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Email: office@stmarysucc.org
Page last updated: April 2, 2005
T H E P A R I S H N E W S
St. Mary’s United Church of Christ
Silver Run, Maryland
Volume XXVI April, 2005 No 4- modified for the Web.
(Previous issues available: 2004, January 2005, February 2005, March 2005)
The good news lives on! Easter is too joyous and too significant to be confined to a single day. The fact that we in the church celebrate the Sabbath on the first day of the week is testimony to the centrality of the Easter message for us. The fact that in the midst of disappointment and despair and death, we continue to celebrate life and hope and joy is proof of the power of the gospel message that we proclaim. Christ has conquered all that threatened us. Christ has been victorious over the sin and evil of this world. Christ calls us to share in redemptive partnership to help bring healing and wholeness to a world spinning out of control. Knowing the risen Christ, we too experience the power and the excitement of life that is purposeful and meaningful and fulfilling, life that shares now in the life everlasting.
In the weeks ahead, we continue to celebrate the presence and possibility found in our encounter with the risen Christ. This is the Easter season when we in the church are called, confronted, and challenged by the Christ of the resurrection to life-affirming, life-healing, life-sharing ministries. The tomb could not contain the crucified Christ. Time cannot contain the Christ of Easter. Ours is the joy to celebrate and to share with one another and with the world around us. The risen Christ is ready to walk with us as we journey toward the fulfillment of all our tomorrows. Ours is the cross, the grave, the skies. Together in our work and in our witness, we share love's redeeming work, following the Christ who lives that we too might live. may our lives and our life together reflect our call and our commitment to faithful discipleship.
Grace and peace,
Dick
We will be receiving new members into our congregation at our 10:00 am worship service on Sunday, April 17th. There will also be a new member orientation conducted on the prior Sunday, April 10th. Anyone interested in becoming a member of St. Mary's church should be in touch with the pastor or the church office as soon as possible.
During the Sundays in April, our church will receive donations of used clothing items. These items will be sent to area groups working on behalf of the poor in our region. Clothing can be brought to the church starting Sunday, April 3rd, through Sunday, April 24th. Please refrain form using oversize boxes and overfilled bags. Thank you for thinking of others during this Easter season.
On Saturday, April 9th, a workshop will be held at St. Paul's UCC in Westminster entitled "Reclaiming the Healing Ministry of Jesus." The daylong workshop will start at 8:30 AM and conclude with a Healing Service at 3:15 PM led by Rev. Dr. Bruce Epperly of Lancaster Seminary and Rev. Dr. Terri Young of St. Paul's.. The morning session will include a presentation by Rev. Dr. Robert Webber, Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Lancaster Seminary; and Rec. Dr. Bernie Zerkel will moderate a panel discussion that will include Belinda Finn as one of the participants. The cost for the day including lunch is $10. Call the church office immediately for reservations. Anyone interested in attending this workshop on healing ministries in the church is invited to take advantage of this unique opportunity.
There will be someone in the Vestry Sunday April 10 and 17 to receive dues to Hoffman Home Friends, $2.00 each. Quilt raffle tickets and chicken barbeque dinner tickets for May 21 will also be available. If anyone has a craft item worth $25.00 and would like donate it to the silent auction, please see Mildred before May 20th.
The children of St. Mary's would like to do a "shawl" ministry just for kids. The kids would collect money and buy the materials to go into making the scarves. Then the older kids or the kids that could knit would knit the scarves. After the scarf is completed we would then bless them and give them to the children in need of love. Then every time they put the scarf around them they would feel the love knitted in every stitch comfort them. If you are a child who would like to knit or would like to learn contact Alice. This group will meet the first Sunday of every month at 6:00PM with the shawl ministry. Please contact if you are interested in helping.
The Spring Banquet of the Carroll County Lay Fellowship will be held Thursday, April 14 at 7:00 PM at the Hampstead Fire Department in Hampstead. Trinity United Church of Chris, with Rec. Robert Rock will be the host church and pastor. Menu is Fried Chicken and Ham for a cost of $12.00 each. Checks made payable to Carroll County Lay Fellowship. The guest speaker will be Heather Moyer, Editor of Disasters News Network for Church World Service speaking on Tsunami relief efforts. Graduates will be honored. Deadline for tickets is Sunday, April 3rd. See Jeanne for tickets.
Vacation Bible School Planning
The Vacation Bible School planning committee will be having a brief meeting after church on Sunday April 3rd. If you are interested in being a part of VBS this year but can not attend the meeting please advise Sherry or Stacy. This year VBS is scheduled for the week of July 18th.
St. Mary's UCC Talent Extravaganza
and Pot Luck! Saturday, April 23, 6:00 PM
"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit..." 1 Corinthians 12:4
We're looking for singers (alone or in a group). Can't carry a tune? Bet you can lip-synch. Have you always wanted to belt out "New York, New York" a la frank Sinatra? Here's your chance. Or grab two friends turn the clock back to 1963 and become Peter, Paul and Mary singing "Blowin' in the Wind". Are you more of an 80's child and Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" keeps rolling around in your mind? Just love the Beatles? How about "Twist and Shout" or "Rocky Raccoon"? If singing is not for you-can you perform a magic trick? How about tap, ballet, or soft shoe? Do you (or does your child/grandchildren) Play and instrument? Juggling? Hula-hoop? Yo-yo? Can you walk on your hands? Are you a frustrated actor? Do you yearn to perform Shakespeare or a scene from your favorite movie- maybe "Gone With the Wind" or "Finding Nemo". You could recite the poem you memorized in elementary school . Or something from Robert Frost ("whose woods these are I think I know..."). Can you recite all the books of the Bible" Do you have a favorite scripture passage? The Talent Extravaganza is not a competition - but a time for sharing home-grown gifts and talents. All ages-young and old - are welcomed on the stage. We can guarantee a receptive audience - and a fun time for all! See Fellowship Committee members Lisa or Molly to sign up - or leave your name with Jeanne in the church office. Audience members needed, too! Don't forget to bring your own place setting and a dish to pass.
In Sunday, May 1st we will be having our annual Change-A-Pew Sunday. On this day everyone is encouraged to sit in a different part of the sanctuary. This will give you an opportunity to get to know other people, and also to participate in the worship service from a different point of view. Take a risk, you might enjoy your new location better then your usual one. Hope to see you there, but in a different place.
The Mother's Class will again sponsor the Mother's Day Bulletin. Names in honor of or in memory of can be included for $1.00 each. Envelopes are on the back windowsill of the sanctuary or names may be given to Betty. We ask for your support of this project so we can again make a donation to the Sanctuary Fund.
Thank You for sharing our Parish News! If you would like to be added to our mailing list, please contact the church office.
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Email: office@stmarysucc.org Page last updated: April 2, 2005 |
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