Stone Church of the Brethren BULK RATE

1623 Moore Street NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

Huntingdon, PA 16652 U.S. POSTAGE

PERMIT NO. 116 Phone: 814-643-3390

Email: stonechurch@verizon.net

Or Current Occupant

SSttoonnee CChhuurrcchh NNeewwss March 2013

You’re Invited… A Service and meal of remembrance Thursday, March 26 6:30 pm Fellowship Hall

Stone Church News March 2013

Palm Sunday March 24 – 10:45 am

We begin Holy Week with worship on Palm Sunday. The children of the congregation will invite us into worship by leading a procession of Palms. The church orchestra will accompany hymns and offer other seasonal music. Under the direction of Marty Keeney, the chancel choir will lead in worship as we celebrate this important day in the life of the church. Following worship everyone is invited to join in the pancake brunch. (Details on next page)

You’re Invited… Love Feast Thursday evening, March 28 – 6:30 pm

Christ at table with his friends Sharing bread and wine,

And then speaking words of mystery: “Thus remember me, Thus remember me.”

When we remember, as the Latin language derivative of the word reminds us, we have the opportunity “to be mindful.” This service helps us connect with the events of the upper room when Jesus gathered with his disciples. So as 21st century Christians, let us come for moments of reflection, being mindful to be servants to one another as we wash feet, in our community experience of eating a simple meal together and remembering Christ’s love for us, experienced in bread and cup communion. Pastors Dale and Christy Dowdy would be happy to meet with anyone who has questions or would like further instruction on the Love Feast Service. Childcare will be provided. Let us remember! Children are welcome, and childcare is provided for those 4th grade and younger. Simply call (643-3390) or e-mail (stonechurch@verizon.net) the church office by Wednesday, April 4, to let us know your children will be attending.

Good Friday—March 29 – Noon to 3 pm The Huntingdon Area Forum of Churches invites the community to the Good Friday

procession of services. The first service begins at Abbey Reformed United church of Christ and then will move in succession through the downtown churches. Pastor Dale Dowdy will deliver

the message at St. John’s Episcopal Church, which is the last stop along the Good Friday procession. A flyer will be located on the bulletin board with the location and speaker for each

of the services. Persons may participate in all seven of the services or feel free to select a service or services in order to meet personal needs.

Easter—Sunday, March 31 Sunrise Service – 6:30 am A tradition of gathering at the peace chapel for a Sunrise Service will continue this year. The early morning service is sponsored by the Huntingdon Area Forum of Churches and is coordinated by Stone Church of the Brethren. Hot drinks will be served. In case of inclement weather, the service will be held in the sanctuary of the Stone Church of the Brethren. (The Peace Chapel is located off Warm Springs Avenue on Peace Chapel Road. If you are unable to walk up the hill, a van will be available to transport you to the site of the Sunrise Service.) You are encouraged to invite friends and family to join in this time of taking in the beauty of nature and celebration of the resurrection. Easter Worship at Stone Church – 10:45 am Everyone is invited to join in celebrating the resurrection story in word and music. The Stone Church Ringers, under the direction of Sharon Yohn, will offer Easter music and the Chancel Choir, under the direction of Marty Keeney, will lead the congregation in singing some of the wonderful music of the Easter season. Pastor Dale Dowdy will deliver the morning message. At the conclusion of the service, the chancel choir will invite singers in the congregation to join in the singing of the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. You are encouraged to invite friends and family to join in this worship celebration.

Palm Sunday Brunch March 24—Following Worship Join the fellowship for a festive pancake and sausage brunch following worship on Palm Sunday. Bill Peters, head chef and organizer will gather men and youth from the congregation to help with this annual feast. Plan now to be a part of this great Stone Church event! Bill is looking for help with everything from early morning sausage cooking to washing dishes following the brunch. See Bill if you are able to help.

THE Vital Ministry Journey will begin in March …. You are invited:

To listen to scripture and reflect

To be part of small group of 6 to 8 persons, led by a facilitator

To meet 6 times during the months of March, April and May

To be open to the mystery of God’s leading

Call or e-mail Pastors Dale & Christy Dowdy at 643-3390, stonechurchpastor@verizon.net or pastorchristy@verizon.net to let them know of your interest.

Men’s Breakfast Saturday, March 16 – 8am

All men in the congregation are invited to join with a group of men from the

congregation as we gather once a month. As noted, we will meet on Saturday,

March 16 at 8 a.m. for a meal, fellowship and moments of reflection. This is a great

opportunity to get to know one another in a deeper way and experience the joy of

the journey together as men. If you have questions, see Pastor Dale.

TAIZE WORSHIP There are two more Taize services scheduled for this spring, March 17 and April 21. Both are at 6pm in the Sanctuary at Stone. These meditative worship experiences have been increasingly attended by folks from the Stone Church and wider Huntingdon Communities. We would love to have you join with us for these services that involve scripture, music, and silence woven together into a contemplative time of community and personal prayer. If you have not experienced this, please do consider…

8th Annual Huntingdon Handbell Festival

Sunday, March 17th, 2:30 PM, First United Methodist Church (on the corner of 5th and Mifflin). Join the Stone Church Ringers and other local bell choirs on March 17 for an hour of fun and music! Each choir will play two solo pieces, and all choirs will join together for two songs. You’ll also have the chance to join in singing familiar hymns as we transition between choirs. Don’t miss this celebration of handbells!

SPOTLIGHT …Cookie Makers

Each month a different person, team or item will appear in our "SPOTLIGHT" section. The purpose of this feature is to provide enlightenment and to get a glimpse into various aspects of our church community.

Person of interest: Cookie Makers Job Title: Bakers, Decorators and Packers Employment: Stone Church children, youth and adults Supervised by: Christian Education Team Approximate number of work hours per week: 3 hours on a Sunday afternoon

One sentence job description: A group gathered on Sunday, February 10 to roll dough, cut out shapes, decorate & package cookies for Meals on Wheels recipients. The heart shaped cookies decorated with icing and colorful sprinkles were made to brighten the meal and the lives of those who received a meal during Valentine’s Day week. The group was small in number but the fun and fellowship for this service opportunity was immeasurable.

Toughest part of job: Waiting until the end to sample the cookies.

Messenger Musings—(It’s a Small World)

You’ve heard people say, “It’s a small world!” Maybe you’ve said it yourself—long before the Walt

Disney people designed that musical boat ride in Fantasyland. You turn to leave the bank cashier’s window

and find that the person behind you is a third cousin once or twice removed, and you haven’t seen each

other since a family reunion ten years ago—and you couldn’t recall her name then either.

Lately this sort of thing has been happening to me a lot. I see people who look familiar. Do I know this

person? Should I smile and walk on?” Instead I stop and say, “Excuse me, but do I know you?” Usually this

works; sometimes the person keeps walking. Recently I tried this at the Huntingdon McDonald’s and

enjoyed a pleasant visit with Barbara (Whitsel) Parlett’s sister. When she smiled, I could have sworn I was

talking to Barb instead!

Gene joined us, and as we chatted, the small world aspects began piling up. The Whitsel home was on

Mifflin Street, one block over, two blocks up, from my family’s house on Moore Street. Their mother,

Lorena, was a faithful member of Stone Church, where we Haughts attended. My father visited Lorena

numerous times while he served as Minister of Visitation. But the moment that touched me most came

when she told me that the Rev. John C. Middlekauff had baptized her.

Many of you either remember the Middlekauff family or have heard your parents mention them. John

served Stone Church from 1947 until 1959. Perhaps you do not know that his first pastorate was the

Fairview Church of the Brethren (also known as Georges Creek) in Western Pennsylvania District—the

church where I grew up! My parents had known John and Hilda, and I often heard about the young couple

who had “cut their teeth” in our community. My father served the same congregation, from 1939 until 1957.

After we moved to Mount Union, I finally got to meet those mysterious Middlekauffs.

If you are a longtime reader of Messenger, you may have seen John’s articles. If the magazine is new to

you, please consider subscribing. See our church secretary for more information.

--------Alberta Haught Goshorn

Youth News

VOLLEYBALL - Saturday, March 9

The Annual Volleyball Tournament for Middle District Youth will be held at Juniata College gym, on Saturday, March 9, 2013, beginning play at 9 am. Stone Church will have 3 teams; 22 youth and 6 adults are registered. Stone Church Youth and their parents will offer a concession stand (You will be asked to contribute for this fund raiser). All are invited to come out for the day or just a short while to watch and cheer on our teams who you cannot miss with the NEON pink Stone T-shirts.

6th to 8th Graders: National Junior High Conference June 14-16, 2013 at Elizabethtown College Register now for this action packed weekend, featuring worship, inquisitive workshops, music and recreation at Elizabethtown College. Our own Rachel Witkovksy is the coordinator.

Ride Your Bike …. On Saturday, April 6, a group of bike-riders, from State College Interfaith Power and Light, including a 12 year old from State College, will be coming through Huntingdon to promote awareness of climate change and sustainability. Would you like to join them on the ride for a short while or part of the way to Orbisonia or the rest of the journey to Washington, DC??? A Lunch will be held at ST. James Lutheran Church and the ride will continue in the afternoon.

Middle School & Senior High Sunday School… Have you considered a workcamp this summer? The 2013 National Workcamp information is available at www.brethren.org/workcamps for registration information which began January 9, 2013. Middle Pennsylvania District offers youth scholarship assistance for Brethren workcamps. For an application call the District Center at 643-0601 or check online. Scholarship applications must be received by Thursday, January 31, 2013 to be considered for scholarship assistance.

Camp Blue Diamond registration is now available! Make your plans now to attend the camp of your choice—find more info listed with Camp Blue Diamond page.

Bicycling to Washington DC

Yes, you read that right. A group of riders from PA Interfaith Power and Light will ride from State College PA to Washington D.C. (200 miles in 4 days!) to promote awareness of climate change, and our moral responsibility to respond to it. Along the way, the riders will be stopping at local congregations, colleges and CSAs to spread the word, and at the end of the ride meet with legislators. On Saturday, April 6th they will bike into Huntingdon for the late morning and afternoon before heading off. Their stay will likely involve a ride/walk from the college to St. James Lutheran church which will be followed by a presentation/discussion and lunch. Please watch the bulletin for more details, including a ride out of town to send them on their way.

Summer Camp Registration is now open and early bird savings are available until May 1. Don’t forget to check out the Multiple Sibling and Bring a Friend to Camp discounts. If finances stand in the way of a child going to camp, check out the new scholarship chart in the brochure and consider applying.

Raise the Roof! – March 22 & 23 Join us for the Camp Blue Diamond Annual Dinners and help to put a new roof on the Main Lodge. Enjoy a delicious meal, good friends and great entertainment, all for $40 per person. On Friday evening, appetizers will be served at 6:00 and dinner at 6:30pm, while Saturday’s start times will be 5:00 and 5:30pm. The featured entertainment will be “Catch This”, father and son juggling duo Mark and Jordan Cunningham. Please contact Carol Fultz (Friday) and David Meadows (Saturday) for tickets. You may also inquire at the Church Office.

Work Days – April 5 & 6 Bring your work gloves and help get Camp back in shape for spring and summer. Friday starts at 9:00am and includes coffee, snacks and lunch. Saturday is the BIG day, starting with pancakes and sausage at 7:30am and including lunch. Projects may include wood cutting, splitting and stacking, staining, caprentry, raking, cleaning, and more. Individuals and groups are welcome. It’s important to let Camp know if you plan to attend. Please call 814-667-2355 or e-mail campbluediamond@verizon.net.

Quilt & Craft Camp – April 19-21— Save the date. More info on this inspirational, fun-filled and creative weekend to come.

Have questions or need a brochure? Contact your Camp Representative, David Meadows, at 814-599-6017 or meadowd@juniata.edu. Brochures are available at the back of the sanctuary and in the conference room.

CHECK IT OUT! A NEW Bulletin Board is part of the welcoming hallway which leads to the church office. It is located across from the conference room. MANY MANY THANKS to the excellent workmanship of Monte Furry, who constructed the frame and did the excellent installation.

March Birthdays

2—Matt Witkovsky 16—Greta Rainey 26—Carol Oldring

2—Chuck Yohn 17—Tim Launtz 26—Kate Thurston-Griswold

5—Billy Smith, Jr. 19—Tom Kepple 26—Kim Witkovsky

7—Lydia Price 23—Dan Cook-Huffman 27—Chris Gibboney

12—Oscar Tuten 23—Lori Fagan 29—Maryln Ignath

15—Seppi Grugan 25—Joel Rhodes 30—Anita Soliday

March Anniversaries

8—Maddy & Alton Quarry 24—Patti & Phil Paterson

17—Evelyn & Raymond Pembrooke

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Key 102–Room 102 CBD–Camp Blue Diamond CR-Conference Room FH-Fellowship Hall KN-Kitchen

QR-Quilting Room GS-Gathering Space SA-Sanctuary WW-Westminster Woods

1

3 Westminster Woods Gathering

2

5 prep potatoes– KN

3

12 Potato Bar Lunch & Steve Mason: Where There’s a Will There’s a Way 2 Cub Scouts–upstairs

4

1– Quilting– QR 6 Kindermusik– 203

5

4 Kindermusik– 203

6

1-4 JC Alumni Rel. Retreat- Rm 102 6 Kindermusik– 203 6 Cheerleading mtg- FH 7 Deacons– 102 8:30 JC practice– SA

7

Shirley Wagoner Memorial Service 6 Worship Ctr Tm-CR 6 Kindermusik– 203 7:16 Choir

8 9

8 Volleyball Tourn.– JC Gym

10 11 1– Quilting– QR

6 Prayer Shawl-CR 6 Kindermusik– 203 7 Habitat for Humanity Rm 102 7 Pastoral Rel– Cherry home

12

4 Kindermusik– 203

13

6 Kindermusik– 203 7 Leadership Tm– CR

14

6 Kindermusik– 203 7:16 Choir

15

16

8 Men’s Breakfast– Room 102

17

2 Cub Scouts– 102 2:30 Bell Festival- 1st UMC 6 Taize

18

1– Quilting– QR 6 Kindermusik– 203

19

4 Kindermusik– 203

20

6 Kindermusik– 203

21

6 Kindermusik– 203 7:16 Choir

22

2 Gifts Discernment- CR

23

24 Palm Sunday

12 Pancake Brunch- FH ________________________________

31 Easter

6:30 Sunrise Service- JC Peace Chapel

25

1– Quilting– QR 6 Kindermusik– 203

26

1-6 Seder prep (Tuten)– KN 4 Kindermusik– 203

27

6 Kindermusik– 203

28

6:30 Love Feast

29 Good Friday

12-3 Community Service– area churches

30

March 2013