Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church July/August Newsletter, 2013 Vacation Bible School July 29 th - August 2 nd - 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Kids from 3 years old through 6 th grade are welcome! Register NOW by calling 856-939-4411 or sign up on our web page: www.trinityrunnemede.org
This month my article covers three separate issues; Summer Bible Study, the Church Secretary and the Contemporary Worship Service. He is named in the Bible, but he is no saint. His name is mentioned weekly by millions of Christians during worship, but he is no God. Hollywood is rumored to be producing two movies about his life (will Brad Pitt star in one of them?), but he is no hero. Until 1961 there was no concrete evidence that he ever existed. His most famous words are "Ecce homo" (behold the man) which he proclaimed to the crowd as he presented Jesus to them for crucifixion. He is, Pontius Pilate. Each Sunday as we recite the Apostles' Creed we say the line, "He was crucified under Pontius Pilate", I wonder if we truly contemplate what that means? Have we gotten so used to saying Pilate's name by rote that we forget the role he played in the passion of our Lord? Behind the name in the creed there was a real Pontius Pilate who was appointed Prefect of Judea from 26-36AD. In addition to the Bible, Pilate is mentioned by a few writers from his time, Philo of Alexandria, Josephus and Tacitus. However, there are no public records of his birth, death or actions as Prefect of Judea. Prior to an archaeological find in 1961, scholars could debate whether or not Pilate ever existed. In 1961 a stone was found in an excavation of the amphitheatre at Caesarea Maratima that bears a dedication to the Emperor Tiberius by Pontius Pilate. Most scholars now accept this inscription as solid proof that there was a Pontius Pilate, and he was the Prefect of Judea during the reign of Tiberius. If you are intrigued by this, come and learn more about the man, the myth, the maniac known as Pontius Pilate. On July 25 th we will continue our tradition of studying a biblical character. The study will begin at 8:00pm after our summer choir rehearsals. By now most of you know that Joanne Thornley, our church secretary will be retiring after 41 years of service to Trinity. This will be a major change for all of us. Most of you probably no longer remember what it was like before Joanne came to Trinity. We are working toward making this transition as smooth as possible. However, every transition in personnel at any institution usually involves an adjustment period. Therefore we will need time to adjust to the new church secretary as she also adjusts to us. Many people want to know if we have hired someone and who it is. It is still too early to hire someone. We will begin interviewing in September with the goal of having someone in place to begin training by November. Also, we are not planning on hiring from within our membership. I know that some think we should only hire a member. When a member serves as an employee it can be really great and it can be really disastrous. I have had my share of greatness and disasters in many churches over the years. Also, this was reinforced for me at our Synod's Boundaries training seminar that I attended in June. It is strongly recommended by professionals that churches do not hire employees from their membership. During this time of transition it is important that we place our trust in the Lord, that He will lead us and guide through this time. You may remember that we tried having a contemporary worship service on Saturday evenings this past year. Unfortunately, this new service did not accomplish the goals that we had set. The council and the contemporary worship group have decided to try the contemporary service during Sunday morning to see if we can attract more youth and young families. The plan is to hold the service once a month from September to January on the second Sunday of each month during the 11:15 service. If this fails, we will discontinue the service. If it succeeds we will continue our regular service at 11:15 with the addition of having the contemporary service once a month. I know that this will be a sacrifice for some, but we are hoping to bring new people into our church and build up the 11:15 service at the same time. So we are asking our 11:15 worshippers to bear with us through this trial period and once again trust in the Lord that He will lead and guide us into our future. Pastor Andy
SERMON PREVIEWS: July 7 - PENTECOST 7 - HOLY COMMUNION Sermon: The Rev. Lou Dunkle will supply Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 July 14 - PENTECOST 8 HOLY COMMUNION - 10:00 AM BAPTISMS/SHARE SUNDAY Sermon: HI HO THERE NEIGHBOR! Luke 10:25-37 July 21 - PENTECOST 9 - HOLY COMMUNION Sermon: A TALE OF TWO SISTERS Luke 10:38-42 July 28 - PENTECOST 10 HOLY COMMUNION - 10:00 AM Sermon: LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY Luke 11:1-13 August 4 - PENTECOST 11 - HOLY COMMUNION Sermon: A GODLY INHERITANCE Luke 12:13-21 August 11 - PENTECOST 12 HOLY COMMUNION - 10:00 AM BAPTISMS/SHARE SUNDAY Sermon: RESIDENT ALIENS Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 August 18 - PENTECOST 13 - HOLY COMMUNION Sermon: A TOWER VIEW Isaiah 5:1-7 August 25 - PENTECOST 14 HOLY COMMUNION - 10:00 AM Sermon: The Rev. Lou Dunkle will supply Luke 13:10-17 SUMMER BIBLE STUDY, HANDBELL AND CHOIR REHEARSALS July 25 th 6:00 pm - Senior Handbells 7:00 pm - Senior Choir 8:00 pm - Bible Study GOD S BACKYARD BIBLE CAMP, Under the Stars Vacation Bible School July 29 th - August 2 nd 6:00-8:00 p.m. Welcome to God s Backyard Bible Camp! Get ready for an outdoor adventure that starts in your own backyard and gets bigger as kids take the love of Jesus into their neighborhoods and communities! This backyard adventure will take place right here at Trinity Lutheran Church. Each day begins at Backyard Bash with largegroup music and fun, where kids experience the other activities of the day, kids gather back to Backyard Bash to review, to be encouraged, and to be motivated to serve others. Other sites include Backyard Bible Club, where kids will explore the Bible story in a variety of interactive ways and then apply the story by completing the Its Your Serve! challenges; Backyard Food and Fun, where kids have time to move around, have fun, and fill up; Clothesline Creations, where kids have fun creating crafts that are service-oriented; and Community Corner, where kids hear stories about community servants and get motivated to be involved in community projects! And all these fun activities connect to the Bible story, Bible Memory, and the Life Focus of serving! The staff is waiting for some backyard crews to join them in serving and having a blast! Register by calling 856-939-4411 or sign up online at: www.trinityrunnemede.org.
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it Proverbs 22:6 (NIV). It is so important to teach our children to love God and help them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus, and strive to keep the Ten Commandments. This will help them find a sense of self-worth by knowing how they should live their lives as they walk in faith. Every day out in the world our children learn new things some of which are good, but a lot that are not good. The earlier in life that they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior the fewer difficulties they will have from worldly influences. Not only this, but they will live their lives knowing the peace and joy that comes from a loving relationship with Jesus. Our Father s Day program was a success, we had 25 fathers attend. It was held in the Fellowship Hall during the Sunday School hour. Dads and their sons or daughters had fun playing Bible Bingo, they received prizes, and had refreshments. Our Pre-K class had their own special time of fun with their Dads with a Fathers of the Bible craft. Dads, it was nice to see all of you come and spend time with your child and have fun together. I hope you all enjoyed the program. I know the Dads I had the opportunity to speak with did have fun. My thanks to those in the congregation and Sunday School who made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Cathedral Kitchen. I estimate that on June 9 th we collected well over 300 sandwiches. Also, just as a reminder we are still collecting funds to give financial support to the Cathedral Kitchen. In the near future we will be sending Cathedral Kitchens a check for the money that has been donated. Sunday June 23 rd started our summer semester. Students in 1 st grade through 8 th grade are meeting in the Fellowship Hall. Pre-K and High School students will continue to meet in their regular class rooms. Our summer program allows students to have a time of Christian fellowship while having fun. There will be games and crafts as well as time for receiving a Christ centered message. It is coming soon so don t forget to register for Vacation Bible School. It will be held on July 29 th to August 2 nd from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. God s Backyard, Bible Camp under the Stars by Standard Publishing is the program being presented. My thanks to those who have already made donations. If you are interested in helping or supporting VBS please contact Jennifer Smith. Rally Day for this fall will be held on Sunday, September 8 th. This will be an exciting time with games and refreshments. Also, students will be promoted and meet their new teachers. This year we would like to increase the number of children attending Sunday School. We will be asking our students to bring a neighborhood or school friend with them on Rally Day. The congregation can help by reaching out to their neighborhoods to invite parents to bring their children. In Jesus name, Carl Nagel
Monday, July 29 th Friday, August 2 nd, 6-8pm Ages 3 6 th Grade Get ready for God s Backyard Bible Camp where kids have a blast serving Jesus! The fun begins later this month We ll be having outdoor fun in our own backyard while kids learn to serve Jesus in their homes and communities. Your kids won t want to miss the adventures where they will experience God s Word, create crafts, play games and of course have some snacks! Encourage your children to invite their friends to this great program. Register children early by going to www.trinityrunnemede.org or by completing a VBS registration form distributed in Sunday School. During this month, we ll be collecting donations of cookies, juice and pretzels. Any donations can be left at the VBS table in the sanctuary through the month of July. We ll also be collecting donations for the VBS Family Block Party night hot dogs, ketchup, mustard, chips, etc. See a VBS team member during church in July to sign up to donate block party items needed. Look forward to seeing you at God s Backyard Bible Camp Under the Stars this month! Lets go serve Jesus! If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Jennifer Smith.
Summer is officially here! The 4 th of July will soon be upon us with lots of parades, picnics and celebrating people for our flag, our country and just plain celebrating! Many activities at the church have slowed down for the summer. Junior Choir will not have rehearsals again until Labor Day weekend and we will not sing in church until the third Sunday in October, October 20 th. In the meantime, be sure to put Vacation Bible School on your calendar! If you haven t yet registered for God s Backyard VBS Bible Camp Under the Stars to be held at Trinity July 29 th - August 2 nd you may do so when you come to Sunday School this week! VBS will be held from 6-8 p.m. that Monday through Friday with a very special closing on Friday evening! So enjoy the rest of the summer and I will be looking forward to seeing all Junior Choir girls and boys on September 1 st to begin rehearsals for another season. Be sure to ask your friends to join you as we lead the congregation in worship on the third Sunday each month. Love and blessings to all, Mrs. Schmidt
Our first meeting for the Young Adult Ministry, which was held on June 2 nd during the 11:15 service, was full of a ton of great ideas regarding our message, our mission, and the types of activities and service ministries we would like to pursue. A great interest among the members, besides being of assistance to other ministries within the church, was starting disaster relief efforts where we would collect and prepare items for various organizations throughout the state. On Sunday, September 8 th after the 11:15 contemporary service, the Young Adult Ministry will be holding a social hour for individuals between the ages of 18 and 30; regardless if you are married or single. We will be serving light refreshments during this time. Feel free to bring friends and spouses to the event. During this meeting, we will get to know each other and share our expectations of the group. We are open to suggestions from others regarding the group, as well. If you are interested, or know someone who may be interested, please feel free to attend the event on September 8 th. This has the potential to be a great group! We hope to see you there! The Young Adult Ministry Trinity offers scholarships to it's High School and College graduates. If you are interested please pick up an application either from the church office, back of the church, or on back table Johnson Avenue side. The scholarships offered at this time are for 500 dollars. Deadline for returning applications is Sunday, July 28, 2013. Please return all applications to church office. Also, please remember we are only able to do this because of the gracious support of the members of Trinity through donations and memorials to the scholarship fund. BRETT BAKER, son of Tracy and Tammy Baker, graduated from Clearview Regional High School and received an academic scholarship. He will be attending Temple University in the fall majoring in architecture. SEAN EBERTS, son of Jim and Paige Eberts graduated from Delsea Regional High School and will be enlisting in the United States Air Force.
Well school is out and it s time to this about the Back-to- School project. The School Bus will be going up on July 28 th. There will be Children, School and Backpack-packs. Choose one, take it home and shop for this child. Items are due back by August 18 th. We will also be collecting school supplies as well. We will continue to have Pantry and Clothing Closet days during the summer. We need the following: Pasta, cereal, canned vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, tuna fish, soup, Mac & Cheese, juice, pancake mix, syrup, paper towels, toilet paper, napkins. Any clothing items dropped off need to be clean and stain-free. The Clothing Closet is open to anyone. We have a large selection of gently use and a few new clothes. Help stretch your budget and give some of our clothing a new home. We will be having our annual summer picnic at my home on August 18 th. All are invited to come. Please email me to let me know if you are coming and what you will be bringing. Some dates to remember: July 25 th Pantry/Clothing Closet Day July 28 th School Bus up August 18 th Back-to-School Items due back August 18 th Social Concerns Summer Picnic at the Morris August 22 nd Pantry/Clothing Closet Day September 8 th Social Concerns Meeting 11:15 New members are always welcome. We meet on the second Sunday of the month following the 11:15 service. Please come out and join us. Remember God loves a cheerful giver. You will love the fellowship and the great feeling you get from helping others. The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work 2 Corinthians 9:6-8. Caring and Sharing Cheryl Morris
The Lutheran Home Auxiliary met at 11 am on Thursday, June 14 th. The Pastor from Holy Communion, Berlin led devotions from Corinthians and explained that we sometimes are the only church or the only Jesus that others see out in the community. We are the love letter and the sweet fragrance of a flower to others in the community. The library has been very successful and will be moved to a bigger space. This will help to accommodate more shelves, books, residents and wheelchairs. The Lutheran Home will also be getting a dog from the seeing eye organization. They plan to name the dog Nipper. The Auxiliary Officers for 2013-2014 have been installed and are as follows; Elsie Koman, President Joan Kelley, Vice President Nancy MacMaster, Treasurer Brenda Hanson, Recording Secretary Jan Miller, Corresponding Secretary Residents had a great time at Innskeep House for high tea and the Red Lobster another day for lunch. We had a wonderful June Day. Once again the weather was great. We had 11 ladies from Sunshine Class along to help, plus 2 men from our congregation and Pastor Andy. Our group put in a total of 127+ hours and raised approximately $188.00 for the residents. The grand total for the whole day will be reported at the Fall meeting. I will let you know then. June 18 June 30 Aug. 15 Aug. 23 Aug. 27 Sept 12 Oct. 12 Lunch at Perkins Residents birthday lunch Residents lunch at Cracker Barrel Red Cross blood drive (ask for Saralynne to sign up) Residents birthday lunch Auxiliary Meeting 10:00 am Ocktoberfest 4:00-7:00 pm Have a wonderful and safe summer. See you in the Fall! Sincerely, Sandy Pagano There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in his toil Ecclesiastes 2:24.
The Altar Guild would like to welcome two new members. They are Kim Higgonbotham and Nancy Fenton. We are thrilled to have them join us. Our thanks go out to the men responsible for the new lighting in the sacristy. We can actually see now and appreciate all that you do all over our church (inside and out)! In Christ s Service, Terry Paradise
Summer is here ~ Schools Out ~ and Vacation days await us ~ Some of us will head to the shore, others the mountains and some will travel to exciting places. As we wind down for the summer months, projects still go on for the property committee there are a few small jobs to keep things in check until we pick up again in the fall. Our last work day, on June 8 th was terrific! Four light fixtures in the sacristy were replaced to the new T-8 standard. In addition 2 fresh coats of paint were applied to the wall above the new doors in the back of the Sanctuary. The new tile floor was cleaned and mopped and our new baby grand piano was polished with a lot of elbow grease by our resident piano player. It not only sounds great but looks fantastic and is a nice addition to our church. Our storage shed finally got some R-E-S-P-E-C-T and the doors have a new coat of rusty metal primer on them. This was overdue... a nice shade of brown will finish the job. The light switch by the organ has been remounted. Ceiling tiles were replaced in the kitchenette due to a leaking roof which was repaired a few months ago. New keyed locks were installed for the Social Concerns committee in the fellowship hall. All of the church flower beds have been weeded, including the cracks in the parking lot. A special thank you to newcomer, Bob Reed. Thanks to all the folks who came out to participate