Petra News

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Church-Wide Events

This Sunday – How do we learn to listen to our needs and take them to the Lord? Join us this Sunday as Pastor Brian Flewelling shares a message called “Comfort in the Crazy.”

Songs – Lion And The Lamb, How Great Is Your Love, Revelation Song, The Passion

BELONG: The Journey - The focus of BELONG this Sunday is on “Grow.” Learn how to develop lifetime habits for spiritual growth. Come to the BELONG Room at 11:30 a.m. Please note that BELONG is offered only during the second service this summer through the month of August.

Communion - We will be taking communion during the morning services this Sunday. Please pick up your prepackaged communion elements from the table as you enter the Sanctuary or Balcony and keep your packaging until the end of the service. All Kingdom Kids volunteers serving outside the Sanctuary are welcome to take communion by going to the SLC Staff Work Room.

Many thanks to Janice Baldauf, who has served for 26 years as Petra’s Communications Administrator. She will be retiring on June 30. Janice put her hand to a wide range of administrative and communications tasks over the years, including the launch of the e-bulletin (now called Petra News) in 2007. She was honored by Pastor Brian Coles on Sunday as someone who “has caught our typos and nursed our grammar back to health” while carrying “a joyful personality and a passion for the things of God.” Janice will continue to be active in prayer and care for others in the church and community.

Welcome - We are very excited to welcome Erica Sensenig as Petra’s Communications Director! Erica worked at North Star Initiative over the past three years, most recently as Director of Operations. Her responsibilities included managing North Star’s social media, creating a wide range of marketing and communications pieces, event planning, donor relations, and coaching the survivors at The Harbor home. Erica graduated from Millersville University in 2020. She was previously involved at Petra as a leader in EDGE 78 and currently serves as a teen mentor and as a leader in the Nursery. Erica and her fiancé, Alex Allgyer, are looking forward to marriage this October!

Petra Summer Group

Sexual Integrity 101 - This 8-week video training is for anyone who wants to find freedom – or help others find freedom – from the effects of unwanted sexual behaviors and betrayal. It will show how shame and grace affect the healing process; give understanding about addiction and betrayal trauma; and get you started on the path to sexual health. Tuesdays, June 21-August 9, from 7-9 p.m. | For men and women ages 18+ | Cost: $20 | Register online by Monday, June 20.

Senior Adults

Mini Golf Activity - If you're 62+ and would enjoy some fun and fellowship over a game of miniature golf, join us at Waters Edge Mini Golf in Bird-in-Hand next Saturday, June 18, at 5:30 p.m. The golf course is adjacent to Bird-in-Hand Restaurant and Motor Inn. Following the golf game we will enjoy ice cream at the snack area. There's no need to register; just come! Both the golf and ice cream are self-pay.

Petra Men

All guys are invited to a Men's Breakfast at Shady Maple on Saturday, June 18, at 7 a.m. Pastor Elmer (Dutch) Fisher will be sharing his story. Dutch and his wife, Rosa, have been married for twenty years and have six children. Dutch and Rosa have served as assistant pastors in an Amish Mennonite church and as directors of a retreat center in Bradford County called The Haft. They were licensed at Petra on January 23 as part-time pastors of Encounter, an outreach to young adults coming out of the conservative community. Dutch enjoys cycling, hunting, and spending time with his family. The cost of the breakfast buffet is $10.

Kingdom Kids

It's almost here, and the excitement level is super high! It's our 2022 Vacation Bible School, which is running next week – Monday through Friday – from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. The theme is “Monumental: Celebrating God’s Greatness.” Kids from age 4 through Grade 4 will love this incredible week of music, games, snacks, and faith discoveries! Online registration is now closed, but you can still register your children onsite Monday night in the Sanctuary Lobby.

What to Expect - Registered participants, enter at the East Entrance and check in at the Kids’ Hub. Elementary kids will start each night of VBS in the Sanctuary with a large-group opening and then travel through several awesome rotations of games, Bible story, and the Cactus Café (crafts and snack). Preschoolers (ages 4 and 5) will also start their evening in the Sanctuary and enjoy their own rotations of games, Bible story, and craft and snack.

VBS T-shirts for children and VBS volunteers can be picked up in the Atrium this Sunday and every night next week at VBS. They are free this year!

With this year’s VBS offering we will be partnering with Ten Million for Christ and a young adult mission team from Petra to help lead an English Bible Camp in Romania. This popular summer camp is for youth ages 10-14.

We can always use help with clean-up on Friday night!

Thank you!!! We are excited and encouraged by everyone's response to serve during VBS. We are ready to see God move and come alive in the lives of the kids next week!

Let’s Read! The Petra Student Library's Summer Reading Program will run this summer through August 7. It's open to everyone from Pre-K through Grade 8. Sign up in the Student Library!

Local Outreach

Refugee Connect is continuing to collect used laptops, tablets, and keyboards along with household items and donations for multiple Ukrainian refugee families (over 40 people) who are arriving to this area. For a list of needed items, please visit SignUp Genius here or Amazon Wishlist here. Donations can be received at Petra from Monday through Thursday or – this Sunday yet – at the table in the Atrium. For more details, please contact Kris Flewelling at bkflew@hotmail.com.

Global Missions

Mission Prayer Focus - Pastors Mario and Jeanette Araya serve part-time as Petra missionaries overseeing Peniel Ministries, which ministers to Spanish-speaking people. Much of their ministry is with churches in Central America. Pray for God’s wisdom and provision in their ministry as they provide counsel and equip Spanish-speaking church leaders and others.