Lanse Link – 1 October 2023

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

Church Family News

Celebration Sunday

Join us Sunday, October 8th at 10:00am as we rejoice in 131 years of God’s faithfulness. We will have special music from the LEFC Celebration Choir and a time of fellowship after the service with cake and coffee.

Communion Sunday

Today we will be passing communion plates for those partaking in the auditorium. There are pre-packaged communion elements for anyone, inside or outside, who would prefer to use them as we worship together at the Lord’s Table. We have a gluten free option for those with special dietary needs.

Kids Bible Class

When the children are dismissed before the sermon, they will meet in the back of the auditorium to be taken to the prayer room for a time of singing before class.

Membership Seminar

Are you interested in learning what it means to be a member at LEFC? There will be a membership seminar on Tuesday at 6:30pm. Talk with Pastor Matt to take part in this seminar.

Card Making Activity

This Wednesday, the Ladies Fellowship group will meet from 10am-12pm. Join them as they make cards followed by a lunch.

Kids’ Baptism Class

The next baptism class for kids is Wednesday at 6:oopm. If interested or have questions, see Pastor Matt.

Missionary Christmas

Thank you for your generous giving. We have been given almost enough money to send each missionary family $100. We will continue collecting donations through Sunday, October 8th. There are envelopes in the foyer on the resources tables or you can place it in the offering plate marked “Christmas.”

Photographer Needed

We are looking for a volunteer to take the Church Family Photo on October 8th  for Celebration Sunday. See Pastor Matt or Misty Michaels if interested.

“Blessed to Be a Blessing”

The West Branch Church will be holding a “Blessed to Be a Blessing” generosity fair today from 2:00-3:30pm at Gethsemane UMC.  In advance of this event, they are raising funds for the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund to help people in our community that have financial difficulty. You can donate by marking your gift “Blessing” and dropping it in the offering plate.

Malawi Missions Trip Meeting

There will be a planning/organizing meeting on Sunday, October 15th after the service for those going on the Malawi Missions Trip. If anyone is still interested in going, see Curt Quick.

Pastor Appreciation Month

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Remember to thank Pastor Matt & Heather for their hard work, sacrificial dedication, and multiple blessings they have provided to us by serving our Lord here at LEFC. As our gift of appreciation to Pastor Matt & Heather, we are sending them to the Allegheny District Pastors and Wives retreat October 13-15.

Follow the Lord in Water Baptism

We are planning for more baptisms again soon. If you would like to learn more about what it means to follow Christ in water baptism, talk to Pastor Matt for options that fit your schedule. Classes will be set up to meet your scheduling needs.

Director of Family Ministry

The job description for the new part-time ministry position is posted in the foyer. If you are interested in knowing more about the vision for this new role at LEFC, talk with any of the church elders.

Mens’ Restroom Project

Please excuse our dust as the work in the mens’ restroom continues. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we update this room. Men: the family restroom is open for you to use throughout this project.

Snack and Yack

When the auditorium empties after worship, young people in grades 3-7 who heard the sermon are invited to meet in Pastor Matt’s office for a snack and a brief interactive conversation about today’s message. To help kids listen closely, they can fill out a “Snack n’ Yack Notes” handout. Parents are always welcome to join in, too! Leading this week is Pastor Matt & Cody Crumrine.

Community Group

The community group meets Sunday evenings at 7pm in the Skacel home for fellowship and Bible study. People of all ages are welcome (including kids!). See Abe or Jordyn Skacel if you want to check it out!

Ladies’ Fellowship Hour

Ladies, join us Wednesday, October 4th  at 10:00am for a time of fellowship with one another, praying for one another and missionaries, reading Scripture, and enjoying occasional snacks. Isabell Bryan and Linda Carlson will be leading. All ladies are invited to attend.

Join Us at Prayer Meeting

Each Wednesday at 7:00pm, a group of Christians meet to pray and to study God’s Word in the Prayer Room. We are going through a study of the book of Acts. Nobody is put on the spot to pray out loud, but all are encouraged to attend and help lift up the needs of our church, community, nation, and world.

This Week in Kids Bible Class

Can God be trusted? Yes, God cannot lie, so we can trust whatever He has said. Today, the Little Learners and Bible Explorers will be studying Ezra 2-6 learning how the people rebuilt the temple. Resources for family worship centered on this lesson are available through the link you will receive in “The Family Table” email arriving this afternoon. For more information about this week’s lesson, check out The Gospel Project Big Picture Card for Volume 6, Unit 17, Session 3 which your family received in your mailbox.

Explore the Bible at Home

Many adults in our church are utilizing the Explore the Bible resources to dig deeper into God’s word. Pick up your free copy of Mark and join as we study this week with Session 5: Includes. The Fall quarter resources are available in the foyer.

Giving Opportunities

Designated giving funds are open for deaconess compassion fund to help those in need within our church family, and a future pavilion here at the church. Please mark your gifts and drop them in the offering plate.

Sermon Publications

Missed a Sunday? You can read, listen to, or watch the message online in multiple ways throughout the week (YouTubeFacebookApple & Google Podcasts, SpotifyPastor Matt’s blog, or the LEFC website [audiovideo]). Audio CDs are also available in the foyer under the community bulletin board. Need help subscribing or finding a particular sermon? See Misty Michaels.

Email Subscriptions

We want everyone to know what is happening at LEFC! Are you on the “All Church Notifications” email list to get key announcements such as cancelations and other schedule changes? Subscribers also receive “The Lanse Link,” our weekly news bulletin. In addition, parents can subscribe to “The Family Table,” a Sunday newsletter filled with useful resources for family discipleship. Subscribe on the church website or send your email address to the church office and Misty Michaels will add you to the list.

Continue to Give

Thank you for continuing to support our ministries and missionaries. Ways to give:

Mail your offering check to us at PO BOX 114, Lanse, PA 16849.

  • Cash or Check in person. Drop off your offering at the church during office hours in the offering plate right inside the  office door.
  • E-banking – Check with your financial institution about using their bill pay programs to have the bank send us a check directly at no cost.
  • Online Payments – PayPal and Venmo are our current e-giving options. Our account address is our email: churchoffice@lansefree.org.

Prayer Items

Need Prayer?

Our church and our pastor love to pray for you. If you have a need for prayer, you can email us at prayer@lansefree.org. All emails being sent to this address will be seen by Pastor Matt. Please indicate if this is a private request (for Pastor Matt and the Elder Board) or public request for the prayer chain.

Contact the church office for this week’s prayer requests from the bulletin.

Lanse Free Church

255 Cotohisc Road
Lanse, PA 16849
Phone: 814.345.6500

Worship Service: Sunday, 10:00am

Prayer Meeting: Wednesday, 7:00pm