CONNECTION

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St. Peter’s

CONNECTION VOL. 6, No. 19 April 22, 2016

Connecting the World with God’s Love

THIS ISSUE: KIDS JAM Spring Musical

Flooding damage widespread in Katy; volunteers needed to be ready to help

Our children’s choirs will

present “In the Big Inning” May 1 during the 9:45 a.m. traditional worship service in the Sanctuary.

Church Without Walls Our next weekend of service to our community is May 14 and 15. Sign up for projects online.

Scenes like this and worse were common in the Katy and Houston areas this week as heavy rains overwhelmed our creeks, bayous, and streets. Many homes and cars were damaged and several people lost their lives. St. Peter’s is preparing to reach out to our community with help as soon as the waters recede and the needs can be assessed. If you would like to get notifications of opportunities to help, please sign up at http://bit.ly/SpringStorms2016.

20775 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, Texas 77450 (281) 492-8031 www.stpkaty.org

Are you called?

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re you being called to serve in Stephen Ministry? Are friends comfortable talking to you about the issues in their lives? Do you have experiences that you think could help others? Do you have one hour per week to reach out to someone who may have no one else to talk to? If you believe you have a gift for compassion and caring, please come to an information meeting on May 10 at 7 p.m. in S101 to find if Stephen Ministry is a place you want to serve. More information about Stephen Ministry can be found by clicking HERE.

Relay for Life

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oin or support Team St. Peter’s, which is raising funds for the American Cancer Society in the Katy Relay for Life on April 29-30 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at Katy City Park. For more information and to sign up or donate, click HERE.

Caring for those affected by flooding Dear Friends in Christ, Many in Katy experienced flooding this week. We want to reach out to those affected during this difficult time. Our Missions Committee will be working to organize our efforts. If you need help, please let us know. Perhaps you did not experience a problem, but are willing to help others. Please let us know if you are able to join the relief efforts by registering at http://bit.ly/SpringStorms2016. Also, we will be working with TACCOR (Texas Annual Conference Committee On Relief) and UMCOR (United Methodist Committee On Relief). Both of these organizations use 100 percent of donations to help with the relief efforts. Their administrative expenses Dr. Pat Sparks, Senior Pastor are paid by our apportionment giving. I am sure that one of the things we will have the opportunity to do is to put together more Flood Buckets, like we did a few weeks ago for those trying to recover from flooding in the Beaumont area. We will be communicating in the newsletter, as well as through announcements in worship, the best ways for you to be able to help those in need. Please know that we are praying for everyone who has been affected by the flooding and for those who are helping them recover. Blessings,

Pat

Abide adult Sunday School class

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he Abide Sunday School class is a Bible study-oriented class dedicated to

Christian growth through daily scripture reading and coming together for discussion on Sunday mornings. We meet at 11 a.m. in S202 and welcome all ages of folks who abide daily with the Lord and enjoy conversation and fellowship with others striving to become closer to God. We are currently studying the Gospel of John. Please contact Vicki Gee-Boerner at [email protected] for more infor-

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mation.

KIDS JAM presents spring musical May 1

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he KIDS JAM Children’s Choir will present the musical “In the Big

Inning” May 1 during the 9:45 traditional worship service in the Sanctuary. The musical focuses on children

Church Council Meeting Wednesday, April 27 7 p.m., E106

gathered at an empty lot near the church for a day of baseball. They are in for a surprising glimpse of the Bible’s Hall of Faith from Hebrews 11. Please join us!

Children of the World concert May 8

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t. Peter’s will host Chil-

dren of the World’s Inter-

national Children’s Choir in concert on Sunday, May 8, at 6 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The International Children’s Choir is made up of disadvantaged and orphaned children from several countries. Through their powerful songs, dances, spoken word, and creative media, they provide a compelling message of

Altar flowers

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e welcome you to donate the flowers that grace our altar each Sunday in the Sanctuary. These can be donated in honor or in memory of someone. The cost is $45. A sign-up sheet is located at the Information Desk in the Lobby. After worship, the flowers are rearranged into vases and delivered to people on our care list. We are in need of medium-size vases for these flower arrangements. You can bring them by the church office Monday through Thursday. Thank you for your generosity that continues to give even after Sunday worship is over.

hope and opportunity through this year’s Rescue Tour. The concert at St. Peter’s is free. Please join us for this special event. To learn more about this group, visit worldhelp.net/cotw.

Host families needed for children’s choir

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e are seeking seven host families to provide accommodations for the children from the Children of the World Choir for two nights, Sunday and Monday, May 8 and 9, during their visit to Katy. The children’s ages range from 7 to 14. Hosts are asked to keep three children or two children and a female chaperone in a separate room from the children. If you can provide a place to stay for these children, please contact David Galasso at [email protected].

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May 1 blood drive needs your donation

O Liberty Opry. On Saturday, May 14, the KEYS will be traveling to hear ‘50s and ‘60s music at the Liberty Opry in Liberty, Texas. The cost of the trip is $13 a person plus lunch. The bus will leave St. Peter’s at 10:30 a.m. and return around 7 p.m. We will arrive in Liberty around noon, eat lunch at Ann’s Seafood cafe, and then head to the performance, which runs from 2-5 p.m. Sign up at the KEYS bulletin board in the Lobby. Payment is due by May 8. Please contact Cindy McKinney at (281) 676-4621 if you have any questions.

Directory Photos We still have a few 8x10 directory photos in the church office. If you had your picture made but didn’t order any extras, we should have your photo.

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ur next blood drive is Sunday, May 1, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Scout House. You can sign up to donate on April 24 in the Lobby. All those who donate will receive a T-shirt. The number of people who have signed up to donate is low this time. Please consider donating blood at this drive. Your donation can save up to three lives. While we appreciate you making an appointment, you are always welcome to walk in the day of the drive. And to make things even more convenient, we provide shuttle service from the Sanctuary building to the Scout House. In case you’re wondering, people with controlled blood pressure, controlled thyroid condition, and diabetes can donate blood. For more information on donating or to schedule an appointment, contact Marsha Asplin at [email protected].

Serving our neighbors through CWOW

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ur second Church Without Walls weekend of 2016 will be happening May 14 and 15, and we are so excited about the wonderful work we’ll be doing. If you haven’t yet participated in a CWOW weekend this year, you’ll notice they look a little different than they did in years past. We will have Sunday morning worship each of the four CWOW weekends and do various projects on Saturday and Sunday and even occasionally on other days close to the CWOW weekend. The Missions Team is working hard to ensure that we have projects every CWOW weekend for people of varied interests and skill levels and that are sensitive to different peoples’ needs and abilities. We have an extra-special treat on May 14 and 15, as St. Peter’s will welcome Rev. Gaston Warner, the CEO of ZOE ministries, to preach in our traditional worship services. Worship all around St. Peter’s will celebrate the incredible work that our church does to connect the world with God’s love from Katy to Hampstead, Jamaica, to Kenya and to so many places in between. Registration for CWOW II is online now; visit the Missions page at stpkaty.org to sign up today!

In Our Prayers

PRAYERS Katy and Houston area flood recovery, Lynn Bortka, Dennis Bowling, Faunelle Deaton, John Duffield, Cyndy Flory, Doug Folts, Caleb Gore, Amanda Gunderson, Art Henderson, Mike Ibarguen, Brian Jones, Oscar Jones, Wanda Klaus, Rudy Koski, Ralph Lovell, Betty Marsh, Jim Marshall, Anne Scruggs, Cheryl Swift, Barbara Thoen, and Annabelle Turner.

Forty-four students were confirmed as members of St. Peter’s on April 10 in traditional worship and in The Element. Families and friends celebrated their students’ completion of our C2C confirmation class that began last fall.

Welcome to Our New Members Danielle Alderson, Sophie Allard, Jordan Angel, Brianna Barnett, Hunter Betke, Austin Brown, Carson Byrd, Stuart Campbell, Della DeCuir, Greer DeYoung, David and Cathy Eschbach, Parker Farace, Josh and Reagan Freeman, Peter Forinash, Blake Gambrell, Jillian Gordon, Reagan James, Kristen Justilian, Parker Kidwell, Samuel Kirkland, Soraya Lema, Michael Lennard, Beatriz MacLoughlin, Laura MacLoughlin, Bennett Maddox, Ethan Mefford, Brett Morris, Rebecca Morrison, John and Kay Murphy, Marcy Murphy, Caroline O’Brien, Gabrielle Perego, Abby Porter, Holly Pyron, Emily Russell, Lauren Sapp, Palmer Savage, Sarah Savage, Cole Schlomann, Samantha Scruggs, Ava Strain, Korynn Stroud, Roberta Tauzin, Alyssa Trull, Madeleine Trull, Dax Uhrie, Michael and Kelly Walker, Davis Warms, Jake Webster, Samuel Whitman, Claire Wilson, Kate Wilson

ST. PETER’S ATTENDANCE April 10 Traditional Worship 8:30 182 9:45 287 11:00 579 The Element 9:45 60 11:00 160 SPLASH 69 Living Stones 223 Living Stones Students/Kids 135 TOTAL 1,695

April 17 Traditional Worship 8:30 182 9:45 227 11:00 338 The Element 9:45 60 11:00 160 SPLASH 74 Living Stones 193 Living Stones Students/Kids 93 TOTAL 1,327

JOY To Ethan Gao and Claire Chen on the birth of their daughter Skylar Emma. To Chris and Suzie Morris on the birth of their son Ian. SYMPATHY To Ashlynn Archilla and family on the death of her grandmother. To Peggy Blanton and family on the death of her father, Tom Ellis. To Tia DeCuir and Tara Wilson and their families on the death of their father. To Art Henderson and family on the death of his mother. To Morgan Smith and family on the death of his stepfather. To Frank Womack and family on the death of his brother. PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY Tim and Alison Batig, John Belsha, Will Brandt, John Buck, Jeffrey Cabana, Skyler Cook, Austin Foster, Westley Freeze, James Gilbert, Tyler J. Gorcie, Dylan Greismeyer, Stephen Travis Harding, Adam Higdon, Matthew Ivester, Mike Linn, Ryan Lueders, Blake Nunes, Cameron Nunes, Ryan O’Quinn, Matthew Platz, Shawn Platz, Hamilton Rencurrel, Jack Ritchie, Don Rolleg, Ben Saunders, Jacob Shinkle, John Simmons, and Jasen Wilson.

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Connecting the World With God’s Love Unit Meeting. All women are invited to join us for our next monthly meeting May 4 at 10 a.m. in E106. Cynthia Viator will talk to us about the Salvation Army’s contributions. For more information, contact Joanna Basham at (713) 309-5773. If you need a ride, contact Nancy Calderone at (281) 496-9542. UMW will not meet during the summer. We will resume meeting on Sept. 7.

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hope and pray that as you read this article you’re dry and safe, and that by the time this newsletter goes out the water starts to

fall. While I was walking around the church this morning, I looked out the window and saw a dove. I am not making this up; the dove had in its beak a small tree branch. St. Peter’s is a church that really, really loves to act. I talked to conference disaster recovery leaders on Tuesday morning and they spoke so highly of the work we have already been doing in East Houston and around the conference connected to disaster recovery. So here’s the hard part: Even though we’ve seen the dove and are really good at helping people rebuild, we still have to wait. Noah was stuck on the ark for more than a week after the dove brought him back that olive branch, and we need to let the waters

Summer camps

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here is still time to register your children for St. Peter’s summer camps. We offer a variety of camps for children age 2 through fifth grade. Spots are filling up fast, so go to stpkaty.org to register.

recede, experts to do assessments, and people to articulate their needs. In the meantime, feel free to sign up to help out when we do know what recovery looks like at http://bit.ly/SpringStorms2016. And continue to pray for those hit hardest by these storms. Donations also can be made to St. Peter’s with “spring storm recovery” in the memo line of your check. I am so thankful to be at a church so eager to serve and so thoroughly committed to connecting the world with God’s love. Paz,

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Nathan

Daily Bible Reading

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n May 1 we will honor our high school senior

class of 2016 during Sunday worship services and at a dinner that evening. Students should let us know what service they prefer: 8:30 a.m. traditional or 11 a.m. in The Element. Students will be invited to hang a bell on the senior cross and be given a gift from Student Ministries. Contact [email protected] with your service choice. All seniors and their families are invited to join us for a dinner at 5 p.m. in Lott Hall. We will have a catered dinner, slide show, senior predictions, and more. We are requesting that families send three photos—one baby, one teen, and one current—of your senior to [email protected]. We are looking forward to honoring our seniors on this special day.

Group TUTS tickets avaiable with singles group

April 25 – May 1 MONDAY Acts 4:5-12 TUESDAY Psalm 23 WEDNESDAY 1 John 3:16-24 THURSDAY John 10:11-18 FRIDAY Isaiah 40:9-11 SATURDAY 1 Timothy 3:1-13 SUNDAY 2 Corinthians 4 May 2 – 8 MONDAY Psalm 23 TUESDAY Galatians 5:13-24 WEDNESDAY Romans 5:1-11 THURSDAY Ephesians 5:1-20 FRIDAY Hebrews 13:1-6 SATURDAY Deuteronomy 7:6-16 SUNDAY 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

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he Singles With a Purpose class is inviting the congregation to participate in group season tickets for the 2016-2017 Theater Under the Stars performances. The season includes six performances at a cost of $169. Performances include “Grease,” Sept. 24; “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” Nov. 5; “Shrek the Musical,” Dec. 17; “An American in Paris,” Jan. 28; Jesus Christ Superstar,” Apr. 15; and “Fun House,” May 27. Tickets can be exchanged for a nominal fee if you are unable to attend on the specific date of the ticket. For information, contact Sue Robertson at (281) 46-0344, (713) 4439309, or [email protected]. Visit the TUTS website, tuts.com, to learn more about the schedule.

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S u nday Worship 8:30 a.m.

Traditional Worship with Holy Communion

9:45 a.m.

Traditional Worship The Element Contemporary Worship Sunday School for All Ages

10:30 a.m.

Living Stones St. Peter’s West Campus at Cinco Ranch High School

11:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship The Element Contemporary Worship SPLASH Children’s Worship Sunday School for Adults

St. Peter’s Events Calendar Tuesday, April 26 7:00 p.m.

Women of Joy

S203

10:00 a.m.

The Gathering

Asbury Hall

6:30 p.m.

KIDS JAM Children’s Choirs

E221

7:00 p.m.

Church Council

E106

Friday Night Friends

E221

8:00 a.m.

Blood Drive

Scout House

9:45 a.m.

KIDS JAM Musical

Sanctuary

4:00 p.m.

Women’s Cancer Support

S205

5:00 p.m.

Student Ministries Senior Dinner

Lott Hall

Smocks for Life

Asbury Hall

10:00 a.m.

United Methodist Women

E106

6:30 p.m.

KIDS JAM Children’s Choirs

E221

Wednesday, April 27

Friday, April 29 6:00 p.m. Sunday, May 1

Tuesday, May 3 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4

Detailed weekly calendars of St. Peter’s events are available on our website.

Pizza With the Pastors Are you thinking about joining St. Peter’s? Do you want to know more about this church and the United Methodist Church? If so, you are invited to attend Pizza With the Pastors the second Sunday of the month at 12:15 p.m. in E106. Please contact Patty Campbell at [email protected] or (281) 492-8031 for more information.