` 120 WEST MAIN STREET, NEW HOLLAND, PA 17557 Church Phone: 717-354-0226 Church Fax: 717-354-7942 Website: http://ignite.nhumc.us/ Pastor: Ray Voran Pastor Email: revoran@gmail.com
FEBRUARY 2013 One thing about serving a God who is real is that sometimes he may be real hard to figure out. Just when you think you totally understand something, along comes a curveball that is hard to figure. Now since God is way above us in every sense of the word that really is not a surprise. In fact, a surprising thing would be if we COULD entirely understand everything that makes God, God. Here is one example of what I am talking about. We know that we should not test God. When Jesus was tempted by Satan to throw himself off the top of the Temple so that he would miraculously be kept safe (impressing the crowds and building up popularity in the process), Jesus replied in Luke 4:12 by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, “Do not test the Lord your God.” The point is, do not try to test God’s limits. It is wrong to see how much we can get away with or to purposefully do something foolish in the hope that God will step in and save us. It is wrong to put God in that position. That seems to be pretty straightforward and I think it makes sense. I could see a parent saying the same thing to a child, “Would you please just behave yourself and stop testing me!” The interesting thing is that the Bible makes one exception to this rule. We find it in Malachi 3:8-12 which talks about tithing. Now the rule at that time was that the people were to bring 10% of their income (or of their harvest, etc.) to the temple as their offering to God. Malachi prophesied at the time after the people had returned to Judea following their captivity in Babylon. Now these were not the best or the worst of times, but people were kind of questioning if it was worthwhile to follow God. There had been more difficult times in the history of God’s people, but still the economy simply was not good. People could not be certain if they would have enough to live comfortably; they may even struggle to survive! The idea of giving away 10% and living on only 90% when you weren’t certain that 100% was enough simply did not make sense. So the donations to the Temple treasure were dropping. God says in these verses (Mal. 3:8-12) that the people were, in effect, robbing from Him when they did not bring in the full tithe. He encouraged them to change their ways, saying these surprising words in verse 10, “test me in this.” Put me to the test here and you will find out that your fields and vineyards will be blessed to the point where you will not know where to store all of the surplus; but start by giving me what I am asking for. I think that Malachi may be the most contemporary of the Old Testament prophets – we live in a time that is in many ways is similar to Malachi’s. There is certainly no doubt that people (including good, sensible Christian folks) are afraid to give. We struggle to make it on 100% of our income so it seems foolish to give away 10%. But God’s challenge is still the same. “Test me in this area,” He says. “Give to me what’s fair” (and 10% was meant to be a bargain for the people compared to what happened to their neighbors – though
2 they kind of messed things up for themselves. More on that next month!). But back to the point, God says, “Give me what belongs to me -- make the offering the first bill you pay and 10% is a good guideline – and you will find that you have enough to meet all your needs.” That is a challenging teaching, but we have a God who is up to the challenge! May we follow through as well. Pastor Ray
Our Worship Service starts at 9:00 a.m. every Sunday. Sunday School is at 10:15 a.m. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday IGNITE service starts at 4:00 p.m. with fellowship; service at 4:30 p.m.
Contacting Pastor Ray ~ email: revoran@gmail.com Home: (717) 656-0812 Cell: (717)333-6939 Look for me on Facebook: Ray Voran
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ash Wednesday! Ash Wednesday is quickly approaching along with the season of Lent. We will have our combined Ash Wednesday worship service on February 13, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. This year we are worshipping at Evangelical United Methodist Church along with members of EUMC and Ranck’s UMC. It is my hope that many from our church family are able to attend the service. Lent is the time of year leading up to Easter. Forty days (not counting Sundays) that commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. Christians often make a special commitment to remember Christ’s love and suffering during this season, often giving up 2
something they enjoy as a reminder of His sacrifice for us. I think this is a wonderful tradition. Giving up chocolate or ice cream or television and then thinking of Jesus each time we are tempted is a great way to stay connected to Him. However, I have a specific suggestion this year. I Corinthians 13 (the love chapter) tells us how we should treat one another … with patience, kindness, unselfishness, mercy and forgiveness, etc. The LED Team update in this newsletter includes I Corinthians 13:4-8 for you to read. Following these behaviors will help all of us build a church that is more unified and caring, more joyful and worshipful – quite simply, more loving. So, I suggest that each of us identifies one habit that hinders this unity. Find one thing that we tend to do that does not demonstrate Godly love (it could be gossiping, holding grudges, looking down on others, etc.) and then make every prayerful effort to give that up during this season of Lent (Of course, you can also give up something more concrete to serve as a reminder). Hopefully, at the end of 40 days, we will find that it is possible to make the behavior that demonstrates love and fosters unity a permanent condition. This will help God’s light shine more brightly through us! Blessings and Prayers,
Pastor Ray
Regular Events Knit Wits – Every Saturday, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Knepper Care Group – Every other Monday at 7:00 p.m. (check calendar) Naval Care Group – Second and Fourth Tuesdays, 9:00 Community Senior Center – Second Thursday, 10:00 Seniors meet at Yoder’s Restaurant – Third Saturday, 11:15 a.m. Burgers-n-Bibles –First Thursday, 11:30 a.m., at Wendy’s Restaurant LUMINA ministry – Second Thursday
church’s behavior. It speaks to our core values and standards: our Code of Conduct, if you will. This passage lists a series of behaviors that are less about individual relationships, and more about the health of the church. We must guard ourselves from spiritual arrogance, from temporal pride, and from separating ourselves from God. As we seek God’s will and ask for his blessing for New Holland, we should consider this passage in this context, and truly hear Paul’s impassioned plea for the church to love one another - to “rejoice with the truth” of the risen Lord. Lent marks the preparation of the believer. As we begin this Lenten season, let us wait on the Lord and prepare ourselves to consider the Passion of Christ… and to find our own passion.
The Call: An LED Team Update
1CO 13 [4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. [8] Love never fails.
-- Kip Wolf Love is patient, love is kind. We know these words from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, Greece, sometime around 54 or 55 AD. We frequently hear this passage spoken in full or in part at weddings, near Valentine’s Day, or during other periods of consideration of our personal relationships. It is true that Paul wrote this letter with relationships in mind; and, it is true that it is a love letter. However, it is generally believed that he wrote this letter in response to disturbing reports that he had received about strife and division that were seriously threatening the church that he had started in Corinth only a few years earlier. He wrote this letter in a desperate attempt to restore balance to the church. The “love passage”, as it is commonly referred (1CO 13:48a), is truly written as a message to inform the
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The Food Bank of Elanco Social Services Network The Elanco Social Services Network (ESSN) is in need during 2013 for volunteers to serve at the Food Bank at the Lutheran Church.
4 Could you help this year? The time for our church could be on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. You would be scheduled about four times for the year. The contact person at ESSN is Evie Blank (354-7280). If you need other information, call Win Hall (354-0062), the ESSN ambassador. – Win Hall
Since people are always curious about “How did we do?” I wanted to give you the final profit numbers from our Holiday Bazaar fundraiser. Book Sales: 110.00 Baked Goods: 404.50 Attic Treasures: 138.25 Gift Baskets: 470.00 Luncheon: 483.50 Crafts: 1,501.75 Total Profit:
Prayer and Praise • Ivan Frybarger, interstitial lung disease • Mary Jane Delgado and family, at her
husband Angel’s death • Don Weidman family, on his death • Betty Heal’s sister Ann’s family, on Ann’s death • Eileen McComas, health issues • Mary Lou Good, neighbor of Dave and Judy Trost, treatment for cancer • Everyone who has been affected by Hurricane Sandy; recovery efforts in New Jersey and New York • Ruth Hopkins family, on her recent death • Reynolds Williams family, on his death • Scott Hable, friend of Cathy Williams, surgery and treatments for cancer • Linda Escabido, friend of Ginny Smith, financial concerns and health issues
~~~~~~~ The Final Results Of Holiday Bazaar 2012 4
$3,108.00
Blessings to all who crafted, cooked, donated and volunteered. We are already planning next year’s event. If you have Attic Treasures, books, gently used Christmas decorations or crafts, please plan to donate them. We can start storing them now! Just let Pat Williams know so we can store them properly. A note in my mailbox, a phone message, or email (pwilliams@dejazzd.com) will all work! -- Pat Williams, Bazaar Chairperson
Fundraisers for 2013 Happy New Year! As we are one month into the new year, there has been much planning taking place. So far this year the following
people have committed to being in charge of one of our fundraisers in 2013: Book Sale in June – Loretta Zimmerman Bake Sale at the New Holland Park in June – Shirley Givler & Heather Bressi Farm Show Inside Dinners – Fred Naval Bazaar – Pat Williams Christmas Tea – Betty Hostetter & Joyce Wilbur You can feel free to contact any of these individuals if you would like to help with the fundraiser. We are currently working on plans for several other fundraisers, such as a chicken barb-b-que dinner, car washes, summer breakfasts, and a few new ideas. Stay tuned for more information. -- Sandi Rapp, Finance Chair
that you planned a whole day of activities, and I hope your evening concert went well. We really appreciate your support of this event and hope you will join us again next year. –Deb Reichard, NHBA Christmas on Main committee
NHMC
Carolers, Thank you for surprising me with a visit to sing carols. It was nice to see familiar faces, but also to see a lot of young people. The nice assortment of cookies was devoured in no time. Thanks to all. Happy New Year. – Ethel Ludwig
``````````````````````````````` SERVER SCHEDULE FOR THIS MONTH Nursery Feb. 3 Loretta Zimmerman & Arentz Menard Feb. 10 Jane Keene & Marvin Mondesir Feb. 17 Liz & Mark Lennon & Florence Petit-ton Feb. 24 Barb Mask & Guy Petit-ton Lay Readers Feb. 3 Hank Wells Feb. 10 Sandi Rapp Feb. 17 Shirley Givler Feb. 24 Marie Boisrond
Cheers to Pastor and Val for donating a Pampered Chef pie cutter/server for the kitchen. – Fred Naval
On
behalf of the New Holland Business Association and the Christmas on Main committee, I would like to thank the New Holland United Methodist Church for participating in Christmas on Main again this year. We are so pleased 5
Free Community Meals 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. February 14, 2013 Third Thursday of every month Ranck’s United Methodist Church at the New Holland
6 United Methodist Church Dinner is served with all ages welcome. -- Dee Kopicz, Outreach Chair at Ranck’s United Methodist Church (610-223-8207)
Valentines for Veterans Birthdays: Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb.
6 6 10 10 11 11 11 13 16 19 20 20 24 25 25 27 27
Taylor Boone Jim Boose Pat Knepper Paula Gauthier Norece Richwine Graham Webster Carolyn Middleton Judy Trost Jordyn Sagner Travis Arment Gary Trostle Kerry Smith Dana Riehl Mark Lennon Beatrice Gauthier Lindsey Riehl Toby Wagner
Anniversaries: Feb. 9 Jeff and Patti Good Please call the church office (354-0226) so we can update our records if your name was missed.
Notice: The Knit-Wits are now meeting at Jane Frybarger’s home on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m.
This year NHUMC will have the opportunity to donate valentines to the Coatesville and Lebanon VA medical hospitals. Members at Trinity Lutheran, St. Stephen UCC, Evangelical United Methodist Church, and the New Holland Woman’s Club have done this for many years, and this year they have invited our church to join them. The valentines will be picked up by Dorothy and Edward Carvell on Tuesday, February 12, and be delivered to the two VA hospitals on February 13. All you have to do is purchase a few extra valentines and write a brief note of thanks for their service to our country. You do not need to sign your name. Address the envelope “to a Veteran” and place the valentines in a box in the narthex. NO POSTAGE is needed! Valentine’s Day is a day to remember what sacrifices the living veterans have made for us to live in a free country. Millions of Americans’ lives were forever altered because they donned a uniform to protect the freedom and rights we take for granted. They are deeply appreciative of our support and our donations of valentines. We
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do make a difference in their lives! For many veterans their battles are far from over, stricken with health problems, so knowing that they are not forgotten makes a difference. – Dorothy Carvell
You Are Invited To a Missions Conference The Missions Commission at EUMC has invited NHUMC to attend their conference on March 16 and 17. This year’s theme is “As the Father hath sent me, so send I you” (John 20:21), with Bruce and Deb Heffner as the speakers. Bruce and Deb have been privileged to serve the Lord for many years in countries like Hungary, Romania, Bahamas, etc., and also live here in PA. Bruce has a passion for the Lord and loves, not only to preach, but to play his trumpet and sing. Sometimes you hear Bruce and his trumpet music on WDAC radio. Bruce and Deb have suggested a project with which you might want to get involved. One of the ministries that they work with makes “pillow case dresses” for little girls, and this
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group is always in need of supplies. So here are the supplies that are needed: •
pillow cases
•
fabric (about 1 yard)
•
ribbon (1-2 inches wide)
•
buttons
•
iron on appliques
•
thread – mostly white
This group distributes these dresses throughout the poor in the Bahama Islands. We just need to collect the supplies. Take your donations to EUMC. Another aspect of the conference will be a panel of some church members who have gone on mission trips. Please put Saturday evening, March 16, and Sunday morning, March 17, on your calendars. We look forward to your prayerful participation! May God touch our hearts through this year’s Missions Conference.