Volume 9, Number 1
Spring 2015
Emmaus Evangelical Lutheran Church U.A.C.
The Emmaus Lutheran
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he
interpreted to them in all the Scriptures, the things
concerning himself.
Luke 24:27
We Know Our Savior by His Scarred Hands
How important is Easter to you? Easter is a fun holiday,
with the children hunting eggs, a big meal with loved ones,
and all the trimmings. But Easter should be more than just a
holiday. In reality, Easter should change the very order of
our lives. This celebration tells us who to trust and who to
follow throughout our lives.
This is well illustrated by a story Leslie Flynn told of a
small boy being raised in a frontier city by his grandma. One
night, the house catches on fire. The grandma, trying to
rescue the boy who was asleep in the bedroom upstairs, is
overcome by the smoke and dies in the fire.
This frontier city doesn't have much of a fire department.
A crowd gathers around the house and they hear a small
boy crying out for help. The lower floor is a wall of flames,
and no one seems to know what to do. Suddenly, a man
pushes through the crowd and begins climbing an iron
drainage pipe, which runs to the roof. The pipe is hot from
the fire, but he makes it to a second floor window. The man
crawls through the window and locates the boy. With the
crowd cheering encouragement, the man climbs back down
the hot iron pipe with the boy on his back and his arms
around his neck.
A few weeks later, a public meeting was held to
determine in whose custody the boy would be placed. Each
person wanting the child would be allowed to make a brief
statement. The first man said, "I have a farm and would give
the boy a good home. He would grow up on the farm and
learn a trade." The second person to speak was the local
schoolteacher. She said, "I am a schoolteacher, and I would
see to it that he received a good education."
...continued on pg. 8
Rev. Dr. John Hellwege
Inside this
Issue
His Hands
pg. 1, 8
New School
pg. 2, 3
Compass St. Louis pg. 4
Moving Day
pg. 5
Thrive Update
pg. 6
Special Notes
pg. 7
Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church U.A.C.
Spring 2015
Emmaus School Building Starts New Chapter
Our congregation thanks God for a recent partnership with Eagle College Prep Schools!
When Emmaus Lutheran
closed its day school doors in
1974, a deep desire remained
within the hearts of members:
The school building should
still be a valuable part of the
congregation’s ministry of
creating Lutheran education
opportunities for all ages, and
especially for youth.
But, God’s timing and plan
is not our own. For the last
four decades, this hope’s
fulfillment has been seen only
in small ways, guided by the
prayers and resourcefulness of
members through the years.
Whether a parenting class and
homeschool co-op here, or a
short-lived school group
there—Emmaus has continued
to look for the best ways to
utilize the school building for
Gospel outreach, serving both
for our members and the Fox
Park community.
A new opportunity arrived
before us in December 2014.
After years of struggling, God
has sent a refreshing rain of
promise to assist our outreach
ministry and infuse
educational hope into the Fox
Park neighborhood.
This good news came to us
from Rev. Matt Hoehner, a
Lutheran pastor who currently
serves as the St. Louis Regional
Executive Director at a
nonprofit organization called
Educational Enterprises, Inc.
Hoehner announced that EEI
For over 80 years, the sound of children’s voices and laughter filled the rooms
of 2617 Shenandoah Ave. Now, in 2015, the music of young lives will resume.
wanted to begin a partnership
with Emmaus.
On behalf of EEI, Hoehner
explained how our school
building would make an ideal
location for the expansion of St.
Louis Eagle College Prep Schools
and Compass Educational
Programs. And right in front of
us would be the ability to form
relationships with children and
their families at the school.
Eagle Prep is a charter school
model with recorded highperformance in closing the
educational achievement gap
and character building. These
goals and success stories are
no longer common in St.
Louis city schools. “Eagle”
stands for “Expecting
Academic Greatness with a
Loving Emphasis.” Hoehner’s
proposal set into motion
prayers and plans to open
Eagle Fox Park in fall 2015.
But the icing on the cake
for Emmaus’ Gospel outreach
is the unique missional focus
of the Compass program.
...continued on pg. 3
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Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church U.A.C.
Spring 2015
Emmaus School Building Starts New Chapter
(Continued from pg. 2)
Compass is a Lutheran Christian-based program that
partners with Eagle Prep to provide optional Before/After
school care for children who attend Eagle Prep Fox Park.
Activities include recreation, Bible time, homework help,
and so much more.
When parents sign up their children up to participate,
they can be sure that their little ones will grow spiritually,
socially, and academically. Compass care is designed to
nurture both students who have a Christian background and
those who are learning about God’s Word for the first time.
According to Jennifer Prophete, Compass Regional Director
in St. Louis, the joy of Compass is its faith foundation.
“With the decreased access to faith-based education, we
see Compass as an essential piece to helping support these
families,” Prophete noted. “We do this by providing . . . care
that includes a devotional time and Christian staff who can
witness to their faith in their daily interactions with the
children and families.”
So what does all of this mean for Emmaus? The blessing
of Compass supporting Eagle Prep is that Compass’ fulltime staff structure welcomes and encourages their host
congregation’s members to get involved. So in whatever
ways we’re able, from helping with Bible time to tutoring or
teaching a sports class, we can play a role in these students’
lives—and eventually get to know their families—as God
allows. Please join us in prayer as we anticipate how He will
work through us in this ministry opportunity.
Eagle Prep Fox Park will offer K–2 classes this fall, with
plans in place to eventually grow to grade eight. During the
next few months, the school building will be undergoing
extensive renovations. While Emmaus remains the owner of
the building, our renter and new partner EEI is overseeing
renovations set to begin before April.
“I am personally so excited by the reception we have
already received from Emmaus,” Prophete shared. “I am
looking forward to watching how God will bless our
partnership.”
If you have any questions about Emmaus’ new
partnership with Eagle Prep and Compass, please feel free to
email us at [email protected] or call us at (314) 7761274. We’d love to hear from you!
Prayer Requests
for Our Compass
Partnership
From Jennifer Prophete,
Compass Regional Director



For our future students,
that God is preparing
them to be fertile soil.
For the process of
licensure/inspections,
that God gives us a
clear path and good
partners in the city and
state as we work to
open the site
For God to give us
wisdom in building the
team that will serve the
students at CompassFox Park
From Ben Mayes, Emmaus
Congregational President

For the success both of
the Eagle Prep school
and the Compass
program, and pray
especially that through
these efforts many
people would receive
the gift of faith in Christ
and be joined to Christ's
Body, the Church.
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Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church U.A.C.
Spring 2015
Sneak Peek: How Does Compass Impact Kids?
Compass Educational Programs is already making a difference in Tower Grove South.
Jennifer Prophete, Compass Regional Director, recently
reflected on how God is working in students’ lives at
Compass’ first St. Louis location on Morganford Road.
Listen in . . .
“One [story] that comes to mind is a student who
started Compass in the second semester. He didn't
connect quickly with other students or the staff and
was somewhat sullen and troublesome.
Things have quickly changed. We were invited by
St. John's Lutheran [the host congregation] to sing for
their Ash Wednesday service. This student had really
started to be engaged with our daily singing during
devotions, particularly songs with a lot of actions.
Pastor Tanney began working with the students to
learn the song for Ash Wednesday and praised this
student often for his enthusiasm. Ash Wednesday
came, and he was there! He sang his heart out and
was so proud to be a part of something.
But that's not all—even though we are not singing
at the other Lenten services, he comes anyway. He
sits in the very front row so that he can get to the
children's message more quickly and not miss
anything. He refuses to leave early when his parents
come to get him. He hasn't missed a service yet.
During Compass, he is making friends with other
students and often gives me hugs. Isn't it remarkable
what God can do?”
“Lord Jesus Christ, the
children’s friend, To each of
them Your presence send;
Call them by name and keep
them true in loving faith,
dear Lord, to You.”
LSB 866:1
Interested in donating materials for Compass?
If you’d like to collect and donate any of the follow items as you see sales or go to garage sales this
summer, the Compass staff would be very appreciative!




Basic school supplies
Art supplies
Office supplies
Rainy day activities: puzzles, card or board games, flash cards, books, coloring books, Legos, etc.)
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Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church U.A.C.
Spring 2015
Where Should We
Put This Heavy
Box? Here?
On a warm January weekend,
Emmaus members and friends
gathered to move office spaces
and boxes to the church.
Mark This
Down!
Our church
mailing
address has
changed:
2241 South
Jefferson
Avenue
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Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church U.A.C.
Spring 2015
Thrive Parent University Classes Now Call Crave “Home”
By Rebecca Mayes, Emmaus Volunteer Recruiter for Parent University
Due to the renovations that are beginning on the Emmaus school building,
the Parent University classes previously held there by Thrive St. Louis have
found a temporary new home. Classes now meet at the Crave Coffee House,
3500 Caroline St., next to the Saint Louis University campus.
Both the Tuesday and Thursday classes have now combined to Thursdays,
which forms a crowd of over 40 students at times and up to 15 children. Crave
has a wonderful banquet space which we've been using to serve our suppers
and then provide the childcare.
We are grateful to Rev. Matt Schultz and the partner congregation, Christ in
the City, for sharing their facilities with us during these spring and summer
months! Emmaus is also planning a post-Easter dinner for the volunteers,
students, and their families, on April 16 and we look forward to sharing the
Easter message with all who attend.
Our current prayer requests include:
 Additional volunteers for food donations and childcare
 Peace and stability in the lives of the students and their children
 Faith to grow, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the hearts of the
students as they hear God's Word each week in Bible study and class
Emmaus member Rev. Randy Golter leads a few Thrive students in Bible study.
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Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church U.A.C.
Spring 2015
“I thank my God in all
remembrance of you.”
Just a few notes from Jefferson Avenue.
Sympathy: In your prayers, please remember
the family and friends of Martin Breitenfeld,
former Emmaus member and friend of the
congregation. He died in the arms of His
Savior on December 16, 2014.
Pastor Hellwege’s Ordination Anniversary:
Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 26!
We look forwarding to honoring Pastor
Hellwege for 15 years in the Office of Holy
Ministry on that day. A special guest
preacher will be leading us in Bible study
and the Divine Service, and a reception will
follow worship. Please join us in giving
thanks for the gift of Pastor Hellwege!
Use Amazon? Amazon will
donate 0.5% of the price of your
eligible AmazonSmile purchases
to Emmaus whenever you shop on
AmazonSmile. Start here each
time you shop with your regular
Amazon account:
smile.amazon.com/ch/43-0662466
Thank you to
our frequent
nonmember
donors!
Your prayers
and support
are a blessing
to Emmaus as
we proclaim
God’s love in
Christ to south
city St. Louis.
On March 31, your 2014 Thrivent Choice
Dollars will expire. Remember to direct
your Choice Dollars before the end of the
month. For more resources related to this
program, please visit:
https://www.thrivent.com/making-adifference/living-generously/thrivent-choice/
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Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church
2241 South Jefferson Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63104
emmaus-stl.org
Our New Mailing Address!
Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church U.A.C.
Spring 2015
We Know Our Savior by His Scarred Hands (Continued from pg. 1)
Finally, the banker said, "Mrs. Morton and I would be able to give the boy a fine home and a
fine education. We would like him to come and live with us." The presiding officer looked
around and asked, "Is there anyone else who would like to say anything?"
A man rose and said, "These other people may be able to offer some things I can't. All I can
offer is my love." Then, he slowly removed his hands from his coat pockets. A gasp went up
from the crowd because his hands were scarred terribly from climbing up and down the hot
pipe. The boy recognized the man as the one who had saved his life and ran into his waiting
arms. The farmer, teacher and the banker simply sat down. Everyone knew what the decision
would be. The scarred hands proved that this man had given more than all the others.
In many ways, this story is like the story of Easter and why Easter makes such a difference
in our lives. Like the boy, we have been saved, not from a house fire, but from the very fires of
hell. Easter is a celebration of our salvation. But more than that, it also reminds us that, like the
boy, we also can trust the One who loved us enough to save us. This means that, like the boy,
we live our lives following our Savior, following the One who loved us so much that He
endured great pain in order to see that we are safe. And how do we recognize Him? By His
scarred hands—His nail-scarred hands.
May the love of Christ be with you always, Pastor John Hellwege
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