New Philadelphia News Across the Pastor’s Desk The Big News for this fall is the Installation of our new associate pastor, Joe Moore. Joe will be installed at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 9. Sunday School is at 10 a.m. and a unified worship service will take place at 11 a.m. There will not be a 9 a.m. service. Joe’s arrival makes this year’s stewardship very important. Our stewardship theme for 2016-2017 is “A City on a Hill.” The reference is not to Ronald Regean’s dream for America, but to the same text that Regean himself referenced. In Matthew 5:14-16 it was Jesus who said: “14You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. ” This text always reminds me of my old college roommate, R. Brent Lee, who used to say, “Talk, talk, talk; show me some action.” Today as never before our Christian faith is under scrutiny. People want to know if our actions mirror our confession of faith. Hopefully they do; critically, they must. The late Sam Shoemaker, a well known 20th century pastor and evangelists, was fond of reminding his parishioners that the issue for Christians is not “faith,” or “works,” but “a faith that works.” This is in perfect alignment with the New Testament idea of worship. There are two Greek words for worship the RSV translates with our English word, “Worship.” The first is “proskueno” which means to prostrate or humble one’s self before one who is greater. We worship God when we come before him in praise. The second is “latero,” which means to serve. We worship God when we serve him. The New Testament tells us that we serve God when we serve Christ, and we serve Christ by serving others. In Matthew 25 Jesus said that when we do good to the least of his brothers and sisters—and by his humanity he is brother to all, we do good to him. Likewise, in Mark Jesus said that
if we give even a cup of cold water to one of his disciples, we will not loose our reward.
Our Stewardship Emphasis Season starts on October 16, and the theme is “A Light on the Street.” On October 23, the theme is “A Light in the Middle of the Room.” On October 30 the theme is “A Light in the Dark.” Br. Michael Crane is our guest speaker on November 6, and commitment Sunday is November 13th. When Joe Moore arrives, Michael will be stepping down from his interim visitation position, but we will still get to hear him preach and teach from time to time. In the same way, we will continue the stewardship theme of “A City on a Hill” during our 2nd annual 12 Days of Service, which begins on December 1 and runs through December 12. This year we will do everything from making sandwiches for the homeless, to putting on several lovefeasts, one at Samaritan Inn, another at South Fork Elementary school. I am trying to clear my calendar so I can participate in the vast majority of the events that are planned. Surely one of the events we have planned will appeal to you. Watch your Moravian Magazine, read about the 12 Days of Service in this newsletter, or email clyde@newphilly. org for details. It is going to be an exciting year! Blessings, Worth