THE ST. LUKE PARISH PEN September 2015

Tuesday, September 01, 2015

A lot can change in very little time—both experience and our faith tradition teach us this.

Last week, while in Wisconsin, my brother-in-law Bill was lamenting that just one week of vacation had put an

additional four pounds on his frame. As a middle age man who likes to enjoy himself, I can relate to those

feelings. Vacations have also gotten the best of my waistline in no time at all.

Consider this too! Long, long ago, at what must have seemed like the drop of a hat, Mary went from being a

virgin betrothed to Joseph to being pregnant with her son and our Lord, Jesus. Years later, Jesus himself would

also experience rapid change during the most important week of his earthly life. As we hear every year, in just

eight days, our Lord and Savior went from adulation on Palm Sunday to betrayal on Maundy Thursday to death

on Good Friday to eternal and everlasting life on Easter Sunday. Could it be any clearer that a lot can change in

very little time!

Frankly, I don’t think it can be much clearer that life is an ever evolving thing. But I’m curious as to whether we

have digested this truth at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church in Centre Hall. I wonder whether we’re

proceeding as if a lot can change in very little time. There’s no doubt that we should. But is it happening?

When my mother moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin four years ago, she joined a Lutheran church that was

welcoming close to three hundred people to worship each week. During her first couple of months there,

twenty-five young adults were confirmed on one particular Sunday. Then, the senior pastor left and not long

after his departure, the associate pastor also left. Since their acceptance of other calls, the congregation has not

reacted well to a new pastor and a new form and style of leadership. In no time at all, the sad truth is that a once

strong and vibrant congregation has gone from close to three hundred people in weekly worship to talking about

closing its doors. Once again we see that a lot can change in very little time!

Now certainly we’re not talking about closing the doors of our own congregation. Many of our vital signs

remain quite healthy. But it is time to say that we’re in the midst of a sluggish year that has become more and

more bothersome to me. At this juncture, weekly worship attendance is down, as is the number of new people

visiting our congregation. This after having our best year ever in 2014! But remember—a lot can change in very

little time!

With a strong fall and early winter, the good news is that we can get headed back in the right direction very

quickly. We just need to return to doing what we’ve done very well before—making weekly worship a

consistent priority and inviting as many people as possible to experience the good things have been going on,

and still are going on, at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church in Centre Hall. In, by, and through the Holy

Spirit, may it happen! As we have done several times before, may we together demonstrate that a lot can

change in very little time!

In Christian love,

Pastor Scott

St. Luke Worship Schedule: Worship Services are held at 8:00 am and 10:30 am every Sunday morning. Special Services are held at Thanksgiving, Advent, Lent and Holy Week.

The 8:00 am service is a simple service of the Word where Holy Communion is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of each month. The 10:30 am service is a more traditional worship service with additional liturgy and hymns. At the 10:30 am service, the adult choir blesses us with their gifts from September through June and Holy Communion is celebrated every Sunday.

Class: Teachers:

Pre-K Krystal Josephson and Nicki Shunk Kindergarten to Third Grade Kim Praskovich and Sabrina Wert Fourth to Sixth Grade Dave Bierlein Confirmation Class Pastor Scott Teen Class Danette Strouse Adult Class Shawn Lehman and Tom Sharer

On Sunday, September 20th

– We will resume our normal Sunday School Curriculum. We gather as a

group at 9:15 am for a brief “Good Morning” led by Pastor Scott followed by music from 9:25-9:40 and

Classroom time from 9:40-10:15 am.

An Invitation from the Sunday School Crew—Please join us on Sunday, September 13th for a field trip to the PSU Arboretum and Creamery. We will carpool from the church lot leaving immediately after the early worship service. We have a tour scheduled at the Arboretum for 10:30 am. Following the tour, we will walk to the Creamery for ice cream. All are welcome!

Prayer Group will be held on the following

Wednesdays at 10:00 am in the Pastor’s Office:

September 2, 9, 16 and 30

Prayer Concerns Pray for the recovery and the Lord’s healing and peace on our brothers and sisters.

Fox Dietrich…recov. from back surgery

Cindy T…life choices Ben T..health concerns

Pastor Steve Lynn…recov. from surgery Debbie Swartz...myasthenia gravis

Chuck Mason...family concerns Kathy Strock...health concerns

On-going Prayer Concerns: Robert Sauerwein…heart disability Amy Bremer…cancer

Timmy Parson…cancer Larry Hedtke...recurring cancer

Marvin Lehman, Jr....kidney tumors Denny McCloskey...health concerns

Nancy Spangler...cancer Sharon O’Hara...cancer

Rich Perlongo...cancer of mouth Tom Robinson…health concerns

Josh Mack...tumor Mary Byler...cancer

Matthew...hope and strength Robert McDaniel...stage 4 brain cancer

Kylee McClenahan...head injury Vicki Garvin...kidney disease

Dorothy Baer...faith Lynn Perlongo...cancer

Michelle Marini...breast cancer C. Stull...cancer

Chris Bellocchio...cancer Claire Milner...cancer

Mardi McDonough...cancer Clair (Abbie) Hollobaugh...cancer

John H. Stoltzfus...bone cancer Russ Sauerwein...recurring back pain

Pastor Denise Arpino...cancer Cecil Poston...failing health

Tony Arpino...cancer Mike Rockey...cancer

Josh Hardy...cancer Kathy Edens...bone marrow transplant

Helen Miller..failing health Lynn Miller...broken nose/falls

Tucker Brownson...heart problems Gail Norton...cancer

Jen Parsons...recovery from brain surgery Ella Myer...mission work

Deb Homan...cancer Maddie Rupe...kidney cancer

Amy Meyers...brain tumor Dan Richard...cancer

John Dunlap...lung cancer Shawn Zimmerman...throat cancer

Melissa Wolfe... recovery from back surgery Mike McClenahan...self-care

Brandon Zlupko...cancer Scott Bair...cancer

Ella Burns...cancer Betty G….kidney issues

Chuck Derr..heart concerns Brooke Homan...young mother with cancer

Eileen Barnes...recovery from surgery LaRee Shirey...pancreatic cancer

Joe Perez...bladder cancer Liz Perez...spinal stenosis/severe pain

Please pray also for the health of our Shut-ins:

Larry Breon (PO Box 27, Rebersburg, PA 16872...349-8846)

Fred and Miriam Burris (186 Blackhawk Road, Centre Hall, PA 16828...364-1575)

Betty Dutrow (Wynwood House, Room 3, 122 Wynwood Drive, Centre Hall, PA ...814-531-4875)

Ruth Foust (A121 Valley View Terrace, Belleville, PA 17004-8690...717-935-3718)

Fred Lohr, Jr. (244 S. Pennsylvania Ave, Centre Hall, PA 16828…364-9368)

Ruth Luse (Graystone Court Villas, 100 Hawknest Way Apt. 912, Bellefonte, PA 16823-5219)

Pam McClenahan (432 S Pennsylvania Ave, Centre Hall, PA 16828…364-1576)

Margaret (Peg) McClenahan (107 Manor Road, Apt 4, Centre Hall, PA 16828…364-1791)

Edna Meyer (Centre Crest, 502 E. Howard Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823)

Bruce and Virginia Moyer (PO Box 313, Centre Hall, PA 16828...364-1870

Alice Witmer (Centre Crest, 502 E. Howard Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823)

If you would like to add or remove someone from the prayer list: You may fill out a prayer concern request

located in the Narthex and in each pew pad and place in the offering plate or you may notify the church office at 364-

9154 or email the church office at StLuke364@verizon.net . Please remember that a prayer request will remain on the

prayer list for three weeks unless otherwise noted as an ongoing concern. Also, please remember to notify the church

office when someone is able to be removed from the prayer list. You may renew a prayer request as often as you wish.

- Updated 9/1/15

Sept. 4 Dave and Sharon Hege 6 Michael and Shelly Carper

8 Charles and Linda Murphy 10 N. Roy and Patty Thompson 11 Brian and Sylvia Auman 12 Doug and Shari Welch 13 Tom and Kelly Moran 17 Daniel and Debbie May 19 Paul and Barbara Mark 20 Shawn and Kenna Kurtz 23 Alvin and Judy Spotts 25 Ronald C. and Melissa Homan 29 Larry and Fay Breon 30 Lanny and Kimberly Johnson

Sept. 1 Colleen Ott 3 Robert Sauerwein 4 Logan Murphy Garrett Shawver

7 Keith B. Luse Carol Ard

9 Davis Araujo Logan Johnson

Logan Witherite George Wilson

11 Inez Luse 13 Ruth Bressler Barbara Mark 14 Brooklyn Knaub 15 Molly McClenahan Rev. Julia Sprenkle 17 Joan Confer Virginia Moyer 18 Joni Kresovich 19 Gay Homan Jean McCracken 20 Connie Zellers 21 Justin O'Hara Gladys Sampsel

Birthdays Continued… 22 Sherri Corl

Norma Crater Brett Homan 23 Twila Mothersbaugh Ronald Holsopple 24 Tim O'Hara 25 Sherri Taylor 28 Jordan Holsopple Christina Sharer 29 Forrest Rishel

Alyssa Araujo

St. Luke Congregation, Thanks to our St. Luke Church Family, our brothers and sisters in Christ, for cards and best wishes on my 80th birthday. -From Sam Grove St. Luke Congregation, Thank you for all the prayers, many cards and well wishes. Each kindness has been very much appreciated and helpful in my recovery. -From Eileen Barnes

St. Luke Congregation,

We would like to extend a big “Thank You”

to ALL who helped with the renovation projects

both inside and out this summer. Your help is

greatly appreciated!

-From the Property Committee

Congratulations to the

Penns Valley VFW

Teener League All

Stars Ryan Long and

Jakob Daniels whose

baseball team placed

2nd

in Districts and 3rd

in the State Finals.

WEEKLY WORSHIP VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE DATE GREETER

8:00 AM GREETER 10:30 AM

ACOLYTE 8:00 AM

ACOLYTE 10:30 AM

READER 10:30 AM

WORSHIP ASSISTANT 10:30 AM

COMMUNION ASSISISTANT

Sep 6 Dean Crater & Adre Fetterolf

Judy Homan & Sandy Ferree

Morgan Noll Faith Wolfe Pat Strouse Al Spotts Scott McAllister

Sep 13 Denny Grove & Dorothy Rudy

Patty Lehman & Sue Royer

Jordan Anderson

Nick Bair Carol Sharpe

Norma Crater Stephanie Delaney

Sep 20

Dave Hege & Charolette Waltz

Krystal Josephson & Sumner Kessinger

Tori Meyer Linzy Fetterolf

Bob Chambers

Danette Strouse

Scott McAllister

Sep 27

JD Kubalak & Kim Praskovich

Marilyn Kubalak & Evelyn McClenahan

Sierra Witherite

Ryan Lehman

Linda Decker-Reitz

Evelyn Reeder

Kenny Strouse (8 am) & Susan Stover 10:30 am

Oct 4

Sharon Hege & Lanny Johnson

Don Brown & Marjorie Korman

Maggie Delaney

Jillian Anderson

Carol Sharpe

Pat Strouse Monty Strouse

Oct 11

Kermit & Lori Long

Larry Frazier & Evelyn Reeder

Baylor Shunk

Madison Bair

Don Anderson

Tom Sharer Virginia Struble

DATE ALTAR FLOWERS

COMMUNBREAD & WINE

MOWING & WEEDING

ALTAR GUILD

USHERS COUNTERS

Sep 6 Cousins-Sharer

Cindy Kessinger

Cliff Waltz Cindy Kessinger & Charolette Waltz (September)

__________ Patty Lehman & Sandy Ferree (October)

Sharon Hege (Head), Shari Welch, Charolette Waltz & Russ Judy (September)

_____________ Kerry O'Hara (Head), Patty Lehman, Tom Sharer & Evelyn Reeder (October)

Carol Sharpe & Deb Frazier

Sep 13 LeRoy & Linda Reitz

Cindy Kessinger

Open Barb McAllister & Sue Royer

Sep 20

Al & Judy Spotts

Joan Confer Al Spotts Pat Strouse & Lois Albright

Sep 27

Scott & Barb McAllister

Open Al Spotts Cindy Grove & Jim Shunk

Oct 4

Open Open Roy Thompson

Norma Crater & Sue Royer

Oct 11

Open Open Roy Thompson

Carol Sharpe & Deb Frazier

Looking ahead…If you have news or articles for the October issue of the Parish Pen Newsletter, please submit them to the church office on or before Tuesday, September 24.

FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION

The Centre Hall/Potter Food & Fuel Pantry will have their next monthly food distribution on Tuesday, September 15 at Grace United Methodist Church, from 12:30 PM until 4:00 PM. If you are able to volunteer, arrive at 8:00 am.

Paper products (paper towels and toilet paper) as well as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap and cake mixes are always needed and cannot be purchased with State or Federal funds.

Volunteers are always needed…to pack on distribution days or to sign up to unload food when it arrives at Grace Church. If you can help unload food, you will be called the day before the truck arrives.

Please call Bonnie Brown 364-1541, Eileen Booz 364-1675 or Erskine Cash 364-9184 if you can help.

If you would like to donate items, please have the items at St. Luke Lutheran Church on or before Sunday, September 13th. There is a donation box located in the Narthex.

SCHOOL KITS

St. Luke has been collecting school supplies to fill backpacks which are being made by our Sewing Group for Lutheran World Relief. These backpack type school kits will be donated to Lutheran World Relief in the fall. Our goal is to make 30 school kits. Thanks to your generous donations we have almost reached our goal! Thank you! We only need a few more blunt-tip safety scissors and black or blue pens. These supplies can be placed in the box in the Narthex by September 6th. Monetary donations continue to be accepted by the Community Relations Committee for shipping. *Please note that if you have already purchased other items that were previously listed and would still like to donate them, we will continue to accept them and save for next year’s kits

The Community Relations Committee is excited about their new endeavor, Stop Hunger Now, an organization that helps feed people in need throughout the world. This organization provides dry goods to be packaged and these meals are shipped throughout the world to support school feeding programs, orphanages and crisis relief. We will accomplish our goal of packaging 10,000 meals, at 29 cents per meal, on October 28, at the American Legion where the goods will be delivered. We are using $1,000 of our Committee's budget and need to raise $1,900 more, we need your help! Envelopes for your donation and a brochure for more detailed information on this organization (stophungernow.org) will be available September 13th. Also, sign-up sheets for the meal packaging

event on October 28 will be in the Narthex shortly. This will be both a fun and rewarding event, look for more info to come and plan to join the team. Coming soon, look for details of our hoagie sale to help raise money. Let's work together to stop world hunger!

The Quilting Group will resume monthly meetings on Tuesday, September 8th. If you are free to work with us on sewing day, please consider joining us. We meet in the Parish Hall the second Tuesday of each month from September through November and January through April. We begin at 9:00 am and conclude at 2:30 pm. We all bring a covered dish to share and enjoy lunch together. Sewing skills are not required. There is a job for everyone. The finished quilts will be donated to Lutheran World Relief. If you have any questions, please contact Marjorie Korman at 364-9189.

Choir rehearsals will begin on Thursday, September 10 at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary. Anyone who is interested in singing in the choir, please join us!

Discerning Your Discipleship—Discerning Your Discipleship (DYD) is an educational program for anyone interested in learning more about the scriptures, Lutheran doctrine, worship, prayer and other aspects of the Christian faith. There is a new brochure in the Narthex which lists courses available from September 2015-May 2016. There is a course registration form available in the brochure. Pastor Scott will be introducing the New Testament course at the Allegheny Synod Office on November 7, 14, and 21. You can take one or more classes to explore how the Holy Spirit is working in your life, to enhance your current discipleship ministry as a teacher, youth worker, musician, visitor, worship assistant, evangelist, etc. Please review the brochure in the Narthex and if you have any questions about the program, you may speak with Pastor Scott.

On Monday, September 14, St. Luke will hold the monthly Committee and Council Night.

St. Luke has four different committees that meet on a monthly basis. The Community

Relations Committee, Congregational Relations Committee, Spiritual Relations Committee

and Property Committee will meet at 6:45 pm in the Sanctuary for a brief discussion and

prayer with Pastor Scott and then each committee will meet individually from 7-8 pm in

the basement Fellowship Hall. Please consider becoming involved in one of St. Luke’s

Committees. Whichever committee may interest you, they would love to hear your fresh

perspective and new ideas. The St. Luke Council will meet from approx. 8-9 pm.

Zucchini Bars -submitted by Pat Strouse

2 C. sugar 3/4 C. oatmeal

1 C. oil 1 tsp. salt

3 eggs 2 tsp. baking soda

2 C. flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. zucchini - shredded 1 C. raisins

Frosting

1/2 C. butter - softened 4 oz. cream cheese

2 tsp. vanilla 2 1/2 C. 10-X sugar

Directions:

Beat together sugar, oil and eggs. Beat in flour and dry ingredients.

Add vanilla, oatmeal and zucchini and mix well. Fold in raisins.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool bars and frost.

~ September 2015 ~

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm

2 Prayer Group 10 am

3 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm Ministry Planning Meeting 6:15 pm

4 Wyland-Poorman Wedding Rehearsal 6 pm

5 Wyland-Poorman Wedding 2 pm Cousins-Sharer Wedding Rehearsal 4 pm AA Meeting 7 pm

6 *Service of the Word 8:00 am *Traditional Worship 10:30 am with Communion

Cousins-Sharer Wedding 1:30 pm

7

8 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm Sewing Day 9 am to 2:30 pm

9 Prayer Group 10 am

10 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm Choir Rehearsal 7 pm

11

Cub Scout Meeting 6-8 pm

12 AA Meeting 7 pm

13 *Service of the Word 8:00 am *Sunday School Arboretum & Creamery Trip after 8 am service

*Traditional Worship 10:30 am with Communion *Grandparent's Day

14 Committee & Council Meetings 6:45 pm

15 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm

16 Prayer Group 10 am

17 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm Choir Rehearsal 7 pm

18

19 AA Meeting 7 pm

20 *Service of the Word 8:00 am *Youth and Adult Sunday School & Confirmation Classes 9:15 am

*Traditional Worship 10:30 am with Communion

21

22 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm

23

24 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm October Newsletter Deadline

Choir Rehearsal 7 pm

25

26 AA Meeting 7 pm

27 *Service of the Word 8:00 am with Communion *Youth and Adult Sunday School & Confirmation Classes 9:15 am

*Traditional Worship 10:30 am with Communion

28

29 Church Office Hours 9 am to 2 pm

30 Prayer Group 10 am

Notes:

St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church 301 North Pennsylvania Ave. P. O. Box 331 Centre Hall, PA 16828 Return Service Requested

The Parish Pen

September 2015

Mission Statement: Inviting all into relationship with Christ, Church and Community

St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church Centre Hall, Pennsylvania