DECEMBER 2016 From the Pastor:

Transcription

1 St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church 158 S. Hoernerstown Road Hummelstown, PA The Rev. Martha S. Boyd Phone: /FAX Pastor Church St. John on the Web: StJohnhtown.com DECEMBER 2016 From the Pastor: Ready or Not! Are you ready? Have your Christmas shopping done? You know there are only so many days left! Sound familiar? Just hearing those words puts pressure and stress on us. As followers of Jesus, we hear the words are you ready, differently. We are getting ready by preparing our hearts for the birth of the Christ child, anticipating and longing for the message of good news in a world that is caught up in excesses and rushing through the season of joy that lasts long past Christmas day. The Gospel readings from Luke in November have been getting us ready for the end times, when Jesus will come again in glory and make all things right again - the way God first envisioned this world we call home. As we enter a new church year, the words from Matthew are decidedly different from Luke. We will be called to drastic change within ourselves, and in the world. Change will not be possible by our actions alone, though. We must rely on the Holy Spirit working in us, listening and responding to John the Baptist s words of repent and be cleansed; then we will bear fruit. We will dwell in the words of the earth, the land, the sea, and all the creatures that inhabit it and the ways we relate to one another. We, too, will continue to be shaped and transformed into the people that God intends. For we are never done learning, friends in Christ. Our spiritual development does not end at a certain age unless we make that choice. God calls us continually to re-hear and remember the words of the Son, to live and study them, and to be in worship with one another. And this is the time when we remember. Remember the one who came that we might have life eternal. We gather knowing that Christ is indeed coming in the form of a baby and that the world is in for a rude awakening, because Jesus is not at all what the world expects. But ready or not, His birth will be celebrated in joy and thanksgiving as darkness gives way to light, the world is reborn, and God comes. I pray that all who are part of this Christ centered community will know the extreme love of God in a child where we experience hope, longing, fear, comfort, repentance, restoration, death, birth, endings and beginnings. May we prepare our hearts and minds for the gift of Jesus in our lives, practicing patience, prayer and anticipation for the birth of the Holy One. And may we be transformed in His love! Merry Christmas, Pastor Martha

2 Pastoral Care Pastor Boyd may be reached by calling the church office at and leaving a message in mailbox 1. You may also contact her via at: stjohnpastor158@gmail.com. If there is an emergency, she can be reached by: Cell phone: or Home: Pastor s Hours Monday Thursday from 9:00 am to 1:00 p.m. Hours are subject to change depending on meetings, etc. Please leave a message if there is no answer. Holiday Ofice Hours Wanda will be on vacation the week of December 25th. She will return to the ofice on January 3rd. Pastor Boyd will be on vacation December 26th through January 2nd. Pastor Ursula Schrefler, Zion Union Deposit, will be on call and can be reached by cell phone: Advent Has Begun: As you enter into this time that has become so busy in our world, take a deep breath, slow down and reflect on the birth of our Savior and the faith journey we are on together. To help you with this, Advent Devotionals will be available at the end of the month for use at home. This year s devotion booklet is entitled, From Heaven Above. A devotional booklet for children, Look Around the Manger, will also be available. Please sign up to be a reader or candle lighter for Advent. A signup sheet is on the bulletin board by the secretary s ofice. Annual Congregational Meeting Sunday, December 4 at 10:15 a.m. Fellowship Coffeetime: Sunday, December 4 following the Annual Congregational Meeting. Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be served. Thank you to Jerry and Pastor Martha for being this month s sponsor. JOINT CHRISTMAS CANTATA The joint vocalists and musicians of St. John and St. Mark, Mechanicsburg have joined together and will be presenting a Christmas Cantata, Season of Wonders, on December 11th at 3 p.m. at St. John's in the sanctuary. They have been working hard to present an uplifting message for the Christmas season and your support by attending is appreciated. Mark your calendars now and plan to enjoy a time of music and fellowship. Refreshments to follow the concert. Merry Christmas, Pastor Martha and Jerry Boyd Christmas Greetings from the Pastor May your day be filled with joy and thanksgiving as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. May God's glory, shining bright through the light of the infant Jesus, awaken, refresh, and renew you in the New Year. Christmas Day and New Year's Day Worship Since Christmas and New Year's day are both on Sundays this year, the three churches of St. John, Hoernerstown, Zion Lutheran Church, Union Deposit and St. Paul's, Sand Hill (Hershey) have decided to worship together. Christmas day worship begins at 9:00 a.m. at St. John's. We welcome our sister congregations as they join us on the day we have been waiting for--the celebration of Christ's birth. New Year's day worship begins at 9:00 am at Zion Lutheran Union Deposit. We renew old friendships and begin new ones as we pray that the mind of Christ, whose name we bear, would be our own. It is a good way to begin another year - in, and as, the body of Christ. Please note: Offerings designated in your church envelopes will go as directed. Loose offerings will be donated to the Food Bank in Hummelstown. Christmas Eve Candlelight/ Communion Service 7 P.M. Traditional Worship Service

3 John D. Cassel Memorial Cow Project Fund Envelopes for the Cow Project Fund will be available on the hallway table for the first Sunday in Advent and the month of December. The money collected will be divided between the Ecumenical Food Bank of Harrisburg and the Hummelstown Food Pantry. Poinsettias Orders: Forms and envelopes are available on the hallway bulletin board and narthex table. Please fill out a form as to how you would like the wording for your poinsettias to appear in the Christmas Eve bulletin and include that with your payment. Forms and payments must be included when you order. Please make all checks for poinsettias out to the Altar Guild. Cost per plant is $10.00 for a 5+ bloom plant. Color selections are red, white, and marble. Deadline for orders is December 4 th. ANGEL TREE PROJECT: Zion Lutheran Church in Hummelstown is coordinating an Angel Tree project with the Hummelstown Food Bank. St John will participate and help local children in need. About 85 families receive food from the food bank each week. That is quite a number of kids in our community whose parents need assistance through the Food Bank. How we can help A tree illed with angel tags bearing the irst names of the children who will beneit from the Hummelstown Food Pantry will be placed in the narthex starting November 20th. Two angels will be placed for one child: one for clothing and one for a toy. You will also ind angel tags for $25 gift cards to Walmart or a local grocery store. Please take a tag or two, purchase the item and return it back to church UN- WRAPPED by December 11th. The Zion Youth Group will wrap the gifts and distribute them to the Hummelstown Food Bank by December 21st. Thank you for your generosity in advance. The weather is changing! St. John will follow the Lower Dauphin School District schedule for cancellations of meetings or social functions in the case of inclement weather. If school is closed, no meetings, functions, or office hours will be held. If questions arise regarding cancellation of Sunday services, tune in to TV Station WHTM ABC27 or WHP 21. Kay Swartz celebrates her birthday on December 5th. Kay s address is Country Meadows, 451 Sand Hill Road, Room 366, Hershey, PA Remember Our Home Bound With a Christmas Greeting Annie Bordlemay Frey Village 1020 N. Union Street, Room 116 Middletown, PA Daisy Cassel Lebanon Valley Brethren Home 1200 Grubb Road, Room 303 Lefler Palmyra, PA Ethel Fackler 3525 Canby Street, Room 13 Harrisburg, PA Janet Garrison Frey Village 1020 N. Union Street Room 231 Middletown, PA Nathaniel and Elizabeth Ricker 403 N. Duke Street Hummelstown, PA Kay Swartz Country Meadows 451 Sand Hill Road, Room 366 Hershey, PA SHARING OUR GIFTS: Thank you to... Lutheran World Relief acknowledges and thanks St. John Lutheran for their donation of 6 Baby Care kits and 15 quilts which will go to those who need them most in the world. The Altar Guild is very thankful for all the help we received for our Election Day Soup and Bake Sale. We are blessed to have your support. Thank you. Deadline for the January issue of The Eagle Is Thursday, December 15

4 St. John and Zion, Union Deposit traveled to New Windsor, Maryland to deliver quilts and items for baby care kits to donate to Lutheran World Relief. Thank you to everyone who helped with the shed roof and to the ladies who served them an excellent lunch! We are blessed by those who share their gifts to keep St. John in good repair so that we may share the gift of faith with all in the community.

5 ST. JOHN COUNCIL MINUTES Tuesday, October 11, 2015 Present: Deb Fisher, Bob Getz, Darryl Hamm, Pat Ignatosky, Keith Kahley, Gloria Mader, Irma Mengel, Susie Shellenhamer, Valerie Steinman Absent: Pastor Boyd (Vacation) The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. by President Pat Ignatosky. The agenda was approved with two additions. Valerie Steinman read the evening s devotions with Susie Shellenhamer slated to read in November. Secretary s Report: Minutes from the September meeting were approved as submitted with one addition (see Mutual Ministry), which was forwarded to Wanda for update. Susie Shellenhamer motioned to approve the minutes while Bob Getz seconded. Treasurer s Report: The September report was approved as submitted. Valerie Steinman motioned to approve the Treasurer s report while Darryl Hamm seconded. Council discussed what to do with the endowment fund distribution we received from ELCA. In that our benevolence appears more than satisfactory, Darryl Hamm motioned to reinvest the distribution in full; if the quarterly check does not meet the minimum amount for reinvestment, it will be held in the Fulton 2 account until the required amount is achieved via future distribution checks. Deb Fisher seconded. Keith Kahley opposed total reinvestment (lack of benevolence tithe). Pastor s Report: Written report submitted C R!"# Worship and Music (Valerie Steinman) The proposed funeral policy was reviewed. Gloria Mader motioned to approve the policy while Irma Mengel seconded. Learning/Youth (Gloria Mader) Nothing new to report. Social Ministry (Pat Ignatosky) Enough items were donated to make eight complete baby care kits, which will accompany the quilts to Lutheran World Relief. Shepherding-Evangelism-Stewardship (Gloria Mader) Nothing new to report. Altar Guild (Pat Ignatosky) Soup sales are estimated at $3,000. Ten percent of sales will go to the Hummelstown food bank. Facilities (Susie Shellenhamer) The repair of a leak in the shed roof will require $400 in materials. Valerie Steinman motioned that the funds be taken from the Alwine memorial; Deb Fisher seconded. Swatara Creek Lutheran Community (Irma Mengel) The Thrivent Community is hosting a Baskets of Joy event on October 29 where volunteers will fill baskets with items meant to cheer patients at the Hershey Children s Hospital. Mutual Ministry (Darryl Hamm) Last month s motion to pay the organist $100 per Sunday with $25 for choir rehearsals was for the remainder of For 2017, Bob Getz motioned that the organist be paid $125 per Sunday with $25 for choir rehearsals; Irma Mengel seconded. Job description review ongoing. Capital Improvements (Pastor Martha) Per John Ignatosky, the committee continues to work on the facility plan and will brief Council with a special two-hour presentation in the near future. O,- B/#0## St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hummelstown (our charity name) is now officially on Members can now choose St. John as their charity when they purchase from Amazon. N2 B/#0## We received an estimate of $4,900 for repointing the chimney. Not only was the estimate high but also it did not cover all work required. We decided to continue looking for bids. We discussed the budget and made additional changes. O3" B/#0## Committee chairs need to submit their reports for the Annual Report to Wanda by November 10, Keith Kahley advised that he will be moving to New Bloomfield and will be resigning his seat on Council at year s end. Nominating committee will need to find someone to fill Keith s last year of commitment. Reminder: Due to Election Day, the November Council meeting will be held on the third Tuesday (15 th ). Meeting adjourned (motioned by Keith Kahley and seconded by Deb Fisher) at 9 p.m. with the Lord s Prayer. Respectfully submitted, Valerie Steinman

6 Our Stewardship for December Altar Guild Gloria Mader Lockup After Sunday Service Gloria Mader Assisting Ministers 4 Marge Plouse 11 Chet Cassel 18 Louise Bretz 24 Paul Garrison 25 Paul Garrison Ushers and Greeters Harry Mader and Fred Bretz Christmas Day Dawn Garrison Bulletin Sponsors 4 placed by Dwight Bretz 11 in honor of Keith Kahley s birthday 18 in honor of St. John s children 24 Love and Peace for the World 25 For all our blessings By the Drew Lambert Family Flowers 4 in memory of Harry and Mary Travitz 11 in memory of Harold Gleim 18 in member of John D. Cassel 25 placed by John and Mimi Martz Benevolence Update Giving thru October $ Needed thru October AHEAD $ God Loves a Cheerful Giver 2017 Offering Envelopes are available on the desk in the Gathering Room. If you do not see your box of envelopes, please contact the church ofice. Flower Chart 2017: A blank Flower Chart for 2017 is on the table in our new upstairs gathering room. If you want lowers to be placed next year on a certain Sunday or holiday, please ill that information in on the chart. Please write legibly. If you have any questions, call Kim Balog at Information to be included: -Name of individual(s) to honor. -Reason that lowers are placed. Keep our Community Aid Bin in mind when you are putting aside summer clothing and getting out winter items. Proceeds go to Youth Ministries. Please remember to bring nonperishable food items to church and place them in the basket in the hallway for the Hummelstown Food Pantry Council Members and Officers President Pat Ignatosky Vice-President Darryl Hamm Secretary Valerie Steinman Treasurer Gloria Mader Financial Secretary Debra Leshak Deb Fisher Robert Getz Keith Kahley Irma Mengel Susan Shellenhamer Committee Chairpersons Altar Guild Kim Balog Capital Improvement John Ignatosky Facilities Phil Mathias Financial Marge Baranowski Learning/Youth Mary Jo Hanley Mutual Ministry Deb Leshak Social Ministry Kim Balog Shepherding/Evangelism/Stewardship Cathy McDivitt Quilting Ministry Deb Fisher Website/Facebook Lauren Leshak Espenshade Worship Marge Plouse Giving is Giving Thanks Every Christmas present that sits wrapped under your Christmas tree will wear out. It will break or go out of style. This fact was there, somewhere, in the back of your mind even as you bought them, but you bought them anyway. For you love the person you bought them for, you wanted to see that look of joy it brings to their face. So also God gives to you. But greater. What He gives will never wear out, break down, or go out of style. For what He gives is His eternal and onlybegotten Son, wrapped in your flesh, and placed upon the tree of the Cross. He gives His Son for you. He gives that you may have everlasting joy. He gives because He loves you. This is why the Word became flesh to dwell among you. And that is who is given to you. The Word who is God yet was with God from all eternity. The Word through whom all things were made. The Word who is the only-begotten Son of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, being of one substance with His Father. The One who called all things into existence, the One who spoke to Moses from the bush that burned yet was not consumed, the One whose glory filled the tabernacle to dwell among His people, God Himself, has taken on your flesh. Even though the Word is made flesh, even though God became Man, His Divinity is not lessened. His Divinity is not changed. His Divinity remains, pure and unchanging, but your flesh, your human nature, is exalted. Your flesh and humanity is assumed into God. God became man so that you would become like unto God holy and righteous, without sin, without death. And so it is that the Son given to you wrapped in your flesh is placed upon the tree of the Cross. And no tree was ever adorned more beautifully. Its ornaments were nothing less than the Blood of God, poured out as an atoning sacrifice for your sins. Its garland the Body of God, hanged in death that you may have life. Its light the incarnate Light of the world, strung up to call you and all men unto Himself, to enlighten you, to make you His own. He gives you HIs life, He gives you joy and peace peace with God in heaven and peace with one another on earth. And from the tree of the Cross the Lord Jesus places another gift for you upon the Altar. It is the Fruit of the Cross, His crucified and risen, living Body and Blood, the Fruit of the Tree of Life, wrapped in bread and wine and given to you. He fills you with His Glory. He makes your mouths and your hearts His manger. He abides in you and you in Him. The Word became flesh to be placed under the Cross for you. You are forgiven. This is why we give. We give because He has first given to us. And just as it was a joy for Him to give all He had to us. It is a joy for us to give to one another and His church so that this message of forgiveness, life, and salvation may be proclaimed. From the Stewardship Ministry of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Used by permission.

7 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Quilting Tuesdays 8-11:30 am 4 9 am Communion Worship PM Worship Committee Annual Meeting follows worship Coffeetime follows meeting 10 am Capital Improvement Committee 11 9 am Communion Worship 3 PM Christmas Cantata at St. John 12 Pastor Martha First Call Theological Education 13 7 PM Council Meeting 12 noon Hummelstown Ministerium Special Council Meeting with Capital Improvement Committee 5:30 PM Dinner 6:00 PM Meeting am Communion Worship Harrisburg Conference Meeting 7:00 PM Christmas Eve Service 25 Christmas Day 9 am Combined Communion Worship with Zion Union Deposit at St. John Secretary s Vacation through January 2 Pastor Martha on Vacation December 26 through January 2 New Year s Eve

8 St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church 158 S. Hoernerstown Road Hummelstown, PA Address Service Requested Do Not Delay Delivery - Dated Material St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church Hoernerstown, Pennsylvania 158 S. Hoernerstown Road Hummelstown, Pa /FAX StJohnChurch158@gmail.com Rev. Martha S. Boyd