St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church -

910 Allentown Road, Sellersville PA 18960

Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Office Phone: 215-257-9643 Email: stjohnsridgevalley910@gmail.com

Web: www.stjohnsridgevalley.com

www.facebook.com/stjohnsridgevalley

Worship Schedule: 8:30 AM Traditional 10:15 AM Praise Service

Adult Forum and Kid’s Sunday School Forum weekly at 9:40 AM

St. John’s Council Members

Don Graham - Council President

Phyllis Kogel - Council Vice President

Michele Walter - Financial Secretary

Barb Klinger - Treasurer

Cornell Hopkins - Council Secretary

Nancy Esposito

Vicki Guenst

Lynn Crouthamel

Sharon Saylor

Shirley Nase

Chris Wall

The Reverend Amy Hotter, Pastor (267)218-2378

Ministers: The People of St. John’s

Office Manager: Heidi Link (215) 257-9643

Mark Gottesfeld, Organist and Music Director

Christine Nyce, Jesse Dorn - Sextons

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

910 Allentown Road

Sellersville PA 18960

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

Praise God for being faithful and loving. It is so nice to know that we have warm weather. It is so nice to spend more

time outside. This summer I am very excited to share with you a few new ways to share the Holy Gospel and be en-

gaged.

1. Each Sunday morning we will begin our worship with one of our members sharing a testimony. A testimony al-

ways seems scary, however it is just a faith story of one’s life. It is a way of getting to know each other better and

deeper. Often, our faith stories are very simple. For example, a person could say that they came to worship every

week and heard God’s Word. Then hearing God’s Word, they would know what Jesus wants us to do and will work

hard to live it out. Yet, others have lived through despair or challenges or hardships and the only way they survived

was knowing Jesus. Please consider sharing your story with the family (congregation). I am hoping that most of you

will share. I will be here to encourage, empower, and celebrate our lives. Please be as creative as you can be. Here is

a few ideas of writing out a testimony: Your name, share what you love, think about how you see Jesus in your life,

wonder about what God has given you, and perhaps even times when you did not feel God’s presence or received

what you needed from God.

2. We are embarking in a new experience which is called a “Messy Church” for our children. The Messy Church will

start with a family dinner, which will lead into all of our regular activities. This includes story time, games, crafts, mu-

sic, drama time and snack. The activities will be downstairs in the fellowship area. The children are welcome to visit

each table. The theme of the first Messy Church on “Power of Healing on July 11th. Please invite all your friends and

relatives. We will hold our Messy Church for 4 times. In the summer July 11, September 4th, the first week of Advent

December 5th, the first week of Lent March 13th, 2019.

3. You are invited to share a lunch together over the Summer. It will be a time to chat, a time to brain storm for the

church, and a time to celebrate for what is going on in our lives. How this will work is – One person (lunch leader) will

call two others then each of them will bring a friend. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. Check out the sign up in

the coffee fellowship area.

4. We are very excited to go on a bus trip to Sight and Sound. We will be seeing “Jesus”. Be a part of our adventure.

Check out all the details in the coffee fellowship!

Joy and love,

Pastor Amy

Adult Forum Report for May

These past several weeks we have been focusing on readings from Acts, and also the gospel of John, and the

first epistle of John as well. We read in Acts chapter 8 how Philip, a follower of Christ, taught an Ethiopian eunuch

about Jesus’s teachings. The man’s eyes were opened to the scriptures, and he was baptized in the local river. The class

discussed about bringing people to Jesus in this day and age, how there are still many that need to hear the news of

salvation. In John 15, were learned about Jesus being the vine, and how we are the branches. We bear good fruit with

the help of Jesus’ nourishment. When we need encouragement, Jesus tells us to ask, and he will provide. As a class, we

each gain faith and encouragement from each other, as we read and share what the scriptures mean to us.

Another Sunday the class learned in Acts chapter 10 how a Roman centurion named Cornelius and his family

came to Jesus through a visit from an angel from God. Peter had a summons from the Holy Spirit to visit Cornelius, and

Peter saw that the kingdom of heaven was for Gentiles too, not just Jews. Cornelius and his family and associates were

baptized- another example how God calls to people of all types and backgrounds. In another lesson we read in Acts

chapter 1 how Jesus ascended into heaven in the clouds, and how angels proclaimed he will return to earth one day in

the same fashion. The class recalled that this vision of Jesus’ second coming is also found in the book of revelation. We

discussed if any of us think about the second coming, and when it might be. In John chapter 17, we read how Jesus

prayed to God his father to protect his followers from the evil one. Jesus also prayed that his followers be one. The

class discussed believers of other denominations, and how we should come to common ground through Jesus’ teach-

ings of loving God, and loving our neighbors.

One Trinity Sunday we read perhaps the most famous bible verse: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only

son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Just before this famous

verse, Jesus talked about how he must be lifted up (on the cross) to provide healing for sinners, as Moses lifted up the

image of the serpent in the wilderness, to heal the Israelites. In that story, the Israelites were once again complaining

about God in the dessert, and God sent poisonous snakes to punish them. (See Numbers 21:4-8). The people asked for

forgiveness, and God gave then another chance. Our class talked about how God always gives us a second chance, if we

reach out to Him (and He often reaches out to us!). That same class, we also read about Isaiah’s calling to be a prophet

(Isaiah chapter 6). Isaiah said “Here I am Lord, send me!” We talked about how God still sends us out, to spread the

message of salvation through Jesus.

One of the things I enjoy about our discussions in class is that sometimes there is a different understanding of a scrip-

tural reading, from person to person. It makes for a very interesting dialogue! We draw inspiration and faith from each

other, and our faith experiences.

Donald Graham

JUNE BIRTHDAYS - HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR!

These are not printed in our web posting of the newsletter.

If you want to read the birthday list,

please pick up a newsletter at church.

Thanks

When we pray together, we storm the

gates of heaven. Please pray with one

another for healing and the well being

of our members: Marvin Belles, Bella

Davis, Charlie Guenst, Arlene Kulp,

Linda Trauger, Harriet Woehr, and our

friends, Ruth Barnaby, Wendy Berg, Eddie Galgon, Glenn Herd, Mary King, Marvin Nase, Ruth Richards, Elizabeth

Schmitt, Steve Traynor, Norah Waltenbaugh and Walt West.

The Homebound: Francis Allem, Edna Barndt, Pauline Berndt, Lucille Caruso, Richard Croissette, Ed Geiger, Willis

Heacock, Bob Kulp, Mark Trauger, Elaine Turner.

The Military: Pvt. Cody Hotter, Steven Walter, Jacob Baxter and Luke Dixon.