The New Vision

Inside This Issue

Regular Features

3 - Bits ‘n Pieces

4 - Inside Outreach

4- May 2020 Offerings

5 - Health Ministry Corner 6 - Birthdays & Anniversaries

6 - Members and Friends

7 - July Calendar 8 - July Servers

8 - Just for Kids Around the Church

2 - Pastoral Search Committee Update

2 - Living With the COVID 19 Pandemic

All are invited to participate in our Sunday Worship Service 10:15 a.m.

Our Staff: Becky Fuchs – Pastor John Hess – Director of Music

Gloria Hess – Organist Amy Sensenig – Puppet Ministry Jackie Sands – Office Administrator Douglas Finkbiner – Custodian

Mountville Church of the Brethren is located

at the corner of College, Hoover, & Clay Streets in Mountville, PA. If you have further questions regarding the Mountville Church, please feel free to call the church office at 717-285-5122 or 717-285-7424 or email

www.office@mountvillecob.org

Mountvi l le Church o f the Brethren

July 2020 Vol. 38, No. 7

Thank You Cheerful Givers!

“The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap

sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap

bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your

mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a

cheerful giver.” Second Corinthians 9:6-7

The Leadership Team reviews the church’s financial

statements each month. In times like these, this might be a

task to dread. However, the faithful generosity of MCOB

continues to inspire us. Despite the sadness and anxiety of

the times, we’ve concluded that our congregation must be

self-medicating by indulging in cheerful giving! Thank you

for allowing us to keep our staff employed. Thank you for

providing so that all of our bills can be paid on time. Thank

you for amazing us with your commitment to the “least of

these”. Our Outreach Team has shared almost $16,000 of

regularly budgeted outreach giving so far this year. In addi-

tion, since mid-March, you have provided an additional

$7,600+ for outreach ministries such as our local food banks,

Global Food Initiative, Disaster Relief, and Hands Across

the Street. Thank you for cheerfully sowing Jesus’ compas-

sionate love through our communities!

In-person worship in

our sanctuary

on Sunday, July 5, 2020!

You will be receiving a letter very soon

that will outline our new rules and procedures.

To promote health, CDC Guidelines will be followed.

-2-

Pastoral Search Committee Update

The Pastoral Search Committee completed the Congregational Profile in June. The Con-

gregational Profile is the document that describes our congregation and is distributed

throughout the denomination to prospective ministers. Many thanks for your participation in

the surveys. Fifty-seven surveys were returned and analyzed. Based on congregational input,

the priorities for pastoral ministry ranked as follows:

1. preaching 2. pastoral care 3. worship planning

4. administration 5. visitation 6. community involvement

7. teaching 8. small group leadership

The Search Committee now waits for prospective ministers interested in MCOB to contact

our District Executive, Pete Kontra. The District Executive will then send resumés to the

Search Committee to review. When the Search Committee discerns a good match or two, inter-

views will commence. Eventually, the congregation will meet and vote on the prospective min-

ister. However, this likely will not happen before winter or later. Please watch for updates in

the newsletter. Questions and input are welcome!

In the meantime, the District Executive is helping the Leadership Team find an interim

minister to serve beginning November 1. Please continue to pray for God’s guidance in this

process. Thank you! - Larry Booz, Dell Boshnaugle, Nanette Bushong, Forrest Collier, Ginny

Hart, Nancy Hess, Joyce Kerns, Regina Schulz, & Walt VanderHeijden

Living With the COVID19 Pandemic By Ginny Hart

As the COVID19 pandemic continues to force us to change many things we have taken for

granted including being able to socialize with people one cares about, one may find oneself

having feelings of sadness, hopelessness, tearfulness and emptiness. People may be quickly

angered or frustrated over small matters or find it difficult to perform acts of daily living:

eating, bathing, getting dressed, brushing teeth, grooming. These are some of the symptoms of

depression and/or anxiety.

What can one do to help oneself if any of these symptoms present a problem in daily living?

People find that if they have a schedule each day that includes short term goals to work to-

ward, they have a purpose which can translate to reason to be alive. Having long term goals

also helps to give life meaning. Other ways to help alleviate depression symptoms include

keeping a daily journal where one lists things for which one is thankful, having a designated

time each day to meditate, pray, be mindful of those things around oneself using the 5 senses

of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling.

Another way to relieve symptoms of both depression and anxiety is to practice taking a deep

breath with a count of 4, holding the breath for a count of 4 and then breathing out on a count

of 4. Doing this for 5 minutes or until one can feel the body is no longer tense. Imagery using

something that brings a sense of serenity to mind and making that imagery very detailed also

tends to calm one’s mind.

-3-

Bits ‘n Pieces

We extend our sympathy to Garry and Dori Muelller following the death of Garry’s mother,

Adele, on May 21. Adele was 94 and had been a resident of St. Anne’s.

We extend our sympathies to Sophie Harmes and Bud and Ginny Hart on the death of Sohie’s

husband and the Hart’s son-in-law Jeff Harmes on June 4.

We so appreciate all the cards and expressions of sympathy following Galen Graham’s passing.

We are truly thankful for the support of our church family. - John & Louise Graham

Thank you for the many cards and good wishes I received following shoulder surgery. I appreci-

ate your support and care. - Pastor Becky

We appreciated all the cards we received for our 75th Anniversary. - Lloyd & Bertha Finkbiner

Thank you for all the cards and phone calls I received on my 96th birthday! - Mary Jane Winters

Thank you for your expressions of sympathy that Bud and Ginny Hart, and Sophie Harmes

received following the death of Jeff Harmes.

The past several months for me could well have been described by poet John O'Donohue as

"...distraught and grieved by illness... dimming the light of the heart." But he could little have

known how those lines are true for many, if not each, of us. The surging, invasive coronavirus,

has been dominant for us all, injecting shock and the threat of illness even to our local door-

steps. This short note is intended to thank the many loving, thoughtful, caring hearts in our con-

gregation that have found caring ways to connect with one another in spite COVID-19 and other

life challenges.

Thank you everyone for the phone calls, meals, cards, prayers, and surprise drive-by-at-a-

distance-to-say "Hi" brief passings. They cut through the dark virus clouds as little else could. I

am grateful for the fine medical care I received to help me move beyond worry from a slow grow-

ing, non-aggressive cancer and the recent back surgery that resolved my sciatic nerve issue. But

I am especially grateful for my fellow congregants at MCOB and their presence in our lives.

Peace be with you all! - Charlie Worrall

Thank you for your support to the Hempfield Area Food Pantry evidenced by your recent

very generous contribution of $835. It is contributors like you who confirm the mission of the

pantry...to serve those in our community who are struggling to feed their families. During the

month of April we served 143 families which included 164 children, 311 adults, 92 seniors for a

total of 1,545 people served. - Diane Gerlach, Hempfield Food Pantry

Thank you for your contribution of $835 that helped us pay for the 2,285 lbs. of food and other

essential food items, i.e. eggs, butter, chees and meat. You remain in our hearts, thoughts, and

prayers. - Danielle Peters, The Columbia Food Bank

We are grateful for your gift of $1,350 to the Emergency Disaster Fund in support of Brethren

Disaster Ministries as we bring hope and healing to people who have survived disasters, both

natural and manmade in the United Sates and around the world.

- Roy Winter, Brethren Disaster Ministries

Thank you for your generous contribution of $860. Your gift provides peace of mind for family

members and residents who are able to stay at Brethren Village even when they have exhausted

their financial resources. - Renny Magill, Brethren Village

Inside Outreach

TWO MORE Ways To Help Others During This Pandemic

1. As you send in your offerings to support our church, remember that the Global Food

Initiative continues. We do not currently have our children collecting the offering for this in

our services. But collected funds are still sent regularly to Elgin. If you want to start doing this,

or “catch up” on money you would have shared, had we all been in church the past few months,

please mark your check and envelope for GFI and send it to the church with your regular offer-

ing. Thank you!

2. On June 14 David Radcliff, of the New Community Project, was our guest speaker.

Outreach supports NCP. A portion of our Christmas Eve offering is often directed towards

NCP projects. You may give to this and note it on your check. Thank you, again!

The opportunities below, and mentioned previously, can still can use our help.

Hands Across the Street in Columbia: They are making and delivering 500 lunches each

weekday in Columbia, as well as supplying food to two neighboring communities three days per

week. They are also distributing food boxes weekly, and have given out over 1,500 so far. You

may write a check to our church and note on the envelope donation for “Hands Across the

Street.”

Hempfield Food Pantry, the Columbia Food Bank, and the Food Hub: Because we are

not currently collecting food, consider writing a check to our church and note on it that it is for

the “Food Banks.”

Power Packs: This effort is helping to feed those with not enough food for their fami-

lies. Write a check to “Hempfield Power Packs. Address and mail your envelope to:

East Petersburg Faith Outreach

DBA Hempfield Power Packs

PO Box 581, East Petersburg PA 17520

-4-

Mountville COB May 2020 Offerings

For General Fund $ 20,856.00

Designated $ 3,415.00

Thank you for your support!

-5-

Flora Jean Beam

6655 Red House Rd.

Phenix, VA 23959

434-208-0702

Birthday: Flora Jean 8/7

Gretchen Brock

Elizabeth Manor

320 S. Market St.

Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Birthday: 5/5

Ray & Anna Ruth Enders

375 Primrose Lane

Mountville, PA 17554

717-285-4289 Anniv: 12/28

Birthdays: Ray 12/4

Anna Ruth 11/10

Kathy Lenox

Meadow View Rehab & Nursing

9209 Ridge Pike

Philadelphia, PA 19128

Birthday: 6/27

Miriam Sampsel

2401 McKee II

551 Free Mason Dr.

Elizabethtown PA 17022

717-361-5601 Birthday: 10/19

Gene & Barbara Swords

52 Circle Dr., Apt. 332

Lititz, PA 17543

717-560-0345 Anniv: 8/26

Birthdays: Gene 10/25

Barbara 1/31

Margaret Trimble

2835 N. Front St.

Harrisburg, PA 17110

717-956-7938

Birthday: 8/22

� Please remember these persons in your prayers, and reach out to them with cards, phone calls and visits.

July Birthdays and Anniversaries

-6-

The Health Ministry Team is providing this list of Members and Friends who are unable to attend church regularly.

Birthday Blessings to:

Please contact the church office if your birthday or Anniversary was missed.

Thank you.

Happy Anniversary to:

2 Marian Bollinger

Fay Powell

7 Shannon Barto

9 Marty Bushong

Sam Field

George Schwert

10 Cindy Abel

11 Indy Ebersole

Lois Silver

12 Joel B. Musser

16 Butch Shenk

17 Norman Bollinger

Margie Musser

21 Alta Bantz

22 Michael Long

22 Pey McAllister

30 Stanley Williams

6 Nick & Anne Cyr

20 Donald & Patricia Aument

Norman & Marian Bollinger

25 Rick & Linda Weber

JULY SERVERS

Ushers Worship Leaders Acolytes

Dave Fuchs 5 - Fikir Simegn 5 -

Love Simegn 12 - Kathy Long 12 -

A J Taylor 19 - 19 -

Alexa Taylor 26 - 26 -

Children’s Ministry

5 -

12 -

19 -

26 -

-8-

Deadline for the August 2020 New Vision articles is Sunday, July 12, 2020.

Address Service Requested Dated Material Enclosed

LOOKING AHEAD WITH HOPE

Blessings of the Students & Pizza Party - August 23, 2020

Welcome Back Sunday - September 13, 2020