The Weekly Vision

Phone Number 717-334-3032
Parsonage Phone Number 334-1821
Website: www.gettysburgumc.org
e-mail address: mailto:gumc@onemain.com

August 22, 2004 -- August 28, 2004

Welcome!
"This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
To all our visitors this morning, we thank God that you have chosen to worship with us today and we pray you will be comforted and challenged by the Word of God. We pray for traveling mercies for you and your family as you return to your homes. Welcome!

Thought For The Day

The Finest Silver
There was a group of women doing a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three, they came the verse three, which says: "He will set as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women. They wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.
That week, the woman called up a silver smith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silver smith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot. She thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silver smith if it was true that he has to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered, "Yes," he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he has to keep his eye on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver were left even a moment to o long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silver smith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy-it's finished when I can see my image in it."

The Altar Flowers are presented to the Glory of God by Ron and Janet Palese.
The Bulletins are presented to the Glory of God by Marian Shears.
The Greeters are Mary Fleming and Sue Hess.
The Ushers are Oscar Spicer, Ed Moore, Lloyd Dye and Bob Hess.
The Nursery Attendants are Mike and Franci Ball.

The following people have Birthdays this week:

22 - Edith Bulman, Barbara Evans
24 - Logan Lyon
27 - nancy Pritt, George Wetmore

STAFF

Jay E. Zimmerman	Pastor
Kelly E. Renner	Organist
Charles H. Thompson	Music Coordinator
Fred Myers	Treasurer
Bruce Guiher	Sexton
Sara E. Bupp	Director of Youth Ministries
Natalie Price	Administrative Assistant

Mission Can

"Mission Can" Benefits "Holy Grounds"

Take a hike over to Camp Penn (Waynesboro) or Mount Asbury (Newville) today, and you will see our Central PA UMC Camping Ministry in the final stages of a full summer ministry. These facilities, along with Green Hills (near Huntingdon) and Wesley Forest (Weikert), comprise a marvelous resource of campsites, whether it's summer, fall, winter, or spring. However, like all facilities, improvements, repairs, etc., are needed from time to time, and for our camps, this time has arrived. Our annual conference, accordingly, is in the midst of a $5.5 million campaign on behalf of facilities. We are calling it the "Holy Grounds" Campaign. Our August Mission Can benefits this significant ministry. Thank you for your gift!

The Weekly Calendar

Sunday, August 22	8:00 a.m. Battlefield Service 9:00 a.m. Summer Celebration of Worship. 10:00 a.m. Sunday School. (No children's Sunday School during July and August.) 1:00 - 4:00 PM Fundraiser to benefit Sarah Rose Wickham at the Lake Heritage Community Center
Monday, August 23	9:30 a.m. Crafty Ladies meet at the church. Anyone interested in crafts is may attend. 7:00 p.m. Worship Committee meeting
Tuesday, August 24	7:00 p.m. Staf Parish Relations Committee.

A Look Ahead

Sunday, August 29	9:00 a.m. Summer Celebration of Worship. 10:00 a.m. Sunday School. (No children's Sunday School during July and August.)
Tuesday, September 7	UMW Mystery dinner. 7:00 p.m. Finance Committee Meeting
Sunday, Sept 12	4:00 pm Please note that the time and place have changed for the Church picnic. It is now being held on Sunday, September 12th at the home of Gerry and Beth Hoffman, 1051 Taneytown Road. We are doing this to welcome Jay and his family.

Attendance

	Last Week	Last Year
Worship Attendance	142	136
Sunday School	20	43

Prayer Concerns

Our prayers this week include: Joyce Richmond, Dean Wetzel, Charles Polley, Brian Kluck, Doris Deaner, Bob Dillman, Ed Moore, Marie Clabaugh, David Clapsaddle, Mary Heiser, Mary Fleming, Ida Smith, Margaret LeGay, Samuel Waddell, Regina (Rudisill) Campbell, Kristi Klees, Barbara Purdue, Jeff Persell, Alexa Myers, Sara Rose Wickham, Kelly Baldwin, Donna Doughtery, Mary Shreve, Sally Becker, Victor Herron, Bill Krouse, Sara Bigham, Joanne Shindledecker, Lewis Clark, Linda Reynolds, the victims of Hurricane Charley, and our military personnel, Ralph Schwartz (brother of Marian Beatlinger), Clarence Hansford, and Lois Mae Ferrence.

Pastoral prayers this week for those whose last name begins with these letters:
August 22-V; 23-W, 24-Y, 25-Z.

Please remember that if you don't wish to publicly express your prayer concerns,
you may use the PRAYER PILLAR in the back of the church for your requests.

Give a Phone Program
Studies show that by 2005 there will be over 500 million cell phones in toy boxes, drawers, closets, and so forth. Equally, over 130 million cell phones will be discardede annually. While some of these phones are not repairable, many are. here's where you can help! Your "junk cell phone" is wanted by the "Give A Phone" program of Oklahoma City, OK. (To secure additional information, you can go online at www.give-a-phone.org, or call 1-866-800-1867.) The majority of the phones will be refurbished and given to victims of child abuse and domestic violence.

Gettysburg U.M.C. will be collecting "junk cell phones" until September 30th. At that time, the phones will receive $1-$15/phone, depending upon the condition of the phone. Your gift does three things: 1) provides emergency access 911 phones to child abuse and domestic violence victims, 2) elminates harmful cell phone elements from being released into the environment, and 3) raises funds for our ministry.

Please bring your phone to the church office today! Thank you!

Mystery Dinner
It's time to plan on attending the United Methodist Women's Mystery Dinner, which will be held on September 7th. All women of the church are invited. A sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board.

Updating Our Library
After years of functional organization (under the initial leadership of Betty and George Wetmore), or library, located in the parlor, is in need of some updating. Our goal is to review the books/materials in order to determine relevance, condition, etc. If you are willing and able to serve in this regard, please contact the church office (334-3032) at your earliest convenience.

Prayer Chain Invitation... For You...
Our strength in the Lord comes from a personal relationship to Jesus Christ. So it is that prayer, a tool of the spirit, binds us not only to God, but also to one another. The Gettysburg Church "Prayer Chain" has been a significant manifestation of such a reality. In such a spirit, you are invited to be linked in prayer with others. Quite simply, with this invitation we anticipate the reoganization of the prayer chain in the coming weeks. The chain works like this: As prayer requests are received, persons on the prayer chain receive a call regarding the prayer requests, and they are accordingly asked to call the next person on the chain with the information. Simple! Please complete and submit the follwing informaiotn to the church office by August 22nd. Once the chain is reorganized, an updated version will be mailed to you. Thank you for your anticipated participation!

PRAYER CHAIN 2004
Name: __________________________

Address: __________________________

E-mail: ____________________________

Phone: ____________________________

AROUND THE COMMUNITY News In Brief

I want to thank my church family for all the cards and their prayers during my time of sorrow. Also, a great big THANK YOU to all my volunteers these last four years. I have been blessed by these wonderful friends: Amy Gilbert, Susan Ramsey, Emily Fortnum, Betty Schulteis, Genny Reaver, Betty Overman, Nancy Konopka, Carolyn Mintimier, Terri Donati, Lauren Nace, Kay Honer, Ruth Naugle, Connie Nunamaker, Diana Steager, Judy Kartoz, and my very dear adopted Granddaughter Tammy McGlaughlin, with whom I could not have done this without.
Lois Mae Ferrence

FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT SARAH ROSE WICKHAM - on August 22nd at Lake Heritage's Community Center, there will be a fundraiser to benefit Sarah Rose Wickham who at eight weeks old was diagnosed with Bilateral Retinoblastoma, a rare childhood cancer of the eyes. Sarah has already lost her left eye, and doctors are currently trying to save the right eye. Family and friends have organized a fundraiser to offset the family expenses and show their love for baby Sarah. This is an open house event, stop by anytime between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. when Mary Kay products will be sold, baked goods will be available, Longaberger baskets will be sold and drawings for gift certificates will be available.

LITURGISTS are needed for the remainder of the year. There are still greeter spots available, too. See Hallway bulletin board.

WELCOME FOR OUR NEW BISHOP, JANE MIDDLETON - Sunday, September 19th at 4:30 pm at the Penn State Conference Center in State College. Watch for details.

Reverend Jane Allen Middleton Has Been Named the Bishop for Central PA Conference, Effective September 1st 2004!
Middleton, who lives in Stamford, Conn., will become one of 50 active U.S. bishops serving in the United Methodist Church and will lead the Central Pennsylvania Conference UMC, one of the 13 annual conferences that make up the 12-state jurisdiction. An Episcopal Committee of the Northeast Jurisdiction assigned Middleton and other newly elected and active bishops to conferences where they will serve the next four years. Their assignments will be effective September 1st. Reverend Zimmerman, as other pastors and lay persons from the Chambersburg District, will be participating in the September 19th welcoming of Bishop Middleton. Persons who would like to join the group are invited to contact the church office about further details.

YOU CAN HELP FEED THE HUNGRY - You can help feed the hungry here in Adams County as well as around the world by eating out at "RSVVP" restaurants on Wednesday, October 13th. On that date, restaurants who have agreed to participate in "RSVVP" will give 10% of their receipts for this cause. Half will go to the food pantries in various parts of Adams County; half will go through Church World Service to hungry people in other parts of the USA and around the world. "RSVVP" includes two "VV's" and means Restaurants Sharing Ten Percent. Personal donations may be sent to "RSVVP" c/o SCCAP, 153 North Stratton Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325. You can make a difference!

ATTENTION KENNIE'S SHOPPERS!
If you are a frequent shopper at any Kennie's
Market location and you'd be willing to designate Big Brothers Big Sisters
of Adams County for the Community Treasures program, please contact Laura
Geesaman at 334-1138 or landt@pa.net

Reminder: Summer office hours are
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 pm. M - F.

Regular and large print Bibles are available at the back of the church for your use.
We invite you to use one to follow along in the reading of today's scripture.

PEW ENVELOPES! You may have noticed the pew envelopes and on top of the mission can. These envelopes are to be used for donations to the church that are not covered by your regular envelopes. Some examples are mission can donations, special collections, special service offerings, etc. If the envelopes are used, we will be able to add that record to your giving statement. Please be sure to put your envelope number and/or name on the envelope so we know to which account it should be recorded. If you have any questions, please see Fred Myers or Connie Thompson.

Tape Ministry - Our members in nursing homes and those unable to get to church and now able to hear our Sunday services and feel a part of the church congregation. If you know of a shut-in and would like to take a tape to them, please call Ed and Charlotte Moore @ 334-1716. We owe David Schmidt a debt of gratitude for helping us in recording these tapes.

Adopt - A - Camp ---Fruitbelt Farmworkers Harvest season is coming into "full swing," and with it, the Fruitbelt Farmworkers Christian Ministry is currently inviting individuals and congregations alike to prayerfully consider the "adoption of a camp." It simply involves a time of "connecting visiting" with the workers. For information, please call the Biglerville office at 486-3291 or 1-800-677-6896. Please note that the following items are needed: Spanish Bibles, health kits, blankets and sweatshirts. Thank you!

REMINDER: Please remember to call or e-mail the office by Tuesday prior to the Sunday you are sponsoring bulletins or altar flowers. Phone or mail reminders are no longer being issued - that information is now part of the newsletter. All announcements to be placed in the Weekly Vision must also be in the office by Tuesday. Thank you.