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OCTOBER FOOD PICK-UP is Saturday between 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. in the Fellowship Hall.
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN PACKING – Union UCC in Neffs is again hosting MobilePack for Feed My Starving Children this weekend. Packing shifts are two hours each and 80 volunteers are needed for each shift. Volunteers are needed to help on the packing dates/times below this weekend:
Friday, October 10 – 6:30 to 8:30 P.M.
Saturday, October 11 – 9:00 to 11:00 A.M., 12:00 to 2:00 P.M., 3:00 to 5:00 P.M., 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.
Sunday, October 12 – 12:00 to 2:00 P.M.
You can register online at unionucc.org or contact them at 610-767-6961.
THANK YOU to Cheryl Burke for leading worship Sunday morning.
W.I.S.H. MEETING – There will be a brief W.I.S.H. meeting this morning after the service in the church office about this year’s basket social. All women of the church are invited to attend.
FALL WORSHIP TIME – Since we will continue having supply pastors leading worship until we are able to get an interim pastor, we will have one worship service at 10:15 A.M. each Sunday starting this Sunday. We will go back to two worship services at 8:00 and 10:15 A.M. once we have an interim pastor.
SIGN THE PUZZLE – To illustrate our theme of “Be a Part of the St. John’s Puzzle”, the Sunday School children have assembled a church puzzle in the Fellowship Hall of the different activities and organizations here at St. John’s. If you are a member of any of these groups, please sign the corresponding puzzle piece(s) with the markers provided.
CHRIST IN YOUR HOME booklets for October through December can be picked up on the rear windowsills.
SPONSORS are needed for some Sundays this fall. Open sponsor dates are:
Bulletin sponsors for October 19 (next Sunday) & 26 and December 14 & 28. Bulletins are $25.00 per date.
Flower sponsors for October 19 (next Sunday) & 26; November 2 & 23; and December 28. Flowers are $35.00 per date.
Sign up for any open dates on the sponsor charts outside the church office or call the church office at 610-767-6361.
CHILDREN'S GIFTS PROGRAM information is in the mail and should be received shortly. Deadline to register is Saturday, October 18. If you do not receive your information in the mail, you can email Laura Gildner at laura.gildner@yahoo.com or call Friedens UCC at 610-767-7099.
GET YOUR PIEROGIES! The Youth Gathering Committee is having a Pierogi Fundraiser. All proceeds will help fund those attending the 2027 Youth Gathering in Minneapolis. Orders are due by Wednesday, October 22. Pick-up will be on Monday, November 3, between 5:00 and 8:30 P.M. in the Fellowship Hall. Homemade Pierogies are $7.50 per bag. Choose from the following flavors: Potato & Cheese, Broccoli & Cheddar, Sauerkraut, Potato & Garlic, Jalapeno & Cheddar, and Potato & Onion.
Fruit Pierogies are $8.50 per bag. Choose either Apple or Strawberry.
You can place your orders Sunday mornings, October 12 & 19 before or after church in the Fellowship Hall, on the order form in the rear of church, or by calling the church office at 610-767-6361. If you have any questions, please reach out to Devon Sabene at 610-554-7440 or David Sabene at 610-393-5733.
TRICK-OR-TREAT OUTREACH – As part of a community outreach project, the Youth Fellowship students will be organizing and hosting a trick-or-treat station on the church lawn on Wednesday, October 29, for Slatington’s Trick-or-Treat night. To make this project a success, we are looking for donations of snack sized candy bars, mini rice krispie treats, fruit snacks, starburst, nerds, laffy taffy, or sour patch kids. Donations are needed by next Sunday, October 19, and can be placed in containers in the narthex, Fellowship Hall, or at the Parent Information Center. If you prefer to give a monetary donation, we will do the shopping. Just put your donation in an envelope marked “Trick or Treat Outreach” and place it in the offering plate or send it to the church office.
INDOOR YARD SALE – Second Chance Shoppe will have an Indoor Yard Sale on Friday and Saturday, October 24 and 25, from 9:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. in the Fellowship Hall. Items will be Christmas decor and toys.
REFORMATION BREAKFAST – The Youth Gathering Committee is sponsoring an all-you-care-to-eat Reformation Breakfast Buffet on Sunday, October 26, from 7:30 to 9:45 A.M. Breakfast includes: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast sticks, breakfast potatoes, toast, fruit, coffee, tea, orange juice, apple juice, and milk. Tickets for adults are $13.00; children under 12 are $7.00. Tickets can be purchased Sunday mornings in October before and after church in the Fellowship Hall; in the church office during the week; or on the day of the breakfast. Proceeds from the breakfast will go to the Youth Gathering Fund to help pay for our nine students and their chaperones to attend the ELCA National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis June 28 to July 2, 2027. Come and enjoy a great breakfast and help support our youth at the same time!
ALL SAINTS SUNDAY – On All Saints Sunday, November 2, we will be remembering in our prayers those who have died in the past year, as well as others that you would like remembered. Prayer remembrance slips are available on the rear radiator in church. Please fill out a remembrance slip and return it to the church office by Reformation Sunday, October 26.
COFFEE HOUR SPONSORS NEEDED – We have resumed coffee hours this fall. Coffee hours will be held the first Sunday of the month if there are people willing to bake. Hosts and hostesses are needed each month. We need a sponsor for the November and December coffee hours. Please sign the coffee hour sign-up sheet at the rear of the church if you are willing to help provide baked goods for one of the coffee hours.
BASKET SOCIAL – The W.I.S.H. (Women Involved with Sharing & Helping) Circle will hold a walk-in basket social on Sunday, November 9, from 11:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. We will also have a bake sale and 50/50 drawing. All baskets will be displayed in the Fellowship Hall. You can drop your tickets in the containers any time between 11:30 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. You will be notified later that day via a phone call if you have won a basket. This is our only fundraiser of the year. The proceeds will be used to help with Breakfast Bunch and youth activities. We are looking for the following donations:
· A gift basket (value $20.00 or more).
· Baked goods for the bake sale (donations can be brought Saturday, November 8, or the day of the basket social).
· Gift cards.
· Items for a basket (we will put into a basket).
· Financial donation (any amount) to purchase items for a basket.
· Empty baskets, basket bags, or basket filler.
All types of items/baskets are welcome. Donations can be dropped off in the Sunday School office on Sundays, given to any W.I.S.H. member, or dropped off in the church office during normal business hours (Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.). Donations are needed no later than Friday, November 7. We are also looking for the following help:
· Assemble baskets and set up on Saturday, November 8, at 9:00 A.M.
· Sell tickets and write down contact information for people purchasing tickets on the day of the social.
· Watch the bake sale table.
There will be a sign-up sheet on the usher tables in the back of the church for any one able to help.
INSTANT POTATOES FOR HOLIDAY MEALS – Each church has been given one item for the Thanksgiving meal baskets. Our church’s responsibility is 200 bags/boxes of instant potatoes. Donations for the Thanksgiving baskets are needed at church by Thursday, November 13 (basket distribution is Saturday, November 15). We have 40 bags/boxes so far – 160 more to go!
NOVEMBER FOOD SALE – The Catering Committee is sponsoring a soup and heat-and-eat turkey dinner sale for October. The order forms are blue and due back by Sunday, November 16. Pick-up will be on Saturday, November 22, from 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. Soup choices are: Dutch-style ham, cabbage, and potato soup; hearty beef barley soup; and old-fashion chicken noodle soup. Return order forms to Harrison Williams. You can call your order into the church office at 610-767-6361, Harrison at 610-216-4284, or e-mail him at williamshj2514@msn.com.
INGATHERING GIFTS are due by Sunday, November 23. A list of items needed by the various organizations are in the October/November newsletter and on the rear radiators in church.
THE ALTAR GUILD is again planning to decorate the church with poinsettias this Christmas season. Donations to the decorations fund are $10.00. Pink forms (on rear radiator of church), with payment, can be given to any of the Altar Guild members (listed on the order form), placed in the offering plate in a sealed envelope, or mailed/returned to the church office. The poinsettia donation deadline is Sunday, December 7. The grower cannot accept any orders after December 7.
BEST/SELL SCHOLARSHIP – Applications for the Best/Sell Scholarship are available in the church office for students who are completing at least their first semester of higher education by January, 2026 as well as any student who needs to make any significant changes to their original application (such as school transfer, tuition change, major, etc.). The scholarship is available to anyone in college, community college, graduate, or trade school. If you have filed an application before for the Best/Sell Scholarship and have no changes, please call the church office at 610-767-6361 to indicate your desire to be considered for the scholarship. The deadline for applications for the Best/Sell Scholarship is Sunday, December 14.
ORGAN REPAIRS – The church’s Moeller pipe organ is in need of major repairs. The cost for the repairs will be over $125,000. Repair work will begin once the parts are received. Anyone wishing to donate towards the organ repairs may do so – just mark on your envelope – “organ repairs” – and the money will go into the Organ Fund towards the pending repairs.
VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM – We are in need of more volunteers to assist with worship services and in different ministries around the church. There is a physical registration form located on the ushers’ table at the back of the sanctuary. You're invited to look at the list of volunteer opportunities and consider which roles are of most interest to you. If you have children or grandchildren in the congregation, please see the special section with volunteer opportunities for our youngest members. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the physical form and return it to the church office or sign-up online by clicking the button below. If you have any questions or would like more information, please email the church at stjohnslatington@gmail.com.
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