Health - Parkway United Church of Christ

Parkway United Church of Christ Newsletter
October 2015
Health
Parkway United Church of Christ | 2841 N Ballas Rd | St Louis, MO 63131 | 314-872-9330 | parkwayucc.org
joyful...inclusive...compassionate
2841 N Ballas Road | St. Louis, MO 63131
314-872-9330
parkwayucc.org | [email protected]
“Like” us on Facebook!
We all have a
place at Parkway!
Sunday Worship
9:30 & 11:00 a.m. | 10:00am 5th Sunday
ADA Accessible | Child Care Provided
Office Hours
Monday-Thursday 10:00am – 3:00pm
and by appointment
Vision Statement
We shall seek the way of God in today’s
world through
• Joyful Worshipping
• Inclusive Caring
• Compassionate Serving
Mission Statement
Parkway United Church of Christ seeks
within the church universal to respond
faithfully to the promises of God as
witnessed in the Old Testament and
New Testament. We seek to follow the
way of the crucified and risen Christ.
Therefore, we will worship God, educate
and nurture persons for discipleship,
build a caring Christian community,
participate in God’s mission to the world,
be stewards of the resources God has
entrusted to us. May all that we are and
do be to God’s Glory.
Congregational Statement
Parkway United Church of Christ, with
God’s grace, seeks to be a congregation
that includes all persons, regardless
of race, ethnic, or socioeconomic
background while respecting differences
of gender, marital status, age, sexual
orientation, and mental and physical
ability. We aspire to act justly, to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with our
God. We invite all to share in the life and
leadership, ministry, fellowship, worship,
sacraments, responsibilities and blessings
of participation in our open and
affirming congregation.
Staff
in the Sanctuary...in the Classroom...at the Table...in the Community...in our Ministry
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey you are welcome
at Parkway! As an open and affirming (ONA) and inclusive congregation
we extend an extravagant welcome to you to come just as you are and
enter into freedom. Feel peace. Celebrate joy. Find hope. Discover purpose.
Encounter God. Children and youth will find fun and educational activities.
Your faith and intellect will be stimulated in our adult education offerings.
You will experience a profound worship service and you will know the sense
of belonging to a vibrant faith community. Join us on our journey to act justly,
love mercy and walk humbly with the God who is still speaking.
Contributors
Kevin Cameron, Bill Haack, Mona
Smith Herberg, Dan Connors,
Barb Kuhlmann, Joan Brannigan,
Jill Schatz, Peggy Mohl, Carol
Cobb, Marsha Peek, Tom Tupper,
Betty Scherrer, Lisa Mason, Mark
Sableman, Kris & Tom McKenzie
2-About
3-Pastor's Piece
Health
4-Opening a New Door
A Place in the Sanctuary
5-October Worship
November Issue focus: Celebrating
Teens
November Ministry Spotlight: Every
Child's Hope
Mark Sableman, Church Council President ([email protected])
Kevin Cameron, Pastor ([email protected])
Barb Kuhlmann, Director of Christian Education ([email protected])
Barbara Raedeke, Organist/Choir Director ([email protected])
Lila Murray, Preschool Director ([email protected])
Melinda Bentley, Financial Administrator ([email protected])
Mona Smith Herberg, Office Administrator, Publications Editor ([email protected])
Melissa Gausling, Nursery ([email protected])
Julie Connors, Childcare ([email protected])
John Nourse, Pastor Emeritus
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We All Have a Place
A Place in the Classroom
6-Children & Youth
7-Adults/Book Studies
A Place at the Table
8-Winter Accessories Drive
8-Apple Pie Making
A
Place in the Community
9-Habitat Work Day
9-Black & Blue
9-Crop Walk
10-COPE
10-Trunk or Treat
A Place in Our Ministry
11-Ronald McDonald House
11-September Council Summery
Your Story
12-Mckenzies
From the Pastor
Some Health Facts
Kevin Cameron
I witnessed some great teen to teen support recently at church. It was an act of
spiritual and emotional healing. One of the teens was unable to see how far they
had come and so they were reminded with concrete examples. It was beautiful to
witness.
Jesus was known to say to people, “Your faith has made you well.”
An Oasis
Kevin Cameron
We never thought we would be on
the receiving end of the mission that is
Ronald McDonald House charities!
On and off for decades–in Boston,
Bridgeport (CT), Kansas City and St
Louis–I had volunteered with meals,
landscaping, games/activities for kids
and fundraisers.
The excitement about the Pope’s visit to America seems to be across faith
traditions. This Pope is taking down barriers between people – which can really
heal the pains of past divisions.
No pain, no gain.
I sense our St Louis community is becoming healthier as we engage in honest
conversation–speaking our truth, asking deep questions, listening with the heart.
These practices lead to healthy relationships and peace.
Malala’s book is the next text for Tuesday Evening Dialogue. Along with her
healing from the Taliban’s bullets came increased courage. Wow.
Several years ago I started carrying bandaids in my wallet. I am now famous for
this and other parents send their kids to me whenever they are in need. I have
been surprised at how many times there does not appear to be a physical need for
the bandaid.
Bartimaeus called to Jesus from the side of the road. Jesus heard him and asked,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
We have well used ice packs in our freezer and a sought after heating pad.
Sometimes an injury needs ice only, sometimes just heat while other situations
call for alternating between the two. It can be hard to discern and balance the
different approaches.
We continue to debate the role of immunizations in our country. When I listen
to these conversations I hear the echo of an OBGYN nurse we worked with in the
late 90s…“It’s not the 1700s. We have better ways of doing things now.”
There was a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. She conferred with
doctors and tried all kinds of things, but nothing worked. One day she saw
Jesus and made her way through the jam packed crowd to touch the hem of his
garment. People sometimes travel long, far and wide for healing
When I don a gown, gloves and mask to visit someone at the hospital, I know that
sometimes it is to protect the patient and other times it is to protect me and my
family.
What are some of your health and healing stories, facts and questions?
Share them with us on our facebook page...
Then a few years ago one of our kids
ended up in the hospital for several days
at Mercy Hospital up the street from
church. A couple of days into it, our child
was able to move about freely and we
were given a quick tour of the Ronald
McDonald Family Room just off the
pediatric wing of the hospital. It’s a mini
version of the Ronald McDonald House
with a fully stocked kitchen, sitting areas,
lounge areas, movie areas, game areas,
computer areas…an amazing space for
kids in the hospital to forget that they are
patients for a while.
Our child was able to visit with some
friends from the neighborhood and
school in this warm and welcoming
space. The rest of our family was able
to spread out and have their needs met
without being in the cramped quarters
of the patient room. It was an oasis. We
give thanks for the original dreamer of
this kind of space.
We give thanks for the incredible
hospitality of the volunteers there. Wow.
It was just what we needed in a time of
stress and strain.
[Next time you happen to be at Mercy,
you should check out the Ronald
McDonald Family Room and offer a
blessing while you do!]
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Health
Invisible Illness
Awareness Week
Sep 28 -Oct 4
www.invisibleillnessweek.com
Most of us are touched in some way by
chronic, invisible illness. Maybe you or
a loved one suffers from fibromyalgia,
diabetes, migraines, chronic pain, an
auto-immune disorder, cancer, or one or
more of the many other illnesses that limit
daily abilities but are not readily visible to
others.
Opening a New Door
Dan Connors
I’ve been very fortunate in general with my health. Good eyesight, good hearing
(until I passed 50), plenty of energy and little disease. The one exception that has
dogged me is mental health, which was a big issue in my youth.
I have suffered from chronic depression since puberty, though no one realized it
until I was well into my 20’s. In just the past 25 years diagnosis and treatment
of depression has come a long way, and it is hard to imagine the old days when
mentally ill people were institutionalized or allowed to slowly waste away.
Invisible disabilities are chronic illnesses
and conditions that significantly impair
normal activities of daily living. In the
United States, 96% of people with chronic
medical conditions show no outward
signs of their illness, and 10% experience
symptoms that are considered disabling.
Mental health is something I never take for granted. Overcoming mental illness is
one of the hardest undertakings that someone can attempt in this life. Once you
are stuck in a depression or other unhealthy mental state, it becomes your reality.
Your prison. You see the world through that reality and it is very hard to change the
paradigm and move forward. Negative thoughts and feelings reinforce themselves in
a self-fulfilling prophesy.
It can be easy to judge and censure
others when they claim to feel unwell or
park in a diabled space but look normal
and well walking into a building. Or
perhaps they can attend some functions,
but other times say they are unable.
With physical ailments, it is easy to diagnose and treat once you can see the outward
symptoms and understand what causes them. With mental ailments, there are no
blood tests, no easy detection, and we still understand precious little about how the
brain works. Instead there are the questions:
Research chronic/invisible illness to raise
your awareness and find resources to
help. And if you suffer, know that you are
not alone.
Suicide Prevention
In keeping with the topic of mental
health, did you know that September
was suicide prevention month? The
following are things people have said
after a loved one has committed suicide.
"It would have been easier if he had died
in a car crash. Or had cancer."
"What are we going to tell people? They
will think we're bad parents. This will
follow us forever."
"I already miss my brother. Some of the
kids at school have been aring and
supportive. "
"I lost my best friend Connie last year. Her
Church doesn't acknowledge suicide as
an illness, her family had to leave their
Church when they needed it most."
How can we as individuals and a faith
community open ourselves to hear the
pain and give people a place where
they can be honest, respected and
blessed?
4
Are you eating regularly and healthily and are you taking care of general hygiene
daily?
Are you sleeping well at night- getting at least 7 or 8 hours?
Do you rely on any other substances- alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to get you through
the day?
Are you enjoying the present and having fun? Or do you resent those who do?
Does thinking about the future excite you? Or make you want to give up?
Are there any fears or phobias that keep you from doing what you want to do?
Do you have strong and satisfying relationships with other people?
Have you had trouble concentrating and/or losing motivation for doing things?
When all you know is faulty thinking, it’s a lot to ask to recognize that there is
a problem and then figure out how to fix it. It took me a long time, different
medications and different counselors. But just knowing that there is a new door that
you can reach is a great source of hope. Having the courage to open the door and
walk through it takes time and encouragement, but once we do, there are many more
possibilities awaiting us in the unknown than in our familiar darkness.
On October 10 we celebrate World Mental Health Day. You cannot have good
physical health without good mental health. Take care of your own mental health
and be aware of the symptoms for those you know and love.
ww
A Place in the Sanctuary...
October Worship
October 4| 9:30 & 11:00am | Give-a-Meal | World Communion
Scripture Job 1:1; 2:1-10; Psalm 26
Message In the Land of Uz
Theme The challenges that Job’s story brings with it—blessing and
curse. The rollercoaster nature of life—good and bad things
happen.
October 11 | 9:30 & 11:00am
Scripture Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Mark 10:17-27
Message Possess Less
Theme The call to simplify…Jesus talks about the camel through the
eye of the needle; the man that did not want to give away
his possessions.
October 18 | 9:30 & 11:00am
Scripture Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c; Mark 10:35-45
Message Pick Me
Theme Disciples arguing among themselves as to which one is most
favored. Secrecy, rivalry…Colleagues, collaboration…or somewhere in between? How do we serve one another?
October 25| 9:30 & 11:00am
Scripture Psalm 34:1-8; Mark 10:46-52
Message Trifocals
Theme The blind man said to Jesus, “I want to see.” Bartimaeus knew
what he wanted—to be able to see. How do we get ourselves
into a place where we can see what Jesus sees? What is Jesus’
vision?
Opportunities
to Pray
Prayer Corner
Tue, Oct 13| 8:30am | Sanctuary
Pastor Kevin is available to pray
with you during this time. The Prayer
Corner–with a perpetual candle–
has a current prayer list, prayer
books, journal, kneeler and chairs.
Labyrinth
Tue, Oct 27| 9:00am
Meet in Pastor Kevin’s Office
Pray in motion with us as we walk
the labyrinth at the Mercy Center
at 2039 Geyer Road—just a hop,
skip and a jump from church.
Centering Prayer
Join us first & third Thursdays
6:45pm in Pastor Kevin’s office
for silent prayer. Contact Tom
Maxeiner: 314-692-7391
[email protected]
Feed Your Spirit
Feed your spirit with the Still Speaking Daily Devotional:
ucc.org/feed-your-spirit/daily-devotional
5
A Place in the Classroom...
A Commitment to faithful and challenging dialogue through life-long learning.
Parkway Children & Youth
Stories
&
Songs
October4: Job Suffers
October 4: Broken and Blessed
October 11: God Responds to Job
October 11: Essentials of Faith
October 18: Jonah, Part One
October18: Power to Serve
October 25: Jonah, Part Two
October 25: Bartimaeus Meets
Jesus
New to the preschool office are Director
Nancy Sokolik and Office Administrator
Jenny Lindahl.
Nancy comes to the preschool after more
than 25 years in education and the last four
years in nonprofit. Nancy has been married
to husband, Bruce, for 33 years, and has
two children: Jamie, who lives in Chicago,
and Brian, who lives in Los Angeles. Nancy
is passionate about children, beaches, the
west coast, and dogs, dogs, dogs!
Jenny spent 10 years in corporate sales and
training and has been a stay at home mom
for the last 6 years. Jenny and her husband
Tony have been married for 11 years and
have a 5 year old daughter, Norah, who
started kindergarten this fall. Jenny enjoys
cooking, reading, and doing yoga.
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Wednesdays | 6:30-7:30| Fellowship Hall | Snacks & Door Prize
Oct 7: Back in the Day
This is one night you won’t want to
miss. Let’s just say you will be creating a
character that we will try and guess the
identity. Join us for this fun evening.
Oct 14: Food Alphabet
Wondering what in the world this is all
about? We could always sing the famous
alphabet song as well! Don’t miss out!
Oct 21: Bazooka Night
Have you ever blown a bazooka bubble?
They are the best! Come see what else we
can do with this famous bubble gum! Bring
a friend along for a great time together!
Oct 28: Halloween Party
Tag and Laser
Maze Youth
Event!
Sun, Oct 18| Noon - 4:00pm | DB-AZ
To kick off the new school year and to get
to know any new faces, we are going out
for an afternoon of fun! We will go head
to head in an hour of Demolition Ball.
You can test your agility with an hour of
laser maze and work your aim with at
least two games of Laser Tag. The cost
is $5.00 per person. We will have pizza
after second service and then off for an
afternoon of fun! Please RSVP to Doug and
Amy Yakel: 314-275-8039 | da_yakel@att.
net Questions? Contact Barb Kuhlmann:
[email protected]
Adult Education
October 2015
Sundays | 9:30 & 11:00am | Heritage Room
October 4: Everyone Has a Faith Story to
Tell…What is Yours? A Mini-workshop by
Gerry Rogers
Gerry will take you through the steps of
preparing to tell your faith story. We will
discuss possible roadblocks that people
might have that prevent them from
participating in this, along with ways to
overcome them. We will brainstorm possible
topics to get the creative juices flowing.
Finally, everyone will be given a chance to
write a very basic outline of their own faith
story. The goal is that by the end of the
session, everyone will have the tools and
confidence necessary to sign up to give their
very own faith story. You will get out of this
what you put into it. Please come and explore
the possibilities, and perhaps step out of your
comfort zone a little.
Gerry has been a member of Parkway UCC
for almost 4 years. Her Church history
includes growing up Southern Baptist,
and being a member of a Presbyterian
and Disciples of Christ Church. Here at
Parkway she serves as a usher, and is on
the Membership Care Commission. She
and her husband Mike are active in the
Sunday morning Adult Education classes,
Tuesday Evening Dialogue, and also attend
the LIFE retreats at Eden Seminary. She
works part time at the St Louis ARC, and her
hobbies include travel, photography, and
reading. She enjoys visits with her children,
grandchildren, and other family, as well as
fellowship with friends.
October 11, 18 & 25: Why God? Which
God?— Mark Lee Robinson
For most of human history our individual
identity was formed and expressed by the god
or gods we worshipped. We were a member
of a clan or tribe that had a god that gave us
our identity and, if we were good, cared for
us. While there are those who still ascribe
identity to someone as a function of religion
or ethnic association, for the most part it is
no longer true that one must have a belief in
God. Indeed, it is likely that there are persons
who are part of the Parkway community who
identify as atheist or agnostic.
So if we don’t need to believe in a god, why
bother? What benefit arises from a belief in
and a relationship with a god? Given the role
that religion plays in human misery, perhaps
it will be better to live in a post-theist society.
I will show my hand here a bit to say that I
observe a great many benefits to having a
relationship with God. That will probably not
surprise you. But I want to try to tease apart
just what those benefits might be. It
helps if we know why we are going
to all the trouble to have a god in the
first place.
Then, having clarified the benefits,
we are presented with a great
smorgasbord of potential gods.
Which god is the best one for you?
And what difference might it make if
your god is not the same as the god
held by others in your pew? Do we
all have to worship the same god?
Does God know what is going to
happen before it happens? Or is
God limited by the Arrow of Time
as are we mortals? Did God create
us, or do we create God? Or are
we mutually co-created? And what
does that mean anyway? What
is the relationship between science and
religion? Does evolution argue against the
power of God? Or does God create through
evolution? Or does God evolve? Does God
know everything? What is God conscious
of and what is the relationship between my
consciousness and that of God?
These are some of the questions we will
consider as part of this class. I hope to see
you in October.
Rev. Dr. Mark Lee Robinson is the founder
and Executive Director of the Center for
Creative Conflict Resolution and is the
Minister of Reconciliation and Evangelism at
Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC. He is a
pastoral psychotherapist and author of Just
Conflict: Transformation through Resolution.
He hosts Sacred Soup, an inter-spiritual faith
community in St. Louis.
Tuesday Evening
Dialogue New
Book starts Oct 27
2nd & 4th Tuesdays | 6:00-8:30pm |
Heritage Room | Potluck & Discussion
I am Malala by
Malala Yousafzaia &
Christina Lamb
I am Malala is the
remarkable tale of
a family uprooted
by global terrorism,
of the fight for girls’
education, of a
father who, himself
a school owner,
championed and
encouraged his
daughter to write
and attend school,
and of brave
parents who have a
fierce love for their
daughter in a society that prizes sons.
She was shot in the head at pointblank range while riding the bus home
from school, and few expected her to
survive.
Instead, Malala’s miraculous recovery
has taken her on an extraordinary
journey from a remote valley in
northern Pakistan to the halls of the
United Nations in New York. At sixteen,
she became a global symbol of
peaceful protest and the youngest
nominee ever for the Nobel Peace
Prize.
I am Malala will make you believe in
the power of one person’s voice to
inspire change in the world.
Paperback copies are available in the
church office. Questions? Ask Dottie Dwyer
([email protected]), Mary Jo
Cannon ([email protected]), or
Karen Boyd ([email protected])!
Tuesdays | 3:00-4:30pm | Library
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A Place at the Table...
Coffee 
Conversation
Thu, Oct 8| 10:00am| STL Bread Co
Located at Manchester & 270. Join
us for lively discussion and warm
fellowship!
Contact Kevin: [email protected]
314-878-9330
Oh, the Weather Outside…is (not yet) frightful. But it soon will be!
If it pains you to think of any child suffering from numb fingers, icy toes, or frosty
ears, please consider donating items to this year’s Winter Accessories Drive. Hats,
gloves, mittens, and scarves will be gratefully accepted in the Gathering Space
collection box starting in October. Thanks to your generosity, the children and youth
served by The Little Bit Foundation and Joint Neighborhood Ministry can look
forward to warmer extremities this winter.
Contact Jill Schatz: [email protected] | 636-821-3478
Apple Pie
Making
Sat, Oct 17 | 9:00am | Kitchen
Looking for folks to help make and bake
some apple pies as a fundraiser for other
PUCC activities. This a one-time commitment. We only need one morning of
your time to help. The proceeds from
selling the apple pies will help support
other PUCC activities.
Contact Peggy Mohl: peggymohl@gmail.
com | 636-227-9995
Hi Ho Hi Ho It’s Off to Work We Went
We don’t know Snow White personally, but a wonderful group of Parkway United Church
of Christ members met early on Saturday, September 19 to tackled closets to clean, purge,
organize and make decisions about equipment no longer needed. A group also raked and
mulched the prayer garden in the back of the church. The kitchen now sparkles like brand
new. We also took two huge loads of donations to Good Will and several items of out of
date technology were safely recycled.
We thank Membership Care Commission for covering the cost of donuts, coffee, pizza and
salad lunch. We also send a shout out to the Working with Others group for providing
soda as well as washing the windows of the church building inside and out. We enjoyed
being with them.
Thanks to Ben McDougall, Donna and Roger Fauss, Kim and Ross Livengood, Marsha
Peek, Joyce and John Ruiz, Kris and Tom McKenzie, Pat Klein, Val Detjen, Mary
Maxeiner, Pete Eggebrecht, Betty Scherrer, Rosanna Hogarty, Judy Waddell, MaryJo
Cannon, Gloria Wandless, Greg Schmelig, Carol and Harold Cobb, Kevin Cameron, and
Bill Owens.
A Place in our Community...
Join us for our work day for
Habitat for Humanity. There
is a poster in the Gathering
Space for folks to sign-up
to work at the rehab house.
We also need folks willing to
provide snacks and drinks for
our workers. Contact Marsha
Peek: [email protected] |
314 413-1440
Saint Louis
Metro CROP
Hunger Walk
Oct 11 | meet @church at 12:30pm
Once again Parkway will recruit walkers
and solicit donations for the Church
World Service CROP Hunger Walk at
Eden Seminary on October 11. Our
church goal this year is $1,500. "The
CROP Hunger Walk raises funds for
alleviating hunger around the world. With
all the turmoil around the world right
now, there is a huge need to feed millions
of refugees. Church World Service is the
avenue for churches to participate in this.
We are asking members who are able to
walk the one or three mile route through
Webster Groves and secure financial
sponsors who will donate in the walker's
name. All walkers who raise $100
or more will receive a CROP T-shirt.
Parkway will award its top fund raiser
with a special gift and recognition.
Walkers register online at www.
crophungerwalk.org. Find Parkway in the
list and either register or donate. Or, you
can sign up as a walker or donor on the
poster in the Gathering Space and we will
contact you with the details.
CROP is the hunger fighting wing of
Church World Service which is supported
by 37 denominations including the
United Church of Christ. The Walk is
ecumenical, interfaith, and communitywide. 25% of the funds raised stay in St.
Louis.
For more information or for help with
signing up to walk or sponsor talk with
Tom Tupper, 636-236-3313 or trtupper@
yahoo.com.
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MENTAL AND
EMOTIONAL WELLBEING: PART
OF RECIDIVISM
REDUCTION
Evelyn Buretta
Parkway UCC members have been involved
for two years in the COPE Project, now
being absorbed by Concordance Academy.
Currently we meet with our partner, a
formerly incarcerated person, every other
week for an hour to check on progress with
his goals and take turns making phone calls
every day. Some members make additional
individual contact with our partner for a one
to one visit. Other members sometime find
new or gently used items that our partner
needs to make life a bit more comfortable.
Concordance Academy is in the process
of being up and running in January 2016.
This agency will provide additional mental
and emotional health support, as well as a
myriad of other services. Team members
throughout the greater St. Louis area expect
that our roles will change somewhat next
year. Also there will be a need for additional
team members as Concordance expands
its intake of more newly released persons.
Anyone interested in learning more about
this important ministry can contact Tom
McKenzie, Kris McKenzie, Joan Brannigan,
Sue Stolze, or Evelyn Buretta.
Sugar Plum
Bazaar
Join us for a wonderful concert! Meditation music for flutes and voices. We are also
happy to offer twenty complimentary tickets to Parkway members and guests. For
tickets and more information: 314-652-6800.
Every Child’s Hope Ladies Aid Society
Fall Market & Lunch
Wednesday, October 21 | 11:00am Market opens | 12:00pm lunch | Parkway UCC
Grab a friend and join us for a fun
afternoon of food and fellowship, while
supporting the children, youth, and
families served by ECH Every Child’s
Hope. Tickets are $10 per person and
includes lunch, dessert, and shopping at
the market. Raffle tickets for a variety of
items will be available. To register please
call Carol Lewis at 636-294-3621. Please
call Ashley Hendley at ECH at 314-4273755 with any questions or to donate a
raffle item.
Sat, Nov 14 | 7:00am - 1:00pm
Come shop at booths
of local handcrafted
and commercial
products. Vendors
include Lydia’s
House delicious
frozen pot pies,
Plowshares, Cookie
and Candy walk, creative holiday bows
for gift packages, a food truck on the
premises. We are seeking crafters and
vendors who would be willing to offer
their wares for a $25 PUCC application
fee. The application can be found online at
parkwayucc.org
Last year’s event was a success, and we
hope to make the second time around even
more wonderful. Please contact Cassie
Rosenberger [email protected] or
Betty Scherrer @bettyscherrer@hotmail.
com for any questions or comments.
10
Parkway Youth Host Trunk or Treat!
October 24 | 5:30-7:00PM | Front Parking Lot
Come with a decorated trunk filled with candy for our ghost and goblins. Games, hot dogs
and a pumpkin patch are a few of the fun experiences of the night. It was a special evening
last year and we think we’ve added so much more for everyone to enjoy. So, tall or short,
young or old, there is something for all to enjoy for Halloween fun!
Questions? Contact Barb Kuhlmann at [email protected]
A Place in the Ministry...
Ronald McDonald House Summary of
Lisa Mason, CRR
To provide a "home-away-from-home" to families of seriously ill children and
support to organizations that serve the needs of children.
bedroom; the West Pine facility has
community bathrooms, and the Park
Avenue and West County facilities have
private bathrooms. Free laundry facilities,
community TV rooms and playrooms
accommodate basic needs and encourage
support through others in similar
situations. As families travel from around
the world for treatment in St. Louis, limited
transportation is also available.
The RMH website (rmhcstl.com) explains
the Ronald McDonald House Charities’
beginning:
In 1973, Philadelphia Eagles football player
Fred Hill and his wife, Fran, learned that
their daughter, Kim, had leukemia. While
traveling into Philadelphia for treatment,
they met other families who drove hours
to the hospital to be with their children,
only to sleep in waiting room chairs and
to eat from vending machines. Hill and
his team partnered with local McDonald's
Owner/Operators to raise money and
purchase a house near the hospital where
these families could stay. Since that time,
more than 300 Houses have been built
worldwide.
Local History
In 1981, the first St. Louis Ronald
McDonald House was opened on West
Pine Boulevard in the Central West End. A
second House on Park Avenue was opened
in 1996 near SSM Cardinal Glennon
Children's Medical Center, and in 2003,
eight apartments became available for
long-term stays. In 2010, a third Ronald
McDonald House (the 300th in the
world) was built on the campus of Mercy
Children’s Hospital on Ballas to serve West
County hospitals.
These Houses provide a comfortable
home for families to stay near the hospital
treating their children. Families are asked
for a $15 donation per night, but no family
is turned away based on ability to pay.
Families with a child 18 or younger who
live at least 50 miles from St. Louis are
eligible for referral by the hospital’s social
services department to stay at a House.
Each family staying at RMH has a private
Volunteers provide dinner each night, and
breakfast is provided on weekends. This
is the third year Parkway UCC youth and
adults have prepared dinner for the West
County House guests. Although many
families are still at the hospital during
the dinner hour, the leftovers are waiting
for their return after visiting hours. Our
youth have also enjoyed playing with
some patients (who are recuperating or
receiving treatments that do not require
constant hospitalization) and their
siblings. We sincerely appreciate the
congregation’s support to fund the
food purchases for the 50-60 guests.
Two Lesser-Known
RMH Services
Ronald McDonald Family Rooms
provide rest, snacks and other support
in the hospital itself for families with a
hospitalized child. St. Louis has these
Family Rooms at Mercy Children's
Hospital, St. Louis Children's Hospital and
SSM Cardinal Glennon.
In 2013, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
was created through a partnership with the
Eye Care Charity of Mid-America. The Care
Mobile travels to schools throughout the St.
Louis area to provide eye exams and glasses
to children of low-income households.
A wish list of household needs is located
on the website: http://www.rmhcstl.com/
page.aspx?pid=371 if you would like to
support Ronald McDonald House Charities
of St. Louis.
September
Council
Meeting
Mark Sableman
At its September meeting, the church
council:
Reviewed a video of the UCC General
Synod and heard Pastor Kevin’s report
about some of his experiences at
General Synod sessions and workshops. Because of the interest in the subject
and the extent of Kevin’s notes and
experiences from General Synod,
Council decided to have a fuller report
from Kevin part of the program for the
fall church Town Hall meeting, which will
probably be held in mid or late October.
Reviewed a number of recent activities
of commissions and committees,
including the 11:00am Worship leader
hiring process, and planning for
the November 7 Leadership Retreat.
Discussed upcoming events, including
the Black and Blue performance
on October 4, which grew out of the
sacred conversations on race.
Discussed the upcoming 2016 sabbatical
with Ross Livengood and Dottie Dwyer
of the Sabbatical Committee. The
sabbatical, which was approved
by the congregation at the January
congregational meeting, is being
planned and designed as a time for
renewal for both the pastor and the
congregation. Although there was
some hope for a funding grant from
Lilly Foundation, that application was
not successful. Council, the committee
members, and Kevin discussed a wide
range of sabbatical-related topics,
including plans for Kevin and the
congregation, funding, communications
with the congregation as the sabbatical
plans proceed, and the sabbatical’s
purposes and benefits. After the
discussion, council unanimously voted
to “heartily” reaffirm its support for the
sabbatical. 11
Parkway UCC: the Church that Keeps on Being Given
Kris & Tom McKenzie
When Kris was 15 she and her family
moved from Iowa to St. Louis, MO. After
almost a year of searching, her mother,
Fran Rasmussen, decided to become
a member of Parkway UCC. Fran
gifted the opportunity to experience
Parkway membership to her 2 youngest
daughters, Mary and Kris. Kris has
remained a member although taking
several years “vacation” from church
after her parents retired and moved out
of St. Louis.
Kris and Tom McKenzie were brought up
in very different religious environments.
Kris’s entire religious experience
has been under the guidance of the
Evangelical and Reformed/United
Church of Christ Church. Tom grew up
under Roman Catholic guidance. Kris’s
mother was very active in church life;
her father went to church only for his
children’s baptisms, confirmations and
weddings. Both of Tom’s parents were
very committed to Catholic Church life
and raised their children accordingly.
Tom has always lived in St. Louis, MO.
When he was 15 he was questioning
the Catholic faith. He spent most of his
young adulthood searching for a church
that was a good fit.
Tom and Kris met and in 1985 married at
Parkway UCC. A couple years later their
first child, Laura, was on the way. Both
Tom and Kris wanted their children to be
raised with strong religious experiences,
just like they were. Kris offered the gift
of Parkway UCC to Tom. He accepted the
gift and embraced it.
As time passed Parkway UCC was
gifted to the McKenzie children by their
parents. Both Laura and Lucia were
baptized, confirmed, and given faith
based experiences at Parkway. Laura, 27,
has lived away from St. Louis most of her
post high school life but still considers
Parkway UCC her church home. Lucia,
24, remains a devoted member of the
Parkway UCC family.
Lucia often offers the gift of experiencing
Parkway UCC to her friends. It is
hoped that those who have accepted
the gift of Parkway UCC find it a warm
and welcoming experience just as the
McKenzie family has all these years.
We want your stories! Tell us about your
first visits to Parkway Church and why you
kept coming back. Submit an article and
a photo of you and/or your family via
email to Mary Jo Cannon maryjo991@
aol.comnot exceeding 500 words. These
stories help us get to know one another
better and will perhaps inspire visitors to
take a similar step toward membership.
We look forward to your story!
About the Cover...
Spiritual rhythm for health and wellness found in Abstract Art
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Abstract art represents no object or subject known to us on earth. It is simply
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intuitively visible.