www.mt-calvarylutheran.org

TAKE A LOOK AND REMEMBER TO LIKE US ON FACEBOOK... MT. CALVARY CHURCH OF JOHNSTOWN, PA

ASSEMBLY TEAM: Linda Barnhart Pam Bittner Pat Bittner Shirley Brendle Joan Bunnell Gladys Haupt Joan Hunter Wilma Hiltz Dee Locher Mary Ann Mapes Cathy Prisk Jim Prisk Aubrey Rubis Lois Sholtis Deb Wicks

MAILER:

Ray Leverknight

EDITORS / TYPISTS: Sue Cade Barb Kane

CHURCH STAFF: Scott Klimke, Pastor Jonathan Adams, Pastor Daniel Gresh, Director of Music / Organist Sue Cade, Church Secretary Barbara Kane, Assistant Secretary Kathy Ling, Custodian Bob Kniss, Maintenance CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL:

Bob McMullen, President Jan Layton, Fellowship Ray Leverknight, Secretary Liz Katrancha, Christian Ed Cindy Solarczyk, Treasurer Noelle Berkey, Spiritual Life Sean Horn, Stewardship / Admin. Stacy Pollino, Worship Mike Kozak, Outreach Mark Rychak, Property Keith Mayket, Youth Natalie Williams, Children & Family

Your support of Mount Calvary is always appreciated, and you may now give on-line if you desire. Here is how it works:

• Go to www.mt-calvarylutheran.org • On the bottom right of the home page click the “donate” button • You will be taken to a secure PayPal page. (You do not need a PayPal account) • Enter the amount of your donation and your credit or debit card information.

Your donations will be listed on your annual giving statement. All undesignated contributions will go into the General Fund. You can, however, make a contribution to a special cause by entering the information in the “purpose” box on the webpage. If you desire, you can also make your offering an automatic monthly contribution.

MT. CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH | 266-4859 | 1000 SCALP AVENUE | JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904 EMAIL: mtcalvary@mt-calvarylutheran.org | WEBSITE: www.mt-calvarylutheran.org

WORSHIP TIMES: SATURDAYS 5:30 PM, SUNDAYS 8:45 AM, AND SUNDAY SCHOOL AT 8:30 AM

THE HILLTOPPER January 2020 | VOLUME 78 | ISSUE 1

ON-LINE GIVING IS NOW AVAILABLE.

MOUNT CALVARY

Sunday, December 22, 2019 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! As of this writing, your Christmas cards and Christmas gifts have been arriving for a while now. Thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness. Consider the following collection of dates to be the contents of my holiday stocking for you. January 5: This is the day our Sunday worship time will move back fifteen minutes to 8:45 AM. The change is being made to take full advantage of the time and gifts of our new part-time pastor, Jonathan Adams. With his other congregation moving its Sunday start time forward by fifteen minutes, there will now be sufficient time for Pastor Adams to be present for all of Mount Calvary’s worship service, to mingle afterwards, and to make safe transit over to Benscreek Lutheran for the start of its Sunday service at 10:45 AM. January 12: Sunday school will resume on this day, with those not in confirmation gathering in Sander Hall at 8:30 AM and confirmation students gathering with me at approximately 10:15 AM. After worship, we will be celebrating Pastor Adams’ birthday with cake and giving you the opportunity to welcome the newest addition to our staff. January 13-26: My wife Julia and I will be visiting both Israel and Jordan during this time period. Pastor Adams will conduct worship, attend the council meeting, and be your pastoral care contact while I am away. As he did earlier this year, Ray Leverknight will be teaching confirmation for me. February 1: This will be the date of our annual meeting as a congregation. For the next couple of years, we are going to try to have just one meeting; alternating between Saturday and Sunday. This year’s meeting will begin after the conclusion of Saturday worship, with 6:45 PM the likely start time. In an effort to maximize participation, let’s strive to be respectful of one another and of one another’s time. The annual meeting is not to be an open-ended free for all, but a Christian business meeting with a very limited agenda including a brief review of the prior year, the adoption of a new ministry spending plan, and the filling of vacant seats on the congregational council by means of an election. February 2: This will be the first time I will be covering for Pastor Jonathan at Benscreek Lutheran, which will happen every time he’s away or off doing something with our youth or Social Ministry team. On this particular date, Pastor Adams will be at Sequanota with a group of our teens for Snow Camp. I hope he has a good number of teens with him. Special things have long gone on at Sequanota and they’re still happening today. This past fall I had the opportunity to bury the mother of two daughters who were both counselors at Sequanota and who both met their future husbands at Sequanota, with one of the husbands eventually being elected to serve in the US House of Representatives. It’s time for us to start taking better and fuller advantage of this great resource for ministry located just twenty minutes away! February 17: At 6:30 PM, three of what will be our congregation’s six committees will meet for no longer than an hour. To accommodate the committee meetings, the council will hold its meeting at 7:30 PM rather than at 6:30 PM. Going forward, this will become the norm, with the slate of committee meetings varying by month. Over the course of a year, members of all but one of our committees will be asked to commit to just six meetings guaranteed to last for no more than one hour. This is something almost all of us can do and we hope it happens because we shall always be better together than we ever will be apart! Pastor Scott

January 2020

Altar Guild – Nancy Nemeth, Cindy Solarczyk, Sara Solarczyk, Gloria Reed, and El Warshel

Saturday, January 4th – 5:30 pm Sunday, January 5th – 8:45 am Greeters Joe & Sue Adamy Dianne Thoburn Reader Gretel Kaltenbaugh Worship Assistants Joan Hunter Harold Ashcraft Communion Assist Joan Bunnell Ray Leverknight Acolyte Crucifer Usher Jerry & Ruth Pozun Gary & Betty Schofield

Saturday, January 11th – 5:30 pm Sunday, January 12th – 8:45 am Greeters Linda Barnhart Mary Ann Mapes Reader Anita Brodt Jonathan Perry Worship Assistant Missy Brodt Mike Kozak Communion Assist David Hunter Mary Ann Mapes Acolyte Crucifer Usher Jerry & Ruth Pozun Gary & Betty Schofield

Saturday, January 18th – 5:30 pm Sunday, January 19th – 8:45 am Greeters Lois Gallus & Sharon Stull Jim & Cathy Prisk Reader Bill Layton Jim Prisk Worship Assistant Jan Layton Ray Leverknight Communion Assist Kathy Ling Melanie Perry Acolyte Crucifer Usher Brian Hiltz & Jeff Wingard Gary & Betty Schofield

Saturday, January 25th – 5:30 pm Sunday, January 26th – 8:45 am Greeters Pam & Pat Bittner Dianne Thoburn Reader Rachael Brandau Worship Assistant Missy Brodt Lois Sholtis Communion Assist Pam Bittner Dick Sholtis Acolyte Crucifer Usher Brian Hiltz & Jeff Wingard Gary & Betty Schofield

Year to Date Stewardship Summary

Receipts

2019 2018 +/-

Offering after 51 Weeks $ 299,086.21 $ 311,928.29 $ (12,842.08)

Expenditures

2019 Actual 2019 Budgeted +/-

Expenditures after 51 Weeks $ 288,475.31 $ 337,048.99 $ (48,573.68)

Robert & Norma Cup 1-20-1955 65 years 130 Alqonquine Street, Johnstown PA 15904

Dorothy Bell 1416 Brier Avenue, Johnstown PA 15902 1/19/1931 89 Grace Logar 119 Rainbow Drive, Johnstown, PA 15904 1/20/1920 100 Albert Johnson 332 Fairfield Avenue, Johnstown PA 15906 1/3031932 88 Miriam Horner 375 Theatre Drive, Apt. 4306, Johnstown PA 15904 1/29/1929 91

JANUARY 2020 BIRTHDAYS

1

Thank you for allowing us to use your music room last Saturday for our “Ham in a Day” class. The Cambria Radio Club offers this free course to any one in the community who wants to learn about amateur radios, and earn a license to operate them. Saturday’s crash course saw every participant pass! Thanks again. We truly appreciate being able to use the church.

Cambria Radio Club

Dear Friends at the Mount Calvary Lutheran Church,

The Walnut Grove Food Pantry has experienced another busy year. Our staff has worked hard to provide nutritious food, and spread the good news of God’s love to families in need. As always we are thankful for the many compassionate friends like you that the Lord has provided to help support our programs.

Members of our staff have once again completed mandated certifications to comply with state and local pantry operation regultions. Kelly Harrity and Donna Rogers are continuing the annual clothing give away that provides free clothing for patrons during Pantry hours during the winter months.

With the increased number of families we are called to serve, and limited government reimbursements, it has become a challenge to meet the needs of our clients. In addition to dealing with a larger volume of patrons, several of our loyal volunteers were unable to serve due to illness, and we were saddened by the loss of our director’s wife, Helen Reed. We were bless to be joined by several new volunteers to help ease the work load.

We appreciate the role your generosity and kind sharing plays in helping us to fulfill our mission thoughout the year. On behalf of the staff and patrons here at the Walnut Grove Food Pantry, we wish you and yours “Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2020!”

Sincerely, Ken Reed, Director

We would like to thank the Carolers for stopping by to spread Christmas Joy with their singing. Also thanks for the treats they were delicious!

Jerry and Marlene Barrick

A big thank you to my church family that helped me after my fall. Also thanks for the prayers, calls, and cards. I thank God for the caring members of Mt. Calvary.

Mary Ann Mapes

New Service time for Sunday Mornings Starting January 5, 2020 worship service will begin at 8:45 am. Sunday School will begin at

8:30 am. Starting on January 12.

Prayer Requests

Remember these individuals for whom prayer was requested: Florence, Heidi, Gene, Ken Sliko, Harry and Debbie Mogart, Presley, Josh, Shirley, John and Kathy, Joe and Marge, Marlene Barrick, Linda, Bill, Elisa, Nathan, Brian, Bree, John, Mary Ann, Patti Sliko, Mark, Susan, Steve, Paul, June, Pat Custer, Barb, Jill, Dave, Karen, Lauren, Billy, Jim and Beth Rice, Maggie and Tony, Jan Louder, Larry, Shirley, Michelle, Shelia, Janice, Claudia Plows, Dennis and Julie, Eric, Allison, Deb Zilch, Marlin, Jacob, Carol, Mike, Dolly, Chis, Patti, Scott, Dorothy, Midge, Mary, Denny, Shirley, Dave, Jennifer, Rita, Sylvia, Don, Landon, Dwane, Harold, Joanne, Becky Jo, Helen, Joe, Carol, Shirley, Kathleen, Kevin, Dorothy, Linda, Dick, Lenora Streilein, Shirley Brendle, Joanne, Benford Family, Porter, Charlotte, and Roxanne Horner.

HILLTOPPER INFORMATION

If you have any information you would like to place in the newsletter, “The Hilltopper,” for

February , please email Sue Cade at cades@mt-calvarylutheran.org by

Friday, January 17.

2 Holy Women’s Christmas Tea

On Saturday, January 4th at 2:30 p.m., you are invited to join a group of women who are sponsoring a Holy Women’s Christmas Tea at Sequanota Camp and Conference Center. The event will support the spring Women’s Retreat this year. Individuals can sponsor a tea table and bring 5 other women with them. Or, you can simply come and find a place at a table and join others. Each seat is $20. Thus, the cost to fill a six-person table with friends and family is $120. All are welcome to pause for this tea party as the Christmas season comes to a close. Reservations are helpful. Please contact Sequanota at 814-629-6627 or contact@sequanota.com for registration information.

The Allegheny Synod

40,000 Can Challenge Our can challenge count as of December 18, towards our 40,000 goal, 4,415.

Thank you for your generous support.

SNOW CAMP

Snow Camp: Evening of January 31st---Early Afternoon of February 2nd

Where: Camp Sequanota just outside of Jennerstown

Who Can Go: Those in 6th to 12th Grade

Cost: $35 per participant, with scholarships available

To Register: Speak to Pastor Jonathan or Pastor Scott by January 12th

This event attracted over one hundred Lutheran teens from around our synod last year. With the late November event in State College having gone so well, registration is likely going to be even higher this year. This is don’t miss stuff for any and all committed to the religious formation of teenagers. Let’s welcome Pastor Jonathan by sending 12-15 kids as we very easily could! In fact, let’s exceed 15 as we also very easily could!!

Review and Heads Up for Annual Meeting

At our Special Congregation Meeting on the weekends of November 9-10 and 16-17 we approved and ratified changes to our Constitution in the areas of council structure, election, and terms. We will hold our next Annual Congregational Meeting under these guidelines. Speaking of our annual meeting, circle your 2020 calendars for Saturday February 1, 2020. We will meet after the 5:30PM service. The starting time should be around 6:45-7:00. Correct parliamentary procedure requires a single meeting not two separate but equal meetings. So, this time the meeting is on Saturday and the next will be after the Sunday service in Jan/Feb 2021. We will continue to alternate thusly. We also plan on updating the Constitution to the ELCA 2019 Model Constitution. Since we have not done this for a number of years there are a number of required sections we need to add. This can be done with one Congregational vote. Several other local Lutheran churches are in this process also. Stay tuned for additional information. Ray Leverknight, Council Secretary

Giving Tree Update

Because of your generosity and caring, we collected $1186.00 for the Giving Tree making it possible to send this money to the Helping Hand Mission in Lilly. This great endeavor helped provide a very Merry Christmas for those less fortunate. Your efforts are greatly appreciated by so many as you share the love

of God and your bounty with those in need. Thanks again for your support of a good cause!!

World Hunger

Thank you to all that gave to World Hunger. With your generosity, we were able to send $1230.50 to Lutheran World Relief.

3 Mt. Calvary Press Release

You now have an opportunity to sponsor the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church notice in the Saturday issue of the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat newspaper! We are asking if any of our members are interested in sponsoring this ad for 1 week. The cost is $11.00. We are also giving you the opportunity to place this as an Honorarium or Memorial, if you wish.

Sponsored by ______________________________

In Honor/Memory of_________________________

How Many Weeks____________

2020 Envelopes

Every year the offering envelopes are renumbered so they are in alphabetical order. Your number may have changed from last year. So, beginning Jan. 1, throw away your 2019 offering envelopes and start using your 2020 offering envelopes. If you have received envelopes and choose not to have them, OR if you did not receive envelopes and would like to have offering envelopes, please call the church office. Also, help deliver envelopes to your friends and neighbors. You will find a Christmas ornament commerating our 75 Anniversary. Thank you! Additional ornaments may be purchased for $5.00 in the church office.

Flower/Bulletin Charts

If you would like to sign up for flowers or bulletins for 2020, the charts are will be available on the bulletin board in the narthex Dec.14/15. The price for flowers has gone up to $44.00 and the bulletins are $15.00.

Blood Drive

The next blood drive will be held on Friday, February 14, between 12:30-6:00 PM. Please take the time to come out and donate.

Help save a life!

We need volunteers!

We will be taking the Christmas Card down at 9 AM on Saturday, January 11. Any questions call Jamie McMullen at 242-7888.

Help is also needed to undecorate the nave on Sunday, January 12, after the service. Any questions contact Ray Leverknight at 248-6995

Souper Bowl Collection

Our youth will sponsor the Souper Bowl Collection, January 25/26 and February 1/2. We ask that you please bring in a canned food item and/or donate money to

the soup pot the youth will be holding after each service. The proceeds will be given to a local food pantry.

Family Kitchen

The Family Kitchen is losing several groups who sponsor

meals for the upcoming year. Because of this, Mt. Calvary has offered to pick up an extra meal to help fill those holes. Although we just worked at the beginning of December, our next date to volunteer will be Sunday January 12 from 11-1. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Mike Kozak at 244-6880. Thank you!

Book Discussion

Title: Plain Truth

By Jodi Picoult

April 13, at 6:30 pm

4 Annual Meeting Information

The date of the annual meeting has been set for Saturday, February 1, 2020. It will begin after the conclusion of worship, which means it will likely begin around 6:45. Confirmed members who have made a contribution of record once and communed at least once in the prior or current year are eligible to vote at a congregational meeting. The purpose of the annual meeting shall be to review the prior year’s ministry, to adopt a mission spending plan for the current year, and to fill vacancies on the congregational council by way of election. With respect to elections, volunteers have been solicited throughout the fall and the Nominating Committee has now met. The Nominating Committee’s roster of proposed candidates for service on the council is: Missy Brodt (1st term, 3 years)

Sean Horn (2nd term, 3 years)

Mike Kozak (2nd term, 3 years)

Jim Prisk (1st term, 3 years)

Jack Weisbrodt (1st term, 2 years)

If the congregation wishes to nominate anyone else for consideration at the annual meeting, it should contact the Nominating Committee as soon as possible. Members of the Nominating Committee are Bob McMullen, Pastor Scott, Harold Ashcraft, Linda Barnhart, Joan Bunnell, Brian Hiltz, Jan Layton, Tom Rohrabaugh, and Debbie Thomas.

Newspaper Ads

4 Weeks in memory of Bill McMullen by Linda McMullen.

5 Weeks in memory of Clyde Harriger by Kay Harriger

2020 Lutheran Marriage Encounter Weekends Announced

Your marriage relationship is something that provides the greatest potential for happiness. Is yours living up to this potential? Please make 2020 the year you resolve to attend a Lutheran Marriage Encounter Weekend to learn how to maximize the joy and intimacy that God intends for your marriage!

The following Northeast US Weekends have been scheduled:

* April 24-26, 2020 at Country Inn & Suites, Ithaca, NY. A hotel with lots of country charm in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York.

* May 1-3, 2020 at Heritage Hotel in Lancaster, PA. A recently-renovated hotel, home of the unique, treehouse-inspired restaurant, "Loxley's."

* October 2-4, 2020 at Comfort Inn Latham-Albany North--just 10 miles north of Interstate 90 near Albany, the vibrant capital of NY.

* October 16-18, 2020 at Olmsted Retreat. A stunning, hotel-style retreat Center in the Allegheny National Forest, 2 hours north of Pittsburgh. Please go to the national website: www.GodLovesMarriage.org to see the very reasonable group rate for each Weekend. You may make your payment for the cost for your lodging and 5 meals for each of you plus the registration fee with your credit card, or you may mark the option to send a check. Scholarships are available for those in need who request them at the website. Registrations are limited by the size of the conference rooms, so to be sure to get the Weekend of your choice, sign up at your earliest convenience at www.GodLovesMarriage.org . For questions please contact Northeast US Directors of Lutheran Marriage Encounter, Fred & Julie Schamber, at fjschamber@comcast.net or 724-325-3166.

1000 Scalp Ave. | Johnstown, PA 15904-3035 1000 Scalp Ave. | Johnstown, PA 15904-3035 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Sent with a prayer to: Mission:

January 2020

Inviting every generation on a shared journey to Christian growth.

THE HILLTOPPER

MOUNT CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH