February 1, 2023

We remember in prayer the people who will be receiving prayer shawls from congregations who participated in the 2022 District Conference.

This year is a transition year in a variety of ways. Staffing reconfiguration, deliberative efforts to clarify goals and direction for the district, and congregations assuming a full range of ministry and programming, are all part of 2023.

As part of that transition note the variety of District events that are scheduled. Our deepest desire is to provide resources for pastors and congregations alike. There are other events, both educational and fellowship, in various stages of planning. Please let us know of events and gatherings that could be useful to your congregation.



With Appreciation,

John Jantzi

District Executive Minister

Shenandoah District Church of the Brethren

On Monday, February 6, Office Administrative Assistant Anita Landes will begin receiving registrations for events in the District, such as classes, special meetings and gatherings for pastors. She will be in the office from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays. Her primary responsibilities, among others, include event planning and District Conference staff administrative detail and oversight. Direct event registrations to her at anitalandes@shencob.org.

Advertisements and photographs with descriptions of auction items, such as quilts and handmade furniture donated to the auction, may be included in the auction booklet if received this week. Tom Wetsel is finishing the booklet soon, and last-minute inclusions may be emailed to him at sdcobda@gmail.com.

We rejoice with the following calls to the ministry:

• Lee Reid was licensed on Sunday, January 29, at Arbor Hill.
• Nathan Rittenhouse will be ordained on February 19, at New Hope.

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

Pleasant Valley (Website)

Full-time pastoral vacancy; more information is forthcoming

Directions

Wakeman's Grove (Website)

Full-time, Deb Horst, interim pastor; profile available

Directions

The Services Ministry Team will host another appreciation dinner for past volunteers and those interested in getting involved with the Disaster Auction or the District's Brethren Disaster Ministry response and rebuilding projects. The dinner will be held at Pleasant Valley (91 Valley Church Road, Weyers Cave) at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 18. The Pleasant Valley youth will prepare the food.

This special dinner event will honor everyone who contributes to the auction or disaster ministry by volunteering their time to make or donate items or baked goods for the auction, work at the auction, serve on committees, or assist in any way with the trips and projects.

Registration will be capped at 100 this year. Register online here or by contacting Brenda Diehl at brendadiehl@shencob.org. Note that the registration link must be revisited for each registered guest. Register one person, close the window, click on the link again, and open a new registration window for the next guest.

See the attached flyer for all the pertinent information. Contact Rebecca House at rebecca@pleasantvalleyalive.org with questions and to let her know if there are youth who will be attending for planning purposes.

Sunrise and Timberville congregations each dedicated prayer shawls last Sunday. Regina Harlow was on hand to bless the prayer shawls at Timberville.

These shawls were created with yarn brought to the 2022 District Conference in November, and they will be stored at the District Office to be given away to people in the region who need prayer. The shawls will continue to pour in as other congregations finish and bless their shawls.

(Photo: Sunrise Congregation)

(Photo: Timberville Congregation)

Timberville is looking for a home for surplus lectionary-based children's bulletins that they are willing to share. Anyone interested in these may contact Pastor Karl Magenhofer by email.

The following congregations and organizations have announced activities:

Feb. 11: Servant Leadership class, from 9 a.m.-noon. The guest presenter will be Jay Foreman. The event will be held at the Harrisonburg First Church of the Brethren (315 South Dogwood Drive, Harrisonburg). Free registration is online or by calling 540-234-8555.

Feb. 11: SNL will host a one-day senior youth retreat for ninth through twelfth graders at Mountain View-McGaheysville Church of the Brethren (8601 McGaheysville Road, McGaheysville) from 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. The cost is $5, plus a snack to share. This will be a day of fun, games and sessions led by the Interdistrict Youth Cabinet from Bridgewater College. Lunch and supper are included. If you have any questions or reservations, contact Rebecca House at rebecca@pleasantvalleyalive.org.

Feb. 18: The Shenandoah District Pastors for Peace is sponsoring a continuing education event, How Do We Love Our Enemies, led by Dr. Hyung Jin (Pablo) Kim Sun. This event via Zoom will be from 1-4 p.m. (EST). Participants are expected to read Pablo’s book, “Who Are Our Enemies and How Do We Love Them?” before the event (and provide the book themselves). The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership will issue .3 CEUs for full participation. Registration is $10, or $20 for those wishing to receive CEU credit. For more information and online registration, visit the event page here.

Mar. 23: The Bridgewater College Forum for Brethren Studies will sponsor a Conversation with the Moderator at 3:30 p.m. in the Boitnott Room at Bridgewater College. The Forum has asked Moderator Tim McElwee to offer brief remarks on the state of the denomination before opening the session for questions. The discussion will constitute the bulk of the time together. 

May 15: Deadline for District congregations to submit a quilt block for the 2023 Conference quilts. Quilt tops will be assembled before the conference, and no blocks can be accepted at the conference for this year’s quilts. For details and submission guidelines, click here.

July 2-18: Lands of the Bible with Bridgewater College chaplain Dr. 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, you may contact Dr. Miller at rmiller@bridgewater.edu or 540-421-2720.

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

Shenandoah District Disaster Ministries Coordinator Jerry Ruff said the District plans to serve in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, this year. An estimated 900 homes are still in need of moderate to major repairs or replacement after an F4 tornado decimated the area on December 11, 2021. The trip to Dawson Springs is approximately nine and a half hours from the District Office.

2023 Disaster Projects (as of January 30, 2023)

April 16-22

July 30-August 5

September 17-23

October 22-28

For more information, contact:

Jerry Ruff 540-447-0306; districtoffice@shencob.org

Galen Halterman 540-256-9356; galenhalterman@aol.com

Hover over the image below and right-click to save this graphic:

Before the COVID-19 limitations, Saturday morning breakfasts at the auction featured made-to-order omelets through the work of volunteers with the Mill Creek congregation. Unfortunately, those volunteers have been unable to continue serving in recent years. Still, they are willing to loan their omelet equipment to other volunteers if another large group steps forward to make omelets at the auction on Saturday morning, May 20. Please contact Catherine Lantz at catherinetlantz@gmail.com, or call 540-896-7556 for more information about carrying on this breakfast tradition.

In other volunteer news, willing workers are needed to help set up at the fairgrounds before the auction. However, there will be a change in plans for 2023. The equipment trailers will be on-site and ready to unload on Tuesday, May 16. In previous years, the unloading had started on the Monday of auction week. Please keep this in mind and plan to arrive on Tuesday this year to help set up. Contact Gary Shipe at 540-984-4874 for more information.

As always, helpers are needed to assist with all aspects of the auction, from arts and crafts, baked goods, ice cream scooping, plant sales, food preparation and sales and clean up. Reach out to Catherine Lantz to volunteer.

Henry Hawkins is assisting with the coin auction again this year. In a recent communication with Tom Wetsel, Hawkins noted a donor "has agreed to donate three of the old Meyerhoeffer Store merchant tokens, and [will] give a brief history of those tokens at auction time before they are auctioned."

Organizers are planning to offer up to 50 lots for the auction, emphasizing that having donations identified in advance will help increase bids through advertising. Send photos and descriptions of coins to be donated to Tom Wetsel at sdcobda@gmail.com by January 31.

Shenandoah District Church of the Brethren

Phone: 540-234-8555; Toll-free 888-308-8555; Fax 540-234-8333

Staff:

John Jantzi, District Executive Minister, johnjantzi@shencob.org

Sarah Long, Administrative Assistant, slong@shencob.org

Brenda Sanford Diehl, Director of Communications, brendadiehl@shencob.org

Gary Higgs, Director of Finance, garyhiggs@shencob.org

Larry Holsinger, Financial Sec./Bookkeeper, lawrence.holsinger@gmail.com

Jonathan Prater, Director of Ministry Services, JonPrater@shencob.org

Disaster Ministries Team, Jerry Ruff, Coordinator; ruffrev2@yahoo.com,

Henry Elsea, elseaclan@yahoo.com; and Galen Halterman, galenhalterman@aol.com