july/august 2017 st. paul’s vacation bible school returns...

IN THIS ISSUE

Pastor’s Note Pg 3

Riverside Worship Pg 4

Outreach Report Pg 5

Family Promise Pg 6

Current Events Pg 7

Children’s Ministry Pg 8

Calendar Pg 9-10

Put Thursday, August 24th at 7 p.m. on your calendar and plan on being at St. Paul's with the whole family. The children will sing for us and show us what they've learned. Refreshments will follow. We'll need lots of help, so parents and teens, see Elaine Luoma or Mary Ann Jones and let them know you can help. Please pre-register online so we can be prepared for everyone! Visit our website at www.stpaulsthorofare.com for our registration form or email

[email protected] to make certain we have your children enrolled on this fun-filled adventure.

St. Paul’s Vacation Bible School Returns in August!

Catch the Wave of God's Amazing Love at Vacation Bible School, August 20-24th! Surf’s up! VBS 2017 is coming in a tidal wave! Surf Shack VBS will keep your Surfers riding the wave so they’ll hit the impact zone with a deeper understand-ing of God’s awesome power. Our theme for the week is Nehemiah 4:14b: "Remember that the Lord is great and awesome!" The children's daily lessons will teach them that:

God creates. God helps. God loves. God calms. God sends.

VBS is for age 3 through 6th grade. The children will spend five evenings at our Surf Shack, hearing Bible stories, playing games, singing songs, and making crafts. Even our snacks will be surf-themed.

Sunday School

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church

July/August 2017

31– Bev Betz 31– Dana Rowand Brown

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

1– Ken Betz 1– Denise Brown 1– Charles Haefele 1– Cameron Kovack 1– Jackie Zane 2– Dave Hosier 2– Everett Vatsev 3– Bill Golle 3– Kaiden Grassia 3– Jessica Parks 3– Charlie Taylor 4– Bill & Elaine Blair 5– Jane Felder 5– Harry Ladner Jr 7– McKenzie Stevens 8– Bernice Nolte 9– Bob & Alice Kern 10– Barbara Hoffman 10– Scott Newmann 11– Matthew Taylor 13– Tom Stevens 14– Joe & Linda Bryan 14– Fred Cochran 15– Mary Ellen Felder 16– Gerrie Lynn Dyal 16– Jennifer Kinley 16– DixieLee Leonardo 17– Barbara Browning 19– Melissa Thomas 23– Brian Golle 24– Merrilee & William Chapell 24– Austin Gittinger 25– Lauren & Jeff Jones 26– DixieLee & Jim Leonardo 27– Skeeter Heritage 29– Jack Keegan

JULY BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

1– Linda Bryan 1– Dave Fish 1– Jacki Forte 1– Charlie Kyser 1– Don Strock 1– Bryan Weber 2– Peg Purnell 2– Carter Weber 3– Pat Haase 3– Mary Ann Jones 3– Chris & Charlie Taylor 4– Joe Bryan 5– Joel & Sally Ann Glicka 6– Avaleigh Vatseva 8– Bob Kern 8– Austin Moore 9– Gloria Lee 10– Jaqueline Hassel 10 – Sharon & Jacob Eichel 11– Bob & Marge Rowand 12– Elaine Luoma 17– Nina Broadwater-Cosme 17– Steve Cervantes 19– Jennifer Keegan 20– Sharon Rutter 22– Jessica Bryan Sims 22– Erin Vatseva 23– Jaye Hamel 23– David & Leisa Keegan 24– Chris Bailey 25– Kate Black 25– Janice Grassia 25– Nicole Martz 26– Matt & Kim Dechen 26– Rich Gibson 27– Suzanne Fish 27– Alyssa White 29– Jeffrey Matlack 30– Steven Gortowski 30– Courtney Seaton

2 July/August 2017 Lamplighter

Prayers: Safe travels for Vicky, Barb & Pat (Pat); Denise P., lost her mother, al-so Patty W. lost her mother (Denise); Friends & family of Fred N. who died this week (PD); Cindy - sudden death of 28 yr old son in car accident (Pat); Prayers for the people of England (Louise); Ryon R. friends & family at his death; Grace & Chad M., personal issues; The People of London (PD); Give all my problems to God

Health Concerns: Prayers for Andrew, new diagnosis of cancer (Claudia); Friend with bone cancer lost her leg (Denise); Sandy W., fighting Lyme’s dis-ease (Barbara); prayers for my test on Tuesday (Joyce); Prayers for my BIL, Larry fighting stage 4 throat cancer, receiving chemo & radiation (Carol); Prayers for neighbor Mark, having stem cell treatment, let it be successful (Nancy); Mary W., Sandy D. - health is-sues; unnamed person with cancer (PD)

Praise: Thank you Lord for our beauti-ful new baby, Catherine Joy, born this week (Joyce); Praise my daughter Lynne returned home from England before the bombing (Louise)

Every week: All those in need, unspoken requests, all servicemen/women, our nation and leaders

Ongoing Prayer Concerns: Garry & Peg, Diane, Samm, F. family, Hope, Gerry, Barbara, Chris, Janet, Betty, Terry, Harriet, Rod, Annisia, Rachel & Regina, Helen, Corey, Mary

Serving in the Military: Ed S., Joseph B., Taylor P.

Shut-Ins & Nursing Home Residents Bea, Jean, Jackie, Bertie, Harriet, Louise Staff

Editor: Trista C Jones Assistant Editor: Denise Hosier

Regular Contributors: Pastor Dave, Gary Rutter, Ruth Schultz, Carol

Strock, Sunday School

Production: Trista C Jones

The Lamplighter is published bimonthly, in Jan., March, May, July, Sept. & Nov. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication. For more info

contact Trista C Jones or email [email protected].

THELAMPLIGHTER Bimonthly Newsletter of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church PO Box 125, West Deptford, NJ 08086 Pastor: Rev. Dave Delaney Phone (856) 845-6638 E-mail [email protected] Sunday Morning Worship ............... 9:30 a.m. Sunday School ................................... 10:45 a.m.

Lamplighter July/August 2017 3

Step into St. Paul’s and you can’t miss SEVENTY FIVE. It is every-where!

Now, there is nothing theological-ly correct about that number, but it does represent a challenge for every member of our church! It contradicts the concept of a vaca-tion from church that far too many people hold onto across the nation. That number will mean so much if our incredible church fam-ily from St. Paul’s once again uses the summer months as an oppor-tunity for ministry.

Are you as surprised as I am by how many churches reduce their worship services in the summer months? It’s as if the other 10 months are all the God time that is needed. Truth is, God is so awe-some that we should want more God time not less. (“Pray without ceasing.” “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary! Let every-thing that breathes praise the Lord!!”)

When I arrived at St. Paul’s I was thrilled to discover that we add a summer service. Our Bible Studies continue throughout July and Au-gust. And this church has an in-credible team that creates an awe-some environment for kids to come to a growing Vacation Bible School to discover God and Jesus!

New families continue to discover our church; eight new members are now officially part of our church family and the baptisms keep happening! I was told by one couple who visited on Pentecost that they are “pitching their tent

with St. Paul’s.” Pentecost was such a blessing and the Sanctuary was filled with Holy Spirit induced ener-gy but that’s what’s great about our church—THE SPIRIT IS ALIVE!!!

So, on to the summer months and an incredible opportunity to showcase God’s love through our church. Worship at the River ex-poses our church’s love for all every Sunday evening—are you inviting people to worship at the park? Sunday mornings are always welcoming moments of faith in our beautiful sanctuary—who do you know who might enjoy the fellowship and worship here?

Finally, Vacation Bible School. SEVENTY FIVE … last year we had 64 children in VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL but we can do better! Our leadership team is ready … we have an attainable goal of SEVEN-TY FIVE children for VBS 2017! It starts on Sunday August 20 at 6pm but now is the time to start inviting friends, neighbors, family members, and co-workers who have young children. Get it on their schedules and we can easily have 75 kids here this summer!

Vacation Bible School changes lives! Vacation Bible School in-spires children to ask their parents to bring them to church! Vacation Bible School helps dismiss the myths about church that may have been keeping parents from attend-ing worship themselves! So let’s make this year’s Vacation Bible School a record breaker … 75 kids discovering God and Jesus! WOW!

Speaking of numbers… Our strength comes from the Lord but the power of this church is in our numbers. It is time for the church to take on a growth plan … so we begin by working through summer vacation. Together we will invite people to Sunday morning wor-ship, to the River on Sunday eve-nings, and we will get their kids to Vacation Bible School! Great things are ahead of us as we enjoy summer together for God!

Pastor Dave Delaney


Friends Are Invited but So Are You!

There is an incredibly beautiful place where songs praising God are sung all summer long and where friends gather gazing out on a beautiful bed of water as the sun sets in the dis-tance. The good news, it’s our WORSHIP at THE RIVER, and it happens every Sunday evening at 7pm at the Red Bank Battlefield Park in National Park.

I want to invite YOU (Now, don’t look over your shoulder because I am talking to you) to ad-mit that YOU need some extra worship time before

Monday rolls around … some bonus time praising God as the weekend closes out. This is not an ‘instead of morning church’ oppor-tunity!

And this is the year for you to open the gate blocking friends, family, neighbors

and co-workers from wor-shiping with us along the Delaware! WORSHIP at the RIVER is such a great op-portunity to invite people we care about for a beauti-ful Sunday evening on the river, which just happens to include ‘some church.’

We kick off this year’s WORSHIP at the RIVER with a cookout on July 9 starting at 5pm in the Riverfront Pavilion. There will be plenty of hot dogs and beverages will be sup-plied but we need you to ‘bring a dish to pass!’ It’s church but it’s fun and it starts the week off right!

NURSE OF THE YEAR! Sandy Spellman was voted

Nurse of the Year at Inspira RN/PACU. Sandy is part of our church family and a member of the Guiding Lights. Thank you,

Sandy, for your dedication!

July & August

Accepting cereal & tuna fish

Please deposit donations in blue bins

located by the Sanctuary exit doors

Outreach Report


NEW MEMBERS: It was a joy to receive eight new official members for St. Paul’s on May 21st. In the front row of the picture are: Jake & Sharon Eichel, Claudia Ruggeri, Jessie Loveland, Margaret Reichert, Chris Bailey, who was also baptized, Jackie Gullifer, and Sandy Daws. Be sure to welcome them when you see them!

THE RED SEA! We created a church full of red to celebrate

Pentecost on June 4. Pentecost is the day the Holy Spirit came

down upon the twelve apostles and they began to speak to all listeners in each one’s own lan-

guage. It’s considered the birthday of the church.

Summer Mission Offerings

For July, the first Sunday special offering will be a “Peace with Justice” offering for the United Methodist Church. The third Sunday mission offering will go to St. John of God School for Special Children.

In August, our first Sunday communion offering goes to the Discretionary Fund for local out-reach needs. The third Sunday mission offering will purchase backpacks and school supplies for the children served by Fel-lowship House in Camden.

Please give generously!!


Family Promise returns July 23-30!

Help is needed in all areas!! * Drivers, am & pm * Meals * Evening Fellowship * Overnighters

Please sign up to help with this important ministry!

FAMILY PROMISE had a full house in May. We served dinners and did some fun games and crafts with the nine children, including wrapping Mother’s Day gifts for their mothers or grandmothers.


MOTHER’S DAY was a super celebration, with the children singing, three special moms - Elaine Luoma, Debbie Richman and Joyce Nuneviller - speaking, and a group of great ladies receiving geraniums in honor of the day.

MEN’S FISHING DAY hosted by Dave Fish on June 10, 2017. These guys enjoyed BBQ lunch of

hamburgers and hot dogs. Good times had by all!


CHILDREN’S DAY: The children showed the congregation what they learned this year and sang a song. The whole church family enjoyed a lunch afterward.

CRAFT TIME! The children made some marvelous gifts for Mother’s Day.

july/august 2017 st. paul’s vacation bible school returns...

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