energy that is sure to abound as children as young as five years of age pitch in to cook, serve, sell tickets and clear tables. There will be adult supervision for the event, but it really is the kids who are developing their leadership—and culinary—skills for this evening. This kitchen has room for a few more cooks, so if your child would like to help prepare the food (or serve or clear tables), please call the church office and leave a message, along with your name and contact information, for Pastor Kathleen who will pass along the offer to Chef Andy. If you aren’t able to come help prepare, do try to “YASTA, YASTA, come eat your pasta!”