Today we held a memorial celebration for the life of Norma Santhoff, one of the original members of the Compton Cares Team and a tireless believer in the power of prayer combined with practical action. Norma is remembered by her 5 children and many grandchildren, by her neighbors in the condo, by the staff and board of Cornerstone early childhood center which she founded, by the literally thousands of children whose lives are better for her work, by members past and present of Compton Heights whom she taught in Sunday School, led in youth groups, shared with in Reading Circle and study groups and prayer groups. She was an elder, a past moderator of the congregation. She was the person who called you in the middle of an ice storm and found you a warm bedroom when she learned your power was going to be out for days. She took a sabbatical from Sunday school to observe the caring community that gathered in a fast food restaurant near her home. She was not afraid of the people who knock on your door and want to witness to you; she invited them in and studied the Bible with them for years, with the understanding that neither was going to convert the other. She brought rocks from the spot she visited on vacation because she knew you collected rocks and she wanted to thank you for taking her to the airport. Within days after receiving a devastating diagnosis, she was back calling people in the congregation as well as her friends to check on their various surgeries and recoveries. She was at home in the InterRacial Dialogue and representing Compton at the Pride Fest booth, as in this picture taken a year ago. Three benches in the garden outside Compton were provided by Norma, because she wanted people passing by or waiting for the bus to have a place to sit and rest and enjoy the view. Norma loved babies, children, young couples, single people, old people, dogs, neighbors, strangers, her family, friends, flowers, and challenges. She not only believed in prayer, she was a living prayer. We have lost a treasured friend and heaven has gained a saint.
Our new sign includes a mosaic from pottery and glass donated by members. Julia Krovicka, an artist who is a Friend of Compton, created our new sign. To visit our church web site, just click on the photo.
Compton Cares has made our building more accessible and welcoming for ministry by renovating the Grand Boulevard entrance to the sanctuary, and adding accessible restrooms and a functional kitchenette on the main floor. Construction started Aug. 29, 2007 and was completed in early May 2008. We celebrated and dedicated the new facilities on June 14, 2008.
Loans for construction did accrue interest, driving up the total cost. A campaign for renewed pledges and new gifts in order to retire the remaining debt of approximately $31,500 (at 3%) concluded in December 2009, with enough in pledges to retire that debt by Oct. 31, 2012. However, as of December 1, 2011, we have enough contributions on hand to retire this debt either by the end of this year or in the first month of 2012! Thanks be to God for this blessing!
Fund Raising
Our goal has been to retire our remaining debt on the Compton Cares project by Oct. 31, 2012, when the 3% loan rate expires. To hasten this process, we have held various fund raisers that everyone could take part in, regardless of their financial situation. Here are totals from these fundraisers to date:
GoodSearch/GoodShop $627.00 eScrip $450.78 (eScrip now benefits the CHCC budget) Change Bank $964.54 Aluminum cans and scrap $595.72+ Gypsy Caravan 2008: $1,133.00 Gypsy Caravan 2009: $969.00 Bazaar 2009: $1,362.65 Bazaar 2010 $1,748.10 Mini-Bazaar 2011 $102.00 Bridgeton Fund Grant: $6,500.00
GoodSearch , an Internet search engine, donates part of its ad revenue to the charity of your choice. Clicking the link in the list below will take you directly to the page for Compton Heights. This site also includes GoodShop, easy to use without registration. New businesses are added to GoodShop weekly so check to see if your favorites are there, or e-mail the GoodSearch folks and they will add one for you! Please check to make sure that Compton Heights Christian Church St. Louis is in the Who do You GoodSearch For? window! Thank you and please keep searching and shopping!
eScrip earns from 1% to 5% and more of purchases. Schnucks Markets is a St. Louis area participant, as is Macy's. Enrollment cards are available at church or at Schnuck's grocery stores. Simply give your eScrip card to the checker to scan every time you buy groceries! All income from eScrip now goes into the church operating budget!
A Change Bank brought in a significant contribution to Compton Cares for 4 years. In 2011 we redirected the change bank into a challenge to help fund a mission trip to India by 4 of our members.
Cans (aluminum only) can be deposited in a large container in the hall opposite the choir room. Please bring them rinsed. When we get 100 pounds collected, the price we receive doubles. At least $600 has been raised for Compton Cares. After the loan is paid off, the can collection will continue, and a new recipient for it will be indicated.
Today we held a memorial celebration for the life of Norma Santhoff, one of the original members of the Compton Cares Team and a tireless believer in the power of prayer combined with practical action. Norma is remembered by her 5 children and many grandchildren, by her neighbors in the condo, by the staff and board of Cornerstone early childhood center which she founded, by the literally thousands of children whose lives are better for her work, by members past and present of Compton Heights whom she taught in Sunday School, led in youth groups, shared with in Reading Circle and study groups and prayer groups. She was an elder, a past moderator of the congregation. She was the person who called you in the middle of an ice storm and found you a warm bedroom when she learned your power was going to be out for days. She took a sabbatical from Sunday school to observe the caring community that gathered in a fast food restaurant near her home. She was not afraid of the people who knock on your door and want to witness to you; she invited them in and studied the Bible with them for years, with the understanding that neither was going to convert the other. She brought rocks from the spot she visited on vacation because she knew you collected rocks and she wanted to thank you for taking her to the airport. Within days after receiving a devastating diagnosis, she was back calling people in the congregation as well as her friends to check on their various surgeries and recoveries. She was at home in the InterRacial Dialogue and representing Compton at the Pride Fest booth, as in this picture taken a year ago. Three benches in the garden outside Compton were provided by Norma, because she wanted people passing by or waiting for the bus to have a place to sit and rest and enjoy the view. Norma loved babies, children, young couples, single people, old people, dogs, neighbors, strangers, her family, friends, flowers, and challenges. She not only believed in prayer, she was a living prayer. We have lost a treasured friend and heaven has gained a saint. 
