NEWS and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sonbeams July 2025 Message
FROM PASTOR JAY
Dear Family in Christ,
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A professor of one of my classes, (I can’t remember the class or the name of the teacher), said, “True communication between people only happens when we open ourselves to being changed by the other person.” Does this also apply to worship? Are we open to being changed by worship? I found this quote on my Facebook feed, “It’s not enough to be inspired on Sunday [or Wednesday] and unchanged by Monday [or Thursday]. God’s Word is meant to shape [our] decisions, [and actions], not just stir [our] feelings [or entertain us]” (@saltandlight.word). Worship is opening ourselves to hear God’s Word, both the Written and Preached Word, so that we might be changed to become more like Christ.
Worship is not a spectator sport where we gather as passive observers. We actively engage and fully participate in each part of the worship service. The prelude music becomes for us a signal that it’s time to spiritually get ourselves ready to come worship and praise God. The prelude gives us a sense of time and space for our preparatory prayer and meditation. In the ten-second pause of silence before we join our voices in the general confession of our sins, we privately confess any sins that plague our conscience. When we hear the pronouncement of forgiveness, we believe those words as if Jesus himself proclaimed them to us! We joyfully enter the spirit of worship by joining our voices in singing the entrance hymn. We reverently turn our hearts to Christ using the kyrie, we sing our praises, pray, and hear God’s Written and Preached Word. As an act of worship, we offer our time, talent, and money offerings to God. Then we come to the Lord’s Table to meet the Real Presence of Christ, body and blood, in and under the bread and wine we eat and drink. Before we joyfully sing the sending hymn, we share God’s blessing with one another. At the conclusion of our worship, we go out into the world to put the transformative power of worship into practice!
Worship is two-way communication with God in which we open ourselves to be changed to increasingly reflect our Lord in Christian love and action! Come worship! Together we open ourselves to God and to one another in a blessed exchange of grace and love from God in which we share with one another.
Journeying with you in faith,
Pastor Jay
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PARMA LUTHERAN CHURCH NEWS
Candy Donations for 4th of July parade
Thank you to all who donated candy for the Parma 4th of July parade this year. We appreciate you!​​​
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Important cell phone numbers change for church staff
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The Church Office was able to consolidate our IT. We combined our internet, cell lines, and church phones. We will be saving about $125 a month AND we received 2 free cell lines. Pastor Jay will now use 216.231.2733 as his church cell number. When you need to call Pastor, use this new number. His old number will be disconnected at the end of June. Kim has a cell phone number for work purposes 216.481.0635. Kim still has her personal cell phone number, and it can still be used by her church family.
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Register now for VBS; volunteers needed​​
Vacation Bible School: Journey With Joseph Through Egypt
July 14 -18, 2025
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m.: FREE family dinner
6:00 p.m.: VBS program
Ages Pre-K through 6th grade
Click here to register and to sign up to volunteer.
We invite you and your family & friends to Journey with Joseph through Egypt from Prison to Palace. Our VBS is FREE and open to family, friends and neighbors. If you would like to help the VBS Team, please consider volunteering in the kitchen, as a teacher, as a helping hand and or through monetary donations. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! We need adults during the week to teach, cook and watch the door.​
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Kitchen staff; food donations needed for VBS week
July 14-18, 2025: Plans are under way for gathering food/desserts and donations for Vacation Bible School, to feed our kids, their families, and the staff workers! We’re also looking for kitchen staff volunteers to join our team of friendly folk! A sign-up sheet is in the Narthex and your help is always much appreciated!​​​​​
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PLC's 4th Annual Rummage Sale
Thursday, August 7 -
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Thursday: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
We will need MANY volunteers for this event; people sorting items throughout May, June and July, pricing, organizing, and the week prior and the days of, we will need people to help set-up, cashiers, and friends and family here to help and smile. The proceeds will go towards the Youth Group’s ministries and to the needs of the church.​​
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Church maintenance help needed
We need help around the church: changing light bulbs, changing light fixtures, placing new EXIT signs, trimming bushes, pulling weeds, concrete work, dusting, and some heavy manual labor. If you have abilities in any of these areas, please call the Church Office 216-351-6376.
Pasta Dinner Fundraiser benefitted women's shelter; PLC
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Thank you to everyone that supported our Youth during their annual Pasta Fundraiser on May 31, 2025. We raised $3,000 that went towards a dinner for the mothers and children at the Journey for Safe Healing. That meal was delivered to them on Sunday, June 15, 2025. We would like to give an incredible THANK YOU to Linda Kraniske who donated 1 AED to Parma Lutheran Church this past month. With her amazing gift we were able to only have to purchase 1 AED and it will arrive shortly.
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