Summer Birthdays

Happiest Birthday Wishes! We celebrate you, thank God, and pray for your year ahead.

“O God our times are in your hand; Look with favor we pray, on your servants, as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

-Adapted from the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship.

JUNE Birthdays

1 Lynne d'Entremont, Megan Connors, Colette Carl

2 Julie Lojek

3 Miranda Miller, Herta Flanagan, June Ericsson

4 Joanne Crozier, Stephanie Funk, Rob Loose

5 Katharine Gilbert

6 Judith Milby

7 Peter Shickel

8 Melora Bauman, Kelsey Loose, Laura Ailor

9 Lois Mamourian, Brayden DiPrinzio

10 Elena Schmidt

12 Jodi Donohue, Erik Meyer

13 John Bernier

14 Karen Lenker, Ryan Jones

15 Karen Vermillion

16 Carrie Stackhouse

17 John Nansteel

18 Lukas Milby, Kaitlyn Williams-Koester, Ingrid Spangler

19 Kenneth Cowperthwait, Mark DiPrinzio

20 Jason Heid

22 David Baugher, Mike Derkacz

23 Rob McClay

26 Claire Jenkins, Avery Fuhr

27 Alessandra Russo, Allison Hickey

28 Monica Gilbert, Rebekah Houck, James Madden

JULY BIRTHDAYS

1 B. Earl Stahl

2 Emily Hubley, Linda Roccas, Kevin Heid

3 Sonja Spangler, Ruth Shainline

4 Ian Mercier

5 Matt Heintzelman, Charles Cullum

9 Don Barnett, Sandra Willbrant

10 P.T. Ricci, Emily Luce, Elizabeth Winters, Sarah Aubert

11 Courtney McKenna

12 Harold Mueller, Suzanne Bowers

13 Rachel Skelly, Alison Roithmayr

15 Michael Praplaski

16 Arlene Kenosian, Lauren Moul

17 Hope Skelly, Lynn McCown

20 Lori Long, Brian Hagerty, Matt Hagerty, Andrew Hendrickson

22 Emily Hanhauser, Michael Ippoliti

24 Jennifer Smith, Pr Matt Staniz, Grayson Long

25 Bob Mitchell, Ian Roessler

27 Kyle Lojek

29 Stephen Shickel

30 Eric DeBerardinis, Nancy Shaw

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

2 Wesley Martin

3 Devon Sklar

4 Marty Meyer, Hailey Barlow

6 Katelin Hamilton

7 Clark Muir

8 Janet Bellak, Kaitlyn Winters

9 Anne Barnett, Peter Kenyon, Ruth Valentine

10 Steve Miller

12 Kyle Feaster, Sarah Reed

13 Bret Troutman, Janet Hughes

15 Wendy Scheirer, Eric Roessler, Michelle Ippoliti

16 Sara Whitehead

17 Meredith Moore, Reed McCurley

18 Jean Long, Linda Cullum

20 Austin Lenker, Andrew Seaton, David Hughes, Carrie Johnston

21 Gregory Fantoni, Addison Long

22 Ryan Lojek, Andrew Sutherland

23 Evan Sonn

24 Annie Volpe, Kristen Southmayd

26 Ryan Buttenbaum, Jim Doerr

27 Scott Wood, Landyn Long

28 John DeVol

29 Jim Himler

30 Taylor King, Sarah Arvan, Taylor Vermillion

31 Sam Muir, Alecia Schlender-Youngblood

Congratulating Our Confirmands

We are thrilled to celebrate the recent Confirmation of four exceptional 9th graders in our congregation. The Confirmation service was a special moment of faith, growth, and commitment for our young members. We are excited to see what God has in store for them as they continue to journey in their faith. We want to congratulate our Confirmands -Evelyn, Siena, Derek, and Thor - on this important milestone. 

• Evelyn Snyders:  "I know God is always watching over me, but sometimes in nature or in art, I can feel the influence of Him more whether its beside me or out in the world."

• Derek Boyer: "It is our faith that pulls us through our lives."

• Thor Bowers:  "God encourages us to love everyone, regardless of their background or culture."

• Siena Schulz: "Remembering that we are all a part of a larger community is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself."

Be sure to check out their full faith statements to read more of their inspiring stories.

Let us all lift up these Confirmands in prayer and support them as they continue to grow in their faith.

Calling A Second Pastor

The Saint Luke Call Committee has been meeting regularly, preparing for when the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (SEPA Synod of the ELCA) sends them a candidate profile to begin interviewing for a second pastor. The committee is chaired by Pastor Mary Konopka, and includes members Jodi Cunniffe, Paul DiSciascio, Gillian Heckert-Mitchell, Sparky Lok, and Morgan Miller.

Pastor Mary said the Call Committee has been following the synod’s four phase Pastoral Transition Process. A resource the call committee has been using in their preparations is the Pastoral Transition: A Guide for Lay Leaders.

The guide describes the four phases of transition and offers resources for each phase. The synod says the congregations is encouraged to carry the transition process through all four phases, continuing with the recommended practices as a new pastor is called and installed. This ensures that the mission and vision Saint Luke has worked so hard to create and which forms a connection between the new pastor and the congregation continues to be intentionally implemented.

Pastor Mary said that Saint Luke’s call process is modified because unlike calling a new pastor, we are calling a second pastor. One additional step is added. The lead Pastor interviews the candidate prior to the Call Committee interview to determine some measure of working compatibility and ‘green lights’ the candidate to proceed with the interview. Of course, this Call process is unique as it follows a train of unforeseen events during the last couple of years: Pastor Sue’s strokes, subsequent retirement, a pandemic, and then our calling Pastor Matt as our lead pastor.

The Call Committee has completed the first two phases of the process (After a Pastor Retires and Self-Study and Visioning Profile, Congregational Profile), which included reviewing the congregation’s self-study and the church council’s Ministry Site Profile (MSP), which tells a candidate more about our church, its history, it’s mission and values, and its ministries. The Call Committee has entered the third phase having received a candidate to interview and is in the process of scheduling that Interview.

The committee also met with the Rev. Christopher Franz, Dean of the Chester County Conference of SEPA Synod, and pastor at Advent Lutheran Church in West Chester, PA, to conduct a mock (practice) interview and finalize the questions they will ask the pastoral candidates. Pastor Franz provided feedback and guidance on the questions to the Call Committee.

On May 31, SEPA Synod submitted a candidate to the Call Committee and they will soon be conducting interviews. They will also observe the candidate at a neutral site to hear them preach.

Once the call committee has completed interviews with candidates and have completed their work, they will move to phase four, where they would formally recommend a candidate to the church council to call as our second pastor. Throughout the process, Saint Luke has worked to develop its vision of the future to which God is calling it and will call a second pastor it believes will lead Saint Luke in pursuing its vision. Once approved by the council and called to Saint Luke, the congregation will welcome our second pastor.

This new partnership is celebrated with a formal call and an installation service. Rather than set aside the work of this transition process, the synod says it is important for the new pastor and congregation to work on implementing its vision together. The arrival of the second pastor, the synod says, is not a time when “things return to normal,” but it is continuation of the pastoral transition.

A Resource for the Community

Besides the Saint Luke activities that take place every week, our building serves as a resource for our members and people around the area. Whether your next event is small or large, the facilities at Saint Luke Lutheran Church are the perfect venue. We offer a variety of spaces (plus tables & chairs are available with rentals) including:

• Chapel

• Conference Room

• Kitchen

• Lobby

• Memorial Garden

• Narthex

• Sanctuarv

• Schlack Hall

• Youth/Communitv Center

  In exciting news, members pay one third of the standard fees we charge for the use of these lovely spaces!

Schlack Hall & Kitchen

Schlack Hall, named for The Rev. Ted Schlack, our founding Pastor, is our large, comfortable, well-ventilated social hall.  When it was reconstructed after a 2003 fire, we added moveable walls to divide it into smaller classrooms or create a large gathering space.  Schlack Hall and its certified commercial kitchen are available for members to use for family celebrations like birthday parties, graduation celebrations, or dinners.  Besides hosting meals like the Easter Sunday pancake breakfast, luncheons and our upcoming picnic, we’ve also had folks starting up food-service businesses rent the facility by the hour for cooking!

Memorial & Remembrance Gardens

Additionally, part of the early-2000’s rebuilding was the Sanctuary Garden.  Besides a lovely, serene outdoor space, the Garden includes a columbarium wall where members who have died and wish to be buried here can choose to be interred after a cremation.  In recent years, we added the Remembrance Garden, near the Baptism window on the sanctuary wall.  This garden includes plaques where loved ones may be remembered, no matter where they are interred. 

Planning an upcoming event? Reach out to Allen in the church office for assistance finding the perfect space for your gathering.

Discover the Joy of Music Ministry

There is always a joyful noise dancing through the sanctuary at Saint Luke. It resonates with a diverse symphony of sound, encompassing the joyful melodies of children singing in unison, the pulsating rhythms of a grooving band anchored by thunderous drums, the harmonious voices of the senior choir, and the enchanting melodies of special instrument pieces that weave through the air. Each person adds to the music & you are a part of our song.

This summer, our Senior Choir will be lending their voices to enrich our worship experience throughout the summer and all are welcome. Whether you are an experienced singer or have never sung in a choir before, this is a fantastic opportunity to serve our church and be part of our vibrant music ministry. Rehearsals take place on Sunday mornings before the service, starting at 8:30 am. No prior experience is necessary, although reading music is a plus.

““God loves everyone’s talents so what you have to share is important and appreciated.” ”

— John Rea, Music Director

There are so many wonderful reasons to be a part of the Music Ministry. By singing with the choir, you will not only deepen your connection with God but also foster stronger bonds within our community. When asked why music ministry matters, our Music Director John Rea encouragingly shared, “Music is a huge part of our worship and another way we can be closer to God and each other.”

If you possess vocal or instrumental talents that you would like to share during a service, we encourage you to reach out to John Rea. Each person has something of value. Rea explains, “God loves everyone's talents so what you have to share is important and appreciated.” He will guide you in selecting a song, provide sheet music, and assist with rehearsals to ensure you can be your best.

We are looking forward to a wonderful summer together and cannot wait for your voice to be a part of our song. May the power of music bring us closer to the heart of our faith and to one another!

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Love a Little Louder Still

During lent, we gathered each week to engage with messages from members about several Saint Luke ministries in which we care for one another and those in our community. As we heard inspiring stories and found out more about how Saint Lukans shout and show God’s love beyond the church walls, we were inspired to join the mission to know, love and serve Christ. Our times of gathering have come to an end but our work is not through.

Guest writer & longtime Saint Luke member, Marie Lambeck encourages us to continue to listen & love loudly this summer.

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Love a Little Louder posters, seen throughout our Saint Luke campus and online, got me thinking about the word itself: “LOUDER.”  It occurred to me that louder speaks of more than volume.  Doesn’t it include a breadth, an outward spread that finally, might include a broader audience?  In fact, after reaching a distant and unforeseen place it may even return to us in a form that we know as echo.

“If something has a resonance for someone, it has a special meaning or is particularly important to them. God’s love resonates with us and through us.”

Then too, “louder” is often experienced through its depth of resonance.  This may range from a full, deep expression to a lighter, upper - register gift of
tingling, truth telling joy.

God’s love may be present in any form/degree/medium to which our hearts and minds may be open.  Worship, prayer, outreach— all paths may induce a rich love a little “louder.”

Artwork by Marie Lambeck

Reflect & Listen for God’s Love

• How do you “see”  love louder around you? Where does it find you?

• Can you think of an experience of love that had great depth of resonance/meaning/importance to you?

• In what ways can you increase your love’s volume, depth, and broader reach?

‘Best Day Ever!” EGGstravaganza

It seems like just yesterday when we welcomed over 60 children and their families to Saint Luke for the community EGGstravaganza. Nineteen families who attended said they didn’t have a church they call their own. Many said they heard about EGGstravaganza through invitations sent to Beautiful Beginnings, advertisements in the community, and the church sign. The families who attended were invited to Easter services and other Saint Luke Kids activities.

As one child told her parents, “It was the best day ever,” as her basket overflowed with eggs. The children celebrated Easter at the community egg hunt, where they searched for, and found, hundreds of hidden eggs. The egg hunt was divided into age groups. There were also games, crafts, and snacks.

Thanks to all of those who made the day a huge success, including Tami Murtha, Gretchen DiSciacio, Sarah Engle, Sarah Reed, Cindy Schulz, Laura Himler, and Monica Staniz, and the many others who helped on the day of the event.

The event also raised $200 additional dollars for the God’s Global Barnyard, part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) Good Gifts program. God’s Global Barnyard supports the sustainable development ministries of ELCA World Hunger, which include training, education, resources (and much more) to help the community care for animals and create new opportunities like starting a small business selling eggs, meat or dairy products.