Madison Ave. Church of The Brethren

Madison Avenue Church of the Brethren
645 Madison Avenue, York, PA  17404
Phone:  854-1885

The Lamplighter
October  2008
Editor:  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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Madison Avenue Church of the Brethren
645 Madison Avenue, York, PA  17404
Phone:  854-1885

The Lamplighter
September  2009
Editor:  Lillian Geltz

From the Pastor’s Desk
Ever watched a water bug?  You know, those little bugs that skate across the top of the water? They are truly amazing. They have long legs that splay out, supporting the weight of the insect’s long skinny body. The bugs never get wet; they simply skate back and forth, constantly searching for whatever it is that they’re looking for! Water bugs don’t live in the water; they live on it. Their world is the shimmering, glassy surface. Beneath them are the depths – of which they likely have absolutely no awareness.
In the helter-skelter of our lives we are much like water bugs. We race to and fro, busy with one thing, then another – oblivious much of the time to the deeper dimensions of life around us. We spend so much of our time gliding along the surface. Seldom do we plumb the depths.

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