Wishing you a Happy Mothers Day!

Transcription

1 District of Western PA NEWSLETTER JANUARY FEBRUARY 2019 Wishing you a Happy Mothers Day! Tradition, Tradition! New Year celebrations and tradition go hand in hand, which then naturally (for me) lends itself to the grand tradition of song, dance, and musical splendor from Fiddler on the Roof. Then I wonder, how does Jesus feel about this story of Jewish life and culture? I ll let you all ponder this for yourselves. My husband and I met during an evangelism campaign. In preparation for this campaign, I answered the call to be Prayer Secretary not knowing the leader for whom I was praying for would become my beloved Abraham. During the months leading up to this outreach, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to step out of my comfort zone. Normally, being behind the scenes is fine for me. I like being a wallflower! But for this season, I know I was called to be boots on the ground in bringing Jesus to the lost and hurting. In addition to praying and fasting, campaigners had to read a really, really good book on witnessing. Abraham led the three days of evangelism training. I remember thinking, WOW! he is a really (I know this paragraph has a lot of really s, but it s really true) good teacher. Anyway, the campaign was three weeks long and I had only taken off one week from work, the second week of the campaign. But having campaigned during that week, I knew where and what the team would be doing the evenings of the 3rd week going door to door. When going door to door, we go two by two with others walking along, praying and interceding as we canvass the neighborhood. Up until this point, the only interaction I had had with Abraham was during the three days of evangelism training, so naturally he had to see if I knew what to do. We went door to door together for a while before switching partners. (Continued on page 2)

2 Page 2 (Continued from page 1) At the very last house together, a man swung the door open wide and with a big smile said you must be here for Jesus. It turns out he was a local Pastor and knew we were in his neighborhood. By the end of our encouraging doorstep conversation, he turned to Abraham and said, It must be wonderful that you can do this with your wife. We instantly corrected him on this. He just smiled and sent us on our way. Another conversation I had while going door to door during this campaign was with a Holocaust survivor. In response to my question, who do you think Jesus is? This dear, sweet woman drew in her breathe and said, I m Jewish, why are you asking this? The nuns protected me as a child. I write all this not because I have a Pollyanna life. A Pollyanna life?... far from it!! I have Jesus!!! Witnessing to Jews has its challenges and rewards. I write all this because I hope to encourage you in your walk with Jesus. He is with us every step of the way past, present and future. Gratefully in Jesus, Sheila Sandler GCW Corresponding Secretary & Pittsburgh Area GCW Director for such a time as this? Esther 4:14 P.S. the rest of the story: It wasn t until the end of the campaign, following our group celebration dinner (celebrating life decisions for Jesus), that Abraham asked if he could call me in the days ahead. That s when I thought, OH, he s interested. Eight months later, Abraham flew in from New York, filled my Jeep with flowers, drove us to the Pastor s house, got down on one knee and proposed. This memory brings a smile. And having said yes to Jesus and Abraham has been a glorious adventure ever since (13 years and going strong)! GCW DISTRICT POLICY & BY-LAW BOOK You can obtain the updated GCW District Policy & By-Law book on the District website cmawpa.org. Note changes in the TCK policies and in the terms of office for Area and Local officers. IW PRAYER DIRECTORY The updated IW Prayer Directory can be found on the Winter GCC (Great Commission Connection) CD which can be purchased from the District Office. We have added a new CAC family to our Western PA IW family. Praise the Lord!

3 Page 3 ORPHAN PROJECTS One of the projects we are supporting this year is the ORPHAN PROJECT CAMA VIETNAM. Vietnam is a developing country that is quickly catching up with the world s more developed nations. Some people here benefit from this progress; while others are being left behind. A small percentage of those with opportunities and the right connections are quickly attaining wealth, but the gap between rich and poor is growing wider. Many living in the countryside, especially farmers, can only hope to obtain enough means for a day-to-day survival. This situation is even worse for orphans. For the many children who have lost parents for a variety of reasons that include illness, and disease, such as HIV/AIDS, the future is dim. These youth often quit school because they can t afford the fees to continue. Many also suffer from low self-esteem due to the lack of love and encouragement and the stigma of poverty. CAMA Vietnam s Orphan Project will help to alleviate some of the challenges facing these orphans. Our plan is to assist these orphans by providing educational fees, school supplies and monthly rice distributions. Along with material support, CAMA staff will build relationships and allow us to encourage them and give them a sense of dignity and value. Written by Mau Le, CAMA Vietnam Director GCW STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP Each January, the Great Commission Women s scholarship is made available to full-time students, preferably a junior or senior, who are adherents or a member of the Christian & Missionary Alliance of Western PA. They must be intending to serve full-time with the C&MA. Academic performance and financial need will be considered. Students are required to have a 73.8 GPA. Applications can be found on-line at Nyack Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship is reviewed by the Nyack College Scholarship Committee. The scholarship is given each March. Please make eligible students aware of this scholarship.

4 Page 4 STAMP REPORT The Alliance Stamp Ministry at Shell Point Retirement Community recently celebrated raising $1 million dollars from 1972 to People from all over the States have shipped boxes and bags of used stamps to Shell Point where residents sort and trim the stamps to be resold to stamp dealers. This money raised during the past 46 years has helped fund the printing of literature to spread the gospel in Central and South America through Publicaciones Alianza (Alliance Publications). Ladies, keep saving, trimming and sorting those stamps!!!! You can bring them to the Ladies Retreat, Mahaffey Camp and Edinboro Camp. BERLIN LADIES TEA The Berlin Ladies Fall Tea was held November 10 th, with 36 ladies and two babies attending. An elegant setting was topped off with a delicious afternoon menu, served by the teens of the church, making each lady feel like a queen for an afternoon. After the meal, LuAnne Baker presented, The Samaritan Woman at the Well. RETREAT The Annual GCW Retreat will be held at the Butler Community Alliance Church, Friday & Saturday, April 26 th & 27 th. Our keynote speaker will be Wanda Walborn, one of our very own C&MA gals. Please mark these dates on your calendar and plan to attend for a refreshing, spiritual-lifting, fun-loving weekend. You won t want to miss it. You will be receiving more information in the coming months.

5 Page 5 ANSWERED PRAYER We thank God that Mark & Kitiya Murphy are now Appointed International Workers (missionaries) with the C&MA. Starting January 1, they will be under the Great Commission Fund. When giving online or by check simply indicate Mark and Kit Murphy Support, this will be designated for us through the Great Commission Fund (GCF). The GCF enables us and many other Alliance workers to serve God around the world. STRONGER THAN HATE Thank you for your precious expressions of love and concern following the Oct 27th Squirrel Hill synagogue shootings. One way folks can show support of our Pittsburgh Jewish community is by wearing a Stronger than Hate T-shirt. We have them (sizes S - 3XL) for $20 plus $5 shipping - the proceeds will help us bring Jesus to the Jews. Ladies can reach me at or sasandler@yahoo.com. We're holding on to God's promise in Genesis 50:20. But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive. Thank you for praying for the right words at the right time as we share the love of Yeshua (Jesus) with the lost sheep from the House of Israel. Gratefully, Sheila and Abraham Sandler

6 Page 6 Home Assignment List January February 2019 Name Field Home Return David & Evangeline Kindervater Japan 7/2018 6/2019 dvjapan@japancma.org ev.kindervater@gmail.com **Tim & Sarah CAC 7/2018 6/2019 **Shawn & Becky CAC 5/2019 5/2020 Mike & Ruth Portugal 5/2019 5/2020 mikeruth@gmail.com **Contact information can be obtained from LuAnne Baker at James & Sharon Kendall Indonesia 278 Kendall Road jimsharonindo@gmail.com Blairsville, PA (Sharon) (Jim)

7 Page 7 SPEAKERS Along with the IW s on home assignment, several others are listed below to contact: Annie Polka Pittsburgh Inner City Urban Ministry (music ministry) Contact information: annie.polka@uipgh.org or or , Ext. 255 Corie Hartsock Philipsburg Alliance Pastor s Wife and co-owns Two Painting Broads Studio which offers painting parties for all occasions and paint your own pottery. Contact Information: teamhartsock@gmail.com or Kristy Clements Kristy and her husband attend the Cherry Tree Alliance Church. They have gone on several short-term missions trips and now oversee and make all the arrangements for others in their church and area to go on mission trips. Contact information: kristybeth810@gmail.com or Sherry & Steve Egbert Ministered to refugees at ENVISION Atlanta, GA. Contact information: sle824@comcast.com or bedfordcma@comcast.com. Jo Kiel Pastor s wife at Hollidaysburg. Jo introduces Color Me Beautiful. Contact information: jeffjokiel@gmail.com or Dr. Cathy Sigmund Ministers to Pittsburgh refugees. Contact information: cathy.ssigmund@acac.net or Barb Volle San Salvador, El Salvador Contact information: vollebb@gmail.com or Debra Eckenroth Emporium Alliance Church has a ministry in Haiti. She has spoken at many Ladies Conferences in the McKean Area. Her testimony of how God spoke to her about going to Haiti and what she sold to make the trip to minister to the hurricane victims is very moving. Debra can be contacted at or arfinsons@yahoo.com Carolyn Ebel Broadway Alliance Church. Carolyn ministers to refugees through Beyond Borders in Greece. Carolyn can be contacted at cebel@teachbeyond.org or LuAnne Baker Presents Biblical portrayals. LuAnne can be contacted at tangocat1@msn.com or

8 SCHEDULE FOR OUTFIT GIFT FOR NP more Outfit Gift # 4 Outfit Gift #1 due July 31, 2018 Outfit Gift #2 due September 30, 2018 Outfit Gift #3 due November 30, 2018 Outfit Gift #4 due January 31, 2019 Outfit Gift #5 due March 31, 2019 Outfit Gift #6 due May 31, 2019 Reminder: National project monies are accepted throughout the year; however, the final payment should be sent before May 31, 2019, since this is a two year project. January 31, 2019 CHURCH S FULL NAME (No abbreviations please) Outfit Gift # 4