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​

August 2024 Mustard Seed - Announcements

7/29/2024

 
FaithNotes...
 
Christian Radio keeps the faith going   
     88.9 FM  WORD -- Contemporary Christian Rock Music
     107.5 FM -- Praise/Gospel Music & Bible teaching
     106.9 FM -- KLOVE -- Contemporary Christian Rock
 
Check out bibleproject.com They provide videos, podcasts, Bible study, online classes and more, all for free.  They are “helping people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus.”  Check out their website!
  Understand the Bible in ten minutes a day with plans for every book and guides for every chapter.
 Through the Word is a nonprofit ministry dedicated to equipping people around the world to read the Bible, understand it, apply it, and make it a habit. They provide simple yet powerful tools via the web and mobile apps that lead users on a journey to understand the entire Bible, one chapter at a time. TTW combines clear, balanced, and relatable teaching with direct accessibility. Their purpose is God’s calling: to make disciples, equip the saints, and preach the word. (Mat. 28:19, Eph. 4:12, 2 Tim, 4:2)
 
TTW is the cure for broken Bible habits and lost-in-Leviticus syndrome.  Easy to start, easy to keep, easy to share.  Go to throughtheword.org or download the app on your phone.
 
 
Please keep the stamps coming!
It’s a continuing need!  Thank you for all your contributions.  It really helps!  
 
 
Do you shop at Giant?
If you do, you can buy Giant gift cards from the church.  A $50 card costs you $50.  How does the church make money?  Well, when Faith purchases $1,000 worth of cards from Giant, they only charge us $950 (a 5% discount.)  So, when we sell those cards to you, the church makes $50.  It adds up… 
 
Hatfield Flowers and Gifts (215) 822-1530) provides Faith with two lovely flower arrangements for our sanctuary each Sunday.
   You can sign up to sponsor flowers, bulletins or a food basket.  The flowers are $35, the bulletins are $10 and the food basket is $25.
    You can dedicate any one of these things to someone special, to celebrate a birthday or in memory of a loved one. You may take the flowers home, or they will be given to an ill or homebound member.  The $10 for the bulletins is to help cover the cost of making the bulletins and the $25 for the food basket is money donated to “Manna on Main Street” to help feed those in the North Penn area.
          To sign up for a particular Sunday either sign up on the chart on the Foyer bulletin board or call Janet in the church office (215) 368-0240.
 
 Faith’s Transportation Initiative
If you need a ride to church on Sunday or you are interested in providing a ride to church to someone, please contact Dale Foster.
We currently receive donations of WAWA Food through the Food Donation Connection.  We may receive anything from sizzlies, to breakfast burritos, to lunch sandwiches, to muffins, to sweet treats, to hot dogs...anything they didn’t sell the day before and have now frozen. If you are in need of some supplemental food or know of someone who is, please let either Janet Hill in the church office or Dale Foster know and we will make sure you receive some Wawa food.
 
Clothing Container Fundraising Program
Church Family, we now have a clothing donation box behind the church.  It is located near the driveway to the Pine Tree Ridge development.  The church will receive $50 per month for having the bin there.  So please clean out your closets and fill up the bin…and tell your friends and family about it too.  Thank you!
    Help your community place their unwanted/gently used clothing, shoes, apparel & linens in our clothing collection containers. This saves our landfills and gives back to low-income families in need!   In return, this program raises funds for local non-profits and organizations in our communities. Currently, they help raise funds for the American Cancer Fund, Rotary International, Eden Autism, and many other local non-profits.
    They do not accept: Any merchandise that has holes, rips, stains, mold or has an odor and is wet.
https://clothingshoedrive.com/clothingcontainers/

 
 Nancy Gansner, Anna Friedrich, and Gail Achilles will be available on a rotating schedule each Sunday throughout the Summer (June 2 thru Sep 1) during 9:30 am Worship Service - same length of time as our traditional Sunday school.  We will plan to do an activity/lesson with the children in our Fellowship Hall. We will resume traditional Sunday School on “Rally Day” September 8, 2024, during 9:30 am Worship Service after Children’s sermon and return for the rite of Holy Communion. Parent, grandparents and guardians, thank you for glorifying our God by bringing your children to learn His Word and His Good Works.  (Note: Older youth ages 12 to 17 are welcome to serve as Youth Volunteers at Sunday School.)  
Any comments or questions, please see Gail Achilles, Christian Education Chair
 
As scripture teaches, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
 
 
  Monday Night Bible Study will be taking a break for the summer months and resume their next study (to be determined) on Monday, September 9, at 7 pm on zoom.

Parents’ Night Out (PNO) – Youth Fellowship (YF) will not be held in August.  Look for it again on Friday, September 20, 2024

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
 

 
Check out the can in the Fellowship Hall to recycle aluminum cans.  Not only does it help the environment, but it will generate some cash for the church.  Beth Schoening has volunteered to empty the can periodically and take the cans to the recycling center.  So, if you have any aluminum cans at home, please bring them in and it will help the earth and Faith Church!  Thank you!  (Make sure they are aluminum though…if a magnet does not attach to it, it’s aluminum.)
 
 
The “Golden Girls of Faith” (Golden Men are welcome too!)  will be meeting once a month for lunch, fellowship and prayer at a local restaurant. 
They will meet the second Wednesday this month (because of Vacation Bible School) which will be August 14, 2024. 
For more information or if you need a ride, please talk to Anna Friedrich.  All are welcome!
 

Lord, when did we see you...?  
The purpose of the Social Ministry Team is to follow Jesus' commandment to love one another as he loved us.  To offer opportunities to our congregation to be good and faithful servants.  To share the love and truth of Jesus Christ and to offer hope to all God's children by giving of our time, our money and ourselves to our church, our community, and the world.
 
 
Social Ministry/VBS Project: Operation Kid to Kid: Making a splash in Honduras!
 In North America, most of us take it for granted that we can turn on a tap and get a healthy drink of water.  We have access to filtered water and bottled water when clean drinking water isn’t available.  But that’s not the case for many families in Honduras.  You may not realize that:
 - About one in nine people in Honduras don’t have access to clean water resources.  Most of these people live in rural areas.
 - Lack of access to clean water means women and girls spend valuable time walking long distances to wells.  That’s time they could be spending in school or providing for their families in other ways.
 - Too often, rural families are forced to get their drinking water from local rivers - the same rivers where people (and animals) bathe.  Drinking water from rivers leads to disease and malnutrition.
    But we can change that!  A $5 donation can provide clean water for one person for more than a year!  Plus,
initiatives in rural Honduras promote and provide support for handwashing and sanitation!  That means no more long walks to the well or being forced to drink harmful water!  That small donation will make a huge impact! 
    World Vision is passionate about meeting the need of this global crisis.  The international team at World Vision connects one new person with clean water every 10 seconds!  We have the opportunity to bless countless families in Honduras, helping them have access to one of life’s most basic resources!
    Faith Church collected money for this worthwhile cause during the week of Vacation Bible School.  We will continue collecting funds for the month of August. Look for a container in the Foyer to drop your donation or see Janet in the church office.  Thank you for your support!
 
 Permission to photocopy this resource from Group’s Stellar VBS granted for local church use. Copyright © 2023 Group Publishing, Inc., Loveland, CO. group.com/vbs
 
 
If you shop at Redner’s, please save your receipts.  Anna Friedrich turns them in and the church receives a monetary donation from Redner’s.  All you need to do is either bring your receipts to church.  Thank you to those who bring in their receipts and to Anna who does the paperwork to receive this donation!  Please note that when bringing in your receipts we need the entire receipt.  Please do not tear off the bottom. Redner’s will not accept the receipt if the bottom is torn off.
 

Braeden Porreca graduated from North Penn High School in June of this year.  Braeden is the grandson of Beth Schoening.

Congratulations to Roman Navarro and Sheena Staller on their marriage on Saturday, June 29, 2024.  Congratulations and many blessed years together, Mr. & Mrs. Navarro.
 
 
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:3)

We are in need of Lectors (reading the lessons and psalm) and Worship Assistants (reading the prayers and few other passages) for our Zoom and in-person worship.  If you would like to volunteer or would like more information, please call Anna Friedrich.
 
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
 
 
Technology Volunteers
We are looking for a few volunteers who are willing to learn and help with the technology behind our virtual and in-person worship services.  Each week we host our Zoom meeting for worship as well as running the video cameras and sound system in the sanctuary.  Over the past few years we have refined this process and it’s running very smoothly now.  But it’s being managed by the same few people every week and we are looking to train others to share in this responsibility.  Please contact Rich Hollenbach, if you are interested.
 
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
 

August 2022 Mustard Seed - Notes from the Council Secretary

8/17/2022

 
Hello Church Family, This month we will be sharing the Word of God at Vacation Bible School with the children in our church and our community the week of August 8 through 12.  Please pray along with me: 
Oh, Almighty Creator, we pray for our Congregation, our volunteers and the children attending this year’s Vacation Bible School and their families and friends to grow in a stronger, deeper, and closer relationship with you.  With your spiritual guidance, help us serve you, glorify you, and walk in Your righteous path that you so graciously and lovingly provide us.  We love you Lord and thank you for Your “Monumental” presence and love.  In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen!                
 
God’s Rainbow of Love
(written by Gail Achilles, 1-21-21)
How Glorious is the World You made;
The order and the care You gave.
The sky, the sun, the moon, the stars,
The Mountains, valleys, near and far.
The oceans and rivers filled with living creatures.
Animals of every kind;
Plants, trees, flowers,
Beauty all around. 
You gave us all the things we need to
Live a life that could succeed.
Not with riches, gold, and silver,
But with Love that flows
Like an endless river.
Your forever love is the greatest
Gift You gave us
To have for ourselves and one another.
The beautiful rainbow across the sky is the reminder
Of Your promise for all to live in Your love
And spread it near and far, below and above. 
God’s Rainbow of Love is all we need to
Live in peace and harmony!
Praise you Lord for the Greatest Gift of all:  Your Love!
 
Your Sister in Christ, Gail
       Gail Achilles, Call Committee Chair and Council Secretary
​

August 2022 Mustard Seed - Council Notes

8/17/2022

 
​ Council Notes
As there was no Council meeting in July, Council Notes will return in September.

August 2022 Mustard Seed - Announcements

8/17/2022

 
Christian Radio keeps the faith going    
     560 AM  WFIL -- Christian teaching all day long
     88.9 FM  WORD -- Contemporary Christian Rock Music
     91.7 FM -- A mixture of Bible teaching, traditional music
     107.5 FM -- Praise/Gospel Music & Bible teaching
     106.9 FM -- KLOVE -- Contemporary Christian Rock
 
Check out bibleproject.com They provide videos, podcasts, Bible study, online classes and more, all for free.  They are “helping people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus.”  Check out their website!

Please keep the stamps coming!
It’s a continuing need!  Thank you for all your contributions.  It really helps!  

Hatfield Flowers and Gifts ((215) 822-1530) provides Faith with two lovely flower arrangements to adorn our sanctuary.
          You can sign up to sponsor flowers, bulletins or a food basket.  The flowers are $35, the bulletins are $10 and the food basket is $25.
          You can dedicate any one of these things to someone special, to celebrate a birthday or in memory of a loved one. You may take the flowers home or they will be given to an ill or homebound member.  The $10 for the bulletins is to help cover the cost of making the bulletins and the $25 for the food basket is money donated to “Manna on Main Street” to help feed those in the North Penn area.
          To sign up for a particular Sunday either sign up on the chart on the Foyer bulletin board or call Janet in the church office (215) 368-0240.
 
 
 Faith’s Transportation Initiative
If you need a ride to church on Sunday or you are interested in providing a ride to church to someone, please contact Dale Foster.

Faith will be offering in-person “Monumental” Vacation Bible School Monday through Friday, August 8-12, 2022 from 9am to 12noon.  Call the Church Office at 215-368-0240 if you’d like more information.
 
The in-person Sunday School program during the 10:30 a.m. service as well as the Wednesday Bible School program on Wednesdays at 4:30pm via zoom is on hiatus for the months of June, July and August!  Look for the September Mustard Seed to see when things will be starting up again. 

Monday Night Bible Study will be taking a break for the summer and will reconvene in the fall.

 
 
Do you shop at Giant?
If you do, you can buy Giant gift cards from the church.  A $50 card costs you $50.  How does the church make money?  Well, when Faith purchases $1,000 worth of cards from Giant, they only charge us $950 (a 5% discount.)  So, when we sell those cards to you, the church makes $50.  It adds up… 
Lord, when did we see you...? 
 
Here’s the 2022 Social Ministry Calendar.  Please be encouraged to participate in those projects which touch your heart!  Please contact Sharon Hood or Debbie Hollenbach if you’d like to join this ministry!
 
   August     VBS Project
   September After School Snacks for Manna
   October     Code Blue - Socks, Mittens, Gloves, Scarfs
   November  Thanksgiving Food Items for Manna
   December  Angel Tree Grocery Cards
                     Martin Luther School under Gemma Services
 
VBS Project: Operation Kid to Kid: Helping Close to Home
 
There are about 326 Native American reservations in North America. Approximately a million people call these stunning landscapes home. Countless factors have turned many reservations—which often cover vast, remote parts of the continent— into islands of need. For Native Americans living in hardship, even purchasing school supplies for their children can be a struggle.
As part of Monumental VBS and for the month of August, our church will take part in Operation Kid-to-Kid™, a mission project that gives us the opportunity to share God’s love in a practical way.  We are asking for monetary donations that will be used to purchase items like notebooks, pencils, backpacks, and paper for kids on Native American reservations. With this project, $1 will help supply a child with the school tools needed for a whole school year!
Operation Kid-to-Kid is possible through a partnership between Group Publishing VBS programs and World Vision (a Christian international relief organization). All donations will be sent directly to World Vision, who will purchase and then distribute the school supplies to select reservations.
 
Update on our Social Ministry Project for June
Thank you very much for your generous contributions of Men’s Hygiene products for Keystone Opportunity Center in honor of Father’s Day! When I dropped them off at the donation center, they were excited because they said that they could use everything! In total we collected 25 bars of soap, 7 deodorants, 11 items related to shaving needs, 2 shampoos, 2 body washes, 20 tubes of toothpaste, 6 toothbrushes, 3 packs of combs, lots of dental floss and 8 miscellaneous products. Thank you to the people of Faith Lutheran Church and a generous neighbor at Little Farms Estates.              Debbie Hollenbach

We are in need of Lectors (reading the lessons and psalm) and Worship Assistants (reading the prayers and few other passages) for our Zoom and in-person worship.  If you would like to volunteer or would like more information, please call Anna Friedrich.
 
 
Announcement! Announcement!
THE CHOIR IS BACK!
I am so pleased to announce that starting in September, we will be reconvening the choir!!! Unfortunately, in our two-year lapse, we have lost a lot of members. We are looking for fresh faces and happy voices to lift their praise to the Lord on Tuesday nights and Sunday mornings. Practices will begin Tuesday, September 13th at 7PM in the choir room. If you have any questions, please drop me an email at [email protected] or a call at 267-421-9351 and I will be more than happy to convince you why you should join the choir.  
 
Love in Christ,  Laura, Laura Cooper, Music Director
 
 
Coffee Hour after Worship on Sundays at Faith
 
  8/5 Congregation Coffee Hour 
8/12 VBS Leftovers 
8/19 Finance Team/Stewardship – Debbie Hollenbach & Jack Walls 
8/26 Congregation Coffee Hour
 
    Thank you to all those that pitch in to set up and clean up the kitchen on Sundays!

August 2022 Mustard Seed - A Word from the Pastor

8/17/2022

 
Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”  Luke 12:22-7031

As temperatures rise through these long days of summer other things are rising if we pause to notice them, the bright orange day lilies that spring up everywhere and the beautiful yellow, black eyed Susans that fill the roadsides and median strips. Too often we drive by too fast to notice.  We planted some black eyed Susans by our garage and they’ve spread to cover the whole flower bed. All we had to do was put a few in the ground and now they blossom in all their glory just in time for my birthday on July 31.

Preparing to celebrate my 70th birthday with our extended family, I sadly realize how much of those 70 years I’ve spent looking back on the past with regret for things I’ve done or failed to do and looking forward to the future with anxiety about what might happen next. The truth is that I can do nothing about the past and have very little influence on the future.  When I retired from full-time ministry seven years ago, the hardest question the financial advisor asked me was, “how long to you plan to live?” We all hope to live as long as we can. But the more important question is how do we fully live all the days God gives us?  
We can’t deny that we live in anxious times, dealing with political divisions, rising prices, violent crime, the threat of world war, climate change and a still deadly pandemic.  But Jesus reminds his first disciples and us today that all of our worry about the future cannot add a single hour to our lives. Our worry and anxiety only keep us from fully living our lives with grateful joy for all the gifts God gives us every new day.  The greatest gift of all is knowing how much God loves us.

Jesus reminds us, as God clothes the flowers and grass of the field and feeds the birds of the air, of how much more value are you than the birds!  God values you more than all the flowers of the field and birds of the air that so delight us. Jesus assures us that God forgives our past sin to free us from regret and promises us an eternal future that frees us from worry, for us to enjoy the gift of this present moment, here and now. 

So, in the long, hot days of August, I encourage you to begin each morning by opening the gifts God has given you; your eyes, your ears, your hands and hearts to appreciate and to share all that God gives you today. 
​
Hoping to see you every Sunday.   Summer Blessings!  Pastor Bruce + 
       

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