CHRISTMAS CAROLING THROUGH LEWISBURG
UIC joined Christ Lutheran to go caroling through Lewisburg!
CHRISTMAS BLESSING BAGS
47 blessing bags were put together this year and handed out to every resident at Country Comfort Assisted Living and to each of our Senior Express participants. Blessings bags contained lotion, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, chap stick, bandages, candy, and a Christmas card.
Theology on Tap
Do you have some burning questions about the Bible, faith, or God?
In December we started a new thing at UIC, Theology on Tap! We meet every other week. Bring your questions to put in the stein, grab your drink of choice, and be ready to dive into our faith together as a group—we might not settle on an answer, but we can at least try! Email Pastor Justin or Vicar Katy if you plan to attend or have any questions about the specifics.
New Grief Support Group
Joined together, with the communities of Milton Lutheran Church, United In Christ have started a new monthly grief support group. The location for each monthly gathering rotates between the congregations. Each month we focus on a chapter in Julie Yarbough’s Beyond the Broken Heart: A Journey Through Grief. If you find yourself struggling with grief after the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, or the overall strain on your being, know that this group is for you. No matter where you are on the journey you are welcomed here.
Trunk-or-Treat
UIC partnered with Saint Paul’s UCC and Milton Lutheran Church for our first Trunk-or-Treat.
Harvest Home Sunday
UIC collected food items for Milton Panther Packs!
Blessing of the Animals
Together with Pr. Gary Schaeffer and the community of faith at the Milton Lutheran Parish and Christ Evangelical Church, we gathered to give thanks for the blessing of all God’s creatures. Traditionally falling close to the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, this time was an opportunity to give thanks for the creatures and critters in our own lives!
Ham and Bean Soup
Another successful year at the Milton Harvest Festival! Proceeds this year went to the Lutheran Disaster Response. We made $1,951.44!!
We are proud to become a Reconciling in Christ partner in ministry! You can read more here.
Prayground
Our new Prayground is designed as a space for students to be during worship, if they would like. Its location gives them a unique perspective to take in what is going on throughout the service each week! We will be setting out a number of quiet toys and activities for them to make use of within the bounds of the creation themed rug week after week. As we teach more about the space during the children’s message the next few weeks (about the boundaries of the space, what we can do in it, etc.), you can help us out by sharing your excitement with the students and reinforcing what they learn about the space! Parents/guardians who want to be nearby while their students make use of the Prayground are invited to use the front pews closest to the area up front.
Graduate Sunday, along with a Baptism
On Sunday, August 21 we celebrated two of our members that just graduated high school. Sarah is attending Arizona State University, majoring in Speech and Hearing Science. Mya Cromwell is attending Kutztown University, majoring in 4-8 grade Elementary Education with a focus on Math-Social Studies.
Pastor Justin and Vicar Katy also baptized Dylan Cromwell.
Blessing of Backpacks
Every year Social Ministry takes up a collect for backpacks and school supplies which get donated to the Milton School District to be given to children in need in our community.
We also tell the congregation to bring their own backpacks so we can bless them along with all the items the congregation donated. We have two teachers in the congregation so they even brought theirs!
Welcome Vicar Katy!!
Our pastoral intern is here and we couldn’t be happier! Vicar Katy will be with us for the next 10 months.
OAKS Senior Center
OAKS meets once a month on the second Tuesday of the month. Before Covid, our average attendance was around 55, post Covid our average attendance has been around 18. OAKS Senior Center had 30 seniors attend in August! God is Good!!
Taryn Wilk, from Evangelical Community Hospital, gave a presentation on Strong Body, Strong Mind.
Christmas in July
Summer Day Camp
We hosted a free Camp Mount Luther Day Camp in conjunction with Milton Lutheran Church at West Milton Memorial Park July 11th– July 15th. Camp was open to children in grades K-5. Camp Mount Luther staff lead each day with Bible stories, songs, crafts, games, and worship. There was also be a special activity each day, including a full day at Camp Mount Luther!
Welcome New Members
On Sunday, June 5, Pentecost Sunday, we welcomed new members to United In Christ.
(front) Charlie and Lizzie Sprenkle
(back) Garrett Baker, Bonnie Katherman, Heather Allegar, Donna Corazza, Pastor Justin, Kristin and Randy Sprenkle.
UIC Family Picnic
We have combined the Sons Banquet and the Daughters Banquet in to one new event, UIC Family Picnic! A new tradition at UIC!!
We got to meet Vicar Katy during the Family Picnic! Vicar Katy will begin her internship at UIC in August.
We enjoyed some much needed fellowship time!!
We had a Cornhole Competition, congratulations to Jim and Kathy Arndt for winning!
We played some Minute To Win It games.
We had a Water Balloon Slingshot!
Crafts and activities for the kids.
Pastor Justin was ordained on June 10, 2017. We were able to keep it a secret and surprised Pastor Justin for his 5th ordination anniversary. We took up a collection and with those donations we put together a coffee basket for Pastor Justin.
He is a BIG coffee drinker!
One of UIC’s members, Theresa Furman, quilted a rainbow stole for pastor.
Rich Huff Fund Scholarships
Each year the Rich Huff Committee awards area students a $500 scholarship. This year three scholarships were awarded.
(L) Mya Cromwell, member of UIC, is from the Milton School District . Mya will be attending Kutztown University, majoring in elementary education for grades 4-8 with a concentration in math and social studies.
(M) Sara Harter is from the Mifflinburg School District. Sara will be attending Penn State, majoring in communication sciences and disorders.
(R) Madison Walter is also from the Mifflinburg School District. Madison will be attending Bloomsburg University, majoring in nursing.
Congratulations to each of you and may you go forward in life and do great things!
Dialogues Study Series: Dialogues on Sexuality
In this Dialogues on Sexuality series. we will gather each week to reflect on a chapter provided by various authors with a corresponding video for discussion.
This series will also help us at UIC as we work to develop a Welcome Statement for the congregation by giving us the opportunity to tackle topics including sex and marriage, gender identity, and inclusive faith communities. Given the nature of this study and the work it means for UIC, participation in these Dialogues series is highly encouraged for our members.
Recognizing its importance, UIC’s Congregational Council has also agreed to make the accompanying books for this study free to all participants!
Scout Sunday
On Sunday, April 24th we were blessed to worship with all of the girl, cub, and boy scout groups that meet weekly at UIC.
Christ is risen. Alleluia!
A huge shout-out and thank you to Sharon Weiser, Sue Keifer, and Carol Troxell for decorating the sanctuary for Easter.
You ladies do great work!
Community Egg Hunt
Reflections of Dialogues on Race
The following reflection was written by UIC member Theresa Furman as she reflected on her experience with our latest Dialogues on Race study series.
Two years have passed since you welcomed my husband and me into your family. Although we felt welcomed, we chose to join this church because we saw the love that you had for each other. We are a family. Not only do we enjoy the friendships we have made, we also welcome the opportunities for service. Such a small congregation makes a big impact on the community.
One of the opportunities we have enjoyed the past two years are the book studies. The latest book, “Dialogues on Race”, presented many facets of racism and prejudices for discussions. I was surprised to learn that Christianity was used to justify and perpetuate slavery and the treatment of people of color as subhuman. I was surprised to learn that slavery did not end with the civil war. Although I see the horrors of the families of people such as Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, I was surprised to learn how little ground we have gained in making them equal in this country. The fact that Native Americans were not allowed to practice their spirituality in this country until 1978 was shocking!! Equally shocking was that many of these Native Americans were sent to “residential boarding schools” to purge them of their Native American identity. The first and largest of these government funded schools was located in our backyard; Carlisle, Pennsylvania! The plight of women in American history was not as shocking to me. The lack of rights and equality for women is at least touched upon in history classes. I do not recall; however, how intrinsically connected women’s rights were to those of the people of color. We covered many more concepts than I listed here.
Everyone learned a great deal about racism and more importantly about themselves. And I still have much to learn. The importance of learning the history of our past is to learn not to repeat the same mistakes and to create a better future for the generations to come. We have certainly made some progress since the civil war, but we still have a long road ahead. My husband and I often disagree on the viewpoints or solutions because we have experienced different stations and backgrounds. Just as my husband and I come from different places, marginalized communities also come from different places and cultures. We have the choice to listen and learn or walk away. Those marginalized communities do not have the same choice. The beauty of God’s grace is that, although we may disagree, we can listen and learn from each other. We are respectful. We are learning to listen.
If you think Pastor Justin is amazing with the Sunday services, you will find him an extraordinary leader with the book series. He will be leading us on our next adventure into the prejudices and misconceptions of the LGBTQIA+ community with the next book, “Dialogues on Sexuality”. Please join us Wednesday evenings beginning in May for fun, fellowship and spiritual growth. The series is free including the book. Every voice is heard without judgement and every viewpoint is valued……and you don’t want to miss Bob Swartz’s rabbit holes! Since we felt so welcomed, we feel compelled to do the work necessary to ensure that everyone who may walk through the church doors feels as welcomed.
God Bless!
Theresa Furman
Senior Express Food Ministry
June 2021 UIC received our first delivery of food boxes for seniors from The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. UIC is running this ministry differently than most participants, we are delivering the boxes. There are only a few in the state that do this. We know they are some that can’t drive to a food bank to pick up their food, maybe they don’t have a car, or can’t find a ride. Maybe they are physically unable to stand in a line and wait.
1 year later and we have gone from 10 participants in our Senior Express food program to 24.
If you know someone that would like to signup, please call the office at 570-568-2254.
Welcome Area
When you enter through the main, large wood doors, entrance to the church you will find our Welcome Area. Here you can pick up the latest newsletter, also available in large print, any of the 3 different daily devotionals, Our Daily Bread, Christ In Our Home, and The Word In Season. You can also help yourself to the monthly Living Lutheran magazine.
The large basket is for donations of food which then get taken to the Our Little Free Pantry in West Milton.
Dialogues Study Series
Join us for our new study series on
Wednesdays at 6:30pm!
Using the ELCA’s Dialogues series, we will begin March with Dialogues on Race, a weekly study that will help us to engage with our understandings of race within our communities and our church. Each week we will gather to reflect on a chapter provided by various authors with a corresponding video for discussion. This series will also help us at UIC as we prepare a new Welcome Statement for the congregation by giving us an inward glimpse of what genuine welcome looks like across racial lines. Given the nature of this study and the work it means for UIC, participation in these Dialogues series (look for another after Easter) is highly encouraged for our members. Recognizing its importance, UIC’s Congregational Council has also agreed to make the accompanying books for this study free to all participants!
Postcard Ministry
Miss seeing someone at church?
Want to let a member know you are thinking about them?
We’ve started a new ministry at UIC called Postcard Ministry. On the bulletin board at the back of the fellowship hall you’ll find Thinking of You postcards, a table to sit down and write at, and a Church Directory for you to look up addresses. The office will put postage on it and mail it out.
SHARING OUR TABLES
Milton’s Community Meal
In 2016 Milton Lutheran churches began serving a bi-monthly community meal. Then Covid hit and the meals paused.
In June 2021 the meals resumed with the collaboration of MLC (Milton Lutheran Church) and Saint Paul’s UCC. MLC and Saint Paul’s have been serving around 220 people at each community meal. They do a drive-though at 1125 Mahoning St., Milton and also deliver meals to Milton Towners and Milton Developmental Services.
UIC is happy to announce we are joining the partnership! We normally serve around 250 meals. We also deliver meals to Milton Towers and Milton Developmental Services.
You can help buy items by writing “Community Meal” on your offering envelope or by selecting “Community Meal” on our on-line giving platform, Tithely.
Here are some photos from SHARING OUR TABLES community meal.
OAKS Senior Center opens back up!
Since Covid hit the area in March 2019, we continued feeding our seniors by either delivering them a meal or having them pick the meal up drive-thru style at church.
We are happy to announce we are completely back up!
10:00 am – Doors Open
10:30 am – Free Bingo with prizes
11:30 pm – Presentation/Activity
12:00 pm – Free Lunch
OAKs is open to the public. All are welcome to join us!
I would like to share a few kind words and words of encouragement.
In recent years I have decided to make donations/gifts to the congregation that has been a true corner stone in the foundation of building my spiritual growth and faith journey.
Although my current membership is not with United In Christ (UIC), UIC has continued to welcome me, and treat me as a family member and congregational member.
During baptism, the family members, sponsors and congregation are asked to support the person being baptized. To help guide them, educate and to feel welcome to the body of Christ. UIC, since my baptism has done just that, and never skipping a beat.
UIC and it’s members continue to impact and surprise me with their bountiful growth spiritually upward, inward and outward.
Before Pastor Justin beats me to it in the next week or so, I would like to share that I have donated a gift to the church. I know UIC is not a congregation to worry about the sparkles, bells and whistles. This congregation likes to put that energy into its mission. I like to think of gifts I can contribute as the time comes.
The gift I am donating to the church is a new 6 piece set of communion vessels. One flagon, one paten, two intinction chalices and two pourable chalices. The set is all handmade pottery, by a potter in Ohio.
This is a gift to the people of God, the disciples at UIC. Past, present and future.
Thanks be to God!
~ By Garrett Baker
Updating UIC’s Constitution.
Click here to view UIC’s constitution which will be getting voted on at the Congregational meeting.
Souper Bowl Sunday
We collected food for Milton Panther Packs for Souper Bowl of Caring.
The scout groups that meet at UIC helped deliver the food collected to
Milton Panther Packs Ministry at St. Andrew’s church in Milton.
Valentine’s Day Care Packages
We blessed our 5 college students for Valentine’s Day so they knew we were thinking about them.
New Sign
Our new signs have been installed, one on each side of the brick, as well as new lighting for the signs. Here is a before and after.
– BEFORE –
– AFTER –
