This Month’s Ministry Focus:WOMEN’S LIFE GROUP

The Women’s Life Group, formerly known as Women ofGrace or WOG, is a ministry involving all the women ofThe Vine Church. The co-leaders for the group, LoriSewell, Lacy Snively, and Linda Fetzer, have a desire tosee the women at The Vine come together to developrelationships, grow spiritually, and support the churchin God honoring activities.

A large focus of this year’s activities are organizing fundraising opportunities to support the Benevolence Fundat The Vine. Our goal is to help raise $1,000.00 toprovide for the needs of individuals in the SmithsburgCommunity. Activities such as yard sales, baked sales,and a silent auction will hopefully help us reach thisgoal.

A recent answer to prayer has been the beginning of aWomen’s Bible Study focusing on “chasing after theheart of God”. The study by Jennie Allen teaches aboutDavid as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel13:14) and his love for God. Led by Karen Snively, thegroup meets on the first Monday of each month at 6:30at The Vine. This study has supported our goals ofdeveloping relationships while growing spiritually.

Personally, Lori would like to see the Women’s LifeGroup encourage all ladies of The Vine to join infellowship with one another. She would also like to seethis fellowship expand to family and friends, and intothe communities of Smithsburg and Waynesboro. Lacywould like to see continued involvement in the monthlyactivities and looks forward to meeting our $1,000.00benevolence goal at the pig roast! Lacy shared that“she loves being able to help people and meeting thatgoal would mean we as a church can do that”! She alsolooks forward to packing shoe boxes for OperationChristmas Child so that we can share the love of Jesuswith children who are less fortunate.

The Women’s Life Group has scheduled monthly activitiesincluding movie nights, craft days, shopping trips, pool parties,and a Ladies’ Tea to name just a few. For the first weekend inApril 2014, we have already acheduled a Ladies Retreat atRoxbury Holiness Camp. Lori, Lacy, and Linda would appreciatesuggestions for additional activities for 2014. Please share yourthoughts with them, and be in prayer concerning yourinvolvement in The Women’s Life Group for the upcoming year!

The leaders below: Lori Sewell, Linda Fetzer and Lacy Snively

AUGUST 2013 VOL. 1# ISSUE #2

THE VINE CONNECTION

NEWSLETTER“The Vine Connection is all about reaching out to each other and our community”

.

WHERE TO FIND IT:

Around the Neighborhood Pg 4BIC Focus Pg 3Calendar Pg 6Did you know? Pg 3GOD Sightings Pg 4Life Groups Pg 3Memory Verse Pg 3Ministry in Action Pg 2Pastor’s Ponderment’s Pg 2Places to check us out Pg 3Prayer Corner Pg 4Trivia Pg 3

Page 1

What do you have at your home that you like to use everyday? What item would be hard to live without? Now, con-sider that item. Did you ever think about using it to reachpeople for Jesus? Maybe your item was a microwave. Whynot cook some pop-corn and invite your neighbors over for amovie. Maybe your item was your iphone. Why not use it tocall a friend you have not talked to in a while and encouragethem.

We have so many things that we are surrounded by on a dai-ly basis. On Sunday mornings, we have been talking abouthow to be a compelling missional community. One thingthat is critical to our success is the Word. Did you know thatwe are even given guidance on how to use the Word?In 2 Tim 3:16-17, we find that “all Scripture is God-breathedand is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and trainingin righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thor-oughly equipped for every good work”. NIV

This is the most important useful item in your house! As welearn about what it means to live out our life with Jesus, it isthe Word that provides the focus. We know it is from God.Not some of it, but all of it! It is useful for learning, for get-ting us back on a better path, and for training. The cool thingis that when we really get this, we start engaging in lives ofthose around us. We are not supposed to sit around thehouse or at our work and do nothing, because we are beingequipped for every good work!

What does this mean? In connection to our focus of being acompelling missional community, it could mean somethinglike offering to keep the children of a couple in your commu-nity once a month so that they can go out on a date night.Or we could invite co-workers to participate in service proj-ects that involve our church and community. There are somany ways to live our lives missionally! Let’s continue to ex-plore the possibilities!

Pastor Mark

The Pastor’sPonderments

MINISTRY IN ACTIONPastor Mark

CHOSEN CAR WASH FUNDRAISER & WOMEN’S LIFEGROUP BAKE SALE FUNDRAISER BENEFITING

BENEVOLENCE FUND

Page 2

DID YOU KNOW?

WORD OF THE MONTH

COVENANT (Heb.          bĕriyth) - To enter into amutual agreement between two persons or partiesCovenant with God- God establishes the requirements,

we decide to agree and enter the covenant

Covenant with God requires obedience and loyalty. God sent anew covenant of grace through His Son, Jesus Christ

Gen 17:3-4- (ESV) Then Abram fell on his face. And God said tohim, “Behold, my COVENANT is with you, and you shall be thefather of a multitude of nations.”

Women’s Life Group -BIBLE STUDY - meets first Monday of themonth at church from 6:30 - 8:00 / contact Karen Shadefacilitator (717)762-9363 or Lori Sewell (717)580-4529 formore information.

Men’s Life Group - meets every other Wednesday at the churchfrom 7:00 - 8:30 / contact Pastor Mark (717)357-0389 formore information.

Prayer HOUR OF POWER - meets the other Wednesday at church7:00 - 8:30 / contact Morris Fraley (301)-991-3506 for moreinformation.

Student Life Group CHOSEN - meets at the church every ThursdayNight from 6:30 - 8:00 / contact Esther Fairall (443)-889-6624for more information.

Couple’s Life Group - meets every first Tuesday of the month at theleaders home from 6:30 - 8:00 / contact Morris & Sheri Fraley(301)991-3506 for more information.

How many bowls of water did Gideonsqueeze out of his fleece?

Last months answer:Pison,Gihon,Hiddekel and Euphrates

The Levite's had a mandatory retirement age of 50years. Numbers 8:25

Memory VerseJames 4:10- “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

AROUND THE BICNews and events happening with our

larger Brethren In Christ Family!

Did you know that we have a wonderful magazine for theBIC community in the U.S. called IN PART?This magazine is published four times a year and can bereceived in the mail, by email, or you can go tohttp://www.inpart.org/. Be sure to check it out so youdon’t miss the next copy!

MORE PLACES TO US CHECK OUT

FOLLOW US:

Check out the Website:www.thevinebic.com

1 South Main St. Smithsburg, MD 21783

(301) 824-7770

Page 3

The Vine Church Vision Statement is to connect people to Jesus Christ, who is the Vine so that theymay connect to each other and the community around them in order to have a growing relationshipwith the Vine.

Around the Neighborhood

LOCAL BUSINESS FOCUS

Robin Specht, owner and senior stylist at Main Street HairCreations on 14 South Main St, is preparing to celebrate her 2year anniversary this August in Smithsburg. Robin pridesherself on keeping up to date with the latest trends andfashions, knowing that she has been blessed by God with “apassion to cut and style hair.” With 30 years of experience,Robin has established a loyal customer following, and alwayswelcomes new clients with open doors and a hometown smile.Recently, Main Street Hair Creations has expanded theirservices with the addition of Susie, a nail technician. Susie isdue to complete her education this September and will receiveher certificate from Award Beauty School. Susie is fulfilling herdream because “since she was a child, this is all that she hasever wanted to do.”

The services at Main Street Hair Creations range from cuts,perms, coloring, highlights, manicure/ pedicure, paraffin waxtreatments, and acrylic nails (just to name a few). As soon asyou walk through the doors at Main Street Hair Creations, youwill know that you have found a very special place, with twowonderful ladies, who honestly love what they are doing. MainStreet Hair Creations is open Mondays and Tuesdays from 10a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 9a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phonenumber is 1-301-824-5233, and don’t forget to “Like” them onFacebook. The town of Smithsburg is blessed to have Robin andSusie as members of our local business family where the“Customer Always Comes First”.

GOD SIGHTINGS

The following are reflections from members of The Vine Churchthat describe a time in their lives when God was real, andbeyond a doubt, the Author of their lives!

Twenty seven years ago on July 4��, God kept His promise totake care of our daughter, Sara, for eternity. During her shortthree week life, we spent most of our time with her at the NICUin Walter Reed. During one of those times I believe I saw Jesusstanding outside of the NICU looking at us. I know that He wastelling us that everything would be alright. Although I wantedSara to stay with us longer, Jesus gave me assurance that Hewould take care of her, and that He would comfort us throughour grief.

Less than a year later, our first son, Adam, was born. And fouryears later, on July 4��, our second son, Aaron, was a born. Godcompleted our family with our two wonderful sons! He took atime of sorrow and turned it into a time of joy! Every day Hegives us the hope of seeing our daughter, Sara, again! PraiseGod for being real to our family!

Pastor Mark and Lori

PRAYER FOCUS CORNER

The BIC has 59 missionaries across the globe, and we arefocusing this month on this group of individuals . They have

made their ministry in other places, sharing the Love of Jesus topeople who have never heard of Jesus and who may be hostile.

Please lift them up daily for their safety and continued supportfrom the people at home.

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizingthem in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the HolySpirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commandedyou. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Page 4

August 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2Sheri Fraley -

BDay

3Aiden Baker -

BDay

4SERVICE

10:00 AM

5WOMENS LIFE

GROUP6:30

6COUPLES LIFEGROUP 6:30

7HOUR OFPOWER7:00 PM

8CHOSEN

6:30

9Tammy Moyer -

BDAY

10

11

SERVICE10:00 AM

12Selena Turner-

Kint - BDayMarcellus

Miller - BDay

13 14

MEN'S LIFEGROUP7:00 PM

15CHOSEN

6:30

16

CHOSENCAMPING

TRIP

17

CHOSENCAMPING TRIP

18

SERVICE 10:00 AM

19 20 21HOUR OFPOWER7:00 PM

22CHOSEN

6:30

23 24Kaitlyn Baker -

BDayANNUAL

PIGROASTSILENT

AUCTION4:00- PM

25SERVICE

10:00 AM

26Conor

Greenwood -BDay

27 28

MEN'S LIFEGROUP7:00 PM

29CHOSEN

6:30

30 31Abby Kopka -

BDay

Page 5 C

AUGUST 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3

4

SERVICE10:00 AM

5WOMENS LIFE

GROUP6:30

6COUPLES LIFEGROUP 6:30

7HOUR OFPOWER7:00 PM

8CHOSEN

6:30

9 10

11

SERVICE10:00 AM

12 13 14

MEN'S LIFEGROUP7:00 PM

15CHOSEN

6:30

16

CHOSENCAMPING

TRIP

17

CHOSENCAMPING TRIP

18

SERVICE 10:00 AM

19 20 21HOUR OFPOWER7:00 PM

22CHOSEN

6:30

23 24

ANNUALPIGROAST

SILENTAUCTION4:00- PM

25SERVICE

10:00 AM

26 27 28

MEN'S LIFEGROUP7:00 PM

29CHOSEN

6:30

30 31

Page 5 O