New Member Profile: Maryanne Wood

Over the next week, we invite you to join us in continuing to get to know our incoming new members as we post photos and bios.  On May 6 we will welcome these new members into our church family with open arms.  Following the 10 a.m. worship service, there will be a reception in the Spirit Cafe in celebration of their spiritual journeys.

“Life with Christ is a joyful banquet feast and I don’t want to miss any of it – or miss any chance to share His joy with others.  Even when life is a crazy, mixed up riot, God’s right there in the middle of it all, keeping it all together for us.   Amen!”

Maryanne Wood moved to Lancaster in 1972, where she first heard about personal relationships with Christ while riding the school bus.  Before that she had been raised in a family that “knew” God through church.  Out of curiosity she began reading the Bible daily at age 9.  When afflicted with paralysis from MS, a neighbor brought her to a healing service at a Methodist church in Gap, Pennsylvania.  She was completely healed and was able to walk, but more importantly entered into a personal saving grace relationship with Jesus Christ.  Maryanne committed her life to serving the Lord, and her new life began.

With medical documentations from doctors and encouragement from pastors, Maryanne was, and still is, asked to testify in many different forums.  She primarily shares her joy of knowing Jesus and the forgiveness He brings, and then secondarily, uses the physical healing and additional personal testimonies to illustrate other dimensions of His love and saving grace.  God’s amazing love continues to open doors for Maryanne to give witness and serve the Lord in nursing homes, homeless shelters, children’s church classes, short term missions, street evangelism, outreach projects and many other areas of God’s incredible harvest fields.

From her first visit to Hempfield UMC Maryanne found a “family” community joyfully embracing Acts 2:37-47, full of Christ’s love and anchored by acknowledging, “It is not us, but Christ within us.”  She looks forward to ministering in multiple areas within our church, in missions and in the community.  Maryanne is always amazed to see all the ways the Father’s touch, Christ’s blood and the Holy Spirit’s presence all work throughout the Body, to take any need known to man and change it into a testimony of transformed lives.

Currently taking a two year home Bible Degree course through Liberty University and presently employed, Maryanne continues to look for a change in job environment to one where she can share her love for the Lord in as many ways on the job as she does through her volunteering.

Maryanne’s hobbies are as varied as her excitement over all that God does and creates.  Fun or educational trips, hiking, exploring new places, museums, battlefields, natural parks, amusement parks, playing old fashioned indoor board games, outdoor games, reading, writing, learning new things, meeting new people and hanging out with loved ones as well as with strangers at a shelter or camp.

New Member Profile: The Wingert Family

Over the next week, we invite you to join us in continuing to get to know our incoming new members as we post photos and bios.  On May 6 we will welcome these new members into our church family with open arms.  Following the 10 a.m. worship service, there will be a reception in the Spirit Cafe in celebration of their spiritual journeys.

Nate and Michelle Wingert and their sons Aidan and Brady, are so thankful to have found Hempfield United Methodist Church.  The Wingerts live in Centerville, Pennsylvania.  Nate was raised in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and Michelle was raised here in Lancaster.

Both Nate and Michelle are middle school music teachers in the School District of Lancaster.   The boys enjoy watching and playing football and baseball with Nate, playing outside with their friends, building Legos or playing games.  Nate and Michelle enjoy exercising, reading and watching Aidan and Brady participate in flag football or baseball games.

The family began attending the 10 a.m. worship service after visiting Hempfield UMC during their search for a new church home.  They were immediately intrigued by Pastor John’s sermon series, and could not wait to return the following week to hear the next sermon.  It was not until Nate and Michelle found Hempfield UMC that they really felt their journey of Christ begin.  While they both had been weekly church-goers, they never really understood the message that came from church services.  Through weekly attendance at Hempfield UMC and the study of the Bible through the New Member Class, they have become infatuated with their newly found knowledge of the life that Christ has prepared for us.

Since both Nate and Michelle are musicians, they love the contemporary music included during the 10 a.m. worship time.  The size of the church and its various offerings are impressive.  They especially enjoy the youth programs, and look forward to Aidan and Brady’s involvement in them.  Currently Michelle substitutes as a shepherd for Sunday School classes and Nate recently joined the church softball team.

New Member Profile: Delores (Dee) Weiss

Over the next week, we invite you to join us in continuing to get to know our incoming new members as we post photos and bios.  On May 6 we will welcome these new members into our church family with open arms.  Following the 10 a.m. worship service, there will be a reception in the Spirit Cafe in celebration of their spiritual journeys.

Dee was a member of Hempfield UMC from 1985 until 2005 at which time she transferred her membership to St Marks UMC in Mt Joy. She was active at Hempfield UMC though by volunteering through clerical work, singing in the choir and assisting the worship leader, Lisa Baer.

Dee was born in a small town in Franklin County. After graduating from High School she enrolled in West Chester University and ultimately received a degree in music education. She taught music for several years and was then offered a job in an elementary school. It was necessary for her to take graduate courses to get her elementary teaching certificate in addition to her music certification. She retired from teaching in 1983.

Many hobbies keep Dee busy. She knits, does several crafts, enjoys jigsaw and crossword puzzles and plays games on the computer. After the death of her husband of 54 years in 2007 she moved to East Petersburg.  Dee attends the 8:30 a.m. worship service and has been attending the Breakfast Bible Study as well as the Caring Stitches. Her immediate family consists of one daughter, Joni, a son-in-law Tim, and two grandchildren, Jonathan, 22, and Missy, 19. Dee has been involved with a church from her earliest memory and has been active in many groups. Her faith in God continues to deepen with age.

New Member Profile: Sam & Joani Patterson

Over the next week, we invite you to join us in continuing to get to know our incoming new members as we post photos and bios.  On May 6 we will welcome these new members into our church family with open arms.  Following the 10 a.m. worship service, there will be a reception in the Spirit Cafe in celebration of their spiritual journeys.

Sam and Joani Patterson moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 2011, just before the infamous Halloween snow storm.  With no electricity for five days, they didn’t have a “warm” welcome to the area.

The warm welcome came when they began attending Hempfield United Methodist Church.  The powerful sermons, the beautiful music at each service, and the wide range of activities kept them coming back week after week.  Singing in the Easter choir gave them an opportunity to meet many wonderful people.

They previously lived in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, for 30 years with their daughters, Sara and Jill.  Both girls married and relocated; one to Lancaster and one to Philadelphia.  With the birth of their first grand-baby, Cooper, a move to this area was inevitable.

Sam and Joani grew up in Western Pennsylvania and met forty years ago.  In 2004 Sam retired as a Pennsylvania State Policeman after a 34 year career.  Joani, a graduate of Penn State, has managed two non-profit organizations and owns a copyright licensing company.

New Member Profile: Sherry Lupold

Over the next two weeks, we invite you to join us in getting to know our incoming new members as we post photos and bios.  On May 6 we will welcome these new members into our church family with open arms.  Following the 10 a.m. worship service, there will be a reception in the Spirit Cafe in celebration of their spiritual journeys.

Sherry Lupold grew up in Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, and later moved to Lancaster with her family.  After graduating from Crestwood High School she enrolled and later graduated from Nursing School.  Sherry and her husband Scott adopted their daughter Emily from Chongquing, China, in 2007.  At the time, Emily was 12 months old and to this day remains the couple’s only child.  Sadly, Scott passed away in 2009 when Emily was only 3-1/2 years old.

Sherry chose to attend Hempfield UMC since it was close to home and within her daughter’s school district.  Becoming involved in the church, Sherry began attending the Tuesday evening women’s Bible study class.  She enjoyed meeting other members of the church and the community.  However, if you see her outside of church, Sherry will probably be perusing yard sales, searching for bargains and antiques.

As a church member, Sherry’s goal is to grow in her faith.  She is most excited to volunteer within the CARE ministries.  It is Sherry’s hope that her nursing skills and compassionate heart can be used to help others in need.

New Member Profile: Dan & Amy Harbaugh

Over the next two weeks, we invite you to join us in getting to know our incoming new members as we post photos and bios.  On May 6 we will welcome these new members into our church family with open arms.  Following the 10 a.m. worship service, there will be a reception in the Spirit Cafe in celebration of their spiritual journeys.

Dan and Amy Harbaugh and their children, Conner, 10, and Cameron, 8, decided to join Hempfield United Methodist Church for the strong youth programs and friendships they have since developed with several other families at the church.

Prior to attending the 10 a.m. service at Hempfield UMC, the family attended Lutheran churches.  It was at a former church that both Dan and Amy taught Junior and Senior High School Sunday School.  However, Amy also enjoyed teaching Sunday School to the younger kids in kindergarten through third grade and serving in the nursery.  The entire family is very excited to become involved at Hempfield UMC and looks forward to meeting other members of their new church family.

Dan is originally from Garnivillo, Iowa, and Amy is from Christiana, Pennsylvania.  Currently, Dan serves as the quality control manager at Rock Tenn and Amy is the accountant at Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster.  In the past she has put her accounting background to use serving as the church treasurer at a former church.  In their free time, Dan coaches youth sports and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.  Amy likes reading a good book, attending her kid’s various activities, and also spending time with family and friends.

New Member Profile: Mark Gaddis

Over the next two weeks, we invite you to join us in getting to know our incoming new members as we post photos and bios.  On May 6 we will welcome these new members into our church family with open arms.  Following the 10 a.m. worship service, there will be a reception in the Spirit Cafe in celebration of their spiritual journeys.

Mark Gaddis, originally from Quarryville, Pennsylvania, considers the church his family and looks forward to becoming involved in life at Hempfield UMC as well as meeting members of this new family.  He enjoys Christian artwork and music and began attending the 10 a.m. service at the church in search of the truth.  Mark’s journey of faith began when he came to Christ after being attacked by evil.  Today though Mark proclaims that he is healed, saved and on his way to salvation with Jesus Christ.

New Member Profile: Brenda & Chip Coffin

Over the next two weeks, we invite you to join us in getting to know our incoming new members as we post photos and bios.  On May 6 we will welcome these new members into our church family with open arms.  Following the 10 a.m. worship service, there will be a reception in the Spirit Cafe in celebration of their spiritual journeys.

Brenda and Chip Coffin have attended Hempfield United Methodist Church regularly for almost two years and reside in Lititz, Pennsylvania. They have three children-  Ben, 29, who resides in Baltimore, Maryland, with his new wife Jessica; Miles, 19, an entrepreneurial business major at the College of Charleston; and Kirk, 15, a sophomore at Manheim Township High School who plays lacrosse and is working on his Eagle Scout project.

Chip has a dental practice in Lancaster, and has been in practice for 23 years.  Brenda is a therapist and professional life coach with a private practice.  She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Ministry in Formational Counseling at Ashland Theological Seminary.  She is also beginning Spiritual Direction training at Kairos in Shillington, Pennsylvania, in the fall.

Chip enjoys the outdoors, playing the drums and reading.  Brenda likes nature, writing and cooking Mediterranean food.  Together they join their son Kirk backpacking and on other scouting adventures. The whole family loves the beach.

Brenda and Chip both came to Christ as children and families who were members of the Methodist church; Brenda in Hummelstown and Chip in Rockville, Maryland.  They were drawn to the spirit led teaching and worship at Hempfield UMC, as well as the warm sense of community and outreach.  Chip serves in the music ministry as a percussionist. Brenda would like to serve in the capacity of teaching and equipping people in their spiritual journey.

New Member Profile: Stacey Bollinger

Stacey Bollinger moved to Lancaster with her husband, Jamie, in June 2010 with the purchase of their first home. This past February they welcomed their first child, Adelynn Marie. Stacey holds a bachelor’s degree in communication/journalism and a master’s degree in communication studies. She has worked in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors in the marketing and public relations field. She is currently a Tastefully Simple consultant and looking for a job in the marketing and public relations industry closer to home. While at Shippensburg University for her studies, she met her husband, Jamie. Jamie works within the education department at LancasterHistory.org, where he recently joined their team after working in downtown Lancaster at the Heritage Center of Lancaster.

Since moving to the area, Stacey was in search for a new church home. Growing up in the Methodist faith she began her search there. After passing Hempfield UMC while going to and from daycare for Addie, she thought she would check things out. Stacey and Addie began attending services this summer together. She loves the vast array of programs for every age group and how alive the spirit is here. Some of her happiest childhood memories involve activities at or surrounding the church, and she wanted a fun, creative and vibrant environment for Addie to learn about and grow in her relationship with Christ.

Stacey has a love of baking, wine tasting, walking around and exploring downtown Lancaster, and all things art. She is a classically trained singer, and most recently performed with Opera Lancaster in their 2010 production of Opera Lancaster. She looks forward to becoming involved in our church family and their music ministry.

Click HERE to see profiles of the rest of our new members and be sure to welcome them when you see them. 

New Member Profile: Vanessa Labarriere

Sabine Vanessa Labarriere has three children who attend the church with her and she is a nurse at Moravian Manor.

She moved to Lancaster four years ago from New York, but was born in Haiti. She speaks creole and french. She loves reading and spending time with her kids, skating  and cooking.

She attends the 10 a.m. service and decided to join the church because she “loves the fact that my kids are able to know more about God by attending the classes.”

“I also love how friendly everyone is and how welcome they made me feel,” Vanessa wrote. “What drew me to the church is the fact that I only live across the street from it and I needed a church to go and pray to the Lord. I didn’t think that I would love it so much that I would want to be a member.”

“When I was a little girl, my mom always took me to church on Sundays. We were Catholic and as I got older and started reading the Bible I knew what it ment to give yourself to the Lord. When I was 22 I had a horrible car accident – the car was totaled but I came out with no broken arms or legs. That’s when I decided that God needs me and He protected me from this accident and that I must give myself to Him and praise Him for all He has done for me.”

Vanessa currently isn’t involved in serving at the church but is interested in getting involved in helping out with people in need.

Check back tomorrow for a profile of Stacey Bollinger. Click HERE to see all of the profiles we’ve run so far.