The Olive Branch APRIL OLIVE BRANCH CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ)

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1 The Olive Branch APRIL 2018 OLIVE BRANCH CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ) Richard D. Cline, minister Web Address: Susan C. Fournier, secretary Office Address: (Church Office) Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30AM 1:30PM IN COMMUNITY Over the last several months I have found myself using the word, community, a great deal. You might say it has become one of my favorite words to describe our life together. Community can mean many different things; our church is located within the Toano or is it Norge community. We are situated within the James City County/Williamsburg community; which is increasingly becoming a popular place for people to live, work, and retire. And where do we live? Within named communities, such as Mirror Lake, Colonial Heritage, Ford s Colony, Wellington, Governor s Land, or a multitude of other various subdivisions. We live in communities, but how many people do we know within our communities? Do we know the names of our neighbors? Can we name five families we keep in contact with on a regularly basis? In an emergency, do we know the number of a person within our community to call, other than 911 or Security? Just because we physically dwell within a residential community, it does not automatically mean we are really living in community with the residents. The truth is, often we avoid becoming involved in the lives of others because it carries the risk that they will become involved in our lives. To avoid thinking about community deprives us of one of God s greatest gifts. Community is the world as God wants it to be. It is the gift of a rich and challenging life together, one that we need and can receive with joy. Christian community is simply sharing a common life in Christ. The Biblical ideal of community challenges us to commit ourselves to live together as the people of God. What does life in the community look like? It is life that puts flesh and bones to the language of the New Testament: Love one another, forgive each other, regard each other more highly than yourselves. Encourage each other, pray for each other, and bear each other s burdens. Be friends with one another, kind, compassionate, and generous in hospitality. Serve one another out of reverence for Christ. We need the community of faith to grow in Christ. And this growth will only be fruitful through walking with others, here, in this place we call Olive Branch our church home. Blessings, ~Pastor Richard 1

2 CWF NEWS AFTERNOON DELIGHT The next meeting will be at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, April 3 rd at the Barber home. Come to enjoy! Hope to see you! ~Dick & Betty Barber Barb Schmidt with her yard sale treasure Prophetic! She needed it shortly afterwards!! Our March 17 th yard sale was fantastic!! Fantastic help to donate items & yummy baked goods; fantastic help to organize and set up; fantastic help to work the event itself; fantastic help to clean up (and take away the leftovers, Salvation Army-big thanks); fantastic community networking and connections! We made nearly $3, 000 for our goals and to help the Youth Group Summer Mission trip. Thank you to everyone!! God Bless! ~Sheila Yeatts, CWF Director MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE 2018 CWF FUNDRAISING EVENTS: Sat., April 21, 5-7 PM: Spaghetti Dinner Sat., October 6: Community Fun Day Sat., November 17, 8AM-1PM: Christmas Yard Sale CWF TUESDAY MORNING CIRCLE Illness torpedoed the March meeting. We will next meet on April 10 th hopefully healthy! And hopefully in full Spring! See you there, ~Donna Haulsee MONDAY CWF WILL MEET On Monday, April 16, at its evening time of 7PM. ~Carole Kerr Our Youth Mission trip will benefit greatly from our wonderful yard sale! Thank you SO much! ~Abby Matschke Church Family: Pat Allred, Michael Ayers, Becky Baker, Betty Barber, Jeanne Bell, Charles & Betty Boy, Emily Dill, Emily Friend & Family, Jessica Fulgham, Bob Graver, Nancy Griffith, Lucy Hall, Norm Harbour, Lena Jeffries, Jeanne Lawrence, Mary Lee Leary, Diana & David Love, Dallas Mitchell, Robin Moscati Family, Bob & June Phillips, Charlie Pruitt, Susan Rinehart, Roy & Ellen Sullivan, Jim Thacker, Paula Thacker, Richard Thiel, Jerry VanCleave, Ted & Vivian VanHolten, Sarah Waid, Betty Weisman, Brenda, Shannon (Starmer), & Sheila White, Dennis Williams, Pam Williams Family and Friends: Professional and volunteer women and men who protect and defend us, our nation, Marie Babey (Willards friend), Tracy Barrow (Karen Barrow s cousin), Susan Bookless (Carole Kerr s friend), Bonnie Burton (Robin Moscati s sister), Victoria Cartier (Cheryl & Gene Johnson's daughter), Harry Christy (Harold Barker s friend), Alice Daniels (Robin Moscati s Aunt), Sue Dunfee (Susan Rinehart s friend), Angela Gillespie Family (Stacey Mullins cousin), David Hunt (Jim Hunt s brother), Kenneth Kempton (Sarah Waid s brother), Lynn Kerr (Bruce Kerr s brother), Ken McCrickland (Thackers friend), Louise Nealis (Stacey Mullins best friend s mom), Tracey Pesante (Emilio Pesante s wife), Judith Roberts (Jeanne Bell s friend), Joe Simmons Family (Pastor Richard & Ann s son s father), Nick Smith (Cindy Robertson s son), Sandy Tinklepaugh (Michelle Wright s sister), Jamie Ware-Jondreau (David & Carol Pitts friend), Earl Young (Joann Mitchell s brother), Paulo (Susan Rinehart s friend), Nicole (Michelle Wright s friend) While recovering from having my knee replaced, I found the high point of my day was receiving the most thoughtful cards from so many of my church family. I thank you for each and every one along with the words of encouragement and your prayers. Doug and I also thank so many of you

3 for the meals you brought us. It sure made Doug s days a lot easier. Each act of kindness you did just reaffirmed to us how fortunate we are to call OBCC home. Peace, ~Emily Dill I want to say thank you to everyone for my cards. I am at home and feeling a little better. I go see my doctor Friday. Unfortunately, I still have a long way to go. Thanks for all my prayers. So very grateful I did not need surgery. I hope everyone has a blessed week. Your sister in Christ, ~Susan Rinehart Worship and Wonder (Ages 3-8) April 1 April 8 Ann Bradshaw, Landa Simmons Linda Williams, Carolyn Hunt April 15 Missy Harbour, Kim Riffle April 22 Linda Williams, Carolyn Hunt April 29 Landa Simmons, Patty Barker April 1 April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29 April 1 April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29 SERVING THIS MONTH Elders Missy Harbour, Norm Harbour Kim Riffle, Jim Thacker Joshua Fulgham, Elaine Henk Fred Rothermel, Robbie Robertson Chuck Walker, Bob Lawrence Deacons Val Mason, Sheila Yeatts, Andrew Pfister, Keeta Hodson Lisa Day, Tracy Creech, Tracey Hutton, Phillip Day Donna Haulsee, Boyce Mason, Elna Pitts, Danny Pitts Cindy Robertson, Lewis Williams, Stacey Mullins, Mary Lee Leary Will Hatcher, Jane Hatcher, Mel Watson, Kaye Watson Deaconess Emily Dill April 1 April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29 OPEN OPEN OPEN Grayson Savage Marney Brickhouse 05 Chuck & Beverly Walker 07 Richard & Christina Jones 17 Harold & Patty Barker 17 Doug & Emily Dill 18 Dwayne & Rhonda Davis 19 Richard & Lynn Onesty 29 Mel & Kaye Watson 01 Jeanne Bell 02 Corey Hooker 02 Shaun Hooker 03 Jonathon Griffin 06 Larry William Smith 08 Judy Jones-Wanner

4 11 Ann Bradshaw 12 Betty Barber 16 Donald Morse 16 Nancy Sheppard 16 Louise Smith 17 Chuck Sheppard 19 Dr. John Speegle 20 Marney Brickhouse 21 Brett Matschke 22 Kathy Kirby 24 Randy Banks 24 Donna Perger 25 Jack Heslink 26 Tyler Hutton 26 Lynn Onesty 26 Maggie Sheppard 30 Jeryl Dieleman 30 Christy Jensen HYGIENE KITS COLLECTED: Nearly 100 kits were collected along with a generous donation for shipping costs. These kits will help those who are displaced to have some basic health/hygiene needs met. Many thanks for your generosity!!! We will do another round of collection sometime in late summer/early fall in anticipation of hurricane season. In His Name & Blessing Sheila Yeatts FOOD SHARING PROGRAM UPDATE 10 Year Anniversary On Sunday April 22, 2018, we will celebrate and give thanks for your participation in our neighborhood food sharing program. Your weekly donations have made this program a success for our neighbors and glorify our Father. On Sunday, April 22 nd bring your food offerings to either service and place them in front of the communion tables. This is a special time for us to acknowledge our commitment to continue to support our neighbors who deal with food insecurity. It is a time to remember the significance Jesus gives to the purpose of this program. Truly, I tell you whatever you did not do for one the least of those who were hungry, you did not do it for me. Truly, your food donations do touch the least of those who are hungry and Jesus acknowledges you do it for Him. Thanks for your faithful support for our neighbors. We are grateful for your support! Love, ~Jane & Will Hatcher FAMILY NIGHT ON A SHORT BREAK: Watch for the return of Family Night sessions on Wednesdays at 6 PM later in April. Tyler, Paula, Louise with Meals on Wheels Executive Director, Cathy Upton OUR DAY OUT A special bond of love has bound us together at Our Day Out. The Holy Spirit visits us with peace and joy as we share tears and laughter. He certainly did at this last meeting. When we go through times of trial, and it is shared with those who love each other, it lightens the load of care. We experience that over and over at Our Day Out. This month was no exception. And to that we say, "Thank you God!" After a time of praying together, we pledged to the Christian flag and marched to Onward Christian Soldiers. Irma shared the names of some with Irish heritage, Irish Blessings. She sang some Irish tunes as only Irma can! Thanks, Irma! Cathy Upton, Executive Director for Meals on Wheels gave us helpful insights and information about this fine service that is available to residents in our area. Her delightful personality and love for her job made this a very fun and interesting time of sharing as she encouraged our questions.and many were asked. We thoroughly enjoyed having Cathy with us. Thank you, Christy for arranging this! If anyone could use this service, or someone would like to volunteer with this organization, please ask me for a brochure or give me a call. Our tables were decorated to Irish perfection by Marney with lovely table favors made by Vivian Van Holten. The lunch provided by Sheila & Marney brought in an Italian flair with Lasagna, salad,

5 bread, cookies and ice cream. Do you think we are spoiled a tad??? Thanks, Ladies! We sang Happy Birthday to Lucy and Jane. They received cards, signed by all. Cards were signed and sent to our ailing friends, Jeanne Bell and Pat Allred, along with hopes and prayers for speedy recoveries for them both. In the afternoon, cute little arrangements were made per Jane's instructions, to be taken home and enjoyed for Easter. Bingo followed to close out our day. I think everyone ended up with some piece of chocolate or two to take home! Another thing that I love, love, love about this group is their desire to share. If someone has won several times at Bingo, he or she chooses a prize to give to someone who has not yet won. Tyler is so good about doing this that others have followed his lead. I can tell you that God truly blesses at Our Day Out. Why not come by and see for yourself? Love, in Jesus, ~Louise Smith WOMAN-TO-WOMAN WORLDWIDE SEWING PROJECT-A SPECIAL GIFT Disciples Women recently returned from their 2017 journey to India. While there, they learned about a training project in Delhi that would allow 7-10 women to learn how to sew garments to provide hem a stable income. The project would provide income for 3 months of training and then 3 more months for them to begin their businesses with a plan that aims to make them self-sustaining at the end of 6 months. $6,000 is needed to begin this project that will help women change their lives. Disciples Women are accepting donations through May 31 st. Please find a donation form in this newsletter to help you make a donation that will change a life. Contact Ann Bradshaw with your questions ( ). April showers bring May flowers, That is what they say. But if all the showers turned to flowers, We d have quite a colorful day! ODO Lunch providers-fantastic heroes!! MARK YOUR CALENDAR UPCOMING OBCC EVENTS: (Save these dates & watch for details in newsletters and bulletins) Saturday, April 21, 5-7 PM: CWF Spaghetti Dinner Sunday, April 22, both services: Food Sharing Day COMFORT MINISTRY SUPPORT GROUP meets the first Saturday of the month at the Five Brothers Steak and Pancake restaurant at 10 am for breakfast. Please call Judy Eley at if you would like to attend. If you are on a grief journey, this could be of benefit to you. There d be bluebells and cockleshells, Tulips red and green, Daffodils and Chinese squill, The brightest you ve ever seen. You d see tiger lilies and water lilies, Carnations pink and blue, Forget-me-not and small sundrop Glistening with the dew. We d have fireweed and milkweed And many more different flowers. Mexican star and shooting star, Falling in the showers. And if all the showers turned to flowers On that rainy April day, Would all the flowers turn to showers In the sunny month of May?

6 Recently, the Horne Methodist Praise Choir travelled to OBCC from North Carolina to sing at services here. They were thrilled to make the trip and wanted everyone to know how much they appreciated OBCC s hospitality and welcome. Thank Diana Love for arranging this wonderful moment in worship.

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10 Non-Profit Organization U. S. Postage PAID Norge, VA Permit No. 2. The Olive Branch published by Olive Branch Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 7643 Richmond Road Williamsburg, VA (757) Electronic Service Requested Note: No longer wish to receive our newsletter? Address changed? Please contact the church Easter, April 1 (no foolin!) May flowers coming??? Spaghetti Dinner 4/21 Food Sharing Sunday 4/22