ST. JOHN'S HEARTBEAT S T . J O H N ' S L U T H E R A N C H U R C H

4 0 S . S E C O N D S T R E E T , S L A T I N G T O N , P A 1 8 0 8 0 6 1 0 - 7 6 7 - 6 3 6 1 ( C H U R C H ) / 6 1 0 - 7 6 0 - 1 3 7 9 ( P A R S O N A G E )

E - M A I L A D D R E S S : s t j o h n s s l a t i n g @ e n t e r . n e t W e b s i t e : w w w . s t j o h n s l a t i n g t o n . o r g

SEPTEMBER, 2016 REV. RUSSELL F. HAAB, PASTOR

SHARON A. STEHLY, PARISH SECRETARY/BOOKKEEPER VOLUME 2016 ISSUE 09

MAILED 8/26/16

Dear Friends in Christ, Where has the Summer gone? It feels to me as if it seems to go by faster every year! School has started for many of the students in our congregation already and soon we will be back on our Fall schedule of activities, Sunday School, and worship. Rally Day is September 11. We return to our 8:00 & 10:15 A.M. Worship and our Education Hour at 9:00. Our Rally theme is God’s Work, Our Hands! How can we use our hands and the gifts that God has given us to share with others and the world? On that day we will be planting some flowers, blessing backpacks and book bags, installing Sunday School staff, and getting back to the Fall Schedule. It is also the day for one of our Free Community Meals from 11:30 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. Everyone is invited to share in the free meal. If you know of someone who might appreciate the meal, please invite them to join us. In the coming months after Pentecost when the altar is clothed in green Sunday after Sunday, we will find the lessons talking a lot

about what it means to grow —both as an individual and as a congregation. As we do that, it is a good thing to realize that we all grow differently and that God has not only made us each with individual talents and gifts, but calls us to use them differently in different seasons of our lives —just as different plants show themselves differently through the various seasons of the year. Perhaps we could even think of our congregation as a garden, where each of us is planted to grow in God's grace and blessings, living and sharing the Good News, and Making Christ Known. Also in September we will have a Social Media Sunday on September 25. There will be a special time for learning what Social Media is all about. Bring your questions and see some of the homegrown talent that uses Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and other Social Media platforms. See you in Church,

INSIDE: Anniversaries Pg. 10

Basket Social Pg. 7

Birthdays Pgs. 17&18

Blessing of Backpacks Pgs. 3&18

Building Hours Pg. 11

Calendar Pgs. 11&21

Catechism Class Pg. 2

Chicken/Sausage Dinner Pg. 6

Choir Start-up Pg. 2

Church Equipment Pg. 11

Coffee Hours Pg. 6

Community Luncheon Pg. 3

Electronic Giving Pg. 9

Financial Info. Pgs. 16&17

Furnace Fund Pg. 9

God’s Work, Our Hands Pg. 3

Harvest Home Pg. 6

Help Needed Pgs. 2-9

Hospitalizations Pg. 12

Ingathering Meeting Pg. 5

Jubilees Schedule Pg. 4

Lawn Rangers Pg. 3

Martin Luther Trip Pg. 4

Memorial Gifts Pg. 10

Mid-week Service Pg. 15

Miracle League Pg. 8

Mission Support Pg. 2

Participants Schedule Pg. 20

Pastoral Acts Pg. 12

Produce Sales Pg. 5

Public Relations Pg. 11

Rally Day Pgs. 3&18

School Supplies Pg. 8

Second Chance Meeting Pg. 4

Sewing Group Pg. 2

Sidewalk Drawings Pgs. 5&18

Social Media Sunday Pg. 5

Sponsors Needed Pg. 4

Sunday School Pulse Pg. 18

Synod Assembly Pgs. 9&19

Synod News Pg. 19

Thank you Notes Pgs. 13-15

Upcoming Events Pg. 7

Worship Schedule Pg. 2

Youth Fellowship Pg. 4

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In order to help you prepare for worship, we print the lectionary texts for each week. If you are helping a young child prepare for worship, look up the texts and read them together. Below is the schedule for the month of September:

September 4

16th Sunday After Pentecost 9:00 A.M. – Communion Service Lessons: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Philemon 1-21 Psalm 1 Luke 14:25-33

September 11

17th Sunday After Pentecost – Rally Sunday “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday 8:00 & 10:15 A.M. – Service of Word & Prayer 9:00 A.M. – Sunday School–Rally Day 11:30 A.M.–1:00 P.M. – Community Dinner Lessons: Exodus 32:7-14 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Psalm 51:1-10 Luke 15:1-10

September 18

18th Sunday After Pentecost 8:00 & 10:15 A.M – Communion Service 9:00 A.M. – Sunday School Lessons: Amos 8:4-7 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Psalm 113 Luke 16:1-13

September 25

19th Sunday After Pentecost – Harvest Home Social Media Sunday 8:00 & 10:15 A.M. – Service of Word & Prayer 9:00 A.M. – Sunday School–Sidewalk Chalk Drawing Contest Lessons: Amos:6-1a, 4-7 1 Timothy 6:6-19 Psalm 146 Luke 16:19-31 *****************************************

DORCAS SEWING CIRCLE

The Sewing Group will meet in the Fellowship Hall on Fridays, September 2 and 9, from 9:30 to 11:30 A.M.

Additional sewers or people willing to help lay out the fabric pieces to make quilts and lap robes are welcome to join us. If you are interested in helping, please come on the above Fridays or call Betsy Rauch at 610-767-8370. *****************************************

Senior Choir – Practices start on Wednesday, September 7, and will be held each Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the choir room. Come join us – new members are always welcome!!

Adult Handchime Choir – Practices will start later this fall. If you can count, you can play chimes!! Let Joanne Perich know if you are interested in playing. *****************************************

CATECHISM CLASS ENROLLMENT

All youth who are entering 7th grade or above in school this fall are invited to enroll in catechism class. An introductory meeting for the youth and at least one

parent/guardian will be held on Wednesday, September 7, at 7:00 P.M. in the Fellowship Hall. *****************************************

MISSION SUPPORT OFFERING

Part of your weekly offering can be designated for Mission Support by indicating that on the “For:” line on your envelope. The church mails Mission Support/World Hunger/special appeal donations into the synod office on a quarterly basis. *****************************************

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BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS

All students and teachers are invited to bring their backpacks, school bags, book bags, and laptops to church on Rally Sunday, September 11, for a service of blessing as we start the new school year.

***************************************** WE NEED YOU!

We are looking for several people to work together to team teach the Grade 2-4 Sunday School class. Dates are flexible; you can volunteer to teach every other week, one Sunday a month, one month a year, or whatever your schedule allows! The lessons require minimal planning and are very easy to teach. The Bible content is explained very well and step-by-step instructions are included. We have many other fun learning activities throughout the year reducing the number of Sundays lesson preparation is needed. Please see Debbie Cunfer or Pastor Haab for more information, to see a lesson guide, or to ask questions. Please help us raise up future leaders of our church! *****************************************

LAWN RANGERS NEEDED!

Help is needed into fall with cutting the grass and doing weeding and other yard chores at the church. If you can help,

please sign up on the Lawn Ranger sheet on the rear radiators of the church. Sign up for a week and cut the grass at your convenience (preferably Thursday through Saturday). A lawn mower is stored in the parsonage garage for your use. A fall clean-up will also be scheduled in October. *****************************************

Join us for Rally Day on Sunday, September 11, at 9:00 A.M. Rally Day is the first day of Sunday School for the new school year. Our theme again this year is “God’s Work, Our Hands”. Wear old clothes. We will be planting mums around the church grounds. We would like to borrow trowels from people to do the planting – just mark your name on the trowel and we’ll see that you get it back. See you on September 11th at Rally Day! *****************************************

GOD’S WORK, OUR HANDS SUNDAY/

COMMUNITY LUNCHEONS

September 11, 2016 is “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday, an opportunity to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Once again, St. John’s will be

hosting free community luncheons! The first will be held on Sunday, September 11, from 11:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. The menu for the first luncheon is a picnic-like meal including: hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, desserts, and beverages. Come and enjoy this free meal and future free meals with family and friends. You may bring a dessert to share, but it is not necessary. Reservations are appreciated and walk-ins are welcome! To make a reservation or help with this community lunch, contact the church office at 610-767-6361 or Lynn Haab at 610-760-1379. Mark your calendar now for these additional free community luncheons: November 6, 2016; January 8, 2017; March 5, 2017; and May 7, 2017. *****************************************

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YOUTH FELLOWSHIP START-UP

All youth from grades 7-12 are invited to be a part of St. John’s Youth Fellowship group. We will be planning

many fun and service-based activities throughout the year. Our first event will be to help with the community lunch on Sunday, September 11. We will meet in October to plan other events. *****************************************

SPONSORS NEEDED

There are some open dates this fall to sponsor bulletins and/or flowers. The cost to sponsor flowers is $35.00. The cost for sponsoring bulletins is $20.00.

Payment can be mailed to the church office or placed in your offering envelope on a Sunday indicating the payment is for bulletins and/or flowers. Open dates for the rest of this year are:

- Bulletins: September 11; October 2, 23 & 30; November 6 & 13; and December 4, 11, 24 (both services) & 25.

- Flowers: October 9, 16, & 23; November 6, 13, & 20; and December 11.

To sponsor bulletins or flowers for any open date, sign your name on the appropriate chart posted on the bulletin board outside the church office or call the office at 610-767-6361. *****************************************

JUBILEES SCHEDULE

The Jubilees will have their first fall meeting on Monday, September 12. They will meet in the church parking lot at 11:30 A.M. to carpool for

lunch at Simply Something in Palmerton. They will return to the Fellowship Hall at church after lunch for a meeting at 1:00 P.M. They will put together baskets for the W.I.S.H. basket social.

If you plan to go to lunch, please call Isabel Ringer at 610-767-4534 by Tuesday, September 6. New members are always welcome. *****************************************

SECOND CHANCE SHOPPE

FALL BOARD MEETINGS

The Second Chance Shoppe Board will meet at 11:00 A.M. in the Fellowship Hall on the following Tuesdays this fall: September 13, October 11, November 8, and December 13. *****************************************

ON THE TRAIL OF MARTIN LUTHER

MAY 10-20, 2017

An amazing milestone is coming up fast: 2017 marks a half a millennium from when Luther set the Reformation in motion and nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany back on

October 31, 1517. Go “On the Trail of Martin

Luther” and follow in the footsteps of this revolutionary man while celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Spend time with our group discovering the places where he lived, studied, worked and preached. One exciting inclusion is a visit to Erfurt which Martin Luther himself referred to as the "City of Towers." Join a local expert who will lead you on a walking tour of the city’s highlights and on to the Augustinian monastery where Luther lived and studied as a monk from 1505 to 1512. After the tour you are in for a special treat as you are invited to a prayer service in St. Augustine’s Church inside the monastery. Join us for this one-of-a-kind journey across Germany and deep into the history of the Reformation during this meaningful year. A travel talk hosted by St. John’s members, Tom and Barbara Campbell will be held on Wednesday, September 14, at 7:00 P.M. in the Fellowship Hall here at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Anyone who comes to the travel talk and books a trip will receive a $50 discount. A percentage of the trip cost will go to the church. *****************************************

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INGATHERING MEETING

A planning meeting for the annual Ingathering will be held at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Whitehall. on Tuesday, September 20, at 7:00 P.M. Come to the planning meeting with ideas on

what worthy cause to give donations to this year. Anyone interested in attending can contact Betsy Rauch at 610-767-8370. *****************************************

CALLING ALL GARDENERS

Did you plant a vegetable garden this year? If you did, you are invited to participate in the St. John’s Farmer’s Co-op. This fall we will continue to set up a table

in the Fellowship Hall near the kitchen. You can bring in extra vegetables/fruits you will not use to share with your St. John’s family. Others may purchase the vegetables/fruits, and what is left over may be donated to the Northern Lehigh Food Bank. So far this summer, $600 has been collected for the Northern Lehigh Food Bank from produce brought in and sold by Brian & Debbie Geiger and Stephen Stehly. Thank you to everyone supporting the Farmer’s Market and the Northern Lehigh Food Bank! *****************************************

MOVING?

If you are moving, or have just moved, please notify the church office of your new address and phone number so that our records are accurate. We do

receive address corrections from the post office at a fee. Help us keep our mailing costs down by notifying us of address changes before you move. Also please update us with contact numbers when getting a new phone number. *****************************************

YOUR VOTE COUNTS

On Sunday, September 25, the Sunday School children will again be participating in a Sidewalk Chalk Drawing Contest. Teams of

students will draw pictures of different Bible stories on the sidewalks in front of the church and at the parsonage.

We are asking congregation members to come to church a little early on September 25 and vote for your favorites in a variety of categories. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded. In case of rain, drawings will be done on poster board and displayed for voting in the Fellowship Hall.

We are also looking for adults to be safety patrols for this event. Since all of the children will be outside on the sidewalks, we need extra eyes to keep everyone safe. If you can help with this event, please sign up on the at the Parent Information Center in the Sunday School hallway, call the church office (610-767-6361), e-mail Ruthann Mantz at Rmantz4446@aol.com, or see Debbie Cunfer, or Pastor Haab. *****************************************

SOCIAL MEDIA SUNDAY

Social Media Sunday will be held on Sunday, September 26 #SMS16. Check into Facebook, update your status and tell everyone you are at church. Share something you heard in worship. Share a prayer.

Tweet the sermon. When the pastor says something that jumps out at you, tweet it! Instagram a selfie from church or a picture of your church – with people, of course; or the flowers or something. Make a pinboard about church and pin something from the church website. Video a part of the service and upload it to YouTube or use Facebook to do that, too! Snapchat a story from church. Don’t forget the #SMS16 hashtag! Come to the Fellowship Hall during the Sunday School hour on September 25 to understand more about Social Media. *****************************************

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HARVEST HOME SCHEDULED

Our annual Harvest Home celebration is scheduled for Sunday, September 25, at both services.

St. John’s will have an opportunity to provide needed items for the Northern Lehigh Food Bank. Financial contributions are also welcome. Specific items needed will be listed in the September bulletins. Members will be asked to place their gifts in special baskets in the narthex when they arrive at church. These gifts will be presented (by the ushers) when the regular weekly offering is presented. Members of the Worship and Music Committee will provide a special harvest display. Join us for this special celebration! *****************************************

COFFEE HOURS TO RESUME

The first coffee hour will be held on Sunday, October 2, between the services at 9:00 A.M. in the Fellowship Hall, sponsored

by the Jubilees. Stop in for some fellowship and food and to see anyone you missed over the summer. Coffee hours will be held the first Sunday of the month between the two services. Hosts and hostesses are needed each month. Please sign the coffee hour sign-up sheet at the rear of the church if you are willing to help provide baked goods for one of the coffee hours. The coffee and paper products are provided by the Catering Committee. *****************************************

CHECK YOUR E-MAIL!

Make sure to check your e-mail every Friday for the weekly e-update from St. John’s. If you don’t receive our weekly e-update, give us your e-mail address and we’ll add you to the list. Send information to stjohnsslating@enter.net. Also check our webpage and Facebook page to stay up-to-date on events. *****************************************

ROAST

CHICKEN &

SAUSAGE

DINNER SATURDAY,

OCTOBER 8

Seatings at the following times: 4:00, 4:45, 5:30, 6:15, and 7:00 P.M.

Cost: Adults – $9.00

Children (6-12) – $3.00 Children 5 and under – Free

Tickets are now on sale from any member of the Catering Committee, Sunday mornings in the Fellowship Hall, and in the church office

during the week.

Menu: Roast Chicken & Chicken Gravy Baked Fresh & Smoked Sausage

Potato Filling Mashed Potatoes Vegetables (two kinds) Dinner Rolls & Butter Homemade Desserts

Coffee, Tea, & Iced Tea

Anyone who can help with the dinner should contact Chad Miller at 484-623-4191 or Gary Miller at 610-767-6280.

Donations of baked goods are needed

and would be greatly appreciated. *****************************************

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep an eye out and mark your calendars for some future St. John’s events listed below:

- Sunday, October 9 – W.I.S.H. Basket Social - Sunday, October 30 – Reformation Sunday

and Halloween Party

- Sunday, November 6 – All Saints Sunday *****************************************

THE ANNUAL W.I.S.H. BASKET SOCIAL

The W.I.S.H. (Women Involved with Sharing & Helping) Circle will sponsor its annual Gift Basket Social on Sunday, October 9,

in the Fellowship Hall here at St. John’s. Doors will open at 12:00 Noon; the drawing will begin at 1:00 P.M. There will be light refreshments and seating available.

We are looking for gift basket donations for the basket social. The basket social is W.I.S.H.’s only fund raiser for the year. Profits from the basket social are donated to ongoing projects/ events at the church (general fund, community luncheons, Breakfast Bunch, and graduation dinner), the global church (Lutheran World Relief), and to help local families in need. You may contribute as follows: • A gift basket (value $15.00 or more). • Empty baskets or basket filler. • Items for a basket (we will put into a basket). • Door prizes. • Financial donation (any amount) to purchase

items for a basket.

All types of items/baskets are welcome. Here is a list of some basket themes from prior years’ socials: Baby Halloween Baking Holiday Items Bath Italian Beanies Lottery Ticket Bird Feed Money Tree Car Wash Movie Casino Nascar Christmas Northern Lehigh Cleaning Paperback Books

Coffee/Tea Pet Items Crafts Restaurants First Aid School Supplies Gardening Snack Items Gourmet Sport Teams Hair Items Wine & Cheese Any Children-related Items/Books

Basket donations can be dropped off in the Sunday School office or church office on Sundays, given to any member of W.I.S.H., or dropped off in the church office during normal business hours (Monday-Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M). Donations are needed no later than Monday, October 3. The W.I.S.H. members will organize the baskets on Monday, October 4, beginning at 6:00 P.M. in the education wing here at church. Basket Social tickets are now on sale. Tickets are $5.00 and can be purchased from any member of W.I.S.H. or in the church office during normal business hours. There will also be a sign-up sheet on the church office door for anyone who would like to donate finger foods for refreshments for the basket social. Help is also needed on the day of the basket social (October 9) in the following ways: • Basket transport personnel – to help carry

the baskets from the upstairs Sunday School rooms to the Fellowship Hall for the drawings.

• Refreshment help – keeping the trays stocked with snack goodies during the basket social.

• Ticket watchers – to watch peoples’ tickets who could not stay for the drawing to see if they won any baskets.

• Set-up help before and clean-up help after the basket social.

If you can help with any of the above needs, please sign your name on the sign-up sheet on the church office door or call the church office at 610-767-6361.

Thank you for your continued support of our basket social! *****************************************

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BE PART OF A “MIRACLE”

In keeping with this year’s theme, “God’s Work Our Hands”, the Youth Fellowship Class is again sponsoring a booth at the Miracle League trick or treat night. On

Wednesday, October 19, over 350 special needs children will come to the Miracle League sports complex in New Tripoli to trick or treat at over 50 booths sponsored by community groups.

We are in need of donations of the items listed below:

Individual snack-size bags of: candy goldfish chips popcorn fruit snacks pretzels

We would also like to give the parents of these special needs children small tokens such as:

pens small hand sanitizers small notepads

Donations can be placed in containers in the narthex, the Fellowship Hall, or at the Parent Information Center in the education building. Donations are needed by Sunday, October 16.

Thanks for helping us do God’s work! *****************************************

SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED

The Northern Lehigh Food Bank is collecting school supplies for children in need. Some of the supplies

students will need are: loose-leaf paper, 1" 3-ring binders, pens (black, blue, & red), pencils, highlighters, crayons, colored pencils, pencil case (cloth or plastic), large & extra-large book covers, and erasers. Donations may be brought to church and placed in the baskets for the food bank in the narthex throughout the fall. *****************************************

WORSHIP PARTICIPANTS NEEDED

We are in need of people to help with various duties during our worship services. The duty and the number of volunteers would determine how often you would be scheduled during the year. We are especially in need of

Assisting Ministers, Communion Assistants, Nursery Helpers, and Greeters (8:00 A.M.). Please consider signing up for at least one duty or an additional duty to what you are presently doing. If you are willing to volunteer for any of these duties, please complete the sheet below and place it in the offering plate or return it to the church office by Sunday, December 12. New participants would not be scheduled until February, 2017. If you have any questions on any of the positions, please contact the church office at 610-767-6361. ----------------------------------------------------------

Worship Service Participants

Name: _________________________________ Phone No.: ______________________________

Indicate Service Preferred 8:00 10:15 Either

Assisting Minister _____ _____ _____

Communion Assistant _____ _____ _____

Greeter _____ _____ _____

Usher _____ _____ _____

Altar Guild _____

Nursery _____

Presenter _____

Sound System Ministry _____

*****************************************

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2016 SYNOD ASSEMBLY

Barbara and Tom Campbell had the privilege of representing St. John’s along with Pastor Haab at the 2016 Synod Assembly held at the PPL Center in Allentown on June 17 & 18. The theme was “NEPA Synod Unleashed For Reformation 2017.” The assembly opened with worship led by Bishop Zeiser followed by reports of various committees and voting on resolutions. Among the many things that the ELCA supports are world hunger, struggling churches, scholarships for clerical students, and scholarships for campers. There are 270 churches in the synod district. Of these, 62 are new churches. Two-thirds of the synod budget comes from mission support. The keynote speaker was the Rev. Dr. Cheryl Peterson. She discussed what it means for a church to be unleashed by the Holy Spirit. There has been a 25% decline in church attendance since 1988. The fastest growing churches are the Pentecostal churches, especially in the south. The Reformation brought attention to the dramatic presence of God through the Holy Spirit to the people. The Holy Spirit unleashes us in the world. In her second address, the Rev. Dr. Peterson discussed the 12 suggested shifts that the church needs to make to survive and grow today. Among them are from survival to revival to allow the Spirit to work through us, from fear to bold proclamation, and from congregation to a wider network of relationships. Most importantly the speaker urged everyone to not only invite people in but to go out in the world, be involved with others, and show people the new life possible through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We enjoyed this opportunity to share this enlightening experience and represent our church. *****************************************

ELECTRONIC GIVING

St. John’s Lutheran has moved into the electronic age for giving! Enjoy the convenience of electronic giving which allows you to make donations on a scheduled automatic basis. If you are writing checks and preparing envelopes every week, you will enjoy electronic giving. It is convenient for you and provides much needed donation consistency for St. John’s. To get started, simply scan the QR code above with your smart phone. It will take you to our mobile online giving page. Create a profile and log in to set up automatic donations from a checking/savings account or credit/debit account. We can also take credit/debit card payments at church. See Pastor Haab if you want to make a donation with a credit/debit card. He can process the donation. *****************************************

FURNACE REPLACEMENT

The church furnace has been replaced! In January, an insurance inspector came out to the church and during his inspection of the boiler, a leak was found in the oil boiler. The boiler/furnace was installed over 30 years ago and had served our church well. Due to lower pressure gas lines in Slatington, an oil furnace is the best and least expensive choice. The new furnace will have much higher efficiency than the old furnace. A chimney liner was also needed for the new high-efficiency boiler. The approximate cost will be $25,000 for the boiler and chimney liner. The chimney liner was recently installed. We will need a re-inspection of the furnace for it to be fully connected. A Furnace Fund has been set up to take donations towards the new furnace and chimney liner. *****************************************

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Richard and Barbara Fox 47th on September 6

Vernon and Margaret Horn 46th on September 19

Harrison and Kathy Williams 45th on September 18

Jeffrey and Barbara Green 41st on September 13

Kerry and Melissa Haydt 41st on September 20

James and Trudy Marcucci 37th on September 1

Dennis and Carole Kleintop 37th on September 8

Charles and Sandra Maurer 37th on September 15

Barton III and Terri Behler 32nd on September 29

David and Christine Sigley 26th on September 8

Norman and Dodi Handwerk 21st on September 9

Terry and Heather Rehrig 16th on September 16

Timothy and Jamie Yeich 16th on September 20

Wayne and Tracey Shosh 14th on September 1

Christopher and Hayley Jones 11th on September 17

David and Rhonda Skinner 10th on September 11

Brian and Sandra Schaffer 9th on September 22

William and Tiffany Jennings 4th on September 1

Allen and Jennifer Hedmeck 4th on September 8

Patrick and Cassandra Brennand 3rd on September 28

Stephen and Rosalie Rupert 3rd on September 28

*****************************************

Donations to the Breakfast Bunch In Memory of Harrison H. Solt Jr. from

Donald & Harriet Felguieras

Donations to the Current Fund In Memory of Rich Mantz from

Mr. & Mrs. Lee Henninger

Donations to the Furnace Fund In Memory of the following:

Bruce Geiger from Brian & Debbie Geiger

Rich Mantz from the following: Burlene Balliet

Christian Education Committee Debbie Cunfer

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Kuntz Mr. & Mrs. Charles Perich Mr. & Mrs. Harold Rauch Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Stehly Sunday School Teachers

Donations to the Memorial Fund In Memory of Rich Mantz from

Mr. & Mrs. Lee Kreidler *****************************************

ALUMINUM TABS Aluminum tabs that are collected here at St. John’s benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children which provides free medical care. No child is turned away because of the inability to pay at a Shriners Hospital. If you know of a child that needs medical care, contact any Shriner for more information. Thank you and continue to bring the tabs to St. John’s for pick up. Clarence Smith collects the tabs for the Shriners Hospital. *****************************************

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PUBLIC RELATIONS

Do you have an upcoming event to be held here at St. John’s that you want the public to know about?

Then, Heather Truett is the person to contact. Heather has agreed to be the church’s public relations person getting out information to other churches or into the Blue Mountain Country Gazette, the Times News, or the Morning Call. Once your event has been okayed by the church office/church council, all you have to do is write up the information about the event, decide where you want the information sent to and e-mail all the information to Heather at heather4stjohns@yahoo.com. Give Heather enough lead time, and she will get the information out! Any questions, contact Heather. *****************************************

MASTER CALENDAR OF EVENTS

A master calendar of all events held on the church premises is retained in the church office to avoid double booking the available

rooms in the church and ensure the building is unlocked. Please make sure all meetings or events that your committee/ group/organization holds in the church are reserved with the office. Contact Sharon in the church office at 610-767-6361 (Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.) to reserve space in the church for your event.

You must complete a Facilities Use Request form,

which is available from the tract rack outside the office. Complete the form and give it to Sharon in the church office. Do NOT mark the event on the calendar posted on the bulletin board across from the church office; Sharon will mark dates on that calendar so people can see what is happening. The cost to rent the Fellowship Hall is $40; $50 if using the kitchen. Rental fees must be paid prior to the event. *****************************************

CHURCH BUILDING HOURS

The church office is open daily Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. (except for major holidays). The church building will be

locked any time there is not an event at the church. Anyone needing to get into the church building other than during normal business hours, should call the church office (610-767-6361) to make arrangements. When Sharon or Pastor Haab are alone in the

office during normal office hours, the church

doors, including the brown doors by the office,

will be locked. There is a door bell outside the

brown doors that you may ring to gain access

to the building.

***************************************** USED INK CARTRIDGES

Heather Miller is collecting used ink cartridges, cell phones, MP3 players, and laptops to earn money for the American Cancer Society and PA Breast Coalition. Boxes can be found in the Fellowship Hall and narthex for your convenience to leave your donations. Thank you for your continued donations to these worthy causes! *****************************************

CHURCH EQUIPMENT SIGN-OUTS

Anyone wanting to borrow church equipment (tables, chairs, coffee pots, etc.) for any outside events must call the church office at 610-767-6361 to reserve the

equipment ahead of the date the equipment is needed. When picking up the equipment, you must sign out the borrowed equipment on the sign-out sheet maintained in the church office. When returning the equipment, please sign your name with the date the equipment was returned. Sharon keeps the sign-out sheet in the church office. *****************************************

12

PASTORAL ACTS

Connor John Farrell

Son of Benjamin Szobo & Maria Luella (Balliet) Farrell

5-29-2016

Cailynn Paige Trainer

Daughter of Jason Steven & Christine Lynn (Delong) Trainer

5-29-2016

Tessa Marie Scanlon

Daughter of Jamie Timothy & Lauren Nicole (Rex) Scanlon

6-26-2016

Maximilien Martin John Carleton

Son of Michael Raymond & Jessica Anne (Perich) Carleton

7-24-2016

Lexi Kate Perich

Daughter of Andrew Charles & Angela Louise (Bittner) Perich

7-24-2016

Marie Agnes Hughes

5-25-2016 (non-member)

Richard Charles Mantz

7-11-2016

Arthur L. “Ted” Kistler

7-31-16 (non-member)

*****************************************

Addilyn Jean Maurer

Daughter of Justin Charles and Stephanie (Ziegler) Maurer was born on July 27, 2016

***************************************** HOSPITALIZATIONS

Please call the church office (610-767-6361) whenever a family member, neighbor, or friend who is a member of St. John’s is hospitalized or moves from one hospital

to another. Due to stricter privacy laws, hospitals do not notify the church when a member is admitted to the hospital. Please give the hospitals our church code of “290” when being admitted. Keep us informed of any hospitalizations so Pastor Haab can visit and keep people in our prayers. Please tell us if you do not want your name

published. The prayer list on the back of your bulletins each week will be emptied at the beginning of each month. We will maintain people recently in the hospital on the list but remove all others at the start of each month. Please call the church office (610-767-6361) if you would like yourself or a loved one to remain on the prayer list. *****************************************

13

THANK YOU NOTES

Thank you to our “lawn rangers” who cut the grass at church and the parsonage this summer: Paul Gass, Pastor Haab, Joe Krempasky, Joe Provenzano, and Stephen Stehly.

- Thank you to Stephanie Beers for planting the Easter lilies and tulips in the flower beds around the church.

- Thank you to Fianna Christman for planting the geraniums in the flower beds around the church.

- Thank you to Clarence Smith for planting the bulbs and flowers by the air conditioning units on the side of church.

- Thank you to Stephen Stehly for planting the impatiens, marigolds, and salvia in the flower beds around the church. -------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Pastor Haab,

Thank you for seeing Mildred Hetzer for her 100th birthday!

Dennis Blankovitch -------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friends,

Thank you for your donation of $537.58. We are a non-profit charitable organization. We have many volunteer opportunities available and continue operation because of your generosity. A warm heart felt THANK YOU!

Sincerely, Dale Breyfogle Director, Northern Lehigh Food Bank --------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to All of the Vacation Bible School volunteers who helped make this year’s Vacation Bible School (“VBS”) another great year.

Thank you to Lisa and Richard Shellhammer for making our mine cart for VBS and to Sharon Stehly and Pastor Haab for their help.

Thank you to Fianna Christman, Bob Cunfer, and Sharon Stehly for helping to take down the VBS decorations.

Debbie Cunfer -------------------------------------------------------------- Dear St. John’s Lutheran Sewing Group,

Greetings from Lutheran World Relief (“LWR”)! We’re so thankful for your partnership, and for your energy and enthusiasm for this ministry.

I’m excited to be able to share some details about where some of your items traveled in the last year. You may already have spotted in your online tracker record that your mission quilts went to Georgia. Your donations departed our warehouse in Baltimore on July 13, 2016. LWR’s partner in Georgia is the Union of Investments and Humanitarian Projects (“UIHP”). UIHP is a national non-profit in the Republic of Georgia. It provides assistance to disabled people, orphans, and other socially vulnerable groups. As part of this program, personal care kits, school kits, baby care kits, and mission quilts will be distributed to an estimated 25,000 people in central Georgia. These quilts and kits are invaluable during the cold winter months and provide a sense of security and dignity to those who receive them.

Thank you so much for bringing hope to our neighbors in need around the world. We thank God for you!

Continued blessing on your ministry! Melanie W. Gibbons Quilt & Kit Ministry Manager Lutheran World Relief --------------------------------------------------------------

14

THANK YOU NOTES

(Continued)

BREAKFAST BUNCH THANK YOU!

St. John’s Lutheran Church, once again this summer, hosted the 2016 Breakfast Bunch from Monday, June 13 through Friday, August 12. For

many, the Breakfast Bunch here at St. John’s was a familiar place to enjoy breakfast with friends and to receive a bagged lunch to go. For newcomers, it became a place of familiarity where they found new friendships along with breakfast and lunch. This year, 24 adult volunteers and 14 youth volunteers provided over 112 volunteer hours to serve 150 plus people more than 900 breakfasts and supply 700 + lunches. Adult volunteers included Debbie Barhight, Stephanie Beers, Sue Bowser, Marilyn Cerrone, MaryEllen Chandler, Allison Chruscial, Jane Distler, Tammy Dymond, Michelle Gass (weekly coordinator), Nina Green, Shawn Green, Russell Haab, Jodi Kocher, Sharon Karpiszin, Karen Kistler, Jodi Kocher (weekly coordinator), Joe Krempasky, Hali Kuntz (weekly coordinator), Joanne Perich (weekly coordinator), Janelle Reiser, Jill Schaefer, Sharon Stehly, Julie Wehr, and Naomi Werner. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! A special thank you to the weekly coordinators who allowed me to spend lots of time with family throughout the summer.

Several youth gave of their time to the Breakfast Bunch as well. These individuals were C. J. Fehr, Kryslyn Fehr, Piper Fehr, Emily Garbe, Julie Garbe, Victoria Halkias, Zachary Halkias, Madison Kocher, Connor McWilliams, Anee Reiser, Emme Reiser, Emma Snyder, Kayleigh Snyder and Maddie. [My apologies if I left anyone out of the volunteer list.] It always amazes me how God, our provider, brings forth new volunteers and restores previous volunteers to give of their time to our Breakfast Bunch program.

I am also amazed by the financial support that is received each year for the Breakfast Bunch. Individuals as well as community organizations and churches have given to feed the children living in the Slatington area for the past eight summers. Donors of support for 2016 include many individuals, Northern Lehigh Pastoral Association, Rotary Club of Slatington, Slatington Golf Tournament, Slatington Lions Club, St. Peter’s Methodist Church in Emerald, and Union Lutheran Church, Schnecksville.

An added program on Fridays in July at the Breakfast Bunch was a “Make a Healthy Snack” demonstration by Madison Kocher. Each Friday, Madison demonstrated how to make a simple, healthy recipe, had samples available for tasting, and provided ingredients to the children so they could make the snack at home. Books, word finds, and coloring sheets were also accessible for children to take home. Most Fridays children also took home a meal for the weekend – hotdogs, macaroni and cheese, soup, and pasta – were a few of the meals that went home.

As I said last year, and I believe it to be true again this year, the Breakfast Bunch is a blessing for all of our participants – eaters, servers, coordinators, food/supply providers, and financial givers!

In Christ’s Service, Lynn Haab !

-------------------------------------------------------------- Members of St. John’s,

My sincere thanks for the cards, food, visits, phone calls, and prayers after my recent surgery. Thank you to the church council for the fruit and snack basket. Thanks to Pastor Haab for the hospital visits with communion. It really means a lot to know that people are so caring.

Nancy Henninger --------------------------------------------------------------

15

THANK YOU NOTES

(Continued)

Dear Ringer Scholarship Committee,

I just want to thank the Ringer family as well as the scholarship committee for the generous scholarship you awarded me. It will help me greatly with continuing college expenses as I enter my second year at Boston University. The scholarship went directly to my tuition for the fall semester.

I actually enjoyed writing the essay for the scholarship, as I am majoring in journalism. This summer I was lucky to get an internship at the Times News, so many of you may have gotten to see the articles I wrote. I feel lucky to be part of such a warm church family as St. John’s.

Sincerely, Taylor Kocher

-------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Members of St. John’s,

I want to thank everyone for all the prayers and support Rich, Michael, and I received during Rich’s illness and death. From the day of diagnosis until now, everyone surrounded us with love and support and let us know we weren’t alone.

A special thanks to the Christian Education Committee and everyone who pitched in to make Bible School work this year, when I had to back out the day before it started. The snack basket was greatly appreciated.

I feel truly blessed to be a part of a church congregation that showed Christ’s love so beautifully to a family who needed it desperately.

Wishing you God’s Blessing, Ruthann Mantz --------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Ringer Scholarship Committee & Ringer Family,

Thank you for awarding me with this scholarship. It was a great honor to receive this award. This gift will help to go towards my college expenses at Lycoming College. Thank you again for the support. Brandon Miller -------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to everyone who donated towards our new choir gowns, especially the Second Chance Shoppe who gave $2,000 towards the new gowns! We should have the new gowns for this fall. Senior Choir Members -------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Ringer Scholarship Foundation,

Thank you for selecting me as a recipient of the Ringer Scholarship. The scholarship will be extremely helpful as I begin my journey at Elizabethtown to study Occupational Therapy.

Sincerely, Phoebe Thomasco *****************************************

MID-WEEK MID-DAY

COMMUNION SERVICES

Pastor Haab will conduct a mid-week, mid-day communion service on the first Wednesdays of the month this fall. The communion service will be held in the Fellowship Hall

at 11:30 A.M. on the following Wednesdays: September 7, October 5, November 9, and and December 7. The service will be similar to the communion service that was just held on the prior Sunday. Please join us this Fall for the mid-week, mid-day service, ***************************************

16

$$$FINANCIAL INFORMATION$$$

MAY 2016 DATE CHURCH

ATTENDANCE

OFFERING

CURRENT

FUND

BUILDING

FUND

FURNACE

FUND

5-1 36 + 67 $ 2,441.06 April 30 Balance $ 10,761.82 $ 2,678.60 $ 12,535.56

5-4* 4 N/A May Income 12,752.92 48.50 1,747.00

5-8 33 + 107 3,144.50 May Expenses 16,878.80 0.00 90.50

5-15 23 + 81 2,584.00 ** May Transfers + 12.45 0.00 0.00

5-22 25 + 80 1,963.50 May 31 Balance $ 6,648.39 $ 2,727.10 $ 14,192.06

5-29 18 + 89 2,332.75

Totals $ 12,465.81

* Offering from 5/4/16 mid-day communion service is included with 5/8/16 offering. ** Excess flower money transferred into Current Fund from Restricted Fund.

Offering for Operational Expenses Through 5/2016

Needed Each Week $ 3,268.27

Average Weekly Received $ 2,874.92

Budgeted to Date $ 71,901.94

Received to Date $ 63,248.34

Expenses to Date $ 69,555.34

Income-to-Date vs. Expenses-to-Date ($ 6,307.00)

JUNE 2016 DATE CHURCH

ATTENDANCE *

OFFERING

CURRENT

FUND

BUILDING

FUND

FURNACE

FUND

6-5 33 + 122 $ 3,236.81 May 31 Balance $ 6,648.39 $ 2,727.10 $ 14,192.06

6-12 120 1,929.16 June Income 8,547.78 43.00 9,002.00

6-19 80 1,632.00 June Expenses 14,015.81 857.52 2,800.00

6-26 128 1,680.00 June 30 Balance $ 1,180.36 $ 1,912.58 $ 20,394.06

Totals $ 8,477.97

* One service for the summer started on Sunday, June 12.

Offering for Operational Expenses Through 6/2016

Needed Each Week $ 3,268.27

Average Weekly Received $ 2,761.39

Budgeted to Date $ 84,975.02

Received to Date $ 71,796.12

Expenses to Date $ 83,571.15

Income-to-Date vs. Expenses-to-Date ($ 11,775.03)

17

$$$FINANCIAL INFORMATION$$$ (Continued)

JULY 2016 DATE CHURCH

ATTENDANCE

OFFERING

CURRENT

FUND

BUILDING

FUND

FURNACE

FUND

7-3 77 $ 2,859.50 June 30 Balance $ 1,180.36 $ 1,912.58 $ 20,394.06

7-10 56 1,720.50 July Income 10,695.50 39.00 2,012.00

7-17 55 1,581.00 July Expenses 11,444.26 217.27 0.00

7-24 85 2,601.00 July 31 Balance $ 431.60 $ 1,734.31 $ 22,406.06

7-31 60 1,933.50

Totals $ 10,695.50

Offering for Operational Expenses Through 7/2016

Needed Each Week $ 3,268.27

Average Weekly Received $ 2,661.02

Budgeted to Date $ 101,316.37

Received to Date $ 82,491.62

Expenses to Date $ 95,015.41

Income-to-Date vs. Expenses-to-Date ($ 12,523.79)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Birthday Greetings are extended to our "80 & Over" Group Members

Eleanor Eschbach Palmerton PA Celebrating her 85th Birthday on September 2. Lorraine Oswald Slatington PA Celebrating her 87th Birthday on September 8. Vernon Horn Slatington PA Celebrating his 84th Birthday on September 14. Margaret Parry Walnutport PA Celebrating her 88th Birthday on September 15.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

18

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL PULSE

SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE –

September 11 – 9:00 A.M. – RALLY DAY!! “God’s Work Our Hands” Sunday. All classes WEAR OLD CLOTHES – we will all plant mums around the church grounds to participate in God’s Work Our Hands Sunday. Anyone who can lend us a trowel for planting would be appreciated. In case of bad weather we will plant the flowers on September 18.

10:15 A.M. – “Blessing of the Backpacks” – bring your school bags, work bags and/or laptop bags to be blessed for the school/work year at the 10:15 A.M. service.

September 18 – 9:00 A.M. – Preschool-Grade 6 – Plan drawings for next week’s Sidewalk Chalk Contest. Youth Fellowship will be team captains. Youth Fellowship Class – Organizational class. Sign up for committees and projects.

September 25 – 9:00 A.M. – Sidewalk Chalk Drawing Contest – Teams of students will draw pictures of Bible stories on the sidewalks outside of the church and the parsonage. Members of the congregation will vote for their favorites in a variety of categories. In case of rain, drawings will be made on poster board and displayed in the Fellowship Hall for voting. Parents, we need extra help for safety patrols for this event. If you can help, please see Ruthann Mantz or Debbie Cunfer.

Harvest Home – Please bring cereal and juice for Northern Lehigh

Food Bank.

Please Return Your Family Sunday School Registration Form ASAP! We use the information on the forms frequently throughout the year. We don’t want your children to miss any activities because we don’t know how to reach you. We also rely on these forms in the event your child becomes ill during a Sunday

School activity or in case of severe weather, like the tornado watch during Bible School in 2013!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL FRIENDS Jordan Rehrig September 5 Abigail Wortmann September 19 Michael Majercak, Jr. September 9 Kyle Krempasky September 24 Chelsy Rehrig September 15 Hope Fine September 30 Paige Reph September 19

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR CRADLE ROLL FRIEND Lucas Press (2 years old) on September 4

If you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary and are not included

in our regular listing each month, it is because we do not have the

information. Please call the church office (610-767-6361) or e-mail

us at stjohnsslating@enter.net to keep us informed.

World Hunger Challenge

The assembly heard how earlier this year two members of the synod offered a challenge: “If the special offering for ELCA Word Hunger received at the 2016 Synod Assembly totals $15,000, we’ll match the $15,000!” In response to this challenge the congregations of our synod collected approximately $80,000, including a gift of $50,000 from Christ, Conyngham. With the match and additional contributions received after the Assembly, the synod was able to contribute over $96,000 to World Hunger.

Save the Date! June 2-3, 2017

Assembly 2017 will be held on June 2-3 at the Kalahari Resort in the Poconos. Mark your calendar now and plan to attend the grand finale of “UNLEASHED for Reformation 2017.”

Volume 24, Issue 8 September 2016

SYNOD NEWS Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA

ELCA RepresentativeAndrea Walker

On Friday and Saturday, June 17-18, approximately 500 delegates and visitors from congregations of the synod gathered for this year’s assembly. After reports from Bishop Zeiser and the officers of the synod, the Rev. Andrea L. Walker, ELCA Global Mission Area Director for Madagascar, West and Central Africa, brought greetings on behalf of Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and the entire

churchwide organization. She reminded the assembly that we are part of a larger story that makes up the ELCA. We are one church in 9,300 places, nearly 4 million people strong, “members of one another” (Romans 12:4-5) moving forward together. Rev. Walker reported on a variety of mission efforts both here and around the world. In 2015 the ELCA started 92 new congregations in the USA, including Common Ground in Wyomissing. We have also made tremendous progress in fighting hunger and malaria. Reporting on “Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA” she reported that after two years we have raised $80 million toward the five-year goal of $198 million. Our synod has raised nearly $550,000 so far. She presented a video from Presiding Bishop Eaton highlighting four strategic statements: We are church, We are Lutheran, We are church together, and We are church for the sake of the world.

For the second year the assembly enjoyed God’s Playground, an area set aside for celebrating ministries and other ways to be UNLEASHED. Those attending the assembly had several opportunities to wander through the Playground and interact with a variety of other folks.

Highlights from Synod Assembly 2016

Synod News is published monthly by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA 2354 Grove Road, Allentown PA 18109; 610-266-5101.

nepsinfo1988@gmail.com; www.godslove.org

Festival Worship Service

The assembly closed with a Festival Communion Service. The music and hymns were led by the Mark Mummert, who in 2015 served as Distinguished

Visiting Seminary Cantor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg; and by Aimée and Joel Pakan, a folk rock duo who perform together as Tangled Blue.

In his sermon Bishop Zeiser challenged the congregations of the synod to look at what they are hoarding, that is, what traditions and ideas they hang on to even though they may clutter a healthy relationship to Jesus Christ.

Spending Proposal for 2017

The assembly adopted a Spending Proposal for 2017. Because income for the past year was about $100,000 under budget, the finance committee proposed to reduce spending in the 2017 plan by the same amount. The proposal retains a split of 47% of income to the ELCA and 53% for synod operations. However, support for “Other Institution & Agency Support” was reduced from 10% of income to 8%.

The Synod Plants a Tree in Luthergarten

“Even if I knew that the world were to collapse tomorrow, I would still plant my apple tree today” (ascribed to Martin Luther). In 2017 Lutheran churches will commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, that had its beginnings in Lutherstadt Wittenberg. To commemorate this anniversary, the Luthergarten has been established in Wittenberg on the grounds of the former town fortifications. 500 trees will be planted in the Luthergarten and elsewhere in the town, as a concrete sign of the optimism so clearly expressed in Luther’s apple tree quote. The assembly heard how on June 13 a team from our synod visited Wittenberg and planted the tree, Tilia tomentosa ‘Brabant’ (Silver Linden Tree), identified as number 323.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Cheryl Peterson

The Rev. Dr. Cheryl M. Peterson, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Lutheran Theological Seminary in Ohio, offered two keynote presentations. In the first she talked about how the church needs to be freed from its captivity to “cultural Christianity” and unleashed for God’s ministry. Immigration and procreation will no longer

support our efforts. We must learn how to reach out to the so-called “nones,” who claim no religious affiliation but often describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” In her second presentation, Dr. Peterson talked about “Twelve Suggested Shifts for a church unleashed by the Spirit.” Some of these were “From survival to revival,” “From fear to bold proclamation,” “From planning to preparation,” and “From attractional to incarnational evangelism.” She emphasized the need for building relationships into an expansive, inclusive fellowship.

20

WORSHIP PARTICIPANTS (SEPTEMBER 4-OCTOBER 2, 2016) Date Serv. Ast.Min Com.Asst. Presenters Altar Guild Greeters Nursery Ushers

September 4 (C) 9:00 Harrison

Williams

Cheryl Burke

& Myra

Handwerk

Denise &

Hunter Miller

Janet Shankweiler

& Stephen Stehly

Sue Freed &

Lisa Shellhammer

Chad Miller (DIC) Tom Campbell,

Ronnie Humanick, & Ken Staller

September 11

Rally Day

8:00 Debbie Barhight Stephen Stehly & Justin Smoyer

September 11

Rally Day

10:15 Karen Kreglow

& Sharon Stehly

Paul & Michelle

Gass

Angela

Henninger

Wayne Rauch (DIC), Nancy

Rehrig, Lisa Shellhammer,

& Matt Truett

September 18 (C) 8:00 Lynn

Haab

Lynne

Fedorcha

Harriet Felguieras Paul Gass & Fianna Christman

September 18 (C) 10:15 Stephen

Stehly

Ruthann

Mantz &

Sharon Stehly

Richard &

Judy Muthard

Sue Freed

& Erin Snyder

Joe & April

Krempasky

Linda Humanick Janet Shankweiler (DIC), Debbie

Cunfer, Robert Cunfer, & Mark

Wehr

September 25 8:00 Ron & Hali Kuntz Terry Eschbach & Clarence Smith

September 25

Harvest Home

10:15 Stephanie Beers

& Doris

Betzenberger

Linda Humanick Jodi & Maddie

Kocher

Erin Snyder (DIC), Brian Geiger,

Ruthann Mantz, & Carol Miller

October 2 (C) 8:00 Lynne

Fedorcha

Fianna

Christman

Lynn Haab Chad Miller & Dale Pugh

October 2 (C) 10:15 Jodi

Kocher

Sharon &

Stephen

Stehly

Debbie Cunfer

& Lynn Haab

Janet Shankweiler

& Stephen Stehly

Richard & Judy

Muthard

Karen Kreglow Stephen Stehly (DIC), Lynne

Fedorcha, Darin Handwerk,

& Ronnie Humanick

It is your responsibility to find a replacement if you cannot serve on a Sunday and notify the church office at 610-767-6361 or e-mail at stjohnsslating@enter.net of the change by Wednesday.

WORSHIP PARTICIPANTS (SEPTEMBER 4-OCTOBER 2, 2016) Date Time Bellringer Crucifer Banner Bearer Lector Acolyte

September 4 (C) 9:00 Matthew Peters Kayleigh Snyder Hunter Miller Lynn Haab Michael Majercak

September 11-Rally Day 8:00 Carlton Davies

September 11-Rally Day 10:15 Kiera Shellhammer Madison Peters Matthew Peters Harrison Williams Brenton Krempasky

September 18 (C) 8:00 Sean Kreglow

September 18 (C) 10:15 Kayleigh Snyder Kiera Shellhammer Egan Bellesfield Julie Wehr Lucas Rauch

September 25 8:00 Hunter Miller

September 25 10:15 Egan Bellesfield Zachari Halkias Carlton Davies Cheryl Burke Egan Bellesfield

October 2 (C) 8:00 Anne Reiser

October 2 (C) 10:15 Tyler Henninger Shelby Kreglow Sean Kreglow Sharon Stehly Madison Kocher

21

SEPTEMBER 2016 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

8/28 15th Sunday after Pentecost

9:00 The Service

8:00 A.A.

8/29 8/30

8/31

10:00 Zumba Gold

11:00 TOPS

1

8:00 A.A.

2

9:30 Sewing

3

4 16th Sunday after Pentecost

9:00 Holy Communion

8:00 A.A.

5 Labor Day

CHURCH

BUILDING

CLOSED

6

7

10:00 Zumba Gold

11:00 TOPS

11:30 Mid-week

Communion Service

7:00 Catechism Mtg.

with Parents

7:00 Senior Choir

8

6:00 IMPACT Mtg.

8:00 A.A.

9

9:30 Sewing

10

11 17th Sunday after Pentecost

God’s Work Our Hands Sunday

Rally Sunday

Patriot Day / Grandparents Day

8:00 & 10:15 The Service

9:00 Sunday School-Rally Day

10:15 Blessing of the Backpacks

11:30-1:00 Community Lunch

8:00 A.A.

12

11:30 Jubilees-

Lunch at Simply

Something

1:00 Jubilees Mtg.

13

11:00 Second

Chance Shoppe

Meeting

14

10:00 Zumba Gold

11:00 TOPS

6:00 Catechism

5:30 Schedule Mtg.

7:00 Senior Choir

7:00 Travel Talk

15

8:00 A.A.

October/November

Newsletter

Deadline

16 17

18 18th Sunday after Pentecost

8:00 & 10:15 Holy Communion

9:00 Sunday School

8:00 A.A.

19

St. John’s 148th

Anniversary

20

7:00 Ingathering

Meeting at

Shepherd of the

Hills, Whitehall

21

Autumn Begins

10:00 Zumba Gold

11:00 TOPS

6:30 Church Council

7:00 Senior Choir

22

6:00 IMPACT Mtg.

8:00 A.A.

23

24

25 19th Sunday after Pentecost

Harvest Home

Social Media Sunday

8:00 & 10:15 The Service

9:00 Sunday School-Sidewalk

Chalk

Drawing Contest

8:00 A.A.

26 27

1:00 Collate

October/November

Newsletter

28

10:00 Zumba Gold

11:00 TOPS

6:00 Catechism

7:00 Senior Choir

29

8:00 A.A.

30

10/1