Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 NKJV

For My Neighbor's Good with Nate Polzin Saturday

Click here to download a flyer and learn more.

The Shenandoah District and Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren are sponsoring Nate Polzin, executive director of Discipleship and Leadership Formation for the Church of the Brethren, as the presenter for the “For My Neighbor’s Good-Brethren Evangelism Training Event” on April 20 at Pleasant Valley. This training will focus on helping participants connect the story of how they have encountered Jesus in their lives with the needs of others in their neighborhoods who have not yet met Jesus. 

Today is the last day to register for this event. Call 540-234-8555 or email anitalandes@shencob.org to register.

Abner Zook's 3-dimensional painting has been donated to the auction by the Lowell W. Miller family

Over a century ago, twin brothers Aaron and Abner Zook were born into an Amish home in Pennsylvania's Leacock Township in Lancaster County. Later in life, they left the Old Order Amish but held on to the images of their childhood, which have come to life in their unique three-dimensional paintings and wood carvings. The Zook brothers combined painting, wood carving, and other elements, such as wire twisted into trees, to create their one-of-a-kind folk art masterpieces.

Aaron Zook died in 2003, and Abner followed in death in 2010, but their artwork lives on. Abner alone created over 100 pieces that have often been sold at charity auctions. These sought-after pieces have brought hefty sums at auctions, one as high as $52,000. Their depictions of familiar Lancaster County and surrounding area landmarks connect deeply with some auction-goers.

The Lowell W. Miller Family has donated Abner Zook's 1981 59 x 35-inch work to the 2024 Shenandoah District Brethren Disaster Auction. Click here to view a video with similar works of art by the Zook brothers displayed at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord in East Earl, Pennsylvania.

The BDM team served in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, last week (Photo Courtesy of Henry Elsea)

The Shenandoah District Disaster Auction Coordinating Committee has distributed auction booklets and advertising materials to congregations that arranged to pick them up. For those who have yet to receive materials, contact the District Office at 540-234-8555 to arrange a time to pick them up.

Ordination Review Underway; CEU Events Set

With ordination reviews scheduled for 2024-25, a slate of CEU events has been put together to assist pastors with meeting continuing education credits. Currently, four sanctioned learning opportunities are planned in the district. The first provides .45 CEUs at the Brethren Evangelism Training Event, "For My Neighbor's Good," with Nate Polzin at Pleasant Valley on April 20. On May 5, the District Bible Study on the Holy Spirit with Deb Horst at Mt. Pleasant will provide .2 CEUs. Ethics Training is set for August 3 at Montezuma, and there will be a CEU event on November 1 in conjunction with the District Conference. CEUs for these two events will be determined. Other CEUs are available through the Annual Conference events.

The third in the District Bible Study series on the Persons of the Trinity is slated for May 5. Deb Horst, the pastor at Wakemans Grove, will lead the presentation on the Holy Spirit.

The event will take place on Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant (2788 Taylor Springs Road, Harrisonburg). A light supper will be served afterward.

Contact Anita Landes to register by email or phone at 540-234-8555.

Download the image above to share

The Smith Creek congregation needs another piano. If anyone has a connection with a person or congregation that no longer uses their piano and is willing to share, please get in touch with Pastor David Morris.

Staunton Church is looking for leftover VBS items or decorations for the VBS theme “Treasured 2021.” Any congregations that may be helpful are encouraged to contact Candace Smith.

Tim Ball was installed as pastor at Bethel-Mayland on April 7.

Brethren Woods Director Linetta Alley said staff are still trying to find volunteers to assist Mt. Pleasant with the barbecue chicken planned for this year's Spring Festival on April 27. Alley updated the list of needs yesterday. They are still looking for two or three folks to help on Friday, April 26, with prep starting about 8:30 a.m. Also two people are needed to sell chicken at Hussey’s in Bridgewater on Saturday morning, April 27. Individuals or groups who are interested in helping with barbecuing chicken or selling at Hussey's should contact Alley at director@brethrenwoods.org or call 540-269-2741.

View a full slate of activities at brethrenwoods.org/springfestival/ and remember to support Brethren Woods during the Great Community Give tomorrow. See below for more information.

Today is the day. Brethren Woods is a part of this year's Great Community Give. The best time to give online on April 17th is between 7-8 a.m. as we try to win a Camper Power Hour prize. Funds raised will be used to update the aging water system--“Spring Up, O Well!” A match will double online donations until that fund is depleted. The Vespers 66 Challenge will add $100 for the first 66 new Great Community Give donors – that’s $6,600!

Want to help spread the word about the Great Community Give today? Here are some tips to become involved.

April 17: The Great Community Give will include Brethren Woods again this year. Click here to learn more.

April 20: Nate Polzin will present “For My Neighbor’s Good Brethren Evangelism Explosion” from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. The event is free, and .45 CEUs are available. Details are here.

April 20: Wakemans Grove will serve a Tenderloin Supper, starting at 4 p.m. The menu includes tenderloin, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, sauerkraut, coleslaw and cake for a free-will offering. Carry-out dinners are available for $15. Proceeds will benefit the community outreach ministries program. Download a flyer here.

April 20: This year’s Brocks Gap Heritage Day at J. Frank Hillyard Middle School will feature a special program about a different aspect of the local Civil War that affected Brethren and Mennonites, drawn from Karl Rhodes’s new book, Peggy’s War. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To learn more, visit https://peggyswar.com/ or here.

April 27: The Spring Festival at Brethren Woods begins with the fishing derby at 7 a.m., followed by a pancake breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and the annual Hike-A-Thon, Dunk the Dunkard, Kiss the Cow, yard sale and auction, and dozens of activities for all ages. Click here for details.

April 27: Wakemans Grove (668 Wakemans Grove Road, Edinburg) will hold “An Overflowing Cup” Ladies’ Tea Brunch from 10 a.m. to noon.

On the horizon:

May 4: White Hill (749 Old White Hill Road, White Hill) is organizing a women’s conference from 10 a.m. - to 3 p.m. The event will be offered at no cost, and a light lunch will be served. The conference aims to encourage women across the District to unite and walk together across the bridge to unity. For more information, download the flyer here, read a welcome letter here, or email Lorraine Dent.

May 17-18: The Virlina district will host Calling the Called VII: Hearing the Holy Spirit: Discerning, Confirming—A Time to Hear Your Call.

Is there someone in your congregation that has gifts for ministry? Tap that person on the shoulder and encourage them to come to Calling the Called, which will be held at Camp Bethel. Calling the Called provides participants with an intentional time to study scripture together, hear stories and reflections of how God called others, and reflect upon the ways that God

might be calling them. For more information or to nominate someone, contact either Paul Stover, chairperson, at stover80@msn.com or Daniel Rudy, District Executive Minister, at Virlina.dem@gmail.com.

Aug. 3: Ethics training for pastors at Montezuma. Times will be announced.

The Young Adult Conference is held over a weekend of May 24-26 at Camp Shepherds Spring, Sharpsburg, Maryland. There will be times for music, Bible study, small group interaction, workshops and recreation. Contact Becky Ullom Naugle at bullomnaugle@brethren.org or 847-429-4385. The challenge is to “take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for God.”

The $275 registration fee includes food, lodging, and programming). Eighteen-year-olds can attend for only $150. A late fee of $50 will be added to registrations after May 1. Within two weeks after registration, a non-refundable deposit of $150 is due. Register at www.brethren.org/yac.

Contact the Shenandoah District

We are here to help!

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

Shenandoah District website: www.shencob.org

District Executive Minister John Jantzi, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday Friday

Director Brethren Woods Linetta Alley, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday - Friday

Director of Communications Brenda Diehl, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Tuesday-Wednesday

and 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Thursday: Onsite second Tuesdays and fourth Wednesdays

Financial Secretary/Bookkeeper Cerise Haas, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Wednesday

Director of Finances Gary Higgs, 2-5 p.m., Wednesday

Director of District Conference and Youth Services Rebecca House, 1-4 p.m., Wednesday

Office Assistant Anita Landes, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Tuesday

Office Assistant Sarah Long, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday

Disaster Ministries: Contact Jerry Ruff or Galen Halterman

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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