The Parishioner 1 The Parishioner Volume 26 Issue 09 A Publication of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church September 2021 FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK Periodically I receive text messages (or an occasional phone call or e-mail) from some of the youth, most of whom I took through confirmation. I want to share with you part of a text message conversation I had with a high school student a few years ago (S = Student; P = Pastor): S: Hey Pastor, I have a friend who doesn’t really believe in God yet, but I’m trying to talk to him about the Bible and now he wants a Bible, but he has a question that I can’t really give him an answer to…. P: (I gave him my answer to the question). S: Okay, that answers his question. Thank you for your help. I’m sure he’ll have more questions because he’s reading a Bible for the first time and you know more than me but he’s come a longgggggg way since the beginning of baseball starting and I’m trying to get him to come to church this Sunday. P: I’m so proud of you. S: Thank you Pastor. I’m just doing what you taught me. That young man, the friend of my church member, did come and continued to come to church regularly. Then, after several meetings with me, he stood before the congregation, and at the age of 16 received the sacrament of Holy Baptism. There aren’t many things more “rewarding” than that – both the conversation with my church member and taking a young man through catechesis and into Holy Baptism. One of the things I repeatedly emphasize to my confirmation classes is this: Confirmation is not graduation! In the same way, we need to remember that being Christians/being the Church is not restricted to an hour or so on Sunday morning; it is who we are and what we are. When we are baptized into Christ, we become sons and daughters of God. As St. Paul teaches in Romans 6, in baptism we die and rise with Christ, so that we might live a new life (literally, “walk in newness of life”). As you have heard me say, the Holy Spirit brings us into Christ Jesus and brings the life of the crucified, risen and ascended Jesus Christ into us. As we daily worship, pray, read and meditate on the Scriptures, fellowship and serve, we do so by yielding our daily living and doing to the Holy Spirit, so that he may continue to shape and transform us into the image of Christ. This transformation (referred to in the Bible as sanctification) is not a private experience for our own pleasure or appropriation; it is the ongoing means by which the Holy Spirit is able to proclaim the Gospel through us into the world – by our words and our actions.
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Transcript
The Parishioner 1
The Parishioner Volume 26 Issue 09 A Publication of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church September 2021
FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Periodically I receive text messages (or an occasional phone call or e-mail) from some of the youth, most of
whom I took through confirmation. I want to share with you part of a text message conversation I had with a
high school student a few years ago (S = Student; P = Pastor):
S: Hey Pastor, I have a friend who doesn’t really believe in God yet, but I’m trying to talk to him about the
Bible and now he wants a Bible, but he has a question that I can’t really give him an answer to….
P: (I gave him my answer to the question).
S: Okay, that answers his question. Thank you for your help. I’m sure he’ll have more questions because he’s
reading a Bible for the first time and you know more than me but he’s come a longgggggg way since the
beginning of baseball starting and I’m trying to get him to come to church this Sunday.
P: I’m so proud of you.
S: Thank you Pastor. I’m just doing what you taught me.
That young man, the friend of my church member, did come and continued to come to church regularly.
Then, after several meetings with me, he stood before the congregation, and at the age of 16 received the
sacrament of Holy Baptism. There aren’t many things more “rewarding” than that – both the conversation with
my church member and taking a young man through catechesis and into Holy Baptism.
One of the things I repeatedly emphasize to my confirmation classes is this: Confirmation is not graduation!
In the same way, we need to remember that being Christians/being the Church is not restricted to an hour or
so on Sunday morning; it is who we are and what we are. When we are baptized into Christ, we become sons
and daughters of God. As St. Paul teaches in Romans 6, in baptism we die and rise with Christ, so that we might
live a new life (literally, “walk in newness of life”).
As you have heard me say, the Holy Spirit brings us into Christ Jesus and brings the life of the crucified, risen
and ascended Jesus Christ into us. As we daily worship, pray, read and meditate on the Scriptures, fellowship
and serve, we do so by yielding our daily living and doing to the Holy Spirit, so that he may continue to shape
and transform us into the image of Christ.
This transformation (referred to in the Bible as sanctification) is not a private experience for our own
pleasure or appropriation; it is the ongoing means by which the Holy Spirit is able to proclaim the Gospel through
us into the world – by our words and our actions.
The Parishioner 2
It is not insignificant that the New Testament refers to Christians and the Body of Christ. The Church (in
Greek, ecclesia), is made up of those whom Christ has called to himself out of the world and whom he sends
back into the world for his sake. The witness of the Church happens in numerous ways, sometimes when we
least expect it. Sometimes our witness begins in conversation; it is always seen in the way we live our lives, or,
more properly, in the ways Jesus faithfully lives out his life in us and through us. We are bearing witness to the
Gospel even when we may not realize it, and even when we are afraid to.
========= “Come & join us, cutting bags, tying bags into ropes to weave, weaving, tying knots on quilt, sewing quilts. Be a part of our cutting up, and getting tied into knots. We have lunch too!”
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>Would you like a visit or communion brought to your home?
Pastor would be glad to accommodate you. Call the church office @ (724)287-6741,
Or
Pastor David Phillips, at the church, Monday – Thursday (724)287-6741
A worship service of celebration will be held in the sanctuary at 3:00 pm.
Immediately following the service will be a reception in St. Mark’s Fellowship Hall.
St. Mark’s is honored to be able to host this special celebration. We invite you to join
us in expressing our joy for the dedicated, faithful work these two men have given to
the family of Christ.
As part of the reception celebration, we would greatly appreciate a donation of cookies from
anyone who is able to provide them. Please bring your cookies to the Fellowship Hall either
Saturday, September 25 between 9:30 – Noon, or Sunday before Noon. Thank You!
I have some GREAT news to share with you: We are in the initial stages of creating a NEW CHURCH DIRECTORY!!! That may not excite some of you (especially if you’re like me and don’t enjoy having your photo taken!), but I want to encourage everyone to get excited about this. The most recent photo directory of St. Mark’s congregation was made in 2003!!! That’s 18 years ago! As a Pastor, I use the directory a lot. Jessie and I have been here 10 months and are still learning people’s names. Many of you are not in the 2003 directory, and many of those who are in it have passed away or transferred their membership.
Since we are making the directory ourselves, it will be much easier to do (we hope). As you will soon discover, we will take photos here on several Sundays from 10:30 to 1:30. You will be able to schedule a time online or you can call Wendy at the church office and make a reservation. There will also be an online form available on the St. Mark’s website. (Paper copies will be available for those who don’t have access to a computer.) You can also submit your own photo – a digital photo is preferred or give a photo to Wendy that she will scan.
Because of the costs involved in creating the directory ourselves – the cost of color copies, photo paper, binding materials, etc. – we are asking for a $5 donation per photo (individuals, couples, families). As a thank you for your donation, we will be able to share with you the digital photo that you select for the directory.
The goal is to get as many people as possible to participate. A new, comprehensive directory will be
extremely helpful to me and Jessie. It will also be helpful to new members.
The Parishioner 4
Notes from Katie’s Kitchen …….
Happy September!! Hope that everyone had a great summer enjoying the warm
weather, sunshine, & outdoor activities that come along with it! My grandson & I had a great
time playing badminton in our back yard & I spent a great deal of time playing in the garden. I must say
that my garden & new grass that we planted loved all of the rain that we had. However, when September
comes, we all get back into our busy routines of school, meetings, falling leaves, & pumpkin spice
everything! The pandemic may have altered our lives a bit, but it is still wonderful to look ahead to the
beautiful autumn ahead of us & the spectacular colors that God paints this part of Western PA.
We continue to be blessed with lots of fresh produce from Butler Farm Market, our Community
Partnership with Sandy Curry, and members of our KK family gardens. One of the things our clients find
hardest to get are fresh fruit & vegetables due to the lack of stores that sell these in town. One of the
ways we are working to help with this food insecurity is being handled by Community Partnerships.
They have been providing Fresh Bucks to those who qualify by income that can be used at the City Farm
Market on Saturday mornings during the summer to purchase fresh fruit & vegetables from local farmers.
It’s a “win, win” for our neighbors & our farmers! For more information on this helpful nutritional
program, check out the Community Action Partnership, Butler, PA website - https://yourcapinfo.org
And check out their section on Programs. It’s not too late in the season to apply for this. Maybe you or
someone you know would benefit from this great program.
As we come to the end of September, the CARES $ that we have been receiving from the federal
government through the Meagan Snyder at the Butler Co Food Bank during this pandemic will be coming
to an end. I know I keep using the word “Blessing” but you have no idea what a BLESSING these dollars
have been to KK. These dollars have allowed us to provide nutritious, creative homemade meals for our
neighbors with little cost to KK. Packaging has been the major expense we have had & will continue to
have for the foreseeable future until more are vaccinated & Covid numbers decline for an extended
period. Please continue to pray that we soon climb out of this difficult time, and that those who are
suffering from Covid & its affects will be comforted & healed by our loving God.
Make sure to take some time during this beautiful season to breath in the fresh autumn air, have a
pumpkin spice latte, and stop to notice the vibrant colors of Fall! God’s paint brush is amazing! It’s His
Q. Why did the boy go to school with his pants tucked into his
socks?
?????
?????
?????
A. To protect himself from mathema-ticks.
CARAMEL APPLE CRUMB PIE https://www.almanac.com/recipe/caramel-apple-crumb-pie#
TOPPING: INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces INSTRUCTIONS: Use All-Purpose Pie Dough, refrigerated, or your favorite piecrust. Roll the pie pastry into a 13-inch circle and line a 9 ½-inch deep-dish pie plate with it. Pinch the overhanging pastry into an upstanding rim. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F. For Topping: Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. Pulse several times to mix. Scatter the butter pieces over the mixture. Pulse to a sand-like consistency. Transfer to a bowl and rub well with your fingers until the texture is uniform. Refrigerate the crumbs. FILLING: INGREDIENTS 8 cups peeled, cored, and sliced baking apples 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt INSTRUCTIONS: Combine the apples, 1⁄3 cup of sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and salt with the remaining sugar and mix to blend. Add the mixture to the fruit and stir. Pour the filling into the chilled piecrust, shaping the apples into a smooth mound. Bake on the center oven rack for 35 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven. Spread the crumbs on top. Tamp lightly, to compact. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes more, or until the juices bubble thickly around the edge. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 1 hour before serving. CARAMEL SAUCE: INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, in pieces 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup chopped pecans INSTRUCTIONS: Combine the cream, brown sugar, and butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and pecans, and stir. Transfer to a small bowl and cool completely. Refrigerate briefly for a thicker sauce. Serve the pie with sauce drizzled on each slice.