Matthew 9:35-38 -
{Jesus} said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Magnificent Missions (M&M’s)
Here are some highlights of the generous efforts from St. Paul’s congregation! Thanks for your donations, volunteer hours, and kind support of the following:
> March ’08 - Stew Dinner: We raised $1663 with the proceeds going to one our own parishioners!
> June 22nd - Megan Hartwig, Executive Director of New Horizons Adult Day Care spoke. We took an offering for a new floor for them, raising $168.
> June 25, 2008 - Sue VanEssen represented St. Paul at a Circle of Faith meeting to begin a Habitat for Humanity project with 5-6 congregations in the DM and Minneapolis area. We are committing to a financial goal as well as coordination of work and lunch provisions from our St. Paul members. Ground breaking for the new home will be in April 2009.
> July 13th - Roberta Victor, Cross Ministries filled the pulpit. We placed an envelope in the bulletin for Back to School Supplies raising $231.65, collected a large amount of supplies, and the VanEssens volunteered with the school giveaway with 846 backpacks for P.S. through H.S. given away on Aug. 7 and 8
> July 10 - St. Paul participated in a “bucket drive” for the D.M., Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City flood victims. Sixteen 5 gallon buckets were donated with a variety of cleaning and utility items. The remaining items that were not able to fit into the buckets were donated to Cross Ministries.
> July 20 - JoAnn Zimmerman from Amanda the Panda came and spoke (and had everyone in tears!) We took a collection and raised $479.
> August 9 - 3 members of the St. Paul congregation joined forces with the Heartland Presbyterian Church in Clive to volunteer with flood clean up in 2 homes in Cedar Rapids for the day. Grungy work, but great outcomes for the individual families who were trying to stay in their homes and avoid the city condemning their homes.
> Clothes Closet – Numerous bags of clothes remaining from the church garage sale were taken to the C.C. The rest of the Garage Sale items went to "Almost Free" organization, David Way, owner picked it up.
> Free exchange Coffee has been sold monthly. This seems to be a positive endeavor for the both the farmer’s co-ops in South America and the St. Paul coffee drinkers!
I am looking for faithful participants to join our St. Paul mission committee. Please consider helping your church mission efforts with your time and talents!
Sue VanEssen
Mission Chair
Susan VanEssen
Home: 270-6822
svan4590@mchsi.com
________________________________________________________
PJT Website Launched!
Shop and Learn Online! Partners for Just Trade has worked hard to bring you a website that makes shopping easy and fun, and that helps you learn about Fair Trade and the artisans who make our unique products. They work with over 20 artisan groups from Peru and have a wide variety of products that allows everyone to find something that fits their taste, style, and budget. Visit www.partnersforjusttrade.org today! Partners for Just Trade is a building a global partnership .Please remember the people that are affected by the flooding and severe weather. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is currently working with several Presbyteries. You may find further information at 800-872-3283 or online at www.pcusa.org/pda/donate.htm
Monthly Calendar:
1st Sunday -Fair Trade Coffee/Tea/Chocolate Sales
2nd Saturday Service Project -Service opportunity for all ages
2nd Sunday -Clothing Collection for assault victims -Pick up Salvation Army recipe & pan
3rd Sunday -DMARC Food Pantry Collection -Bring your Salvation Army Casserole
5th Sunday -Personal Hygiene item collection for CROSS Ministries
Permanent change in schedule/storage .... after the summer experiment with changing the casserole due dates, we realized that schedule fits better for many winter holidays as well. Unless otherwise announced, we will continue distributing pans on the 2nd Sunday of the month (though they are always available on the mission display in Fellowship Hall) and collecting them on the 3rd Sunday.
You are invited to take a pan, follow the simple recipe, bake/freeze a casserole and return it on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Instead of putting them in the kitchen freezer as we've been doing, please put them in our new refrigerator in the large, walk-in closet off Fellowship Hall. These casseroles are given to the Salvation Army and distributed to homeless folks in Des Moines.
Questions? Contact Cathy or Sarah E. at dcseng@mchsi.com or 331-7709.
The first Sunday of each month coffee is ordered from Equal Exchange Coffee via it's Presbyterian Coffee project. We sell whole bean and ground coffee at our cost. Also available are tea, chocolate bars, and baking chocolate. Try some of this delicious coffee during our Fellowship hour after church each Sunday.
The second Sunday of each month, we collect new underwear and sweats for Sexual Assault Victims. Items are taken to the Young Women's Resource Center in Des Moines. Just put your donations in the clothing basket labeled Sexual Assault Victim donations.
Help us to collect school supplies! CROSS Ministries Back-to-School Give-Away 2007 -- For the month of July, St. Paul will be collecting school supplies for Cross Ministries to be presented to Roberta Victor on July 29th…Please place supplies on the cart in the Narthex! Thanks!!
PW Mission Opportunities
For 120 years, the Christian Home Association of Council Bluffs has been caring for children. Programs include emergency shelter care for children, residential treatment, runaway and homeless youth services/crisis hotline, family centered counseling, grades 1-12 educational program for behavioral disordered students, structured summer day program, drug and alcohol educational classes, and Spiritual Life Program. St. Paul PW is collecting school items: pencils, ball-point pens, tape, crayons, books, paper, rulers, and glue. There will be a box in the kitchen for donations. If each of us bought just one item every time we grocery shopped, we would soon have quite a large contribution made. How easy this would be!
Also, please continue to save your cancelled stamps, and remember that Calvin Manor continues the need for Bingo prizes.
St. Paul Garden News
A Leaf From the Gardener’s Journal......
Editor’s note: The food grown in St. Paul’s garden is contributed to the local food pantry—providing fresh, high-quality produce for individuals and families who don’t have enough to eat. —The Garden Committee
Habitat for Humanity seeks weekday volunteers
Habitat for Humanity is looking for weekday assistance as they build 13 homes in the Greater Des Moines community . If you have a weekday you would wish to volunteer, contact the Habitat Office directly at 471-8686, or e-mail info@gdmhabitat.org.
Meanwhile, check pictures of the project we helped complete at www.dmhabitat.org.
Be a welcoming face!
M&E would like to remind everyone at St. Paul to please take a moment before and after church to introduce yourselves to anyone visiting our church. It is so very important for all of us to reach out to prospective members. They need to know we appreciate them visiting.
Note from Epistle editor: When interviewing new members as they join our church, I also include a question on why they chose St. Paul as their new church home. The #1 response is that it’s because, when they were visiting our congregation, St. Paul members (even if it was just one!) took time to introduce themselves, invite them to Fellowship time (and/or other activities) and generally make them feel welcome. In the same conversation, they usually mention visiting other congregations where not even one person said hello—and so they didn’t visit those places a second time. In sum, these little things matter a LOT!
