Worship with Us this Sunday

April 2, 2023

10:00am In-person and Facebook Live or replay on Facebook later

It’s Palm Sunday! Jesus and the disciples enter Jerusalem. Why the excitement? Why the stir? Why the fear? Our Psalm captures the joy (Psalm 118;1-2, 19-29) and our Gospel lesson tells how Jesus arrived (Mark 11:1-11). We will ponder what to do next.

We will light our 6^th Lenten candle and wave our palms as we place them in the cross.

Our 2^nd Mile Lent mission partners are Lydia’ House; Unleashing Potential; Heifer International; and Eden Seminary. PUCCer Kari Borgmann will tell us more about her personal call and experience at Eden Seminary this week.

Please to be with us again later in Holy Week and on Easter morning – see schedule below.

Please participate in worship virtually via our livestream on Facebook if that is convenient for you and/or if you have tested positive for Covid in the last 5 days. Masks should be worn and respected for in-person worship if you have tested positive for COVID 6-10 days ago and you still have symptoms; you are in a high-risk group and/or have underlying conditions; you are more comfortable wearing a mask.... In order to protect individuals and the wider community, we strongly encourage up-to-date vaccinations and boosters against all communicable diseases.

1^st Sunday Choir This Sunday (4/2)—Extra Singers Needed! 

Next Sunday—April 2— is both the 1^st Sunday and Palm Sunday! 1^st Sunday Choir is singing, and we need extra singers to help. No extra rehearsals, just be in the church Sanctuary next Sunday morning at 9:00am to learn 2 (easy) songs, and then stay to sing during our Palm Sunday service at 10:00am. No reservations required, AND you get reserved box seating for the service (in the choir loft)! Come join the fun singing on Palm Sunday, next Sunday starting at 9:00am…see you then! 

Give-a-Meal Sunday

Every First Sunday of the month is Give-a-Meal Sunday. Thanks to our congregants for on-going support to the food pantries. While shopping for food, consider these food items that clients would especially like to choose from community donation tables: canned ravioli with meat, sardines, canned greens, beef stew, canned chicken, rice, and chili. Thanks in advance. Contact Evelyn Buretta: burettaevelyn@gmail.com | (636) 220-1280

Spring Church School: Sharing God's Light & Love

Spring finds us celebrating and learning about many special days such as, Palm Sunday, Easter, Earth Day, Mothers’ Day, and Pentecost. This Gather Round curriculum centers around the theme of God’ Light and Love shining through us and calling us to share that Love with others.

Our youth are exploring and discussing questions centered around justice, grace, and gratitude as we pilot a new curriculum: Faith Questions.

Holy Week at Parkway

• 7:00pm Maundy Thursday (April 6) in the Gathering Space.
• 12pm Good Friday (April 7) in the Historic Sanctuary across the street.
• 7:00pm Friday in the Sanctuary.
• Easter Sunday Sunrise Service at 6:15am in Elm Lawn Cemetery.
• Easter Sunday 10:00am Worship service in the Sanctuary.
• Easter Sunday following worship: Easter Egg Hunt

Easter Prayer Vigil

Our Annual Easter Prayer Vigil begins Good Friday Night and continues through our Easter Sunrise Service. Please sign up to be in prayer for at least one of the 36 hours at your home - not at church. Please let us know if you would like some suggestions as to what to do during your hour. We have a booklet that you can use. Thank you for participating.

Sign Up>

Booklet >  

Adventurous Men Out Early "AMOE"

Thursday, April 6 | 9:15-11:00am | Heritage Room

AMOE is an informal gathering of men of the church for coffee and conversation. All are welcome and no RSVP is necessary. It meets on the first Thursday of the month.



Tuesday Afternoon Dialogue Thru Lent

1st & 3rd Tuesday afternoons

Have a Little Faith Zoom only book discussion continues.

Tuesday Evening Dialogue

2nd & 4th Tuesday evenings

We discuss Disability Visibility.

Food Packing with Feed the Need

Saturday, April 15 | 9:30-11:45am | Queeny Park: 550 Weidman Rd, Ballwin

Help round out our team of ten as we pack some food for hungry kids very far from here.

This requires standing for two hours.

Many PUCCers have done this event in the past.

Why not come again -- or try it for the first time?

Let kevin@parkwayucc.org know you are interested.

We will meet there at Queeny just prior to our shift so we can sit together for the training and work together packing.

If this date and time doesn't work for you, please consider signing up for a shift that does fit in your calendar -- https://feedtheneedstl.org/

Questions? Contact Kevin Cameron: kevin@parkwayucc.org | (314) 872-9330 

PUCC Youth Road Trip to Elephant Rocks

One of Missouri’s most interactive state parks, Elephant Rocks is a giant pile of pink granite boulders just begging to be climbed on. The youth will be heading to the park, near Middle Brook, Missouri, about 90 minutes south of the church, in April or May. Take a moment to vote in this Doodle poll — https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/boZN8NBa — to indicate which Saturday or Sunday works best for the youth(s) in your house. We’ll pick a main date and a rain date based on when the most youth can attend.

Departure times will be 10:00am on Saturday or 11:15am (immediately after church) on Sunday. Pack a sack lunch, your climbing shoes, and plenty of water. We’ll return 6-7 hours after departure.

Are you a parent interested in driving or tagging along? Join in the poll yourself!

Need more information? Contact Brad Lyons at brad@bradlyons.net.

Schulenburgs - Kaylyn & David’s Milo William is home after being in the NICU since his birth on November 30.

Ramadan Mubarak to our Muslim family/friends – incl TASOM.

Lenten Journey turning to Holy Week Journey.

Spring beauty!

Christopher Pickett and Family as they grieve and give thanks for his mother; memorial service will take place here in mid-April.

Cassie Rosenberger’s mother Martha - aggressive chemo treatment.

Tito - nephew of Mike & Lisa Mason in rehab after paralyzing stroke.

Tom – healing after surgery due to car accident (Kathleen Tarr nephew).

Barb - complications with cancer tx and at odds with insurance co (Tarr)

The devastating earthquakes in Turkey & Syria

The continuing war in Ukraine.

The grief in the school and wider community in Nashville this week.

The deadly fire at the immigration detention site in Mexico.

The aftermath of the deadly tornadoes in Mississippi.

Inspiration

So the story has begun with great fanfare and hope in the story of Palm Sunday and its bold – some would say brazen – act of defying Rome. However, the narrative has plummeted rather quickly as Judas moves toward betrayal, and we clearly see signs of impending doom.

In the face of all this, I invite you to consider some people – one group and two individuals. In the first instance, imagine the crowd that swept Jesus into Jerusalem. What feelings might they be having? What might change for them as the story progresses?

Next, think of the unnamed woman (or, if you prefer, think of her as Mary of Bethany) who anoints Jesus, and of Judas, the one who sets out to betray him. What might they feel as the story continues on from here?

Lastly, consider yourself in all this. Where might you be? What risks might be associated with placing yourself at certain parts of the story?  ~Donald Schmidt

Faith Climate Action Week April 14—23

SAVE THE DATE! Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) will host a webinar conversation with the filmmaker, Roger Sorkin, on April 17 at 12pm. Webinar registration opens April 4: https://tinyurl.com/current-revolution

These films illustrate this year’s Faith Climate Action Week theme: Living the Golden Rule: Just Transition to a Clean Energy Economy. The theme examines our responsibility to transition to energy sources that are sustainable and healthy for our communities and our sacred Earth.  

As a member of Interfaith Power and Light, PUCC has been able to register to watch this new film series. This is a series of 3 short documentaries:

Current Revolution—a Film Series for the Energy Transition

EPISODE 1—The Transformation Cannot Be Stopped

EPISODE 2—Nation in Transition

EPISODE 3—Workforce Rising

Watch the film's trailers and read a description at Current Revolution: American Resilience Project— https://tinyurl.com/current-revolution-homewatch

The full documentary can be watched during the week of April 14 - 23.  

Please take advantage of our opportunity to watch these educational environmental documentaries.

More info? Contact Polly Rutherford: pollyrutherford@gmail.com

Mental Health Support

988 (new nationwide 3-digit number similar to 911… call or text)

24/7 Crisis Hotline 800-273-8255 (TALK) | 800-SUICIDE: 800-784-2433

24/7 Missouri Department of Mental Health 800-811-4760

Text 741741 and someone will text right back…www.crisistextline.org

Behavioral Health Network of Greater St Louis 314-449-6713