en http://www.manorpresbyterian.com © Copyright 2000 - 2008Church Community Builder. All Rights Reserved. http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=70 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=70&article_id=28 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 PROJECTS:GAIN WarehouseHouse of His CreationParkesburg PointCornerstone Pregnancy Care Centers AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVETuesday, Oct. 21 SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY AND THE BLOOD DRIVE AT THE MINISTRY FAIR ON OCTOBER 5. Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:18:10 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=70 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=70&article_id=30 At Manor, we reach out in mercy to care for the needs of others -just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve... Matthew 20:28 Confidential assistance is available from the Deacons for people from our congregation and the community who need financial or other physical assistance. If you or your family has a need, or you know of someone with a need, please contact the Deacon Mercy Team at mercy@manorpresbyterian.com or through the church office at 610-869-2402. You may also contact any member of the Deacon Mercy Team: David Tate, George Baker, Matt Walton, John Pugliese, LeAnne Pugliese, Lorraine Kane, Claudia Cole, Becky Taylor, Brenda Stoltzfus, concerning community service, local ministries, or assistance. Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:17:56 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=41 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=41&article_id=123 Fall 2008 4-week focus on serving beginning September 7 Theme passage: Ephesians 4:11-16 Why focus on serving? In Ephesians 4:11-12, Paul instructs church leaders to see that people are equipped for ministry, or serving. As described in verses 13-16, the result of leaders doing so is that as individuals do their part, the church is built up into a strong body, exhibiting unshakeable unity, faith, knowledge and love. In other words, the church, which is all believers, becomes fully alive. The following elements are all part of the serving focus. Please plan to take part in as many of them as you can. Readings from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren: Sept. 7-13 Ch. 29 Accepting Your Assignment Sept. 14-20 Ch. 30 Shaped for Serving God & Ch. 31 Understanding Your Shape Sept. 21-27 Ch. 32 Using What God Gave You & Ch. 33 How Real Servants Act Sept. 28-Oct. 4 Ch. 34 Thinking Like a Servant & Ch. 35 God's Power in Your Weakness Sunday mornings: Sermon series on serving Adult class based on topics addressed in The Purpose Driven Life Classes for Junior High and Senior High on serving Kids' Acts! for children on serving, including a service project Sunday evenings: IMPACT for teens on serving Small groups: Discussion and application of sermon series MINISTRY FAIR - "You can make a Difference" - on Sunday morning, October 5. COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY on Saturday, Oct. 18 GAIN Warehouse House of His Creation Parkesburg Point Cornerstone Pregnancy Care Centers AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE on Tuesday, Oct. 21 "It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Eph. 4:11-16 (NIV) Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:54:09 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=45 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=45&article_id=85 Sermon Date Speaker TitleDownload MP3 GENESIS The word "Genesis" means beginnings, and that's an appropriate name for this book because we can never know how to get anywhere in life unless we know where to start. Just as you pass "Go" and collect your $200 pretty often in a game of Monopoly, so you need to walk through the themes of Genesis regularly to get your bearings in life. Believe me, the pay off is worth it. Jan 6, 2008 David Tate Creation of the World: God is in Control Ge 1:1-2:3 Jan 13, 2008 David Tate Creation of Humanity: Made in God's Image Ge 2:4-25 Jan 20, 2008 Stanley Morton What is the Word of God to You? He 4:12-13 Jan 27, 2008 David Tate What's So Bad About Sin? Ge 3:1-13 Feb 3, 2008 David Tate What's So Good About God? Ge 3:14-24 Feb 10, 2008 David Tate Who's Going To Wind The Battle For Your Heart? Ge 4:1-16 Feb 17, 2008 Joel Fiscus Well-Intentioned Deceit Lam 3:40; Gal 6:1-2; Phil 2:3-4 Feb 24, 2008 David Tate The Wages Of Sin Is Death Ge 6:5-13; 7:11-24 Mar 2, 2008 David Tate The Gift of God Is Eternal Life Ge 8:1; 9:1-17 Mar 9, 2008 David Tate The Dark Side of Unity Ge 11:1-9 Mar 16, 2008 Joel Fiscus Love So Amazing, So Divine Senior Choir Cantata Mar 23, 2008 David Tate Jesus Is The Seed Jn 12:20-33 Mar 30, 2008 David Tate The Kingdom of God Has Come Mt 4:17-5:2 Apr 6, 2008 David Tate What Are You Before God? Mt 5:1-12 Apr 13, 2008 David Tate Filled With Righteousness & Mercy Mt 5:1-12 Apr 20, 2008 David Tate Purity and Peace Mt 5:1-12 Apr 27, 2008 Joel Fiscus Crowded House 1 Kings 19:1-18 May 4, 2008 David Tate Christians and the World Mt 5:1-16 May 11, 2008 David Tate Jesus, The Law and the Chistian Mt. 5:17-20 May 18, 2008 David Tate The Pure In Heart Mt. 5:21-32 May 25, 2008 Rob Ilderton Practicing Hope Ge. 14:11-24 June 1, 2008 Dave Tate Oaths, Eyes, and Enemies Mt. 5:33-48 June 8, 2008 Dave Tate Life With Father Mt. 6:1-6; 16-18 June 15, 2008 Dave Tate How To Pray And Live Mt. 6:7-15 June 22, 2008 Dave Tate Lasting Treasure Mt. 6:19-24 June 29, 2008 Dave Tate 20/20 Vision Mt. 7:1-12 July 6, 2008 Dave Tate On Judging Others Mt. 7:13-29 July 13, 2008 Chris Labs Does Your Faith Work? Ja. 2:14-20 July 20, 2008 David Stover A Promise We Can Live By Ge. 15:1-21 July 27, 2008 Dave Tate On Trusting God Mt. 7:7-12 August 3, 2008 Dave Tate Two Ways To Live Mt. 7:13-29 August 10, 2008 Charles Cummings A Treasure In Earthen Vessels 2 Co. 4:1-14 August 17, 2008 David Longacre Homosexuality and the Gospel of Grace Lev. 20:10-14; 1 Co. 6:1-20 August 24, 2008 Aaron Anderson The Urgent Need for Biblical Community Ac. 2:36-47 tr> Sermon Series Title Text Building Gods House By Building God's People Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:00:50 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1&article_id=47 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:07:18 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1&article_id=65 Check out our online web training tutorials here Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:50:38 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=82 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=82&article_id=41 Kid's Night is a fun-filled and engaging mid week program where children and youth learn how to apply Christian principles to every aspect of life. Register Now The purpose of our Kid's Night Christian Service Brigade and Girl's Alive program is to enable the children and youth who attend to come to a greater understanding of The God Who loves them, and how He desires to have a relationship with them. We also want to instill in them how to apply the principles Hes has given to us so so that they will be able to navigate life with a throughly Christian world view. The children and youth are in age and gender oriented groups where they enjoy a high ratio of leaders to participants. It is our goal that each participant will come to understand that God is interested in all aspects of life and that it is our primary goal in life is to glorify and enjoy Him in whatever we do. For enrollment information, contact the church office. Register Now Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:18:12 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=41 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=41&article_id=34 Jesus set an example of service for us when he picked up a towel and washed the disciples' feet. Service, or ministry, is not just for "trained professionals", but for each and every one of us. Hence, the phrase "every member ministry". Joyfully serving God by serving others is vital to our relationship with Jesus Christ. At a sporting event, there are players on the field, and spectators on the sidelines. Among disciples of Jesus, there should be no spectators, only players. Everyone is a valuable team member, and can get in the game and play his or her part. There are many opportunities to serve here at Manor Presbyterian Church, both within and outside the church walls. Click Here to see a list of current service opportunities, and to request more information about them. Or contact a member of the Ministry Resource Team to explore your areas of interest: Brenda Stoltzfus brenstol@comcast.net 610-593-2193 Yvette Johnson yjohnson@wlgore.com 610-274-0274 Bill or Linda Swift wcswift@epix.net 610-593-5270 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:40:22 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=29 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=29&article_id=89 Why didn't God take you to heaven the moment you became a believer? After all, life is full of pain and difficulties and the Bible says that heaven is just wonderful. Even the Apostle Paul said that "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain...I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far...' The reason God left you here is because He has a job for you to do. He has a Kingdom to build and because He loves you HE has called YOU to play a role in building that Kingdom. God has placed YOU on HIS team. That means you have a great heritage backing you up and an exhilarating future ahead of you. So, we're going to spend the month of September thinking together about the various positions we play on God's team, who are the coaches God uses to keep us in the game, and how we can play as a TEAM rather than showboating on our own. What does it mean to play like Jesus? Join us as we explore that profound question together! Date Preacher Text Title Sep 7 David Tate Ephesians 2:1-10 God placed YOU on HIS team - Why didn’t God take you to heaven the moment you were born again? - We all deserve wrath, but instead God saves us by grace alone so we can do the work He has prepared for us before time began. Sep 14 David Tate Ephesians 4:7-16 God equips you with coaches who show you how to play - What does it mean to win in the game of eternity? - Coaches equip you so that you can win. Sep 21 David Tate 1 Corinthians 12 God gave you teammates to encourage you - How do I treat people who don’t have my gifts? - Honor others because they have different roles to play on the team. Sep 28 David Tate 1 Peter 4:7-11 Romans 12:3-13 God empowers you to play like Jesus - How do I play well over the long haul? - The greatest gift I have is the Holy Spirit, empowering me to administer God’s grace in its various forms Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:36:33 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=74 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=74&article_id=48 You are invited to Christianity Explored, a 10-week course on the basics of Christianity. The course begins with a meal and an introductory session on Sunday, September 14 at 6:30 pm.You don't need to know anything about the Bible You won't be asked to read aloud, pray or sing You can ask any questions you want Listen to these comments from someone who participated in our last Christianity Explored Course! If you are interested, please RSVP by calling 610-869-2402 x11 or emailing Dave Tate Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:08:58 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=139 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=139&article_id=122 Starting August 24th at 10am Location: White House Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:21:18 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=102 The missions trip to Mississippi was a great opportunity to use my gifts to serve God, and observe others use theirs. On the plane flight to Lagniappe God made everything go smoothly and safely. And when we had a flat tire on our rental van during the ride from the airport to Lagniappe our team members didn't get flustered and just set to work to change the tire. At the work site I was on we were working on the roof of a house.Through the intense heat and humidity God gave our leaders patience to coordinate the work and explain to us how to do our jobs. Mission trips tend to bring out the best and the worst in people. And I saw a great amount of good come from our team. I saw our team members be selfless doing whatever was asked, and stretched outside our comfort zones. The house we were building had been completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina leaving only a concrete slab. It had been completely rebuilt, and then struck by lightning and had burnt to the ground. The mother of the family that would live in the home sometimes would stop in to thank us for what we were doing. You could see in her countenance how much she appreciated our work and it would brighten my day. It was a great experience to spread the gospel by helping a family who had lost everything and gone through so much emotionally and physically and give them hope. Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:40:01 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=107 The Lord is always teaching us something no matter where we are or what we are doing. Sometimes it takes some of us more than one time doing something for us to see what he wants us to learn. When I signed up to go on the Mission trip to Lagniappe there were a few reasons I wanted to go. One was to see my son Andrew, another was to go with my youngest son and husband and the youth group, and third was to serve in the kitchen. This was the second time I have helped in the kitchen at the church. When I was there in Jaunuary helping in the kitchen it was not exactly what I expected. I was there as a volunteer to help and the first morning the cook came in sick and I was asked if I could serve breakfast and lunch and she would come back to do dinner. So Claudia was there and was willing to help and then later in the week we found out that the cook was not there on Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday. So once again Claudia and I followed the instuctions that we were given and everything went fine with God's help. This time was not much different, on Sunday morning the cook was not feeling well and asked if I could serve breakfast and make lunch and serve it, and then she was off on Thursday, as her day off. They do have somone helping her part time in the kitchen now, but there were times that we were both lost as to what we were doing. I enjoyed working in the kitchen and I enjoyed working with those that I worked with both times. What I was not understanding, was why I was the volunteer and was being put in charge. Then at the end of the week one of the office staff that coordinates the kitchen staff and volunteers said to me how much they appreciate the volunteers willing to help in the kitchen to give their staff a break. And then it all made sense to me as to why I was there. I think what the Lord taught me through this mission trip was, that He knows I can do things even when I think I can't or don't know how to do them. The funny thing about this learning experience is that I used what I learned a week later at Summer Assembly when we served lunch and dinner to the youth at a kitchen that I had never worked in before and God provided plenty of help in preparing the food. Thank you for your support and prayers for me as I went on the mission trip. Mon, 4 Aug 2008 20:36:56 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=114 This years missions trip was an eye opening experience on many levels. The trip seemed like it arrived in no time at all. To be honest, I wasn't completely prepared for the trip. We arrived and already were put to work. Now I have to say I am a pretty driven person to get things done, however on this trip it was made obvious to me that we were concentrating on "People before Projects". I had to completely change my mindset and when I did, things fell into place. We honestly got just as much completed as had hoped and we became much closer and had a great time together. Mon, 4 Aug 2008 10:13:32 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=106 This was my first mission trip to Mississippi with the youth group. It was great working with the other kids and getting to know the ones I didn't know very well. God taught us all that He is in control and He will provide for our needs. Even though we were on a roof in very hot weather most everyone had a good attitude and worked well. He provided us with a couple opportunities to witness to some people as the others have already said. So it was a good trip. Mon, 4 Aug 2008 10:09:46 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=115 God reinforced His control and provision for us as we trusted south to Lagniappe church. He reminded me to relax and trust Him as we had two mechanical incidents with the car. His gracious provision was seen in many ways including His providing the money needed for an unexpected meal for the group and in a less than estimated cost for us to drive down and back. His amazing sovereignty was seen in how He brought a mother and daughter, a waitress, and those we were working to help, into our lives and showed His love and light through us. It was great to see how the youth have grown in Christ. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:34:39 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=120 I have never been part of a mission team where I was not personally challenged, encouraged and in some way found that it was life-changing. This year was no different. This summer we were challenged to work alongside of a congregation to help them cast a vision for a greater outreach into their community as well as to help them see just how engaging and fun an outreach children's ministry can be; which captures both the hearts of the children as well as provides a means of connecting with the parents of un-churched children. With this being my last official mission trip with Manor what was so life-changing for me was to see three different ages of people from Manor working alongside of each other for a common goal. This brought home to me that all age groups from our congregation value and support youth missions trips. What a joy it was to work alongside of: A. Lynn Brown - someone very close to my age - Lynn loves sharing the Good News of Jesus with children in the form of story telling - and her enthusiasm is contagious. She gave her week to spend every morning driving up to Lititz and sharing an amazing story that captured the hearts of all who came to her story telling time. Lynn is someone who loves Jesus and who loves children; and it is affirming to know she is creating a legacy of excellence in story telling both at Manor and elsewhere. B. Paul Carlson, Lauren Cocciolone and Allyson Cole- all young adults who have been on a number of mission trips with myself and others. It is obvious that Paul, Lauren and Allyson each both understand and embrace the concept of serving God through serving others. It was particularly encouraging for me to see each of them in action, serving in various ways; knowing that they will be part of the legacy of both affirming the importance of mission trips and actually being a part of a trip which focuses on the needs of others and how I can be more devoted to Christ. I love each of you guys. C. Daniel Brown, Nicole Esbenshade, Jessica Davey and Shawna Fiscus - for each of you guys, it was your first mission experience with Manor. Working alongside of each of you, I am convinced that you guys not only know how to have fun; but that you also are already grasping the concept that you were created for something very big, something very amazing; and that is to live a life that is a reflection on the One Who first loved us so extravagantly. Thanks for the privilege of being able to share the week with you. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:26:56 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=121 On the Lititz mission trip I really saw God working in and through our team. First, we all were able to really bond together and have lots of fun. It was really a great bonding time for all of us. Secondly I saw how our actions spoke in volumes. We were all able to make really good relationships with the kids there. A few of them hadn't even heard of God. We were able to show them God's love through the way that we cared for them. We also were able to make awesome relationships with the people from Living Hope Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Brown did an excellent job telling the story in a way that the kids could really understand and apply into their lives. After the Kids Fest program that we were doing there we would do service projects. Mostly it was a lot of weeding. However, we all did it with a willing heart and a servant attitude. The people that we did the weeding for were so grateful and amazed that we would do this for them. It was a big help and we sure were able to see the end results. This was my first mission trip and it was awesome. I'm so glad that I went on this mission trip. I can't wait until next year. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:26:00 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=100 "I had never been on a youth trip before. But here I was going to Mississippi in July in the steaming, boiling, humid weather to do construction with 20 people that I did not know. Clearly this was Gods idea; no sane person would sign up for this! Although it sounds odd, when we got the flat tire on the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge was when I felt the trip would be ok. I dont recommend getting flat tires on bridges, especially ones that are narrow and long, when it is 150 degrees out and you are with 20 people who havent eaten in 3 days. But the tire situation was the beginning of me being impressed with Manor Youth. Love for God motivates them to be the best they can be. Love for God motivates them to help when needed. Love for God motivates them to love each other. Love for God motivates them to love others. Love for God allows them to be the imperfect people that they are. A goal of mine was to be able to distinguish Daniel from Caleb. It is easy to clump both of these young men together as one. I encourage you to learn to tell the difference, not to satisfy me, but because Daniel and Caleb are two people whose church family should care enough to take the time to know their names. Lastly, I have hope. Hope for the future generations. Hope for the Gulf Coast. There is a lot of garbage that happens on a daily basis, there is destruction and sin. Open the newspaper or turn on the television, earth is a scary place to live. But when I slow down and focus on God I see Him in control; in control of the good and the bad that happens. At Lagniappe I saw signs from all over the world, signs left behind from people who have a desire to help, to serve God by loving others. God is in control, so I dont have to be! I can bring my thoughts to God and leave the decisions to Him. Decisions like if it is worthwhile to learn peoples names and decisions like how to spend my precious vacation days from work and who I chose to spend time with. God wants the big ones and the small ones, and I am learning to be pleased to give them all to Him." Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:43:39 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=118 This summer I went on a mission trip to Lagniappe (a church in Mississippi). There, our team of about 27 people worked at three different houses near the church. The whole trip was a learning experience in building houses and my relationship with God. Every minute was fun and I really liked working to build houses for God. During the mission trip I worked at two of the sights that our team worked at (The finishing sight and the framing sight). At the finishing sight I met the owner Roger who was really nice. I did a lot of painting there and also cutting pieces of baseboard and quarter round boards to go on the edge of the walls. As I was working though, I thought about how much Roger and his wife lost and then to see them both still loving the Lord made me realize that I wasn't thanking the lord enough for all the things that he's given me. After working there for two days, I left and went to the framing sight. There, everyone nailed sheets of OSB and also blocking for the roof. I liked working at this sight because I got to do hard work and use my awesome hammering skills to build a house for these wonderful people. Overall, this was an awesome mission trip and I really enjoyed the fellowship with the other people on my team. I learned a lot from it and I hope that I will be able to go on more mission trips in the future. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=119 I would have to say that this year's missions trip has been my favorite so far. Everything seemed to flow perfectly, we got a pretty tremendous amount of work done, and everyone seemed so happy to be there and doing the Lord's work. Our team worked outstandingly, and you could tell that the Lord was right with us the whole trip. I have never heard the equivalent of the amount of complements we received on this missions trip. Not only from the Lagniappe staff, but the locals kept giving us encouraging reminders of how appreciative they were to have us there. I had an amazing time, and I hope that every mission trip is this effective. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=94 Before talking about the trip itself, I think it needs to be known that I wasn't allowed to go on this trip. My family had decided that they did not want me to go down without another family member down there. God works in amazing ways and without anything but prayer it was decided that I could go...there was not going to be another family member down there. This just shows God's hand on this trip before it even started. I think at one point or another everyone on our team and tried to plan out aspects of our trip. God didn't like that very much and to show who had the power he popped our car tire. We had to sit back and say,” Okay God we get it, your in control." I was put on a team doing finishing work, painting and putting in tri-fold doors, a lot of small stuff. I was doing this for the first two and a half days, with usually only one other teen. When I was moved I was doing small jobs of getting things for people and things like that. I think that God definitely taught me flexibility, in that someone had to do those jobs and in this case that person was me and I was okay with that, he helped me be very calm and patient at whatever needed to be done. He also taught me the important of small jobs, everyone wants to go down and come back saying well I built a house, but if no one did the small things it wouldn't get finished. There is no way I could have done any of what I did over this trip without God. I am in no way trying to take credit for any of his work, I think He worked through everyone this week and I believe that all of us have come back different then what we were before we went down. The local people are so grateful for what we are doing down there. I heard so much thanks and appreciation; we were blessed working for a GREAT God, with great friends, helping great people. Although a lot of Americans have forgotten the devastation that Katrina caused. But the people affected by it can't forget it and when we come down and show them that we still care, still remember you get such a smile on their faces you can't help but love what you are doing, you have never worked so hard in some cases, yet you feel better then you ever have. And why is that? Because when were doing there working for a God we love, with the people we love, serving with love, and receiving it from the people you can't help but be the best. Its all centered around love, it really is, there is nothing-stronger then God's love and I think that’s probably the biggest things I learned being down in Mississippi. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=97 I recently attended the mission trip to Lititz, PA, and was asked to write a paragraph on how I was transformed over the week. Our memory verse for the week was this: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17. I knew right away that I was transformed in my timidity. I have helped with the Kids' Fest at Manor PCA for several years, but this was a completely new experience. Kids' Fest in Lititz Springs Park was in a small area, so we couldn't accomplish all of the activities that we have in that small area. And, since we couldn't do the extra activities, then the day was cut down from five hours to two hours. When Manor PCA has their annual Kids' Fest, I sign up to be a kidmover the first chance I get; and, when the week starts, I already know at least half of the kids in my group. At Lititz, it was a different story. The week started, and I had never seen any of the kids before, didn't know their names, and they didn't know me. As you can guess, it was hard for both me and the kids. Many people who know me, understand why this was hard for me. I am quite a timid, shy person. I am usually not the one starting the conversation with someone; I am the back row seat kind of guy. During that week, it was a different story. I made myself come out of my comfort zone, and talk to the kids, adults, and teens that I didn't know. Some were from Living Hope Presbyterian, and some were not. But I made it a point to get to know every one of the children in my group personally. And, as anyone who went on this trip can tell you, it changed me, and I ended up talking a lot during that outstanding week. I think that God had me go on that mission trip so he could teach me the importance of going out of my way, to make one of his children glad that someone would come up and say something encouraging. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=98 Wow, God really had some magnificent things stored up for all of us that went down to Mississippi! First of all, I want to thank God for all the many blessings we received while being down there and that everyone stayed safe. Even though I did get knocked in the head by a 2'6, it didn't stop me from working. Getting hit in the head was actually a blessing in disguise. I had to be switched to another site and being switched enabled me to work at all the sites. I got a chance to talk to one of the homeowners of a house we worked at. His name was Roger and he sure did love to talk and it was nice to listen to him after a long day of work. He told us that he thought there were no good teenagers left in the world, but our group proved him wrong! Something similar happened when we went out to dinner one night. Our waitress Ashleigh told us that she didn't think good people still existed in the world until she met us! We soon found ourselves listening to Ashleigh open up about her life and the difficulties she's been through. She was anxious to get back to church, so we told her about Lagniappe's Church service and she was so eager to start going back to church again. She even gave us prayer requests so that we could pray for her. It was awesome that God put us there at a time in Ashleigh's life when she really needed Him. God used us for His purpose and it felt great. You could see the hope and excitement in Ashleigh's eyes after our conversation with her. After we left the restaurant, she begged her boss to let her have a break so that she could run over to the church to give us her Myspace so that we could stay in touch. Many people believe that the only goal of a missions trip is to go to a place and just get things done. But what we focused on this week was the people. And God gave us that opportunity with Ashleigh. The little things like a small conversation with Ashleigh is what makes a missions trip so worth while, because we're doing what God wants us to do. I can only pray that the hope and excitement I saw in Ashleigh's eyes will continue to heighten until one day she can share her joy with others. God truly blessed our team down in Mississippi. We worked so well together, accomplished so much, and had a great time doing it. Old was constantly reminding us that if we were happy when we were working, then it meant that we were doing God's will. And I believe with all my heart we were down there doing God's will. Personally though, God really opened my eyes to something that I have been struggling a lot with recently, my pride. That little five letter word has a meaning that can be described in so many different ways. Pride is something you can't have on a missions trip and one day one the trip, it just hit me that I was an extremely prideful person. My mom made me realize that we like to substitute other words for pride, like stubbornness or being hard headed. I am the first one to admit my stubbornness, but the last one to admit my pridefullness. Even though they are the same thing, it's so much easier say you're stubborn than to admit your pride. We as sinners try to down play our sins as much as we can so that they don't sound as bad as they really are; and that's exactly what I was doing with my pride. For the longest time, I've had this feeling of separation from God; like I'm on one end of the couch and God is on the other. He's always with me, but when it came time to make a decision, the decision was never made together; it was always made by me. And with coming home from this trip, I've realized how prideful I am. My pride was separating me from God. I was pushing God out of my life because of my own selfishness. I thought I knew what was best for me and boy, I've never been more wrong in my entire life and I've never felt more alone. So believe me, don't try to run your own life. God planned it just the way he wants it and if you don't listen to Him and try to take your own path like I did, it gets you no where but rock bottom. See the invisible and hear the inaudible. I believe that is part of God's will for everyone. "Not my will, but Yours be done." God is teaching me to open up my heart and listen to Him before I make a choice. That way, it is Gods choice and not mine. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=101 This was my first missions' trip out of state, and it was more then I could have ever dreamed. Everything was amazing, from the plane ride or to eating fried okra, to working in the heat one minute and standing in the pouring rain the next. I really enjoyed all the work that we all did. I started out working with the group who did what we called "framing site." We took blocks and nailed them in-between the rafters. Even the first day working it rained...and most people would complain about that, but we praised God, because then the temperature was a lot cooler. Then in the later half of the week, Allyson and I moved to another job site, it was a lot of finishing stuff, like painting window sills, sanding, putting in selves and hanging doors. I enjoyed working here as much as the other site, we danced and sang while we worked and it was a great time. But some of the most amazing thing that happened on this trip didn't happen when we were hammering or painting, it happens in the "in-between" times. One example was Wednesday night is eat out night, so a majority of us went to the Italian Buffet, and we got a chance to talk to Ashley, our waitress, who really opened up and told us her whole story. She even asked all about the church we were working with and she was thinking about going. Other small examples were when we were at the Crab Fest on the 4th of July, everyone in the vendor tents, where really glad and thankful that we were down volunteering, even though we weren't helping them specifically, they still were grateful. So for my first missions trip out of state it was everything and more, all thanks to God! Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=103 During the week at Lagniappe I learned a few things about serving the lord. One of those things being that you can be cooking your self on a roof in 90 degree heat and still be happy about where you are and what you are doing. After a few hours of sweating in the sun you would think everyone would want to stay away from each other but at the end of the day everyone was so happy we were busting out into random song while cleaning the bathrooms. It was encouraging to hear everyone so happy while doing what was considered to be the worst job of the day. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=108 Something that I found very encouraging during our stay down in Mississippi was how grateful the people were that we were sacrificing our time to serve them. A great example of how thankful they were was on Wednesday. On the way to our work site, we saw a small farmer's market that was advertising Alabama Peaches. So, Rachel and I decided that it would make a nice break later in the day to stop over and buy some peaches. So, at around ten o'clock,we ventured over and were politely greeted by the lady nearest to the door. After a couple of minutes, she inquired about Rachel's paint-covered fingers and we explained that we were working on a man's house down the road and stopped in for some peaches. So she asked how many people were in our group and then placed fifteen dollars worth of peaches into a plastic bag. When Rachel held out the money to pay her, she replied by saying, "You're down here working, that's enough" and smiled at us. After thanking her profusely, we walked back to the house and told everyone at our work site. Rachel and I could not stop talking about the peaches and not only were they delicious, but it showed how truly thankful and excited the people of Mississippi were for everything that we had done. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=109 The Lititz mission trip was a really great trip. God worked in me that week to help me be calm and patient. Since I was the coordinator I had a lot of responsibility. God gave me many people to help out and made everything run very smoothly. God worked in our team to make us closer. By the end of the week we were very comfortable with each other and were able to be ourselves. We even put our guard down and made some silly movies. God brought more and more kids to Kids' Fest each and every day. We watched the kids grow and some parents show interest in the church we were working with. I have been transformed by this experience in that I now know I can handle more responsibility and enjoy being a leader. God taught me that being content with what you have he will end up providing more for you. We thought that we weren't going to have that many children at this Kids' Fest and we were happy with what God had provided us. As I said earlier, as the week progressed we got more and more children. We hadn't expected that but were thankful we could reach more children. Overall the trip was a great experience for me, the team, Living Hope PCA, the children, and the families. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=110 The topic of our missions trip was transformation so I made it a point to have several times of personal reflection throughout the week in order to look at how I was being transformed. I started to become irritated with myself because I felt that I was not changing. However, on the plane ride home, I realized how God had transformed me. At that time, I knew God was calling me to make a conscious decision to become less worldly by making Him my focal point. My connection with God felt so strong, and I knew that when I got dropped back into my day-to-day life, it would be easy to get caught up in the theatrics of my friends' lives, and lose focus on God and my relationship with Him. When we do not have God as our focus, we can choose a lifestyle that seems to be a magnet for unnecessary drama. I find myself becoming sucked into the drama of some of my friends, which zaps me of energy. God reminded me that He will supply energy. I still want to encourage my friends, be there for them, and be a godly example without taking on the burdens of their decisions. I want to turn those burdens over to God and put my friends in His care. I want desperately to stay focused on God and not allow the world to seep in. "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=111 I have again been greatly blessed by our Lord's grace in allowing me to participate in the Lagniappe Mission trip. It was such a blessing to see the progress that has been made in the area and at the church, even though there is still much to be done. I love to be with our younger members that are so full of talent and energy. The Lord uses them to keep me going under all circumstances. He shows his love through them and gives me hope for the future. It makes me very proud when the local people and people from other groups take me aside and tell me "how impressed they are at the way our group works so well together", "Gee I wish our group could have the musical talent yours has", "I can't believe how your group has been so kind and blessed us this week". The Lord continues to make me a more patient person and to seek Him in all things and watch for His miracles in all things. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=113 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=116 Mississippi was the best mission trip ever! In Mississippi, I worked on the roof and we put OSB on the roof. God worked through me a lot this trip. He helped me want to help others even if it was the worst job and he helped me care for everyone the same and leave no one out. God also gave me the strength to keep going to the best of my ability. I saw gGod work through many people and a couple I would like to give a shout to would be Paige, Nancy, and Rachel O. Paige was very nice by talking to everyone and when a crisis came up, she was on it. In addition, Paige talked with one of the homeowners and got an abused puppy. Also, I saw God through Nancy because she had the biggest heart for waking up very early and fixing breakfast for everyone! Last, I saw god through Rachel because she was so flexible and worked where ever. God taught me that when you arr tired, thinking of Him kicks you back up to action and you get a lot more energy, and I did not expect that. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=89 When we first got to Lititz, I really had no idea what to expect. I mean, I knew where we were going, what we were doing, and a lot of other little details. What I didn't know was if it would all work out; how would God use us and transform us that week? Well, in my opinion, the Kids Fest we had there seemed to be an overall success. God came through, (like He always does) the kids seemed to have a really fun week and our team worked pretty well with the people from Living Hope. I remember when we were doing our service project down at Linden Hall there was an older man walking past us on the sidewalk. When he saw us he stopped and asked what we were doing, and even offered to help a little. It was just really cool getting to talk to him and the other people there at the worksite. The coolest part about the entire trip for me though was when I got home. I can't really explain it, but almost as soon as I was back I felt like something was different. A good different! I had really enjoyed the week, and that was when I knew that God had me there for a reason and had transformed me into something better. I don't think it was a HUGE change, but it was definitely something great. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=91 Throughout our entire week at Lititz, I was able to experience several different examples of transformation. Not only in people from Kids Fest, but the people at the Lititz church and also through the people who we got to meet- even if we only got to talk to them a little bit for one day. Everyone was impacted. Personally, I got to meet a worker at the church building and I was able to spend an afternoon talking to an elderly member of the church. Both of these people were great examples of how God miraculously transforms hearts. On Tuesday, during our second day at our first work site, I got a chance to talk to a man who was working there also. Except for him, he was there for a job. He asked me where we were from, what we were doing and who we were. When I said Cochranville in Chester County he asked how far away it was. He appeared to be really surprised that we would go that far just to help some people we had never met before. Wednesday was the last day we really went to a work site. All of us girls got a lucky chance to sidestep the work and do what we do best - talking. There was an older lady, practically a shut in, who needed gardening and just someone to talk to. She seemed to have a great time just talking to us and having someone to listen to her. I never realized until then how much it means to some people just to have someone to talk to. Like the man I met before her, she too was also very happy and surprised to hear that we were in the process of helping her church through Kids Fest. Another example of transformation that I haven't mentioned before would be the relationship of the entire team. If you really want to know someone that you thought you knew before, you should spend a week with them on a missions trip. Everyone got a lot closer to God through the devotions and fellowship with one another. I for one, feel like I got closer to God just by watching the other people on our team - Just like the way that the worker and the elderly lady saw the transformation and God's love through us. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=92 The theme of our spiritual preparation for this summer's mission trips has been as probably oft stated transformation. As for my own personal transformation I see God working on me and shaping me more into an adult; spiritually and also in responsibility. My role this year was that of an adult kid mover for the Lititz Kid's Fest, and I found this role much easier to handle than originally expected. The joy of reaching out to the kids and leading them in games and being the somewhat more mature guidance through out the day was exciting for me as this has been my first mission trip as an adult leader. I can only hope that the Lord will continue to shape me into a more responsible and spiritually mature leader. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=93 As it always occurs on any good quality missions trip, I was impacted in several ways, many of which I didn't even expect. This was the second time for me and a few others to work with L.P.C.'s staff (which included our very own Andrew Thompson), and everything went just as smoothly as before. Being that our youth group is so large, we split into three different job sights. One of these was to put down laminate and tile flooring throughout an entire house; this is where I spent eight to nine of my waking hours each day. We even split up into separate groups at the site in order to get everything accomplished. So, the team of Ben Milley, Alex Lee, Paige Holton, and I started and finished all of the laminate flooring, while Adrienne Fiscus, Kelly Power, Candace Fagan, and Rachel Oranzi finished the tiling in the kitchen, spa room, and master bathroom. The experience taught me both patience, because many times it got quite frustrating when a board didn't fit numerous times in a place that it mathematically should, and perseverance, to just keep going even though we're tired, our feet are aching and we should have left for supper a half-hour ago. Even though we had great times working and we learned a lot, the greatest times were found by our group to be the down time or the "in between time." During these times we were shown many God moments, given opportunities to witness to those around us, and to grow closer not only as a group, but as a family in Christ. Through this trip, and many others, I have grown to love our youth group and each individual person in it by being able to look passed all the flaws that each of us have and notice the many skills, talents and awesome personalities we possess. I, as were many others, was extremely impressed by Manor PCA's youth. Their overall knowledge and willingness to serve was quite evident throughout the week; as was their obvious love for Christ, which was reflected in everything that we did in our travels to and from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=86 Surprise. I have to say God really surprised me on this trip and taught me a lot about who’s plan we need to follow. Prior to the trip I launched a significant personal effort to mitigate surprises by doing a lot of planning. Certainly I am experienced enough to foresee any problems and have a plan in place to deal with them. Well, that’s the first thing God got to work on in me. After landing in New Orleans, our trip to Lagniappe took 2 hours longer than planned. There was a long delay at the van rental agency, followed by a traffic jam where we crawled at 2 miles an hour for what seemed like an eternity, then just as traffic clears the right rear tire on our rental van explodes. Yes, its didn’t hiss down slowly, it popped. What at first seemed like a disaster turned into the defining moment of the trip for me. I watched our team pull together to safely, quickly, and joyfully change the tire and be on our way. God had hit me over the head with a flat tire to show me who’s plan we should be following. Looking back, all the amazing God moments I was able to observe were “in between times” or times that were not “planned” to be significant. A home owner mentioned over dinner that we restored his faith in the next generation, I observed the shocked but happy look on the face of an intern as several students from our group got out of their “chill circle” at 10:30pm to help him unload a truck full of chairs, and I watched a crowd gather outside the bathrooms because our team was singing at the top of their lungs while we were cleaning the toilets. Surprise! God uses all things to accomplish HIS plan. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:26 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=117 Manor Presbyterian Church This week at Lagniappe was pretty fun. We had fun building houses and playing lots of basketball. During the week though I started to think how we came to lagniappe. We did work for people for money to pay to go and work. That sounds a little crazy to me. But when the owner of the house we were building came to thank us that got me to think what we are really doing. We're not just doing church stuff, going on a mission trip, and being very charitable. We're helping people build their lives back. The family we helped had it the worst out of everybody. First their house was destroyed in Katrina. Then while they were building their house back up their house was struck by lightning. That's almost as bad as Job. If I was them I would think my world was coming to an end. Anyway I had a really fun time and I can't wait to go back. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:47:27 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=60 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=60&article_id=82 It costs $3.00 plus a friend to get in. One of the look forward to events each summer as we party together with our friends. Cost includes food, drink, music, never before played games, a few old games, swimming and an awesome guest speaker. August 16th 4pm to 9:30pm Where: Wrigley Wranch 174 Fernwood Road Cochranville, PA 19330 Call with questions: 610-869-2402 Check out some pics from last year Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:22:48 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=35 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=35&article_id=75 Kids' Fest I is a week-long day camp open to all kids entering K through 4th grade. Our days are filled with fun, sun, friends and special activities. We sing, play games, hear stories about people of faith, do crafts, learn about speical talents, hobbies and careers from local residents, play in the water and much more. There is a closing party on Friday afternoon for children and their families, including a slide show and carnival for the kids.suggested donation: $15 per participant (for the whole week!)enrollment maximum is 150 children, so please register early. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:23:20 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=90 When it seemed almost impossible for me to go on the missions trip this year God opened the door and I walked through with confidence that this was His perfect plan. I felt a wonderful sense of freedom as I left behind the cares of my everyday life and focused on the needs of the team and the folks we were ministering to in Bay St. Louis. I was blessed by the reality of our faith flowing from our hearts through our fingers to be an encouragement to the people Lagniappe assigned us to work with. The amazing amount of work accomplished was only one small token of the mission accomplished down there. We thought we were only building homes, but really we were building our spiritual houses on Jesus, the ROCK. We sang together, worked together, studied together, cried together, questioned together, played together and all in all grew together in our love for God, each other, the people of Bay St. Louis, and most importantly our Lord Jesus. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:38:53 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=56 Mississippi - Lagniappe Work Camp - We returned to Mississippi for Manor's 6th trip to the Bay area to help build or repair homes that were devastated by Katrina 2 years ago. We keep going because there are still thousands of people living in FEMA trailers. We need to help our neighbors in Mississippi. Our group pf 25 increased to 27 when we arrived as we adopted two wonderful ladies into our group who had decided to take a familiy vacation to serve at Lagniappe. It was great to get to know them. Our group was assigned 3 houses:House 1 was roof framing led by Timmy, this job was very physical and very hot.House 2 was flooring, painting and plumbing and was led by Larry. Detail work and team work allowed a laminate floor and tile floor to be completed.House 3 was led by Steve, and was finish work such as hanging doors, window sills and aprons, closet shelves, painting, and trim work.But most of all God was at work building and transforming lives. What a joyful experience to serve Him by serving others. KidsFest Lititz - Our team of 8 had the opportunity to help launch a Kids Fest with Living Hope Presbyterian. Each age group started with only about four children, but by the end of the week each group had an amazing number of about 8 kids per group. It really was great to see God's hand in bringing the kids each day. Each of us really had a chance to bond with the children and interact with the Living Hope youth so that way next summer they can have an even more successful Kids Fest. It really was a joy to be a part of building God's kingdom, one heart at a time. Below are testimonies from our short term missionaries who served at Lititz and Lagniappe. We hope you are encouraged as you read how we noticed God changing lives. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:58:08 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=96 This year's summer missions trip to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, was nothing less than incredible. As a group God really worked through us by opening up our hearts to everyone around us and He gave us the strength to share His love with others. He showed us what an amazing feeling it is to work together to glorify Him. It is safe to say that God not only worked in us as a group but He also worked through us as individuals. Personally, God worked through me by really showing me that you don't have to be perfect to glorify Him, all you need to do is give it your all and He will be satisfied. Throughout the week, God really encouraged me by showing me how much our time and effort was helping the homeowners. It was so encouraging to see them come in every afternoon and be filled with so much joy. It is an amazing thought to know that my God is using me to better these people's lives. The biggest thing I learned this week was that God can work in marvelous ways, and that working hard to glorify God is one of the most fulfilling things you can do in life. Wed, 9 Jul 2008 12:32:57 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=95 I'm so glad that God gave me the opportunity to serve in Mississippi with such an awesome group of people. It wasn't an easy week, waking up at 6:30 everyday, working for eight or seven hours, and dripping sweat all over the house in that Mississippi humidity, but somehow, God turned it into the highlight of my Summer. It felt so great to wake up every morning knowing that the day before me was set aside to do God's will, which was to serve him by serving others. I think that my group did an excellent job of serving. I wasn't just impressed with what we got done, but also the way we did it. Everyone worked together so well even though the work we were doing had the potential to make everyone really frustrated. I think the biggest impact this trip had on me was having something that Old said to me be illustrated throughout the week. He told me, "Love God, and love others. God will take care of the rest". Loving God and loving others was what the entire trip was all about and God gave me everything in-between. Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:33:58 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=26&article_id=85 Lititz Testimony I was very blessed to be part of the Lititz Kids Fest Team this year. There is one particular lesson that God made known to me during the week. It has to do with service projects. For me, and many other youth that go and have gone on missions trips, a service project is something you do with your hands or something you can see an end result. However, on a Wednesday afternoon, I found out that I was in for a very different kind of service project. Our team went over to an elderly lady’s house to do some weeding for her. She had multiple health problems and could barely get around her house not to mention go outside. To my delight, all of the girls on our team had the pleasure of staying inside and chatting with this woman. We were merely sitting down and listening to her story, and she could not have been happier! I was amazed at what seemed like such a little task, turned out to be something so huge. I was not doing anything with my hands and there was no visible end result, but it felt great. This was the best service endeavor I had ever been a part of. Mississippi Testimony “People before projects.” This is ultimately what God showed me the first night I came to Lagniappe and what I tried to carry all the way through the week. We may have gone down to rebuild destroyed houses, but we were also sent down to repair lives. I had a lot of close friends already on the team with me, but there were also a bunch of team members I did not know very well at all. God showed me throughout the week how I could work on a house and still get to know the home owners and make friends with my teammates. He really worked in me to transform my way of thinking towards people. I think “people before projects” is such a simple yet revolutionary way of thinking that God used to teach me how to really put others first. I got to know some really great people during the 6 days I was in Mississippi and I hope to continue the friendships that were started. Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:33:58 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=60 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=60&article_id=83 Tue, 8 Jul 2008 08:00:16 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=60 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=60&article_id=9 IMPACT starts officially at 7:00pm but everyone is welcome to arrive at 6:30pm for informal hanging out / catching up. Sunday night involves lots of fun, socializing, games, music, and a challenging message. This is a great way to build relationships with other teens and with God. We'd love to get to know YOU better. Meet us at the "tube" (the trailer behind the church) In addition to the weekly youth group, we also have at least a monthly events and service opportunities. Tue, 8 Jul 2008 08:00:16 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=35 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=35&article_id=67 There are many opportunities for teens and adults to be involved in KidsFest 2008. Opportunities include:Kid Mover - shepherd your group of children from one activity to another.Youth Kid Mover - assists the kid mover (must be at least 7th grade for this position)Support Staff - welcome & greet at the parents tent, assist with registration, serve snacks, assist with the Friday afternoon fair and closing ceremony, supervise water games....Special Activities - Do you have a hobby that would be of interest to children, that you could model and teach during KidsFest? (Past activities have included a cheerleading demonstration, drawing, silkscreening t-shirts, showing rabbits/horses/service animals, etc!) Contact Sandy Olcott to express your interest. Mon, 7 Jul 2008 21:15:58 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=35 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=35&article_id=14 Kids Fest (Kindergarten through 4th grade): July 21-25, 2008 ~ 9am-2pm Gold! Fame! Success! ... Why do Olympic athletes run, swim, kick and jump harder, faster and longer than everyody else? What inspires Olympic athletes to endure long practices and work towards winning the gold? What does God have to do with the Olympics? Come to Kids' Fest this summer and learn about 5 amazing athletes who gave their all for glory, God's glory, expressed through human lives. We will hear their inspiring stories and be challenged to think of our own lives in light of Gods' high calling for each of us. Soli Deo Gloria [to God alone be the glory]! Mon, 7 Jul 2008 21:09:32 MST http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=35 http://www.manorpresbyterian.com/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=35&article_id=74 WEEK 2 HAS BEEN CLOSED. Thank you for your interest. We regret the inconvenience and disappointment. This evening camp is offered for children entering 5th, 6th and 7th grades. The evenings begin with a brief time of song and story, then everyone heads out to their chosen activity. Three tracks are offered:Sports Bonanza -- get the basics on five different sports, one per dayArt -- explore a different art form each eveningPerformance -- learn songs and dance moves, then show what you've learned in a performance on Friday night. There is a $30 fee per participant (includes t-shirt). Enrollment maximum is 60 children, so please register soon. Please mark your track option when you register. Mon, 7 Jul 2008 21:06:59 MST