Before Sunday

Two opportunities to help build relationships across differences -- so that there can be more peace in the world....

I believe we are at a critically important time for authentic interfaith relationships. One of the ways PUCC cultivates this is through our engagement with Sprouts of Peace. Please consider being a part of this!

The group is for kids in kindergarten through 5th grade and their parents. Middle School and High School students are needed as helpers and can receive community service hours for their participation.

Our next Sprouts event will take place at Peace UCC located on Eden Seminary's campus in Webster Groves THIS Saturday, November 11 from 2-4pm. You can enter the campus off of E. Lockwood Ave or Bompart Ave. Please see the attached map for more details about where we will be meeting on campus. During our time together we will be playing games to get to know one another's names, singing the Sprouts Song, touring Peace's worship space, and learning about Advent. Then while the Sprouts are doing activities designed for children, parents will begin to form closer relationships while taking a more in depth look at Advent. We hope you will join us!

Future events will help us understand more about one another’s faith and practices … and will give us the opportunity to celebrate our unity and diversity.

Questions? Let me know... kevin@parkwayucc.org

Please feel free to invite other Jewish, Muslim or Christian families you know. We all need one another and we belong to one another.

Future dates – Saturdays from 2-4pm

January 27 at United Hebrew Congregation - 13788 Conway Rd 63141;

March 2 at Islamic Foundation of Greater StL - 517 Weidman Rd 63011;

April 20 at Parkway UCC - 2841 N Ballas Rd 63131

Intertwine Coffee House

Intertwine will gather again at PUCC on Saturday, November 11 from

7-8:30pm with our Muslim and Jewish friends.

Join us for an evening of fellowship, food and fun for all ages.

We will begin the evening with prayers for shalom-salaam-peace.

If you would like to share music, poetry, or another talent at the event, please indicate that when you sign up via the link below.

Coffee and tea will be served. Please indicate in the sign up if you would like to bring halal/kosher treats to share.

Now more than ever, we understand the beauty and blessing of interfaith friendship.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0E49A9A72CA6F58-intertwine

For your 2024 calendar ~~ Sunday, April 28 @ 1:30pm tour of Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum led by our friend Vera Emmons from Shaare Emeth.

Intertwine Interfaith Initiative has been weaving us together our Muslim friends from TASOM (The Turkish American Society of Missouri), our Jewish friends from Congregation Shaare Emeth for more than a handful of years.

For more information and to receive emails about Intertwine, please contact Lisa Mason (217-257-0525) lmason624@sbcglobal.net or Paige Penico andipaige@hotmail.com or Kevin Cameron kevin@parkwayucc.org

Shalom, Peace, Salaam

Worship with Us Sunday at 10am

Join us in person or on Facebook Live for worship at 10am

-- or anytime later on Facebook.

Our scripture texts are Matthew 25:1-13 (the parable of the ten bridesmaids - half of them are prepared and half are not when the time comes) and Psalm 78:1-7 (about God's teachings and our responsibilities to pass them along). What have we learned about God and our readiness?

We will sing As We Gather; O God, Our Help in Ages Past; Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying; You are Mine, Make Me A Servant and Won't You Let Me Be Your Servant.

We do NOT have a Speaker Series after worship. Unfortunately, our planned presenter has some new medical issues. Please pray for her -- Katie Rodriquez-Banister.

We continue to collect your Thanksgiving food gifts for Isaiah 58 Ministries and Circle of Concern through Sunday morning -- see details below.

The worship bulletin can be found here:

Worship bulletin for Sunday, November 12, 2023

Please participate in worship virtually via our livestream on Facebook if that is convenient for you and/or if you have health concerns. Masks are available and respected here.

FROM GABRIEL REQUADT ~

OUR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION & YOUTH DIRECTOR!

We're entering a new theme for our Living the Word with Youth Ministry! for next few weeks we'll be looking at Our Sin, God's Faithfulness. Occurring over 400 times in the Bibe, "Sin" can feel like a loaded term, but another way of looking at it is "error" or missing the mark, when we fall out of right relationship with God. But something always helpful to remember is that nothing can ever separate us from God. So, that "falling away" is more like going in the other direction, yet we are always in God's everlasting embrace.

We'll be starting off with Hosea, where we'll see how we are God's Beloved Children. Israel continues to fall deeper nto idolatry. God calls the prophet Hosea to deliver a message of judgment. In the midst of this message, God also lets the people know how deeply they are loved, and how much God longs for them to walk in freedom and in right relationship with God. The point of all this is that God love us like a parent.

In Children's Ministry, we'll be hanging out again with David, this time moving from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, remembering God is with us always.

And don't forget that on Sunday, November 19 after worship in the Gathering Space, we'll be having a mini-Thanksgiving Potluck, where you are invited to bring your favorite dessert or finger food, brought to you by our Youth Ministry. We hope you can join us for this festive time!

Our littlest ones in the Nursery will be hearing some simple Bible stories and enjoying one another with Becca and Julie.

* We are wanting to add a few more people to our Nursery Substitute List. If you are interested, please let me know.

The family follow-up for next week can be found here:

gabriel@parkwayucc.org

Sharing our Food with Isaiah 58

We have an opportunity to serve our midtown ministry with our neighbors at Isaiah 58. We are requested to provide 300 2-lb bags of flour for Thanksgiving Day clients. As you are able, consider adding the 2-lb bags of flour to your shopping carts until November 12.

WE STILL NEED ABOUT 100 BAGS!

Place your donations in the marked box under the donation tables in the lobby. Thanks in advance for your continued support.

Evelyn Buretta ~ burettaevelyn@gmail.com; 636-220-1280

Thanksgiving Around the Corner – Circle of Concern Baskets

Circle of Concern serves 650 families in West St. Louis County. As part of their Thanksgiving Basket program, 6 area churches pack boxes containing 8 sought after items, including: canned pumpkin, stuffing mix, box of mashed potatoes, corn muffing mix, can of fruit, can of cranberries, jar of turkey gravy and a container of chicken broth. These boxes are then distributed along with a pie, fresh vegetables and a $30.00 gift card to Aldi's – perhaps for a turkey.

Please bring your donated items to church and leave them inside the entry doors before the deadline of November 12. We are slated to pack 100 boxes. WE STILL NEED ABOUT 30 BOXES.

Thanks in advance for your generosity!

Lana Biondo ~ lanabiondo66@gmail.com; 314-712-8335

Youth Writing Workshop

Does your child have a passion for writing? Have they expressed interest in putting an idea down on paper but haven't quite found the words yet? Well, look no further! With the Youth Writing Workshop, children from 6th-12th grade have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with others on their story ideas, with the help of a published author, to give new life to their inspirations. We will meet over Zoom on the 2nd Thursday of every month from 6-7pm, our first was on November 9! Those interested can reach out to me at gabriel@parkwayucc.org

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82501433824

Meeting ID: 825 0143 3824

TED - Tuesday Evening Dialogue

Our next gathering is Tuesday, November 14 at 6pm in the Heritage Room for the wrap up discussion of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson.

Related to current issues of book accessibility in libraries, this book is historical fiction but based on true stories about the women librarians in Kentucky back in the 1930’s who rode on horseback into the mountains to deliver books and newspapers. The main character has a genetic condition causing her to be shunned by her community. This adds an important component to the story about how isolation impacts the human spirit and how education and acceptance can overcome ignorance to allow understanding and kindness.

All are welcome to the Potluck at 6pm, Book Discussion at 7pm. All are welcome!

Questions? Contact Helen Race raceh@att.net 314- 401-4382

TAD ~ Tuesday Afternoon Dialogue… Zoom with us!

All are welcome to join us on Zoom on Tuesday, November 21 at 2pm as we work with the same book as TED (see above) - The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.

Come 15 minutes early if you want to chat and build community before we start the book discussion…

Zoom…https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83670617428?pwd=bUxPZEdDMlU4ay9oNndTWW4yZUYwUT09

(312) 626-6799; Meeting ID: 836 7061 7428; Passcode: 480007

Questions? Contact Jackie Eiffert, jeiffert2@gmail.com; (661) 378-6781   

PUCC Sustainability Seekers encourages all of us to show up for programs in our community that align with our core values here...

TASOM Annual Thanksgiving Dinner

Thursday, November 16th | 6:30-8.30pm| 664 Lemay Ferry Rd 63125

You are invited to the 2023 Thanksgiving dinner at TASOM featuring all of the traditional dishes with vegetarian options. This is a great opportunity to share a meal with old and new interfaith friends.

Free but donations are welcome to support TASOM Youth Club

Please RVSP by November 13… https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScx7PJin63d1JuonDzSb70b_e19E54AVA6tciBPRhD8ulwpuw/viewform

Gobble Gobble!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 19 after worship, you are invited to enjoy a mini potluck in the Gathering Space, brought to you by the Youth Ministry. Feel free to bring your favorite dessert item or finger food for the event.

Questions? Please contact gabriel@parkwayucc.org

Honoring Tyler Wessel ~ Raising Mental Health Awareness

Parkway Central High and CHADS Mental Health Coalition invite you to a varsity basketball game on Tuesday, November 28 at 6:30pm at Parkway Central High School ~ 369 N Woodsmill Rd, Chesterfield 63017 -- just north of Ladue Rd at 141.

Cheer on Tyler Wessel's old basketball team at Parkway Central High School and help raise money for mental health programs.

Tyler loved sports and was an accomplished athlete. He was kind, good humored and brought people together. He grew up here at PUCC - attended our PUNS Preschool, Bellerive Elementary, Central Junior and Central High. He was a student at Indiana University at the time of his death by suicide in August 2021.

His basketball team has hosted a fundraiser for mental health in 2021 and 2022 and is doing so again this year. 'Talk for Tyler' is the theme that reminds all of us that we need to speak about mental health regularly and make sure that the people around us know that we are willing to listen to them and love them in the midst of any challenge or struggle.

Join us as we remember Tyler, rally around his parents Cindy and Ralf and enjoy some good basketball.

To learn more about CHADS, visit https://www.chadscoalition.org/

https://www.schrader.com/obituary/tyler-wessel

For more information, please contact kevin@parkwayucc.org;

314-872-9330

Parkway Adventurers - Open to All!

Thursday, December 7 the group will go to the Magic Chef Mansion for a guided tour that starts at 10am. The cost is $20 and we need a minimum of 15 people for the tour to be a "go". More details will be provided by Kent and Diane Tallyn. http://magicchefmansion.com/

Parkway Adventurers is open to all!

Past events have included the Chihuly Exhibit at the amazing Missouri Botanical Garden and the intense and informative Holocaust Museum in Creve Coeur. For more info on this relatively new group, please contact Jackie Eiffert jeiffert2@gmail.com, 661-378-6781 or Carol Cobb ccjcobb@aol.com, (314) 640-8166

Prayer List Updates as of November 8

All the acts of kindness, justice and equity near and far.

Seasonal beauty.

Bill Hilgeman - several injuries after accident; hospitalized in Columbia

Coree Mix and family as they grieve and give thanks for great-grandma.

Lucia and John Bieg - as they mourn the sudden death of his cousin.

Karen Grayheck - preparing for upcoming back surgery.

Gram Ruth Hughes - Lymphoma; receiving hospice care (Schneider).

The Yakels - as Amy’s mother transitions to new care center this month

Annette Harrison - recovering from injuries (Stifel).

Trudy - living with cancer; healing after a fall (Scharf).

The grief and healing happening in Maine after deadly violence.

The people of Nepal after the earthquake last weekend.

The continuing war in Ukraine.

War in the Mideast - Israel and Hamas….Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen   

One minute audio from John Pavlovitz...

You Don't Have to Choose Sides of a War

The truth about the clean battle lines of unthinkable brutality

https://open.substack.com/pub/johnpavlovitz/p/you-dont-have-to-choose-sides-of?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

New Guidance for Mental Health Services from the World Health Organization and the United Nations

Read the report on the WHO website: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240080737

This groundbreaking report has been published by the World Health Organization alongside the United Nations (on behalf of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights).

It prioritizes the human rights of people who use mental health services, which is an entirely different approach to most current mental health laws, which are focused primarily on compulsion and containment.

Of particular interest on p.57 of the report ~

Prescription of psychotropic drugs…

Countries should adopt a higher standard for the free and informed consent to psychotropic drugs given their potential risks of harm in the short and long term. Countries, for example, can require written or documented informed consent (e.g. expressed by a recording in video or audio formats) after providing detailed information on potential negative and positive effects, and the availability of alternative treatment and non-medical options.

Legislation can require medical staff to inform service users about their right to discontinue treatment and to receive support in this. Support should be provided to help people safely withdraw from treatment with drugs.

The prescription of psychotropic drugs and follow-up requires careful physical health assessment and monitoring.

For an overview of the report and its context, you could read the blog by IIPDW Chair Professor John Read in Psychology Today.

Ponder

How Simplicity Reveals Life by Leo Babauta

This morning I was eating a really simple meal, with minimal seasoning, and I savored its deliciousness.

Often I go the opposite way: I eat too much, too quickly, with an overwhelming number of flavors. And I barely taste any of it.

This is how I sometimes experience life: I do so much, so quickly, and have an overwhelming amount of stuff going on. So much so that it’s hard to really experience any of it fully.

When I simplify, it’s not necessarily about getting rid of stuff — it’s about letting fewer things really be experienced:

• When I have fewer things, I can really use those things fully, appreciating them fully.
• When I have fewer things to do, I can really pour myself into those tasks, and really experience them.
• When I engage with fewer things online, I can engage with them more thoughtfully.

When I remove the extraneous, it gives me a chance to savor what’s left. The flavors can really shine.

And my experience of this is that life is really revealed when I have less in front of me.

That’s not an argument for always having or doing less. There’s something to be said for embracing the fullness of life. Instead, it’s a noticing of what happens when I slow down, when I do less, when I fully experience things instead of rushing through them so I can do more.

The fullness of life is often revealed in simplicity.

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