The Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit. People s Pastor filled with Grace + Inclusiveness + Accessibility

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1 September 2017 The Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit People s Pastor filled with Grace + Inclusiveness + Accessibility Reformation 500 celebrates Martin Luther's posting of his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, Why is this still important 500 years later, for our day and time? Luther fervently read and prayed the scriptures. God enlightened him with new perspectives. Grace- In our baptism, God unconditionally loves us as his child. There is nothing we can do to merit God s love and grace. God sets us free from sin, gives us the gift of faith and calls us to go out into our broken and needy world to share this extravagant love and grace, to become God s grace in action in the world. Church term- justification by grace through faith, from Romans 3 Inclusiveness- In our baptism, all are called to be ministers. There is no distinction between us. All are created equal in God s eyes. All are called to serve those in need, to be ministers in their daily lives. Church term- priesthood of all believers, from Romans 10 Accessibility- Luther translated the Bible (from Hebrew and Greek) and the liturgy (from Latin) into the language of the people. With the invention of the Gutenberg Press, Luther s Bible was read and purchased, not just by the clergy who read foreign languages, it was accessible for all. Church term- liturgy is the work of the people Reformation 500 Activities Luther@500 The Luther@500 class will mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. It will address Luther's key ideas as a Reformer and their continuing significance for faith and life today. The class will be taught by Dr. Franklin Sherman, and will meet for identical sessions on Sunday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:15 pm and Monday evenings from 7:00 to 8:15 pm, beginning on Sunday/ Monday September 17/18 and concluding on October 22/23. We will finish our time together by viewing Rick Steve s DVD Luther and the Reformation on Reformation weekend October 29 at 4 pm & October 30 at 7 pm. Save the Date: Sunday, October 22nd- CFL presents book written & signed by Martin Luther, 1545 Sunday, October 29th- Reformation 500 Festival Worship Coming Soon: By Heart: Conversations with Martin Luther's Small Catechism By Heart is a richly illustrated, in-depth exploration of the Small Catechism. This guide will generate meaningful conversations about the biblical and historical context of the Small Catechism, its link to the church s faith, and its connection to Luther s life and your life today. The course is for longtime Lutherans and those new to the faith, as well. Deacon Jane Elliott Emmaus, PA

2 Page 2 September 2017 Fall Worship Schedule begins Sept. 10th 7:30 am- Traditional Liturgy with Holy Communion 8:45 am- Spirit Alive! Worship with Holy Communion (Child Care and Word for God s Children) 9:45 am- Faith Formation- Sunday School, Catechism, and Center for Faith and Life begin on Sept. 10th - Coffee Fellowship in Room 117/119 upstairs or Speary Café downstairs (Child Care Available) 10:45 am- Traditional/Blended Liturgy with Holy Communion (Child Care Available) Sept. 3 - Last Summer Worship 7:30 am- Traditional Music 8:45 am- Praise Ensemble 10:15 am- Soloist Sept Install Faith Formation Staff 7:30 am- Traditional Music 8:45 am- Praise Ensemble 10:45 am- Adult Choir 12:30 pm- Healing Worship 2:30 pm- Rejoicing Spirits Sept th Sunday after Pentecost 7:30 am- Traditional Music 8:45 am- Praise Ensemble 10:45 am- Adult Choir Sept Bible Sunday 7:30 am- Traditional Music 8:45 am- Praise Ensemble 10:45 am- Adult Choir Music Rehearsals Begin Spirit Ringers Wed, Sept. 6th at 7:15 pm Adult Choir Thurs, Sept. 7th at 7:15 pm Praise Ensemble Starts September Festival Choir Thurs, Sept. 21st at 8:00 pm Rejoicing Ringers Wed. Sept. 27th at 4:15 pm Music Circle During Sunday School Children s Choir During Sunday School November 5th All Saints Sunday at 4 pm Michael Haydn: Requiem Solemne and other Memorial Music performed by the Festival choir, Handbells, and Orchestra. Our next Rejoicing Spirits Worship is Sunday, Sept. 10th at 2:30 pm in the Worship Center followed by Fellowship. Join us for our Annual Picnic with BINGO and Karaoke! Healing Worship Sunday, Sept 10th at 12:30 pm An informal worship service of healing, wholeness and hope will be on Sunday, Sept. 10th at 12:30 pm in the All Saints Room. All are welcome as we gather to pray together, hear God s Word, lay on hands, bless with oil, commune, and listen for God. Service will have ample room for handicap accessibility and large print bulletins.

3 September 2017 Page 3 Fall Nursery Care Nursery care will resume on Sunday, August 27th at both worship services. Word for God s Children will resume on Sunday, Sept. 10th at the 8:45 am worship service. FLY to ABE FLY to ABE will be meeting on Monday, Sept 25th, in room 1/2 downstairs to discuss The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. Please sign up at the Event Center in the Lobby. Table Talk Table Talk meets on Wed, September 13 at 6:30 pm downstairs in the Speary Café to discuss the current HOT topic from a Lutheran perspective. All are welcome. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Please sign-up at the Event Center in the lobby. Please park and enter by the downstairs door. Blessing of the Animals Save the date for the Blessing of the Animals Worship Service. Saturday, October 7th Rain date: October 14th First day of Autumn is Friday, Sept. 22nd. M&M s Too M&M's, Too, an inspirational time for women to talk, connect, and pray together. We will meet on Wednesday, September 20 at 9:30 am in the Speary Café downstairs. Please park and enter by the downstairs door. Thank you for Breakfast Thank you to everyone for making, serving, and attending summer breakfast this summer. It provides a wonderful way to connect with each other during the summer. Our proceeds will benefit the Youth Gathering Scholarship Fund. Council Forum Sunday, Sept. 17th at 9:45 am Lorie Stout Sherman, Council President, will provide up-to-date information concerning the congregation. Please join us in the Fellowship Center for this important meeting. The Royalairs Swing into Holy Spirit Dance the night away to the classic big band tunes of Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey on Friday, Sept. 29th at 7:30 pm. Holy Spirit s Celebration of Music Concert Series kicks-off with an evening of dancing under the stars to Big Band music played by The Royalaires. They are a 17 piece big band, consisting of 16 instrumentalists and one vocalist, under the direction of Trombonist, Russ Braun. Holy Spirit s own, Frank Mattes, has been playing drums in the Royalaires for almost 20 years. Don t miss this special evening. Bring a chair or blanket to sit and enjoy the live concert. The driveway-parking lot in front of Fellowship Center will be closed for dancing. Water will be provided, please bring dessert to share. Please come and dance under the stars and enjoy the company of Holy Spirit friends!

4 Page 4 July 2017 Financial Results and Discussion Operating Performance: July was a very strong month on the revenue side. Revenues totaled $70,741 while expenses were $60,037, giving us a surplus of $10,704. We had budgeted a deficit of $3,832. Revenues exceeded budget by $9,291. Pledged revenue was $8,081 over budget. Unpledged revenue was $1,107 over budget. September 2017 Overall expenses were under budget by $4,580. Approximately $4,000 were savings from the Director of Youth salary and benefits. Most mission areas were close or slightly under budget, with the exception of Resources for Ministry which was $910 over budget. Service agreements were over budget by $804 due to copier maintenance. Service contracts were over budget by $878 due to a bill to mow the embankment. Our $828 savings in electricity made up for these two overages. Year to date, we have a surplus of $44,900 vs. a budgeted surplus of $23,423. The strong revenue in July helped to keep us ahead of budget year to date. Available Operating Cash: We ended the month with an available cash balance for operations of $111,633 up $10,704 from June. Building Fund: The balance in the fund increased to $6,699. There were no expenses for the month of July. Available Capital Campaign Cash: Our available cash balance in the capital campaign fund decreased to $49,298. The major expenditure was $5,961 for the second installment and professional fees for the total HVAC contract. Project Help 2017 We had another fantastic year in the Starks, Maine serving the community. We had fantastic weather, worked and travelled safely, completed 12 different housing projects, and connected with the community in so many ways. This year s attendees numbered 34 youth and adults with 8 folks attending for the first time. Life in Starks is tough, good jobs are hard to get and the weather is rough on the homes. The projects this year included repairing steps and doors, installing vinyl siding on two homes, making a shower more accessible, installing a new entrance door, painting house trim, installing a metal roof, replacing a floor damaged by a water leak, building new walls on a home addition, and painting the Anson, Maine town hall. Each year, we host a picnic for the homeowners and community. This year s picnic was attended by 35 folks from the community. We all enjoyed the fellowship, food, handing out quilts to new families, and even a talent show after our meal. Everyone had a great time! Over the years of Project Help, we have been very fortunate to serve the people in Starks and built a positive reputation for being hard workers who get the job done, and done well. The homeowners have become more open and comfortable letting us into their homes to work there, entrusting us with their home which is very precious to them. The need continues in their community and we hope to continue to serve them in the years to come. The entire Project Help 2017 team says THANK YOU to the congregation for your continued support for this mission trip. Your financial support, prayers, cookies, quilts, and bubbles (for the picnic) all make our trip possible. Thanks again! ~Chris Carter for the Project Help 2017 Team Project Help 2018: Friday, July 27 to Saturday, August 4, The trip is open to all 9th graders and older. All are welcome!

5 September 2017 Page 5 1st Annual Fall Event and Trunk-or-Treat Sunday, October 22nd from 1:00-2:30 pm Holy Spirit will host our first Fall Event & Trunk-or-Treat welcoming Holy Spirit s children and neighbors, and allowing children to safely enjoy the autumn season. The Fall Event is also a great opportunity to introduce new families to our church. Flyers, door hangers and signs advertising the Fall Event are being prepared and will be distributed by our youth. Trunk-or-Treat is an occasion for members to decorate their vehicle trunks, park in our autumn decorated lower parking lot, and hand-out individually wrapped candy or items to children. In addition, pumpkin decorating and face painting will be offered along with hot dogs, s mores and hot chocolate. The Fall Event will move indoors if the weather is inclement, and be held on the same date and time. The Fall Event is planned as an intergenerational event with families, parents, grandparents, youth, and Mission Teams decorating trunks and joining the fun. There are many creative, familyfriendly ways that you can decorate your vehicle. We recommend picking a theme for your trunk and add a costume! Please refrain from using scary items, images or toy weapons since our trunkor-treaters will be toddlers, preschoolers and young children. Some examples for trunk decorating are Bible stories, Disney or Pixar kid-friendly movies, zoo or barnyard. For more ideas, google Trunkor-Treat ideas. We are hoping for about 20 decorated vehicles. For more information on sponsoring a vehicle, themes, and guidelines, please follow the Sign-up Genius link: go/4090f45a5ab2da1f94-1stannual. There will also be a Sign-up Genius for youth wanting to help with face painting, pumpkin decorating, or food. There will be a sign-up sheet at the Event Center in our narthex for children planning to participate. Since this is our first year, we are unsure of how many children to expect, but we anticipate around 100. Finally, there are many ways to help and participate in the Fall Event & Trunk-or-Treat. Please contact Karin Kahler Kahler@holyspirit-emmaus.org or Melanie Wiltrout mlwiltrout@hotmail.com for more information. We hope families, members, and neighbors join in the festivities. New Music Coming to LCHS Grade 8- Adult: Sharon MacCabe attended a drumming convention this summer and she is very excited to debut a World Drumming Program at LCHS. Stay tuned for further details, the program should kick-off in November. Grade 6- Adult: LCHS Music Ministry will also kick-off a new LCHS Blue Grass Band. Stay tuned for further announcements. Youth and Children Dance Ensemble: A new opportunity for our dancers to share their talents at worship throughout the year. Adult, Youth and Children: Our children, youth and adults can share their music anytime throughout the year. Please see Sharon MacCabe. Children Age 3, 4 and 5: Music Circle will continue to be part of the Sunday School lesson and the children will share their music throughout the year during worship. Children Grades 1-5: Children s Music will now be a part of the Sunday School lesson and the children will share their music throughout the year during worship. More details to come when dates are set.

6 Page 6 September 2017 Children s Faith Formation Kicks-off for Age 3-5th grade Sunday, Sept. 10th Join us on Sunday, Sept. 10, when we will mark the beginning of a new faith formation year. We will come together as a community of faith, eager to connect with each other, with God, to learn, to grow, and to become more mature in our faith. Our theme for this year is Do Good; Seek Peace and Pursue It ~Psalm 34. Throughout the year, we will look for Biblical examples that highlight qualities that make us truly heroic in God and ways to explore God s mission in our lives. We will highlight the ways we can serve others in our community and around the globe. We will begin the year by gathering school supplies for children in need around the world. We are asking our Sunday School students to bring box of crayons (16 or 24 count) blunt tip scissors 3-inch erasers 70 sheet notebooks (plain color front) 30 cm rulers At 9:45 am on Sept. 10, parents and children (age 3 fifth grade) are invited to a kick off event. Children will have a Sunday School Sneak Peek from 9:45 am 10:10 am in their respective Sunday School classes. We ask parents to join us downstairs in the Speary Café during that time to share some highlights of the upcoming year in faith formation, as well as a few housekeeping details. Afterward, children and their families will have the opportunity to enjoy refreshments and a time of fellowship in the Speary Café. To pre-register your child, the Annual Permission Form for Minors is online for you to print, complete and return. The form will also be available on September 10th. Bible Sunday Sunday, Sept. 24th Sunday, September 24th is a special day for many families at Holy Spirit. Bibles will be presented to three-year-olds and third graders at the 8:45 am and 10:45 am worship service as a gift from the congregation. All three-year-olds will receive The Beginner s Bible. The Beginner s Bible presents many familiar Bible stories in a manner that is appropriate for young children. The stories are supported by inviting illustrations. Third grade students will receive the Deep Blue Kids Bible, a Common English Bible Translation. The Deep Blue Kids Bible is designed to support and engage young readers as they become familiar with God s word. The third graders will participate in several lessons throughout the Sunday School year entitled Learning to Use My Bible. These lessons will help the students become more familiar with the Bible. At Baptism, parents promise to place the Holy Scriptures into their child s hands. The Bible presentation is an important partnership between the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit and parents. We celebrate with these children and their families as they mark this important milestone in faith formation. Sunday Morning Nursery Caregiver Needed This is a paid position for every other Sunday morning from 8:30 am- 12:00 pm We are seeking an individual who enjoys interacting with children Previous work/volunteer experience with children would be beneficial Interested applicants should contact Karin Kahler Applicants must be at least 18 years of age

7 September 2017 Page 7 Youth Faith Formation Kicks-off for Grades 6th-8th Sunday Sept. 10th in Catechism classroom downstairs Please come for a CAT class meeting! We will review the goals, hopes, requirements and scheduling of Catechism and answer any questions you may have for the upcoming year. The Annual Permission Form for Minors will need to be filled out for each student. Please bring this with you to the meeting. CAT class Open House on Sunday, Sept. 10th CAT class begins on Sunday, Sept. 17th We will begin the year by gathering school supplies for children in need around the world. We are asking our Catechism students to bring a box of crayons (16 or 24 count) blunt tip scissors 3-inch erasers 70 sheet notebooks (plain color front) 30 cm rulers Bible Sunday: Sunday, Sept. 24th 6th Graders As a gift from the congregation, our sixth graders will receive a copy of The Message Bible during the 8:45 or 10:45 worship services on Sept. 24th. This is an important step in their faith formation as they begin Catechism class. They will have the same translation used at the 8:45 worship service. Throughout the catechism program, the CAT students will use their Bibles to deeper understand their faith, people from the Bible, and theological perspective of big issues in the world. Sr. High Faith Formation Kicks-off for Grades 9-12th Meet each Sunday in Room 1/2 downstairs to discuss current issues and faith concerns. Begins Sunday, Sept. 10th as we welcome the newly confirmed 9th graders. Attention Parents: Youth Ministry News The Call Committee continues to search for an Associate Pastor. Pastor Ric has been networking and working with the Northeastern PA Synod to find qualified candidates. It is a slow process, but we are moving forward. Please keep the Call Committee: Kristin Ervin, Kathy Everleth, Heather Hetrick, Pete and Marian Schneck, Bill Smith, Angie Tobey, Nate Zimmerman and Pastor Ric in your prayers. Catechism Class for 6th-8th graders begins on September 10 with a Parent Meeting at 9:45 am. Please make plans to attend. This year s Catechism Classes will be taught by Pr. Ric, Pr. Jim, along with mentors- Kristin Ervin, Adam and Christine Fermier, and Pete and Marian Schneck. Due to the desire to have Pr. Ric and Pr. Jim involved in Catechism this year, Café Worship will not be offered this fall. The Speary Café will be open for Coffee and Fellowship during the Sunday School hour. Parents and others are invited to stop by and chat. For Sr. High youth, a discussion style Sunday School class will be offered. Bill Smith will continue to coordinate this ministry beginning on September 10. Plans have begun for the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston. The gathering is scheduled for June 27 through July 1, 2018 and youth grades 8-12 are encouraged to consider attending. If interested contact Pastor Ric, Marian or Pete Schneck.

8 Page September 2017 There is no required text for the class. Participants may do background reading with Resilient Reformer: The Life and Thought of Martin Luther $44 (411 pages) or The Wit of Martin Luther $7 (134 pages) or Luther s Small Catechism Study Edition $7 (85 pages) or Papa Luther: A Graphic Novel $8 (87 pages). To secure a copy, contact Deacon Jane Elliott at , ext. 108 or her at jelliott@holyspirit-emmaus.org. Only pre-ordered copies will be available at the first class and payable then. Additionally, other books from the Reformation Resource Fair will be available. They are all at discounted prices. Once they are gone, we can order others, but it will be at the full price and may be available later. Bible Sunday Sunday, Sept. 24th Bibles will be available in the lobby for adults to immerse themselves in God s Word. Try another version or format. Join the conversation with God. Open scripture, become fluent in the first language of faith. Be renewed for lives of witness and service. New Members Explorers Open House with Q & A For anyone considering becoming part of the Holy Spirit family (new members) who want to explore any questions or concerns they may have about our faith and life here at Holy Spirit. Childcare will be provided. (choose one or more) -Sunday, September 24 at Noon - All Saints Room -Sunday, October 1 at 9:45 am - Pr. Ric s Office Welcome to the Journey on Sunday, October 15th -Brief Rite of Welcome at worship service of your choice and receive your Bible -Pizza Party & Mission Fair at Noon in Fellowship Center (MPR) -Get to know you, your needs, where you d like to serve: Time & Talent Form -Each mission team/staff will have people representing their area of ministry to connect with new members -Including our mission, purpose, core values and who to contact -At any time new members may meet with one of the pastors or Jane to talk about Time & Talent, questions, concerns, ways to nurture their faith, how/where to connect, ministries to share their gifts/passions and serve. Christ Connections Getting Involved After Time & Talent forms are received, Jane will individually meet with new members about ways to connect, share their talents, and any questions or concerns they may have. To Holy Spirit, Thank you so much for the prayer shawls. What a thoughtful gift. We find them comforting every time we grab them to take the chill off. Kevin is recovering quite nicely, but realizes he has a way to go to get back to normal. We will make it together. Thank you again, Kevin and Kelly Mensch

9 September 2017 Page 9 Center for Faith and Life Center for Faith and Life provides Holy Spirit s Adult Sunday School programs with a mission to deepen our faith. Sessions are held Sunday mornings at 9:50 am in the Fellowship Center (unless otherwise noted) and can be freely attended by simply showing up. No pre-notification or registration is required. All are Welcome! Sept. 10th- Grandparent Sunday and Affirmation of GO! Challenge: Deacon Jane Elliott and Fran Derhammer CFL will celebrate the gift of grandchildren and grandparents. We will share stories of grandparents at Holy Spirit, the difference they are making to create meaningful relationships with their grandchildren, ideas of ways to connect and things to do together, joys and challenges. We will close by linking arms with fellow grandparents to pray for our grandchildren. Come, celebrate the blessing of grandchildren. We will also celebrate the progress of the stretch goals of those who accepted the summer Go! Challenge - by living well as a whole people of God, we can better enhance the lives of others. Sept. 17th- Council Forum: Lorie Stout Sherman, Council President The Fall Council Forum will provide up to date information concerning the congregation s fiscal status, property issues including the nave/narthex HVAC and project funding, the status of the search for an Associate Pastor focusing on youth and young adults and their families, as well as a Mission Statement revision. Sept. 24th- Bible Sunday: John Mosovsky Bring your personal Bible to CFL and share its history, significance, and your favorite passages. We will also use the NRSV Lutheran Study Bible as a guide for discussing how the Bible came to be and how Martin Luther s insights impacted how we read the Bible, engage with its message and live as Christians in the world. Holy Moses, Holy Cow & Holy Smoke!...think Exodus CAT Camp 2017 Review 15 youth 6th-9th graders and 9 Adults The weekend theme was The Exodus We pondered where we saw God each day We played games, went hiking, swimming, boating, some went zip-lining We joined for communion around a campfire The youth planned and led our Sunday morning worship Perfect Weather! In the end, we all returned exhausted after a successful weekend at Bear Creek Camp! Thank you to everyone who made this weekend possible! God s Work, Our Hands Sunday As part of ELCA God s Work, Our Hands Sunday, we are partnering with Lutheran World Relief. Items will be packed on Sunday, October 8th, 9:45-10:45 am in the Fellowship Center. We are providing school kits for 350 children around the globe. Items needed for this collection are listed below and should be placed in the collection bin in the lobby by Sunday, Sept. 3rd. Please provide the exact item listed as LWR has specific guidelines that must be followed sheet spiral bound notebooks (plain color cover) 176 Boxes of Crayons (16 or 24 count boxes) 665 Pens (blue or black ink ballpoint) 303 Rulers (30 cm one side and 12 inch on the other) 506 Pencils (unsharpened) 323 Scissors (blunt tip) 228 Erasers (2.5 )

10 Page 10 September 2017 In the Event of Pastoral Emergency, please call the Office at and press #3 after the general announcement. Website: Facebook page: Church Office Sign-up for newsletter s: Address: 3461 Cedar Crest Blvd., Emmaus PA Phone: The October Newsletter deadline is Wed, Sept. 20th. It will be issued by Wed, Sept. 27th. Submissions may be ed to Angie at or placed in the Newsletter Mailbox. Thank You!