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Service
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Service and Mission Outreach
“ What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice,
love kindness and walk humbly with your God.” ~ Micah 6:8
We are being called to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors both locally and globally, as well as to care for and nurture the planet. Rather than a strict approach to service and mission, our church seeks to make room for faithful responses to the Spirit. Do you being nudged to reach out in service? Are you being called into the mission field outside the door of your home? Then First Pres is the place for you. We seek to cultivate and nurture a wide variety of calls into service and mission. Some are listed below; there is always room for more.
CROP Walk 2008
The second annual St. Louis Metro CROP Walk will “step off” in Forest Park on Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. Donations can be collected online by e-mailing loved ones. To become a member of this year’s fundraising team to fight hunger, please contact Cathy Yost at 314-965-0326 or cyost@kirkwoodpres.org.
Make a Difference Day
Each year, eager volunteers gather to "Make a Difference." This past year, a cross-generational group installed eighty storm water drain markers which read, NO DUMPING, DRAINS TO STREAM to protect the environment. Inside the church, another team created baby blankets for at-risk newborns served by Nurses for Newborns (see related story below). Church choir members and other singing volunteers led our third annual Hymn Sing at Friendship Village South Health Center.
Crop Walks
You will find bright red Kirkwood shirts scattered through the large crowd for both the one-mile and three-mile CROP Walks in St. Louis' Forest Park. CROP supports our local food pantry as well as Church World Services and Operation Food Search. Our goal for this coming year is simple: raise the most support among the Presbyterian churches. If you can walk, we'll order your bright red shirt––what size would you like?
Social and Environmental Justice Award
Each fall, the congregation bestows this annual award to an individual or organization which honors our sense of being called to fulfill the invitation of Micah 6 to "do justice, love kindness and walk humbly." On Sunday, September 30, 2007 the congregation honored Nurses for Newborns. The presentation was made to Sharon Rohrbach, founder and director, by Elder Judy Matthews of the Micah 6 Mission Team. Click here to learn more at the Nurses for Newborns Website.
Disaster Relief Mission Trips
The most recent Hurricane Relief Mission Trip engaged sixteen volunteers at six different locations in Gulfport and East Biloxi, Mississippi. Neighborhoods continue to recover slowly from the huge impact of Hurricane Katrina's storm surge and sustained winds. Working with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance headquartered at the Orange Grove Volunteer Village, the Mission Team was most grateful for the prayers and financial support of this congregation. Over $3,000 worth of gift cards purchased with donated funds supplied much-needed building materials to assist deeply appreciative homeowners.
Bread for the World
A Lenten tradition at First Pres is to write letters to our elected officials on behalf of the Bread for the World Campaign Against Hunger. Letter writers of all ages gather in Fellowship Hall to advocate on behalf of the hungry around the world.
Annual Ken Yost Stream Cleanup
Renamed in honor of long-time member and Kirkwood Director of Public Works Ken Yost, the annual Earth Day Community Stream Clean-Up provides a great opportunity for volunteers of all ages to collect a surprising array of litter and debris from sections of Kirkwood's Sugar Creek. Recently, the Kirkwood City Council recognized this effort as an important contribution to the environmental health and safety of the community. Co-sponsors of this annual event are: the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District, the Open Space Council, and Environmental Operations, Inc
International Partnership
The Micah 6 committee feels it may be time to establish an on-going international mission partnership. Opportunities in constructing sustainable housing, caring for orphans, and providing adequate living conditions (safe drinking water and schooling) are currently being evaluated.
Kirk Care
First Pres is proud to support Kirk Care, a non-profit Food and Financial Assistance Organization serving the community of Kirkwood.
