merry christmas! st. paul’s newsletterstpaulslionville.org/newsletter.pdf · ·...

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Holy Communion celebrated at both worship services.

Nursery available on Sunday mornings during the

Contemporary Service.

Traditional Worship 8:00

Sunday School Youth 9:15 / Adult 9:30

Contemporary Worship 10:45

Rejoicing Spirits

Worship 4:00 Dec 8th (2nd Sunday)

St. Paul’s Newsletter Main Number: 610-363-6264 104 S. Village Avenue, Exton PA 19341

December 2013 www.stpaulslionville.org

St. Paul’s Gratitude Days

Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy preparations for the celebration of

Christ’s birth, Christ is reborn in the

Bethlehem of our daily lives.

Take time, slow down, be still, be awake to the

Divine Mystery that looks so ordinary yet is wondrously present.”

Edward Hayes

A Pilgrim’s Almanac

Merry Christmas!

Advent

St. Paul’s Gratitude Days were filled with fun, fellowship and good works--all done with a spirit of thankfulness for the many blessings received from God. We are so grateful for the 3 teams of dedicated volunteers that headed out to servant sites in Chester County, not knowing exactly what they would be called to do, but with willing hands, eager hearts and lots of smiles.

On October 29, 20 volunteers pitched in washing and preparing fresh vegeta-bles, filling backpacks with food and sorting nonperishable food at the Ches-ter County Food Bank, located only a stone’s throw from St. Paul’s in the Eagleview Corporate Center complex. The Chester County Food Bank pro-vides a sustainable source of food for the 9 food cupboards in Chester County. Last year alone, this agency supplied over 400,000 lbs of fresh produce grown in home gardens, farms and school grounds across the county, and over 32,000 food-filled backpacks. Word on the street is that the volunteers had so much fun they want to go back again and again! Thank you to Bridget Lillis for heading up this team!

On November 2, two teams headed out to assist homeless and low income individuals. One team of 8 volunteers (young and young-at-heart), led by Ted Diewald, worked alongside a low income couple making repairs on their mobile home. Working together with members of the Goodworks organiza-tion, they spackled two rooms, sealed the entire roof, installed kitchen cabi-nets and an exhaust fan for the stove. Thank you Ted, Kyle Markle, Evan Diewald, Colby and Pat Burke, Lindsay Butterman, Dave Heydt and Rob Burchfield for a job well done.

While they were working in Coatesville, another team of 12 prepared tons of meatballs and sauce, homemade minestrone soup (a classic Frieda’s Favorites recipe), salad and amazing cupcakes (courtesy of Linda Sinclair) and served lunch to residents of the Life Center of Eastern Delaware County, a shelter for the homeless. How enlightening it was to sit down and talk with those we served, to hear their stories of hope and struggle and to marvel at their strength and resilience!

Thank you for taking your attitude of gratitude on the road to serve others. You made a difference!

Want to serve on a more regular basis? We would love to have your help and are exploring regular “Gratitude Day” opportunities at these sites in the coming year. We will keep you posted. In the meantime, SHiNe Day is fast approaching on December 7—See you there!

Photos on p. 15

Grinch than on a child in a manger. I’m not a Santa hater. A few years ago Santa showed up for our 4:00pm Family Christmas Eve service, and last year he made an appearance for the kids between services on Christmas Pageant Sunday. Both times, he shared in festivities, but also pointed to the Christ child as the center, and God’s good news for us.

I remember as a child waiting excitedly for Santa’s magic to happen, and wondering how Santa’s sleigh and reindeer handled the tropics where I was growing up, but more importantly, I remember us taking time EVERY DAY in December to open a window on an Advent Calendar, read a devotion, sing Silent Night or Away in a Manger or some other Christmas song, and talk about what it meant that Jesus was born.

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Church Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 9 am to 3 pm; Friday: 9 am to 12 pm

Phone: 610-363-6264

Fax: 610-524-8104

Preschool: 610-594-9393

Pastor Mark Singh-Hueter

For an emergency or if you are in need of pastoral care, call the church office. Voice mail is checked regularly.

www.stpaulslionville.org

From Pastor’s Desk...

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

Tis the time of the year when the debates begin.

“Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”?

Many feel like Christmas is being pushed out, threatened by … well, all sorts of groups or agendas. I get the arguments, and the feelings. But I will confess it’s pretty low on my list of concerns or issues. I’m much less concerned with what people say, and much more interested in what people do. I have concerns about the threat to Christmas, but not from a greeting.

Threat to Christmas?

When the focus of children has more to do with Santa and the

Threat to Christmas?

When “Spirit of Christmas” has more to do with a Hallmark card sense of comfort and calm, and less to do with a God interrupting our everyday lives. We are so influenced by the world around us, with commercials, Christmas specials, and growing traditions focusing us on mood, merriment, and merchandise. Those can be fun, and energizing, and comforting. But they can replace the real Christmas story. The decorations and traditions can become the point, instead of pointing to a God who – in an act of insanity…or unbelievable love – entered into our less than perfect humanity in a vulnerable child. Emmanuel. God with us.

St. Paul’s Newsletter

(cont. on next page)

St. Paul’s Newsletter is published monthly.

Members are welcome to submit news items to share.

Articles to St. Paul’s Newsletter are due the 20th of each month.

Email news items to : [email protected]

OR Place all hard copy in the Newsletter Mailbox

located under the church stairwell. Remember to include Who, What, When, Where and Why.

Please include your name and contact information

if your article is asking people to respond.

Questions: contact Karen Slyman

Christmas Threats, and Christmas Greetings

Merry Christmas?


Here’s my invitation.

Enjoy the holidays. And prepare for Christmas. Take time daily to keep your eyes on Jesus. (We have great devotional books for adults, and even better ones for kids. If you didn’t get one, make sure you ask at church.) Sing through a couple Christmas hymns (Google the words, or you can even borrow a hymnal if you want) and pay attention to the words. Make worship a priority in December. Have fun with decorations, and festivities, and Christmas specials, but don’t let those define Christmas.

To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ Luke 2:11-12.

Your Partner in Christ’s

Ministry,

Pastor Mark

(cont. from previous page)

Just don’t forget...

Do you enjoy the “I Spy” books? Are you looking for a great way to prepare for Christmas with your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews?

Pick up one of the new Seek-and-Find Advent books at church. We have a special children’s devo-tion book available FOR FREE. There are daily devotions, seek and find pictures, and ideas for the season. Don’t miss out.

Advent Devotion Books Christmas Week

SCHEDULE

Christmas Eve, Tuesday - December 24th

4:00 pm Family Service

7:00 pm Contemporary Candlelight Svc

9:00 pm Contemporary Candlelight Svc

11:00 pm Traditional Candlelight Svc

SUNDAY - December 29th

10:00 am One service only

Poinsettia Orders It’s time to order your poinsettias for decorat-ing the altar for Christmas Eve. Please email your request or sign up in the church hallway. (Include number of plants, color, and mes-sage.) Cost is $12 for 1 poinsettia plant. You can take them home after the Christmas Eve services. Money/checks can be placed in the offering plate; please designate “Poinsettias.”

Walk more, carpool when possible, and help us be more welcoming Christmas Eve! We expect a bunch of people for the 4 services on Christmas Eve. If you will be here then, (especially if you will stay for more than one service and are able to take a short walk), please consider parking further away from our entrances. Enjoy a walk, reflect on God’s amazing gift, wish a “Merry Christmas” to others in the parking lot, and help us keep the closer spots to welcome guests and provide for those who can’t walk as far. Thank you!

Christmas Eve Parking


From the Director of Equipping Ministries 2013 has been a year of exciting changes for me, as well as one of growth and learning in new and unexpected places. I’ve been blessed to have had the opportunity to hear some great speakers this year who have inspired me in my ministry: Jay Gamelin at Synod Assembly (and later at Bishop’s Convocation) and Nadia Bolz-Weber at Trinity in Lansdale. I’m especially grateful that we had a good group with us for Nadia’s pres-entation: Ruth Hammers, Bert Bellano, Linda Sinclair, and Louise Griffith. More on that in a moment.

I’ve also had the opportunity to read some wonderful books and blogs this year that have moved and challenged me to think in new ways. David Lose, Brene Brown, Richard Rohr, Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, and Nadia Bolz-Weber all love Jesus’ church and are doing their part to spread that love to eve-ryone in varied ways that spread across all kinds of boundaries.

I also consider myself fortunate to be at a church where each morning I open my email box to see devo-tionals lovingly sent out by a member of our congregation (thanks, Lou!). I hope you all take advan-tage of this as a wonderful way to begin your daily walk with God.

If there are two streams of thought that have been consistent in my readings this year it is these: a) change in the church is happening, like it or not, and b) as we move forward with change, we have to be both intentional and creative.

OK, that’s a pretty broad oversimplification and is skipping over all the heavy-duty theology that goes behind it. But for a summary, I’d say it’s pretty much on the money. The two quotes that stay with me on this are from Jay Gamelin and Nadia Bolz-Weber.

In May at Synod Assembly, Jay Gamelin asked us, “What needs to die in your church?” I have asked that question of myself: what needs to die in me so that God can make something new?

Nadia Bolz-Weber helped answer that question for her own church. During the Q&A of her presenta-tion, someone asked her how change happened and how they decided what they needed to pursue and what they needed to let go of.

Her response was a challenge to everyone. Be prepared, she said, to say out loud the values behind everything you do. Everything. Everything needs to be done with intentionality. There must be a rea-son for it. And – here’s the challenging part – if enough people cringe at the reasons you give out loud for the value behind what it is you are doing, then it might be time to consider doing something else.

What would it be like to always be able to say why we do what we do? As a church? As a community or group? As an individual? How might meetings change? How might projects change? How might our life of faith change?

Being creative is key to how to bring about change, and one of the ways in which I was inspired to be-gin to think about this came from David Lose’s blog, “In the Meantime.” David Lose highlighted the work of artist, Candy Chang, and her project “Before I Die.” I encourage you to take six minutes out of your day to be stirred by this wonderful project. Candy has taken old spaces and given them new life and new hope with the everyday desires of the people who come to that space. As we live in an era where many bemoan the notion that the church itself is dying, this video opens my eyes to new possi-bilities to find out from all of you just what we want the church to be and how we can bring it new life.

Click on the link and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uebxlIrosiM Peace, Allison

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uebxlIrosiM�


Council Corner Stephen Ministry Explained

Merry Christmas from our herd to yours!

Building Update The new building plans are progressing. The com-mittee is continuing meetings with the engineers and preparing needed drawings for township presenta-tion for permits.

PLEASE…WE NEED YOUR HELP! Volunteers are needed to help with the Capital Campaign to raise the additional funds identified as part of the building plan during the special congregational meeting in September. Please contact the church office or a member of council if you are interested/willing to help with this important effort that was approved by the congregation. Leaders Needed We are in need of volunteers to help with our Stewardship Committee and our Capital Campaign Committee. These committees are critical to con-tinuing the mission at St. Paul’s. Please consider volunteering to help organize the committees and fulfill their mission. - Brian Parks

St. Paul’s has an active Stephen Ministry team meeting a couple times a month for growth and peer support, and providing quiet, behind-the-scenes one-on-one Christian caring. A Stephen Minister comes alongside a hurting person and meets with that person on a weekly basis to listen, care, encourage, pray, and provide emotional and spiritual support. Men are paired with men; women with women. Over the years, well over one-and-a-half million people have benefitted from the one-to-one, confidential, Christ-centered care of a Stephen Minister. The PBS show, Religion & Ethics featured a segment about Stephen Ministry. Below is a link to watch the video on the PBS website. http://ec2-54-235-253-171.compute-1.amazonaws.com/wnet/religionandethics/2011/06/10/april-9-2010-stephen-ministry/6044/

For more information, please contact Pastor Mark.

The family of Wilma Alfieri sends its sincere appreciation and gratitude to the members of St. Paul's for all the expressions of sympathy that you bestowed upon us. While Wilma will be missed everyday, her spirit will continue to be present during our daily lives. Thank you to all. Thanks, Celeste

http://ec2-54-235-253-171.compute-1.amazonaws.com/wnet/religionandethics/2011/06/10/april-9-2010-stephen-ministry/6044/�
















St. Paul’s Newsletter Page 6 St. Paul’s Newsletter

St. Paul’s Rare Birds

Social Ministry OLE! - They did it again. For the second year in a row, two of the Chili Champs won the popular votes, along with a newcomer to St. Paul’s who was a first-time entrant to the Chili Cookoff .

Jim Sebra cooked up a winning pot of Chicken Chili; Brian Lloyd won with his Beef Chili. Ginny Alexander who just that morning joined our church family won with her Vegetarian Chili. A variety of 15 Chili entrees were tasted and voted on by ap-proximately 75 in attendance at the 4th annual Chili Cookoff - an event that proves to be a winner each year. We were able to raise $560 for the Veterans Community Farm Project. Thanks to all the chili chefs and everyone who attended. A few tasters said they tried all 15. Dare Jim & Brian try to win again next year?

SAVE THE DATE - Saturday, Dec. 7th, 10:00 am

SHiNe - Round 3

Because of your great generosity, 85 baskets of food have been assembled for those in need. Fifty plus have been distributed through the Care Center for Christ in West Chester, and twenty-five through the Williamson Trade School, along with extras that were donated to The Lord’s Pantry. Thank You!

The Christmas Elves stripped the Christmas Giving Tree bare of all the gift requests in no time at all. However, you may have noticed that new tags are there for the grabbing. We are now collecting socks, hats, gloves, and scarves for Cradles to Crayons.

Because you have supported us by purchasing our famous candy creations, we have funds to purchase material for the layette blankets we make for Lutheran World Relief. Also, in the past, we have donated to a variety of needs in- house or in the community around us.

We are now on our Winter vacation, and will meet up again on Wednesdays sometime after the New Year.

Sign up in the narthex, support this awesome ministry and help Stop Hunger Now. Join our team and help make a huge difference. Rounds 1 and 2 raised over $15,000; we packaged over 36,000 meals thanks to you and Thrivent!

SHiNe day - Round 3 -- will be held at St. Paul's on Saturday, December 7th @ 10 AM (FH) -- Join the fun, join the ministry, make a difference -- we are called to help others -- this is your opportunity !

Questions? See Marty Schmidt, Lisa Diewald, Herb Frombach or Bridget Lillis or any other member of the SHiNe team!!

SHiNe On! - Dec. 7

St. Paul’s Crafters

A fun and delightful mealtime was shared at our November gathering of the flock. While our feast settled, we relaxed with Thanksgiving Bingo.

Instead of numbers on the cards we found words like – Turkey, Stuffing, Thanks, etc. Candy corn was used (and eaten) for markers.

Our December get-together will be at noontime - Stella D in Downingtown (the former Firecreek Restaurant). Please sign up on the bulletin board at the Bird’s Nest. We hope to see some new faces among us.

Don’t forget:

Blue Jean Sunday is December 8th!

www.stpaulslionville.org www.stpaulslionville.org Page 7

This Month in Confirmation

VBS Blessings Shared

Chat n’ Chews Book Club The Chat and Chews Sunday School Book Club meets the first Sunday of each month. We will next meet on Sunday, December 1st to discuss "The Red Tent," by Anita Diamant, with more discussion at the meeting on Sunday, January 5th, 2014. You do not have to fin-ish the book or even read it to join us in a lively and faithful discussion. Please contact Gwen Werner at 610-823-0244 or at [email protected] for more information.

After ten years of leading VBS, Nicole Ripper and Maribeth Krauss are stepping down and inviting others to continue their excellent job. We have been so blessed by their leadership over the past decade.

Here are Nicole’s words about what this time has meant to her:

At this time of year, there's a focus on traditions, family, friends, holidays, and special moments that happen once a year. There is a build up in excite-ment for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s. It's a two-month whirlwind of fun, thoughtfulness, caring, and plan to get everything as right as it can be, as we spend time with friends and family!

For the past 10 years, coordinating VBS has also been an annual tradition full of special moments shared with family and friends. It's an event that builds in excitement as we plan to get everything as right as it can be for that final week in July where the church comes alive with over 100 children (and an almost equal number of volunteers) learning about how much Jesus loves them!

I am thankful to have had the opportunity to be a VBS co-director at St. Paul's for many reasons. It's allowed me to spend time planning with Maribeth and other special friends through the years. Some-times life is so busy that you don't make enough time to see your friends as much as you'd like. Planning a project, such as VBS, with your friends, makes you take the time to get together and there is the added bonus that you are doing good works! It also got my daughters involved in planning and participating at the church. This has been their favorite week of the summer for many years, and they've included their friends as well. When you hear

your children telling their friends that they need to spend a week at church each summer to understand how great it is, you know you have a good thing!

I am blessed to have made new friends at VBS through the years and have also met many special people and families that I see throughout the community! It has really been a joy to watch some of the children that started attending VBS in pre-school (and were scared to be dropped off), grow to be some of our most responsible teenage guide volun-teers! There is something special going on here!

St. Paul's VBS program will continue to be a tradi-tion of tremendous outreach to our community and a special time for our church. We have so many tal-ented individuals that will continue to volunteer for this program and others that will get more involved in creating those special moments. The children that attend will come back again and again as future attendees and as volunteers. I've only been able to share a small portion of what VBS has meant to me and I"ll continue to be thankful for the time I had in this role. I'm looking forward to the future of VBS at St. Paul's and I'm excited for the new leaders, who-ever they may be! I know how much of a blessing it will be to those that run it! Thank you, Nicole We are so very grateful for the excellent leadership and dedicated service of Maribeth and Nicole. THANK YOU! A new leadership team is being as-sembled to follow in their footsteps. If you would like to be part of that, talk with Pastor Mark or Allison.

12/8/13 6:15 Class – Moses and the Wanderings

12/15/13 6:15 Class – Of Tents & Kings

And don’t forget SHiNe on Saturday, Dec. 7th! This is part of the required service component.

mailto:[email protected]�

SUNDAY SCHOOL SINGERS (Sunday School participants Grades PreK-6)

Sunday School Opening at 9:15 Sing at the 10:45 service once every 6-8 weeks.

ST. PAUL’S SINGERS (Children’s Choir for Grades 1-5)

Wed. afternoons 5:00-6:00 pm Sing once a month at the 10:45 service.

KINGDOM CHOIR Thurs. evenings 7:30-9:00 pm

Sing at the 10:45 service three times a month/ 8:00 services once a month.

VOICE OF THE SPIRIT! (Teen Choir for Grades 6-12)

Thurs. evenings 6:15-7:00 pm Sing during Worship Services.

EARLY PRAISE (Adult Pick-Up Choir)

1st Sunday of each month 7:30 am in Choir Rm Sing at the 8:00 service.


Music Ministries at St. Paul’s 2013-14

Anyone interested in giving of their time and musical talents by providing special music for the 8am service or being part of the Worship Team at the 10:45am service, contact Lyndsey Baker, Music Director at:

[email protected]

Music Notes from the Director of Music

Blessings!

Happy New Year! It may not be the start of the new calendar year, but it is the beginning of the church year and one of my favorite seasons: Advent.

I enjoy the anticipation, the quiet peace that can be found in the ever-lengthening nights, and the celebration that explodes light into the darkness on Christmas Eve. It is also a season full of great music which I am looking forward to sharing with the congregation of St. Paul's.

We've had a busy month, kicking off November with the 175th Anniversary celebration which included a historical display, a visit by the Bishop and an encore presentation of our resident composer's songs "My Grace Is Sufficient" and "O Magnify" by the 175th Anniversary Choir.

Our vocal ensembles have been actively participat-ing in worship with appearances this month by our teen vocal ensemble—Voice of the Spirit; our traditional service pick-up choir—Early Praise; our children's choir—St. Paul's Singers; our adult choir—Kingdom Choir; and the Sunday School Singers.

While rehearsals for these groups are already underway, new singers are welcome to join us for Christmas. We will also be starting up the bell choir, Jubilant Bells, soon.

For more information or to inquire how to join these music ensembles, please contact me at: [email protected].

Lyndsey Baker

Director of Music

St. Paul's Lutheran Church


Youth Sunday School ‐ 9:15 am

Preschool - 9th grade (Church classrms) Contact: Jennifer Lloyd ([email protected])

Adult Sunday School ‐ 9:30 am

High School 10th-12th grades - Led by Kim Martin and Sharon Burchfield. (Parsonage-White room)

Lectionary Discussion/Contemporary Perspectives – Bible study opportunity to review the worship service readings of the day. Led by Chris Robinson. (Rm 2—between Rm 1 and the Nursery)

The Works of C.S. Lewis – Led by Mary and Tony Applegate. ([email protected]) (Nursery)

Being a Disciple - Based on but not limited to, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Cost of Discipleship.” The class will explore the many facets, expressions, and requirements of Christian Discipleship. No one will be exactly the same type of disciple as their neighbor, for we are all unique children of the Father. Come and see what it is about. Led by Art Beck. (Parsonage Green room) Sunday School Book Club (“Chat and Chews”) - led by Gwen Werner. (Hospitality Room). The book For December is “The Red Tent” by Anita Diamant. We will discuss it at the January meeting as well.

Weekday Bible Studies 2013‐2014

Tuesday Evening Bible Study - 7:00 pm. A study on the journeys of St. Paul; contact Tony and Mary Applegate. (Room 1)

Son Rise Guys Bible Study - 6:00 am on the first and third Mondays of the month; contact Scott Heath or Pastor Mark for details. (Parsonage) (Official start is 6:30; coffee & snacks & socializing at 6:00.) Wednesday Morning Women’s Bible Study - 9:30 am Contact Joan Adams with questions. (Room 1)

Christian Education Offerings at St. Paul’s 2013-14


NOTE: All classes and bible studies can be joined in progress at any time. You need not be at the first class to participate.

"Your kids go to Sunday School. Why not you? " At St. Paul's we set aside a time between the 2 worship services to offer Sunday School classes for both youth AND ADULTS. Please consider attending one of the adult Sunday School classes. You’ll meet other church members as you learn more about being a follower of Christ.

Would you like to sneak away and go out to break-fast without the kids? We are also looking for folks to participate in a "Diner Devotional" Sunday School class at the Lion's Share Diner just down the street. Contact Chris Robinson if interested.

We’re always interested in setting up additional weekday and evening Bible Study classes for adults. You can meet in individuals’ homes or at church. If you have an interest or any topic ideas, contact Chris Robinson or Pastor Mark.

www.stpaulslionville.org www.stpaulslionville.org

Check out our new website at: www.stpaulslionville.org

And be sure to LIKE us on our new St. Paul’s Facebook page!

Rejoicing Spirits - December 8th

Your Giant Bonus Card can earn money for St Paul's Preschool when you join Giant Food Stores A+ School Rewards Program!

A+ School Rewards are points that accrue with each dollar you spend at Giant using your Giant Bonus Card. At the end of the school year, St Paul's Preschool will receive a check to use for new classroom supplies, toys or books! The more you spend, the more St. Paul’s Preschool earns – possibly hundreds of dollars! It’s EASY and FREE to sign up – just register your Bonus Card online at: www.giantfoodstores.com or

www.GiantPA.com and pick St. Paul's Preschool (id #05374) under the A+ School Rewards program.

Then just shop as usual with your Giant Bonus. How simple and

convenient! You must sign up every school year and let A+ Rewards do the rest!

Please contact Cari Kramer at 610-363-6264 or email her at administrator @stpaulslionville.org if you have any questions or need help signing up.

Giant Bonus Card A+ Rewards Program


Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Opportunities for Non-builders! If building, power tools, painting and climbing ladders isn’t your thing, maybe you’d be interested in volunteering for a day at one of the ReStores – in Kennett Square or just outside Coatesville. The ReStore takes donations and resells to help fund the building initiatives for Habitat. You can spend the day organizing, sorting and tagging donations and preparing items for resale. Our next scheduled volunteer day at the ReStore is December 14. Space is limited, so please contact Brian Parks if you are interested in volunteering. Volunteer Opportunities for the Coatesville Building Site! Our next building will be in January, 2014. Please stay tuned for more details. Please contact Brian Parks ([email protected]) or 610-322-5439 if you are interested in coming to help out at our Coatesville site for the day. Brian will be happy to discuss the program and work with you on how you can help. There are no special skills required – just a willingness to come out and help a family in need.

2014 Trip to “Luther Land”

We received a thank you from Sgt. Andrew Hill via his website thanking us for our support. He said the contents of the box we sent were distributed to the joint members of the staff force.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Reforma-tion 500 Committee is sponsoring a trip to “Luther Land.” The group will leave Sunday, June 15, and return Wednesday, June 25, visiting Wittenberg, Eisleben, Eisenach, Erfurt, Leipzig, Halle and Berlin. Bishop Claire Burkat, and Pastor Steve Godsall-Myers, former Co-Director of the ELCA Witten-berg Center, will lead the trip. Registration is now open! Registration material and further information can be found on the Committee webpage: http://ministrylink.org/ministries/teams/luther2017/lutherland-trip-2014/.

A Thank-You from Overseas

The winner of this year’s Thanksgiving Food Drive was the Early Service. Thank you to everyone who contrib-uted to the food drive making it the best food drive ever!

Thanksgiving Food Drive

Cookbook benefits Lord’s Pantry

The perfect gift for Christmas, birthdays and bridal showers

Thank you to those who purchased a copy, or copies, of my cookbook, Frieda’s Favorites, which launched on Mother’s Day this past May. With your support, a donation of $225 was made possible to the Lord’s Pantry in Downingtown.

Now with thoughts turning to holiday shopping, consider giving a gift of Frieda’s Favor-ites, a collection of over 200 recipes, including cooking tips, for a donation of $15 per copy. Proceeds continue to support the Lord’s Pantry. Contact [email protected] or call, 610-269-4925.


http://ministrylink.org/ministries/teams/luther2017/lutherland-trip-2014/�






Commonwealth of Pennsylvania honors St. Paul’s

St. Paul’s just received a commendation from the Senate of

Pennsylvania, sponsored by State Senator Andrew Dinniman,

honoring the 175th anniversary of our congregation.

The commendation will be on dis-play in the Hospitality Room.


Have any family news you’d like to share? Please send them to Tammy Swink ([email protected]) or the church office, along with a photo, if possible.

Our Congregational Family

Quilts for Lutheran World Relief L to R: Dot McKee, Joan Adams, Shirley Deist

Thanksgiving Food Boxes (Meals) ready to go

Bagging (and eating) candy for the Thanksgiving Food boxes.


St. Paul's Needlers in Action

Recently the Chester County Emergency Services in conjunction with the Chester County Health Department began a new initiative to expand emergency preparedness to the faith- based community. I’d like to share a partial list of needs that each family should gather in case of emergency.

Unique family needs, such as daily prescription medications, infant formulas and family documents.

Water – one gallon per person per day for about 3 days.

Cash – ATM’s won’t work without electricity.

Portable radio and a flashlight and extra batteries.

Manual can opener for canned foods you might bring along.

Non‐perishable foods (a three day supply is good)

I hope you find this helpful as we think about the winter approaching. Hopefully we won’t have any severe storms that necessitate our breaking into emergency supplies, but the time to think about it is before it happens.

- Flos Erickson

Parish Nursing - Emergency Preparedness

Do you know how to knit, or crochet? Do you know how to wield a needle? St. Paul's has a small but important ministry creating prayer shawls (and a few other helpful items for our worship and caring ministries). The shawls are often given to someone recovering from a significant surgery, or some major illness. The softness and warmth of the shawl are reminders of the love and prayers provided from the congregation, and God's tenderness and warmth in those tough times. If you are interested in joining this joyful ministry, and spending the occasional evening knitting, crocheting, and just laughing and talking, let Judy Uhrich know -

[email protected]

or call her at 610-431-7348.

Pictured here from left to right are: Judy Uhrich, Flos Erick-son, Kirsten McCurdy, Kathe-rine Ellis, and Tammy Swink.



Got Gratitude? Yes We Do! (cont. from pg. 1)

And we’re still shy of our goal of $60,000, but we’re getting there with your help! Please contribute as you are able. Send contribution to: St. Paul's Heater Fund 104 S. Village Ave, Exton, PA 19341 or place in your offering envelope.

New Heaters are On!

(Checks to St. Paul’s; memo line: Heater Fd)

Now on sale in the office!! Use just a few coupons and save more than the $25 cost of the book. Our Pre-school earns 50% profit!! Great savings for people of all ages. Most coupons good thru December 2014.

KidStuff Savings Books

Preschool thru 9th grades

Raymond Ferretti Dec 13 Alex Ely Dec 15 Will Heath Dec 21 Mason Skriletz Dec 24 Listing of birthdays are dependant on parents completing a Sunday School registration form(s) at the beginning of the Sunday School year.

Sunday School Dec. Birthdays

“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing

in many expressions of thanks to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:12

The Women’s Retreat is scheduled for March 28th (Friday night’s dinner) and March 29th (the actual retreat). Please mark your calendars now! More information to come.

Women’s Retreat Scheduled


Summit Lake Retreat - “Go Light Your World” by Kayla McCauley On the weekend of November 8th, 9th, and 10th, St. Paul’s youth group went on a mission trip to Summit Lake

in Maryland. Summit Lake is a beautiful retreat spot where there are many cabins where different churches from all

over can stay and enjoy their weekends. When we were there we stayed in a very nice, large cabin with a big room on

the first floor where we could have our services or just hang out. Altogether, we had twenty four youth who attended

the retreat which included Kayla McCauley, Dana Bubka, Alyssa Sherner, Lindsay Butterman, Lily Delone, Audrey Sin‐

clair, Natalie Sinclair, Kelly Slyman, Lauren Mills, Julia McCuch, Jordan Houseworth, Heather Nelson, Courtney Flach,

Laura Shinehouse, Alex McCurdy, Bryan Mowery, Brett Voloshin, Joshua Michaels, Evan Diewald, Kyle Markle, Alex

McPherson, Alex Smoot, Chris Houseworth, and Josh Mills. There were also five adults who were Mrs. D, Marty, Mrs.

Lanzalotto, Mr. FLach, and Mr. Slyman.

Our theme during the retreat was letting your light shine. All of the activities we did we revolved around this

main idea that we have been given a light from God that is uniquely ours. One of the activities we did was making post‐

ers that expressed our personalities, and our light. We used these posters to show how we can make a difference in the

world we live in. Another activity we did was to get into small groups and to create a another poster but this time with

a symbol of light, like a candle or flame, and around the symbol write down different things we can do, in our commu‐

nity, to help make a difference. Also on Saturday, just for fun, we had a scavenger hunt which composed of finding rare

objects, getting pictures of strange objects, and even taking videos with random strangers. Some tasks even required

covering yourself in mud! On Saturday night we had our closing service. At the end of the service everyone lit individual

candles, in the candle jars we had made over the weekend, and we sang ‘Go Light Your World’ which most of us knew

from our Christmas eve services. By the end of the weekend it was a bittersweet goodbye when we knew we had to

leave Summit Lake but we could finally return to Wi‐Fi and controllable showers. Overall the weekend was a lot of fun

for the youth and the adults who attended.

I would say for me, retreats are just a great time to take a moment and connect with God. For youth, sometimes

just sitting in church doesn’t really give us the full experience and effect that God has. Going on retreats allows youth to

get excited about having time with God and with friends! Retreats always mean having a lot of fun, along with learning a

lot.

Thank you to Marty and Mrs. D for planning an amazing retreat. All of the youth enjoyed the weekend and

appreciated it! ❤


Is that you, Julia?

Worship Service

Catch Phrase anyone?

Three of our fearless leaders...

Surprise Visitor, Lizzy

Scavenger Hunt

Winners

Our other leader


Page 19

December Volunteers


Christmas Eve/Dec. 29 Volunteers


January 2014 Volunteers


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31

Jan

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For

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ple

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call

the

chur

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610

-363

-626

4.

No

Kin

derm

usi

k 1/

16

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