The Spire Volume 46 Number 18 September 27, 2017

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The Spire Volume 46 Number 18 September 27, 2017 Last Sunday in worship I shared with our church family that something is NOT happening this year as you might have expected.

In the spring of next year, March 11 th to be exact, we will be asking you to make a 2-year commitment to our shared ministry that includes your commitment to both our general operating ministry and

I m excited by our developing plans and I can hardly wait for us to be talking about what is coming for our ministry together.

1 The Spire Volume 46 Number 18 September 27, 2017 Last Sunday in worship I shared with our church family that something is NOT happening this year as you might have expected. In years past, on a given Sunday during the Fall season, we invited you to give a pledge to the church s ministry for the coming year. That s not going to happen... not in 2017, at least. In the spring of next year, March 11 th to be exact, we will be asking you to make a 2-year commitment to our shared ministry that includes your commitment to both our general operating ministry and our building project. You ll be hearing more about it as we move into the new year. DECIDE. COMMIT. SUCCEED. And, you ll be hearing more about our building project. I m excited by our developing plans and I can hardly wait for us to be talking about what is coming for our ministry together. Do know that I m looking for 100% of our church family to make some kind of commitment. For now, I m simply asking you to begin praying. Don t start by praying about any amount. The time for that will come soon enough. Pray, rather, that God would lead you to become the person God would have you be. To quote William Sloane Coffin again, our job is not to tell you what to give, but to remind you of who you are. We are you are a disciple of Christ, in whose life Christ is actively working! Blessings, Bart A publication of First St. Charles United Methodist Church 801 First Capitol Drive St. Charles, MO

Staying Connected Our deepest sympathies are extended to the family and friends of those who have recently passed away: The family of Alfred Gawith, brother of Wanda (Dick) Saip on September 14, in

Bart Hildreth, Ph.D. Rev. Debby Bartley Rev. Peter Norton Rev. Diane Pence Rev. Dr.

Adams Pat Williams Brielle Ketcherside The Spire is published on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.

2 It s time to pick up your OCC shoebox in the church atrium. Take a brochure off the Christmas tree and follow the instructions. Boxes must be returned to the church by October 29.

We have increased the number of children we serve to 78 children each week. We are in need of many food items each week.

2 Staying Connected Our deepest sympathies are extended to the family and friends of those who have recently passed away: The family of Alfred Gawith, brother of Wanda (Dick) Saip on September 14, in Salina, Kansas. FLU SHOTS Visiting Nurses Association will be giving flu shots on Sunday, October 8. Please sign up on Sunday, October 1, in the atrium. Visiting Nurses Assoc. takes most insurance and Medicare. If you have questions about coverage, please ask at the sign up table. You must have your insurance card with you on the day of the shot. Operation Christmas Child A Look Ahead October 8 Flu Shots October 8 Festival of Sharing donations due October Kairos #15 October 29 Deadline for Operation Christmas Child boxes. Staff Rev. Bart Hildreth, Ph.D. Rev. Debby Bartley Rev. Peter Norton Rev. Diane Pence Rev. Dr. Ken Gottman Margaret Love Jack McCormick Carolie Owens Larry Ruebling Lindsey Willard Sharon Byers Karla Curry Anne Brown Sarite Christison Sally Jacobsen Kerri Johnson Jim Nichols Stacey Davis Patti Adams Pat Williams Brielle Ketcherside The Spire is published on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Articles for the October 11, 2017, Spire are due in the church office by October 4, You may them to fumc_stcharles@sbcglobal.net with the word Spire as the subject. 2 It s time to pick up your OCC shoebox in the church atrium. Take a brochure off the Christmas tree and follow the instructions. Boxes must be returned to the church by October 29. A New School Year for Operation Backpack Operation Backpack is up and running again to help feed the children in need at Lincoln and Monroe Elementary Schools. We have increased the number of children we serve to 78 children each week. We are in need of many food items each week. We also need extra help at the end of September and the beginning of October with delivery to the schools. Please contact Kathy Avery at Items needed this week chicken noodle soup beef ramen noodles breakfast bars individual fruit cups canned peas or carrots individual snack chips or pretzels Kairo's Prison Ministry God calls us to visit those in prison and Kairos Prison Ministry is a well-established and well-organized answer to this calling. Kairos #15 at the Potosi Correctional Center will be held October 19-22, For more information and/or to make a donation, please call Dave Raposo at For more detailed information, see or

NEW CONNECTIONS begins on October 1 st at 11:00 a.m. in room 302. The series, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel will be the first study.

the 21 st Century. We are studying Fear of the Other No Fear in Love by William Willimon.

3 NEW CONNECTIONS begins on October 1 st at 11:00 a.m. in room 302. The series, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel will be the first study. The class facilitators are: George Garrison, Marty Flentge, Trudy McCormick, Kevin McGaughey, and Karen DeSain. Please contact Trudy McCormick at with any questions or comments. FAITHWORKS is a new 9:30 a.m. Sunday School which will be exploring contemporary issues and how Christians can apply Christian teachings to respond in caring, compassionate and thoughtful ways as we seek to live out our faith in the 21 st Century. We are studying Fear of the Other No Fear in Love by William Willimon. If you are looking for a small group Sunday School class that will explore how our faith can inform our morals every day, please join Faithworks in room 302 at 9:30 a.m. THE JOURNEY is a small group which is starting up again. They meet in room 304 at 11:00 a.m. We are studying the book, What Makes You Happy? Please contact Nevada Smith at with your questions or comments. CONFIRMATION classes will begin in October. If you are in middle school or high school and have not yet been confirmed, please see Pastor Peter for more information. DIASTER RELIEF There are several ways you can help the victims of recent hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is prepared and ready to respond to natural disasters both here in the United States and world-wide. Because of the recent hurricanes and earthquakes, the need is great. UMCOR funds are used where the need is greatest. First St. Charles is collecting completed Hygiene Kits. These kits provide basic necessities to those who have been forced to leave their homes. Please bring complete hygiene kits to church and place them in the white baskets in the atrium. For a complete list of what to include and instructions on how to pack the hygiene kits, please see our website or the display in the atrium. Donate money through First St. Charles UMC. Make your check payable to First St. Charles UMC. Write Disaster Relief on the memo line and either place it in the offering plate on Sunday or mail to the church office. Donate money to UMCOR United Methodist Committee on Relief directly. Visit UMCOR.org and click on the DONATE button. Click on US Disaster Response, Advance # You will be directed through the rest of the process. Donate through the office of the Missouri Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Make checks payable to Missouri Annual Conference and write Disaster Response on the memo line. Please mail to Missouri Annual Conference, 3601 Amron Ct. Columbia, MO

Several years ago, we began this ministry, and Jake continues to be our No. 1 participant.

4 Jake s Journey Adult Special Needs Ministry Have you had the opportunity to meet Jake Jones, the namesake of Jake s Journey? He is a 26-year-old young man with Autism and positive, high energy, who loves to greet everyone in the Atrium after the 9:30 service on Sundays. Several years ago, we began this ministry, and Jake continues to be our No. 1 participant. We are looking for caring people to spend an hour with Jake on Sunday mornings, while his parents attend the 9:30 am worship service. Jake is friendly and outgoing and loves to visit with everyone he encounters. He enjoys watching Barney, Thomas the Tank Engine, and drawing on the chalk board. However, his favorite thing to do on Sunday mornings is to empty the recycling tubs throughout the church and take the paper to the recycling dumpster located in a corner of our parking lot. Jake even has his own rolling recycle dumpster! If you are interested or have questions about the ministry, please call Rev. Debby , Jake s dad, Tom Jones, or mom, Char Jones, You may also reach Tom and Char at home in the evenings at Please let us know if you have any friends or family who might interested, too. Safe Sanctuary certification is required. Thank you for your time and consideration in supporting this ministry. Sincerely, Rev. Debby Bartley and Tom, Char, Jake & Seth Jones 4

The Festival of Sharing is an interfaith, state-wide, gathering event held on Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, MO.

Our Youth are overseeing the collection of our items. Here are the two kits we will collect.

5 Festival of Sharing First St. Charles UMC has a long-standing tradition of providing kits for the Festival of Sharing, an ecumenical event that takes place in October. The Festival of Sharing is an interfaith, state-wide, gathering event held on Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, MO. It is a cooperative response to hunger, poverty and injustice, and seeks to raise awareness of these issues. Our Youth are overseeing the collection of our items. Here are the two kits we will collect. More information and lists can be found in the Atrium on the metal donation shelves located under the MISSION CONNECT banner. Donations will be accepted through Sunday, October 8th. Please place donations in the baskets located under the MISSION CONNECT banner. As the Festival of Sharing brochure states, When people of faith come together, our Sharing makes a positive and powerful difference in the lives of people in need. Join us to experience the joy of Sharing! 5

If you are interested in attending the new 11:00 adult Sunday school class and learning about New Connections, please join the class for a Getting to Know You social event.

, St. Peters 63376 As a church we depend upon volunteers. As a member of the church you pledge your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Are you in need of a way to give your service?

HELP WITH COFFEE AND DONUTS We need a few people who will help with coffee service between 10:30 and 11:00 am on the first Sunday of each month.

We need people who could serve one Sunday morning per month. Please call the church office or Lu Cross at 636-399-4867.

We have two usher teams for each service-one for the odd numbered months and one for the even numbered months. The 11:00 service teams particularly need volunteers.

6 If you are interested in attending the new 11:00 adult Sunday school class and learning about New Connections, please join the class for a Getting to Know You social event. We will enjoy finger foods and good company. Please join us. RSVP to Trudy McCormick at Host and hostess: Trudy and Jack McCormick Date: Saturday, October 14, 2017 Time: 7:00 P.M. Place: 103 Lost Dutchman Dr., St. Peters As a church we depend upon volunteers. As a member of the church you pledge your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Are you in need of a way to give your service? Following is a list of some of the ways in which you can be of service to First St. Charles. HELP WITH COFFEE AND DONUTS We need a few people who will help with coffee service between 10:30 and 11:00 am on the first Sunday of each month. Please contact the church office or Alice Kniker at HOSPITALITY TEAM Are you a friendly person who likes to smile? Do you like to meet new people? Consider joining the Hospitality team. We need people who could serve one Sunday morning per month. Please call the church office or Lu Cross at USHERS NEEDED Being an usher is an easy and fun, but very important, way to participate in the ministry of the church. We have two usher teams for each service-one for the odd numbered months and one for the even numbered months. The 11:00 service teams particularly need volunteers. If you would be willing to give of your time, please contact the church office at or speak to one of the pastors. WE NEED NEW PRAYER WARRIORS The Intercessory Prayer Group meets each Wednesday morning at 8 am to pray in the chapel and then write notes to each new person added to the prayer list from the previous week; we usually finish by 9:00 am. We each feel blessed to pray for others. Would you join our group? PEW PATROL NEEDS VOLUNTEERS The pew patrol is two groups of volunteers that tidy up the sanctuary after Sunday services. They meet early in the week and put hymnals back, stock the pew racks with pens and other supplies and generally get the sanctuary ready for the next week. One group works the even numbered months and the other the odd numbered months. They are in need of additional help, particularly the even numbered months. If you can help, please call the church office to volunteer at

The Spire Volume 46 Number 17 September 13, 2017

The Spire Volume 46 Number 17 September 13, 2017 Friends, See the article below from Pastor Peter. Please know that I m excited by this development in our shared ministry, and look for it to be a great