WAKEMANS GROVE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN News From the Grove Keith W. Simmons, Pastor Mark Bowyer, Associate Pastor February 2014

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1 WAKEMANS GROVE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN News From the Grove Keith W. Simmons, Pastor Mark Bowyer, Associate Pastor February 2014 Web Address: Wakemans Grove Road, Edinburg, Virginia And the LORD answered me: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. ~ Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV) FROM OUR SENIOR PASTOR: At our fall Congregational Business Meeting, we agreed to and passed a new Vision Statement for our congregation. Our Vision is now: We are called to be part of a family of believers who, through our personal lives, are an example of Jesus love locally and globally. Our church, our Board and its Commissions and all other groups within the congregation have been asked to try to plan and work within the scope of our Vision. Your Pastors too, have visions for ministry of our congregation. While I was not part of the official process in forming I d like to share my take on our new Vision Statement. Being called means that each one of us and we as a congregation has a divine mission on our corporate and individual lives. I see us, as Christians, having the honor of being called God s servants. The call is to serving God by serving others. We do this pretty well, but I d like to see more of this within the congregation by including more people in serving. Heeding the call to God s service must be emphasized and encouraged! Being part of a family means that we have a closeness to one another. Ideally, a family that is truly close will have love abounding. When there is conflict, a family should work at reconciliation. I would like for us to fulfill the scripture, speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) and so love in word and deed, even as Jesus did. The unity of a family means that love covers a multitude of sins. (I Peter 4:8) Love in Jesus way is more powerful than the sins of our sisters and brothers against us! In addition, this part of our Vision Statement recognizes that we are part of a larger family the Shenandoah District, the Church of the Brethren and the Church of Jesus Christ over the whole world! Being believers means that we are a people of faith. We re not a business, not a dictatorship, not a service or social club or a selfgratification group. Each one of us must decide to believe in Christ. But, our faith is not about the I satisfaction but looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Heb. 12:2a, KVJ) Indeed, we are a set-apart (holy) collection of ones who look beyond self to the God of the universe and His Son. Not only are we a group, but we are called to live as believers in Jesus who through our personal lives are an example of [his] love. This sounds to me like a real challenge! But, with the Holy Spirit guiding and strengthening us, it s a doable one! I think that Jesus kind of love is one that seeks peace and justice for the people around us. It seeks also to be truthful and gentle. It is sharing what is true, but with kindness, humility and gentleness (re: Eph. 4:15) It is also doing great things for Jesus with his love as our motivation! (John 14:21) If we are to be examples of his love means sharing Christ s love, in our actions, as well as our attitudes and words. (Continued on page 7)

2 Happy Birthday!!!!!! February 3 Sherry Arey 4 Richard Miller 5 Terry Foltz 5 Linda Miller 6 Chessa Arey 7 Jack Dodson 7 Tim Schweigert 8 Leigha Dirting 8 Brett Wightman 8 Summer Baker 9 Rosa Funkhouser 9 Dawn Baker 9 D.J. Dodson 9 Brianna Lancaster 9 George Daugharty Jr. 10 Celeste Crowder 11 Hannah McCubbin 11 Cheryl Gisewhite 12 Evan Bowers 14 Michael Marston, Jr. 14 Whitney Markley 15 Philip Baker 16 Cameron Copp 16 Eddie Wood 16 Colbey Ryman 16 Linda George 17 Brian Lear 17 Emily Mansfield 17 Aaron Baker 20 Claudia Abbott 21 Jack Townshend 21 Wade Feller 22 Greg Baker 23 Eric Estep 24 Fleta Wood 24 Kristy Kohne 24 Jared Wilkins 25 Larry Barrick 25 Justin Wightman 25 Galen Earl Wakeman 25 Lizzi Zirkle 27 Jennifer Dodson 27 William Webert 28 Clara Kohne 28 Dwayne Ryman 28 Weldon Funkhouser 29 Mike Trott HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: February 14 Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Funkhouser 17 Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Burner 18 Mr. & Mrs. Howard Miller 21 Mr. & Mrs. Todd Crowder 22 Mr. & Mrs. Mike Tusing Worship Commission The Worship Commission has placed a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board for those who would like to place flowers on the altar in memory or honor of a special loved one for a particular Sunday. If you are interested, please sign up. Commission Members, Mike Dirting, Chairman Gamaliel Cook Valerie Renner Sandy Ross Welcome to our Church (Winter schedule through May 26) Sunday School 10:00 am Worship 11:00 am Updates Please contact Gloria in the church office if your birthday or anniversary was missed. We want to keep our lists up-to-date for each month. Thank you for your help. Page 2

3 THANK YOU Often we hear the term church family but in the past two weeks, we have truly experienced the family of God. Our family would like to thank each and every one of you for all of the expressions of your love both large and small. From all the tempting food to the visits to helping Kara get home for some time with our family, you have been wonderful! There is no way that we could thank each of you for all that you have done! You truly have been the arms, feet and heart of Jesus to us through this difficult time. We love each and every one of you! Blessings to You! The Susan Zirkle Family Family Life Committee and Church Family: Thank you so much for the balloon and carnation you gave me for my 87th birthday. Also thanks to all who sent me cards and calls. God bless, Ray Wakeman To my Wakemans Grove Family, Thank you for your visits, prayers, and cards of encouragement following my recent surgery. Thanks also to Pastor Keith and Pastor Mark for their calls and visits. It is such a blessing to be part of this loving community here at the Grove. To our Church Family, Thank you for the many acts of kindness shown to us during my mother s and sister s illness and death. We would especially like to thank the Church Family for the meal after the service. Also we would like to thank everyone for the phone calls, visits, and cards of sympathy. Ronnie and Pat Markley Richard and Jane Hottle and Family Wakemans Grove Church of the Brethren: Thank you for your generous gift for our building fund. You have been a true blessing to us in so many ways. Sugar Grove Church of the Brethren Wakemans Grove Church: Thank you so much for the support, prayers, and scholarship as I start my first semester at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. The journey is long, and we are blessed to have you by our side through it. We are proud to worship with you. Gratefully, Gabe and Pam Dodd Thanks again, Libby Rocco page 3

4 CBYF REPORT Happy New Year! What an awesome Christmas Season we have celebrated! We are ready for what 2014 will bring us. In December we celebrated Jesus birth at the Dodd s with good fun, fellowship, and food. We also had a registration Lock-in for NYC on January 3 rd with 8 youth and 3 advisers who will be traveling to Colorado this summer for National Youth Conference. We went Snow Tubing on January 25 th at Bryce resort and had a great time just playing together and enjoying a fun afternoon in the snow. We have continued our Bible Study at 5:30 on Wednesday evening s learning about Women of the Bible. Starting February 5 th - March 26 th we will move our Bible Studies to 4:30 with the KFC schedule. February 2 nd we will raise money for the Souper Bowl of Caring all proceeds raised will go towards stopping hunger on a local level. At the end of February the 21 st -23 rd we will go to Brethren Woods for a district retreat with youth from all over the Shenandoah District. Blessings from the CBYF - Pamela Dodd and Lee Ann Zirkle Advisors JUNIOR HIGH REPORT The Jr. Highs have completed their shoe drive for Soles4Souls. Thank you to everyone for your overwhelming support!! When the Jr. Highs started this project, they had a dream of filling a box truck with shoes. With the Lord s help, we have collected 1,056 pairs of shoes to be distributed in needy countries. On February 22, we will go to Massanutten Water Park. We will leave the church at 12:00. Please eat lunch before you come. We will enjoy the water park, eat supper out somewhere and be back at the church between 8:30 and 9:00. Families are welcome to come along. The cost of the Jr. High admission will be paid and additional family members will only cost $25/person. The Jr. Highs will be sponsoring the Ham Pot Pie Supper again this year on March 8! The kids will be calling members of the congregation to solicit donations. The Jr. Highs will be spending the night at the church on Friday, March 7 to get ready for the supper. On Saturday, April 19, the Jr. Highs will be hosting the Easter Egg Hunt at the church for ages 0 through 5 th grade. This will start at 10:00!! More information will be coming!! Thank you for your continued support of the Jr. High Group! We certainly appreciate it!! Adam & Kristi Zirkle and Terry & Crystal Wakeman, Advisors page 4

5 LULA WAKEMAN HARDY SCHOLARSHIP The Lula Wakeman Hardy Schoarship was established at Wakemans Grove Church to provide tuition assistance to those individuals desiring to continue their education. The Scholarship is the result of a generous bequest fro Lula Wakeman hardy. Mrs. Hardy was the daughter of Ira and Gertie Copp Wakeman. Her father attended church at Wakemans Grove. Her parents moved to Dover, Pennsylvania, where she grew up. She married Norman Hardy and they lived in Arlington, Virginia. Lula taught school for several years and also worked for the United States Government. She and her husband had no children. When Lula and Norman retired, they moved to the St. Luke area. They occasionally attend Wakemans Grove Church, however moved their membership to Valley Pike Church of the Brethren in Maurertown. The reason she decided to give her assets away in this manner goes back to when she wanted to get an education. Her parents were unable to afford college tuition. Someone paid for the cost of her schooling. Lula always remembered this wonderful gift and decided this would be an excellent way for her to show her appreciation for what her benefactor had done for her. Many young people have benefited from this Scholarship since it was established in The Lula Wakeman Hardy Scholarship Committee has announced that a total of $12,000 has been disbursed to 7 applicants for the Spring As these recipients ponder this most generous act, may you, like Lula Wakeman Hardy, be willing to help others that you meet during your lifetime, and be willing to pass on the gift. The Wholehearted Marriage Seminar..... with Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley Date: February 28 - March 1 Where: Shenandoah Community Fellowship Registration: $60.00 per couple Info: or kdayscf@gmail.com The Smalleys use humor, biblical principles, practical insights and passion to help you transform your marriage by helping you fully engage your heart. Registration forms are in the vestibule. NOW IS THE TIME TO START THINKING BIBLE SCHOOL July 6 11, 2014 HOW CAN YOU HELP????? Volunteer to Help Plan for Donations of Cookies Pray for God s Guidance Contact a member of the Bible School Committee to help in any way: Angie Vann Kristi Zirkle Mike Trott Diana Scharf page 5

6 LIBRARY BOOK REPORT Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger Have you ever felt so involved in all the programs at church that you feel like maybe, just maybe, you are missing out on realizing the real mission of Jesus directive in Acts I:8 you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.? If so, then this book is for you. No new program is being pushed here. Just some thought-provoking ideas on how to eliminate some things (if necessary to do so) and how to streamline others. Clarity>alignment>focus may just help us simplify our gospel sharing methods of discipleship. I would recommend this book to everyone in the church. Librarians, Pam McCubbin Barbara Garber BRETHREN WOODS 2014 GET REAL!! The 2014 camp year has officially begun. The theme is GET REAL Finding Your True Self in Jesus! I attended the Camp Rep dinner on Sunday, January 26. I received my packet of information on all the great activities and events going on at Brethren Woods this year. Our congregation did not go to the Winter Work Day in January due to the weather. We are planning on going on a Saturday in February. It will be announced during church and put in the bulletin. We are also in the beginning stages of planning a CAMP SUNDAY! Doug and Emily will come and share during worship. More exciting details to come. For those who love ADVENTURE. There is a CAV- ING ADVENTURE DAY at Brethren Woods on Saturday, February 22, You will meet at Harrisonburg First CoB at 9am and return at 5:00 pm. The cost is $45 per person. Registration is due FEBUARY 14 th! Information and Registration forms are on the bulletin board in the vestibule. Lee Ann Zirkle Keith Zirkle Camp Reps. Relay For Life Team Events The Relay for Life team will be having a Chicken BBQ on Saturday, March 22. A sign up sheet will be posted on the bulletin board. We are also having a Yard Sale on Saturday, May 3. Further details in a future newsletter. Our next meeting is Wednesday, March 12 at 6:30. Our team will be selling luminaries in the fellowship hall after church on May 11 and 18. We want to again thank the congregation for their continued support. If anyone is interested in joining the team, please let us know. Kristy Kohne Dina Fix page 6

7 (Continued from front page) Locally and globally is a statement that takes sharing Christ s love beyond our walls. It goes beyond our county! Jesus love leads us to share in the whole world! (Matt. 28:18-20) I have a vision of our church sharing the gospel and bringing others, young and old to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. This will take each one of us to grow in God s Word and receptivity to the Holy Spirit, so that He may lead us in our witnessing. While our lives as a witness is very important, we Brethren can t ignore the Biblical imperatives to verbally share the good news! I see the Grove as being a good servant to the community. I d like to challenge us to even greater avenues of service! As the love of Christ compels us (II Cor. 5:14) let us be, again, open to the Spirits guidance. Part of my vision is for us to continue all of the things we do well, and find new ways of being faithful servant of God! We have been pretty creative in ways of serving, let s build on that creativity! I want to see the people of Wakemans Grove epitomize a scripture I ve mentioned already: God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. (Eph. 4:15-16 The Message) I would like to see us to more and more be formed individually and as a body into the character and attitudes of Jesus Christ! May God bless us as we fulfill the Vision that God has given us! - KWS Happy Birthday All turning 80 this year The Family Life Committee enjoys recognizing this important milestone. Please let a member of the committee know if you or a loved one is going to be arriving at this magical number any time this year. Contact Susan Hunsaker, Diana Scharf, Kay Townshend, or Kevin Minnick ATTENTiON There is a need for persons who would be interested in training as Sound Technicians. If you have a gift in that area, please contact Nathaniel Dirting. Large print hymnals and equipment for hearing impaired are available for those needing them, and the church has speaker phones for home bound persons wanting to hear the worship service. See the sound technician at the back of the church for these services. Our service is recorded each Sunday on CDs that are free for anyone to take home and listen to or take to a shut in. Please feel free to pick them up from the rack on the side of the sound cabinet. They will be ready within an hour of the end of the service on Sundays and do not need to be returned. Nathaniel Dirting Coordinator page 7

8 FROM PASTOR MARK: Freedom! This past weekend at the District Jr. High Lock-in we talked to the students about their freedom- not their freedom to vote one day, not their freedom of assembly or of speech, but of their freedom in Christ. "It is for freedom that Christ set us free, so don't get tangled up again in a yoke of slavery" (Gal. 5:1) Our concern as leaders was that too often the Good News of Jesus Christ gets buried under a mountain of rules- "don't do this, don't do that..." especially for young people. They have been raised in a world of rules, and so they assume any hope of getting to Heaven depends upon following the rules. Add to that self-awareness of their sin (which they definitely have by twelve or thirteen) and you have a big problem! "How am I ever going to be good enough for God?!" That's where the Good News comes in and it should be heard as good news- Jesus Christ died to save sinners- like you and me! But too often our ears are defaulted to hearing a different message: "God isn't satisfied with you until you have done more and gotten better and quit doing such and such!" We simply cannot preach a dual message of, "Be good or else!" and yet, "Jesus died to set you free!" The Apostle Paul uses strong language to guard against this in several places. Read Colossians 2:20-23 As Paul points out, the rules don't really make us better anyway. They are only there to point out our sinfulness and weakness; to make us realize that we need Jesus, and that's where the Good News comes in! But Pastor Mark, isn't it a bad idea to teach Junior Highs that they really are free in Christ? Won't they just go hogwild and do what they please? That's our fear, but the Bible says no! The Bible says it is when we understand that God loves us and we get that love deep in our bones that we will choose to love Him back. That's our motivation to get better- because we know we are loved by someone who will love us whether we get better or not! Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." And we are free to choose, for love depends upon freedom. Truth is, junior highs are not the only ones who ever get confused about this Try this little test out on yourself: If I tell you that God forsook His own son for you, does that makes you want to go watch inappropriate things on internet, or gossip more...? Does deep knowledge of His love motivate you to sin- or service? Grace and peace, Pastor Mark page 8

9 KIDS FOR CHRIST Kids For Christ, after school program, will begin February 5 and run through March 26. This program is for children in grades Kindergarten thru 5th grade. The program has four parts: Bible Study, recreation, a shared meal and choir. If you have any questions or concerns please see any of the committee members: Susan Neff Karey Mullins Candie Erickson Gary Shipe, Liaison Sing for Life Saturday, February 1, :00 PM Antioch Church of the Brethren Featuring New Cross Roads Quartet, the Antioch Praise Team, Shenandoah Community Fellowship Praise Team and the Master's Choir from Toms Brook United Methodist Church A free will offering will be collected for the Shenandoah County Pregnancy Center page 9

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11 Wakemans Grove Church of the Brethren 668 Wakemans Grove Road Edinburg, VA 22824

12 Greenfield Home Schedule 2014 These classes/groups will be taking a program to the Greenfield Home in Woodstock. This is a wonderful outreach ministry to the folks in this home and always a blessing to those who go. Sponsored by the Witness Commission. January 20 February 17 March 17 April 21 May 19 June 16 July 21 August 18 September 15 October 20 November 17 December 8 Church Board Barry and Sherry s Class Seeker s II Class Junior Choir Preschool I and II Seeker s I Class Quilting & Sewing Group Junior High and CBYF Adult Class Acappella Bellas Adult Choir Good Samaritans Class (this is a 2 nd Sunday) Page 9