The Greatest of these is LOVE

The weekly Newsletter of 
ALL SOULS ECC 
A Welcoming Family of Faith!
January 28, 2016
Dear Michael,
 
We hope everyone survived the snow storm last weekend and will be shoveled out and able to join us this Sunday!  We will have “blessing of the throat” after service this week.
Lent is just around the corner – make plans to join us for Ash Wednesday service and start your Lenten meditation with All Souls.
Please take the time to read the articles and information in this week’s “GOOD NEWS” including clicking on our prayer list and pray for the requests there. Feel free to forward this newsletter to a family member or friend, or share it on your facebook page or twitter by using the “like” and “share” icons at the top of the page.

This weeks readings and question of the week:
Take time to mediate on God’s word and prepare for worship this Sunday.  And as you meditate on them, consider the Question of the Week:

By summarizing Jesus’ teaching and example, Paul’s “Canticle of Love” provides an examination of conscience:  Is my love for others patient and kind, not jealous or pompous?  Is it not self-seeking or quick-tempered?  Does it not brood over injury or rejoice over wrongdoing?  Does it rejoice with truth?  Does it bear, believe, hope, and endure all things?

Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19

Psalm 71: 1-6

I Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
The Corinthians compared spiritual gifts and ministries. They rated a person’s value to the church by that person’s gifts.    All spiritual  gifts are equally valuable to the church.  But love is even greater than all of them combined.

NEW ROTAS – NEW VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  FINDING YOUR MINISTRY

At All Souls, we are ALL MINISTERS!  We welcome everyone to participate in the ministry of all Souls.  Besides our periodic outreach ministry opportunities – we also have ways you can be part of our ministry each week.

If you can come early, we need help setting up each Sunday or clean up after the service.  Hospitality, reading scriptures, greeting, sharing musical talent, helping with children education, and even helping provide rides for individuals or families that need a ride to or from the church.  You don’t have to do these things every week – but even if you volunteer once or twice a week – that would be great!

We will also be doing a training course for those wanting to explore being a Lay Assistant later this spring.

You can click on the ROTA links to the left to see where we have current openings for various Sundays.  Or talk to Ben Renkus or any board member about how you can get more involved in the ministry of All Souls.

Memorial of St. Blaise

Wednesday, Feb. 3 is the memorial of St. Blaise, the traditional day for the blessing of throats.  Individual blessings will take place after the Recessional hymn this Sunday.
St. Blasé was the bishop of Sebaste in Armenia during the fourth century. Very little is known about his life. According to various accounts, he was a physician before becoming a bishop. His cult spread throughout the entire Church in the Middle Ages because he was reputed to have miraculously cured a little boy who nearly died because of a fishbone in his throat.  From the eighth century he has been invoked on behalf of the sick, especially those afflicted with illnesses of the throat.
Wednesday, February 10 – 6:00 pm; Chapel

Start your Lenten meditation with Ash Wednesday service.
Mark your calendar, we hope you can join us.

Winter Storm Scheduled for this weekend – keep up to date about any possible service cancellation.

Just a reminder that if service is cancelled this weekend or anytime this winter  – we do put a notice on WFMZ-TV / Channel 69.  We will also post on our All Souls Website and send out an email via Constant Contact.  Of course these only work if the electricity is on.  If you are still unsure, you can call the church phone @ 610-621-1738 – again, if we are able to, we will update the message if service is cancelled or not.

OF COURSE – ALWAYS USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT AND INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES TO DECIDE IF YOU FEEL SAFE TRAVELING.   Depending on where you live – you may have more snow or ice (or vice-versa).  We also take into account if Calvary has had time to shovel and/or plow the sidewalks and parking lots.   We will make this judgement call no later than 11 am on Sunday – earlier if possible.

WINTER/SPRING POT LUCKS – Save the dates!


We had a great January Pot Luck Game Night.  We had rousing round of UNO!

Please make plans to join us for our remaining Winter/Spring Pot  Lucks!
February 20
March 12
April 16
If you have ideas for future pot luck activities – please let anyone on the board know your ideas!!!!
       HOSPITALITY UPDATE:
Jay and Jasmine have volunteered to take over as Hospitality Coordinators! Wendy, Val and Danny will assist them but we still need other volunteers to help out. If you would like to help out with our hospitality ministry before and/or after service please see Jay, Jasmine or Wendy.
We can still use some help with transportation ministry as well.  If your willing to pick up parishioners from time to time and bring them to church, please let Jerry know.  This is a great way to build friendships – its amazing how you can get to know someone or a family with a short 10 minute drive.

How are you doing answering this  past week’s 
question of the week? 
Whom can I identify – poor, bound, blind as I carry out in my own life the mission of Jesus?