G L E A N I N G S. Vol. 22, No. 2 Summer Erica Dreabit, editor

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1 The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer G L E A N I N G S Vol. 22, No. 2 Summer 2017 Erica Dreabit, editor ericadreabit@gmail.com Message From the Pastor Acts 2- After the powerful Holy Spirit filled the disciples with faith, and the preaching of Peter: Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders & signs were done by the apostles. All who believed were together & had all things in common; they d sell their possessions & goods & distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread in homes & ate their food with glad & generous hearts, praising God & having the goodwill of all the people. Day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. I have friends who are revolutionary war-re-enactors. They dress up in costumes and gather with like-minded friends to spend the weekend pretending they are engaged in war for freedom. They don t want to re-fight the war, but this activity has such value to them, they re-live it: it is their heritage to remember the past, and celebrate a common identity. This pastime gives value to their lives; a shared history gives them a foundation for life today. I d like to apply this example to being Church today: we too have an incredible past that we shouldn t forget. The Church was born on the day of Pentecost, when the powerful Holy Spirit blew into Jerusalem, and the disciples (those who follow) became apostles (those sent out) -the gospel story they shared changed the lives of thousands. The Word of Jesus spread throughout the Mediterranean area, and even to Asia and Europe. The early church didn t have massive buildings for worship: they met in homes for worship and a shared meal. They did not erect walls between themselves and others on the basis of ethnic identity, racial differences or religious differences. The early church shared resources with all in need, and had the goodwill of all people. This is the pattern of our worship, and our life! The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 1

2 However, through time and social acceptance, the Church became just another social institution, bogged down by structure, dominance, and hierarchy. Too many folks standing on the sidelines, watching as if Church is a spectator sport. Much decision making is done by a small group at the center. This is not good: how can we, a small congregation, take a lesson from history? The answer is you! Simply look at scripture for the answer! (See the above paragraph!) The Pentecost is imperative: Go get em Are we being church? Being the Church isn t standing back, letting others do everything; our future is in your hands. The early Church was on fire with the power of the Holy Spirit that drew them to connect with other! Are we doing that? Do we come to worship a bit early so we can greet and visit with our neighbors? Do we remain behind after worship to check in and introduce ourselves to others? Are you interested in the activities of our mission? Offer to usher or serve as greeter or lector? Deliver altar flowers to the hospitalized and homebound? How about wash communion glasses? Pray for others on the Prayer Chain? Deliver meals to Daybreak? It is our active connections to others that give our lives purpose, and meaning. It is through our shared connections that give us faith. Consider our shared history Being involved is what gives purpose.. Come: step up and step in and be The Church! Your involvement makes a difference! See you in Church! Pastor Donna T. Deal Thank You - We are Blessed As another year of Sunday Church School comes to a conclusion, we want to thank all of the volunteers who have shared their time and talents with our children. Our SCS program is successful because of their willingness to participate and assist on Sunday mornings from September to May. Dorothy Beazley Lisa Dieter Dorothy Dilliard Lois Eisenhard Michelle Fister Rick Hanzlik Heidi Hartman Scott Hartman Diane Heinly Jane Helwig Cyndy Hillegass Beth Reccek Nicole Richards Debbie Stewart Martha Taremae Darcie Wolf Thanks also to Harry Schaeffer, Mary Richards and Pastor Donna who teach our confirmation students, and to Beth Landau, Verna Meckes and Hal Weiss who teach the Adult Sunday School Class. And finally, thank you to Michelle Fister for her assistance with the many tasks we bring to her in the church office. We are blessed and grateful for their ministry. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 2

3 SCS Save The Dates July 31 Aug. 3 from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. Vacation Bible School Registration forms are included in this Gleanings and are also available in the narthex. All children are welcome. Sunday, August 6 VBS children sing during worship Sunday, August 27 Blessing of the Backpacks during worship Sunday, September 9 A.M. Rally Day Confirmation Congratulations! On May 21, the following students completed the requirements of our Confirmation Program and were confirmed into membership: Bridget Danish Harrison Jetter Robert Mahar Nicholas Rode Justin Spack May God continue to bless them and strengthen them as they continue their journey of faith. Summer Choir Come One, Come All! Sing with the Summer Choir! Sunday June 18 Sunday September 3. (no choir August 6) Singers of all ages are invited! Anyone who loves to sing is welcome to participate in the Summer Choir. Come when you can, as often as you can, any time you can. We will sing music that is easy to learn in just one rehearsal. Our Cool Rehearsals are held in the Worship Center in the front pews near the piano. The parking lot door and the glass doors on the front porch will be opened at 9:15 a.m. Please come! All are welcome! Rehearsals on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Followed by Worship at 10:15 a.m. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 3

4 Children s Book Donations There is a box in the narthex for donations of gently used children s books. AAUW will place these books in the Lehigh Valley Public Assistance office at 7 th & Walnut in downtown Allentown. A child up to age 14 whose family is on public assistance may take home a book free of charge. Thank you for supporting this ongoing program. Please call Lois Nowack at with any questions. Mission Ministries Summer Project Spare Change for South Sudan Mission Ministries project for the Summer ( June 1 thru August 31) Spare Change for South Sudan is to help relieve the hunger caused by famine and civil war. Seven million people are affected, and many are children dying every day. A container will be placed in the Narthex for you to deposit your extra change to help feed the people in South Sudan. ELCA World Hunger will see that food reaches these starving people. Mission Ministries thanks you for participating in this appeal. Food Bank The needs of those less fortunate continue throughout the summer months so please continue to bring any nonperishable food item along to worship throughout the summer. Those listed below are of greatest need; however the Lehigh County Conference of Churches Food Bank will appreciate any nonperishable item. You can place your donation in the yellow wagon in the narthex. June canned fruit or vegetables July peanut butter & jelly August mac & cheese complete kits To meet the needs of the families needing assistance, please consider purchasing the larger size quantities of these items. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 4

5 Hello Everybody, A Note from the Council President I hope everyone has enjoyed another wonderful Easter season. So we now approach summer and thoughts of happy days and relaxing in the sun with friends and family fill the mind. I certainly could use some relaxing time. We all could, I m sure. What better way to decompress then to spend time with the ones you love. Looking forward to sharing moments with my crew, I m reminded that the church is also family. And like any family, we at Redeemer strive to support and inspire one another. "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25)." I take a quick look at what our ministries have been up to, and I m quite inspired. Our Education folks are busy preparing for another sure-to-be-successful Vacation Bible School. Our Mission team is contemplating a diaper drive. The Support team is busy working on getting a ramp installed. The Outreach team is in planning to set up a community garden. A refresh to our website is underway. As a group of churchgoers, we are active in our works and I certainly feel Redeemer lives up to the scripture reference above. I am most proud of this congregation and the work we do. Still, like any family, we have our challenges too. With the passing of time, we bear witness to the inevitability of change. Today s church is much different from grandmother s church and the church of today will likely not be the same church our children and their children get to experience. The world moves forward, time moves forward, and Redeemer moves forward right along with it all. As we look to our collective future, it is my hope that our family continues to strive to support and inspire one another. It is also my hope that we remain open-minded and optimistic in a rapidly changing world that challenges us each and every day to be faithful champions of Christ. I am confident we will. With that, I hope everyone has a safe and healthy summer and I look forward to sharing time with you all and together experiencing whatever the future has in store. Until then, Bob Dreabit Upcoming Daybreak Meals Redeemer Church often prepares a hot meal for the clients of the Daybreak Program, affiliated with the Lehigh County Council of Churches, now housed at Dubbs Church in downtown Allentown. This is a unique ministry of outreach gears for those who live on the edge of survival. We are truly doing the Lord s work by feeding those in need. Look for sign-up sheets in the narthex for these next dates: TUESDAY AUGUST 29TH ; TUESDAY OCTOBER 31ST. We need cooks, servers, and drivers. Cookie bakers may also contribute! The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 5

6 The Lutheran Church s 500th Anniversary Last year we celebrated Redeemer s 90th anniversary. This year, 2017, is the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. This is an opportunity for us, Redeemer Lutheran, to bear witness to the hope and joy we have through Jesus Christ. There will be opportunities to renew our knowledge of our incredible history: through Martin Luther s revolutionary work, our culture was changed forever. His writings changed the trajectory of The Church, and made a mark on history and culture: Martin Luther favored public education for all, even the poor children and girls. Luther wrote that the government had an obligation to care for the poor and indigent. Luther used the latest technology of his time (the printing press) to spread the message of his work. Luther was the first to risk changing worship to the language of the people, so the people could understand what was going on. Luther was the first to translate the Bible into his native language so the Bible could be read and understood by anyone. He was indeed a remarkable man. This fall there will be a midweek study on Luther s Catechism for us all: a morning class and an evening class will be offered. Look for a sign-up sheet in August! Saturday October 28th Redeemer has planned a pot-luck supper to celebrate this 500th anniversary with the showing of the Luther movie, and activities for children. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 6

7 Fall Activities to Put on Your Calendar Now God s Work, Our Hands Sunday, September 10th, Redeemer participates in the endeavor: God s work, Our hands Sunday an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. Mark your calendar today! God s work, Our hands is a reminder of who we are and what we do: On Rally Day, the SCS has a unique event, and our worship will invite you to become re-acquainted with the ministries that keep Redeemer moving, missions that connect us to our community and the movement of the spirit here and now. You will be invited personally to get involved in activities large and small. We urge you to be present to savor our sense of faith through our ministries, and you will be invited to participate by signing up for activities that serve the Lord. Involvement in ministries is part of our baptismal calling: To proclaim Christ through word and deed, to care for others and the world God made, and work for justice and peace. First Holy Communion Class Saturday, October 7th, 3 pm, Redeemer will hold an educational workshop to prepare children to receive their first Holy Communion. The requirements for this workshop: children should be able to read, are regular Sunday School attendees, and worship with their families (to follow the bulletin, sing the hymns and follow the service). This is an important distinction: if your child is unable or unwilling to worship, he/she is not ready to receive the sacrament. Please call the church office to register your child and a parent to attend this workshop. This class will last about 90 minutes. A parent needs to be present with their child for this training. CROP Walk for Hunger Sunday, October 8th, Redeemer will participate in the annual CROP Walk for Hunger in Allentown. All are invited to participate in this witness against hunger in our area. The walk begins at St. Timothy Lutheran on Ott Street. We sign in at 12:45 pm and the walk begins at 1:30 pm. There is a golden mile (a short walk), and a longer 6K through the city of Allentown. Our Confirmation Class is encouraged to do this walk, but all in the congregation are invited to participate. More information will be available shortly; ask your friends, family and neighbors to financially sponsor you for walking, the collected funds are donated to fight hunger in the Lehigh Valley through local food banks and soup kitchens. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 7

8 Outreach Committee News Website Update As many have heard, the Redeemer website recently went through an update. The website offers our neighbors and the outside world a sneak peek into who we are and what we do here at Redeemer. The website can be viewed at redeemerallentown.org. If you haven t yet visited the site, we encourage you to check it out. Any feedback can be submitted to Bob Dreabit by ing bdreabit@gmail.com. Redeemer Gardens - The Outreach team is always looking to find unique ways to integrate our collective ministry with the surrounding neighborhood. With the warming weather, our group was inspired to investigate setting up a community garden in our back yard area. Our first order of business is to clear out the lot to make room for our plots. This part is currently underway. We will likely be seeking volunteers in the near future to help with clean-up and some debris removal. We will also be looking to pass around some flyers to the neighbors and again we will take any help we can get when that time comes. So if you ve been thinking lately that you d like to get involved, the Outreach team will have some opportunities in the near future. Stay tuned. If you cannot wait and want to get more details right away, feel free to reach out to Vaughn Shappell, shappell@enter.net. Next Meeting - Our next meeting is Tuesday June 6 th at 7pm in Fellowship. Come join the fun. We have plenty of seats at the table. June Shut-In Birthdays 6/7: Nancy Long, Fellowship Community Courtyard #58, 3000 Fellowship Dr., Whitehall, PA July 7/29: Alton Kuhns, Phoebe Terrace #402, 1940 Turner St., Allentown, PA August 8/18: John Saylor, 1901 W Linden St, Apt. 408, Allentown, PA /24: William Zotter, Whitehall Manor, C-75, th St., Whitehall, PA The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 8

9 God s Work, Our Hands Our Ministry Continues Last year, the Education Ministry decided to Adopt A Kindergarten Classroom as our Rally Day outreach project. What a pleasure it has been to support this class and to experience and witness the growth in the 25 children in Mrs. Chaiko s class. They are so appreciative of our partnership and support. The children are excited every time the church ladies come into the classroom to assist. As a new school year approaches, the principal at Muhlenberg, Mr. Sizemore, asked if we would be willing to partner with all three Kindergarten classes at Muhlenberg School for the school year! Our ministry enjoys a challenge and so with your support, our Rally Day 2017 outreach project will provide school supplies for the children in Miriam Chaiko s, Sheila Harkins and Stephanie Thompson s Kindergarten classrooms. Our goal is to prepare 75 school kits on Sunday, September 10! Each child will receive a bag with the following items: (5) #2 Pencils (2) Erasers (3) Elmer s Glue Sticks (1) Children s scissors (blunt tip) (1) 24 count box of colored pencils (1) 24 count box of crayons (2) Beginner reading books Some additional day-to-day classroom items the teachers would also appreciate are: Additional glue sticks for the classroom Rolls of paper towels Boxes of tissues and wipes 25 watercolor paints Any assistance you can provide to achieve our goal would be greatly appreciated. You can place your donations in the collection box in the narthex throughout the summer. If you prefer to contribute funds toward the purchase of the school supplies, please make your check payable to Redeemer and indicate Muhlenberg on the memo line. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Richards, Cyndy Hillegass, Dottie Beazley, Darcie Wolf, Dottie Dilliard, Debbie Stewart or Lois Eisenhard. May we be a blessing as we have been blessed! The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 9

10 VBS: Surf Shack...Catch the Wave of God s Amazing Love Surf s up! Our VBS theme for 2017 is Surf Shack Catch the Wave of God s Amazing Love! This epic ride will take place at Redeemer from Monday, July 31 through Thursday, August 3, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The action for this Bible Adventure will find our surfers hanging ten as they head to the Story Deck (storytelling), Discover Dunes (science), Craft Hut (art), Recreation Station (games), Snack Shack (snacks), and Go with the Flow (Music)! Throughout the week the children will learn via our various activities that God Creates, God Helps, God Loves, and God Calms. Remember that the Lord is great and awesome (Nehemiah 4:14b) is our overall Bible verse for Surf Shack VBS. Sometimes we forget all that God has created for us and how we are expected to continue and care for that creation. God helps the world as we will learn through whatever ways He chooses, and He invites us to participate in that help. We are reminded of God s abiding love as we learn of Jesus baptism and the inauguration of His mission. God s awesome power is revealed in the calming of the storm by Jesus. Perhaps our faith is shaken by events that happen to us but we are reminded that we have nothing to fear if we have faith. God is always with us! Participants, be they quimbys, barneys or clubbies, will be joining us on Sunday, August 6 th at our 10:15 a.m. worship service as they share some of the songs that they have learned during our VBS week. Feel free to Catch the Wave of God s Amazing Love! A sign-up form is included in this issue and is also available in the Narthex. Needed Materials In an effort to prepare our areas of Redeemer for Surf Shack we are in need of the following items: 10 dark blue rectangular plastic tablecloths 10 light blue rectangular plastic tablecloths Explore More Online Redeemer s website: redeemerallentown.org Redeemer s Facebook: facebook.com/redeemerallentown Redeemer s Instagram: instagram.com/19stredeemer ELCA website: elca.org NE PA Synod website: godslove.org The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 822 N. 19th St, Allentown, PA redeemer1@rcn.com 10