stay updated our latest newsletter

OUR VISION
STATEMENT:
News &Views
Loving Our God, Living
Like Jesus Christ
Learning Through The
Holy Spirit
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF FALLING SPRING
Volume 28, Issue # 9
September 2016
Sunday Worship
8:15 in the Sanctuary
9:00 in the FLC
11:00 in the Sanctuary
Calling All Competitors...
Sunday School
10:10 AM in the CEB
We cordially invite the church family on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. to
the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 – 2017 Midweek Connection. We will be celebr ating “Olympic” style with some friendly competition, food, fun, and fellowship. We encourage the attendees to show their support of other countries by wearing the colors of
that country’s flag. The Closing Ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at which time medals will be awarded.
Church Office
221 N. Main St.
717-264-5715
Fax: 717-264-0270
[email protected]
www.pcfallingspring.org
www.fallingspringyouth.org
Hours: Monday-Friday
8 AM-4 PM
Returning this year, perhaps to crown a new champion, is our “Wing Off” event. “W ho
will prepare tirelessly? Who will go the extra mile? Who will outlast the competition?
Who will it be that breaks Lee Harter’s record?”
We would like to invite teams to compete in a wing sauce tasting. Rules are as follows:
1: A team comprised of at least two people.
2: Team must represent a country by wearing the colors of that country’s flag.
3. Sauce recipes must be from scratch, no bottled sauces.
4. Must be willing to assist in the serving of their sauced wings and talk about the ingredients.
*Note: This is definitely how you are able to “sway” votes.
5. Sauce recipes will be judged by attendee votes.
6. Top three competitors will be announced and awarded.
“Train Hard” but most importantly “Live Your Passion”
Menu
 Jamaica - Jamaican Jerk Chicken w/ Grilled Pineapple
Page

Poland - Pierogies

United States - Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Canada - Poutine (French Fries w/ Cheese Curds and Gravy)

Mexico - Black Bean, Corn, & Avocado Salad

Lebanon - Tebouleh Salad

Netherlands - Koolsla (Coleslaw)

Italy - Gelato & Sorbetto

United Kingdom - Cotton Candy (although perfected in the United
States)
The Harts of the Matter
Last month, the world came together to watch the Olympic Games. Thanks be to God all
went well. It was amazing to watch the different athletes use their different gifts for their
sports. We saw swimmers use their skills to swim like a fish, runners move at unreal
speeds, as well as many other sports. I am looking forward to our own Olympic kickoff on
September 7th.
Like there are different gifts for sports, there are also different gifts used in the church.
Without people using their gifts, the church would sort of be like watching the Olympics
without any athletes. Ancient Greece only had three sports in the Olympics: wrestling,
boxing, and track. Understandable, but truthfully kind of boring compared to the plethora of sports now that allows more and varied gifts to be used. While the church isn’t
putting on a spiritual Olympics, we do need you and the wonderful gifts God has given
you. Imagine the excitement and the varied ministries we could have with folks discovering their gifts, both natural and spiritual, and then using them! Do you have the gift of
farming? If so, perhaps we could have a plot of land where we could grow crops to give
to the hungry. Do you have the gift of compassion or healing? If so, perhaps we could begin a ministry to cancer
patients. The sky is the limit!!
Please do make plans to attend the ministry fair on September 14th. Every Ministry Team will be present and
you will have the opportunity to learn more about each of them. It is our hope that you will find a way to use your
gifts to support and further the ministries of the church. Are you called to help with one of those ministries? Is
there a ministry to which you are called that is missing? I look forward to hearing the answers to those questions.
May God bless you!
Family News
FROM THE BOOKKEEPER:
Condolences
Saundra ("Sandy") Hemperly, whose brother Lester C.
Huber, Jr., died on July 6, 2016. His funeral service was
held on July 9, 2016 at Grove-Bowersox Funeral Home in
Waynesboro, PA.
Congratulations
To Lt. Collin S. Gilbert who retired from the USAF on
June 17, 2016 at MacDill AFB in Tampa, Florida after 30
years of service. Collin is the son of Sidney and Ellen
(Gilbert) Palmer.
Births
Margaret Alice Lenard was born on August 2. Margaret is
the daughter of Jeff and Sarah Lenard and the granddaughter of Katie Gartenberg.
Hayden Morgan Kehr was born on August 4. Hayden is
the son of Kathleen and Clinton Kehr and the grandson of
Jane Morgan.
Monroe Ann Smith was born on August 13. Monroe is
the daughter of Katie and Chandler Smith and the granddaughter of Brad and Teresa Miller.
A BIG THANK YOU to those who had their picture taken
the first week of August. We had 82 families participate ...some with their family pets!! September dates are
23, 24, 26, and 27. Everyone is welcome!! Please go
online and schedule a time at pcfallingspring.org Or if you
would like some help to register, call Joan Gindlesperger
at 717 267-2448. Feel free to pick up a brochure about our
picture directory in back of the sanctuary or on table in
FLC .
Page 2
Requests for reimbursement or to pay credit charges: Fill
out vouchers, have the appropriate committee chair or staff
member sign them-then give to me by 9am Wednesday to be
paid that week.
Submitting monies: Fill out cash r epor t, sign and date,
put in slot by my door marked ”push here”. No report needs
to filed for individual tithes or other envelope contributions.
Blank vouchers and cash reports can be found in folders underneath the bulletin board in the copier room at the riddle
house. Examples and directions are within the folders.
All bills/reimbursement requests and monies turned in without appropriate documentation will be returned to the individual. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Any questions, please call me at 717/264-5715 ext 202 Monday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings or email me at
[email protected].
Thank You:
Brian and Erin Honsermyer wish to send
heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the congregation of PCFS for the many, many prayers and outpouring of love over the past few
months. We felt very supported throughout a very rocky journey,
but God is faithful, and blessed us immensely. Evan Brian
Honsermyer was born June 14 2016. 2 lbs 5oz. 14.5inches long.
We are all doing well, Evan is growing very quickly, and we
look forward to visiting PCFS in the near future!
What’s Happening
Ministry Fair
Wednesday, September 14 , 5:30PM at Mid-Week Connection in the FLC
Come and learn about all of the many different ministries that are happening at the
Presbyterian Church of Falling Spring! Talk to folks from the different committees,
sub-committees, Bible studies, prayer groups, small groups, music groups, teams,
etc. See how you can tap into your spiritual gifts to serve God and be a blessing to others!
th
You’re Invited
C
h
i
l
d
r
e
n
’
s
M
i
n
i
s
t
r
y
The
clean
up has
been
done,
thanks
to the
Basketball
Let’s hoop it up! If you are interested in
playing some basketball, come on out to
the FLC on Sunday evenings at 7:30 PM.
See you there!!
The Veterans Ministry Team will begin meeting
again in the Fall.
Please join us on September 12th at
7:30 in Room 208 of the FLC to discuss plans for the Fall. You do NOT
have to be a vet to be part of this great team!
Page 3
In conjunction with our
Ministry Fair, the congregation is invited to
join the celebration of
the 80th birthday of our
Pastor Emeritus, The
Rev. Dr. William H. Harter.
Mom's in Prayer
(momsinprayer.org) is "mothers
around the world coming together to
passionately pray before God for the
lives of their children. Imagine the
impact of God answering prayers for
a generation of children." Please
checkout the website and if you
have an interest in gathering together to pray for our children and
schools, please contact Tracy Lombardozzi at 491-5313 or
[email protected].
First Friday Luncheon
Mark your calendar and plan to come to this years
First Friday Fellowship luncheons. All are invited to
attend. It is a great time for a nice lunch and wonderful fellowship.

October 7 - Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, 990
Norland Avenue

December 2 - Chestnut Landing at Northgate, 1500
Northfield Drive

February 3 - Copper Kettle, 1049 Lincoln Way
East

April 7 - location to be announced
Reservations need to be in by Tuesday noon the week
of the luncheon. Call the church office at 264-5715
or Mim Huffman at 263-3983
Transportation provided for anyone who needs it.
The Tweens are a fun-loving
group of 3rd-5th graders who meet on Wednesday evenings in our new rooms, 107-108 in the
FLC, from 6-7:15pm. Our leaders are Jim and
Alicia Kinton, Zach and Allie Kump, Ryan and
Bonnie Moose, and Bill and Kim Etter. We play
games, learn from God’s Word, do skits, pray together, and have fun. If you are in 3rd-5th grades,
Lay Academy
During the first class of the Lay Academy, Introduction to the Bible (Sept 21-Oct 19), we will be discussing the following questions. What is the Bible? How
did the Bible come about? What is the Old Testament about? What is the New Testament about?
How do you study the Bible?
Please join us for these classes. None of them build
on the other so you are welcome to come to the classes you are interested in. All meetings will be in
Room 203 of the FLC. See you there!!!
Soul Feast: An Introduction to the Christian Spiritual Life
A 10-week series during Midweek Connection —
Wednesday nights beginning Sept. 21st from 6-7:15pm
in room 205, facilitated by Pastor Laura Hart.
Wild Worshippers welcomes all children aged 4
through 2nd grade on Wednesday nights from
6:00pm - 7:15pm, in Room 103. We start with centers, followed by singing, then in to our lesson, followed by an activity that changes week by week. It
could be a game, a craft, a science experiment, a
fun snack to assemble, a sweet time to share prayers & praises, or a trip to the playground. This fall
we will be splitting up the class in to two groups for
the lesson and activity. The 4, 5 and K’s will go
across the hall with Miss Katy, and the 1st and 2nd
graders will stay with Miss Jess. We have expanded
our Wild Worshipper team as well to include Katy
Dortenzo, Jessica Tice, Jodi Wright, Jodie Harter,
Elizabeth Widmann, Annisa Meyers, Candace Kegerreis, and Laura Hill. Our older kids will continue
through the Bible using Phil Vischer’s 'What’s in the
Bible' curriculum. Jess and Katy will be starting their
11th year together in this ministry and are so excited
to see these Wild Worshippers in class on September 21st
Call the church office (264-5715) to sign up today!
Space will be limited to a maximum of 15 people. Have
you been hungering and thirsting for righteousness? Do
you long to begin or to further your relationship with God
but don’t know how to grow? Do you long for Christian
fellowship and spiritual growth? If your answer to any of
these questions, is “Yes!” then “Soul Feast” is the place
for you!
The Riddle House gathering place renovation project is near completion and dedication of this wonderful space will
be on September 11! There will be an open house on that day following each of the three
worship services. And we need YOU to be involved in making this space feel like “home
away from home”. On September 11 or anytime after, everyone should BYOM (bring your
own mug) to keep at the Riddle House! Please bring a mug that reflects you—a funny one, a
meaningful one, a mug that has been in your kitchen for years and years or one that is brandnew for this special occasion! Then, anytime, please stop by—meet a friend for a quick time
of fellowship or prayer, touch base with the staff, have your small group meeting and enjoy a cup of coffee in your
mug! Let’s turn the Riddle House back into a home!
Page 4
Bible Study Opportunities for Women starting in September:
The Tuesday morning ladies Bible study meets every Tuesday morning at 9:30am in Room 205 of the FLC. Our
curriculum for fall is yet to be determined but we would love for you to join us! We start back September 6.
Wednesday morning ladies Bible Study meets on Wednesday mornings at 9:30, in Room 205 of the FLC.
Jennifer Schellhase & Jessica Tice facilitate a group of great women who are in the thick of it: husbands, kids,
jobs, friends, family, and yearning to know Jesus more intimately and grow in our relationship with him. We
will be studying The Sermon on the Mount, by Jen Wilkin beginning September 7th.
Thursday morning ladies Room 205 Bible study meets at 9:30am on Thursday mornings beginning September
8. We will be studying Seamless, by Angie Smith. In 7 sessions, Seamless covers the people, places, and
promises of the Bible, tying them together into the greater story of Scripture. Whether you've grown up
hearing Bible stories or you're exploring Scripture for the first time, the full story of the Bible can be
overwhelming. Experience the Bible as a whole as you gain clarity and confidence in your understanding of
Scripture. Discover a biblical context that reshapes and brings to life stories from the Old and New Testaments.
Ladies Bible Study in the Library at 9:30 Thursday mornings will be studying the 2016 Fall Bible Study "Who Is
Jesus" from The Presbyterian Woman's Magazine "Horizons." The sub-title is "What a difference a lens
makes." We will begin our fall study on September 8. We welcome all women. Our leaders are Barbie Jones
and Linda Lake.
Women's Bible Study : We meet at 1 pm on Thursday afternoons in room 105 in the Christian Ed Building. There are a dozen of us, 5 of which are not from our congregation. We love to have parties and
laugh. We do a lot together outside of our study. We welcome anyone who would want to join us. We will
be Studying Beth Moore - Daniel beginning September 15th. That first day is a get to catch up, put housekeeping together, and plan our year together.
Ruth & Esther Circle meets the 2nd Monday of each month (3rd Mon. in Sept.) in room 205 at 9:30 and uses
the PW Horizons study - "Who Is Jesus". Leaders are Sue Mummert & Linda Fisher.
*We do not currently have an evening Bible study for women. However, if any of our women would be interested in
being a part of a weekly evening Bible study, please let Pastor Laura know. If there is enough interest, Pastor Laura
is willing to start one.
Men’s Bible Studies:
Application of the Word study and prayer group meets at 6:15 AM on
Tuesday mornings in The Lesher Mission Room. Leaders are Jack
Sharpe and Dave Nicholas.
Book of the Bible study group meets at 6:30 PM on Thursdays in the
library. Leader is Denny Hillwig.
Page 5
Youth News
www.fallingspringyouth.com
Wackies on Wednesdays
9/7
Midweek Connection Tailgate Party
9/14
All-church Ministry Fair
9/21
Wackies Theatre Do You Believe?
9/28
Movie Discussion Do You Believe?
Sunday mornings - Grades 6-9
9/4
Jesus Performed Incredible Miracles (Mark 6:30-44)
9/11
Talk With Your Ears (Matthew 4:18-22)
9/18
Know the Basics (1 Peter 3:13-17)
9/25
Knock, Knock (Acts 8:26-40)
Sunday mornings - Grades 10-12
9/4
Love Does, Chapter 3
9/11
Love Does, Chapter 4
9/18
Love Does, Chapter 5
9/25
Love Does, Chapter 6
For more details on what we teach on Wednesdays and Sundays, visit fallingspringyouth.com.
Upcoming Events:
Sept. 7: Midweek Connection kickoff: Olympics Event (begins at 5:00)
Sept. 14: Falling Spring Ministry Fair (No Wackies tonight)
Oct. 26: Wackies - Assemble college care packages / game night
Nov 4-6: Pittsburgh Project Mission Weekend
Nov. 16: Wackies Road Trip: Silver Ring Thing at Chambersburg First Church of God
Dec. 7: Advent Generosity Conspiracy
Dec. 14: Falling Spring Christmas Party (begins at 5:00)
---------------------2017--------------------Jan. 13-14: 30 Hour Famine
Jan. 28: Youth Leader Progressive Dinner
Feb. tba: Winter Retreat
March 7: Camp Falling Spring Registration
May 3: Wackies Olympics
May 17: Senior Night at Wackies
May 21: Youth Sunday
June 28: Camp parent meeting at 6:00 in rm. 212July 9-14: Camp Falling Spring
July 19: Wackies Slip and Slide Party!
Aug. 30: Wackies - welcome party for 6th graders
Page 6
PW News
Fall Gathering of PW of
Presbytery
Helping Hands are always needed
Plan to join your fellow PW’s for
the Fall Gathering on October 8,
2016, at Camp Hill Presbyterian
Church. The morning program
will focus on Organ Donation as presented by Debby
Madden. The afternoon program will feature Days for
Girls, a mission initiative for feminine hygiene education
in African nations. There will be carpooling available
from Chambersburg if you would like to attend. Call Linda Fisher to make arrangements. (263-0310).
We are always looking for women of
the church to help with our many projects and
events. Please speak with any of the CT members
and let us know how you would like to participate.
We are open to ideas for new ventures, and we
need help with our current activities. We need
some helping hands for the Memorial Receptions
that we offer to families using our FLC following
memorial services here at Falling Spring.
Book Discussion Group
gearing up for fall
Each fall a group of women meet to share
the joy of reading and a time of fellowship. The group
will meet on Sept. 1st at 3:15 to discuss Orphan Train.
The group meets on the third Wednesday of each
month. If you would like to take part, call Sue Mummert (263-5880).
Come join the Horizons’ Bible
Study in September
This Bible study group meets in Room 205,
usually on the second Monday of each
month September through May and uses the
award-winning Horizons material published annually.
The 2016-17 study is Who Is Jesus? What a Difference
a Lens Makes. This study was authored by Judy Yates
Siker, a teaching elder in the PC(USA) and faculty member at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. For
those who have a subscription to Horizons, the Bible
study is included at no additional cost. Anyone may
purchase copies through Presbyterian Distribution Service (PDS), 800-524-2612. There are also additional
articles about the Bible study included in each of 5 issues of the magazine during the year. Let us know if
you would like to join us; new members are always welcome. Talk to Sue Mummert or Linda Fisher. Our Bible
study will begin on Sept. 19th at 9:30.
Hoss’s Community Event
Mark your calendars for Monday, October
10th for our fall event at Hoss’s. This is a
fundraiser to support camp scholarship at Krislund
Camp and Conference Center. Plan to join your church
family for lunch or dinner at Hoss’s that day. For PW to
receive the benefit, don’t forget to take a card (or print
one from the church website) to turn in when you dine.
Page 7
The members of the Coordinating Team are Linda
Fisher, Sue Mummert, Karen Stover, Marilyn Griffin, Lynne Peters, Pat Phenicie-Grandel, Becky
Johnson, Becky Fritz, Ginny Regi, Paige Rosenberger, Vicki Kaye, Judy Klebe, Bonnie Bucher and
Sue Michalski.
Certificate of Appreciation. In December 2012, the
Session approved a certificate to recognize special
efforts and accomplishments of individuals and organizations supporting the Presbyterian Church of Falling
Spring. The PCFS will present Certificates of Appreciation to acknowledge contributions to the church, to
note special events, and other noteworthy occasions.
Tour to Bible Lands
Dr. Harter and Ian Jacobs will direct their
annual Pilgrimage and Study Tour to Israel from February 18-March 2, 2017, flying
non-stop on USAir from Philadelphia to
Tel Aviv. For further information, call 2643828.
Mission and Outreach Update
Much is being done to prepare the house that Kisamore family will be moving
into on S. 4th St! Rich and Anne Vincenti will be going to Chile to help them
pack up, and they are all scheduled to arrive at BWI on Tuesday Nov. 1 at 9:24
am. We are seeking transportation back to Chambersburg for all 6 of them,
plus a lot of luggage! If you or anyone you know are able to assist with this,
please call me! We are also requesting help on the following days:
Sat, Sep 10 - Justin has set up a work day on to do minor repairs in their new home. If you are interested in helping out that day please contact Justin personally or through the church office.
Sat, Oct 15 - Seeking help in cleaning the house (light housework) and preparing interior for the family. Help is also needed to do fall clean-up of the yard. If you would like to help please give me a call!
Sat, Nov 5 - Seeking help to unload the truck that Travis will be bringing up from Virginia with their
household good from storage. This will be mid-morning, and lunch will be provided. Call me if you are
able to help!
Travis, Bekii and the kids are very excited to start their new life as a family in Chambersburg and become part of the life of Falling Spring. Let's welcome them home in a big way and make their transition
as smooth as possible!
Also, please continue to be in prayer for the transition of their ministries to local leadership.
Thank you for your prayers and for any way that you can help with their needs!
Ann Hall
Kisamore MST Chair
717-264-6694
Mark Your Calendars:
The Mission and Outreach Committee is planning a Mission Dinner in the FLC on Saturday, October
1st at 6 PM. Local missions that out church supports will be highlighted and our speaker will be Meagan Culbertson. Tickets will be available from M&O Committee members beginning September 1st!
Food Pantry Update
Thank you to all who donated juice, water or funds for our 5th Sunday appeal.
Over 125 boxes of juice, 300 bottles of water and $480 was collected. Our clients
are very appreciative to have these beverages available, especially during the extreme heat we have had this summer. Now, as we head into fall, we are beginning
to think ahead to Thanksgiving and how we can best provide a special meal for
our clients. Can we count on you? More information will be forthcoming.
Page 8
Fielder Mission Notes
Dear Friends,
th
Today—August 17 —is the big
day.
Last summer, a New Y ork Times
columnist featured a doctor
AMHF supports in the Nuba
Mountains named Tom Catena.
Then, around Christmas, AMHF’s chairman and his
wife offered a matching grant in support of Dr. Catena:
The challenge grant started at $100,000 and escalated to
a total of $175,000, a tremendous sum which was met
and exceeded after it was featured again by the same
columnist.
Those resources have allowed the hospital to purchase
medications and emergency supplies; train an entire
hospital cohort of health workers; and procure new
equipment.
This success led our chairman, ever full of energy and
enthusiasm, to propose, just a few days after the previous campaign ended, a new initiative. He called me
while I was recuperating from a flurry of end-of-year
activity which saw me working feverishly through the
Christmas break. I stood in the Martzluf’s basement
trying to comprehend what he had just told me.
The idea Mark proposed was the following: He, a Jewish businessman, and his wife, a Rabbi, would sponsor a
new $500,000 annual award for Christian medical missionaries serving in Africa. The Gerson L’Chaim (“To
Life”) Prize for Outstanding Christian Medical Missionary Service will annually recognize and support the lifesaving efforts of a long-term, on-the-ground Christian
doctor, nurse or allied health worker.
I have subsequently learned that launching a prize nearly half the size of the Nobel is no small undertaking.
We wrote policies, debated eligibility criteria, composed
a selection committee, re-designed the website, hired a
media relations firm (a must, given my status as world’s
most confirmed introvert), and solicited our first batch
of applications.
Today, we announce the L’Chaim Prize to the world.
Our fervent hope is that recognition and support will
flow to the finalists and the winner. Our absurd hope is
that this award will—like the attention brought Dr. Ca-
Page 9
tena—be part of a renewed interest in the vital
efforts of Christian medical missionaries in caring
for patients, training healthcare workers, and creating sustainable healthcare institutions. The high
-water mark of Christian medical missions was
nearly a century ago. Yet the needs remain so
great. By the year 2100, 40% of the world’s population will reside in Africa. Are we crazy for
believing that there is hope for a renewal?
As Mark and Erica wrote in an essay explaining
the Prize (available on Medium or via a link on
our website www.amhf.us):
Christian medical missionaries are the unsung
and unheralded heroes of humanity — with inconsistent and insufficient support and without the
public recognition that would elicit the resources
to help them serve the poorest people in the
world…To learn about the work of Christian
medical missionaries is to enlarge the understanding of what a single human being can accomplish. These efforts inspire the moral imagination into realizing just how much good can be
done with whatever resources one can commit to
their work. We confront what it means to live
one’s faith through loving the stranger.
I know quite a few medical missionaries. Quiet and
humble, they do not consider themselves heroes.
They desire to be foot-washing servants and followers of Christ. In one of the introductory interviews to
an episode of Band of Brothers, a World War II veteran relates a question from his grandson: “Grandpa,
were you a hero in the war?” “No,” the grandpa replies, “But I served in the company of heroes.”
We serve in the company of heroes. Upon a battlefield of illness and despair. And it’s an honor.
Please pray for wisdom and discernment in the weeks
and months ahead. I am not adept at public speaking,
at being interviewed, in interacting with new people…yet we do hope journalists and others take an
interest in the Prize. I also serve on the Selection
Committee. Choosing a winner from among this exemplary group will be among the most challenging
tasks of my career.
Serving with you,
Jon, Amanda, Matthew, Aaron, and Anna
This Month’s Meetings
September 6—Session, 7 PM
September 8—Adult Ministry Team, 7 PM
Youth Ministry Team, 7 Pm
September 12—Personnel Committee, 6 PM
Vets Ministry, 7:30 PM
September 13— Deacons Meeting, 7 PM
September 15—Worship Committee, 7 PM
September 16—PW Coordinating Team, 10:30 AM
September 19—Healing Team, 3 PM
Stewardship Committee, 6:30 PM
September 20—Trustee Finance Committee, 12 PM
PCFS Preschool Board Meeting, 6:45
September 22—Mission and Outreach Committee, 6:30 PM
September 26—Trustee Meeting, 6 PM
September 28—Children’s Ministries, 7:30 PM
September Birthdays
1
Bill Harter
2 Bruce Hitchens
3
Roy Newman
4 Pam Steele
Asher Santora
Chad Blose
12 Samuel Stonesifer
Kathryn White
20 Dan Akers
Evelyn Peron
21 Alexander Bricker
Derik Gutshall
Jean Wingerd
5 Jacob Beegle
Katy Dortenzo
13
Ethan Grandel
14
6 Judy George
Wanda Hutchings
15 Allison Rice
Michael Smith
22 William Fields
David Guthrie
Mitchell Rotz
7 Grant Hopple
Rick Mackey
16
17 Tanner Amsley
Jenna Lombardozzi
8 Mia Dortenzo
Kristi Benbow
Sue Mummert
9 Sally McCleary
Lucille Tooke
10 Gretchen Amsley
Patti Plasterer
11 Lyndsey Adams
Barry Drexler
Page 10
Dorothy Thomas
18
19
23 Linda Lambert
24 Bill Bashor
Helen Kunkleman
25
26 Janet Fry
Elizabeth Strickler
Nate Strickler
27 Saundra Hemperly
Logan Law
Joey Blose
Kelsey Baker
28 Pam Bucher
29 Michelle Nicholas
30
A Brief Report from General Assembly:
I attended the 222nd General Assembly of the PCUSA in Portland, OR from June 15 to June 25, 2016 as an observer
and as Co-Convenor of Presbyterians for Middle East Peace (PFMEP.org). Elder Jack Sharpe and Deacon Ian Jacobs
also attended.
The most salient actions included the following:
1) An Administrative Commission was appointed to recommend a plan to restructure the denomination by combining the Committee of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Recent changes in the Book of Order have led to decentralization of administration, with greater financial strength and more power concentrated at the
regional and local levels. GA staff and programming will be significantly reduced over the next few years.
2) Resolutions to divest from fossil fuels were strenuously debated, but the issue was referred for further study.
3) Intense debate took place over a study paper presented by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy. The
paper was designed to open up consideration of a "one-state solution" in light of the current impasse in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The paper contained multiple factual errors and distortions, and was
viewed by many as unduly critical of Israel while merely cursory in its treatment of terrorism and Islamic extremism.
It was amended to add a preface which gave a ringing endorsement of the "two-state solution," and affirmed PCUSA
support for Israel's right to exist as a sovereign nation and homeland for the Jewish people and for self-determination
for both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. In other actions, the Assembly approved 1) An amendment to a resolution
calling for study of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Movement (BDS)----which seeks to eliminate the State of Israel as the homeland for the Jewish people---requiring that any studies also include anti-BDS materials and involve interfaith partners in the US and Israel 2) an amendment to a resolution alleging Israel's mistreatment of children and
juveniles articulating a strong critique of the cultivation of hatred and violence in children by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority and 3) the defeat by a 3-1 margin of a resolution to divest from Hewlett-Packard because of its (alleged)
support of Israeli military repression.
For a more thorough analysis of the Assembly's actions regarding the Middle East and Israeli/Palestinian issues, you
may access these blogs: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/ setting the record straight.4/ and http.pfmep/easyblog/entry as
well a the PFMEP website (PFMEP.org). I also suggest that you read a recently published educational resource and
study guide, "Two States for Two Peoples," which is available electronically on the website, in hardback from Amazon.com., or in the Church Office. I had the privilege of serving as one of the co-editors of the document.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Harter
Contact Us:
The Rev. Dr. Andrew Hart, Co-Pastor
The Rev. Laura Hart, Co-Pastor
Tressa Bellows, Administrative Assistant
Brad Hill , Director of Youth Ministries
Justin Hanks, Building and Grounds Supervisor
David Wenerd, Director of Music
Patti Plasterer, Organist
Denise Ekdahl, Bookkeeper
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
September Church Greeters
8:15
9/4—Deacon Katy Dortenzo
9/11—Trustee Joel George
9/18—Elder Jim Kinton
9/25—
9:00
9/4—
9/11—Deacon Judy Klebe
Page 11
9/18—Deacon Philip Lindsey
9/25—Elder Ellen Palmer
11:00
9/4—Elder Steve Bucher
9/11—
9/18—Deacon Tracy Lombardozzi
9/25—Deacon Heidi Lucas
Worship Schedule
Join us for worship in September as we conclude our sermon series
on Spiritual Gifts:
Sept. 4 —Scripture Readings: Matthew 11:28-30, Luke 10:29-37
Sept. 11 — Scripture Readings: Isaiah 55, Romans 12
And begin a sermon series out of Philippians — “The Joy of the Lord”
Sept. 18 — Based on Phil. 1:1
Sept. 25 — Based on Phil. 2:1-18
Change Service
Requested
Chambersburg, PA 17201
221 North Main Street
of Falling Spring
The Presbyterian Church
Published by
Page 12