He is Risen!

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. 

Acts 4:33-34

April 26, 2023

In Our Prayers

We remember in prayer the Spring Festival this weekend and the Disaster Ministries auction in May. Pray for safety, great fellowship and success for both of these district-wide events.

District News

The Spring Festival is Saturday at Brethren Woods

The Spring Festival at Brethren Woods is an annual fun day, open house and fundraiser to support the camp’s summer and year-round ministry. Many of the most popular activities will be back, including the fishing contest, pancake breakfast, yard sale, hike-a-thon, amazing food stands, children’s activities, including inflatables, pedal-boat rides, petting zoo, dunk-the-Dunkard booth, climbing tower and zip line rides, mini-golf, kiss-the-cow contest, auction and a beautiful spring day at camp.


Visit https://brethrenwoods.org/springfestival/ to learn more. There is still plenty of time for individuals and churches to get involved in this event and plan to attend. Contact the camp office at 540-269-2741 or camp@brethrenwoods.org to get more information and sign-up to help.

Author Linda K. Williams, with Gretchen.


(Photo courtesy of L. K. Williams)

Disaster Auction Connection with "Chicken Soup"

Although chicken soup is not on the lunch menu at this year's Disaster Ministries Auction and Sale, there will be "Chicken Soup for the Soul." Author and co-editor Linda K. Williams stumbled across the auction's Facebook page recently and reached out to provide a gift of five copies of "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories for a Better World" as her way to support Brethren Disaster Ministries through the Shenandoah District.


Williams, a member of the First Church of the Brethren in San Diego, California, is including a personal note in each book and a copy of the Messenger article that highlights her fellow Brethren contributors to the book: Sylvia Boaz Leighton, Florence Crago, Andrew Murray, Gilbert Romero, Barbara Smythe and Michael Stern. Together they wrote twelve percent of the stories in this volume, and there were eleven volunteers from Brethren congregations who served as readers to select the final stories for the book. It was four years in the making.


Growing up in the Church of the Brethren, which Williams calls "fertile ground" for God's plan for her life, she was unknowingly preparing for her future work. She recalls "God was calling, or compelling, me to sow seeds of peace in as many ways and places as I could." Steeped in the Brethren tradition of peacemaking, and receiving the encouragement of her congregation, Williams has been creating songs and materials that promote peace since the murder of her husband's elderly grandmother and the Columbine massacre, both of which took place in the 1980s. Many of her Christian resources have been adapted for secular audiences, which allows them to also be utilized by public schools. She has graciously provided links to a sampling of her work in the attached document. In addition, she has offered to help other congregations and organizations with fundraising projects through "Chicken Soup for the Soul." Contact her at lkw_betterworld@yahoo.com for more information.


The auction will be held at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds on May 19 and 20. Click here for more information.

The Shenandoah District Church of the Brethren Disaster Ministries is set for Friday, May 19, beginning at 1 p.m. and Saturday, May 20, starting with breakfast at 7 a.m. The auction proceeds help to fund the Church of the Brethren Disaster Ministries. The teams will be rebuilding in Dawson Springs, Kentucky in 2023.


Disaster Auction Link

Counting Down: Three Weeks to the Disaster Auction

The 2023 Shenandoah District Disaster Auction and Sale will be held at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds on May 19-20. The planning for the livestock auction will not include poultry this year due to the Avian flu outbreaks in 2022-2023. The main auction will feature quilts, wall hangings, furniture, and art, while a separate coin auction will be held on Saturday near the theme basket area in the adjacent room in the exhibition building.


The golf tournament still has slots available for registration and will tee off on Friday morning at Heritage Oaks. You may find a registration form here.


A pork tenderloin meal is planned for Friday evening. The cost will be $15, and sides include potatoes, green beans, cole slaw, apple sauce, dinner roll, pie, and a beverage. The cost for children ages ten and under is $8.


Saturday morning breakfast will consist of pancakes and gravy for $7, and the plate lunch on Saturday will be barbecue chicken, cole slaw, chips, and a beverage for $8.


To-go barbecue chicken halves will be sold on Saturday for $5. The fast food kiosk will serve on Friday from noon until 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.


Volunteers are welcome to assist with setting up on Tuesday, May 16, at the fairgrounds at 9 a.m.. Contact Gary Shipe for more information about times and tasks to be completed at 540-984-4874.


Visit the Disaster Auction webpage and find a golf tournament brochure here.

Download Tentative Disaster Auction and Sale Schedule

Pastoral Vacancies

Damascus-Crab Run (Websites)

Pastoral vacancy

Directions:

Damascus Crab Run

Emmanuel (Facebook page)

Part-time, Tim Ball, interim pastor, the congregational profile available

Directions

Harrisonburg First (Website)

Full-time, Paul Roth, part-time interim pastor; profile available

Directions

Lebanon (Facebook page)

Full-time; profile available

Directions

Luray (Facebook page)

Part-time, Charlotte Bear, interim pastor; profile available

Directions

Pleasant Valley (Website)

Full-time pastoral vacancy; profile now available

Directions

Free Pews Offered by Staunton

Staunton Church of the Brethren still has two 12-foot-long pews available at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. Be prepared to provide the labor required to move them. Contact Stewards Chair David Smith at 540-849-7702, ddsmith@ntelos.net.

Mark Your Calendar

The following congregations and organizations have announced activities:


April 28-30: Tickets are on sale now for the Pleasant Valley Theatre

“The Mad Tea Party” shows at 5:30 p.m. Purchase tickets for $18 in the church office. Call 540-234-9921 or buy online at pleasantvalleyalive.org. It’s Time! Download a flyer here.


May 4: A National Day of Prayer service involving several Church of the Brethren congregations at 7 p.m. at Sunrise Church (1496 South Main Street, Harrisonburg). Christian churches of various denominations will be holding prayer observances on this day. The service will feature scripture readings and prayers led by various pastors, congregational hymns, and special music by the Sunrise choir.  


May 15: Deadline for District congregations to submit a quilt block for the 2023 Conference quilts. For details and submission guidelines, click here.


June 16-18: National Junior High Conference on the campus of Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Click here for more information.


July 2-18: Lands of the Bible with Bridgewater College chaplain Robbie Miller will tour Israel, Palestine and Jordan. The tour, conducted by the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem https://uhl.ac/, will visit sites of biblical and religious importance, including Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jericho, Capernaum, Caesarea, Masada, Qumran, Petra and many more. The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership will provide 4.0 CEUs for the study tour. If you want an itinerary and more information, contact Dr. Miller at rmiller@bridgewater.edu or 540-421-2720.


Sept. 4-8: National Older Adult Conference, NOAC, at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. NOAC is a Spirit-filled gathering of adults 50 and older who love learning and discerning together, exploring God’s call for their lives, and living out that call by sharing their energy, insight, and legacy with their families, communities, and the world.


Summer Faith Expeditions with Church of the Brethren FaithX for junior high, high school and adult participants are opportunities for service and learning. They are accepting registrations through May 1. Click here for the schedule and registration information.


For a complete listing of details regarding congregational events throughout the Shenandoah District, visit https://shencob.org/events/.

Brethren Woods

The Great Community Give Challenge Exceeded

Brethren Woods exceeded their $20,000 goal in the April 19 Great Community Give with 107 donors contributing a total of $25,825. They finished twenty-fourth overall and were number eight among small nonprofit organizations.

Disaster Ministry

Shenandoah District Disaster Ministries Coordinator Jerry Ruff said the District plans to serve in Dawson Springs, Kentucky. The next scheduled trip is July 30-August 5. For more information, contact Jerry Ruff at 540-447-0306, email the District Office at districtoffice@shencob.org, or Galen Halterman at 540-256-9356 or galenhalterman@aol.com.

Job Opportunities

Middle River Church of the Brethren in New Hope, Virginia is seeking a church secretary for an active church office to work 3-10 hours per week. Days and times are negotiable. Qualifications: pleasant with excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to exercise strict discretion and confidentiality at all times, organized and proficient in filing and computer skills such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Resumes can be mailed to Middle River Church of the Brethren, P.O. Box 17, New Hope, Virginia 24469, or emailed to middlerivercob@gmail.com.  


Waynesboro Church of the Brethren is seeking a music director who can choose and lead congregational hymns, direct a choir, and create Special Music for Sunday worship services. Also, creating a slide show for announcements, hymns, scripture, etc. would be a plus. Approximately 15 hours per week. Salary commensurate with experience and skill level. Send a resume via email to eb_pastor@yahoo.com or by mail to 364 Bridge Avenue, Waynesboro, Virginia 22980. 

Classes and CEU Opportunities

McPherson College is offering several classes through Ventures in Christian Discipleship. Visit https://www.mcpherson.edu/ventures/ for class descriptions and registration information.


“Beyond Burned Out to Boundaries and Balance”

Tuesday, May 9 (Rescheduled from the fall), 6-8 p.m. CDT

Presenter: Jen Jensen, Thriving In Ministry program manager, Church of the Brethren Office of Ministry.

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Continuing the Work of Jesus.

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Contact the Shenandoah District

We are here to help!

Phone: 540-234-8555 | Email: districtoffice@shencob.org

Shenandoah District website: www.shencob.org

Shenandoah District Staff Office Hours

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

District Executive Minister

John Jantzi

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

District Executive Minister

John Jantzi

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

District Executive Minister

John Jantzi

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

District Executive Minister

John Jantzi

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

The District Office is closed

Office Assistant

Anita Landes

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Office Assistant

Anita Landes

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Office Assistant

Sarah Long

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Office Assistant

Sarah Long

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

District Executive Minister

John Jantzi

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Financial Secretary

Larry Holsinger

8-11 a.m.

Director Ministry Services

Jon Prater

9 a.m.-noon.


Director Finances

Gary Higgs

2-5 p.m.


Director Communications

Brenda Diehl

7:30-11:30 a.m.



Office:

540-234-8555

Director of Communications

Brenda Diehl

7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Director of Dist. Conference and Youth Services

1-4 p.m.




Diehl is in the office on the fourth Tuesday

Director of Communications

Brenda Diehl

7:30 a.m.-5 p.m



Connect with staff via email by clicking on a name below:

JohnJantzi

Jon Prater

Sarah Long

Anita Landes

Gary Higgs

Rebecca House

Larry Holsinger

Brenda Diehl

District Office

Brethren Woods

You are welcome to call the office anytime.

Someone will assist you when the responsible staff member is not present.

Scripture is taken from the New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Email header photo by Kathy Lubanski; used with permission.