St. Paul s Ambassador A newsletter making Christ Jesus known, looking forward to July 2017 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. 2 Corinthians 5:20 Ever notice how an event, a book, a movie, or even a random thought can cause us to think about what we believe? For example, senseless violence makes us wonder why and, perhaps, where is God? Or a random encounter with something of beauty makes us pause and wonder how it can to be so beautiful. We are made to wonder, to question, to think for ourselves. Friends in Christ, Below is the Confession of Faith of the ELCA, which is a part of our own constitution here at St. Paul s. It speaks boldly about what we believe to be true. I share this with you so that you might pause and wonder so that you might appreciate the richness of the language, of our heritage, of our faith. Enjoy the words. Take time to wonder and reflect. See in these words the beauty of what God has done! ELCA Confession of Faith: What we believe in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America This church confesses the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This church confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation. The proclamation of God's message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired by God's Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce God's revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God's Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world. This church accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life. This church accepts the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church. This church accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it In faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession. This church accepts the other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, St. Paul s Ambassador July 2017 1
the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church. This church confesses the Gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God's mission in the world. Spark questions? I m glad to be available to discuss our beliefs! 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, Max Bowers, Evelyn and Elwood Funkhouser, Hope Funkhouser, Mertie Funkhouser, and Butch Hosaflook. Christian Sympathy Christian sympathy is extended to the family of Evelyn Whalen. On Eagles Wings Fundraiser We are supporting our mission partner, On Eagles Wings, with a fundraiser luncheon July 9 following worship. Grilled pork loin, broccoli salad, pasta salad, apple sauce, and drinks are all provided. A free-will offering will support Karla s leadership of a Bible Camp at Fort Smith in August. Altar flowers Altar flowers in July are given to the glory of God and in memory of our parents by Jeff and Denise Dellinger. Thank you! Thanks to all the volunteers who made this year s Vacation Bible School a great success! Thank you for reaching out to our community! Luke s Backpack/Food Pantry Thank you for the single-serving food you provide to Luke s Backpack! In May, the Bread of Life Food Pantry served 63 families (191 individuals) for a total of 3,385 lbs. of food. 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 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. Date 2017 Worship Attend Attendance and Offerings Worship Offering Sun Sch Attend Sun Sch Offering 5/21 75 $1,831.00 25 $15.00 5/28 90 $1,581.00 32 $24.00 6/4 69 $2,309.00 20 $30.00 6/11 52 $1,732.00 N/A N/A 6/18 65 $1,785.29 19 $8.29 St. Paul s Ambassador July 2017 2
From the Faith Community Nurse Corner Dear friends, summer is now in full swing. Outdoor activities are increasing and so is our time outdoors. However, one of the most concerning pests are ticks, and that is due to the increase in tick-borne illnesses. How to Remove a Tick 1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible. 2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal. 3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with lots of warm water and soap; a mild dishwashing liquid works well. 4. Put the tick in a jar or zip-lock bag and save it in the freezer for later identification if necessary. Never "paint the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, nor use heat to make the tick detach from the skin. This can cause irritation or a serious burn. Symptoms and Treatment of Tick-borne Illness Many tick-borne diseases can have similar symptoms, and vary in how serious they are. Most are easily treated with antibiotics. Early recognition and treatment decreases the risk of serious complications. See your doctor right away if, within days or weeks of a tick bite, you develop fever, rash, headache, body aches, and/or joint pain. Preventing Tick Bites Reducing exposure to ticks is the best defense against Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Take preventive measures year-round, and especially in warmer months when ticks are most active. Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails. Minimize skin exposure. Use repellent products for skin and clothing as directed. Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be crawling on you. Conduct a full-body tick check. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair. Examine gear and pets. Ticks can enter the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully check pets, coats, and day packs. Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks. Discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you. Proverbs 2:11 Jeannie Coffman, Shenandoah Valley Lutheran Ministries Faith Community Nurse St. Paul s Ambassador July 2017 3
Vacation Bible School 2017 Maker Fun Factory St. Paul s hosted another successful Vacation Bible School in late June. Twenty-six children gathered for Bible school, with nineteen volunteer adults, making and creating all kinds of fun things during the week. This year s theme was Maker Fun Factory: Created by God, Built for a Purpose. We learned the following "God Points": Day 1 - God Made You Day 2 - God Is For You Day 3 - God Is Always With You Day 4 - God Will Always Love You The kids loved rotating each day through the six areas: Opening, Crafts, Story/Video, Snack, Games and Closing. Our opening and closing included new ways to pray and hear bible stories as well as the six great new songs we learned. On Thursday we invited the families to come watch and see what we learned. Thanks to everyone for giving a week of their time to helping us put on and enjoy many ways to learn about God's love for us. Thank you so much for your gift to God and to our children! Sharing God's Love, Pastor Jeff & Karla May Sunday, June 18, Picnic and Registration Middle school Skit Pastor Jeff Telling Bible Stories Music Leaders St. Paul s Ambassador July 2017 4
More from Vacation Bible School 2017 Maker Fun Factory Leaders and Children Singing for Our Families Yay God! St. Paul's Relay for Life team would like to thank everyone who supported us this year in our very successful fundraising effort for the American Cancer Society. Our team came in 5th place out of 33 teams! We raised $9,064.84. Shenandoah County exceeded its goal of $100,000. As of June 15, we had raised over $108,000. We also have the distinction of having the first Mr. Relay on our team. Our own Pastor Jeff was chosen, based on money raised on the evening of Relay, the talent portion, and the questions and answers session. Way to go Pastor Jeff! Thanks again for your support in our quest to find a cure for this terrible disease that has affected all of us in some way. Phyllis Lytton St. Paul s Ambassador July 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 / Learn with us every Sunday at 9:15 am July 2: July 9: July 11: July 16: July 23: July 25: July 30 Mark Your Calendar! Upcoming Events for St. Paul s Holy Communion, 10:30 am Holy Communion, 10:30 am. On Eagles Wings fundraiser meal follows the service; see page 2 for more information (Tues) Congregation Council meeting at 7 pm Holy Communion, 10:30 am. Worship in pavilion (weather permitting) Holy Communion, 10:30 am. Shrine Mont s Music and Drama Camp will present Godspell, Jr. during worship. Covered dish meal follows the service. (Tues) Woodstock Arby s fundraiser for On Eagles Wings, 5-8 pm Holy Communion, 10:30 am St. Paul s Ambassador July 2017 6