Keep on Praying An update on the Chibok schoolgirls

On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram abducted

more than 270* girls from a school in Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria. Their kidnapping sparked outrage around the world, and

prompted the #BringBackOurGirls movement. The majority of the girls—ages 16 to 18 at the time—were from families who attend congre-

gations of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), although Muslim as well as

Christian girls were kidnapped.

When asked what the American church could do, EYN asked for prayer and fasting. A letter was sent to the Church of the Brethren congregations in the US

and Puerto Rico, assigning a girl’s name to each church for prayer.

Little Swatara was invited to pray for LUGWAH MUTAH. Please add her name to your prayer list. See our IN THE NEWS bulletin board in the narthex for

more information or the December MESSENGER.

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Little Swatara Preschool is collecting Labels for Education before the program

is discontinued this year. Please deposit your Labels (NO Box Tops - we cannot redeem these) in the red boxes outside of the classroom hallways. Labels must be collected by the end of May to be redeemed. Thank you!

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A Turkey & Waffle Dinner at Trinity Rehrersburg, Feb. 18 from 11 am to 2 pm—by donation. Reservations are appreciated, but not required. Funds go towards medical bills for a small child named Lily.

****************************************** For Easter Dawn Service 6:30am, Altalaha Church is looking for a few good trumpet players! If you would be willing to provide your talent,

please contact Dolores Hill, 933-5925. *************************************

A Thank You Note— ”We are grateful for all the ways Little Swatara serves COBY’s!”

Thank you! Don Fitzgee

Women's Fellowship News

**We need a “contact person” for the Lebanon Valley Brethren Home. **Every Thursday morning at 9:00 we quilt and knot comforters. ** Also mark your calendar for upcoming fundraisers: Breakfast Buffet - February 18 from 7:00 - 10:00 a.m. Sub Sale - March 9, 2017. Look for order forms in February.

Volume LXVII January 29, 2017 Number 5 LITTLE SWATARA CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

Church Web Page - www.LittleSwatara.org www.facebook.com/LittleSwataraCOB/ Phone: 717-933-4723

Outreach: The Gathering Place Café Contact: gatheringplacecafe.com / Phone:717-933-5958 Café Hours: Mon-Fri 6-11am & Sat 7-11am

GIVING LAST SUNDAY

General Fund 4,188.00$

Building Fund 630.00$

Family Assistance 335.00$

Maintenance 200.00$

Sunday School 145.50$

Global Food Crisis 50.00$

HAITI Mission Trip 975.00$

Women's Fellowship 60.00$

Mission of the Month 55.00$

TOTAL 6,638.50$

Last Sunday’s Attendance Worship 67 +138 = 205 Sunday School = 106

GENERAL FUND BUDGET 2017

$283,688.00

Prayer Concerns

Rufus & Dorothy Merkey Ruth and John Hoover—healing Carl & Faye Balsbaugh Earl Miller Carol & Pete Sanchez Bonnie Schwenk-healing Lauren Cass—relief from seizures Bruce Moore Family-Jeanie & Becky Mike Hulsdander and family-comfort Ruthe Conover-healing Ruth Ann Boltz-healing (Marlene B sister) Lugwah Mutah, release Prayers for the mission team to Haiti

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Every Member Council Meeting Agenda for February 13, 2017

Devotions Reading of Minutes from November Every Member Council Meeting Reports: 4th quarter financial report Annual financial report Mortgage update Auditors Report Ministry Team bklt Reports Pastor Matt’s Report Old Business Other What’s happening at Little Swatara

************** A BIRTHDAY BOX is

On the Narthex table

For cards to Randy

Keeney. The last day to bring cards

will be February 6th, his birthday.

Haiti Mission Trip Update

Goal—$17,150.00

Received to date-

$16,601.00

NEEDED to reach our Goal—

$ 549.00

This is the last day for “house

warming gifts” to Haiti. Dona-

tions may be put in the box near

the narthex table. Thanks!

Pastor MATTHEW S. CHRIST e-mail - PastorMatt@littleswatara.org Office Hours: Tues, Thurs. Fri. 9-12noon, Café-Wednesdays

PASTOR MATT: 570-246-8196 Church Office: 717-933-4723 For Counseling or Appointments, contact the pastor or church office. Facebook: Matt Christ Instagram & Snapchat: mdchrist99

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Secretary—Charlene K. Anspach OFFICE HOURS: Mon - Fri, 8:30 am-12 noon Substitutes: Denise Christ, Dianne Younker E-mail: secretary@littleswatara.org Treasurer—Dianne Younker, phone: 717-269-0803. E-mail: treasurer@littleswatara.org.

Volunteers for January 1,8,15,22 and 29, 2017

VIDEO PROJECTION Glenn Riegel & Mark Myers—CVLI#502613280; CCLI#157691 ORGANIST Marlene Blatt A/V Equipment - Carl & Miles Kauffman OUTDOOR SIGN CHANGER : JAN/Sam Forry; FEB/Miles Kauffman; MARCH/Pat Timmins

CHORISTER 1st Sunday 2nd Sunday 3rd Sunday 4th Sunday 5th Sunday

8:15 Pam G Richard Frantz Kara Henning PRAISE TEAM Pam G 10:30 Dianne High PRAISE TEAM Allen Rebman Pam G Dianne H. PIANIST Diane Duell Christine Doig Sarah Wise PRAISE TEAM Dianne D AUDIO Alan Bashore Jayne Diamond Kauffman bros Todd Rebman Todd R.

WORSHIP CENTER

Pam G. 1 Jennifer Speraw 2,3 Tanya/Diane Feathers 4,5

EXTENDED SESSION 10:30am (age 2-Grade K) Matt & Debra Yordy Diane & Bonnie Behney Chris DeMille Leah Blatt Diane Long Tanya Feathers Deneen Ebling Sue Hartranft WELCOME CENTER

8:15 Sharon Dosch Louise Graby Michelle Snyder Sally Emerich

10:30 Ruthe C./Pat T Sandy Manbeck Dorothy Gensemer Barbara Batz Connie Manbeck USHERS 8:15 10:30

1st Sunday, Marvin Luckenbill Robert and Wendy Lingle Andy Wise Samuel Forry, Matt Blatt 2nd Sunday, Andrew Brubaker Richard Dundore, Jeremy Platchek Christopher Brubaker James and Gerald Bowman 3rd Sunday, Daniel Landis Kenneth Duell, Dakota Himmelberger Jason Schwalm Buddy and Debbie Seigfried 4th Sunday, Dorinda Kauffman Richard Yenser, Derek Yenser Carl M. Kauffman J.R. Yenser, Kyle Yenser 5th Sunday, Marvin Luckenbill Robert & Wendy Lingle Andrew Wise Sam Forry & Matt Blatt

NURSERY (Infants & up to age 2 ) Becky Rebman (717)933-8810

1st Sunday, 8:15 - Becky Rebman

9:15 - Carol Peace & Becky R 10:15—Becky Rebman

2nd Sunday, 8:15 - Mike & Carol Peace

9:15 - Dianne High, Wendy Lingle 10:15 - Jim & Karen Weinhold 3rd Sunday, 8:15 –Shelley & Alexis Yenser 9:15 - Debbie Seigfried/Chris DeMille 10:15 - Jonathan & Tiffany Bicksler 4th Sunday, 8:15 - Becky Rebman 9:15 - Becky & Allen Rebman 10:15 - Deb Yordy 5th Sunday, 8:15 - Joe & Brenda Brubaker 9:15 - Becky & Allen Rebman 10:15 - Sue Hartranft

*TOPS Meets weekly, Thurs. 5 to 6:30pm

FEBRUARY EVENTS 1, 7pm PO, Men’s Bible Study

2, 9am, P. Matt/Thirsty Thursday w/ Preschool

9am, Women’s Fellowship Mtg

4, Mission Team enroute to HAITI

8:30am-2pm, Camp Swatara, Deacon Retreat

1pm FH, 50 Plus Mtg

5, Guest Speaker, Richard Frantz

5:30pm O, Den Mtg

6pm Café, Christian Poetry Fellowship

7, 7pm Leadership Team Mtg

8, 7pm PO, Ladies Bible Study

9, 7pm Christian Ed Mtg

11, 5-8pm FH, Winter Spaghetti Supper -Fundraiser

12, Food Pantry Collection & Mission of the Month

13, 7pm, Preschool Board Mtg

7:30pm EVERY MEMBER COUNCIL MTG

14, 11:30am Widows Luncheon @ Ctry Fare

6:30pm O, Den Mtg

15, 6-8pm O, Pack Mtg

7pm PO, Men’s Bible Study

17, 2-6pm Bethel Food Pantry

LV College, Jr. High Lock-In

18, 7-10am WF Buffet Breakfast

7pm S, “Friends with the Weather” Concert

21, 7pm Ministry Team Mtgs

22, 7pm PO, Ladies Bible Study

24, 6pm FH Res/PS set up

25, 7am Men’s Ministry Prayer Breakfast

12n FH Res/Preschool Art Show

26, NEWSLETTER DEADLINE to Kathryn Z.

11am-6pm FH,K Res. P.Stupp

28, Ministry Team Minutes Due to Sec.

6:30pm O, Den Mtg

7:30pm FH, FW Group #2 Mtg

MARCH

1, ASH WEDNESDAY

Mission of the Month - February 2017

“Global Food Crisis”

QUILTING

& Knotting

Meet

weekly on

Thursdays

@ 8 am

EXERCISE CLASSES

8:45 & 10am Mon & Wed In the Fellowship Hall

2016 CHOIR/GROUP PRACTICE - Sanctuary Jubilee—Wed. 7:00-7:30 pm (K-5th grade)

JOY—Wed. 7:30 - 8 pm (6-12th grade)

PRAISE TEAM, Wed. 8-9pm

Senior —Thurs 7 - 8 pm (Adults)

Lit t le Swatara Church o f the Brethren

Pastor Matthew S. Christ

Sunday, January 29, 2017, - 8:15 AM & 10:30 AM Communion Sunday

GATHERING MUSIC WELCOME ... ANNOUNCEMENTS (please sign the friendship register and pass to your neighbor) CALL TO WORSHIP #670 ANTHEM 10:30am “Hallelu, I Feel the Spirit” Sr. Choir OPENING HYMN “Morning has broken” #648 JOYS and CONCERNS/PASTORAL PRAYER ANTHEM 10:30am “Headin’ for the Promised Land” Sr. Choir HYMN “I will sing of my Redeemer” #344 OFFERTORY and PRAYER CHILDREN’S STORY MESSAGE Series — Conceiving the Deceiver - “Changing the Equation” SCRIPTURE Ephesians 6: 10-18 COMMUNION PREPARATION VIDEO BREAD AND CUP COMMUNION ACAPELLA “Just As I Am” Verse 1 Pamphlet # 14

The Symbol of Bread ONE: We hold in our hand a symbol of the broken humanness of Christ. Let us remember that: ALL: The bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ ONE: Since we are members of the priesthood of all believers, let us join together in prayer for the bread.

Service Continued >>>

Bible Studies In the Pastor’s Office 7- 8 pm Men meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month

Ladies meet the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month ~All are welcome to attend~

Service continued… ALL: Gracious God, you are always doing miracles with common things. You give us bread, plain or fancy. We break it, butter it, toast it, put something in the middle of it. We enjoy its reality. But the mystery of how it is done for us—seed, sprout, leaven, the skill of an unknown baker—that is all hidden from us. You give us this bread, O God. We break it, share its goodness, remember Jesus, enjoy the miracle of his love. But the mystery of how newness happens is hidden from us. As we eat, help us ac-cept the mystery and rejoice in the miracle, Amen. ACAPELLA “Just As I Am” Verse 2 pamphlet #14 The Symbol of the Cup ONE: We hold in our hands a symbol of the life resources of Christ. Let us remember that: ALL: The cup which we bless is the communion of the blood of Christ. ONE: Let us join in prayer for the cup. ALL: God, sometimes we think no one cares, and then the touch of a hand says, “I do.” Sometimes we feel no one understands, and then we meet a pair of eyes that says someone does. Sometimes we feel alone, and a smile says we aren't. Sometimes we feel lost, and you give us a cup that reminds us we are found. God, as we drink and remember, give us courage to accept the way you accept us in Jesus Christ. Amen. ACAPELLA “Just As I Am” Verse 3 pamphlet #14 CLOSING HYMN “Stand up, stand up for Jesus” projected SENDING OUT MUSIC FOR THE JOURNEY

JR/SR HIGH YOUTH CALENDAR Feb 5—Youth Yummies Feb 26—COBY’s Gym Night Feb 11—5-8pm Spaghetti Supper March 5—Youth Yummies Feb 17-18 —Jr. High Lock-In and Youth Event

February is Marriage Month at Little Swatara! A Sunday School Elective ...

entitled "You and Me Forever, Marriage in Light of Eternity" by Francis

and Lisa Chan will be led by Dan and Ashly Landis from February 19 to March 12th. More info can be found at www.youandmeforever.org

There is a sign up sheet available in the Narthex. Please sign up by February 7th so workbooks can be ordered.

**************************** FAMILY LIFE presents “A Weekend to Remember” because marriage takes

two. Sign up Today!! Date: February 17-19 Place: Hershey Lodge This is a two and a half day weekend getaway that equips couples with

practical tools and resources. Don’t just survive—discover a marriage that THRIVES! Contact: John Wise, 717-933-4868. More info on narthex table.

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Event coming soon — ”The ArT of MArriAge” ConferenCe March 31—April 1 Details coming soon! Pastor Matt

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IN CONCERT Saturday, February 18

7pm at Little Swatara Church

The Youth are holding a Winter Spaghetti Supper on February 11th in the Fellowship Hall from 5-8pm. We'll be providing atmosphere, wait staff, and fine food by donation. Anyone wishing to help with the diner can provide spa-ghetti, meatballs, sauce or salad dressing and fixings. Contact Karen & Mark Myers, or Shelly & Rich Yenser.

Calling all Widows

February 14, 2017 Valentine’s Day

Join together for lunch 11:30am At Country Fare Restaurant

No meeting—No organization Just Fellowship

Reserve your space by Calling 610-678-5247

Tulpehocken High School

Presents

“Footloose” the Musical 7pm

Fri. Mar 10, and Sat Mar 11 ***

Order tickets by calling 717-933-4611 x 2116