Madison Avenue Church of the Brethren
645 Madison Avenue, York, PAÂ 17404
Phone:Â 854-1885
The Lamplighter
October 2008
Editor:Â Lillian Geltz
From the Pastor’s Desk
The new Fall season is in full swing with activities in store and opportunities galore for everyone to be a part of the ongoing ministries here at MACOB. New quarter of Sunday school lessons, new choir season, Alternative Gifts Bazaar, Bible studies, Prayer groups, disaster relief trips, and the list goes on and on. There really is something for everyone and opportunities for everyone to grow in their faith and understanding of god’s Word.
In recognition of this being the 300th anniversary of the Church of the Brethren, at the request of several persons, the sermons this month will focus on beliefs, practices, and values – those things that are especially important and fundamental to the Brethren way of life and worship, and how we can live out those values in our modern culture. October 5th is Worldwide Communion Sunday and so our focus that day will be on Communion and the Lovefeast that is a vital part of Brethren understanding. See the article elsewhere in this newsletter, but just as a preview, our traditional Lovefeast will take on a somewhat new look in some ways. Don’t miss this very important time of Worship – both morning and evening – and reconnection with Jesus as we examine our understanding of that night in the Upper Room with Jesus where he washed the disciples’ feet.
Following sermons will focus on the Brethren peace witness, our dedication to being servants and being in service to others, and the Brethren ideal of trying to live simply in a very complex world. If you happen to be new to the faith – or new to the Brethren aspect of the faith, you won’t want to miss this series of challenging messages about who we are.
In light of all that, a new book you may be interested in reading is Portrait of a People by Carl Bowman. There are several copies around Church. As a follow-up to a book about Brethren beliefs and practices he wrote about 30 years ago, Dr. Bowman writes now about how some things have changed about the Brethren in the last 30 years. It’s an eye-opening, challenging read. Very easy to follow and understand, but challenging to our cherished traditions of Brethrenism. Borrow one and read it.
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