Blessing of the Keys Rescheduled
We have a plethora of wonderful things planned for our June 3 service. So that we can offer a Blessing of the Keys to our new drivers and give this milestone the attention and respect it deserves, it has been rescheduled for June 10. Congratulations new drivers!
Graduate Recognition Sunday & Blessing of the Keys
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” ~Proverbs 3:5
With springtime comes the rite of passage found in graduation. A road of hard work and perseverance are rewarded. On Sunday, June 3 during our 8:30 and 10 a.m. worship services we invite you to honor those graduating from high school and college. Click here to submit a Graduate Recognition Announcement! During worship service we will also be hosting a Blessing of the Keys to mark the great milestone and responsibility as many teens earn their driver’s licenses.
Questions? Please contact Sue Nesbitt, associate for youth discipleship.
Please note: So that we can provide recognition to graduates, kindly submit a Graduate Recognition Announcement by Monday, May 21.
2011 Highlights: 30 Hour Famine
SHOUT’s 30 Hour Famine raised enough money in 2011 to feed more than 100 hungry children.
Challenging economic times and all, the SHOUT youth shattered their fundraising goal of $34,000 by more than $2,800 with a total of $36,834.15 raised, a number multiplied by six through matching government grants.
“I am constantly amazed at the generosity that God inspires when our passions meet his pleasure,” Youth Director Sean Garner said after the tally was finalized. “SHOUT specifically targeted an amount of lives to impact through fundraising that was LESS than the last few years because our eyes were on the stock market NOT on God’s abundant supply.”
For 30 hours from Friday, March 4, to Saturday, March 5, Famine participants fasted but the fundraising lasted well before and after their time of “loving hungry.” Money was raised through sponsorships from individuals in the congregation and community, partnerships with Isaac’s Restaurant and Loxley’s Restaurant on Centerville Road and private donations.
This year’s Famine will be held Feb. 3-4. Fundraisers are being held at Isaac’s on Centerville Road Feb. 9, 16, 22 and 28.
Did you participate in last year’s Famine? What impact did it have on you?
2011 Highlights: Indoor Yard Sale
For both Dawn and me, helping to run the yard sale is always the annual highlight of our volunteering here at Hempfield UMC. There are so many ways to see God at work that it is truly overwhelming. There are the obvious ways, of course…the generosity of our congregation and friends with so many, many wonderful donations; the enthusiasm of the volunteers, both adult and youth, as everyone enjoys each others’ company throughout the week to make it all happen; the thrill of hearing the total profit and knowing that God has provided for our kids to go serve.
But inevitably, it is the quiet moments that are the most powerful, and there is no shortage of these, either…being able to tell a senior member who recently downsized that her treasured possessions are now at the home of a family in real need; hearing a woman thank us for helping her provide clothes for her family during these hard times; accepting an anonymous payment for a bike that was given to a person in need of transportation for work, but who could not afford it. This list could go on and on.
It is humbling to be part of an event where we all put the pieces in place and just let God work!
The 2011 Indoor Yard Sale raised $13,000 for youth mission trips. This year’s Indoor Yard Sale will be Saturday, March 17.
In what way did you see God work at last year’s Indoor Yard Sale?
30 Hour Famine Promo
For more information on the 30 Hour Famine our middle school and high school students will be doing Feb. 3-4, visit shout.hempfieldumc.com/30-hour-famine
Congratulations, Hempfield Field Hockey!
Photo by Jeff Ruppenthal, Sunday News
In case you haven’t already heard, the Hempfield High School field hockey team defeated local rivals Warwick 1-0 to win the Class AAA state championship on Saturday thanks to a Megan Bupp goal assisted by Rachel Cox.
SHOUT regulars Morgan Hilliard, Marissa Greiner and Melissa and Ashley Cox are also on the team, which finished their dream season with a 19-6-1 record.
“It’s unbelievable,” Morgan told Sunday News reporter Pete Kauffman. “This has been our dream. To win the final game of your high school field hockey career is amazing.”
SHOUT Warrior Run Photos
A couple weeks ago, our high school youth went to Lake Grubb Nature Park in Mountville for the second Warrior Run. Here are some photos of the action.
Taking on a goliath of a project
Pastor Ken Zimmerman of Community United Methodist Church in Daytona Beach, Fla., sent Pastor John a letter last week he wanted to share with the congregation:
I want to send to you my personal words of appreciation for sending Sean the the SHOUT crew to our church. They took on the “goliath” size of a project in painting the exterior of our church and our custodian’s home.
They did a fabulous, quality, amazing job! The church folks and the community folks around the church were amazed and so appreciative of all the hard work. The attitudes of the youth and leaders were positive and I never saw a lazy body the entire week. They even made the front page of the local section of the local newspaper!
I want to pass on to you as one pastor to another how impressed I have been with Sean’s leadership. He has been awesome to work with over the 3 month journey. He has been responsive and thorough in our communication and coordination of this project.
I trust you will really show the SHOUT crew great recognition and appreciation upon their return for the amazing job they did at Community UMC.
May God continue to guide you and enrich your ministry as you seek to build the kingdom of God one life at a time in Jesus.
Your brother in Jesus,
Pastor Ken Zimmerman
SHOUT in Daytona Beach newspaper
SHOUT is helping get Community UMC in Daytona Beach, Fla., (pictured above) up to code this week.
The SHOUT high school mission trip’s work helping a church in Dayton Beach, Fla., get back up to code has caught the attention of the Daytona Beach News-Journal, which published an article today about the group’s efforts.
With the exception of making youth director Sean Garner a reverend – something he’s already getting a hard time about – the article does a great job of capturing why a group of 50-plus youth would travel all the way from Pennsylvania in July to lend a helping hand.
“We’re doing something outrageous for God,” 16-year-old Sarah Parkins was quoted saying in the article. “We’re spreading the word. We’re kind of doing something for nothing. Our youth pastor said that’s not really common around here.”
Click HERE to read the rest of the article. Check out more photos of the youth in action in sunny Florida on the SHOUT Facebook page at facebook.com/shouthempfield.
30 Hour Famine Shatters Fundraising Goal
More than 100 starving children will be fed for a year thanks to the outstanding efforts of the 120 youth adults participating in SHOUT’s 30 Hour Famine.
Challenging economic times and all, the SHOUT youth shattered their fundraising goal of $34,000 by more than $2,800 with a total of $36,834.15 raised. With matching government grants, that number will be multiplied by six.
“I am constantly amazed at the generosity that God inspires when our passions meet his pleasure,” said Sean Garner, director of youth. “SHOUT specifically targeted an amount of lives to impact through fundraising that was LESS than the last few years because our eyes were on the stock market NOT on God’s abundant supply.”
For 30 hours from Friday, March 4, to Saturday, March 5, Famine participants fasted but the fundraising lasted well before and after their time of “loving hungry.” Money was raised through sponsorships from individuals in the congregation and community, partnerships with Isaac’s Restaurant and Loxley’s Restaurant on Centerville Road and private donations.
Erika Glass, a youth participant in the Famine, wrote in a previous blog post that participating in the Famine was an “eye-opening event.”
“It’s not difficult, as long as you have an open heart,” Glass wrote. “Giving up four quarters in exchange for saving a child’s life for a day? That sounds like a pretty good deal to me.”
Consistently one of the top fund-raisers in the country for the annual World Vision event, our youth have raised more than $250,000 for the Famine, single-handedly helping to put a dent in the number of the world’s hungry.
3050 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 
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