NOTE: Meeting locations are as follows: Oaks - is the meeting room next door to the presbytery office; St.Andrew - refers to the Board Room of St. Andrews on the second floor, directly above the presbytery office; Ladue - refers to Ladue Chapel; WG - refers to Webster Groves Presbyterian. Contact the office at 314-772-2395 if you are unsure where you will be meeting.

Presbytery Gathering

Thurs., Feb. 7 th - 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

(Registration/Fellowship Begins at 12 p.m.)

NOTE LOCATION CHANGE:

Host will be Southminster Presbyterian Church

Full Call Details Can be Found Here

This half - day gathering will include the Installation of Rev. Dr. Craig Howard, as Presbytery Leader, and will be packed with information by offering six different training opportunities for the leadership of each congregation.

All are welcome!

Teaching Elder, Ruling Elder, Deacon, Treasurer, Finance Team Member, and interested congregation members or even friends of the congregation, we have created these learning opportunities with you in mind! Visit our Gathering Page and Register Today! Click Here.

No Free Lunch

It may not feel like it when paying for our groceries, but we Americans on average use only about 10% of our disposable income on food – way down from what our parents and grandparents used. Yet, as they say – there is no free lunch – and those working on the farm are paying for at least some of the difference. Focused on a farm in southern Texas, the article shows the realities of farm work, and the beautiful photographs of farmworkers by Dan Winter give us a flavor of what their lives are like . Read on here.

Uprooting Hunger - Hunger Action Team

The next sixteen months the presbytery will work toward establishing Certified Hunger Action Congregations. This  handout will be helpful to your congregation, as we journey together in the year + ahead. If you have any questions, email:  [email protected]

Share the Pics!

If you are ordaining and/or installing Deacons, Elders, Trustees or others to service, would you share that joy with us? It is easy to do, by emailing those photos to [email protected] or even texting 573.578.3960 if using a smart phone.

Southminster Presbyterian Ordained/Installed Elders ...Pictured are (from L-R) Steve Hasenmueller, Sandy Freeman, Connie Hoff, Tanya Young, Bill Hufnagel & Pastor Karl Hauser

Webster Groves Presbyterian Ordained and Installed several Deacons, Elders and Trustees recently. (Photos at left and below)

Brian Owens Duo to Perform

The Brian Owens Duo explores songs of love and hope. This concert features Brian’s own compositions as well as music by African American artists and takes place on Sunday, February 17 at 4:00 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church. The church is located at 4501 Westminster Place in the Central West End, St. Louis, 63108. The concert is part of the Couts Music Series and is free to the community. For more information call 314-367-0367 or  www.secondchurch.net .

Communion Ware Needed

Any downsizing congregation have a communion cup-holder tray you want to pass on? Looking for a 40-cup or less communion cup tray for use with seniors. No lid necessary; any material fine.

Will arrange pick up. Please contact Julie A. Berger, Chaplain, Aberdeen Heights Senior Living, [email protected] or 314-909-6065.

Children's Community Choir

Registration Rescheduled for Winter Weather

If your child likes to sing, our new children's choir will give them the opportunity to share their talents with other kids in our community and have a great time! Prospective Choir members would be children from 1st grade to 5th grade. Rehearsals would be from 10 a.m. until Noon on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, starting January 26, 2019. After registration at 10 a.m. on Jan. 26th, we will plan to rehearse at 10:30 a.m. 

This choir is sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church, located at 285 E. Springfield Rd., Sullivan, Missouri For more info call 573- 468- 6364 or email: [email protected]

Seeking Bass Section Leader

Second Presbyterian Church in the Central West End of St. Louis has an opening for a bass section leader. The choir rehearses Wednesday evenings from 7:15-9:15 pm, and sings for the 11:00 am Sunday service each week from September through May. For further information, or to schedule an audition, please contact Andrew Peters, Organist/ Minister of Music at [email protected] or 314-367-0367.

St. Louis Winter Outreach

In this bitter cold, in a city that doesn’t have a 24-hr walk-up shelter, a group of volunteers and partner churches and orgs provide direct services to our un-housed neighbors. If you or your congregation are interested in supporting St. Louis Winter Outreach, now is absolutely the time. Below is a very specific list of items needed for outreach teams going out to serve this week. They also always welcome new volunteers. And if your church is interested in providing shelter space, Winter Outreach is always looking for more beds. If you have questions or would like to get more involved, go to  https://www.stlwinteroutreach.org/ or contact Rev. Erin Counihan at [email protected].  ( Immediate need for donations: hand warmers, xl men's gloves, men's knit caps, men's thermal socks, tarps 6×8, twin size blankets, sleeping bags, peanut butter crackers, nutri grain bars, individual fruit cups (applesauce etc), Little Debbie snacks and chips.) These items may be dropped off at MoKaBe’s Coffeehouse, located at 3606 Arsenal at Grand.

Joining Hands Peru Partnership

May 25 to June 2, 2019

The next Joining Hands Peru Partnership Reflection and Action Trip will be May 25 to June 2, 2019. Those interested may contact Ellie Stock ( [email protected]) or Mark Strothmann ( [email protected]) for an application or more information. Deadline is February 28, 2019 with $500.00 deposit. Application for financial assistance is February 15, 2019.

Complete Details found here.

Opportunity to Talk about the Confessions

Beginning February 7

Once again there will be a weekly discussion of The Book of Confessions this spring. The course on the Confessions is offered by Eden Seminary. You are invited to join the discussion as we read and ponder the confessions that are a crucial part of our constitution. The conversations will be held every Wednesday on the Eden campus. All you have to do to join us is come at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday mornings having read the confession we will be talking about. There is no cost to you nor do you have to be part of every discussion. Come for the ones that fit your schedule. I would like to hear from you that you are interested in joining us or if you have any questions. See all details here. Contact Rev. Barbara Willock, for more information at [email protected].

Healthy Rivers, Creeks & Streams

On Sunday, February 10, from 9:30 a.m to 10:15 a.m., at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church, Katherine Golden, Missouri Botanical Garden, will share information about local issues that impact the health of rivers, creeks and streams. This talk will highlight the value of clean water in our community and what individuals can do to help protect our watershed. We’ll explore the relationship between human development, stormwater and water quality issues and best practices to prevent pollution. You’’ll walk away with practical solutions you can do in your own life and at home to help protect our watershed and prevent pollution. Find complete details here.

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Gun Violence Prevention Program

"Gracious God, ...You encourage us to be our best... We confess that we have not done our best in protecting our children...Grant us a good and fresh start."

Following on the 223rd General Assembly action on gun violence prevention, our hope is that you share the links below with your congregations. As we observe the February 17 Universal Day of Prayer for Students and the February 14 Anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, let us seek the unique role of the church in healing our nation. The downloadable Kit contains prayers, hymns, worship and action ideas, including the prayer adopted by the 223rd General Assembly.

·          February Worship-Action Kit

·          Media Release on Feb. Worship-Action Kit, featuring GA Co-Moderator Rev. Cindy Kohlmann 

Christ Crucified

First Presbyterian Church in Sullivan welcomes all to join them in a Lenten Bible Study, on Thursdays 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. All are welcome.

If you have any questions, please email Pastor Ron Kopplemam at [email protected]

Come and join us for the 6-week study

2019 Presbyterians Today Lenten Devotional

Awakening to God’s Beauty

A Lenten invitation to pray with art

 This year’s stunning devotional invites us on a spiritual and visual pilgrimage through the holy season of Lent . . . through the final days of our Lord’s ministry . . . his passion . . . his death on the cross . . . and finally his glorious resurrection at Easter.

Learn more here.