Blue Mountain Academy sent 15 students on a mission trip January 15-17. Because Pennsylvania is a Mission Field, these 15 students, under the leadership of Pastor Dave Ferguson, went to the York Springs SDA Church in York Springs, PA, and spent their time in mission cleaning, painting and working on the York Springs Church.
Sabbath, the BMA students conducted the worship service, gave the sermon, told the Children’s story and had special music. In the afternoon they were available for outreach activities as requested by the church. Dave Ferguson reported to me as I spent an hour with the BMA group on Friday, that this group of students would probably not be able to take part in a foreign mission trip experience, but here they were able to contribute in a significant way. Singing praise songs and laughing as they painted and worked, the BMA students seemed to be having a great time.
The PA Mission Trip took flight when Abby Hartwell approached Rob Gettys, principal of BMA, with the concept of doing mission right here in PA where there were so many churches that could use a team of students to come and work with the church.
Mr. Gettys strongly endorsed the concept and recommended Abby talk with the Chaplain, Dave Ferguson, who then coordinated the project.
3 churches were communicated with and the York Springs Church was selected. The students “roughed it” as they slept 3 nights on the floor of the Gettysburg Church. Everyone of these students told me of how glad they were to be a part of this project.
If your church would like to host/sponsor a BMA, Pennsylvania Mission Field, Mission Trip, contact Rob Gettys or Dave Ferguson at BlueMountainAcademy.
The Hershey Seventh-day Adventist Church is located in the town the “bills” itself as the “Sweetest Town on Earth.” With all the chocolate and candy manufactured in Hershey, there certainly is a sweet smell in the air. And there is a sweet atmosphere in the Hershey Seventh-day Adventist Church. I had the privilege to visit the Hershey SDA Church January 17 and present the morning worship message.
During the worship service, the Church Elders joined me as we conducted an ordination service for 1 Elder, 2 Deacons, and 2 Deaconesses.
In the afternoon, I had the privilege of spending some time with Volunteer Lay Pastors Mike Knapp and Tyler Kruger. Mike reported to me that 4-5 years ago the average Sabbath morning attendance was about 30-40. Presently, the average Sabbath morning attendance is 80-100. Hershey is one of 3 churches that are completely led by a Volunteer Lay Pastor. The Lebanon, Pleasant View and Hershey Churches, being led by dedicated, competent lay people, are enabling us to start a new work in the Pittsburgh region, which currently is the least entered metropolitan region/city in North America with the Adventist message. So many members of the Hershey church are willing and dedicated to taking up various ministries and responsibilities, much as Ellen White outlined that churches should do, to enable pastors to evangelize other regions. And God has blessed the Hershey Church. I appreciate the leadership of Mike Knapp and Tyler Kruger in Hershey.
On Sabbath, January 10, I joined the East Suburban Church for morning Sabbath School and worship. After the worship service, we had a combined meeting with the East Suburban and Greensburg Churches. I shared with them that we had selected Donald Lewis to be the Volunteer Lay Pastor of the East Suburban Church and Brandon Yorty to be the Volunteer Lay Pastor of the Greensburg Church.
Donald is retired from the U.S. Veterans Hospital system and has been serving as the Head Elder at EastSuburbanChurch.He also just completed the lay pastor training course taught by Jim Wibberding.Donald was baptized by Bill Peterson in Gulf States a number of years ago, and was trained by Bill there in Church ministry.Brandon had served as an elder at East Suburban a few years ago under David Livergood. Then Brandon and his wife moved to Michigan where she completed a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and the University of Michigan.They then returned back to Western Pennsylvania. Brandon works for the Department of Aging, overseeing the financial accounts and bills for some 60-70 elderly individuals.Brandon and his wife are moving to the Greensburg community.
We have placed the East Suburban and Greensburg churches under the district leadership of Elder Bob Williams.He will coach and advise the Volunteer Lay Pastors of these two churches as they will have the majority of the leadership and spiritual direction for the churches.
Later in the afternoon I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. David Anderson, DDS., to be the new Volunteer Lay Pastor for the WashingtonHeightsChurch.Dr. Anderson is a graduate of PineForgeAcademy, OakwoodCollege and HowardUniversity.In addition to operating a dental practice in the Pittsburgh area, he is also a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dentistry.Dr. Anderson grew up watching his father serve as a church elder and also as a lay pastor.He has served, himself, as a church elder, a head elder, and in a number of local ministry positions.We praise God for his willingness to bring spiritual leadership to the WashingtonHeights church family.
Bill Oblitely had recently served as the Volunteer Lay Pastor, Bill has been a professor at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the computer department. He was selected for a Fulbright Fellowship and is currently serving in Ghana for one year before returning to Pennsylvania. Bill has served on our Conference Executive Committee, the Union Executive Committee and the Conference Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
Pastor Balio had a mission emphasis for the weekend, and the members of Maranatha, Spanish Church 1 and Lawndale, had an inspiring Sabbath at HuntingtonValleyAdventistAcademy.
Pastor Balio had a mission emphasis for the weekend, and the members of Maranatha, Spanish Church 1 and Lawndale, had an inspiring Sabbath at HuntingtonValleyAdventistAcademy.
Vernon Bramble, HVCA School Board Chair came by to welcome the churches and encourage all families to consider Christian Education for their children.
Pastor Balio led the SabbathSchool time through the Fruits of the Spirit, by inviting all the gathered members to nominate different members as to which Fruit of the Spirit they had.Then he divided up the entire assembly to one of 9 groups representing the different Fruits, for prayer and encouragement.
Pastor Balio led the SabbathSchool time through the Fruits of the Spirit, by inviting all the gathered members to nominate different members as to which Fruit of the Spirit they had.Then he divided up the entire assembly to one of 9 groups representing the different Fruits, for prayer and encouragement.
I was invited to give the Sabbath morning worship message, entitled, “Give Away Your Church,” based on Mark 10 and the story of the Rich Young Ruler and Jesus’ invitation to him to join the mission of Jesus.
In the afternoon I conducted a brief seminar.Part of that was an exercise where 8 different groups were formed around a particular church ministry.Each of these groups then brainstormed on how that particular church ministry was to be about reaching the lost.
Approximately 340 members were there on Sabbath morning.
Last Wednesday, December 3, the Pennsylvania Conference Executive Committee met at BlueMountainAcademy in the Leadership Classroom, which is across from the ABC in the Industrial Arts Building.One of the main items of interest was a preliminary report by our Cost Analysis consultant, Vernon Bramble, as he is drawing together pertinent data in preparation for a report on Laurel Lake Camp.
As we broke for lunch, Rob Gettys, BMA principal, took our Executive Committee on a quick tour of the BMA Bathroom project.
Here you see some of our Executive Committee examining the project as Rob Gettys describes the progress so far.
Jeanne and I had several appointments in Western Pennsylvania. Enroute, we stopped in Everett to view the newest Arise and Build Church project. Although it was evening, the church makes a very attractive presentation to the community surrounding it.
Elder Bob Snyder showed us through the building.
I believe the Everett Church is one of the best Arise and Build Church floor plans to this date in Pennsylvania. It is very well thought out and spacious.
The Sanctuary will not be ready for occupancy for a few months yet.
In the meantime the church will be able to use the fellowship hall, as occupancy for that part of the building has been granted.
Some of the Children’s classrooms are very attractive. A church member is painting a scene of Jesus preaching from the boat, adapted from the My Bible Friends children’s story book
A number of non-Adventist men (some of them relatives of members) have come out to assist Elder Snyder with the on-going work issues in the building.Most of these men do not attend church anywhere.One has started attending and it is possible others will in the future when the services start. Elder Snyder is planning on conducting evangelistic meetings in the church in 2009.
Bill Peterson, our Assistant to the President for Mission coordinated the PA Conference Church Planting summit which was held in the Allentown Seventh-day Adventist Church on November 1. Tom Evans from the Texas Conference and Paul Hunt were the two primary presenters. Pictured here, from left to right are: Bill Peterson, PA Conference Assistant to the President for Mission; Tom Evans, Church Planting Coordinator for the Texas Conference; Paul Hunt, Pastor and Church planter in the Texas Conference, Paul Wasmer, Pastor of the Allentown Church; and Ray Hartwell, President of the PA Conference. I joined for most of the Sabbath presentations and excellent material on Church planting was shared by Tom Evans. We have enough potential that a church plant could be started in the Allentown area. Other leaders of Church plants from different areas of the Conference also attended this Church Planting Summit.
