Pastor’s Message Continues
townspeople did not want to pay any more. So they wanted Jesus gone.
Here’s the truth this story highlights: redemption is sometimes costly. Not costly for the one being rescued; costly for the community. When Jesus grabs hold of someone, he often does so in a way that disrupts the status quo. Something incredibly trivial: when a new person starts coming to church, that’s one less “empty space” in the pews. That’s change. Now, what happens if that new person also comes with new ideas for youth ministry, or worship, or fellowship? More change.
But that’s still just scratching the surface. What this story is really about is the cost to communities to become places where people are set free. Not the cost “after someone new comes,” but rather the cost “so that new people will come.” For the Gerasenes, the cost for one person to be saved was a herd of swine. And they thought it was too much.
What prices are we willing to pay so that people around us can come to know Christ’s love for them? That right there is, I believe, the fundamental question facing most churches. Some sobering statistics came to us at this year’s synod assembly. In the 25 years of the ELCA’s existence, our denomination has lost a net 1 million members and roughly 1,000 churches. Total Sunday School enrollment has gone from 1 million to 400,000. Clearly, what we have been doing has not been working. The question is, will we be willing to make those changes, and pay the price, to reach out to the world around us that needs Christ’s love? Some of those prices may include the risk of actually inviting someone you know to join you at church. Or giving your time to be more engaged in the ministry of Reformation. The costs might be changes in the way things are done at church, to be more effective in connecting with younger people and those who don’t have a lot of church experience.
Pastor’s message continues on next page.
Pastor’s message continues on next page.
Pastor’s Message Continues
Whenever Jesus called disciples, he used words of motion and change: “follow me.” “Go into all the world…” With our “Tell Me the Dream” workshops, Reformation has begun the process of discerning where Jesus might be sending and leading us in the next several years. How will we go and follow? How will we move? How will we change in order to reach out to the community around us with the love of God and invite them to follow Jesus with us? These answers won’t come quickly, but they will come, if we as a congregation are open and listening to the Spirit’s voice. If we are going to be faithful to our Lord, it will involve change, so that we can bring his love to people we currently aren’t reaching. Faithfulness will always mean change; after all, Jesus’ way of preaching began with the word, “repent!” Change always has costs. Now is the time for us to pray that God will give us not only the wisdom to know where to go, but also the faith and courage to make even costly changes. After all, remember what was gained for the loss those Gerasenes faced: a man was saved. Isn’t that worth it?
In Christ,
Pastor Evers
Teddy Bear Ministry
It's summertime! In the summer everyone is busy with planning vacations and traveling. Are you going to see family or friends? Are you going to see grandchildren? Don’t forget God’s love is for all occasions—the Teddy Bear Ministry is a way to share His love with others. I know my children think of their grandmother every time they look at the Teddy Bears we’ve received from her church. Feel free to pass on His love. Have a wonderful vacation!! If you have questions about the Teddy Bear Ministry please call Karen or Kelsey Oldland at 752-7130.
Want to pray?
In June, we announced that the Friday morning Prayer Group would not meet during the summer;but with the scheduling of the summer Bible study listed below, it was decided that the group would meet at 9:15 each Friday prior to the Bible Study. All are welcome!
Summer Bible Study
The regular Friday morning Bible study will resume in the fall. During the summer, Mary K. Konesey will lead a new study that will begin on Friday, June 28th at 10a.m. and is planned to continue thru August 16th. The topic will be “Feed the Hungry”. This is a 3 session study from the Lutheran women’s magazine,Gather.
Please join us as we learn how God feeds us through the Word to feed His children in the world.
Church Office Survey
A survey was mailed out the middle of June to help update information we have on file for those who attend Reformation. If you did not receive a survey by mail, please call the office to have one sent to you via mail, email or fax. There are also copies in the file rack on top of the desk in the office. Even if you have been an active regular attendee for some time, please don’t assume we have all of your information recorded accurately; many inconsistencies were found in comparing records from differing sources within the office. The survey is only a ½ page and the information requested is completely voluntary; it can also be designated as confidential. Please note that the "Committee/Activities" section was intended to refer only to those within the RLC fellowship, but you may list any community involvement you would like us to know about. Thank you for your help with this process.
26th Annual Delaware-Maryland Synod Assembly
Pastor Eric Evers and Barbara and Fred Seth represented the congregation at the 26th Delaware-Maryland Synod Assembly, May 30 – June 2, 2013, at the Ocean City Convention Center. The Assembly consisted of four plenary sessions, Thursday (1), Friday (2) and Saturday (1), as well as worship services each day.
Worship
Pastor John Deckenback, Conference Minister for the Atlantic Conference of the Church of Christ, opened the Assembly in worship accompanied by a full contemporary band. On Friday at 11:00 AM, a rousing worship service, Empowered by the Word, featured Irish music and an Irish tenor, as cantor. A traditional service, which included the ordinations of two pastors, the consecration of a Diaconal Minster, and the commissioning of an Associate of Ministry, concluded the Assembly.
Sessions
Bishop Wolfgang Herz-Lane welcomed the Assembly and delivered the Bishop’s report. His report featured staggering statistics. Since its founding 25 years ago, the ELCA has lost a million members and over 1,000 congregations. Although concerned, the Bishop praised “good and solid” ministry throughout the Synod. His upbeat, positive message motivated attendees throughout the assembly. Pastor Kevin Wackett, LCMS, provided an update on Hurricane Sandy relief, especially on the Eastern Shore.
Eight resolutions were discussed and voted on by the synod assembly during the three days:
Resolution #1 – A Resolution on the Relationship between the Order of St. Stephen, Deacon, in the Lutheran Churches and the Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA. Passed
Resolution #2 – A Resolution on Creation Care and Environmental Stewardship among the Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCA and its Congregations. Although there was general support for environmental issues affecting the synod, emphasis on agricultural impact was opposed by rural congregations. At first, this was referred to Synod Council for further study, but after modification, was passed.
Resolution #3 – Resolution regarding prevention and response to crisis with rostered church professionals and their families. Passed
Resolution #4 - Resolution for a PossABILITY Sunday. Proposal that the Sunday after Mother’s Day for 2014 be designated PossABILITY Sunday, to recognize the disabled. Several disabled attendees objected. Some did not want to be singled out, and others believed they should be active participants every Sunday. Passed
Resolution #5 – Resolution concerning the process for the electing of a bishop. The proposal recommended a search for candidates outside of the synod. Defeated
Resolution #6 – A memorial addressing seminarian debt incurred through inadequate health insurance. Passed
Resolution #7 – A memorial presented to the Delaware-Maryland Synod Assembly: The presence of firearms in homes with children. After vigorous debate on this “hot button” gun control issue, the resolution failed. Defeated
Resolution #8 – The Community of St. Dysmas – Support for this prison ministry was unanimous. Passed
Thursday evening at the festival banquet, the Assembly honored congregations and rostered leaders observing significant anniversaries.
Delaware-Maryland Synod Assembly Continued
Voting members selected Synod leaders, including a new treasurer and members of Synod Council.
Most of the Synod Assembly’s schedule was devoted to business meetings and training sessions; however, the most inspirational and uplifting experiences were opportunities to worship and enjoy fellowship with hundreds of fellow Lutherans.
Website Update
The transition to our new website is now complete! Many thanks to our webservant, Chris Moore, for all of his hard work on this change. The site’s new address is the same ( but many changes have been made to make it easier to use. Be sure to check it out! Within the next few weeks, demonstration/training sessions will be held for anyone interested in providing input to the site as well as those who will be updating various areas. Also please note that the website email address that was previously printed a couple of different ways has now been verified by Chris. It is officially: . If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Chris through the email address or by phone at 674-4978.
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Current Financial and Worship Attendance
20132012
Total Income 4/30: $147,732.90 $127,699.38
Total Expense 4/30: $133,212.16 $124,486.21
Income-Expense: $14,520.74 $3,213.17
These numbers show that, after Easter, we are in a fairly solid financial position. Thank you for your generous support! The total income includes a significant gift for the new sanctuary sound system, and the expenses for that will not show up until early summer. Even considering that, our income is up significantly from this point last year. Expenses are also up, but that reflects a much better staffing situation at Kids, Inc., as well as sending over $4,500 in mission support (benevolence) to the synod, compared to none at this point last year.
We do have multiple property expenses coming for repairs that have been deferred. During the summer months, we encourage you to remember to keep your offerings current.
Worship and Sunday School Attendance, Year to Date, as of June 2:
YTD 2013 Worship:136YTD 2013 Sunday School:39
YTD 2012 Worship:133YTD 2012 Sunday School:44
While worship attendance is slightly up, Sunday School attendance is down. The worship trend over the last 3 years is moving up slowly, while Sunday School remains steady.
We will begin running financial and attendance numbers only in the Reporter, and not in the bulletin, by the fall. This allows us to give more information and more context.
Sunday (Public)
Prayer List
Pastor John RanneyMadi Dodge
Bonnie Russell
Maggie Haggerty
Eleanor Loderhose
Bea Strahle
Thyra Steelman
Rick Coherd
Marie Emory
David & Jean Oman
Kim End / Hank Brewer
Carl Niilson
Patty Hermann
Pam Reichold
Luke Murphy
Ethel Hannah
Family of Tatyana May
Karolyn Hayes
JackiWolf
Haley Embleton
Ashley Yates
Knit and Pray
Knit & Pray will meet every Tuesday at 11:00a.m.in July and August. You are welcome to join them or pick up a pattern for the various projects and work on your own as your schedule allows.
From the choir loft...
Special music will continue during summer worship. Please check the Bulletin for Choir updates.
Dear Friends in Christ,
Your Email Prayer Chain primarily gets prayers requests for health concerns, but these are not the only things for which we are willing to pray.
Consider the following suggestions and, if any of these - or any others - sound like topics for which you'd like us to pray on your behalf, please contact me. And if you'd like to join the Email Prayer Chain, all communications are forwarded by email and easy to incorporate into your daily prayer routine. We also encourage feedback and follow-up, if you so desire. Prayer concerns are only kept on the list for one month. This is not the same list as is used on Sundays in the worship service. If you want to be on both, please so request.
- addictive behavior
- comfort / grief
- depression / anxiety
- family issues (you need not share exact concerns unless you want to)
- finances / job
- God's will
- healing
- marriage / relationship
- life transitions
- salvation
- travel
In Him,
Trish Boyer
JulyBirthdays
2 Madeline Haggerty3 Leon Green
3 Ginny Hannah
3 T.J. Hosmer
5 Madison Bayly
7 Susan Emory
7 Marshall Hobbs
7 Daniel Weimer
9 Rose Nailer
9 Joan VanGorder
10 Jane Towers
12 Jessica Jones
12 Madison Dodge
12 Christine Lewis
12 Renate McKenzie
12 Peggy Tiasek
14 Michael Hofstee
14 Heather Konesey / 17 Bethany Quattrociocchi
18 Kristin Johnson
19 Hilary Emory
19 Pam Gruwell
19 Matthew Kimmey
22 Jay Konesey
22 Kenneth Smeltzer
23 John Ferguson
23 Alexandra Fleming
23 Eva Gruwell
25 Paige Evers
25 Charlotte Moreland
27 Pearl Bock
29 James Batchelor
29 John Dickson
29 Seth Fleming
July Anniversaries
5 Donn & Jan Steele
6 Fred & Barbara Seth
11 George & Linda Caccamise
24 David & Kathy Snyder
25 Donald & Gesine Abrutyn
Women of the Evangelical Church of America
WELCA
All ladies are invited to join us for our meetings. We are currently studying the women of the Bible.
2012 - 2013 WELCA Officers:
President Joan VanGorder
V. President Gesine Abrutyn
Secretary Dot Willis
Treasurer Alice Daino
Devotions Vicki Williams
Program Helene Reed
Next meeting date: September 2013:
WELCA will meet at noon on Thursday, September 5, 2013, for a covered dish luncheon at the home of Gesine Abrutyn. There will be a signup sheet put on the church bulletin board prior to the luncheon for those attending to list the dish they will bring to share
MISSION STATEMENT: “To mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ.”
A thank-you to Reformation from Bryan Greenly and Tommi Barrett-Greenly, members of Reformation who had to move to Florida for work:
Dear Pastor Evers and Reformation Church Friends,
Thank you so much for taking such good care of us during our daughter's baptism celebration. We are so thankful that Elowen was baptized there, by Pastor Evers, and among the Reformation church family! It was a very special and meaningful day for all of us. Although we live in Florida and attend church here, we visit Milford throughout the year, and when we do, we will certainly attend Reformation!
Love and thanks,
Tommi Barrett-Greenly and family
Correction:
August Birthdays and Anniversaries not included in print version of The Reporter.
Birthdays
1 Matthew Burkette1 Marli Julian
2 Linda Caccamise
2 Stephanie Fleming
4 Maurice Little
4 Josh McDuff
4 Kyle Moore
4 Kelsey Smith
5 Lisa Capece
5 Kathy Snyder
6 Cynthia Hamlin
6 Morgan Wagner
7 Brian Bahder
7 Diane Massey
8 Alex Hayes
8 Jennifer Hayward
9 Alexandra Mallard
9 Sandy McPherson
9 Anne Pribble
10 Jamie Bahder
10 Carol Collins
10 Emma Wadkins
11 Erin Fleming
11 Mary Konesey
12 Joshua Caldwell / 13 Wayne Cohee
13 Janet Cole
13 Sarah Johnson
14 Dylan Fox
14 Cathy Hofstee
17 EmeliaSohn
17 Nikolas Wright
17 Sydney Wright
18 Bonnie Russell
18 Jason Stallings
18 Trent Summers
19 Suzette Madanat
20 Cassandra Dingess
21 Jean Boyer
22 Kirby Fitzgerald
25 Greg Draper
25 Kimberly Ryan
26 Dean Warner
27 Levi Dodge
28 Savanna Case
28 Barbara St. Jacques
30 Patricia Little
31 Kathleen Crawley
31 Kathi Wyatt
Anniversaries
5 Justin & Heather Konesey
16 John & Beverly Greason
16 Michael & Cathy Hofstee
26 Pastors Eric & Paige Evers
27 Paul & Kimberly Cole
28 Chris & Susie Antonik
Historic Committee
The Historic Committee will meet on Monday morning, July 8 at 10:30 a.m. We will complete plans for the 20th anniversary celebration of our sanctuary and continue archiving documents and pictures from our congregation’s past. We have great fun! Please join us! Bring a sandwich and stay for lunch!
Sanctuary Dedication
Anniversary Celebration
Join us for fellowship on Sunday, July 28 as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the dedication of our sanctuary. The Historic Committee is preparing displays of architectural drawings and pictures of the construction process. We will be playing a video of our worship and dedication services on July 25, 1993 which includes precious images of dear friends, children now grown up, and sainted members. Please invite friends and past members for this joyful celebration and reunion.
Back to School Blessing of Educators
Sunday, August 18
Blessing of the Backpacks
Sunday, August 25