Shippensburg First Church Of God Blog Site: "Here am I. Send Me" -- SFCOG Updates for 10/26 -- Mission Sunday

Sunday is Coming!

This Sunday is Missions Sunday!

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"

And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

"Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."

We've been studying how Isaiah answered the call of God to be His messenger, and how Jesus speaks of the Word of God as a seed that is abundantly spread around and produces a crop that multiples a hundred-fold. This weekend we will hear some reports about ways that the message of the Gospel is being shared near and far!

Our "Compelled to Serve" committee has organized some wonderful missions updates from ministry partners around the world.

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.

Paige is regularly involved in our Young Adult Ministries, sings with our Contemporary Worship Team, and is an elementary teacher in the Carlisle School District. She has traveled on several short-term mission trips, and she recently traveled with a group of other young adults to Peru in South America. Paige will share with us about how she saw God at work through this opportunity.

There will also be a Combined Sunday School class at 9:45 in the sanctuary with some other updates, including reports from Liam O'Hagan and Joe Wenger regarding the campus ministries they are about to launch with DiscipleMakers.

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 global missions opportunity!

Operation Christmas Child | Shoebox Outreach of Samaritan's Purse

This Sunday – Missions 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.

We've a Story to Tell to the Nations #446

Grace Greater than Our Sin #344

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling #648

Victory In Jesus #353

9:45 Sunday School for all ages – Adults & Youth COMBINED in the Sanctuary, featuring Ministry updates, including Operation Christmas Child & DiscipleMakers.

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

House Of The Lord

Graves Into Gardens

Gratitude

Battle Belongs

Contemporary Spotify Playlist

This 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.

Community Harvest Party

This Saturday, October 25^th, 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! Bring a sweet treat to share (like baked goods for the snack station, or candy for the candy scramble).

What to Expect:

Chili Cook-Off ($10 to enter)
Chili Tasting & Voting ($10/person age 13 & over; $5/person age 5-12, free for ages 4 & under – cash or check collected at the event) – voting ends at 7PM
Free games, bounce houses, hotdogs & drinks (while supplies last), a bonfire, and lots of family-friendly fun.
All proceeds from the chili cook-off will be donated directly to a local non-profit, Wheels for Women.
A presentation by Wheels for Women including a testimony of God's Provision will also be shared!

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

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, including bios for those on the ballot, is available to you in your Church Mailboxes or at the Welcome Desk in the Gathering Place.

Absentee Ballots can be requested from our Church Office if you cannot 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 (by October 31 at 3:00pm if possible).

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 again to everyone who participated in the Ministry Fair! 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.

Missed the Ministry Fair? Take a look at the slideshow at the link below to see all of the various ministries, committees, and small groups that were represented!

Ministry_Fair_2025.pptx

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