THE EXPRESSION MARCH 2020 ~ NEWSLETTER

Scott Ritenbaugh — President Cindy Lott Judy Bernardini — Vice President Ron Spagna Michelle Gravante — Secretary Joe Kelly Barb Hall — Treasurer John Reed Bela Molnar — Financial Secretary Linda Paulovitch

Sandy Buehner

Church Council Highlights ~

February 18, 2020

● Ryan Ebner, ELCA Gift Planner, to be invited to talk with

congregation members about estate planning

● Be on the lookout for a bulletin insert highlighting the issue

with drainage and the financial impacts to the congregation

● Mission Partner Spotlight Bulletin Board is up at Church,

please take a look to learn about the many ways so many

people are making a difference

● Dave and Barb Hall volunteered to step into role of Church

Treasurer

● Karen Palestra volunteered to serve as the new Altar

Flower Coordinator

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● Taize Service 7:00-7:30 pm Wednesdays during Lent

● Heifer International partnership opportunity during Lent

● March 15, 2029 Soup Luncheon / Fellowship

● Next Council Meeting - Tuesday, March 17 at 6:30 pm

2020 Catechism Class Schedule:

March 15, 2020 April 19, 2020

Classes will be held from 6:00—8:00 pm

May 17, 2020 - Confirmation

We'll be having our annual Easter Egg hunt on Palm Sunday during the Sunday School hour. As always, we appreciate any candy donations! If you would like to donate, please make sure the candy is at the church by SATURDAY, 3/29 to give us time to fill the eggs. You can place your donations in the box marked “EASTER EGG HUNT” on the shelf in the nursery.

THANK YOU

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Attention hungry churchgoers! We're changing up our coffee fellowship after the worship service on March 15th by adding soup to the menu! You can eat it at the fellowship OR if you have a busy day lined up you can just take some home in a "to go" container. There will be a free-will offering with all donations to go toward paying off the principle of our loan. Also, we’re going to have someone available to assist those who might have questions about how to sign up for electronic giving or how to receive weekly audio recordings of Pastor Wayne’s sermons. “Saturday-nighters”, don’t feel left out! We’re doing the same thing after the service on 3/14. If you would like to help by donating a crockpot of soup, please get in touch with someone on the Congregational Life team (Sandy Buehner, Cindy Lott or John Reed) or let Sheri know in the church office. Hope to see you there!

Mark your calendars for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt on

Palm Sunday, April 5th at 9:00 am.

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Mission Partners Spotlight The Owls of Christ's are our members who are over 80 years old and are the reason we are here today. They led the Church for many years and mentored us as we grew. Now it's our turn to honor them and help them as they age. Some, are still active and serve the Church, and others are home-bound. Please look for them on the Bulletin Board. The Home-bound are listed and all would love a call or a note to thank them for being God's Hands in our lives. Caring Hearts and Hands

Thrivent Choice Dollars

By directing Thrivent Choice Dollars through the Thrivent Choice program, eligible Thrivent members recommend where Thrivent Financial distributes

some of its charitable outreach grant dollars among thousands of participating nonprofit organizations and congregations. Christ's Lutheran Church is an eligible recipient.

Allocations, which can be made by internet or phone, are required annually or the allocations will expire unused. Last year's allocations will expire on March 31st of this year.

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DATES TO REMEMBER

March 4, 11, 18, 25, – April 1 – Taize Services

April 5th – Palm Sunday April 9th – Maundy Thursday April 10th – Good Friday April 12th - Easter

The Sewing Group meets on Tuesdays at 9:00 am.

Come join us !

We mostly knit or crochet right now and would be happy to teach you how. Yarn, needles and hooks are all available for you to try out. Or bring your own craft or sewing project.

Please contact Leslie Sill at 412-793-2546 for additional information.

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MARCH BIRTHDAYS

Please join us in extending the happiest of Birthday Wishes to the following Mission Partners who celebrate Birthdays in the month of MARCH: MAR 1-8 Michelle Gravante Tammy Scanga Debra Somple Roy Ruzomberka Tyler Cook Heather Cook Amber Grabowski Duane Ridley MAR 9-14 Ken Hinkelman Anna Scanga Helen Lang Dwight Schuetz Ruth Goetz Collin Rogers Wally Utley Sarah Borgia MAR 15-25 Randy Shanter Meghan Martin Michele Grieco Rob Carnahan Dorothy Beacom Adison Federovich MAR 26-31 Amanda Federovich Kathy Doyle Atreyu Ho Sharon Pfeiffer Amy Bevacqua If you don’t see your name, and you have a MARCH birthday, please forgive the oversight and give the church office a call so that we can record your birthdate in our parish records.

Thanks, and have a

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We kindly ask that you continue to pray for our CLC members, family, and friends of members who are included in our weekly bulletin prayer list. Thank you.

Damian Arenth - grandson of Holly Kirsch

Harry & Amy Ayres - friends of Inge Pizzica

Dorothy Beacom - CLC member

Ed Bertelsen - uncle of Judy Bernardini

Linda Bradish - mother of co-worker of Sandy Buehner

Ed & Sandy Buehner & Family - CLC members

Vicki Cohill - Pastor Wayne and Laurel Gillespie

Judy Daum - daughter of Shirley Daum

Beth Ann DeSimone - daughter in law of Gloria Frick

Marlene Earl - CLC member

James Eddy - son of Arlene Eddy

Chuck & Irene Evans - CLC member

Julie Fallin - friend of Dwight & Carolyn Schuetz

Bob Glunt - son of Nancy Glunt

Halsmer Family - family friends of Marion O'Donnell

Jarl Hansson - cousin of Cindy Dutt

John Heilman - brother of Jane Montgomery

Peggy Henry - CLC member

Abby Johnson - friend of Wally Utley

Anthony Johnston - friend of Sharon Pfeiffer

Bobbi Joyce - friend of Linda Reed

Patty Kelley - friend of Marianne Trainor

Holly Kirsch - CLC member

Gary Lemon - brother-in-law of Carol Tamenne

Will Lowe - bother-in-law of Mary Wentroble

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David Little - son of Roger and Barb Little

Grace Lucas - CLC member

Emma Lyons - CLC member

Donna Magerl - friend of Sandy Buehner

Audrey Mauro - sister of Louise Fitz

Derek McClemens - son of Greg & Debby McClemens

Christopher Molnar - son of a friend of the Marion O'Donnell

Jennifer Cohill O'Connor - Pastor Wayne and Laurel Gillespie

Michael O'Donnell - CLC member

Rich Radcliffe - former co-worker of Wally Utley

John Ring - brother of Mary Wentroble

John Russell - son of Theresa Russell

Theresa Russell - CLC member

Denny Saddler - brother-in-law of Denise Shanter

Tony Santacasa - friend of the Bernardini & McClemens

Vi Shipman - friend of Arlene Eddy

Pat Sisco - friend of Arlene Eddy

Patti Smith - daughter of Frieda Cushing

Mary Sorrells - request from Pastor Wayne

Wilma Stewart - mother of Tammy Scanga

Marion Surgent - daughter of Theresa Russell

Gerry Suter - friend of Kris Meade

Arlene Switzer - friend of Oren Keibler

Jeff Weber - friend of Nancy Sheehan

William Swope - friend of Marion O'Donnell

Dawn Werner - niece of Sue & Mike Werner

Gloria Zagorac - CLC member

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WE PRAY FOR OUR MISSION PARTNERS: MAR 1 Dave and Barb Hall Joann Hauger Gary and Amy Heberling James and Peggy Henry MAR 8 Tim Hileman, Suzanne Boyce, Miranda, Alex, Leah Ken and Marti Hinkelman Santini, Phyllis, Scythe, Atreyu Ho Aaron, Sarah, Tyler, Ivy, Mia Hoffman MAR 15 Mark and Nancy Holland Richard Hood John, Diana, Emily Hooper Carol Hudson MAR 22 Mary, Gwen, Lauren Huffman Charmaine Kacin Oren and Anna Mae Keibler Joe, Gretchen, Cole, Kate Kelly MAR 29 Holly Kirsch Rachel Kitzke Joseph, Jamie, Sierra Koteles Gary, Pam, Brittany Kuhn

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The Caring Hearts and Hands group will meet at 9:00AM

on the second Thursday of March, (March 12th) at the

church’s downstairs kitchen. It will be an encore soup day,

preparing and delivering lunches to many members of our

Caring List.

If you know someone that might not be on our Caring List and would

appreciate being included in this Caring gesture, please contact

Romaine Miller at 412-996-4915.

You are welcome to join us in this fun endeavor!

This month’s SCRAPBOOKING gathering with be on Friday, MARCH 13th at 6:00 pm!

We usually meet on the second Friday of every month.

Please contact Betty Molnar at 724-327-3437 with questions.

Men’s Breakfast will be held on Saturday morning, MARCH 21st at 8:00 am in the Lower Social hall. Bring a hearty appetite and enjoy hanging out with the guys.

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TOGETHER WE HAVE POWER OVER HUNGER AND POVERTY.

Do you merely pray and “Talk the Talk” or do you “Walk the Walk?”

Former Prime Minister of England, Margaret Thatcher, commented that the reason the Good Samaritan is remembered is that he gave money for the care of the wounded man. Again, this year we're donating money to Heifer to purchase pregnant heifers. Each heifer is $500.00. Our Sunday School is donating chicks. The chicks are $20.00 a flock. The first born from your gifts will be "passed on" to another needy family or individual. So, your generosity does double duty!

Offering envelopes are available for your gifts in the entry way or you can include it with your offering. Our weekly Taize worship offerings will also be devoted to this life-giving ministry.

Thank you for your thoughtful gifts to Heifer!

We are taking orders for Easter Flowers

through Friday, April 3rd

The following flowers are available for order: Lilies $ 8.75 per plant Tulips $ 8.75 per plant Azaleas $12.75 per plant Hydrangeas $17.50 per plant

The order envelopes are in the Information Center in the church entry way. Please drop in the offering plate, church office, or the Parish Admin mailbox.

Thank you and have a Happy Easter!

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We are starting a monthly collection of items for Operation Christmas Child. Wait…Christmas? Yes, Christ-mas! If you are not familiar with Operation Christmas Child, it is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, and is the world’s largest Christmas outreach of its kind. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to over 124 million children affected by war, poverty, natural disasters, and other crises in more than 150 countries and territories. Each month, we will be collecting specific items that can be placed in the collection bins in the lobby of the church. Our collection schedule is: March – Small stuffed animals & dolls, no longer than 8 inches

April – Socks, t-shirts and underwear for toddlers thru teens

May – Small balls (Nerf or rubber), flashlights with batteries, solar powered calculators

June – Bar soap, lip balm, stick deodorant for teen girls & boys

Christmas in July – it requires $9.00 to ship each box, please consider donating money

August – Sunglasses, Band-Aids, hair brushes, hair ties

September – Harmonicas, musical recorders, yo-yo’s, jump ropes, marbles, toy cars

October – Reusable plastic ware: small plates, bowls, water bottles, sippy cup, utensils

November - put boxes together and drop off at collection site!

Each box is a true blessing to the child receiving it. Help us make a bigger impact this year!