So SUSQUEHANNA TIMES—Page 9 i PASE Fae TL Sa a Re 5 Eales <x] SE SRE Fk Soli hockey team. The Rev. Gary Newton of the Congreg Newton spends little time preaching What is the most import- ant function of a Christian minister? A lot of people if asked that question would quickly reply, ‘‘Preaching.”’ But preaching is not the main function of the Rev. Gary C. Newton, Pastor of Youth in Christian Educat- ion at Congregational Bible Church in Marietta. Gary is more likely to playing street hockey or climbing a mountain with a backpack strapped to him, than to be preaching. One of Gary's most important tasks is working with the youth of Marietta who do not go to church. At the Youth Center on Front Street kids play basketball, shoot pool, play ping pong, lift weights, or play table games. One afternoon each week they play street hockey at the Community Center on Market Street, and it is hard to distinguish the youthful pastor with a hockey stick in hand from his energetic and not very pious looking flock. In the summer Gary can be found hiking with a small group of Marietta kids, camping out, sleeping under the stars, cooking meals over an open fire. Or, the minister might be diving with the kids into the Chiques Creek. What does all this athletic activity have to do with the Lord’s work, you might ask. The eventual goal of all the sports is, in Gary's words, ‘‘to lead the kids to Christ.”” First, however, trust and respect must be built between the youth and Gary, or between the youth and the 2S volunteers from the church who make the program possible. Actually, Gary spends most of his time training the volunteers to work with the youth and supervising all the many activities with youth in the church. Each adult volunteer works with only an average of three adolescents or pre-adolescents. To build effective trust and respect between the kids and their leaders the ratio of kids to leaders must be small; otherwise, an individual child would not get suffici- ent attention from his or her leader. Some of the most effective leaders were without any connections with the church when they were youths. Their similar adolescent experiences with the youth contributes to their under- standing of the problems of the youths. The process of bringing the kids to Christ goes in stages. First, says Gary, ‘““We show them that we love them. Next, we show them that God loves them. Finally, we want them to commit themselves to God.” The process takes a very long time. ‘‘It takes two or three years just to build relationships of trust with the kids,”’ Gary says. After -the fun and games every night, there is Bible study, but the Bible study is not compulsory, and some of the kids do not stay for it. Only a few of the 7S kids who participate in the youth activities in Marietta have joined the church since Gary and his wife Cheryl Joy came here in June, 1977. Gary’s other activities at the church, in addition to working with the youth of Marietta, are supervising the Vacation Bible School each summer, and two summer camps, one at Tel-Hai near Honey Brook and the other at Circle T north of Ephrata. He is also responsible for supervising the Sunday School program and a Wednesday night youth program. Ise Gary was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and grew up in London, Ontario, in Canada. He studied at Houghton College, a Christian liberal arts college located south of Buffalo. It was there he met Cheryl Joy Sheperdson, who is now Mrs. Gary Newton. While at Houghton Gary worked for the Salvation Army as a youth and street worker. His senior year in college he was pastor in a small country church. After graduating from Houghton with a bachelor’s degree in Christian educat- ion and psychology, he went to Trinity Evangelical Divin- ity School in Chicago. While a student in the Seminary, he interned at Houghton College, his alma mater, where he taught courses in discipleship training and counselling for Christian growth. During this internship at Houghton, he and Cheryl Joy were married. He was graduated from the seminary in June, 1977, with an M.A., and came that same month to begin his ministry in Marietta. In 1978 he was ordained as a minister. His wife, Cheryl Joy, attended graduate school at Millersville State College after moving to Marietta and received a master’s degree in psychology. She works with Gary in counsel- ling youth. The Newton’s son Joel was born this past July, 1979. Gary's hobbies are skiing, swimming and camping. He also jogs four miles every day. = tl | ug pr, Qo | p— ll = — yr WY {) = — mer i, I Super Buy Jan. 30 — Feb. 2 MEN'S KNIT SPORT SHIRTS 21 REGULAR *4.97 Each Short-sleeved collar styles in polyester/cotton knits. Smart stripes. Sizes S,M,L XL. Sorry, No Rainchecks G.C. Mur | SN \ 12-14 West Main Street: phy Co. Mount Joy, PA vou can pick out atever you want instead of whatever have. Instead of giving you crystal for sav- ing, when what you really want is cookware, we're showing you how much we appreciate your business with green stamps. You can save them up and select from a whole catalog of gift ideas. We think that is a sensible way to ‘‘thank you” for doing business with us. Just come in with your qualifying deposit, collect your stamps, and save them or use them as you wish. Green Stamps for saving! Come get your Green Stamps DEPOSIT | 525.00 | 5100.00 | *250.00 | *5000.00 CENTRAL fo to to and SAVINGS eeount | 99.00 | 249.00 | *4999.00 up FREE 200 1,200 2,000 4,000 S&H S&H S&H S&H NUMBER Green Green Green Green of STAMPS Stamps Stamps Stamps Stamps Offer applies only to savings added to new or present accounts after Feb. 4 thru Feb. 29, 1980. Hours Mon. thru Thurs. 9am to 4 pm, Fri. 9amto 7 pm Phone 426-2520 CENTRAL SAVINGS & LOAN ASSO. Route 441 & Colebrook Road Marietta, PA FSLIC | Fader si Savings b Loan insurance Corp
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers