creates spaces where people can have authentic encounters with Christ, discover their Spiritual gifts. and use them for God’s glory
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Lent Reflection Group
Wednesday Evenings,
7:00 pm
Continuing Wednesday Nights 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.
Meet the new members to Maplewood UMC; David Eisenstein and Jamie Moore
House Plants Needed for Lent
During Lent, we’ll be creating a collage of houseplants in the front of the sanctuary. If you would like to loan one or two of your houseplants to the church for the season, please bring it to the church building some time this week. We can even add them Sunday morning, and add more as the weeks of Lent progress. Succulents, ferns, spider plants, leafy, viney, flowery, whatever … diversity is one of our core values! No more than one or two plants per household, please. Let’s create a community collage of plants in the sanctuary for our series, “The Earth is the Lord’s!”
Note from Pastor Andy
“...in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land, a Sabbath for the Lord…” (Leviticus 25:4)
Week two of Lent series, “The Earth is the Lord’s,” is about the land itself. As the above verse indicates, care for the land has always been extremely important, so important in fact that giving the land a year of rest is included in the Levitical laws recorded in Scripture.
I mean, it makes sense, doesn’t it? You know how you feel when you don’t get enough rest, don’t you? You feel drained, empty. Your energy is depleted. It’s hard to function. Eventually your body just … stops. The idiom, “Hit the wall,” is used to describe this moment. It feels like you just run into a wall and simply cannot go on.
It turns out, when land is used over and over again without being given a chance to rest, it gets depleted also. Nutrients that are necessary for healthy crops are lost to repeated cycles of planting and harvest. They can replenish naturally, but they need time to do so.
Human beings are not meant for constant, relentless productivity. The land we live on is not meant for constant, relentless productivity. That’s not the intention of the Creator; that’s not how we are made.
Rest is a natural and essential aspect of life. And a big part of caring for God’s creation is how we allow it to experience rest.
I can’t wait for Week Two! Our theme will be “Rest for the Land.” 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 Church Directory in Process of being put together
A new Maplewood UMC directory will be available this spring or early summer. We are in need of everyone filling out their family's information on the Church Directory form which is online: 2025 Directory Update. We encourage everyone to fill out their info online for accuracy sake and it will easier upload your information to the directory. If you are unable to put your info online there will be a paper form available to fill out. PLEASE PRINT if using paper form.
Bits and Pieces
The roof of the parsonage was replaced this week. This is the first step in toward one of the church's goals for this year, to get the parsonage property usable and ready for ministry.
Let’s celebrate SPRING!! “Natural World” with Beginner WATERCOLOR CLASSES 🎨
12 persons max. Classes will be held in the church, Fellowship Hall
April 3, April 24, May 15 (TBD) 2025. Thursdays, 10:OO to 11:30 a.m.
Sign up required! Reserve a spot! Can’t come? Someone can fill in, so get on waiting list IF class fills.
Sessions will continue in the fall! ⭐️This is good stress relief❣️
Immigration Film Screening
On March 19 at 7:00 pm at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church there will be a free screening of the film "Gateway to a New Life," with a discussion to follow. The event is free and open to the public.
Help fill empty Easter Eggs for the Church Easter Egg Hunt
Pick up a bag of empty Easter Eggs and fill them with trinkets or candy and return them to the church by Palm Sunday.
Financial News
Our apportionments for 2025 to the Missouri UMC Annual Conference have been paid, $27,175.
Over $1000 has been raised to send to the Fire Relief Fund of the Pacific/California UMC Annual Conference. Thanks to all who participated.
Items for the Weekend on Wheels program (WOW) at the MRH high School.
Each week a backpack of food items are sent home to student's families who are in need of extra food during the weekend when the students can't take advantage of the two meals offered by the High School. Below are the items they are in critical need for now.
Mac and Cheese
Ramen
cereal
pop tarts/toaster pastries
pasta sauce
pasta noodles
Thank you for your continued support.
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)
... Jan Harsh's mother was in the hosptial earlier this week.
...Skip Watkin's sister, Chris, who passed away Mon. March 3 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
.....Peg Chulick: For healing from cancer for relatives Jane and Tim. Jane is having surgery this week. Continuing prayers for Randy as he waits for lung transplant. For husband ,Jer, ease in his response to challenges.
... 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
