News
Summer Splash
District Youth Grades 6-12 are invited to Summer Splash at Lake Raystown Waterpark on Wednesday, July 10. Registration begins at 5:30 followed by devotions, fun and fellowship 6-8 pm. See the attached registration form or click on the following link: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AoS-HGxUnUcqgrowZlkTd3Pft4lhOg |
| Attachments:
waterslides2019.pdf
Ministry in the Making Giving Campaign
Ministry in the Making
Giving Campaign
Middle Pennsylvania District’s goal is to develop resources that will fulfill our commitment to ministry. This includes children’s ministry, youth and young adults ministry, providing assistance to our smaller congregations, and encouraging development of set apart ministerial leadership. How can you help? We cannot accomplish this goal alone. We ask for your help in building upon and continuing these important ministries. Your support will assist in establishing a strong foundation for all of our ministries and our congregations throughout our district. There are three ways you can give:
We are grateful for your continued support of our ministries! |
Uniting in Prayer: Proclaim Christ Reclaim Passion
Uniting in Prayer: Proclaim Christ Reclaim Passion Middle PA District Worship & Prayer Service Thursday, June 6, 2019 7-8:30 pm. Altoona 28th Street Church of the Brethren 2800 Union Avenue Altoona, PA 16602 All are invited to join in worship and prayer in preparation for Annual Conference. There will be a time of refreshments and fellowship. |
District Conference
2019 District Conference will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at New Enterprise COB. Deb Gary is our District Moderator for this year. Theme is Lord Teach Us To Pray…Praying with eyes open to see nature with scripture from Luke 11:1 which says One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Greetings From 2019 District Conference Moderator, Deb Gary
One day Jesus was praying. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘LORD TEACH US TO PRAY…’. Luke 11:1
‘God is great, and God is good…’
‘Now I lay me down to sleep…’
‘Our Father, which art in Heaven…’
Sound familiar? You probably know these prayers as well as you know your own name. Maybe the words were etched in memory from years of reciting them as a child—around the dinner table, on bended knee at bedtime, or in the church pew on Sunday morning. Maybe you were also taught to bow your head, be quiet, close your eyes, fold your hands and speak clearly.
If that’s how children pray, then what about adults? Who teaches us the ‘right way’ to pray?
Have you ever heard someone pray ‘perfectly’? The right words with a flawless delivery? So eloquent, reverent, and heartfelt. So perfect! Did you think to yourself, ‘How does he do that?’, ‘Where did she learn to pray so perfectly?’ Maybe you’ve even thought, ‘I’ll never be able to pray like that.’
Brothers & Sisters...you DO pray like that. Every time you pray to God, it’s absolutely perfect!
The Bible teaches us to pray. Continually. Without ceasing. To seek. Rejoice. Cry out. Praise. Give thanks. Petition. Call upon Him in times of suffering and in times of joy. Nowhere does it command us to pray perfectly. There aren’t rules. There isn’t a right way or a wrong way. Every time you raise a prayer to God, He hears it as perfect and flawless! He’s listening and loving, not judging or critiquing. We don’t need to be on bended knee. Or in absolute silence. It doesn’t matter if we’re alone or in a crowd. It isn’t necessary to close our eyes or fold our hands. We don’t need the perfect words or the perfect time. We can sing, shout, whisper, or simply sit in silence.
Prayer—our personal conversation with God—can happen anytime, anywhere: in a car, on a porch, walking around the block, in a waiting room, baking cookies, washing the car, planting flowers...etc. Its not about where we pray, how we pray or even what we say when we pray. It’s the simple act of praying—when we turn our hearts & minds to God—that is absolutely perfect!
Our world is hurting. It’s full of unkind words, impatience, unfair judgements, sadness, greed, broken relationships, anger, sickness, hatred, disappointment, intolerance, failure and resentment. Now more than ever, our world needs God. Our world needs prayer! Each and every one of us has the power to pray. Every day. In our own, unique way. And to God, it will be absolutely perfect!
Lord, teach US to pray.
Registration click here One-Day Conference This will be the first year we will have a one-day conference. Our annual gathering of the Middle PA District congregations will give opportunity for fellowship, worship and celebrating our district and denominational related ministries. Registration Registration form for Delegates and Non-Delegates is at the link above. Send all registrations to the District Center. Make checks payable to Middle PA District. Delegate Information Delegate registration by church is encouraged. The cost per delegate is $55 on or before September 10. After September 10 the cost is $65. These fees include registration, booklet and meals. Non-Delegate Information Non-delegate registration is encouraged for individuals/families. Non-delegate registration is $20.00 per person. After September 10, meal costs rise to $25.00 per person. These fees include registration and meals. Child Care Please contact the District Center if you will need childcare.
Tentative Conference Schedule Saturday: 8:15 Conference Registration Opens
| Conference Officers Deb Gary is Moderator and is a member at Altoona 28th Street. She is retired and very involved with the Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry at Altoona 28th Street. Rock Manges is Moderator-designate and is a member at Snake Spring Valley. He is a Co-op Coordinator and Lead Teacher. Conference Speakers Ben & Cindy Lattimer will be our conference speakers. Ben & Cindy serve as co-pastors of the Stone Church of the Brethren in Huntingdon. They are also serving in a partnership with Juniata College as college chaplains.Program & Arrangements Committee Deb Gary, Moderator Rock Manges, Moderator-Designate Daisy Decker, Clerk Terry Hershberger Penny Dively Beth Neely
Outreach Project: Southern Cove Volunteer Fire Company The Program & Arrangements Committee would like to support a local ministry in the New Enterprise area. The Southern Cove Volunteer Fire Company is always on call and is supported by donations. During District Conference we will be collecting items for their ministry. · Granola Bars · Protein Bars · Packs of crackers · Cases of water · Gatorade · Monetary donations Offerings: The Village at Morrisons Cove to purchase a lift the facility uses called a SARA-Flex stand up lift. The cost of the lift is $4,420.00. The facility needs these types of lifts to ensure safe transfers for residents and to promote independence. Saturday offering will go to support the purchase of a lift. Checks payable: Middle PA District. Pennies for Witness is an offering emphasis on our outreach ministries: Trucker Traveler, CentrePeace, Prince Gallitzin Park Ministry, Small Church Fund, Outreach Ministry Matching Grants, Global Outreach. We encourage congregations to collect pennies, dimes, nickels, quarters and dollars. That is a lot of spare change! Checks payable: Middle PA District
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Brethren Open Golf Tournament
The Brethren Open Golf Tournament will be held on Tuesday, August 13 at Iron Masters in Roaring Spring. Any donations are split 50/50 with Middle PA District and Camp Blue Diamond to support our ministries. Can't golf? Would you like to be a sponsor? We have several sponsor levels. If you would like to golf individually or if you have a team, please contact Kris at 814-643-0601 or email kshunk@midpacob.org for more details. |
Youth Workcamp Scholarships Available
For youth who may be attending Church
of the Brethren workcamps this summer; Middle PA District will provide a
$250.00 scholarship towards registration & travel expenses. Here is a link
to the scholarship application click here |
Pennies for Witness
The Coordinating Team of Middle Pennsylvania District has been working to place a greater emphasis and focus on our outreach ministries. Our hope has been to continue to increase our outreach to at least 10% of our total budget – a tithe. Many years ago District Leadership developed the Pennies for Witness offering as a way to support the outreach ministries of the District. Over the years that offering emphasis was repurposed and redirected to support the general mission and ministry of the District. Last year, the Coordinating Team in their commitment to outreach ministries reclaimed the original intent of the offering and again is encouraging the membership of Middle Pennsylvania District to collect their spare change for the Pennies for Witness offering. Our current outreach ministries that Pennies for Witness support are:
We encourage the members of your church membership to collect pennies, dimes, nickels, quarters and dollars between now and District Conference. We will receive your Pennies for Witness offerings during the Saturday afternoon session at District Conference or you may send it directly to the District Center. Our goal is $12,000. That is a lot of spare change, but if you consider there are approximately 8,500 members in Middle Pennsylvania District, that’s only $1.50 per member. Our ministries together as a District are not about one person or one church. Our ministries are about 55 congregations working together and sharing in the bounties as we continue together the work of Jesus!
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