Wayne Lawton reports on July 7 meeting at Hess

Report of the Revival Fellowship July 7, 2012 Tom and Janice Hess welcomed us to their farm for a day of food, fellowship and fun. It all started with with delicious barbecued chicken prepared by their son, Dan Hess, and baked potatoes prepared by Janice. Participants brought side dishes of vegetables,salads, desserts and beverages. We met in a spacious building with a large open door. With open windows and fans blowing it was quite comfortable.

Don Jacobs led in a song of thanks for the food. Following the lunch we moved right in to the meeting with Marlin and Rosie Givens from Palmyra leading us in songs of praise to the Lord and Rosie accompanying on her accordion. Rosie actually started the time with a beautiful accordion solo.

Samuel Muikia, from Baltimore, MD, asked who will share the Word. He was asked “will you do it?” He gave a challenging personal testimony . He was raised in a Christian home and taught to pray, to attend church, to give a tithe. But as he got older he chose the paths of sin. In 2004 he prayed a sincere prayer of repentance and received salvation. The Word he chose to share with us was from Exodus 2:9. He applied the words of Pharoah’s daughter to each of us: “take this baby [life] and nurse him for me and I will pay you.” We are given the task of caring for Jesus when we receive him in to our lives. We must be attentive to his wishes. We must move at his call and obey his commands. Christ wants to ‘grow up’ [mature] in us. And there are rich rewards for ‘taking care of Jesus’ ! It was a unique word and we were blest in hearing it. "Glory, glory, Hallelujah! Glory, Glory to the LAMB !"

Millicent Njuguna sang a solo “Feed My Sheep” which she has written and she sang to the music of the CD she has produced. Mary Njenga, [the wife of Rev. Johnson Njenga Kamau an ordained Presby-terian minister now attending Lancaster Bible College] gave her testimony praising the Lord for salvation! Miriam Njuguna from Lititz, gave testimony in her Kikuyu language and Mary interpreted it in to English. Miriam had been a religious person – even serving as deaconess in her church in Kenya – but she didn’t know Jesus personally. Later she was saved and the gospel became a living Word in her life. Paul Ndungu told how he was orphaned at a young age. He didn’t expect anything good to come in his life – but God made it possible for him to get an education and he came to America and studied at Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown where he obtained a doctorate in ministry. He is now the Executive Director of OnFire Agape Ministires, Inc., reaching Kenya for Jesus. (Check this ministry on the Internet. ) Cindy Hess who works at Landis Homes praised the Lord that by continually looking to Jesus she lives in peace! Wayne Lawton commented about two sisters who are now with Jesus: Kathryn Hess and Martha Keener. Kathryn attended the fellowship meetings and supported this ministry monetarily. Martha attended earlier and showed such compassion – she will never be forgotten! With these sisters in mind , Marlin led in singing “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory”!

After the meeting Tom Hess led a group through the Gospel Gardens that he has been preparing with the Lord’s help for the past number of years. Millie Maust of Collegeville and others were so impressed with the gardens but lamented the lack of rain which would have enhanced all growing things. Some of the children headed for the water slide and swimming in the small creek. Some adults and teenagers took rides across the field in the ZipLine. Carol Martin was so frightened she called out “Jesus, help me, take away my fear” then she zipped away and came back saying “Oh, this ride was so much fun and it wasn’t what I expected. This was the lesson the Lord wanted to teach me today. I am not to fear when things look hard! He will be with me!” Then she began to coach others “just let go – turn loose --lift up your feet. It isn’t frightening at all. You will enjoy it”. Wayne joined the children who were swimming and they wanted him to come down the water slide which he did. He forgot to remove his expensive hearing aids. But Vanessa Kinyanjui told him “that’s okay, we’ll buy you some new ones” (Oh for the faith of a child!). [The hearing aids are working – and do not seem damaged at all – Praise the Lord !]

Dick & Esther Miller of Palmyra, former missionaries to Zambia commented “In the book of Acts there are many themes – but fellowship is an important one and we really enjoyed the fellowship here today” Nevin & Barbara Kraybill of East Earl, former Tanzanian missionaries said “ Despite the heat, it was refreshing to be with God's people and especially the large group of Kenyans who attended. Thanks, Wayne, for your leadership in this group. To God be the glory!”

PS In addition to this report Don Jacobs has posted some photo's and a brief report on the Revival Website - take a look . . . . .http://revivalupdate.blogspot.com/2012/07/fellowship-gathering-at-tom-and-janice.html

Fellowship gathering at Tom and Janice Hess place

Our quarterly fellowship meetings are usually held in the Forest Hills Church but Tom and Janice Hess invited us to enjoy the work of their hands in their unique and marvelous "Gospel Garden."   It is amazing.  Each feature on the acre or more has a spiritual significance that Tom pointed out.  This is a work of love and prayer, and sweat, and should be visited by all who want to take a stroll through the Bible, from the 10 Commandments to the empty tomb.  Thank you, Tom and Janice, for your hospitality.

Braving the 95 degree heat, a nice sized group explored the delightful "Garden" under the guidance of Tom. Double click on the pictures to make them larger.

Upcoming fellowship meeting, March 31st, 2012

The Revival Fellowship meeting announced for Jan. 21st at Forest Hills Church in Leola was cancelled due to ice and snow but is rescheduled for Saturday, March 31st with Harold Stoltzfus of Goodville, PA giving his testimony.

We are also expecting Justus Miwanda from Uganda to be with us. He is representing International Needs Network and the East Africa Revival.

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. A lunch for $6 will be served at noon.

Jan. 21 Revival Fellowship Meeting

You are invited to worship in an interdenominational setting with a group of Christians who have found freedom in Christ.

This Revival Fellowship meeting will be held at the Forest Hills Mennonite Church -in the fellowship hall. The meeting will begin on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 10 a.m.

Paul G. Burkholder will give devotional thoughts from the Word of God. Harold G. Stoltzfus will be sharing testimony and signing copies of his book "Resolved To Finish Strong".

Harold G. Stolzfus

A meal prepared by Becky Maust Kurtz will be served at noon ($6).

Welcome to all who love to worship Christ. For more information you may call:
Tom & Sheila Hess in Harrisburg at 756-7921 or
Wayne & Mary Lou Lawton in Elizabethtown at 361-8990 or
Paul & Miriam Burkholder in Lititz at 581-3964.

This fellowship originated in the 1950's in this area when missionaries returned from East Africa with renewed faith in the Lord.

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Wayne D. Lawton, pastor
Cedar Hill Community Church
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Home/Office 717-361-8990

Oct. 1 Fellowship at Forest Hills

Report of Oct. 1, 2011: Wayne Lawton

It’s getting more and more difficult to write these reports because it seems like every meeting is better than the last and how do you capture the “glory” of the Lord that shines on people’s faces and sings and speaks through their voices.

I led the singing and played the piano and I felt especially animated (is that a good word?) but it was just the joy of the Lord bouncing in my fingers as we sang “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord”; “I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart”; “Lift Jesus higher”; “How Great Thou Art”; “But when He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole, it took a miracle of love and grace”.

Don Jacobs led with a devotional from Matthew 17 – telling about the transfiguration and how Jesus was exalted above Moses and Elijah – and the cloud came and a voice spoke “This is my beloved Son, hear Him”. Then the disciples in the valley couldn’t cast the demon out of a boy. Jesus simply told them “Bring the boy here to Me”. Don explained that we may not have a boy needing deliverance – but whatever our need, Jesus is saying to us “Bring the NEED here, to ME”. Don copied Oswald Chambers “My Utmost” for October 8th – because the theme was, “Come to me, and I will give you rest”.

Don introduced John & Irene Smucker – they prayed and then gave their story: He grew up in Bird in Hand, PA. John told how they had been touched by revival many times. At the Maple Grove Church Kenneth Good came and preached. At age 19, John, went forward and was saved. Irene (Yoder) Smucker then spoke, she grew up in a farming family. She had 4 older brothers. At first she attended a one room school with mostly Amish students. Then the family moved to Berks County and she was the only Mennonite girl in the school there. She was baptized in the Oley Church but she struggled to live the Christian life.

She began to date Alvin Nissley who had just accepted the Lord. His life was a spiritual challenge to her. But he died in a tragic accident. Later she met John who asked her to marry him. She waited one week to say YES – then one year later they were married.

Then John spoke again “I was not trained in Urban Ministry but the church sent us to plant a church in New York City. It was not easy. If you smiled at people they thought you were ‘nuts’. Another revival was when Billy Graham came to Madison Square Garden for 16 weeks. We served as counselors and in the choir. Our church work didn’t go very well – we only had an average of 12 persons on Sunday.

On May 30,1958 Roy Hession came. Later Joe Church came. Erma Maust was a tenacious person. These people spoke of personal revival. Irene spoke: We were always overwhelmed with lack of funds. Erma Maust came and helped paint their apartment – and then talked about “walking in the light”. She prayed with us and taught us to repent. She came 9 times in 1959.

John mentioned that they had a fellowship meeting at their church on Jan. 31, 1959 and 80 people came. I prayed “Lord, warm my heart”. He began meeting with Glenn Zeager, Paul Burkholder, John Freed for fellowship. This was good and we should have continued to meet – but at times we didn’t.

12 years later I took a 10 month sabbatical at Union Theological Seminary and got a Master’s Degree. The charismatic movement appeared and God met me in my bedroom. I didn’t speak in Pennsylvania Dutch, or in Greek or in Hebrew, but in PRAISE to God!

Irene: Our family grew – we had 3 sons and a daughter. Our church grew in numbers. A number of young volunteers came. The community changed – middle class families began to move away and poorer people came. There were racial tensions. I began to feel depleted, physically, emotionally, spiritually. At school our children couldn’t even go to the bathroom – there was so much violence – they waited til they got home. I tried to teach our sons to trust in the Lord. I prayed for healing and God healed me. I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit – there was joy and scripture came alive again. Isa. 43:1-3 and 43:18 “forget the former things” I walked to church without fear.

John: We left the Bronx in 1979. I taught at Elim Bible Institute. Then we moved back to NYC to start a church in Queens. Sept. 11, 2001 was a terrible time. I asked the Lord “why did this happen?” – and the answer that came to me was “Because America has gotten away from the Lord”. All week long people came to church. I enjoyed leading people to Christ. There is such joy in leading people to Jesus.

The service was opened for testimonies: Mary Lou Lawton shared how God had protected her when they lived in Washington, DC (she could identify with Irene Smucker). Betty Miller gave a word from Philippians to Irene “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”. Ellin Brubaker read from Psalm 82 in The Living Bible – this still speaks to her again and again. Gad Kimani brought greetings from the revival fellowship in Baltimore. He came to receive a word from the Lord today and God had spoken to him. Nancy Longenecker is a two time survivor of cancer and she mentioned Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him”. Ruth Sentz believes we are in the ‘last days’. She wants to keep her ‘first love’for Jesus. Mahlon Hess spoke of his wife, Mary , who suffered a stroke and how she looks forward to his visits every day. Ed Kurtz had known John Smucker in earlier times and enjoyed hearing him today. Marian Heisey said many things but spoke of something that helps people stop smoking. Glenn Stauffer told how his children cover him with prayer – and he has been healed in his back and in his eye. We gave the Lord applause !

In conclusion we laid hands on each other and prayed for each other to be healed and helped in whatever way we have need. To God be the glory ! Wayne Lawton, reporter

Welcome to Oct. 1, 2011 Fellowship Time

Dear Fellowship Friends,

It was really interesting - last week I was reading in the book, "A Gentle Wind of God", - and I noticed John Smucker's name appeared several times. I had met him in the 1960's when Mary Lou and I went to New York City for a fellowship meeting at Glenn & Florence Zeager's - but we haven't kept in touch. Imagine my surprise when I saw the picture of John & Irene Smucker in the Intelligencer Journal/New Era on Saturday, September 10th. They were recalling events of that fateful day, September 11, 2001 in New York City. I spoke to Paul Burkholder - because he and Miriam spent a number of years pastoring in New York City - and asked him about John Smucker. His reply was "I will see him tomorrow". So Paul asked John and Irene to consider sharing testimony of their walk with God at our October 1st Revival Fellowship at Forest Hills. So we are looking forward to reuniting in fellowship with the Smucker's. Don Jacobs will bring a devotional from the Word of God. Come and hear the Smucker's share what Jesus means to them. And after they have spoken you could share what Jesus means to you.

We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at Forest Hills Mennonite Church, 100 Quarry Rd, Leola, PA on October 1, 2011 at 10 a.m. There will be a noon meal for $6.00.

Windows into the July 9th Revival Fellowship in Pennsylvania

Report of the July 9th Revival Fellowship held at Forest Hills Church fellowship hall in Leola. Pennsylvania

As we gathered Lamar Stoltzfus was playing inspirational music on the piano. We opened the service with Willie and Rodi Longenecker leading us in singing “I love to tell the story” – and I especially like the last verse that says “for those who know it best, seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest”. That is so true – those who gathered were believers and have heard the gospel – most of us all of our lives – but we like to hear it again. Willie read from 2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” He spoke about some of the people who had influenced him away from legalistic Christianity to the way of grace. He mentioned attending the Hamilton Street Church in Harrisburg many years ago hearing Elam Stauffer and Festo Kivengere. He could never forget the word of God’s grace through these two men. Later he spoke of his Uncle Sam Longenecker (father of Erma Maust) and how his life had impacted him in his early years. Rodi shared how she had grown up in Philadelphia in a Christian home. Her mother, Miriam Weaver Stoltzfus, came with them today. (She often attends these meetings). Rodi was so thankful for her father and mother – and that later she met Willie at school and they were married and have lived 42 years in Canada. She quoted Psalm 16:6 “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” Willie & Rodi sang some special songs and then gave a power point presentation of beautiful pictures – and they sang hymns of praise as the pictures were being shown – a very worshipful experience !

Following this we stood and sang “When I see the blood I will pass over you”. Wayne Lawton showed a miniature door that Harold and Miriam Housman had given for use in their Day Care – it has red paint on it – to symbolize the “blood on the doorpost”. Wayne told about a child who knows the story of the Passover and knows that song. But in the Day Care this week he was crying almost constantly. He wanted to be at home – but his Dad brought him to be at the Day Care. If playing in the back yard was suggested – he wanted to be in the front yard. If playing with this toy, No, he wanted that toy. He would not be happy – and continued crying much of the time. It was frustrating to say the least. Wayne spoke to him harshly and asked him to stop crying – but this didn’t work. He asked if he wanted to play outside – No , he didn’t. Later Wayne prayed and broke before the Lord confessing his own frustration and anger and asked God to intervene. Then he said to the little boy “Did you know that the sin that took Jesus to the cross was each of us wanting to have our own way” and he quoted Isa. 53:6. Then he asked the boy “Would you like to tell God that you like to have your own way?” The boy nodded in the affirmative – and he did. Then Wayne said, “Now would you like to thank Jesus?” His reply was “No, I want to go out to play” and he jumped down from the couch and went out to play with the other children and was happy the rest of the day ! Does the blood of Jesus cleanse even little children when they confess their sin of wanting their own way !!!! What a Savior !!!! And he cleanses the hearts of Day Care providers who get frustrated !

As introductions were being made (people give their name and where they are from) Janice Hess asked to share this testimony: In their ministry her husband, Pastor Tom Hess, had placed his hands on a youths head and shoulders in a fatherly way – but the youth resented it and reported it to the police and Tom was charged with this “crime”. Their church hired the best lawyer – but they were not trusting in the lawyer – they were trusting in the Lord. And the Lord spoke to Janice through the Psalms “Awake and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and my Lord. Vindicate me in your righteousness….may those who delight in my vindication shout for joy”. And Tom was pronounced “not guilty” of a crime. Tom and Janice are both praising the Lord for this deliverance.

Betty Miller (now age 96) shared how she had recently led three 17 year old Chinese students in saying “the sinners prayer”. John Graybill had brought his brother in law, Mahlon Hess – and they were both praising the Lord. Several Kenyan’s from Baltimore shared praise to the Lord. Rose Mbugua, who is from Nakuru, Kenya – but now staying with her son in Baltimore – said she was so happy when Elizabeth Ngethe received the letter announcing this fellowship. She said, “I didn’t know the revival fellowship was also here in America – so I said to Elizabeth, let’s go – and here we are”. Rose was full of praise to Jesus ! Lydia Muikia praised God for helping her to pass the test to be an Occupational Therapist. Collins Muikia (age 10) praised God that he graduated from elementary school. Samuel Muikia led all those from Kenya in singing a song about the woman at the well and how the “water of life” that Jesus gave her, filled her with such joy that she went back in to town sharing the good news about Jesus.

Don Jacobs shared about the upcoming meeting in Turkhana, Kenya in August – and asked for prayer for this outreach. Anthony Wachira led in prayer and we sang “Glory, glory, hallelujah, glory, glory to the Lamb, for the cleansing blood has reached me, glory, glory to the Lamb”!!! HE IS WORTHY !!! Becky Maust Kurtz presented a wonderful noon meal. Elizabeth Ngethe had prepared “uji”- a porridge made of millet (very familiar breakfast food in Kenya) and we all got to try it – many for the first time!

Wayne D. Lawton, reporter

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Wayne D. Lawton, pastor
Cedar Hill Community Church
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Home/Office 717-361-8990