Pray for Mission Week, Building Transition Update
Dearly Beloved,
The letter Paul wrote to the church in Corinth is a bit of an emotional roller coaster as Paul tried to navigate the relational tension they’ve experienced. But, in today’s reading, at the close of the letter, Paul said: “Everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.” (2 Corinthians 12:19)
Is that the goal for your relationships? To strengthen those people in your life?
Can you think of someone whose life strengthens yours? Thank God for that person and consider this an invitation to prioritize strengthening others in Christ.
If you truly want everything you do to strengthen others, then you are likely going to need to ask God for help to stop certain practices. Paul was concerned that the church in Corinth might have the practices of “discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder” (12:20) or “impurity, sexual sin and debauchery” (12:21). If any of those things are in our lives, they hinder our work of strengthening others.
Prayer…Jesus, You loved perfectly and died for us, so that we might be reconciled to you and be a part of your ministry of reconciliation. We cannot carry your message of grace if we practice discord, jealousy, rage, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance or disorder. We cannot continue your ministry of reconciliation if we are living lives of impurity, sexual sin or debauchery. Help us overcome whatever sin within us so that we may strengthen others with our lives.
Join us in the last week of reading through 2 Corinthians for our relationship series
Hear Sunday’s message on Relationships
Stillmeadow Lane Campus-Pastor Josh Kleinfeld
York City Campus-Pastor Jade Frederick
Pray for Mission Week
This week (July 11-15) 40 teens and youth workers are serving in York, Kutztown, and Salisbury, MD. It will be a great week for our teens to grow by serving others locally in York, in surrounding counties, and even in Maryland. The teens will be serving in areas of compassionate ministries to help clothe the needy, serving other churches, and even building a wheelchair ramp for a veteran. Would you join us in praying for them from for the rest of their time? Please pray for God to move in the hearts of our teens, leaders, and those they will be serving, as well as physical safety as they travel for the various service projects.
GriefShare
Led by Pastor Kathy Foltz, GriefShare is special weekly support group for people grieving the death of someone close. It’s a place where you can be around people who understand how you feel and the pain of your loss. At GriefShare you’ll learn valuable information that will help you through this difficult time in your life. The next 13 week cycle of GriefShare begins Saturday, August 6th, 10AM-12 Noon. For more information or to register contact Pastor Kathy at 434-566-9842 or at pastorkathy@stillnaz.com.
Put it on your calendar and plan to invite a friend to our annual welcome bash! We’ll be bringing both campuses together to celebrate God’s work and world.
Building Transition Update
It is so cool to think of the lives that have been impacted over the past 84 years of ministry through the Church of the Nazarene here in York. As we went from being “First Church of the Nazarene” to “Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene” we have had 7 different locations for regular worship (not to mention the times we worshiped at Cousler Park or the Fairground or our front lawn) and countless other spaces for small groups and family ministry.
In each space, something sacred happened as the people of God gathered and poured out their hearts and worked together for God’s kingdom. We wonder what will happen in the next 84 years of ministry (2106)!
Our team has been working hard on the newest transition of our building, preparing for more impact and transformation for the years to come. We have cleaned out and rearranged storage closets, taken things off the walls to prepare for paint, moved our video tech team out of the middle of the Family Life Center, and more.
UPCOMING CHANGES
We are so thankful for the volunteers, staff and the trustees of our board that are working together to update the building. Over the next couple weeks and months, here are some of the updates you’ll see…
-new paint on hallways, classrooms, Kid’s Worship Center, and the Family Life Center
-a new kid’s welcome center
-a new security door in the Stillnaz Kid’s hallway
-updated flooring for Kid’s Worship Center, Café, hallways, and the Family Life Center
-black drape for the stage and walls of the Family Life Center
-wall decorations throughout the building to tell God’s story of Stillmeadow
-mailboxes taken down (and will be modified and put up for holiday card giving)
-new chairs in the worship center (for both campuses)
Pray with us
As we follow Him through these transitions, pray with us that God will continue to reach people of every age, race and gender with His grace through our ministries. Pray that, with Jesus, we will be unified in following Him and making Him known to our community.
Give with us
We have been able to do most of these changes with money that we have intentionally set aside, but will need additional funds to finish the projects. We encourage you to give to the “Renovation Plus” fund. You can give online at the button below, or text “Give” to 717-444-8161, or write a check to Stillmeadow with “Renovation Plus” in the memo line.
Quarterly Giving Update
God has continued to show His grace through your continued faithfulness in giving. Thank you! You can give online at the button above. Or text: “GIVE” to 717-444-8161 to give through text.
Congratulations To…
Heath and Kate Grim, who welcomed Corban James Grim to their family and our world on June 17!
Thank You…
Just as Paul notes the generosity of the Corinthian church in our weekly readings in this sermon series, I want to commend the Stillmeadow Church for your generosity to the Rise Against Hunger event last week. You gave $4,626!! We bagged 10,000 meals to feed hungry children and adults. Your heart of a servant is evident and is a blessing in so many ways. Please accept this sincere thanks from Erma Shaffer and the Mission team at Stillmeadow.
Missions Prayer Emphasis for July and August-USA/Canada
Because we want to be people who pray relentlessly, we cover the earth with our prayers through the year. For July and August, we’re asking God to provide for, protect and direct the work of these missionaries and to pour out His Spirit of justice, grace and truth over these countries in the USA and Canada field of the Church of the Nazarene.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Josh and the Stillmeadow Team
PS…We needed just over $300 for our Rise Against Hunger event and we far exceeded that by bringing in an extra $1,135 for a total of $4,626! Thanks to everybody who gave!
PPS…It was soooo good to work together as a church family to package 10,000 meals with Rise Against Hunger. Thanks to everybody who served!