Church News

Shepherd of the Hills Church, Bechtelsville

Holy Communion will be celebrated on Sunday, July 3. Boy Scouts meet Monday at 7 p.m. AA groups meet at the church on Wednesdays at 8 p.m., Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. Al Anon meets in the church on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Shepherd of the Hills Church is located at 527 Hoffmansville Road, Bechtelsville.

Trinity Lutheran Church, Bechtelsville Rev. Eugene C. Zaiser, Pastor

We are now on our summer worship schedule, with worship at 9 a.m. and no Sunday School or Contemporary Worship. Our regular worship schedule will resume on Sunday, Sept. 4. Worship in the Park: July 10, 9 a.m. Join us for a contemporary worship service at the Bechtelsville Community Park. Fellowship picnic and games for all generations to follow. Hamburgers, hot dogs, beverages and paper products will be provided. Guests are asked to bring a side dish or dessert, and lawn chairs. Bring a friend - all welcome! In case of inclement weather, activities will be held in the church. Vacation Bible School is July 25 to 29, 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. “Barnyard Roundup.” Plans are underway for our 2016 Vacation Bible School, for children ages three years old through sixth grade. We’ll have stories, music, crafts and much more. For more information, please see Sharon Renninger. Trinity Baseball Outing 2016, this year’s Reading Phillies game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 27. We need payment by Aug. 1. Gates open at 5:35 p.m. Game at 6:35 p.m. Outfield Seating Area. The 2 1⁄2 hour all you can eat buffet. You may sponsor Altar Flowers, the price for one vase is $25 and $50 for two vases, please see Mary Snyder. You may also sponsor the bulletins for $15 per week. When sponsoring flowers, please use a flower envelope found in the rack in the narthex or clearly mark the envelope “flowers.” If you sponsored flowers in the past but no longer wish to, please let Mary Snyder or the church office know. Please participate in Trinity’s Gift Card Program: Gift card orders will be taken the 1st Sunday of the month. Payment is due with the order. Your gift cards will be available the second Sunday of the month. With every purchase, Trinity earns a percentage of every dollar you spend. Our Gift Card program includes: Weis Markets, Redner’s Warehouse and Giant Foods. Scrip Cards can also be purchased for your favorite restaurants and stores. For additional information or for a list of retailers who participate in Scrip, please contact Pat Brensinger or www.glscrip.com. Need a ride? We have volunteers in the congregation who are willing to provide transportation to medical appointments, etc., for those who can’t find a ride. Please contact Pastor Zaiser at 610-322-0901 if you need a ride or would like to volunteer as a driver. This church is located at 1749 S. Main Street, Bechtelsville, PA 19505. For more information, please call 610-369-1281 or check out our website: <www. trinitybech.com>.

Boyertown Mennonite Church 275 Mill St., Boyertown Pastor Nelson Shenk

Every Sunday morning we have Sunday School classes for all ages from 9-10 a.m., and worship at 10 o’clock. The Sunday sermons can be heard at http://boyertownmennonitechurch.org by clicking on “Sermon & Worship Audio.” We love having visitors so come check us out. We can be reached at 610369-1974 or by e-mail at <bmc19512@yahoo.com>.

St. Luke Lutheran Church 35 Wilson Ave., Gilbertsville

Please join us on Sunday for the seventh Sunday of Pentecost. We’ll have one service at 9:30 a.m. Holy Communion will be celebrated. Our interim pastor, Pastor Christian McMullan, will be away. The sermon will be a time of “letting the music do the preaching,” as we’ll have a hymn sing. The service will be held July 3... Join in the festivities of Independence Day, and wear your red, white and blue! There will be no St. Luke softball game Sunday evening, so that team members can observe the Independence Day holiday with family and friends. Property Committee will meet Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. On Wednesday, clothing can be dropped off at the Community Clothing Rack from 9 a.m. until noon (please note the time change for summer). Executive Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday night, and Finance Committee will meet the same evening at

7 p.m. It’s July... Enjoy your vacations, and remember, St. Luke doesn’t go on vacation... Join us every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome at St. Luke Lutheran Church - please join us! Christ Lutheran Church Pastor: Rev. Matthew Ollikainen 222 Niantic Rd., Barto 610-845-2583 christluthchurch@windstream.net We invite you to join us on the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost on Sunday, July 3, at the one summer service at 9 a.m. Rev. Matthew Ollikainen will be leading the congregation in a service of Holy Communion, will be presenting the sermon and will present the Children’s Sermon. Those ministering at the 9 a.m. service are: Acolyte, Joshua Nase; Lector, Brian Barr; Communion Assist, Roy Hoffman; and Greeters/Ushers, Stephen and Sandy Hoffman. The church office will be closed on Monday, July 4 in observance of the Fourth of July (Independence Day). The Cemetery Board will meet on Tuesday, July 5 at 7 p.m. in Room B of the church basement. The church is located at 222 Niantic Road between Routes 663 and 100 about a mile east of Bally. Sunday School for all ages is held at 9 a.m., September through May. Visitors are always welcome! The church is handicapped accessible and air conditioned! Visit the church’s website at www. christniantic.com for more news and information about the church and upcoming events. St. Joseph’s Hill Lutheran Church Worship news: July 3 - Pentecost 7; Summer schedule in effect; Holy Communion; Interpreter for the deaf and hard of hearing. July 10 - Pentecost 8; worship at 9 a.m.; Praise Band and interpreter; Knoebel’s Grove picnic after worship. Christian Education News: Summer Sunday School for kindergarten through grade 6 continues through Sept. 4, with children being dismissed from worship after the Children’s Chat. Day Care News: A 10% discount is available for church families. For more information, please call 610-367-1980 or e-mail hillchurch@ptd.net. Youth and Children News: Summer Schedule being planned. Welcome to Kristina Gabel, our new youth leader! Other news: Summer schedule now through Sept. 4 - One service at 9 a.m. with children dismissed to Bible story and craft after Children’s Chat. Refreshments and fellowship time follows worship each week. July 10 - Picnic at Knoebel’s Grove in Elysburg, after morning worship. Our pavilion is reserved. Come and join the fun! Simply Giving program now available - paper registration forms at church, or online through a link on our Website. Amazon Smile program has started. Visit Amazon. Smile.Com and select St. Joseph’s. Our Fellowship Hall is available for event use. We can accommodate bridal showers, baby showers, wedding anniversaries, birthday parties, AA, NA, Weight Watchers, and more. Please call Jill, Church Secretary, at 610-369-0990. “Like” our Facebook pagewww.facebook.com/stjoeshill. St. Joseph’s is located at the intersection of Koch Road and Franklin Street in Pike Township (mailing address: 244 Koch Road, Boyertown, 19512). The building is handicapped accessible. All are welcome to worship and other events held at St. Joseph’s Hill. Please visit our website at www. stjoeshill.org for a calendar of events, history, a pastor’s page, and Day Care and Pre-School info. Pastor Jeff Odgren’s e-mail: jwodgren@ptd.net. Summer Worship Schedule (June 19 - Sept. 4): One service at 9 a.m., with hymn sing at 8:55 a.m. Children dismissed to class after the Children’s Chat. Regular Worship times (resume Sept. 11): 7:45 & 10 a.m.; Praise Band at 10 a.m. on 2nd Sunday of the month; Interpreter for the deaf and hard of hearing at 10 a.m. on 1st and 2nd Sundays of the month Sunday School (resumes Sept. 11): 8:45-9:45 a.m., gather in the nave for opening at 8:45 a.m. Church office phone 610369-0990; fax 610-3690912; e-mail at stjoehill@ptd.net. Day Care and Pre-School phone 610-367-1980; email hillchurch@ptd.net. Weather-related cancellation info: call the church office and wait for message, go online to wfmz.com, or check WBYN-FM, Boyertown. St. Luke’s, Obelisk The Rev. Paul Chapman will conduct the 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Holy Communion services at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church, Route 73 and Neiffer Road, Obelisk. You are most welcome. Members participating at the 8 a.m. Holy Communion service are: David Semmens, Head Usher; Kevin & Charlotte Christman, Greeters; and Judy Hunsberger, Assisting Minister. Members participating at the 10:15 a.m. worship service are: Mike Way, Head Usher, Dorothy Richard, Mike Way Greeters, Carrie Huffman, Lauren Huffman, Ushers; Courtney Stenn, Acolyte, and Allyson Breidor, Assisting Minister. Handicapped facilities are available. Saint Luke’s website is www.stlukeschurchpa.com. Calvary UCC 1231 Route 100, Barto 610-845-2570 calvaryucc@gmail.com This week, we will come together to worship on Sunday, July 3 at 9:15 a.m. Pastor Linda will lead us in worship. During the month of July we will have a Theme Sunday each week. This week we encourage you to wear your Red, White and Blue. Remember, you are always welcome and wanted at Calvary United Church of Christ. For no matter where you are on life’s journey, there is a place for you in our family of faith. The Monday morning Bible Study is exploring the Book of Acts. Consider joining us on Mondays at 10:30 a.m., as we take a look at the formation of the early Christian Church and consider what it means for us today. VBS 2016 is coming and we want you to join us! Calvary UCC invites families to “The Living Bible: Our Watery Ways!” Join us for a week of hearing the Bible speak... No, really! Our Living Bible will come alive each night as we open it to island hop and sail the Biblical seas. This Bible Adventure will take place from Aug. 1 to 5, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Each day begins with a shared meal at the Beachside Bistro. We will then gather in the Port of Call for the Living Bible. Then off to Dockside Devotions for fun and learning. Our Crew Mates will enjoy activities at Echo Cavern, Crafter’s Cove, Shack Attack and more. Our guests will spend a week meeting the real life characters of the Living Bible and learn how God knows us and is with us wherever we go. We will be raising money in support of Re-Member. Re-Member is a non-profit outreach resource on the Pine Reservation of the Oglala Lakota in South Dakota. Their mission and vision is to improve the quality of reservation life through relationships, shared resources and volunteer services. For more information, call 610-845-2570, e-mail calvaryucc@gmail.com or visit www.calvaryuccbarto.org. Join us on Facebook! Every day, Pastor Linda will have a post of inspiration! This may be a prayer, quote or something else. You can find us on Facebook by searching Calvary United Church of Christ-Barto. The church is located at 1231 Route 100, about 2 miles south of Bally. Visitors are always welcome. The church is handicapped accessible. The church website is www.calvaryuccbarto.org.