Reminds me of a story I read recently: an old fort in the Wild West days of our country was about to come under attack. The wily old general charged with the fort’s preservation calls in his trusty Native­ American scout and tells him, “You must use all your 30 years of skill in trying to estimate the strength of the army we are up against here.”
The trusty scout lies down and puts his ear to the ground. “Large war party,” he says, “maybe 300 braves, four chiefs, two on black stallions, two on white stallions. All have war paint. Many guns, medicine man also with them.”
                        “Good grief,” exclaims the general. “You can tell all of that just by listening to the ground?”
“No,” replies the Indian scout, “I can see under the gate.”
There has never been a time in history when a more ample or available supply of Christian study
and growth materials and opportunities have been freely available to us. Yet many of us are functionally Biblically illiterate, simply because we fail to open, study, read our Bibles and join with other believers in the study and application of those timeless principles given to us by a loving, caring God. He  knows that if we’d just follow His Word, we could eliminate many of the daily problems and situations that plague us.
It’s a new season. Opportunities for spiritual growth abound within and around this congregation. Each of us is either growing or dying. An individual cannot remain static. What will each of us choose?
    

Church Board Report from August’s Meeting
The General Board gathered on Tuesday, August 8th, for our combined July and August meetings.  After Barb gave the treasurer’s report, a motion was made to pay another quarter of our District Assessment and Brotherhood commitments. The motion was approved.
            Stewardship and Finance reported that a bequest of $5000.00 had been received from the Grace Loucks Estate.  Grace loved Madison Avenue and we certainly miss her.  The Commission continues to complete minor repairs and is checking into some future projects.  Dick Rishel reminded commission chairpersons that the 2007 Budgets are due at the September Board meeting.
            Christian Education Commission reported that Joy El ministries were meeting at the church.  They have decided to proceed with this ministry project.  They will begin this wonderful outreach on October 10th.  They still need a director and listeners; please contact Becky Rishel if you can help.
            Ministry and Worship Commission reported that during the August 20th Worship service we will be licensing Brandon Grady for the set apart ministry.
            Pastor Godfrey reported that the individual who had stolen from us has paid us in full for our deductible loss.
            District Conference 2006 will be at New Fairview COB; the Madison Avenue Delegates are Treva Gingerich, Pastor Godfrey, and Don Kaufman Jr.  Since Don serves on the District Board, he cannot serve as our delegate.  If you would like to serve as a delegate, please speak to Pastor Godfrey or me.  I shared with you last year how impressed I was with the outreach the district performs.  Anyone can attend the District Conference; please consider joining the business meetings and especially the worship services.  
 

In His Service
The General Board
Dave Wolfe

 Christian Education News
    Several young people have moved up in their Sunday School classes.  Eva Vuolo has moved to the junior high class.  Megan Zellers, Samantha Kern, Shantal Kern, Jessie Doellinger and Justin Hoerner have moved to senior high.  Andy Fisher, Michelle Baugher, and Josh Snelbaker go from the youth program into the young adult class.
The senior adult Sunday School class has concluded their study of “Together” and will go back to using the International lessons.  The adult discussion group will take up the “Together” study when they finish with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Junior and senior high classes are continuing with the study books they have been using.  New materials from the “Gather Round”  curriculum for kindergarten through grade five have arrived from Brethren Press for the elementary age students in the multi-grade class taught by Ruth Duncan.
           The Commission is anxious to have more nursery teachers during the Sunday School hour and really wants to recruit new preschool children (and their parents).  An additional senior high teacher is also being sought. Please be listening if the Spirit is moving  you to teach one or more Sundays a month.   In addition, we are looking for “Veggie Tales” tapes or DVDs to replace those that went missing.  If you know of anyone whose children have finished with “Veggie Tales,” please contact the Commission. 
Christian Education is an important part of the church’s mission, and we ask for your prayers and support as the new school year begins.

Released Time Report
There is a way to get the Bible into the schools and you can help!  Caring adults are needed to help third graders learn Bible verses as “listeners” and in other ways.
We are going ahead with hosting third graders from Devers Elementary School for the released time program of Joy El Ministries.  The area coordinator, Betty Keenan, will work with us until we find a coordinator from our own or another local congregation.  September 10th is Joy El Sunday throughout the area, and information will be given in a bulletin insert. 
There is a training workshop for all volunteers on September 19th.  The first staff meeting is October 4^th, starting at noon.  Our first released time for students will be October 10th, starting at 12:30.  We will meet with the children every Tuesday for one hour.   Most volunteers will be asked to give only 1 1/2 hours a week to the program, including the staff devotions time that starts at noon. Talk to Ruth Duncan, Becky Rishel, Gloria Miller or Pastor Godfrey to learn more or to volunteer as a listener, coordinator, or to ride along on the bus from school to the church and lead singing.
 
 District Conference!
The weekend of September 15th – 16th (Friday & Saturday) will see District Conference convene at the New Fairview Church of the Brethren, beginning with registration from 10:45 AM to 1 PM on Friday. The theme of this year’s Conference is “Lord, Speak, for Your servant is listening,”  taken from 1st Samuel 3:10 and James 1:19 – 20. In our hectic, fast-paced world of today, perhaps this is a message we really need to hear. If God is still speaking (and we believe He is), are we at any time actually listening?
The business sessions begin Friday  at 1 PM and conclude at 5:30 PM. Opportunity to attend one of five interesting insight sessions are a part of the Friday afternoon activities. The evening Worship service begins at 7 PM with a special musical introduction, with Worship beginning at 7:30; Joel Nogle, Pastor at the Gettysburg COB, will be the Worship speaker. The licensing of ministers – a part of each District Conference- will be a part of the evening Worship time.
The Conference continues Saturday morning – with registration beginning at 7:30 and the opening Worship service at 8:30 AM. (Pastor Ken Gibble will be the speaker) Elections, more insight sessions, and reports of the different mission works of our District will fill the day with information and numerous worship times. The conference is scheduled to close about 3:35 PM.  Everyone is encouraged to attend and be a part of the opportunities for Worship, information, and Spiritual formation. With the Conference being so close to us this year, it would be an excellent time to actually hear and see the various and vital ministries that your District monies support. See brochures on the table in the Fellowship Hall (or check with the Pastor) for more information on registration and time schedule, etc. Please attend as much of the Conference as you can, and make true the words of the song we sing: “Open the eyes of my Heart, Lord.” It will be a changing, growing, enlightening experience for you.