St. Paul's
United Church of Christ
May 2016
Newsletter
Church Office Hours
Monday-Friday: 9:00am-4:00pm
Pastor Mike Roth: Tuesday-Friday
Pastor Erica Roth: Tuesday-Thursday
Pastor Gail Robins: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
Erica Faust: Tuesday-Thursday
St. Paul’s United Church of Christ
5508 Telegraph Road
St. Louis, Mo 63129
314-892-3332
Website: stpauloakville.org
Pastor Erica will be leading a 4 week adult Bible Study
to go along with our June Preaching Series. “CAVE EN-
COUNTERS” will meet on Wednesdays from 1-2:30
starting on June 8th and running for 4 weeks. We will
explore how the images of caves are used in the Bible,
find out about some significant events that happened
in caves and talk about our own ‘cave’ experiences.
Dear Friends,
Pastor Gail, Pastor Erica, and I all receive a lot of com-
munications from people who feel like they are in
deep trouble. They might call us, text us, e-mail us,
stop us in the hall, or come in for a personal visit.
Sometimes they’re depressed, overcome with fear,
feel as if they are unable to function in daily life, suc-
cumbing to abuse, thinking dark thoughts, or feel too
panicked to figure a way out of their situation. In
short, they’re drowning in darkness, unable to see the
light anymore. Have you ever been to a place like
this? Maybe your are in one right now feeling as if
you are at your wit’s end, at the end of your rope, feeling as if you are unable to go on, ready to give up, or just
going through the motions of life. Have you ever felt as if your connection to the light of Christ has gone out?
If you are in such a place we want to help you find hope again.
Erica and I like to do several preaching series each year so this year we decided to do one in conjunction with our
Vacation Bible School program this June. The theme this year revolves around the image of Caves. We wanted to do
something which connected to that cave image but was relevant for Adults on Sunday mornings. Caves, like life, can
sometimes feel dark, damp, and lifeless. Ancients thought it was through caves that one accessed the underworld.
However, the Bible paints a very different picture of Caves. Caves are mentioned 33 times in the Bible and in
most of those passages they are portrayed as places which provide sanctuary, refuge, hope, life and direction. That
sounds pretty good to someone who feels as if they are lost.
For the month of June we will be going on our own “Cave Quest” together; Finding Our Way Out of the Dark Places
in Our Lives. The series will be:
Week 1: Remain Calm
Week 2: Discover A Light Source
Week 3: Pick a Direction
Week 4: Be Set Free
No matter where you are on your life’s journey, chances are that either you or someone you know finds themselves
in a dark place. Come discover the way out. “Cave Quest” begins Sunday, June 5.
Yours In Christ,
Pastor Mike
Ladies Day Out
May 18 @ 11:30
Sappington Barn
1015 S. Sappington Road
Call Ruth Haefner 314-846-8795
Sr. High Youth will be collecting items to put
together Homeless Care Kits to carry with us
on our 2016 Mission Trip to Louisville, KY.
We invite everyone to bring items from the
following list and drop them in our marked
tub in the Narthex during the months of
May and June. We will put the kits together on Wednesday,
June 29th at 7 p.m. during our normal youth group meeting but
invite individuals and families to join us. You can take a kit or two
to carry around in your car as well! THANKS!
Suggested Items: Baby Wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks,
bar soap, germ-x, washcloths, gum, Ziploc gallon bags, Ziploc quart
bags, quarters, bottled water, granola bars, playing cards, combs,
lotion, cracker sandwiches, band-aids, deodorant, Q-tips, chap-
stick, small mouthwashes, mints, string backpacks, razor, scarf,
hat, gloves...
SALT (4th-5th grade youth) NEWS:
SALT will not be meeting over the summer.
A schedule for 2016-2017 will come out
around early August and activities will start in September! If it
rained and we had to postpone ooey-gooey night then our make-
up date is Saturday, May 28th at 6 p.m.!
Middle School Youth Group will meet on May 1st and May 22nd at
5:30. May 22nd will be the last meeting of the year. We will have
one or two summer activities that will be announced as they are
planned. A 2016-2017 schedule
will come out around early Au-
gust and weekly meetings will
resume in September!
We will be having Confirmation on Sunday, May 15th and will be
honoring High School and College Graduates
on Sunday, May 22nd. If you have or know of a
graduate, please let Pastor Erica know so we
make sure we don’t overlook anyone! We will
only be having one service at 9:30 a.m. from
May 15th all the way through the Summer.
Sr. High Youth will be raffling off:
4 X RED BIRD CLUB Tickets for
Tuesday, May 17th
Cardinals Vs. Rockies
7:15 p.m. Which includes parking and is a $540 value!
Raffle tickets are $1 for 1 chance or $5 for 6 chances and will be
available Sunday, May 1st—Sunday, May
8th! Pick them up at Sunday Worship or
at the BBQ! Winning ticket will be drawn
on Sunday, May 8th after the 2nd wor-
ship service.
Our DOGs (Disciples of God) group (for DDA) will meet
on Sunday, May 22nd from Noon-2:30 p.m. for a picnic.
We will eat together, play some picnic games (including
BINGO). Fried chicken and more!
Summer Worship Time Change
The Church Council has decided beginning on May 15 we will have
one Sunday Worship time,
9:30am
through Rally Day,
September 11th.
Missouri History Museum Bus Trip June 28
We will leave church on the bus at 9:30 and return at 2:30.
3 new exhibits at the History Museum, “The Little Black Dress”, “Rt. 66” Views of Main Street, and “Where did you go to High School?” followed by lunch at the Boathouse in Forest Park.
Sign up sheet in the Narthex, please join us!
T-ball and Softball Sign Ups
T-ball and Softball sign up sheets are posted on the bulletin board in the hallway leading from the social hall to the church office. Sign
ups will continue through Sunday, April 24th.
The age divisions are T-ball 5-7 year olds, softball 7-10, 11-Up years of age on
May 1, 2016. All games are played on Monday (Softball) and Wednesday (T-ball) evenings. Play begins May 23rd.
Depending on number of sign-ups, softball teams/games can be pickup in nature where everyone plays and enjoys the fellowship of
youth and parents from other churches as well as our own.
Please sign up early so we can complete the rosters and find volun-teers for coaches in time for league play.
VBS 2016
June 13-17
9:00 a.m.-noon For kids age 3--5th grade
6th grade and up can volunteer to be part of our team. Volunteer to be part of our team. It's a great way to connect with our church family and it's LOADS of FUN! VBS 2016 Volunteer Form
Child Registration forms can be found on the bulletin board outside the church office and in the Narthex.
Confirmation News Confirmation Sunday is May 15 at 9:30a.m. Please attend to support and welcome our 13 Confirmands into our church family. Lots of Thank you’s to pass along:
to Lynn Schmittgens for helping the Con-firmands make their Confirmation stoles.
to Linda Sharamitaro for helping the Con-firmands create their Confirmation ban-ner.
to Lola Roesch, Ginny Van Horn and Dina Right for providing and sharing meals with us this past month.
To Mike Right for helping chaperone our Confir-
mation trip to Chicago.
Save The Dates May 6&7 St. Paul’s BBQ
May 14 Spring Work/Planting Day
May 15 Summer Time change-1 service 9:30
May 15 Confirmation Sunday
May 22 Honoring Our Graduates Sunday
June 13-17 VBS-Cave Quest
September 11 Rally Day & church Picnic
Sept. 24-25 Family Camp Mo-Val
Nov. 11-13 Women’s Spiritual Retreat
Perpetual Memorial Trust Fund
Each year the Perpetual Memorial Fund donates 25% of the
interest in makes to Major Building Maintenance fund, 25% is
reinvested in the Perpetual Memorial fund and 50% is given
to committees that need money to fund their projects.
The Perpetual Memorial fund committee is now accepting
requests . The money must be used foe projects or purchases
that will benefit the church and where there is no money cur-
rently available. Committees must be duly elected St. Paul’s
church committees or groups. Requests must be submitted in
writing by any member of the board providing detailed de-
scription, costs, & reason for project or purchase. All mem-
bers of the committee need to be aware of and agree on re-
quest before submitting. Funds are limited. Unapproved re-
quests from last year may be resubmitted.
Please submit all requests by June 15, 2016
The Young At Heart invites you to to join us on May 17
at 11:30 AM in our usual location at the church. Bring a
sack lunch with drinks and desserts to be provided. All
seniors and friends are welcome.
Sunday School News
May lessons will focus on stew-
ardship and mission. Kingdom Bucks Program Kids
earn a buck every time they attend Sunday School. Bucks can be redeemed for prizes and gifts 3 times per year (Palm Sunday, Rally Day and Ad-
vent Fest)
Family Camp
Sept. 24-25
Camp Mo-Val,
Union, MO
Calendar Link:
http://73936384.view-events.com/calendar/
calendar.aspx?ci=G1H2O9G1N8L6O9L6I3
TreeHouse May 2016 “Grand” Parents
Day
2016
As part of our annual Week of the Young Child Celebration, the TreeHouse kids treated their grandparents to a donut and fruit breakfast in the social hall!
2-3 year old exercising fine motor muscles playing with spring
flowers and buttons!
Learning through play!
Very funny Ethan!
Grandparents are the Best!
Mackenzie rockin’ and rolllin!
Fine motor fun with jelly bean and toothpicks!
River is so proud of his art.
Open ended art!
Firefighter Maxwell at your service!
Two firefighters are better than one!
Carson examining our classroom creature.! Balloon Art !
Baby House Fun!
Fun IN the Sensory Table!
Sharing is fun!
...and then he said... Emilia starts with E!
Measuring length. Look! A Worm!
Dinosaur Patrol!
Tummy time!!
May 2016 is certainly going to be an exciting time for us! We will celebrate our TreeHouse
mothers with a lovely breakfast in the Heritage Room.
On Friday May 27th, we will mark the end of our school year with a Graduation Cer-emony in the Sanctuary and
our annual family picnic afterwards.
Please keep all of those who are leaving us in your
prayers!
We Love You!