Bonclarken is in need of summer staffers!  If you know a young person that has graduated from high school and is looking for a summer job, please have them contact Mike Dill (mdill@bonclarken.org) about spending the summer at Bonclarken.  All departments still have openings and Bonclarken would love to have your young person join their team for the summer.

What:  A gathering of wives and children who will not be attending Synod in Pennsylvania.

Where: Bonclarken Conference Center

When: June 11-13, 2019

The Women of the ARPWM Board would like to host you for two nights at Bonclarken. We are still working on details, but we would provide at least one meal, and would provide housing for both nights. 

 On Wednesday, we plan to have a program for the children so that the moms could have a morning or afternoon out together.  We have reserved all of the Faith Apartments and are working to secure houses owned by churches. 

Please respond to Elaine DeVusser at devusser5@yahoo.com if you are interested in attending.  We hope that this can be a sweet retreat, and a time of reunion and fellowship for you!

I look forward to hearing from you!

The Sand Hill AME church at 3030 Whitestocking Road, Burgaw, NC, suffered severe damage, including loss of most of their building and all its contents during the recent heavy storms. A Pittsburgh area ministry called Hosanna Industries has volunteered to help the church get back into operation. It may be that some of our ARP congregations would have some items to spare or that there would be some people who would like to come and help Hosanna Industries as they restore this building and these people for the Lord’s service. The Hosanna Industries Email to me follows my signature.

Leslie Holmes

We are looking for some specific items that will allow them to function again as a church family and it is my hope that you would be able to help in part or full with the following list:

• 4 communion trays
• 1000 count plastic communion cups
• Bread plates
• 4 offering plates
• A Lecturn
• A pulpit
• 75 Large print NIV bibles(new) or like new and all the same
• 75 AME hymnals
• An Electric keyboard
• A modest drum set
• 100 metal folding chairs(preferably padded)
• 12- 8ft folding tables
• A desk for the pastor
• A copy/printing machine
• Kitchen items and utensils
• Dinnerware for 100

Anyone with questions should contact:

Brian Hetzer
Hosanna Industries
724-612-3831

World Witness Spring Fellowship Dinners

Lake Wales, FL   Feb 22
Bethesda, MD    March 22
Columbia, SC      April 26

For more information visit worldwitness.org

Statistical Forms

Remember that your church statistical forms are due by Friday February 1. You can find the forms and other instructions here.

January/February ARP Magazine

Here is the latest ARP Magazine issue. Be sure to subscribe www.arpmagazine.org so that you don’t miss an issue.

Camp Joy 40 Years!

2019 marks the 40th year of Camp Joy. We are celebrating its anniversary on July 12-14, 2019 at Bonclarken Conference Center. Save the date and remember to come celebrate the past 40 years and join us as we look forward to many more! Find out more information here.

Nominations

Synod’s Committee on Nominations meets in less than 1 month.  Click here for a current worksheet showing boards/committees for which we have received no recommendations (in red).   Please prayerfully consider individuals who are qualified for service in these areas.  If you wish to recommend someone, please

Bible Songs

Looking for green Bible Songs. If you have any of the green Bible Songs books that are not being used, please consider donating them to the ARP Bookstore. Contact Brent Turner with questions.

The newest face in Central Services   

Shay O’Sheal has joined the Central Services/ARP Magazine team as our new Administrative Assistant.

Shay has worked for a number of years in church administration and we are delighted to welcome her to our team. She will be helping us with our database, board/committee meetings and many other administrative projects.

Shay can be reached by calling the ARP Center (864-232-8297 Ext. 227).

Thanks for joining us in welcoming Shay to the team!

April 10, 1934 – January 20, 2019

Rev. David Robbins Ellis, 84, died peacefully Sunday January 20, 2019 in the Springs Nursing Home at Hot Springs, VA.

David was born April 10, 1934 in Rangeley, Maine, the son of Ardine G. and Mattie Robbins Ellis. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Judith Spofford Ellis in 1998 and by a sister, Diane Ellis Ward in 2017.

David served in the United States Marine Corps in the 1950s.  He was a graduate of Farmington State College in Farmington, ME. He was a teacher and principal in Maine and Florida until 1977 when he entered Erskine Theological Seminary in South Carolina.  Upon graduation Reverend Ellis pastored Johnson’s Creek ARP Church in Covington, VA, Bethlehem ARP in Due West, SC and retired from Garrison Memorial ARP Church in Bessemer City, NC. He served as the Moderator of the Virginia Presbytery as well as the Chairman of the Virginia Presbytery’s ecclesiastical commission. David was a member of the Lions Club where he was the Lion of the Year in 1998 and 1999, a former chaplain at Alleghany Regional Hospital, and president of the Habitat for Humanity in Bessemer City, NC. In his younger days he was a volunteer firefighter. David enjoyed reading western books and was an avid baseball fan.

Surviving are one Daughter and Son-in-law, Leslie and Wayne Boyd of Holden, ME; two Sons and Daughters-in-law, Tim and Melody Ellis of Burke, VA and Mark and Jennifer Ellis of Covington, VA, six grandchildren; Stephen Boyd, Chad Boyd, Lindsay Boyd Bennett, Patrick Ellis, Wesley Ellis, and Ashley Ellis; several great grandchildren, two Brothers; Larry Ellis of Florida and Timothy Ellis of California, and several nieces and nephews.

In keeping with his wishes, his body has been cremated. His ashes will be buried alongside Judith in Bessemer City, NC in the spring.

The family suggests that donations in his memory be made to the Alzheimer’s Association; P.O.Box 96011; Washington, DC 20090-6011.

Family Bible Conference 2019 is set for July 29 – August 1. For more information check out the Family Bible Conference website here.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is January 20.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139: 13-16).