Zion's Spies Evangelical Reformed Church

Zion’s (Spies) Evangelical Reformed Church

APRIL 2023

Parson’s points

MEN’S MINISTRIES

Our next meeting will be April 8that 7:30 A.M.

All men encouraged to come and share in the food and fellowship.

April 15th & 16th soup sales

Chicken Pot Pie -$8

CONSISTORY MEETING

Our next meeting will be MONDAY,

April 17th Stewardship @ 6:30 P.M.

Elders @ 7:00 P.M.

Consistory @ 7:30 P.M.

BREAKFAST CLUB

April 12, @ 8 A.M. @ Temple Family Rest.

April 25, @ 8 A.M. @ Breakfast Hut

2

023 NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

The upcoming Annual National Day of Prayer is on May 4, 2023. The theme for 2023 is 

PRAY FERVENTLY IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND AVAIL MUCH

James 5:16b "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Please mark your calendar now to come out and join in prayer for our nation @ 7:00 P.M.

SUNDAY SCHOOL EASTER PROGRAM

The Sunday School Program will be held on PALM SUNDAY April 2nd during the 10:30 worship service.

MAUNDY THURSDAY

HOLY COMMUNION SERVICE

April 6th, 7:30 P.M.

Join us for this special time.

GOOD FRIDAY PRAYER VIGIL

April 8th, 2 P.M. -8 P.M.

As in previous years, we anticipate having one or more persons in the church sanctuary for silent prayer in all time slots throughout the day.

“Our Church Family List” will be available in the Narthex so that you may take from the list as many persons as you will be praying for. May you be encouraged to sign up for one or more time slots as soon as possible on the sheet provided in the Narthex.

HOLY WEEK SCHUEDULE

Palm Sunday April 2, 2023 @ 10:30 A.M.

        Sunday School Easter program

Maundy Thursday April 6, 2023 7:30 P.M.

         Service with Holy Communion

Good Friday April 7, 2023

          Prayer Vigil 2:00-8:00 P.M.

Easter Sunday April 9, 2023 9:00 A.M.

             with Holy Communion

You are encouraged to bring a canned good for the food cupboard.

GRADUATE RECOGNITION

Anyone graduating from college or high school is asked to contact Doris Parr, 610-780-9251 or the church office at 610-779-9787 so that they can be recognized during the church service on June 25th. Please fill out a form which can be found on the table in the Narthex and hand in to Doris or the church office.

JUST A REMINDER! Please remember to notify the church office regarding anyone in the hospital or of any transfers from hospitals to home or to any other facility. It becomes difficult sometimes to keep up with everyone’s moves which results in extra traveling.

Thanks so much.

BIRTHDAY CARD SHOWER SHEETS

for January thru April 2023 available on the Narthex table for anyone willing to participate in sending cards to church family members 80 yrs. & over. Also available on our church website www.zionspieser.com

THE CHOSEN VIDEO SERIES

Lisa and I would like to host a video watch party at our home in Temple. We would like to try Tuesday evenings beginning April 11 at 7:00 PM to watch the video series THE CHOSEN. Each video lasts approximately 45 minutes after which we could socialize and enjoy refreshments. All are welcome. Our address can be found below. Please call or email to let us know if you might attend, or if you have any questions.

We look forward to seeing you.

Pastor Vaughn

Phone: 717-278-6400

Email: [email protected]

4822 7TH AVENUE TEMPLE

Boiler Fund

We have started a boiler fund for the future need of a new boiler. If you would like to contribute to the boiler fund it may be placed in your church envelope and mark the amount going to the boiler or there are envelopes on the table in the Narthex specifically marked for the boiler fund. Thank you. Total so far $5,770

HELP OUR HOMELESS VETERANS

They are no longer taking clothes, blankets or sleeping bags. Donations they do need are hand soap, wipes, toilet paper, and paper towels. Envelopes are available on top of the mailboxes if you would like to make a monetary donation. Our thanks to all that support this mission. Because God gives us all we need, we should give to those in need.

Zion Spies E.R.C. Online Discussion Forum

Pastor Vaughn has established an online discussion forum to engage with questions

about Christianity or faith. The discussion forum is hosted on Facebook, so a Facebook

account is necessary. Anyone interested is encouraged to join the discussion group.

Pastor Vaughn is hoping to add interesting topics and is hoping others will join the

discussion. Even if you aren’t personally interested, please share the details with others

who might be. The forum can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 723312779003188

CHURCH TREASURER’S REPORT

JANUARY 2023

Congregational Offering Receipts $16,667.00

Total Operating Expenses $15,310.09

FEBRUARY 2023

Congregational Offering Receipts $11,762.20

Total Operating Expenses $12,638.27

Respectfully Submitted,

Susan Barnett, Treasurer

2023 ALTAR FLOWER/BULLETIN SPONSOR CALENDAR

The new altar flower and bulletin reservation calendar is available in the Narthex. Please reserve a date now. Should a specific date already be filled, you are invited to sponsor a “separate arrangement” on that date which will be placed in the chancel area.

April 16th is still available and May 7th & 28th

STEWARDSHIP

The first meeting of the year for our Stewardship Committee will occur on April 17th at 6:30 pm in our Social Room of the church.  Join us as we check out how our budget is progressing for the year 2023.  If you are interested in this aspect of church planning, please come and join us for this 1/2-hour meeting.

Young Adults Group Starting

Pastor Vaughn is hoping to launch a young adults Sunday School or Bible Study group

for those ranging in age from High School Graduation to about 35 years old, give or

take a few years. Meeting times and locations are yet to be determined depending upon

the availability of prospective participants. Please help us reach those who might be

interested in participation in such a group. Interested parties should communicate with

Pastor Vaughn at:

[email protected]

WOMEN"S MINISTRIES UPDATE
Although the first day of Spring was March 20th, the weather hasn’t caught up yet to that fact. Hopefully, April will start to bring warmer weather, but then there are April showers to experience. One thing though we can be grateful for is the celebration of the Resurrection of our Savior. With the placing of various plants in the Sanctuary for Easter morning, it will remind us of springtime.
     We ladies are looking forward to the upcoming Family Banquet on May 6th which we have a part in planning. As usual it is a time of Christian fellowship, entertainment, and, of course, good food. This will be the first of many family banquets for our new pastor and his family, and hopefully an enjoyable time for them, as well as our church families.
     A sign-up sheet has been placed in the Narthex. See Sue Barnett for your tickets, which MUST be purchased by April 30th if you plan to attend. Cost is $15 per adult. There is no charge for children and youth.

Full page ad included in this newsletter.
     As always it is our goal to keep God at the center of our “busyness”, and we invite all the women of the church to join us at our monthly meetings which are held the second Tuesday of the month at 11:00 AM.

Next meeting April 11th.

THANKS

We would like to give a big thanks to all the people who have helped provide soup, bread, crackers and drinks for the Soup and Bread Socials before the Wednesday night Lent Service.

MATINEE April 22nd @1:00 P.M.

Movie to be determined Light snack provided.

EVANGELISM & OUTREACH

It will be so great seeing all the beautiful flowers decorating the sanctuary for our Easter services on April 9th, hopefully everyone got their orders.

On March 19th we once again made lunches for the Homeless Veterans, many, many, thanks to all who helped prepare the lunches and to everyone who contributed food items, money or paper goods. Remember we collect these items at all times, and they can be placed in the social hall near the stage, also there are always envelopes on top of the mailboxes for monetary donations. We sent another $500 in gift cards to Doug & Liz Graybill along with the lunches.

We had a meeting on March 14th.

We are always looking for new members, why not come out and join us.

If you know of someone who needs help, please share it with us, that’s what makes Evangelism and Outreach work. You can contact Margie Noll or Pastor Vaughn.

ITEMS AVAILABLE

There is a large wooden table 4'x6' available at the back of the church. Also, a collapsible walker and commode downstairs. If anyone has a use for any of these items, please see Sue Barnett or call the church office

610-779-9787.

NEWLETTER ARTICLES

ARE DUE THE SECOND TO LAST SUNDAY

Faith is not about everything turning out OK.

Faith is about being OK no matter how things turn out.

GOD NEVER SAID IT WOULD BE EASY…HE JUST SAID HE WOULD GO WITH ME.

I ASKED THE LORD TO BLESS YOU

I asked the Lord to bless you

As I prayer for you today

To guide you and protect you

As you go along the way…

His love is always with you

His promises are true.

And when we give him all of our cares

You know He will see us through

So when the road you are traveling on

Seems difficult at best

Just remember I am here praying

And God will do the rest.

Author Unknown

Easter Joy

Jesus came to earth,
To show us how to live,
How to put others first,
How to love and how to give.

Then He set about His work,
That God sent Him to do;
He took our punishment on Himself;
He made us clean and new.

He could have saved Himself,
Calling angels from above,
But He chose to pay our price for sin;
He paid it out of love.

Our Lord died on Good Friday,
But the cross did not destroy
His resurrection on Easter morn
That fills our hearts with joy.

Now we know our earthly death,
Like His, is just a rest.
We'll be forever with Him
In heaven, where life is best.

So we live our lives for Jesus,
Think of Him in all we do.
Thank you Savior; Thank you Lord.
Help us love like you!

By Joanna Fuchs