May 2010
Pastor's Message
My best memories of spring
were as a kid when the sun came out in March. Living in Texas,
the temperature generally didn’t get too low, but winter was
marked with rain, clouds, and the overall color was gray. But
then late April and May happened, and it was like a switch was
turned. The grass got green, the sky became a beautiful blue,
and the world seemed more colorful. The sense that new life had
begun in the trees and the plants became new life for those of
us who got to enjoy them. And so, people were happier and more
active, more filled with life.
When I think about Easter, I
usually think of that same sense of spring. It is the moment
when Jesus’ death and resurrection renews us, brings us out of
gloom and despair, and raises us to not only life, but life
abundant. Jesus’ death and life changes us. We
can breathe in that new life and give thanks for it. And as we
continue in this Easter season and head towards Pentecost, where
the disciples carry the message of Jesus Christ into the world,
we can learn to share this new life in everything and every
place that we go.
God’s blessing be with you,
Pastor Aaron
Vacation
Bible School Planning Meeting- Monday, May 17th at
7pm
It’s that time of the year
again when we begin planning for Vacation Bible School. We
need caring hearts and hands to help young people, but also
those same hands to put together scenery, decorate, and prepare
for this great event. If you are interested in being part of
the planning team or if you would like to do something else,
please talk to Pastor Aaron. Let’s make this a great event!
Dates: VBS will be July
19-22. Please mark your calendars!
Fellowship
Night- Friday, May 21st at 6:30pm
Our activity this month will
be playing Bingo! Thanks to the Conovers, we now have a real
Bingo set, complete with a cage and balls! If you have anything
you would like to contribute as a prize, please bring it to the
church. Come out, share a dish, and enjoy a great time!
Camping
at Crossroads- Starting July 11th
If you or any young people
you know are looking for a summer camp, Crossroads can be
helpful. With programs from grades 1-12, as well as a Family
Camp weekend, Crossroads is a great option. For more
information and to register, click
here.
Pastor Aaron will be out of
town May 29- June 5
Pastor Mangiante will be
presiding at worship on May 30.
If you have a pastoral
emergency during that time, please call the church office and
the information will be available.
Worship
Summer Schedule- Starting June 6th
Beginning June 6th,
our worship time will move to 10am for the remainder of the
summer. Sunday School will also stop on May 30th, but will
restart in the fall. Please make a note of this on your
calendars!
Community News
Youth Picnic
sponsored by Thrivent- May 22nd, 1-5pm, Colonial
Park, Somerset, NJ
Come out to this
Thrivent-sponsored event and meet some other youth in the
Mercer/Somerset area. For grades 9-12, come out, play some
games, enjoy some BBQ, and have fun! If you are interested,
talk to Pastor Aaron or Dick Cooper.
Justice Revival-
June 11-13 at Trinity Cathedral on W. State St. in Trenton
This is a gathering of
Christians hosted by several churches in an effort to lift up
issues of injustice and pain in our communities and in the
world. The event will have great speakers, including Dr. Cornel
West from Princeton University, and will also include
workshops. It will focus on two issues that are in the news:
immigration and incarceration. If you are looking for more
information or wanting to register, please go to their website
here, or you can speak to Pastor Aaron.
Feel free to check out
St. Bart's calendar
here or go to the website homepage
here.
St.
Bartholomew is a member of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and
the
New Jersey Synod of the ELCA. Click on either name
for more information. If you or someone you know is interested
about learning more about Christianity or Lutheranism, please
click
here or
here.
We are also on
Facebook!
