Thursday April 15, 2021
Dear Friends,

This Sunday in our “Dare to Dance” Sermon series we will talk about what it was like for the disciples to experience the resurrected Christ…and then have him leave shortly after he was raised from the dead. How do you proceed with a movement when the leader is not physically with you?  What are the next steps? 

Lots of church leaders can identify this year with the early disciples’ struggles to figure out how to move forward with the Jesus movement as we figure out the steps toward returning to in-person worship.  I know some of you are wondering about the next steps that Maplewood UMC will take toward returning to in-person worship.

I can tell you these things right now:

First, this evening a team of folks will meet to begin planning how and when we will return to worship.  Of course, we will ask for wisdom from the Holy Spirit as we engage guidelines from the St. Louis County Health Department and from the United Methodist Church. I or another team member will keep you informed about the team’s decisions and progress toward decisions.
Second, I want to clarify that Ad Council’s decision to host Freedom School beginning June 21 is independent of the date for return to in-person, indoor worship. In making this decision Ad Council considered the benefits to twenty scholars in grades K – 2 of six weeks of full day literacy and cultural enrichment, breakfast, lunch and a snack, and positive supervision along with the evidence that young school-aged children have remained safe in school settings. These factors and MUMC’s capacity allow our scholars to spread out across a good deal of space in the Education wing influenced the decision toward opening the church for in-person Freedom School. 

There are different factors to consider with opening the sanctuary for in person worship, including the size of the sanctuary and the number and ages of worshipers. Thus, the decision to offer Freedom School and in person worship are made separately from each other. 

If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to me or to Ad Council Chairperson, Courtney Stotler. Thanks for your patience, your faithfulness, and your encouragement throughout these past few months. I am trusting that it will be sooner rather than later when we are worshiping together in person again. Please hold the team meeting this evening in your prayers.

God’s grace and peace be with you,


Pastor Kim
Each week during the Dare To Dance Sermon series, we will have a “dance Card”...
...each card will have ways we can dance in the world. Here is the Dance Card from April 11.
Adult Sunday Discussion Group begins a new study

The group will be reading and discussing the book, Pure Religion - The Orphan Opportunity. Christians, Jews and Muslims are mandated in their Bible and Koran to take care of widows and orphans. We will learn about the orphan problem, or opportunity as the book says, and what the United Methodist Church is doing in Mozambique to provide housing for orphans there.

Join us on Sunday morning to learn more ' https://meet.google.com/neo-xvxe-jzx
Easter Offering 2021
Freedom School to be in person at Maplewood UMC
We will serve as one of the LifewiseStl Freedom School sites and plans to welcome twenty scholars who have completed Kindergarten, First, and Second grades. This six-week full day program begins on June 21 and ends on July 30. Our Easter offering will be directed toward Freedom School expenses.  

Volunteers are needed to assist with serving breakfast and/or lunch and chaperoning Friday afternoon field trips. For more information about volunteering or about the Freedom School program for scholars at Maplewood UMC, contact Renee McDonough, MUMC’s Freedom School liaison at (314) 540-6707.  This is an exciting ministry in our local community.  
News from Our Kwasha School

Exciting things are happening at the
Kwasha School in Zambia. They added 8th and 9th grade and now have 11 teachers on staff. They have also just completed a new multi-purpose building that will be used for storage of school supplies and for their expanding library.

Karen Raborn is the executive director of the school.
Get ready for the big dance on May 23rd
The origin of the music for Jerusalema  
 
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=PRaQkCMU7Is  Jerusalema - Nuns and Priests dancing


Get ready for the big dance on May 23rd
Sunday April 18th is Native American Sunday

Native American Sunday is one of the 6 Special Sundays celebrated in the United Methodist Church. Our offering for this Sunday is part of our church's budget.

The offerings throughout the UM Church go to provide scholarships for Native Americans to attend seminary and provide funding for Native American ministries.
Coming Events

Thursday, April 15
7:00 p.m. Coming back to worship - Meeting

Saturday, April 17
10:30 a.m. - Brick Bible and Lego Kids
 
Sunday, April 18 -
9:00 a.m. Prayer with Pastor Kim
10:00 a.m. Adult Sunday Conversation group - Lenten Study- online

 10:50 a.m. Worship - on Facebook

Wednesday, April 21
6:00 p.m. - Shine on Kids

To see the entire calendar - click below
Pray for...
...Skip Reynolds, healing at home
...Joanne Davis, healing after eye surgeries, and Shay Blackwell who is caring for her.

Thanks to.... to the Trustees who met Sunday after worship to go over some problems that exist with the water leakage in the Sanctuary. Plans were set in motion to get everything taken care of by the time we come back for in person worship.
One problem is due to the way the rain water runs off the towers in the on the Flora side of the church. The water misses the gutters and flows done the outside wall and seeps through the wall into the sanctuary.
The leak over the the audio visual and video corner is due to the chimney for the boiler exhaust needing to be tuck pointed.
When these problems are fixed any plaster repair can be done and then painted.
News...Kathy & Larry’s neighbor is moving and they have a “beautiful little organ” they are looking to find a new home for. It is 42 inches wide and 19 inches deep. They are giving it away.
If you are interested call or text Kathy Schmid (314-503-1101)
Getting you up to date on Ad Council News...
Strategic Goals:
  1. Host Freedom School in 2021
  2. Starting a second worship service
  3. Starting some Affinity Groups - special interest groups who meet on a somewhat regular basis
  4. Advancing Racial and Social justice
  5. Return to in-person worship
-looking into some outside
events
(the above goals are not listed in any particular priority..one goal is not more important than another.)
  • Meeting to discuss in-person worship - Thurs. April 14th
  • Missouri Conference is providing worship on Sunday, April 25 to give local pastors a break because of all the extra that has been placed on them during the pandemic.
  • We will sponsoring on the Wed. nights Concert in the Park events.
  • Pastor Jewell"s last Sunday is June 6 and she will be preaching
  • Need more Sunday School teachers - Kelli Stanford is the children's SS leader.
Deadline for the church newsletter is Midnight every Tues.
The Sunday morning worship bulletin will be sent via email at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday
Maplewood United Methodist Church
7409 Flora Ave. (corner of Flora and Sutton)
St. Louis, MO 63143

Pastor Kim Shirar:s Cell: 314-651-9999
Email: pastorkim@maplewoodumc.org
Pastor Jewell McGhee's cell: 314-458-5601
Church Phone Number - 314-781-5902
(Church Office closed until further notice)

Website: maplewoodumc.org

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