Hurricane relief information

Our thoughts and prayers are with those whose lives have been affected by Hurricane Sandy.

If you would like to donate to relief efforts, please mark your check with “Hurricane Sandy Response” and place it during the basket during worship. Checks should be made payable to United Church of Christ.

If you prefer, you can also mail donations to United Church of Christ; Financial Services; 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115. If you prefer you may also click here to donate via a secure form through the United Church of Christ.

Following this and any disaster, Emergency Clean-Up Buckets and Hygiene Kits through Church World Service, are urgently needed. Click the links to learn how you can help.

 

What if we talked to more people?

Throughout our exploration of how to grow our church, we have challenged our members to come up with both public and private “What if?” statements. Some of these have been shared, paper leaves hanging from the vine in the church’s narthex.

One of the earliest leaves carried a potentially loaded message: “What if we all talked to more people during coffee hour?”

The message, of course, is that to be truly open, friendly and welcoming, we have to be, well, friendly and welcoming.

This article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch drives this point home.

What do you think? What can we do as a church to continue growing, furthering our mission?

Special Offering for Neighbors in Need Oct. 2

Sunday, October 2 Ivy Chapel will observe World Communion Sunday. We will also have a special mission offering for Neighbors In Need fund—UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries(JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.

Click here to make contributions on the NIN website.

Record turnout for Blessing of the Animals!

Thanks to everyone who brought their furry (or shelled) friends to the 11th annual Blessing of the Animals at Ivy Chapel. We had a record turnout this year, despite the weather. And an extra-special thank you to everyone who made donations the Bi-State Pet Food Pantry. The food and funds will go a long way to helping struggling local families keep their pets in these tough economic times.

[flickr album=72157627515776727 num=85 size=Thumbnail]

Ivy Chapel welcomes new Minister of Music, Anna DiVesta

Ivy Chapel is proud to welcome Anna DiVesta as our new Minister of Music.

We are thrilled she has joined us and so quickly become a part of the Ivy Chapel family. On March 19, she hand her husband, Aaron, celebrated the baptism of their son, Miller, with our congregation.

From a young age, Anna’s parents recognized her musical ability. She played simple melodies on the family piano from a young age, and started lessons at the age of four. By kindergarten, she was playing for her classes, and she was active in her church music program throughout childhood.

“I had a great piano teacher throughout middle school and high school who enrolled me in competitions and gave me my first performance opportunities outside of church and school,” Anna said.

Anna graduated from Western Illinois University in Macomb, where she studied classical piano, jazz piano and organ.  Anna and her husband (also a musician) met in a music store.

“I’m looking forward to becoming part of the Ivy Chapel family and helping others share their musical talent,” Anna said. “I also look forward to growing with the church, with the music ministry and with my own faith.

March Recycling Drive… Put it in the bin!

The good folks at Abitibi have offered us a challenge. If we recycle more than we did last March — 3.13 tons — we’ll raise twice the money we normally would. We get $5 per ton under 4 tons, and $15 per ton after that. Think you’ve got some old paper lying around that could help us reach our goal? If so, drop it off in the green bin in the lower lot here at Ivy. All money raised goes to support our youth programs.

Here’s a bit more about our recycling program:

RECYCLE YOUR PAPER—AND YOUR MAGAZINES!

WHAT GOES IN THE BIN?
It may surprise you what does and does not go in the recycling bin.
Here’s a quick list.

YES – put me in the bin!

Newspapers & Inserts, Magazines & Catalogs, Office/School Papers & Mail

NO – STOP, I can’t be recycled here!

Cardboard, food boxes, fiberboard or chip board, no textbooks or hard cover books, no phone books.  Plastic, glass, metals or trash.

However – many of these items MAY be recycled in your curb-side recycling.

Also, remember the blue bin is for aluminum recycling only.

E-mail us for more information about recycling at Ivy Chapel.

Simply amazing. Simply U.C.C.

Ivy Chapel is proud to be part of the United Church of Christ. All are invited to join us for a series of discussions to discover exactly what this means, both for Ivy as a congregation and for each person who walks through the doors of our church. Whether you’re a longtime member of a first-time visitor, or if you’re looking to explore your own faith, you are invited to these enlightening, uplifting explorations of our church.

Each session will be from 7-8 p.m. at Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ, 620 N. Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield. If you have questions, please e-mail Linda Lowry or Pastor Dan Wilson.

Oct. 12: A history of the United Church of Christ

Oct. 19: A history of Ivy Chapel

Oct. 26: God is Still Speaking, Christ’s Ministries at Work Today

Thanks for a great VBS!

It was another great year for Ivy Chapel’s Vacation Bible School… Thanks to the volunteers (and the students!) who made it possible. Watch this space for pictures, and check with us throughout the year for more on our youth and family-oriented activities. Want to know more? Just contact us.

Uplifting new video from the United Church of Christ

God speaks to and through each of us in so many ways. In the United Church of Christ, it’s our mission to keep our ears, minds and hearts open to His message. In God’s language, there are no periods, no endings – only beginnings and possibilities…

The Language of God from United Church of Christ on Vimeo.

UPDATED: Our Church’s Wider Mission Fundraiser

UPDATE: Ivy Chapel’s special offering for Our Church’s Wider Mission raised over $1400. Thank you to everyone who donated for your inspiring generosity.

Each year, a portion of the offering and other money donated to Ivy Chapel goes to support “Our Church’s Wider Mission.” This outreach by the United Church of Christ helps those in need across the globe. The following video, which was shown during worship at Ivy Chapel on Feb. 21, further explains the concept of OCWM. The video was shown in support of a special offering held on Feb. 28 to support OCWM.

If you’d like more information about OCWM, or if you would like to donate to the fundraising drive, please join us in worship on Feb. 28, e-mail us, or call 1-314-434-4991

« Previous Page — Next Page »