CARE & CONNECT WEEK 2024

In honor of St. Paul’s 175th anniversary year, we’re hosting a Care and Connect week filled with opportunities to serve our neighbors, the wider community, and our church home and schools. 


Hosted by the Board of Missions, the week will emphasize ways faith and service go hand in hand. Whether you share the love of Christ by writing cards or building a home, together we'll put faith into action with opportunities for members of all ages.


From its beginnings as a log cabin church on a dirt road, St. Paul’s has grown alongside the community it serves, following our vision statement “to be devoted followers of Jesus Christ, passionate about sharing the Gospel in word and deed.”


volunteer sign-up


OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

Click boxes to learn more


circledownarrow

JULY 28 TO AUGUST 3, 2024


circlerightarrow PRINT A FLYER

  • Prayer Walk

    Sunday, July 28 • Starts at 12:45 with lunch • Walk starts at 1:30 p.m.

     

    • Project: Pray for those near St. Paul’s or members

    • Age Range: Adults and children (families welcome) • Volunteers: No limit

     

    Families, singles, couples are encouraged to join in a prayer walk around St. Paul’s neighborhoods. “Pray-ers” will place door hangings on resident doors with a preprinted message from St. Paul’s. We will meet at church for lunch at 12:45 then be directed to the prayer walk location that the pray-ers have signed up for. Four options are offered, including a half-mile, 1-mile, and 2-mile round trip walk. Participants will receive guidance beforehand to assist their prayers during the walk. Each house, along with the neighborhoods will be included in the prayers. The Prayer Walk will start with a short litany as we prepare to pray. Please feel free to bring children as this is a wonderful way to model prayer as well as love for those in our community.


    _______________________


    Pray at Home

    Sunday, July 28 from 1:30 p.m. onward (Can correspond with Prayer Walk but any time is a blessing)

     

    • Project: Pray at home for our church members and others (families encouraged)

    • Age Range: All ages • Volunteers: No limit

     

    Our “pray-ers” will receive a list of individuals from our church prayer list to pray for, including those mentioned in the Sunday bulletin, along with others in need of prayer. 

  • Visit St. Paul’s At-Home Members

    Gift Bag Assembly: Sunday, July 28 at 12:15 p.m.

    Visits Week of  July 28–August 3

     

    • Project: Visit at-home members and share gift bags

    • Age Range: Adults and children (families welcome) • Volunteers: Approximately 25

     

    Volunteers, both individuals and families, are invited to assemble gift bags for at-home members at the church fellowship hall on Sunday afternoon, arriving at 12:15 p.m. A lunch will be served, and the Board of Missions will supply items for the gift bags. Names of all at-home members will be available for volunteers to choose those they would like to visit. Those delivering the gift bags will call the at-home members to determine a good time for the delivery, within the week of July 28-August 3, and are encouraged to spend some time visiting with each at-home member. 

  • Card Making/Children’s Artwork for Meramec Bluffs Residents

    Sunday, July 28–Thursday, August 1

    Return by Thursday, August 1

     

    • Project: Write cards of encouragement for residents

    • Age Range: Adults, teens, and children • Volunteers: Unlimited

     

    Congregation members are invited to write cards for residents in senior living facilities, including children who can include drawings, coloring pages, and artwork (either in the card or separate pages). The Board of Missions will provide cards and offer writing prompts/scripts. Cards will be available in the receptionist lobby (east) and should be returned by August 1. Please sign up to complete any number of cards: no minimum or maximum.

  • Cook Meals at Ronald McDonald House

    Sunday, July 28 from 4:30-7:00 p.m.

    Saturday, August 3 from 4:30-7:00 p.m.

     

    • Project: Help prepare and serve meals to families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

    • Age Range: Adults and children 12 and older • Volunteers: 10 per visit

     

    Meet at the West County Ronald McDonald House at 4:30 p.m. and assist in preparing, cooking, and serving a buffet-style meal for guest family members. We will use the house’s kitchen that is equipped with stoves, pots and pans, and utensils. All food and ingredients will be provided. Location: 300 Ronald McDonald House Lane, 63141, located on the Mercy/Ballas Hospital campus.

  • Laclede Groves - Senior Living Facility

    Monday, July 29 from 1:00–3:30 p.m.

     

    • Project: Set up and take down of Summer Games event

    • Age Range: Adults and teens 14 years + • Volunteers: 20


    Volunteers will assist with the setup and takedown of various games, including boat races, bowling, and cornhole, for the residents. Refreshments and snacks will be served. Setup will occur from 1:00-2:00 p.m., followed by the main event from 2:00-3:00 p.m., and concluding with cleanup from 3:00-3:30 p.m.

  • Concordia Historical Institute at the Seminary

    Monday, July 29 from 9:00-11:00 a.m.

     

    • Project: Organizing of historical documents

    • Age Range: Adults and teens (for cleaning) • Volunteers: 25

     

    Volunteers at CHI will help with tasks including cleaning, filing, creating lists of biographical files, listing files onto a laptop, sorting items, and compiling a list of electronics. Read more project details here. 

  • St. Paul's Early Childhood Center Cleanup

    Tuesday, July 30 • Time TBD

     

    • Project: Clean-up and organize inside ECC and help with landscape outside

    • Age Range: Adults and teens • Volunteers: TBD

     

    Volunteers will help with a summer cleanup at the ECC in preparation for the upcoming school year, which will include tasks such as outdoor mowing, landscape maintenance, and exterior cleanup.


    _____________________


    Work Day Projects


    Eastland/Eastland Playground


    Community Center Closets

      • Pull out all items and sweep and mop

      • Sanitize all toys with “Hi-Con” and put back once dry

    Outdoor Sign - Change message per director

    Eastland Playground Shed

      • Pull out all toys and wipe out shed

      • Sanitize all toys

      • Return to shed once dry per labels

    Scrub around the mop boards and floor corners of Eastland staff restrooms.


    Natural Playground


    Natural Playground Shed

      • Pull out all toys and sweep out shed, and wipe out cobwebs

      • Sanitize all toys

      • Return toys once dry

    Sandbox Toy Storage Bench

      • Clean out and sanitize toys

      • Put back when dry

    Water Flume – caulk edges


    General Landscaping


      •  Weeding the Garden by Cross, as needed

      • Trim honeysuckle three feet from each side of Natural playground fence

      •  Water plants


    Nature Trail


      • Mulch Nature Trail – pending mulch arrival

      • Cut out and spray for poison ivy in Nature Trail – pending supplies

  • St. Louis Area Foodbank

     


    Two options:

    Tuesday, July 30 from 9:00 am-noon

    Wednesday, July 31 from 9:00 a.m.– noon

     

    • Project: Repack food for distribution

    • Age Range: Adults and children 11 and older • Volunteers: 15

    • Please wear close- toe shoes and dress comfortably

    • Address: St. Louis Area Foodbank, 70 Corporate Woods Dr., Bridgeton, MO 63044

    • Please register by July 15

     

    Volunteers will work in the Volunteer Repackaging Center sorting and packing food for distribution into our community. Tasks can include building various food boxes, sorting food drive donations, packaging produce into individual family size portions, or other relevant projects contributing to the Foodbank mission. (Please note that volunteers will be on their feet for the majority of their shift. Some volunteers may be asked to lift and/or move boxes of food weighing up to 50 lbs.)


    circledownarrow Please note that the St. Louis Area Food Bank also requires volunteers to register directly with their organization


    Register with StL Foodbank

    1. Click on the button above to access a registration page with St. Louis Area Food Bank specifically for St. Paul's
    2. Once on that page, look for the “Sign Up” Button for St/ Paul's event.

  • Habitat for Humanity

    Tuesday, July 30 • ReStore in Des Peres (2117 Sams Dr.)

    Thursday, August 1 • ReStore on S. Grand (3830 S. Grand Blvd.)

    Wednesday, July 31 from 7:45 a.m.–3:30 p.m. • Construction

    Friday, August 2 from 7:45 a.m.–3:30 a.m. • Construction

     

    • Project: Work on an active construction site or at ReStores.

    • Age Range: Adults and teens 16 and over – some building sites require workers to be 18

    • Volunteers: ReStore: 5 max at each location. Building site: 12 max at each site

     

    Through coordination with Habitat for Humanity, those interested in serving will have the opportunity to assist with work on a construction site or work in one of the ReStores on South Grand or in Des Peres.

  • Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) 

    Wednesday, July 31 from 9:00–11:00 a.m.

     

    • Project: Cleaning, maintenance, sorting/stocking

    • Age Range: Adults and teens • Volunteers: 15 (7 or 8 at each location)

     

    Volunteers will perform cleaning and maintenance tasks at the CFNA Peace Center, or will sort and stock household items at the CFNA storage location at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, which is 2 miles from the Peace Center. 

  • St. Paul’s Church Landscaping

    Thursday, August 1 from 8:30-10:30 a.m.

     

    • Project: Assist in landscape work such as weeding and clean/organize needed areas of inside church.

    • Age Range: TBD • Volunteers: 12

     

    Volunteers will pull weeds and care for plants, flowers, hedges, and miscellaneous vegetation on the church campus. Please bring gardening gloves, if desired. 

  • St. Paul’s Church Building

    Thursday, August 1 from 8:30-10:30 a.m.

     

    • Project: Assist LWML members in deep cleaning areas of the church

    • Age Range: Adults, teens, and children 10 and older

     

    Volunteers will be vacuuming, polishing, dusting, etc. areas of the church not normally attended to by our cleaning staff. LWML (Lutheran Women’s Mission League) will furnish the supplies needed and give direction.

  • Marquette Park - Backpacks for Students

    Thursday, August 1 from Noon–1:00 p.m.

     

    • Project: Fill backpacks with school supplies to be delivered and given to students

    • Age Range: Adults and children 10 and older

     

    Backpacks and school supplies will be gathered earlier in the month by congregational donations. Volunteers will pack the school supplies in backpacks for later delivery to the Marquette Park area of Dutchtown. The event will take place during the lunch hour and lunch will be provided.


    SUPPLY WISHLIST & SIGNUP 

  • Afternoon Guild - Quilters

    Friday, August 2 from 10:00 a.m.–noon

    • Location: West lobby of the church

    • Age range: Adults and high schoolers


    The quilters will give a brief overview of the steps involved in constructing the quilts, and then show volunteers how to tie the quilts so they will hold their shapes as they are used and laundered. The quilters have been sharing the finished quilts with people in need in the St. Louis region. 

  • Assist Elder Members or Members in Need

    Saturday, August 3 from 8:00 a.m.- noon

     

    • Project: Perform yard work or other tasks for elderly or in-need members of St. Paul’s

    • Age Range: Adults and teens • Volunteers: Variable

     

    Volunteers will be organized into teams of three to four people, assigned to a specific home, and will help elder congregation members with tasks such as mowing and weeding. Please bring gloves, shovel, and other useful gardening tools. Upcoming work details including names, addresses, and requested tasks, will be shared as we near the work date.