The September issue of FOCUS ON FAITH is here! Enjoy!

The Church Office will be closed Monday
in observance of Labor Day.
Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Weekend!
Dear Friends,

With an increase of COVID-19 cases with the Delta Variant, I would like to request that those attending Sunday worship return to the practice of wearing masks until future notice. This is the advice coming from pa.gov: If you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. According to the CDC Lehigh County is a High Transmission Area.

I know that wearing a mask can be bothersome, if not uncomfortable, but I want our worship space to be a safe and healthy place.

Pastor Bruce
Join us Sunday, September 5th at 10:15 am for Worship

Special thanks to John Barone for sharing his gift of music,
and to our volunteers:
Caroline Frantz, Head Usher
Diane Neidermeier & Brenda Hovis, Ushers
Joan Hassler, Lay Reader
Wes Koser, Stream Team
Bruce Torrence, Financial Secretary
Dwayne Schantz & Roger Erney, Lawn Crew

Printed bulletins are available in the Narthex.
To view the live streamed service from home at 10:15 am
Sunday morning, go to YouTube
To print out this Sunday's bulletin to follow along click here.
To print out hymns click here.

To listen to the service via live phone streaming, call
1-855-883-5992.
If you would like to take part in the service as usher or lay reader, please email Joan Hassler .
Is there someone in your life in need of prayer? Click here to fill out a prayer request form and Pastor Bruce will mention that person’s first name during worship. Please be sensitive to privacy. Permission to share from those involved must be granted before making a request.



In Christ There is No Young or Old
by Vicki Kemper 

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. – 1 Timothy 4:12 (CEB)

If you, dear reader, are young and struggling to prove that you’re capable and worthy of respect, this devotion is for you.

If you’re so old that many people look right through you, this devotion is for you.

These words are for anyone who’s ever felt overlooked, underestimated, disrespected, mistreated, or ignored because of their age—and I’m guessing that includes most of us.

What I’m trying to say is this:
In Christ there is no longer young or old or middle-aged. In Christ there is no Baby Boomer (okay?) or Gen X, Millennial, Gen Z, or Gen Alpha. There are no generations, for all of us are one in Christ Jesus.
And wouldn’t it be great if we actually lived out that good news?
For Timothy, a surrogate of the apostle Paul, the issue was youth. Would folks honor the gifts and respect the teachings of a young person?

You know where I’m going with this:
Do we honor the energy, seek out the perspectives, listen to, respect, and elevate our youth? Do we put them in positions of authority? Do those of us who are older recognize the younger, more diverse, tattooed, activist, open-minded, creation-centered, and less traditional generations as the prophets they are?

And … do those of us who are younger respect the wisdom and experience of those who are older, even if they don’t know a doodle from a tweet?

Whatever age we are, may we all be ageless and beloved in Christ.

Prayer
“In Christ there is no east or west,” in Christ no young or old, “but one community of love throughout the whole wide earth.” May it be so.
About the Author
Vicki Kemper is the Pastor of First Congregational, UCC, of Amherst, Massachusetts.
Interested in joining Faith Church?

A New Member Orientation will be held
Sunday, September 12th from 2 - 3 pm in the Memorial Room.
Please RSVP to Pastor Bruce by calling
610-282-3939 or emailing pastorbruce@faithchurchucc.org


9th ANNUAL
FAITH UCC YARD SALE
 SEPTEMBER 25, 2021
8 AM TO 2 PM
Rain or Shine!
 
We are in need of help on Friday, September 24th to move yard sale items outside and to set up the tent.
Help is needed Saturday morning, 7 am on the 25th, to set up for the day. Help is also needed throughout the sale and at 1:30 to start cleaning up. Please contact Brenda Hovis at 610-282-3450
if you can help.

We are also in need of baked goods for our Bake Sale.
Encouraging our College Students

For those of us who have left home for the first time after graduation, whether it be to attend college or service or some other adventure, it can be a difficult and lonely time. Faith Church provides encouragement to our college students and lets them know that they are not forgotten and we are praying for their success. We do this by sending cards and care packages. The post office has boxes for a flat fee that can be jammed as full as you want with treats and fun things. Or send a note with a gift card to any place to eat. Anytime is a good time whether it be right after their arrival at college or during finals. We are looking for people to sponsor college students. Please contact Sandi DiSanto if you are interested in sending a card or care package to a college student this fall.
 
Sandi DiSanto · sandidisanto@gmail.com · 610-360-9637
LOOKING AHEAD TO OCTOBER...

Look for this flyer on our Facebook page and share with all your Facebook friends to get the word out to as many people as possible. Invite everyone to attend our exciting Rally for Rylie! Lots of fun and prizes happening!
(click link for more info and to register)
Recycling Soft Plastic

We are collecting plastic shopping bags and all other soft plastic bags (#2 & #4).  By February 15, 2022 we will need to collect 500 pounds of recyclable plastic in order to earn another TREX bench!

Collection boxes can be found in
the Narthex and in the Office Lobby

Here is a list of acceptable plastics:
 
Let’s save our oceans and the animals that live there
by turning these materials into a reusable product!
Any questions please see Jerry Trexler. 
The Betty Lou's Pantry basket has been returned to the Narthex and is anticipating your donations! Currently, the most needed items are:

Chunky Soup or Chili
Boxed Potatoes
(Scalloped, Au Gratin, Stovetop Stuffing)
Packaged Pasta & Rice Side Dishes

If you or someone you know is in need of food,
please call 610-282-2838 and leave a message
We have an opening for Lawn Crew volunteers during the week of 9/20 (2 volunteers). Please take a look at the 2021 schedule and consider how you can help. Call Tim Hovis (484-223-9476) to let him know what dates you can cover.
Let's remember our Friends, Members, Forget-Me-Nots and others as we continue through some uncertain times. Keep each other in your thoughts and prayers and stay connected if possible.

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS:

01 Anna Tilley
03 Iris Shelly
03 John Barone
03 Greg Thompson
03 Adriana Muth
03 Tim Long
05 Evelyn Hovis
05 Pauline Kemmerer
06 Nathan Smith
06 Paul Stebbings
09 Patti Shelly
10 Carol Beck
10 Olivia Muth
14 Howard Barrick
14 Virginia Haller
14 Patricia Bley
17 Cindy Talaber
17 Kate Jellison
18 Donna Herndon
21 Carrie Fosbenner
22 Romaine Zeiner
23 Cathy Wimmer
23 Diane Talaber
26 Susan Roberts
26 Erin Gollie
27 Abby Muth
28 Michael DiSanto
28 Damyn Allison
29 Ruth Smith
29 Eric Fosbenner

(If you would like to send cards, addresses can be found in the Members & Friends Directory link at the bottom of this email.)

Click here for a list of birthdays and addresses of our Forget-Me-Not's. Some phone numbers are also included if you'd like to give a call! Also included on the list are names, addresses, and phone numbers of members who usually attend services but don't get to see the recorded services on a regular basis. Reach out to them and say hello or fill them in on the weekly news!
A Special THANK YOU to all who continue to financially support our ministry as you are able. Through these uncertain times our financial obligations continue and our regular bills are still coming in. Again we'd like to remind you there are several ways you can do this:

  1. Mail your offering directly to the church
  2. Make an electronic donation through Tithe.ly on our website's Giving page
  3. Use your bank's Bill Pay service
IMPORTANT LINKS


Need to make changes, corrections, or additions to our Church Directory? Click HERE to let us know if your info is current or if we need to make
changes. Thanks in advance for taking the time to keep our
Church Directory up to date.





Contact us via email or call the church office at 610.282.3939

Dennis J. Duda, Organist & Music Director
Sandy David, Parish Administrator
(click on names to send an email)