Bulletin 02052023 (pdf)

Sunday morning ~ 9:30 am

Worship Service with Communion in person in the sanctuary & LIVE on Haven’s Facebook page

At this time, masks are optional when attending in-person worship.

Bulletin 01292023 (pdf)

Sunday morning ~ 9:30 am

Worship Service with Communion in person in the sanctuary & LIVE on 

Haven’s Facebook page

At this time, masks are optional when attending in-person worship.

Haven Lutheran Church, Hagerstown, Maryland

January 20, 2023

NEED ALERT
PEANUT BUTTER SUNDAY
St. Mark’s Food Bank is in desperate need of peanut butter.
For many individuals and families peanut butter is a staple.
Peanut butter is rich in heart-healthy fats and is a good source of protein.
If you are able, PLEASE bring jars of peanut this Sunday.
We collected 28 children’s coats in a week.
How many jars of peanut butter can we gather?

PLEASE KEEP IN PRAYER
TERRY TROVINGER is now home after his hospital stay. He is still feeling tired and worn as he continues recovering from C-Diff. Keep Terry and family in prayer. Send any cards to his home address: 18820 Rolling Road Hagerstown MD 21742

ANN LOCHBAUM is still at Homewood’s Health Center for physical therapy. She is doing well.
Homewood Health Care Center 16505 Virginia Avenue
Williamsport, MD 21795 Her phone: 301-582-6565!

BILL KLINE, Debbie Jo’s husband, is home from Meritus and doing well. Send any cards to his home address: 30 N. Locust St., Hagerstown MD 21740

MOUNTAIN SERVICE AT MAR-LU-RIDGE
Come quilter and supporters of Lutheran World Relief

Come to Mar-Lu-Ridge on February 21 to help assemble quilts for Lutheran World Relief and learn more about their journey. No experience needed. Fee of $25 includes all materials and a delicious lunch. Please RSVP online at https://form.jotform.com/220455890396060 .
Mar-Lu-Ridge, a beautiful Lutheran camp & retreat center, is located in Frederick County at 3200 Mar-Lu-Ridge Road, Jefferson, Maryland 21755 1-800-238-9974 website: www.mar-lu-ridge.org/

2023 OFFERING ENVELOPES NOW AVAILABLE

There are still sets of weekly and monthly offering envelopes in the narthex that need their owners.
IF you do not find yours or you are unable to pick them up yourself at church, please contact the church office by phone (301-733-5056) or email (havenoffice@havenlc.org).

SEEEKING AN ASSISTANT TREASURER FOR THE GENERAL FUND
After many faithful years of overseeing the General Fund Treasury, Terry Trovinger needs to regretfully step away from that position which he has joyfully filled. We are thus in search of a new volunteer Assistant Treasurer for Haven’s General Fund.

Just to be clear — These are NOT part of the Assistant Treasurer’s responsibilities and done by other volunteers: maintaining the Special Gifts and Building Maintenance Funds; the counting of weekly contributions and deposits; and the recording of individual giving.

The Assistant Treasurer of Haven’s General Fund is currently responsible for recording deposits, paying any bills as they are due and keeping those records. Monthly duties include reconciling the bank statement to our accounting records, and preparing monthly financial reports for the Council meeting. Annually, the Assistant Treasurer assists the Finance Team in the preparation of the draft annual budget for consideration by the Council and Congregation. Assistance is available from Finance Team members for any questions that may arise.

Currently the Assistant Treasurer also prepares payroll checks for Pastor and two to three other employees and prepares and submits quarterly and annual payroll returns to the IRS and State of Maryland. HOWEVER, the Finance Team is seeking an accounting programs that would do many of these tasks. Again, there is help from our Finance Team members.

Currently Haven’s accounting records and payroll are on QuickBooks. However, utilizing other software for bill paying and accounting/ financial reporting is open to consideration. The Finance Team is flexible and will work with the new Assistant Treasurer to modify current practices to accommodate experience and comfort of the new Assistant Treasurer.

Once a system is set up, our current Assistant Treasurers says it only takes about two hours a week to complete the work. PLEASE consider this way of contributing to God’s mission here at Haven. AT LEASE, talk about the possibility with Mike Manspeaker or Doug Wright.

(BY the way —- YOU can choose how long you will do the job of the Assistant Treasurer. You will not be expected to do it forever! 😊)

COULD YOU VOLUNTEER FOR ONE HOUR ON A FRIDAY to “stuff” bulletins? Mary runs off the bulletins, the attendance forms and any other inserts. It usually takes less than an hour to put the attendance form or inserts into the bulletins.
B. C. – Before Covid — we had 4-5 volunteers (some individuals and some couples… or how about two friends who can go out to lunch together afterwards.) With that number they each only came in one Friday every 5-6 weeks. It may seem like a minor task, but it’s important to our worship and community life AND it frees up our office administrator to do other needed office work.

COULD YOU VOLUNTEER ONE HOUR A MONTH TO HELP PREPARE, LABEL AND STAMP NEWSLETTERS that are mailed? Mary has the newsletters and address labels prepared. Again, it may seem like a minor task, but it’s important to our community life AND it frees up our office administrator to do other needed office work.

CONTACT the church office (301-733-5056 or havenoffice@havenlc.org) or mark it on the attendance form if you would like to volunteer OR if you have questions.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO LAUGH

Bulletin 01152023 (pdf)

Sunday morning ~ 9:30 am

Worship Service with Communion in person in the sanctuary & LIVE on 

Haven’s Facebook page

At this time, masks are optional when attending in-person worship.

Haven Lutheran Church, Hagerstown, Maryland

January 10, 2023

  PLEASE KEEP IN PRAYER

ANN LOCHBAUM’s shoulder surgery went well and she is currently staying at Homewood’s Health Center for physical therapy. Please send a note or card to cheer her on:

Homewood Health Care Center 16505 Virginia Avenue Williamsport, MD 21795 She also enjoys visits and phone calls 301-582-6565!

BILL KLINE, Debbie Jo’s husband, is currently at Meritus Hospital. Originally taken to Meritus for some rather scary medical concerns, he is now better enough to get therapy for his knee replacement surgery. Send any cards to his home address:  30 N. Locust St., Hagerstown  MD 21740

2023 OFFERING ENVELOPES NOW AVAILABLE

 They arrived last Wednesday and Office Administrator, Mary Grabill, had them ready for pick-up by Sunday. They are currently in the church narthex (also known as a “lobby”.) There are separate boxes for monthly and weekly offering sets.
IF you do not find yours, please contact the church office by phone (301-733-5056) or email (havenoffice@havenlc.org).

IF you are unable to pick them up yourself at church, also contact the office. We will arrange for someone to drop them off at your home or mail them.

“We give thee but thine own, whate’er the gift may be; all that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee.”                                                  ELW #686

SEEKING AN ASSISTANT TREASURER FOR THE GENERAL FUND

After many faithful years of overseeing the General Fund Treasury, Terry Trovinger needs to regretfully step away from that position which he has joyfully filled. We are thus in search of a new volunteer Assistant Treasurer for Haven’s General Fund.

Just to be clear —  These are NOT part of the Assistant Treasurer’s responsibilities and done by other volunteers: maintaining the Special Gifts and Building Maintenance Funds;  the counting of weekly contributions and deposits; and the recording of individual giving.

The Assistant Treasurer of Haven’s General Fund is currently responsible for recording deposits in accounting and paying any bills as they are due. Monthly duties include reconciling the bank statement to our accounting records, and preparing monthly financial reports for the Council meeting. Annually, the Assistant Treasurer assists the Finance Team in the preparation of the draft annual budget for consideration by the Council and Congregation. Assistance is available from Finance Team members for any questions that may arise.
Currently the Assistant Treasurer also prepares payroll checks for Pastor and two to three other employees and prepares and submits quarterly and annual payroll returns to the IRS and State of Maryland. HOWEVER, the Finance Team is seeking to have the payroll processes outsourced, leaving only the above mentioned tasks.

Currently Haven’s accounting records and payroll are on QuickBooks. However, utilizing other software for  bill paying and accounting/ financial reporting is open to consideration.

The Finance Team is flexible and will work with the new Assistant Treasurer to modify current practices to accommodate experience and comfort of the new Assistant Treasurer.

Once a system is set up, our current Assistant Treasurers says it only takes about two hours a week to complete the work. Without the payroll responsibilities, it would be even less. PLEASE consider this way of contributing to God’s mission here at Haven. AT LEASE, talk about the possibility with Mike Manspeaker or Doug Wright.

(BY the way —- YOU can choose how long you will do the job of the Assistant Treasurer. You will not be expected to do it forever! )

SINCE INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW…

Yes, I rose to my sister’s challenge and drove toward Marietta on Christmas Day in my pajamas (with some extra layers underneath for warmth.) Since the temperature was in the teens from Virginia to Georgia, my long, red winter coat provide great “coverage” during my gas and coffee stops.

I tried taking a selfie at a gas pump but couldn’t get the full view. So, I mustered by courage and asked a Sheetz staff member somewhere in Virginia to take a picture to document my story. (The “Old Bay” lanyard testifies it’s me.)

Thanks for sharing the fun.

My time in Marietta was busy but fun — Christmas at three locations, my nephew’s birthday Dec. 26, my great nephew’s birthday Dec. 30^th and the baptism of my other great nephew on Dec. 31^st. Though I thoroughly enjoyed being with my growing family, I came home on January 1^st to rest up a few days before returning to work.

COULD YOU VOLUNTEER FOR ONE HOUR ON A FRIDAY to “stuff” bulletins? Mary runs off the bulletins, the attendance forms and any other inserts. It usually takes less than an hour to put the attendance form or inserts into the bulletins.

1. C. – Before Covid — we had 4-5 volunteers (some individuals and some couples… or how about two friends who can go out to lunch together afterwards.) With that number they each only came in one Friday every 5-6 weeks.  It may seem like a minor task, but it’s important to our worship and community life AND it frees up our office administrator to do other needed office work.

CONTACT the church office (301-733-5056 or havenoffice@havenlc.org) or mark it on the attendance form if you would like to volunteer OR if you have questions.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO LAUGH

Bulletin 01082023 Ephinany and Baptism of Our Lord (pdf)

Sunday morning ~ 9:30 am

Worship Service with Communion in person in the sanctuary & LIVE on 

Haven’s Facebook page

At this time, masks are optional when attending in-person worship.

Bulletin 01012023 Lessons and Carols

Sunday morning ~ 9:30 am

Worship Service with Communion in person in the sanctuary & LIVE on 

Haven’s Facebook page

At this time, masks are optional when attending in-person worship.

Bulletin 12242022 Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve Service ~ pre-service music begins at 6:30 PM and the Worship Service begins at 7PM

Bulletin 12252022 Christmas Day

Join us on Christmas Day from wherever you are for the holiday with our online Christmas Day Worship Service. 

This service can be found on our Haven’s Facebook page and can be viewed at any time after it goes live at 9:30 AM. 

No In-Person Worship Service on Christmas Day at Haven Lutheran Church.

Message from Pastor Alessandri December 22, 2022.docx

Haven Lutheran Church, Hagerstown, Maryland

December 22, 2022

CHRISTMAS FOOD BASKETS UPDATE

 The response to our Food Basket S.O.S. was amazing! Thank you so much for bringing in extra items so we could help two more families. We will be helping 8 families, 40 persons, to have meals for the Christmas holidays.

The Hunger Team thanks the congregation for their donations and helping families in need during this Christmas season. Please pray for the families receiving the baskets and give thanks for the staff at Fountaindale who enable us to carry out this project.

SPEAKING OF AMAZING! FLASH MOB COAT COLLECTION

We challenged ourselves to collect as many winter coats for children as we could in one week.  Haven again rose to the challenge — we will deliver 28 winter coats to the CHILDREN IN NEED office to distribute to local children! Thanks for wrapping 28 Hagerstown kids in God’s love and a warm coat.

Saturday, December 24 Christmas Eve

6:30 pm       Christmas Eve Pre-Service Music

A wonderful variety of instrumental and vocal music to celebrate Christmas.

 7:00 pm      Christmas Eve Worship

Help us make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Bring a bell to ring during the chorus of “Angels We Have Heard on High.” (It’s fun, too!)

Any children who attend will be invited to participate in our totally unrehearsed presentation of the Nativity Story.  We will also have battery-powered candles for the little ones to use when we sing “Silent Night” by candlelight.

P.S. The temperatures are looking to be VERY cold. Please bundle up and use you best judgement for your safety and health. I hope to see you.

 Sunday, December 25, Christmas Day

Worship with us on Christmas Day at *9:30 am ONLINE!

There will be no in-person service in the sanctuary that day,  but you can  join *our pre-recorded service so we can worship together from wherever we are on Christmas morning. You can find the link to Haven’s Facebook page on our website www.havenlc.org and there is a direct link posted below.

https://www.facebook.com/Haven-Lutheran-Church-134647913268366
The program will be posted starting at 9:30 am on Christmas Day. However, you can watch it any time during the day after 9:30 am.

For fun, leave your name and a Christmas greeting when you tune in to the service. Just a way to connect with one another on this holy day.

*IF the weather prohibits us from taping worship on Friday, we will post the DE-MD Synod Christmas service of Lessons and Carols.

Sunday, January 1,  9:30 am

First Sunday of Christmas and New Year’s Day

 Our Christmas celebration continues with a service of Readings, Carols and Holy Communion. Come usher in the new year with our Lord and your church community.

There will be no Adult or God Squad Sunday School on January 1.

HOWEVER, we will be sure to have coffee for those who may have made merry on New Year’s Eve…. and everyone else, too!

HAVEN MEMBER, ANN LOCKBAUM, CAME THROUGH A PLANNED SURGERY WELL. Please keep her in prayer

THANKS, PARISH LIFE FOR A FUN EVENING!

Look at all these cookies brought for the cookie exchange on December 13!

Picture to the right: Florist Denny Warrenfeltz and winner of the Boxwood tree he made before our very eyes, Allison Keller.

PASTOR ALESSANDRI GOING SOUTH AFTER CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP

I got quite a few comments at church on Sunday about my sister’s directive that I arrive at my nephew’s Marietta house on Christmas Day in my Christmas pajamas since they will all be in theirs. I was still leaning on the fence until I saw the cold temperatures they will be having in Atlanta, too. Here is where my long red coat will come in handy — not only warmth against the cold but a cover-up for my pajamas. Add my Mickey Mouse Santa hat, everyone will just laugh rather than think me mad.

While I’m away, I will pray that you stay well and enjoy all the days of the Christmas season.

If you need pastoral care in my absence, please call:

Pastor Kim Nunberg at 240-446-4849 Dec. 25-28, Jan. 1-3 and

Pastor Allen Reed at 301-331-6368 (cell) Dec. 29-31.

There is some chance of nasty weather this weekend. Please music director and organist, Stephen Pastena, and myself in your prayers, that our travels are safe and our time with family is refreshing.