Weekly News
Vol. 9-No. 11 Friday, March 13, 2015
Karen Bowman, Editor, secretary@yorkfirst.org
Our Vision Statement: “To Love God, Share Christ, and Serve the World”
SUNDAY, March 15, 2015
9:00 am – Sunday School
10:30 am – Worship Service
Sanctuary: “More Than Enough”
– Scripture: John 3: 14-21
Thoughts on the Word: This Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent, and the texts for this week have powerful themes for us to consider. Themes of redemption, grace, mercy, and God’s steadfast love. We acknowledge Christ Jesus as our light in the darkness we experience in life. In the passage from the Old Testament book of Numbers, we are reminded that God’s people have always complained, that we have always turned away and wanted to do our own things and ask for God’s blessing of them. God never forgets us, and God never turns away from us. The Psalmist calls the people to gather, remembering God’s saving and healing power, and offer praise and thanksgiving. The letter to the Ephesians reminds us that even though our lives might be marked by sin, grace is a gift from God to all who will receive his Son as Savior and Lord. Who is this Christ, this Messiah, this Savior? John proclaims Jesus to be the Son of God, the one who was sent to the world out of love.
MARCH 15, 2015 – TWO EVENTS BEING HELD AT YORK FIRST COB:
Immediately following Worship Service: 3rd ANNUAL ST PATRICK’S DAY BAKED POTATO BAR – On Sunday March 15th, the youth will be holding another baked potato bar lunch. Join the youth for steamy baked potatoes with all the fixin’s like chili, cheese, broccoli and more. You will also enjoy salad and dessert while socializing in the fellowship hall, so bring your family and friends. Your donations will support the youth fund. Tickets are not required.
2:00 pm: Join us for a “Celebration of God’s Power and Glory” Benefit Concert for our fellow Nigerian Christians. Featuring the musical talents of : Dr. Cathy Carson & Dr. Jacqueline LeGrand (Both Waynesboro COB natives)
ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING ~ One Great Hour of Sharing is a Christian effort to aid those in need by providing water, supplying food, and giving relief from disasters. The Church of the Brethren is one of eight denominations that work together in these global ministries. Gifts given through this special offering empower ministries like the Church of the Brethren’s Global Mission and Service, Congregational Life Ministries, Brethren Disaster Ministries, Brethren Volunteer Service, work camps, the Global Food Crisis Fund, and many others. One Great Hour of Sharing reaches those near and far, sometimes changing the life of someone in distress in our own community, while at other times impacting the lives of those we may never meet but who are in need of our compassion. God provides the resources so that we can give back. It’s not the size of the gift that matters; it’s that we give of what we have, and that means everyone has a gift to bring!
Weather Related Church Cancellations: Cancellations will be announced through email, posted on facebook and on the website. We apologize for this inconvenience, however, at this time, the church phone system is not working properly for us to post a message by phone. You can also contact Pastor Don at OR Bernetta Kile, Melinda Carlson, or Roy Rollman.
MESSENGER RENEWAL – REMINDER – This Sunday, March 15, is your LAST Sunday to renew your MESSENGER subscription.
WORSHIP ATTENDANCE – March 8, 2015, 10:30 a.m. – 73
THIS WEEK….
W.E. GATHER – WED. EVENINGS – MARCH 18 TO MARCH 25 – Dinner: 6:00 pm / Study: 7:00 pm / Room # 145 – If you were inspired Kyle Idleman at Christmas and Advent, you will also be inspired by him for Lent and Easter through “The Easter Experience”, what if what happened then changes everything now? Make Easter more than a holiday. The Easter Experience is a study with the power to change lives with the message of God’s loving plan for us. Using dramatic story-telling and challenging teaching by Kyle Idleman, the six-episode series brings the passion and resurrection to life. (1) My Life Has a Purpose (2) My Life Can Change (3) My Pain is Understood (4) My Life Has a Plan (5) I Have the Promise of Eternal Life (6) My Hope is Secure
DONATIONS & VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Donations of the following will be greatly appreciated for the April 1, Easter Egg Hunt: plastic eggs; monetary donations to help with the expenses; and/or volunteers to help that evening or to fill the plastic eggs with a surprise. There will be a carton in the narthex marked: Easter Egg Hunt in which you can put your donations. Monetary donations can be put in the offering plate on Sundays or given to Elizabeth, Stephanie Stoolmaker, or Audrey Ginder. Please mark it Easter Egg Hunt. We would like to have all donations by Sunday, March 15. If you wish to volunteer, please tell one of the persons listed above. Thank you!
Parents and Grandparents of First Church – Plan now to bring your child/children to the First Church Easter Egg Hunt on Wednesday, April 1st, rain or shine. It begins at 5:30 PM with a light supper. Enjoy this fun event with those special children in your life! Your children may bring friends. Each child is to bring his/her Easter basket. In order for the committee to know how many to plan for, please sign up on the sign up sheet in the narthex by Sunday, March 22.
LOOKING FORWARD TO EASTER MORNING? April 5th – Plan for the Easter Breakfast during Sunday School hour. Look for signups in the narthex and inSunday School classrooms OR talk to the Beuschleins or LeGrands.
HELP IS NEEDED for the Food Pantry. A volunteer is needed for the food pantry team for the second Tuesday of each month. You will have to come to the church at 9:00 and get the food ready for pick up. If anyone is interested, please contact Dan Snook.
EASTER FLOWERS: Orders for Easter Flowers in Honor of or in Memory of Friends and Family will be taken on Sundays, March 22 and March 29 in the narthex, between Sunday School and worship service AND after worship service. An order form will be provided, or you may place order through the church office at 755-0307. A pot of tulips OR daffodils will be $ 10.00, and a hardy azalea will be $ 15.00. Any profits will go to the Nigerian Relief Fund.
THANK YOU:
Thank you for the cards, thoughts and prayers on my brother’s recent passing. Your caring is deeply appreciated. ~ Brad & Ruby Nicholas
SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCES:
Barry Stehr’s mother passed away on Sunday, March 1, 2015. Please keep Barry, Tammy, and their family in your thoughts and prayers.
DIRECTORY CHANGES:
Page 18: Fran Seiffert’s new address is 3326 Glen Hollow Drive, Dover, PA 17315, her phone number remains the same.
Page 19: Gail Wynn has returned home, her address is 1770 Sapphire Rd, York, PA 17408, her phone number remains the same.
Page 24: Children’s Aid Society – Remove Robert Witt as Exec. Director and add Jan Zeigler, Interim Executive Director
CAMP EDER IS LOOKING FOR SUMMER STAFF: Camp Eder is looking for young men and women who desire to make positive impacts in the lives of our campers. Our mission is to boldly and without hesitation, present the message of God’s grace that is given to us by the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus. We fulfill that mission by welcoming campers into a safe and caring community, studying Scriptures together, exploring God’s Creation, and making sure that their week at camp is the most fun week of their summer.
The “Camp Eder Experience” includes rustic living in our unique covered wagons or long huts, cooking over fires, hiking mountains, playing in the creek, and captivating young minds with stories shared round the campfire at night. We have two full weeks of counselor training to equip our counselors with the hard skills necessary to facilitate that experience with confidence. Although previous experience in camping or youth ministry is a plus, it is not necessary for hiring. As the saying goes, “God does not always call the qualified, He qualifies the called.”
Contact Kathy Kovacs if interested or want additional information.
LOOKING AHEAD…….
MARCH 25, 2015 – CAMP EDER SENIOR CITIZEN’S DAY – 9:30 am Meet & Greet – 10:00 am: Tom McPherson will present and demonstrate his fabulous artistic ice sculptures.- 12:00 pm Lunch $ 15/Person (Covers all food & activities – 1:00 pm: Ruthmary McIlhenny presents a program on Camp David which has served as the weekend refuge for Presidents since 1942. See flyer on the bulletin board for more information. RSVP by March 18th to reserve your place 717-642-8256 or email Lori Jackson at ljackson@campeder.org OR contact Kathy Kovacs.
MARCH 27 & 28, 2015 – NEW FAIRVIEW COB will be holding their Annual Spring Yard Sale/Bake Sale (Fellowship Hall) on Friday – March 27, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday – March 28 from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. There will be a variety of yard sale/ bake sale items available. The proceeds will benefit the New Fairview Women’s Ministries. Call Ruth Chronister at 858-2350 for more details.
APRIL 9 & 10, 2015 – You are invited to attend the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies’ annual banquet on Thurs., April 9, at 5:30 p.m. The meal will be followed by a program at 7:00 p.m. that includes the Durnbaugh Lecture: “The Young Center: From Swamp to International Center of Scholarship” by Donald Kraybill, Distinguished College Professor and Senior Fellow at the Young Center. Cost for the dinner is $15 and reservations are required by March 26; the lecture is free of charge and reservations are not required. On Fri., April 10, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Kraybill and others present the Durnbaugh Seminar: “How a Maverick Amish Group Impacted Federal Hate Crimes.” Cost for the seminar, which includes lunch, is $10 and reservations are required by March 26. For more information, call 717-361-1470 or visit www.etown.edu/youngctr/events.
APRIL 18, 2015, Saturday at 3:00 PM – The Friends of Cross Keys Village – The Brethren Home Community presents “OPERATION HELPING HANDS” A Fundraising Event Featuring “The National Christian Choir”
New Oxford High School Auditorium – All seats assigned. Ticket Prices: VIP seats $ 100. Helping Hand seats $ 25. www.crosskeysvillage.org/friends and click on Purchase Tickets button or Phone 717-270-2112
APRIL 25, 2105 – WOMEN’S SPRING LUNCHEON – BERMUDIAN COB (The Gathering Place), Guest Speaker: Ruth West (Praise Unlimited) – The Bermudian 2015 Spring Luncheon Committee is excited to announce that Ruth West will be this year’s speaker. As some of you may remember from Ruth’s previous District speaking engagements, her style combines practical insights and ideas with inspiration, encouragement and wit. SAVE THE DATE and watch for more details as they become available.
Information on the bus trip to the Annual Conference July 11-15, Tampa, Florida This is to inform you that I will be hosting an Elite Coach to the July 11 – 15 Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida this summer. People have been inquiring about this possibility.
With a minimum of 35 participants, the cost will be $789 per person double occupancy and that is all inclusive, conference lodging, enroute lodging, ,transportation and driver gratuity. It does not include meals (except breakfasts along the way) while traveling or at conference.
Since reservations for lodging open in late February, I cannot assure A.C. lodging, but I have requested and am assured that our conference stay will be at the Marriott Hotel which is across the street from the convention center. This trip of approximately 1100 miles will take two and one-half days with stops along the way. We will leave July 9 from Brethren Village at 7:30 a.m., pick up people along the way and return on July 17 around 6 p.m. We will take appropriate breaks but it will not be much of a sightseeing tour. We hope to stop at one or two interesting sites along the way. The minimum participants will be 35 persons to stay within the above price. Happy New Year and God bless! Earl K. Ziegler (See letter on the bulletin board)
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.
