Pastor Joel and Rebecca Wolf will be away October 15-18.

For any pastoral needs please contact Kim Witkovsky or the church office.

This is our 3rd Sunday food collection.

As we roll into fall, please consider donations of canned yams, stuffing mixes, mashed potatoes/gravy, canned pumpkin, canned corn, spices like nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

For your convenience you can use the Amazon Wish List

Thank you for serving our community - The Witness Team. 

CALENDAR OF CHURCH EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

Sunday, October 18

9:00 am  Sunday School

10:30 am  Worship Service – Sanctuary

12:00 pm  Deacon Meeting – Anna Mow Room

Monday, October 19

6:00 pm  CDC Ministry Team – Rm 154

Tuesday, October 20

10:00 am  Staff Meeting – Multi-Purpose Room

1:00 pm Gifts Discernment – Multi-Purpose Room

4:00 pm  Food Pantry Open 4:00 to 5:30 pm

Wednesday, October 21

      7:30 pm  Chancel Choir Rehearsal – Sanctuary

Saturday, October 24

3:00 pm  Church Birthday Party – Gathering Area

Sunday, October 25

9:00 am    Sunday School

10:30 am  Worship Service – Sanctuary

4:00 pm  Youth Group Dodgeball – Fellowship Hall

The November Congregational Forum date has been changed

from November 1st to November 15th

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.

Sunday School News

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. Youth in grades 6-12 are welcome.

Vine & Branches Class

9:00 AM in Room 154. Teacher Eric Miller.

We continue new curriculum, "Salt & Light: A Guide for Biblical Studies," in the series called "The Soul of the Nation." Lessons from Joshua, Judges, and Samuel will lead us unto discussions of faithful living, leadership, and relationships.



Lamplighters Class

9:00 AM in Room 145. Teacher - Melanie Miller

Study: "Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer" Session 1: "Father, You Are Good"

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. 

Pastor Appreciation Month! 

Did you know October is Pastor Appreciation Month? This is a dedicated time of gratitude for those who shepherd us, support us, and offer spiritual care to us, individually and as a congregation. We are incredibly grateful to have 3 credentialed ministers on our pastoral staff- Joel Gibbel as Pastor, Rebecca Wolf as Student Minister, and Kim Witkovsky as volunteer Minister of Visitation. Please reflect on the impact of our pastoral staff on your life and journey and renew your commitment to supporting and praying for them. Also, if you feel inclined, please consider sending a card or email or setting up a time to talk in person with them to offer gratitude, encouragement, and/or support for their ministry. Thank you!

Upcoming Events

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:

Saturday October 17: Fall Fest at Camp Eder

Saturday October 24: Church Birthday Party, 3:00 PM

Sunday October 25: Youth Group Dodgeball, 4:00 PM

Wednesday October 28: Trunk or Treat Event, 5:30 PM

Sunday November 8: Child Development Center Sunday

Sunday November 15: Congregational Forum following Worship, 11:00 AM

Camp Eder Needs You - 48th Annual Fall Fest

When: Saturday, October 17, 2026    10AM - 4PM

Where: Camp Eder (914 Mount Hope Rd Fairfield, PA 17320)

Silent Auctions: 10:00 - 10:45a & 11:00 - 11:45a --- Live Auction: 12:00 noon

Turkey & Pork Lunch: 11:00a - 3:00p Food Court: 10:00a - 3:30p

Our 48^th Annual Fall Fest is camp’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The proceeds go to our camp’s monthly expenses, summer camps, programs throughout the year and most importantly camp scholarships (for those children whose families cannot afford to send them to camp to hear God’s word.)

Fall Fest is quickly approaching and we need your help to make it a success. Your attendance and donations to the auction are two of the best ways to help raise $$ for camp. We will again we accepting donations for gently used or new items as well as basket donations to be sold at the silent and/or live auction, (click on the button below

for a basket suggestion list with ideas.) Note: Please do not include any tobacco or alcoholic products in teh basket(s). If you are a designer of furniture, art work, quilts, wood products, etc., or know someone that is, please consider donating one of your creations. Please drop off all donations at Camp Eder before Thursday, October 15^th.   

If you need to have any items picked up, please call me.

Thank you for your support, Deona Schmittel (717) 451-3797



All of this information will be posted on the bulletin board.

YOUTH GROUP ACTIVITY

Youth and School Age Children join us for Dodgeball fun!

Please feel free to invite friends and neighbors as you wish.



Sunday at 4:00 pm from Oct 25 to Nov 15 in Fellowship Hall

We need volunteers to decorate cars, help with parking and serve dinner. We also need LOTS of individually wrapped candy. 



Sign up sheets are in the gathering area.

CAMP EDER

Cordially invites you to the

BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS BENEFIT

Friday, October 30, 2026 - 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM

A community gathering to support

THE CLIMBING WALL AND

MAINTENANCE NEEDS



Dinner at 6:00pm -

Certified by Chef Cooper Harrison

Jazz/Swing Trio with Monte Leister

Silent Auction

Tickets $ 50.

Each or $ 250. for a table of 6

Join us for an evening of

fellowship, faith, and generosity.

Use this QR code to register

CAMP EDER

SENIOR DAY

NOVEMBER 4TH

Program For Senior Day:

9:30 Meet and Greet with continental breakfast

10:00 Morning Program

12:00 Delicious Lunch

1:00 Dismissal

Cost $ 20

Please RSVP by calling 717-642-8256 or emailing campeder@campeder.org

We are approaching cookie season!

We will be doing fall themed cookie

decorating that the senior will be

able to take home and a post card

activity about camp/camping

memories!

Camp Eder - Christmas Tree Festival

December 11th & 12^th

5pm - 8pm

First Church and Codorus are combining their efforts to decorate

2 trees for camp. First Church will handle the baby girl tree while Codorus is in charge of the baby boy tree. 

The trees will be connected by a wash line displaying outfits, Pjs, burp cloths, etc. The trees will be decorated with toys, teething rings, bibs, hair bands, socks, etc. All the items will then be donated to The Lehman Center.

Please place your items in the box located in the Anna Mow Room by December 6th. If you would like to donate money instead, we will use the money to buy diapers and other needed items. Please give any monetary donations to Kathy Kovacs.

Contact Kathy Kovacs if you have any questions.

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. Online giving can be used for regular offerings and special offerings, as well as many other specific outreach ministries that we sponsor. Online Giving Questions? Contact Sheryl Leaman - Thank you for your support!

Thank you to the church members who provided soup and homemade bread for our Love Feast. The attendees like having

the variety of soups and fresh homemade bread. Also, thank you to everyone that helped with the clean up after the event. Everything was greatly appreciated. 

Thank You

The Deacon Team

The Facility Care Team is looking for a used electric typewriter for use in the church office. If you have a typewriter you would like to donate, please contact Dave Witkovsky.

Thank you!

Elizabethtown College’s Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies presents:

Thursday, October 29, 2026 • Part 1 at 3 pm; Part 2 at 7 pm in the Bucher Meeting House

Presented by Emmy Barth Maendel and Jonathan Seiling

Elizabethtown College’s Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies presents the Brown Book Award Lecture, part 1: Chasing the Hutters through the Hills: Sources and Translation and part 2: Leader in a Turbulent Time: Hutter’s Enduring Legacy. Jakob Hutter was a compelling leader who had a brief ministry in Tyrol and Moravia. In Tyrol, he served as a missionary, baptizing and arranging secret conferences, while living in constant danger for his life. He was repeatedly summoned to Moravia to arbitrate among various Anabaptist factions until he forged a unified congregation that lives on in the church that bears his name.

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

LAST WEEK IN WORSHIP