What’s Brewing, June 10, 2021
10 June 2021
Greetings to you Yorkshirians!
There have been a lot of great things happening this week at Yorkshire. I had a great time in fellowship with a group of folks on Tuesday evening to discuss how we can best approach the biblical mandate of Christ in being His “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NIV). In a recent survey of our leadership team, the number one emphasis identified as a need for our church was outreach to our community and the mission field. This response was nearly double that of the second cause identified (Fellowship). Susan Workinger, our Missions Team Leader, is recruiting a mission’s team. Over the past few weeks, we have invited the church and our leaders to participate in this discussion to develop a strategy to accomplish this task which has been identified as one of our top priorities. In addition to Susan, Jim Valentine (Ad Council Chair), and my wife and I, four others participated in this great discussion and fellowship (Julie Mann, Laura Why, John Remsen, and Mary Beaverson).
As a result of our meeting, we identified three areas that we will be focusing on. The first area will include a focus on prison ministry. Over the next few weeks, a subset of the Missions group will begin to understand what this looks like. This may develop as a direct ministry, or a partner ministry with groups that have a dedicated focus on serving those who are struggling as a result of being incarcerated. Another area identified is in Child Advocacy support. There are many opportunities for us to provide support to agencies that have a focus and a need for resources that work in and around Child Advocacy. The last area that was voted on and agreed to was that we will be supporting 4 areas of missions and/or missionaries with financial support. This includes monthly support for Henry Hauser and his missionary work in Africa, Rebecca Jacobs of Time Ministries and her work in the Dominican Republic, and James Reacher and his work with CRU (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ) at West Chester State University. James will be speaking to the Yorkshire Church fellowship on Sunday, July 4th, to discuss his testimony and passion for Youth and Young Adult ministry. Rebecca will be sharing her witness with us in September. The other area that was agreed on was providing $1,000.00 to the York City Day Camp initiative which is a partner effort with Messiah UMC – and Tanya Brubaker, Pastor of Calvary UMC, both in the city.
Our Casserole Ministry, which supports Our Daily Bread, also known as the Soup Kitchen, was discussed also. Since I have been here at Yorkshire, nearly a year now, I have seen a steady parade of foil covered casserole trays coming through the doors and into the freezer in the kitchen. I have always identified these as simply “casseroles.” When at the church and feeling the pangs of hunger, I have often felt the temptation to explore these silver containers of goodness to determine what I might eat. In my mind I always imagined that one of the vessels may contain something delicious like Tuna Noodle casserole. I envisioned that one just might contain Chicken Galore with stuffing and cream of chicken soup. Sometimes I even thought that I might be lucky enough to find Baked Ziti, or Shepherd’s Pie. But, even with the power of temptation, I never explored the aluminum packages to find what treasures may lie inside. Little did I know then, that all of these containers of delight contained the same recipe– Zippy Beef! Growing up in a generation where “casserole” was a part of most of our family meal titles (SPAM Casserole was a staple), I have never heard of “Zippy Beef.” Honestly, if
I had heard this term in any other setting, I may have assumed it was a sandwich or platter that might be ordered at Chuck E Cheeses, or at a theme park restaurant next to the Zippy Boats or Zippy Cars ride. When I googled “Zippy Beef,” I was amazed to find just how prevalent this dish is… how, have I never
heard of “Zippy Beef?”
Oh well. But the good news is that the team is excited to continue this effort of the Yorkshire Church and recruiting additional chefs to support the effort! So, if you are interested in providing a Zippy Beef casserole, I understand that the recipe is readily available. This is a once per month effort! If you would like more info on this before you see it in the announcements, just give Susan Workinger a call (717-668-2654), and she will get you connected to the right folks to begin your support to this great effort. There is also an effort underway to explore the possibility of once again providing servers at the point of distribution. There will be much more info to come!
I also was blessed to be a part of fellowship with a few folks that responded to our request for volunteers to re- launch our Greeting or Welcome Ministry for Sunday morning worship. One of the most important moments in a first-time visitor’s experience at a new church happens within the first two minutes of getting out of their car in the parking lot and entering the portals of the church. We agreed that visitors to our church are a gift from God. Have you ever thought about it like that? When folks pray that God leads them to a church that will be able to help them grow in whatever areas of life that they are seeking, He will send them to a church that will answer that prayer. A question that we pondered was in a sense, “will God send people to a church that is not ready to receive them?” Our discussions and training revolved around that question. How do we receive new visitors and guests to Yorkshire? Do we have the proper processes and programs in place to meet the needs of those that God may send to us? When folks come through our doors, do they enter a welcoming venue that allows for easy interaction? Do we have the proper information available to them? Is the environment conducive to personal interaction, discussion, and fellowship outside of the sanctuary? I am very thankful for the ideas, input and discussion of Karen and Eric Adamson, Kristin Berman and Jim Valentine who stepped up to help launch this critical ministry. Some exciting things to look for as a result will be an overhaul of our Narthex Lobby to modernize and make it a more welcoming area for not only first-time visitors, but our
existing fellowship as well. Some teasers for you (just ideas, of course )… it may include a coffee station, welcome center, and some new ways to encourage personal interaction and fellowship. If you would like to be a part of our Welcoming/Greeting ministry and these discussions, please let me know, or, let Kristin, Karen, Eric, Jim, or anyone else you see greeting each Sunday know. We absolutely need folks to participate. Last week, Beth Gross introduced us to a great closing hymn “The Church Song,” which she played as the postlude. The first line of the hymn says, “We are the church…” So, to successfully launch an effective Welcoming ministry, we need “we” to be the church!
Tonight (Thursday 10 June), our leadership team and scout leaders will hear a presentation from Austin Strickler, a young man in Troop 25 who is seeking his Eagle Scout Designation. His project is to convert our outdoor garden area into a play area for our Joyful Noise Preschool Children. As our preschool continues to grow, this will be a tremendous enhancement to our offerings. I will cover more about that next week which will also include our financial numbers through the end of May! We are a blessed Church!
Have a Great and Blessed Day!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org
- Published in What's Brewing
What’s Brewing, June 3, 2021
3 June 2021
Good day Yorkshire!
Well, as holiday weeks go, this is a short week as we took time on Monday to spend time with family and remember those whose personal sacrifice made it possible for us to live in a free country. I also took time on Tuesday to spend some time in fellowship with Frank Herron, Jim Valentine, and Bud Bish on the golf course. Now, some may say that is relaxing- but for those that say that, you have never seen my struggle to propel a little white ball in the direction of a clearly marked hole. There is nothing that seems simpler. “Seems” is an important term. But all in all, I got through the round with a decent score for me, but more importantly, I was the recipient of the benefit of spending the day with some great men. My golf partner for the day was Bud, as he drew the short straw. I am not certain that he will accept this penance again as there were at least two times our cart seemed to come under direct fire from not only Jim Valentine’s aim, but also the ever-consistent Frank Herron, as well. Surely, our cart was parked nowhere in the trajectory of the clearly flag-marked-hole that we were supposed to be aiming for. Bud was a gracious cart driver though and never made me walk to the green to protect his own safety. (Both Jim and Frank did suggest that they were not aiming for me…).
Seem, verb. \ ˈsēm \ seemed; seeming; seems Definition of seem / intransitive verb
1: to appear to the observation or understanding; 2: to give the impression of being
As I reflected on my day with Bud, Frank, and Jim playing a game which “seems” easy, I applied the same element of “seems” to the church. What we do on Sunday morning and through the week probably “seems” simple to many folks. Just get together at 9, 10, and 11 on Sunday, sing some music, read some scripture, hear a sermon, sing some more and then move on with the day. I often joke with folks that being a pastor is simple. Just a half-day on Sunday and maybe a prayer through the week-great gig if you can get it! That is a fun comment to make, but it is also unfair as it suggests the that church activity rests solely on my shoulders. It doesn’t. What may “seem” simple requires tremendous effort by many others-other than myself. On this “half- day” on Sunday, there is so much that occurs to make this “seem” simple. Bulletins, cleaning, Communion set- up, song/hymn selection, scripture study, greeters and ushers. Folks do media preparation so that graphics and slides can be viewed to support the worship time. Folks volunteer to run the media center including sound, live stream, and visual media management.
Work is done outside the facility to ensure that it is clean and serviceable, weeds are pulled, grass is mowed, sticks are picked up. Sunday School and Children’s church teachers prepare through the week for their time with the children, youth, and adult classes.
Our Treasurer is working on financial concerns, running reports, analyzing data to ensure that we manage our processes and ministries in such a way as to be able to pay our bills while investing in ministry and supporting our missions- local and abroad- all work that is done on top of his daily professional career. Money counters take time after each service to ensure that our tithes and offerings are properly accounted for and recorded. There is recruiting, interviewing, and hiring team members to ensure that the adequate staff is in place, supported and trained. …but it all seems so simple!
What makes the seemingly simple game of golf a compelling way for me to spend some time occasionally, is not the effort to simply propel the ball to towards the flag marked hole. The value of this game comes with the fellowship. The comradery of accomplishing the process of achieving the goal. Just as enjoying the time of worship on Sunday morning seems simple enough, so, too, does putting the ball into the hole on the green. For me, to play golf by myself would be anything but enjoyable. And it would be meaningless. See, it is not about the game, but the process. It is not about the great drive, or the long putt, but about the enjoyment of accomplishing it with those with whom you play the game. I suggest that worship on Sunday morning, by oneself, would not be so enjoyable. But worshipping with those who made the time possible; those whose time and energy, commitment and gifts for such a worthy outcome is incredible. For those who golf with me, the process of arduously waiting for me to actually accomplish getting the ball into the cup is hopefully a worthy outcome. (I know it is time to pick up the slack when others’ shots begin to come very close to my head-Frank? Jim?).
So, in closing, I just want to acknowledge that I appreciate all that everyone does on a daily and weekly basis to accomplish that which seems so simple. For those that golf with me, it includes patience, mileage (driving the golf cart all over the course to find my golf balls), counselling (making me feel better about the last less-than- great shot), and forced accolades (nice shot Dave, you played that hole… better than the last). I pretend not to notice that I never have the same partner volunteer to play with me. (I know, it takes a village…). Frank and Jim have recruited at least twice as many people to play in our gatherings as last year which has eased their burden of my participation.
In the church, our seemingly simple process also requires a team of people. And we need to recruit more of you. The good news is that it is not to support my golf inequities. But it is to enhance our time of worship and to ensure that we are providing the highest level of hospitality with the greatest logistical ease that is possible. I am going to close with our wish list. We are currently seeking to enhance our Greetings ministry which seems simple enough. This ministry helps to make folks feel welcome upon arrival and assist first time visitors in navigating our facility and schedules. We are looking for media center volunteers to help us learn and invest in the necessary technologies to support the music that is performed and the graphics that are displayed. And we are looking for folks who feel called to use their musical gifts and talents through singing and instrumental support during both worship services. And, we continue to need teachers and teacher aides for our preschool.
If it seems that you are hearing a voice to answer any of these calls to support our worship, please let me or Alison know of your interest. Speak with Julie Mann if you or someone you know may have an interest in the Joyful Noise Preschool positions.
Golf seems simple to me. But as I have mentioned, it takes a team. Church seems simple, as well. But it also takes a team. Consider how you may play a part in the process. If you are in a season where physical involvement is not a possibility, you still get to play. I finish my rounds of golf because of the intense prayers of those who are in my foursome- it’s the only way I (we) get through. The same with the church. It is only through the prayers of the fellowship that we are able to do what we do. Your prayers are just as valuable to what happens at 125 Edgewood Road as anything else that we do. Prayers that God continues to bless the ministry and activities of Yorkshire Church.
Have a Great and Blessed Day!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org
- Published in What's Brewing, Worship Service Video
What’s Brewing, May 26, 2021
26 May 2021
Good day Yorkshire!
This has been an event-filled week for our family as we are celebrating our son Brayton’s graduation from Northeastern High School. I know several folks are having the same type of week as Sarah Berman, Jacob Wingard, and Michaela Monticchio are also graduating from high school this week or in the next week or so, as well. For us, tonight was Baccalaureate, tomorrow is an awards function, and then Friday morning (yes, 9AM), is graduation. We are very proud of our son and all of those that will be graduating with him- especially with what they have had to persevere their year in completing this final year. I am looking forward to our Graduate Recognition Sunday on June 6th, during our 9AM Worship hour where we will also be recognizing our students that are graduating from college this year.
We are still in need of Preschool Teachers and Teacher Aides for our Joyful Noise Christian Preschool. We are extending our recruiting efforts in as many ways as we can. So, if you know anyone that may be interested, please let Director Julie Mann know. She and Barb Snare are working hard in screening and interviewing prospective candidates, but have not yet found the right folks. Keep this effort in prayer as we have an ever- growing enrollment of students seeking a Christian preschool experience! Thank you for your assistance!
This weekend, we will be celebrating Memorial Day. We often look forward to Memorial Day as the official start of summer, an opportunity for a three-day weekend. But the observance of Memorial Day is so much more than hotdogs, hamburgs, and the opening of the pool. Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
The gospel writer John records Jesus’s own words in speaking about dying for a cause- specifically the cause of one’s friends. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13, NIV). The American military is known as the only military in the world where men and women voluntarily serve their country, and are willing to die not only for their friends, but for the rights of their fellow citizens and the freedoms that we still cherish. What also differentiates the American Soldier is that they do this willingly to protect the sovereign rights of other nations, as well.
As we remember the great men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for others, we also have to remember that the greatest interest of those who enter the portals of combat is peace. The American Soldier trains very hard, not in hopes to go to war, but for the purpose of being prepared in case such services are
required to preserve the freedoms we hold so dear. It is also the high level of training that keeps our enemies at bay, as they know the formidable force that they represent.
As the church, I often wonder what the impact would be if we trained as hard in our faith, as the soldier does for potential combat. What if we knew the Scriptures so well that the enemy dared to confront us, knowing that our strength existed not only in our individual preparedness, but the power of our united fellowship, as well. What if we, the church, were willing to commit hours of effort in preparing to serve the Church of Jesus Christ, seeking to not only preserve our freedoms as Christians, but to be willing ambassadors for Jesus on the spiritual battle fields of this world? The American Soldier trains so that if needed, he/she is ready, willing and able to confront the enemy, and die for the cause of a nation. Is the church so prepared for the cause of Christ?
The good news is that I don’t believe that many of us will be called to make the ultimate sacrifice in our effort to serve the church. But what a difference we can and will make through our training–meaning our study of the scriptures, daily devotions, and time in prayer, right! Jesus commanded us to carry out some specific tasks to further His Kingdom here on earth, and as we have been studying in our worship on Sunday mornings, He will be with us in all that we do. The training we receive comes at the hand of the Holy Spirit who resides within our heart – there is nothing that we can’t accomplish, there is no enemy that we can’t stand down.
Joshua 1:9 states, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
A tradition that I learned from a veteran in my former church was that we are to take a moment at 3PM on Memorial Day, a minute to be exact, to specifically honor and remember, in silence, the fallen. My challenge is this, take this moment at 3PM, and spend it in prayer- prayer not only for our historically fallen veterans, but for those veterans and families that are facing such sacrifices even as we celebrate on this day.
Peace and Blessings to each of you on this Memorial Day!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org
- Published in What's Brewing
What’s Brewing, May 20, 2021
20 May 2021
Greetings to each of my fellow Yorkshirians!
I hope that this day finds each of you well! Spring is really flying along and momentum at Yorkshire continues to grow. I have looked at my calendar many times this week to verify that next weekend is really Memorial Day. How can it be? But, officially or unofficially, Memorial Day brings a change of season with it. We move from activities that we align with springtime to activities that are “summertime” based. We will take this opportunity to launch some new initiatives at Yorkshire, as well.
I am very excited about the new Education Programming that will be starting on June 6th, which we discussed last week. I am looking forward to meeting with our team later today (May 20) to meet with our Education Team leaders and teachers. Stepping up to teach in the church is a noble endeavor. The Gospel of Matthew shares the words of Jesus where he is giving his disciples instructions on what they are to do to carry on his mission. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV, emphasis mine). One of our basic responsibilities as the church is to teach. I believe it is also one of our most important roles. It has to be a core competency. As we move forward, we will need more teachers to accept this important role in our church.
Another part of our church that is moving forward is our Missions efforts. You will see in this week’s announcements a meeting that will be occurring on Tuesday, June 8th at 6:30 for all folks interested our new Missions efforts to meet another of Jesus’s last instructions to his disciples. “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, emphasis mine). During this discussion we will explore opportunities to engage our church in the support of local and overseas missionaries, become more involved in inner-city outreach, and look at our current outreach programs to expand them and gain more involvement through improved communications and education about just what it is that fellowship-Yorkshire does!
So, some great things happening! Communication for these things is important and that is my responsibility. But involvement is the only way that the things that we communicate can happen – and that, is your responsibility. But this is not a plea or a begging endeavor to get folks to do more. It is simply what happens when a church is alive- not because of expectation, but because of desire. It’s something that is really cool that God does in His church when we are a church that prays together, fellowships together (both in person and on- line as situation permits), communes together, and cares for one another. (Take a look at Acts 2:42-47).
Here is something to put on your calendars and all of your friends and neighbors’ calendars as well. On Friday, July 30th, Yorkshire will be hosting an outdoor concert event with our good friend Matt Baird’s band, Spoken. As you know, Matt Baird has led our Sunday morning worship twice over the past year, and each time, the feedback that you provided was very positive. A few weeks ago, he threw out an idea for a parking lot event to draw folks to our church environment. I shared this with the Sunday School fellowship and your response was a resounding, “we need to do this!” As a result, (I heard your voices loud and clear) we are doing it! You will be getting a great deal more information on this, but it will include food trucks (thanks Rachel Fry!), and an additional local artist who will perform prior to Spoken. It will truly be a great night of outdoor food, fun, and fellowship at Yorkshire Church!
By the time that I write this communication next week, we will have a new Custodian on staff-praise God! Finalizing some details today and tomorrow, but as long as everything goes well, we’ll have a new team member at Yorkshire! We continue to search for Preschool Teachers and Teacher Aides, though. If you know anyone that may be interested, please share this opportunity with them. Our enrollment continues to grow! Our preschool programming is so incredible. Our students are enjoying a VBS-type experience every single day at Joyful Noise. They are learning life skills, inter-personal skills, and best of all, they are hearing Bible stories and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Church happens every day at Joyful Noise Christian Preschool, so we are in prayer that God provides Christ-minded staff to support our ministry! I trust that He will provide but as in all things, it may be through you that He answers our prayers! The Bible is full of stories where God uses His church to provide for the needs of the people- either directly or indirectly. That thought that is hiding in the back of your mind, that person that you are thinking about, could be an answer to Director Julie Mann’s prayers! I’m not going to say that she is “stressed” about the recruiting process, but…(don’t tell her I said this),
I think she might be getting stressed about the recruiting process. Let’s help Julie not be stressed!
Well, that’s about it for today, I probably should get to work! We have some awesome things happening at our church this day as the Joyful Noise students will be performing their graduation celebration and getting their diplomas. Our sanctuary will be filled with the joy of the students and their families (Thursday, May 20).
I hope that you have a great day and are enjoying some of this weather.
Peace and Blessings to each of you!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
- Published in What's Brewing
What’s Brewing, May 13, 2021
13 May 2021, Good Day Yorkshire!
Peace and Blessings to you on this day. There is so much going on this week that I am struggling to keep up
with it all. I’ll do my best to touch on as much as I can.
First of all, our men’s Wednesday Fellowship on the Sixes continues to thrive. Meeting at 6AM and 6PM, we have over 20 men meeting each week to hear messages on how the Word of God applies to elements of a man’s life. The current series is challenging us in what is the definition of manhood as it relates to our everyday lives and the means in which we approach life.
This week the Women’s Bible study kicked off on Monday evening as they are endeavoring on a path of scriptural study looking at the “Through the Promises of God.” In a fellowship setting, the women are discussing together how God’s promises can affect our minds, hearts, and everyday lives. If you have not attended this study, I would highly recommend checking it out!
In our announcements this week, you will see that Rick Focht and Team Education will be launching a new Sunday School initiative which will add weekly classes to our current children’s and sanctuary classes for the 6- 12 grade level and an adult class! This means that we will now have active Sunday School programming for every age group. Specific details are included in the Announcements for this week, but there is some very compelling study material that will be available for everyone. I am thankful to Rick and the Education team folks for making this happen, and I know that this is just the beginning of a dynamic Christian Educational process at Yorkshire Church! As we grow, we will need your support as teachers and assistants, etc. So, if you are feeling a tugging at your heart to serve in this capacity, please let brother Rick know and he will work with you to get you plugged in to the team!
I was truly inspired through a meeting Pastor Megan and I shared with Susan Workinger and Susan Herron regarding our upcoming Graduate Sunday which will be happening on June 6th during the Contemporary Service hour (9AM). As we will be including the Graduate Recognition process as part of our Missions Jerusalem Team (Missions/Outreach that serves the body), it was exciting to hear the passion that goes into your support of our graduates through cards, gifts, letters and other connectional efforts. There is so much enthusiasm in this fellowship for one another and keeping those that leave the fray to pursue educational, technical and military training connected through your love and care is incredible!
Our Facebook/Social Media advertising campaign has netted us some quick results in our search for a new custodian and Dave Lloyd began the candidate interviews on Tuesday evening. This will continue into next week as we have several qualified candidates that have applied for the position. I am also thankful for those in our fellowship that have reached out to offer their assistance in helping to keep the church and the grounds clean and in good repair during this transition. We are truly blessed and thankful for God’s provision. Help is on the way!
We continue to need your assistance in passing the word about the opportunities in our Joyful Noise Preschool for Teachers and Teacher Aides. The good news is that we are receiving candidates, but we are also receiving new enrollments. So, if you know anyone that may be feeling a calling to teach in a Christian Preschool
environment, please pass our info along- we need your help! I am very excited about what this next year brings for our students and our school. There is so much joy in our classrooms everyday and we can all be thankful to our preschool staff (Julie and Sharon) for making this happen. This is not simply an environment of teaching and learning for these students, but an atmosphere of love and caring. They are not only learning educational fundamentals, but they are learning about God and Jesus and how they are loved. Everyone can participate in this through your ongoing prayers for these young folks that God has called us to serve. Your continued generosity through your faithful gifts and offerings are allowing us to reach out and serve growing numbers of children! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
On the financial front, the church continues to be very healthy. The work of our finance team and the daily efforts of our Treasurer Mann (Justin) are greatly appreciated. Our finance numbers through the first four months continue to demonstrate favorable results:
2021 Year to Date (YTD) Income: $150,082
Expenses: Operating Profit:
Capital Expenditures: Total Profit/(Loss):
130,514 $ 19,567
$ 8,081(Facility Improvements YTD) 11,486
What a blessing it is to be able to share these numbers with you. I know that the presentation of such numbers can make the church look like we are running it like a business. We are not. But there are elements of being a church that requires our finance team to ensure that we are being fiscally responsible while serving the fellowship and supporting our ministries, missions, and facility requirements. I cannot tell you how thankful that I am that we have the financial leadership that we do in this church.
The final note for this week is to update you on the outside doors upgrade project. We are waiting for an install date from our contractor as well as a rendition of what the doors will look like. It is interesting to note that as I was researching information for another basic maintenance project(thank you Alison for finding the necessary data from 2011!), I saw that the front sanctuary doors were actually identified as needing to be replaced back in 2011, but that part of the renovation was removed from the project. So, this is not only needed to curb the participation of our small, long-tailed furry friends from worshipping in our facility through the week, but also
from a serviceability and operational aspect, as well.
This will require a $22,000.00 investment for our church. I thank you for your designated gifts to the building fund/door project of $2,000.00 so far. Although we are not launching an official campaign/fund drive, we are hoping to fund as much of this project without affecting our operating funds, as possible. It is my hope to provide an image of our new doors (Sanctuary, office, kitchen) as soon as they are available. Special gifts can be designated to either “Building Fund,” or noted to be used for the new doors. Our Trustees certainly “got things going on!”
Well, need to run to find some more stuff to do! These are exciting times at Yorkshire Church. If I’ve said this before, I apologize for repeating myself, but Holly and I are blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of this fellowship!
Peace and Blessings to each of you!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org
- Published in What's Brewing
What’s Brewing, May 7, 2021
7 May 2021
Greetings!
I hope this day finds you at peace with God and seeking to share peace with others! It has been a great week at Yorkshire. We started it off with a Sunday filled with the sounds of great music, first Matt Baird at 9AM and then the Messiah Brass Quintet at 11AM. I have always enjoyed Sundays like that and the fellowship that surrounds them. Music enlivens the soul!
This week we spent some time focusing on recruiting efforts for our staffing needs at Yorkshire Church. Currently, we are in need of two teachers and at least one teacher aide for our 2021-22 Joyful Noise Christian Preschool school year. We have been running ads on two job boards which has yielded only minimal applications for the positions. Research has told us that we may be in some of the most difficult times for recruiting and hiring personnel, especially through the traditional means.
We are also recruiting for a new custodian as our last hire decided to not continue in the position for personal reasons-she truly loved her job- so we will continue to pray for her as we seek a new person to join our team to address our facility cleanliness. I am very thankful to Alison for taking the initiative to make sure that our facility remains in tip-top shape. On top of everything else that she has been doing, she still takes the time, most often her own time, to vacuum the sanctuary, clean the bathrooms, and ensure our hallways are debris free. Alison, your efforts are greatly appreciated!
So, we are looking at some different ways to recruit new team members to Joyful Noise and Yorkshire Church. We are using an opportunity to connect with people we know, or people that know people we know, who may be feeling a calling to serve as teachers and aides in our preschool. We have endeavored on a social media- Facebook campaign where we are using image-based posts to advertise our positions. The way this works is that we put post, or an advertisement, on our Joyful Noise and Church Facebook page. Anyone who is “friends” with us on that page will see the ad. One of the keys to making this a successful effort is that each of you who may be “friends” and see the ad can bring the greatest value by “sharing” the ad to your page. Each time a post is “shared,” it reached an exponentially higher number of people. We are also “boosting” our coverage which means that for a small fee, our posts are being seen by people in targeted geographical areas. But we do need your involvement and your assistance.
For those of you reading this who do not participate in social media and/or Facebook, you can help through sharing our needs with your friends and neighbors. Word of mouth will most likely be the effort that allows us to find the team members that we are looking for – and, in effect, this is what we are using Social Media to help us with, as well. It is no secret that finding people to work in our current societal conditions is very difficult, but finding Christ-centered folks who are seeking to serve in the capacities we are seeking adds another
challenging element. I am including a few of the social media ads that we have created to share how we are approaching these challenges.
The models for our Joyful Noise ads are our own staff and students, and yes, if you were wondering, that is actually our vacuum cleaner that is waiting for a new driver! We are trying to have some fun and be creative with our approach. Of course, this writing comes with a challenge for all of you. If you have an idea for a phrase or a quote that you think would be fun to see in a marketing ad for our church, send it to me, either at my email below or through the church office. If I can find a way to incorporate it into an ad or an image, I will do that! Can’t promise anything, but maybe we all can have some fun getting involved in this effort!
The times in which we live are proving to be challenging in many ways. But, if we can join together and approach some of the challenges together, I believe that collectively we can meet any needs that Yorkshire has. Right now, we needs people! Thanks for your help in sharing this information with everyone that you know! Thanks for your help sharing your creativity in our marketing ideas!
Peace and Blessings to each of you!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org
- Published in What's Brewing
What’s Brewing, April 29, 2021
29 April 2021
Good day Yorkshire!
I enjoyed a short break in the action last week as I drove to Rochester, NY on Thursday to spend a day with my daughter Grace. We had a great time hitting some of her favorite “dive” restaurants, the George Eastman Museum (Kodak), and a great dinner overlooking what they call the “Falls” in the historic downtown section of Rochester. It is always wonderful to have a day like that!
As I reflect on that trip, I realize that it was only seven days ago. Yet for most of my time in Rochester, it was snowing… at times even blizzard conditions (no accumulations). Today, just a week later, it is 80 degrees out and we are anticipating thunder storms. I think this is what makes this time of year so interesting- it’s also what challenges my allergies to the max!
I believe the church is in such as season, as well. As each week brings us new revelations and concerns, we begin to look forward to the consistency of fair weather. With new confidence that folks are finding in the vaccines and easing restrictions regarding masks and gathering, the benefits of “fair weather” are being enjoyed. We may still have some “snow” in the air from time to time, but each day is following a trend of continuous improvement.
As we anticipate the joys of “a new season,” I have challenged the leadership team with some questions as to what our future will look like, what we need to improve, and what type of things should we be addressing immediately for the good of our fellowship. As a result of the nearly two years of being in a state of transition, we want to begin to reconstruct what the vision for Yorkshire is- and I say “is” because through our various discussions, I hear many of the same things from each of you.
Over the next few weeks, I will be compiling the list of responses and working with our leadership to evaluate what our priorities need to be. There is great consistency in the information that I have received to date, but, because of the “season” and the “weather” that we find ourselves in, we need to truly understand what our resources are to accomplish our objectives. There are two ways to assess our fellowship in regards to this matter. We have “attendance” numbers which currently are around the one hundred mark between the two services. But, of that “one-hundred,” only certain elements are in a position to participate in activities beyond Sunday morning worship. And there are all kinds of verygood reasons for this, and this, in itself is also “seasonal” for many. Work schedules, sports schedules, children’s schedules, travel, mobility, are all very valid weather factors that provide us fluctuations in our worship and church activity participation. Holly and I have experienced such seasonality in our lives as we reflect back on the past 20 years. There were times where we were very involved, and then times where we were not- it was based on the season of life that we were in.
It has been encouraging at Yorkshire how many folks are coming forth to participate in renewed areas of our ministry. We are working to reinvigorate our “Greeting and Welcoming” ministry at the beginning and end of each service. We continue to look for more volunteers for our media center- especially some
folks that may want to receive additional training to help us take our presentation and sound capabilities to new levels! Our education team has been seeking folks who have a calling in the area of education to lead new Sunday School classes – and many of you are responding to this need.
One of the consistent themes in the survey responses of our leaders is the desire for Yorkshire to implement and grow in the area of missions and activities outside of the church. Praise God! There is a deep desire to take the Gospel into our community and beyond. What we need to figure out is “what does that look like for us?” If we were preparing an army to go take the message forth, how many of you are feeling the call to enlist? I often hear the words, “we should be doing more in the community,” “we should do more missions work outside of the church.” And I agree wholeheartedly. What I need to know is who has a personal calling to turn our “shoulds” into “shalls” so we can do more.
What makes this a challenge, is the “weather” that we find ourselves in as the seasonality of some of the limitations on the church are still somewhat unknown. But we will be stepping out in many different areas over the next several months. Some of these steps will be in areas of established ministry for Yorkshire Church, others will be in new directions. Some wisdom that I have lived my life by comes from the Christmas Classic, Santa Clause is Coming to Town. The scene is where Kris Kringle is giving advice to the Winter Warlock as to how to move forward in his ways, or to change the disposition that he finds himself. The wisdom that is provided is timeless. Kris tells (sings) him to,
(Chorus) Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking ‘cross the floor,
You put one foot in front of the other, And soon you’ll be walking out the door.
—-
You never will get where you’re going
If ya never get up on your feet
Come on, there’s a good tail wind blowin’
A fast-walking man is hard to beat (Chorus)
—-
If you want to change your direction
If your time of life is at hand
Well, don’t be the rule; Be the exception A good way to start is to stand (Chorus)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OORsz2d1H7s)
So, Yorkshire Church, may I suggest that our interim vision include simply putting one foot in front of the other. If you are discerning that God is calling you to action in service to the church and are not yet engaged in an element of our ministry, a good way to start is to stand. Let us know of your interest, take that step, and then another- one foot in front of the other! Soon, we’ll be walking ‘cross the floor!
Peace and Blessings to you!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org
- Published in What's Brewing
What’s Brewing, April 15, 2021
15 April 2021
Greetings to each of you!
It has been another great week at church Yorkshire! We started the week with the Celebration of Life for our own Martena (Marty) Douglas, who at 98 years of age, had been a member of our fellowship for 80 years. Although we gathered to mourn the loss of a family member and close friend of many of you, there was much joy in the hearts of those that gathered to share memories and stories of her life.
I have also appreciated the feedback that I have been receiving from many of you regarding our worship, the Max Lucado Sunday School programming, and your thoughts about the church. This is so important to me as we chart out our course for the next several months. As leaders of the church, it is our responsibility to serve you, the fellowship, and although it would be impossible to address every suggestion and concern directly, the chorus of your input provides very necessary information. It is my commitment to respond directly to each recommendation, suggestion and/or concern that you may have.
From a logistics standpoint, one of the most exciting things I did this week was attend the Finance Team meeting on Monday evening. Now, you may say that I don’t have a very interesting life if this is, in fact, a true statement. But, it is! Over the past year and a half, our finance structure has been in transition. Dale Auchenbach and Charlie Hoffman did a great job getting many disciplines in place to rebuild our financial records and accounting system. Doug Berman and Justin Mann have taken the ball and carried it to the next step- a feat made possible with the efforts and day to day processing work of Alison Sutherland. The team has looked at our church expenses and we have shared in previous correspondence much of what has been done to renegotiate service contracts and realign our operating expenses. Through it all, you, the fellowship of Yorkshire have remained tremendously generous in your gifts. The results of our first three months of 2021 from a financial perspective are as follows:
January through March 31st, 2021
Income (Tithes, offerings, and gifts): Expenses (Cost to operate the church): Net Result of Cash
$111, 542.00 (10% above budget) 81,330.00 (18% below budget)
$ 30,212.00 (Positive Cash Balance)
This means that we were able to pay all of our operating expense bills and expenses on time. Now, the $30,212 is not all “profit” if you will. Because of your generosity, the church has paid its shares of ministry for the first quarter of $10,000.00 as well as allowed us to pay our property and casualty insurance for the entire year; a little over $11,000.00. There is a great deal of data to support the fact that Yorkshire is healthy not only in our fellowship as a body, but in our fiscal status as well. As a result, we are looking to grow our ministries in the areas of missions as well as continue much needed repairs and maintenance on our facility.
An area that the Trustee leadership and the Finance Team have agreed to move forward on is an overhaul of all of our external doors. This is important for many reasons. First, for our staff who works in the building. Rodent Control. Yes, our somewhat aged front Sanctuary doors and Education Wing
doors no longer seal or align properly which allows our small, grey, and may I suggest very cute, outdoor friends with long tails free entry to the warmth of our facility. And, as a result, even though they are cute, we must take drastic measures to let them know they are not welcome. This does not typically end well for these small, wonderful creatures of God. These gaps in the doors also do not help with keeping the weather and temperature swings from the outside on the outside.
Another very important reason for this upgrade is security. For obvious reasons, I don’t want to elaborate on details, but the door mechanisms on many of our doors are no longer serviceable- especially on the front doors. We are able to make them work, but we also need to be able to do a better job of securing the facility not only when we are not there, but also when we are there during times of fellowship. Our new doors will accommodate modern fixtures and hardware that allow us to address new processes in our church in the area of Safety and Security. But, the new doors will look different. Yes. They won’t be wood. They will be glass doors and they will also be ADA compliant (Americans with Disabilities Act) which will allow much easier access for those who require wheelchairs or use various means of mobility enhancement devices. The front of the church will have a new appearance, but one that our team believes will be very inviting to our fellowship and our guests.
The cost of this much needed improvement is $21,404.00. The good news is that we can afford this much needed work. We are working to designate a specific fund to work from with these improvements and would ask that if you would like to make an additional contribution to support this project and off- set the expense, we will continue to use these funds in other improvement projects. Simply designate your gift to this cause as “Building Fund.” Another area that the trustees are looking at is our restroom facilities. From the partitions to the toilets themselves, the feeling is that we may be able upgrade these fixtures to more of a “comfort” type product, but also to ADA specifications which certainly makes accessibility and convenience much easier for all folks.
So, this is what makes our Finance Team meetings exciting. We not only talk about our financial situation, but we are now able to talk about necessary investments in our facility, our ministries, and our missions. This is only possible because of you. I am thankful. Our leaders are thankful. Our small furry friends with long tails, are thankful. And trust me, when I can honestly share how exciting our Finance Team meetings are, you can be rest assured that I can’t wait for our Education, Trustee, Missions, Nominations and Leadership, SPRC and Worship Team meetings to occur! (Can I get an Amen!?)
Note of Order: Last week during my Sunday message, I made a suggestion that Doug Berman likes coffee. Well, I must retract that statement as it was incorrect and wrongfully represented Doug’s tastes. His family likes coffee, Doug does not. Therefore, this week’s message will involve orange juice, something that Doug actually enjoys.
Thanks again for who you are Yorkshire Church. Holly and I are thankful to be a part this wonderful family and fellowship.
Peace and Blessings!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org
- Published in What's Brewing
What’s Brewing, April 9, 2021
9 April 2021 Good Day Yorkshire!
Well, it’s Friday, just over a week since our Easter festivities began with our Maundy Thursday Fellowship meal. What an incredible weekend we had. What incredible fellowship we shared as we praised our Father in Heaven, through His Son, Jesus Christ, with the power of the Holy Spirit!
I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to share in the times of worship that we celebrated. I am also appreciative of all the effort that goes in behind the scenes. We have a great staff at Yorkshire.
Each Tuesday, we spend a few hours discussing the happenings at Yorkshire from Worship to Preschool, activities to future planning. It is a time of reflecting on what happened the previous Sunday, to visioning ideas for what is to come. We share ideas and brainstorm possibilities. We laugh. This team makes things happen. I look forward to this time each week with Alison Sutherland, Julie Mann, Megan Krusemark, and Matt Monticchio. Although she is not present at the meeting due to her work hours, input is received and discussed from Brittany Mowrer, as she works to keep our facilities in tip-top shape.
Another team that is so valuable to our worship is the Media Team. The tasks of this team begin late in the week once our Worship plans are in place. Paul Shoff spends hours of his time through the week ensuring that song lyrics are entered into the software that displays them in the sanctuary and for those of you on the livestream. This past weekend, instead of two services, there were four that required a great deal of effort. This takes time, especially with our very creative Worship leader Matt who brings new musical liturgies to us each week. Watch out when our collaborations give him the opportunity to select music for special worship services! (umm, are these words in Latin, Greek, Hebrew…?) I am also thankful for those who put Paul’s work into motion on Sunday morning. This past weekend, Al Mink, Frank Herron, Josh Webber, Brayton Kominsky, Paul Shoff, and even Pastor Megan (lighting) were working diligently to bring great sound, lighting, and graphics to the fellowship. On other Sundays, we appreciate the efforts of Ashley Berman and Debra Why who round out the team.
In close support to these folks, is Debra Why. Many of you watch our livestream recordings at times other than our standard worship times through our website. That is only possible as a result of Debra’s work following our services to archive and load each service’s videos which include the message notes, weekly announcements, and even the What’s Brewing correspondence. Her time in these tasks can be quite extensive. Her time is appreciated! If you enjoy access to this data and information online, make sure to say “thanks” to Debra Why when you see her!
This past weekend, we enjoyed a time of fellowship between our services. What an awesome array of food and snacks that were available. This was especially appreciated during our worship as it is my discernment that the influx of sugar consumed had something to do with the energy in the sanctuary! Maybe coffee and honey buns can be our new strategy for inspired and energized worship! This effort was led by Susan Workinger as a part of our new Missions/Outreach team, of which the Jerusalem effort of outreach is focused on our fellowship. Thanks to the family Ivie, Focht, and my wife Holly for their efforts in supporting this part of our ministry, as well. There may have been others involved here with
ongoing assistance, and if I missed you, I will acknowledge next week! For all of your efforts and the time of interacting and sharing in all that was provided, I say “thanks much!”
Our time of Sunrise fellowship had a special element to it in that we were outside. The sounds of the birds, St. Joe’s church bells (on cue) and Springettsbury Township emergency services offered their unique blend to our time of worship. I would like to thank David and Nancy Lloyd for their work on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday in ensuring that we had seats to sit in for this special time. They were the first on the scene on Sunday morning- setting up the chairs in the dark of the early morning by light of a street lamp, well before 6AM. That is dedication! That is appreciated!
I also want to call out Jim Valentine and Alison Sutherland for their efforts as part of our newly resurrected greeting ministry. One of the first impressions that a church makes on those who attend our worship is the greeting they receive as they enter the church. This past weekend, we added this role back to our ministry which will be of great support to our usher team. It was great to watch how the enthusiasm of Jim and Alison quickly spread to others, and at times, it was hard to tell who the official “greeters” were as everyone seemed to be greeting everyone! This is an area of our ministry that we will continue to build. As many folks are returning to worship, there are also those that are seeking a place to worship. So, as new folks come into the church, we have to be sure that we recognize them and do all we can to assist them in navigating our facility as well as understanding how we go about worship.
Although the “greeters” have the primary responsibility, it is really a key element of the fellowship of Yorkshire Church for all of us to make every visitor feel as though they are a part of our family! Sometimes, we tend to get so engaged in “catching up” with one another, that we allow new visitors to slip right past us. If you would like to join us in our “official greeting ministry,” please let me, Jim Valentine, or Alison know. This will be helpful as we determine how we will coordinate this effort.
And then there are our musicians. We are so appreciative of Matt and Michaela Monticchio, Nasei Adjei-Kordei, Jackie Linsey, Beth Gross, Steve Glover, Thomas Wakeland, and those that rounded out our Choral ensemble on Thursday evening including Jim Valentine, Barbara Hudock, Norey Lucash, and Janice Hoffman. The music was unbelievably, incredibly, awesome!
Additionally, I thank the participants of Friday evening’s service. Jim Valentine, Ashley Berman, Steve Spangler, Austin Fry, Susan Herron, and Holly Kominsky. Your part in reading the scriptures, in the dark, with a spot light in your eyes added a special element to our time of reflection. I know simply reading scripture does not sound like any difficult task, but, when you do it in the location that we placed them, it was quite a challenging endeavor. For your efforts, I am thankful!
There are so many others that served this past weekend that I know I have missed. It is a great joy to be a part of this church we call Yorkshire and the people that make it what it is. I will close with two words, Thank you.
Be blessed and have a great day!
-pastor dave.
dkominsky@susumc.org
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402 • (717)755-4952 • www.yorkshirechurch.org
- Published in What's Brewing
What’s Brewing, April 1, 2021
1 April 2021 Greetings and Blessings to each of you!
As I begin this divulgence of what I am thinking about, I can’t help to consider what will I write to take advantage of April Fool’s Day? What fun can I have to offer some sort of shock value only to then reveal at the end of the document, “April Fool’s Day!” Well, I’ll lay it out up front… I’ve got nothing. I have been waiting for the “Happy Fool’s Day” for over a year now as I am sure many of you have been. But I haven’t yet heard it. Oh well, right?
In regards to having an April Fool’s joke pulled on me, I’m not sure that it is possible anymore as I tend to not take anything that I hear to heart until I take time to vet it out, research it, and determine if it is discernably true or false. Maybe this is a good thing, or maybe living in times that cause us to doubt just about everything is not so good. I had a discussion with a close connection this week about differences in what we believe about certain things. The basis was his angered response to another person that is close to me regarding differences between what they both consider truth. Hostility developed based on an argument that neither had any type of objective evidence to base their position. Each was based on what they heard, or saw on TV. Each was based on what they chose to believe. Being a neutral party, I made the point that I live my life understanding that there are a significant number of people that don’t believe in what I do. After all, faith is a difficult thing to objectively argue to a non-believer (which he is). But what was interesting is that his emotional anger towards the other person was due to the fact that what the other person did not believe in could negatively impact his life. The point that he wanted to make was that the other person had to do something or believe something so that he could live safely.
But, when it came to what I have attempted to discuss with him about what he needs to “live,” he has no time for it other than the courtesy of appreciating my thoughts (we have always gotten along well). I have realized that there is nothing that I can do to change what it is that he has chosen to believe, or not to believe, and I tried to let him know that this is true for him and the other person as well. We all have the choice to believe what it is that we want to, for the reasons that we want to. But, in the past, our differences of beliefs could be contained within our own hearts and minds, yet what our culture and our media is doing today (my opinion), even what we choose to believe or not believe can be weaponized against others. As Christians, though, we are called to be different. We are called to a fellowship that builds each other up, even in our differences. During this season we call Lent, we have enjoyed the singing of the hymn, “They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love.” And this is love for one another, our Christian brothers and sisters.
This week we celebrate (or will have celebrated) a Maundy Thursday Fellowship Communion meal to reflect and remember the Last Supper, a time where Jesus brought His disciples together for a time of fellowship. During this time, He shared much about what was to come in the next few days. But He intimated fellowship, caring for one another and loving one another. During this meal, he stated,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-34, NIV).
The love for one another was stated to infer those who were in Christ. If you love each other as disciples, then those who are not yet disciples, or maybe even believers, will recognize you as different. I believe the premise here is that our love for one another is what will draw those that Christ seeks into our fold. It is the fellowship of believers that may be the strongest evangelism tool that we have.
When I consider this in light of the conversation that I was having with my close friend, I realize that I will never get him to believe what I do by telling him what I believe or what I don’t believe. But I also know that he is intrigued by the relationships that I have built and am constantly building through this “belief system” that I adhere to. I know that he recognizes those that I interact with as “good people,” and I hope that what he witnesses in “my love for one another” of you, is something that the Holy Spirit uses to open his heart.
I had a wonderful opportunity to visit with one of Yorkshire’s longest living members this week as she celebrated her 98th birthday. It was a wonderful time where we shared Communion with her daughters. As we shared and she reflected on some of her memories, they weren’t about the events or happenings of her church. It was about the relationships. She was able to articulate many of your names, and it was in the simple acknowledgement of your names and others that are now with the Savior that she found her peace. These were all relationships that developed through her relationship with Jesus; relationships that developed in the church. What a special blessing for me to witness the joy that radiated from her eyes as I could see how God’s love for her was manifested in her love for others. At 98 years old, this is what mattered to her most. I can honestly tell you, if I were not a part of the fellowship of Jesus and a part of the fellowship that obviously means so much to her, seeing the spark in her eyes would have definitely encouraged me to find such a relationship!
There is nothing I could ever do to tell someone what I witnessed during my visit this week. I could share it with them, tell them about, and probably be moved to joyful tears in remembering it. But, I’m not sure my experiences would do more than have them recognize how meaningful it was to me. But I know that anyone who witnesses this love in the heart of another person, or experience what Jesus was commanding in His words recorded by John (13:34-35), will seek the source of such love. See, I don’t think we can convince anyone of things they choose to believe or not believe only by our words. People choose to believe things today that I simply don’t understand. But, when we personally witness something special, something wonderful such as that which exists in the fellowship of believers, the Communion of Saints, the decision to believe (or not) is not based on hearsay, but personal experience.
I can honestly tell you that the fellowship of Yorkshire Church continues to bless the wonderful woman I spent time with this week, even though she can no longer be here in person. Your fellowship in Christ is the source of this blessing. I am certain that she is not the only one that your love for one another has touched. It may also be just the thing that God may be using to help others choose what to believe!
Be blessed and have a great day! In Christ’s love,
-pastor dave.
- Published in What's Brewing