OCTOBER 2025

Liz Soltan
Oct 4
6 min read

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR KATHLEEN

Dear Ones of God,

WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrow like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

This afternoon, I happened upon Chris Heckert, a Methodist Pastor from my Seminary days with a gift for beautiful acoustic guitar music, sharing his version of this beautiful hymn online. Yet, when I arrived at church today, my soul wasn’t well. It was gripped by mortality and loss – in the turmoil that my fears had created. An “imperfect” storm had billowed in. Praying beside my bedridden neighbor and holding her hand as she journeyed into eternity – having been present to three months of the slow, unfurling grief and the supremely devoted care of her youngest daughter, I felt the storm clouds that had been gathering billow in. The Philadelphia City Council had passed a resolution to prevent the Administration from bringing troops to Philadelphia, and the wind howled. A real possibility of widespread immigration raids, and the continuing crisis of relational divides … I could almost hear the crack of thunder; the world breaking apart.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed his own blood for my soul.

The world breaking apart is truly one way of defining the pieces of this unfurling storm. Still my faith reminds me that breaking apart is really a breaking open. Rather than a shattering close – what if it is breaking into something else? Have you ever studied stain glass windows? Various shapes and sizes of broken and colored glass held together by soldered metal? Pieces, perhaps broken in particular ways … or perhaps just broken yet still able to be formed into something extraordinary?

Faith and Trust are not mirages … or lies. The church and the people that taught me about these things hung a sign in their gathering space--one we walked under upon every entering and every exiting: “You are now entering the mission field.” That means that everywhere we go, we carry the incarnational God within us. Everywhere we go the Holy Spirit walks, works, and lives as part of everything we do, and every fear we have.

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,

The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend;

Even so it is well with my soul.

Beloveds, even so – it IS well with our souls.

Trust that in the billowing storms, our incarnational God in Christ is always with us.

Peace, Pastor Kathleen

HAVE NEWS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Get in touch with Liz Soltan at 215-828-1619 or soltant320@comcast.net

IMPORTANT REMINDER

To help us to provide good pastoral care, please call Pastor Kathleen Kerin at 201-638-8217 if:

You are in need of prayer

Are ill or hospitalized

A baby is born in 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

SEPTEMBER SCENES—SEPTEMBER WAS A BUSY MONTH, TOO …

HOPE’S TABLE VOLUNTEERS, TAKING A BREAK BEFORE PACKING UP 24 SOUPS AND 18 MEALS WITH LEFTOVERS FOR THE FAMILIES OF HOPE’S LODGE…

PRESCHOOL TEACHERS, GETTING READY TO GREET ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR.

P.S. Take a look at the attached flyer for more details on the Preschool’s T-Shirt Fundraiser to cover the costs of a new blocks play center. If you’re not in the market for a t-shirt, donations are always welcome!

ADDING A NEW EXERCISE TO THEIR ZUMBA ROUTINE—ORGANIZING FELLOWSHIP HALL’S KITCHEN

IT’S A BUSY FALL AT ST. TIM’S

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2: EVENING ZOOM BIBLE STUDY RETURNS.

Our first eight weeks will be a deeper look at the act of Prayer; after Thanksgiving, we will focus on Advent.

Use this link to join the Thursday study meetings at 7:30 pm:

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

Meeting ID: 875 1876 0017

Passcode: 547600

If you are interested in checking the topic out a bit, here is a link for you to get started:

https://www.24-7prayer.com/prayer_guide/what-is-prayer/?_gl=1*1r9kkl9*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTU0MDQ5OTc1MS4xNzU5MzUwNjE2*_ga_EP7TTC0T8Z*czE3NTkzNTA2MTUkbzEkZzEkdDE3NTkzNTA2NzYkajYwJGwwJGgw

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5: BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS AT OUR 9:15 AM SERVICE.

You’re invited to bring a picture of your pet(s) –or an object that reminds you of them. Pastor Kathleen will lead us in prayers of thanksgiving for pets and all God’s creatures.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7: IN-PERSON BIBLE/BOOK STUDY BEGINS AT 4:00 PM, IN OUR LIBRARY. This study is in addition to the online study described above.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11: HOPE’S TABLE, OUR FREE COMMUNITY LUNCH. To join in our Oktoberfest-themed lunch, drop in any time between 11 am and 1 pm. If you would like to help by cooking ahead of time or during the lunch, by serving, or cleaning up afterward, please get in touch with Liz Soltan at soltan320@comcast.net, or 215-828-1619.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11: LAY EUCHARISTIC VISITOR TRAINING. For more info on how you can help reach out to our members who can’t attend church as frequently as they would like, please contact Pastor Kathleen at 201-638-8217 or kathkerin@gmail.com

HELP GEMMA HELP THOSE IN NEED

St. Tim’s has supported GEMMA (formerly Martin Luther School) for many years. Last year, we donated 18 school bags filled with everything students need. This year, GEMMA has requested that we support their “Everything but the Turkey” campaign. providing all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner for families in need. Along with a Thrivent grant and your food donations, we hope to fill at least five bags with literally everything but the turkey. A Mission Makers grant will let us purchase $25 gift cards from ShopRite or Walmart so families can round out their Thanksgiving meals with the culinary star of the show, the turkey.

We plan to stuff the bags on Sunday, November 2, right after our service.

GEMMA has provided a specific list of items for each bag—see the flyer below. Look for the sign-up chart in the cafe area. All donations are due by Thursday, October 30. Monetary donations are always welcome.

As always, thank you for generous support as we provide yet another food ministry from St. Tim’s! – Kathy Swift

NORTH EAST/NORTH WEST CONFERENCE EVENTS

Our church neighbors invite you to help support their ministries with these fun fall fundraisers:

Ø SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, from 9 am to 2 pm—PRINCE OF PEACE CHURCH (Colgate and Comly Streets, Lawndale)—FLEA MARKET/BAZAAR with BASKET RAFFLES, BAKED GOODS, AND DELICIOUS LUNCH OFFERINGS.

Ø SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, from 1 pm to 4 pm—REDEMPTION CHURCH (8001 Bustleton Avenue, Rhawnhurst)—FALL CRAFT SHOW, with VENDORS, CRAFTS, FOOD, BEVERAGES, AND KIDS’ CRAFT TABLE—NO Entry Fee.

NEWS FROM THE WIDER CHURCH

Check out these programs and resources from the Lutheran Synod of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America:

WOMEN OF THE ELCA ANNUAL WOMEN'S DAY: WHEN YOU LEAD, OTHERS WILL FOLLOW.

October 12 at 3 pm

Mediator Lutheran Church

2832 N 28th Street, Philadelphia

WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOR?

Welcoming, engaging, and forging relationships with those in our communities.

Join Pastor Kathleen on Saturday, October 18th from 8:30 am to 12:15 at St. John's Lutheran Church, 3101 Tyson Ave., Philadelphia

FAITH ALIVE LEARNING LAB

Workshop on nurturing children with worship and prayer on Saturday, November 22nd, 9 am to 2 pm at Lutheran Church of God's Love, 791 Yardley Road, Newtown

NEW! ELCA CHURCH PROPERTY RESOURCE HUB

You’re invited to explore the Church Property Resource Hub, a new initiative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), developed in response to requests from synod and congregational leaders for support in navigating the challenges and opportunities that buildings and land present for both congregational vitality and the broader mission of the Church. See Pastor Kathleen for the link.

LECTIONARY READINGS FOR OCTOBER

OCTOBER 5:

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4

OCTOBER 12:

OCTOBER 19: