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This Week at
St. Paul's Lutheran Church-Lionville
May 10, 2026
"Grow in Faith, Serve with Love, Invite into Fellowship"
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Sixth Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 10
8:00 am Traditional Service
10:30 am Contemporary Service
Attend in person or worship online
Everyone is welcome!
Second Sunday of Every Month:
4:00 pm - Rejoicing Spirits Service
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Our Prayer List.
We pray for Craig, Nancy Jane, Barbara, Barry, Pastor John Carlson, Carolyn, Danny, Delores, Harold, Rick, Barbara, Anna, Scott, Lauren, Bob, Lois, Dave, Marla, Fred, Luke, Carson, Brenda, Ben, Belinda, Fran, Keith, Mary, Diana, William, Melissa, Jerry, Janet, Eamon, Arthur, Kim, Sue, Gene, Anne, Samantha S., Samantha, Steven, Rick, Janet K., Amy C., Pat, Marlene, Garnet, Chip, and Jean. We lift up Drew, Bianka, Liam, Daniel, Zach, and Alistair in the military. We pray for peace in Sudan, Ukraine, and the Middle East. We pray for those we now name aloud or lift up quietly in our hearts.
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"Envelope" Fundraiser for ASP
THE 'ENVELOPE' FUNDRAISER FOR APPALACHIA SERVICE PROJECT is up on the bulletin board near the church office. You are invited to choose an envelope from the board to help purchase needed food and supplies, or to sponsor a youth for this summer's work week in Central Appalachia. Simply return the envelope with the indicated amount and card inside filled out. Completed envelopes can be placed in the church offering or turned in to the church office.
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Cradles to Crayons Collection
It's spring cleanout time! Please donate your kids' outgrown items! We are collecting new and/or gently used kids clothing, coats, and shoes (through size adult small) for Cradles to Crayons. They are also always in need of *new* socks and underwear. Please do not donate anything with school names. Donation boxes will be in the narthex through Memorial Day weekend.
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Youth Car Wash Fundraiser
OUR YOUTH CAR WASH FUNDRAISER has been rescheduled to Saturday morning, May 30 from 8:00 am to noon (weather permitting). Drop your car off when you come to peruse the thrift store wares, and our team will return it to you with a sparkling clean exterior when you come out afterward! No charge, but donations are gratefully accepted.
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VBS Registration is Now Open!
Get ready for the brightest week of the year! Our Illumination Station Vacation Bible School will run from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon from Monday, July 27 through Friday, July 31. Registration is open to all students from age 4 (by 1/1/26) through 5th grade (completed 2025-2026). Adults and children who have completed 5th grade or higher are encouraged to volunteer to help out. More information and registration for campers and volunteers can be found online. Paper forms are available in the narthex.
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Young Families End of Year Picnic
OUR SECOND ANNUAL YOUNG FAMILIES END-OF-YEAR PICNIC will be held on Sunday, May 31 from 12:30 pm until 3:00(ish) at Warwick County Park, Pavilion #3. Burgers, hot dogs, and drinks will be provided, with participating families asked to bring a side dish, snack, or dessert to share with the group. All families with kids in preschool through 5th grade are invited; older and younger siblings are welcome to come, too! Sign up here to let us know you are coming: May 31st Young Families Picnic. Questions? Contact Craig Miller at craigyouthmin@gmail.com, or 484-320-0785.
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Peanut Butter & Jelly Collection
All this month we are collecting peanut butter and jelly for the Chester County Food Bank as they prepare to give out their summer student food boxes. PB&J is a big part of the giveaway so that school-age children can easily prepare a lunch for themselves during the summer months when school lunches are not available. Please add PB&J (plastic jars only) to your grocery list to bring to the church though Sunday, June 14, National Children’s Day.
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Exton-Lionville Ministerium Hygiene Kit Project
Our local churches are very excited to offer this cooperative event to bless our community! We're collecting funds to purchase hygiene kit supplies in bulk. Then, on Saturday, May 16 at 10 am we’ll be assembling the kits. The kits will then be distributed to numerous local ministries to bless people in need in our community. If you would like to learn more, donate or sign up to help assemble the kits, please go to ELMinisterium.org!
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Thrift Sale
Our next thrift sale will be on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31 from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm in the Parsonage. We have received many donations, so invite a friend and come explore our offerings. Proceeds benefit the Chester County Food Bank and help fund repairs to the Parsonage.
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High School and College Grads
Share your high school or college graduate’s name, picture, and future plans for a spotlight feature in the June newsletter! Please send photo and details to Maureen@StPaulsLionville.org.
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St. Paul's Summer Reading Program
Memorial Day is fast approaching and you know what that means….Summer is just around the corner. At St Paul’s we will be transitioning to a single worship service and the Lectionary Discussion Group that meets in the lounge between the services will officially be on hiatus. Unofficially, we are going to continue our studies by reading Gene Edward Veith Jr’s book “The Spirituality of the Cross” through a self-paced self-study.
Gene Veith is neither a pastor nor a theologian. He was seeking a spiritual home. He wrote "The Spirituality of the Cross" in order to present a "realistic" Christian spirituality centered on Christ's sacrifice, as opposed to mysticisms, moralism, or self-help spirituality. It is an apologetic designed to share Lutheran theology - - specifically the “Theology of the Cross” - - with a broad audience, demonstrating how Lutheranism is a structured, comfortable faith that embraces ordinary life and finds God in the Gospel rather than human effort.
If this sounds interesting, and you want to join in the fun [and learning], let us know by Sunday, May 24, and we’ll order you a book! Use the St Paul’s Summer Read Sign-Up Sheet located in the Narthex. Just provide your name and email address so we can order the appropriate number of books, and we’ll let you know when they arrive.
If you have any questions, please contact Frank Pechin, 484-883-8568 or fpechin3rd@gmail.com.
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Rare Birds Amish Lunch
On Tuesday, June 9 at noon, the Rare Birds (ages 50+) will be having lunch at the home of Naomi Stoltzfus (1853 Agape Court, East Earl, PA). We are limited to 20 attendees. The cost is $30.00 per person. Payment can be made to Karen Lammey on the day of the event by cash, check, or Venmo (Karen-Lammey). To join for lunch, please RSVP to Karen Lammey by Wednesday, June 3.
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ELCA Softball Team
Did you know there is an ELCA Softball team that plays in the area church league? And they won their season opener against Valley Point Church 23-10! They play at Elam United Methodist Church in Concordville. Upcoming games are scheduled at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, May 12; Tuesday, May 19; and Wednesday, May 27. For more information, contact the coach, Jameison Troutman.
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Chat and Chews Book Club
The Chat and Chews Sunday School Book Club meets on the THIRD Sunday of each month, however in May, we will meet the FOURTH Sunday, after the late service at my home for a brunch. See address below. Our next meeting will be on Sunday, May 24, and we will discuss: "The Correspondent," by Virginia Evans. Please bring along a few ideas for our summer reads. You do not have to finish the book or even read it to join us in a lively and faithful discussion. Please contact Gwen Werner at ggwerner@verizon.net or call the church office for more information. Happy Reading!
Gwen Werner
309 Wm Salesbury Drive
Downingtown, PA 19335
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Rejoicing Spirits Coordinator Needed
Our Rejoicing Spirits ministry is in need of a Program Coordinator for our once-a-month worship service. The position involves worship service planning, volunteer coordination, correspondence with group homes and agencies, and other administrative duties. Please consider joining St. Paul’s amazing ministry for the intellectually and developmentally disabled. More information about the position can be found by clicking here.
Please contact Pastor Stuart or Chris Robinson if interested.
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Rejoicing Spirits Service
Our next Rejoicing Spirits service will be on Sunday, May 10 at 4:00 pm. This is an informal, inclusive and adapted service open to all in the community, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, regardless of faith background. The service includes joyous music, singing and brief, meaningful, pastor-led sermons.
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St. Paul's Blood Drive
St. Paul’s will host an American Red Cross blood drive on Thursday, May 21 from 2:00 - 7:00 pm. To schedule a donation appointment, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or go to www.RedCrossBlood.org and enter splutheran.
If you are an eligible type O, A-, or B- donor, consider making a Power Red donation. Red blood cells are the most commonly transfused blood donation.
To streamline your donation experience, go to RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass to complete pre-donation tasks.
If you donate blood from May 18-31, you are eligible to receive an exclusive Red Cross beach towel.
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Musical Notes From Lindsay
May 10 Musical Notes...Honoring Mothers and Others!
I have chosen to highlight the work of several female composers in today's services, in honor of those who are "mothers" of musical compositions.
8:00 am Traditional
Gathering Hymn: For All the Faithful Women
You may recognize this hymn tune as our closing hymn on April 12. The text setting can vary based on the message of the day, and although a total of 11 verses are available, we will sing verses 1, 5, and 10. Listen to a different selection of verses here! It will also be played as the prelude on this day.
Sending Hymn: The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve...Delores Dufner
10:30am Contemporary
Prelude: Jesus, Messiah
A new selection to all of us, the praise team will perform Jesus, Messiah as the prelude to the service, which will re-appear next week as our song of the day. This selection was composed by Chris Tomlin, who also wrote Forever...one of St. Paul's favorite songs, which we sang on April 26 and will sing again on May 24.
Choral Anthem: The women of the Kingdom Choir will perform The Gift of Love. You may recognize this melody as being set to The Water is Wide.
Gathering Song: God With Us...Sara Hart
Song of the Day: Ancient Words...Lynn DeShazo (The praise team band performed this selection as a prelude last week)
Sending Song: Set Us Free, Lord...Kathy Donlan Tunseth
Children's Musical Performance on Mother's Day
In addition to the music noted above, our Sunday School children will share a special song they have been practicing in honor of Mother's Day.
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Coffee Fellowship Help
Coffee fellowship sign ups through June are now open, and many slots are still available! Please consider making coffee and providing some treats for people to enjoy after services. Sign ups are available at StPaulsLionville.org/events or in the narthex.
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Monday Morning Bible Study
The Monday morning Bible study group is continuing their focus on World Religions. They meet on Monday mornings at 10:00 am in room 110 and run through Monday, May 18, 2026. Come when you can! For more information, contact Mary McCormick at Jandmmccormick@yahoo.com.
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Youth Ministry News
For the most up-to-date event information and signup links,
go online to the Youth Ministry web page at StPaulsLionville.org/youth.
THE NEXT GOOD WORKS YOUTH WORK DAY will be Saturday, May 16 from 8:15am to 3:45pm (meet at the Good Works warehouse in Coatesville). Come spend the day helping fix up homes for families who don't have the means to do it themselves. Anyone in eighth through twelfth grade is welcome to join us, including friends. Sign up here by Wednesday, May 6th to participate: May 16th Good Works Workday.
OUR HIGH SCHOOL OASIS GROUP meets one more time before summer on Sunday, May 17 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at St. Matthew's, either at the fire pit (weather permitting) or in the downstairs lounge. We will continue our Bible Dive series and also take some time to send off our graduating seniors. All ninth through twelfth graders are welcome to attend, including friends. No advance signup necessary; just show up!
YOUTH AND PARENT HELP IS NEEDED WITH OUR (POSTPONED) CAR WASH FUNDRAISERS! We are holding car washes on Saturday morning, May 30 at St. Paul's, and on Sunday morning, May 31 at St. Matthew's. All sixth through twelfth graders are encouraged to participate in one or both events to raise money for the youth ministry. Parents are needed to help move cars around. Sign up here to participate: Youth Car Wash Fundraiser Help.
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SCAN QR CODE TO SIGN UP FOR YOUTH EVENTS
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