Sunday, July 27-- Royce and his daughter Cory united with Compton Heights during Sunday worship, reaffirming their faith. They come from an American Baptist background and have been frequently visiting since moving to South Grand neighborhood last winter. Welcome, Royce and Cory!
Saturday, July 25-- A group from Compton Heights went to the Missouri Historical Society museum in Forest Park to see the exhibit, Mary Lee Bendolph: Gee's Bend Quilts and Beyond, which continues through Sept. 12. The story of Gee's Bend, a community of former slaves in Alabama that was isolated culturally and economically until the era of the New Deal, is educational and inspiring. The women made very utilitarian quilts of discarded denim and other clothing, just to keep their families warm. But as they worked together, they evolved a style that caught the eye of an art historian, and eventually they were "discovered" in the world of art. The exhibit is free on Tuesdays to St. Louis City and County residents. The 45-minute video about the Gee's Bend Quilters is shown during the exhibit and provides a lesson in civil rights in a story not many of us have heard.
June 27&28 -- Compton Heights continues its annual witness to inclusion by having a booth at PrideFest, held on this weekend at Tower Grove Park, a few blocks south of the church. This year we were part of "Spiritual Row" along with the MCC, UCC, Episcopalian, Unitarian, Methodist, and various other O&A congregations. Next to us was our sister Disciple congregation, Liberation Christian Church, which meets in the Delmar Loop of University City.
Norm can tell you that the Saturday afternoon shift from 4-6 p.m. took place on the hottest day yet recorded this year in St. Louis--98 degrees. With lots of cold water, fruit juice, wet neck bands and even a snazzy cooling vest, all of our volunteers survived. The next day, Sunday, was almost 15 degrees cooler after a storm front blew in overnight. Many good contacts were made and many healing conversations were held this year, and a record number of volunteers, many of them our newer members and friends, took part. We ran out of fans and stickers before the festival ended.
June 21--This blogger returned from a two-week vacation to find lots of new things at Compton Heights. A new banner in the hall by Marty and Sarah focuses our attention on God's care for all creatures, from great to small.
The youngest Compton folk are growing fast. On this Sunday, three of our four babies were present. A large play mat in front of some pews was an attractive spot for Peter.
Shannon held Annabelle while mom DebE and aunt Kim took their places as deacons. Shannon and Matt are looking forward to adding Baby #5 to the Compton cradle roll in December!
Elizabeth and her daddy, Josh, surveyed the scene at coffee hour after the service. It is always such fun to see the babies studying each other and reacting to each other. They are challenging us to expand the nursery space and also to look for a regular nursery attendant for Sunday mornings, along with volunteers who will use a curriculum designed to introduce babies and parents to Sunday School.
Some changes are outside. Along the alley west of the church building, an old, rotted tie wall was removed and a new deck with benches installed by volunteers from a Webster Groves congregation. The benches provide a shady spot for clients of Isaiah 58 to sit while they wait for the food pantry to open or the produce truck to arrive.
The volunteers also landscaped the area. Now it is much more attractive, not only for Compton folk and people coming to Isaiah 58, but also for our Flora Place neighbors who walk their dogs and exercise past this point.
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.
Saturday, July 25-- A group from Compton Heights went to the Missouri Historical Society museum in Forest Park to see the exhibit, Mary Lee Bendolph: Gee's Bend Quilts and Beyond, which continues through Sept. 12. The story of Gee's Bend, a community of former slaves in Alabama that was isolated culturally and economically until the era of the New Deal, is educational and inspiring. The women made very utilitarian quilts of discarded denim and other clothing, just to keep their families warm. But as they worked together, they evolved a style that caught the eye of an art historian, and eventually they were "discovered" in the world of art. The exhibit is free on Tuesdays to St. Louis City and County residents. The 45-minute video about the Gee's Bend Quilters is shown during the exhibit and provides a lesson in civil rights in a story not many of us have heard.
June 27&28 -- Compton Heights continues its annual witness to inclusion by having a booth at PrideFest, held on this weekend at Tower Grove Park, a few blocks south of the church. This year we were part of "Spiritual Row" along with the MCC, UCC, Episcopalian, Unitarian, Methodist, and various other O&A congregations. Next to us was our sister Disciple congregation, Liberation Christian Church, which meets in the Delmar Loop of University City.
Norm can tell you that the Saturday afternoon shift from 4-6 p.m. took place on the hottest day yet recorded this year in St. Louis--98 degrees. With lots of cold water, fruit juice, wet neck bands and even a snazzy cooling vest, all of our volunteers survived. The next day, Sunday, was almost 15 degrees cooler after a storm front blew in overnight. Many good contacts were made and many healing conversations were held this year, and a record number of volunteers, many of them our newer members and friends, took part. We ran out of fans and stickers before the festival ended.
June 21--This blogger returned from a two-week vacation to find lots of new things at Compton Heights. A new banner in the hall by Marty and Sarah focuses our attention on God's care for all creatures, from great to small.
The youngest Compton folk are growing fast. On this Sunday, three of our four babies were present. A large play mat in front of some pews was an attractive spot for Peter.
Elizabeth and her daddy, Josh, surveyed the scene at coffee hour after the service. It is always such fun to see the babies studying each other and reacting to each other. They are challenging us to expand the nursery space and also to look for a regular nursery attendant for Sunday mornings, along with volunteers who will use a curriculum designed to introduce babies and parents to Sunday School.
Some changes are outside. Along the alley west of the church building, an old, rotted tie wall was removed and a new deck with benches installed by volunteers from a Webster Groves congregation. The benches provide a shady spot for clients of Isaiah 58 to sit while they wait for the food pantry to open or the produce truck to arrive.
The volunteers also landscaped the area. Now it is much more attractive, not only for Compton folk and people coming to Isaiah 58, but also for our Flora Place neighbors who walk their dogs and exercise past this point.
