11 November 2021 Good Day to all of you!

Thursday, November 11th is the day on which I am writing this week’s What’s Brewing. For today, it is a day not unlike any other day, it has the same requirements, expectations, and ordinary to-do’s as yesterday and tomorrow. But, today is Veteran’s Day, a day that we celebrate our nation’s veterans. As a veteran, it is a day not necessarily about me, but it is a day that I reflect on a period of time that I basically gave up life as I knew it to go to foreign places and serve our nation’s principles and ways of life. We could say that “giving up life as I knew it” was in itself a sacrifice, but the sacrifice presented an opportunity for me to experience some things that I will never forget. It was a time where I developed deep relationships with the folks in

my unit. I developed friendships with men from various parts of Southwest Asia. I specifically remember Suresh, Karti, Ghandi, and Mumtaz. The relationships that we built and the experiences that we shared live on to this day as we gather together for reunions every five years.

The truth is that during our time of deployment, we did not cherish every day as wonderful,
nor did we realize at that time the value that living for such a purpose would have on the rest
of our lives. Most days were simply anything but enjoyable, we missed home, we missed
doing the simple things that we otherwise take for granted, we missed good food, and we
missed our loved ones. But we knew that our service was necessary, and we knew that our
efforts served the greater good of our nation. We witnessed the impact of our efforts on the
lives of those who lived in places that do not have the luxury of living in a nation such as ours. We knew we made a difference.

I served in the area of logistics, so my service in Desert Storm did not put me in the direct line of fire. I honor those men and women who have served and do serve in capacities in our military where their lives are at risk each day. They may or may not be able to look back as I can to memories and experiences in a positive light. But I know that every veteran shares the experience of comradery, fellowship, and the rewards of being a part of something larger than oneself for the cause of something other than self.

With Maj Zang , in Kuwait City, 1991

The purpose of Veteran’s Day is to honor all of those who have served in defense of our nation. And it is always good to recognize service. But, when you consider what we have accomplished, the ramifications can

Ghandi, Suresh, Mumtaz, Karti, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

With COL Zang (retired), Aug 2021 30 Year reunion

and will be measured in years. The output of the efforts of all of our nation’s conflicts will impact the next hundred or hundreds of years. We can measure our gratitude in what we think of as “lifetimes.”

Think about the same type of service for the church. We have been speaking about the church in the context of the result of the Gospel. Jesus said, “On this rock I will build my church.” (Matt. 16:18). In building His church, He has set out a course for us to serve His church, share His Gospel message, and reach out to those in harm- specifically the harm of not knowing the Gospel, or understanding what it means to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We don’t often think of our participation in church as serving a purpose. We don’t look at it as being a part of something larger than ourselves to serve a purpose for the Greater Good.

Often, we look at making a commitment to the church as a sacrifice- it will take us out of our comfort zone. Our daily routines may be shaken up a bit to make space for the responsibilities of such a calling. We see this as not desirable in comparison to the alternative, after all, we need to live our lives, right? What many miss with this train of thought, though, is the relationships that will be built and the joy of seeing people served in new ways. It is through the church that we make the single largest impact on those around us that do not yet know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is through the comradery of fellowship and communal worship that a lifetime of memories and experiences will be cherished. This is the church. Compare this thought with the efforts of veterans who have made a succinct impact on all of those that they have been called to serve. Entire nations are free today because of our veterans- special shoutout to our Greatest Generation veterans!

This is how it is to be with the church. Yet the efforts of God’s freeing Grace do not impact us for years, or hundreds of years, it impacts those who we serve for eternity. For eternity. That’s our purpose and it is why God is so adamant in the scriptures about our calling as His children. He is building His church not to be monuments to His glory, but He is building His church to be an active participant in His Glory and sharing it like a beacon, or a lighthouse to all of those that do not yet understand it, or have had an opportunity to witness it. There is an ongoing battle in the world and the Church is God’s army to serve in it. And, we know that we win!

This Sunday, we will speak about how the church reveals the presence of God in the world today. We will contrast this with how God’s presence was revealed in the Old Testament to the Israelites, how His presence was revealed in the incarnate Christ, and how today, His presence is still seen in His people, Christians, the Church; us.

When we began our series on the Gospel, we discussed that the Greek word for gospel, euangelion, was a term used for good news received from the battlefield. In ancient days when soldiers went out to battle, people waited breathlessly for a report from the battlefield about the outcome. And these soldiers were celebrated. Today, we celebrate the efforts of our modern soldiers for their efforts and accomplishments.

What would it look like to have a Euangelion Day to recognize churches and those who have served them for their efforts on today’s battlefields? What differences are we making in the lives of others and how many are we saving and keeping out of harm’s way because of our service? On Veteran’s Day, it is important to remember that it is not the Armories or military bases that make a difference- it is the soldiers who serve within them. So it is with the church. Our victories are in direct correlation to our commitment and our service. And the memories and experiences will not only last a lifetime- but eternity! Thanks Vets!

Peace and Blessings! -pastor dave.

dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org

4 November 2021 Greetings Yorkshire!

It is November. I don’t know what happened to October. I remember something about September. I am sure many of you feel the same way. Although I love each and every season of the year, there is something about fall and this time of year that is my favorite. I appreciate the changing colors on the trees against the backdrop of dark clouds as the sun lights them from a seasonally lower angle. I love the sounds of leaves swirling on the ground in the autumn breeze. And I love walks in the park with my wife and my dog in this theater of color, light and sound that is pulled together and orchestrated by God himself. And there is one other thing that I really enjoy. And that is Christmas music on my car radio. Yes, it starts on November 1st, often to the dismay of my passengers. But my car is my space, and if you enter that space, you will hear the sounds of the season!

Something new for me this year was the celebration of Halloween with Yorkshire’s first Trunk or Treat Church and Community event. This was the brain-child of Jared Smith who attends our first service with his wife Jessica and their family. He put together, planned and led the event with the support of Susan Workinger and the missions outreach team. I didn’t know what to expect for this event, just as most of you didn’t know what to expect before Spoken began playing their music at our outdoor concert this summer. But, when I came out of the church after our second service to see what had developed in our lower parking lot, I was overwhelmed. There were 17 cars decorated in creative Halloween displays, folks dressed in festive costumes and attire, a fire truck, police cruiser, food truck, and the sounds of Steven Courtney’s Band of Friends was in the air. Someone asked me before the event began what I expected as far as a turnout and my response was, “well, it will probably be somewhere between 10 and 300 folks. Over the course of the afternoon, well over 300 folks came through our Trunk or Treat. The comments that I received from friends, family, and many, many folks from our community were very positive. Some came with a parade of children, other couples from Penn Oaks and Haines Acres simply came to walk around and enjoy the festivities. Families came from all over York County. I spoke with folks from Mount Wolf, Wrightsville, Hallam, York City, Red Lion and most commented on how well organized our event was and how much fun they were having here. I answered several questions as to what time our services were and a few commented that they were seeking a church home.

But this event could not have occurred without the support of the church. So many came out to volunteer to help with logistics, providing candy, dressing up in costumes such as Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Frank & Susan Herron) and even running around York County trying to procure additional pumpkins for our pumpkin painting activity as we painted over 50 pumpkins in the first 45 minutes of the event! (Thanks Steve Coates). Not only were children wearing costumes, but most of them had beautiful art added to their faces, handiwork of Jamie and Alexis Strange, also adorned with fire hats provided by Springettsbury Township fire department. It was a festive event that not only blessed our church, but blessed our community. I would have to say, though, my favorite part of this particular event was that there was no dunk tank– oh the relief!

Now we turn our focus on the season of Thanksgiving and Advent. With that comes some logistical things such as our Church Charge Conference which will be on Sunday, 28 November at 4PM. This involves a great deal of logistical effort leading up to it with the requirement of countless forms and reports needing to be completed and submitted prior to the event. Never an enjoyable task, but something we simply need to work through. I appreciate the leadership team’s efforts in their efforts in this undertaking. I appreciate Alison’s work on pulling much of the data together and in the administrative work required for this endeavor.

In our announcements this week, you will see a host of events and activities that are planned for the Advent season. This includes the “Hanging of the Greens” and a dynamic Advent Worship program based on Max Lucado’s “God Came Near” series. This will include a church-wide Sunday School program involving all classes 6th Grade through adult.

I would like to report on our financial picture this week. These number represent the first three quarters of this year, January through the end of September. Overall, the numbers are very positive. We have seen a reduction in gifts and offerings over the past three months, which could be attributed to normal trends based on the summer months, but we will continue to monitor these trends.

Yorkshire Financial Picture including Joyful Noise Christian Preschool: January 2021 thru September 30, 2021:

Income: Expenses: Working Capital:

$309,167.00 300,533.00

$ 8,634.00 (Positive Working Capital)

During this time period, we have spent well over $20,000.00 in capital improvement projects that are not fully reflected in the numbers above as much of that funding came out of our retained earnings or savings account funds. As our finance team manages our income, much is put into these accounts to address maintenance and other non-recurring expenses such as the new doors and the ongoing expenses that are being incurred for the repair of the fellowship hall flooding issues. Although it looks at times as though we are bringing in much more than we are spending, this fiscal management is allowing us to have the funds (savings) we need when we need them. Therefore, we have actually spent more this year than we have brought in which has reduced the balances that we have in the bank.

We will be facing significant expenditures over the next few months as we continue to bring our fellowship hall back into being a functional entity within our church. The current work that has been completed or is in the works; flooding damage removal including stage, asbestos abatement, rain gutters, drainage system repairs, and the forthcoming dead tree removal exceeds $35,000.00 in expenses. We received $25,000.00 from our insurance company which has been a significant help, but we will be facing ongoing expenses in the repair and restoration process. At this time, we have design and engineering work in progress to determine how the room will be reconstructed and as I have mentioned previously, our hope is to include a ramp for ADA acces- sibility as well as new ADA compliant bathrooms where the stage used to be. So your continued financial support and gifts are welcomed and needed! If you would like to contribute to the restoration process in addi- tion to your regular weekly giving, just designate your gift to “Building Fund.”

Well, there’s so much more that I could talk about- Joyful Noise Christian Preschool continues to grow, we continue to see new faces and families in worship, our choir is awesome, our greeting ministry is developing, Sunday School is growing-teachers are doing an incredible job, and the Spirit of Joy is ever present in all that we are endeavoring upon. It is an honor and a joy to be a part of this great fellowship! It is a joy to be a part of the church that God is blessing at Yorkshire!

Check out the pictures at the end of newsletter of the Yorkshire Trunk or Treat provided by Barbara Hudock’s daughter Jordan! She did an absolutely awesome job catching the joy of the event!

Peace and Blessings!

-pastor dave.

dkominsky@susumc.org