Page 1 - 2021 October / November Newsletter

Southern Pennsylvania District

Church of the Brethren

A Message from our District Executive

District Conference 2021 has come and gone. This year, like last year, was
different than the ones before. Last year, as you might remember, we
cancelled District Conference because of the Covid 19 pandemic. It was not
an easy nor a widely popular decision but one we felt compelled to do out of
an abundance of caution.
Give thanks
to the Lord, This year, we also debated in the District Executive Committee concerning
for he is good.
His love holding District Conference at all or modifying the way we do conference.
endures forever. Because the York First congregation has a daycare meeting in their building,
we were already planning to not have a Friday business session.
Psalm 136:1
Instead, we held a hybrid worship service on Friday night and then had our
business session on Saturday. Masks were required to be worn, and from my
view from the front, everyone complied. I really appreciated our moderator,
Ray Lehman’s comment that the masks were a sign of love.
Post District conferences thoughts and musings…

Volume 39, Issue 5 -The York First congregation did an excellent job hosting our meeting. They
Oct / Nov 2021 seemed to have so many volunteers that guided us from the moment we
entered the parking lot until the time we left the property. They even had
snacks for us as we left! Thank you to all who gave of their time to be the
I N S I D E host congregation.
T H I S
I S S U E : -I often think that people do not realize the time and effort the District Board
puts in to make sure our District ministries keep going. Besides the meetings,
New & Events 2-17 phone calls, prayers, and work, they give of their time in many ways. I am
Throughout the
District grateful to collaborate with them all each year. I look forward to our board for
this year ands want to welcome the new members and anticipate eagerly the
Budgeting Info 18 experiences and insights they will bring. Each year we struggle to find
persons who will say yes to serving in the various ministry positions on the
ballot. Perhaps it is time to develop a Gifts Discernment team to put together
Giving Report 19
a slate of qualified and able persons to serve.
-You could hold District Conference without the DE, but you could not hold
Training 20-28 it without the District Office Manager. Organizing the Program and
Opportunities
Arrangements Committee, working with the Nominating and Personnel
Committee, organizing, printing, and putting together the conference packets
Meeting & Event 31
Schedule and book, organizing all the materials that must be brought to the site and
transporting them to and from the office are just a fraction of all that must be
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