January 2016Vol. XXVII

No. 1ConnectionsCONESTOGA

Youth Auction and Youth Christmas Party

2 • Conestoga Connections

W A R R O O MSaturday eveningJanuary 16, 2016

7:00 p.m.

Come and see this compelling faith drama with humor and heart

that became a #1 movie in U.S. theatres. It will be shown

here at Conestoga on Saturday evening,

January 16, at 7:00 p.m.

A children’s movie will be shown in the fellowship hallat the same time as this is shown inthe sanctuary. Bring your friends!

Conestoga Mennonite ChurCh2779 Main street, Morgantown, Pa 19543

(610) 286-9124www.conestogamc.com

Monthly newsletter for Conestoga Mennonite Church published since 1988. Deadline for articles and photos is the 20th of the preceding month of publication.

Editor: Lois Ann Mast Assistant Editor: Elizabeth PetersheimContributing Editor: Anna Martin

Beginning on Sunday, January 17, a new Sunday School elective will begin during our Sunday morning Sunday School (9:30-10:20 a.m.) led by J.W. Sprunger. He will lead a discussion on Richard J. Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline; The Path to Spiritual Growth. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth is viewed by many as the best modern book on Christian spirituality with millions of copies sold. This book will be provided for each class participant and features chapters on Meditation, Prayer, Fasting, Study, Simplicity, Solitude, Submission, Service, Confession, Worship, Guidance, and Celebration! Thank you, Heidi Stoltzfus, for this suggestion of a new Sunday School elective. The class will meet in the chapel room and is open to anyone.

The December 2015 Wandering Shepherds Bible Study met at Zerby’s with residents and Conestoga members Barbara Moss, Elmina Stoltzfus, Allen Weaver, and David Yoder.

J.W. Sprunger has studied at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem,

Israel, and is a graduate of the Associated

Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind.

He currently teaches Bible classes at

Lancaster Mennonite School.

A New Sunday School Elective

Conestoga Connections • 3

Sewing Circle met on Wednesday, December 2, 2015. We had 14 ladies present. Donated items included: 50 kit bags and 3 comforters. Completed were six bags and 23 hygiene kits. For devotions, we sang “O Little Town of Bethle-hem” followed by the reading of Psam 118: 1-14, and a devotional entitled “No Peas.” The special offering amounted to $42 intended for hygiene kits. Before adjourning, we sang “Silent Night.” ~ Betty Cannell, Secretary

Sewing Circle

Neighbors meets on Tuesday mornings during the academic school year in our church fellowship hall from 9:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend this time of fellowship!

— January 5 —“to Date or not to Date—how to help Young People in

relationships with the opposite sex” with Sharon Charles

— January 12 —“Becoming the Friend i need”

with Carol Cool

— January 19 —“own Your Life”

with Kathy McClure sharing from Sally Clarkson’s new book

— January 26 —Knotting Comforters

created by Carmen Weber and Krista Petersheim for MCC

Ladies’ Day OutSaturday, April 2, 2016

Conestoga Fellowship Hall

Prepare for this time away from the busyness of life—a time to “stop and smell the roses” as we relax with friends, share laughter and stories, and spend time with God on this one-day retreat studying Garden Getaway; Where Women Walk With God! We will explore Ecclesiastes 3 and discover how God is at work in our life, no matter what season of life we are in. This retreat is for women of all ages. Mark this date on your calendar.

Throughout history, different plants have symbolized different qualities or meanings. Here are a few:

~ Daisies represent innocence.~ Peonies represent healing.~ Sweet peas represent shyness.~ Ivy represents fidelity and friendship

4 • Conestoga Connections

and lower case) using all three learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic), all the while learning about who God says He is from His Word! Kids can trace each character in a wooden stencil, on a felt pad, and on a chalkboard! They can also find letters using a flashlight, match them on a fridge, and more, all while learning about who God says He is, in His Word!

2. Jesus Calling Kids is available for both iPhone and iPad. Kids can read these 365 devotionals. Each day’s devotional corresponds to the same topic covered in the adultversion by Sarah Young in the best selling, 365-day devotional Jesus Calling. This is perfect for families wanting to experience Jesus Calling together. This app is also packed with digital features like full devotional text and fully written-out Scriptures, that make this devotional more accessible than ever.

IN OUR CHURCH LIBRARY . . . Our church library is full of excellent resources for children and families. Be sure to stop in and ask our dedicated church librarians how they can help youand your family.

Family andMedia

This column provides suggestions for movies, books, magazines, audio, and highlights of new materials in Conestoga’s church library. I welcome your suggestions as well. The following are two Bible apps for children to provide wholesome media for family entertainment and training. ~ Mike Petersheim, Coordinator

The ABC’s of God is available for iPad only, created by a parent of three, a school teacher, and Bible student. This allows your child to interact with the alphabet (both upper

Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Each month, the above ladies and man (thanks for doing all of our carving of meat, Wes, you are the best!!!!) meet in the church kitchen to prepare anywhere from 120-150 meals for the freezer. These microwaveable meals are then distributed to not only Conestoga widows, widowers, persons who recently were in the hospital, those who are grieving a loss, someone who just had a baby, or persons counseled by Sam and JilL Waters via Still Waters Ministries, but also at times neighbors of church members who are in need. In December, the above six workers prepared and froze 130+ meals (four different menus) for “Meals From the Heart,” (left to right): Lois Ann Mast, Lois Boyer, Wes Boyer, Pegge Tennant, Jo Ebert, and Linda Linderman. If you know of someone who could benefit from these meals, talk to Coordinator Lois Ann Mast.

Give me Your eyes that I might seeeverything I might be missing.

Give me Your ears that I might heartrue meaning in their words.

Give me Your heart that I might feelthe pain of those I meet with.

Give me Your mind that I might understandthose things beyong my comprehension.

Grant me Your wisdom and Your counselfor I dare not make this journey alone.

Amen.

[This prayer is the prayer that covers Still Waters Ministries.]

A Counselor’s Prayerby Sam Waters

Conestoga Connections • 5

Above: Children’s Church with their assembled hygiene kits that were given to Mennonite Central Committee to distribute to refugees. We prayed for the persons who would receive these kits. Below: we enjoyed looking at different nativities from around the world as we all signed a nativity Christmas card sent to our friends, Annalise and Miriam Martin, in France.

Left: Children’s Church learned what it meant that “Jesus is the reason for Christmas!

Below: Bell Choir blesses the congregation on a Sunday morning directed by Krista Petersheim and Carmen Weber.

Conestoga Happenings . . .

6 • Conestoga Connections

Right: This lovely flute quartet trillingto the delight of the hearers on a Sunday

morning: Mindy Beam, Heidi Stoltzfus,

Rachel Mast, and Cheryl Heineman!

Left: Gavin creating a gingerbread house with his mother Kristin Stoltzfus.

Left: Dana Ebert playing her cello during a Sunday morning offertory.

Dot Leatherman on her wheels—unexpected, but she makes the best of it!

Above: Guess who was the turkey at the 5K Turkey Bowl Run? Yep, no one else than Austin Unruh could strut like this! Yeah, Austin!

Right: Ryan Petersheim sure deserves the prize for the largest buck this past fall! Wow!

Below: Conestoga’s Christmas Brunch not only included delicious food, but also some special music from the children led by Lisa Miller and David Heineman.

Conestoga Connections • 7

Attend

Senior Connections

Thursday, January 14,

2016at

12:00 noon

Christmas Senior Connections in December included a delicious ham loaf dinner with seniors and Conestoga Christian School second and third grade students enjoying lunch together, presenting a Christmas program, and both children and the seniors giving each other Christmas gifts. Notice the Christmas ornaments that the children made hanging from Bob Ebert’s ears (above).

8 • Conestoga Connections

2 0 1 5 C h r i s t m a s E v e S e r v i c e a t C o n e s t o g a