Weekly News
Vol. 10-No. 51 Friday, December 23, 2016
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”
“MERRY CHRISTMAS”
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2016
7:00 p.m. – Family Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be held at 7:00 pm in the sanctuary, special music at 6:45 pm
– Sanctuary: “And the Word became Flesh”
– Scripture: Isaiah 52:7-10, John I:1-14
CHRISTMAS EVE OFFERING – This year the Christmas Eve offering will be given to Church World Service to support the needs of refugee resettlement including, shelter, food and supplies.
Thoughts on the Word: This message is my final message to you as your pastor. My prayer for you is that the message of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, will shine even more brightly in your witness and love for each other, the community, and yourselves. God loves you and wants you to love each other. Simple words, yet very difficult to live out because we are imperfect vessels and yet God chooses to place his Son, our Lord, Jesus within us, as his Church. You have blessed and been very generous to me and my family and for this I will forever praise God, the giver of every good and perfect gift. God bless you all and Merry Christmas. Pastor Don
Poinsettia Pick Up: If you purchased a poinsettia and interested in taking it home, please pick it up after the Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services. If you did not purchase one or interested in more, please wait a few minutes after the Christmas Day service to pick one up, so that everyone that purchased one has the chance to get one. This is on the honor system. If you are interested in getting your poinsettia but unable to attend the Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services please contact Tim Beckwith to make arrangements. Any poinsettias left after the Christmas Day service will be donated. Thank you!
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016
10:30 a.m. Worship Service Christmas Day Celebration Service featuring carols and readings
SUNDAY, JANUARY 1st, at 10:30 am, a New Year’s Day Service is being planned by the Youth of the church. There is no Sunday School scheduled.
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ATTACHMENTS: Calendar of Events, Friends to Remember in Prayer, & Sunday School Schedule.
WORSHIP ATTENDANCE – December 18, 2016, 10:30 a.m. Worship Service – 142
COPIES OF this week’s e-news and the January calendar are available to be picked up on the table in the narthex and at YorkFirst.org
Copies of the pastor’s sermons will be available on our website at http://yorkfirst.org/sermons/ You may also contact the church office to request a copy.
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IF YOU DROP ANYTHING AT THE CHURCH OFFICE please mark the reason it is being left, WHO or WHERE it should be directed. ~ THANK YOU!
2017 OFFERING ENVELOPES are available for you to pick up in the narthex.
NOTE: Many numbers have changed since 2016.
Do NOT use your 2016 envelopes after December 31, 2016, and do NOT use the 2017 envelopes before January 1, 2017 to assure that the contributions are credited to the correct contributor.
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THIS WEEK……………
DECEMBER 29 & 30, 2016 – Eshbach Railroad ~ All are invited to the annual Model Train Show at the home of Theresa & Warren Eshbach, 3885 Lauer Lane, Dover, PA 17315. No admission charge, but contributions received will support Brethren Housing Association.
Call (717) 292-4803 or Email: eshbachmodelrailroad@gmail.com to schedule a visit for Sunday, Dec. 18th at 3:00 pm, Thursday, Dec. 29th at 2:00/4:00 pm, Friday, Dec. 30th at 2:00/4:00 pm. Te better enhance your experience, please schedule your visit in advance.
DECEMBER 30, 2016 – 7:00 pm at York First Church of the Brethren – Recital by Courtney Ross, singer & Stephen Carey, pianist. Courtney Ross was a former member of the Fort Worth Opera Studio, and has performed in the U.S. as well as Europe. Stephen Carey, is in his 5th season as the principal pianist/vocal coach with Fort Worth Opera. Previous to coming to Fort Worth Opera, Stephen spent 11 years working for Opera Memphis. This program will include opera, musical theatre, and holiday selections.
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Operation Christmas Child – Several members have asked about the distribution of the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes that were completed as our Vacation Bible School service project. About 35-40 shoe boxes were completed during VBS. $300 of the monetary contributions received during VBS was sent to Samaritan’s Purse for the processing of the boxes and $19 was used to purchase a few additional items for the boxes. $19 goes a long way at the Dollar Store! Emma took boxes to First Priority Prayer Club at Dallastown, so more boxes were added to the total. Carol and Ken took the completed boxes to a local drop off location at a church in Red Lion in November. John and Mary Esther Anderson, Judy Yingling and I had the privilege of helping to process the shoeboxes at a Processing Center in Odenton, MD. We’d be happy to share our experiences with you. The pallets of processed boxes are placed on sea going containers, go through customs in the countries where they are distributed and are distributed all year long. The boxes collected in 2016 will be distributed in 2017. Here is a web site for OCC – https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/the-journey-of-a-shoebox/ – and for Danniella’s Story – http://video.samaritanspurse.org/good-news-danniellas-story/ – a beautiful personal story sharing more about the mission. Danniella’s story was shown in church the week after VBS. Hope this helps answer any questions you have. Thanks! Judy Deitch
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THANK YOU……………
A big “THANK YOU” to all the Worship Leaders who volunteered during the Sundays in 2016. Your willingness to serve was greatly appreciated.
THANK YOU to everyone for your generosity to help make my kids Christmas brighter. – Destiney
A First Church “thank you shout out” for planning and presenting the retirement luncheon for Pastor Don and Vivian. An enjoyable time was had by all! The Committee was comprised of Glenn & Anna Miller, Dolly Furst, Pat Gibble, and Mike Baldwin. Thanks to all the people who were involved in some aspect of the day. A job well done! Mike Baldwin, Coordinator and Jayne Baldwin.
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SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCES…………
To Judy Yingling on the passing of her sister, Dottie Klinedinst. Dottie passed away last night. Please keep Judy and her family in your thoughts and prayers.
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LOOKING AHEAD . . . . . . . . . . .
JANUARY 6, 11, & 26, 2017 ~ The new Brookside care center at The Brethren Home Community will hold three open houses in January. Once they are in operation the facility will not be open for casual visitation because of privacy and security considerations, so January will be the time to see the excellent facility that has been provided. The dates are Friday, January 6, from 2:00 to 4:00 Wednesday January 11, from 4:00 to 6:00 Thursday January 26, from 2:00 to 4:00.
JANUARY 12, 2017 ~ OWLS NEWS – JOIN the OWLS at noon on Thursday January 12 for lunch and an interesting program centered around the ONE DOLLAR BILL. Bob Anderson will join us to lead the discussion. Bring your bag lunch, a crisp, new ONE DOLLAR BILL and a MAGNIFYING GLASS so we can explore the hidden treasures to be found there. We meet in the Homebuilders classroom 154. Everyone is invited. Drinks and dessert will be provided. Please sign up in the narthex by January 8 so we know how many to prepare for.
JANUARY 13, 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, January 13, 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.
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JANUARY BIRTHDAYS:
If your birthday is in JANUARY and it is not on the above list or is listed incorrectly, please call the church office.
6 Ruby Nicholas
Tom Klinedinst
7 Greg Minnich
9 Jeffrey Yingling
11 Nathan Beuschlein
14 Beth Drawbaugh
Clarence Sauder
15 Ron Horner
Steven Fitzkee
Jim Poland
16 Cathy McCracken
18 Melanie Schaefer
19 Luke Miller
Greg Bachman
20 Spencer Ginder
25 Valerie Sauder
27 Larry Gibble
28 Vivian Hubbell
31 Mikel Kile-Flickinger
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Weather Related *CHURCH CANCELLATIONS
- Cancellations will be announced through our church phone system.
Please use the following process:
- Call the church office at 755-0307.
- When answering machine message begins, press 6
- A recorded message will indicate the status of church services/activities.
- Cancellations will be announced on the church’s web site at www.yorkfirst.org, and when possible, emails will be sent to all online mailing list members and added to our Facebook page and Twitter, and in that 1, 2, 3, 4 order. *Weather related cancellations will not be announced on radio or TV.
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Contacting the Pastor: Pastor Don can be reached most mornings in the church office Monday—Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. The pastor reserves afternoons and evenings for visitation, meetings, and other pastoral-related activities. If you need to reach a Pastor Don outside of office hours, please call him at home at 792-4090, or cell phone 818-6266, and leave a message on his home answering machine. He will return your call at his earliest opportunity. If you would specifically like a pastoral visit, please contact the pastor. HIPA laws prevent the hospital from contacting the pastor when you are admitted. You MUST specifically note to hospital staff that you would like the hospital to contact your pastor.
Contacting the Youth Director, Garrett Page: His phone number is (614) 400-9533 or by email at: nykgarrettpage@yahoo.com
