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!

ST. JOHNS LUTHERAN CHURCH OF MELROSE PARK, PA JUNE 2014

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2

What is God calling us to do?

That is always an excellent question for Christians to

consider. But for the month of June, it is particularlyappropriate for the people of St. Johns. This is the

month you will make decisions that will lead thenext pastor to come here. On June 8 you will be

voting for what mission projects/ministries you feelmost passionate about. The rest of the month of

June the call committee will be selected and begin itswork. Also, the Ministry Site Profile, the 14 page

document that expresses what God is calling St.Johns to be and to do, will be polished. When it is

done, the synod will share it with pastors who haveexpressed an interest in serving God through a

congregation like St. Johns.

What we have to build on

We have numerous gifts and assets.We are familiar with our neighborhood and the

demographics of our surrounding area.We have learned of some of our neighbors needs

and who our partners could be.We have identified our gifts and assets as well as

some obstacles. And we have been working onthose obstacles. (And we will continue to work on

them, even after the Ministry Site Profile issubmitted.)

God is faithful. God has seen St. Johns through

rough times. The Great Depression. World wars.Sexual boundary violations by a pastor. Pastors who

just wont leave and pastors who got thrown out.The same pastors whom some members found hard

to get along with, other members appreciated deeply.(This has been true of every pastor.) For much of its

history, St. Johns has relied on a few members to

cover the budget and St. Johns has relied on theendowment to cover the budget. Members of this

congregation have gone on to become pastors; andseminarians have received good training at St.

Johns. God has been worshipped and known.Through all those times, the good and the not-so-

good, God has been active here. St. Johns has beena place where the good news of Gods love has been

proclaimed and lived and shared. Social ministry,Christian education, creative arts, fellowship have

been ways Gods grace has been made known in andthrough St. Johns.

What is God calling us to do NOW?

Come, come, come to the last transition event on

Sunday, June 8. And bring your imaginationandyour holy prayers and hopes for our ministrytogether. Participants will work in small groups to

come up with ideas of mission projects/ministriesthat will use the St. Johns assets to meet some of the

needs of our community and that are exciting to us.After each small group comes up with 3-4 possible

ministries to focus on, each individual will get to

cast a vote for his/her top 3 ministry ideas. By 1:15on June 8, we should have a good idea of whatministries St. Johns members are passionate about

doing. And what qualities the next pastor of St.Johns should have, so this congregation can respond

with loving agility to its calling.

It is time. Gods time.

Pastors Page

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3 Larger Church

Lutherans for Shared Prosperity:

Addressing Poverty TogetherWHEN: WHERE: 1340 Frankford Ave

Philadelphia, PA 19125WHO:

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Community Needs PanelDiscussion May 18th

The Cheltenham Township Community and its

Melrose Park area needs to find its identity. Threespeakers from the community all agreed this was a

significant community need at the St. JohnsCommunity Needs Panel transition event on May

18th

. The four speakers on the panel were Dr.Natalie Thomas, Cheltenham superintendent of

schools, Julia Menzo with Liberty LutheranCongregational Services, Caryl Levin with the

Melrose Park Neighbors Association (and KIsynagogue), and Bruce Hanes, a St. Johns member

who is also on the Board of the Creekside Coop inElkins Park. About 30 St. Johns members listened

and asked questions.

Natlie Thomas, Caryl Levin and Bruce Hanes all

concurred that finding an identity knowing whowe are would help the community. Dr. Thomas

also said our community needs to discern differing

needs for the various groups in our community:seniors, children, young families, pet owners, andaddress the racial diversity in our community. She

said that there could be opportunities to partner withthe school district, although these are more limited

than they might seem at first glance due torestrictions on the district. She suggested that we

bring our passion forward.

Julia Menzo works with various services includingemergency management. Among the areas she

suggested was to identify what we could offer in anemergency (such as during the multi-day power

outage last winter) and have a point of contact. Sheemphasized the benefits of knowing the people in

the community involved in emergency managementand being able to coordinate with them when

needed. Menzo noted that leadership was a hugeneed, there is a tradition of leadership in Lutheran

St. John's HostedCommunity Needs Event

By Catherine Nold

On Sunday May 18, the people of St. John'sLutheran Church hosted a Community Needs Event

at the church. Four community leaders formed apanel and provided brief overviews of what they do

and how St. John's might be able to assist.

Dr. Natalie Thomas is superintendent of theCheltenham Township school district. Dr. Thomas

discussed the need for a community identity for thetownship. She is committed to personalizing the

curriculum to student needs. There is a need forextra-curricular activities for fifth and sixth graders

in Elkins Park. She discussed the diversity of peoplein the township, not just racial diversity. She

mentioned singles, parents, the elderly, in additionalto racial diversity. A question was asked about

making paid work available for teenagers. Dr.Thomas emphasized that volunteer activities

(including mentoring and tutoring) cannot takeplace during the school day. The Citizens

Emergency Response Team are a team of citizenvolunteers who are trained to step in and assist in

the event of an emergency. St. John's folks can betrained and can also be a safe haven if an

emergency occurs.Julia Menzo is the volunteer and disaster response

coordinator for Liberty Lutheran. She stressed theimportance of community engagement and building

community resilience. She outlined opportunities to

make clean-up kits, working with Liberty at Home,winter coat drive and embracing a refugee

family. She advised us to think about what we

enjoy and do well and expand on that. Shecautioned us to not bite off more than we can chew.

Another idea was activities for the folks living inParkview Apartments. Montgomery County has

central phone number for homeless services.Continued page 8 Continued page 10

Larger Church

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5 Larger C urc

Lutherans to spearhead

'Fast for Climate'

campaign at Paris launch

A coalition of French religious and layorganizations is to launch a monthly"Fast for the Climate" campaign aglobal interfaith initiativespearheaded by the Lutheran WorldFederation.

Sat, May. 31, 2014 Posted: 05:05 AM

A coalition of French religious and lay

organizations is to launch a monthly "Fast forthe Climate" campaign a global interfaithinitiative spearheaded by the Lutheran WorldFederation.

The LWF says in a statement the fasting forclimate campaign will launch at a pressconference in Paris on June 4.

The Fast for the Climate will take place on the

first day of each month until December 2015 when the United Nations climate conference(COP21) begins in Paris.

It has grown into a global movement with theparticipation of youth, environmental and faithgroups, who all want urgent action on climatechange by governments this year.

The campaign was launched by the LWFtogether with many other global organizationson January 1, following an initiative of the LWFdelegation to COP 19 in Warsaw, Poland, inNovember.

The delegation, which comprised youngdelegates from all LWF regions, was inspired bythe plight of the Philippine delegate, Yeb Sao,whose own family was caught up TyphoonHai-yan.

Sao, who will be a panelist at the Paris pressconference, said in a speech he would not eatuntil countries at the Warsaw conferencedelivered actions that would "stop the madness"around countries attititudes' to carbonemissions which impact climate.

"This fast is an effective door-opener for theLWF. Through a practice that carries both adeep spiritual meaning and a strong symbolicmessage, the LWF can lead churches to act onclimate change," said Martin Kopp, who waspart of the LWF delegation in Warsaw.

"In France for instance, the fast is the first-evercommon action on climate change of the threebiggest Christian institutions. It serves as thefirst step of the ecumenical collaboration toward

COP21, that will be held in Paris in late 2015."

The hosts of the press conference, which will beheld on a house boat facing the "AssembleNationale" are Chrtiens Unis pour la Terre, ARocha France ; Bible et Cration, Pax ChristiFrance, le Christianisme Social ; Justice, Paixet Sauvegarde de la Cration-Alsace.

Panelists include Nicolas Hulot , special envoyfor the Planet of the French; Franois Clavairoly

co-president of the Council of ChristianChurches in France (CECEF) and president ofthe French Protestant Federation (FPF); andTareq Oubrou, Great Imam of Bordeaux fromthe Great Mosque of Bordeaux.

Copyright 2014 Ecumenical News

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7

9AM Confirmation

10AM St. Johns Worship11:15 AM Coffee Hour

11:30 Eglise Francophone Worship

3PM Or an concer t rece t ion to fol low

10AM St. Johns Worship11:15 AM Fellowship

11:30 Eglise Francophone Worship

6:30 PMEglise

Francophone

Worship

6:30 PM

EgliseFrancophone

Worship7PM

transition

team

6:30 PM

EgliseFrancophone

Worship

6:30 PMEglise

Francophone

Worship

6:30 PM Eglise

Francophone Worship

CHIMER

Deadline

7:30 PM Choir

6:30 PMEglise

FrancophoneWorship

Council

meeting

7:00 pm

9AM Confirmation &Ronald McDonald House

10AM St. Johns Worship11:00 AM Coffee Hour

11:30 Transition Event

11:30 Eglise Francophone Worship

7:30 PM Choir

10AM St. Johns Worship

11:30 Transition Event: Community11:30 Eglise Francophone Worship

6:30 PM Eglise

Francophone Worship

7:30 PM Choir

Installation of Call10AM St. Johns Worship

11:15 AM Fellowship11:30 Book Club

11:30 Eglise Francophone Worship

Making

breakfast

for RonaldMcDonald

House

Special council meeting

to elect call committee

7:30 PM Choir

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8

VALUESDid you ever think about how many hours

are volunteered at St. Johns. Well start with

Sunday morning. The acolyte, worship

assistant and lector are all volunteers. Then

we have the communion assistants, ushers

and sound system people. Oh then someone

has to count the offering and put together the

coffee hour. I almost forgot my favorite the

choir. This is just Sunday morning.

Joyceputs together great receptions for art

shows. Robertahas been working on

cleaning and organizing the many rooms and

little corners of the church. Barbara Lawson

has been helping in the office

two Tuesdays a month.

We could use more help with the

office Tuesday afternoon and

Wednesday.

Maybe you had an idea of something that

needs to be taken care of. But you just didnt

know how to start. If you just call and ask

someone will help you get started.

You could be in the

VOLUNTEER VALUESnext month

telling us what project you havevolunteered to get started.

Worship Helper

Calendar:Please try

to find your

own substitute.Thanks!

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9 Members Spotlight

1st Loving memory of

Anni e Elizabeth Nickel andMarian Ramsey

by their loving granddaught er and

goddaughter, Joan Elizabeth Seader

In celebration of Barb & Gordon

Lawsons 36thAnniversary

8thIn remembrance of the wedding

anniversary of our parents,Bernice J. and Robert M. Goodchild by

their daughters Louise, Ellen

Goodchild and Robin Stab

15thTo honor the memory of our loving

dad, James H. Seader on his birthday

and Fathers Dayby Jim, Jr. and Joan Elizabeth Seader

In loving memory of our father,Robert M. Goodchild, by his daughters

Louise, Ellen Goodchild and Robin Stab

Altar Flowers

June 2014In memory ofMrs Theodore Jensen, Jr.

on the occasion of her birthday by

Mr. Theodore Jensen, Jr.

22 nd

To honor the 46th

wedding anniversary of

Roger and Fran Pinnel

In loving memory of Al Richter,Dorothy Richter, and Merrill Brumer

by Charlotte Brumer

29 thIn loving memory of

George Brown by

Pat and Steve Brownand Sue Kershner

St. John's Hosted Community Needs Event

By Catherine Nold Continued

Navicate (Navigate+Advocate) is a public/private

partnership to deal with long-term social serviceneeds. (Call 211)

Caryl Levin is a member of KI and runs the MelrosePark Neighbors Association, an ad hoc group that

addresses neighborhood problems. There is a robustadult ed program at KI that could use volunteers.

Steve Strahs and Andy Roudan both publishcommunity newsletters. KI has a feeding program

and vegetable garden that supplies fresh vegetables

to Philabundance. There is a need for volunteers tohelp on the clean up programs along roads and

vacant lots.

D. Bruce Hanes, a member of St. John's, representedCreekside Co-Op, as a board member. He agreedthat the issue is forming a community identity.

Creekside Co-op is a meeting place. It is a shortwalk away and has meeting room. He agreed that

people love to live in Cheltenham.

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Members Spotlig t

6th

, 7th

and 8th

Community Needs Panel Discussion

May 18th

continued

organizations, and training for an emergencyresponse team is possible (via CERT). She also

said that through Liberty there could be 1-dayprojects which would be helpful and which would

be a good start for a congregation like ours.

Liberty also helps refugee resettlement, has severalcontinuing care homes, and Liberty at Home ahome care ministry.

She also noted our participation in Zones of Peaceas a significant outreach and good for the

community. Caryl Levin noted some of theprojects that the Neighbors Association is involved

with including area cleanup and communityawareness contests at local schools (noting a

successful poster contest on Beautiful MelrosePark.) She noted that KI is involved in large food

collection for assistance agencies. There is asignificant block party for the neighborhood as

well.

Bruce Hanes emphasized the potential for theintegration of Creekside Coop and the community,

including St. Johns. Bruce, as well as others,offered to promote St. Johns art and music series

and agreed that this was a good example ofcommunity involvement.

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Welcomefrom the staff of St. Johns

Donna Wright, Interim Pastorprdonnawright@gmail.com

David Lembo, Parish Administratoratchair@gmail.com

Chuck Griffin, Jr, Director of MusicSibyl Weidner, Design Specialist

Volunteer StaffSunday School Coordinator:Norajean Flanagan

Office:Roberta CoyleParish Activities:Steve Brown

Congregational Leaders"#$%&''#( )&**+,,##-Allison Nguyen,

Bob Baetke, Joyce Rasmussen,and Marcia Boraas

Financial Resources:Tim TerryProperty Resources:Tim Terry

Social Ministry:Norajean Flanagan

FellowshipCoffee Hour:Sue Kershner & Steve Brown

St. Johnsmen:Steve Brown & John Kopyar

Ruth Circle:Joan Seader

Worship & ArtsWorship:Joyce Rasmussen & Bob Baetke

Arts:Cindy RaffAltar Care:Fran & Roger Pinnel

Sacristan:Roger Pinnel

Flowers:Johnny Bruno

Officers of the 2014 Church CouncilBob Baetke - President

Johnny Bruno Vice PresidentChris Suloff Secretary

Josh Pinnel - Financial SecretaryTim Terry - Treasurer

Other Council Members:Roberta Coyle, Janet Leech, & Peter Rasmussen,

Pr. Donna Wright

The CHIMEREditor & Design:Sibyl Weidner

Photographer:Bert Glenn

CHIMER Copyright 2014

St. Johns Lutheran Church of Melrose Park, PA

W os W o at St. Jo ns

Important Dates

Coming Up

June 1 Worship 10:00 am(Farewell & Godspeed for Louis Ley)

Special coffee hour 11:15 am

Organ recital by Chuck Griffin, 3:00 PM followed

by reception

June 7 making breakfast at church for RonaldMcDonald House

June 8 Sunday school & confirmation

Ronald McDonald House

Worship 10:00 am

Mission Voting Transition Event, with potluck,11:30-1:30

June 9 special council meeting

to elect call committee

June 11 council meeting 7:00 pm

June 22 Worship (installation of call committee)10:00 am

Joint meeting, call committee, council & transition

team 11:30 am

Book club 11:30 am

June 29& July 6 Worship 10:00 am

Ministry Site Profile (MSP)ready for review by congregation

July 13 Worship 10:00 am

Council meeting

(vote to adopt MSP) 11:30 am

MSP submitted 3:00 pm

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2

Organ ConcertIn Celebration of the50th Anniversary ofSt. John s Organ

Charles Griffin, organist

Works by Handel, Franck,

and others

Sunday, June 1, 3:00 p.m.

Free & open to the public

Reception to

follow the concert

St. Johns Lutheran Church, 1224

MelroseAve., Elkins Park,PA