WEEKLY E-MESSENGER FROM THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE REFORMATION

 

For the Week Beginning September 7, 2018

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost/Lectionary 23

THE WEEK AT REFORMATION

Saturday – 5:00 p.m. Service of Holy Communion

Sunday – 9:30 a.m. Service of Holy Communion

Wednesday – 10 a.m. Eucharist followed by Prayer Ministry

 

 

Saturday evening Service of Holy Communion resumes this Saturday, September 8th

There are many events coming up in the next several weeks.  Please see the monthly messenger for full details on all events.  Please see some details on each below and there is a binder in the gathering area with signup sheets for all events. Please be sure to sign up to help those running each event prepare!

This Sunday is God’s Work Our Hands Day – for those who ordered t-shirts, they have arrived and will be in the office with your name on them.  Cost is $8

We’ll have a quick cold lunch in the great room and then carpool over to Ronald McDonald House by 12 noon.

 

PRAYER LISTS/REQUESTS

If you have someone on the prayer list and you would like them to remain on the prayer list for the new church year, please call (732-229-9180), email (reformationwlb@gmail.com) or leave a note on Debbie’s desk. Please remember, unless otherwise asked, we will put your loved ones name on the weekly spoken prayer list for 4 weeks and then they will remain on the prayer list below and in the monthly messengers indefinitely (until you let us know we can remove them).

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

Eric, Isabella Andrade, Terry Annitto, Amy Appleton, Edgar Arlt, Jessica Blomn, Christa Buergin, Lexi & Alicia Carbon-Severs, Kevin Conklin, Estelle deLeon, Maryann Dickman, John DiNapoli, Diane Donagan, Mary Dopazo, Isabella Downer, Brinley Engles, Betty Errigo, Elissa Faraone, Dave Fieltsch, Amanda Ferraro, Coralee Gleason, Leslie Gurlea, Max Holden, Royce Howell, Pat & Jim Jackson, Ann Jamison, Trish Jamison, Ashley Kazar, Don Keller, Sharon Kennedy, Alan Keszler, Diane Kirk, Nancy & George Lautz, Roy Lingle, Marie Marchasani, Ilona Martin, Rick Matson, Barbara & Joseph McCarthy, Alida McKeon Conroy, Denis Mendez,  John Mercogliano, Renee Moore, Ed Myzie, Kristine Naddeo, Beth Nilsson, Joan Nolan, Gail Oberlin, George Ottino, Michael Pasquale, John Powlesland, Tamara Presley, Bill Putt, Nestor Quiles, Chris Rakowski, Myra Reyes, Glen Robinson, Kiera Scott, Carleen Smith, Carol Spear, Kurt Stahnke, Dolores Strockbine, Baby Mary Rose Sutter, Frank Trafari, Denise Willemsen

 

Christian Sympathy to the family and friends of Allan Buergin

 

STEWARDSHIP:  Our Stewardship team will be meeting with Pastor Scott Schantzenbach from the Synod office on Monday, September 17th at 7 p.m.  Please reach out to Dave Matthews if you are interested in attending this important meeting on stewardship planning.

 

God’s Work Our Hands Day is September 9th and our plan is to work at the local Ronald McDonald House on Bath Ave. in Long Branch.  There will be jobs for everyone at all skill levels! After visiting Ronald McDonald House this week, we know we will be weeding and trimming in the gardens, organizing and cleaning the toy room and the kitchen, and perhaps washing windows on the first floor

 

 School Supplies: THIS IS THE LAST WEEK WE ARE COLLECTING ITEMS!

We are collecting school supplies for area children in need served through our food pantry and/or the Meal at Noon program.  ITEMS

NEEDED ARE: CRAYONS, 1 SUBJECT NOTEBOOKS, PENCILS, BLUE, BLACK AND RED PENS, HIGHLIGHTERS, AND GLUE STICKS

 

THRIVENT FINANCIAL:  Johyn Seifert, our local Thrivent Representative, will be here that day to and will do a short presentation during our Rally Day luncheon. He’ll give an overview of Thrivent and how it can help individuals and the congregation.

 

DINNER CHURCH:  On Saturday, 9/22 we will hold Dinner Church beginning at 5 p.m. Dinner Church is a 3 course pot-luck dinner served around the actual worship service.  See full explanation in the September Messenger.

RALLY DAY:  Rally Day will be Sunday, September 16th and it will also be our September Family Church Sunday.  After worship we will have our God’s Roundup themed lunch. There is a signup sheet in the binder on the round wooden table  in the gathering area to help us plan and to give everyone an opportunity to sign up to assist with side dishes, desserts, and clean up.

 

THRIVENT COMMUNITY ACTION EVENT:  Our Rally Day luncheon will be a fundraiser to raise the needed monies to replace the carpet in the nursery.  Pastor & Elaine Tupy are going to shampoo it for us for the short term solution but what we really need to do is replace it.  We’ve applied for and hope to be approved for a Thrivent Community Event Card to pay for the food and supplies for the luncheon on Rally Day and in turn we are hoping everyone will be generous and make donations so that we can purchase and get installed new carpeting in the nursery.

 

SUNDAY CHURCH SCHOOL:  Nicole Dopazo is planning our SCS for the fall and is looking for volunteers!  If you would like to help in any way, please reach out to Nicole. We will have 3 classes again this year and should have 2 leaders in each class and depending on the size of the class and age of the kids, maybe 3 leaders/assistants.  Our youth are our future, please consider donating a Sunday or 2 or 3 to help in Sunday School!

 

WOMEN’S RETREAT:  The synod wide women’s retreat at Cross Road’s Camp and Retreat Center has two options – Sept. 28-30 or Oct. 12-14.  Several of the women here are planning to attend the Oct.12-14 retreat. Remember it is first come; first serve for the Christ Center with the limit at 40 women; cost is $195 and you must register on Cross Road’s website at www.crossroadsretreat.com.   This year’s theme is: When we pray, we connect with God and one another in holy conversation.  Let’s broaden that conversation and share our experience of prayer through the lens Ann Lamott’s little book “Help, Thanks, Wow!” Participants are encouraged but not required to read the book prior to the retreat.  There is a signup sheet on the kiosk so that we can plan to carpool up on the 12th of October!

 

Mary Martha Circle resumes in September and this year they plan to hold meetings both in the daytime and the evening.  Full details are in the September messenger.  September is their annual Seafarers Auction – bring a treasure to auction off and try to win a treasure to take home on either or both Wednesday, Sept. 12th at noon or Monday, Sept. 17th at 6:30 p.m.

 

BOOK CLUB – Please join us for a book study on Wednesday October 3 at either 12 noon or 7 p.m.  The book is Help Thanks Wow by Anne Lamott.  This also happens to be the book that will be used for the women’s retreat at Cross Roads Retreat Center later in October!  You can either purchase the book yourself or signup and Norma Beaty will place one order for everyone.  Please see the signup sheet for details

 

Family Promise proudly presents their Volunteer Appreciation Brunch on Saturday 9/15 from 11-1.  RSVP’s are due next week so please let Norma Beaty know if you are interested in attending. There is also a signup sheet to let us know you plan to attend

 

FOOD PANTRY/CLOTHES CLOSET UPDATE:  We are expecting the contractor to break ground within the next 2 weeks on the addition.  The permits have been approved. Mr. McLoughlin was on vacation last week and expects to begin shortly.

 

FOOD PANTRY – We are in need of grocery size plastic bags for the pantry.  There are 2 wicker baskets by the coat rack in the gathering area where they can be left.

 

CLOTHES CLOSET – We are in need of fall/winter children’s clothes in particular.  Truth is, we can use any kind of children’s clothing. Now that fall is almost upon us, we will begin collecting fall and winter clothing for children, men and women.

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY:  The prayer shawl team will be meeting this Monday, Sept. 10th at 7 p.m. in the great room.  Come, join us! All are welcome!! If you knit or crochet, or would like to learn, come join us! We have patterns and tons of yarn!!

 

REFORMATION EXERCISE CLASS:  Edie and Debbie will be starting our Chi Gong class again soon! Once we finish all the fellowship activities for this month, we will focus on getting our class going again.  Chi Gong is a light yoga like exercise for mind and body.  We use tapes by Lee Holden (you can find samples online or on you tube) and a majority of the tapes are done standing up. Wear comfortable clothing, bring a mat and prepare to relax and stretch!!  If you are interested, please let Edie or Debbie know. A text reminder goes out every Monday and Thursday for the class and/or cancellation of the class.

 

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

MAKING SMILES:  Do you have a child with special needs between the ages of 6 and 16? If yes, there is an opportunity for them to attend the 2nd Annual “Kids Wish’n to go Fish’n”   It’s on Saturday, September 29th from 10-2 and children with special needs are invited to a fun day at Lake Julianna on the Ponderosa Estate Farm in Millstone Township. They’ll learn to fish (and release!), enjoy a BBQ lunch, play games and more!  Debbie has full details in the office for anyone interested.

 

RODDIE’S CODE: On Sunday, October 7th at 2:00 Pastor Christopher Edmonds will present the story of his father’s heroic courage during World War II at Congregation Torat El, 301 Monmouth Rd, Oakhurst.  How did Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, under threat of death, persuade over 1000 of his fellow Prisoners of War to defy their German captors and save the lives of 200 American Jewish Soldiers? Tickets are $18 per person. For more information and tickets/reservations, visit www.Roddie.torat-el.org  or call the temple’s office at 732-531-0300.  There are flyers with more details on the tall blue round table in the gathering area