•Welcome Pastor Erin on July 27, page 2
• Property update on repair work, page 2 / •MCU News,pages 3 & 4
•Orange Day,page4
Oak Hill News
No. 07 JULY 2014 Volume 64
Making disciples for Jesus Christ.
It hardly seems possible that it is time for my last Oak Hill News article, because my time with you has been truly enjoyable -and you know what they say about time when you’re having fun! It is such a good feeling to end my ministry here as your interim pastor knowing all the good work and meaningful ministries that have gone on in the past 17 months. I leave feeling confident that the congregation is indeed ready to “embrace new leadership,” the final task of interim ministry. I am excited for you to be preparing to welcome Erin Counihan as your new installed pastor, with all the joy and new discoveries her arrival will bring.
By the time you read this, I will have preached my last sermon -and I would like to repeat a few things you may have heard from me. Some of you have been through the process of welcoming a new minister and you are familiar with some of the questions and issues that will arise. Others will not have had this experience. Whether or not you’ve been through this before, let me offer some suggestions. First, while it is important for a new minister to know how things have been done in the past, it is also important to make it clear that new ways of doing things are OK, too! The blend of tradition and innovation is one of the hallmarks of thriving churches, so don’t be afraid to share what your traditions are -while opening yourselves to things that have never been tried here at Oak Hill.
Every new minister is likely to make a few missteps, and to unintentionally ruffle a few feathers. If your feathers are the ones that get ruffled, find a private time to gently let your new minister know about it, with compassion and the intent of clearing up any concerns you have.
As members of Oak Hill, you will be the best source of support possible for Erin. Offer your time and a listening ear. Find out if she would appreciate invitations to lunch, coffee or dinner. Suggest great places to eat, shop, or relax in St. Louis. Let her know what you love about Oak Hill and about each other!
This will be a good time for many of you to think about getting involved in new or additional ways in the life of the church. It warms a new minister’s heart to find people ready to say “Yes” when volunteers are needed for missions and ministries, committees, and to serve on Session! Stay involved, keep up regular worship attendance, and listen for ways you can help in the vibrant life here at Oak Hill.
Above all, pray for Erin and for the congregation as you enter this Spirit-filled time of new beginnings. I will continue to keep all of you in my prayers. I return to my home in Kentucky with a heart that is brimming over with happiness and gratitude for having had the blessing of serving in ministry with you. Scott, Elizabeth and Andrew join me in saying thank you for the warmth you have shown us, and the love we have felt.
Grace and peace to you all,
Kathy
WELCOME, ERIN!
Please plan to welcome Erin as the new pastor of Oak Hill on July 27, her first Sunday in worship! We will have a reception for her following the service, so pleaseplan to be here and bring a friend to greet Erin and her niece Tegan!
STEWARDSHIP AND PROPERTY
COMMITTEE
FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEON
First SundayPotluck Luncheon
Join us for our First Sunday Potluck on July 6. The Stewardship and Property Committee is hosting and will serve spaghetti and meatballs and dessert. All are invited to bring their favorite dish to share. A free will offering will be received. Please plan to stay after church for food and fellowship!
We have been busy in recent months! The work to repair the water damage from the broken pipe this past winter has been completed on the upper floors of the AMEN House, and much of the work is finished in the Children’s Classroom on the lower level. There is more work to be done in some of the rooms in the Educational building. In addition, Session approved the removal and replacement of the tile floor in the hallway of the educational building, some of the rooms, and the 4111 entryway. When the floors have been re-done, the finalpieces of repair work in all the rooms can be completed.
Session also approved repairs to the southeast bell toweron the second level of the sanctuary. An additional project will involve the hallway outside the Theleos classroom where there have been water leaks. Work will begin on these projects as soon as the contractors can start. Finally,you will soon notice that the floors in the Large and Small Assembly Rooms and Kitchen have been stripped and waxed!
MISSION COMMITTEE
Potluck Tuesdays in July
We have four more mission teams coming in July. Each Tuesday we'll host the group to a Pot Luck Dinner. We are in need of church groups or individuals to be responsible for the main dish, set up and clean up. And most important we need YOU and your family to attend and visit with our mission teams. (and bring a dish if you are able)! Sign-up sheets will be in the back of the sanctuary. Questions? Contact Donna Cook, Dena Roper, Brendan Gregory, or Heather Beckmann.
July 8 - Charleston, IL, 10 participants
July 15 - Grand Haven, Michigan, 20 participants
July 22 - Crown Point, IN, 18 participants
July 29 - Lincoln, Nebraska, 12 participants
Elon University Gap Semester Program will be joining us again, for the 4th year, in late September.
Room at the Inn
Oak Hill will be hosting Room at the Inn clients in AMEN House Saturday, August 30. The clients are women and children and families who are homeless and are working with services provided by Room at the Inn to get their lives back in order, find jobs and housing.
We'll need folks to pick up clients on Saturday about 5p.m. from the Bridgeton location and transport them to Oak Hill. Volunteers are needed to make up the beds after we find out the number and family makeup of the clients. We need people to provide dinner for the clients and church volunteers who will visit with families during the evening. Overnight hosts are needed as well. Sunday morning we will need someone to provide breakfast and drivers to return the clients to the Room at the Inn center.
Look for sign-up sheets in the back of the sanctuary!
MISSION COMMITTEE (cont’d)
School/Art Supply Drive
The Mission Committee is hosting a school and art supply drive to benefit The Board of Religious Organizations and to assist Christine Woodward in her work with students in need in the University City Schools. BRO will put together art kits and back packs for children to distribute during the holidays and Christine will be helping the students she serves throughout the year with needed school supplies.
Watch for sales on supplies at all of your favorite shopping venues. These sales usually start at the end of July and continue into early August. Some of the things we are looking for include back packs, spiral notebooks, loose leaf paper, pens, pencils, markers, construction paper, rulers, erasers, folders and other fun back to school goodies!
Boxes will be in the Large Assembly Room starting in mid-July. Watch for reminders in the Sunday bulletins, contact Christine Woodward or Donna Cook with any questions.
MCU News
“… seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”Jeremiah, 29:7
Those words in Jeremiah summarize the mission of Metropolitan Congregations United, an interfaith organization whose mission is committed to acting powerfully in the public arena in order to transform our congregations and our community. We believe that, individually and together, our congregations have a right and responsibility to act for the common good at the local, regional and state level.
End of Legislative Session Report
At the beginning of 2014 MCU (Metropolitan Congregations United) set goals for issues of justice we felt called to work on. The issues were: 1) expand Medicaid to enable low income working Missourians to receive medical care; 2) establish adequate education funding and access to quality public schools for all children across our State, and ensure provision of wrap-around support services for students when needed; and 3) establish equity in food stamp assistance by removing the life-time ban that singles out convicted drug felons over any other.
MCU also committed to gathering signatures for an Early Voting ballot initiative that, if passed, would allow expanded access for Missouri voters to participate fully in the democratic process.
We can report success on overturning the lifetime ban for food stamp assistance ( as well as the collection of enough signatures to place real Early Voting on the November ballot (do not be fooled by the measly 6-day extension initiative from the General Assembly, our initiative is for 6 weeks!). The education bill that was passed was not adequate and we are encouraging Governor Nixon to veto that legislation as he has promised to do. We are saddened that we cannot report success in Medicaid Expansion, BUT we have laid the groundwork and will work hard to see that this issue is resolved early in the next legislative session. Furthermore we are also heartened by the response to our “Letters for Lives” campaign in our own congregations, and the new relationships we formed with other congregations through that drive.
Education Summit
Saturday, July 26, MCU will hold an Education Summit in the afternoon following the Deaconess Foundation Child & Family Day Forum at O’Fallon Park Recreation Center. The goal of the summit is to have a diverse group of parents, students, teachers, and community members from all over the region who will learn about education equity work and the concept of community learning centers, while also developing leadership skills, organizing skills, and plans for the future. Mark your calendar and let Lisa Thompson know if you are interested in attending.
MISSION COMMITTEE (cont’d)
Fundraising
MCU operates on the principle that both organized people and organized money are needed to be effective, so we want to draw your attention to our major fundraiser of the summer – The MCU “Buy Local” Resource Guide. This resource guide is filled with advertisements and messages of support from businesses and individuals throughout the Metro area and last year raised nearly $50,000 for the work of MCU. However, we know that there are many businesses that we are not reaching and so we ask if you have time to volunteer this summer, please consider working on this campaign. Perhaps you know a business owner personally that you would be willing to ask for support, or perhaps you would be willing to accompany an experienced ad seller on an afternoon of pavement pounding, or perhaps you’re more comfortable on the phone setting up appointments for callers. Whatever it is you can do will be appreciated. Let Lisa Thompson or Heather Beckmann know.
Message from the Isaiah 58 Buddies!
So here we are, contemplating an August menu, when the heat of summer has just now arrived! August! Approaching the end of another glorious summer! Of course, August is anything but cool.
Here’s our best shot! Somethingrefreshing and easy to fix on a hot, sultry,St. Louis August day. Yep. The Buddies are thinkin’ cold tuna salad on saltines with green beans and Jell-O. Do we know how to dream up a simple or what?
Thanks, Oak Hill, for making it all happen for our friends at Isaiah 58! You’re the greatest!
July
1st Sunday: Macaroni and Cheese
(boxed)
2nd Sunday:Soup (canned)
3rd Sunday:Cereal (boxed)
4th Sunday:Laundry Detergent
August
1st Sunday: Tuna (canned)
2nd Sunday:Creamy Salad Dressing, like
Miracle Whip (in a plastic
jar)
3rd Sunday:Sweet Pickles orRelish (in a
plastic jar)
4th Sunday:Saltine Crackers (boxed)
5th Sunday:Jello-O
As always: it’s a real convenience for our friends when the cans have tab top openings, but not a necessity.
It’s all about sharing our food with others.
Thanks for your generous spirit!
Your Isaiah 58 Buddies,
Blue Lucy, Purple Betty, and Salmon Eli
Questions? Ask Valery York-Schneider
EVANGELISM AND MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Orange Day
The United Nations Secretary-General's UNIte to EndViolence against Women campaign proclaims the 25th of every month as Orange Day. This action strives to highlight the issue of violence against women and girls, not only once a year on November 25th (International day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) but on the 25th of every month. Orange Day aims to spark worldwide interest and conversation, highlight the fact that violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights and call for its eradication without reservation, equivocation or delay. Presbyterian Women ask that church members honor this day by wearing orange/orange ribbons and praying. They began engaging the UNIte campaign after the 2013 UN Commission on the Status of Women which highlighted violence against women in its theme.
EVANGELISM AND MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE (cont’d)
Timely Topics
Timely Topics will resume discussions on the third Sunday in September. If you have a topic that you would like to have addressed,or that you would like to speak about, please contact Mary Lou Woodward, Lisa Thompson, or Dena Roper.
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
The following actions were reported or approved by Session in their June 18, 2014, Stated Scheduled Meeting:
The average worship attendance in May was 67.
Membership as May 31, 2014 is 140.
Financial Report for May
& Year-to-Date 2014
May / 2014 TotalIncome
Budgeted / $14,542.00 / $70,125.00
Actual / $10,557.77 / $64,881.74
Expenses
Budgeted / $17,268.83 / $76,917.00
Actual / $15,857.64 / $84,597.83
Session approved the Mission Committee hosting a school and art supply drive from the end of July to mid-August to benefit The Board of Religious Organizations and to assist Christine Woodward in her work with students in need in the University City Schools.
Session approved spending $9,680 forremoval and replacement oftile in the Educational Building. (This replaces the $5,000 that was previously approved to remove only the damaged tile.)
Session approved paying $1,163 to Coverall Cleaning Services to strip/wax the Large and Small Assembly Rooms, Kitchen, hallways, and adjacent areas.
Session approved spending $3,750 to demo/plaster/paint areas around the southeast bell tower.
Session approved funding an airplane trip to St. Louis for Rev. Erin Counihan to look for housing. Funds are still available from the amount approved for the Pastoral Search Expenses.
Session approved moving the starting date of the Rev. Erin Counihan serving as pastor of Oak Hill from August 1, to July 22, 2014.
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN
Circle 3 will meet on Thursday, July 10, in the TheleosRoom at 10 a.m.Please bring a sandwich – salad, dessert and chips will be furnished.
Circle 2 is meeting at 6:00 p.m. on. Tuesday, July 22, at Concord Grill, 11427 Concord Village Ave. All are invited to join us for an evening of good conversation and fellowship.
BOOK CLUB
The book club will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8, at St. Louis Bread Co., Loughborough and Interstate 55. We will be discussing “Sycamore Row” by John Grisham. Please read the book and join us! The book club will not meet in August.
ARTS AND CRAFT CLUB
The Arts and Crafts Club will not meet in July.
ADULT FELLOWSHIP CLUB
Members of the congregation are invited to see our very own Avery Smith perform in a Two Takes Production of Tarzan in the Bayless High School Auditorium, 4532 Weber Road. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. and start Friday, July 25, and end Saturday, August 2. There is a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, July 27. Tickets are $18 for adults and $16 for seniors/children (excluding online service fee) and can be purchased at
Please join the Adult Fellowship Club for dinner at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 25, at the Pasta House on Gravois near Weber Road before the performance.