The Joyful Noiseletter A - St. Peter`s Reformed Church

St. Peter’s Reformed Church
September
2016
314-320 E. Grandview Avenue
The Joyful Noiseletter
A PUBLICATION OF ST. PETER’S REFORMED CHURCH
Zelienople, PA 16063
(724) 452-8120
stpzelie.org
Taking it One Day at a Time
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own. ~ Matthew 6:34
Hello St. Peter’s Family,
As I prepare to transition from sabbatical back into the “hustle and bustle” of church
life, I’m reminded of an old gospel song that I remember hearing in my younger years,
‘One Day at a Time’. The refrain is very much appropriate. As I confessed in the
beginning of my sabbatical, I can be a bit of a control freak and not one to ‘be still.’
But one lesson I learned during my time away with God is that I need to take things
‘one day at a time.’ See if these words apply to you and your current life circumstances:
One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking from You
Give me the strength to do every day what I have to do
Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine
So for my sake, teach me to take one day at a time
As I was reading the above section from the Sermon on the Mount, I was struck by
Jesus’ words about worry. There are many things running through my mind as I
prepare to step back into the pulpit and dare I say, I’m a bit worried. I remember, and I
know I have shared with you in previous sermons, when the word “Therefore” appears,
ask - what is the "Therefore” there for? In other words, I had to re-read the sentences,
and the paragraph prior to discover the broader meaning of the verse.
Jesus says, “Therefore…don’t worry”… Why? Because we are called to seek the God
who will provide for us, the essentials of life: food, drink, clothing (v. 25-33). This
instruction seems to be geared to the poor, but includes the rich.
In this chapter (6), Jesus is speaking to a variety of people. Some of whom were rich,
poor and spiritual/influential leaders. He calls for people to not live for earthly
treasures in this life, but live for eternal rewards (v. 19-24). Even though there are daily
troubles, I [we] need to focus on living one day at a time.
Jesus’ words are a timely reminder and refreshing for my soul. You see, if I’m not
careful, I have a tendency to fill my thoughts and soul with “concern” which can
overflow quickly to becoming worry. For me, concern means focusing my thoughts and
efforts on a particular situation, person, church…needing attention.
But worry moves in when I become more consumed with the issue or person…, and my energy,
thoughts and life begin robbing me of a trust and gratefulness in God. To quote Jesus, “Therefore, I
will not worry,” but I will choose …
• To live this day with gratefulness to Jesus.
• To show love to the people I’m serving, praying and concerned for.
• To seek God first - in the midst of TODAY’S issues.
• To not focus on the carry-over of “tomorrows trouble.”
“One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking from You. Give me the strength to do every day
what I have to do.” The challenges will be great, but the rewards will be even greater because I know
that I have the LORD (Yahweh) behind me and I will take it ‘One Day at a Time!’
I’m looking forward to seeing all your smiling faces on September 11th as we worship together once
again. The Lord has been speaking to my heart and into the vision that I believe He has cast for our
wonderful church. Taking it ‘one day at a time’ we will move forward “together in unity” to make a
difference for His Kingdom. I’m excited about where He is going to take us. Join me on this exciting
journey ~ won’t you? See you soon!
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim
Dear St. Peter’s Family,
Kendra and I cannot begin to thank you enough for all the thoughts, kind words, cards and
prayers during our time of sabbatical and during Kendra’s time of recovery from her broken wrist
and my recovery from the neurological stimulator implant surgery. Kendra’s recovery is slow but
steady and I have witnessed an 80-90 percent satisfaction from the migraines. God is so good and is
answering our prayers ‘one day at a time!’ We couldn’t have endured it without Him and our
wonderful church family rallying behind us. See you in a few weeks!
Blessings,
Pastor Jim and Kendra
CONSISTORY UPDATE
Treasurer’s Report:
Janet reported that July’s beginning balance was $149,349.05 and the ending balance is $149,240.44.
Youth Director and Christian Ed Report:
VBS happened towards the end of June and we had a very good week with an average of 57 students each night with
65 being our highest on Monday. Denise mentioned we had an end of year Sunday school breakfast kick off for the
summer and that the Christian Ed. Board did a great job with the skit and breakfast. Also, the mission trip youth did
many Willing Worker jobs during June and July and Denise also participated in a few as well. The mission trip went very
well and working with the group YouthWorks went well also. It was very hot but definitely worth it.
Denise had her Christian Ed. Board meeting last night and they put together a list of names to call about teaching the 1 st
and 2nd grade Sunday school class this fall. This year the curriculum is going to be working on prayer through a book
called “Prayer Works” and the teachers are all on board with it. Due to the state law change regarding volunteers, we
need to implement volunteer child clearances, and a lot of volunteers will fall under Christian Ed. This is for any and all
volunteers that work with kids under the age of 18 years. But volunteers who are under 18 years DO NOT need
clearances. There are two clearance required: Criminal History report from the Pennsylvania State Police, and the
Child Abuse History certification from the Department of Human Services. Denise will ask for them to be completed by
Sunday, September 4th the week before Sunday school starts. All volunteers and new volunteers need to get both of
these clearances and keep them at the office. They should be good for 5 years.
Deacon’s Report:
Scott McMaster presented the deacon’s report for June and July and stated that attendance was down in June and it
was up a bit in July because of the 5 Sundays. As of the end of July our giving is down by a little over $13,000 but
budget is still looking good as we are around 56% total expense being used.
CPR:
It was mentioned that Chuck Nelson was going to work on getting some kind of a video together to show at our church.
They will plan a pulpit exchange when Pastor gets back. Being able to be a full time Pastor has allowed Chuck to
become very active and is getting things moving up in Erie.
Marketing/Website:
Scott McMaster mentioned that there will be another meeting soon to discuss the Website changes.
Personnel:
Keith mentioned that as of now, there will be no new replacement for Denise’s position, they want to wait until Pastor
gets back to discuss with him. They hope to have a few volunteers step up and help out until a plan is in place.
Respectfully submitted, Sheri McMaster, Consistory Secretary
How Can I Help with
The Gathering
The Zelienople/Harmony community of faith is hosting The Gathering from 11:00 – 4:00 on Saturday, September 17th at the Zelienople Community
Park. This is an afternoon of fun and sharing the love of Christ to our community and especially those who do not have a home church. The
afternoon will include Games, Prizes, Skate Boarding, Basketball, Face Painting, Hair Braiding, Nail Art, Hay Rides, Bag Pipes, Tie-dyed Shirts,
Duck Race, Music, Prayer Tent, Hot Dogs, Cookies, Popcorn, Chips, Drinks, and More!
Different Ways You Can Help….

Invite your family, friends and neighbors who have children and come with them to “The Gathering”.

Bake some cookies for the “Cookie Booth” and bring them to the Park on Saturday. September 19 th.
Volunteer for a shift in one of the 33 booths. Call Carol Tomayko at 412-519-2946.

Help set up tents, tables and chairs on Saturday morning at 8:00 AM at the Community Park.
Pray, Pray, Pray!!! Pray that God will be honored and that the love of Christ would melt the hearts of those who do not know Christ so they will
come into a close relationship with their Heavenly Father.
We look forward to serving the children of our community and their families with you! May Christ be glorified in all we do!
~Lou Ann Barbish, Dan Owen and Reid Moon
For The Gathering Leadership Team
Hands Helping Hearts
Jesus didn't come to be served, HE came to SERVE.
THE GREATEST AMONG YOU MUST BE A SERVANT.
MATTHEW 23:11 NLT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God has placed on someone’s heart to take over this ministry!! There will NOT be a
dinner in September, but will resume in October. Please watch for things to come
later in September for more details!
HeBrews Cafe
HeBrews will re-open on Sunday, September 11th. Come enjoy a cup of
coffee/tea/hot chocolate or a cold bottle of water. Money raised will go towards
a family in need during the holidays. As always thank you for the donations and
supporting this ministry.
Serving HIM and you—Walker, Matthew, Ethan and Julia
SOUTHWEST BUTLER FOOD CUPBOARD
557 Perry Highway
Harmony, PA 16037
Phone: 724.453.4184
Website: www.swbfoodcupboard.org
The kids are back to school and pretty soon the weather will begin to get cooler. The Southwest Butler
Food Cupboard is sensitive to the needs of our community during the Fall and Winter months. We will
continue to provide our Kits 4 Kids program through our September distribution. This program gives kidfriendly, single serving food items to families with school-age children.
Below is a list of needs for September...
Canned Fruit
Ready-To-Eat Soup
Oatmeal
Read-To-Eat Pasta (Chef Boyardee)
Condensed Soup
Jello/Pudding mix
Rice
Dessert mixes
Pasta
Sloppy Joe mix
Pasta sauce
Taco kits
Rice/pasta sides
Canned vegetables
Jelly
Canned tuna
Pancake mix
Canned chicken
Cereal
Thank you and God bless.
Sharon Klaiber
Volunteer Ministry News
From the pen of Pam
SPOTLIGHT on
VOLUNTEERING IS FUN AND IS FOR EVERYONE!!!
Romans 12:4-6a says: "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and those members do not all
have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the
others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us" - what a powerful statement from the
apostle Paul!
For the past few weeks, you have been seeing an insert in the bulletin regarding sign-ups for our volunteer ministries.
The explanation for why we aren't having a volunteer ministry fair this year has also been included, along with the
names of our service and worship ministries and their leaders. I am listing those ministries and the leaders' names
below so that you can take an additional look at what all is available that you can do for the Lord at church - and I want
you to be centered on the fact that volunteer service here at St. Peter's is not something that you are asked to do for
Pastor Jim or to help the leaders out or to just be busy doing something - while volunteering in a ministry has a bit of all
of those facets, the primary reason to volunteer is so that you can use some of your time and talent to serve the Lord,
thereby living out the truth of the verses from Romans printed above. There are those who get weary of hearing the
phrase 'being the hands and feet of Jesus', but that's actually what we in His church are all called to do! We have such
a wide variety of skills, abilities, and talents represented within our church family, and I can personally tell you that I
admire so many of you who can do the things that I'm not at all good at doing. It proves the point that we all need each
other! So once again I ask that you will take a look at that list and prayerfully consider what needs doing at St. Peter's
and how you can help be a part of serving our great God while you use those skills and talents He has blessed you with
in the company of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. One of the things you might be surprised about is that many of
our ministries don't require a significant involvement of time; some ministries are seasonal, some are activated when
there is a particular need, and some are designed so that you can work on projects while you are at home. Please see
me or any of the volunteer ministry leaders if you have any questions or would like any more information.
MINISTRY NAME
Angels of Praise
Ding-a-Lings
Prayz Him
Senior Choir
Sound System
Tech Team
Caps for Kids
Dorcas Circle
Funeral Luncheons
Hands Helping Hearts
Women’s Ministry
Men’s Ministry
Parking Lot Greeters
TNT
We Care
Intercessory Prayer
LEADER (or LEADERS)
Emily Bertoti
Kendra Bertoti
Dale Krysinski
Pam North
Scott McMaster
Eddie Crosson
Ruth Gross
Betty Lighthiser
Judy Double
(Contact Pam North)
Marla Clouse
Gene Lee
Dayne Stauffer
Tina Geis/Aubrey Rader
Sally Hamilton
Bea Barna
Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do."
VOLUNTEER MINISTRY NEWS (continued)
ANOTHER REALLY EASY WAY TO VOLUNTEER!!!
It was a great privilege for me to spend many of my Sundays this summer taking time before our services
began to say hello to people and particularly to greet those who I recognized as visitors. Among those I met
were family members of those in the church, former parishioners at Pastor Jim's church in Reading, former
residents of Zelienople who were back visiting and decided to come to St. Peter's, as well as visitors
attending our church for the first time. It was wonderful getting to welcome these folks and to let them know
how glad we were to have them worship with us. Recently I realized though, that in a few weeks with the
resumption of my duties as choir director, I won't any longer have that amount of time available before
worship to get to meet whoever God brings to us on any given Sunday - and I know that Pastor Jim feels the
same way in that the constraints of time upon him each Sunday as he prepares to lead worship also don't
permit him that 'before church' greeting time either. I know that he would join me in asking that any of you
who are seated in church before 10:15 to please look around and find someone that you can make feel
welcome into our church, whether they are people you don't know or even people you do know but haven't
talked to for a while. I can guarantee that you will feel a lift to your spirits as you extend the 'right hand of
fellowship' to others who will be participating in the worship of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ - the One
who welcomed everyone into His midst - with you!
THANKS TO TWO VERY SPECIAL VOLUNTEERS
As many of you know, Karen Cunningham and Tammy Stauffer have decided to step down from the
leadership of 'Hands Helping Hearts'. These ladies have certainly demonstrated being the 'hands and feet of
Jesus' during the seven plus years that they have served God through the monthly dinners and those people
who were the beneficiaries of the donations collected, the 'laundry love' laundromat ministry, and the other
ways they found to help reach the least, the lost, and the lonely. We thank Karen and Tammy for all they
have done and for how God has used them (and all of the participants in the HHH ministry) through the years
to bring a huge blessing to so many people! May He bless these wonderful servants in all the days to come!
WE CARE PROGRAM MEETING PLANNED
We welcome you to another season of the “We Care Program”, a ministry designed to remember those
church members who are no longer able to attend Sunday worship and other church-related activities.
Anyone who would care to be a part of visiting teams, or simply to send cards and/or pray for those on
the We Care list, are encouraged to attend a brief meeting following worship on Sunday, September 25
upstairs in the Educational Building. At that time, plans and dates for upcoming visits will be discussed, and
suggestions and ideas will be welcomed.
Please plan on attending this meeting, but if you are unable to be there on Sept. 25 but would still like
to be a part of this vital ministry, please see Sally Hamilton or call her at 724-822-4530 (cell) or 724-538-3512
(home).
Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
Women’s Ministry News
Women’s Ministry is getting ready for an active fall and the coming year with a variety of events to serve St Peter’s
church and other organizations in surrounding communities. Let me share with you the Women’s Ministry mission
statement:
“To show Christ’s love to others through selfless serving and fellowship together as Christian women using
our gifts and talents to further build God’s Kingdom at St. Peter’s and beyond.”
We would love to have more women of our church join us for a time of fun and fellowship as we serve others.
Beginning in September we are meeting on Saturday, September 10th as we prepare the Fellowship Room for the
church picnic to welcome PJ, Kendra and their family back. Besides getting the room ready for Sunday’s event there
will be a time spent in a devotion.
On Sunday, September 11th following the church service there will be a pig roast picnic. Each family is asked to bring
a side dish to share according to the first initial of their last name:
A-F: Fruit/ Jello Salad
G-L: Macaroni/ Potato/ Vegetable side dish. This may be a hot or cold dish.
M-Z: Dessert
Following the picnic meal there will be games outdoors to participate in. Don’t forget to bring your lawn chair if you
choose to sit and cheer on the teams of various games! Don’t forget to wear your RED “I Love My Church” t-shirt, if
you don’t have this t-shirt, wear a RED top- you know PJ loves the color RED!
Looking ahead to Fall… it is that time when we would like to help support VOICe (Victims Outreach Intervention
Center) with needed school supplies. Items that may be donated include: Folders, Binders, Paper, Pencils, Pens,
Colored Pencils, Crayons, Rulers, Pencil Sharpeners, Plain colored Back Packs (NO LOGOS PLEASE) for girls &
boys. Any clothing, including t-shirts, must be plain with NO LOGOS or WORDING on the shirt. Items may be placed in
the designated bin in the breezeway area near the food cupboard. Thank you for the donations that have been
received over the summer. All donations have been delivered each month.
UPCOMING FALL EVENTS:
On October 8th, we will be preparing a meal to take to Bethlehem Haven, a women’s shelter in Pittsburgh, for their
evening meal. We will also be making a favor to give each woman in the shelter. We will be leaving the church
at 4:30 pm to go to the shelter to serve them their meal and then spend some time socializing with them and doing a
craft project. Please let Marla Clouse know if you plan on going along to the shelter.
Then on November 12th, we will be making homemade Chicken Noodle soup and Beef Vegetable soup to sell on
Sunday, the 13th. We will also be having a PUMPKIN BAKE SALE of items such as: desserts, cookies, bars, rolls,
etc. The donations received from the soup and bake sale will go to supplement our treasury as we support the other
Volunteer Ministry groups at St. Peter’s as well as LIFE CHOICES, WOMEN’S CHOICE NETWORK, VOICe, and others.
Please consider joining us as we serve others in Christian love.
Serving Christ,
Marla Clouse
A Note from Personnel:
We want to thank Denise for her years of service as the Director of Christian Education and Youth here at
St. Peter’s. Denise served St. Peter’s by leading several mission trips, the youth group, and recently
vacation bible school. We pray for her and her family as she will be devoting her time to being a full time
mom.
As we wait for Pastor Jim to return from his sabbatical, to determine the direction we will undertake
regarding this position, Tina Geis has graciously volunteered to take over the leadership of our youth group
until there is a decision made regarding staffing. We thank Tina and appreciate her stepping up to take on
the leadership of the youth during this time of transition.
Keith Weyman
Chairman of Personnel
A big thanks to all those who helped make pillowcases for the youth
group mission trip to Alabama. A special thanks to our members
and super helpers Joanne Kampas, Karen Rader and Trudy Lukes
for an outstanding job. The 67 pillowcases were beautiful and very
much appreciated.
Thanks to all those who have been donating fabrics. We have
been using it in many of our projects- or church members, local
nursing homes, veterans and other individuals in our community.
We would love to have you serve in our mission to help in small ways. All sewing is done at homeno pressure- no quotas. There are things to do for non-sewers as well. Every little bit helps bring a
smile to those who give and those who receive.
For more information regarding Dorcas Circle, please call on any of the following ladies, Barbara
Mohrbacher, Catherine Thornberry or Betty Lighthiser.
NEW BIBLE STUDY STARTING: “Discern the Difference between Mans’ Knowledge and God’s Wisdom;” a Wiersbe bible study on I Corinthians, starting Wednesday, September 14th at 7:00pm at Cath
Rape’s home.
Anyone interested or has questions regarding this bible study, please call Cath Rape at (724) 452-4936.
Happy September Birthday to:
Evelyn Lutz ~ September 3 ~ 84 years young
Shirley McWithey ~ September 4 ~ 90 years young
Jean Davison ~ September 27 ~ 94 years young
Thelma Hawk ~ September 27 ~ 81 years young
Dorothy Knauf ~ September 30 ~ 93 years young
Happy September Anniversary to:
Gene & Sandy Lee ~ September 1 ~ 54 years
Bob & Sandy Nolte ~ September 9 ~ 55 years
Charles & Annabelle Davey ~ September 21 ~ 67 years
Dear Friends at St. Peter’s,
You have been on our minds today as we’ve been thinking about the Lord’s provision for
us. We consider it an incredible honor that you would choose to invest your gifts to the Lord
in our ministry to college students. Your deep love for the gospel encourages us and your
prayers and generosity keep us going. The Lord uses you in our lives and in the lives of the
students that we work with. We are so grateful for your love, care, support and prayers.
In Christ,
Greg, Elise & Paul Boros
Dear St. Peter’s Family,
We just don’t know how to express our gratitude for the amazing gift from all of you in
memory of our son, A.J. Smith. We are so blessed to be a part of such a loving church family!
Bless you all!
Jim and Deb Smith
Dear Friends of St. Peter’s,
Thank you for donating the school supplies for our youth. Your generous support
enables the vital ministry of Glade Run Lutheran Services to continue.
Thanks,
Charles Lockwood
READY, SET, GO: LET’S PRAY!
"ARE YOU ON THE PRAYER JOURNEY BUS"
Have you become discouraged as you listen to the news?
Do you wonder if God hears you?
Do you feel unworthy to approach Him?
Guess what, there is not one person who can honestly say they have
not felt that way, or had those thoughts.
James 5:16 - The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective.
Colossians 4:2 - Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Now is the time to join the journey: Our church needs you, our families need you, our nation needs you.
When we spend time in the Word, getting to know Him, and trust Him by believing what the Word says we
will truly experience God on the move in every area of our lives.
There are many people here and around the world praying for a Great Spiritual Awakening in the church,
and our nation, and the world.
We all know the Lord’s Prayer, so just spend some time praying and asking the Lord Jesus to increase your
desire to pray, and your vision for prayer.
Some dates and places where prayer gatherings are taking place are:
Sunday, Sept.11th, 7:00 pm at Victory Family Church along with 5 other churches will be praying for our
nation and revival. I will be attending and would like to invite others to join me.
Thursday, Sept. 15th, Franklin Graham will be hosting a time of prayer for revival in our state and the nation in
Harrisburg, PA. Cornerstone TV is sponsoring buses for those who desire to join in this very special Prayer
Gathering. The cost is $50.00 per person and to make a reservation, please call (412) 349-4298.
In Christ’s Love,
Bea Barna, Prayer Coordinator
ATTENTION ST. PETER’S CHURCH MEMBERS
FREE TO A GOOD HOME
There are some old church chairs located out in Ron and Kelly Lutz’ barn, they are listed as
follows:
48 stackable wooden back/seat with metal leg chairs
17 stackable light orange plastic back/seat with metal leg chairs
8 stackable kid’s size orange plastic back/seat with metal leg chairs.
* Please note the images shown are not the exact style of chair, but just an example.
Please contact Sheri in the church office at (724) 452-8120 and she would be happy to make
arrangements for you to pick them up.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR FOOD, FELLOWSHIP, FUN AND GAMES AT
OUR CHURCH PICNIC ~ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH
AS WE WELCOME BACK
PASTOR JIM, KENDRA, EMILY, BRIDGETTE and LUCAS
See you on Sunday, September 11th following the church service to welcome back Pastor Jim,
Kendra and their family. We will be having a pig roast and picnic foods. The Women’s Ministry is
asking each family attending to bring a side dish according to the first initial of their last name,
please read the information listed under the Women’s Ministry news article for specifics on what to
bring. The meat and beverages will be provided. We will be eating in the Fellowship Room and then
going outside (weather permitting) for fun and games. Don’t forget to bring your lawn chairs!!
Please also remember to wear your ‘I Love My Church’ t-shirts on September 11th to help
welcome back Pastor Jim. If you do not have this t-shirt, please wear something red. Thanks!!
There will be a First Place 4 Health Bible Study at H-Z Methodist Church beginning on Tuesday,
September 13th from 1:00-2:30pm in room 005. The study will be led by Donna Martsolf and
will go for 12 weeks. Donna has invited any interested ladies from our church to join the group.
“Seek God First” is the book they will be using and you would need to purchase your own book
(available at Family Christian bookstore, Barnes and Noble, or through Amazon). The structure of
the group will not include a formal weight loss component, but the
members will be encouraged to support each other in this area as
well as all the other facets of the First Place 4 Health program.
If you have any questions, please see Pam or if you’d like to join,
please contact Donna Martsolf at (724) 847-0488 or at
[email protected]
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
St. Peter’s Church could use a few more volunteers to sign up for our Nursery and Children’s
Church to either be in the rotation or on a substitute backup list to be called in. Please contact Sheri
in the church office if you are interested in being a part of this wonderful ministry for our younger
children. Please remember that you must now complete the below clearances in order to be able to
volunteer for the ministries working with children 17 years of age or younger. Please read the below
instructions on how to obtain the necessary clearances.
Volunteer Clearances Needed: In preparation for fall, we are organizing all the volunteer lists and
have been made aware that we need volunteer clearances for everyone at St. Peter's that works
with students (17 and younger) on a semi-regular basis. So if you are a SS teacher, help with
Nursery, Children's Church, Angels of Praise, 412, TNT or VBS, you need to complete 2 clearances.
I understand this may seem excessive as we all have been helping out and working with students,
however the law has changed and we need to abide by it. Below you can find all the info you need
to know:
-There are 2 clearances that need completed. The links to complete them can be found underneath
the report. They are:
-Report of criminal history from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP)
https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp
-Child Abuse History certification from the Department of Human Services
https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
You can also access the forms through our church website. If you click on the 'volunteer' tab, it can
be found there. The fees for BOTH are waived, so this is of no charge to you! When you have
completed these, please print off your results and bring them to Sheri McMaster no later
than Sunday, September 11th. You can also email them to her at [email protected]. All
clearances are good for 5 years.
-If you already have completed these clearances, please provide documentation and bring to Sheri.
-If you do not have access to a computer, the church office will be open each Sunday after service
until noon for you to come and fill out the forms.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! Thank you for your cooperation and all you
do for the students of St. Peter's!
HEAR YE! HEAR YE! COME ONE, COME ALL
TO SUNDAY SCHOOL!!
With the arrival of September comes one of the most exciting aspects of
life at St. Peter's, that being the resumption of our entire Sunday school
schedule - so mark your calendars for Rally Day on September 11 at
9:00am and plan to come back to class or to join one of our classes,
because there is truly something for everyone as we fellowship together
and learn more about everything God wants us to know! Here is a
summary of what each class will be doing:
Our students from Pre-K through High School will all be embarking on a
study of prayer that will take them through the fall months. The Pre-K
through 4th grade classes will be using the book 'Prayer Works' which
covers the topics of: What is prayer? Why should I pray and where do I
pray? What should I pray for and is there a wrong way to pray? Does God really hear me?
The book that the students from 5th through 12th grades will be studying is 'This Means War' and
will answer these questions: Why pray anyway? What should I pray for and do I have to use the
right words? Who should I pray for and am I really supposed to pray for my enemies? Will God listen
and will He answer?
The Pre-K through 12th grade classes meet downstairs in the education building and the teachers
are as follows:
Pre-K - Kindergarten - Debbie Evans-Kanell and Ginni Smoke
1st - 2nd grade - Sharon McCormick and Liz Weaver
3rd - 4th grade - Bea Barna and Darlene Morgan
5th - 6th grade - Pastor Jim and Kendra Bertoti
7th - 12th grade - Jill Allman
What a wonderful adventure awaits our students and teachers as together they explore this vital link
to our Heavenly Father in the months ahead!
Our adult classes meet upstairs in the education building. Some of them have been meeting through
the summer, and those that are finishing their current topic or book will be moving on to something
new soon. All of our adult classes are looking to welcome new members at any time. Here are our
four classes and their teachers:
Fidelity Class: Ralph Gross, Nina Kraynik, and Joan and Sid Schiever - they will be starting the new
quarterly curriculum based on the Old Testament book of Isaiah
B.A.S.I.C.S.: Ed Knauff - they will be finishing their study of the gospel of Matthew
Berean Class: Bob Nolte - they will be finishing their study of the New Testament book of James
Parenting Class: Sheri McMaster - they will be finishing the book 'Love and Respect in the Family'
Also, if you ever need something or would like information, please feel free to stop in
the Sunday School office (upstairs across from the nursery) which is very capably staffed by Ruth
Gross and Janet LaRocca.
Let's make this a year to remember as you start your Sundays at St. Peter's each week a little
earlier by coming to Sunday School and then staying for our worship service - you won't be
disappointed and you will be encouraged as we all study and learn together!!
LIBRARY NOTES
Greetings to you all from the St. Peter’s Librarian.
We have several new books since I last submitted an article in the newsletter, they are as follows:
The following books have been donated by Gary and Shirley Knauff and dedicated in
memory of Evelyn Breon, Lois Frazier and May Lutz.
GRACE by Max Lucado, this book tells us that God’s grace is more than we deserve and
greater than we can imagine.
BEFORE AMEN by Max Lucado, this book is about the power of simple prayer. Join the
author to the very heart of Biblical prayer, and the power unleashed with six simple lines: Father,
You are good. I need help. They need help. Thank You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER LIFE by Ron Rhodes, in this book you will find 21 revelations
about heaven and hell.
BEAUTIFUL ON THE MOUNTAIN dedicated in memory of Twila Ritzert and also given by
Gary and Shirley Knauff.
DVD’s donated by Pam North in honor of our volunteer ministry leaders and participants.
DO YOU BELIEVE? This is from the creator of God’s Not Dead
HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, the story of a small boy who saw what heaven looks like while he
was having emergency surgery to save his life.
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN, an incredible story about a 10 year old girl who has an
incurable disease. After she is in a freak accident, an extraordinary miracle unfolds in the wake of
her dramatic rescue that leaves medical specialists mystified, her family restored, and their
community inspired.
GOD’S NOT DEAD! An atheist college professor insists that his new students declare that
God is dead. Josh, a student, is unable to do this; he is challenged to defend his faith and prove to
the class that God is NOT dead.
GOD’S NOT DEAD 2, When high school teacher Grace Wesley is asked a question about
Jesus in class, her reasoned response lands her in deep trouble. The ensuing epic court case
could expel God from the classroom—and the public square—once and for all! God’s Not Dead 2 is
a powerful call to action: Where will you stand?
THE STORY by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee, this is the Bible as one continuing story of God
and His people, using selections from the NIV Bible.
FAMILY MATTERS by Charles Swindoll, this book is about investing in things that last.
Happy reading everyone. Hope to see you in the St. Peter’s library.
Sandy Nolte, Librarian
SEPTEMBER 2016
Sunday School
9:00 am
Worship
10:15 am
Mon
Tue
Head Usher
for
September
Tina Geis
Pastoral Assistant
for
September
John Schulte
Wed
Thu
1
3
9
10
7pm Intercessory
Prayer Group ~ Ed.
Bldg.
5
6
7
9-3pm Ginni Smoke
using Fellowship
Rm.
Labor Day ~ Church
Office Closed
11-4pm Bea Barna
using Fellowship
Rm.
5:30-7pm Circle of
Friends practice ~
Fellowship Room
9am Prayer Group
RALLY DAY
12-2pm Church
Picnic ~ Fellowship
Rm.
2
5pm Video
Announcements ~
Parish House
4
12
7pm Elder’s Mtg. ~
Parish House
13
5:30-7pm Circle of
Friends practice ~
Fellowship Room
7pm Consistory
Mtg. ~ Ed. Bldg.
8
8:30am Prayz Him ~
Sanctuary
5pm Video
6pm Choir Dinner ~ Announcements ~
Fellowship Room
Parish House
7pm Senior Choir
~ Sanctuary
10am Women’s
Ministry Mtg. and
set up for Church
Picnic ~ Fellowship
Room
7pm The Journey ~
Basics Classroom
14
15
9am Prayer Group
9-3pm WIC ~ Ed.
Bldg.
7pm Senior Choir
~ Sanctuary
16
19
5:30-8pm 412 Youth
Group Mtg. ~
Fellowship Room
25
5pm Video
7pm The Journey ~ Announcements ~
Parish House
Fellowship Room
11:30am “We Care”
Mtg. ~ Ed. Bldg.
5:30-8pm 412 Youth
Group Mtg. ~
Fellowship Room
21
22
6:30pm Ministry & 5:30-7pm Circle of
Worship Committee Friends practice ~
Mtg. ~ Parish House Fellowship Room
9am Prayer Group
5pm Video
Announcements ~
Parish House
6:30-8pm TNT Mtg.
~ Fellowship Room
7pm AFSP Support
Group ~ Ed. Bldg.
26
20
7pm Senior Choir
7pm The Journey ~
Fellowship Rm.
27
28
5:30-7pm Circle of
Friends practice ~
Fellowship Room
9am Prayer Group
29
5pm Video
7pm Senior Choir ~ Announcements ~
Parish House
Sanctuary
7pm The Journey ~
Fellowship Room
17
8am Men’s Ministry
Bible Study ~ Ed.
Bldg.
The Gathering
Zelie Community
Park 11-4p.m.
(All are welcome)
18
Sat
11:30am
Ministerium ~
Fellowship Room
**REMINDER**
Wednesday Night
Bible Study at Cath
Rape’s home every
Wednesday starting
September 14th!!
11
Fri
23
30
24