St. Paul's Announcements

Dear St. Paul's Family,

Ruby Mahaffie passed into the arms of Jesus on Pentecost Sunday, May 23rd. The family will be holding a memorial service for Ruby on Saturday, May 19, at 10:00 a.m., at Breeze Park, 600 Breeze Park Drive, in St. Charles (63304). Please uphold John, and Ruby's children, Jonet and Paul, in your prayers.

Let us also remember Jim Pettus in your prayers. Jim is at Veteran's Hospital, and is in critical condition with complications from surgery. His life is hanging in the balances.

Dear St. Paul's Congregation,

"Fall on us, Holy Spirit." This will be our prayer as we gather together on Sunday, May 23rd, to celebrate Pentecost, receive the Lord's Supper, and be challenged with the preaching of God's word. Our lectionary text this week is from Acts 2:1-21. I will expound on the meaning of the wind, fire and tongues that descended on Pentecost.

Dear St. Paul's Congregation,

A Pastor friend in Iowa, Quintin Stieff, is looking for housing in St.

Dear St. Paul's Congregation,

I hope you will be able to join us this Sunday for worship! I will continue our lectionary sermon series with a message from Acts 16:16-34, called "Songs for the Night." Paul and Silas are beaten and put in prison, but yet, they are able to sing praises in the night. This story teaches us several lessons about how to put our trial to work for the benefit of God's Kingdom.

Bells and chorale will present special music at the 8:30 service. Nathan Drake leads the worship team at 11:00.

Dear St. Paul's Congregation,

As the painting in the sanctuary nears completion today, Clay will be needing extra help tomorrow in dusting and preparing the sanctuary for Sunday. Might you be able to come in on Saturday to help Clay?

We are also looking for a few more male helpers to clean up after the "Mother's Day Fellowship Hour" this Sunday.

If you are able to come up and help, please call the church office and let Terri know (314-993-0015).

Grace and peace to you,

Mark Friz

Dear St. Paul's Congregation,

This is a very special Mother's Day for me. On November 2, 2009, my mother died at the age of 85. This is my first mother's day without my mother to be around to send flowers, talk to on the phone, or share a visit.

In honor of her life, and all of the mothers represented at St. Paul's, I'm going to be preaching a sermon entitled, Seven Things My Mother Taught Me. The sermon includes humorous and serious stories about a woman who shaped my life in ways that only God can fully understand.

The May 2010 newsletter is available for viewing on the church web site, at the following:

http://stpaulsefree.org/news/newsletter

The Youth Ministry is having a Car Wash this Saturday, May 8th, on the Youth House parking lot, from 9:00am to 1:00pm.  A snack bar, with barbeque hot dogs and soda, and hanging flower baskets will also be for sale.  A clean car and a hanging basket would make a great gift for Mom this Mother's Day weekend.

Dear St. Paul's Congregation,

The Spring weather has me thinking of gardening. I'm getting a late start this year because of my extended stay in Germany, but tomorrow I hope to get out and start doing some planting. This time of year, the world is full of "all things new."

All Things New is also the title of the sermon on Sunday, from Acts 11:1-18. The Apostles faced difficulties in sharing the Gospel with Gentiles. Did the Gentiles have to be circumcised, follow Jewish food laws, participate in Jewish cleansing laws?

Dear St. Paul's Congregation,

Tim Dahl and I are sending out this e-mail from Berlin, Germany, where we are currently staying with Andy and Claudia Rauhut. If you have been watching the news, you know that virtually all air travel in Europe has been grounded because of the volcano.

After our flight was cancelled this morning, the earliest flight we could book was next Friday, April 23rd. However, we are now considering taking a bus south to Madrid, Spain (about 1600 miles) where there is a possibility of getting a flight back to somewhere in the USA.

Dear St. Paul's Congregation,

Tomorrow the Good Friday service will include ancient and modern hymns, a solo by Jesse Oros, pew communion, special music by the St. Paul's Chorale, and a service of light into darkness that ends with, "Were you There When They Crucified My Lord."

Pre-service meditation begins at 7:15, so come early to contemplate during the special music prepared by Lois Percival, Shelly Pickard (O Divine Redeemer) and Beverly Field (Vocalise).

I bind unto myself today  . . .