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news this month
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LENT2010
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fix your eyes on Jesus.
NO DISTRACTIONS.
Based on Hebrews 12:1, 2
Many people “give up” something for Lent. This has become so much of a Christian cultural norm that it often loses its meaning and potential. Why do we give up TV or chocolate or shopping? It is not to lose some weight or trim our budgets. It is to make space in our lives for Christ. Lent is a time when we allow God to peel away the layers of our outer and inner lives to reveal that which needs cleansing and refining. As we say “no” to those layers, we are enabled to say “yes” to Jesus, and allow the transforming work of God’s Spirit in our hearts. [click here to read the Lent insert]
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Church Board Updates |
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February 2010
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At the February church board meeting, discussion and action focused primarily on the financial plan for ministry (budget) for the next fiscal year which begins September 1. Since the last meeting a small task force of the board met to develop a specific proposal for reducing the budget by a significant amount. With some modifications, the proposal was approved by the board. On Tuesday, March 23, at a special congregational council meeting, the congregation will have an opportunity to discuss the decision and provide feedback to the board about the proposed plan. The regular annual congregational council will be held on Wednesday, June 9.
John Reitz, our incoming senior pastor, has been meeting with the board and beginning in earnest his orientation to the Grantham Church as well as providing his perspective on the issues we face as a congregation. Previously, we announced that he will be installed on Sunday, March 28. However, that has been changed to the following schedule:
- Palm Sunday, March 28, Bishop Doug Sider preaching
- Easter Sunday, April 4, installation of Pastor John Reitz
- Sunday, April 11, fellowship meal welcoming Pastor John and his wife Terry
-- Harriet Bicksler,
church board secretary
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Worship Arts Weekend April 17-18:
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This weekend will include various workshops on Saturday, a Saturday evening worship experience called “The Grain”, and a choir’s concert on Sunday evening, titled: We are Raised in Christ! The Saturday worships will include the opportunity for you to explore artistic expressions that may (if you are willing) be used at our Saturday evening worship gathering. The Sunday evening concert will include all of our choirs: Chancel Choir, Grantham Brass, Grantham Ringers, and the Kingdom Singers.
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We hope that you will reserve this weekend on your calendar to celebrate God’s voice to us and our response to Him through artistic expression. Watch for more information in the coming weeks. and check the Worship Arts page on our web site.
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Taize dates for Spring 2010 |
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Mark your calendars!
VBS
is June 21-25, 2010
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Taizé Prayer services March 21 and Good Friday
In recent weeks, Pastor Pauline has reminded us of the importance of prayer in the life of our congregation. Taizé prayer services are times of corporate and personal prayer that we have planned for this purpose. The setting is one of contemplative sung scriptural prayers and silent reflection. The ambience of candle light is conducive to quieting our spirits before God and praying for the anointing of His Spirit. You can expect the services to last about one hour and to begin with silence and end with silence. As you arrive, you will find a printed bulletin to lead you through the service with printed music, responses, and scripture readings. Acoustical instrumentation leads us in a time of sung prayer followed by scripture reading and silence, extemporaneous intercessory prayer, and time for personal silent prayer. Throughout the service, you are invited to remain in your pew, to kneel at the front, or to come to light a candle as a symbol of your prayer. We will be holding Taizé Prayer on Sunday evening, February 21st, and March 21st at 6:30 p.m. We invite you to join us in this time of “sanctuary” as we pray together.
Good Friday Service on April 2nd:
On Friday evening, April 2nd, we invite you to attend a Good Friday Service at 6:30 p.m, as we remember the last hours of Jesus life on earth. This quiet service will include Taizé songs, Lenten hymns, scripture readings, and the extinguishing of candles. The service will close in silence as the Christ Candle is carried out of the sanctuary to symbolize Christ’s death. On Easter Sunday morning, the Christ candle will be carried back into the sanctuary as we celebrate the joy of His resurrection. |
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BRIDGE OF HOPE CHILI COOK OFF |
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On Sunday, February 21, immediately following the worship service, there will be a Chili Cook Off in Fellowship Hall to benefit Bridge of Hope Harrisburg. Bridge of Hope Harrisburg Area works with homeless and at-risk women with children to help them attain stability through housing, self-sufficiency through employment, and a circle of Christian friends and mentors from a local church.
It was fun and we raised over $1,200! Check out the photos here!
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YOUTH AUCTION! HERE WE GO!
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If you haven't had a chance to be a part of the Grantham Spaghetti Supper & Youth Auction, you won't want to miss it! It's a night where huge numbers of us Granthamites (and others) come out for a wonderful evening of delicious spaghetti and a fun, exciting auction to raise money for the youth ministry summer mission experience! So mark your calendars for Friday, March 26!!! Between now and then, take a moment to think of what you might be able to donate to the auction — and what kinds of things you might be interested in bidding on. We'll have sheets out before you know it for this night of wacky good community times! As a part of this, we've got to thank ALL of you who have been so INCREDIBLY supportive over the past years!
Money raised at this auction will go toward three things: (1) Funding for the 2010 summer mission experience, (2) saving some money toward future international experiences, and (3) trying to help some of the Costa Rican young people we met last year come to the U.S.A. for General Conference! (We're really excited about that last one — we went to them last summer, now let's help them come visit us and experience General Conference with the BIC for the first time!)
— David Stuebing,
Pastor of Youth & College
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THE WONDER OF IT ALL |
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Upcoming dates for the Youth Ministry:
- Sundays, March 14, April 18 & May 23 – Parent Nights (6-8 p.m.)
- Friday, March 26 – Youth Auction & Spaghetti Supper
- May 7 & 8 – Jr. High Retreat at Adelphoi!
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Deciding what our teaching focus will be in youth group takes many forms. Most recently, we felt God leading us into a series of storying through the Bible. This series is designed to encourage a sense of wonder with the story of God’s interactions with people seen in the Bible.
So often we can get into a routine with our spiritual lives: go to church, read our Bible (at least every now and then), pray before our meals – but how often do we truly catch a glimpse of the wonder of it all? Sometimes as Christmas rolls around, if we can catch a moment between baking cookies, buying presents, and worrying about bills, we can be reminded of the absolutely incredible concept of an omnipotent God being born as a human baby. Sometimes a sunset or forest scene will take our breath away and we will get a glimpse of the beauty of God and His presence in this world. Sometimes we can see the face of God for a moment in an act of service. We never know when or where these glimpses may come from, but they can inspire and encourage us as little else can.
That is what we are seeking in this youth group series. It is coming to the scriptures as looking through a prism rather than a magnifying glass, as we tend to approach Bible study. The ancient Hebrews would study the scriptures as a group and referred to “the 70 facets of Torah” – that is, thinking of the scripture as a flawless diamond with 70 sides. When held up to the light, the facets sparkle and each person sees a different gleam. As we discuss the scriptures as a group, we share the sparkle that God has shared with us so that each of us gains a richer and deeper understanding of this amazing God we seek to know. It is that sparkle, that glimpse, the elusive sense of wonder that we are seeking in youth group. I hope and pray that God breaks into your life in a new way and inspires wonder at all that He is, has done, and is doing in our world!
It is an absolute joy to have our teens, as busy as they are, engaging with each other and with God’s word in such a way! As always, please let us know if there is any way we in the youth ministry can serve your family!
David Stuebing,
minister of youth & college
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YOUTH ON A MISSION |
Dates to remember:
Sunday, March 21 – deadline for Youth Auction donations
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With the youth auction around the corner (did I mention to mark your calendars for March 26?), I’m excited to share a thought or two about our upcoming mission experience. The 2010 youth summer mission experience is going to be right here in Harrisburg, Pa.! As we see every day in the world around us, this is a fallen world with many needs. When we gaze into scripture, we see a God whose heart is broken by the suffering we see all around us. Ours is a God of compassion, with a special heart for those in need.
As we have been making a habit of heading over to Paxton Ministries to serve and help and build relationships, we now take this opportunity, with the “local” year in our mission cycle, to take a longer look at the opportunities right next door and the ways we might pursue God’s kingdom come. We will be staying at the Harrisburg Institute, Messiah’s center in the city, and working with a variety of groups who are active in the city but who lose the element of college student volunteers over the summer when students head other places.
We are also excited to announce, regarding the funds raised at the 2010 Spaghetti Supper and Youth Auction, that any above and beyond what is needed for this experience will go toward the following: preparing for future international experiences (which are more expensive), hoping to help build on our experience last summer by helping some of our Costa Rican friends attend General Conference, and hoping to financially bless those groups with whom we will be working. As always, we are so deeply thankful for all the support and encouragement our teens have received over the years – opening opportunities for them to experience how God is active in other parts of our country and world. We eagerly anticipate your continued faithfulness as we seek to experience God’s activity right next door in a new way!
David Stuebing,
minister of youth & college
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ATTENTION ALL DAUGHTERS!
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Save the date for Grantham's All Daughter's Banquet on Saturday, May 1. Girls and women of all ages are invited to attend. Chalk artist Elva Hurst, who was here for our Christmas event, will return as our speaker, and she will give a special presentation, "Seasons of A Woman's Life." Look for more information coming in a future Sunday bulletin. |
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EASTER EGG HUNT
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Grab your cameras and any kids you can find and come to our annual Easter Egg Hunt for children through fourth grade on Saturday morning, April 3, at 9:30. We will begin in Fellowship Hall with coffee, juice, doughnut holes, and a special presentation of the Easter story. After that, the children will separate into three age groups (toddlers, pre-K through grade 1, and grades 2-4) for the egg hunt.
Your donations of filled plastic eggs would be greatly appreciated, and those can be dropped off in the office through Thursday, April 1. We prepare special eggs for our toddlers (without hard candy or treats that are hard to chew), so please be sure to mark your donation if you filled them with toddlers in mind.
Invite your family, friends, and neighbors to join us. If you have any questions or would like to help to greet, prepare and serve coffee and snacks, or help with registration, please contact Beth Huffnagle at 766-0531, ext. 6712, or huffnagl@granthamchurch.org.
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The Grantham Women’s Club will meet March 15 in the Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg at 7:00 p.m. to see the play “View from the Bridge” by Arthur Miller. Ladies from the area, including non-members, are welcome to attend.
Bonus Books will be available at the meeting or by calling 697-0487.
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January 15 — March 19
On Friday mornings, between 60 and 90 little children come to play with their moms, dads, aunts, or grandparents in Fellowship Hall. Fortunately, they are usually pretty evenly split between the two sessions, which begin at 9:30 and 10:30. You might not recognize many faces, because most of them come from the surrounding area. But, to Donna Bert, Shelly Eyster, Messiah student Mary Higgins, Beth Huffnagle, and Buddy, the puppet, they are all friends! |
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LIBRARY NEWS |
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An extensive collection of audiocassettes and audio CDs of classical and various styles of Christian music have been made available for use and distribution by the church library. Some of these are displayed on the shelves near the window in the library and will be available at no charge as long as the supply lasts.
– Edie Asbury
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Ladies Retreat at Roxbury
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Ladies, here's an opportunity to spend a weekend with friends from several Brethren in Christ churches. Roxbury Holiness Camp's annual Ladies Retreat will be held on April 23-25. Chris Boelter will lead a study of Isaac and Rebecca and their sons Esau and Jacob, with the theme "Undistracted Devotion." The cost to attend ranges from $81 to $161 for the weekend, depending on which of the lodging options is chosen. For registration information, contact Edie Asbury at 766-6070 or easbury6@comcast.net.
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Art Gallery
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2010 Gallery Calendar
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February: Student Art
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Mar 1-Apr 10 : Tegan Brozyna
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Apr 16-May 29: Community Photos
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June 5- Jul 17: Gary Karl Nauman
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Jul 24 - Aug 28: Melinda Steffy
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Sep 4- Oct 15: Christina Saj
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Oct 23- Nov 20: Sonya Berg
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Nov 27- Jan 15: Picturing the Parables
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Tegan M. Brozyna: March 1 - April 10, 2010
 In 2007, Tegan M. Brozyna completed a B.A. in Studio Art from Messiah College. She writes, "For the past few years I have been resident of Philadelphia, PA, and since 2008 I have been an artist in residence at Olivet Covenant Church, which is also located in Philadelphia. I currently work for Ten Thousand Villages, a non-profit fair trade organization, but I am also a freelance illustrator as well as a writer for Prism Magazine, a publication of Evangelicals for Social Action.
My desire to create and to communicate visually is rooted in my curiosity and exploration of the world around me. Although I work in a number of media, my creativity most often manifests itself in painting and drawing."
[read more about Tegan here]
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CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR OUR 2010 SWAP TEAM
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As we have done in the past, the Grantham Church will be sending a team to work with Mennonite Central Committee's Sharing with Appalachian People (SWAP) program this summer. SWAP addresses sub-standard housing in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia by working with and for local homeowners on home repair/ construction projects. Our team is scheduled for the week of June 21-26. We are currently recruiting at least 15 volunteers (adults as well as youth age 15 and over) to be a part of the team. Cost is $325 per person which includes food, lodging and materials for clients who cannot afford the costs of their home repairs; there may also be additional costs for round-trip transportation from Grantham. If you're interested in participating in SWAP this year, please contact Harriet Bicksler at 795-9151 or bickhouse@aol.com by February 25. People with construction-related skills are needed but others are also welcome. A deposit of $150 will be required, with the balance to be paid by May 1. More information about SWAP is available at archive.mcc.org/swap/program/. |
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Letters from Missionaries |
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God is at work in far countries and some places not so far away –that’s what the missionary newsletters tell us about! Copies of those letters can be found in the wall pockets adjacent to the Missions bulletin board in the narthex. They are there so you can join in praise and petition.
“The new school year has started at Theological College of Central Africa. Pray for staff and students including three new BIC students.” from Phyllis Engle’s February Update. Phyllis is on Home Ministry, having served at both Theological College of Central Africa, Ndola, Zambia, and Theological College of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo;
“Urbana was again a very stimulating conference…. Our team had about 1200 ‘conversations’ with students there. PTL.” ? from Thompson Trails: Neil, Wannee, Nathan and Kevin Thompson, affiliated with Overseas Missions Fellowship, based in Littleton, CO;
“Praise the Lord for our International Outreach opportunities. Pray that those who the Lord is drawing will respond positively and apply early.” ? from Priority 1 Ministries February Update led by Steve and Bonnie Westberry, based in the Bronx.
You can find out more from these newsletters, which can be found in the wall pockets adjacent to the Missions bulletin board in the narthex. They are there so you can join in praise and petition. Please help yourself.
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