Paul Brubaker to Make a Presentation at Mt Gretna

The Climate Crisis Action Group (CCAG) encourages you to consider attending a program at Mt Gretna on Thursday, July 13th at 7 pm, as part of the Chautauqua Summer Programs. In March of 2022, Paul Brubaker spent eleven days in Hawaii with an organized tour trying to find members of the remaining Hawaiian endemic birds (birds that live nowhere else on Earth in the wild). During the July 13th event he will talk about his adventure on four of the islands, seeking these sometimes very elusive birds. As part of this discussion, he will review the evolution of the Honeycreepers, a group of the birds in Hawaii with a common ancestor, and also talk about the reasons for recent rapid decline in numbers and increasing extinctions of Hawaii’s endemic birds. And yes, a small spoiler, climate change is part of the problem!

So... spend an hour at the Hall of Philosophy from 7-8 pm (the building next to, or just behind, the Jigger Shop) and hear about some trouble in paradise. Then enjoy a sundae or a banana split at the Jigger Shop.

Submitted by the Climate Crisis Action Group

Immigration Support Group (ISG) Update

The picture shown to the right is of the food, diapers and other items that were purchased by the Immigration Support Group for a family who is seeking asylum and living in Elizabethtown. When a request was made for immediate assistance, the ISG was able to respond.

A primary focus of our conduit is to assist with the costly legal fees for obtaining asylum status. Most recently, ISG has been able to help a tenth grade student who entered the country as an unaccompanied minor. We continue to work with two other families who are going through this lengthy process. A hearing for one of the families has just been postponed for a year. Someone commented that they were “enormously impressed and grateful to our congregation for stepping up.” These acts of kindness would not have been possible without the continued support of the congregation. Thank you!

To understand why someone would seek asylum, click here to watch this short, powerful video.

Click here make contributions to the church’s Immigration Support Group’s conduit #2637.

Heartfelt Thanks!

How blessed are we! And what a send-off you have given us. Thank you for your kind words and cards and remembrances! We have felt the love as we set off on this new adventure of retirement!

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity of these past fifteen-plus years to serve with you all in ministry. When I accepted the call to serve among and with you, little did we know the journey it would be. You are a wonderful, loving and caring congregation and we thank God for each of you. You have embraced our family and helped them to feel at home in our congregation and for that we give thanks!

Dave and I plan to continue as members of Elizabethtown CoB–we have “found our tribe” and would like to participate as appropriate as our paths cross in many ways. Dave will continue attending the Men’s Coffee and Conversation group as well as faith formation classes. When the time seems right, we will consult with the pastors to see what our “returning” more fully might look like.

It has been a privilege to serve on an A+ team. Thank you, thank you, Etown CoB! We are excited to see where God is nudging us and what invitations lie ahead as we move into the future–peacefully, simply and together!

In gratitude and love, Pam, for Dave too

Click on the link below to view the May 20th Celebration of Ministry:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RdVXJHqfULSLII0SAWjCmsYJ1xalqugG/view?usp=sharing