St. Paul s Ambassador A newsletter making Christ Jesus known, looking forward to August 2017 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. 2 Corinthians 5:20 Which of the following definitions of worship is most powerful, most meaningful for you? The reverent love and devotion accorded to God. The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which love for God is expressed. Ardent devotion; adoration. A love of gathering together to care for God s world. Perhaps worship describes those times we gather deliberately seeking an encounter with God in Christ. Maybe worship is the way we cultivate our relationship with God and with one another as the people of God. Think about this: God uses worship to transform lives, heal wounded souls, renew hope, shape decisions, provoke change, inspire compassion, and bind people to one another. Through worship, God actively seeks a relationship with us, pardons sin, restores relationships, and changes lives. The word passionate describes an intense desire, an ardent spirit, strong feelings, and the sense of heightened importance. Passionate speaks of a connection that goes beyond intellectual consent. It connotes eagerness, anticipation, expectancy, deep commitment, and belief. Passionate Worship means worship that connects people to God, worship that people enter into with expectancy, and with the anticipation that God desires to speak to them and connect to them. Regardless of style, Passionate Worship is authentic, connecting, and sustaining. IS WORSHIP A PASSION FOR YOU? Consider these 4 words which form the pattern for our worship at St. Paul s: Come, Share, Gather and Go. Come for hope. There is joy in coming together as a community of faith. Share with friends. Worshiping together with other believers is our most prized moment for giving honest thanks to God. It s a moment best shared with friends. Gather to be renewed. Worship is that focused occasion in our lives for all of us to stop pretending to be God and find hope in that truth. Go out to serve. It s who we are! See you on Sunday! St. Paul s Ambassador August 2017 1 Pr. Jeff
Gathering News Remember in prayer Please remember in prayer our members and friends who are experiencing illness, all who are in hospitals or nursing homes, those who serve in the military, and families who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Special care: Elizabeth Arnett, Mary Barb, Max Bowers, Evelyn and Elwood Funkhouser, Hope Funkhouser, Mary Y. Funkhouser, Mertie Funkhouser, and Butch Hosaflook. Homecoming 2017 The Rev. Carl Pattison will be our guest preacher for Homecoming on September 10th. Pastor Pattison was Pastor of St. Paul s from 1972 until 1977. Coming in September! Half Truths: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves and Other Things the Bible Doesn t Say. You will enjoy this look at some common sayings that actually misrepresent the Bible. Offered during adult Sunday School. On Eagles Wings Thank you for your support of Karla as she makes preparations to serve on our behalf in the On Eagle s Wings ministry in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada, during the last week of August. Altar flowers Altar flowers in August are given to the glory of God. Sunday School There will be no Sunday School during the month of August. All ages children, youth, and adults will take this time to renew and refresh. Many thanks to our teachers and helpers who give so much of themselves for our benefit. You are a blessing! Sewing Circle The Sewing Circle will not work during the month of August. Luke s Backpack/Food Pantry Thank you for the single-serving food you provide to Luke s Backpack! In June, the Bread of Life Food Pantry served 64 families (202 individuals) for a total of 3,418 lbs. of food. Date 2017 St. Paul s Ambassador St. Paul s Lutheran Church, Jerome Parish 4109 Jerome Road, Edinburg, VA 22824 Office 540-856-2639 Contact Pastor Jeff May at 540-333-5928 (cell) or 540-856-2413 (home) E-mail: stpjerom@shentel.net Web site: http://stpaulsjerome.wordpress.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stpauljeromeva Our mission is to be a living example of God s love. The Rev. Jeff May, Pastor Oma Gail Simmons, Organist Dara Booher, Pianist Congregation Council Linda Hawkins, Vice Chair Shelby Boyden, Secretary Anna Barb Matt Booher Gail Dawson Karen Doane Nancy Evans Pat Good Miranda Hawkins Becky Jenkins Keith Knupp Orville Smoot Youth representative: Jean Getz Worship Attend Attendance and Offerings Worship Offering Sun Sch Attend Sun Sch Offering 6/25 73 $1,878.00 16 $10.00 7/2 73 $2,157.71 15 $14.25 7/9 71 $3,199.00 15 $8.00 Articles for the St. Paul s Ambassador are welcomed from members and friends of the congregation. Please submit your articles to the church office or to Gail Dawson at gdawson22824@yahoo.com. St. Paul s Ambassador August 2017 2
Thank You Letter from Bishop Mauney Dear Pastor May and the wonderful Saints of St. Paul, Jerome! I want to thank you all so much for the beautiful wind chimes that you gave to Lynda and me to enjoy! This summer I have a garden of flowers and vegetables in our backyard. There is a perfect spot for your gift right between them. This morning I saw a picture of a bell in Minneapolis that every hour tilts back and forth but it doesn t ring. The bells in our bell towers are supposed to peal out a proclamation of the gospel for the community to hear. How much better to have chimes filled with the breath of God!! Their sound will recall a beautiful church sitting up in a small valley with gorgeous mountain vistas all around it! And a church filled with such joyful saints of God! I hope and pray that my life will be filled with the breath of God to continue to praise and proclaim my crucified and risen Lord! I pray it for you as well! Yours in Christ, Jim From the Faith Community Nurse Corner Goodness, I can t believe that August is here and the children are headed back to school! There are many issues that come to mind. Current immunizations are one of the top things, especially for those entering kindergarten and sixth grade. Remember, the school nurses keep up with all that paperwork. Were you aware that for female students entering the sixth grade, the HPV (Human Papillomavirus Vaccine) is required? The uniqueness of this vaccine is that documentation of the vaccine or the exemption is not required. Because the cost of this vaccine is so high, and because it falls under the list of required vaccines, you may get the immunization for free at the health department. Remember that all required school vaccines are free through the Health Department! Just call to find out the times for the immunization clinic. A second concern is getting enough sleep. Remember that for good learning to occur, there are two important things our children need: one is getting enough sleep, and the other is eating a healthy breakfast. I know that some of our children get up extremely early but a slice of peanut butter bread and a piece of fruit with a glass of milk is a good quick start for the day. Peanut butter is high in protein and low in carbs. Bread has carbs and fiber/grains, and fruit has natural sugars and vitamins. Milk is a source of protein and dairy. Please also be respectful of the school buses and the children who are waiting for the buses. Drive safely and slow down, as there may be new bus stops on your normal route. One last note is that it will soon be time to set up flu clinics. I will have sign-up sheets posted, so we can set up clinics where you can best be served. Some people have already asked about other vaccines, so I will add a column where you can write in Pneumonia or Shingles. I advise you to check with your insurance company concerning the shingles vaccine as not all insurances will pay for it, and the cost is about $200.00. Blessings to all, Only a fool despises a parent s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise. Proverbs 15:5 Jeannie Coffman, Shenandoah Valley Lutheran Ministries Faith Community Nurse St. Paul s Ambassador August 2017 3
The Virginia Synod Elects a New Bishop The Rev. Robert F. Humphrey, Harrisonburg, Virginia, was elected June 11 to a six-year term as bishop of the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the Synod Assembly June 9-11 at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. Humphrey was elected on the fifth ballot with 217 votes to 167 votes for The Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, associate pastor of St. Philip Lutheran Church of Roanoke, Virginia. Humphrey has served as co-pastor of Muhlenberg Lutheran Church since 2010. The bishop-elect earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia in 1977. He received his Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in 1981. The Rev. James F. Mauney, current bishop of the ELCA Virginia Synod, has served as bishop since 1999 and will retire Aug. 31. Humphrey will be installed as bishop on September 9 at First Presbyterian Church in Waynesboro, Virginia. St. Paul s Interesting Teens & Tweens (SPITT) Three of our youth attended Kairos, a week-long event sponsored by the Virginia Synod in June. They report that they had a great time, and their faith was strengthened by this event! We are nearing the time for registering for the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, which is now less than a year away in June 2018. At this time, it looks like four youth and two adults will attend. On Eagle s Wings Karla May will lead a Bible camp in Fort Smith, NT, the last week of August. On Eagle s Wings remains our mission partner for this year. The dinner held early in July was a great success, as was the July Arby s fundraiser. Two additional Arby s fundraiser nights are planned to support this ministry. They are scheduled for the fourth Tuesday evenings in August and September. St. Paul s Ambassador August 2017 4
Music and Drama Campers from Shrine Mont Perform Godspell Jr. We were treated to a moving performance of Godspell Jr. during our worship on July 23. Thank you, MAD campers, and thanks to everyone who provided the feast that followed! St. Paul s Ambassador August 2017 5
ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH NON - PROFIT ORGANIZATION JEROME PARISH U. S. POSTAGE & FEES PAID 4109 JEROME ROAD PERMIT #14 EDINBURG, VIRGINIA 22824 EDINBURG, VA 22824 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Welcome to St. Paul s Lutheran Church in Jerome, Virginia! Worship with us every Sunday at 10:30 am Sunday School Resumes in September Mark Your Calendar! Upcoming Events for St. Paul s Aug 6: Holy Communion, 10:30 am Aug 8: (Tues) Congregation Council meeting at 7 pm Aug 13: Holy Communion, 10:30 am. Aug 20: Holy Communion, 10:30 am. Worship in pavilion (weather permitting) Aug 22: (Tues) Woodstock Arby s fundraiser for On Eagles Wings, 5-8 pm Aug 27: Holy Communion, 10:30 am Sept 10: Homecoming 2017 St. Paul s Ambassador August 2017 6