News & Notes 3/20/08
Happy Spring, my friends,
There is much to share with you today, so I’ll jump right in.
We have seven worship experiences between this evening and Sunday at noon. I encourage you to come to as many as possible. Here’s the list:
Tonight at 7 PM - Maundy Thursday service (”Maundy” means “commandment” - i.e. “a new commandment I give to you”). Tonight two mothers will give us something to think about - and we’ll receive communion around a table, in groups of twelve.
There will be two services on Friday. At noon, the ecumenical community will gather at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Chestnut Street. The service is focused on “The people of the Cross.” And at 7 PM, we’ll have a service at St. John’s - a Tenebrae service (service of shadows). During the service a series of scriptures will be read - and a series of candles will be extinguished.
On Sunday we’ll celebrate the resurrection at four different services. At 5:30 AM we will light the Christ candle - reminding us that Christ is the light of the world - at a service held in our outdoor chapel (yes, a path has been cleared for us to make it to the chapel). That service ends with our procession into the sanctuary, where the High School Youth will lead us in the Sunrise Service at 6 AM. (The United Methodist Men will serve Easter breakfast in Hartford Hall following this service.) Then we’ll have two similar, Spirit-filled services, with organ, handbells, choir and a story - at 9 and 11 AM. (Note the later beginning time for the second service. This is to avoid “traffic jams” in our parking lot between services.)
I know that I say this often, but it’s important for us to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those who don’t know it: if you have friends, co-workers, family members, or neighbors who don’t already have a church home, please invite them to join you at any or all of these services. You might offer to pick them up and bring them with you. That would help them get over the “hurdle” of coming into a totally new setting. Or you could make a call to one or more of our church family that you haven’t seen in worship for awhile. Don’t “scold” them about not having been here - but let them know you’ve missed them, and encourage them to come worship the risen Lord on this special weekend.
I just received a call from Gloria P, who told me the daffodils (that many of us purchased in support of cancer research) have arrived. With all the other events happening this weekend, it seems the best time to get these to you who ordered them, is for Gloria to “set up shop” in Hartford Hall after this evening’s service. So maybe this will be an added incentive to come to the service!!
Cheri Nixon asked me to share this next item with you:
“Many thanks to all that are providing flowers for what will be a beautiful arrangement in the chancel area on Sunday - over 120 flowers! If you have donated the flowers (over 60 have been donated), thanks, I am sure they will bless the recipients. If you are picking your flowers up or if you are available to deliver flowers we will have people available on Monday morning 3/24 from 9 to noon AND (as a new option!) I will be available from 5:30 to 7 PM. Thanks again, Cheri Nixon”
Two events are coming up on the weekend after Easter: the “Guys’ Garage Sale” - hosted by the United Methodist Men; and the Public Corned Beef and Cabbage Supper. Both events could use your support. Check out the March “Bell-Wether” or the St. John’s website (www [dot] stjohnsdover [dot] org) to see what the Garage Sale is about. And the sign-up sheets for the supper are on the rolling bulletin board in Hartford Hall.
There are two events that I want to lift up for you - for your planning ahead. The first is the Cluster Choir Festival which will be held at St. John’s Church on Sunday, April 6th, at 4:30 PM. I think nine choirs will be here to participate - and the event closes with all the choirs joining together for two massed-choir anthems. It should be a real treat! And speaking of treats, the second event I want to mention is the “Death by Chocolate Karaoke Night” - sponsored by our Youth, on Saturday, April 12th, beginning at 6:30 PM. Come for the music or come for the chocolate or come for both . . . but come!!
The General Board of Discipleship wants to know what you think about our current hymnal (The United Methodist Hymnal, 1989) and some common practices related to congregational worship and singing. We invite you to participate in a survey open to all United Methodists - pastors, musicians, laity, children, youth, adults. Your responses will be used in planning future resources in the areas of congregational worship and music. The survey consists of approximately 35 simple statements related to the hymnal, worship, and congregational singing. You will be asked to register your agreement or disagreement with each statement by clicking on a button. The entire survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. To take the survey now, go to www.gbod.org/hymnal Once you begin the survey, you must complete it in one session. You’re not allowed to save the survey and return later. In order to maintain the integrity of the survey, only one response per computer will be accepted. The survey will be available until March 30, 2008.
A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named Ahmal.” The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him Juan.” Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, “They’re twins! If you’ve seen Juan, you’ve seen Ahmal.”
That’s about all the news for now. See you in church. Peace, Mark