HUNTINGTON’S NEWSLETTER

                                              

 

Vol. 2    No 5                                                                                                           July 22, 2001

 

                                       

                   GLENDA MOSEMANN JOINS MINISTRY TEAM                        

A unanimous vote took place on July 1 that we call Glenda Mosemann to be

Director of Children’s Ministry at Huntington.  Glenda, whose work will be

a 1/3 time salaried position, will help coordinate and unify the curriculum used

in our various ministries, give oversight to children’s church, work together with

those who presently minister to our children, find ways to enhance our nurture

among the younger ones, as well as increase our outreach to other children.

 

Glenda comes to us with a real commitment to Christ and the work of the

church.  Her college work at Eastern Mennonite College (University) gave

her excellent preparation in working with children.  She taught at Warwick River

Christian School, and followed as principal for a combined term of 16 years.  She

shares these words, “As the Lord directs, I want to be part of Huntington’s team

that is involved in changing the lives of our children for Christ and for His service.”

 

We’re happy that we at Huntington can be a recipient of Glenda’s commitment

and gifts, and I look forward working with her to prepare our future generation

for God’s work in the world.                                            –Pastor Ed Bontrager

 

 

 

 

 

Glenda Mosemann, Director of Children’s Ministry, invited all Huntington families

with children ten and under to a picnic at her home on Friday evening, July 13. 

The heat and humidity of a Tidewater summer day yielded to pleasant almost spring-

like weather as 26 adults and 18 children helped her launch a new focus on children’s

programs at Huntington.  Helium balloons secured to the Mosemann’s front porch,

games borrowed from Warwick River Christian School and strategically positioned

in the front yard, and a moon walk greeted the families when they pulled into the drive-

way at 239 Yoder Lane.                                              

 

After a picnic supper which included Leroy’s famous barbecue and hot dogs donated

by the Allens at Pop’s Restaurant, the children scurried to the games and prizes while

the adults discussed dreams, activities, programs, and our vision for Huntington’s

children.  Being certain that our children are biblically grounded in the Word in our

children’s church curriculum and our Wednesday evening curriculum for those younger

than junior youth is a priority and well as a consistent, dynamic Bible memory program.

Special events activities could also be created.  All of these programs include the thought

of reaching out to children in the community and to the unchurched friends of our children.

Some parents also suggested that other Huntington adults may wish to get involved in

helping them with these programs.  Glenda’s challenge will be to take these dreams and

begin making them reality.

 

While the adults talked, the children played.  Under the supervision of Donna and Susan

Hill, Sammy Barlow, Joy Nelson, Chris Mosemann, and Donna and Arnie Brubaker

(Glenda’s sister and brother-in-law), and employees from Major Amusements, the children

bounced back and forth from the moon walk to the games, trading tickets for small prizes.

Even some of the braver adults experienced the “thrill” of bouncing in the moon walk.  As

darkness settled, each child secured a balloon as he/she headed for home, and the Mosemann’s, especially Glenda, felt the evening had been successful and blessed of the Lord.

 

 

                                                         

 

 

          NASHVILLE 2001  – A large assembly of Mennonites took place at Nashville,             TN from July 2-8 where about 9,000 people gathered together for inspiration,             fellowship, church business, and discipling.  About 6,000 of these were youth and             their sponsors.  Those from our church who went were youth Nina Deel, Leslie             Porter, Erin Mullenex, Amanda Griffin, Amanda Brenneman, Erik Blosser, Nick            Morelos and sponsors Ilse Deel, Nelson Groom and Cassie Morelos (Nick’s mother).             Others were Ed & Edie Bontrager, Addie Griffin, Paul & Erma Lehman, Raymond &            Alice Martin, Lloyd & Sarah Marie Weaver.

 

           What did some of the youth and sponsors say?  From Erik, “I really liked the worship services.  They were meaningful, and the worship team was very good.  The service project was fun and fulfilling.  We helped rebuild a Christian camp for inner city youth.  It was great.”  Nina said, “I never knew there were so many Mennonites.  It was neat.”  Nelson related this, “Hymn 606 on the kazoos was great!  And I enjoyed being a work team leader at the work project.  Mennonites take orders well.”  And from Ilse, “Worshiping with 6,000 youth was a revival for me personally.  There was an announcement made by the hotel kitchen staff that ‘they had never before served such a well-behaved group of teens!’”

 

The main decision that was made was the merging of the two denominations  – General Conference Mennonite Church and The Mennonite Church (which we have been a part of).  It is now called Mennonite Church, USA.  The Canadian Mennonites had been connected organizationally with U.S. Mennonites before, but now they have their own structure.  We, however, will work together in publishing and some mission endeavors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Update on Brooks Wadsworth                             Against the Death Penalty....A few of our

One of our members, Brooks, has been                        members signed Moratorium Campaign petition

studying at the Columbia International                            sheets.  Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ  – author of

University, Colombia, SC, for the past                          Dead Man Walking sent a card thanking us for

couple years, and will be in his last year                         our support.  She writes, “Thank you for your

2001-2002.  For a few weeks early this                        participation.  Your work is making a difference

summer he has been engaged in his                                Already, state groups are using the signatures

mission trip/internship in Bolivia in a                               to organize and lobby for a moratorium on the

camp setting.  He has kept busy help-                           death penalty.  And we will use the signatures

ing to create an orienting course and                              to push our U.S. Congress for a moratorium on

new low rope initiatives for the camp,                            the federal death penalty.”  If you would like

as well as overseeing a couple American                       more information on this you may phone

work groups who are building and paint-                       504-864-1071 or through clicking

ing a new cabin.  Brooks and Whitney                           www.moratoriumcampaign.org

Chandler from Richmond, VA will be

getting married in Williamsburg on                                

July 29.                                                                        Old Fashioned Hymn Sing....From time to

time the Yoder Trust plans free community

                Summer Camp                                           events at The Barn in which all can be involved

This summer some of our youth and young                    Coming up, for instance, is an old fashioned      

adults have been assisting as counselors or                    hymn sing at 6 PM on Sunday, September 16.

other staff at camps  – Nelson Groom and                     It should be recognized, too, that the Ivy Farms

Amanda Brenneman (a part of our youth                       Baptist Church a few months ago donated 212

group, but is a member at Providence) are                     hymnals that can be used for these occasions.

both at Williamsburg Christian Retreat                          Thanks to Ivy Farms Baptist Church.

Center, and Lindsay Deel and Jen Heatwole                 

at Highland Retreat Camp.                                           

 

 

 

 

           Improving Your Marriage    

A one-day seminar on August 25 (9:00 a.m.

to 5:30 p.m.) sponsored by Family Life

entitled “I Still Do” will be held in Washing-

ton, D.C., in the MCI Center.  The following

topics will be addressed, “I Take You,”

“To Be Your Husband/Wife,” “To Love,

Honor & Cherish,” “To Have & To Hold,”

“‘Till Death Do Us Part.”  Cost is only $58

per person, early registration. 

Call 1-800-FL-TODAY for more information

or see Pastor Edl                                 

 

            

 

 

 

ON THE ROAD                                                        Russell De Young, from Hope Community

~John & Mary Brenneman are presently                   Church, and one known by many of us, has

traveling across the United States as well                       advocated for peace and human need in

as to Alaska and Canada returning to                            various ways.  A few years ago he chaired the

Newport News in September.                                      Habitat for Humanity project and coordinated

the “Peace Factory”, and he presently meets

~Jim & Carley Brubaker returned May 19                regularly with Mennonite pastors for their

from a 2 ½ month motor home trip that                         Thursday luncheon.  A few months ago he was

included a 2100 mile, 4 week caravan tour of                one of 3,400 people who took part in a silent

Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.  There                    march at Fort Benning in Columbus, GA

were 22 other RV’s in the group, including                    advocating for the closure of the School of

two staff units. This is the second Good Sam                 Americas, which since 1946 has trained Latin

tour they have taken with their good friends                   American soldiers in combat techniques and

and former Scottdale neighbors, the Nelson                   other military skills.  Because of this he was

Waybills, who now live at Virginia Mennonite                arrested along with 25 others and now faces a

Retirement Center.  Highlights of the trip in-                   maximum sentence of six months in prison and

cluded petting gray whales at Scammon’s                      a $5,000 fine.  He will be serving his sentence

Lagoon, kayaking on Conception Bay,                          in Petersburg Federal Penitentiary in a few

enjoying authentic Mexican cuisine, seeing                     weeks.  Let’s remember him in our prayers and

centuries old petroglyphs and cave paintings.                 also his family.

Equally rewarding were stops along the way,

including a revisit to Prentiss, Mississippi                         

where Carley’s parents spent 19 years work-                                     Bike Shenandoah

ing with Heifer Project.  In California they                      Already plans for the 4^th annual Bike

visited several coworkers from Bethel,                          Shenandoah 2001 are being made.  The event

Alaska 40 years ago. It was a pleasure to                      will take place Saturday, September 29, 2001

recall individuals in the villages and hospital                    at Eastern Mennonite High School in    

happenings.  They also visited 9 national                        Harrisonburg, VA.

parks, places where one has to be in awe                      Last year 159 cyclists raised nearly $22,000

of the beauty and grandeur of God’s creation.               dollars for Mennonite world missions.  These

                                                                                    monies were then equally divided between

~Mark & Laura, Donna & Susan Hill                      Mennonite Board of Missions, Virginia

spent a service week at Pine Lake Fellow-                    Mennonite Board of Missions, and Mennonite

ship Camp in Meridian, Mississippi, June                       Central Committee.

18 - 23. On the 24^th they flew to Portland,                    Bike Shenandoah is a family affair.  It is a ride

OR, driving on to Battleground, WA to visit                  that all members of the family can participate

Laura’s mother, Donna Stickney, and sisters,                in and have a lot of fun.  You will ride through

Charlotte & Sarah and families for a week.                    a portion of Shenandoah Valley and raise funds

to bring hope and healing to a hurting world.

~Addie Griffin traveled to Nashville, TN and               Our web site address is bikeshenandoah.com or

attended the Mennonite General Assembly.                   .org    Either .com or .org will get you into our

Then on to Meridian, MS to spend some time               web page.

with daughter, Dianna Schiedel & her family,                 A poster and brochures are located on

returning home July 16.                                                 Huntington’s bulletin board.