Octorara !
Inside /townlively
NOVEMBER 4, 2020
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXX • NO 38
Church Welcomes New Pastor BY FRANCINE FULTON
Jim Weagley, a first-time author, recently announced the release of his new book, “Bet on the Turtle (My Long, Slow Journey of Faith).”
Local Author Shares His Faith Journey In New Book “My goal was to share my faith and help others with theirs,” stated Jim Weagley when explaining why he decided to write his newly released book, “Bet on the Turtle (My Long, Slow Journey of Faith).” “I really believe that at some point everyone wrestles with faith. Everyone - just by our nature - wants answers about why we are here, what we do with the time we have and what comes after this.” Weagley, a resident of Atglen and a first-time author, describes the book as a memoir and statement of faith. “I was raised in a devout Catholic family and was blessed to experience a wonderful childhood. Sadly, when I was 14, my father suffered a brain aneurysm, resulting in a disability,” he said. “We were angry at God and could not understand how He could have let this happen to our family. Unfortunately, we turned away from our faith and the church community. With the help of friends, the benefit of numerous trials and tribulations and the grace of God, I managed to rediscover my faith.”
Weagley, whose background is in sports medicine, said he never expected to write a book but felt compelled to do so after retirement. “When I retired, I knew I had more time; I prayed and it came back loud and clear that is what I need to be doing,” said Weagley. “(Until recently), I thought reading and writing were a necessary evil. I now enjoy reading, and writing was very therapeutic, and I was very happy I did it, but it was nothing I planned to do.” In the first part of the book, Weagley talks about his childhood memories in a Christian school and his church experiences, as well as his father’s injury and its impact on the family. In the second part of the book, “Reason to Believe,” Weagley, who describes himself as a very cynical person, shares scientific, historical and biblical evidence to support his belief in God. “Obviously, the first part of the book is my story that I wanted to share, so it wasn’t difficult to do,” he noted. “The other part is where I took a step back and thought about what were the most compelling reasons for someone to believe and what worked for me. I thought I
needed to be thorough and objective. I read a lot of books and referenced the Bible and spoke to a lot of people.” “I think the second part is as interesting as the first, even more so. It is more practical, and I keep a conversational approach to it,” he said, adding, “The chapters are not long, so it’s an easy read.” Weagley, who attends Mission Church in Lancaster, started writing the book in December 2018 and finished it in May 2019. His book was published after several rejections. “I (found) someone willing to take a chance on a first-time author. I feel very fortunate,” he shared. For more information about Weagley and the book, readers may visit www.faithnwellness.com. A portion of the proceeds from book sales will benefit the Parkesburg POINT youth center, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Compassion International and the Mennonite Central Committee Disaster Relief Fund. Those struggling with faith issues also invited to email Weagley with their questions at faithnwellness@comcast.net.
See New Pastor pg 8
Eric Dorville (right), shown with his wife, Maddie, is the new senior pastor at Penningtonville Presbyterian Church in Atglen.
A Conversation With Tim Tebow BY FRANCINE FULTON
Even though The Parkesburg POINT’S virtual silent auction fundraiser is over, people can still make a donation and enjoy watching executive director Dwayne Walton’s Zoom conversation with sports celebrity Tim Tebow. Tebow, a Heisman Trophy winner and former National Football League player, was the featured speaker at The POINT’s fall fundraiser in October 2019.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE BUSINESS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . .2 REMEMBERING PAULINE H. ENGLE, CO-FOUNDER OF EPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 GET AWAY TO JIM THORPE . . . . . . . . . .4 COMMUNITY CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . .4 HOUSE OF WORSHIP . . . . . . . . . .6 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . .10
See Tim Tebow pg 5
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BY FRANCINE FULTON
Penningtonville Presbyterian Church in Atglen recently welcomed Eric Dorville as its new senior pastor. This is his first time as a senior pastor after serving as associate pastor for the past five years. “I started feeling God’s call to move on from where I was. I was ready to become a senior pastor,” he stated. “After lots of prayer and figuring out where God was leading us, I applied for the job in January.” Dorville took part in an interview process that was both virtual and in-person, and he preached to the congregation during a candidating weekend. Dorville was installed as pastor on Sept. 28, after which he and his wife, Maddie, a teacher, and their children, Andrew and Eleanor, relocated to East Brandywine Township.
“I had been at large churches that were busy and chaotic. This felt like a really good fit for me,” he said, noting that he was impressed with the church’s interest in serving the community. “The church has a desire to be in the community and to see it and love it well. It’s one thing to go to church, but if you are not living out your faith in the community, you are not reaching your potential as a disciple of Christ.”
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