Shenandoah Update. Shenandoah District Church of the Brethren. August 30, 2012

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1 Shenandoah Update Shenandoah District Church of the Brethren August 30, 2012 In Our Pastoral Family The Luray Church of the Brethren welcomes its new pastor, Rebecca Harding, this weekend. Sister Rebecca is a graduate of Bridgewater College and holds masters degrees from St. Francis University in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Bethany Theological Seminary. The Shenandoah District welcomes her, her husband Leland and their three sons as they join us here from Indiana. The service of installation, led by District Executive Minister John Jantzi, will be held during the 9:30 a.m. worship on Sunday, Sept. 9. And special thanks to Mary Cline Detrick and R. Jan Thompson for their service as interim pastors at Luray during the search process. Jim Eberly of Luray began service as pulpit supply at Bethel Church of the Brethren at Mayland on Aug. 12. John W. Glick of Bridgewater has accepted the call as interim pastor at Summit Church of the Brethren beginning Sept. 1. In Our Prayers A new prayer group has formed and issues an invitation for others to join. The group meets at the District Office from 9-10 a.m. each Wednesday for intercessory prayer. Dave Chappell, youth/associate pastor at White Hill Church of the Brethren, reports: We are seeking the Lord on behalf of individuals, the district, the denomination and the body of Christ at large. We are praying for, among other things, revival in our own hearts as well as the body of Christ. All are invited to be a part of this gathering. If there are any questions, I can be contacted at Auction = $214, Drum roll, please! The books are closed on the 2012 Disaster Ministries Auction held in May and the grand total raised is $214,620.03! That is the fourth highest amount in the 20-year history of the auction and brings to $3,480, the net proceeds the Shenandoah District has raised to assist our brothers and sisters when disasters strike. Thanks, everyone, for contributing to the successful disaster ministries of the district! Disaster Ministries Update Breaking News! The work crew scheduled to be in Pulaski, Va., next week Sept. 2-7 has been reassigned to Alabama. Now, volunteers are needed for the Pulaski site. If you can go for a day, for several days or all week, please call Jerry Ruff at immediately. The Shenandoah District has crews going to the Town Creek, Ala., site Sept. 9, Sept. 30 and Oct. 21. If

2 you would like to have your name on the waiting list in case last-minute vacancies occur, contact Warren Rodeffer at or Galen Halterman at Setting the Record Straight Several corrections have been made to the end-of-year financial statement posted on the Web site under the News & Events/Publications tab. Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren should have been listed with the congregations that have faithfully supported the Shenandoah District financially for each of the past 10 years. That raises the total to 65 congregations across the district. Thank you, Beaver Creek! And apologies for the oversight in our records. From Your Standing Committee Delegates: Many items were discussed and addressed at the 2012 Annual Conference in St. Louis in July. Details are available at Additionally, a document was prepared that addresses concerns shared during the District Leadership Team listening sessions held earlier this year. That document, entitled A Way Forward, can be found at If any congregation has specific questions about items or would like to speak to a Standing Committee member about any Annual Conference business, please contact Henry Elsea, Millard Driver or George Bowers. Sept. 1 Deadline! Have your District Conference Delegate Authorization Forms been submitted to the District Office? The deadline is Sept. 1. That is this Saturday! The form was included in the August Pastors Memo and is available on-line at at the District Conference tab under News & Events. And please, please, please put your congregation s name on the form! We are neither mind-readers nor detectives. Organ Free To Good Home The Grottoes Church of the Brethren has a 30- to 35-year-old Allen organ that it is offering free of charge to an individual or church provided it gets a loving home! Seriously, if you want to know more about the instrument or put in your bid to adopt it, contact Janis Hepler at Wanted: Your Stories The Shenandoah District Conference is scheduled Nov. 2 and 3 at Mill Creek Church of the Brethren. Centered on the theme Word. Truth. Faith., the conference will feature stories from throughout the District on how the discipline of reading through the Bible this year has impacted individuals, families, small study groups and congregations. A request for stories is posted on the District Web site, with a link for submitting your proposals. One story from each of the five District sections will be included in the Friday evening worship, and others will be woven into the schedule throughout the weekend. Let us hear from you! Let your experience inspire others! Check Out The Web Site How long has it been since you checked out the District s Web site at Some updates have been made. On the front page, you will find a calendar of district events and the latest pulpit supply list. If you click on News and Events and go to Publications, the most recent issues of the Shenandoah Journal, Pastors Memo and Shenandoah Update are linked as well as the monthly Prayer Calendars for all of 2012, the 2011 Annual Report and end-of-year financial summaries for Need

3 to know what the latest recommendations are for pastoral compensation? Click on Resources for Leaders all of the information you need is linked there. And do go to the Congregations tab and carefully review the data listed there for your congregation. If changes need to be made, please send them to The Web site still needs a lot of work! As you notice inaccurate or outdated information or faulty links, let us know! Coming Events September is going to be busy, busy, busy! None of us can make it to all of these events, but try to support the congregations and agencies as often as you can! Briery Branch Church of the Brethren is hosting an auction on Friday, Sept. 7, to benefit three members of the congregation who are facing major medical expenses. The doors to the congregation s activity building open at 4 p.m. for you to preview the auction items and get some supper; the auction begins at 6 p.m. The sale bill already includes handmade furniture items, computer equipment, TVs, an iron sleigh bed, NASCAR and Longaberger items and much more. Brethren Woods 17 th annual Golf Blast will be Saturday, Sept. 8, at Lakeview Golf Course east of Harrisonburg. The format is best ball scramble, and the tournament begins at 7:30 a.m. Golfers and tournament sponsors may still sign up: Contact the camp at camp@brethrenwoods.org or on the Web at Fairview Church of the Brethren near Endless Caverns is holding a lawn party 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, with games and good food. Proceeds will benefit the congregation s children s ministry. Mt. Bethel Church of the Brethren will hold its seventh annual country fair and yard sale from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Clover Hill Ruritan Park. Come for homemade apple butter, arts and crafts, and plenty of good food. Children s activities are planned plus a silent auction and numerous yard sale booths. Proceeds benefit the church s capital improvements fund. Staunton Church of the Brethren hosts its annual Dunkers Day on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the church. Features include both chicken and pork barbecue, apple butter and apple dumplings, a flower shop, a lemonade stand, crafts, a yard sale and much, much more. Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren will hold its homecoming celebration on Sunday, Sept. 9. Brother Richi Yowell, pastor of Cedar Run Church of the Brethren, will be the guest speaker for the 11 a.m. worship service. A carry-in meal will follow. A special offering focus that day will be on purchasing new pew Bibles. Central Valley Habitat for Humanity is presenting Singing to Raise the Roof a choral music festival at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 16, at Bridgewater Church of the Brethren. The fundraiser will help to complete the Habitat Music House Build in Elkton. The mass choir will be conducted by Curtis Nolley, choral music director at Bridgewater Church of the Brethren. Habitat has commissioned a special anthem by John Barr that will premiere during the concert, Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation, featuring the choir, organ, brass quartet, two harps and tympani. Middle River Church of the Brethren will present its third annual Singspiration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, at the church (one mile north of New Hope). The day features bluegrass and southern gospel music and lots of good things to eat. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the day. Proceeds will benefit missions in Haiti. Bridgewater Home Auxiliary s annual Fall Festival will be held at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15. Both silent and live auctions are planned; plenty of special shops will be open for your shopping pleasure; yes, there is a lot of good food, too. All

4 proceeds benefit the Bridgewater Home. The annual Dunker Church Service at the Antietam National Battlefield Park in Sharpsburg, Md., will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16. The featured speaker will be Dr. Phillip C. Stone, president emeritus of Bridgewater College. The International Day of Prayer for Peace is Sept. 21 with the theme Praying for Ceasefire. The On Earth Peace Assembly notes that our prayers can be not only for ceasefire between warring factions but also for ceasefire from domestic violence, bullying and any kind of hostile or violent behavior. Register to host an event at Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center s annual Harvest Day begins at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, and features fun for the whole family. Come to the CrossRoads campus (1921 Heritage Center Way, Harrisonburg) and enjoy the day feeding barnyard animals, boiling molasses, pressing cider, making butter and delighting in all the homemade food. Check the Web site at for details as they become available. Blue Ridge Chapel Church of the Brethren will host its annual church bazaar on Saturday, Sept. 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Breakfast will be served, and lunch will feature a fish fry. Crafts, a silent auction and bake and book sales are planned. Mt. Olivet Church of the Brethren at Timberville will hold a spiritual renewal weekend, Sept. 29 and 30. E.B. Shoemaker will speak at Saturday and Sunday evening services and at the Sunday morning worship service. Church Development & Evangelism Team Tip (Congregations are encouraged to share these tips!) As we sharing the gospel with people, when asked why God should let us into heaven, very few mention Jesus and the cross. Many, even those claiming to be Christian, will say something like, I m a good person, tried hard and have done good things. The problem is, they trust in themselves (works) and not Christ, trying to buy or work their way into heaven. A friend of mine shared an analogy with me that I particularly like and seems to be effective when sharing the gospel with people who are trusting in works and not Christ for salvation. It goes something like this: ask the person what his or her favorite dessert is. After the dessert is named, go and buy that dessert, bring to the person and show the receipt that it has been paid for. Ask then if he or she would now go to the store and pay for it. The answer probably would be no. Why not? you ask. The response will be something like because it was a gift and had already been paid for. If you try to pay for the dessert I already bought, what are you saying about my payment? Are you saying: It s worthless? Or I don t believe you paid it? Similarly, if you try to pay for your sins yourself after they ve already been paid for on the cross, what are you telling Jesus about His payment? It s worthless. Do you want to tell God that? Pam Foster Youth Leader, Forest Chapel CoB

5 Shenandoah District Church of the Brethren P.O. Box 67, 1453 Westview School Road, Weyers Cave, VA Phone: Toll Free: Fax: Staff: John N. Jantzi, District Executive Minister, Sandy Kinsey, Administrative Assistant, Sarah Long, Financial Secretary, Ellen K. Layman, Communications Assistant, Sam Cupp, Youth Ministry Assistant, Disaster Ministries Team: Jerry Ruff, coordinator; Warren Rodeffer, Galen Halterman, On the Web at: Questions or announcements for this newsletter? Send to To be removed from this distribution list, us at