Weekly News
Vol. 13-No. 12 Friday, March 23, 2018
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, March 25, 2018, PALM SUNDAY
9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
10:30 a.m. – Worship Service, Sanctuary
– MESSAGE: “Blessed is the Kingdom”
– SCRIPTURE: Mark 11:1-11
Upcoming Events: Good Friday, March 30 – 7:00 pm Tenebrae Service – Sanctuary
Easter Sunday, April 1st – 9:00 AM Easter Breakfast – FH
SPRING CONGREGATIONAL FORUM WILL BE HELD SUNDAY, APRIL 8, 2018
This Sunday the Congregational Forum Packets will be available to be picked up on the table in the Narthex. There are two sections. The forum booklet and the treasurer’s report.
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ATTACHMENTS: Calendar of Events, Friends to Remember in Prayer, & Sunday School Schedule and Easter Service Invitation
ATTENDANCE – March 18, 2018, 10:30 a.m. Worship Service – 93
COPIES OF this week’s e-news, the March calendar, and March Newsline Digest are available to be picked up on the table in the narthex and can be viewed at www.yorkfirst.org
2018 DIRECTORY is available for pickup on the table in the narthex.
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REMINDER: PEANUT BUTTER EGGS ~ For those that ordered peanut butter eggs, please pick them up in the narthex this Sunday, March 25th. There will also be eggs available to purchase. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Kovacs
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THIS WEEK . . . . . . . . . .
MARCH 23 & 24, 2018 – FUNDRAISER YARD SALE – New Fairview Church, 1873 New Fairview Church Road, York, Friday, March 23, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm & Saturday, March 24, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm – Bake Sale, Good Food, 1,000’s of items
MARCH 28, 2018 – EASTER EGG HUNT (Rain or Shine) The Easter Egg Hunt will be held on March 28th from 5:30 until 7:00 pm
APRIL 1, 2018 ~ EASTER BREAKFAST ~ The Hospitality and Fellowship Team will be hosting the Easter Breakfast on Sunday, April 1st at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring your favorite fruit or muffin/starch side to share, no sign up sheet needed. The Hospitality and Fellowship Team will be providing the casseroles and drinks. See you there!
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Spiritual Enrichment Team is partnering with Ruth Fitz, to offer a program of fellowship through singing. We hope to begin in late April. Keep alert for the date and time of this event. This is how Ruth introduces the program, Soulful Singing:
Friends are invited to a time of Soulful Singing. Shy and strong singers are all welcome to participate in a time of joyful, beautiful, healing music in the oral tradition, led by Ruth Fitz…. No experience necessary! Ruth, a former member of 1st Church, has a ministry of music with the Society of Friends (Quakers), in which she engages participants to sing joyfully and harmoniously together in a variety of genre–spirituals, sacred chants, peace, fun, and world songs.
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The Spiritual Enrichment Team has been sharing “The Top 10 Ways to Reduce Violence”, by Dr. Phillip E. Humbert. In light of more shootings, it is most important to practice these suggestions, and pass them on to others. We must ask God for help that we may share his peace and be examples of his love. Here are the last three of the ten suggestions:
8. ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SPORTS AND VOLENT BEHAVIOR. Again, sports is a sacred icon in American culture, but it seems that sports have been separated from athletics. Instead of every child participating in gym class and competing in intramural sports, we have a culture of super-hero super-stars who are virtually above the law. Hockey, football, and fighting sports all tolerate behavior that would result in arrest for assault outside the sports arena. Competition and fitness are valuable; organized violence is not acceptable!
9. ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE. Business uses the language of the battlefield, and sports is full of encouragement to “get out there and kill”, “massacre them”, and “beat their brains out”. Our legal system is based on the idea of lawyers doing battle. While hiring a representative to fight with words instead of clubs was a huge step forward in the middle ages, perhaps our society is ready for an even higher level of conflict resolution.
10. SEE THE VIOLENCE IN OURSELVES. Sometimes I find myself so angry I “daydream” about violence, or “really showing them”. Violence is not just someone else’s problem. I must work for peace, love and improved conflict resolution in my own life. How about you?
These ten suggestions are simple to practice and if followed they will help to stop the de-sensitivity of violence in our culture. We must not continue to allow violence to be acceptable, as an act of faith and an extension of the work of Jesus.
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SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCES . . . . . . . . . .
To Suzanne & Ronald Gray and their family on the passing of their grandson, Ian Forry, who passed away on March 17, 2018. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
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WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN A COOKING CLASS? If so, contact Dolly Furst either at church, email furstdol@aol.com or call 717-244-8218. Think about what you would like to make. Depending on interest, a date will be set later for a Saturday. Instructions and ingredients will be determined at that time.
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LOOKING AHEAD. . . . . . . .
APRIL 6 & 7, 2018 ~ Bucket Building Project
The Brethren Disaster Relief Auction will be assembling 1200 Disaster Relief Clean-Up buckets at the Florin Church of the Brethren (815 Bruce Av. Mt Joy, PA 17552). These 5-gallon buckets are filled with items to assist victims of flood disasters and will restock the supply at the New Windsor Brethren Disaster Ministries warehouse. Help is needed on April 6 and 7, 2018, to set up and complete the project. Friday is set-up day and will involve unpacking and preparing the assembly lines for the actual build to be done on Saturday. Friday begins about 10:00 AM and will continue until the work is finished. Lunch will be provided. Saturday’s schedule starts at 8:00 AM and is expected to conclude by noon. Everyone who would like to have a part in this valuable ministry is welcome to help. If you have any questions, please contact Tom Fritz, BDRA Co-Chair at 717-823-2745 or email twfritz@ptd.net.
APRIL 7, 2018 – CAMP EDER FAMILY DAY OUT, Sat., April 7th, Come join us for family fun at Camp Eder, 10AM- 2PM, We are excited to open up our Mother/Daughter, Father/Son day to be more inclusive. This day is reserved for any parent/child combination. See poster on bulletin board or contact Kathy Kovacs.
APRIL 6-8, 2018 – MISSION ALIVE 2018 – Frederick Church of the Brethren, Frederick, MD, Don’t miss your chance to attend! Behold! A gathering of people too numerous to count, from all across this earth, praising God in all sorts of languages and uniting to follow Jesus Christ, the Lord of Love. (inspired by Revelation 7:9). Mission Alive serves as an opportunity to: Rejoice in the growing presence of the Church of the Brethren across the globe / Explore what it truly means to be a global church and how each district, congregation, and individual can take part / Commit to investing in this vision.
For information and to register, go to www.brethren.org/missionalive2018 or contact Kendra Harbeck (847-429-4388 or kharbeck@brethren.org). CEU Credits available. Portions of the conference will be webcast. Details to come on the website.
APRIL 8, 2018 – YORK COUNTY SENIOR HONORS CHOIR – Sunday, April 8, 2018, 7:00 pm performing here at York First. Under direction of Randy Yoder and Michal Buchanan, 90 select singers in grades 10, 11, 12 from 20 public and private school districts, homeschools, churches, and voice studios of York County, perform inspirational, patriotic, traditional, folk, and pop music. – See poster on bulletin board for more information.
APRIL 12, 2018 – OWLS APRIL ACTIVITY ~ Join with the OWLS on Thursday April 12 when we welcome back the READER’S THEATRE TROUPE from the Belmont Theatre to present some more of their comedy sketches. They have entertained the OWLS and the Lamplighter’s Class before, and we look forward to enjoying their comedy readings again. If you missed them before, you don’t want to miss them again. If you heard them before, you will want to hear them again as they will be presenting new material. Just bring your bag lunch. Drinks and dessert will be provided. We gather for lunch in the Homebuilder’s Classroom 154 at noon for lunch and the program will begin at 12:30. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex no later than April 8 so we know how many to prepare for.
Upcoming Event – On May 10 Kerry White, a Christian Singer, will present “The Greatest Songs Ever” songs from the 1930’s to the 1980’s. There will be songs interspersed with some commentary on the then-current events. He promises a program of good clean fun!
APRIL 13, 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, April 13th, (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.
APRIL 24, 2018 – The Lehman Center Auxiliary Presents 27th Annual Benefit Auction for Children’s Aid Society’s ~ York County 4-H Center, 771 Stoverstown Road, York, PA, Tuesday, April 24, 2018, Auction Preview & Food Servie Begin at 12:00 pm, Live Auction Begins at 5:00 pm , Live Auction Featuring: Art Collectibles, Sports Items, New Merchandise – Silent Auction includes: Art Collectibles, Theme Baskets, Gift Certificates – Kitchen will be open & serving: Homemade Soup, Bar-B-Que, Pies & so much more! For more information, please call 717-845-5771, or visit www.cassd.org
APRIL 28, 2018 – Southern PA District COB 2018 District Women’s Spring Luncheon, Sat., April 28th – Squaring up Fitness according to the Gospel of Dr. Luke held at Newville Church of the Brethren, 16 Carlisle Road, Newville, PA 17241.We build up the body with nutrition and exercise, but how do we build up the body of Christ? Through fellowship, training, and service in love. – A. Aronis. Please see the poster and brochures/registration form on the bulletin board. Registration Deadline: April 16, 2018
MAY 5, 2018 – Camp Eder Benefit Golf Tournament, Saturday, May 5th, Getting out on the green for Camp Eder is a fun and meaningful way to start spring. Mountain View’s Golf Club is a must play FOUR STAR Golf Digest golf course located just minutes from the Historic Gettysburg Battlefields. Schedule: 6:30 am Registration and Continental Breakfast, 8:00 am Shotgun Start (four player scramble), 12:00 pm Hors d’oeuvres & Refreshments at Camp Eder, 1:00 pm Lunch at Camp Eder Dining Hall
Registration is $75/person and $300 for a team of 4 – Limited to the first 100 registrations. Don’t have four? An individual golfer or groups less than 4 will be placed in a team prior to the event. Lunch will be served at 12 Noon at Camp Eder in Geigley Dining Hall. Prizes at the end of each play. See the bulletin board for more information and for the sponsor/registration forms. You will be mailed more information regarding the day after we receive your registration.
JULY 21-26, 2018 – CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE (NYC) in Fort Collins, Colorado. Youth who have completed grades 9-12 are invited to attend this exciting gathering of thousands of youth from across the country. It happens only once every 4 years, and includes many times of worship, small groups, workshops, service projects, recreation, social activities, and more! Visit http://www.brethren.org/yya/nyc/ for details. Please contact Pastor Joel if you or your children may have interest in attending. The church will cover most expenses, and it promises to be a life-giving experience that is not to be missed!
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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.
