The Lamplighter

August 2007

Editor:  Lillian Geltz

From the Pastor’s Desk
In January of this year (2007), a school bus crash in Kentucky sent 12 year-old Cody Shively to the hospital with serious injuries. He was on a breathing tube for four weeks and in an induced coma for several weeks because of swelling in his brain. Finally, in late April, he was released from the hospital. A crowd of TV cameras and television reporters was waiting for him to come out of the hospital. They wanted him to say something. The very first thing he said was, “I can’t wait to get back to my Church!”
            Wow! How would things be if we all felt like Cody? In our entertainment and pleasure-oriented culture of excess and materialism, Church – that is to say Worship, faith, and study – is slipping further and further down the list of things to do. The disciplines of a life of faith and worship seem too much of a bother for those whose only desire is for more self-gratification. We simply don’t have time for “Church” or worship or reading the Bible or spending time alone with GodIt’s summer time –  a time for vacation, travel, trips, and visiting, but God doesn’t take a vacation from us. So be sure to include Him in your vacation plans and worship wherever you have the opportunity. Enjoy a time of worship and praise in as many different settings as you are able.
            In a recent comic strip, Dennis the Menace is shown praying on a Monday. In his prayer, he says to God, “I didn’t want to bother You yesterday, because I know Sunday is your busy day.”
            Unfortunately, rather than a day of Sabbath rest and focus on Worship, Sunday has become a busy day for many of us as well. But we can never be too busy to include some time with God in our plans. God is never too busy on any day, even on Sundays, to hear and answer our prayers. Enjoy your vacation and travel this summer. But don’t take a vacation from God.
            Once, a concerned father asked a respected wise man to break his son of some bad habits that were controlling the son’s life and sending him to ruin. The wise man took the young man for a walk. Suddenly he asked the young man to uproot a small plant. The boy pulled it out easily. The wise man then showed him a larger plant and told him to uproot that one. Again, the boy was able to pull it out easily. Then the wise man pointed to a nearby bush and told the boy to uproot it. It came out, but only after some great exertion on the young man’s part.
            Finally, the wise man pointed to a tree and ordered the young man to uproot it. Of course, try with all his might, the boy was unable to pull out the tree, no matter how hard he worked at it. In anger and disgust, he finally yelled, “It’s impossible!”  To which the wise man replied, “It is the same with bad habits. When they are small and young, it is easy to pull them out. But as they mature and take hold, they cannot be uprooted.” 
See you in Worship.    

 COME ONE, COME ALL to the Madison Avenue Church Picnic!
 Church families and neighborhood families are all welcome to come together for an evening of food, fun and song on Saturday, August 18^th, from 4 to 8 p.m.  Free hamburgers, hot dogs and corn on the cob will be available from 4:30-6:30 p.m. (or while supplies last).  Free games for the kids and the young at heart will start at 5 p.m.  Don’t miss the opportunity to soak the pastor, board chair and other church officials at the dunk tank.  At 6 p.m there will be a cakewalk and a white elephant sale (mystery auction).  Donations from the dunk tank and the white elephants will go toward the heifer we are buying to sell at the Disaster Relief Auction in September. Music provided by the praise team will wrap up the evening beginning at 7 p.m.  We welcome your desserts and gift-wrapped items to be used for white elephants. Bring your lawn chairs if you don’t want to sit on the ground.
Please mark August 18 on your calendar and let’s get to know one another better and have a good time.
 Bible Challenge Questions
1. Jesus said that we must guard against any kind of greed because a person’s life does not consist of the abundance of ____________.
2. Faith is defined in the Bible as “being sure of what we hope for and being certain of ………..
3. Who said that his purpose on earth was to bring family division and fire as opposed to peace?
 Missions & Service News
The Brethren Disaster Relief Auction, sponsored by the Atlantic Northeast & Southern PA Districts, will be held on Friday, September 21^st & Saturday, September 22^nd at the Lebanon Fairgrounds. Madison Avenue once again will be donating a heifer – named Faith! We would greatly appreciate your donations to help us in purchasing her. The money raised from the auction is used to rebuild homes where disasters such as Katrina and others have occurred. Thanks so much for your support – in gaining “Faith”!
The Carlisle Area Truck Stop Chaplain Ministry Fall Banquet will be on Saturday, October 27^th at 6:00 PM at New Fairview COB. Entertainment will be by Set Free, a gospel bluegrass group. There will be a full-course beef dinner, a silent auction, and door prizes. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12. Please see Treva Gingerich for tickets.
To Think About……
Rivers gain a lot more attention than the little tributaries that create them. You can name some of the great rivers of the world, but you probably cannot name any of their tributaries. However, without the tributaries, there would be no river. Remember also that the smaller streams, while less well-known, are always found on a higher elevation.
Some of our lives are like those tributary streams. We may never be well-known for anything we do. But it is our role to provide the ‘pure water’ from the higher elevation that enables another to be a mighty river of influence. Who are you mentoring in the faith?
Annual Conference Report  
A full report from our delegate, Bonita, will be in next month’s Lamplighter, but in the meantime, if you want to hear any of the sermons from Conference or view the 25-minute wrap-up video of Conference highlights, please see the Pastor to borrow those items. It’s not close to the same as being there, but you can still get a ‘feel’ for part of Conference activities.
Anniversary Committee
            The District 300^th Anniversary Committee is busily working on the plans to celebrate this special time in our Denomination’s history.  There will be a kick off event in Germantown. PA during the weekend of September 15-16th, a collaborative event with ANE District at Sight and Sound on September 23^rd at 3:00pm, and a special display booth and other events at our District Conference at Waynesboro COB on September 28-29^th.  Look for more info next month.  

The Brethren Disaster Relief Auction, sponsored by the Atlantic Northeast & Southern PA Districts, will be held on Friday, September 21 & Saturday, September 22 at the Lebanon Fairgrounds. Madison Avenue once again will be donating a heifer – named Faith! We would greatly appreciate your donations to help us in purchasing her. The money raised from the auction is used to rebuild homes where disasters such as Katrina and others have occurred. Thanks so much for your support – in gaining “Faith”!The Carlisle Area Truck Stop Chaplain Ministry Fall Banquet will be on Saturday, October 27 at 6:00 PM at New Fairview COB. Entertainment will be by Set Free, a gospel bluegrass group. There will be a full-course beef dinner, a silent auction, and door prizes. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12. Please see Treva Gingerich for tickets.Rivers gain a lot more attention than the little tributaries that create them. You can name some of the great rivers of the world, but you probably cannot name any of their tributaries. However, without the tributaries, there would be no river. Remember also that the smaller streams, while less well-known, are always found on a higher elevation.Some of our lives are like those tributary streams. We may never be well-known for anything we do. But it is our role to provide the ‘pure water’ from the higher elevation that enables another to be a mighty river of influence. Who are you mentoring in the faith?A full report from our delegate, Bonita, will be in next month’s , but in the meantime, if you want to hear any of the sermons from Conference or view the 25-minute wrap-up video of Conference highlights, please see the Pastor to borrow those items. It’s not close to the same as being there, but you can still get a ‘feel’ for part of Conference activities.            The District 300 Anniversary Committee is busily working on the plans to celebrate this special time in our Denomination’s history.  There will be a kick off event in Germantown. PA during the weekend of September 15-16th, a collaborative event with ANE District at Sight and Sound on September 23 at 3:00pm, and a special display booth and other events at our District Conference at Waynesboro COB on September 28-29.  Look for more info next month.  
 Nominating Committee
            The Nominating Committee has begun their work of prayerfully seeking members willing to serve on Church Board and in other capacities of leadership within the Church. We ask two things of each of you: first, that you be in prayer for us as we seek to discern who God may be preparing and calling into positions of leadership; second, that if you are asked to allow your name to be put in nomination or on the ballot for one of needed positions, that you carefully – and prayerfully – consider that God may be calling you to serve in some new or different or special way. We believe that God has given each one of us a special Spiritual gift(s) to use for the work of His kingdom here on earth. Please consider that God may be calling you to use your gift in a new and vital way for the health and growth of this congregation.  Is God calling you? He may be – through the nominating process of this Nominating Committee.
           

Answers  to Bible Challenge questions:
1. possessions (Luke 12:15)      2. what we do not see (Heb.11:1)      3.  Jesus (Luke 12:49, 52)
Dunkard Valley Live
If you are into Contemporary Christian music in concert, check out the fourth annual Dunkard Valley Live Concert at the Codorus COB ball field on Saturday and/or Sunday August 4 & 5, 2007. A large number of local persons, Praise Teams, groups, & choirs will be performing their own style of Christian music, live on stage. Worship services with dynamic speakers will be interspersed throughout the event. There will be plenty of parking, food, and fellowship on site, as well as a great variety of music and worship. See posters on the bulletin boards for more info.  (Rain dates : 8/11, 12)       
                                    
 Music, Music, Music
On Sunday, July 15^th, a group of musicians – and others – from MACOB traveled to Conestoga COB (where Brandon is working for the summer) in Leola, Lancaster County for a great night of music together. If you were unable to attend that Worship service, you are fortunate to have another chance. Brandon is planning a similar night of music with combined musicians from MACOB and Conestoga on Sunday night, August 26^th, beginning at 6 PM at the Conestoga Church.
Approximately  20 of our members (and about 75 members of Conestoga) were in attendance at the first service in July. If you were one of the 20, you know what a great night of music it was. The Spirit was certainly alive and moving among us. There were songs by ensembles, solos, trios, and  hymns – many, many hymns by the congregation, including a time of requests, and much more. It was just a great night of music. 
            Clear your calendars for this upcoming event. Sunday evening –August 26, 2007, 6PM at Conestoga COB. You won’t want to miss it. Let’s see if we can get as many MACOB folks there as Conestoga folks!
 Women’s Fellowship News       
August 7         Meeting/ Prayer Group – 9 AM
August 27       Brethren Home Volunteer Day – 9 AM
We enjoyed our trip to New Windsor on July 10^th as we delivered 210 health kits. Nine of us left from the Church at 9:30 AM and visited the International Gift Shop and had lunch at Baugher’s Restaurant. Thank you to everyone for your continued support for this annual project.
            Our future project is a Bread & Soup sale on October 19^th.
Why He Came
When Jesus was a little boy-                        Did He fish and take them home-              
Did He fall and skin His knee;                     As proud as He could be;
Did His mother pick Him up-                       And did He learn how to swim-                  
And did He climb a tree.                              In the sea near Galilee.                                                                                            
Did He lose a best friend –                            Yes, He knew “why He came”-        
And did He play some games;                     And yes, it was for all;                                              
Could He know that some day-                    He would die in our place-
All would come to know His name. All our sin on Him would fall.           Written by the Lord & Angel on 6/21/07        August 7         Meeting/ Prayer Group – 9 AMAugust 27       Brethren Home Volunteer Day – 9 AMWe enjoyed our trip to New Windsor on July 10 as we delivered 210 health kits. Nine of us left from the Church at 9:30 and visited the International Gift Shop and had lunch at Baugher’s Restaurant. Thank you to everyone for your continued support for this annual project.            Our future project is a Bread & Soup sale on October 19.When Jesus was a little boy-                        Did He fish and take them home-              Did He fall and skin His knee;                     As proud as He could be;Did His mother pick Him up-                       And did He learn how to swim-                  And did He climb a tree.                              In the sea near Galilee.                                                                                            Did He lose a best friend –                            Yes, He knew “why He came”-        And did He play some games;                     And yes, it was for all;                                              Could He know that some day-                    He would die in our place-All would come to know His name. All our sin on Him would fall.          
 Worship Schedule (and Church calendar) for August 2007       
8/4, 5   9 AM – 8 PM              Dunkard Valley Live 
8/5     9:00 AM                      Sunday school
        10:15 AM                         Worship       “Fat water”                 Luke 12:13 – 21 
8/9      noon                            Bible Study       
8/11   9AM – 3 PM                  Brethren Home Chicken BBQ, quilts, cars
8/12   9:00 AM                       Sunday school
        10:15 AM                         Worship       “Dirty hands”             Isaiah 1:1, 10 – 20
8/14   7:30 PM                       Church Board meeting             (Commissions as called)
8/17   7:00 PM                       Prayer Group
8/18   7:30 AM                       Men’s Prayer breakfast 
           4 – 7 PM                    Church picnic – on the lawn                 
8/19   9:00 AM                      Sunday school
        10:15 AM                         Worship       “Journey of faith”     Hebrews 11:1 – 3; 8 – 16   Lamplighter deadline
8/26   9:00 AM                      Sunday school
        10:15 AM                         Worship       “Spiritual fire”           Luke 12:49 – 53
          6:00 PM                     Hymn Fest – Conestoga COB       

        August 7         Meeting/ Prayer Group – 9 AMAugust 27       Brethren Home Volunteer Day – 9 AMWe enjoyed our trip to New Windsor on July 10 as we delivered 210 health kits. Nine of us left from the Church at 9:30 and visited the International Gift Shop and had lunch at Baugher’s Restaurant. Thank you to everyone for your continued support for this annual project.            Our future project is a Bread & Soup sale on October 19.When Jesus was a little boy-                        Did He fish and take them home-              Did He fall and skin His knee;                     As proud as He could be;Did His mother pick Him up-                       And did He learn how to swim-                  And did He climb a tree.                              In the sea near Galilee.                                                                                            Did He lose a best friend –                            Yes, He knew “why He came”-        And did He play some games;                     And yes, it was for all;                                              Could He know that some day-                    He would die in our place-All would come to know His name. All our sin on Him would fall.           8/4, 5   9 AM – 8 PM              Dunkard Valley Live 8/5     9:00 AM                      Sunday school        10:15 AM                         Worship       “Fat water”                 Luke 12:13 – 21 8/9      noon                            Bible Study       8/11   9AM – 3 PM                  Brethren Home Chicken BBQ, quilts, cars8/12   9:00 AM                       Sunday school        10:15 AM                         Worship       “Dirty hands”             Isaiah 1:1, 10 – 208/14   7:30 PM                       Church Board meeting             (Commissions as called)8/17   7:00 PM                       Prayer Group8/18   7:30 AM                       Men’s Prayer breakfast            8/199:00 AM                      Sunday school        10:15 AM                         Worship       “Journey of faith”     Hebrews 11:1 – 3; 8 – 16   deadline8/26   9:00 AM                      Sunday school        10:15 AM                         Worship       “Spiritual fire”           Luke 12:49 – 53                                
August  Birthdays
    1      Kerry Gingerich                15        John Loucks
2      Joe Petrosky                       16        Elizabeth Kauffman                                             
4      Robin Gleim Stahl                         Robin Ness
6      Austin Ort                            17        Jim Bohn
7       John Baugher                     18        Dennis Spangler
8      Jacob Snyder                      20       Jo Ellen Craig
9      Paul Ritchey, Jr.                 22        Tara Seasock
         Karen Spangler                  24       Sheryl Billet                                   
13     Wanda Linebaugh             26       Jessica Witmer
         Helen Melhorn
14    Russ Miller