|
Church Parking Changes
The Property Team is recommending a change in church parking on Sunday mornings and other church gatherings. The following changes were discussed with the church council.
Effective immediately:
If you feel comfortable crossing the road, we are asking you to park in the parking lot in order to free the parking spaces in front of the church.
New signage will soon be displayed for our handicapped area in the front of the church.
If you are facing the church, there will be six handicapped parking spaces to the left of the front entrance. Please do not park in these spaces if you do not have a handicap sign displayed. To the right of the church entrance, parking will be available for others to park who are afraid to cross the road.
There is new signage at the entrance of the cemetery which will direct those who need wheelchair access to gain entry to the church.
Our purpose is to offer parking for those with special needs and also to help our visitors who are uncertain of where to park. Thank you for your cooperation as we implement the new parking changes.
FIRST RESPONDERS LUNCHEON
On June 11th, we invited our
First Responders from Butler Township
and Sugarloaf Township
to join us for our church service at 10 am
and a covered-dish luncheon
in their honor in Luther Hall at 12 noon.
All church members are invited to the luncheon and if you can,
please bring a covered dish to share.
There is a sign-up sheet in the St. Stephen’s Room.
We are hoping for a great turnout for this luncheon. Please spread the word and if you know of anyone that is a member of the above organizations, please contact them and invite them.
Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School Mark your calendar now….
July 31 - August 4 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
*Registration appreciated by July 23, 2023* Once again, it is time for Vacation Bible School! What an exciting week it will be. A week filled with fun, faith, learning, singing, dancing, games, crafts, snacks, and friends. This year’s theme will be Food Truck Party: On a Roll with God. Join us for a summer party as we learn that by turning to God through prayer, our needs will be met. Each day a line to a well-loved prayer will be taught through “Daily Specials.” The kids will also learn to serve as the hands of God, to meet the needs of others. Children will meet together in Luther Hall for an opening of song, dance, Bible stories, Bible lessons, and a Bible Memory verse that they will focus on for the week. They will then split into groups for crafts, games, and snacks. The youth will once again join together for the closing songs and a recap of the lesson of the day. Our children will also learn about the mission project they will sponsor for the week. Get on a roll with God and make VBS a success!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Children from the age of three up to the fifth grade are invited to attend VBS. Older youth are encouraged to join in the excitement as junior volunteers. It is their way to connect and share with others the same experience of VBS that they had growing up. The Learning Ministry Team requests registration by Sunday, July 23, 2023. This will give us an idea of the supplies needed for each child, as well as the number of volunteers needed to have a safe, fun week at Vacation Bible School. Registration can be done by calling the Church office at (570) 788-2685 or filling out the registration form that can be found on the table in the St. Stephen’s Room. Help is needed We need you! The Learning Ministry Team is asking for help. Will you answer the call? It takes a village, or in this case, multiple church congregations to pull off this amazing week. We need volunteers to help during the week of Bible School. There are many ways in which to help. Whether it is the full week, a few days, or even a few hours, behind the scenes or front and center. You will find that you enjoy VBS as much as the children. We also put in many hours to prepare and set the tone for the children to experience an interactive, faith-filled week together. There are big and small ways that you can help. All help is welcome. There will be a volunteer signup sheet in the St. Stephen’s room. Get on a Roll with God as you help the team and help the children. Meetings will be announced as needed and will be listed in the weekly bulletin.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
After our meeting on Wednesday, June 7th, we will be taking a break for the summer. While we are off, if there is a need for a shawl/lap blanket, please use the request cards in the pews and place it in the offering plate. We will start meeting on Wednesday, September 6th, 2023, at 9:30 am at the Church. We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. If you can knit or crochet or want to learn, come join us. Have a great summer!
Men's Breakfast
The LCW will be hosting a Men’s Breakfast held on Saturday, June 17th @ 9 am in Luther Hall. All men and boys of St. John's are invited. The menue will consist of sausage, eggs, home fries, toast, orange juice, coffee, and Dutch cake. Please sign-up in the St. Stephen's Room or call the church office at 570-788-2685.
Annual Congregational Picnic
On Saturday, June 24th from 4 pm to "?" at Sauer's Lake Pavilion. Come early to swim! Bring enough soft drinks for your family; bring a salad or side dish or dessert to share. LCW will provide sweet Italian sausage and peppers and hard rolls. Please sign-up in the St. Stephen's Room or call the church office at 570-788-2685.
Coffee Hour
The next coffee hour will be held in on June 4th after Church. The June birthdays will be celebrated with a coffee hour. Each Sunday of the month coffee hour will be observe. There is a sign up sheet in the St. Stephen's Room for members/church teams to sponsor.
Beyond Violence/Berwick Women’s Shelter Wishlist
The LCW is collecting the following items for the Berwick Women’s Shelter. There is designated box in the St. Stephen’s room for the following items: cleaning supplies, diapers, pull-ups and wipes, laundry detergent, fabric softener, paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates), large freezer bags, dish detergent, gift certificates to Giant or Weis, batteries (all sizes), women’s hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, large storage bins, light bulbs, towels, washcloths, foil, saran wrap, children’s clothing, food. Special urgent need for paper towels.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are looking for you to come join one or
several of our Church Ministry Teams! Be a part
of the many opportunities these teams provide.
We want and need you to join us in serving
God's calling with your time and talents to help
our church continue to grow in making this
place to share and express his love. Please
contact the church office if you are interested.
Worship & Music, Learning Ministry,
Stewardship, Finance Team, Property Team,
Altar Guild, Assistant Ministers, Lay Eucharistic,
Quilting, and Prayer Shawl.
CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
We have heard time and time again about how beautiful and well-kept our cemetery is. We often take for granted the hard work and endless hours that go into keeping our cemetery beautiful year after year. To help
with the upkeep, please consider giving a monetary donation "In Honor Of" or "In Memory Of" a loved one. Checks can be made payable to “St. John’s Lutheran & Reformed Cemetery Association” or included with your weekly offering (please include a notation with your offering).
Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts
SCOUTS BSA and Cub Scouts have resumed in-person meetings. If anyone is interested, meetings are Monday nights. For more information, contact the church office and leave a message for Jen. Scouting is open to boys and girls ages Kindergarten through High School.
MEMBER INFORMATION REQUESTED
All Members, to update our files, please contact the church office at 570-788-2865 or email to stjohns@epix.net with your contact information, including name(s), address, phone number, email address, birthday and anniversary.
BIBLE STUDY – There has been discussion to start an Adult Bible Study group. A day and time has not been finalized as of yet. Please call or email the church office if you are interested in participating. Also, please include your preference of a daytime or nighttime meeting (Monday or Tuesday). This would be a great way that members could get together and engage in Bible Study.
Monthly Evening Meals For Divine Providence Homeless Shelter
We will be providing an evening meal for the clients of the Divine Providence Homeless Shelter. Members from our church will donate and/or cook a nourishing evening meal once a month. If you are interested in helping or making a monetary donation, please email the church at stjohns@epix.net or call the church office and leave a message.
|
