From the Pastor’s Desk
I recently read an article put out by the Alban Institute. It was part of an article written by Lutheran pastor, Rick Barger. I think it’s a sobering commentary on the modern Church. In part it reads:
Folks enter the Church’s doors today shopping for faith. They unashamedly admit that they are ‘church shopping.’ They are searching for something. They seem to know what they want, or at least intuitively believe that when they stumble upon that for which they are searching, they will know it. They have no trouble mixing traditions. That is, one person might join a Presbyterian Church because he likes the pastor and yet still clings to some of his Roman Catholic upbringing, or another person might affiliate with a Lutheran Church because she is drawn to a particular contemporary worship service and its close proximity to her home, yet she reframes all of the ‘grace alone’ preaching through the filters of her Southern Baptist upbringing and the conservative Bible study group she attends weekly. Yet another might worship in an Episcopal Church because of a love of the liturgy and at the same time practice some of the spiritual disciplines of Zen Buddhism. The point here is that they all have deep perceived spiritual and personal needs, and they are determined to get their needs met. If they do not, they are going to go someplace else. They are going to have it their way. And it seems that there are an infinite number of choices. After all, if you can go into Starbucks and choose from countless permutations and combinations on how to have a cup of coffee, why can you not do the same when it comes to being affiliated with a faith community?
A New and Right Spirit: Creating an Authentic Church in a Consumer Culture – 2005 p 15
Some real food for thought there, me thinks.
Then there was the business executive who went to a business convention where they were offered a variety of workshops to help them in their business. One of the workshops was entitled “Jesus as CEO: Lessons from the Bible that Can Help You in Your Leadership.” He said, “I didn’t sign up for that workshop. I’m a Presbyterian and have already heard most of Jesus’ ideas. Besides, who wants to end his career nailed to a cross?”
Me thinks we have a lot of work to do……
Bible Challenge Questions
1. Who said, “I have come to bring fire on earth.”
2. Who said, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”
3. Who said, “People will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will take their places at the
feast in the kingdom of God.”
Brethren Home 50th Annual Chicken BBQ & Quilt Auction & Car Show – Saturday, August 21st
The Quilt Auction and Chicken Barbecue you wait for all year!
More info at – www.brethrenhome.org or call 624 – 2161
We will be scrubbing potatoes on Friday morning (20th). If you can help, please contact Barb Shoff.
Annual Conference Report
In an effort to more fully inform you of Annual Conference work and activities, our Conference reporting will be different this year. Our Worship service on Sunday, August 15th will center on the workings of Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, as well as a report from NYC – National Youth Conference. With some exciting dialogue from participants, highlights of the various Conference activities, music, and much more, you won’t want to miss this exciting time of Worship and reporting.
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. (continued)
However, without the tributaries, there would be no river. And 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?
Gifts Discernment Team
Because of our new leadership team configuration, the work formerly done by the Nominating Committee is now being addressed by the Gifts Discernment Team. They are in the process of beginning their work of prayerfully seeking members willing to serve on our Leadership Team 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, and second, that if you are asked to consider being called to 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 be used 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 prayerful discerning process of the Gifts Discernment Team.
Sunday School News
Join us for the summer series of Sunday School studies. The International Lesson Class is using the lesson book “Christian Commitment in Today’s World” as a basis for discussion and learning. The series of lessons is based on Scripture from 1st and 2nd Thessalonians and Philippians. We will study how Paul’s words to these early churches have invaluable practical application for us today. Join us for some challenging and exciting times of fellowship, study, and learning.
The Discussion Class will continue its discussion of the book of James, and its very pertinent counsel for our daily lives in the 21st century. This small NT book has many great hints for personal spiritual health for us modern folk.
The Young Adult Class continues to meet in the Library under the leadership of Ralph Miller with their own chosen study topics. There are also classes for Youth, Jr Hi, and children.
Annual Conference Report
In an effort to more fully inform you of Annual Conference work and activities, our Conference reporting will be very different this year. Our entire Worship service on Sunday, August 9th will center on
the workings of Annual Conference in San Diego. With video clips of sermons, highlights of the various Conference activities, music and much more, you won’t want to miss this exciting time of Worship and reporting. The all-church picnic will follow; plan to attend!
Leadership Team and Church Council
Minutes from the last Leadership Team meeting – which consisted largely of an extended discussion about the successes and shortcomings of our new style of church government (as opposed to the old Church Board set-up) are available on the information table near the mailboxes. Please read and be informed.
Church Council met after Worship on Sunday, July 18th, and also discussed the new Leadership Team concept, approving a motion from the Team to continue that style setup for at least another year before readdressing the Church Constitution.
Some information items shared at Council included what to do about the deteriorating condition of our organ (repair, replace, nothing, or…), upcoming repairs including repainting lines in parking lot, replacement of sidewalks along Madison Avenue, and the possible installation of a projection system in the Sanctuary.
The Council also accepted the resignation of our Confidential Financial Secretary due to an impending move that would prevent her from continuing the work. The Leadership Team will address finding a replacement.
Dunkard Valley Live
If you are into Contemporary Christian music in concert, check out the fifth annual Dunkard Valley Live concert at the Codorus COB ball field on Sat and/or Sunday August 7 & 8, 2010. A large number of local persons, praise teams, groups, and choirs will be performing their own style of Christian music, live on stage. Worship services with dynamic speakers will be interspersed throughout the event. (Rain dates – August 14th & 15th )
Disaster Relief Auction
Even though we will not be buying a heifer for the sale this year, MACOB is doing its part to support the 34th Disaster Relief Auction to be held on September 24th & 25th on the Lebanon Fairgrounds. Our special offerings for July/August will be for the Auction and its ministry of reconstruction after natural disasters. Please mark your donations accordingly. And just as side note…. consider joining one of the many District-planned disaster relief trips to support with action. It will be an eye-opening and moving time of work and ministry for you. Ask some of those who have been on disaster relief trips to learn more.
Upcoming activities of interest….
8/21 Brethren Home Bar-B-Que
8/29 Discussion Class meals for homeless
9/10, 11 Women of Faith Conference (bus sponsored by West York COB)
9/12 “Making a difference in the lives of people with Dementia” Workshop at Chambersburg COB
9/17, 18 District Conference at Black Rock COB
9/19 – 26 New Fairview COB Revival services (speaker – Carl Brubaker)
9/24, 25 Disaster Relief Auction – Lebanon fairgrounds
10/2 Fall Banquet for Truckstop Ministry – New Fairview COB
Answers to Bible Challenge
1. Ephesians (Eph. 5:19) 2. Psalm 139 (vs 14) 3. Healing of the deaf man (Mark 7:33)
Why He Came
When Jesus was a little boy – Did He fish and take them home -
Did He fall and skin His knee; Just as proud as He could be;
Did His mother pick Him up – And He did learn how to swim -
And did He climb a tree? In the Sea of Galilee?
Did He have 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 6/21/07 by the Lord and Angel
Women’s Fellowship News
August 20 Wash potatoes for Brethren Home BBQ 9 AM
No August meeting
August 23 Brethren Home Volunteer Day 9 AM
September 7 Next meeting 9 AM
September ?? Picnic at Pinchot (Bermudian/Lakeview)
It’s time to do the potatoes for the Brethren Home Bar-B-Que on August 20th. If you can help, see Barb Shoff – our Key Person. Also, if you can make some goodies for dessert, it would be appreciated.
September is the month for our annual picnic at Pinchot. Lakeview is in charge so no date has been set.
Thanks to everyone who supported our ‘Sandwich Sale’ as we had a profit of $300. We also delivered 335 ‘Health kits’ to New Windsor as eight of us enjoyed the day with lunch back at Baugher’s.
Church Schedule August 2010
8/1 9:00 AM Sunday school
10:15 AM Worship “Value of forgiveness: Luke 11:1 – 4
8/2 6:30 PM Women’s Bible study
8/8 9:00 AM Sunday school
10:15 AM Worship “All fired up” Luke 12:49 – 56
Noon All Church picnic
8/14 7:30 AM Men’s Prayer breakfast
8/15 9:00 AM Sunday school
10:15 AM Worship AC and NYC reporting
Lamplighter deadline
8/16 6:30 PM Women’s Bible study
8/19 noon Bible study
8/21 9AM – 4 PM Brethren Home Chicken BBQ, quilts, cars and more
8/22 9:00 AM Sunday school
10:15 AM Worship “Found and freed” Luke 13:10 – 17
8/29 9:00 AM Sunday School
10:15 AM Worship “Enter here” Luke 13:22 – 30
Noon Deacon Meeting
Afternoon/evening Discussion Class feeding the homeless
8/30 6:30 PM Women’s Bible study
August Birthdays
1 Kerry Gingerich 13 Wanda Linebaugh 18 Danny Flinchbaugh
2 Joe Petrosky Brenda Hess Dennis Spangler
3 Jake Laughman Helen Melhorn 19 Eva Vuolo
4 Robin Gleim Stahl 14 Russell Miller Jim Staggers
6 Austin Ort 15 John Loucks 20 Jo Ellen Craig
7 John Baugher 16 Elizabeth Kauffman 22 Jolynn Lentz
8 Jacob Snyder Robin Ness Tara Seasock
9 Paul Ritchey, Jr. Matt Vuolo 24 Sheryl Billet
Karen Spangler 17 Jim Bohn 26 Jessica Witmer
11 Jack Craig
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