12DEC15 - Saint Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church

December 2015
St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church 
www.saintlukechambersburg.org
Email: [email protected]
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
 Grace and Peace to you.
Before I get into this letter, let me greet you with best
wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving and meaningful
beginning to the new church year with the season of
Advent.
Maybe you have heard the reports of comments made
by Pope Francis recently at a service in the Basilica di
Santa Maria. The Pope told churchgoers that
Christmas this year is going to be a “charade” because
“the whole world is at war.”
A charade, according to Merriam-Webster, is
“something that is done in order to pretend something
is true when it is not really true.” Culturally,
Christmas is more often than not brought to you by
Hallmark and all of the accompanying sentimentality.
We tend to feast on a relentless diet of nostalgia this
time of year. Call it comfort food, if you will. It takes
visual form in earnest on the High Holy Day of Black
Friday as well as within all the cookies, cakes, and
culinary calories of the season. (I confess, I normally
gain 5 to 10 pounds this time of year!)
What would it be like if we resolved to sing to the
Lord a new song! Rather than feeding ourselves so
much, might we ask what we can do to help feed
others? As a congregation, we are already engaged in
many intentional ministries of outreach and service in
the broader community. I pray that we continue to
with this emphasis even as we necessarily become a
bit preoccupied with our physical facility in the next
few years. (We can do both.)
A relatively brief season, Advent affords us an
opportunity rich in possibility for both individual and
corporate attention to the discipline of faithful prayer,
worship, and study. Please note the various midweek activities being planned this year. Welcome this
time to set your hearts and minds on the coming of
Christ again into your life and ours.
We need not yield to the anxiety and fear all around
us. There is an alternative to the charade of
Christmas! To our detriment, we lose sight of the
truth that Christmas is about God coming down,
taking us on, even and especially in the midst of our
distress. It can get messy and raw. But do not be
afraid or apathetic. We need to rehearse again and
again what it is like to welcome the Prince of Peace
into our lives.
I look forward to walking into this season ahead with
you. May we be blessed by our authentic experience
of “God with us” in Christ Jesus our Lord! Then,
may we continue to be a blessing to one another and
the world God so loves.
Your brother in Christ,
Pastor Christopher Frye
November 23, 2015
Dear Partners in Ministry:
I want to share some thoughts with
you as we anticipate the first
Sunday of Advent, the beginning of
our church year and a season of
waiting.
In Luke's gospel this year we will hear stories leading
up to the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus. We will
accompany Mary on her solo journey to see her
cousin Elizabeth. Like Elizabeth, we will sense in
Mary's presence a blessing from God. And we will add
our voices to Mary's as she responds in the song of
praise that we call The Magnificat:
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in
God my Savior. . . .He has brought down the powerful
from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has
filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich
away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in
remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise
he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his
descendants forever.
Mary and Elizabeth are waiting. They are waiting for
the birth of miraculously unexpected sons, but they
are waiting for something much more. They are
waiting for the fulfillment of the promise of the
Messiah. And Mary knows this will happen in a way
that people do not expect. We hear it in her song: He
has brought down the powerful, filled the hungry
with good things, and lifted up the lowly.
The coming of the Messiah literally turns the world
and its ideas upside down. In an unexpected time, in
an unexpected way, and in an unexpected place,
Immanuel-God with us-will appear. And people who
have suffered under an oppressive system are
promised freedom and release, are promised justice
and mercy.
Fast-forward 2,000 years, where we too are waiting.
Yes, we are waiting for the celebration of Jesus' birthGod with us. Yet many in our world are also waiting
for and hungering for justice and mercy. People of
color are waiting for and hungry for racial justice.
People in poverty are waiting for and hungry for
economic justice. People who are homeless are
waiting for and hungry for shelter. And people in
prisons are waiting for and hungry for freedom and a
chance to start their lives over.
In the coming year our synod will focus on the theme
Hunger for Justice and Mercy. One of the ways we
plan to do that is through a meal-packaging event at
our Synod Assembly, June 3-5. We are calling this
event "Hunger J.A.M." (Hunger for Justice and
Mercy), and we plan to pack 400,000 meals for the
hungry around us. I am hopeful that each
congregation in our synod will take the opportunity
to participate in this effort to help the hungry.
In this season of waiting, we wait for the coming of
Christ. Many of our sisters and brothers in the world
also wait for the good news of Christ's coming that
we bring as people of God. They wait for the good
news that Christ will, through our church and our
hands, turn the world upside down. They wait for the
good news that the Holy Spirit is working through
God's church to reach them in their suffering. My
prayer in this season of Advent is that we may be led
by the Spirit to find new ways to bring justice and
mercy throughout the church.
On behalf of our synod staff, I want to wish you an
expectant Advent and a joyous Christmas.
+ In Christ,
Bishop James A. Dunlop
Sharing Christmas Traditions
Join us for Wednesday Advent
Family Gatherings 5:45 – 7:30
p.m.
The Family and Youth Education
Committee cordially invites you to a
Cross-Generational Faith Formation
on Sunday, December 20 at 8:45 a.m. The theme for
our Gathering is Sharing Christmas Traditions. It
should be a fun morning as we explore four areas of
Christmas Traditions: Christmas Music; Christmas
Memories; making an ornament and talking about our
favorite Christmas ornaments; and sharing our favorite
Christmas foods. We will gather in Fellowship Hall
for devotions and then everyone is invited to pick two
areas of concentration they would like to explore.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Cross-generational
programs provide us with a
special opportunity to
fellowship with our church
family of all ages!
We invite you to join us Wednesday evenings
through the season of Advent for dinner, fellowship,
reflection, Bible study or creative handiworks from
5:45 – 7:30 p.m. In the midst of the holiday rush,
take a few hours for rest, refreshment and reflection.
Each gathering will conclude with Evening Prayer at
7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary led by Pastor Frye.
Join us for a Cross-Generational
Faith Formation
We invite your participation to enhance our
gathering on the 20th . As you are able, we’d love to
have you share your favorite recipe and invite you to
prepare that dish for us to sample on the 20th. It
doesn’t matter if it is a typical dinner, appetizer,
dessert or brunch dish. We simply invite you to bring
along the recipe (or share it with Lynn Fry ahead if
you can so we can make copies) and the dish for
everyone to enjoy. We also invite you to bring along
your favorite music and/or
ornament to talk about and
share if you have a favorite.
Please place this date on your
calendar and plan to attend this
gathering of fellowship, fun
and food in Fellowship Hall at
8:45 a.m.
December 2, 9, 16 & 23
Devotions, Dinner, Program &
Fellowship
Sharing the Joy While Serving Our
Family
Are you looking for a personal way to serve
your church family during this Christmas Season and
brighten the lives of more than a dozen folks in our
church family? Please consider joining our St. Luke
Family and friends on Sunday, December 20 from 2 5 p.m. as we gather to carol to those folks of our
congregation who are unable to come out and join us
at worship regularly. You don’t need perfect pitch, a
jolly Christmas sweater, nor have the words
memorized to every Christmas carol: you simply
need a warm spirit; willingness to visit; and a desire
to serve others.
Ask anyone who’s gone caroling; they’re often
hesitant to come and then end up feeling more
personally enriched than they anticipated. We have a
great time sharing the light of Christ with others!
Won’t you prayerfully consider sharing an afternoon
caroling? If you are able, please bring a snack to
share when we’re finished. We’d love to have you,
and your friends, join us!
Advent Devotionals
Available
The first season of the church year,
Advent, begins this year on Sunday,
November 29th. A variety of Advent
devotionals are available on the narthex (gathering
area) table and on the table inside the Educational
entrance. You are invited to help yourself.
Celebrate Advent at the Manor
Everyone is invited to join us on Sunday, December
13 from 2 – 4 p.m. as we pilgrimage to the Manor on
the campus at Luther Ridge for our annual Advent
Gathering. We will meet at the Manor at 2 p.m. where
we will share an Advent devotional, Advent Bingo,
Christmas caroling and fellowship. It’s a lively and
fun afternoon of fellowship across generations. You
are welcome to bring along grandchildren or friends.
Folks at the Manor always look forward to our
cookies and we are in need of donations. If you are
able to share three dozen cookies please sign up on the
sheets posted on the youth bulletin board. If you
would like to share a few inexpensive Christmasthemed bingo prizes please contact Lynn Fry. Each
year we walk away from this gathering brightened by
the opportunity to spend time and fellowship with our
neighbors!
Christmas Breakfast Scheduled
Everyone is invited to join us for a Faith Formation
Christmas Breakfast Gathering on Sunday, December
27 at 8:45 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. You don’t need to
be an 8:45 a.m. “regular” to enjoy this breakfast
gathering! Bring along your holiday guests. We are
looking for donations of three breakfast casseroles
(one vegetarian) and three loaves of quick bread (one
gluten free). If you are able to share one of these
items please see Lynn Fry, Karen or Rod Golden. All
of our Faith Formation classes will gather in
Fellowship Hall around the table to share breakfast,
devotions and conversation. Join us!
Annual Faith Formation
Gathering Planned
Attention Educational Leaders: Faith
Formation Teachers, Substitutes, VBS
volunteers, Youth Advisors, and Family and
Youth Ed Committee Members
You are invited to join in the conversation at a
gathering of St. Luke Faith Formation volunteers on
Wednesday, January 27, 2015 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. We
will gather for a Faith Formation overview and an
update on background checks. This is also an
opportunity to say thank you to the numerous
volunteers who serve in our Faith Formation Ministry.
Please join us to share your input and ideas!
Additional details will be forthcoming. Please contact
Lynn Fry if you are unable to attend.
Women’s Relax
and Refresh
Set for 2016
Due to popular demand our biennial
Women’s Relax and Refresh is coming back
in early 2016. You are invited to save the date
of Friday, February 5 to join our St. Luke
Women for this year’s Women’s Relax and
Refresh. Our gathering will be held at
Singmaster House Conference Center on the
campus of the Lutheran Theological
Seminary, Gettysburg. Detailed information
about the gathering will be shared in the
January newsletter. Stay tuned . . . and save
the date!
During the
Christmas Season
You are invited to
remember our St. Luke
homebound and college
family
St. Luke Homebound Family
Doris Bikle
Penn Hall
Room 22
2011 Scotland Ave
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Marilyn Foore
3001 Luther Drive
Apt. #306
Chambersburg, PA 17202
Margaret Fry
2735 Luther Dr
Room #4
Chambersburg, PA 17202
Elizabeth Geisinger
638 Eric Dr.
Shippensburg, PA 17257
Helen Gontz
206 Apple Blossom Way
Chambersburg, PA 172001
Herb & Audrey Gustafsson**
2676 Saint Paul Rd.
Chambersburg, PA 17202
Lynn Harter
6590 Bent Oak Dr.
Fayetteville, PA 17222
Carolyn Heintzelman
2735 Luther Dr.
Room #29
Chambersburg, PA 17202
Betty & Max Higgins
7919 Nyesville Rd.
Chambersburg, PA 17202
Dottie Morgan
2735 Luther Dr.
Room #11
Chambersburg, PA 17202
Gerald Doris Leberknight
1477 Spring Side Drive East
Chambersburg, PA 17202-4714
Betty Leeti
2919 Luther Drive
Chambersburg, PA 17202
Esther McBride
2735 Luther Dr.
Room #6
Chambersburg, PA 17202
** As of 11/19/15 Herb is at Hershey Medical Center and
Audrey is at Providence Place
Campus Connection
Kyle R. Snowberger
0702 Tener Hall
University Park, PA 16802
Zach Long
1200 West Church Road
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Aubrey Fry
SMC #7242
1345 Vickroy St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Tanner Shoap
408 N. 41st St.
Unit A
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Erin Purnell
#2004
St. Francis University
PO Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940-0600
Devin Goodhart
379 Ragged Edge Road
Chambersburg, PA 17202
Joshua Long
Messiah College
One College Ave.
Unit 5835
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
St. Luke Advent/
Christmas Opportunities
ADVENT RETREAT – Saturday,
November 28 – 8:30 a.m. - noon
BEGIN THE BLESSED SEASON – Sunday,
November 29 5 p.m.
MID-WEEK FAMILY ADVENT GATHERINGS
– Wednesdays - December 2, 9, 16 and 23 5:45 –
7:30 p.m. EVENING PRAYER – 7:30 p.m.
ADVENT GATHERING at LUTHER RIDGE
MANOR – Sunday, December 13 2 – 4 p.m.
CROSS-GENERATIONAL FAITH FORMATION
GATHERING: Sharing Christmas Traditions –
Sunday, December 20 – 8:45 a.m.
CAROLING – Sunday, December 20 – 2 – 5 p.m.
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES December 24 – 5
p.m. – Family 8 p.m. Candlelight
FAITH FORMATION CHRISTMAS
BREAKFAST – December 27 – 8:45 a.m.
SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS –
December 27 - 10 a.m.
Annual
Congregational
Meeting
Sunday, December 13, 2015 following worship
Here are a few things to look forward to:

Consideration of the spending plan for 2016

Elections for church council and voting members
to the 2016 Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly

Update on current and future ministry initiatives

Time for Questions and Answers (responses)

Fellowship and Fun (yes, indeed!)
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Commissioning of
Homebound Holy
Communion Ministers
Sunday, December 20, 2015 during worship
A group of seven have been engaged in study and
formation to begin service as visitors to homebound
members and friends with the Sacrament of Holy
Communion. This is an extension of the Lord’s
Table to those unable to attend regular worship.
These visits will complement, not replace, the regular
visits of Pastor Frye. Please keep the following folks
in your prayers as they anticipate the beginning of
this ministry in the weeks and months ahead: Diane
Koch, Bob Kane, Bob Huss, Tim Frye, Mary Ellen
Fairbairn, Carleen Skiles, and Rich Garner.
Sam’s Program Christmas Sweatshirts – as
in years past we will be collecting monetary
donations to assist the YMCA in purchasing
Christmas sweatshirts for the Sam’s kids. The
Sam’s Program Christmas party is scheduled for
Tuesday, Dec. 22nd. We are averaging
approximately 60+ Sam’s kids per week. The
approximate cost for each sweatshirt is
$20.00. Monetary donations in any amount may be
made out to the “Chambersburg YMCA” with
“Sam’s Program Christmas Sweatshirts” in the
memo line and placed in a plain envelope. Donation
envelopes may be given to Cathy or Derek Goodhart
or Bob & Nancy Wildeson – Sam’s Program
volunteers. Donations will be accepted until
Sunday, December 20th.
Christmas Eve Family Service
Thursday, December 24 at 5:00 PM
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Thursday, December 24 at 8:00 PM
Lessons and Carols for
Christmas
First Sunday of Christmas, December
27, 2015 at 10:00 AM