GOOD SHEPHERD  United Church of Christ

3940 Mountain Road, Slatington, PA  18080           610-767-9680

Glance at the Week Ahead at Good Shepherd

T and Th   Office Hours: 11 am – 3 pm

Sun:       9:00 am       Faith Formation Classes

10:00 am       Worship Service

            11:00 am      Property Committee Meeting

            12:00 pm       Valor Dinner

12:00 pm       Family Promise Meeting

5:00 pm       Vacation Bible School

Mon:     9:00 am       Preschool Summer Camp

5:30 pm       Vitality Meeting

6:00 pm       Girl Scouts

6:00 pm       Vacation Bible School

Tues:     9:00 am       Preschool Summer Camp

6:00 pm       Vacation Bible School

Wed:      9:00 am       Preschool Summer Camp

6:00 pm       Vacation Bible School

Thurs:    9:00 am       Preschool Summer Camp

7:00 pm       VBS-Closing Program

Fri:        9:00 am       Preschool Summer Camp

7:00 pm       AA Back to Basics

Sun:       9:00 am       Faith Formation Classes

10:00 am       Worship Service

            11:00 am       Youth Group

           

First-Time Guests

Welcome to Good Shepherd United Church of Christ. We are delighted that you joined us for worship. It is our prayer that you will experience the presence of God and know the love and peace that comes from sharing God’s Spirit. If you are looking for a spiritual home, please consider Good Shepherd and speak with Pastor James.

REV. JAMES D. ROBISON, JR. can be contacted at the office (610) 767-9680, his mobile phone (484-571-6083), or via his email address at <j[email protected]>.

Our Church Staff

Pastor                                                                   Rev. James D. Robison, Jr.

Faith Formation Director                                                       Amanda Dieter

Preschool Director                                                                   Karen Weaver

Organist                                                                                                  TBD

Choir Director                                                                            Beth Kutzner

Secretary                                                                               Eileen Andrews

Treasurer                                                                           Erin Stenger-Guth

Financial Secretary                                                                Colleen Shields

Sexton                                                                                         Barry Silfies

Upcoming Events in the Life of Our Church

• Outside worship and Picnic September 26th
• Rada Cutlery-Fundraising Sale to Support Organ Fund
• Enrollment for Preschool is now open. Contact Karen Weaver at 610.657.5133 for more information.
• Summer Camp open to 3 years old and up: June 27-July 1, July 18-22, July 25-29 from 9am-1pm. Camp tuition is $100/week plus a one-time registration fee of $15.  Registration forms are in the Narthex.
• The Northern Lehigh Food Bank is in need of volunteers to unload the truck from Second Harvest. The 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month from 8:30 am – 11:30 am. Also, help needed every Monday from 10:30 am – 11:30 am to lift crates/boxes of food.  Must be able to lift 25lbs.  Must be vaccinated.

Please call the foodbank at 610-767-9525.

• Updating Information – Someone from the church will be contacting you to update your information, such as birthdates, anniversaries, etc.
• Confirmation Classes will be starting soon. There are approximately 12 sessions mostly occurring on Sunday morning during Faith Formation. Requirements: completed Fifth Grade, been baptized (or willing to be), a willingness to participate in Faith Formation and a desire to become part of the Good Shepherd Congregation. Call Pastor James at 484.571.6083 for more information.
• Faith Formation is looking for mentors for our future confirmands. Mentors may not be related to the child.  Must be a member of our church for at least 5 years. If interested please contact Pastor James or Faith Formation Director, Amanda Dieter at [email protected].
• Anyone interested in joining the prayer chain, please email Deb Craig at [email protected] or call Eileen Andrews at 610-390-4302.

Our Worship Leaders Today.

Guest Speaker                                                                            Roslyn Kuba

Guest Organist                                                                       Judy Bingaman

Acolyte                                                                           Breonna Richardson

Lay Reader                                                                           RaeAnne Creyer

Head Deacon                                                                         Amanda Bowers

Greeter                                                                                           Sally Loch

Altar Guild                                                                                              TBD

Media Production Team           Deb Craig, Stacy Cunningham, Eric Hantz

Bryan Horninger, Evan Horninger, and Beth Kutzner

Altar Flowers are to the Honor and Glory of God.

The Bulletins are to the Honor and Glory of God.

 

 

Good Shepherd Prayer Care List

 

Family of… Barbara Hanks, Suzanne Hurst

Family and Friends needing prayer: Nanette Zink, Randy Andrews, Dorothy Arnold, Darlene Bean, Miriam Burbes, Ann Johnson, Penny Keen, Rick Keller, Sandy Keller, Marvin Snyder, Joshua Sophy, Marilyn Sowden, Faye Zellner, Jane Achey, Dave Bauer, Lisa Gilly, Jane Haldeman, Cindy Jones, Alice Schnell, Nancy Schumaker, Dee Dee Sloane, Craig Solt, Sallie Solt, Rich Taylor.

.

Purged at beginning of each month.

Renews are welcomed

Homebound Members: Marge Bass, Mary Bilheimer, Kay Costenbader, Dale-Ann Derr, Dennis Derr, Jean Hewitt, Betty Humanick, and Susan ‘Tillie’ Waller.

All the young men and women serving our country: Colby Adams, Anthony Babb, Elijah Colon, Dalton Housenick, Kira (Kern) Kelsey, Michael Kelsey, Rebecca McMichael, Cory Musser, David Neff, Christie Peirsel, Spencer Perkins, Nicholas Sander, Benjamin Schaffer, Jacqueline Tracy, and Janel Tracy.

Wedding Anniversaries

 

June 26-Eric & Michelle (Meckes) Walters

June 28-Kyle & Allison (Sosic) Kremposky

June 29-Thomas & Judy (Behler) Bollinger

July 02-Wally & Jackie (Minnich) Amey

                              Offerings

Mission Calendar

Our Mission focus for June is the Northern Lehigh Food Bank. We will be collecting items for Save Our Appearance Please (SOAP).

The following items are needed: toilet tissue, bars of soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and tissues. Please bring your items to church and place in the shopping cart in the narthex.

Joyful Noise Offering

Joyful Noise Offering is designated to help our Youth Ministry. We ask that you drop your contributions into the box in the narthex

Financial Update

Offering & (Attendance) 

June 05-$2,818.00 E-Giving $551.92 (127)

June 12-$2,418.80 E-Giving $433.09 (69)

June 19-$2,291.20 E-Giving $353.65 (68)

Online offering at Tithe.ly

or text GIVE to 610-615-7657

 

Birthdays

June 26-Greg Koneschusky June 28-Tom Bollinger June 28-Matthew Bowers June 28-Kathryn Griffith June 29-Blaine Horn June 30-Logan Bachman June 30-Cindy Parks July 01-Connie Fogle July 01-Isabella Palmer July 01-Jennifer Sommers July 01-Shane White

 

 

Order of Worship

June 26, 2022 – Third Sunday after Pentecost

NOTE: People’s responses in bold; * rise in body or in spirit

PRELUDE

* SOLEMN DECLARATION

Our service is in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

* CALL TO WORSHIP

God, who rules the universe, calls us; Christ, who took up his cross, calls us; Holy Spirit, who frees us body and soul, calls us. Let us faithfully answer by worshiping the triune God. Amen.

* HYMN ~ He Leadeth Me                                                                                           #545

* STATEMENT OF FAITH OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

We believe in You, O God, Eternal Spirit,
God of our Savior Jesus Christ and our God,
and to Your deeds we testify:

You call the worlds into being,
create persons in your own image,
and set before each one the ways of life and death.

You seek in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.

You judge people and nations by Your righteous will
     declared through prophets and apostles.

In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior,
You have come to us
and shared our common lot,
conquering sin and death
and reconciling the world to Yourself.

You bestow upon us Your Holy Spirit,
creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ,
binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.

You call us into Your church
to accept the cost and joy of discipleship,
to be Your servants in the service of others,
to proclaim the gospel to all the world
and resist the powers of evil,
to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table,
to join him in his passion and victory.

You promise to all who trust You
forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace,
courage in the struggle for justice and peace,
Your presence in trial and rejoicing,
and eternal life in Your realm which has no end.

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto You.

Amen.

COMMISSIONING OF VBS STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, & PARTICIPANTS

God’s people are called, I am called, Our Church is called, All are called. 

In partnership with God, the children and youth of our community will hear the stories of Jesus while experiencing the love of God in our midst.

We revel in the joy and excitement during the coming week and pray for not only a growth in spirit for the children and youth, but also in us as we continue to be the Church to many beyond our walls.

Blessing

Let the good times roll…

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

O God, by Your Spirit plant Your word within us that we may follow Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, and never leave him. May we find our home in Your kingdom and our life in Your Spirit. Amen

A READING according to II Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 [NRSV]

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and the two of them crossed on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” He responded, “You have asked a hard thing, yet if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water. He said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah? Where is he?” He struck the water again, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha crossed over.

RESPONSE

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Amen.

MESSAGE ~ Roslyn Kuba, Executive Director of Family Promise of the Lehigh Valley

SPECIAL MUSIC ~ Come as You Are                                                        Eric Hantz

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.

INVITATION TO SHARING OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS

The blessings that come from God are rich like the fruits of summer. With our tithes and our offerings let us give thanks and praise to God. Amen.

 

 

 

* DOXOLOGY                                                                                                         #46

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise God, all creatures here below

Praise God above, ye heavenly host

Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

* PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Eternal God, with loving we hearts present our offerings and commit ourselves to follow Jesus Christ, love our neighbors, and share the fruits of the Spirit, giving You thanks and praise. Amen!

* HYMN ~ Just a Closer Walk with Thee                                                                #557

* THE BENEDICTION, AND THREE-FOLD AMEN                                       #312

POSTLUDE

Liturgy from Feasting on the Word, Worship Companion, Year C, Volume 1

                                                                                                                          CCLI#1783708

 

 

A special welcome to our guest speaker today. Roslyn Kuba has been the executive director of the Family Promise of the Lehigh Valley since 2020, a position she is passionate about. Roslyn was a single mother of three amazing children: Alycia, Austin and Jeremy. In addition, she is Gramsey to two amazing and high-spirited grandchildren: Brantley and Tara. Welcome to Good Shepherd!