Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ | Chesterfield, MO

Join us to Animate Faith!

Rich — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:14:55 +0000

Our Sunday morning adult education group (aka Bible Study Group!) will be starting a new series on Sunday, May 12. We’ll be using a resource from Spark House called “animate FAITH.” This is a series looking at FAITH from various perspectives. Each week we will watch a short video featuring a contemporary Christian giving their personal take on an aspect of faith. Then we’ll respond to the video with our own comments. It will be enriching. There are 7 sessions (God, Religion; Jesus; Salvation; Cross; Bible; Church). This all begins Sunday, May 12.

We meet Sundays at 9 AM. If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of getting involved, now is an ideal time for you to take part. Join us as we explore new faith horizons together!

Email us to learn more about adult bible study at Ivy Chapel.

Stand Strong! Include Ivy Chapel’s VBS in your summer plans.

Rich — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:53:04 +0000

Be sure to mark off July 22-26 for Ivy Chapel’s youth Vacation Bible School. This year, we’re headed to Medieval times with Kingdom Rock – where kids stand strong for God.

Ivy’s VBS runs from Monday, July 22 to Friday, July 26, 9 a.m. to noon and includes bible stories, music, crafts, games and snacks. Each day, campers will learn how we can all “stand strong” as children of God.

Join us this summer for Ivy Chapel UCC’s Vacation Bible School!

KINGDOM ROCK – Where Kids Stand Strong for God

July 22 – 26

9 a.m. – noon

God’s love helps us… Stand Strong!

Family and friends help us…Stand Strong!

Prayer helps us….Stand Strong!

Trusting God helps us….Stand Strong!

The Bible helps us….Stand Strong!

Ready to sign up? Here’s the registration form. If you have any questions, send us an email or call Linda Lowry, our Youth Program Coordinator, at 314-434-4991.

Find treasures at a bargain! Rummage Sale April 20.

Rich — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:43:37 +0000

It’s time to hone your treasure-hunting skills while you support the youth programs at Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ! Our annual rummage sale is Saturday, April 20, from 8 a.m. to noon.

We’ll have something for everyone, from toys, clothes and household items to kitchen accessories, sporting goods and tools.

Come by, find a bargain and help our youth! Ivy Chapel is located at 620 N. Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield.

Send us an e-mail if you have questions.

Easter at Ivy Chapel

Rich — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:41:21 +0000

We had quite a crew on hand on Saturday to help decorate Easter Cookies. Thanks to everyone who joined us… and to those who helped organize and clean up the colorful, sticky mess we left behind.

Here’s the schedule for tomorrow:

6:30 sunrise worship here at Ivy Chapel

7:30 pancake breakfast

10:00 worship

Coffee & cookie pick-up after worship

Check out the pictures of our cookie adventure here on Flickr or visit our Facebook page.

Easter Sunday pancake breakfast

Rich — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 15:14:03 +0000

Join us on Easter Sunday for our pancake breakfast! 7:30a to 10a, right here at Ivy Chapel. All are invited to celebrate that Christ is risen. Tickets available at the door, $8 adults, children $4.

Thank you for a successful Spaghetti Dinner

Rich — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 20:53:59 +0000

Thank you to our incredible team of volunteers who made the 2013 Ivy Chapel Spaghetti Dinner a huge success! We had a steady crowd most of the evening. Watch this space for more updates, kudos… and keep watching this website for details about upcoming events.

You can view the entire photo album on our Facebook Page. (And while you’re there, be sure to like our page!)

Spaghetti for Everyone! Feb. 23, 4-7:30pm

Rich — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 22:54:38 +0000

Stop by Ivy Chapel in Chesterfield, MO for the Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 23. We’ll be serving delicious spaghetti with tomato or meat sauce, salad, bread, drinks & dessert. The event runs from 4 – 7:30 p.m. And the best part? It’s a bargain! Just $8 for adults and $4 for children, dine-in or carry out.

All proceeds will benefit Ivy Chapel programs.

(While you’re here, be sure to check out our raffle items, too.)

Want to help promote the event? Click here to download and print the flyer.

2012 Update from Instituto El Rey

Rich — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:57:26 +0000

As you may know, members of Ivy Chapel proudly support Instituto El Rey, a school in Honduras, in a number of ways. We recently received this update from Earl and Sharon Washburn, the administrators of the school:

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

2012 has only been a small ripple in time, a miniscule drop in eternity! And yet it has been extremely significant in the on-going plan of God to reclaim His creation from the hand of the enemy. The Bible says in Mathew 6: 10, “…..May His kingdom come, and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Thus the powers of darkness shudder as the light comes crashing into La Cuenca del Congrejal, rending the darkness and sending it reeling, for the darkness cannot stand in the presence of the Light of God. Light and darkness cannot co exist together. Always darkness has to flee when Light comes!

And so it is that the battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil are in mortal conflict in the spiritual realm over this area! The forces of evil are being challenged and forced back, and Instituto El Rey is being used powerfully by God to reclaim His rightful place in the Cuenca del Congrejal of Honduras, which itself is but a small, and rather unimportant nation among all the nations of the world.

As I sit here listening to Christmas carols, and I love Christmas carols! – I am reminded that Jesus, The Messiah, The Savior, was born in a manger in a place of humble surroundings – just as La Cuenca del Congrejal is a humble place.

Can it really be that anything of significance can be happening here? Yes!

It is because of you – you who pray, you who give so faithfully, you who come to visit and to work. Yes, it is because of YOU that IER can be God’s instrument to bring His light to shine and light the way so that young people can see the road to walk! Thank you so much!

The last day of classes was 28 Oct – we began the year with 174 students and finished with 170.

There are a number of reasons why IER has been so successful, and one of those reasons has to do with attendance. This year over 70% of our students achieved perfect attendance! Students like to be here in a good, safe environment.

Another reason is that fifty students, or 29%, achieved an A average for the 4^thquarter. For the entire year, about 1/3 or 33% achieved an A average.

There were many significant events during the year—let me just share one with you! In October there was a writing context that was open to participants from all the high schools in La Ceiba. Isaac, who was in the 9^th grade, represented IER! At the time of the awards, Isaac was asked to stand in front with two others – I thought, “Is it possible that Isaac will get 1^st place!” And sure enough, he won the 1^st place award! We praise and thank God for what He is doing in the lives of our students.

We have 10 Honduran teachers that are paid a salary. Ester, our Directora or Principal, and Cesar, who teaches Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Science, have both been teaching at IER since the first day of classes on 19 Feb, 2001; Liliana teaches 9^th grade math and is responsible for keeping the files on students and teachers, and putting together the multitude of reports that are required by the department of education; Damaris teaches 7^th and 8^th grade math, accounting and business administration; Nely teaches practical activities, art and music; Milvia teaches Social Studies and Civics; Samuel teaches Spanish; Daysi teaches 10^th and 11^th grade math and 9^th grade science; and Joseph and Dennis teach the computer classes. All of our Honduran teachers have been teaching at IER for 5 years or more! Cindy and Wendy and Sharon, all volunteers, taught English and other classes. We are so grateful to God for all of our teachers! They are all excellent!On December 30 we were leaving the parking lot of the church in La Ceiba when a member of the church made a great effort to stop us and make a commentary. This man is a prominent businessman that we have known for years, and he has visited Instituto El Rey. Jorge commented how impressed he is with IER and with the work that God is doing up there in the valley. He said it is a school of excellence!

Let me end with this very, very significant and meaningful series of events. On the 23^rd of December, Sharon and I and Melvin, one of our 6^th year medical students who was visiting, were having a party for Paula – one of our 8^th grade students, and two of her brothers, Adan and Carlos. Afterwards, as I was driving the car down to give them a ride back to their home, the car crashed into a huge rock! I am not going to try to explain how that happened!!! But here is the point of this story –as I was standing there looking at the damage, somewhat in shock, Paula came up and quietly touched me on my arm, then her brother, Carlos, did the same thing as if to say, “we are sorry, we feel for you. It’s ok, God is here!” They did not have say a word, a gentle touch of their hands spoke more than words. From tragedy to triumph! What an awesome Christmas present!

This year our costs to operate the high school were $146,077.92, and it is because of your faithfulness in giving that we were able to meet these obligations! Thank you so much!

May God bless you abundantly during the New Year.

And now, To gain for the Lamb the reward of His sacrifice.

Earl and Sharon Washburn

Administrators IER

www.ierschool.org

Mark your calendar: Spaghetti Dinner, February 23

Rich — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:17:05 +0000

It’s that time of year again… time to start thinking about… pasta. Lots and lots of pasta. Ivy Chapel’s famous Spaghetti Dinner is coming. It’s Saturday, February 23.

Watch this space and our Twitter or Facebook pages for more information as the big day gets closer. It’s one of our biggest fundraisers of the year – so we need your help!

Need to know more? Get in touch with Gail Thoele or Pat Winship, or drop us a line and we’ll fill you in.

Mission 4/1 Earth

Rich — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:38:04 +0000

Many of us were witness to a phenomenal level of generosity displayed by this congregation in response to our 2011 United Church of Christ “Mission: 1” initiative. All across our denomination, people responded faithfully and we far exceeded lofty “Mission: 1” goals. Now, a new denomination-wide “mission initiative” is in the works. We are calling it, “Mission 4/1 Earth: Fifty Great Days.”

This future mission effort already has a time-frame: April 1 to May 18, 2013. (These are the dates of Eastertide 2013. Historically, God’s Church has described the Season of Easter with the superlative name “The Great Fifty Days.”) Beginning the day after Easter Sunday, all of us who are the United Church of Christ will join together in 50 Great Days of Mission 4/1 Earth. Goals will include hopes of reaching more than 1 million hours of engaged earth care, 100,000 tree plantings across the globe, and 100,000 advocacy letters written and mailed in support of environmental care.

Working on behalf of environmental concerns is not new to our denomination. Our United Church of Christ has been embracing this cause for over 30 years, so we see this shared ministry of caring for God’s Planet Earth as a continuation of ongoing U.C.C. work for environmental justice. Mission 4/1 Earth will provide simple yet meaningful ways that each of us can take action wherever God places us - living out our faith by caring for God’s creation.

To learn more; please visit www.ucc.org/news/mission-for-one-earth-website.html