Calendar of Events for the Week of June 7, 2026: Monday - 5:30pm - Karate; 7:00pm - Congregation Council Tuesday - 1:00pm - Willing Workers Wednesday - 6:30pm - AA Meeting; 7:00pm - Bible Study Thursday - 5:30pm - Karate; 6:30pm - "The Chosen" Viewing Friday - Saturday -
NEWSLETTER CHANGES ARE COMING!! - Starting with the July/August newsletter you will receive your newsletter in a different. We will be sending the newsletter by e-mail. Our newsletter is currently on our church’s website each month, but now you can receive it right to your e-mail, too!
A sign-up sheet is on the table in the parlor for you to give us your current e-mail address, send it to the church office, or give it to Cindy. Please do this by June 21st. Copies of the newsletter will be in the parlor if you wish to pick up one there. Our homebound members will continue to receive the newsletter by mail.
By ‘going green’ we can save the cost of a bulk mailing permit and postage, which is continually rising, plus the thousands of sheets of paper we use throughout the year, which cost also continues to rise. Thanks for helping us be good stewards of God’s world!
BOUNTIFUL GARDENS - Starting July 1st, the table to share your Bountiful Gardens produce will be in the parlor. Individuals with extra produce from their gardens can leave it on the table before the Saturday or Sunday church services. If you would like any of the produce, we are asking for a free will donation which will be given to the Valley Food Pantry, along with any extra produce. When leaving your produce, please put it on the table in the parlor and NOT in the shopping cart.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IS AUGUST 10 - 14 - Put these dates on your calendar and plan to be a part of our Vacation Bible School. A registration form is in this month’s newsletter and are on the table in the parlor.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR VALLEY DAY - Our church will have a canopy set up for Valley Day weekend to promote our Bible school, Sunday school, as well as other upcoming activities and events. Volunteers are needed to man the canopy Friday, July 31st from 4pm - 10 pm and Saturday August 1st from 11am – 9 pm. There will be crafts available for children to complete, Bible school registration forms, small giveaways and fliers to share with others that tell about the many activities and events that will be happening in the coming months. Please consider signing up for an hour or more. Chairs and water will be provided. A sign-up sheet is in the parlor.
TREE OF LIFE - On the wall in the courtyard is a Remembrance Tree of Life. The leaves on the tree are placed in memory of someone who has died, or in honor of someone. A leaf may be purchased for $50 plus cost of engraving to be placed on the tree. The money will go into the Memorial/Endowment Fund. If more than one person donates for the same person, only one leaf will be placed on the tree. For more information see Cindy.
MEMORIAL AND ENDOWMENT FUND - OPEN TO ALL GIFTS - EXPANDS ITS MINISTRY - The Memorial Fund has been renamed the "Memorial and Endowment Fund" with new objectives. In addition to gifts in remembrance, the fund is seeking gifts ‘in honor of’ important events in donors’ lives such as but not limited to anniversaries, births, birthdays, or any milestones of importance. The fund would also benefit from estate gifts or as part of personal tax saving strategies.
The Memorial and Endowment Fund will now, on an annual basis, provide 5% of the principal of the Fund for ministries and/or worthy causes to be determined by the Memorial and Endowment Fund Committee. As the Fund grows, yearly payouts will grow with it.
For the year 2025, the fund will distribute $6,375 among the following organizations: • Pastors Discretionary Fund • Lutheran Disaster Relief • ELCA World Hunger • United Charities • Valley Food Pantry Each organization will receive $1,275.
Please consider the Memorial and Endowment Fund and our future ministries as part of your charitable giving.
65th ANNIVERSAY OF ORDINATION - Pastor Richard Hinkle is celebrating his 65th Anniversary of Ordination. We wish him our congratulations and God’s blessings on this occasion. If you care to acknowledge this special time, his address is: 4709 Quakake Road, Weatherly, PA 18255.
WILLING WORKERS - The Willing Workers will meet on Tuesday, June 9th 1:00pm. We will be having a hymn sing with Pastor Cindy accompanying us on the guitar. All women of the church are invited to attend. For more information, contact Deb Jones at 570-233-7675.
ACOLYTES NEEDED - All students in 3rd grade and older may serve as an acolyte during the Sunday morning 10:45am worship service and sometimes at a holiday service, too. Your responsibility is to light the candles at the start of the service, hand out and collect the offering plates and put out the candles at the end of the service. There will be training before you serve for the first time. We do a schedule for 6 months at a time and are getting ready to plan the July-December schedule soon. That list will be mailed to you when prepared. The number of acolytes we have determines the number of times you will serve. If you cannot serve on a Sunday you are scheduled, just call and switch will someone else on the list. Please consider being a part of this important ministry!!!!! Any questions, see Cindy Derr.
GRADUATION INFORMATION - Please send information on graduations to the church office by e-mail clccony@ptd.net or call 570-788-1572. Please send, with the student’s name, high school name with future plans for college, work, armed forces, etc. College name with degree and future plans with employment, etc.
BEAR CREEK CAMP - Registration for Summer Camp is now open. See the poster on the bulletin board in the parlor for dates and take an information packet that shows costs, phone, e-mail and other information. Financial help is offered to campers from our congregation (see Cindy).
BIBLE STUDIES - Wednesday night Bible Study is 7pm-8pm. When the weather gets warmer and the sun stays out longer, we will have study outside. There is no homework in this class. We're a group of people dedicated to reading the Bible from start to finish and discussing it. Join us anytime.
Wednesday morning Bible Study is taking a hiatus for the summer and will begin again in September.
2026 BULLETIN SPONSOR CHARTS ARE AVAILABLE - Bulletins $20 per Sunday. Open dates for bulletins are October 11, November 1 & 8 and December 20. Special flower pieces need to be ordered through the office (i.e. altar piece).
WATCH "THE CHOSEN" - “The Chosen” viewing is on Thursdays at 6:30pm. There will be a quick synopsis of the episode before we start it. After viewing, there will be a Q & A.
* Thursday June 11th – Season 3, Episode 3 – “physician, Heal Yourself"
LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE - LDR is asking for gifts to help with the recent severe storms across the upper Midwest and fires in the South. Checks may be out to the church and marked LDR. 100% of all money donated goes directly to help those in need!! See info and forms on the bulletin board.
ARTICLES FOR THE JULY/AUGUST NEWSLETTER - ARE DUE BY JUNE 14TH - THIS IS A TWO MONTH NEWSLETTER AND THE LAST ONE BEFORE SEPTEMBER SO PLEASE PLAN AHEAD!!
COMMUNITY EVENTS:
* STRAWBERRRIES AND ICE CREAM SOCIAL - Friday June 19th from 4pm-6pm. Take-outs only. At Hazleton Trinity Lutheran Church on Church & Hemlock Streets. Strawberries and Ice Cream - $6.00. Also available: Beef BBQ; Pulled Prok; Ham & Bean Soup; Hot Dogs; Chili Dogs. For more info call Judy at 570-455-9089 or the church office at 570-454-3492-ext.10.
* HISTORIC BRAINERD CHURCH - A 250th Anniversary of Independence - Gratitude and Prayer Outdoor Worship service will be held on June 28th at 4:00 pm hosted by the Brainerd Historic Church Assoc and featuring the Hazleton Liberty Band.
* BLACK CREEK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CONCERTS- Free Light Dinner 5:30pm-6:00pm – Concerts 6:00pm-7:30pm – Rain or Shine – Bring a lawn chair:
- Saturday June 27th – Leilani Chesonis - Saturday July 25th – Freeland St. Ann’s Band - Saturday August 22nd – Poor Man’s Gambit Duo - Saturday August 29th – Doc Pappa and the Renegade Ramblers
HISTORICAL SOCIETY EVENTS FOR CONYNGHAM BORO 125TH ANNIVERSARY:
* June 14th – Flag Day Patriotic Concert in the Gazebo at 6:00pm * July 3rd -4th – VFW Celebration * July 19th Summer Concert in the Gazebo at 6:00pm * July 28th – Crime Watch National Night Out in Whispering Willows Park from 5:00pm to 8:00pm * July 31/August 1 – Valley Days - -Saturday St Ann’s Band at 1:00pm and Fireworks at 9:00pm
STEPHEN MINISTRY:
Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2, NRSV)
You can play an important role in our Stephen Ministry because you may know of someone who is going through a difficult time and who could benefit from the focused care, encouragement, and support of a Stephen Minister. Stephen Ministers meet weekly with their care receivers to listen, care, and provide emotional and spiritual support. The caring relationship lasts for as long as the person needs care. It’s a powerful way you can help a hurting friend.
If you know of someone who is hurting, find out more about Stephen Ministry by talking with Deb Jones at 570-233-7675. Our Stephen Ministers are ready to bring God’s love and care to those in need. It’s a great way for you to show how much you care!