creates spaces where people can have authentic encounters with Christ, discover their Spiritual gifts. and use them for God’s glory
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Lent Reflection Group
Wednesday Evenings,
7:00 pm
Beginning Wednesday, March 12and continuing through the season of Lent, there will be an opportunity to gather and reflect on topics related to environmentalism, creation care, and eco-theology. Worship services during Lent will highlight these issues in a series called, “The Earth is the Lord’s,” and each Wednesday evening Pastor Andy will lead a reflection on ideas and questions that emerge from the previous Sunday’s worship time. No book purchase is required; each week will be a stand-alone set of reflection questions. Please sign up for the Lent Reflection Group online or on the Opportunity Board in the narthex.
Maplewood Pantry
One block north of the church in Sutton Loop Park on Sutton is one of four pantries in Maplewood. These serve those in need and can be stocked by anyone! Consider placing items directly into the pantry or the basket in the narthex at church. Check out your nearest dollar store, the discount aisle in the grocery store, sales on individually packaged snacks, extras you receive from take-out orders.
Ideas of things to donate:
individually packaged snacks (granola, chips, fruit snacks, etc)
canned goods (pop top ideal but not required)
crackers (packages of saltines, peanut butter crackers, etc)
Anything you feel someone in need would appreciate
Together let's serve our neighbors and keep the pantry stocked!
Note from Pastor Andy
Can I just say, the transfiguration story has always seemed kind of random to me?
I suppose it isn’t very pious that a pastor thinks a Bible story is random. Much less a Jesus story. Much less a story that is so significant that the liturgical calendar has a whole Sunday dedicated to it. But pious or not, I have to be honest here. The transfiguration story is pretty random.
It doesn’t seem to fit into the flow of the narrative, you know? Jesus is traveling around, doing ministry, teaching people about God, feeding enormous crowds of hungry folks, and then, out of nowhere … Jesus does a shazam move, there’s a flash of light, famous dead people appear, a voice bellows from a cloud … and then it’s over just as quickly as it began.
Random. I might even say … weird! The story borders on ridiculous, honestly! It’s so strange!
My sermon title for Sunday is, “This is My 25th Transfiguration Sunday Sermon and I Still Don’t Understand It.” It’s one of my all time favorite sermon titles that I’ve ever written. As to what the sermon itself is going to be, at this point I have no idea!
At this point I do know that this coming Sunday is “Transfiguration Sunday.” It is always the Sunday right before Lent starts. The reason it is always the Sunday right before Lent starts is that is where the Revised Common Lectionary puts it. And if you were to ask me why the Revised Common Lectionary put it there … well, I haven’t the faintest idea.
So we have this random celebration of this random event in the life of Jesus. What do we do with it?
I suppose we’ll have to show up at worship this Sunday to find out! See y’all in church!
Pastor Andy
Join Pastor Andy every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. for the "Thursday thought for the day" on the church's Facebook page. If you can't join live you can always pick it up later. Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/mumcstl
New Zoom link for Prayer Time on Tues. at 1:00 p.m. See calendar
More Ways to Serve
This past week Steve and Lis Wall-Smith delivered recent donations to MRH High School for their Weekend on Wheels program. Upon this delivery it was shared they still have critical need of the following:
Mac and Cheese
Ramen
cereal
pop tarts/toaster pastries
pasta sauce
pasta noodles
Thank you for your continued support.
Thank you Maplewood UMC for donating to the WOW program so generously.
Bits and Pieces
Ad Council News
Maplewood UMC Goals for 2025
Prioritize creating and updating policies and procedures, including monthly Ad Council review. Plan is to present a policy/procedure set each month, for approval the next month
Create an Outreach Team to oversee, coordinate, and publicize our existing and new service ministries. Communicate internally for member awareness and externally to invite new people. Track via member engagement, $ committed, hours served, people served, generations that are involved, increased attendance
Identify next steps for parsonage space, including budget estimates, and potential for ministry. Parsonage Task Force will make recommendation to Ad Council for approval. Also look for ways to make the ministry areas accessible to everyone.
Trustee News
Roof on the parsonage needs to be replaced. Waiting for the final bid to come in but based on the 2 bids already received, Ad Council approved a $15,000 expenditure to replace the roof.
Concrete and Plaster work on the Sutton entrance will begin March 24th
Thanks to the crew who made the last snow disappear from the church sidewalks and steps.
Other Ad Council News
Paid MO UM Conference apportionments for 2025 - $27,715.
Discussed New Staff Policy and Hiring process. Will finalize next Ad Council meeting, March 30th
Discussed and updated goals for 2025
Freedom School Team will meet March 3rd at 6:30 p.m. anyone wishing to be apart of the planning team for Freedom School; all are welcome.
Our book study continues March 4that 7:00 p.m. in Memorial Hall. (We will also meet on March 11th if needed.). The book we will be reading is What We Talk About When We Talk About God by Rob Bell. This book is led by Jan & Suzanne. A limited amount of books are available in the office so sign up as soon as possible! To sign-up click below:
The Adult Conversations group is continuing reading and discussing Cultivating Christlikeness: Loving as Jesus Loved at 9:45 on Sunday mornings and the books are available in the narthex.
Need a Name Tag? If you are new or have lost your name tag, sign up on the Opportunity Board and Dave Phelps will make you one.
1
Brooke Watkins
Ben Frederickson
4
Leslie Holloman
8
Abbey Ward
Paige Watkins
12
Becca Kunce
Amy Cordeal
19
Wayne Clark
23
Dan Wine
25
Tim McDonough
27
Ann Rutledge
28
Arron DeMattee
29
Barb Stanford
Thanks to Rev. Dr. Antonio Settles for preaching last Sunday at MUMC. Pastor Andy preached at Union Memorial UMC as a part of the pastor exchange
.....Peg Chulick: For healing from cancer for relatives Jane and Tim.
Justice for son Bill dealing with false accusation. For husband ,Jer, ease in his response to challenges.
Continuing prayers for Randy as he waits for lung transplant
... Linda Vawter : Safety for Linda and healing for Lilah who spent weekend with her and tested positive for Covid yesterday; Healing for Brother-in-law Jerry, continuance of minimal side effects during hormone therapy Strengthening for Allen’s mental health and Kathy’s vision.
...Sharon and Bill Housewright, their grandchildren, especially Spencer, also
healing for Paul Nolting and strength for his wife Jan as she cares for him. Pat & Butch Reid, health concerns. For nephew, Chris, for work.
...Continuing prayers for Mike Reynolds, Skip and Donna’s son, for healing and comfort following cancer surgery.
... Shelly McBurnett and family in the passing of their beloved Travis.
...Skip Reynolds Skip continues maintaining in hospice care at Laclede Groves Lutheran Senior Services.
...Nancy Thompson-Please pray for my son, Peter Munshaw, to find appropriate employment.
Continuing prayers for ..
...Karen Raborn healing of hip issues
... bringing people in the country and around the world together in peace.
If you have prayer concerns you wish to share with the congregation, let Kathy Schmid know: kschmid2005@sbcglobal.net
If you have clothing (adult & children's), shoes, purses, household items all in good shape, our resale shop would be glad to take them off your hands.
MUMC Kids
We will be learning about Transfiguration Sunday, and discussing how God shows up even when we aren't looking.
This past Sunday we put together 150 Blessing Bags for the church memebers to hand out. We filled 50 for winter, with hats and gloves in the bag and we filled 100 for warmer days that have a bottle of water instead of hats and gloves in the bag..
DEADLINE for the church newsletter is MIDNIGHT EVERY TUESDAY: send articles via email only to jbrx10@yahoo.com.
The Sunday morning worship bulletin will be sent via email at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday
