February 2020 Newsletter

Pastor’s Message

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8

February, and the season of love is upon us. Season of love is something that we should share and show at all months of the year. I wanted to be sure to say thank you for the love and generosity that has always been shared with me and my family throughout the year, but especially at Christmas time from you, the members of Dreisbach. We also celebrate your generosity with your offering; because of the increased giving of December, we were able to catch up and nearly break even with the 2019 expenditures of the church.

There are two gatherings being led by the vision committee this month. The deep dive of the survey is on Feb. 9th and the time line activity will take place on the 16th of February. These events are meant to help us understand the make-up of our faith community both now and throughout the history of those that came before us. We are products of our environment and of those that have brought us up; but even those who have joined Dreisbach more recently will find value in these activities, so please plan on taking part with us.

There are multiple baptisms coming up in the next month, we have taken in 3 new members recently: Jon Cataldi, Valarie Hulme, and John Rein, and there are more weddings upon the horizons for the congregation. I hope you welcome and get to know these 3 folks who have joined us in the mission and ministry of Dreisbach.

The all church retreat is occurring on Feb. 28,29 and Mar. 1st. Come on out and spend the leap year day with your church family. We will have a new speaker and new children’s ministry leaders. Your experience will be uplifting and meaningful. So help us continue this wonderful time that we share together. Also, fast approaching are the Lenten speaker events. This year we are trying something a little different. We will have some breakfast events, like normal, and we will also have a few brunch events. These will occur during the Sunday School time, following worship. We will eat and then share in the speaker’s message. We will alternate from brunch to breakfast during the Lenten Sundays. So, there will be 3 brunch gatherings and 3 breakfast gatherings. One last event that will occur on the 5th Sunday of March will be a conversation during the Sunday School time on the theme of the United Church of Christ. During this time, I will present on the structure, history, and our connection to our wider denomination. There will be videos, a fun Kahoot experience, and a time for questions. This event is for everyone; especially confirmands, new members, and anyone who wants a refresher on the UCC.

Blessings and Prayers for the journey,
Pastor Nate

Worship Schedule this month:

February 2nd - (Theme of Worship: The Vision Beautiful) Micah 6:1-8; 1st Corinthians; Matthew 5:1-12. Souper Bowl Sunday & first Sunday fellowship.

February 9th - (ToW: Restoring Beauty) Baptism of Jade Sones, Isaiah 58:1-12; 1st Corinthians 2:1-16; Matthew 5:13-20. Deep Dive into the Survey Results following worship and Regular Sunday School.

February 16th - (ToW: From the Heart) Deuteronomy 30:15-20; 1st Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37. Time Line Activity with Samaritan Counseling Center following Worship.

February 23rd - (ToW: Dazzling Reign) Transfiguration Sunday & Installation of Consistory Members, Exodus 24:12-18; 2nd Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9. Regular Sunday School.

Wednesday, February 26th - Ash Wednesday Worship 7pm (ToW: Forgive) We will gather to start the season of Lent with the imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion as we embark on the 40 days of Lent. Our worship theme for Lent is “Words that Last Forever”. All are welcome to join us.

Look Further Ahead

March 1st – (ToW: Abundant Grace) Baptism of Aspen Lloyd and we welcome Pastor Gerald Lloyd to the pulpit, Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11. No Sunday School or First Sunday Fellowship due to All Church Retreat.

Lenten Speakers

Our annual experiences in Lent, early on Sunday mornings, will continue this year with a little twist and a try at something new. For some breakfast and speaker at 7:30am is not a possibility because of a whole host of reasons, and because of that we are going to shift a few of the breakfast Sundays into Brunch experiences. This is just a try at something different. We of course will want your feedback on how you experienced it. That means you will also have to show up and be a part of the events if you wish to have an opinion on the matter. So here is your invitation; come and join us on these Sundays. Come and be a part of the conversations and fellowship, come and hear how others are experiencing God in their midst and hear how they are living out their faith. A big thank you once again goes out to Larry Snook for his leadership and work to bring diverse speakers as part of these opportunities.

The planned schedule is as followed:

March 8th – Brunch Follow worship (Time Change Sunday)

March 15th – Breakfast beginning at 7:30am.

March 22nd – Brunch following worship.

March 29th – Breakfast beginning at 7:30.

April 5th – Brunch following worship.

April 12th - Easter Breakfast

Consistory

Consistory voted on officers for 2020. Scott Sanders will serve as President, Tim Sones as Vice President and Tammy Pierce as Secretary. We thank them all for their service to Dreisbach.

Vision Report Out - Deep Dive - Sunday, February 9

The Vision Committee invites all members who are interested in reviewing the Vision Report Out in further detail to join us for this session. A copy of the report will be provided to all those in attendance and discussion will take place regarding each of the areas detailed in the report.

Members should plan for this activity to last ~2 hours. This activity will begin after the weekly worship service in the downstairs Social Hall.

A sign-up sheet is now in the back of the church so we can ensure enough copies of the report are printed and available to those who attend.

Timeline Activity - Sunday, February 16

The Vision Committee welcomes David Miron and David Lovelace from Samaritan Counseling Center to create a timeline of the history of the congregation with emphasis on the most recent history of the church. The goal of this activity will be to identify congregational patterns, strengths, and aspects of congregational life that may require attention in 2020. Members will be asked to consider major events, major transitions, pastoral transitions, issues/conflicts, patterns of relationships, and power dynamics within our congregation.

Members should plan for this activity to last ~2.5 hours. This activity will begin after the weekly worship service in the downstairs Social Hall.

Members should bring a covered dish to share as part of a Potluck Brunch we can enjoy during this Activity. A sign-up sheet is now in the back of the church .

Please contact any member of the Vision Committee with questions.

Diane Amabile, Bonnie Dodge, Sue Enders, Chelsea Mensch, Robert Pierce, John Rein, Julie Rockey, Larry Snook, Pastor Nate

Upcoming Meetings

The Prime Timers will be meeting at the Old Turnpike Restaurant on Thursday February 20th at 12:30 p.m. Anyone 50 and over is welcome. There is a sign-up sheet in the back of the sanctuary. If you don’t get a chance to sign the sheet you may contact Bob Hoffman by email rhoffman@dejazzd.com.

The next meeting of the Prayer Shawl group will be Tuesday, February 25 at 6:30 p.m. The group meets in the back of the church. All are welcome.

Altar Flowers

Due to the rising costs of fresh flowers, the cost will be going up to $30 an arrangement or $60 for both. This will go into effect April 5th. If you have already signed up for a date and would like to be taken off, please just cross your name off the Flower Chart. If no one has fulfilled a date, we have pre-made silk arrangements to use. Also, please sign up by the 2nd Sunday of the prior month so we can notify the florist and she can order accordingly.
Our apologies if this is an inconvenience to anyone.

Mifflinburg Backpack Project

We will again be collecting food items for filling backpacks for school children in the Mifflinburg elementary and intermediate schools. We are in charge of the month of March again this year. There will be 4 weeks that we will fill backpacks for the young people. We look forward to your generosity and support for this ministry that helps young people to have some of the healthy food items they need when they are not in school over the weekend. Items can be brought to the church and placed in the big green box in the back of the church at any time starting at the end of January and running through March. The number of backpacks filled has again increased this year to feed more than 170 students. We will need a record number of both financial donations and item donations to meet the needs. Below is a list of items needed for each backpack, each week.

# Mini macaroni & cheese (microwaveable) # Granola bars

# Mini Chef Boyardee or similar microwaveable food products # Fruit Snacks

# Snack-pack puddings # Mini Cereal Boxes

# Drink boxes/pouches # Pop Tarts

# Individual packs of Crackers # Fruit Cups

Thank You

We wish to express our sincere gratitude for all of your prayers, cards, and phone calls following the loss of my mother, Jean Wise. We appreciate your thoughtfulness during this difficult time.

Karen and Charles Mensch and Family

I would like to thank everyone who sent cards, prayers for healing from my fall on the ice outside the church and offers to help. I have been recovering slowly and was told it would take approximately 6 weeks to be completely healed. I am just thankful it was not any worse. A big thank you to Pastor Nate for being there for me and transporting me to the ER. It is nice to know that one can depend on their church family in times of need. God Bless you all.

Nancy Miller-Boyer

Youth Soup & Salad Fundraiser

Mark your calendars! The youth will be having a soup and salad fundraiser to raise money for those going to Harvey Cedars on Sunday, February 23rd from 10:30-12:30. Tickets are $8 and include soup, salad, dinner roll, and a baked good. Dine-in or take-out options are available. Please consider donating soup, salad items, and/or baked goods by signing up in the back of the church. Please also consider purchasing a ticket to help with this fundraiser!

All Church Retreat

Registration forms for our 2020 Annual All Church Retreat are available in the back of the sanctuary. It will take place from Friday, February 28th to Sunday, March 1st. Please turn your registration and payment in to Scott Sanders no later than February 16th. We will have a new speaker this year, Rev. Tim Hogan-Palazzo. We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful and fun filled weekend!

Save The Date!!!

The Spring Rummage Sale is already on the church calendar! The dates of the sale will be May 7th, 8th and 9th. As always will be here at the church May 4th, 5th, and 6th setting up….

Hope to see you there!!!!!!

Save the Date for VBS 2020!

Rocky Railway – Jesus’ Power Pulls Us Through

June 15-19 (6:30 – 8:30pm)

June 21 (9:15am) Closing Program

Climb aboard for mountains of fun at Rocky Railway! On this faith-filled adventure, kids discover that trusting Jesus pulls them through life’s ups and downs.

Many helping hands are needed to make VBS a memorable experience for the kids once again! Volunteers needed to help make and place decorations, teach, assist with crafts, games, and serve as class leaders each evening.

Contact Judy Willow or Pam Pfirman for more details. Registration forms will be made available later this spring.