LINK Jun_2013.pdf -

Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World

A WITNESS TO MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD

A worthy journeyBy Ed Preston

It was for such a time as this that God’s people of the Susquehanna Conference gathered in our opening worship

celebration on Thursday afternoon. Well over “A Thousand Tongues …” joined in song as organ, bells, trumpet, and voice combined to proclaim the gospel. Powerful words and phrases filled the room as we called one another to worship, proclaiming grace, discernment, holy conferencing, and our journey of faith.

A Worthy Journey was the theme of Bishop Jeremiah J. Park’s keynote address to the Annual Conference. Noting that the church must be in vital ministry, Bishop Park reminded the Conference that we

are made for one another as he spoke of our journey as a life in Christ together on a journey of faith. One Christian, the bishop noted, is not a Christian any more than one church is a church. Each church is part of a larger connection.

“Our journey is worthy,” Park said, “because it is a compelling journey. Those who have gone before us in this journey gave the best they had to offer.”

Noting the many impressive and beautiful church sanctuaries he has been privileged to visit, Park said that they built as their statement that they were giving their best to God. It was their way of saying that their relationship with Jesus Christ was the center of their lives. If Jesus meant so much to them, he asked, why not to us?

Our journey is worthy, Park added, because God’s presence makes the journey worthy. God’s presence with God’s people is guaranteed. This is the story of the Old Testament, the bishop said. The Old Testament is a witness to God’s presence with God’s people. Over

Choosing the necessary things for the journey of faith

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

By Ryan Krauss

Like the tension-filled opening of “A Tale of Two Cities”: “It was the best of times, it was the worst

of times … we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct to ‘that other place.’” Bishop Mark Webb called the Susquehanna Annual Conference and all of its churches to the open journey of faith, which he described as our lives “colliding” with God’s heart.

Webb then invited the Conference to examine afresh the lives of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), a passage that is often approached as a forced choice: Am I a ‘Mary’ or am I a ‘Martha’?

This section is not about choosing the good over the bad; it is about making sure the good does not crowd out the best. Webb suggests the key is not about choosing who our spiritual lives most resemble — Mary or Martha — but about reflecting on what has our attention the majority of the time. One of the major issues facing the church is that we’ve allowed ourselves to focus on the good while neglecting the transformational power of God’s best.

A commentary by Tony M. LentzLay Member, Park Forest Village UMC

Mary Poppins famously used a magic word to make things better – “supercalifragilisticex-

pialidocious.” We could look at the An-nual Conference and say the Conference offered something to make things better as well: “Super call, evangelistic, expi-ate, and doxa.” We had a powerful call to be the Church, to evangelize, to expi-ate the sins of the world, and to magnify The Lord in the process. Sorry, but I can never resist the attractions of a bad pun, especially of the shaggy dog variety. To be serious, I found the Conference to be a moving, uplifting, and engaging experi-ence. Let me share a few impressions.

The new Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church has loosened up considerably since I went some years ago. People regularly expressed joy, hugged each other, and an expansive mood filled the hall. The first time I attended people were a little awkward with praise songs, and with moving about. They still reminded me of our congregation in the ‘80s when Wendell Whalen, music director at Ebenezer Baptist Church, tried to get us swaying and clapping. It was like a WASP skit on Saturday Night Live. Now, however, people are more likely to clap, people felt comfortable shouting “Amen!” and being joyful in general.

The new bishop, Jeremiah J. Park, is a spark plug. They called him “The Singing Bishop” in his previous assignment, but he demonstrated that he is the singing, dancing, hugging, mugging, and laughing bishop as well. I told him he was the “Rock and Roll Bishop,” because he believes in The Rock, and he’s teaching the Conference how to Roll. He has demonstrated genuine Christian kindness in his concern for his staff. Several people have gotten personal notes from him

when they were ill or facing challenges in their lives. He radiates joy, energy and optimism, being quick to have fun with the gavel when presiding over business meetings; quick to join in when one congregation volunteered to open

Bishop Jeremiah J. Park reminded the Annual Conference that we are on this journey of faith together; we cannot be Christians and churches alone.

Bishop Mark Webb reminds us of the choices we should make on our journey of faith.

PHOTO: SANDII PEIFFER


Annual Conference Wrap-up 2013

“Our journey is worthy because it is a compelling journey.

Those who have gone before us in this journey gave the best

they had to offer.”

“Bishop Jeremiah J. Park is a spark plug. They call him “The

Singing Bishop” ... but he dem-onstrated that he is the singing,

dancing, hugging, mugging, and laughing bishop as well ...

He radiates joy, energy and optimism ...”

THE RIVER FLOWS

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4


A WITNESS TO MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD

A worthy journeyBy Ed Preston

It was for such a time as this that God’s people of the Susquehanna Conference gathered in our opening worship

celebration on Thursday afternoon. Well over “A Thousand Tongues …” joined in song as organ, bells, trumpet, and voice combined to proclaim the gospel. Powerful words and phrases filled the room as we called one another to worship, proclaiming grace, discernment, holy conferencing, and our journey of faith.

A Worthy Journey was the theme of Bishop Jeremiah J. Park’s keynote address to the Annual Conference. Noting that the church must be in vital ministry, Bishop Park reminded the Conference that we

are made for one another as he spoke of our journey as a life in Christ together on a journey of faith. One Christian, the bishop noted, is not a Christian any more than one church is a church. Each church is part of a larger connection.

“Our journey is worthy,” Park said, “because it is a compelling journey. Those who have gone before us in this journey gave the best they had to offer.”

Noting the many impressive and beautiful church sanctuaries he has been privileged to visit, Park said that they built as their statement that they were giving their best to God. It was their way of saying that their relationship with Jesus Christ was the center of their lives. If Jesus meant so much to them, he asked, why not to us?

Our journey is worthy, Park added, because God’s presence makes the journey worthy. God’s presence with God’s people is guaranteed. This is the story of the Old Testament, the bishop said. The Old Testament is a witness to God’s presence with God’s people. Over

Choosing the necessary things for the journey of faith


By Ryan Krauss

Like the tension-filled opening of “A Tale of Two Cities”: “It was the best of times, it was the worst

of times … we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct to ‘that other place.’” Bishop Mark Webb called the Susquehanna Annual Conference and all of its churches to the open journey of faith, which he described as our lives “colliding” with God’s heart.

Webb then invited the Conference to examine afresh the lives of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), a passage that is often approached as a forced choice: Am I a ‘Mary’ or am I a ‘Martha’?

This section is not about choosing the good over the bad; it is about making sure the good does not crowd out the best. Webb suggests the key is not about choosing who our spiritual lives most resemble — Mary or Martha — but about reflecting on what has our attention the majority of the time. One of the major issues facing the church is that we’ve allowed ourselves to focus on the good while neglecting the transformational power of God’s best.

A commentary by Tony M. LentzLay Member, Park Forest Village UMC

Mary Poppins famously used a magic word to make things better – “supercalifragilisticex-

pialidocious.” We could look at the An-nual Conference and say the Conference offered something to make things better as well: “Super call, evangelistic, expi-ate, and doxa.” We had a powerful call to be the Church, to evangelize, to expi-ate the sins of the world, and to magnify The Lord in the process. Sorry, but I can never resist the attractions of a bad pun, especially of the shaggy dog variety. To be serious, I found the Conference to be a moving, uplifting, and engaging experi-ence. Let me share a few impressions.

The new Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church has loosened up considerably since I went some years ago. People regularly expressed joy, hugged each other, and an expansive mood filled the hall. The first time I attended people were a little awkward with praise songs, and with moving about. They still reminded me of our congregation in the ‘80s when Wendell Whalen, music director at Ebenezer Baptist Church, tried to get us swaying and clapping. It was like a WASP skit on Saturday Night Live. Now, however, people are more likely to clap, people felt comfortable shouting “Amen!” and being joyful in general.

The new bishop, Jeremiah J. Park, is a spark plug. They called him “The Singing Bishop” in his previous assignment, but he demonstrated that he is the singing, dancing, hugging, mugging, and laughing bishop as well. I told him he was the “Rock and Roll Bishop,” because he believes in The Rock, and he’s teaching the Conference how to Roll. He has demonstrated genuine Christian kindness in his concern for his staff. Several people have gotten personal notes from him

when they were ill or facing challenges in their lives. He radiates joy, energy and optimism, being quick to have fun with the gavel when presiding over business meetings; quick to join in when one congregation volunteered to open

Bishop Jeremiah J. Park reminded the Annual Conference that we are on this journey of faith together; we cannot be Christians and churches alone.

Bishop Mark Webb reminds us of the choices we should make on our journey of faith.



Annual Conference Wrap-up 2013

“Our journey is worthy because it is a compelling journey.

Those who have gone before us in this journey gave the best

they had to offer.”

“Bishop Jeremiah J. Park is a spark plug. They call him “The

Singing Bishop” ... but he dem-onstrated that he is the singing,

dancing, hugging, mugging, and laughing bishop as well ...

He radiates joy, energy and optimism ...”

THE RIVER FLOWS

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

2 Susquehanna LINK - 2013 Annual Conference Wrap-up

For the latest news and event information, visit the Susquehanna Conference Web site at www.susumc.org

Back row, left to right: Rev. Peter M. Beddia, Rev. Dr. Richard H. Gentzler Jr., Rev. Andrew T. Bradley Sr., Pastor Virginia “Ginger” Baker-Betz, Pastor Richard S. Spering Sr., Rev. Martin H. Lorah, Rev. Dr. James R. Behrens, Rev. Arthur D. Shotts, Dr. David J. Spearly, Rev. Earl W. Roberts III, and Pastor Lloyd D. Canfield.Front row, left to right: Pastor Valerie M. Delooze, Rev. Margaret “Peggy” Spengler, Rev. Phyllis Arlene McKinney Hunter, Rev. Nancy Lee Goff, Rev. Patricia A. Woolever, Pastor Vernon E. Shenberger, Rev. William E. Kuhn, Rev. Marsha J. Bookhamer, Rev. Rosamond B. Mason, Rev. Joyce M. Treas, and Rev. Ronald A. Warfle.Not Pictured: Rev. Towanda Acey, Richard A. Clark, Pastor Larry H. Kreischer, Rev. Dr. Joan M. Maruskin, Rev. Rodney K. Miller, Pastor Patricia J. Newhart, Rev. Gayle Roberts, and Rev. M. Lynn Snyder.

PHOTO:STACY ECKERT

PHOTO:STACY ECKERT

PHOTO:STACY ECKERT

PHOTO:STACY ECKERTPHOTO:STACY ECKERT PHOTO:STACY ECKERTPHOTO:STACY ECKERT PHOTO:SANDII PEIFFER

Celebrating our servant leaders

Ordained EldersLeft: Michelle Rene Bodle Right: Julia Anges Piper

CommissionedBack: Luke T. Harbaugh. Middle l-r: Elizabeth R. Taylor and Stephen Paul

Salisbury. Front: Janice F. Hughes

Associate MemberBrian L. Lucas

BishopJeremiah J. Park

Certified Lay MinistersLeft to right: Beth A. Doughton, Debra

A. Roush, Ellie D. Benna

Back row, l-r: Joshua T. Beben, Damien C. Brooks, Dorothea F. Giordano, David T. Kominsky,

Robert P. French IIMiddle row, l-r: Samantha N.

Torgersen, Jason M. Schwartzman, Douglas A. Pierce, Rebecca B. Cuddeback, Gordon T. Trimer

Front row, l-r: Richard L. DeMarte, Stephen J. Rynkewitz Jr., Adam W.

Miller, David R.A. McElweeNot Pictured:Gilbert Clark, Mindi E. Ferguson, Marcus J. Mills, Monica

S. Romberger

Retirees

Licensed Local Pastors

“The journey of faith is about that part of us — the heart — being captured by Jesus,” Webb said. “The journey of faith is about the heart of God colliding with ours.”

A journey of faith, whether individual or corporate, Webb said, is about what is really going on in your heart, and it is about being open to the capturing love of God. The heart is not just a physical organ; it is the vital spiritual organ that God seeks to enlarge. The heart is the innermost part of our lives, he said. This place is the seat of desires and fears. Allowing God’s heart to collide with ours in the journey of faith opens us to being used for God’s purposes, to experience the reality of our creation and purpose.

Webb went on to cite four necessary things that must be taken on the fruitful journey of faith. In Wesleyan fashion, he noted the first item to claim is grace (Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8-9). “If we are going to be alive in Christ … we’ve got to stop playing around the margins … and fully allow [grace] to collide with our hearts.”

The second step of our journey is the choice to grow in faith. Webb commends that we need to put in our lives those ‘best’ things that allow faith to grow. Through prayer, fasting, worship, fellowship, deep “scuba diving” disciplines are necessary for God to transform us to live out our mission.

The third necessary thing Webb raised was bold living (Romans 1:16, Mark 8:38). Faith is not for the timid. A bold church is necessary. “It is time for the church to stop allowing the world to set our agenda,” he said, before noting that bold living must be joined with surrender.

For a church who loves Jesus as Savior, the living journey of faith needs the much-less-fondly-appreciated Lord Jesus. An attitude of surrender is a necessary thing, he said.

“God has invited us on a journey of faith,” Webb stated in closing, “May we choose the necessary things so that we will be God’s.”

By Terri Assael

Bishop Mark Webb reminded us that we should not take for granted what we have with one another

in this annual conference. We should celebrate our achievements but also know that what lies ahead is even greater. We are to remember to choose and act on the simple tasks that are necessary to be Alive in Christ – grace, growing faith, living boldly, and surrendered to Christ.

Webb shared the story of Bob, who was a successful fisherman. When the game warden tagged along on the fishing trip to see why Bob was so successful, he learned Bob’s technique. With the boat in the middle of the lake, Bob would reach

into a bag, pull out a stick of dynamite, [light it,] and then throw it into the lake. “Boom!” fish would fill the boat. When the game warden began citing all the laws and regulations for fishing, Bob reached into his bag for another stick of dynamite, [lit it,] and tossed it into the warden’s lap, and asked, “Are you just going to sit there or are you going to fish?”

Following a reference to Matthew 28:19-29 and Acts 1:6-8, Webb reminded us that the mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Then he asked, what is the definition of “making disciples?” He began his answer by noting that the church is not a stage for weddings and funerals, not a social hall, and not a place of programs. The church is a collection of people who have a passion for Jesus Christ and want others to have the same. As the church we must share how Christ has changed our lives with our families, friends, neighbors, strangers, and enemies.

After raising the question of how we might know when we are living the mission God calls us to, he stated that the mission and purpose of the church is a destination. We must become focused or we will become irrelevant and disobedient, which has eternal consequences.

We need to keep our eyes on Jesus, Bishop Webb said. At times we are striving for the “something new” and are willing to forget what we already know. As a church, are we doing the things that we have the authority to do in Christ, he asked. Webb cited a recent Barna study that found that 40 percent of Americans

By Ryan Krauss

“All of us are welcome here” – a refrain to the opening hymn – set the tone for an ordination service of an Annual Conference whose focus has been ministry. “We all share in Christ’s ministry of love,” spoke Bishop Jeremiah J. Park as he called the whole assembly to remember the significance of their baptisms.

With the blessings of the district committees on ministry and BOOM, the following candidates were presented for commissioning: Luke T. Harbaugh, Janice F. Hughes, Stephen P. Salisbury, and Elizabeth R. Taylor. Brian L. Lucas was received as an associate member.

Bishop Neil L. Irons, former bishop of the former Central Pennsylvania Conference from 1996 to 2004, offered heartfelt remarks to all present: “We are reminded of the privilege the church has of being God’s people, reminding the whole world that God’s arms are wrapped around them.”

Speaking from the texts Genesis 12:1-3, 2 Peter 1:3-11, and Matthew 26:26-28, Bishop Park reminded the new commissionees, associate member, and ordained elders that nothing less than God’s grace brought them to this place. Park’s words of blessing and challenge focused on three sacramental points.

First, he declared that pastors are not hirelings, but “they are [appointed to churches] because of the One who called them.” Celebrate being “taken” by God.

Second, Park reminded them “You are the blessed one,” sanctified like the bread and cup as vessels of God’s grace. The inner journey of upholding this sacred

trust is, in Park’s words, “the greatest journey of all.”

Finally, the bishop reinforced that they are blessed to be a blessing. The calling to ministry is about claiming an identity to reach a lost, confused, and hurting world that finds itself “in the wrong apartment.” The church has what the world is looking for. Park called the commissioners, associate members, new elders, and all present to offer this life-giving gift to the world.

A new accent to this year’s Ordination Service is a covenant table cloth presented by the Order of Elders. First presented at the clergy executive session, the table cloth is a sign of the covenant of fellowship, camaraderie, prayerful support, and accountability to which all elders commit themselves. All elders in full connection to the Annual Conference are invited to sign the cloth.

Michelle R. Bodle and Julia A. Piper were ordained as elders in full connection to the Conference. After receiving the laying on of hands, prayers from the bishops, cabinet, and other elders, and having stoles placed on their shoulders, both Bodle and Piper were invited to sign the covenant table cloth.

“Our God is a pursuing God; there is no way out if God wants you to respond.” With these words and the singing of “Here I Am, Lord,” the 2013 Susquehanna Annual Conference Ordination Service drew to a close with the hope of new beginnings. Many whose hearts were stirred by God’s calling came forward for prayer with district superintendents, BOOM members, and pastors. The calling is for all, at all times, and in all places.

and over, the Old Testament says to us, “Remember, remember, remember. Remember how I was with you all along.”

We may be hard pressed, Park said, but

we are not alone. God is with us. “I will be with you,” Jesus said, “even unto the end of the age.” Because Jesus lives, our journey is worth the taking.

Our journey is worthy, Park concluded, because it is a transforming journey. When Jesus sent his disciples into the world he had the reign of the kingdom of God in his mind. Our journey is about God’s kingdom for all people, Park said.

“Dream God’s dream with your eyes wide open,” Park urged, before noting that a dream without deeds is a daydream. He challenged Conference members to keep their eyes wide open to hunger, violence, homelessness, disease, and “ism’s” so they could sing the hope of God’s tomorrow today.

“Our hope lies,” he proclaimed, “in the God who calls us to be the church.

“I will walk the walk with you,” Park said. “I will run the race with you. I will dream the dreams with you.” We are called to such a time as this.


PHOTO: WESLEY BEALLA

A worthy journey

Claim your identity

Choosing the necessary things

Focused on the destination

Susquehanna LINK - 2013 Annual Conference Wrap-up 3

“Our eyes must be wide open to the realities of the brokenness of this world; poverty, diseases,

war, conflict, violence, and the “ism’s” that alienate God’s

children from one another.People of the Susquehanna

Annual Conference, it’s time to dream dreams again with

our eyes wide open.”

Prepare the next quadrennial plan and themePropose the plan to this year’s Annual Conference for adoption

Plan should include a review and adjustment of our structure as needed2012

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Bishop Jeremiah J. Park reminds the ordinands, associate member, and commissionees that nothing less than God’s grace brought them to this place.

PHOTO: STACY ECKERT

“The journey of faith is about that part of us — the heart — being captured by Jesus ... the

heart of God colliding with ours.”


REV. DR. DENNIS OTTO

Director of Congregational

Development

GROWING EFFECTIVE CHURCHES

Growing Effective Churches is where Susquehanna Conference aligns resources to revitalize existing churches, plant new ones, and raise up transformational leadership. Work with existing churches may be best known through the Matthew 28 Initiative to help mid-size churches (approximately 75-200 people) become more effective in making disciples of Jesus Christ. Both large and small churches have also benefited by consultation processes to help them focus their efforts and bring alignment to their ministries. Well over fifty churches have been part of this consultation process. Nearly 80 percent of the churches that have completed the consultation were significantly stronger and more effective three years later.

New faith communities are beginning as early as July 1, 2013. New Thing, A United Methodist Community, will be starting its ministry in Lower Swatara Township and Highspire, reaching into an economically and educationally diverse community. Nueva Esperanza en Cristo (New Hope in Christ) will be a relaunch of the Stevens Emanuel Church, which is moving back into the city of Harrisburg with a focus on Hispanic/Latino residents. It is the intention of the Cabinet

to start at least thirty new faith communities in the next decade. Bishop Jeremiah J. Park adds, “At least … thirty new churches.”

Efforts to raise up more trans-formational leaders began with Pastoral Leadership Develop-ment, which brought more than 160 pastors into conversation and reading around current best prac-tices. Groups for pastors of larger churches have begun gathering in two districts, with others likely to form in other regions.

Beginning this fall, several pilot projects of a new training event called Equipping God’s People will be held in the conference. This training will engage laity in conversations and the study of best practices of currently effective churches. By next year it is our intention to offer Equipping God’s People throughout the conference. This is designed to help all Christians become more effective leaders and to provide training for both basic and certified lay servant ministers.

For more information, go to our website through the conference website (under ministries) or directly at www.growingeffectivechurches.org or call Dennis L. Otto, Director of Congregational Development, at 717-545-0525 or 1-800-874-8474.

Equipping God’s People

Implement the new Ministry Plan and Initiatives as adopted by the 2012 Annual Conference SessionAdjust the structure as necessary to achieve desired results

Begin regional deployment of resources to empower local churches to respond to the plan’s focus2013

a meeting with a dancing version of a praise song; quick to demonstrate that he could dance “Gangnam Style.” But when work is to be done he is well organized, keeping the group focused on the task at hand. He was careful to allow all opinions to be expressed, and to answer questions clearly. I believe he will be strong and firm when strength and fortitude are required. He will be a blessing to the conference.

The Conference is working hard to adapt to technology. The Conference was streamed, there were large screens displaying the action on the stage, there were musical themes for people as they were introduced, the words for hymns and songs were projected for the audience, and lots of video was presented as support for reports and sermons. So far I believe all the changes have been done without sacrificing the heart and soul of the Conference. It is easy for technology to take over, to become the focus of style over the substance. This concerns me regarding many mega-churches we have seen over the years where worship seems to become a kind of entertainment. I call them gold-plated churches, because the minister’s mansions have gold-plated fixtures. But our Conference has to keep the focus on the work at hand. Jesus said, “By their fruit you shall know them,” and the Susquehanna Conference has been very active in the work of caring for the people of the area.

The Conference is involved in so many different charities that it’s difficult to summarize them. During the Conference, participants packed over 80,000 meals in bags for distribution by Stop Hunger Now. As expected, there were reports of the many activities of the Conference; like camping activities, youth service activities, support for congregations in training (child welfare and safety, upkeep of facilities, staff and lay servants), but there were also many missions that extended into the community: the Mechanicsburg Home for Children, the United Methodist homes for the elderly, Neighborhood Center, and Mission Central. One of the impressive videos showed two eighteen-wheelers loaded with cleaning supplies from Mission Central arriving in a New Jersey community devastated by Hurricane

Sandy. There is continuing concern over a

gradual decline in numbers for mainline protestant churches, including ours. The appearance of Bishop Mark Webb from Upper New York Conference was a blessing. As a native of the Susquehanna Conference, he spoke powerfully and optimistically regarding the future of the conference. The group was proud of his accomplishments, especially of his

becoming a bishop at a young age. He clearly was sincerely glad to be present, and demonstrated his caring and concern. In one presentation he noted the success of new programs called “Matthew 28” to revitalize the United Methodist church and reverse its gradual decline. Matthew 28 churches have been shown to reverse that downward trend. He urged a focus on the need to make disciples, to grow through evangelism. The audience was moved and inspired by his presentation and his presence. So while there is concern, there is also determination and hope.

My personal response to all of the above is that we have to learn to keep our candle out from under the basket. My impression was that the conference has generated plenty of fruit to be identified with the work of Jesus. I believe part of the change required to grow and be successful is to be a little more public about the work the church has done. I express my pride in our little congregation often, for example. For a small congregation to support benevolences in such a fashion is impressive, but we are often shy about recognizing or even admitting our achievements. I attended here for nearly two months, for example, before I found out that we supported the Day Nursery. That program is a tremendous blessing, but I didn’t find out about it until I asked what all the classrooms were for if they weren’t used for Sunday school. I was suitably impressed that people were so blase about the program. “Did you not know I must be about the work of my Father?” I found myself thinking. The church didn’t think to mention it, it was just part of who we are, doing the Lord’s

work. Our Conference has a similar problem.

We must avoid prideful boasting, but I believe we must publicize all the good we do in the world in order to draw people to the church. People talked about mission trips as a way to attract young people, because they like doing concrete good in the world, and being able to see the results. I believe we should display our works to attract those who recognize that church is about caring for the sheep, not about entertainment provided by large staffs with the latest projection and video equipment. The church should display its genetic structure by displaying the Fruit of the Spirit in kindness and generosity to others. Things as simple as the mission moment in our services, for example, ensure that people know all the good our church and our conference do together. We must strive to be both a joy and a blessing; a joy to ourselves in worship and in service, and a blessing to others who need our help.

I believe a full knowledge of all that the conference does for the community would help keep all churches honest. My wife was very fond of a minister in her childhood who said he wanted people to look at his church and say, “See how they love one another.” We need people to look at the United Methodist Church and say, “See how they love their community.” We want the world to know that church is not entertainment for forgetting our troubles; it is engaging the Spirit to recharge our batteries so we can face the troubles of the world.

Dr. Tony Lentz is retired after 30 years of teaching at Penn State Univesity. He is a lay member of the Susquehanna Annual Conference.

“We must avoid prideful boasting, but I believe we must

publicize all the good we do in the world in order to draw

people to the church.”

“Bishop Mark Webb, a native of the Susquehanna

Conference, spoke powerfully and optimistically regarding the

future of the conference.”

PHOTO: WESLEY BEALLA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1


A recent Gallup poll contends that almost three-fourths of us don’t like the work we do for a living. Over the past months hundreds of media have published headlines similar to the headline above.

“If you hate your job, you’re not alone,” says a CNBC reporter, “but having in-office access to catered meals, a pingpong table, or free massages may not make you any happier at work.”

Only 30 percent of employees are engaged and inspired at work, according to Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace Report. “A little more than half of workers (52 percent) have a perpetual case of the Mondays— they’re present, but not particularly excited about their job.”

The remaining 18 percent are actively disengaged or, as Gallup CEO Jim Clifton put it in the report, “roam the halls spreading discontent.” Worse, Gallup reports, those actively disengaged employees cost the U.S. up to $550 billion annually in lost productivity.

Sad.The Gallup poll can lead in many

directions in order to discern what, if anything, should be our response as a church dedicated to making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

To a church that believes that much of what plagues all human hearts is a deep-seated spiritual problem, it’s perhaps our best first response. At Annual

Conference 2013 Bishop Mark Webb reminded us of what speaks to that. An attachment to the Divine, we believe, is what addresses the restlessness in our souls. And we have that message to offer, first and foremost. The Gallup poll likely does not bring that up.

Our self-absorption as Americans is taking a heavy toll on our day-to-day satisfaction with our lives. And workplace perks don’t address this issue.

While it might be unrealistic to believe that all of us can find employment that excites us every moment of every day, it IS realistic to recognize the opportunities for service on many, many levels in the Church that provide a significant part of spiritual nourishment. And the increasing activity of persons engaged in recent disaster relief is a sure sign that many persons are finding that to be true.

It could be said in very simple terms, i.e., “If you want a good night’s sleep, spend a day at Mission Central. If you want to feel warm and fuzzy all over, spend several days cleaning out a flooded basement in wherever. If you want a sense of peace in your own soul, spend some time in a third-world county knowing that you’ve done something to transform the world. Those things far exceed any workplace perks of any sort and will give an added sense of worth to time spent under a time clock.

JW

EDITORIAL 70% of Americans hate their jobs

Share the Good News!When you are finished reading Susquehanna LINK, please give your copy to someone else who might be interested

By Bethany Wood

The lay and clergy members of the Susquehanna Conference gathered in worship to remember those

who joined the Church Triumphant since the last Annual Conference. A gathering medley of hymns called the people together, concluding with the beloved favorite, “In the Garden.”

The proclamation of Psalm 23 set the tone for the evening. We will live in God’s house forever! The Conference was lovingly reminded to remember the saints, viewing their deaths through the lens of hope. The congregation then stood in a stirring affirmation, singing, “For all the Saints.”

The Annual Conference choir, a 100-strong group of singers from all around the conference, presented the anthem “Grace,” a particularly beautiful and haunting version of “Amazing Grace.”

Luke 24, chronicling the Emmaus walk, served as the text of The Rev. Dr. Kathleen Kind’s sermon. She began her message by relating how much she loves a good adventure. She admitted to suffering a little bit from wanderlust. Kind wants to see the world, but also want to see it while being able to plug in her curling iron. She then began to talk about mile markers and monuments that are seen on our many journeys. Mile markers help us along on the journey, letting people know how much further there is to travel. Mile markers can help persons to get their bearings, helping the traveler to estimate how long the journey might yet be.

Monuments, Kind explained, are also helpful. They are static testaments to our past, recognizing a particular person or period in our shared history. Mile markers

and monuments help us to be Alive in Christ, together on a journey of faith. We are alive in Christ, even in the shadow of death. The Gospel writer Luke profoundly underscores this. Two disciples of Jesus are walking toward Emmaus, discussing all that had happened in the dark days leading to the crucifixion. The men do not immediately recognize that Jesus is walking with them, as he questions all that had happened to distress the men. The loss of their teacher, their Lord, is almost more than they can bear. So on the road to Emmaus, in the shadow of death, two followers of Jesus are journeying together, and Jesus is right there with them. So often we are so focused on things happening in

our lives; grief and loss, suffering and joy, stress and hope. We know in our hearts that Jesus is journeying with us, but there are those times when we just may not be fully aware of His presence. Regardless, He is there, hands down.

Kind related the story of Annie Lamott, who writes with raw, unfiltered honesty of her journey to faith. Tired, drunk, post-abortion, drained, she experiences Jesus like the cat that gets in the door and won’t leave. She goes to church and doesn’t stay long. She tries it again and makes it through the sermon. She gets home, and opening her arms wide says out loud, “All right, you can come in!”

So often we are in different places. So

often we’re not even aware of what Jesus is doing. Jesus is with us. We are called to journey with each other, to bear one another’s burdens, to walk together when we linger in the shadow of death.

Remember the saints with whom we have journeyed. These are our saints, our beloveds: pastors, spouses, church leaders from whom we have learned so much. Men and women who are alive in Christ because we have the promise and hope that even in death there is life, and promise of resurrection. Men and women who have helped us to see Jesus; people who now have moved into God’s neighborhood.

Kind related how much she reflects on her own journey and the saints who have helped her along the way. She told about spending a lot of time with her grandmother, who wore a signature perfume. She told how much she loves to go to the perfume counter at the department store and breathe in the scent of her grandma, wrapping it around her. Memories and shared experiences are the monuments and mile markers in our lives.

Jesus blessed and broke the bread. This is another mile marker: when we gather around the table as family and spiritual family.

So we are Alive in Christ, together on a journey of faith. Mile markers of faith will help us to find our way.

Remembrance of the saints was observed as the names of those honored dead were read. The service of each layperson was remembered with a Bible, and the service of each pastor with the laying of a stole upon the oxen yoke on the stage.

A service of communion concluded the gathering.


Mile markers and monuments of our faith journey

A celebration of ministry

Rev. Dr. Kathleen Kind shared that the people and experiences in our lives are like mile markers and monuments on our journey of faith, helping us to get our bearings; to know how much further there is to go; testifying to our past and where we’ve come from.

DestinationBy Deb Steransky and Richard DeMarte

Celebrating the ministry of our retiring pastors opened with a flurry of trumpets. The service led

us through the many paths that a response to the call to ministry requires a pastor to go. It began with the call a pastor hears from God to enter into the ministry. Bishop Jeremiah J. Park reminded us that God has called, and does call, all kinds of people, and they respond to a journey that’s not easy, but always God is with them.

The combined total of service for the retirees is 640 years. That means thousands of lives were touched by the work of these faithful servants. “How can we thank God enough for your service?” asked Bishop Park. He reminded the ordinands that just as God went before the retiring pastors to prepare the way for them, so will He go before them, and He will always be with them. The best years of their lives are before them.

Rev. Paul Amara and Rev. Karen McCachren led us to the next journey, which was the journey of the word. John 21:15-18 recounts the story of Jesus asking Peter to “feed my sheep,” thus ensuring that His Word was carried on. Teaching Sunday school, conducting Bible studies, and using teachable moments just as Jesus did were just some of the ways the retirees carried on the Word.

Then, the first ten retirees were honored.The next part of the journey, the

journey of sacrament, was highlighted by Rev. Cecily Eisley and Rev. Mike Bealla. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus commands that we make disciples for him. Celebrating the sacraments of baptism and communion by our retirees are ways that the retirees made disciples for Christ.

The second group of ten retirees was recognized for their service.

Pastor Jeffrey Wilt and Pastor Brian Lucas explained the fourth leg of the journey – the journey of order and service. In Ephesians, Paul gives us the gift of pastors. In a pastor’s life, they have taken part in many servant roles such as church suppers, church meetings, visits to hospitals and nursing homes, performed marriages, and conducted counseling sessions. They have always been servants, and we affirmed that service.

The last group of ten retirees was then honored.

Rev. Dr. Gary Weaver and Rev. Rebecca Foote paid tribute to the overlooked journey – the families, who endured preoccupied and absent parents and spouses all for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Mark Webb looked at the “yet to come journey,” which he called, “Looking forward.” Bishop Webb recalled how Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit when receiving the mantle of ministry from Elijah, and urged us to ask for a double portion, too.

Following Bishop Webb’s remarks, retiring class members Rev. Patricia Woolever and Rev. Rodney Miller “passed the mantle of ministry” to ordinands Michelle Bodle and Julia Piper. Symbolizing the mantle were two stoles, gifts from Bishop Jeremiah J. Park and retired Bishop Jane Allen Middleton.

Bishop Park then led a prayer for life’s journey followed by a benediction given by Rev. Earl Roberts, the retiree with the most years of ministry, 40 years.


Continue implementation of the quadrennial plan and adjust where necessaryOffer specialized training to the places of greatest potentialResourcing continues and is adjusted for regional needs


Begin regional deployment of resources to empower local churches to respond to the plan’s focus 2014

Rev. Patricia Woolever (right) “passes the mantle” to ordinand Michelle Bodle. The stole was a gift from retired Bishop Jane Allen Middleton, former Episcopal leader of the Susquehanna Conference.

consider themselves very religious, 31 percent non-religious, and 29 percent moderately religious. He said that this study clearly reveals there is work to be done.

People are looking for significance, lives that matter, and that are abundant. We proclaim the truth that the world desires and seeks, he said, before stating, “Jesus Christ is the only one who can offer true life. Jesus is the destination – the mission – the purpose. We’ve got to choose the best path.

“If you have a GPS you know there are settings so that you can choose the shortest route, the fastest, or the route without tolls. You’ve also, no doubt, heard the GPS say, “recalculating,” telling you that you’ve gone off the path and need to be redirected. As the body of Christ we have to be willing to choose the best path for us to live the mission and to live it fully,” he said.

Webb went on to note the ways the Susquehanna Conference is seeking to choose the best path, and the actions it has taken to place itself on that path. This Conference affords us a forum for discussion to choose the best path for living out the mission and arriving at the destination.

“God’s Heart must become our heart,” Bishop Webb said. “As we understand more fully the depth of God’s grace, we’ve got to be amazed. We need to ask God to help us to make sure that he is always our destination and to be amazed.”

Webb concluded, “To live the mission of Christ we need to always keep our eyes on Jesus, choose the best path, and allow God’s Heart to transform ours.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

By Terry Asseil

John Konieczny’s opening remarks at the Laity Session of the Fourth Annual Susquehanna Conference

reminded us all, “Here I am Lord … Now what?”

The morning devotional Scriptures of Acts 2:42-47 set the tone for the session. In particular, Acts 2:47 states “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

“What does this verse tell us?” Mr. Konieczny asked. “It tells us that the Lord added to their number. Is this not our mission? Our mission is to make disciples for the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

He went on to note that these Scriptures from Acts are the course of action that we are called to take in order to be “Alive in Christ and on a journey of faith.” Our conference vision statement of “people alive in mission and ministry as God leads us on a Christ-centered journey of faith” echoes the Scriptures of Acts 2:42-47. We find in those verses the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, praising God, prayer. All the believers were together.

The session included presentations on Lay Servant Ministries, Growing Effective Churches, God’s Call to Pastoral Ministry, Stop Hunger Now, Building our Communities, and Building our vitality.

Kathryn Heaps discussed the missional matrix for lay servants of evangelism, hospitality, preaching, worship, heritage and telling stories. She noted that lay servants are called to sustained and intense concentrated action in many endeavors, such as leading small groups, Bible study, prayer, choral groups, and community activities, including meeting the needs of the poor, the sick, and the defenseless.

Heaps also discussed the training and the tools available to laity to help us to recognize potential leaders and the programs available to equip people called to ministry.

Carol Diffenbaugh expanded on the theme of “call” by noting, that, like Samuel, we so often say, “Who, me?” Just as Samuel had difficulty recognizing God’s calling, we, too, often wonder if we are hearing our name, and if God is really calling “me.” Perhaps we are the Eli, she said, who can help those being called to discern and embrace their calling. God is alive and active and still calling us today.


Better togetherBy Ed Preston

If there is any word that separates United Methodism from all other Christian communions, it is “connectionalism.”

It isn’t a word in the dictionary; in fact, if you are using word processing it will be underlined in red as a misspelling. But it is our word, and as such, it is an action word, because it describes how we choose to live our lives together as servants; that in fact we are ‘better together.’

Rev. Mike Bealla shared the view that the Susquehanna Conference is really one church with over 920 storefronts. One good way to picture our shared life is a rope made up of hundreds of cords and strands. We are unique churches, yet we walk together under one theological umbrella that allows us to minister to people and communities of many types. We are better together, because we are more effective in more places in more ways than any one congregation could be. Our conference vision reflects this as we strive to claim our communities for Christ, while working to transform the world.

Since the creation of the Susquehanna Conference, we have been working from a ‘clean sheet of paper’ in better understanding of how we walk together into God’s future. In moving from survival to church alive, we need to always be aware that God is about to do something new. The annual conference is aligning its resources to 1) train and deploy transformational leadership, 2) equip our churches with effective tools, and 3) provide covenantal connection for mission and ministry beyond the local church.

Rev. Dr. Thomas Salsgiver pointed out that our conference chancellor, at the request of last year’s Annual Conference, has examined our new structure. He has determined that this new structure we adopted at last year’s Annual Conference is fully in line with the requirements of the 2012 “Book of Discipline.”

Speaking as Dean of the Cabinet, Rev. Salsgiver proclaimed that the Cabinet is better together, dealing more effectively

with issues of finance, appointments, and changes brought on by their new team structure and the arrival of our new bishop. The creation of the assisting elder position lightens some of the Cabinet’s administrative workload. Prayerful consideration of appointments and alignments in light of the larger picture of mission and vision is better together. Different methods for conducting Charge Conferences help to maximize the superintendents’ participation and create time for other ministries. The Cabinet is working on ways to gather pastors in discussions surrounding church vitality and leadership. Where churches desire to be closed or merged, the assisting elder can be essential in mitigating the demands on the superintendent.

Rev. Dr. Dennis Otto, Director of Congregational Development, is also a member of the Appointive Cabinet under the new structure. He shared information on the data gathered on the Matthew 28 initiative over the last several years. In the previous three years, churches around the conference have experienced an average attendance decline of six percent. By comparison, over the next three years the fourteen Matthew 28 churches averaged a 2.7 percent increase, with even those who declined doing so by a much lower rate than previously. Overall, eighty percent of Matthew 28 churches were better off after their consultations.

Rev. Otto also pointed out that 160 pastors had completed Pastoral Leadership Development, and that a new laity equivalent course called Equipping God’s People was being rolled out. We are also working to plant new congregations in some areas facing the question of how to grow a sustainable faith community in a lower income area. Reclaiming the role of laity in the leading and development of effective churches remains an important factor in all that we do.

The Connectional Ministries team shared several initiatives made possible through the combination of Shares of Ministry and countless hours of work by staff and volunteers. E-Tour, making its second round of all seven districts, has

resourced many congregations. Our four campsites have touched hundreds of lives with the gospel in their unique settings. Discovery Place has shared over 1,600 items with 250 churches, with the only cost to the church being return postage. Volunteers in Mission have sent hundreds of people on mission trips. Young Peoples’ Ministry Council has offered youth rallies across the annual conference, and Safe Sanctuaries has provided training and TRAK-1 clearances at minimal cost to local churches. The Communications area is working to provide the best possible access to timely information through QuikLINK, the Susquehanna Link, the conference web site, and social media, keeping us connected to a technologically oriented generation.

Begin the process of evaluating the results of the current planDesign a strategy to listen to our churches and their needs

Develop the appropriate guiding adaptive questions to be considered as we look ahead2015

Here I am, Lord ... Now what?

Young people excited about mission and ministryBy Deb Steransky

The Young People’s Ministry Council report opened with a lively slide show highlighting all

the ways it has engaged youth and young adults in ministry.

One significant outreach included youth rallies held throughout the conference. Assembling in six of out seven districts, the rallies included praise, worship, games, food, Bible study, mission projects, and fun. Their goal is to unite and ignite the youth of the districts to make a difference for Christ. Wearing T-shirts that said “Ignite the Fire,” the youth directed the members of the Conference to help them meet their goal of holding rallies in all seven districts of the conference.

Mission is another of the YPMC passions. This past year, members of YPMC traveled to Henderson, Kentucky, where the unemployment rate is 24 percent, to participate in mission work. Images of the devastation from Superstorm Sandy tore at their hearts, and they hope to go to Staten Island and Connecticut this year to assist those affected.

YPMC invited Conference members to visit their display to participate in a silent auction and to buy T-shirts, or to donate for popcorn and bussing tables at Annual

Conference. The funds raised will go to the Youth Service Fund, which helps fund youth ministry projects locally, nationally, and around the world. Youth groups and local churches are also encouraged to support the Youth Service Fund.

The Young Adults’ Ministry goal is to move toward a more inter-generational church where the younger generation is guided by the older generation. They recognize that by working together, young adults, older adults, and youth can work toward a more united church to heal the brokenness we see around us by

creating a “Mission Buddy” ministry that will include both laity and clergy.

On August 15-18 there will be a rally in Washington, D.C., called Oasis. It’s part of the Restoration Generation project. More information about this event and Restoration Generation can be found at their website at www.resgenumc.org.

More information about the YPMC and YSF can be found at www.igniteyoungpeople.org.

Conference Lay Leader John Konieczny reminded the lay delegates at Annual Conference of their mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ.


Rev. Mike Bealla put on his mind-reading hat to demonstrate some of the ways we can be better together.


PHOTO: STACY ECKEERT

The Young People’s Ministry Council, made up of youth and young adults under the age of 35, and other youth delegates present their report to the Annual Conference.

Susquehanna Conference is on Facebook. Go to www.facebook.com/susumc

For the latest news and event information for Susquehanna Conference visit www.susumc.org


Partners with Sierra Leone

Letter to the EditorBy Jody Robinson

Director of Discovery Place

Jesus Christ calls each of us to a life of service to others. However, it’s not always easy to fit mission and service

into our busy lives. Participants at Annual Conference were offered the opportunity to live out that command with a hands-on mission project for Stop Hunger Now.

Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger relief organization that has been fulfilling its mission to end hunger for over 14 years.

Our hands-on work involved assembling meal packets for distribution around the world. The packets combine rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, and a flavoring mixture including 21 essential vitamins and minerals. Each packet can feed six people and is easily prepared by simply adding boiling water and cooking for twenty minutes. The food packets store easily and have a shelf-life of five years. Seventy percent of the meals produced by volunteers are used to support transformational development and educational programs, orphanages, medical clinics, and vocational training programs.

Stop Hunger Now works with those programs to enhance the lives of program participants and to help break the cycle of poverty through education. Other meals

are used to aid in humanitarian crises caused by natural disasters, conflict, and famine. In fact, ten percent of packaged meals are held in reserve so that the organization can respond immediately during times of humanitarian crisis.

The goal for Susquehanna Conference was to assemble 70,000 to 80,000 meal packets during Thursday and Friday of Annual Conference, and that goal was reached. Representatives from Stop Hunger Now were on hand to train and assist volunteers, who stopped by to pack meals during breaks and meal times, helped to load packed boxes onto the truck, and helped with clean-up once the packaging project was completed.

Each meal packet assembled costs twenty-five cents, which covers supplies, shipping and distribution costs, and other administrative expenses. An offering taken during Thursday evening’s Memorial Service raised over $21,000, which more than covered the cost of the meals packets prepared.

To learn more about Stop Hunger Now, visit their website at www.stophungernow.org.

By Ed Preston

Ken Mengel, Conference Secretary of Global Missions, encouraged and challenged the Annual

Conference with a presentation of the Sierra Leone Initiative.

The initiative is a partnership between the Susquehanna Conference and the Sierra Leone Annual Conference, which has done amazing work in changing lives and offering Christ for many years. The work of this partnership has provided tools, latrines, wells for clean water, scholarships, new churches, funds for full-time pastors’ salaries, and much more.

In a country that is 60 percent Muslim, the church continues to grow and has a goal to double the number of disciples in the country by 2020.

Leadership development continues to be a concern, and a new initiative is being developed to address the need. It will require over $400,000 in funding, but the initiative is confident that God will provide through the generosity of partner churches.

The leadership challenged the churches of the Susquehanna Conference to become more informed and involved in this ministry, as Sierra Leone continues to heal from ten years of civil war.

Dear Editor,

Thank you to those who supported the Divestment Task Force Resolution at Annual Conference. The resolution, submitted by Shopes UMC in Hummelstown, was supported by the Conference Mission and Outreach Team, and then after a lively discussion on the floor, approved by the gathered body.

It was clear from the number of people who stood to speak that this is a resolution that could not be fully discussed on the floor of conference. What better way to allow those with heart-felt beliefs to be heard than by establishing a task force to study the options of how to help our Palestinian Christian sisters and brothers living under the Occupation in Israel/Palestine. A group of Palestinian Christians including our United Methodist missionaries there issued a document in which they ask the Church world-wide to take non-violent measures such as boycotts, sanctions and divestment in pursuit of justice for both Israelis and Palestinians.

During annual conferences this year, Upper New York, New England, Minnesota and Pacific Northwest passed divestment resolutions, joining New York, Northern Illinois, and West Ohio that divested earlier. Eastern PA Conference also approved a resolution to set up a task force. United Methodist Kairos Response is the national organization working on the divestment campaign. We received this from one of the key leaders of UMKR: I want you to know I’ve heard from our mission personnel in the Holy Land, and they are profoundly grateful for what you and others are doing in unlikely places like Susquehanna Conference. They feel they are finally being heard. Christians in the Holy Land are also following these developments closely. God bless you in this. John Wagner, United Methodist Kairos Response, West Ohio Conference

To learn more about the United Methodist divestment campaign, go to www.kairosresponse.org. We encourage you to study, listen and learn about the situation in Israel/Palestine.

Rev. Wayne and Lisa BenderShopes UMC

Child advocacy is an attitudeRev. Dr. G. Edwin Zeiders implores the Annual Conference to advocate for children.

This group of people represents churches who have covenant relationships with pastors and churches in Sierra Leone, as part of the Sierra Leone Initiative.

By Deb Steransky

Rev. Dr. Ed Zeiders, Commission on Child Advocacy, opened his report with a moving and

informative video that included statistics on the status of children in our conference. The commission’s purpose is to seek information about the children and young people who live in our boundaries, and to focus attention on the effectiveness of our local congregations as child advocates.

Rev. Zeiders reported that the commission has planned and conducted listening posts throughout our districts, and plans to continue to hold these listening posts to discern the needs of our children at risk. The first listening post was held in April at the Penn State Hotel and Convention Center on the campus at Penn State. A full report will be delivered to the Annual Conference in 2015.

The commission also has the responsibility of the Love a Child Fund and cash grants in support of children or youth programs in local congregations. More information on these grants is contained in a pamphlet available through the Conference Office.

Another part of the commission’s

commitment is to support The United Methodist Home for Children. Rev. Dr. David Reed introduced two young people, Cheyanne and Mike, who shared how their experience with the United Methodist Home for Children has made a difference in their lives.

Cheyanne told us that when she was just nine years old her mother died, leaving Cheyanne and her brother without a parent. Her father, she said, had left when she was very young. She delivered the sobering statistic that every 2.2 seconds a child loses a parent in the United States.

Mike spoke next. He was nine years old when he was first taken to the United Methodist Home for Children when his mother was declared unfit by the courts to care for him. After being placed with his grandmother, he returned to the home. Eventually he was placed in a foster home. Mike expressed deep gratitude to the Conference for giving him a chance through our support of the United Methodist Home for Children. Without it he would have been just another statistic.

“Child advocacy will never be an agency. It’s an attitude,” concluded Rev. Zeiders.

Prepare the next quadrennial plan and and themePropose the plan to this year’s Annual Conference for adoption

Plan should include a review and adjustment of our structure as needed2016





By Bethany Wood

Rev. Rob Visscher, Executive Director of Mission Central, introduced a video featuring relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The video chronicled the massive response of the people and communities of the Susquehanna Conference in providing much needed supplies in the wake of that storm. The response was so great that two truckloads of material made the trip from the Harrisburg area to Atlantic City, New Jersey. In all, over 40,000 pounds of supplies were donated, as well as $30,000 in cash. As prayers were offered as the trucks arrived, and items unloaded and distributed, the word “blessing” was heard over and over. One New Jersey pastor noted that there was such a great need, and he was sad that the items would go quickly, but was blessed that it was there to give.

Rev. Visscher expressed gratitude that the HUB network was so instrumental in Operation Hurricane Sandy’s success. He indicated that through Mission Central, the Susquehanna Annual Conference is able to transform the lives of persons not only in our local communities, but in the Northeast and beyond into our nation and the world. The lives of over two million people have been transformed by the caring ministries of faithful volunteers and the generous donations that are the foundation of Mission Central. He spoke of the MRI machine that arrived ready to help people in Honduras and the new forklift that was purchased by the State College District.

Visscher reminded the assembly that Mission Central is self-sustaining. Funds are not received from Shares of Ministry. He pointed out material that outlines, among other ideas, how local churches and individuals can sponsor “Mission Central for a Day.” He expressed the wish that all 941 congregations contribute financially to the work that is so transforming for so many people in difficult situations.

Marcia Fisher, president of the Board of Directors, offered thanks to the Board for their life-giving service, and encouraged the assembly to do that as well. She outlined the discernment process the Board is undergoing as they consider the second decade of their work together. She spoke of so many God moments that have occurred in the day-to-day operations of the center.

Visscher then took the podium and reminded us that healthy, vibrant churches have their foundations in mission. He invited pastors and lay people to use Mission Central as one of the tools to connect local churches to mission. To learn more, go to missioncentral.org or Mission Central’s Facebook or twitter page.

Mission Central:A HUB of blessings

United Methodist Advocacy is changing

Black College Fund gives hope

By Ed Preston

Rev. Mark Reisinger and Steve Drachler reported on the work of United Methodist Advocacy in

Pennsylvania. They began by announcing that UM Advocacy is changing.

After more than twenty-five years as an agency separate from, but related to, the Annual Conference with its own Board of Directors and governance, UM Advocacy will become an official part of the three Pennsylvania Annual Conferences – Western Pennsylvania Conference, Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, and Susquehanna Conference. Effective July 1, 2013, this restructuring will allow

for the development of more effective grassroots advocacy work across the state, empowering United Methodists to bring our unique voice to the state government in Harrisburg. UM Advocacy has been listening to what the church is saying: Streamline, work more effectively and more efficiently.

We were reminded that UM Advocacy is part of our Wesleyan DNA, going back to John Wesley and his work for education and against slavery. It was this DNA that helped discern God’s will in the decision to move in this new direction.

Steve Drachler shared that the carefully constructed presentation he had planned was being set aside so that he could share

a very present concern. The issue of predatory payday loans has been coming before the State Legislature once again, and the pressure being exerted by the industry is enormous. The payday loan industry, which specializes in short-term loans to consumers at interest rates in the hundreds of percent, has re-named itself “Micro-credit.” Churches and church organizations have been sent cease and desist letters in an effort to silence their opposition. UM Advocacy implores all members of the Annual Conference to step up and contact their state legislators with their opposition to this usurious practice, which traps its victims in a spiral of economic dependency.

By Ed Preston“Hope is a golden cord connecting

you to heaven. This cord helps you to hold your head up high. Hope lifts your perspective from your weary feet to the glorious view you can see from the high road,” said Black College Fund Ambassador Miss Ariel McFadden while addressing the Annual Conference.

In introducing Miss McFadden to the Conference, Rev. Mark Reisinger noted that she came to us from Philander Smith College, a college she chose because she believed she could “receive spiritual assistance in reaching my potential not only in God, but also in leadership.”

Historically, black colleges and universities related to the United Methodist Church help approximately 16,000 students reach their academic and leadership potential. Miss McFadden pointed out that the eleven institutions are able to keep their tuitions low because of our generous contributions. “Please know that you are truly a blessing,” McFadden said.

Bishop Jeremiah J. Park offered a footnote to the report, reminding the Conference that the Black College Fund is one of the items supported by our Shares of Ministry.


Begin regional deployment of resources to empower local churches to respond to the plan’s focus2017

Rev. Rob Visscher celebrated the hours of service and generous gifts to Mission Central that have transformed the lives ofover two million people.

PHOTO: STACY ECKERT

2012 Shares of Ministry paid at 100% and 90%ALTOONA - 100% 15th Street Huntingdon Amberson Asbury Altoona Atkinson Mills Bedford Bedford Forge Bethel Bedford Valley Bowmans Chapel Breezewood Broad Avenue Altoona Broad Top Calvin Canoe Creek Union (Ex-tended) Carrick Cassville Center Centerville Bedford Valley Centre Grove Clearfield Christ Clearfield Cito Claysburg Clear Ridge Clearville (Extended) Coalmont Concord Congress Hill Cooks Cove Forge Crever Memorial Petersburg Curwensville Dale Donation Doylesburg Dudley East Freedom Ebenezer Harrisonville Emmanuel Clearfield Ennisville Everett Fairview McConnellsburg Faith Faith Woodbury First Hollidaysburg First Houtzdale First Three Springs Good Shepherd Tyrone Goshen Grace Three Springs Grazierville Hannah Hicks Memorial Dun¬cansville Hope Alexandria Jaggard First Juniata Altoona Kerr Addition Lake Street Lakemont Laurel Grove Little Cove Llyswen Altoona Loysburg Madera McConnellsburg McConnellstown McKee Mill Creek Mines (Extended) Mt Joy Clearfield Mt Moriah Mt Zion Olanta Newton Hamilton Nossville Orbisonia O’Shanter Pinecroft Pleasant Hill Shade Gap Pleasant Valley Woodland Queen Ramey Rehobeth Richvale Royer (Extended) Ryde United Salem Hillcrest Saxton Second Avenue Altoona Shawville Shiloh Shirleysburg Siloam Harrisonville Singers Gap Six Mile Run Spring Run Spruce Creek St Lukes Shade Gap Stevens Chapel (Extended) Tatesville (Extended) Tipton Trans Run Trinity Bellwood Trinity Roaring Spring Trough Creek Warfordsburg Warriors Mark

Waterfall Zion Wehnwood Wells Valley Wesley Chapel Breezewood Wesley Chapel Huntingdon Wesley Tyrone West Side Clearfield Weyant Williamsburg Wolfsburg Woodvale

HARRISBURG - 100% Aldersgate Mechanicsburg Allison Asbury Duncannon Baughman Memorial Bethel Marysville Big Spring Bucks Calvary Harrisburg Calvary Lemoyne Calvary Wiconisco Camp Hill Centenary Steelton Chambers Hill Christ Shippensburg Cleversburg CrossPoint Dellville Donnally Mills Ebenezer Middletown Emmanuel Enola Evangelical Middletown First Hershey First Mechanicsburg First Millersburg Geyers Grace Carlisle Grace Harrisburg Grace Hummelstown Grace Lemoyne Grace Mechanicsburg Grace Millersburg Halifax Harris Street Hays Grove Hebron Millersburg Hickorytown Hill Hope Eternal Hope Mechanicsburg Hopewell Cumberland Immanuel Loyalton Leesburg Letort Liverpool Lykens Messiah Shippensburg Millerstown Mt Calvary Harrisburg Mt Gilead Mt Holly Springs Mt Hope Newville Mt Olivet Mechanicsburg Mt Rock Carlisle Mt Zion Enola Mt Zion Steelton (Extended) New Buffalo New Germantown (Ex¬tended) Newburg Otterbein Boiling Springs Otterbein Cumberland Paxton Pfoutz Valley Rockville Salem Liverpool Salem Marysville Shepherdstown Shermans Dale Shiremanstown Shopes Snyders St Andrews Valley View St Johns Grantville St Johns Hegins St Marks Spring Glen St Marys Bloserville St Peters Fearnot Summerdale Trinity County Line Trinity New Cumberland Trinity Walnut Bottom Waggoners Walnut Grove Wesley Marysville Wesley Wiconisco West Fairview West Hill Williamstown Youngs Youngs Shermans Dale

HARRISBURG - 90% Bethany Marysville LEWISBURG - 100%

Aline Askam Bakers Beaver Memorial Beavertown Benton Bethany Berwick Bethany Milton Bethel Hill Bloomingdale Browns Cocolamus Buckhorn Calvary Berwick Calvary West Nanticoke Catawissa Avenue Sunbury Centenary Ashley Christ Benton Christ Community Daniels-St Thomas Dresslers Ridge Ebenezer Berwick Elimsport Evansville Eyers Grove Fairmount Springs Faith Chapel White Deer Faith Hoovers Faith Sunbury Faith Wapwallopen First Berwick First Nanticoke First Shickshinny Forest Hill Fowlersville Freeburg Freemont Emmanuel Good Shepherd Blooms¬burg Hendrickson Hetlerville Hope Hummels Hunlock Creek Jerseytown Kitchens Klinesgrove Kulp Lawvers Lightstreet Lime Ridge Mazeppa McAlisterville McKendree Shickshinny Mifflinburg Mill-Green Montandon Mt Pleasant Sunbury Mt Zion Richfield Muhlenburg New Berlin Emmanuel Newport Oakdale Orangeville Otterbein Sunbury Paxtonville Pine Grove Mifflintown Pine Summit Pleasant Grove Mifflinburg Richfield Ridge Street Shamokin Dam Slocum St Andrews Milton St Johns Dewart St Johns Elimsport St Pauls Berwick St Pauls Emmanuel Danville St Pauls Penns Creek St Peters Beavertown St Peters Milton St Peters Riverside Stairville Sunrise Trinity Danville Trinity Espy Trinity Middleburg Trinity Northumberland Trinity Winfield Wesley Bloomsburg Wesley Nescopeck Wesley Selinsgrove Witmers Zion Penns Creek

LEWISBURG - 90% First McClure Trinity White Deer

SCRANTON WILKES-BARRE - 100% Abrahamsville Albright Wilkes-Barre Asbury Scranton Beach Lake Bennett-Derr Bethany Bethel

Bethel Avoca Centenary Hamlin Center Moreland Central Honesdale Central Wilkes-Barre Clarks Green Clarks Summit Community Great Bend Countryside Community Court Street Courtdale Dallas Damascus Manor Dimock Community Dunmore Dymond Hollow East Benton East Lemon Eatonville Elm Park Embury Scranton Emory Evans Falls Factoryville Fairdale Falls First New Milford First Old Forge Firwood Forkston Forty Fort Franklin Forks Hawley Hop Bottom Jenningsville Kingsley Kunkle Lake Como Lake Winola Larksville Lehman-Idetown Lemon Lenoxville Lookout Loyalville Maple Grove Maple Lake Mehoopany Meshoppen Montdale Montrose Moosic Mt Zion Wyoming Nicholson North Jackson Noxen Orange Orson Paupack Peckville Pine Mill Plains Pleasant Mount Prompton Community Ruggles Russell Hill Shavertown Shehawken Skinners Eddy Smith Hill South Montrose Community Springville St Pauls Scranton Stewart Memorial Susquehanna Thornhurst Throop Tompkinsville Trucksville Tunkhannock Union Wayne County Waverly West Nicholson White Mills Whites Valley Wyoming

SCRANTON WILKES-BARRE - 90% Clifford Retta

STATE COLLEGE - 100% Albright Loganton Aldersgate Mifflintown Arch Rock Black Oak Buffalo Run Caldwell Calvary West Decatur Centre Christ’s Julian Church Hill Clarence Clintondale Covenant

Curtin Dunnstown East Main Street East Salem Ebenezer Fairbrook Fairview Morrisdale Faith Bellefonte Faith Chapel Faith East Waterford Faith Sandy Ridge Farrandsville Fillmore First Lewistown First Renovo Flemington Freedom Avenue Gethsemane Allport Grace Centre Hall Grace Lewistown Grace Philipsburg Granville Grays Greenburr Trinity Grove Memorial Howard Hyner Lake Park (Extended) Lamar Laurel Run Liberty Locust Run Martha Matamoras McVeytown Milesburg Mill Hall Milroy Morrisdale Moshannon Mt Nittany - Lemont Mt Pleasant Port Matilda New Hope North Bend Oak Grove Ohio Osceola Mills Otterbein East Salem Palestine Park Forest State College Pleasant Valley Bellefonte Port Matilda Port Royal Reedsville Rhodes Memorial Ross Rote Runville Salem Salona Sanborn Shrader Snow Shoe (Mountain Top) Spring Mills Faith Spring Valley Sprucetown St James Coburn St Pauls Sandy Ridge St Pauls State College Summit Hill Swissdale Thompsontown Trinity Bellefonte Trinity Lewistown Tusseyville Bethany Valley Salem Valley St Marks Valley View Bellefonte Vira Wagner Wallaceton Watts Memorial Belleville Wayne Wesley Chapel McVeytown Woodycrest Woolrich Community Yarnell Yeagertown

STATE COLLEGE - 90% McElhattan Trinity Woodward

WILLIAMSPORT - 100% Athens Austinburg Avis Balls Mills Beaver Meadows Beech Valley Bethel Loyalsock Bethel Montoursville Brookfield Burlington Calvary Lawrenceville Camptown

Canton Ecumenical Centennial Clarkstown Columbia Crossroads Coolidge Hollow Costello Covington Cowanesque Daggett Duboistown Eagles Mere Community East Canton East Smithfield East Troy Ebenezer East Point Elkland Fairfield Faith Community Faith Montoursville Farragut Mt Zion First Blossburg First Jersey Shore First Mansfield First Muncy First Towanda First Troy First Williamsport Fishing Creek Forksville Franklin Bethel French Asylum Hemlock Herrickville Heshbon Park Hillsgrove Hoffman Hollenback Huntersville Jackson Center Keeneyville Knoxville Yoked Laporte Larryville Leona Liberty Corners Little Marsh Luthers Mills Mainesburg Maple Springs Middle Ridge Mill Creek Loyalsock Millerton Monroeton Mt Pleasant Morris Mt Zion Salladasburg New Albany Newelltown Niles Valley Osceola Oval Park Coudersport Phelps Chapel Picture Rocks Pine Center Pine Creek Valley Pine Run Pine Street Williamsport Point Bethel Powell Quiggleville Riverside Rome Rose Valley Roseville Salem Unityville Salladasburg Shunk Silvara South Auburn South Williamsport Spring Hill St Johns Chapel St Johns Grover St Johns-Newberry Wmspt St Paul-Calvary Wil¬liamsport St Pauls Nauvoo St Pauls Nordmont Standing Stone State Road Strawbridge Kedron Sweden Valley Faith Tivoli Trinity Jersey Shore Trinity Pennsdale Ulster Ulysses Union Corners United Church of Nelson Valley Wallis Run Warren Center Warrensville Wellsboro Wesley Chapel Unityville West Burlington Westfield

White Pine Whitneyville Windfall Wyalusing

YORK - 100% Adamsville Aldersgate York Arnolds Dillsburg Barts-Centenary Bendersville Bethany Red Lion Bethlehem Codorus Bethlehem Dallastown Beth Stonepile Red Lion Bryansville Calvary Fayetteville Calvary York Centenary Biglerville Charlestown Chestnut Grove Christ Waynesboro Christ Yoe Christ Yorkana Cross Roads Dover Bethany Druck Valley Edenville Emanuel Emory New Oxford Faith Waynesboro Fawn Fetterhoff Chapel First Chambersburg First Greencastle First Marion First Mercersburg First Roxbury First Spanish Fishing Creek Salem Fort Loudon Fourth Gettysburg Grace Hanover Grace Shrewsbury Grace Wellsville Grace Windsor Grace York Greenmount Idaville Lemasters Lewisberry Longstown McKendree Airville Messiah York Mont Alto Mt Airy Dillsburg Mt Calvary Bendersville Mt Carmel Mt Hope Orrtanna Mt Nebo Mt Olivet Delta Mt Royal Mt Tabor Mt Union Chambersburg Mt Zion Dillsburg Mt Zion Glen Rock New Bethel New Creation Community Orrtanna Otterbein Emigsville Otterbein Fayetteville Otterbein Mt Wolf Otterbein Spry Paddletown St Pauls Park Avenue Chambersburg Pine Grove York Pleasant Grove Windsor Prospect Quincy Red Mount Rouzerville Scotland Springvale St Pauls St Johns Chambersburg St Paul Chambersburg St Pauls Red Lion St Thomas State Line Stewartstown Trinity New Freedom Upper Strasburg Uriah Violet Hill Wenksville Wesley Chapel Rouzerville Winterstown York Springs Yorkshire Zion East Prospect Zion Freysville Zion York

YORK - 90% Grace Wrightsville

Miss Ariel McFadden, Black College Fund Ambassador.


PHOTOS COURTESY OF MISSION CENTRAL

Susquehanna LINK belongs to the churches of the Susquehanna Conference. You are free to reprint any of our content — with the exception of reprinted material.

Electronic versions of the LINK are available at susumc.org under “News” — “Susquehanna LINK”. Graphics, posters and photos are available by request;

please email [email protected]


Friday, September 20, 2013 - 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Grace United Methodist Church, 216 South Market St., Mechanicsburg, PA

Is Your Church Ready for a Capital Campaign? Led by Ms. Andi Tilmann, Executive Director, Tri-Unity Consulting. Free lunch included. Send your e-mail, titled “REGISTRATION,” to [email protected].

Saturday, September 21, 2013 - 11:30 am. – 2 p.m.

Trucksville United Methodist Church, 40 Knob Hill, Trucksville, PA. Is Your Church Ready for a Capital Campaign? Led by Ms. Andi Tilmann, Executive Director, Tri-Unity Consulting. Free lunch included. Send your e-mail, titled “REGISTRATION,” to [email protected].

Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.Dorranceton United Methodist Church, 549 Wyoming Ave., Kingston, PA. Growing Generous Giving In Real-Sized CongregationsLed by Rev. Dr. Betsy Schwarzentraub, author, nationwide consultant and former Stewardship Associate for the General Board of Discipleship, The United Methodist Church.

Worship with Rev. Dr. Anthony D. Bailey, Lead Minister, Parkdale United Church, Ottawa, Canada and sought-after preacher, worship leader, and conference keynoter.

Registration is $40 per person or $50 for three from the same Church. Lunch and book are

included. Register on-line only at www.umstewardship.org. Deadline - October 21, 2013.

Monday, November 11, 2013 - 9:00 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Trucksville United Methodist Church, 40 Knob Hill, Trucksville, PA

Clergy Tax and Compensation Conference – for Clergy and Laity Led by Rev. Frederick H. Leasure, CFRE, Executive Director, United Methodist Foundation of Western Pennsylvania. Rev. Leasure is a well-known author, lecturer, and Instructor with the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the General Board of Discipleship, The United Methodist Church. Registration is $60 per person including lunch. Register on-line only at www.umstewardship.org. Deadline - November 5, 2013.

Saturday, April 5, 2014 - 9 a.m. – about 3 p.m.

Wesley United Methodist Church, 346 Market St., Bloomsburg, PA

Rich Church, Poor Church Led by Dr. J. Clif Christopher, Certified Church Growth Consultant and author of “Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate” and “Rich Church-Poor Church.”

Come and worship with Rev. Dr. Anthony D. Bailey, Lead Minister, Parkdale United Church, Ottawa, Canada, and sought-after preacher, worship leader, and conference keynoter.

Register on-line only at www.umstewardship.org. Registration is $40 per person or $50 for three from the same church. Lunch and book included. Deadline - April 1, 2014.

For more information contact Phyllis Bowers at (local) 717-766-5376 or (toll-free) 1-877-619-5974 or e-mail [email protected]

REV. PHYLLISM. BOWERS

Executive DirectorUnited Methodist

Stewardship Foundation

Do not store up for yourselves

treasure on earth, where

moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and

steal; but store up for yourselves treasure in

heaven...for where your treasure is, there your heart will

be also.Matthew 6:19-21

WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS

Save these dates

The “new” reconditioned forklifts have arrived at Mission Central and are hard at work.

Thank you to the State College Churches and many other churches who contributed. Thank you to the Kline Foundation and many individuals who contributed.

Have you felt God nudging you toward a specific form of ministry or vocation? Have you wondered,

God, are you really calling me to this? Or perhaps you know someone who you believe is being called to a leadership ministry within the church. The Enlistment and Interpretation Committee of the Board of the Ordained Ministry of the Susquehanna Conference is here to help you. This team is equipped to help you as you discern your calling. The E&I team can provide you with “Culture of the Call” materials for your use so you and your church may help others recognize, nurture, and honor God’s call upon them. There are a variety of opportunities available to assist individuals discern their calling: • The annual Adult God’s Call Event, for

individuals 18 or older, is being held August 10 this year, and is a wonderful opportunity for individuals to find out more about the ordained and certified ministries within the United Methodist Church.

• Two Ministry Internship Scholarships are available every year for college-age students who wish to explore the role of various ministries within the local church. A $5,000 scholarship is given

to the ministry intern. • The Rev. Thomas K. Cartwright

Scholarship is presented every year to a young certified candidate within the ordained candidacy ministry process, through the E&I Committee.

• Scholarships are offered in the form of airfare for individuals from the Susquehanna Conference to join a representative from the E&I Committee to the National Exploration Event. This event is being held in Denver this year and is an opportunity for young people to explore the ministries of the United Methodist Church. Register now for this November event.

• If you are an ordained pastor serving within the Susquehanna Conference, you may be interested in serving as a God’s Call Camp Pastor at one of the conference camps next year. This is an opportunity for pastors to share their call stories and help campers better understand God’s call in their own lives. This is a three day commitment, and an exciting new outreach of the E&I Committee. To find out more, go to susumcboom.

org or email Carol Diffenbuagh, E&I chair, at [email protected]. God’s Calling. We’re here to help..

Just like new

DR. MILTON LOYER

Conference Archivist

OUR HERITAGE

May - 100 years agoOn Sunday, May 18, 1913, the

Sunday school annex at Mount Union was dedicated without the usual appeals for money as “the building was completely provided for, with a surplus for conveniences and a stationary vacuum cleaner.” Bishop Earl Cranston “preached a strong sermon in the morning and made a fitting address at night.” The impressive 70x54 three-level structure included a kitchen and social hall and toilets in the basement, an assembly room and seven classrooms and a library on the first floor, and a parlor and six classrooms on the second floor. The congregation continued to experience steady growth and the present large sanctuary was dedicated just thirteen years later. That granite English Gothic building is the third one on the site – replacing an 1850 frame structure and an 1872 brick facility. The 1913 dedication happened to occur in the congregation’s seventy-fifth year of existence, and fifty years later they celebrated their one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary with a week of services culminating in a sermon by another bishop, W. Vernon Middleton. At one time the Mount Union church had a membership of more than one thousand.

June - 50 years agoThe first service at Wesley

Church in Williamsport, the newest congregation in the Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist Church, was held June 2, 1963. The new body was created by the merger of the former Mulberry Street and Market Street congregations, and would continue to meet at the Market Street location. The Mulberry Street building was sold to the Faith Tabernacle congregation, who were in the process of moving to their present location at the former Elks building, when the Mulberry Street structure was destroyed by fire in 1973. In 2002 High Street merged into Wesley and the congregation became New Hope UMC – with the High Street building becoming the headquarters for Sojourner Truth Ministries. In 2006 the New Hope congregation merged into Williamsport First, and the building with three former names (first Market Street, then Wesley, then New Hope) became the North Campus of First UMC. The facility is currently used for youth and neighborhood ministries, and as the site for informal Sunday morning services linked by video to First UMC.

Become a FRIEND IN MISSION - visit www.missioncentral.org for more information

Visit the Susquehanna Conference Web site at www.susumc.org


As of the date of publication, the totals for the special offerings collected at Annual Conference

are as follows:Stop Hunger Now: $21,062Mongolian Mission: $19,482.89Mission Central: $5,931.83

Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger relief agency that has been fulfilling its commitment to end hunger for more than 13 years. Since 1998, the organization has coordinated the distribution of food and other lifesaving aid to children and families in countries all over the world. During this year’s Annual Conference, we assembled over 70,000 meal packets, which included 21 essential vitamins and minerals to be shipped to hunger-stricken regions. This offering will fund the shipment of the meals we packaged.

The Mongolian Mission of the United Methodist Church supports our missionaries and their work in a country where the major religion is Buddhism, but church leaders are finding people longing for the gospel. Mongolia lies between China and Russia in northern Asia and is undergoing rapid social and economic changes. In 2011 Bishop Jeremiah J. Park was named the first presiding bishop of the Mongolian Mission of the United Methodist Church. He travels there once a year to conduct an annual meeting and to supervise, support, and strengthen the mission of our church in that part of the world.

Mission Central, now including 27 HUBS, is the place of miracles, “connecting God’s resources with human need” through mission education, mission outreach, and disaster response. Annually over nine million dollars worth of goods are distributed through Mission Central, transforming over two million lives locally, nationally, and globally. Your generous offering makes the daily operations possible.

Additional funds were raised by the Young People’s Ministry for Youth Ministry and the Youth Service Fund through a silent auction, the selling of t-shirts, donations for popcorn, and the bussing of tables during Thursday and Friday mealtimes at Annual Conference. To date $5,931.83 has been collected.

The Youth Service Fund is a United Methodist mission fund that is raised and administered by youth to help fund youth ministry projects locally, nationally, and globally. Youth groups and local churches are also encouraged to support YSF.

Mr. Steven Confer Boyer of West Main Street, Hershey, Pa., husband of Rev. Gail P. Boyer, active pastor serving Union Deposit, Hershey, Pa., died Fri-day, June 7, 2013. Memorial Services were held Wednesday, June 12, 2013, in Union Deposit United Methodist Church, Hershey, Pa. Interment was in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, An-nville, Pa.

Pastor Dale W. Dobbs of Perlo Court, Loysville, Pa., died Saturday, June 15, 2013. He is survived by his wife, Jane Dobbs. Memorial Services were held Saturday, June 29, 2013, in McVeytown United Methodist Church, McVeytown, Pa. Interment was in Blain Cemetery, Perry County, Pa.

Susan Duncan of Amherst Street, Scran-ton, Pa., wife of Rev. Dr. Jean-Pierre Duncan, active pastor serving Country-side Community, Clarks Summit, Pa., died Monday, June 17, 2013. Memorial Services were held Saturday, June 22, 2013, in Countryside Community United Methodist Church, Clarks Summit, Pa. Interment was in Dunmore Cemetery, Dunmore, Pa.

Mrs. Helen Gentilman of Magaro Road, Enola, Pa., wife of Rev. Joseph S. Gentil-man, Retired, died Friday, June 21, 2013. Memorial Services were held Saturday, June 29, 2013, in Emmanuel United Methodist Church, Enola, Pa.

Mrs. Elizabeth L. Kleffel of Whitefield Drive, Mechanicsburg, Pa., widow of Rev. Paul H. Kleffel, Retired, died Tues-day, June 25, 2013. Memorial Services were held Friday, July 19, 2013, in the Community Room at Bethany Village East, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Mrs. Dorothy M. “Dot” (Ettinger) Shambach of Route 104, Middleburg, Pa., wife of Rev. Lear E. Shambach, Retired, died Thursday, June 27, 2013, at home. Memorial Services were held Monday, July 1, 2013, in Trinity United Methodist Church, Middleburg, Pa. In-terment was in Penns Creek Union Cem-etery, Centre Township, Pa.

The Susquehanna Conference Pastors’ Choir welcomes all who serve in or are in process for pastoral ministry to join Chi Rho Singers. We meet, rehearse, and perform one Thursday each month September-May (beginning with a Wednesday-Thursday retreat in September), generally on the fourth Thursday, beginning at 1 p.m. We sing a variety of contemporary choral music, as well as some older works, and have a lot of fun. If you would like more information or wish to be placed on our email list, speak to director John Dromazos or any Chi Rho Singers member, or contact our secretary, Marian Anderson, at [email protected].

We also invite you to invite us to your church for a concert. We sing in churches throughout our conference, and try to be in all seven districts each season. Host churches are responsible to provide dressing rooms, a snack and supper, and an offering. Invitations should come from your church council and be sent to our business manager, Carola Beasley-Topliffe, at [email protected] or 405 Lansvale St., Marysville, PA 17053. You can also phone her at 717-957-3175 for more detailed information. We are currently scheduled through the 2013-14 season, and concert dates for 2014-2015 will be established early next year.

This season we will sing at Wesley, Selinsgrove; Springville; Otterbein, Newburg; Hicks Memorial, Duncansville; Granville, Lewistown; Normandie Ridge (afternoon concert); Christ, Yorkana; Millerstown Charge (at Donnally’s Mills); and Keeneyville.

We look forward to praising God together with you.

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CONFERENCE CENTERPHONE NUMBERS

AREA CODE (717) NUMBERCONNECTIONAL MINISTRIES 766-7441 Toll Free 800-874-8474 Fax 766-5976FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION 766-5275 Toll Free 866-227-6529 Fax 766-5976EPISCOPAL OFFICE 766-7871 Fax 766-3210DISCOVERY PLACE 766-7968 Toll Free 800-682-2615 Fax 766-5976HARRISBURG DISTRICT 766-8124 Toll Free 800-317-7745 Fax 766-3887

GROWING EFFECTIVE CHURCHES 766-8124STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION 766-7343 766-4383 Toll Free 800-272-0113 P. Bowers 766-5376 P. Bowers Toll Free 877-619-5974 Fax 766-1673MISSION CENTRAL 766-1533 Fax 796-9582

PHONE EXTENSIONSDial these extensions as directed by

our voicemail system

NAME EXTENSION

EPISCOPAL OFFICES Christy Mackey 3100 Bishop Jeremiah Park 3100 Greg Myers 3103 Kristin Sample 3104INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Nate Smith 3107 Larry McCleaf 3106GROWING EFFECTIVE CHURCHES Bonnie Moody 3111 Dennis Otto 3112HARRISBURG DISTRICT Candi Shaffer 3200 Pat Woolever 3201 Dennis Keller 3202STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION Kathy Lemkelde 3300 Bonnie Young 3305 Phyllis Bowers 3307DISCOVERY PLACE Jody Robinson 3400FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Jane Rosborough 3500 Ann Watts 3501 Gary Smith 3502 Zedna Haverstock 3503 Sue Adams 3504CONNECTIONAL MINISTRIES Amy Wynn 3000 Lisa Bender 3600 Mike Bealla 3601 Kaye Anderson 3602 Anne Horton 3603 Warren Bevacqua 3604 Jerry Wolgemuth 3607 Sharon Keebaugh 3608 Stacy Eckert 3609 Ashley Brooks 3613

Staff e-mail addresses at www.susumc.org

Volume 3 Number 3USPS 763-160

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Th ank You for your continued generosity! Th e Benevolent Homes of the Susquehanna Conference are grateful for your support of the Golden Cross Off ering. Th rough your gift s, you enable us to continue our ministry of care to youth and elders in need.

United Methodist Home for Childrenumhcservices.org

Bethany Villagebethanyvillage.org

Normandie Ridge Senior Living CommunityNormandieRidge.org

Quincy Villagequincyvillage.org

RiverWoods Senior Living CommunityRiverWoods.org

United Methodist Homes Wesley Village Campusunitedmethodisthomes.org/locations/Wesley_village_campus.asp


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2013 Annual Conference

Wrap-up

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ANNUAL CONFERENCE WRAP-UP ISSUE

Documents

LINK Jun_2013.pdf -