For the Week Beginning January 28, 2022
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
THE WEEK AT REFORMATION
Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Service of Holy Communion
Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Facebook Live Service of the Word
Wednesday: 10 a.m. Morning Eucharist followed by Prayer Ministry
Wednesday: 7 p.m. Evening Prayer service on Facebook live followed by a study
Dear people of God at Reformation:
What an exciting time it is to be the Church here at Reformation!
The past 2 years have been marked by challenges and opportunities. We’ve faced the challenges and found our way through them, continuing to be the Church for the sake of the Gospel and the good of our neighbors. We shifted to all virtual worship, study, and meetings, eventually opening up for hybrid in-person and virtual worship, study, and meetings. And with very few exceptions, we have gone with the flow.
Really, we’ve done much more than go with the flow, we’ve accomplished a lot of necessary and beneficial things. We’ve paid off our mortgage several years early! And to remind you of how important that is, we’ve been using money from unrestricted Memorials and Memorial account interest as well as unused money from the Endowment Fund budgets year after year just to make ends meet. Thank God we’ve had these resources to fall back on, but they only last so long. Now that we no longer have that mortgage service of $30,000+ to handle each year, we can begin to consider new ways to advance mission and ministry with those funds. What an opportunity!
Of course, we’ve also been busy improving our physical building. Fresh paint, refurbished pews, new flooring (coming soon), finally moving forward with window replacements in the “West Wing” – the Sunday school and nursery rooms, old fellowship hall and the choir room. All of these things are due to your generosity and to our shared commitment to see that this ministry is able to continue on well into the future.
The future is unknown and unknowable, yet there are things we can do to prepare for it just the same. The future is unknown and unknowable, but the steps we’ve taken in the past couple of years help to set us on the path to sustainability. The future is unknown and unknowable, but the presence of God’s Spirit leading and guiding us is evident and God’s promise is secure.
Grace, mercy and peace be with you all, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pastor Matt
SNOW STORM
With the impending snow storm on its way, the church building is completely closed tomorrow, Saturday 1/29, including the food pantry. We will make a decision tomorrow on whether we will be able to hold our in person worship service or if we will just be on Facebook Live. Our Council President, Charlie Brady and Pastor Matt will be in constant contact. They will also discuss and make a decision with the executive committee and council on whether to hold the annual meeting completely virtual or move it to next Sunday if we can’t worship in person on Sunday.
Assuming we don’t lose power, we will have notice of the service and meeting posted to our website at www.reformationwlb.org as soon as we can but by 8:30 Sunday morning at the latest. We will also update our phone message as soon as we can but no later than 1 hour before the start of worship – so that means we will have a message on the phone by 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning at the latest!
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING (as of today):
Subject to change with the weather
Our 2022 business congregational meeting will be held on Sunday, January 30th immediately after worship. We must have 40 members attending to have a quorum. We will review and recap 2021 and vote on our 2022 budget.
Please plan to attend this important meeting as we review 2021 and vote on our 2022 budget. We will run this meeting as a hybrid from the great room so it will be in person and online.
The Annual Report Booklet is available in the gathering area and is also posted to our website at www.reformationwlb.org and can be found by clicking on the Church Files drop down menu
Pray with the whole church each day at noon!
www.njsynod.org/virtual-church-resources
Norma Beaty, Robert Coles, Connie, Edward Bale, Margaret Dix, Rosemary Howell, Royce Howell, Jonathan, Michael, Rose, Lisa & family, Trina, Heather Lombardo, Dan Nilsson, Beth Nilsson, Jeff Reis, Peter Repak, Penny Shermer, Diane Smith, Georgie Zweig
PRAYER LIST UPDATE: If you have someone in need of prayers, please let us know via either Pastor Matt or the church office and we will be sure to add them to our list above. If you have good news to share on recovery of anyone on our prayer list, please let the office or Pastor Matt know. We’ll gladly share the good news!!
Worship Matters
Liturgy has been defined as “the work of the people.” It comes from the combination of two Greek words that mean work and people. It is not a presentation or work done only by called and ordained ministers but is an event that happens when we are all together doing what God has called us to do – gathering around Word and Sacrament.
The doing of liturgy involves those who are in plain sight like presiding ministers, readers, acolytes, assisting ministers, and ushers, as well as those who are more “behind the scenes” like those who set up and clean up, those who track and order needed materials, and those who plan.
Worship is our center as God’s people. It’s the primary reason we exist. It’s the springboard from which everything we do and everything we are springs. It is truly the work of the people!
SOCIAL MINISTRY UPDATE
The Social Ministry Committee is looking for members to join the committee. All that’s required is attending a virtual one-hour meeting every two months to help with ideas, then attending or pitching in at events as you’re able – such as Souper Bowl Sunday, Gods Work Our Hands Day, Crop Walk, etc. It’s a fun and easy way to get more involved in YOUR church! The next meeting will be on Thursday, Feb. 3, at 7pm. Please RSVP to Kat Krassner at krascom@yahoo.com if you can join the committee and/or meeting.
STEWARDSHIP UPDATE
The Stewardship Committee will be meeting on Monday, 1/31 via dial pad at 10 a.m. The team would love volunteers to help with mailings and plans for the fall campaign. Why not plan to join in the call to see how you may be able to help? For more information, please reach out to Barbara Denegar
2021 COMMITTEE CHAIRS
All 2021 Committee chairs should be scheduling a meeting as soon as possible to elect a new chairperson and to plan their 2022 schedule. You can our dial-pad account to schedule the meeting by reaching out to Pastor Matt.
“SOUPER” BOWL OF CARING
A favorite event will continue this year!! Debbie & Edie will be making soup to sell for a donation to support our hunger ministries. A new pre-order form was sent out Thursday morning since Deb is 99% sure the one she sent out last week from 2021 is just adding new orders to the old already saved orders from 2021! If you submitted an order for soup on line before Thursday, please go back in using the 2022 form sent out Thursday and do the order again!! Thanks so much!!
And, please start saving your loose change for a “noisy” offering collection by our SCS students on Sunday, 2/13.
BISHOP’S CHALLENGE
Last year Bishop Tracie Bartholomew began a 2021-2022 Bishop’s Challenge to learn more about Rev. Jehu Jones. Throughout the year we will hear about the shameful actions taken by the Lutheran Church on his behalf and the uncompensated losses experienced by our African American brothers and sisters throughout history. The goal is to learn about the past and to help create a better future and enrich the lives of emerging leaders of African American descent.
We are asked to create a quilt square that will be added to squares from around the Synod to create a beautiful quilt to be displayed at this year’s Synod Assembly. We are working on ours!
We are asked to raise $375 or more to donate to the Bishop’s Challenge. The goal is to raise $50,000 throughout the Synod to enrich the lives and create a better future for African American emerging leaders. Great News: Our Endowment Fund is matching all donations up to the $375 so we can double our donation!!
There will be events throughout this time including a book study with Bishop Tracie on February 22 or 24 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. for a discussion of Isabel Wilkerson’s book, The Warmth of Other Suns. This book uses the stories of three families to tell how and why millions of Black Americans left the South between 1915-1970. You will look at how the Great Migration continues to influence life today for all of us. Both evenings will be similar in content. You can register for either evening by going to the NJ Synod website. (njsynod.org) Here at Reformation we have 6 copies of the book in our library that can be borrowed. Please see Sue Homza for details on how to borrow books from our library.
Looking further ahead – There is a Philadelphia Trip to the African American Museum Tour/Mask & Wig Club Tour on Saturday April 2nd. Look for more details as the date gets closer.
Please plan to join some of these events. There are 3 ways to make a donation to the Bishop’s Challenge: there are envelopes in the gathering area for donations towards the Bishop’s Challenge; you can mail in a donation to the church and mark the memo line with Bishop’s Challenge; and you can donate online via our website via our Bishop’s Challenge donate button.
Scout Sabbath 2022 at Reformation
On March 6, the first Sunday in Lent, we will spend some time considering connections between scouting and the Christian faith. We will also include an opportunity for parents to present Scout Sunday patches, or other faith-related Badges, to their scouts. Those involved in scouting who would like to participate are invited to join us in worship that Sunday. Invite your scouting friends to come celebrate with us.
Our Lenten Journey
Looking ahead……Our Lenten Journey will begin on Ash Wednesday, March 2nd. As we go through February look for more specifics on our Lenten Journey. We will have Lenten devotionals for all ages available by March 2nd thanks to a Thrivent Action Team event. We will hope to have a Thrivent Action team event so we are able to mail the devotionals to anyone not able to come to church in person.
Confirmation Class Update
Confirmation classes will resume in March, however, as has been repeated many times, whether classes are in session or not, from September through May, confirmands are expected to worship at least twice each month. They are also expected to complete at least 2 sermon response forms each month from September through May.
The calendar for the upcoming semester is as follows:
3-6: Parent’s Meeting / The Creed – Article 1
3-13: The Creed – Articles 2 and 3
3-20: The Lord’s Prayer Pt 1
3-27: The Lord’s Prayer Pt 2
4-3: The Sacraments Pt 1 (Baptism)
4-10: No Class / Passion Sunday
4-16: The Great Vigil of Easter – Who will be in town?
How will you participate?
4-17: No Class / Easter Sunday
4-24: No Class
5-1: The Sacraments Pt 2 (Baptism and Confession / Holy Communion)
5-8: The Sacraments Pt 3 (Holy Communion)
5-15: Daily Prayer and Assigning Parts for Confirmation Service
5-22: Banner Making
5-29: No Class / Memorial Day weekend
6-5: Confirmation Service / Pentecost Sunday
For our second year confirmands, please begin thinking about your banner and start gathering items that represent who you are and what is important to you both your church life and your home life. You can gather 3D or 2D items to put on the banner. (i.e. your favorite bible verse, your favorite church season/color, your favorite activity/sport, family, etc.) We will be sending out samples from previous years to give you all ideas. Then we will gather in the great after worship on 5/22 to put the banners together for display!
CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS – TAKE 2
If you didn’t get around to donating for a Christmas ornament…they are still available in the Church office.
If you already have one for your tree…you might consider them as a package ornament on a gift you are giving to a friend or family member.
The donations we receive from the Christmas ornament project goes toward refurbishing the West Wing of the Church that was started by Pat Zweig. All donations are much appreciated. Thank you!
THRIVENT CHOICE DOLLARS
Have you donated your choice dollars yet? Don’t wait until the last minute! One way Thrivent gives back is based on your product with them where you can earn “Choice Dollars”. These dollars can then be donated to the charity of your choice (i.e. Reformation!). Your account is credited with these “Choice Dollars” every quarter and they need to be donated by March of the following year. You can go in and donate the dollars quarterly or once a year but please donate them!! If you don’t donate them, they will go away. Thrivent will donate them to a charity on their list. They must donate a percentage of their profit to the community to maintain their non-profit status. Need help? Ask Debbie Keszler or Sue Homza!!
Three people donated today and that means close to $100 will be delivered to Reformation shortly! You too can make a difference by donating your choice dollars.
THRIVENT ACTION TEAMS
Let’s start 2022 planning how we can make full use of all that Thrivent has to offer us!! For those of you who have a product through Thrivent Financial (life insurance, investments, long term care insurance, etc.) you have two (yes 2) Thrivent Action Team events you can take advantage of. Exactly what does that mean? It means Thrivent will GIVE you two $250 gift cards to kick start two projects (yes 2 –that’s $500). If you don’t have a product and might be interested, John Seifert is our Thrivent representative and the office can put you in touch with him.
The projects can vary – education, fundraising, or service to the community. Right now Judy Mischler is kicking off a fundraising appeal to get a new Christmas tree for the Narthex. That tree is probably 40+ years old and in sad shape. With your help, Judy is going to help us get a new tree!!
Thrivent Action Teams were used to purchase supplies to refurbish the pews, to cover costs of the dinner dance to begin the new flooring fundraiser, to cover costs for paint for the great room and kitchen, food drives for the pantry, racks and hangers for the clothes closet, support for our VBS program, to help our SCS program especially when we had to go virtual, our Advent wreath making events, our virtual cookie making last year, our “souper” bowl of caring event, our bread baking event, Advent devotionals, Lenten devotionals, and so much more………
So what projects do you want to see accomplished in 2022? Perhaps painting the choir room, new window treatments in fellowship hall, our souper bowl of caring event to support hunger ministries, a fundraiser to finally be able to replace the windows in the SCS wing. Just put your thinking caps on and look around the church building (inside and out) for ways we can make use of our available Thrivent Action Team Community Impact Cards!! If we all work together, we have the potential to access $12,500 via Thrivent Action Teams (and that’s only a best guess, it could be more)!! That’s amazing – let’s see how close we can come!! If you have questions, reach out to Deb Keszler or Sue Homza.
Altar Flowers lend beauty to our worship experience and are a loving way to remember or honor a loved one or mark a special occasion. Please consider sponsoring an arrangement, or two, of flowers to celebrate a special occasion or remember a loved one. You may also sponsor the bulletin in honor or in memory of a special occasion or loved one. The Altar flower and bulletin sponsor chart is now posted on the board heading into the Narthex from the gathering area.
The cost for flowers is $30.00; bulletin sponsorship is $30.00. Don’t forget to take your flowers home with you after the worship service on Sunday. Thank you
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