THE MESSENGER
Transcription
THE MESSENGER
THE MESSENGER St. John's Lutheran Church Mark Your Calendars for Collaboration! Volume 2015, Issue 7 September 2015 Inside this issue: Pastor Dee’s Message 2 The Roles of Our Pastors Defined 3 Some Thoughts from Pastor Tricia 6 Feast of Justice News 7 Reflections on Tanza- 10 nia Men’s Retreat Planned 12 XClaim Choir is Back! 14 A collaboration informational meeting will be held on Sunday, August 30th at St. Timothy Lutheran Church located at 7965 Filmore Street (off Huntingdon Pike) at 2:00 p.m. Parking is available at the medical center which is across the street from the church. This is your opportunity to learn about the plans for the future and have your questions answered. Don’t miss this important meeting. On September 13th following the 11 a.m. worship service a Congregational Meeting will be held in the sanctuary to vote on the collaboration. Our rescheduled church picnic will follow in the courtyard. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and veggie burgers will be available for FREE. You are invited to bring a side dish or dessert to share. Collaboration will officially begin if the vote is positive. Information packets will be available at all three churches. On November 1, the Special points of interest: Congregational Meeting is scheduled for September 13th to vote on the collaboration. Sunday School and Adult Education Opportunities begin the week of September 13th. God’s Work, Our Hands” day of service rescheduled for a date in October Welcome Back Weekend Join us for Welcome Back Weekend on September 12th & 13th. In addition to the collaboration vote and picnic, we will be kicking off a new year of learning and education. Join us on Sunday, Septem- ber 13th at 9:30 a.m. for the Welcome Back Sunday School Celebration then every Sunday for Sunday School and the Adult Discipleship Forum. Other Adult Bible Studies beginning the week of September 13 include Monday nights at 7 p.m.; Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m.; Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m. Come join us! Page 2 The Messenger Pastor Dee’s Message But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” (Mark 7:28-29) Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Our fourth guiding principle is: God chose all for His team; therefore, we all play a part. When the Syrophoenician woman asked Jesus to cure her daughter, he initially rejected her, saying, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” As a foreigner and a woman, she had no status in his society. Rather than being offended by this, the woman argued that even dogs deserve something. Essentially, she argued that everyone, no matter how unimportant they appeared, have value in God’s world. Some people say, “I’m not worthy,” I’m not important” or “I don’t have any special talents.” God chooses the most unlikely people to do his work, though. God said to Jeremiah, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.” (Jeremiah 1:7). When Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ God said, ‘I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:11-12) God chose a young girl to be the mother of Jesus. Jesus chose fishermen and a tax collector to be his disciples. God chose Paul, a persecutor of the church to share the gospel throughout Turkey and Greece. Jesus even welcomed Judas at his table at the last supper. God choses everyone for His team. Many pieces of stone make a beautiful mosaic. Many scraps of fabric make a beautiful quilt. Many odd-shaped pieces make the best jigsaw puzzle. Many shards of broken glass make the most beautiful windows. And many people who see themselves as unimportant make up the Body of Christ. In God’s hands, we are each an important part of God’s creation and we each have an important job to do. Can you imagine a mosaic with a stone missing? Or a quilt with a piece missing? How about a jigsaw puzzle with one of its pieces gone? Or a stained glass window missing a piece of glass? When you are missing, the Body of Christ is diminished in much the same way. We simply are not the same without you. We need your presence in worship and your help in the work of the congregation. Whether you support God’s work by being on council, teaching in Sunday school, volunteering at Feast of Justice, or simply calling the person in the next pew when you notice that they are missing; you are an important part of the people of God. We need you! We plant seeds of God's love in Christ through Witness, Outreach, and the Word. WOW! God’s blessings to you, Pr. Dee Emmert P.S. Watch this page for a series of reflections on the principles that guide our community and practice. Volume 2015, Issue 7 Page 3 Pastor Dee’s Message (cont.) Our Guiding Principles Jesus is Lord; therefore, we worship and serve. God speaks to us; therefore, we listen and respond. God created us to share: therefore, we are generous with our gifts. God chose all for His team; therefore, we all play a part. God listens to us; therefore, we pray. God's story continues through us; therefore we are the storytellers. Pastor Dee’s & Pastor Tricia’s Roles To Members of St John’s: We have done such a great job at raising Feast of Justice to the Program that it has become. Like our own children we nurture them to grow to and become independent. Feast of Justice has grown so well that their need for a director has also grown. Because of that, the synod is offering a call to Pastor Tricia as their director. This call will give them a better status in the synod and national church. What does that mean for us at St John’s? It means that Pastor Tri- cia will still be working ¼ time as a pastor for St John’s and ¾ time as director of Feast of Justice. Part of her ministry for St John’s will be outreach to the community in need in our area, especially through Feast of Justice. It means she will be at worship sometimes and be involved in some other activities, but not in charge of most programs. We will still see her in worship, sometime as a member of St John’s sitting with her family and throughout the week, working mostly with Feast of Justice. All of this change is not a sudden move. In March, we called Pastor Dee as our full time Pastor. Pastor Tricia has been working with Pastor Dee to ‘take over the reigns’ of St John’s. I want to add that this has nothing to do with collaboration. Pastor Tricia’s role will be the same whether we change to collaboration or not. Council is supporting both pastors through this transition and we hope everyone will help and support them as we move forward to keep St John’s and Feast of Justice strong. Please feel free to talk with Pastor Tricia, Pr Dee or any council members about this. Mary Jones, President St John’s Council Page 4 The Messenger Feast of Justice: Reading Buddies Between 20 & 30 children attended our summer Reading Buddies Program Under the coordination of Pastor Tricia, Annette Sample, and Rochelle New, Reading Buddies began on July, 13, 2015 for twelve sessions. Children attended the program on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM for four weeks. A total of between twenty and thirty children attended and engaged in Reading, Outdoor Play, Arts and Crafts, and Nutrition activities during this time. The children were fed breakfast and lunch with meals provided by Nutritional Development Service of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Thank you to Ellan Faust who was the coordinator of the pro- gram overseeing the meal distribution as well as the paperwork. The Nutrition program,(” A Taste of African Heritage” sponsored by Oldways), lessons were taught by Pastor Tricia. Children prepared and sampled a variety of food. The topics were, Spices; Grains and Greens; Tubers and Beans; and Fruits and vegetables. All students were given the recipes from the foods they made and were encouraged to try them at home with their families. Thank you to all the children who attended and their parents for bringing them to Reading Buddies each day. a great success due to the dedication of the following volunteers: Kathy Arbor; Ellan Faust; Bethanny Fricker; Charling Henry; Gregory Joseph; Lya Joseph; Marie Joseph; Alyssa Knittel; Andy Neale; Rochelle New; Annette Sample; Pastor Tricia. Thank you to all for your hard work, dedication, and touching the lives of the children who came each day with enthusiasm to learn and play. An extra special thank you to Jimmy Schultz for keeping our space clean and ready for learning and fun each day. Reading Buddies was Sundae Sunday Have fun making your own sundae! Everyone is invited to join us on the weekend of September 5th & 6th for our annual Sundae Sunday. We will meet in Room A following all worship services for fellowship and a cool treat. Various flavors of ice cream and toppings will be available as you make your own sundae. Join us for this free, fun , event ! Volume 2015, Issue 7 Page 5 Safety on the Playground St John’s current playground was fun while it lasted. However, it has multiple safety violations and is in need of major repairs. We want to replace it with a safe and age appropriate play structure. The children can learn and grow through play with this colorful new equipment. The Preschool children will be able to develop their motor skills while scaling the rock climbing attachment. They will be able to use their imagination with the multi-leveled activity panel stations. Or they can just whizz down the three new slides. The structure will cost $15,000 and we will save on installation by having a volunteer assembly day. We hope you will support us to give the children the best experience possible. To donate go to www.gofundme.com/qx2efrmg or send donations to ‘St John’s Preschool’ Welcome Back Pre-School Children & Families! Welcome back to the children and staff of St. John’s Preschool! It’s marvelous to have little ones in the hall- ways. They bring such joy and enthusiasm for learning. Watch for some of these preschoolers to join the XClaim Choir as well! Let’s be sure they receive a warm St. John’s welcome! Page 6 The Messenger Some Thoughts From Pastor Tricia A few weeks ago, during worship, a letter from the church council was read that detailed my role as we transition. It stated that, because of the growth of Feast of Justice, the need for a director has also grown. In response, the synod is offering a call to me to serve as Executive Director of this growing organization that YOU helped to birth! While I am thrilled that this community organization is growing in this way, and that I can learn and utilize new skills, I do not take this change lightly, because for 10 years now, I have loved, appreciated, and enjoyed growing with this congregation. Therefore, I am thankful for the current arrangement where I can still work part-time as your pastor. This arrangement will allow me to worship with you, to lead worship and preach monthly, and to assist with outreach activities, while my primary focus and majority of my time is serving the organization of Feast of Justice. I believe that this arrangement will be beneficial for St Johns, for Feast of Justice—and for me! You’ll see me even more in the cheerleader role for community engagement, while less in the congregational visionary role. I know it will be a big change. It is for you as it is for me! But I trust that God has a plan for us, and that God is aligning us to do the work that is most needed for the health of our community. This can free us up to do even more that we are called to do as God’s hands and feet in the world. I hope that you will continue on in this journey with me, to see where God leads us together. I appreciate your support, your ideas, and your prayers and, of course, as your pastor, I will do the same for you. Peace, Pastor Tricia God’s Work, Our Hands Our day of service has been postponed to October September 13 will be a busy day. Because of the congregational vote around the collaboration with other churches, we have decided to cancel the God’s Work, Our Hands Day project for that day. But, just because the church has a meeting, it doesn’t mean that God’s Work doesn’t need doing! So, we are postponing the congregational service project to the Fall. We will be organizing a group to go OUT into Mayfair to help with projects identified by local community leaders. Mark your calendars now for a day of service in our neighborhood on Sunday, October 25th. We will gather first at 12:00 for a simple lunch and instructions, and then we will be released to serve our neighbors for a project until 3:00. Watch your yellow pages and email for more details as we get closer! Volume 2015, Issue 7 Page 7 Feast of Justice News Feast of Justice thanks you! August had two campaigns: one for school supplies and one for funds. Both appear to be successful! • The pile of school supplies being gathered is impressive and we trust that it will be sufficient to provide to the students of our programs. • The summer “BBQ” campaign is a request to help Feast of Justice continue to provide food for our guests during a time when need is great, but donations are small. Thanks for your continued support of our programs! Nutrition programs have exploded in growth this summer. • Through a relationship with Einstein Health, we have had nutritionists work with us for every distribution shift through the summer, and they will continue to be with us through the Fall. What a blessing to not just give out food, but to explain the power of foods to energize us and keep us healthy! • Through a partnership with Oldways, we have offered A Taste of African Heritage—a 6-week session to learn about traditional, healthy eating from the African/South American/Caribbean context. We had one series with adults and another with the kids of our Reading Buddies program. If you are interested, we’ll be offering another session in the Fall. Volunteer Needs: we are always in need of volunteers, but are especially looking for some who can help us with picking food up from grocery stores and dropping it off at Feast of Justice. Moderate lifting required. You can volunteer as much as you’d like or as little as once a week. We pick up from all over the Northeast—one may be by your home! See Pr Tricia or call Feast of Justice if you are available. Volunteer Appreciation Are you a volunteer of Feast of Justice in any way? The holidays? Reading Buddies? Behind-the-scenes office work? Food cupboard? Other? We invite you all to a Volunteer Ap- preciation celebration and dinner—September 9 at 6 pm in the Parish Hall. All volunteers are invited! RSVP by September 4 to [email protected] or to William at 215268-3510. Page 8 The Messenger Council Notes The Church council met on June 9, 2015 with an opening devotion led by Pastor Dee. One of the items discussed was Collaboration and the meeting at Paul’s Run on May 31. The Collaboration booklet was sent electronically to all members, and it is also available in the Church office. Another item discussed was the planning of God’s Work Our Hands that coincides with Rally Day on September 13, 2015. A property issue that still needs to be addressed is the area behind the stage. In addition, the steps on the Sackett Street side are being fixed. working with children. Church Council will resume their monthly meetings on September 8, 2015. Remember you can speak to any Council members with questions or concerns at any time. Hope you had a safe and happy summer. The requests for Child Clearance Checks are moving along to get the clearances for all staff and also all volunteers Mutual Ministry Are you aware that we have a Mutual Ministry Committee at St. John’s? You can confidentially express your thoughts regarding the issues and concerns with our staff and leadership. Please feel free to talk or contact any member of our committee: Judy Rose, Don Jones, Shirley Hatcher, Carol Willms and Harry Gordon. Rescheduled Picnic Join us on September 13th for the rescheduled picnic Our Annual Church Picnic was cancelled this year due to inclement weather. We are planning to try again on Sunday, September 13th following the Congregational Meeting. We will supply the hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers and ask that you bring a side dish or dessert to share. Join us in the courtyard for some fellowship, food and fun. Volume 2015, Issue 7 Page 9 We Missed You Were you there? Did you seen the activity around St John’s this summer? Children were here for Vacation Bible School and Reading Buddies, gardeners were weeding in the evenings, property filled another dumpster, the praise band was practicing each week, Feast of Justice was bustling and team leaders were planning for upcoming events. Members, as well as staff, went on vacations. We gathered each weekend for worship (and fellowship). But there were many people we missed seeing. Were you one of the missing? Your St John’s family wants to see you. Come join us as we begin our fall activities. On Sunday Sept 13th we have an important congregational meeting followed by our rescheduled (rained out) picnic in the courtyard. On Labor Day weekend, we have Sundae Sunday (& Saturday) after each worship. Sunday School and Bible Studies are starting up. The children’s and adult choirs return to practice. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Come be part of God’s family both at worship and throughout the week. Become a worship assistant. Come to one of Bible Studies or Sunday School. Join the choir or band. Bring the kids to youth choir. Check with the property team to see how you can help out. Sign up to send cards or visit the sick and shut-ins, make phone calls, work on the website or volunteer for one of our many teams. If you don’t know how you can join in or have a question or comment, contact me at 215.745.0992 or [email protected] om. I hope to see you soon in worship and around the building at other activities. Mary Jones Council President Saturday Night Fellowship Resumes Everyone is welcome to join us on Saturday, September 19th following the 5 p.m. worship as our monthly, Saturday fellowship returns. We will meet in Room A for “Game Night” and some light refreshments. Bring your favorite game to play. We meet the third Saturday of every month (except December) and alternate between “Game Night”, “Trivia Night” and Comedy Night.” Come out for some fellowship, fun and food and bring a friend. Join us for “Game Night” on September 19th! Page 10 The Messenger Reflections of Tanzania by Kristin Youngdahl I reread a favorite book, The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein during our trip to Tanzania last year. On the way to Tanga, I began to read the first few chapters. One of the main characters is a race car driver and he explains to a friend, how race car drivers must be observant and need to “be in the moment and be aware of nothing else but that moment,” when they are driving. Driving in Tanzania is no different. All eyes must be focused on the road. As Tom drove the red Toyota truck and as we balanced our travel bags on our laps, I wanted to remember these moments. As we drove down the mountain and onto the highway, my eyes were greeted by a cacophony of green. Green, limey green, sage green, ripe avocado green, forest green on velvety- sloped, enrobed mountains. Stately palms are loaded with ripe, brown coconuts. Inviting lush green leaves grow amid bright spots of grapefruit-sized salmon flowers. Grass thatched roofs cover mud huts. We notice shovel-hewn rich, red clay steps made smooth by hundreds of feet. Children play with plastic wheels made from lids of empty water bottles. Ladies, donned in Kangas (brightly colored skirts), check their phones. Daughters carry kanga-swaddled younger siblings on their backs. Two-lane Highway 50 to Tanga with travelers on either side… on foot, on piki pikis (motocycles). Brahman bulls are led on the ever-changing shoulders of the road. Eardrums buzz with the blare of horns from speeding buses. Narrow-trunked trees reach upward. Houses are in various states of evolution, partially built. Homes are constructed as families can afford them. No mortgages, just cash. What kind of home would you be living in? Men fix bike chains. Women sit together waiting. Waiting… nobody seems to check their watches. No toe tapping. Filmy cool blue grey cotton puffs shroud and engulf the Usambara mountain range. Looking out the window, we also see children perched on enormous steel gray and tan rocks which suddenly jut upward from the uneven ground. Tall dried stalks of corn stand emptied of bounty. Seventy pound bags of charcoal balance horizontally on women’s heads . Children, clad in blazers and skirts, clutch bookbags in hand. Women transport blue green sisal leaves in baskets on their heads. Jeeps, small Toyotas, and large German earthmovers crowd the lanes. White-capped, khaki-uniformed Polizia walk about directing traffic, shaking down some wageni(visitors/foreigners) for cash. Bikes and 18-wheelers with plywood surge past the Pangani River with a dam paid for by the American people, so the sign says. Barefoot one year-olds with ankle-length dresses gather. Bleating goats mill about and feast on the assortment of grasses. The backdrop of undulating hills reveals workers planting and hoeing in the shamba (garden). Suzuki minitrucks are chock full of orange-green oranges. The smell of smoke and fire is in the air. Eighteen wheelers with tarp-wrapped cargo whizz by, encroaching into our lane and coming frighteningly close to our little red Toyota truck that could. Cracked windshield, 4- speed-on-the-floor vehicles screech around roundabouts on the road to Dar e Salaam and Dodoma. Rice paddies scream, “Look at me!” Blackgreen trees protect a red brick house. Palms shade magenta fluorescent flowers. The eeeROOOM of a passing car. Tires are stacked neatly in columns which lay next to freshly painted creamsicle colored cement houses. Green plains shimmer, alive with promise. Plastic green bowls overflow with palm leaves that move to the pedestrians’ beat. Fields blackened by fire promise to improve their yield. Satellite dishes roost on top of (Continued on page 11) Volume 2015, Issue 7 Page 11 Reflections on Tanzania (cont.) (Continued from page 10) stubby one story houses. We putt-putt through towns divided into men and women on each side. A pool table sits under an open hut. Corrugated tin roofs are folded over cement and brick structures. Some hopeful. Some forsaken. Washed orange, yellow and bright blue laundry waves. Mounds of termites, 4 feet high, rise up along the roadside. Swahili and English signs dot the edge of the road. The sun mingles with the clouds creating heat, while the wind ebbs and flows. Children adorned in blue checked pants run by the road. Girls dressed in orange and purple shirred skirts and boys with long shorts, cuffed at the knees, play tag. Helmeted piki piki drivers race by. Bent-framed buses travel alongside. Vans are crammed with 6 people wide on wooden benches. The Dar Express bus travels at 85 km(allowed to go fast). Speed limit is 60 Km or ~45 mph. We pass the towns of Korogwe and Mombo. In Swahili each letter sings a sound of its own. Undulating roads carry a highway of surprises. Motorized, enclosed mini-scooters weave in and out of lanes. Unleaded gas is 2305 Tsh ($1.01/litre.) Wooden bedframes lounge on piki pikis. Enterprising men offer books, oranges, sweets and other amenities along the road. Lemons and hard boiled eggs jostle in baskets. Full bags of grass balance lengthwise on men’s head. We see houses perched atop high angled escarpments. (What is the energy required to blast through these mountains?) Landscapes emerge carved by rainy season torrents. Shepherds handle 12-foot wooden staffs to gather and herd cattle. Donkeys with black crosses bear a load of grain. Men crouch on rocks. Forty pound bags of rice sit perfectly astride slow-walking, beautiful women. Rhythmically beeping vehicles with names like Machame-Africa’s #1- choice Azam wheat flour-dart past. Hawks circle above and glide on downdrafts. While the countryside is breathtaking, the beauty of Tanzania is most radiant in its people. Tanzanians are friendly and welcoming. Many Tanzanians are slim. Their skin is a rainbow of colors: brown, rich black, cream and tan. Many have high foreheads and high cheekbones . We were sincerely welcomed everywhere we went and especially at the Irente Children’s home where we stayed. Cries of, “Karibu,” (welcome to one person) and, “Karibuni,” (welcome to 2 or more people) were offered by the students, the children and the Mamas throughout our stay. Tanzanians are living in the moment. They take in their surroundings and appreciate life. Tanzanians take the time to make a meal, to entertain travelers and friends, to regard their children, and to live “utulivu,” (Swahili for calmly, peacefully) or in Italian, “con calma.” We should all live utulivu, con calma. To read more about the Usambara mountain range in Tanzania, check out this website http://irentebiodiversityreserve.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Usambara-Mountains1.pdf Page 12 The Messenger Blessing of the Animals Saturday, October 3, 2015 At the 5:00 p.m. worship service Bring your pets for a special blessing! Men’s Retreat All men are invited to join Pastor Jesse Brown for the first Men’s Retreat in the NE Phila. Conference Pastor Jesse Brown will be leading the first Men’s Retreat for the NE Philadelphia Conference in many years. The retreat will be in the Learning Center Room of the Philadelphia Protestant Home located at 6500 Tabor Road on Saturday, September 19th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the retreat, the men will be engaged in ways that their spiritual disciplines, like prayer, influence their families and their neighborhoods. The cost is $20/person and will cover the cost of the retreat including lunch. Please RSVP to Pastor Ben Krey by September 7 at [email protected] or call (215) 342-3535. Bette Pittman at (215) 338-3519. The cost for an inside table is $25 and outside space is $20. city that day, consider stopping by for a little bargain hunting and shopping. Flea Market The Autumn Flea Market will be held on Saturday, September 26 from 8 a.m. until 12:00 Noon inside and outside of the Parish Hall. To rent a table, contact If you are not joining the crowds in center Volume 2015, Issue 7 Page 13 Hunger Doesn’t Take a Break! In a time of year when many families take a break and host a BBQ, hunger doesn't’ take a break at Feast of Justice. So, we’re spending our time doing what we do best— feeding, educating, helping and welcoming our community. So, we hope you WON’T join us at our Non-Event Fundraiser BBQ. Don’t buy the ingredients to make your famous pasta salad or dessert. Save the time you would have spent on travel and fun decorations. Instead, donate to us. 100% of your money will go directly to FOJ and the families we serve. You can donate on line at www.feastofjustice.org or by mailing a check payable to Feast of Justice at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Any questions, see Pastor Tricia. Join our NON-EVENT Fundraiser BBQ What Happens to All Those Quilts? Have you ever wondered what happens to those quilts and health kits that you send to Lutheran World Relief in New Windsor, MD? Would you like to go to the warehouse and help prepare them to ship overseas? If that sounds too strenuous, would you like to help inspect Fair Trade items on the same campus for SERRV International? Pr. Dee will be making a day-trip to New Windsor to volunteer at the LWR warehouse on October 12th and would love to take others with her. (It’s about a threehour trip each way.) If this is something you think you would be interested in, please talk with Pr. Dee for more details. Reservations must be made by September 23rd. Join Pastor Dee for a trip to LWR warehouse and send those quilts on their way. Let’s Go Shopping! Just for fun! Let’s go shopping! We are planning a trip to the Care and Share Thrift Shoppes in Souderton, PA on Friday, September 18th. We’ll carpool from St. John’s at 9:00 a.m. and plan to return around 4:30 p.m. Bring your credit cards and cash for shopping deals and lunch. You can sign up on the sheet in the back of the church and please let us know if you are willing to drive. We are hoping to have monthly fellowship opportunities outside of St. John’s. If you have some suggestions, please see Pastor Dee, Sue Black Thomas or Vicki Schempp. Join us for a fun shopping trip! Page 14 The Messenger Penny Party Returns! Join us on Sunday, November 8th for our annual Penny Party beginning at 12:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Admission cost will be $10 plus a non-perishable food item for Feast of Justice. 50 tickets will be included. please call Bette Pittman at (215) 3383519 or Julie Henderson (267) 324-1685. If you have any new or unused items to donate, XClaim Choir Resumes! Bring your child for our XClaim Children’s Choir St. John’s Children’s Choir begins Monday, September 14th. All children ages 4-10 are welcome. We practice every Monday night from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and meet in Room C (Sunday School room closest to the sancturary) As we start our seasonal music, we will play with instruments and learn new songs, make crafts and enjoy a snack together. Any questions, see Liz Wachtman. A Gathering for Parents Who Have Lost Children Sylvia Havlish, MED., Coordinator of Bereavement Ministries for Lutheran Congregational Services invites parents who have suffered the loss of a child to attend this faith-centered pro- gram designed to provide a safe and confidential program for parents to meet and share with each other. It will be held on Sunday, September 20 from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. at Ad- vent Lutheran Church located at 470 Landis Road, Harleysville, PA . For questions or to register call (610)770-9205 or email Sylvia at [email protected]. Blessing of the Backpacks At Worship Services on the Weekend of September 19th & 20th All students and teachers are invited to bring their backpacks for a special blessing Volume 2015, Issue 7 Page 15 John Arthin 215-743-1962 [email protected] 2016 Property Ellan Kay Faust 215-407-7007 [email protected] 2018 Music & Worship *Mary Jones 215-745-0992 [email protected] 2017 President, Music & Worship Communications, Faith in Action Marge Hauptman 215-333-2686 [email protected] 2017 Invitation team, Youth *Marie Kinzler-Hand 215 280-4631 [email protected] 2017 Collaboration Doreen Kinzler 215-288-6416 [email protected] 2018 Christian Education, Invitation Susan MacPherson 856-389-5756 [email protected] 2018 Christian Education Rochelle New 215- 342-3940 [email protected] 2018 Secretary, Feast of Justice William Rose 215- 638-4739 [email protected] 2016 Finance, Mutual Ministry Joyce Snowden 215-331-3681 [email protected] 2016 Congregational Care, Communications Barry Spindler 215- 744-7642 [email protected] 2016 Stewardship Kristin Youngdahl 215- 605-3186 [email protected] 2017 Vice President, Preschool * = Second term - cannot be re-elected. TEAM LEADERS: Joanne Hajoway 215 -743-1962 [email protected] Stewardship Vicki Schempp 215-333-0428 No direct email Faith in Action David Speece 215-338-4496 [email protected] Congregational care, Property Judith Rose 215 - 638-4739 [email protected] Mutual Ministry Miranda Zazulak 215 -335-9235 [email protected] Preschool Rev. Dee Emmert 1-330-858-1760 [email protected] Rev. Patricia Neale 215-279-0269 [email protected] When the church office is closed you can reach the pastor in case of emergency at this number 267–6479505. St. John’s Lutheran Church 3101 Tyson Avenue Philadelphia PA 19149 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Phila. PA Permit No. 2245 Address Service Requested S T . J OHN ' S L UTHERAN C HURCH Our Staff Rev. Dee Emmert, Pastor Rev. Patricia Neale, Associate Pastor Lisa Thomas, Director of Music 3101 Tyson Avenue Philadelphia PA 19149 Phone:215-624-5505 Fax: 215-624-2938 E-mail:[email protected] OUR MISSION IS TO PLANT THE SEEDS OF GOD’S LOVE THROUGH WITNESS, OUTREACH AND THE WORD Companion Church Kana Lutheran Parish, Tanzania Susan Black Thomas, Administrative Assistant Jimmy Schultz, Sexton Our Worship Schedule 5:00 P.M. Saturday Evenings 8:00 & 11:00 A.M. Sunday Mornings 9:30 A.M. Sunday School for All Ages Holy Communion is celebrated every week.