Weekly Announcements - Ascension Lutheran Church, Willow Street, PA

Weekly Worship Services

Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. - Facebook Live Stream

Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. - In-person

Sundays at 9:30 a.m. - In-person

Church Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

Office hours will be limited over the next few weeks as Ascension's Office Administrator heals from a recent injury. Please call ahead before you make your visit: 717-464-5683.

Church Constitution Updates

A special Congregation Meeting will be held on THIS weekend of October 1st & 2nd immediately following worship each day to vote on the updates to the constitution. All voting members of the congregation are encouraged to attend.

November/December Adventurer Articles

Information and articles for the upcoming edition of the newsletter are due to the office by Monday, October 10th. Please email your articles to Donna (click here).

Children's Christian Education

Children's Church will begin on Sunday, September 25. Children's Church is a time during worship for children in worship to have a lesson on the Scripture passages read that day. The children will gather for a Children's Sermon and then move to the narthex for a lesson.

We are also seeking volunteers to help lead these times. If interested, please contact Pastor Maureen.

A meeting of the Christian Education Committee will be held on Sunday, October 16 immediately following morning worship. Start time approximately 10:45 a.m.

Chancel Choir

Lift every voice and sing! Would you like to add your voice to the chancel choir? Choir has resumed for 2022-2023 and will offer their gifts during Festival Services and special services at this time. Rehearsals are every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. For more information or to be added to the email list, please contact John Z (click here).

Lydia Circle

All women of the parish are invited to join Lydia Circle. The next Lydia Circle will be held on Tuesday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m. - Marie-Claire Charles will lead a Zoom talk (beginning at 7:30 p.m.) on her work at Danita's House in Haiti.

Men's Breakfast

All men of the parish are invited to the first Men's Breakfast (since 2020). The next men's breakfast will be held on Saturday, October 1st at 8:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall (if you would like to help cook, come at 7:30 a.m.).

Joseph's Table Community Meal

The next "take-out" only meal will be served on Thursday, October 20 from 5:30-6:00 p.m. Volunteer sign-ups will be posted in the narthex and congregational donations will be accepted.

Lasagna, salad, bread, and dessert!

Enter on Penn Grant Road / Exit on Shiprock Road

Come join us!

First Sunday Fellowship

The next First Sunday Fellowship will be held on Sunday, October 2nd following 9:30 a.m. worship.

Would you consider being a host/hostess for one of our upcoming Fellowship Hours? Please sign up in the narthex and see the bulletin board for details to contact Julie Seifried, the Fellowship Hour Coordinator.

We need worship for our spirit and fellowship for our soul.

Clothing Drive to Benefit Danita's House

Marie-Claire Charles, a student from Haiti Ascension supported while she studied in the U.S. from 2009-2014, is now the Director of Operations at Danita's Children. Danita's Children is a school, children's home, medical center, and much more. Visit the website for details (click here). Maire-Claire has asked us to help her by collecting clothing for the children.

Message from Marie-Claire: Thank you for your willingness to help fulfill a huge need at Danita's Children. For a while, we have had difficulties getting clothes for our kids, especially since missionaries who used to bring suitcases of clothes do not travel to Haiti anymore. Our mission is to "rescue, love, and care for orphans and impoverished children in Haiti, meeting their needs physically, emotionally, educationally, and spiritually so that they are empowered to become leaders in their communities and nation." Your donations of clothes will contribute to that mission and for this we will forever be grateful.

You can donate in three ways:

1. Purchase items from the Amazon Gift List (this is the preferred method because it cuts shipping costs; click here)

2. Make a donation to be used for the boys pants to be made by local tailors and help with shipping costs (Make checks payable to Ascension with Danita's on the subject line and on your offering envelope)

3. Sign up to donate clothes and bring them to church

For more information, contact Kelly Moore (contact info in the email blast)

Solanco CROP Hunger Walk

The annual CROP Walk to raise awareness about and funds for hunger and poverty issues will be held on Saturday, October 15 at Muddy Run Park in Holtwood. We are looking for interested walkers to form a team!

For more information, see the email blast.

CRISIS IN UKRAINE

We lift up prayers for peace and the people of Ukraine.

As the conflict presses on, more and more people are fleeing their homes - without the promise of food, shelter, or safety. If you would like to make a donation to relief efforts, we encourage you to donate through the following organizations:

Lutheran World Relief (click here): Your gifts will be used to deliver urgent support and care, like: food, shelter, and other critically needed items; mission quilts and kits for families who have fled their homes; and medicine and supplies for clinics.
ELCA Disaster Response (click here): Lutheran Disaster Response is accompanying companions in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, as well as ecumenical partners as the Lutheran World Federation and Church World Services, in their humanitarian response to the crisis. These partners provide refugees with immediate support and supplies such as food, blankets, water, and hygiene kits.

Casting our Nets Prayer Shawl Ministry

Casting Our Nets, Ascension's Prayer Shawl Ministry, provides beautifully knitted and crocheted prayer shawls to members, family, and friends of the congregation. If you would like a prayer shawl to give to someone experiencing illness, loss, or another need, please stop by the church. Prayer shawls can be found in the closet located in the church library. Casting our Nets meets every 1st and 3rd Monday at 7:00 p.m. in the conference room.

Bridge of Hope

Churches Respond. Homelessness Ends. Hope Begins.

Ascension will continue to support BOH families with rental assistance. If you would like to make a donation, please label your offering envelope "BOH rental assistance." Thank you to everyone who continues to make a gift!

A Special Note from Caleb Simmers (Church Engagement and Housing Director for Bridge of Hope, Lancaster): I wanted to thank Ascension for their continued support. Your faithfulness over the summer has meant a lot. We had two crisis level situations in the past 5 weeks where extra emergency funding was needed for two separate families. The summer can be lean months when it comes to donations. Thank you for the extra piece you send for rental assistance. It allows us to continue to respond when those special circumstances arise. Both of those families are currently housed. We are very grateful to you! Grace and Peace ~ Caleb

USPS Update

The postal service has asked that all correspondences sent to Ascension should use the P.O. Box address: Ascension Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 635 ,Willow Street, PA 17584.

ELCA Disaster Response

The U.S. has been devastated by a series of disasters over past year and a half: the COVID-19 pandemic, Wildfires in the Western part of the country, and Hurricanes/Tropical Storms in the Southern/Eastern part. If you would like to make a donation to the relief and recovery efforts, or if you would like to read about the work of ELCA Disaster in these areas, click here to learn more about this ministry.

Solanco Food Bank Donations

Non-perishable Food Items: Hi-C juice boxes, Granola Bars, Boxed instant oatmeal, Nissan Cup of Noodles, Chef Boyardee micro cups, Individual pancake pouches, mayonnaise, cooking oil, Boxed scalloped or cheesy scalloped potatoes, 8-pack breakfast cereal variety, Saltine crackers, snack pack applesauce, snack pack (jello, pudding, or fruit). Non-food items: 4 pack toilet tissue, facial wipes, baby wipes, Size 5 and 6 diapers

You may bring your donations to weekend worship or you may bring them to the office on T, W, Th (please call first).

You may also make monetary donations to the food bank by: 1) Making a donation through your giving envelope (Please write "Solanco Food Bank" on the envelope); 2) Send a check directly to Solanco Neighborhood Ministries (write "Food Bank" on the memo link), 355 Buck Road, Quarryville, PA 17566.

Upper Room Devotional

Copies of the September/October devotionals are available at the Church Office or on the Welcome Center.

Shop on Amazon Smile & Support Ascension

For every purchase you make on Amazon Smile, a small portion will be directed to Ascension. If you would like to see a small portion of your purchases be donated to Ascension, click here and shop as you would normally do! (Please note: Ascension is listed as "Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ascension" on Amazon Smile)