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ST. PAUL’S UCC NEWSLETTER

DECEMBER 2015

103 South Second Street

Marthasville, MO 63357

(636) 433-2482

office@stpaulsuccmo.org

www.stpaulsuccmo.org

Seeking to Know, Grow In, and Show the Ways of Jesus

Letter from the Pastor

I have a friend who likes to think of herself as 99 years young. She recently let a group of us in on her

secret. “I found a quote,” she told us, “that helped me think about growing older. The quote is—Life is ageless.”

What that meant to her was that birthdays are irrelevant. The important thing about life is the present

moment and the way you spend it. “I choose to spend my moments cheerfully and gratefully,” she admitted.

I admire my friend. She reminded me that we are all children of eternity; that the times of our lives are

connected—whether we are 99 years young or six minutes old. Whether we live in ages past or along the

future’s broadening way. Whether we reside in Marthasville or in Istanbul. We all share something remarkably

similar. We all bear in our soul a semblance of the Eternal One.

By that semblance we are made to be something more than ourselves. We are made to be family,

community, companions—one to another. We are made to be partners with the whole human race along the

whole of the journey of life. We are made to be reflections of the Holy.

I have another friend who likes to say, “We are all made of stardust.” By that she means we are all made

of the same elements, with just a bit of Heaven mixed in. I hope this Christmas we can all exercise that bit of

Heaven as we think about the world around us. I hope we can bring a little “star-power” into the far corners of

our globe. I hope we can celebrate the “starlight” in each of us. I hope we can continue to shine—for a long

time to come.

A Poem

(adapted from a poem by Thomas Curtis Clark)

Above a world entrapped by fear,

The Light of Love shown down

Shining there a silver star

A way through field and town.

Through desert lands the Wise Ones made

Their way past mountains wild.

Until they came to Bethlehem

And found a little Child.

Our hearts grow heavy through the years,

But still there shines a star.

It leads our steps through fear and night

And guides us from afar.

May you and your family have a very blessed Christmas—Pastor Donna and Carl

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December Extra Step – Current Fund

All Extra Step monies will be put into the St. Paul’s UCC

Current Fund, only to be spent locally on the needs of St. Paul’s UCC. No part of this fund is used for Missions

or other Extra Steps this month.

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CONTENTS Adult Choir........................................................... 6 Letter from the Pastor .......................................... 1 Adult Social Connection....................................... 3 Meals on Wheels ................................................ 8 Advent Bible Study .............................................. 4 Membership Directory ........................................ 4 Advent/Christmas Program .................................. 4 Operation Christmas Child ................................... 3 Altar Flowers ...................................................... 5 Offering Envelopes .............................................. 3 Anniversary Books ............................................... 4 Poinsettias .......................................................... 3 Annual Reports .................................................... 3 Prayer List .......................................................... 8 Birthdays, Anniversaries ..................................... 7 Pregnancy Assistance Center.............................. 3 Calendar of Events ............................................. 9 Quilters ................................................................ 3 Christmas Ornaments ......................................... 5 Services of Worship ...........................................6,7 Church Membership ........................................... 5 Staff/Council Members ........................................ 2 Confirmation Field Trips....................................... 7 Sunday Morning Fellowship ................................. 4 Extra Step............................................................ 2 Women’s Guild .................................................... 3 Helping Hands Ministry ........................................ 4 Worship Leaders ................................................. 6 Homebound Church Members ............................ 8 Youth Fellowship ................................................ 4

St. Paul’s UCC Staff

Pastor Donna Kendrick-Philips ....................................................................................................... Interim Pastor Susan Miesner (susan@stpaulsuccmo.org) ............................................................................................. Secretary Sally Rohe ..................................................................................................................................................... Organist Sally & Tony Rohe .................................................................................................................................. Custodians Alan Scholz ............................................................................................................. Volunteer Grounds Attendant Debbie Garbs ................................................................................................................... Volunteer Choir Director ...................................................................................................................... Volunteer Youth Fellowship Director Amy Lange, David Lange ................................................................................ Volunteer Projection Technicians Robbin DeVore .......................................................................................................... Volunteer Newsletter Editor

Church Council

Amy Lange ......................................................................................................... President/Historical Committee Wade Swartz ............................................................................... Vice President/Pastoral Relations Committee Robbin DeVore ......................................................................................................................... Recording Secretary Russell Kersten ........................................................................................................................... Financial Secretary Rachel Richardson ..................................................................................................................................... Treasurer Harvey Cramer ....................................................................................................................... Missions Committee Terri Ogle ............................................................................................................. Christian Education Committee Kay Buhr .................................................................................................................. Membership Care Committee Nick Rohe........................................................................................................... Buildings & Grounds Committee

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Women’s Guild

Christmas Luncheon

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Quilters meet on

Mondays. You need

not be a member

of St. Paul’s UCC

to stitch with us. So, invite your quilting friends to stitch

at St. Paul’s! ALL ARE WELCOME! Contact Audrey Meyer at 433-2210 with

questions or inquiries.

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Adult Social Connection

Will not meet in December But will meet again in January

More info to follow

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

43 boxes were collected.

Thanks to all who participated!

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Gifts for Pregnancy Assistance Center

recipients are requested. A tree in the lobby

holds gifts tags with suggested items.

When purchasing a gift, please attach the

tag to the gift and return it no later than

Sunday, December 13th.

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**2016 Offering Envelopes

are in the lobby. Even if you do not use offering envelopes, you still have a number

in our financial system to have your offerings recorded. Please pick up your envelopes today.

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**Annual Reports are needed from all church

committees/organizations. Please email

them to Robbin DeVore at

Robbins2rom@yahoo.com or see that she gets them ASAP to be

included in the annual report.

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*

Hawthorne Inn, Labadie, MO

Wed., December 2, 2015 11AM

Be at church at 10:30am to carpool.

Purchase a poinsettia to decorate the sanctuary for

Christmas in honor or in memory of someone.

Sign-up sheet is in the lobby. Payment instructions

are noted on the sign-up sheet.

You may take your poinsettia home after Christmas.

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The season of Advent begins on Nov. 29th. This

year’s Christmas program will be in 4 segments,

one on each of the Sundays in Advent during the

service of worship. Please join us in celebrating

this season of light.

Pastor Donna will lead a Bible Study on Thursdays,

Dec. 3rd, 10th, and 17th, from 2-3pm, here at church.

All are welcome. For this week (Dec. 3rd) please read

Malachi 3:1-4, Philippians 1:3-11, and Luke 3:1-6.

St. Paul’s UCC is currently looking for a Youth Fellowship Director, or a number of individuals who would fill this position in a tag-team manner. If you are interested, please contact a council member.

Sunday Morning Fellowship

We need volunteers to assist with coffee, lemonade, and donuts.

The sign-up sheet is in the lobby.

Thank you in advance

for your participation.

150th

Anniversary Book…

ST. PAUL’S UCC

MEMBERSHIP

DIRECTORY

The Church Directory has

been updated and copies

are available to be picked

up at the church office—

one per household please.

Call or email Karla Aholt

at 636-433-5502 or

bkaholt@gmail.com with

corrections to be made.

HELPING HANDS MINISTRY The missions committee is looking for someone to lead this ministry. See Harvey Cramer with questions or inquiries.

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Altar flowers:

November 1: in memory of Jeff Bockover on his birthday. November 8: by the congregation to the glory of God and in honor of all veterans. November 15: in memory of Delvin & Lulu Hasenjaeger’s wedding 55 years ago on November 12, 1960. **Extra arrangement in memory of Rueben Eichmeyer’s birthday, November 17th, by Mabel Eichmeyer.** November 22: in memory of Cornelius Berg & Kenny DeVore whose anniversaries were both November 23rd. **Extra arrangement in honor of Tony & Sally Rohe’s 46th wedding anniversary today.** November 29: in honor of Bob & Karen Dohrer’s wedding anniversary. **Extra arrangement in memory of Harold Lange who passed away 45 years ago today, by the Lange family.**

NOTE: Consider sponsoring the altar flowers in honor or in memory of a loved one, a special date,

or just because…Sign-up sheets for altar flowers are in the lobby. The flowers are yours to take with you after the service of worship.

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

**Anyone who is interested in joining St. Paul’s UCC should contact Pastor

Donna or the church office.**

St. Paul’s UCC welcomes new member, Dean Woolley.

The first in the series of picture frame ornaments (2014) is still available for $7.50 each and make excellent keepsakes for family and friends. Get yours while supplies last!

The second in the series of picture frame ornaments (2015) is now available for $8.00 each. A new dated ornament will be available each year.

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Services of Worship

9:30am

Pastor Donna Kendrick-Philips, Interim Pastor

December 6th 13th 20th 27th

Ushers

Gene Ahmann (lead) Patty Thornton Phyllis Sontag Jim & Cindy Buescher

Harvey Cramer (lead) Ken Painter Maurice Mittler Karla Aholt

Russell Kersten (lead) Bob & Maggie Barron John & Nancy Presser

Robbin DeVore (lead) Tony Rohe Curt Rohe Jacob DeVore

Acolytes Elise Thierbach Addie Engelage Tristan Zeh Isaiah DeVore

Readers Marge Jones Karla Aholt Curt Rohe Jacob DeVore

Greeters Brenda Roloff Marge Jones

Ken Painter Karla Aholt

Bob & Maggie Barron John & Nancy Presser

Tony Rohe Curt Rohe

Nursery Carrie Deeker Pat Shacklette Stacie Chapman Katie Thornton

Fellowship Maggie B. & Karen S. Karen D. & Phyllis S. Brenda Daniels Kay Buhr

Worship

Attendance:

11-1-2015-----78

11-8-2015-----84

11-15-2015-----70

11-22-2015-----84

11-29-2015-----79

The Adult Choir

The choir sings the 3rd Sunday of every month—December 20th this month.

The Adult & Children’s choirs will sing together. Adult Choir practice is Thursday, Dec. 10th &

Dec. 17th at 6:30pm.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!

Contact Debbie Garbs or Sally Rohe

with questions or inquiries.

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DECEMBER WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES OF BAPTISM

3rd: Kendall Lange 6th: Harvey & Tammy Siem 6th: Cheyenne Murrell 5th: Katie Thornton 26th: Norbert & Patricia Shacklette Cierra Murrell 7th: Rachel Richardson 12th: Caylynn Murrell 8th: Mike Schaller 29th: Elise Thierbach 9th: Sue Berg 12th: Janet Buescher 13th: Abbie Thornton 14th: Karen Sida 15th: Laurie Witte Christina Shacklette 16th: Nell Glosemeyer 20th: Greg Thornton Walean Bunge 22nd: Deanna Ahmann 24th: Harvey Cramer 26th: Michael Glosemeyer 28th: Edna Lee Kunze 30th: Nicole Meyer Braxton Blackwell

CONFIRMATION FIELD TRIPS During the new year I have arranged for our class to visit some other

churches and worship communities, as a way of experiencing the

wider church.

On Sunday, January 24, 2016 we have a visit scheduled for Christ

Church Cathedral in St. Louis. Christ Church Cathedral is an

Episcopal Cathedral. Worship is at 10 a.m. After worship the Dean

of the Cathedral will talk to us about the cathedral and their mission

to the homeless of St. Louis. As an activity after church, you might

want to consider lunch at a fast food place and then a visit to the

Arch.

On Sunday, February 14, 2016 (Valentine’s Day) we are scheduled

to worship at the Emmaus Chapel—on their campus. Worship begins

at 9.30 a.m. After worship we will be given a tour of the campus,

there will be an activity with the residents, and then a chance to have

lunch together—a brown bag affair. The 14th was chosen because

the Emmaus choirs are not scheduled to sing anywhere—which

means more residents will be at church that day. I think we are

providing the activity—such as making valentines. I will find that

out for sure, however.

In March or early April we will visit Christ the King UCC in

Florissant, MO. Christ the King is a predominately African

American Church. The worship should be fun and exciting. After

worship we may meet with some of the youth from Christ the King.

Please get these dates on your calendars.

I will need drivers of course, so if you can drive, let me know.

Thanks for all your support and help,

Pastor Donna

Christmas Eve Service

St. Paul’s UCC will have one service of

worship at 7pm this year on

Christmas Eve. There will be no

service on Christmas Day.

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PLEASE REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Mary Mittler—recovering from surgery; Tommy Cordle (friend of the Wholers)—receiving cancer treatments; Cal Tameler (Brenda Roloff’s father)—painful eye infection & eye surgery; Family of David Liesmann, who passed away on 11/17/15; Sue Green—entering nursing home; Leonard Lutz—health issues; Mike Kruse (son-in-law of Dan & Patty Thornton)—recovering from heart attack; Hertha Berg—recovering from heart attack; Ryan Owenby (friend of Brenda Roloff)—recovering from brain surgery; Jim Thornton (friend of the Bergs)—hunting accident—broken hip, multiple fractures, bruised lung; Michael Rich (relative of Carla Lange)—organ failure; Vance Ross (Karen Sida’s brother)—stroke; Jerome Bunge—diabetes and advanced Parkinson’s; Norma Sutter—failing health; Dee Schuster—health issues; Eldon & Sue Green—health issues; Angela Gray—health issues; Gail DeVore Morris—health issues; Eleanor Lutz—sciatic nerve pain, heart; John Spires—Parkinson’s.

Those Battling Cancer: Tommy Cordle; Ryan Owenby; Alan Scholz, Darryl Bockting, Donnie Kopmann, Kathy Frick, Layton Rehmeier, Dera Rehmeier, Rick Rehmeier, Jim Grafrath, Ron Palitzsch, Gary Dobsch, Dawn Borgmann, Mark Jones, Leonard Lutz, Dale Krampe, Tim Palitzsch, Gene Bollinger, Kenneth Lammers.

Those serving in the Military: Devon Martin, Caleb & Sarah Murphy, Tim Thornton, & others seeking to faithfully serve God & Country!

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Please remember those who are not always able to worship with us at St.

Paul’s UCC. Remember them in prayer, with a visit, card, or a phone call:

Hertha Berg Rev. Dale & Helene Krampe Eleanor Lutz South Pointe Assisted Living Homestead at Hickory View 20555 Cedar Ct. 5125 Old Hwy. 100, Room 11 1481 Marbach Dr., Apt. 225 Warrenton, MO 63383 Washington, MO 63090 Washington, MO 63090 636-456-8105 314-974-3784

Jerome Bunge Vera Mittler 306 E. South St. NHC Healthcare Marthasville, MO 63357 35 Sugar Maple Ln. (636) 433-2001 St. Charles, MO 63303 Vada Hinnah Dee Schuster The Arbors at South Pointe 700 E. Fifth St., Apt. #103 5129 Old Hwy. 100, Room 10 Washington, MO 63090 Washington, MO 63090 (636) 388-1054

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—Meals on Wheels— If anyone needs or knows of anyone who needs home-delivered meals from the Warren County Senior Center, please contact the center at 636-456-3379. Volunteers are also needed to deliver meals. ________________________________________________________________________________

May the Blessings of Christmas

be with you now and in the New Year.

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St. Paul’s UCC Church Calendar—December 2015

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11 KJV)

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 7pm Church Council

2 11am Women’s Guild Christmas Luncheon –meet at church at 10:30am

3 4 5

6 Bring A Meal Sunday 9:30am Worship with Holy Communion 10:30am AM Fellowship 10:30am Sunday School 2nd Sunday of Advent

7 10-4:30pm Quilters

8 7pm-8pm-Food Pantry @CBC

9 10

6:30pm Adult Choir practice

11 12

13 9:30am Worship 10:30am AM Fellowship 10:30am Sunday School 3rd Sunday of Advent

14 10-4:30pm Quilters

15 16 17

6:30pm Adult Choir practice

18 19 11am-Noon Food Pantry @ CBC

20 9:30am Worship 10:30am AM Fellowship 10:30am Sunday School 4th Sunday of Advent

21 10-4:30pm Quilters

22 23 24

7pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

25

26

27 9:30am Worship 10:30am AM Fellowship 10:30am Sunday School

28 10-4:30pm Quilters

29 30 31 1

2 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2016

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

16

Hang your stockings

and say your prayers…

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