PARISH PROFILE

The Church of the Nativity

& St. Stephen

Newport, PA

WelcomeWe are a small congregation... yet our community outreach is great,

both individually and as a parish. In fact, we have been named a

JUBILEE MINISTRY CENTER!

We are in a rural area of incredible beauty

with farms, mountains, rivers and the joys of country life,

yet only 30 minutes from Harrisburg, 2 hours from Baltimore,

2.5 hours from Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and 4 hours from Manhattan.

Our church serves members in 4 rural counties—

PERRY, JUNIATA, SNYDER AND MIFFLIN—

and is located in Perry County's most populous town, Newport,

1 mile from the highway for easy access to major population centers.

We have an old and lovely historic church

yet it is in beautiful condition and handicapped-accessible,

thanks to the blessings of endowments and the generosity of parishioners.

Our people live throughout the four-county area,

yet we come together on Sundays and see ourselves as a family.

We are down-to-earth people, active in our community,

supporting everything from an outstanding arts council

to literacy council to food banks and libraries.

We think our four-county area is God's country.

We enjoy the accessibility of employment opportunities

and the large variety of cultural activities throughout the area.

We are a close-knit and thriving parish

currently enjoying our interim priest,

anxious to welcome our NEW SPIRITUAL LEADER!

OUR DIOCESE

The parish is part of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania,

with offices in Harrisburg, the state capital. The diocese is

currently in the process of selecting a new bishop. This dio-

cese includes 70 parishes in the middle third of the state,

stretching from the New York to the Maryland state borders.

The diocesan mission statement, “We are partners in Christ

with the love of God on our lips and in our lives,” led to the

development of a mission, vision and strategy, “Called to

Grow.” This missionary thrust provides a three-dimensional

view to grow in service, grow in numbers of disciples and

grow in grace.

Website: www.diocesecpa.org

THE VESTRYThe Vestry consists of nine voting

members and the Senior Warden. The

members are nominated by a nominat-

ing committee of the Vestry and are

elected in groups of three by the con-

gregation at the annual meeting. They

serve staggered terms of three years

(except in the case of replacement

members, who serve the balance of the

term of the person they replace). A

member may serve no more than two

consecutive terms.

Officers of the Vestry for calendar year

2014 include Senior Warden, Todd

Saner; Junior Warden, Sue Beamer;

Secretary, Wendy Day; and Treasurer,

Mary Davis. None of the officers will

have reached the limit on consecutive

terms this year.

The standing committees of the Vestry

include Finance, Property, Program &

Mission, Parish Life, and Nominations.

In the usual course, the Vestry has ten

regular monthly meetings on the third

Wednesday and schedules ad hoc spe-

cial meetings as necessary. Regular

meetings commence at 6:30 p.m. at the

Parish House and are usually com-

pleted by 8:30 p.m.

Vision Statement of the Vestry

We, the vestry, understand stewardship to be the way we live our lives as children of God and as

members of God's household. It is a way of life, a way of being in the world. It is an attitude with

which we acknowledge that all we have and all we are is a gift from our loving God, who gener-

ously entrusts us with these good gifts.

We, therefore, commit to being joyful stewards of our parish family, our community and the

whole world by giving enthusiastically of our time, talent and treasure. We pledge to offer to God

our time for worship and service, our talents for God's glory and purpose and our treasure to en-

sure a vibrant and widespread ministry flowing from this community of faith.

As a vestry, we also commit prayerfully and faithfully to administering the financial resources of

the parish, including those funds given to us from the blessed generosity of those who have gone

before us. We pledge that the offerings of all who share their gifts will be used fruitfully and ap-

propriately.

We invite each member of the Church of the Nativity & St. Stephen to join in examining our re-

sponsibilities as year-round stewards of God's creation and in sharing the abundant harvest of

time, talent and treasure sown in us by God at our baptism.

STAFF AND

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The Parish of the Church of the Nativity and

St. Stephen has an annual budget of $280,000.

On the income side $198,000 was from several trusts of

which the parish is a beneficiary. Unrestricted pledge

income from parishioners is $61,000. Plate offerings are

about $22,500.

On the expense side a payment of $35,600 was made

for the Diocesan Fair Share, $103,000 was paid in

clergy-related expenses, $11,000 for lay employees,

$30,711 for mission and outreach, $4,600 for property

maintenance, and $27,000 for insurance and utilities.

The Parish has four part-time lay

employees, a Secretary, a

Financial Secretary (who handles

payments), and two organists.

The Parish also makes use of a

number of outside contractors,

along with volunteers, for sexton

duties, grounds keeping, and

maintenance.

OUR CONGREGATIONService to the community, to the Church and to each other distinguishes the Church of

the Nativity and St. Stephen. A pair of small but beautiful buildings in lovely rural

Pennsylvania provide worship space to our congregation of some 60 families with 148

individuals. Perhaps it is the sense of good fortune in having this community and these

places of worship that has instilled in our congregation a desire to give back. Whatever

the reason, the members of this congregation are unusually committed to serving in

many ways, from participation in the parish to involvement in community organiza-

tions.

OUTREACH

Last year, for example, the parish spearheaded an effort to establish Linda House, a do-

mestic abuse shelter, in Perry County. In addition, several members provide bimonthly

meals through several organizations such as the Salvation Army to feed about 3,400 dis-

advantaged men, women and children annually. The parish and its members provide

funds, volunteer service and leadership for a large variety of community organizations

including food bank, arts council, literacy council and the local libraries. This high level

of service has won for our church the designation of “Jubilee Ministry Center.”

PARISH PARTICIPATION

A large portion of the congregation is actively

engaged in parish activities, which give mem-

bers a sense of ownership. Service is encouraged,

gratefully accepted and appreciated. At the same

time, the members reach out to visitors and new

members. Although our members have tended

to reflect the fairly homogeneous demographics

of the local communities where they live, we

want our church to be a warm and responsive

family to all who enter her doors.

ACCESSIBILITY

The parish of Nativity and St. Stephen com-

pleted a building project about 10 years ago that

made all parts of the Nativity and St. Stephen

physical facilities accessible to elderly and hand-

icapped individuals. The church building and

parish house are connected through a cloister

containing an elevator; the elevator also provides

access to the kitchen and undercroft facilities for

suppers, meetings and, importantly, weekly

coffee hour. The former rectory serves as parish

house, with meeting rooms, classrooms and

offices for the rector and part-time secretary.

SERVICES

A weekly service of the Holy Eucharist, Rite II,

is currently held at 9:30 most Sunday mornings,

with occasional celebrations of Morning Prayer.

An average of 51 people are present at weekly

services. We are blessed to have a large portion

of the parish community involved in our

services: five young people serve as acolytes

and crucifers (a child-appropriate crucifer was

recently donated); four altar guild teams care for

our sanctuary with two members providing altar

flower arrangements; eight parishioners serve as

lay ministers and chalice bearers; one member

serves as eucharistic visitor; 13 are lectors or

read Prayers of the People; and most members

serve as greeters/ushers throughout the year.

Two organists share provision of weekly

worship music.

Nativity Age Distribution

Distance Parishioners Live from Church

Years at Nativity

Male

Female

SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS

Major feasts of the Church year bring our members

together. At the end of Advent, a children's

Christmas party and Hanging of the Greens precede

a parish luncheon. Christmas Eve family service is

held at St. Stephen in Thompsontown at 4:00 pm,

followed by a late service at Church of the Nativity.

During Lent and Easter, the parish community comes

together for a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper

followed the next night by Ash Wednesday service,

in which the larger Newport Ministerium commu-

nity participates. In Holy Week, members celebrate

the Agape supper and foot-washing on Maundy

Thursday, the sombre but beautiful Good Friday

service and finally, the joy of the Easter Sunday

service. An annual parish picnic with outdoor

eucharist is held at a member's farm during summer.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION

Christian education programming for our young children

includes weekly “Godly Play” from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Our

middle/high school age children generally join the congrega-

tion for regular Mass. Following worship, a time of fellowship

and sharing takes place in the parish Undercroft, followed most

weeks by the Parlor People adult Christian education, during

which we discuss theological and philosophical issues of

concern to our members, as well as issues concerning the

greater community and world.

PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral visitation on an on-going, non-emergency basis

continues to be an area of concern to the congregation, as

providing an opportunity for the rector to know the parish

members and participate more fully in their lives. As the

membership currently spans all age groups, issues of pastoral

care arise among all members and are an important part of the

rector's duties. In addition, the Senior and Junior wardens, as

well as individual members such as a retired doctor and several

nurses, assist in meeting the emotional and health care needs of

the parish community.

STEWARDSHIP

The strong sense of mission felt by our members is reflected in

their individual decisions regarding support of the mission of

the church. This commitment is all the more remarkable in light

of the past generosity of those who left trusts to support the

parish. Because of this, we are able to use a large percentage of

the annual pledges toward outreach and community support.

Our level of giving is in line with the

levels seen within our diocese. We are

proud to contribute our Fair Share to the

mission of the Diocese and will continue

to support its work. We also provide

annual support to a variety of commu-

nity and world activities providing help

to students, divinity students, and many

local organizations through our Giving to

Others (GTO) distributions.

Our building fund has been generously

supported, assisting the expansion of our

facilities and two housing projects (Episcopal

Gardens and Episcopal Commons) built and

directed by the parish. The Episcopal Church

Women (ECW) ensure our parish's care and

involvement with the residents through

activities and meals.

We look forward to celebrating ever-

increasing and important non-monetary

contributions to the life and work of the

parish. Meanwhile, the generosity of our

members gives great hope for the ministry

and future health of our church.

TRADITIONAL

PARISH LIFE ACTIVITIESWeekly Coffee Hour

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

Community Lenten Services

with the Newport Ministerium,

beginning with Ash Wednesday at

Church of the Nativity

Lenten Bible or Book Study and Discussion

Agape Supper—Maundy Thursday

Mother's Day Reception

Father's Day Reception

Parish Picnic and Eucharist

Halloween Party and Hayride

Annual Parish Meeting and Luncheon

Children's Christmas Party

Hanging of the Greens

Annual Adopt-a-Highway Clean-up

Parlor People discussion group

Godly Play

CONGREGATIONAL OUTREACHECW

The Episcopal Church Women of the Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen (ECW)

is open to all women of the congregation. The sale of stained glass suncatchers in the

design of the shield of the Episcopal Church is the organization's major fundraiser. The

shields, which are handcrafted within Perry County, have been sent as far away as

England and Germany. The proceeds from this endeavor—and the occasional bake

sale!--are donated to various mission works such as Perry County Children and Youth

and Cumberland-Perry Domestic Violence programs, as well as to individual and

family needs within the congregation. Recent local projects of the ECW include:

• making dolls for children in

war-torn areas

• sewing chemo caps for women

undergoing chemotherapy

treatments

• sewing pillowcases for children

with chronic illnesses for use

during hospital stays

• providing school supplies for

underprivileged children in our

local schools

• supporting the education of two

girls in Uganda through the

Bishop Masereka Foundation.

Diocesan Activities

Several women in the parish are active in the diocesan Sacred Stitches group, which

meets three times a year to make prayer squares for soldiers at home and overseas, as

well as prayer bears for children who have lost a military parent while deployed. Also

on the diocesan level, the ECW supports St. Barnabas Rainbow program and St. John's

Episcopal Church SPY (Summer Programs for Youth) program. Other diocesan involve-

ment includes Warden's Conference, Diocesan Convention and use by various groups

within the Diocese of the Nativity facilities as a Conference Center.

Caring for the Community

Soup Kitchens

Members of the congregation organize, provide and serve monthly meals at the

Carlisle Salvation Army and at Christian churches throughout the area. They also

provide clothing and household items to those who attend these monthly meals.

In the 12 years these meals have been provided, about 44,000 people have been

served.

Subsidized Housing

Episcopal Gardens (Honaman House), Thompsontown, and

Episcopal Commons, Newport, are RFD- and HUD-subsidized

housing projects for low income and handicapped persons. The

projects currently have a board of directors, which includes our

parish priest and members of the congregation, as well as the

Bishop of the

Diocese of Central

Pennsylvania and

other diocesan

members who are

appointed by the

Bishop. A manage-

ment company

specializing in

federally-subsidized

housing programs

manages the proj-

ects, which are

overseen on-site by

a shared housing

manager and

maintenance person.

The congregation maintains its relationship with residents by

providing monthly activities and lunch, and providing transporta-

tion so that they may attend special church functions, such as

Shrove Tuesday dinner and the Agape supper.

Local Outreach

CNN

The congregation has recently started Caring for Nativity's

Neighbors (CNN), which includes a Health and Heating Fund

providing home heating and medical care cost help for local

people who do not qualify for other help.

GTO

As a parish, our Giving to Others (GTO) donations amount to

about $12,500 and support various local organizations of concern

to parishioners, such as the Perry County Food Bank, Helping

Kids, the Kyle Weller Scholarship Fund which supports parish

youth with college expenses, and many charitable funds such as

St. Barnabas Rainbow Program, Farmland Preservation, and the

local libraries and fire departments.

Linda House

In the last 2 years, the parish, led by then-rector Daphne

Messersmith, was instrumental in locating a tri-county shelter for

domestic violence victims and their families in Perry County.

Funding was provided in part by the YWCA. Members of the

parish are trained to provide volunteer services at Linda House and

give on-going support of time, materials and funds to the project.

Individual Interests

In addition to this outreach of the parish as a whole, our

individual members are involved throughout the area in the

following organizations:

PTOs, School Volunteers

Meals on Wheels

Join Hands

Newport RevitalizationDuncannon Area Revitalization

Central PA/Perry Co. Food Bank

Community Band and Chorus/Choir

Salvation Army

Community Vol. Fire Co./EMS

Newport Civic Club

Perry County Comm. Foundation

County Libraries

NSVB Memorial Foundation

WITF—National Pub Radio/TV

Lions Clubs

Perry County Literacy Council

Perry County Historical Society

Perry County Conservation District

Juniata County Historical Society

Trout Unlimited

Seven Mountains Audubon

Farms Unlimited

Harrisburg Symphony Society

Newport Ministerium

Perry County Council of the Arts

OUR HISTORYA Brief History of The Church of the Nativity and Saint Stephen,

Newport and Thompsontown, PA

The first recorded Episcopal service in the area of south central

Pennsylvania (later to become Juniata and Perry Counties) was

conducted in Thompsontown in 1824, when the Rev. Charles

Snowden baptized several persons. By early 1826, this congregation

was holding regular home services under the Rectorship of the Rev.

John B. Clemson. In 1827, a stone church, Saint Stephen, was built.

It was the first church built in Thompsontown and remains to this

day the only Episcopal Church in Juniata County. The land was

donated by William Thompson, for whom the town was named,

and construction was paid for by General Evans, a prominent

citizen of Thompsontown. For a large part of the early years, the

church was used by Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. It was

reclaimed by the Episcopal Church in 1890.

The Episcopal congregation in Newport

actually began in 1875 with services of wor-

ship in the home of Henry and Elizabeth

Bechtel. In 1877, an Itinerant Mission Station

was opened by the Rev. Thomas O. Tongue

in what was then known as the offices of the

Pennsylvania Railroad. In September 1885,

the Rev. James Stoddard took charge of the

congregation and in June 1886, a lot was

bought from John Fleisher for $800 at the

southern end of Second Street in the bor-

ough, adjacent to Little Buffalo Creek, as a

future church building site. Ground was

broken and a cornerstone was laid for The

Church of the Nativity on June 8, 1887. The cost of constructing the

church building, reported to have been $9,000, was borne by her

eventual benefactors, Mr. & Mrs. Bechtel. The church building was

completed in June of 1889 and was consecrated on November 14,

1889, by the Rt. Rev. Nelson S.–Rulison, Assistant Bishop of what

was then known as the Episcopal Diocese of Harrisburg, now the

Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.

In August of 1891, the Rev. William Dorwart took charge as Vicar of

the Church of the Nativity and also St. Stephen Episcopal Church,

Thompsontown, beginning a

36-year pastorate to both con-

gregations, a relationship that

continued until 1927. A rectory

was built alongside the church

in Newport in 1893. In 1902 The

Church of the Nativity was ad-

mitted into union as a Mission

Church with the convention of

the Episcopal Diocese.

Following Fr. Dorwart's pas-

torate in the ensuing years from

1927 to 1968, numerous clergy

served both congregations,

assisted when no pastors were

available by parish Licensed

Lay Readers, who served faith-

fully during the interim.

In 1968, after two years with no

resident clergy, in 1968 the Rev.

John T. Docker was called to be

Vicar of the Episcopal congre-

gations in Newport and

Thompsontown, while at the

same time serving the Diocese

of Central Pennsylvania as

Canon for Program and

Planning. During Fr. Docker's pastorate the two congregations

grew to 80 baptized members, 52 confirmed communicants, a

sizeable Sunday School, and an annual budget of $30,000. However,

in 1970, St. Stephen Church was closed due to declining member-

ship, the remaining families transferring their membership to

The Church of the Nativity. Prior to Fr. Docker's resignation, the

congregation experienced liturgical renewal and the initial

proposed revisions to The Book of Common Prayer.

Following a major flood associated with Hurricane Agnes in 1972

and the repair of the church, the congregation renewed services and

welcomed a new Vicar, the Rev. Canon William T. Warne II in June

of 1974. Under Fr. Warne's leadership, and blessed with significant

endowments, great strides occurred in the life of the congregation:

the complete restoration and re-dedication of St. Stephen Church; a

renewed sense of outreach and mission outside the parish to those

in need, resulting in the establishment of Perry Human Services, of

which Fr. Warne served as Founding President; the development of

seven senior citizen centers throughout Perry County; the construc-

tion of Episcopal Gardens in Thompsontown to provide 50 feder-

ally-subsidized apartments for low-income elderly and disabled

persons which opened in October 1985; the full restoration of The

Church of the Nativity in 1987 in celebration of the 100th anniver-

sary of the laying of the cornerstone; in 1994, the construction of an

additional 30 apartments for elderly and disabled persons on South

Fourth Street, Newport, to be known as Episcopal Commons; and

finally, in 2003, a major building project joining the church and

the adjacent former rectory into one complex, fully accessible to

the handicapped.

Coupled with this renewed sense of mission, The Church of the

Nativity and St. Stephen Church officially joined their ministries in

June 1984, as a single, unified, incorporated parish (The Church of

the Nativity and St. Stephen) with the regular use of The Church of

the Nativity and occasional use of St. Stephen. A new chapter in the

life of the parish began with the retirement of Fr. Warne in 2004,

after which two unique and dynamic interim priests injected the

congregation with new energy and led to the embracing of mem-

bers of diversity and new ways of worship. The arrival of the Rev.

Daphne Messersmith following a year of discernment in 2005

increased commitment to mission and created a new interest in the

area of domestic violence prevention in Perry County, culminating

in the opening of Linda House shelter in Perry County in 2011.

Today, our parish enjoys an active membership of 120 baptized

members and oversees a budget of approximately $270,000. The

two original parishes are united and active, with both our lovely

and historical church structures serving their communities.

CHRISTIAN/SPIRITUAL

FORMATIONChristian formation at Nativity occurs in a variety of

formal and informal settings. While our Christian

education programs for children and adults are most

visible, formation continues whenever two or three are

gathered in intentional relationship with one another and

with God.

Christian Education

• Children

Programming for all of our children is an

area of both great challenge and innovation.

We have few families with children 3-18,

with little 'critical mass' at any given age. We

began offering the Godly Play program in

2009 for children 3-6, meeting twice a month.

We have recently stretched to a weekly

program with ages 3-12. Our group is small

but mighty, and meets during the worship

service. Godly Play is a departure from the

typical Sunday School experience many of us have known.

It is better described as spiritual guidance for children, as it

invites each child to discover personal meaning in sacred

texts and become fluent in the language of the church. Our

facilitator for this program is completing her coursework

through General Theological Seminary for a Certificate in

the Spiritual Guidance of Children.

• Youth

Currently our youth program is inactive. We recognize the

acute need for reaching out to our youth and have not yet

found a successful way to knit them together into a mean-

ingful peer community. Drawing more families to Nativity

is one of our main priorities.

• Adults

After Sunday's coffee hour, 10-15 adults meet in the parlor

of the parish house, hence their name, the “Parlor People.”

The wide-ranging topics are generated and led by the

Parlor People themselves: Issues of Death and Dying,

Christian Ethics, Nature of Evil, When Charity Becomes Toxic,

The Emerging Church, Images of Christ in Art. Clergy come when

they can and sometimes lead the discussions. It is an enthusiastic

and committed group that truly enjoys coming together to be

challenged and to grow spiritually. Occasionally, as at Lent or

other seasons, we invite the whole parish to read a book together

for discussion.

Other Opportunities for Spiritual Formation

Nativity is a close-knit group whose members love to get together

for social or community service events. These experiences easily

spill over into opportunities to question and discuss the issues of

the day, needs of the congregation, plans for the future, and even

the sermon! The coffee hour after church is the largest, most regular

such event, but smaller groups gather as well.

Recently, a men's group has begun, meeting weekly for socializing

and discussion. This, in turn, inspired the formation of a women's

breakfast group. These groups provide opportunities for learning

of and addressing serious issues affecting members of the congre-

gation and organizing support to meet their needs. There are occa-

sional prayer or healing

services, sometimes led

by lay people,

specifically to address

the physical and spiritual

needs of the congrega-

tion. In addition,

members are encouraged

to seek spiritual direction

or to participate in local

ecumenical programs.

Two members of the con-

gregation have felt called

to seek ordination and

the congregation has

frequently hosted dea-

cons doing their field-

work semester.

OUR COMMUNITYPERRY, JUNIATA, SNYDER AND MIFFLIN COUNTIES

The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen draws parishioners

from a picturesque four-county area in rural Central Pennsylvania:

Perry, Juniata, Snyder and Mifflin counties. It is a land of rolling

farm fields and green mountains, with scattered villages and small

towns. The area is roughly 1,700 square miles, bounded on the east

by the Susquehanna River and bisected by the Juniata River. To the

south is Blue Mountain, a boundary between our ridge and valley

topography and the large, sprawling Cumberland Valley. To the

north and west, the farmland and mountains continue into the

distance. Newport is centrally located between four small cities:

Lewistown (pop. 9,000) in Mifflin County, Selinsgrove (pop. 6,000)

in Snyder County, and Harrisburg and Carlisle “over the moun-

tain” in Dauphin and Cumberland Counties. While Harrisburg city

itself is home to only 50,000 people, the greater Harrisburg/Carlisle

metropolitan area boasts around 500,000.

SETTLEMENT

The area was settled in the 18th and 19th centuries, largely by the Germans

and Scots-Irish. The Amish and Mennonites also found it an attractive

home. Agriculture, logging and tanning were major occupations in the

early years. At first, the area was served by canals following the Juniata

and Susquehanna rivers. Today, Amtrak and Norfolk Southern run trains

along the old canal routes. Farming influences remain, although many

commuters and retired folks have found homes here. Given the remoteness

of the area, many seeking to escape the cities also chose our forested hills

for their solitude. The area became a haven for artists, and the Amish

and Mennonites contribute to that atmosphere with their crafts and

cottage industries.

LOCAL CHARACTER

Preservation of farmland and local history have been important to many in

the area. Most of the towns have retained their historical character, often

with old market areas, bandstands or monuments in the middle of town.

Brick and frame houses closely line the streets. The area is still dotted with

covered bridges for those with the patience to seek them out. Antique

shops and farmers markets abound. Family farms produce everything from

dairy to poultry to grain crops to produce. One often encounters farm

equipment traveling from field to field along the wind-

ing country roads or through the towns. There are

several wineries in the area, which host musical and

charitable events.

RECREATION

Outdoor recreation includes hunting, fishing, hiking,

backpacking, birding, cross-country skiing, biking,

swimming, horseback riding and boating. Both rivers

are popular with canoers and kayakers. The

Appalachian Trail runs along the top of Blue Mountain

and crosses the Susquehanna River at the Clark's Ferry

Bridge in eastern Perry County. Little Buffalo State

Park is only a mile from Newport; there are numerous

other parks and hiking trails nearby. Both Port Royal

and Selinsgrove offer speedways. The 200-year old Millersburg Ferry offers

a beautiful view of the Susquehanna River and an opportunity for birding

as it crosses the river between Liverpool and Millersburg; it carries both

vehicles and foot passengers. For dedicated birders, the Snyder County

Birding Trail and Seven Mountains Audubon provide great opportunities.

CULTURAL OFFERINGS

There is a vibrant arts community in Newport, grounded in the

Perry County Council for the Arts. PCCA operates two galleries

and offers classes in the arts, writing and photography for both

adults and children. Little Buffalo State Park hosts weekend music

and arts events all summer. Harrisburg and Selinsgrove both offer a

rich variety of art, music and theater. In Harrisburg, there is the

Whitaker Center for the Performing Arts, Open Stage and the Rose

Lehrman Arts Center. Museums include the State Museum, the

Susquehanna Art Museum, the Art Association of Harrisburg and

the Civil War Museum. Numerous small galleries are open every

third Friday for those who like to stroll and visit. The Harrisburg

Symphony Orchestra provides a wide selection of classical and

more popular music. For Civil War buffs, Gettysburg is within easy

reach for day trips. Selinsgrove, the site of Susquehanna University,

is a picturesque small college town, offering ample cultural events,

small cafes and many unusual boutiques, as well as a Saturday

farmer's market during the summer and fall. Baltimore,

Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C. are within easy

reach by car, train or bus.

EDUCATION

As to be expected, the area includes a large number of school

districts. Many children are home-schooled, and they, too, are

allowed to participate in the school district sporting events. Some

youth are sent to the private Harrisburg Academy (through high

school), located in Camp Hill. There are also many small Christian

schools throughout the area. For higher education, there are many

local options: Harrisburg Area Community College, Bucknell

University, Juniata College, Gettysburg College, Dickinson College,

Shippensburg University, Susquehanna University and Harrisburg

University.

HEALTH SERVICES

Geisinger Medical Center services are available in the northern part

of our area, while those living in the southern and eastern areas use

PinnacleHealth (Harrisburg), Holy Spirit (Camp Hill), or Hershey

Medical Center (Hershey). Lewistown Community Hospital is also

nearby to the west. Primary care facilities, imaging centers, rehabili-

tation facilities, nursing homes and retirement centers are scattered

throughout the area.

OUR VISIONA recent survey of parishioners' views on the strengths of the

parish show a remarkable coincidence, focusing on several areas:

first, the strong feeling of community and inclusion shared by

members; second, the large amount of community outreach, both

local and beyond, demonstrated by our members and by the parish

as a whole; third, the opportunities taken by members to partici-

pate in all aspects of church governance, worship and activities;

and fourth, the high quality of spiritual formation through

sermons, after-church adult learning and Sunday School, including

Godly Play, for the children of the parish. Although other strengths

were noted by a few, the vast majority focused on one or more of

these strengths.

At the time of the last discernment process eight years ago,

members were concerned that the new pastor lead a growth of

adult spirituality and Christian education, provide strong adminis-

trative functioning, encourage youth in the life of the church, and

grow the parish through warm inclusion of visitors and community

outreach. During the tenure of the last priest, these concerns were

positively addressed, and the parish saw an increase in church

membership, attendance by members and youth, and activities in

the community. The membership appears to have been happy with

the preaching strength of the pastor, as well as her leadership in

church administration and community projects.

Currently, the Discernment Committee notes that, while members

are very satisfied with current congregational participation and

community outreach, they continue to be concerned about

(1) advancing spiritual formation; (2) attracting young people to the

church; and (3) pastoring. We seek a priest who is able to reach and

inspire all ages to grow in knowledge of scripture, and in worship,

prayer and practice of faith. Because of the small membership, and

by extension, small number of youth within the parish, it will

require creativity and a willingness to consider nontraditional

means to attract more youth; in spite of changes that will doubtless

be incurred, we feel the future of the church depends on making

this a priority. Another area of concern is regular visitation by the

pastor, to gain an understanding of the lives of the parishioners and

to provide support during times of need. As the congregation

continues to age, issues of healthcare and loss, and the sustaining

strength of Christian faith, become ever more important.

Our congregation is seeking a priest who has a friendly, compas-

sionate nature, a keen intellect, and an active spiritual life. We have

been blessed with a tradition of thought-provoking, spiritually-

challenging and relevant sermons. We consider finding a priest

who relishes the spiritual and intellectual exercise of preparing and

delivering sermons and educating laity to be of great importance.

In recent years, also, we have developed an engaging and challeng-

ing adult education program, which has been guided, but not

necessarily led, by the priest.

We see ourselves as partners with the priest, sharing responsibili-

ties for youth work, teaching, community outreach and service,

hospitality, the music ministry and, of course, the warm welcome

and inclusion of visitors and new members. We expect that the

priest will be a strong leader, but one who very much supports and

encourages lay participation and assistance with worship.

It has been most interesting and heartening to the Discernment

Committee to see how closely members of the congregation agree

on who and where we are and where we want to go. We are

entirely ready to move on in our Christian faith, our weekly

worship, and our community service. Our vision for the future

includes a willing desire to welcome the priest who will join us,

and lead us, in this endeavor.

A Prayer for the Discernment Committee

Almighty everlasting Father, Knower of all things and Ruler of all, we ask your blessings on the

members of the Discernment Committee of our parish.

Guide them through the process before us.

Grant them both strength and joy in meeting the challenges of the period ahead.

Grant them the wisdom and clarity of vision to represent our congregation as

You would have them.

Grant them the patience and understanding to work closely as a team.

Open our hearts that we may come to know Your choice to be our Rector.

Father, we also ask Your blessings upon the Vestry and congregation of our parish during this

discernment period, that we may all remain strong in our love for You and for one another, and

faithful in our worship.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

AMEN.

Jill Brownfield Bill Day Jane Hoover Sue Beamer

Kay Cramer Anne Roland Bill Rohm

The Church of the Nativity

& St. Stephen

159 South Second Street

Newport, PA 17074