volume 15, issue 2 february 2015 the monthly newsletter of ridgeview mennonite church ·...
TRANSCRIPT
RidgeVIEWS
Volume 15, Issue 2 February 2015 The monthly newsletter of Ridgeview Mennonite Church
The participants had arms fully extended or crunched underneath them, legs twisted over and under each other, feet solidly on a colored circle or just touching with the tip of a shoe, hands on painted circles on the plastic sheet or used to keep balance by holding one in the air, and bodies in distorted positions as they begged for the next color to be called so they could try to move the newly called limb to a new color. This was a competi-tive game of Twister. The contestants appeared to be twisted together and the collapse of their weight on their distorted joints was inevitable, but they hung on as long as they could. Eventually one of them fell and the game between extended family members over Christmas ended and resumed shortly with new players.
The twisted collection of limbs over Christmas reminded me of our Lenten theme this year, upside down & inside out. Granted that none of the participants in the Twister game were literally inside out, they certainly had ele-ments of being upside down and their bodies were in such unusual contortions that some limbs looked as if they were inside out.
During Lent, which starts on Ash Wednesday, February 18, we will be exploring scriptures reminding us that God loves us and does not want to just stop there. In the times of our lives that we feel secure and stable, may-be even with the “in” group, God desires change and growth in our lives. “God is not content to leave us just as we are, but instead turns our expectations and understanding inside out and upside down. This re-making, re-shaping, and re-casting makes all the difference regardless of the starting point” (Leader, Winter 2014/2015).
Recently a child was taking off their sweater and as it came over their head it began to turn inside out. By the time the arms and hands were out of the sweater the entire garment was inside out. The child noticed the strings along the sewn seams where the sleeves were attached to the body of the sweater. The child wondered if the sweater was worn out since all these strings were loose and could be seen. The child’s mother reassuring-ly showed the child how the sweater had gotten turned inside out and turned the sweater back to the way it was usually worn.
The reality is all of us have a seamy side, those parts of our lives which usually are kept tucked away and out of view. Often we don’t look at our seamy side and we certainly don’t want others to see it. Since God sees both inside and outside and God knows all about us, God also knows our seamy side. From Ash Wednesday through the Sundays of Lent to the pain of Passion Week and the celebration of Easter morning we will be invit-ing God to turn us upside down and inside out that we may more fully know God in our entire being, both those parts which are readily seen and those which tend to be tucked away. Pastor Nelson
JANUARY OFFERING REPORT Year to date budget $102,000.00 Year to date receipts 104,437.72 Education fund $5,077.08
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FEBRUARY INGATHERING for Factory Ministries
Food Bank
canned soup peanut butter jelly canned fruit cereal tuna
VALENTINE DINNER (for married, engaged, dating couples)
Saturday, February 14 6:15 PM 1990 Fellowship Hall
Menu
ham balls, chicken, buttered potatoes, carrots,
salad, dessert
RSVP by February 8 to Cordelia Stoltzfus 656-8717.
MINISTRY TEAM UPDATES Ministry Team met Saturday, January 17, 2015, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. @ Carol Wenger’s home.
The agenda included discussion on various subjects – Who are we as a church? Who do we want to be? Facility rental, con-sidering a welcoming center in the lobby, new updated church brochures, hosting a Ted & Co production, sermon response and summer schedule, a change in child protection laws.
The next envisioning meeting is scheduled for February 15.
Fall Mission Weekend is now Fall Special Emphasis Weekend, which will focus on a different commission each year.
Commission Highlights – Mission Commission (Loretta Lapp) – service projects include planting trees on riverbanks for stream conservation, provide a community meal @ East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church. Administration Commission (Vaunda Siegrist) – special fund will be opened for contributions for Evie Hershey’s mission assignment to Kenya. Worship Commis-sion (Joanne Dietzel) – grateful for the number of people in-volved in various ways from Thanksgiving-Christmas. Commu-nity Life (Cordelia Stoltzfus) – Valentine’s Banquet for couples only on Saturday, February 14, Guess Who’s Coming to Din-ner – March 22, April 12, and a May date to be determined, working on starting something similar to the Wheel Groups we had before, Mother’s Day Tea on May 14. Christian For-mation (Joyce Thomas) – Talent Show scheduled for Wednes-day, March 11.
Carol Wenger reported that the Youth Coffee House fund-raiser will be Sunday, May 3. June Gehman
Children's time--World Fellowship Sunday
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY 5 week study Thursday 7 PM January 29 – February 26
Breathe: Making Room for Sabbath A study by Priscilla Shirer
CHURCH DIRECTORY UPDATE Email address for Ben & Ruth Stoltzfus
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“GLOBAL ANABAPTIST” A six-part series on the global Mennonite, Brethren in Christ, Mennonite Brethren, & Conservative Mennonite Conference churches that comprise Mennonite World Conference. Take advantage of this opportunity and learn more about our sister churches around the globe so we can be better informed hosts for PA Assembly 2015. A guest speaker will share regarding the church on each of the five continents on five separate evenings. The series will conclude with a discussion of shared convictions of Anabaptist-related churches around the world. Gain a deeper understanding of how our sisters and brothers have found and sustained their faith. Learn their histories and the issues they face today. Many of them have stories differ-ent than our own and we have much to learn from them. Feb 4 – AFRICA – Nelson Okanya, President of Eastern Mennonite Missions Feb 11 – LATIN AMERICA – Elizabeth Soto – Moderator of Mennonite Church USA and Coordinator for Field Education and Advisor for Cross Cultural Education at Lancaster Theological Seminary Feb 25 – ASIA - Gerry Keener, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Eastern Mennonite Missions
March 4 – “What we Believe Together” Our six-part series on Global Anabaptist concludes with a review of the book What we Believe To-gether. This book is an expansion of a statement adopted by Mennonite World Conference Gen-eral Council in 2006 that names seven shared convictions of Global Anabaptists. The book, written by Alfred Neufeld from Paraguay with unusual insights and examples from around the world, is available in the church library and recommended reading in preparation for PA 2015. The discus-sion will be led by Dick Thomas.
Feb 18 – Ash Wednesday Service "Upside down and inside out" is the theme for our Ash Wednesday service and time of Lent. God keeps working in us changing our expectations and un-derstanding; it can be a process like "inside out and upside down." After a brief time of worship as a group, people will be invited to enter a time of reflection and prayer as they move from station to station, concluding with the offer of ashes, oil and prayer. How will God re-make, re-shape, and re-cast us during the time of Lent this year?
Mar. 11 – Know how? Show how! Share your talent or hobby or collection for a delightful evening of entertainment and discov-ery. Whether your particular talent, hobby or interest is in music, poetry, drama, dance, juggl-ing, video creation, photography, painting, or a collection, or other—surprise us! Tables will be made available to display hobbies, creative works or collections and the show will begin at 7pm. Submit your name with your plans to the church office ([email protected]) by March 1.
Wednesday Winter Family Nights February 4—March 11 6:15 Dinner 7:00 Activities
QUIZZING February 1—2 p.m. @ Bowmansville 8—6:30 p.m. @ Media 15—6:30 p.m.@ Chiques Church of Brethren 22—6:30 p.m. @ Ridgeview March 1– 6:30 p.m. @ Middle Creek 8—6:30 p.m. @ Lancaster Mennonite 15—1:00 p.m. ACC Tournament @ Lanc Menn 20-22 Invitational Tournament, West Liberty, OH
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Exploring Lancaster City...On Fri-day, January 2, 3 sets of sisters and I rode Red Rose Transit to Lancaster City to explore, learn, and laugh together. We visited historic St. James Episcopal Church whose doors are open to every-one every day. Silently sitting in the box pews, we rested in the beauty of stain glass window art depicting the stories of Jesus. The church yard was lovely and contained revolutionary era graves. Central Market provided our lunch fare which we took across the street to Cliff's office to eat. A tour of Arbor Place was inspirational as we saw where city youth ages 7-17 can go to study, play, develop new skills, and
build relation-ships. Oh, did I mention the Ital-ian Bakery? Prince Street Cafe? The exca-vation of Thad-deus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith under-ground railroad site at the con-
vention center? If you've not gone ex-ploring in the city, we would encourage you to do so! Carol Wenger
Lizzie & Hannah Stoltzfus Laura & Erica Martin Christle & Michelle Gehman
The Jesus StoriesThe Jesus StoriesThe Jesus StoriesThe Jesus Stories
at Ridgeview
Sunday, April 26, 7:00 PM
Written and performed by
Ted Swartz and Jeff Raught
SAVE THE DATE
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Steps to Pennsylvania 2015 prepare for Mennonite World Conference July 21-26, 2015 Harrisburg PA
Explore https://www.mwc-cmm.org/pennsylvania-2015 to…. • register • join the Prayer Network • Volunteer • Begin reading Global Mennonite History series (books are in our library)
• Register to host guests in your home. Go to the website (listed above) and choose “offer home stays”. Homes one hour from Harrisburg will be given priority. Homes beyond one hour are encouraged to reg-ister so they are available if needed.
BIRTHDAYS 1 Marv High 2 Etta Esch 3 Lois High 5 Linda Bergman 6 Christie Gehman 8 Kayla Heine 11 Eric Alderman 12 Barry Shirk 15 Jared Gingrich 17 Michelle Gehman Bonnie Winters 18 Walt Bushong 21 Andrew Pauls 22 Gladys High 23 Cody Siegrist 24 Nathan Pauls 25 Sam Echternach 26 Cindy Gingrich 28 Priscilla Huyard
ANNIVERSARIES 11 Randy & Julie Knauer 15 Barry & Joyce Shirk 17 Jim & Barb Glick
Are you a young adult 18 years of age or older and would welcome the opportunity to listen, learn, share and celebrate with other young adults from around the world? The Global Youth Summit (GYS), held July 17-19 at Messiah College, offers just such an opportunity. At GYS young adults from around the world will come together for a time of listening to God, to share information and experiences, to listen to each oth-er’s struggles in the different continents and countries, to bless each other and be blessed. The Education Commission is offering to pay the registration fee of $265 (includes food and lodging) for one or several persons from the Ridgeview congregation. Interested persons may contact Joyce Thomas or Nelson Yoder. Additional information about GYS is availa-ble on the Mennonite World Conference website.
Wednesday March 11—7 PM
For All Ages!For All Ages!For All Ages!For All Ages!
Schedule your talent – CONTACT THE CHURCH OFFICE by March 1
This is your opportunity to share your talent and enjoy the talents of others!
May be serious or fun. May be solo, duo, or with a group. All ages welcome to participate. Inform Joyce Shirk by March 1 of talent, title (if there is a title), time length, and name(s) of those involved so a program can be prepared.
Come out and join the fun!
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Senior High Youth Weekend
retreat at mountains
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[email protected] Mick Sommers, Lead Pastor [email protected]
Nelson Yoder, Associate Pastor
Carol Wenger Minister of Youth & Young Adults
Joyce Shirk, Administrative Assistant [email protected]
Everyone is welcome to submit material to the RidgeVIEWS, the newsletter of Ridgeview Mennonite Church. Ridgeview connects persons and groups in the congregation together and with the broader Mennonite Church. It strengthens the congregation to answer the call of God to learn and share together God’s love with all of creation. Priority will be given to articles that serve this purpose, with Ridgeview staff providing editorial responsibilities.
MARCH NEWSLETTER INFORMATION DUE February 23
Ridgeview Mennonite Church 3723 Ridge Road
Gordonville PA 17529 717 768-3143
[email protected] www.ridgeviewmennonite.net