|
|
|
Excerpts from The New Outlook
Study and Grow during Lent Sunday
Evening Lenten Study Group
This wonderful little book by Henri Nouwen explores the relation between solitude, compassion and expectation. The balance among these three is critical to the spiritual life. We practice inner solitude, we practice compassion in the world, and we live by expectation so that the burden of God’s beloved community never falls completely on our shoulders. Books will be available for those who want a copy for $8. We will take turns providing the soup, bread and beverage.
Lenten
Koinonia Group
A
Sharing and Personal Support Group, Prayer and
Meditation
Thursday mornings, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Community Room Maundy Thursday Agape Meal and Service of
Darkness Easter Sunrise Service Getting Together for Fun and Fellowship Mardi Gras Parade, Saturday, February 2
Super Bowl Party, Sunday, February 3
Come anytime after 4:00. The game begins at 5:20. The Apples are providing the meat and beverages; please bring an appetizer, salad, or dessert to share. Maps are available at church.
Red Hats To Lunch at
Josephine’s Tea Room The tradition is for ladies over 50 to wear a red hat and for those under 50 to wear a pink one. But all women are welcome, with or without a hat. Please let Linda Marks know if you are coming so she can make reservations.
Talent Show,
March 1 Performers always like a good audience, so come and cheer them on even if you’re not performing yourself. Please bring a dessert to share. The cost is $3 per person. All proceeds go to the youth for camp. The talent show is always a highlight of the year—so come and enjoy the zany antics of your Second Baptist family. “Baptists, A Freedom-Loving People” Series
Concludes February 3 New Church School Series: "What Can We Learn from the Quakers” Begins February 10 Beginning February 10, the 3 regular adult classes will resume. The Bible Class will continue its study of Genesis and Young Adult Class its study of the questions Jesus asked. A new 5-week series will be offered in Fellowship Hall, entitled “What Can We Learn from the Quakers,” led by Mary Shepardson. Quakerism began in the 16th century, when a group of “Seekers” found that they could not accept the predominant view of Christianity, Puritanism, which was dogmatic and based on fear and guilt. Yet they longed for connectedness with God. Many of the Seekers found in George Fox’s message what they had been looking for. What was it about that message that produced an explosion of growth in just a few years and had a major impact on their society (and ours)? Come and find out! Kim Massie Concert at Second Baptist Her performance at the church is part of our 175th Anniversary. However, February 17 is the 190th anniversary of the founding of the original “Baptist Church of St. Louis” which began in 1818. As February is Black History Month, it is a fitting opportunity to celebrate this early inter-racial St. Louis congregation made up of European and African Americans, slaves and free. It was this congregation that defied St. Louis law and began the first Sunday School and the first day school for African Americans in the Missouri Territory. In 1818, John Mason Peck and John Ely Welch were sent by the Baptists to the frontier town of St. Louis to establish work “in the West.” They were abolitionists, and what set their work apart from other Protestant missionaries arriving within a ten-year period was the fire within Peck and Welch to reach out and include African Americans. Peck ordained John Berry Meachum and eventually assisted in the formation of the “African Church of St. Louis,” today known as the First Baptist Church of St. Louis. At the intermission, a free-will offering will be taken. After meeting the concert expenses, the remainder of the offering will be contributed to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial under development in Washington D.C. At the intermission, the important story of this early inter-racial congregation will be told. Pastor Stephen Jones says, “Bringing Kim Massie to perform in the near-perfect acoustics of our Sanctuary of the Beatitudes is our gift to metropolitan St. Louis on our 175th anniversary. Kim will sing her usual repertoire, and we will celebrate Black History Month by highlighting the little-known existence of this early inter-racial congregation in pioneer St. Louis. Much of our racial story in St. Louis is unfortunate, and the realities of the racial divide continue to diminish all of us. In such a time, it is good to lift up an early, heroic story of how Baptist life in St. Louis began. I hope and pray it calls us to make the present and the future a time of equal opportunity and justice for all.” “STONES OF FAITH” Is Lenten Worship Theme First Sunday of Lent, February 10: “The
Precious Cornerstone” Second Sunday of Lent, February 17: “Stones in the
Wilderness” Presidents Carter and Clinton Found Group
for Progressive Baptists Stephen and Jan Jones will attend representing our church. This event is historic because it is the first time since the issue of slavery separated the Baptists that we have come together on this scale to consider new ways of partnering. Coping with the
Highway 40 and McKnight Bridge Closure The missionary we work with, Lillian Solt, has placed several of her videos on GodTube. If you would like to see some of the work she does not only with work teams but with her Cedcas Clinic (which we also support), and with rural people just go to GodTube and type in “Solt” and her videos will come up. There is one where rural people are being given their chicks, the program our youth participated in last year. Make sure your computer sound is on! Baptist Liberties
Hallway
Second’s Kids To Buy a Water Buffalo! Last year, the children set a goal to buy two flocks of chickens ($40) but ended up with enough money to buy three flocks plus a share of a goat ($100+). So this year they have set their goal even higher. They want to buy a water buffalo ($250). So they are asking for your help. During the six weeks of Lent, the children will have a decorated jar in the narthex into which you are invited to put your loose change and stray dollar bills. For every $12.50 brought in, both by themselves and the adults, the kids will hatch one of 20 plastic Easter eggs, each containing a beaded safety pin animal made by the children themselves. These pins will be hung on a banner outside the classrooms so that everyone can keep track of the contributions.
Note to parents: Even though we are asking for adult help this
year, please make sure the money the kids bring in is their own, either part of
their allowance, a prior gift, or something they have earned. It helps them feel
more personally involved in the act of helping others. Thanks. Harris-Stowe University Choir Concert at
Second March 30 This concert is in memory of and in tribute to Dr. John Whitney, former President of Harris College and Dr. John Ervin, former Dean of Stowe College, both of whom served as presidents of Second Baptist Church. Kits Needed for Disaster Relief Can You Help? FI offers classes on learning English, becoming an American citizen, and crafts to people from other countries who are adjusting to life in America. From the Pastor When I was tabulating a survey taken in the adult class in January, I was struck by the number of participants who declined to give strong marks to Second Baptist Church in terms of our outward mission thrust. Given the opportunity to describe ours as an activist congregation making a difference at the hurting edges of the city, almost no one gave our church high marks. American Baptist Women’s Ministries does notable work, and we are generous in contributing things. But those taking the survey were considering “hands-on” engagement. Jan and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know so many wonderful things about the city and metro area. But there are hurting edges to this city, and I believe it falls to us as a church to discover how we can offer a healing presence. I hope we will be attentive to opportunities around us to express Christ’s compassion. One of those opportunities might have opened through our concern for Burmese refugees. As you know, we adopted a Karen (Burmese) family but were stymied by agency regulations. We recently learned that there are three Burmese Americans who have united at a south city church located near where the Karen and Chin have settled. Five of us met last Saturday met with a group of newly arrived refugees. These families are sponsored by the government for three months and then expected to live on their own. Learning the language, city life, American culture, different employment customs and learning to cope for the first time with the severity of winter, it is mind-boggling to consider what these families are facing. The Chin and Karen people have had serious conflicts with the ruling military dictators of Burma. Hence, they have been driven into exile and are coming to the USA for political asylum. Many of them have lived for years in refugee camps along the borders of their homeland. We divided into small groups, and I had two men and a young adult woman with whom to engage in conversational English. It was a joy getting to know them and watching them open up as trust developed. Talking is a challenge given the language barrier. Our focus last Saturday was learning to describe practical medical needs. Those of us from Second had a wonderful time interacting and letting them know that someone in this big anonymous city cares about them. I have no idea what door will open to us, but for now, we are encouraging members of the Burmese Mission Group (or any others) to go on Saturday mornings as a loving presence and engage in conversation with these refugees. They are eager to become self-sufficient. The two men in my small group were beginning a job last Monday with a landscaping firm. They were so excited, and I pray that their employer will be understanding of the language and cultural obstacles these men have to overcome. I believe this door will continue to open
for us. We also have a group of members committed to work with Habitat for
Humanity in St. Louis beginning this spring. We have another group meeting to
consider jazz and blues vespers. We have another group working on the John Mason
Peck Walk in the Woods. And I think with our hearts open that other doors will
open as well. As we wait and pray for opportunities to unfold, we know that God
calls us to engage the world with compassion, justice, and equality. |
|
9030 Clayton Road (at McKnight Road, 3/10 mile west of the Galleria) St. Louis, MO 63117 (314) 991-3424 |