News & Nots 2/18/10
Lenten Greetings to you, my Friends,
Last evening we began the “Journey of Hope” which will take us to the foot of the cross of Christ, and beyond. May these next few weeks be significant in your journey of faith. Won’t you plan to be in at worship if you’re in town, and not ill? Won’t you consider reading the scriptures (particularly the “passion” narratives) during these weeks? Would you consider taking on a regular task that is sacrificial for you, but beneficial to someone else? Please consider doing these of other, similar things, in order to enrich and enliven your Lenten and Easter experience.
This Sunday affords families a special opportunity. With the Public School vacations taking place this week (Maine) and next week (New Hampshire), our Education Committee and teaching staff have decided not to hold Sunday School this Sunday (only). I would encourage all the families of our church to attend worship together - if you’re in town. This would be one of those great opportunities for us to help our children and youth experience worship - to grow in their sense of the holy - and to develop practices that enable their own worshipful times. Please consider this.
St. John’s has responded generously to the Haitian crisis. Here is one more opportunity to give. Local medical teams (including Dr. Small, Dr. Bulter and Dr. Chase) have been going to Haiti for years. This year we have the opportunity to send underwear (size 2-14) or beach thongs with them. These are two items –along with money to the Haitian Health Foundation–that were specifically mentioned as a need. Our Outreach Committee will provide two collection boxes on 2/28 and 3/7 and the team will take these items to Jeremy, Haiti the third week in March. So for two weeks in a row, we’ll observe “Undy Sunday!”
BARB JOHNSON: Update: Her knee replacement surgery went well Wed., 2/17 at York Hospital. She ended up needing a full knee replacement. From the surgeon (supplemented by one of the OR nurses): She had a total knee replacement — had expected to only do a partial, and once inside, discovered “disease” (damage?) to both inner and outer areas. So had to (essentially?) restart the surgery to do the full replacement. She cannot be released until she gets over some “hurdles” such as being in “safe ambulatory” condition; her blood levels are good (she lost some during surgery), etc. The surgeon said she would be in the hospital one to three days, depending on recovery speed. Please offer continued prayers for her recovery, especially pain management, and a strong and complete healing.
New England Conference Scholarship Application Packets are available. It is that time of year again for all the graduating high school seniors and college students to apply for a New England Conference Scholarship. The application submission deadline is May 1, 2010. The Scholarship application packet is available online at the Conference web site at http://www.neumc.org/forms (search for “scholarship”) or Click Here. The application consists of the following:
-Instructions for completion of the two required forms
-The 2010 New England Conference Scholarship Application Form
-The 2010 Local Church Scholarship Application Recommendation Form
Eligibility is limited to:
-Members of the United Methodist churches within the bounds of the New England Conference
-Must be high school graduates
-Must be seeking assistance for education beyond high school (undergraduate college, technical or trade school) but NOT on a post-graduate level. If further information is needed, contact Paul Carlotto, Chair Scholarship Committee, at p.carlotto [at] Verizon [dot] net.
The March “Bell-Wether” is nearing the end of production. There’s allot of news coming your way this month, folks - about 20 pages worth!! Wow! The “Holy Folders” will be here tomorrow morning to prepare it for mailing. You can be warming your coffee, and fluffing the pillows in your favorite chair, in anticipation of the “Bell-Wether’s” arrival! Sit right down, and enjoy the read!! God is blessing us at St. John’s with many vital, exciting ministries for Christ and his church!
If you’d like to support cancer research, Gloria Perrine will be taking orders for bunches of daffodils, potted bulbs or “Bear ‘n a Bunch” during coffee fellowship this Sunday. Seek her out!!
There are posters on our Hartford Hall bulletin board advertising testing sessions for 2010 Census Jobs. The first is this Sunday, at 12:30 PM at St. John’s Church! The others are Tuesday, February 23rd and Thursday, March 4th at 10 AM, and the NH Works Employment Office in Somersworth. Call 570-5120 with questions. No appointments are needed for these testing sessions.
The sign-up sheets for our February Public Supper are posted in Hartford Hall. There are still allot of openings - for contributions as well as workers. I hope you’ll check out the sheets soon. The supper is a week from this Saturday.
Our Healing Team will offer the first healing service for 2010 on Wednesday, February 24th, at 7 PM, in our sanctuary. This service - like the previous service - will be in the format of Taize worship (from a community in France). It is slow, quiet, repetitive and reflective. Come and/or invite a friend who would be helped, to come!
A naive young lass was playing Trivial Pursuit one night. It was her turn. She rolled the dice and landed on “Science & Nature.” Her question was, “If you are in a vacuum and someone calls your name, can you hear it?” She thought for a
minute or two and then asked, “Is it on or off?”
That’s it for this week - for news. Pretty soon someone will be coming to the church to arrest me. But have no fear! Through you and some family members and friends, I’ve raised enough money for my bail!! MDA set by bail at $1,600, but through your generosity I’ve raised $1,783! Thanks very much! So I can confidently say “see you in church!” Peace, Mark