A MESSAGE FROM OUR DISTRICT CONFERENCE MODERATOR

Transcription

1 WEST MARVA DISTRICT MEMO APRIL/MAY Dennett Road Oakland, MD Kendal Elmore, Executive Minister J. Rogers Fike, Executive Minister Emeritus Brenda Harvey, Administrative Assistant A MESSAGE FROM OUR DISTRICT CONFERENCE MODERATOR Special thanks to Donica Rogers for her interpretation and depiction of the Ezekiel 22: 30 passage of our District Conference theme Standing in the Gap Donica shared, when asking if the design would be what I was looking for, that it made her think of how the (GAP) has been closed between our sinful selves and a Holy God by Jesus dying on the Cross and how the plan was foreshadowed from the beginning. I thought, wow, that is what God wants all of mankind to understand. Probably, most of the folks at District Conference, in our Congregations, and, for that matter, Christians around the world could envision Christ standing in the gap because of our sins. I d like to challenge us a bit further. What happens when our world turns upside-down or the bottom drops out of our lives? What happens when we begin to face a variety of crises? Christ says in Mark 12: 30&31, we are to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. The call in Ezekiel 22: 30 was not just to accept Christ as personal SAVIOR, but to live for Him. At this time, let me offer a few challenges: Could we pray more For some soul who needs Christ For some individual who needs healing For one who needs the comfort that only God s Spirit can give For a Nation and The World gone astray (send a Revival) Could we do more in the name of Jesus An act of kindness A simple smile A deed never to be repaid Could we lift up the hurting Do you remember that last year at District Conference and different times through the year how we have been asked to stand in the gap for the persecuted Christians in Nigeria? God is clearly calling for those who will step forward and stand in the gap. How are we doing? Moderator John Moyers

2 Kendal s Korner A ll the people of Israel had known was the leadership given by Moses. He was a legend in his own time so to speak. Through him God had done amazing things! God brought Moses back to Egypt after a 40 year exile with a directive to declare to Pharaoh: LET MY PEO- PLE GO! Then Moses had debated and negotiated with Pharaoh through the 7 plagues with the 7th plague being the dramatic visitation of the Death Angel! Moses shared God s provision of the Passover, so that the Death Angel would pass over the homes of the obedient Israelites. As recorded in the book of Exodus, so many times over the next 40 years, it seemed the end had come for this horde of followers but... The Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire The crossing of the Red Sea Water from the rock Quail from Heaven Manna from Heaven The Ten Commandments And on and on After all these years of depending on God to lead them now we read God instructed Joshua (1:2 NKJV) "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them--the children of Israel Wow! OK Israel...now what? This is the first major challenge this generation has known and MOSES IS DEAD! They knew that Joshua and his fellow spy had said that this land was flowing with milk and honey. There were tales of huge grapes and other great and wonderful blessings. BUT THERE WAS ALSO THE REPORTS OF GIANTS!!! Big powerful giants and MOSES IS DEAD! This challenge is so great and we know Joshua is who God has chosen, but will he be like Moses? Truthfully, no one was Moses Is Dead!!! like Moses. Many feel that today we live in a time of unprecedented challenge as we face growing uncertainty. Fear and Anxiety seem to be the giants in our land which the Lord has given us. Nothing today seems to be as the familiar yesterdays were. The government seems to be increasingly ineffective. The global chaos is growing in alarming dimensions! Society s understandings of personal morality seems to be spiraling lower and lower away from many of the standards clearly expressed in the scripture and advocated by orthodox Christians around the world. Each generation seems to face new challenges and changes with varying degrees of uncertainty. Our day seems to be disproportionately to some others. One of our mystifications often feels like it must have felt to the Israelites upon learning that MOSES IS DEAD! Our dilemma is not so much a looking FOR someone to lead us, but seemingly more due to our look AWAY FROM the leadership that God has already set in place. Our tomorrows must be shaped not by charismatic individual leaders, but by a return to the plain understandings of the Biblical teachings that are rooted in living relationship with a loving God who has reconciled us to Himself in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) It would behoove us all to frequently be reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (NKJV)

3 West Marva District 2015 Praise Gathering We re told in Psalm 133, From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the Name of the Lord is to be Praised! Psalm 150:1-6 (NKJV) 1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! 2 Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! 3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! 4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! 5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! Each Spring we schedule one or more Praise Gatherings in order to focus on Praising God for all He has done, is doing, and will do out of His great love for those who love Him. The event is to be held Sunday, May 3, 7 Miles North of Keyser, WV.at the Danville Church of the Brethren 2510 McMullen Hwy (US 220), Rawlings MD Among those leading in praise and worship are, as follows: Grains of Sand (Danville Church) Adam and Katie Brenneman Group (Oak Park Church) Sam Harman (Wiley Ford Church) Seth Matthews (Wiley Ford Church) Randy Shoemaker (Sunnyside Church) Possibly others yet to be announced An Offering to support District Ministries will be received. For more info call (District Office)

4 Equipping the Saints PM to 5:30 PM, Sunday, May 17 th Moorefield Church of the Brethren Leadership provided by representatives of the Ready or not, here it comes! Many pastors may not have considered that the day will come when they retire. (Someone said, You never retire from ministry, but they DO STOP PAYING YOU! ) Scott Douglas will lead us in a discussion on the day that will likely come This session is to begin at 3:00 PM Scott Douglas, Director of Client Relations, BBT Retirement may be just around the corner or years away, but it will be here at some point. This informative session will explore the methods for determining retirement income, desired retirement date, and life expectancy. The impact of taxes and inflation on retirement finances will also be discussed, as well as methods for developing a model to project savings strategy to help reach a secure financial future. It s More Than Counting the Cash and Paying the Bills After a brief break a second session is to begin at 4:15 PM. It s not just about counting the offering and writing checks there is so much more involved in being a church treasurer. Jan Fahs is to offer helpful guidance and tips to church treasurers about how best to fulfill those duties for their churches. Watch a preview of this session at Jan Fahs, BBT Church budgets are a necessary tool for congregations. As a church treasurer, how can you help build and track your church budget to make sure good accounting practices are being implemented and followed? Learn how to stay on top of your budget and explain it effectively to your congregation. The Moorefield Church is located 115 Clay Street, Moorefield WV An offering will be received to assist with expenses and support West Marva District Ministries. Continuing Education Units are available for credentialed ministers. Call the District Office ( ) for more information.

5 HAITI MISSION UPDATE DAVID SUTTON The air temperature was 3 degrees. The wind chill was below 0. Despite the harsh weather, a group of 18 left Dulles Airport on February 20 and traveled to Port au Prince, Haiti, where they were greeted with temperature in the 90s. There were18 going on a twoweek outreach mission. Once in Haiti, the eight women of the group conducted medical clinics in and around Port au Prince for the first week. Then they journeyed to the mountains of Pernal, a three-hour drive, for clinics in that area. The nurses were Londa Beachy of LaVale, MD, Thelma Cox from Burlington, WV, and Angela Shockey of Mabie, WV. Assisting, distributing medicines, cleansing wounds, and taking blood pressures and temperatures were Jacy Barr from Rig, WV, Irene Faidley of Berlin, PA, Bobbie Jo Malone from Short Gap, WV, Rita Nelson from Fort Ashby, WV, and Donna Zimmerman from Bedford, PA. Over 2,200 people were helped in the eight clinics conducted. While the women were in clinics, the 10 men were constructing a roof over a 60 x 110 structure in Carise, an eight-hour drive from Port au Prince. Under the direction of Pastor David Sutton of Short Gap, WV, were Dale Shockey of Mabie, WV, David and Joel Zimmerman of Bedford, PA, Danny Combs and Steve Oates from Romney, WV, Bill Bailey and Ronald Staggs of Keyser, WV, Bill Sutton of Dayton, OH, and Wallace Whitacre of Short Gap, WV. The church will serve as a permanent location for approximately 1500 people. Next to the church is a Christian School which has 700 students. Seven of the 18 are members of the Church of the Brethren. Thelma is a member of Beaver Run, Danny and Steve belong to Tearcoat, while Bobbie Jo, Rita, David, and Wallace are from Old Furnace. When the group returned on March 6, they again faced cold temperatures. The air temperature was a brisk 7 degrees. Pastor David plans to return to Haiti in Anyone interested in going on the mission, donating money or supplies and /or having David present a program about the trip, please contact him at

6 CONGREGATIONAL NEWS The Beaver Run COB will be hosting a 'Spring Gospel Sing' on Saturday, May 2nd,, 2015 from 11:00 am to 5:00pm at the Larenim Park, Burlington, WV. this will be an all day event with 9 groups/ singers from around the area and neighboring states, Ohio & Pa. There will be a limited concession stand for most of the day or you may bring a cooler and lunch. Seating is provided by the Mineral Co. Parks & Recreations dept. Also a free will offering will be collected to help with travel expenses. These singers will Bless you while lifting up the name of Jesus. They are not entertainers but ministers of God's word thru song. Please join us for an hour or two or stay and enjoy a full day of good music and fellowship. And bring a friend. ORDINATION REVIEW 2015 The Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has granted the authority for ordination to the District Board. The 2014 Ministerial Leadership Paper states that, every five years, District Ministry Commissions, in consultation with the Office of Ministry, shall conduct a credential review process. Ministers remain accountable through the five-year credential process, participating in continuing education, and regular training in ministerial ethics. This review process is now underway and is to be completed by each district by December 31, 2015 Ordination forms were mailed to each ordained minister in West Marva District. This does include all ordained ministers who are now retired. Forms were also sent to congregations were their memberships are being held to either support or deny the renewal of this individual s ordination. These forms are to be completed and returned to the West Marva District Office, 384 Dennett Road, Oakland, MD ND ANNUAL BRETHREN BIBLE INSTITUTE SCHEDULED The 42 nd Annual Brethren Bible Institute is scheduled to be held July on the campus of Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA. This event is sponsored by the Brethren Revival Fellowship. The courses that are scheduled this year are Preaching; The Book of Joshua; The Book of Revelation; Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness; The Cults and False Religions; The Book of James; Paul: By The Letter; Evangelism and Church Growth; The Fruit of the Spirit; and Introduction To Bible Doctrines. The instructors for these classes will be Craig Alan Myers, Eric Brubaker, Carl Brubaker, Wilmer Horst, Fred Beam, Daniel Lehigh, John Minnich, Steve Hershey and Kenneth Leininger will be the Principal/Coordinator. The cost for dormitory students will be $ and commuting students will be $ A certificate of Continuing Education Units (CEU s) will be offered for ordained ministers at a rate of one tenth of a CEU for each hour spent in class. Therefore, each completed course will count as.75 CEU. Ministers should request the certificate when they register. Scholarship aid is available to students who cannot afford the tuition and instructions on requesting aid can be found in the brochure that is available at the District Office. Your application process must be completed by June 29, DISTRICT CONFERENCE DELEGATE REGISTRATION FORMS TO BE AVAILABLE SOON! Please be advised that the District Conference delegate registration forms will soon be sent to each congregation. These forms will be sent electronically to each church that has an address available and others will be sent by regular mail. Please watch your in-box the first full week of May for these forms.

7 Gifted...by God Called..by the Church Empowered...by the Holy Spirit A Leadership event designed for all church leadership featuring worship times, breakout workshops and plenary sessions. Sponsored by the Council of District Executives Church of the Brethren May 14-16, 2015 At Frederick, MD Church of the Brethren (You are encouraged to bring your entire leadership body) Guests Speakers: Jeff Carter, President of Bethany Theological Seminary Belita Mitchell, Pastor of Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren and former Annual Conference Moderator Leroy Solomon, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Ashland Theological Seminary (Retired) Workshops: For a complete listing of workshops offered look for us on Facebook at CODE Leadership. Fees: (includes Friday lunch and dinner) 1-5 participants from the same congregation $75 per person 6-10 participants from the same congregation $60 per person More than 10 participants from the same congregation $60 per person for the first 10; $25 per person for each additional. Registration: Online at our Facebook page (CODE Leadership) or at Hotels and Restaurants: A complete listing of area hotels and restaurants can be found on our Facebook page (CODE Leadership)

8 WEST MARVA DISTRICT WOMEN'S SPRING RALLY MAY 13, 2015 THEME: "GRAB YOUR FLY SWATTER" SCRIPTURE-I CORINTHIANS 10:31 (So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God) WHERE: KEYSER CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN TIME: Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., with dismissal at 2:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served during registration. We will also be set up at registration for all of the "Gift of the Hearts" kits; this includes postage on the kits. Make checks payable to Church World Service. The Program Committee has been working on making this day a very inspiring one with interaction from the ladies of the West Marva District. Come prepared to have a wonderful day receiving the blessings of having been with ladies from the district and sharing in the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Questions may be directed to Betty Wolford at or Brenda Harvey at the District Office at Lunch will be served by the ladies of the Keyser Church. Please call Loreen Ramsey by May 8th at with the number attending from your church.

9 FOCUS ON OUR PASTORS...ELMER R. COSNER Many of you pastors have submitted your information in a variety of forms but when this one came into my hands, my interest was awakened and Bro. Elmer s story flows so nicely, it will be given as follows: I was extremely blessed to be born into a Christian family. We attended church every Sunday and I haven t missed very many since. At a very early age, I realized that there was someone named Jesus who was very important. Then during a revival at the Fairview Church of the Brethren with Rev. Ralph Arbaugh, at the age of eleven, I realized that this Jesus had died for ME and if I wanted to go to heaven, I needed to go forward at the invitation and ask Him to forgive me for my sins and invite Him to come into my heart. Oh, say but I m glad! Walking with Jesus the last seventy=four years, we have become very personal friends. I developed a keen interest in the Bible and sent for a mail-in Bible correspondence course and enjoyed the reading, questions and answers that were to be mailed back for approval. Perhaps this little study so many years ago increased my understanding of the scriptures today. My CALL to Ministry: First of all, I feel so humbled and thankful that God saw fit to use me in His ministry. At the age of seventeen I was elected the Sunday School Superintendant at Fairview Church. I was later elected District CBYF (youth) President, serving two years. Then as most men do, I left home to seek my fortune. I moved to Baltimore where I served my apprenticeship to be a Machinist. I loved the work and I still do. Then, I married my wife Shirley, had three great kids, moved back to Garrett County, Maryland, built a house and continued my job as a machinist. But always, in the back of my mind was that desire to do more for our Lord hopefully full time in the ministry after I reached retirement age. One Sunday morning while visiting the Fairview Church, the Pastor announced the West Marva Ministerial Board had scheduled a meeting to recruit those men who felt a calling into the ministry. I signed up to at least attend that meeting. That was the beginning of my path to become a minister. I completed the three-year reading course that was required by the Church of the Brethren. I became a Licensed Lay Speaker in 1994, a Licensed Minister in 1996 providing a pulpit ministry for various pastors who needed to be away from their church on Sunday. I did this for four years and enjoyed it tremendously. Then in the fall of 1998 the District Ministry Commission asked me to accept the pastorate of the Red Creek Bethel Church in Canaan Valley. What a blessing! We refurbished the quaint little church. It had been closed for some time. Many folk from the West Marva District came to lend a hand. We were so grateful for their help, fellowship and prayers. We tacked up flyers advertising the opening of the church at local business places and went door to door inviting everyone in the surrounding area to come and be a part of God s family and fellowship. My, what beautiful people! We fell in love with all of them. They put their shoulders to the work, willing to do anything that was needed. There was nothing flamboyant about my style of ministry. My wife and I did a lot of visitation. We tried to share our love for them. We listened to them. We cared about them. Their problems became our problems. We laughed with them. We cried with them. We prayed with and for them. They became our family. Many times I was told you preach the word of God. That was all I knew how to preach about. I always gave an invitation after my sermons. My favorite work for the church was the visitation, preaching salvation and along with the Holy Spirit leading someone to Christ. Joy! Joy! Joy!. I know why the Angels in Heaven Rejoice. I started Lay Speaking in 1994 at the age of 66. I only pastored one church, the Red Creek Bethel. I became an ordained minister at that church December 6 th, I feel very unworthy and incapable of doing all of these, but when God calls and you listen and are willing to work, you will succeed. My favorite hobby is woodworking. I do mostly scroll saw projects using various types of wood. I love to read, the Bible being my favorite book, of course. Remembering a Friday night Campfire Service at Camp Galilee remains a blessing having a couple of youth accept the Lord during that service is a cherished memory. Having the youth line up to give him hugs at the end of Camp and finding a note inside his pillow after he returned home, saying We love you Elmer! have meant so much over the years. My real delight is teaching, having done that for years in different denominations. Teaching the youth classes were the best and most challenging. I will always remember being a Youth Counselor at Camp Galilee and the love and respect that they showed me. I wish I could do it again!

10 BRETHREN BITS Betty Dzubba Were you at Old Furnace to Celebrate their Centennial on October 12, 2014? Old Furnace had its beginnings as a small country church where a few faithful families banded together a few miles from their current location surrounded by housing developments and many places of business. As early as 1895, possibly even before the Beaver Run ministers, especially Elders Benjamin Smith and Daniel B. Arnold rode their horses into the Abe Schoolhouse community, located on the Old Furnace Road, near the Abe Cemetery to encourage a group of early Brethren.. Jacob Abe, according to the Centennial Booklet of 2014 (from which much of the following information has been derived) was baptized in February 1886 in the Little Capon River on his brother, Adam Abe s Hampshire County farm. Imagine for a moment the water temperature of any Maryland or West Virginia river in any February. Jacob Abe became the first member of the congregation. After November 1896 when Brother A. J. Whitacre and his wife, Lacy Ann, daughter of Adam Abe, moved into the Old Furnace Community from Hampshire County, the Whitacre and Abe families organized the first Sunday School which was held in the Abe Schoolhouse. That building still stands and is used as a family dwelling. Several free ministers whose names are familiar in other West Marva congregation such as John K. Baker, D. B. Arnold, Peter Arnold, Benjamin Leatherman, Martin Biser, W.W. Bane, Sr., Raphael Leatherman, Thomas Digman and John Parrish held preaching services in the schoolhouse. Those seeds sown led many in that neighborhood to be baptized and to become members of the Church of the Brethren. Today our Love Feasts and Communion services take place in comfortable fellowship halls. Yet we learn at Old Furnace, the first Love Feast was held in a machine shed on the Abe Farm in After the first council meeting in the Abe School on August 10, 1912, plans were made to build a church. A plot of ground directly across the road from the old iron furnace was donated by Jacob Abe. Actually, much later the church acquired the site of the old furnace which lends its name to the congregation. It wasn t until 1956 that another four acres was secured to add to the original one acre lot. The first white frame church was built during the summer of The small congregation donated hours and days of hard physical labor to get it completed before cold weather came. As was typical for that era of building new churches in our district much of the material, such as lumber, and labor was donated. Dedication of this place of worship was held by Elder Emra T. Fike on September 14, At an August 1913 council meeting with moderator B.W. Smith in charge, discussions were held on the possibility of becoming a separate congregation. In April 1914 this group of worshippers which eventually became the Old Furnace Church of the Brethren had been affiliated with Beaver Run, the mother church. At this time there were 34 members.

11 During the 1920 s several Old Furnace members were living in and near Wiley Ford so services were started there which by 1940, this group was given permission by the District to become a separate congregation with the name, the Wiley Ford Church of the Brethren. Meanwhile Old Furnace kept growing. By April 1936 the need for Sunday School rooms was discussed for those attending had outgrown the space available. A special council in August 1944 made the decision to build a new brick 30 x 60 foot structure. This was World War II era and building materials were scarce. Interesting though, due to the shortage of building materials, the old building was torn down and many of those timbers were used in the new church. Services were held in the Short Gap School during the summer of Bro. Charles Whitacre brought the first message in the new building that was ready for use on December 23, It is always an eye-opener to see how our local Brethren worked together, sharing their timber and their talents to keep costs minimal. Only $2, was borrowed for this church. The reported total cost, including the value of donated labor was $9, Growth at Old Furnace meant the members saw the need for a parsonage (of course after the era of Free Ministry passed.) The parsonage adjacent to the church was built with volunteer helpers at a cost of $9, and was dedicated in It took less than four years to retire the parsonage mortgage. Fortunately by the late 1950 s Old Furnace had outgrown the second facility for worship. Educational classrooms were added to the structure. A loan of $22, was secured for this addition which was dedicated in April In May 1967 Bro.Owen Stultz preached the sermon for the mortgage burning service. Many updates have been made since the church parking lot was originally paved in Old Furnace is one of the relatively few churches within our district which have lovely memorial stained glass windows. The kitchen was remodeled and by 1978 the fellowship room was enlarged to increase the seating capacity to approximately one hundred. Among other improvements, church member volunteers constructed the church pavilion in Old Furnace has had 19 persons called to the ministry between the years of Across the district Old Furnace is known for having a heart for mission work. For nearly 35 years they have actively supported Bro Preval Meritil and his ministry work in Haiti. Annual mission trips to provide medical care clinics for the Haitian people, church construction projects as well as prayer and financial support also include other volunteers across the District. Those from Old Furnace and West Marva who have the desire to experience a mission trip on foreign soil continue to participate in this outreach. David Sutton was called to the ministry here in Since July 2004 David and Ed Weaver have been serving as co-pastors. In fact, David also served a term as interim previously. As the Centennial booklet so aptly states God has blessed the church through the years as is attested by the growth of the budget of $ in 1936 to the $70, budget in With constant growth, our responsibility continues and increases to be performing work for the Lord. As a body of believers, we are ever looking forward to the future, relying on the Holy Spirit as our guide. And, we will continue to grow and to witness for our Lord Jesus Christ until His return....

12 Church of the Brethren NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION West Marva District Office U. S. POSTAGE 384 Dennett Road PAID Oakland, MD OAKLAND, MD April/May 2015 Issue PERMIT NO. 68 Address Service Requested IN GOD WE TRUST UPCOMING EVENTS May 3 District Praise Gathering Danville COB CODE Workshops at Frederick, MD COB 17 Equipping the Saints Workshop at Moorefield COB 25 Office Closed Memorial Day June 6 District Board Meeting, Oak Park COB 30 EYN Women s Choir Oak Park COB (More information in next MEMO)