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St. Peter’s

CONNECTION VOL. 5, No. 8 November 21, 2014

Connecting the World with God’s Love

THIS ISSUE: Apartment Ministry

Share worship, Communion, and a meal with families from the Houston area on Dec. 20.

The Connect Tree This year our ministry of sharing Christmas joy with the children of Parkview Village will extend to building relationships with their families.

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t’s not too early to start thinking about Advent and all the wonderful opportunities St. Peter’s offers to help you prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ. We will begin the Advent season on Nov. 30 with sermons in traditional worship, the element, and Living Stones based on Adam Hamilton’s book “The Journey.” Some adult Sunday School classes as well as student and children’s Sunday School will be using this Advent study to supplement the sermon messages. The Youth Choir and Orchestra will present their Christmas Concert featuring Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” The concert is Dec. 7 in the Sanctuary at 7 p.m. Children’s Ministries’ The Great Family Christmas celebration is Dec. 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Lott Hall. We will have treats, crafts, a mission project, music, a photo booth, and reading and movie time. Also on Dec. 14, the Chancel Choir and Orchestra will present our annual Community “Messiah” Singalong at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. You can continued on page 3

20775 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, Texas 77450 (281) 492-8031 www.stpkaty.org

Youth Choir to sing “Gloria”

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he Youth Choir and Orchestra will present their Christmas concert Dec. 7 featuring Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” The concert will be at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Please come out and support our Youth Choir and Orchestra as we begin our season of Advent music.

Taking “The Journey” together Dear Friends in Christ, For the four Sundays in Advent this year (Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, 14, and 21) we will have a sermon series that will be preached in all of our worship services. The sermons at the Living Stones campus, the element, and the traditional services will be based on the same scripture passage as well as have the same title and theme. The sermon series is called “The Journey.” Each week we will focus on one of the people we encounter as we make the journey to

Treasures in the Attic

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oung children are invited to shop for Christmas gifts for family members at Treasures in the Attic Dec. 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in The Quad. Parents will wait in the Wesley Student Center while their children shop with a helper. We are currently collecting donations of costume jewelry, cosmetic samples, ornaments, gently used wallets, purses, bags, key chains, and small toys as well as wrapping supplies to stock our store. We are always short on men’s gifts such as ties, trinkets, sports items, and scarves. Please bring donations to the collection box in the Lobby by Dec. 12. Proceeds will benefit Pruning Hooks Ministries. Contact Beth Hays at bahbuckeye@ yahoo.com with any questions.

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the manger. Over the four Sundays, we will encounter Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, and the

Dr. Pat Sparks, Senior Pastor

shepherds. (On the fourth Sunday in the traditional services, the only service with the sermon will be at 8:30 a.m. The Chancel Choir and Orchestra will present their Christmas program at 9:45 and 11 a.m. on that Sunday.) The series is based on a book by Adam Hamilton titled “The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem.” If you would like to read it, you can buy a copy through the church office or in the Lobby on Sunday. It will be exciting to have the entire church hearing the same basic message as we take “The Journey” together. Please use this as an opportunity to invite your friends, neighbors, and relatives to come take the journey to the manger with us. I look forward to seeing you in church! Grace and Peace,

Pat

Show our college students we care

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t’s exam time for colleges, and the Senior High Ministry team would like to provide care packages to our congregation’s college students during this stressful time to let them know they are in our prayers. We are asking for donations of items such as granola bars, candy, fruit snacks, and chewing gum. A collection bin will be placed in the Sanctuary Lobby and the element Lobby through Nov. 30 to collect your donated items. If you can provide monetary donations for packaging and shipping or if you would like to provide us with your college student’s school address, please contact Marilyn Stegemann at [email protected] or (210) 632-8891.

Deadline for retreat is Dec. 12

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Christmas Eve worship 3 p.m. – ­ Children’s Choir Christmas Musical “We Three Spies” and Wor- ship for families with small children, Sanctuary 5 p.m. – Living Stones, Cinco Ranch High School 5 p.m. – Carols and Candlelight with the Chancel Choir and Orchestra, Sanctuary 5:30 p.m. – the element Worship with Communion, Lott Hall 7 p.m. – Carols and Candlelight with the Chancel Choir and Orchestra, Sanctuary 7:30 p.m. – the element Worship with Communion, Lott Hall 9 p.m. – Carols, Candlelight, and Communion with the Youth Choir 11 p.m. – Carols, Candlelight, and Communion with Combined Choirs

Advent journey continued from page 1 sing along or just listen to this amazing music. Please invite your friends and neighbors. For those who have suffered a loss, a traditional Christmas service can be difficult. Our special Night of Hope service offers comfort and hope to those who are grieving. This service is Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Living Stones will have a Christmas Gospel Presentation at Central Green in LaCenterra on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. The Chancel Choir and Orchestra will present “Christ Is Born” by Jonathan Willcocks at the 9:45 and 11 a.m. traditional worship services on Dec. 21. We hope you will join your St. Peter’s family for these special events.

irlfriend Getaway, St. Peter’s women’s retreat, is Jan. 16-18. Our theme is In His Hands, Created by the King. Featured speakers are Rachel Norris and Whitney Peper. Rachel and her husband own Joy Pottery in Bryan. She shares her testimony while demonstrating how she makes pottery, speaking about the meaning in the portrayal of the potter and the clay along with insights of the hand of God in our own lives. Whitney will continue the conversation by talking about how we all are being molded by God for a purpose. If you register by Dec. 12, the cost is $155. After that the cost goes up to $175. Scholarships are available. Register at stpkaty.org or by calling the church office at (281) 4928031. Contact Joey Swarts at joey.swarts@gmail. com with any questions.

Continue the “Journey”

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f you would like to participate in the study of “The Journey” during Advent, but are not a member of an adult Sunday School class, we invite you to join us beginning Nov. 30 at 11 a.m. in E106. We will watch Adam Hamilton’s video and then have time for discussion. Books are available for purchase in the Lobby. No registration is needed for this class.

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Brown Bag Bridge. Winners for our November gathering were Bea Dante, high, and Trudy Sinclair, second high. Our next play date is Dec. 11. If you would like to join us, please call Martha at (281) 395-4825. Christmas Lights Trip. Get in the Christmas spirit and come join the KEYS on our Dec. 19 outing to view the beautiful Christmas lights around the Houston area. The bus will leave St. Peter’s parking lot at 4 p.m. and will stop at the Cleburne Cafeteria for dinner. After eating our fill, we will travel throughout Houston admiring the many Christmas light displays. The bus will return to St. Peter’s by 9 p.m. Sign up at the KEYS bulletin board in the Lobby starting this Sunday.

Connecting the World With God’s Love

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esus calls us daily to find him in new people and places. The Kingdom of God will be full of people of all nations, races, economic statuses, and backgrounds. According to research done by the Kinder Institute at Rice University and others, Houston is now the most diverse place in the United States. As we look toward the future of both our Church and our home, building community with people from different cultures is crucial. One of the most exciting ways the United Methodist Church is engaging people across cultural boundaries is through the Fondren Apartment Ministries. FAM is ministry with the people who live in the apartment complexes on Fondren Road in southwest Houston, a large percentage of whom are refugees from all over the planet. St. Peter’s members Russel LaGrone and Erin Randolph live in an intentional community in this area that is part of FAM, and our church is currently in a Covenant Partnership with FAM in which we learn from each other and grow in ministry together. What does this mean to you? On Dec. 20 from noon to 2 p.m., the people of St. Peter’s, FAM, and Westbury UMC will be joining together for a worship service, communion, and shared meal. The focus will be talking about how Christmas has been experienced by different people in different contexts. It will be a chance to meet new friends from new places, and to get a little taste of what heaven just might look like. If you would like to be a part of this worship experience, contact Nathan at [email protected] or (281) 492-8031. Paz,

Nathan Katy Community Thanksgiving Feast needs more blankets

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e still need more blankets for the Katy Thanksgiving Feast. As of now, we’re a little behind last year’s pace for donations. Blankets should be brought to the Lobby by Tuesday. This year’s feast will be held at First Baptist Church, Katy. Please go to the Missions page at stpkaty.org or call the church office to sign up to donate or to volunteer.

Wednesday Night Dinner Helpers

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e will have an information meeting Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. in E106 for everyone who is interested in volunteering with Wednesday Night Dinners, a great St. Peter’s tradition. We need cooks and servers to help make these dinners a great way for us to come together for a meal before our other Wednesday night activities. If you are interested, please join us for this meeting. If you have questions, please contact Whitney Peper at wpeper19@ gmail.com or (281) 492-8031.

Mission Gift Cards

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ou can give just the right gift to a loved one or friend and do something for someone who may be less fortunate than you are by purchasing a Missions Gift Card, which benefits one of four organizations. This is a great way to honor that special person who has everything. Please visit the Missions Table in the Lobby beginning Sunday, Nov. 30, to select cards benefitting Heifer International, The Methodist Children’s Home, Helping Kids Ministry, and Christ Clinic. For more information on any of these programs, please contact Nathan Bledsoe at [email protected] or (281) 492-8031.

Welcome to Our New Members Kyle and Amanda Friehauf Ralph and Debbie Lovell Stephanie Trevino

ST. PETER’S ATTENDANCE November 9 Traditional Worship 8:30 180 9:45 217 11:00 548 the element 9:45 56 11:00 120 SPLASH 87 Living Stones 256 TOTAL 1,464

November 16 Traditional Worship 8:30 204 9:45 268 11:00 346 the element 9:45 51 11:00 103 SPLASH 90 Living Stones 262 TOTAL 1,324

In Our Prayers PRAYERS

Don Beach, Dennis Bowling, William Clites, Julia Clites, Dan Dienst, John Duffield, David Galasso, Caleb Gore, Jane Hall, Ann Hlinak, Rick Jage, Brian Jones, Randy Ludden, Betty Marsh, and Cheryl Swift.

SYMPATHY To Kari Alanis and family on the death of her father. To Scott Fanty and family on the death of his mother. To Mary Beth Lewis and family on the death of her father.

PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY Tim and Alison Batig, John Belsha, Will Brandt, Skyler Cook, Westley Freeze, James Gilbert, Tyler J. Gorcie, Dylan Greismeyer, Stephen Travis Harding, Matthew Ivester, Ryan Lueders, Blake Nunes, Ryan O’Quinn, Matthew Platz, Shawn Platz, Hamilton Rencurrel, Taylor Richardson, Jack Ritchie, Don Rolleg, John Simmons, and Jasen Wilson.

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Christmas Luncheon. Please join us Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. in Lott Hall. Each member is asked to bring a favorite dish to share and an unwrapped toy. Entertainment will be by a dance troupe that performs traditional Mexican dances. We also will be installing our new officers. All women are invited to join us. Agape Circle. We will meet in the home of Marti Davis on Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. Each person is asked to bring something for refreshments and to contribute some canned goods.

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he Great Family Christmas, which is Dec. 14 from 4-6 p.m. in Lott Hall, is a time for families to come together and remember what Christmas is all about: the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will have treats, crafts, a mission project, music, photo booth, special characters, and story time. We also will have a movie, so please bring a blanket or pillow to sit on. For more information, please contact Whitney Peper at wpeper19@gmail. com or (281) 492-8031.

Student Ministries home groups

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tudent Ministries is launching home groups for all high school students. They will meet in homes each Sunday to engage in a small group study, share a meal, and share life together. Registration for home groups runs through Dec. 7. You can register in the Sanctuary Lobby, outside the element, or online at stpstudentministries.org. If you have any questions, contact Jeremy Galasso at [email protected].

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he Chancel Choir and Orchestra invite you to our annual Community “Messiah” Singalong Sunday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The performance will include the “Hallelujah Chorus” and “Amen.” You can sing along or choose just to listen to this amazing music. You can borrow a score or you may purchase one for $10. Child care is available. Please invite your friends and neighbors to join us.

We need your help

Building relationships, sharing the joy of Christ through our Christmas Connect Tree

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ach year, church members are invited to help provide Christmas gifts to the residents of Parkview Village Apartments in east Houston by selecting a tag from the Connect Tree and shopping for that child. The Parkview community is the same apartment complex that our students minister to each summer by offering Vacation Bible School for the children. This year we are excited to make a few changes to our annual Connect Tree program. We are making these changes for three reasons. One, we want to be more relational with the residents by connecting our members to the residents of Parkview Village. Two, we want to effectively communicate the hope and joy of the birth of Christ. Three, we want the residents to feel some ownership and pride about the gifts that they give to their children. So, here’s the plan. We have reserved an elementary school near the apartments on Saturday, Dec. 13, for a Christmas celebration. We will have music, crafts, and games and eat together. While the celebration is going on in one room, families will be individually called into another room with a personal shopper. The shoppers will help the family pick from a selection of unwrapped donated gifts. This will allow the residents to pick a gift specifically for their child. They will then wrap the gift and are invited to leave a small donation when they are done. The money collected will go toward a school/community project in the area. What do we need from you? • Shoppers: The Connect Tree will be in the Lobby just like in years past. Instead of a child’s name, the hearts will have specific toys that we are asking you to return to us unwrapped. Grab a heart, purchase the gift, and return it to the tree. The tree will be up in the Lobby this Sunday and gifts should be returned by Wednesday, Dec. 10. • Celebration Volunteers: You can help build relationships with the residents. We will need personal shoppers, wrappers, translators, food servers, shuttle drivers, and more. • Wrapping Paper/Gift Bags: We will need lots of wrapping supplies so that parents can wrap the gifts. • Cash Donations/Gift Cards: For those who are unable to shop, the gift cards will allow us to fill in the gaps for any gifts that weren’t purchased. The cash donations will help offset the costs of dinner, craft supplies, and wrapping paper. We invite you to be a part of this special time as we reach out to others in our larger community. Please pray for this celebration and also for the Parkview Village Community. If you would like to volunteer, donate, or contribute in any way, please visit the tree in the Lobby or contact Jason at [email protected] or (281) 492-8031, ext. 322.

Daily Bible Reading Nov. 24 – 30 MONDAY Amos 8:9-12 TUESDAY Zechariah 10:6-12 WEDNESDAY Isaiah 64:1-9 THURSDAY Luke 17:11-19 FRIDAY Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 SATURDAY 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 SUNDAY Mark 13:24-37 Dec. 1 – 7 MONDAY 2 Corinthians 11:1-6 TUESDAY Malachi 3:1-5 WEDNESDAY Jeremiah 31:31-34 THURSDAY Isaiah 40:1-11 FRIDAY Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 SATURDAY 2 Peter 3:8-15a SUNDAY Mark 1:1-8

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S unday Worship

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church 20775 Kingsland Blvd. Katy, Texas 77450

8:30 a.m.

Traditional Worship with Holy Communion

9:45 a.m.

Traditional Worship the element Contemporary Worship Sunday School for All Ages

10:30 a.m.

Living Stones St. Peter’s West Campus at Cinco Ranch High School

11:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship the element Contemporary Worship SPLASH Children’s Worship Sunday School for Adults

St. Peter’s Events Calendar

Ways you can serve

Tuesday, Nov. 25

Donate blankets. Help families

9:30 a.m.

Grace Notes Women’s Ensemble

E106

12:30 p.m.

Better Bodies

The Quad

7:00 p.m.

Women of Joy

S203

Thursday, Nov. 27 Thanksgiving Day

Connect with Parkview Village Apartment families. Purchase a

Church Office closed Tuesday, Dec. 2 9:30 a.m.

Grace Notes Women’s Ensemble

E106

12:30 p.m.

Better Bodies

The Quad

6:30 p.m.

Smocks for Life

Asbury Hall

United Methodist Women

Lott Hall

12:30 p.m.

Better Bodies

The Quad

7:00 p.m.

Grief Share Group

S209

4:00 p.m.

Women’s Cancer Support Group

S209

7:00 p.m.

Youth Choir Christmas Concert

Sanctuary

Wednesday, Dec. 3 10:00 a.m.

have a special Thanksgiving by donating blankets or volunteering your time. Contact Nathan at nbledsoe @ stpkaty.org.

Thursday, Dec. 4

Sunday, Dec. 7

Detailed weekly calendars of St. Peter’s events are available on our website.

gift for the Connect Tree or join the celebration on Dec. 13 as we share a meal and God’s love.

Help with Wednesday Night Dinners. Volunteer as a cook or server for our church family meals this spring. Contact Whitney at [email protected].

Purchase Mission Gift Cards. Give a gift that helps others by purchasing cards that benefit four organizations, ranging from local to international.