Vol. 13- No. 48 – Friday, November 30, 2018, Karen Bowman-Editor secretary@yorkfirst.org
Web Site: yorkfirst.org Facebook: “York First Church of the Brethren”
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”
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SUNDAY, December 2, 2018
9:00 a.m. – Sunday School (classes for all ages)
10:30 a.m. – Worship, Sanctuary
– SCRIPTURE: Psalm 25:1-10, Jeremiah 33:14-16
– MESSAGE: “The Days are Coming”
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ATTACHMENTS: Calendar of Events, Friends to Remember in Prayer, & Sunday School Schedule, Holiday Happenings “Prepare the Way” – Advent Events, and Tax – Free Charitable Giving Document
ATTENDANCE – November 25, 2018, 10:30 a.m. Worship Service – 84
COPIES OF this week’s e-news and the December calendar are available to be picked up on the table in the narthex and can be viewed at yorkfirst.org
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL BOOKS are available in the Gathering Area: “Wait and Hope” by Rhonda Pittman Gingrich. Please take one and use it this Advent Season.
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REMINDER: Homemade Cookies Needed – Bring your homemade cookies to the lounge on Sunday morning, December 2, and place on the table. Thank you for sharing the love of Christ with others.
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Advent Offering Project:
This season, preparing to enter the Advent season and looking forward to celebrating Christ’s birth, several of the children in our congregation have expressed interest in leading a special offering project to benefit immigrant and refugee children. We intend to direct funds raised to Church World Service to support their local and international programs of refugee resettlement and immigrant support. This project is truly the birthed from the minds and hearts of children, and children will be leading the way in supporting it. Please plan to support them and give toward this offering project as an extension of our faithfulness to Jesus, who himself fled a dangerous situation and found refuge in a foreign land as a child.
Christmas Eve Offering:
Our Christmas Eve Offering this year will go to support the work of two service organizations. Half will go to LifePath Christian Ministries (formerly York Rescue Mission), which serves many people in need in the City of York. Half will go to Brethren Disaster Ministries, specifically Children’s Disaster Services, which provides crisis care for children following disasters of many kinds. Thank you in advance for your gifts toward these important and faithful ministries that the church is eager to support.
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THIS WEEK. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DECEMBER 1, 2018 ~ Decorate the Sanctuary and Narthex – There is nothing like helping to decorate the halls to get you into the Christmas Spirit! Join with the decorating team about 9:00am to Noon on Saturday to put the finishing touches on the decorations in the sanctuary and narthex.
DECEMBER 1, 2018 ~ Camp Eder’s Deck the Halls – One day event held Sat. Dec. 1, 2018 10a-5p. FREE and open to all age groups. Please join us as we prepare for our next weekend’s Christmas Tree Festival. Come make cookies & baked goods for the next weekend’s Christmas festival with family & friends; decorate our large indoor Christmas tree; enjoy free hot lunch (donations always accepted) with campfire & hot cocoa! Christmas Tree Sponsor: NO DONATION necessary to decorate a tree for your organization, church, family or friends. It will be a day full of holiday spirit, joyful fellowship, and lots of family fun! Volunteering is a great family activity and you will love making holiday memories! Please see the poster on the bulletin board for more information and if you have any questions, contact Kathy Kovacs at (717) 309-0678.
DECEMBER 2, 2018 ~ Dallastown Christmas Concert – Sunday December 2 at 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary – Always an excellent program presented by the Dallastown High School String and Vocal Ensembles. This will really get you in the Holiday Spirit! Bring your friends along for an enjoyable evening.
DECEMBER 7 & 8, 2018 ~Camp Eder’s Christmas Tree Festival – Friday & Saturday, 5pm-9pm – Mark your calendars now! Camp Eder invites you to celebrate the coming of Christ with us at our 8th Annual Christmas Tree Festival. Bring your whole family and enjoy cookies, hot cocoa, holiday lights, decorated trees, horse drawn carriage rides on Friday, luminaries, kids activities, bake sale, holiday music, vote for your favorite tree, live Christmas message painting with Dave Weiss, and make memories that will last a life time.
Please see the poster on the bulletin board for more information and if you have any questions, contact Kathy Kovacs at (717) 309-0678.
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York First Church of the Brethren Children’s Ministry
December
Nursery 9:00-10:15
(birth-K) K-5th Teacher
9:00-10:00 Nursery 10:15-11:45
(Birth-1st)
2 Tom McCracken Jill McCracken Tom & Jill McCracken
9 Advent Breakfast Kathy Kovacs & Gail Rutland
16 Bob & Stephanie Stoolmaker John Anderson Judy Yingling & Tonya/Ashley DeHoff
23 Kathy Kovacs & Gail Rutland Michele Gibbel Sam & Alicia Weyant
30 Michele Gibbel & Jolene Zeigler Barbara Jo Brown Marie & Greg Bachman
Thank you to all those who help with Children’s Ministry. Your time, energy, and dedication are appreciated. If you need to make a schedule change or would like to serve as a teacher or in the nursery, please contact Michele Gibbel (717) 318-5442 or mgibbel@yahoo.com.
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THANK YOU. . . . . . . . . .
THANK YOU to all the folks that have provided casseroles for Our Daily Bread soup kitchen in 2018. And to those that transport and serve the casseroles. We have been providing 12 to 15 spaghetti casseroles the 2nd Friday of each month to feed those less fortunate. It is one of our ways to help fight hunger. If you would like to help ….
1.You can make a casserole at your convenience. (pans & recipe available)
2. Put your casserole in the freezer in the church kitchen anytime during the month.
OR
3. Bring your casserole to the church by 8:30 a.m. the 2nd Friday of each month.
Please add your name to the sign up sheet so we can tell Our Daily Bread how many casseroles to expect.
Your help is very much appreciated. ~ A. Ginder
A Humongous Thank You for those who contributed items/money to the In-Gathering Service for the Lehman Center and FCOB Food Pantry. Because of your support, our shelves are overflowing. Many persons will benefit from your generosity. The Witness Team
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Our church now offers Online Giving, a web-based electronic contribution application. We are providing this service so that you have the option to manage your contributions online or with your offering envelopes. This service is safe and secure. And it is convenient for you and for our church staff. Once you set up your account, you select the donation amount, the fund you are supporting, and date(s) funds will be transferred. It’s that simple! No weekly checks to write, you may change your donation at any time and you can donate to special funds as well.
This convenient new system accessed through our website does not require you to contact your bank to sign up or to make changes. You can use any of your checking or savings accounts and the funds will be automatically transferred to our church bank account. You can also see reports on your contribution history and generate tax statements at each year’s end.
Sign up for Online Giving by going to our church website at: www.yorkfirst.org and click on the Online Giving Link or go directly to the Online Giving website at: www.acionlinegiving.com/4706.
You simply complete the information including your name, address, email address, and bank information. Then choose the fund, date and frequency for your contribution. Choose General Fund for tithes/offerings.
For assistance setting up your account, call Donor Support at: 800-348-2886 – Option 2 – Online Giving – Questions? Contact Sheryl Leaman – Thank you for your support!!!!!
Update: 5 new members need to enroll!!
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LOOKING AHEAD. . . . . . . .
DECEMBER 9, 2018 ~ Advent Breakfast during the Sunday School Hour 9:00 to 10:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall
DECEMBER 13, 2018 ~ O.W.L.S. CHRISTMAS TEA – Please plan to join us for a High Noon Tea on Thursday, December 13 in the Homebuilders room for different flavorful teas, Cream of Crab Soup, Chicken Corn Soup, a variety of tea sandwiches along with delicious homemade Christmas cookies. Program is a DVD of selections from “An Old-Fashioned Christmas”. You’ll be enchanted by all you see and hear as your favorite Yuletide songs come alive in a beautiful video that captures the true meaning of Christmas.
Come, relax, and enjoy good food and a cup of tea with friends!
Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex by December 9 so we know how many to prepare for. (Tearoom seating is limited)
DECEMBER 14, 2018 ~ 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 14, 2018 (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.
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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 Jon Beuschlein
Linda Min
18 Eric Brickner
Julie Ilyes
19 Walter Bachman
21 Lindsey 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, HIPAA 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.
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York First Church of the Brethren, 2710 Kingston Road, York, PA 17402, Ph: 717-755-0307, Fax: 717-755-1382, yorkfirst.org
