"Liturgical purists argue that Sunday is both Palm and Passion Sunday. My sense is that gives people too many reasons to skip coming back to church on Holy Week. I’m not willing to let us off the hook that easily. Instead, I like the way Mark shapes the parade as a bit of bittersweet street theater, a sort of prologue of the coming week..."

If you need to set up a meeting for your team or would like information on a team you might be interested in joining, please contact the presbytery office at 314.772.2395

Are you experiencing a transition in your life or ministry? Are you retiring, moving, celebrating a new role, or experiencing any other transition? We would love to acknowledge, celebrate, and be in prayer with you. Please click here to share your news with us.

Examples of what questions will be asked:

1.     Please describe what type of transition you are sharing with us.

2.     How can we be in prayer with you at this time?

3.     How can the Presbytery and Staff offer support to you during this time?

4.     Do we have your permission to acknowledge this transition at our next Gathering? Yes/No

Fisk Presbyterian Church

Celebrates Former Pastor and Saints

Fisk Presbyterian Church, was overjoyed this past Sunday when the son of a former pastor attended worship.

When Rev. William Walter left the Fisk Presbyterian Church in 1957, the ladies of the church made a special quilt as a gift for his service to the church. Rev. Walter's son brought the much-beloved quilt back to the church when he visited, to the delight of the congregation. There were so many names of the saints in our church family. What a joy during this Lenten Season

Ferguson Ecology Team Video Night Presents

David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things: REBELLION

Thursday, March 21 at 7 pm

Held on Zoom this is a a unique documentary featuring a one-on-one conversation between David Suzuki and Sir David Attenborough who take the pulse of our planet and ask whether humans can change their ways in time.

Find the shareable flyer by clicking here.

Ferguson Easter Sunrise Service

at the January-Wabash Memorial Park

The annual 2024 Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service will be held Sunday, March 31 at 6:30 AM at January-Wabash Memorial Park, located at January Avenue and North Florissant Road. The service will be held outside on the west side of the lake. Bring your own chair, if desired. Giving a brief meditation for the informal service will be The Rev. Larry Lemke, Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church. Clergy from various churches and ministries in Ferguson will also participate. All are invited! What a great way to begin the celebration of resurrection and new life!

This special service is sponsored by the Ferguson Ministries Alliance.  A free-will offering will be received for PAKT which benefits the Ferguson Community.  For more information, please contact Rev. Ellie Stock (314) 521-8418 or elliestock@aol.com

New Horizons Presbyterian Church

“The Light of the World is Jesus”

You are invited to join us for Holy Week!



• Maundy Thursday (March 28) Dinner at 6:00 p.m. with Service and Communion at 7:00 p.m.
• Good Friday (March 29) Service at 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 30th – Easter Egg Hunt  at 10:30 a.m. (ages 12 and under)
• EASTER Sunday (March 31^st) 8:30 a.m. Easter Breakfast, 10:30 a.m. Worship and Communion

New Horizons is located at 9424 Everman Ave., Overland, MO 63114 

LENTEN JOURNEY OPPORTUNITIES

with a Place of Grace

Easter Sunrise Audiendo Divina Retreat

Join A Place of Grace this Easter Sunday (3/31/24) at sunrise (6:30 a.m.) at Riverbend Family Ministries, 144 E Ferguson Ave., Wood River, IL, for an interpretation of the resurrection story through sound! This indoor event will warm you from the inside out as you experience the joy of Easter with pastor and musician, Julie Gvillo. The instrumental interpretation of scriptures will take you to the garden where the stone is rolled away as you listen meditatively in community with other disciples as the Good News of the resurrection is proclaimed. Communion will be served afterward. All are welcome!

A Place of Grace is offering-based. Prayer Art Retreats require sixteen hours of preparation (10 for liturgy and artwork options, one and a half hours to load and unload the van, three hours for the retreat, and one and a half hours to reload and unload the van afterward) total and $5 in supplies per person. With the Lenten registration, you will get thirty emailed devotions with step-outs for a tangle each

day, and six days of having your work posted on the APOG Facebook Page. I estimate that it will take an hour per day to create the step-outs and the devotions and email them out, and approximately five minutes per email to download the artwork and repost it on the Page. In-person offerings may be made via cash or check. Electronic offerings may be made via PayPal.me/JulieGvillo or Venmo (@Julie-Gvillo)

PRESBYTERY WOMEN FROM AROUND THE NATION

GATHER IN ST LOUIS IN AUGUST

Monthly Gathering Quest Emails

Stay informed about the Presbyterian Women Churchwide Gathering opportunities and news with the Gathering Quest emails! These emails—sent the 5th of each month leading up to the Gathering—include news, a reflection, a savings calculator, a fun download, and much more. To be added to the list, email patricia.longfellow@pcusa.org with “Gathering Quest” in the subject line.

Registration Now Open

Registration Options Gathering registration will be available at presbyterianwomen.org/gathering, March 1–July 7, 2024. Know that by registering early, you’ll have the fullest selection of workshops (which can fill up), the option to purchase a Gathering tote bag (which sold out in 2018) and if you register by May 1, you’ll receive the early registration incentives! After July 7, you may register on-site at the Marriott St. Louis Grand.

TIPS FOR CARING FOR GOD'S CREATION: 

Compost Food Scraps

Composting food scraps enriches the soil in your yard for growing veggies and flowers. And it keeps food scraps from releasing harmful Methane gas at the landfill.

"TIPS" is brought to you by the Earth Care Team of Presbytery which monitors the twelve Earth Care Congregations in the Presbytery and advocates for low-income, indigenous, and People of Color communities often hurt first and worst by environmental degradation. Contact: carletonstock@aol.com or 314-941-9378.

Hunger Action Congregations Call of the Year

Friday, April 5 at 11:00 am



Join us on April 5 for the first Hunger Action Congregations call of the year. We are expanding our circle to include others in your congregation who are interested / involved in ending hunger and underlying causes. PLEASE pass this invitation to them as well.

We'll get into lots of good conversations about making our hunger ministries better, share resources, and hopefully get an update on Haiti and Palestine from one of our international hunger program staff. Put the date on your calendar - April 5 at 11:00 am (central) and invite others!

Here are some of the topics we can explore...

• A “Dignified” Hunger Relief Experience

Can you share any important tips about shifting your ministries to feel/be less on the charity model and more of a relational, dignified experience?

• B. Relationships, Hunger & Systemic Poverty

How are volunteers and donors from a more “hands off” approach of donating time and money to one where they are taking time in spaces with poor and hungry people, forming relationships with them, or figuring out how to do deeper approaches, such as community organizing and/or public policy advocacy? What has worked for you?

Join Zoom Meeting by clicking here

If using the Zoom app the Meeting ID is: 939 0805 2880

The Passcode is: 443675

PUBLIC WITNESS ANNOUNCES SUMMER GRANTS

DEADLINE IS APRIL 12

Each year, the Public Witness Team of the Presbytery offers grants to conduct summer programs at member churches and social agencies in relationship with the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy. The funds are awarded through an application process directed by the Public Witness Ministry Team.

The purpose of the grant is to provide opportunities for summer Christian education and witness, personal growth, faith formation, and recreation to children and adults in communities of need. Criteria for funding with an application download can be found here: APPLICATION HERE. The application must be submitted electronically, and the deadline for receipt of applications is April 12, 2024. 

Grants up to $5,000 will be awarded on May 1, 2024, however, partial grants may be awarded based on the number of applications received. 

Missouri Right to

Reproductive Freedom Amendment

The Missouri Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment Initiative Petition is collecting signatures now. If enough signatures are collected, this will appear on the ballot in November 2024.

The amendment will amend the Missouri Constitution to provide the right to reproductive freedom, which is defined as "the right to make and

carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care,

including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth

control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions."

More information about this issue is attached.

The Public Witness Team offers an opportunity for all Giddings-Lovejoy churches. One of our team will come to your church with Reproductive Freedom petition sheets to collect signatures. The most successful time to collect signatures is after Sunday services during the Fellowship Hour, but we can come whenever is best for you.

To learn more or if you are interested in participating, please click here for more information.

Mound Ridge is hosting their spring fund raiser at Andre's West in Fenton on Saturday April 13th!  We'd love to have you join us there!  Tickets are $60 each. There are a huge array of Silent & Live Auction items, a wine wall, and a dessert auction too!  Lots to choose from!   Some of you live just a few miles from Mound Ridge, and I hope you get to enjoy it during the year! Most of you have visited Mound Ridge sometime over the years and appreciate the beauty and peaceful setting along the upper Meramec River.

MALT Transitional Ministry Education

Mercy Conference and Retreat Center

St. Louis, MO

May 13 - May 17

Transitional Ministry Education is not limited to those presently engaged in or inquiring about transitional ministry. Anyone interested in learning how to walk through change alongside your church is invited to join in Week I (30 hours), and Week II (30 hours), plus a practicum that combines reflection on, and experience in, some aspect of interim/transitional ministry.

Learn More by Clicking Here

Rev. Ryan Landino

Presbytery Leader

rlandino@glpby.org

314.409.9002

Rev. Liz Kanerva

Associate

Presbytery Leader

ekanerva@glpby.org

314.779.6809

Rev. Dr. Brandan Eddy

Stated Clerk

beddy@glpby.org

618.781.9615

Leigh Porter

Office Manager

lporter@glpby.org

314.225.9470

Janice McMillen

Communications Associate

jmcmillen@glpby.org

573.578.3960

Presbytery Moderator - Elder, Lorenzo Clayton

Presbytery Vice-Moderator - Rev. Dr. Dave Burgess

Vision Team Moderator - Rev. Mel Smith