CALENDAR OF CHURCH EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

Saturday, August 10

10:00 am Food Pantry Open 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Sunday, August 11

9:00 am Sunday School

10:30 am Worship Service – Sanctuary

Monday, August 12

6:45 pm Worship Team – Multi-Purpose Room

Thursday, August 15

10:00 am Prayer Shawl – Anna Mow Room

6:00 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal - Sanctuary

Saturday, August 17

6:00 pm Hymn Sing and Peach Festival - Behind Fellowship Hall

Sunday, August 18

9:00 am Sunday School

10:30 am Worship Service – Sanctuary

Click on this button to view the full calendar

NEW SEASON OF CHOIR BEGINS

Do you enjoy singing? Have you always wanted to try 4 part harmony but may be scared to give it a try? Do you love to worship our Lord?? Do you like to laugh and have fun?!?

If you answered "yes" to even just ONE of these questions, then you should join us on the choir!! Lucky for you, rehearsals haven't started yet. They begin Thursday, August 15 at 6:00pm in the sanctuary! Our first rehearsal will conclude at Ripleigh's Creamery on Mt. Rose Ave. We will enjoy treats and fellowship together to kick off a new choir season!! 

Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity!! Any questions feel free to contact Rebecca Wolf at musicdirector@yorkfirst.org or 717-659-8631.

We hope to see you Thursday August 15 as we gear up to begin singing in worship on Sunday August 25!!

Additions and updates for prayer list or calendar of events are welcome by contacting the church office.

Special note for all Ministry Teams: Please notify the church office with any upcoming meetings or events for your team so we can add these dates to the calendar.

In addition to this prayer request list contained within each Friday's e-newsletter, we also have a "prayer chain" email list. We occasionally send immediate prayer requests to those who have opted in to receive the prayer chain and are committed to praying for each concern as they come. If you would like to be added to the prayer chain list, please notify the church office by email at secretary@yorkfirst.org or by phone (717) 755-0307. If you have a prayer request and desire it to be sent to this group, feel free to contact the church office anytime. Thank you!

Sunday School News

Children's Sunday School Classes

9:00 AM in Rooms 151, 152, and 155. Children grades PreK (age 4) and up will have class lessons. Children ages 3-4 and younger are welcome to attend nursery care.

Youth Sunday School Class

9:00 AM in Room 149. Teacher Dave Witkovsky. This class is for youth in grades 7-12.

Vine and Branches Sunday School Class

9:00 AM in Room 154. Teacher Kim Witkovsky. The class is following the "Guide for Biblical Studies" curriculum entitled "Hope in the Lord."

Lamplighters Sunday School Class

9:00 AM in Room 145. August 11 - Brethren Voices video: interview with David Radcliff about New Community Project

August 18 - Brethren Voices video: interviews with Jerry McDonnell and Nathan Hosler 

about the witness of the church in Washington DC

Homebuilders Class

Mondays - 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM by conference call. To join, contact Mike Martin at

717-840-4184 or Caretaker@TwinBrookFarm.com and leave a phone number. The class studies lessons from the "Guide for Biblical Studies" curriculum.  

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

Saturday, August 17 - Hymn Sing and Peach Festival 6:00 PM

Sunday, August 18 - Blessing of the Backpacks within Worship

Sunday, August 25 - Disaster Relief Presentation 9:00 AM

Wednesday, September 4 - Camp Eder Senior Day

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Chicken Barbecue & Annual Car Show

(Forms also available on the bulletin board)

HYMN SING AND PEACH FESTIVAL - Saturday, August 17 

We are hosting a Hymn Sing at 6:00 PM, outdoors behind the

Fellowship Hall, and all are welcome!



Bring lawn chairs, glad voices, and song ideas if you wish.

Dessert will follow in the Gathering Area.

If weather is unfavorable, we will gather in the Chapel.

BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS - August 18

On Sunday, August 18th during worship we will have a special time for blessing our children, parents, teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria staff, administration, and all those anticipating the start to a new school year. Please bring your backpack, lunchbox, laptop bag, or another item representing your return to school.

BLESSING THE LEARNERS – August 18

To support the academic success of neighborhood children, we will be collecting school supplies during worship for the Yorkshire Elementary School. Being the 3rd Sunday of the month, this will be in lieu of the usual food pantry collection. Please consider bringing the following requested school supplies: backpacks,

crayons (24 pack), colored pencils, skinny markers, black dry erase markers, #2 pencils, pink erasers, yellow highlighters, glue sticks, play-doh, tissues, hand sanitizer, headphones.

Thank you, Education Team & Witness Team 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25TH - "WELCOME BACK" SUNDAY

This will be our “Welcome Back” Sunday, when most summer travels have ended, our choir returns to worship, and we look forward to a vibrant season of ministry. We will be hosting a special presentation during the Sunday School hour with David Wolfe, our District Disaster Relief Trip coordinator to share with us about the work of Brethren Disaster Ministries and future opportunities for us to be involved.

Please plan to join us at 9:00 AM. We hope to also include a time of fellowship following 10:30 AM worship with outdoor refreshments and a chance to celebrate a new use for our parsonage building that we have been working at this summer.

Camp Eder Senior Day - Wednesday, September 4, 2024

9:30 am - Check in/Breakfast

10:00 am - Elva Hurst - Join us for a special "Music and Memories" concert. Elva is a dynamic artist, author, speaker and musician. Famous for her Chalk Talk Programs and known as "The Chalk Lady" She has released original songs that share inspiring and uplifting stories form her life and lessons learned along the way. Elva and friends will share these special stories through music & song and you are sure to be inspired and refreshed!

12:00 pm - Lunch - Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Corn on the Cob, Salad, Italian Ice

1:00 pm - Depart



RSVP BY AUGUST 28th by calling 717-642-8256, Cost $ 20.

CALLING OF LEADERS – GIFTS DISCERNMENT PROCESS

Sunday, September 22nd

The life and work of our church depends on the calling of gifted leaders to serve our congregation, and each Fall Congregational Forum presents a slate for affirmation of those being called. Part of our process will involve an “open ballot” that we are planning for September 22, I which all church members are invited to prayerfully suggest names for open positions in leadership. We share this 6 weeks ahead of that date so that all have time to consider who they may suggest.

Look for more to come about this process in the weeks that are before us. For now, here is a list of positions that are to be filled:

Moderator

Church Clerk

CDC Ministry Team Chair

Staff Relations Team

Gifts Discernment Team (4)

Annual Conference Delegate and Alternate

District Conference Delegates (2) and Alternate

Denominational news and information is always available by visiting brethren.org

Read news updates by clicking the link below

You may also subscribe to receive Newsline via email if you wish

2024 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

WRAP UP DVD

The Wrap Up DVD is available in the church office. The DVD can be checked out to view and return. Please contact the church office to make sure it is available when you want to sign it out. There is also a printout of the Wrap Up on the table in the narthex.

Online Giving is safe, easy, and convenient. Sign up by going to our church website at: www.yorkfirst.org and click on the Online Giving Link or go directly to the Online Giving website at: http://www.osvhub.com/york-first/funds.

For assistance setting up your account,

call Donor Support at:  800-348-2886 – Option 2 – Online Giving Questions? Contact Sheryl Leaman - Thank you for your support!

NOTE: Online giving can be used for regular weekly or monthly offerings, special offerings, and capital campaign contributions, as well as many other specific outreach ministries that we sponsor.

FROM THE TREASURER…..

As we are half way through the year, I wanted to give you an update on donations that we have made to other organizations that we support as well as financial assistance given to families in need. Note that this does not include a value for items donated to the Food Pantry, The Lehman Center, CDC or others. This list represents over $33,400 in giving! Thank you for your continued support of our church and the ministries that we are able to provide! 

Sheryl Leaman

Thank you for the cards and well wishes on our 68th wedding anniversary.

Barbara and Roy Rollman

Lehman Center "Wish List"

Items for donation to the Lehman Center are being collected in the basket in the Gathering Area. Due to changes in the food pantry operations, these must be collected separately from food pantry supplies.

Here are some items that are needed at Lehman Center:

Instant pudding (chocolate, banana)

Instant jello (orange, blue, green, grape, cherry)

Can fruit (pears, pineapples, fruit cocktail)

Applesauce (individual or jar)

Can vegetables (lima beans, peas, green beans)

Baby food - all stages Baby snacks

Gathering Area Quilt

Every month the quilt in the gathering area is changed to another beautiful quilt. The August quilt is named

"Butterfly Kisses". These quilts are made by

Sid Innerst. Sid selected a quilt design that features butterflies fluttering up and down and all around.

Sid is a very talented quilter and we wanted to thank her for sharing her beautiful work. As you are walking through the gathering area, please take a moment to enjoy the beauty and details of these quilts. 

Since 2011 our Witness Team has sponsored the Cash for Causes program by selling Giant & Weis gift cards. The church receives 5% of sales to support various ministries. For 2024 the gift card sales will support The Lehman Center (Children’s Aid Society), New Community Project, and Carlisle Truck Stop Ministry. You may purchase the cards in amounts of $100, $50, $25, or $10. The cards make great gifts, especially at holidays. Consider donating cards to the Food Pantry or using them yourself any time you shop at Giant or Weis.

If you’d like to support this program, please see Becky Wenger before/after worship service OR mail your check (paid to York First Church of the Brethren) to 3011 Bedford Pl, York, PA 17408 and your cards will be mailed to you.

LAST WEEK IN WORSHIP

August 4, 2024

SCRIPTURE LESSON:

Psalm 84:1-4, John 4:23-24     

MESSAGE:

 “Coming Back to the Heart

of Worship”

If you need to reach the pastor outside of office hours, his mobile number is (717) 271-4888. You can also email him at pastor@yorkfirst.org. Note that laws prevent hospitals from contacting a pastor without your permission when you are admitted, so you will need to contact the church if you desire a visit or to request prayer.