The Samaritan
212 West Lancaster Avenue | Paoli, PA 19301
info@good-samaritan.org | 610.644.4040
good-samaritan.org
CLERGY
Interim Priest-in-Charge
The Rev’d Phillip Channing Ellsworth Jr
Assisting Priest
The Rev’d Marcia
Wilkinson
VESTRY
Louise Barasa
Darren Clipston
Tom Connett
Tammy Cooke
Elrena Evans
Reuben Garrett
Nick Gibson
Gary Henderson
Whitney Kuniholm
Ian MacDonald
Jonathan Purifoy
Leah Sioma
Rusty Smith
Richard Toland
Mary Anne Weightman
STAFF
Director of Student Ministry
Jessica Campbell
Day School Director
Barb Condit
College / CCO Campus Minister
Dan Garrison Edwards
Maintenance Director
Connor Gisel
Organist
Gary Gress
New Chapel Minister of Music
Josh Guenther
Communications
Barb Hohorst
Director of Family Ministries
Kimberly Lindquist
College / CCO Campus Minister
Katie Staronka
Creative Director
Melodee Dill Stephens
Director of Dance Choir
Karen Watkins
Financial Administrator
Betsy Wolford
Director of Music
Richard Zuch
Maintenance Team
Alphonse Campanese
Beau McFetridge
Tad Turski
Mayrel Vargas
WEEKLY SERVICES
The Service of Holy Eucharist
Sunday, 7:30 am | Rite 1, Chapel
Sunday, 9 am | Rite 11, Church
Sunday, 11 am | New Chapel Contemporary Service, Church
(New Chapel moves to 11:15 am beginning September 17)
Tuesday, 8:30 am | Rite 1, Chapel
The Daily Office Morning Prayer
Wednesday, 8:30 am | Rite 1, Chapel
Thursday, 8:30 am | Rite 1, Chapel
Tell Me Who I Am
BY THE REV’D PHILLIP CHANNING ELLSWORTH JR
“Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Legion’; for many demons had entered him. They begged Jesus not to order them to go back into the abyss” (Luke 8. 30 – 31).
Karl Barth, the great twentieth-century theologian who was on the cover of Time back in 1962 when it used to be a real magazine, was asked, “Professor Barth, Do you believe in the Devil?” “Do I believe in the Devil?,” he said. “Of course not. He’s the father of all lies!”
God chooses to run the universe by intermediaries, to delegate authority. God doesn’t do anything that he can get somebody to do for him, as CS Lewis said. God loves to exalt subordinates; He doesn’t have the ego problem that fallen angels have.
If we could see the role of angels and archangels in the universe we would be overwhelmed not because they do things ‘above’ our station, but because they exist to assist and serve us human beings who, though we’re exponentially weaker and orders of magnitude less intelligent than angels—the Psalmist’s “a little lower than the angels” is an example of what literary scholars call litotes, a form of understatement—we’re nevertheless ordained by God to exercise dominion over the face of the earth.
On the face of it, this is nuts. It makes no sense at all to fallen angels, and this is what’s got Satan’s knickers in a knot. He is envious of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve; that God puts human beings in this vassal role is to him bad management. And so Satan, in Scripture and elsewhere is constantly trying to prove how unfit you are to do God’s bidding. Angels who are not fallen don’t have the Devil’s problem; they love to help you listen to God and encourage you to obey the Lord.
That’s what, in the chain of being, they exist to do, to help you as a human, down to earth creature, love and serve the Lord.
So the question for us on any day is, What keeps you human? What is it that connects you with other people? What makes you patient? What gives you joy? What are the things that remind you that you are both profoundly special, and, at the same time, not any more special than the stranger sitting next to you on the bus or the plane?
For people like us, one of the great temptations is to buy into other people’s projections about you—to live inside what you think are other people’s fantasies and expectations about you so that you never have
a clear sense of who you are. The other temptation is to get so preoccupied with fulfilling what you think are expectations of efficiency and effectiveness that you have no space whatever for God to do anything for you, to intervene. Colluding with the projections of others, and being overly obsessed with work— these are two of the greatest adversaries to flourishing as a human being.
To live by the Spirit, to be sustained spiritually, requires self-awareness. To be able to ask yourself routinely, Do I have the emotional skill to look at how I’m thinking and how I’m feeling with a little bit of distance, a little bit of coolness? Am I capable of taking my visceral feelings, positive and negative, out of the depths of my guts for a moment and putting them where I can look at them, where God can look at them?
It’s what your ancient forbears in the faith—the ones who gave us the Nicene Creed—meant by ‘dispassion’. Very early on, Christians began to prize and pursue the capacity to step back a bit from how I’m feeling, what I’m wanting, and what I think other people are wanting. To do what Augustine does in his Confessions; that is, to say, Just a moment — can I make some space around these feelings, these instincts, these emotions, these desires? Can I make a bit of space around them and not allow my reactions instantly to be dictated by that? And that applies equally to feelings of ecstasy and enthusiasm as it does to feelings of resentment or anxiety. Stand back a little, give those feelings room to breathe, give yourself room to breathe. Look them in the eye, and say, Now come on, how real are you? What’s this about?
the Lockwoods the other day in Hershey’s Mill to say Last Rites over Jim with Toni and their son Dave, saying my prayers with you over a meal in a restaurant, at table in your homes, or at one of our Altars at Good Sam, marshaling the prayer warriors called the Daughters of the King, inspired by the work of Kimberly Lindquist’s and Jessica Campbell’s Family and Youth Ministries which apprentice children in defense against the dark arts—I call on every one of us to move to contact, as it is said in the military, swearing an oath as we do at the Sacrament, to the Captain of our Salvation. A prayer life involves figuring out where Jesus is and going there, being still enough there to hear God speaking my name, and yours.
We come to prayer saying to God, “Tell me who I am, really.” That’s where life in the Spirit begins. You’ll remember that Mary Magdalene, on that first Easter Day, like the prophet Elijah near BeerSheba, came to an empty space, to silence where she heard, as he did, the still small voice in the wilderness. When does Mary recognize the risen Jesus? When He says her name. This tells us a lot about prayer and our flourishing as human beings, as creatures not fit at all to be vassal sovereigns, and fit completely.
Tell me who I am, I say to God. Sustaining life in the Spirit under pressure, I think, has rather a lot to do with having the ability, the poise, to say to God, Tell me who I am. Because I’m not going to settle with what everybody else is telling me.
Tell me who I am, I say to God. Sustaining life in the Spirit under pressure, I think, has rather a lot to do with having the ability, the poise, to say to God, Tell me who I am. Because I’m not going to settle with what everybody else is telling me. I’m not even going to settle with what I’m telling me. I’d like to hear from you. I’d like to hear you say my name. Because if you know me, that tells me that I am really being seen, being paid attention to, that I live, I flourish, because you have spoken my name. “I have called you by name, you are mine,” God says to Isaiah. On that speaking of your name rests your whole being. It’s what we come to the Church of the Good Samaritan Sunday after Sunday to hear. Something in prayer is about getting down to that level where you can recognize, as the prophet Elijah or Mary Magdalene did, that God is creating you not just so many years ago but now, in this minute, breathing your name into the world, giving you life in the Spirit.
Dispassion, as I say, is the word they used for this. We call it self-awareness, a category St Augustine invents. Whatever word we choose, it’s very important to have some sense of our freedom from the projections, the expectations, the busyness—some sense of our freedom to live by the Spirit.
We only really get that when we make space to hear our name spoken by God. Visiting with
I am writing from Lake Superior where Victoria and I are with our daughter Gillian Kura, her husband Matthew, and our grandchildren Samuel (age five), Benjamin (three), and Gemma (one). I just woke from falling asleep blessedly next to Sam, tucking him into bed. The Messers live at Notre Dame where Matthew is finishing his doctoral work. A year ago, in a letter, Matt wrote us, “Recently I’ve been reading through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe with Sam; I’d actually never read it before and Sam is really enjoying it (he always talks now about Turkish Delight and wants to keep reading ahead to find out what happens to Mr. Tumnus). The other night we got to the part where they mention Aslan for the first time and a character says that Aslan is ‘not safe—but he’s good.’ Sam asked about that and I explained that it means he’s good but also very powerful and that’s why he’s not safe, because the bad guys are afraid of him. Sam said, ‘Like God, right?’”
FROM THE RECTOR’S WARDEN
Vestry Update: Future Priorities
BY WHITNEY KUNIHOLM, RECTOR’S WARDEN
August is a special month in the annual Vestry schedule. Why? Because there’s no Vestry meeting! Usually, the Vestry meets on the second Monday of the month, after which one member writes a “Vestry Corner” article detailing the activity and actions of the meeting. But in August, the Vestry gets a well-deserved break before a new ministry year begins in September. Even so, the Vestry was busy during their month off. So in lieu of an August edition of the Vestry Corner, let me give you a summary of some future priorities we’re already working on as a Vestry.
RECTOR SEARCH
Our biggest priority is the Rector Search Process. I recently spoke with the new Canon for Transition for our Diocese, Rev’d Jane Gober, who told me that there are approximately 310 Episcopal churches nationwide currently seeking a new full-time Rector (and about the same number seeking a part time Rector), 18 of which are similar in size to Good Samaritan. In other words, many Episcopal churches are currently looking for a Rector.
In our search process, the Vestry is committed to a blend of best practice and spiritual discernment. We elected two members, Richard Toland and Elrena Evans, to lead the first phase of the process, forming the Parish Profile Committee (see update on page 5) We have also distributed a Rector Search Process FAQ document to the parish and have made periodic announcements in the worship services and the wrapper.
An important nuance of our search process is that Fr Phillip, as Interim Priest-in-Charge, is eligible to apply for the position of Rector. Consistent with the process recommended by the Diocese, after the completion of the Parish Profile there will be a period of “mutual discernment” between Fr Phillip and the
parish. Based on that, the Vestry will decide whether to call Fr Phillip as Rector or proceed with a national search. All of this is undergirded by prayer for discernment of God’s direction; the most visible expression of this is the Rector Search Prayer Committee, led by Mary Anne Weightman.
2024 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN
In addition to selecting and supporting a Rector, one of the main responsibilities of the Vestry is overseeing the finances, facilities, and policies of the church. A key part of this is managing the annual stewardship process. The Vestry has already begun some pre-planning for 2024 and this year we would like to move towards a vision-led stewardship process.
We are very thankful for the spirit of generosity that exists in the Good Sam community. Typically, in the fall of each year, parishioners are invited to make a pledge of what they intend to give in the new year. We then build our budget based on the total amount pledged.
But what if we began our steward process with the question, “What is God calling us to be and do as a parish in the year ahead?” And what if our stewardship campaign became a church-wide discernment process of where God is leading us? Just imagine what a growing Episcopal church could look like in Paoli, a church that is faithfully proclaiming God’s good news and helping people of all ages understand and live out God’s Word, and a church that is reaching out in love to a world in need. Just imagine!
SEEKING GOD’S DIRECTION
In a very real sense, seeking God’s direction and trusting that He is at work in the life and ministry of the Church of the Good Samaritan is always the main priority of the Vestry, and this past year has caused us to press into that task more fully than ever before. It’s easy to trust God when everything is smooth, and the next steps are clear. But times of change don’t always feel that way, in a church or in your life! And yet, uncertainty is the best context for drawing closer to God.
As the prophet Isaiah said, “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 64. 8 NIV). No matter what happens in the year ahead, God is still the potter, and we are still the clay. I believe God has been using this time to shape us as individuals and as a church into what he wants us to be. As we do our best to be faithful, we can trust that God is forming Good Samaritan into the church he has in mind for us to be. That’s exciting!
Good Sam News
Christopher A. Hall Named Theologian-in-Residence
It gives me great pleasure to announce that Chris Hall has agreed to serve as the inaugural Theologian-in-Residence of the Church of the Good Samaritan. As a beloved teacher at Good Samaritan for years, Chris needs no introduction in this parish. Now a member of St Patrick’s in Malvern, he is delighted to be returning to us, his ‘pals’, in this role.
Chris will teach in our Adult Christian Formation program, beginning on September 24 with the resumption of the teaching series on his recently published book A Different Way. Chris will also be the featured speaker at our Men’s Ministry retreat at Daylesford Abbey on October 13-14. On October 15, at the 9 am and New Chapel services, Chris will be preaching. And we are excited that he will be teaching and preaching more in the coming year. The affection and admiration between Chris and Good Sam people is palpable, and now, it’s official. PCE Jr
DR. CHRISTOPHER A. HALL
Chris is a member of the Renovaré Ministry Team, and served as president of Renovaré from 20152022. He previously served at Eastern University for 24 years in several roles, including Chancellor, Provost, Dean of Palmer Theological Seminary, Dean of the Templeton Honors College, Distinguished Professor of Theology, and Director of Academic Spiritual Formation. Chris possesses a BA from UCLA in history, an MA from Fuller Theological Seminary in biblical studies, a ThM from Regent College, and a PhD from Drew University. He is also the author of a number of books, including The Mystery of God (with Steven D. Boyer), The Trinity (with Roger Olson), and a four volume set on the Church Fathers: Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers, Learning Theology with the Church Fathers, Worshiping with the Church Fathers, and Living Wisely with the Church Fathers. His most recent book is A Different Way
Software Updates
The Church of the Good Samaritan has been using Peachtree accounting software for 20+ years and Church Community Builder (CCB) for 12 years. Neither piece of software integrates with the other to exchange information and both require significant amounts of manual intervention to produce the reports that the staff and clergy need to efficiently perform the back office functions.
Rusty Smith, Betsy Wolford, Josh Guenther, Craig Russ, and Gary Henderson gathered as a team to identify a fully-integrated Church Management System that was cloud-based, included software hosting, database back-up and recovery, periodic software updates, and also provided remote user access.
On July 12, the Church entered into two software agreements. The first was for REALM which manages parishioner records and the general ledger. This software conversion is in process and should be live by October 1, 2023.
The second agreement was for Planning Center utilizing their Service module for worship planning and volunteer scheduling, and has been in use for several weeks.
What does this mean to parishioners?
The team was able to significantly improve our primary software applications and reduce expenses by about three percent.
He has ministered in Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, the Middle-East, Canada, and the United States. He served on the editorial board of Christianity Today and has published articles and book reviews in Christianity Today, Catalyst, Christian History, inMinistry, Books and Culture, Christian Scholars Review, Modern Theology, and Crux
He and his wife Debbie reside in Malvern and have three adult children and two grandchildren.
CCB and the Peachtree software will be retired and replaced by REALM. Each parishioner will need to confirm or update personal information that is being transferred from CCB. This will likely occur in the late Fall.
Finally, if a parishioner has been using on-line giving via ACH (Automated Clearing House), a credit card, or has been texting their gift or pledge, some changes will need to be made. Look for further communications with detailed instructions in the coming month.
Have You Completed the Good Samaritan Parish Survey?
ELRENA EVANS AND RICHARD TOLAND, PARISH PROFILE COMMITTEE
As a part of our Rector Search process, Good Sam has partnered with HolyCow! Consulting to conduct a Parish Survey. This survey will give us a picture of who we are as a church: our strengths and weaknesses, our growth opportunities, and what matters most to us as a body of believers.
As of August 25, 198 parishioners had completed the survey. Our goal is to have 50 percent of the active member/attenders complete the survey so we get a good understanding of all perspectives. We are well on our way to reaching that goal. If you have not completed the survey yet, we want to hear from you! Encourage all of your friends at Good Sam to take it, too. The more participation, the more accurate the picture of the life of our church. Survey deadline is Wednesday, September 6.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the survey? The survey is a collection of approximately 100 questions that help us better understand who we are as a church.
When can I take the survey? It is open now through September 6.
How long does the survey take? The survey will take approximately twenty minutes to complete. Because there isn’t an option to save and return to the online survey, we ask that you set aside twenty minutes when you want to take it.
Why did we use an outside survey company? HolyCow! Consulting has conducted this survey with over 6,000 churches in the past 20 years, one third of which were Episcopal churches. When we receive our results, they will be benchmarked against other churches–giving us an even more accurate picture of who we are. Holy Cow! Consulting was recommended by the Diocese of Pennsylvania.
How will the survey results be used? A summary of the survey results will be a key part of the Parish Profile, an extensive document that will inform our Rector Search process.
Who are the members of the Parish Profile Committee? The Vestry elected Elrena Evans and Richard Toland to co-chair the committee. Other members, selected from a pool of applicants, include: Alex Burns, Stewart Crumpler, Sharon Davis, Jim McGuire, Micah Skinner, Cheryl Sparks, Aileen Vaughn, Anika Evans, Rusty Smith, and Whitney Kuniholm (ex officio).
If I know someone in our church who will not be able to take this survey on a computer, what can I do? Contact Barb Hohorst at barb.hohorst@good-samaritan.org or 610.644.4040, ext 224.
ACCESS THE SURVEY BY SCANNING THE QR CODE OR BY VISITING SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/GOODSAMARITANPAOLI
2023 Christmas Tree Sale
This year we are not only selling Christmas trees, but also helping our neighbors prepare for Christmas with wreaths, hand-crafted beaded ornaments, cookies, and homemade jams, available at the sale with a suggested donation.
Beginning in November, hand-crafted beaded ornaments and jam will be available with a suggested donation. At that time, church members will also be given the opportunity to donate a tree for someone in the community, and as a thank you will receive two ornaments.
The Juliet Cookiepalooza, a longstanding community service tradition in memory of Juliet Cook, will be happening and they will also be making cookies for the tree sale. For those who make Christmas cookies, please consider making an extra batch for the tree sale.
The money raised during the Christmas Tree Sale goes towards the Good Sam HELPS ministry.
Help is needed! We are looking for three home groups or groups of friends to manage the possible three weeks of sales.
TO VOLUNTEER OR TO CONNECT ABOUT BAKING COOKIES, CONTACT BRUCE ACKERMAN AT BHACKERPERSON@AOL.COM
Alpha
BEGINS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 6:30 PM
BY BONNIE O’NEIL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALPHA MID-ATLANTIC
Good Samaritan has been running Alpha for about as long as Alpha has been in the US. In fact, Nicky Gumbel, the pioneer of Alpha, even spoke at Good Samaritan at one of the early Alpha conferences! But many members of the parish—both old and new—still wonder what Alpha is and who it is for?
Alpha is a multi-week experience that offers an encounter with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Alpha is a safe space to ask difficult questions about life, faith, and meaning where no question is off-limits and no opinion is considered wrong. Alpha is food, friendship, and conversation.
Alpha is like a dinner party, where guests are invited to socialize, watch a short film, and engage in judgment-free discussion. Each evening features a 25-minute film designed to inspire questions more than provide direct answers. The films explore challenging issues of faith and meaning, and unpack the basics of Christianity, addressing questions such as Why did Jesus die? How can we have faith? And Why is there so much evil in the world? The best part of the night is the conversation time, where you get to know the people around the dinner table, ask big questions, and share your thoughts and experiences of life and faith.
Through Alpha at Good Samaritan, atheists and skeptics have come to faith in Jesus and Christ-followers have deepened their faith and found a safe space to bring their unbelieving friends to encounter Jesus.
Alpha is for you if you’re not sure how God and Jesus fit together and why it matters. Alpha is for you if you’ve known God your whole life. Alpha is for you to come with your friends who don’t know Jesus. Alpha is for all of us.
If you’re curious, skeptical, or are looking for a way to introduce your friends to Jesus, then come, with or without a friend, and try Alpha!
Q: The Alpha Course begins Wednesday, September 20. You put yourself out there, back in February, saying that you expect one hundred (100!) people to enroll in the Alpha Course this fall. What makes you so bold?
A: The people of Good Sam. We’re deeply Christian, at least in our brighter moments, and we’re biased toward the next person through the door. There is real affection for each other and we keep an open hand to the person who isn’t here yet.
Q: You write about angels. On September 29 we mark the Feast of St Michael and All Angels. Who is Michael?
A: The name Michael is a question, “Who is like God?” He’s God’s field general leading God’s armies against the forces of Satan. Angels are messengers of God ministering protection, and announcing good news to the world. They are evangelists of the highest order. We’re told in John’s gospel that the “angels ascend and descend between heaven and earth upon the Son of Man.”
September 30 is the Feast of St Jerome. The Latin version of the Bible known as The Vulgate, translated from the original Hebrew and Greek, was the fruit of his work. His name was Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus but Jerome is much easier to say! There’s a story, probably apocryphal, told about him. People who loved the Bible came up to Jerome and asked him if the guests at that wedding in Cana finished off all that water turned into wine. They were very curious. “Could it be possible that they finished all that wine?” they asked him. “No,” he said, “we are still drinking it.” Did that happen? I don’t know, but it’s a true story! We are still drinking that wine, still enjoying an abundant goodness we can taste now.
The name to remember, though, is Bonosus. He persuaded his friend Jerome to turn to Jesus. If not for Bonosus sharing his faith with his pal, we never hear of Jerome. Come with me to Alpha. And bring someone with you.
Alpha Q&A with Fr Ellsworth
Holy Baptism
ALL SAINTS DAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2023
“Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church.
BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, P. 298
Several years ago while the two of us were washing dishes, a godly relative with several children whose church doesn’t practice infant baptism—believing instead in what is called ‘believers baptism’—asked me, “Why do you believe in baptizing babies?” So I asked her, “Why do you believe in talking to them?”
Baptizing a baby is no more odd or miraculous than talking to a baby. When an infant is baptized that is what happens: God through His Body the Church speaks in water to a child. Whether the child understands is beside the point. A mother does not wait until a child understands before expressing her love without reservation. She speaks to her child as if the child understands. It is love’s language to do so.
We speak words to our children, we use symbols and gestures to commune with them, not because the child understands but because we love them. Full stop. Just so the child learns to talk back. As with us so with the Word who was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. And talking back to that Word we call “prayer.” PCE Jr
ALL PEOPLE OF ANY AGE ARE WELCOME TO BAPTIZED
If you have interest in being baptized on All Saint’s Sunday, November 5, scan the QR code to complete the form, or contact Barb at barb.hohorst@ good-samaritan.org.
Church of the Good Samaritan Endowment
BY ANDY BALSAN
For decades, God has used Good Sam to reach Paoli, the Philadelphia area, and the world!
Our church is blessed with an endowment that enables parishioners to give in a way that keeps on giving.
What is an Endowment?
For decades, parishioners have gifted money, stocks, estate value, or other financial instruments to the endowment, which partially funds the operating budget of the church every year.
Do many churches have Endowments?
Several other Episcopal churches in the area do, some with large endowments that greatly contribute their budgets. Endowments enable God to use the church to reach more for Christ in the community by providing funds outside of parish tithing and generosity.
How does the Endowment “keep on giving”?
Endowment monies are invested in various Vanguard funds to preserve and (hopefully) gain in value depending on market conditions. As of June 30, 2023, the value of our endowment was $1,187,000. These funds are monitored by the committee in anticipation of market changes and needs of the church. Since 2013, the endowment has grown 48 percent; partially from additional gifts, but mostly from market appreciation.
How does the Endowment impact God’s kingdom?
Each year, using a vestry-approved calculation, a “distribution” is taken that is used for church operations, including Missions and local ministries. As part of the yearly budgeting process, Good Sam takes 5 percent of the average of the last three years’ year-end balance of the Endowment fund and moves that money into our annual church budget. For 2023, the amount was $57,818 or about 3.4 percent of our yearly expense budget.
How do I know the Endowment is being stewarded well?
The church has an Endowment Committee made up of interested and financially sound volunteers to review, analyze, and make fund change decisions, as well as recommend annual distributions to the church. The committee is chaired by the Vestry’s Financial Warden (currently Darren Clipston). The church’s Financial Administrator (currently Betsy Wolford) is also on the committee. Current member volunteers include Jim Gibson, John Prestwood, Bill Hughes, and Andy Balsan. The committee meets quarterly throughout the year and welcomes new members. If interested, please contact Darren Clipston at dclipston@msn.com or Betsy Wolford at betsy.wolford@good-samaritan.org.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PROVIDING A GIFT TO THE ENDOWMENT, CONTACT BETSY WOLFORD AT BETSY.WOLFORD@GOOD-SAMARITAN.ORG
Giving & Generosity
If you’re a member of The Church of the Good Samaritan then sometime soon you’ll receive a letter with a pledge card in it. Hmm, you’ll ask: What to do with this? How much of what I’ve worked so hard for should I give away? If you believe in what we say and do at Good Samaritan, in who we are, then I ask you to do this with your pledge card: say your prayers, take your pen, and surprise yourself. Here is how three members of Good Samaritan responded when asked to share their thoughts about giving and generosity.
In the course of your life, what’s something you’ve learned about giving that’s stuck with you?
Stewart Crumpler: I once had a former senior warden at our old church in MD, who was giving a personal stewardship testimony on a Sunday morning. He said, “You’ve heard it said, that you should give ’til it hurts, but that’s not correct, because most Christians have way too weak a pain tolerance when it comes to giving. But I’m here to tell you, you should give until it feels good.”
What have you learned about giving at Good Sam?
Stewart Crumpler: I have learned a lot in the last 40 years, because stewardship has been key to me for a long, long time. I have learned that what God wants from me is what I am often least willing to give Him. He wants all of me, but the one thing that he wants most is whatever it is that I’m holding back, and not willing to give. I was thinking today about Abraham and Isaac—Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice. God didn’t want Isaac’s life, but he did want Abraham’s devotion. He was testing that by asking for Isaac to be sacrificed. God wants our devotion, and he asks us to give away enough of what we have to be devoted to him.
“You might go home tired, but you’re filled. Because you have given to others, and you have seen Jesus at work.”
VICTORIA ELLSWORTH
What have you learned about generosity at Good Sam?
Victoria Ellsworth: Being generous with your time, your talent, and your money is the best way to live. We’re not taking any of it with us when we leave. As my father-in-law often says, He’s never seen a hearse drive by with a U-Haul attached to it. Because nothing that we have here on earth is going to go with us, and none of it is ours anyway. Being generous with your time is what is so important in our earthly lives. Everyone has something, just one little something, that they are good at. Maybe they are good at welcoming people, maybe they are good at cleaning up messes, maybe they are good at cooking? Maybe they are good at organizing the library, maybe they are going to step out of their comfort zone and help out with the youth group or with the children. Everyone has something, and I think that each person in the congregation needs to choose that one something that they are willing to do, and do it for God, for his glory, for the church’s growth. And what’s so amazing about that is the math doesn’t work. You do extra hard work, and in return, you’re not exhausted, you’re filled. You might go home tired, but you’re filled. Because you have given to others, and you have seen Jesus at work.
Josh Hall: I actually spoke in front of the church, maybe five or six years ago, about giving. I think one of the ways that I view giving always is “your right hand doesn’t know what your left hand is doing.” This idea where, when you’re asked to give, you give. And you don’t question whether there’s going to be enough, or whether there’s too much demanded of you. And for me with money, it’s easy, in a way, because it’s just a dollar amount, and suddenly the number in my bank account is less, but I trust God that when I need the money, it will be there. When you are asked of your time, I think that is often more difficult, because we value our time greatly, and at the same time, we waste our time so readily. When you are asked to serve, you feel compelled, and that little thing in your mind or prompting by God that says, Hey, that might be a good idea!, I think you really need to see if there is a door being opened. When Jesus says knock and the door will be opened, and there are open doors, you better check out what’s inside before you walk past that door. Opportunities don’t always come, and I think you’ll be surprised once you get into serving that you will ask yourself, How have I not been doing this all along?
Q&A
Q:
loose around the edges and solid at the core
with Fr Ellsworth
Most of us have heard you describe Church of the Good Samaritan as a church “loose around the edges and solid at the core.” What does that mean?
A: As institutions, churches tend to be either loose around the edges (welcoming) and loose at the core (not clear about what they are welcoming people to, the Gospel / Jesus, in Word and Sacrament), or solid at the core and solid or hard around the edges (impermeable, so close-knit that a hand is not left open for the next person who walks through the door).
As a rule, and there are exceptions to the rule, Jesus didn’t rush people to understand everything up front and sign on the dotted line. That wasn’t his way of doing things. Most of his first followers were with him for about three years, and it wasn’t until after the Resurrection and the Pentecost event that they really began to get what he was up to, who he was, and what he was doing. He gave people time, and still does. Church history is itself a kind of theological detour where God gives the Gentiles, people who aren’t Jews, time to come in. As the theologian Alfred Loisy said, overstating it to make a point, “Jesus announced the Kingdom of God, but it was the Church that came.”
I work hard to lead a parish to keep faith with its paradoxes. One of those paradoxes was expressed by George MacDonald, great-grandfather of our own Ian MacDonald, in characteristic aphorism: “God is easy to please, and hard to satisfy.” Episcopal churches lose their way in the assumption that difficulty in Christianity is bad, and that difficulty is just a function of change over time. Christianity is not difficult because it is old; it’s difficult because it’s difficult.
Q:Can you give us a few examples of the way “loose around the edges, solid at the core” gets expressed at The Church of the Good Samaritan?
A:We avoid church-speak or jargon. I am deficient at this, but I try to speak colloquially, to use a vocabulary I would have understood when at age fifteen I started going to church and didn’t know which end was up theologically. With few exceptions, the New Testament was written in street Greek. God is not hidden but revealed. If the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and puts himself in our hands and gullets at the Sacrament, far be it from me to make that Word obscure.
We are constantly auditing the barriers that keep people from encountering Christ here, and Café Good Sam removes one of them. Life will be bitter at times; coffee doesn’t have to be.
In the Liturgy, children are welcome. If a child is being heard, I’ll say to the congregation let’s sit quietly for ten seconds, and then I’ll say that what we’ve just been listening to is the sound of a dying church. I encourage young families to do the counterintuitive thing and sit
up front directly below the pulpit. Children who can see what’s going on are less likely to decompensate, and if they do, an escape to the Atrium is steps away.
We provide people with user-friendly leaflets and the Wrapper. The Wrapper provides them with thought pieces designed to be encouraging, and information they don’t have to get on a mailing list to receive. And on September 17 we’ll begin to provide at each of our two main entrances Welcome Tables staffed by cheerful parishioners trained to help the next person through the door feel as if they’ve come home and want to put down their bags.
On Christmas Eve, when ‘Christmas & Easter’ Christians are subject to be made the butt of jokes, I go the other direction. I say, “If your heart catches at what we celebrate tonight; if you sing with the heavenly host and you hear in your deepest heart what the shepherds heard; if you rejoice to celebrate what Christians around the world rejoice to celebrate with you this night, I tell you a secret: What we Christians believe doesn’t get any harder than this; the rest is a piece of cake. At Christmas and Easter, the Faith asks us to believe the two things hardest to believe: that God became an infant, and that a man, dead as a doornail, is eating with his friends. Yet look at you; dressing up and rushing to embrace the One who will demand of you not less than everything.” That’s loose around the edges and solid at the core.
The Rector or Priest-in-Charge can get away with this outward focus if he loves and admires the people who are already here and they feel that affection. The parishioners who pay the bills and make things possible, the ones who by their faithfulness and their generosity of time, mind, and hard-earned cash keep the lights on for the next person through the door? They get it that this reflects the way Jesus did things, and they want to be like him. And they enjoy watching their beloved Good Samaritan grow.
WORSHIP Revelation & Response
BY JOSH GUENTHER, NEW CHAPEL MINISTER OF MUSIC
Worship is a pattern of revelation and response. God benevolently reveals himself to humanity and humanity responds in adoration and praise. Every Sunday, we respond to God’s grace, revealed in His Word and Sacraments, by saying and singing our prayers. Good Sam’s New Chapel service uniquely blends modern sacred music with historically-grounded liturgy. Many of the songs we sing on Sundays are from the last decade, but our pattern of worship, laid out in the Book of Common Prayer, is more than 450 years old. While the aesthetics of language and music have shifted, the core remains the same—Anglican prayer book worship is structured around this pattern of revelation and response.
let us sing unto the Lord (YHWH).” This is the personal name of God, revealed to Moses and Israel in the wilderness. Using this name does two things: it grounds this Psalm in the Exodus narrative, and it reiterates God’s covenantal relationship with His people. This relational framework keeps popping up throughout this Psalm—God is the rock of our salvation and the Lord our Maker. He is our God and we are His people.
The intersection of these seemingly juxtaposed characteristics reveals why we worship God. YHWH is both Maker of heaven and earth, and our Good Shepherd. He is the master of the universe, and yet He chooses to covenant with us. Who wouldn’t bow down and worship the Almighty God who chooses to come near?
Worship reminds us that God has provided, is providing, and will never stop providing. He is faithful, he is merciful, he is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. All he asks is that we remember.
The sincerity of our response is connected to our understanding of the revelation. To worship God, we must know Him as deeply as our finite humanity allows. Thomas Cranmer, the architect behind the Book of Common Prayer, intentionally placed Psalm 95 (Venite) at the beginning of Morning Prayer. Our daily encounter with this Psalm shapes our understanding of who we worship and why we worship.
Psalm 95 begins by proclaiming who we worship: “O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.” The Psalmist continues by stating that the Lord is a great God (v3), and the Maker of heaven and earth. “In His hands are the caverns of the earth, and the heights of the hills are His also,” but there’s more. Look again at the beginning of this Psalm: “O come,
But the Psalmist knows the human heart is prone to wander from this truth. That’s why he writes, “Harden not your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness.” An original Hebrew reader would remember the Exodus narrative, where the Israelites start complaining to God in the wilderness because they’re thirsty. “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” If there is anybody who should know the faithfulness of God, it’s the Israelites. God reveals himself to Israel by liberating them from slavery, by parting the Red Sea, and they respond with fickleness. Despite their unfaithful response, God is faithful. He gives them manna in the morning and quail at night. He draws water from the rock. The Psalmist wants us to remember God’s faithfulness, even when we put Him to the test.
Worship is an act of remembrance. And it’s an act of reorientation. Why do we make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation? Because it reminds us that there is a “rock of our salvation.” And there is water in the rock. Worship reminds us that God has provided, is providing, and will never stop providing. He is faithful, he is merciful, he is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. All he asks is that we remember.
Remembrance is our intent every Sunday. We remember God’s faithfulness, Christ’s sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit’s presence by responding through song and receiving the sacraments. We also respond through acts of service. There are plenty of opportunities to serve at New Chapel for everyone, particularly in the areas of technical support, greeting and ushering. If you are interested in serving, please contact me; we’ll find the position that best suits your gifting, skillset, and calling.
God is leading our church into a new season. New seasons are marked by change. On September 17, New Chapel services will shift from 11 am to 11:15 am. This will allow our church to prioritize our Christian Formation sessions from 10:15 – 11 am. I invite you to receive God’s revelation through these sessions, and respond in worship at our 11:15 am service.
Choir, Hand Bells, and Concerts!
BY RICK ZUCH, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
As we begin another season there are many exciting opportunities to praise God through music!
The adult choir resumes its weekly rehearsals on Thursday, September 7. Rehearsals take place in the choir room from 7:30 – 9 pm. Everyone is encouraged to join. We sing, pray, and laugh together.
The Good Samaritan hand bells are at the factory being restored after a decade of storage in the balcony. The bells are expected to be finished and back at the church at the beginning of September. More information on rehearsal day and time will be announced. Eight people have signed up so far for the bell choir—more are always welcome and needed! If you have interest in joining the Hand Bell Choir, please contact Rick Zuch.
Several concerts are scheduled this Fall. On Sunday, October 1 at 4 pm, the Amici Strings will present a concert. The Amici Strings is a professional string group under the direction of Philadelphia Orchestra Violinist, Paul Roby.
On Sunday, October 29, the Glen Loch Men’s Chorale returns to Good Samaritan under the direction of Gary Gress. In November, we are planning Bach concert with a small string orchestra. Repertoire will include a violin concerto, a piano concerto, and arias. Other performances will include our vocal soloists in a program of lighter music.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MUSIC PROGRAMS, CONTACT RICK ZUCH AT 610.420.3119 OR RICHARD.ZUCH@GOOD-SAMARITAN.ORG.
“Let us sing a new song, not with our lips, but with our lives.”
AUGUSTINE
Good Samaritan Dance Academy
BY KAREN WATKINS, DIRECTOR OF DANCE CHOIR
Training children, teens, and adults in ballet, expressive movement, character, pointe, hip hop, folk, and modern dance since 1983. We emphasize using art and life in worship before the Creator. Dance classes have been filled with hugs, laughter, and exertion for teen and adult classes this summer, with a recent crowded studio of 19 including two grandmothers, four mothers, six young adults, two high schoolers and five middle schoolers. Interested in trying ballet as a teen or adult? An open ballet class for beginners begins on Saturday mornings in September! Registration is now open for the 2023-2024 year, with classes for age three (potty-trained) to adult.
INTERESTED IN JOINING DANCE CHOIR? EMAIL KAREN AT DANCECHOIR@GOOD-SAMARITAN.ORG
Nurturing Growth
CHRISTIAN FORMATION FOR EVERY AGE
Good Sam Kids
BY KIMBERLY LINDQUIST, DIRECTOR OF FAMILY MINISTRIES
At the Church of the Good Samaritan, it is our prayer and hope that each child feels loved and valued as they come through our doors. Our purpose is to provide children with experiences that allow them to discover and grow in the love of Jesus, knowing that they are important members of the church.
We believe that even our youngest children have a place in the church, not just at the church. This fall, our children’s ministry will focus on embracing the rhythms and traditions of the church as a way to learn more about God’s love for us.
Sunday Morning Changes
We are so excited to announce changes for the fall kickoff of Sunday morning programming for our children and elementary students! We are very thankful to have outgrown our current class setup, and as a result, we will be adding two classes during the service times beginning on September 17. In addition, there will be a separate program (Sunday School class) during the Christian Formation Hour in between the 9 am and New Chapel services (from 10:15 – 11 am). As with all new things, we expect that there will be a learning curve, so please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OPTIONS PROVIDED FOR YOUR CHILD? PLEASE CONTACT KIMBERLY LINDQUIST AT KIMBERLY@GOOD-SAMARITAN.ORG
What will be the same?
If your child is an infant or up to Grade 2, the Sunday morning process will not change. Check in begins ten minutes before the service starts. Children in our younger elementary class (Pre-K4 – Grade 1) will be brought back into the service to join their families prior to Holy Communion.
What will be different?
Our nursery and toddler classrooms will not be combined. Each now has their own space. For students in Grades 2 – 5, they will check in, but stay with their families for the beginning of the 9 am or New Chapel service. Before the sermon, children will be dismissed. During this time, the 2nd – 4th grade students will participate in a children’s message and discussion, and Club 56 (for students in Grades 5-6) will meet separately. All students will return to the service prior to Holy Communion.
What rooms will the kids be in?
Infants through 1.5 years old | Nursery or until they are strong walkers
Jesus
said, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
UPCOMING
KIDS EVENTS
September 10
Ministries Fair Pancake Breakfast
September 17
Kickoff Sunday
October 28
Parish Fall Fest
December 3
Family Advent Wreath Making
December 9
St. Nicholas Brunch
Ages 1.5 – 3 years old | Toddler Room Younger Elem. Grades Pre-K4 – Grade 1 | Room 109 Upper Elem. Grades 2 – 5 | Church Library during services, Room 107 during Christian Formation Hour
GOOD SAM KIDS
5TH GRADERS!
We recognize the unique challenges of being just about finished with elementary school, but not quite ready for middle school. We know that also translates to feeling stuck right in the middle of Children’s ministry and Youth ministry. Our hope is to keep our 5th grade students connected with Children’s Ministry while also getting more comfortable with Youth Ministry. Beginning this fall, 5th graders will begin to meet with Club 56 during 9 am and New Chapel services, and will also be able to attend the Upper Elementary Class during Christian Formation Hour from 10:15 – 11 am.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING DURING SERVICES
During the 9 am and New Chapel services, students of all ages will hear a lesson that aligns with the Lectionary. For our younger students, there will be time for free play and connection before hearing the lesson for that day. Toddlers and Younger Elementary students at New Chapel will participate in Godly Play and reflection time. Godly Play engages the creative process to provide context for Biblical stories and language for children. (Our hope is to also be able to offer Godly Play at 9 am starting at the beginning of next year.) Our Upper Elementary students will read and discuss the readings for that day with hands-on activities as a way to reinforce our lessons.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION HOUR BEGINS SEPTEMBER 17
During Christian Formation Hour each Sunday (10:15 – 11 am), we are excited to have the opportunity to build our community for students. Those who typically attend the 9 am and New Chapel services will now overlap. During this time, we will provide snacks and students will engage in topical studies with hands-on activities, games, crafts and lessons, and conversation.
MOM’S BIBLE STUDY BEGINS SEPTEMBER 20! SEE PAGE 16 FOR MORE INFORMATION!
INTO THE WILD VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
We welcomed 100 kids (Preschool – Grade 5) to our Into the Wild VBS this June! We had an amazing week learning about what it means to let God guide our lives and the ways Jesus teaches us to follow Him. Children participated in worship, crafts, snacks, learning, and conversation with their peers and group leaders. Our success would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our amazing volunteers, both youth and adults, who brought the best energy all week! We closed our week with a Family Day on Friday which allowed parents and families to hear all about what we learned throughout the week, worship together, and enjoy some final activities, games, lunch, and connection! Our Men’s Ministry and boy scout troop 106 (which is chartered by Good Samaritan) provided us with an amazing grilled lunch despite the rain!
Good Sam Youth
BY JESSICA CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MINISTRIES
FULL CIRCLE MOMENTS
When I was a child growing up at Good Sam I used to think that the large cross hanging above the altar was the actual cross Jesus had been crucified on. I remember looking out from a red chair in the balcony and thinking our church must be pretty special if we were the ones who got to have that cross. I don’t know when I grew out of that belief, but I never surrendered the knowledge that Good Sam truly was (and is) a special place. While my friends at school bemoaned being dragged out of bed and to church, I ran down the halls to my classroom in hopes of seeing Mr. Attardi and his “Nelly Bell.” In middle school my friends didn’t quite understand what I did three weekends a year on “church retreats.” In high school when people discussed their summer vacations the first week of school, I explained what mission trips were. Good Sam was even different from other Episcopal churches I knew of—it had a service with music I loved and understood. I was joking with a friend recently that in my head the voice of God sounds like Rich Lunardi, an amazing man of God who passed away several years ago, but who served diligently with children at Good Sam, singing silly songs and putting on skits during “kids church.” I think that is what makes my return to Good Sam such a beautiful full circle moment. This is the church that taught me to seek after and hear the voice of God, even if it also sounds like the voice sometimes singing “Rubber Ducky.”
UNAPOLOGETICALLY MISSION MINDED
The leadership of Good Samaritan contributed to my life-long calling to cross-cultural ministry by providing opportunities to serve and learn at a young age. The very first time this shy teen dared to entertain the idea of being in Christian leadership was when I was
singled out to be the female student leader of the Standing Rock mission trip in tenth grade, and after graduating high school it was on that same trip to the reservation that I finally relented to God’s calling to youth ministry even with crippling anxiety around public speaking. Eventually moving to North Dakota to serve on Standing Rock was an adventure that only God could orchestrate, and he used those ten years to grow and shape me in remarkable ways. I found my voice and confidence in ministry, and I became a passionate learner of culture—Lakota and youth alike. Being on Young Life staff continued to drive home key tenants of my youth ministry philosophy:
• Relational ministry is far more effective than most things we do on a stage.
• Spend time with teenagers where they are (the community) not just where you hope they’ll be (your church events).
• Evangelism precedes discipleship and we need to do both well.
• It is harder to be a teenager today than it has ever been before (and that statement will always be true).
• The next generation is not the future of the Church but an important part of the Church we can all learn from today.
UPCOMING YOUTH EVENTS
September 10
Ministries Fair
Pancake Breakfast
September 17
Kickoff Sunday
September 29 –
October 1
Breakaway Middle School Retreat
October 20
High School Long Night Event
October 28
Parish Fall Fest
December 3
Family Advent Wreath Making
December 17
Youth Christmas Party
Hanging out with 10th grade girls
Jessica’s Baptism by Father Dan
Jessica’s Middle school “Urban Serve” mission trip to Kensington
GOOD SAM YOUTH COLLEGE MINISTRY
• Effective leaders have to be willing to earn the right to be heard (a theology of games, laughter, and getting pied in the face when necessary).
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUTH?
As we create space for our middle and high school friends to explore what it means to know and love God with every part of their lives, this fall I hope to focus on what it could look like for adolescents to ENJOY being part of the church and in the spring lean into what it means to ENGAGE in the church community. Starting with Kickoff on September 17 we will dive into a new rhythm for youth at Good Sam. We will have regularly scheduled programming, special events, and lots more of our leaders spending time with students outside of the church walls.
Discussion groups for both high school and middle school will happen during the Christian Formation Hour between the 9 am and New Chapel services. Not only will this be a great discipleship time for students, but it will also be an opportunity to bridge the relational gap between services.
Youth Group will move to its new time on Sunday evenings from 6 – 8 pm. Community, laughter, games, worship, a brief message, and some discussion will create a time where students can grow and also invite friends.
On September 10 at the Ministries Fair Pancake Breakfast, we will be registering students for kids and youth ministries for the year. Parents are invited to the Youth Group Kickoff on September 17 for dinner and a preview of this year’s program. RSVP to Jess to let her know your family will attend.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUTH PROGRAMMING AT GOOD SAM, OR GETTING INVOLVED AS A VOLUNTEER LEADER OR EVENT SUPPORTER, EMAIL JESS AT JESSICA@GOOD-SAMARITAN.ORG. YOU CAN ALSO CATCH US ON INSTAGRAM AT @GOODSAMYM.
College Ministry
BY DAN GARRISON EDWARDS AND KATIE STARONKA COLLEGE / CCO CAMPUS MINISTERS
The college ministry here at Church of the Good Samaritan partners with the CCO, a campus ministry organization, that believes this generation needs the gospel, the local church, and a vision for serving Christ in the world. This is why we, Daniel Garrison Edwards and Katie Staronka, are partnered here at Church of the Good Samaritan; to reach the college students that are already coming each week and to connect students from the many area colleges, in particular Eastern University, with a local community of believers.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned during the last few years of pandemic ministry it’s that accessible, consistent presence matters. The more we’ve been a consistent presence, the more curiosity there is. We believe that God became human—in what we call the incarnation—to be present with humanity. And because of that, we come to campus to be present in small ways, sometimes with a free donut.
And it’s that presence that matters to students. Now that pandemic restrictions have been officially lifted from all area campuses it’s our goal to be more present with students, particularly our Eastern Students. Whether it’s promoting Good Sam at Area Church Day, book and Bible Studies on campus, attending weekly chapel, or one-on-one discipleship you will often find both of us on campus.
Sunday morning church is still our largest gathering of college students throughout the week. With the Christian Formation Hour returning, we are excited to get students connected in these classes and with other believers. As you know, there are many opportunities to serve at Good Sam and we love to get the students involved with a variety of the ministries here. In all that we do we hope to spread the vision that All Things Matter to God, your studies and career, your campus, and of course The Church of the Good Samaritan.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY
InSight for Life: An Invitation
BY PAM BENNETT, INSIGHT FOR LIFE PROGRAM COORDINATOR
I marvel and give thanks for God’s faithfulness to the women’s Bible study ministry called InSight for Life. Seven years ago, a few of us had a vision for Good Sam to host a women’s Bible study that enabled our women to use their gifts of teaching, administration, hospitality, music, and prayer. We envisioned a place where women from all walks of life and generations could come together to grow in their knowledge of the Bible and their relationship with Jesus, and where they could experience the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. The hallmarks of the study became live worship and teaching, intimate small groups, prayer, and service. It is a place of belonging where women feel supported in the trials of their everyday lives and where they experience the love and grace of Jesus.
Each year the Lord brings new women, from inside and outside of Good Sam, through our doors. Some come for the inspiring teaching, and some come for the encouragement and joy they experience from
“I believe women come because it is a place they can be known, loved and supported in their faith journey.”
PAM BENNETT
the fellowship. But more than anything, Women come because it is a place they can be known, loved and supported in their faith journey. Being in such a community enriches their pursuit to know and follow Jesus in a more meaningful way.
If you haven’t already experienced InSight for Life, I encourage you to come and join us this fall! We will be studying 1 Corinthians, Paul’s first letter to Corinth—an encouraging 2000-year-old letter that shows us the world isn’t much different today; worldliness, spiritual disunity, struggles with sexual sin, marriage, and divorce. His tools for success focus on clarity and healing in doctrinal disputes, teaching on spiritual gifts, and encouraging Christians to be alert, firm, mature, and loving in a way that models Christ’s love for all!
To read more about the study on 1 Corinthians, or to complete the registration process, scan the QR code at right or visit good-samaritan.org/events/insight.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT PAM BENNETT AT GOODSAMINSIGHT@GMAIL.COM
FALL 2023 SCHEDULE
InSight for Life is offered on two different days and times—in person on Thursdays and via Zoom on Tuesdays.
Thursday Mornings September 21 –November 16 9:30 – 11:30 am Church of the Good Samaritan, Room 263 Tuesday Evenings September 19 –November 14 7 – 8:30 pm via Zoom
Scan to register!
Mom’s Bible Study
CHILDCARE AVAILABLE!
Wednesdays, beginning September 20, from 9:15 – 10:30 am
In collaboration with the Good Samaritan Day School, we are excited to offer a Bible study just for moms! Join us for a six-week study of Ruth Chou Simons book, When Strivings Cease, as we seek to find freedom from the never-ending quest for approval and affirmation by learning how to accept the undeserved gift of grace from a merciful God.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER, CONTACT KIMBERLY LINDQUIST AT KIMBERLY@GOOD-SAMARITAN.ORG
Men’s Ministry
BY GEORGE SCHEFFEY & JIM M C GUIRE, LEADERS
Men’s Ministry at Good Sam strives to support the men in the church in their ongoing walk with Christ by providing opportunities to grow in faith, to serve others, and to deepen their relationship with Jesus and one another. We do this through a number of activities that combine elements of discipleship and fellowship (and quite often great food), giving us an opportunity to get to know other men at a deeper level than is possible by just seeing each other on Sunday.
Men’s Breakfasts and Dinners
On April 22, Dr Phil Cary spoke on his book Good News for Anxious Christians, and on July 15, we heard from Rev’d Dr MacMillen Kiiru on his work in Africa and with World Vision.
The next Men’s Breakfast is Saturday, September 30, with speaker Chris Pak. Chris is a friend of the Hicks, and was part of the lay leadership that brought Antioch Bible Church to Good Samaritan’s Chapel (Sundays)
Men’s Retreats
The annual men’s retreat is usually held over a weekend in the fall, at a local or remote retreat center. This is a great opportunity to get away from our daily routines and spend quality, uninterrupted time with fellow parishioners. See sidebar at right for this year’s retreat information!
Men’s Bible Studies
Groups meet throughout the week for prayer, study, discipleship and fellowship. Deeper, trusted relationships are often developed in these groups. Join us for an hour on Wednesday mornings at 6:15 am or Friday mornings at 7:30 am. For more information, or if you are interested in starting another group, email mensministry@good-samaritan.org.
Service Opportunities
Café Good Sam – serving coffee and bagels Sundays between services, September through June.
Ministries Fair Pancake Breakfast – serving pancakes, sausage, and bacon on September 10, from 8:15 am – 1 pm.
Christmas Tree Sales – taking the lead on this important fundraising event for 2023, all proceeds benefit our HELPS ministry.
Other examples – cooking for picnics and sponsoring events such as the recent Family Bowling Night in August.
Upcoming Events
Hike at Hawk Mountain (open to all) – Saturday, October 28 Chili Cook-off and Game Night – November 11, 5 – 9 pm
All cooks are encouraged to bring their best chili dish to be judged against other entries, as we acknowledge the service of our Veterans. BYOG (bring your own game) for fellowship after the chili has been devoured!
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT GEORGE SCHEFFEY OR JIM MCGUIRE AT MENSMINISTRY@GOODSAMARITAN.ORG
UPCOMING MEN’S RETREAT
Growing
More in the Image of Christ
October 13–15 at Daylesford Abbey
WITH SPEAKER CHRIS HALL
I’m really looking forward to spending time with my pals on the men’s retreat. We’ll be learning together the process of formation into the image of Jesus. Paul writes in Colossians 1. 15 that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. So, we will be talking about how formation into Jesus’ image actually occurs. A thematic verse for the retreat is Galatians 5. 6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” We’ll chew on this text and others. And, of course, have lots of fun. CHRIS HALL
Join us on this retreat weekend designed for men who are desiring to grow as image-bearers of Christ—deepening relationship with God and with others. Embrace the opportunity to forge meaningful connections with like-minded men who are also on a journey of spiritual growth. For more information or to register, scan the QR code below or visit good-samaritan.org/events/mens-retreat.
OVERNIGHT ($200) AND COMMUTER ($100) OPTIONS AVAILABLE!
Scan to register!
Ministry Highlights
Good Samaritan Day School
Entering its 69th year, the Day School provides a nurturing environment, with a play-based hands on curriculum. Our verse for this year is: This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! From our Parent/Toddler class to our funfilled Kindergarten, 220 students are enrolled in the Day School. Our 38 teachers and three full-time administrative staff work together to provide a loving and nurturing environment.
We ensure that students requiring support services are integrated and served through close collaboration with both public and private providers. We strive to deliver a tailored and exceptional experience for every child.
THE DAY SCHOOL HAS AN OPENING FOR AN ENERGETIC CERTIFIED PRE K TEACHER. CONTACT BARB CONDIT AT BARB.CONDIT@GOOD-SAMARITAN.ORG.
TWICE IS NICE
Fall Kids Consignment Sale
Tuesday, Sept. 26
9 am – 8 pm
Wednesday, Sept. 27
9 am – 3 pm
Thursday, Sept. 28
9 am – 1 pm (half-price)
Kids & Maternity Clothing / Swings Strollers / Furniture / Swings Sports Equip. / Games / Books
CONSIGNERS ARE NEEDED!
CONTACT DONNA HOGAN AT TVINFOWOMAN@YAHOO.COM
New Life Thrift Shop
“My
favorite part of the day is the morning— watching our children enter school with huge smiles on their faces running to get to their teachers and friends.”
BARB CONDIT
AUTUMN MARKET
Tuesday, Oct. 24 | 6 – 8 pm
Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 9 am – 12 pm Fall is the perfect time to get your holiday shopping underway while supporting local businesses and the Day School. Vendors will be offering jewelry, unique gifts, custom embroidered and monogrammed items, yummy treats, candles, soaps, and more.
VENDORS NEEDED!
CONTACT MICHELE GREENOCKLE AT MOUNTAINFORGEFARM@GMAIL.COM
This amazing shop was started in 1975 in a small space in Paoli and shortly thereafter moved to the church basement where it shared the space with the Boy Scouts troop. Since then the shop has grown from the musty basement to a spacious store that is operated by 30 volunteers. The shop sells items that have been donated by church members and also the local community. Sales have increased from $4,500 in 1975 to over $78,000 in 2022. Funds raised by New Life Thrift Shop go to Outreach Missions helping families in need locally and abroad. If you have not taken the time to shop at New Life, please visit soon!
NEW LIFE THRIFT SHOP IS OPEN TUES – FRI 10 AM – 4 PM AND SAT 10 AM – 1 PM
Meals Ministry
Are you someone who finds joy in cooking, serving, and praying for others? The Meals Ministry is seeking enthusiastic volunteers who are willing to whip up hearty and nutritious meals for fellow parishioners who temporarily need a helping hand. By extending this act of kindness, we’re striving to embody Jesus as we serve with our hands and feet. We would love to add additional volunteer names to the list that could be available to be asked to occasionally prepare a meal. As a need becomes known, meals ministry leaders will extend an invitation to volunteers to cook when convenient for their schedule. It is helpful to have many volunteers on the list. Your participation can make a real difference in brightening someone’s day.
CONTACT KATHY CAMPBELL AT 610.715.4805 OR KMCWRIPSUN@GMAIL.COM OR JESSICA CARDWELL AT 610.213.7165 OR CARDWELLJ@YAHOO.COM
Good Samaritan Food Closet
BY MARY ERNST, FOOD CLOSET LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBER
Good Samaritan’s Food Closet is an active, multi-faceted ministry, and one of our largest, requiring many volunteers throughout the week.
Throughout the year, several of our 200+ volunteers pick up groceries 2,700 times to serve approximately 300 households.
Volunteers are involved every day of the week. Monday is Wegmans bread/dessert pickup day; Carole and George Scheffey have faithfully served in this role but are now looking for others to help. On Tuesdays a group of volunteers receive donations, check dates, and arrange storage in several locations throughout the church.
The 200,000+ pounds of food distributed comes from individuals, Chester County Food Bank, Wawa, Acme, Wegmans, and Target. Jane McGowan and Robert MacMillan are responsible for food acquisition; they keep close tabs on our inventory since our numbers and needs fluctuate. From spring through fall, we are blessed with an abundance of fresh produce from a variety of sources including many local gardens. Jane McGowan, Reuben Garrett, and others work diligently each Wednesday to do quality inspection on the veggies and bag them.
Thursdays are distribution days. Each month on the first and third Thursday, the Food Closet runs from 9 – 11 am; the second and fourth Thursdays from 5 – 7 pm. Joan Lodge manages the nearly 50 volunteers to handle distribution. Our recipients come from all over Chester County, spanning all ages. Some are regulars and others come for a brief time. Any given week throughout the year, we serve between 40 and 60+ households.
STATISTICS FROM JULY 2022 – JUNE 2023
262 Families registered
822 individuals (276 children, 387 adults, 159 seniors)
2,381 families served
275,549 pounds of food distributed
200+ volunteers
A number of our recipients comment on the fact that we provide them with choices, as they select items from a list. The shelves in our small “closet” are well stocked with basics such as cereals, pastas, canned vegetables and fruit, peanut butter, and condiments. The freezers and refrigerators overflow with chicken, meat, cheese, milk, and eggs. We also supply toilet paper, laundry detergent, shampoo, and other personal items. Recipients also appreciate that at Good Samaritan’s Food Closet they are treated with love and respect.
We have grown in the past few years both in numbers of clients served as well as volunteers needed for the many tasks each week. The time we spend with one another as volunteers— checking expiration dates, storing, organizing, setting up for the week, and praying at the beginning of our distribution—has created its own sense of community. Our volunteers have become “regulars” and look forward to their shifts each week. The Food Closet leadership team meets once a month and includes George and Maria Gomas; George and Carole Scheffey; Linda Haver, Mary Ernst, Heather Bailey, Jane McGowan, Ron Miros, Cheryl Gibson, Joan Lodge, Robert MacMillan, Barb Atmore, and Roxy Dunning.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO VOLUNTEER, CONTACT JOAN LODGE AT 610.453.7906 OR JDLODGE@VERIZON.NET
MISSIONS Local & Global Impact
BY DEBBIE VOLK, MISSIONS COMMITTEE
The Church of the Good Samaritan supports many individual missionaries, ministries, and organizations. It is the hope of the Missions Committee that one or more of these missions would appeal to individuals in the congregation, encouraging them to offer support through prayer, volunteering, or financial gifts. We have been blessed to have visits so far this year from Jeff Potts, Ron Irene, Dave Henderson, and Frank Bernardi. In the future we hope to highlight other missions as well. It is through serving others that we truly encounter Christ.
GOOD SAM MISSIONS IS FUNDED THROUGH THREE SOURCES
1. Church Operating Budget – tithe of 10 percent
2. Donations
3. New Life Thrift Shop
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Rose Smith and her team at the Thrift shop for their hard work in helping our church to have an even greater impact – last year the Thrift shop raised over $78,000. Whatever you did for one
of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
MATTHEW 25. 40
EVANGELIZATION
High School
FOCUS Outreach to area private schools
Young Life Outreach to public middle and high school students
U.S.
Alpha 10-week course to share the gospel, Bonnie O’Neil, Director
Neighborhood Church A church plant in Utah, David Henderson
Scripture Union Producing resources to help people grow in faith
Jeff Potts InterVarsity, serving Boston area college students
World
Diocese of Bolivia Discipleship training/ leadership programs, food for the poor
Ron Irene Serving in Paraguay, priest at two churches and a Christian school
Phil and Julie Steiner Ministering in Central Asia
Frank and Anne Bernardi Ministering in North Africa for over 20 years
EDUCATION
St. James School Episcopal school serving 4th – 8th grades in Philadelphia
Mwamba Offering scholarships for high school students and seminarians in Kenya
COLLEGE STUDENT OUTREACH
Dan Garrison Edwards and Katie Staronka Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO), reaching out to students at Eastern University and West Chester University in partnership with Church of the Good Samaritan
CRISIS PREGNANCY SUPPORT
Amnion Providing counseling, baby items, parenting classes and post-abortion counseling in Drexel Hill and Norristown
Young Lives Supporting teen moms in 13 locations in Delaware Valley
SERVING THE POOR
City Team Residential program for the homeless and those struggling with addiction
Good Samaritan Services provides resources for homeless and poor
Ninos con Valor Orphanage in Bolivia
The Philadelphia Project Providing home repairs, after-school programs, summer camps for youth and also is working to revitalize churches
Water Missions Providing clean water for underdeveloped communities, areas struck by natural disaster, and refugee camps
Have You Considered Becoming an Acolyte?
The Acolytes are one of the groups of volunteers that help in Church Services by assisting the Priest and Subdeacon/Deacon in the preparation of the Altar. The Acolyte’s service begins by leading the approach to the altar with the processional cross and torches. Their active participation also encompasses the Gospel Procession, where they process alongside the Gospeler.
The Acolytes listen and are attentive to their tasks during Holy Communion. An Acolyte presents the Chalices to the Deacon. Another Acolyte undertakes the important act of handwashing and conveys the water and wine to the altar. An Acolyte also assumes the duty of receiving the offering plates from the ushers, who bring forward the collection, wine, and communion wafers.
Acolytes also play a significant role in funerals, often conducted when children are in school, so we are particularly interested in welcoming adults who have availability during the weekday to serve, especially for funeral services. Your involvement as an Acolyte not only contributes to the meaningfulness of our worship but also imparts valuable lessons to the younger generation.
Historically, the very first Acolyte was the Prophet Samuel. Entrusted to Eli, the High Priest, by his mother, Samuel served at the Temple. His responsibility was to ensure the lamp had ample olive oil throughout the night, offering assistance to Eli. Just as Samuel’s role was vital, Acolytes today play a key role in our services and in supporting the Priest.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BECOMING AN ACOLYTE, CONTACT BRUCE ACKERMAN AT BHACKERPERSON@AOL.COM
The Order of the Daughters of the King
BY ROSE ELY
The Order of the Daughters of the King was founded in 1885 by Margaret J. Franklin who led the women in her Sunday school class to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Daughters take a vow to live by a Rule of Life which includes a spiritual discipline of daily prayer, service and evangelism. The order is open to women of all ages from 18 to 108. To join, women participate in 13 classes of discernment.
Praying for parishioners’ requests is a blessing. Meeting together at Diocesan, Provincial, and Triennial Assemblies with local, national, and international Daughters shows how far and wide the presence of The Order is in the world. Our motto asks, Lord, what will you have me do?
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT ROSE ELY AT JIMS1ROSE@COMCAST.NET
Do you enjoy making others feel welcome?
We’re looking for cheerful volunteers to join us as greeters and ushers, working together to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere at Good Sam. Let’s make our church a true haven of belonging!
CONTACT STEWART CRUMPLER AT STEWART.CRUMPLER@VERIZON.NET
We hope you have enjoyed reading the latest edition of The Samaritan .
Opportunities for service at The Church of the Good Samaritan extend beyond what we’ve shared within these pages. Here are a few additional ministries looking for individuals who are interested in serving:
Altar Guild – Betsy Williams, willbest1120@gmail.com
Library – Betsy Williams, willbest1120@gmail.com
Eucharistic Ministers – Mary Ernst, maryernst284@gmail.com
Prayer – Mary Anne Weightman, mweightman@calldec.com
212 West Lancaster Avenue | Paoli, PA 19301
info@good-samaritan.org | 610.644.4040 good-samaritan.org
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THE 2023 PARISH PICNIC A WONDERFUL EVENT! YOUR EFFORTS MADE THIS EVENT TRULY SPECIAL!
Upcoming Events
SEPTEMBER 8 | 7 – 9 pm
Fall Hoedown: A Square Dance
SEPTEMBER 10 | 8:15 am – 1 pm
Ministries Fair Pancake Breakfast
SEPTEMBER 17
Fall Kickoff Sunday
SEPTEMBER 19 / 21
InSight for Life Bible Study (weekly)
SEPTEMBER 20 | 6:30 pm
Alpha (weekly through December 6)
SEPTEMBER 24
Adult Christian Formation Series: A Different Way with Chris Hall (weekly for six weeks)
SEPTEMBER 26 – 28
Twice is Nice Consignment Sale
SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 1
Middle School Retreat
SEPTEMBER 30 | 8:30 – 10 am
Men’s Breakfast with Chris Pak
OCTOBER 1 | 4 pm
Amici Strings Concert
OCTOBER 13 – 15
Men’s Retreat with Chris Hall
OCTOBER 20
High School Long Night Event
OCTOBER 24 – 25
Day School Autumn Market
OCTOBER 28
Parish Fall Fest and Fall Hike / Hawk Mountain
OCTOBER 29
Glen Loch Men’s Chorale Concert
NOVEMBER 11 | 5 – 9 pm
Chili Cook-off and Game Night