Philippians 4:9 Whatever you have learned or heard from me (Paul), or seen in me, put into practice. And the God of

peace will be with you.

The Advent season and birth of Christ is, of course, a mountain-top experience in our corporate and individual

spiritual development. But like with many exciting, special experiences, it is now time to take the positives

emotions and experiences we have enjoyed and put them to work in the everyday paths and trials we walk.

For most of this month our Sunday focus will be on talking the hope, the peace, the preparation and the joy

we experienced during the Christmas season and applying those lessons and principles to the rest of the year.

The goal in this, obviously, is to aid in our spiritual growth as a church and as individuals.

Starting with some of our Brethren roots, we will reexamine some of the questions we have asked ourselves at

various stages in our spiritual development, hopefully then tracing our answers and beliefs through our

growth and development and then discussing ways to continue taking them to new heights and directions in

the future.

It’s been an exciting season for First Church as we

anticipated, and celebrated the birth of our Lord

and Savior Jesus Christ. May those memories, and

the renewal that came with the season help carry

us into even more exciting times ahead!

Pastor Dave

The First Church of the Brethren

Roaring Spring, PA

January 2019 Newsletter

Living out our faith Being the hands and feet of Jesus, serving with open minds and hearts.

We exist to be a community of welcome and worship where people find peace, purpose, and power through Jesus Christ.

901 Bloomfield St. (814) 224.4113 Roaring Spring, PA 16673 Fax (814) 224.4923 Director of Ministry: Dr. David Crumrine www.rsfirstchurch.org

Highlights of Leadership Mtg.

November 27th, 2018

Hospitality and Communications Team - Valerie Smith - Kaye Russell will schedule Sunday morning greeters. - Chris Smith will temporarily schedule nursery attendants. - Adult S.S. classes will continue to provide second Sunday refreshments and will take turns arranging for persons to bring in the light of Christ. - Sixty people attended the Older Servants dinner. Missions and Service Team - Darlene Wyland

- We are on target to meet our budgeted outreach. $4,250 remains to be sent. The White Gift will go towards outreach as it has in the past. - Darlene has finished her term on Leadership Team. Many thanks Darlene! Christian Education Team - Pat Frazier - Forming an impact team to look at ideas for renewing, revitalizing and growing First Church.

- A meeting is set with youth advisers to talk about structure and relationship with Leadership. - Hoping to begin Parent Support group in January.

- Will be meeting with some R.S. churches to talk about combined Vacation Bible School. Worship Team - Terry Hershberger - Planning Hanging of the Greens service. - Children’s Christmas service is Dec. 16. Finance and Facility Team - Bryce Nooyen

- Discussion on 5 year plan of needed capital improvements and presentation at Dec. 2nd Forum to get congregation’s approval to move ahead with projects and raising funds. - Ed Oakes who has been plowing the parking lot for several years will now only be plowing Sunday mornings if needed. Many thanks to Ed for his service to First Church. - F&F team will contract a new person to plow during the week. - A comprehensive state mandated inspection of the elevator is scheduled. This is required every 5 years at a cost of $2000+ - Discussion on whether to remove the “First Time Visitor…” signs since those spots are not being left open as intended. Will leave up for now. Deacons' Report -Betsy and Mark Garach

- Persons accepting the Deacon call are: Krista Snyder, Linda Steele, Don Bookhammer, Doug and Brenda Garber, and Dan and Sharon Hammel.

- Dan and Jane Brumbaugh will begin as Deacon chairs in January. Krista Snyder and Pattie Conlon will serve as co-vice chairs. Sandy Norris secretary and Bethann Frederick treasurer. - Betsy and Mark thanked all for the support during their 2 years as chairs. Thank you Mark and Betsy! Pastor Dave - Finished Tues. a.m. Bible study. Will begin new one in 2019. Possibly have at a different time. - Continues “preacher school” classes. - Attending a ministry formation group in Huntingdon. - Working with Terry on Christmas season services. Next Meeting - January 29th at 6:30

Pew Communion

January 6, 2019

Serving this month Greeters Deacon Greeters Candlelighter Audio Technician Fellowship Time

Front: Jerry &

Shari Ritchey

Rear:

Elaine Frazier

Alpha Class Travis Wagner Genesis Class

6 13 20 27

Organist Cathy Petre Barb Wineland Cathy Petre Barb Wineland

Pianist Brenda Fluke-

Garber Cathy Neal Cathy Neal Marcia Fleck

Storyteller Bethann Frederick Pastor Dave

Nursery Attendant

Welcome Center

Jane Brumbaugh Carol Emerick Jeannie Stiffler Arlene Beers

Parking Lot Greeters

Paul Witkovsky Don Bookhammer

Dan Hammel Dave Imes

Earl Bryson Matt May

Dave Imes

Flowers Memory of Walter

Woodland

Bulletins Memory of Walter

Woodland Alpha Class

Endowment Fund The flexibility of how our fund works. Our Endowment Fund at First Church is managed in Minneapolis, Minnesota by InFaith Community Foundation. There are a few obvious reasons that we use them. They’ve been highly scored by national rating organizations year after year, they have extremely high satisfaction rates with their fund holders, and, as a Christian organization, our values align. But beneath the surface, InFaith has always worked to innovate and be flexible on behalf of givers. So, though we’re a lean nonprofit, we have a full complement of financial options at our fingertips. From working effortlessly with gifts of stock and bonds, to will and estate questions, to year-end tax documents, to working with your own financial planners, that are set to help each of our donors – and our Endowment Fund – succeed. The result is that we have a powerful and effective permanent charitable fund to benefit our work and mission. And it’s one that, a hundred or two hundred years from now, future generations will be thankful for our foresight. For more details on the Endowment Fund and how to work with it or specify it in our will or estate plan, contact Mike Bianconi or the church office.

Subscriptions are $7.25 for a first time subscriber, $14.50 for one year and $27 for two years. Contact Jan in the office if interested

The 2019 Flower and Bulletin chart is posted on the wall beside the church mailboxes. Per week costs are $20 for bulletins and $35 for flowers. Please consider sponsoring a week in honor of a birthday or anniversary or in memory of a loved one 2019 Offering Envelopes have been placed in your church mailbox. If you did not receive a set, contact Jan in the office. Changes of address or email addresses need to be received in the office by January 15th to be included in the 2019 Church Directory. Bulletin and Newsletter Announcements may be emailed to churchoffice@rsfirstchurch.org. They may be edited as space allows. Bulletin announcements should be concise, leave the big explanation for the Newsletter.

‘Be the Light of Christ - Know the Scripture’

The ever-popular Tuesday morning Bible Study will begin again on Tuesday, January 8th at 9:30 am in the Alpha

Classroom. If your calendar is open and travel is safe, please join this study. Different topics surrounding scripture

continue to be the sources for discussion and the variety of interpretations and sharing are always welcomed! Please

speak with Kaye Russell or Pastor Dave Crumrine about any questions you might have.

Edge of Lost by Kristina McMorris On a cold night in October 1937, searchlights cut through the darkness around Alcatraz. A prison guard’s only daughter—one of the youngest civilians who lives on the island—has gone missing. Tending the warden’s greenhouse, convicted bank robber Tommy Capello waits anxiously. Only

he knows the truth about the little girl’s whereabouts, and that both of their lives depend on the search’s outcome. Almost two decades earlier and thousands of miles away, a young boy named Shanley Keagan ekes out a living as an aspiring vaudevillian in Dublin pubs. Talented and shrewd, Shan dreams of shedding his dingy existence and finding his real father in America. The chance finally comes to cross the Atlantic, but when tragedy strikes, Shan must summon all his ingenuity to forge a new life in a volatile and foreign world. Skilfully weaving these two stories, Kristina McMorris delivers a compelling novel that moves from Ireland to New York to San Francisco Bay. As her finely crafted characters discover the true nature of loyalty, sacrifice, and betrayal, they are forced to confront the lies we tell—and believe—in order to survive.

January 19th

8 am

New Frontier

Church of the Brethren Workcamps - registration opens January 17, 2019. Souper Bowl of Caring will be Sunday, February 3. If you like to write and want to help plan the service, please contact Brenda Fluke-Garber at 793-4637. Volleyball practices will start in February. The Tournament is Saturday, March 16, 2019 Middle District Soup Kitchen trip to Washington D. C. - March 27 to 30, 2019

Junior Youth Gathering January 20th – music, bible study/bible game – look up scriptures in teams.

The kids will plan the next activity for the third Sunday in February.

The Church of the Brethren Workcamp Office is excited to release the 2019 workcamp dates and locations! A total of 18 different workcamps will be offered for junior high, senior high, young adult, and we are able participants. To view the full schedule, which includes the dates, location, cost, and description of each workcamp, visit www.brethren.org/workcamps/schedule. Registration will open on January 17, 2019 at 7:00pm (central time).

1/1 Keith Hall Carol Emerick 1/4 Elizabeth J. Detwiler Ryan Butler Randy Keith 1/5 Russell Johnson 1/8 Margaret Sell 1/9 Eliana Eicher 1/11 Michael Pollard 1/12 Dan Emerick 1/13 Troy Crumrine 1/14 Caulen Metzler Lori Longenecker Zane Croft Zeth Croft

1/15 Holly Metzler 1/16 Gary Thompson 1/17 Curt Piper Nadia Padilla 1/18 Abigail Garber Alec Madden 1/20 Ken Claar KiLee Frye Carli RInker Harley Foor 1/25 Linda Piper Brendan Ritchey Kinley Eger 1/26 Lowell Witkovsky Tristan Mock

1/27 Gina Giordano 1/28 Devin Dively Sue Ann Feather Jeffrey Steward Penny Igou 1/29 Melanie Hoffman Danielle Wagner Barbara Smith 1/30 Becky Bryson Lisa Burns 1/31 Gary Fluke Mitch Frederick Eugene McKinney Sandy Norris Carol Imler

1/1 Mark & Betsy Garach

1/15 Travis & Angie Russell

1/18 Greg & Mary Anne Smith

1/26 Dennis & Ruby Albright

1/27 Mark & Linda Steele

1/29 Dallas & Robin Rhodes

Nursery Attendant Welcome Center

1st Sunday Jane Brumbaugh

2nd Sunday Carol Emerick

3rd Sunday Jeannie Stiffler

4th Sunday Arlene Beers

5th Sunday Nancy Forshey

* Second Sunday Sermon Chat is now incorporated with fellowship time. Please continue to provide whatever your group feels they would like to share. Please make three small trays available for the Children’s Sunday School Classes and deliver them to the Nursery Class, Pre-K -2nd Class and 3rd-5th Class During Talk Time please don’t be in the kitchen cleaning up and chatting. Please participate in the talk back. ** Please have someone from your group volunteer during your designated month. Please be in the Narthex during greeting so the Ushers know you’re ready.

Fellowship Time* Audio Technician Candlelighter**

January Genesis Class Travis Wagner Alpha Class

February Jr High Youth Mike Bianconi Sr High Youth

March Generation Hope Travis Wagner Genesis Class

April Deacons – Palm Sunday Mike Bianconi Jr High Youth

May Alpha Class John Coates Men’s Fellowship

June Generation Hope Travis Wagner

July Not Held John Coates

August Not Held Mike Bianconi

September Not Held Travis Russell Generation Hope

October Genesis Class Travis Russell Deacons

November Sr High Youth Travis Russell Jr High Youth

December Alpha Class Travis Russell Sr High Youth

January 2019

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 OFFICE CLOSED

2 9 am Ladies Aid 1 pm Prayer Shawl Ministry 6 pm Venture Club 6:30 pm Choir

3 9 am Bulletin Deadline 9 am Breakfast Fellowship at Spring House Grille 6:30 pm Knitting Group

4

5

6 9:25 am Worship with

Communion

10:45 am Sunday School 11:30 am – 6 pm Fellowship Hall Reserved

7

8 9:30 am Bible Study 7 pm Good Grief

9 9 am Ladies Aid 9:30 am RS Ministerium 1 pm Prayer Shawl Ministry 6 pm Venture Club 6 pm Sr Youth 6:30 pm Choir

10 9 am Bulletin Deadline 9 am Breakfast Fellowship at Spring House Grille 6:30 pm Knitting Group

11 CBD Youth Retreat

12 CBD Youth Retreat

13 Food Bank Collection CBD Youth Retreat

9:25 am Worship

10:30 am Fellowship

Time

10:45 am Sunday School

14 7 pm Disaster Response Meeting

15 9:30 am Bible Study

Newsletter Submissions Due 6 pm Relay for Life

16 9 am Ladies Aid 1 pm Prayer Shawl Ministry 6 pm Venture Club 6 pm Sr Youth 6:30 pm Choir

17 9 am Bulletin Deadline 9 am Breakfast Fellowship at Spring House Grille 6:30 pm Knitting Group

18

19 8 am Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

8 am Sisters of Faith

20 9:25 am Worship

10:45 am Sunday School 11:45 am Deacon Meeting 6:30 pm Jr Youth Gathering

21 10 am Book Group

OFFICE CLOSED

22 9:30 am Bible Study

23 9 am Ladies Aid 1 pm Prayer Shawl Ministry 6 pm Venture Club 6 pm Sr Youth 6:30 pm Choir

24 9 am Bulletin Deadline 9 am Breakfast Fellowship at Spring House Grille 6:30 pm Knitting Group

25

26 Fellowship Hall Reserved

27 9:25 am Worship

10:45 am Sunday School 12 pm Fellowship Hall Reserved

28

29 9:30 am Bible Study 6:30 pm Leadership Team

30 9 am Ladies Aid 1 pm Prayer Shawl Ministry 6 pm Venture Club 6 pm Sr Youth 6:30 pm Choir

31 9 am Bulletin Deadline 9 am Breakfast Fellowship at Spring House Grille 6:30 pm Knitting Group

The steadfast love of the

LORD never ceases, his

mercies never come to an

end; they are new every

morning; great is your

faithfulness”

Lamentations 3:22-23

Winter warmth

O God, you give the winter’s cold, as well as summer’s joyous rays. You warmly in your love enfold, and keep us through life’s wintry days. —Samuel Longfellow

FIRST CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN 814.224.4113 Fax: 814.224.4923 Email: churchoffice@rsfirstchurch.org

www.rsfirstchurch.org Interim Pastor Dale Dowdy dalewdowdy@gmail.com

Roaring Spring

First Church of the Brethren If you wish to be removed from mailing list or correct your address, please contact us through an above means.

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