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:
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.
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.
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.
