Faith s Blessings OCTOBER 2014

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1 FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH 6567 Glades Pike Somerset, PA Sunday Worship 9 am Sunday Church School 10:30 am NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Somerset, PA PERMIT NO. 6 Faith s Blessings 6567 Glades Pike Somerset, PA (O) (H) OCTOBER 2014 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED One of the predominant church themes for the month of October is Reformation. That brings to mind such Martin Luther scenes as the Posting of the 95 Theses, or of Luther defiantly declaring, I cannot and will not recant! Reformation is an ongoing process. Luther s personal search for salvation eventually led to his appointment to teach at the University. To teach responsibly, he was forced to study Scripture more deeply than he had ever studied before. It was in studying scripture that his personal crisis over salvation was finally resolved: salvation was a gift of pure grace that no one can ever hope to earn! His new insights into the content of the Bible soon led him to take issue with some of the theology and practices of the church of his day. When he questioned the practices of indulgences, the very lucrative sale of papers reducing the stay of a soul in purgatory, the corrupt powers of the church reacted, and Luther was eventually excommunicated. Luther s intention was never to create a new church, and certainly not a church that was identified by his name. But to remain true to his understanding of the Bible and God s calling, he did what he needed to do. Fortunately or unfortunately, the Reformation did not end with Luther. God calls us to stay open to his Word and to continue to explore his Word, searching for the ways in which God s Word speaks to our world today. There is always room for growth and change, but we must take care that any change we make is Spirit-led and consistent with God s Holy Word. Are you interested in hearing more about Luther? There are several DVD/VCR tapes in the church library. Where might God be calling you to change today? Where might God be calling his church to change? Make sure you stay tuned to God s Word so that you will hear his answers! Your Partner in Christ s Service, Pr. Ardelle

2 Faith s Blessings Page 2 Faith s Blessings Page 11 FAITH NEWS Sequanota Capital Appeal New Address M/M Brian Weyant 796 Klink Hollow Rd Rockwood PA M/M Andrew Walker 9834 Presidential Dr., Apt. 306 Allison Park PA M/M Michael Sulkowski 1405 Poplar St. Greensburg PA ALSM Update Sandy Pyle collected $175 for ALSM which represents 5 applications. Thank you for your support of ALSM! Michelle Custer 10-2 Hannah Gross 10-2 Blair Walker 10-3 Joeleen Everett 10-4 Jeff Marteeny 10-5 Michele Shaffer 10-5 Madison Begalla 10-7 Gary Shaffer 10-7 Zachary Fike 10-8 Matthew Walker 10-8 Karen Young 10-8 Courtney Ball Mollie Walker Zac Foster Brenda Friedline Tim Speelman Lori Dill Bill Hoffman, II Chris Miller David Miller Mike Shepley Bill Nist Beth Raupach Susan Latuch Brandy Shepley Liz Helmick Brenda Fike Keri Friedline Brian Shaffer Beth Lane Josh Trent Trish Trevarrow John Heiple Mirabela Tweardy Doug Miller Denny Young This month, Faith will launch the congregational phase of the $1.2 million Capital Funds Appeal for Camp Sequanota. A good half of this sum will be dedicated to repairing and restoring the pool. (The pool is seriously showing its age, and causes a great deal of worry each year: will the pool survive this summer?!) At the August council meeting, it was decided that $1000 from the youth share of the Flea Market money would be put into the Capital Appeal Fund. Pastor George, assisted by Tom Walker and Jacob Maust, will introduce the program and explain what we need to do to get on board, please read the enclosed letter. Sequanota Upcoming Events Adult Day Workshop: October 2 from 9 am 2:30 pm Cost $10 includes lunch Bring a Bible (any translation) and a pen or pencil, and discuss with Rev. Nathan Pile how our faith impacts ecology and caring for creation. Dress comfortably. Meet at the Enrichment Center. Crafting Retreat: October Cost includes lodging, all meals, internet access and programming. Weekend $115 (Fri. 6:30 pm-sun. 2 pm) single occupancy, add $20 per night One overnight $75 (you pick Friday night or Saturday night) Day fee $35 (Saturday 9 am 9 pm) Accommodations will be in the Enrichment Center and you will have table space outside your room to leave your craft up all weekend. A special THANK YOU to the SUPERSTAR GROUP who assemble the newsletter every month! Dan and Dawn Walker yrs. Gene and Elaine Hillegas yrs. Fall Benefit Auction: October 25 5 pm appetizers and Silent Auction begins 6 pm Auction begins Cost $10 per person for Tapas (appetizers) Join us for a fun evening! Auctioneers Revs. David Bowman and Nathan Pile have quilts, sports tickets, pottery, Christmas cookies, get-a-ways, Nathan s favorite chair and much more. Hope to see you there!!

3 Faith s Blessings Page 10 Faith s Blessings Page 3 Octoberfest Mark your calendar and make plans to join us Saturday evening, October 25 at 5 pm in the fellowship hall to celebrate Octoberfest. Kielbasa, hot dogs, sauerkraut, buns, coffee, punch and place settings will be provided. The social committee would like you to bring a covered dish to share. Join us for an evening of good food and good fellowship! Blanket Sunday Faith will be collecting cash donations for Blanket Sunday on October 5. There will be envelopes in your bulletin and also on the table in the Narthex. Thank you! Thank You! Thanks to Elaine Hillegas, our third grade youth also received a personalized Bible tote to store and carry their new Bibles received on September 14. Children younger than third grade received Bible story books to read with their parents. Please continue to encourage our kids to keep reading the Bible! Pastor Ardelle has been meeting with a small group of people to study the Book of Jonah. We have been discovering that there are even bigger issues to deal with in Jonah than a great fish! Come and join us as we laugh at crusty sailors commanding the prophet to pray and animals being dressed in sackcloth - and then discover that, as we judge Jonah, we are also judging ourselves! We are still offering two classes: one at Sunday evening, and one at 10 am Tuesday morning. COUNCIL MINUTES Faith Council met August 14 with 7 members and Pr. Ardelle present. Dave Pugh opened the meeting with devotions. Following this, June s council minutes, Pastors report and Treasurer s report were all approved. Committee Reports Finance Tally sheet was reviewed Social On Aug. 30 there will be a hayride and corn roast. On Oct. 25, Octoberfest will be held. Sept. 29 thru Oct. 3, Faith will provide desserts for Meals on Wheels Worship Healing service Aug. 24 and again on Oct. 19. A Narrative communion will be Sept. 21. Confirmation Oct. 26; Billy and Brock Bowers, Megan Helmick and Brianna Weyant will be confirmed. Hymns are picked through Sept. Education Jonah/Ruth study will be held on Sun. evenings and Tue. mornings. Loretta Weyant is the new Sunday school Superintendant. God s Work our Hands practice will be Sept. 3 with the program presented at Siemon s on Sept. 7. Pizza and a movie Sept. 13 at 5 pm. Bibles will be handed out Sept. 14 to our 3rd graders; Dylila Plum, Will Brant, Kallista Lake, Jack Loeffert and Jackalynn Lohr Property Carl ordered parts for the heat pump. Dave Walker will fix the steps at the choir room. Herb Walker was asked about sealing the cracks in the parking lot. It was also pointed out that certain repairs are needed at the playground; the entrance slabs at pavilion need work Youth Still looking for a leader. The National Youth Gathering will be in Detroit MI in There is money available. It was the consensus that the youth part of the funds from the Flea Market go to help cover the cost of Operation Christmas Child mailing ($250) and to Sequanota Capital Appeal Campaign ($1000). Sequanota Day Camp was a huge success; agreed that a plan needs to be put into effect and a date picked early for A suggestion was made to eliminate the Computer Lab fund and move into the General Fund for Education. Motion made, 2nd and carried. (continued on page 4)

4 Faith s Blessings Page 4 Faith s Blessings Page 9 COUNCIL MINUTES Old Business The second communion table needs to be made to fit the second set of different sized communion plates. The Sequanota Capital Fund Appeal will begin in October. New Business The pressure tank and a resin tank both needed to be replaced at the parsonage. The ultra-violet light also needed a new motherboard installed. Chad Delancey has made a request to remove his name from associate membership. Faith donated $50 to youth at Sequanota for the food pantry at Zion Lutheran under the Catching Fire program. A motion was made, 2nd and approved for Faith to give $30 to Relay for Life to help cover the cost of printing the 2015 fund raising calendar. Dave Pyle was approached about the Banner rack to organize the banners currently stored in the choir room. It was mentioned that Abby Revello, who is going on a mission trip, still needs $1500 additional in funds for her trip. An announcement will be put in the bulletin and newsletter with her address. Second offering for October will be for Lutheran Disaster Relief and November will be for Pangani House. Good of the Order Next council meeting Sept. 11 with Jeanetta Shaffer having devotions. Motion made and 2nd to adjourn. Closed with the Lord s Prayer. Katey Hill October Second Offering The second offering for October which will be collected October 12 has been designated for Lutheran Disaster Response. Your gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response help the church respond to the needs of people and communities after a disaster strikes. Working in collaboration with other disaster response organizations and church entities enables the wisest use of resources and most effective response. Operation Christmas Child The collection of items for the shoeboxes is doing GREAT! The item being collected for the month of October is girls costume jewelry and small LED flashlights with extra batteries. We plan on packing shoeboxes on Sunday, Nov. 16 beginning at 2 pm. Supper will be provided. Since the month of November items MUST be here by the 16th, here is a heads up of the item being collected. We are looking for matchbox cars, yoyos, jump ropes, kazoos, harmonicas, and other small toys. Early Communion Class Are your Baptized children communing? Would they like to begin? Whether your children are already communing or not, please bring them to the Early Communion Class at 2 pm on October 19. Pr. Ardelle will explore with them what happens in our sacraments. Of course, none of us can fully appreciate what happens in the sacrament. Yet, youngsters may absorb more than we give them credit for! In a variety of ways, including crafts and stories, we explore a different aspect of the sacrament each year. (Once the children are involved in the Catechism Class, they don t need to come to the Early Communion Class.) Parents are encouraged to attend the class with their children. You are on the frontline for questions that may follow - you may want to know what they really heard! If you or your child are not Baptized, please call Pr. Ardelle to make arrangements.

5 Faith s Blessings Page 6 Faith s Blessings Page 7 OCTOBER 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2nd offering is for Lutheran Disaster Response 1 Choir 7:30 pm FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH 2014 TREASURER'S REPORT 2014 Previous August Totals Month INCOME Current 18, , , Benevolence 2, , Missionary Support , Building/Maint. 1, , Misc. In/Out 3, , , TOTAL INCOME 25, , , Pentecost 17 Worship 9 am Blanket Sunday 6 Committees 7 10 am 8 Adult bells Choir 7:30 pm 9 Council EXPENSES Proposal Total Ministries , , Operating 3, , , Payroll Taxes , Total Payroll 16, , , Pentecost18 Worship 9 am 2nd offering (Lutheran Disaster Relief) 13 WELCA am 15 Royal Ringers Choir 7:30 pm Outreach Benevolence , , World Hunger Missionary Support , , nd Offering , Other 1, , , Food Pantry Chamber Dues Total Outreach 3, , , Pentecost 19 Healing Svc. 9 am Early Communion 2:30-3:30 pm Acolyte training 3:30-4:30 Bible study 26 Reformation Worship 9 am Confirmation am Adult bells Choir 7:30 pm Choir 7:30 pm Octoberfest 5 pm Maintenance 1, , , Misc. In/Out 1, , TOTAL EXPENSES 27, , ASSETS General Checking $ Computer Lab $ Savings (Pastors Disc. Fund) $ Somerset Trust CD (60 mo.) $5, Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund $15, FNB CD (9 mo. Flex) $8, Memorial Funds $12, Camp Scholarship $8,882.18

6 Faith s Blessings Page 8 Faith s Blessings Page 5 Acolyte Training Healing Service IN MINISTRY IN OCTOBER We thank the following people for their ministry this month: Calling all Acolytes! On October 19 at 3:30 pm, Pr. Ardelle will meet with all acolytes to go over the basic ground rules for acolyting. Whether a well seasoned acolyte with lots of experience, or a beginner that doesn t know where to start, this will be time well spent. From how to light the candles, to the ins and out of processions, to when to sit and when to stand and when to be quiet, we will show you what an acolyte needs to do. We will also be able to connect you with other acolytes who can help guide you when you feel lost. Parents may wonder: When is my child old enough to acolyte? Pastor Ardelle s general rule is, If you child is tall enough and mature enough to light the candles without burning the church down, he/she is ready to acolyte! If your child has specific times during the month or year when he/she can or cannot acolyte, let us know! We can work around schedules. On October 19, our 9 am service will be a Service of Divine Healing. We will hear God s Word, celebrate Holy Communion, and offer special prayers for healing. If you choose to come forward, we will use laying on of hands, anointing with oil, and personal prayer. Healing can come in many forms. We may seek healing for illness or injury, comfort for grief, forgiveness and guidance through difficult situations in our lives, and even healing for our fractured world. Because the need for healing is so universal, this is a good opportunity to invite a friend or relative to join you in worship. Reformation Sunday We will celebrate Reformation on Sunday, October 26. During the service, we will confirm Billy Bowers, Brock Bowers, Megan Helmick and Brianna Weyant. A reception will follow worship with cake, coffee and punch in the fellowship hall. Be sure to join us and congratulate the newest adult members of Faith! October 5 Assisting Minister Brenda Walker Greeters Betty Simmons and Altar Guild Karen Young Jackie Rhoads Bulletins Billy Bowers Acolyte Megan Helmick Council Person Mark Friedline Reader Wendell Heil Cups Billy & Brock Bowers October 12 Assisting Minster Bill Hoffman Greeters Shawn Walker Family Altar Guild Katey Hill Acolyte Joe Swank Bulletins Shandi Walker Reader Jane Ohler Cups Shawna and Shaelyn Walker October 19 Assisting Minister Jane Ohler Greeters Ron Smeak Family Altar Guild Karen Young Acolyte Jack Loeffert Bulletins Earl Lohr Reader Denny Young Cups Earl and Jackalynn Lohr October 26 Assisting Minister Darren Walker Greeters Brian Weyant Family Altar Guild Katey Hill Acolytes Tyler Will, Billy and Brock Bulletins Chloe Miller Bowers, Zac Friedline and Reader Kenny Shockey Brexton Weyant Cups Chloe Miller and Dylila Plum