Donegal townlively.com
DECEMBER 18, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Serving up Christmas spirit
VOL LXV • NO 45
Building relationships at ConnectUs Church BY CATHY MOLITORIS
“A lot of times, churches want people to join them,” said Kevin Greene, lead pastor of ConnectUs Church, “but my heart is for the church to join the person. Instead of forcing a person to take specific steps, we’ve created environments to come along with what we believe God is already doing in
BY CATHY MOLITORIS
“T
his is what Christmas is all about,” said Clare Funck, describing a free community meal served at Cross Roads Church on Christmas Day. “There are other people who are going through the same thing you are, and this is a chance to connect with others. It just builds you up, which is what Jesus did for us. It’s what the whole season is about.”
their life to help them.” That’s a major goal for the church as it settles into its new home at 732 W. Main St. in Mount Joy. “ We started this church for people that don’t normally attend church,” Greene shared. “Everything we do is with the anxious, unsure, don’t-know-if-I’m-going-to-bewelcome person in mind.” ConnectUs Church opened in See ConnectUs pg 6
For the 27th year, Cross Roads Church will serve a free community meal on Christmas Day. Food will be available for takeout or dine-in at the church, 800 Donegal Springs Road, Mount Joy, on Wednesday, Dec. 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The menu will feature turkey, gourmet potatoes, green beans, stuffing, rolls, gravy and desserts. All food will be made by church members, who will also serve the sit-down meal. “This is all about serving the community and offering fellowship with others,” said Funck, who directs the event committee with Kendric Bert. “A lot of people come because they have nowhere else to go on Christmas. Maybe they don’t have any family, or their spouse just passed away, or their family members are scattered all over the place. That’s the major reason why I started doing this.” Funck has been volunteering
Kevin Greene in the sanctuary of ConnectUs Church
Inviting people to a free Christmas meal at Cross Roads Church are Kendric Bert (left) and Clare Funck.
with the event for 22 years. She started helping out when she was looking for something to do on Christmas since her family members do not live nearby. “My husband’s family is here, so we celebrate with them on Christmas Eve, but then on Christmas Day, I wanted to do something as well,” she said. Over the years, she’s realized that she gets as much out of the meal as the guests do. “I just really enjoy the fellowship and talking to the people who come,” she shared. “I come here to serve
them, but they are serving me, too.” Bert has been helping coordinate the event for three years. “What brings me back is serving the less fortunate than what I am,” he said, noting that he’s referring to people who can’t afford a meal like this or who don’t have anyone to share it with. “It’s a way to give back to the community.” Last year, the church served more than 400 meals , and both Funck and Bert encourage everyone to come to this year’s event, whether they’ve
Rev up for a cause BY CATHY MOLITORIS
What happens when a bunch of motorc ycle riders come together? A giant convoy traveling through a 25-mile route and raising money for veterans at the same time. The 16th annual New Year’s Day ride will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 1, with registration beginning at 10 a.m. at the Walter S. Ebersole American Legion Post 185, 255 W. Main St., Mount Joy. The ride will leave from the Legion at 1 p.m., and participants will follow a route along the Susquehanna
River, ending at the Elizabethtown American Legion Post 329, 240 N. Hanover St. Members of the ladies’ auxiliary will serve breakfast at the Mount Joy Legion before the ride, and a pork and sauerkraut meal will be served at the Elizabethtown Legion at the ride’s conclusion. Tyler Stumpf and his friend Jeff Andrews dreamed up the idea for the benefit ride while hanging out during the Christmas season 16 years ago. “They started talking about how nobody does a ride in January, and they were like, ‘Let’s See Rev up pg 2
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See Christmas pg 7
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“I come here to serve them, but they are serving me, too.”