What could be better than a weekend at beautiful Sandy Cove Retreat, overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, with 13 ladies from Neffsville Mennonite Church (and 300 others from various locations and groups)? We all checked in at 4:00 pm on a lovely Friday afternoon.

The theme of the weekend was “Renewing Our Strength: How to Become a REAL Wonder Woman!” The speaker was Ellie Lofaro. She has a national ministry as a speaker, author and retreat leader. She kept our attention with her laugh out loud humor, New York rooted confidence, passion and grace. We had four sessions, one on Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The four sessions were titled: She Works Out, She Waits Well, She is Renewed and She is an Overcomer. We were encouraged to: Stand on the Word of God, Seek the will of God, Be Sure in the Worship of God, Be Steadfast in the Work of God and Submit to the Ways of God. Ellie leaves you inspired with God’s word and practical ways of confidently living out your faith. She leaves no doubt that God is alive and is working all things out in His time.

Our worship leader was Gwen Smith. She is a worship leader, songwriter, author and speaker. She did an excellent job of leading heartfelt worship with joyful energy and fun enthusiasm. Her voice could bring you to tears.

Saturday afternoon came with many options: walking or sitting, soaking in the lovely view of the bay on a beautiful, sunny day, zip line, indoor pool and hot tub, an escape room, decoupage jewelry class, canvas painting class or napping (or if you didn’t want to admit you were napping, you could say you were “contemplating your circumstances”).

Friday night after the session we played some games. Saturday night there was a talent show. Our talented Bentch sisters, Eszter and Emma sang a fun song. I think they were the best!

The meals were wonderfully provided, and a good time to connect with our group. We left Sunday afternoon. I was feeling refreshed, relaxed and inspired to stand strong with God’s love and renewed strength. A sincere thank you to the Women’s leadership group for organizing the weekend for us all and for introducing me to lovely Sandy Cove!

 Some of you may have noticed that we have been singing an increased number of songs in worship from other nations and cultures in the past few months. This slight shift in our congregational singing is intentional and purposeful. We are spiritually enriched by singing songs from what I refer to as “non-dominant cultures”. Non-dominant cultures in this context would include African American, Caribbean, Latino, Asian, African, Indigenous American, and anything else that falls outside of Classical Western Hymnody and Western Contemporary Worship Music. My eventual goal for us is to sing at least one song from a non-dominant culture most Sundays. There are at least three reasons why I believe this is a direction that is good for us.

1. They are good songs! Western hymnody and praise music does not hold a monopoly on what constitutes excellent music for congregational singing. Many songs from non-dominant cultures around the world have very singable melodies and texts that are both accessible and theologically rich. These songs also carry with them theological perspectives that may help us to see the world through a wider lens than our standard, comfortable worship songs may allow.
2. Singing more songs from other cultures constitutes a better representation of the demographics of Neffsville Mennonite Church. About 10% of our regular attendees are considered non-white, including nearly half of the newer regular attendees to our congregation (within the last three years). Our church family includes Haitians, Kenyans, Chinese, Latinos, Ugandans, and African-Americans, amongst others. Singing songs from non-dominant cultures helps us to be more hospitable, both to them and other newcomers. We are communicating that there is room within our circle for core expressions and heart songs of others.
3. Mennonites are no longer primarily European and American. 40% of all Mennonites are in Africa. In fact, there are more Mennonites just in Ethiopia than in all of North America. Expanding our worship language through the use of songs from non-dominant cultures connects us with more of the worldwide communion of the Mennonite Church. Furthermore, The Church is a global communion that not only spans every corner of the globe, but also through all of time. In John’s Revelation, while in the Spirit, he described an assembly of God in this way; “…there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

 ‘Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.’” (Rev. 7:9-10, NIV)

When we get to heaven, we will worship together with every person in Christ who has ever lived, complete with all their varied traditions, songs, and expressions. It is appropriate, therefore, that our worship reflect that reality in some way.

Exciting New Playground at Neffsville!

It has been about a year since the idea of a playground here at Neffsville has been proposed and it is ready!  The playground will be a wonderful addition to our church.  Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the awesome volunteers, this new space is ready to enjoy and explore.

The playground features many exciting structures that are sure to inspire the children’s imaginations and creativity.  There are swings so they can feel like they are flying through the air, a slide that will definitely deliver thrilling rides, and a playhouse to encourage pretend play and adventure.  

The playground also features a large wooden tractor that includes a spiral slide and a climbing wall.  The children will find plenty to play with, whether they are pretending to drive the tractor, scaling the climbing wall or winding down the slide!

The amazing people who stepped up to build the playground have truly created something special. From planning and construction to the finishing touches, their commitment to providing a safe and fun space for children to play has made this project possible. 

Bob Bear built the playhouse and planned the decking, slide and climbing wall to go along with it. Jay Peifer, Nelson Dagen, James Weaver, Brad Herr, Dave Leaman helped to put the playhouse structure together.  Dan Moyer was also a huge contributor to seeing the project through as he built the swingset and the tractor.  

We are excited to offer a space where families can gather and children can play and make memories together.  We are hoping that this space will become a place that families love and enjoy!  

In addition to being a great place for families to visit, we hope this playground will serve as an invitation to the wider community to come and experience our property. It will be an excellent addition to the outdoor family events we host, providing a space for children to play while parents and caregivers connect with others. We look forward to seeing this new space bring people together and foster even more opportunities for fellowship.

Thank you to all the volunteers for their hard work, and to everyone who helped make this dream a reality. We look forward to seeing our young members of the community enjoying this beautiful new playground!

Probably the most meaningful time of the retreat for me was the breakout session I took part in. My friend Katie Beth and I decided to sign up for the Kintsugi session. Now neither her nor I are very big fans of arts and crafts, but for some reason we felt drawn to giving this a try. Kintsugi is the art of taking broken pottery and putting it back together using glue mixed with gold to fill in the cracks. Sounds simple enough, but it was actually quite difficult, and the more broken our cups were the more gold we had to use. After a while when I finally got mine put together I realized that the inside golden filled cracks looked actually much more beautiful than the outside of the cup. And this reminded me, that although I may feel broken and bruised on the outside, God has filled in all of my cracks and made something beautiful for me to pour out into the world around me. I just need to trust in Him and accept his grace and love on the daily.

For my friend, Katie Beth, when she looked at her cup of brokenness she was reminded of this difficult time of transition that she is in. Katie Beth is a missionary teacher who was recently informed she would need to leave her current placement and find a new one. This is not an easy thing to hear as she served in this place for over 10 years. So as she worked harder and harder to get all of her pieces of the cup to fit back together she thought of how it is God's grace that puts us back together even from the most broken of circumstances. And He will continue to work in our lives until we are whole again, no matter how long it may take.

Overall, the ladies retreat was a wonderful time full of beautiful reminders of who we are in Christ and how we can remain rooted in Him through whatever circumstances we may find ourselves in.

There was a time when Communion at NMC was always paired with the ritual of Foot-washing. These two acts were inextricably linked. At that time, Communion was observed only twice a year. Sometime over the past 50 years, however, those two acts were separated, and we only observe Foot-washing now once a year on Maundy Thursday (except for the COVID years). At some point, the church settled upon the schedule of celebrating Communion four times a year: Maundy Thursday, 1^st Sunday in October (World Communion Sunday), and two other times a year.

Of course, the notion of partaking of the bread and the cup four times a year would have been absurd to our brothers and sisters in the first millennium of the church. That is because for most of the first 1500 years of the Christian church, Communion was THE WAY Christians responded to the hearing of the word of God in worship. They responded to hearing from Jesus by remembering his sacrifice through the sacred act, symbolically taking his body and blood. It was also the place in worship where the presence of God was most acutely experienced. As the climax of the worship service shifted after the Protestant Reformation from Communion to the preached word of God, the frequency and, in some cases, the importance of Communion diminished greatly. For both practical and theological reasons, Communion observance varied in the Protestant church from weekly, to once a month, to once a quarter, or even only once a year. Today, most Mennonite churches celebrate anywhere from once a quarter to once a month.

I believe a strong case can be made for us to recapture the intent of the early church, regarding Communion as a common, essential way to respond to the word of God. I am not suggesting that we observe weekly. However, I do suggest that if we are intentional about how we observe this sacred act, we can do so both with greater frequency AND increased meaning. This can be done by broadening our understanding of Communion through the four terms used throughout the church for it: The Eucharist, The Table, Communion, and The Lord’s Supper. Each of these terms invoke a different meaning and focus, an idea I first encountered through pastor, professor, and author Dr. Constance Cherry.

The word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving”. It recalls Paul’s words in I Cor. 10:16-17, “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.” Using the term “The Table” harkens back to the Parable of the Banquet in Luke 14, to which we are all invited to feast with our Lord, Jesus Christ. The word “Communion”, a term only found in King James Version of the bible in relation to the sacred act (I Cor. 10:16), reminds us that we partake in this sacred act together as a body. Finally, “The Lord’s Supper” recalls Paul in I Cor. 11 when he quotes Jesus in the Upper Room with his disciples in John 13, as we remember Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for our us. I believe that if we can observe Communion with the understanding of these four different themes, our worship will be enriched and deepened, no matter how often we partake.

This past Sunday, February 16th, Neffsville’s youth group hosted its annual Chili Bowl Fundraiser. Twenty chilis and 21 desserts were entered into the contest. Eleven youth and countless adults helped prepare and host this event. It was a lot of work but everyone was a huge help, and it was a success! We had a great time tasting great food, spending time with each other, and voting for our favorites! 

Brad Herr’s chili and Miriam Long’s desserts won our Bowl this year! 

Thank you to everyone who brought chilis and desserts, who helped make the event happen, and who participated so generously! We raised $4,800!

Future Fundraisers

This is a huge step forward in our fundraising goal this year, which is to raise close to $40,000 by this summer. This July the Sr. High Youth Group is headed to Peru for a Missions/Service trip. We are partnering with South American Mission as well as Julio and Olga Chiang’s church. We will be at SAM’s campus in Pucallpa, which is in the tropical part of Peru, from July 5th to July 12th. There we will partner with the missionaries and the students at SAM Academy to help with ongoing projects and learn about the area. We don’t know exactly what we’ll be doing yet, but it might include cleaning/construction, VBS, and/or evangelism in the nearby town. 

We will then spend two days in Lima with the Chiang’s church before returning home on July 15th. 

We are planning this trip with the help of Phil Hostetter and Golden Rule Travel. The total cost per person including flights, lodging, meals, project costs, travel insurance, and ground transportation will likely be around $2,300. We anticipate 18 to 20 people on this trip, including youth and adult leaders. This is where we get the $40,000 goal. The remaining costs will be covered by the youth going on the trip. We are not charging the full cost because that would make this trip prohibitive for many of our youth. Instead, we are asking our youth to actively participate in our fundraisers as a way of working towards the funds to help them go on this trip. Those who cannot participate in fundraisers will be expected to contribute in other ways. If we raise more than we end up needing, then the leftover funds will go toward future youth programs and trips like our fall and winter retreats and Jr. High summer programming.

Check out our upcoming fundraisers to help us reach our goal:

Wednesday, February 26th: Panera Fundraiser

There’s no WNO meal this night, so head to Panera for dinner! If you go to the Panera on Fruitville Pike between 4 and 8pm, Panera will donate 25% of their net sales to Neffsville’s Youth Group! Use the code “FUND4U” when you order.

March 16th: Trivia Fundraiser 

After church on Sunday, the youth group will host a trivia contest with lunch provided! Sign up with a team of 4-6 players or on your own for a delicious meal and a fun time! There will be a $5 suggested donation for lunch and $10/person to play trivia. Sign up here or on paper in the foyer! Sign up by March 12th.

April 2nd: Youth Led Worship Night

After the WNO meal the youth will lead a time of praise and worship. No sign ups or expectations - just come and worship together. There will be a donation box available.  

May 7th: Youth WNO Fundraiser Meal

The youth group will prepare and serve a meal on this Wednesday night. We don’t quite know what the meal will be yet this year, but we’ll let you know!

May through June: Adopt A Mile 

Starting in May we will provide an opportunity to sponsor those attending the Peru trip by paying for the “miles” we will be traveling. Our flight itinerary will be to leave from PHL, have layovers in Miami and Lima before our final destination in Pucallpa. This is a total of 3,926 miles just on our way down. We will fly the same route on our way back giving us a trip total of 7,852 miles by plane. At this point we will have the final list of who is going, so we will also provide prayer cards so you can pray for each student as they prepare for the trip. 

Hopefully, we will have raised all of the funds that we need by the end of June! 

Thank you so much to those of you who have so generously supported us so far. More details are to come on all of these events. As always, never hesitate to come to me with your questions and comments. 

Making a Prayer Shawl

We like to keep our cabinet stocked with prayer shawls for anyone who is facing hard times and could use a reminder that they are loved and thought of. If you know how to knit or crochet (or are interested in learning—there are lots of Youtube videos to get you started), please consider making a shawl or two for our cabinet.

There is no one specific pattern to use for prayer shawls. If you do an internet search you will find many, many different options to choose from, from very basic designs to more intricate designs, rectangular or triangular. Feel free to choose one that speaks to you and pull yarn from the cabinet or use your own. The most significant part of a prayer shawl is the thoughts and prayers that are part of making it and shared with others before gifting it. You can pray your own prayer especially for the recipient or you can choose from a variety of prayers specific for this ministry found at these sites:

• https://prayerist.com/prayer/prayershawl
• https://shawlministry.com/prayers.htm
• https://praypedia.com/prayer/prayershawl.html

Pattern Options:

Knit:

• The Original Prayer Shawl https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-original-prayer-shawl-knit
• Family Dinner Night Prayer Shawl https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52368347e4b06413e74e02e0/t/5abaeaee1ae6cf78143fbebe/1522199279818/Alice%27s+Embrace+-++Family+Dinner+Night+-+Prayer+Shawl.pdf
• Slip Stitch Prayer Shawl https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/slip-stitch-prayer-shawl
• Journey Prayer Shawl https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52368347e4b06413e74e02e0/t/592608ef29687fab3eb91836/1495664880438/Alice%27s+Embrace+-++Journey+-+Prayer+Shawl.pdf
• Lacy Prayer Shawl (crochet edging) https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-prayer-shawl-2

Crochet:

• Basic Prayer Shawl https://discover.hubpages.com/art/How-To-Crochet-A-Prayer-Shawl
• Cascading Shells Shawl https://www.madeinamericayarns.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CascadingShells.pdf
• Amazing Grace Prayer Shawl https://beatriceryandesigns.com/2013/10/21/amazing-grace-prayer-shawl-free-crochet-pattern/
• XO Prayer Shawl https://www.skiptomylou.org/xo-prayer-shawl-pattern/

Prayer of Blessing for Completed Shawl:

“May God’s grace be upon this shawl, warming, comforting, enfolding, and embracing,
May this mantle be a safe haven…a sacred place of security and well-being,
Sustaining and embracing in good times as well as difficult ones.
May the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace,
and wrapped in love.”

The conundrum is wading through the detritus to find it!

Therefore, if you are one who enjoys reading or podcasts, allow us to provide a few “staff favorites” for your consideration. As with any recommendation, it comes with a caveat: Expect to be challenged! Not everything will agree with your political views, your Biblical understanding, or your personality. Hopefully, you will accept the challenge, and delve into these suggestions with a sense of adventure and openness to explore the world in which we are created to be image bearers of God. If you do bump into something you don’t understand or agree with, and we hope you do, see that as a perfect opportunity to ask questions! It is quite possible we had the same experience!

Without further ado, dive in!

Podcasts

(search for these in your favorite podcast player):

The Bema Podcast https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/  --  Hunter, Ally, Dean

The Holy Post Podcast https://www.holypost.com/  --  Hunter, Eszter

Therapy & Theology https://lysaterkeurst.com/therapy-and-theology/  --  Dean, Julie

Being Known Podcast  https://www.beingknownpodcast.com/  --  Hunter, Dean

The Place We Find Ourselves  https://adamyoungcounseling.com/podcast/  --  Hunter, Dean, Julie

The Habit Podcast  https://thehabit.co/the-habit-podcast/  --  Dean

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/the-bible-project-podcast/  --  Dean

How to Enhance Performance and Learning by Applying a Growth Mindset  (actually a YouTube video, not a podcast)  --  Hunter, Rashard

Books:

With, by Skye Jethani  --  Eszter, Dean

Renovation of the Heart, by Dallas Willard  --  Dean

Practicing the Way, by John Mark Comer  --  Eszter, Dean

The Deepest Place, by Curt Thompson, MD  --  Dean

Sensible Shoes, by Sharon Garlough Brown  --  Julie

Faith Formation in a Secular Age, by Andrew Root  --  Eszter

Does that title stir up emotions and concerns within you? Is this the moment where Pastor Hunter is going to reveal his voting preferences?!? Will he tell us who God wants us to vote for in the election? You know me better than that! Those thoughts are better left unsaid. But… I do have thoughts that I am willing to share about politics, especially pertaining to fear tactics designed to motivate the people.

Throughout our brief history as a country, election cycles have always stimulated fear. Politicians have power and influence that can and does change our lives. Politicians impact our taxes and therefore our financial well-being. Politicians make policies changing our personal rights of speech and capacity to have control over our lives. It can be quite terrifying to imagine what a wrong-headed politician in the position of power and influence might be able to do to me. Political advertisements and media outlets capitalize on the power of fear by trying to tell us that life will be dramatically changed for the worse if we do not vote for the correct candidate. Those groups lie, twist the truth, and manipulate statistics to create fear response through the engagement of our fight, flight or freeze center in the brain. Political rhetoric demonizes whole people groups. We no longer coexist with people who think differently from us, we live with people who are dangerous to our lives and future. We have already witnessed the potential violence encouraged by the fear-based demonization of the “other.” It is heart breaking. What do we think Jesus thinks of our political processes and disagreements?

Before we get to Jesus, let us first consider the adversary. The Satan desires disunity and chaos. He loves fear and its power to disconnect us from each other and from God. The Satan used fear of missing out to encourage Adam and Eve to turn from God. He utilized the fear of starvation, abandonment from God, and power to induce Jesus to follow him (Matt 4:1-10). Of course, Jesus crushed those tests. Am I suggesting the adversary loves to see what is happening in our politics? You bet. Christians are turning on one another, casting stones, insults and demonizing brothers and sisters in Christ. Yes. The Satan is rejoicing. Jesus has thoughts. Jesus was purposed for unity (Ephesians 1:9-10). Unity in the body of Christ is not empowered by fear.

In the 2011 edition of the New International Version of the Bible, the statement, “Do not be afraid,” is stated seventy times. If Jesus told us one time, not to be afraid, we should listen. Through the Bible, God says it 70 times. That feels significant. Jesus did not fear the greatest attempts of the adversary to compel him to turn from God. Many believe this election to be one of the most important events in human history. Christians believe the greatest moment in history is the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Jesus claimed victory over the adversary and death. We have absolutely, positively nothing to fear from our politics. We are beloved children of the one true God and that God has our backs. What would change for us if we lived into that belief with wholeheartedness?

I believe our belief in Jesus changes everything. No losing sleep worrying at night about how much we will pay in taxes or at the gas pump. No need to fear our friends who think differently from us. Maybe we can learn from them. We might be surprised to find out we have more in common than we presumed. We can keep our eyes on Jesus to direct and lead us. I am not saying that we should not vote or care about politics. I am saying we should remember politics cannot save us. Only Jesus can do that. We should educate ourselves about the candidates. We should fact check political claims. We should care, but not be afraid. We absolutely should pray, and pray often, for our country and for the candidates. Let us get through this election together.

Annie C. Funk (1874-1912)

A Prayer of Lament in the last moments

Oh Lord, where are you?

I am frightened.

In the middle of a deep slumber

Lulled to sleep by the rocking of the boat

I was awakened.

They say the ship is sinking.

Are you still with me, Father? 

It feels like you’re gone.

I am dressed now,

Surrounded by frightened people

The icy water creeps up towards my ankles.

All around me are shouts of fear, of pain.

Lord, why am I here?

Your call has always been clear

When I left my home in Bally, Pennsylvania 

To minister with the African American Methodist Community in Tennessee

When you brought me to Patterson, New Jersey

To work with women and immigrants at the YWCA

When in November of 1906, just six and a half years ago,

The Mennonite Mission Board called me 

to Janjgin, India

So clear was your call that even 

When my companion could not join me

I set off on my long voyage across the sea

With only you by my side.

I was the first Mennonite woman to be sent overseas for mission work

Yet I was not afraid

You protected me on that ship

So why not this one?

I know I heard you right

I served you with my whole self

I learned Hindi

I spread the gospel

I built schools for young Indian girls

By the time the letter from home arrived

In April of 1912

That mother is gravely ill

The mission you sent me on was thriving

So I thought it would be okay for me to go home

To say goodbye to my mother

Are you punishing me for leaving

After everything I’ve done for you?

Did I miss a sign?

When my ticket on the Haverford 

Was canceled after the coal miners' strike

Was that my sign to turn around?

In my hurry and my grief

Was I ignoring you?

A ticket on a different

Faster

Bigger

Ship was offered so quickly

I didn’t think to ask you about it

Were you trying to protect me?
Do you still love me?

I’m on the deck now 

Someone shouts at me to get in line 

For the lifeboats

I hear someone else doing the math:

there aren't enough for everyone on board

Do I deserve to get one? 

Lord, how could you allow this?

Is it because they called it unsinkable?

That not even you could sink it? 

Are you really so vengeful? 

A woman behind me is screaming 

for her children

Two are on a lifeboat already

The baby is in her arms

There is one spot left 

I am next in line

I suddenly remember

The sacrifice you made 

Your life

For mine

I remember the words I spoke

Right before my 

Voyage to India

“Our heavenly Father is as near to us on sea as on land. My trust is in Him. I have no fear.”

Father, forgive my unbelief!

You are here

You are good

Now 

As you have always been

I feel your love warm

My cold body

Your call stirs my heart

Once again

I step aside

The mother is reunited with her children

The last lifeboat is full

I am not afraid.