SEPTEMBER 2013 www.thewelcomeplace.net 610-626-5295 Pastor Timothy Ness - 1-860-307-8140 - tness719@gmail.com WORSHIP - TWO OPPORTUNITIES! Worship hours - all in air conditioned comfort BEGINNING SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Sunday at 8:30 am - Contemporary Service with Communion Sunday at 11:00 am - Festival Service with Communion On the second Sunday of each month, our 11:00 am service is Worship and Praise WORSHIP Our Sunday, September 1 service is the last to be held at 10 am this summer. LET US ALL GATHER AT ST. MARK, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 FOR WORSHIP AT 8:30 AM AND 11:00 AM 9:30 SUNDAY SCHOOL OPENING/REGISTRATION A NEW BEGINNING!!! On Sunday, July 28, our congregation very enthusiastically voted to extend a call to Pastor Timothy Ness. He will begin his work as our shepherd on Monday, August 19. If you have not had a chance to meet Pastor Tim, you are in for a treat. Pastor Tim is from Torrington, Connecticut, has studied at Muhlenberg College and graduated from Lutheran Theological Seminary in 2013. He is engaged to Laura Tancredi, who is in her final year as a student at LTSP, and a June 2014 wedding is planned. GOD S WORK, OUR HANDS SUNDAY For 25 years, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has been a church deeply rooted in faith and in sharing its passion for making positive changes in the world. To celebrate the ELCA's anniversary and our church's commitment to sharing God's love with our neighbors, all congregations are called to take part in a dedicated day of service on September 8 known as "God's Work - Our Hands" Sunday. We work every day to welcome our neighbors and make our community a better place. Now we will do it together as one body, using our hands to do God's work in Jesus Christ's name. As part of this celebration:! Our Oh Yarn It! Group is making hats for cancer patients. Instructions are in the narthex. More information about how St. Mark will be involved will be available in church each Sunday - don't miss this great opportunity to celebrate.! Jeff Oaster is going to lead a community bike ride and bike maintenance discussion. Bring your bike to church with you if you wish!!! Our choir and Worship and Music Committee are gathering donations for a shelter for women and children in Philadelphia.! Our Kids Closet is donating 10% of its proceeds from its July and August sales to the Life Center of Eastern Delaware County.! All sales of jewelry and other items at the Fund Raising table will be tithed 10% (with another 10% being tithed, as always, to St. Mark) to the Life Center of Eastern Delaware County by Marjorie Miller.
SEPTEMBER 2013 PAGE 2 OF 5 ONLINE DIRECTORY During the past month, as we knew that we were getting closer to calling our new pastor, a great deal of work has been done on our on-line directory. While we still need more pictures, it is now a good resource that will be helpful to Pastor Tim and to members who need a telephone number or address or want to look at a picture to identify someone they have seen at church. Please be sure to have your picture taken if it is not already in the directory and to check it out via the first page of our website - www.thewelcomeplace.net. You will need the password which you can obtain from the office or on Sunday morning. Many thanks to Jeff Oaster and Marjorie Miller whose work made this directory a reality. NEWSLETTER We did not publish an August newsletter because no activities were known at the time the newsletter would have gone to press. You also did not receive a September newsletter with your envelopes because we wanted to wait to prepare this newsletter until our congregational meeting to call Pastor Tim had been held and we could share the very good news with everyone. So, we decided to mail this September newsletter directly to each person on our mailing list. The October envelope packet will include your envelopes and newsletter. GOT VOICE? Consider joining our senior choir, under the direction of Faith Woodward, this September. The choir assembles in the narthex at 9:30 am. Their focus is on singing contemporary Christian music to enrich our 11 am worship service. Our children's choir, led by Jeanne Kampmeyer, practices at 10:30 am on Sunday morning. RALLY DAY Our September 8 Rally Day theme is also "God s Work, Our Hands". Registration will be in the Social Hall along with a craft to be made by the children and given to Pastor Tim to take to shut-ins or given to the Life Center. In addition, our youth group will be putting on a skit. And, of course there will be refreshments. Come and be part of the fun!! If you have questions or would like to help with Sunday School, please contact Superintendent Melisa Schwenger (who will be Melisa McDaid by the time that Rally Day arrives!!) at melisaisastar@yahoo.com. CHRISTIAN EDUCATION First Holy Communion Class Youth are encouraged to begin receiving First Holy Communion by the time they reach the 5th grade. A class for those interested in receiving the sacrament will be held on Tuesday, September 24 at 5:30 pm. First Holy Communion will be celebrated on Reformation Day, Sunday October 27. For more information, speak with Pastor Tim. He is looking for a volunteer to work with him and the first communicants. Please contact him as soon as possible, by phone or e-mail, if you want to help. Should a child express interest in receiving first communion, please spend time with him or her and discuss Holy Communion as part of the baptismal journey. If you, as a parent, and your child wish to continue a conversation pertaining to Holy Communion, please contact Pastor Tim for an appointment. Confirmation th If you are returning for your second and final year of Confirmation instruction, or if you are entering 7 grade and would like to be confirmed, e-mail Pastor Tim at tness719@gmail.com or call the office and leave a message. A special meeting for confirmands and parents will be held Sunday, September 15 after the 11 am worship service in the conference room next to the sanctuary. We will discuss the confirmation process, youth, parent and teacher responsibilities. Classes will begin in October - the dates to be established at this meeting. Bible Studies We are going to conduct a Bible Study interest survey on September 1 and 8 in the Bulletin Insert. We then plan that Bible Study at St. Mark will begin at 7 pm on Wednesday, September 11. Please participate in the survey so that we are able to plan a Bible Study that will be of interest to many.
SEPTEMBER 2013 PAGE 3 OF 5 Bible study on Friday at Holy Spirit, 2545 Franklin Avenue, Secane, continues at 12:30. Bring a sandwich at noon if you wish. YOUTH A Word from Our Youth Ministry Leader Hi there! I am Stephanie Bruskin and I grew up attending St. Mark. I am excited to take on the position of Youth Ministry Leader and work with the youth of our church as they grow into mature Christian adults! I graduated in 2010 from Shippensburg University with a BA in psychology. I work for the Delaware County Intermediate Unit as an Employment Training Specialist where I instruct people with intellectual disabilities regarding their job duties and responsibilities. I have attended Mt. Gilead Camp since age 7. It is here that I first felt God's calling the summer of my sophomore year of high school. I completed the Camper in Leadership Training program to become a counselor. This year I am attending the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg to attain a certification in youth ministry. Here I will learn how to minister more effectively with youth and their families In addition to youth ministry, I love being around my family, playing with my dog, Maggie, singing, and worshiping with friends. September Youth Activities Youth events for September will be announced at church services as they are scheduled. HAPPENINGS AT ST. MARK Bereavement Ministry A few St. Mark members met during the summer to discuss how we can best provide support to members when they have lost someone that they love and to develop resources that members can share with their friends who are not St. Mark members. To date we have:! Developed a list of members and friends who have died in the past three or four years. They will all be honored on All Saint s Sunday on November 3.! Gathered two booklets which describe the dying process. These will be available from Pastor Tim if anyone is going through the sad time of supporting a relative or friend who is dying.! Purchased some sympathy cards which are available in the Narthex, along with other cards, to send to members who have lost someone.! Developed a process for information dissemination by Pastor Tim when a member dies so that the needs and preferences of the family are supported during the days after their loss.! Established a St. Mark core group who will assist and put into action specific ministries, reach out to those grieving to offer services such as providing meals, transportation, prayer, babysitting services, etc. At future meetings, we will develop more resources that will be available to those who are grieving. If you have ideas or want to participate actively in this ministry by attending meetings, please contact Marjorie Miller at mamiller19@comcast.net or 610-789-4730. If you want to add someone who is ill to our prayer list, please contact Darlene Klingerman at dklingerman@wssd.org. You may also call Darlene at 610-283-4499 All members are reminded that we have a Comfort Booklet, prepared by one of our members, which is available in the Narthex. This booklet can be sent to family members or friends. We ask that you make a $3 contribution to our Sharing God s Love Ministry, if you can do so, to support the availability of this booklet for anyone who would like to have one. Also, remember to pray. It may not always feel as if prayer can do much when the Lord is calling your loved one home. But, seeking God for comfort and talking with Him in prayer may aid in solidifying your faith and trust, and prayer will strengthen you with a very personal testimony of the great comfort, hope and love from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Prayer Warriors As noted above, Darlene Klingerman (very wonderfully) maintains and distributes our prayer list. We have th a terrific distribution list. Based on the list that we gathered on July 28, when we called Pastor Tim, many of
SEPTEMBER 2013 PAGE 4 OF 5 you have e-mail addresses. These have been added to our online directory. Anyone with e-mail can contact Darlene at dklingerman@wssd.org or 610-283-4499 and ask to be placed on our list. Not only will you receive the prayer list but also some wonderful information about prayer and our Savior which Darlene sends out with the prayer list. Our prayer group meets, at St. Mark, on Thursday, September 5 at 7 pm. The group usually meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7 pm. Adult Dinner Our Adult Dinner returns on Friday, September 13 at 6 pm. While Fran Cosentino will not be able to lead the food preparation for several more months because of his having had both knees replaced in early August, Greg Whitton and John Kampmeyer, Jr. (John regularly helps prepare our dinners with Fran) will be cooking in the kitchen. And, then, there is that fantastic dessert made by Jeanne. Don t miss it!! The cost remains at $7. Good Works Circle The Good Works Circle meets on Tuesday, September 10 at Holy Spirit. Social Group rd Our very popular Fellowship group resumes its month meetings, held on the 3 Thursday of each month at noon, (alternating between St. Mark and Holy Spirit). The group meets on Thursday, September 19 at St. Mark. You Can Help St. Mark Financially at No Additional Cost How? Consider taking advantage of the following:! Have you car serviced at Cal's, on Baltimore Pike 610-394-3220, above the KMart when going south on Baltimore Pike, and 20% of your labor charge will be donated to St. Mark.! Have your heating or central air conditioning serviced or replaced by Curran Heating and A/C and 10% of your cost will be donated - call 610-461-4954.! If you need a gift for someone special in your life, consider the choices at our fund raising table. St. Mark receives a 10% tithe. You can even have a piece of jewelry designed just for you - speak to Marjorie. Oh Yarn It! Ministry Our Oh Yarn It! Ministry will meet on Sunday, September 8, in the Narthex, from noon until 2 pm. Everyone interested in crocheting and knitting is welcome to join in the fun! Light refreshments will be served. Michelle Oaster expects that the group will meet every three months. LOOKING AHEAD - MARK YOUR CALENDARS Sunday, October 6 Our pumpkins are expected to arrive - we do not yet know the time Monday, October 7 Our Pumpkin Patch opens Saturday, October 12 10 to 3 pm - Community Fun Day - rain date October 19 SAYING GOODBYE IS HARD TO DO On Sunday, August 11, we bid farewell to Pastor Arlene Greenwald who has served for eighteen months as our Interim Pastor. She had prepared a special service outline which included the sending liturgy in which we (she and the congregation) release and forgive each other. Pastor s husband, Brian, was in the congregation as we sang, prayed and wept some tears. After the service, we celebrated Pastor Greenwald s time with us with hoagies, baked goods, lemonade and tea. The extra baked goods were packed up after the service and delivered to the Life Center by the Naddeo family where they were surely enjoyed. Pastor Greenwald s last day at St. Mark was August 15. The next page includes a few pictures from our August 11 celebration of Pastor Greenwald:
THE GOOD NEWS OF ST. MARK SEPTEMBER 2013 PAGE 5 OF 5 Upper left picture: Pastor Greenwald giving her children s sermon about being stars Upper right picture: Pastor Greenwald s final communion at St. Mark Lower left picture: Pastor Greenwald opens the earthenware communion set the church gave to her Lower right picture: Pastor Greenwald opens the gift card the members of the congregation gave to her FROM PASTOR TIMOTHY NESS Wow! There are so many things that could be said by a first call pastor in his or her first written words to a congregation. It occurs to me, however, that I now have plenty of time to say lots of things to you all, so I will simply start with the words "thank you." Thank you for calling me to be the pastor of St. Mark. Thank you for allowing you to be a leader in and part of your community of faith. I also want to give thanks to God, because I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit was moving in our church that Sunday morning in July, bringing us together to be partners in the mission of Jesus Christ to the world. I am deeply honored, humbled, and excited to preach, teach, worship, converse, laugh, and if need be, cry with you as pastor. More than anything though, I am excited to get to know all of you. In that light, I thought I might speed up the process by telling you all a little about myself. I grew up in a town called Torrington, Connecticut, which is in the northwest corner of the state. I was raised in St. Paul's Lutheran church in Torrington, and it was due in large part to the wonderful community there that I began to feel called to be a pastor. I attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, for my undergraduate degree, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, in the Mt. Airy section of the city, for my master of divinity degree. I love music, baseball, tennis, and sharing all of those with other people. You should probably know, that while I have developed a great affection for the Phillies while living in Pennsylvania, as a born and raised New Englander, my first love will always be the Red Sox (I'm picturing all the groans as you read this!). More than all of this however, I have what I pray is a love for Jesus and the church, and sharing the love of God that makes all other love possible. I know that St. Mark's is a place where that love is known and shown, and as I said before, it is so wonderful for me to be able to share in that with all of you. There of course is much more to say, but all in good time. For now, the grace our Lord Jesus, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you now and always. Pastor Tim The M ission of St. M ark Lutheran Church is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ through W ord and action.