A reminder that the Trustees will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, August 27, at 6:00 p.m., and the Church Council at 7:00 p.m.

The Food Pantry will be held this Friday; if you wish to donate any items, please do so during office hours this week. If you’d like to help, please arrive at the Narnia Room (inside the glass doors) around 9:45 a.m.

We have Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends shopping passes that give you 20% off for $5. They benefit the HUB and are valid on Saturday, October 22. You can buy these during office hours or on Sundays (Jill usually in the office from 9:45-10:25).

September Scrolls will be mailed tomorrow to those who requested a copy and emailed later this week; physical copies will also be available on the round table in the sanctuary. 

We hope you will join us; bring your friends, neighbors, grandchildren, and anyone else you can think of!

The Block Party will take place on the church’s 2nd Street side (the road will be closed) from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There will be free musical entertainment, kids can play games all day for $3 (including caricatures and bounce houses), food for purchase (nothing costs more than $2), a bake sale, a silent auction, and more! The Hope Chest will also be open from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for any children in need of clothing.

Help is needed with set up and tear down, so arrive early or stay late if you can help.

This Sunday, we will continue our sermon series “Faithful Brothers and Sisters” with this week’s message from Colossians 3:1-17, Set Above. Sunday School and Coffee Hour are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Make sure to register for the church picnic and the picture directory! The picnic will be held at Tiffany and Matt Stuckey’s home on Saturday, September 7, from 3:00 p.m. -7:00p.m. (dinner at 5 :00 p.m.), and photographs for the directory will be taken at the church on September 26-28.

The church office will be closed on Labor Day, which is Monday, September 2. Beginning September 3rd, office hours will be 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday for the fall and winter months.

This Saturday is our Block Party! Come out between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to volunteer (even if you didn’t sign up), play games, eat delicious food, check out the silent auction, listen to wonderful music, and much more!  

Play games all day for $3, food is available for purchase (nothing more than $2), and there will be a bake sale. If you wish to donate bake sale items, please drop them off on Friday morning. The Hope Chest will also be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is truly a fun day for the entire family and neighborhood. Everyone’s welcome!

A few other reminders:

• Food Pantry will be held on Friday, August 30, 11 a.m. – out
• The ROCK will begin on Wednesday, September 11th, 4:30 p.m. -7:00 p.m. (Ashley is still looking for more volunteers)
• For the fall and winter, the office will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday – Thursday beginning September 3.
• The office will be closed on Monday, September 2 to observe the Labor Day holiday.
• The church picnic will be held on Saturday, September 7, at the home of Tiffany and Matt Stuckey. There is an information and sign-up sheet in the sanctuary.

We hope you can join us for a special service on Sunday at 10 a.m. We will celebrate the Blessing of the Backpacks and pray for teachers and school personnel. We will also get the opportunity to learn about the Youth Group’s outreach trip. There will be no Sunday School or Coffee Hour, but there will be Junior Church. 

Please join us for our Soup & Sandwich Lunch on Saturday, August 17. This event is open to all and will be held in-person from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. You may dine in or take your meal to go. We hope to see you

The church office will be closed on Monday because Jill is taking her daughter to college. She will return to the office on Tuesday. In the meanwhile, emails and phone messages will be returned by Tuesday.

The block party is coming Saturday, August 24th! We still need your help! Sign up at the round table in the sanctuary for a shift at a game, booth, or other activity. Invite your friends and family by handing out flyers from the entryway tables. The block party will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

We are pleased to announce that we will be compiling an updated church directory this September. Photography will be conducted by Alyssa Sackandy on the evenings of Thursday, September 26th, and Friday, September 27, as well as in the morning and early afternoon of Saturday, September 28. Following the photography session, the church will assemble the directory. To update your contact information, please complete a form provided by the church. Each household will receive a directory, while families or individuals who regularly attend church and have their photographs taken will receive a complimentary 8×10 print from the church. Please note that this initiative is being undertaken independently and there will be no attempts to solicit additional purchases. Kindly register on the round table to secure a time slot for photography.

As a reminder, we will be holding a combined service next Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Sunday School and coffee hour will not be held on that day. We will be celebrating the Blessing of the Backpacks and have an opportunity to hear from our Youth Group about their recent mission trip. 

If you missed services yesterday, they are available for viewing on our YouTube channel, which is linked here: LINKED HERE!

The Rock begins for the 2024-25 session in less than a month. The program commences on Wednesday, September 11, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The program is open to children aged 4 (must be fully potty-trained) through 12^th grade. Participants will receive a home-cooked meal, age-appropriate lessons, games, crafts, and physical education. Throughout the year, the program will feature guest speakers from various organizations, including the fire department, police department, and nursing services.

If you are employed in a profession that provides outreach to children or teenagers and would like to participate as a guest speaker at the Rock this year, please contact Ashley. All children are welcome, so please extend an invitation to any children or teenagers in your acquaintance. 

The ROCK is seeking volunteers for the upcoming year. To be eligible, candidates must possess valid clearances and undergo complimentary training. Additionally, they must attend church services for a minimum of six months and meet with Ashley prior to joining to ensure a mutually beneficial arrangement. Please contact Ashley at ashleymiller1228@gmail.com if you have any inquiries.

The Block Party is fast approaching! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We are still seeking volunteers to assist with various aspects of the event, including game management and booth operations. To secure a shift, please contact the church office or visit the round table in the sanctuary on Sunday. We understand that availability may vary, and flexible shifts are accommodated.

If anyone has any content for the September newsletter, please send it to Jill for review by Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

If you have not yet subscribed to receive text message reminders or services, please text JOIN to 833-768-9112. You may also add us to your contacts and send us prayer requests, questions, or other inquiries via text message. 

Join us tomorrow for the celebration of Holy Communion at both services and commence the sermon series “Faithful Brothers and Sisters” with this week’s message, “ Continue in Faithful Living.”

A friendly reminder: next Sunday, August 17, we will have only one service at 10:00 a.m. We will be celebrating the Blessing of the Backpacks and praying over all the students, teachers, and other school employees before the commencement of the new school year.

Two of the children’s ministries at 2nd Ave are in dire need of volunteers.

• To prepare for the nursery’s reopening in September, Ashley is seeking approximately 4 to 6 more volunteers. Currently, the nursery is staffed only on two Sundays a month. To volunteer, you must be at least 18 years old, have completed all necessary clearances, and have completed online training (which is provided free of charge). Additionally, you must have been a regular attendee of our church for at least six months.
• The ROCK is seeking volunteers to fill in unexpected spots to ensure the smooth running of its Wednesday program. The program operates on Wednesday evenings (excluding school days off), from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. They are in need of 3-4 additional volunteers to contribute in various capacities.

Contact Ashley for more information on either of these ministry opportunities. You can reach her at ashleymiller1228@gmail.com.

The office will be closed on Monday, August 19, as Jill moves her daughter to college. Jill will return to the office on Tuesday.

Starting Tuesday, September 2, the office will be open from Monday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Additionally, Jill will be available on Sundays, usually from around 7:45 a.m. until the end of the 10:45 service. You can find Jill either in the balcony or in the office between services.

The Block Party committee would like to remind you that they are collecting donations for Mending Hearts Animal Rescue for their visit to the Block Party. They have specific needs that are outlined in the attached picture. Kindly place items on the bulletin board in the Elevation Room.

The Block Party is seeking baked goods for their bake sale. Kindly drop off items in the morning of Friday, August 23 in the kitchen.  

Please reach out to Jody Langguth or Stacey Wombacher with any questions. 

If you missed yesterday’s service, make sure to watch it on our YouTube channel; we were blessed to have Pastor Dennis Braun deliver the message.

Pastor Brian is on vacation this week; please contact the church office or Wendy Lucas for any pastoral emergencies.

The Block Party is quickly approaching; make sure to save the date! August 24, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00p.m. Register in the sanctuary to volunteer for a shift. Invite your friends and family to an afternoon of fun!

Our church picnic will be held on Saturday, September 7 from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Tiffany and Matt Stuckey’s home. Please register in the sanctuary if you intend to attend. Immersion baptisms will begin at 3:00 p.m.(must be in sixth grade or older and have not previously been baptized), followed by dinner at 5:00 p.m. Please contact Pastor Brian with any baptism questions, and the church office with any other inquiries.

Have you signed up for text reminders? It’s a great way to stay in touch (we’ll be able to communicate quickly if there’s anything urgent), and you can text us any prayer requests, questions, etc. To easily find the church, text 833-768-9112 and add us to your phone contacts.

The church office will be closed on Monday, August 19, while I relocate my daughter to college. I’ll be back in the office on Tuesday, August 20, at 8:00 a.m. Emails and phone messages will be returned.

We hope you can join us on Sunday to welcome Pastor Dennis Braun! He will deliver the message “Body Building” from Ephesians 4:1–16. (Communion will be held on Sunday, August 11).

Pastor Brian will be away from today through next week. If you have a pastoral emergency, please let Wendy Lucas or myself know, and we will connect you with the on-call pastor.

Sunday, August 18, we will have a combined service at 10:00 a.m. On this day, we will also hold our Blessing of the Backpacks and pray for students, teachers, and other school personnel before they return to the classroom.

The Block Party will be here before you know it, and we need your help! We cannot provide this community outreach event without everyone’s assistance. Please register for a shift at a game. To assist in the kitchen and other areas. The sign-up sheet is on the round table in the sanctuary.

Our church picnic will be held on Saturday, September 7, from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Stuckey’s house. Pastor Brian will be offering immersion baptisms (must be 6th grade or older) to anyone who has not been baptized and is interested. The sign-up sheet is on the round table, and we would appreciate it if you could sign up to bring a side dish or dessert.

The Youth Group safely returned home on Saturday following a successful week of mission work in Virginia. They appreciate your prayers and donations. They will discuss their experiences during our combined worship service on August 18 at 10:00 a.m. 

NUSERY UPDATE: We would love to be able to staff the nursery weekly again starting in September, but we need more volunteers to do so. Volunteers must be 18 or older and have completed all clearances and training (which we provide for free). For more information or to volunteer, please contact Ashley at ashleymiller1228@gmail.com. (Volunteers are scheduled one Sunday per month; if we get more volunteers, it may be less often.)

The counters are looking for people to join their quarterly rotation. This ministry is usually done on Monday mornings, but if you want to learn and are interested, we can work around your schedule. You must be a member of this church for at least a year and have your own transportation.