Weekly News
Vol. 12-No. 47 Friday, November 24, 2017
Karen Bowman, Editor, secretary@yorkfirst.org
Our Vision Statement: “To become a community of committed Christians who Love God, Share Christ, and Serve the World”
Our Mission Statement: “People dedicated to Spiritual Growth, Loving Relationship, and Sacrificial Service”
SUNDAY, November 26, 2017
9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Worship Service
– SANCTUARY: “Mercy: A Life Sentence”
– SCRIPTURE: Matthew 25:31-46
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ATTACHMENTS: Calendar of Events, Friends to Remember in Prayer, & Sunday School Schedule
Tax Free Charitable Giving Letter – A copy is also available on the table in the narthex.
ATTENDANCE – November 19, 2017, 10:30 a.m. Worship Service – 92
COPIES OF this week’s e-news, the November calendar, and November Newsline Digest are available to be picked up on the table in the narthex and at YorkFirst.org
REMINDER – STATEMENTS are available for pick up on the narrow table in the narthex.
AV TEAM is looking for people, male or female, to join the AV team. If interested, please contact Tim Beckwith or Patricia Carey, Worship Team Chair.
USHER TEAM: We are looking for additional ushers – Anyone may serve. Although, we would like to have several ladies and several youth. Please see any team leader if you are interested.
2018 DIRECTORY INFORMATION
There is a copy of the member’s pages of this year’s directory on the table in the narthex. PLEASE review and make any necessary changes on this copy.
We hope to have the most accurate information to print the 2018 directory.
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Dear First Church family, Carol and I are so very grateful to you for your support, encouragement and friendship during our time together. It was a great experience from day one until our final Sunday. Thanks so much for the cards and expressions of best wishes we received from many of you. We are especially grateful for the generous love gift we received.
We continue to pray that God will guide and strengthen you as you move forward with the able leadership of Pastor Joel. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Love,
Bob and Carol Krouse
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HOMEMADE COOKIES NEEDED – Bring your homemade cookies to the lounge on Sunday morning, December 3 and place on the table. Thank you for sharing the love of Christ with others.~ Elizabeth Eisenhart
ORDER YOUR POINSETTIAS~ December 3rd and December 10th – Taking orders in the narthex between Sunday School and church and after church. Cost: $ 10.00, cash or check. Orders may also be placed through the church office.
DECORATING FOR ADVENT SEASON: Advent is fast approaching, it is time to schedule to decorate the sanctuary for the Holidays. We will gather on Saturday, December 2nd at 9am in the sanctuary. Please let Patricia Carey know if you will be joining us that morning or you will do your part of this at a different time. I want to make sure everything is ready for Sunday, December 3rd when Advent starts. Any questions or concerns, please contact Patricia Carey.
ADVENT BREAKFAST – SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10TH AT 9 AM! Please mark your calendars to attend! Sign-up sheets for breakfast items and table sponsors/centerpiece decorations are posted in the narthex area, so please sign up to bring a casserole, baked oatmeal, fruit or fruit salad, juice, muffins, donuts and/or bread. We look forward to seeing you at the breakfast. More details to come! If you have questions, please see Tim Beckwith.
“O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree. How faithful are thy branches…”
This familiar song rings true for our Christmas Tree Festival, an event at Camp Eder which will be held this year on December 8 and 9.
HELP decorate our Christmas tree for Camp Eder right here at First Church. Our theme this year for the Christmas Tree Festival is “Noah’s Ark”.
A table will be set up in the narthex with paints and brushes for you to create your own style and color to a particular animal you wish to see on the Christmas Tree. No art ability is needed. Just your own touch of love to the paint and something wonderful will appear.
These beautiful creative ornaments will be displayed on our tree at the Christmas Tree Festival.
“DONATIONS TO THE HEIFER PROJECT can be made using the envelopes in the pew racks. Include your name and designate for Heifer Project. Donations in Honor or Memory of loved ones can be made the same way, and will be acknowledged December 31, 2017. Thank you.”
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THIS WEEK. . . . . . . . . . . .
NOVEMBER 29, 2017 ~ Camp Eder Senior Day: It’s the Holiday- Musical Guest Kerry White & Afternoon Holiday Activities – 9:30 Meet and greet with continental breakfast, 10:00 Morning Program (Holiday themed crafts), 12:00 Lunch, 1:00 Afternoon program ~ Register online campeder@campeder.org or call (717) 642-8256. See information on bulletin board and if you have any questions, please contact Kathy Kovacs.
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LADIES BIBLE STUDY INFORMATION
November 28 – Last Lesson and completion of “Fight Back with Joy”
Dec. 5 – Assemble cookies for Truck Stop Ministry
Dec. 12 – Ladies Bible Study Luncheon – NO LESSON – Meeting at 11:30 at: Isaac’s Restaurant & Deli, 2960 Whiteford Rd., York, PA 17402.
For those interested in carpooling from the church – please call Pat Trimmer at 717-292-2960
Ladies Bible Study resumes – January 9 – 11:30 a.m. New Study (details to come)
Also, any lady that did not get an updated address, phone list of ladies in our Bible Study, please remind me when you come to class. I handed out this past week to those who were present. I won’t really know if you got one or not, so you need to let me know. BLESSINGS TO ALL ~Dolly
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SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCES:
Brad and Ruby Nicholas and their family due to the death of their grandson, Timothy Fairman. Please keep Brad, Ruby and their family in your thoughts and prayers.
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THANK YOU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thank you for sending prayers, cards and thoughts. It means a lot to us. We cherish each message that comes. Thank you for your kindness and we keep praying for the church. ~ David, Joan, Andrew, & Jonathan Young
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WITNESS OUTREACH HOLIDAY OPPORTUNITY :
Lehman Center Christmas Gifts
This year we are again sponsoring Destiney’s family for Christmas. They are most appreciative of any items that we can provide. Suggestions:
Liyana – age 5 – earrings (pierced), size 6 clothing – t-shirts and short sleeve tops
Dylan – age 7 – art supplies, size 7 pants (no jeans)
Gift cards for both children – McDonalds, Sweet Frog, movies, pizza, etc.
Family – TV trays, board games – Uno, Beat the Parents, Spot It, Find It Game
Gift cards for groceries, gas, restaurants, etc.
Also, this year the Crisis Nursery has a wish list of items needed:
Paw Patrol Sea Patroller
Matchbox Rocky Robot Truck
DC Superhero Girl Action Figures
Please place items in the basket in the narthex marked “Lehman Center Christmas Gifts” by December 10th. Gift cards and cash/checks may be placed in the offering marked for the Lehman Center family or Crisis Nursery.
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A SUGGESTION FROM THE SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT TEAM ABOUT HOW TO HAVE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LORD
NOVEMBER – HEIFER SERVICE OPPORTUNITY ~ As followers of Christ, we have the opportunity to participate in the work of Heifer by committing ourselves to prayer and generous giving of our time and resources. Paul admonished the Corinthian Christians to be faithful in service to Christ just as a runner is participating in a race or as a boxer is engaged in a fight. We as Christians are called by Christ to be continually engaged in acts of service to do His work of evangelizing and responding to the needs of the hungry and the suffering. Paul reminded the followers of Christ that all who participate faithfully in ministry on Christ’s behalf, are promised crowns of rejoicing (1 Cor. 9:25-27).
Jesus is our perfect example. He said: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day, for the night comes when no man can work” (John 9:4). And at the end of His ministry He told His Father, “I have finished the work which you gave Me to do” (John 17:4).
If in our service for God’s kingdom our motive is pure and our labor is for God’s glory, we will be rewarded far beyond what we are presently able to imagine. When Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the message of salvation and heal the sick and cleanse the lepers, He added that whoever gives a cup of cold water to a little one will in no wise loose his reward (Matt. 10:42).
So you are at this time encouraged to allow God to use you and bless you in the ministry of Heifer. Step up to the plate with anticipation and joy! The ball of opportunity is already on its way! ~ Frank Leaman
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From the SO PA District Office:
Paul Boldosser from the Black Rock Church of the Brethren is organizing a team to help repair homes damaged by Hurricane Irma in the Daytona Beach Florida area. The work week will be December 11-15, 2017. Current plans are to leave Pennsylvania on December 9th and return the following weekend. The volunteers will be working with the UCC construction leaders. The housing includes beds and mattresses, men’s and women’s showers and a kitchen. There are accommodations for 10 men and 10 women. Workers and a cook are needed.
Please contact Paul at 717-229-2068 before December 1st with questions and to volunteer.
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LOOKING AHEAD . . . . . . . . . . .
DECEMBER 8, 2017 ~ SOUP KITCHEN – PLEASE BRING CASSEROLES TO CHURCH BY 8:30 AM ON FRIDAY.
Sign up in the narthex to make a casserole or to work at the Soup Kitchen on Friday, December 8, 2017 (10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) PLEASE add your name and number of casseroles, to the SIGN UP sheet, so we can let the Soup Kitchen know how many casseroles to expect.
DECEMBER 14, 2017 ~ OWLS CHRISTMAS TEA – The annual OWLS Christmas Tea takes place at NOON On Thursday December 14 in the OWLS TEAROOM (AKA Homebuilder’s classroom 154). Get into the Christmas Spirit with a fun-filled time together as we celebrate the Christmas season with good friends, and good food, (provided by Dolly Furst). Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex ASAP, no later than December 10, so we know how many to prepare for.
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CAMP EDER ~ LIFE OUTDOORS ~ LIFESKILLS WORKSHOP, Free and open to the public RSVP @ 717-642-8256, Workshops will fill fast. Please R.S.V.P. – Register online now
First Thursday of every month. 6:30p – 8p at Camp Eder
December 7, 2017 – Rockclimbing ‘gravity is a myth’
January 4, 2018 – Knit & Crochet ‘woven together’
February 1, 2018 – Terrariums ‘warm in Winter’
March 1, 2018 – Outdoor Survival Skills ‘no problems’
April 5, 2018 – Beekeeping ‘bee ready for Spring’
Come hang out & learn the basics of some awesome life skills.
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DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS:
If your birthday is in DECEMBER and it is not on the above list or is listed incorrectly, please call the church office.
2 Melinda Carlson
Larry Logue
4 Ron Gray
Haley Grace Yingling
Paige Noelle Yingling
7 Brynleigh McCracken
8 Todd Plymire
10 Barbara Rollman
12 Bob Stoolmaker
Tim Beckwith
14 Peggy Metzger
Christina Deitch
Kelly Boogher
15 Dave Bradfield, Sr
16 Brad Shenk
17 Dean Hoover
Jon Beuschlein
Linda Min
18 Eric Brickner
Julie Ilyes
Lilah Margrett Jan
19 Walter Bachman
21 Lindsay McCracken
23 Dave McCracken
24 Matthew Klinedinst
26 Emma Stoolmaker
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CONTACTING THE PASTOR: Pastor Joel can be reached most mornings in the church office Monday—Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Afternoons and evenings are set aside for visiting those in need, for meetings, and for other pastoral duties. Pastor Joel is also available for Pastoral Counseling by appointment. If you need to reach the pastor outside of office hours, his home phone number is (717) 318-5442, and his cell number is (717) 271-4888 . You can also email him at pastor@yorkfirst.org. By the way, HIPA laws prevent the hospital from contacting the pastor when you are admitted, so you will need to let hospital staff know that you would like the hospital to contact your pastor.
