District Highlights March 2019 Vol
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Western PA District Highlights March 2019 Vol. 19 No. 2 Jesus said, “Come, follow me!” The Season of Lent begins this year on March 6th. March 6th is my birthday and this year it also happens to be Ash Wednesday. How does a person celebrate his birth and at the same time ponder his mortality? Well, that is my problem not yours! But getting back to Lent - Lent is that 40 day period before Easter in which we are challenged to deepen our personal discipleship under the Lordship of Christ. We take it upon ourselves to ask again what it means to follow Jesus. How do we know if we are following Jesus? What are the telltale signs? We could respond with the “go to” answers like “going to church, giving to the church, reading the Bible, praying to the Lord day by day.” But is there more to following Jesus than those things? Again, how do we know if we are following Jesus? What are the telltale signs? We could perhaps list many things. But I want to suggest to you that a telltale sign that a person is following Jesus is this: When faced with a choice between Jesus and the world, he chooses Jesus. When faced with a choice between Jesus’ attitude and the world’s arrogance, he chooses Jesus. When faced with a choice between Jesus’ abounding love for others and the world’s meanness, he chooses Jesus. It may be simplistic or even redundant to put it this way, but the telltale sign that a person is following Jesus is that he chooses Jesus in everything. He chooses nothing but Jesus. For him Jesus is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. For him the old hymn’s words ring true -“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name I know!” So, during Lent, as you would seek to deepen your discipleship, choose Jesus, day by day, in every way. “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!” Bill Wenger March 2019 page 1 District Office Notes STAFF: April 2019 Highlights Deadline William Wenger March 10, 2019 Amy Bowman Tina Lehman Please send ALL Highlights information to the District Office for this next issue. CONTACT US: [email protected] 115 Spring Rd. Hollsopple, PA 15935 814-479-7058 2019 DISTRICT DIRECTORY 814-479-2181 866-279-2181 toll free The 2019 District Directory is ready and has been sent out to the 814 479-2506 fax District via email. Those who have requested paper copies should receive them by the beginning of March. WEBSITE: Corrections and additions will be posted in future Highlights. www.westernpacob.org If you would like a PDF or a paper copy, please contact the District OFFICE HOURS: Office at 814-479-2181 or email Tina Lehman Monday ~ Friday at [email protected]. 8:00 am ~ 4:00 pm Financial Clerk is in Tuesday & Thursday NEED YOUR HELP 9:00 am to 4:00 pm If your congregation will produce a new directory in 2019, please drop off or send Secretary is in a copy to the District Office, Monday ~ Thursday 115 Spring Road, Hollsopple, 15935. 8:15 am to 3:15 pm Friday’s until Noon It is very helpful to the District Office staff to have updated information from all the churches we serve. Thank you! Voicemail and Email checked daily March 2019 page 2 District Church News LEADERSHIP Pastoral Change Gary Green—resigned, Brothersvalley HOSPITALIZED Continue to pray forCarole Horner and her ongoing recovery. Please lift up in your prayers Paul Grew, the husband of Pastor Dottie Grewfrom the Meyersdale Church. Paul is recovering Form A and Form B from Elgin from pneumonia and other complications. I have been getting a lot of questions about the Form A’s and B’s that come from Elgin each year. NEW MEMBERS In November, I sent am email out with an attached letter from Jim Miner in the Yearbook Somerset Congregation Office. In it he said that they are changing the way Ronald Barto that they collect this data. Barbara Barto Roger Kalaha They would like to reduce the number of forms Sharon Kalaha and mailings down to one that is sent out early each year. Amy Peterman I haven’t received any instructions as of the beginning of January but as this newsletter reaches you things may change. There will not be a Report Card listed in the Highlights until we figure this all out. And as always, I will email updates and mail information accordingly. Please let me know if you have any questions and I will try to answer them as best as I can. Thanks for your patience! Tina Lehman District Office Secretary March 2019 page 3 District Church News Events at the Penn Run District Women’s Ministries: Christian Outreach Center (located directly across the street from the Calendar of Events 2019: Penn Run Church of the Brethren) April 4, 2019 Spring Brunch @ Conemaugh COB Pasta Buffet—4 pm to 7 pm June 6, 2019 Camp Day March 2, 2019 August 10, 2019 Tea @ Walnut Grove COB September 13 & 14, 2019, Fall Retreat @ Camp Quilt Retreat - 8 am to 8 pm October 3, 2019 Fall Rally TBA March 29 and 30, 2019 Mark your calendars, more information to follow! PA Dutch Buffet (chicken and waffles) April 6, 2019—4 pm to 7 pm Scrapbook and Card Making Retreat Blood Screening April 27, 2019- 8 am to 8 pm Way of Hope Fellowship Cost of the Buffets is $9 for adults, $6 for Hollsopple Auction Barn kids age 3– 11, kids under 3 are free. March 30, 2019 7:00 am to 9:00 am Call the church office at 724-463-0420 for more information on any of these events. Maple Spring COB Locust Grove Choir has numerous older March 30, 2019 Easter & Christmas cantata's, some with 7:00 am to 10:00 am cassette's, FREE to anyone interested. Also FREE, several books with CD's & one Benefits the District with cassette for Sunday morning music. Disaster Team Contact Elaine Fyock, 467-9725 or 410-9776, for more information. March 2019 page 4 District Church News ATTENTION ALL MINISTERS!! In need of your prayers and help: 2019 Ministerial Ethics Training Georgianne Foust, who is a member of the Facilitator—Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, Walnut Grove congregation, is currently Director, Office of Ministry for the Church of waiting for a kidney transplant. She was the Brethren recommended to have a live kidney donor which makes the wait a lot shorter than This training session will cover the material waiting on the donor list which could take in the 2019 publication, “Ethics for the up to 5 years or more. Set-Apart Minister” and also the 2008 Annual Conference document “Ethics in So far, she hasn’t been able to find a live Ministry”. donor, even within her own family. Georgianne is in need of a B + blood type There will be 2 sessions available: donor. Saturday, April 6, 2019 from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm at the Maple Spring Church of the If you feel that you might be a match or Brethren and Sunday, April 7, 2019 from someone you know may be and are willing 2:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Greensburg to share this very special gift of life please go Church of the Brethren. to the website below to register. Both sessions are the same, but offered in 2 https://livingdonorreg.upmc.com/ locations for your convenience. A light meal will be provided at each session. There is no Please use Georgianne’s name when cost for the training or the meal unless you completing the form so the match can be would like to receive continuing education made if possible. credit,0.5 CEU credit will be given at a cost of $10.00 per person. In the meantime, please keep Georgianne and her family in your prayers. Pray for Ethics Training is a requirement for ALL healing and the Lord’s will be done in her ordained ministers—active and retired. life. Thank you! It is not required for licensed ministers but recommended for those anticipating being ordained by December 2020. Please call the District Office at 814-479-2181 and give your name and which session you would like to attend. March 2019 page 5 District Church News B-D-M Needs Your Help! Brethren Disaster Ministries needs your help. If you are interested in being a part Rummel COB is in want of another set of of future mission trips please contact Herb children's hand bells (the small, brightly Ewald for more information colored ones). If your church has a set they at 814-539-8530 don't plan to use again, maybe we could or [email protected] talk. Please call Rummel at 814-467-5050 and leave a message with your name, church Other than the day trips to New Windsor and phone number. Thank you! all weeklong trips will be announced as the information becomes available. 2019 Schedule THANK YOU Day Trips Week Trips April 4 March 3—9 April 23 Carolina Project #1 June 6 June 25 Mary 5—11 Project #2 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17 August 8 August 20 July 14—20 October 10 w/Mid. Project #1 Mark your calendars! October 15 December 5 September 15—21 2019 District Conference w/Mid. Project #2 October 19, 2019 Oct. 27—Nov. 2 Camp Harmony Project #1 Please be sure your church is December 8—14 represented! w/ANE Project #1 March 2019 page 6 Denominational News Go to www.brethren.org for the most complete and up-to-date news from the Church of the Brethren National Older Adult Conference Annual Conference 2019 September 2—6, 2019 July 3–7, 2019 Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Greensboro, NC Center in the beautiful mountains of Sheraton/Koury Convention Center western North Carolina Registration and Housing NOAC is a Spirit-filled gathering of adults who love open March 4, 2019 learning and discerning together, exploring God’s call for their lives and living out that call by sharing their energy, insight, and legacy with their families, communities, and the world.