God’s Work. Our Hands!

Collaboration and cooperation highlighted the service of the Gettysburg Conference’s God’s Work. Our Hands Sunday.  For the thirteenth-year congregations throughout Adams County pulled together to share God’s good news.  Close to fifty persons along with Bishop Jim and Connie Dunlop canvassed neighborhoods throughout the Gettysburg Area School District collecting 4643 lbs. of food for Ruth’s Harvest, a backpack food ministry.  Pantry Manager Shawn Waybrant, who also teaches in Gettysburg, commented “I am always amazed at the support both in volunteers and food that Ruth’s Harvest receives during this annual food drive” it’s a testament of how our community can come together to help those in need.”  During last year Ruth’s Harvest gave out over 7900 bags of food for food insecure children in the Gettysburg Schools.

In upper Adams County, volunteers gathered at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Biglerville to prepare blankets for Tender Care Pregnancy Center.  A few miles away at Camp Nawakwa servants worked with Nawakwa staff to help enhance the grounds around the camp.  Meanwhile in Aspers, volunteers gathered to share fellowship with Adams County fruit belt agricultural workers.

Two projects in the conference focused on efforts to help those in need around the world through Lutheran World Relief.  At Christ Lutheran Gettysburg, seventeen quilts were prepared while at Chestnut Grove Lutheran Church and Bethlehem Lutheran in Bendersville gathered to pull together close to 200 school kits.  Pastor Ryan Heycock summed up the day this way. “All in all, I thought that things went well and it was a good and faithful project.”