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April 2021 Cross Connection Newsletter

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A Letter from Pastor Frye

Dear Family and Friends of St. Luke,

Grace and Peace

We have had a difficult year in so many ways. You know how it has been. Quarantined, restricted, limited — everyone has had challenges living in the midst of the pandemic of COVID-19. We have experienced collective grief as we’ve mourned the death of loved ones and as we’ve had to let go of many routines and familiar practices. Certainly this has had an impact on our life together as a congregation, as well.

However, I just want to rejoice at the ways God has revealed strength, purpose, and grace in so many and unexpected circumstances. You have surpassed expectations in the ways in which you cooperated, contributed, and conspired to let your light shine even in the midst of a dark time. It is a joy to be your pastor and partner in the ministry and mission we share. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and faithfulness this past year!

Looking ahead, we anticipate slowly being able to resume many of our activities and ministries. The days are surely coming! But, as Dr. Fauci says, it’s no time to spike the ball in the end-zone. Re-engaging will be a process and we will be unable to “return” to normal. Our faith is necessary. The future that God is preparing for us will call on our best efforts to practice patience, acceptance, and willingness to do things differently in many respects.

While much has changed, both dramatically and by degree, please know that the basic things, the central things, the essential things, will remain constant. We will continue to be a people sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. We will continue to gather together around Word and Sacrament to worship and glorify God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We will continue to be a supportive and giving community of faith — intentionally welcoming others and speaking out because of God’s justice and mercy.

The return to a newsletter is part of an ongoing strategy to strengthen communication and call forth for the engagement and participation of each and every member and friend of our congregation. Please continue to know that the love of Christ that binds us together is the same love that sends us out to serve our neighbor in Christ’s name.  Again, thank you for your partnership in this mutual ministry.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Frye

Worship

Sundays and Special Days in April

Thursday, April 1: Maundy Thursday

Friday, April 2: Good Friday

Saturday, April 3: Resurrection of Our Lord

Sunday, April 4: Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Day

Sunday, April 11: Second Sunday of Easter

Sunday, April 18: Third Sunday of Easter

Sunday, April 25: Fourth Sunday of Easter

Wednesday Healing Services

We have a weekly service of Prayer, Healing, and Holy Communion every Wednesday at 11 a.m. This simple service is a great way to connect with a smaller group of people in a supportive environment. In-person Wednesday Prayer services will resume  at 11:00 am Wednesday, April 14, and do not require advance reservation.

Holy Week

Maundy Thursday

  • Maundy Thursday Service 7 p.m.
    (in-person and online)

Good Friday

  • Stations of the Cross Noon (in-person and online)
  • Good Friday Service 7 p.m. (in-person and online)

Easter Sunday

  • In-person (RSVP) and online 10 a.m.

Reception of New Members

  • April 11 at 10 a.m. Sunday Service at St. Luke

Sunday Worship Services

  • In-person and online
  • RSVP on our website for in-person Sunday services

Support

Parish Records

Births

Cohen Kegerreis 1/12/2021

Baptisms

Cohen Kegerreis 1/12/2021

New Members

Nancy & Harold Barnes 2/25/2021

Tom & Joan Newcomer 3/27/2021

Alan & Carol Grove 3/27/2021

Deaths

Audrey Gustafsson 1/17/21

Bruce Toma 1/30/21

Rev. Howard Hinkeldey 2/15/21

Prayer

Confidential prayer requests can be made online: SaintLukeChambersburg.org/connect

Card Showers

If you’d like to request a special card shower for a special someone, please reach out  to the office at St. Luke!

Walk-Fahnestock Scholarship

The Walk-Fahnestock Scholarship is once again available to members of St. Luke who will be attending college/trade school full-time for the 2021-2022 school year.  Applications are available for all eligible students and must be submitted to St. Luke by May 31, 2021.  Please contact Jodi Forrester at 717-552-4964 (phone or text) or [email protected] with any questions or application requests.

Education

YOUth

This year has been a year of gift bags, letters and Zoom calls. Gone are the days of meeting in person, Bible lessons and crafts!  But wait, they may not be gone
completely.  Now that we’re back meeting in-person for worship, we are closer than we’ve ever been to starting up in-person Faith Formation again!  Keep an eye out for an announcement about when we will start up again.  We’d love to see you all there!

Adults

Zoom has been an amazing way to keep us connected during the crazy past year!  I know that I’ve appreciated the growth and depth of relationships that have been built during our Book Groups, Bible studies and Faith Formation classes as we’ve continued them via Zoom. I pray that those relationships continue to grow – closer to God and each other.

~ Shelly

For Everyone

Keep an eye out for an announcement about return to in-person Faith Formation classes!!

Outreach

St. Seraphim Center

We have been serving alongside St. Mary’s Orthodox for one year now at the St. Seraphim Center (soup kitchen). Thank you so much for stepping up, especially as our start was in conjunction with the start of COVID.  Your donations of soup, cookies, and other necessary items has been wonderful. Our next service date will be May 1.  We are happy to give St. Mary’s a break that day as it is their orthodox Easter celebration!

Audio/Visual Equipment Install

As part of our endeavor to be safer and more accessible during these times, the COVID Taskforce has been working with a local audio/visual company to make streaming to YouTube easier, as well as to make in-person worship hands-free.  In December, they came and installed some equipment (we’re already using it!), and we anticipate the project to be finished in the coming month with the addition of a few new microphones. If you’ve watched our live stream on YouTube, you’ll be grateful for the new mics!

PowerPacks

St. Luke has continued to provide PowerPacks for food-insecure students at three local schools during the past year.  Although numbers are lower than last year (that’s a good thing!) we’ve still been serving between 40-45 children per week, providing four meals, snacks and drinks for the weekend).  Our last month for this school year is May.

Congregation, Council, Committees

January – February Council Highlights

The first Church Council meeting for 2021 was held on January 25 via Zoom. Officers for this year are as follows: President, Robert Huss; Vice President, Tiffany Frazier; Secretary, JoAnn Wildeson; Treasurer, Brian Corwell. Each council member was assigned to one of the standing committees to attend their meetings and provide a report back to council on committee business.

  • Recommended: Repairing the digital sign at a cost of $1,350.00.
  • Recommended: Purchase of fobs that link with the security system for instant police contact in the event of an emergency.
  • Recommended: Accepted resignation of choir director, Brenda Hefner, with regret.

Regular giving was up over 5% over 2019.

A tribute was given on the life of Council member Bruce Toma who died Jan. 30, 2021. Donna Hocker has agreed to fill Bruce’s term to the end of 2021.

Council approved the donation of unrestricted monies to the following organizations:

  • Fayetteville Fire Co. $2,000.
  • SCAPP $4,000.
  • BOPIC $4,000.
  • SpiritTrust $15,000.
  • Lutheran World Relief $2,000.
  • Clearing House/Salvation Army $3,000.
  • House of Grace $5,000.
  • Shippensburg Community Resource Coalition $2,000.
  • Lutheran Camping $5,076.71

Our Sister Congregation in Tanzania

The Kandete Parish has received supplies to help them in their fight to protect themselves from COVID-19, thanks to a check from St. Luke. They are very grateful for our generosity.

Kandete Parish, our sister congregation in Tanzania, has 1300 baptized members. The people have experienced the hardship and sadness of COVID-19 directly, having lost 35-40 members to COVID-19. Many who died were in leadership positions in the congregation. The gift from St. Luke is helping them mitigate the devastation of COVID-19 in their community for which they are thankful.

A second check representing donations received by April 11 will be sent to help the parish replenish their supplies. To make a donation, you can make out a  check to St. Luke with the notation Kandete COVID Response Fund.

Calendar

Visit our online calendar for the most current updates to meetings, events, and services.

Connect

2695 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, PA 17202
717-261-1213
[email protected]

Facebook: @StLukeChburg

Instagram: @stlukechburg

Twitter: @stlukechburg

Web: StLukeChambersburg.org