zionuccarendtsville.orgzionuccarendtsville.org/wp...09-10-Newsletter-Web.docx · Web viewEmbodying the Love of God in Word and Action. Reverend Dr. KIM BLOCHEr, Pastor Craig Long,

ZION UNITED CHURCH OF CHRISTARENDTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

EMBODYING THE LOVE OF GOD IN WORD AND ACTION

REVEREND DR. KIM BLOCHER, PASTOR CRAIG LONG, CONSISTORY PRESIDENT

FROM THE PASTOR. . .In case you have not noticed, we are in the midst of a capital campaign at Zion! It is going very well and you will find an update in the Consistory report of this newsletter. In the first month, we are almost halfway to our goal! If you have not yet made your pledge, or given a contribution, please consider doing so very soon. We have received very generous gifts from members, a grant from the Adams County Community Foundation, and are waiting to hear about another grant. Later in the campaign we may doing other fundraisers such as selling bricks for a commemorative sidewalk—like we did for the purchase and refurbishing of Zion House. If you have ideas for fundraisers, please share them with Consistory. We offer a big thank you to all who have contributed to this campaign in the early days of the fund-raising effort.

The down payment on the new system has been made (roughly $40,000) and work most likely will have begun by the time you receive this newsletter. The full cost must be paid at the time of project completion. Yes--$124,000 is a very large sum of money to be raised in a church of Zion’s size. And we are equal to the task because our church home is a vital part of our community ministry.

Certainly we need heat to continue worshiping at Zion! And yes, it will be more comfortable to have central air in the fellowship hall and Sunday School building. But this capital project cannot only be about more comfort for us, and a longer life for our building. Such a large capital investment in a church building must yield more ministry. Visioning for increased community use of Zion’s lovely church home, and increasing the ministry programs of Zion, must be part of our capital campaign effort.

We currently are the home of the John’s Meals backpack food ministry for local schoolchildren. Packing teams from UACT churches and other community members gather here weekly to participate in that vital ministry. This fall we will host a UACT study series for adults from our sister churches. Our knitting group works on service projects as an outcome of their time together. We host Trivia Night, through which over $10,000 has been raised and distributed to local charities. Our kitchen is used by the youth to raise money for their Reach mission trips. And we can do still more with our well-maintained, centrally located church building.

Our mission committee and Consistory will be considering ways we can host community programs in need of a nice facility. We will be looking at ways we can be a good neighbor by inviting local people into our fellowship hall for coffee, meals, or a time of sharing. Or, should the sanctuary be open for prayer and meditation at scheduled times? What ideas for a “building” ministry might you have? What needs do you see in the community? What dreams for Zion do you have?

THE GOOD NEWS ____ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017____

Zion is blessed with a strong church family and the resources for doing meaningful ministry. With great blessing comes great responsibility. Let us use this challenging time as the springboard for finding even more ways to share our blessings. Jesus calls us to follow as His partners in ministry. We have done that since 1787! And we will keep on-- keeping on.

As always, I thank God for each and every one of you—my own partners in ministry.

See you in church, Pastor Kim

WORSHIP IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND SEPTEMBERWorship: 9:00 a.m.

Sunday School: 10:15 a.m. Worship is the best way to praise God for all your blessings.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 513th Sunday after Pentecost 17th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Communion; All Saints

SundayRomans 12: 9-21; Matthew 16: 21-28

Holy Communion Revelation 21: 1-6a; John 11: 32-44

Labor Day weekend Matthew 21: 23-32SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8 23rd Sunday after Pentecost14th Sunday after Pentecost Matthew 21: 33-46 Veteran’s Day RemembranceRally Sunday – Sunday School begins

No Sunday School for children Matthew 25: 1-13

Mark 10: 41-45 Apple HarvestSacrament of Baptism--Teighan and Cole SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19

19th Sunday after Pentecost 24th Sunday after PentecostSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Matthew 22: 1-14 Matthew 25: 14-3015th Sunday after Pentecost No Sunday School for childrenMatthew 18: 21-35 Apple Harvest SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26Sacrament of Baptism--Savanna

25th Sunday after Pentecost

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22 Christ the King SundaySUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 20th Sunday after Pentecost Matthew 25: 31-4616th Sunday after Pentecost Matthew 22: 15-22Matthew 20: 1-16

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2921st Sunday after PentecostReformation SundayMatthew 22: 34-46

LOOKING AHEAD ▪ On November 5, we will observe All Saint’s Sunday, and remember those who have died in the

past year. We will have Holy Communion as part of that observance. Please feel free to bring


pictures of any loved ones who have passed on to the Church Triumphant – as we commune among all the Saints.

▪ On November 12, we will include in our worship a veteran’s day observance. Please consider asking a veteran to join you in worship that day.

WORSHIP CDSWe are set up to provide CDs of Sunday worship services. Just call the office, and we will mail one

to you.

ADULT CHRISTIAN GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FALL Our Adult Sunday School meets after church in Fellowship Hall, for coffee and snacks. We are doing something a little different this year and encouraging our participants to bring in a passage from a favorite devotional each week—something that really spoke to him or her in the past week. In sharing a passage that moves us, we also have an opportunity to share our faith. Starting in October, we will gather on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. for “lectio divina,”an unstructured way of reading holy scripture together, while opening God’s holy Word to more meaningful understanding. Our UACT study, with coffee and dessert, will take place Thursday evenings on 6:30 in fellowship hall during November and will center on the great teachings of the Protestant Reformation. Don’t miss it!

UACT (UPPER ADAMS CHRISTIANS TOGETHER) UACT is preparing for joint Confirmation this fall, beginning Sunday, September 17. We will open the Confirmation year with a meal and gathering for confirmands, parents, clergy, and helpers. We also offer a program on Sunday evenings for the Senior High Youth. Both groups convene at St. Paul’s in Biglerville at 6 p.m. UACT is hosting a study series that will begin in November and run for 4 weeks…2nd, 9th, 16th, and 30th. We will gather at 6:30 p.m. for coffee and dessert and share in “A Study Guide for the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.” It is a light-hearted and down to earth look at our Protestant roots. How appropriate that we will share in this with our Lutheran brothers and sisters! The same study will be offered at Trinity UCC Biglerville at 9:30 a.m. on the same dates…for everyone for whom a morning time is more convenient. In other news, John’s Meals is expanding this year, to provide backpacks for the Biglerville elementary school as well as Arendtsville and Bendersville. Let Angie Vines know if you can serve on a packing team.

REACH MISSION WORK CAMP In July 2017, 17 Upper Adams youth/adults joined the Hanover Area UCC Youth group for their annual REACH Mission Trip. The group from the Upper Adams community represented 5 churches. We travelled to Crossville, TN to meet our neighbors and our crews. All together our youth group had 35 youth and adults. We worked on 30 work sites, donating approximately $150,000 in time, talents and materials to Crossville and the surrounding towns. We replaced a roof, repaired roofs, built porches and ramps and steps. We painted interior and exterior of homes and made many connections, with both our neighbors and our work crews. Most importantly, we learned more about ourselves and our faith journey, growing in both.We are always looking for others to join with us. We are tentatively planning to travel to Vassar, Michigan July 8-14, 2018. There will be organizational meetings on Sunday, September 17 (Upper Adams group; St. Paul’s Lutheran Church) and Sunday, October 1 (Hanover Area UCC/Upper Adams combined group; location TBA). See Chris for more info.


We THANK our church congregations for their generosity in helping us reach our fundraising goals to attend REACH. We will be showcasing our recent experiences at REACH during a coming Sunday Service. Stay Tuned!

CROP WALK The CROP walk, to benefit hunger relief programs, will be on October 22 at 1:00 p.m. The walk will leave from Zion’s UCC parking lot. Walkers will have the option of approximately 1 mile or 2 mile hikes in and around Arendtsville.

JOHN’S MEALS John's Meals is getting fired up to begin the 2017-2018 school year with the weekend food program for Upper Adams School District. Arendtsville and Bendersville elementary schools' deliveries will start on September 22, and NEW this year we are beginning with the Biglerville Elementary deliveries to 3rd graders on October 6. John's Meals can still use more volunteers to help with the packing/delivery teams. Tables are staged with the food items on Wednesday evenings, so the bags may be packed Thursday or Friday, and then are delivered at the end of the school day on Friday unless there is a school calendar change resulting in a Thursday delivery. With the volunteer teams available, the rotation is approximately once every 3-4 weeks, and only takes about 1-1/2 hours weekly. Please pray and think about helping the John's Meals Program feed the hungry children of Upper Adams School District. Please call Angie or Chris with questions. Monetary donations may be made payable to UACT--John's Meals and placed in the offering plates or mailed to UACT, PO Box 593, Arendtsville, PA 17303. Thank you from the UASD children for donations and mac 'n cheese cups/packs.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER EVENT AND BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY CALENDARS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CREDENZA

To Meet the Budget 2017Annual Budget = $189,911.00

Weekly Offering Needed = $3,572.85Offering Needed Offering Received

Needed to Date

Received to Date

January $17,864.25 $14,922.00 $17,864.25 $14,922.00February $14,291.40 $13,942.00 $32,155.65 $28,864.00March $14,291.40 $16,274.00 $46,447.05 $45,138.00April $17,864.25 $17,181.25 $64,311.30 $62,319.25May $14,291.40 $13,970.00 $78,602.70 $76,289.25June $14,291.40 $16,659.07 $92,894.10 $92,948.32July $17,864.25 $15,499.00 $110,758.35 $108,447.32August $14,291.40 $13,126.36 $125,049.75 $121,573.68


CONSISTORY NEWS FROM. . .Consistory President, Personnel (Craig)

Finalizing contracts for Christian Ed and Sexton.CAPITAL CAMPAIGN is going very well. We have received one-time contributions: $42,046. We have received $20,700 in pledges. Of the pledges, we have received $3,690 in cash. Along with other funds such as an ACCF grant, we are already hallway to our goal of $124,00. If you are making a one-time contribution, please do so by the end of October as the final payment for the project will be made then. Thank you for your amazing support!! In the narthex is a display which updates the campaign and lists the contributors. Please stop by to take a look.

Consistory Vice President, Mission (Donna)

The CROP walk is on October 22. Please plan to be part of this effort for hunger relief.

Consistory Secretary, Christian Ed (Kim)

Mark your calendars for a roller skating outing on November 5 to Magic Elm. Plan to support the Sunday School children on Rally Sunday, September 10.

Fellowship (Debra) Totem Pole Playhouse – “A Million Dollar Quartet.” A splendid time was had by all. Fifty-five Zion members spent a Saturday afternoon on August 5 rocking to the music of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins. Looking forward to the 2018 season performance of “Mama Mia.”

Finance (Dan) The first draft of the budget is being put together in September. Please let me know of any needs in your committees or any other information for the budget.

Membership, (Kim) If you have an interest in helping with a monthly care package for Ben Battersby, and his unit in Afghanistan, please contact Pastor Kim or Kim J.

Stewardship (Sally) Please remember our Neighbor’s in Need Special Mission offering to be received on October 1. Neighbor’s in Need helps make another world possible by supporting the ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Please give generously.


COLLEGE BOUND? ARE YOU ATTENDING COLLEGE THIS FALL OR KNOW OF A ZION MEMBER WHO IS ATTENDING COLLEGE THIS FALL? Final exam “care packages” or gift cards are received by college students. Please inform the church office of a student’s post office address and e-mail address. Please transmit the information to us by phoning 717- 677-8319 or email the church office at [email protected].

MATTHEW 25 UPDATE Our Matthew 25 fund is set up to provide assistance to families in need, whether members or non-members. It is not designated for general mission or relief work. The current balance in the Matthew 25 account is $1,888.15.

Date Amount and Referral From Type of Assistance8-7-17 $200 Referred from the local

community.Water bill-assistance needed with an extremely high borough bill, due to a broken pipe.

SOUTH MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS We will ramble on September 30 at 9:30 a.m., on a hike made possible by the new bridge over Mountain Creek, between Fuller and Laurel Lakes. Meet at the Fuller Lake parking lot.Our October ramble will be the Crop walk on October 22 at 1:00 p.m. We will leave from Zion’s parking lot and have an option of a one-mile or a two-mile hike around Arendtsville.

BAKE SALE AT MCDANNEL’S FRUIT FARM & MARKET Wait for it, wait for it...$861. That’s how much money we made at the bake sale! $711 came from baked goods and donations and $150 from the ice cream sales. Thank you to everyone who participated, and a huge thank you to Eddie and Linda for providing the venue for this fundraiser. The proceeds will go toward our new heating and cooling system. Well done, Zion!

CHOIR Music! Music! Zion's Choir and Zion's Men's Choir will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, September 6, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. The choir is always open to new members, so if you have that desire to share your musical talents,

whether instrumental or vocal, please don't be shy. Let Sharon know of your interest and your binders of music will be waiting for you. Let the fun begin!

Zion's Christmas Choir will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, October 4, beginning at 7:30 p.m. If you wish to sing for the Christmas season, please let Sharon know.

KNITTING/CROCHETING Attention all Knitters and Crocheters! Welcome back after our summer hiatus! Hopefully, your creative batteries are recharged as we look for projects for the coming year. There will be an organizational meeting on Monday, September 25, at 6:30 p.m. in the Mustard Seed room to explore potential projects. We will be discussing the feasibility of making items for sale with the proceeds going to the capital campaign for the church's heating/cooling system. So don't be afraid to think outside the box - small items, decorative items, items that showcase your skills, items that fill needs - we are open to all suggestions. As a group with diverse skill levels, your unique project may be a perfect fit for one of our members. Our creations, whether made to be worn or made to be used, are all imbued with warmth and caring - a little extra from us to their owners.

mailto:[email protected]


Come be part of our creative process and enjoy our fellowship!



HOSS’S COMMUNITY NIGHT Our next Hoss’s Community Night is on September 11, 2017. This program benefits Hoffman Homes for Youth.

Dear Friend of Zion UCC:

We are excited to team up with Hoss's Steak and Sea House to raise money for a very worthy cause. Please consider visiting the Hoss's location(s) listed below on Monday, September 11 to aid us in raising money to benefit Zion UCC.

Present this flyer on Monday, September 11at Hoss's in Gettysburg. Hoss's will then donate 20%* or 25%** of your total

check paid to Zion UCC.*To qualify for the 20% payout, our group must have a minimum of $300.00 in total pre-tax food and beverage sales.**To qualify for the 25% payout, our group must have a minimum of $1,200.00 in total pre-tax food and beverage sales.This applies to a one-day, single location, pre-scheduled event. The purchase of gift cards is not included as part of your organization’s community fundraising totals.

DISTRIBUTING INVITATIONS ON HOSS’S PROPERTY IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED AND WILL DISQUALIFY OUR ORGANIZATION!

Thank you for your cooperation!

Group # 65313

COMMUNITY AID DONATION BIN Please consider donating items to the Community Aid donation bin located in the Zion parking lot near Zion House. We receive funds each quarter based upon the weight of items deposited in the container and those funds are used toward the Mission Budget. Received for the first quarter of 2017 was $196. Acceptable donations include clothing, shoes, accessories like purses and belts, linens, curtains and draperies. Please place donations in plastic bags before dropping them into the bin. After your yard sales, consider donating unsold appropriate items to the bin.

The 2017 Flower Calendar is posted in the vestibule. Please be sure to sign up.Available dates are October 29 and December 17.

BOOK GROUP MEETING The Book Group will reconvene from a summer break on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, in the Mustard Seed room at 7:00 p.m., to discuss “”The Whole Town’s Talking” by Fannie Flagg.Synopsis of September’s selectionElmwood Springs, Missouri, is a small town like any other, but something strange is happening at the cemetery. Still Meadows, as it’s called, is anything but still. “The Whole Town’s Talking” tells


the story of Lordor Nordstrom, his Swedish mail-order bride, Katrina, and their neighbors and descendants as they live, love, die, and carry on in mysterious and surprising ways. Lordor Nordstrom created, in his wisdom, not only a lively town and a prosperous legacy for himself but also a beautiful final resting place for his family, friends, and neighbors yet to come. “Resting place” turns out to be a bit of a misnomer, however. Odd things begin to happen, and it starts the whole town talking. With her wild imagination, great storytelling, and deep understanding of folly and the human heart, the beloved Fannie Flagg tells an unforgettable story of life, afterlife, and the remarkable goings-on of ordinary people. She reminds us that community is vital, life is a gift, and love never dies.

The October meeting will be on the 10th at 7:00 p.m. in the Mustard Seed room. “Word of Honor” by Nelson DeMille is the selection.Synopsis of October’s selection“Word of Honor” centers on a Vietnam veteran, Benjamin Tyson, who has made a great life for himself after serving as a lieutenant in the war. However . . . An investigative journalist uncovers a possible massacre similar to My Lai committed by Tyson's platoon in 1968. This sets off a series of events that affects Tyson's life. The Army seeks punishment while the public is conflicted. Complex issues of Tyson's culpability arise as the author slowly reveals more detail surrounding what really happened. This novel, while fictional, blends intense and accurate Vietnam War flashbacks with intelligent and highly-charged courtroom melodrama.

TRIVIA NITE Congratulations to “The Travelers” (Bill, Judy, Mike, Judy, Mary and Diane), our winners at Trivia Nite. They were able to give The Adams County Literacy Council a donation of $355! Mark your calendars...our next Trivia Nite will be Sunday, October 29, at 6:00 pm. Form a team and join us! Any questions, contact Gina.

LABELS FOR EDUCATION UPDATE The Labels for Education program is coming to a close. Only UPCs with the Labels for Education logo will be accepted and redeemed for points into registered schools' bank accounts. As of 7/31/17, Zion's Sunday School Program currently has 17,847 points banked in our account, and has a goal to reach 22,000 for our third and final $250 Visa Gift Card to be used towards Sunday School activities for Zion's children. Please drop any labels in the red Labels for Education boxes located in the vestibule upon entering the sanctuary, or on the side table in the main Sunday School room. The deadline to submit labels for the

program is January 2, 2018. Many thanks to all of you for your help and support over the past few years!

LADIES BREAKFAST AT THE APPLE BIN The September 11 and October 9 Ladies’ Breakfast will be held at the Apple Bin at 9:00 a.m. See you then. Bring a neighbor! This is a great gathering of ladies who laugh, connect, and re-charge in the company of friends.

MACARONI AND CHEESE TO BENEFIT JOHN’S MEALS We are collecting single serve, microwaveable cups of macaroni & cheese to benefit John’s Meals. The cups need not be a brand name (like Kraft); store brand is fine. We will be providing 100 cups each month and they may be placed in the cupboard in the rear of the church (just like before). Any questions, please see Chris Parker. As always, thank you so much for your faithful support of this ministry.


THANKS FROM OUR COMMUNITY . . . Thank you for your donation of $50 to the mission of Olivia’s House as part of Jess Parker’s Walk to Remember Team. We are grateful for the gifts of friends in the community who so graciously support our programs. Be assured that healing will occur for many grieving children as a result of your generosity.

~Blessings, Leslie Delp, Founder and Bereavement SpecialistThank you for your gift of $1,506 received in support of the United Church of Christ’s One Great Hour of Sharing. Through your donation, you partner with us to support programs and services coordinated through the national setting to help local, national, and global communities change lives for the better.

~Faithfully, Mary Paxton, Director, Office of Philanthropy and Stewardship, UCCThank you for your $250 donation to Adams Rescue Mission. Your generosity will help us meet obligations and to continue to help the lost and homeless. May God richly bless you all.

~Adams Rescue Mission staffGreetings and God’s blessings. Thank you for your generous donation of $200 which was delivered to Biglerville borough to help cover our water bill. To us two retirees, it felt like God’s gift from the hearts of those willing to make a sacrifice to the needy. God bless you and reward you for reaching out to strangers who pray that we shall all be together in heaven.

~a Matthew 25 recipientThank you for your generous contribution of $500 to Olivia’s House. Your support is greatly valued and will impact the lives of many children and their families as they journey through grief. ~Leslie Delp, Founder and Bereavement SpecialistThank you for Trivia Night’s $355 donation to the Adams County Literacy Council. All of the money raised and/or donated stays in Adams County to help our neighbors achieve their dreams of literacy. ~Amanda Garner, Literacy Council

THANKS FROM OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS . . . Thank you for the Target gift card. I appreciate your kindness. I am enjoying being home this summer. ~Joel

THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS . . .Thanks to Bill for keeping our shrubbery trimmed. It always makes the front of the church look so nice. And thanks to Dan for doing “yeoman’s duty” when the basement of Zion House flooded due to a broken pipe. Dan also installed a new sump pump for the basement. This seems to be the year for property issues! And thanks to Kendra, Lynda and Peggy Sue for making the neat bulletin board display that tracks our campaign progress.


Documents

zionuccarendtsville.orgzionuccarendtsville.org/wp...09-10-Newsletter-Web.docx · Web viewEmbodying the Love of God in Word and Action. Reverend Dr. KIM BLOCHEr, Pastor Craig Long,