Parkway United Church of Christ  E-news
September 15, 2017

Our Vitality Initiative Begins This Weekend!
We welcome everyone to participate as the Vitality Initiative begins. On Friday, September 15, Rev. Wimberly, our consultant [congregationalconsulting.org] will meet with Pastor Kevin, our church staff, youth and council leadership. On Saturday, September 16, from 8am to 1pm he will conduct a program for our church leadership, the Vitality Initiative planning committee, and other involved church members. (If you would like to attend, you qualify!)  And on Sunday, September 17, he will attend both worship services, and we will have a lunch afterward. During the lunch, Rev Wimberly will give a complete overview of the process and how each of us can participate. 
 
We look forward to the involvement of everyone at Parkway as we begin this initiative to strengthen our ministry and mission.
Questions? Want to RSVP?
 
Contact Mark Sableman: [email protected] | 314-602-6103


 
Worship with Us this Week!
Join us for Traditional Worship at 9:30am and/or Informal Worship at 11:00am where our scripture passages will be  Exodus 14:19-31; Matthew 18:23-35 with a sermon entitled What's Not Being Said
 
We will hear the story of the parting of Red Sea - which has a focus on both the safe passing of the oppressed and the drowning of the pursuers. The Gospel is the parable of the forgiven slave that doesn't forgive right after he is forgiven! What assumptions are there when we say one thing without mentioning another? What assumptions do we make about others' words and ways?


Help us welcome Janet Spencer guest organist,at 9:30am 

Name tags!
We are blessed with a number of visitors this season so please remember to wear your name tag every Sunday. Thank you! 



How you can help with Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief
Sept. 3-24 * Gathering Space * Lisa Mason or Julie Stappenbeck
We've been in touch with friends in Houston who have helped identify the most crucial needs to assist with the long recovery efforts following Hurricane Harvey. 
  • new socks and underwear- all sizes 
  • plus size clothing
  • diapers & wipes
  • toiletries
  • large trash bags
  • disposable plates & silverware
  • granola bars/non-perishable snacks
  • gift cards (Visa, Walmart, Target, fuel,) or financial donations clearly designated for Hurricane Harvey Relief
 
If you'd like to help, please leave contributions in the designated bin in the gathering space. Thank you for your generosity!
Lisa: [email protected] | 314- 569-0095
Julie: [email protected] | 314-504-0785  


Prayer Updates
PUCC Vitality Initiative -  Kickoff Wkend!
Weston (17 months) - ICU at Cardinal Glennon sedated in order to heal (great-grandson of John and Joyce Ruiz).
Naomi Runtz and Richard Hoch - grieving/giving thanks for cousin Ralph Deuser - grew up at Parkway UCC... buried in Elm Lawn Cemetery.
John Lindner -  recuperating from gallbladder surgery.
Larry Dean - healing from cancer surgery (Joan Brannigan's cousin).
Family/friends of Sam Heisel - griving and giving thanks (Pat Klein).
Individuals/communities recovering from natural disasters.




Announcements

 
YOUTH NIGHT
Wednesday, September 20, Go Bananas!
Don't slip on the peel! Banana games you've never played as we meet in the fellowship hall, Middle School, 6:00-7:00 PM, Senior High, 7:00-8:00 PM. Hope to see you there!


AWOL Goes to the Rep! 
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT
Fri, Sep 22 | 8pm. Tickets approx $40
RSVP to Carmen Bumgarner asap: [email protected]  (314-330-0813)

 

Community
Be A Warm Welcome to Immigrant Women - an answer to a dream!
Saturday, September 23 | 8:30am prep in church kitchen
10am-12pm setup, serve & mingle at International Institute
We are partnering with the International Institute to serve a simple breakfast and mingle with women new to St Louis during US WELCOMING WEEK. There will be a few vendors there with give-a-ways for the women. We have purchased wonderful books for women and girls-books with strong female characters and books that highlight the dream of inclusion and peace.
 
We are looking for your help with gathering the meal and with serving and making connections with these ladies. To sign up, please visit https://tinyurl.com/signup-welcome-immigrants
 
If you are donating items, please label them WELCOMING WOMEN and place in the fridge at church by Friday night, September 22.
 
If you will be joining us on the 23rd, please come to the church kitchen at 8:30am so we can prep things and get to the International Institute for set-up. The women will be with us from 10am-noon.
 
Thank you for being a WELCOMER!
 
Questions? Please connect with Kevin Cameron- [email protected]


The 2017 St. Louis Crop Hunger Walk and Concert is October 1 at Eden Seminary beginning at 5:30pm. This year the crop walk is in conjunction with the annual Eden Festival of Psalms concert. Food is available for purchase.
 
Crop hunger walks are community events sponsered by church world service and organized by religious groups, businesses, schools and others to raise funds to end hunger in the u.s. and around the world. Donations benefit local partners: Circle of Concern food pantry, Operation Food Search and Webster Rock Hill Ministries.
 
I will be walking to represent Parkway UCC as this is the same day as the church picnic. You can register or donate online to parkway's team at https://www.crophungerwalk.org/saintlouis mo or you can make out a check to St. Louis crop hunger walk and I will deliver it for you
 
If you have questions please contact me at [email protected] and more information is available on the bulletin board in the Gathering Space. ~Sue Moellering: 636-949-2925 | [email protected]



Videos of the Week

What do you think of this guy - a UCC pastor in the news this cycle? Click here...
 



Inspiration 
I never look at the masses as my responsibility; I look at the individual. I can only love one person at a time - just one, one, one. So you begin. I began.- I picked up one person. Maybe if I didn't pick up that one person, I wouldn't have picked up forty-two thousand. The same thing goes for you, the same thing in our family, the same thing in our church, your community. Just begin: one, one, one.-Mother Teresa



Humor
I was in a couple's home trying to fix their Internet connection. The husband called out to his wife in the other room for the computer password. " Start with a capital S, then 123, " she shouted back.
We tried S123 several times, but it didn ' t work. So we called the wife in. As she input the password, she muttered, "I really don't know what's so difficult about typing Start123."