Dear Family,
Please be in prayer for …
Mary Lou Hershey who is scheduled for an eye procedure tomorrow.
Shirley Negley who is in the hospital.
Thank you for partnering in prayer!
“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
For His Glory,
Pastor Gary
Pastor Gary
Gary Hornbaker
Shippensburg First Church of God
Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship
Church Phone: 717-532-8421
Community Harvest Party
On Saturday October 25th, Shippensburg First Church of God will be joining with Grand Point Shippensburg, the Love Our Town initiative, and several other area churches to bless our community with a Harvest Party Outreach event, and You’re Invited! & Bring a Friend or two!
The event will run from 4-8PM at the Shippensburg Fairgrounds (10131 Possum Hollow Rd, Shippensburg) and you are welcome to come & go as you please.
The main event is free and open to the public—invite your friends & neighbors! To help us with planning and estimating, we do encourage you to RSVP on the clipboards in Sunday School Classes or the Gathering place, although preregistration is not required.
What to Expect:
Chili Cook-Off Details
$10/entry – click here to sign up
Amount to bring – Full crock pot (6 to 8 quarts) at the minimum
Chili is to be cooked before the event
Items needed – extension cord & a serving spoon (not a ladle) to distribute samples.
Provided – Sample cups & spoons for admissions.
Display Area – 48 inches x 30 inches (1/2 of an 8 ft rectangle table)
There are lots of other ways to help and participate, such as making and serving snacks, helping with set up & clean up, and welcoming our neighbors who come to enjoy the activities. To get involved, reply to this email!
Learn More: Shippensburg Community Harvest Party
Sunday is Coming!
Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting by a campfire…
🔥
Maybe you picture yourself at the bonfire at Harvest Party at the fairgrounds next weekend, or at the Youth Group get-together last weekend. Maybe you recall yourself at a week of camp over the summer, or a family camping trip, or an evening in your own backyard. Imagine that it's dark out, and the only thing you can see is what is illuminated by the firelight…
-What do you imagine in the forest beyond the light?
-What is moving in the shadows behind you?
-What is that sound echoing off in the distance?
-What if you look at the people sitting next to you—how do they look different now compared to in the daylight?
-Imagine also looking up at the night sky—what is out there in the starry heavens?
In a setting like this, the world that we see becomes smaller and stranger, while the world that we can't see appears larger and more mysterious, and our minds and our eyes can play tricks on us. There is so much that our eyes can't see clearly and that our minds can't comprehend accurately.
Satirical Fantasy Author Terry Pratchett uses imagery like this, of a "small circle of firelight in a chilly infinity," to illustrate how all that we think we know about this big world by our "worldly wisdom" (including science, philosophy, religion, etc.) is a relatively small amount in this vast universe.
Likewise, if we believe that our God is truly infinite & eternal, we must also realize the limits of our theology.
…and yet, in Scripture, God does reveal Himself! Light is often an image used for the wisdom of God (Proverbs, Psalms, John 1, etc.), which lights up the darkness of the world, a light which is shared with humans.
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
This weekend we will once again consider how we bring the light of God into the darkness of this world to illuminate our understanding—specifically & practically: we will consider how faith helps us to bring the eternal power of God to the temporary problems in front of us.
The troubles of this world can often make us feel like we are "in the dark" but God's word can guide us.
In Luke 8:10, Jesus says— "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, "'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'"
The 'secrets of the kingdom' are being revealed through Jesus, even when 'all seems lost' and even when things seem dark… Let's allow Jesus in the New Testament to shine light on the Old Testament (and vice versa), and shine light into our present moment as well!
And remember that God is so Big, and we should "expect big things" from our really Big God!
Recall that last week we looked in more detail at the parable of the Generous Farmer and the 4 Soils in Luke 8, where Jesus emphasizes the HUGE POTENTIAL of Good Soil & Receptive Hearts, saying:
"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
-- Luke 8:15
When the "Word of God" falls on Good Soil it has the POTENTIAL to exceed expectations and multiply 100 times or more!
But to take this a step further, Jesus goes on in the very next verse of Luke 8 to share another parable or metaphor:
"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all. So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them."
--Luke 8:16-18 (NLT)
Whether we compare the Word of God to a Seed or a Light, one point Jesus is making is that the Word of God makes the unseen mysteries of the world visible—but we must allow God to "open our eyes" to see it or perceive it. We must allow Jesus to bring truth to His words: "all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all."
Also, this means the Word of God must make our lives look Visibly Different – it must make a difference in how we live in the eyes of the world.
Jesus wants to illuminate the secret wisdom of God for us, if we "pay attention" and "listen to" (i.e. OBEY) his teaching. This also means we better not hide it or keep it to ourselves!
When the wisdom of the Word of God "takes root" or "lights up" the darkness, we can expect big things!
We will connect Luke & Isaiah once more, and consider this hopeful invitation that God extends to a despairing king in Isaiah 7:
"Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."
God can meet our needs in big ways, according to His will, but the Biggest Thing of all is knowing God Himself in all of His Fullness, as revealed more clearly in Jesus Christ.
Do you know Him?
Are we humble yet faithful enough to make our requests known to Him?
Allow me to end with a passage from Paul, found (somewhat ironically) in the middle of Ephesians, which echoes the invitation of God in Isaiah 7--
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
This Sunday
8:30 Traditional Worship
We will share our welcome and announcements slightly before 8:30, and highlight the prelude as a time of quiet reflection before our opening prayer.
God Has Spoken By His Prophets #407
Open My Eyes That I May See #563
Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated #597
With All My Heart #662
Here I Am, Lord #589
9:45 Sunday School for all ages
Check out our Sunday School classes and other Care Group ministries on our website, or visit the welcome desk to learn more.
11:00 Contemporary Worship
King Of My Heart
Tremble
Revelation Song
This Is Amazing Grace
Missions Sunday
Next Sunday is Missions Sunday! We will have a special guest presentation from Paige Smith about her mission trip to Peru. This will be at both worship services at their normal times. There will also be a Combined Sunday School class at 9:45 in the sanctuary with some other Mission Updates.
Information about our annual Shoebox Collection will be shared at this time as well. Learn more about "Operation Christmas Child" at the following link, and begin praying about how you might want to be involved in this special missions opportunity!
Operation Christmas Child | Shoebox Outreach of Samaritan's Purse
Next Sunday afternoon there will also be a Missions Celebration at the Carlisle First Church of God at 3pm, featuring an update from our CGGC Global Reach director about our ministries in Brazil. Prior to the presentation at 2:45, there will be a missions fair with displays from local ministry groups, and light refreshments will be served.
Council Highlights
The Shippensburg First Church of God Council meet this week for the October meeting. Council actions included discussion of various new and updated policies, and the approval of the ballot and agenda for the November 2nd Congregational Meeting. The 2026 General Fund budget was also discussed, finalized, and approved by council, to be shared with the congregation at the November 2nd meeting.
Congregational Meeting
Our Fall Congregation meeting is November 2. It will feature elections for council positions for 2026, and ministry reports.
The Docket for the meeting will be made available to you this weekend in Church Mailboxes or at the Welcome Desk in the Gathering Place.
Absentee Ballots can be requested from our Church Office if you can not make it to the meeting, but would still like to vote in the Election. Please Contact Secretary Sonja Shively at the office (717-532-8421) to request a ballot.
Beneficent Fund Collection
After our communion service, we had a special collection for the beneficent fund, as is our custom. This fund helps to meet unexpected financial needs for individuals in our church and our community. $1282 was received on Worldwide Communion Sunday, and several additional designated gifts were received prior to Sunday. Praise God for your generosity and His faithful provision! The needs of our community have been increasing, so if you feel led to continue to give towards this special fund, you can use the envelopes in the backs of the pew to designate your offerings. We will also do another special collection the next time we have communion, which will be on the first Sunday of January.
Ministry Fair Recap
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."
--I Peter 4:10
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Ministry Fair last week! Let us continue to praise God together for what He is doing through you all!
Over the next several weeks we will be highlighting some of our ministries by posting their display boards in the Gathering Place.
We encourage you to take a look at the displays each week, and if you are interested in serving, there are sign-up sheets for you to express your interest.
Christmas Cantata Practice
Practices have begun for the 11:00 pm Christmas Eve Cantata. Anyone is welcome to participate in the Cantata (even in you don't normally sing with the choir). Practice is at 6:00pm every Sunday Evening in the Sanctuary until Christmas. See Wayne Brubaker for more information.
Community Harvest Party
On October 24th, we will be joining with Grand Point Shippensburg, the Love Our Town initiative, and several other area churches to bless our community with a Harvest Party Outreach event.
The event will run from 4-8PM at the Shippensburg Fairgrounds (10131 Possum Hollow Rd, Shippensburg) and you are welcome to come & go as you please.
The main event is free and open to the public—invite your friends & neighbors! To help us with planning and estimating, we do encourage you to RSVP on the clipboards in Sunday School Classes or the Gathering place, although preregistration is not required.
What to Expect:
Chili Cook-Off Details
$10/entry – click here to sign up
Amount to bring – Full crock pot (6 to 8 quarts) at the minimum
Chili is to be cooked before the event
Items needed – extension cord & a serving spoon (not a ladle) to distribute samples.
Provided – Sample cups & spoons for admissions.
Display Area – 48 inches x 30 inches (1/2 of an 8 ft rectangle table)
There are lots of other ways to help and participate, such as making and serving snacks, helping with set up & clean up, and welcoming our neighbors who come to enjoy the activities. To get involved, reply to this email!
Learn More: Shippensburg Community Harvest Party
Communications Updates
*Be sure to check out our Activities Calendar and the Events page on our website to learn about more upcoming opportunities!
The October edition of our "FYI" Newsletter is available in the Gathering Place or the center section of the Sanctuary. The FYI contains information about upcoming events, care group opportunities, giving and attendance information, and more.
If you have information you would like to communicate, communication request forms are available from the church office, in the Gathering Place, or online.
Looking forward to worshipping with you in the Sanctuary or Online this Sunday!
Pastor Rodney Bistline
Shippensburg First Church of God
seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org
Helpful Links:
Online Messages (shipfcog.org)
Our Activities Calendar & Events
Care Groups & Sunday School Classes
Weather Alerts/ Schedule Changes (shipfcog.org)
Weekly Bulletin (updated over the weekend)
shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/shipnews/index.html
Dear Family,
We are praising Jesus that Phil Shuman’s surgery went well this morning. The plan is for him to come home tomorrow.
Dave Bodah began his first chemo treatment today. The plan is for three more treatments, once every three weeks.
We will not be offering GriefShare’s Surviving the Holidays this season, but we encourage those who are interested to consider the following opportunities.
You can find more information and register by clicking on the following link: Find a Group - GriefShare
Thursday, November 6 6:00 -8:00 pm Frist Assembly of God Church in Greencastle
Saturday, November 8 10:00 am – 12:00 Noon Christian Life Church in Chambersburg
Sunday, November 9 2:00 – 4:00 pm King Street United Brethren Church in Chambersburg
Sunday, November 9 2:30-4:30 pm First United Methodist Church in Chambersburg
Sunday, November 9 3:00-4:30 pm Antrim Brethren in Christ Church in Chambersburg
Sunday, November 16 1:00-3:00 pm Five Forks Church in Waynesboro
Sunday, November 16 2:00-4:00 pm Carlisle Evangelical Free Church
Saturday, November 22 2:00-3:30 pm Calvary Assembly of God Church in Waynesboro
Tuesday, December 2 6:00-8:00 pm Carlisle Evangelical Free Church
Check back to this website. I imagine more churches will be posting as well.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15
For His Glory,
Pastor Gary
Pastor Gary
Gary Hornbaker
Shippensburg First Church of God
Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship
Church Phone: 717-532-8421
Sunday is Coming!
This year, the only thing my garden produced was a few small potatoes and one goofy gourd…
Every year, we always ‘dabble’ in backyard gardening, more so for fun and learning, and with very low expectations about harvesting a big crop. But in 2020, since we had a little more time at home, I decided to really give it an effort. I expanded our garden patch, cleared things out, turned over the soil, added compost, and even put a net fence around it to keep out rabbits! However, after all of that hard work, I still did not have much success… the bunnies still got in, the weeds still grew up, and we did not harvest very much good produce.
So now we do something different: we participate in a Perry County Farm Share, investing a little bit into an expert local farm which always gives us way more than enough! (though we still ‘dabble’ just for fun in our own backyard)
Sometimes in life we need to try something different. We need to humbly take a new approach. Even God in Heaven, who does not change, says this to His People through His prophet, Isaiah:
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
This weekend we will ask ourselves if we are humble enough to try new things? Or have our hearts become hardened or crowded by the weeds and worries of the world?
We will continue our series making some connections between the Old Testament prophet Isaiah and how our Rabbi, our Savior & Lord, Jesus, opens our eyes to truth in the Gospel of Luke.
In Isaiah and Luke, we can compare two approaches to farming. We will read about an unproductive vineyard in Isaiah 5, where despite the farmer’s best efforts to plant and protect the vineyard, the vines only produced “bad fruit.” Consequently, the vineyard was trampled into a wasteland full of thorns.
In Luke 8, Jesus tells a familiar parable about a generous farmer who spreads seeds abundantly all over the place! Jesus reveals that the seed that grows in the good soil produces a crop 100 times more than what may have been “wasted” in the thorns and stony ground.
If we have “eyes to see,” these two stories offer insight into the Spiritual transformation of reality that Jesus has begun–the “New Thing” that God has done which brings abundant streams of life in the wasteland!
Do you find yourself stranded in the wasteland today? Lost in the wilderness? Jesus wants to show you the Way to New and Abundant Life! Jesus wants to open the Secrets of Heaven to us!
…if we have Eyes and Ears to Understand.
In Luke 8:10, Jesus says—
“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’”
Isaiah reminds us that a key factor is to stay humble before God, and keep the soil of our hearts soft and teachable, to receive the Word of the Lord and allow it to grow and make us fruitful. Jesus reminds us that our God is a God of Abundance, and the Hope of the Harvest far exceeds the troubles of stony ground or thorns of the world that often distract us from God’s Goodness!
As we also consider the waters of baptism and the new life that this represents, let us celebrate the “New Things” that God can do in each of our hearts!
Consider the words of Isaiah 43:19 once more:
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Do you perceive it? Prepare your hearts once more to get a glimpse of Heaven this weekend!
This Sunday
We will praise God and celebrate with 6 individuals who are choosing to be baptized during the contemporary service. The baptisms will take place at the very beginning of the 11:00 service if anyone from early service and Sunday school would like to stay to watch. Let us all look forward to celebrating these public declarations of the inward change that God has done!
8:30 Traditional Worship
There will be pre-service music featuring harp and violin, beginning at 8:15.
We will share our welcome and announcements slightly before 8:30, and highlight the prelude as a time of quiet reflection before our opening prayer.
Come into His Presence #171
Jesus Calls Us #592
Jesus, I Come #491
Lord, I'm Coming Home
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing #11
9:45 Sunday School for all ages
Check out our Sunday School classes and other Care Group ministries on our website, or visit the welcome desk to learn more.
11:00 Contemporary Worship
Baptism
Reckless Love
How He Loves
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
You Are My Vision
Congregational Meeting
Our Fall Congregation meeting is November 2. It will feature elections for council positions for 2026, and ministry reports.
This Sunday, October 12th, is the deadline to submit topics to our Council President if you would like them to be considered for discussion at the meeting, so that the council can consider the requests if needed and so dockets can be prepared and made available by October 19th, 2 weeks prior to the meeting.
Beneficent Fund Collection
Last week after communion, we had a special collection for the beneficent fund, as is our custom. This fund helps to meet unexpected financial needs for individuals in our church and our community. $1282 was received on Sunday, and several additional designated gifts were received prior to Sunday. Praise God for your generosity and His faithful provision! The needs of our community have been increasing, so if you feel led to continue to give towards this special fund, you can used the envelopes in the backs of the pew to designate your offerings. We will also do another special collection the next time we have communion, which will be on the first Sunday of January.
Ministry Fair Recap
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
--I Peter 4:10
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Ministry Fair last week! Let us continue to praise God together for what He is doing through you all!
Over the next several weeks we will be highlighting some of our ministries by posting their display boards in the Gathering Place.
We encourage you to take a look at the displays each week, and if you are interested in serving, there are sign-up sheets for you to express your interest.
GriefShare
There is one particular serving opportunity that we want to highlight: We are asking God to raise up a co-facilitator for our GriefShare Ministry. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Pastor Gary.
Peace, Prayer and Presence
The Eastern Region of our CGGC Denomination is calling for a Day of Prayer this Saturday, October 11, 2025, and we will be a host site for worshippers to gather in prayer. Join us from 9:00a-11:00a at Crossroads Station. Pastor Gary and Pastor Rodney, will be guiding the event along with other ERC leaders.
The entire Region is invited to attend a meaningful morning of engagement through prayer. There are also other locations spread across the Region (you may choose to attend any location). Come prepared to receive a deeper connection to the Father.
Pre-registration will be helpful for planning, but is not required. You can register at the following link:
https://forms.gle/AbVyHqbhzkWoohTE7
Please prayerfully prioritize this event in your fall calendar. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Colleen Shank at 717.951.9714 or by email, colleen@erccog.org.
Christmas Cantata Practice
Practices have begun for the 11:00 pm Christmas Eve Cantata. Anyone is welcome to participate in the Cantata (even in you don’t normally sing with the choir). Practice is at 6:00pm every Sunday Evening in the Sanctuary until Christmas. See Wayne Brubaker for more information.
Community Harvest Party
On October 24th, we will be joining with Grand Point Shippensburg, the Love Our Town initiative, and several other area churches to bless our community with a Harvest Party Outreach event.
The event will run from 4-8PM at the Shippensburg Fairgrounds (10131 Possum Hollow Rd, Shippensburg) and you are welcome to come & go as you please.
The main event is free and open to the public—invite your friends & neighbors! To help us with planning and estimating, we do encourage you to RSVP on the clipboards in Sunday School Classes or the Gathering place, although preregistration is not required.
What to Expect:
Chili Cook-Off Details
$10/entry – click here to sign up
Amount to bring – Full crock pot (6 to 8 quarts) at the minimum
Chili is to be cooked before the event
Items needed – extension cord & a serving spoon (not a ladle) to distribute samples.
Provided – Sample cups & spoons for admissions.
Display Area – 48 inches x 30 inches (1/2 of an 8 ft rectangle table)
There are lots of other ways to help and participate, such as making and serving snacks, helping with set up & clean up, and welcoming our neighbors who come to enjoy the activities. To get involved, reply to this email!
Learn More: Shippensburg Community Harvest Party
Communications Updates
*Be sure to check out our Activities Calendar and the Events page on our website to learn about more upcoming opportunities!
The October edition of our “FYI” Newsletter is available in the Gathering Place or the center section of the Sanctuary. The FYI contains information about upcoming events, care group opportunities, giving and attendance information, and more.
If you have information you would like to communicate, communication request forms are available from the church office, in the Gathering Place, or online.
Looking forward to worshipping with you in the Sanctuary or Online this Sunday!
Pastor Rodney Bistline
Shippensburg First Church of God
seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org
Helpful Links:
Online Messages (shipfcog.org)
Our Activities Calendar & Events
Care Groups & Sunday School Classes
Weather Alerts/ Schedule Changes (shipfcog.org)
Weekly Bulletin (updated over the weekend)
shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/shipnews/index.html
Dear Family,
Please be in prayer for …
Walt Crider who is in York Hospital awaiting heart catheterization.
Connie Heberlig who is in the Chambersburg Hospital.
Thank you for partnering with us in prayer!
“The Lord protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—He does not give them over to the desire of their foes. The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.” Psalm 41:2-3
For His Glory,
Pastor Gary
Pastor Gary
Gary Hornbaker
Shippensburg First Church of God
Pastor of Visitation and Discipleship
Church Phone: 717-532-8421
