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October 2024 Mustard Seed - A Word from Our Pastor

10/2/2024

Greetings Siblings in Christ,

We are now entering into the month of October! Summer is over, and Fall has begun. The leaves are changing, and the weather is cooler. Luca, Eileen, and I are enjoying this weather by sitting on our porch. We also just went to our first orchard of the season. We love our pumpkins and apples. Luca is also a big fan of apple cider donuts. In October, football season is also fully in season, and red October, the Phillies postseason, has begun. So, overall, it has been a pretty good Fall season so far. However, as I look around, I sometimes wonder if things are good? War is still prevalent in so many places, including in Ukraine and the Holy Land. Oppression and injustices are still so frequent, and political turmoil is widespread. Then, on a more general level, life has just been hard for so many for several years. Over the last ten years, a lot has happened, including the pandemic and rise of inflation. Then, people also just have their own personal issues that they have had to deal with. So, sometimes life does not always seem good, and as Christians we have been told throughout our lives to pray and things will get better. However, do things actually get better? Well, sometimes they do and in other instances they do not.

However, this is not necessarily why we pray. We do not pray solely to make things better, but for the hope of God made known in Jesus Christ. We pray to call upon God knowing that God will answer. We pray to be in relationship with God and with other people. Prayer joins us with God and with others in love. Prayer prompts us to be involved in God’s work here on earth, and it helps us to discern our role within this work. We pray because of the greatness and the goodness of God. In Psalm 145, King David lifts up God’s goodness and greatness and reminds the reader that “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (v.18 NRSV). Thus, when we pray, we are reminded that God is always near, and so there is goodness in this world. Even in the hardest of times, God is here to walk with us and to give us comfort throughout it all, to be hope to the world.

In the different prayer lists throughout my congregations, you may have seen my great grandmother’s name, Mary Lou Clayton. In March of 2024, she turned 95 years old. However, for the last year, she has been in and out of the hospital and rehab for numerous health reasons. The other day I was talking with her on the phone. She expressed to me that she has been having a hard time lately. She has been grieving the loss of her mobility and the functionality of her hands. At one point in our conversation, I told her that my two congregations have been praying for her for a while now. She hadn't known that she was on the prayer list. However, when I told her, she was immediately moved and comforted, because she was reminded that she is not alone. Thus, there is indeed a need for prayer! Therefore, I pray that we always remember that we are never alone. I pray that we may always feel God’s greatness and goodness and may God's presence always be known in all the world, now and forever, amen.

Peace and Blessings, Pastor Ethan Doan

October 2024 Mustard Seed - Announcements

10/2/2024

HOLIDAY BAZAAR Friday, November 8 (4-8PM) and Saturday, November 9 (9AM-2PM)
We will need members of the congregation to help out during the event as well as before the event as we need some muscle for set-up and then take-down.
    Start gathering your donations and we’ll let you know when you can bring them to the church. Look for sign-up sheets and more information closer to the event.
If you have any questions or if you would be willing to help, please see Beth Schoening or Janet Hill.

As we look forward to 2025 we need to start planning financially. The Preliminary Budget/Pledge Packets were emailed to you and hard copies are available on the table right outside of the sanctuary. Included in the packet is a letter from your finance chair, Debbie Hollenbach, the Preliminary Budget for 2025, a Time and Talent Survey and a Pledge Card for 2025. Please prayerfully consider your pledge and we will be collecting them on Commitment Sunday, October 6, 2024.

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)

FELLOWSHIP MINISTRY: The Fellowship Ministry Team at Faith tries to schedule activities for members of the congregation to spend time together to strengthen their bonds outside of the traditional worship service. We also encourage members to bring their family, friends and members of the community to these activities. This strengthens our ties to one another and opens opportunities to meet new people.

The Fellowship activity for October 2024 is:

We will be having a Wawa Hoagie Sale on Sunday, October 13, 2024.

The 6-inch hoagies are $7 and the 10-inch hoagies are $9. You will also be provided with a drink and a bag of chips. The order forms are on the table in the Foyer and will also be emailed to you. Call the church if you’d like to order a hoagie and can’t get an order form. (Profits from the Hoagie Sale will go to the HVAC fund.)

Orders need to be in by Sunday, October 6, 2024.

Greetings! Our Faith Education Dinner will be starting up again on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 5:30pm. At this dinner, we will discuss various topics related to the Church and Scripture. This dinner is geared toward teens and adults. However, activities will be provided for all ages. Come eat and learn!

Sunday School: Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church new Sunday School hours will be at 9:30am during the worship service.

Our teachers are Nancy Gansner, Anna Friedrich, & Gail Achilles
Classes are held during Worship Service in the Church’s Sunday School Room.
The children will leave worship service after the Pastor-led children’s sermon and return to worship service before the rite of Holy Communion.
Please call the Church office 215-368-0240 or email [email protected] to register your child for Sunday School.
Any questions or comments, contact Gail Achilles, Christian Education Chair.
We are looking forward in sharing Jesus’ love and word with your Child(ren).

Proverbs 22:6 ESV Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Our Monday Night Bible Study group will be meeting on Zoom on Monday nights from 7-9pm. If you would like to grow in your relationship with Jesus and fortify your Faith in fellowship, please join us.
Here is the zoom link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89517994658?pwd=2AE3yRc631cCcIP7aNDBRK1WrhIQ1X.1

Meeting ID: 895 1799 4658      Passcode: 478541

All are welcome to join, please contact Gail Achilles if interested.

Parents’ Night Out (PNO) – Youth Fellowship (YF)

Looking for a night out and a fun, safe place to bring the kids?

Well, look no further! We here at Faith Lutheran Church are ready to care for your child(ren) in a safe environment, provide food and fun activities, and share the love of Jesus.

The children will have dinner when they arrive consisting of pizza or chicken nuggets, grape and apple slices with caramel dip, water, 100% fruit juice, then enjoy music, games, crafts, stories, and end the evening with popcorn and a movie!
PNO-YF is held on a Friday from 6 pm to 9 pm. The schedule for 2024 is: Oct 25, Nov 22, Dec 6

If interested, please register at www.faithmontgomeryville.org and click on the PNO – YF tab or call 215-368-0240.

Note: A minimum donation of $5.00 per child is suggested so we can provide future youth events.

We look forward to hearing from you!
Email: [email protected]

Where the Word of Jesus is spoken, heard, and lived

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.

Thanksgiving is just a month away! During the month of October, the Social Ministry Team will be collecting boxed Stuffing Mixes (think Stove Top Stuffing – Cornbread or Traditional) or Scalloped Potatoes to deliver to the ECC Food Cupboard in Hatfield in time for their Thanksgiving Baskets and other Holiday Shopping. Please place your boxes in the purple bin under the coat rack and they will be delivered to their warehouse in plenty of time to help out our neighbors and the community. Please contact Deb Hollenbach with any questions.


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 first Wednesday of the month, which will be October 2, 2024, this month.
For more information or if you need a ride, please talk to Anna Friedrich. All are welcome!


Happy 100th Birthday to Verna Wilde on October 15th.
Please think about sending her a card and some well wishes.
She is a blessing to our Congregation!
Congratulations Verna on this impressive milestone!

October 2024 Mustard Seed - Council Notes

10/2/2024

Council Notes   September 4, 2024

Council was called to order by President Rich Hollenbach. Council Minutes of the August council meeting were approved as written.

Treasurer’s Report: At 67% of the 2024-year, Member Giving for Pledged & Unpledged Envelopes is at 72% and 79%. Our current budget deficit for the year is $16, 503. The Treasurer’s Reports from August were approved as written. Requested that Denise investigate the possibility of amortization of some expenses and offerings from members that pay once a year.

President’s Report: Our joint worship service with Grace on August 18th went very well, and we plan to do more in the future. We have a congregational meeting following worship this Sunday, September 8, to review the finance options for replacing the remaining furnaces. The installation of Bishop Penman is on September 14 which Rich will be attending.

Pastor’s Report: Participated in VBS at both Faith and Jerusalem. Preached at Grace Lutheran Church at our joint worship on August 18, 2024. Had regular pastoral care conversations and visits. Continue to do shifts at the Lansdale Hospital as the Volunteer Protestant Chaplain. Faith Education Dinner - The plan is to start this back up on October 13, from 5:30 to 7 PM.

Ministry Team Reports:

Christian Education: Sunday School: Our traditional Sunday School began on September 8 (Rally Day, installation of Christian Education Team). Under the guidance of Pastor Ethan and available resources he gave us, our teachers Anna Friedrich, Nancy Gansner, and Gail Achilles will be teaching a curriculum during Sunday School on Holy Communion, 9/15, 9/22, and 9/29 respectively before World Communion Day, Sunday, October 6. If your child(ren) are ready to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and desire to receive their first Holy Communion, please contact Pastor Ethan.
Young Adult Group - will be having their next meeting at Freddy Hill Farms, Sunday, September 29, from 1:30 pm until approximately 4 pm for fun fellowship including mini-golf and ice cream. Need own transportation; $7.50 for golf; church youth ministry will pick up ice cream costs.
Parents’ Night Out – Youth Fellowship (PNO-YF): Our next two events for children ages 3 to 11 are scheduled for September 20 and October 25.   Your children are welcome to connect with Jesus in a fun, safe environment.
Monday Night Bible Study (MNBS): Our group resumed on Monday, September 9, from 6pm to 9pm. Our first hour, we enjoyed a dinner we each brought from home as we discussed our next study to deepen our connection with God. Then for the rest of the time we dusted the sanctuary as we praised God for this fine place to worship Him.

Communications: Pastor Eileen (Pastor Ethan’s wife) is working to design a logo for Faith. Pastor to start advertising the Holiday Bazaar on Facebook.

Finance: Annual Financial Review (Audit) – still needs to be coordinated (we have 2 of the 3 needed for the team). The Finance team is meeting on September 12 to kick off the discussions for the Proposed Preliminary Budget for 2025.

Fundraising: Upcoming scrapbooking fundraisers are coming in October & November.

Long-Range Planning: The Long-Range Planning Team focus areas: Spirituality - Revaluation of worship, emphasis on prayer, Nourishing Vocation Project, contemplative practices, healing service, etc.; Fellowship - Intentional fellowship within the greater community, small groups, etc.; Service – community outreach, community partners, etc.

Mutual Ministry: Team needs to meet with the staff in September.

Property Team: New door for Sunday School hallway fire exit cost - $234, which will be taken from a memorial fund as designated by the special funds team. New furnaces (see Old Business.)

Shepherding: Sharon to talk to Beth.

Social Ministry: Funds raised for water for Honduras - $89 was raised during the week of VBS, and $141 was raised by the congregation in the month of August.

Special Funds: will review the fire exit door once we have the final costs.

Stewardship: Starting on September 15 up until pledge Sunday on October 6, 2024, we will be doing a stewardship campaign, which has a been entitled “Together We Are”. This campaign will focus on what it means to be a part of the body of Christ and how this calls us to use our time, talents, and treasures. The campaign will end on Pledge Sunday, which is also World Communion Sunday. This will be the theme of Pledge Sunday.

Worship & Music: Short-term music plans for worship are in place while still looking for a new music director. Will meet in September to plan the Fall and holiday season.

OLD BUSINESS Constitution Update – still working on addressing/incorporating council feedback.
Nourishing Vocation Project – in the process of finding a time to meet for our first cohort meeting toward the end of September. Hope to start integrating into worship during Advent.
2024 Holiday Bazaar - Bazaar is Friday, November 8, 4-8pm and Saturday, November 9, 10am-2pm; Letters sent to Vendors at end of August; Need people to bring letters to businesses for raffle items; Will have a meeting with volunteers on Sunday, September 15, 2024, during coffee hour; Have half a dozen committed volunteers and six more that need a bit more convincing; We need help with advertising – Pastor said he would help with on-line advertising. Any suggestions would be welcome.
A group wanted to rent the fellowship hall one Saturday a month for Scrapbooking; however, they were not willing to pay the costs associated with the use of the property.
HVAC replacement proposal - Here are the recommendations being considered. Council will determine which we will recommend to the congregation meeting on Sunday. 1. Do nothing and use fellowship hall if we have no heat or cooling in Sanctuary. 2. Sell some Merck stocks (will have brokerage fees and loss of up to $2000/year dividends to fund the General fund each year). 3. Set up a Capital Campaign (takes a lot of time to set up and receive the full funding). 4. Use savings (downside is that this we deplete this fund much faster, which is what we are currently using to pay the bills needed based on the deficit budget.) 5. Already checked to see if any grants were available, but there are not. 6. Getting a loan, but with about 10% interest which will also add to our deficit budget each year. After much discussion, Missy motioned that we recommend selling the Merck stocks in full to pay for the Sanctuary HVAC units, then invest the rest until needed to pay for the remaining replacements next year. The council approved the recommendation to the congregation.

NEW BUSINESS none.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 7:00 PM.

September 2024 Mustard Seed - A Word from Our Pastor

8/28/2024

“Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them;” (John 14:23 NRSV). I have been thinking about this verse from John’s gospel for a couple months now. I last saw this verse on the cover of my grandmother’s funeral bulletin. Apparently, it had been her confirmation verse. The giving of a confirmation verse is a common tradition for many congregations. A confirmation verse is a biblical passage that serves as a constant reminder of God's presence and promise to a person. It is a verse that one uses to guide their life. A confirmation verse is either given to or chosen by the confirmand. It is usually spoken to the confirmand on Confirmation Sunday when they affirm their baptism. As I reflected on this verse from John’s gospel, I started to wonder why my grandmother chose this verse. What inspired her to select it or was she given it? Did she just come upon it while reading through the Bible or was she given a list of verses to choose from by her pastor?

Reflecting back, I remember choosing my own confirmation verse. However, to be honest, I do not remember what verse I chose. I remember my pastor giving us recommendations, but I do not remember my verse. Instead, I remember all of us just wanting the easiest verse to remember because our pastor was having us memorize our verses to be recited aloud to the congregation. So, we all wanted John 3:16 since it was the verse that we all knew already through its popularity in modern culture. So, I wonder what my grandmother's reasoning was? Was it silly or was it because the verse actually spoke to her? If this verse was in her funeral bulletin, then I am compelled to think that it meant something to her. I wonder how it affected and guided her life? To me, this verse, read by itself, is a reminder of God’s close relationship to us, a relationship that is grounded in love. A promise that God in Christ through the Holy Spirit makes a home among us and with us and in us. A home full of comfort, support, and peace. I would like to believe that my grandmother felt this close relationship with God, and that it guided how she interacted with others. For me, my grandmother was home. She was a stable presence in my life. I could always count on her to be there for me. She loved and comforted me. Perhaps, she was this person because this was who God was to her, and so this verse from John truly did guide her. Well, I guess I will never know for sure why she chose this verse, but now it speaks to me. It guides me!

So, Church, I ask you what bible passages or verses have guided your life? What scripture is speaking to you, and how has it affected how you walk in this world? As you finish your summer and continue through the year, I pray that God’s holy word strikes you in awe, and that through the Holy Spirit you find guidance in it. However, most importantly, may it remind you that you are loved. In Jesus, the Word, we pray. Amen.

Peace and Blessings, Pastor Ethan Doan

September 2024 - Announcements

8/28/2024

Faith will be holding our Holiday Bazaar on Friday, November 8 (4-8PM) and Saturday, November 9 (9AM-2PM).
We will need members of the congregation to help out during the event as well as before the event as we need some muscle for set-up and then take-down. We are soliciting vendors to sell their products and will have several tables of which we will be in charge. Please search your closets and help us out in the following areas! We will have a kitchen with soups/ salads/ hot dogs for sale. We will have a raffle table and we need help in obtaining donations of gift certificates and other goodies from the businesses in our area. (Check out the sign-up sheet and donation letter on the table outside of the sanctuary.)   We will be selling jewelry that you are tired of or just want to replace with something new! We will also have an area where we will be selling Attic Treasures.
Start gathering your donations and we’ll let you know when you can bring them to the church. Look for sign-up sheets and more information closer to the event. We will be having a meeting after worship on Sunday, September 15. Please come and see what it’s all about. All are welcome!
If you have any questions or if you would be willing to help, please see Beth Schoening or Janet Hill
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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 on the first Wednesday this month which will be September 4, 2024.
For more information or if you need a ride, please talk to Anna Friedrich. All are welcome!
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As we look forward to 2025, we need to start planning financially. The Preliminary Budget/Pledge Packets will be available for the congregation on Sunday, September 22, 2024, either by email or hard copy on the table right outside of the sanctuary. Included will be a letter from your finance chair, Debbie Hollenbach, the Preliminary Budget for 2025, a Time and Talent Survey and a Pledge Card for 2025. Please prayerfully consider your pledge and we will be collecting them on Commitment Sunday, October 6, 2024.
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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…

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FaithNotes...

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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.

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

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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.

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Vacation Bible School 2024 (Scuba: diving into friendship with God): At “Scuba VBS” our children learned that God is a friend who’s real, God is a friend who loves, God is a friend we can trust, God is a friend forever and God is a friend for everyone! There were 14 children and 24 volunteers at VBS this year. Thank you to all of the volunteers, who shared the love of Jesus and were awesome. Thank you to the children who attended, and their parents and caregivers. Much positive feedback was received from volunteers, parents, and children. Special thanks to Melissa Prunkel for putting all the decals on our VBS Staff T-shirts. They looked great!
We raised $83.45 during the week for World Vision’s mission effort to provide clean water for people in Honduras.

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On September 9th the Monday Night Bible Study group will start this year by meeting in-person at the church from 6-9pm.
            All are welcome to join, please contact Gail Achilles if interested.

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You are invited to Rally Day
at Faith Lutheran Church

We will kickstart our Christian education Program at the 9:30 am Worship service on
Sunday, September 8
Followed by an Ice Cream Bar in the Fellowship Hall

Our 2024/25 Christian Education program for ages 3 to 11 will begin on Rally Day Sunday, September 8

Proverbs 22:6 ESV Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

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Parents’ Night Out (PNO) – Youth Fellowship (YF)

Looking for a night out and a fun, safe place to bring the kids?

Well, look no further! We here at Faith Lutheran Church are ready to care for your child(ren) in a safe environment, provide food and fun activities, and share the love of Jesus.

The children will have dinner when they arrive consisting of pizza or chicken nuggets, grape and apple slices with caramel dip, water, 100% fruit juice, then enjoy music, games, crafts, stories, and end the evening with popcorn and a movie!

PNO-YF is held on a Friday from 6 pm to 9 pm. The schedule for 2024 is: Sep 20, Oct 25, Nov 22, Dec 6
If interested, please register at www.faithmontgomeryville.org and click on the PNO – YF tab or call 215-368-0240.
Note: A minimum donation of $5.00 per child is suggested so we can provide future youth events.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Where the Word of Jesus is spoken, heard and lived!

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Young Adult Fellowship for ages 12 to 17. For our September meeting, we are looking at Sunday, September 29 to meet at 1:30pm at Freddy Hill Farms (1440 Sumneytown Pike, Lansdale, PA 19446) where we will play mini golf, have an ice cream treat, and fun fellowship in the presence of Jesus.  (Please be prepared to pay for the golf fee of $7.50, and the church youth ministry will pay for the ice cream.) Let us know by contacting Gail Achilles including those on the Adult Support team for a count to get a group discount no later than Monday, September 9, if you wish to partake in this enjoyable outing. Also, inform us if you will be bringing extra friends within the age bracket; they are most welcome.  Pick up time will be around 4 pm.

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FELLOWSHIP MINISTRY: The Fellowship Ministry Team at Faith tries to schedule activities for members of the congregation to spend time together to strengthen their bonds outside of the traditional worship service. We also encourage members to bring their family, friends and members of the community to these activities. This strengthens our ties to one another and opens opportunities to meet new people.
The Fellowship activity for September 2024 is:
Peddler’s Village Scarecrows, Sunday, September 22nd
Right after church we will carpool to Peddler’s Village to see their scarecrow display and stroll around looking at the interesting shops there. Come out for an enjoyable day in the fresh air!

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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 Project for September 2024

141 IMPACT/IMPACT ONE UGANDA

Exciting things are happening this year at 141 Impact. Earlier this year, they purchased 3 acres in Kyanja Village, just up the hill from their current meeting site!

Plans are underway for the development of the property. Phase 1 will be construction of the first two buildings… one for latrines and the other for a ministry office, library and storage.

Phase II will be an open-air chapel/pavilion to provide shelter from the sun/rain for Saturday gatherings.

Your Social Ministry is asking for your donations to help in covering the cost of constructing these buildings.

141 Impact is humbly asking for your prayers and support for these projects that will make a lasting impact on their community.

“If every ONE just helped ONE, imagine the IMPACT we could have on the world. Imagine what ONE FOR ONE can do. It’s time for each of us to be ONE.”

Any questions, please contact me.

     Your Sister in Christ, Sharon Hood      215-822-2579
Update on the June/July Social Ministry Project of men’s hygiene items for Manna on Main Street. Nancy Gansner dropped off: 17 bars of soap, 15 toothbrushes, 6 tubes of toothpaste, 9 deodorant/body sprays, 13 body washes/shampoos, 11 shaving creams/gels, 6 packs of cleansing cloths, 71 disposal razors, 15 dental flosses, 2 hand sanitizers, 3 after-shaves, 1 mouthwash and 1 gallon bottle of shampoo.

The August Social Ministry Project of collecting money for clean water for people in Honduras raised $180. This was collected during Vacation Bible School and then from the congregation during the month of August. This will be sent to World Vision for them to distribute. At $5 to provide clean water for one person for more than a year, we helped 36 people.

Thank you everyone for always stepping up and helping out those in the community and around the world.

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“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)

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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.

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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.

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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.) Thank you to everyone who is filling the can!

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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.
    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.

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7

September 2024 - Council Notes

8/28/2024

Council Notes   July 31,2024

Council was called to order by President Rich Hollenbach. Council Minutes of the June regular council meeting were approved as written. The Treasurer’s Report from June and the preliminary report from July were approved as written. At 58% of the 2024-year, member giving for pledged and unpledged envelopes is at 65% and 68%. Our current budget deficit is $14, 639.

President’s Report: Rich is happy with the summer attendance, but it takes a lot of planning and work by Rich to handle the music and Zoom recordings.

Pastor’s Report: Pastor Ethan has led and presided at worship regularly at Faith and Jerusalem. He has provided pastoral care for both congregations, as well as filling in at St. John’s Lutheran of Ridge Valley. He is working with Rev. Nancy from Grace Hatfield to do a collaboration worship together on August 18, 2024. He is also working with Gail and the team for VBS. Special thanks to the congregation for their support and prayers during the passing of his grandmother, Janet Stender. And thank you for all your flexibility as he navigated that time.

Ministry Team Reports:

Christian Education: Vacation Bible School: held from August 5-9. As of July 31, 16 children (ages 3 to 11) are registered. We have 28 volunteers including 10 youth volunteers ages 12 to 17 who shared and role-modeled Jesus’ love.
Parent Night Out/Youth Fellowship (PNO/YF): Our next two events for children ages 3 to 11 are scheduled for September 20 and October 25. Your children are welcome to connect with Jesus in a fun, safe environment.
Young Adult Group (ages 12 to 17): August and September dates are still to be determined. This youth ministry is progressing nicely having had two meaningful, fun fellowship gatherings in June and July. The attendance is increasing (please ask your friends to come along with you) and the number of adults supporting is great, praise the Lord.
Sunday School: Our traditional Sunday School lessons will resume on Rally Day, September 8, during Worship Service.   Our teachers Nancy Gansner, Anna Friedrich, and Gail Achilles will lead the lessons each Sunday on a rotating basis. Youth volunteers 12 and older are welcome. Those, 18 and older, who may be interested in teaching Sunday School please contact Gail Achilles or the church office. In honor of Rally Day, all are invited to an ice cream bar in the Fellowship Hall after the service.
Monday Night Bible Study (MNBS): resumes on Monday, September 9, when we will discuss our next study. Please contact Gail Achilles if you would like to dive deeper into God’s Word. All are welcome.
Fellowship: The Iron Pigs Baseball game is no longer being planned.
Finance: Annual Financial Review (Audit) – Adria is unable to help with the audit. We need three people (not on council) – Mark M was suggested.
Hospitality: The coffee hours for the month of August were reviewed.
Long-Range Planning: The team focus areas are: Spirituality - re-evaluation of worship, emphasis on prayer, Nourishing Vocation Project, contemplative practices, healing service, etc.; Fellowship – intentional fellowship within the greater community, small groups, etc.; Service – community outreach, community partners, etc.
Mutual Ministry: Need to start up in September.
Property Management: The Hedwig House bingo fundraiser was a huge success with no issues with allowing alcohol. Hedwig House will be using the Fellowship Hall on Thursday, August 15, 2024, from 5-7:30pm. The council voted unanimously to allow the Property Management Team to schedule events from groups that have previously been approved by Council, without new Council approval, unless they want permission to have alcohol.
Property Team: See New Business for the proposal for new furnaces.
Social Ministry: Social Ministry/VBS Project: Operation Kid to Kid: Making a splash in Honduras.
Stewardship: Will be gearing up for September.
Worship & Music: Short-term music plans for worship are in place while still looking for a new music director. A joint worship service with Grace Hatfield will be held on August 18 at 9:15 AM.  Weekly Prayers of Intercession Clean up - Would like to have the congregation review the weekly list and provide any updates. Suggested a Mustard Seed article and an email reminder to the congregation to review prayer needs.

OLD BUSINESS Constitution Update – working on addressing/incorporating council feedback. Nourishing Vocation Project (one-hour meeting held before council meeting.)

NEW BUSINESS 2024 Holiday Bazaar Proposal – Janet and Beth submitted a proposal for the Holiday Bazaar to be held on November 8-9, which council reviewed. Council approved the proposal to allow for continued planning with the following stipulations: All advertising needs to be pre-approved by the executive team; Monthly status updates must be submitted prior to Council meetings; Table price should be increased to $20 for one day and $30 for both days.
Scrap-booking group requests use of Fellowship Hall one Saturday a month.   After much discussion, the Council voted to approve with the proposed next steps for confirmation: Set rate at $200 for the church (to cover utilities) and $50 to sexton for set-up and teardown; Need to have discussion with Adam as to his availability; Can figure out dates just through the end of 2024.
Post Meeting follow-up: The group did not want to pay the fees we set forth and their scrap-booking hours were 10 AM to 10 PM, which did not allow for the clean-up and table reset before Sunday morning. The executive team then agreed that this would not be permitted.
HVAC replacement proposal – Adam provided quotes from three vendors for the replacement of the units in the sanctuary and the units that support the office, nursery, and adult forum room. There was much discussion.
The Council acknowledged the need for HVAC replacements and agreement with Adam’s recommendation of doing the units in the sanctuary first, by IT Landes, at a cost of $26,475. The Council then approved to move forward with the next step of figuring out financing. Once a proposal on how to fund the work is received by the Finance team, Council will need to approve, then present to the congregation for approval, as it is an unbudgeted capital expense.
With regard to timing – The proposal is good for 30 days (possibly longer). One option is to do nothing until something breaks, but costs could be higher if proposal is no longer valid.
The Finance Team now needs to review the options on how to fund it (and when). Here are some of the options that Council discussed: Sell some Merck stocks (downside is that we will have brokerage fees and loss of dividends to fund the General fund); Capital Campaign (takes time); Use savings (downside is that this we deplete this fund much faster, which is what we are currently using to pay the bills needed based on the deficit budget; Already checked to see if any grants were available, but there are not; Getting a loan, but with about 10% interest.
The Council approved Adam’s recommendation to remove the fences around the current AC units (not on the Cowpath side).

Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at 7:00 PM.

August 2024 Mustard Seed - A Word from Our Pastor

7/29/2024

Greetings siblings in Christ,

I hope you all are enjoying your summer! I hope it has been full of fun and adventure. Overall, it has been a good summer for me. However, it has been hot, Hot, HOT! One thing that Eileen, Luca, and I like to do when it is hot outside is to cool off in some water. We do this in many ways, but our favorite way to do this is by going down to the shore. We love the ocean and beach. We always try to get a few day trips in down at the shore during the summer months. I like the beach for many reasons. It is indeed a good way to cool off. However, I also just love seeing the ocean. Growing up where I did in the rural Midwest, there were not many opportunities to see such a grand body of water. The ocean’s vastness and liveliness captures my attention and imagination. There is so much about the ocean that is beautiful, but yet it is also frightening. It is so full of life but yet can be so deadly.

This is a sentiment that many people can relate to, and it is a theme that can be traced throughout scripture. In the scripture, the sea/ocean is symbolic of chaos and danger. Before creation, the ocean/deep is described as being covered with darkness (Gen 1:2). Then, in the gospels, there are instances when the disciples are so afraid of the sea and the waves that crash around them that they cry out in fear, calling for help (Mt.8:23-27; Mrk. 4:35-42; Luk. 8:22-25).

However, in the Bible, the ocean/sea is also seen as beautiful and majestic. It stands as an example of God's power and might. In the book of Isaiah, God says, “I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name.” (51:15). God also calls the sea good. In Genesis 1: 9-10, God declares: “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.”

So, for me, although the ocean/sea is indeed scary, it is also a sign of how glorious and mighty our God is. It is a reminder of the goodness that comes from God. It is a reminder of God's marvelous presence here on earth, God’s power and might. It is a sign of how great our God is! The last several years have been really hard for our country and for the world. So, signs like this are an important reminder for us that God is indeed still at work here on earth, that God is still present.

So, when I look at the ocean, I think about how scary and unknown it is, but I also think about how good and full of life it is. Our lives are also so much like this. Our lives can be scary and full of unknowns, but yet our lives are good. For we, like the ocean, were made by God, and God's presence is among us. God uses us too, like the ocean, to show God’s glory and might, and we are made to be signs of God's glorious presence here on earth. So, I ask you “how will you make God's presence known today?” As your summer starts to come to a close, I encourage you to reflect and pray on this question, and to remember that God is always with you. Amen.
Peace and Blessings, Pastor Ethan Doan

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)

July 2024 Mustard Seed - A Word from Our Pastor

7/3/2024

Greetings Siblings in Christ,

We are now fully into the summer season. I hope all has been well so far. I have already heard about so many fun adventures. Unfortunately, my adventures have not been as fun. I write this letter to you from my hometown of Edinburg, IL. I have spent the last several days at the hospital with my family. For those who may not know, my grandmother, Janet Stender, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer on June 2, 2024. It is now with a heavy heart that I announce that she passed away and entered the Church Triumphant on June 18, 2024, at 2:49pm. This day was honestly one of the hardest of my life. My mother had summoned me to the hospital at 3:00 am that morning. My mother knew that my grandmother's time here on earth was nearly through. As I entered the room, I was at a loss for words. I did not know what to say, and I did not know how much time she had left. My grandmother had not been responsive for several days. I had a similar experience when I first was told the news of her declining health. Five days earlier on June 13th, the healthcare team informed us that they believed my grandmother had less than 72 hours. This moment was also a time that I was at a loss for words, and again my grandmother was non-responsive. At that time, I was still at my house in Pennsylvania. However, later on in the night, my grandmother almost miraculously opened her eyes and began to speak. I was on FaceTime with my family for hours. However, phones then started to die, and it was time to say my goodbye. I did not know at that time if I was going to see or hear my grandmother again. I was again at a loss for words. So, I simply said “I love you grandma.” Then, five days later here I was still saying goodbye. So, I sat down next to my grandmother and started to sing. There was a song that I had been singing to myself the last few days in my grief. The song was “Give Me Jesus” (ELW 770).

1 In the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.
Refrain: Give me Jesus, give me Jesus.
You may have all the rest, give me Jesus.

2 Dark midnight was my cry, dark midnight was my cry,
dark midnight was my cry, give me Jesus. [Refrain]

3 Just about the break of day, just about the break of day,
just about the break of day, give me Jesus. [Refrain]

4 Oh, when I come to die, oh, when I come to die,
oh, when I come to die, give me Jesus. [Refrain]

5 And when I want to sing, and when I want to sing,
and when I want to sing, give me Jesus. [Refrain]

Sometimes there are moments when there are no words to be said. However, God gives us the words and gives us the Word, Jesus Christ. So, in these moments, when we have no words, God reminds us of the gift of Jesus Christ and the promise that was made known in his death and resurrection. This is the promise of everlasting life. A life where God’s presence is made known in every aspect of our life. A life where God is present in the morning, the dark of the night, the break of day, in death, and even in song. This is our God, and in our grief and sorrow we can continue on knowing that God is with us in the gift of Jesus Christ! Let this be a comfort to us in all circumstances, and may we carry on making Jesus, the Word, known. So, let us lift our voices and receive the Word for God has indeed given us Jesus. Amen.

Peace and Blessings, Pastor Ethan Doan

July 2024 Mustard Seed - Council Notes

7/3/2024

Council Notes June 5, 2024

Council was called to order by President Rich Hollenbach. Andy McCulley led devotions. Minutes of the May regular council meeting were approved as written.

Treasurer’s Report: Highlights of the Treasurer’s report: As of May 31, 2024, at 42% of the 2024 budget year: Receipts are at 48% and expenses at 43% for a year-to-date deficit of $8,022. An $8K deficit is on track. The final paycheck to Laura Cooper was sent out during the middle of May, following her resignation date of May 12, 2024. All members voted to approve the Treasurer’s Report.

President’s Report: Finances – We need to be more cognizant of our expenses – just knowing that it was approved before, doesn’t mean it will necessarily be OK to move forward without council approval, especially with the price of everything going up and a deficit budget. Organist – Our budgeted amount is significantly less than the going rate. Mark Mursat is helping to look for a substitute that could possibly be available a few times a month. Constitution – the revised Constitution has been sent to council for review. All comments need to be submitted by June 30.

Pastor’s Report:
I have led and presided at worship regularly at Faith and Jerusalem. I led the funeral service of Ruth Mathias and attended the funeral service for Doug Renner. The next Faith Education Dinner is Sunday, June. 9. Some council members and I attended the first NVP equipping event on May 6-7, and I attended a meeting that was held on May 28, 2024. I am working with Rev. Nancy from Grace Hatfield to do a collaboration worship together on August 18, 2024, at Grace Hatfield (park is already booked by another group.) I will be on vacation June 10-16, 2024.

Ministry Team Reports:
Christian Education: Parent Night Out/Youth Fellowship (PNO/YF) – Our next two events will be held on Friday, July 12 and September 20, 6 pm to 9 pm. Your children are welcome to connect with Jesus in a fun, safe environment.
Young Adult Group (Ages 12 to 17) - Our next scheduled event is Sunday, July 21, 6 pm to 7:30 pm. Come for fellowship and fun. Bring your friends and relatives. All are welcome.
Vacation Bible School "SCUBA Diving into Friendship with God" – Thanks to those volunteers who are on board to make this another successful VBS. We are still in need of Crew Leaders who will bring the children from station to station. If you want to volunteer, call the church office at 215-368-0240 or Gail Achilles.
Communications: Although information is mostly being communicated, we are in need of someone to chair this committee so that we can coordinate all of the communications including council.
Evangelism: After discussion regarding the functionality of this team, it was unanimously voted to approve putting the Evangelism Team on hold.
Fellowship: Iron Pigs game -TBD.
Finance: The Church Credit Card has been replaced. Annual Financial Review (Audit) – Gary to contact Adria Parsons to work on a schedule to perform this review.Fundraising: Although the function of this team is still needed and some efforts are on-going, it lacks leadership and coordination, hence lacks reporting to council. If someone has a desire for a fundraising event, please reach out to council with details. The council voted unanimously to put the Fundraising Team on hold.
Health Ministry: This team was vital when we had so many homebound members and were able to do blood pressure screenings on a regular basis. Since Covid, much has changed. As a result, the council voted unanimously to put the Health Team on hold. Note that Nancy Allegrezza is still our Parish nurse.
Long-Range Planning: The Long-Range Planning Team focus areas: Spirituality – reevaluation of worship, emphasis of prayer, Nourishing Vocation Project, contemplative practices, healing service, etc. Fellowship – intentional fellowship within the greater community, small groups, etc. Service – community outreach, community partners, etc.
Mutual Ministry: We have retrieved the church property from Laura: laptop, building keys and music.
Property Team: The music room has been moved back up to its former second floor location, and the Adult Forum room has been restored. The carpets were cleaned, and the cost has significantly increased. Adam had them do less than they usually do to bring the cost down a little bit. Scattons did our regular preventive maintenance on the A/C units. They didn’t tell us anything that we didn’t already know that the two sanctuary units and units 2 and 3 should be replaced. Adam is currently trying to get three quotes for their replacement.
Shepherding: No report this month as the new chair, Beth Schoening, recuperates.
Social Ministry:
Social Ministry Project – June/July: hygiene items for men at Manna (in honor of Father’s Day) to include shampoo, body wash, razors, foot spray, toothpaste, toothbrushes.
Transportation: This is another group that functions independently with little need for reporting. Linda will ask Dale to provide a list of those that are currently willing to provide rides to church members, which will then be posted in the Mustard Seed. The council unanimously voted to put the Transportation Team on hold.
Worship & Music: working on short term music plans for worship and finding a new music director. Joint worship service with Grace Hatfield on August 18th will be at Grace Lutheran Church in Hatfield.

OLD BUSINESS Constitution Update – See President’s report. Pastor to reach out to Synod to find out the process to approve a new congregational constitution. Nourishing Vocation Project – new Zoom meeting is on June 18 at 2:30pm.

NEW BUSINESS Sarah Snyder and Emma Santiago have asked to be removed from membership. The council unanimously voted to approve. Pastor is looking into options for a council retreat in August.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 7pm. Devotions led by Linda.

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