St. Peter’s
CONNECTION VOL. 6, No. 4 September 25, 2015
Connecting the World with God’s Love
THIS ISSUE: Coming this fall Fall is a busy time at St.
Peter’s with lots of activities for everyone. Watch for the Pumpkin Patch, Pick-a-dilly Craft Fair, ECDC Fall Family Festival, Trunk or Treat, and the Great Pumpkin Run.
Kid Connection Crew The KCC team is welcoming new members to help with children’s activities.
Building a home and a future by Traci Albosta
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ompassion Katy is an organization of Katy churches (including St. Peter’s), Katy businesses, and individual volunteers who want to be The Church and show the love of Jesus to the Katy area. As one of its projects, Compassion Katy has partnered with Northwest Harris County Habitat for Humanity to build houses for hardworking, low income families in the Katy area. St. Peter’s raised money for the first house last fall. Last weekend, members from St. Peter’s and Grace Fellowship UMC helped raise the walls for this first house. The family who will be living in the house was there to help with the wall raising. Seeing the joy and pride on their faces was inspiring! The families who receive houses through Habitat are not being given continued on page 3
20775 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, Texas 77450 (281) 492-8031 www.stpkaty.org
ECDC Fall Family Festival
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oin us for the annual Early Childhood Development Center Fall Family Festival Oct. 24 from 3-6 p.m. We will have balloon artists, face painters, pony rides, train rides, and inflatables. And there will be plenty of food, including Chick-fil-A, Double Dave’s pizza, snow cones, cotton candy, and candy sticks. You can buy tickets to enter a drawing for festival baskets with goodies for all ages, including our gift card basket. Tickets for activities are $1 each and go on sale Oct. 19 outside the ECDC office. They also will be available at the festival.
Trunk or Treat
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n Oct. 28 everyone is invited to dress in costume and visit decorated car trunks for games and treats. This year’s festivities also include a dunking booth, popcorn, a shaved ice bus, and food trucks. We will be collecting food items or monetary donations for Ronald McDonald House. Trunk or Treat is from 6-8 p.m. in the parking lot. If you would like to sponsor a trunk, donate candy, or volunteer, contact Whitney Peper at
[email protected].
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What kind of Mustang are you? Dear Friends in Christ, I have recently started a sermon series in the traditional services based on Adam Hamilton’s book “Revival: Faith as Wesley Lived It.” In the second chapter of his book, Adam shares a metaphor that I found to be particularly good. Here is what he wrote: One metaphor I’ve found useful in describing God’s work in the life of Christians is that of restoring old cars. I once preached an entire sermon series using this metaphor. I found a 1966 Mustang convertible, in terrible condition, sitting at an area junkyard. We bought the junker and had it towed to the church, where we pushed it onto the chancel in our sanctuary for the four weeks of the sermon series. A church member had a beautifully restored Mustang that we also had brought onto the chanDr. Pat Sparks, Senior Pastor cel. (We have a large chancel.) We interviewed people who restore old Mustangs, inviting them to describe the process of restoration. Then we used their words and these two cars to illustrate spiritual restoration. I remember interviewing the guys who ran the Mustang junkyard in Kansas City. I asked one of them, “What do you see when you look at these dilapidated Mustangs in the salvage yard?” He said, “I don’t see them as they are. I see what they could be.” What a powerful picture of how God views us. The church is God’s salvage yard, and he sees what we could be. Our task is to invite him to restore us. As we do, little by little he strips us down to the bare metal and then begins perfectly restoring us. If we’re willing to pursue the Christian life, if we’re willing to say, “Take me, Lord—my heart, my life, my all— and make me what you want me to be,” then God, through the Spirit, will restore us. As the sermon series ended, I discussed the three types of restored cars. Some are called “trailer queens,” because they are moved from show to show on trailers and never driven. Others are “Sunday only” cars, driven just on the occasional Sunday when the weather is fair. But to me the best restoration projects are the “daily drivers,” driven regularly, often daily. I noted that those calling themselves Christians can be found in each of these three categories, too. I ended the final sermon and worship service by getting into the restored Mustang and driving away, encouraging our members to be “daily drivers” and take their faith to the streets. Where are you in the restoration process? Is your faith that of a “daily driver”? Grace and Peace,
Pat
Habitat house continued from page 1 a free house. These families have to show need, but they also have to show a history of holding a job and of financial responsibility. They are required to attend classes on what it takes to be a home owner. They also are required to volunteer 200 hours working on Habitat houses—first on somebody else’s house—and then, once they qualify, on their own house. These families have to prove that they want this house. Once they get it, they have a 30-year mortgage to go with it, just like any other homeowner. Habitat puts forth a lot of effort to make sure that these families are able to successfully pay this mortgage. By giving the families a chance to live in an affordable, safe house, Habitat and Compassion Katy are helping to provide a more secure and stable future for the homeowners and their children. On Sept. 27, Oct. 4, and Oct. 11, St. Peter’s will be raising money to help a second family receive a Habitat house. Since Habitat home ownership is so focused on helping families, we wanted to fund-raise with a family-friendly activity. We will have house banks and activities for you to share with your children. The banks will be passed out by Children’s Ministries during Sunday School this Sunday. They also will be available at the Missions Table in the Lobby and at the Children’s Ministries’ Desk. We also are accepting cash and checks in case you want to give above and beyond what you would collect in the bank. If you have a business that would like to join this effort, we have a place for you too. Come visit us at the Missions Table through Oct. 11. The banks should be returned by Nov. 1. Please join us in supporting this worthwhile program!
Church Council Highlights Sept. 22 • The United Methodist Women invited everyone to shop at the Pick-a-dilly craft fair on Saturday, Oct. 17. • Our Church Conference will be held Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. in Asbury Hall. All members are welcome to attend, and each member has a vote. • Harvest Ministries was September’s Ministry Highlight. The Ministry’s goal is to enhance and unite all the women’s ministries of St. Peter’s. Every month they have an opportunity for all women in the church to meet together. These events include speakers and music.
Mothers’ Share Group
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ll moms are invited to join Mothers’ Share Group as we get together each week for crafts, games, educational speakers, fun programs, refreshments, and lots of mom support. We meet Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. in E221. Childcare is provided. For information, contact Melody Pohla at
[email protected].
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Co-Cathedral Tour. KEYS will be taking a guided tour of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and a selfguided tour of The Health Museum on Oct. 15. The cost is $10, paid in advance, which will include your admission to the Health Museum. Lunch at Treebeards will be on your own. Sign up at the KEYS bulletin board in the Lobby. For more information, please contact Barbara Allen or Jack Cudd at (281) 5787627. The bus will leave St. Peters at 9 a.m. and return around 4:30 p.m. Brown Bag Bridge. Brown Bag winners this month were Martha McKitterick, high, and Jean Abbott, second high. Our next play date is Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. in Asbury Hall. For information, contact Martha at (281) 395-4825 or mckit@ comcast.net. Better Bodies. We meet in the Quad in the Wesley Student Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30-1:30 p.m. This is a free exercise ministry offered to senior adults interested in fitness and healthy living. Please join us!
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The Chancel Choir recently joined the worship band at Living Stones, our west campus, during their Sunday service. The Youth Choir stepped up to provide music at all three traditional worship services that Sunday.
Join a choir this month
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eptember is a great time to get involved with one of our many music groups, including the Chancel Choir, Youth Choir, Orchestra, Men’s Ensemble, Grace Notes Women’s Ensemble, and Carillon Bell Choir. More information is available at stpkaty.org or contact David Galasso at dgalasso@ stpkaty.org or (281) 492-8031.
Grace Notes women’s ensemble , ingers, dancers, and instrumentalists are invited to join the Grace Notes,
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a performing women’s choir that shares music with people in the community and in worship once a month. We rehearse on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in E106. Childcare is provided. Please contact Gail Shipley at (281) 782-1598 or
[email protected] for more information.
Meet with the bishop
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n Oct. 6 Bishop Janice Riggle Huie will meet with clergy and lay people of the Southwest District at Memorial Drive UMC. The District Conference will begin at 4:30 p.m. and the Laity Session will begin at 7 p.m. Bishop Huie will be retiring in September of next year, so this will be a good time to meet with her before her retirement.
Wednesday Nights at St. Peter’s
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ept. 16 marked the kickoff of our Wednesday Night activities, including dinner, a variety of adult small groups, Wednesdays for Everyone for elementary children, KIDS JAM children’s choirs, and Rooted for junior high students.
In Our Prayers
PRAYERS Bonnie Bell, Lynn Bortka, Dennis Bowling, Bill Brown, Jim Butler, Faunelle Deaton, John Duffield, Doug Folts, Patte Folts, Jim Foster, Shirley Franklin, Caleb Gore, Lu Haas, Art Henderson, Mike Ibarguen, Rick Jage, Brian Jones, Oscar Jones, Don Kennedy, Wanda Klaus, Betty Marsh, Katie Miller, Maynard Robertson, Kathryn Sadowski, Cheryl Swift, and Lucas Trevino. JOY To Thad and Natalie Brown on the birth of their son Tyden. To James and Caroline Prescott on the birth of their daughter Kate. SYMPATHY To Kelly Kaleta and family on the death of her grandfather. To Andy Morris and family on the death of his grandfather. To Neela Schlimper and family on the death of her brother. To Kathy Schock and family on the death of her father. To Susan Shaffer and family on the death of her mother. To Sarah Smith and family on the death of her stepbrother.
ST. PETER’S ATTENDANCE September 13 Traditional Worship 8:30 161 9:45 292 11:00 433 the element 9:45 54 11:00 88 SPLASH 72 Living Stones 156 Living Stones Students/Kids 109 TOTAL 1,365
September 20 Traditional Worship 8:30 153 9:45 252 11:00 349 the element 9:45 68 11:00 98 SPLASH 82 Living Stones 193 Living Stones Students/Kids 92 TOTAL 1,287
PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY Tim and Alison Batig, John Belsha, Will Brandt, Skyler Cook, Austin Foster, Westley Freeze, James Gilbert, Tyler J. Gorcie, Dylan Greismeyer, Stephen Travis Harding, Adam Higdon, Matthew Ivester, Mike Linn, Ryan Lueders, Blake Nunes, Cameron Nunes, Ryan O’Quinn, Matthew Platz, Shawn Platz, Hamilton Rencurrel, Jack Ritchie, Don Rolleg, Ben Saunders, Jacob Shinkle, John Simmons, and Jasen Wilson.
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Connecting the World With God’s Love Unit Meeting. All women of the church are invited to hear Dori Phillips from Edgewater Church speak on “A Love Greater Than Death” Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. in E106. We also will have a guest soloist. For more information, contact Melissa Gargani at (281) 578-7178. Pick-a-dilly Craft Fair. Our annual craft fair and fundraiser is Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event attracts about 100 vendors with handmade items, holiday decorations, food, and more. All proceeds benefit missions.
Refugee Relief. The United Methodist Committee on Relief is working with local partners in Europe to care for the large number of refugees seeking asylum in European countries. UMCOR is helping provide water, food, clothing, hygiene items, and other services to these people who are seeking a way out of desperate situations. You can help by making a donation to UMCOR International Disaster Response at umcor.org or by making your check out to St. Peter’s and putting UMCOR Advance #982450 in the “for” line. Compassion Katy/Habitat for Humanity. Don’t forget to stop by the Information Desk on Sunday to find out how you can help a Katy family get into a home of their own. Missions will be handing out house banks for you to fill, and we also will be accepting monetary donations to help fund a house through Habitat for Humanity.
Join the Kid Connection Crew team
Volunteer in the church office
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olunteers are needed to answer the phone and greet visitors. This is a critical volunteer position that provides a valuable service for the staff. We need substitute volunteers to occasionally fill morning or afternoon slots, Monday through Thursday. Contact Marcia Churns at
[email protected] or (281) 578-6654.
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id Connection Crew needs people who are looking for a creative opportunity to get involved in Children’s Ministries. KCC is a group of volunteers who meet once a month to plan, organize, and facilitate events and activities for the families of St. Peter’s and our community. The KCC team connects children and families with God’s love through events such as Trunk or Treat, The Great Family Christmas, Easter Egg Hunt, and more. KCC also acts as a liaison between families and Children’s Ministries. If you are interested, join us Oct. 5 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in S101. Contact Catalina Chiquillo (
[email protected]) or Cynthia Kelley (
[email protected]) if you have any questions.
Daily Bible Reading There is still time to send college care packages
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ur college students have started a new year, and Student Ministries is sending them care packages to let them know that their church home is praying for them as they go through the semester. If you would like to help, we will be collecting $5 Starbucks, Sonic, or Subway gift cards and small, lightweight items such as candy, fruit snacks, and chewing gum for the packages. Collection bins will be in the Lobby and Lott Hall Sept. 27. If you would like to make a monetary donation 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. The packages will be sent out on Sept. 29.
The Great Pumpkin Run
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tudent Ministries is sponsoring this 5K fun run/walk on Oct. 31 to raise funds to help free enslaved people in Sudan through Christian Solidarity International. Everyone is invited to participate by running or walking or by making a donation. Registration is at stpkaty.org and the cost is $25 per participant, who also can invite their friends and family to contribute. Donations may be made at stpkaty.org. On Oct. 31 check-in will begin at 7 a.m. and the race will begin at 8 a.m. Everyone is encouraged to wear a costume. For more information, contact Student Ministries at
[email protected] or (281) 492-8031.
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4 MONDAY Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 TUESDAY Psalm 19:7-14 WEDNESDAY James 5:13-20 THURSDAY Mark 9:38-50 FRIDAY Ezekiel 18:1-4, 30-32 SATURDAY 1 Timothy 1:12-17 SUNDAY Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 Oct. 5 – 11 MONDAY Job 1:1, 2:1-10 TUESDAY Psalm 8 WEDNESDAY Hebrew 1:1-4, 2:5-12 THURSDAY Mark 10:2-16 FRIDAY Proverbs 28:6-16 SATURDAY Luke 16:19-31 SUNDAY Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Please help with the Pumpkin Patch
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he annual Pumpkin Patch raises money for our high school senior mission trip to Jamaica. It takes many volunteers to make it happen. On Oct. 1 at 4 p.m., the truckload of pumpkins will arrive. We need lots of help unloading and setting up both big and small pumpkins. We also need volunteers to staff the Pumpkin Patch once it is open. Two-hour shifts are available each day during October. To volunteer to staff the Pumpkin Patch, go to stpstudentministries.org.
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Su nday Worship 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 Monday, Sept. 28 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 5:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 9:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4 4:00 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7 10:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m.
Missions Committee
S101
Wednesday Night Dinner Wednesday Nights at St. Peter’s Mothers’ Share Group Grief Share Group
E221 S209
Women’s Cancer Support Group
S205
Kid Connection Crew
S101
Smocks for Life
Asbury Hall
United Methodist Women Wednesday Night Dinner Wednesday Nights at St. Peter’s
E106
Mothers’ Share Group Brown Bag Bridge Grief Share Group
E221 Asbury Hall S209
Men’s Breakfast Group Meeting at Whataburger, 23540 Westheimer Pkwy. Thursdays at 8 a.m. All men are invited to come for breakfast and fellowship. This is a great way to get to know other men at St. Peter’s.
Detailed weekly calendars of St. Peter’s events are available on our website.
No reservations needed.
