Currently viewing the tag: "Emmitsburg Council of Churches"

2020 Emmitsburg “Unity Celebration”

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George Tuggle, Emmitsburg Council of Churches Secretary

When a town comes together for a celebration, it has to be something important. Most often, we celebrate a national or religious holiday. On October 4, 2020, Emmitsburg came together to celebrate its unity in loving all persons regardless of race. Sponsored by the Emmitsburg Council of Churches (ECC), the celebration featured guest speakers, Christian music, Bible readings, and fellowship.

The beautiful fall day accentuated the presence of persons coming together expressing their belief in God, who loves all humanity. Not just our family, our tribe, our race, but all families, tribes, and races.

Guest speakers, Pastor Ron Reaves and Rev. Joseph A. Donnella, spoke wise words about the equality that all alike enjoy through our loving Savior Jesus Christ. Such equality exists through the eternal love of our heavenly Father and the help of the Holy Spirit. There is no room for racism in the Kingdom of God.

Before and after the speakers’ messages, musical groups, CCC Praise Team and 4th Sunday, lifted up those gathered with Christian praises.

Attendees included Emmitsburg Mayor Don Briggs; Mount St. Mary’s University President Timothy E. Trainor; Rev. Bill Gohl, Bishop of the Delaware Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Rev. Harry Arnone, Associate Pastor, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

The gathering was blessed by members of the ECC who participated and helped organize the Unity Celebration: Pastor Jon Greenstone, Elias Evangelical Lutheran Church; Pastor John Talcott, Christ’s Community Church; Phyllis Kelly, ECC vice president, Tom’s Creek United Methodist Church (UMC); Sr. Anne Marie Lamoureux, National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton; Bill Wivell, ECC president, Trinity UMC; Pastor Richard Baker, Trinity UMC.

The Unity Celebration emphasized how Christians of all denominations are one in their love of persons regardless of race, and how Emmitsburg is a welcoming community.

Courtesy Photo Submitted by Bill Wivell, Emmitsburg Council of Churches president, and Phyllis Kelly, Emmitsburg Council of Churches vice president

Musical group, 4th Sunday, entertains and lifts up those gathered at the 2020 Emmitsburg “Unity Celebration.”

Emmitsburg Council of Churches Cancels 2020 Christmas Tour of Churches

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George Tuggle, Emmitsburg Council of Churches Secretary

What a year! How many events have been canceled? How much fellowship postponed?

The Emmitsburg Council of Churches (ECC) regretfully cancels the 2020 Christmas Tour of Churches. The Tour would have placed tour participants and congregations at an unacceptable risk for COVID-19.  Our greatest priority is the well-being of each and every person. We consider each person a child of God, a sister or brother.

Even in the cancellation, we remember with fondness and warmth the 2019 Emmitsburg Christmas Tour of Churches.

December 29, 2019, dawned a rainy, gray day outside. Yet, at the appointed time, each church demonstrated the gracious hospitality so important to all who follow Jesus. The tour brought out a cheerful company of visitors to each church. Many were members from one of the participating congregations.  Each church visited displayed how they celebrate Christmas. Following the tour, Trinity United Methodist Church hosted a hearty soup, sandwich, and dessert meal that warmed up the “tourists.”

Carols, good cheer, and Christian love were all present in abundance during the 2019 Tour. The Emmitsburg Council of Churches thanks everyone who participated in the 2019 Christmas Tour of Churches and looks forward to the 2021 Tour.

May the Lord bless and keep everyone during these difficult times.

Church Spotlight

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Emmitsburg Presbyterian Church

by Theresa Dardanell

I recently visited The Emmitsburg Presbyterian Church and met with the minister and some of the members. During the meeting, Rev. Dr. Peter Keith said, “Anyone coming to worship with us would hear a message of inclusiveness, love, and forgiveness, not about judgement,” and everyone agreed.  The small tight-knit congregation enjoys Sunday services that combine uplifting music; prayers of thanksgiving, sharing, and petition; and sermons described by Lynda Lillard as giving them “some very thought-provoking ideas about God/Jesus/Christianity that carry us through the week.”  A “Wee Sermon” for the children is given during the service. Organist Christine Maccabee plays classical and contemporary music, as well as the hymns during the service. Christine said that “the harmonies of music are a glorious expression of the harmonies of heaven, and so both the playing and singing of them is uplifting for the soul.” Also, twice a month, everyone is welcome to join the discussion group before the Sunday service to talk about a particular book and share thoughts and ideas.

The members are very proud of their contributions to the local and the worldwide community.  As members of the Emmitsburg Council of Churches, financial assistance is provided to local families through the Seton Center Outreach. They also have a scholarship fund set up to benefit a student at Mount Saint Mary’s University. The entire congregation is involved with the youth group projects, which benefit organizations around the world. School supply kits and hygiene health kits were collected and sent to Church World Service, where they were distributed to communities where the need is great. Money collected from fundraising projects was sent to the Presbyterian Mission, which then provided blankets for refugee families, chickens for a family to raise food, and gardening tools and a water filter kit for people who do not have access to clean water.

The church has a long history that began in 1760. It was originally a meeting house, known as Tom’s Creek Presbyterian Church, and was located about a mile north of Emmitsburg. In 1839, it was moved to the current location on Main Street in Emmitsburg, and the name was changed to Emmitsburg Presbyterian. The building was remodeled in 1869, and then rebuilt again in 1879. Unfortunately, it was struck by lightning in 1902 and was destroyed. The church was rebuilt in 1904 and remodeled in 1950. The stained glass windows are magnificent, and the interior design is warm and welcoming.

Emmitsburg Presbyterian is located at 415 West Main Street in Emmitsburg. Everyone is welcome to join them for the 11:00 a.m. Sunday service.

Rev. Dr. Peter Keith and members of the Emmitsburg Presbyterian Church.

Photo by Theresa Dardanell

Successful Mission to Kenya Made by the Emmitsburg Council of Churches

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Lindsay Brandt

The Emmitsburg Council of Churches went to Africa for two weeks in July 2014 to supply the local communities there with much needed entertainment, medical assistance, and learning opportunities.

Pastor Jon Greenstone was part of the nine-person team, dubbed “Team Kenya 2014,” who started their two-week journey by boarding a plane at Dulles Airport. After several flights, the team finally reached their mission site in the village of Kiminini, which is about fifteen miles from the larger city of Kitale, Kenya. Their trip was focused around four villages in the Kiminini and Khalwenge area.

The team was involved with two schools: Grade 9 at the Lenana Girls High School, and the Pathfinder Academy School. These African children don’t have the luxury of participating in craft sessions during their everyday life, so the team members took it upon themselves to bring a little artistic joy to the children.

Color photos were taken of every student and staff member and then printed and framed on-site for the Pathfinder Academy. The children were able to choose from a variety of colored bandanas; then they were given fabric markers to decorate them however they liked.

Gifts provided by the Emmittsburg Council of Churches included: 284 little dresses that were hand made by Carolyn Weaver, who created different patterns and designs for each dress; 20 quilts that were given to the orphans at Pathfinder; the high school girls of the Lenana were able to decorate their own tote bags; 33 soccer balls from One World Futbols were handed out to the community; and over 100 solar flashlights were given to the students and staff at Pathfinder.

It wasn’t just all fun and games, though. Medical supplies, doctors’ clinics, and informational sessions were held. There were three suitcases full of medications distributed to clinics held at Mitumbe slum, Pathfinder Academy, St. Joseph’s Girls High School, and Khalwenge village. A total of 618 patients were seen by Drs. Calvin Chatlos and Holly Hoffman, with Dr. Kathrin Muegge overseeing the blood sugar and malaria testing stations.

Over 180 pounds of medical supplies from Med Wish and several United States hospitals were delivered to Kiminini Health Center and Mitumbe Health Center.

Four hundred toothbrushes and 288 tubes of toothpaste were given out at Pathfinder Academy and the elementary school at Khalwenge village, along with information on dental hygiene.

Marie Hoffman, who was equipped with an auto-refractor—purchased by Dr. Drew Stoken in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for this and future missions—performed over 300 eye exams. The 180 students who were determined to need prescription lenses will receive them within the next few months, once they are shipped or flown to Kenya.

“Helping Babies Breathe” training was provided at the four different health groups: Mbai, Makwangwa, Kiminini Health Center, and Muthangare. Pediatrician Holly Hoffman provided training to each village, and they were given kits that included an ambu bad, stethoscope, towels, bulb suction devices, hats, cord clamps, and blankets.

Packets of ten different varieties of non-GMO seeds were distributed to 450 families at Biointensive Agriculture workshops at four villages in Kiminini and Khalwenge.

Pastor Jon held worship twice a day with Pathfinder Academy students and was assisted by Merri Sayler, a Methodist Deacon at Trinity UMC of Emmitsburg, and Lisa Riffle of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Thurmont. Bible school was held for the students of Pathfinder Academy, Lenana Girls High School, and at Khalwenge villiage by Phyllis Kelly, Tracy Sebold, Betsy Miller, Lisa Riffle, and Merri Sayler.

Over 400 Bibles were distributed among the men, women, and children of Kiminini and Khalwenge.

The nine members of Team Kenya returned to the United States tired and exhausted, but with new friends and memories that will last a lifetime.