Gleanings

What’s inside …

page

A message from the Pastor 1

Worship for July 2

May Consistory Minutes 3

VBS 4

Back to School Carnival 5

Communication Habits 6

Thank You God 7

This month’s news 8

Birthdays/ Consistory members 9

Thank you 10

Sympathies 11

Worship Participants 12

July Calendar 13

Pressing Forward

“I press on toward the goal for the prize…” Philippians 3:14

“DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING. SIT THERE!”

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31, NIV

While the Frantz family vacationed in Virginia last month, we went to a site I’d wanted to visit – Yorktown, where, in 1781, Lord Cornwallis surrendered to Generals George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau. Yorktown was the last major conflict of the Revolutionary War and led to the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which affirmed the independence of the United States of America.

I’d wondered that two years were spent between the Continental Army’s victory and the signing of the treaty. Much had to be done in that timeframe, and much had happened. In the end, a new nation was born.

We live in a hurried and hurrying world. But we can’t rush everything, can we? Whether we’re waiting on the birth of a child, or for artistic inspiration, or just for another weekend to arrive, some things just take time.

It’s also true in church life. Many churches are frightened that they will run out of time by running out of members and money. So they try for a quick fix to grow, but rarely does that work. How we complicate things when we try to outrun God!

As another example, did you know that when a new pastor arrives at a church, real change and growth usually come only after 5-7 years? Important preparation, including relationship-building and discernment, is under way during that time. Patience is the rule to healthy church growth.

Admittedly there are times to act. More often, though, it seems our busy-ness overtakes our judgment. Can we wait on God? It’s hard, because our generation equates stillness with idleness.

You and I know differently. The wait is worth it because in God’s power and wisdom do we find our own strength and direction. In the life of God is our renewal. So when the time to act comes, we act in accord with the Spirit of God.

Praying for a safe and happy Fourth!

Pastor Jeff Frantz

July Worship Includes a Service Outdoors

We want to take advantage of the gift of summer, and of another opportunity to be together.

So we’ll close July’s worship with a united service held on the church lawn, followed by a brunch.

July 4 – Independence Day Weekend / Holy Communion

Finding Unity In Christ … Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

July 13 – Blessings on Vacation Bible School

Perfection’s Curse, Failure’s Grace … Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

July 20 – The Law of Moses … Exodus 18:13-26

July 27 – Outdoor Worship

Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. Brunch in lower Zwingli after.

The Glory of Your Gift … Romans 8:26-39

For Teens: How the World Works

Some years ago, a reader of Ann Landers’ lamented that youth seemingly are being raised without knowing how the world really works. So Ann had offered “Ten Rules Kids Won’t Learn in School.” Now that graduation is past for another year, those rules are worth another look.

Life is not fair. Get used to it.
The real world won’t care as much about your self-esteem as school does. This may come as a shock.
Sorry, you won’t make $40,000 a year right out of high school, nor will you be vice president of a firm, or likely drive a company car. But you might have to wear a uniform that doesn’t have a designer label.
If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss.
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for flipping burgers: Opportunity.
It’s not your parents’ fault if you mess up. You’re responsible.
Before you were born, your parents weren’t boring. They got that way by paying bills and listening to you.
Life is not divided into semesters. And you don’t get summers off, not even spring break. You are expected to give eight hours to each work day, and you don’t get a new life every 10 weeks.
Smoking does not make you look cool. Watch an 11-year-old with a cigarette in his or her mouth. That’s what you look like to anyone over 20.
School may be outcome-based, but life isn’t. In some schools you get as many chances needed to get it right, and standards are set low enough so nearly anyone can meet them. Of course, this bears not the slightest resemblance to real life, as you will soon find out.

Good luck … and remember, the harder you work, the luckier you get!

ST. STEPHEN UCC Consistory Minutes

May 20, 2008

In attendance:

Elders: Steve Deppen, Tom Weaver, Ron Snyder, Tess Miller, Mike Saylor, Kurt Weaver

Deacons: Connie Gehman, Donna Sawyer, Tom Kopp, Bill Hartman, Dot Koble, Mollie Ruth, Jean Martin

Pastor Jeff Frantz

Excused: Kathy Loewen, Mary Ann Linde

Connie called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm.

Mollie Ruth, with a 2^nd by Steve Deppen, moved to approve the April consistory minutes as written. Motion passed.

Donna Sawyer spoke about the April chicken BBQ, and also the May 3^rd “clean sweep”. Both went well.

Bill Hartman spoke about the Vacation Bible School July 13 – 17. The theme is “Rain Forest”.

The committee plus 4 additional people have offered to help with it.

There was a consensus vote to send a letter to the United Church of Christ and it’s president John Thomas censuring them for their defense of the inflammatory remarks made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The letter will be signed by consistory and mailed in June.

Because of the pastor’s vacation in June, it was decided to hold the June consistory meeting June 24 and then the next meeting on August 12.

It was agreed that Connie should sign the Farm Show contract for 2 vendor spaces.

Tom Kopp asked to buy portable sound equipment totaling $2105.87 for the traveling Praise Band. Tess Miller, with a second by Kurt Weaver moved to make the purchase, which would be paid for out of the remainder of the original sound system donation. Motion passed.

One service will be held on Sunday July 27 and August 24.

Rally weekend is scheduled for Sat. and Sun. Sept 6 and 7. A church picnic in the form of a pig roast to be headed up by Bill Hartman is scheduled for Sat. Sept 6 at the New Holland Park

Tess Miller, 2^nd by Jean Martin, moved to pay the current month bills. Motion passed.

It was requested that any fundraising for recipients outside the church, go thru the Outreach Committee.

Dot Koble, with a 2^nd by Tom Kopp, moved to transfer $400.00 from the Music Workshop Fund to the Helping Hand outreach fund. Motion passed.

The meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm.

Submitted by Ron Snyder

Bad Communication Habits and How to Fix Them

Kibbie Simmons Ruth and Karen A. McClintock, in an article for The Alban Institute, identify three “bad habits”

churches frequently tolerate in their communication:

triangulation, pass-through communication, and anonymous feedback.

Triangulation happens when someone vents feelings, opinions, or personal issues about someone to a third party

rather than confront the individual of concern. Pass-through communication is much like triangulation, but less

emotional; it’s about getting information, the outcome of a meeting for example, to someone through another

person. Anonymous feedback, just like it sounds, is about complaints and even slanderous comments issued

anonymously, through such means as unsigned notes or pass-through communication.

The dangers of these habits are obvious. Inaccurate information may be perpetuated. Persons fail to take

responsibility for the information. Issues go unresolved, so people become frustrated. Feelings are hurt and

churches can be divided.

Here are some solutions Ruth and McClintock offer:

Speak directly to the person or committee that the issue concerns.

Refuse to carry a message from one person or group to another.

If two people talk with you about each other, offer to meet with both of them together

or to find them a mediator.

If a person complains about someone else but refuses to directly talk with the person to resolve the

problem, ask him or her to stop talking to you or others about it.

Reduce venting by listening and then asking what action the person will take to resolve the problem.

Refuse to take nonspecific or anonymous feedback seriously.

And So It Goes….

     This is the story of four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.  An important job needed to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.  Somebody got angry about that,

because it was Everybody's job.  Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.  Consequently, it wound up that Nobody told Anybody, so Everybody blamed Somebody.

IN JUST THREE WEEKS our Rainforest adventure

will start. Registration forms are on the table in

the narthex. Please return completed forms to the

Lutheran Church or Jean Martin. Anyone planning to be

part of the evening supper at 6 pm sign up in the narthex.

An accurate count will help determine the food preparation.

Our adventure begins on July 13^th thru 17^th at 6 pm in

Zwingli Hall. We’re looking forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Esme Macaw,

Cleo Monkey,

Tad Frog,

Bill Toucan

& Shari Butterfly

Back-to-School Carnival

The outreach committee is planning and hosting a community Back-to-School Carnival on Saturday, August 16 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. The purpose of the carnival is for local churches to work together to distribute backpacks and school-related materials to children grades K-6 in the Eastern Lancaster County School District that lack the means to purchase these items needed to be prepared for the first day of school. We also hope to provide free haircuts, carnival food and games and most importantly, Christian fellowship with our neighbors.

Did you know that almost one in four children at New Holland Elementary School is economically disadvantaged? This is a startling statistic to many, especially longtime residents of our close-knit community.

To make the event a success, we need your help!

Will be doing a backpack drive through August 1. Please consider purchasing a backpack and putting the following items inside:

· pencils

· notebook/paper

· erasers

· 12-inch ruler

· plastic handheld pencil sharpener

Place your donated backpacks in the box labeled Back-to-School Carnival in the Narthex. If you’d prefer to make a monetary donation in lieu of a backpack, a member of the committee will purchase a backpack and school items for every $20 donated. Simply write backpack on your giving envelope to donate to this project. The committee has set a goal of 50 backpacks for our congregation.

We’ll also be doing a children’s book drive (grades K-6) during the month of July to give out during the carnival. Donate new or used children’s books in the box labeled Back-to-School Carnival in the Narthex.

See someone on the Outreach Committee if you have any questions: Joan Jacobs, Kathy Braine, Betty Smith, Ruth Kapp, Cheryl Weaver, Viki Eberly or Michael Saylor.

Thank you God is a new column in the Gleanings.

We hope you will help to submit the "good news"

about the members of our congregation.
Thank you God .....

….Bob Piper who brought us the message when our Pastor

was on vacation.

…all those who teach our children during the summer—Jean Martin,

Linda Wenger, Jamie Hartman, Lucinda Mellinger, Chris Graybill,

Cheryl Weaver and Connie Gehman.

Liberated for Life!

That’s the title of a commentary on the Biblical book of

Galatians and a fitting theme for our Bible study. Come and join

“the lunch crowd” in lower Zwingli Hall each Wednesday from

noon to 1 p.m., in our study in Galatians. Bring a brown-bag lunch

for yourself. Pastor Jeff will provide drinks and an additional

snack item or two.

What defines a true faith?

Who is a real Christian?

What’s really necessary for salvation?

These are just some of the questions our discussions will raise.

Everyone is welcome.

ST STEPHEN UCC history supplements are in the church office.

Please stop in to receive your free copy.

IMAGINING WORSHIP will meet Tuesday, July 8, at 7 pm in the pastor's study. Everyone interested in creatively engaging God's Word in our worship is welcome.

THE AUXILIARY OF UCC HOMES has set Tuesday, July 8, from 5-8pm at the Friendly's Restaurant located at 1145 Oregon Pike, as their first family fundraiser night this year. Ten percent of the total amount taken in during those hours will be given to the Auxiliary. What a fun way to make a donation while hanging out with family and friends!

OUTDOOR WORSHIP AND BRUNCH. Mark Sunday, July 27, 10:30 a.m. on your calendar for a special outdoor worship service on the St. Stephen lawn. Afterward, stay for brunch. It's just another way to enjoy God's company in God's creation, and fellowship with each other.

GET IN SHAPE AND SUPPORT FRIENDSHP: Friendship Community is looking for riders for the annual Dream Ride for Lancaster County. The Dream Ride Tour of 15, 30, 62.5 and 100 miles will be held July 26. The Nightmare Tour, 200 miles around the perimeter of Lancaster County, will be held August 16. Contact Milt Stoltzfus at 656-2466, ext. 106.

THE FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITY GOLF CLASSIC will be held on Sept. 4, 2008 with a limited registration of 132 golfers. The tournament raised $18,000 last year for this Christian ministry, supporting people with developmental disabilities. Registration forms are found on the bulletin board in the narthex.

CROSS CONNECTION BIKE RIDE IS SEPTEMBER 21 - Cross Connection Youth Center’s annual bike ride is September 21. The Rain date will be September 28. Registration is 1-2 p.m. Be sure to get the date on your calendar. Call 355-2454 with questions.

FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITY is seeking providers for our Lifesharing program! Lifesharing is a program that matches adults with disabilities to people/ families willing to open up their home and lives for a long term commitment It is an exciting way to impact the life of a person with disabilities. All Lifesharing providers receive financial compensation, 24-hour support and continuous training. For information, call (717)656-2466, ext. 161.

CONTACT Lancaster Helpline is looking for volunteers and will offer training this fall. The Helpline has been a 24/7 crisis call and listening service for 35 years. Callers may be grieving the death of a loved one, or may need to vent about a recent argument, or request a referral for a suicidal friend. CONTACT offers training for volunteers to help make it easier to handle the toughest situations. The training program will run Monday evenings from September 8 through October 27, 6:30 – 9 p.m. One Saturday session will be offered to fit the schedules of class members. The classes meet in the Community Action Program building in Lancaster, 601 S. Queen St., Rm. 220. This session of training is free for anyone who commits to volunteering for one year, eight hours per month. A fee is charged for others who seek training. Call CONTACT at 299-7388, ext. 3123 for information or applications. Or e-mail janderson@caplanc.org.

OUR SYMPATHIES go out to the Family and friends of Nora Tennis. Nora, the mother of John Tennis, passed away on June 4^th.