Thursday, September 5, 2024 | |
Today is the BIG Sale day at the Second Time Around Shop until 2:00 p.m. | Thursday evening, September 5th at 7:00pm in the choir room. Newcomers are welcome. | |
Charge Conference - this coming Sunday, September 8, 2024, 12:15 p.m.
Maplewood UMC will convene a Charge Conference on Sunday, September 8, at 12:15 p.m., in the sanctuary. District Superintendent Rev. Adrienne Denson Ewell will preside. The purpose of this specially called Charge Conference will be to formally approve the candidacy of Kyle Kranes-Rutz for ordination in the United Methodist Church. It will also be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Kyle and affirm his call to ministry.
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Community Unity Group to meet and YOU are welcome to join:
Wednesday September 9th from 2pm- 3pm we will planning themes and activities and menus for our dinners. If you are called to this ministry and are available on these times, please join us for either or both meetings!
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At the Sutton and Flora entrances of the church are two baskets full of Blessing Bags. These are bags full of everyday essentials to pass out to anyone in need. Pick up a Blessing bag to keep in your car to hand out. In the colder months we add hats and gloves and take out the water (so it doesn't freeze in your car.)
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Last week we began a four-week series called “All in the Family: The Stories of Genesis between Eden and Abraham.” During this series we are going to be highlighting four of the stories that make up The Story. Our family tree is rooted in these stories; in the telling and re-telling of them, we remember who we are.
Last week, in the newsletter I had announced that our first story was to be the “Cain and Abel” story. However, that changed mid-week, and we shifted directions. Last Sunday featured the story of the eviction from Eden, instead. (Things change, you know! I always reserve the right to change my mind without any advance notice!)
And so, this week we’ll continue the series with a story we know as “Cain and Abel.” You can find this story in chapter four of Genesis, if you’d like to read it over before Sunday morning. It’s a pretty violent story, to be honest. Even so, it is a part of who we are, and so we tell it. We tell it, in order to live.
We lose something of ourselves if we refuse to tell the difficult stories, and only tell the happy ones. Sad stories, stories of anger and outrage, heartbreaking stories, each is part of the compilation that makes us who we are. And this story is hard to tell and hard to hear, which means we may feel tempted to gloss over it, minimize it, or interpret it so that it has a more “positive” meaning.
British author Chris Cleve writes, “Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this storyteller is alive.” We must be able to tell our most difficult stories, just the same as our easiest ones. And so this week we’ll think about Abel and what happened between him and his big brother Cain in a version of the story told with the title, “A Marked Man.”
Pastor Andy
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Join Pastor Andy every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. for the "Thursday thought for the day" on the church's Facebook page. If you can't join live you can always pick it up later. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mumcstl
| You're Probably a United Methodist if every church gathering includes food. | | |
What's Coming in September | |
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September Membership Class
Maplewood UMC will hold a Membership Class at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, September 15th, in the Adult Sunday School area in the lower level of the education wing. If you have been thinking about becoming a member of the congregation, this is your opportunity!
The class will cover the basics of Methodism, the theology, history, and structure of our denomination. We’ll talk about the congregation, Maplewood’s vision, values, and culture. And we will dive into the membership promises every member makes when joining a United Methodist congregation.
To sign up for the class, visit https://maplewoodumc.org/membership-classes or add your name to the sign-up list in the lobby. If you have any questions, contact Pastor Andy at pastor@maplewoodumc.org.
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Tower Grove Pride
The St. Louis Reconciling United Methodists will have a booth at Tower Grove Pride, September 28 and 29. They are inviting United Methodists who are supportive of LGBTQIA+ inclusion in all areas of church life to help out. If God is calling you to do so, you may sign up at https://forms.gle/4gkbfXdgmCkddurm9.
Pastor Andy Bryan will be serving at the booth on Saturday the 28th of September from 11:15 - 2:00. He would LOVE to see a few more Maplewoodians there! It is a wonderful way to give witness to God’s unconditional love for all people!
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Parsonage Task Force Meeting
In July, the Administrative Council authorized Rev. Andy Bryan to convene a Parsonage Task Force. The purpose of this task force is to discern and propose a plan for the future of the parsonage, the house just next to the church at 7415 Flora Ave. Members of the task force are Jerry Blackwell, Laura Checkett, Bob Harsh, Ray Jauregui, Mary Kunce, Tim McDonough, Susan Peck, Laura Reinders, Nancy Thompson, Jeff Todisman, Mark Vanden Akker, and Spencer Wilson. The first meeting of the task force will be Tuesday, September 18. Please keep this group in your prayers as they do their important work.
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The Maplewood Youth celebrated the end of summer with a pool party on Saturday, August 31. Thank you to the Stotlers for sharing their pool! For information about other opportunities for youth, contact the church office at maplewoodumc@maplewoodumc.org | |
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Weekend on Wheels needs our help
The MRH School District offers food support for the weekend for District families facing food insecurity. Our donations of non-perishables help students be ready to learn all five days of the week.
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Below is a list of items most commonly requested:
- plain pasta
- cans of tuna, chicken, etc.
- jars of peanut butter
- dry cereal
- oatmeal in packets
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- ramen OR1
- boxed mac & cheese
- canned tomatoes or 1 jar of
- tomato or spaghetti sauce
- canned veggies
- canned beans
- jelly
- canned soup
- canned spaghetti/sloppy Joes
- canned fruit (peaches, pineapple, applesauce or fruit cups)
- granola bars
- pop tarts
- trail mix
- popcorn
- dessert mix (cakes, brownies, etc.)
- Jell-o
- cookies
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There is a basket for WOW donations (as well as non-perishables to share with neighbors through the pantry boxes at Sutton Park and the bus station downtown and paper goods for Joe's Place) under the monitor on the east side of the narthex (near the door to the education building)
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- Community Unity - Sept. 9, 2:00 p.m.
- Finance Team - Sept. 9, 6:30 p.m.
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- Generosity Team - Sept. 10, 3:00 p.m.
- Parsonage Task Force - Sept 17, 6:30 p.m.
- Nominations - Sept 18, 6:00 p.m.
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NEW DATES TO THE CALENDAR ARE IN GREEN
Thursday, September 5
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Church Office open
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Second Time Around Shop - 50% off Sale
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Praise Band Practice
7:00 p.m. Choir Practice
Saturday, September 7
10:30 a.m. Women's AA Group
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Sunday, September 8
Grandparents Day
9:30 a.m. Prayers with Pastor
9:45 a.m. Adult Discussion Group
9:45 a.m. Children and Youth Sunday School
11:00 a.m. Worship
12:15 p.m. Charge Conference
Monday, September 9
1:00 p.m. Overeaters Meeting
2:00 p.m. Community Unity Planning meeting
6:30 p.m. Finance Team Meeting
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Tuesday, September 10
9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. Church office open
1:00 pm. Prayer time via Zoom.
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3745711178pwd=dktsaWkwNlNhVjRmOHpjTFNqR1dqQT09 Meeting ID: 374 571 1178
Passcode: 674257
3:00 p.m. Generosity Team meeting
6:30 p.m. Toltec Wisdom Group
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Wednesday, September 11
9:00 a.m.- noon - Church Office Open
Thursday, September 12
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Church Office open
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Second Time Around Shop
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Praise Band Practice
6:30 p.m. Maplewood Public Library Book Club
7:00 p.m. Choir Practice
To see the entire calendar - click below https://73855810.view-events.com
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Prayers for...
...Linda Vawter’s nephew, Mike, for healing after back surgery. Grateful for Jerry's improvement and Roger’s slow healing after fall.
... Sharon & Bill Housewright's friends, Jerry Chipps & Pat & Butch Ried for health concerns
... Prayers for our nation
...Billy Hawn, one of the gentlemen Dave provides support to and who has visited MUMC multiple times, has a potentially serious health issue. The doctors are working on figuring out the best treatment protocol. Rightfully, he is very anxious and requests prayers from our church as he goes through this process.
...Kwasha School - Funding and access to food assistance for children due to drought in Zambia (must have one meal per day.. prior to the drought two,
meals were provided) grateful that vaccines have been completed
...Nancy Thompson- Please pray for my son, Peter Munshaw, to find appropriate employment.
...Karen Raborn healing of hip issues
Continuing prayers for ...
...Skip Reynolds - for freedom from urinary tract infections and comfort and healing.
...Amy Cordeal’s sister, Diana, for health concerns
...Peg Chulick: continued prayers for Jer’s strengthening of his heart and vision.
If you have prayer concerns you wish to share with the congregation, let Kathy Schmid know: kschmid2005@sbcglobal.net
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This coming Sunday we will play games and discuss why having rules is important. | | |
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We had fun helping make blessing bags for those in need and talking about our feelings. The kids even made their own Angry birds game! | |
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DEADLINE for the church newsletter is MIDNIGHT EVERY TUESDAY: send articles via email only to jbrx10@yahoo.com.
The Sunday morning worship bulletin will be sent via email at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday
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