Weekly News
Vol. 12-No. 31 Friday, August 4, 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, August 6, 2017
9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Worship Service
– SANCTUARY: “God’s Plan: A Future with Hope”
– SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 29:8-14
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SUMMER SPECIAL MUSIC SCHEDULE:
August 6 – VBS
August 13 – Caroline Wolfe
August 20 – Bob Krouse
August 27 – Baldwin Girls
Sept 3 – Matt Diehl
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ATTACHMENTS: Calendar of Events, Friends to Remember in Prayer, & Sunday School Schedule and the Summer Music Schedule.
ATTENDANCE – July 30, 2017, 10:30 a.m. Worship Service – 92
COPIES OF this week’s e-news, the August calendar, and July/August Newsline Digest are available to be picked up on the table in the narthex and at YorkFirst.org
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THIS WEEK. . . . . . . . . . . .
AUGUST 10, 2017 – OWLS ANNUAL INDOOR PICNIC ~ Join the OWLS on Thursday August 10 for the ANNUAL INDOOR PICNIC in the air-conditioned Homebuilders Classroom 154. No hot sun, rain or ants to bother us! The grilled burgers-in-sauce are provided. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex by August 6 and indicate the dish you will bring (drinks, rolls, veggies, salads, desserts, etc.) so we can plan for how many are coming.
September 14 – Pastor Bob’s Nigerian Experiences
October 12 – Park Ranger from Gettysburg
AUGUST 11, 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, August 11, 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.
AUGUST 12, 2017 – 57TH CHICKEN BBQ, CAR SHOW AND AUCTION – Sat., Aug. 12th, 9 – 4 pm, Cross Keys Village, TBHC, 2990 Carlisle Pike, New Oxford, PA – $ 10. Full BBQ Chicken Meal, Dine in or take out begins at 10 am, Peter’s Barbecue traditionally prepares barbecued chicken on open grills! Enjoy entertainment, craft and food vendors, previously read books, and homemade baked goods for sale. Classic car show and much more! Bee Hive Gift Shop & Almost New Shop open. Auction begins at 1 pm in Nicarry Meetinghouse with antiques, collectibles and those great quilts! Free Admission, Free Parking, Free Shuttle Buses
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HELP WANTED
IN ORDER FOR THE JUBILEE RINGERS TO CONTINUE FOR THE UPCOMING CHOIR SEASON, WE NEED SOME VOLUNTEERS TO FILL IN OCCASIONALLY OR REPLACE THOSE WHO CANNOT CONTINUE PLAYING AT THIS TIME. IF YOU CAN READ MUSIC AND ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT BARBARA ROLLMAN ASAP.
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WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT. . . . . . . . . . .
Sarah Kovacs and Patrick Hamill were united in marriage on Saturday, July 15th. They will reside at 203 Gale Street, Apt. 301, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. Congratulations and best wishes are extended for your future.
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THANK YOU. . . . . . . . . .
Pat Gibble wishes to express thanks to the First Church family for their kind expressions of sympathy and their support following the death of her brother, Bill Martin.
THANK YOU casserole makers. I am very thankful to all who take the time to make casseroles for Our Daily Bread soup kitchen each month. I also appreciate those who help serve. Keep up the good work. There are a lot of thankful people you are feeding.
Thanks Dan, for delivering the casseroles each month.
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Donations Appreciated! The Witness Team is collecting school supplies for the York City School District.
They are currently collecting until August 27th:
Pencils
Colored Pencils
Note Book
Small Tissue Packs
Small Hand Sanitizers
Crayola Brand Crayons
Pocket Folders
There is a box in the front of the Sanctuary specifically marked for those donations!
Thanks All! ~ Witness Team
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The Spiritual Enrichment Team is organizing a trip to the Ephrata Cloister for our church. ~ Jeff Bach, director of The Young Center For Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College, will be going with us as a guide. He will be explaining the beliefs of the Cloister and provide information about the C.O.B. involvement in it. Jeff is very knowledgeable about C.O.B. history and will be tying this all together for us. He will be with us for the day and be available for questions and discussion. It will be a day of learning, understanding of our C.O.B. roots, and fellowship together.
All are welcome to come and bring guests if you wish. The trip will be Saturday August 5, leaving at 9 from the church and returning around 4. We will travel using the church vans, but if you would rather drive yourself you can simply meet us at the Cloister. The 2 main buildings that are toured are handicapped accessible. There are other buildings you can peek into, but 4 of them are not handicapped accessible. The tour involves about 2 city blocks of walking, there are shady places to sit and rest around the grounds, and a gift shop with well made reproductions of antique items such as were used at the Cloister.
The cost is $15. ( includes admission). We will have lunch together in Ephrata (at your expense), and we will also spend one hour at 10,000 Villages in Ephrata. This is a large free trade store with many unusual items from all over the world—–similar to our SERRV at New Windsor. The store is handicapped accessible and has a café where people can relax with a snack or drink if you don’t want to shop.
Seats on the church vans will be given to those who sign up first. If we have more people than can be accommodated, printed driving directions will be provided for car pooling
Save the date and plan to join us on this trip! Reservations and payment are now being accepted.
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A SUGGESTION FROM THE SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT TEAM ABOUT HOW TO HAVE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LORD
Our team was discussing how we could have a closer relationship with Jesus and we thought of the verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18—Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. But exactly what does it mean to pray without ceasing, and how can we do it. After doing some research, I believe that we are to be ever present with God throughout the entire day. When we face a challenge, ask for His assistance, and when we experience a blessing thank Him for it. Interact with Him in prayer as you go through the day. Think of it as having a phone conversation with God, but never hanging up.
But don’t forget that a conversation is a two way thing. We need to listen also! God can speak to us through revelations in our hearts and minds. However we get busy as we go through the day, and can easily get distracted. We forget to listen, and to include Him in what we do. Our minds wander, and our conversation is dropped—the same as when our cell phone is out of range from the tower. We need to stay close to the strength of God’s tower! Close your eyes, and take deep breaths to clear your thoughts. Ask God to be with you in the silence, and speak to your heart. Sit in silence and listen for God. Start with 3 minutes, and work up to 15 minutes or more.
Another helpful thing is to begin the day with bible study. Bible reading and meditation help us begin the conversation, and keep the communication line open. You might put post-it notes with bible verses or prayers around your desk or house, to help you remember to check in with God more often. When you exercise or walk, you might listen to worship music. Sing along with a Christian CD in the car. As you fold laundry, pray for the person who will wear the clothing. Set an alarm on your phone (or other device) for several times during the day, and take a minute to focus on prayer.
So you see that not all prayer looks and feels the same. And that’s ok. When you have conversations with a friend they are not always the same, but with each conversation you get to know your friend better. It is the same with God. To get to know Him you must talk to Him, and listen for His response.
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LOOKING AHEAD . . . . . . . . . . .
AUGUST 19, 2017 – CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN NIGHT, Sat, Aug. 19th, Game time: 6:00 pm (gates open: 4:30 pm) “For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them”. – Matthew 18:20 The Atlantic Northeast District, Pennsylvania Southern District, and the Harrisburg Senators invite your church family to a night of fun and fellowship at FNB field. Tickets are $11 and $2 from each ticket will benefit your church’s respective district. First 1000 adults (13 and older) will receive a senators pink jersey! The Senators will be sporting pink jerseys in honor of breast cancer awareness! Orders are due by August 8th! Anyone interested in going should contact the Senator’s ticket office at 717-231-4444 to receive the group rate ticket price.
AUGUST 26 – SEPTEMBER 3, 2017 – SIXTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN CAMP MEETING, Aug. 26th – Sept 3rd, Rhodes Grove Camp, 7693 Brown’s Mill Rd., Chambersburg, Pa 17202, See schedule and additional information posted on bulletin board.
SEPTEMBER 4 – 8, 2017 ~ National Older Adult Conference, Inspiration 2017, will be held in Lake Junaluska Conference Center, in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina from Sept. 4 – 8. The theme is “Generations” from Psalm 145:4 ; “One generation shall laud God’s work to another and shall declare God’s mighty acts.” The theme reflects the intergenerational community that gathers at NOAC and the importance of generations engaging each other in meaningful conversations about relationships, leaving a legacy, and faith. Please see additional information and registration forms on the bulletin board. You may register online at www.brethren.org/noac/registration
SEPTEMBER 15 & 16, 2017 – Southern PA District Church of the Brethren, New Fairview Church of the Brethren, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19 ~ Will you please make District Conference a priority? Join us for Worship and Fellowship at New Fairview COB as we discern God’s leading for our next year. See the bulletin board for conference schedule and agenda.
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CONTACTING THE PASTOR: Pastor Bob 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 Bob is also available for Pastoral Counseling by appointment. If you need to reach the pastor outside of office hours, his cell phone number is (717) 818-0653. 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.
CONTACTING THE YOUTH DIRECTOR, Garrett Page: His phone number is (614) 400-9533 or by email at nykgarrettpage@yahoo.com
