April - May Issue

Liz Soltan
Apr 30
6 min read

Updated: May 4

The Tidings

St. Timothy Lutheran Church Newsletter

7965 Fillmore Street

Philadelphia, PA 19111

The Reverend Kathleen A. Kerin

Sunday Worship @ 9:15 a.m.

Church Office Hours: Tues-Thurs, 9 am – 12 noon

Phone: 215-745-4453

Email: sttimothyfoxchase@comcast.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sttimslutheranchurchfoxrok

Website: sttimsfoxchase.org

APRIL-MAY 2026

This is the Tidings for April-May 2026. If you have not done so already, please sign up on the bottom of the church's website (https://www.sttimsfoxchase.org/ ) to receive additional electronic news from the church.

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN WATCH OUR SERVICE EVERY SUNDAY ON FACEBOOK? YOU CAN WATCH IT LIVE AT 9:15 AM, OR AT YOUR CONVENIENCE. IT’S SURPRISINGLY EASY: GO TO FACEBOOK (www.facebook.com), SEARCH FOR ST. TIMOTHY LUTHERAN CHURCH-FOX CHASE, OR USE THIS LINK:: https://www.facebook.com/sttimslutheranchurchfoxrok. (There is even a way you can use the Tithe.ly icon to make your usual Sunday donation.)

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR KATHLEEN

Uncrowd my heart, O God,

Until silence speaks

In your still small voice;

turn me from the hearing of words,

and the making of words,

and the confusion of much speaking,

To listening,

waiting,

stillness,

silence.

-Thomas Merton

Dear Ones,

Just the other morning I sat outside with my cup of coffee contemplating the day as a gift. I had grabbed a wonderful book of reflection and writing on a variety of topics that are big and wide and wonderful – and always inviting us to growth. Here is the beginning of a short piece from Frederick Buechner on the topic of Silence.

“What deadens us most to God’s presence within us,” he writes, “is the inner dialogue that we are continuously engaged in with ourselves, the endless chatter of human thought. I suspect that there is nothing more crucial to true spiritual comfort, as the huge monk in cloth of gold put it, than being able to from time to time to stop chatter including the chatter of spoken prayer.”

Even spoken prayer can interrupt our ability to listen, I thought to myself - but it’s PRAYER! Wow. Even though in the classroom I had lived by the maxim “If your mouth is open, your ears are closed,” I never considered that prayer on our tongue could interrupt hearing God’s voice within us.

Creating quiet and welcome need not be a whole day’s endeavor. Try it on for size by beginning with one minute and gradually adding more. When your thoughts wander, invite them right back. Set a timer and sit comfortably, settle in, and open your ears to what is happening around you.

Every Sunday at worship our music director, Tim, shapes a magnificent opportunity for us to listen. Come a little early, enter the sanctuary, and listen to the beauty of the notes he crafts. Sit and welcome God in. The silence of our sanctuary is always open to you every Tuesday when I am in the office and, after Memorial Day weekend, each Monday also. I am happy to pray with you as well.

“If we choose to seek the silence of the holy place, or to open ourselves to its seeking... there is no surer way than by keeping silent.”

God’s Peace,

Pastor Kathleen

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

(See more details below)

THURSDAYS, AT 7:30 PM, STARTING APRIL 23: ZOOM BIBLE STUDY FOCUSING ON 40 DAYS WITH JOAN CHITTISTER

TUESDAYS, FROM 9 AM TO 2 PM: CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER IN ST. TIM’S SANCTUARY

TUESDAYS, AT 4 PM, STARTING APRIL 28: IN-PERSON BIBLE STUDY ON THE BOOK OF ISAIAH

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 4:30 PM: COUNCIL MEETING, 4:30 PM, LIBRARY

SATURDAY, MAY 9, FROM 11 AM TO 1 PM: HOPE’S TABLE, FELLOWSHIP HALL

MAY 29 AND MAY 30, ALL-DAY: SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SYNOD ASSEMBLY, TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, LANSDALE

TWO NEW TOPICS FOR ST. TIM’S BIBLE STUDY GROUPS

On Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 7:30 pm, Pastor Kathleen will start a new online study based on the Augsburg Press devotional, 40 Days with Joan Chittister.

Joan Chittister is a Benedictine nun, theologian, and justice advocate who has published many books on the spiritual challenges of living in today’s world. Here is the link for this Zoom-based Bible study:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87518760017?pwd=31gC9dKHVfzkDtOLO4xH2LWYmlNAsK.1

An in-person Bible study will begin on Tuesday, April 28, at 4:00 pm, in St. Tim’s library. Led by Pastor Kathleen, the study will focus on the Book of Isaiah and continue to mid-July.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HOPE’S TABLE!

In May of 2010, a group of St. Tim’s members, inspired by Pastor Deborah Wolfe’s call to develop a new ministry at St. Tim’s, offered the first Hope’s Table lunch. Two people dropped in to see what it was all about. Sixteen years later, Hope’s Table typically serves 25 to 35 people at this free community lunch. But we would love to serve more!

Drop in any time between 11 am to 1 pm on Saturday, May 9, for a free lunch of soup, with egg, tuna, and chicken salads, and a special dessert.

Bring a friend, or come alone and make a friend—all are welcome!

If you would like to help, too—either by cooking (at home, or in the Fellowship Hall kitchen a day or two before) or by serving, setting up, or cleaning up, please give Liz Soltan a text/call at 215-828-1619, or email her at soltan320@comcast.net.

COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY: THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT

Treasurer Kathy Swift has a secret power: Finding useful grants for St. Tim’s! The latest is a grant for a Communications Audit from LEAD Ministry to help St. Tim’s to improve communications to our members and to reach out to our surrounding community.

Early this year, the Communications Committee—Susan Feola, Tina Snyder, Liz Soltan, and Kathy Swift – met with LEAD consultant Peggy Hahn to brainstorm ideas for a survey to see what our members think of how we’re communicating now and how we can do better. The survey that resulted was sent out via e-mail to members; a paper version was also made available.

St. Tim’s members certainly were interested in communicating about communications—a large percentage responded to the survey! The Communications Committee looks forward to sharing what was learned as soon as the LEAD Ministry audit is completed.

DONNA FORCINA, PRE-K CO-TEACHER, TO RETIRE

Linda Yesenosky, St. Tim’s Preschool Director, has announced that Donna Forcina, a much loved and respected member of the Preschool staff, will retire this May. Explaining that Mrs. Forcina’s decision to retire brings a mixture of happiness for her and sorrow for all those who will miss her, “Mrs. Y” added:

After 37 incredible years—dating back to 1989—Mrs. Forcina is starting a well-deserved new chapter. She has been a cornerstone of our preschool program, helping hundreds of little feet take those big steps into the world of PreK.

Nearly four decades of teaching, countless projects, and comforting hugs leave a remarkable legacy. What truly sets Donna apart is her legendary memory and her ability to greet former students by name, even decades later! I am deeply grateful for her contributions and dedication to our preschool program and the lasting impact she has made on generations of preschoolers. While we will miss her wisdom and warmth in our hallways, we are thrilled for her to enjoy more time with family, friends, and regular trips to the Jersey Shore.

Colleen Falconio, Donna Forcina, Linda Yesenosky, Katie McAlorum, and Marcia Maio