January 2025 News
Our Deacons enjoyed connecting with our church family and the broader community in many different ways this December:
As we look back on 2024 and look ahead to 2025, our deacons are thankful for the many opportunities we've had to work with each other as well as collaborate with other groups to serve God's people. In January and February, the Deacons will work to identify our key goals for 2025, which will inform the ministries and events we will focus on for the year.
Happy New Year!
In Christ,
-David Falk, Deacons Vice Moderator
- Sending Christmas cards to the congregation and reaching out to our care teams
- Singing Christmas carols on December 7th at Edgewood Light Up Night as well as caroling at various homes on December 12th
- Distributing 10 harvest baskets as well as delivering poinsettias to our neighbors
- Thanking the groups that regularly meet in our building with cards and cookies
- Participating in worship services through greeting, singing, reading scriptures and prayers, preparing and serving communion, and even using puppets
As we look back on 2024 and look ahead to 2025, our deacons are thankful for the many opportunities we've had to work with each other as well as collaborate with other groups to serve God's people. In January and February, the Deacons will work to identify our key goals for 2025, which will inform the ministries and events we will focus on for the year.
Happy New Year!
In Christ,
-David Falk, Deacons Vice Moderator
Who are the Deacons?
The ministry of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness, and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress. Persons of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, sincere compassion, and sound judgment should be chosen for this ministry. –Book of Order, G-2.0201
Small but Mighty! What a group of dedicated caring individuals on our Deacon team! We are all delighted to be in person and ready to serve the church, the people and Christ! Many of us are learning, so we welcome everyone’s help and advice along the way.
We are excited to announce that we will be continuing our tradition of the Strawberry Festival this year (June 21st tentatively) and have plenty of ideas for freshening up the event. Please let me know if you’d like to be involved in the planning process - all are welcome.
Our March Deacon’s meeting is Sunday March 26th after church, we hope all the Church Deacon’s are able to attend. If anyone needs to do a remote meeting, please reach out and we will make that work.
On behalf of all the Deacon’s we are excited to serve.
- Angel Lehrian (Moderator)
Moderator Angel Lehrian
Secretary Rick Masten
Treasurer John Foster
The ministry of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness, and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress. Persons of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, sincere compassion, and sound judgment should be chosen for this ministry. –Book of Order, G-2.0201
Small but Mighty! What a group of dedicated caring individuals on our Deacon team! We are all delighted to be in person and ready to serve the church, the people and Christ! Many of us are learning, so we welcome everyone’s help and advice along the way.
We are excited to announce that we will be continuing our tradition of the Strawberry Festival this year (June 21st tentatively) and have plenty of ideas for freshening up the event. Please let me know if you’d like to be involved in the planning process - all are welcome.
Our March Deacon’s meeting is Sunday March 26th after church, we hope all the Church Deacon’s are able to attend. If anyone needs to do a remote meeting, please reach out and we will make that work.
On behalf of all the Deacon’s we are excited to serve.
- Angel Lehrian (Moderator)
Moderator Angel Lehrian
Secretary Rick Masten
Treasurer John Foster
Shady Side Academy Visit
Our annual food donation to our food pantry and WCM and others from Shady Side Academy 2nd graders and their teachers was again a HUGE success. The bus load arrived Friday morning, Nov. 18 and the students/teachers started their routine of unloading their bus and loading our shelves. Deacon Rick Masten then talked with them and explained how their generosity will help so many people who are in need. Their collection will be divided between our food pantry, WCM and other local charities.
In addition to our food pantry, we are working to set up “Our Little Pantry” at entrances to the church for those who might be in need of food. We invite anyone to take what they need or give any extra they have. We hope making the food pantry more accessible to those who use our building throughout the week will help us live out our mission better—to love our neighbors well.
In addition to our food pantry, we are working to set up “Our Little Pantry” at entrances to the church for those who might be in need of food. We invite anyone to take what they need or give any extra they have. We hope making the food pantry more accessible to those who use our building throughout the week will help us live out our mission better—to love our neighbors well.
November 2022 Update
We are fortunate to have a partnership with the second grade class at Shady Side Academy Junior School. Each year, they collect donations to help stock our Deacons’ food pantry, just in time to help those in need around the holidays. This year, the students will visit FPCE on Friday, November 18 at 9:00AM. Rick Masten has met them annually and explains how the pantry is used and what the donations help to accomplish, expressing thanks for their generous spirits. If you are free and would like to help Rick organize the donations after they drop off, please stop by the Social Room that morning. The students would love to see you!
Shady Side Academy Food Drive (December 2020)
The Board of Deacons at Edgewood
The office of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of sympathy, witness, and service after the example of Jesus Christ. Persons of spiritual character, honest repute, of exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, warm sympathies and sound judgment should be chosen for this office.
It is the duty of deacons, first of all, to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress both within and beyond the community of faith. They shall assume such other duties as may be delegated to them from time to time by the session, such as leading the people in worship through prayers of intercession, reading the Scriptures, presenting the gifts of the people, and assisting with the Lord’s Supper.
Book of Order, G-6.0401–02
Deacons at Edgewood can be seen all the time, serving as ushers each week during worship, running our community food pantry, hosting the annual Strawberry Festival, providing the Melfard Douglass Memorial Scholarship for high school seniors and college students, collecting toy donations for the holidays as part of the annual Project Manger Tree drive, visiting and delivering care packages to our home-bound friends of the church, and providing refreshments for Mother's Day (Muffins for Moms), Father's Day (Donuts for Dads), and the annual congregational luncheon.
It is the duty of deacons, first of all, to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress both within and beyond the community of faith. They shall assume such other duties as may be delegated to them from time to time by the session, such as leading the people in worship through prayers of intercession, reading the Scriptures, presenting the gifts of the people, and assisting with the Lord’s Supper.
Book of Order, G-6.0401–02
Deacons at Edgewood can be seen all the time, serving as ushers each week during worship, running our community food pantry, hosting the annual Strawberry Festival, providing the Melfard Douglass Memorial Scholarship for high school seniors and college students, collecting toy donations for the holidays as part of the annual Project Manger Tree drive, visiting and delivering care packages to our home-bound friends of the church, and providing refreshments for Mother's Day (Muffins for Moms), Father's Day (Donuts for Dads), and the annual congregational luncheon.
