Shippensburg First Church Of God Blog Site: Near & Far

Sunday is Coming!

Many years ago, the Shippensburg First Church of God took a team of individuals to New Mexico to share a Bible School ministry and do some other short-term mission projects with the predominantly Navajo community of Gamerco, NM. I personally had the privilege of being a part of that team, and it confirmed in me the desire to pursue further ministry possibilities.

On that trip, we certainly saw the value in working alongside of those who had deeper, long-term connections to the community. In more recent times, some people from our church took a trip to that same community with a team lead by Randy Dyarman, and they also directly benefited from the support of a family who has devoted their life to coordinating these sorts of experiences. That family is Jacob and Haley Day, who will be our guest speakers this Sunday for Missions Day.

Jacob Day serves as the Global Reach missionary to the Southwest, where he organizes mission teams to serve in the region. Before a team ever arrives, he works directly with the local community to understand what will help most, then builds the plans and projects those teams carry out.

Global Reach | Churches of God GC

In addition to coordinating mission teams from around the denomination, Jacob and Haley also pastor the Gamerco Church of God, one of several CGGC congregations in AZ & NM. Their focus there is strengthening the church and raising up disciples who are also ready to go out and serve their community and beyond.

And Jacob and Haley live this out themselves. Haley is a Pre-K teacher at a local school and Jacob is the vice president of the Gamerco Water and Sanitation Board—roles that have given the church a natural way to connect with neighbors in many ways, such as community cleanup days each summer.

As we conclude our series focused on worship & stewardship, this is a great opportunity to think about how our giving can overflow to other parts of the world both near & far as God opens doors for partnership with our denomination and other ministries, remembering that all things come from God, and all things belong to Him.

Let us praise God from whom all blessings flow!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

--James 1:17

This Sunday

8:25 Traditional Worship

We will share our welcome and announcements at 8:25, followed by a musical prelude for a time of quiet reflection.

Give of Your Best to the Master

I Give All to You #595

Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated #597

Here I Am, Lord #589

9:45 Sunday School for all ages.

–Check out our Care Groups & Sunday School Classes on our website, or visit the welcome desk to learn more.

11:00 Contemporary Worship

Contemporary Spotify Playlist

Better Is One Day

Ever Be

Build My Life

How Great Is Our God

Milestones

Congratulations to these individuals & families who recently took some milestone steps of faith through Membership & Child Dedication!

For more highlights like this, follow our New Facebook Page!

We have launched an updated version of our SFCOG Facebook page which will allow us to better utilize this tool for communicating with our friends and neighbors (the old page will eventually be deactivated). Feel free to follow us there: SFCOG Facebook

And don’t forget, we are also on Instagram and YouTube as well: SFCOG Instagram SFCOG YouTube

Fall Congregation Meeting

Our Fall Congregation meeting is set for November 1 and it will include elections for new officers for the 2027 year, a presentation of the 2027 budget, and several other ministry updates. The agenda has been distributed to church mailboxes and posted around the building. All are welcome & encouraged to attend!

Prayer Ministry

We want to remind you that anyone can submit prayer requests to be shared with the congregation. This is a wonderful opportunity to partner together to care for one another! You can contact our Visitation Director, Jessie Duggan, to have these requests shared: visitationdirector@shipfcog.org.

Please note that we do strive to have the personal consent from individuals & families whose needs are being shared. We will also do our best to send these requests in a timely manner, while also avoiding multiple emails being sent in one day. In general, Prayer request received by 4 pm will be announced the same day. Prayer request received after 4 pm will be shared the next day by 4 pm.

Additionally, there is a box located on the welcome desk where you can submit prayer requests which will be prayed for privately by our prayer team, which generally meets on Wednesdays at 11:00 in the prayer room.

Young Adult Care Packages

Let’s work together to Send some Love!

We have many young people who are away from home for college, or serving in the military or in ministry. We want to show them a little love from all of us back home! We will be collecting the items listed below. If you are able to purchase any of these items, you can place them in the Big Red Box in the entryway at the handicapped entrance (Near CRS). See Jennifer Bistline if you’d like to learn more or to help to pack & ship them in November.

Young Adult Care Package Needs:

--Snacks: Granola Bars, Small chip bags, Gum, Candy

--School Supplies: Sticky Notes, Pens, Highlighters, Index Cards

--Hygiene Products: small hand sanitizer, small tissue packs, chap stick, toothbrushes & toothpaste

Fall Fest

The Community Fall Fest is Returning on November 7^th!

Like last year, we are partnering together with several other churches in our Shippensburg Community to host a fun filled evening of fall activities at the Shippensburg Fair Grounds. Featuring live music, games, free food, activities for kids, food trucks, and a cozy bonfire, this event is designed to bring us together for a memorable evening with our friends and neighbors. We will also have a Soup & Chili Cook-Off which will benefit a local ministry called “Passing the Love”!

There are a lot of ways that you can be part of this special event! Visit the link to learn about how to get involved:

CommUNITY Fall Fest Volunteer Sign Up

And click here to sign up for the soup & chili cook-off:

shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/bonfire/

***More Entries are Needed! Come one and all to participate in the cook-off!

Operation Christmas Child 2026

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox collection is underway! We already have over 300 boxes to begin with, but we hope to double that number to 600 by the time collection week rolls around in November. Will you join us in packing a shoebox this year?

Take a look at this video to learn more: operation-christmas-child-2026-promo

CGGC Learning Opportunities

There are several upcoming events hosted by our denomination and our sister churches that could be great opportunities to learn and grown and be challenged in our faith. Take a look at all these options:

Cumberland Valley Mission Celebration

Sunday, October 25, 2026 Carlisle First Church of God

Mission Team Displays 2:45 pm

Celebration Service 3:15 pm

Speaker: Jacob Day, Gamerco, New Mexico

Global Reach Southwest Ministries

Mission Project Goal: $50,000

1. Global Reach Southwest Ministries

2. Ministerial Training Institute

Pizza and Chiz Rider Trumpet Concert to follow the celebration at 6 pm

A Narrative of Place

Listening to the Land of the Bible

Biblical Seminar Day with Dr. Cyndi Parker - October 26

At Doubling Gap Center (home of Camp YoliJwa)

What if the land itself is one of the Bible's most overlooked characters? Discover how the geography, climate, and landscape of the Holy Land shaped biblical events, influenced the lives of God's people, and deepened the meaning of Scripture. Through maps, images, and biblical texts, you'll gain fresh insight into familiar stories, uncover rich theological connections, and experience the Bible as a living story rooted in real places.

This seminar supports our mission to deepen spiritual growth. Visit the following link to register, share who’s attending, and help us prepare well for your time of learning and reflection. $20 per person (Lunch is included).

Biblical Seminar Day: Listening to the Land of the Bible with Dr. Cyndi Parker

Grief Share Surviving the Holidays

Losing a loved one is always difficult, and the grief we experience goes with us year-round. But holidays have a way of bringing that loss to the forefront of our minds. We don’t have to face this alone. “Surviving the Holidays” is a special ministry of Grief Share, a Christ-centered counseling ministry. This is a one-time event featuring video teaching, discussion, and prayer to help you navigate the bittersweet parts of the holidays.

We will be offering this program at two different dates & times to accommodate various schedules:

Friday, November 13 at 6:30 pm in Room 108
Saturday, November 14 at 10:30 am in the Annex

Learn more or pre-register by visiting the website: Find a Group - GriefShare

Online Apparel Shop

Represent SFCOG at work or in the community!

We have partnered with Creative Engravings here in Shippensburg to set up an online apparel shop—you can custom order various shirts with our church logo embroidered on them. Select from 4 different styles (polo, t-shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt & sweatshirt) and several different colors. Items can be purchased online and picked up right here in Shippensburg at the Creative Engravings shop, or you may also reach out to us if you would like us to pick it up and deliver it to your church mailbox for you (select “Store Pick Up” and let us know when you receive notice that it is ready).

Visit the store:

Creative Engraving Plus, LLC| Ship First Church of God | CreativeEng&Apparel

Church Center Update

We have been gradually rolling out a new database tool called “Church Center.” It will be utilized for scheduling, record-keeping, giving, and many other ministry functions. You will be hearing more about it in the coming weeks as we implement new aspects of this resource, such as:

a directory feature,
an online giving option,
and upcoming changes to our Children’s Ministry check-in system.

You may have already received an email with an invitation to join the Church Center Directory or to update your information. This is a great tool to enable ongoing connections, communication, and support for one another if you would like to “opt in” to this feature. It is up to each person & family to choose what information they wish to share with others within our church database. This information is secure and only accessible by others who are part of the directory.

(please note that our current “Instant Church Directory” app will be phased out on November 1 as we make the change to the new system)

You may have also received some “Donation Receipt” emails or may receive them in the coming days as we begin entering weekly tithes & offerings into the database. You can access your records online and adjust your preferences regarding these emails.

You can learn more and start exploring Church Center by visiting this page on our website to create your own log-in or update your information.

Shippensburg First Church of God | Church Center

Communications Updates

Bulletins and newsletters are available for you as you enter for worship—you can find them right outside the main doorways into the sanctuary on a table or stand for easy access. Some are usually available at our welcome desk also, but we encourage you to keep access to our welcome desk (and our handicapped accessible seating) open and available for those who may need it.

*Be sure to check out our Activities Calendar and the Events page on our website to learn about more upcoming opportunities!

*If you or your small groups, committees, etc., are planning special events involving the facilities, please be sure to communicate with the church office so we can best accommodate your needs and coordinate planning details between various ministries—Thank You!

The latest monthly edition of our “FYI” Newsletter is available in the Gathering Place or as you enter into the Sanctuary. The FYI contains information about upcoming events, care group opportunities, giving and attendance information, and more.

If you have events or information you would like to communicate, communication request forms are available from the church office, in the Gathering Place, or online.