volume 19 issue 9 november 2014...

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VOLUME 19 ISSUE 9 November 2014 November Newsletter The November newsletter is in loving memory of Fred and Ethel Schultz by Roxane Williams and family. “Serving and Ministering to the Community Since 1873” Rev. John A. Hart, Pastor Phone: 610-282-3336, Email: [email protected] “Trinity Tidings” is a monthly publication printed on the premises of Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church (Hospital Code: 244) Robin McCloud, Office Secretary, Email: [email protected] HOLY TRINITY MEMORIAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 604 Fourth Street Catasauqua, Pa 18032 Phone:610-264-2641 Fax:610-264-2661 Website: www.holytrinitymemoriallutheran.com Email: [email protected] IF HOSPITALIZED, BE SURE TO SIGN A RELEASE CARD AND USE OUR HOSPITAL CODE #244. WE ARE A HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE FACILITY. DEADLINE FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY NEWSLETTER IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH. INGATHERING

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VOLUME 19 ISSUE 9

November 2014

November

Newsletter

The November newsletter is in loving memory of Fred and Ethel Schultz by Roxane Williams and family.

“Serving and Ministering to the Community Since 1873” Rev. John A. Hart, Pastor

Phone: 610-282-3336, Email: [email protected] “Trinity Tidings” is a monthly publication printed on the

premises of Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church (Hospital Code: 244)

Robin McCloud, Office Secretary, Email: [email protected]

HOLY TRINITY MEMORIAL

LUTHERAN CHURCH

604 Fourth Street

Catasauqua, Pa 18032

Phone:610-264-2641

Fax:610-264-2661

Website: www.holytrinitymemoriallutheran.com

Email: [email protected]

IF HOSPITALIZED, BE SURE TO

SIGN A RELEASE CARD AND

USE OUR

HOSPITAL CODE #244.

WE ARE A HANDICAPPED

ACCESSIBLE FACILITY.

DEADLINE FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY NEWSLETTER IS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH.

INGATHERING

A family awakes in church after the service, only to find themselves alone in the pews. It’s not the end of

the world, Homer says, as they walk out the door. But it is. They appear to have walked into the end of the world.

The heavens are raining brimstone and the world is ablaze. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse ride across the

fiery sky. Marge realizes what is happening as pure Christians, such as those of their neighbors, the Flanders,

kneeling together in prayer, are ascending to the sky. The Simpsons remain firmly earthbound and Marge

wonders why they aren’t rising to heaven . This humorous scene about the Rapture is of course an episode from The

Simpson’s. However, the topic of the Rapture is not just a subject for the Simpson’s. In fact, Hollywood has now decided to jump on

the money train and have made Tim LaHaye’s and Jerry B. Jenkins’, first book of a 12 volume set into a movie entitled “Left Behind”

starring Nicholas Gage. So with all this new interest in the Rapture, what do you think of it? Did you know that the Rapture is not an

old doctrine? Prior to 1830, no church taught it in their creed, catechism or statement of faith. The term "Rapture" first became

popular in the United States toward the end of the 19th century through the teachings of John Nelson Darby, an Irish evangelist. The

rapture theory continued to grow in popularity among evangelicals largely due to a preacher named William Eugene Blackstone (1841-

1935) and it was largely through the influence of Cyrus Scofield's Bible notes that the Rapture became influential

among fundamentalist Christians in the United States. Now in researching the Rapture I came across an article by N.T. Wright

entitled Farewell to the Rapture that I want to share with you.

“The American obsession with the second coming of Jesus — especially with distorted interpretations of it — continues

unabated. Seen from my side of the Atlantic, the phenomenal success of the Left Behind books appears puzzling, even bizarre. Few in

the U.K. hold the belief on which the popular series of novels is based: that there will be a literal “rapture” in which believers will be

snatched up to heaven, leaving empty cars crashing on freeways and kids coming home from school only to find that their parents

have been taken to be with Jesus while they have been “left behind.” This pseudo-theological version of Home Alone has reportedly

frightened many children into some kind of (distorted) faith.

This dramatic end-time scenario is based (wrongly, as we shall see) on Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians, where he

writes: “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of

God. The dead in Christ will rise first; then we, who are left alive, will be snatched up with them on clouds to meet the Lord in the air;

and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

What on earth (or in heaven) did Paul mean?

It is Paul who should be credited with creating this scenario. Jesus himself, as I have argued in various books, never

predicted such an event. The gospel passages about “the Son of Man coming on the clouds” (Mark 13:26, 14:62, for example) are

about Jesus’ vindication, his “coming” to heaven from earth. The parables about a returning king or master (for example, Luke 19:11-

27) were originally about God returning to Jerusalem, not about Jesus returning to earth. This, Jesus seemed to believe, was an event

within space-time history, not one that would end it forever.

The Ascension of Jesus and the Second Coming are nevertheless vital Christian doctrines, and I don’t deny that I believe

some future event will result in the personal presence of Jesus within God’s new creation. This is taught throughout the New

Testament outside the Gospels. But this event won’t in any way resemble the Left Behind account. Understanding what will happen

requires a far more sophisticated cosmology than the one in which “heaven” is somewhere up there in our universe, rather than in a

different dimension, a different space-time, altogether.

The New Testament, building on ancient biblical prophecy, envisages that the creator God will remake heaven and earth

entirely, affirming the goodness of the old Creation but overcoming its mortality and corruptibility (e.g., Romans 8:18-27; Revelation

21:1; Isaiah 65:17, 66:22). When that happens, Jesus will appear within the resulting new world (e.g., Colossians 3:4; 1 John 3:2).

Paul’s description of Jesus’ reappearance in 1 Thessalonians 4 is a brightly colored version of what he says in two other passages, 1

Corinthians 15:51-54 and Philippians 3:20-21: At Jesus’ “coming” or “appearing,” those who are still alive will be “changed” or

“transformed” so that their mortal bodies will become incorruptible, deathless. This is all that Paul intends to say in Thessalonians,

but here he borrows imagery—from biblical and political sources—to enhance his message. Little did he know how his rich metaphors

would be misunderstood two millennia later.

First, Paul echoes the story of Moses coming down the mountain with the Torah. The trumpet sounds, a loud voice is heard,

and after a long wait Moses comes to see what’s been going on in his absence.

Second, he echoes Daniel 7, in which “the people of the saints of the Most High” (that is, the “one like a son of man”) are

vindicated over their pagan enemy by being raised up to sit with God in glory. This metaphor, applied to Jesus in the Gospels, is now

applied to Christians who are suffering persecution.

Third, Paul conjures up images of an emperor visiting a colony or province. Paul's description of "meeting" the Lord in the

air employs a very specific Greek word for greeting a visiting dignitary in ancient times. The word is apantesis, which has to do with a

practice by which people went outside the city to greet the dignitary and they accompanied him into their city. The same word is used

in Matthew 25:6 to describe the bridesmaids who go out to "meet" the bridegroom and then accompany him into the feast. It is also

used in Acts 28:15 to describe the Romans who go out to "meet" Paul as he arrives in their city. We can look at these other usages to

see more specifically what Paul means by the term "meet" the Lord.

CONTINUES ON 7th page…..

FROM THE PASTOR:

Church Council Members Term Ending Dec. 2014 Term Ending Dec. 2015 Term Ending Dec. 2016

Arden Strickland: 610-351-0341 Barb Fister: 610-266-1160 Dale Greenzweig: 610-419-3843

Wayne Kincaid: 610-266-0526 Cheryl Kneiss: 610-262-0467 RuthAnn Reinsmith: 610-264-4346

Paul Gillette: 610-262-7934 Sherry Creyer: 610-262-1811 Carol Cunningham:

Rick Martson: 484-661-5183 Carole Nacci: 610-264-8785 Mark Fried: 610-262-2645

Youth Rep.:

OFFICERS President: Barbara Fister Vice President: Arden Strickland

Secretary: (Rotating) Treasurer: John Marakovits

$ FINANCIAL UP-DATE $

The Church’s budget deficit at the end of September was (-$4,678.63). The budget

deficit at the end of September, 2013 (last year) was (- $7,622.95) - $2,944.32 more.

That’s a good sign. The budget deficit is significantly less this year.

Regular budgeted income received thus far in 2014 is $3,646.32 more than last

year through the end of September. Another good sign.

In order to make this year’s budget of $164,314.00, we need to average $3,160

each Sunday. Through the end of September, we are averaging $3,040.03 each Sunday

-$119.97 per Sunday less than what is needed to make this year’s budget. While it’s still a

shortage, it’s not a major, severe shortage. Our budget goal for 2014 is still well within

sight.

The Pine Street sidewalk project has been completed. I paid the bill to Baraket

Concrete Construction on September the 30th. Here is the final breakdown:

$12,617.00 - Sidewalk Bill Amount

-$ 9,653.79 - “Sidewalk Fund” receipts

- $ 2,430.00 - Lorraine Wagner Memorial Fund

- $ 533.21 - Bill shortage paid by the Church’s money market account at the

Mission Investment Fund

If any future donations are made to the Sidewalk Fund the (-$533.21) deficit will

be eliminated, and any excess funds received beyond the sidewalk fund deficit will go to

our latest fundraising project—the “Take-a-seat” campaign. This drive is attempting to

raise funds for new chairs in the Alice Storch Room. As of Sunday, 10/5/14, a total of

$4,288.38 has been collected thus far. I’m sure more information on the “Take-a-seat”

Fund will be forth-coming.

Finally, I’d like to thank Olin and Suzanne Webb for their on-going support of the

church’s lawn care bills. A company from Bath, Pa by the name of Lawns by George, Ind.

periodically, throughout the year, will stop by to weed and feed our church lawn. The

Webb’s have faithfully paid this bill for the church going all the way back to July 11, 1999:

WOW! That’s 15+ years. Thank you Olin and Suzanne. We do appreciate it.

We are now officially in the 4th quarter of the year—an important quarter

financially for the church. Please continue to support Holy Trinity’s ministry to the best of

your financial ability.

Thank you,

John Marakovits, Treasurer

“Joyful Giving Circle” Help further the ministry of Holy Trinity…Don’t wait for a special occasion to make a contribution in honor or in memory of someone. Fill out the enclosed form or print it off our website, place it in the offering or mail it with your check in any amount. We will print your dedication in our next newsletter.

B.Y.O.B. STUDY GROUP Study with Pastor Hart on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Join us and increase your Bible knowledge. All adults are welcome. The studies are always very interesting.

When there is inclement weather (snow, ice, sleet)

all functions at church are canceled. For Sunday

worship cancellations, tune to WFMZ TV or

WFMZ Website or radio. Sunday early service is

always cancelled when there is snow, sleet or ice.

By now, you should have received your of fer ing envelopes for November and December in the mail. If you do not receive them, please contact Robin in the church

Office (610) 264-2641.

Holy Trinity is a member of

the Blood Bank Program. If

you give blood, you may

designate it as Holy Trinity.

Also, if you ever need blood,

tell them you’re a church

member.

Have you remembered

Holy Trinity

in your will?

NOVEMBER 2

On Sunday, November 2nd, we will observe All Saints Day. You will have the opportunity to come forward during worship and light a single candle in remembrance of loved ones who have died.

HOLY TRINITY NEWS

At any time, you can

give donations to the “Pastor’s Discretionary

Fund”. This fund is used to give temporary

financial assistance to people of our

congregation and community when a sudden

need arises. You may send contributions to the

church or place them in the offering plate on

Sunday mornings. Please mark your checks or

envelopes “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund”.

We continue our collection of canned goods and non-perishable items until November 9th (Harvest Home Sunday) when these items will be presented in the church. We will then distribute everything to the Catasauqua Food Bank in time for the holidays.

“Simply Giving”

“Simply Giving” allows you to share first

fruits through planned giving. Activate your

stewardship into an on-going automatic

withdrawal of your tithes and offerings. Holy

Trinity benefits by having a steady income no

matter what the season or weather. To learn

more, call the church 610-264-2641. “As

each has received a gift, employ it for

one another, as good stewards of God’s

varied grace.” I Peter 4:10 – RSV

Demonstrate your thankfulness this season: Each holiday season, Holy Trinity, anticipates and relies on a seasonal increase in contributions. It is through the donations of every individual and family in the congregation that we are able to carry on our work now and throughout the year. If you need a convenient way to make recurring contributions or plan to make an additional gift before the end of the year, we encourage you to check out our electronic giving option. As the pace of life speeds up around the holidays, you may find electronic giving a most welcome way to make contributions. To set up a recurring giving schedule, please call the church office. Thank you for your generosity and support!

Join us for Christmas Cantata rehearsals 7:00p.m. on Wednesdays, through December 10th. The Cantata will be presented December 14th during worship.

Choir will also continue their Sunday morning rehearsals at 9:00 a.m.

Thanks, Ben Becker, Church Musician

Turn your clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday, November 1st. Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 2nd.

I continue to be

impressed by the steady commitment of the members of Holy Trinity Memorial as you

plan and carry out events that support the

ministries of the congregation. You are a very faithful group.

I am also gratified by your kindness

in alerting my wife and me about upcoming events. Thank you so much! We wish we

could attend the dinner, but we are unable to

come. The meal looks like it will be delicious.

Please accept our regrets regarding this

particular event…but, please don’t count us out of future possibilities.

Wishing you the best, Bishop Zeiser

Dear Church Family,

Thank you to everyone for all the wonderful

cards that you sent while I was at Fellowship

Manor. They brighten up my days very much!

~ Helen Reichl

We are looking for

someone to take over “Cradle Role”

If you’re interested in volunteering

for this position, please call Robin

at the office.

ARE YOU PROUD OF

YOUR CHILD’S

ACCOMPLISHENT?

Let us know. We are happy to publish it in our newsletter. Call 610-264-2641.

Sunday School News

Thank you for the donations to our Harvest Home

collection. You may continue to donate non-perishable items

through November 9th. Your kindness will help our

neighbors receive what we often take for granted.

Please read the Social Ministry article for information on the

Christmas Ingathering collection for area institutions.

(Mitten tree, Angel tree etc.)

Upcoming events: November 2: Thanksgiving Craft

activity; November 9: Harvest Home Sunday - dedication of

food during worship; December 7: Christmas Craft activity;

December 14, 21: Practice for Christmas Program;

December 28: Christmas Sunday School Program during

worship.

A closing program is held each week at 10:00a.m.

in the Alice Storch room. This is a great opportunity to

witness the youngest members of our church and also learn

more about the awesome love that God has for all of his

children both young and old.

Remember or Honor Loved Ones

Altar Flowers

TO THE GLORY OF GOD:

Nov.2 (Altar)

All Saints’ individual mum plants

Nov. 9 by the Knauss family

Nov. 16 by John and Sue Marakovits

Nov. 23 In loving memory of Joseph Baragone by Sandy and Erich Svitana

Nov. 30 In loving memory of mother, Jean Bayard and father, Jerry Bayard by Alan and Carol Fenstermacher.

Bulletins

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND:

Nov. 2 Open

Nov. 9 Open

Nov. 23 Open

Nov. 30 Open

“Trinity Tidings”

All dedications are taken for 2014. Thank you.

Please Note:To reserve a flower date, fill in the Flower Chart in the narthex and call Suzanne Webb 610

-264-4880 with your dedication. If you do not call Suzanne, the dedication will read “To the glory

of God by (your name)”. To dedicate a Sunday

bulletin, call the church secretary (610-264-2641). Bulletins are $10, altar flowers are $35. Please

pick up your flowers or have someone pick them

up for you.

Make a note!

On November 9,

after worship, there will

be a brief meeting to

plan for (Yes!) Christmas decorating. If you are interested

please attend and bring any ideas that you might have.

We will be looking for both AA batteries and C batteries.

Details later…

Have you noticed that our Sunday bulletins and the

Trinity Tidings have been filled with lots of opportunities to

give - both Christmas gift-giving and compassionate

giving? From Scrip cards to benefit our Christian Education

program...to sponsoring Christmas decorations, trees, and

poinsettias for our house of worship...to the Fair Trade

table filled with handmade items and chocolate...to the food

table...to the Angel Tree and Mitten Tree...to the Cops-n-

Kids book drive...to the Baked Chicken Dinner

fundraiser...

Giving at Holy Trinity is often done "outside the gift

box". We hope that, rather than feeling spread too thinly in

supporting these and other giving opportunities, you will find

one or more that tug at your heart and pour some of your

earthly blessings into them. Turn your Christmas giving into

an opportunity to share your blessings and your faith story

with those who will enjoy the fruits of your "shopping".

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR FUTURE EVENTS

Saturday, November 15, 2014 – Baked Chicken

Dinner( ticket deadline is Nov. 2nd!) Sunday,Feb. 1, 2015 – Super Bowl Treats after church

Feb 2015 – Sweets With Your Sweetie – Family

Date Night (date to be decided)

Saturday, April 25, 2015 – Annual Victorian High Tea Saturday, June 21, 2015 – Baked Ham Dinner

Saturday, September 19, 2015 – “Murder by

ShooFly” mystery dinner theater

Calling all interested youth. It's not to late to a join the

Holy Trinity youth choir this fall. We rehearse every Sunday after

church and sing once a month during service. Everyone is welcome

to join. Ask Ben for more details.

HT YOUTH NEWS What was Tarp Day???? Check out the tarp decorated by our youth in October, now on display in the Alice Storch Room! It's a tribute to our youths' creativity, an eye-catching banner to use whenever we're hosting a youth activity, and our seating area for a 2015 camping extravaganza at Creation Festival in Mount Union. PA!!! Creation Festival is open to youth who are currently in grades 7-12. Also open to families who want to attend this Tribute to Our Creator with their younger children.

Upcoming youth events: Sunday, November 2nd - revised date for Catty High School's Haunt for Hunger from 2-4pm. Any youth who can help shelve the collection will enjoy lunch at CiCi's pizza - we have to keep our strength up to shelve at the Catty Food Bank from approximately 2:30-4:30. Rides home are available. Saturday, November 8th, 9:30-1:30. Meet at HT and walk to the food bank to help shelve the Scouting for Food collection. Lunch will be provided on site. Friday, November 14th - Newsboys concert at Stabler! 10 HT youth and friends will be rockin' the bleachers! Saturday, November 15th - calling all youth to volunteer at the 5 Loaves and 2 Fish Baked Chicken Dinner. See Mrs. Czar or talk directly to Mrs. Charvala ASAP to let us know what time you can help! Sunday, December 7th - calling all ladies of Holy Trinity, friends, and family: Trades of Hope Fair Trade party immediately after worship. Light refreshments will be served by the youth; benefits our "Nohla" account to support our monthly child sponsorship pledge through World Vision. Come treat yourself to something beautiful, or do a little Christmas shopping without having to fight traffic and crowds. December 7th is also the deadline to let us know if you would like to order 2015 wall or pocket calendars. A sample wall calendar is on display with the youth photos in the Alice Storch Room. Check out the beautiful pictures on quality stock. Sign up at the display to pre-order. Wall calendars are $7, pocket calendars with 50-page notepad are $5. We must sell at least 13 wall calendars or 13 pocket calendars to break even, more to make a profit. This is a no-pressure "sale" - we had several requests last year for these calendars, and want to offer them to the congregation if there is enough interest, even if we don't turn a profit. Thank you for your continued support of HT Youth!!!!

SOCIAL MINISTRY NEWS Contentment: "We will never be satisfied with what we want if we cannot be satisfied with what we have". I admit that I am speaking from a position of a stable job with decent pay and benefits, no health or family crises, and no more children in college. But it hasn't always been that way, and might not always be in the future. Yet I hope that in all things, I will be able to give thanks to God, and give proportionately, even sacrificially, to the work of God through Holy Trinity...and be content. As we move into the season of retail decadence that runs from Black Friday through the after-Christmas clearance sales, here are some opportunities to indulge in holiday contentment:

To borrow a phrase from the Allentown Rescue Mission: "This Thanksgiving, let your storehouses be the stomachs of the

poor." How? Remember to bring items from your pantry to the food table in the sanctuary, or make a donation to the Pastor's discretionary fund.

The annual Ingathering of gifts for area institutions runs through Sunday, November 30th (Thanksgiving weekend). Check the

Angel Tree in the back of the sanctuary - take one or more angels from the tree, or a wish list from the table, and spread Christmas contentment through this district-wide mission. And don't forget the Mitten Tree in the Alice Storch Room! Requested items include 100 packs of snack-size m&m's (60 are still needed) and 25 rolls of lifesavers to be included in gift bags for KidsPeace, a $20 cash gift toward our mission district's donation to Lutheran Congregational Services' refugee resettlement program, mittens and warm hats (all sizes, but especially children's, and men's for the Allentown Rescue Mission). We're still waiting for our gift information for 2 kids at KidsPeace. Items and cash donations will be delivered to St. John's Nazareth on December 4th for sorting, wrapping, and distribution. How about a donation that gives twice: KidsPeace wish list includes a variety of gift cards, including book stores, itunes, movie theaters, Target, Kmart, and Walmart - all available from Scrip. If you'd like to participate in this way, get your order in to Diane or Joe by the November 9th Scrip deadline.

Pick up some chocolate or handcrafted items from the Fair Trade Table in the sanctuary. Great stocking stuffers!!

Take a catalog from the Fair Trade Table and browse for gift ideas - something you can wrap, or something to be given to a

family in a developing country, like seeds, clean water, or the share of a goat.

Share the anticipation of the Advent season by purchasing one or more Advent calendars, featuring Divine chocolate

morsels! Available on the Fair Trade Table while supplies last! When asked "What do you want for Christmas?", give a wish list compiled from your visit to Ten Thousand Villages (fair trade store in the outdoor shops at Lehigh Valley Mall), or from one of the Fair Trade Table catalogs. Already content with what you have? Ask for a donation in your honor to Holy Trinity, the Numan Orphanage or the "Metsehet Fund", World Vision, Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity...the possibilities are endless.

Wishing you a contented countdown to Christmas.

Continued from Pastor: The key factor with the normal usage of the Greek verb "meet" is this: In no case does the arriving dignitary

change directions and go back where he came from after people come to meet him; rather, he continues with them into

their house or city. In Matthew, for example, the bridegroom's arrival is greeted with a shout: "Look! Here is the

bridegroom. Come out to meet him." But the bridegroom does not then kidnap the bridesmaids and take them away

with him after they go out to meet him! Rather, the bridegroom goes with the bridesmaids into the house from where

they came, where everyone is waiting for him. Matthew makes this clear: "The bridegroom came, and those who were

with him went into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut" (Matthew 25:10) Paul’s image of the people “meeting

the Lord in the air” should be read with the assumption that the people will immediately turn around and lead the Lord

back to the newly remade world.

Paul’s mixed metaphors of trumpets blowing and the living being snatched into heaven to meet the Lord are not

to be understood as literal truth, as the Left Behind series suggests, but as a vivid and biblically allusive description of the

great transformation of the present world of which he speaks elsewhere.

Paul’s misunderstood metaphors present a challenge for us: How can we reuse biblical imagery, including Paul’s,

so as to clarify the truth, not distort it? For a start, is not the Left Behind mentality in thrall to a dualistic view of reality

that allows people to pollute God’s world on the grounds that it’s all going to be destroyed soon? Wouldn’t this be

overturned if we recaptured Paul’s wholistic vision of God’s whole creation?

In the words of the immortal bard Homer Simpson after watching the Left Behind movie “This movie will haunt

me for the rest of my life, just like Cannonball Run II. Marge, what if the Rapture is coming and I haven't led a good

enough life? I could be left below!”

SCRIP GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER

No penalty for EXCESSIVE CELEBRATION with Scrip

cards!!! On October 31st, we drew the name of our winner - to

be announced in the December Tidings. What were we

celebrating? Nothing less than reaching $1000 in profits

since the Scrip fundraiser started in April 2014!!! Everyone

who had placed a Scrip order was included in the drawing for a

$10 Scrip card of the winner's choice. Congratulations to our

winner - but our biggest winner is the Christian Education

program, which will benefit from the profits of this ongoing fundraiser.

Other exciting news: Nancy Miller's longest-distance order, placed by phone from Colorado

and delivered to the Rocky Mountain state from our inventory of cards, has been

bested! Natalie Oberman is now our long-range winner, all the way from California! Nat will be

doing her grocery shopping with Scrip cards!!

In case you're a newcomer to the game, here are the rules we're playing by:

The second Sunday of each month is the deadline for our regular monthly order. We pay

$7.75 shipping for each order, so we try to combine all orders into one submission each month,

to maximize our profits. If you have a special need, we will try to combine your request with

other pending orders to get what you need in between our regular orders.

The monthly order is submitted the day after the deadline. If you give us an order after

that day, it will be held until the next month's submission unless you let us know that you have

a special deadline. So please try to give us your orders by the 2nd-Sunday deadline!

Cards are delivered to you at church the 3rd Sunday of the month. We receive them 3

days after we place the order. An email is sent out to those who placed an order to let them

know the cards have arrived, in case someone needs their cards before Sunday.

All of our profits to date have been rolled into an inventory of the most popular cards,

available for immediate purchase. After Christmas, we hope to reduce our inventory so that

funds can be used to start paying upcoming Christian Education expenses, like the spring

curriculum bill.

So get in the game! Think Black Friday sales; Christmas shopping; gift cards for those

hard-to-shop-for people on your list; employee, teacher, and boss's gifts; pastor gifts....Next

order deadlines are Sunday November 9th and December 14th. Starting November 1st, Scrip offers a limited supply of $5 and $10 gift cards from some of your favorite retailers. Great gifts for teachers, mail carriers, hair dresser/barber, coworkers, secret Santa’s, and stocking stuffers! Ask Diane or Joe for more information!