Under the Oak Tree

Here is the reading list for 2018-2019 for the Touchy Topics Book and Discussion Group. We’re a group who likes to read and talk about all those things nice, polite church folks don’t wanna talk about. Come and join us, the first Wednesday of the month, at 7:30 p.m. at Harftford Coffee Co.

TOUCHY TOPICS BOOK CLUB 2018-2019 READING LIST

Come join us for worship. Meet the Sunday School teachers. Learn about the classes and programs for this year. Stay for lunch. Play some games. Win a few prizes. It will be a blast! See you there: Sunday, September 9th at 10:30am! 

BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS! 

Students, Teachers, People who carry bags of all shapes and sizes,
Bring your bags to worship this Sunday. We’ll bless them. We’ll pay over this new academic year. And we will send you home with a cool tag to put on your bag to remind you that God is always with ya!

Sunday, August 12th in worship at 10:30am. 

Join us for Service as Worship Sunday, this Sunday 7/15 at 10:30, during our regular worship time, we’ll meet in the sanctuary, sing, pray, and read, then go downstairs to serve together as our witness and as our worship. See you there!

We’re going out! Come along on Monday 7/30 as we head over to the Music Stand at Tower Grove Park to see the Compton Heights Concert Band, featuring Butchwax & the Hollywoods. The show begins at 7:30. Bring a blanket or a chair. We’ll bring some snacks. See you there!

The Wednesday Bible Study group will be starting a new book this summer, “Inspired” by Rachel Held Evans.

The Wednesday Bible Study class meets at 11 a.m. in the Faith and Fellowship Room. If you are interested in participating, please contact the church office to get a copy of the book. We’ll begin discussion on 7/11.

We’re hiring a new Director for our AMEN St. Louis program. Check it out!
AMEN St Louis Director Job Announcement 2018

Welcome Chris Ruth: AMEN St. Louis Summer Site Manager!

Please join us in welcoming Chris Ruth to the Oak Hill and AMEN St. Louis Family. Chris has been hired as our Summer Site Manager at AMEN St. Louis. Chris comes to AMEN St. Louis with years of experience in student ministry in multiple denominational settings.  He’s excited about working with AMEN because of the mutual mission between groups and local justice organizations.  Not only do local orgs receive valuable assistance in their work, but visiting groups learn to do justice in their own communities.  In May of 2018, Chris graduated with a M.Div. from Eden Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Christian Ministry from Anderson University (IN).  Chris looks forward to helping visitors connect with the city of St. Louis!

For more info about AMEN St. Louis visit our website at www.amenstlouis.org.

Summer is coming and folks have plans for trips, adventures, activities and fun! While you’re away, in case you miss worship or bible study or fellowship, or maybe in addition to worship and bible study and fellowship, we hope to remember that Jesus goes with us wherever we go! So this summer, take Flat Jesus with you! He’s light. He’s water-proof! He travels well!

You can pick up your own Flat Jesus in the back of the sanctuary (or download it here), color him in however you like, then bring him to Pastor Erin for laminating. Then take him on summer adventures with you. Post your Flat Jesus pics on social media with #flatjesus. Email them to the church and we’ll share them, too! Let’s see how much fun Jesus can have with us this summer!

 #FlatJesus listens carefully to Pastor Korla’s sermon last Sunday.

We are excited to announce that Oak Hill has been named a Certified Hunger Action Congregation by the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

From the Presbyterian Hunger Program Website:

Hunger Action Congregations Covenant:

As disciples of a loving God who inspires us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God, we commit to faithful action to end hunger and address its root causes.

The purpose of the Hunger Action Congregation process is to acknowledge and celebrate the faithful work of Presbyterians happening around the country to alleviate hunger and end its causes, and to encourage these ministries to be even more holistic and justice-oriented.

Yours is a Hunger Action Congregation if you are doing an activity in one or more of six areas. For congregations that are doing one or more activity in all six areas, you can be a Certified Hunger Action Congregation.  All of the Hunger Action Congregations will be celebrated on October 16, World Food Day.

• Hunger Alleviation: providing and/or sharing food in a dignified way with an eye to long-term structural solutions
  
• Development assistance: addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty through equitable and sustainable development
  
• Hunger Education: learning about systemic causes of hunger, leading towards faithful action that is informed and directed by directly affected people and partners
  
• Lifestyle Integrity: adopting sustainable personal and corporate lifestyles to restore justice and protect all of God’s creation
  
• Corporate and Public Policy Witness: advocating and campaigning for changes in policies and practices to end hunger and its causes, promote self-development, and care for creation
  
• Worship: incorporating prayer, education, and preaching about ending hunger and its causes into worship