Website Home Connect Visit Us Contact Us

SUNDAY SCHEDULE 9:00 AM - Sunday School Classes for all ages - click here for more information  10:30 AM - Worship, Sanctuary THIS SUNDAY IN WORSHIP January 12, 2020   SCRIPTURE LESSON:  Matthew 3:13-17    MESSAGE: “This Is My Beloved”

Contents :  This Week  Upcoming Events Children's Ministry Schedule J.A.M. Choir News Online Giving Notes from the Console   Last Week Contacting the Pastor

Happening This Week RECEIVING NEW MEMBERS BY BAPTISM - Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020 during 10:30 AM Worship. Please plan to attend this very special time of welcoming new members into our church, recalling and affirming our own baptismal vows as we do so. The children's J.A.M. Choir will provide the anthem for our service, and our message will recall Jesus' baptism and explore the meaning of baptism for us today. HOME COMMUNION If anyone desires to receive bread and cup communion at home, please contact the pastor and he will see that you receive a visit.

The following resources are available on the table in the Gathering Area: This week's e-news and the January calendar, which can also be viewed here

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED FOR THE 2020 DIRECTORY:  There is a copy of the member’s pages of this year’s directory on the table in the Gathering Area.  PLEASE review and make any necessary changes on this copy. We hope to have the most accurate information to print the 2020 directory.

Events, Prayer Requests, and Classes

Click for Calendar of Events, Friends to Remember in Prayer, & Sunday School

Upcoming Events

WINTER CAMP at Camp Eder - January 24-26, 2020 ​ for Children and Youth Grades 1-12. Join us for an action-packed weekend full of camp fun, great food, friends, and most importantly grow your relationship with God. Grab your sleds and pack your bags, because we are going to have an absolute BLAST! Arrive 7 pm Friday and dismiss 2 pm Sunday Read more and register online at campeder.org/winter-camp * York First Church will pay 80% of registration cost *

GUEST PREACHER AND PRESENTER David Radcliff - Sunday January 26, 2020 during Worship and the Sunday School hour. David Radcliff from New Community Project will be sharing many stories and photos (during a combined Sunday School program in the sanctuary) from his travels and his work of building justice and peace. He will be giving a message during worship as well. Please plan to come and learn from, support, and be challenged through David's ministry.

Men’s Spiritual Leadership Summit & Breakfast The Matthew 18 Mandate Guest Speaker: Paul Mundey, 2020 CoB AC Moderator Saturday - February 22, 2020 Location: Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren, 301 Gale St., Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 $ 16.00 Registration Fee Send check payable to SOPA District COB & mail to 6035 York Rd. New Oxford, PA 17350 7:30 am - 8:00 am - Registration 8:10 am - 8:55 am - Welcome & Session I 9:00 am - 9:50 am - Breakfast 10:00 am - 12:00 noon - Session 2 Registration Deadline: Thursday, February 6, 2020 (Posted on Bulletin Board) Sponsored By: Southern PA District Church of the Brethren

It is time to renew (or begin) your subscription to Messenger Magazine! I will be collecting your payments on January 12th & 19th between Sunday School and Worship, or you may mail your payment to church. $14.50 is the renewal cost for this year. NEW subscriptions can be purchased for the 1st year cost of only $7.25. Please make your checks payable to York First Church of the Brethren. Thank you, Carole Bradfield

Children's Ministry Schedule

Thank you to all who assist with Children's Ministry. Your time, energy, and dedication are appreciated. If you need to make a schedule change or would like to serve as a teacher or in the nursery, please contact Michele Gibbel (717)318-5442 or mgibbel@yahoo.com

Nursery Caregivers Needed! In the recent weeks we have experienced a boom of young ones in the nursery during both Sunday School and Worship. This is so exciting! But to care for these little ones, we need more help. There are between 16-20 volunteer slots to fill each month. How can you help out?           Qualifications:           * A love for children          * A desire to support and encourage parents of young children          * An interest in seeing our congregation grow           * Background checks are required.   Please contact Michele Gibbel ( mgibbel@yahoo.com ) to be added to the rotation or with any questions. Thank you.

J.A.M. Choir News Singing this week Jan 12th in worship! Children ages 4 to 6th grade J.A.M. (Jesus And Me) Choir is practicing Sundays from 9:50 am to 10:10 am in the basement choir room. For those children in Sunday school you will be escorted to the choir room and return to the Sunday school room to meet your parents after practice each week. J.A.M. Choir is scheduled to sing in worship every 2nd Sunday of the month. We will be singing, moving, using puppets, and playing musical instruments. Join us every Sunday as we make music for our Lord!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY - We have received a request from Madison Avenue Church of the Brethren for a volunteer who may be able to drive a church van to transport school-aged children in York City to and from a Bible study program on Tuesday afternoons that they are hosting. If anyone has interest, please contact pastor Joel and we can further explore potential for serving. Thank you.

2020 OFFERING ENVELOPES ~ Your box of 2020 Offering envelopes is available in the narthex. Please pick yours up at your earliest convenience. If there is none with your name and you would like a set, let the office or John Minnich know and they will get a set for you. Please continue using your 2019 envelopes thru the end of this year and start using the new ones in 2020 to assure proper credit. Thank you.

ONLINE GIVING ~ If you wish to begin contributing to the church using online giving, please visit our website at: yorkfirst.org and click on the Online Giving link or go directly to the Online Giving website t:  www.acionlinegiving.com/4706 . For assistance setting up your account, call Donor Support at:  800-348-2886 – Option 2 – Online Giving Questions? Contact Sheryl Leaman if necessary, and thank you for your support!

Church Website

Online Giving

SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN STEERING COMMITTEE “Catch the Spirit, Build for the Future” has been chosen as the theme for our Capital Fund Campaign. Campaign visits are beginning, and we hope you will prayerfully consider making a pledge to support our church's future. As we prepare to launch the campaign, we want to share with you two tax saving options that may be available to you as you consider your pledge to the campaign. These options are qualified charitable distributions and donation of appreciated securities. Qualified Charitable Distribution If you are age 70½ or older, IRS rules require you to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) each year from your tax-deferred IRA’s. This additional taxable income may push you into a higher tax bracket and may also reduce your eligibility for certain tax credits and deductions. For example, your taxable income helps determine the amount of your Social Security benefits that are subject to taxes. Keeping your taxable income level lower may also help reduce your potential exposure to higher Medicare premiums. To eliminate or reduce the impact of RMD income, you may want to consider making a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from an IRA custodian, payable to a qualified charity. Amounts distributed as a QCD can be counted toward satisfying your RMD for the year and can also be excluded from your taxable income. This is not the case with a regular withdrawal from an IRA, even if you use the money to make a charitable contribution later on. In this scenario, the withdrawal would be counted as taxable income. You must be at least 70½ years old at the time you request a QCD. If you process a distribution prior to reaching age 70½, the distribution will be treated as taxable income. Funds must be transferred directly from your IRA custodian to the qualified charity. This is accomplished by requesting your IRA custodian issue a check from your IRA payable to the charity. You can then request that the check be mailed to the charity, or forward the check to the charity yourself. Donation of Appreciated Securities With the stock market setting all-time record highs, many investors are holding securities in their taxable accounts that have appreciated in value. Appreciated securities are investments that have increased in value from the time they were purchased, and can take the form of publicly traded stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closely held stock, or mutual funds. For example, if a stock was purchased for $30 per share and sold for $50 per share, the stock has appreciated by $20 per share. When appreciated stock is sold, the owner generally realizes capital gains equal to the appreciation and may be liable for either short-term or long-term capital gains taxes. With a charitable gift of appreciated securities, the donation you make and the deduction you get are greater than they would be if you were to sell the shares and donate the cash proceeds instead. That is because when you donate shares, you avoid paying the capital gains tax. The church will receive the full market value of the securities donated. We encourage you to take advantage of these tax saving measures as you finalize your year-end giving.

"Notes from the Console," Article 25, By Mike Frock In Search Of... If anyone is getting ready to throw away their Christmas cards, I will take the front covers of the Christmas cards, if there are no handwritten messages on the back (printed copyright information or identification of a picture on the front of the cover is fine). This is a request from my mother. She oversees the Operation Christmas Child ministry at her church. This ministry is part of Samaritan’s Purse, the organization run by Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham). For Operation Christmas Child, members of the church pack shoeboxes which are mailed all over the world to less-fortunate children. The shoeboxes can include many different types of things such as hygiene items, clothes, school supplies, games and toys, stuffed animals, etc. They always put in a pocket picture of Jesus and like to send these Christmas card covers with short messages written on the back such as “Jesus Loves You.” Her church sent over 800 shoeboxes last year. If anyone has any cards for her, you can give them to me, put them in my mailbox at church, or on the organ bench, or somewhere where I will find them.   Also, I am constantly in need of 3-ring binders, both for church use and for my personal use. I could use any size from ½” up to 3” or 4”. I really would only need one ½” binder and one or two 3” or 4” binders for stuff here at church. More often I am looking for 1”, 1 ½”, or 2” binders for when people hand me 250 photocopied pages of a musical score from which to play. I picked some up at the church yard sale over the summer, and I know there are a couple at church, I just thought I would throw it out there that I could use them if anyone is sitting on any of them that they don’t use. 

LAST SUNDAY IN WORSHIP

Scripture Lesson: John 1:1-14 Message:     “In Him Was Life” Worship Attendance: 101

View Message (YouTube)

CONTACTING THE PASTOR Pastor Joel Gibbel can be reached most mornings in the church office Monday - Thursday from 9:00 AM to noon. Afternoons and evenings are often set aside for visiting those in need, for meetings, and for other pastoral duties. Pastor Joel is also available for Pastoral Counseling by appointment.

If you need to reach the pastor outside of office hours, his home phone number is (717)318-5442, and his cell number is (717)271-4888 . You can also email him at pastor@yorkfirst.org. Note that laws prevent hospitals from contacting a pastor without your permission when you are admitted, so you will need to let hospital staff know that you would like the hospital to contact your pastor.

Our Mission Statement: “People dedicated to Spiritual Growth, Loving Relationship, and Sacrificial Service” Our Vision Statement: “To become a community of committed Christians who Love God, Share Christ, and Serve the World”