Spreading Christmas joy one shoebox at a time
Elverson church is a local drop-off location
BY FRANCINE FULTON
Local residents can make the holidays special for children living in impoverished countries around the world by donating a shoebox full of small gifts that will be distributed worldwide by Operation Christmas Child (OCC).
Shoeboxes will be collected at East Nantmeal Christian Fellowship (ENCF), 900 Nantmeal Road,
Elverson, which has been designated as a local drop-off point.
Shoeboxes will be collected at the church on the following days and times: Monday through Friday, Nov. 18 to 22, from 6 to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23 and 24, from 1 to 4 p.m.; and Monday, Nov. 25, from 10 a.m. to noon.
There will be a potluck lunch and packing party at the church, which is open to the public, on Sunday, Nov. 17, following the
Sunday service at 12:30 p.m. All supplies will be provided.
OCC is a program of the Samaritan’s Purse Christian relief organization, which is led by Franklin Graham, the elder son of evangelist Billy Graham.
As part of the program, the community is asked to fill shoeboxes with toys, school supplies, washcloths, T-shirts and other items, many of which can be purchased at a dollar store. The boxes are
Village Library to hold book and bake sale
BY FRANCINE FULTON
A fall book sale, featuring more than 6,000 items, including paperbacks and hardcover books along with CDs, DVDs and audiobooks, will be held at the Village Library of Morgantown.
Sale hours will be on Friday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Saturday, buyers may purchase a bag of books for a fee. Both days will also include a sale of homemade baked goods.
’Tis the season for holiday bazaars, craft shows
BY FRANCINE FULTON
As the Christmas season approaches, local churches and organizations have planned holiday bazaars and craft shows. Shoppers at the annual events can expect to find craft vendors, holiday décor, gifts and homemade food. Some sites also offer flea markets or attic treasures.
Robeson Lutheran Church, 3520 Plow Road, Mohnton, will hold a holiday bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 7:30 a.m.
to 2 p.m. Featured will be craft and home business vendors and a white elephant sale. Breakfast and lunch items will be available, including homemade soup, pies and other desserts. There will also be an opportunity to win gift baskets. The church is located on Route 10 at Plow Road. For more information, call the church at 610-856-7242.
The Church of St. Benedict, 2020 Chestnut Hill Road, Mohnton, will hold its Christmas bazaar on Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, Nov. 3,
Holiday bazaars pg 4
See Village Library pg 6
Anthony and Rachael Gerhart are coordinating the Operation Christmas Child effort at East Nantmeal Christian Fellowhsip.
Displaying books for adults and children that will be for sale are library director Carol Donahue (left) and children’s librarian Pam Mohl.
CREEKSIDE FOODS
Wool growers invited to sell product
The Berks County Sheep & Wool Growers Association will sponsor its annual Wool Pool on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8 and 9. Wool will be collected at the Romano 4-H Center in Chester County on Nov. 8 from 3 to 7 p.m. and at the Leesport Farmers Market, 312 Gernants Church Road, Leesport, on Nov. 9 from 8 a.m. to noon. Wool will be purchased by Marty Stegen of Greencastle.
Producers are asked to bring their wool in burlap bags if possible; burlap bags will also be offered for purchase at each site. Black-faced sheep fleeces should be bagged separately from white-faced sheep fleeces.
A minimal charge per farm includes Wool Pool expenses and the Berks County Sheep & Wool Growers Association membership fee.
Producers are reminded to sign up for the LDP program at their local FSA office before the pool if they wish to participate in that incentive program. LDP payments will only be made on wool produced in 2024. The pool will take wool from 2023 as long as it is clean, dry and free from contaminants.
For further information, contact Roger Bowman, president of the Berks County Sheep & Wool Growers Association, at 610-562-4875 or Taylor Zahn with Penn State Extension at 717-472-8119.
Junk Removal
BANGOR EPISCOPAL-FOUNDED 1722. 4 mi. W of Morgantown on Rt. 23 in Churchtown. Sunday Holy Eucharist at 10am. All are welcome. Handicap accessible. Parking lot adjacent to the church off Water Street. For additional info., www.bangorepiscopal.org
BETHANY GRACE FELLOWSHIP: 400 Reading Road, East Earl (at the corner of Rt. 625 & Union Grove Rd.) Join us for worship, Sundays at 9 & 10:35AM. Adult, Youth, 56 Club classes at 10:35. Options for nursery-grade 4 during both time slots. Check us out at www.bethanygf.org or call 717-4456644 with questions. To Thrive | To Impact | To Unify.
BRICK LANE COMMUNITY CHURCH:52 S. Brick Lane in Elverson, welcomes visitors to worship with us Sunday mornings at 10:30 am. Wheelchair accessible. Childcare through age 2 and children’s worship during the sermon for PreK-Grade 3 available. Learn more at www.brick52.org or call the church office 610-286-6790. For those unable to attend in-person, see our livestream on www.youtube.com/bricklanecommunitychurch
CHURCHTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: 2170 Main Street, Narvon (Churchtown). Phone: 717-445-5585, umcchurchtown@gmail.com. Pastor Dave Kling, dklingclm@gmail.com 5 mi East of New Holland on PA 23. Sunday worship at 9 am. Handicapped Access.
distributed to children in time for Christmas.
Leading the effort at ENCF are Rachael and Anthony Gerhart, who noted that ENCF recently sponsored an OCC float in the Elverson Parade encouraging people to donate shoeboxes.
Those who donate boxes may wrap them with holiday paper, but the lid and box should be wrapped separately. For those who are able, a $10 donation should be placed in the box to cover shipping costs. However, boxes without the shipping donation will also be accepted.
Anthony explained that the church has been taking part in the activity for 13 years, but it has been a central drop-off location
Dear Brother or Sister in Christ, In the United States, 40% of Christians do not vote.
FAIRVIEW EVANGELICAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH- 800 Fairview Road, Glenmoore, PA (intersection of Fairview & Little Conestoga Rds.) Rev. Tim Latham. Sunday School for all ages at 9:15am; Worship Service at 10:30am Nursery provided. Christian Education, Men’s & Women’s Bible Studies, Music Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Small groups... and much more! As growing disciples, we continue to Worship, Connect, Know and Serve God. For more info, find us online at www.FairviewEPC.org or call the office at 610-942-2640
LIVING GOD LUTHERAN CHURCH: 3200 Horseshoe Pike, 3 miles east of Honey Brook. Handicap accessible. Please join us for worship each Sunday at 9:30 am and Children’s Sunday School at 9:30 am. Nursery care is provided. If you are unable to attend in-person, join us via livestream on YouTube.
MT ZION UMC: 753 Mt. Zion Rd., Narvon, PA. Pastor: Ian Solodky, Worship Leader: Joe Liptock, Praise Band “3:16”. Adult Bible Study 9 am, Worship Service 10:15 am, Child Care Provided. We teach the traditional Gospel of Jesus Christ. All are welcome! Enjoy the views of our beautiful rural setting. Facebook.com/mtzionroad/ Instagram: Mt.Zion_narvon
PARKESBURG WORD OF FAITH CHURCH Sunday Service 10 am & Wednesday prayer at 7:30 pm - at 501 Lenover Rd., Parkesburg, PA 19365. Call 610-593-2277 www.parkesburgwordoffaith.org
Please Note: Updates can be made to your church’s listing for 1st issue date of each month only. (Changes must be submitted by the previous Wednesday.) For More Information On Church Listings And Rates, Call Justin at 717-492-2533
If God did not want us to have an active role in His plans, He would not have called us to action repeatedly throughout Scripture. Again and again, from Genesis to Revelation, He calls on His people to act, to stand against evil, and to stand up for the needy and vulnerable (Isaiah 6:8, Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 5:11, Proverbs 29:2, Proverbs 31:8-9). If we sit on the sidelines while every good thing our nation stands for is destroyed, we will have violated far more Scripture than the handful of passages that may be misused to justify inaction.
Christians oftentimes ignore getting involved in the voting process for several reasons: (1) they don’t believe their vote counts, (2) they have been misinformed, or (3) they have never done it; therefore, it’s hard to break the ice. We encourage you to pray and ask God to help you break free from these fears. We are all called upon to do the right thing.
Many Christians do not vote because of pressure from their church and community. It is time to fully reverse that habit. We are all called upon to do the right thing. The hard part is finding the courage to stand up, to stand in the gap. Initially, you may be judged for doing so. But standing in the gap for good is the only way to stop this storm.
Here’s what you can do today to save the country:
1. You can vote early by mail, or in-person. Call us and we’ll help you better understand the options Pennsylvania offers: 717-403-7041.
2. Talk to everyone about why you are voting and why they should too.
3. Pray for our nation and our nation’s leaders. Please act. You don’t want to wake-up the day after the 2024 election wishing you had done more to save your community and your country.
Sincerely,
Jay’s Handyman Service
Holiday bazaars
from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event, which will take place in the church’s Family Life Center, will include craft vendors, food for sale by the Knights of Columbus and a special visit from Santa Claus on Nov. 3. To learn more, call the church office at 610-856-1006.
A Christmas bazaar will take place on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Peter United Church of Christ (UCC), 1920 Ridge Road (Route 23), Knauertown. Offered for sale will be crafts, baked goods and vintage items. There will also be a white elephant sale and an opportunity to win gift baskets. Breakfast and lunch items will also be available, as well as an indoor flea market. For more information, contact the church office at 610469-9690. For GPS users, the church address is listed as Pottstown.
from pg 1
Brownback’s UCC will hold its annual holiday bazaar on Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The bazaar, located in the church’s fellowship hall, will offer attic treasures, children’s toys, a selection of plants, books and homemade crafts. All proceeds from the event will benefit the church’s mission projects and local organizations. Brownback’s UCC is located at 640 Ridge Road (Route 23), Spring City. For more information, visit www .facebook.com/BrownbacksChurch.
Bethel United Methodist Church, 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, will hold its Christmas bazaar on Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featured will be handmade crafts, attic treasures and a sale of homemade baked goods. There will also be a preserves pantry and homemade soups. For more information about the event, visit www.facebook.com/ bethelumchurch.
The Totally Committed Youth Ministry (TCYM) at Moving Communities to Christ (MCC) Church will hold a Christmas bazaar on Nov. 9 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at MCC’s main campus, 4221 Main St. (Route 23), Elverson. Offered for sale will be crafts, games, novelties, jewelry, trinkets, skin care products and beauty accessories. All proceeds will be used toward TCYM’s 2025 mission trip. For more information, visit www.movingcommunitiesto christ.org. Interested vendors may complete an application available at the website. More information is also available at www.facebook .com/TCYMatMCCChristmasBazaar.
Tel Hai Retirement Community will present a holiday craft bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the StoneCroft Center for Worship & Performing Arts, 4000 Tree Line Drive, Honey Brook. Homebased businesses and crafters will be on hand offering items for sale such as knitted and woven items, wooden crafts, jewelry, stained glass, pottery and florals.
Visitors should follow Beaver Dam Road to the campus of Tel Hai, then turn onto Tree Line Drive at the west entrance and follow signs to StoneCroft. Parking will be available adjacent to the StoneCroft commons main entrance. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ HillofLife, choose Events and search for “Tel Hai Holiday Craft Bazaar.”
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BUYING STANDING TIMBER
Village Library
Throughout the two-day event, the books will be displayed on tables in the Community Room. Boxes underneath the tables will be used to replenish the supply.
The books will be sorted by category, such as mystery/suspense, science fiction, romance, health and fitness, arts and crafts, sports and cookbooks. There will also be children’s picture books and books for young readers.
A new shed used for book storage was donated to the library by Sheds Unlimited of Morgantown.
“The books have been donated from the community, and some books are from the library collection,” said Carol Donahue, library director. “We accept donations of books any time we are open.”
She noted that those who cannot attend the sale may purchase books from the library’s book nook, which is located in the lobby. Some of the leftover books are sold in the library’s book nook, while others are donated to various organizations.
Book donations are collected throughout the year and sold at two book sales - one held in the fall and the other in the spring. Books are sorted according to category and stored in the shed located outside the library.
Donahue announced that the library has acquired a new shed for its books thanks to a donation from Sheds Unlimited of Morgantown.
“I reached out to community businesses asking for their help,” Donahue explained. “(Sheds Unlimited) replied immediately … and gave (the shed) to the library completely for free. They took away our old, rotted shed, put down a new pad and they put (the new shed) into place.”
Workers from Caernarvon Township laid down macadam
from the shed’s doors and ramp to the library parking lot. “The township came in and poured macadam to reach from where the driveway portion ended up to the shed so we would have easy access with our dollies and carts with loading books,” said Donahue. B.J. Baldwin Electric of Narvon will add LED lights inside the shed.
Additionally, employees from Iron Mountains took part in a Day of Giving (DOG) at the library. “Their team was here (on Oct. 18), and they painted our kitchen, painted our book nook and the foyer,” Donahue reported.
Community members who wish to donate books are asked to present them at the front desk during regular library business hours. Books not accepted include books with yellowed pages, worn or torn books, musty or damp books, books with writing in them, textbooks and Reader’s Digest condensed books. Those who would like to donate baked goods are asked to register in advance by calling 610-286-1022 or emailing smolibrary@gmail .com. Bakers may also sign up to donate at the library’s circulation desk.
All proceeds from the book and bake sale will benefit the library. Donahue noted that the library’s current needs include a new sign, a new book drop-off box and new carpeting. Additional financial donations for these items are being accepted, as well.
The Village Library is located at 207 N. Walnut St. in Morgantown. The library’s hours of operation are Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.vil lagelibrary.org or www.facebook .com/VillageLibraryofMorgantown.
New board members are welcome to support the library and plan special events, such as the upcoming book sale. The next scheduled board meeting will be on Monday, Nov. 25, from 6 to 7 p.m.
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• Levels of Living
• Financial Implications
• Time Frame Also Tours & Refreshments
Operation Christmas Child from pg 3
for six years. “My wife knew about this before we were married. That’s how our church found out about it. It is a passion for her to do this,” he stated.
“We would (collect) 50 to 100 boxes as a church and we built up to 100, and this year we are doing 150 boxes,” added Rachael.
The couple noted that shoebox gifts, which are divided by gender and age group, should contain a “wow” item. “We (include) soccer balls as the wow item. They are deflated, but they come with a pump,” said Anthony. “We cater to (providing gifts for) older boys, ages 10 to 15.”
“They are most missed,” added Rachael. “When (Samaritan’s Purse volunteers) hand out boxes, they (sometimes) would not have enough for that age group.”
Other suggestions include stuffed animals and school supplies, including pencils, pens,
crayons and paper.
“A wow item to a child could be a pair of socks or a hat. They are very underprivileged. Sometimes they have never got a gift at all in their lives,” said Rachael. “These are all things that our children take for granted.”
Anthony told the story of a shoebox distribution in Paraguay, where volunteers came across a box with only one shoe. “They prayed about it, and they decided to leave it in,” said Anthony. “This shoebox went to a family of a child who had lost one leg. The shoe was the exact fit and right size. The family ended up becoming believers of Jesus because they needed a sign and this shoe (appeared). Things like that motivate us.”
Those with questions about what gifts may be included as well as those who want to track their shoebox may visit www .samaritanspurse.org, select
“What We Do” and then choose “Operation Christmas Child.” “We recommend that people go online to get their labels printed, so they see where their box goes,” Anthony added.
According to the website, Samaritan’s Purse has provided OCC shoebox gifts to more than 220 million children in more than 170 countries and territories since 1993.
This year’s National Collection Week will take place from Nov. 18 to Nov. 25. Boxes collected in Elverson will be transported to Newtown Square and then to the Baltimore Area OCC Processing Center in Maryland.
Sunday morning worship at East Nantmeal Christian Fellowship is held at 10:45 a.m. Attendees may also enjoy coffee and snacks prior to the service. To learn more about the church, visit www.encf.info or search for “ENCF Church” on Facebook.
