From our recent Congregational Forum,

attached are Slate Ballot results

and the approved revisions to our Congregational Structure.

Please click on the button to view.

CALENDAR OF CHURCH EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

Saturday, November 8

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

Sunday, November 9

9:00 am    Sunday School

10:30 am  Worship Service/CDC Recognition – Sanctuary

4:00 pm  Youth Group/Dodgeball – FH

Tuesday, November 11

6:30 pm  Leadership Team – Rm 154

Wednesday, November 12

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

Thursday, November 13

6:30 pm   Chancel Choir Practice – Sanctuary

Friday, November 14

8:30 am   Soup Kitchen – (Casseroles due at church by 8:30)

Sunday, November 16

9:00 am   Sunday School

10:30 am   Worship Service – Sanctuary (with Food Pantry Collection)

12:00 pm   Deacon Meeting – Anna Mow Room

4:00 pm   Youth Group/Dodgeball – FH

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

*Junior High Youth Membership Class*

9:00 AM in the Multi-Purpose Room. Teacher Pastor Joel Gibbel. The class will be learning about some core beliefs and practices of the Church of the Brethren this week.

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.

Senior High Youth Sunday School Class

9:00 AM in Room 155. Teacher Dave Witkovsky. Youth in grades 9-12 are welcome.

Vine & Branches Class

The class will be joining with the Lamplighter's Class for the fall season. Please see below.

Lamplighters Class

9:00 AM in Room 145. Teacher Lyn Miller. The class is now studying

“12 Daring Women of the Bible," this week - Puah & Shiphrah

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. 

November is for Fighting Hunger at First Church!

Our church family is always generous in supporting our Food Pantry! Your donations are very much appreciated by the clients and volunteers. This ministry is now more important than ever. More and more members of our community are facing food insecurity with loss of assistance and increased prices for groceries. This month we want to make a special effort to help those who visit our Food Pantry. We are collecting Meals in a Bag and pantry items on the second, third and fourth Sundays of November. (Meals in a Bag are made up of economical ingredients for a meal to feed 4-6 people. The recipes do not require ingredients other than what are provided in the bag.). The recipes are available in the Gathering Space. 

November 9

The collection on the 9^th will be for White Chicken Chili in a Bag.  Purchase the ingredients listed for the recipe and place them in a plastic bag. Zip-loc bags are best, but any plastic bag will do. The printed recipe provided should be placed in the bag. These will be collected during worship on November 9. You can also put your Meal in a Bag in the Food Pantry Wagon at any time.            

November 16 

November 18^th is the last time the Food Pantry will be open before Thanksgiving, so on November 16^th we will be collecting Turkey Dinner in a Bag. Once again, use the ingredients listed in the recipe as your shopping list and follow the directions above for putting together the bag. 

November 16 is also the regularly scheduled collection for the Food Pantry. Monetary donations are very much appreciated as the shelves empty quickly.

November 23 

November 23 is the last Sunday of our Food Pantry focus since the 30^th will begin the Advent season. On the 23^rd we are hoping to collect pantry staples. Sugar, flour and cooking oil are always in demand. We also have a need for manual can openers since some of the clients are unhoused.  

Upcoming Events

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:

Sunday November 9 - CDC Celebration Sunday

Sunday November 30 - First Sunday of Advent

Sunday December 7 - Advent Breakfast

Sunday December 14 - Holiday Concert

Sunday December 21 - Christmas Cantata

Don't be caught off-guard this holiday season! Whether the visit is expected or not, treat your guests to famous Naylor Butter Mints or delicious nut treats.

Order you hand-made candies today!

Buttermints, Butter Toffee Cashews, Butter Toasted Peanuts, Cashew Crunch

Orders Due : November 8th



Pick up: November 24th 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Garden Room

Order Forms can also be found

on the counter in gathering area.

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

Sign up by calling Sandi Bowser at 717-825-7203 to make a casserole for

Our Daily Bread/Soup Kitchen on Friday, November 14, 2025 (10:30 a.m. to 12:00 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!

________________________________________________________ 

Special Note from Sandi Bowser:

Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, 331 S. George St. York

I understand that our church was one of the first in York County to volunteer.

We provide spaghetti casseroles the second Friday of each month. Usually our church donates 13 to 15 casseroles each month. However, this past October I only had 10 donations. I had made 4 and a friend of mine had made 2.

I’m not asking all people to make that many. I’d like to have 12 more volunteers to commit to one or two times a year. I’m going to California to be with a relative during his surgery in November. (My phone # is 717-825-7203) If you want guidance, call me. You will find recipes in the Anna Mow Room in a box with the casserole holders. When your casserole is finished, we place them in the church kitchen freezer on the top 2 shelves.

Our second contribution – three volunteers and I serve the spaghetti, a small salad, bread or rolls, dessert, and either tea or water from 11am till 12 noon on the second Friday. 99% of the “customers” are friendly and respectful as are we.

Paula is the person in charge. She runs a tight ship. Both our guests and we respect her.

Please offer to join us. Consider joining by either making one or two casseroles a year and/or serving the food once or twice a year. I think you’ll realize as I did and still do how blessed you are. Don’t hesitate to call me 717-825-7203.

ADVENT WILL BE HERE IN NO TIME AND THAT MEANS IT IS TIME FOR POINSETTIAS AGAIN!

2025 Christmas Poinsettia Orders

6 1/2” pot (5+ blooms) - Cost per flower: $10.00

Deadline for Orders is November 23rd

We will begin taking orders for poinsettias this Sunday. You may purchase them “in honor, in memory, or in appreciation” of loved ones. Orders can be received in the offering plates during the worship or in the church office any time. Payment must accompany the order form (unless paying online).

Flowers will be displayed in the sanctuary on Sunday morning, Dec. 21 and during the Christmas Eve service on 12/24. Please pick up your flowers no later than the evening of 12/24 after worship. You may also take them before then if necessary or you can leave them for Sunday, Dec. 28 worship and then pick them up.

Thank you for your order which will contribute to the beauty of the sanctuary this Advent season! Blessings!

CARLISLE

TRUCK STOP MINISTRY

COOKIE BAKERS NEEDED!

♦ DUE IN CHURCH LOUNGE – DECEMBER 7TH

♦ PLEASE LABEL YOUR CONTAINER IF YOU WOULD

LIKE IT RETURNED.

Christmas & cookies all go together, Sunshine or rain, no matter the weather. So, bake those cookies for Christmas now, Freeze for Truck Stop Ministry’s chow.

Truckers on the road all night, Need a lift and something bright. So, bake those cookies because the clock is ticking, Bring to the church lounge for the truckers picking, And know the job of giving something so small, Is a job that is BIG and appreciated by ALL!

CAMP EDER

CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL

December

12th & 13th

5pm - 9pm

Come join us for a evening of family festive fun! The woods will be illuminated with lots and lots of Christmas Lights, warm fires, hot cocoa and children activities will be happening each night. This is a beautiful festival you most certainly will not want to miss! 

(All information will be posted on the bulletin board)

✦Christmas Lights & Music

✦Hay Rides -Friday & Saturday Night 5-9pm

✦Delicious Turkey Dinner & Soup (per donation) ✦Luminary Garden (honoring our loved ones) ✦Decorated Trees ✦Warm Drinks & Lots of Cookies (free) ✦Bake Sale ✦Kid's Activities ✦Cozy Fires & S’mores ✦Live Music

✦TREE DECORATING CONTEST

Have some fun decorating a tree at Camp Eder. Everyone is invited to compete in the tree decorating contest. Voting will be during the Christmas Tree Festival December 12 - 13. The Christmas Tree Festival is a great opportunity to get involved with Camp Eder and our surrounding community.

Trees are limited, so you will want to sign up soon.

Church of the Brethren News

Southern PA District/Denomination

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.

New Community Project - Shelter Me

As announced in Worship Service on Sunday, Oct. 19th, our congregation has been invited by New Community Project to help raise funds to keep a shelter open for Nepali girls imperiled by sex trafficking. Funding for this shelter was cut by an international aid organization, and it now faces closure. To make a donation, please click on this link https://www.newcommunityproject.info/donate-funds

The shelter is one of six run by the anti-trafficking group Shakti Samuha, NCP's partner in Nepal. It is especially critical, as it is near the border with India, and intercepts hundreds of girls every year who are at risk of being trafficked, or have been rescued and need healing from their trauma. NCP has chosen this as their fall campaign, named Shelter Me.

"This is a crisis" Shakti staff wrote. This is a key shelter and having to close it will subject girls aged 10 - 24 to being abandoned in their time of need."

Needed: $15,825 as the minimum to employ a   housemother and cook, and provide food for them and the girls for the coming year. Any extra funds raised will support additional staffing. 100% of donation go to the project. 

Gathering Area Quilt

Every month the quilt in the gathering area is changed to another beautiful quilt. The November quilt is named 

"Diamond Double". These quilts are made by Sid Innerst.

Sid is a very talented quilter and we want to thank her for sharing her beautiful work. As you are walking through the gathering area, please take a moment to enjoy the beauty and details of these quilts. 

Patricia Carey is 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 Space.

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. 

Elizabethtown College’s Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies presents “Living Our Song: The Music of Andy and Terry Murray” by Rachel Bucher Swank on Tues., November 11, 7 pm, in the Bucher Meetinghouse. Join us for an evening exploring the rich theological and storytelling legacy of the Murrays’ music.

Rachel Bucher Swank is the editor of Living Our Song: The Music of Andy and Terry Murray, a new songbook collection featuring many of their original compositions. She is a 7th grade music teacher at Manheim Township Middle School and music coordinator at Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren.

Andy and Terry Murray are best known within the Church of the Brethren as a singer/songwriter duo who compose songs about Brethren history and theology. Andy has worked as a minister, chaplain, and college professor, and he was the founding director of the Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies at Juniata College. Terry, a professional organist, has worked as a composer, arranger, and piano and organ professor at Juniata College.

For more information, visit www.etown.edu/youngctr/events or call 717-361-1470.

LAST WEEK IN WORSHIP