UPDATE
As of 4-5-18 AMEN St. Louis and STL Urban Missions are now completely booked for the week of General Assembly. Review the General Assembly Schedule of Events for other ways to engage in the St. Louis community throughout the week.
The Opportunity
Groups from across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are invited to spend a week in St. Louis, MO, June 16-23, observing parts of the 223rd General Assembly and participating in the Hands and Feet initiative. This is a perfect opportunity for youth or intergenerational groups. Hands & Feet is a new initiative to highlight and strengthen local and national efforts by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to facilitate change and communicate God’s love. The project builds upon the grassroots, community work congregations, mid councils, and national PC(USA) agencies are already doing and dovetails with the biennial General Assembly gathering. During the week groups will participate in a variety of service learning opportunities and attend several General Assembly events such as opening worship, the moderator election and the exhibit hall.
The Hands & Feet initiative couldn’t happen without a number of wonderful congregations in Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery,
Lodging
First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, MO has graciously offered to host Presbyterian groups at their church during the week. Our partners in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance will be managing the registration of all guests staying at the church.
Community Ministries
Two ministries based in St. Louis area Presbyterian congregations have agreed to help facilitate service-learning experiences for groups interested in participating in the Hands and Feet initiative. I’ll be working with them to identify the General Assembly events we’re encouraging you to attend and they will schedule your learning and service opportunities around those times. Here’s what they say:
AMEN|Saint Louis is a ministry of Oak Hill Presbyterian Church located in the Tower Grove South Neighborhood of St. Louis. We provide learning and service opportunities for groups visiting St. Louis. Come stay with us and learn about how poverty, homelessness, systematic racism, and many other issues are impacting our city. Get your hands dirty working with partner agencies who are addressing these issues directly. Then pray and reflect about how you might be a part of this kind of work in your own community once you return home.
STL Urban Missions is a ministry of the First Presbyterian Church of Ferguson, MO. Our program is a mission camp experience in the St. Louis area and is designed to provide a variety of work experiences in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, youth programs and housing rehab. The St. Louis Urban Mission Camp also enhances spiritual life through Christian service.
More information about each ministry is available at https://handsandfeet.pcusa.org/opportunities/.
Who do I contact to sign up or ask more questions?
For more information about Hands & Feet, and to inquire about space in this program, contact Andrew Yeager-Buckley by email at Andrew.Yeager-Buckley@pcusa.org or by phone at either 1-888-728-7228, x5419 or 502-569-5419.
Andrew Yeager-Buckley
Program Assistant
Office of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
1-888-728-7228 x5419
502-569-5419 (direct)
Andrew.Yeager-Buckley@pcusa.org