Women’s Connect Online

Join Us!

Hello Friends,

We wanted to “Connect” with you, even though we have cancelled our regular gathering for Women Connect this weekend (3/21/20).  Here’s what’s happening:

Our topic for March was: Lent/Spring/Easter and we were planning to have a panel of 3 ladies speak about – The Cross (by Sandy James), Forgiveness (by Karen MacWilliams), and Sacrifice (by Paula Hepfer).    They have graciously prepared a version of what they were going to present for us to read, so we could share it with you.   After you read each part, consider these questions:

  1. At what time in your life has “the Cross” been most important to you?
  2. When is a time you were able to “forgive” or someone forgave you?
  3. Has there been a situation where “sacrifice” was important to you?

Enjoy the newness of Spring all around and reflect on your most memorable Easter.  If you had an item to put in our Easter Mission Basket (nail clippers), please hold on to it until the next time we meet.

I pray we can quiet our hearts during this Lenten season, when there is so much anxiety and fear in our world, so God can reveal how we can make His love & forgiveness visible to others.

Our faith reminds us that God’s presence never depends on our situation: God is with us everywhere and always! We may be isolated from one another right now, but we are never alone!  Many things have been cancelled because of the coronavirus; Love is not one of them.   Turn to scripture to calm your soul during these uncertain times and remember, your Women Connect Sister’s in Christ are praying for you - pause just now, and pray for as many “sisters" whose names or faces you remember.

Great is Our God & We are Safe in Him!

Your Women Connect Team,

Dianne, Paula & Robin

Presentations:

The Cross; Forgiveness; Sacrifice.

Celebration of Life

First United is celebrating the life of Dick Vaughn, husband of our Director of Congregational Care, Gail Vaughn.

Richard Leroy ‘Dick’ Vaughn, 80, of Chambersburg, passed from this life to the next on Tuesday February 18, 2020 at the Chambersburg Hospital following a lengthy illness. Born on April 7, 1939 in Chambersburg PA, he was a son of Everett & Margaret (Argenbright) Vaughn.

Dick was a graduate of Chambersburg Area High School and served in the U S Air Force. He was employed as a Fire Apparatus driver for the Borough of Chambersburg, for 30 years. He held many part time jobs, including The Butcher Shoppe, during his working career. He was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Franklin Fire Company,

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Gail T (Jones) Vaughn, 3 children, Chad (wife, Jen) Vaughn of Laurel MD, Michelle (husband, David )Hall of Marysville, PA, Amy (husband, Eric) Simmons of Elliotsburg PA, & brother Terry (wife, Kathy) Vaughn of Chambersburg, 4 grandchildren and several nieces & nephews. He was preceded in death by 2 brothers and 2 sisters.

Dick enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing cards and enjoyed his collectibles.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:30 p.m. on March 1, 2020 at the First United Methodist Church, 225 South Second Street in Chambersburg. The Rev Cathy Boileu will officiate. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Sunday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First United Methodist Church, 225 South Second Street Chambersburg or Franklin Fire Company at 185 West King Street Chambersburg.

Ash Wednesday Service

Join us on February 26 for our Ash Wednesday Service

7pm in the sanctuary

Before the service, there will be prayer stations for individuals and families, kids too. The prayer stations will be set up in our Family Life Center.

Women’s Connect Group

9am on Saturday February 15, 2020 at First United

Greetings, sisters!

Let's connect with one another for prayer, conversation, worship and encouragement. Women's Connect is an informal gathering once a month for women and is open to all women of the community.

We will meet in the Connections Cafe.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Service of Lights

Monday December 9th at 7pm in the Sanctuary

The Christmas season can be a beautiful time of lights, music and faith. But for the soul who grieves or for the family experiencing separation across miles, Christmas can be a challenge. The carols that once brought us joy are difficult to listen to. The lights of Christmas that once lit our hearts now just seem to remind us of what we have lost. We feel strangely out of place.

The service of lights is a worship experience designed to offer the true hope of Christmas, Christ, to those who grieve and those who find the holidays a little darker this year. A gentle service of inspirational music, readings and the lighting of candles for those we remember.

Christ came most of all for those who grieve.

ADVENT CONSPIRACY

Do you feel more connected to the cashiers at Target and Kohls than you do to your family during the holidays? Do you spend more time in line at Giant and Walmart than you do celebrating new and old traditions with your loved ones?

If you are feeling disconnected from what truly matters, we invite you to join us – a community of Christ followers who are choosing to make Christmas what it should be—a joyous celebration of Jesus’ birth that enriches our hearts and the world around us.

Connect with us so we can connect you with the tools you need to make Christmas meaningful again.

Join our Advent Conspiracy!

 

 

Ready to be a part of the Conspiracy?

Here are some ways you can join us:

Read Advent Conspiracy as a Sunday School Class or Small Group – It’s available on Amazon.

Read along with us using the Daily Scripture Reading list.

Do weekly devotions.

Gather with friends and family every day with our Advent Calendar to read the story of how God sent Joy to the world with the gift of His Son Jesus. After your short reading, there are prompts for you so that you can share Joy with those around you! (Advent Calendars are available at the Information Center in the lobby and here.)

Follow us on Facebook and join us every Sunday night during Advent at 6pm for something special to help you apply the tenets of Advent Conspiracy in personal and practical ways.

First Lights will be learning that Jesus can give us joy no matter what’s happening around us and how the tenets of Advent Conspiracy give us practical ways to find joy even if we don’t feel happy.

The kids’ bulletin will feature Advent Conspiracy puzzles and coloring pages.

And just like every month, the First Lights Facebook (1stlights) page will be full of cues for parents to continue the conversation we start in children’s ministry on Sundays throughout the week at home.

It is our hope that we can make the Advent season meaningful for each of us and that together, we will all grow closer to Christ this Christmas so that we can shine His light in our church, our community and the world!

Team Haiti

Love Cookies?

Team Haiti is selling cookie dough from Butcher Shoppe to benefit our church's mission in Haiti.

Order now by November 6th!

Pick up Saturday November 23rd from 10am - 12pm

Watching Carbs?

You can order Butcher Shoppe Coffee as well!

THE GRATITUDE FAMILY CHALLENGE

Take The Gratitude Family Challenge and remember to show gratitude for the people and things you might otherwise take for granted. You can pick up a chart at the information center in our lobby or download it here. Then complete the chart during November in these ways:

OPTION #1: As a family, go through the chart all month long and randomly pick a box. (Note: There isn’t a prompt for every single day of the month. We realize it’s difficult to make this happen every day.) Read a prompt and ask each family member to think of a person or story that comes to mind and share it with everyone around the dinner table, while driving, or make a special time to come together.
OPTION #2: If you can’t physically be together, type out the prompt in a group text.
OPTION #3: If you want to remember your answers, fill in each box with each person’s answers. Or have each person fill in their own chart.
OPTION #4: If possible, send a thank you note, text, email, or handmade card to the people you think about to let them know you are thankful for them.
OPTION #5: Share your responses on social media and tag it #gratitudechallenge.