Calvary crossroads. Calvary united Methodist church. April Newsletter GOD DOES THE HEALING CALVARY DOES THE CARING. Dear Church Family,

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1 Calvary United Methodist Church Rev. Arnie McFarland Pastor 239 West Church Street Somerset, PA (814) GOD DOES THE HEALING CALVARY DOES THE CARING April Newsletter Calvary united Methodist church Calvary crossroads VOLUME 28, ISSUE 4 APRIL 2017 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Somerset, PA Permit No. 9 Return Service Requested Dear Church Family, I n s i d e t h i s I s s u e : Calvary s News April Events Mission Update April Calendar Birthdays & Anniversaries It s Ham Loaf Time! This year Easter falls in April and so our spring Ham Loaf sale will be this month the weekend of April 8th. This is always such a fun event. We laugh and tell jokes and even sing sometimes while we are working and we are always amazed at how quickly the work gets done. Last time we processed over 600 pounds of ground ham in about 45 minutes. I hope you will consider joining our group on Friday April 7 about 4 pm or Saturday April 8th about 7:30 am. Of course, if you can t help make the ham loaves we hope you will sell some. They are $8.50 per pan that includes sauce 5 small ham loaves and cooking instructions. There will also be a bake sale on Saturday April 8th so when you pick up your ham loaves you can get dessert too. Starting Saturday April 1, at 8 am there will be a soft yoga class offered at Calvary. This will include gentle stretches while standing or sitting nothing requiring a matt on the floor. This first class will only be about 45 minutes so that you can also go to breakfast at Kings with the men and women of Calvary. The yoga class will be offered every Saturday from 8am to 9am. A relaxed body and a calm mind may improve your ability to meditate on God s word so please join us. Our District Superintendent, Rev. Bill Blair has been assigned to serve as Senior Pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in Indiana, PA. Until the new DS is named Rev. Blair and the other members of the Cabinet will cover the Connellsville District. A farewell service for our outgoing DS will be held during District Conference on April 30th at Asbury UMC in Uniontown. A farewell dinner is planned and laity and clergy will be 16 1

2 encouraged to attend. More information will be in the weekly bulletin. The tentative time is 5:30 pm dinner, worship 7 pm. All of Us continues to gather. In March, 26 of us gathered at the Oakhurst Grill and Event Center and we all had a good time. This month we will be having dinner at Hoss s Steak and Sea House on April 29 at 6 pm. Another chance to have a meal together will be on April 23 at the Camp Allegheny Booster Dinner. The guest speaker is Rev. Alyce Weaver Dunn the DS for the Johnstown District and there will be live musical entertainment as well. The best part is the meal is FREE. People will be encouraged to donate to support Camp Allegheny. I want to end this letter by reminding you that Easter is April 16th. There will be a special Easter Breakfast service starting at 8:30 am followed by an immense breakfast buffet. Then our regular Easter service will begin at 10 am. I hope you will come and join us as we celebrate the risen Lord. This would be a great time to invite someone to come with you. During Holy Week, there will be a Maundy Thursday service at St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church at 7 pm. There will be 2 Good Friday services, one at 12 noon at First United Methodist Church put on by the Somerset Area Ministerium and there will be one at 7 pm here at Calvary with the congregation from St. Francis Episcopal Church. Put these items on your Calendar 2 Planning Meeting 6:30 PM 4 National Day of Prayer 6 Women s & Men s Breakfast 9 AM at King s Restaurant; Social Hall Rental 1-5 PM 7 Communion in the Pews; Lay Servant School 1:30-5:30 PM 11 Next Step Board Meeting 9 AM 13 HopeFest Honoring Women in Your Life 10 AM 14 Mother s Day Set up for the Somerset County Welfare League Nearly New Sale 18 Somerset Sub-District at Pleasant Hill UMC 10 AM 20 Welfare League Nearly New Sale; Boy Scouts Chicken BBQ 21 Heritage Sunday; Lay Servant School 1:30-5:30 PM; Camp Allegheny Open House 2-6 PM 22 Newsletter Items Due 25 Ascension Day 28-Ascension Sunday 29 Memorial Day; Banks Closed; Church Office Closed God is good all the time! Other Activities At Calvary Church The Easter message tells us that our enemies sin, the curse and death are beaten. Ultimately they can no longer start mischief. They still behave as though the game were not decided, the battle not fought; we must still reckon with them, but fundamentally we must cease to fear them anymore. Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline Open Sundays for Covers in May 14, 21, 28 7 Open 14 Open 21 Welsh 28 Open Boy Scouts Mondays 7 PM T.O.P.S. Tuesdays 9:30 AM 2 15

3 1 Paula Isenman Pastor s Report 2017 Pastor s Report 2017 Autumn McClintock Sandra Pitzer 2 Teresa Burk Jennifer Rogers 3 James Bittner John Rupert 5 Anna May Weaver 7 Rosie Hostetler Matthew Peters 8 Mike Taylor 10 Cole Uphouse 12 Mary Younkin 14 Roger Beeghly 16 Darci Sanner 18 Megan Peters 22 Douglas Watson 23 Judy Green 24 Charles Miller Fletcher Shull Gretchen Shull 26 Samantha Knopsnyder 27-Jolinda Myers 28 Francis Richard Susan Schrock Visits 6 Patriot Manor 2 Siemons 1 Hospice 1 Hospital 2 Out of Town Hospital Calls 1 District Activities 2 Cluster Activities 1 Sermons 4 Classes Taught 1 Staff Meeting 1 Local Church Meetings 2 Administrative Meetings 1 Choir Practices 3 United Methodist Men 1 Youth Activities 0 Ministerium 4 Counseling 2 Baptisms/Confirmation 0 Funerals 0 Weddings 0 Communion Calls 4 Days Off 2 Vacation Days 2 Planning Meeting 1 Out of Town Visits 0 Businesses Visited 7 United Methodist Women 0 Other Activities 11 Clair & Mary Lee Platt - 11 Blake & Sally Henry - 15 Rodney & Marian Schrock - 15 Ronald & Susan Schrock 16 Michael & Pamela Benford - 18 Jay & Lois Uphouse - 26 Sang for Hospice-1 All of Us Dinner-1 Other Activities Include: Attended Somerset Disaster Response Meeting-1 Laurel Highlands Chorale Practice-4 Lions Club Meeting-2 Camp Allegheny Board Meeting-1 Next Step Center Board Meeting-1 Provided Music for First UMC Revival

4 Answer: Answer: E (See John 20:24, NIV and ESV.) For the Month of April Altar Flowers 2 Urban 9 Platt 16 EASTER PLANTS 23 Catelinet 30 Open Servers Paula Isenman Friday Crew: Dick & Judy Wagner Liturgist: Darci Sanner Offering Counters: Carol Beal, Jim Beal, Dave Hagy Greeters 2 Jay & Lois Uphouse 9 Dwight Lloyd Family 16 Marge Coddington 23 Jackie Weimer 30 Helen Smith The cost for Altar Flowers is $15.00/Vase. Now that we have two identical beautiful vases two can be filled for any Sunday. Please check the flower chart at the top of the stairs or contact the church office. No Open Dates The cost for Bulletin Covers is $8.00 per week. If you desire to have them in Honor of Memory of someone, please contact the church office. Ushers: Dave Hagy R.C. Logsdon Bill Reid David Hay Missions Giving Report February 2017 YTD 2017 Caring Fund $ $ Chinese Outreach (Conference) $50.00 $ Oklahoma Indians (Conference) $50.00 $ District & Local Disasters (Conference) $50.00 Meals on Wheels $50.00 $ Somerset Food Pantry $50.00 $ Next Step Ministry-Acosta Next Step Help Center $50.00 $ Salvation Army $50.00 SAM Van $50.00 $ Renee Mitchell-Campus Crusade $50.00 $ Somerset County Mobile Food Bank $5.00 Bible Quiz Totals $ $1, By what other name(s) does the Bible identify the disciple we call Doubting Thomas? A. Didymus B. The Skeptic C. The Twin D. A and B E. A and C Last Sunday of the Month Refreshments - Iona Parker 4 13

5 Music Camp: Bring your voice and bring your instruments to learn about praising God will all types of music. Fun-filled practices through the week are followed by performances at Camp & at a local church on Sunday morning. There is also time made for other fun camp activities like swimming, giant swing, hamster ball & more. Soccer Camp: If you enjoy Soccer then this is the camp for you! Daily coaching and instruction along with all the fun activities of camp such as swimming, hamster ball, mud pit & so much more. Friday night game against the staff and a Saturday morning challenge game will end the event. Go online for additional information or to sign up for Camp at or call them at (814) Jumonville s Camps: Mini Adventure Camps: Younger and first time campers can experience the excitement of complete camp life with lots of activities in a shorter event. Activities include: individual low ropes course, teambuilding, king swing, adventure center, hiking, games & swimming. Adventure Camps: Adventure Base Camp, Wilderness Women, Adventure Challenge, Sr. High Challenge, Adventure Jumonville offers one of the premier adventure programs in the country & was the pioneer in the industry. The adventure activities are not only amazingly fun, but are used as illustrations for daily Bible studies and real life situations. (See their brochure for complete information on these camps and there are many) Photography Camp: Spend a week honing your photography skills; set aside time for other camp activities. Dance Camp: is an exciting opportunity to learn about dance while enjoying other camp activities. CAT Camp, Elementary CAT Camp, CAT Camp Autism: Arts & Crafts, etc. (see the camp brochure for additional information) Rock The Mountain Music Camp: is a place where musicians come together to form a modern Christian rock band in a week s time. Sports Camps: Elementary, Middle School, Sr. High Sports Fishing & Wilderness Skills Camps Golf Camp Ultimate Games Elementary Games Mommy/Daddy & Me Family Adventure Mommy/Daddy/Grandparent & Me Mini Camp Events Camp Sampler Summer s Last Blast Discovery Camp Jesus Adventure & Me Oh so many interesting camps! See their brochure or check them out on their website at to see what is going on at each camp. Too much to list in the newsletter. Or contact them by phone at (724) Remember the camps fill up early at each Allegheny & Jumonville so get your registration in early. Ham Loaf Sale & Bake Sale Saturday, April 8, 2017 Pick-up between 9:00 am and 11:00 am Orders not picked up by 11:00 am will be frozen for later pickup They will be sold in pans containing five mini-ham loaves. (five individual servings) and glaze; ready to bake or freeze. The cost per pan is $8.50. Advance orders are required. Those having large orders need to have them in early. Because of the popularity of the sale, orders will be taken on a first come first served basis! So order as soon as possible. To order fill in the form below or call the church office at Thanks for your support. Keep Top Portion as Your Reminder!! Ham Loaf Sale Order Form Please Order as soon as possible Name: Phone #: Number of Pans: ($8.50/each) $ Total 12 5

6 Come join us for Breakfast on Easter morning! Join us for Early Worship at 8 AM followed by the Breakfast - Regular Worship at 10 AM. Yummy Menu: Baked Ham, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Hash Brown Potatoes, Pecan Cinnamon Rolls, Blueberry Muffins, Fresh Fruit Salad, Juice & Coffee April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 Faith on Fire News Youth at Grace UMC Week 3 of King of Kings Week 4 of King of Kings EASTER NO YOUTH Lori Nist & Chris Allen will speak on their perspectives on drug addiction 2017 Camps Women & Men of Calvary Breakfast - Come Join Us on Saturday, April 1st at 9 AM at King s Restaurant, Somerset. All are welcome! Menu Swiss Steak Mashed Potatoes & Gravy Green Beans Almandine Combined UM Men & UM Women Dinner Wednesday, April 26th at 6 PM 6 I want to thank the Members of Calvary for their Prayers & support that helped Me through a difficult Time after the loss Of Lois. Ray Delo Creamed Lettuce Rolls Strawberry Shortcake Beverage Camp Allegheny Pony Camps: Mini Pony Camp, Pony Camp, Pony/Swim Camp Led by trained & experienced wranglers, you will have the opportunity to develop your own riding skills. Wrangler Camps: Mini Wrangler Camp, Wrangler Camp, Wrangler & Water Camp, Extended Wrangler Camp Experience daily western riding lessons, trial rides and horse care while learning how to draw parallels with all you learn to the challenges of life and faith. Xperience Camps: Mini Young Allegheny Xperience Camp, Young Allegheny Xperience Camp, Allegheny Xperience Camp; Xtreem Xperience Camp Xperience all the Best of Camp Allegheny, horses, ponies, tubing, swimming, laser tag, black light games, human hamster ball, giant swing, mud pit, human foosball, gaga ball, climbing wall, and so much more. H2O Camps: Elementary H2O Camp, Ultimate H2O Camp If you love water sign up here! Wet, Wet, Wet! Activities include a trip to a local water park, river tubing, & extra pool time and plenty of other camp activities such as hamster ball, black lights, mud pit, gaga ball & more. Adventure Camps: Elementary Adventure Camp, Middle High Adventure Camp, Sr. High Adventure Camp Our adventure camp activities are age appropriate for each camp. Progress to experience rock climbing, tree climbing, the giant swing, rappelling and rock wall. Discovery Camps: Discovery events are a fun filled week for mentally disadvantaged persons without emotional problems. Campers must be self-sufficient, mobile and non combative. Program will include swimming, horse ride (if able), worship, arts & crafts, a trip to Shawnee lake, a Wednesday night dance & much more. Grand Camps: Grand Camp A, Grand Camp B These aren t just camps for kids. Adults, Parents, or Grandparents, get to relieve their youthful memories as they participate along with their little ones in all the Grand Christian camping experiences. These are both 3 nights events. Counselor in Training: Counselor in Training, CIT a three part program that not only prepares you to be a leader in the camping program, it also prepares you to be a Christian leader in your church, school & into your future. 11 (continued on next page)

7 Dear friends of Calvary Church, Ken Wagoner, 1027 N. Saint Clair Street Pittsburgh, PA Gettysburg Pike, A-200, Mechanicsburg, PA Anytime I am aware of articles about Chinese students in America I enjoy reading them. Different sources provide analysis and projections that help broaden my knowledge. The February 3, 2017 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education had an extensive article on the increasing number of Chinese students and scholars attending American universities. Along with the hopes each one of these students and their parents carry, the article also described the growing difficult of graduates finding good jobs either in the United States or China after graduation. What I read in the article is not too much different from what I see in the Chinese I know who are studying in the Pittsburgh area. The struggle of finding employment seems to be a little more of an issue for undergraduates, but it also has been as issue for graduate students (and it is the graduate student with whom I spend most of my time). I took at least these two things from the article: 1. One might think if jobs are difficult to find after graduation, one would suspect the number of Chinese coming to American universities would be dwindling. This does not seem to be the case at this time, and so the tremendous opportunity before us is just as great as ever. 2. Not being able to find a job after graduation is a stressful time, it also seems to be a good time for their hearts to hear, receive, and respond to God s love for them in Jesus. As I meet with the graduate students from China, they face many difficult, lonely, anxiety filled, and stressful times. Would you pray for me that when I am in these conversations I will listen well, exhibit compassion, and that I would be open to having God s words through me reach their hearts? I can think of three different people I spoke with this past week who are in the above described situation. It appears their hearts are more open than ever to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ. May God change their hearts and give them hope in more areas than they ever thought! Rosie and I thank you for your gifts which makes it possible for us to be God s messenger for the Chinese scholars in Pittsburgh at this time, and for your faithfulness to us. In Christ s Service Ken Wagoner Are You Ready? Emergency Preparedness Event at Oakhurst Grille & Event Center Tuesday May 23rd 10 AM - 3 PM Registration at 9:30 AM FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC INCLUDES LUNCH Emergencies are not something we like to think about, but they can happen at any time. Emergencies can happed anywhere, including your home, workplace, or your place of Worship. Emergencies can be natural or man-made. Although you may not know when an emergency will strike, the more prepared you are the better you will be able to cope and ease anxiety. Join us in the effort to help you be prepared in the event of an emergency or disaster. Families and caregivers of seniors and persons with disabilities are encouraged to attend. First Responders from Somerset County, Red Cross, Pennsylvania State Police, Drug Task Force & More will participate in this event! MUST RSPV by May 9th to: palinkcoordinator6@gmail.com or (814) Leave a message to RSVP 10 7

8 News from Renee Mitchell Baltimore CRU (Continued) News from Renee Mitchell Baltimore CRU Search for Significance As a recovering perfectionist and people pleaser, no book has helped me replace the world s lies with biblical truth that frees me more than Robert McGee s Search for Significance. McGee points out four major false beliefs that Christians believe that result in the following consequences: fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of punishment, and shame. He then shares specific truths in Scripture that provide God s solutions to these consequences. As I witness the students I mentor struggle with unexplained anxiety, being self-critical, trying to impress others, thinking God is punishing them, believing they can never change certain aspects of their character, etc. I decided to do a five-week Bible study based on the book. As the girls pictured above (Towson junior and seniors) met in my living room on Tuesday for our first week of the study, I shared with them that Jesus promises as we abide in His Word that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free (John 8: 31-32). I was encouraged throughout the week as the girls reminded me and each other that we are deeply loved, fully pleasing, totally forgiven, accepted, and complete in Christ. I look forward to how they will continue to find their significance in who Jesus says they are rather that others and their own limited, false 8 views of themselves. Please pray for our hearts and know that the book is available on Amazon if you re interested! Thankful for your partnership in the gospel, Renee Praise God that: I have been assigned to staff Mission Liberti this summer. The three week long summer mission takes place in Philadelphia and gives students the opportunity to reach colleges in the city as well as the underserved, such as addicts, the urban poor and the homeless. I have YOU as a ministry partner, praying and supporting me. Thank you. Please pray to God that: We would see a bus full of students travel down to Panama City Beach, FL for Big Break from March 17-March 26. I will be joining them for this week of evangelism training on the beach. He would raise up more female staff to join our Baltimore team. The harvest is certainly plentiful and the full-time female laborers are few. We are having a Junior/Senior Dessert this Sunday, March 5th to invite over 25 students to join our team. The message of Easter is not only that Christ is risen, not only that suffering is not the last word, not only that God gives new life, but this: Nothing is impossible with God. The Rev. James Martin, S.J. 9

9 April 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Gentle Yoga 8 AM Women & Men of Calvary Breakfast 9 AM at King s Restaurant 2 5th Sunday Lent Communion-Intinction Lay Servant School 2 to 5 PM 3 MEALS ON Wheels Board Meeting 7 PM CLMT 7 PM Boy Scouts 7 PM 4 T.O.P.S. 9:30 AM 5 Noon Lenten Service at First UMC Ham Loaf 6 Ham Loaf Prep Camp Allegheny Free Christian Concert 7 PM by SPOKEN Soroptimist Club Meeting Thursday at 7 PM - Wed. Setup 7 Ham Loaf Prep 8 Ham Loaf Sale & Bake Sale 9 to 11 AM Boy Scouts Chicken BBQ Gentle Yoga 8 AM 9 Palm Sunday 10 Holy Week CLMT 7 PM Boy Scouts 7 PM 11 T.O.P.S. 9:30 AM Church Council 7 PM 12 Carpet Cleaning 1:30 PM 13 Next Step Center Board Meeting 9 AM Maundy/Thursday Service St. Francis Church 7 PM 14 GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE at First UMC Good Friday Evening Service at Calvary Church 7 PM 15 Gentle Yoga 8 AM 16 EASTER SUNDAY 8 AM Early Service Easter Breakfast 10 AM Regular Service 17 NEWSLETTER ITEMS DUE 18 T.O.P.S. 9:30 AM UMM Spring Banquet at Camp Allegheny 6:30 PM Gentle Yoga 8 AM Somerset Sub-Dist. Spring Meeting at St. John s 9:15 AM Registration 23 Second Lay Servant s School Begins 1:30-5:30 PM Addison FUM 24 Boy Scouts 7 PM 25 T.O.P.S. 9:30 AM 26 Admin. Professionals Day UMM & UMW Dinner 6 PM Gentle Yoga 8 AM All of Us Dinner 6 PM at Hoss s Restaurant Camp Allegheny Spring Work Day 8 AM-4 PM 30 Lay Servant s School 1:30-5:30 PM Dist. Conference Uniontown 6:30 PM God made the Sabbath holy and gave it to all as a gift. He invites us to lay aside our work and worries, to trust that because he is in control, we re free to rest and worship. Welcome!