FAREWELL, VICAR KYLE!
On Sunday, June 25, Vicar Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero presided over his last service as our intern/interim pastor at St. Tim’s.
After the service, the congregation enjoyed a lunch of Philly favorites (hoagies, pretzels, homemade Tandy Takes, and Herr’s chips) in Fellowship Hall. Because Vicar Kyle’s is taking on a new position as Grace Professor of Leadership at the Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon, the hall was decorated in Canadian red and white.
Gifts for Vicar Kyle included a LOVE tee shirt highlighting Philadelphia neighborhoods, as well as several hats in recognition of the many “hats” he wore—tech expert, Biblical scholar, preschool storyteller, and all-around Mr. Fix-It--during his nine months at St. Tim’s.
The choir’s anthem during the service said it all: “God Be with You Till We Meet Again.”
PASTORAL TRANSITION UPDATE
Pastor Sandra Brown, our Synod-appointed transition counselor, has conducted individual interviews with Council; she also plans to interview other members to better understand St. Tim’s history and our goals. We will then form a transition committee to develop a mission site profile that will give prospective pastoral candidates a detailed look at St. Tim’s.
This summer, our worship services will be led by various members of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod roster, including several pastors we have met before (Pastors Bruce Davidson, Guy Erwin, Tricia Neale, Karen Sease, and Sandra Brown), as well as a recent seminary graduate, Mycah McNett.
Hearing a variety of voices from the pulpit has its own benefits. However, our North East/North West Conference Dean, Pastor Joey Klinger, and other Synod deans are working to find us an interim pastor who can begin in September and remain until St. Tim’s calls a new pastor.
IN THE MEANTIME…
Please call Liz Soltan at 215-828-1619, or leave a message at the church office (215-745-4453) if:
* You are ill or hospitalized
* A baby is born into your family
* You are planning to marry
* You want to receive the sacraments of Baptism or Holy Communion
* You are moving
* Your phone number or email address has changed
VBS IS BACK!
In a welcome sign that life is returning to pre-pandemic “normal,” St. Tim’s is holding our Vacation Bible School during the week of July 24 to July 28. (See the enclosed flyer.)
The theme is DISCOVERY ON ADVENTURE ISLAND: Join Us in a Quest for God’s Great Light in the World. Susan Feola, our Christian Education director, and her team are busy planning Bible stories, crafts, games, and songs.
It’s not too late to get in on the fun! Call Susan Feola at (215) 718-9600—for more details on how you can help.
HOLY KNIT WITS AT HOSPITAL CELEBRATION
During Nurses’ Appreciation week in early May, members of St. Tim’s Holy Knit Wits group participated in a heart-warming program at Temple University Hospitals- Jeanes Campus.
Our Holy Knit Wits group, started by Pastor Deborah Wolfe some years ago, has consistently and faithfully donated hundreds of prayer shawls to Temple University Hospitals. In planning a special celebration to honor the hospitals’ nurses and allied professionals, chaplain Monica Kolb thought it would be nice if the creators of those shawls could see just how much the shawls mean to the people who receive them.
At Ms. Kolb’s invitation, Anna Molnar, Val Filipenko, and Barbara Huber attended the outdoor celebration to hand out prayer shawls to anyone, staff or visitors, who wished to receive one. As people selected a shawl from the 70-plus shawls of various colors, many shared their unique stories. One person asked for a shawl for her 102-year-old grandma; another, for an expectant mother.
Several people had received a shawl before. A nurse remarked that when she gave a prayer shawl to a patient with bladder cancer, the patient had a full night’s sleep for the first time in weeks. A cancer survivor described how she felt receiving a prayer shawl: “It gives you a hug.”
Anna, Val, and Barbara agreed that the whole experience was inspirational. Barbara said, “It made me feel like going right home and immediately begin knitting.”
If you would like to get involved with this ministry, give Anna Molnar or Val Filipenko (215-782-8562) or Barbara Huber (215-379-3648) a call.
SUMMER FOOD MINISTRY
With summer vacations affecting volunteer support everywhere, agencies like Caring for Friends and Feast of Justice depend on—and very much appreciate--our efforts to provide home-cooked meals, canned goods, and personal hygiene products for our neighbors in need.
Why not pick up a few meal tins for Caring for Friends (on the table in the Café area)? Take a look at the instructions—you may be surprised how easy it is to do. If you would like more info, call Liz Soltan at 215-828-1619.
Recently, Feast of Justice has preferred donations of personal hygiene products or household cleaning aids. But we also like having some canned goods or non-perishable food on hand at St. Tim’s for people in need who come to our door. Please continue to bring donations to the Library on Sundays or when the church office is ordinarily open-- Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8 am to 12 noon. Best to call first (215-745-4453) to let our church secretary, Katie McAlorum, know you are coming.
PRAYER MINISTRY
The Prayer Team is ready to lift you or your concern in prayer. No concern is too small or insignificant. If you need prayer, talk with one of our team members: Barbara Huber, Tina Snyder, Isabel Hyczko, Carolyn Denzel, Rich and Liz Soltan, Vanessa Fineberg, and Verna Clohecy. Email or text Rich Soltan (soltanesq@comcast.net or 215-828-1617) or email Verna Clohecy (vclohecy1@aol.com).
STILL COLLECTING….gently-used or new sneakers, eyeglasses, and printer cartridges. See the collection boxes in the coat closet across from the Library.
Summer is a great time to clean out those closets at home.
WHO’S WHO ON COUNCIL
Church Council usually holds meetings after worship on the third Sunday of the month, although summer vacations may necessitate a break in that schedule.
Anyone is welcome to attend a Council meeting, but we do request notice beforehand. Similarly, feel free to bring up your suggestions, concerns, or questions to any Council member.
Here is the contact information for Council members.
· Liz Soltan (President) – 215-828-1619 or (soltan320@comcast.net)
· Rich Soltan (Vice President)—215-828-1617 or (soltanesq@comcast.net)
· Carolyn Denzel (Secretary)—215-205-4187 or (cdenzel03.gmail.com)
· Susan Feola (Christian Education)—215-718-9600 or (suefeola07@msn.com)
· Vanessa Fineberg (Parish Life)—216-605-2653 or (vfineberg@comcast.net)
· Tom Lyden (Property)—215-340-981 or thomas.lyden513@icloud.com
· Tina Snyder (Service)—267-879-4637 or (jimntina87@comcast.net)
· Kathy Swift (Worship)—215-813-0824 or (kswift6267@comcast.net)
ONE MORE POINT: Member Bob Schiller, who keeps the pencils in our pews in razor-sharp order, says pencils with broken points are hard to retrieve from the container holes. Just leave any you find on the hymnal rack or pew bench.
LECTIONARY READINGS
July 2
July 9
July 16
July 23
Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19 (alternate)
July 30
August 6
August 13
August 20
August 27
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