News and Events at Rehoboth Evangelical Lutheran Church 

Check out this section for upcoming events, recurring events, our calendar, current and past newsletters, links to CarePages and more!

Confirmation & Mother’s Day Luncheon     May 11

The Fellowship Committee cordially invites you to join us for a celebration honoring this year’s Confirmation students – Caitlin,  Emily, Ashley and Julian as well as our very special women of Rehoboth in honor of Mother’s Day!

We’ll serve a light lunch following the worship service downstairs in the fellowship hall. So, please take a minute to rsvp on the narthex bulletin board and let us know you’re coming!

Let’s celebrate this important milestone of our youth as well as pay a special tribute to the women who mean so much to us!

THE ANNUAL MOTHER/CHILD SPRING BANQUET will be held on Wednesday, May 14 at 6:30 PM in the fellowship hall. The dinner will be covered dish. Beverages will be provided. After dinner and dessert, Rehoboth’s own Rejoicing Rascals will perform an encore presentation of “Captain Noah and the One & Only Zoo Cruise for Two’s”. The show will start at 7:30 PM. All members and guests are invited to attend the performance. Please come and enjoy an evening of fun and entertainment! If you have any questions, please call Leslie DuPont.

Rehoboth will get together on Friday evening, May 30^th, to go and see the movie Prince Caspian. All are invited! We will meet again the following day, Saturday, May 31^st from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm to have a Pizza Party and to discuss the movie’s Christian themes and symbolism. More details to follow in the upcoming weeks.

Rehoboth’s Rainforest Adventure Pre-View Picnic

Have you ever been to the beautiful rainforest in the Amazon?  Well, our kids will have that opportunity later this summer when they attend Rehoboth’s annual Vacation Bible School event.  But, we wanted everyone to enjoy a sneak peak by hosting a church-wide picnic on June 1.  Mark your calendars and join us following the worship service on Sunday, June 1 for an afternoon of fellowship to celebrate the end of the Sunday School year!

The Fellowship Committee will provide the hamburgers, hotdogs, along with dessert.  Members are encouraged to bring along a side dish to share.  Sign-up in the narthex to let us know you’re coming!  Weather permitting, games for everyone!

Dates: August 4 - August 8, 2008

Time: 6:00 pm - 8:45 pm

Registration for Vacation Bible School's The GREAT RAINFOREST ADVENTURE is now here! We offer two options.

You can register online by clicking here! 

Or, print out this form and return or mail it to the church.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Saturday, April 12, 2008             

The Fellowship Committee invited all adults of Rehoboth to attend a special dinner event on April 12th. This was a special event geared towards adults and they needed to bring their sense of humor. They were also asked to come poorly dressed.

Mystery Dinner Revealed!

For those who weren’t able to attend the Fellowship Committee’s “mystery dinner” on Saturday, April 12th, you missed a rare opportunity to watch adults struggle to eat a simple meal of beef, mashed potatoes, gravy and vegetables!

Upon arrival, thirty seven curiosity seekers were a bit confused as to the Fellowship Committee members’ (and their spouses) dress.  All were a bit unkempt, similar to that of hobos.  Our evening’s hosts, Lori and Lorrie, asked each guest to take a seat and not peak under the bed sheets that covered each table.  Hard for some to resist, but all followed directions.  Once the sheets were removed, people laughed uncontrollably to discover unique kitchen, baking, children’s items and even a couple animal containers as their table settings.  Can you imagine having to use either an ice cream scooper, baby spoon, or even a turkey baster as your combined fork, spoon and knife to eat with!  And what about a doggie dish, kitty litter pan, or loaf pan baking dish as your plate!  As each food item was served, the laughter grew louder!  Eating peas and corn with ice tongs does present a bit of a challenge!  Think the dirt and kitty litter desserts topped off the meal. 

Entertainment involved guessing actual simple drawings that caregivers would use to let the homeless people know where they could get a free meal during a time when people struggled just to survive before soup kitchens and safe houses were established.  

Because everyone was such good sports about the entire evening, a drawing was held for a $25 gift certificate from The Olive Garden.  Our winner, Joe Penfield, plans to enjoy a meal eating with a traditional knife, fork, spoon, plate and glass!

The Fellowship Committee would like to thank all those in attendance for their terrific sense of humors, along with Heidi Hartge who did a great job in helping out in the kitchen for us.

Yep, it’s time to start thinking about summer camp already!  Deadline to register to receive the early bird discount is May 2.  Visit www.Lutherlyn.com or call the camp office at (724) 865-2161.  If your child will be attending Lutherlyn this year, please sign the sheet in the narthex so the church knows who is attending and can provide financial assistance (amount depends on the number of youth attending).

Rehoboth’s Mission Month of May

During May of 2008, our Sunday School and Mission Committee will be doing an outreach project. We have chosen The Global Barnyard. During the entire month of May, we will be collecting money to help poverty-stricken families by purchasing animals for them. Animals provide a multitude of benefits including food (i.e. eggs from chickens and milk from cows and goats, etc.), income from animal related products (they can sell their extra eggs and milk and offspring,  etc.), manure for growing crops, and the means to support and feed their families. Animals provide hungry families with food, funds, and fertilizer – all for a better future.

Children in our Sunday School will be given a coin collection box. Order forms will be available in the newsletter, out in the narthex and in May’s bulletins. There will also be a collection box out in the narthex as part of the Global Barnyard display. Please place your donations in the World Hunger envelopes (please include an order form if you are ordering a specific animal). You may place your donation in the collection plate during worship service, place it in the collection box in the narthex, send it to the church, or hand it to either Dennis or Julie Whalen or Lori Shoup.

We will kickoff this project the first week of May and collect donations throughout the month. You may opt to purchase specific animals or offer a general donation. All general donations will be added up at the end of the month to purchase the most expensive animal that the money will buy. Further information will be available in the narthex or contact Dennis & Julie Whalen or Lori Shoup. You can also go online at http://www.elca.org/hunger/stories/barnyard.html and read more about this mission opportunity.

Let’s partner with thousands of congregations who are bringing hope and healing to all parts of the world which offer ongoing sources of sustenance and support. Your gift shines a rainbow of hope and healing across the world. When many join together, we can make a big difference.

Mission Focus for April 2008: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

                                We love you Matthew!

  What Is Cystic Fibrosis?     www.CCF.org

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

• clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and

• obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.

Our own Matthew Gerovac was diagnosed with CF shortly after he was born. Join our Rehoboth family as we pull together in helping to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.  You can sponsor a walker or become a walker for the Cystic Fibrosis Great Stride Walk on May 18 beginning at 12:00 PM at the Brady’s Run Lodge in Brady’s Run Park in New Brighton. 

Matthew Gerovac deals with this terrible disease – every day.  This little trooper has brought many smiles to all of us at Rehoboth and we intend to embrace this fellow as he continues his journey of living with CF.  Help us to make a difference.

What: CCF Walk-A-Thon Where: Brady’s Run  Park Date: May 18, 2008 Time: 12:00 PM (noon) Chapter: Western PA Chapter

About GREAT STRIDES

In cities all across the United States, tens of thousands of people just like you are showing their commitment to "adding tomorrows every day" to the lives of those with cystic fibrosis through the simple act of walking.

Year after year, volunteers make every GREAT STRIDES walk site both fun and successful. Their dedication has helped GREAT STRIDES become one of the country's most effective and efficient fund-raising efforts. Since the first GREAT STRIDES walk in 1989, more than $180 million has been raised to support the vital research and care programs of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

You can help CCF reach their 2008 national fund-raising goal of $40 million by participating in a GREAT STRIDES walk near us right here in Beaver County.  Be a walker or sponsor a walker! We will also be collecting donations all throughout the month of April. You may place your donations in the appropriately marked container out in the narthex.

Cell Phone Drive

Just because you're no longer using your old cell phone doesn't mean it's no longer useful. Rehoboth will be helping out the The Women's Center of Beaver County by holding a used cell phone drive. All cell phones regardless of whether they have a current provider are able to access 911. Under this program, the Center can transform a cell phone collection into a source of valuable funds or give them to women for emergency purposes. These funds will help to provide child & adult victims of domestic and sexual violence with safety, advocacy, and support. The Women’s Center of Beaver County is also the 2008 Outreach for the Women of the ELCA. Help us to help them, by donating your old cell phones. There will be a box out in the narthex to place your phones. We will be collecting these all year long. Thank you for your support.

Rehoboth will be collecting 20 oz. soda bottles for recycling. For every bottle that is collected, TerraCycle will donate $0.06 to Rehoboth to give to our charity of choice - World Hunger. TerraCycle provides the shipping boxes with prepaid UPS labels and all we have to do is mail them back full of 20 oz. rinsed soda bottles with the labels removed. The bottles are used to package TerraCycle Plant Food™.

They unfortunately cannot use water bottles (which tend to be a bit weaker even if they look the same) or other uniquely sized bottles such as the "wide mouth" on Gatorade bottles, etc. You can bring your bottles to church or drop them off at the DuPont residence.

For further details, click here or see Donna DuPont.

May 11, 2008

Welcome to Rehoboth! We are delighted you are worshipping with us today. If you are a visitor, please sign the guest register in the narthex. When entering the sanctuary for our worship service, please use this time for prayers and meditation to prepare your hearts for worship. The outside bell is rung at 10:25 AM when the assistant is approaching the altar to move people out of the narthex and into the sanctuary. Please join us for fellowship downstairs following the service. To preserve the sanctity of the worship service, photography is not permitted at any time. Video cameras may be used only from the balcony. Thank you for your cooperation. There are large print ELW books available to the congregation. If you need a large print ELW copy, please ask an usher.

Today's Flowers:  In Memory of William Holt by Don Holt.

In Our Prayers: Bill, Alvia, Virginia, Megan, Dan, Lauren, George, Jack, Lynn, Margaret, Kelly, Gabrielle, Ben, Joshua, Barb, Delora, Jamie, Charlotte, Donald, John, Lois.

Prayer List... While we try to be inclusive in our prayer concerns, there are times we are unaware of specific needs, If you would like to include a family member on our prayer concerns list, please submit their name in writing to the church office. If is our policy to keep names on the list for three weeks unless otherwise specified.

Flower Chart... The 2008 chart is posted in the narthex. Please take the time to pick out a special Sunday. Write only your name next to the appropriate date. Take an envelope and complete the dedication information. Place envelope (with payment) in the offering plate. The cost of a pair of vases is $8.00. Please remember to pay at least one week in advance.

Last Week's Attendance: 103

This morning . . . four of our youth will stand in front of us to affirm their beliefs and be confirmed as adult members of our congregation and the Lutheran Church.  Congratulations to Caitlin, Emily, Ashley and Julian!  Please continue to keep these youth in your prayers as they deepen their faith and build their relationship with Jesus.

The Fellowship Committee invites you . . . to join us for a luncheon following service this morning honoring this year's Confirmation students as well as our very special women of Rehoboth on Mother's Day.

We will have a short Congregational Meeting . . . following the worship service on May 18. The agenda will be to approve the Call Committee. Following the Congregational Meeting we will have an informational meeting in the fellowship hall hosted by the Building Expansion Committee. They would like to go over the recent building expansion plans.

Reminder . . . Envelopes for placing orders for Altar Flowers are available directly below the Flower Chart in the narthex. Please be sure to fill out all necessary information and place in the offering plate with payment at least one week in advance.

Graduation Sunday is June 1 . . . We will be honoring our graduates this day. Please contact the church office if you or a family member is graduating from high school, college or trade school so that we may honor them on this day. If Leigh is unavailable, please leave their name and where they are graduating from on voice mail. Deadline to let us know is May 18.

Women of the ELCA . . . will be selling hoagies and apple dumplings. Hoagies are $6.00/each and apple dumplings are $3.00/each. Delivery will be Sunday, May 18. An order sheet will be on the bulletin board. Profits go toward Lutherlyn camperships.

Vacation Bible School . . . It’s time again to start thinking about VBS. This year’s theme is the Great Rainforest Adventure. Your VBS directors, Dennis & Julie Whalen and Lorrie Kuny would like to announce that this year’s VBS is scheduled for Monday, August 4 through Friday, August 8 from 6:00 PM – 8:45 PM each evening. All children who have completed at least one year of preschool through 6^th grade are invited! Did you know that over 70% of the children that attended VBS last year came from outside the congregation? Would you like to be part of this exciting ministry? If so, please let us know. We’re looking for helpers with games, crafts, snacks, storytelling, leaders, registration, decorating, etc.. We especially need helpers for the kitchen and group leaders. Please see Lorrie Kuny if you’d like to help out.

VBS . . . is also collecting the following items that will be needed during Vacation Bible School: solid white or light-colored sheets or fabric (preferably cotton or mostly cotton that can be dyed green), or green solid sheets or fabric (to be used for decorating – these won’t be returned – they can be stained or even have holes), artificial plants or trees or even real live plants (these will be returned) to give our church that rainforest “feel”, any stuffed animals that would appear in the rainforest (frogs, toucans, monkeys, butterflies, bats, iguanas, etc.), and large pieces of cardboard for scene backdrops.

Last Day for Sunday School will be June 1 . . . Our Summer worship schedule will start on June 8 with worship service's starting at 9:30 AM.  We will be having communion by intinction for the summer months.

Mission:Action . . . will not meet on Tuesday, May 20.  The group will conclude on Tuesday, May 27.

Family Movie Night . . . Rehoboth will get together on Friday evening, May 30 to go and see the movie "Prince Caspian".  All are invited!  We will meet again the following day, Saturday, May 31 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM to have a Pizza Party and to discuss the movie's Christian themes and symbolism.  More details to follow in upcoming weeks.

Attention Ladies of Rehoboth . . . The Women of the ELCA will be holding a "Ladies Afternoon Out" on June 8, 2008 at 12:00 noon at the Grand Valley Inn in Fallston, Pennsylvania.  This will be a lunch.  You will have a choice of one of five home-style meals.  The cost is $12.95, plus drink and tax.  We will each be able to pay separately.  A sign-up sheet is available in the narthex.  Plan on carpooling to save gas.  This will be great fun for all!

Fair Trade Coffee . . . Are you enjoying the coffee during fellowship? Have you already purchased Fair Trade Coffee and have a favorite? We are now going to offer monthly sales of the Fair Trade Coffee and Tea. You can find a purple order form in the narthex; fill it out and put it in Lori Shoup's mail slot with a check made payable to Rehoboth with the memo indicating Fair Trade. It's that simple. You will have your order filled within two weeks (earlier if in stock) to enjoy at home. Any questions, please see Lori.

Simply Giving... If you would like to sign up for our automated giving program, authorization forms are now available. This program uses automatic withdrawals from your bank account directly into Rehoboth's. Please prayerfully consider this new giving opportunity. Enrollment forms are available in the Treasurer's mailbox in the narthex. For further information, contact Tom Kuny or Debbie Jasinski. Debbie's e-mail address for Simply Giving is d-jasinski@comcast.net.

The Women of the ELCA... are supporting our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan through the Yellow Ribbon Girls. We are looking for donations from anyone who wishes to help. You may place your donations in the basket marked "Donations for our Troops". The following items will be collected during the month of April: pillow cases (new or gently worn) instant oatmeal, ramen noodles, granola bars, individual packets of powdered drink mix and instant coffee.

The Lutheran Magazine... is available in the narthex. Please be sure to pick up your copy.

Please take a moment... before exiting the church to pick-up bulletins, papers, etc. from the pew and take them with you. Also, return all hymnals to the rack. This will help in keeping our sanctuary looking nice.

Reminder... to avoid scheduling conflicts, please contact the church secretary to get activites placed on our church calendar. Please do not write on the printed calendar. A current copy of this month's calendar will be posted in the narthex. You may phone or email the church office to check with the secretary regarding the availability of the date.

NEXT WEEK:

Organist	Donna DuPont
Accompanist	Heather Goncz
Assistant
Acolytes
Greeters	Sam, Michelle & Veronica and Dale
Flowers
Coffee Hour	Slingluff
Nursery
Ushers	Jack Dewar, Joe Penfield, Butch Zatchey, Gil Baker, Norman Amsler

Rehoboth Evangelical Lutheran Church 2800 Conway Wallrose Road Baden, PA 15005 724.869.2806 church-office@rehobothlutheran.com