God’s Comfort

Nature Stock photos by Vecteezy.com

“…Thine anger is turned away, and Thou dost comfort me...”

— Isaiah 12:1 (NASB 1977)

God’s comfort is never far from His children. Even though He pours out His promise of judgment in the beginning of Isaiah, He drops in this promise of comfort and salvation in today’s text (Thou dost comfort me...). He also calls out in comfort in Isaiah 40:1 where He says, "Comfort, O comfort my people."

God is the God of all comfort, and His comfort comes many times when we are in the midst of struggles and even when we are being disciplined and judged by the Lord. Listen to David as he struggles with His sin and seeks God’s cleansing:

Against You, You only, I have sinned

And done what is evil in Your sight,

So that You are justified when You speak

And blameless when You judge….Psalm 51:4

Now listen to David as realizes the comfort there is when God not only forgives but puts our sin far away and does not remember it any longer:

I waited patiently for the LORD;

And He reached down to me and heard my cry.

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud;

And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm.

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;

Many will see and fear

And will trust in the LORD.

How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust…Psalm 40:1—4

Even in the midst of God’s discipline and judgment, we find God’s comfort through forgiveness and repentance. When God forgives, His comfort is glaring, He blots out our sin, His unmerited grace shines with a golden brilliance of peace, and His redemption and forgiveness comforts our hearts and minds. And all of this comfort is of God.

Whether it is sin that you are struggling with, depression, or some other quandary in your life that is causing mental, emotional, or physical misery, look to the God of all comfort, and He will meet you right in the center of your misery and show you the pathway for forgiveness and renewal. 

I acknowledged my sin to You,

And I did not hide my guilt;

I said, “I will confess my wrongdoings to the LORD”;

And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;

Certainly in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him.

You are my hiding place; You keep me from trouble;

You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

Psalm 32:1—7

— David Gundrum

Reprinted with permission from the April 5, 2024, edition of the Antiochan, a publication of Church Extension Ministries

Meet the Bell Family

Some of you may remember when the Bell family visited us last year while on furlough from South Africa. Nate and Lauren, along with their children, have been serving with ABWE in Cape Town since 2019 and just recently returned to the field. Since the Bells are relatively new to our church family, they have graciously shared with us their testimonies and the story of how they were called to missions.

We have "boring" testimonies, as if such a thing were possible! Praise the Lord for the miraculous reconciliation of the unholy and unrighteous before the Holy and Righteous One! Death to life, enemy to family of faith—yes, every salvation is dramatic indeed. That said, from a worldly perspective, our testimony is not as exciting as others. The Lord is abundantly kind, blessing both of us with believing parents who were faithful members of a biblically faithful and gospel-proclaiming church. By the mercy of the Lord, both of us were reminded multiple times a week of our unrighteousness and need for a Savior and imputed righteousness, as our parents had us in the church every time the saints gathered. I, Nate, felt convicted as I questioned my parents following my sister's baptism. By the gracious work of the Spirit, stirred up about my own spiritual need, I cried out for the Lord to have mercy on me and repented of my rebellion against Him. I was 7 at this point and recognize the gracious work of the Lord in my life from Day 1, ultimately as a result of His sovereign grace from before the foundation of the world. By His grace, for His glory! Lauren was lying awake, disturbed by thoughts of the consequence of her sin before a just and righteous Lord and Judge. She crawled out of bed to search out her mother, who was watching a televised broadcast of a Billy Graham crusade. As she sat by her mother that evening, asking questions of the man's message, faith in the truth of the gospel soothed the tumult of her convicted soul.  

These moments were some of many sweet memories and testimonies of the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness to us as we grew in the Lord. It also happened that our church was passionate about global missions and evangelism, and so were each of our parents. In each of our homes, we were so familiar with hosting missionary families visiting the church and sharing meals and stories with them. We felt burdened by the darkness and the great need in the world. It bothered us that so many are ignorant of the good news of the Person and work of Jesus Christ. By the time we were each in high school, we had opportunities of our own to visit the mission field, and separately, just a few years apart, the Lord began to draw our hearts towards His harvest. Specifically, I, Nate, found the Spirit calling to mind Romans 10 daily to the point I felt I had no other option. I must go. The Lord is worthy of all worship. His Great Commission commands us to make disciples of all nations. He promises to energize this mission by His Spirit and empower it with a gospel message that has the power to save, and this gospel is the only hope for humans who will each give an account before their Maker. For these reasons, this mission cannot fail—by His grace and for His glory!

Praying for Planters

CEM Pentecost Prayer Focus

Can you identify the men shown in the photo above? (Hint: Their names are shown at the end of this blog.) They are BFC church planters— men who are developing and pastoring new churches under the guidance of Church Extension Ministries (CEM). Leading up to Pentecost Sunday, Church Extension Ministries asks that you set aside a minute or two each Sunday to pray specifically for these men. Here is the schedule for the prayer focus:

• April 28— pray for the church planters

• May 5— pray for the decisions your Mission Churches need to make

• May 12— pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to guide the Mission Churches

• May 19— pray for church planting efforts to result in the salvation of many people

Please join with the other BFC churches in sharing in the same prayer focus across these four Sundays. We look forward to seeing what God will do in and through our church plants!

BFC CHURCH PLANTERS: Top row, left to right: Los Morales (Lancaster, PA), Jason Filbert (Naples, FL), AJ Miller (Horsham, PA), Josh Dupiche (Milford, DE), Steve DelDuco (Harrisburg, PA), David Gundrum (CEM Director); bottom row, left to right: Freddy Chi (Villa Magna, Mexico), Tim Radcliff (Elverson, PA), Tracy Haines (Chestertown, MD), James Reff (Chestertown, MD), Immer Molina & Daniel Solorzano (Tapachula, Mexico), Steve Morton (Elkton, MD)

Meet Ken and Lorna Good

If you have been recruited for one of these “Meet Our Members” blog posts, you were likely approached by Ken Good. It was recently brought to his attention that he and his wife have never introduced themselves in this format, so they are being featured this month.

Ken and Lorna have been members of Bible Fellowship churches for most of their 75 years, attending Terre Hill, Lancaster, Lehighton, Paradise, and York. Ken served as senior pastor at the last three of these churches. Lorna has taught children in church since she was a teenager right up to the present.

Before their marriage, Ken fought in the Vietnam War, where he was wounded in action. Lorna attended nursing school and worked in day care and as a nurse until her retirement. Together they have raised three sons. 

When Ken retired from the ministry, he built a business as a District Sales Manager for AFLAC. He still works part time reviewing cell phone tower contracts for their son Jonathan’s company. 

Lorna continues to teach and prepare curriculum for our children’s ministry, and Ken is the president of the board of elders at Faith. He continues to serve the church body by teaching adult Sunday School classes and offering the pastoral prayer during our corporate worship services. We deeply appreciate the Goods and their long, faithful service to the Lord in the Bible Fellowship Church.

From the Elders: Introducing Josh Vann

Grace and peace, church family!

It is an honor and privilege to serve you in this new role as an elder at Faith Bible Fellowship of York. I look back and consider all that the Lord has done for me and through me for His glory, up until this point. I’m thankful to be used as I continue on this journey. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA (Philly), I never imagined leaving and residing in a place that I had initially never heard of (York, PA). I made so many plans prior, but God ordered my steps.

As a child, I grew up in a Bible-believing, two-parent household with my three siblings. This is where the Lord would begin to plant seeds about Jesus. Unfortunately, I would rebel and live for myself, chasing after everything that led to destruction. At the age of 18, the sin and destruction that I so much enjoyed were no longer enjoyable, as the Lord had begun tugging on my heart and would ultimately save me from my sin through the hearing and understanding of the gospel. Through surrendering, the Lord would begin to put fellow believers in my life to fellowship with, disciple me, hold me accountable, and encourage me on how to live a life pleasing to Jesus.

At age 19, I would begin to go out with brothers in the faith to pray for and evangelize strangers/lost souls on trains and street corners. The Lord would also use me to speak boldly and share music in spiritually dark places, all to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus snatched me out of the darkness, saved me, and sent me back to now shine His light to those dead in trespasses and sin, as I once was.

While doing ministry, I would sometimes visit friends at a local Bible college. On a visit just to hang out and help my friends in ministry in the York area, I met my wife, Brittney. We would later become friends. I moved closer (with a roommate), and ultimately she and I got married. The Lord has now blessed us with four amazing children!

Over the years the Lord has allowed me to serve in various ways in ministry, from serving at my local church to local and traveling ministry engagements to simply leading a men’s Bible study in my basement. This is all just a glimpse of what the Lord has done for and through me. I’m often reminded of Acts 4:13: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” It encourages me how God uses “common men” like myself for His service. As my journey continues, may Christ be glorified as I look to lovingly serve His people at Faith BFC for His kingdom’s sake. I look forward to connecting and building lasting, godly relationships with you all. Please pray for me as I pray for you.

God bless,
Joshua Vann, Elder

News from the Rauch Family

Josh and Rebekah Rauch, along with their children, Reagan and Sami, are serving with JAARS (Jungle Aviation and Relay Service), a branch of Wycliffe Bible Translators. This organization has the vision of providing the written Word of God to every people group in their native language.

This past January, Wycliffe released the Moi New Testament (500 people in Asia), the Komi-Zyryan Bible (156,000 people in Russia), the Winyé New Testament (55,000 people in Burkina Faso), and the Kalinga, Pasil Guina-ang New Testament (10,577 people in the Philippines). Thousands of people now have God’s Word in their language due to the faithful service of people like the Rauches.

At the JAARS base in North Carolina, Josh provides valuable support working on the airplanes that carry much-needed supplies to missionaries around the world. He and Rebekah are still in the training process (including 4-wheel-drive off-road and motorcycle off-road training!) and will be until the end of June.

Please pray for them as God continues to grow them during this time and for an international trip that Josh has been chosen to be part of. Please also pray for Josh’s cousin Lindsay, recovering from a spinal injury, and for his extended maternal family on the passing of his Uncle Ike. Pray for continued health, strength, financial support, and grace as God continues to use them at JAARS.

Behind the Scenes: The AV Team

Ministry Highlight

The audiovisual team, or A/V team, is an important part of Faith BFC worship service. Their primary goal is to serve the congregation by enhancing our Sunday morning worship service and glorifying God by making sure that everything from singing to the preaching of God's Word is seen and heard clearly without any distraction. They are the people who work behind the scenes on Sunday mornings to ensure that everything runs smoothly, from in-house technology to the livestream. Those who serve on the A/V team do so primarily in two different capacities: PowerPoint/video and sound engineering. 

The primary responsibility of the people who work on the PowerPoint and video is to navigate the presentation during the service. This is done by ensuring that the timing of the slides and any video content is displayed accurately and appropriately so as not to distract from our worship service. They will check and make sure the slides are spelled correctly, laid out clearly, and do not detract from the worship experience. 

Those who serve on the sound board are responsible for creating an effective listening environment for everyone who joins us for worship. The sound board volunteer sets up the mics and is present while the worship team is practicing before the service to ensure the quality of the sound mixing.

If you have a passion for communicating God's love through technology, consider joining our A/V team. If interested in serving in any of these roles, you can contact Josh Vann or email the church at office@faithbfcyork.org.

Meet the Youngs

At Faith Bible Fellowship Church in York, PA, each month on our blog, we feature some of our members. The main goal is straightforward—we want to help you put faces to names. In a community as vibrant as ours, it’s easy to miss the opportunity to know each other better. By sharing stories and insights from our congregation, we’re taking steps to bridge that gap.

Why focus on this? Because knowing each other strengthens our church family. It’s not just about recognition; it’s about building connections that enrich our worship and fellowship. Each post is a chance to learn about the people you see week in and week out, uncovering the many ways God is at work in our church family.

Consider these features as more than just introductions. They’re a step towards a more united congregation, where every member is recognized, valued, and understood. Let’s get to know one another better, one story at a time.

Meet Our Members

Kris and Brett Young have been married since 2012. They have three boys: Keegan (9), Brogan (7), and Kamden (6). Brett has been teaching at Weigelstown Elementary School as a first grade teacher since 2010 and enjoys using his job as a way to love on students and provide a safe and nurturing place for them to learn. He is also a deacon at our church and serves on the audiovisual team. (You may also see him singing or playing the trumpet as part of the worship team.) Kris is a busy homeschool mom who enjoys teaching their boys after she left the classroom in 2013. She has begun a crazy venture in expanding a once very small "science day" gathering into a hybrid learning group. As a family, the Youngs enjoy playing soccer in the backyard, going camping, or sitting around the kitchen table playing games. The boys keep the family active as both Keegan and Brogan are playing soccer and Kamden is trying out baseball this spring. The Young family has been attending Faith Bible Fellowship since 2020 and love the body of believers here. They’re excited that they get to call us friends but also have become like family. 

Announcing Our Expanded Team

Dear Faith Bible Fellowship Church Family,

We hope this email finds you all in great spirits and health. It is with a heart full of gratitude and excitement that we write to you today to share some wonderful news about the recent additions to our church staff.

As we continue to grow as a community of believers and joyfully send Pastor Vargas to his next ministry endeavor, the need for dedicated individuals to support our ministry becomes increasingly clear. We are joyful to announce the appointment of four new outstanding individuals to our team, each chosen by the elders in one accord, as well as an expanded role for one teammate, all serving in part-time capacities. Their diverse talents and unwavering commitment to our mission are sure to strengthen our church family and enhance our collective journey in faith.

Alex Kocman is continuing in his role as elder and worship leader in an expanded capacity as Director of Communications and Worship. In this position, Alex will continue to oversee and enrich our church’s liturgy, digital platforms, content, and other internal organizational systems, all with an eye towards better communication and coordination throughout our congregation. Alex will also take on more regular preaching responsibilities and oversight of various discipleship ministries.

Jean Soyke joins us as our new Administrative Assistant. Jean comes to us with a wealth of experience in education, curriculum development, and church administration. Her expertise in instructional design, project management, and computer proficiencies will be invaluable to our administrative operations. Jean's commitment to using her gifts for the Lord's work, combined with her familiarity with church management software like Planning Center, makes her an ideal fit for this role.

Joshua Vann, in addition to serving as our newest elder, steps into the role of Technical Director with a passion for Christ and a deep understanding of audio, lighting, and video technology. Joshua's experience in technical roles within church and mission ministries, coupled with his ability to troubleshoot and resolve tech issues efficiently, will greatly enhance our worship services and special events. His love for Jesus and dedication to using technology for God's glory are inspiring.

Colton Herb has been appointed as our Youth Ministries Director. Colton's heart for ministry and his desire to see our youth grow in Christ have been evident through his previous service as a youth mentor and his involvement in children's and youth ministries. His leadership skills, combined with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing today's youth, make him uniquely qualified to lead our young people closer to God.

Last but far from least, we are blessed to have Anna Bintavihok join our team as our Sexton/Custodian. Anna has taken on the crucial role of ensuring our facilities remain spotless and inviting. Her dedication to making sure the church building remains clean, hospitable, and inviting is a testament to her faith and her commitment to serving our church family.

Each of these individuals brings a unique set of skills and a heart for service to their respective roles. We are confident that their contributions will help us further the kingdom of God and strengthen our community of believers.

Please join us in welcoming Jean, Joshua, Colton, and Anna to their new roles! Let us support them with our prayers, encouragement, and cooperation as they embark on this journey with us.

Grace and Peace,
The Pastors/Elders of Faith Bible Fellowship Church

From the Elders: A Loving Farewell

Beginning this month, the newsletter will be published as a series of weekly articles. This week we feature parting remarks from our associate pastor, Ricardo Vargas.

From the Elders

Dear Faith Bible Fellowship Church,

For the past seven years, I have had the immense pleasure of serving you all as a youth volunteer and as one of your pastors. As I look back at the past seven years, I am humbled that the Lord would use me to play a small part in what He was doing at Faith. First and foremost, God gets all the glory for any good done at Faith over that time. I am simply humbled that He would use me at all.

As I think about my final thoughts that I would like to share with you all, I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the love and support that you have shown my family and me over our time at Faith. The past seven years, we have worked through a lot of good times and a lot of challenging times, and Kasha and I truly do see you all as family. You all have been a tremendous blessing to us, and the Lord has used you all to help us grow deeper in our faith and sanctification.

I am confident that God will continue to lead this church according to His plan and purpose. As I shared on Sunday, it is my prayer moving forward that you all continue to stand firm in the faith, to seek peace amongst yourselves, to rejoice in the Lord, to be known for your graciousness, to be a praying church, and to keep your gaze on Jesus. Finally, my encouragement to you all as you continue to grow as a church, as seeds are planted, as growth begins, and as trials and tribulations may come your way, is to always stand on the Word of God. God’s Word will get you through difficult times; God’s Word will bring you closer to God; God’s Word is sufficient. God is sovereign over all things, so continue to entrust yourselves into His care. This is not a good-bye; this is until next time.

Grace and Peace, 

Pastor Ricardo Vargas

February 2024 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

As a church that affirms Reformed theology, we like our theological truths to be packaged in groups of five. 

• The five solas: sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone)

• The doctrines of grace: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints

In keeping with that theme, our worship service on Sundays also follows this pattern of five components: call to worship, confession of sin, consecration to God, communion, and commissioning. This order of worship is called covenant renewal worship. Covenant renewal worship focuses on God and His glory, which is in stark contrast to many church services in our culture that focus on the felt needs of the people in attendance. Covenant renewal worship is God-centered, not man-centered.

A key component of worship in the Old Testament was the sacrificial system. Today, however, there is no need, nor will there ever be a need, to shed the blood of animals in worship. This is because we are covered by Christ's blood (more on that later). Hebrews 13:15 commands, "Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name." Thus, in the first part of our service, we offer our worship as our sacrifice.

This leads us into confession of sin. We worship God for Who He is, and we are honest about who we are. We are still sinners, and our sins must be confessed for us to be in fellowship with God. 

Having confessed our sins, we are consecrated to God. Being consecrated to God happens through the reading of His Word and the preaching of His Word. As His children, we are made pure and sanctified by God's Word. Ephesians 5:26 states, "That He might sanctify her (the church), having cleansed her (the church) by the washing of water with the word."

As we are consecrated to God, we enter into communion with Him. Communion is a tangible and physical reminder that Jesus is the "once for all sacrifice" Who died in our place and covered our sins with His blood. In Hebrews 10:12-14 we read, "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet. For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." Communion is also a feast we enjoy as God's children to bring us in communion with each other, with Jesus our big brother (Romans 8:29, Hebrews 2:10) and God our Heavenly Father.

Every Sunday we close with a benediction. This is a commissioning that sends us out in the power of the Holy Spirit to fight sin, serve others, and conquer Christ's enemies. 

As we gather this Sunday to worship our Triune God, let us come acknowledging who we are (sinners and His beloved children) and Who He is (our Great Father). By doing this, we will worship Him in a way that glorifies Him. 

— Matt Fuhrman

Announcements

Congregational Meeting — If you are a member of Faith Bible Fellowship Church, please plan to stay after the service on February 4 for our annual congregational meeting. We will be voting for two elder positions and two deacon positions, as well as conducting a review of the 2023 Report Book. If you did not receive a copy of the Report Book or have additional questions, please contact Pastor Wes.

New Library Hours — The church library will only be open after the Sunday morning service. Children who would like to use the library should be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Milestone Birthday — Our senior saint Dolores Lieberknect will be celebrating her 95th birthday on February 19. If you would like to send her a card to commemorate the occasion, her address is 27 Cedar Street, Manchester, PA 17345.

Welcome, Twila Joy Vann! — The Vann family recently welcomed Twila Joy, born on January 18 at 4:40 p.m. She weighed in at 7 lbs., 11 oz. and was 20 inches long. Please continue to pray for the Vanns as they adjust to being a family of six.

Prayer Meeting — Are you free at 11:00 on Wednesday mornings? Why not spend an hour in prayer for your FBFC family and our missionaries? You don’t even need to come to the church— just join by Zoom. Not only will you be involved in important work for the Kingdom of God, but your faith will be strengthened, and you will be encouraged. Come to the next prayer meeting and see how rewarding intercession can be!

Ministry Highlight

You may not be aware of this, but there is a youth ministry at Faith Bible Fellowship Church. We currently serve youth between 7th and 12th grades, and we meet every other Friday night from 7–9 p.m. During a typical Friday night, we play some games, have some snacks, and spend time studying God's Word. The youth group is currently led by Pastor Ricardo and Colton Herb, who serves as a volunteer leader. Colton helps with games and also leads the study time as needed. Vinny DeVito graduated this past summer and currently serves as a volunteer as he continues to grow as a leader. Pastor Ricardo is currently walking through a study on sanctification with the youth, and the nights that Colton leads the study, he is walking through the book of Jonah with them.

Aside from our regular Friday meetings, we also have several other events throughout the year. Some of those events include Sno Glo (a winter retreat put on by the BFC), a camping retreat, Teen Week, lock-ins at the church, and other various trips throughout the year. We try to include various service opportunities for the youth throughout the year, like the babysitting nights our young families have found so popular.

The goal of the youth group is to create lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. We seek to do this through our times of study and discipleship, as well as by giving the youth a place to gather with like-minded Christians and build on those relationships. If you have or know of a young person who may be interested in joining the youth group, please do not hesitate to reach out to Pastor Ricardo.

Meet Helen Gemmill

I’ve been attending this church for 59 years—yes, as long as I’ve been alive. My late father Ken served as an elder, and my late mother Thelma was the church janitor. My sister Eleanor Bosserman serves with the Bible Fellowship Church plant in Adams County.  

I have a special affinity for the building God has gifted to us. I grew up helping my mother clean the church. (I never liked having to clean the old “boys’ bathroom” downstairs). I’ve lived in Harrisburg for 28 years but love coming to my church home in York.  

When I was younger, I played practically every sport and now am an avid spectator and Steelers fan. I work as a lawyer for Central Pennsylvania’s largest and best law firm, McNees, Wallace, and Nurick. I’m looking forward to retiring in a few years and traveling more.  

I’m thrilled by the growth of our congregation. God has graciously seen this church through many challenges in our 110 years! I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve and worship with this wonderful fellowship of believers.

CEM Update

Praise the Lord! Last week it looked like Church Extension Ministries was not going to make its Christmas giving goal of $200,000, but some gifts came in at the last minute. The final total is $204,230!

So what is on the agenda for CEM in 2024? There are exciting developments ahead! Steve DelDuco, Pastor of Children, Families, and Youth at Grace BFC of Harrisburg, is planning to be, Lord willing, the church planter of a daughter church. Here are some details from his report.

• The West Shore (Silver Springs Township) has been selected as the target area.

• The next step is forming a Core Group Launch Team (CGLT). Together with the church planter, the CGLT will develop a vision plan for the church plant. They will make up the critical mass of faithful believers to start the church.

• They are praying for 50–70 people (children and adults of all ages) to join the CGLT. The CGLT will devote their time, talents, and energy to the church plant, and they are praying for the Lord to provide people who have a variety of gifts including teachers, children's ministry workers, evangelists, musicians, greeters, administrators, finance people, prayer warriors, and more. About 40 people attended the first meeting on January 6 at a breakfast.

Going forward, the CGLT will meet as a small group two times a month in February. During the first half of 2024, the CGLT will continue to worship on Sunday mornings at Grace BFC. Around mid-year, they hope to transition to the CGLT worshipping separately from the rest of the church body at Grace.

Please pray for Steve DelDuco and the Core Group Launch Team members. Pray that God would add to the team. Pray for the people of the West Shore, that the Lord would prepare their hearts to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in the finding out more about the launch team, please contact Steve DelDuco at sdelduco@gracebfc.com.

Missionaries of the Month

God has brought Glenn and Leah Ruth Blauser through a difficult season recently. You may recall that the Blausers serve with JAARS (Jungle Aviation and Radio Service) at their North Carolina facilities, where Glenn packs and ships materials Bible translators need but can’t get overseas. Unfortunately, Glenn has been unable to work on this important task since October 12, when both he and Leah Ruth contracted acute viral bronchitis. It was only just before Christmas that he was able to breathe well enough to sleep in bed instead of a recliner. Leah Ruth also reports, “Since then we have been hearing so many sad things that are happening to our loved ones. Five have lost loved ones, …(and) two of our loved ones have been diagnosed with cancer, one having two surgeries because it was in two organs. Two others had surgery for blocked arteries. Others of our loved ones … are dealing with family members with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s. Basically most of the news that we are hearing from our loved ones in the last month of last year and in the few short days of this year is sad.”

However, the Blausers are not discouraged. Leah Ruth says, “I consider (God’s) promises to be life rafts in the storms of life. They truly are my life raft. I hope you can make them yours. As your new year starts, you have no idea what it may bring: It has already brought tragedy to some of our loved ones and may bring tragedy to any of us. BUT GOD is there wanting to be your rock and life raft in the midst of it all. To those of you who know Him, I hope this will encourage you in the storms of life that will come. To those of you who don’t know Him, I hope you will come to know Him so 2024 will be the year that you find His hope and His JOY!!” Please pray for the Blausers as Glenn returns to health and work and for their journey in the days ahead.

January 2024 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

As a new year dawns, there are a plethora of emotions that stir within us. Some of us are filled with excitement, while others may be feeling indifferent about the new year. I believe that all of us, at some point, as we think of the new year, start to become a little apprehensive because we know that moments of great challenge await us. We know that change is coming in some capacity, whether it is small or big, and the endless opportunities can make us feel a little queasy inside.

This week, as I sat and pondered the new year and the many different opportunities that 2024 can bring for my family and me. I could not help but feel a little intimidated by some of them. In these moments, one of the Bible verses that I found great comfort in this week was Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." In other words, Jesus Christ does not change; He is immutable. I find great comfort in this truth because the Jesus that has carried me over the past year has not changed. He will remain the same as He was yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, I can trust Him to carry me through and lead me through the unknown this upcoming year because He already has.

So it is my prayer for you that you will also be encouraged by the simple truth that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Since this is true, we can therefore have full confidence that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." (Philippians 1:6)

Grace and Peace, 

— Pastor Ricardo

Announcements

New Members Classes — The pastors will be conducting New Members Classes on January 7 and 14. If you have been attending Faith Bible Fellowship for a while and think God might be calling you to membership, or if you would simply like to learn more about the church’s beliefs and practices, these classes are for you. Please sign up in the lobby or let one of the pastors know you would like to attend. Then plan on staying after the service on both those days for a pizza lunch and a time to learn more about the church.

Parenting Life Group — This month, we will be meeting on January 2 and 16. We start with a potluck dinner at 5:00, followed by a study beginning around 6:00. Child care is provided. Please contact Pastor Wes for more information about this group.

January Fellowship Meal — We will be resuming our monthly Fellowship Meals on January 28.

Sno Glo

It’s almost here! On January 26 – 28, our youth will be heading to Pinebrook Bible Conference for a weekend of Biblical teaching, worship, and activities that will encourage them to grow in their walk with the Lord and connect with other youth across the Bible Fellowship denomination. Please pray that God will help them arrange schedules and finances to be able to attend and that, even now, He will be preparing their hearts for the weekend. Please also pray that the unsaved youth that attend will meet the mighty Savior. We look forward to seeing what God will do at Sno Glo this year!

Thank You!

Recently Kathy Miller delivered the Christmas cards you provided to our “unseen members,” Dolores Lieberknect (left) and Elizabeth Sams (right). Dolores’ eyesight is failing, so Kathy had to read the cards to her, but she was very touched and thanks everyone for thinking of her. Sadly, Elizabeth is not very responsive any more, but Kathy read the cards to her as well and pinned them up on the bulletin board in her room so she can look at them. Kathy told her that we love her, and Elizabeth responded that she loves us, too.

Thank you all for remembering these precious saints at such a busy time of year. “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)

SPECIAL NOTE: Elizabeth Sams will be celebrating her 90th birthday on January 9. If you would like to send a card to commemorate the occasion, you can send it to her at Pleasant Acres Nursing Home, 118 Pleasant Acres Drive, Room 510A, York, PA 17402.

Ministry Highlight

In these troubled times, we as Christians need to trust the sovereignty, wisdom, and kindness of God while at the same time wisely preparing to face emergencies when they arise. This is where the church’s newest ministry comes in. The Security Team was recently formed to add a layer of protection for the congregation during the Sunday morning service. This involves having a team member present on Sunday mornings for physical safety, as well as implementing some enhanced protocols in case of a medical emergency.

Jesse Schwinn is the current leader of the Security Team. When asked what the team does on a Sunday morning, Jesse said, “Our duties include verifying certain doors of the building are secure during the service. Once the service starts, we periodically check the parking lot and children’s classrooms. Obviously we will be looking for anything safety related, but we are also available to assist during a medical event.” To this end, with the help of the deacons, the Security Team has obtained security cameras, lockable doors, walkie-talkies, an AED, and a fully stocked first aid kit. Interior doors in the building have also been numbered for specific direction in case of an emergency.

The current members of the Security Team are Jesse Schwinn, David Martin, Fred Updegraff, Joshua Higgins, Tim Latham, Colton Herb, and Miles McLoughlin. Even if you don’t know who’s serving on any given Sunday, Security Team members can be identified by the black shirts they are wearing. Please reach out to a Security Team member if you have a personal emergency or notice anything that concerns you. If there should ever be a situation involving imminent danger, it is very important that you stay where you are and look to Security Team members for instructions. It will be tempting to try to get to your children and run from the building, but that can actually make an emergency situation worse.

We are so thankful for the members of the Security Team for their care and concern for our congregation. Please thank them when you see them on duty and remember to pray for them regularly.

Meet the Smiths

Aaron and I met in 2018 and have been happily married since 2022. We have a beautiful blended family with our six children: Tegan (11), Aviona (7), Isaiah (7), Jayden (5), Ella (4), and Rosalie (2). Tegan loves to play sports, and we enjoy watching him when we can. Aviona (Avvie) was born deaf, but that doesn’t stop her from doing anything she puts her mind to. Isaiah is autistic and is striving every day—the smartest little boy I know. He LOVES dinosaurs and knows every single one of them! Jayden is starting to take interest in drums (pray for our ears!). Ella is our drama queen, but her personality is amazing. Rosalie is the sweetest girl and is usually happy most of the time.

We have been coming to Faith Bible Fellowship Church for about a year and a half now. We can’t wait to see what God has in store for us here. We are truly blessed that we found a forever church family with you all.

CEM Update

Do you ever wonder how a BFC church plant gets started? It all begins with a prayerful demographic study on the part of the Church Extension Ministries team. Last year the Lord led them to focus on Cecil County in northeast Maryland. This area, midway between Baltimore and Delaware, has seen steady growth in the last twenty years as people look for access to economic opportunities while still experiencing small town living. Elkton, the county seat, is a key player in that growth, but there are very few Bible-believing and gospel-preaching churches in the area. Many people do not yet know Christ as their Savior, and many believers need to drive far to find doctrinally sound teaching. Elkton seemed like the perfect place for a church plant.

At the same time, Steve Morton, a pastor at the Bible Fellowship of Newark (Delaware), felt the Lord calling him to church planting. At the request of the CEM team, he and a core group from his church formed a launch team. They worked to get to know their new community while looking for a place to hold services. By God’s grace, they launched their first public worship service at the Elkton Community Center on November 5. Since then, the Bible Fellowship Church of Elkton has reached out to the community by helping distribute produce from a food bank, participating in a Christmas carol sing at the North Street Senior Residence, and bringing a food truck to Elkton High School to bless the teachers with free waffles and coffee. They have been averaging 35 people in attendance each week, and the woman who works at the Community Center specifically asks for Sunday duty because of how loving and caring the church members are. God is starting a new and exciting work in Elkton, Maryland!

While Elkton is 90 minutes away from York, there are still ways that you can support the BFC’s youngest church. Visit the church’s website or follow them on Facebook. You can also email Steve at SteveMorton@elktonbfc.org and ask to be added to his newsletter. Of course, the best ways to support the church are by prayer and giving (either online or by mail at Church Extension Ministries, PO Box 3534, Allentown PA 18106). While you may not physically be a part of the Bible Fellowship Church of Elkton, you can share in their labors and their joy at seeing God at work in their community.

December 2023 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

Proactive Shepherding

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” Those are the words of the Apostle Peter from 1 Peter 5:1—3. We see in this passage that elders are to shepherd the flock of God, and they are to do it willingly.

One of the ways the elders at Faith Bible Fellowship Church of York are going to try to shepherd the flock of God here willingly is by touching base with each family unit personally every two to three months. In short, each elder has been assigned roughly 12 family units, and the expectation is for that elder to call, email, or to meet in person with each family throughout the year. The goal is to check in and to see how we can be praying for you, caring for you, and loving you, and to see if there is anything specifically you need.

Overall, the elders here at Faith Bible Fellowship Church of York are trying to be proactive in shepherding the flock of God well and not just be reactive to struggles, concerns, or heartaches as they arise. Therefore, if you have not received a call yet from an elder or been taken aside and chatted with personally yet, don’t worry— the time will come.

Please know, we are doing all this to try to shepherd you all well. However, we can’t do that if we do not know our flock, aren’t staying in consistent touch with our flock, or do not know what our flock is going through.

Press on.

— Pastor Wes Bunting

Announcements

Heart and Hands — The FBFC Women’s Ministry is wrapping up its service project by gathering the baby blankets that have been knitted and crocheted for Hearts and Hands. On Saturday, December 2, at 1:30 p.m., please plan on joining us to help pray over the blankets and prepare them for delivery. If you still have a blanket to donate, please contact Karla Armstrong or Carolyn Kocman to make sure it isn’t missed.

Youth Babysitting Night — Calling all parents! Do you want a romantic evening out or a chance to do some Christmas shopping? The youth are providing babysitting at the church on Saturday, December 2, from 3—7 p.m. Donations received will be used to help the youth meet the expenses of their upcoming Sno Glo retreat this winter. Take advantage of this opportunity to bless our youth and enjoy some couple time.

Christmas Services — This year we have two opportunities to celebrate the birth of our Savior! December 24 is on a Sunday, so we meet for corporate worship at 10:30 a.m. and also have an evening candlelight service at 7:00 p.m. Please plan on joining us and inviting your friends and family.

December Fellowship Meal — Due to the Christmas holiday, there will be no Fellowship Meal in December.

Sno Glo

While the month of December is always exciting, our teens are looking forward just as much to January and the annual Sno Glo retreat. This year our youth will be heading to Pinebrook Bible Conference on January 26 – 28 for a weekend of Biblical teaching, worship, and activities that will encourage them to grow in their walk with the Lord and connect with other youth across the Bible Fellowship denomination.

Please begin praying that God will help them arrange schedules and finances to be able to attend and that, even now, He will be preparing their hearts for the weekend. We look forward to seeing how He will meet them during this time.

Blessing Our Unseen Members

Last spring we introduced you to Dolores Lieberknect (left) and Elizabeth Sams (right) in our April 2023 edition of Fellowship Connections. Although we do not see them regularly on Sunday mornings due to physical limitations, they have both been members of Faith Bible Fellowship Church for years.

This holiday season, as you are preparing your Christmas cards, would you consider adding Dolores and Elizabeth to your list? This would be a wonderful opportunity to introduce your family (especially if you use photo greeting cards), and your children can also learn the blessing of serving others by providing homemade cards and drawings. You can bring your cards to the church for collection on December 2, 9, and 16, or you can mail them to the ladies directly at these addresses:

Dolores Lieberknect: 27 Cedar Street, Manchester, PA 17345

Elizabeth Sams: Pleasant Acres Nursing Home, 118 Pleasant Acres Drive, Room 510A, York, PA 17402

Let’s spread the joy of the season to our fellow church members!

Meet the Bossermans

We are the Bossermans, Larry and Eleanor. In 2024, Eleanor will have been a member of this church for 50 years. Her parents, Ken and Thelma Gemmill (yes, she’s Helen’s sister) were married at Faith Bible Fellowship in 1960. Her dad thought, at that time, that this would be a better church in which to raise children, rather than the church he grew up in. He was right. We were blessed with good teachers in Sunday School, Children's Church, Wednesday evening, Pioneer Girls, and youth group. These were people who loved us, cared about us, and helped us grow in our walk with the Lord.

Larry had moved to York from Dillsburg and had not found a church home. He worked with a gentleman who knew the Gemmill family.  Long story short, we just celebrated 30 blessed years of the covenant of marriage.

Our faces may not be familiar.  In 2004, we were commissioned as a Priscilla and Aquilla team to the Adams County church plant in Gettysburg. The church in Gettysburg is scheduled to become a particular church in April at the BFC Conference. This means we are released from our obligation. We have started the process of transitioning back to York by joining Ken Good’s Sunday evening group and helping with VBS. We are not sure how to move forward on Sunday mornings, as we dearly love the church family in Gettysburg and will miss being part of the body there. However, we are excited to see how the Lord is working in this congregation.  This is an answer to many years of prayer, seeking the Lord and asking Him for make this church everything He would have it to be.  We have met some people and look forward to getting to know more in the future.

CEM Update

For Church Extension Ministries, it’s Christmas Gift Month, which is very significant in its mission of reaching people with the Gospel and planting new churches. Christmas Gift Month helps BFC church planters who have support deficits, which was approximately $50,000 this year. Giving by BFC members helps CEM make certain the planters receive what has been committed to them. Christmas Gift Month also helps church plants with their facility needs and with emergency needs that arise, like helping with professional counseling services, necessary equipment, and family needs.

Church Extension Ministries does not take a percentage of planters' support for administrative and staff costs. Christmas Gift Month helps meet those needs in conjunction with undesignated giving, the Summer20 fundraiser, and some of the staff raising personal support.

These items and others are assisted by the funds that come in through Christmas Gift Month. Please pray for this year’s Christmas Gift Month:

·      Pray that CEM will reach its goal of $200,000.00.

·      Pray that CEM will be blessed with 100 matching gift donors, giving $500 each to match the $50,000.00 that has been pledged.

·      Pray that CEM will be able to continue its full support for BFC church planters.

IF you would like to participate in Christmas Gift Month, you can give online or by check to Church Extension Ministries, P. O. Box 3534, Allentown, PA 18106. You may designate your gift towards the General Fund or towards a particular church planter. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.

November 2023 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

Dear church family,

This past Lord’s Day, October 29, we celebrated our first Family Worship Sunday since our summer of family worship. Why did we take this break from the routine of children’s ministry? It was not primarily to give our volunteers a break, although we believe rhythms of rest are crucial, and not to merely simplify our schedule on a fifth Sunday. Rather, we emphasize family worship because of what we believe worship itself is. 

When God’s people assembled in worship after the exile, they committed themselves to reading and preaching Scripture, to prayer, to confession of sin, and to joyful celebration of God’s mercy (Nehemiah 8). Similarly, in Acts 2, we see the early church gathering around the apostles’ teaching, the prayers, fellowship, and the Lord’s supper. From this we discern that worship isn’t just a good idea; it’s a visible renewal of the covenant of grace in which we stand, as when a husband and wife renew their vows after years of marriage. 

Kevin DeYoung writes: 

Every Sunday, we come to worship our covenant-making God, be reminded of his covenant promises, and once again renew our covenant commitment. The deepest and richest and most biblical worship will have a liturgy that reflects these ancient, and continuing, realities. 

The question comes: if this is what we believe worship is, why wouldn’t we want to give our children the opportunity to participate?

If the goal of our Sunday morning activities is simply to learn, then it makes sense to divide based upon age and intellectual capacity. We do believe that instruction in God’s Word is crucial, and this is part of our motivation behind offering children’s programs on Sunday mornings. Yet fundamentally, we believe the gospel is for all—both us and our children (Acts 2:39)—which also means that young and old should have opportunity to see, hear, and participate in God’s promises with the rest of his assembled people. 

As we approach the holidays, we look forward with affection to gatherings at our dining room tables with family members young and old, near and far, marking the seasons and celebrating God’s goodness. Most of us would not consider excluding our little ones from these festive events, so why would we not lovingly lead our children to also celebrate the Lord’s Day with us each week, even when it means stretching their attention spans and hearing the joyful noises children tend to make? The same reasons that we must prioritize weekly worship are the reasons that we should invite our children to join us, not neglecting the assembly of the saints (Hebrews 10:25). 

Reflecting on the importance of worship, Michael Horton concludes: 

We gather each Lord’s Day not merely out of habit, social custom, or felt needs but because God has chosen this weekly festival as a foretaste of the everlasting Sabbath day that will be enjoyed fully at the marriage supper of the Lamb. God has called us out of the world and into his marvelous light: That is why we gather.

Thank God for the Lord’s Day and the blessings it brings to our families. 

— Alex Kocman

Announcements

Life Groups — These life groups will be meeting during the month of November:

• Sunday night (adult Sunday School)— first and third weeks (November 5 and 19)

• Tuesday night (Christian parenting)— first and third weeks (November 7 and 21)

• Wednesday night (sermon review)— third Wednesday of the month (November 15)

Please see one of the pastors if you are interested in one of these groups.

Christmas Is Coming! — We will begin the holiday season with our annual Christmas tree lighting on Sunday, November 26. Starting with a cozy dinner at 5:00 p.m., the evening will unfold into a beautiful tree lighting ceremony around 6:00 p.m., accompanied by carol singing. Let's gather to celebrate the hope and joy of the Christmas season together!

November Fellowship Meal — Since we will be having our tree lighting on the fourth Sunday of the month, there will be no Fellowship Meal for the month of November.

Men’s Bible Study — The Men’s Bible Study will meet again in December to continue their walk through 1 Peter. See Pastor Ricardo if you would like more information about this group.

Women’s Fellowship Group — We will start a new study on Thursday, November 2: A Praying Life, by Paul Miller. The group meets every other Thursday from 10—11:30 a.m. See Jean Soyke if you would like to know more.

Election Day

Election Day — Some of you may not know that our church serves as a polling place for the community. We will be open to our neighbors to vote again on Tuesday, November 7. We will have a table with information about our church and treats to bless our neighbors. If you are available to man the table for any length of time or would like to provide treats, please contact one of the pastors to volunteer.

“What, then, are the prerogatives of the church in times of upheaval and crisis? One, undoubtedly, is the discipline of tranquility of spirit. As the church is a city set on a hill for all to see, a Spirit-induced sense of composure should be conspicuous among Christians. Fearmongering and vitriol will do nothing to set us apart from the world, even if they are induced by our support of otherwise righteous causes. But the fuel for this peace does not come from our own resources. It comes to us through the preaching of the Word... So what is the principal thing that the church must do in times of crisis? It must do what it always must do. It must proclaim the gospel and attend to the hearing of the gospel as it is proclaimed.”

— Daniel Schrock, The Church in an Age of Turmoil

This article was first published in the September 2023 edition of Tabletalk, the Bible study magazine of Ligonier Ministries.

Service Opportunity

The FBFC Women’s Ministry is hosting its second work session to make baby blankets for Hearts and Hands on November 11 at 10 a.m. Feel free to bring your project to the work session so you can craft while enjoying fellowship. If you would like to learn some of these skills and help to make donations, several ladies will be available to help teach you a new skill. This is open to anyone (all ages) from our congregation who would like to learn and craft together.

If you can’t attend the session but would like to make a blanket on your own, there will be a donation box in the lobby throughout the coming season. If you are not crafty and have no desire to knit or crochet but would still like to help the cause, donations would be greatly appreciated! Contact Karla Armstrong or Carolyn Kocman for more information. 

Meet the Heltebridles

Hi! We are Brian and Lynne Heltebridle. We met in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and have been married for 40 years. We have two children and an 18-year-old grandson, whom we adore.

Brian enjoys ‘50s and ‘60s music and also has a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda that we like to show. Lynne enjoys playing music on the keyboard and singing and served on the worship team at our former church.

We are so happy we have found a new church family at Faith Bible Fellowship, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Meet the Holmes Family

Hi! We are the Holmes family: EC (Dad), Virginia (who goes by Ginny), Imani (10), Kailani (7), Zayani (3), and Eliani (6 months). As you can imagine, we are a busy family! EC works as a Principal Tech for a defense contractor in Baltimore and is a current third-year seminary student at Metro Baltimore Seminary. Ginny works for Wellspan as a Quality Assurance Specialist. Imani and Kailani attend York Suburban elementary schools, while Zayani and Eliani are in daycare. We have officially been attending Faith Bible Fellowship Church since June of this year. Because of the inability to find a solid church in York for some time, we had the blessing of being at a church in Lancaster for seven years, where the Lord pruned EC as a minister of the gospel and grew our family from three to six. Ginny does an amazing job of taking care of us in so many ways. She is funny and a supportive wife, great mother, and loyal friend. Imani is extremely intelligent and loves to play her violin. Kailani loves to play with dolls and create art. Zayani is hilarious and surprises us every day with how much she knows already. Finally, Eliani is supper laid back but will let you know she’s there with her random laughs and bursts of excitement.

Recognizing the growing and great need for a faithful, holistic, and genuine gospel presence, we desire to serve the Lord in the city context in which we grew up. We look forward to getting to know everyone as we worship and fellowship together.

May the peace of Christ rule your heart.

Missionary of the Month

Does this face look familiar? Until just a few weeks ago, you would find Kim Knaub sitting in the congregation with us on a Sunday morning. Now, however, she is in Kenya, serving with Pioneers. She is helping train native believers to share the gospel with their own people. Please pray that God gives her wisdom, strength, and protection and that God opens the hearts of the people of Kenya to receive Christ. We look forward to hearing how God uses her in this new adventure.

October 2023 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

One of the distinctives of our church is expository preaching. Expository preaching is preaching the whole counsel of the Word of God. We read in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” 

The benefits of expository preaching are many. You get the truth of Scripture—in context. This protects us from the danger of finding a few words that can be used to try to prove almost anything. With expository preaching, you get the whole truth, including the hard parts—not just the parts you like.  Most importantly, the Holy Spirit does not use mere moral exhortations, history lessons, or social commentaries to change lives. The Holy Spirit uses the words of Scripture. Paul tells the Philippians, “…that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life…” 

There are many who say expository preaching is outdated. They say we need less authoritative preaching and more contemporary preaching that takes into account modern culture. No! Expository preaching is the perfect medium to address a self-centered, confused, and anti-authoritarian culture. This is why you will hear expository preaching each and every Sunday from the pulpit here at Faith Bible Fellowship Church.

— Ken Good

Announcements

Small Group Sign-up — It’s not too late to sign up for a life group! These groups are currently available:

• Sunday night (adult Sunday School)- every other week (October 1 and 15)

• Tuesday night (Christian parenting)- every other week (October 3 and 17)

• Wednesday night (sermon review)- third Wednesday of the month (October 18)

Sign-up sheets are available in the lobby, or you can sign up online by logging into the church directory and clicking on Groups at the top of the page.

Women’s Studies — The Saturday studies are currently taking a break. However, the Ladies’ Fellowship Group on Thursday mornings will continue to meet and will start a new study at the beginning of November. See Jean Soyke for more information on this group.

Service Opportunity

Do you like to craft? Can you sew, crochet, or knit? Do you want to learn these skills? The FBFC Women’s Ministry is hosting some work sessions this fall to make blankets for a service project, Hearts and Hands. We will be making baby blankets to donate to Human Life Services around Christmas. If you already know how to make blankets and would like to donate one, there will be a donation box in the lobby throughout the coming season. Feel free to bring your project to work sessions so you can craft while enjoying fellowship. If you would like to learn some of these skills and help to make donations, several ladies will be available to help teach you a new skill. This is open to anyone (all ages) from our congregation who would like to learn and craft together. We will be meeting October 14 at 2 p.m. and November 11 at 10 a.m. to fellowship and craft together. If you are not crafty and have no desire to knit or crochet but would still like to help the cause, donations would be greatly appreciated! We are looking for:

• 4- or 5-ply yarn

• knitting needles

• crochet hooks

• Hobby Lobby gift cards

We are looking forward to wonderful times of fellowship and learning new skills together, all in service to others in our community. Contact Karla Armstrong or Carolyn Kocman for more information. 

Meet the Martins

Hello! I am Dave (Marty), and my wife is Eileen. We decided in July to look for another place to worship with God’s wonderful people. This was the first church we tried, and I believe that we are here to stay, Lord willing. It’s what we call a God thing; each Sunday we meet new folks and learn of yet something new here that the Lord is using. Both of us enjoy hearing Pastor Wes and everyone on his staff. You can feel God’s presence in sermon, prayer, and singing.

I am a truck driver, and I actually love my job, I enjoy being outside fixing stuff and studying God’s Word, and we both enjoy cruising, target shooting, and campfires year-round. We have two kids, a house, a dog, and four grandkids.

Eileen is a homemaker. She had a brain tumor in 2010 and had to quit her job which she also enjoyed; however, the Lord has used her testimony numerous times. She is a huge crafts person, especially with wreaths; she is also a great cook. Our desire is for whatever God leads us to do. We are the new kids on the block, but, Lord willing, down the road my desire is to get involved here in whatever that may be. Once again thank you for making us feel so welcome.

“Let your light so shine before men.” (Matt 5:16)

Church Picnic 2023

Tropical Storm Ophelia couldn’t dampen our spirits as we came together for our annual church picnic on September 24. The main event of the day was a chili cookoff, with about 20 different variations of the dish available for all to enjoy. The competition was tough, but the winners were:

• Fifth place: Kasha Vargas (two entries) and Ken Good

• Fourth place: Carolyn Mahlstedt

• Third place: Eddie Bintavihok

• Second place: Karla Armstrong

• And the grand prize winner was Helen Weber! She received a lovely trophy, which she will bring back next year to bestow on the 2024 recipient.

Also included in the day’s events was our traditional cakewalk. Participants marched in a circle around the basement, hoping to be at the designated pole when the music stopped so they could choose a cake to take home. The cake table was manned by Sharon Shoff, who was then surprised by a tribute to recognize her 20+ years of serving in the church kitchen. She received a beautiful engraved plate, and Deacon Helen Gemmill mounted a plaque to show that the church kitchen had been renamed in her honor. Overall, it was a delightful time of fun and fellowship.

CEM Update

Church Extension Ministries is the church planting division of the Bible Fellowship Church. Please remember this ministry regularly in your prayers.

Praise God for His provision! CEM is grateful to report that they raised a total of $30,130 through this summer initiative— slightly above their goal. This money will be used to meet the financial needs of the church planters during the coming year. Thank you so much to those of you who contributed to this effort!

Missionaries of the Month

Some of you may remember when the Chmil family visited us last year while they were on furlough. They are now back in Togo, where Steve serves as a surgeon in a mission hospital. They are now fully back into the swing of things, with the four younger children attending the local missionary school and the oldest (Karissa) busy with a three-year writing conservatory. Mom Bethany is keeping things going at home and working toward the family goal of increased opportunities for hospitality.

One of the challenges Steve faced during his first term was spending so much time meeting medical needs that he felt like he was losing sight of the primary goal— to see the Gospel go forth fruitfully. This term he is working with a modified schedule and hopes now to have time to study the local tribal language, help Togolese believers, and preach and teach.

Please pray that God will keep the Chmils and help them make the most of the opportunities that He gives them. Pray that their team will work together harmoniously and effectively. Pray that the believers of Togo will grow in their faith and knowledge of the Scriptures. Pray that the people of Mango and the patients who come from afar would hear the Gospel and respond in faith. We thank God so much for this faithful family!

September 2023 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

Dear church,

It is truly an honor and great responsibility to serve as an elder at Faith BFC of York.

As I have been contemplating this new ministry opportunity in our church, I have realized that some of you may not know about my testimony and call to ministry. I was born in 1980 into a Christian home. My parents loved Jesus and His church. These truths were instilled into me at a young age. When I was five, God opened my eyes to His truth and raised me from death to life. As a 16-year-old, I submitted my entire life to His will and realized that Jesus is also my Lord, not just my Savior. This was tested and affirmed when my father died of cancer that same year. This taught me that God is sovereign over all of life and only does what is best for His children. 

After high school, I traveled for two years on a singing team that led week-long revival meetings in local churches up and down the East Coast. After traveling with Encounter Revival Ministries, I attended Lancaster Bible College and majored in Bible with a focus on discipleship. LBC is where I met Amy, and we got married after college. Since then God has blessed us with five children. After college I worked in the construction industry. 

When I was in my early 30s, God called me to serve the local church in various leadership roles. I have served as a deacon; an elder at a church in Lebanon, PA; a pastor at a church plant; and a men’s ministry leader. I even served as an elder at Faith BFC of York several years ago. Through all of this, God has given me a love for His church and strength to encourage and support others through trials. God has also given me a love for construction and building stuff. Thankfully, serving as an elder gives me the opportunity to serve the church as a layman and also serve the community as a project manager for Kinsley Properties.   

This is a brief snapshot of God’s leading over 43 years. If you have any questions about how God orchestrated events in my life or my experiences raccoon hunting in Michigan, spelunking in the Adirondacks, or meeting a lifelong friend in Portugal, please don't hesitate to ask. 

For the crown rights of King Jesus,

— Matt Fuhrman

Announcements

Children’s Ministry and Nursery — Beginning on September 10, our optional children’s ministry classes and nursery will once again be available. Children who are not yet ready for a structured classroom can be checked into the nursery at the beginning of the service. Those who are in preschool through elementary school are welcome to attend our children’s ministry classes, which begin immediately after the Scripture reading. If your children will be attending either the nursery or children’s ministry classes, please be sure to sign them in at the kiosk and get their nametags before taking them to class.

Small Group Sign-up — Members should have received an email to sign up for one of the three small groups being offered this fall:

• Sunday night (adult Sunday School)

• Tuesday night (Christian parenting)

• Wednesday night (sermon review)

We are also in need of volunteers to provide child care during our life groups, especially on Tuesday night. Please let us know of your interest as soon as possible so that the leaders can plan the sessions. Thank you very much!

Church Picnic — Our annual church picnic will be held on Sunday, September 24, immediately after the service. Burgers and hot dogs will be provided, and you will be able to sign up to bring a side dish, drinks, or dessert through the link we will send by email. Cakes will also be needed for our traditional cake walk! Plan now to attend this fun family event.

Youth Group — The Youth Group will be meeting on three Fridays this month: September 1, 15, and 29. The meeting on the 15th will involve a trip to Sky Zone. All students in grades 7 through 12 are invited to attend. See Pastor Ricardo to find out more.

Men’s Bible Study — The Men’s Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, September 12, at 6:00 P.M. Please contact Pastor Ricardo if you’d like more information.

Women’s Ministry — On Saturday, September 16, the Ladies’ Bible Study will meet at 10:00 AM. Contact Kasha Vargas to find out more. In addition, the Ladies’ Fellowship Group will continue to meet on September 7 and 21 at 10:00 AM. See Jean Soyke for more information on this group.

Teen Week

During the week of August 16—19, we had over 12 students from our church attend Teen Week at the Lebanon church. There were over 50 teens who participated in Teen Week from three different youth groups. It was a great time of fellowship, getting to know other teens from other youth groups, and learning about what it means to live as a Christian in today's world.

— Ricardo Vargas

Meet the Hurls

Hello, church family! We are Joe and Karen Hurl. Joe is employed as a material handler with AMZ Corporation in York, and Karen has been a part-time in-home care giver for over 30 years. When Karen isn’t working, you can find her in the kitchen or her small garden. Karen loves growing her vegetable/herb garden in the summer months, and the fruits of her labor come later on in the form of cooking delicious recipes for her family and others. She has introduced many to her delicious tomato pies. In our spare time, we love to take long drives searching for covered bridges and waterfalls. When we’re not out exploring, we love spending time with our 13 grandchildren. Joe is a music lover, and Motown is his genre of expertise, so grill him a bit on some Motown trivia, and you’ll have his full attention. We both landed at Faith Bible Fellowship while looking for a new church home. The richness and depth of the Word of God that we experienced here at Faith made our minds up to call FBC home. Together we like to bring life into any room we walk into, and we look forward to getting to know everyone better and seeing what God will do in us and through us here at FBC.

Meet the Bintavahoks

Hi. We’re the Bintavihoks - Anna (Mom), Eddie (16), and Lilly (15). We are a homeschooling family. Anna also works as an office manager in an optometry office. Eddie and Lilly study Jung Sim Do and are second-degree black belts. We have been attending Faith Bible Fellowship Church for three years. Eddie and Lilly enjoy Youth Group and serving in the Children’s Ministry, and Anna enjoys serving on the Welcome Team and working on the weekly prayer email. We are so happy to call Faith Bible Fellowship Church our church home!

Church Extension Ministries

For the past few months, CEM has been sponsoring an initiative called Summer 20. Their goal is to have each BFC member contribute just $20, which would cover the financial needs of our church planters. So far CEM has raised $25,524 toward the goal of $30,000. Even though summer is almost over, it’s not too late to support CEM with your gift! You can send a check to Church Extension Ministries, PO Box 3534, Allentown, PA 18106, or link to Church Extension Ministries to give online.

Missionaries of the Month

You may remember the Rauch family (Josh, Rebekah, Regan, and Sami) who visited with us a few months ago. Praise God, they have moved to North Carolina to serve with JAARS (Jungle Aviation and Relay Service). They are not yet able to purchase a house, so they are living in an RV home. Reagan and Sami have begun school, and Josh is busy in the hangar working on aircraft as a mechanic. Please continue to pray for them as they adjust to their new life and that they would find a church that would be a good fit for them. Please also pray for continued financial support so that they will eventually be able to qualify for a mortgage and purchase a house. For more information on their ministry, check out their page on the Wycliffe Bible Translators website.

August 2023 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

As many of you know, we recently held our VBS at the church. This was a great opportunity for our church to serve over 50 families, some from our church and some from the community. It was amazing to see kids excited to walk through our doors, sing songs praising our God, memorize Scripture, and learn about our great God. This would not have been possible if not for all the people who volunteered.

We had an amazing group of people who put in countless hours in the weeks prior to VBS. They transformed our whole church to make it a place that the children loved to come to each day by making decorations and putting them up. After VBS, others gave of their time to tear down and clean up.

We also had people volunteer to be here all week and give several hours of their evening each and every day to serve the children, from group leaders to teachers and station leaders. These people spent the most time with the children and made a huge impact, even if they did not realize it.

VBS would not have been possible if not for the sacrifice and dedication of all these individuals. From the bottom of our hearts, the Elders would like to say thank you so much for your sacrifice and dedication.

If you would like to continue to serve at our church (or perhaps you have been on the fence and decide now is a great time to jump in and serve at Faith BFC), the good news is that, with September less than a month away, there are several opportunities for you to serve at Faith BFC. From the worship team to the hospitality or welcome team to children’s church, there are a plethora of areas to get involved in. Reach out to an elder, and we would love to point you in the right direction.

— Pastor Ricardo Vargas

Announcements

Pastor Wes on Vacation — The Buntings will be on vacation from August 7 through August 21. Please reach out to the elder board if you are in need of pastoral care during this time.

Children’s Ministry Workers — A training meeting for all Children’s Ministry workers is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, August 20, after the service. Please keep this date open and be watching for further details.

Youth Group — The Youth Group will be meeting this month on Friday, August 4, and Friday, August 18. All students in grades 7 through 12 are invited to attend. Also, the youth are tentatively planning a trip to Sky Zone in early September. See Pastor Ricardo to find out more.

Teen Week — All youth are invited to join others from the BFC for a week of fun, fellowship, and solid Bible teaching from August 16—19 at the Lebanon church. Check out the bulletin board in the hall across from the rest rooms or see Pastor Ricardo for more information about this exciting event.

Men’s Bible Study — The Men’s Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, August 1, at 6:00 P.M. Please contact Pastor Ricardo if you’d like more information.

Women’s Ministry — On Saturday, August , the Ladies’ Bible Study will meet at 10:00 AM. Contact Kasha Vargas to find out more. In addition, the Ladies’ Fellowship Group will continue to meet on August 10 and 24 at 10:00 AM. See Jean Soyke for more information on this group.

Child Dedication — Our Child Dedication Sunday will be held on September 3. Please see one of the pastors for more information or if you would like to participate.

VBS 2023: “Kingdom of the Son”

Kingdom of the Son Safari VBS was a huge success this year thanks to our Faith Bible Fellowship Church family—all those who helped and those who supported us in prayer. We had 53 kids join us on our safari, learning about our God and how He listens, provides, forgives, protects, and rules. The kids enjoyed great singing/dancing, humorous skits, neat crafts, fun games, wonderful Bible stories, and delicious snacks. It was great to see how our individual talents came together to provide just what we needed to pull off all those things. The week ended with families joining us for our closing presentation, which included a gospel message for all, a pie-full celebration (the winning group of the week got to pie Pastor Ricardo in the face), and family fun evening which included bounce houses, carnival games, face painting, balloon animals, and snacks. We continue to pray that God will bear gospel fruit in the lives of these children and their families.

— Liz Bunting

Meet the Browns

Hello! We are the Browns! Aaron works for Clark Associates as a senior vendor manager, and JoAnne is a seventh-grade social studies teacher in the Red Lion Area School District. Our favorite things include spending time with family and friends and going on vacation. The best decision we ever made as a couple was to attend Faith Bible Fellowship. The number one argument that we had prior to getting married was where we would attend church. After finding Faith Bible Fellowship, we never argued about it again, and we enjoy serving in the church together and meeting all the new friends that we would call family. We are happy to announce that our family will be growing in 2024 as we are expecting our first baby!

Meet Jean Soyke

Hi, there! I’m Jean Soyke, and I’ve been attending FBFC since June of 2019. I grew up in Pittsburgh, went to college in West Virginia, became a believer in 1976, and lived in the Baltimore area for over 35 years. It was there that I had my four children (one son and three daughters), who together have blessed me with 7 grandchildren (plus some fosters). Over the years I’ve been involved in all forms of elementary education: public school, Christian school, homeschool, and online school (as well as teaching in various children’s ministries). In 2018 I went into semi-retirement and moved to New Freedom (near Shrewsbury), where I live in an in-law apartment in my middle daughter’s home. I am SO thankful that God brought me to Faith Bible Fellowship where I can serve Him by serving the wonderful church family here. I’m looking forward to seeing what God will do in and through our church in the future!

Church Extension Ministries

Church Extension Ministries is an arm of the Bible Fellowship Church that seeks to plant and develop new churches. This year CEM is working in each of the six regions of the BFC to accomplish this mission:

• The Buxmont Region is assisting with the church plant in Elverson and the revitalization of the former Maple Glen BFC, now Welsh Road BFC.

• The DELMARVA Region is supporting Steve Morton and the church he is planting in Elkton, MD.

• In the Capitol Region, Pastor Steve Delduco is leading a Church Planting Resource Team to plant a BFC church in an area around Harrisburg. Our own Pastor Ricardo Vargas is a part of this team to learn how to lead a team from our church in a possible church plant in the future.

• The Berks Region is supporting Dan Hoffstetter and assisting the church plant in Topton, PA.

• The Lancaster Region is supporting Los Morales in Lancaster City.

• The Lehigh Valley Region helped Ben Treistman plant the Orchard Hills BFC and is assisting the newly merged City Light BFC in Allentown.

Needless to say, this exciting work needs both prayer and financial support. To help meet these needs, CEM is sponsoring an initiative called Summer 20. Their goal is to have each BFC member contribute just $20 to their work. This would more than meet the financial needs of our church plants. If you are interested in participating in Summer 20, you can send a check to Church Extension Ministries, PO Box 3534, Allentown, PA 18106, or link to Church Extension Ministries to give online.

July 2023 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

As you may have heard, our church will be having a child dedication service on Sunday, September 3. You might be wondering what child dedication is and why we practice it here. The BFC Articles of Faith answer those questions this way:

“Child dedication is a voluntary act in which believing parents publicly present their child to the Lord as an outward expression of their gratitude to Him for the child and as a formal appeal to God for divine assistance in the bringing up of the child. It is not to be confused with baptism, or to be considered as imparting salvation, or viewed as an ordinance of the church.  

The child is a gift from God and therefore the parents promise, as God’s stewards, to bring up the child in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

In dedicating their child in the presence of fellow believers, parents are publicly dedicating themselves to the faithful fulfillment of their parental responsibilities and are acknowledging their need of the prayerful support and encouragement of those fellow believers.

Child dedication becomes meaningful as the parents explain to the child the meaning of this act and consistently carry out the promises made before God and the church at the time of dedication. When one of the parents is an unbeliever, only the believing parent shall make the public presentation.”

Please contact me if you are interested in learning more. We’re looking forward to our child dedication service!

— Pastor Wes Bunting

Announcements

Family Worship Summer — During our summer services, children’s church will not meet. Also, the nursery will not be staffed, but the room will be open on a self-serve basis if you have a small child that needs to take a break from the service.

VBS 2023: “Kingdom of the Son” — Mark your calendars! Our Vacation Bible School will be held on July 16—19 from 6—8 PM, with a Family Fun Night on July 20. Please pray that, over the next few weeks, God will be preparing the hearts of the children and families who will be attending and helping the team as they prepare.

Teen Week — Students entering grade 6 through those who just completed 12th grade are invited to join others from the BFC for a week of fun, fellowship, and solid Bible teaching from August 16—19. Check out the bulletin board in the hall across from the rest rooms or see Pastor Ricardo for more information about this exciting event.

Men’s Bible Study — The Men’s Bible Study continues to meet on the second Tuesday evening of each month. Please contact Pastor Ricardo if you’d like more information.

Women’s Ministry — On Saturday, July 15, the Ladies’ Bible Study will meet at 10:00 AM and continue walking through the book Women of the Word, by Jen Wilkin. Contact Kasha Vargas for more information or to get a copy of the book. In addition, the Ladies’ Fellowship Group will continue to meet every other Thursday at 10:00 AM to interact over Change and Your Relationships, by Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp. See Jean Soyke for more information on this group.

Meet the Herbs

Hello! We are the Herb family: Colton, Paulina, and Darius. We also have two dogs, Lulu and Nani. Colton has been attending Faith BFC since 2018, and Paulina joined in 2020 after getting married. Colton is a welder for BAE Systems. He has been there for over five years but is interested in exploring other job opportunities in the future. Colton enjoys hunting, fishing, cars, sports, and the bass guitar. Paulina has her degree in social work and worked in foster care at Bethany Christian Services for four years until Darius was born. She became a stay-at-home mom this past March and plans to continue for as long as possible as we grow our family over the next few years. Paulina enjoys traveling, going to the beach, visiting cities, and exploring new places. Darius is three months old and loves smiling, being held, napping, eating, and, most of all, crying. Together we enjoy going out on walks, hanging out with friends and family, and ministering in the Youth Fellowship. We love the church and our amazing church family!

Meet Josh and Scarlett

Hello! We are Scarlett Littman (soon to be Nesbitt) and Josh Nesbitt. 

Scarlett has been attending the church for two years and recently became a member. Josh has been attending since relocating to PA in March. Scarlett works as the Greenhouse Manager of Stauffers of Kissell Hill, and Josh is a Sales Manager for a safety shoe company. We enjoy spending time with family, gardening, going to museums, and attending baseball games. 

We have known each other since high school and are getting married in September. We are very grateful to have such a loving and Bible-believing church to help support us on this journey. We have both enjoyed attending and volunteering at church events and look forward to meeting more people as we continue to do so.

Love Life Adoption Week

We are delighted to share an exciting update on the Love Life prayer walk that took place on Saturday, June 24. We had an amazing turnout with approximately 50 people joining us, including representatives from four other churches in addition to our own. The level of participation from our church members was truly inspiring, and we are incredibly grateful for your commitment and support.

The Love Life prayer walk was a powerful demonstration of our collective dedication to the cause of ending abortion and promoting a culture of life. We witnessed firsthand the unity and passion that can arise when believers come together for a common purpose. It was truly a blessing to see the Church mobilize in such a meaningful way.

In light of the tremendous response and the impact we made, we want to emphasize the importance of staying involved with Love Life beyond the prayer walk. There are several ways you can continue to make a difference:

• Prayer Walk Championship: Help the Church run to the scene in prayer as a Committed Walker, Volunteer, or Prayer Intercessor.

• Life Discipleship Mentorship: Befriend, equip, and do life with families choosing LIFE.

• Financial Partnership: Invest monthly to help bring HOPE and HELP to families across the nation and beyond.

• Sidewalk Outreach: Offer HOPE and HELP to families as they arrive at the abortion center.

• Orphan Care: Advocate for children in need of a family to be placed in godly homes.

• Life Restoration: Participate in post-abortive healing and restoration for women and men.

Let us remember that our commitment to defending the sanctity of life extends far beyond a single event. Together, as a united body of believers, we can make a lasting impact in our community and beyond.

We ask that you continue to pray fervently for an end to abortion, and we invite you to take action by exploring the opportunities to stay engaged with Love Life. By doing so, we can be part of a movement that brings hope, healing, and transformation to those affected by abortion through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

— Alex Kocman

Puller Baby Shower

On June 25, at the monthly Fellowship meal, we were delighted to show our love to the Puller family as they await the arrival of their new little one in August. Please pray that God’s hand would be on the delivery and for His grace as the Pullers transition to a family of five.

Missionaries of the Month

You will not hear much about one missionary family we support. In fact, we can’t even give you their names. This is because they have been called to an unreached people group in a country that is currently closed to the gospel. However, we will share the general details of their experience here to give you some direction as you pray for them.About ten years ago, this young couple packed up their things and moved into the community to which God had called them. There they set up a business, which enables them to support themselves, contribute to the economy of the community, and develop relationships with the locals. Their long-term vision is to see an indigenous church established within this ethnic minority group.

Over the years, this couple has faced many challenges: dealing with government bureaucracy, overcoming distrust of foreigners, missing fellowship with other believers, facing opposition, and suffering through Covid. This is in addition to the daily responsibilities of homeschooling their children and running the business. The biggest hurdle they face, though, is the spiritual condition of the local church. While there are about a dozen believers already in the area, they come from groups with different dialects, and some are hesitant about expressing their faith openly. Basically, it is unlikely that any of them would be willing to form a church, so our missionaries are focusing on leading new believers to the Lord while still loving and reaching out to those who already know Him.

Needless to say, it is very easy for this family to become discouraged and give up. Please pray for them as they come to mind. Also, if you would like to connect with them personally to offer encouragement, you can ask Lorna Good for their contact information. We praise God for this courageous family who have laid their lives on the line to reach others with the good news of Jesus Christ.

June 2023 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

As summer approaches, the elders wanted to share an important initiative with you: Family Worship Summer, running every Sunday from June through August.

At our church, we place great value on children and families. During the summer months, we take advantage of the season of vacations and busy schedules to create opportunities for families to worship together with their children in our services. We believe that there is no better way for children to witness the faith than through the example of their parents in worship. In the words of Jesus, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14).

We understand that keeping small children engaged during the service can be a challenge, so we would like to provide you with some practical tips to help you and your family make the most of Family Worship Summer:

1. For older children: Encourage them to take notes of the main points of the sermon. Give them a pen and paper and let them jot down the key ideas they hear. This can help them stay focused and actively participate in the service.

2. For younger children: Invite them to draw a picture of what they hear being discussed. Provide them with colored pencils and a small notebook. They can draw scenes or characters related to the sermon, allowing them to engage their creative side while listening to the message.

3. For families with very small children: Consider bringing a toy or two that can keep them occupied. Having a familiar toy can provide comfort and help them stay content during the service.

Remember: it’s okay for kids to make a “joyful noise“ during the service!

We invite you to join us for Family Worship Summer and experience the joy of worshipping as a family through the months of June, July, and August. Your presence and participation, along with these practical tips, will contribute greatly to the success of this endeavor. Together, let us grow in our understanding of God's love and strengthen the bonds within our community.

Wishing you and your family a blessed and fulfilling summer season—

— Alex Kocman

Announcements

Family Worship Summer — During our summer services, children’s church will not meet. Also, the nursery will not be staffed, but the room will be open for your use if you have a small child that needs to take a break from the service.

Ladies’ Bible Study — Beginning on June 17, the Ladies’ Bible Study will move to the third Saturday of the month at 10:00 AM. We will be walking through the book Women of the Word, by Jen Wilkin. Contact Kasha Vargas for more information or to get a copy of the book.

Love Life Adoption Week — During the week of June 18—24, we will be focusing on prayer for the unborn and their families. On Saturday, June 24, at 9:00 A. M., we will meet at the Planned Parenthood at 728 S. Beaver Street in York for a prayer walk. Please join us during this week in affirming God’s precious gift of life.

VBS 2023 — Mark your calendars! Our evening Vacation Bible School will be held on July 16—19, with a Family Fun Night on July 20. We will need lots of people to help, so please be praying now about how God can use you to reach the families in our community.

Congratulations!

We extend our prayers and best wishes to our high school graduates:

• Vinny DeVito, who graduated from Red Lion Christian School and will be studying welding while building his landscaping business

• Mason Good, who graduated from Red Lion Area Senior High School and will be attending Millersville University to become a physician’s assistant

• Kilian Weber, who graduated from the Christian School of York (homeschool) and will be joining the Coast Guard

Please pray for these young men as they transition into the next phases of their lives.

Meet the Higgins Family

We are the Higgins family: Josh, Jenne, Willa (8), and Ruby (4). Josh is a welder for Baltimore Gas and Electric, and Jenne works part-time as a director for a preschool program in southern York County. Willa loves horses, doing crafts, reading, and school. She also enjoys playing lacrosse for the Dallastown Wildcats. Ruby loves playing with her dolls and doing crafts with her sister, and she is very excited to share that she just learned how to ride a bike without training wheels!

As a family, we love to go camping, take family trips (our go-to family favorite is Gatlinburg, Tennessee) and Friday game nights.

Meet Ellen Schramm

Hi! My name is Ellen Schramm. I’ve been attending Faith for almost two years. I have been married for 37 years. My husband’s name is Robert. I have 2 daughters; Elizabeth is 35 years old, and Rebekah is 35 years old.

I am a mental health therapist. I love to read. I came to Christ when I was 10 years old at a youth rally. I am very glad that God has planted me at Faith. I’ve never been in a church where I have felt God’s love so strongly or where the congregation has so openly loved each other, reflecting God’s love. I look forward to getting to know everyone and serving God alongside you.

Membership/Baptism Sunday

On May 28 we had the joy of participating in the baptism of 6 young believers and welcoming 7 new members and their children into church membership. Abby Fuhrman, Francisco “Junior” Rivera, Juli Rivera, Jacob Schwinn, Asaph Weber, and Levi Weber all professed their faith in Christ and were baptized.

In addition, Eddie Bintavihok, Diane Lewis, Rick Lewis, Scarlett Littman, Joel Pinales, Amy Puller, and Zach Puller became members of Faith Bible Fellowship Church. Please be sure to congratulate these new believers and members and remember them regularly in prayer.

Did You Know…?

Faith is a Bible Fellowship Church, which means we belong to an organization of local churches “centered upon the Word of God, and committed to reaching the lost through the transforming power of the Gospel.” Currently there are 10,000 members in the BFC, with 52 Bible Fellowship Churches in Pennsylvania, 7 in New Jersey, 5 in Delaware, 1 in Maryland, and church plants in Florida and Mexico.

The BFC is divided into regions. This enables the pastors in close geographic proximity to support one another and share resources as they seek to reach people in their area. Faith is part of the Harrisburg region, which includes churches in York, Dauphin, and Adams Counties. Please pray for the pastors of our region and the churches they represent.

May 2023 Fellowship Connections Newsletter

From the Elders

While it is wonderful to see the rapid growth of our church, and since folks are coming from many different church experiences (or no previous church experience), it is important to ensure that we all understand our form of government. So I want to take this opportunity to explain the office and role of elders.

In the New Testament church, Christ has provided men to hold the position of elder to oversee the life of His church— those whom He commissions and enables to shepherd His church. The position of elder is given broad responsibility and authority in the New Testament. Because elders are to be examples to the flock in godliness and govern well, they are called elders. Because they are responsible for oversight and administration of the life of the church, they are called overseers or bishops. Because they are to care for and feed God’s people, they are called shepherds. The work of elders is to shepherd the flock. This work includes guarding, overseeing, discipling,  teaching and preaching, evangelizing, praying, serving, and disciplining.

All elders together share the authority in and responsibility for the life of the church. Some elders are gifted and recognized as teaching elders; their primary authority and responsibility is in the Word and in doctrine and secondarily in oversight. Other elders are gifted and recognized as ruling elders; their primary authority and responsibility is in oversight and secondarily in the Word and doctrine.

At Faith Bible Fellowship Church, elders, as leaders of the people, are chosen by the membership of the church on the basis of Scriptural qualifications. Our Board of Elders is composed of ordained ministers called by the local church and all elders elected by the congregation. Our current board is composed of Pastor Bunting, Pastor Vargas, Ken Good, and Alex Kocman.

Be assured, each of us individually and all of us collectively care deeply for every person who walks through our doors. Therefore, we want to get to know you better. If there is any way we can minister to you, it would be our joy and our honor. You can find the contact information for each of us on the church’s website.

— Ken Good

Announcements

Election Day — May 16 is Election Day, and our church building will once again serve as a polling place. We will have a table set up with information about the church, as well as some free goodies for our community members to enjoy. If you would like to provide treats or man the table for any period of time throughout the day, please contact one of the pastors.

Baptism/Membership — On May 28, we will experience the joy of seeing believers baptized and receiving new members into the church. If you have come to faith in Christ but have never identified with Him publicly in baptism, talk to one of the elders about participating.

VBS 2023 — Mark your calendars! Our evening Vacation Bible School will be held on July 16—19, with a Family Fun Night on July 20. We will need lots of people to help, so please be praying now about how God can use you to reach the families in our community.

Ministry Highlights

Recently the Deacon Board added three new members. The 2023 Deacon Board, shown from left to right, are Aaron Brown, Helen Gemmill, Brett Young, Carl Douthit, and Patrick Lampman.  

The Deacon Board focuses on three main areas of service: (1) helping the widows and elderly of the church, (2) taking care of building maintenance, and (3) administering the benevolence fund/helping those in need. The Deacon Board meets once a month to discuss needs and projects. We often get involved in helping people move and organizing help for them. In addition, we help coordinate and repair things around the church, such as our newly remodeled Sunday School room. We try to be wise stewards of the benevolence fund to help those who may be struggling financially, both within our church and within our community. It is always a blessing to be able to help those in need, and we much appreciate the church family providing for this fund so that we can use it to assist others in their time of need. If people are aware of needs within the congregation, feel free to reach out to any member of the Deacon or Elder Board.

— Carl Douthit

Meet the Webers

We are the Weber family (pronounced WEE-ber). Grant and Helen are the proud parents of ten children and have seven grandchildren. The children range in age from 28 to 8— five boys and five girls. Grant and Helen met at Toccoa Falls College, GA, and were married in Grant’s senior year in 1991. Helen was born and raised in Beaver Falls, PA, and Grant hails from Ontario, Canada. Grant is a Sales Executive for Sefar, Inc., which makes plastic woven mesh. Helen manages the household and homeschools the children, which is a full-time job with overtime. We have been attending Faith Bible Fellowship for over a year now. We enjoy the Bible-based teaching and the close community. 

Meet the Lewises

Hi! We are Rick and Diana Lewis, and we have been attending Faith for almost two years. This month we celebrate 41 years of marriage. We have three married children and nine grandchildren. I (Diana) homeschooled all three of my children. We are so thankful that all of them and their spouses are following God. 

Rick is a marketing communications graphic designer, and I am home full time. We love taking long walks together and spending time with our children and grandchildren. Rick doesn’t have much time for hobbies but likes Mustangs and has one, which he enjoys. I love to read and, when time permits, doing various crafts, such as crocheting and sewing. I also raise chickens and enjoy flower gardening. 

We both came to Christ when we were in our teen years. We’ve always been pretty involved in serving our church, and at our last church we were youth leaders and ran a coffee house for students in their teens and 20s. 

We are very glad that we found Faith Bible Fellowship Church. We’ve enjoyed getting to know so many of you and look forward to getting to know many more, serving God with you. 

Easter Egg Hunt 2023

On April 8, we opened our church to the community for our annual Easter Egg Hunt. After a brief gospel message by Pastor Ricardo, children were called by age groups to the field to hunt for eggs. While they waited their turn, families could come indoors for breakfast while the children colored with sidewalk chalk or worked on a craft. Many thanks to JoAnn Brown for organizing the event and the many volunteers who helped create a fun, welcoming environment for our neighbors.

CEM Update

Church Extension Ministries is the church planting division of the Bible Fellowship Church. Please remember this ministry regularly in your prayers.

A lot has been happening in the BFC church plants over the past few months! Here are some of the recent developments:

• A new church is joining the BFC family! Sovereign Grace Bible Church of Harmony, NJ, has been working to be adopted as a Bible Fellowship Church. It is in the final stages of calling a pastor and working out the legalities related to incorporation, property deed, name, etc. Please pray for our new sister church and its members.

• Carlos Rodriguez, full-time pastor of La Roca BFC in Reading, has been appointed Interim Director of Hispanic Ministries. He will continue assisting the Hispanic ministries in the U.S. and Mexico until a director can be found to serve full time. Please pray for this need and for Pastor Rodriguez as he juggles these additional responsibilities.

• Our own Pastor Ricardo is serving on a Church Planting Resource Team (CPRT) for the greater Harrisburg area. Due to tremendous growth in the churches in the Capitol Region, the BFC feels led to plant a new church in this area. Please pray for wisdom for the team, which includes three other pastors in addition to Ricardo: Pastor Steve DelDuco, Grace BFC Harrisburg; Pastor Mark Barninger, Freedom BFC Dauphin; and Pastor Dennis Spinney, retired pastor and church planter.

Help Wanted

We are always looking for contributions to the newsletter. Do you have photos from a church event? Would you be willing to introduce your family to the church? Are you involved in a ministry, or have you been impacted by a ministry and would like to share your experience? You don’t have to be a great writer (bullet points are just fine), or you could just offer to be interviewed. Contact Jean Soyke if you have anything you think would bless the body here at Faith Bible Fellowship Church.