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.