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THANK YOU

Our heartfelt thanks to all of the members of St. Philip’s UCC Church who came to say goodbye to Wanda Lee Reidel.

You have a wonderful, loving, and caring congregation. May God be with you in all of your Christian endeavors.

Sincerely,

Bill and Gloria Gruttke and family

KEEP IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

• Lucille Brand at Green Park Nursing Home
• John Schuette at Green Park Nursing Home,
• Mary Kelly, who was released from St. Luke’s on August 17th,
• The family of Jeffrey Decker who passed away on August 7, 2007.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Be sure to make the following change in your church directory.

Ruth Lenz has moved to:

Autumn View Gardens
16219 Autumn View Terrace
Ellisville, MO 63011
636-821-3328

BELL CHOIR/HANDCHIMES REHEARSAL

Bell Choir rehearsals will be starting again on Tuesday, September 11 th. Please mark your calendars and be ready to commence with ringing/chiming on that day. We have purchased another table for the men to spread out a little more so things should be off to a good start. See you on the 11 th at 7 pm.

Shirley

CHANCEL CHOIR

The Chancel Choir will start rehearsing on September 12 th. We will be practicing for only one hour for at least a month until we get closer to Thanksgiving and Advent. Seems impossible that the summer has gone by so fast but it has and we will try again to fulfill the music program as much as possible.

I appreciate all of the solos and special music we had over the summer months. Of course, it was my special joy to have my grandsons and my youngest son be part of the music on August 12 th. Michael said he grew up in St. Philip’s and was confirmed here and so it was a pleasure for his sons to be part of the service – a special day.

Thanks to everyone and may we have a joyous new season. New music to start with and hopefully each Sunday a new experience.

Wednesday evening 7:30 pm till 8:30 pm for a while.

Eula

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

A big thank you to everyone who participated in VBS. What a wonderful experience you have given to the boys and girls to show God’s love.

They thoroughly enjoyed the week and learned so much about I Will Follow, I Will Trust, I Will Listen, I Will repent, I Will Serve.

You have served the Lord so faithfully.

Thank you again.

Virginia

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Two boxes of supplies were taken to St. John’s UCC, N. Grand, and 2 boxes were taken to the Joint Neighborhood Houses at Epiphany UCC. On Saturday, the 18 th, at Epiphany, supplies were given out to boys and girls. At St. John’s they were putting supplies in back packs.

Thank you to all who helped with these school supplies.

BRATWURST DINNER

The bratwurst dinner is approaching, October 28 th to be precise. As always, we are looking for contributions to help make the dinner a success. Please be on the lookout for the signup sheet on the bulletin board in the next several weeks. Every little bit helps.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY SALE RESULTS

Many thanks to all who donated items for our Christmas in July sale. As a result we collected $226.70 for the air conditioning fund. Good job! Thanks to all the ladies who organized and set it up. We sure had a lot of items to pick from.

JESUS ART SHOW

Do you have a picture of Jesus or a religious picture you would like to display in the Jesus Art Show? We would like to encourage everyone to bring their pictures to church to be displayed in the Art Show. Our children will be drawing pictures of Jesus in Sunday School and these will be displayed with the other artwork. Like last year, all the artwork will be displayed in the “gathering area” for two weeks (October 7 th and 14 th). Watch for more details.

BLESSING OF THE CROSSES

In addition to the artwork, we are asking members to bring their crosses to church to be blessed on Sunday, September 30th and then all the crosses will be displayed with the artwork. Identification cards will be provided to print your name and a brief description of the item you bring. Watch for more details.

ADVENT DEVOTIONALS

This year our devotional booklet will be “Faces of Jesus”. We will be asking for devotionals that tell how you have seen the face of Jesus in your life. A sample will be printed in a later Crier. We will start collecting the devotionals in October and November. More details to come.

CRAFTERS

There will be an organizational meeting of the crafters on Tuesday, September 4 th at 7 pm. Bring your ideas, let us know if you have any craft materials, and we will decide on a meeting day to do our crafting.

CAN YOU HELP TEAM MILES?

Our daughter, Tricia, has organized a family team to participate in the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk on September 22, 2007. We will be raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association. As many of you know, Tricia’s grandma, Bob’s mom, suffered from Alzheimer’s for many years. And currently, both grandmas on Josh’s side are suffering from Alzheimer’s. Trish is doing this in memory of Grandma Kammerer and in honor of Josh’s grandmas as well. Our team name is Team Miles, and yes, baby Miles will be walking with us! Bob will be happy to take any cash or check donations for the next few Sundays before the walk. Checks may be made out to Alzheimer’s Association. Thank you so much for any donations to help find a cure for this life changing disease. If you cannot donate, prayers and well wishes for our walk are always appreciated.

Linda and Bob Kammerer

FAITHFUL READERS BOOK CLUB

The next book that the book club is reading is Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”. We will meet to discuss this book on Sunday, October 21 st after worship.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

With activities speeding up for the fall and the 50 th anniversary celebration if you put a date for building use on the calendar in the hall be sure to tell Shirley in the office so that she can put it on her office calendar as well and get it into the Crier and bulletin as the date/event comes up. Thanks for your cooperation on this.

FESTIVAL OF SHARING - October 20, 2007

The time is here again to get supplies together for the gathering at Sedalia for the needy food pantries. This year we are collecting paper products. Each kit will contain:

• 6 double rolls toilet tissues (1 pkg. or individually wrapped)
• 3 rolls good quality paper towels
• 2 large rectangular boxes of facial tissue

We will appreciate any of these items. These kits will be put together on September 18 th to be delivered to the drop off site at a church in the vicinity. These will then be taken to Sedalia.

Please have these at church by Sunday, September 16 th.

Thank you for your participation. Use the box on the table by the front door.

Janet Remmers and Virginia Hladnick

SUNDAY SCHOOL RALLY DAY

OFF TO THE RACES !!!

Get your bicycles/tricycles ready!

You will decorate your bike after church. We will have the supplies. There will be a “50 th Anniversary Parade”, a picnic lunch, and a “Bicycle/Tricycle Race” – a fun day!

Mark your calendar – watch for details in the Sunday bulletin.

Christian Education Committee

UCC @ 50 OUR FUTURE

The United Church of Christ is 50 years old this year. To commemorate the anniversary, Co-Editors, J. Martin Bailey and W. Evan Golder have brought together a book (in word and picture) about those 50 years of history. It is now available through the United Church Press. A sample copy is on the credenza in the gathering space. If you would like your own copy of this book please sign up on the sheet that is with the churches sample copy of the book. Price will vary depending on how many we order so please wait to pay until after the order gets made:

• Single copy $6.95
• 10-24 copies 6.45 each
• 25-plus copies 5.95 each
• (Plus S&H)

Look the sample over…you may find it full of memories and/or educational about the UCC’s ministries of these past 50 years. Did you know that the first merger thoughts were discussed as far back as 1937? I didn’t, but I saw that in the first few pages of the book. I know there will be at least one ordered by me and we hope to add your order to it. The more we know about our larger church family and its view of the ministry we are called into as members, the more we are able to share that faith in ways we are capable of. Some of the early members here may know J. Martin Bailey. He was the editor of the E&R magazine entitled ”The Messenger” after the merger he edited a new magazine entitled (I think) “Agora” (means The Market Place. His office was at Eden Publishing House at 18 th and Chouteau. He also was a week to week supply Pastor filling in for vacationing Pastors at a lot of the “Missions Churches” in the area. He later served as a longer term interim Pastor that served some of those same churches. Don’t delay. Order today and we will all be on the way into OUR FUTURE….writing new chapters for the next 50 years history book.

Bob Leber

MEMORIES NEEDED

Dear Pastor,

My father, Rev. John Altenbernd was the pastor at your church during the time of approximately 1958 to 1964. Our mother, Sue (Altenbernd, nee Herrell), will soon be celebrating her 70 th birthday on September 23, 2007. To help commemorate this day for her we would like to put together a book of memories. To do that we will need your help. We would like to ask that you pass the letter to your congregation in hopes that some of their friends and acquaintances are still a part of your church. Please send a story of your fondest memories of her whether it be happy, sad, or funny. Please include any pictures you may have that you would like to share. If you know of anyone else who would like to send something please feel free to pass this letter on.

Your letters may be sent to the address, e-mail, or fax below:

Lyn Midden
9 Duffy Court
St. Peters, MO 63376
llmidden@hotmail.com
Fax: Attn: Lyn 314-218-2319

Thank you for your contribution. Sue will be very happy to have heard from all of you and to know that you took the time to share your memories with her.

We look forward to hearing from you.

(signed) Lyn Midden

636-397-1015

SHOP FOR A CAUSE

On Saturday, October 13 th, Macy’s Department Store is once again having the Shop For A Cause Event. Passes are available for a $5.00 donation and you will be able to save 20% or 10% on merchandise in the store. (some exclusions apply) These passes will be available at church until October 4 th. The $5.00 paid for these passes is money that the church can keep. It is strictly a fund raiser for the church. Might want to do some early Christmas shopping. Hope you remember to get your pass before the 4 th of October.

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

COMING EVENTS

COMMUNITY EVENTS (see bulletin board for details)

Sunday, September 2 nd – 11 am to 4 pm – St. Thomas UCC in

Chesterfield will be celebrating their 100 th anniversary with a Church Renewal Event – Watch the air show from one of the highest hills in Chesterfield, carnival games and prizes, homemade ice cream, food and drinks, live band. St. Thomas is located at 17842 Wildhorse Creek Road.

LITURGISTS, USHERS, ACOLYTES AND CHILDREN’S TIME FOR AUGUST

Liturgists

September 2

September 9 Brad Urban (new student)

September 16 Lois Decker

September 23 Brad Urban

September 30 Jim Caldwell

Children’s Time

September 2 Sandy Stevenson

September 9 Kit Norton

September 16 April Schillinger

September 23 Brad Urban

September 30 Jennifer Larsen

 Ushers

September 2 Council

September 9 50+ Group

September 16 Evangelism

September 23 Women’s Fellowship

September 30 Fellowship and Service 

Acolytes

September 2

September 9

September 16

September 23

September 30

Dear partners in ministry,

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

This was the text for last Sunday and out at Mo-Val we put up clouds for our biblical ancestors and clouds for those who were and are our personal ancestors in faith. As we prepare for the 50 th anniversary of St. Philip’s United Church of Christ, we will be remembering those pioneers who helped to found our church.

Imagine a stadium filled with your ancestors and pioneers in faith. Imagine you are running the race of life. Who is in the stands? Who is cheering for you? Who has trained you and shown you how to run the race? Who will be waiting for you when you cross the finish line? I hope you either have taken the time to do this or will take the time to give God thanks for your trainers and fans. Maybe you need to make a list.

As we begin another program year, as a new Confirmation Class is formed, as our youth plan their activities, as we put together a new Budget/Faith Statement (where we spend our money does tell a lot about our faith), as we gear up for the Bratwurst Dinner and a new Eden Student and a new adult Bible study and all the things that we do: let us praise God and give thanks for all who have gone before us. Without them, we would not know how to run the race.

We pray for God’s blessings as we start a new year.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Sue

HARVEY ’S COLUMN (guest columnist Barbara Barnes

The outdoor service at Mo-Val started me thinking about ancestors in faith. We all have them, characters from Bible stories and from our own lives. My most important influence has been my mother, Clara. She lived her faith daily through good humor, helpfulness, tolerance, generosity and sincere interest in all people. My father joked that she had baked at least one cake for each family in our village of 1,200. She tried especially hard to reach out to those who were “odd” or “strange.” She often sent me with pots of soup to a family of three bachelor brothers who had 100 cats and rooms full of empty beer bottles. (I now realize those fellows were untreated psychiatric patients.) Because of Clara, I was the only 3 rd grader brave enough to hold the hand of Phillip, the boy with the misformed hand when we played Red Rover at recess. Among her papers, I found the following letter, saved for many years:

Dear Clara –

I thought of you when I read this poem:

“You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do, by the words that you say,
Men read what you write, whether faithless or true;
Say, what is the Gospel, according to you?”

You have been so kind so many times. I read your Gospel and am inspired to do something kinder or better. Thanks for the good influence you have been in my life.

Sincerely,

Dorothea

The letter is a tribute both to my mother and to Dorothea who was “….inspired to do something kinder or better.” So, I ask myself….”Barbara what is the gospel according to you?” thanks Mom, but you are a hard act to follow.

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