The Circle - St. John`s Lutheran Church
Transcription
The Circle - St. John`s Lutheran Church
The Circle Advent and Christmas Worship at St. John's First Week of Advent Saturday, November 28th -- Evening Light – 5 pm Sunday, November 29 Holy Communion – 8 am Sunday School –9:25 am Holy Communion – 10:45 am four candles are lit on the Advent wreath, as we anticipate the love of God revealed in the baby Jesus. At noon everyone is invited to help decorate the church for Christmas. This is always lots of fun with tasks for children, youth and On this first weekend of Advent, God is “advancing” to- adults. A pizza lunch will be provided. wards us: in the past in the life of Jesus; in the present in word and sacrament; in the future, even if there is disaster, in everlasting. We light the first candle on our Advent wreath and hope flickers in the world. Second Week of Advent Saturday, December 5th Evening Light – 5 pm Sunday, December 6th Holy Communion – 8 am Sunday School – 9:25 am Service of the Word –10:45 am This weekend we hear John the Baptist preaching, baptizing and urging us to prepare for the coming Christ. Come to worship to see “the salvation of our God” as the second candle on the Advent wreath joins the light of the first while we long for peace in the world. Third Week of Advent Saturday, December 12th Evening Light – 5 pm Confirmation Retreat Worship at Innabah – 7pm Children’s Christmas Worship — 4 pm ♥ Christmas Music begins at 6:30 pm Family Candlelight Worship with Holy Communion — 7 pm ♥ Christmas Music — 9:30 pm Christmas Candlelight Worship with Holy Communion — 10:00 pm Tonight God moves into our neighborhood and nothing is ever the same again. Jesus is born! We see the light and darkness will never overcome it. Invite friends, family, neighbors to come and sing with the angels, “Glory to the Newborn King! Sunday, December 13th First Weekend of Christmas Service of the Word – 8 am Saturday, December 26th -- Evening Light -- 5 pm Sunday School – 9:25 am Sunday, December 27th Holy Communion – 10:45 am Holy Communion – 8 am While our society goes crazy with Christmas preparations, Holy Communion – 10:45 am we gather to hear John the Baptist urging us to accept the incredible present God gives us. Now a third candle on the Our Christmas celebration lasts 12 days. On this third day of Christmas we meet 12 year-old Jesus in the temple wreath joins the first two and joy grows. which he calls his “Father’s house.” Note that Sunday school is on “Christmas break” and will return to our reguFourth Week of Advent lar schedule next Sunday, January 3rd. Saturday, December 19th Evening Light – 5 pm Sunday, December 20th Holy Communion – 8 am Sunday School – 9:25 am Service of the Word --10:45 am Hanging of the Greens—noon This weekend we hear the story from Luke about Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth as well as Mary’s song about being filled with the Holy Spirit. We too are filled with the Spirit in baptism so that Christ also dwells in us. Now all The Pastor’s Message: Sisters and brothers in Christ – The journey through Advent begins on the first Sunday of Advent, Sunday, November 29. Advent in Latin means, “to come to.” It is a season of waiting. We humans are not very good at waiting. We often fill every inch of our time so we don’t have to wait. We are always busy—maybe too busy. We often hear this passage from Isaiah in Advent. In the wildnerness… when we are surrounded by nothing or by things that are entirely foreign to us, perhaps the cold of winter freezing in our bones, a voice cries out to tell us to prepare the way of the Lord. Preparing the way of the Lord looks nothing like Macy’s and Walmart’s way of preparing for Christmas. Preparing our hearts and minds for the way of the Lord means being countercultural. At a time when everyone you know is rushing around, God calls us into waiting. Instead of waiting in long lines for Christmas gifts and rushing to get our Christmas lists complete, Isaiah suggests that our preparation needs to make a straight path to God. Pastor Skyle Rea INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Advent and Christmas Worship 1 The Pastor’s Message Coventry Singers / Altar Guild / Bake Sale Advent Party / The Way / Grief Support / Hanging of the Greens 2 3 4 Advent Offering / Angel Tree WELCA / Holiday Tour / Thank You Adult Education / ELCA Young Adults December Schedule / Simply Giving / Financial Report Calendars Staffing / Change in Contact Info / Pastoral Acts / Reformation 500 5 6 7 8 9-10 Inside back cover Attention Acolytes We need you! Please visit http:// www.signupgenius.com/ go/10c0f44a4ad2aabfd0-acolyte to sign up for upcoming worship services. Thanks! 2 Coventry Singers at St. John’s December 6, 3:00 p.m. The Coventry Singers is a community choral organization of auditioned singers who perform diverse and challenging choral music. Over its forty-plus year history, the group has performed major choral works, including those of Handel, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Fauré, Rutter, and Finzi. The Coventry Singers concert programs also include lighter works, both sacred and secular, with a frequent dose of humor. The number of performers ranges from 40 to 50, and includes people of all walks of life. Some have professional musical experience, some are or have been teachers of music, but many are people who just like to sing and welcome musical challenges. The Coventry Singers have performed with the Pottstown Symphony, the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, and at Longwood Gardens Christmas Concert Series. More recently they have performed the National Anthem at the Reading Royals hockey games and participated in the Pottstown Relay for Life luminaria lighting ceremony. The Coventry Singers was founded in 1972 by Joe Hoover, who directed the group until his retirement in 1994. After a six-year hiatus, the group of both original and new members eagerly reassembled under the leadership of Cheryl Markofski. Cheryl retired in 2009 and passed the baton to Julie Eurillo who led the group until 2013. The current director is Hannah Knauss who continues the tradition of providing high-quality musical performances for full-house audiences. Hannah holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from West Chester University. Throughout her tenure at West Chester, she studied conducting with Dr. David DeVenney, sang with the prestigious WCU Concert Choir, and kept active within the professional associations, ACDA and PMEA. Also, Hannah received the Arthur C. Jones Choral Conducting Scholarship and the WCU Music Education Scholarship. When not working with Coventry Signers, Hannah is the choral director and music teacher at Interboro High School. This year’s Christmas concert “The Coventry Singers Sing Gloria” features Vivaldi’s Gloria with orchestra accompaniment. The concert also includes Franz Biebl’s “Ave Maria,” John Rutter’s “Angel’s Carol,” Moses Hogan’s “Glory, Glory, Glory to the Newborn King,” as well as arrangements of familiar Christmas carols. The concert takes place Sunday December 6th at 3:00 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 355 St. John’s Circle, Phoenixville. The concert is free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be accepted. For more information about the Coventry Singers, visit their website www.coventrysingers.org or find them on Facebook at Coventry Singers-Pottstown, Pa. Wanted: Altar Guild Members Do you have an attitude of gratitude? One way to show your attitude of thanksgiving to God is to serve on the Altar Guild. Preparing the Sanctuary for worship and setting up for communion are two of the duties. Training will be given and service can be scheduled for monthly, bi-monthly, or occasionally. Please contact Jean Herbranson if you are interested in learning more. Bake Sale December 6th On Sunday, December 6th, our entire Sunday school will participate in a bake sale. We ask each student and their parents to provide home-baked items that can be sold. We’d love for the students to participate at the bake sale table at 8 a.m. or 10:45 a.m. The proceeds will benefit the St. John’s General Fund, which helps us buy curriculum for Sunday school and so much more. Please plan to stop by to pick up some goodies on the 6th and benefit St. John while indulging your sweet tooth! 3 Family Advent Party You are invited to an Advent party on Wednesday, December 2nd beginning at 5:30 p.m. in St. John’s Kley Hall. A wonderful spaghetti dinner will be served at 6 p.m., followed by some Advent activities. Then we head to the church at about 7:15 p.m. for a special Advent puppet show. The evening ends by 7:45 p.m. The families of the Phoenixville Area Children’s Learning Center are invited to join us for the evening. Please extend invitations to your friends and neighbors. To help us please RSVP by November 29th through our Yellow Communication Card or by calling Sonya Sowards at (610) 933-3947 or emailing [email protected]. If you would like to help prepare supper, set up, clean up or serve as a host family please indicate that when you make your RSVP. The WAY during Advent For many the holiday season is a time of asking questions about God, faith, and the Church. It can be a time of going beyond the superficial trappings of the secular celebration that fusses about how to greet others and the design of coffee cups. The WAY, our “new” newcomers process will experience the hope of Advent as part of our Advent party with St. John’s families and the families of the Phoenixville Area Children’s Learning Center on December 2nd. Then on December 16th they will prepare to receive the gift of the Christ Child at Christmas. The WAY meets on Wednesday evening beginning with dinner at 6 p.m. After sharing a meal together, the children head to the Creation Room to play (at 7 p.m. the Children’s Choir begins rehearsal) and the adults gather in small groups to explore the presence of God in the world and in daily life. If you are interested in learning more about The Way, please speak with Pastor Krommes. Struggling in this Season Does this time of year leave you feeling blue? Is this your first Thanksgiving or Christmas without your beloved one? Are you struggling with past grief and loss? It’s all hard, and you don’t have to go through it alone. On Wednesday, December 2, 9 and 16 and January 6, 13, 20 we will be having a special grief support group from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. in Pastor Krommes’ office. Members of St. John’s are especially invited, and the group is open to anyone in our community. Perhaps you have a neighbor, coworker or family member who might benefit from this kind of caring support. Susan Schumacher will be the convener of the group. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Narrative Therapist, currently PhD (ABD-all but dissertation) in Marriage and Family Therapy at Eastern University. She has walked the way of grief herself and experienced many blessings in the gift of our faith community at St. John’s. While it is not necessary, an RSVP would help us with planning and making sure we have adequate space. Please sign up on our Yellow Communication Card in the weekly bulletin or by email to [email protected]. Our annual Hanging of the Greens will be Sunday, December 20, beginning at noon. Volunteers are needed to put up the Christmas trees, set up the Nativity set, assemble candles/holders, set up the iron candle sticks, change banners, and hang the garland. This is a great family activity for one and all. A pizza lunch will be provided along with gluten-free alternatives. Help decorate the Sanctuary and prepare for the birth of the Christ child! (The un-hanging will take place on Sunday, January 3, 2015). 4 Each year St. John’s dedicates our special Advent offering to non-profit agencies in our community who serve our neighbors in need. This year the offering will be divided between three different groups. They are: For many years St. John’s has been a steadfast supporter of Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS). For 40+ years PACS has been there to provide emergency assistance of food, utilities and rent/mortgage assistance to those struggling. PACS is an advocate helping to connect people with resources, community information and referral support. PACS offers information and referral aid without regard to income or residency. The food, fuel and rental assistance PACS facilitates is prioritized by need for people who live within our service area and are low income. The goal for PACS is to be the first point of contact in empowering people in the Phoenixville area to achieve self-sufficiency. Web address: www.pacsphx.org. Orion Communities is a community-based organization that provides interim case management, outreach and supportive services to residents who are experiencing poverty, illness or disability. Orion Communities generally works with people who “fall between the cracks” of other services. Orion connects residents in the greater Phoenixville area to services that engender hope, dignity, and self-reliance. Both PACS and Orion Communities truly provide assistance to the “working poor” of the area. These individuals may work but their income just isn’t sufficient enough to provide for all their basic needs of food, housing and utilities. Web address: www.orioncommunities.org. During the week, the Phoenixville Area Senior Center serves a hot lunch to individuals 60 years or older. The organization also assists with daily transportation, health screenings, providing support groups and exercise programs, painting classes, chorus programs and many more educational and recreational activities for senior citizens. The Center serves seniors in Phoenixville, Spring City, East and West Pikeland, East and West Vincent, Charlestown and Schuylkill Townships. The Center exists to serve, support and enhance the lives of all senior citizens 60 years and older by providing opportunities in the way of programs and activities designed to promote active, independent, and healthy lifestyles. Web address: www.phoenixvilleseniorcenter.org. A special Advent offering envelope will be in the mail for you to use to make your gift. Advent offering envelops are also available in the Narthex. Thank you for your generous sharing! The Angel Tree Project Once again this December you will find an Angel Tree in the Narthex. 100% of the proceeds of the donations you make towards the ornaments on the tree or knitted goods beneath it will go to the payment of tuition for five girls at the Lutheran Secondary School for MaaSae Girls in Monduli, Tanzania. The United Nations has reported that raising the standard of education for women helps to substantially improve the life of the whole village. Tuition is $1,000 per student so our goal is $5,000 for our five St. John’s girls. Please pick out an ornament, a scarf, hat or mittens, make a donation and know that you are giving a future to girls in Tanzania and their villages. To learn more about this amazing school here’s a website to explore: http://www.bootstrapafrica.org/#!mglss/cllz. We thank Barbara Sell and her team of talented “crafters” who made the beautiful handmade ornaments which decorate the tree this year. We also thank our Knitting Group for their warm and beautiful gifts. We especially thank Joan Benne for all the hand-made cotton wash-cloths that are on the table. They make great stocking stuffers! If you would like to become more involved in the Angel Tree Project please call Sonya Sowards at (610) 933-3947 or email stjohnphoenixville.org. Thanks! 5 WELCA met on October 27th and shared a program led by Pastor Krommes about funeral planning. It was a wonderful sharing experience for all attending. Discussion involved scripture readings, liturgy selection and, of course, hymn selection. Those attending went home with assignments to complete. Since we will not meet in November we determined that the following would receive our monetary support: St. John’s Angel Tree, The Jacobsons, Silver Springs, Phoenixville Children’s Library, The House, Mom’s House, The Clinic, and Dawn’s House. Soups are still available, but not for long. Funds raised by afghan chances will be donated to St. John’s Youth Mission Trip. We will meet on December 1st to pack cookies and gift bags for shut-ins. Thank you for your continued support! Dear Friends at St. John’s: Thank you for your generous gift of Quilts and Kits for LWR’s distribution overseas. These gifts of your hearts and hands are beautiful expressions of God’s grace and love to people all around the world. Your gifts equip LWR to respond to some of the greatest and most urgent needs in the world today. In April and May, the people of Nepal were shaken by two earthquakes. Nearly 9,000 people died, more than 20,000 people were injured, and 505,745 homes were destroyed. Your work allowed LWR to respond with assistance to the people of Nepal— including distributing over 9,000 Quilts and 1,000 Personal Care Kits. In the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis, your gifts have enabled LWR to send Quilts, Baby Care Kits and Personal Care Kits to distribute to refugees and migrants in mid-September. Since October 2012, LWR has provided $7.05 million in assistance to Syrian refugees, reaching more than 235,912 people—an impossible task without your support for this ministry! So, on behalf of our neighbors in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and countless others in villages, schools, hospitals and refugee camps around the world, I extend deepest thanks for your contribution, and pray God’s richest blessings on your life and work as a community. In Christ, Melanie W. Gibbons Quilt and Ministry Manager, Lutheran World Relief 6 On Sunday mornings during December there are four learning opportunities for adults at St. John’s. Class locations are listed outside of Kley Hall near the church office. All the classes begin at 9:25 a.m. New folks are always welcomed. Happy Hour Originally designed for parents whose children were in Sunday school, last spring this class welcomed those who are new to faith and/or St. John’s. By exploring the weekly Gospel text and how it relates to our lives faith grows and, so do friendships. Many of those who participate in this group are engaged in the ministry of parenting so there are always connections being made and mutual support given. Sunday Morning Book Club In its 14th year, the Book Club is going strong and always welcomes new participants. Together the club decides what they are going to read. Discussion is always lively with much laughter. Beyond Sunday morning the club gathers for evenings at the movies, particularly enjoying films on books they have read together. Coordinator Jean Herbranson lets everyone know what’s happening through “Life Together” and our weekly email update. Faith Life Faith Life is for those who want to think deeply about what’s happening in the world in relationship to their faith. This weekly discussion is coordinated by our Dean of Education, Jack Ertell, and is led by people from a variety of specialties including science, politics, education, and health care. Animate: Practices This class explores what it means to be a Christian in our day lives. It talks about worship, prayer, sacrament, money, service, community and food. It is led by Sandra Zimmermann and through videos by leading thinkers in the Christian Church. Newcomers We are exploring a new way of welcoming newcomers to St. John’s call The WAY. Please speak with Pastor Krommes to learn more, especially if you are interested in becoming a member of St. John’s. An Adventure of a Lifetime! The ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission program invites ELCA young adults ages 21-29 into a transformative, year-long journey in international service. As they offer themselves in service, ELCA young adults are shaped by the witness of our global neighbors. They share in the journeys of companion churches and organizations in one of nine countries around the world, becoming the hands and feet of Jesus in the world, providing critical support to ministries and projects in communities of need. It also invites volunteers into a journey of self-reflection, providing space to consider their sense of identity, God’s work in the world, and their place within it all. Areas of service include, but are not limited to, health and development, congregational ministry, human rights, education, homelessness, addiction recovery, women’s issues and children and youth. All site placements provide opportunities for young adults to confront issues of wealth and poverty, racial privilege, economic disparity and globalization, all through the lens of faith. Applications for the program open on December 1, and are due Feb. 15 each year, for service beginning that same August. For further information contact YAGM at 1-800-638-3522, ext. 2446 or visit the website at http://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Global-Church/GlobalMission/Young-Adults-in-Global-Mission. 7 People of God Involved in God’s Work Early Service Ushers 6 December Schedule Early Service Late Service Acolytes 6 Jantzen Hawkins TBD 13 TBD TBD 20 TBD Karisa Saeger 24 Jantzen Hawkins TBD 27 TBD TBD Altar Guild 6 Janet Ertell & Leilani Ash 13 Jean Herbranson & Donna Anderson 20 Sandra Zimmermann 24 Jean Herbranson 27 Elena Wallace and Jean Herbranson Assisting Ministers 6 Brittney Walters Margaret Walters 13 Lynn Titus Sandra Stotler 20 Sandra Zimmerman Deb Ahola 24 Brittney Walters Dale Herbranson 27 George Mansur Sam Ahola Communion Assistants/Lectors 6 Erica Lucas (L) Jean Herbranson Luanne Bindschusz 13 April Liedike Jan Duerr (L) Dennis Duerr 20 Aimee Hillegas (L) Joe Beregi Pat Lucas 24 Barbara Powers (L) Rich Latella (L) Greg Powers Rich Skoniczin Margaret Walker Jack Ertell 27 Carol Cully Mitch Reading Kate Endres Coffee Hour 6 Senior Choir 13 Fellowship 20 Newcomers Counters 6 Jeanne & Jeff Schanzenbach, Sarah Bethune, Stephen Drewes 13 Ulrich Rimrott, Peg Yanoviak, Bill Kunsch, Peg Yerger 20 Jack Ertell, Ed Naylor, George & Ellie Kurtz 27 George Mansur, Imtiaz & Lilly Khan, Donna Anderson Creation Room 6 TBD Laura Geiger 13 Sarah Blattner Shannon Renner 20 Kelly Gallagher Mary Wenner 27 Amy Fox Sophie Seidel Lock-Up 6 Dick Wolstenholme Bill Starling 13 Bobbi Riley Kate Endres 20 Shelley Saeger Laura Caughlan 24 4p Brian Becker 7p Karen Singer 10p Allen Kramer 27 Dale Herbranson Kurt Seidel 13 20 24 27 Richard Latella Richard Skoniczin John Rawlins Seth Clark Don Titus Jessica Kramer George Mansur Bob Gorman Greg Krueger Chuck Liedike TBD Erica Lucas Joan Carl Late Service Barbara Rambo Aaron Sifford Ron Williams Bill Ahola Kate Endres Brian Becker Dennis Duerr Janice Duerr Paul Miller Donna Anderson John Westerman Jack Ertell St. John’s offers electronic giving, which allows you to make donations on a scheduled, automatic basis. If you are writing checks and preparing e n v e lo pe s e ve r y week, you will especially appreciate electronic giving. It is convenient for you and provides much-needed donation consistency for our church. This is another way to eliminate the cost of envelopes. To set up electronic donations, simply complete the authorization form available in the church office. Donations can be debited automatically from either a checking or savings account. Contact Sonya Sowards (610-933-3947 or [email protected]) to request an authorization form. Thank you for your faithfulness! 8 December 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 10:30a WELCA Cookie packing 12:30p PACA 7:30p Worship & Music 10:00a Bible Study 1:00p Staff Meeting 3:30p Social Ministry 4:45p Girl Scouts #4308 5:30p The Way joins Advent Party 6:15p Grief Group 6:30p Girl Scouts #4069 7:00p Alanon 7:00p Children’s Choir 7:30p Nicotine Anonymous 8:00p Adult Choir 10:00a Mom’s Monthly Mingle 5:30p Women’s AA/ Alanon 6:00p Daisy Troop #4514 7:00p Naranon 7:15p Handbells 10:00a MotherBaby Breastfeeding Connections 5:00p Evening Light 6 Bake Sale 7 8 9 10 11 12 8:00a HC 9:25a Christian Ed 10:45a SOW w/baptism of Mitchell James Reading 12:00p Knitting 1:00p Old Catholic Worship 3:00p Coventry Singers Concert 7:00p Pack 119 Webelos 7:30p Property Committee 7:30p Stephen Ministry 7:00p Christian Ed 7:00p Phoenixville Art Center 7:30p Columbarium 10:00a Bible Study 6:15p Grief Group 7:00p Alanon 7:00p Children’s Choir 7:30p Nicotine Anonymous 8:00p Adult Choir 5:30p Women’s AA/ Alanon 7:00p Naranon 7:15p Handbells 10:00a Mom’s Music Club 5:00p Evening Light 13 Confirmation Retreat Girl Scout Cookie Bake-Off 14 15 16 17 18 19 8:00a SOW 9:25a Christian Ed 10:45a HC 12:00p Knitting 1:00p Old Catholic Worship 2:00p Girl Scouts Juniors #4013 11:30a Mom’s Big Sisters/Infant Playgroup 7:30p Church Council 4:30p PACS Board 7:00p Fellowship 10:00a Bible Study 12:00n Young@Heart 4:30p Girl Scouts #4308 6:00p The Way 6:15p Grief Group 6:30p Girl Scouts #4069 7:00p Alanon 7:00p Children’s Choir 7:30p Nicotine Anonymous 8:00p Adult Choir 10:00a Mom’s Music Club 5:30p Women’s AA/ Alanon 6:00p Daisy Troop #4514 7:00p Naranon 7:15p Handbells 8:15p Naranon Support 10:00a MotherBaby Breastfeeding Connections 5:00p Evening Light 20 21 22 23 24 Christmas Eve 25 26 8:00a HC 9:25a Christian Ed 9:30a Electronics 10:45a SOW 12:00p Hanging of the Greens 12:00p Knitting 12:00p Procession Practice 7:30p Stephen Ministry 7:00p Stewardship 9:00a Circle Collating 10:00a Bible Study 7:00p Alanon 7:00p Children’s Choir 7:30p Nicotine Anonymous 8:00p Adult Choir 4:00p Children’s Service 5:30p Women’s AA/ Alanon 6:30p Music 7:00p Candlelight Service 7:00p Naranon 9:30p Music 10:00p Candlelight Service 27 28 29 30 31 8:00a HC 10:45a HC 12:00p Knitting 1:00p Old Catholic Worship 6:30p Kiwanis Board 7:30p Executive Committee 10:00a Bible Study 7:00p Alanon 7:30p Nicotine Anonymous 5:30p Women’s AA/ Alanon 7:00p Naranon Circle deadline 9 New Year’s Eve Christmas Day 5:00p Evening Light December 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 Bill Ahola Pat Clark Raymond Fulmer, Jr. LuAnne Bindschusz Eric Carr Beth Roesener Lindsey Jones Stephanie Leeper Don Titus 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Jill Keddie William Borowy Christopher Onder Peg Yanoviak Emmett Gruici Madison Myers Karen Roesener Phyllis Fleck Layla Lozada James Niness Christopher Duerr Molly Wallace Aaron Westerman Morgan Frees Amber Khan Taylor Peronteau Madelynn Doepping Jennifer Drewes Andrea Newman George Kurtz Claire New Barbara Powers Tina Deputy Justin O’Neill Dylan New Dave Volpe Dick Wolstenholme Megan Atkinson Walter Deichmann Nolan Leong Richard Martin Tim Leong Paula Weiss Mike Platchek Kathy Rentschler Mary Roesener Seth Clark Ryan Cadigan Carol Cully Cynthia Martin Jodi O’Neill 9 Allan & Ramona Moreland 17 Robert & Jean Donohue 27 Larry & Carole Ney 29 John & Pam Freehafer Mark & Deborah Wallace 30 10 William & Susan Shirk Jr. Pam Westerman Denise Moore Savanna Muller Sally Quinn RuthAnn Schell Jodi VanDerveer Deborah Wallace Ava Liedike Helen Manney Riley McBrearty Mary Miller St. John’s Lutheran Church 355 St. John’s Circle Phoenixville, PA 19460 610-933-3947 COMMITTEES Christian Education: Kathy Atkinson, Chairperson Allen Kramer, Shelley Saeger, Karen Singer, Council Reps. www.stjohnphoenixville.org Columbarium: George Mansur, Chairperson Bill Starling, Council Rep. E-mail: [email protected] CHURCH STAFF Lead Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Krommes Youth & Family Pastor: The Rev. Stacey-Kyle Rea Pastoral Associate: The Rev. Thomas Kochenderfer, Jr. Director of Music: F. Thomas Snyder, III Organist: John Quinn Evening Light Pianist: Sondra L. Andrews Parish Administrator: Sonya K. Sowards Custodian: Pat Fatale Nursery Coordinator: Arlene Hudak Stephen Ministry Leaders: Linda Landis — 610-935-9726 Lee Dalasio — 610-454-9884 CHURCH COUNCIL President: Dale Herbranson Vice President: Bill Starling Secretary: Laura Caughlan Treasurer: Shirley Platzer Assistant Treasurer: Rose Gatlos Financial Recording Secretary: Mary Heiser Fund 3 Secretary Kevin Gallagher Council Reps., Executive Cmte.: Brian Becker, Karen Singer Other Members of Church Council: Bobbi Riley Dick Wolstenholme Allen Kramer Kate Endres Kurt Seidel Shelley Saeger Electronics: William Schoellkopf, Chairperson Dale Herbranson, Council Rep. Change in Contact Information Dave & Mary Jane Frees 23538 Shannondell Blvd. Audubon, PA 19403 (610) 382-9339 Pat Kautz 1117 Holley Ferry Road Leesville, SC 29070 Pastoral Acts Executive: Bill Starling, Chairperson Weddings Fellowship: Sandra Zimmermann, Chairperson Allen Kramer, Council Rep. Ronald Williams Venus A. Hadeed October 25, 2015 Finance: Jack Ertell, Chairperson Brian Becker, Council Rep. Matthew R.P. Marsters Bernadette Kissinger November 1, 2015 Property: Keith Kenyon, Bill Schoellkopf Co-Chairpersons Dick Wolstenholme, Bobbi Riley Council Reps. Social Ministry: Debbe Welsh, Chairperson Laura Caughlan, Council Rep. Stewardship: Richard Kunsch, Chairperson Bill Starling, Council Rep. Welcoming Team: Aimee Hillegas, Chairperson Kate Endres, Kurt Seidel, Council Rep. Worship and Music: Jean Herbranson, Chairperson Jay Stearly, Council Rep. Office Assistants: Wayne Ledger Debbe Welsh June Henzie Peg Yerger Kathy Atkinson Dottie Doepping Beverly Ott Collators for The Circle: Joan Carl, June Henzie, Pete Henzie, Pat Renninger, Debbe Welsh, Kay Mann, Peg Yerger, Daisy Custer Florence Bickhart Postal Delivery: Debbe Welsh The Circle Editor: Sonya K. Sowards Reformation 500 – 2017 There will be a global celebration for the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. You can check out what’s planned for Wittenberg on the web. Closer to home, our Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod will be having special events. Here at St. John’s our Worship and Music Committee is thinking ahead too. If you would like to be part of planning our own St. John’s Reformation 500 celebration, please contact Sonya Sowards at (610) 9333947 or [email protected]. St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 355 St. John’s Circle Phoenixville, PA 19460-2582 NON. PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID SEPA 19399 PERMIT # 6117 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 2015 ST. JOHN’S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 355 St. John’s Circle Phoenixville, PA 19460-2582 610-933-3947 www.stjohnphoenixville.org E-mail: [email protected] A Caring, Sharing, Growing Congregation Participating in Stephen Ministry Fall/Winter Worship Schedule Saturday 5 p.m. (Evening Light) Holy Communion every Saturday Sunday 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Holy Communion @ Early Service 1st and 3rd Sundays Holy Communion @ Late Service 2nd and 4th Sundays Holy Communion @ Both Services Festival Days and 5th Sundays Handicapped Accessible THE CIRCLE