Shenandoah News Update
Signs of the Risen Christ
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"The Lord
is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures
.
"
(Psalm 23:1-2, NKJV).
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It has been over six weeks since individuals and churches have been asked to practice social distancing and refrain from meeting in large groups. It is remarkable to see how congregations have responded to this challenge and continued to care for each other.
The Shenandoah District has been doing their tasks in creative ways, as well. Although the District Leadership Team, Ministry Teams, and other
committees
have not been able to meet physically
, they are moving forward with the work of the District through the use of emails, texts, phone calls, and Zoom video conference calls.
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Cost-cutting and System Maintenance Strategies
Ken Fox uses his expertise to assist congregations with cost-cutting recommendations and ideas for properly maintaining church buildings and HVAC systems. Ken is the pastor of Cedar Run and the manager of HVAC systems for James Madison University.
Click here to download
.
Alternative Worship Strategies
Eric Wetzel is the pastor of
Mtn. Grove and he has offered to coach others in conducting parking lot worship services within established guidelines. Eric has had some success working out the details for these types of services and is willing to speak with those who are thinking about pursuing this method of worship. Contact Eric at (540) 560-2929 or email
rev.ericwetzel@gmail.com.
Antioch will provide
tech and logistical support for the needs listed below. If your congregation desires assistance with these items, call George Bowers at (540) 459-3661. If no one answers leave a message and your call will be returned. You may also email George at
gabowers@shentel.net.
1. Assistance in recording digitally
2. Assistance in posting to whatever platform the congregation might have
3. Assistance in helping create platforms
4. Record and transfer to CD.
Service Ministries Team
During these times of social isolation and confinement, challenges facing folks in our communities do not stop, and in many ways, may have become more challenging with the added stresses of loss funds, food, and support of others. If your church is struggling to support outreach or witness activities or sees a new concern that you want to address, there are limited funds available through the DLT Service Team. The following are two documents providing more details and information. Click here to
read the letter,
and
here for an application
.
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Updates from Camp Brethren Woods
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Ash tree removal, Spring 2020
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(Photos courtesy of Camp Brethren Woods)
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Camp Director Doug Phillips reported yesterday that although the Spring Work Day and the Festival were canceled this year, enthusiastic proponents found new ways to demonstrate support for Brethren Woods.
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Firewood, Fund Raising, and the Future
by Doug Phillips
Firewood
In this uncertain time, there are at least a couple of things that are for certain. For sure, God loves us and will never leave us or forsake us. We are not alone! I have found this to be true in my life and especially in the last weeks. I also see people caring for and appreciating each other more than ever.
The second thing that is for sure is that Brethren Woods has lots of brush and firewood to clean up, and sisters and brothers are lending a hand. This past Saturday camp friends Duane Painter, Mark Carroll, Lisa Carroll, George Irwin, Norm Gerber, and camp staff Andy and Doug made a mountain of firewood. If you have never seen a wood processor working, you need to. It was amazing!
There are still many trees to be processed and even more brush to grind. The Camp would welcome the help of groups to get this work done and get the facility in shape for the day when guests return to Brethren Woods and Make Room for God. Contact
Doug
at
269-2741 a
nd arrange a time to “chip in” and join the fun! A big thank you goes out to all of our camp friends who have been willing to lend a hand or a chain saw!
Fund Raising
All of our lives have changed dramatically in the last number of weeks. There are many things that we always do that we can’t. The Spring Festival is one of those events that didn’t happen this year, or did it? The answer is yes, it did, and it is still happening.
Friends of the Camp are all doing their part to make the Spring Festival a success with 5K walks and runs, a half marathon, and funds donated. At the moment, about 15 Pastors are lined up for the Dunk the Dunkard Bucket Challenge, or to contribute in some way. Here’s a serious bucket challenge: If 20 Pastors agree to do something for the Spring Festival and friends of the Camp raise $1,000.00, Doug will be tractor-bucket poured. You can send a check to the Camp
at 4896 Armentrout Path, Keezletown, Va. 22832,
or go
online to donate
. Doug needs to get wet, and he also needs a haircut!
The auction is one of the most popular events at the Spring Festival, so we are planning a Facebook auction for items donated to the Camp. Get your items to camp soon! Keep checking out the Spring Festival page on the Camp website at
https://brethrenwoods.org/springfestival2020/
for updates and ideas.
If there is one thing we have all learned is that we just can’t do life the same old way. We live in exciting times, and friends of Brethren Woods help make it that way.
Doug Phillips is the camp director for Brethren Woods.
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The Future
by Linetta Ballew
What is in store for the Camp in the future? God only knows.
Thank you for grace and flexibility, as we all do our best in these unpredictable times. The situation surrounding the COVID-19 global pandemic makes it challenging to plan too far in advance for this spring and summer. Camp Staff are closely monitoring verifiable public information about the current health crisis and what that might mean for our summer camp season. We are especially eager for the release of guidelines that are being worked on by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and are specific to summer camps as these will provide relevant guidance for our decision-making. We hope to announce a decision about the summer schedule by May 15.
We are exploring and creating various modifications to our staff training and summer camp schedules and programs. These adjustments could allow for a later start date if needed, consolidating or expanding program options to accommodate all interested campers in the following weeks if we are able to open. Also, alternative program models might allow families to utilize camp facilities and staff leadership, even if we are unable to have our regular summer camp programs. For now, as we continue to plan and prepare, we just need to wait and see how things progress on the local, state, and federal levels, and then be ready to put whatever is needed into place for the summer. No matter what, there will be changes, and it will look different.
We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know that God holds the future. That is enough for now, and we carry on because the ministry and mission of camp are more important now than ever! Our current public COVD-19 statement can be accessed online at
https://brethrenwoods.org/covid/
.
Linetta Ballew is Assistant Camp Director at Brethren Woods
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2020 Bucket Challenge with Camp Director Doug Phillips. When the Camp selects a bucket for water, they get creative. Will he get his hair wet?
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Camp deposit and registration payment policies for 2020:
The Camp is recommending that families register campers for their preferred program to help gauge interest and make adjustments to the schedule as needed. Continue to register online at
https://brethrenwoods.org/summercamp/
The early registration deadline of March 31 has been extended. This registration discount will now apply to the entire 2020 summer camp season.
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(Photos courtesy of Brethren Woods)
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Disaster Auction and Golf Tournament Nixed
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The
Golf Tournament Committee announced this morning that the tournament had been
canceled for this year. Chairperson Doug Hughes said, "As we are dealing with this enormous change in our lives, the golf committee has made the difficult decision of canceling the tournament for this year following the decision of the auction coordinating committee to do the same. It was not an easy decision, but one we had to make to protect the golfers that we care so much for and call our friends."
The
May 15-16 Disaster Auction and Sale
scheduled for the Rockingham County Fairgrounds was canceled, due to the stay at home orders issued by the governors of Va. and West Va. The Committee plans to meet at some point in the future when these restrictions are lifted to discuss possibilities for future auction activities. At that time, a decision will be made regarding the distribution of the 2020 auction booklets.
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We remember
Tim Sites,
who is in Sentara Hospital. Tim is serving as the interim pastor at Leake’s Chapel.
Pray for his healing and restoration to health. W
e also remember Pastor
Jack Haddock
, who has been released from the hospital and is recuperating at home. Continue to pray for Jack as he recovers. He serves at Trinity in Page County.
Prayer is needed for
Accordius Health
in Harrisonburg, and
Skyview Rehab and Nursing
in Page County as the COVID-19 virus has been impacting residents at these facilities.
The Global Mission Prayer Update this week asks for prayer for the following nations:
China-
We pray that our church workers in China, Eric, and Ruoxia, can provide loving care for the hospice patients in China, and we pray for the patients and their families as they face pain and loss in their final weeks and days. Pray for the reopening of the churches in China and pray that the pandemic does not return.
Democratic Republic of Congo
-As the people continue to struggle with the effects of the pandemic, the Mulongwe River flooded in the Uvira area. Reports from DR Congo said 3500 homes were destroyed, 27 people perished, and thousands are currently displaced. Twenty-five Brethren families are among those affected. Please pray for the Uvira area.
Dominican Republic
-The economic hardships are being felt by everyone, especially the day workers who do not own land or farms. The markets are full of food, but many people can’t afford to buy it. Please continue to pray for the churches and their leaders.
Haiti
-Restrictions of movement are making it difficult for the people there to obtain daily food. So far there have been no cases of COVID-19 in the church body. Please pray for the church and its members at this difficult time.
India
-Churches are not meeting in person and they are conducting online services and prayer meetings. Please continue to lift them up in your prayers.
South Sudan
-The Government has locked down transportation throughout the country. No church services are held, and only food items are being sold in the markets. The African Inland Church hopes to hold its election of a new bishop in mid-May. Athanasus Ungang, Global Mission and Service worker, is currently in Sudan and cannot get home to his family in South Dakota due to the lockdown. Please pray for him, the rest of the staff, and all our brothers and sisters in South Sudan.
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Many Shenandoah District churches are hosting alternative services or streaming services online during this time of quarantine and social distancing. Some churches are posting on their church websites; some are broadcasting through
Facebook,
and others are using meeting software such as
Zoom
.
Be sure to download the application needed to view services in the format the specific church is utilizing before service times, where applicable.
The following congregations have alternative or online access to services:
Community Mission | 10 a.m. Sundays Drive-in Worship Service by PA system.
Evergreen
| 10:30 a.m. Sundays Drive-in Worship Service. Everyone remains in their vehicles. A message will be posted on their Facebook page at 11 a.m. They are also doing Zoom Sunday School services for kids each Sunday at 1 p.m. Message their
Facebook page
for the password.
Linville Creek | Links to private YouTube broadcasts provided by email weekly. Contact Pastor
Nathan Hollenberg
to receive links.
Madison |11 a.m. Sundays on Zoom. Contact
Pastor Ed Morris
for the Zoom meeting number to enter the worship service.
Mountain Grove Fulks Run | 11 a.m. Sundays; remain in cars for the service and hear the message via PA system.
Stone
|
10:45 a.m. Sundays
Timberville | 9:30 a.m. Sundays. The church has purchased airtime on the radio for each week until further notice. They will be broadcasting on
1360AM
and
106.9FM
.
Walker’s Chapel
| 11 a.m. Sundays in Meditations and Messages on Facebook; scroll down to find messages from Pastor Cecil L. Haycock.
Waynesboro | Check the
Facebook
page for the YouTube link.
These are the congregations who have submitted information thus far. If your congregation wishes to be included, e-mail your info to John Jantzi at the District Office at
johnjantzi@shencob.org
.
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If you have questions about the Daily Connection, contact:
Director of Communications
Shenandoah District Church of the Brethren
P.O. Box 67
Weyers Cave, Va. 24486
(540) 234-8555
www.shencob.org
Scripture from New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson
Graphics courtesy of pixabay.com, unless otherwise stated
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