100 Quarry Road
Leola, PA 17540
Lead Pastor: Jon Carlson
Visit date: June 30, 2019
Click here for a very organized, modern and easily navigated Web site.
Reflections
No need for me to use GPS for this morning's ACC church visit. My children and I have participated in many of Forest Hills’ programs over the 18 years of my Mennonite journey. When my oldest three were little, they came with me to Forest Hill’sTuesday morning MOMs program http://foresthillschurch.net/events-and-calendars/moms. As they grew older, they attended KFC (Kids for Christ) http://foresthillschurch.net/events-and-calendars/kfc) and VBS programs http://foresthillschurch.net/events-and-calendars/roar-vbs-2019
A word for the day: Invested
The congregation is intentional in their serving, focused in their ministry to the families and members, and invested in growing the faith-based community into a mature relationship with Christ.
A prayer for the people of Forest Hills: Heavenly father, thank you for revealing yourself so clearly in Forest Hills church this morning. Living out your goodness into a world on fire with chaos and violence is the path to peaceful living. May this church’s relationship with you continue to grow as we name and define relationships, discern the good and decide to act based on a focus in your word. Amen.
Welcome
It was no surprise to be greeted by a church member who recognized me from “somewhere before”. A kind gentleman held the door as we walked in from a bright sunshining morning to attend the Sunday School class beginning at 9:30. I was on time… :) Clara Landis, a resident and friend from Landis Homes, handed me a bulletin. We re-oriented ourselves in our new environment outside of the retirement community. Norma Stauffer introduced herself. I later learned she recently retired from church administrator for 18 years. I accepted her kind invitation to show me the way to the sunday school classroom to connect with the MYF before attending an adult class. Only three steps into the foyer, Nina Harnish swooped me into her cheerful conversation with a group of members and introduced me all around. I enjoyed meeting new people and catching up with some familiar ones, like Lin Carlson, Cheryl and Daryl Eshelman and their son Matt who is recently graduated from college and grew up with my son Matthew!
Sunday School Classes
(MYF and Adult)
Once in the Sr. youth room I met with two of the youth advisors and about eight of the 9-12th graders, many of whom I knew their parents before they were born. They didn’t waste any time growing up! The “doughnut”room (named because it circles around the stairwell) sported new paint. The unpainted brick wall mural was adorned with the signatures of the incoming freshmen. Some of the oldest signatures were made as far back as 1989! In our short introduction and conversation, the youth talked about their anticipation for upcoming MennoCon19 https://convention.mennoniteusa.org, (plane ride, connecting with others, four part harmony in worship with 3,000 other mennos!) I shared the “Keyholes are opportunities” theme for the ACC Youth Retreat coming up on September 6-8 - during which we will explore ways to open doors by exploring bias and reclaiming the Gospel’s call to love the stranger in our midst. I hope they can join us!
Norma took me back upstairs to the adult class, where we shared about our lives and the journey we are on with our spouses, children, work and life. Identifying with each other in our struggles, celebrating life stage transitions and learning how we each walk with God was meaningful and inspiring.
Worship
On to worship, beginning at 10:30 (love this start time!) where Tim joined me in the sanctuary. We unknowingly sat in the pew where the youth routinely find themselves. What I learned later, was that this caused quite a stir for them in the back! One brave youth did come sit beside me, leading a string of many.. I chose to sit a pew behind to make room for them all. How was I to know THAT pew was for the Junior Youth! Eventually we all found a place. As it should be, welcoming strangers.
The blended light beaming through the stained-glass windows added beauty and comfort to the sacred space. The vaulted ceiling generated a surrounding sound to the first hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” led by a band consisting of a drummer, pianist, two guitarists, and 4 singers (two men, two women). God was with us in this place! The lyrics were projected on the screen. As we lifted our heads to read them, we were lifting our voices in harmony and song. Special music was led by Scott and Kristen Hertog that especially touched my heart. How coincidental is it (it’s all God, I know!) that they sang the theme song to the ACC Youth Retreat - “Break Dividing Walls”. What an energetic and powerful rendition of this song!
Sermon
2 Timothy:1-7 Scripture was the focus of Jon’s EXCELLENT sermon. Not only was it well written, energetically presented and engaging, it was also timely in my ACC Tour of churches. Please watch his sermon here: Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/foresthillsmennonite
Scroll to June 30, 2019.
Is this good? - YES the church is good!
-
The internet… is it a good idea to connect ALL people? How do we respond when news presented with irony and sarcasm reach us at a blinding rate? Is this good? For instance this cartoon: Are things good when the world is on fire around us? Is it responsible of us to point out something good in the midst of chaos and fire?
Discern the good
-
Verses 1-3 No one is excluded from the well-being of all if we are followers of Jesus. This takes a renewal of the mind. It takes work. But the opportunity is there. As we discern our relationship with Jesus, we begin to see the good God wants in the world.
Decide to Act
-
Verse 4 Discern who we are: We discern and choose a quiet and peaceable life when we concern ourselves with scripture on how to live. Pockets / groups of people called churches were developed to form the world of peace and love around them.
-
Discern how we want to be: How would it be if the church would ensure (on the topic of abortion) a child and mother would be well cared for to bring a child to full term…
-
Discern what world we need: U-topia - an ideal place or state of perfection vs. Eu-topia - eu=greek for good place or state of being. Which is more realistic and founded on scripture? We don't need a perfect world. Just a world with good living in it.
Takeaway
My own research is proving this to be true. “Moreover, the community itself, shaped by discipleship values, becomes an “interpretation” of the text.” (p15 Fully Engaged - Missional Church In An Anabaptist Voice)
Challenge
Live in such a way to make the church good. How would it be if we all intentionally focused our efforts to grow the church to be the “fine” in a world on fire. Support and grow the “pockets / groups” that live out the goodness of God no matter what’s happening in the world around us.
Final Thoughts
- The search is forming to find a part time youth pastor as the church continues growth.
- I was not able to easily research their church history, but I do know they’ve been a member of the ACC for quite a while.
- Pastor Jon serves as Assistant Moderator to ACC bringing a healthy relationship between the church and ACC in that the church knows they have an underlying level of support if the need should arise.
Reflections
No need for me to use GPS for this morning's ACC church visit. My children and I have participated in many of Forest Hills’ programs over the 18 years of my Mennonite journey. When my oldest three were little, they came with me to Forest Hill’sTuesday morning MOMs program http://foresthillschurch.net/events-and-calendars/moms. As they grew older, they attended KFC (Kids for Christ) http://foresthillschurch.net/events-and-calendars/kfc) and VBS programs http://foresthillschurch.net/events-and-calendars/roar-vbs-2019
A word for the day: Invested
The congregation is intentional in their serving, focused in their ministry to the families and members, and invested in growing the faith-based community into a mature relationship with Christ.
A prayer for the people of Forest Hills: Heavenly father, thank you for revealing yourself so clearly in Forest Hills church this morning. Living out your goodness into a world on fire with chaos and violence is the path to peaceful living. May this church’s relationship with you continue to grow as we name and define relationships, discern the good and decide to act based on a focus in your word. Amen.
Welcome
It was no surprise to be greeted by a church member who recognized me from “somewhere before”. A kind gentleman held the door as we walked in from a bright sunshining morning to attend the Sunday School class beginning at 9:30. I was on time… :) Clara Landis, a resident and friend from Landis Homes, handed me a bulletin. We re-oriented ourselves in our new environment outside of the retirement community. Norma Stauffer introduced herself. I later learned she recently retired from church administrator for 18 years. I accepted her kind invitation to show me the way to the sunday school classroom to connect with the MYF before attending an adult class. Only three steps into the foyer, Nina Harnish swooped me into her cheerful conversation with a group of members and introduced me all around. I enjoyed meeting new people and catching up with some familiar ones, like Lin Carlson, Cheryl and Daryl Eshelman and their son Matt who is recently graduated from college and grew up with my son Matthew!
Sunday School Classes
(MYF and Adult)
Once in the Sr. youth room I met with two of the youth advisors and about eight of the 9-12th graders, many of whom I knew their parents before they were born. They didn’t waste any time growing up! The “doughnut”room (named because it circles around the stairwell) sported new paint. The unpainted brick wall mural was adorned with the signatures of the incoming freshmen. Some of the oldest signatures were made as far back as 1989! In our short introduction and conversation, the youth talked about their anticipation for upcoming MennoCon19 https://convention.mennoniteusa.org, (plane ride, connecting with others, four part harmony in worship with 3,000 other mennos!) I shared the “Keyholes are opportunities” theme for the ACC Youth Retreat coming up on September 6-8 - during which we will explore ways to open doors by exploring bias and reclaiming the Gospel’s call to love the stranger in our midst. I hope they can join us!
Norma took me back upstairs to the adult class, where we shared about our lives and the journey we are on with our spouses, children, work and life. Identifying with each other in our struggles, celebrating life stage transitions and learning how we each walk with God was meaningful and inspiring.
Worship
On to worship, beginning at 10:30 (love this start time!) where Tim joined me in the sanctuary. We unknowingly sat in the pew where the youth routinely find themselves. What I learned later, was that this caused quite a stir for them in the back! One brave youth did come sit beside me, leading a string of many.. I chose to sit a pew behind to make room for them all. How was I to know THAT pew was for the Junior Youth! Eventually we all found a place. As it should be, welcoming strangers. The blended light beaming through the stained-glass windows added beauty and comfort to the sacred space. The vaulted ceiling generated a surrounding sound to the first hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” led by a band consisting of a drummer, pianist, two guitarists, and 4 singers (two men, two women). God was with us in this place! The lyrics were projected on the screen. As we lifted our heads to read them, we were lifting our voices in harmony and song. Special music was led by Scott and Kristen Hertog that especially touched my heart. How coincidental is it (it’s all God, I know!) that they sang the theme song to the ACC Youth Retreat - “Break Dividing Walls”. What an energetic and powerful rendition of this song!
Sermon
2 Timothy:1-7 Scripture was the focus of Jon’s EXCELLENT sermon. Not only was it well written, energetically presented and engaging, it was also timely in my ACC Tour of churches. Please watch his sermon here: Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/foresthillsmennonite
Scroll to June 30, 2019.
Is this good? - YES the church is good!
- The internet… is it a good idea to connect ALL people? How do we respond when news presented with irony and sarcasm reach us at a blinding rate? Is this good? For instance this cartoon: Are things good when the world is on fire around us? Is it responsible of us to point out something good in the midst of chaos and fire?
Discern the good
- Verses 1-3 No one is excluded from the well-being of all if we are followers of Jesus. This takes a renewal of the mind. It takes work. But the opportunity is there. As we discern our relationship with Jesus, we begin to see the good God wants in the world.
Decide to Act
- Verse 4 Discern who we are: We discern and choose a quiet and peaceable life when we concern ourselves with scripture on how to live. Pockets / groups of people called churches were developed to form the world of peace and love around them.
- Discern how we want to be: How would it be if the church would ensure (on the topic of abortion) a child and mother would be well cared for to bring a child to full term…
- Discern what world we need: U-topia - an ideal place or state of perfection vs. Eu-topia - eu=greek for good place or state of being. Which is more realistic and founded on scripture? We don't need a perfect world. Just a world with good living in it.
Takeaway
My own research is proving this to be true. “Moreover, the community itself, shaped by discipleship values, becomes an “interpretation” of the text.” (p15 Fully Engaged - Missional Church In An Anabaptist Voice)
My own research is proving this to be true. “Moreover, the community itself, shaped by discipleship values, becomes an “interpretation” of the text.” (p15 Fully Engaged - Missional Church In An Anabaptist Voice)
Challenge
Live in such a way to make the church good. How would it be if we all intentionally focused our efforts to grow the church to be the “fine” in a world on fire. Support and grow the “pockets / groups” that live out the goodness of God no matter what’s happening in the world around us.
Final Thoughts
- The search is forming to find a part time youth pastor as the church continues growth.
- I was not able to easily research their church history, but I do know they’ve been a member of the ACC for quite a while.
- Pastor Jon serves as Assistant Moderator to ACC bringing a healthy relationship between the church and ACC in that the church knows they have an underlying level of support if the need should arise.
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