Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church 33 S. 11th Street, Reading, PA 19602 God s Responsive people Acting out our faith by Committing ourselves to reach out to Each and Everyone in God s vast creation. *********** EPISTLE OF GRACE *********** September 2017 JOIN US EACH SUNDAY IN SEPTEMBER SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 11:00 A.M. We gather with our sisters and brothers of the Reading Lutheran Parish (RLP) at Stonecliff Recreation Area, 1200 Monroe Street, Reading for Worship and a Picnic. No worship here at Grace s building this day FALL SCHEDULE BEGINS SEPTEMBER 17 Sunday school for all ages: 9:00 a.m. Third Sunday of the month, breakfast : 8:45 a.m. Worship: 10:30 a.m. See pages 7 9 for details.
Pastoral Reflection September 2017 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10 Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ! Change is in the air at Grace. You can you see it, you feel it deep in your hearts, don t you? Changes in staff are the most obvious part of this change right now. With Pastor Marsha Anderson s departure, you have lost some of the routine you had established with your pastor. Now things seem uncertain and in flux. Your organist Jane Battaglieri is recovering from unexpected surgery, which brings along other, yet thankfully only temporary changes. Often, we seek our church to be the haven of stability and peace in our lives. Yet, right now, here at Grace, change is in the air. Change, however, is not only what we lose, yet, also what we gain. Pastor Katie and I are excited to be your pastors in a transition period until the end of this year, so that we all together, members from Grace, Christ and St. John s, can discern God s call for us as we look into the future. When we are alone, the future might seem uncertain or scary, yet, together, I start sensing excitement. Look what we can do! Together with your brothers and sisters from St. John s and Christ Lutheran Churches, you have been engaging in an exciting 2
summer program. A lot of what we can do together, we would not be able to do alone. Sharing in worship services, even as this means leaving our own church building behind at times, is an opportunity to engage in these vital relationships and to experience a larger worshiping community. This requires some courage, yet, I believe those of you who have been part of it, have been able to see the blessings that come with it. Yet, change indeed IS scary, too. There are changes we don t want, but often life does not ask what we want. This can leave us with a feeling of helplessness. Whenever fear seems to take over my heart in regard to the changes I face in life, I have to think of the above verse from Isaiah. Here, God acknowledges the reality of change clearly, including the feeling of fear it may cause. The mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, God says through the words of Isaiah. Isaiah speaks of nothing less than Israel s exile. Yet, there is hope: But my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. In other words: You might be feeling like the whole world is crumbling around you. You might be feeling like you are in the midst of a big earthquake that shakes you to the core. But God is steadfast, God does not shake, God s covenant remains with us, God s love and peace carry us through. My ordaining Bishop in Germany blessed me with this verse on my ordination day. He knew I was preparing to move to the United States, where my first call was waiting for me. He knew that I was leaving an entire continent behind for that call. He sensed that my world was shaking and that it took all my courage to trust that God was guiding me on my way. The verse fit perfectly and has guided me ever since. (Continued) 3
Yet, this verse also offers a way to get excited. If God is our stronghold in all this change, maybe we can become bold in embracing change. We can look for opportunities, where we have choices, where we get to make decisions, prayerful decisions, into which direction we think God may want to guide us. This is the beauty of change: It is witness to a people much alive, a people on the move, following the guidance of the God who promises: Mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed. You know why? Because I, your God, have compassion on you. May God s blessings be with Pastor Marsha, as she engages in a new call in North Carolina, may God s blessings be with Jane, as she heals from surgery, may God s blessings be with Grace, Christ, and St. John s, may God bless you, now, even in the midst of change. Your sister in Christ, Pastor Sonja <>< So, who is Pastor Sonja Ware? A few things about me: A native German, I grew up in Bad Homburg, a town just about 15 miles north of Frankfurt. I studied Protestant Theology at the Universities of Mainz and Munich. In the year 1999/2000, I went to the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, PA, where I met my husband Michael. After returning back to Germany, I did a 2 ½ year internship in two small congregations close to Wiesbaden, combined with classes at the Theological Seminary in Herborn. 4
I received basic training in Clinical Pastoral Education at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC and worked as a chaplain for 7 months at one of Germany s largest prisons in Munich. I also received training in pastoral care in emergency cases. I was ordained in July 2005. From 2005 to 2010, I served together with my husband Michael in a 4-church-cooperative, which we helped to create between 4 small congregations in the Upper Susquehanna Synod. From 2011 to 2013, I served as Intentional Interim Pastor at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Temple. My husband Michael has been the Senior Pastor at Robeson Lutheran Church in Plowville since the end of 2010. Our eight-year old daughter Seraphina is our everyday joy. She grows up bilingually, speaking English and German. Some of my passions in ministry are pastoral care and counseling, yet also developing new and exciting visions for the future. I enjoy teaching the scriptures and preaching the Good News. I am trained in Intentional Interim Ministry, Church Consulting, and Coaching, and I hope that this training could be helpful to discern together with you, where God is leading the people of Grace Lutheran Church. In my free time, I love spending time with my family. I enjoy swimming and being outdoors with my dogs. In my down time, I love to read. I am grateful for the opportunity to engage in ministry with you together with my colleague Pastor Katie Lyon as your designated pastor until the end of this year, while our three congregations engage in conversation with each other discerning where God may lead us, and what steps would be most supportive on the way. I regret that Pastor Katie and I cannot be with you on Sundays on a regular basis, and therefore urge you to join our shared worship services each month, as they are a valuable time for us to connect with each other. Another great opportunity to catch up with Pastor Katie and me are our office hours at Grace, which are posted in this newsletter as well as on the door of the pastor s office. May God bless you and our ministry together. Your sister in Christ, Pastor Sonja Ware <>< 5
A little about Pastor Katie... I grew up in Lynn, Massachusetts, a small city very similar to Reading but on the coast. I attended college at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. I then went to Seminary at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. I graduated with concentrations in Urban and Latino Ministries as I have always felt called to city ministry with and among Latinos. St. Mark's at 10th and Windsor in Reading was my first congregation and I served there from 2004-2008. I was only 25 years old when I began my ministry there. Soon after starting at St. Mark's I met my husband, Anthony, a native of Peru, and we made Reading our home. We now live in Wernersville and have two daughters, Sofia, 10 and Kaia, 8. Anthony works at Penske as a Manager in the IT department. Spanish is our primary language at home. We enjoy traveling to Peru to see family as often as we can. During Seminary I did a year long internship in Argentina where I became fully bilingual. I have been at Christ as a member since 2009 when Kaia was baptized there and the called Pastor since 2014. We were in a Parish Agreement with St. Luke's for many years so I am accustomed to working with more than one church at a time. We are indeed stronger when we work together! I love walking the neighborhood where I pastor and look forward to getting to know the streets around Grace a little better. Pastor Sonja and I already discovered the new Jamaican restaurant just down from Grace on Penn St. I highly recommend stopping in and giving it a try! I look forward to continue working with you as we try and listen to where God is calling us. Peace to you, (La paz sea contigo) Pastor Katie 6
Pastors Office Hours Pastor Sonja and Pastor Katie have dedicated time each week at Grace when you can count on reaching them to address pastoral care concerns, planning, and other topics of discussion. Thursday, September 7, 10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Pastor Sonja Thursday, September 14, 10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Pastor Sonja Thursday, September 21, 10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Pastor Katie Thursday, September 28, 10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Pastor Sonja If you have a pastoral emergency requiring immediate pastoral care outside of office hours, call Pastor Sonja at 610-875-0015 or Pastor Katie at 610-858-6239. Sunday, September 10, 11:00 a.m. RLP Worship and Picnic Gather with congregations of the Reading Lutheran Parish At Stonecliff Recreation Area 1200 Monroe Street, Reading The picnic will be held immediately following worship. Bring a lawn chair from home if possible. Lunch will be provided by congregations of the RLP. In case of rain, worship and the picnic will be held at St. Luke s Lutheran Church, 449 North 9th Street, Reading. There will be no worship here at Grace Church this day 7
Sunday Mornings This Fall On Sunday, September 17, we return to our fall schedule. Since it is the third Sunday of the month, we will begin with a delicious breakfast at 8:45 a.m. followed by worship at 10:30 a.m. Come, Join Us for Sunday School: A Shared Endeavor of Christ, Grace, and St. John's Sunday school classes for people of all ages will be held at 9:00 a.m. as follows: Children's Sunday School, taught by Scott Hoh and Susan Borelli from St. John's Youth Sunday School and Catechism Class, taught by Diane Ohlinger from Grace Adult Sunday School Class, taught by Pastor Katie and Pastor Sonja The Schedule for September and October September 24 9:00 a.m. at St. John's October 1 9:00 a.m. at St. John's October 8 No Sunday School October 15 8:45 a.m. Breakfast at Grace October 22 9:00 a.m. at St. John's October 29 9:00 a.m. at Grace Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen Hebrews 11:1 St. John s is located at 521 Walnut Street in Reading. Parking is available in the lot of Henninger Funeral Home, 229 North 5th Street. 8
Adult Sunday School Program Owning our Faith: Conversations with Martin Luther's Small Catechism Come with some knowledge or no knowledge at all, and bring all your questions. In celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, let us grow in our understanding about the foundations of our faith. "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Martin Luther might have been thinking something along those lines when he looked back on the year 1529, the year he wrote the Small Catechism. Luther certainly lived in interesting times - thanks, in part, to Luther. It was a time of rediscovery of God's unconditional mercy and the old ways of human merit; it was an age of excitement about the gospel and complete ignorance of the basics of Christianity. And Martin Luther was in the middle of it all." Calling All Children and Youth Who Have Not Yet Had First Communion Join us for a fun class, taught by Scott Hoh and Susan Borelli during the Sunday School hour on October 1, October 22, and October 29. Then receive First Communion and a certificate during worship at Grace on October 29. To sign up for this class, please call Kathy at the church office, 610-375-3961. 9
September Worship Assistants Greeters Lector Communion Assistants September 3 13th Sunday after Pentecost Louise McCloughan Lois Miller Bonnie Brennan Dennis Spolski Elaine Bachman September 10 14th Sunday after Pentecost Worship and Picnic with the Reading Lutheran Parish (RLP) at Stonecliff Recreation Area. September 17 15th Sunday after Pentecost September 24 16th Sunday after Pentecost Mae Quire Maryellen Hoover Scott Reeser Claire Ruth Dan Tranovich Lisa Ricci If you would like to be a greeter, lector, or Communion assistant, please contact the church office. We would love to include you in our rotation. Lectors and greeters are scheduled once every two months, Communion assistants less frequently. Our Apple Dumpling Sale Is Happening Now! These tasty treats will be available for pick-up on Sunday, October 15 by noon. Tickets must be purchased in advance to place your order. Deadline for purchasing tickets is October 1. Cost is $3.00 each. Payment is due at time of ordering. Apple dumplings may be ordered from any member of the apple dumpling gang: Janet Bampton, Claire Ruth, Elaine Bachman, Louise McCloughan, Pat Tranovich, and Diane Ohlinger. They will be wearing apple badges on Sunday mornings! Dumplings may also be ordered by contacting the church office, 610-375-3961. 10
Sponsors Needed Will you sponsor the altar flowers, sanctuary lamp, and/or bulletins? A sponsorship is a wonderful way to remember or acknowledge a family member or friend. There are a few sponsorships still available in September and more in the remaining months of 2017: Flowers, 1 vase: September 17 2 vases: September 24 Sanctuary Lamp: Completely booked for September Bulletins: September 17 and 24 Cost for sponsoring a vase of flowers, lamp, or bulletin is $15 each. Sponsor sheets are available in the back of the nave or by calling the church office. Forms should be returned to Louise McCloughan. Together in Hope: A Reconciling Reformation 11 Sunday, October 22 3:00 p.m. St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church 2810 St. Alban s Drive, Sinking Spring Plan now to be part of a special Worship Service of Word and Music for the commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. Leaders from the Roman Catholic, Methodist, UCC/Reformed, Episcopal, and Lutheran traditions have joined together to plan this special service and invite all to attend. Music will play a large part in worship and there will be a festival choir comprised of people from many congregations, including Grace! The liturgy is built around the words of reformers from different denominations, celebrating our common faith in a loving and reconciling God. We hope you will join us!
Be a Tutor! Will you give a few hours of your time each Tuesday to help a child Grow in Grace? Every Tuesday after school, elementary-age children from both Amanda Stout and 10 th & Penn Elementary Schools will come to Grace eager to learn but even more eager for the comforting reassurance of a constant and caring person reaching out to help them. Volunteers are needed to tutor these children each Tuesday from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Grow in Grace Tutoring Program is a wonderful, positive force in the lives of many children. Volunteers work and play with elementary school children while helping to brighten their journey through life and learning. Training for volunteers Tuesday, September 19, 4:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall If interested in reaching out to a child, please contact Diane Ohlinger, Grace Church Site Director, at 610-207-6057 or dlo555@verizon.net prior to training. We need the help of many people to provide for the children. The 2017-2018 tutoring program will begin on Tuesday, September 26, and continue into May 2018. 12
Harvest Home Celebration Sunday, October 15 Join us as we gather to celebrate the fall harvest and the many blessings that God showers upon us. Chrysanthemum plants will decorate the nave during worship this day. Please use this form to order chrysanthemum plants. The plants may be taken home following 10:30 a.m. worship. Cost is $8.00 per plant. Deadline for ordering is Sunday, October 1. Payment must accompany order. Please return order form to Janet Bampton or the church office NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE: # of chrysanthemum plants X $8.00 /each = $ IN LOVING MEMORY OF: GIVEN BY: IN LOVING MEMORY OF: GIVEN BY: IN LOVING MEMORY OF: GIVEN BY: IN LOVING HONOR OF: GIVEN BY: IN LOVING HONOR OF: GIVEN BY: IN LOVING HONOR OF: GIVEN BY: 13
Holiday Bazaar Saturday, October 28 8:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. It is time to get excited for the Holiday Marketplace and start your holiday shopping early! There are many ways you can be involved. We are seeking donations of: Baked goods, especially pumpkin/fall/holiday specialty items Side dishes Homemade soups Holiday items and holiday gifts White elephant items only fall/christmas Books Baskets for the raffle (If you are able to solicit donations from local businesses, see Barb Seidel or Pat Tranovich for instructions and a form.) Volunteers are also needed on the day of the event. If you would like to help, see Barb or Pat. We will also have tables of vendors and crafts to provide gift-giving ideas. If you would like to host a table, please let Barb know by October 1. Her email address is bseidel3523@comcast.net. These tables are for at-home-sales items or handmade crafts only. Please no flea market items here. Thank you! We hope to see you at the Holiday Marketplace! 14
Sign-up to help our event be a success! Holiday Bazaar Name Phone # I will provide the following donations. Please specify below the items that you will donate. Baked goods, especially pumpkin/fall/holiday specialty items: Side dishes: Homemade soups: Raffle prizes/baskets: () I will help at the marketplace () I will host a table of new crafts or at-home-sales items. We must know by October 1 to finalize space plans. Questions? For the overall event & raffles, contact: Barb Seidel at cell 484-794-0857 / email bseidel3523@comcast.net OR Pat Tranovich at cell 610-823-1506 / email pattran@live.com. For baked goods, contact Ann White by text 610-914-3818 / phone 610-775-7737 / email annwhitecpa@comcast.net Return completed form to Barb Seidel, Pat Tranovich, or church office. 15
Will You Help sell Friends Helping Friends shopping passes to Boscov s stores? Each shopping pass that you sell for $5 provides Grace Church with $5 to use for ministry. We need people to sell passes to their family, friends, and neighbors beyond the congregation. See Diane Ohlinger for more information on how you can help. Here is how people benefit from having a shopping pass: Shopping passes are also available from Louise McCloughan and Janet Bampton. 16
September Birthdays 1 Charles Acosta, Ann White 2 Emily Ortiz 4 Alexis Kerscher 8 David Newmoyer 13 Lori Neider 17 Joshua Ortiz 19 Rita Wilk 22 Richard Sherry 24 Emily Reynolds 27 Jason Denunzio, Woody Turner 28 Keith Allison, Isabella Appling, Dennis Spolski 29 Marion Latshaw, Sean McCullough 30 Julie Reynolds If you would like to add your birthday to our birthday list, which is published in the newsletter each month, please contact the church office at 610-375-3961 or office@readinggrace.org. 17
Church Council Meetings The date for our Church Council meetings is changing to the third Tuesday of the month. Our next Church Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 19, 7:00 p.m. Newsletter Deadline Deadline for submitting articles for the October newsletter is Monday, September 18. Feeling Ill? Going to the Hospital? Please call the church office at 610-375-3961. This is the only way to be sure that the pastors will know. Transportation for Sunday Worship! If you are in need of a ride to church on Sunday mornings, make a reservation by calling the church office at 610-375-3961 between 9:00 a.m. and noon, Monday - Friday. There is never a need to call a taxi or ride the bus to join us for Sunday worship. The van drivers are more than happy to pick you up and take you home each week. Please Note: All calls to the church must be made before Friday noon in order to request the van for Sunday. Messages are not checked between Friday noon and Sunday morning. 18
Affirmation of Welcome Statement The people of Grace ELC embrace and seek to celebrate the beautiful, amazing diversity of God s creation and affirm the dignity and worth of every person created in the image of God. We believe God loves us all and calls us into community to share the good news of God s love. In covenant, as members of Christ s Church, we celebrate God s love for people of every race, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, faith, nationality, ethnicity, marital status, and physical, mental, and emotional ability. We believe it is time for our church to open its doors to the movement of God s Holy Spirit and to be open and affirming of all people, wherever they find themselves in the journey of life. At the same time, we recognize that there remain differences of opinion among us. We do not seek to erase our differences. We welcome all in our journey together in faith toward greater understanding and mutual respect. Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7 19
Church Staff Rev. Sonja Ware and Rev. Katie Lyon, Designated Pastors Kathy Yenser, Church Administrator Jane Battaglieri, Organist/Choir Director Woody Turner, Sexton Diane Ohlinger, Site Director for Grow in Grace Tutoring Office Hours: Monday Friday, 9:00 AM Noon Telephone number: 610-375-3961 Fax Number: 610-375-1982 Web Site: www.readinggrace.org E-mail: glcrdg@comcast.net or Office@readinggrace.org For Pastoral Emergencies, Call Pastor Sonja at 610-875-0015 or Pastor Katie at 610-858-6239 Like us on Facebook! A Member of The Reading Lutheran Parish 20