SEPTEMBER 2014 RALLY RECREATION DAY FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH GREENSBURG, PA WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON SEPTEMBER 7? RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

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1 FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 246 SOUTH MAIN STREET GREENSBURG, PA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID GREENSBURG, PA PERMIT #436 FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 246 South Main Street Greensburg, Pennsylvania T: F: felchurch.org PASTOR... Jerry Nuernberger PASTOR...Marleen Griffith-Stull DIRECTOR OF MUSIC....Marvin Huls CHURCH TREASURER.... Patti Sias OFFICE MANAGER.... Joanie Knobloch OFFICE SECRETARY...Patricia Pluck CUSTODIAN... Jaison Smith CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH GREENSBURG, PA PHONE FAX felchurch.org SEPTEMBER 2014 Kathy Acita Joe Bartlow Kip Douglas Boggs Rebecca Brunetta Dean Cichetti Rick Druschel Bob Errett Elinor Giovannini Teresa Graziotto Gwen Irwin Barbara Pascarella Wendy Piper WORSHIP WITH US Vice President President Secretary Sunday Church School 9:30 A.M. SCS does not meet in June, July or August Sunday Worship 8:15 A.M. & 10:45 A.M. Summer Schedule 8:15 A.M. & 10:00 A.M. Elevator and Hearing Assistance Available RALLY RECREATION DAY WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON SEPTEMBER 7? We are traveling to Israel to explore the 12 Tribes! Come and join us in First Lutheran Park at 10 AM that morning. (Worship at 8:15 will be in the sanctuary). We will worship outside and witness our faith to the town of Greensburg. We will learn a little about the history of the 12 tribes of Israel and how they fit into our faith story. We share a great meal together. Teams of all ages will explore our church as we look for the Tribes! We will have fun and learn about our faith! Be part of the fun and fellowship! Meet us at the Park on September 7!

2 LET S GET TOGETHER... Two New Ways For Us To Get To Know Each Other Better JAVA WITH PASTOR JERRY Let s get together for a cup of coffee! At each of the side doors at the front of the church and the center door at the rear of the church a coffee cup will be placed with a picture of me in Israel and the words JAVA WITH PASTOR JERRY on it. I invite you to pick one of the cups up, take it home, and give me a call to come over and visit with you. The visit doesn t need to be over anything of great significance, although it can be. I simply want to have a chance to spend time with you. I can come over to your home. We can meet at a coffee shop or restaurant. It s up to you. When I visit, I will retrieve the cup and place it back in the sanctuary. Let s get together for a cup of coffee (or a coke, or a lemonade). FOODCOURT FRIDAY S Every Friday I will eat my lunch at the Westmoreland Mall Foodcourt, and I invite you to join me. I ll try and be there around 11:45 and I ll wait around for about an hour. If you want to bring a friend, that would be great! There s a variety of food options from Panera s to Mexican and Asian and more! When the weather turns cold, I ll be there earlier so those of you who would like a little exercise can walk a lap or two of the mall with me. (Unfortunately, emergencies sometimes crop up, but I ll do my best to be there as regularly as possible.) FIRLU HAS HEARD -that our high school youth had a Christmas Party in the summer, at which they gathered new clothes. They donated these items to St Vincent de Paul, which were received with great thanks. -that as First s members go off to college or step out on their own, give us their address, and we ll keep in touch. -that Preschool students and teachers will return for classes Tuesday, Sept. 2. It will be a pleasure to see the children again their enthusiasm and excitement are refreshing! -that the Sacrament of Holy Baptism was given to Nathaniel Kip Boggs, son of Nathan and Amy. We rejoice in God s gift of new birth. -that congratulation go to Dave Mickley, Robin Seibel, and Kate Nuernberger, who completed the Bike 4 Life ride, a journey from West Newton to Washington DC. They, along with others, raised $40,000 for the mission of the American Red Cross. -that Continental Breakfast will resume on September 14. Coffee, tea, juices, yogurt, and pastries will be available in the fellowship hall between services. -that the JAVA TABLE will be open in the fellowship hall September 28 between worship services. Fair Trade coffees, teas, and chocolates will be available for purchase. -that assistance is greatly needed the third Thursday of the month by 8:00 a.m. to unload the truck and sort groceries for Food Pantry distribution. -that Angel Food cakes (home baked or purchased) are needed the first Sunday of every month for Meals on Wheels. Bring your cake to the church office. Thanks! -that the deadline for the October newsletter is Wednesday, September 17. Please be prompt. You may submit your articles to jknobloch@felchurch.org. See you at worship, FIRLU

3 A team of church council members has a goal of reaching every member listed in the church directory. However, it is difficult to reach those for whom we have no contact information. If you know how we can contact the people listed below, if you can provide us with information about the people below, please call the church office or have them the church office at office@felchurch.org We would appreciate an address, a phone number, an address anything to reestablish contact. SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR ALL AGES If you are over 3, there is a Sunday School class for you! This year our preschool through Elementary students will be studying a lesson from worship that week, so there will be great opportunities for families to talk about the lessons after Sunday morning together. Our 7 th and 8 th graders will be studying the Bible during Confirmation classes. Our High School students and college students are invited to join us at the FLY Café for lessons exploring the BIG questions of faith. Our adults will study a variety of lessons beginning with a study of the Gospel of Mark. Come and join us to grow in your faith! Erin Metz Mrs. Betsy Millar Mr. Ronald H. Miller Mr. Raymone W Miller Joyce Miller Ms Tammy Miller Mr. and Mrs. George Monchak Dr. Helen Monsour Mr. Ted Morgan Mr. Jeffrey D. Morgan Mrs. Dolores Mosco Mrs. Beatrice Mullen Joshua Murphy Mr. William T O Connell Mr. Dennis Ohr Miss Carol Orisini Mr. Howard T. Parker, Jr. Mrs. Laura Parmenter Mr. and Mrs. John Pearce Kathleen J Pershing Miss Margaret Picking Ms Sheryl Plischke Sheryl Poole Mrs. Rebecca Powers Ms. Enid Prettiman Mr. and Mrs. Reino Rauma Ms. Trisha Rhome Please provide us with any information about our missing members. We want to reconnect them with First Evangelical Lutheran Church if that is their desire! INSTALLATION OF SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS On September 7, we will install our Sunday School teachers for the school year. Come and join us to thank those who are using their gifts to teach God s Word and to bless them in their preparation for the weeks ahead. We will install the teachers at the 10 AM outdoor worship service that day! BIBLE PRESENTATIONS When children are baptized, their parents and godparents promise to place the scriptures in their hands. As a church, we promise to support the child who is baptized throughout his or her faith life. One of the ways First Evangelical Lutheran has done this is to give the gift of God s Word to our children. On Sunday, October 5 we will present Bibles to some of our youth. Please join us to rejoice in the gift of God s Word that day and celebrate with our students!

4 MONDAY NIGHTS IN THE WORD Beginning in September, we will resume our Monday Evening Bible Study. Come and join us at 7:00 PM on Monday, September 8. We will be studying 1 & 2 Peter to begin this year and will learn how the early church dealt with persecution and yet remained faithful to the gospel. There are many great lessons for us today in these letters! WOMEN OF THE ELCA NEWS Another season is upon us, and it happens to be my favorite. Fall, with all the beautiful colors and crisp, cool days is one of God' greater works. It is also a time of beginnings - school, choirs, Sunday school, and WELCA activities. SEPTEMBER 24TH - "NAUGHTY WOMEN OF THE BIBLE" Now how can that be? Come to the meeting and get the skinny on some lesser known women of the Bible, what they did and what it means to us today. We will be gathering at 6:00 PM, hopefully in the church pavilion. Following a brief meeting and the program, we will enjoy delicious deserts. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us. Additional general meetings will be held on March 15 and June 10; details will follow. Looking forward to seeing you as we gather in fellowship and the hearing of God's word and works. Your sister in Christ, Bonnie HAPPY BIRTHDAY FIRST LUTHERAN! I Love You No Matter What by Jarrett Rutland Little Blue knows his father loves him when he is good. But what if he isn t good? What if he spills his birdseed or forgets to clean his nest or is even mean to his sister? Will his father love him then? This delightful retelling of the story of the prodigal son reminds children that a parent s love is unconditional and that little ones are deeply loved no matter what! Bible Crafts 1 Step back in time to experience life in Bible times with these simple, quick-to-make craft ideas for children. Each Bible-based activity comes with a complete list of materials; indication of age group and time required; step-by-step instructions; simple Bible application; Bible verse, and great construction ideas for boys and girls for use in the classroom, at Sunday school and at home. Robin Good and His Not-So-Merry Men (DVD) A Veggietales lesson in handling hurt A long time ago, in the faraway town of Bethlingham, roved a band of merry men led by the fearless Robin Good. Their mission: to help people by fundraising from the rich and giving to the poor! But when a greedy Prince starts stealing the townspeople s hams, donations are down and Robin s friends take off and decide to give robbing from the rich a try. Feeling rejected, Robin thinks things can t get any worse, until he finds out that the ham-hoarding Prince has also captured his friends. Can Robin overcome his own hurt, rescue his friends and restore the townspeople s hope? Find out in this fun Veggie story where kids learn that there s no hurt too big for God! PLEASE CHECK YOUR SHELVES at home to see if you may have a misplaced book or DVD that belongs to First Lutheran s Library or Children s Library. In order to maintain our fine selection of materials for everyone to enjoy, we need to retrieve any unreturned books or DVD s that may have been forgotten. Please place them in the "Return Books Here tray in the Library or in the Library mailbox in the church office. Thank you. This year we are 230 years old! Keep your eyes open for the upcoming celebration.

5 SEPTEMBER LIBRARY NEWS First Lutheran Library is located on the second floor of the Christian education building. Please stop by after Sunday worship services or bring your children in before or after Sunday school class to check out a book or DVD. New Christian based materials are added each month. Serving At First In September /7 9/14 9/21 9/28 ACOLYTES New this month: Heaven is for Real (DVD) Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book, Heaven is for Real recounts the true story of a small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. His son Colton claims to have visited Heaven during a near death experience. Colton shares the details of his amazing journey with childlike innocence and speaks matter-of-factly about things that happened before his birth things he couldn t possibly have known. Grace, More than we deserve, greater than we imagine by Max Lucado Do you worry that you ve written too many checks on God s kindness account? Do you drag regrets like a broken bumper? Do you huff and puff more than you delight and rest? If so, then I have a word for you, Max Lucado invites, Grace. God has enough grace to pardon every sin, solve every dilemma, wipe every tear, and answer every question. It s more than we deserve and greater than we imagine. New in our Young Adult and Children s Library: NIV Teen Study Bible - #1 selling bible for teens As an on-the-go teen, you re moving fast. God is moving faster! The Teen Study Bible will help you keep in step with all he has done, is doing, and will do in the world and in your life. This bestselling Bible will help you discover the eternal truths of God s Word and apply them to the issues you face today. Throughout this Bible, an exciting feature called We Believe lays out the foundation of Christian faith by explaining the Apostles Creed, statement by statement, linking each one to the Bible passage that supports it. This feature will help you remember what Christians around the world agree on and will equip you to handle the many questions and challenges teens face regarding their faith. continued... Drew Erdman Rally ReCreation Kim Nicassio Bob Errett Dennis Acita Al Danilko Betty Mehan Jennifer McCanna Gabrielle Beaken Jordan Beaken Hazel Adams Malcolm Sias LECTORS Nick Nicassio Molly Krunszyinsky Julia Gogol Gail Armstrong Wendy Piper AV MINISTRY TEAM Drew Erdman Rick Druschel Helen Marie Flinner Delivery Dwight Miller Bailey DeTesta Betty Mohney ASSISTING MINISTERS Dianna Marusko 8:15 USHERS 10:45 USHERS ALTAR GUILD Denny Blank-chief Becky Blank Brian Erdman Dan Lucas-chief Scott Hahn Patti Sias Malcolm Sias Bobbie Laciak - Coordinator Carol Baker Emma Armstrong Tanner DeTesta Tyler Crosby Sue Boggs Alex Byers Liz Rowe Gretchen Jack Cheryl Lucas Rocco Marusko

6 September 2014 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday FOOD/HEART :15 W&S 10:00 W&S RALLY RECREATION DAY 16 8:15 W&S 9:30 SCS 10:45 W&S 21 8:15 W&S 9:30 SCS 10:45 W&S :00 Cong. Council 9 6:30 Personnel 16 10:30 Rebekah Circle 6:00 Finance 7:00 Christian Ed 7:00 Fellowship 10 FOOD/HEART FOOD/HEART NEWSLETTER DEADLINE 6:00 Information Technology FOOD/HEART 6:00 WELCA General Meeting 6:15 Bell Choir 7:00 Choir 7:30 Ruth Circle 18 FOOD PANTRY 6:15 Bell Choir 7:00 Choir FIRST LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL BACK TO SCHOOL BUS NEEDS YOUR HELP Our Preschool Bus is parked in the education building foyer. It contains green frog and blue monkey post-it note suggestions for supplies needed for this year s preschool classes. If you are willing to help, please remove a green frog suggestion sticker and purchase the item for the preschool. If you remove a blue monkey sticker with a financial gift suggestion, you may place your gift in the offering plate or turn it into the office and we will purchase the item. Our little ones and their teachers appreciate your gifts! 12:00 Youth 6:00 Property 7:00 Executive 6:15 Bell Choir 7:00 Choir 28 8:15 W&S 9:30 SCS 10:45 W&S :30 Social Ministry JAVA TABLE 6:30 Priscilla Circle