Leadership Connexion FALL 2023

PennDel Ministry Network | Fall 2023
SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2023
BONGIORNO CONFERENCE CENTER

Join us this year at THRIVE for RECALIBRATE23.
We are looking forward to a great week together as we learn,
collaborate, pray and seek God for a fresh vision for our churches
and ministries. We invite pastors, ministers and their teams to gather
together for a couple of days of revisioning what adjustments,
additions and ministry strategies can take your church to new levels
of effectively reaching and discipling your community. The speakers,
workshops and times of fellowship will be outstanding.
~ Pastor Don
Pennsylvania-Delaware Ministry Network
4651 Westport Drive
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Read online: penndel.org/connexion
Editor: . . . . . . . . . . Donald J. Immel
Managing Editor: . . . . . Carole Bongiorno
Volume 69 Number 3–(USPS 165-700) is the official periodical published quarterly
by the Pennsylvania-Delaware District Council of the Assemblies of God. Periodical
postage paid at Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Circulation Stands at Approximately
5,000. POSTMASTER, Send address changes to: Pennsylvania-Delaware District
Council, 4651 Westport Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-4887
Executive Presbytery
Superintendent . . . . . . . . Donald J. Immel
Assistant Superintendent . . . Steven DeFrain
Secretary/Treasurer . . . . . . Jeff Marshall
Timothy Bunney Southwest Suburban–SWS
Mark Caston East Central–EC
Ryan Coon At-Large Under 40
Jeff Dyer Delaware–DEL
James Goodman North Central West–NCW
Wayne Jackson Southwest Metro–SWM
Brad Leach Greater Philadelphia Area–GPA
Dwan Newsome South Central–SC
Kwaku Owusu-Boachie At-Large Ethnic
James Pentz North Central–NC
Randall Rhoads South Central East–SCE
Lisa Rodriguez At-Large Female
Wayne Schaffer South Central West–SCW
Allan Thorpe Northwest–NW
David Twiss Northeast–NE
General Presbyters
Donald J. Immel
Jeff Marshall
Jason Lamer
Honorary General Presbyter
Philip Bongiorno
PennDel Superintendent Emeritus

RECALIBRATED!
Every church in every generation in every cultural context will need to be recalibrated or revitalized.
History demonstrates this obvious though overlooked reality. Great churches of the past look
nothing like they were in their zenith.
• Charles H. Spurgeon was the pastor of a mega church in the mid to late1800s. His church (New Park
Street Chapel) boasted a membership in excess of 5,300. By 1970, the membership could fill a few pews.
• Dr. Robert Schuller pastored the Crystal Cathedral in Garden City, California. The church and ministry was
drawing more than 10,000 worshipers weekly during the 1980s. In 2010, the dwindling church filed for
bankruptcy and the cathedral was sold to the Diocese of Orange County.
• Aimee Semple McPhearson built the first mega-church in the United States in 1923. Thousands were
saved, baptized and healed. The 5,300 seat auditorium was filled, and over 10,000 attended weekly.
According to records, over 40 million people visited the church in it’s first seven years. By the year 2000,
the flagship worship facility of the Four-Square Church was averaging under 500.*
Churches grow, then churches plateau, then churches decline. Why? Well, there are a lot of reasons. Here are several
key reasons why every church will need to recalibrate:
1. PASTORAL CHANGE
We cannot ignore the impact that pastoral leadership
has on the health and sustainability of a church. When a
pastor feels that their time of ministry is over, the process
of church-change begins.
2. CONGREGATIONAL CHANGE
People are on the move. At one time people were
tethered to their place of birth. Going to college and
finding a good job have provided the impetus for people
to move away from home and church. Additionally,
congregational culture and worship style also provide
reasons for people to migrate to another congregation.
3. SOCIETAL CHANGE
In the external culture of society, interests and activities
have provided a plethora of options for going to church
on Sunday. Besides going to work, we now have so
many options for filling our calendars that there is
literally more to do than time to do it. If the church
doesn’t provide a compelling, heart-felt reason to be
there, people will naturally gravitate to going places and
doing things that “scratch their itch!” People want fun,
fulfillment, enjoyment and a break from the daily grind. A
church that is boring or filled with conflict will not provide
a compelling reason to get up early and give up the
enjoyment of _________ (fill in the blank)!
NETWORK SUPERINTENDENT | Donald J. Immel | 717.795.5921 | don@penndel.org
Recalibrating our churches and ministries is vital to sustaining them into the future. It doesn’t mean that we give up our
biblical values or our essential faith. It simply means that we speak the never-changing gospel in a language and style
that resonates with an ever-changing context. The God who said “I change not” (Mal 3:6) is the same God
who said “Behold, I will do a new thing” (Isa 43:19). The concept of recalibration is demonstrated by
Jesus in “but I say to you” statements. Without forfeiting the old, He introduced the new. May the Holy Spirit inspire and
guide us to make needed adjustments in delivering the gospel to our communities with messages and methods that
relate well to our day and generation. (EXAMPLE: see Acts 17:16-33)
*In 2002, the Four-Square Church and The AG formed a partnership releasing Matthew and Tommy Barnett to revitalize
this church. Angelus Temple, in concert with LA Dream Center, now ministers to tens of thousands weekly. Recalibrated!
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023 3

ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT | Steve DeFrain | 484.686.4843 | sdefrain@penndel.org
MAKING
RECALIBRATION
POSSIBLE
Let’s start with the definition of recalibrate – to reexamine (one’s thinking, a plan, a system of
value, etc.) and correct it according to a new understanding or purpose.
I can tell you that we had to reexamine our thinking, plans and systems many times in thirty-eight
years at Morning Star. God often surprises us with a new understanding, strategy and purpose. So
how do we make recalibration possible in our church or ministry?
ASK GOD
WHAT’S NEXT?
I’m thankful for conferences,
seminars, breakout sessions and peer
conversations. But they don’t always
bring us what we need. We need our
time with God. God said to Jeremiah,
“Have any of these prophets been
in the Lord’s presence to hear what
he is really saying? Has even one
of them cared enough to listen?”
(Jeremiah 23:18/NLT)
At Morning Star, we had a space created
for moms to nurse their babies on
Sunday mornings. It had leather couches
and rocking chairs. It was a nice room.
During the week, it became my space to
get into God’s presence and hear what
He had to say. Unlike the prophets in
Jeremiah’s day - I cared enough to listen.
I know I need to hear his voice above
every other. I can’t afford to waste much
time doing just good ideas. I want my
life to count, so I spend the most time
getting God’s thoughts that will bring a
new understanding and purpose.
CREATE A CULTURE
OF CHANGE
We had a pretty healthy culture of change
at Morning Star. There weren’t very many
things that were held on for too long. One
of the last significant events we started
at Morning Star was the Tim Tebow –
Night to Shine. Which was a prom night
experience for people with special needs
ages fourteen and older. It was a huge
success. We had over 300 volunteers
and over 200 guests by the second year.
It was a blast for everyone!
But, I drove Liz crazy because I kept
asking her, “How many more Nights to
Shine do we need to do? We did it! It
was wonderful for everyone. I’m ready to
move on.”
I remember saying to Jesus, “Jesus,
I love you, but I hate Christmas.” We
were doing so many activities during
December, and I was exhausted.
I remember the day I gathered the
team and said we are not leaving this
room until we have killed three events.
We killed the Christmas Musical, the
Christmas Dinner and the New Year’s Eve
Celebration. It was one of the best days
of my life.
TAKE ACTION
Once you know it’s God, take action. I’ve
said, “Nothing much will happen until
you get out of the boat.” Many people
stopped at this point because they
became paralyzed by fear. They let the
“what if” overtake them. What if people
get mad? What if people leave? What if
people hate it?
A few people said the following
Christmas, “I miss the Christmas
Musical.” “My first connection to the
church was at the Christmas Dinner.” By
the second year, everyone moved on and
was good.
I love Jesus, and I love Christmas!
Make sure you join us this fall
at THRIVE as we continue the
Recalibration conversation.
4
Earn a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership
Church Revitalization from University of Valley Forge.
Experienced faculty includes Dr. Don Immel, our Network Superintendent.
30% discount available for PennDel credential holders • Penndel.org/UVF

WITH THE LORD:
JOSEPH VITELLO, 91, passed away on January
24. He is survived by his wife, Barbara. Together
they served in PennDel as Evangelists to many of
our churches. They were also PennDel missionaries
serving throughout the region of Europe with AGWM.
PARK W. BENNER, 90, passed away on
January 31. He was preceded in death by his wife,
Florence. Together they were lead pastors at the
following PennDel churches: Ickesburg, Marietta,
Conshohocken, Beaver Falls, Latrobe, Moosic
and Wellsboro. Park was also the head cook at
our District Kids Kamps in Cherry Tree, PA (Living
Waters Campground).
JAY MILES, 69, passed away on April 1. He is
survived by his wife, Victoria. Together they were
lead pastors at the following PennDel Churches:
Carbondale and Green Lane. They were also on
staff as Children’s Pastors at Pennsburg.
ROGER J. RAKON, 93, passed away on April 7.
He is survived by his faithful wife, Sara, with whom
he has shared his life and ministry these past sixtyfive
years. Together, Roger and Sara pastored the
following churches in PennDel: Kane, Bradenville
and Valley Grove, WV. Roger was the oldest Lead
Pastor in PennDel, serving at Valley Grove for fiftyseven
years.
GLEN A. YUNGHANS, 62, passed away on April
13. He is survived by his wife, Sharon. Their ministry
in PennDel was as Lead Pastor in Aliquippa and
Staff Pastor in Philadelphia, Dover, DE, Wyoming,
DE and Mt. Morris.
MAXINE W. LOCKETT, 92, passed away
on June 4. She was preceded in death by her
husband, Lee. Together, they pastored the following
PennDel churches prior to their retirement in 1990:
Altoona, Carbondale, Philipsburg, Norristown,
Northern Cambria, Wrightsville and Bausman.
CHARLES CEDENO, 72, passed away on June
6. He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy.
Together, they pastored in Pottstown for over thirty
years.
ROBERT S. HARRIS, 91, passed away on June
7. He was preceded in death by his wife, Vivian.
Together, they pastored the following PennDel
churches: Lansdale, Altoona and Shrewsbury.
He was a Board Member of H.I.S. Fund (Heritage
Investment Services) for over forty years.
THANK YOU for each generous donation given to the PennDel
Ministry Network. These donations provide the help needed
with our ministries and in sharing the love of Jesus throughout
Pennsylvania and Delaware! Our MyPennDel online giving option is
the simplest and easiest way to donate to our PennDel sponsored
ministries: my.penndel.org.
Effective September 1, 2023, our office will no longer
automatically send out monthly statements to our churches,
ministers and contributors. All monthly statements will be
sent to the email address we have on file, unless you notify
our office that you prefer the hardcopy with return envelope:
rhonda@penndel.org or 717.795.5921 ext. 219
We will continue to provide bi-annual statements in the
following months:
• Mid-January: all individual contributors will receive their
total giving receipts for the previous year.
• Mid-July: All PennDel Credential holders will receive a
statement for their tithe/credential fees (Jan-June).
We are pleased to welcome Rev. Ben Grenier
as our new Dean of the PennDel School
of Ministry (PDSOM). Pastor Ben has been
ordained since 2016 and is currently the Lead
Pastor of REAL Church in Brookhaven, PA. We
are excited for the vision God has given Pastor
Ben for the direction of PDSOM and ask for
your continued prayers and support to help
this ministry grow!
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: penndelsom.org
OR CONTACT:
Barb Jacobs:
Email: bjacobs@penndelsom.org
Phone: 724-689-3929
Abigail Redding:
Email: abigail.redding@penndelsom.org
Phone: 717-795-5921 ext. 229
SAVE THE DATE!
THE CALL: A Retreat for Discerning
the Call of God on your life. Who can
attend? The Call is for anyone who feels
called to ministry or is seeking clarity on
their life’s purpose. This retreat will provide
you with valuable insights and guidance.
We are thrilled to
announce that
PDSOM will be
launching an exciting
new initiative –
Satellite Campuses!
Please visit
penndelsom.org
for details.
December 1 & 2, 2023 • Bongiorno Conference Center
For more information: penndelsom.org
SECRETARY/TREASURER | Jeff Marshall | 717.795.5921 | jeff@penndel.org
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023 5

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | DR. TROY JONES
DR. TROY JONES is the Lead Pastor
of New Life Church in the Seattle area.
Troy launched Recalibrate as a way to help
churches and their pastors energize their
ministries by rediscovering the vision in their
hearts. He is the author of “Recalibrate Your
Church: How Your Church Can Reach Its Full
Kingdom Impact” and “Ignite Your Church:
How to Be an Architect, Not an Arsonist.”
THREE
RECALIBRATION
QUESTIONS
YOUR CURRENT
REALITIES, VISION
AND VEHICLE
Where are you?
The facts are your friends. You need to
know your current realities. In his book,
“Mission Creep,” Larry Osborne describes
the overriding first step for a church to get
back on mission. It requires the critical
examination of where you are as a church.
“If no one realizes that we’ve drifted,” he
writes, “everyone thinks we’re on target.”
RECALIBRA
THE ONE TRANSFERABLE PR
After analyzing New Life Church’s growth, spending five y
churches of all sizes, styles, structures and philosophical
formulated one core transferable principle about churche
YOU EITHER CREATE A CULTURE OF CON
OR YOUR CHURCH WILL SLOWLY AND ST
In other words, you either recalibrate, or your church will eventually stagnate.
This single transferable principle explains why so many churches have
stopped growing.
Many churches haven’t restarted, rebooted, or relaunched anything new for
years, even decades. If you don’t intentionally recalibrate your church, then
you are choosing to sit idle, lethargically watching while your church eventually
drifts into an ingrown, irrelevant, comatose state.
So what does it mean to recalibrate your church? To calibrate means “to plan
or devise (something) carefully so as to have a precise use, application, appeal,
etc.” When things are not calibrated, they work inefficiently, burn through
resources, and eventually break down. Churches require precision and care in
order to stay on course and avoid mission drift. Established churches need to
recalibrate so they can function precisely and effectively in their communities
and appeal to the authentic needs of a changing culture, thus fulfilling the great
mission of Christ.
All churches, organizations, and leaders need to recalibrate. It is not a matter
of if you need to recalibrate, but when you will need to recalibrate.
6
Where are you going?
What vision is God birthing in your heart?
Where do you see your church nine months
from now? In the next twelve to eighteen
months? Five years? What is burning deep
down inside you?
How will you get there?
The vehicle to recalibrate your church is a
Relaunch Initiative. A Relaunch Initiative is
a time-bound, well-defined, mission-critical
endeavor that serves to recalibrate your
church. When you hit the tarmac, you need
to date it, define it and do it.
Jones, Troy. Recalibrate Your Church: How
Your Church Can Reach Its Full Kingdom
Impact.
It doesn’t matter if your church is:
• Missional or attractional
• Big or small
• Urban, suburban or rural
• Loud, with contemporary worship, or softer, with liturgical worship
Regardless of your style, shape, size, experience, history, staff, or
congregational affiliation, one thing is true about your church: if you don’t
recalibrate, your congregation will slowly and steadily drift off its mission and
die a slow death.
This should surprise none of us, because everything in this
world needs to be periodically recalibrated. Think about it:
• Your body shuts down every night and wakes up every morning.
• When your computer gets slow, the experts tell you to reboot it—shut it
down and restart it.
• When your Wi-Fi stops working, you call your Internet provider, who tells
you to reset your modem.
• When the scale gives you an unfavorable number, you kick it, hoping to
get a new number more to your liking.

TE OR STAGNATE
INCIPLE
ears on doctoral work, working with established
approaches and coaching many leaders, I have
s and organizations of all sizes and styles:
TINUOUS RECALIBRATION,
EADILY DRIFT OFF MISSION. PERIOD!
Recalibrating is something more than a practice, an event, or a moment. It is
a perspective and a way of viewing your entire ministry and organization. It
becomes a cultural norm, a way to approach every aspect of leadership and
church life.
The theory of the bell curve states that every organization will hit its peak,
at which time it must either reinvent itself or go backward. Every successful
leader knows this intuitively. So you often see signs that say, “Grand Opening,”
or “Under New Management.” It’s why Apple always seems to be releasing
new versions of its iPhone or iPad. When you infuse a culture of recalibration
into your church, you make sure that your church will never hit the peak of
the bell curve and then begin to drift inexorably downward. This one practice
allows you to get ahead of the bell curve.
How Often Do I Need to
Recalibrate? Church leaders tend to want to find the latest silver bullet or hit
program they need to grow their churches. We all want to add the latest piece
of software . . . but few of us want to update the church’s cultural operating
systems. This comes to the forefront in one of the first questions leaders often
ask me: “How often do I need to recalibrate?” While nothing is wrong with this
question, let me assure you, it’s not that easy!
The real challenge is to create a culture of recalibration. You must create
a culture of recalibration that becomes an integral part of the life and
bloodstream of your church, a culture where change becomes normal and
not a process that puts the church into a tailspin. To recalibrate effectively, you
have to infuse new principles into your congregation and build new leadership
muscles in your own life.
When leaders ask how often they need to recalibrate, it
reveals that they tend to create events and programs,
rather than creating a culture that transforms every
spectrum and facet of the organization. The real goal,
therefore, is to create a culture of recalibration, not
merely a series of cosmetic changes. The goal is to
create a new cultural norm, not a pile of hype that
will get you some quick results but more than likely
frustrate a lot of people.
THE EARLY
CHURCH
RECALIBRATED
ACTS 2. The Holy Spirit recalibrated the
people of God and empowered them
to take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria and the uttermost parts of the
earth.
ACTS 6. God recalibrated the early
church leadership. As the church
grew, no longer could the ministry be
contained to the twelve apostles. So they
recalibrated and empowered others in the
church to do ministry - and so the church
grew again.
ACTS 10. Peter himself faced a
recalibration of huge significance. This
is perhaps the most radical recalibration
in Scripture: God speaks to Peter and
shows him that the ethnic and cultural
barriers to faith have been cast down.
Gentiles now have unhindered access to
the grace of God.
ACTS 11 AND 13. The church
recalibrated because of the martyrdom of
Stephen and the persecution of the early
church. The church scattered throughout
the region, a few of them taking the
gospel to the Gentiles in Antioch. At
Antioch, the name of the movement
got recalibrated to “Christians.” New
leadership emerged, especially through
Barnabas and Saul. The church at
Antioch sent out the church’s first
missionaries to the entire Roman Empire.
ACTS 15. The church experienced a
theological recalibration. At the Jerusalem
Council, Peter and James recalibrated
what was required for salvation in
relationship with Jewish customs and the
role of grace in the life of all believers.
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023 7

THE POWER OF
CHURCH RECALIBRATION | Jason Tourville | 717.795.5921 | jason@penndel.org
PASTOR PHIL & CAROL MENDITTO
Mother Church
• Philadelphia Christian Center
• Bensalem, PA
Recalibration Project
• Northeast Assembly
• Northeast Philadelphia, PA
Pastor Phil and Carol Menditto, pastor
the Philadelphia Christian Center (PCC)
in Bensalem, PA, a church they planted in
1981. Today, this multicultural, Pentecostal
church is one of the strongest in our
Network. Pastor Phil’s journey began
many years ago in Northeast Assembly
of God as a young boy. Now, PCC
has come alongside Northeast AG to
revitalize them in their hour of need.
How two churches have com
As ministers, each of us preach, teach, and lead our ministries toward
need for connection, we teach on the “one-another” passages yet, tru
of God churches has weakened us. In our “busyness,” we have forgo
In this article, Pastors Phil Menditto and T.J. Harris share how their c
entered into partnership with another church for the sole purpose of b
Share some of the history between you and the church you are revitalizing.
PM: Around 1956-57, my parents and my uncle started Northeast Assembly with just
their families. The Eastern District of the Assemblies of God gave my father over $7,000
to purchase a little wooden church heated with only a stove in the center of the floor.
I was saved as boy,
baptized in water, and
Phil
was discipled very well in
that little church. In time,
Pastor David Dippold
became the pastor,
and I was raised under
his leadership into my
teenage years.
TJ: While I have only been here about 4 years, our churches have decades of history.
In 2005, New City Church (NCC) planted our church with Steve Trader and a team sent
by the church. They made a great investment by sending people and resources. Our
church would not be here today without NCC. To this day, we have leaders and staff
that have come through that process.
How did you learn about the condition of the church and describe the state
of the congregation and facilities in the beginning? When did all of this begin?
PM: In September of 2021, we became the parent church for Northeast Assembly. The
congregation had gone through a lot of struggles, many people left the church, and
attendance was down to around 10 people on Sunday morning. The church building
needed a lot of repairs and updates. It still had the original pews that were installed
when I was eight years old.
TJ: Soon after I was elected, I came into relationship with their pastor and truly
enjoyed some great fellowship. He led the church through revitalization, but COVID
truly overwhelmed this community and critically hurt the church. At the height of the
pandemic, the church was running around 20 people. Revitalizing a church once is
difficult; having to do it a second time is a very tall task. We were already assisting the
church when the pastor transitioned out and we knew we wanted to assist this church
at another level.
8
Describe the partnership that’s developed with the leaders in the church.
PM: In the beginning, there were small changes that had to be made to the existing
board. We met together with them often and made decisions to establish a positive
direction for the church. I assured them that our only desire was to see the church
restored to a healthy place and that we would never take anything from them. We

PARTNERSHIP
e full circle to recalibrate.
the Biblical concept around the Body of Christ. We reference the
th be told, our isolation and independence from other Assemblies
tten how to truly be together…in fellowship with one another.
hurches have captured this concept of together. Each church
eing a blessing and advancing the Kingdom.
invested our time, money, and resources to help. Staff from our church would preach the
morning services on a weekly rotation. I told them that when they reached 60 in morning
attendance, we could then consider finding them a permanent pastor.
TJ: We started with vision, helping the leaders look forward, not backward. It was very
important for us to work with those that God had placed in that church and not do
everything for them. I met extensively with their leadership team, helping them to develop
effective methods of communication. In addition, many of our people provided support
on their worship team and in children’s ministry to strengthen the Sunday morning
worship experience. We have invested in their facility by patching the roof, refinishing the
parking lot, and building up the hospitality center. Our biggest commitment has been
sending Pastor Trish Gunn to be their full-time pastor.
In the last 2 years, what have you seen as the results of these ministry efforts?
PM: Sunday morning attendance has reached as high as 72 with an average of 42.
Thursday night Bible study averages around 25. When we came alongside Northeast
Assembly, they had $70,000 dollars in their account. After a lot of volunteer help, we were
able to repair the parsonage and sell it, leaving the church with $275,000 in their account.
PASTOR TJ & ROBIN HARRIS
Mother Church
• Trinity Community Church
• Hockessin, DE
Recalibration Project
• New City Church
• Wilmington, DE
• Pastor Trish & Derrick Gunn
Pastor TJ and Robin Harris were elected as
the lead pastors Trinity Community Church in
Hockessin, DE in 2019. Trinity was planted in
2005 by New City Church, a legacy church in
our network, located in Wilmington, DE. Pastor
TJ has not only led his church toward health
and vitality but has also cast the vision to his
leaders to invest in another congregation…the
“mother” church which planted them.
TJ: This year we have seen the congregation grow from approximately 20 to over 70
people. On Easter Sunday, there were nearly 100 in attendance. Next steps include
developing some of the support systems to assure good financial practices in building
ministry teams to support the work.
What’s your hope and prayer for this church, its people, and the community?
PM: My prayer is the same prayer my parents had when they planted this church almost
70 years ago: to see the Northeast region of Philadelphia impacted by the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, seeing many souls saved through the efforts of Northeast Assembly. My
prayer is to also see the right pastor placed in leadership very soon.
TJ: I truly believe that this legacy church has the capacity to thrive once again with a
dynamic presence in their community and in the region. It’s an honor for us to be a part
of the journey. We have stumbled upon a potential model that others could adopt and
adapt to help vulnerable churches reach their full kingdom potential. I pray that more
pastors will catch this vision and build relationships with other pastors, supporting and
strengthening their churches.
When we are open to building God’s Kingdom beyond the four walls of
our own church, God begins to open doors of blessing for others and
ourselves. May you prayerfully consider how you might link arms with
others and witness what only God can do when we come together as
Kingdom partners.
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023 9

WORLD MISSIONS | Jeff Marshall | 717.795.5921 | jeff@penndel.org
RECALIBRATE YOUR
WORLD MISSIONS PROGRAM
Take YOUR CHURCH to the next level with World Missions at THRIVE!
September 27, 2023 • 11 am • Bongiorno Center
Recalibrating Topics to be Covered:
How to identify missions-minded people in your congregation • 3 types of missions trips
Creating excitement throughout the Church • Budgeting for all sizes • RESOURCES WILL BE AVAILABLE
Bring Your Team!
2 year Project Goal: $500,000
Thank you for your contributions
as of 6.30.2023: $21,051.00
TO PAY BY CHECK
PennDel Ministry Network
Missionary Housing Project
4651 Westport Drive
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
TO PAY ONLINE
Please Scan this QR Code
penndel.org/worldmissionsproject
MISSIONARY COMMISSIONING
Daniel and Sara Bicker
AGWM Missionary Renewal/World Missions Connect • Springfield, MO
They will serve as fully appointed PennDel missionaries to Asia Pacific
(Cambodia). The Bricker’s have a heart to reach the never reached in
Cambodia through developing relationships and planting churches where they
have never existed. AGWM #2881464 • brickers.agwm@gmail.com
Honoring Dr. JoAnn Butrin
50 years of serving as an Assemblies of God World Missionary
Dr. Butrin began her missionary career in 1972 in the country now known as Democratic Republic
of the Congo working with mobile clinics, rural hospitals, and community health projects. She then
joined HealthCare Ministries, (now CompassionLink) and became the Director in 1996. She has
served her missionary colleagues, AGWM leadership and our AG Fellowship with great distinction
and excellence.
10
Dr. JoAnn was inspired as a five year old little girl when her family hosted Lillian Trasher (a pioneer
AG missionary to Egypt and founder of the Lillian Trasher Orphanage) in their home. That visit
sparked a passion for missions in her heart that never wavered. We are profoundly grateful for
her contributions through AGWM around the world. Although she retired from her full-time role as
Director of AGWM International Ministries and a member of AGWM’s Executive Committee, she
will continue to work with CompassionLink. Her account will remain open to receive offerings at her AGWM Account AG236842. You
will find additional information on her website that includes: her bio, blog and three books she authored. Dr. JoAnn will continue to be a
speaker, author, mentor and global worker during her retirement years ahead. For more information visit: joannbutrin.com

RECALIBRATING
CHURCH PLANTING
I often hear leaders state we are putting too much attention into church planting and we need to invest
in church recalibration. I do not believe that this is an either/or approach but rather a both/and. Church
recalibration is vital and so is church planting. Without planting, there would be no churches to revitalize.
Let me go one step further. I believe that, as a Network, we need to recalibrate church planting. Troy Jones
says that all organizations need to have a cultural, holistic recalibration every three to five years. That includes
our church planting movement! Here are four critical questions for this next season:
WHY DO WE PLANT CHURCHES?
We plant churches because… we want to be true to the
Biblical mandate to reach the lost.
We plant churches because… effective new churches are
great at reaching new generations, new residents and new
people groups.
We plant churches because… effective new churches are
great at reaching the dechurched and the unchurched.
HOW ARE WE DOING AT PLANTING?
Although we say we believe in church planting, the reality has
been looking different. In the Northeast Region, we can see
the decline due to Covid and prior to that the closure of a
large parent church network. Here is the current trend of the
combined geographical districts:
OPENED CLOSED NET
2022 17 32 -15
2021 19 31 -12
2020 14 36 -22
2019 27 28 -1
2018 31 43 -12
2017 30 41 -11
TOTAL 138 211 -73
WHAT IS AT THE HEART OF CHURCH PLANTING?
The number that is the most startling to me is this one:
56,317,844. This is the population of the Northeast Region of
the United States. My heart is broken when I think of the millions
of people who are lost in the Northeast mission field.
Our efforts have not risen to the need. We have tried, but we
are being called to pray so that God can do what we are not
capable of in our own efforts. We are dependent on the Lord for
this. Please join me in praying that the Lord of the Harvest will
call and raise up Church Planters.
Jesus said, “When he saw the crowds, he had
compassion on them, because they were harassed
and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Then
he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but
the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:36-38
WHO WILL STAND IN THE GAP?
Many times, we want to give out of our abundance. Since we
may not be at our pre-pandemic numbers, we respond that
this is not the right timing. Jesus said in John 4:35, “Do you
not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes
the harvest?’ Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes
and look at the fields, for they are already white for
harvest!”
CHURCH PLANTING | TOM REES | 717.795.5921 | tom@penndel.org
Is there a community you know of that needs a healthy,
spirit-filled church? If so, I invite you to come to Launch as
our guest, with your staff, and begin praying and planning
about planting a church in that community.
Register at:
churchmultiplication.net/launch
11

SUMMIT23
SAY YES TO HIS CALL
May 1-3, 2023
Christian Life Church • Bensalem, PA
Ordination Celebration May 3, 2023
Congratulations
to our Jubilarians
William D. & Cinda Kauffman
John A. & Kathe Holt
Thomas A. & Lois Gilman
Jack L. & Audee Belin
50 YEARS ORDAINED
Not pictured:
Edward J. Carocci
Kenneth C. Damstrom
Marjorie M. Holland
12

Congratulations to the Ordination Class of 2023
Thomas & Amanda Alderson
Anthony & Jamie Andreola
Joshua & Jessica Baldwin
Hannah Bard
Rodney & Cynthia Bard
Dustin & Bridgette Boden
Daniel & Sara Bricker
Barry & Sophia Brown
Anthony & Elisha Cruz
Joseph & Alyse Gonyea
Randall & Ashley Harding
Adam Hochendoner
Robert & Rita Leinheiser
Timothy & Kimberly Munley
Sharon Poole
Harry & Stephanie Randolph
Raymond & Heather Seidel
Andrew & Angela Vancott
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023 13

MINISTER CARE | PAUL LYNN
COMPREHENSIVE
RECALIBRATION
Having spent the last sixteen plus years as an Active Duty,
U.S. Army Chaplain, I became intimately familiar with the
program, “Comprehensive Soldier Fitness.” It could read like
the Royal Ranger Four Gold Points: boys grow mentally, physically,
spiritually and socially (Luke 2:52). On one hand, the Army takes
fitness seriously, especially physical fitness. On the other, it can be
more aspirational, especially on the topic of spiritual.
When I think about Comprehensive Recalibration, what comes
to mind is Jesus’ Great Commandment to us: “Love the Lord
your God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength and
your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:28-31). There is a spiritual
comprehensive fitness to Jesus’ Great Commandment to us. How
do you measure up?
This can be an uncomfortable question if we know we’re deficient
in a particular area. We can live under a message of condemnation
that prevents us from overcoming. The beauty of the Gospel is that
it completes the Law. There is always Law, and there should always
be Gospel. This way, we never live under condemnation for not
measuring up. Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always.
During my Retirement Physical last year, I had a Complete Blood
Count (CBC). Afterward, I received an email from my doctor: “Major
Lynn, you are anemic.” The CBC measures red and white blood
cells, platelets, hemoglobin, hematocrit, etc. That could explain why
I sometimes felt sluggish. Once I can identify where to put a medical
intervention, I get healthier.
Opportunities at
THRIVE
RECALIBRATE YOUR SOUL
As we look forward to THRIVE, the Minister Care
Department will be hosting a Breakout Panel
called Recalibrate Your Soul. Our panel will be
hosted by your Minister Care Pastors. The topic
discussed will center around best practices to
recalibrate your soul and ministry resiliency.
PREPARE/ENRICH FACILITATOR
TRAINING
PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator training is being
offered prior to the official start of THRIVE.
The training will be held at the Bongiorno
Conference Center on Monday, September
25, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The cost is
$190.00 for per person. Register for the Prepare/
Enrich Facilitator Training as an add-on with
your THRIVE registration: penndel.brushfire.
thrive23. The deadline to register for this training
is September 15. For more information about
PREPARE/ENRICH visit prepare-enrich.com.
We can’t do this alone. We need feedback from others, like I
needed feedback from the doctor. It’s not self-serving to love your
neighbor as yourself. Cultivating neighborliness in a circle of trust
with valued spiritual friends or a mentor can give us the feedback
that we need.
To comprehensively recalibrate the whole person, we need to
reconsider renewal of the mind (Rom. 12:2). We need to recalibrate
the body as the temple of the Lord (1 Cor. 6:19). Refresh your
spirit (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Finally, we need to examine the potential to
reorganize social boundaries. I love Paul’s line, “Luke alone is
with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very
useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11)
PATHFINDER RESILIENCY TRAINING
Pathfinder Resiliency Training (PRT) is a U.S.
Army Chaplain Corps “Best Practice” spiritual
resiliency program created by Paul Lynn. It is a
comprehensive (Luke 2:52) spiritual resiliency
tool that is designed to help you “find your
best path.” It is also an innovative coaching
model that you can use with others. For more
information about Pathfinder use for yourself
or for your staff’s ministry resiliency, contact
paul@penndel.org.
14

RECALIBRATE WITH BONGIORNO
We are often consumed with the busyness of life and sometimes forget about taking care of the
things that matter most ... that would be us! Bongiorno offers great ways to hit the pause button by
being a valuable resource for you and your church leadership to recalibrate.
I want to suggest a few examples of retreat types that we would love to help you host:
STAFF PRAYER RETREAT
Bring your team to BCC and create
moments for deep connection with our
Savior. You can build times of teaching
and practical guidance on how to pray,
then give them time to pray and draw
closer to God.
Organize some prayer stations in your
meeting rooms with the specific needs
of the people in your church. Allow your
team to meditate on God’s Word, then
enter into a time of prayer for each need.
Set up a prayer wall where they can
each post their requests and/or recently
answered prayers. Allow collaboration
and talk about the needs of others as
well as provide time for staff to pray with
and for each other. I dare you to see what
happens!
LEADERSHIP DEEP DIVE
MISSIONS RETREAT
Develop your missions team by hosting a
missions retreat. Have a night of themed
food from a certain region (BCC would
love to help with this.) Invite a missionary
to come and speak. They are usually
thrilled to come at very little cost to your
church.
Have a Zoom call with a panel of
missionaries from around the world. Allow
your group to ask them questions and
give practical ways on how to increase
your missions budget.
Have another pastor that has recently
increased their missions budget share
their strategy and vision with your team.
Encourage moments of creativity to
allow your team to think outside the box
on ways to increase your budget for
missions.
Play some fun team building games, have
a board game night, play laser or archery
tag.
Have some individuals ready to share
how they have grown in their specific
ministries and how they have recruited
others onto their teams.
SERVICE RETREAT
Bring a team that could do a few service
projects around the BCC campus. Meet
in the evenings to strategize how to
reach your city by coordinating cleanup
projects, food/water distribution, develop
an emergency response strategy for your
city in case of an unforeseen catastrophic
event, and train your volunteers to be
aware of your city’s needs.
BONGIORNO CONFERENCE CENTER | Carl Redding | 717.243.7381 | credding@bccretreats.com
Purchase a book and gather together to
read excerpts of the book together, then
break into small groups for discussion.
Use this one book to lead in the specific
theme for an entire weekend. This
could be absolutely transformational in
someone’s leadership life. Allow time for
your leadership to share their experience
in business and church leadership with
those that might not have the same
opportunities.
TEAM BUILDING RETREAT
Host a retreat where your only purpose
is to bring unity and fun. Have your team
go on a nature scavenger hunt. Look for
things around the BCC campus that they
can find (i.e. specific plant/animal).
Plan some free care events: auto repairs
for widows/single moms, food items to
needy families or yard cleanup for areas
around your church that need attention.
Contact Bongiorno to see how we
can meet the individual needs of
your church. Every year we offer
deep discounts to our PennDel
churches to make these types of
retreats a reality. We look forward
to hearing from you soon.
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023 15

MEN'S MINISTRY | TOM REES | 717.795.5921 | tom@penndel.org
The world wants to redefine manhood and rebrand the term masculinity. Many men are conflicted between
who they are internally and how they behave externally. Should a man indulge or ignore his instincts? Will
those instincts lead him to destruction or salvation?
In Chase Replogle’s book, The 5 Masculine Instincts, he highlights five men of the Bible who wrestled with
their own instincts, but who, despite their flaws, God used as examples of His work:
• SARCASM/CAIN: His sarcasm to
God’s question regarding Abel revealed
his lack of humility and a desire to
deceive God. God’s rejection of Cain’s
sacrifice gave Cain the opportunity to
understand God better and his own
vulnerability to sin. God was asking for
Cain’s attention, obedience and humility.
• ADVENTURE/SAMSON: A wandering
adventurer whose hair was a symbol of
his commitment to God. His self-desires
and physical strength led to self-betrayal
and rebellion to God. Adventure isn’t
sinful, but when it lacks discernment
and costs our commitment, it can lead
us to betrayal and destruction.
• AMBITION/MOSES: Moses’ life
ambition was exemplified in his
conviction, determination, and
motivation. His anger toward the
Israelites led him to disobey God and
cost his dream to enter the promised
land. Ambition can create unbelief,
expectations and demands in our
relationship with God.
• REPUTATION/DAVID: David was a
king who struggled with hiding his
integrity and protecting his reputation.
He was consumed with lust, jealousy,
pride and murder, but his repentance
and servanthood made him a man after
God’s heart. True integrity demands
honesty even when we are wrong.
• APATHY/ABRAHAM: Abraham’s
greatest test of faith came when he
had to choose between apathy or
obedience. His willingness to sacrifice
his son, who was part of God’s promise,
demonstrated his submission to God.
The greatest evidence of our faith is
found when we move from apathy to
sacrifice.
Chase writes, “The Bible is full of men
just like you, confused and struggling
to figure out their own instincts. Their
full stories are filled with fear, insecurity,
anger, misdirection, disappointments,
and devastating sins. Moses was
constantly afraid and frustrated. David
was prone to malicious cover-ups.
Abraham lost his patience and splintered
the family tree into generations of
hostility. The Bible, as it turns out,
tells the story of humans, not heroes.
Complicated and compromised humans.
Our goal is not just to be men, but to be
men becoming more like Christ. He is
our aim. If there is a hero in this story, it
is Him alone.”
Visit www.the5masculineinstincts.com for:
• Info on the book and small group study guide
• Free video sessions to watch with your men’s group
• Free masculine instincts profile quiz
• Link to schedule a Zoom with Chase to join your men’s group
16

AROUND THE NETWORK
Pastor Installation
Pastor Suresh & Sita Tamang
Harrisburg First Nepali Church of the AG
Harrisburg, PA
Pastor Installation
Pastor Jaymes & Lucy Chase
Hollentown AG
Fallentimber, PA
Pastor Installation
Pastor Michael & Mary Cogley
Glad Tidings Assembly of God
McClellandtown, PA
Pastor Installation
Pastor Doug & Kelly Black
McKees Rocks AG, PA
New Horizons Retreat
Hosted by Cindy McKinley, MTC Director
Our first MTC (More Than Conquerors) retreat at BCC
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023 17

YOUTH DIRECTOR | Joe Cali | 717.649.6788 | joe@penndel.org
penndelyouth
CAMP 2023
We had 1,500 campers this year
between our 3, sold out CAMPS!!
Not only was CAMP crazy, highenergy,
activity-packed & so fun,
but each day we MET WITH GOD
& He Worked Miracles!!!
“Now all glory to God, who is
able, through his mighty power
at work within us, to accomplish
infinitely more than we might
ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20
Each CAMP really was the
#BWOTY (Best Week Of The Year)!
CHECK OUT THESE STATS
RECORDED FROM STUDENTS:
SALVATIONS = 154
REDEDICATIONS = 582
BAPTISMS IN HOLY SPIRIT = 296
PHYSICAL HEALINGS = 151
RECEIVED DIRECTION FROM
GOD = 479
CALLED TO VOCATIONAL
MINISTRY = 158
May penndelyouth continue
to be Gospel-Centered, Spirit-
Empowered, & Unashamed to
live surrendered to Jesus!!!
THANK YOU to the
phenomenal teams who
worked together to make
CAMP possible.
We you !!!
TURN OFF CRUISE CONTROL
When I was seventeen years old I got my license. I couldn’t wait to drive my car. I grew up
in New York and I was always intrigued at how some drivers would weave in and out of
traffic. I thought it was so cool. Then, there were these HOV lanes that were dedicated to
those who had more than two people in the car. They were added to help keep the traffic moving.
I couldn’t wait to give people rides to be able to drive in the HOV lane. Once you begin driving in
the HOV lane you are more likely to access your car’s cruise control and begin cruising down the
highway. Let me tell you, turning on cruise control is a beautiful thing. It’s so great to set the speed of
the car, relax your driving foot and let the car do what its programmed to do. I love using the cruise
control until a driver in front of me decides to drive slower than I wish to. Then, I have to take off the
cruise control and begin driving like normal.
I believe there are moments in youth ministry where we can tend to be on cruise control. You are
juggling so many tasks and the ministry you are leading seems to be cruising. It’s a great time to ask
yourself some questions and evaluate the success of the ministry. Some important questions that we
may ask ourselves:
• Things are going well, we are cruising, but are we bearing the fruit God intends us to bear?
• Are we keeping our students engaged with the mission of God?
• Are we seeing new people come to the Lord?
If the answers are “No” its time to take your ministry off cruise control and begin shifting speeds.
Too often, leaders become offended or annoyed turning off the cruise control, because it can really
take a toll on one’s pride. You can easily get caught in a game of allowing your pride to stand in the
way of the next increase God has planned for your ministry. It might be time for a change. You may
not be doing anything wrong or bad, but there’s a growth happening. God is trying to help take you
to the next level., and that is okay.
John 15:7-8 “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit,
showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
God desires for you to bear much fruit. My prayer is for you to bear as much fruit as you possibly can.
God will receive the glory and the students in your community will be forever changed.
We are looking forward to THRIVE in September as we come together to RECALIBRATE our
ministries. I encourage you to be a part of our Next Level Breakout “Recalibrate Youth Ministries”
at THRIVE. We are believing God to continue expanding each youth ministry and bear the fruit God
intends each group to bear.
Take a moment and turn off the cruise control. Evaluate the youth ministry you
are leading. Ask yourself:
• Are we bearing the fruit God intends us to bear?
• Are we keeping our students engaged with the mission of God?
18

LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023

CHILDREN AND DISCIPLESHIP | Jeremiah Gruber | 717.795.5921 | jeremiah@penndel.org
20
“ALMOST EVERYTHING WILL WORK AGAIN IF YOU
UNPLUG IT FOR A FEW MINUTES, INCLUDING YOU.”
—ANNE LAMOTT
As a computer needs rebooted from time to time, you also need
a way to recalibrate so your connection with God, yourself, and
others remains clear. The same is true for the way your church
serves kids and families.
If you desire lifelong discipleship to be the result of your KidMin,
taking time to recalibrate toward this end is vital. It is biblical and
beneficial to renew, reboot and recalibrate, to make certain we
are aligning with God’s purposes (Romans 12:1-2).
Here are questions to ask yourself and evaluate if your children’s
ministry might need a reboot and recalibration:
• Is the disciple-making mission of your church and children’s
ministry clear?
• Are you 100% certain a foundation for lifelong discipleship
is being laid?
• How strong is the bridge between church and home in your
ministry?
• Have you established a core leadership team to multiply
your KidMin impact?
• Are the pastors and leaders advocating for intergenerational
disciple making?
• How well are kids and families knowing God’s Word and
applying it to their lives?
• Is relational discipleship valued more highly than keeping
programs running?
Do you need to RECALIBRATE?
Enacting the following steps on a regular basis will help
you reconnect with what matters most in ministry – disciple
making. Your kids, families and leaders deserve and desire true
discipleship.
1: Rise Above Status Quo
It’s easy to get accustomed to what’s familiar – for better or
worse. When you started out serving kids and families, you
probably dreamed of making an eternal difference in their lives.
You prayed, prepared, planned and put programming in place
for this to happen. But, over time, you’ve found your heart
disconnected from what matters most because your hands
are so busy keeping the ministry running. You hope it’s moving
forward, but when you lay your head down at night, you’re not
completely sure.
You’re not alone. Awana surveyed 1,000 children’s ministry
leaders across the U.S. and discovered a common issue: there’s
a discipleship disconnect in today’s KidMin. If you are willing
to face the facts about your work with kids and families, you
can recalibrate your approach in a way that will result in lifelong
discipleship.
2: Relate Intentionally
Who was the most spiritually influential person in your life? That
person’s face is probably at the forefront of your mind and his or
her name is probably on the tip of your tongue. If you’ve never
taken time to thank them, I encourage you to contact them and
let them know how much you appreciate the way God used
them in your discipleship journey.
Just as God used someone to impact you, relationships are the
most promising way children will come face to face with Christ in
your ministry. The Bible is also a key factor, but how does God’s
Word come to life most relevantly for people? It’s through life-tolife
relationship. We watch other people to see how they make
sense of truth and apply it. The leaders in your ministry need
you to be intentional about your interactions with them. This will
spill over into the way they influence the kids and families in their
care. Try this: spend time in the back of every room where KidMin
happens in your church. Watch for how strong or weak heartto-heart
connections are. Then, recalibrate. Take the necessary
steps to increase relational intentionality so that kids and families
will be impacted more deeply.
3: Realign Your KidMin for a New Trajectory
Now it’s time to do the hard strategic work. Make sure the
heart of your children’s ministry is aligned with the heart of Christ
and His church. That means if the heart of your church and
your children’s ministry isn’t in alignment, then some significant
discussions need to happen at a leadership level. You want to
be certain that making disciples is what matters most across
the board. You’re not responsible for all the areas of ministry, but
you are called to press toward unity. KidMin has the potential to
influence everyone toward disciple making that lasts.
Christ-centered discipleship is central to your own life and
leadership, and you can naturally steer others in this direction.
The more Christ is at the center, the more likely people will
become His fully devoted followers. Recalibration doesn’t always
mean pulling the plug to reboot, but that might be required if
disciple making is an afterthought in your ministry philosophy and
programming. True discipleship is relational. Do whatever you can
do to strengthen relational connections with God and others.
During the THRIVE Conference, we will host a
breakout focused on: RECALIBRATING YOUR
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY. We invite you to join us as
our panel of presenters will give practical insight on
how to reboot your children’s ministry, no matter the
size of your church! Until then if our KidMin team can
help your church recalibrate your children’s ministry
please contact us at: Jeremiah@penndel.org.

THE NEW ROYAL RANGERS
The Best Boys Mentoring Program for Your Church
This is the best discipleship or mentoring program for the boys in your
church and helps men develop their leadership skills, challenging them
to be better godly leaders. Royal Rangers incorporates friendship,
activities, identity, achievement, discipleship, leadership and service to help
boys on their path to Christlike manhood.
EXPANDED
As the interests of boys changed and expanded, so has the Ranger
curriculum and activities - adding many new opportunities and adventures
for boys found in sports, computers, aviation, leadership, academics, home
repair, energy, plant science, international service - just to name a few.
CUSTOMIZABLE
Today, churches can customize the Royal Ranger program to fit their needs.
They may wish to teach the materials and not track merits. They may wish
to take part in sectional or district events, or not. Although Outposts still can
have uniforms, they can also customize them - perhaps a T-shirt with their
church and outpost printed on it and jeans or shorts. This can save a lot of
cost. Of course, they can get the full utility uniform if they wish. Recognizing
that not all boys (and leaders) like camping, there are more and more activities
to accommodate those not wishing to camp.
RELATIONAL
In the past, the Royal Rangers had more of a military structure with leaders
referred to as commanders. Now leaders are generally referred to as
coordinators or group leaders. The goal is to develop boys into godly leaders
so the adult men mentor boys and help facilitate, while having the boys do as
much of the program as possible. The Royal Ranger method of teaching is
Hear, See, Do, Teach – helping the boys to retain what they are learning.
CONNECTED
Royal Rangers has excellent training for leaders, both online and taught in the
classroom. There are sectional, as well as district wide events, that leaders
can take boys to, where they will not only have fun, but also be challenged in
their walk with the Lord. Even churches without Royal Rangers can bring their
boys.
FUN
PennDel is blessed with a Royal Ranger camp in Honey Grove, PA. New
features are being added all the time. There is a climbing wall, zip line, large
water slide, creek to swim in, shooting range, archery, paint ball, children’s
playground and much more. A shower house is also under construction.
LIFE CHANGING
At the District PowWow, many boys came forward to follow Jesus and seek
the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Eighteen boys were water baptized this year.
Subscribe to the PennDel District Royal Rangers YouTube Channel to check
out PowWow videos and testimonies from some of the Royal Rangers.
ROYAL RANGERS | Steve Steffel | 302.379.1580 | rrdirector@penndel.org | pdrangers.org | Facebook: PennDel District Royal Rangers
If you are interested in a starting a Royal Rangers program, we are here
to help! Feel free to contact me at rrdirector@penndel.org.
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023 21

PENNDEL WOMEN | Liz DeFrain | 484.686.4554 | liz@penndelwomen.org | penndelwomen.org
RECALIBRATING
MINISTRY TO WOMEN
What exactly is ministry to women? Possibly you think “committee meetings, Ladies’ Teas, Bible studies,
Large Events, or even Quilting.” As I have led PennDel Women, I have found that ministry to women is as diverse as
our PennDel churches are. Some of our churches have a dynamic, life-giving ministry to women; some are stuck in
the memory of what it used to be and don’t know how to move forward. It may be time to RECALIBRATE!
Here’s the definition of RECALIBRATE from Websters: to calibrate (something) again. … these systems
gradually drift off course so that the navigator periodically needs a fresh point of reference to recalibrate the navigation
system.
This fall, at THRIVE23 Minister’s Retreat, PennDel Women will provide a next level leadership breakout to assist you
in recalibrating your ministry to women. Our breakout will be interactive and inspire you to consider the importance
of creating a sisterhood that reaches all generations and aspects of your church life. Lindsey Parks from Trafford
recently sent me this note after I sent her a text to encourage her on a women’s event she led at her church. This
was the first event in many years for this church. Her response back to me was,
“Morning Liz! Thank you so much. Our first event went SO well, with thirty-three ladies attending! Our sisterhood is
an umbrella for everything women at CLC—small groups, retreats, worship/word nights and connection events. This
is so exciting as we see women step up and be equipped for everything God has called them to be…for such a time
as this! Thrilled to be a part of all God is doing in our community! Your support means everything to me and CLC!
Praise God!”
I love these words, “Our sisterhood is an umbrella for everything women at CLC.” I totally believe
this. Join me at THRIVE23 for Recalibrate Your Ministry to Women!
22

RECALIBRATE THROUGH
THE GENERATIONS
As I searched for the meaning of “recalibrate”, I found this:
calibrate (something) again or differently. “The sensors had
to be recalibrated.” Sounds about right. But why would
something need to be recalibrated?
A while ago, I was in Romania on a missions trip. A friend
at home agreed to get my mail, take out my trash and
check on my house every few days. Everything went as
planned….until someone bumped the sensors on my
garage opener. She had opened the garage but could no
longer close the door! While she was in a panic trying to
figure out if she had broken my new garage door, it was a
very simple fix. She just needed to take the time and energy
to recalibrate and adjust the sensors.
In our fast-paced, race-to-get-it-done culture, we don’t
like to recalibrate. We would prefer to throw it away and
replace it with something newer and better. Get it as fast as
Amazon Prime can get it to us.
Taking the time and effort to recalibrate helps us to
repurpose the older to find worth in the already used. At my
age (I am a Baby Boomer), quite often I feel old and already
used. Maybe there is little worth in my efforts. But I thank
God that He takes the time to recalibrate me. He shows me
new ways to do what is needed.
There is tremendous wisdom and experience in each of
us. I look to the younger generations to gain knowledge for
this culture. I look to the older generation to gain wisdom to
navigate change. In a recent series at our Church, we heard
about the value of each generation. There is good and
usable stuff that all generations have. If I will just step back
and be willing to listen, see and take hold of what God has
for the situation.
Joel 2:28-29 NLT “Then, after doing all those things,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.”
Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will
dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In
those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men
and women alike.”
GIRLS MINISTRIES | Sharon Poole | gmdirector@penndel.org | penndel.org/girls
2023 Women in Ministry Retreat
ROBIN IMMEL
WOMEN IN MINISTRY
COORDINATOR
For more info: robin@penndel.org
LEADERSHIPconnexion | Fall 2023
23

Pennsylvania-Delaware Ministry Network
4651 Westport Drive
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
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