2010q4

Holiday 2010 • Volume 57 No. 4USPS 165-700

Season of HopeSeason of Hope

2 Connexions Holiday 2010

bcc-connexions-4th-press.pdf 1 11/2/10 12:26 PM

Pennsylvania-Delaware Ministry Network4651 Westport Drive

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Editor: Stephen R. TourvilleManaging Editor: Carole Bongiorno

Phone (717) 795-5921Fax (717) 795-5928

Email: [email protected]: www.penndel.org

Executive PresbyteryStephen R. Tourville, SuperintendentPaul Grabill, Assistant SuperintendentDavid Crosby Sr, Secretary-Treasurer

Jonathan Baker, NC SectionJames Balzano, SCW Section

Christopher Clark, NCW SectionDaniel Clark Sr., GPA SectionSteven DeFrain, EC Section William Ellis, SWM Section Donald Immel, SWS Section Jeffrey Kettering, SC Section

Kenneth Martin, NW SectionRandall Rhoads, SCE Section

James Rugg, NE Section Timothy Satryan, DEL Section

General PresbytersStephen R. Tourville

David Crosby SrBryan Koch

Honorary General PresbytersPhilip Bongiorno,

PennDel Superintendent Emeritus

James E. MorrisPennDel Assistant Superintendent (Retired)

ConneXions

ConneXions (USPS 165-700) is the official periodical published quarterly by the Pennsylvania-Delaware District

Council of the Assemblies of God. Periodical postage paid at Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Circulation stands at approximately 7,500

Holiday 2010

POSTMASTER:Send address changes to:

Pennsylvania-Delaware District Council4651 Westport Drive

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-4887

3Connexions Holiday 2010

LydiaW is for WiTness He who wins souls is wise.

Keirai is for inVesT Give time and money to God’s work.

Sarahs is for sTUDY Read your Bible – Sing the B-I-B-L-E

DominicD is for Do KinD THinGs Sing “O Be Careful Little Hands”

Ellieo is for oBeY Children obey your mom and dad.

EmmaM is for MeeT GoD in PRAYeR God wants us to talk to Him.

After discussing ways we are all smart, the children shared with us ways to be WISE!

KyleAn experienced LEGO builder shared Matt. 7:24-25 - Build your life one day at a time - We then sang “The Wise Man Built…”

DanielTaking karate lessons shared Phil. 3:15 – Focus on total commitment to Christ.

JosiaAn excellent gymnast, read I Timothy 4 stressing the importance to exercise spiritual disciplines and walked on his hands for us.

When our family gathers for Christmas dinner, we have chosen to select a theme each year to help us remember the goodness of the Lord in the past months. It creates fun past the meal and allows for creativity to blossom! Following are a few ideas we have developed. I trust they will spark new ideas for your family celebrations.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Pastor Steve and Marjie

Many are facing the future with anxiety and concern, not knowing what might lie ahead economically, with relationships and regarding their health. Christmas celebrates the coming of the Messiah and the New Year provides for a new beginning. May this season bring hope to you and yours as we face our tomorrows with the assurance of God’s presence, peace, and joy.

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people” Luke 2:10. The holidays are filled with added excitement and activities as well as stress and pressures. Staying focused on why we do what we do helps to prioritize and maintain balance in spite of the additions to the calendar. Keep it simple and keep it pure. Christmas, New Years…it’s all about Jesus! From our house to yours…

2009 Tourv i l l e Chr i s tmas Pageant

W I S D O M

PASTOR STEPHEN TOuRvILLE, D.MIN. [email protected]

MARJIE TOuRvILLEGuest Contributor

Connexions Holiday 20104

PAuL E. GRABILL, D.MIN.

Assistant Superintendent

[email protected]

I know, I know. Jesus probably was not born on December 25. Calvin and the Puritans both didn’t celebrate Christmas, firing the first “war on Christmas” shots. The Catholic Church had decided to co-opt some ancient winter solstice celebrations, and there are ancient pagan elements that still are a part of Christmas folklore today.

Those who know me know that I certainly lean toward being a New Testament purist, so celebrating Christmas is not without a slight twinge of angst, yet there is no doubt that, for the Christian believer today, the hope of Christmas is clearly grounded in the Hope of the World, Jesus, the Son of God.

Imagine how dreary the short days of late December would be without Christmas. For me, I don’t want to go back to the Puritanical days of bah-humbug when there is oh so much true hope to celebrate.

When we remember faith, hope and love, let us not forget hope. It is essential to the believer, and, with Jesus at the center, it has two places in view.

Jesus came…to earth, and He went away…to Heaven. Both are worthy of celebration. Both are part of the complete hope we have in Christ.

Recently, our family gathered to celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday. Though Mom (Mary) remembers precious little, yet she remembers the songs we sang years ago. She especially loves to sing about the hope of Heaven. Her favorite is “I’ll Fly Away.”

As we sang together with her, we talked about how much a believer (particularly a young person) should yearn for Heaven. Should we desire to live to old age, or should we not?

The thought occurred to me that maybe the reason the Bible doesn’t give us an abundant amount of information about Heaven is that we might end up with an unhealthy balance and actually not want to live. We might constantly yearn for death, and that is not God’s will for us. It’s for our good that the “half has never yet been told.”

And so we rightly celebrate. We celebrate life, family, and all of God’s blessings.

But mostly, we celebrate Jesus, the Hope of the World, and the Joy of the World, even more so the one to come.

The Hope Goes On

Happy Holidays,

The Grabills


Around the District

DedicationPastor Walt Smith, Stephen Tourville, Richard Maher, Michael BongiornoAbundant Life Assembly of God, Altoona PA

Building Dedication & Ribbon CuttingRev. James Revie

Church of the New Covenant, Mansfield PA

Pastor Installation/ConsecrationPastor Danny & Lisa HaasFirst Assembly of God, York PA

10th Anniversary CelebrationPastor Steve & Jill BealAbundant Life Assembly of God, Birdsboro PA

RetirementRonald & Doris BriggsRetired on October 3, 2010 after pastoring 21 years at Manada Gap Full Gospel, Harrisburg PA

Pastor Installation/ConsecrationPastor Josh & Christa FowlerFaith Assembly of God, New Cumberland PA

Pastor Installation/ConsecrationPastor Jason & Wendy GorniczFirst Assembly of God, Wilkes Barre PA


DAvID CROSBY Secretary and Treasurer

World Missions

[email protected]

About People

New and Upgraded

CredentialsCertified Minister

BORSHOW-GIBSON, vickieCOOK, Douglas

DEITER, FrankFuLTON, Todd

KuNDSON, JohnMCCuTCHEON, Faith

NASS, GregoryOuTRICH, Barbara

RuNKLE, vickieSINCLAIR, Rozenar

STEIN, SteveWESTERMAN, Heidi

WRAY JR, William

Licensed MinisterANTHONY, James

ANTHONY, RebeccaHALBIG, TimothyHENDRICKS, ErrolHENDRIX, Tiffany

HERNANDEZ, RaymondJENKINS, Kurt

KONTEH, SamuelOLIvENCIA, Ariel

OuTRICH, Michael

Ordained Minister

FINAN, JosephMuTuKu, Benjamin

SABELLA, BrettSIZEMORE, James

ReinstatedBRODOv, Yevgeniy

(Ordained)

Ministers Transferring OutBUCHAnAn, Charissa (Certified) – To OhioBUCHAnAn, Gary (Licensed) – To OhioCoMeR, Jacob (Licensed) – To Northern New EnglandCoYLe, David (Ordained) – To PotomacDAVis, Keith (Ordained) – To Southern MissouriDUnCAn, spenser W. (Ordained) – To IllinoisHiGUeRos, Josue (Licensed) – To Southern New EnglandMCnAUGHTon, Cherisse e. (Licensed) – To NorthwestRiTCHeY, Devon J. (Licensed) – To New JerseyRoBeRTs, Timothy (Licensed) – To Northern New EnglandRoWAnD, Joshua (Licensed) To New JerseyseYMoUR, Todd (Ordained) – To PotomacsTeinsDoeRFeR, Michael (Licensed) – To PotomacsTeWART, Monica (Licensed) – To Kentucky

Ministers Transferring InAnDeRson, Andre (Certified) – From IllinoisBoUCHeR, Mark T. (Ordained) – From Southern New EnglandCoURTneY, Daniel (Ordained) – From NebraskaFRAnQUi, Misael (Licensed) – From Spanish EasternGALinDo, Jennifer R. (Ordained) – From MichiganKeLLY, William (Ordained) – From New JerseyLAWson, Jerelyn (Licensed) – From Northern Cal. and NevadaMARsHALL, J. Micah (Licensed) – From KentuckyMiLLeR, John W (Provisional Certified) – From PotomacsABeLLA, Brett M. (Licensed) – From Peninsular FloridasPARVeRo, Ronald (Ordained) – From New Jersey

Church Transitionsstephen Miller to Milltown Community Church, Wilmington, DEDaniel Haas to First Assembly of God, York, PAWard schultz to Blue Mountain Assembly of God, Newburg, PAJoshua Fowler to Faith Assembly of God, New Cumberland, PAMark Baumgartner to Hope Assembly of God, Aliquippa, PADan Courtney to Crossroads Community Church, Mechanicsburg, PAHoward Hodson to the Assembly of God, Wrightsville, PA

New Church OpeningsReading City Church, Reading, PA vincent Donnachie, PastorCongregation Burning Bush, upper Darby, PA Woubshet Agena Humaso, Pastornew Life Washington, Washington, PA John Miller, Pastor

With the LordRev. Gladys Richardson, 84, went to be with the Lord on October 22, 2010. Her husband, Rev. Alton Richardson, preceded her in death. She is survived by daughters Lil-lian Sparks, Faith Proiette and Ruth Puleo, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Gladys held a Licensed Minister credential with the General Council since 1961.

Rev. William “Bill” R. sanders, 71, joined the church triumphant on Tuesday, October 26, 2010. Bill served as a pastor, church builder, and church planter with the General Council since 1964. He pastored in Boonville, NY and Bayonet Point, FL. He pastored PennDel churches in Pitcairn, Lewes, Manheim, and planted churches in West Chester and Jamison. He engaged in new church construc-tion in each pastorate except for Manheim which was a renovation project. Bill is survived by June, his loving wife, and three children, William II, Andrew, and Alicia.

Rev. Robert “Bob” L. Kurka Jr., 54, passed away Wednes-day, November 3, 2010, with his family by his side. Pastor Bob was a man of the Lord, serving as assistant and youth pastor for the former Christian Life Church in McKeesport, and Praise Assembly of God in North versailles. He was senior pastor in the Malden Assembly of God Church in Brownsville, before called to the Kinport Assembly of God in Cherry Tree, Pa. He is survived by his loving wife Carol; daughter Leah Anderson; sons Joshua and Micah Kurka; and three grandchildren.

2011 Ministerial Credential InterviewsMinisterial credential interviews will be conducted at the Bongiorno Conference Center, Carlisle, PA, in conjunction with quarterly Presbytery Sessions. Credential applicants should plan to have their file completed for the inter-view about four weeks before the scheduled interviews of January 11– March 22 – September 13.

Special RecognitionCongratulations to these network churches named in the “Largest 100 AG Churches for 2009” of Sunday morning worship attendance as reported on the ACMR.

Rank 31. Christian Life Assembly, Camp Hill, PA Attendance 2,823

Rank 50. Glad Tidings Assembly, Reading, PA Attendance 2,204

Rank 91. South Hills Assembly, Bethel Park, PA Attendance 1,587

Aged Ministers Assistance (AMA) Assembly of God ministers have served faithfully and sacrificially to build our Fellowship, yet in retirement many need financial assistance because they earned so little during their ministry. In 2009 PennDel churches contributed to the AMA fund to help these who gave so much for so long for so little. Do you know of one of our retired ministers that needs financial help? How to apply for AMA: A letter of inquiry should accompany an application to the AMA Department at headquarters in Springfield. The letter may come from the minister himself, concerned friends, or from his/her presbyter or district superintendent. For more information, check it out at www.ama.ag.org.

Connexions Holiday 2010 7

PennDel Missionary Family NewsGary and Cindy Higgins have been reassigned to Germany where Gary will become senior pastor for one of our military churches. Gary is currently itinerating and raising the extra support required for his new assignment. Pat and Brenda Mahar are in the states itinerating and will return to Botswana in August 2011. Mike and Debbie Hampton serve as interim pastors at West Bay Assembly of God in George Town, Grand Cayman. Kevin and Sandy Barner transition to Bangkok, Thailand to become the lead pastor of Interna-tional Christian Assembly on November 21, 2010.

INDIA: Land of Kings Project UpdateTo date the Rajasthan project has passed $410,000 in cash and commitments. Funds received are already at work! A church building has been built and dedicated. Two additional churches are under construction and property is being pur-chased for a community transformation center project, a Bible school and evangelistic sending center. Thank you for your partnership!

MA2GO – Senders Fund

I am pleased to announce the Missionary Associate 2 Go senders fund has made a commitment to support Rob and Ireida Grabill in their assignment to India. Rob and Ireida will be assigned to Chennai, India where they will assist with the February 2011 World Congress. Following this event they will be relocated to engage in outreach work. 19 churches now support the MA2GO fund with $1085 committed monthly. Our goal is to have $5K commitments coming into the fund each month to partner with 10 Missionary Associates.

JP MobileImagine being able to access information on thousands of people groups, see data on hundreds of countries, flick through amazing photos, learn about famous missionaries or even share the gospel; all on your portable Apple device with just the touch of a finger. Anywhere. Anytime. (WiFi connection required for iTouch) For Free! Now you can with the amazing new JPMobile (Joshua Project) web applica-tion built for your iPhone or iPod Touch. Install for free at m.joshuaproject.net.

How to Prove the Love of Jesus to the Jewish NationMissionary Jeff Friedman is preparing to host a HealthCare Ministries missions team to Ethiopia in January 2011. In the Jewish district of Addis Ababa, this medical evangelism team will hold a free healthcare clinic. Even beyond the immediate impact of the outreach, there are some tremendous goals in mind.

• To build trust and relationships in their community

• To open doors for evangelism – and a future church plant

• To provide a catalyst for church growth

• To demonstrate Jesus’ love – and theirs – in a tangible way

By offering answers to the felt needs of the people there, Jeff hopes to pave the way for meeting their greater needs. Jeff explains, “We are ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of Jewish communities wherever the opportunity oc-curs.” Through experience, he has found that ministering to a community’s physical need can create those opportunities to address their spiritual needs. He adds, “humanitarian and med-ical aid often opens the doors to sharing the one true hope.”

Presenting Jesus to a Jewish community is challenging work. But compassion outreaches help make His love obvious and soften hard hearts to the message of the Gospel. Jeff requests that you provide a prayer covering for the outreach and that out of this witness a vibrant church will be planted in the community. If you would like to contribute resources for the outreach, please connect with Jeff at [email protected].

Christmas and New Year Greetings!We send our greetings to the great PennDel Fellowship at this special time of year. May God grant you peace and joy in the celebration of Christ’s birth! In the coming new year we pray that God will bless you with good health and prosper you in all things.

Be blessed – Dave and Betty Crosby


TOM REES Assistant to the Superintendent

HonorBound Church Planting

and Development

[email protected]

I’m advocating a new style of men’s retreat

around one theme: MEAT. Of course that’s an

acrostic, because how can we make t-shirts

if we don’t have letters that stand for some-

thing? Here is what the letters stand for:

M – Meat Pulled a fast one on you. Look,

every guy activity I’ve ever been a part of

included the consumption of delicious meat.

Think about this…whenever Jesus got a few

thousand people together, he didn’t just drop

wisdom on them. He fed them. If you are go-

ing to have a retreat, you better come up with

some way to feed everybody. BBQ, chicken,

steaks, or even tasty hot dogs…get your men

tons of tasty food, and they’ll be greased up

and ready to learn.

E- Explosions Now I don’t mean literal

explosions, at least not destructive ones, unless

you just happen to have access to a cache of

weaponry. No, what I mean are things that

produce loud noises. If you can somehow

arrange your men’s retreat to take place on

a fully operational destroyer in the uS Navy,

that would be ideal. Eat a steak, shoot some

cannons. In the absence of that, I recommend

skeet shooting.

A – Athletics Men love competition.

This envelops us in every area, like epic Play

Station football tournaments that last for days

on end. We love to keep score. A great men’s

retreat will channel this energy into something

constructive. I don’t recommend anything that

involves equipment…men are sinful, so even

an innocent game of horse shoes will probably

wind up in the head trauma unit at the ER if

you aren’t careful. I recommend some sort of

basic obstacle course, where you have to climb

a tree, swim a river, fight off a hoard of ram-

paging raccoons…you know, just your every

day woodsy activities. As long as this energy is

properly channeled, it will be good for morale.

And what wife wouldn’t be proud of her hus-

band for coming home from the church retreat

with a coon-skin cap as a present?

T – Mr. T I can’t think of a single situation

that wouldn’t be improved by having Mr. T.

there. Part of the gospel is realizing you are a

fool in need of pity. Fortunately, that’s what he

specializes in.

If you’re going to have a church retreat, you

should also have an actual Bible study. Make

sure the topic is meaty, in a spiritual sense. It

fits with the t-shirts.

How to Plan a Manly Men’s Retreat

Edited from Dr. Awesome’s blog

on Stuff Christians Like

Mig Welder

Lift for Activity Center

Backpack Blower

utility vehicle

Gator or Golf Cart

Bucket Truck

Pickup Truck

Greens Mower

Top Dresser for Golf Course

John Deere Snow Blower Attachment

John Deere Street Sweeper Attachment

Durrell’s Christmas ListThe following is a list of items that would make work around the Bongiorno Conference Center easier and allow Durrell and his staff to do more. Please call for details (717.243.7381).


“So why did we build a coffeehouse instead of a church building? Because Jesus didn’t hang out in synagogues. He hung out at wells.

Wells weren’t just places to draw water. Wells were natural gathering places in ancient culture. Coffeehouses are postmodern

wells. To borrow a sociological term, our coffeehouse is a third place where the church and community can cross paths.”

— Mark Batterson, UnChristian

Exercise Daily

Eat Healthier

Make Learning Fun

Open Some New Doors

Make New Friends

Bring some Holiday Cheer

Add Some Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Da

Chill Out With Some Hot Cocoa

Lift One Another Up

Take a Road Trip

Through the eyes of the Rees’ Family...

2011

11 Things to Do in Sharing Hope through

a Coffee HouseWhen the doors for Shinning Light Ministries closed in the Germantown section of Philadel-phia a few years ago, the dream of what God could do in the community through love, compassion and the Gospel did not end. The Board and leader-ship of Calvary Assembly of God became sustaining partners in

the work at the location because they felt God’s work was not finished. They were right. The site is now home to Common Grounds Coffee House, a growing non-profit community outreach ministry.

Andrew Lemon, the Young Adult Pastor at Calvary Assembly of God sees Common Grounds as a tool for followers of Christ. He says, “Many Christians struggle with finding good ways to reach out to their friends, neighbors, family and co-workers. Common Grounds Coffee House provides a comfortable envi-ronment where Christians can reach out and love people. It’s a setting where people can make connections through relaxed conversations.”

People in the Germantown/Mt. Airy community already see Common Grounds as a welcoming place to relax on a Friday night. Half of the guests live within walking distance. Many people have made comments, “We needed something like this in the community.” Rachel Moore, an artist who did a display at Common Grounds added, “I totally dig and support what you are doing here.”

For more information see: www.commongroundscoffee.org




GEORGE KREBS Christian Education

[email protected]

2011 KIDS’ BREAKAWAY

kids

Weekend #1 February 25-27Weekend #2 March 4-6Weekend #3 March 11-13

For more information email [email protected]

Children’s Ministry Leadership SummitLead your team to Victory

We are Better Together

Registration includes: one night’s lodging, one BGMC banquet, one breakfast, one lunch and $40 in Children’s ministry resources.

An equipping and connecting event for Children’s Pastors/Leaders especially the key leaders who make children’s ministry happen in the local church. See you there.

January 24-25 @ Bongiorno Conference Center

Registration: $140 per person (single occupancy) $130 per person (double occupancy)

Postmark deadline January 12 (add $10 late fee after 1/17/10)


KRISTIAN WALKER District Music & Worship Liaison

www.kristianwalker.com

3 Locations:

Monroeville; York; Bensalem

An opportunity for children (grades 3-6 or

ages 8-12) to showcase their ministry gifts.

• Stress free

• Non-competitive

• Human video, puppetry, vocals, instumentals,

art, poetry and more

• Registration information coming soon

Celebrate JesusKids’ Fun ArtsSaturday, May 21st

Merry Christmas from George & Debbie

Krebs and the entire Christian Education

Department

From our family to yours, we pray you will have an

awesome Christmas!

If you polled 100 people and asked, “What is your favorite holiday,” many would likely say,

“Christmas.” If we asked those same people to name their least favorite aspect of the Christmas

season, a large percentage of them would probably say, “the stress and anxiety of it all.” It’s sad

the very season that celebrates the Author of Peace coming into the world is the time of year

that brings the most anxiety to people’s lives. It’s a proven fact that anxiety can have damaging

affects to our physical being as well as to our mental and emotional being. This can impact the

capacity that even the strongest Christian has for hope.

One of the greatest gifts God has given us in Jesus is a peace that goes beyond understanding

that will guard our hearts and minds through even the most challenging of circumstances. In

seasons that are busy and stressful for us, the first thing the enemy will do is attempt to steal

our joy, peace and hope, but we have to be very intentional about placing our focus on why Jesus

“became flesh and dwelt among us” and tap into all that He came to provide. Let’s be deter-

mined to hand all the anxieties of this season over to the Christ of Christmas and to be a living

testimony of His incredible hope, peace and joy to everyone we come in contact with.

What is your favorite holiday?

Kristian, Sharon, Aria, & Elise

2010


DOuG SAYERS Youth

www.penndelyouth.com

Fine Arts Festival is a discipleship tool of the Assemblies of God youth ministries that is designed to “help students discover and develop their ministry gifts.” More than 70,000 students participated in fine arts nationwide. Of those, more than 10,000 participated at the national festival. On Friday, August 6, 2010, the National Fine Arts Festival announced the Top Ten from each category. Thousands of students, parents, friends and relatives gathered for this National Fine Arts Festival Celebration Service. We are proud to announce the names of our PennDel students who received the coveted Award of Merit for placing first in their category:

FINE ARTS 2011 information for the 2011 Fine Arts season is now available at www.penndelyouth.com Sectional Fine Arts Festivals: February 19, 2011 District Fine Arts Festival: April 20-22, 2011 National Fine Arts Festival: August 1-5, 2011

“Dying to Live” Team Christian

Band (Allison Park Church, Allison

Park, PA)

“HM Inaudible Mathematics” Team Contemporary Instrumental

Ensemble Award of Merit (Glad

Tidings Assembly, Reading PA)

LeQuan Chapman

Rap Solo Award of Merit (Glad

Tidings Assembly, Reading PA)

“G.O.E.” Team Worship Team

Award of Merit (Glad Tidings

Assembly, Reading PA)

“Saved by the Bells” Team Traditional Percussion Ensemble

Award of Merit (Shrewsbury AG,

Shrewsbury, PA)

Kaela Edwards Female vocal

Solo Award of Merit (Pocono

Community Church, Mt. Pocono, PA)

Nat ional F ine Ar ts Fes t iva l 2010

Participant/Group Church Category Placement in the NFAF In Awe Team Allison Park Church, Allison Park, PA Worship Team 2ndEduardo Nieto victory Christian Fellowship, Norristown, PA Spanish Short Sermon 2ndDesiree Bonitz Shrewsbury AG, Shrewsbury, PA Keyboard Solo 2ndTrinity Bells Team Shrewsbury AG, Shrewsbury, PA Traditional Percussion Ensemble 2ndTiny & The Twins Team Tri-County Worship Center, Bethel, PA Small Drama Ensemble 3rdDesiree Bonitz Shrewsbury AG, Shrewsbury, PA Traditional Percussion Solo 3rdJulie Heredia Philadelphia Christian Center, Bensalem, PA Poetry 3rdKaitlyn Bradley Tri-County Worship Center, Bethel, PA Wind/Brass Solo 3rdDeuma Team Glad Tidings AG, Reading, PA Worship Team 4thMatt Reed Faith AG, Roaring Spring, PA visual Art, Two Dimensional 4thTransit Light Team victory Christian Fellowship, Norristown, PA Christian Band 5thElizabeth Newman Glad Tidings AG, Reading, PA Digital Photography 5thLost & Found Team First AG, Greencastle, PA American Sign Language Group 5thShayne Lumadue Glad Tidings AG, Reading, PA visual Art, Three Dimensional 5thCrosstown Group Allison Park Church, Allison Park, PA Children’s Lesson Group 6thJeremy Sarna Glad Tidings AG, Reading, PA Traditional Percussion Solo 6th Thr3e Team Glad Tidings AG, Reading, PA Songwriting 6thJordan Kolarik Allison Park Church, Allison Park, PA Short Sermon 7thJoshua Payne Mountain Top Family Center, Mountain Top, PA Drama Solo 7thRachel Ritter Faith AG, Roaring Spring, PA Songwriting 7thOutnumbered Team Glad Tidings AG, Reading, PA Large vocal Ensemble 8thRobyn Collette El Shaddai Assembly of God, Nazareth, PA Wind/Brass Solo 8th Ignite Team New Life AG, Lancaster, PA Small vocal Ensemble 9thCaleb Birkhimer First AG, Greencastle, PA American Sign Language Solo 9thKenny Simmons Assembly of God, Blakely, PA Male vocal Solo 9thDrizzle Team Glad Tidings AG, Reading, PA Children’s Lesson Group 9thKrista Tarnowski Philadelphia Christian Center, Bensalem, PA Drama Solo 10th

Congratulations to the students who placed in the Top Ten in their category!

The Sayers’


Connexions Holiday 201016

JASON LAMER Youth Alive

[email protected]

H O P EA T r e e o f

In the 1500’s there were some farmers and their families in Northern Germany who had begun a unique practice. In the winter months, they would go outside to their barren, lifeless fields and find a small pine tree. They would cut it down and then bring it into their home. This practice caught on with a few other farmers. During the winter in their small family dwellings you would find an evergreen standing in a corner. It wasn’t decorated or made to fit in with a theme or décor. It simply stood in the corner. When the winter months would get long and the food supplies would grow slim, this tree stood in their home as a reminder that spring is on its way. This green tree was a sign of hope to them as they spent their winter days staying warm, staying fed and in some condi-tions, staying alive. The hope it represented was a promise of new winds, new crops and new sights. They looked at that tree and knew that hope was always in front of them.

Today we celebrate a tree that stands to remind us that hope is always in front of us. The cross of Jesus is our hope that reaches beyond this present life. Sometimes hope may seem to be far off, but it is still in front of us. As we celebrate this Christmas season, may we enjoy and share the hope that we have with those inside and outside our home. As you decorate a Christmas tree, share this story with your family and together rejoice over the greatest tree of hope that stands for our lives.

Jalyn & Jordyn’s Christmas Tree Treat: A fun Christmas activity and treat

Items needed: Graham Crackers, sugar cones, green icing and M&M’s.

• Place the sugar cone upside down on a square graham cracker.

• Cover the cone in green icing

• Add colorful M&M’s to finish off the Christmas tree look.

• Consider delivering the Christmas Tree Treats to neighbors with the story of the Tree of Hope.

• Make enough to eat and share.

Ideas for student’s sharing their faith this Christmas Season:

Candy Cane Distribution. Pass out candy canes with a note attached that includes the reason for Christmas as well as a Christmas greeting.

Salvation Army Collection Campaign. Ask permission to collect change on a specific day in school and then give that money to the local Salvation Army. When peers ask why, tell them and include your salvation story.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving Box. Wrap up a box with a lid that can easily be opened and reused. Place a gift of any type in that box and give it to someone who can place a gift and give to someone else and so on.

Christmas Movie Party. Invite some friends from school to a Christmas Party at your home and show a movie such as “The ultimate Gift.”

For a complete instruction & ideas guide, visit www.penndelyouth.com.

We pray God’s

richest blessings

to you and your

family this

Holiday Season.

–The Lamer’s


GREG SCOTT Royal Rangers

[email protected] everyone knows what it means to wait on God; however, not many understand how or have the patience to wait on God. We’ve all experienced times in our lives when things are at their lowest. A time when it seems like things are stacked against you or you just can’t understand why God is allowing you to experience what you are going through. Why is God allowing this to happen to me? We’ve all heard that question from many people and most likely have asked it ourselves during those difficult times. We go to God in prayer over the matter and want an instant answer and relief from our pain or circumstance. That’s when the real waiting begins and there is no formula to determine how long one has to wait. Be assured; however, God has an answer; we just have to wait for it. It’s when we have already formed the answer we want in our own minds that we begin to struggle. We usually know what we want the outcome to be, but it often does not line up with what God’s answer may be.

During this difficult time and downturn in the economy I have seen many people struggle. The impact has been on both Christians and non-Christians alike. Our family has not been immuned from it either. For the past two years or so our life plans had been turned upside down. I had done my best to try to hold things together and go through our days pretend-ing everything was fine and dandy- but the truth was, inside we were hurting and afraid. It felt like our lives were crumbling around us. Our plans, our dreams- everything we had worked for seemed to be falling apart. Afraid of the unknowns, afraid we had heard God wrong- all we could do was cling to Jesus and wait.

I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that we would walk whatever road He asked us to. And not only would we walk it- but regardless of the outcome we would praise Him through the storm. So, we began to do just that. Began to praise Him for our pain, began to trust Him even more with our entire lives and all of our plans. While we have always tried to do that- there was just something about facing a trial-and actually making the decision right then and there to PRAISE no matter what.

Through this trial, we have begun to see God in a whole different way and we began to see our lives in a totally different light. Each day seemed all the more precious. Each hug, each kiss, each moment seemed all the sweeter. The petty things in life that used to bother us were no longer visible. The things in life that mattered to us before, matter even more now. I found hope for the new year through Matthew 10:39, “If you cling to your life you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” No matter what we go through or what the new year brings, our hope resides in the knowledge that in the end none of it will really matter when we are in His presence. No matter what, we must continue to wait on God and know there is hope for the new year.

A Season of Hope,Waiting on God

Coming Events in 2011:Junior Leader

Training AcademyJunior Computer Camp

Altoona, PAJanuary 21-23

Northeast Region Leaders Conference

Willow Valley ResortLancaster, PAFebruary 4-5

Penn-Del District Leaders ConferenceFirst Assembly of God

York, PA March 26th

Penn-Del RR Camp Work Day

Honey Grove, PAApril 9th

On behalf of our family and all of the Penn-Del District Royal Rangers I want to wish you the happiest of holidays and many blessings for the New Year. Trust in God, there is hope for the New Year.

–The Scott’s


High expectations coupled with financial limitations can turn the season of ‘great joy’ into one of despair. Many families face the holidays with heartache, feeling that they cannot provide their children with everything on their Christmas wish list. My parents found creative ways to help us fulfill our hopes while learning valuable lessons that would influence the way we view Christmas. Rather than focus on the joy of receiving, our parents emphasized the joy of giving. Due to our limited family income and being too young to work, we went door to door for several weeks before Thanksgiving, selling boxed cards and seasonal printed napkins. With our proceeds we purchased our Christmas gifts for our family and friends. They encouraged us to recognize others who had greater needs than ourselves. Often a person in need joined us for one of our family holiday dinners where we included them in our time of gift exchange. This helped us to realize that though we

may not have as much as some, we definitely have a lot to be thankful for compared to others.

Facing some of the same challenges as we were raising our children, we selected a family in need and each of our children went shopping for a gift to give to the children in that home. One day we went to their home and presented the family with the gifts we had purchased. Our children experienced the greater joy that comes from giving without any self-serving motivation or expecting anything in return.

As the seasons of our lives change and we are experiencing the empty nest, it is easy to forget the lessons we taught our children and fail to apply them to our present circumstances. I am sure that God has someone in mind that needs our love during this holiday season. I can only imagine!

The Joy of Giving…

RuTH PuLEO Women of Purpose

ruth@penndel womenofpurpose.org

With much love and thankfulness,

John and Ruth Puleo

“I will bless the Lord and not forget the glorious things He does for me…He fills my life with good things!” Psalm 103: 2, 5

May the good things the Lord has in store for you fill your coming year with many reasons to celebrate. As you share those blessings with family, friends and someone in need, I pray that your joy overflows.

SEASON OF HOPE

SHARON POOLE Girls Ministries

[email protected]

In I Samuel, chapters 1 and 2, the story is told of Hannah whose hearts desire was for a child. In verse 10 of chapter one, we see that Hannah “wept much and prayed to the Lord.”

God answered Hannah’s prayer and gave her a son, Samuel. In response to this miraculous answer to prayer, she prayed (1:27) and gave the child Samuel back to God.

A beautiful expression of Hannah’s gratitude is recorded in I Samuel 2:1-10. It is Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving.

This story portrays three steps in Hope. All three involve prayer and communication with God. The first is a prayer requesting from God. The second is an acknowledgement of God’s answer with a sacrificial prayer. And the final prayer is one of praise and gratitude.

As we look to 2011, it truly is a Season of Hope. Each one who wants to be used of God in this new year, must know that there are requirements. Hannah’s examples of prayer in each stage of the Hope is for us to follow: request, sacrifice, express gratitude.

“…Hope does not disappoint us…” Romans 5:5

BELGIAN WAFFLES2 eggs

2 c. flour

½ c. butter (melted)

1 ¾ c. milk

1 T. brown sugar

4 t. baking powder

¼ t. salt

Beat the eggs until fluffy. Slowly add the

other ingredients. Pour 1/3 c. of batter

onto each side of the waffle iron.

Serve with strawberries and whipped cream.

Merry Christmas!

The Poole’sConnexions Holiday 2010 19

Dear Investors, Christmas, what a wonderful day! Jesus Christ our Savior was born. The light of the world was sent by our Heavenly Father to dispel the darkness of sin. It is our prayer that Christ’s light will shine on you with hope, joy, and peace this season and always.

The Board of Directors and staff of HIS Fund thank you for your investment of finances to advance the Church of our Lord. May you and your families have a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

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