Author: Tara Smith

  • Bible Study Corner – Vol. 60, No. 15

    Impact Week and Free Market

    Are you ready for Impact Week? I pray that you and your family and friends have either signed up for the opportunities listed on the website or you have come up with a plan for helping a neighbor or friend. Check out the opportunities for Impact Week and sign up on our website, feefeebc.org/impactweek.

    I hope many of you plan on loading up your car and bringing your giveaways for the Free Market from 9 – noon on Saturday, August 8. Social distancing will be accomplished by a line of tables separating shoppers from those of us giving stuff away. I hope you can participate. Please let me know if you plan to so we can bring out enough tables for your treasures. Check the website for more information: feefeebc.org/freemarket.

    On the day of the Free Market, we will also be giving away backpacks loaded with school supplies. We need backpacks and school supplies. If you are not shopping, perhaps you would consider getting a check to Steve so we can buy supplies. You can also go on Walmart.com and have it shipped for free to the church.

    Needed School Supplies

    backpacks, notebook paper (wide ruled), #2 pencils, erasable markers, colored pencils, 2-pocket folders, ink pens, Kleenex, crayons, Elmer’s school glue, washable markers, spiral notebooks, quart and gallon Ziploc bags, pencil pouches, composition notebooks, and Clorox wipes.

    Thanks in advance for blessing our community.

  • Community Connection – Vol. 60, No. 15

    How are you going to make an Impact?

    Signups have started for Impact Week! You can go to feefeebc.org/impactweek to see the full calendar of events and find the link to sign up to serve that week. If you have any trouble signing up, please contact Andrew and he’d be glad to sign you up. If you do not see something that works with your calendar then I would challenge you to think creatively about how you can make an impact in your community. You could buy some groceries for a family in need. Write cards to people who need some recognition like postal workers, school staff, emergency responders, hospital staff, or grocery store workers. You could do some yard work for a neighbor or pick up trash at a local park. There are lots of different possibilities that you can make an impact that week. Our goal is to have everyone in the church involved in serving in some way that week. If you have any questions contact Andrew (andrew@feefeebc.org). Take a photo documenting your impact this week and send it to Andrew letting him know that you served!

    Swim Night – Friday, July 31

    Want a fun night of swimming for you and your family? Join us this Friday night, July 31 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Bridgeton Pool (4201 Fee Fee Rd.) for our Swim Night. Swimming is FREE for everyone! So, bring your family and friends to this fun night. You can read about the steps that the Bridgeton Pool is taking to stay safe during COVID concerns on their website.

  • Devotional Corner – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Taken from L.B. Cowman’s “Streams in the Desert,” Zondervan Updated Edition

    “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith,” 1 John 5:4.

    Trusting even when it appears you have been forsaken; praying when it seems your words are simply entering a vast expanse where no one hears and no voice answers; believing that God’s love is complete and that He is aware of your circumstances, even when your world seems to grind on as if setting its own direction and not caring for life or moving one inch in response to your petitions; desiring only what God’s hands have planned for you; waiting patiently while seemingly starving to death, with your only fear being that your faith might fail — “this is the victory that has overcome the world”; this genuine faith indeed. —George MacDonald

  • Family Front – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Family Worship!

    It has been so good to worship together in person these last few weeks. It was wonderful to have kids in worship again! Families will find a onetime-use individual Praise Packs with a few activities for kids to follow along with the worship service. It is okay, too, if you choose to stay at home to worship!  We will look forward to seeing you again soon as you feel comfortable getting out. You can pick up a Praise Pack and bring it back with you to the Worship Center for worship – you are not required to sit in the gym.

    Ministry Opportunities

    Despite the sheltering in place, we have some great opportunities to serve our community. We still have the Mobile Food Market every other Monday and another blood drive July 22-23. Impact Week will be August 2-8, where we serve our community through various projects. These will be great opportunities for families to serve together. Watch for more information!

    KidsZone Bible Study

    Just a reminder, there are weekly Bible plans on our church website that you can use at home as well as some downloadable activities. The KidsZone lessons follow the sermon series, “I AM,” the statements of Jesus in the book of John. You can find these on our website on the KidsZone page.

    My Prayer for You

    I miss you all immensely! I pray for you often that the Father will give you all the patience and love you need to carry on leading your children to know Christ better. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you lead your families.

    “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go,” Joshua 1:7.

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 14

    As we enter month four of this pandemic, things can get frustrating. If I can be honest, I often feel frustrated. I miss seeing many of your faces on Sunday mornings. I miss sharing meals and studying God’s Word together on Wednesday nights. I miss hugs, handshakes, and high fives. I long for “normalcy,” and for our church to be full again.

    However, time and time again, as I have sought the Lord, I’ve been reminded of the need to persevere. To continue serving Him in any way that we can. Whenever I get frustrated, I turn my attention to Him, and I’m reminded that our mission hasn’t changed. Paul reminds us in Philippians 3 that we need to press on toward the goal! In addition, God has been incredibly gracious with little reminders of how good He is.

    Too often, I focus on the fact that three of our mission trips were canceled this summer. However, God has reminded me to stay focused and celebrate the one mission trip that is still happening. Right now, as I am writing this, Dave and Donna Potts are serving with the Concord Builders, on mission for Christ. Let’s celebrate that!

    Also, whenever I feel frustrated, I’m reminded of how we are being flexible and working to serve our community and meet needs. I am eagerly awaiting our Impact Week, August 2-8. I can’t wait to see how God moves and works in our church and in our community through that week. I’d love for you to go ahead and block that week off on your calendars and be ready to serve the Lord in a variety of ways, including: the St. Louis Area Foodbank, Loaves and Fishes, Room at the Inn, and so much more. We are going to have a myriad of opportunities for you to be the hands and feet of Jesus this summer.

    Speaking of flexibility, that has become a way of life around the church recently. One way that we are asking you to be flexible is with our July Business Meeting. We need to go over some financial reports and approve scholarships, along with other important business. We would ask that you join us on Sunday, July 19, at 2:00 p.m. as we conduct this meeting. We know it’s not the regular time that we have business meetings, but we are asking for you to be flexible and attend, if possible. There are two ways to attend. You can either come, in person, to the sanctuary. Or, you can attend online through our website. You can go to www.feefeebc.org/businessmeeting. There, you will have to enter the password: business. This password protected site will have the video stream of the building, an online ballot for you to use to vote, and a PDF copy of our minutes and reports. We need to have a quorum to get these things taken care of, so we would love for you to participate!

    Please join me in praying for our church. We want to avoid falling into an attitude of frustration. Instead, I am praying that we will persevere and stay on mission for Christ. Our community and our world need the hope of the gospel. Let’s be God’s hands and feet and share that hope!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • Community Connection – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Upcoming Events

    We have 2 great service events coming up soon. You can get more details about both events on our website or app. If you have questions you can contact Andrew (andrew@feefeebc.org).

    Impact Week – August 2-8

    Signups will begin very soon for Impact Week! Impact Week is all about pursuing the good of the community around us. We will be serving at local foodbanks, homeless shelters, and homes in our community. We will also be hosting the Free Market on Saturday, August 8. You can read more about how to be a part of that in Gloria’s Prime Time article. We realize there will be some of you who don’t feel comfortable being around people just yet, but we still want you to be able to serve, so think creatively about what you could do. Maybe you could buy some groceries for a family in need. You could write cards to people who can’t get out of their house. You could do some yard work for a neighbor. Our goal is to have everyone in the church involved in serving in some way that week.  If you have any questions you can contact Andrew (andrew@feefeebc.org).

    Loaves and Fishes – July 21

    Once a month we provide dinner for Loaves and Fishes homeless shelter. We are still in need of a group (Bible Study class, family, or individual), that would be willing to provide dinner on Tuesday, July 21. If you are interested in helping meet that need for that night please contact Gloria (gloria@feefeebc.org).

  • Prime Time – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Adult VBS

    I am so excited that we finally have something on the schedule! Adult VBS will take place from Monday, July 27 – Thursday, July 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. We are, of course, still taking safety precautions. We will meet in the dining room and sit at the round tables where it is easy to socially distance. I will be using the podium and microphone so you can hear it loud and clear. Ronna and friends will provide us with music. She has selected some old and familiar hymns, so hymnals won’t be necessary. Since masks are required in public places, you are encouraged to wear a mask. Snacks will be provided but they will be individually wrapped pastries and bottled/canned drinks. You can bring your own coffee, if you choose. Bring your own Bible and join in the fun! The main parking lot will be in use due to the Mobile Market on Monday, so please park on the side by the Children’s Home and enter through the handicap door. The rest of the week, the main parking lot is fine to use. Adults of any age are welcome!

    Impact Week

    It is so important for the church to continue to be missional. Impact Week will be  the first week of August. One of the ways you can help is with our Free Market on Saturday, August 8. I know we have all had ample opportunity to purge our homes of items we no longer need including clothes, furniture, kitchen items, etc.  If you have not participated in blessing our community before by giving away these items for free, this would be a great year to start!

    We will hand out school supplies again to students in our community during the Free Market. If you are out shopping, pick up a backpack and fill it with school supplies, then drop them off at the church. If you don’t get out to shop, monetary donations are gladly welcome – simply designate some money by check or online giving for “School Supplies.” Schools will be reopening August 24, so we hope to be able to help our community in a big way.

    Free Market

    The Free Market will take place on the church parking lot Saturday, August 8 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.  We will be giving away items that you have been setting aside after decluttering your home. It is my hope that many of you will participate to aid our community as you have done in the past. You will have a table on which to place clothing, furnishings, kitchen items, baby items, etc. Please let the church know if you plan to participate.

    We will also be handing out backpacks loaded with school supplies. We need both backpacks and school supply items. These can be dropped by the church at your convenience as we will put these supplies into the backpacks.

    Needed School Supplies: backpacks, notebook paper (wide ruled), #2 pencils, erasable markers, colored pencils, 2-pocket folders, ink pens, Kleenex, crayons, Elmer’s school glue, washable markers, spiral notebooks, quart and gallon Ziploc bags, pencil pouches, composition notebooks, and Clorox wipes.

    Praying for You

    I have been praying for all my senior friends. These are unusual times. While I have seen some of you from a distance in church, I am still missing that connection. If you need anything or have a prayer request, please let me know. You can reach me by email at Gloria@feefeebc.org or text/call (314) 604-6071.  While “this too will pass” is not scriptural, it is my hope for each of us.

  • Bible Study Corner – Vol. 60, No. 14

    This is what God has to say about His word in Isaiah 55:10-11 (CSB): “For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

    Would you like to know God’s word more intimately? Contact Gloria at gloria@feefeebc.org to join a virtual Bible Study. Anyone who is available is invited to participate in Adult VBS July 27-30 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. There are more details in the Prime Time section.

  • Announcements – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Sympathy

    Our love through Christian sympathy is extended to

    Todd (Dionne) Minner, in the recent passing of his brother David Minner.


    Mobile Food Market

    We love our partnership with the St. Louis Area Food Bank to get free groceries into the hands of families in our community. The next Mobile Market Mondays will be on July 27, at 10:00 a.m. until noon in the church parking lot. Contact Andrew to volunteer, andrew@feefeebc.org.


    Thank You

    An anonymous letter received from the Mobile Market:

    “Thanks for the kindness, help, and assistance with food at the Mobile Market. Our hearts are full of gratitude. Many thanks for the food…it makes a huge difference thru these troubled, hard times these days. Thanks a lot.”


    Fee Fee Cemetery Now Hiring

    Fee Fee Cemetery is hiring a Cemetery Manager position. The Cemetery Manager is the primary point of contact, performing coordination and administrative tasks, along with some light/moderate physical work. This is a permanent, part-time position with the ability to work remotely some of the time. Work schedule will vary based on need and circumstances. Contact (314) 739-2415 if interested.

  • Chi Alpha News – Vol. 60, No. 14

    New and Exciting Changes!

    This summer, our Chi Alpha leaders and students have been working very hard on a new project to begin renovations in The Rafters! Our projects have varied from painting rooms and hallways, building a new stage, getting rid of unused closets, putting in new floors, and finding new and exciting ways that we can utilize our space on the third floor. I want to specifically thank Mike Bayles, Vance Stewart, our intern Sarah Baker, along with all our adult and student volunteers who have gone on this crazy journey with me this summer. We still have quite a way to go to finish up, but we are already seeing some exciting progress. I am so excited to see what God will do with this ministry in this new and revitalized space. Please pray with me this summer as we continue to work, but pray that our student ministry will continue to grow and students lives will be changed because of these face lifts we are doing.

    See You All Soon!

    We are so excited to announce that we are starting our regathering plans as a youth group! This last Wednesday, July 8, was our first week of Chi Alpha Summers where we met at Vago Park for a night of relaxation and fun. I know our students are just as excited as I am to be back together as a group. We will be meeting at Vago for the time being to respect social distancing guidelines. We feel this is our best chance at meeting together and still keeping our kids and leaders safe. We will continue to meet every Wednesday night from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the back of the park near the three pavilions for the time being. We are taking this one week at a time as we continue to monitor the state of COVID and work closely with the CDC and state guidelines. If things seem to take a turn in a negative direction, we will postpone these plans for the safety of all our students and volunteers. Please check our social media platforms to get all the latest news!