REDEEMER LUTHERAN CELEBRATING 112 YEARS OF MINISTRY
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Hulmeville and Woodland Avenues
Penndel, PA 19047
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-1:00pm
215-757-2724
Email: [email protected]
Website: redeemerlutheranpenndel.org
Phone: 215-757-2724 Fax: 215-757-7199
Handicapped Accessible Via a Lift
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October Events
Events Coming in November
10/216: Worship and Sunday School 9:30am
10/4/16: Shared Meal 6pm
10/9/16: Worship 9:30am, Youth in Worship
Healing Service following the worship service
10/16/16: Worship and Sunday School 9:30am
10/22/16: Men’s Dinner 5-7pm
10/23/16: Worship and Sunday School 9:30am
10/29/16: Halloween Party 1-3pm
10/30/16: Worship and Sunday School 9:30am
REFORMATION SUNDAY (Wear Red)
Movie: 11:00 “Luther” in sanctuary
SPECIAL NOTES:
Monday night Bible study resumes 10/3/16 but the first
meeting will be held at Diane Anderson’s house at 7pm.
Christmas Bazaar, Saturday 11/5/16 9-2pm
All Saints Sunday 11/6/16
Bingo 11/12/16 3-5pm
Stewardship Sunday, 11/13/16
Reformation 500 Event: Lutherland 11/13/16 afternoon
WELCA Thankoffering Service 11/20/16
Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service 11/22/16
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Past Summer Events
Council Highlights
Shared Meal served 71 people on 9/6/16. Volunteers shopped,
cooked and served a baked ziti meal.
10 animals along with their owners came for Redeemer’s Blessing of the Pets.
The Stewardship Committee served up a delicious baked ziti dinner on September 24, 2016.
Redeemer said goodbye to Pastor Mathisen and thanked him for helping us to get through all the paperwork for the Synod, and for his care and thoughtfulness for our congregation.
Rally Day brought the congregation together to start another year! Members worked together after church making blankets as part of the God’s Work Our Hand’s project.
Pastor Mathisen’s last day as interim pastor at Redeemer was Sunday 9/25/16. He will be missed. We celebrated his time with Redeemer’s family with a reception during Fellowship and Refreshment.
Now Redeemer begins it’s next phase in looking for a new pastor. The Call Committee is heading up that effort. Please pray for this group that they may find the right pastor for us.
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Martin Luther in his defense of the 95 Theses at the Diet of Worms in the year 1521.
“On these grounds I neither can nor will revoke anything, For it is a grave, irreparable, and dangerous thing
To go against one’s conscience. May God Help Me. Amen.
Reformation 500 Book Store
Open October 2, October 9 and October 16 Between 10:30 AM & 11:00 AM
In the Parish Hall
Reformation 500 News and Notes
REFORMATION 500 YEAR-LONG CELEBRATION OCTOBER 2016 - OCTOBER 2017
October 31, 2017 the world will celebrate 500 years since Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses. In Wittenberg, Germany 500 trees have already been planted in honor of the anniversary of the Reformation – all have a plaque with the name of the sponsoring synod – including our own Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. At Redeemer Lutheran, Penndel we will share in the excitement. This anniversary is a gift to the church at a time when we need to be energized.
Our first event to get us started is the Book Store so we can brush up on the teachings of our heritage.
Then, on Sunday, October 30, 2016, after an expanded coffee
hour, we will show the movie “Luther” with Joseph Fiennes which was in the theaters in 2003. “Luther” is an engrossing, compelling, powerful epic telling the story of Martin Luther’s Reformation. The curtain will go up at 11:00 AM in the sanctuary (more comfortable seats) and will run until 1:00 PM.
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Members: Marian Hemphill, Sharon Degen, Marty Ditcher, Dee Grover, Ruth Samuels, Alice Skinner.
Relatives and Friends of our Members: Dennis Green, Catherine Kelly, Marie Gruppioni.
Relatives and Friends of our Members Serving in the Military: Ron Skoczylas, Chad Durban, Bryan Oser, Joseph Piel, Derrick Stone, Mason Burgess.
Prayer Concerns
Remember in Your Prayers Pastor and staff of Redeemer, and our
Nations Leaders:
Pres. Barack Obama, Our U.S. Senators, The Supreme Court, and the House
of Representatives.
Prayer Initiative for September
On October 9th we will pray for:
Marilyn Hyrwnak, Christina Jackson, Lynda Jones, Kevin, Charles, and Brian O'Connell, Richard and Jennifer O’Connell and children Kyra and Patrick, Cindy O'Connell, and children Billy Clark, Abby Clark, and Danny Clark, Ilene Kersten, Charles & Barbara Kissinger, Donna Kistner, Linda Lee
On October 23rd we will pray for:
Lynn & Jane Leppo, Andrew Leppo, Michael Leppo, Jean Lippincott, Carol Lipson, Edith Williams, Kristie Mabin, Janet Maher, Margaret Manrodt, Marsie & Jim McMullen, Travis McMullen, James McMullen
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WELCA
WELCA Redeemer Lutheran Church
Women’s Group Next Meeting: Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Program: Reformation Commemoration
Financial Condition for the period ending September 15, 2016
Current Fund Income $ 74,709
Donations/Reimbursements $ 11,263
Expenses $ 98,064
Net Income (Loss) $ (12,092)
Restricted Fund Balances
Building Maintenance $ 5, 551.00
Raise the Roof $ 15, 906.00
Search Fund $ 455.00
Dear Redeemer Family,
As the summer comes to a close our income stands as a net loss of $(12,092).
With your help this can certainly change to a net income over the next 3 months.
Please consider attending the Stewardship Dinner and the Men’s Dinner—the net
proceeds from these events are allocated to the current fund.
Respectfully, Kim Overbagh, Treasurer
Kim Overbagh, Treasurer
Finance
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Stitching Angels
Pastor Wende Bleam will bless our stitched items Sunday Oct. 9th after
announcements.
Knitted and crocheted items are contributed by Redeemer members Dolores Danielson, Marty Ditcher, Jean Lippencott, Kay Robinson, Edna Schwenk, Rita Solt, Helen Susko, Linda Winter, and friends An-drea Cancila, Ruth Gabel, Dot Keller, and Wendy Hummel.
The items are donated to Abington Hospital, Abington Hospice, Capitol Health, and St. Mary Medical Center
Stitching Angels meet every Thursday evening at 7:00pm. Come join us.
Please join us the 1st Monday of each month at 6pm in the church office for our Evangelism Committee meeting. Our committee is responsible for writing the Legacy Stories, creating the Welcome Bags for visitors, sending packages to college/trade school students for Hal-loween and Valentine's Day, organize the gifts for Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day. In December we will be going caroling, January we will have a cook-off and July we help organize the Church Anniversary picnic.
In October we will be sending Halloween Care packages. Listed below is how you can help.
If you have a child or grandchild who is in college or a trade school following high school, please notify the church office. We will need the name and mailing address, as we will be sending Halloween Care Packages to them. (Note: Our 10/3/16 Monday meeting has been moved to Wednesday 10/5/16)
Please prayerfully consider joining the Evangelism Committee.
Respectfully submitted
Sandy Weasner, Evangelism Chair
Evangelism
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Christmas Bazaar – Saturday, November 5 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Craft Table Raffle Table “Treasures” Table Christmas “Treasures” Table Pretzels and Drinks Breakfast Foods Money Tree Delicious Lunch Bake Table WELCA’s bazaar needs the help of the entire congregation. Please bring any items you have for the Craft, Raffle, or “Treasures” tables and drop them in the library area. For the Raffle Table Baskets we are requesting items in order to create theme baskets such as: a sweets basket, a breakfast basket, a snack basket, etc. Or, if you are so inclined, create your own theme. Please have your do-nations to Denise Robinson by October 30. Baked goods will also be greatly appreciated. Drop them Friday, November 4 or early Saturday morning, November 5. Thank you all so much - for al-ways coming through for the bazaar.
Come out Saturday, November 5 – Shop, have Lunch, and
good fellowship!!!
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Christian Education
October is the time of fall festivals, apple picking, and pumpkin pie. It is
also another great time to get involved in Christian Education! Our pro-
grams are off and running but never fear you can jump right in and reap
the harvest of learning and fellowship.
Adult bible study is a way to strengthen your faith through fellowship
and great discussion on bible topics. Again never too late to join, con-
tact Ilene Kersten, seniors class on the 2nd
and 4th Wednesday or Diane
Anderson, Monday evening, for complete dates and times.
Lynda Jones and Denise Robinson met with the parents and students
of our first year confirmation class on September 18, 2016. There are
two students beginning their confirmation journey and one of their ser-
vice projects will be the continued support of God’s Global Barnyard.
Each month, on youth in worship Sunday (the second Sunday of the
month) the congregation will have the opportunity to participate in a free
will offering and maybe a surprise bake sale throughout the year.
Please support this ministry with a few dollars each month to assist our
youth in understanding the meaning of helping others. If you love to
bake and would like to donate goods for the collection please contact
Lynda or Denise.
This month our lesson set for the elementary classes will focus on the
prophet Elijah as well as study about the Reformation. We will also
begin learning songs for the Christmas pageant. Yes you read it cor-
rectly! With all our busy schedules and the short amount of music time
each week, the middle of October isn’t that soon. Always lots to do in
Sunday School!
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Our pre-school room upstairs is always buzzing with excitement; Jessica
Peil is doing a great job with this age group. Bring your grandkids, your
neighbor’s kids, nieces or nephews on Sunday mornings and let them
participate in Sunday school. A reminder of our schedule ----
1st Sunday –class and then communion and return to class
2nd
Sunday-youth in worship
3rd
Sunday- class
4th Sunday class
This is the standard schedule subject to change during festival days.
Dates to Remember for OCTOBER---
2ND
- Prophet Elijah and the priests of Baal contest- 1 Kings 18
4th – shared meal ministry 6 pm
9th – Youth in worship Sunday. GOD’S GLOBAL BARNYARD collec-
tion
16th - Elijah and Baal continued; BEGIN MUSIC FOR CHRISTMAS PAG-
EANT
22nd
- men’s dinner, 5 PM; Always lots of good food and fellow-
ship! What adventure awaits us this year?
29th – HALLOWEEN PARTY SPONSORED BY THE YOUTH
GROUP costumes encouraged!
Come join the fun at 1pm in the
parish hall
30th – Reformation Sunday
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News and Notes and Thank You’s and Community Info
God’s Work – Our Hands – Thank You Thank You to all who helped tie the “God’s Work – Our Hands” Project no-sew blankets last week. A special thank you to Ilene Kersten who cut the edges on all twenty-three blankets. Also thank you to all the women who cut the fringes around the blankets: Denise Brad, Marty Ditcher, Joan Dunn, Debbie Farnham, Cindy Oser, Edna Schwenk, Rita Solt, Joanne Waldkoenig, Sandy Weasner, and Linda Winter. They will be donated to our neighborhood nursing-care facility, Langhorne Gar-dens. These blankets were sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
On Sunday 9/18/16 Pastor
Mathisen conducted a baptism
service and welcomed Nicholas
and Isabella Palladino to
Redeemer through baptism.
Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the
name of the Father and
of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19
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News and Notes and Thank You’s and Community Info
Save the Date!
Fundraiser for Sharon Degen
Friday 11/18/16
Newportville Fire Company .6:30PM—10:30PM
Sharon Degen, was diagnosed with recurrent uterine cancer and has
been undergoing chemotherapy since May 2016. Please show your
support by attending this beef and beer. Tickets are $35/person and all
money raised will go towards medical expenses and other expenses so
Sharon can focus on getting well.
If you are unable to attend, but would like to donate money or a raffle
basket contact Jackie (Sharon’s daughter-in-law) at 267-273-3701
Thank you for all the cards, prayers and altar flowers. I appreciate it very much.
I miss Redeemer and hope to be back soon.
God Bless,
Marian Hemphill
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News and Notes and Thank You’s and Community Info
Men’s Dinner
10/22/16
5:00pm
Fun and Games Night!
Tickets will go on sale
soon. See Gary Overbagh
or Mike Dunn.
HEALING SERVICE
Sunday October 9th
For those in need of any kind of healing, Pastor Wende Bleam, our min-ister for the morning, will hold a healing service immediately following the worship service. Come sit in the front pews.
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About World Food Day On Oct. 16, 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was founded, built upon "its belief that the goal of freedom from want of food, suitable and adequate for the health and strength of all people can be achieved." Cele-brated around the world, World Food Day honors that day and our commitment to defeating hunger.
Many think that hunger is about too many people and too little food. But that’s not true. Our planet produces enough food to feed every woman, man, and child. Instead, hunger is about power. Its roots lie in inequalities in access to resources. Right now, many farmers in poor countries—the people who grow the food the world relies on—don’t have the power to access the resources they need to thrive.
Here at Redeemer we would like to recognize World
Food Day by having each member bring something for
our food pantry on October 16th . As you purchase
items consider supporting local farmers or buying
items in the grocery store that are supplied by local
farmers. Fresh, boxed and canned items are
appreciated.
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Blessing of the Pets
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© Copyright Parish Publishing, LLC l May not be copied without permission. l www.parishpublishing.org
Sharing God’s Bounty
October
Fearing God As stewards, we are managers, caretakers, and trustees of all that God entrusts
to us. Through grace, we respond to God’s love and care. We live our lives and re-turn our gifts out of gratitude and thanksgiving for who He is and what He does for us. However, if we do not include a fear of the Lord in our thinking as well as an ac-ceptance of His grace and love, our understanding of God is incomplete. The fear of the Lord results from a recognition of our sinfulness and the separation from a just and holy God that sin causes. As our judge, God holds us accountable. He cannot and will not tolerate our sin. Because of original sin, we, by ourselves, are incapable of pleasing God. Out of his love, God sent his Son, who had no sin, to the Cross for our sins. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:7-8).
In 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, Paul refers to our need to fear the Lord. “So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.” This passage does not refer to justification because, through faith in Christ, we are justified forever. What it does refer to is the question, “What have you done with your life through faith?” We are responsible for our actions. We will “appear before the judgment seat of Christ” to answer for what we did as His stewards. We can’t avoid our accountability.
In Proverbs 9:10, we are told what is meant by “fear of the Lord.” “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” As children of God, we revere Him and submit to Him. He is the exalted King. “‘For I am a great King,’ says the Lord almighty, ‘and my name is to be feared among the nations’ ” (Malachi 1:14b). We are blessed because, not only do we stand in awe of our great King, but we also rejoice in Him. “Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11).
Through the fear of God, we see ourselves as we are … small and sinful. Fear helps us see our need for God’s mercy and grace. We submit to God because we understand our state of helplessness. The fear of the Lord is indeed the beginning of wisdom.
Give your heart to Christ, and let Him direct your giving. In order for you to be
what you should as a church member, you must first define and confirm your
stewardship obligations and commitments between yourself and the Christ who
gave His all for you. Stewardship of time, talent and possessions is the very
heart of Christian discipleship and our way of expressing our love in response
to God’s amazing grace.
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Legacy Story - Patti Balasco
Patricia Ann (Gonzales) was born on April 11, 1958 at Lower Bucks Hospital
the youngest of 3 children born to George and Gertrude Gonzales. They
moved from Bronx, New York because of a job transfer to Penndel Pa in Sep-
tember 1951. Patti’s family lived next door to Alice Skinner, who also was her
babysitter. She was baptized at Redeemer on June 2, 1958 by Pastor Rap-
pold.
At age 3, her mother enrolled her in Redeemer Sunday School where she met
Mrs. Mercedes Weber. Patti continued Sunday School through high school.
She was also a member of the Youth group.
First Holy Communion and Confirmation Classes were handled differently
when Patti went through. They were 2 years. The first year they met on Satur-
day mornings with Pastor Mellin, a supply pastor. The second year they met
on Tuesday nights with Pastor Steinhauer. The class made their First Holy
Communion on May 21, 1971. The following week they made their confirma-
tion May 28, 1971 at age 13, in a class of 16 which included Bill Anderson.
Patti was in the youth choir, adult choir, vacation bible school, church council,
church nursery, usher, greeter, fellowship committee, church parades, Brownie
and Girl Scouts with Mrs. Weber and her mother Gertrude as leaders. Addition-
ally, Patti ran the youth group for a few years.
Patti attended Penndel Elementary School in September 1963 which was
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located where the new housing development is being built across the street
from Redeemer. Penndel Elementary School had one classroom for each
grade, kindergarten to sixth grade. Everyone walked to school and went home
for lunch.
Patti went to Neshaminy Junior High School from 7th—9th grade. She grad-
uated from Neshaminy High School “Langhorne”, majoring in accounting. She
was the last full class to graduate before Neshaminy “Maple Point” became a
high school. In June 1976, 1,250 graduating students on the football field
dressed in red, white and blue cap and gowns, formed a large American Flag.
Patti then attended Bucks County Community College, majoring in accounting,
graduating in June 1978. She also worked in a co-op program through school.
She would go to an accounting job in Bristol, PA after school. Babysitting chil-
dren from neighbors, family, and church was money saved to buy her first car
in 1976.
After graduating from BCCC Patti started an accounting job with Goodyear
which lasted 17 years until the office moved further away. Patti then worked
for a bank which kept merging through 5 different names.
Patti met Brian Balasco at age 4 in Sunday School. They attended youth group
together. They dated for 5 years and were married on July 5, 1980 at Redeem-
er. They lived in Langhorne Tareyton Estates for 1 1/2 years until they bought
a home in Fairless Hills in January of 1982. They were married for 25 years,
and have two sons Thomas James born on 8/20/1985 and Christopher Brian
born on 7/30/1989. They were both very active at Redeemer years ago.
The owner of the “In Home” daycare where Patti’s sons, Tom and Chris
attended while she worked, contacted her to come and work at the daycare.
Eventually Patti acquired the daycare. The parents of the children attending
the daycare decided to stay with Patti. Patti works in her home now caring for
young children. Patti says “the kids keep me going”. She watches children
every day of the week, and sometimes overnight.
Patti’s interests are listening to music, dancing, and she likes to travel to the
beach and ocean.
Patti feels Redeemer has always been her family; warm and friendly.
Redeemer feels like home. Patti relates to “Footprints in the Sand”. Be strong
in your faith and put your life in His hands.
Submitted by Linda Winter
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Server Schedule October
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Kid’s Pages—October
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October Birthday’s and Anniversaries
October Birthday's
2nd
Mary Lou Robinson
3rd
David Austin
Erik Martinsen
4th Vonda Kieser
7th Joseph Cochran
10th Brittany Hyndman
Albert Mateo
11th David Short
14th Fred Winter Jr.
16th Rita Solt
19th Amy Schuette
21st Patricia Finn
23rd
Sam Meola, Jr.
Cody Latko
25th Christina Jackson
27th Evan Trumpler
29th Avery Austin
30th Lois Gradel
31st Bunny Elinich
Katie Ladigoski
October Anniversaries
10/3/09 Brian and Meghan Schmidt
10/5/85 Jim & Marsie McMulle
10/6/90 Christine & Steven Rager
10/11/ Denise & Robert Brad, Sr.
10/12/68 Dolores and Marty Danielson
10/13/91 Susan & Daniel Haimowitz
10/16 Dawn and Ron Thomas
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Visitors and Neighbors:
Welcome to Redeemer Lutheran
Church!
Our door is open to you!
We would be happy to have you join
us as a Partner in prayer, in song, and
in the hearing of God’s word.
Redeemer Lutheran Church is a caring
community of baptized believers, confessing
Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior. As a
forgiven community, we gather in faith around
God’s table to hear God’s word and participate
in the life giving sacraments, which God has
instituted through His Son Jesus Christ.
Responding in faith we are called to joyfully
proclaim the Gospel of our Lord in word and
deed in the wider community.
MISSION STATEMENT