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Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
33 S. 11th Street,
Reading, PA 19602
God’s
Responsive people
Acting out our faith by
Committing ourselves to reach out to
Each and Everyone in God’s vast creation.
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“EPISTLE OF GRACE”
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June 2015
Join us for a night at the Reading Fightin Phils
Celebrate Your Faith Night
Thursday, June 25, 7:05 p.m.
$ 9.00 / ticket
Contact Janet Bampton, 610-926-0296, to sign up and pay.
There are only 20 tickets available. Don’t miss out — purchase your ticket today!
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Pastoral Reflections
June 2015
Numbers. Data. Statistics.
These are the normal ways we measure things.
Here at church, we talk about attendance and finances: How many people are coming? How much money are we giving?
These are telling pieces of information. And it’s important for our leadership to consider them. But there is more to the story.
This time of year, as we joyfully watch the trees turning green and flowers springing up around town, we know that growth is about more than numbers and data and statistics. Growth isn’t always a straight, increasing line…a steady progression. It comes in seasons. Looking at a tree in mid-winter, it’s hard to believe it’s possible that a month or two later, it will be covered in flowers. Sometimes, we have to wait, and hope, and have faith that God is with us, working, and bringing new life. And sometimes growth happens deep under the surface, as the soil and roots and inner workings do their part, even when we can’t see what’s going on.
So it is with a life of faith.
There are many ways for us to grow. We can do our best to in-crease participation and financial stewardship, but so much of that is out of our control. What is within our power is to actively engage in our spiritual growth and to ask God to guide us and grant us wisdom.
I invite all of us to notice where we see growth in ourselves and in our community at Grace. We might ask ourselves questions like: are our emotional lives becoming healthier? Are we broadening our Biblical knowledge and seeing our lives as parts of God’s
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story? Are we exploring the questions we have about religion, faith, and spirituality? Are we experiencing the presence of God in our daily lives? Are we, like Jacob, wrestling with God in the midst of the complications of life? How can we do these things better? How can we embrace God’s invitation into deep, lasting relationship?
Dear friends, let’s grow together! Let’s look in awe and wonder at the invitation of our God into a rich life of faith. And let’s have some fun along the way.
Happy Summer!
Peace be with you. Pastor Marsha
Celebration of 25 Years of Service
Join us on Sunday, June 14, after worship, for a reception to honor Jane Battaglieri as we celebrate her 25 years of service as the church musician at Grace. We have been blessed by her many gifts and talents, and more than that, by her kind and gracious presence. Come celebrate with us!
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New Evangelism Team Outreach - Invitation - Hospitality
Do you have ideas about how Grace can reach out to our neighbors? Is hospitality one of your talents? Are you creative? Do you get things done?
If so, please prayerfully consider serving on Grace's new Evangelism Team!
The possibilities are wide open. Perhaps the team will help us to start new programs, or find new energy to invite our neighbors, or make sure we are welcoming to visitors. If you would like to help shape these efforts, please consider serving! Contact Pastor Marsha if you are interested.
Council Highlights
On Thursday, May 14, members of Church Council gathered with the West Berks Mission District to worship at The Highlands in celebration of the Ascension of Our Lord. This gathering was in place of our Council meeting for May.
The next Church Council meeting will be held on June 11 at 7:00 p.m. at Grace. There will be no meetings in July and August.
Church Talk Continues This Summer: Saturdays, June 13, July 25, and August 8
10:00 a.m. — 12 noon
Join us for vibrant, engaging discussion of topics related to faith, religion, and life. This group began by exploring what it means to be Lutheran, and now we have begun exploring other religions as well. We are currently learning about Islam, which is really expanding our horizons! In coming months, we will have a guest speaker, Rubina Tareen, who will speak to us from a Muslim perspective. In learning about others, we also learn a lot about ourselves.
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Worship Sponsorships Needed
Will you help by sponsoring the altar flowers, sanctuary lamp, and/or bulletins for Sunday worship? Sponsorship is a wonderful way to remember or acknowledge a family member or friend. And it is a great way to provide for worship while offsetting costs for Grace.
We still have a few sponsorships available in June:
Flowers: June 7 and 14
Sanctuary Lamp: June 7, 14, and 21
Bulletins: June 14
Cost for sponsoring flowers, lamp, or bulletin is $15 each.
SPONSOR SHEET FOR ALTAR FLOWERS, SANCTUARY LAMP, AND BULLETINS
Name of Person Filling Out Form: ________________________
Phone #: __________________
Date of Sponsorship: Sunday, ________________
In Memory / In Honor of: (Please circle Memory or Honor)
___________________________________________________
And given by
__________________________________________________
Check One: ____ Bulletins ___ Flowers ___ Sanctuary Lamp
Return completed form to Louise McCloughan.
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Vacation Bible School 2015 Moses. . . Chosen by God!
July 20—24, 6:15-8:00 p.m. Closing program Friday evening July 24
At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1559 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading
Transportation for VBS children will be provided.
Age: 4 years through 5th grade
$3.00 registration fee per child / Sponsorships are available See Miss Diane for a registration form or contact her at
at 610-207-6057 or [email protected].
We are in need of the following snack donations for VBS:
Monetary donations (cash or check written to Grace Lutheran Church) will be used for scholarships and to purchase fresh food.
Donations are needed by Sunday, July 19. Please place all donated snack items
in the designated box located in the Fellowship Hall.
Thank you for your support of VBS!
A joint ministry of Grace and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Blue Jell-O mixes Teddy Graham cookies
Goldfish crackers Vienna Finger cookies
Honey Nut Cheerios Chex cereal: rice or wheat
Small pretzel sticks Wheat pretzels
Potato chips Plain M & M's
Mini marshmallows Regular marshmallows
Raisins Aluminum pans ( 8x11)
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West Berks Mission District Music Camp
Splash! Remembering that through our baptism, we are proclaimed to be children of God!
For children who have completed grades 1 – 6.
August 10 - 14, 2015
The children will learn music and simple choreography during their week of camp and will perform the show on Friday at 1:00 p.m.
Cost is just $10! Transportation is available if needed.
Contact Miss Diane, 610-207-6057, for a registration form.
Camp schedule is as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 9:30 -12:00 noon Friday: 9:30-12:00 noon rehearsal. Lunch will be provided for
campers at noon. SHOW at 1:00 p.m.
All are invited to an ice cream social following the show.
The camp is being held at Atonement Lutheran Church, 5 Wyomissing Boulevard, Wyomissing. Scholarships and/or trans-portation will be provided to children who need it, but we will need all registrations by July 28 to plan accordingly. Please complete the registration form and return ASAP. You will be contacted by phone to schedule transportation. Vans will pick up children at the nearest Lutheran church.
Tom Yenser and Tama McConnell will again serve as directors for the camp. Both Mr. Yenser and Ms. McConnell have many years of experience working with children in the areas of music and theater. Each day will include music and fun, a snack and some games/crafts/stories. The children will perform Friday at 1:00 p.m. We hope to have a large audience for them, so please, come join
us for “Splash!”
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June Meetings
Church Council Meeting: Thursday, June 11, 7:00 p.m.
Church Talk: Saturday, June 13, 10:00 a.m.—noon.
Altar Guild: Sunday, June 14, after worship.
Rise Up Youth Gathering Rally: June 21, 1:30 p.m. at Muhlenberg College in Allentown
Hoagie Sale Benefits our youth, Estella and Naithan,
who are participating in Rise Up, the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering,
in Detroit, July 15-19.
Purchase a ticket for $5.00 from Naithan or Estella. Take this ticket to the Redner’s of your choice
any day, any time. Select a 6” hoagie:
Italian Sub
Ham on a Roll
Roast Beef Sub
Turkey Sub
And enjoy!
The ticket sale will end on July 4.
Help our youth have fun while worshipping, serving, and growing in faith in Detroit.
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invites you to a
Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser
Saturday, June 20, 8:00-11:00 a.m.
at the Kenhorst Dairy Queen
Tickets are just $7.00 and are available by calling
the Family Promise office at 610-373-3323.
All proceeds benefit Family Promise!
Breakfast includes: pancakes, bacon, smoothies and coffee.
Come enjoy a great breakfast on June 20 and help your neighbors in need!
of Berks County
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June Birthdays
1 – Luther Bernecker
7 – Aron Reinhart
9 – Allison White
12 – Jeff Seidel
14 – Janet Bampton
18 – Kelci Reinhart
23 – Lisa Ricci
24 – Dan Burkholder, Isabella Newmoyer
25 – Janet Hivner
30 – Eliza Drain
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Church Office Hours For June 22-26, the church office will be open 12:30—3:30 p.m. instead of 9:00 a.m.—12:00 noon.
Our summer worship schedule will begin on Sunday, July 5
with worship at 9:30 a.m. and no adult Sunday school.
Newsletter Deadline Deadline for submitting articles for the
July/August newsletter is Monday, June 15.
Feeling Ill? Going to the Hospital? Please call the church office at 610-375-3961. This is the only way to be sure that the pastor will know.
Transportation is Available for Sunday Worship!
If you are in need of a ride to church on Sunday mornings, make a reservation by calling the church office at 610-375-3961 between 9:00 a.m. and noon, Monday - Friday. There is never a need to call a taxi or ride the bus to join us for Sunday worship. The van drivers are more than happy to pick you up and take you home each week.
Please Note: All calls to the church must be made before Friday noon in order to request the van for Sunday. Messages are not checked between Friday noon and Sunday worship.
Join Us to See “Joseph” on September 12 This fall, we will travel to Sight & Sound Theatre in Strasburg, PA to see their production of “Joseph.” The cost for bus fare and show ticket is $118 per per-son. Lunch is separate. Payment plans are available.
Contact Barb Seidel at 484-794-0857 for more information and to sign up.
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Church Staff
Marsha Anderson, Pastor Kathy Yenser, Church Administrator
Jane Battaglieri, Organist/Choir Director Diane Ohlinger, Christian Education
Sandy Bocian, Sexton
Office Hours: Mon-Fri. 9:00 AM—Noon Telephone number: 610-375-3961
Fax Number: 610-375-1982 Web Site: www.readinggrace.org
E-mail: [email protected] Or
For Pastoral Emergencies call 484-332-3303
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A Member of The Reading Lutheran Parish
“IN THE CITY FOR GOOD!”
