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We are delighted to have you with us this morning as we gather to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are visiting today, we are glad you are here! Whether you are visiting from out of town, seeking a new church home, or for any other reason, thank you for choosing to worship with us. We would love to get in touch with you. Please fill out your contact information in the red folder at the end of your pew, or fill out the information on the back cover of this bulletin, and place it in the offering plate as it passes before you.

About Us: Since her opening service on Christmas Eve in 1948 and her charter the following year, Ruthfred Lutheran Church has been a congregation rooted in the conviction that the Bible is inspired by God, living and active, capable to produce faith in its hearers, and true and faithful in all its parts. As such, our preaching and teaching aim to be faithful to its correct interpretation and is central to our

worship of God.

Our Divine Service, called the “Common Service,” possesses a rich history that stems from the early days of the Lutheran Reformation. It is centered upon God’s Word, and proclaims the realities of God’s abundant grace in Jesus Christ from its start to its close. If this is a new form of worship for you, this bulletin will serve as a welcome companion. The order of service begins on

page 3.

The Divine Service begins as our organist begins the Prelude. When the music starts, please quiet your hearts

as you prayerfully prepare for worship.

Our cover is a paper cut or scherenschnitte created specially for our church by our very own Kathryn Carr. The artwork will reflect liturgical and Ruthfred-specific themes that occur

throughout the year.

Welcome to Ruthfred Lutheran Church! Member of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (www.aflc.org)

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The Divine Service of the Word

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, January 27, 2019

Prelude:

“Allegro”

(Handel)

“Aria”

(Handel)

The Opening

Hymn:

“Praise To The

Lord, The Almighty” (SBH 408) (Please stand as we join our hearts in song)

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We confess our sins at the beginning of each service, because we are coming into the presence of a holy God. Though we are sinners who daily struggle with sin , we are invited to come to Him to receive the forgiveness of sin earned for us by Jesus. Through this forgiveness, we are given a right standing before a holy God. Because sin is both corporate and personal, we confess our sins together, and privately in the silence of our hearts.

The Call to Worship

Pastor (P): We open this service in the name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation (C): Amen

The Confession of Sin (SBH, p. 41)

Pastor (P): Beloved in the Lord, let us draw near with a true heart, and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching him, in the

Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant us forgiveness.

Our help is in the name of the Lord

Congregation (C): Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)

P: I said, “I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord.

C: And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. (Psalm 32:5)

P: Let us bow or kneel for the confession of our sin.

Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto thee, that we are by nature sinful and unclean, and that we have sinned against thee by thought, word, and deed. Wherefore

we flee for refuge to thine infinite mercy, seeking and imploring thy

grace, for the sake of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

(Silent Prayer of Personal Confession)

Together:

O most merciful God, who hast given thine only-begotten Son to die for us, have mercy upon us, and for his sake grant us

remission of all our sins; and by thy Holy Spirit increase in us

true knowledge of thee and of thy will, and true obedience to

thy Word, that by thy grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Absolution:

P: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us, and has given his only-begotten son to die for us, and for his sake forgives us all our sins. To those who believe on his name, He gives the power to become children of God, and bestows upon them His Holy Spirit. The one who believes and is baptized shall be saved.

Grant this O Lord, unto us all.

C: Amen

The Absolution is based upon God’s instruction in Luke 24:47 that repentance and the forgiveness of sins should be widely proclaimed in the name of Jesus. (See also1 John. 1:9).

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The Introit (Read Responsively; Please stand)

P: Worship Him, all you His angels.

C: Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah

rejoiced.

P: Because of Your judgments, O Lord. The Lord reigns, let the earth

rejoice.

C: Let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. (Psalm 97: 1, 7, 8)

The Gloria Patri (Sung in Unison; SBH p. 41)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world

without end. Amen.

The Kyrie (Sung in Unison; SBH p. 48)

P: Lord, have mercy upon us.

C: Lord, have mercy upon us.

P: Christ, have mercy upon us.

C: Christ, have mercy upon us.

P: Lord, have mercy upon us.

C: Lord, have mercy upon us.

“Introit” means “to enter into,” and is a responsive reading meant to lead God’s forgiven children into the worship of Him. The words are from Scripture, and relate to the theme of the day in the liturgical calendar.

“Kyrie” is from the Greek word for Lord, which is the first word of the prayer. Distinct from the confession of sin, it is a prayer for God to grant His mercy in every aspect of our lives and to supply us with all our needs, personally, corporately and for the whole world.

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The Hymn of Praise:

“Spirit Of God Descend Upon My Heart” (SBH129, vs 1 & 4)

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The Collect:

P: The Lord be with you:

C: And with thy spirit.

P: Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth the right hand of your Majesty to help and defend us; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and

the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.

C: Amen

The Old Testament Lesson: Nehemiah 8: 1-10 (NSV)

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel.

2 So Ezra the

priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month.

3 And he read from it facing the

square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden

platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.

5 And

Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6

And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai,

Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places.

8 They read from the book, from

the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the

people understood the reading. 9

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

10 Then he said to them, “Go your

way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

The “collect” is a prayer of the day for each day in the liturgical calen-dar. It is meant to “collect” the prayers of God’s people.

God’s chief means of extending His grace to His children is through His Word. Hearing it and learning it are central to His proper worship.

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The Psalm: Psalm 19: 7-14 (ESV, Read Responsively)

P: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of

the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

C: The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the

eyes.

P: The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the

Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

C: More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine

gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the

honeycomb.

P: Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there

is great reward.

C: Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from

hidden faults.

P: Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of

great transgression.

C: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my

heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my

redeemer.

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The Epistle Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31 (ESV)

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews

or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.

16 And if

the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the

body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17

If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

19 If all were a single member, where would the

body be? 20

As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

22 On the contrary, the parts of

the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23

and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater

modesty, 24

which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,

25 that there may be no division in the body, but that

the members may have the same care for one another. 26

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually

members of it. 28

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

29 Are all

apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30

Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you

a still more excellent way.

The Gradual:

So the heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth your glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice. Let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Alleluia. (Psalm 102: 15, 16; 97: 1)

The “Gradual” (Latin for step) is a liturgical reading bridging the readings of the epistle and the Gospel. It is comprised of Scripture, mostly the Psalms.

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The Alleluia (Sung in Unison)

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

The Holy Gospel Lesson: Luke 4: 16-20 (ESV)

The Congregation shall rise and sing, “Glory be to Thee, O Lord.”

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.

17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given

to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has

anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

19 to proclaim the year of

the Lord's favor.” 20

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to

the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue

were fixed on him.

The Congregation shall sing, “Praise be to Thee, O Christ.”

The Confession of Faith: The Apostles’ Creed (Confessed in Unison)

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and Earth

And In Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence

he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of

the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

The Announcements (Please be seated)

The Special Music

8:30 Bell Choir—Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (Arr. Hopson)

11:00 Senior Choir—Lately, Have You Seen the Sun? (Leech/Tabell)

“Alleluia” is Hebrew for “Praise the Lord.”

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Lately, Have You Seen the Sun?

Have you seen the sun? Lately, have you seen the sun? Or have you walked in shade

‘midst shadows you have made?

Lately, have you seen a star? For even in the night there’s still a guiding light,

For God is there for all to find, and those who do not find,

perhaps must say they’re blind,

For God is there for all to know and those who never find Him real,

perhaps reveal they do not want Him so.

Lately, have you sought for truth? The clues are all around, by searching, found. Lately, have you longed to know life’s secret?

Lately, have you seen the sun? Lately, have you seen a star?

Lately, have you looked for God?

For God is there for all to seek, our hungerings to feed,

to meet our deepest need. For God is there to show the way,

to lead us ever upward, onward into brighter, clearer day!

Lately, have you paused to pray?

Or are you still too proud, defiantly unbowed?

Lately, have you sought the why?

Lately, have you seen the sun? Lately, have you seen a star?

Lately, have you looked for God?

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The Sermon Hymn:

“Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing” (AMB187)

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The Sermon is the central component of our Worship. In it, we hear God’s word taught and explained. We hear His Law, convicting of sin and guiding the believ-er. We also hear the promis-es of His Gospel, the Good News of Christ’s work for us—His redemption, for-giveness and provision of life eternal.

The Sermon:

“A 0% Unemployment Rate” | 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31

Sermon Notes:

The Offertory Response (Sung in Unison; Please Stand)

Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit with-

in me. Cast me not away from thy presence: and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation:

and uphold me with thy free Spirit. (Psalm 51:10-12)

The Offering and Offertory:

“Be Thou My Vision” (Young)

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The Installation of Church Council Members (both services)

The Closing & Silent Prayer (Please bow or kneel in prayer)

The Lord’s Prayer (Prayed in Unison)

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy

kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; And, forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us; Lead us not into

temptation, but deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom

and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

The Benediction

P: May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May he make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you

May he lift up His countenance upon you and give you His peace.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

(Numbers 6:24-26)

C: Amen.

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The Closing Hymn:

“Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” (SBH520, 1st tune)

The Silent Prayer & Chimes

The Postlude:

“Rigaudon” (Campra)

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Announcements

The altar flowers are presented by Tom and Ginny Leech in honor and memory of Dr. J. D.

Palton, a dear friend.

Altar flowers are still available for Sunday, February 17th, along with many

Sundays throughout the year. Let’s fill this chart up! Sign up today!

Nursery Today: 8:30—Greta Kelly; during Sunday School—Vickie Hendershot; 11:00—Claudia

Patalong.

Known to be hospitalized: none

Official Act: On Thursday, January 24, 2019 at 11:00 a.m., funeral services were held for

Arnette Tober, 91, in the sanctuary of our church.

Installation of New/Re-elected Council Members: The installation of new and re-elected

council members will be held TODAY, Sunday, January 27, 2019 at both services.

Interested in Helping??: If you would be interested in heading up our Easter Basket project for our homebound members, assisting to coordinate, or learning more about what is involved,

please contact Jill Kurtz.

Samaritan Ministry: We are currently seeking a coordinator for the Samaritan Ministry at Ruthfred Lutheran Church. This ministry provides help for our brothers and sisters in Christ with various special needs. The Samaritan Ministry provides transportation to a doctor’s appointment, grocery store, church, deliver meals to families in need, provide relief for caretakers of the elderly

sick, and more. If you are interested, please call Patricia Lutz at (412) 835-7140 ext. 225.

The Herald Assembly/Mailing Team is seasoned and efficient, but we could use an extra

volunteer or two. We start at 8:30 a.m. and we are finished by 10:00 a.m. on the Wednesday morning the Herald is distributed each month. We fold, sticker and attach mailing labels to approximately 500 copies of the Herald. The work is easy and the hours are great! Even if you do not want, or are not able, to commit to helping each month, we would welcome your assistance whenever you are available. Our team members occasionally need to miss a month,

too. Thanks for your consideration, and please talk with Joyce Bock if you have any questions.

Budgeted Funds as of December 31, 2018

Member Donations Actual Expenses Approved Budget Expenses

$1,093,134 $1,020,681 $1,053,366

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SUNDAY SCHOOL, SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2019

LARGE CLASS ROOM (Adult) Pastor Osier begins a new series…

“Will The Real Jesus Please Stand Up?” Our society is often confused about who Jesus is which can lead to major problems. Is he a good (or the best) teacher? Is he our cheerleader friend? Is he a social justice warrior? Is he a dispenser of new rules? In this study, Pastor Osier will draw from the book of the same title

written by Pastor Matt Richard as well as other resources to answer biblically the questions of who Jesus is, what that means for us, and why we want him to be just as the Bible describes

him.

UPPER ROOM (Adult) Eric Wente continues his 6-week series…

“The Purpose Driven Life—What on earth am I here for?” Please join us for a six week DVD series by Pastor Rick Warren. Over the course of this study, we

will seek to discover together the answer to life's most fundamental question: "What on earth

am I here for?" All are welcome to join us on this journey!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February Birthdays

Happy 90th Birthday to Nova Jones on Monday, February 4, 2019

Happy 91st Birthday to Ruth Shea on Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Happy 93rd Birthday to Bob Christman on Sunday, February 10, 2019

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COUNCIL ELECTION RESULTS

Newly elected, or re-elected for a second term, at the Congregational Meeting held last

Sunday, January 20, 2019, were:

SECRETARY: Leslie Gill

TREASURER: Chuck Morrison

FINANCIAL SECRETARY: Connie Munn

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUPERINTENDENT: Barb Harrold

DEACONS: Gary Fischer

(8:30 service) Frank Fife

DEACONS: John Welsh

(11:00 service)

ELDERS: Don Roose Ned Wellman

Will Charlton

TRUSTEES: Roger Kurtz

Jennifer Hewitt

Many thanks to those who have finished their terms and to those who graciously submitted

their names for nomination.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gifts to Our Church

Pastor’s Fund

Given by Bob and Gladys Reith in memory of Robert W. Cook, a close friend for many, many

years.

Given by Dan and Cathy Shields in memory of Robert W. Cook.

Given by Charles F. Zammerilla, D.D.S. in memory of Robert W. Cook.

Current Fund

Given by Bryan and Sandy Newman in memory of Arnette Tober.

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Baby Bottle Campaign: Did you know that at 21 days a baby’s heart begins to beat? At 1 month, the baby’s organs and body parts are developing, and at 8 weeks the baby’s brain and nerve endings are formed. The typical client is coming into our clinics around 7-8 weeks pregnant and is considering an abortion. We can show her the life God created through an ultrasound image. This ultrasound image changes her heart from contemplating abortion to choosing life 90% of the time. Here at the Pittsburgh Women’s Clinic, our mission to save babies goes hand-in-hand with the mission to help young moms and dads realize and reach their full

potential-as parents, and as people. In January we commemorate the Sanctity of Life and are taking time to reflect on the ways in which YOUR financial gifts and prayer support made an impact on moms and babies in the Pittsburgh area last year. By your continued support, you allow us to continue offering free programs and services to young women in our area. When you fill a bottle with your checks, dollars or loose change, you are helping rescue children and serve families! Grab your bottle from the various locations in the church and support Human Coalition in the work of saving lives! (Please make checks payable to “HUMAN COALITION”. All

proceeds support the local activity in Pittsburgh.)

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YOUTH NEWS

SWAP (6-8 Grade)

There will be SWAP tonight! SWAP is our weekly get together for 6-8 Graders, during this time

we play games, have a Bible lesson, and get to know one another as we become a community

in Christ.

Brunch (9-12 Grade)

There is Brunch today!!. On certain Sundays we host brunch after Church for the youth at the

Fouks’ House. Brunch typically starts immediately after church, and goes until around 4pm. If

you like good food, good company, and fun games, brunch is perfect for you.

FLY (8-12 Grade)

We will be having our last FLY Registration party on Monday January 28th 6-9pm at the

Church. January 31 will be the last day we are accepting FLY registrations for our group. if your

child is planning to attend please make sure you have them registered by that date.

Save the Date

January 27 Brunch

January 28 FLY Registration Party

July 1-6 FLY Convention

Questions/concerns? Contact Brandon Fouks: Fouksanator@gmail.com

(c) (715)-781-6063

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Prayer Requests

Please use this space to let the

pastors, elders and/or church

know of your prayer needs.

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

Please keep this request

Private (to be kept amongst the

pastors and vicar only).

Please make this request

known to the Ruthfred prayer

team and announce it to the

congregation when

appropriate.

This Week At Ruthfred

Today (1/27)

8:30 a.m.— Worship Service 9:45 a.m.—Sunday School 11:00 a.m.—Worship Service

6:30 p.m.—GIFT Bible Study @ Harrold’s

Monday (1/28) 9:15 a.m.—JTTW Leaders Meeting

7:00 p.m.—GriefShare

Wednesday (1/30) Herald Mailing 9:15 a.m.—JTTW 5:45 p.m.—Children’s Choir 6:30 p.m.—Bell Choir 6:45 p.m.—Jr. & Sr. Confirmation Classes 6:45 p.m.—JTTW/KidsClub

7:30 p.m.—Senior Choir

Thursday (1/31)

7:15 p.m.—Benevolence Meeting

Friday (2/1)

6:30 a .m.—Men’s Prayer Group @ Paneras

St. Paul declares: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12: 27, NIV). Each of you is indispensable to this gathering called the church. Welcome! During the

announcements, please sign the Friendship Pad and

return it to the center aisle.

Attendance for Last Week:

Church...187 Sunday School...67

JTTW (morning)...81

JTTW (evening)...55 KidsTime...33

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Ruthfred Staff

Rev. Steven P. Carlson| Senior Pastor (412) 835-7140 (ext. 229) PastorCarlson@ruthfred.org

Rev. Adam G. Osier| Assistant Pastor (412) 835-7140 (ext. 226) PastorOsier@ruthfred.org

Kevin Czymbor| Vicar (Seminary Intern) (412) 835-7140 (ext. 231) kevin@czymbor.net

Paula Mikulan| Office Manager (412) 835-7140 (ext. 222) PaulaMikulan@ruthfred.org

Ron Thorhauer| Business Manager (412) 835-7140 (ext. 224) RonThorhauer@ruthfred.org

Patricia Lutz| Administrative Assistant (412) 835-7140 (ext. 225)

PatriciaLutz@ruthfred.org

Brandon Fouks| Director of Youth Ministry (412) 835-7140 (ext. 240) BrandonFouks@ruthfred.org

Andrew Vogel| Multi-Media Coordinator (412) 860-6270 AndrewVogel@ruthfred.org

Robert Vogel Senior & Bell Choirs

Frederick Schell Organist

Melissa Manzo Children’s Choir

Erin Campion Preschool Director

Lauren Compel & Denise Stutzman Kid’s Time Leaders

Ruthfred Lutheran Church 3401 South Park Road Bethel Park, Pennsylvania 15102 Phone: (412) 835-7140 Email: ruthfred@ruthfred.org www.ruthfred.org