Windows
Volume 17, Issue 9
November 9, 2014
Into Zion
Z i o n M e n n o n i t e C h u r c h , B r o a d w a y, Vi r g i n i a
Eva Sonifrank Glanzer
--Eva Glanzer
I was the second of four daughters born to Harold and Geneva Siever
Miller in Linville, Virginia. My sisters and I liked to sit on the stair
steps and sing songs and say the memory verses we learned in Sunday
School class. Years later, Elsie Martin taught us to sing in four-part
harmony. We sang at many churches on Sunday evenings.
I accepted Jesus as my Savior at a revival
meeting at age 12 and was baptized at Zion. Bible
reading and prayer helped me grow my faith in God.
When I was a teenager, I taught Summer Bible
School classes and a Sunday School class with ten
children at Criders Schoolhouse on the mountain
beyond Bergton, Virginia. These responsibilities
caused me to trust more in God for wisdom and
help.
I attended Orebaugh School west of Timberville for first grade. From
second grade through two years of high school I was at Broadway. I
had the privilege of attending my last two years of high school at
Eastern Mennonite School and graduated in 1953.
At a church youth retreat, I met a young man who brought his sisters
along. I noticed how kind he talked to his sisters. I had met and talked
with them at various church meetings before. Nolan Sonifrank and I
met and introduced ourselves when we played the game, “Walk a
Mile”. Some weeks later, he came to my home and asked me to go with
him to a tent revival meeting. We were married December 8, 1955 at
Zion Church. Since my husband was a member at Bethel Mennonite
Church, we attended church there. Our family included one daughter
and four sons. We learned to enjoy ballgames, picnicking and fishing.
When the children were 7-17 years old, Nolan died suddenly after
coaching a Little League ballgame. I was a widow at age 39. Three
years after Nolan’s death, I got a part-time job at Christian Light
Publications where I was a proofreader and later typed Sunday School
papers and quarterlies. I kept this job for 22 years.
In 1989, I was involved in a car accident and couldn’t drive my car
until it was repaired. I went with my sisters to Zion Mennonite Church
where I met Paul Glanzer. We visited in each other’s homes and found
we had a lot of the same interests—especially music and traveling. We
For each new morning
! with its light,
For rest and shelter
! of the night,
For health and food,
! for love and friends,
For everything
! Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Congratulations to…
…Everette and Julie
Hottinger on the birth of
their first grandchild. Ella
Good was born on
October 26 to Allison and
Tim Good.
Thanksgiving is a
time when the world
gets to see just how
blessed and how
workable the Christian
system is. The
emphasis is not on
giving or buying,
but on being
thankful and
expressing that
appreciation to God
and to one another.
--John Clayton
Page 2
Windows Into Zion
Eva, con’t
were married July 14, 1990 at Bethel Church. Paul had been a farmer, minister, and a workshop director for the
handicapped. After our marriage, I was privileged to see the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, traveled into Mexico
and Canada and visited many national parks. We had 20 wonderful years together before God called Paul to his
heavenly home four years ago.
I enjoy volunteering at Gift & Thrift, doing jigsaw and Sudoku puzzles. The Sonifrank and Glanzer children,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren provide memories to treasure.
Girls’ Club
--Monica Compagnari and Gen Moyer Groff
Boys’ Club
--Diann Beach
From left to right: Norah Brubaker, Mattea Nofziger, Kate Piper, Emily
Compagnari, Marin Sikes, Emma Swartz, and Sadie Groff
Evan Bert, Simon Beach, Jonathan Piper, Lucas Swartz, Nolan Beach, Davis Bert,
Zach Halteman
The Girls' Club met on October 19th after the
fellowship meal. We sat on blankets on the lawn in
front of the church in the leaves and sun.
Sarah Piper led us in a sweet and meaningful
discussion on prayer. She shared some of her own
experiences with prayer, read several scriptures to the
girls about prayer and encouraged the girls to develop
regular prayer habits. She gave each girl (and leader!)
a personalized 3x5 index card flip book to use as a
prayer journal. Pre-written inside were sections on
praising God, giving Him thanks, prayers for family,
friends, themselves, school and our church.
The girls were given time to write in each section,
naming persons or situations they wanted to remember
to pray for or about. We broke into small groups and
prayed for each other and talked about the ways we
will use our new prayer journal. Thank you to Sarah
for leading us in such a special time!
The Boys’ Club had a great hike a couple Sundays ago
to the fire tower out on top of the mountain on 33West.
Steve Halteman was the leader of the group which
included: Zach Halteman, Nolan Beach, Lucas
Swartz, Davis Bert, Jonathan Piper, Evan Bert,
Simon Beach, Jeremy Beach, Mike Piper, and Diann
Beach.
It was a beautiful clear, sunny day and the scenery
around us was very nice-although the peak leaf time
had passed. We passed some groups of people coming
down the trail as we were going up, one being our own
Emily Myers and her boyfriend. Once we got to the
fire tower we were able to see in all directions. It was
also quite windy, but felt pretty good after hiking uphill
the last little bit. Being that they were boys ranging in
age from 6-11, they were soon done looking at scenery
and wanted to leave.
Steve mentioned this was not how Tony
Brenneman does hikes, he likes to hang out and look
around for a while! In all it was a good time had by all.
Page 3
Windows Into Zion
Joy in the Journey
--Kathy Alderfer
Champions of Cross Country
It has been said that, "Champions are made when no one is watching." I think this idea perfectly describes the
development and training of a cross country runner. If you are not familiar with the sport of cross country, it can
seem like one that is not very spectator-friendly. From a glance, it seems that a spectator can easily see the start
and finish line, but not the rest of the race in between those two points. And there is certainly some truth in that
observation. It can be challenging but rewarding to find spots throughout the race where one can observe the
runners.
This fall, Zion had eight youth involved in cross country. Sixth
graders Jessica Showalter and Josiah Ropp, and seventh grader Ben
Alderfer ran for J. Frank Hillyard Middle School. Will Hess, also in
sixth grade, ran for Wilbur Pence Middle School. Simon Beach,
another sixth grader, ran for Thomas Harrison Middle School. These
middle schoolers often ran against each other in the local meets. It was
so much fun to be able to cheer on each one of them! Ellie Pence, a
sophomore at Eastern Mennonite High School, and Isaac Alderfer, a
freshman at Broadway High School, both ran cross country. Jordan
Compagnari, a senior at Eastern Mennonite High School, was a
manager for his school's team.
Isaac Alderfer
As a parent of two cross country runners, I had the opportunity to
attend over 20 meets this fall. I have learned a lot about the sport. For
instance, did you know that cross country runners often wear special
Jessica Showalter
lightweight shoes with metal spikes to help them with traction? Cross country is a sport in
which the athletes run over fields and hills, through woods at times, and sometimes even
cross through small streams. It is both an individual and team sport; runners' individual
times are recorded and teams are placed by a point system. Middle school athletes run a 2
mile race, while high school athletes run 3.2 miles.
Training for this sport can be grueling and intense. The athletes run several miles every
day after school as a way of building their stamina and endurance. In high school, training
often begins in the summer before school starts. Some cross country athletes stay in shape
year-round by participating in indoor track in winter and outdoor track in spring. The
dedication and discipline required for running cross country is at the very heart of the sport.
Ben Alderfer
Sometimes moved to tears, I watched with emotion as the young runners crossed the finish
line with every bit of determination they had left, regardless of whether they came in first or last. Sure, there is
an official winner in each race, but I think the description below of a winner suits all cross country athletes well.
"A winner is someone who sets their goals, commits themselves to those goals and then pursues their goals
with all the ability that is given to them. That requires someone who believes in themselves, who will make self
sacrifices, work hard, and maintain the determination to perform at the best of their ability." -C. Leeman Bennett
This is the first of three-part series about running.
Page 4
Windows Into Zion
2014 Zion Hayride
--Erin Nofziger
The weather on the afternoon of October 26 was sunny and clear in the mid-60’s – just perfect for a fall hayride!
About 60-70 people gathered at Larry and Marilyn Yoder’s farm for an afternoon of fun, food and fellowship.
Most piled onto two large wagons (with real hay bales!) and enjoyed a
slow, bumpy ride through the pasture behind Larry’s John Deere tractor.
Others opted to make the trek to the back of the farm by foot or by car.
Whichever way people chose to go up, the views were breath-taking as
we wound our way through the hills to the clearing where we gathered
to have a picnic.
From one ridge we could even see ZMC and the Daphna
community! At the clearing, all the hay bales were unloaded for seating
and Larry built a fire for roasting hotdogs. All the yummy food people brought was
laid out on the side of the flat wagon and we filed through once the hotdogs were
ready.
Kids’ joyful laughter was everywhere! They enjoyed running around, playing
with balls and hula hoops and climbing on the wagons. Near the end they all had the
opportunity to search the tall grass for some hidden gourds (donated by Season’s
Bounty Farm) to take home. On the way back down the hill we all got to enjoy the
beautiful mountain views again, this time with the warm glow of sunset. Many
thanks to Larry and Marilyn Yoder for hosting this fun event!
Nurses’ Niche
--Judy Nafziger
Living Thoughtfully, Dying Well
My title is from the book that Glen Miller, M.D. recently wrote. I heard him speak last week in a
program sponsored by Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship. Since my parents are aging and it is
starting to sink in that I am aging, I thought it would be a good idea to hear what he had to say.
In his book, he explains how to make death a natural part of life. He says that everyone deserves a good death
and that a good death is more likely with good preparation. According to Miller, we live in a death-denying
culture. Our healthcare is seen as a commodity and our system is organized to make money on healthcare. We
live in the age of technology; over testing and over treatment are routine nowadays with medical advances. Our
longevity is increasing; living with chronic disease can go on and on for many years. These are all challenges to
dying well.
In his book he goes through treatment options so that the reader is informed, “Informed choices make for a
better death.” Some of those treatment options are advanced medical directives, considering a Do Not
Resuscitate order, and various medical interventions. He even provides a checklist at the end of the book to
make sure one is prepared for a “good death.” He integrates spirituality and his own personal stories into the
book.
I recommend this book and you can look for it to appear in our church library in the near future. I also
recommend that you check out his blog: www.livingjoyfullydyingwell.com. May we all be proactive in
preparing for a good death!
Page 5
Windows Into Zion
Let the Children Come!
--Myrna Piper
Zion ‘s Junior Department has grown! Each Sunday many adults are involved in teaching, music, leading
children’s church, and staffing the nursery for 56 children. The current educational wing is filled to capacity.
Junior Department Superintendent, Carrie Bert and the Faith Formation Commission
proposed using the old fellowship hall for gathering and singing. The space would provide
a larger space with access to bathrooms and a kitchen. It also provides a centralized area for
superintendents to supervise.
On June 22, 2014, the congregation voted to renovate the basement fellowship hall. Joel
Lehman managed the project and hired professionals to remove the carpet, asbestos
materials, restroom partitions and toilets. Then it was time for volunteers to take over.
Dwayne Hartman’s expertise guided the painting project. Dwayne ordered the paint and
supplies, and gave directions when to apply the oil and latex paint. Ron Piper filled the
Carrie Bert
nicks and holes in the walls, removed doors, cleared the sewing room, moved tables and chairs, and helped with
coordination of the project.
In addition to the main basement room, paint and carpet were added to the sewing room, the room adjacent to
the MYF room, and the former nursery, The restrooms were updated with new flooring and new paint on the
walls and partitions. Finishing touches include a new countertop in the women’s restroom and new electrical
switches and child proof outlets compliments of Josh Reinford.
During the week of September 22-27, Everence promoted a “Week of Generosity” and offered $50 per
member for volunteers working at least three hours. Thanks to Glenn Nofziger, Audrey Shenk, and Ron Piper,
Zion received $150!
Project Facts:
~20 gallons of paint
~1 ½ quarts spackling compound
~17 volunteers
~280 hours of donated time
Be sure and thank the volunteers: Jeremy, Diann, Simon and Nolan Beach, Carrie
Bert, Tony Brenneman, Eric Brubaker, Mark Gray, Dwayne Hartman, Joel Lehman,
Glenn Nofziger, Mike Piper, Ron Piper, Josh Reinford, Tony Resto, Amy Rush,
Audrey Shenk. The Junior Department will begin using the new space in January.
Dwayne Hartman
Women Doing What?
--Elaine Clymer
If you would be at ZMC at 7:00 on Monday nights as the sun is setting over the mountains, you would see cars
pulling up in the parking lot. Then you would have seen eight women emerging and going into the church.
What were they doing?
Starting on September 22nd through November 17th, these women came to study the Bible, share their lives
and stories about how God has been the guiding force in their everyday living.
I have been leading the series. We have used two books for our inspiration and reflections. The first book is
The Cup of our Life, a guide for spiritual growth by Joyce Rupp, a spiritual “midwife”.
We all took mugs to our meetings so we could learn what the cup might teach us such as the broken cup, the
empty cup, the filled cup and the cluttered cup. Each time we spent time thinking about how God fills our cups
in our everyday lives if we listen to him.
Page 6
Windows Into Zion
Women, con’t
The second half of the evening we spent with another book;
Remember Lot’s Wife and other unnamed women of the Bible by April
Yamasaki, a Mennonite pastor from Canada. Each chapter is a story and
scripture about a woman in the Bible whose name we do not know. Each
meditation challenged us to think about how God reached out to that
woman and blessed her even though we don’t know her name.
We end the evening with sharing concerns and praying together. With
our spirits lifted, we joyfully head back out to our cars and return home
with the thoughts of God swirling around in our heads. Sounds pretty
good, doesn’t’ it?
Picture Time
--Rebekah Brubaker
It is time to update our directory and this year we will be working with
LifeTouch to provide us with a photo directory. This is a great
opportunity to get family photos taken, as well as individual or
generational photos. There is no cost for the photography session and
each member (family unit) who gets their picture taken gets a free 8x10.
You will have an opportunity to buy additional photo packages at the
time of your photography session. Each member will be given a photo
directory following the new year.
LifeTouch will be holding their photo session at Zion in the
fellowship hall on Thursday, November 13, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
Friday, November 14, from 2pm to 9pm and Saturday, November 15,
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you missed the Sundays to register, you can
register on-line at the following website https://www.securedatatrans14.com/ap/zionmennonitechurch/index.php?page=10
If you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact
Rebekah Brubaker at dr_brubaker@msn.com or 540-435-2940.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise;
Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good..."
--Psalm 100:4, 5a
Windows Into Zion is published monthly
Deadline for the next issue December 7, 2014
Editors: Myrna Piper, Sharon Showalter
Layout: Carlene Lantz
Contributors: Kathy Alderfer, Rebekah Brubaker, Elaine Clymer, Monica
Compagnari, Diann Beach, Eva Glanzer, Judy Nafziger, Erin Nofziger
Photo Credits: Diann Beach, Eva Glanzer, Gen Moyer Groff, Erin
Nofziger, Ron Piper, Jen Showalter
Birthdays
November
11
Amy Rush
12
Mark Brenneman
12
Abigail Kauffman
12
Erin Nofziger
14
Cayden Boggs
14
Emily Myers
14
Matthew Stoltzfus
15
Jim Rush
17
Myrna Piper
17
Kaidence Swartzentruber
17
Donnita Williams
18
Bob Buckwalter
18
Robin Fletcher
20
Stuart Shank
22
Allison Fletcher Good
24
Shirley Kuykendall
29
Mark Gray
December
3
Phoebe Brenneman
4
Thatcher Brubaker
5
Nate Yoder
8
Anna Deavers
9
Laura Lehman Ruth
13
Jennifer Leaman Blosser
14
Joslyn Vaccaro
Anniversaries
November
19
Ben & Barbara Risser
64th