the Cedar Chips Pastor s Corner Our Vision

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1 the Cedar Chips April 2019 Pastor s Corner April is summer with rain in Thailand. April is spring with rain in Pennsylvania. I am pondering on time. Each month has a significant meaning to me. My sister was born in winter, January. My brother was born in spring, April. I was born in summer, August. We three are grown into our 60s years old. My dad died almost 14 years ago and I remember every detail about him and with him. My mom is 85 years old and underwent an urgent heart surgery last night right after my brother rushed her to a hospital in our hometown, Chiang Mai Thailand. Each day passes by with God s abiding. My beloved people had died and a few are sick and suffering. Pastoral care is part of my call. I mourn and hurt myself and with my people. This year I am also an on-call chaplain at Ephrata Community Hospital. All my calls would be only for code blue and trauma and during the night to run to the hospital. For good health and well-being of people, I hope to get less calls as well as to be supportive to the afflicted. My heart was heavy and I was desperate with the incidents my niece and her husband had in China and my mom had in Thailand. Every time when I visit the sick and distressed here, I have been taking my pastoral care and calling truly and gratefully because I could not be there for my own family on the other side of the world. My niece and I have helped each other heal from our sadness. We video called each other every day and laughed like silly. We sounded the same too, like Witch Hazel s laugh in Bugs Bunny. She endured so much pain from a broken leg and should be able to walk and go back to Thailand soon. We love to laugh loudly and for no reason. God loves and God always provides ways of healing for each of us. Each day passes by with God s abiding. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name. Psalm 63: 3-4. God is Good! Life is Precious! Signed Pastor Kris Our Vision Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church seeks to glorify God through nurturing spiritual growth, developing faithful discipleship, and serving our community.

2 Easter Flowers!! Order forms are on the table at the bulletin board. Fill out the form and place it, with payment, in the box under the bulletin board. Any questions, contact the church office (717) Deadline for orders is: Sunday, April 7, Please take your flowers home after the Easter Service. Sunday, April 14 Passion/Palm Sunday 9:45 a.m. Procession of the Palms 10:00 a.m. Palm Sunday Worship Service Thursday, April 18~ Maundy Thursday 6:00 p.m. Sacrificial Soup & Salad Supper 7:00 p.m. Communion Service Friday, April 19~CommunityGood Friday Service ~Local pastors will be preaching Journey to the Tomb 1:30 p.m. held at Garden Spot Village Chapel Sunday, April 21 ~ Easter 9:30 a.m. Easter Surprise for Children 10:00 a.m. Easter Worship Service. Bring fresh flowers to put on the cross in the parking lot. All Children are invited to come to church at 9:30 a.m. on Easter morning to listen to an Easter story and find some hidden treats. Easter Candy There is a box in the vestibule for Easter candy. If you can bring a bag of Easter goodies it would be greatly appreciated. Please bring by April 7. PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN April 1-11:45 a.m. CT Meeting April 1-12:30 p.m. Lesson 7: God With Us as Emmanuel Facilitator: Carolyn Tate Hostesses: Carolyn Tate Special Offering: Birthday May 3-5 Spring Women s Retreat St. Mary of Providence, Honey Brook May 4-9:30 a.m. Spring Gathering May 6-12:30 p.m. Lesson 8: God with Us as the Holy Spirit Facilitator: Sue Welsh Hostesses: Betty Ferstler Special Offering: Hunger Ladies! You are invited! May 3rd 5th The women of Cedar Grove PW would be pleased to have you come to our annual retreat. The retreat will be held at St. Mary s of Providence Retreat Center, located between Elverson and Honey Brook. Love, Light and Life Selections of the Gospel of John...and laughter too! Speakers are Rev. Eva Johnson and Sister Kathy Stark. Pastor Eva grew up as a Roman Catholic and later became a United Methodist Pastor, currently serving at Grove United Methodist in West Chester. Sister Kathy grew up in a Protestant home and was called to become a Roman Catholic Sister. Currently she offers hospitality to retreats at St. Mary of Providence. Contact Cedar Grove s office at or Edie Kurtz at for more information. Registration Forms are available in the vestibule! Fast Food for Lent On Easter Sunday, April 21 st, please bring a French fry or a few to share during worship what you learned and what God s messages are when you meditate on those questions. We witness the resurrected Christ. 2

3 Community Invited Spring Fling Spring Fling April 7th following Worship Service. Munch on Pulled Pork, Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Macaroni Salad & Delicious Desserts Invite your friends! Mingle with your church family! Play some games! Have fun! Spruce Up Day ~ Both Indoor & Outdoor Saturday, May 4 ~ 8:00 a.m. There will be a Spruce Up Work Day on Saturday, May 4 beginning at 8:00 a.m. Bring cleaning and weed pulling supplies. Everyone is invited to help beautify the church building and grounds. Breakfast and lunch provided by Stewardship committee. Floating on faith As a man and his young daughter were boating one day, their vessel sprang a leak. The father knew he d have to swim to shore but couldn t with the child in tow. She hadn t gotten far in swimming lessons but could float on her back, so he told her to do so and promised to return. Coast Guard personnel were skeptical that a child could survive so long in the water. But hours later, as the sun set and they considered halting the search, someone spied a red dress amid the waves. The girl, still floating, was singing a hymn. Astounded, rescuers asked how she held on so long. My daddy said he d come back for me, she said, and he never breaks his promises. Prayer rests on just such trust. We can t know when God will answer or act, but we know he promises never to abandon us and that God keeps his promises. So we can lie back and float on faith. Per Capita 2019, per capita is $36.00 per member. There are per capita envelope included with your 2018 envelopes or you may mail a check made payable to Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church or drop in the offering plate. MARK CHECKS PER CAP- ITA. Tell Me Your Story Tell Me Your Story Spring/ Summer Edition. We are collecting the stories for our devotion booklet. Bring a story out in writing to be an inspiration and a witness to who God is in your life. Relate a story with a few verses of scriptures and finish with a short prayer. A story must be only up to half 8x11 page. Submit your story either via at pastorkris@frontier.com or a hard copy to Pastor Kris Deadline is Sunday, April 7. May Cedar Chips Please submit any articles by April 15, 2019 Wednesday Morning Women s Bible Study Wed. Morning Women s Bible Study & Intercessory Prayer. We meet every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. Intercessory Prayer Time is prior to the Bible Study. The study is Listening to God. You are encouraged to attend, we would love to have you. Special dates ~ April 2019 Fifth Sunday in Lent, April 7 Holy Week, April Palm/Passion Sunday, April 14 Maundy Thursday, April 18 Good Friday, April 19 Easter Sunday, April 21 ~One Great Hour of Sharing Offering Administrative Professionals Day, April 24 3

4 Giving to Others Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." - Luke 6:38 (NIV) The Dead Sea is the dead sea because it continually receives and never gives. Anonymous Real charity doesn t care if it s tax deductible or not. Anonymous Let laughter spring forth! Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush. (Doug Larson) Easter is the only time when it s perfectly safe to put all of your eggs in one basket. (Evan Esar) Spring is the time of year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade. (Charles Dickens) The world is mud-luscious and puddle wonderful. (e.e. cummings) In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. (Margaret Atwood) Prayer Service around the flag pole Cedar Grove on National Day of Prayer Thursday, May 2 at 10:00 a.m. You may bring lawn chairs. Come pray for our nation. This is the 68th Annual Observance. This year s theme will be Love One Another based on John 13:34 which says, Love one another. Just as I have loved you. Christ has triumphed! Tomb, thou shalt not hold him longer; Death is strong, but life is stronger. Stronger than the dark, the light; Stronger than the wrong, the right. Faith and hope triumphant say, Christ will rise on Easter Day. Phillips Brooks 4

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6 April Worship Assistants Greeters & Ushers 7-Barb MacMaster & Mary Painter 14-Butch & Ruthie Diem 21-Karen & Nichole Behrenhauser 28-Glenn & Barb Zook Liturgists 7-Betty Ferstler 14-Karen Behrenhauser 21-Scott Sweigart 28-Carol Seaman Elder On Call: Scott Sweigart (717) Deacon On Call: Mary Painter (717) Teller: Elder on Call Helpers: Providing Flowers: 7-Pastor Kris in Honor of her Brother s Birthday Easter Flowers 28- Trustee on Call: 7-Don Oakes 14-Glenn Zook 21-Doug Weaver 28-Glenn Zook Anniversaries - April Birthdays - April 4-Ben Barrage 8-Rodney Usner 8-Tammy Weaver 11-Annette Friel 11-Nancy Fiedler 25-Gary Seaman 25-David Brown May 2-Mildred Boley May 3-Robert Zook May 5-William Leaman May 6-Mary Painter May 7-Emily MacHenry 6

7 The Cedar Chips Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church P. O. Box Division Highway East Earl, PA Phone: (717) Address Service Requested April 2019 Sunday, April 14 Passion/Palm Sunday 9:45 a.m. Procession of the Palms 10:00 a.m. Palm Sunday Worship Service Thursday, April 18~ Maundy Thursday 6:00 p.m. Sacrificial Soup & Salad Supper 7:00 p.m. Communion Service Friday, April 19~CommunityGood Friday Service ~Local pastors will be preaching Journey to the Tomb 1:30 p.m. held at Garden Spot Village Chapel Sunday, April 21 ~ Easter 9:30 a.m. Easter Surprise for Children 10:00 a.m. Easter Worship Service. Bring fresh flowers to put on the cross in the parking lot. Spring Fling April 7th following Worship Service. Invite your friends! Mingle with your church family! Play some games! Have fun! If you would like to have your sent by , please contact the church office by phone or e- mail and we will add you to the list. cedargrovepc@frontiernet.net