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; Pres - refers to the Presbytery Office Resource Center; Ladue - refers to Ladue Chapel; WG - refers to Webster Groves Presbyterian, Kirkwood - refers to First Presbyterian of Kirkwood. Contact the office at 314-772-2395 if you are unsure where you will be meeting.

2019 Holiday Office Schedule

NOVEMBER: Closed on Thursday and Friday, November 28 & 29 for Thanksgiving.

DECEMBER: Closed on Tuesday, December 24 and Wednesday, December 25 for Christmas; Closing at noon on Tuesday, December 31, and all day Wednesday, January 1.

Alternative Thanksgiving

Food for thought?

 Our celebrations can extend the love and fellowship of Christ beyond our dining room tables. We can enact our faith at the table by choosing foods and ingredients that honor the people that produce them as well as God’s creation

Learn more about Alternative Thanks-giving here.

Uprooting Hunger - Hunger Action Team

In 2019 the presbytery will work toward establishing Certified Hunger Action Congregations. This  handout will be helpful to your congregation, as we journey together.

We welcome any questions you might have - email us at [email protected] or call 314-772-2395.

We celebrate, in thanksgiving, our 20 Certified and 25 Covenanting Congregations for their dedication to eradicating hunger in their communities!

Questions on how to get your congregation involved email us here.

Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team

Will be meeting Thursday, November 14, 2019. The meeting will be held at Third Presbyterian Church, 9990 Lewis & Clark, St. Louis MO 63136 (Moline Acres). Directions found here.

Contact Bernice Thompson (314) 496-7665. All Presbyterian Women are invited and encouraged to attend

Flint - The Poisoning of an American City

Sun., Nov. 17 at 4 p.m.

Flint documentary being one of the closing films at the St Louis Film Festival and hope we can get some Presbyterians (among others) to come out on Sunday the 17th at 4 pm. 

Here is the St Louis Film Festival link for the Flint screening this Sunday at 4pm: https://cinemastlouis.org/sliff/flint-poisoning-american-city

Installation of Rev. Bill Vincent

Please join us in prayer and thanksgiving for the ministry of First Presbyterian - Union and Pacific Presbyterian. Their banner says it all. Yoked together, with common ministerial bond. Welcome Rev. Vincent!

Stewardship Reminds of the

Importance of being Four for Four  

* It is an opportunity to grow in grace and giving through participation in the Special Offerings of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. 

* It means that your congregation celebrates its connection with the ministries of PCUSA and is glad to share in them.                                                                      

*It means God’s grace will be spread more widely as human need and possibility is identified.       

*It means every congregation can have a global connection throughout the year.

Learn more here.

Congregations Can Get up to $50k to Help Their Pastors Find Renewal

Applications available for the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program from the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program

Congregations seeking renewal for their pastor are invited to apply for the  Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program  at  Christian Theological Seminary  in Indianapolis, Indiana.

According to a news release from the program, congregations may apply for grants of up to $50,000 to underwrite a renewal program for their pastor and for the pastor’s family. Up to $15,000 of the funds are available to the congregation to help cover costs for ministerial supply while the pastor is away

Learn more here

Calling All College Students

Travel with UKirk - StL from January 1-5, 2019 to the College Conference in Montreat, NC! Join students from all over the Presbytery and 1000+ others from around the U.S. to hear amazing speakers, experience Spirit-filled worship, and play in the mountains of Montreat. 

https://www.ukirkstl.org/uploads/5/6/8/7/56879897/2020_montreat_registration.pdf

FINAL DAY TO SIGN UP NOVEMBER 20TH!!!!

A Place of Grace Creativity Challenge

The 2019 12-Week Creativity Challenge is going so well  that I am offering three  next year with minor modifications. Check out the Fact Sheet Flier for more information, and feel free to post it on your bulletin board or share the post from the A Place of Grace Facebook Page!

Read more here

What is A Place of Grace?

A Place of Grace offers opportunities for your congregation, youth group, Men’s Bible Study, women’s circle, and/or staff to give back through Mission Madness Workshops. Recently, Glendale Presbyterian Church held an intergenerational Mission Madness Worship where the first part of the service was held in the sanctuary and the second part was held in the fellowship hall, and they created 7 bandana pillows for the homeless, 17 upcycled Christmas cards, 16 Christmas gift tags, and 41 paper dolls for families in need in the Riverbend area! You, too, can share in serving God by serving others! A Place of Grace provides the supplies, and Julie will teach you the skills you need to accomplish your particular task. Retreats are offering-based, but may be subject to mileage charges due to travel expense. Call Julie Gvillo (618-410-5060) to schedule a date! 

2020 JOINING HANDS PARTNERSHIP 20TH ANNIVERSARY PERU PILGRIMAGE

Pilgrimage:  A long journey to a sacred place

as an act of devotion.

YOUR ARE INVITED to be part of the 2020 Joining Hands Partnership 20th Anniversary Peru Pilgrimage. This pilgrimage includes journeying to the coastal, mountain and rainforest regions of Peru, to meet with our Joining Hand's Partners, to hear updates about the socio/economic context of Peru, to experience historical and cultural events and places, and to join with Red Uniendo Manos Peru (Peru Joining Hands Network) and others in a 20th Anniversary Celebration.

This Pilgrimage will be framed by daily bookends of morning and evening prayer and reflection on our Matthew 25 Pilgrimage Theme: When Did We See You?--Where and when do we experience the Christ 

Presence of compassion, love and justice in the people and places along the journey and in each other?

It will be a pilgrimage of listening and learning and accompaniment of our partners and returning to our congregations and groups to continue the pilgrimage of love and justice.

This year there will be two options for participating in the Pilgrimage:

-Participation in the whole journey: August 1-15, Weeks 1 and 2 or

-Participation in Week 1 only.

See the flyer for specific cost and deadline details. Found here.

For additional information or an application, please contact:

Ellie Stock:  [email protected] or (314) 521-8418 or

Mark Strothmann:  [email protected] or (314) 779-6940

Franck und Stein

Sun., Nov. 17 at 3:00 p.m.

Ladue Chapel - Fireside Room

César Franck was an important nineteenth-century French organist whose compositions inspired a new style of organ playing and composition in France. His final compositions, the Trois Chorals (Three Chorals) will be performed by organists Mark Scholtz, Robert Lehman and David Erwin on Sunday, November 17 at 3:00 p.m., on our Schoenstein & Co. organ, which has just the right sounds (warm foundation stops, a capped Oboe Horn, and even the peculiar-sounding Vox Humana) to make this music come alive!

A freewill offering will be received. And what could be better to follow an organ recital than a beer tasting? So plan to join us afterwards on the Fireside Room patio for a tasting of Urban Chestnut beers, plus ciders and specialty waters, and even homemade pretzels!  Directions can be found here.

Second Presbyterian Church Fall Concert

Sun., Nov. 17 at 4 p.m.

The Second Church Chorale and Chamber Orchestra with conductor Andrew Peters present music for the Thanksgiving season. The program opens with enchanting, brief orchestral works by Karl Abel, William Boyce, and Henry Purcell. Singers of the Chorale conclude the concert with George Frederick Handel’s magnificent Dettingen Te Deum. Commissioned in 1743, the work celebrates the British victory in the Battle of Dettingen. Additional singers are welcome to join the Chorale for this concert. Please contact the music office for further details including the rehearsal schedule. Directions found here. 

Craft Fair

Sat., Nov. 23

Florissant Presbyterian is having a Craft Fair on Sat. November 23rd from 9-2. Crafters are still welcome to sign up for a table. Call FPC office M-W 9-2 for additional information. 

Prayer Retreat at Ladue Chapel

Saturday, November 23

This one day retreat will take place in the Fireside Room at Ladue Chapel, from 8:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. As Advent approaches, you are invited to rest in God’s presence with Dieter Heinzl and Anne Peacock. Join us as we spend the morning in prayer through silence and reflection with art, music, and God’s Word. The labyrinth will also be available to walk in Fellowship Hall before, during and after the retreat. Friends welcome. RSVP to Anne Peacock 314-993-4771 x3122 Cost: $5. The event flyer can be found here.

FREE Hymnals Available

Southminster Presbyterian Church, Crestwood, has 196 The Singing Church hymnals. These hymnals were published by the Hope Publishing Company. These need a new home and are free to whoever will come and claim them. First come first serve, must take all of them. Please contact, Bill Thomas at 314-323-8041, if you are interested.

UKirk Meal Sign-Up

Calling all chefs and potluck masters! - Would you support this ministry by signing up for meal coordination for this upcoming year? We gather at Trinity Presbyterian Church every Sunday evening. You can sign up and find more information  here.

Space For Rent in Imperial

1600 square foot space, five rooms and common room, second floor. Perfect for office, preschool, daycare, etc. Rent all or individual rooms. Located at Rock Presbyterian Church, Imperial, Missouri. Call 314-420-9477

FOR PASTORS OUT IN THE COLD:

For the asking, a barely used (5X, maybe) Collegiate preachers cold weather cloak from the '70's; MSRP $520. Fits someone (any gender) around 5'10". E-mail [email protected] with request.

Hearing and Preaching the Gospel of Matthew

Thur., Nov. 21 | 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Zion Lutheran Church

Lutheran School of Theology is pleased to offer the workshop, "Hearing and Preaching the Gospel of Matthew," which will cover major themes in Matthew's gospel.  A majority of workshop time will be spent exploring samples of Matthean lectionary readings and exploring avenues for preaching on Matthew.

The teacher is The Rev. Dr. Deborah Krause, Professor of New Testament, Eden Seminary, St. Louis.  She is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA) who serves the church through social justice advocacy work, teaching, preaching and scholarship.

Zion Lutheran Church is located at 123 Carson Rd., Ferguson, MO 63135. Directions found here.

Tuition, which includes lunch, is $45 by Nov. 11 and $50 after that. Register online at:  www.lststl.org/courses; by phone at 314-918-2556 and leave a message if necessary; by email to: [email protected]; or by mail to: LST, 475 E. Lockwood Ave., St. Louis, MO 63119

APCE Annual Event

Little Rock, Arkansas - Jan. 29 to Feb. 1

Invitation from Annual Event Co-chairs

“See I am sending you out,” Jesus boldly announces to seventy of his disciples in the Gospel of Luke. Likewise, this January, you are invited to Little Rock, Arkansas, to escape the cramped boxes of conventional church programs and to explore “discipleship through retreat, mission, and justice ministries.” 

This coming January 29 – February 1, join us in Little Rock for an “outside the box” APCE Annual Event! Bring your ideas, questions, imagination and passion as we discover together how God is sending us out to make disciples through retreat, mission, and justice ministries. Learn more here.

Discovering Renewal

Finding Renewal in the Everyday

A Montreat Conference Center Event

April 13–16, 2020

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthews 28:11

Our culture values hard work over rest. Burnout is rampant. Our jobs, obligations, and churches often expect us to work relentlessly. Hard work is good, but is it our ultimate goal? We often preach about the importance of Sabbath, but how often do we take our own advice? We need time to breathe, think, and engage our senses. We may need to discover the feeling of renewal. Discovering Renewal will focus on seeking respite in everyday experiences.

Learn more here.

Empowering Commissioned Pastors Conference

With the enthusiastic support and participation of our Co-Moderators, Vilmarie and Cindy, the Synod of the Sun Commissioned Pastors Network is sponsoring a conference for commissioned pastors (formerly known as commissioned lay pastors or commissioned ruling elders), to be held May 13–16, 2020, at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church, Richardson, Texas.

PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY (Found Here)

so facilitators can better plan the event.

Expect registration to open on December 1 .

FOR YOUTH

A New Earth: Thinking Theologically about Environmental Justice

June 14-28, 2020

Millions of youth from around the world have participated in climate strikes and environmental justice campaigns over the last few weeks. Presbyterian-related Monmouth College (Illinois) invites high school youth to continue their efforts by applying for the 2020 Lux Institute for Youth. June 14-28, 2020, theologically curious high school students from around the country will focus on environmental justice: diving deep into the world of theological and biblical studies, intentional community, vocational discernment, and worship.

Application deadline: January 1, 2020 - Priority consideration for applications received before December 1, 2019

Learn more here.

224th General Assembly (2020)

Hands and Feet Service Opportunities

During the 224th General Assembly (2020) and as a part of the OGA’s Hands and Feet initiative, The Center: Mission Outside the Box will offer hands-on service opportunities for GA-affiliated visitors, family members, youth groups, and friends. We will offer up to four service options, from 8:30–noon, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, June 22, 24, 25, and 26. 

Find our more by clicking here.