September’s Lamplighter
645 Madison Avenue, York, PA 17404
Phone: 854-1885
The Lamplighter
September 2007
vFrom the Pastor’s Desk
Quick quiz for you:
1. What is the 40th book of the Bible?
2. What’s the only miracle story included in all four Gospels?
3. Can you identify this verse: “Is any among you sick? He should call the elders of the Church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
So how did you do? It should have been, and probably was, quite easy for most of you. Unfortunately, for many Christians in our modern day churches, that simple quiz would have been a serious challenge. Though we claim the name of Jesus (Christians), few of us really are students of The Word. We assume we know much of what Jesus said and what is in the Bible, but too often, we don’t really know for sure.
Our country was founded on religious freedom. Many of the first people who settled here came because they could not worship God and practice their faith freely in their countries of origin. Our Constitution was formed around the principle of freedom of religion (not freedom from religion!). Our founding fathers wanted to be sure that every citizen could freely worship and practice the faith of which they wanted to be a part.
Therefore, Bibles and Biblical Christian literature are readily available to all in the US. But even with such free access to God’s Word, and in spite of the fact that the Bible is the most purchased book in the US, and despite the fact that more homes have multiple copies of the Bible than do not, as a nation, we are functionally Biblically illiterate. Even within many churches, a large portion of regular attendees does not have even a minimal knowledge of Biblical content.
Beginning the end of this month (September) and continuing for five weeks, a series of messages will address this issue of the Bible and its vital importance to our spiritual health, as well as its effect and influence on the formation and foundation of our country.
I believe that Bible unfamiliarity is not a problem in churches in America today. I believe it is THE problem! (you may want to read that again). Until we realize the importance of God’s Word for us and to us, and the priceless gift it is to us, many will not be enticed to learn of its life-changing and life-giving principles.
We’ll explore the reasons people don’t read the Bible, its influence on our founding fathers, the reasons we place so little emphasis on its guiding principles today, and why we should never be far from its power and truth for us on a daily basis. I think we’ll all be challenged to view God’s Word in a little different light as we mine some of the truth and power available to us. Don’t miss this series of lessons as we grow together in His Word. And… if you are not already a part of a Sunday School class and at least one of the Bible studies ongoing within our congregation, please stop cheating yourself of this important powerful life-giving truth for your health.
By the way, with 39 books in the Old Testament, the 40th book would have to be…. the 1st book of the New Testament - right - Matthew. The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels, and every Brethren should know the anointing passage comes from……..of course - Luke - right! Oops, sorry, maybe I should check that one again!!!!!
vChurch Board Report
The Board met on Tuesday evening, August 14th. The Board heard reports from the commissions and acted on a few motions.
The Endowment Fund reported that $8006.01 of interest earnings is still available for outreach this year. The Board approved supporting the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center for $500. This ministry is an extension of Bethany Theological Seminary and has provided us with wonderful pastors in the Southern Pennsylvania District.
Stewardship & Finance Commission reported that air conditioning has been installed in the nursery. The Commission also made a recommendation and motion to sell the bus donated to the church. After some discussion the Board approved the motion and will bring it to Council on September 9th, following morning Worship. Details of the sale will be discussed at that time. (continued)
v A New Business item included the concern to secure health insurance for Pastor Godfrey since the insurance plan offered by the denomination will be discontinued as of December 31, 2007. Our District leaders are investigating options.
An Area of Special Concern was shared by Pastor Godfrey and it hurt to hear his frustration. The attendance at Madison Avenue has decreased over the past several years. He read a quickly compiled list of at least 80 people, many deceased, others inactive. What can we do to reverse this nationwide trend?
In His Service,
Dave Wolfe & the General Board
Many 300th anniversary committees have been working hard to plan special events to commemorate this special time in our denomination’s history. The year-long celebration gets into full swing beginning in September. The opening celebration will be held on September 15th-16th in Germantown, PA. There will be tours, exhibit booths, hymn sings, historical presentations and a special celebratory worship at this site of the first American Brethren baptisms. If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Kim.
Sunday, September 23rd at 3:00pm, there will be a commemoration & celebration held at Sight & Sound in Lancaster, PA. Our General Secretary Stanley Noffsinger will be the guest speaker. Inspirational music will be provided by the Brethren Heritage Singers, a congregational hymn sing, and the massed choir and orchestra composed of COB members from our district and Atlantic Northeast. Our district is sponsoring a bus trip to this event at the cost of $5.00 per person – which is for transportation only. There are no reservations for this event; seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Deadline for reservations on the bus is September 12th.
The anniversary will also be celebrated at District Conference on September 28th and 29th at Waynesboro COB.
In 2008, many anniversary tours are planned to visit Europe, which include visits to Schwarzenau, Germany – where the first Brethren baptisms took place. If interested, please see Pastor Godfrey or Pastor Kim for more information.
Other upcoming events include a dinner theater with an original play written by Frank Ramirez and Steve Engle. Actors, singers, stage hands and more will be needed for this event that will take place in May 2008 at Mechanicsburg COB. There will also be a District-wide Baptismal Service at the Jake Miller bicentennial farm (which was used as a Brethren meeting house) in Spring Grove on June 1st , 2008.
v Upcoming Dates
Some upcoming important dates to remember are as follows:
September 21, 22 Disaster Relief Auction
September 28, 29 District Conference – Waynesboro COB
October 20th Camp Eder’s Fall Festival
Bible Challenge Questions
1. What New Testament book talks about a runaway slave being accepted into the faith?
2. True or False: Jesus specifically said that anyone who “does not give up everything cannot be His disciple”?
3. In most of Jesus’ parables He did not name the characters in His stories. One exception is a story in
which he specifically named a poor man in the parable. What was the story?
vMission and Service News
The Brethren Disaster Relief Auction, sponsored by the Atlantic Northeast & Southern PA Districts, will be held on Friday, September 21st & Saturday, September 22nd 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”!
v
The Carlisle Area Truck Stop Chaplain Ministry Fall Banquet will be on Saturday, October 27th 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.
vDistrict Conference
The weekend of September 28 & 29 (Friday & Saturday) will see District Conference convene at the Waynesboro Church of the Brethren, beginning with registration from 8:30 to 9:30 AM Friday morning. The Conference is about two weeks later than normal this year and has a different time schedule. The theme of this year’s Conference is “Whoever serves me must follow me,” taken from John 12:23 - 36 and Romans 12:2. In our hectic, fast-paced world of today, perhaps this is a message we really need to hear. Too many of us are so busy that we fail to take seriously our need for transforming our lives into service for Jesus. We only go through the motions and really have not made the commitment for transformation of our entire life.
The business sessions begin Friday at 9:30 AM and conclude at 5:30 PM. Opportunity to attend one of five interesting insight sessions is 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; John Layman, Pastor at the Hempfield COB (formerly at the Brethren Home), 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. (Walt Wiltschek 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 meeting is scheduled to close about 3:25 PM. Everyone is encouraged to attend and be a part of the opportunities for Worship, information, and Spiritual formation. Conference is 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.
Please see one of the brochures for information on scheduling and participation.
vSpecial Council Meeting
A special Council meeting will convene immediately following the morning Worship on Sunday, September 9th, 2007. The agenda for this meeting will center on a recommendation to sell the bus that was donated to the Church last year. Consideration will be given to its usefulness to our ministry, the presence of a buyer, and other situations relevant to our use of and for a bus for transportation.
vChoir Rehearsals to Resume - Thursday, 9/06//07
Our summer break has passed quickly and it’s time to return to our regular weekly schedule for rehearsals. We are looking forward to another great season of singing and fellowship. If you have a talent and/or desire to sing, we encourage you to join us and share your talents. We have many new songs to learn and share in Worship.
Everyone is welcome, and we are especially looking for some new voices and a great time of sharing God’s gift of music in Worship. The Bell Choir will practice at 6:30 PM each Thursday and the Adult Choir will practice at 7:30 PM. New bell ringers are also encouraged to join us and try out that unique style of music.
PS: The Praise Team continues to practice at 7 PM on Wednesdays. Newcomers are welcome here, too.
vAnnual Conference – 2007
AC Moderator Belita Mitchell from Harrisburg 1st Church of the Brethren chose the theme for Conference “Proclaim the Power of God,” using Psalm 68:34, 35 as her basic text. The power of God was evident in every service during Conference, even in the business sessions.
Jeff Carter was the speaker for Saturday night’s Worship, delivering the message “Some Assembly Required,” obviously referring to the fact that in every congregation there is some assembly required for congregations to work as a unit. Asking the question “Does the Church practice what it preaches?” he noted that it is one thing to enter a Church, but it’s another to be the Church. Music included “We are One Body” and “We are One in the Spirit” and the unusual accompaniment added much to the total experience. (continued)
Belita Mitchell delivered the message titled “The Priority of Prayer” on Sunday morning Prayer was integral to every aspect of the Conference as it should be to every aspect of our lives. Using such quotes as “Ask, seek, knock,” indicating our need for constant prayer, and “A prayer-less Church is a dying Church,” she emphasized our need for prayer at all time. “The Potter’s Hand” and “Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying” set the mood for the music for Worship.
Monday was special. Pastor Duane Grady was the speaker, and our own Brandon Grady was Worship Leader with some help also from Pastor Kim Gingerich. Certainly a highlight of that Worship was the duet sung by Ben and Brandon Grady.
Tuesday’s speaker was Tim Harvey with a message titled, “When Shame Meets Grace: the Gospel According to Jesus.” One powerful quote was as follows: “The Church that is not evangelizing is a Church that is either a ‘not yet’ church or a Church that has stopped being a Church.”
Ataloa Woodin was Wednesday’s speaker, talking about “Servants enabled with a great Power.” During the entire Conference we were challenged to go in the Spirit that enables us to work together with God in great power.
Some observations as a delegate after a year of preparation for the responsibility are as follows:
l The biggest struggle for the business session was the elimination of a medical insurance plan for pastors and church workers. ABC and BBT will continue to try to solve this dilemma.
l A considerable increase in the number of young families and children at Conference
l An attitude of ‘inclusiveness’ was prevalent throughout – unity in diversity
l Openness and acceptance at the microphones for all people regardless of race or position
l Heavy use of a ‘fragrance free’ area for persons with allergies
l Acceptance of persons with disabilities – physical and metal – with numerous wheelchair/scooter attendees
Thanks to you all for allowing me the opportunity to represent you at Annual Conference. I encourage anyone who can to attend and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere there.
Bonita Grady
(Note: this is an abbreviated report; the full report can be read on the bulletin board at the side entrance to Church.)
vChristian Education News
The new Fall quarter of Sunday School lessons starts September 2nd. The International Lessons class will be studying a series of lessons titled, “God created a people” as we explore Genesis and the story of Creation and the beginnings of the chosen people of God. The Discussion class continues its examination and discussion centering on author Philip Yancey’s thought-provoking book, The Bible Jesus Read. There is a class for elementary students, and the Junior High and Youth classes are combining for the fall quarter. The Young Adult class continues to meet in the Library under the leadership of Ralph Miller.
Numerous Bible study options are available for everyone:
l A group meets on Tuesday evenings (every other week) beginning September 4th and will be studying Genesis.
l A group meets Thursdays at noon for lunch and study (2nd and 4th Thursdays each month). They are currently working in the book of John.
l A group also meets on Friday evenings (about once a month) for Bible study and prayer. Anyone is welcome to join any or all of these ongoing groups or to suggest any new study of interest.
Speak to a Christian Ed member about the formation of new groups.
Promotion Sunday will be September 9th, with four students moving into the junior high class. They are Jocelyn Johnsonbull, Kelsi Flinchbaugh, Jerrica Horner, and Austin Ort. Jesse Doellinger enters senior high and Justin Hoerner starts at Vo Tech. Please congratulate these young people when you see them.
vChurch Picnic
The dunk tank drew them in and they stayed for food, games, conversation, and an inspiring concert by the Praise Team that had the children dancing in the aisles. Church members and neighbors met and mingled on August 18th in an event planned by the Fellowship and Recreation Commission and the Evangelism Committee, carried out by a hard-working crew of volunteers. Other than the white elephant sale, everything was free to anyone who came, although some made donations to dunk their favorite victim. Proceeds were given for “Faith,” the heifer for the Disaster Relief Auction, but the main product of the afternoon was fun and fellowship with friends and neighbors. Discussion is already underway for a fall festival in October, led by the Adult Discussion Sunday School class.
Answers to Bible Challenge questions:
1. Philemon 2. True (Luke 14:33) 3. the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19 – 31)
vReleased Time
Our building will be used again for Joy-El Ministries’ Released Time program for third and fourth grade students from Devers Elementary School. Please see Gloria Miller if you can assist with this valuable
outreach of teaching the Bible to public school students. They meet once a week during the school day for approximately an hour. Sessions will begin in October.
vWomen’s Fellowship News
September No meeting
September 18 Picnic at Pinchot Park – 11 AM
September 24 – Brethren Home Volunteer Day – 9 AM
October 19 Soup / Bread Sale
November 9 Christmas Candy Sale
Our Annual Picnic at Pinchot Park will be held September 18th at 11 AM. The Lake View ladies are in charge. Bring a covered dish to share. Meat, beverages, and place settings are supplied. There will be games, fun, and great fellowship. See you there.
A Chicken Corn Soup/Bread Sale is planned for October 19th. Sign-up sheets will be available from September through October 14th. Also, sign up for the Christmas Candy for November 9th.
vWorship Schedule (and Church calendar) for September ‘07
Remember our year ‘round schedule is Sunday School at 9 AM and Worship at 10:15 AM
9/2 9:00 AM Sunday school
10:15 AM Worship “Friendly Persuasion” Philemon 1 - 21
9/6 6:30 PM Bell Choir practice (weekly)
7:30 PM Senior Choir practice (weekly)
9/9 9:00 AM Sunday school
10:15 AM Worship “Five Brothers” Luke 16:19 – 31
Special Council meeting (following Worship)
1:00 PM Deacon Meeting
9/11 7:30 PM Church Board meeting (Commissions at 6:30)
9/15 7:30 AM Men’s Prayer Breakfast
9/16 9:00 AM Sunday school
10:15 AM Worship “Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God?”
Lamplighter Articles due today Luke 14:25 - 33
9/21 - 22 - Brethren Disaster Relief Auction at Lebanon Area Fairgrounds
9/23 9:00 AM Sunday school
10:15 AM Worship “The Biblical ‘Top 10’” Ephesians 6:10 - 18
9/28,29 - District Conference - Waynesboro Church of the Brethren
9/30 9:00 AM Sunday School
10:15 AM Worship “Influence of the Bible” Psalm 33:4 - 15
vSeptember Birthdays!
2 Phyllis Becker 17 Jerry Reynold 27 Portia Ritchey
6 Karen Timponia Lynda Loucks Lynn Pettit
Howard Ness 23 Wendy Decker 28 Kelly Spangler
9 Phil Kissinger 24 Layne Keeny
11 Cathy Snelbaker 26 Melissa Miller
Nicole Doellinger
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Madison Avenue Church of The Brethren 645 Madison Avenue York, PA 17404 |
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June Birthdays
2 Marty Loucks 20 Betty May
Jeff Pettit 22 Sandy Staggers
3 Mary Miller 23 Don Kauffman, Jr.
4 Danielle Staggers 25 Betty Koble
6 Ruth Gleim 29 Katie Kissinger
9 Jessica Ehrlinger 30 Marvin Myers
11 Dave Wolfe
15 J.R. Spangler
15 Troy Mummert
15 Leisa Gross
15 Cindy Gross
15 Charles Gross
17 Charles Morthland
17 Dick Rishel