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View and download the PDF at www.susumc.org/link
Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Remembering Our Heritage
Dr. Milton Loyer, Conference Archivist
January – 100 years ago.
January 13, 1922, the most disastrous mine cave-in of Scranton’s history occurred when three city blocks on Pittston Avenue collapsed and 20 acres of rocks fell into holes that swallowed buildings and claimed the lives of several miners working beneath the surface.
The disaster had been predicted months earlier by Rev. George Peck Eckman, pastor of the Elm Park Church, who had thrown himself into a campaign to address the fact that large sections of the city were menaced by the weakening pillars supporting the surface above the coal mines. As reported in the January 19, 1922, Christian Advocate: “It was at a public meeting of organized protest that he made his last impassioned speech as a real tribune of the people, and his heart literally broke under the effort. Within a few minutes he was dead.” George’s father John, also a member of the Wyoming Conference had served in the area as a pastor and district superintendent.
February – 50 years ago
The February 1972 edition of THE LINK included a full-column appeal on behalf of the Chauncy Varner Emergency Fund set up with the Dauphin Deposit Trust Company. Past executive director of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches and current pastor of St. John’s UMC in State College, he was suffering from kidney failure and in need of a transplant to save his life. Reportedly, “In order for Dr. Varner to be accepted by the hospital, there needs to be some assurance of a concerned group which would begin canvassing the churches and friends to secure the needed funds.”
Support followed, as did regular updates in each issue of THE LINK. The following month, for example, pastors from several Sunbury-area denominations played a benefit basketball game in Northumberland against the Shamokin State Police. Dr. Varner’s kidneys were removed in November, and he was placed on dialysis while remaining on the list of those awaiting a transplant. Chauncy Varner died in March 1974 at the age of 50.
Discovery Place: Lenten Studies - Plan Now!
It’s time to start planning for a Lenten study! Choose from the following resources. Quantities are limited, so reserve your first choice early.
The Case for Easter: Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus: In this video Bible study by Lee Strobel, the author reveals what he discovered as he went piece-by-piece through the evidence of the empty tomb. (4 sessions. Includes DVD and study guide.)
The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life: How
do we walk with Christ—daily follow Him, grow in Him, and faithfully serve Him? Join Adam Hamilton to discover five essential spiritual practices rooted in Jesus’ own walk with God. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and book. Children and youth books also available.)
Revolutionary Kingdom: Following the Rebel Jesus: This study by Mike Slaughter will challenge all Jesus-followers to step out of our places of comfort as we step up, proactively and courageously, to address the economic inequalities and unjust policies afflicting the least, lost, and under-served. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and book.)
Why Easter Matters: Andy Stanley looks at the lives of several key people in the familiar story of Jesus’ crucifixion. The circumstances they faced are different than ours, but their actions and mistakes are not different at all. (4 sessions. Includes DVD and study guide.)
Simon Peter: Flawed but Faithful Disciple: Adam Hamilton studies the life of Simon Peter, an ordinary fisherman who heard an extraordinary call. Filmed on location in Israel and Italy, the DVD shows key sites in Simon Peter’s life. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and book. Children and youth books also available.)
What Makes a Hero? The Death-Defying Ministry of Jesus – Looking at pop culture heroes through the lens of faith, author Matt Rawle shows how Jesus turned the concept of hero on its head. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and book. Children and youth books also available.)
Restored: Finding Redemption in Our Mess: – Author Tom Berlin encourages us to reflect and meditate on our own brokenness, showing us that it is only when we focus on the cross as a place to surrender control that we can leave our mess and find true redemption. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and book. Youth book also available.)
Final Words from the Cross: Adam Hamilton examines Christ’s dying hours and His final words as seen and heard through the eyes and ears of those who stood near the cross. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and book.)
24 Hours that Changed the World: Travel to the Holy Land with Adam Hamilton, to visit the sites where the earth-shaking events of the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life took place. (7 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, book, and 40 Days of Reflection booklet.)
The God We Can Know: Exploring the “I Am” Sayings of Jesus: Author Rob Fuquay explores the “I am” statements for Jesus found in the gospel of John, to help us answer the most essential question in the Christian faith: “Who do you say I am?” (7 sessions. Includes DVD and book.)
Creed: What Christians Believe and Why: Adam Hamilton believes that for Christians and others seeking faith, powerful answers are contained in the Apostle’s Creed. We learn not only what Christians believe, but why it matters. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and book.)
The Way: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus: Author Adam Hamilton follows in the footsteps of Jesus from His baptism to the temptations to the heart of His ministry. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and book.)
Complete descriptions of these and all our other resources can be found in the on-line catalog on our website: www.discovery-place.org. You may place an order directly through our on-line catalog, e-mail discovery@susumc.org, or call 717-766-7968. We look forward to hearing from you!
Serving Christ with you,
Joni Robison
Susquehanna Conference Campus Ministry Partners
Please let campus Ministry leaders know if any of your students are attending the following schools. We want to reach out to them and be a caring community for them. Thank You!
Lycoming and Penn Colleges
First UMC Williamsport
Ben Conrad • bconrad@firstchurch.cc
Penn State Wesley Foundation
Sarah Voigt • svoigt.wesley@gmail.com
Bloomsburg U Protestant Campus Ministry
Kelly Kocher Ross • kkocher-ross@susumc.org
Penn College United Campus Ministry
Shelley Litz • sll8@pct.edu (note: two l.c. letter "L"s)
Shippensburg U United Campus Ministry
Jan Bye • jmbye@ship.edu
Mansfield U United Campus Ministry
Mara Wilcox • mwilcox@mansfield.edu
Dickinson College Religious Life Center
Cody Nielsen • nielsenc@dickenson.edu
Lock Haven U Campus Ministry
Michelle Lukehart • office@Unitedlutheran-lockhaven.org
Altoona District Churches Purchase Life-Changing Device for Teenager with Visual Impairment
Mama Arlene Brown (center), missionary in Rwanda, is pictured with Rev. Rebecca Holland (right) and her husband Jeff Holland (left) at Christ Community UMC in Altoona.
By Rev. Rebecca Holland
At almost 91 years old, "Mama" Arlene Brown is a force of nature. At the age of 65, she followed God’s call to Africa where she began working with vulnerable children after the Rwandan genocide. In 2004, she moved to Rwanda and made it her permanent home. Two years later, she began her work creating a home for vulnerable children in Muhanga District. In 2010, she established Urukundo Learning Center, a school for children of low and no income families in Cyeza Sector, Muhanga District.
On November 5, 2021, we were honored to host Mama Arlene at Christ Community UMC in Altoona, Pennsylvania. She spoke with passion and eloquence about her ministry in Africa. She also shared stories with us about the young people in her school, many of whom had lost their parents during the tragic Rwandan genocide.
At the time of this writing, the Urukundo school serves the needs of over 1,000 children. One of these young people is named Claudine. Claudine is currently sixteen years old and visually impaired. She was born with cataracts on both eyes as well as other health complications. (To read more about Claudine and her amazing story, I encourage you to check out Mama Arlene’s memoir, Hope Made Real).
I was particularly touched by Claudine’s story because I was also born with cataracts. Just like Claudine, I am also visually impaired. Although I had never met this young woman, I felt an immediate connection to her. Congenital cataracts are very rare and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I wanted to know more about her story.
Claudine, A Young Woman With Big Dreams!
Mama Arlene stayed the evening with Jeff and I in the parsonage. I was excited to host her and very interested to hear more of her stories. The next morning, she and I chatted while we had our coffee. Mama Arlene was surprised to discover that Claudine and I both have the same rare eye problem. We both believed that the Holy Spirit was working quietly in the background, drawing us together. How strange and wonderful that the two of us should meet like this and form this connection!
Mama Arlene confided in me that she wanted to help Claudine, but that she didn’t know how. Resources in Rwanda for people with disabilities are very limited and she had never even heard about many of the pieces of adaptive technology that I take for granted.
She asked me about my personal experience with disability and asked how I had managed to complete school.
“During school,” I said, “The two most helpful pieces of technology that I used were something called a handheld CCTV (a portable video magnifier) and a monocular.” The monocular is like a small, automatically focusing spy glass that you can use to read the blackboard. You can also use it when you travel to read road signs.
I gave Mama Arlene my monocular and asked her to please give it to Claudine. She was very pleased with the gift and promised that she would make sure Claudine would get it.
I then showed Mama Arlene a YouTube video to help explain what a handheld CCTV is and how it works. She agreed that this small device would be “just the thing Claudine needs to attend high school and read her textbooks.”
“I was concerned,” said Mama Arlene. “At our school, we make sure that Caludine gets all the help she needs. Our teachers love her and support her. But when she goes to high school, the teachers might not give her the same support. With that device, she can enlarge anything she needs to read.”
However, I was sad to say that I no longer had a handheld CCTV of my own that I could give to Claudine. Handheld CCTVs are incredibly expensive and many of them cost over a thousand dollars. After I finished graduate school, my handheld CCTV broke and I didn’t purchase a new one because I was finished with school. The device we wanted to purchase for Claudine had an extra-large screen and was $1,700.
I was intimidated by the cost, but I remained hopeful. I told Mama Arlene, “Maybe if we take up a special offering and ask the other United Methodist Churches, people will donate to help us buy a handheld CCTV for Claudine.” I reasoned that even if we couldn’t raise the full amount, we might at least raise enough money for a slightly cheaper model.
Mama Arlene agreed that it was worth a try and encouraged me to keep in touch with her. As soon as she left to present at the next church, I sat down and began to write.
A Race Against The Clock
Writing is something I love to do, so I sat down and quickly crafted a letter of appeal. I wrote to my colleagues and fellow UMC clergy. I emailed everyone on the Disability Ministry Task Force mailing lists. I posted to Facebook, sent an announcement to the QUIK LINK, and requested that information about the special offering be included in the Altoona District Newsletter.
Our goal was to raise $1700 by mid-November. This would allow enough time to order the device and have it shipped to Mama Arlene’s daughter in Pittsburgh. Mama Arlene could then take it with her when she flew out of Pittsburgh in early December. Although this was a daunting challenge, I believe that the Holy Spirit was with us.
Everyone was incredibly supportive. I was astounded at the amazing generosity that came pouring in. Many people donated on-line, other local churches took special offerings, and some generous souls even stopped by the church office to drop their donations off in person.
By the grace of God, we reached our goal in just two weeks! Thank you so much to everyone who donated! Thank you to the finance team at Christ Community, UMC for managing this special offering and for keeping track of everything! Thank you to everyone for supporting our efforts through your prayers and by helping us to spread the word. Please continue to pray for Claudine and the children of Rwanda.
A Happy Ending—And A New Beginning!
Claudine’s story touched me personally because we both have the same rare eye problem. Because of modern technology, I was able to attend school and graduate with a master’s degree. Mama and I both hope for the same educational opportunities for Claudine.
Thanks to the generous outpouring of love from believers here in Pennsylvania, a young woman in Africa can follow her dreams. One day, she hopes to become a doctor. Wherever the road of life takes her, I know that this is only the beginning. I am honored that we were able to help her begin this journey of learning.
We can do incredible things when we work together and when we trust in God. Lately, the UMC has gotten a lot of negative press because of some serious issues—but I would like to lift up this positive ministry. God is still at work among us. The Holy Spirit is doing a new thing. We are better together. Together, we made a difference. Thank you, my fellow people of faith.
***
About the Author: Rev. Rebecca L. Holland, M.Div. OSL is the author of "The United Methodist Church and Disability" and the chair of the DisAbility Ministries Task Force of the Susquehanna Conference. She serves Christ Community & Llyswen UMCs in Altoona, Pa. Her most recent book, "Hope for the Broken: Using Writing to Find God’s Grace" is now available from Touch Point Press.
Drive-Through Christmas Light Show at Mount Asbury
By Sandii Peiffer
For twelve nights between Thanksgiving and Christmas, over 1300 visitors enjoyed the 2nd Annual Christmas Light Show, a drive-through experience at Mount Asbury Retreat Center in Newville, Pa.
Over the course of a few work weekends in the fall, camp staff and around 30 volunteers helped set up five large displays depicting the Nativity story in addition to many smaller displays of Christmas joy along a drive-through path in the woods on the site. "There were too many lights to count!" said Patty Weidman, Center Director.
A total of 90 volunteers helped during the event nights as more than 400 cars drove through the Christmas Light Show, with some of the guests stopping to enjoy refreshments of hot chocolate (127) and cookies (235).
The event relies heavily on volunteers and donations of Christmas lights or money for lights and other supplies to make the displays.
For more information contact Patty Weidman at pweidman@susumc.org.
Thank You For Supporting Mission Central
As a monumental year comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to thank all the Susquehanna Conference United Methodist Church churches for your support throughout 2021! We recognize that this year continued to bring many challenges, and we are incredibly grateful for the support that has been shown to Mission Central.
Every item, every prayer, every dollar and every shared gift has assisted us in fulfilling our mission of ‘connecting God’s resources with human need.’ We are thankful for each of you and appreciate you sharing your gifts with us.
This was a record breaking year for Mission Central and, while numbers aren’t final, we assisted close to 4 million people with over $15 million in resources. We couldn’t have done this without your support!
Our medical ministry continues to be the fastest growing ministry and grew by 300% this year over 2020 (which was a record-breaking year as well). Our school program quadrupled and we continue to assist students and their families with medical equipment, food, clothing, school supplies and hygiene/cleaning items. Mission Central continues a big focus on disaster relief and are still the largest warehouse for UMCOR.
Next year is a big year for us – we celebrate 20 years of this important work! Check out our end-of-year Mission Link for ways that you and your church can support us as we work toward another 20! If you have the opportunity, please follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our MissionLink (a weekly eNews letter).
Also, please make sure you “Save the Dates” for a few Mission Central events of 2022:
• Mission Central Gala: May 15, 2022 (at Liberty Forge)
• Mission Central Monster Mash and Dash (our virtual run): October, 2022
We wish you a Happy New Year filled with many blessings.
Thank you for everything you do for Mission Central!
Kentucky Tornado Support
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| UMNS photo by Mike Dubose |
PRAY. Spend time, individually and collectively, praying for the victims, leaders, and emergency responders in these communities. This can be a powerful tool in the immediate and long-term aftermath of a disaster. As you pray, petition God for direction and guidance on how you can be involved.
SUPPORT. The financial need after a disaster is great. Your generous giving makes this possible. To provide financial support, click: UMCOR US Disaster Response and Recovery Advance This will ensure 100 percent of the donation reaches the affected area, supports the work of UMCOR and its partners, and meets the needs of the community.
ACT. While we wait, you can assemble UMCOR cleaning kits, hygiene kits, and school kits. Information about those kits and how to assemble them can be found on the UMCOR website or the Mission Central website.
UMCOR umcmission.org/united-states-disaster-response/
MISSION CENTRAL missioncentral.org/kits-projects-and-patterns/
Disaster Response Ministry: What’s the Catch?
Douglas Hoy, Disaster Response Coordinator SUSUMC
Have you ever seen those advertisements offering an all-expense paid, week-long vacation to a tropical location? It’s an offer that seems almost too good to be true, right? Just spend a few hours touring a vacation resort and listening to a salesperson attempting to sell you a condo. No strings attached. Just give them a few hours of your precious time. How bad could it be? Fill out the registration form. Provide them with your mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address. Convinced it’s worth it because all expenses are paid? It’s a great opportunity because you were planning to take a vacation anyway. Then, you start receiving junk mail and spam e-mails. Your phone rings constantly. The texts never stop. You discover the airfare is free—well, except for the taxes and fees. Suddenly, what seemed like a great opportunity with no “catches” has turned into an expensive, time-consuming nuisance.
Recently, I felt like one of those sales persons. I was assessing a home that had been damaged from one of the storms that passed through Knoxville in north-central Pennsylvania. As the homeowner accompanied me, we documented the damage and discussed what needed to be done to fix it. Remove the mud. Dispose of the debris. Re-build the basement staircase. Replace the hot water heater. Inspect and repair the electrical service. As we talked, I could see the concern becoming evident in his eyes. He was already overwhelmed by the circumstances surrounding the flood and being forced from his home.
Then he asked the question, “What is this going to cost me?” What’s the catch?
This year, the Disaster Response Ministry was active in supporting the relief and recovery efforts for multiple disasters. Of course, supporting the on-going pandemic is at the top of a list that also included helping with storm clean-up at Camp Penn; resourcing various Conference and local church ministries, providing national crisis hotline operators to record disaster needs; doing flood relief, cleanup, and rebuilding in multiple locations throughout the Conference.
We learn from scripture that “God loves a cheerful giver.” More specifically, 2 Corinthians 9:7 clarifies that we should give without reluctance or compulsion. The people of the Susquehanna Conference have been generous with its financial support. And, that generosity has enabled the Disaster Response Ministry and UMCOR to be a caring, Christian presence in the aftermath of these disasters. We have been able to meet the needs of survivors by providing them with temporary heating, replacing medical equipment, paying for utilities, meeting essential needs, and awarding grants to assist with recovery to name a few.
As I spoke with that homeowner a few months ago, I thought about your willingness to give without hesitation. I turned to the homeowner and confidently shared that he would not incur any costs. Immediately, I could see the relief in his eyes. The stress he was experiencing faded quickly as he processed that idea that there was no “catch.”
As we move into a new year, I look forward to continuing in ministry and mission with you, being the hands and feet of Jesus, and sharing His love with those who are suffering ... with no catch! Contact me at drc@susumc.org or call 717-766-7441 ext. 3402.
Extraordinary Crèche Collection Displayed in Newville
By Sandii Peiffer
When Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Cartwright was a boy in the 1960s, his parents took him to the W. T. Grant Co. variety store in York, Pennsylvania, and bought his first nativity scene, otherwise known as a crèche, and started a life-long collection, which was recently on display.
Speaking of the set that started it all, Cartwright remembers, "The central figures cost 19 and 29 cents each, and the camels cost 49 cents. My father splurged and bought the whole manger scene, but there were only two styles of camels and my father couldn't justify getting a duplicate, so the three wise men only have two camels."
In the years since, his collection has grown to over 310 crèches, "And that doesn't include the ties!"
It took Cartwright three days to set up the display at Mount Hope UMC in Newville where he serves part-time. The collection was open for viewing on Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 26, and Wednesday evening, December 29. About half of the sets were personally bought by Cartwright during his life, ministry, and travels, and the other half have been given as gifts from family, friends, and the congregations that he has served.
There are crèches made of glass, wood, paper, copper, brass, pewter, and other metals, clay, corn husks, resin, plastic, porcelain, stone, wire, yarn, fabric, and more.
A number of the nativity sets were handmade by parishioners from the churches he has served, and one was painted by the inmates of the Huntingdon State Correctional Institution.
The smallest scene, about the size of a thimble, is a nativity scene set inside a miniature egg carved from white and rose quartz. The largest set (pictured with Cartwright) was a gift from First UMC in Harrisburg where he served from 2009 until it was closed in October 2019.
It is likely the last time the entire collection will be on display.
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