Julia Mickley Returns from Cambodia

Red Run News -- April 30, 2006

What a beautiful spring day to gather together for worship! Joe and Maryann Miozza reported that they cleaned out their fish pond and that the fish survived the winter very well.

At the beginning of the Sunday School period, the children gathered to sing. The girls stood to sing "Alleluia," and then the boys stood to sing the response, "Praise ye the Lord." The group included a number of visitors today. The adult classes studied Ecclesiastes 3, "There is a time for everything." The women's class discussed those things that cause us to weep and those things that cause us to laugh. The men's class was a little more technical: How do we measure time? etc.

Paul Gehman brought the morning message from 1 John 3 -- "What marvelous love the Father has extended to us!" God made us but we turned against Him; yet God still loved us. Jesus laid down His life for us. Like blind Bartimaeus, we call out to Jesus for mercy. By God's love, we become His dear children. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. When Jesus appears, He will give us a new body like his glorious resurrected body. We look forward with confidence to the coming of Jesus.

Kevin and Letitia Weaver led us in singing hymns about the love of God -- including the hymn "One Day" which walks us through the life of Christ. We also sang "Arise, My Soul, Arise," a song of triumphant confidence in what God has accomplished for us through Jesus Christ.

Julia Mickley has returned from her missions trip to Cambodia and is spending several weeks at the Harrisburg Discipleship Training Center to process this experience with her team members as well as with the other teams which had gone to Albania, Chile, Honduras, and Thailand. Tonight (April 30) Julia's team will report at the Millport Mennonite Church at 7 p.m. Julia will report at Red Run on Sunday morning, May 21. (This morning someone alerted me that the directions I had given to Millport included a road that was closed. To get to Millport, go to Rothsville, turn left on Church Street, follow that to the stop sign and then turn right on Log Cabin Drive.)

Friendship Community comes to Red Run

Red Run News -- April 26, 2006

Our guests from Friendship Community shared in our worship service this morning. Led by Milt Stolzfus, the Friendship Singers sang some familiar hymns and choruses. Then the Creative Movement team also presented some hymns. The truth was offered clearly to us -- that God hears our cries and that God values each one of us as an individual person. Friendship Community is a Christian ministry supporting people with developmental disabilities.
In the men's class this morning, Tim Martin drew on his training in marketing and discussed the theories of psychologist Abraham Maslow. From there we moved into the lesson from Ecclesiastes about how we find meaning in life. Then we shifted to the Gospel of John where we find purpose in serving the risen Christ. In Joyce Sauder's class, the story was about the disciple Thomas and his struggle to believe. Joyce had used a white crayon to outline a picture of the risen Christ for each of her pupils. Jesus only became visible as the children painted on the white sheet of paper.
We all enjoyed a fellowship meal together. There is always a fascinating variety of food.
Julia Mickley has returned to this country at the conclusion of her missions trip to Cambodia. Her team will report at the Millport Mennonite Church at 7 p.m. on April 30. We plan for Julia to report on a Sunday morning at Red Run.
On May 14, Christian Family Sunday (Mother's Day), Carl and Julia Sensenig will present a dialogue on "Godly Homes." Glenda Lafferty will lead the worship

But Christ has indeed been raised

Red Run News -- April 16, 2006 (Easter Sunday)

Throughout Friday, the delicious smells of lentil soup and baking bread rose from the basement and filled the church building. Joyce Sauder, Letitia Weaver, and others worked hard to organize a meal enjoyed by about 50 people on Friday evening. The cookies for dessert were delivered by children pulling a little red wagon while the coffee mugs arrived via a child-size shopping cart. A Tenebrae service (service of shadows) followed in the auditorium. As we read Scripture and sang music about Christ's suffering, candles were extinguished one at a time until there was total darkness. Then we returned to our homes in reflective silence.
Some of us were up early for the 6 a.m. sunrise service at Bowmansville Mennonite. The Red Run Choir sang, and Jonathan Yoder, pastor at Pine Grove preached. We enjoyed fellowship and breakfast together after this service.
Pastor Carl preached at the Red Run service "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead" (1Corinthians 15:20). The risen Christ is the center of our faith. The risen Christ calls us to a new way of life. The risen Christ assures us of eternal life. Julia Sensenig opened twelve plastic eggs one at a time with the children. Each egg contained a small item useful in summarizing the story of Jesus. The last egg was empty and symbolized the empty tomb. Alleluia! Bob Sauder led us in singing. At the Good Friday service we had concluded by singing the first three verses of "Were You There?'" What a joy then this morning to sing the fourth verse, "Were you there when he rose up from the tomb?" Karen Sensenig led our time of sharing and prayer requests. A number of persons spoke about what Good Friday and Easter Sunday mean to them.
We were glad for a number of persons from a distance who were able to join us this morning.
Remember that a fellowship meal is scheduled for next Sunday (April 23) and that the Friendship Community Choir members will be our guests in the service and for the fellowship meal.

Communion Service at Red Run

Red Run News -- April 9, 2006
All are welcome at the Good Friday service on April 14. Come for a time of food and fellowship at 6 p.m. and the church service at 7 p.m. Invite others to come with you. Some of you who live a distance may be in the area next weekend. We would be glad to see you again on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
From the less-than-one-year-olds to those more-than-seventy, about 25 of us gathered at the church on Saturday (April 8) for our spring clean-up. Most of us worked inside, but a few brave souls worked outside in the drizzle for the first hour or two. Besides the regular washing and vacuuming, a few other items were also taken care of -- sanding and staining of the window sills, plaster repair above the pulpit, and a reorganization of the supply closet.Then we ate lunch together and discussed such wide-ranging subjects as the DaVinci Code and bald eagles. By the way, enroute to the church cleaning, Randy and JoAnne Hostetter spotted a bald eagle on the ground at the Muddy Creek along Red Run Road.
This morning Kevin Weaver provided "palm" branches for the children to wave as we energetically sang the opening hymn "Hosanna, Loud Hosanna." Interspersed in Ken Sensenig's sermon, we listened to our text (Philippians 2:5-11) read in a variety of translations. With Christians throughout the world, we reflect on Christ coming from glory to suffer on our behalf.
Mel and Ruthie Weaver read the account of the Last Supper in Luke 22 and then shared a dialogue. The Last Supper was a time of saying good-bye and established a way for us to remember what Jesus has done for us. Then we shared together in the bread and drink. At the close of the service, there was opportunity to share in footwashing as a sign of love and servanthood.
Closing Note: Last week three-year-old Ian commented that his mother was going to some church meeting to discuss furniture. Actually she was attending a session of the church "cabinet."

Blessings,

Carl and Julia

Daryl Weaver preaches

Red Run News -- April 2, 2006

We were glad to see Jen, Daryl, and Brent Weaver who are here from Grenada for a short time. They serve in Grenada with Olive Branch Mennonite Missions. In his sermon, Daryl recounted the story of Ruth and then applied it to our lives. Like Ruth, we have suffered loss. As Ruth trusted in the goodness and generosity of Boaz, so we trust in Jesus to redeem us. We live under the Redeemer's wings (Ruth 2:12). The choir closed the service with the hymn, "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth."
Earlier, Ken Sensenig taught the combined Sunday school lesson on the first of three lessons from the book of Job. Ken reflected on the family that buried a 19-year-old daughter in our cemetery this past week. Several years ago the brother had died in an accident and was also buried at Red Run. At the graveside this week, the mother quoted from the book of Job, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away." We cannot give definite answers on the matter of human suffering; yet we must reflect on these matters. And we did that this morning as many of us shared from our own personal experiences.
David Erb played the prelude music, and Glenda Lafferty led us in singing hymns. Tim Martin led us in a time of announcements and prayer. Glenn Stauffer is entering a busy two months in his research work at Penn State University. Julia Mickley will be spending time in Thailand at the end of her missions assignment in Cambodia. Later this month she will return to the States and then spend some time at the Harrisburg Discipleship Center, where the mission teams will process their experience and think about re-entry. We also prayed for Vic and Michelle Sensenig in Indonesia.
Letitia Weaver told us a bit about the Good Friday (April 14) service at Red Run at 7 p.m.. All are welcome. It is good to set aside time to reflect on the meaning of these events that we read about in the Gospels.
If you are interested in helping with this summer's Vacation Bible School, sign up in the lobby or talk to Julia Sensenig. The Bible school is sponsored by the Bowmansville, Red Run, and Gehman congregations and will be held June 11-15 at the Bowmansville Mennonite Church with classes for all ages, including adults.
Remember the spring clean-up of the church building and grounds on Saturday, April 8. Come as early as 8 a.m. and bring tools for indoor or outdoor clean -up. A lunch will be provided. Then on Sunday, April 9, we will share together in a communion service. At the close of the service, there will also be opportunity for footwashing -- following the example offered by Jesus as recorded in John 13.
Willis & Anna Mary Burkholder and Elsie Good organized a game night on Saturday evening. About 25 of us gathered for fellowship, refreshments, and games: "take one," marbles, "golf," etc. However, the game that kept people there the latest was "Apples to Apples