Information for leaders and congregations UPDATES These bi-weekly UPDATES are shared so that leaders and congregations are aware of events and information taking place in LMC, agencies, fraternal organizations, congregations, and the broader church. These announcements are for your information and to share with others in your congregation through email, weekly bulletin, monthly newsletter, Sunday morning announcements, church website, or Facebook. Use your discretion and share what your congregation will find helpful. | | LMC Office Events & Information | | | Resource Event for Youth Leaders February 16-17, 2018, Friday 6 p.m.-Saturday 6 p.m. MCC Welcoming Place, 21 S 12th St, Akron, Pa. 17501
This event is for EVERYONE who works with youth! Youth Leaders, Sunday School teachers, youth ministry educators, sponsors, youth pastors or anyone else passionate about reaching teens with the love of Jesus Christ are welcome to come and learn together!
Goals: - That youth workers would be refreshed physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
- To offer opportunities to network with other youth leaders.
- To provide space for youth workers to ask questions as well as space that allows for times of reflection and renewal.
Click here to register for the event. Registration deadline is January 26. Click here to view and share the brochure. Contact Marcia Mylin at mmylin@lancasterconference.org with any questions. | | | Fine Tuning the Body! Conference Related Ministries Seminar Friday, February 23, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Garden Spot Village, 433 South Kinzer Rd., New Holland, Pa.
join us for a day of interaction that challenges, strengthens, inspires, and propels Conference Related Ministries (CRMs) and congregations to develop deeper relationships and ministry collaboration.
In 1st Corinthians 12 Paul calls for parts of the body to value one another and start recognizing the need each has for the other. How can congregations and CRMs achieve peak performance and avoid amputation?
Speaker Phil Bergey will cast a vision for the relationships between area churches and agencies and will lead panel discussions of both pastors and agency CEOs. Conrad Kanagy will help unpack the data received from a survey of pastors and CEOs to develop ways of building collaboration between these two arms of the Church.
Click here to view and share the brochure.
Cost: $30.00 Includes continental breakfast, snacks, lunch, beverages, and handouts. Checks payable to Lancaster Mennonite Conference, Attn. CRM Seminar.
Register: Email jsantiago@lancasterconference.org | | Save the Date! Celebration of Church Life Friday, March 23, 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 24, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Weaverland, 210 Weaverland Valley Rd., East Earl, Pa. 17519
This gathering provides an opportunity for all ages to gather, grow and hear how the Holy Spirit is at work among our LMC congregations. CCL Theme: Rebuild, Repair, Revive
CCL Key Verse: Isaiah 61:4 - They will Rebuild the ancient ruins, Repairing
cities destroyed long ago. They will Revive them, though they have
been deserted for many generations.
To assist with logistical planning, please register for the meal, childcare and your seminars, beginning in January. Visit our website www.lancasterconference.org to find the registration link. | | Important Child Protection Policy Information As of November 28, 2017, the vendor Pennsylvania uses for the FBI Criminal Background Check is IDEMIA. IDEMIA uses IdentoGO Centers for fingerprint check processing. Pennsylvania's Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) generally requires that paid and unpaid persons who work directly with children undergo two state background checks (the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance and the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Check) and an FBI Criminal Background Check. Only volunteers who meet certain requirements qualify for a waiver from the FBI check, which requires fingerprinting. All applicants for an FBI check will be required to register on-line at the IdentoGO website. For more information, visit the Gibbel, Kraybill and Hess website: http://www.gkh.com/news/2017/12/child-protection-news/ | | LMC Agency Events & Information | | Welcoming Refugees: an evening of prayer and sharing  Have you welcomed refugees to the U.S. through language-learning, sharing meals, friendship, and more? "Welcoming Refugees: an evening of prayer and sharing" is a time to gather with others who are involved in local cross-cultural relationships. Share your experiences, support each other, and pray for one another. Connect with others who share your heart, knowing that your acts of service and friendship are part of something bigger. This event takes place on Thursday, February 22, 6-8 p.m., at EMM's meetinghouse in Salunga, Pa. No registration needed. Learn more at emm.org/welcomingrefugees. Soul Care Retreat by Eastern Mennonite Missions Are you tired? Just going through the motions? Hitting "walls" that prevent growth in your walk with Jesus? In our busy, noisy world, the Soul Care Retreat is an opportunity to get away, recover your life, and become who God has made you to be.
Join retreat leaders Gwen and Stephen Smith of Potter's Inn, a soul care ministry in Colorado, and Kaylene and Jimm Derksen, EMM staff who have received certification in soul care from Potter's Inn and Fuller Seminary. Learn about spiritual formation, Scripture and the soul, spiritual disciplines, and stages of spiritual life. Devote time to walking with Jesus in "the unforced rhythms of grace" (Matthew 11:29, The Message).
The Soul Care Retreat is April 18-21 at the MCC Welcoming Place in Akron, Pa. Online registration open January 12-March 20; $385/person including meals, lodging, and materials. Space for 18 participants. Learn more and register at emm.org/soulcare. Revitalize your church with Eastern Mennonite Missions Help your congregation embrace a Christlike joy and vitality that can touch the world! Invite Church Revitalization Coach Antonio Ulloa to teach a three- to five-session series on topics like personal and church renewal, worship, and life in the Spirit. Your congregation, small group, Sunday school class, church retreat, or renewal meeting can spill over with the blessings found in Christ!
"Our time with Antonio was the source of new life, renewal, and encouragement for our congregation." — David L. Gehman, pastor, Parkesburg Mennonite Church
Book a series with Antonio Ulloa at antoniou@emm.org or 717 898-2251 ext. 242. Visit emm.org/revitalize to learn more. Revitalice su iglesia con Eastern Mennonite Missions ¡Ayude a su congregación a encontrar un gozo y vitalidad a la imagen de Cristo que los capacite para tocar el mundo! Invite a Antonio Ulloa, nuestro consultor de revitalización de iglesias, para que enseñe una serie de tres a cinco sesiones en temas tales como la renovación personal y colectiva, la adoración, y la vida en el Espíritu. Su congregación, grupo pequeño, clase de escuela dominical, retiro, o reuniones de avivamiento pueden desbordarse con las bendiciones que se encuentran en Cristo!
"Nuestro tiempo con Antonio fue una fuente de nueva vida, renovación, y ánimo para nuestra congregación". — David L. Gehman, pastor, Parkesburg Mennonite Church
Reserve su espacio para una serie con Antonio Ulloa a través de antoniou@emm.org o 717 898-2251 ext. 242. Visite emm.org/revitalize para obtener mayor información. Child care assistant needed to serve with Eastern Mennonite Missions Do you love travel and caring for children? Support a team of missionaries in East Africa who collectively have four children age six and under. Provide regular child care to support missionaries in language-learning and ministry. Participate as an active missionary team member; take the opportunity to study an East African language and build relationships with local people. To learn more, contact Jimm Derksen at jimmd@emm.org or 717 898-2251 ext. 214. Sacred Space: a sensory gospel with Eastern Mennonite Missions Prepare your heart for the season of Lent by experiencing the power of the gospel anew. Sacred Space is a walk-through sensory gospel experience that goes beyond words, engaging all the senses in an immersive, moving expression of creation, sin, salvation, and restoration. Broaden your experience of the gospel story in fresh and unforgettable ways.
Sacred Space will take place at 450 North Prince Street, Lancaster, Pa. 17603, on February 13 and March 16, at your choice of 6 or 7 p.m. on both dates. Learn more and register at emm.org/sacredspace. | |  Annual Music Night Join us for another great night of music on Saturday, January 27 at 7 p.m. at Neffsville Mennonite Church. Performers include Ministers of Music, organist Gregory Gehman, the Radiettes, and Lancaster Mennonite School's alumni male ensemble. Tickets and more information are available at lmhs.org or by calling 717-393-9745. Tickets are $22 for individuals, $15 per person for households of three or more. Register at lmhs.org, or by calling 717-393-9745. Noche de Música Anual Ven a otra gran noche de música el sábado 27 de enero a las 7 p.m. en Neffsville Mennonite Church. Artistas incluyen Ministers of Music, organista Gregory Gehman, los Radiettes, y el conjunto de música de ex alumnos de la Escuela Menonita de Lancaster. Boletos cuestan $22 por persona, $15 por persona para familias de tres o más. Inscríbete en lmhs.org o llamando al 717-393-9745. A Taste for Fraktur Emily Smucker-Beidler will help you become acquainted with the imagery of fraktur in this folk art class. She will teach it on Saturday, February 3, from 9 a.m. until noon at Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society—2215 Millstream Rd., Lancaster, Pa. The cost is $70 members/$80 nonmembers. Materials are included. Register by January 26 at lmhs.org, or by calling 717-393-9745. Apreciando el Fraktur Emily Sumucher-Beidler te familiarizará con las imágenes de fraktur en esta clase de artesanía folclórica. La clase se enseñará el sábado, 3 de febrero, de 9 a.m. hasta el mediodía en la Sociedad Histórica Menonita de Láncaster—2215 Millstream Rd., Lancaster, Pa. La clase cuesta $70 para miembros/$80 para no-miembros. Los materiales están incluídos. Inscríbete para el 26 de enero en lmhs.org, o llamando al 717-393-9745. | |  Memory Loss Support Group Meeting Memory Loss Support Group to hold first meeting of 2018. On January 30, team members from Landis Homes will be showing a video for those attending the Memory Loss Support Group. The video is titled – "A Thousand Tomorrows: Intimacy, Sexuality & Alzheimer's" - a video that discusses sensitive issues through candid interviews with caregivers and persons with dementia. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Warwick Room of The Heritage, the special care center at Landis Homes at 1001 East Oregon Road, Lititz. The group is operating in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association of the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter. The public is invited. For more information call Landis Homes 717-581-3939. Opening Reception The Art Gallery at Landis Homes will be hosting an Opening Reception Thursday, February 1, 2018 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. with Mixed Media art by local artist Gladys Zeiset. The event takes place in the
Harvest View Gallery at Landis Homes, 1001 E Oregon Rd, Lititz. For more information, please call 717-381-3550. To see examples of the work to be displayed, see gladyszeiset.com. | | LMC Fraternal Ministries Events & Information | | | Camp Hebron BASECAMP: Jr. High Retreat, January 5-7, 2018
Winter youth retreat for grades 6-8. Retreat features speaker Pastor Wayne Morgan. Lodging in cabins and Fernglade. New incentives for youth groups! Register by September 30th & each participant receives a free drink from Peter's Mountain Cafe; Register by October 30th & your youth group will be entered to win a free lock-in at the Gym. Reserve spots for $25/person. $125/person if registered by December 7, 2017 ($20 late fee if registered after). Learn more at www.camphebron.org/base-camp or contact the office at info@camphebron.org or 717-896-3441.
ROOTED: Sr. High Retreat, January 12-14, 2018
Winter youth retreat for grades 9-12. Retreat features speaker Pastor Todd Pearage and touring worship band - The Evidence. Lodging in cabins and Fernglade. New incentives for youth groups! Register by September 30th & each participant receives a free drink from Peter's Mountain Cafe; Register by October 30th & your youth group will be entered to win a free lock-in at the Gym. Reserve spots for $25/person. $125/person if registered by December 7, 2017 ($20 late fee if registered after). Learn more at www.camphebron.org/rooted-camp or contact the office at info@camphebron.org or 717-896-3441.
Scrapbooking Women's Weekend, January 26-28, 2018
Make a dent in those piles of photos waiting for albums at this year's scrapbooking retreat. Enjoy an atmosphere of fellowship, laughter, and of course, time to work on your scrapbooks. Motel-style lodging and meals in Sylvan View Retreat Center. Single Occupancy - $190/person; Double Occupancy $165/person; Triple Occupancy - $150/person; early arrival - $60 extra. www.camphebron.org/scrapbook or contact the office at info@camphebron.org or 717-896-3441.
Women's Retreat, February 23-25, 2018
Looking for spiritual refreshment? Escape the circus at home and reconnect with God at Camp Hebron's annual Women's Retreat featuring speaker LaRie Miller. You can expect great worship and messages, delicious food, comfortable lodging, plenty of time to enjoy activities and relax Come by yourself, bring your family, bring a friend or bring your small group, all ladies are welcome! Motel-style lodging and meals in Sylvan View Retreat Center. Single Occupancy - $220/person; Double Occupancy $175/person; Triple Occupancy - $160/person. www.camphebron.org/womens-retreat or contact the office at info@camphebron.org or 717-896-3441. | | | Garden Spot Village Author Talk "Plain Meetinghouses" Saturday, January 6, 7-9 p.m., The Chapel
Beth Oberholtzer, author of "Plain Meetinghouses: Lancaster County Old Order Mennonites Gather to Worship" will present this evening. Oberholtzer and John Herr, photographer, collaborated to create the book published by Schiffer Publishing in 2017. Old Order Mennonite meetinghouses dot the countryside of Lancaster County and silently embody deeply ingrained religious traditions and yet few outsiders have seen the startling utilitarian beauty of these rural structures up close. Oberholtzer and Herr were allowed rare access to 22 austere houses of worship. They created a one-of-a-kind book featuring over 300 photos and diagrams that document all aspects of the meetinghouses, from the design of their benches and buggy sheds to the arrangement of tables central to worship. This event is free and open to the public.
Beth Oberholtzer is a graphic designer, illustrator, and photographer from Lancaster, Pa. She is the daughter of a Lancaster County farmer whose Mennonite ancestors crossed the Atlantic in 1727. A Manheim Township resident, Beth set out to write about Plain architecture and its beautiful simplicity.
John Herr is an architecture photographer from Lancaster, Pa., whose work portrays contemporary and historic buildings. Saturday Evening Concert Series - Berkshire Brass Quintet January 20, 7-9 p.m., The Chapel
Enjoy an evening of music as the Berkshire Brass Quintet performs in the Chapel. The group includes local musicians who have been recognized locally, regionally and internationally. The performance will feature Paul Briedenstine (Trumpet), James Spangler (Trumpet), Gary Mishler (Trombone), Charles Ebersole (Tuba), and Erwin Chandler (French Horn).
Click here to view more events at Garden Spot Village. | | | No Longer Alone Ministries Family Support Group Fourth Sunday of every month, 3-5 p.m.
Rossmere Mennonite Church, 741 Janet Ave, Lancaster
FSG brings Christian support for families and friends of loved ones with mental illness. There are informative topics to enhance insight and understanding of mental illness. Meetings are normally held on the fourth Sunday of each month from 3- 5 p.m. at Rossmere Mennonite Church, 741 Janet Ave, Lancaster. Educational program runs from 3-4 p.m.; Share and Care Groups meet from 4:10-5 p.m.
Click here for more information. PATHS to Discovery Support Group PATHS participants experience fellowship, encouragement, and mutual support for their personal journeys with mental illness. Click here for more information. Groups meet twice a month at the following locations: - First and third Tuesday of each month from 2-3:30 p.m. at Aspire Community Center, 45 E Main St, Mt Joy.
| | Churchwide and Other Events & Information | | | EVANA Network Flourishing: Pastor/Spouse Retreat 2018 February 18-22, Life Enrichment Center, Fruitland Park, Fl. Flourishing is a retreat for pastors, church planters, ministry leaders, and spouses from various denominations and backgrounds. Press that annual reset button by joining us at Flourishing. You will find encouragement through different workshops and rest through healing ministries. In addition, there will be the opportunity to resource and connect with leaders from many diverse backgrounds.
Click here for more information and to register. | | | | |
