From Cody Schwanger

July 2020

Watching the news unfold over the past weeks has made the month of June seem as if the United States has come unhinged, and is now falling apart. The hatred and divisiveness seems to point to the eminent victory of the enemy, and we are terrified as we watch it all occur in real time. We stand watching unable to find the answers to questions that once again are knocking at the doors of the congregations spread out across the nation. Lately there are many and most notably our fine celebrities and public officials who in an almost naïve statement, call for love as the only way to solve our problems. While the statements on love are good and true, I can’t help but sigh as I reflect on the fruitlessness of simply stating that we should all love one another. These light hearted gestures of love come as an annoyance to me because simply stating that we all need to love each other and get along does nothing for a nation that is lost in sin. And please brothers and sisters, make no mistake about it, this nation of ours which some still try to claim as a Christian nation, is lost in sin. And everything that is lost in sin perishes. These are the facts, yet we stand confident in the darkness that seems to be closing in on us and for good reason. We as the Church have a solution to this problem and it does in fact have to do with love. But it does not come in the form of a simple call for unity through love, rather it goes much deeper. I recall reading a quote from the writings of a Roman Caesar Julian who reigned over Rome a pagan culture with a deep seated distain for Christians which he referred to as atheist. After all they had no temple with any carved out god to worship. He is quoted speaking of Christians in this way,

“Atheism (Christianity) has been especial advanced through the loving service rendered to strangers and through their care for the burial of the dead. It is a scandal that there is not a single Jew who is a beggar, and that the godless Galileans care not only for their own poor but for ours as well; while those who belong to us look in vain for the help that we should render them”

This observation hints to something that lies at the heart of our faith. Love is not just an emotion of affection but is an affection put into action born out of Christ’s love for us. The letter of 1 John is consumed almost entirely with this single thought. We know what love is because God first loved us. We know this because he laid his life and offered it up for us so that we might live. So then John commands, if God loves us so then we ought to love our brothers. When we refuse this love yet claim Christ, we are liars and the spirit is not in us. John’s emphasis then is that we must love others because He loved us, this is to say that our love is born out of Christ. James’ letter is one of the best teachings to express the idea of love as an action. James reminds us that “faith without works is dead”, and in his teaching, shows us not that are good works results in salvation but that our good works are the evidence of the love that John speaks about in his letters. Continued on Page 2

You’re Always There for Me

When the world comes crashing in

And chaos rules my mind, I turn my heart to you,

Lord, And pure, sweet peace

I find. You lift me out of trouble You comfort me in pain;

You nourish, heal and cleanse me,

Like cool, refreshing rain. In times of joy and bliss,

When things are going right,

You lift me even higher, And fill me with delight. You listen to my prayers; You hear my every plea; I’m safe because I know

You’re always there for me.

By Joanna Fuchs

Virtual VBS 2

Jesus Matters! 2

Anniversaries & Birthdays 3

Tiny Timbers 3

WGT July Calendar 4

Scriptures, Servants & Stats 5

Inside this issue

Page 2

VIRTUAL VBS The ‘Mane Event’ is coming to WGT! Prepare to go on an adventure where kids discover that God is good even when life gets wild! Join us from the comfort of your home every evening on West Green Tree Worship on YouTube at 7 pm. Pre-registration for ROAR is open and may be accessed via the church website, www.westgreentree.org. Click on the VBS page. Everyone who pre-registers will receive a VBS Survival Kit the week before our adventure begins. Please contact Allison Huber with questions.

From Cody Schwanger (Continued from Cover) So we see within these two Apostles that love is an action that is born out of Christ. I ask you to reflect back on the account given by Julian about Christians. The faith was growing in number because Love was poured out to all, and that love produced a reflection of God as Love and brought many to Christ. Our solution then is this, show Christ’s love through our actions, not by means of protest which further add to division but through the quiet, humble and common acts of charity and time invested in the building of relationships with those who have yet to call Christ Lord. Love without Christ is fruitless. Only Christ’s Love can save this nation which is lost to sin. May they know we are Christians by our love. Amen and God bless,

Cody Schwanger Licensed Minister

Page 3

Anniversaries 7/11 - Jeff & Dori Schwanger 7/12 - Jerry & Julie Ruhl 7/14 - Evan & Liane Sucharski 7/19 - Scott & Christie Farmer 7/24 - Don & Rose Marie Thompson 7/26 - Dave & Phyllis Becker 7/26 - Dustin & Dana Youtz 7/31 - Dennis & Linda Gerdel

Birthdays 7/2 - Nora Grove 7/8 - Marji Burger 7/8 - Polly Shumate 7/10 - Evan Burns - Nicole Drawbaugh - Peggi Hiller 7/11 - Kathy Gordon 7/12 - Haylee Coble 7/13 - Bill Van Winkle 7/16 - Ann Saylor - Derwin Thomas 7/17 - Amy Peffley 7/18 - Jim Gruber - Kathy Martin 7/20 - Scott Farmer - Sarah Sheetz 7/21 - Marion Hess - Nate Ginder 7/22 - Michele McClenaghan 7/25 - Lisa Shelly - Betty Walmer 7/27 - Gladys Hershey - Abigail Schwanger 7/29 - Cade Willenbecker 7/30 - Xavier Cannon - Julie Ruhl - Bonnie Motsay 7/31 - Colton Brown - Daryl Harnish - Jerry Ruhl

Fencing Thanks to a generous donation, Tiny Timbers (and the church) is getting a fence to enclose the playground area. We have had is-sues with traffic going in & out of the parking lot during preschool hours and there have been concerns for the children’s safety as there were no barriers that would keep them in an enclosed area. Thank you to the anonymous donor AND to the Stewards Commis-sion for installation! The fence will be installed at some point in July, prior to the start of school.

Christmas Dinner Volunteers Needed The Witness Commission is looking for folks to take leadership of the Annual Community Christmas Dinner held on Christmas Day. This is a great outreach to our community and we are in need of several people to help. If you are interested, please see a member of the Witness Commission.

Tiny Timbers News Our 22nd year at Tiny Timbers Christian Preschool came to a sudden halt on March 13th, because if the Coronavirus. Since school was cancelled so abruptly we had parents and students drive around the car-port so we could say our goodbyes, give the children their artwork, end of the year books, etc. It was so good to see and talk to them all again. We had 40 wonderful students this past school year. We have said goodbye to two of our staff members and pray God’s blessing upon both of them. Miss Traci and Miss Dori have blessed the children and their families in many ways. They both will be missed. We have hired three assistants for the 2020/2021 school year and we are looking forward to these three Christian ladies joining our Tiny Tim-bers staff. Melodie Shumaker, Tuesday/Thursday PM class, Emilia Alfaro, Monday/Wednesday/Friday AM class & Kelley Ebersole, Monday/Wednesday/Friday PM class. We are looking for students to join our Tuesday/Thursday PM class. These children should be 3 by August 31, 2020. Class time is from 12:30 to 3:00 PM. We would love to welcome them to Tiny Timbers. Please call Paula at the church office -717-653-5367 or email paula@westgreentree.org Please keep the Tiny Timbers Committee in your prayers as we prepare for the coming year. There are many decisions to make for the safety and care of these precious little ones and our staff. Thank you for your many prayers, encouragement and love that have been shown to us throughout the year.

In His Love, Cindy Seitz

Sunday

Mo

nday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thurs

day

Fri

day

Satu

rday

1

Y

ou

th 6

:30 p

m

2

3

C

hu

rch

Off

ice

Clo

se

d

4

5

Co

mb

ine

d S

erv

ice

10 a

m

6

WW

W

7 p

m

7

8

Tin

y T

imb

ers

C

om

mit

tee M

tg.

6:3

0 p

m

NO

YO

UT

H

9

Me

n’s

Bib

le

Stu

dy

7 p

m

10

Pra

ye

r S

haw

l G

ath

eri

ng

9:3

0 a

m

11

12

Co

mb

ine

d S

erv

ice

10 a

m

13

WW

W

7 p

m

14

Co

mm

issio

ns

7 p

m

Bo

ard

Meeti

ng

8 p

m

15

Y

ou

th 6

:30 p

m @

U

dd

er

Bliss

16

Me

n’s

Bib

le

Stu

dy

7 p

m

17

18

19

Co

mb

ine

d S

erv

ice

10 a

m

20

WW

W

7 p

m

21

Ex

ec

uti

ve

Co

mm

itte

e M

tg.

7 p

m

22

Yo

uth

6:3

0 p

m

23

Me

n’s

Bib

le

Stu

dy

7 p

m

24

25

26

Co

mb

ine

d S

erv

ice

10 a

m

27

WW

W

7 p

m

28

De

ac

on

Mtg

.

7 p

m

29

Yo

uth

6:3

0 p

m

30

Me

n’s

Bib

le

Stu

dy

7 p

m

31

Page 5

July Servants

SERIES: Life on the Vine

July 5 July 12 July 19 July 26

Scripture & Sermon

Sour Grapes! John 15:1-4 Pastor Mick

Watch Out for the Suckers!

John 15:5-8 Pastor Mick

Don’t Be a Raisin John 15:8-11 Pastor Mick

Don’t Be a Cluster Buster John 15:12-17

Pastor Mick

Pianist/Organist Brenda Geib Leslie Allen Ryan Arndt Ryan Arndt

Special Music

Chorister

8 am Greeters

10 am Greeters

Welcome Center

Worship Leader

Ushers Jay Forry, Jim Kolp, Mel Geib, Henry Harry,

Walt Schwanger

SandraLee Dickason, Walt Schwanger, Stephaine Runkle, Duane Bender,

Evan Sucharski

Bill Tripp, Jason, Holly & Claire Leonard, Sandra-

Lee Dickason

Walt Schwanger, Henry Harry, Jay Forry, Mel Geib,

Jim Kolp

Deacons/Anointing Phil & Donna Hollinger Doug & Darlene Breneman

Jim & Polly Shumate Dave & Ruthie Hawthorne

8 am Sound Room

10 am Sound Room Brecken Musser, Colton & Brienna

Brown

Brecken Musser, Colton & Brienna Brown

Jerry, Allison & JJ Huber Jerry, Allison & JJ Huber

8 am Nursery/Toddler

10 am Nursery/Toddler

June Stats

June 21 June 28

Total Worship 55 77

Sunday School None None

General $2,063.00 $3,324.70

Building

Deacon

Seminary

Childcare will not be provided during services this month. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

No stats to report due to the church building closed for COVID-19 and services

were online Live Streamed.

No 8 am service in July

No 8 am service in July

740 Greentree Road

Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Mick Allen, Senior Pastor pastormick@westgreentree.org

Paula Jones, Administrative Assistant

paula@westgreentree.org

Phone: 717-653-5367

Fax: 717-653-5056

www.westgreentree.org

WEST GREEN TREE

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN WEST GREEN TREE

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

Our Purpose Statement:

“To Know, Love, & Follow

Jesus by serving All”

Sunday Service Times: Contemporary Worship 8:00 am

Sunday School 9:15 am

Traditional Worship 10:30 am

Monday: Ladies Bible Study @ 7 pm

Wednesday: Youth @ 6:30 pm

Thursday: Men’s Bible Study @ 7 pm