You can download a copy of the Messenger with graphics, or if you just want to read the text, keep scrolling! The November 2024 Events Calendar at St. James Lutheran Church is below.

All of our community events are posted on our events page, be sure to check them out!

A Message From Pastor Andrew

And now I’m just a-rollin’ home Into my lover’s arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you

-Bless the Broken Road

If you were to ask my beautiful wife what “our song” is, she would respond – Bless the Broken Road, by Rascal Flatts. If you read my newsletter article from last month, our top of the list “kitchen dancing song.” It recenters us when life gets tough, when we’ve reached the end of our rope with the things of the world, when we find ourselves at odds with each other – giving us pause to remember why we fell in love with each other in the first place… that even amidst the brokenness, in each other we are truly blessed…

The song tells the story of two people who were led to each other following some of life’s more difficult moments. When asked how the song was born, co-writer Bobby Boyd reflected on how God used heartbroken roads in his life to take him where he was supposed to go – that “God blessed the broken road.”

For those of you who have been here at St. James throughout my tenure, you can understand why this song fits so well from my side of our marriage. While Christina’s story is hers to share, she would express similar sentiments. Through the unexpected hardships that happen, two people meant to be together are joined. The Spirit, like Northen stars, leading… guiding… pointing the way…

Ask any pastor, and while they’ll save you the confidential details they are bound to keep, they could spend hours reflecting on the broken roads that have come across their desk. The fractured relationships, the children who are struggling and the parents who are struggling with them, the ever-increasing financial demands of the world, the fears of yet another contentious election season… the feelings of inadequacy… the hopes lost… the dreams turned into nightmares… the list goes on…

Like our song from Rascal Flatts, the Gospel Good News is that in all the world’s brokenness, God’s blessings abound. As a friend recently reminded me while visiting them in the hospital – “even amidst the bad, there is good.”

It can be difficult or even impossible to see these blessings along the broken roads of life. You and I know this to be true. Yet, at the heart of the Christian faith, is the promise that in these times, no matter how faint them may be, God extends them – leading us, drawing us to each other, and wrapping us in loving arms. As people of faith, this is where we rest our heads at night and what we are called to be for others – for each other and for those we meet along the way.

My personal hope and prayer is that you know you are never alone on your broken roads – whatever that brokenness may be. When things don’t go according to plan. When the path ahead is narrow. When you are lost, unsure of where to go or where to turn. And when you feel as though you are just passing through. It is in these times that like northern stars, the Spirit is there to guide you and hold you along the way. So, remember, even amidst the bad, there is good.

With love,
Pastor Andrew

Gettysburg C.A.R.E.S. Breakfasts

Sign up continues for St. James cooks to provide breakfasts to C.A.R.E.S. guests from November 19 –  December 2. Sign up at  stjamesgettysburg.org/cares. An orientation will be provided on Wednesday Nov.6 @ 10:00 AM, at the Youth House, for any St. James folks who did not cook last year and need to be oriented about the schedule and breakfast procedures for cooking/serving/cleaning-up. The orientation takes 45-60 minutes. Feel free to call Bill Shoemaker at 717-451-6549 for information.

Ten churches and one civic organization are scheduled to provide breakfasts this season. St. James youth will cook breakfasts every Sunday as they did last year. If you can’t cook but would like to help, monetary donations for breakfast supplies would be very much appreciated, or donations of juices, milk, eggs, and cereal throughout the season would help greatly. Coffee donations will be needed later in the C.A.R.E.S. season. Presently, we still have coffee from last season.

A Message From Pastor Libby

“My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue
An everlasting vision of the ever-changing view
A wond’rous woven magic in bits of blue and gold
A tapestry to feel and see impossible to hold”
– Carole King, “Tapestry”

Carole King’s “Tapestry” will always be a favorite of mine. My mom would play Carole King and James Taylor’s Live at the Troubadour album on my way to and from school. The album embodied all kinds of emotions – from the miracle of life (Sweet Baby James), the promise of friendship (You’ve Got a Friend), to the theme song to my favorite TV show, Gilmore Girls (Where You Lead, I Will Follow). 

Tapestry was a song that I didn’t fully understand, but felt a connection to. The haunting tune transports me to a place and time that is reminiscent of fall – a bare forest, leaves covering the ground, and where lore comes to life.

This November, we will gather around tables with friends and family on Thanksgiving, acknowledging all that this year has brought to our lives. As we go around our tables, noting the pieces of our lives that we are thankful for, we will also remember the tapestry of this year and the things felt and seen: love,  loss,  joy, and longing.  Moments that, while fleeting, have made an imprint on our lives. We may give thanks this year for a new child or grandchild. We may smile as we give thanks for a pet that has brought joy into our lives when we desperately needed it. We might give thanks for friends who have supported us during a hard time financially or emotionally, or new neighbors that have become family.

It is likely that in giving thanks for this year’s joys we will remember the tapestry of past holidays. We may celebrate the holiday season and pass down old traditions to new family members or children. We may make a family recipe and remember the holidays of the past spent with them around the Thanksgiving table.  Some of us will spend our last Thanksgiving with loved ones, soaking in moments that will soon become memories.

It is my hope that as you gather this Thanksgiving, may you remember and celebrate the unique tapestry that is your life, and the many pieces that join together to make a beautiful piece of art. And in doing so, may we thank God for being the thread, the “wond’rous woven magic,”  that weaves our stories into a tapestry that is uniquely our own.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
-Psalm 28:7

With love and thanksgiving,
Pastor Libby 

A Note From The Creation Care Taskforce

It’s hard to believe that almost all the leaves have now fallen, and that Thanksgiving dinner has already been planned.  The joys of the Christmas season are now days away, bringing celebrations at home and church. One popular tradition includes the purchase and decoration of the year’s much anticipated holiday tree.

This year, instead of heading to a nearby tree lot, perhaps you might think first of adding a living fir, balled in burlap, to your holiday plans.  Granted, this tree may be smaller and more expensive than that cut tree, and it will require planting soon after the 25th. On the plus side, it will become part of your landscape for years to come, a living reminder of a very special day while also giving a never cut tree to the greening of Planet Earth.  (Just be sure to find someone in advance to help you plant it or, perhaps, locate another family or park that would enjoy such a living gift.)  Either way it will make Christmas even more blessed than usual.

Fun fact: Did you know that Martin Luther placed lit candles on his family’s tree to represent the stars in the sky?
Christmas Blessings to all from the Creation Care Task Force !

Young At Heart: Keeping Up With The Kids

Adam Michael, Director of Youth & Family Ministry

In a survey with our elementary kids at the start of our unit on confidence, we asked the kids to rate their own confidence on a scale of one to ten. Some kids immediately put pen to paper, boldly pronouncing a nine or ten. Others grimaced or covered their writing as they scribbled a low value number in the tiniest handwriting possible, so others wouldn’t see.

I wish I had been able to look over each answer as they wrote it to tell them, “You’re all doing great!” Confidence is not a constant. Confidence is an eternal work in progress. And sometimes, what we think is confidence is actually something else in disguise. It took me decades to even recognize actual confidence!

So far during our chats about confidence, we’ve discussed how the trait takes many forms. We debated Olympic gymnast Simone Biles’ decision to drop out of the 2020 Olympics after being plagued with the twisties, a psychological phenomenon that prevents a gymnast from orienting which way is up.

At first glance, several of the kids decided Biles had no courage when she opted to leave the competitive field at such a crucial moment. But after further inspection, some had changed their tune. All agreed she showed a lack of trust in her abilities, but some believed Biles showed extreme confidence when she made a decision not to buckle under the pressure to continue, when a mistake in a breakneck competition could cost her life.

We discussed how Biles, adopted by her grandparents at the age of 7 and raised to regularly attend church, put her faith in God and felt a duty to use her gifts to the best of her ability, while the relatively short window of a gymnast’s career remained open. In a crucial moment, she made a stand for mental health, rest, and self-repair. For a time, she was villainized for it. But Biles proved defeat did not mean she was permanently broken when she overcame her obstacles, joined the 2024 Olympic team, and reclaimed her title as the world’s best gymnast.

Next we talked about how Moses struggled with confidence. When he focused on his strengths, he killed a man while trying to protect God’s people. When he focused on his weaknesses, he became paralyzed. When he finally learned to hear God’s voice, he did not feel up to the task. But over time, as he learned to move with God’s command, he became capable of freeing God’s people and leading them in the direction of the promised land. 

Later in this unit, we will discuss how even Jesus struggled to find the confidence to give himself up for humanity. We will also consider how Martin Luther’s doubts in the Catholic church, and even in himself, led him to greater truths and a more complete picture of God.

Confidence is not certainty. Confidence in many cases is a walk with God, in faith, to deliver the best outcomes. This works best when we have a firm understanding of our communal code, remain aware of our limitations, and step into what we are called to do.

In Christ’s love,
Adam Michael
Youth and Family Ministry Director

Thanks for the Bikes –Five youth and three adults from St. James Youth Group and South Mountain VELO Club gathered 110 bikes for Recycle Bicycle Harrisburg. The bikes will be transferred to a warehouse where they will be repaired for use or stripped down for parts. Recycle Bicycle provides roughly 1,500 bicycles per year for kids and adults in need of recreation or transportation at very little to no cost to the rider.

Music Notes:
Jonathan Noel, Minister of Music

All Creation Sings

The new worship supplement, All Creation Sings (ACS), was dedicated and used for the first time on Creation Care Sunday, October 6, 2024. The resource was designed to expand upon and complement Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) by offering a fresh and diverse selection of content to enliven worship and song in a new day. ACS has drawn on several supplemental resources published since 2006, the date of publication of ELW. In this way, it follows in the vein of With One Voice (WOV) that was likewise introduced to expand upon the 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW).

The publication contains two additional settings of Holy Communion, a Service of Word and Prayer, a section of Prayers, Thanksgivings, and Laments, a compilation of scripture references containing metaphors for God, and two hundred additional hymns and songs. Many of these hymns and songs seek to fill gaps in topics such as creation, lament, justice and society, and healing and wholeness.

Since the Holy Spirit continues to inspire authors and composers to write hymns and songs, the introduction of such a resource is inevitable every now and then. It may surprise many to know that our last major worship book, ELW, is already eighteen years old.

The website www.augsburgfortress.org/AllCreationSings contains information about the publication, including audio, video, webinars, samples, educational introductory materials, and purchasing information for the various editions and supplemental materials. This website is the best resource for those wishing to know more about the publication.

The Worship & Music Committee whole-heartedly recommends this resource for our worship services at St James. I hope and pray that it might deepen our worship.

Mission Fund in Action 2024

At its annual meeting in January of 2010, the Congregation re-affirmed a resolution by Congregation Council to allocate one tenth of undesignated bequests to support the local and worldwide mission of the church. Starting in 2020, the main source of funding for this mission switched to 30% of the Endowment Fund distributions from its ELCA Fund A. Total allocations for 2024 were $11,530.  This month the Mission Fund Committee recognizes the organizations receiving funds through the 2024 Mission Fund contributions.

$5,000 -Olive Wood Project of Palestine is a program affiliated with the World Fair Trade Organization, the largest global network advocating Fair Trade principles since 2015. After the West Bank Wall went up and the Palestinian people were denied the right to travel freely throughout Israel, many people were forced to discover new ways to try to support their families. One of the few reliable streams of income for these people living in the Bethlehem area has been the tourism/hospitality industry. The Israeli-Gaza escalation and turmoil has made an extremely difficult situation become very dire for them. As a way of support, carved olive wood items were purchased to add to the St. James ecclesiastical art collection as well as a collection of smaller items available for purchase by the congregation. Good Sheppard Travel, the agency which sponsored the St. James trip to Palestine, distributed monies to the artisans and trades people in Bethlehem.

(The Nativity Set purchased through the Olive Wood Project, for St. James. )

$2,000-Beit Jala and Bethlehem Lutheran Churches is one of the oldest congregations in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), dating to 1845. The majority of their congregations claim roots in Beit Jala dating back centuries. Beit Jala (also spelled Bayt Jala) is a Palestinian Christian town in the Bethlehem Governorate of Palestine, in the West Bank. The Diaconal Ministry of the ELCJHL is housed in the compound adjoining the church as well as “Beit Ibrahim,” the ELCJHL’s guest house, and the compound’s newest program, “Abraham’s Tent,” an after-school program which provides tutoring and childcare for students throughout the week run by local teachers and volunteers.

$2,000-Lutheran World Relief in support of the work of the Regional Gender Task Force. The Regional Gender Task Force (RGTF) is a network of participants under the umbrella of UN Women working to mainstream and integrate gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in the Ukraine Refugee Response. RGTF includes international organizations, UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations and civil society actors operating at the regional, national, and local levels. Their objective is to ensure that all refugees from Ukraine and those affected by the crisis in neighboring countries can have access and use of relief services and information.

$2,530-Common Ground Recovery Community supports individuals and families recovering from addiction, abuse, mental illness, loss and the hurts and hang-ups of life. Common Ground Recovery Community offers (1) programs that educate about addiction and recovery, (2) support in small group settings, (3) Bible studies that deepen faith, and (4) worship experiences that inspire hope and healing. GCRC is a multi-location recovery ministry affiliated with Atonement Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in the Berks County area.

Worship Previews

NOVEMBER 2 & 3: ALL SAINTS SUNDAY

Of all three years of the lectionary cycle, this year’s All Saints readings have the most tears. Isaiah and Revelation look forward to the day when God will wipe away all tears; in John’s gospel, Jesus weeps along with Mary and all the gathered mourners before he demonstrates his power over death. On All Saints Day we celebrate the victory won for all the faithful dead, but we grieve for our beloved dead as well, knowing that God honors our tears. We bring our grief to the table and find there a foretaste of Isaiah’s feast to come.
Preacher: Pastor Libby Baker-Mikesell
Readings: Isaiah 25:6-9 Revelation 21:1-6a
Psalm 24 John 11:32-44
Fellowship, hosted by the Finance and Personnel Committees

NOVEMBER 9 & 10: 25TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Widows are visible everywhere in today’s readings. Jesus denounces those scribes who pray impressive prayers but devour widows’ houses. He commends the poor widow who in his view gave far more than the major donors. Jesus doesn’t see her simply as an object of compassion or charity. She, like the widow of Zarephath who shares her last bit of food with Elijah, does something of great importance.
Preacher: Pastor Libby Baker-Mikesell
Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16 Hebrews 9:24-28
Psalm 146 Mark 12:38-44

NOVEMBER 16 & 17: 26TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

November begins with All Saints Day and ends in or near Advent, when we anticipate Christ’s coming again. It is fitting, then, that the readings today tell of the final resurrection and the end time. In the turmoil of hope, fear, and disbelief that these predictions provoke in us, Hebrews sounds a note of confident trust. Christ makes a way for us where there is no way, and we walk it confidently, our hearts and bodies washed in baptismal water, trusting the one who has promised forgiveness. The more we see the last day approaching, the more important it is to meet
together to provoke one another to love.
Preacher: Pastor Andrew R. Geib
Readings: Daniel 12:1-3 Hebrews 10:11-14 [15-18] 19-25
Psalm 16 Mark 13:1-8

NOVEMBER 23 & 24: CHRIST THE KING

Even after Israel had experienced the vagaries of kings, the people still longed for a true king to set things right. He would have the king’s title of Anointed One (Messiah); he would be the “one like a human being” (Son of Man) given dominion in Daniel’s vision. Jesus is given these titles, even though he is nothing like an earthly king. His authority comes from the truth to which he bears witness, and those who recognize the truth voluntarily listen to him. We look forward to the day he is given dominion, knowing his victory will be the nonviolent victory of love.
Preacher: Pastor Libby Baker-Mikesell
Readings: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 Revelation 1:4b-8
Psalm 93 John 18:33-37

NOVEMBER 30 & DECEMBER 1: 1ST OF ADVENT

Advent is about the “coming days.” God’s people have always lived in great expectation, but that expectation finds specific, repeated enunciation in the texts appointed for these four weeks. The ancients anticipated a “righteous Branch to spring up for David.” The Thessalonians awaited “the coming of our Lord Jesus with all the saints.” Jesus’ contemporaries hoped for the time “to stand before the Son of Man.” With them we eagerly await the coming days: another Christmas celebration, a second coming, and the advent of Christ in word and supper.
Preacher: Pastor Andrew R. Geib
Readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Psalm 25:1-10 Luke 21:25-36

COUNCIL CORNER,
OCT. 16 MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

• Approval of Minutes from 8/21 & 9/18 Meetings: APPROVED
• Treasurer Report: ACCEPTED AS SUBMITTED
• 3rd Quarter Budget Update to Congregation – Alan Haynes
• Endowment Committee Update – Tom Uhlig
• Recommendations to approve 2025 ELC Budget & 2025 Sharing Ministry Budget: APPROVED
• Acceptance of New Members Via affirmation of faith – M. Jewell, L. Nielsen, D. Sprague, R. Sprague -ACCEPTED, Via Baptism – none
• Recommendation to approve Cara Russo, Ernie Kranias & Carol Widerman to Endowment Committee for a 3 yr. term: APPROVED
• Nominate voting members to attend Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly (June 5-7, 2025) Debra Baker was nominated. Jason Howe and Bri Howe are pending.
• The youth would like to hold a bake sale Oct. 22 at the Family Halloween Bash. Proceeds to benefit youth scholarships at the Tree for Hope Academy: APPROVED
• Hurricane Relief Update: Special offerings collected by St. James through 11/10 will be sent to Lutheran Disaster Relief (LDR) and Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Asheville, NC. Council voted to match members’ contributions to the Hurricane Relief Effort using Good for Church Funds from the Endowment. Emergency clean-up buckets distributed Oct. 20 will be filled by St. James congregants and taken to Church World Services (CWS). CWS to distribute in NC and FL.
• Church Van Proposal discussion prior to the Congregational Meeting: Review of the Task Force Recommendation for the proposed purchase of a van for church usage, & discussion about creation of a short-term Transportation Committee to oversee purchase of the vehicle and insurance & maintenance for the 1st yr.
• Congregation Meeting, 11/17/24 at noon: St. James will cover parking meter fees that start at 1pm on streets surrounding St. James. Gettysburg Fire Hall lot is also available for members to park if on-street parking is full. Council will provide snacks between services.
  Good for Church/Good for God/Good for Council
• Recent concert at the Historical Society was “fantastic.”
• The movie “Common Ground,” will be followed up by an upcoming Facebook discussion.
• Appreciation was voiced for Pastor Andrew for his attendance at PippinFest to watch Savannah Munsee sing.
• 110 bikes were collected during the recent Recycle Bicycle event.
• Carol Cook noted the 2024 People Project, “At Home in Adams County,” that was presented at the Majestic Theater
• Jim Flanagan was thanked for his help with the purchase of new AEDs in the building, to be installed soon.
• Ministry Fair to be held 10/27 between services.
• Shirley Sanders reminded about the Holiday Family Outreach offerings for the 5th Sunday Servant Event.
  Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m.

Reflections from a Visit to Guatemala

You know my favorite thing about church? The People. The Body.

Firstly, I would like to extend a very warm thank-you to the donors who so kindly gave of their resources, funding our church mission trip to go and serve in beautiful Guatemala this past July. It is because of your generosity that we were able to serve with our hands and hearts, providing physical labor and lots of love to the sweet children of Hogar Miguel Magone and Hope Academy. I will always be grateful for you and the opportunities you have provided with your kindness.

While in Guatemala, I fell in love. I fell in love with the culture, the food, the joy that embodies its citizens…. and of course, the children. So many beautiful children with so little, and such extensive and unique needs.

While all the needs are great, I observed a greater need for two very special girls, Aida and Ana. Information on Aida and Ana’s early moments: https://www.soy502.com/articulo/trae-este-nuevo-ano-rositas (if using a Google browser, you should be able to select “English.”)

Aida and Ana were born conjoined in 2014 and surgically separated at Roosevelt Hospital at two years old. They currently reside at Hogar Miguel Magone (the orphanage we spent much time at in July) due to pa-rental neglect. Their medical needs are extensive and the resources low. Most needed were two pediatric wheelchairs so that they can get themselves around and participate fully in their lives.

Following our mission trip, our group gave a presentation on a Sunday morning about our time spent in Guatemala. I briefly spoke about Ana and Aida’s story and their needs. By 1:30pm that same day we had all of the funds needed to purchase the girls’ brand new pediatric wheel-chairs!

Thank you to these donors. You have brought light to Aida and Ana’s lives. You have brought light to my life. You have created an impact in two beautiful little souls who will spend their entire lives relying on the kind hearts of others to get their needs met. You have exemplified Jesus’ call to serve and to love. You have inspired me with your selfless hearts.

Upon purchasing the wheelchairs, we were met with several obstacles in how to get them to the girls. Each time we had a plan, another barrier. Finally, it seemed that the only plan would be to fly the wheelchairs over myself. When I left in July, I knew in my heart that I would be back, though I didn’t anticipate I’d be back in just two short months.

Emily Harte graciously offered to join me on this journey. So together, we packed up and flew back over to Guatemala on Sept. 27th with wheelchairs in tow. We were greeted with so much gratitude and love, and were fortunate to stay for the weekend, getting in lots of time with the children! Aida and Ana were elated, and we even got to take them out for a fancy lunch date in their new chairs! They operate them beautifully and are so happy to have some new independence. Their smiles and excitement reflect much appreciation.

This experience has taught me so much about love, giving, service, gratitude and living out Christ’s exemplary love. It also taught me about the power of people of faith. Our little community here at St. James created a miracle for two little girls who have faced more life adversities than many of us ever will. In our service, we spread the love of Jesus Christ to children who desperately need the Good News. Thank you.

Aida and Ana’s needs are still plentiful, and they have a few expensive surgeries approaching. If you are interested in learning more or helping in any way, please email me at [email protected].

With love and gratitude,
Christina Geib

PARISH RECORDS

50+ Wedding Anniversaries
November 20, Dave & Brenda Heberling, 54 years

Deaths
September 26, Glorianne Hutchison
October 21, William Scott Jr.

ALL SAINTS SUNDAY – NOV. 3, 2024

We begin the month of November with All Saints Sunday. The day of the Church year that we draw our attention to the saints. Those who have gone before and those of us who continue to walk as yet by faith. We remember in prayer:
Jenny Woolf Frederick
George E. Carey
Carolyn Wicke
Marion J. Peters
Nina Mae Scott
Donna Straka
Jack Chambers
John “Jack” Straka
Dorothy Johnson
Randy N. Smith
Don Allen Bair
June K. Garretson
Patrick McMaster
Bob Shuba
Joan E. Bryce
Jane Williams
Joan C. Wise
Charlene E. Felton
Sarah Scott-Mullen
Nicholas Casale
Glenn Heller
Shirley DeHaas
Charlie Bender
Benjamin J. Zimmerer
Mary Alice Nutter
Harry Borger
Janet Rice
Connie Hutchinson
Pat Crowner
Carol Christianson
John Seilhamer
Trudy Gobbel
Glorianne Hutchinson
Carey Armstrong Moore
William Scott Jr.
Nita Gross

VISITING ST. JAMES

Office Hours:
Monday—office closed
Tuesday—Friday, 9:00 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
Wednesdays until 5:30 pm

CALLING ST. JAMES AT 717-334-2012

201 Katy Clowney , Church Administrator
[email protected]
202 Julie Albert, Administrative Coordinator
[email protected]
203 Adam Michael, off on Fridays, Director of Youth & Family Ministry
[email protected]
205 Pr. Libby Baker-Mikesell, off on Fridays, Associate Pastor
[email protected]
206 Pr. Andrew R. Geib, off on Fridays, Lead Pastor
[email protected]
207 Jonathan Noel, off on Fridays, Minister of Music
[email protected]
215 Tom Bender, off on Fridays, Building Superintendent
[email protected]