​​​​​​​​​​​You are Personally Invited to Worship with us at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church! We would love to meet you and have you join us in our pews for our Sunday Morning Worship Service at 10:30AM. If you can't make it on out to church in person, or if you feel safer worshipping from home, please ​feel free to join us on our Conference Call #1-657-390-7423 or #1-701-802-5170, & use the access code 8221190, & hit the # key. Make sure you announce yourself when you log-in. We are better with you!

The Women of the Church host their monthly

Coffee Hour on Sunday, August 11th, following our

Worship Service. If you have any questions or need more information, see Judy or Kathy.

The Back 2 School Backpack and School Supply Giveaway will be held on Saturday, August 10th, from 11AM to 3PM. Several donations and funds need to be raised to help meet the target goal of 1,000 backpacks for children this year. There will be
on-site backpack pick-up and mobile units again in order to get supplies to those in need in the community. We will be

packing the backpacks on Friday, August 9th, at 4PM. We are currently in need of backpacks, 1 subject notebooks, pens, paper, folders, highlighters, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, rulers, pencil top erasers, rulers, sharpies, composition books, and scissors. See Heather for more information.

Deborah West

1952-2024
Please keep her family in your prayers in the days and months ahead.

May they find comfort and hope in the promise of the resurrection.

Deborah A. (Miller) West, born November 10, 1952 in Norristown, PA, entered into life eternal Wednesday, July 3rd at her residence in Cape May Court House, NJ.

The daughter of the late Kenneth Miller and Helen (Whitenight) Miller, Debbie grew up in Trooper, PA and attended Methacton High School. She also attended Cape May County Technical School where she earned her Licensed Practical Nursing Diploma and worked for several facilities throughout NJ. She later served our country in the United State Air Force as a medical service specialist (Sgt).  Debbie also was a paramedic at the Goodwill Fire Company in Pottstown PA.

She lived in Limerick, PA for 20 years before relocating and eventually retiring in Cape May Court House, NJ for the next 23 years. Debbie was a sewing instructor for the Avalon Public Library, long time member of Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Villas, and was a service officer for both the Stone Harbor and Cape May County American Legion. She was a paramedic, an avid seamstress, gardener, volunteer, traveler, and lover of Philadelphia sports.

Debbie was preceded in death by her son, Richard West, and is survived by her daughter, Jennifer (Miller) Shearer, brother Kenneth Miller, Jr., sister Sandy Miller-Francella, brother Timothy Miller, sister Diane (Miller) Kinlaw, and Havanese dog, Scrappy.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Stone Harbor American Legion, Post 331, Stone Harbor, NJ, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church Capital Improvement Fund 1220 Bayshore Rd Villas, NJ, or the Avalon Free Public Library, 235 32nd St. Avalon, NJ.

Evoy Funeral Homes, Inc. 3218 Bayshore Road North Cape May NJ 08204 has been entrusted with arrangements. A memorial service will be held at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 11:00 am, Saturday, November 9th, 2024.

VICAR APPOINTMENT ON MARCH 19TH, 2023
A Memorandum of Understanding
On the Matter of Pastoral Appointment
In Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) Candidacy
TO: Congregation Council, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Villas
FROM: The Rev. Tracie L. Bartholomew, Bishop, New Jersey Synod

Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ,
This memorandum is in support of your discussions with Vincent Piekarski as pastor of Holy Spirit, Villas. Because this is not the usual pattern for completing the educational and candidacy requirements for ordination, it is my hope that this memorandum will both provide guidelines and engage in conversation with those who are invested in this process.

I would say at the outset that because Vincent is an outstanding candidate for the Ministry of Word and Sacrament, we will all want to do whatever is necessary to assure that his placement serves the mission of the church in the best possible fashion.

The following notes reflect my own understanding of this matter:
(1) The appointment for Vincent will begin on April 1, 2023. At this time, Vincent will  
     assume all responsibilities of a regularly called pastor, including presiding at the
     Sacrament of Holy Communion and Baptism at Holy Spirit, Villas.
(2) A pastoral appointment in the TEEM process is an option for completing
     seminary educational requirements and the steps of the candidacy process.
     Upon completion of the candidacy process and seminary education, the
     candidate may receive and accept a call to ordained ministry from the
     congregation where the appointment is being served.
(3) This appointment is jointly supervised by the Office of the Bishop and the TEEM
     pastor’s seminary. A mentoring relationship with a local pastor is required for the
     length of this appointment.     
(4) The synod of candidacy origin will be responsible for the approval process.
(5) Upon approval for ordination, the congregation would be expected to extend a
     call to the pastoral appointee.
(6) Compensation for the TEEM pastor will be according to the guidelines of the New
     Jersey Synod. All normal forms of compensation should be in place for the term
     of the appointment, including stipulation that base salary and housing shall be in
     accord with synod guidelines for first call at time of ordination.
(7) The ELCA Portico benefit plan for lay persons in full-time church service should
     be used for the pastoral appointee up to the time of ordination, whereupon the
     benefit package is to be converted to the plan for ELCA clergy.  
(8) A decision for Pastoral Appointment is made with the agreement of a synod and its
     candidacy committee, and the ELCA, normally represented by the regional staff person
     of each in consultation with the seminary and its Director for Contextual Education.
(9) Pastoral Appointment in a TEEM Candidacy is an option that is to serve the mission of
     the Church in a particular and vital way and is not to be viewed or used as a means to
     circumvent the normal candidacy process and/or first call placement process.

In the specific case of Vincent, the New Jersey Synod remains responsible for the candidacy and approval process,

and has agreed to this proposal for Appointment at Holy Spirit, Villas.

Continued blessings to both Holy Spirit and Vincent Piekarski as you embark on this journey of mutual ministry.

As partners in ministry, we walk with you and rejoice in this new relationship.