Akron Mennonite Church, Akron, pa vision Retreat III
Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Reinholds, PA
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Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Reinholds, PA I find that writing a report like this is always a humbling experience. It causes me to sit and reflect on the previous year and I am always touched by God’s faithfulness to us. 2007 had been a year of change and moving into some unknown territory with Jesus. It resulted in some remarkable events that led us to our theme for 2008 which was “Sharing the Amazing Love of Jesus”. We had come out of a year of many unique and amazing experiences and we felt a need and a responsibility to share some of these experiences with others. We have had many opportunities to share some of these stories in both private and public ways such as Home Churches, Spiritual Formation groups for men and women, Prayer Team, Senior Adult Dinner & Learning Fellowship, Youth 2 Youth 4 Him and God’s Gift Beyond Addiction. These are all opportunities to share what God has done in our lives in both the church and our community. The Home Churches have been a great way to introduce new attenders to a more casual church setting and experience what true fellowship is all about, some people that have been hurt by churches in the past or have never been inside a church find it easier to attend a Home Church as a first step to becoming a regular church attender. Spiritual Formation groups have allowed us to explore more deeply our own spirituality in a safe and strengthening atmosphere. This has been a place for members to grow and mature in their faith. The Senior Adult Dinner & Learning Fellowship has tripled it’s size since we started in 2006. It is filling a much needed void in the community as a place for the adult seniors of our community to gather monthly and reconnect with old friends while forging new relationships. Emmanuel has only a few senior adult members and we had felt God leading us to start this monthly Dinner & Learning Fellowship as a way of reaching out to the community. Since we didn’t have many senior adults in our congregation, we started viewing the community seniors as “our” seniors. They continually tell us what a blessing Emmanuel is to them, but we feel we are the ones that have been blessed. Just like the D & L Fellowship is a monthly “hang-out” time for senior adults in our community, Y2Y is a monthly “hang-out” time for the teens in our community. They have been averaging an attendance of around 25 this past year and we anticipate the same growth for this event as we have seen with the senior adult monthly event. God’s Gift Beyond Addiction has a group for individuals that are breaking free of addictions and also a group for Friends and Family members of such individuals. This is program that is led by Katartizo Healing and Discipleship Center, a ministry of Emmanuel that focuses on providing healing and wholeness to broken lives by the power of Jesus. Jesus has been leading us and guiding us to some very new and different experiences but all within the safety and peace of His love. We started the year not knowing if we could “pay the bills” to enable us to remain a church and we ended the year with a healthy financial outlook for the future. Praise be to God! It is a relief to not have to be struggling financially when the world around us is. The way God has sustained us and grew us in 2008 allows us to have a peace both individually and corporately that we can share with our community as we move into 2009. Barbara Horst, Pastor First Mennonite Church, Brooklyn, NY Los miembros de La Primera Menonita de Brooklyn damos gracia a Dios por las bendiciones de cada dia. Queremos compartir con usted este informe anual de los eventos en nuestra congregación. En el mes de Abril tuvimos varios servicios durante la semana Santa, en la que la congregación y las visitas formaron parte especial de estos servicios. En el mes de Mayo celebramos el Dia de las Madres, en donde nos gozamos presentando las madres de mayor edad, entre ellas la Hna. Ana Valentin (en el cual partio con el Señor en Noviembre de este mismo año) . Luego en el mes de Junio, le presentamos a los Padres un programa especial. En Julio celebramos el 50ta aniversario de nuestra iglesia, nos gozamos toda una semana de servicios especiales, en donde nos visitaron los Pastores Menonitas de la ciudad de Nueva York, de las Iglesias: United Revival (Pastor Nicolas Angustia), Tabernaculo Evangelistico (Pastor Neftali), y Evangelical Garifuna church (Pastor Jaime Celso). Gracias damos a Dios por todo su apoyo. En Agosto salimos a Camp Deerpark donde compartimos con nuestras familias, y alli nos gozamos con diferentes actividades, fogatas, y tiempo especial buscando la presencia del Señor, y llevando el mensaje a personas que no conocian de la palabra del Señor. En los ultimos meses del año 2008 se nos presento una dificil situacion, en las cuales fuimos abatidos por divisiones. No es del Señor Jesus dividir, sino sumar y multiplicar, y confiando en El logramos continuar trabajando en la obra, manteniendo en todos los servicios orando, alabando y recibiendo la palabra de Dios. Para el mes de Diciembre celebramos unos hermosos servicios con la congregacion remanente, los familiares y las visitas. En el año 2009 seguiremos trabajando en el crecimiento espiritual y numérico de nuestra congregación. Una de las metas es visitar los hogares, en donde llevaremos la palabra del Señor, a los ancianos y familiares que se no conocen del Señor. -Sonni Carrion Friendship Community Church, Bronx, NY ‘Be strong in the Lord Jesus and His mighty power; (you) can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!’ We experience ministry here as a fascinating vocation, a peculiar calling forth, filled with lessons, blessings and burdens drawing deeply on your reserves of enthusiasm, endurance and patient continuance. Ministry is unlike any other profession in that, corporately and individually, it develops a spirited expectation of God’s goodness and glory, of sharing a forward vision that moves us to be willing to see with certainty things desired that are yet to be, trusting, shall indeed be. Even when plain sight says they come not without struggle and sacrifice tempered only by a sincere pursuit to honor the Lord in life and purpose. Consecration to the Lord in prayer, a commitment to His priorities in life, serves to uncover, unfold, and reveal the amazing comfort, empowering and liberation of His grace in us toward an authentic Christian experience and expression. In 2008 we’ve experienced and expressed God’s grace in Jesus Christ through: COMMUNION (celebrating the unity of the faith in the bond of peace) through church meetings & open discussions; fellowship with King of Glory Tabernacle (LMC) and other churches / ministries; area ecumenical pastors prayer meetings; worship times & discipleship group bible study; special & revival services; fellowship meals; pulpit exchange COMMUNITY (transforming a neighborhood into a brotherhood) through MCC & Akron Mennonite Church-sponsored clothing & foodbag distribution to poor and needy families in the neighborhood; partnering with the Bowery Mission and 2 local churches to provide hot dinners for 300 families on Thanksgiving Day; chapel ministry for the depressed, homeless & addicted; area prayer walks & prayer stations; outreach ministry to latch-key kids CONNECTEDNESS (embracing an accountability to ‘do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God’) through hosting neighborhood meetings; attending various municipal leaders meetings; hosting international missionaries & evangelists; participation in AAMA and its Executive Board; participation in MC USA Intercultural Relations Reference Committee; guest writing for The Mennonite May the Lord continue to be pleased and your hearts blessed as we go forward in 2009! Grace & Peace, -Kenneth Thompson, Pastor Forest Hills Mennonite Church, Leola, PA Through the changes of 2008, we have found God to be completely faithful. In April pastor Calvin Yoder resigned after eleven years at Forest Hills. During the nearly nine month interim period, staff Becky Degan and Cheryl Hollinger picked up extra responsibilities, along with Paul and Miriam Burkholder who were asked to oversee congregational care. The interim was a smooth, prayerful and joyful time as we waited expectantly to meet the pastor God would bring to us. In December the congregation voted to invite Chuck Goertz from Homestead, Florida to become our new lead pastor; Chuck accepted our call. We look forward to God’s ongoing work in our midst as Chuck joins us in January 2009. Sunday mornings held a variety of worship experiences including hearing God’s word through a number of visiting speakers. Four young adults, several youth and two men from our congregation who enriched their lives through cross-cultural mission and study experiences this year, broadened our world through their sharing. We were also challenged as we studied MMA’s resource, Thirty Days of Generosity. Throughout the year average Sunday morning attendance was 250 and included an-all age Sunday School program with an average attendance of 204. The midweek life of the church was active with a club for primary-aged children, junior high and senior high youth. Additionally an adult choir, bell choir, women’s Bible study groups and a new men’s group met regularly. Some members also participated in midweek small groups. The MOMS program on Tuesday mornings provided fellowship and learning for mothers and their preschoolers, and the Mennonite Women gathered on Thursday mornings to sew, knot comforters and serve in other practical ways. Other initiatives like a pie baking evening for women, a Christmas meal for seniors, and a valentine banquet prepared by the MYF created memorable times of fellowship. A team of 14 adults traveled to Livingston, Texas to work in an area devastated by hurricanes, and the MYF traveled to Slidell, Louisiana to work in that hurricane affected area. The Leola Food Bank, which is housed in our building, Camp Deerpark, our annual community Halloween Alternative event, Vacation Bible School and a variety of other avenues of service helped to keep the congregation energized. We have a desire to become more outward looking and missional as we relate to our community and beyond. We celebrated the baptisms of six youth and one young adult, welcomed two new babies, and added one adult member this year. A number of newcomers have made Forest Hills their place of worship. It is always a joy to grow as a family, both numerically and spiritually. We anticipate that God will continue to grow us spiritually in the coming year as we open ourselves to his Word and promptings. - Cheryl Hollinger, Reporter Hebron Mennonite Church, Hagerstown, MD God is doing new things at Hebron! “This is a new day in the life of our church. The outgoing council confesses that God is doing a new thing at Hebron. For over thirty years God has faithfully been by our side as we have walked through good times and difficult times. The time has come to find new ways “to practice and proclaim the good news” and to do the work of ministry in the church. It is our joy to see the Lord calling new leadership and empowering new people with new titles, to carry on the witness of Christ in this community with new Spirit-empowered courage and energy.” The above excerpt was used during the Consecration and Transition service on August 10 as Hebron Mennonite congregation celebrated both their new ministry-based structure and the structure that had served them for 30 years. Energy and dreaming and conversation and hard work has born good fruit as the congregation lives and ministers within the new structure. Later in August Hebron voted to invite Marilyn Henderson as their next pastor. She began serving Christ at Hebron on October 26, 2008. On March 14 two garden plots were plowed and tilled on Hebron’s land in anticipation of the new Community Garden. Neighbors and friends have been contacted, some have signed up and planning and decisions continue as we look forward to our first growing season. God is indeed doing new things at Hebron! -Marilyn Henderson, Pastor Holly Grove Mennonite Church, Westover, MD "Whatever we are waiting for -- peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance -- it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart. Gratitude arises in that in-between space where the inner and outer worlds meet and touch and encompass each other. Authentic spirituality, genuine politics, and good economics arise from a spirit of radical gratitude." -Ellen Vaughn As we have lived, served, and worshiped together over this past year we have been inspired by Roy Williams to live and grow as people of Faith who address the issues of our world, and challenged by David Brubaker to celebrate, grow and understand our differences in order to fulfill the plan of God through our diversity. We have learned together through the following events: Last fall we concluded an exploration of what it means to be a part of the people of God here at Holly Grove Mennonite Church. Following the subjects presented in the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, we are coming to understand how our beliefs direct our energies and inform our decisions as members and as a congregation. Following Advent and Christmas we explored our gifts together in the morning sermons and in a workshop on Sunday evenings. On Mother’s day we celebrated family and looked at 10 ways to ruin a child. Throughout the summer we explored what it means to be a Pharisee and what recovery looks like. Baptized and welcomed Michael and Graham King into membership in the church. We have completed our kitchen and fellowship hall upgrade. As we look to the future, the way is uncertain as the future always is. As we have tried to discern the areas toward which we should go we believe that we should: Address our individual inner life through forgiveness Reflect on the ways that God has lead, developed and renewed us to this point Seek to more carefully define our mission statement as individuals and as a congregation Develop more inclusive ways of making decisions Ask and discover how we can go about making more and better disciples through our Christian Education and Nurture ministries We are in the process of remodeling the entrance to our building to be more inviting and welcoming. We are praying for openness to what the Spirit of God is calling us. We are looking for what God is saying to us as individuals so that we may move ahead in obedience. We are praying for patience with each other as we each follow and learn. -Verle A. Brubaker, Pastor Hope Community Church, Fleetwood, PA 2008 was a special year in the life of Hope Community. In many ways, the highlight of the year was in September, when we welcomed Gary and Judy Blosser to our fellowship, with Gary serving as pastor. The work of our Pastoral Search Team revealed that God seemed to be connecting Blossers and Hope since well before we knew each other! We appreciate ACC’s involvement in our search through the many hours of assistance provided by Warren Tyson and Graham Cyster. With sadness, but thankful for Godly service, we said farewell to Ray and Edna Yoder. Ray served as interim pastor for 21 months and was instrumental in helping the congregation focus on healing the past and looking forward. Ray brought new insight on life and ministry as he preached and counseled the congregation. A special highlight as Yoders left was the addition of “River,” a painting on silk by their daughter, artist Juanita Yoder. River is symbolic of our journey at Hope in its 20 years of ministry and service. During the year, the body was involved in numerous service missions, including two MDS trips to Alabama and Louisiana as well as our Youth Group serving in rural West Virginia for a week during the summer. A group of members began leading biweekly worship at a senior housing facility located in Kutztown. We were also glad to have Christine Shenk serving the broader church as she joined the ACC Executive Committee after the Fall Assembly. We have begun 2009 with energy and enthusiasm, engaging in a “Walk Thru the Bible” -- a daily Bible reading challenge that has everyone reading the same chapters each day. If we keep with the schedule, together we will read through the Bible in 2009. Preaching and sharing each Sunday centers around that week’s Scripture readings. We are excited to be experiencing renewal and growth as we serve and seek the Lord. We welcome the ACC and Eastern District to our house of worship and service for the 2009 Spring Assembly -Bill Hartman Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship, NY “Seeking the peace of the city” Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As God has sent me, so I send you.”…he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit!” – John 20:21-22. Throughout 2008, the peace of Jesus has been with our congregation, and as we stay close and allow him to breathe on us, we receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been active in revitalizing our congregation’s deaconate. Sandra Perez joined the deacon group and was commissioned for her ministry with the New York Mennonite Immigration Program, and with Mennonite Central Committee. She joins Jayne Holsinger, Mel Lehman, and Clarke Bell who each has a personal commitment to a service ministry outside the congregation. The deacons symbolize their service in the congregation by assisting with the Lord’s Supper each month. Quarterly, the deacons meet for sharing and support. Two additional members are preparing to join the deaconate in the near future. In September, the Menno House board and residents along with the congregation celebrated the Holy Spirit’s sustaining presence in 50 years of ministry in our brownstone property at 314 E.19th Street, purchased in 1958. An enthusiastic group of two hundred friends and former residents of Menno House gathered for a weekend of thanksgiving, reminiscing, and re-connecting. During this year our Mennonite Voluntary Service unit welcomed three new volunteers who serve the city in ministries of urban justice, outreach to the homeless, and witness at the United Nations. Two Mennonite Central Committee workers serve at the United Nations. Each volunteer shares gifts of the Spirit within our congregation. In our concern to extend Christ’s peace beyond our community, we spent several weeks in October and November studying about Sudan, and the efforts of those who are waging peace there. Our learning and witness included a six-week Sunday-afternoon study, two sermons, and a postcard message which we delivered to our U.S. senator. Since our last report, the Holy Spirit has led six new members to join our fellowship. With the addition of Rachel Glick, Fritz Herrick, Nate Crimmins, Lynn Gruenewald, Rosa Kahurananga, and Mary Ellen Schrock, we now have fifty-four members. Another forty children and adults are regular participants in our community life. A small group using the Anabaptist prayer book, Take our moments and our days, has begun to meet each Monday at Menno House for Evening Prayer. In that very simple half hour of prayer we allow Jesus to breathe the Holy Spirit on us and to send us out with newfound life and strength. -Sylvia Shirk Charles, Pastor Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Atglen, PA “Serving Christ at this location since 1909” During 2008 we continued to put into practice our vision statement: “Showing God’s Love to Others through Jesus.” This was a year of defining and strengthening our church. The Leadership Team (Elders Conrad King, Eric Nafziger, Jeff Stoltzfus, Bill Umble and Pastor Steve Crane) met regularly to oversee the overall ministry of the church. During the year the Leadership Team implemented recommendations of a congregational assessment made in 2007. These included creating an environment where three main attitudes could be realized. Church leaders and members were encouraged to: Speak the truth in appropriate settings and in respectful ways. This includes reinforcing appropriate channels and settings for members to state their viewpoints in an open manner. Assume the best. This includes building trust in leaders who have been called to various ministries in the congregation. Live with decisions that are made in the proper process, even if we don’t like it. Promoting individual ideas are encouraged in appropriate settings and not in the “parking lot.” A number of long term goals were considered. Definition of leadership roles and relationships between leaders. Leadership has stopped “responding to fires” and Elimination of “silos,” meaning areas of ministry that do not have an official or unofficial connection to the overall organization of the church. Teamwork has been emphasized. Some overall priorities have been established within the vision statement of the congregation. Development of Spiritual Passion and Small Groups surfaced as two major emphases. A need for spiritual renewal will be addressed in the year ahead. A congregational survey process was organized to help develop an approach that will be presented to the congregation. In consultation with the Conference, the congregation developed and implemented a discernment process to evaluate the possibility of transitioning our interim pastor to regular pastor. This culminated in a recommendation and affirmation in December of Steve Crane to move from the role of interim to pastor. A new Women’s Ministry Commission was created. This brought together many of the ministries formerly under Mennonite Women and other ministries specifically designed for women. Sue Eby is giving leadership to this commission. Our congregation began meeting in the Atglen area in 1909. A Centennial Committee was formed to coordinate all the events; Melba King is giving leadership to this committee. The main celebration will be Sunday, August 16; everyone is invited to participate in this all day event. A newly written church history book will be available for the celebration. We sought to continue the traditions of the past in a meaningful way for this generation. The long gone “open air singing” was revived under the leadership of Ken Umble. “Music in the Meadow” was held on a warm Sunday in July. Many local music groups performed and led singing to the many folks who sat in the field beside the church. This will be repeated again in 2009. Regular ministries continued. These include regular Sunday worship, a strong Sunday School program, Extreme Worship, A strong youth program, Ladies in Fellowship Together (LIFT), sewing circle, monthly church family nights, prayer groups, retreats, bible studies and small groups. Nine new members were baptized in August and six additional new members were added through profession of faith and previous baptism. We appreciate the support of our Conference Minister, Merv Stoltzfus. His collaboration and guidance have been very helpful in strengthening our congregation. -Steve Crane, Pastor Directory: images images -> Pelan pentaksiran kursus images -> Military callsign list as of dec 2010 images -> For Date: 02/01/2013 Friday Call Number Time Call Reason Action 13-768 0008 motor vehicle stop warning Issued images -> New embedded S images -> Creating Buy-In – Building Relationships images -> Deadline: Saturday, March 12th, 2016 images -> News items from Raising Our Voices images -> Last year four of the best Afrikaans Christian singers joined forces to tour Down Under with the production ‘Manne wat Glo’ images -> World-renowned vocal ensemble sweet honey in the rock images -> Peoples Voice Café History Download 109.78 Kb. Share with your friends:
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