JULY 2010 NEWSLETTER.pub

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
135 W. Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA
17055
FIRST UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH
NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 89
MECHANICSBURG, PA
Dated Material
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Phone: 717-766-4611
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.fumchurch.com
JULY 2010
From the Pastor
O
GIVING WINGS TO THE GOSPEL
WELCOME ~ INVITE ~ NURTURE ~ GROW ~ SEND
VER THE PAST YEAR I have been
struggling with the onset of
arthritis in my knees. So many of you
have been caring and compassionate with
me, inquiring when you’ve seen me
limping, praying for me at the time of my
surgery in February, and expressing
continuing concern as I have struggled
with the more limited mobility which
encumbers me. For all of this and more, I
thank you for your friendship, your
compassion and concern, and most
especially for your prayers.
Now that my left knee has responded
to surgery and is doing pretty well, the
right knee is even more painful. I
consulted with my surgeon on a recent
Sunday School
Sunday Morning
Worship Services
8:15 am & 10:45 am
Sunday Evening
Prayer Time
7 pm
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July 28—
August 1
Dates to Remember
and necessitating that I take every
opportunity to sit down, I found that the
pain was governing my life — not
completely, but far more than I wanted it
to. And in order to manage the pain, I did
what I needed to do, and spent far more
sedentary time that I am accustomed to
or desire.
July 4
Independence Day
Sabbath Sunday
July 5
Facility Closed
July 7
Youth Praise Rally
July 8
UMW 2nd Hand Sale
Collection
Then the pain was taken away and I
felt brand new — greater energy in my
body, more ability to focus in my mind, a
sense of happiness and freedom that had
been diminished in recent months. I can
get up earlier in the morning and stay up
later at night while I stay active and
accomplish more through the day.
July 24
UMW 2nd Hand Sale
Collection
July 28August 1
IMPACT 2010
“THERE MAY BE HUNDREDS OF POSITIVE,
P O WE
9:30 am
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HOPEFUL, JOYFUL THINGS GOING ON AROUND US,
BUT THAT ONE PAINFUL THING GOVERNS
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
OUR MOOD AND OUR OUTLOOK.”
Staff/VBS
Tuesday and he gave me a cortisone
injection into that knee that had an
immediate and positive effect. I came to
my office on Wednesday morning free
from pain, the first time in many months.
I hope the effect of that injection will last
for a long time.
I have learned something through all
of this that I want to tell you about.
During the time when my knees have
been hurting, causing me to limp and
hobble around, limiting my movements
So many of you know what I mean
because you have lived with chronic pain
much longer than I have and you know
the limitations it causes and the release
when it is removed by medication,
therapy or surgery.
What I have learned is this: though
my knees are a small part of my body,
and an even smaller part of my life as a
whole, the pain in them caused me to
focus my whole life on those knees and
(Continued on page 2)
2-3
UMW / 2nd Hand Sale / Book Club
4
Missions
5
Prayer/Commuunion
6-7
Finance/Widows/Widowers
7
Adult Education /Youth Mission Trip
8
Youth
9
Servant Spotlight
10
Children’s Summer Sunday School
11
Summer Camp
12
Library/Handbells/Car Wash
13
Church News
14
Worship Schedule / Softball
15
STAFF/VBS
Page 2
Church Staff
From the Pastor (cont.)
PASTOR: Michael Minnix
(Continued from page 1)
ASSISTANT PASTOR: Lucretia Hurley-Browning
PARISH VISITOR: Don Ciampa
LAY LEADER: Tom Helm
CONGREGATIONAL CARE
COORDINATOR: Tina Eaton
YOUTH PASTOR: Lisa McCaffrey
CHILDREN’S DIRECTOR: Norma Lockney
(full time beginning October 2010)
MUSIC DIRECTOR &
SENIOR CHOIR DIRECTOR: Jody Brinley
ORGANIST: Bill Ingraham, Tom Mullikin
ASSISTANT ORGANIST: Gail Leinhos
BELL CHOIRS: Kathie Bittenbender
that pain. It’s the same way with our life
in general and with our work. If there is a
painful aspect of our life or a difficult
circumstance in our work, at home or at
church, that pain or difficulty steals our
attention and energy. It becomes the
thing that most easily captures our focus
and around which we organize our life.
There may be hundreds of positive,
hopeful, joyful things going on around
us, but that one painful thing governs our
mood and our outlook.
SOUNDS OF WORSHIP: Flossie Ryder
INVOCATION: Charlie Renner
YOUTH CHOIR: Gail Leinhos
JUNIOR CHOIR: Allison Ometz
CHILDREN’S CHOIRS: Lorette DeWalt
(beginning August 2010)
FACILITIES COORDINATOR: Charlie Ryder
FINANCE DIRECTOR: Nancy Robinson
OFFICE MANAGER: Michelle Strawser
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: April Prather
CUSTODIAL TEAM: Don Karns, Wayne Rainelli,
Think of a report card your child
brought home from school: all As — and
then one B or C. What did you focus on
and worry about? The B or C, of course,
easily overlooking the joy of all the As.
Or consider how the unbridled joy of a
wedding can be compromised by the
thought of a little rain, or the fun or a
party can be diminished by just one
thoughtless or unkind word.
First News First
I have to work hard to stay focused
on the multitude of grand and good
things taking place at First Church
because the challenging, difficult and
uncomfortable things, though they be
few, tend to steal my attention and
energy. The same is true at home and in
my family, as well as in my body. I
suspect you face the same challenges.
The Apostle Paul says that we
should rejoice in our adversities (Romans
5), but I really hope the pain in my knees
stays away. I am grateful, though, to
have learned something about the mental
and spiritual effects of pain and hope that
I, with your help, and you with mine, will
be able to stay energized and focused on
the many positive and hopeful works of
God under way among us and within us.
VBS GALACTIC BLAST…was a Blast!
FIRST NEWS FIRST
EDITORS:
April Prather
Michelle Strawser
The deadline for the
August newsletter is
THURSDAY, JULY 15.
All submissions should be
received in the church office on or
before this date.
Early submissions are always
welcome!
[email protected].
VBS is one of the largest and most
effective avenues that First Church has to
reach out to the surrounding community.
What a successful week it was….largely
because of the many willing people who
helped make this happen. Our numbers
were huge….and our facilities and hearts
WORSHIP SCHEDULE / SOFTBALL
and preparations just stretched to embrace the
growth. We are in a time of transition as we
are moving from the leadership of Kim Vensel
in Children’s Ministry to Norma Lockney, our new Director of Children’s
Ministry. We are so appreciative of
the work Kim has done to help
prepare us for this week…AND
we are so very grateful for our
church membership, and how they have
stepped up to enable VBS to run so smoothly.
Also, we are excited as Norma will be coming
on board to lead us towards next year’s VBS
ministry. It is an enormous task, but one so
worthy of our combined efforts and energy.
Before closing this article, I just need to
say a personal thank you to our workers in
VBS. These volunteers have spent hours and
hours in preparation. Many took time off
work, using their personal days and vacation
(Continued on page 3)
Page 15
July 4
July 18
Softball
USHERS: (8:15) Eric King, James
Alderman, Thomas Helm, Ralph Harkins,
Roy Miller, Harry Woods, Winslow Brown;
(10:45) Rick Kauffman, Brian Vogl,
Rodney Cook, Ed Johnson, Chuck
Kershner, Wayde Leister, Cephas
Zimmerman
MEDIA: Bob Bittenbender and Fred
Espenshade (8:15); Bob Bittenbender and
TBD (10:45)
ACOLYTE: Morgan Brymesser (8:15),
TBD* (10:45)
CHILDCARE GREETER:
Mary Wagner (8:15),
Tracy Holliday (10:45)
USHERS: (8:15) Gerry Sheely, Elvin Hess,
Bill Seig, Bob Shannon, Roy Miller;
(10:45) Larry Buddenbaum, Rick
Kauffman, Bob Bittenbender, Barry Eaton,
Chuck Kershner, Mike Ogden, Rose
Rohlmeier, Mark Routch
First Church’s softball team is holding
its own in the 2010 West Shore
Churches Slowpitch Softball League
with a 9-5 record through games of
June 23. Rain has played
havoc with the schedule
this season, so there
are still lots of
opportunities to
come out to
watch the games
and enjoy the fellowship. Hope to see
you there! Contact Roger Walton at
790-9131 if you have any questions.
CRIB/TODDLERS: Patti Yeager,
Shannon O’Leary, Hayley Holloway,
Mary Eckrote (8:15),
Sandy Downey, Patti Herring,
Janet & Janelle Almond (10:45)
WEE WORSHIP: Rob & Geri Nuss,
Elisabeth Herring
MEDIA: Chris Grant and Ken Rapp
ACOLYTE: TBD* (8:15),
Kayleigh DeWalt (10:45)
CHILDCARE GREETER:
Sharon Hayes (8:15),
Angie Britcher (10:45)
CRIB/TODDLERS: Angie & Chuck Allgood,
Kristen Hayes (8:15),
Gwen Deluca, Dawn Merris,
Rachel Miller (10:45)
WEE WORSHIP: April Farleman,
Tracy McHale, Makala Eberly
KIDS WORSHIP: Worship With Family
KIDS WORSHIP: Worship With Family
Softball Schedule
Mike Minnix
George Canonizado, Roger Walton
Galactic Blast, our 2010 Vacation
Bible School program, officially began on
June 21. This year we had 370 children
registered, ages 3 through 8th grade.
Over 130 adults and youth volunteered in many activities….including music,
crafts, recreation, snacks,
teaching, science demonstrations, being helpers, and being
part of a support team that handled all the
details, odds and ends, registrations, photos, etc., etc., etc.!!! Yes, you heard the
numbers correctly….WOW!!!
July 2010
July 11
July 25
USHERS: Youth
MEDIA: Fred Espenshade and Roger
Walton
USHERS: (8:15) Tom Helm, Charles
Glessner, Ben Miller, Ron Nichols,
Jim Van Kirk;
(10:45) Brian Vogl, Larry Buddenbaum,
Stuart Diehl, Ken Guise, Mike Lehmer,
Mike McHale, Rose Rohlmeier,
Jake Sunday
MEDIA: Eric Dewalt and TBD*
ACOLYTE: Cate Farber (8:15),
TBD* (10:45)
CHILDCARE GREETER:
Sandy Walton (8:15)
Susanna Brill (10:45)
CRIB/TODDLERS: Kathleen & Rodney
Clark, Matt Ober, Shawn Rapp (8:15),
Jill Rahal, Amy Erno, Lauren Kenes,
Alex Clouser (10:45)
WEE WORSHIP: Katie Hammaker,
Rose Rohlmeier, Paige Snyder
KIDS WORSHIP: Worship With Family
ACOLYTE: TBD* (8:15),
Philip Noss (10:45)
CHILDCARE GREETER: Marilyn Knott (8:15),
Sandy Leister (10:45)
CRIB/TODDLERS: Kelly King, Megan Koontz,
Caryn Knott, Jenna Magee(8:15),
Becky Orsinger, Deb Noss, Shelli
Spencer, Phoebe Noss (10:45)
WEE WORSHIP: Brandy Zimmerman,
Vicky Shambaugh, Megan Leister
KIDS WORSHIP: Worship With Family
*TBD — to be determined. When you see this, it means we need volunteers!
Contact the appropriate person if you would like to be added to the schedule to serve in one
of these areas:
Childcare and children’s worship: Lucretia Hurley-Browning (temporary)
Acolytes: David Nesmith
Sound & Media: Roger Walton
Ushers: Tom Helm (8:15), Larry Buddenbaum (10:45)
July 1
6:00 & 7:00
Shiremanstown COG at
Roof Park
July 8
6:00 & 7:00
Our Lady of Lourdes at OLOL
July 9
6:00 & 7:00
St. Katherine Drexel at
New Cumberland Boro Park #3
July 13
6:00
Shiremanstown UMC at
Lowther Field
July 14
6:00 & 7:00
Harris Street UMC at
Mechanicsburg Memorial Park
July 19
6:00
Shiremanstown COG at
New Cumberland Boro Park #4
July 26-29 PLAYOFFS
Page 14
CHURCH NEWS
Road Trip
Special Birthdays
Thank You
Status Report From the Staff-Parish Relations Committee
VBS Galactic Blast (cont.)
Car trips provide great opportunities for family discussions. While you
have a captive audience, ask your
children questions like these:
Mildred Neagley.............................. July 6
First Church,
(Continued from page 2)
Glenn Heller ................................... July 7
Thank you for your generosity and
kindness. I am so grateful for all you’ve
done for this ministry (New Hope).
THE STAFF-PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE (SPRC) is pleased to provide the
following update on staff personnel
matters. In addition to routine activities
associated with job descriptions, performance reviews, and participation in
church governance, we have had a busy
first six months of 2010 filling vacancies
and ensuring retention.
What are some of your favorite
summer memories and outings?
Why is it important to sometimes
take a break from our work? What are
some things you’ve learned while
having fun?
What might happen if God took a
vacation from us? How does it feel to
know that God will never leave us?
Why is Jesus so important to you?
What are some ways you can show how
much you love him?
Russ Baker .................................... July 14
First News First
Gladys Peck.................................... July 14
Ruth Birbeck ................................... July 19
Bettie Murray................................... July 25
Harry Woods................................... July 27
Lincoln Washburn .......................... July 29
Jayná
(Jayná worked for New Hope Ministries overseeing
the After-School Programs that met here at First
Church during the 2009/2010 school year. She
resigned in May in order to care for her 5 year old
daughter, Kennedy, who will be undergoing brain
surgery for Chiari Malformation.)
Betty Etter ....................................... July 30
Addresses of these members, who are 80plus years of age, can be found in the
Church Directory.
Love & Sympathy ...
Birth
Congratulations to
Jim & Sue Chilton
on the birth of their granddaughter,
to the Hilbish family on the death of
Jennifer and Amanda’s grandmother,
Marjorie Hilbish, on May 23, 2010.
Alexis Catherine Chilton,
to the family upon the death of Viola
Adams on June 5, 2010.
born June 21 to
Jim and Nancy Chilton.
to the family upon the recent death of
Doris Davis’ brother.
Recycle for Family Assistance Fund
The next time you have an empty
printer cartridge, don’t throw it away! Drop
it off at the information desk in the narthex
or at the church office and we’ll recycle it
for cash for our Family Assistance Fund.
When you recycle your printer cartridges,
you:
EMPTIES 4 CASH will accept any
cartridge that fits in the palm of your hand.
Save energy! Empty ones can be
remanufactured and reused.
Reduce pollution! Printer Cartridges do
not decompose for 1,000 years.
Help families in need!
Senior Pastor Mike Minnix has been
reappointed to his position here by
Bishop Middleton. We are blessed
indeed to benefit from Mike’s combination of spiritual, pastoral, management
and community-building gifts, experience and expertise.
Assistant Pastor Lucretia HurleyBrowning will continue her work with
FUMC. She may make minor changes to
her work schedule as she and her
husband, Rev. Jim Browning, meet the
challenges of a commuter-marriage. As
many of you know, Jim accepted the
position of Director of Clinical Pastoral
Education Training at the Hospital of the
University of Pennsylvania. He will be
spending weekdays in Philadelphia.
There was a collective sigh of congregational relief when it became clear that we
were not losing Lucretia.
Norma Lockney has accepted the
position of Director of Children’s
Ministries. She will be transitioning up to
her full-time start date which we expect
to be in October. Kim Vensel will be
helping to make the change of leadership
as seamless as possible by providing
transitional assistance.
Gail Leinhos will be taking the
director’s baton of the Youth Choir. She
will start July 1.
Lorette DeWalt is the director of
Children’s Choirs. She will start on
August 1.
Page 3
STAFF / VBS
July 2010
Charlie Renner took on the responsibilities of leading Invocation as of June 1.
The most appropriate way to handle
adult education as we move forward
remains under discussion. SPRC is
leaning toward a reorganization of the
position such that some responsibilities,
such as Psalm 150 and the Passion Play
will be moved under other positions
while other projects would be supported
by task-based contracts. Comment from
the congregation will be formally invited
before decisions are made.
Please join us in lifting up all our
staff and volunteers and their ministries
in prayer. They deserve our Christian
love, support and encouragement as they
begin or continue the work that contributes so significantly to the vibrant
community of faith FUMC represents.
Finally, please join us in personal
communication of thanks and associated
prayers for the exemplary work of the
dedicated people who have stepped down
from the positions we are filling.
Dave Florey, Chair,
SPRC
PLANNING NOTE:
SPRC intends to conduct an open
meeting on September 14, 2010, at 7 pm.
This will provide interested members of the
congregation an opportunity to observe a
typical meeting. Of course, confidential
personnel issues will not be discussed in
open session. There will be time set aside
on the agenda for a briefing on SPRC’s
charge and approach in addition to questions and comments from visitors.
days in order to serve God through VBS.
Quite honestly, I had no idea of the
amount of time and energy that our
teachers and activities people spend until
I helped coordinate VBS this year.
For example, Michelle Coover begins working on Crafts at Thanksgiving
…and they are incredible crafts; Allison
Ometz and the Praise Band rehearsed for
hours and hours while Geri Nuss worked
tirelessly on music for our preschoolers…providing amazing music from 3-yr
old thru 8th grade; Margaret Eckrote
coordinated snacks for what I called “the
fishes and loaves VBS” as our numbers
kept growing; Sam Snyder is our own
personal Mr. Science Guy who was up
night after night preparing awesome
science demonstrations; Tracy Holliday
functioned as Registration Table Guru in
her effortless and calming way; and
Rodney Clark…. well, I call him Saint
Rodney for all that he has done with preregistrations AND recreation.
Plus, our teachers have just been
outstanding…loving, patient, giving,
creative ….wow …how I love this
TEAM!!! Most importantly, I hope we
can all remember why we do this …
because we love our God and His children. Thank you, Lord, for a week of
blessings!
Lucretia Hurley-Browning
Galactic Blast Math
370 children
PLUS
130 adult/youth
volunteers
EQUALS
One
Page 4
UMW Secondhand Sale
UMW Secondhand Sale
Yes, I want to rent a space for
$10 at the Secondhand Sale.
Checks made payable to
FUMC.
I am interested in helping with
the sale. Please contact me
with details.
Name
SATURDAY, AUGUST 21
(INDOORS AND OUTSIDE)
RAIN OR SHINE!
We need your clothing! Bring your
adult clothing and shoes to the multipurpose room the week of the sale, August
16 to 20, 2010. If you can’t make these
dates, you may drop off clothing on the
following dates and times:
July 8
6 to 8 pm
July 24
9 to 12 am
August 5
6 to 8 pm
Phone
Email
Drop off in the Tower Entrance.
Only at designated times!
If you want to reserve a spot to sell
other items in the parking lot, please complete the form in the left-hand column.
Place form and $10 fee in Jen Schroeder’s
mailbox at church. Questions, contact Jen
at 796-1593 or email at [email protected]. Other questions,
contact Lori Hoffnagle at 732-6430 or
[email protected]. No food or adult
clothing may be sold outside. You may sell
children’s clothing. Space is limited, sign
up now! More information will be sent to
you closer to the sale date.
UMW Calendar
First Church Book Club
The UMW Book Club will meet on
Thursday, September 9, at 7 pm in the
church library to discuss THE BOOK
THIEF by Markus Zusak. If you enjoy
reading, please join us. Sponsored by
the UMW, this Book Club will meet
approximately four times a year. Book
titles will be selected from the UMW's
resource listing. Contact Janice Bowen
at 796-0809 or [email protected]
with questions.
First News First
UMW / 2ND-HAND SALE / BOOK CLUB
July 15-18........Schools of Christian Mission.
Contact Lori Hoffnagle for details.
Also 1 and 2-day fast track.
Bus from Camp Hill UMC for
July 15 “Sampler Day”
July 2010
Circle Meetings
Dates and Times
July Library News
IN JULY,
MARY CIRCLE
August 5 at 7:30 pm — Game Night
Home of Janice Bowen*
796-0809
[email protected]
ELIZABETH CIRCLE
No July or August Meeting
Patti Herring*
795-9721
[email protected]
DEBORAH CIRCLE
July 13, 6 pm picnic, home of Pat Sheely
Sandy Walton*
790-9131
[email protected]
RUTH CIRCLE
No July or August Meeting
Doris Nesbit 766-8266
& Beryl Morgan*
MARTHA CIRCLE
No July Meeting
Marley Ann Schmick*
697-2233
*Circle Leaders
UMW Circle Co-Presidents
:
Lori Hoffnagle
Pat Sheely
732-6430
766-3151
Thank You!
August 21 ........Secondhand Sale. Saturday only!
October 3 ........New Cumberland District Annual
Day, Mission Central, 2 pm
November 14...World Thank Offering
and Mission Meal
December 4.....Advent Fellowship
February 18-20, 2011...... Women’s Retreat
Dear First Church Family —
The Mary Circle would like to thank
everyone who contributed to our Solar
Cooker Project Mission Meal! Thanks to
your support, we are able to donate 50 new
Solar Cookers to the refugee camps!
Members of the Mary Circle
MANY OF US PAUSE IN OUR
to remember how this
country was founded and to be thankful
for the heroes that gave their lives for our
freedom. Most of these people were
ordinary citizens who put their private
lives aside to pursue freedom for all.
More than 200 years later, we still have
ordinary people sacrificing for our
freedom and safety. Now, instead of
Minute Men, we call them National
Guard, police, firemen, FBI, and military
men and women. This month we mark
the longest running war in our history as
our troops still serve in Afghanistan. And
then there is Iraq … pray for their safety!
BUSY
LIVES
Karen Kingsbury, long
running queen of contemporary fiction, tackles many
issues in her works of fiction.
Her two books EVEN NOW
and EVER AFTER feature men
in the military and the women who
love them. In the story EVEN NOW,
Shawn Galanter and Lauren Gibbs were
separated by their parents when Lauren
became pregnant during high school.
Unable to find each other, Lauren raises
their daughter, Emily, gets a degree in
journalism, and becomes a war correspondent in Afghanistan. Shawn follows
a path that leads him to a career as a
fighter pilot. When they meet twenty
years later in EVER AFTER, their career
choices cause enough friction to meltdown their renewed love. While their
daughter Emily cheers her parent’s
reconnection, she grieves her fiancée
who is killed in Iraq. Will these tragedies
tear them apart or bond them forever? If
you enjoy listening to books we have
both of these books on unabridged audio
CDs.
It used to be when you thought of
the FBI you thought of tough male agents
in dark suits and sunglasses. Now there
are many agents in dark skirts and
Page 13
LIBRARY / HANDBELLS / CAR WASH
Ringing In the News
sunglasses. Such is the
case in Lynn Eason’s
newest series Women of
Justice. In TOO CLOSE
TO HOME, Samantha
Cash is the FBI secret
weapon. Her ability to track
evidence and perpetrators through deeply
hidden computer programs is an asset to
all law enforcement in this age of cyber
crime. I won’t spoil the whodunit aspect
of this book, but I will tell you she has
easily paved the way for her next book,
DON’T LOOK BACK, due out in September.
If you like thrillers, you may also
enjoy THE HEROES OF QUANTICO, CALL
TO DUTY, or ENDURING JUSTICE, three
titles from new series. For a
historical fiction look at law
enforcement don’t miss The
Ladies Shooting Club series.
We want to thank so many of you
for supporting our recent spaghetti
dinner by dining with us at the Belle
Campanile Café. What a nice evening
– good food and fellowship, followed
by a terrific church talent show!
The handbells are taking a short
break from ringing this summer, but
don’t worry we’ll be back strong in
the fall. Kathie already has some
Hoss’s dates (September and November) as well as a couple of concerts
lined up for the holiday season! She’s
going to the national festival in
Nashville in July to see how she can
get us even more involved! We truly
appreciate all the love and support
you, our church family, show us!
If thrillers are not your
genre, stop in and let us show you
all the other great reads we have for your
enjoyment.
See you in the library!
Pam, Fran and Donna
Saturday,
August 7
To benefit the 2011 Women's
Retreat
The Women's Retreat Planning
Committee and FUM Youth
Group are sponsoring a car wash on
Saturday, August 7, from 9 am - 3
pm at the Burger King on Cumberland Parkway. All proceeds will
benefit the 2011 Women's Retreat.
Page 12
CAMP
Neighborhood Center
Goes to Camp!
July Campers
First News First
Five Students Receive Christ as their Savior!
CAMP PENN
First Church is sponsoring campers
from the Neighborhood Center in Harrisburg this year. We as a church are
privileged to be furthering the Kingdom
of God by sending 16 children who
would normally never be able to afford
camp — they are very excited! Thanks,
First Church — you are AWESOME!
God is working here in our midst and
He is our JOY GIVER in the fact that
we have been able to do this for these
children!
The Neighborhood Center is an
affiliate of the United Methodist
Church. Its mission is to meet the needs
of and to empower our neighbors in
Harrisburg. The Center specializes in
helping young people discover and
develop their capabilities, so that their
lives and the life of the community can
be enhanced. For more information,
visit www.neighborhoodcenterhbg.org.
Noah Spencer
Heather Bowen
Kalie Nuss
Abigail Wertz
Jacob Layton
Janelle Lockney
Lauren Buddenbaum
Shakila Duncan*
Ethan Spencer
Philip Noss
Jillian Buker
Kim Lyons
Kendyl Swank
Mike Ogden
Jordan Routch
Nadine Ogden
Taylor Saraiva
Luke Ogden
Becky Trace
Tim Ogden
Jeff Hoffnagle
Carrie Naviglia
Rachel Hoffnagle
Amy Ogden
Matt Canonizado
Sherri Espenshade
Alexia Ometz
Jordyn Hecker
Davis Holliday
Alex Rebman
Morgan Krnjaic
Journey Cooksey*
7/18-7/20
Ishmael (Rob) Finley*
Adrianna Finley*
D'Era Arrington*
7/18-7/24
Ben Herbster
Imarr Finley*
Maurrisha Williams*
Elijah Samuels*
Xavier Samuels*
Nazae Baltimore*
Janiece Johnson*
JáSean Johnson*
Aireonna Thomas*
Jasmine Thomas*
Ebony Samuels*
John Jefferson*
6/30-7/3
6/27-7/3
7/25-7/31
WESLEY FOREST
7/4-7/8 Leadership
Katerina Maylock
8/1-8/7
Gracen Smacher
GREENE HILLS
7/11-7/17
7/18-7/22
Philip Noss
Steve Noss
Deb Noss
Phoebe Noss
Janelle Almond
Alyssa Collins
Ellie Hoover
Victoria Yother
Kayleigh DeWalt
Shelley Peterman
MOUNT ASBURY
7/17-7/18
Annalyse Lockney
Dave Lockney
7/21-7/24
David Nesmith
7/31-8/1
Janice Bowen
Maya Bowen
Norma-Jean Lockney
Annalyse Lockney
Janelle Lockney
KRISLUND CAMP
6/27-7/3
Dan Lyons
CAMP NAWAKAWA
7/4-7/10
Cate Farber
Ellie Farber
CAMP KIRCHENWALD
6/27-7/3
Graham Bowen
7/4-7/10
Joshua Herbster
CAMP EDER
7/11-7/16
Rosie Rohlmeier
* from Neighborhood Center
NOTE: The following update is a compilation of
information contained in several recent emails
from Ben.
May was my favorite month in
Dakar! Our staff
team saw three
Muslim
men
(reportedly
the
world’s toughest
demographic for
evangelism) pray to receive Christ!
I was fortunate to explain the Gospel
alongside Dayton for Diegane, a friend for
the last six months. Watching God slowly
win Diegane to Himself was a joy. Secondly, Amadu chose to follow Jesus
through our Congolese staff team. Finally,
Yaya became a Christian through the evangelism of our short-term team. Yaya is the
first Christian in his immediate family. He
and I are currently meeting for Bible study
and mentoring. He is so excited about the
Lord and already telling friends and family
about Jesus!
In early June, two women received
Christ! One of the stories is really cool. The
girl said on Friday, “I believe what you are
saying, but I could never become a Christian because of my family.” On Monday,
she said, “God is bigger than my family,”
and put her faith in Christ! She talked about
God really working on her over the weekend to see that following Him is worth it,
whatever the cost. I love this type of boldness and confidence in God displayed by
our students.
The more time I spend in Senegal, the
more relationships open to Gospel conversation and the more effective I become as a
missionary. Praise God for what He is doing here. I am so lucky to be part of the
movement of God in Senegal. Sharing the
Gospel on a full-time basis is a high and
wonderful calling. I am so happy with my
station in life right now and grateful to the
Lord and all of you for making this ministry possible.
Page 5
MISSIONS
July 2010
Ben Ober’s Contact Corner
I have a secret: being a missionary is
awesome! C’mon Ben, you’re just saying
that because missionaries must pretend that
everything is great. In all seriousness, I am
thrilled to live and work in Senegal —
hence my desire to return for a second
year! Living in Senegal is not easy, but the
joy of seeing students like Yaya receive
Christ outweighs the difficulties. All the
challenges of Senegal are worth it because
of this simple fact: college students hear
about Christ for the first time and are
eternally saved as a result of our work and
your partnership.
On behalf of my team, our students
and myself, I thank you for your partnership. It is difficult to communicate gratitude via letter, but I hope you feel genuinely appreciated. Thank you for your sacrifices that others might hear of a Savior.
Thanks for believing in me and praying for
me to serve faithfully. Thank you for embracing God’s heart for those separated
from Him. Without your support, my ministry in Dakar would not exist.
It is because you have made such a
difference this past year that I ask you to
continue supporting my ministry for the
2010-2011 academic year, both through
prayer and finances. Please prayerfully
consider how you wish to be involved in
the upcoming year. I am eager to see as
many of you as possible this summer!
In Christ,
Ben
“And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” — Apostle Paul, Romans 10:14 Email: [email protected]
Twitter: BenjamenOber
Contributions: https://
give.ccci.org/give/View/0619757
www.dakarpost.blogspot.com
Ben’s Prayer Corner
Moussa, Kalfa, Tony, and Laity
receiving Christ by July 19
Follow-up with summer team
Contacts
Mission Opportunity
BAG GROCERIES for Bethesda
Mission at Mission Central on
Wednesday, July 21, at 6 pm.
Contact Eric King at
697-0933 or [email protected]
for information.
Our Missionaries
DAKAR, SENEGAL:
Ben Ober
COORDINATOR OF THE AVIATION
RESOURCE DEPT. FOR GBGM:
Steve & Gail Quigg
McCURDY SCHOOL:
Mr. & Mrs. Matt Nichols
Page 6
PRAYER / COMMUNION
Sunday Evenings in the
Sanctuary
Prayer Team
OUR SUNDAY EVENING
Church is as follows:
♦
♦
FORMAT
at First
Instead of the traditional worship
service, the sanctuary will be open
for prayer on Sunday evenings from
7 until 8 pm.
Members of the prayer team will be
present to facilitate the gathering, if
they are needed.
We encourage you to take advantage
of this opportunity to be quietly and
prayerfully present in our magnificent
sanctuary, to pray for yourself, your
families and for our church and our mission in Mechanicsburg and around the
world.
NOTE: Sunday, July 4 is a Sabbath Sunday.
Prayer Time will not be held that evening,
but will resume on Sunday, July 11.
Holy
Communion
Schedule
2010
BIMONTHLY COMMUNION
Pew Service
8/1/2010
WORLD COMMUNION
Loaves and Chalices
10/3/2010
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT
Pew Service
11/28/2010
CHRISTMAS EVE,
8 and 11 pm
Loaves and Chalices
12/24/2010
HELP TO MAKE FIRST CHURCH KNOWN AS
A PRAYING CHURCH. Join with the Prayer
Team as we share some of the things we
pray for when we gather. It is an always
changing list. Each month, each day, each
moment gives us another chance to communicate with our Creator ...
I’m reading an interesting book right
now called LIFE IS A VERB. It’s a
series of essays by the author on finding joy in your life. Do you remember
when you were a child and it rained
and you went out and danced in the
puddles? Do you remember the first
time you caught fireflies and put them
into a jar? How about the first time
you tied your shoestrings yourself? All
these are examples of a joy unbridled
by expectations, codes of conduct and
a love of life. Where does that joy go
as we become adults? I confess to
being as confused and befuddled as the
rest of you. BUT, one thing I do know.
I feel joy when I walk into church on
Sunday mornings (or any other day), I
feel joy when I see my Christian family and hear how their journey is going. I feel joy when one of our church
members beats an unforgiving illness.
I feel joy when we sing “Surely the
Presence” each week and I do know
He is there. I feel absolute joy when
we sing “Welcome to the Family” as
our pastor walks around the sanctuary
with the new baby after a baptism.
How about when the choir sings an
anthem that gives you goosebumps on
goosebumps? There is joy everywhere! Maybe we need to look a little
closer for it. Maybe we need to take
Philippians more seriously and not be
anxious about anything. It’s so very
hard to do but the absence of anxiety
allows us to experience the joy that
God wants for us in abundance. Let’s
pray for less anxiety (by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to the Lord and the
peace that passes understanding will
come through Jesus Christ) and Much
More JOY!
First News First
July is the middle month of summer.
We are already at the crossroads of the
season. We celebrate the birthday of
our nation. I know that some in charge
wish our country to not be a leader but
on the same level as all other countries. We all know that God loves
every single person in this world and
wants them to come to Him through
faith. Many believe that just like God
gives each of us gifts, He gives nations
gifts also. We all know the adage from
the Bible that says “to whom much is
given, much is expected.” Perhaps that
is why this country is blessed — in
order to give — and isn’t that part of
who we, as God’s people, need to be?
I don’t want to be a “middle of the
roader.” I want to share the gifts of our
Creator and bring honor and glory to
His almighty name. Let’s pray for
courage and stamina and a heart for
helping our neighbors and our nation
to come to him. It’s our mandate. It’s
our privilege.
Let’s really pray for our sister churches.
Every week Tina mentions several
churches that are in our conference in
her prayer joys and concerns. It’s easy
to gloss over the names and not think
about the individuals within who love
that particular church. They all have
yearnings just like us. Let’s lift them
up — church by church — and pray
for whatever it is they need.
July 2010
Lessons with VeggieTales®
Tweens Live It!
Pray for our Troops
PRE-SCHOOL — THIRD GRADE are using
Veggie Tales® DVD Library and Teaching
System, an educational system organized
around the Bible content associated with
each animated program. Teaching resources are pre-prepared and easy to use.
Each Sunday includes a lesson plan, games
and activity sheets designed for children
ages 3 through 10. See segments of your
favorite VeggieTales DVD, talk about what
you think, learn what the Bible says, enjoy
an activity that will help you remember the
lesson, and talk about what you can do to
live out the Bible lesson.
FOURTH—SIXTH GRADES. Tweens will
use the Live-It Series to explore how to live
as a Christian kid midst real world situations they encounter.
This Psalm is printed on military
handkerchiefs that soldiers carry with
them as they enter into battle or
dangerous situations.
PRE-SCHOOL —-3RD GRADE SCHEDULE
Through July 18: Tweens learn how to
live positively in a media age. Material
presents real world problems in real life
situations to Tweens using multiple teaching methods.
July 4
July 11
Deb Kenes
Note: Due to the holiday, the Prayer Team will
meet on Monday, July 12 at 7:00 pm.
Living Positively in a Media Age
Get it Together
Living Positively in a Media Age
Playing it Safe
July 18 Living Positively in a Media Age
Putting it Together
July 4
A Lesson in Facing Hardship
July 11
A Lesson in Confidence
July 18
A Lesson in Peer Pressure
July 25
A Lesson in Friendship
Aug. 1
A Lesson in Dealing with Bullies
July 25—September 5: Tweens learn the
different forms of bullying, use the Bible to
internalize ways that Christians are to treat
others, and explore more positive ways to
deal with bullying.
Aug. 8
A Lesson in Self Worth
July 25
Aug. 15
A Lesson in Fighting Temptation
Bullying and Gossiping
Who is a Bully?
Aug. 22
A Lesson in The Power of Words
Aug. 1
Bullying and Gossiping
Accepting Differences
Aug. 29
A Lesson in Forgiveness
Aug. 8
Sept. 5
A Lesson in Thankfulness
Bullying and Gossiping
The Bystanders
Sept. 12
First Day of Fall Sunday School*
Aug. 15
Bullying and Gossiping
Decisions, Decisions!
Aug. 22
Bullying and Gossiping
Can We Talk?
Aug. 29
Bullying and Gossiping
Courage Under Fire
Sept. 5
Bullying and Gossiping
Putting It Together
Pray with all your strength.
The Prayer Team meets the first Monday of each month at 7 pm in the Prayer
Room above the narthex. If you have joys
or concerns that you would like us to pray
about at any time, contact Deb Kenes or
any member of the Prayer Team. If you
would like to join us, please feel free to
come to any meeting. We would love to
have you!
Page 11
CHILDREN’S SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sept. 12 First Day of Fall Sunday
School*
PSALM 91
He who dwells in the secret place of the
Most High shall abide under the shadow
of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord,
He is my refuge and my fortress; My
God, in Him I will trust.
Surely He shall deliver me from the
snare of the fowler and from the
perilous pestilence.
He shall cover me with His feathers, and
under His wings I shall take refuge; His
truth shall be my shield and buckler.
I shall not be afraid of the terror by
night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,
nor of the pestilence that walks in
darkness, nor of the destruction that lays
waste and noonday.
A thousand may fall at my side, and ten
thousand at my right hand; bit it shall
not come near me.
Only with my eyes shall I look and see
the reward of the wicked. Because I
have make the Lord, who is my refuge,
even the Mostly High, my dwelling
place, no evil shall befall me, nor shall
any plague come near my dwelling; for
He shall give His angels charge over
me, to keep me in all my ways.
In their hands they shall bear me up, lest
I dash my foot against a stone.
I shall tread upon the lion and the
cobra, the young lion and the serpent
I shall trample underfoot.
Because I have set my love upon Him,
therefore He will deliver me: He will set
me on high because I have known His
name.
I shall call upon Him, and He will
answer me.
* Children are promoted to their new age/
class level when the new Sunday School
year begins on September 12, 2010.
He will be with me in trouble; He will
deliver me and honor me.
With long life He will satisfy me and
show me His salvation.
— Contributed by Tom Hayes
Page 10
First News First
SERVANT SPOTLIGHT
Servant Spotlight: Fifth Quarter
Adult
Volunteers
Needed!
for Revamped
Fifth Quarter
Program
to Debut this Fall
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED
Many adult volunteers — at
least 20 per evening — are needed
to help make Fifth Quarter possible! Most importantly, we need
chaperones. Help also is needed to
direct parking, greet guests and
work the sound system. Each Fifth
Quarter runs from approximately 8
to 10 pm. To get involved, call or
e-mail Lisa McCaffrey at 7664611,
ext.
113,
or
[email protected].
FIFTH QUARTER, one of First United
Methodist Church’s most successful youth
outreach programs, will return this fall in a
new format.
the evening, a representative of the church
would offer a brief, Bible-based message.
But, according to Lisa, many youth would
leave at this point.
Through Fifth Quarter, middle school
students are invited back to First Church on
Friday evenings immediately following
Mechanicsburg High School home football
games.
“I think they felt like the message was
being forced on them, and it turned them
off,” Lisa said. “So this year, instead of
preaching to them, we’re going to try a
more subtle approach.”
In the past, Fifth Quarter nights attracted up to 200 attendees for a dance and
refreshments. A modest fee was charged,
with the proceeds benefiting the annual
youth mission trip. The event was wellknown in the community, and recognized
by parents as a positive, safe activity for
youth.
This could include information tables,
a slide show in the background, providing
calendars of upcoming youth events, and
the opportunity to speak one-on-one with
church personnel.
Last fall, First Church made the difficult decision to cancel Fifth Quarter due to
the lack of a Youth Director to organize it.
Then in February, Lisa McCaffrey joined
the First Church staff as the Youth Pastor.
One of her first assignments was to get
Fifth Quarter back up and running.
“Today’s kids are growing up more
quickly, and sometimes without enough
guidance,” Lisa said. “Many youth have
spiritual questions they want answered, and
they want to be at church. If First Church
opens its doors, we can show them how
much fun and purposeful church can be.
Through Fifth Quarter, we have a wonderful opportunity to be a positive presence in
the lives of these youth.”
Lisa convened our church’s Youth
Activities Council to prayerfully and
carefully discuss Fifth Quarter, and ways to
make the program more effective.
“Servant Spotlight,” a monthly column in
First News First, highlights a committee or
ministry group within First Church. Our goal
is to recognize them, and help our congregation better understand how each committee/
group enhances First Church. If you are
interested in featuring your committee or
ministry group in “Servant Spotlight,” please
call or e-mail Tina Eaton, Congregational
Care Coordinator, at (717) 766-4611 extension104 or [email protected].
Among other things, the group concluded that Fifth Quarter had become
known primarily as a fund raising event. It
was time to refocus the mission back to
reaching the youth within our community,
and bringing them closer to Christ.
One idea was to revamp the entire
format of Fifth Quarter. Past events consisted mainly of a dance. Toward the end of
Also, it was discovered that not all
youth enjoy dances. So, this year Lisa plans
to offer an expanded list of activities.
Details are still being worked out, but
activities could include a video game night.
First Church again will charge a $5
cover fee, and some of the proceeds will
support the mission trip, but the remainder
will be poured back into the community.
Intended recipients include Operation
Wildcat, which supports the Mechanicsburg School District, local food banks and
the Compassion International Child who is
sponsored by our youth group.
Adult volunteers are desperately
needed to make Fifth Quarter possible! Due
to the number of attendees, additional
chaperones are required. Help also is
needed with parking, the sound system and
to serve as greeters. Lisa hopes to recruit at
least 20 volunteers for each event. Volunteers can sign up for one or more evenings.
Fifth Quarter Program Dates
September 10
September 17
October 1
October 22
November 5
These dates are tentative, based on the Mechanicsburg High School football schedule.
July 2010
Because He Has Forgiven Us
WHEN WE RECEIVE JESUS WE ALSO RECEIVE
for all our sins. It is part of
the whole package: the gift of God’s grace
to us, a get-out-of-jail-free card, an undeserved gift for making a good decision.
FORGIVENESS
Romans 8:1-2 says “There is therefore
now no condemnation to those who are in
Jesus Christ, who do not walk according to
the flesh, but according to the spirit. For
the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has made us free from the law of sin and
death.”
What a life-changing revelation. We
never have to live in guilt. God is saying “I
have given my spirit to live in you. If you
will travel through life with me, I will teach
you what to do and help you when you are
about to get off the path. I will even set you
in the right direction when you take a
wrong turn.”
God wants His forgiveness to be
something we breathe in like air; a way of
life, not just a one time thing. Not just as a
pay-as-you-sin issue. Not a — you be good
and maybe I’ll forgive you arrangement.
God is a forgiving God, just as He is a loving God. Forgiving is something He chose
to do a long time ago, and Jesus did what
was necessary to make it happen. We hurt
Him all over again when we don’t receive
it. God doesn’t want us to live in guilt. He
wants us to be free to move on.
Let’s face it, as hard as we try we all
make mistakes. We don’t think God’s way
in everything we think or do. The Bible
says “There is not a just man on earth who
does good and does not sin.” Every one of
us deals with guilt over something at some
point. It’s part of life. God doesn’t want
that for you. He wants you to live free of
condemnation.
Page 7
PRAYER
Financial Report
Forgiving you is one of the many ways
God demonstrates His love for us. When
you don’t allow Him to do that, you can’t
receive all of His love. Guilt will always
hinder the way you sense God’s love for
you. One of the most effective ways to
receive the forgiveness God has for you is
to enter into worship. And specifically to
praise Him, that He is the God of forgiveness. This enables us to receive God’s love
in a deeper way.
Through May 31, 2010
King David did some terribly wrong
things, but when he was confronted with
his sin he did three things right. He repented, he prayed, and he worshipped God.
As a result God forgave him. He will do the
same for us. God is not sitting up in heaven
waiting to strike us with lightning if we
don’t obey him. When we humble ourselves before Him in repentance He is
quick to forgive. He wants to save us, not
condemn us. No matter how badly we have
strayed, He will receive us back.
Building Fund
$
Legacy Campaign
$ 66,739
When you are praying, if you have
anything against anyone, forgive him, that
your Father in heaven may also forgive you
your trespasses. If you don’t forgive, neither will God.
Lord, we worship You as the awesome
God of our lives. You are the keeper of our
hearts and the forgiver of our souls. We
praise You for sending your Son to die for
us so that we can be forgiven. We are
grateful that there is no condemnation for
those of us that walk with Jesus. Thank You
that You are continually willing to forgive
us and mold us into whole persons, no matter how far we stray from Your ways. We
don’t ever want to live apart from You in
any way. Cleanse us of all that is not of
You. We worship You, O God, our Forgiver
and Redeemer.
Paul Cramer
Prayer Team Mentor
42% of year
General Fund
Income
(41% of budget)
$ 389,412
Expenses
$ 362,675
Income over spending
$ 26,737
7,630
General Fund income is lower than last
year at this time. It is important that
normal levels of giving are maintained
during the summer travel months.
Penny Report
THERE
3,718 PENNIES
contributed this past month
for a total to date of
$11,486.13. Thank
you for your continued support of
the African Well
Project.
WERE
The Widows / Widowers
Group
The Widows/Widowers Group will
dine at Café Magnolia (Mechanicsburg)
on Tuesday evening, July 13, at 6
pm. Transportation will be provided
from the Church parking lot at 5:30
p.m. Please contact Bonnie Guyer, 7660145, if you plan on attending.
Page 8
ADULT EDUCATION / YOUTH MISSION TRIP
Youth Mission Trip 2010
Adult Summer Sunday School: July 4 — September 5
Something for Everyone!
Lynn, Massachusetts
June 27– July 2
TEAM MEMBERS
Brian Almond
Janelle Almond
Evan Bourgeois
Josh Eaton
Candise Everhart
Kallie Heiges
Elisabeth Herring
Programs will be held in the Adult Sunday
School Room unless otherwise indicated.
July 4
Youth Mission Trip Presentation — Our
youth, who return on July 2 from their summer mission trip to Lynn, Massachusetts,
will share their experiences and service.
July 11
Megan Leister
Pastors’ Panel — This panel of First
Church pastors always delights us as they
share their experiences and wisdom with
us.
Sandy Leister
July 18
Matt Herring
Amanda Hilbish
Nicki Losh
Destiny Mason
Lisa McCaffrey
Mark Mengle
John Milller
Chase Montgomery
Zeke Montgomery
Deb Noss
Paul Noss
Phoebe Noss
Shawn Rapp
Garth Rickards
Olivia Rickards
Bethany Robinson
Jim Robinson
Ben Snyder
Paige Snyder
Sam Snyder
Steve Trace
Aubrey Wickenheiser
Brienne Wickenheiser
Christian Yother
“…and if you spend yourselves in behalf
of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the
oppressed, then your light will rise in the
darkness, and your night will become
like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10
Art with Chalk — Favorite chalk artist Eva
Hurst will return to First Church to present
the Gospel message through her artistic
talent. Please note: this presentation will
be held in the multi-purpose room.
July 25-August 22 — Option A
A Five-Week “Study Abroad” in Egypt at
First Church
Study using teaching DVDs that take us to
Egypt in order to better understand and
appreciate the culture of God’s people during the time of Exodus. This series, God
Heard Their Cry, consists of five faith
lessons by Bible teacher Ray Vanderlaan.
Presentations will be held in the Adult Sunday School Room. Pastor Mike Minnix will
facilitate this time and will share his insights on the DVD teachings which include
the following:
July 25 — How Big Is Our God?
August 1 — Israel in Bondage:
God Heard Their Cry
August 8 — Finger of God: The Plagues
August 15 — Watch with Me:
Israel Leaves Egypt
August 22 — The Lord Reigns:
The Red Sea
First News First
July 2010
What Is All This “Gaga” About?
July 25-August 22 — Option B
Being the Parent You Want to Be
Study focuses on parenting young children.
Pastor Lucretia Hurley-Browning will be
using a video series, inputting her own
information, and utilizing small group discussion. Come and learn and encourage
each other in this vitally important area of
our lives. (Youth Lounge)
August 29
Musicians of First Church — Enjoy the
melodies and ministry of some talented
First Church musicians. Music Director and
Senior Choir Director, Jody Brinley, is
hosting the program.
September 5
Rev. Jim Browning — will be sharing
from his heart about his experience in the
trenches.
Page 9
YOUTH
This year when our youth attended the
Combined Retreat at Rhodes Grove they
came back with a love for a new sport: Ga
Ga. This is a very simple and all-inclusive
yet, highly fast-paced and competitive
game. Think of it as dodge ball in a box!
There is an octagonal box that up to 14
people can enter into. The pit is cushioned
with sand and a dodge ball is tossed into
the ring as the players chant “Ga, Ga” and
then the ball is in play. The only objective:
don’t get hit below the knees. Using only
their hands competitors hit the ball towards
other opponents. Simple! “Ga” is the Hebrew word for “hit” so the players are
chanting “hit, hit” as the ball drops to the
sand. Because of its origin in the Hebrew
language this game is also known as Israel
Dodgeball, but to us it’s just a lot of fun!
What makes Ga Ga even better? Is that
we have a Ga Ga pit near by! Join us for
some fun summer fellowship and thrilling
Ga Ga competition. Watch the bulletin for
youth gaga nights at the Millers!
Are You College Ready?
Calendar of Events:
They say that college will be the best years
of your life and they are so right! College
is an amazing and memorable experience.
Everyone’s experience is a little different
and “College Ready”, a small group study,
is aimed at helping graduates prepare to
enter into their experience. The premise of
this study is to help you engage the college
years and not just react to them. Not only
is this DVD series a helpful tool in readying yourself for college but we even have
FUMC college students joining us for this
small group to share in their experience as
they prepared and entered into college.
July 4
Sunday School “Sharing our
Mission Experience”
July 7
S ‘n L Praise Rally at FUMC
(6:30-8:30)
July 12
YAC Meeting (6:00pm)
July 21
MANDATORY Impact Meeting
July 28—Aug 1
IMPACT: GO.
Join us for the remaining four sessions:
July 18, July 25, Aug 1, & Aug 8.
Impact!
Summer Sunday School
for the Youth Department
Starting in July we will attend the larger
church Sunday school sessions such as the
Pastor’s Panel, the Chalk Artist, etc. However, when the adults begin their five week
studies, we will begin a 5-week large group
youth oriented study. We will then re-join
the rest of the congregation for the remaining couple weeks of summer for the larger
group sessions.
Fifth Quarter
We want to bring 5th Quarter back but we
need your help to do so! We really want to
be a positive presence in the Mechanicsburg community and this is a great opportunity for just that. Read the Servant Spotlight on page 10 and let us know if you can
help us with our mission to the youth in this
community. Thanks!
Thank you
for all your help and support in sending our youth
on their mission trip to Lynn, Massachusetts!
Did you miss the July 4 deadline to
sign up for Impact? Please email Lisa
today if you are still interested because we don’t want anyone to miss
this fantastic event!
Well Done!
JENNY CATHRO received the
William R. Pierce Academic
Achievement Award for Foods and
Nutrition during her senior award
night.
BRIHTRIC PRATHER received an
Academic Excellence Award in
English.