Weekly News
Vol. 9-No. 13 Friday, March 27, 2015
Karen Bowman, Editor, secretary@yorkfirst.org

Our Vision Statement: “To Love God, Share Christ, and Serve the World”

SUNDAY, March 29, 2015 – PALM SUNDAY
9:00 am – Sunday School
10:30 am – Worship Service
Sanctuary: “See me at the Crucifixion”
– Scripture: Mark 11: 1 – 11

LOVE FEAST: “Let us break bread together”…., following the morning worship service. Invite someone to sit with you!

Thoughts on the Word: The long journey of Lent is over. We have reached Holy Week with its glorious beginning and tragic, painful end. With so much happening this week, it is impossible to cover it all. This is a day to convey many mixed emotions. Joy, anger, love, the betrayal, the struggle of souls trying to know what to do, a day to show or foreshadow the horrific ending no one in the story really expected or saw coming. Our task today is to help each other experience new and vital ways to experience an all to familiar story that we see with eyes from 20 centuries away. Lots of teaching and preaching, thoughts and words have been shared over the years to help us make sense of the deep meaning of the events of this coming week.

WORSHIP ATTENDANCE – March 22, 2015, 10:30 a.m. – 107

QUILT IN THE ENTRY was pieced by Lucy Grim and hand quilted by Sandy Grim (both are members of New Fairview COB). Fabrics and batting for this joint project were provided by Old House Fabrics and Quilts. It will be donated to the Lehman Center for the auction on April 28th.

THIS WEEK….

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.

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.

EASTER FLOWERS: Orders for Easter Flowers in Honor of or in Memory of Friends and Family will be taken on Sunday 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.

CASH FOR CAUSES: Complete your Easter shopping with Weis or Giant gift cards. See Carole Bradfield.

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.

Sympathy and Condolences:
To Linda Min and her family on the loss of her cousin’s wife, Martha Gish. Along with Linda, please keep Martha’s husband, Lowell in your thoughts and prayers.

THANK YOU:

Thanks to the youth and everyone who helped to escort the residents of Cross Keys Village/The Brethren Home to worship services March 1, March 8, and March 15, 2015. Your help was appreciated. ~ Key person, Anna Miller

I would like to express my sincere feelings of appreciation and thanks for the numerous cards and words of sympathy from my church family. Also to Pastor Don for his offering of the book “Good Grief”. ~ Barry Stehr

Thank you notes received from our Ministry Partners:
Thank you for your support of the mission and ministry of the Church of the Brethren. It is through your generosity that ministries grow and lives are changed. It is a blessing to partner with you to carry the light of Christ into the world, and to boldly share the love of Jesus with neighbors down the street and around the world.
Stanley J. Noffsinger, General Secretary
$1208 Witness Commitment

Thank you for your generous support of the Nigeria Crisis Response. With this gift, you are walking in solidarity with Nigerian people who have been left homeless, hungry and in mourning by the escalating violence of the terror group, Boko Haram.Please pray for peace in Nigeria. Your prayers serve as a lifeline of grace to comfort and strengthen our Nigerian sisters and brothers during this painful crisis.
Nigerian Crisis Response Team: Carl Hill, Roxane Hill, Roy Winter, Jay Wittmeyer
$727.25 Nigerian Relief

Your belief in Children’s Aid Society and the future of the children we help is heartwarming. Thank you for joining us in making our community a better place.
Jan Zeigler, Interim Executive Director
$200, Witness Commitment

DIRECTORY CHANGES:

Page 19: Gail Wynn is now in Manor Care – North, 1770 Barley Road, York, PA 17404, Rm. 701

SoPA Newsletter:

Did you know that the Southern Pennsylvania District Church of the Brethren’s newsletter is now online? Starting with yesterday’s issue, it has a new look. All you need to do is click on the appropriate link:

For high speed connection:
http://www.cob-net.org/church/sopa/newsletter-hr.pdf

For dial up connection: http://www.cob-net.org/church/sopa/newsletter.pdf

Also, please update your records:
The general email address for the District Office has changed. The new address is: SOPADistrict@brethren.org

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…….

APRIL 8, 2015 – LADIES BIBLE GROUP TO BEGIN A NEW STUDY – TUES., APRIL 8, with Max Lucado “Traveling Light”. If you feel this is a study that would interest you – we would love to have you join us every Tuesday morning from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the church lounge. Cost of study book – $12.75. We are a caring, compassionate group of ladies who love the Lord and welcome newcomers. So if you have never been to our study, please feel welcome to join us. Below is a brief description of the study.
Weary travelers. You’ve seen them — everything they own crammed into their luggage. Staggering through terminals and hotel lobbies with overstuffed suitcases, trunks, duffels, and backpacks. Backs ache. Feet burn. Eyelids droop. We’ve all seen people like that. At times, we are people like that — if not with our physical luggage, then at least with our spiritual load. We all lug loads we were never intended to carry. Fear. Worry. Discontent. No wonder we get so weary. We’re worn out from carrying that excess baggage. Wouldn’t it be nice to lose some of those bags? That’s the invitation of Max Lucado. With the Twenty-third Psalm as our guide, let’s release some of the burdens we were never intended to bear. Using these verses as a guide, Max Lucado walks us through a helpful inventory of our burdens. May God use this Psalm to remind you to release the burdens you were never meant to bear.

PLEASE call Dolly Furst at 244-8218 or E-mail furstdol@aol.com if you wish to be included in the purchase of this book and study.

APRIL 9, 2015 – The OWLS (Older, Wiser Loving SENIORS) will gather in the Homebuilder’s Classroom 154 on Thursday April 9 at NOON. Bob Anderson will join us again, this time to talk to us about “DREAMS”. Bring your bag lunch. DRINKS AND DESSERT will be provided by Pat Trimmer! PLEASE SIGN UP BY APRIL 6 so we know how many to prepare for.

APRIL 10, 2015 – 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 10, 2015, (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 11, 2015 – CAMP EDER &- We need your Help!! – 2015 Lumberjack Work Day – 8:00 am – 3:00 pm. Bring your chain saws, gloves, and safety goggles as we clean up the forest and split lots of wood for Camp. Ask about other equipment that you might bring. We’ll also need help to prepare lunch for our lumberjacks. Coffee & donuts will be available for breakfast. Lunch will be served at noon. Call or email to register for free, phone:717-642-8256 or email:campeder@campeder.org

APRIL 11, 2015 – REAL WOMEN SOAR – One day LIVE conference, held at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, PA (717) 560-2341, at 8:30 am -4:30 pm, Worship Leader-Tami Weissert, Keynote Sessions: Gail Dudley-Arise! Living Abundantly for God! and Jennifer Degler-No More Christian Nice Girl! See bulletin board for additional information and sign-up sheet OR register at RealWomenSOAR.org

APRIL 16, 2015 – The Friends of Cross Keys Village ~ The Brethren Home Community are having a “Previously Read” Book Sale in the Nicarry Meetinghouse on Thursday, April 16, 2015, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. If you love to read and want to buy inexpensive books, you will want to come and check out this sale! Hard back books are primarily $ 1 and the soft back books are primarily 50 cents. All of the proceeds benefit The Friends of Cross Keys Village ~ The Brethren Home Community

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 18, 2015 – The Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies and Seminary Ridge Museum present “Brethren and Mennonites and the Battle of Gettysburg” on Sat., April 18, 9:30 to 2:30, at Seminary Ridge Museum at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. The event includes a tour of the museum, a visit to Marsh Creek Brethren meetinghouse, and lectures by Stephen Longenecker, professor of history at Bridgewater College and author of Gettysburg Religion, and Roger Heller, retired history teacher and volunteer with Adams County Historical Society. Cost for the day is $30 and reservations are required by April 8. For more information, call 717-361-1470 or visit www.etown.edu/youngctr/events.

APRIL 18-23, 2015 – Immigration, 2015 Christian Citizenship Seminar provides high school aged students the chance to explore the relationship between faith and a particular political issue, and then act from a faith perspective regarding that issue. All high school youth and their adult advisors are eligible to attend the seminar. There is a $ 400. Registration fee – First Church will pay half the cost. This seminar begins April 18th at 2:30 pm in New York City, and will end by 12:00 (noon) on Thursday, April 23rd in Washington, DC. To register, go to www.brethren.org/ccs See flyer on the student ministry bulletin board for additional information.

STARTING APRIL 20, 2015 – GET READY – YARD SALE COMING SATURDAY, JUNE 13th – Looking for nice donated items starting April 20th. Home goods, collectibles, jewelry, yard items, and nice furniture.
Please NO LARGE TV’s, computers or computer parts.
BIG ITEMS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ON JUNE 10 & 11th – NO EXCEPTIONS. Clean out those closets and garage. Sale to be held again in air conditioned Fellowship Fall. Chicken Corn Soup, hot dogs, and homemade baked goods will be served. We will need baked goods and food items donated, so start thinking about what you can bring in. Sign up sheets will be displayed soon in the narthex for volunteers to help, food & paper items, baked goods, and drinks donated. So check the boards. All proceeds will benefit youth projects, conference and trips. Any questions, please call Kathy Kovacs at 309-0678 or e-mail her at kathykovacs@hotmail.com or Dolly Furst at 244-8218 or E-mail furstdol@aol.com

APRIL 21, 2015 – The “Grand Illusions” Jewelry Sale will be held Tuesday, April 21st, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. This is a favorite as most items are only $ 6.00, this also includes scarves, wallets, and watches. Come to Cross Keys Village ~ The Brethren Home Community, Nicarry Meetinghouse, and see for yourself the outstanding quality spring/summer merchandise offered. The proceeds will benefit The Friends of Cross Keys Village ~ The Brethren Home Community.

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.

MAY 16, 2015 – 2015 ANNUAL CAMP EDER BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT – Held at Mountain View Golf Course, 4099 Bullfrog Road, Fairfield, PA 17320, Proceeds Benefit the 2015 Camp Eder Summer Camp Program. $ 75. per person/ $ 300. per four-person team. See bulletin board for additional information, the registration form and the sponsorship form OR contact Kathy Kovacs, 717-309-0678

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)

APRIL BIRTHDAYS:
If your birthday is in APRIL and it is not on the above list or is listed incorrectly, please call the church office.
1 Jolene Zeigler
4 Louise Stremmel
6 Richard Brown
8 Meriam Copenheaver
Mark Minnich
9 Elmer Allison
Mike Martin
John King
11 Nancy Jones
12 Vivian Fitzkee
14 Sara Stoolmaker
15 Brad Nicholas
Christopher Striebig
19 Emily (Drawbaugh) Dietrich
Joel Baldwin
20 Frank Leaman
21 Anna Lehman
23 Greg Metzger
28 Julia Sweigard
29 Trish Martin

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.