As part of our “Month of Mission”, we are collecting items for Church World Service (CWS) hygiene kits. When people are forced to abruptly leave their homes because of emergencies, they may not have time to pack the things they use on a daily basis like toothbrushes or soap. But after a few days without these items, they definitely miss them. Your hygiene kits offer a refreshing daily boost for someone when supplies are hard to come by.
Here is what we need:
One hand towel measuring approximately 15″ x 28″ to 16″ x 32″ (no fingertip, bath, dish towel or micro-fiber)
One washcloth
One wide-tooth comb removed from the package
Must be sturdy with at least 6 inches of teeth
No pocket combs or picks
Rattail and combs without handles are acceptable
One fingernail or toenail clipper removed from the package (either one is acceptable)
One bath-size bar of soap in the original package
One toothbrush in the original package
Ten standard size Band-Aids
Toothpaste is not needed. A tube of extended expiration date toothpaste will be added to each hygiene kit just prior to its final journey.
There are collection baskets in the hallway outside of the sanctuary.
June is PRIDE month. As Disciples of Christ, we describe ourselves as “a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world”; as an Open and Affirming congregation we have stated that “…we strive to create a safe and supportive community in which all Christians may worship, study, serve and seek the guidance of God’s Spirit as we face the decisions of life and faith.”
Throughout this month, let’s celebrate Pride at church! Let’s continue to bear witness to God’s love for all God’s children. Let’s deepen Compton’s mission and commitment as an Open and Affirming congregation. On June 24th and 25th, we will participate in St. Louis PrideFest by joining with other Disciple congregations to sponsor a booth to celebrate and stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community. If you would like to help staff our booth, a sign-up link is available now.
To begin the celebration, I offer this prayer from Rev. Mak Kneebone, pastor of Plymouth United Church in Spring, TX and the first transgender president of the UCC Open and Affirming Coalition.
****************************************** Holy One Of Blessing, eternally we co-create ourselves in your love. All companionship orientations; All gender identities and expressions; All ways of having family. We celebrate this Pride month for LGBTQ+ peoples everywhere Knowing that many are still not safe to come out; To be free; To live life abundantly. Heal all who are ill in body, mind, heart or spirit. Bind up all wounds and provide adequate care. Extinguish any stigma people are enduring. This month, we celebrate because everyone should be celebrated. We are your body on earth. May our love and hope be sent on the wings of this prayer To all who need refreshing, affirmation, and love’s embrace.
Steve – May it be so.
Our Interim Journey: Notes from Steve
Thank you, Church, for your on-going engagement with our interim journey. Also, a special ‘thank you’ to each of the members of the Vision Action Team (VAT) who have been providing leadership since last Fall!
Kathy Mead, from the VAT, provides this great summary of the interim journey thus far:
Compton started our interim journey in August 2021 when we celebrated with Jacque on her 25 years of ministry. Since that time, we have met in [3] Oneing Events where we named our core values, our spiritual gifts, our dreams for ministry and for the future of Compton.
The VAT took the information from our Oneing Events, from conversations in Board meetings and Elders meetings and identified areas of ministry that we as a congregation have stated are important to us as we move forward.
Building community
Providing Opportunities for Spiritual Growth
Creative Worship
Strengthening community
Engaging the Arts to enrich our ministries
Desire to be in relationship with Isaiah 58 Ministries
Care and Use of our building as a resource for Compton’s ministry and the Ministry of Isaiah 58
The congregation and VAT have created projects and plans based on those ministry areas:
We’ve started regular Open Mic Night.
We formed a community action group.
We revised our by-laws to reflect the size of our congregation.
We are moving toward a more project focused way of doing ministry.
We completed evaluations on our building and have formed a building use committee to work with I58 ministries – to look at, not just maintenance or structural issues – but to look at how we use the building.
There are two lunch and learn events in planning stages.
Education event around Transgender issues
Education event around autism.
We are planning a Radical Hospitality Event that will be a safe space for honest conversation around the challenges of intergenerational ministry.
At our Oneing Event on April 30th, we asked for additional ideas, projects and plans in four areas:
Worship/Faith Formation/Spiritual Growth
Care for and use of our building/Relationship with Isaiah 58
Fellowship/Community building
Outreach/Community engagement
Here are the ideas, projects and plans lifted up in these four areas at the Oneing Event on April 30th:
Worship/Faith Formation/Spiritual Growth
Bringing back Sunday School in some form (ideas mentioned: discussions during coffee hour, short term studies, restoring a regular education time on Sunday or some other time)
More diversity in music, more live music, guest singers, solos, special music
More multi-cultural influences in worship, more creativity in worship
Compassionate Listening
Classes for those coming out of fundamentalist backgrounds
Moments in worship that incorporate radical inclusivity
Disciples history
Care for and use of our building/Relationship with Isaiah 58 Ministries
Create a space for Think, Pray, Act (T+P+A) and others
Institute a new capital campaign
To pay down the mortgage
To fund needed improvements
Reconfigure the sanctuary space
Fellowship/Community Building
Trivia Night/Silent Auction
Game night – board/card/party – invite Cornerstone, I-58
Ice Cream Social and/or Campfire
Movie and discussion Night
December fellowship/open house
Knitting group/craft night return
Bingo night
All church garage sale
Outreach/Community Engagement
Deepen I-58 relationship – create “community” space for clients – offer workshops
Weekly office hours regarding “God’s call”
New kitchen facilities “open up” event – opportunities – boy/girl scout, 12-step groups
Mini concerts – folk engagement, college groups
Continue attending neighborhood meetings
Publish in monthly newsletters – TGENA, Shaw NA
Re-acquaint members in social ways to foster interest in leadership positions
Continue to work to strengthen partnership with Cornerstone
Interim Journey, Closing Thoughts
If you haven’t had the opportunity to express your interest in any of these ideas, projects and plans, you may do so at church by writing your name on sticky notes and placing them beside your items of interest on the newsprint sheets located in the office hallway just before the kitchenette.
Now, the VAT is in the process of compiling and organizing all of these ideas and interests in order to incorporate them into future action plans… beyond the action plans that are already underway!
One last thing to highlight… While you have fully engaged the interim journey in order to plan for the future, the life and ministry of the church right now continues! Please check the upcoming events in this Newsletter. I look forward to sharing this summer’s ministry with you and give thanks to God for each of you and all of you together!
Grace and Peace, Steve
June
14 – Dennis J.
19 – Theresa M.
26 – Lucy M.
July
15 – Sarah R.
17 – Steve W.
22 – Janet U.
28 – Marcia H.
21 – Steve S.
(Image Credit: Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay)
Please hold in prayer: Walt T, Penny and Howard M,Courtney H, Nancy O for her mother; George H, Leslie L, Joan J for her aunt Adeline in hospice care; Diane R’s mother and her cousin Mona, DebE M’s friend Sheila; Leslie L’s parents; Carolyn H’s sister.
We Also pray for: An end to fighting in Ukraine; an end to gun violence in the USA; all who have been killed, injured and driven from their homes to refuge in other countries. Those affected by extreme weather events. Everyone struggling with loneliness, depression and isolation. All who grieve the loss of loved ones. All of our LGBTQ family and friends. Anyone experiencing pain and alienation:may you know that God loves ALL of us.
Around Compton Heights
Search committee: Five members have been named to the Search Committee for our settled minister. They are Leslie Latham, Marcia Hendrix, Darrell Hughes, Rev. Becky Klemme-Elicieri, and Orion Peterson.They have met once with Regional Associate Minister David Woodard. Keep them in prayer!
Book Circle News: Compton Heights CC Book Circle usually meets the second Saturday of every other month on Zoom at 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome to join the discussion, even if you haven’t finished (or read) the book! However, we will be discussing Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus on July 15.
Coffee Hour News : Volunteers Needed! Coffee time following worship service is a time for us to have conversation, reconnect with one another, and fellowship with each other. Please check the signup sheets on the Library doors and volunteer to make coffee and set up for coffee time or to provide snacks, or both.
Upcoming Events
All Sunday Worship is at 11 a.m. in person and live stream on Facebook (Sunday bulletin PDF is emailed on Saturdays) Spirit Bloom on Zoom meets on Mondays at 7 p.m. Ministry Groups, Wednesday, June 14, 7 p.m. on Zoom Isaiah 58 Ministries Juneteenth Celebration, 11a.m.-2 p.m. Elders Circle, Wednesday, June 21, on Zoom Retirement Party for Marsha McGuire, June 24, 1-4 p.m. St. Louis Pride Fest, June 24-25 Pastor’s Cabinet, Wednesday, July 5 on Zoom Youth Mission Event: Wednesday, July 12th 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Book Circle: Saturday, July 15 at 1 p.m. on Zoom Board of Ministry: Wednesday, July 12, 7 p.m. on Zoom Elders Circle: Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. on Zoom Isaiah 58 Ministries Back to School Fair, July 22
Bag of Blessings for Isaiah 58 Ministries
Please bring these to the baskets at back of the Sanctuary on Sundays. All fruit and vegetable suggestions are to be canned and, if possible, low sodium and/or in their own juice.
Isaiah 58 Ministries provides a list of food, pantry essentials, personal care items and cleaning supplies each month. You are invited to bring any of these items to place in the Isaiah 58 Offering Basket on Sunday morning or you can drop off donations in the alley behind the building, which is where Isaiah 58 Ministries’ entrance is. The alley can be accessed from Flora Place. Donations are received M-F, 10am-1pm.
We are a Movement for Wholeness in a Fragmented World
In the beginning, every church was new.
It’s right there in the Book of Acts. Early disciples came together, sharing all things in common, breaking bread with glad and generous hearts. God was doing a new thing: creating a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.
In the beginning, Jesus sent out disciples, two by two, not to “plant” churches, but to proclaim good news, to experience the hospitality and wisdom of neighbors all around.
At New Church Ministry, we believe God is calling the whole Church back to becoming new… back to becoming who we are: a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.
Your gifts to the 2023 Pentecost Offering, on Sunday, May 28, help ensure our movement continues to embody the Disciples of Christ vision: to be and to share the Good News, witnessing, loving and serving from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.
Half of your gift supports the local new church movement through your region’s ministry. The other half supports New Church Ministry efforts across the United States and Canada to equip, train, and empower new leaders.
So, thank you. For participating in the new thing God is still doing — just as in the beginning.
Isaiah 58 Ministries provides a list of food, pantry essentials, personal care items and cleaning supplies each month. You are invited to bring any of these items to place in the Isaiah 58 Offering Basket on Sunday morning or you can drop off donations in the alley behind the building, which is where Isaiah 58 Ministries’ entrance is. The alley can be accessed from Flora Place. Donations are received M-F, 10am-1pm.
May Bag of Blessing items:
Food: Canned Chicken, Rice
Pantry Essential: Flour, 2 lb bag, Sugar 1 lb bag
Personal Care Items: Toothbrush, Toothpaste
Cleaning Supplies: Laundry Detergent, 50 oz or smaller
Isaiah 58 Ministries provides a list of food, pantry essentials, personal care items and cleaning supplies each month. You are invited to bring any of these items to place in the Isaiah 58 Offering Basket on Sunday morning or you can drop off donations in the alley behind the building, which is where Isaiah 58 Ministries’ entrance is. The alley can be accessed from Flora Place. Donations are received M-F, 10am-1pm.
March Bag of Blessing items:
Food: Sardines, Chili
Pantry Essential: Cooking Oil – 48 oz. or smaller
Personal Care Items: Shampoo, Razors, Shaving Cream
Isaiah 58 Ministries provides a list of food, pantry essentials, personal care items and cleaning supplies each month. You are invited to bring any of these items to place in the Isaiah 58 Offering Basket on Sunday morning or you can drop off donations in the alley behind the building, which is where Isaiah 58 Ministries’ entrance is. The alley can be accessed from Flora Place. Donations are received M-F, 10am-1pm.
Isaiah 58 Ministries provides a list of food, pantry essentials, personal care items and cleaning supplies each month. You are invited to bring any of these items to place in the Isaiah 58 Offering Basket on Sunday morning or you can drop off donations in the alley behind the building, which is where Isaiah 58 Ministries’ entrance is. The alley can be accessed from Flora Place. Donations are received M-F, 10am-1pm.
January Bag of Blessing items:
Food: Beef Stew, Canned Greens
Pantry Essential: Coffee, Hot Chocolate
Personal Care Items: Toilet Paper
Cleaning Supplies: Laundry Detergent, 50 oz. or smaller
We will decorate the sanctuary with poinsettias. They are available for purchase for $6. You may take the poinsettia home after worship on December 18th.
Talk to Marty Renner-Hughes if you would like to reserve a poinsettia.
A ministry that celebrates the gifts, the faith journey, and the love and mission of God’s people of every race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and ability. We worship the God of all creation who gifts us with life. We worship God who is Love, who is revealed in the life of Jesus the Christ.
The God of Jesus is the God of:
Hope
Peace
Joy
Love
Compassion
Forgiveness
Grace
Mercy
Come, join us in becoming a
community of Jesus the Christ!
Compton Heights Christian Church 