JULY Your Brother in the Journey, Pastor Erv

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1 THE BEACON FIRST CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN 455 TRUMBAUERSVILLE ROAD * QUAKERTOWN, PA PHONE: * QUAKERTOWNCOB@VERIZON.NET JULY 2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE Tampa Bay, Florida JULY From the Pastor s Desk In our continuing exploration of Jesus Teachings from the Mount we have explored the biblical concept of the word, covenant. Covenant is an agreement between God and two or more people that they will work for and with each other for their mutual growth. God is to guide them in this building of relationships with one another. The church is to be a covenant between God and each person that attends there, that they will try to help each other to grow in their relationship to one another through the presence of Jesus Christ. A part of this covenant is also that we will help others to become part of this covenant. Marriage is a covenant, where two people promise to live together for the interests, care, and good of the other, as the Spirit and Truth of God guides them. The covenant gives us positive values by which we can deepen our relationship with God and other people. God is the one who calls us to deepen our human relationships and become the people God desires us to be. Let us commit ourselves to live anew for Christ in this covenant to which we all have been called. Your Brother in the Journey, Pastor Erv Ephesians 3:16-19 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

2 SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES: PRE-NURSERY (Children aged 3 and under): as needed from 9:00 am through the end of the Worship Service Age 4 through 6 th Grade: Sunday School during the Worship Service JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH (7 th through 12 th Grade): 9:00 to 9:50 am ADULTS (in the Church Library): 9:00 to 9:50 am Study on Timothy and Titus SR ADULTS (in the Chapel): 9:00 to 9:50 am PETER: Learning to Be Like Jesus by Robbie Castleman BIBLE STUDIES: ADULT BIBLE STUDY Wednesday mornings at 11:00 am; Meeting the Spirit ADULT BIBLE STUDY Wednesday evening at 6:45 pm; A New Bible Study on the Book of John WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY Saturdays at 9:30 am; Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophesy by Beth Moore. MEN S BIBLE STUDY - 3 rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm; The Commands of Jesus Philippians 1:9-11 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you determine what is best having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. PASTOR ERV S HOURS Wed: 10:00am to 8:00pm Thu: 10:00am to 6:00pm Sun: 9:00am to noon Or you can call his cell phone to schedule another time: SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE During the summer months, Sunday School for children ages 4 through 12 will be held during the worship service. The Adult and Jr/Sr High Sunday School will continue to be held at 9 am. Page 2

3 NEWS FROM HEAVEN S BOUNTY For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Matthew 25:35 Heaven s Bounty continues to be a busy place now that the weather has changed and spring has sprung. In May, the pantry served 111 families. This included 119 children, 169 adults and 34 seniors. June will end the fiscal year and we should have totals in July or August for the preceding twelve months. Please remember that extra produce from your home garden is more than welcomed at the pantry. As always, Heaven s Bounty is run in accordance with all government regulations, as well as sensitivity to our clients. NEWSLETTER DEADLINES: A great big thank you to everyone who contributed to the Beacon this month. The deadline for submitting articles for the August Beacon is JUL 15 and for the September Beacon it is AUG 19; but please feel free to put them in early, it really helps. SENIOR MOMENT In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved. FD Roosevelt LOAVES AND FISHES Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. ~ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 The hot days of July require a cool salad! The following salad is great because it can be customized to whatever fresh fruits and vegetables you have in your fridge. It yields 6 servings. Sensational Summer Salad 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (6 ounce) 1 cup Italian style salad dressing 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped 1 avocado, diced 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled 1 ½ cups diced fresh strawberries 1 cup dried cranberries ¾ cup balsamic vinaigrette, or to taste 1. Place the chicken breasts and Italian dressing into a re-sealable plastic bag. Mix together to coat the chicken with the dressing, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour. 2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil the grate. 3. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Grill the chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center, or to an internal temp of 165 degrees F. Set aside to cool while preparing the salad, then dice. 4. Toss the diced apple with the lemon juice in a large mixing bowl until well coated; drain and discard any excess lemon juice. Place the lettuce into the mixing bowl, then sprinkle with the diced chicken, avocado, feta cheese, strawberries, and cranberries. Gently toss the salad with the balsamic vinaigrette, and serve immediately. Page 3

4 INSPIRATION CORNER Have you ever been in a house of mirrors in an amusement park? You know -- the one where you enter and everything is a maze of mirrors. No matter which angle you choose to look at yourself, the image is distorted. Sometimes we appear much taller and thinner. Sometimes we appear shorter and wider. As one lacking a sense of direction (I can get lost in a parking lot!) I have never been in one. I am afraid of entering and not exiting until 30 years later (finally making my way out.) All that time; going around in circles; lost in a maze; going in young and exiting much older. There are lessons we can learn from a house of mirrors. One is that our view of ourselves is often distorted. Sometimes we focus on our shortcomings (what we think is wrong with us) and forget about the unique giftedness God has given each of us. Other times we put a great deal of importance on our achievements and accomplishments -- crediting ourselves for them rather than acknowledging that without God we would not be who we are. Sometimes we are our own worst critic; sometimes we elevate ourselves a bit higher than we should. When we focus on our short comings it is as if we re criticizing God by saying, I don t like what you created (since He created each of us.) What we should do instead is focus on what He wants us to be. He is much more interested in who we are on the inside than the outside. He cares more about our hearts, minds and souls; things not seen in a mirror. He created us all to be unique individuals. No two of us are the same. Each of us has abilities, skills, talents, and gifts that are uniquely ours. Uniquely ours to use for Him. He can use us even with our imperfections to make a difference in the world. A difference that only we can make. That is the part we need to focus on. Another lesson we can learn from a house of mirrors is that sometimes life can seem like a big maze. It can seem like we are going around in circles and not getting anywhere. Sometimes the future can seem uncertain and we are not sure which path to take. Sometimes we can seem trapped by experiences and situations we find ourselves in. Sometimes things can seem futile. It is important to remember that as we go through the maze of life our God is with us -- walking before us and helping us navigate the twists and turns until we reach the other side. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, He becomes our Best Friend. Our Compass. Our Navigator -- the One who guides, keeps, and protects us. The one who calms our fears and anxieties as we travel through the maze of life. Keep these two thoughts in mind -- while we tend to be preoccupied with outward appearances, God care about who we are inside. We are each uniquely created to do great things for Him (even if they may be small things.) Our focus needs to be on trying to mirror Christ to others so that they, too, will desire a relationship with Him. Also, we need not be afraid of the future. Of the twists and turns we cannot see. God has us covered 24/7. He sees and knows all and will help us safely navigate the course of our lives. Talk with Him in prayer. Read His instruction manual (the Bible.) Better yet, don t just read it but put into action. Let it change your life. Get to know the One who created you and just how much He loves and cares for you. He s amaz(e)ing! Ephesians 2:10 For we are all God s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in abundance for us to do. Page 4

5 DISTRICT WOMEN S CAMP August Camp Swatara July 19: SEE YOU AT THE OUTDOOR WORSHIP SERVICE!! Speaker: Jennifer Kreighbaum Seeds, Stones and Mountains On June 13 we had our annual community Yard Sale and Alex s Lemonade Stand Fundraiser. We raised $ for the Alex s Lemonade Stand Foundation. We also raised $220 for the church was donated to the Love Offering for Ashley and Meredith s work camp trip in July. $ (weather permitting) The Congregational Profile has been completed and will be launched on the CoB national database this month. Launching the profile posts the job opening nationally and we could hear from candidates as early as July, but we do not expect much activity until after the Annual Conference. But that does not mean that the Pastoral Search Team can rest! Oh no! There is still a lot of work ahead of us. Three more jobs need to be completed before we start to interview candidates: 1. Develop the qualifications we will require for potential candidates (e.g., education, licensing, experience) 2. Create a proposed job description for a parttime pastor (remember, the details of the finalized job description will be part of the negotiations during the hiring process) 3. Develop the list of questions we will ask all candidates and create a tabulation sheet to help us compare and evaluate the candidates responses Please continue to pray for the Pastoral Search Team, and remember to keep the new pastor in your prayers as we move forward. Page 5

6 ANNUAL CONFERENCE Tampa Bay, Florida JULY Abide In My Love and Bear Fruit (John 15:9-17) Jesus is setting forth what characterizes community among those who follow him in this part of John s Farewell Discourse (John 15:9-17). The metaphor of the vine earlier in John 15 is the means by which Jesus reveals what life in the community implies for those who live out of the love Jesus had for them. Love is the relationship that unites the disciples to Jesus as branches are united to a vine. Abiding in Jesus (the branch growing out of the vine) is integrally related to bearing fruit (the branch bearing fruit is not cut from the vine). At the heart of abiding in Jesus and bearing fruit is love. Abiding in Jesus love is basic to our faith. It is not simply a reference to an emotional response. Love is something we do, because Jesus loved us first. Jesus models a love that transcends all the other loves, because it is ready to give of itself totally, without the hope or expectation of receiving anything in return. It is ready to give even at the risk of its own life, its own welfare. Bearing fruit is the response that Jesus requires of those he has chosen as his friends and expressions of this abiding, enduring, unwavering love for others. Those bearing this fruit become part of an even greater relationship that unites us to God through Jesus and to one another. Christ's love received and shared is transformational and what makes life not just bearable but joyful. Our response to Christ s love and continued action loving others leads to the joy that Jesus speaks of in verse 11, the joy that he knows because of his obedience to God, and the perfect unity they share. Jesus urges his followers to choose obedience and to experience his abiding love so that they may also experience this kind of total joy. Imagine a community where love would be the motive out of which all decisions were made. This is my hope for us as a church, that we will bear fruit by building community based in response to the abiding presence of Jesus and in mutual acts of love. There is much that continues to distract us from bearing fruit. It is inescapable that the creative people of God will see the complexities of life in different ways. To that end, the command of Jesus is clear: abide in my love and bear fruit. Love one another no matter the cost. Experience the joy of tough loving. David Steele, moderator 2015 Annual Conference ANNUAL CONFERENCE Daily Themes SATURDAY Abide in My Love For Us 1 John 4:7-21 (NRSV) SUNDAY Embody A New Community Among Us Romans 12:3-13 (NRSV) MONDAY Create a Clean Heart Within Us 1 John 1:5-10 TUESDAY Bear Fruit Through Us 1 John 3:16-18 WEDNESDAY Complete Joy Beyond Us John 15:9-17 Page 6

7 BIRTHDAYS 3 Rebecca Waddell 8 Holly Kelly 8 Lisa Sassaman 8 Skye Swavely 12 Robert Rivera 15 Jason Haring 15 Luis Junto 15 Kris Hoot 19 John Holsinger 23 Casey Kelly 23 Alyssa Narainswamy 25 Audrey Adams 26 Jazmin Montanez 29 Harry Bean 30 Dale Stutzman 31 Jose Montanez ANNIVERSARIES Bruce & Judy Moyer 1 (2002) Paul & Anna Jacoby 10 (1948) Wendell & Audrey Waddell 11 (1990) Seth & Kari Sassaman 11 (2009) Stuart & Suzanne Zomberg 25 (1987) Scott & JoAnn Beard 28 (1990) Harry & Betsy Bean 30 (2011) Marriage halves one s rights and doubles one s duties LM Alcott JULY CALENDAR SUNDAYS WEDNESDAYS 9:00 am Sunday School 11:00 am: Adult Bible Study 10:00 am Worship Service 7:00 pm: Adult Bible Study FOOD PANTRY OPEN TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS: 9:30 am to 2:00 pm WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY: 9:30 am on Saturdays 7/5 Sun 9:45 am Coffee Fellowship, Worship at 10:15 am 1:30 pm Quakertown Center Service 2:15 pm Belle Haven Service July (Sat-Wed) 228th Annual Conference 7/12 Sun 4:00 pm Youth Group 7/16 Thur 7:00 pm Sunshine Stitchers 7:00 pm Men s Bible Study 7/18 Sat 9:00 am Men s Breakfast 7/19 Sun 10:00 am OUTDOOR WORSHIP 2:30 pm Phoebe Richland Home Service LOOKING AHEAD: August District Women s Camp at Camp Swatara September 8: Rally Day and Outdoor Worship Sept 16: Wednesday Night Happenings Kick-off Picnic (tentative) Sept 23: Wednesday Night Happenings Start (tentative) Sept 25 & 26: Disaster Relief Auction Sept 27: Harvest Home Celebration., Covered Dish Meal SERVICE SCHEDULES FOR JULY: NURSERY July 05 Wendy & Ashley July 12 Hope & Kale July 19 Audrey & Kevin July 26 Karen & Jen NARTHEX DEACON: Keith SOUND ROOM: Jim and Taleah GREETERS: (middle) Denny and Judy (ramp) Kale Page 7

8 FIRST CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN 455 Trumbauersville Road Quakertown, Pa Phone: Web Site: address: Non-Profit Org. Permit #11 Quakertown, Pennsylvania US Postage Paid SUNDAY SCHOOL 9 am SUNDAY WORSHIP 10 am ADULT BIBLE STUDIES Wednesdays 11:00 am and 6:45 pm WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY Saturdays at 9:30 am YOUTH GROUP 2 nd Sunday at 4:00 pm MEN S BIBLE STUDY 3 rd Saturday at 9:00 am HEAVEN S BOUNTY FOOD PANTRY Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 am to 2:00 pm INSIDE: Annual Conference Camp Swatara News Pastoral Search Update I WAIT FOR THE LORD AND IN HIS WORD I HOPE.