St.

Paul United Methodist

Church
July 2015
Welcome

The St. Paul United Methodist

Church Family

618-372-3255
Office Hours
Tues, Thur, Fri 9:00-1:00

Thank You cards

Music Fest

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Pastor Nathan Jeffries and his
bride-to-be, Amy Kiray, as they become
part of our church family assuming the
leadership roll here at St. Paul on July 1st.
We offer our help, support and Christian
love now and in the days ahead.

St. Paul United

Methodist Church

When: July 19, 2015

Where: St. Paul United
Methodist Church
Time: 6:00 pm
Music presented by friends and
members of St. Paul. Dessert
fellowship following in Upper
Wesley. (No charge)
Donations accepted-for support
of Plugged Youth Ministry.
Please contact Jenna Garner
(979-0372) or Phyllis Graham
(946-0093) if you would like to
share your musical talents and/
or provide a dessert.
Thank you
Jenna Garner & Phyllis Graham

Thank You for celebrating

Walters life with usSharing our sorrow.
Your friendship.
As well as the beautiful
flowers.
Dean, David and the
Ahlemeyer Family

Help
Our parsonage is in need
of a new A/C unit for the
older part of the parsonage. If anyone wants to
donate toward this project please send your gift
and note it for parsonage
air conditioner.
Thanks
Tom Graham
Treasurer

Coffee Clutch

Plugged Youth
We will again be offering hot drinks and
pastries each Sunday morning in Upper
Wesley starting July 5 (8:30following
worship). The Plugged Youth Group will
be hosting this ministry.
Jenna Garner & Phyllis Graham

Needed
The next youth rally will be Sunday, August 2nd from 6-9pm
here at St. Paul. Gross Olympics/Back to School Bash- Food,
messy games, worship and fun!
If you can help/donate, please
see Jenna Garner. Thanks!

If anyone has an extra

bed they would like to
donate for the upstairs
Cartwright apartment it
would be appreciated.
(preferably not bigger
than a queen). Please
contact Karen in the office or Connie Beyer.
Thank you.

St. Paul United Methodist Church

Page 2

Pioneer Club

Home Missions-Robing Manor

Nursing Home

58-children
12-youth helpers
14-adults
Thank you to the above 84 individuals
who were so faithfully involved in this childrens ministry. Also, a thank you for the
great support given by our church family,
friends and Pioneer Club families.

Our church will be hosting the August

birthday party for the residents on August
23 at 2:00 pm. We will again be serving the
Dairy Queen ice cream cake which is a
favorite with the residents. The childrens
Choir (S.W.A.G.) will also sing and help
with the serving of the cake and drink.
Phyllis Graham

Thank You Brenda Kelly

Brenda has shared her time and talents
with the Scooter class (PreK-K) for 8
years, and she has been a wonderful blessing to the children, to me and to this ministry. She has planted many God Seeds in
the lives of many young children, and we
want to thank her as well as Emma, her
daughter, who has been a youth helper for
4 years. Brenda will be joining our sub list.
(Side-note) Brendas family was transferred
to this area around 8 years ago, and I met
her when my mother and I made a
Welcome to this Area house call on behalf of our church as we delivered a plate
of cookies.

S.W.A.G (Sing With Awesome

God)

The childrens choir will be singing at

Robings Manor Nursing Home on June
28 at 2:00 pm as part of the worship service our church is hosting. We will be
serving refreshments to the residents
following the service.
Jenna Garner

Pioneer Club 2015-16

First meeting-September 14 after
school until 5:00pm. Any child PreK-6th
grade is welcome to attend. Please help us
have a strong club by inviting children in
the age range.
Thank You
Phyllis Graham

Phyllis Graham

618-372-3255

VBS
June 1-7th , we gathered under Gods Big Top to worship, fellowship, and become unique characters in the
circus of life. We made crafts, ate circus food, played
circus games, and most importantly, learned what it
meant to use our talents and gifts in the circus of life
for Christ.
This year, we had an ecumenical VBS. The Presbyterian
Church, United Church of Christ, and the Assemblies
of God church all joined us to put together a circus
that was one for the record books. It was a blessing to
watch this massive VBS come to life. From the hanging
trapeze people in the sanctuary, to the corndog Twinkies in the snack shop, each detail was prayed over and
deeply thought about. Each church worked together
and planned what would happen each night. It was a
team effort and it could not have been done without
the support of each and everyone of you.
I want to take this time to personally thank everyone
who helped make this circus run. It could not have
been done without you. From your financial support to
your prayers, and everything in-between, each gift was
special and so appreciated. Thank you, thank you,
thank you!
I dont know about you, but theres something about
the energy of kids that allows me to see the kingdom
of God. I see the joy in their eyes, the passion in their
hearts, and the excitement that overflows their lives.
VBS week allowed me to gain that excitement back in
my own life. I pray that as you entered church on circus Sunday, you caught that excitement too. There are
BIG things happening under the big top of life, are you
ready to use your talents to serve Christ?
The kiddos raised over $300.00 for our 5 star mission
spotlight during VBS week as well. Be sure to check
out the 5 star mission boards to see where we are on
our giving.
Thank you again to those who helped, it was a beautiful week! God was glorified and kids had their lives
changed!

Brittney Gilleland

Page 3

Annual Conference 2015

Healing the circle. Most of you heard me talk
about this during my conference report the
Sunday following conference this year. I spoke
about the need for healing this circle, healing
what is broken, and welcoming in those who
are different, not like us, and in need of something more. But at the same time, mending what
is broken, what is damaged and what is still
there.
The final two weeks of June, I have been
preaching on this exact idea. Healing this circle.
Mending what is broken and making room for
those who are in need of meeting this Jesus guy.
Conference was filled with voting, lots of talk
about resolutions, and presentations but it was
also so much more than that. It was a time filled
with worship, fellowship, and a time of refreshment. It was a time where lay members and
clergy alike came together to be encouraged,
supported, and filled. It was an honor to be a
part of something that was greater than myself,
greater than St. Paul, greater than our district as
a whole. United Methodists from all over the
state came together and for the first time, I was
able to see the fully functioning systems that
make our denomination work.
You are all a part of something that is beautiful.
You are all a part of something that is passionate about changing the world for good. You are
all a part of something that is committed to
seeking justice, loving those around us, and doing good. Its good to be a United Methodist, I
hope you all rest in that today and always.
I will continue to pray for each and everyone of
you as we keep our commitments, as we continue to heal our circle in Brighton, Illinois, as
we expand our circle and welcome new people
in. You make my heart filled with joy and hopeful for a new tomorrow. Keep being Jesus to
the world St. Paul, remember, Yahweh.

Brittney Gilleland