Last night so many of you attended the critical meeting at Ruthfred that the sanctuary and the chapel were both filled! The meeting lasted over three hours, but most people stayed the entire time. Thank you to all who attended!
We can’t thank you all enough for caring so lovingly and deeply for this congregation; for caring to hear all those difficult things. As I shared Sunday, Jesus promises in John 8:31-32 that we will “know” the truth, and the truth will make us “free.” He did not promise that we’d “like” the truth. There wasn’t much to like about the truths we heard last night. Still, truth must be told to the congregation, and we praise God that it was! The courage of our church leaders to acknowledge failings and to work with our attorney, Pat Hennessy, to outline a path forward and invite the congregation to contribute to that work was inspiring! Thank you all!
Please continue to pray for Ruthfred. Pray especially for the young girls who were harmed by the grooming and manipulation of the perpetrator. Pray for all involved. Pray for repentance for those who still struggle to accept the truth of what has happened here, struggle to acknowledge the pain their actions have caused, and struggle to respond appropriately in the light of the truth.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, please read 1 Peter 4:12-19, be praying for all involved, be rejoicing in Christ, and do not be surprised at this fiery ordeal which has taken place among us. Trust your souls and our congregation to our faithful Creator, who will always lead us on the right path!
Love in Christ,
Pastor McMinn
What a delicious breakfast and heartwarming fellowship we enjoyed this past weekend! Special thanks to Peggy & Steve Cox, Kerry & Al Macugoski, Donna & Jason Weighley, Kris & Eric Wente, and Jill Huwe for all of the time, energy, and love they have poured into these breakfasts the past several months. Our next Fellowship Breakfast will be a Continental Breakfast on June 4. There will be sign-up sheets (location TBD) for those members who would like to donate an item for the June breakfast (bagels, muffins, fruit, sweet-breads, etc).
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GREEN THUMBS….
It appears as though we’ve turned the corner on winter finally, which means it’s time to make Ruthfred Lutheran Church sparkle and shine like a beacon of light at the corner of Patterson and South Park Roads. If you’d be interested in spending a morning helping to pull weeds and plant some flowers, let Melissa know (melissabostaph@ruthfred.org). Many hands make light work, and this would be a wonderful way to make our beautiful church even prettier on the outside. We’ve got lots of beautiful outdoor space that could use some tender loving attention, here are just a few areas that could use some weeding and a pop of color. (Grass cutting, mulching and shrub maintenance are done by a local contractor).
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This Week at Ruthfred
Wednesday (5/10)
Noon—Esther
5:45 p.m.—Children’s Choir
6:45 p.m.—Senior Confirmation Class
7:00 p.m.—Senior Choir
Friday (5/12)
7:00 a.m.—Men’ Prayer Group (Fireside Lounge)
Happy 91st Birthday, Marian Meyer!
Saturday (5/13)
9:30 a.m.—Mary Bible Study
Sunday (5/14) MOTHER’S DAY
8:30 a.m.—Worship Service
9:45 a.m.—Sunday School
11:00 a.m.—Worship Service (Maxwell Battaglia baptism)
Announcements Recap
Known to be hospitalized: Joanne Salvetti—should be moving today (5/10) to Concordia South Hills. Erna Jochum—St. Clair Hospital. Please support them with your prayers and cards.
Prayers for Recovery and Healing: Sylvia Fitzgerald—broken leg. Amy Jones (Al Malone’s daughter)—broken pelvis. Her address is 1216 Valley St., McKees Rocks, PA 15136. Carol McDowell—knee replacement. Abby Stutzman—autoimmune disorders. Bob Bohaski is now home recovering from his recent surgery. Virginia DiSalvo is now at a rehab facility recovering her strength. Caryl Hansen is now home. Mark Pugh—receiving a heart monitor. Lundy Castro (Jen Carlson’s father)—his cancer continues to spread. Please keep them in your prayers, as well as all those in the Ruthfred family who are facing health or other challenges.
On hospice care: Don Coldsmith continues under hospice care. Please pray for him and support him with cards.
Condolences: Our pastor and congregation extend Christian love and sympathy to Garnett Wasson’s family. Garnett, who had been a member at Ruthfred since 2019, passed away in Florida at the age of 91 on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Her service was at the David Henney Funeral Home on Monday, May 8, 2023, at 11 a.m. Burial followed at Jefferson Cemetery.
Congratulations to Jeremy Huwe who graduated from the University of Pittsburgh on April 28, 2023, having earned a Doctorate of Pharmacy degree. Blessings to you, Jeremy, as you begin this next chapter of your life!
Congratulations to Mason and Meghan Mitchell! They were married on Saturday, May 6th, just hours after both graduated from the Free Lutheran Bible College. The Rev. Dr. Nathan Olson, a former Ruthfred vicar, performed the ceremony at Living Word Lutheran Church in Eagan, MN. Mason is a Ruthfred member. He and Megan will be moving soon to Bethel Park, and Mason will be serving as Interim Youth Director for Ruthfred.
Meals on Wheels Collection: Our neighbors at Meals on Wheels, located at Grace Lutheran Church in South Park, need bottled salad dressings. Donations will be accepted until June 4th. Their preferred purchase places are Aldi’s or The Dollar Store. Please place these items in the appropriate bin outside the kitchen. They are grateful for any donation! If you have any questions, please contact Carol Ward. Thank you!
Benevolence Committee: We will be meeting Monday, May 15, at 7 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge. All members of the congregation are invited to come with any questions, input, or suggestions. We will be reviewing the AFLC ministries of Pastor Jonathan and Tamba Abel in Brazil and Michael Rokenbroddt in Uganda.
VBS 2023: Dates are July 24-28. The theme this year will be “Twists and Turns.” Come and learn how following Jesus will help you through life’s twists and turns. Registration is open at: https://www.myvbs.org/RuthfredLutheran/. This link allows parents to register their children for this fun event and also allows volunteers to sign up to help make VBS a success! Volunteer sign-up sheets are also available on the interior window outside the Fellowship Hall entrance.
VBS Decorating 2023: This year decorating will be an in-house project. We meet each Tuesday, 7-9 p.m. on the stage in the Fellowship Hall. (No meeting on 5/16.) These meetings will continue until the decorations are completed. Please consider supporting this important ministry. If you have any questions, please contact Jason or Donna Weighley.
Volunteer Guidelines: Please note that all volunteers age 18 and older must have current clearances in order to serve with children and youth at VBS, Sunday School, and youth events. Clearances are good for 5 years. Contact Felicia Rieck in the church office for more information.
Pray for our Confirmation students (Joshua Cimarolli and Jonathan Tarrant) as they prepare for their final exam and for Confirmation Sunday on May 21st. Pray for their parents and families also as the students look forward to this important step in their spiritual development.
College Graduates: It is that time of year when we want to recognize our graduates. Please let us know (via email to sallyondrejko@ruthfred.org) of any college or graduate school students who will be graduating this Spring. Please include name of student, name of college, date of graduation, and degree. We will be highlighting these students in future bulletins.
High School Graduates: Ruthfred will celebrate our high school graduates on Sunday, June 11th. We hope you are able to join us that day to receive a blessing from the church as well as a special, personalized gift.
Save the Date—Parents’ Date Night: Mark June 16th in your calendars for this event! This is a babysitting event and parents get to go out and have fun!!! We play games, sing songs, have a Bible lesson, feed the kiddos dinner, and have a snack while watching a movie.
Open Church Council Position: The position of Secretary is currently open. The primary duty is to record minutes from the monthly meetings. If you have an interest in serving in this capacity, please contact Mark Riley, Council President, at markriley@ruthfred.org.
Employment Opportunity at Ruthfred: Do you have a heart for the youngest in our Church family? We have a need for a nursery worker during Sunday School. Please contact Shane Cox if you can help: coxfarrierservice@gmail.com.
New Member Class: Many people have expressed interest in joining Ruthfred lately, so we’d like to schedule another New Member class to begin soon. If you, or someone you know, is interested in joining Ruthfred or in attending a New Member class (current members are allowed, and even encouraged, to do so), please contact Melissa Bostaph (contact information on back of bulletin) to let her know.