The Ben Salem Voice
Ben Salem United Church of Christ
PO 128, Andreas, PA 18211
October - 2009
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Dear Members and Friends of Ben Salem UCC,
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24. God is mysterious. We have ideas about God. Words have been written about God. We have many names for God: Yahweh, Lord, Creator, Father. There is still mystery. The Bible says that God is Spirit. You cannot see a spirit. One cannot see gravity or radio waves, but we know they are there.
Since God is Spirit, we must worship in spirit and in truth. We must have a cleansing of the mind to worship. We must clear all extraneous matter from our mind and open a pathway into our mind, heart and soul so that the Spirit can flow into us.
What happens when you come to worship? Some arrive at church laughing and joking. They may be concerned with what others are wearing. Other people may spend some time gossiping. Talk continues right up to the moment the prelude begins and sometimes into the prelude. However, if we want to worship in spirit and in truth, it means that we have to open a clear channel for God to flow into our lives.
Some people say they do not need to attend church to worship God, but there is importance in a routine where one regularly worships God. There is strength in being with fellow believers. There is something special about a group of assembled Christians focusing together on God.
Jesus did not say, “The first commandment is you shall go to church.” The Bible does say that we should not forsake the assembling together. Assembling is to worship, to reflect on God, to listen to a message and be strengthened, to be light, salt and leaven in the world, making a difference.
What I hear from those who no longer can physically come to worship is that the main thing they miss about church is the worship service. Worship has a way of strengthening and empowering us as we face life and all its struggles.
I would encourage you to develop the pattern and habit of regularly worshipping the Lord. Pray during the Prelude, sing with a joyful heart, and let God’s Word be your guide and strength in your life. Depart then to serve the Lord and your fellow human beings.
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness: come into his presence with singing. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.” [Psalm 100]
Pastor Quayle
When you are in the narthex while either worship or Sunday School is occurring please keep the volume of your visiting low so as not to disturb those participating in either of those activities.
Scheduling Events at Ben Salem Church: To prevent scheduling problems…Prior to calling meetings or events, please check with the Church Secretary at 386-3870 to make sure that the date you have planned is available.
Email :
Next meeting: Monday, October 19th at 10 AM in the parlor
Crop Walk for Hunger à Sunday, October 11th - Lehigh Canal Park, Weissport
We invite people from the Ben Salem congregation to register for the Crop Walk for Hunger on Sunday, October 11th at the Weissport Canal. Registration is from 1-2 PM and the walk will start at 2 PM. Twenty-five percent of the money raised will be donated to the Trinity Food Pantry. The Ben Salem mission committee will sponsor $1 per mile for every Ben Salem member who walks. Please come out and have fun while joining your brothers and sisters in the fight against hunger!! Return all sponsor forms and money to the church on October 18th. Forms can be obtained by seeing a member of the mission committee.
Neighbors in Need ---> October 4th
The Neighbors in Need offering, which we will receive on October 4th, supports the UCC’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two-thirds of the offering is used by the Justice and Witness Ministries to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts and direct service projects. NIN also supports our American Indian neighbors in the UCC. One-third of the offering supports the UCC’s Council for American Indian Ministries. Neighbors in Need helps make another world possible. It needs your support. Please give generously.
Troop Projectà Sept. 27 – October 25
A group of soldiers will be deploying to Afghanistan with the 2nd Battalion/2nd Marines this fall. The parents and families of this division are planning to honor them by sending each of the 1,000 Marines and Sailors a package for Christmas. Disposable razors, Colgate Wisp disposable toothbrushes, baby wipes (small portable-size soft pack), and knitted WOOL helmet liners are desperately needed. Directions for making the helmet liner can be found on the mission table at the church or at www.the2-2family.blogspot.com. Wool will be supplied to those who need it. Please contact Lonnie Christoff at 610-462-0883 or . Please have all donations returned to the church by October 25th. Support our troops!!
CARENET Baby Bottle Campaign à October 4 – October 25
CARENET is a faith based pregnancy crises center located in Lehighton that focuses on helping and counseling young mothers in difficult situations. Their services are free and they depend on local churches for their support. More information about CARENET can be found at www.carenetcarbon.org. The mission committee has decided to do a ‘Baby Bottle Campaign’ to support CARENET. Baby bottles will be available to take home on October 4th. We ask that you collect your spare change and deposit it into the baby bottle for the month of October. The baby bottles are due back at church on October 25th. A little change will go a long way!!
Hunger Relief Project Sept/Oct à Heifer Project: Light up Life with a Llama
Llamas and their kin, the alpaca, provide Heifer Project families with invaluable sources of transportation, income and wool, which is prized for making blankets, ponchos, carpet and rope. And as these handy helpers are passed on to other families through Heifer's model, llamas are helping transform entire communities.Each llama costs $150. Our goal is to be able to sponsor 2 llamas which will help to change the life of a needy family.
Carbon County Prison Ministry
The Carbon County Prison Chaplaincy Board is in need of unused note cards, assorted greeting cards and writing paper for use by the inmates to stay in contact with their families. They are also asking us to write words of encouragement to the inmates. This is for ALL ages. It can be a picture, a poem, some inspirational words, etc. done by Sunday school classes, youth groups, or the whole congregation. NOTE: Please do not include full names, name of church or addresses of any kids with the words of encouragement. Sign notes from congregation, class or committee, or just use first name. There is a box in the narthex to deposit requested items and letters and/or pictures of encouragement. Please have everything back at the church by OCTOBER 25th.
Matthew 25:35-36,40:
35 ….I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me:
I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me….
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the
least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoeboxes and the Good News of God’s love. This program of Samaritan’s Purse provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple, hands-on mission project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ, God’s greatest gift. Along with shoeboxes, millions of children are given Gospel booklets in their own language. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe box gifts have been delivered to boys and girls in some 130 nations. Each year, Ben Salem UCC has a tremendous response to this project. We have made many new friends all over the world. Please help to keep the tradition going.
How to Pack a Shoe Box
1. SHOE BOX: Use an empty shoe box (standard size, please) or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.
2. BOY OR GIRL? Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Use the labels found on the back of the brochures in the narthex or print out your own from www.samaritanspurse.org. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.
3. FILL WITH GIFTS: Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child. Use the gift ideas provided on the bottom of this page.
4. INCLUDE YOUR DONATION: Please donate $7 for each shoe box you prepare to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can include cash or write a check to Ben Salem UCC and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box. If you or your family are preparing more than one shoe box, please make one combined donation and place it in one of the boxes
5. DROP OFF: Place a rubber band around each closed shoe box and drop off back at Ben Salem by Nov. 8th.
Please see the display in the narthex for more information or visit www.samaritanspurse.org
Shoeboxes are due back at the church Nov. 8th.
Church Business
How to Contribute to Our Operating Budget: [to pay Ben Salem’s bills]
+ Use your weekly envelope [in your envelope packet]
+ Designate “Current Expenses”: [Benevolence is only for Missions - OCWM]
+ Place in offering plate or send to the Church: Ben Salem UCC, PO 128, Andreas, PA 18211
2009 Church Board Members:
President: Sharon Elder
Vice President: Michael Barndt
Secretary: LaVaun Shanton
Elders: Sharon Elder, Brian Nothstein, LaVaun Shanton, Dayle Smith
Deacons: Michael Barndt, Sally Beck, Barry Fink, Walter Keeck,
Terry Lusch, Bernice Steigerwalt, Ron Steigerwalt, Kelly White
Interim Pastor: Rev. Don Quayle
Church Secretary: Dollie Behr
Treasurer: Dawne Beidleman
Financial Secretary’s Address: Susan Messina, 66 River Road,
Tamaqua, PA 18252
Next Church Board Meeting: October 19, 7 P.M.
Cemetery Association Officers: [Meetings held on first Thursday of each month at 7 P.M.]
President: Paul Kuehner Secretary: Brian Beidleman
Treasurer: Kelly White Trustees: Richard Bealer, Cliff Snowberger
Caretaker: David Fritz
Pastoral Search Committee
Dollie Behr Amy Frantz [Secretary]
Ellen Diaz Denise Gerber [Co-Chairperson]
Jim Diehl [Co-Chairperson] Bob Pope
Dorothy Eberts Dayle Smith
Sharon Elder [Church Board President]
[The Church Profile has been completed and submitted to PNEC
and is now on our Ben Salem Website.]
Prayer Chain: This is a way for anyone to request prayer for a specific need….[or thanksgiving or joy]. To have our Prayer Chain pray for you: Contact Betty Nothstein at 570-386-5644. If you would like to be called with others’ prayer requests as part of the Prayer Chain, also call Betty.
Called to Care: Trained volunteers from our church are available to assist the Pastor in visiting people. If you would like a “Called to Care” volunteer to visit you, please contact Pastor Quayle at the Church Office [570] 386- 3870. The next “Called to Care” meeting will be held on October 5, 1 P.M.
Our Sympathy is extended to the Family of Franklin Sowers.
Franklin passed away on September 1.
His funeral was held at Ben Salem on Sept. 5.
Baptism: Casey Lee Reifsnyder received the
Sacrament of Baptism on September 20, 2009.
Casey is the son of Corey and Heather [Handwerk] Reifsnyder.
New Building Fund
Next Fundraisers Meeting: October 6, 7 P.M. at Social Hall
How to contribute to the New Building Fund:
To contribute money to the New Building Fund:
***Make check payable to Ben Salem UCC but designate “New Building Fund”
***Use a separate envelope -included monthly in your 2009 envelope packet or available in the Church narthex.
If you use your weekly envelope it causes much extra paperwork. If you have any questions pertaining to the New Building Fund…please contact Dolores Kuehner at 386-4877.
Recycle…save your soda cans…
Larry Nothstein and Herlin Haberman continue to take aluminum cans to Zaprazny’s. To help with this project…bring your aluminum soda cans [crushed or uncrushed] to the Old Social Hall and drop them off at the lower basement entrance. Benefits the New Building Fund. Please do not throw any other garbage items in with the aluminum soda cans.
HOAGIE SALE TO BENEFIT NEW BUILDING FUND
ORDERS DUE OCT. 4 PICK-UP OCT.15 (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
NAME______PHONE #______
PLAIN – HAM, SALAMI, CHEESE, LETTUCE & TOMATOES (no onions or peppers)
PLAIN ______WITH HOT PEPPERS (no onions) ______
WITH ONIONS ______WITH ONIONS & HOT PEPPERS ______
TOTAL # ORDERD ______@ $3.50 EACH TOTAL AMOUNT DUE $______
Place order form in box in narthex or call Sue Messina at 570-386-2880.
AVON HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER