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ST. STEPHEN’S CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP CHURCH
1100 Hunters Chase Lane
Lebanon PA 17046
717-273-3912
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.saintstephensucc.org
January 2013
Special Thanks
As a new year begins, there are
some special thanks we need
to give to those who helped us
make 2012 another successful
year…
Special thanks to the St.
Stephens Choir for the
wonderful Christmas Cantata
and to all the soloists and the
orchestra for the music for the
Candlelight Christmas Eve
Service.
To the Council Members who
are stepping down after
serving the past two years and
putting in a lot of extra hours
during our transition.
Alter Flowers and Bulletins
The list is located in the back hallway. Please sign up now for your date for alter flowers or bulletins. It is
always nice to see fresh flowers on our alter on a Sunday morning.
Alter Flowers are $33.50 a week
Bulletins are $12.00 a week
If needed call Kathy in the office at 717-273-3912
Crazy for Daisies is our supplier
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January 2013
Our Worship Team List
Greeters:
January 6:
Steve and Melody Gipe
January 13:
Steve and Melody Gipe
January 20:
Tyler and Erin Frantz
January 27:
Tyler and Erin Frantz
Ushers:
January 6:
Jim & Joanne Bomberger;
Cindy Klingler
January 13:
Steve and Melody Gipe;
Johan Berger
January 20:
Tyler and Erin Frantz;
Dan Light
January 27:
Tyler and Erin Frantz;
Dan Light
Counting Teams:
January 6:
Counting Team #1:
Bruce and June Barry
January 13:
Counting Team #2:
Shirley Golembiewski
Ken and Pat Shank
January 20:
Counting Team #3:
Brian and Kim Weidman
Jere Snavely
January 27:
Counting Team #4:
Dan and Janet Light
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Lectors:
January 6:
Cindy Klingler
January 13:
Johan Berger
January 20:
Daniel Light
January 27:
Chris Boltz
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From your president’s computer
Lighten Up and Live!
I listen to WJTL, a Christian radio station on my way to work every morning. At about 6:55am
they play a short program called “Lighten Up and Live”. It is presented by a Christian
comedian, author and motivational speaker. It consists of a humorous life experience, such as
his attempts to ski (snow or water), times with his grandchildren or airline travel. He then ties
the life experience to a short spiritual message and always ends with the comment “so lighten
up and live.” He sends the message that God has created everything and that includes humor,
laughter and joy and that we, as Christians, need to be able to lighten up and live. I have
found that for various reasons I need this reminder every morning. Especially during this
hectic Christmas season. A time that is suppose to be filled with joy and great tidings. I am
really trying to take this advice to heart. I hope that everyone is having a great, joyful and
merry Christmas season and that you are able to “lighten up and live”.
Lighten up and live!
Brian Weidman, Church Council President.
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Prayer Shawl Update:
January Birthdays
List of Birthdays:
1/02: Allen Schwartz
1/03: Dan Light
1/05: Joy Weidman
1/09: Zachary Marsh
1/11: Helen Crawford
1/14: Joseph
Golembiewski
1/15: Wilson Morinchin
1/21: Chad Schies
1/23: Kyle Miller
Kelly Koons
1/24: Megan Hoffa
1/29: John Weidman
1/30: Charles Artz
Steven Gipe
Sandra Bordlemay
January Anniversaries
The Prayer shawl Ministry send 3 shawls to
Newtown, CT to be distributed to those most affected
by the recent tragic school shooting. The founders of
the prayer shawl ministry live in Connecticut and
with a day of the tragedy, were able to arrange for
someone to receive shawls and work on distributing
them.
Our shawl ministry will meet on Thursday, January
17, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the church, weather
permitting. If schools are cancelled or dismissed early
due to winter weather, the meeting is cancelled. In
addition to the shawls sent to Newtown, we
distributed a few other shawls recently, so we now
have a need to restock our supply of shawls and lap
robes. Anything you are working on will be
appreciated. If you can't attend meetings, please work
at home and bring your finished shawls or lap robes
to church at any time.
Women’s Guild Information:
The Women's Guild met on December 10, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. We
filled baskets with goodies for the Shut-Ins. We made donations
to Domestic Finance and the current fund. The next meeting will
be at 2:00 p.m. on January 14, 2013. All women are invited to
attend.
Dorothy E. Ditzler, Secretary
List of Anniversaries:
1/01: Paul and Bonnie
Dechart
1/04: Robert and Phyllis
Feller
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From your Pastor
Another new year has dawned! At least I believe whole-heartedly that this new year will indeed come,
even though right now as I write this it’s only December 19th. In fact, if you are reading this it means I
was right! The Myan calendar phenomenon was a bust. Jesus said “No man knows the day or the hour.”
That does not mean that it couldn’t be close at hand, it just connot be predicted by human knowledge.
Life is full of chromos time and kairos time, evenly flowing clock time and also moments in time. Just as
there are times when God opens doors and there are times in which He awakens us to our need for Him.
Some one has said that we have “time” so that everything doesn’t happen all at once. Plato described
time as the image of eternity in motion. I like that because we as believers in Christ are already part of
eternity. Although New Year’s Ever and New Year’s Day have no recognized place in our liturgical
calendar, some churchs mark the New Year with times of confession and hopefulness, recalling the
faithfulness of God in ages past and through all the seasons of our own lives.
In the spirit of the Christmas Carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” we can certainly agree that at the
turning point of another year, “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.” This year we
have many hopes and far more than just a few fears. Many of us wrestle with what we see and hear on
the news ans share some feelinds of hopeflessness as we observe the political gridlock and the
foolishness of partisanship in a time of national and worldly crisis. We are disgusted with government
policy that rewards doesn’t it teach us to care for the least of these and the stranger in our midst?
New Year’s resolutions, even when they last just a few days, prove that we can change, even for a little
while. We can become different, we don’t’ have to live “business as usual” but we can see ourselves in a
new light, the Light of Christ. Impacts of past or present do not have to imprison us, we have the choice
to reshape our lives by first reshaping our attitudes, and then our behaviors. “Behold, God will do a new
thing in us,” if we consent. While celebration is OK at New Year’s, the turning over of another new year
is also an opportunity for reflection, for gratitude, and for transformation. Gratitude opens the door to
appreciation and inspiration. We begin by promising to grow in knowledge and wisdom and faith. In
this new year let us recall the great truths that undergird all things, and pretty much captured in the
words of one of my favorite hymns,
“Great is They faithfulness.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy Hand has provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness,
Lord unto Me.”
God is with you always, no just in this new year.
Your devoted caring shepherd,
PastorRon
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Music News and Views
January 2013 by Steve Suk
Frances Ridley Havergal: Poet and Hymn Writer
As St. Stephen’s Christian Fellowship Church heads into the New Year with a new name, I thought it
appropriate to write a few words about Frances Havergal, the writer of the hymn, “Another Day is
Dawning”. We will have sung this hymn on the first Sunday in January and it is included in the hymnals of
most Protestant churches. Her most widely known hymn is “Take My Life and Let It Be”. She also wrote
the words for “Like a River Glorious” and “Who Is on the Lord’s Side?”
Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879), poet and hymn-writer, the youngest child of William
Henry Havergal, by his first wife Jane, was born December 14, 1836 at her father's rectory
at Astley, Worcestershire, England. From early years she showed exceptional intellectual
power, but owing to her delicate health, systematic study was discouraged. In 1852 she
accompanied her father and his second wife to Germany; studied for more than a year in
the Louisenschule in Düsseldorf and in the family of a German pastor at Obercassel; and
returned to England in December 1853.
She wrote verses from the age of seven with remarkable fluency, and her poems were soon admitted into
'Good Words' and the best religious periodicals. In 1865-6 she revisited Germany, and took the opinion of
the musician Hiller on her musical talents. Hiller saw talent in her melodies, and highly praised her
harmonies.
Her father died suddenly in 1870, and she prepared for the press a new edition of his 'Psalmody.' On her
mother's death in 1878, she removed from Leamington to South Wales, near the Mumbles where she died
June 3, 1879.
Throughout her life she energetically engaged in religious and philanthropic work. Miss Havergal published
collections of her poems and hymns in many separate volumes; the earliest is dated 1870. Among them
were 'The Ministry of Song,' published probably in 1870, 5th edition, 1874; 'Under the Surface,' 1874;
'Loyal Responses,' 1878; 'Life Chords,' 1880; 'Life Echoes,' 1883; 'Coming to the King,' 1886. These were
finally reissued by her sister, M. V. G. Havergal, in two volumes of 'Poetical Works,' 1884.
Miss Havergal also wrote many small devotional tracts and narratives in prose, all marked by the same
earnest and practical piety. Her religious poetry became exceedingly popular in evangelical circles, and her
hymns are to be found in all collections. In her poetic work there is a lack of concentration, and a
tendency to meaningless repetition of phrase, but some of her hymns are excellent, and will permanently
preserve her name. Her autobiography was published in 'Memorials of Frances Ridley Havergal, by her
Sister, M. V. G. Havergal,' 2nd edition, 1880. The influence of this book has been as remarkable as that of
Miss Havergal's poems...
Here is the last verse of “Another Year is Dawning”:
Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above;
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.
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LENTEN BREAKFAST INFORMATION
Annual Lenten Breakfast
Saturday, February 23, 2013
8:00 am at Lebanon Valley Expo Center
This year's speaker is rev. Alan Smith, Pastor of the Church of
the Good Shepherd
Music provided by Soul.com - a ministry of the Church of the
good Shepherd
Get your tickets from Ken Shank , our church delegate after
January 1, 2013
Tickets are only $10.00 and include: hot breakfast buffet with egg
casserole, pancakes, sausage, and home made sticky buns!
Caramel time is HERE!!!
Don’t Forget!
Our Facebook:
Haven’t liked us on
Facebook yet?
It’s not to late, check us
out at…
St. Stephen’s Christian
Fellowship Church
START THINKING ABOUT CARAMELS!!!!!!
The deadline for getting your Caramel orders in is Januarys 27,
2013. They begin making the Caramels on Saturday, February
16th. Orders can be picked up February 18-February 20th.
So begin reminding people of the dates and when orders must
be in!!! Any questions please see June Barry or Steve Gipe.
Get your church news through
Email!!!!
Our Website:
Don’t forget to check us out
online for updates on news
around the church and
church information. Check
us out at:
www.saintstephensucc.org
If you haven’t heard, we are moving into the 21 century with
our church news. You now have the option of receiving church
news through email, this includes the steeple as well as any
other church news. You may now pick it up as well. To let us
know how you would like to receive your news please let Kathy
Nelson (in the office) or Kaitlyn Day know!!! Any questions can
be directed to these two ladies as well!!!
st
Also if you have any
information for the website
see that Kaitlyn Day
receives it as early as
possible
We also have a new email, to contact us through email please
use: [email protected]
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St. Stephen’s Christian Fellowship Church
January 2013 Steeple
Don’t forget to join us on Sundays for our worship service at 10:30am
See you in the pew!
St. Stephen’s Christian
Fellowship Church
1100 Hunters Chase Lane
Lebanon, PA 17046
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