News

After a month and a half of collecting books for the Community Book Drive, the effort culminated with the Day of Caring book sorting.  A group of 40+ volunteers sorted, counted, and boxed 13,036 books! Around 3,000 in the birth-5 age range received stickers with reading tips. These books will be distributed to children ages birth-5 at the Community Book Warehouse, and all the other books went to the United Way’s Books United program to distribute throughout the community as needed, with a focus on vulnerable youths and adults.

This is the 10th year of the book drive with more than 126,000 books collected over the years. Most have gone to vulnerable children to help with literacy and school readiness.

The Community Book Drive is a partnership of HARC, the United Way of Washington County, the Judy Center and the Early Childhood Advisory Council. Special thanks to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for hosting the Day of Caring book sorting with awesome volunteers and a great gym.
Thanks to all the houses of worship (21 in total), businesses, organizations and individuals who collected books! (See the full list of collection sites here.)  Thanks to our pick up volunteers who drove around and picked them up, hauling them to the LDS church, and to Weiss Brothers for hauling 5 pallets of books to the United Way’s warehouse after the sorting.

Thank you also to all of the volunteers who helped with the mass sorting project in record time! Groups from the Judy Center, Reach, the Library, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Hagerstown Rotary Club, Hagerstown Healthcare, and individuals from churches and the United Way made this huge project fast and FUN.

Finally, a shout out to our amazing planning team: Terri Gwizdala (co-leader), Kelli Tencer (United Way), Kim Halsey, Kathy Kerns, Elaine Rose, Jocelyn Hauer, Kendal Neel, and Kathy Powderly (co-leader).

The Community Book Drive is truly a community effort and example of Living United in Washington County, and the power of faith communities (and community members) working together.

Christ’s Reformed Church United Church of Christ, a historic Church in downtown Hagerstown, Maryland, is seeking an Office and Communications Support Associate (15-20 hours per week).  The Office and Communications Support Associate will be responsible for the daily running of the Church office to include preparation for Sunday mornings and additional functions of the church.  The best candidate will be self-motivated, attentive to details, organized, and flexible while having computer and audio-visual skills. Weekly tasks include computer system management, worship bulletins, newsletters, maintaining the church website and Facebook page and coordinating with the treasurer team.  Knowledge of Microsoft Office required. Experience with Canva and Zoom a plus but not required. Starting salary $18-$20 per hour based on experience. For any questions or to apply with Cover letter and resume, contact Rev. Norville at reverend.norville@gmail.com by October 7^th.

Do you have a service ministry in mind for your church? Would you like to offer leadership experience or help in developing church leaders? This is for you.

A rare opportunity has arisen for a Sunday General Christian Worship Service to be held on the 2nd Sunday of every month from 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.  It is a ministry for a church aiming to spread “The Good News” to residents and patients at Western Maryland Hospital Center in Hagerstown.

Those who are interested, or have questions, please call 301-745-4285

Zion Reformed United Church of Christ welcomes the Rev. Dr. E. Scott Winnette

Eric Scott Winnette was raised in a suburb of Murfreesboro, TN.  Weekends were spent at the Winnette and Woodward farms helping some with chores but mostly playing in the farm fields.

Prior to his work as a pastor, he was a computer programmer receiving a Bachelor of Business Arts degree in information systems from the Middle Tennessee State University.    It was a good fit but not the best fit, the Holy Spirit was nudging for a change.  A careful soul, it took two years as a Presbyterian mission delegate to the Ghost Ranch Conference Center and ministries in England to discern a call to ministry.

Responding, he earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Louisville Theological Seminary.  While in seminary, he served as a student pastor in Salem, Oregon and Helvetia and Pickens, West Virginia.  His first ordained call was with the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, MD.  After fifteen years, Scott was called to be Pastor of the Rockville United Church, a union church of the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Scott is married to Anthony Stephen Moscato JR., an attorney with the United States Homeland Security in immigration.  They live on a small farmette in Myersville, MD.  His exercise consists of push mowing the 3 1/2 acres and digging and planting wildflowers and vegetables.  Together Anthony, Scott and Scott’s mother are staff to two cats, two dogs, 13 chickens, 1 rooster, 3 ducks plus a pond packed with fish.  Both Anthony and Scott are dedicated to learning from history and spend much time advocating for historic preservation.  Their home is on the National Register of Historic places as a great example of an 1820’s Maryland farm house.

Scott is passionate about ministry building a family of Christ, crafting meaningful worship services, inspiring service, and pursuing a life of humble faith.

Hebron Mennonite Church will be offering a program of Sacred Listening Circles this coming year starting in October. These monthly gatherings are a form of Group Spiritual Direction. Small groups will meet together for contemplative prayer and personal sharing on the first Tuesday evening from October 2023 to May 2024. It is a process where small group members gather regularly to support one another in an ongoing responsiveness to God in all of life, based on the belief that in Christ, God enters our pain and joy. Circles will be facilitated by Ed Poling, retired Church of the Brethren minister and spiritual director, and Rebecca Rothenhoeffer, trained lay leader in the United Methodist Church. Both have been trained by the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, DC.  Monthly gatherings will meet at Hebron Mennonite Church located in Paramount, north of Hagerstown. For more information and a brochure, contact Ed (phone: 301-766-9005 or email: elpoling1@gmail.com)  The first meeting is on October 3.