2025 LENTEN DEVOTIONAL

"Take Up Your Cross" by Tim Harvey

Lenten devotional books are available for pick up in the gathering area. Please take one per household and let it guide you this Lenten Season.

Take Up Your Cross invites you to join Jesus’ Palm Sunday parade and then continue with him along the tumultuous path of Holy Week to the cross and resurrection. Through scripture, story, history, and reflection on current events, we will attempt to see Jesus and experience beloved worship traditions with new eyes, hands, and feet. May we, like the first disciples, discover faith through Jesus’ death on a cross, a faith that is foolishness for some and a stumbling block to others, but for us reveals the power and wisdom of God.

**Lent begins on Wednesday March 5, and we will be hosting an Ash Wednesday Service at 5:45 PM in the chapel on that date. All are welcome!

YOUTH GROUP ACTIVITY

Youth and School Age Children join us for Dodgeball fun!! Please feel free to invite friends and neighbors as you wish.

On Sundays, February 16th to March 23rd in Fellowship Hall, 4:00 to 5:00pm

CALENDAR OF CHURCH EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

Saturday, February 22

10:00 am Food Pantry Open 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Sunday, February 23

9:00 am Sunday School

10:30 am Worship Service – Sanctuary

  4:00 pm Youth Group Dodgeball – Fellowship Hall

Monday, February 24

6:15 pm    Education Team – Anna Mow Room

Wednesday, February 26

6:30 pm   Women’s Bible Study – Anna Mow Room

Thursday, February 27

6:30 pm   Chancel Choir Rehearsal – Sanctuary

7:30 pm   Bell Choir Rehearsal – Bell Choir Room

Saturday, March 1

11:00 am   Celebration of Life for Marcus Carey – Fellowship Hall

Sunday, March 2

9:00 am   Sunday School

10:30 am   Worship Service – Sanctuary

4:00 pm   Youth Group Dodgeball – Fellowship Hall

Click on this button to view the full calendar

Additions and updates for prayer list or calendar of events are welcome by contacting the church office.

Special note for all Ministry Teams: Please notify the church office with any upcoming meetings or events for your team so we can add these dates to the calendar.

In addition to this prayer request list contained within each Friday's e-newsletter, we also have a "prayer chain" email list. We occasionally send immediate prayer requests to those who have opted in to receive the prayer chain and are committed to praying for each concern as they come. If you would like to be added to the prayer chain list, please notify the church office by email at secretary@yorkfirst.org or by phone (717) 755-0307. If you have a prayer request and desire it to be sent to this group, feel free to contact the church office anytime. Thank you!

Sunday School News

*Adult Church Membership Class*

Pastor Joel is planning to lead a church membership class soon for adults considering joining our church. Sunday at 9:00 AM starting march 2 and concluding May 4. All are welcome. Please contact him pastor@yorkfirst.org soon if you wish to participate.

Children's Sunday School Classes

9:00 AM in Rooms 151, 152, and 153. Children grades PreK (age 4) and up will have class lessons. Children ages 3-4 and younger are welcome to attend nursery care.

Youth Sunday School Class

9:00 AM in Room 155. Teacher Dave Witkovsky. This class is for youth in grades 7-12.

The class is studying a series on Women of the Bible.

Vine and Branches Sunday School Class

9:00 AM in Room 154. Teacher Kim Witkovsky. The class is following the "Guide for Biblical Studies" curriculum, this season's series entitled "A King Forever and Ever."

Lamplighters Sunday School Class

9:00 AM in Room 145. Teacher Leonard Stoner. The class will be studying the "Doctrine of Discovery."

Homebuilders Class

Mondays - 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM by conference call. To join, contact Mike Martin at

717-840-4184 or Caretaker@TwinBrookFarm.com and leave a phone number. The class studies lessons from the "Guide for Biblical Studies" curriculum.  

Upcoming Events

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

Wednesday March 5 - Ash Wednesday Service, 5:45 PM Chapel

Thursdays March 13, March 27, April 10 - Lent Dinners, 5:30 PM

Wednesday April 16 - Easter Egg Hunt, 5:30 PM

Thursday April 17 - Love Feast, 6:00 PM

OUR DAILY BREAD/SOUP KITCHEN - Friday, March 14, 2025

Sign up by calling Sandi Bowser at 717-825-7203 to make a casserole for Our Daily Bread/Soup Kitchen on Friday, March 14, 2025 (10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)

PLEASE contact Sandi to add your name and number of casseroles, so we can let

Our Daily Bread/Soup Kitchen know how many casseroles to expect.

The pans are located in the church lounge. Thank you! 

Save the Date

Denominational news and information is always available by visiting brethren.org

Read news updates by clicking the link below

Please subscribe to receive COB Newsline via email if you wish

Online Giving is safe, easy, and convenient. Sign up by going to our church website at: www.yorkfirst.org and click on the Online Giving Link or go directly to the Online Giving website at: http://www.osvhub.com/york-first/funds.

For assistance setting up your account,

call Donor Support at:  800-348-2886 – Option 2 – Online Giving Questions? Contact Sheryl Leaman - Thank you for your support!

NOTE: Online giving can be used for regular weekly or monthly offerings, special offerings, and capital campaign contributions, as well as many other specific outreach ministries that we sponsor.

I want to thank all the people at First Church that spoke encouraging words and well wishes to me as I prepared to move to MD. It was a mix of joy and sadness that I made the decision to move. Joy that I would be closer to family members. Sadness after being a member of York First Church of the Brethren for 46 years. I will miss all of you greatly. Thank you A/V team members that I will be able to keep in touch remotely by "attending" your worship service. My new address is 2502 Shelley Circle Unit 1C, Frederick, MD 21702. ~ Becky Wenger

LOOK WHO'S

CELEBRATING

THIS MONTH

02  Zoë Grace Miller  

05  Edward Sweigard 

06  Kevin McCracken

06  Thessa Sollenberger

08  Jason Wolf           

10  Chris Baldwin

11  Jacob Boogher

If your birthday is in MARCH

and is not on the list below or is listed

incorrectly, please contact the church office.

13  Gail Rutland

14  James Baldwin

22  Audrey Ginder             

25  Sheldon Markel      

26  Kim Witkovsky     

28  Seth Brickner 

Beginning in January 2025, Patricia Carey will be the Witness Team appointment for the Cash for Causes program. Please see Patricia before or after worship to purchase your Giant or Weis gift cards. Patricia will be at the table under the bulletin board in the

gathering area.

You may purchase the cards in amounts of $100, $50, $25, or $10. The cards make great gifts, especially at holidays. Consider donating cards to the Food Pantry or using them yourself any time you shop at Giant or Weis.

Since 2011, through the Cash for Causes program, the church has received 5% of sales to support various COB and local ministries. In 2024 the gift card sales supported The Lehman Center, New Community Project and the Carlisle Truck Stop Ministry with each receiving $233.08.    

For 2025, the Witness Team will review past giving and determine which agencies we will support this year. 

Anabaptist Community Bible: A New Testament Reading Plan

Winter-Spring 2025

We hope you are all devotedly reading scripture these days in the new Anabaptist Community Bible. Our goal as a church this season is to read the entire New Testament together between now and Easter.

A full plan for this reading is attached below and copies can be picked up in the Gathering Area for your use, giving specific assigned portions to read each day, normally 3 chapters. We can do this! Set a time each day to read and keep at it. The book introductions and articles at the back of the Bible are excellent as well. Let us study the Christian scriptures and talk about them together this season, trusting that the Holy Spirit is at work as we seek the mind of Christ.

LAST WEEK IN WORSHIP

If you need to reach the pastor outside of office hours, his mobile number is

(717) 271-4888. You can also email him at pastor@yorkfirst.org. Note that laws prevent hospitals from contacting a pastor without your permission when you are admitted, so you will need to contact the church if you desire a visit or to request prayer.