Shenkel United

Church of Christ

SHARINGS AND CONCERNS

October 2013

SHENKEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

1580 Shenkel Road

Pottstown PA 19465

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Shenkel United Church of Christ’s “The NEWSLETTER” is a monthly publication prepared, edited, and mailed by the leadership and staff to all members and friends of the church. It communicates news about our life, purpose, and mission as a Church of Jesus Christ. Information related to our partnership as a member of the United Church of Christ and wider church/community out-reach is included on a regular basis. The Church is located at Unionville & Shenkel Roads in North Coventry Township.

2013

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1 2

Agape: 7 PM

3

Community Lunch Bunch: 11:30 AM

4 5

Work Day —

Office Painting

6 Communion

Free Love Mis-sion Work Day at Camp Fernbrook 12:30-4:30 PM

Safe Church Training after church

7

Home School Co-op

8 Quilters:

9:30 AM

Church Secretar-ies’ Seminar CHURCH OF-FICE CLOSED TODAY

Consistory: 7:15 PM

9

Church Secre-taries’ Seminar CHURCH OF-FICE CLOSED TODAY

10

Choir: 7 PM

11 12

13

CROP Walk

14

Home School Co-op

15

Mid-Day Din-ner Club: Noon at Exeter Family Restau-rant

16

PRC Meeting: 7 PM

17

Choir: 7 PM

18 19

Youth Group

Pumpkin Carv-

ing and Hang-

out: 2 PM

20

Healing Prayers Safe Church Training after church

21

Home School Co-op

22

Quilters: 9:30 AM

23 24

CHURCH OF-FICE CLOSED TODAY Choir: 7 PM

25 26

Youth Hallow-een Party: 2-4 PM

27 28

Home School Co-op

Community Meal: Noon at Christ Episco-pal Church

29 30 31

Card Making Class: 10 AM Choir: 7 PM

1580 Shenkel Road, Pottstown PA 19465 610.326.3535

Email: shenkelucc@aol.com www.shenkelucc.org

PAGE 3

Pastor Bonnie L. Moore

484.524.8280

Office Hours:

Tues., Wed., Thurs.

9 AM to 1 PM

CONSISTORY

OFFICERS

President

Jeff Graef

Vice President

James White

Secretary

Lynne Moyer

Treasurer

Ken Bevan

Financial Secretary

Chris Gray

Assistant Financial

Secretaries

Doug Allen

Director of

Music Ministry

Rev. Douglas R. Holder

Elders

Sherri Mocarski

Lynne Moyer

Bill Faust

Chris Gray

Gary McDermit

Deacons

Jeff Graef

Aaron Gray

James White

Andrew Foss

Rick Viti

Newsletter Editor: Judy Embriani Assistant Editors: Bill Baseley, Erika Augustine, Carol Lykens

Attention Shenkel Sunday School teachers and

those who work with our youth…. Did you know Shenkel has a Safe Church Policy designed to help

protect our youth as well as our leaders? Did you know that Safe

Church training is REQUIRED for those working with our

youth? If you work with Shenkel youth in any capacity and have not taken the 30-

45 minute policy orientation course, please plan to attend on October 6 or October

20, 2013 following the late church service. Thanks for helping to keep Shen-

kel UCC a safe sanctuary for our precious kids!

Please consider signing up to teach the children of Shenkel during our Sunday School time this year! We are still in need of a PreK teacher for December and several months in the spring. This group now uses easy, fun, NEW curriculum requiring little planning time. We are also in need of 3 more teachers for the Spring in

the Kids in the Move rotation program. Please see Julie Zachesky as soon as possi-ble if you are able to lend a hand!!!"

Birdies for Boots

There will be a Charity Golf Tournament, Din-

ner and Silent Auction Monday, October 14th

at Applecross Country Club in Downingtown. Proceeds

from “Birdies for Boots” will benefit “In Ian’s Boots” which gives shoes

and boots to those in need, to the Glory of God and in honor of 12 year

old Ian Miller who passed away in January 2010. You don’t have to play

golf to attend the Dinner and Silent Auction! For more in-

formation, visit www.birdiesforboots.org. Please help us to

help others in Jesus’ name!

SHENKEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

6

NEED SPONSOR

NEED SPONSOR

Marilynn Abraham

(Puerto Rico, Costa

Rica, Egypt)

Lay Leader:

Carol Pearson

Communion

Officiant:

Rev. Douglas Holder

Early CUL: Rick Viti

Late CUL: Jim White

13

Bob and Barbara

Brown

NEED SPONSOR

Osmond Mbaeri

(Nigeria)

Lay Leader:

Dave Derman

Early: Barb Sweinhart

and Judy Gergle

Late: The Dushanko

Family

20

NEED SPONSOR

NEED SPONSOR

Randy Berriker

Leading whole

service

Early: Jody and Joel

Sweinhart

Late: Sherri and Ben

Mocarski

27

NEED SPONSOR

NEED SPONSOR

Seungmin (“Patrick”)

Baik

(South Korea)

Lay Leader:

Gary McDermit

Early: Jesse and Barb

Painter

Late: Ed and Faye

Pedrick

PAGE 4

“Flours” is a collection of pantry items or a monetary donation of your

discretion to the Cluster. If a cash donation to the Cluster is made, a

wheat arrangement will be placed on the altar. Altar flowers are $30.00

and bulletin dedications are $6.50. Food Sculptures are also gladly ac-

cepted.

Now you can also dedicate the weekly Choir Anthem with a donation

of $30. With ever-increasing costs of choral music, this sponsorship will

help stretch our budget and continue to bring quality music to Shen-

kel. Dedicate your anthem to someone special, an event in your life, or

just to the fact that you love music. Thank you for this needed contribu-

tion to Shenkel. Blue envelopes are in the Narthex for your sponsorships.

There are many dates open for sponsorship and dedication during this and the

upcoming months. Please complete one of the special flower/bulletin/anthem

envelopes below the sign-up chart, enclose your payment, and either put it in

the collection plate or in the Secretary’s box by the office door. You should

sign your name on the chart in the narthex by the appropriate date after

you have completed your envelope.

Shenkel UCC cele-

brates the sacrament of

Holy Communion at

both services on the

first Sunday of each

month. Each time

communion is served, some of the bread

and non-alcoholic wine that has been

consecrated at the altar will be saved in a

traveling communion kit, ready to go to

the homes or hospital rooms of mem-

bers who were unable to be present, and

would like to receive the sacrament.

Please let Bill Faust (in Pastor Bonnie’s

absence) know if you, or someone you

know, would appreciate “distance-

communing” with their Shenkel Church

family!

September Consistory Highlights:

Received “thank-yous” from Phoebe Ministries for our $55 donation and

a thank you from the cluster for hosting their August Meeting

We discussed at length about how to fill the position of Assistant Financial Secretary. This position counts the

money in the weekly offering plates and prepares the deposits. We have been blessed over the past years hav-

ing Lori Sharneck in this position. Anyone interested, please contact a Consistory member. In the meantime,

the Deacons will assure the job is completed each week.

Heard a report about the start of our new Sunday School year and the continuing of the Kids on the Move pro-

gram. This year, the Pre-K kids will now be called the “Little Lambs” and will meet separately from the rest of

the kids.

Received an update from the Director of Music Ministries Search Committee – our ads are still in circulation

The Stewardship Committee discussed the “Raise the Roof” concert, which will be postponed until the Spring

due to a couple of the bands dropping out.

We finally received the final bill for the Stained Glass Windows. To date, we have raised over $22,000 towards

the balance of the bill, with the remainder to be paid by a loan to ourselves, as decided at the beginning of the

project. As of now, we still must raise $10,749.75.

Complete copies of Consistory Minutes are available from the church office upon request.

ADMINISTRATIVE NEWS….

YTD Current Fund O.C.W.M

Actual 81,049.64 7,688.50

Budget 104,179.51 7,333.33

Difference (23, 129.87) 355.17

DO YOU HAVE NEWS FOR

THE BULLETIN OR THE

NEWSLETTER?

Just a reminder that all bulletin an-

nouncements should be at the church

office by each Tuesday at noon to be

included in that week’s bulletin. Newsletter articles must

be submitted by the 15th of each month to be included

in the next issue.

PAGE 5

As of August 2013….

Recycling Reminder….Please remember

that we collect only aluminum cans here at the

church for recycling. But please continue to re-

cycle all your other recyclables at home.

SHENKEL LOVES TO GIVE….

REMEMBER TOO:

The Pottstown Cluster Food

Bank collection at Shenkel is

the 1st Sunday of each month.

Please place your items in the

large plastic bins in the narthex.

AND...Please bring in your

used cell phones and empty ink

cartridges and place them in the

box across from the nursery, or in

the box located on the coat rack shelf across from the

office. The cartridges are recycled to Staples and the

church receives credits toward the purchase of office

supplies. The used cell phones are given

to the police department to be distributed

to abused women.

The Cluster welcomes all cash, food,

clothing and household donations be-

tween the hours of 9 am to 12 PM Mon-

day through Friday.

Pantry Needs: Soup of any kind, oatmeal,

canned fruit, boxed potatoes, canned pasta,

stuffing, baby food, juice, and soy baby formula. Also needed

are egg cartons, plastic and paper bags.

Please contact Sherrie at 610-970-5995 for more information.

Toiletries: Toiletries – toothpaste, soap and body wash, and

shampoo/cream rinse

Cleaning Products: clothes detergent, dish detergent, toilet

cleaners, multi-purpose cleaners (Mr. Clean or Spic/Span)

Please contact Vicki at 610 970-5995 for more information.

Chaplain Office Requests: Giant print Bibles, Study Bibles

The Cluster will be collecting food to fill 200 Holiday Dinner

boxes. Shenkel has committed to provide 380 cans of corn to

contribute to help with this collection. The collection will begin

later in the fall.

They are also planning their Holiday Toy Program and Shenkel

has signed up for this program. We will have a Christmas tree

in the Narthex and will be collecting Holiday gifts of toys and

clothing. Consistory has approved these programs.

The Cluster will hold a 2nd Annual Fundraising Dinner on Friday,

October 4th at the Berean Bible Church on High Street in Sana-

toga with the theme, “Wish Upon a Star.” Entertainment will be

provided by “Sounds of Sunnybrook Dance Band.” Dinner will

be provided by Bause Catered Events. Tickets are $40. Call

the Cluster at 610 970 5995 for invitations if you have not re-

ceived one in the mail and would like to attend.

PAGE 6

During the month of October, we

will be receiving the Neighbors in

Need offering, which supports the

United Church of Christ’s ministries

of justice and compassion through-

out the United States. On October 13th , we will

be receiving the Bill Boyer Memorial Scholarship

Offering. Please be as generous as you can.

Please Consider Leaving

Your Footprint

Last month we rolled out a beautiful new brochure

prepared by the Stewardship Committee inviting mem-

bers to consider including a bequest to Shenkel UCC

in their wills. What is a bequest? Why should you consider doing

that? How will Shenkel benefit? These and other questions are

answered by the “Leaving Your Footprint” brochure! If you weren’t

here to receive one, they will be available in the narthex as well as

from the church office. We hope you will consider this way of mak-

ing a statement that you believe in and care about the mission of

Shenkel UCC!

Note: If you’re comfortable sharing that you have chosen to include

Shenkel in your will, please let the church office know. You do not

need to share the amount or percentage you have included, and

your names will not be shared with anyone except Pastor Bonnie.

Thank you!

SAVE-A-TAPE

PROGRAM This is the easiest way to help our

church financially. Just ask for a

Save-A-Tape card at the customer

service spot at your local Redner’s

store. Show your card at the regis-

ter when you check out, then bring

your register tapes to church and deposit them in

the box in the Narthex. These tapes are collected

routinely, presented to the store, and Redner’s

donates a percentage of your total purchase to

the church.

Be careful to bring your tapes in regularly in-

stead of saving them at home, as they do expire if

not redeemed within a certain time period. Also,

please return the entire register tape. Redner’s

will not accept any register receipt that has any

part of it removed.

In September, the office received a check from

Redners in the mail in the amount of $204.78!!

BIG MONEY….EASY!!! Keep bringing those

register tapes in and Thank You, Redner’s!

BULLETIN BOARD….

CARD MAKING CLASS

The card making class usually meets

on the third Thursday of each month

at 10 AM, but this month, due to

scheduling difficulties, they will meet on Thursday, October

31st.. The cost of the class is $8.00 which will provide each

of us with three beautiful cards. To ensure there will be

enough materials prepared for everyone, please call Ann

Baccari at 610-953-3278, or Connie Armbruster at 610-

326-6516 if you plan to attend. Hope to see you on the

31st!

PAGE 7

Mid-Day Dinner Club

Shenkel's Mid-day Dinner Club meets at 12 noon on

the third Tuesday of each month – and you’re invited

to join us! The next meeting date is Tuesday, Octo-

ber 15th, and we’ll be eating at the Exeter Family

Restaurant. The Mid-day Dinner Club is open to

young-at-heart adults of any age

who enjoy eating out and would

like to get to know other Shenkel

members a little better. Call the

church office if you’re able to join

us!

SHENKEL QUILTERS The Shenkel Quilters will meet in the month of October

on Tuesday(s) the 8th and the 22nd at 9:30 in the church

social hall.

Margie Allen

This is a special wish for Charlotte...."We sure do miss

you!"

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Shenkel UCC’s Prayer Shawl Ministry is happy to pro-

vide anyone in need of comfort with a beautiful prayer

shawl. If you know of someone who would benefit from

one, please call the church office. They also make

baptismal blankets. Anyone who likes to knit or cro-

chet is encouraged to help with this

wonderful ministry. If you have any

questions, please speak to June

Hartung at church, or call the

church office at 610-326-3535.

COMMUNITY LUNCH BUNCH

Thursday, October 3, 2013

11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

COME ONE, COME ALL…

FOR: Lunch,* fellowship and a program good for

all of us! This month, Valli Heist, renowned author,

will be with us to talk about how to keep your

homes free from clutter. Want to be organized?

Be there! It should be a fun time for all.

*All participants are asked to contribute $6.50 to

cover the cost of the lunch. Please see or call

Ruth Klein at 610-326-4520, or call the church

office at 610-326-3535 by the Monday prior to the

program to reserve your spot.

FOR ART’S SAKE…..

Amy Shenk is asking for donations of pot-

tery such as tea cups, flower pots, bowls,

vases, etc. to be used for a special art pro-

ject with our Sunday School classes this

October. Please understand that any donated items

will not be returned, so chipped pieces would be ideal.

The more colorful the items, the better! Please bring

your old items in as soon as possible since the project

will begin the first week of October, but items will be

accepted until October 20. Look for the box in the nar-

thex to deposit your donations,

and watch for their transforma-

tion into a “forever-Shenkel

thing” at the end of October.

PAGE 8

STEWARD’S CORNER

Guess what? I got a letter in the mail!! And it was addressed to “The Steward”!!!

Wow, do you know what that means? I looked it up in the dictionary and this is what it

said: “A person put in charge of the affairs; one who acts as a supervisor or administra-

tor”. Who me? Steward? I think I like being the church mouse better, and letting all of

you be stewards for Shenkel church.

I guess now you are wondering who wrote me a letter? I'll give you a hint – This is a very intelligent gent

whose favorite part of Shenkel's newsletter is MY Page”. But he does read it all and likes to find out how

his daughter is doing as our pastor. So I'll let you know what he wrote to me.

Dear Steward,

First of all, excuse my handwriting for I have some paralysis in my right arm and hand so I thought I would

try a short note. I hope you can read it. I enjoyed the article in the newsletter and I have looked all around

for the person you described. I sure enjoyed meeting all of the Shenkel family and then talking with a

good many of you. I can understand why Bonnie describes you as her new family. She has been very for-

tunate to have become a part of the Shenkel family.

Hope you can read this note.

Glad to meet you.

HENRY

P.S. Wasn't that a nice letter from Bonnie's proud father?

Henry,

I liked getting a letter from you, and it was worth sharing with the whole Shenkel family! Wasn't that kind

of me?

Steward

HEALING

PRAYERS

The third Sunday of each

month is a time for prayer and

anointing. Healing Prayers are

offered during all services on

that day for anyone who desires individual prayers

or prayers on behalf of another in need.

The Prayer Chain list is continually being up-

dated. Request for prayers should be placed in the

prayer box in the Narthex, or get in touch with any

member of the Wholeness Committee. Prayer re-

quests will be carried for one month. If anyone is

interested in ministering on the Prayer Chain,

please contact Ann Baccari or Freda Wan-

ner. Members of the Wholeness Committee are:

Ann Baccari, Ted Gray, Tootie and Louise Hine,

June Hartung, Carol Stubbe and Freda Wanner.

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

Held every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM in the social hall

October 6 - Marilynn Abraham (Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Egypt) October 13 – Minister Osmond Mbaeri (Nigeria)

October 20 - To be announced October 27- To be announced

PAGE 9

Come One, Come All….

The Property Committee will be running two work days in the fall to beautify the grounds and perform maintenance on both

the church and the parsonage.

On Saturday, October 5, we will be painting the church office and Pastor Bon-nie's office. We would really appreciate your

help.

On Saturday, November 2, we will attack demoli-tion, drywall, spackle, tile, and caulking projects at the parsonage along with cleaning up the

leaves and sticks around the church.

Please come out for as long as you can and help us maintain our church. It is always very re-warding! Speak to Bill Faust for more informa-

tion.

PLEASE NOTE…….

UPCOMING

EVENTS

October: 13th: Crop Walk

(Gary will have our

envelopes and information)

19th: Pumpkin Carving/ Hangout: 2 PM

26th: Halloween Party: 2-4 PM

November: (No date set): Shack-a-thon

15th -17th: Fall Youth Event

23rd: Laser Tag

Upcoming event with

Temple UMC Annual

Fall Fest:

Held at Temple Pavilion

on Saturday, October 12, 2013. Looking

forward to seeing many of you there.

It’s a great time for fellowship with our

friends from Temple UMC and the com-

munity. All are welcome.

If you have any other ideas for the Fel-

lowship Committee – things you would like

to do, please let Louise Hine know your

ideas.

Louise Hine, Chair,

Fellowship Committee

On Tuesday, October 8th and

Wednesday, October 9th….. The church office will be closed.

Judy will be attending a Parish Secre-

taries’ Seminar in Lancaster on these

two days. The seminar, entitled

“Many Hands Make Light Work”

will cover many aspects of the daily

responsibilities of the church’s office

administrator. It will also include

time for devotions as well. Hope-

fully, she will come back to work bet-

ter equipped to serve us all.

The office will also be closed on Thursday, October

24th, as the 24th annual “Mountain Weekend” be-

gins for our secretary and her family. You are invited….

JAZZ CELEBRATION XXIV A Service of Jazz Music

Sunday, October 20, 2013 at 7 PM at

Cedarville United Methodist Church Family Life Center

1092 Laurelwood Road Pottstown, PA

Featuring seven wonderful local musicians

For more information, call 610-326-4173

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW…

On Sunday, November 24th, we

will celebrate Thanksgiving with

our church and community with a

meal and service of thanksgiving.

The event will be held in our social

hall at 5 PM and will include our

friends from Cedarville UMC and

Temple UCC. All are asked to bring a food dona-

tion for the Pottstown Cluster.

OUR CHURCH FAMILY AND FRIENDS….

10/01 Kutz, Kurt

10/02 HOFF, GLEN

10/02 Miller, Karen

10/05 Kreiger, Forrest

10/05 Scharneck, Ethan

10/06 Knauer, Gavin

10/07 Wanner, Adrianne

10/08 PHILLIPS, DAVID

10/10 Rogers, Gerry

10/12 Stultz, Susan

10/13 Painter, Laurie

10/13 BRADLEY, STACIA

10/13 GERHARDT-SKULSKI, JORDAN

10/13 Durham, J.T.

10/14 Foss, Aaron

10/15 Pennell, John

10/16 Faust, Lara

10/16 Hudick, Katie

10/16 Durham, Skyler

10/17 Iezzi, Lois

10/18 ELLIS, TIMOTHY

10/18 Faust, Jimmy

10/19 Rogers, Tyler

10/20 Peterman, Roberta

10/22 Heimbach, Darlene

10/22 Coyne, Heather

10/23 Smith, Harold

10/23 Hartzell, Ann

10/23 Dushanko, Cameron

10/24 Yocom, Lisa

10/24 Rogers, Cindy

10/25 Dise, Larry

10/26 Miller, Jonathan

10/28 Bevan, Betsy

10/29 Rice, Nick

10/31 Terrell, Matt

10/31 Gray, Aaron

During the month of October, Shenkel will be praying for these randomly se-lected members and friends of our con-gregation:

10/6 Mary Susan Moyer Rachel Berriker Brooke Miller Betsy and Ken Bevan

Judy and Steve Comishock

10/13 David Phillips

Carole and Stan Stubbe

Judith Andrien

Derek Painter Nancy Weaver 10/20 Cameron Dushanko

Karen Metka and Joe Zogheib

Alex Mocarski Logan Baker Collin Gray

10/27 Lindsey Hoff Sherri and Bob Mocarski Tammy and Keith Baker Ellen Faust Kailyn Painter

PAGE 10

A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT….

To all the folks who help me each

and every week folding the bulle-

tins, supplying me with informa-

tion and assistance with anything

I may need. And to all of you

who have stepped up (extra) during Pastor Bon-

nie’s sabbatical by being available and perfectly

prompt with all things vital to the church’s weekly

worship services, general operation, ministry and

well being, I know I am very grateful! You make

my job easier, and I’m sure P.B. will be equally

proud of your faithful dedication and support too!

Thank you!!