Women of Faith recap
By Fran Miller
Imagine…
Laughing until your cheeks hurt.
Crying, because an old wound has just been opened…again.
Surrendering to the One who takes that pain away.
Raising your arms because you need to praise.
Nodding your head because, yes, you’ve heard that story and you’ve “been there”.
Bonding with other believers who don’t even know you.
Singing your heart out until you’re hoarse.
Experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit like you never have before.
Affirming that you are loved, completely and fully through the grace of Jesus Christ.
This is Women of Faith; it is an event attended by 4 million women, cumulatively, several of which were sisters from Hempfield United Methodist Church. While gathering on that second weekend in September at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, this group of women enjoyed the conference where we listened to outstanding speakers share their stories, laughed at ourselves and our relationships through comedian Tim Hawkins, enjoyed dramas that challenged our thinking, and praised Jesus as we sang with Natalie Grant and Mary, Mary.
VBS kids learn about poverty
By Amy Jordan
I was very touched by my experiences in organizing the missions piece for VBS this year. In partnership with Dan and Cindy Macha from the Building Hope ministry, our mission this year focused on feeding the children in Wachara, Africa and taking steps in ending hunger.
We demonstrated how much a typical American family eats compared to a family in Wachara. Wow, was that an eye-opener! Dan and Cindy developed a short role play which reflected a family of 5 from Wachara. A few of the VBS kids participated in the role play which we carried out about mid-week. This live demonstration seemed to have a big impact on the kids and really touched their hearts. And, we had a very special visit from Julie Campbell who shared with the children about being a missionary and answered their questions about life in Wachara. We learned a lot! Through it all, the VBS kids responded very generously. They truly gave from their hearts. Many of them came with their spare change and others kept coming back night after night. They gave with genuine, loving spirits.
It was such a blessing to see their kindness and compassion which demonstrated the way Jesus loves each of us. Every child left VBS with a brown paper bag. In that bag was dry cornmeal – about enough to feed a family of 4. Attached to the front of the bag was a picture of a child from Wachara. We asked the VBS kids to pray for this child. On the back of the picture was a recipe to make “Ugali” which is a cornmeal dish typical of Wachara. We invited the kids to experience “Ugali” and if they were so inclined, they could make it their only meal for the day to experience what hunger feels like for those living in poverty! This is my second year in coordinating the missions part of VBS and I have been amazed both years at the kids’ hearts and their compassion to reach out and help others. It’s a blessing to be involved in the whole experience!
Women’s Dinner Recap
The ladies in our small group attended the Women’s Dinner on Wednesday evening May 18th. Since this is not the first Women’s Dinner I’ve attended, I thought I knew what to expect. We sat close to the back and our table filled up quickly. A delicious chicken dinner was served to us and after dinner, coffee and chocolate cake. It was easy to see a lot of thought and preparation had gone into the meal.
In previous years, I’ve enjoyed listening to the speakers but Tabitha was different. Her story of hardship and then the blessing of her husband Joseph, how they met and the adversity they faced before marriage was captivating. Tabitha gave God the glory for bringing her and Joseph together. Even before Tabitha spoke, she had us on our feet singing praises to God. Throughout her testimony, she gave God the glory for what He has done in her life.
Tabitha has a dream. She told us of a disciple serving the poor from the book of Acts named Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. Tabitha shared stories of hardship with us about women in her village in Kenya, Africa, and how she believes a ministry can help them. She’s named her dream “Dorcas Ministries.” Tabitha closed with a prayer of gratitude. Her prayer felt like a fountain of gratitude overflowing for all we take for granted in our day to day lives. We were again on our feet thanking Jesus for water, for our homes, for our comfortable transportation, for the mattresses we sleep on, for health care, education, food, and so many blessings we have and don’t always think about.
I thank God that He led Joseph and Tabitha to Hempfield UMC and for the dream He has given Tabitha. I can’t wait to see where God will lead Dorcas Ministries and how He will use us to help fulfill this dream. As I left the Women’s dinner with a much deeper feeling of gratitude than when I had arrived, I couldn’t help thinking that I wanted to spend more time with my sister, Tabitha.
Go Serve Day – Faith Friendship Ministries
By Diane Adams
Seven of us went to Faith Friendship Ministries in Mountville, a residence for adults with mental illness, on GoServe Day April 30.
Kathy Spleen and I washed windows, while Chris, Georgie, Mary, Amanda and Kate mulched and planted flowers.
Besides working, we were encouraged to interact with the “family” members. We met numerous people who welcomed us, shared stories and family photos, and expressed their appreciation for our help. After finishing our tasks, we helped the jovial kitchen staff serve lunch to all 74 residents.
Being accustomed to volunteering in a noisy elementary school cafeteria, I was amazed at how quiet, polite and appreciative each person was, and at the harmony of all 74 family members sharing a meal together. FFM is obviously a special place, and all seven of us felt blessed to be guests in their home.
Washington D.C. Trip
Why did we travel over 300 miles on Sunday, April 10th?
By Diane Adams
Ginger Kelshaw and I traveled to Washington, DC, that day to attend International Justice Mission’s Advocacy Training Day. Along with 200 other concerned U.S. citizens from as far away as California, we learned how to effectively speak up for the victims of human trafficking by advocating for preventative measures, protection for victims and tougher laws against perpetrators.
The day’s main focus was to learn about and advocate for the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protections Act, which has been reauthorized by Congress every 2 to 3 years since its inception in 2000. This Act created the first comprehensive federal law to address human trafficking through prevention, protection and prosecution. It accounts for 0.00005% of the total federal budget, yet is one of the most effective foreign relations agencies in the U.S. government.
We returned home with stacks of postcards asking Congress to reauthorize TVPA. The signed cards will be delivered to legislators in June. Want to do a small thing to make a big difference? Contact Ginger or me and tell me you’d like to sign a postcard and show your support to end human trafficking.
“Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17
E-mail Diane Adams at dadams9210(at)yahoo.com.
He is able – A Women’s Bible Study recap
Where can you find laughter and tears, friendship and understanding, warm hugs and a desire for you to be your best?…at Women’s Bible study! Our Tuesday evening Women’s Bible Study just completed the study “Faithful, Abundant, True.” The video study was led by Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shrier and Beth Moore. Each leader used two weeks and led us on a journey that showed us how we can be assured that God loves us with a fierce love, equips us with a never-ending supply of mercy and power, and is able to do more than we can ever imagine. All we need to do is claim His gifts for us to be complete women in Him.
Each week we began with a time of praise and prayer. Then we broke into our small groups to go in-depth in the previous week’s homework. Finally we met together again and watched the video for the week. We started a time called afterglow which is an optional time from 8:30 to 9 when we welcome all to meet in the Spirit Café to fellowship, pray or meet new people.
As a group of ladies, we have adopted Julie Campbell and our sisters in Wachara as our mission project. This session we collected women’s sanitary products, travel-size toiletries and some goodies for Julie. We ended up with two large egg boxes to send to Kenya. On Nov. 15, I took the boxes to the post office. Little did I know that God was going to show me first-hand one of the lessons we learned…HE IS ABLE. While I was standing in the very long line at the post office, a couple behind me commented on my large boxes. I started talking to them about Julie and the work she is doing in Kenya as well as the Life for Children Ministry. Other people were listening and soon several people started handing me money toward the postage. Although we collected money for postage in study, we were short and God was able to meet that need in a very unexpected way. The boxes are on their way to Kenya and the gals are anxiously awaiting them. I came away with a renewed sense of God’s ability to take care of even the smallest detail when we work for Him! I just LOVE God moments!
We finished our fall study with a covered dish dinner. We enjoyed a holiday skit by Carol Hulstine and Sue Grigas that showed again how God can meet all of our needs. We also enjoyed hearing from Cindy Macha as she shared her experiences in Kenya and the condition of our sisters there. We were both humbled and given a new zeal for helping them.
Women’s Bible Study has been such a blessing in my life. To learn, share and grow with other ladies as we serve our faithful and loving God is not only a joy but a privilege. Please join our next study beginning in January. We will be studying the teachings of the Apostle Paul with Beth Moore. We would be honored to have you!
Men At The Cross Recap
By Gordon Nesbitt
Twenty seven men and youth from Hempfield United Methodist Church attended the Men at the Cross event at Calvary Church on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Men at the Cross is all about discipling men to Christ. The goal is for men to get involved in one-to-one relationships with other young men in the same manner that Paul discipled Timothy.
The verse that guides Men at the Cross is 2 Timothy 2:2 “…and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” The men in attendance on Oct. 16 heard inspirational sermons from the founder of Men at the Cross, Joe White, as well as national speakers, Dr. Rick Rigsby and Dana Thomas.
All the men are looking forward to next year’s event and to bringing more men with us.
Gloriously Ruined
By Julie Welles
Someone in the church shared a devotional that included an excerpt from Kay Warren’s book, Say Yes to God, A Call to Courageous Surrender. I was completely floored by Kay’s description of how she felt after coming back from a trip to Africa:
When I speak nowadays to small groups getting ready to go on short-term mission trips, I half jokingly invite them to become members of the Seriously Disturbed, Gloriously Ruined Club. Some of them look at me as though I’m nuts – they can’t imagine what I’m talking about, but then they seek me out when they return from their trip and say, “Now I get it; I’m ruined.” They are no longer content to live with the focus of their lives being on their world – themselves, their problems, their family, their career. Their eyes have been opened to new realities. They have seen how the suffering world lives, and it is now real…
What about you? You don’t have to go to Africa to prove that you’re seriously disturbed and gloriously ruined. That’s where dangerous surrender to God led me, but it’s not a litmus test of the depth of your obedience to God. What is a litmus test of your surrender and obedience to God is how you treat the least among us (see Matthew 25:40). Will you allow God to shake up your comfortable world on behalf of those most in need, whether they live around the world or around the corner?
I’m not just ruined; I’m gloriously ruined! I’m more vibrantly alive than I’ve ever been. I have discovered richness in relationships and work that had eluded me before. I have a better grasp on how to find joy and pleasure in the middle of dire circumstances. Caring for those Jesus loves draws me closer to him … I would never go back to who I used to be. Becoming seriously disturbed and gloriously ruined is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
-Say Yes to God: A Call to Courageous Surrender, by Kay Warren
When people ask me about my trip to Kenya, I always say it was “life changing.” But even those words didn’t seem to give teeth to my feelings. It was so much more than that! When I received this from a congregation member, it blew my mind. THAT’S IT! I am gloriously ruined! That is exactly what it felt like. Nothing in my life will ever be the same. God has shown me things about His Kingdom, His people and myself that will forever change the way I think, live and breathe.
As I have shared before, six months ago, I had no intention of going to Kenya on this mission trip. I stubbornly drug my feet, kicking and screaming. But God had other plans. He called me to go, and once I surrendered, I was at peace. Little did I know that He was getting me ready for the most amazing spiritual mind shift of my life. It was deeply disturbing, emotionally draining, humbling, and yet the most incredibly wonderful, joyous event in my life. Because of the Holy Spirit’s work, I see everything so much differently. And I am happy to be a part of the Seriously Disturbed, and Gloriously Ruined club! Come, join with me – let God shake your world. You will never regret surrendering to Him!
Women’s Retreat Recap
By Carol Hulstine
What do bobbing for apples, hiking the trails at Valley Forge, eating chocolate cake with your fingers, communion, and a cardboard Jesus with ketchup stains all have in common?
Well, they are all just a few of the things that took place at April’s Women’s Retreat at the National Christian Conference Center in Valley Forge, Pa. Thirty women fellowshipped at this year’s annual event. Hempfield UMC’s Sue Ezard provided powerful testimony and instruction comparing the care an orchard master gives his apple trees and how God cares for us, bringing us through “chilling hours” and supplying us with necessary “nutrients” to help us yield a most bountiful “crop” for His glory.
There was laughter, tears, connecting with new and old friends, praise and worship, and a whole lot of the Holy Spirit among and within us. It was a weekend we “won’t soon forget”, the “best, best, best ever!” The Bible verse, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings” in Psalm 17:8 (NLT) was our focus for the weekend.
See more photos Sharon Albright took from the weekend at our Picasa page.
If you would like to be involved in the planning of next year’s retreat, please contact either Dottie Young 872-8845, iloveld@verizon.net; or Carol Hulstine 290-6880, tchulstine@comcast.net. We would love for you to be involved.
3050 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 
717.285.5156 
