St. Peter’s
CONNECTION VOL. 7, No. 18 April 21, 2017
Connecting the World with God’s Love
THIS ISSUE:
He is risen indeed!
Confirmation Sunday
April 23 is the day our
confirmation class students are confirmed as members of St. Peter's.
Senior Recognition Sunday We will honor our graduating high school seniors on May 7 in the 8:30 a.m. traditional service and 11 a.m. Element service.
S
t. Peter's celebrated the risen Lord on Easter Sunday with worship, music, baptisms, family, and flowers. We had eight worship services beginning with our 6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service. We included those who were not able to attend worship by delivering Easter lilies to many of our homebound members.
20775 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, Texas 77450 (281) 492-8031 www.stpkaty.org
Adoption Support Group
T
he Adoption Support Group is for families thinking of adopting, in the process of adopting, or who have completed adoptions. It is designed to uplift, support, and encourage families who have been led by God to adopt a child or children. We will meet April 24 at 6 p.m. in S201. For more information, please contact Whitney Peper at wpeper@ stpkaty.org.
Blood drive is May 7
O
ur next blood drive is May 7 from 8 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. in the Scout House. You can sign up in the Lobby April 23 and 30 or by contacting Marsha Asplin at mea1242@aol. com. All donors will be entered into a drawing for two Commit for Life Store items.
The Easter promise Dear Friends, During this week following Easter, I was thinking a lot about the promise Easter provides followers of Jesus. While I was doing some reading, I came across a devotional that speaks to this promise. A father knelt down beside his little boy’s bed. It was time for prayers, hugs, kisses, and tucking in. The little boy began the childhood prayer he had repeated so many times before: “Now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord, my soul to take.” Dr. Pat Sparks, Senior Pastor This time the words got mixed up. Unwittingly, the child spoke words of the greatest wisdom. He prayed, “If I should wake before I die.” Embarrassed, he stopped. “Oh Daddy, I got all mixed up.” Wisely, his dad responded tenderly, “Not at all, son. That’s the first time the prayer was properly prayed. My deepest longing for you is that you may wake up before you die.” The child drifted to sleep, but the father turned the prophetic words about in his mind. “If I should wake before I die. That’s it!” he exclaimed. “That’s the promise of and hope of Easter. We can come alive and live forever!” May the Easter promise continue to work in our lives as we experience abundant life, the promise of eternal life, exuberant joy, and overcoming hope! Blessings,
Pat
Help with Communion
W
e need a volunteer for the Communion Setup/Cleanup Team to help at the 8:30 a.m. service. Please contact Mark Liles at
[email protected] if you would like to serve in this way.
2
Children and their families enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt and fellowship following Palm Sunday services on the Kingsland Campus. The West Campus also sponsored an Easter Egg Hunt on the lawn of Cinco Ranch High School. Both sites included thousands of eggs, activities, and food trucks.
Capital campaign and budget update
H
ere is a brief update of where we stand on the first step of expanding St. Peter’s ministries west to our new campus. There has been an incredibly generous response to this campaign. As you can see, we are already making significant strides in reducing our debt, making it possible to more quickly expand out west. Our goal is to continue providing valuable financial information like this, both for the yearly budget and our three-year capital campaign commitment. We are committed to being faithful partners with you.
Re/Member Campaign Status Update
Starting Loan Balance – $4,322,712
Current Loan Balance – $3,881,444
Balance of Remaining Pledges – $2,553,988
Remaining Opportunity – $1,327,456
Operating Budget Status Update
Budgeted Expenses – $3,203,850
Received through March – $766,177
My hope is that this update demonstrates how increasing your pledge, or giving a little extra above and beyond, can have a significant impact on the ministries at St. Peter’s. We have more than 4,000 members. If every member gave $10 more a Sunday, that would translate to $40,000 a week, and over $2 million a year. Talk about the power of compound generosity! As always, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at the business office. Either call directly or e-mail Mike Benjamin at
[email protected]. Thank you for your generous support,
Jamison Family Vacation Bible School July 26-28
J
oin us July 26-28 for Family Vacation Bible School as we learn what it means to be a Super Family that follows God and Christ. Each night we will focus on virtues that make a regular family a Super Family: love, forgiveness, prayer, and fun. Family VBS is for all ages of children with their parents/grandparents. Nursery is available if requested during registration. Cost is $50 per family, which covers dinner, activities, games, and materials. Register at stpkaty.org. For information, contact Whitney Peper at
[email protected].
Parents' Night Out
E
njoy a night out while your kids have fun at church with friends and activities. Our next Parents’ Night Out is May 19 from 6-9 p.m. for children from birth through fifth grade. Dinner and activities will be provided for children ages 2 and up. For children younger than 2, bring your child’s dinner (finger foods, please) when you drop them off. The cost is $20 for the first child and $30 for two or more children. Register at stpkaty.org. Church member registration is May 1-17. Community registration is May 8-17. Space is limited, and refunds will not be offered after registration is closed. For information, call (281) 492-8031.
Family Worship Sunday
T
his Sunday, April 30, is Family Worship Sunday. This will be a time for families to worship together in all of our services on both campuses. Children's Sunday School, SPLASH, and SPLISH SPLASH will not be offered, but nursery for children 3 and under will be available. We look forward to having your whole family worship with us!
3
Taste of Texas. On May 18, the KEYS will head to Taste of Texas on I-10 in Houston for lunch and a Texas history presentation by Nina Hendee. Then the bus will go to Memorial City for shopping until 2:30 p.m. We will leave the St. Peter’s parking lot at 10:15 a.m. and return at 3 p.m. Information on prices for lunch are available at registration. Please pay (check or cash only) when you register at the KEYS bulletin board in the Lobby beginning April 23. For more information, call Melba Butler at (713) 3010768 or Jim Butler at (713) 503-3207.
European trip planned for 2018
E
ach week at the West Campus a rotating crew of approximately 50 people sacrifice their time to transform the Cinco Ranch High school cafeteria and some of its hallways into a sanctuary and children’s Sunday school rooms. These incredible volunteers include setup/teardown teams, Sunday school teachers, volunteers for the student ministry, greeters, and communion servers. They set up the pipe and black draping, audio/visual system, stage lighting, band equipment, information tables, coffee spot, and inside/outside signage. In the children’s area, they put out foam floors, rugs, TV stations, rocking chairs, children’s toys, and check-in stations. Then at the conclusion of the service, these dedicated volunteers tear it all back down and place it neatly in containers on wheels and load it back on the trailers where it can all be stored for another week. These volunteers use their time and talents to connect the world with God’s love! To honor those who tirelessly give of their time, energy, and effort, the West Campus is hosting its third annual volunteer appreciation dinner on Friday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m. on the Kingsland Campus in Lott Hall. It will be a wonderful night to enjoy a barbecue dinner, relax, laugh, and reflect on how their volunteer efforts are making a difference in the life of St. Peter’s and the Katy community. Dr. Adrian Singleton, from Now You Know Life Church, (a church-plant meeting at Kilpatrick Elementary) will be the guest speaker.
H
ave you ever wanted to sing in or visit the marvelous cathedrals in Salzburg, Austria; Vienna; and Prague? St. Peter’s is planning a trip to participate in the Salzburg Choral Festival June 26, 2018. You do not have to sing to be a part of this trip. Contact David Galasso at
[email protected] to let him know if you are interested.
4
Members of the Seekers Sunday School class along with some of our high school seniors spent April 8 helping out Neighbors in Action by supporting their annual Easter party for children and their families. The class bought and stuffed several hundred Easter eggs with goodies for an egg hunt. They also monitored the bounce house and did arts and crafts with the children.
In Our Prayers
PRAYERS Lyle Asplin, Marci Barnes, Jim Basham, Lee Bennett, Tanya Bolog, Dennis Bowling, Gordon Buffington, Claire Cook, Lorkeshia Davis, Faunelle Deaton, Jenifer Franklin, Joe Hawkins, Art Henderson, Mike Ibarguen, Lin Johnson, Brian Jones, Oscar Jones, Lisa Leitch, Ralph Lovell, Tiffany Lovell, Mary K McNamara, Joe Mireur, Lou Moore, Neil Pickthall, Kathy Powell, Janice Remmele, Virginia Reper, Fay Smith, Cheryl Swift, and Annabelle Turner. JOY To Emily Ritchie on the birth of her daughter Renoa.
Over the last few weeks, the children at ECDC kept a close eye on the metamorphosis of their caterpillars into butterflies. This amazing transformation is a reminder to us all of the miracle of Easter and new life that each of us can have through Jesus Christ.
Welcome to our new members Stephen and Natalie Clark, Ashley Davis, Bob Nilo, and Kyle and Carla Villyard
ST. PETER’S ATTENDANCE April 9 Traditional Worship 8:30 178 9:45 391 11:00 592 The Element 9:45 75 11:00 140 SPLASH 94 West Campus 198 West Campus Students/Kids 114 TOTAL 1,782
April 16 Traditional Worship 6:30 8:00 9:30 11:00 The Element 9:45 11:00 SPLASH West Campus TOTAL
184 357 1,116 696 250 150 57 448 3,609
SYMPATHY To Van Gilbert and family on the death of his father. To Kelley Lloyd and family on the death of her stepmother. To Ron Portwood and family on the death of his mother. To Eileen Smith and family on the death of her father. To Neil Stillman and family on the death of his mother. PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY Tim and Alison Batig, John Belsha, Will Brandt, John Buck, Jonathan Burdette, Skyler Cook, Austin Foster, Westley Freeze, James Gilbert, Tyler J. Gorcie, Dylan Greismeyer, Stephen Travis Harding, Adam Higdon, Mike Linn, Blake Nunes, Cameron Nunes, Ryan O’Quinn, Melissa Ouellette, Matthew Platz, Noah Platz, Shawn Platz, Hamilton Rencurrel, Jack Ritchie, Don Rolleg, Ben Saunders, Jacob Shinkle, John Simmons, Justin Simon, Theo Speas, Jason Steele, and Jasen Wilson.
5
Children’s Summer Ministries
Connecting the World With God’s Love
I
nformation and registration for all our children's summer ministries, including Vacation Bible School, Family Fun Nights, Cooking with Friends, Lakeview Methodist Camp, Sunny Days, T Bar M Camp, and Family Vacation Bible School is available at stpkaty.org.
Donate to VBS at the Giving Tree
V
acation Bible School is looking for help with some of their supplies. The Giving Tree in the Lobby has tags with specific items you can donate to help. These include things such as balloons, poster board, plates, and napkins. VBS is June 12-16. For more information, please contact Missy Chapman at
[email protected] or (281) 492-8031.
Confirmation Sunday
T
his Sunday our C2C Confirmation class members will be confirmed as members of St. Peter's. Please join us as we support our students.
6
Spring Clothing Drive This month St. Peter’s is partnering with Clothed by Faith to help with desperately needed items. Requested items are men’s tops (S/M/2XL/3XL/4XL), men’s shorts (29”-35”), men’s shoes (10-13), women’s tops (2XL/3XL/4XL), boys’ pants/shorts (2T/7/8/10/12/14), and boys’ shoes (11-13.5). All items must be clean, stain-free, and in new/ gently used condition. To receive a donation receipt, please bring items to Clothed by Faith at 802 Dominion Dr. #100. Clothing also may be dropped off in the Lobby throughout April.
Help With Flood Recovery A disaster recovery workday is scheduled for April 29 at several work sites. There will be jobs for all skill sets. Please contact fantyml@yahoo. com if you would like more information or would like to help.
Birds on a Wire Ministries event May 5
O
n May 5, from 6 to 9 p.m., St. Peter’s Mothers of Young Children will host Karen Stubbs of Birds on a Wire Ministries for a night filled with fellowship and encouragement. Karen will share real-life experiences, while giving inspiration to all women as they journey through the varying stages of motherhood. Cost for the event, which will be in Lott Hall, is $40 and includes two 45-minute speaking sessions by Karen, with a brief intermission in between for coffee and dessert. This will be followed by a Q&A session with Karen to close the event. Childcare is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please register at stpkaty.org.
High school seniors to be honored May 7
M
ay 7 is Senior Sunday when we honor the class of 2017 during morning worship and again that evening during our Senior Dinner. Students should let us know which service they prefer to be honored in: 8:30 a.m. traditional service or 11 a.m. Element service. Students will be invited to hang a bell on the senior cross and will be given a gift from Student Ministries. Please send your worship service choice to
[email protected]. That evening we invite all seniors and their families to join us for dinner at 5 p.m. in Lott Hall. We will have a slide show, senior predictions, and more. Parents, please send three photos of your senior to
[email protected]. We would like one baby, one teen, and one current photo.
Easter at St. Peter's
Daily Bible Reading April 24 – 30 MONDAY Acts 2:14, 22-32 TUESDAY Psalm 16 WEDNESDAY 1 Peter 1:3-9 THURSDAY John 20:19-31 FRIDAY Isaiah 57:14-21 SATURDAY Ephesians 3:14-19 SUNDAY Deuteronomy 8:1-10 May 1 – 7 MONDAY Acts 2:36-41 TUESDAY Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 WEDNESDAY 1 Peter 1:17-25 THURSDAY Luke 24:13-35 FRIDAY Numbers 27:12-23 SATURDAY Hebrews 13:20-21 SUNDAY Jeremiah 23:1-4
7
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.
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 Sunday, April 23 Confirmation Sunday Monday, April 24 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 25 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 26 10:00 a.m. 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 28 6:00 p.m. Sunday, April 30 Family Sunday Monday, May 1 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 2 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 3 10:00 a.m. 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 5 6:00 p.m. Sunday, May 7 8:00 a.m. 12:15 p.m.
Adoption Support Group
S201
Women of Joy Church Council
S203 E106
The Gathering Asbury Hall Wednesday Nights at St. Peter's Friday Night Friends
E221
Missions Committee
E225
Smocks for Life
Asbury Hall
United Methodist Women E106 Wednesday Nights at St. Peter's Birds on a Wire Mothers' Event Lott Hall Blood Drive Pizza With the Pastors
Scout House E106
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 our monthly Pizza With the Pastors May 7 at 12:15 p.m. in E106. For more information, please contact Patty Campbell at
[email protected] or (281) 492-8031.
