Saturday at 10 a.m.- Isaiah 58 Back to School Fair Isaiah 58’s annual Back to School Fair and Blessing of the Backpacks is Saturday, July 24. We need a few volunteers to join us in running a Tic Tock Toe booth from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you are interested and available to volunteer, please contact Donna Cook. And if you can’t volunteer, just come stop by and say hi to support this great event and organization! For more info about Isaiah 58 Ministries, please click here.
Saturday at 9 a.m.- MCU Clean Air Action Air quality is a leading environmental justice issue taking lives. We are ready to do something about it. MCU’s environmental task force is working with activists in MO and IL to draw attention to the need to:
Abolish pollutants in our air Invest in clean energy Restore riverside communities
On Saturday, July 24, from 9-11 a.m. join environmental justice organizers from BOTH sides of the river at the center of the McKinley Bridge. Bring friends! Make signs! We want to bring out numbers high enough to grab the attention of politicians throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. You can find more information and sign up to attend by clicking here.
As we are returning to worship and returning to in-person gatherings, and finding ways to reconnect, we thought it was the perfect time to build some new relationships, too.
The Mission and Justice Committee has reached out to a few of our local elected officials to set up time for them to come to the church, so we can get to know one another, build relationships, and talk about the issues we care about in our community. We’re calling them Front Porch Meetings (because we’ll meet on the front porch at church, outside with plenty of room for distancing).
The first Front Porch Meeting will be on Thursday July 22* from 6:30-7:30 p.m. with State Representative Peter Merideth. We’ll provide some cool drinks and light snacks, you bring your own camp chair and any questions you might have for Rep. Merideth.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
*Please note date change from July 15 to July 22, due to a scheduling conflict.
Did you know that Oak Hill Church has two book clubs? Summer is a great time to get reading, then join us for discussion! Check out what we are reading this summer!
The Oak Hill Book Club is meeting in person on July 13th at the Barrow home to discuss “Things in Jars” by Jess Kidd. You are welcome to join us! Email Pastor Erin for details. This book group will take a vacation in August.
The Touchy Topics Book and Discussion Group is meeting on Zoom on July to discuss “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. And In August we’ll be talking about “A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope Justice and Freedom” by Brittnay Barnett. Zoom Meeting ID: 259 777 226.
Oh, and as a bonus, our Wednesday Bible Study Class is still working our way through Amy-Jill Levine’s “Short Stories by Jesus”. Join us on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. on Zoom if you’d like to discuss this one!
A Service of Witness to the Resurrection and a celebration of the life of Peggy Barrow will be on Saturday June 19th at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary at church.
Please remember to wear a mask and to practice social distancing.
The family will receive visitors from 9:30-10:15 am, and there will be time for a bit of fellowship on the front lawn following the service.
The Session has approved this in-person gathering as an exception to our current COVID policy. We will also share the service on Zoom if you’d prefer to participate that way. Zoom Meeting ID: 830 0884 1850. No password necessary.
Here is the link for Peggy’s obituary. Please do continue to keep the entire Barrow family in your prayers.
After months of socially distancing, worshiping online, gathering outside in small groups with masks, and as these vaccines are starting to get out to the people, the Session of Oak Hill Presbyterian Church has voted to slowly and safely start resuming in-person gatherings.
Limited re-opening of the building began in June. Small groups of 15 or less can meet inside the building with masks and distancing recommended. Virtual options are still available to groups who would prefer to meet online.
We will resume indoor in-person worship in July. Knowing that not everyone has access to the vaccine (including young children) and that our community vaccination rate is still low, we will ask all in-person worship participants to wear masks. The Worship and Christian Ed Committee will work out details and logistics to ensure we have space for social distancing, safety for liturgists and worship leaders, and whatever is necessary to continue offering an online option for those who will choose to continue worshiping online. We will not have congregational singing inside the building at this time, but Pastor Erin and Music Minister Susan will continue to research this issue. We will not have a time of fellowship after worship inside the building, but will encourage the congregation to visit and chat outside after worship. Our first worship service back inside the sanctuary will be on Sunday, July 4, and it will include communion and quite a lot of joy.
Join us for worship in-person, outside this Sunday, June 13th at 10:30 a.m.!
Bring your own camp chair, and bring a mask, too. We’ll gather on the front steps and front lawn of the church. We’ll have worship with some fun music, cold waters, and we’ll see about providing a little more shade this week.
Feel free to bring your own lunch and stay after to visit and snack outside.
Of course, if you’d prefer to join us online, we will be sharing the service via Zoom, so you can participate that way, too. You can find the Zoom log-in info and a bulletin to download (posted on Friday 6/11) by clicking here.
Happy Power Hour: Transformative Conversations – Friday 6/4
Join us on the front steps of the church on Friday June 4th at 6:30 p.m. for a time of conversation. Pastor Erin will lead us in what our partners at MCU are calling Transformative Conversations. We’ll discuss the local issues that are on our hearts and investigate the elements of power at play in those issues.
Bring a chair, a drink of your own choosing, and a curious mind. The plan is to meet outside, but in case of rain, we’ll move to Zoom (Meeting ID: 259 777 226).
This gathering is hosted by the Mission and Justice Committee.
Here is a video podcast about MCU’s Transformative Conversations with organizer Demarco Davidson:
We will gather, masked and distanced, outside for worship on Pentecost Sunday, which is May 23rd. Bring a chair and meet us on the front lawn of the church for an in-person, outdoor service. We will bring the technology with us, so if you’re not comfortable, ready, or able to join in person, you can still connect and participate in the service on Zoom.
*In case of rain, we will have worship on Zoom only.
Here’s where we are posting coloring pages and other materials for this summer’s Intergenerational Sunday School Class on Compassion from Illustrated Ministry.
