LOGOS May 2022 2022 Congregational Watchword: Lancaster Moravian Church
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May 2022
2022 Congregational Watchword:
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3
LOGOS
Ignoring Sabbath = DEATH: Pastor Mandy’s Sabbatical
Several weeks ago, as Eddie was reading the assigned passage from Exodus 35 during worship, a part
of the reading jumped out to me in a way it never had before:
Moses assembled all the congregation of the Israelites and said to them: These are the things that the
LORD has commanded you to do: Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a
holy sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall
kindle no fire in all your dwellings on the sabbath day. (Exodus 35:1-3)
The sentence that got my attention was: “Whoever does any work on the sabbath shall be put to
death.” Wow, a strong punishment for something that to many of us seems so simple. During worship, I
took a pen, and not seeing a piece of paper nearby, wrote a message on my hand, “Ignoring
sabbath=DEATH!” The laws of the Hebrew Bible were strict, and many things were punishable by death.
Sabbath rest is important for so many reasons: (1) because it sets aside time for us to focus our energy
and attention on God. (2) Because it sets a cultural precedent and reminds us that “money” and
“productivity” should not control our lives. (3) Because our bodies need time to rest and be refreshed. I
would argue that ignoring sabbath is still “punishable” by death, but not in the same way the writer of
Exodus intended. Ignoring the need for rest and refreshment can lead to death through heart disease,
anxiety, depression, and a variety of other ailments. God knows how much we need that refreshment
and implores us to set aside time to be refreshed in God’s presence.
In March, the Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller, president of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church, sent a
memo to clergy regarding sabbaticals. In it she wrote, “Perhaps you are feeling the weight and burden
of leadership during COVID and the toll it has taken on you professionally and spiritually. In an effort to
provide you the rest and support you may be craving, the PEC (Provincial Elders Conference) is offering
a “pandemic special” for clergy sabbaticals that are specifically designed for you…I pray that you
recognize that a sabbatical is an investment in your capacity to provide effective quality leadership in
your ministry setting.” Betsy and the PEC have made it clear that they take the mandate of sabbath rest
so seriously, that they are willing to pay for opportunities for clergy to seek an extended time of it.
I think all of you know that I love to keep a busy and full schedule, and while the work of ministry is
indeed work, it is also extremely life-giving to me. Sometimes, in my excitement, I lose sight of the need
for sabbath rest, which the Unified Board and many of you have helped to remind me of on occasion.
With that in mind, I will be taking one of these “pandemic special sabbaticals.” I am grateful to the
Province and the Unified Board for approving this time off for spiritual renewal, and I am thankful to all
of those individuals who have agreed to step in to offer coverage while I am away.
continued on page 2
My sabbatical begins on May 23, 2022, and on the 24th I will be heading to Kalama, Washington, where I will be spending 10 days at a Buddhist Meditation Center. I will have full access to all of the programing and resources that they offer during that time. The meditation center is less than an hour from the base of Mt. St. Helens which is the main focus of my trip. I was born while Mt. St. Helens was erupting just about 42 years ago. I have always wanted to go and have never made the time. For most of my adult life, my health would have kept me from doing any lengthy walking or hiking by myself, but now, I am in good enough health that I plan to hike at least part of the mountain. I also have found some neat waterfalls and natural sites nearby that I plan to check out. I am looking forward to seeing how God reveals herself to me in this new setting. I will be coming home on June 4, 2022, and Edna and I will be taking some time to get settled into the new parsonage, which I hope to move into just before my trip. Donna, the Unified Board, and I have been working together to make sure that everything is in place for life to continue as normal while I am away. I am thankful to Phil Woffindin, Michael Evans, Randy D’Angelo and Devin Jeffers (the pastor at First Reformed Church, Lancaster) for their worship leadership on Sundays. I am also thankful for Dean Jurgen (retired pastor from Lititz Moravian who will lead Pentecost Communion on June 5, 2022). Rev. Devin Jeffers, the pastor at First Reformed Church, Lancaster will be leading Spirit Time for the ADS each Wednesday, and Rev. Timothy Naisby the Chaplain at Moravian Manor will tentatively be leading ZOOM Devotions on the regularly scheduled Wednesday Evenings. Donna and I are still coordinating with congregation members to help lead our other regularly scheduled events, so be on the lookout for a call or email from her or myself in the next week or so. I want you to be assured that if a pastoral care need arises for you or a family member during the time that I am away, there are pastors who have agreed to step in for non-scheduled pastoral care needs like prayer requests, hospital visits or surgeries, or other concerns that may arise. I am grateful to Rev. Mark Breland (Pastor at Lititz Moravian Church) and Michael Evans for their willingness to fill in in this way. A third pastor will also be available, TBD. Each week the primary and secondary person to reach out to will be listed with their contact information in the bulletin, and an email will be sent also. When in doubt contact Donna, who can direct you to the right person. I covet your prayers during this time. I am so grateful for this opportunity and am hopeful that the time away does as Betsy said allow me to return to do more “effective quality leadership” at Lancaster Moravian Church, Moravian Center Adult Day, and the broader Lancaster community. As always it is a blessing to serve you and to serve with you! Love and Blessings! Pastor Mandy
Conversations That Matter
Lent is often thought of as a time during which we begrudgingly forgo a
handful of pleasures, such as giving up soda, coffee, or sweets. This
Lenten and Easter season, however, I invite you to approach it as an
opportunity -- an opportunity to let go of excuses for failings and
shortcomings; to stop hanging on to our inflated sense of self and
goodness; and to ask God to show us what we really look like. To do this
takes faith in the good news that Jesus Christ overcame sin through his
suffering, death, and resurrection. It also takes courage, vulnerability,
and community.
Continuing through Pentecost (6/5/22), please join us Sunday mornings
at 9:00 AM on the third floor of LMC as we share in “Conversations That
Matter,” – conversations intended to explore the scriptures, delve into
our questions and doubts, and thereby deepen our faith and enrich our
lives as we journey with Jesus. The topics will be informed by (but not
limited to) a resource entitled, “Suffering and Glory: Meditations for Holy
Week and Easter” published by Christianity Today International. Please
feel free to bring your coffee or other beverage and pull up a chair.
Looking forward to getting together.
Phil Woffindin
Dear Church Family,
A specfial thank you for the cards, well
wishes and prayers during my hip
replacement and recovery.
I truly felt the love.
Arlene HibnerMoravian Women will be meeting on Thursday May 5th at 1PM on Zoom. We
will be continuing our study of Philippeans by Max Lucado. This months
lesson is on "Eternal Focus" and looks at Philippeans 3:12-21. After his
conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul's driving passion was to press on
toward the goal that he had been called to. That goal was to know Christ and
make him known to the world.
Please join us for an afternoon of fellowship and the knowledge of God's
word. Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7276959529
meeting ID # 7276959529
Nancy Sturgis
717-569-7678
" EXCITING NEWS"
Lancaster Moravian Church Bazaar Christmas in July
Saturday, July 16,2022 9am-1pm
Bazaar Friends,
Time to clean out closets...Please save all gently used holiday decorations for July
16th bazaar. Please coordinate with Susan Schulze .
We need to continue to fill volunteer positions. If you can spare a few hours
please let me know where you would like to help.
Our next Zoom meeting will be Thurs., May 5, 2022 at 2 PM following Moravian
Women. If you can't attend please call, text,or email me with ideas, and questions.
This will be an AWSOME BIZAARE BAZAAR!! Exciting.
Thank you,
Susie Evans
noel@ptd.net
(717) 471-6049
WHEN DONATING DIRECTLY, OUR PARTNER
NUMBER IS: 50003.
DUE TO STORAGE SPACE LIMITATIONS, May 26th Book Club meeting
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO DONATE DIRECTLY TO at 2 PM on Zoom
THE STORE, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
We received $64.44 from Community Aid for the Go on a powerful journey of forgiveness and
4th quarter of 2021 healing with The Light Through the Leaves, a
transcendent novel of love, loss, and self-
discovery by the Wall Street Journal bestselling
author of Where the Forest Meets the Stars.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7276959529
meeting ID # 72769595292022
INCOME & EXPENSES
MARCH YTD
Operating Income 9,952 $ 26,927
Operating Expense $ 18,853 $ 48,210
Gain/
PRAYER CONCERNS
Hedda, Stephen, Elaine, Charlene,
Jan, Kate H., Marla
HOMEBOUND MEMBERS
Cindy Campbell, Charlotte Howell,
Elaine Sturgis, Annetta M.
To take advantage of online giving you may
access the following links:
Lancaster Moravian Church
https://mmfa.info/lancaster-moravian-church-
donation-form/
Moravian Center Adult Day
https://mmfa.info/moravian-center-adult-day-
NEXT LANCASTER COMMUNITY
lancaster-donation-form/
PRAYER WALKS:
Saturday, May 21st at 9 AM.
Come prepared for the weather,
and meet outside the church
entrance.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7276959529
meeting ID # 7276959529
MAY ANNIVERSARIES
none to report UNIFIED BOARD
Wayne Kautz
Fay Hill
Jan Stein
Priscilla Weidman
Joe Schulter
Susie Evans
Charlie Graybill
Dave Herber (Associate)
STAFF
Rev. Mandy Mastros — Pastor
Donna Schilke - Admin Asst./Editor
Terry Gott - Bookkeeper
Office Hours at Moravian Center
Office is open: M-F, 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
Pastor’s office hours:
MAY BIRTHDAYS Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
9:30AM-12:00PM
~ other times by appointment ~
Eddie Graybill May 9th
Janis Easton May 13th Articles and items appearing in the
newsletter are due by the second Monday of
Mandy Mastros May 18th every month. Material & comments should
be submitted to the church office.
Lancaster Moravian Church
227 N. Queen St, Lancaster PA, 17603
717-397-9722
www.lancastermoravian.org
Pastor Mandy M. Mastros, LSWYou can also read
