Monday, June 27, 2022

House-to-House

Family of Hope House Church                                        July 2022

When Will They Ever Learn?

From July 1 through July 4, 1913, thousands of Civil War veterans returned to rural Adams County, Pennsylvania, to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
     At that time, now over a century ago, the New York Herald wrote: 
     "Today fifty thousand veterans of the great War are moving in to take peaceful possession of the field where in the ardor of youth they strove in such deadly conflict. No better evidence of healing of the nation’s wounds could be offered than the spectacle of men of the Grand Army and of the Confederacy striking hands on the spot where they made history."
     During the Commemoration there were many speeches made, wool blankets were handed out to the now aging veterans, and over 650,000 meals were served. The infamous and ill-fated Pickett’s Charge was reenacted by 120 veterans of Pickett’s Division and 180 veterans from the Philadelphia Brigade, reliving the carnage of that awful battle, in which the Union army lost 3,450 men, 20% of their number, and the Confederate side lost 7,000, 38% of their troops.
     After the Confederate veterans charged over the last 100 feet of ground to reach the wall held by the Union re-enactors, all of the men who had been sworn enemies broke ranks, shook hands and embraced each other as they recalled and relived the horrors of that July 3 afternoon.
     I was moved by that image of former enemies meeting as brothers. If only people everywhere could learn to get together before they engage in disastrous conflicts of this sort, and agree to work things out, shake hands and sit down to a common meal as friends and fellow children of God.
      That would truly help make God's dream for humanity come true.
                                                                                                                 - Harvey Yoder

Notes, Prayers and Praises

VIRGINIA CONFERENCE SUMMER DELEGATE ASSEMBLY will be at  the Zion Mennonite Church starting at 7 pm Thursday, July 14, and for Friday and Saturday delegate sessions. Friday evening’s service will be at Trissels Mennonite Church, a special celebration marking their 200th anniversary, and the 6:45 am Saturday Mennonite Women’s prayer breakfast will also be held there.
PLEASE PRAY FOR DONNA SACRA, who has tested positive for Covid and has also been diagnosed with breast cancer. We are grateful that she is doing better!
JIM AND RUTH STAUFFER have moved to Room 105 at Crestwood!
SHOULD WE CONSIDER A POSSIBLE VMRC LOCATION for some of our summer meetings, such as the porch/patio at Village Hall?
JULY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Lois Rivera-Wenger 7/30!

July Lectionary Texts

3    1 Peter 1:3-23  (Matthew 5:11-12) 
10  1 Peter 2:1-9, 19-25 (Matthew 16:24-26) 
17  1 Peter 3:13-22  (Matthew 5:3-10) 
24  1 Peter 4:1-19  (Matthew 5:43-48) 
31  1 Peter 5:1-14  (Matthew 20:25-28) 

July Services, 4-5:30 pm 

3  Location: on line
Worship and Sharing: Kent Palmer
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder
10 Location: To be determined 
Worship and Sharing Harvey Yoder
Bible Study Kent Palmer
17 Location: on line 
Worship and Sharing Lois Rivera-Wenger
Bible Study Roy Hange
24 Location: TBD 
Worship and Sharing  Harvey Yoder
Bible Study Dick Dumas
31 Location: on line 
Worship and Sharing  Lois Rivera-Wenger
Bible Study: Elly Nelson 

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Celebrating Pentecost, Our Annual Covenant Reaffirmation And Communion At Park Woods




Photos by Lewis Overholt
This was also World Environment Day. We noted a connection between the Spirit of God (Ruach--Mighty Wind/Life-giving Breath) creating light, life and beauty in creation and that same Spirit, accompanied by the sound of a mighty wind, igniting light, life and shalom in a new community of Jesus-followers from all over the world.