Our latest issue of Focus on Faith is here for your reading enjoyment!!

Inside you'll find...
  • A Note From the Pastor
  • Mission News
  • Our new Prayer/Meditation Garden
  • Summer FYI's
  • Back to Church Sunday info
  • Faith Yard Sale Date
and more!
PIEROGI PICK UP TODAY from 4 - 6 pm

Pull into the parking lot by the pantry door. Pay at pick up with cash or check made
payable to Faith UCC.

Thank you for your support!
Join us this Sunday, July 4th at 10:15 am for Worship

Special thanks to our volunteers:
Tom Berghold, Head Usher
Brenda Hovis & Elaine Trexler, Ushers
Cindy Talaber, Lay Reader
Justin Koser, Stream Team
Financial Secretary, Jerry Trexler
Lawn Crew, Brett Dill & Jack Maginn

Matthew Wehr will be filling in for Dennis who is on vacation.

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 Sunday's bulletin to follow along click here.

To listen to the service via live phone streaming, call
1-855-883-5992.
The church office will be closed on Monday, July 5th in observance of Independence Day!
Have a
HAPPY & SAFE holiday!
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.
Parish Administrator Sandy David is back working in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Her office hours are 9 am to 4 pm. She’ll continue to work from home on Mondays and will check messages but if you find yourself in immediate need of something on a Monday you can reach her at 610-967-6232. 
Letter from Our Conference Minister

Dear Friends,
 
Pastors all around Facebook are discussing how to lead worship this Sunday, as it is July 4, America’s Independence Day. How do we remain close to the Gospel and yet acknowledge the celebration? It is a challenge for us, and we will each and all manage the challenge in our own way. I was reading a weekly news article from one of our pastors, Rev. Steve Engelhardt, and asked his permission to share a portion of his letter with you.
 
“…the latest copy of Christian Century arrived in the mail. The Editor/Publisher, Peter W. Marty’s column has the first word in each edition. This week’s title: An American Bible?”
 
Here is the first paragraph: “When an ad recently announced that the God Bless the USA Bible would be available this September, the American flag emblazoned on the cover came as no surprise. Whenever the Bible gets wrapped in the American flag, we can pretty much assume that a misuse of our nation’s history is at play. The conflation of Christianity and American patriotism has never done any favors either for the integrity of faith or for national character. The use of scripture to promote American exceptionalism always takes me back to Jerry Falwell Sr.’s claim that Isaiah’s prophecy of a ‘nation tall and smooth, a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering’ is actually God championing the United States.”
 
For me, this approaches Christian nationalism and worries me deeply. We are called to be followers of Jesus – primarily and completely – to love God with our whole hearts, minds, spirits, and strength and to love our neighbors, ALL our neighbors. Yes, the US should be blessed, but all nations should be blessed. Americans should be blessed but all people on the planet should be blessed. Are we edging toward worshipping the United States as an idol?
 
Steve said, and I agree, “This new edition of the NIV bible is a crass play to the nationalistic fervor among us. The flag and the cross are seen as of equal importance. The Church is lumped in as part of the Americana we love: football, family, faith. Sadly, there are pastors and churches who are bowing to the golden calf of exceptionalism.”[1]
 
Now, on Sunday, I will be celebrating our nation’s independence, for I am proud of our nation’s move toward the freedom that is exemplified in the Declaration of Independence, even though it was not independence for all people living in our nation at that time. I will be praying for our nation on Sunday – and for nations all over the world. And I will be dedicating myself to love God, to follow Jesus and to move into the direction the Holy Spirit leads.

Blessings,
Bonnie
 
[1] Steve Engelhardt; A Posting from the Pastor; The First Presbyterian Church; June 29, 2021
ALERT -
Members and Friends of Faith UCC, CV, PA

We’re ramping up efforts to return to a new normal in the coming weeks - and many of you will be an important part of this effort. Music at Faith has always been a primary component of our community worship experience. Your weekly singing since April 11 reopening has been an inspiration to all of us. I hope more will attend these safe surroundings. Thank you for that beautiful experience! Before we can be in full gear later in the year, I invite and encourage those who possess a magical talent to be part of special music in the coming weeks. You are NEEDED. No money requests from you just share your talent of music in  community worship experience. It really has a significant impact on everyone - sanctuary and cyberspace. Want to sing, choose a favorite hymn tune - solo, duet, etc.; play guitar, trumpet, piano or harp, just choose a Sunday to  offer your gift. It is a critical moment for ALL of us as we journey through this challenging time. Check your life calendar, choose a Sunday and call me... Dennis Duda at 215.361.8641 or ddduda@verizon.net. We can make this a wonderful moment for everyone at Faith Church. Thank you so much. Miss you all so very much! DD
Interested in joining Faith Church?
Contact Pastor Bruce for more info.
We will be welcoming new members during worship
on Sunday, September 19th.
We have some openings for Lawn Crew volunteers. Please take a look at the 2021 schedule and see 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.

JULY BIRTHDAYS:
 01 Qiyi Zhu-Stoffey
06 Steve Mitchell
07 Bebe Moyer
09 LaMar Beck
11 Jillian Grammer
12 Amy Bittenbender
    12 Rachael Christman
13 Donna Schoenberger
14 Amanda Heineman
15 Jennifer Ferrara5
16 Cheryl Bold
16 Gracie Lender
17 Delores Castetter
17 Tina Eaves
19 Nancy Marple
    Gwendolyn Zehnder
20 Bruce Torrence
20 Matthew Long
20 Anja Heineman
21 George Rau
21 Charles Talboo
27 Kimberly Kernick
 27  Lily Adams
30 Raymond Horwath
31 Colleen Kandt 

(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)