HILLTOP HERALD CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH www.churchonthehilltop.org LINGLESTOWN, PA

JUNE 2015

Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly

Our annual Synod Assembly will be held June 5-7 at Messiah College. Pastor Kerns, and Emily and Tony Wright will serve as our delegates. Please keep Pastor and the Wrights—and the entire Assembly—in your thoughts and prayers, that the Holy Spirit might provide them wisdom and guidance. A “wrap-up” of Assembly actions will be available later on its website: www.lss-elca.org

Thank you...

to Emily and Tony Wright for representing Christ Lutheran as lay voting members at the Assembly.

Thrivent Choice Members

Thank you to those who have Thrivent products and have designated Christ Lutheran as a recipient of funds!

Christ Lutheran Youth are Detroit Bound!

Six youth and three adult leaders of our youth group (CLY), will be joining forces with LUTHERANHands to participate in a Pre-Gathering Mission Trip in Detroit, Michigan from July 12-14. Partnering with local Detroit organizations, they will work on a diverse set of mission work opportunities in this city, where there is a growing revitalization effort underway.

The ELCA Youth Gathering takes place every three years and is a five-day event that will begin on Wednesday, July 15, and end with a service of communion on Sunday, July 19. The theme of this year’s Gathering is Rise Up Together. Our youth and their leaders will join approximately 35,000 other Lutherans to be inspired, encouraged, strengthened, connected and then sent out to do God’s work in the world.

Several fundraisers were held this past year, including the Pasta Dinner on May 8, to help defray expenses for our participants. They are very grateful for everyone who supported these events. However, there still is a significant amount of money remaining for each of them to pay. Will you help?

Special envelopes will be available at church every Sunday starting in June. Checks made payable to “Christ Lutheran Church”, may be placed in the offering plate or mailed to the church office. Please write “Youth/Detroit” on your memo

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line. Your gift, of course, is tax deductible. The deadline for your donations is Sunday, July 8.

This Detroit trip is a wonderful opportunity for learning, service and witness. In the past, many participants have described mission trips and ELCA Youth Gatherings as “life-changing” experiences.

Please be generous!

Confirmation on Trinity Sunday

May 31 The Rite of Confirmation, (which is an affirmation of Baptism), was celebrated on Sunday, May 31, at our 10:30AM service. The following baptized members were confirmed this year: Kara Ann Parker, Allyson Hope Stauffer and Zoe Aida Wevodau. These students completed their two-year course of instruction, and have been approved by our Congregation Council. Please remember these three in your prayers.

Town Hall Gathering As part of our vision for the future of Christ Lutheran Church, I would like to hold “town hall” type gatherings for the congregation to have the opportunity to have some feedback in the process. Because you just went through the “call process”, the information that was gathered will be beneficial as we work through the visioning process. Stay tuned for more information. Thanks, Pastor Kerns

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE—

Our Hilltop Herald has expanded in size. This month two pages have been added because we have so much we want to tell you. Happy reading!

Congratulations to our Graduates!

Our college graduate... Mitchell Veith, graduated on May 20 from Columbia University with a B.A. in neuroscience and music with Music Departmental Honors. He will be working in New York City for the summer.

Our high school graduates… From Harrisburg Academy— Josh Getz will graduate on June 8 and will be attending Gettysburg College in the fall.

From Central Dauphin— Mariah Kanagy will be attending Bloomsburg University in the fall.

Amanda Roesch will be attending the University of Pittsburgh in the fall.

Allison Cooper will be attending Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina.

Harrisburg Area Confirmation Camp June 21-27

Confirmation Camp will be held at Camp Nawakwa beginning on Sunday, June 21, through Saturday, June 27. Confirmation Camp is open to youth who are moving on from seventh grade through those moving on from eleventh grade. There is an opportunity for young adults to take part at Camp as well, in a newly formed track called “Discipleship”. This is an opportunity for our young adults who are not going to be counselors or on staff, but would like to take part in the camp experience in a track designed just for them and their faith formation. There are opportunities for our youth who are graduating from high school or in college to be counselors at camp and from there move into staff positions that may be available. There is an expectation that each of our members of the Confirmation Class attend at least one year at camp and the Church will pay half of their fees. This usually takes place after their eighth grade year. Some of the youth will attend camp several years as they learn and worship together and make friends that will last a very long time. If you have any questions about Confirmation Camp, please direct them to Sean Hoffman or Michael Bricker, our Youth Advisors, or one of the volunteer youth assistants, Lindsay Madara, Ken Stank, Taylor Wamsher (NM) or Pastor Kerns. We will have nine youth, three counselors, and eight staff persons including our two Youth Advisors and Pastor Kerns. We have been blessed here at Christ Lutheran Church with the willingness of our young adults who will be on staff and have volunteered their time and have picked

Continued... up the cost of going to camp to serve representing us. They include: Lindsay Madara, Ken Stank, Taylor Wamsher (NM), Lauren Bricker and Justin Holmes. Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers as we journey again to Nawakwa for Confirmation Camp and work with the youth in our Synod.

Thank you from our College Students...

“To my Church family, thank you so much for the “HUGE” finals care package! I always know the sweet treats and words of encouragement will help me get through the last week of the semester. It’s nice to know I have the love and support of my Church family. Can’t wait to see you all soon!

Sincerely, Lindsay Madara” “Hi Church family, thank you so much for the

fantastic care package for finals season. I was blown away by the generosity and excellent taste of the snack selection, especially the homemade baked goods. I look forward to seeing you all when I return to PA in a few weeks! Thanks again and much love,

Mitchell Veith” “Dear Church family, thank you so much for

yet another amazing Finals care package. I am so lucky to have such a great support system. The kind words and great snacks mean a lot. Any chance you’ll keep sending these after I graduate?!...Think about it!

Robyn Murray”

(NOTE: Our Fellowship Team sent out care packages to all our college students.)

Thank You “For your recent grant to our Foundation for the Central Dauphin Schools on behalf of our Power Pack Program. Your contribution of $405.50 will be used to support our growing program and meet the needs of our community. Mary Ann Albert, Panther Ram Foundation”

Another Thank You A special thanks to our hard-working Fellowship Support Team and Team Leader, Karen Holmes, for the popular monthly breakfasts which will resume in September. And thank you to everyone who donated casseroles, baked goods and desserts to complete our meals.

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Flower & Bulletin Sponsors Needed

There are a number of open dates left on the calendar. There is space allotted for, but not limited to, two sponsors per week. Please visit the Great Room and check out the kiosk for any future dates you may wish to sponsor. Thank you.

After-Five Group

The After-Five Group will meet at Noon on the first Wednesday of the month, June 3, at Panera Bread on Jonestown Road. You don’t have to RSVP. Just show up to enjoy good food and fellowship.

Global Mission Opportunities Abound!

Hang Out with St. Mark's Coptic Congregation -- Children's Day

Are you interested in learning about the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox religion and culture? Have you wanted to be in solidarity and show support to this community in light of the violence they are experiencing in Egypt? Come join members of Lower Susquehanna Lutheran congregations as we begin to build a relationship with this congregation and discover ways to be friends in mission together.

We plan to gather on Saturday, May 30, at 11:30 a.m. at George Park (Possibility Place Playground) in Lower Paxton Township, Harrisburg. Please RSVP to Jennifer Crist at cristfarm@gmail.com so that we can plan for food.

St. Mark's is bringing yummy Egyptian food for us to try, and we will bring our favorite dishes in true Lutheran potluck style. Camp Kirchenwald will organize some games for the children to interact together, while the adults have some time to dialogue and share our life and faith experiences. (You do not have to bring children in order to attend.)

Reminder—Scheduling For the Hilltop Herald

If you know you will not be available for a particular Sunday, please contact the office 717-545-4211 and leave a message, send an email to secretary@churchonthehilltop.org or you may even write a note on the back of your Sunday attendance form by the 15th of the preceding month. We will do our best not to schedule you for any duties in the following month. Thank you!

“CARINGS AND SHARINGS”

Would you like to keep up to date with news from around our Synod? The Synod has an e-newsletter that is sent weekly called “Carings and Sharings”. You may sign up for this electronic newsletter by going to the Synod’s website: www.lss-elca.org. At the bottom of the page, click on Sign Up for eCommunications. It’s that simple and it’s free!

FOOD PANTRY DONATION

A check in the amount of $201 was sent in May to the Ecumenical Food Pantry at Messiah Lutheran Church in Harrisburg. This amount was half of the free-will offering received at the April Fellowship Breakfast plus a few additional donations that were made by members. Thank you for your support.

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Spring Clean-Up Day

Many thanks to the following volunteers who showed up for our Annual Spring Clean-Up day: Mary Ann Albert, Linda Bugden, Kathy & Carl Elser, Susan & Da-vid Harrison, Karen & Fred Holmes, Pastor Kerns, Sherry & Bill Madara, Carol Max-well, John & Kara Parker, and Patty & Bill Veith. This may have been our best turn-out ever! Without all of your help we would not have been able to accomplish the things we needed to do to make our church grounds an inviting place to come worship. Thank you!

Youth Happenings Christ Lutheran Youth (Grades 7-12) June 7 Senior Meeting, 6-8:30PM 21 Confirmation Camp @ Nawakwa through June 27

July 12-19 LUTHERANHands Mission Trip/ELCA National Gathering in Detroit, MI

Upper Elementary Youth Group (Grades 4-6) Does not normally meet during the Summer months. See you in September!

Congratulations and Best Wishes! Armand “Joe” DeSantis and Christine Keeley were united in marriage on

May 9, 2015.

Congregation Council

A reminder to Council members that the June meeting has been moved to Sunday, June 28 immediately following the second service.

MUSICAL TALENT? Are you willing to share your musical talents with our congregation family

over the summer months? Instrumental, vocal, solo or groups — all are welcome to be part of Sunday

worship. Contact our Director of Music, Sue Daniels,

at 717-652-3810, or speak with her any Sunday after service.

Rest Eternal Grant Her, O Lord ... Doris E. Ranck, a charter member of our church family, died on Sunday, May 17. Pastor Kerns was the presiding minister at a graveside service held at Willow Grove Cemetery on May 21. Please remember her family and all those who mourn.

...And Let Light Perpetual Shine Upon Her

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“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” (Martin Luther)

Hilltop Herald CHRIST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

1214 Crosby Street

Harrisburg, PA 17112

717-545-4211 / FAX 717-545-4212

www.churchonthehilltop.org

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Summer Worship at 8:30 & 10:30AM

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Synod Assembly/June 5-7 at Messiah College

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Youth in Mission ELCA National Gathering

July 12-19

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