Welcome to our website. Our hope is that through it you will come to know what is going on at Millcreek, and will be encouraged to participate as much as you are able in the life of the congregation; whether you are already a member or searching for a church home.

We’re glad you came and trust you will feel the same, not only here, but our worship experience Sunday morning, as well as all of our activities. God’s blessings be with you in the name of Jesus, who invites and accepts all to share in fellowship with him. He is our model and guide in all things at Millcreek Lutheran.

Pastor B.   

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The Parish Echo Newsletter - February 2010

Pastor B’s Message: 

"The King’s Highway"

Once a king had a great highway built for the member of his kingdom.  After it was completed, but before it was opened to the public, the king decided to have a contest.  He invited as many as desired to participate.  Their challenge was to see who could travel the highway the best.

     On the day of the contest the people came.  Some of them had fine chariots, some had fine clothing, and some had great food.  Some young men came in their track clothes and ran along the highway.  People travelled the highway all day, but each one, when he arrived at the end, complained to the king that there was a large pile of rocks and debris left on the road at one spot and this got in their way and hindered their travel.  At the end of the day, a lone traveler crossed the finish line warily and walked over to the king.  He was tired and dirty, but he addressed the king with great respect and handed him a bag of gold.  He explained, “I stopped along the way to clear a pile of rocks and debris that was blocking the road.  This bag of gold was under it all.  I want to return it to its rightful owner.”

     The king replied, “You are the rightful owner.”  The traveler replied, “Oh no, this is not mine.  I’ve never known such money.”

     “Oh yes,” said the king, “you’ve earned this gold, for you won my contest.  He who traveled the road best is he who makes the road smoother for those who follow.” 

      * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

     One cautionary note about the above story taken from The Fishwrapper.  It is a parable and parables have one point to make, the one that was made in the very last sentence.

     It is not to make us think that we earn our way into heaven by being good people.  The reward of life is living it well.  This story points us to what a life well lived looks like:  a life that is aware that others are with us on the road; and more than awareness, concern for their welfare, as we travel together.

     Our road has been made smoother by those who preceded us, and by those traveling with us.  If those with us and those following us can say the same for us, then we have traveled in the spirit of He who traveled the very best!

     Happy Valentine’s Day!  May we travel the whole month in love for one another.

Pastor B. and Katie

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Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all." 

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!

Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

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Coming Events! 

(Also check events calendar by clicking on "Events")

February 2010

In case of bad weather, cancellations will be posted on WLBR 1270. Lenten season is beginning on February 17^th.   We have already had an interesting winter season, so stay tuned.

Lock-In

The JUNIOR YOUTH GROUP will have a lock-in at the church Saturday, February 6^th, to Sunday, February 7^th.  Meet at the church Saturday night at 8 pm and bring a sleeping bag.

Souper Bowl Sunday

The SENIOR YOUTH Group will be doing Souper Bowl Sunday on   February 7^th.   Bring canned or boxed food items for the Lebanon Food Bank or donations will be received for Feed My Starving Children.

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Lenten Worship

The theme for our Community Lenten Services this year is:  "An Invitation to Journey."  The schedule is below.  All services will start at 7:00 pm.  Our offerings will be divided between support for Haiti and local needs.  There will also be collections of needed items that will be shipped to Haiti.

Feb. 17     Elias UCC (Newmanstown)

A Journey Into the Wilderness – Pastor Moll

Feb. 24     Grace UCC (Richland)            

A Journey of Faith – Pastor Harpold

March 3    Faith Community (Richland)

A Journey towards Hospitality And Inclusion – Pastor Beckhardt

March 10  United Christian (Newmanstown)

Making a Journey as People of Light – Pastor Lengel

March 17  Church of Christian Outreach (Newmanstown)

A Vision of Hope to Help Us on  Our Journey – Pastor Lauman

                      

March 24  Millcreek (Newmanstown)

A Journey into the Center of Things – Pastor Sherman

March 31  St. Paul UCC (Millbach)

Making a Commitment to Go the Full Distance – Pastor Bomgardner

April 2 Richland Church of the Brethren (Richland)   

Journeying Through Good Friday’s Dying of the Old – Pastor Bossler

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CHURCH OFFERING NOTE:

In the event you do not receive special offering envelopes for Building Fund, Christmas and Easter collection, etc. you can place your offering in a blank envelope and simply include your regular envelope offering number.

Church Envelopes:

If you have not picked up your church envelopes for 2010, they are on the table in the narthex.

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Flowers and Bulletins for 2010

Sign-up sheets to dedicate flowers and/or bulletins for Church services in 2010 are available on the table in the narthex.  Reminder- please pay for your flowers and mark your check or envelope accordingly. ($20.00 for flowers & $10.00 for bulletins).

 If you do not want to take the flowers, please let Pastor B. know. 

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The Evangelism Committee is again participating in the Cancer society’s Daffodil Days the week of March 15 with Daffodil Sunday being March 21.

The products available are:

Bunch of 10 $10

Mini-potted daffodils $12

Vase and a bunch $15

Bear and a bunch $25

If interested, call Rachel Mock @ 949-3813.

Order deadline – February 21.

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Sign-Up Sheets in the Narthex

One for ushers, another for lay readers, another for greeters and a 4^th for e-mail addresses to be placed in the directory part of the MLC Yearbook.

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Youth Group Leader Needed

WE ARE IN NEED OF SOMEONE TO TAKE OVER FOR JEFF RITTER AS SENIOR YOUTH GROUP LEADER
With a baby on the way (Congratulations Jeff and Holly!), Jeff expects to have less time available. He intends to remain as the Sunday School teacher for the Senior Youth. If you are interested please speak to Jeff or Pastor B.

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Recycle Aluminum Cans for the American Cancer Society

Please  place any bags of aluminum (No Steel!!!) cans at the kitchen entrance of the church.  Thank you for your continued support. Note:  The tabs of cans are still being collected for the dialysis machine at the Ronald McDonald House.  The container is on the table in the Narthex.

Note:  The tabs of cans are still being collected for the dialysis machine at the Ronald McDonald House.  The container is on the table in the Narthex.

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Relay for Life Team upcoming events:

Benefits the American Society

Please continue to collect and bring in aluminum cans.  Thanks!!

Stop and Shop is coming up on March 13^th, 9-3 at the church.  If you would like to be a vendor, see Eileen Sites for a registration form.  Otherwise, please come out to shop and enjoy some delicious food and baked goods!  Eileen-----610-589-9401

The Quarter Auction is coming up on March 21^st.  Doors open at Noon at the Richland Fire Hall.  See you there!

Bus Trip to NYC on May 1.  A “Do-As-You-Wish Day” in the Big Apple!  Reserve your seats with Rachel Mock or see any team member!   The bus leaves MLC at 7am; Leaves NYC at 7pm.  $45 per ticket.   

Rachel----949-3813

And, thinking ahead, the actual Relay for Life walk will be held May 14-15 at the Lebanon Expo.  Hope you will come and join us in our walk for the cure.  

Please see any team member for more info about any of our events:  Jamie Webber, Katie Beckhardt, Peg Auman, Rachel Mock, Steph Seldomridge, Eileen Sites, Theresa Sites, Deb Tice, Betty Lou Weik,  Marcia Glucksnis,  Michelle Frederick.

And p.s. - if you would like to attend the Hershey Bears game on March 7^th, see Jamie Webber for ticket information.   Jamie----866-4186

Team members:  Please try to attend our next meeting:  Sunday, February 7 right after church.  

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Birth Announcement

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Serving Our Country

Good Luck to Michael Stoudt as he continues training in The United States Marine Corps.  He has just successfully completed his Basic training. (Please see photo by clicking on the "Photos and Stuff" link.)

NCOIC Radio Maintenance

Lt. JG Stanley Kahl:  

US Navy Forces, CTG 57.18, APO AE, 09331.

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CHRISTIAN LOVE LINES

Event sponsored by the Junior & Senior Youth Groups. Forms will be available on the narthex table. Many times kind deeds, gestures, and words go unnoticed. Here is your chance to return that kindness in Christian Love. Write a personal note expressing your feelings for those who have helped to make your Christian worship, fellowship, and life more meaningful. Your note(s), along with a donation of $1.00 per line should be in by February 7. We plan to publish the lines as an insert for the bulletin and be included in the March newsletter. Youth Group members will be available after the worship service to take completed forms and money. 

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Angel Food Ministries

Distribution day will be Saturday, February 20, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

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Spang Crest in Need of Volunteers:

The following positions are needed:  Gift Shop worker (1-4 pm on the 1^st and 4^th Mondays, 3^rd and 4^th Fridays); Therapy transporter (9 am – noon Tuesday, Thursday and Friday); Beauty shop transporter (9 am – noon Thursday, 1-4 pm Tuesday or Wednesday); Provide entertainment (Evenings, afternoons or weekends); Manicurist (every other Tuesday morning).  If you are interested or know someone who needs something else to do, please contact Karen Kreiser in Activities at 274-2495 or kkreiser@luthercare.org.

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Yard Sale Planned!

The Church is going to have a YARD SALE to benefit the Improvement Fund on May 15, 2010 at the home of James and Charmayne Balsbaugh on Route 501 just below Reistville.  We are mentioning it now to give you plenty of time to begin storing away items you would like to donate to the yard sale. (Perhaps some Christmas presents you receive this year).  More will be said about this as time moves on.  We do have volunteers to pick up items, so if you are unable to get them to Charmayne’s when the time comes, let us know.  The Evangelism Committee is overseeing this project, but we can use your help.  We are always looking for new members for the committee and we invite you to consider becoming one, but if you can help with this particular project, which would be great too!

1 Jennifer Strickler; Linda Bentz

3 Dawn Culhane; Ryan Gahres; Charles Strickler

4 Betsy Weinhold

5 Casey Ilus; Priscilla Mock

6 Portia Lindermuth

7 Shannon Kaufman

8 Greg Baker; Theresa Sites

9 Jennifer Gannon; Emilie Goss; Michael Yiengst, Jr.; Aaron Yiengst

12 Henry Steiner

15 Johanna Hofmann

17 Ryan Sauter

18 Zachary Hepler

19 Jonathan Kantner

20 Rebecca Tice

21 Jeanne Dunkleberger

23 Michelle Kaufman

24 Cheryl Stoudt

25 John Chadwick; Benjamin Stoudt; Dakota Houser

26    Daniel Griffe

27 Katie Beckhardt; Piper Hess

28 Joshua Leidich; Joseph Tice, Jr.

If you are not included on the birthday list already, please submit your name to me at your earliest convenience.  Either put the above slip in the Newsletter mailbox in the church office, or email me at:  carolsova@yahoo.com  Thanking you in advance, Carol Sova                                                      

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MLC Treasurer’s Report 

Note: Most Recent Data Not Available at This Time 

Checkbook Balance - Northwest

Balance @ 10/31/09   751.71

November Receipts   17,997.64

November Expenses   -17,624.84

Balance 11/30/09    1,124.51

Building Fund Account

Balance @ 10/31/09   6,526.48

November Receipts   1,600.00

November loan payment   -704.00

November Soup Sale/Coffee Money 310.66 4.26

October Interest   4.27

Balance 11/30/09      7,737.41

As the expenses of the church continue weekly, our ministry together will be greatly enabled by setting aside an offering for those Sundays that you cannot be at worship service.  Regular, intentional giving by all of our members will be a blessing to the work we can do in Christ’s name.

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Recovering Members & Friends

Mary Andrews, Sandy Bashore, Greg Bean, Kim Blair, Lee Breidigam, Grace Bricker, William Brightbill, Sandra Brown,  James Bucher, Christine Bucks, Jean Capretti, Serenity Cash, Miriam Cole, Dawn Culhane, Ethel Deemer, Bob Derr, Dan Ebling, Amy Esler, Jennifer Falasca (Strickler), Shirley Fox, Ed Frazier, Cathy Friede, Mabel Gassert, Julie Gemmel, Michelle Gettle, Kathryn Gruber, Louise Hainley, Mary Hancock, William Hickernell, Beryl Hoffman, David Horn, Warren Hoover, Jennifer Horst, Shirley Jackson, James Kantner, Linda Kellenberger, Kathy Leedy, Elaine Lengel, Erin Little, Alec Lloyd, Ed Marinak, Andrew Marshall, Steve McNally, Edna Meyer, Mary Meyer, Frank Mihalik, Jim Miller, Ray Miller Sr., Richard Miller, Ruth Miller, Aaron Mock, Priscilla Mock, Sharon Mohl, Judy Montgomery, Johnnie Moyer, Melissa Neff, Jane North, Dale & Lynn Ober, Harvey Patches, Mike Patches Jr., Linda Petrys, Brandt Pfleuger, Philip Polynone, Harold Ream, Linda Ream, Harold Romberger, Jim & Burneda Russell, Betty Schaeffer, Scott Scheib, Zachary Shade, Ann & Kevin Shallcross, Norm Sharp, Robert Shirk, Jeff Sholly, Betty Singer, Captains David & Neely Joe Sinnk, Bryan Sites, Sue Sonnen, Ruth Sova, Spang Crest Residents, Florence Shirk Spindler, Joe Stevens, Barney Stoudt, Jane Strickler, John Strickler, Laura Sweigart, the Taylor family, Betty Templin, Gloria & Roy Tice, Matthew Urey, Dawn Wagner, Katrina Wagner, Ryan Webber, Mark Wenger, Norman Wilson, Ben Witter, Sandy Wolf, Stewart Wolf, Michael, Jr. & Aaron Yiengst, Delmar Zartman.

NURSERY SCHEDULE

Feb 7 – Cheryl B.

Feb 14 – Angie

Feb 21 – Cheryl S.

Feb 28 – Rachelle

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ACOLYTES – February 2010

Feb 7 – Becca Tice & Alexis Thomas

Feb 14 – LeeAnna Capretti  & Brett Flory

Feb 21 – (Comm) Sara Bentz & David Madera

Feb 28 – Michelle Evans & Alyssa Keath

March 7 – Jewl Madera & Adrianna Sonnen

Any questions, please call Debbie or Pastor B.  You are expected to trade if you need to change.  For a last minute change due to illness, please call the church Sunday AM at 610-589-2570.

We appreciate your willingness to serve the people of Millcreek.

Pastor B.: 717-866-9606

Debbie:   717-865-7415

        717-926-4273 (cell)

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