Zion’s (Spies) Evangelical Reformed Church
OCTOBER 2025
Parson’s points
A PLENTIFUL HARVEST
I love this time of year! The farmer’s market is overflowing with wonderful fresh things. What should I buy this week? Will it be apples and peaches for pies? Or perhaps zucchini and eggplant, to give us a healthy change from pasta night. It’s also the time for us to bring in the last of our garden yield for the season. I remember last year I had so many bell peppers because the potted plants just kept producing well into autumn.
But the harvest is also the time of work. Hard work. Picking, husking, peeling, chopping, canning, freezing. baking, and cooking. It can be an exhausting time of year too. Sometimes, when your back and feet are sore from standing in the kitchen all day, you need something to motivate you to keep going. Is all the hard work really going to be worth it? Fortunately. I’m usually rewarded by the look on my kids’ and grandkids’ faces when they see all the homemade goodies we bring out for the holidays.
We are all called to be harvest workers in God’s kingdom as well, sharing his word and His love with our neighbors, near and far. The Apostle Paul used harvest as an illustration in Galatians 6 when he wanted to encourage Jesus’ followers not to give up. He said, ” Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
At this time, as we are enjoying the abundance of the field harvest, let’s share that joy
with others, in Jesus name. In His service,
Pastor Vaughn & Lisa Starr
SUNDAY SCHOOL MEETING
Tuesday, October 6th @ 7:30 P.M.
SPIES DART BASEBALL
October 1st – @ Christ Luth. Spangsville
October 8th – @ Spies Lutheran
October 15th – @ Spies Lutheran (Grace)
October 22nd – @ Zion’s Spies E.R.
October 29th – @ BYE
MEN’S MINISTRIES
As always, Zion’s (Spies) Men’s Ministries invites all men of the congregation to participate in our meetings and activities. We will meet.
October 11th @ 8:00 A.M.
WORLD WIDE COMMUNION SUNDAY
“This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
“This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2025 @ 10:30 A.M.
BE WITH US AS WE SHARE THE BREAD AND WINE WITH CHRISTIANS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD REMEMBERING CHRIST’S
SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS, GIVEN FOR OUR SINS.
BREAKFAST CLUB
October 8th, @ 8 A.M. @ Chatty’s
October 21st, @ 8 A.M. @ Breakfast Hut
OLEY FAIR HELP
A “BIG THANK YOU” to everyone who helped at the Oley Fair. It was greatly appreciated.
THE CHOSEN – Tuesday evenings at 7:00 at the Starr’s home in Temple. Are you free on Tuesday evenings and looking for something to do? Join us at our home in Temple at 7 PM to watch The Chosen – Season 5.
OCTOBER 12th HYMN SING
At the 10:30 A.M. service we will be having a Hymn Sing during the message time while Pastor Starr is in Pakistan
OCTOBER 12th
PASTOR APPRECIATION DAY
We would like to shower Pastor Starr & Rev. Marisseau with cards to show our appreciation. There will be a basket on October 5th, 12th & 19th to collect all your cards and/or small tokens of appreciation. Pastor Starr will return from Pakistan on October 25th
LAYMAN’S SUNDAY
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19th – 10:30 A.M.
Members of the church family will participate in the morning service and the message will be given by Max Muller
REFORMATION SUNDAY
October 26, 2025-10:30 A.M.
Pastor Marisseau will share the message
ELDERS/CONSISTORY MEETING
Our next meeting will be MONDAY,
October 20th Stewardship @ 6:30 P.M.
Elders @ 7:00 P.M. Consistory @ 7:30 P.M.
NEWSLETTER ARTICLES
ARE DUE THE SECOND TO LAST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH
BOSCOV’S FRIENDS HELPING FRIENDS
Would you like to donate $5 to support Women’s Ministries? In return, you get a 25% Off Shopping Pass for Boscov’s to be used on October 22nd instore or online. See Sue Barnett for a 25% off pass.
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES is selling tickets for a small cold sandwich from M&M’s Sandwich Shop in Oley. Please see Sue Barnett for tickets. Cost $7.00
HELP OUR HOMELESS VETERANS
LUNCHES ITEMS DUE NOVEMBER 16th
ALONG WITH 30 CARE PACKAGES
We will be looking for small bags of chips, pretzels, Tastykake’s, fresh fruit, small plastic containers of fruit or applesauce, or puddings (ones that don’t need a can opener). Signups on the table in the Narthex if you wish to contribute personal care items or lunch items or call the church office during the week. It can be dropped off on Sundays in the Narthex or given to Sue during the week when Sue is in the office. Mon. –Thurs. 9am-2pm
They are no longer taking clothes, blankets or sleeping bags. Donations they do need are hand soap, wipes, toilet paper, and paper towels. Envelopes available on top of the mailboxes if you would like to make a monetary donation. Our thanks to all that support this mission. Because God gives us all we need, we should give to those in need.
BIRTHDAY CARD SHOWER SHEETS
for September thru December available on the Narthex table for anyone willing to participate in sending cards to church family members
80 yrs. & over. Also available on our website.
PRAYER MUG EXCHANGE
Bring back your prayer partner’s mug. Mugs will be ready for the taking in October. The idea behind the mug exchange is to form pairs in which each person has the other’s mug. Partners should have each others’ mugs and pray for one another and possibly meet together with one another getting to know each other better.
STEWARDSHIP
We have begun the process of developing a budget for 2026. Your input on next year’s budget is important. Please come and join us in developing the 2026 budget. Our next meeting is October 20th @ 6:30 P.M.
Pastor Vaughn in Pakistan – October 6–25
Please keep Pastor Starr in prayer during his trip to visit the missions he and Lisa have been supporting in Pakistan. Pray for safety and for the success of the mission to reach and support Christians in need.
Altar Flower Sponsors Needed
Oct. 19th and many Nov. dates
Please think about sponsoring flowers.
JUST A REMINDER! Please remember to notify the church office regarding anyone in the hospital or of any transfers from hospitals to home or to any other facility. It becomes difficult sometimes to keep up with everyone’s moves, which results in extra traveling. Thanks so much.
REDNER’S SAVE A TAPE PROGRAM
This year we have received $401.04 so far.
Our church gets 1% of the total of your register receipts. You must have a SAVE A TAPE card which you can get at your store’s courtesy desk. Thank you for your continued support.
Customers must use their Pump Perks/1% Save-A-Tape card for purchase. This will be noted on the bottom of the receipt. Please submit the whole receipt (cannot be cut off) in the wooden box on top of the food cupboard in the church narthex. Please do not use a highlighter marker on your receipts, it can erase the totals. All receipts must be dated within three years prior to the date of submission. Fuel purchases are not considered. Thank you.
Christmas Cantata Choir Members Needed
The choir will start working on the Christmas Cantata soon, and we could use extra voices.
We work extra hard on the cantata especially in November, but you are welcome to join us sooner! See Jeff Griffin if you are interested!
EVANGELISM & OUTREACH
Thank you to all who contributed food for Harvest Home. All food was taken to The Hope Rescue Mission Pantry. Remember we accept non-perishable food items all year; they can be placed in the cabinet in the Narthex.
Advent Season starts on November 30th.
We will only be putting in RED poinsettias this year. Order forms will be included in the November newsletter or may be found on the table in the Narthex mid-October.
Don’t forget our Homeless Veterans Mission. Lunches and Care Packages for November, items due Nov. 16th
CALENDARS & DAYPLANNERS
The various charities are starting to send out their 2026 calendars. If you do not want them, please bring them to the church and give to Linda Wilson. She will pass them on to the soup kitchen
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
Fall has officially arrived and now we ladies of Women’s Ministries will be busy preparing for the bazaar on November 1st. It will begin with an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet from 7:00-11:00 A.M. prepared by the Men’s Ministries-$10/person. Once again, we will be selling Christmas cookies at $10 per pound; also, various baked goods will be available for purchase. Also, we would be thankful for any baked goods donations from the women of our church. Craft vendors are always welcome to participate and once again the charge to rent a table is $10
Harvest Home Sunday which was held last month was another time we asked the ladies of our church to provide baked goods for the sale we had after the church service. As always, we never run out of homemade baked items thanks to all the donated pastries we receive. We do appreciate what is provided anytime we ask you ladies for help. Because of you our sales are a success!
Tickets from M & M Sandwich Shop are still being sold by us at $7 apiece for a small cold sandwich. And don’t forget the One Day Only (October 22nd) 25% off Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends shopping pass we are selling for $5 each. You can’t beat that discount and it’s a good time to start your Christmas shopping. Also on the back of the pass are other offers. See Sue Barnett for both the sandwich tickets and the shopping pass.
Once again we will be taking orders for potato filling using the same recipe that was used for the ham supper; it will be in aluminum pans ready for your Thanksgiving ovens! We are also making pepper cabbage! Items will be ready for pick up at the church, on the Monday before Thanksgiving (11/24/25), between the hours of 1:00 PM -5:00PM. Order forms are included in this newsletter and may be given to Sue Barnett. We hope that you will keep these things in mind and let us make your Thanksgiving dinner easier for you.
We are only a small group of ladies who meet the second Tuesday every month, but we enjoy the time we spend together and serving our church. We welcome any ladies who would like to come to our meetings. The next one will be October 14th at 11:00 AM.
CHURCH TREASURER’S REPORT
JULY 2025
Congregational Offering Receipts $29,389.50
Total Operating Expenses $20,880.42
AUGUST 2025
Congregational Offering Receipts $12,258.00
Total Operating Expenses $24,683.46
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan Barnett, Treasurer
STATISTICS
ATTENDANCE
JULY AUGUST
6 62 3 68
13 55 10 51
20 50 17 51
27 49 24 56
31 58
MEMBERSHIP
September 26, 2025 - 260
GAINS (0)
DEATHS (2)
Joseph Ustaszewski & Patricia Hertzog
LOSSES / TRANSFERRED (0)
Respectfully submitted, Susan Barnett, Secretary
ALL SAINTS DAY – “TOTENFEST”
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd – 10:30 A.M.
Let us observe and pay tribute together on this day to all who have passed away during this year. Please give names/pictures of loved ones
to the church secretary, Sue Barnett, at your earliest convenience so that they may be named personally during a special time in our service.
ZION’S SPIES E.R. CHURCH WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
Potato Filling $9.00/quart
Pepper Cabbage $4.00/Pint or $6.00/Quart
Order forms are on the table in the Narthex
Get your orders in by Sunday, November 16th to Sue Barnett
THANKOFFERING SUNDAY
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2025
The women of the church will participate in our morning worship. Thank offerings received on that day will be used to assist our members or neighbors in need. Your yearly box of envelopes contains the envelope for your thank offering.
THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE
Thanksgiving Eve Service will be held on Wednesday, November 26nd, at 7:30 P.M. at Zion Spies Lutheran Church. Please plan on attending this spirit-filled service showing our thanks to God.
ADVENT Begins November 30th
With Holy Communion
WHEN THE AUTUMN LEAVES ARE FALLING
When the Autumn leaves are falling
With their flash of beauty rare,
And the cooling breeze is blowing
Leaving trees so bleak and bare;
Then to wander in the forest
Lay aside the cares of life
Brings the lessons of the Autumn
To allay all fears and strife.
Back to days of happy childhood
Tossing bright leaves to and fro,
Loving every gleam of sunlight
That beneath the trees would glow.
Happy Autumn days we welcome
Such a challenge do they bring.
Though the Autumn leaves are falling
Songs of victory they sing.
How the leaves are clothed with beauty
Like the flowers of every hue
Never two the same among them,
But with colors tried and true.
Like the glory God has promised
To the ones that die in Him.
While the Autumn leaves are falling
May their message ne’er grow dim.
Autumn ever comes to cheer us
With its messages sublime
Of God’s way to shed His glory
On the failing things of time.
Showing us that through life’s changes
We prepare for Heaven’s dress,
Yielded, then, we share His glory
Then we know God knoweth best.
Many, then, may seek His glory
But they shrink from any change;
Cannot take the Autumn message,
So no glory shall they gain.
Rejoice, then, when the Autumn breezes
Sway the trees with gladsome sound
See the brilliant leaves come dancing
‘Ere they settle on the ground.
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