Author Archives: info@stjohnsemmaus.org

Disaster Relief Cleaning Kits

The Outreach Committee is asking you to respond with monetary donations to purchase supplies for cleaning kits needed by folks after the recent hurricanes. There are detailed criteria for each requested item so the committee has decided to do the shopping for you. They will also assemble the kits following specific instructions.

Each completed kit has a value of approximately $65.  The United Methodist Committee on Relief is coordinating the shipping and handling.

Look for committee members after this week’s and next week’s services to make your donation. They will be holding the donation buckets as you leave the services. Also, you can see a sample cleaning kit on display in the church.

reformation

Reformation Celebration on Oct. 29– Come Join Us!

Where did Luther translate the New Testament into German? … What is the name of Luther’s most famous hymn?

If you are wondering about the answers to these questions….consider joining us next Sunday, October 29 as St. John’s commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in a very special way. Pastor Newhart will be sharing one of his “Portrayals” at both the 8:00 and 10:30 am services. In conjunction with this historic anniversary, he will be portraying Martin Luther.

In between the two services at approximately 9:15 am in the Parish Hall, there will be a special time of fellowship and refreshments as Pastor Newhart provides an interactive educational teaching on Martin Luther by continuing his portrayal of Martin Luther and answering questions from Sunday School students and congregation members and sharing some Martin Luther and Reformation trivia.

Our celebration promises to be a time of commemoration, fellowship, worship, education and fun! Come join us! Both children and families will receive a special gift to help commemorate this special day.

Andre Fatula: Steward of the Month: July 2017

My involvement with St. John’s ministry began in the mid 1990’s when Reverend Fred Foerster asked for volunteers to visit the homebound members of the congregation on a set schedule.  At that moment in my life I was a part-time employee of the John Gould Pharmacy in Emmaus.  My role was to deliver prescription medicine to the pharmacy’s vast clientele, many of whom were confined to their living quarters.  Despite the wide disparity in ages I was able to forge a trusting friendly relationship with these senior citizens.  As a result of this rewarding experience I was confident of my ability to relate to the homebound of St. John’s.  For two years, I paid monthly visits to three homebound members and forwarded brief summaries of those visits to Eileen Gribben who was the project coordinator.  For reasons, I cannot recall this outreach came to an end, and I was left in limbo until the late Richard Keim approached me one Sunday following worship and stated that there was a need for communion assistants and ushers at the early service.  Would I help? After some thought I decided to serve in both capacities which I did until 2007 when I decided to focus solely on ushering.  Two years later I slipped quietly into the role of full time usher at the eight o’clock service.

To be among the first to greet friends, acquaintances and visitors to worship on a Sunday is one of my joys in life.  I look forward to this experience each week.