02-19 - Affton Christian Church

THE NEWSLETTER OF AFFTON CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)
February 19, 2015
Remembering How to Breathe
What’s Inside?
Pastor David’s Message
Prayer List
Spire Deadline
Happenings at a Glance
Thanks for Helping
Week of Compassion
Get Involved!
Clothing Drive
Congregational Meeting
Lost & Found
Movie Night
100th Birthday Trip
ACFP News & Needs
March Celebrations
Thank you
Leadership Team Notes
Endowment Fund Report
Kids Konnection
2015 Youth Mission Trip
Pizza Fundraiser
Chili Cook-Off
Stocking the House
Tailgate Sale
Words of Thanks
Serving Schedule
Cover
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Be In Touch!
E-Mail: & Web Site
accdoc@inasmuchas.org
www.inasmuchas.org
Office Phone - 314-631-5777
When you see this
symbol in our Spire
it indicates an
inasmuchas opportunity to
Welcome, Love, & Serve
Prior to the birth of my first child, his mother and I attended
a birthing class. This is where they taught you the ins-and-outs of
labor and delivery. Among the many classes we took was one devoted entirely on breathing. It was important that both coach and
mother learn certain breathing techniques to assist in the painful
process. So on the day Connor was born; in the midst of chaos,
confusion, and pain, our training kicked in and we remembered
how to breathe.
Fast-forward 2 years to the birth of my twins. Being experienced parents, we opted out of taking a refresher course. “We got
this,” I remember saying. Then, around 12:30 am on a cold, December day, I found myself panic-stricken in the delivery room.
The nurses asked me what was wrong. That’s when I blurted out,
“I forgot how to breathe!” To that, a nurse responded, “Don’t
worry. Your training will kick in automatically.”
The season of Lent is upon us now and we will be focusing
our attention on “Building Our Spiritual Houses.” Essentially, we
will learn, not just how to breathe, but how to breathe in sync with
the breath of God. Developing holy habits such as prayer, devotion, and faithful living, we hope to discover what God cares
about.
But a life of faith is more than just knowing information.
Listening for God means listening for what God cares about and
caring about those things in the way God cares about them. I believe many of us have a set of beliefs but we are reluctant to testdrive them.
I also believe that God has more than a nominal interest in
the lives of all creation. If that is true, and God loves everyone—
Christian and non-Christian alike, then how am I to love the way
God loves? How am I to live the way of Christ?
Building our spiritual house will help us develop and practice
holy habits and faithful living. And in doing so, it will help us
remember how to breathe.
Inasmuchas,
Pastor David
Happenings at a Glance!
Thursday, Feb. 19 - ACC Book Club - 2:00pm
Wednesday, Feb. 25 - Fisher House Meal - 5:30pm
Pub Theology - 7:00pm
When Praying, Please Remember:
Our Church Family…
Karen Bess
Linda Kennedy
Monroe Mayfield
Cheech Mosier
Family of Norm Woessner
Our Homebound…
Vernelle Anderson,
Darlene Burke, George Cruise,
Jean Culbertson, Melba Cullen,
Don Rice, Jeannette Santagato
Friday, Feb. 27 - Movie Night - 7:00pm
Sunday, Mar. 1 - Congregational Mtg. after Worship
Tuesday, Mar. 3 - Scrapbookers anytime after 4pm
Wednesday, Mar. 4 - Outreach~Mission~Service
Meeting - 6:30pm
Tuesday, Mar. 10 - Leadership Team Mtg. - 6:00pm
Wednesday, Mar. 11 - Pub Theology - 7:00pm
Monday, Mar.. 16 - Elders Meeting - 6:30pm
Wednesday, Mar. 18 - Knit Wits - 6:30pm
Our Friends…
Family of Floyd Ashley (Grofe)
Larry Burckhartt (Warner)
Vicki Dueser (Cole)
Bernie Ems (Montgomery)
Bob Grofe (Grofe)
Amy Hankins (D&S Morrison)
Tim Kernan (Mach & Marrs)
Al Lammers (Tockstein)
Nick Luecke (Warner)
Felicia Meier (Franzer)
Ed Parker (Monti)
Sanella Spahic (Haller)
Mary Alice Suter (Haney)
Jacob Swiderski (Haller)
Derek & Jennifer Walker (Grofe)
Laura Warner (Warner)
Family of Andrew Wilder (Forward)
Bob Woodsmall (Franzer)
A huge thank you to all those who
donated the wonderful food and their
time to make Rev. Dr. Jim Merrell’s
memorial reception so exceptional. A
very special thank you to my co-chairs,
Judy Compton and Neita Heinzman.
Also much appreciation to Charles
Heinzman, Ken Haller, Maureen
Tedoni, and Phyllis Thomas for their
help. The family was so grateful to
our church.
Sincerely, Jeanette Haller
Spire Date & Deadline!
Next Spire Date is Mar. 19
Deadline: Thu. 3/12 - By Noon
We need to cover news up to and
maybe a little beyond the
April 16th Spire. Think ahead!
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Hospitality, Fellowship Dinners,
and Events!
Do you enjoy a cup of coffee and a cookie
Sunday mornings before church?
Do you look forward to Fellowship Dinners?
Do you like to go to Grizzlies Games?
What about helping Habitat for Humanity?
YOU can plan one of these activities or a
different one. There is a list of events that
ACC has done in the past and a sign up
sheet for Hospitality Time in the Narthex.
Get a friend or a group together and plan a
Fellowship Dinner or other activity.
Only YOU can plan an event!!
Several dishes and containers have been
found in the kitchen. They must belong
to someone. Please check the table in the
Narthex to see if something belongs to
you. If not claimed, they will be sold at
the Tailgate Sale. Thank you.
Thank You…
to Reta Scott, Deidra Woods,
Joan Shewmake, Beth Snell,
Chris Potts & Neita Heinzman
for providing a meal in
February for the Angels’ Arms
South County
Foster Care Home.
Clothing Drive
Cleaning out your Closets?
Save those Clothes!
ACC is having a
Clothing Drive in the
Near Future. More
Info To Follow!
Movie Night
Parts are on order for the stove in
the kitchen.
David Davis, Property
Congregational
Meeting
Friday, February 27th - 7pm
Popcorn provided
Bring your own drinks.
This film is rated PG
Sunday March 1st
after Worship.
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George Cruise’s
100th Birthday
March
Celebrations
(February 22, 2015)
Sunday, March 1, Church members will be going
to the Veteran’s Home at 10600 Lewis & Clark
Blvd. 63136, to help George celebrate his 100th
birthday. We will leave church at 1:00pm and
see George about 2:00 until 3:00. If you want to
go, please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.
There is also a sheet that you can use to write a
brief message to George and a birthday card that
you can sign. Let George know his church
family is thinking of him.
Birthdays!
John Sanders, Jr. - 1st
Rhonda Cole - 3rd
Janet Jacquot - 8th
Joe Tockstein - 12th
Reta Scott - 16th
Jeff Nowland - 17th
Terry Valle - 21st
Sue LeBaube - 23rd
Cheech Mosier - 28th
The ACFP is currently serving about 220 families
every 2 weeks... for a total of more than 400 visits
every month. In order to meet this need, we need
approximately 3,120 cans of veggies every single
month. We need 626 jars of peanut butter and 626
boxes of cereal. We need 1,800 rolls of toilet paper and 313 bottles of laundry detergent.
Anniversaries!
Mark & Tracy Brillos - 3rd
Mike & Jennifer Hart - 16th
Wayne & Amy Monti - 19th
Richard & Eula Goff - 27th
Every donation helps! The families served by the
ACFP all live in 63123 and have demonstrated a
financial need for food assistance. More than 36%
of the people we serve are children under 18; 18%
are senior citizens.
Currently, we have a great need for dry rice and
beans, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, canned
fruit, canned fish (tuna, etc.), cereal, toilet paper,
and detergent. For more information, or to make a
donation, please check our website at:
http://afftonchristianfoodpantry.com/.
The Merrell Family would like to thank the Affton
Christian Church family for honoring Jim with
such a beautiful memorial service. We felt him
there all evening. God was certainly present. He
loved ACC so much and cherished his time there.
Daylight
Saving Time
Starts
March 8th
Thank you Pastor David, Debbie, and all who
worked so hard to prepare the delicious food.
People like you make the world a better place.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Mark your calendars!
The Merrell Family
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Leadership Team Notes
The Leadership Team along with Pastor David and Director of Christian Ed, Trisha, met
Tuesday February 10. The Team discussed several items of business.
We discussed the issue of the stove in the kitchen. As of now, the stove is turned off
and does not work. Do we need a new stove, can this one be fixed? These are questions
that have yet to be answered. We hope we will have more info at the next Congregational
Meeting, Sunday March 1.
We do have an exciting event coming up that we hope several of you will be involved in.
The Affton Community & Business Expo, Tuesday, April 28 from 3:30-6:30 at the Affton
High School Commons. For churches, this is a FREE event. We will have a table where we
can display some of the events and outreach programs we do each year. Also, we will be
passing out some info on the church- worship times, Kids Konnection, Youth Group,
etc. There will be a signup sheet in the Narthex as the date gets closer.
Don’t forget the next Congregational Meeting, March 1. It will be in Fellowship Hall,
right before the Chili Cook-off, sponsored by the youth. We will be updating you on how
we stand financially and what you can do to get involved in the life of the church. For instance, there are two signup sheets in the Narthex, one for hospitality and one for events
and outreach. We will be passing a clip board around at the Chili Cook-off to sign up too.
If you have an idea, Just Do It !
The ACC Leadership Team: Jean Hirsh, Don Morrison, Ginny Macrum, Reta Scott, Joan
Sanders, David Morrison, and Beth Snell
Living Endowment Fund Annual Report – 2014
The Affton Christian Church Living Endowment Fund as of December 31, 2014, was valued at
$742,553.81. During the calendar year of 2014 there were no new contributions but the fund appreciated by a total of $39,115.44. A total of $35,155.00 was disbursed from the fund during 2014 in accordance with the Trustee’s vote of November, 2013. As of December 31, 2014, $145,048.57 was invested with the Christian Church Foundation in Indianapolis and $597,505.24 was invested with American Funds. In November of 2014, the Trustees voted to pass onto the Board for disbursement a total
of $36,669.00. This disbursement was withdrawn early this year from the Christian Church Foundation, due to their more favorable fee structure, leaving a total of $108,379.57 with them at present.
This, in addition to the American Fund’s total, leaves $705,884.81 at present in the Fund.
Gifts to the Affton Christian Church Living Endowment Fund provides for the long-term financial security of our church in order to expand the witness and mission of Jesus Christ in our community and
around the world. Thanks to the forethought and generosity of a few departed members, the church
currently has a sizeable fund that will allow us to succeed in this mission. You may also wish to consider Affton Christian Church in your estate planning. If you would like more information regarding the
Living Endowment Fund, please contact any of the Trustees.
Living Endowment Trustees: Dan Cole, Jack McKinney, Louise Nowland, Jack Suetterlin, Deidra Woods
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Youth Christian Education News
Kids Konnection
Journey to Easter
2015 Lent
We want to help children and their families experience Lent in a meaningful
way. Each child will be "issued" a passport which will be used throughout our 2015
Lenten Journey to Easter. The children will earn "passport stickers" for various Kids
Konnection activities. Some of these activities will occur during our time together on
Sunday mornings, while other activities will be family related and will be posted on
our social media pages. We are hoping this will be a fun new way for our children
begin to understand at a young age what Easter means—sure, the Easter eggs and
bunnies are fun and good, but more importantly, we want the children to be able to
tell others about the events of holy week.
YOUTH GROUP FUNDRAISER
The youth will be heading
to the General Assembly
in Columbus, OH.
Following the Assembly,
the Youth will be working
alongside other DOC Youth
at one of many PostAssembly Mission Work
sites!
Look for the Youth table in the Narthex
on Sundays Feb. 22 & March 1.
Please help send the Youth on their Mission trip!
ACC
Do you have the
Winning Recipe?
Put your chili up
against all of the others!
The Youth will be working
hard to raise the funds
needed to embark on this
amazing opportunity.
To enter your chili RSVP to Beth Snell
Everyone is invited to come
Taste the chili and vote for
Their favorites.
Please help support
the youth during
their fundraising
events!
Sunday March 1, following
the Congregational Meeting
Freewill offering will benefit the
2015 Youth Mission Trip
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Stocking the House
As
we are
building
our
spiritual house
this Lent, we
know that others’
homes are bare. How
can we expect those who
have no shelter, no food, and
no security, to have a deep and
abiding relationship with the
One who provides?
This year, help us stock the homes of those
who are deprived of the basic necessities by
donating new and/or slightly used home goods.
The following will be collected and donated to
various relief agencies in the community.
Acc annual
Tailgate sale
Saturday April 18th
9am to 2 pm
Set up at 7:30am
$10 each parking space,
$5 each additional space.
There’s plenty of time to
clean out your closets,
basement, garage, etc. and
make a little extra $$$$ !
2/22-Kitchen: foil, paper products, dish soap, scrubbies, dish towels, etc.
Isaiah 58
3/1-Pantry: *canned fruit, tuna, dried beans (1 lb. or
smaller), canned tomatoes, canned entrees (pasta,
chili, chicken)
*= Specific items needed to fill backpacks for the kids
during Spring Break.
Affton Christian Food Pantry
For reservations
call 314-631-5777
3/8-Nursery: diapers, wipes, formula, lotion, teething
aids, blankets, etc.
Crisis Nursery
Thank you so much for
your thoughts, prayers,
cards and calls of
sympathy on the
passing of my son.
God Bless…
Janet Hall
3/15-Bathroom: soap, shampoo, toilet paper, toiletry
supplies, etc.
Memorial Boulevard Christian Church
3/29-Playroom: puzzles, books, games, crayons, etc.
Easter-Church Supplies: paper products, grape juice,
coffee cups, Easter Offering, cheese balls, candles, etc.
Affton Christian Church
Make a difference!
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SERVING SCHEDULE
22-Feb
1-Mar
8-Mar
15-Mar
Tammy Woodard
Heather Iagulli
Sarah Woods
Heather Iagulli
Jim Bear
Sarah Woods
Heather Iagulli
Sarah Woods
Betty Westbrock
Terry Valle
Barb Grofe
Jeanette Haller
Greeters (8:45)
Ginny Macrum
D&J Morrison
D&J Morrison
D&J Morrison
Greeters (9:45)
Jeanette Haller
J&S Suetterlin
Reta Scott
Betty Westbrock
Driver
Door Monitor
Nursery/Toddler
C/N Heinzman
Jeff Nowland
Sarah Morrison
J/R Scott
Jack Suetterlin
J/C Bear
Craig Hirsh
J/B McKinney
Ken Haller
Children's Chat
Pastor David
Jean Culbertson
Vernelle Anderson
SERVING 2015
WORSHIP
Elder, Communion
Elder, Offertory
Deacon, Captain
Deacon, Communion
Deacon, Chancel
Deacon, Usher
Deacon, Usher
Deacon, Cleanup
Liturgist
Kids Konnection
Trisha Imbler
Joan Morrison
Homebound Communion
Elder
Member
Membership Calling
Shut-In's
Callers
John Scott
D&R Woods
Linda Kennedy
Darlene Burke
MARCH
Jim Lasterni
Joan Morrison
Louise Nowland