May 2022 Cross Connection Newsletter
A Letter from Pastor Frye
Dear Family and Friends of St. Luke,
Have you ever been intimidated? Has someone or some situation caused you to stop in your tracks or at least hesitate a bit?
Intimidation is often employed as a tactic or included in an overall strategy that can be used to direct or influence behavior or elicit a response. More often than not, I suspect, any intimidation we feel or experience is an inside job – that is, we bring it on our elves. We tend to give a great deal of authority to here-say, innuendo, and rumor.
In Acts 9 there is a wonderful account of what is referred to as “The Conversion of Saul.” It is the story of Saul becoming Paul. It is quite a transformation. Saul was not a very good person and didn’t do nice things. He persecuted the early Christ followers. His reputation as a “bad guy” preceded him.
In the process of Saul’s conversion, there was need for human agency. For sure God was at work in seeking out Saul and equipping him for Kingdom work. God was able to see Saul’s strength and his potential for good. God actually knocked Saul off his high horse and rendered him physically blind. But the intent of this blindness was so that true vision could be restored. To accomplish this transformation, to bring about this conversion, God chose the unlikely character Ananias to play a crucial role.
Ananias was intimidated by Saul. And yet, God sent Ananias to Saul. And Ananias obeyed, stepped out of his comfort zone and reached out to touch Saul in his humiliated condition. This encounter brought about healing and the activity of the Holy Spirit to create faith; to bring life out of death.
I believe that God is on the lookout for the Ananias in each of us. We are necessary in God’s mission of bringing about restoration, recovery, and repentance in all people – even and especially in the lives of those we might find the least likely candidates for Kingdom work. We can no longer simply wait around and hope someone else does what we were placed here to do. God is calling us to step out of our comfort zone and approach our fears with the audacity of faith. Consider, where and when is your next Ananias moment?
In Christ’s love for you,
Pastor Frye
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Worship
Sundays and Special Days in May
May 1: Third Sunday of Easter
Jesus asks us again and again: Do you love me? And Jesus invites us, again and again, to follow him, bringing the Easter life to others.
May 8: Fourth Sunday of Easter
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
May 15: Fifth Sunday of Easter
Today Jesus invites us to see everyone in a new light—through the lens of love.
May 22: Sixth Sunday of Easter
Jesus provides visions of peace that surpasses human understanding and power beyond human imagination.
May 29: Seventh Sunday of Easter
In holy baptism we become believers in God, have our robes washed in the flood of Christ’s forgiveness, and receive the gift of life forever with all the saints.
Sunday Worship Services
- 10 a.m. every Sunday, In-person and online
- Congregational singing
- Communion with bread and common cup / indiv. glasses
- COVID restrictions are completely lifted
Wednesday Healing Services
We have a weekly service of Prayer, Healing, and Holy Communion every Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. This simple service is a great way to connect with a smaller group of people in a supportive environment.
Wednesday Prayer Service
Prayer & Share via Zoom meets Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Please check weekly announcements for
connection information.
Support
Support Group Update
Luther Ridge AA Meetings are held on Mondays at noon in Fellowship Hall.
Pastoral Visits
If you or a loved one desire a pastoral visit for any reason, please contact Pastor Frye (717-253-0322). Also, please notify the Church office if you are hospitalized or are anticipating surgery (717-261-1213).
Walk-Fahnestock Scholarship
The Walk Fahnestock Scholarship applications are now available for the 2022-2023 school year for full time college/trade school students. You must be a member of St Luke, full time student and a few other criteria to qualify, which are all listed in the application packet. To obtain an application or any question, please contact Jodi Forrester at [email protected] or 717-552-4964. Application deadline is May 31, 2022, with Council approval to be obtained by June 30, 2022.
Prayer
Confidential prayer requests can be made online.
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!
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
School’s Out Drive-In Party
All kids from preschool through Grade 5, join us Sunday, June 5 from 4-7pm for a party to celebrate the end of the school year! Pizza, snacks, crafts and a movie, drive-in style, will be held in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a pillow and a stuffed animal to watch the movie with! Sign up on the Education Bulletin Board or by contacting Shelly. Invite your friends!
Summer Camp “Camperships” Available
Are you interested in going to summer camp? Camp Nawakwa and Camp Kirchenwald have plenty of opportunities for children finishing Kindergarten-Grade 12. Science, sports, art, outdoors, etc.-there is something for everyone! Check out the website at lutherancamping.org for specifics. If you decide to go, ‘camperships’ (scholarships) are available.
Young Adult/Adult
End of School Celebration for Junior High and High School students
Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 15. We will celebrate the end of the school year with a Progressive Dinner – appetizers at one restaurant, dinner at another followed by dessert. Join us for this fun time! We will meet at the church at 5:00pm. Sign up on the Education Bulletin Board or by contacting Shelly.
Adult Faith Formation Class
Starting in May, Pastor Frye will be leading a class called The Basics: Luther’s Catechism part I (Part II to follow in October!). Regardless of whether this is your first time learning about Luther’s Catechism, or a refresher, join us at 8:45 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall each Sunday in May.
Outreach
2nd Annual ‘Dips for Dads’
Our first Vespers in the Park for summer 2022 will be held Saturday, June 18th at 6:00pm. Following a short time of prayer and worship, we will be holding our 2nd Annual ‘Dips for Dads’ event. Bring the dads in your life to join us for worship and ice cream! Who can resist a nice cool sundae on a warm summer evening?
May Paint Event
Join us, Thursday, May 19 for a Paint Event!
Like to do things early in the day or don’t like to drive at night? Join us for a class at 2:00 pm. Working and can’t make it in the afternoon? Come at 6:00 pm. We will have two items available for you to choose from – a solar lantern or a bag. Both items are available for both classes. Sign up on the bulletin board with your name and the item you’d like to paint. See you there!
Jewelry Making Party
We’ve been invited to join St. Paul for a luncheon and jewelry making party. It will take place at St. Paul Lutheran in Fayetteville on Saturday, May 21 at Noon. We will have lunch together followed by making a piece of jewelry. All tools and lunch will be provided at no cost. Sign up on the bulletin board at church. Limited space available. (If you have a crimping tool or a jewelry board, please bring them along.)
HUGE Thank You for the Egg Hunt!!
Thank you for all your hard work and donations that made the egg hunt a success. We had over 40 children attend and over 1600 eggs for them to hunt!
Congregation, Council, Committees
Congregation meeting Highlights March 2022
- Council members to have breakfast with St Paul Council April 30
- Easter Sunday Breakfast
- Regular Giving is down 5 % YTD from 2021, this is traditionally a slow quarter
- We were able to reduce the mortgage by 30,000.00 in March using contributions to Building Fund
- Salaries for Director of Education and Outreach and Office Manager will change
- Art Sign Co has everything needed for new sign
- Work on walkway from exit door in Sanctuary to Memorial Garden has started
SOCIAL MINISTRY
WOMEN IN NEED (WIN)
WIN is being lifted up as an additional way for you to express your Easter joy during the season. As women or men who have been in abusive relationships begin to heal, finding and setting up a new home is a major step. WIN helps them in this process by providing some basic essentials including cleaning supplies. You can help WIN by donating detergent, dishwashing soap, kitchen and bathroom cleansers, sponges, dish cloths, dish towels, paper towels, scrub cloths, buckets, mops, brooms, etc. — anything needed to keep a home clean.
Place your donated cleaning supplies in the WIN Cleaning Supplies bin located by the keypad door. If you prefer to make a monetary donation, write your check to St. Luke with WIN on the memo line. Please make all donations by June 4, the last day of the Easter Season.
NEWS FROM THE KONDE DIOCESE
Pastor Kumbuka Mwasanguti has been reelected by the Konde Diocese to serve as a district pastor. You may remember Pastor Kumbuka’s visits to St. Luke when he was studying at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg several years ago. His new assignment is to the Mwakaleli District for which the Kandete Parish is the central parish. Kandete, our sister congregation, is the congregation in which he grew up. In addition to his duties as district pastor, Pastor Kumbuka will serve the Kandete Parish along with Pastor Kayange. It was Pastor Kayange’s son who was accidentally killed last year. Pastor Kumbuka is pleased that he will be able to visit with his mother more frequently now that his office is near her home. With his new assignment we are hopeful for more frequent communication with our sister congregation.
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]