FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK…..
“He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth.
Psalm 72:6
Easter is such a glorious holiday! The very reason for our worship! As we celebrate the event of the Saviour rising from the dead, we know that but for that event we would not be Christians.
How amazing God is in renewing the earth. Even here in the west, in desert country, the earth knows when it is spring. There is one kind of cactus that has beautiful flowers this time of year. They last only a short time but it is such a great sight. This funny looking plant with spiky thorns all over it and those beautiful flowers perched on top.
I don’t know where the birds go in the winter, because it is summer all year long here, but this time of year back they come and make their nests and raise their babies. They seem to know the time for them to be here.
There is very little rain here, but a couple of weeks ago we had an all day and all night rain. The plants that were looking pretty sick after the hail storm in the fall are now looking so much better.
Sometimes we wonder what has changed since Jesus gave his life for us and fought the last enemy, death. Then I think of the effects that Christianity has had on the world and can’t imagine what the world would have been like without this great gift of grace.
How the rain coming down on mown grass has so many facets. Not only is the grass nurtured but there is a brightness that is there when the rain stops that was not there before. The rain feeds and nourishes the ground and the world is a little cleaner and brighter.
The same thing happened when Jesus rose from the dead. Hope came back – the world is not all evil. We have been nourished in a way that earthly ways can never nourish us. Those of us who claim Jesus’ name, will forever be different than we would have been without His great sacrifice.
One thing we must do is spread this Good News. As we read the news and see the evil that is alive and well, we must work to negate that with love in our corner of the world. As you see the signs of spring and rebirth all around you, be the rain on the mown grass for all with whom you come in contact.
Pastor Marilyn
The Church Owl
Laws on the Books: It is unlawful to keep a prisoner in jail on Sunday in Kulpmont, Pennsylvania.
- You Can’t Eat Peanuts in Church, by Barbara Seuling
Bible Facts: When Jesus died, saints rose from the dead and walked around Jerusalem.
Matthew 27:52, 53
-Bible Trivia
Announcements
Sunday School – 8:30 AM in the Community Building
Adult Bible Study with Pastor Joe Travis – Sunday evenings at 6:00pm
Choir Practice Every Saturday at 9:30am
Sunday, April 1st - Palm Sunday
Thursday, April 5th - Maundy Thursday
Friday, April 6th - Good Friday
Sunday, April 8th- Happy Easter!!! Sunrise Service will be at the White’s at 7:30am with
breakfast following at the Community Building at 8:00am. Worship Service at 9:30am.
Thursday, April 12th – Prayer Shawl Ministry Group meeting at Carolyn W. at 7:00 pm
Tuesday, April 24th – Newsletter Deadline
Worship Opportunities for Holy Week
Easter morning is so much more meaningful if we attend worship somewhere during Holy Week. Silver Lake church will be having service Maundy Thursday at 7:00 PM. First Church in Hallstead will have a service Friday eve. at 7:30PM. In Montrose, the annual Walk of the Cross will begin at Holy Name of Mary at noon and proceed to St. Paul’s, then the United Methodist and ending at the Presbyterian.
THANK YOU to all who helped make the Brunch on the 18th a success. As always, many quickly volunteered to do whatever needed to be done. It’s amazing how many things are accomplished in one congregation and ALL of us have a part in that. We are truly “one body” as we worship and work together.
Memorial Sunday Pastor Marilyn would like to have a short Memorial Service Portion on Sunday, May 27, 2012. If you have lost someone during this past year, please let Pastor Marilyn know, so that we can remember that person during the service. You can send the name by Email or send a post card to her Arizona address. Please have the name to her before May 1.
Session would like to begin a card ministry, the idea coming from an article in a recent Presbyterian Today magazine. If you would like a card sent to a particular person to give them a lift or let them know they are missed or offer encouragement, etc. etc., just give the name and address to Janet Decker. Cards, envelopes and postage will be provided and placed on a table in the Community Building the first Sunday of each month. As we file past the table on our way to the coffee pot, we will be able to sign each of the cards and Janet will address the envelopes and mail them. You can reach Janet at
570-967-2343 or email her at rdecker31@stny.rr.com
Baby Bottle Campaign: Care Net does not set the dates for the Baby Bottle collections as they are happy to have the funds at any time during the year. Session decided before Christmas that since so many special offerings come right after another, we would do the Baby bottles later. The dates have been set for this year’s campaign for April 15th to begin and the final Sunday will be Mother’s Day, May 13th. Fliers and more information will be available soon.
The Mother Daughter Dinner will be May 14th at 6:00. Please bring a dish to share. If anyone has any ideas for entertainment for the evening, please contact Bonne.
Spring Rummage Sale will by May 18th and 19th. You may bring your items to the building across the road.
Our church will be hitting the 200th year anniversary in 2013. I would like peoples input into how to celebrate this major milestone. Would you recommend one big event or several smaller ones like spring, summer and fall? How would you like to mark the milestone? I plan to interview some of our members for articles for the newsletter. Also, I want to take excerpts from the old church minutes.
Does anyone have old pictures? What else can you suggest?
Thanks, Jim Perkins 570-967-2634 perkmar@stny.rr.com
Pastor Marilyn : You can reach her at 607-222-8261. Ray and Marilyn will be living in Arizona until May. Please keep in touch with them during the winter. The phone number is the same. The address is: 5201 W. Camelback Rd. Lot B 31, Phoenix, AZ 85031.