May 2021 Cross Connection Newsletter
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A Letter from Pastor Frye
Dear Family and Friends of St. Luke,
Grace and Peace.
Do you have routines in your life? Are there activities or interests that you schedule on a regular basis?
Sometime during the season of Lent I added a new activity to my weekly schedule. On Thursday mornings at 8:00 I meet with about twelve to sixteen other people (mostly pastors and ministry leaders from Chambersburg area churches). I’m the only Lutheran. We get together for what is called a Prayer Walk. Each month we meet in the parking lot of an area church, take some time to check-in with one another and pray together. Then we walk the neighborhood and pray for and sometimes with the residents we encounter.
It occurred to me that we all come from various perspectives and traditions. We don’t focus on doctrine or the theology of worship or denominational branding. We gather as friends in Christ and pray for one another and the communities we are called to serve.
I’m telling you this, not to solicit merits, but to witness to the basic, simple, and fundamental power of prayer. Our whole time together is bathed in prayer — prayers of praise, lament, intercession, petition, gratitude, discernment, etc. We all pray a little differently. Some are silent, many involve arms uplifted or heads bowed. This weekly gathering has become part of my routine. It’s not just one more activity to check off my weekly list, but rather it has become a central and much anticipated part of my own devotional life. Honestly, I can’t imagine not being part of this small group of friends sharing life together.
As we all anticipate slowing resuming some sort of less secluded life, I invite you to consider becoming part of a small group. Consider hosting a small group gathering at your home or in your driveway. Join a group that already exists and invite your friends or our new members or someone else in your life to join you. We all would benefit from making routine the central act of prayer and being blessed by the love and support of friendship with one another and fellowship with Jesus.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Frye
Worship
Sundays and Special Days in April
Sunday, May 2: Fifth Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 9: Mothers Day, Sixth Sunday of Easter
Thursday, May 13: Ascension of Our Lord
Sunday, May 16: Seventh Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 23: Pentecost
Sunday, May 30: Holy Trinity
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 have resumed and do not require advance reservation.
Sunday Worship Services
- In-person and online
- RSVP on our website for in-person Sunday services
Flower Order
Red Geraniums are available for order. They will be used to decorate the church on Pentecost, May 23. Following the worship service, they may be taken home, or donated to the church to be planted in the flower boxes out front.
Order forms are at the church (or call Christine at the office and she will get you one). Please return form and payment to church by May 2.
Support
Prayers
Pastor Mwakasege, Lead Pastor of the Kandete Parish, our sister congregation in Tanzania, was backing up in his car, and hit the two year old son of Pastor Kajange, their Assistant Pastor. The boy died. Please pray for the family of Pastor Kajange as they grieve the death of their son, for Pastor Mwakele in his grief and guilt for hitting the child, and for the Kandete Parish in handling the ramifications of this death.
Prayer
Confidential prayer requests can be made online: StLukeChambersburg.org/connect
New Member Card Shower
Join us in celebrating the new members we received on April 11 at the Worship service, by sending them a card welcoming them into our St. Luke family. For names and addresses, please contact Christine in the office, or pick up a New Members label set at church on Sunday.
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.
Spiritrust Chambersburg Annual Auxiliary Membership Drive
Your generous support to the annual SpiriTrust Lutheran Chambersburg Auxilliary membership drive (month of May) will continue to allow the auxiliary to make donations to The Inn and Skilled Care Endowment Funds at The Village at Luther Ridge, SpiriTrust Lutheran Home Care & Hospice, as well as SpiriTrust Lutheran LIFE. If you would like to join the Auxiliary or need more information, please contact your congregational representative, Pat Furry: 717-414-7192.
Education
YOUth
Camps Nawakwa and Kirchenwald
Are you currently in Grades K-11 and interested in having a fantastic week at summer camp? Check out lutherancamping.org for more information, or call Shelly. Scholarships from St. Luke are available!
Summer Fun Gift Pack
Preschool to Grade 6 students-keep a lookout for a new gift pack on your front porch for the summer, full of activities, games and lessons!
Adult Faith Formation
We are looking for teachers to fill a week, or more, this summer for our Zoom Adult Faith Formations classes on Sunday. Have an idea for a class, or just a willing heart to teach one week? Let Shelly know.
All Ages
We’ve missed YOU! Summer Activities for all ages-coming soon. Look for more information in the next Cross Connection!
Shelly Davies, Director of Education and Outreach
[email protected]; 717-372-9579
Outreach
Homeless Connection
During the season of Easter, the Social Ministry committee invites you to become aware of the Homeless Connection. This ministry, through the Chambersburg Conference of Lutheran Churches, helps the homeless move forward and into a home by providing basic furniture and household items. You can participate in this ministry by donating furniture and household items, your time, and/or money. Check our website for more information.
Pentecost is Coming!
The season of Pentecost will start May 23rd this year. The Social Ministry committee will be lifting up several projects to run through this season from May-November. Look for details in upcoming weekly announcements and our next Cross Connection!
Adopt-A-Highway
The first St. Luke Adopt-a-Highway program for 2021 will be held on Saturday, May 1 at 8 a.m. Each crew (1-3 people) cleans about 1 mile of one side of the road. It takes about an hour (on average) to cover this distance. Anyone 12 years old or older may participate. Inquire or sign-up by reaching out to Rick Lawver at [email protected] or 717-816-0977 (call or text).
PowerPacks
May is our last month packing for this school year. If you’d like to donate any items, please drop them off at the church the first week of May. Cans of soup, tuna or pasta, mac & cheese, fruit cups, Pop-tarts, oatmeal packets, individually wrapped snack packets of cookies or crackers are all items accepted.
Congregation, Council, Committees
FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Finance Committee is made up of the Church Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and other members with diverse backgrounds who have an interest in keeping St. Luke fiscally sound. The Church Treasurer and the Financial Secretary are “joined at the hip,” but conduct their jobs independently. The Financial Secretary is responsible for collecting, counting, and depositing all monies that come to the Church (income) while the Treasurer pays the salaries, bills, and related items (outgo). The church’s annual “income and outgo” helps establish a Spending Plan (Budget). The Committee meets monthly to evaluate how we are doing, make any adjustments they deem necessary, consider special requests or projects, and make recommendations to the Congregation Council on financial issues.
Recently, we evaluated our financial position and were able to recommend to the Church Council that we had identified up to $48,000.00 that was available for supporting local charities. Also, we monitor, on a monthly basis, the balance in our building fund, and have been able to periodically make extra payments to reduce our mortgage balance.
The Finance Committee is always seeking new members. If you have an interest, please know that finance is not all dull numbers, but covers a variety of issues to help St. Luke thrive. Put a note in the Finance Committee mailbox and we’ll get in touch.
Property COMMITTEE
Property Committee consists of 8 members: Mark Keener, Ernie Wilson, Rodger Vorhauer, Brian Corwell, Dick Foster, Dave Purnell, Pastor Frye, and Jodi Forrester. We are currently looking at our outside projects. A lawn mowing schedule has been compiled and a new mailbox has been installed.
Our landscape beautification project is open to all of our St. Luke family. This would include helping to maintain flower beds and flower pots (weeding, watering, planting, etc). Please contact Jodi Forrester (717-552-4964 or [email protected]) if interested.
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]