Bonnie Pitzer passes away
Bonnie Pitzer passed away on Feb. 16 at the Canterbury Nursing Home. She was 81. A Martinsburg native and Christ Reformed congregation member, Bonnie worked at Merchants and Farmers Bank…
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Bonnie Pitzer passed away on Feb. 16 at the Canterbury Nursing Home. She was 81. A Martinsburg native and Christ Reformed congregation member, Bonnie worked at Merchants and Farmers Bank…
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Rev. Tom Hartshorn opened Sunday’s service at Christ Reformed United Church of Christ by noting that he preached his very first sermon as a new pastor on the first Sunday…
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H.J. Lord and Carol Cole-Reilly officially joined Christ Reformed United Church of Christ during Sunday’s service. Although they are new members, they are not new faces around the church. H.J.…
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The 2023 Consistory was installed during worship on Sunday, Jan. 8. In addition, outgoing Consistory members were recognized and thanked for their service. In the photo above, from left: John…
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Christ Reformed United Church of Christ will be holding a candlelight Christmas Eve service at 11 p.m. on Dec. 24. Everyone is welcome to join us in this simple, beautiful…
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Congregation members have been opening their hearts and their wallets this Thanksgiving/Advent season to help others in the community. Lois Brady reports that she delivered 56 stockings to the Salvation…
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Christ Reformed United Church of Christ kicked off the Advent season on Sunday, Nov. 27, with the traditional “Hanging of the Greens” ceremony. While this ceremony is usually geared toward…
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Once again, Lois Brady has obtained stockings from the Salvation Army to fill with goodies for needy children. The stockings are aimed at different age levels and genders. Each comes…
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With the Advent season comes another opportunity to benefit our needy community members by donating to CCAP. Our church’s tradition is that, every Sunday during Advent, we sing the “Light…
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Christ Reformed United Church of Christ had our annual Trunk or Treat on Thursday, Oct. 27, immediately after the Thursday night dinner was concluded. Several church members came in costume…
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From now through the end of November, the church will be collecting non-perishable food items for Meals on Wheels to include in its “Snow Kits.” These kits are being put…
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Dorothy J. (Saum) Hoffmann passed away on July 11 to be reunited with her beloved husband of 65 years, Walt Hoffmann, who passed away on May 22. She was a…
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The yearly outdoor service was held Sunday, June 26, at 10 a.m. The weather cooperated with our plans: the sun shone, the breezes cooled things off and thunder didn’t roll…
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Family and friends will pay tribute to Walter (Walt) Donald John Hoffmann at a celebration of his life being held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31, at Christ Reformed…
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The traditional Maundy Thursday or Tenebrae service, in which church members recall the Last Supper and remember loved ones who have passed, will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday,…
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Christ Reformed UCC’s “Lunch Bunch,” a social group that meets every Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. to share lunch and fellowship, has embarked on a study of the life of Saint…
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Rev. Sheresa Simpson-Rice, the associate conference minister for the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ, visited our church on Sunday, March 6, and preached the first service…
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The winner of this year’s Souper Bowl canned soup drive is…CCAP! The church collected 113 cans of soup to donate to CCAP, a charity that helps feed members of our…
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The Christ Reformed UCC Consistory voted during a special session on Jan. 15 to elect Bob Gough as treasurer and Mark Eisinger as financial secretary. The vote was taken after…
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Christ Reformed Church United Church of Christ of Martinsburg will hear a guest sermon delivered by Rev. Sheresa Simpson-Rice on Sunday, March 6, at 11 a.m. Rev. Simpson-Rice serves as…
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Sunday, Nov. 28, marks the first Sunday of Advent. For every Sunday of Advent, we will have our “Light One Candle” ceremony to benefit CCAP. As the pastor lights the…
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The church recognized six members on Sunday, Nov. 21, for being members of the church for 50 or 75 years. The honorees included: 75 Years: Sue HenryBill Taylor 50 Years:…
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Pastor Tom Hartshorn was honored on Oct. 17 for his 30 years of ministry at Christ Reformed United Church of Christ. Consistory President Sylvia Kesecker presented Tom with a plaque,…
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On Oct. 5, we lost John Davis. He was a good friend to many of us, a dedicated member of the congregation and our current financial secretary. We will miss…
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On Aug. 8, we lost a beloved and treasured church member with the passing of Mary Davis. Mary was a wife, mother, teacher, volunteer and friend to many. She served…
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Christ Reformed United Church of Christ awarded the first of three scholarships for 2021 to James Rinker, a student at Shepherd University. Pastor Tom Hartshorn awarded the scholarship during the…
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The church will be holding its annual Cereal for CCAP food drive during the month of August. As we do every year, we’re asking congregation members to bring in boxes…
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A piano/organ patriotic mini-recital will be given at Christ Reformed United Church of Christ after the regular worship service on July 4. The recital will feature performances by Director of…
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During its May meeting, the Consistory voted to open the church on Sunday, June 6, for regular weekly services, with restrictions in place. Previously, the Consistory had voted to have…
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The Gospel reading for this Eastertide sermon is the book of John, chapter 17, beginning with the 6th verse, in which Jesus prays for his disciples and followers. Building on…
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Mary Beth Myers, administrative assistant of Veterans Student Programming at Shepherd University, was given the first-ever Equity, and Inclusivity Award by the school for her commitment to inclusivity, social justice…
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James Rinker was inducted into Shepherd University’s Delta Psi chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education, on April 16. Membership is by invitation only and is…
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This Sunday’s sermon begins with a reading from the Gospel of John, chapter 15, in which Jesus says he is the vine and God is the vine dresser. We must…
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In today’s sermon, Pastor Tom Hartshorn discusses the importance of the church. He talks of how the Scriptures tell us that the aim of the church is to establish a…
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On Sunday, April 11, the Consistory met and had a long discussion about the safety and other issues surrounding reopening the church. It was decided by unanimous vote to begin…
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Christ is risen! This Easter sermon begins with a reading of the resurrection story from the book of Mark, chapter 16. The tomb is empty and Christ has risen, Pastor…
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This sermon for the 5th Sunday of Lent begins with a reading from John 12:20, in which Jesus compares himself to a seed that falls to the ground and appears…
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The sermon for the third Sunday of Lent centers on the story from the book of John, chapter 4, which tells of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well.…
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On this first Sunday of Lent, we enter a time of introspection as we approach Easter. Today’s scripture is from the book of Luke, chapter 4, which tells of Jesus…
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The regular Thursday night community dinner for Feb. 18 has been cancelled due to inclement weather. Stay home and stay safe!
Soup-er Bowl Commissioner James Rinker reports that the Kansas City Chiefs have won the church’s annual Soup-er Bowl competition, netting 139 cans of soups to the Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s 46…
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Today’s Bible verse, Isaiah 40:20, centers on something we don’t all have, but we sorely need: patience. In today’s sermon, Pastor Tom Hartshorn notes that while it is hard to…
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This weeks sermon is centered on the story of Jesus’ first recorded miracle from the book of John. When there was not enough wine at the wedding feast Jesus was…
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The annual Soup-er Bowl is returning to Christ Reformed United Church of Christ despite the church’s closure amid this pandemic. Here’s how it works: congregation members donate cans of soup…
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Normally in January, the church makes it Annual Report available in print form to the congregation, and it is approved in a meeting by voice vote. The pandemic has closed…
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The new year brings a new Consistory. The group met for the first time on Sunday, Jan. 10 in the sanctuary. As you can see from this photo, masks and…
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Today’s sermon marks the first Sunday in Epiphany. Pastor Tom Hartshorn reads from the 43rd chapter of the book of Isaiah and talks about baptism, which is one of the…
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Reading the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, Pastor Tom Hartshorn tells us that Christmas is a “Christ event.” These events are still happening today — in…
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The last candle of Advent is the Christ candle. Watch the video below as Pastor Tom Hartshorn lights the candle and talks about its meaning. Next, Sylvia Kesecker reads a…
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In this short video, Pastor Tom Hartshorn talks about the traditions behind the church’s Chrismon Tree. Click on the arrow in the image below to watch, then go to the…
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Today’s scripture reading is from the book of Isaiah, 12:2. The passage is one of thanksgiving to God, and Pastor Tom Hartshorn reminds us there is joy in gratitude. In…
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On this second Sunday of Advent, join Pastor Tom Hartshorn as he lights the Advent candle signifying peace. Click on the arrow in the image below to watch the candle…
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Our church tradition is to sing the song “Light One Candle” each Sunday during the Advent season while presenting either non-perishable foods or monetary gifts for CCAP. Although we can’t…
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Emily Dickinson called it “the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.” Today’s sermon, like the first candle of the Advent season, is about hope. Reading from the book…
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In today’s sermon, Pastor Tom Hartshorn reviews the Beatitudes, given during the Sermon on the Mount. Although no one wants to be meek or poor in spirit or persecuted, these…
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In Luke 17:5, the apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith, and he replies that all they need is faith the size of a grain of mustard seed. In today’s…
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There is a lot of talk about the economy these days, but the one that matters to people of faith is Christ’s economy — which is an economy of generosity.…
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Pandemic, protests, wildfires, hurricanes … as we hunker down in our homes waiting for all of the bad things to be over, it’s easy to feel hopeless. In today’s mini-sermon,…
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The church has been putting out the call for people to join us as “pew sitters,” and you may be wondering what that is. Good question! When we started taping…
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“That they may all be one.” It is the motto of the United Church of Christ, and it is Jesus’ wish for us as He left the world. In this…
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We can’t worship together yet, but we can be together in spirit. In this mini-sermon, Pastor Tom Hartshorn talks about how we can benefit our neighbors and ourselves by speaking…
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We can’t worship together yet, but we can be together in spirit. In this mini-sermon, Pastor Tom Hartshorn talks about the importance of hope during these trying times. Click on…
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Recently, I finished reading the book of Revelation. That’s no easy feat, and I will not pretend that I understood a lot of it. I recall a sermon in the…
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Our church remains closed, but we can all be together in spirit. In this mini-sermon, Pastor Tom Hartshorn talks about how we can be the church out in our daily…
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I don’t put much stock in the meaning of dreams, but last night I had a very vivid one I feel compelled to share. My dream was an algorithm. I…
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We can’t worship together just yet, but we can bring the Sunday service into your homes virtually. Enjoy this short sermon put together by Pastor Tom Hartshorn.
This coming Sunday, the Consistory is going to talk again about whether to reopen the church. I will be honest — I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I miss…
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Maybe I shouldn’t be writing this. Maybe I shouldn’t be giving an opinion about the violent deaths of black men and women at the hands of police. I’m not black.…
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Here’s a trivia question: What game show did Johnny Carson host before taking on “The Tonight Show”? It was a very popular show called “Who Do You Trust?” which ran…
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We live in dangerous times and not just from the risk of becoming ill, but also from the feelings we may be harboring about our neighbors locally, nationally and globally.…
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Paul reminds us in Corinthians that in Christ, no life is lived in vain. There should be comfort in that message regardless of our age or how fairly life has…
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Once upon a time there was a prophet in the Hebrew court named Hananiah. He was very well liked and enjoyed the riches of his position. Hananiah was well-known for…
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Christ Reformed United Church of Christ Consistory President Harvey Reisenweber has announced that, in order to adhere to federal guidelines about social gatherings, church services and other church meetings and…
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For many people, the main symbol of Christianity is the cross. We see crosses everywhere, even worn as jewelry by people who have never been in a church. However, the…
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When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-9), the people laid palm branches in his path shouting “Hosanna!” I learned just this past year from our Pastor, Tom Hartshorn, that…
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As I write this, the world looks very different than it did a week ago, when I was gathering information for a totally different blog post. Coronavirus has come to…
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West Virginia’s first case of coronavirus has been identified in the Eastern Panhandle. In order to follow medical and governmental regulations restricting gatherings for public safety, Christ Reformed United Church…
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Black History Month is coming to a close, and writers much more knowledgeable than me have written countless articles about the black leaders who have shaped our nation, with Dr.…
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