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The Ridgeway Newsletter Vol. 14 Issue 2 • September 2016 http://ridgewaymennonite.org/ • office@ridgewaymennonite.org Ridgeway Mennonite Church 546 E. Franklin Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 540-434-3476

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Our purpose as a church is to

love God and all people, enabled by the Holy Spirit to

become the living presence of Jesus Christ in our homes,

across the street, and around the world.

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This newsletter is published

monthly. Please provide

information to the editor, church

secretary, by the third Sunday of

this month.

__________________________ All photos by Paul Groff.

Ridgeway’s

2016 Campout!

More photos on Page 3.

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New Addresses for Those

Who Have Moved!

Caleb & Hannah Hochstetler

1344 Dorgan Street

Jackson, MS 39204

Tyree & Sue Webster

2210 Drummond Drive

Richmond, VA 23222

Summer Update Anna Engle

I had a truly wonderful vacation and trip with my

friend Maria Zehr. We spent a good part of the week

in Jeju, and then took a weekend trip to Jeonju. What

a joy to have her come here! I feel so blessed to feel

well-rested and to have passion again for my job. We

are doing two weeks of English camps. I've been

really enjoying brainstorming ideas with my co-

workers and developing the concept for camp. I've

never done a Christian English camp—I worked at a

Christian camp in the US and then worked at English

camps in Japan—but this time I get to do both! I'm

praying for energy and passion for us all and hoping

we don't lose all the fresh energy we gained from

vacation.

I have been considering graduate school for the

last few months. There are so many decisions to

make—MA or PhD, a Korean university or an

American one, the specific timing, the major. It's not

easy to make time to do the necessary research while

working full-time. I appreciate prayers for

discernment and wisdom.

After our two weeks of camp, the 2nd semester

will start (the Korean school year starts in March!).

My teaching schedule has changed a bit, so I ask for

your prayers for a smooth transition into the new

subjects and the many, many unknowns ahead.

I look forward to my mother coming to visit next

month! Something that's been really life-giving for

me lately is that my mother has been studying Korean

intensively. She is taking a Korean class over Skype

(with my dear friend Sarah teaching her), and she

studies every day. I feel so, so loved that someone

would study a language because of me! What a way

to show love and support.

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Photo by Paul Groff.

Community Connections—August 3, 2016 ____________________________________________________________________________________________

EMU’s Open House Events

The best way to discover what a university has to offer is to visit its campus. EMU’s official campus open house

programs allow students to hear from administration, faculty, staff, and students. Open house dates for this year:

Open House 1: October 8, 2016

Open House 2: November 13-14, 2016 (overnight visit/optional STEM Track)

Open House 3: March 18, 2017

Open House 4: April 8, 2017

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Ridgeway’s 2016 Campout!

August 19-21, 2016

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New Library Book...

Song of the Redwing

Blackbird: An Amish

Mennonite Girl

Grows Up

A Memoir by Ferne

Lapp Bowman Review by Angela

Rempel

“So what is it really like

Author Ferne Bowman to grow up in an

Amish community?” people ask. Often they turn to

the latest Amish romance novel, written by someone

who never was Amish. Ferne’s book is a collection of

stories with an insider’s perspective on Amish

Mennonite life. She explains the significance of the

title’s reference to a redwing blackbird in chapter 12.

Ferne, who with her husband Dan, has been a

member at Ridgeway since 1977, used her writing

skills to share with her family, and the rest of us, her

journey through life. Ferne was born in Lancaster

County in Pennsylvania into an Amish Mennonite

family. Ferne’s father and mother had each

experienced the loss of their first spouse. They both

brought several children into their second marriage

and then added two more girls, with Ferne being the

youngest.

Ferne shares stories of that life, beginning with an

early memory about the birth of a foal in their barn.

With amazing recall of details of her life as a young

child, Ferne writes of the common daily activities on

a farm without electricity and running water. Her

world gradually expanded, especially when the

family moved ten miles to the small town of

Monterey when she was in the second grade. She

encountered non-Amish people at school and in the

community.

Their house in town had electricity and indoor

running water, which was acceptable in their church

that came to be known as the Beachy Amish.

Through the years, her world expanded in various

ways—a train trip to Indiana, voluntary service in

Kentucky, helping with summer Bible school in far-

off Ontario, Canada.

Ferne was the only one of her siblings who went

to high school—two years at Lancaster Mennonite

High School. When she was in her mid-twenties, she

entered Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg.

Her years in college were life changing. For one

thing, that is where she met Dan! She lovingly and

humorously writes matter-of-factly about life’s

challenges with a blind husband. The reader can

follow Ferne and her growing family through the

years to the present.

It is enjoyable reading, touched with humorous

events and descriptions. For those of us at Ridgeway

who didn’t grow up Amish or conservative

Mennonite, Song of the Redwing Blackbird provides

a glimpse of that world into which a number of

people among us were born.

You can buy a book from Ferne, but a copy is now

in our church library. The book was published by

Lot’s Wife Publishing in Staunton in 2015.

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Ridgeway’s New Copier

Ridgeway’s Konica copier had a long, good life. As the years

progressed, it caused some aggravation for those trying to use it, but it

kept plugging on...with new parts. And improvising different ways to

get papers copied. Then Shenandoah Valley Office Equipment

technicians said the Canon parts are obsolete. One part on our poor

Canon was going bad and could not be replaced.

SVOE’s Don Landes, Jr., account executive, and Josh Dolack,

technician, delivered and set up a new Canon copier in the church

office on Tuesday, August 16.

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Last Night of Community Connections—August 10, 2016

Photos by

Paul Groff.

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Women’s Retreat

A wonderful weekend retreat is planned for women of all ages on October 28-30. Join your sisters in a beautiful setting at

Natural Bridge close to Lexington. Theme this year is “Remain in Me” presented by Marlene Bogard, Executive Director of

Mennonite Women USA. Final registration for the Retreat is due September 21. Registration brochures are on the

foyer table.

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The Shenandoah Valley

Mennonite Historians are

sponsoring a local Old Order

Mennonite Tour led by Phil

Kniss, September 10, from 8:30

am to 2 pm. Contact Jim

Hershberger for

registration/information at (540)

833-8033 or (540) 908-8005 or

jimhersh254@gmail.com.

You are invited to a delicious

Ethiopian fundraising meal hosted by NEW (Nurturing and

Encouraging Women) at Lindale

Mennonite Church from 5:30 –

7:00 PM on Friday, September

9, 2016. With Ethiopian women

as its focus, NEW supports

efforts in evangelism,

counseling, education,

healthcare, poverty and hunger

reduction and small business

development. RSVP to Leanne

Benner at (540) 432-9064 or

benbiz29@aol.com.

Hymn Sing in

the

Hershberger

Barn—5749

Wengers Mill

Road, Linville,

VA, Tuesday, September 13,

6:30-7:45 pm. The theme will be

“God the Glorious

Creator.” Bring your blue

Hymnal Worship Book if you

have a personal copy. We will

have extra hymnals available.

The featured hymn will be #50

Praise the Lord, Sing

Hallelujah. This hymn sing

includes a taste of Singing

School and then lots of time to

sing your favorite hymns.

Join the MHI Friends Dinner “Making Disciples as We Go!”

on September 16 to celebrate

Mennonite Hispanic Initiative’s

accomplishments in the last year

and recognize and thank our

many partners in mission. A

delicious Latino meal will be

served! Special Guest Ying Kai

will speak. The event will be at 7

pm at Shady Oak (Weavers

Mennonite Church). Tables will

be available for $100.00

(includes 8 people). Churches

can RSVP and send up to 8

people representing the

congregation. Also individuals

can RSVP and invite 7 more

friends to participate. Finally, if

you don’t have a party, you can

RSVP and we will accommodate

you with other people around a

table. RSVP to 540-209-1450 or

to marvinl@mennonite

mission.net to reserve a table

before September 9.

Did you ride

your bike to

church today? Calling all

bicycle enthusiasts, small and

tall! You are invited to

participate in the 19th annual

Bike Shenandoah ride on

Saturday, September 17 at

Eastern Mennonite School. This

family-friendly event includes

rides of 5, 15, 30, 62, or 100

miles in the beautiful

Shenandoah Valley. All

proceeds benefit Virginia

Mennonite Missions,

MennoMedia, Mennonite

Central Committee, NewBridges

Immigrant Resource Center, Our

Community Place, and Roberta

Webb Childcare

Center. Individuals and

congregations can also

participate by sponsoring

riders. Register online at

bikeshenandoah.org or the day

of the ride! Brochures are on the

foyer table.

Blue Mountain

Sunrise will be

performing at

Pleasant View,

Inc.’s Community

Pork BBQ on

Saturday, September 17 from 4

to 6pm (BBQ will be moved

indoors at the same location if

there is inclement weather).

Come join us for inspirational

music, delicious BBQ prepared

by Maynard Weaver and his

team, and lots of fun. All

proceeds go to help support

individuals with intellectual

disabilities served in Pleasant

View, Inc.’s day and residential

programs.

T4T—the story behind the

world’s fastest growing Church

Planting Movement and how it

can happen in your community,

September 17-18, at Weavers

Mennonite Church. See foyer

bulletin board.

Tending the Church's Song:

An evening of listening and

singing—As a new committee

gathers to begin work on the

next Mennonite song collection,

all are invited to come and

reflect on the gift of

congregational music. Come for

a time of worship and sharing of

hopes and dreams for a new

Anabaptist song collection

Wednesday, September 21, 7

p.m., at Park View Mennonite

Church. Hosted by the

Mennonite Song Collection

Project, Bradley Kauffman,

Director.

Continued on Page 7

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MDS Region I annual fall

meeting—September 23 & 24,

Pleasant View Mennonite

Church, 346 Warm Spring Road,

Chambersburg, PA. An evening

meal is planned for Friday

evening, September 23 at 5:30

p.m., and morning brunch and

noon meals are planned for

Saturday, September 24. More

details later.

Back to School Bash—Sunday,

September 25, 5-9pm, at EMU

University Commons. Featuring

Building 429, Finding Favour,

and Jamison Strain. Tickets

available at

www.togethermin.com.

The Missional Partnership (Eastern Mennonite University,

Eastern Mennonite Seminary,

Park View Mennonite Church,

and Virginia Mennonite

Conference) will host Scot

McKnight, author of The

Kingdom Conspiracy, in the

Harrisonburg area September

27-29. This event will include

times of public worship and

chapel services at EMU and

Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Learn more at

http://virginiaconference.org/ne

ws/kingdom-vision-as-a-way-of-

life-with-scot-mcknight/. The

schedule is also on the foyer

bulletin board.

Don't miss the Virginia

Mennonite Relief Sale's Skeet

Shoot Event. This year's

Sporting Clays (Skeet Shoot)

fundraiser welcomes individuals

and teams of four. Some people

say it’s like "Noisy Golf!" The

event runs continuously at the

Flying Rabbit (¾-mile south of

Rockingham County

Fairgrounds), Thursday-

Saturday, September 29 -

October 1. You may drop in

anytime from 10 am to dusk.

You'll have a blast! Contact

James Åkerson at (540)

421‐4577 to sign up or with any

questions. See bulletin board.

Musaic: A Mosaic of Music will be held at 3pm Sunday,

October 2 at Park View

Mennonite Church. Stay in

Harrisonburg after the

Mennonite Relief Sale, and treat

yourself to the musical talents of

Paulo Steinerg (piano), Virginia

Bethune (piano, organ, harp),

Edward Gant (cello), John Fast

(organ), Park View Mennonite

Choir, and Pleasant View

Worship Team. Freewill offering

will be taken in lieu of tickets,

and a reception to celebrate

Pleasant View, Inc.’s 45 years of

service to people with

intellectual disabilities will

follow. All proceeds from the

concert and the “To God Be the

Glory” CD sales will go to

Pleasant View, Inc.

Those working with upper

middle school students to

younger adults (ages 13-19) are

invited to participate in

“Yearning to Know and Be

Known,” a Youth Workers’

Summit on October 7-8, 2016

with speaker Debra Hirsch. She

is the author of Redeeming Sex:

Naked Conversations about

Sexuality and Spirituality. In

conjunction with EMU Spiritual

Life Week, Debra Hirsch will

speak on Friday at an EMU

Chapel Service and Eastern

Mennonite School Chapel. On

Saturday, she will keynote an

8:30 am to 2:30 pm event at

Eastern Mennonite School,

along with times of worship and

various workshop opportunities.

Sunday school teachers,

residence hall advisors,

instructors and teachers, youth

pastors and leaders are extended

a special invitation. An RSVP

and more information will come

soon for the Saturday event.

Pleasant View, Inc.’s Fall

Banquet is Saturday, November

12 at 6pm at the Eastern

Mennonite High School Banquet

Room. The program will focus

on individuals in its Supported

Employment program with

special music from Pleasant

View, Inc. Worship Team.

EMU’s School for Leadership

Training, January 16-18, 2017.

Plenary Speakers: Christena

Cleveland and Drew Hart.

Registration opens October 1.

Learn more www.emu.edu/slt.

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Ridgeway Fall Social

Ridgeway’s Fall Social is Sunday, October 16 at 4:00 p.m.

at the home of Bennie and Cathy Cupp. More details coming!