Our Mission of the Month for September is our Backpack Program.
The school year is underway once again and so is Grace Church’s ongoing mission with the Backpack Program. For many years Grace has worked with Dardenne Prairie Elementary School to provide food for students who otherwise would go without on weekends.
Each week volunteers take food items donated to the church and put them into backpacks for delivery to the school. Students can then discreetly take the food home for the weekend. In this way, a child’s opportunity for meals doesn’t stop at the schoolhouse door.
Currently, Grace provides food for twenty students. A rotating menu is used so specific donations are sought. Donations of money are also welcome so these items can be purchased. ALL donations are deeply appreciated.
Three key items needed every week are: a can of vegetables, a fruit cup and a single-serving container of applesauce. Additionally, we are currently in need of single-serving containers of peanut butter and ramen noodles, since these items are given twice a month.
At this time, we do not need mac-n-cheese, Vienna sausages, oatmeal packets, hot chocolate and granola bars.
If you’d like to volunteer with the Backpack Program, contact Carol Miller or Kathy Dunlap with the Mission Team or Pastor Jim Hilker at 1-636-448-0350.
Our book club meets twice per month on the second and fourth Saturday of the month, at 10:00am. We read many genres of books from historical fiction, biographies, mysteries, non-fiction and best sellers. We have a diverse mix of attendees and welcome everyone! To save costs, many of the books we read are obtained through the local library lending program for book clubs. Please join us for coffee, snacks and books!
Grace UCC has partnered with seven other area churches as volunteers at Mary Martha's Thrift Store in Wentzville. Please join us if you have a few hours to share. We staff the store three or four days a week, every eight weeks. Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to help. For details, please contact our office, send us an email or reach out over instagram or this website.
Please join Pastor Jim along with a group of members and friends at noon on the last Thursday of each month, for fellowship, conversation, Bible study, along with your brown bag lunch. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and share in our faith. We'd love to see you there!
Social Justice is defined as equal rights, opportunities and treatment for all, regardless of race, economic status, or identity. Social justice also calls for people to address inequities in political, social, and economic systems. The Church's view is to help those within marginalized communities, support our right to vote, do what we can to support climate change, healthcare and LGBTQ+ persons. It's within this view that Grace UCC, as an open and affirming congregation, has formed a Social Justice team, following in the footsteps of the greater UCC church.
Our Grace UCC Social Justice Team keeps up-to-date with current events, networks within our community and attends events pertaining to our goals. Our team meets monthly. We meet on the last Sunday of the month following service. Please join us.
Three times per year, we meet in our church parking lot and prepare to collect trash along a one mile stretch of road in front of Grace Church. The crew of ten people have gloves, trash bags, and brightly colored vests as we clean the areas around the road to beautify our community. We also tidy the church property on these days. The next clean up day is October 3rd at 10:00am. Please join us!
Our Men's Group breakfast is not just for the men! We meet on the first Saturday of each month. Everyone is welcome to join at the Golden Corral in O'Fallon at 8:00am for fellowship, good food and conversation.