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
