Professional Documents
Culture Documents
May
May
a monthly newsletter of
Saint Matthews Lutheran Church 2440 Conestoga Road Chester Springs, PA 19425
Council Adopts new SPACE USE Policy As St. Matthews church has grown, so have the number of small groups that meet weekly throughout the church. As being an important part of the Chester Springs and surrounding communities, outside organizations have also begun to use our facilities. In an effort to ensure that the use of St. Matthews facilities are properly used and maintained, council has adopted a NEW SPACE USE policy. This will include a list of rules and expectations, a hold harmless form and request form. When making a request to use our church facility, please be sure there is enough time from the date of the request to the date of the event to gain approval from council. Council meets the second Wednesday of the month. There will be no special council meeting to approve facility requests. Any questions about the new Space Use Police should be directed to any council member. Names and positions listed below. _________________________________________________________
MAY, 2012
Volume 13 No. 5
__________________________ A congregation of the SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SYNOD Evangelical Lutheran Church in America _________________________
James Wolford ---Interim Pastor Tina Mackie---Associate Pastor __________________________
SATURDAY WORSHIP
5:00 p.m. Communion
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2012 Church Council Church Staff
President: Sandy Knapp Louise Griffiths: Secretary Vice President: John Kerrigan Tracy Cronin: Office Support Secretary: Brian Delin Dave Mackie: Music Director Treasurer: Greg Dunlop Allison Wilcox: Director of Discipleship Finance/Stewardship: Brian Delin Worship & Music: John Kerrigan Pete Eldridge: Sexton Outreach: Greg Grissom Fellowship: Rob Kratz Harry & Elizabeth Pettyjohn: Youth Directors Faith Formation: Jenny Sbei Property: Jim Rutledge Technology: John Lueders Sandy Elkins: St. Matthews School Director
Lector/Communion Assistants
Ushers 9:00
Ushers 10:30
Altar
9:00 John Kerrigan 10:30 Hella Berndt Connor & Brook Sobolewski AJ Kerrigan
Fellowship
Bob Belshaw
Alyssa White
Donna Lutzl
Nancy Cooper
AUDIO/VIDEO
Nursery
Patricia Pendelton Jill Miller Clair Eiler Childrens Musical Mami - Lutz Minor
Patricia Pendelton Jill Miller Clair Eiler NO Faith Formation Memorial Day
Faith Formation
Offering Counters
May Birthdays
2 3 Ryan Fick - Luis Gibbons - Ketlee Staz Blake Howe Ralph Weiser - Bryan Yackel -Connor Grissom Santina Stutzman Livy Pettyjohn Andrew Dillon - Daniel Fletcher Daniel Sbei - Rachel Waddell Sidra Droese Natalie Lawton - Ben Sbei Brad Emerson -David Leuter -Kathy McDevitt Nicholas Mami Doris Adebanjo - Kate Lukens - Sandy Spengel Kelly Karas Nathaniel Mourar Matt Gibson - Jeff Loudin Magan Greenholt Carla Stata - Cyndi Winner Annika Casey - Michael Waltman Bill Cooper - Camryn Gelting Abigail Schuler Kristen Dunlop Donna Robinson Evelyn Evans Happy Day Senior! Sam Hornak - Nancy Horne - Bryce Kerrigan Tracy Cronin - Ryan Worthy Penny Gibbons - Megan Himmelreich Ashley Loudin Jill Davidock Sandy DAmico - Jennifer Dillon Luke Fardone -Alice Friedrich - Donna Harnish Matt Rauppius Connor Sobolewski Scott Allison, Jr. - Josh Madarang Brian Zarkoski Sarah Baker - Mitchell Dorward - Reese Myers Rebecca Haftl Brooke Sobolewski Emily Casey - Matthew Sobolewski Andrew Stutzman Barbara Belshaw - Jenna Tayman Megan Camden Leah Dieter - Maribeth Droese - Gary Holowis Patricia Pendleton - Charlie White Cyndi Howe Kyle Holmes Theresa Dunn - Colleen Hall - Bob Hudkins Jessica Quigley Megan Murphy Kelly Baker - Bob Belshaw - Debra Emerson Tim Harnish Jonathan Martin - Alyssa Pfahler Alea Ditillo - DougSbei, Jr.- Jordan Stata
Altar flowers are provided by our Contract Florist, Village Flower Shop, Route 100 and Pughtown Road, DeAnn Bailey, owner. Two altar vases are $50.00 plus PA sales tax. Please call Village with payment arrangements 610-469-6886 OPEN SUNDAYS: MAY 6 August 19, September 23 and November 18
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BAPTISM
Grayer Matthew Sheronas, son of Matthew and Renee Sheronas, Downingtown was baptized at the 10:30 worship service on April 15. Grayer was born July 28, 2011 and has one sister, Maren.
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DEATH
Alex Metzger, son of Amenda Metzger died March 16. Funeral service was held at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church. Dan Chergosky, died March 30. A service of remembrance was held at St. Matthews on Tuesday, April 10.
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Chatty Country Quilters Second & Fourth Monday 9:30 am
Christian Life Center The Chatty Country Quilters were organized in 1992. In 1999 the "quilters" began their evangelism outreach ministry of presenting a crib size quilt to infants (birth to age 3) baptized at St. Matthews. The Quilters need your help with some of the simple tasks like cutting fabric, knots, sewing seams. Beverly Pierce 610-469-9654 Alice Friedrich 610-469-6034
May 19 8:30 am
Christian Life Center Invite a fellow member or friend to join you. Joe DiMino, Contact 610-401-3375
Preschool and Full Day Kindergarten St. Matthews School Spring Fair Saturday May 5 - 10am 1 pm
Please join us at our 7th Annual Spring Fair here at St. Matthews School. We will be having Kids Crafts, Games, Face Painting, Great Raffle Baskets, Refreshments and Bake Sale!! Weather permitting we will also have Moon Bounces and Pony Rides. We hope to see everyone there!!
SUMMER CAMP
Summer Camp is open to children age 3 through entering First Grade. June 4 to 7 Ocean Madness June 11 to 14 Dinosaur Days 9:00 to 11:30 am Enrollment forms available from Sandy Elkins - Director selkins@stmatthewslutheran.org 610-458-3381
Workcamp
Eleven youth from St. Matthews and St. Andrews will be heading off to Rochester, New York for this years Workcamp, July 8 to 14. Please keep the youth and chaperones in your prayers for a safe and productive week as they reach out to help others and grow in faith.
Great Escape
Six youth will be attending the Great Escape, July 30 to August 4 in Johnstown, PA. The Great Escape was the first and is the oldest continually running middle school conference in America today. The Great Escape is a tremendously fun and exciting atmosphere where students feel comfortable and loved, and where they will have the best week of their lives experiencing the love of Jesus! Visit YCMhome.org for more information
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Eighteen Matthews youth participated in World Visions 30 Hour Famine at the church on April 27 & 28. You still have the opportunity to support the youth with a donation of just $30.00. Thirty dollars will help feed and care for a child for a month. Heres a fact! Every day, as many as 11,000 kids die from hunger and related causes. Some starve. Some get sick and waste away. Either way, our kids want to help to do something about it! Thank you for supporting St. Matthews youth
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OPERATION OVERBOARD
Vacation Bible School July 16 to 20 9:15 to 12 noon
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
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Confirmation Sunday
Fifteen youth will be receiving confirmation on May 20. The youth have completed 2 years of study of the Lutheran Faith, the Old and New Testament and the Small Catechism. Congratulations to all of you and we look forward to see you live out your faith in our church for years to come. Sebastian Adebanjo, Niklas Aivado, Matthew & Nicholas Cronin, Brent Czakowski, Alexandra DiMino, Andrew Kull, Alexis Kardelis, Emily Lewis, Andrew Martin, Jason Montrone, Mia McGuin, Nathan Smith, James Strommer and Walker Sullivan. KellyKratz and Phil Harnish, Leaders
Children age 4 to entering 5th Grade Registrations forms are available on the bulletin board in the Christian Life Center Registration Deadline is June 3 Volunteers needed during Bible School Week Contact: Meghan Comegys 484-872-8575 ____________________________________
EASTER The English word Easter is borrowed from the name of a pagan spring festival and is related to the fact that the sun rises in the east. Why Do We Celebrate Easter for 50 Days? Most people think of Easter as a single day. Its never had the commercial appeal of Christmas, and because it always falls on Sunday, most people dont get an additional day off from work. This year, the Easter season stretches all the way to May 27, the Day of Pentecost. Lent, which sometimes feels like its stretching on forever, is actually forty days long. Easter, on the other hand, is all of fifty days long. The great fifty days of Pentecost is an invitation to explore more deeply the weather of the heart, to awaken our memory of Gods presence and power in our lives, to look more closely at all the rich and varied textures of creation.
On Sunday, April 15, following the 9:00 worship service, mulching was completed around all the single trees on the church campus. Thank you to: Bob and Wendy David, Greg Grissom, Ed Mourar and son Logan, Matt Sobolewski, Mark Sabatino, Chris Tormey and sons Jack and Patrick. All work was completed by noon, at which time the crew was treated to a great picnic lunch in front of the church office. Thank you for a job well done! Ray Young, your friendly church gardener and Jim Rutledge, property chair _________________________________________
Choice Dollars
Members of St. Matthews who are enrolled and have financial accounts with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, now have the opportunity to direct their CHOICE DOLLARS to the Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point Arizona.
The Lutheran
Each month, this print and online publication nurtures awareness of God's presence in our lives, connects ELCA members with each other and the global Christian community, and provides an open forum for lively discussion.
Spring is here! But lets all remember that hunger pains might not be past from winter months. With the trees and flowers in bloom, we often think of this time of year as renewed life. Lets please renew our commitment of thinking of our neighbors in need, and bring in any non-perishable food or support items to the CLC Food Pantry collection area. Our three local Food Pantries look forward to our continued support. __________________________________________
rituals, stories, prayers, activities and more to tell them how much God loves them and that Jesus is their savior and friend.
MISSION IN
If it is encouraging, devote yourself to encouraging others. If it is sharing, share generously. If it is leading, lead enthusiastically. If it is helping , help cheerfully
Romans 12:8
MISSION IN is a group of people within St. Matthews congregation who serve by helping when a fellow member is in need. Have you ever been laid up, lonely or in crisis? Do you remember a time when someone cared enough to provide you with a few simple things; a word of encouragement, a phone call, a meal, a ride, a visit, or simply a card. If you would consider participating in this Outreach group please contact Sue Hummerston, shummer@comcast.net.
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Food Pantry
I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:19a
Pledge Sunday was a tremendous success in spite of the inclement weather and the congregation spoke in unison their support of the continued growth of our community of faith. We have been blessed over the years with members giving their time, talents and treasure to insure that each successive generation has a vibrant worship home. I am proud to announce that $330,000 was pledged on Pledge Sunday, April 22, from about one-third of the members of St. Matthew's. I know that over the next couple of weeks that we will receive many more cards from families who were not able to attend Pledge Sunday and that we will reach our construction goal of $400,000 and our tithe goal of $40,000. Many thanks to the entire congregation for your support during this process. Patrick Miller and Rob Kratz
For those of you who couldnt make it to Pledge Sunday, April 22, the pledges with the match totaled $330,000. We still have a little ways to go but Im confident well make it. Sandy Knapp Council President
A PARABLE
Once upon a time there was an elderly couple, call them the Joneses, who were very good and wise and loving. Each week they would invite some neighbors to have dinner with them. The food was superb and because they were so wise, the conversation was challenging and enlightening. One young woman came to dinner almost every week. She looked forward to it and hated to miss. She enjoyed the food and felt that she learned many helpful things. She often felt challenged to grow in important ways. The Joneses were always glad to see her and they loved her very much. Another man also came every week. He came because he ought to. He did not feel he should say no to the invitation. Although he often ate the food without really tasting it and often did not really participate in the conversation, he was surprised by some new insight and at tough times it was nice to think of the kindness of the Joneses. They wished he would get more involved with what happened and get more out of it, because they loved him very much. There was a young man who came a couple of times a year to be nice and at other times when he felt particularly lonely and once when he was very hungry and needed a good meal. Usually, he was busy with other things on dinner nights. The Joneses wished he were free more often. They enjoyed his company and they loved him very much. One neighbor who lived a couple of doors down never came to dinner. Nobody was sure why not. The Joneses missed spending time with her. They were very disappointed, but they continued to invite her, for they loved her very much.
Pastor Jim
PS: You and I have our invitations. Hope to see you there. PSS: Keep the call committee in your prayers. They are preparing themselves to interview candidates. That process will begin in the near future when they receive names from the Bishops office.
PAID
Pottstown, PA
SDT MAIL
Mailed 4/25/2012