And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up on the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

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1 the GRAPEVINE Newsletter of Lititz United Methodist Church June 2018 And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up on the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 Since I was young, I have always assumed that someday I'd be a father; but as I grew older I started to worry it would not happen. However, God can make the impossible, possible. I am still amazed that it was a little over 13 years ago that my daughter Katherine was born. It has been an incredible journey. Now, I feel so blessed to be a father of two daughters. So, what have I learned these past 13 years of fatherhood bliss? Well, it is true that children change your life forever. I have heard it so many times from others, but it truly never hit home for me until my daughters Katherine and Mei Mei were born. The time once used on myself is now spent on them. My time in my Hockey Room is considerably less. The money formerly used for frivolous stuff on me now goes to necessities and gifts for them and it has all been a positive experience. My life has changed so dramatically because now I'm concerned more about my children than myself. It's an incredibly humbling experience. While it is important to take care of yourself, your family takes precedence, and it is all worth it. I really have a lot of fun with my daughters. Having a loving family IS happiness. Now what about the future? I take the Ephesians' passage very seriously. How will I be able to provide the discipline and instruction for Katherine and Mei Mei? Hopefully by being faithful to the Word and following Jesus, my daughters will see Jesus in me. I will also continue to lean on my wife, Karen, for help. My father always said, The best thing a father can do for his children is love their mother. I want my daughters to see a good example of family love. I also find it very fortunate that Lititz United Methodist Church has a great deal of Christian father role models, that we can lean on for guidance. I thank God for His blessings and for the father figures of our church that lead by example. This church has been blessed with beautiful, caring people who have helped me as a father and I am eternally grateful for your love and wisdom. Happy Father s Day! Pastor Jerry

2 Class of 2018 Be Strong and Courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. -Joshua 1:9 Following graduation in June, our seniors look forward to the following plans Alexis (Lexie) Barge is attending Juniata College and majoring in Pre-genetic Counseling. Justin Bradley is graduating from Warwick High School. He participated in dual enrollment through HACC this year and completed two college courses. He will attend Millersville University, majoring in Speech and Communications Media and Broadcasting. Reid Harpel is graduating from Warwick High School and will be attending Ursinus College, studying Pre-Med. Brynn Hershey plans to attend Cosmetology School and specialize in Makeup Artistry. Carter Hutchins is graduating from Warwick High School and will be attending Towson University in Baltimore for Business/Marketing. Carter has enjoyed his years spent in the youth group at LUMC and 4 trips volunteering with ASP. Madeline (Maddie) Landis is graduating from Warwick High School and attending Temple University Fox School of Business to major in International Business. Lauryn Ober is graduating from Warwick High School and will be attending Duquesne University to study Physical Therapy and will swim for the Dukes. Katelyn Oberholtzer is graduating from Warwick High School and will be going to Messiah College to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Lauren Sabol is graduating from Warwick High School. She will be attending PA College of Health Sciences in the fall to major in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Drake Amspacher, Avery Barton, and Kassidy Reinoehl are also graduating this year.

3 Memorial and Prayer Garden We have just finished recognizing Memorial Day for our military service people. As a church family, we have our own Memorial and Prayer Garden at LUMC. This garden is located between the Narthex and Market Street, and enclosed with a black metal fence. Within the fence is a statue of a praying angel overlooking a cross. This cross is made from engraved bricks to remember and honor our loved ones. The ground surrounding the top of the cross contains plots for placing the cremains of our loved ones at rest. In the Narthex there is a plaque and Memorial Book for all who are interred. To date, 56 memorial bricks have been purchased and installed. In addition, another 32 interments have been purchased and 10 completed. If you would like additional information, there are brochures at the Information Center in the Narthex. If you wish to purchase a memorial brick, prepay for an internment, or have any questions, please contact the church office or Al Forsht at (717)

4 Monthly Finance & Attendance Snapshot April 2018 General Fund Monthly Total Received $ 42,571 Monthly Budget $ 50,000 YTD Total Revenue $ 169,413 YTD Total Expenses $ 175,004 Average Weekly Attendance April 2018: 292 April 2017: 290 Highlights All bills paid to date Conference bill paid in full to our budget Building Fund Monthly Total Received $ 18,634 Monthly Payment $ 16,479 YTD Received $ 80,255 YTD Payments $ 65,914 Monthly Imagine Rec d $ 62,723 YTD Imagine Rec d $ 48,851 YTD Shopping Cards $ 1, Shopping Cards $ 60,747 (from inception) Little Church- total $ 22,417 Park City Diner Proceeds $ 0 City Star Proceeds $ Do you have ideas for The Grapevine? If so, please contact Katie at secretary@lititzumc.org Submissions for July s newsletter are due June 15. It s so easy to support the church and you don t need to do anything but make ONE extra click!!! Sign on to amazonsmile.com and choose Lititz UMC as your charity. Then go shopping as you usually do! 0.5% of your total will be donated to our church. What could be easier than that?!

5 Tell your kids, grandkids, and neighbor kids about going on an impacting island adventure! At Shipwrecked VBS, kids discover how Jesus rescues us through life s storms. Shipwrecked is filled with incredible Bible-learning experiences kids see, hear, touch, and even taste! Sciency- Fun Gizmos, team-building games, cool Bible songs, and tasty treats are just a few of the standout activities that help faith flow into real life. (Since everything is hands-on, kids might get a little messy. Be sure to send them in play clothes and safe shoes.) Plus, we ll help kids discover how to see evidence of God in everyday life something we call God Sightings. Get ready to hear that phrase a lot! Your kids will also participate in a hands-on mission project. Want to see what happens each day? Everyone parents, grandparents, and friends are invited to join us at Sail Away Sendoff for each day at 8:00 pm. for a daily exploration of our Jesus rescue! So mark these dates on your calendar: Sunday, July 22 Thursday, July 26. The fun starts at 6:00 p.m. and will end at 8:30 p.m. To register your children for this life-changing adventure go to We can t do this without the help of our congregation. Watch for our donation and volunteer board signup coming soon to the lobby.

6 A Unique Event for ALL Single Moms, even if your kids are grown! Join us for an exciting day where moms will enjoy inspiring speakers, fun workshops, lunch, prizes, and shopping at the Diva Shop (for free)! Children will enjoy lunch, games, and cool giveaways! FREE Registration FREE Child Care Offered Newborn 5th grade