BUDGET BITES: BUILDING MINISTRY PARTNERS I

/ Union Avenue Christian Church/

A small but important portion of our revenue in our budget stems from organizations that nest in our building. We lovingly consider them our ministry partners because their mission aligns closely with UACC’s mission of being “socially responsible, artistically alive, and to demonstrate Christ’s love.” Stop in our building any day of the week, and you will witness how our building is allowing our ministry partners to make meaningful connections with our community seven days a week. This week we will focus on two of our partners who keep our basement humming: The West End Players Guild and Pure Catering.

The West End Players Guild (WEPG) have been residents and ministry partners at Union Avenue for more than 50 years. From September through May each year, the non-profit, non-equity professional theatre company transforms our basement into an intimate theatre space for four different productions throughout the year. Each production offers seven performances over two weekends. Typically, more than 1,000 patrons each season enjoy performances by WEPG.

WEPG is the oldest continuously-performing theatre company in St. Louis, and labels itself as “Big Theatre in a Small Space.” The Guild employs a variety of professional actors, set designers and technical crew for each production. Most of the shows are regional premieres that other theatre companies avoid or rarely perform, says WEPG Board President Renee Sevier-Monsey. “They are all character-driven shows that have a twist to them. They’re thought-provoking, open-ended,” she adds. 

Sevier-Monsey said the pandemic disrupted plans for their last show in the 2019-2020 season when the state went into lockdown. But last year, the shows resumed with masking, social distancing and extra sanitizing. This year, guests are recommended to wear masks. 

Throughout its long partnership, the WEPG has enjoyed its beautiful relationship with UACC, says Sevier-Monsey. “The church is amazingly wonderful and so supportive.”  To find out more about the upcoming shows and for ticket information, click HERE

Pure Catering, Missouri's only registered minority-owned catering company, is a soul-filled business that found its home at UACC in January 2019. Soon thereafter, in the height of the lockdown, it found its niche serving those with the greatest needs. Swing by church anyday, and you’ll be treated to a variety of aromas of nutritious meals that are prepared in our commercial kitchen before they are packaged and delivered to a broad spectrum of clients whose basic needs are challenged. Five days a week, Pure Catering provides breakfast, lunch and snacks for at-risk toddlers and preschool-age children who attend 15 daycare centers sponsored by the St. Louis Department of Human Services. Additionally, more than two dozen unhoused clients at a St. Louis shelter enjoy Pure Catering breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Pure Catering also feeds thousands of children weekly who attend St. Louis summer camps and/or qualify for Saint Louis Public Schools summer lunch programs. 

In addition to serving those with the greatest needs, Pure Catering creates mouth-watering meals for private events such as weddings, runs the Missouri History Museum’s cafe and is the preferred caterer for 15 major venues in St. Louis. It also operates the Pure Express food truck. Tim Eleby, co-owner of Pure Catering, is a familiar face to many in our congregation and a much-beloved caterer at special church events.

To read previous issues of Budget Bites, click on the following links:

  • January 12, 2023 Budget Bites focus on Outreach & Justice Ministries HERE

  • January 5, 2023 Budget Bites focus on the Martha Morgan Short Funds HERE

  • December 29, 2022 Budget Bites focus on Plant & Property HERE

  • December 22, 2022 Budget Bites focus on Congregational Meeting and approval of 2023 provisional budget HERE

Please feel free to email or speak in person with Ad Hoc Budget Committee members: Doug Rademaker (Finance chair), Neil McNeill (Plant & Property chair), Richard Jones (Investment chair) and Michelle Mueller (Board Vice President) with any questions, concerns or ideas to strengthen the budget. A Town Hall meeting to discuss the budget will be February 12 following worship. Together, with God’s guidance, we will continue to build God’s kingdom right here in St. Louis.