August 2015 - Franconia Mennonite Church

August 2015
Wake Up!
by Kristi Wile
I was trying to reach a jar that was just beyond my grasp. My husband
stood in closer proximity to that jar and yet just looked at me with a
confused look on his face. “What are you doing?” he asked. I had thought
it was very obvious, and then I woke up. It was so real yet I did not know I
was asleep.
Do you realize that you do not know you are sleeping until you wake up?
Think about it… Think about what wakes you up. An alarm? A shake on
the shoulder? A loud noise?
These thoughts came to me as I read about the church in Sardis (Rev. 3:16). It seems that they appeared to be a vibrant, alive, thriving
congregation, but Jesus called them dead. In the 2nd verse, He tells them
to “Wake up!” They didn’t know they were asleep. It concerns me to
think that a body of believers could appear so alive and yet not truly have
life within them. Sleeping in church has a new meaning now.
Are we asleep? Are you asleep? Is Jesus walking about the auditorium on
a Sunday morning and shaking our shoulders to wake us up? Or will we
need a loud noise or an alarm?
Imagine yourself at home, safe in your bed and fast asleep. A sudden
noise. An intruder. You wake up so fast. You are alert. Listening. Waiting.
I Thessalonians 5:2 says that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief
in the night.
This isn’t to say that we cannot literally sleep. In Matthew 25, Jesus’ story
of the 10 virgins tells us that they all became drowsy and fell asleep while
waiting for the bridegroom. He was a long time coming. The difference
between the wise and the foolish was who was ready for his coming and
who was not. Notice they were all waiting, but not all were ready.
Are you ready? Are you awake? I beg you, dear sister, do not be found
sleeping when you should be alert. And be ready with oil in your lamp so
you will not miss the Bridegroom.
Wake up! He is coming soon.
Women’s Ministry Mission Statement:
Encouraging women to
connect in deeper, genuine
relationships both with each
other and with Jesus Christ.
T HE W ORD
“Therefore be alert, since you don’t
know what day your Lord is coming.
But know this: If the homeowner had
known what time the thief was
coming, he would have stayed alert.”
-Matthew 24:42-43
T HINK A BOUT I T
Jesus told us to watch the signs of
the times. He warned us not to be
deceived. He told us to prepare, to
be alert. Well, the signs are all
around us. Don’t be lulled to sleep
by the delay in His coming. It will
happen so quickly that you will not
have time to prepare at that moment.
And do not deceive yourself into
thinking you are awake when you
are indeed sound asleep. You won’t
know till you are awakened by the
alarm. Be prepared, so your heart
can rest in peace.
Women’s Ministry Contact:
Kristi Wile 215.723.2898
dwile@msn.com
AUGUST 2015
Making Connections
Alicia Landis is the daughter of Glen and Laureen Landis and has
been attending Franconia her entire life. She loves being part of this
community and sharing her gifts and passions within the church. She is
employed at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and
also sells Rodan + Fields skincare products.
I have a deep love and passion for music, theater and dancing. I
am able to reach the emotional side of people and make them feel
something. It is an amazing gift that God has given me and I am
incredibly grateful that he chose me as a vessel. I started using my
passions at Penn View. I was in choir and on the worship team. It carried
over into church where I joined the choir, started singing on worship
teams and pulled together a quartet. Once I started attending Christopher
Dock, I auditioned for musicals, choirs, plays, anything I could do to use
my gifts. I was hooked! I started auditioning at community theaters and
sometimes, because I am crazy, I was working, choreographing and
Photography by Cynee Godshall
rehearsing for two or three shows all at the same time.
All of this led me to Willow Manor Players where I met this cute guy named Kyle Rodgers. He somehow
convinced me (it wasn’t hard) to audition for a show in Neshaminy, a 50 minute drive from my house. On April 11, 2014,
during our performance of Anything Goes, Kyle asked me to be his girlfriend. Little did I know he already planned to ask
me a BIGGER question on April 11, 2015! We auditioned in December 2014 for Nice Work If You Can Get It and we were
cast as the leading couple. I was excited, but Kyle was thrilled. He could finally set his plan in motion! Little did I know, on
April 11, 2015, Kyle had arranged for all of our family and friends to attend the performance. He spoke with our director,
orchestra, back stage crew and producers and told them his plan…they were all on board. Everyone was excited for the
final scene of the show, meanwhile, I was blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. Our characters had the last
lines of the show, so Kyle took the opportunity to change the words and make them fit the show, but also fit our story. I
thought he forgot his lines! I was so worried that the orchestra would not come in at the right time, because Kyle was not
giving them the que line! Kyle got back on track (he was on track the whole time, I just didn’t know it!) and we sang the
last few lines of the show, then BAM, he was down on one knee! I was speechless, the audience was going crazy (most of
them didn’t hear me say yes) and we were engaged! The entire moment could not have been more perfect! It was
amazing to have all the people we love in one place, watching the start of our journey together! September 25, 2016
can’t come fast enough!
Congratulations, Alicia and Kyle. Many blessings on you as you plan your future. (And way to go, Kyle!)
Kari Landis is leaving our Women’s Ministry Team to pursue
other important ventures. Can you guess? Girls Club, of course!!
Kari, we love you and we honor you for all you given to this team
and to this ministry. You are talented and gifted and though we
will miss you, we know the girls are going to love you! May God
bless you on your next adventure!
Thank you!
If you have a heart for women and for ministry, please contact
us to become part of our team! We’d love to have you.
AUGUST 2015
What’s Happening for Women
Project of the Month: Bath-sized towels for relief kits
Fall Bible Studies!
There will be 4 study groups this fall; Three morning groups and one evening group.
Details to follow.
We are in need of an evening host home. You will not need to lead.
If interested, please contact Kristi Wile
September 13th
Join us!
More information, with costs, will be
available at the table in the foyer.
Women’s Retreat ~ September 18-20th
Speaker: Ellie Lofaro
Worship Leader: Frances Drost
Retreat begins with Friday evening meal
and ends with Sunday noon dinner.
Enjoy times of worship and inspirational messages.
Time on your own for hiking and quiet reflection
or just hanging with your girlfriends!
Other Fall Events~~~~
Joyce Meyer is coming to Hershey, Pa on August 27-29th.
http://www.joycemeyer.org/events/GenericEvent.aspx?event=Hershey2015
Living Proof Ministries Simulcast with Beth Moore: September 12th.
Find a local host church or watch it in your own home with a group of close friends!
http://www.lifeway.com/Event/Womens-Event-Living-Proof-Live-Simulcast-2015-Individuals
“Cherished! A Day for Women” at Blooming Glen Mennonite Church: September 19th.
More info to follow.
Iron Sharpens Iron for Women is coming to our area on October 10th. Calvary Church in Souderton.
http://www.ironsharpensironwomenpa.org/
A flyer with all these events and more information will be available
at the Women’s Ministry table in the foyer.
August
A Taste of What’s Happening
for Women
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Congregation
Meeting
7pm
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Pastor Josh
Ordination
& Luncheon
Watch the church calendar for all the events that are coming up!
Contact for more information
Kristi Wile 215-723-2898 dwile@msn.com
Gail Reinford 215-679-6191 kgreinford@comcast.net
Janet Derstine 215-723-7413 bjderstine@verizon.net
Lisa Hunsberger 215-721-4437 rlhunsberger@aol.com
Stephanie Weidemoyer 267-424-4884 townies218@comcast.net
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