Thank You
By Matthew Ralph
In September of 2009 my wife, Sara, and I moved to Lancaster and we were welcomed into the church family here at Hempfield United Methodist Church with open arms. Since that time, I have overseen communications and worked with Group Life here at the church. Each week I have been the one making sure the bulletins get printed, fliers hung around the church and the website and all communications materials up to date.
I have written, posted and edited countless blog posts, Facebook status updates and messages to Twitter and Google+, taken phone calls, set up meetings, ordered curriculum, designed brochures, bought advertising, sent a ton of emails, written news releases and a litany of other things that were or were not in my job description (“that’s not my job” are words you never use working in ministry).
This post will be my last as an employee of this church and it’s hard for me not to be saddened by the end it represents. I have grown leaps and bounds professionally, personally and spiritually in my time here. Lancaster has become not just a new ZIP code but a home where we have found good friends, an encouraging small group and a wonderful and loving community of faith. It’s hard for us to say goodbye to this but we know God has plans for us as we move to Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and I begin my new job.
Thank you for allowing me to serve with you the past couple years and for your love and support. Should you need to contact me, my email address will now no longer have hempfieldumc.com at the end – it’s matt@matthewralph.com.
Leigh Nash – Be Still My Soul
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
In this video, Leigh Nash, the former singer for the band Sixpence None the Richer, does a rendition of a classic hymn we sang at both services this past Sunday, “Be Stil My Soul.”
The song was originally penned by Catharina von Schlegel in the 18th century. Leigh Nash’s version is on her recent album, Hymns and Sacred Songs.
John 3:16 Commercial
This commercial produced by Focus on the Family aired during the Saturday (Jan. 14) NFL playoff game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots.
Focus on the Family has a free resource associated with the commercial available for download HERE.
2011 Highlights: Care Ministry Year-End Report
If you click HERE, you will be able to the Care Ministries 2011 End of Year Report prepared by Joan Karr and her many many partners in ministry.
When I was a full time Pastoral Counselor people would ask how things were going. My father-in-law was even more specific – “How’s business?”
How do you answer that question? If you say “good” – that means that there is a high demand for services based upon a high level of human misery – how could that be good!?
And if you say “bad” – low demand, low level of human misery – how could that be bad?!
So what does it mean to say that we are very pleased and blessed to have the Care Ministries that God has given us?
Simple gratitude and humility. God has enabled us to love others in Jesus’ name.
To show unconditional love. To help others claim his or her freedom of choice. To find forgiveness. To embrace new life in the Spirit. To bring a little bit of heaven on earth.
Eat at Bob Evans Jan. 19 and Support Kathy Rinehart
As you may have heard about in the local media, a member of our church family, Kathy Rinehart, recently had a devastating fire that destroyed her home and took the life of several of her pets.
We as a church family can help Kathy and her family in this difficult time by eating at Bob Evans on Thursday, Jan. 19, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. When you present this flier, Bob Evans will donate 15 percent of your meal to a relief fund that has been set up for Kathy and her family.
2011 Highlights: Keys For the City Worship Caravan
By Anthi Glass
The past two summers I have been able to combine two of my favorite things— Worship music and the city of Lancaster, thanks to our church’s Keys for the City Worship Caravan.
This informal ministry all began in the summer of 2010 when Rashard decided to use the beautifully decorated pianos that had been placed throughout Lancaster city as weekly gathering places to share some music and ministry over the noon hour. His plan was to invite anyone willing and able to gather around a designated piano on Thursdays at noon. During the hour or so we were there, Rashard would lead the small group of us in a variety of worship songs as he played. There was no set playlist- instead he welcomed suggestions from any who were there.
Such a simple idea grew into an event my family began to plan our week around. There were days that it was just 4-5 of us at the piano, but with Rashard taking the lead we always sounded strong. When Rashard would begin playing and we would join in song, many people would pause from their busy lunch hours to offer a smile or a compliment. Often they would even pause to listen for a song or two. Some would join in with us and treat us to their beautiful voices.
My children and I were always moved by the people we met and the time we spent at the piano. We could see that the music and the message was warmly received in this nonthreatening setting. Although seeing us at the piano may have been unexpected, it seemed to be welcomed by people of all ages, races and backgrounds.
2011 Highlights: Vacation Bible School
We took the kids back to Jesus’ hometown with the theme Hometown Nazareth for the 2011 Vacation Bible School in July.
This year’s mission focus was on global poverty. Missionary Julie Campbell paid the group a visit during the week and Dan and Cindy Macha spent time sharing about our church’s efforts in Kenya that fall under the umbrella of Building Hope.
You can read more about the mission focus in a blog post written by Amy Jordan.
2011 Highlights: The Art of Marriage
The Art of Marriage video workshop was held here at the church in May and will be held again Jan. 27-28. Click HERE for registration information.
By Don Forry
Dee and I had been really struggling with our relationship for a long time, back and forth, hot and cold, inconsistent, poor communications, blaming each other, selfishness, etc. It was getting to the point where both of us began to lose confidence in the relationship. And we didn’t have the energy to make it work.
The Art of Marriage came at an opportune time. God must have been pulling on us to do something because we both decided to attend not knowing what to expect. The time went fast and we were both impressed. The seminar was very effective and nonthreatening; and it put the ball in the couple’s court, to play ball or quit the game. The DVD, workbook including the questions and answers were well-crafted and helpful; especially in getting to the root issues and forgiveness.
Neither one of us really looked at marriage from a Christian perspective. In fact, my father was married three times and Dee’s father walked out on her family when she was a teenager. We never witnessed how a real marriage worked, which is a shame for us and probably is the norm for many relationships in today’s world. In essence, we never realized that God had a purpose and a plan for our marriage. One quote I remember from the seminar is that my role was to live to make my wife great. That concept never came to mind, because I was selfish; but now I am slowly beginning to “get it.”
Man on the Street Asks What Does God Want?
Our Man on the Streets video team stopped by a recent Kidstuf performance to ask the kids there one question: What Does God Want?
The video was shown on Sunday, the first week of the sermon series What God Really Wants.
2011 Highlights: Now Behold the Lamb
Now Behold the Lamb was a worship concert we held at the church on Maundy Thursday that featured our choirs, worship teams, the dance team and video interludes.
Did you attend or participate in Now Behold the Lamb last April? What do you remember most about it?
3050 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 
717.285.5156 
