January & February 2024 | Noecker Newsletter

January Highlights

I always look forward to the Farm Show, specifically the milkshakes, so of course I could not pass up the opportunity to enjoy the best milkshake in PA AND spend time with my cousin Susana. The snowstorm wasn’t going to deter us!
- I was incredibly upset with myself when I realized that I left the plants I had purchased on the shuttle bus back to the parking lot. I had gotten a Venus fly trap, something I’ve been wanting for a while, and a cactus for my nephew Finn’s birthday. However, God totally came through on the cactus. Monday after the Farm Show, I had a ministry meeting where someone gifted me a cactus! God redeemed my scatterbrained cactus mistake and showed up in the sweetest way.
Echo turned one this month! She is just the sweetest little thing, always smiling, and such a happy baby. She LIVES for food. I got to babysit for an evening and I swear most of the time was getting snacks for her and Arya!
- The other Hannah Noecker asked me to make her first birthday cake- a donut-shaped smash cake. It is the first time I have been able to make a Cake Pros-level cake that looks and tastes just as good as theirs!
Danielle and I had an Indian food date, a personal favorite of mine. I don’t know if I’ve said this nearly enough, but I am so incredibly grateful to have Danielle as a best friend, confidant, mentor, all the things. I have been blessed with multiple women in my life who are willing to come alongside me and counsel me. I can only pray that maybe one day I can do the same for someone else, if God allows.
The first heavy snowfall was a cause for celebration at the ministry. Joel Smith announced an afternoon of “frolicking in the snow”, which involved snow tubing for those willing to brave the cold and chocolate chip cookies with homemade hot chocolate for those wimps (me) that wanted to stay warm (me).
I’ve finally decided to take a small, tiny step into breadmaking. I’m calling it my “BreAdventures”. I made one little yeasted loaf from scratch and suddenly I’m Laura Ingalls Wilder and homesteading is my goal. ~Just kidding~ If I had time for that, I totally would, but it’s just not feasible in my current season, which is okay!
I also took my niece Ella to see Wonka for her birthday. Surprise, surprise, I finally gave one of my nieces and nephews a birthday outing on time!

January Ministry Highlights

Here’s something new! I’ve never really talked enough about what I actually do at CMTS, and what the ministry has done in the months I’m writing about, which is technically the goal of these newsletters… Now’s the time to do it!

In January, I started taking on a few more responsibilities in the admin part of the ministry. The idea is that I take as much off of Joel’s plate administratively as possible so that he can focus on things like ministry relations, building new connections, visiting other ministries, etc. I worry it means I will have to take fewer trips away from the ministry, but if it’s what God would have me do, I can live with it.
Equip has been interesting this year. These 4 guys have been a big part of my sanctification process, just like last year’s students were. I’ve been learning the hard way about how to be a better leader, better disciple-maker, and better Christ-follower. It has been hard, but I know that God is refining me to reflect Him.
We have one student signed up for E2, a second year of Equip where they will get more in-depth training in a specific vocation and further Biblical studies. We’re hoping for a second student as God allows, so be praying for them as they seek His direction in their lives!
The Warehouse has been a revolving door of donations; we pray for God to provide them, He does, and we give them out as soon as possible! They generally give 5+ ministries donations each week, which is such a blessing!
Mid-January, Sandra DaMore led a group of 18ish people at a Serve Day, where they sorted clothing for One Luv. This ministry is truly amazing; they first meet the needs of the people in Reading spiritually by having a gospel presentation, then physically by handing out clothes, shoes, food, toys, etc. From what I understand, there have been 15+ confessions of faith in the last 2 months. Praise God! If you’re interested in helping, our next Serve Day is on March 29th!

February Highlights

The first Saturday of February was National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. My mom was all too willing to get everyone whatever they wanted, so it was a family affair and a sugar-fueled day for the Noeckers, Elwoods, & Harts!
I broke down and finally bought a game called The Bible is Funny. It’s like Apples to Apples, but for Bible verses taken way out of context. Jen & Justin Darnell, their older girls Elizabeth and Abby, and I played it and had a lot of fun. Abby is no longer allowed to play because she absolutely dominated the first game. Seriously, she just kept winning!
We had another great snowstorm in mid-February. This time, the power was knocked out for a day. The morning after the power outage, Joel “closed” the ministry for shenanigans and resting. Rather than hole up in my house and furiously crochet around the propane heater, I went over to the Smiths to pester them and played a game with Jett (he really likes the Pirates of the Caribbean version of Battleship). The Darnells wandered across the street to play in the snow. What ensued was an hour of war between 5 Darnells, 5 Smiths, the 4 Equip students, myself, Sandra, and Kai.
- At one point, Aidan, Logan, Caleb, Donny, and Kai thought that they “could totally take down Joel”. Logan jumped the gun, and got pummelled (hilariously). When Joel saw the other four charging, he did the wise thing and dropped to the ground first, taking away their glory and saving himself some pain in the process.
- Unsurprisingly, the teens did NOT attempt to mess with Nolan Lapp in any way. Can’t imagine why…
- Since there was no power and no lunch planned, Joel offered to make grilled cheese, Sandra heated up some soup, and I made snow cream. It’s good to be in Appalachia.
- Leam Nicholaides, a new, well technically former staff member who returned this February (he’ll be our construction coordinator), and Ray Pete were both a huge blessing. They worked to get the generator hooked up to the well pump so that the ministry could have some running water. With 20-25 people running off of one septic/well/water system whatever it’s called, it’s generally not good when there isn’t running water or flushable toilets…
I’m sure many heard about my Dad going into the hospital. He had dangerously low platelets and for almost a month, they weren’t sure what was going on. Luckily my mother persisted until she got an answer from the doctor: aplastic anemia. They had an appointment in Philly, and he will be getting a week of treatment, some prescription medications, and then he should be on his way back to normal!
- Praise God for how He works. I have to admit that this was a scary time for me. I’ve never thought too closely about my parents not always being there, and suddenly I was faced with the knowledge they’re not permanent. I know that God is sovereign and that He was not surprised by this like we were. But it was still nerve-wracking. I’m grateful for the community here and for the people who reached out and were praying. God is good!
One evening, Nolan walked into the office and asked Aidan if he wanted to go to Green Dragon. Naturally, I invited myself and Sandra along. Jenny, Sandra, and I all pestered Nolan into taking us to Kung Fu Tea for bubble tea at the same time. It’s in the same general area, it would be a shame to be so close and not go!
On Leap Day, Danielle, Kylie, and I went to the Bid Board, or as Danielle likes to call it, “Ebay in real life”, to look into options for potentially selling items through them. We then went to the Mustard Seed, Dunkin, and Ollies, a typical outing with Danielle. Kylie has been showing a lot of her personality lately, as well as Jett. They’re both benefitting greatly from their time spent at PGCC’s youth group The Circle!

February Ministry Highlights

Sandra and I worked on cleaning out the freezers for the kitchen/hospitality. It took us 3 or 4 days and was… grueling to say the least. But, she now has a list of everything we have for the kitchen and it has stayed organized! We have a walk-in fridge and freezer that have been waiting to get worked on for many years now. At the CMTS Banquet, a gentleman who works on fridges and freezers attended and said that he would be willing to help us by fixing them. This would be a huge blessing! The walk-ins have been a project in the making for almost 20 years.
I got to volunteer with One Luv again! The Smiths, the students, and I helped on the weekend before Valentine’s Day for their holiday outreach, and it really boosted my spirits to be able to serve a ministry that is doing their best to spread the gospel as much as possible. Tony & Emily are amazing. The ministry they are doing requires a lot of love, grace, and tact, and they have that. They are currently looking for someone to be a Spanish translator for some of their events. If you are fluent in Spanish or know someone who would be willing to serve in this capacity, please reach out and I will ut you in contact with them.
I’ve been slowly, so very slowly, working on redesigning the website. I had a discussion with Wes at a Christ Link meeting and realized that our website is looking like I could definitely do better now that I’ve gotten more experience. Christ Link has been a huge blessing for CMTS. If not for Wes, I would have no idea what I’m doing with the CMTS website.
Because of our partnership with Righteous Rides, our Automotive Shop is now open for repairs. Pastors, ministry leaders, people who are financially struggling, etc. can bring their vehicles to get worked on by Nick VanWert, our trusty mechanic for whom we are very grateful. He and his wife Kelly just had their 4th baby, a little boy named Tate, and I was finally able to get an updated daily photo of them for their prayer card! If you’re interested in learning more about the Auto Shops, feel free to ask me any time or call the office!
Looking at the slideshow for the Banquet and listening to Joel talk about everything we did in 2023 reminded me of just how crazy the year was. The roof project, the septic replacement, 16 vehicle donations, the Loaner Vehicle Program merging with Righteous Rides, 3 shipments, Equip years 1 and 2, Mexico, Kentucky, and there was a lot more!

Where’s God?

Everywhere! But specifically:

He has been growing me and stretching me to my limits. Danielle challenged me in January to list 5 benefits of being single right now. It was difficult because I am very quick to find reasons I hate being single. But her challenge made me realize that I have to start choosing daily to be thankful for where God has me and praise Him even if it hurts. Some lyrics that really hit me hard this month are from Elevation Worship’s song “Praise”. “My praise is a weapon, it’s more than a sound.” This song has given me a perspective of praise being a mind-altering choice. I can choose to be miserable where I am (and I have been for far too long), or I can choose to turn my eyes to Jesus and praise Him for being Who He is. He is what I need, and He is in control.
He’s continued to provide finances every month. I’m learning to trust God with His money. I have heard, seen, and borne witness to God controlling money in such a way that it is so obviously Him (and His). I look forward to Him continuing to do so for the ministry and my coworkers especially. I have been blessed with consistent financial support each month and it can only be because of God. I can’t stress this enough, but I couldn’t do this without your support!
He has protected the ministry. And provided for it, miraculously, too!
He’s blessed me with a supportive family. This includes my biological family, my spiritual family, and my chosen family. Life would not be the same without them.
He’s provided food consistently for everyone at the ministry. God has provided low-cost resources through places like Hornings and Blessings of Hope, or donations of food from churches, etc. He promised to provide for our basic needs, and I have seen Him hold true to that promise.
He’s shown me grace and mercy when I truly don’t deserve it. None of us deserve it, but that’s what’s so amazing about God. He is good.
He’s proven His trustworthiness and His steadfast, enduring love over and over. God is sovereign and trustworthy.

Prayer Requests:

Continued provision! I know that God can and will provide my needs because He’s promised it, and His faithfulness is unending. That being said, He does tell us to remind Him (or ourselves really) of His character. So pray with me for God to be God.
Please continue to pray for me as I seek His will, follow His plan, and surrender my own. Please pray for me as I seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness. I want to be content where I am, not always looking for something that won’t satisfy like Christ will. Real talk, it’s incredibly difficult to watch the people around me get what I want and live the dream I’ve had for so long, but I am leaning on this: God is good. He is with me. His will is better. His way is better. So please pray with me and for me.
Pray for strength and wisdom for myself and everyone else at the ministry. Especially for the men and women in leadership. God is bigger than any challenge we’ve faced yet. He is sovereign!
Pray for the different projects happening around campus, for the finances to handle all these things, and for wisdom and protection. We have lots of moving parts right now, and I look forward to seeing God’s continued faithfulness.
Pray for the Equip program. These guys have been challenged and have grown a lot this year. Pray for them as they seek God’s guidance for their futures. Pray for last year’s students and next year’s students, too!
Pray for the different aspects of the ministry: the Righteous Rides merge, the Warehouse, the Automotive Shops, Maintenance people, the leadership, the administration, the need for help everywhere, the list goes on and on!
Pray that the Lord of the Harvest would send more workers into His field (see Matthew 9:38). We need help. A few of the major areas of need are in:
- the kitchen
- the office (with me!)
- Equip
- The Warehouse
- The Automotive shops
- Hospitality
Pray that I would find contentment and fulfillment in Christ alone, and that I would be persistent in prayer for His will, not mine. See Request 1 for more on how that’s going.

Don’t forget to check out the pictures from the last 2 months on the CMTS website.

Thank you again for your support! I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to serve God with my work. I am truly so blessed to work at a job that I absolutely love! I thank you sincerely, from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to do this and partnering with me!