Greetings from St. Jacob's-Spader's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mt. Crawford, Virginia!

Our mission: Through faith we serve God and share the blessings we receive.

ST. JACOBS-SPADERS E-MAIL REMINDER
Friday, July 11, 2008


---------------- COMING UP AT ST. JACOB'S ----------------

07/11 FRI  6:00 p.m. Friday Night Social Gathering at Trae Turner's house

07/13 SUN  10:00 a.m. Adult, Youth Sunday School and Confirmation
                    11:00 a.m. Worship
                    12:00 Blood pressure checks

07/15 TUE  12:00 a.m. Newsletter Deadline

07/16 WED  7:00 p.m. Bible Study on Romans POSTPONED

07/19 SAT 10:00 a.m. Habitat Build

07/20 SUN 10:00 a.m. Sunday School/Confirmation
                   11:00 a.m. Worship
                   12:30 p.m. Building for Mission meeting (open to all!)


----------------  ST.JACOB'S-SPADERS ANNOUNCEMENTS ----------------


BUILDING FOR MISSION
We will also hold a meeting open to everyone on Sunday, July 20 at 12:30 p.m.  Bring a bag lunch.


ROAD CLEAN-UP REPORT
Thanks to the nine folks that showed up for the Road Clean Up on June 28th.  We gathered 10 bags of trash and had a great time besides!  The next cleaning is scheduled for Saturday, October 4 at 9:30 a.m.  While the VaLLM (Men's Group) sponsors the event, it is open to all congregational participants.  In terms of our mission and ministry this is a project promoting Stewardship of the Earth.


AKALOO SS PROGRAM LOGIN INFORMATION
www.akaloo.com
login: st  jacob ss (two spaces between “st” and “jacob”)
password: welcome


HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BUILD
The Shenandoah Thrivent Financial chapter, of which St. JacobsSpaders is a member congregation, is renting 2 vans to provide transportation to all (women/men/children/etc.) who have a desire/passion to help others by participating in a Thrivent Habitat Build in Pendleton Co., WVA. No skills are needed except the desire to help others in need. Lunch will be provided. There will be a "pickup site" and time on July 19 in the Harrisonburg area (yet to be determined depending upon the number of interested folks). With the price of gas, the Chapter leadership thought this would be an excellent way for folks to participate who might not otherwise be able to join in on the Thrivent Habitat Build. There will be information on this in the upcoming Chapter newsletter which can also be found on-line at
www.lutheransonline.com/shenandoahchapter.


VIRGINIA WOMEN'S CONVENTION
Virginia Synodical Women's Convention (VSWO) to be held in Richmond at the Sheratonb Park South Hotel July 25-27th.  Anyone interested can contact Nancy Bradfield (TwoNana2@aol.com) for a registration form and registrations are due by July 10th.


MISSION COOKOUT
We'll try something new for our regular monthly Mission Dinner in July. We will meet following worship on Sunday, July 27 for a cookout with the Youth and some intergenerational mission activities. Everyone join us!


WOMEN'S FALL BUS TRIP
Southern Valley WELCA Fall Bus Trip, Wayside Theater, Middletown, $42.00 which includes the ticket to the play and the bus trip (excluding tip for driver).
  Lunch will be on your own. ALL women are welcome.  The deadline is August 8th.  Please send your checks to:
Melanie Smith, 1237 Pinehurst Rd., Staunton, VA  24401


STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM KICK-OFF
On August 10, Mr. Cary Mangus, Virginia Synod Stewardship Coordinator, will speak during the Sunday School hour, give a sermon, and meet with the Council and Stewardship Ministry Group during a carry-in lunch.  This will be the kick-off for the Annual Fall Stewardship Program.  For more information, please contact Nancy Bradfield at 828-3890 or twonana2@aol.com.


DISASTER VOLUNTEER DAY
Volunteer Hampton Roads is sponsoring its annual Disaster Volunteer Day, a great opportunity for training in disaster preparedness and response, on Saturday, August 16 at Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton. If you have been looking for the chance to learn about disasters and how to respond to them, this is one of the best programs around! You'll feel safer and more capable once you've attended. I encourage you to register right away - it's limited to 400 participants. For details contact the Pastor at dianna_horton@yahoo.com.


CHURCH PICNIC
Our annual church picnic will be held at Grand Caverns on Sunday, August 24 at 12:30 p.m.


FALL PRAYER VIGIL FOR MISSION AND MINISTRY
We will host another prayer vigil on Friday, September 5 for our congregation's mission and ministry. The purpose of this vigil is to provide an opportunity for concentrated prayer for growth in our ministry and mission as we begin our fall programming. Prayer vigil participants will be invited to pray for the various ways in which we do our ministry: our leadership…our faith formation…growth in evangelism and outreach…providing for the less fortunate…our stewardship…our discipleship…our worship…and for our building efforts to reflect God, us and our mission.


MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
Mind, Body and Sprit will NOT meet during the months of June, July and August.  Meetings will resume on September 8 at 1:00 p.m. with The Faith Club.


SOCIAL MINISTRY NEEDS?
The Social Ministry team in our congregation focuses on advocacy, world hunger, justice, disaster response, poverty, and social issues. If you know of anyone who needs support (medical, financial, or otherwise) please contact Pam Bergey 433-7418.


JOB LISTING
We want to connect folks who need work with jobs, and would like to start a job list. If you know of any job openings, please contact Pam Bergey at 433-7418.


CHURCH CALENDAR ONLINE
Our church calendar is now live online at our church web site! The link to our calendar is on the home page of the St. Jacob's-Spader's Web site http://members.aol.com/StJacobELCA


GREETERS NEEDED
We need Greeters for the months of August, November and December!  Please contact Denise Showell - dbshowell@comcast.net or 289-6352 if you are interested in being a greeter.


PASTORAL CARE
Procedures at hospitals throughout the country have changed to insure patient confidentiality and privacy. If you or one of your loved ones becomes hospitalized, you will have to contact Pastor Horton (540-234-9729 or dianna_horton@yahoo.com) to receive a visit while in the hospital. Also, the Pastor and members of the visitation team would like to visit or call those in need according to their wishes. Please do not hesitate to contact Pastor if you or someone in your family would like a visit or call!


FOOD PANTRY for July: paper products


PRAYER LIST
Habitat For Humanity workers and families served
Remember our shut-ins:
Veta Kincaid
Joy Pence
Luella Kite
Marty Knicely
Wallace Kratzer


LISTEN!
Jesus is telling a story and we are encouraged to listen. In fact, we are told that if we have ears we should listen and learn from this parable. As people of faith we do want to be the good soil that receives God's word, understands that word, and shares it with others. But, even good soil needs to be nourished. God has promised that as the rain and snow from the heavens nourish the seed, so does the word of God nourish our faith. In Arizona, dropping African daisy seeds on barren, brown earth may seem a folly. But the monsoon rains come to give life and abundant color (and joy) to bless all who see the flowers. In Alaska a small pumpkin seed, planted by a child's little hand in a mound of rich Matanuska soil and watered from a bucket, will grow to a pumpkin so large that a team of strong people are required to harvest it. So it is with us. We receive God's word as a little seed-perhaps a bit of information-but watered with prayer, study, worship, and the companionship of other believers, our faith will grow like that pumpkin, and become a source of daily joy for us like the yellow and orange African daisies. Listen! God is teaching us today. And tomorrow we will be nourished too, and every day this week we can be fed with God's word. Hold today's texts in your heart and mind as you do your work or enjoy your vacation. Remember, with water the barren Arizona soil will produce the flowers, with helping hands the giant Alaskan pumpkin will be harvested, and with a nourished faith we will grow strong in the Lord.


ST. JACOB'S COUNCIL FOR 2008
Trae Turner - President 432-0346 or twood100@aol.com
Fred Ridder - Vice-President 574-6153 or annfredr@comcast.net
Nancy Bradfield - Secretary 828-3890 or TwoNana@aol.com
Debbie Miller - Treasurer 433-1739 or RMi6500095@aol.com
Glen Eye - Financial Secretary 234-8590 or eege77@yahoo.com
Cindy Lam - Cemetery Treasurer 289-5504 or cinchu6@aol.com
Carol Noe 249-4796 or carolkn@verizon.net
Donnie Lam 434-6077
Eilene Meyerhoeffer 828-3104
Rebecca Shomo 269-2146 or Jomax1962@aol.com
Denise Showell 289-6352 or dbshowell@comcast.net
June Riddle 867-5225

CONGREGATIONAL OFFICERS
Tammy Craun - Building Fund & Memorial Treasurer 828-4168 or Craun56@wmconnect.com

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Send items for St. Jacob's E-Mail Reminder to Trae Turner at StJacobELCA@aol.com
Pastor Horton dianna_horton@yahoo.com
St. Jacob's-Spader's Web site http://members.aol.com/StJacobELCA
Virginia Synod of the ELCA http://www.vasynod.org/
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America http://www.elca.org

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GO IN PEACE, LIVE THE GOSPEL. THANKS BE TO GOD!